Alopecia Universalis

March 6, 2015 by 12 Comments

 This little girl (age 9) came to us, along with her twin, who had the same diagnosis, in February of 2014.  The hair in their entire bodies (including facial hair, leg hair and eyebrows in addition to their scalp) had fallen out entirely, at age 3 1/2.  They had been to numerous endocrinologists, dermatologists and family practitioners.  They were prescribed thyroid hormone (at age 6!) and had therapies directed toward the scalp, including steroids and laser therapy — all to no avail.

This case history is an excellent example of why the Ancient Doctors always said get to the hetu, or underlying problem, before determining how to fix any health problem.  It was true that their thyroid glands were weak, and it is quite common for the hair to fall out when the thyroid is weak like this.

But this wasn’t the underlying problem.  It was just a symptom.

So when I saw them, I had them discontinue their thyroid hormones.  Instead, our approach was to fix the REASON why the thyroid was weak, take away that problem, and allow the thyroid to heal, giving it every opportunity to make its own hormones again.

Here is what I found:  The thyroid was being attacked by the immune system.  As we’ve talked about in previous case histories, there is too much pharmaceutical intervention during the early childhood years — with 70 shots, flu shots every year, recurring rounds of antibiotics — so that the foundation of the immune system, the friendly bacteria in the gut, are killed with each round of new shots or each new antibiotic.  The friendly bacteria are the foundation for the rest of the immune system — so when they die off, the immune system starts spiraling out of control, and quickly loses its intelligence, going into the attack mode, and starts attacking the body.  In this case, the immune system was attacking the girls’ thyroid gland.

Another part of their hetu was that the girls were given soy formulas as babies.  It is a well-known fact that the isoflavones in soy depress the thyroid gland function.

So, once we regrew their friendly bacteria and a few other parts of the gut’s normal physiology, directed gentle support to the thyroid gland to help heal it, changed their diets, and gave them our beautiful scalp oils to 1) nourish the hair follicles and 2) regrow the hair follicles, the hair started growing back almost immediately!

I took their pictures every time they came in for their 2-month check-up — and they just continued to show steady progress, until this last visit, last week, which marks our one year anniversary of working together — as you can see the hair is fully grown back now!

I am very appreciative of Vaidya Mishra’s family lineage, and Vaidya Mishra himself, for their work in the field of dermatology and hair loss in particular.  Vaidya sat with me for 15 years, seeing these types of imbalances that are so prevalent in this modern day and age, and created hundreds of new formulas for everything he saw.  The ancient doctors left the chapters of Ayurveda open for any new practitioner to come along and cognize what was needed for these very types of things they couldn’t foresee.  

Vaidya Mishra is writing the new chapters of Ayurveda, to make it easy for us practitioners out in the field, to help our patients overcome these types of imbalances that the ancient doctors couldn’t have predicted would arise.  Thank you again Vaidya, for making our work not only

easy, but highly effective.

Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum

Cinnaminson, New Jersey 856-786-3176

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Make your own Digestive SVA Spice-Mix, and Mouth-Freshener with Fennel and Ajwain Seeds

March 6, 2015 by 2 Comments

Ill-health starts with poor digestion. Eating an easy-to-digest freshly prepared meal is ideal, but sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we may end up eating something heavy, or not-so-terribly-fresh, or suiting our body’s

needs. This SVA digestive spice mix is a simple and quick recipe that you can make and carry in your purse or pocket, and use throughout the day. It will keep your digestive fire well-stoked, and ensure that your meals are all properly absorbed and digested – whether you “cheat” or not!

Optimal digestion is when you make zero toxins, or ama, from the food you eat. Ama-free optimal digestion occurs when your digestive flame (pachakagni) is neither low nor too high. Due to stress, or when you eat heavy processed indigestive food, or left-overs, the digestive fire can go either low (mandagni), high (teekshnagni), or sometimes-low-sometimes-high (vishmagni).

Low agni (mandagni) makes ama; when you have low agni, it means you are not able to break-down and absorb all that you are eating, and you produce semi-digested toxic matters after you eat. You will usually feel lack of appetite, or feel heavy even after eating something very light, and in general not desire food.

If your digestive fire is high, then after consuming a meal, your body produces “amavisha” or poisonous acidic toxins, also known as free-radicals. When you have “teekshnagni” then no matter what you eat, you crave more! You will also crave sugar a lot. You may wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

If you have “vishmagni,” that is: if your digestive fire is sometimes slow and sometimes too high, then you will make both ama and amavisha. With “vishmagni,” you sometimes feel hungry and then at other times, not. You will experience a feeling of fullness alternating with a feeling of excessive hunger.

“Samagni” is the state of a balanced digestive fire – neither too low nor too high. When you have “samagni,” you have a balanced appetite for food, attuned with the needs of your body. After consuming a meal, you feel satiated, and blissful.

If you have not been experiencing the blissful state of “samagni” after consuming your meals, then you probably need to support your digestion. To have “samagni” you need to have “pachak pitta” and “pachak agni” in your stomach balanced out. Packak pitta is the fuel, while pachak agni is the flame in your stomach. The fuel feeds the flame, so your stomach can break down and cook the food.

This SVA recipe is very simple, consists of only 2 ingredients, but it works like a charm. Fennel cools off excess fuel or pachak pitta; while ajwain sharpens the flame, or pachak agni.

In an open pan, or in your toaster-over, dry toast Fennel and Ajwain seeds in the following proportions:

80% Fennel

20% Ajwain

Mix them. Let the mixture cool off. Then add to a container and it’s ready to be used.

Chewing a teaspoon at a time, after lunch or dinner. Or as needed. This spice mix also serves as a delicious natural mouth freshener!

Note: Fennel is highly estrogenic. If, for any reason, you restrict your intake of estrogenic foods, simply replace the Fennel seeds with Coriander seeds in the above recipe and follow the same steps.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Featured Products, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

“Lights On!” Inside and Out: Total SVA Eye Care with Marma and Ayurvedic Herbs

February 20, 2015 by 6 Comments

Without our eyes we would not only not see the world we live in, but we would also not be connected to our inner light, says Vaidya Mishra. Our “inner light” is our “satwa,” the incandescent source that keeps us connected to cosmic life. In SVA, we learn that the physical eyes are the gateway that guide us from the individual satwa to the universal satwa, from jivatma to paramatma. When we close our eyes and shut out the hustle and bustle of the sensory world, it is our eyes that yogically turn on the inner light, and re-connect our subtle being with its source, guiding us back home to ourselves. Keeping our eyes physically healthy is therefore key.

In Ayurveda, the eyes or “chakchu” are a predominantly agneya organ, characterized by transformational energy. Through the eyes, we not only see, but we also “cook” or transform what we see into information and experience.

 The eyes are run by several sub-doshas, but “alochak pitta” is the primary subdosha to address when trying to keep your eyes healthy.  Alochak pitta works in tandem with all other four pitta sub-dosha-s that govern our body: pachaka in the stomach, ranjaka in the liver, sadhaka in the heart, and bhrajaka in the skin. Alochaka, however, shares a special relation with ranjaka and sadhaka. In this sense, if one of them those go off, the likelihood of the others going off is greater.

To keep our eyes healthy, there are several things SVA recommends locally, as well as generally.

