Recent & Past SVA Newsletters

Stuff happens! Sometimes real bad stuff… And this is when we are called to be the best version of ourselves.

But sometimes things are so bad we can’t even muster the mental energy, or the emotional stamina. No matter how hard we try. Many of us have become used to living in constant fear of the unknown; chronic anxiety; ongoing accumulated fatigue… We keep pushing the body and mind to get more done day after day after day. When ongoing cycles of exhaustion are further exacerbated and stress is left unaddressed, what happens? Dis-ease results… Did you know that stress has been scientifically identified as one – if not THE – major leading cause of severe health problems. What happens in our bodies when we are stressed out? The body needs to decide whether to “fight” or to run away (fight or flight response) from the situation. For either scenario, 2 chemicals are released: cortisol and adrenaline.

Cortisol and Adrenaline are chemicals that our body releases in order to help us cope with mounting stress. But overexposure to these chemicals can lead to serious chronic ailments (see image above). With time, the body is less and less able to cope and process the stress. It runs out of steam and is unable to adapt to stressful situations and it starts to break down. So what can you do? We can try to minimize external stress, but we cannot control the world! The key term here is: adapt. We need to teach our bodies how to adapt to stress and not get overwhelmed. Enter Ashwaghanda: the biggest best adaptogenic herb cherished by all in Ayurveda and recognized in Western science and medicine as well with thousands of studies. Ayurveda offers hundreds of divine herbs and remedies to help us cope with stress, but Ashwagandha is one of the best. Ashwaghanda is the best adaptogenic plant: because it offers that unique property: adaptogenicity! An Adaptogen is an active ingredient or substance found in some plants (and mushrooms) that enhances our resistance of our bodies to stress, anxiety, and fatigue. When consumed properly, these plants target specific stressors and regulate our response to anxiety and stress, helping us regain calm and equanimity. Depending on the plant, there are distinct ways of consuming/using them and in specific quantities. Otherwise, we may have side-effects. And this is the biggest problem with Ashwagandha…

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has now officially become a world-famous adaptogenic herb that helps us cope with mental and physical stress. Ashwagandha is also a wonderful herb for improving stamina. In fact, ashwa is the Sanskrit word for ‘horse’; and gandha is the word for ‘smell’. Another meaning of gandha is ‘essential character’. It is the essential character of horses to be strong as they possess great endurance and can easily cope with ever increasing workloads. Ashwagandha strengthens the nervous system and can give us the ability to withstand the ever-increasing demands of daily life.

Rasayana and Balya

Ashwagandha possesses a wonderful rasayana property. What is “rasayana”? The Charak Samhita defines it as: yad jarabhyadi nashanam tad rasayanam. That is: that which slows aging and removes imbalances is rasayana.

In addition, ashwagandha also carries balya prabhava - this means a “specific ultimate effect.” This means Ashwagandha can give give us bala (strength). In Ayurveda, bala can signify many kinds of strength: mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, immunological, as well as reproductive/sexual. Ashwagandha mainly gives mental and physical strength, and enhances sexual stamina.

However, having said this, Ashwagandha should NOT be taken orally, as it has extreme “heating” properties that can create additional problems.

But there are instances when Ashwagandha is contraindicated, meaning: YOU SHOULD NOT USE IT!

 Vaidya Mishra was very clear that Ashwagandha SHOULD NOT BE USED for High Pitta body types, and in the presence of amavisha – reactive hot toxins in the body.

Ashwagandha is contraindicated for the pitta physiology, especially if there is a lot of amavisha (reactive toxins) in the body. The reason is that it has both an ushna guna (warming physical effect) and ushna virya (heating potency). Ironically, high pitta people are often drawn to ashwagandha because they constantly put more and more stress on themselves.

Oral intake of Ashwagandha should never be an option for high pitta driven people! And when comparing the oral intake of herbs versus diet and lifestyle choices that supply more soma (cooling and nurturing to the body) the latter should always be favored. Sometimes, prioritizing choices – which race you want to run and which to avoid – is also the best way to get rid of excess mental stress: we don’t have to win ALL the battles, it’s ok to let go of some… However, getting the benefit of ayurvedic herbs is always a plus. This is why Vaidya Mishra perfected ayurvedic alternative delivery systems for our modern physiologies. He made transdermal lipid based creams; water-based roll-ons that absorb fast without leaving a greasy film on the skin for day-time usage; and transmucosal drops that contain the herbal memory or intelligence of the herb but not the physical molecule so they are very gentle yet effective. Here’s how they work.

Ashwagandha Transdermal Cream for All Body Types

Transdermal delivery of herbs through topical application is a chief component of Vaidya Mishra’s advanced/alternate delivery system, because whatever goes ON your body goes IN your body and gets absorbed and is circulating within your blood stream in 20 seconds! Vaidya’s Ashwagandha cream delivers the balya prabhava (strengthening quality) of ashwagandha without the ushna guna (heating quality) and ushna virya (heating potency). Gunas are physical properties. Since this cream does not contain the physical herb, just its essence, you get the benefit of ashwagandha without the heating effect. The rasayana and balya prabhavas begin to be absorbed and act quickly when applied generally on the skin and on specific marma points (energy points). This is the perfect delivery system if this herb is needed for a pitta person. But there are also other efficient Ashwagandha formulations too.

