HEALTH SENSE: Ayurveda: Ancient wisdom for modern times

HEALTH SENSE

Ayurveda

Ancient wisdom for modern times By Donna Lanni feine, alcohol, frozen foods, GMOs, and foods with lower Ayurveda, the more than 5,000-year-old modality of health and wellness from India, is finding its way into Western lifestyle practices. Prana (life force energy) can, over time, cause digestive stress and toxins (Ama), which can lead to illness. The grocery store isles are filled with medicines that reduce gas, acid, bloating, and constipation; all of these just manage

Most people have heard of neti pots, tongue scraping and oil the symptoms of a greater problem. Irregular schedules, too pulling as a daily morning ritual. Others openly discuss their much screen time, chronic stress, unhealthy relationships and “dosha” after taking quizzes in magazines or online. But what environmental toxins shift the elements as well. does this really mean? How can an ancient practice really help us in these very intense times? Ayurveda offers a multi-therapeutic approach of preventive modalities to bring the individual into balance with the natural Alaska PULSE rhythms of nature, the seasons, and with their own true natural Shout Out expression of health. Ayurveda also takes the qualities of the mind into account and believes that the mind, body and spirit of an indi- Send a Message of Support and Gratitudevidual are all connected. It utilizes the concept that all living beings have within them a unique blend of the five Mahabuthas or elements: Alaska Pulse would like to thank all our state's medical professionals, our superheroes! Working space, air, water, fire and earth. tirelessly to provide excellent care to the patients of These elements blend to form their communities. Their time, attention, and expertise three major dosha. Vata, (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and Earth) are seen as expressions of 20 qualities that describe all matter. do not go unappreciated. We look to them for guidance and leadership and they deliver unwaveringly. For example, a Vata expresses the qualities of air and space (light, clear, cold, dry, mobile, rough and subtle), Pitta (sharp, Thank you so much for all you do! hot oily, spreading, acidic light-brilliance), and Kapha (dense, heavy, cold-clammy, soft, dull). These qualities combine in Our community medical professionals are our unique proportions to make us who we are as individuals. superheroes. Help us share messages of support to Prakruti is your unique blend of elements as seen at the time of pre-pubescence and all “dosha” tests should be taken with the vision of yourself at this time. It offers a baseline glimpse of your pure innocent self. Vikruti is the expression of the these amazing people. Send them a note of support, a funny joke, an uplifting story, or whatever you choose – we guarantee your message will make their day. dosha in the present moment and is often an indicator of how we have strayed from our natural state of being and what elements may be out of balance. Visit www.AlaskaPulse.com/shout-out How we stray from our best health takes on many forms. It is our belief in Ayurveda that we literally “are what we eat” and share and that anything we ingest (food, thoughts, energy) cre- your message.ate the overall state of health in the moment and over time. Therefore, a diet filled with processed foods, too much caf-

Eating healthy fats such as ghee and vegetables such as root crops, avoiding alcohol, practicing gentle yoga and meditation and eating grounding garden herbs such as cumin, coriander and fennel all act to soothe and nourish the body, mind and spirit.

We are all sensitive to the change of seasons as this is the time where we catch colds more easily and notice shifts in eating and temperature.

We have a life rhythm: the beginning, middle and end. And, women experience a monthly rhythm under the influence of the moon. Ayurveda seeks to help the individual find balance in all of the rhythms that affect us commonly and individually.

So, as you see, everything from the exterior world becomes a part of you and has the potential to shift your individual elemental blend toward a state of disease.

My teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, says, “You are the world and the world is in you.” In Ayurveda, we strive for balance in the dosha, balance in digestion, balance in the seven tissues (immune, blood, muscle, fat, bone, nerve and reproductive), the three waste products (sweat, urine, feces), and the five senses hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell).

And that is a lot to balance right now!

We have all had more screen time, more stress, and perhaps an increase in fear and loneliness due to COVID-19 and the unrest of the world.

Calming the nervous system (Vata, air and space; Pitta, fire and water) by establishing a set morning and evening grounding routine (Kapha), eating healthy fats such as ghee and vegetables such as root crops, avoiding alcohol, practicing gentle yoga and meditation and eating grounding garden herbs such as cumin, coriander and fennel all act to soothe and nourish the body, mind and spirit.

Although Ayurveda is not recognized by the AMA and cannot legally make medical claims, it is common knowledge that COVID symptoms, in normal cases, act like the typical influenza virus, is transmitted through nasal and oral droplets, and sometimes present with loss of taste and smell. Paying particular attention to the cleaning of nasal passages through breath work (pranayama), rinsing the nose with water (neti), applying calming and moisturizing oil drops into the nose (nasya), scraping the tongue to remove toxins, and gargling with sesame or coconut oil (oil pulling), just seems common sense and costs very little. These morning practices also serve to calm, nourish and detoxify and are usually part of the daily Ayurvedic routine or dinacharya.

In closing, Ayurveda is a very ancient practice that when applied can help us find balance in our changing world.

Donna Lanni, E-RYT 500 Ayurvedic yoga specialist, is owner and founder of Wisdom Medicine Yoga & Ayurveda in Fairbanks.