Diet: is always key for pacifying subdoshas, and particularly so for pitta. Avoiding pitta-aggravating sour, pungent, acidic foods, salty foods, and instead eating lots of colorful vegetables, as well as seasonal sweet juicy fruits can work wonders. Also, not skipping or delaying meals will help keep pachak pitta in balance in the stomach.

Take care of sadhak and ranjak pitta: taking care of of our sadhak pitta and ranjak pitta can work wonders for the care of your eyes. Sadhak pitta governs the heart, and processes our emotions and thoughts. Ranjak pitta governs the liver and processes the food we ingest. Making sure that both sadhaka and ranjaka are cool and balanced will help support the eyes. All the things that help keep your emotions happy and healthy will keep your sadhak pitta in balance: from garnering positive mental habits to avoiding horror movies, going to bed on time and making sure you get some laughs and down time daily, you can keep sadhak pitta in check. Ranjak pitta gets affected by mental and emotional predisposition as much as bad food, and stress. So putting attention on managing your life and diet will help keep ranjak pitta in check.

Ashoka, Arjuna, Rose, DGL, and more: can play a central role when used daily and properly. For example, Ashoka, Arjuna, Rose,  De-glycerized Licorice, are wonderful herbal support for pitta subdoshas. SVA formulations that can readily help you pacify pitta subdoshas: the Samadhi Set (cream or roll-on) with Ashoka; rose is a balm for pitta! You can use it in any form or shape as an external transdermal application, as an aroma therapeutic addition, or ingest it in the SVA Rose preserve form. Then DGL  – either as a loose ingredient to make tea with (1 pinch DGL powder, 2 rosebuds, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp coriander seeds – these proportions are per cup – drink no more than 2 cups a day); or as a cream or roll-on to apply on the liver area. Of course, SVA Pitta Tea, and SVA Pitta Masala are always great delicious additions to daily diet. Other ingredients that are also known to be of great help for the eyes are the amalaki berry (Wild Amla Capsules), Calcium (Soma Cal capsules), Triphala (Triphala for High Pitta Capsules).

  Marma point massage for the eyes: particularly for alochak pitta, doing eye marmas with Lalita’s age-defying cream or Vaidya Mishra’s ALA cream, or the SVA Triphala ghee before going to bed are ideal. If you do spend too many hours a day working on the computer, do the eye marma massage protocol in the morning as well. In this day and age, whether we are working on the computer, or starting at one of our many electronic devices’ screens, our eyes are overexposed to EMF and EMR. This electric that has been a technological boon is burning the “soma” of our eyes. Our eyes being agneya organs need a continuous supply of soma either through food, or from the environment. For example, you may consider keeping some plants in your work area, or take a break from work by going out into a garden or a park, and giving your eyes a break by staring at long distance objects to release and relax the eye muscles as well. You can also spray Vaidya’s Vayu Shudhi air freshener, it will not only refresh the air but its herbal aromatic ingredients will replenish the soma in the air.
Herbalized Clay to Soak EMF/EMR: for those working extended hours on the computer, or surrounded by many computers, the impact of EMF and EMR excessively reduces the soma in the eyes. Here is a soothing and restoring remedy one can use after a long day of overusing the eyes at the screen!

One teaspoon of SVA Skin Clay

2 tablespoons of warm or room temperature (not cold) water

Mix together in a bowl and turn into a thick paste,

Apply a spoonful on a band of clean cheesecloth, and then apply another spoon on the other side – measure so each spoonful will coincide with your eyelids once you lie down and place the cotton band on your eyes. Leave the cheesecloth on until your eyes are feeling or getting cold. Remove and discard the cheesecloth and wipe your eyes with cotton balls or cloth to remove any clay residue, then apply SVA Triphala Ghee on your eyelids and the temple area, massaging the eye marma-s. It is good to do this clay protocol before bed, as it will relax the brain, giving better sleep, even as it refreshes and soothes your tired eyes.

The SVA Eye Marma points for overall eye health are:

phana marma points help to inhale soma and agni: soma through the left phana marma, agni from the right one. So constant cooling energy of soma to keep the eyes cool, and transforming the energy of agni to help the eyes process the images and deliver them to the brain.

Staphani marma in between the eyebrows to enhance the coordination between the eyes and brain.

Ajna Marma to connect the inner vision of the eyes with the light of the soul.

Shankha marma to release the stress built-up in the eyes

Apanga marma also releases stress

Urdhwa and Adhoakshi directly supply pranic energy to the whole visionary system.

6) Ayurveda has a wide array of unique ingredients for every organ and organ-system : For our eyes, Chakchushya is the best specific herb for healthy long eye life. Vaidya Mishra has added this ingredient into his SVA Lalita’s Eyeliner along with, bhasma of  Mameera – bhasma means cooking it until it turns into a fine ash. Mameera is the traditional non-toxic ingredient for eye health. In addition, it supplies the rich black tint of the eyeliner. Then, Triphala if of course well-known for its three-dosha pacifying, detoxifying and nurturing effect on the eyes. Vaidya has made a special formula for the eyes that has Triphala and SVA Mum’s Ghee made from raw cream (not butter). Ghee made in the  traditional method is particularly considered best for the eyes, because ghee carries a balanced amount of soma and agni. When Triphala is infused in the ghee it becomes nectar for the eyes!  It will then not only nurture but also pacify alochak pitta and support alochak agni. Then, rose  is ideal for eyecare. A preparation of rose water to rinse the eyes on a daily basis will work wonders for your eyes. Vaidya Mishra has added the very best rose essence to the Lalita’s Eyeliner, in addition to ghee, Chakchu Mameera, beeswax – which s also good and nurturing and gives a good consistency to the eyeliner.

7) ALA for the eyes: Vaidya has also formulated Alpha Lipoic Acid cream which is great for eye care. Due to chronological aging, or the  extensive drying effect of EMF on the eyes, the circulation of blood to the optic nerve and retina gets slowed down. Alpha Lipoic Acid has been shown to have the specific beneficial ability to enhance the blood supply to the nerves. The eyes being an agneya organ (fiery and hot organ), ALA is ideal for soothing without overheating or stimulating the eyes further even as it enhances blood flow and circulation. Ideally, if you have tired sore eyes, it is great to do the marma protocol at night with SVA Triphala ghee, and then, in the morning, do the marma treatment with the ALA cream. The ALA cream is also a great cream to use fro eye care and eye marma massage, as it works like a gentle non-greasy facial cream base. You can do the eye marma massage with ALA and then continue your usual SVA facial marma massage with Lalita’s Facial oil or Age-defying cream.

The idea of having an ayurvedic herbal eyeliner is not a concept unique to SVA! The ayurvedic shastras are filled with different kinds of herbalized eyeliners, called “anjan,” to support and/or enhance the health and activity of the eyes. An eyeliner is a great way to address the health of your eyes on a daily basis, since it is easy to use and apply. With Vaidya Mishra’s total Eyecare Marma protocol, products, and Lalita’s Eyeliner, you can have the best of all worlds: benefits from ancient ayurvedic herbs, marma remedies, and ingredients to help you keep going looking and seeing you best in the modern world!

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 11 Ayurvedic Properties of Rose: The Queen of Flowers

February 13, 2015 by 1 Comment
Did you know that a rose not only pacifies your sadhak pitta – even as it balances your sadhak agni – but also carries a “somnasya jana” or bliss-enhancing property in its aroma? These properties bestow upon rose its supreme position in the flower kingdom.  This is probably why our hearts open wide to love when we see or smell a rose, or when we eat its petals.