 Ashwagandha Herbal-Memory Nectar

• Gives just the prabhavas (special qualities) and sukshma bhag (subtle essence) of ashwagandha without its physical (heating) properties
• Provides a very gentle delivery of this powerful herb
• Suspended in the nectar of sweet squash to balance the warming effect of ashwagandha
• Should be added to 1 to 2 liters of cool water and sipped throughout the day, also minimizing the ushna (heating) quality of the herb
• Does not have to go through the digestive, metabolic or liver system which could corrupt the herb’s intelligence
• Ready to be absorbed and used by the brain and body to help improve stamina against stress

Or try the Massage Oil with Magnesium and Ashwagandha - a winning combination of an ancient herb and an essential stress-busting mineral that gets depleted with high levels of stress. This massage oil is ideal for helping unwind from chronic and acute stress situation.

Choose the formula that works best for you: everybody has their favorite. Try one or all – they are all on sale this week. They will help you surf the stressful waves of life’s daily vicissitudes!

Namaste.

We apologize! The link we sent out last week was not working. We have corrected the error. Kindly click on the word “here” below (or on the image of the course banner) and it should automatically take you to the recording of the workshop.

Do not hesitate to email us if you have any questions: info@prana-center.com

BONE HEALTH WORKSHOP NEWS

If you missed our Bone Health Workshop you can now watch it HERE

200 people enrolled for Elizabeth’s Bone Health Workshop. After the presentation we had an hour long Q&A session.

Elizabeth’s training as a pharmacist coupled with her ayurvedic expertise made for a super informative and insightful session on bone health. There is so much information out there about what to do, supplements, protocols, etc. It becomes very hard to distinguish between what works and what can even harm. Sometimes you just need to adjust your daily routine and dietary protocols do get better results. And some time-tested ayurvedic wisdom always comes in handy!

Want to find out more?

Schedule a one-on-one with Elizabeth and discuss what’s going on with you, and receive more tips on a healthy SVA diet, bone health, and other ayurvedic topics, email her: info@elizabethinnes.ca

www.elizabethinnes.ca

also www.ayurvedheals.blogspot.com

Explore SVAyurveda

at your own pace:

Here ARE our latest uploaded courseS…

You can sign up for the Yakrit Course here: courses.svayurveda.com/p/yakrit

Yakrit

Your Body’s Dynamic Powerhouse 

Yakrit, the Sanskrit term for the ‘liver,’ literally means ‘where every process happens.’ The liver – the largest organ in our bodies – carries out hundreds of actions, primarily detoxifying and creating new blood; filtering out toxins/chemicals; building immunity. But did you know that it also has an amazing capacity to regenerate itself? Without the liver we wouldn’t be able to transform food into energy, by breaking down fats and proteins. Here are some of the liver’s most vital functions:

• Produces fresh blood AND cleans toxins out of the blood: the many cells of the liver, known as hepatocytes, accept and filter this blood. They act as little sorting centers, determining which nutrients should be processed, what should be stored, what should be eliminated via the stool, what should go back to the blood; it also gets rid of old red blood cells; the liver thus regulates/maintains healthy amount of blood in the body;
• Produces bile, a fluid that helps the body digest (break down) fat: the liver stores fat-soluble vitamins as well as minerals such as copper and iron, releasing them when the body needs them. It also helps to break down fats in a person’s diet: it either metabolizes fats or releases them as energy. The liver produces an estimated 800 to 1000 ml of bile each day. This bile flows into the small intestine where the fat gets broken down and absorbed – extra bile is stored in the gallbladder.

As if these functions weren’t enough, the liver also plays a major role in the following:

• Metabolizes proteins and carbohydrates so they turn into energy and your body can use them; 
• Creates immune system factors that help fight against infection;
• Create proteins responsible for blood clotting – otherwise we would bleed to death! 
• Breaks down old and damaged red blood cell; 
• Balances energy metabolism by converting glycogen to glucose and storing extra glucose by converting it to glycogen. Glycogen is a form of glucose that your body stores mainly in your liver and muscles. Your body needs carbohydrates from the food you eat to form glucose and glycogen.
• Makes toxins less harmful to the body and removes them/detoxifies the bloodstream

So you can see how and when, for any reason, the “intelligence” of the liver gets compromised, different kinds of dis-ease may emerge. A compromised liver can mean compromised health on many levels… 

In Shaka Vanshiya Ayurveda, we pay special attention to making sure the liver does not get “cranky” – as Vaidya Mishra would jokingly explain. Having taken the pulse of thousands of people who had “cranky hot livers,” he put together a gentle yet effective protocol to help cool things off and optimize its functions. 