In Ayurveda, we know that sadhak pitta is the pitta subdosha that governs the emotions in the heart. It is aided by sadhak agni, the metabolic principle, sitting in the heart, that helps us “digest” and “process” emotions and thoughts. When sadhak pitta and sadhak agni are out of balance, we will tend to feel down and blue, unable to appreciate or enjoy anything. We may try hard as we can to chase away the blues, mentally listing things we know we are grateful for, our heart will not follow suit and allow us the liberating feeling of gratitude unless we balance sadhak pitta and re-ignite sadhak agni.

pink roseIn life, many times even though things maybe be going great or smooth, if our sadhak pitta is aggravated due to external circumstances – stress from work; sleep deprivation; a fatigued overworked physiology; family pressures; etc, we may feel down and lack the readiness to tackle a new day, or our projects, with zest. Things can be even more challenging in conjugal life, if one partner’s sadhak pitta is off and the other just can’t understand why he or she is not able to enjoy or appreciate…

  Aggravation of sadhak pitta is common. When sadhak pitta is aggravated, our outlook on life will remain grim and grey despite our best mental and other efforts. Or we may just not feel up to anything. Sadhak pitta aggravation takes the spark out of life.

Pacification of sadhak pitta with the proper food, or proper aroma therapy, can work wonders! By “proper” Vaidya Mishra means for us to make the best choices of least processed foods, non-synthetic scents, etc.

When sadhak pitta is aggravated, we will crave sweet and cool or cold foods. We  usually reach for the freezer door and take out the ice cream tub! If your ice cream is made with white sugar (white sugar depletes our bodies of minerals and lowers our pH bringing in more sadness!) and contains processed ingredients, flavorings, the sweet taste may pacify your sadhak pitta temporarily, but at the same time it will put out the flame of your sadhak agni. Sadhak agni is the wick which helps to fuel your sadhak pitta so that your thoughts and emotions are processed. When you eat heavy, cold, clogging foods that are processed, your sadhak agni flame goes low, and in a little while, after eating the ice cream, you will experience a new low and even though you will feel immediate joy from eating the sweet and cold ice cream, after a little while, you will crash. You may then crave more ice cream, and then crash again. At the end of the day, your sadness will be coupled with guilt at eating so much ice cream!

We need to fan the sadhak agni flame and keep it up and running in order to maintain our daily joy.  So when you are down and out, it’s important to not reach out for that chocolate bar or the ice cream, instead choose fresh juicy fruits. Or run  yourself a nice hot water bath with rose essential oil. Or apply rose oil on your wrists and inhale. Or inhale the rose aroma with Vaidya’s portable aroma inhalers. Or have a spoonful of SVA rose petal preserve.

Making preserve out of rose petals is an old tradition in many cultures. In India, in the Middle East, as well as Europe. In India, rose preserve is very popular and is called: Gulkand.

Vaidya Mishra has carefully formulated his SVA Rose Petal Preserve according to his ancient ayurvedic family precepts, with Rosa centifolia and raw organic cane sugar. He uses natural ascorbic acid to balance the sugar molecules. In addition, he uses pectin which micro-encapsulates the sugar molecules, so that they do not rush into your blood stream and give you a sugar high. Pectin also modulates the sugar molecules to give sustained release into the body.

But you can introduce more rose into your life for other benefits as well. Rose does much more than sooth the emotions. Here is our list of the top 11 Properties of the queen of flowers:

1. Pacifies Vata and Pitta Dosha: Since it carries the sweet and unctuous properties, it pacifies Vata dosha  – the sweet rasa, or taste, pacifies vata. The rose’s snigdha or unctuous property also balances vata, since vata that tends to be dry. Any dravya or item that has the unctuous lubricating guna or property is pacifying to vata. Then due to its cooling virya or potency, as well as bitter and astringent taste, it is pacifying for Pitta dosha.

2. Enhances brain health: rose is known to be a medhya, that is, it enhances  dhi dritti smriti. These are the 3 primary functions of the brain for the actions of registering, storing and recalling knowledge and information. When they are operating in a balanced and coordinated manner, the brain is in a stress-free state of bliss.

3. Uplifts spiritually: A unique property rose has is called “Som Nasya Janana.” This means that rose creates good coordination between the mind and Satwa, the light of the soul, so it’s an instant bliss generator!

4. Strengthens the stomach: according to Ayurveda, rose is balakarika, meaning it strengthens the stomach, intestine and liver organ systems. Bala means strength. In addition, due to its deepana properties, it balances appetite. It is also pachana – it enhances overall metabolism.

5. It is anulomana: it  helps pacify apana vata by making sure the downward movement of apana is maintained – make note, however, that it does not act as a laxative, unless you consume excessively large quantities of rose. When consumed in small but regular quantities, it enhances absorption of nutrients.

6. Balances the metabolism: consuming rose petal products is particularly beneficial when people have high pitta and high vata imbalances. These imbalances are also usually associated with low agni or low metabolic fire in the stomach and tissues. Low agni results in toxic build-up, weight gain, body aches and pains, etc. Eating rose will pacify these two doshas and help reset the physiology on its way to blissful balance.

7. Supports everlasting youth: Rose is also known by the name “taruni” – ever young. Because it pacifies pitta dosha, soothes our emotions, supports the metabolic fires, aids in elimination, and acts as a hridya – rasayana for the heart – it is commonly known to help keep us younger and healthier.

8. A Great Pitta Pacifier: Other specific ailments that Rose has been known to help with are amenorrhea (absence of menstrual flow), inflamed eyes, dizziness, headache due to Pitta aggravation, sore throat, enlarged tonsils, nervousness, grief, dullness of the skin and acne caused by Pitta imbalances.

9. Nurtures and Supports Beautiful Skin: Whether ingested orally or applied transdermally, Rose is used in Ayurveda for individuals who experience heat or burning sensations in their limbs, or their body overall. This is one of the most important uses of rose for the skin. When taken internally, it purifies the sweat of hot acidic toxins that cause harm on the surface of the skin when a person sweats. Regular transdermal use of rose either in poultices or cream formulas cleans the sweat externally, by neutralizing the pH of the sweat, so that when it is released through the skin, it does not cause irritation.

10. Helps Heart Health: In Ayurveda, rose is also used as a remedy for the physical circulatory system. It is a cardio-tonic, called a “hridya.”

11. Enhances Romance: Rose is also known for its vajikarna properties: we find a lot of recipes in Ayurveda that use Rose to enhance as a remedy to support romantic conjugal life.

Rose is great for vata and pitta doshas. Kapha body types may feel they do not fare so well with too much rose. They can use less of it, however, if they want to enjoy the rose petal preserve, they can sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper on top.

Here’s to more of everything turning up roses in your life!

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Is Detox a Hoax?

February 6, 2015 by 7 Comments
An article running in the British The Guardian in December 2014 concluded  that much: “detoxing – the idea that you can flush your system of impurities and leave your organs squeaky clean and raring to go – is a scam. It’s a pseudo-medical concept designed to sell you things.”  

While it is true that over the past decade we have witnessed a proliferation of ineffective as well as harmful detox protocols and products on the market, it is also true that the article’s take on detoxification is elementary:

“There are two types of detox: one is respectable and the other isn’t. The respectable one […] is the medical treatment of people with life-threatening drug addictions. The other is the word being hijacked by entrepreneurs, quacks and charlatans to sell a bogus treatment that allegedly detoxifies your body of toxins you’re supposed to have accumulated.”

The problem is simple: scientists want to measure and identify the toxic substances that are making us ill, but apparently they don’t seem to know where to start: “Much of the sales patter revolves around “toxins”: poisonous substances that you ingest or inhale. But it’s not clear exactly what these toxins are. If they were named they could be measured before and after treatment to test effectiveness.”

Well then we could put aside the good work done by NGO environmentalist groups and just revert back to the time-tested ayurvedic texts, but particularly SV Ayurveda, as taught by Vaidya Mishra, the only living tradition of Ayurveda that actually goes into a detailed explanation of the 4 different types of  toxins that can accumulate in our physiology from different sources. SV Ayurveda has full protocols for identifying these toxins, as well as helping us eliminate them. In general, we know that detox is part and parcel of Ayurveda – one of the many synonyms of disease in Ayurveda is “amaya” – originating from ama. Taking care of ama, or toxins that accumulate daily, is the sure way of a healthy life according to Ayurveda.

We live in a toxic culture where our bodies are daily exposed to chemical fumes emanating from the environment we live and sleep in; a culture where we ingest highly processed foods and drinks; are driven to use personal care products that are laden with toxic preservatives, scents, and ingredients; use electric and magnetic devices that disrupt our body’s natural vibrational make-up; etc. Not to mention the acidic chemical toxic waste that our own bodies produce on a daily basis as we struggle with stress.

Our bodies are naturally programmed to detox on a daily basis, and come equipped with detox pathways. As the article also mentions: “The healthy body has kidneys, a liver, skin, even lungs that are detoxifying as we speak, […]There is no known way – certainly not through detox treatments – to make something that works perfectly well in a healthy body work better.” Ayurveda, however, offers a much more refined and holistic perspective on detox, as well as diet, daily regimens, and seasonal and other detox protocols that do and can help make a healthy body work better. And nothing, but nothing, beats daily detox! Daily detox through skin(sweating), urination, and bowel movements. Making sure you not only have at least one daily bowel movement (ideal is two!), but are also fully evacuating toxic buildup is key to your optimal health. In this sense, colon detox and colon health (though colonics, colon irrigation or flushing, etc) have also become very popular amongst the health-conscious population.

Vaidya Mishra’s stand on these is conclusive: you must not adopt any of these short-cut cleansingmethods because even as they may flush out accumulated toxins, they deplete our gut of its friendly bacteria. Our brains thrive on the health of our colons. Maintaining a healthy colon is key, as Vaidya Kameshwar Mishra, Vaidya Mishra’s father used to say: “the brain of our brain lies in our gut!” If we can take care of our daily bowel movements, making sure we are following a diet that suits our body types, then we can skip the confusing detox isles in the health food stores, heading straight to our happiness! In general, Triphala, made of 3 fruits as its name indicates, is a safe and effective daily non-habit forming supplement for supporting colon health. However, Ayurveda has much to offer in terms of colon health. 
Vaidya Mishra explains that in Ayurveda, colons can be categorized into three types. A colon is called “kostha” in Sanskrit. Identifying your colon type will give you the advantage of managing it better, and improving your daily detox needs. See which type below best describes your bowel tendencies.

The three kinds of colons or “kostha“-s are:

mridu kostha: individuals who are usually not constipated, have a proper daily stool, softer (unless they eat salty, dry or drying, foods which absorb more water and result in increased absorption and there dryer stool). For people with this bowel tendency, Vaidya recommends only soft, gentle products to support the bowel movements. For example, prune or tamarind chutney (recipes available in the detox booklet), taken at night with dinner, 1-2 tablespoons. In addition 1 tablet of Prakrit at night, along with DGL or Prakrit cream on the spine before bed will further support and help this bowel type.

madhya kostha: second category or type of bowel is called madhya kostha where a person can easily experience harder stools, has the tendency of getting harder stool due to stress, lack of sleep, not eating on time, eating drying foods, too salty or pungent food. These individuals need to maintain a proper SVA diet, consuming chutneys on a regular basis, as well as  add 2-4 tablets of Prakrit at night. Sometimes Prakrit will not be enough, then they can add SVA LAX (mild) – 1 capsule before bed. Probiotic support is essential for a healthy colon. A mixture of 20% yogurt with 80% water, blended with a couple of pinches of Soma Salt in one glass of water will help. Add 1/4 tsp of Mums Masala for added support and flavor and drink only with lunch, never dinner. In addition, Prakrit Transdermal cream before bed on the spine, to connect the mind with the colon will help re-instate the intelligence of the colon even faster and more efficiently.
kroor kostha: the third type is called kroor kostha. Kroor means difficult. Individuals with this type of colon tend to experience hard stools, and when they eat dry or drying foods that may contain too much salt, or they sit for long periods of time, or they do not drink enough water, it makes their bowel movements even more difficult. The following protocol is good for them, and will not give them any side effects – such as Senna leaf, or Castor oil, or Cascara Sagrada. All these ingredients, while they might help, are very habit forming and detrimental for the colon in the long-run. The colon loses its intelligence, it forgets to fulfill its own function and comes to depend on these plants. There are specific protocols for individuals who have this bowel tendency. The proper SVA diet, eating more cooked leafy greens, drinking extra water, consuming 2-4 tablespoons of prune and tamarind chutney at night, 4-6 tablets of Prakrit before bed, and applying Prakrit and Anushudhi Transdermal creams on the lower abdomen before bed. If Prakrit tablets do not help, they can try 1 capsule of SVA LAX.

Special note for high pitta individual: sometimes, when the individual  is high pitta type, or the colon has accumulated more heat (this can be assessed through an ayurvedic consultations), regardless of the colon type or tendency, then along with the lunch yogurt drink (which is ideal for all 3 colon types), they should only use the High Pitta Triphala tablets to pacify the pitta of the body and pitta of the colon. Start with one capsule and go up to 4 capsules per night. In addition to the High Pitta Triphala Capsules, a pitta- pacifying diet (minimize sour, pungent, and salty foods) should be followed, while pitta masala and pitta tea would make a great addition. It is important to always use a good salt, such as Soma Salt. Consuming sweet lassi with 20% yogurt and 80% water, add a teaspoon of 1/2 tsp of rose petal jam, or toasted fennel in 1 glass of water is also recommended. In addition, applying DGL on the colon and the liver before bed will also help.
Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Why Oil yourself for Detox?

January 26, 2015 by 3 Comments

Bitter detox oil

The ancient ayurvedic sages knew that a lot of toxins are lipid soluble. Without the availability of our modern technology they understood that many toxins settle their residence in the fat tissue and gets carried and dispersed through the fat molecules. In this sense, the fat tissue and fat molecules of the body easily become the host for these fat soluble toxins. When allowed to sit for extended periods of time, these toxins may cause irreversible damage.

 

When Vaidya formulates an herbal massage oil, he extracts the lipid soluble molecules of the herbs into the oil and couples them in such a way that they carry a detoxifying or “shodhana” effect along with the nurturing, “santharpana” and pacifying “shamana” properties.