Learn How to Care for the Liver – from the SV Ayurveda Perspective

In this online course you will find 12 ½ hours of in-depth SV Ayurveda knowledge on how to care for the liver. Taught live at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (Saylorsburg, PA), Vaidya Mishra takes us on a journey inside the yakrit (liver) – the body’s dynamic powerhouse. Teaching from the ancient sutras & the perspective of medical science, he elaborates the functions of the liver and all the etiological factors impacting it. These factors include diet and digestion; AS WELL AS emotions; PLUS environmental toxins; EMFs; and synthetic ingredients in most personal-care products. Vaidya Mishra also teaches us how to keep the liver healthy and manage its disorders through food, herbs, marma therapy, detoxification, rejuvenation procedures, and vibrational medicine, including the use of mantras (primordial sounds with specific known effects).

Some of the Points of SVA Liver Management Covered in this Course

• Ayurvedic physiology of the liver
• Definition of ‘Yakrit’ 
• Sub-doshas of Yakrit
• Dhatus and Yakrit
• Physical channels (shrotas) & their connection with Yakrit
• Vibrational channels (nadis) & their connection Yakrit
• Gaps (sandhis) & the liver
• Tri-sutra Ayurveda and the liver
• Etiological factors (hetu-s) responsible for creating liver imbalances
• Mind-Prana-Ranjaka connection
• Spine (Sushumna nadi) and liver connection
• Role of liver Detox
• Foods and spices to avoid
• Pro-biotics effects on liver with scientific references
• Scientific research on herbs, liver supporting foods, and liver detoxifying foods
• How coral calcium & loha (iron) support the liver from perspective of modern science
• How sunlight affects the liver
• Apana – colon and liver connection
• Marma-s connected with the liver
• Herbs for the liver - Guduchi, Maha Sudarshan, Bhumi Amla, Bhringraj, Kutki, Neem, DGL, and more!
• Liver supporting spices: Turmeric, Fennel, Coriander
• Liver supporting vegetables: Loki, Mooli, Moringa
• Liver supporting fruits – ppineapple, pear, papaya, pomegranate, blue berries, black berries
• Lentils good for the liver– Mung dhal
• Grains supporting the liver – quinoa, millet, amaranth, etc.

AND MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGE!

This course has a total run time of approximately 12 hours and 30 minutes. It also includes a printable PDF Booklet.

CAUTION

If feeling unwell or experiencing any disease, always consult with your primary medical physician before using or adding any complementary approach or herbs.

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or complement medical advice.

Take Vaidya Mishra “With You” Everywhere You Go!

if you ever had the opportunity to meet Vaidya Mishra in person, or have encountered him via his many youtube videos or online courses, then you know what we mean! We all want to have him travel with us in this earthly journey, to help us in our decisions along the way, through the timeless wisdom and knowledge of SV Ayurved. And now we can! If you have not discovered our podcast channel yet, we invite you to look it up and explore the timeless teachings of SVAyurveda, as well as fabulous talks by other SVAyurveda doctors and educators.

Shorty but Witty!

The wit of Shaka Vanshyia Ayurveda is timeless and immutable, but time itself mutates… So, we are catching up with the changes and trends which challenge us in these modern times!

To adapt to this day and age when we seem to get frequently immersed in rushed routines and schedules with little time for learning, but when we need more than ever to acquire the knowledge that leads to the health, balance, and bliss that our rushed lifestyles want to take away from us, the SVA Podcast is delighted to announce “SVA Shorts”.

We have begun to produce brief, abridged, episodes for those of you who have little time or are too tired after a long day of work to listen to a full-length format, but don’t give up on the quest for the jewels of ancient ayurvedic knowledge.

The new SVA Short episodes are under 10 minutes in length but, as usual, are packed with deep knowledge and wisdom.

And to inaugurate our new short format, we have a playlist that will rejoice all of you. During the month of November, to learn all about Doshas and Sub-Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, plus Soma, Agni, and Marut, we are releasing a Trilogy.

What is Vat? (Friday, November 1st)

What is Pitt? (Friday, November 15th) and

What is Kaph? (Friday, November 29th)

This is the knowledge at the center-most pivotal point of Ayurveda and it is presented to you in a way in which only Vaidya Mishra can explain it; from the origin of Prana and its components Soma, Agni, and Marut.

Have you felt disarmed when listening to an explanation about a particular imbalance because you couldn’t wrap your head around the functions of a Sub-Dosha or felt confused when reading about the healing and balancing properties of our SVA formulations?

Not anymore! Tune up to our November podcast’s Shorty but Witty episodes… We’ll see you there!

We want to help you protect your purchase – there’s been an increase in lost/stolen packages.

To protect your shipment – in case your shipping address is not secure – we have now added the “signature delivery” option upon check-out on www.chandika.com and we highly recommend you select it to ensure your package is guaranteed to reach you after it leaves our warehouse. Kindly note we are unable to replace stolen/misplaced packages once they are confirmed delivered by the carrier of your choice.