This week we highlight the launch of Vaidya’s 3 new body massage oils: the Pitta with Magnesium, Turmeric with Magnesium, and Bitter Detox Massage oil. Pitta with magnesium

Why Magnesium? Magnesium is an oil-soluble mineral which has all three desired properties that support the overall health of the body: shodhana santharpana and shamana. Vaidya’s new oils have been formulated to supply santharpana and shamana in order to avoid unbalanced uncontrolled detox or shodhana. Whenever you do a detox program and you pull out and evacuate toxins, you have to replace those toxins with nutrients in order to  complete the process. In addition, you need to pacify the specific subdoshas that you may have imbalanced through that de-tox. These oils have been formulated to address your daily safe and effective detox through balanced herbal synergies.

These oils also contain a perfect selection of essential oils – all 100% natural. These essential oil act like “yog-vahi”s, they are the carriers that transport the herbal molecules into the nooks and crannies of your system faster and more effectively.turmeric with magnesium

It is best to use any of these massage oils in the morning. Warm a bottle up in your sink under running hot water, then apply in the palm of your hand and massage your extremities and body (if using the Bitter Detox oil, apply only below the knees and elbows, or only the feet). Leave on for 20 minutes then shower off.

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Winter Body and Mind Care with Aromatherapy Soap Bars

January 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Winter weather can be hard on our bodies and minds! Deep cold weather takes a toll on our skin, slow us down in general by shrinking our channels, but also ushers in the “winter blues” resulting from the gloom of grey skies and shorter days. Here are a few quick tips:

  • Keep a SVA diet and routine, with specific attention to your body type so as not to put-out agni; this is key to staying on top of your health. The SVA diet targets the health of your channels so you won’t put on or lose weight when you don’t need to.
  • Maintain a regular self-massage or abhyanga routine: this supports your winter-shrunk channels further but also keeps your skin moist and well lubricated, nourishing it transdermally
  • Use aromatherapy to chase away the winter blues!  Scientists are not yet quite sure how the chemistry of aromatherapy works, but none questions its effects! Vaidya has put together new soap bars that can help you stay on top of things through aromatherapy, even as they nourish and balance your skin with a rich creamy base of organic Shea butter.

You know our skin is the largest organ of our bodies. The skin is not just a barrier between us and the world, it is an intelligent portal, governed by different ayurvedic principles. Ayurveda offers a lot of insight about the proper care of your skin during the different seasons of the

year. Keeping your skin moist and lubricated with regular daily – or at least weekly – self-massage is utmost; using massage oils that contain herbal synergies or nutrients is even better! Using a good toxin-free moisturizer to keep things balanced is of course recommended, but even if you do not heed regular massages or use moisturizers, what gets your skin most is the use of commercial soap bars.

Did you know that regular soaps strip your skin of its natural oil balance not only drying it out but also depleting its friendly bacteria, and delivering synthetic toxic chemicals -preservatives,  and fragrances – transdermally to your entire physiology?
The majority of soaps on the market carry toxic foaming agents (SLS), or preservatives (Parabens), or many more coloring and aromatizing synthetic chemicals that reduce the natural lubrication of the skin. The skin is governed by 3 ayurvedic principles: shleshak kapha,vyana vata, and bhrajak pitta. Shleshak kapha helps maintain moisture levels and keeps the skin lubricated;Vyana vata keeps the balance of friendly bacteria and nutrients of the skin well distributed; and Bhrajak pittaprotects the skin by warding off unwanted particles and molecules from entering and going into the blood stream, while it invites and takes in all good molecules that are applied on the skin. When you use soaps and cleaning products with chemicals, you disrupt the balance established by these 3 ayurvedic principles one after another, and you can eventually develop chronic skin imbalances.

For example, regular soap bars dry your skin. This meansshleshak kapha goes off. When Shleshak kapha is off, thenvyana vata goes high, and this eventually brings downbhrajak pitta – the skin loses its intelligence as to what to absorb and what to reject. Using a drying
synthetic soap bar for prolonged periods of time will eventually bring in deeper imbalances.
Vaidya’s unique SVA aromatherapy soaps are made with the best organic Shea Butter, packed with the goodness of flower and plant essences, to achieve optimal therapeutic benefits.

What’s in the Aromatherapy Soaps 

Energy

-Nutmeg energizes and balances the body, it is also known to support the nervous and endocrine system. Its sweet and musky aroma brings encouragement and spontaneity. Nutmeg has antiseptic properties.

-Sweet orange is an uplifting aroma whose properties also include:  digestive, diuretic, expectorant, fungicidal, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, carminative.

Inspiration

-Neroli properties range from being a gentle antidepressant, aphrodisiac to being a soothing sedative and tonic substance amongst many other benefits.

-Tangerine is rich in the powerful antioxidant d-limonene. It also helps to release stress and occasional nervous irritability!   Its fresh and citrus aroma is very calming to the mind and body.

Clarity

-Cedar wood properties: Cedar wood Essential Oil has an earthy aroma that is soothing and grounding. It is a well documented oil, used by the Sumerians, Egyptians and Tibetans.

It is also a known to have been used as a tonic, astringent, diuretic, insecticidal, sedative and fungicidal substance. Cedar-wood oil contains the highest amount of sesquiterpenes.

Sesquiterpenes are a hydrocarbon group that is found in essential oils. They stimulate the limbic system of the brain which helps to elevate our mood and helps us relax (overcome stress), hence Cedar wood’s potential in relaxing and helping with focus.

-Ylang-Ylang provides relief from stress, anger, expression and anxiety it strengthens the nervous system and helps maintain healthy skin.

 

Serenity

-Lavender can relieve nervous tension; it has been used to disinfect the scalp and skin,enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.
-Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds- these are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation. Laboratory studies have shown rosemary to be rich in antioxidants, which play an important role in neutralizing harmful particles called free radicals. It is also known to enhance memory and concentration.

This Winter, luxuriate in the bounty of Mother Nature through SVA flower essence blends – calm your mind and heart and nurture and hydrate your skin with Vaidya’s unique soap bars.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals, New Herbs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What’s in your Salt?

January 20, 2015 by 4 Comments

Thousands of years ago the Vedic Rishis (enlightened sages or seers of ancient India), from which all Ayurvedic knowledge and wisdom was derived, identified and confirmed the existence of six tastes. Lavana, or salty taste is an important one, very commonly used, but the least understood. It contains a unique combination of both soma and agni, or in SVA terms, its properties are primarily nurturing (soma) and transformation (agni).  Rock Salt
According to the SVA or Shakha Vansiya Ayurveda lineage, the entire universe, nature, as well as our physiology thrives on prana, our life force.  Prana’s three components; soma, agni, and marut are vibrational energies that occur in our natural environment.  Soma is characterized as nurturing energy that carries lunar energy vibrations.  Soma provides our bodies with stability, aids in lubrication, and supports optimum absorption of what we eat and drink.  Agni aides in the transformation process including digestions (of both food and emotions), and carries the vibrational energies of the sun.  Marut is associated with the air and space elements, and supports all movement in nature.
Ayurveda places great importance on the six rasas or the six tastes as they have a profound effect on the way we digest our food as well as how they affect our internal organs.  Balancing the six tastes in our diets is a key principle for optimum health and wellness.  The six rasa / tastes are:
Sweet – madhur
Sour – amla
Salty – lavana
Pungent – katu
Bitter  – tikta
Astringent – kashaya
The salty (lavana) taste encompasses all foods that have a healthy salty taste to them.  Today, salt often refers only to sodium chloride (NaCl.), yet salt is so much more than that.  Based partly on observing the qualities of the salty taste, the Vedic Rishis understood that in addition to improving the flavor of foods, healthy and clean salt aids digestion and circulation, lubricates the stomach lining, enhances absorption, and helps open up blocked channels.  The rishis also recognized that in excess or with improper use, the salty taste will cause imbalances.  The rishis observed that salt exhibits the gunas or qualities of heaviness (guru), unctuousness (snaihika), and warmth (ushna).

Benefits of proper salt usage:
The Charak Samhita, the main Ayurvedic text and sutras of holistic medicine contains the laws of nature and guiding medical principles.  This life manual provides us with beautiful verses of the actions of the salty taste on our body including:

Effects of Too Much Salt Use:
The Charak Samhita as documented by the vedic rishis also provides us with awareness about the misuse or overuse of salt.  The following table lists complications and health problems that may be caused by excess or misuse of the salty taste.

Screenshot 2015-01-20 10.00.48
What is Soma Salt?

Soma salt is a cooling rock salt, as the name “soma” suggests.  Soma salt is a high grade salt extracted from the Himalayas in the historic land of Sindh.  Soma salt undergoes a proprietary purification process, a technique that has been passed down in the Shakha Vansiya Ayurvedic lineage.  Salt that originate from the Himalayas develop as large rock and cluster deposits that contain agni (heating) minerals such as lead, sulphur, zinc, cadmium etc.  The SVA salt purification process removes the agni metals and minerals producing an end result that is balanced, cooling and nurturing.  Organic materials are used during the cleaning process, and no anti-caking agents or free-flowing agents are added.
In comparison to many other edible salts that are heating in nature, Soma salt is cooling as it carries lunar (cooling) soma intelligence thus providing a more nurturing effect on the body.   Soma salt provides a more subtle salty taste, which draws out the flavor in foods without dominating them.
The Charak Samhita lists eight edible and beneficial kinds of salt coming from the Himalayas.  It names the best among them as Soma Lavan, or Soma salt.  This cooling variety of salt is said to give numerous benefits.  Soma salt is described in Chapter 27, Verse 300 as: rochanam (tasty), deepanam (increasing the digestive fire, which supports all seven tissues), vrishyam (supporting shukra dhatu, or reproductive tissue), chakchushya (supporting the longevity of the eyes by cooling the liver), avidahi cha (not creating a digestive imbalance due to excess heating quality, and not causing retention of toxins as other salts do), tridoshagnam (pacifying all three doshas and having a somewhat sweet taste), lavanottamam (the best of all salts). soma_saltb__76389__68336.1340580089.1280.1280
Soma salt also contains very little iodine.  Iodine is a chemical element essential for the production of thyroid hormones that regular growth and metabolism.   There is often a misconception that salt should be fortified with iodine to support the body.  However, there are many foods that are naturally high in Iodine such as; dried seaweed, fish, potato peel, milk, shrimp, turkey, navy beans, and eggs.  These natural sources are more bioavailable, which means the iodine can be absorbed and used by the body more intelligently without the risk of overdose or deficiency.    NOTE: Please consult your Physician if you are low in iodine or have an iodine-related disease.
Soma salt also contains very little sodium chloride, whereas most table salt is over 95% sodium chloride.  Sodium chloride has a heating effect on the body, which may cause various doshic imbalances.
A Salt Mineral Analysis: SVA vs. Standard Himalayan Salt:
Below is a spectral analysis of SVA Soma salt, which has gone through a purification process to remove heating minerals and metals, compared to a typical Himalayan salt.
The results below show the content per 100 g of each product.

Screenshot 2015-01-20 10.00.58

As the chart above indicates, Soma Salt has less Sodium and more potassium which are highly desirable results. On the other hand, it is lower in calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper, as these elements are lost during the aluminum purification process – research has confirmed that aluminum is a highly toxic element unfit for human consumption.
Using Soma Salt:
Below are just a few ways to use Soma salt.
Cooking:  Sauté Soma salt with other spices in ghee before adding your vegetables or protein.  Mix Soma salt with Mum”s Masala, lime juice and some olive oil for a delicious dip or drizzle on salad as a healthy dressing.
Baking:  Soma salt enhances the taste of sugar and aids in the proper absorption of the sweet taste.  Please do not use Soma salt with milk or cream.
Sprinkling on food:  Simply sprinkle Soma salt to taste over your food.
Improve appetite:  Sprinkle a little Soma salt on a slice of ginger, add a squeeze of lime and eat.  This will help un-cloud the kledaka kapha subdosha and increase the appetite.
Addressing salt cravings:  Sprinkle a little Soma salt on a slice of lime and suck on it.  Note: this should not follow a tequila shot!
Addressing dehydration:  There are a number of SVA rehydration drink recipes to balance doshas and support the digestion system.  Rehydration drink recipes can be found at: http://www.chandika.com/downloads/SVA-Summer-Protocol_Vaidya-Mishra_Aug2010.pdf

Recipes using Soma Salt:

The SVA Cooking team has prepared a multitude of tasty recipes using Soma salt.  Happy browsing and cooking! 
http://www.vaidyamishra.com/pages/Videos.html  
 http://www.chandika.com/pages/Recipes.html

Customer Testimonials:
There are thousands of happy users of Soma salt and here are a few of their testimonials:
Food Enhanced with Soma Salt (Posted on chandika.com by Mary McCoy on 23rd Oct 2009) “Soma salt has a ‘softer’ quality compared to other salts, so there isn’t any sharp edge. Food flavors seem to be enhanced from the inside making them taste fuller, more nourishing and more like the natural ingedient itself. That it helps calm my pitta is an extra bonus.
Great salt! (Posted on chandika.com by Laura – NYC on 2nd Sep 2009): “I have a high pitta constitution that tends to throw off my vata dosha which then makes me crave more salt then that throws off my pitta dosha more and so on! Soma Salt has been a life saver in this sense. It satisfies my vata without aggravating my pitta and putting me in an endless loop of one dosha aggravating the next. Plus I do not retain any toxins with this salt, being a woman, cellulite can be an issue for me! Thank you Vaidya for an amazing product and all the knowledge to help heal us!”
Delicious! (Posted on chandika.com by Greg – WI on 2nd Sep 2009): “Tastes really great. Salty taste but no biting sharpness. lovely after effect feeling. Thanks.”
and some more recent ones:

soma_salt__84355_thumb
“I got used to Soma Salt but ran out one day and by the time I got it back I had to use regular table salt. My chronic problems (joint and ankle pain) came back immediately, and I knew it was the salt because I had not changed anything else in my diet or routine. Now I never run out of it!” (SR – SoCal)

“I started to use Soma Salt because I liked its taste, not to sharp yet salty enough. But with time I noticed how it made me feel lighter. Vaidya explains that my body likes to retain water and we know salt retains water. Having Soma Salt has been a boon for me, as I could now consume my salt without running the risk of feeling heavy, bloated, and gaining weight. I love this salt.” Melanie K. (CA)

“While on a trip I had taken precautions to minimize and avoid the use of regular table salt, requesting fresh meals to be made without salt whenever possible. However, on a couple of occasions I had to submit and eat what was available. My body had an immediate response to the regular table salt. My feet became swollen and painful. The doctors could not see/understand anything. After a diet with regular Soma Salt everything is back to normal again. This salt is magical. More people should know about it…”
Raymond M., Canada

References:
Charak Samhita

Iodine Excess and Hyperthyroidism.   Elio Roti and Ettore Degli Uberti and. Thyroid. May 2001, 11(5): 493-500. doi:10.1089/105072501300176453. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11396708

Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient information Center. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/iodine/

Fresenius Journal  of Analytical Chemistry. Trace Elements — Analytical Methods. Iodine in different food articles and standard reference materials. M. Dermelj, Z. Šlejkovec, A. R. Byrne, P. Stegnar, V. Stibilj and M. Rossbach. http://www.springerlink.com/content/n4645956642x7357/

European Journal of Endocrinology. Correction of iodine deficiency: benefits and possible side effects. http://www.eje.org/content/132/5/542.short

Nutrition Reviews: Too Much Versus Too Little: The Implications of Current Iodine Intake in the United States. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.1999.tb06940.x/abstract

Chemical Analysis of Natural Himalayan Pink Rock Salt. http://www.saltnews.com/chemical-analysis-natural-himalayan-pink-salt/

Filed Under: 2012, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, Main Meals, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Health Hazards and How to Avert Them – with SVA Tips, Recipes, and much more!

December 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment

 

Let’s face it – the holidays can be mentally and emotionally stressful! In addition to our ongoing daily professional or familial obligations, we may find ourselves carried away by the whirlwind of back-to-back parties; endless shopping lists; painfully crowded malls and supermarkets; under-the-gun baking, cleaning and entertaining; family obligations and traditions that may involve challenging emotional settings. So it’s very easy to lose sight of ourselves and get caught in dizzying activity, compromising our own health. By the time it’s finally time to celebrate, you’re probably already exhausted having tried to make things perfect for everybody, but your diet is off, your can’t seem to get a full night’s sleep, and you are mentally tense, emotionally fragile – in a word: you’re a wreck! True, you may not be able to change how things are going to unfold and how stressful they are going to be, but you can manage how you are going to go through and respond to the stress.

 

Do you know what happens in your body when you get stressed? Your brain and body release specific chemical toxins, such as cortisol, that create metabolic imbalances that trigger inflammatory conditions. Stress compromises your body’s acid-alkaline balance, bringing down your immunity and making you prone to ill-health, weight-gain, depression, and more. Did you know that you can correct your body’s response to stress? This involves more than a mind-over-matter trick – when stress is at its peak, it’s hard to stop and regroup no matter what you tell yourself to do. However, with Ayurveda, and specifically SV Ayurveda, we learn that there are herbs and ingredients that can naturally boost our bliss, or “correct” our behavior by increasing the “happy chemicals” in our brain: serotonin; dopamine; endorphins. With Ayurveda, you can also help curb those undue holiday errings of the senses: the overeating; the hang-overs; unruly sleep, etc.

How can SV Ayurveda help us address the typical holiday hazards?

Emotionally Down?: it’s unsettling how holidays can magnify pain. They will highlight everything that may have recently changed in your lives — a divorce, a death in the family, estranged family members, etc. If you are missing someone special this holiday season, if someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, first thing is to tell yourself it’s ok to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to take time to cry and express your feelings, to give yourself the space to work through your emotions instead of suppressing them. You should not force yourself to be happy just because it’s the holiday season! But do not dwell on the sadness longer than you need to. Acknowledge it and release it. But isn’t that the tricky part?! How do you release sadness?

If you are feeling sad it means your sadhak pitta is off and needs to be balanced. You can  cool off and balance your sadhak pitta by eating seasonal sweet juicy fruits – apples and pears are great this time of year. In addition, add more protein your diet, cooked with a nice pitta pacifying masala.

Herb-wise, add Ashoka Transdermal cream or roll-on your tala-hridiya  marma points. You can also do the full Samadhi Set protocol 3-5 times a day.

Add Ashoka and Brahmi Nectar drops: 3 drops of each to a glass of water.

Drink “Bliss and Bliss tea”

Drink “Vaidya’s Cup!” Treat yourself with Chyawanprash, – it’s the best tridoshic dessert you can have and 1 tsp will be worth 10 slices of cake or 5 chocolate bars!

 

Listen to or chant the Heart Lotus Mantra.

Don’t skip or delay meals.

Use pitta masala. Use the soothing aroma essential oils of Rose, Neroli, Jasmine, and Sandalwood.

Add the non-alcoholic Celebration Nectar Drops to your celebrations! Formulated by Vaidya Mishra 3 years ago, the nectar drop “celebration drink” is a hit with SVA clients. You can add 5-10 drops to your glass of water during lunch or dinner.

Top of your meals with a cup of “Vaidya’s Cup.” You will be surprised by the shift in your mood. “Vaidya’s Cup” will boost the serotonin and the dopamine to enhance your bliss. You can have 3-5 cups a day.

Mentally stressed and Physical Drained? During the holiday season, obligations and errands run us down. Due to mental and physical over-activity prana and vyana vata go out of balance, leaving us feeling frazzled, unable to settle down, and constantly haunted by the feeling of “always more to do!”

Take a breather: literally take a few minutes to step out of a scene to sit down and breath. Do a quick alternate nostril pranayam exercise to regulate the flow of prana and keep things even in your Ida and Pingala channels. Clear your mind and restore inner calm by shifting your thoughts to the big picture.

If you are caught in the middle of frenzy, spray 4-5 squirts of Stress-Free Spray, breath, and relax. This water base formulations has been helping countless individuals since Vaidya Mishra launched it this year.

Drink Soma Nidra Tea: this rich blend will calm your mind and sooth your sadhak pitta as well.  

Apply Soma Nidra Roll-on on your wrists, cervical area, and inhale the aroma.

At night, before the big day, or after the party is over, take a bath with the SVA “Relax and Detox Bath Pouches.”

Do a self-mssage with Vata Oil with Vit D and Magnesium – alternately you can treat yourself to a massage parlor, take your oil with you and ask them to use it on you for a richer relaxing experience.

Add Mucuna capsules to your dietary regimen (For Him for men, For Her for women)

Reclaim your vibrant energy with Chyawanprash: 1 tsp morning before or after breakfast, and 1 tsp after lunch daily.

Try to do at least 10-15 minutes of yoga or a brisk walk daily.  

Could not Stop Eating? Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all by abandoning your healthy habits, knowing full well that overindulging will only add to your stress and guilt. But it’s easier said than done, right? Here’s the trick: by consuming food that contains all 6 tastes – sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent, you maximize your chance of not getting carried away by temptation. Food that carries all 6 tastes helps us maintain psychological and mental balance – Ayurveda is very clear on this. But science also finds that chilies or the pungent taste, for example, release the endorphins already present in our brains; cumin, which is astringent, releases serotonin; black pepper increases oxygenation calming us down and taking away anxiety. When you eat a meal that contains all 6 possible tastes, the coordination between your stomach, brain, and heart is optimal, minimizing your craving for sweets or larger portions. This means that your pitta dosha stays cool and composed, then your emotions don’t go off. Meals that contain all 6 tastes are tridoshic. Eating all 6 tastes in each meal will help you not abandon healthy habits when you need them most.

No time to cook? Sprinkle Mum’s Masala on your meal – it’s balanced and tridoshic and delicious, giving you all possible 6 tastes.

Add chutneys to your meals – cilantro chutney and/or the Tamarind and Amla preserve, which will give you satiation by enhancing digestion and absorption of food.

In case you overeat and feel bloated, try the Pro-Pachak drops  – 5 drops in a glass of 8oz of water. Drink this after lunch and dinner to support digestion and absorption.

Make and carry a mixture of dry toasted 80% fennel seeds and 20 % ajwain seeds. Chew 1/2 tsp after each meal.

Overdosed on Sugar?: during the holidays it is inevitable not to overdose on sugar. It may be that one time of the time where we allow ourselves to go for it! And it’s great to reward ourselves from time to time… But here’s what you can do to help metabolize that sugar you ate so that after the holidays your immunity is not compromised, and in order to avoid sugar-induced fatigue and post-celebratory depression:

make a tea with 16oz water: add 2 pinches of Gymnema, 2 pinches Indian kino, 2 pinches of Jamun seeds, a tiny cinnamon stick, boil 5-10 minutes, filter and sip. This tea will enhance your sugar metabolism, by converting the sugar molecules into energy.

*Caution: don’t drink this tea if you have not eaten sugar (or consumed carbs), because it will otherwise drive your blood glucose levels low. Do not drink this tea before eating sweets, only AFTER eating sweets, otherwise you will not enjoy the sweet taste.

Can’t Sleep? When our days are overly active, prana vata goes high, and it becomes hard for the mind to unwind and settles down at the end of the day, unable to induce deep restorative sleep. What can help?

Massage with warm Vata oil with Vit D and Magnesium will help balance all of vata dosha.

Take a warm bath with the  “Relax and Detox Bath Pouches,”

Have a cup of Soma Nidra tea, or use the Soma Nidra oral spray, and Soma Nidra roll-on on the back of the neck and the shoulders.

Go to bed with “happy thoughts” – if your day was a mixed bag of events, let go of the ill-fitted episodes, as they were inevitable anyways, and linger on the brighter moments. You will be surprised to see how a conscious choice to prefer the positive over the negative will shift your mood and ease in blissful sleep.

In the end, holidays may be more stressful than fun, but the good thing is it’s predictable! You know it is going to happen, you see it coming, but also when it’s going to end, so you can do something about it. This year,you can be pro-active about it, and with SVA, you have a wide array of ayurvedic tips and stress-survival strategies, along with calming and mood-brightening formulations and recipes.

Happy Holidays!

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chyawanprash; 52 Herbs for daily detox and rejuvenation

December 11, 2014 by 4 Comments
The Rishi and The Princess
The intriguing story of Rishi Chyawan is documented in the ancient epic tale of India, the Mahabharata. Rishi Chyawan was a great seer. He was fully enlightened and thus carried no desires in his heart, except for union with the cosmic divine. It is said that he sat immobile, his senses fully retracted into the silent self-referral bliss of meditation, for numerous years, until one day, Sukanya, the young and beautiful daughter of King Sharyati, found him and accidentally awoke him from his yogic trance. The aging rishi and the young princess were soon wed. However, their conjugal bliss was overshadowed by the rishi’s old ascetic body.
It is then told that the celestial twin physicians, the Ashvinis, came to the rishi’s help.Physicians to the gods, they had garnered the entirety of Ayurvedic knowledge for the benefit of mankind and the celestial realm. They prepared a mixture that contained the best of what Mother Nature offered in terms of divine healing, balancing, and rejuvenating altogether 52 herbs, and presented it to Rishi Chyawan. Rishi Chyawan ate it, and it restored his body to its original youthful glow and functionality in no time! And the rishi and the princess lived happily ever after….
  The recipe became known as Chyawan’s Prash, or the herbal mixture of Chyawan, renown for its tonic and rejuvenative powers.
Vaidya’s Story
“The sweet taste and rich aroma of home-made chyawanprash infuses my early childhood memories spent in the village of Vaidyachak (“Vaidya’s village”) in Jharkand, NorthEast India. My father used to prepare Chyawanprash for our family members, as well as his patients, from scratch. I used to watch him select the herbs, prep them, and, finally cook them.

 

Years later, when I studied Ayurveda formally and learnt of the countless benefits of all the herbs that go into the Chyawanprash formula, I had the desire to share it with all my ayurvedic patients, specially after moving to the West. That’s how, several years ago, I initiated the process of sourcing and gathering the best quality wild-crafted herbs that would go into the preparation. I wanted to make sure that I incorporated every single ingredient that was mentioned in the original formula without compromise of quality.
Finally, a few months ago, everything came together, and I put together this “avaleha,” or “liquid preserve,” just the way my father used to make it! I am very happy to say It smells and tastes just as good as I remember it!
How does it work?
Chyawanprash is Ayurveda’s gift to us. It brings together the best of all the “divyaushadhi,” or divine herbs, in a recipe that is not only balancing, but is a delicious addition to daily diet. It’s no accident that it is considered India’s national tonic!
The preparation of these 52 herbs and plants involves seven stages and is complex because the herbs that are used have different properties that need to be prepared in distinct separate steps before being combined together, in order to get the full benefit. The original creators of this formula, the Ashwin Gods, taught the way of infusing the different groups of herbs together, based on how they can be categorized property-wise. The herbs that go into the mixture can be grouped into three:
  • rasayana or rejuvenative herbs
  • detoxifying and cleansing herbs
  • immuno-modulatory herbs
Deriving the lipid and water soluble fractions of these herbs, while infusing their balancing properties into the base of the alma berry paste (amalaki) is thus a challenging process that has to go through different time-sensitive steps. But when it is done properly, when the powerful molecules have been duly prepared and mixed in with the organic sugar and honey, the formulation is fully potent and active, benefiting the body as soon as it touches the oral mucosa. Once in the stomach, it detoxifies traveling through the gaps of the tissues and nourishing all the aspects of the physiology.

 

Chyawanprash is a daily tonic that is good for all age groups all the time – except infants and children age 5 and under. The original formula contains ghee, cane sugar, and honey. Please note that the addition of ghee, honey, and sugar is  necessary as they help coat the herbal molecules and deliver them to the deeper tissues. They are added as balancing ingredients because the original formula is very potent with its concentrated content of herbs and amla. They are not flavoring agents. And since they are consumed in conjunction with the dozens of herbs that are in the formula, they body is able to process and metabolize them fully. You will not make ama from the ghee, the sugar, or the honey – no one should experience discomfort or imbalance from the sugar and fat content. However, if you have fat and sugar sensitivities or prefer to avoid consuming either or both, I have put together a Chyawanprash Syrup that contains no added fat (ghee) and no added sugar (honey or raw can sugar). For those who have concerns consuming fat and/or sugar, this will be the ideal way to get the rejuvenative benefit of all the rasayana and other herbs that are part of the original formula.

What do Charak Samhita Sutra-s say about Chyawanprash?
According to the Charak Samhita, verses 70-74, Chyawanprash has countless health benefits!
Verse 70 says that:

Chyawanprash is a  great tonic for the lungs, it can take care of chronic cough, and helps alleviate breathing trouble. It supports and helps older physiologies, helps reverse aging, and it nourishes the growth of children and young adults.

Verse 71 says:

Chyawanprash supports the vocal chords; nurtures all seven tissues; nourishes the heart; pacifies Vata dosha;  nourishes the blood; takes care of excessive thirst. It helps the urinary tract; nourishes the reproductive fluid, and pacifies the aggravated dosha-s in the urinary tract.
Verse 72 says:

It can be consumed as a food item, as a dessert, after your midday meal. Do not eat at night as it can be too energizing and may interfere with sleep. Consuming chyawanprash as part of your daily diet will rejuvenate all age groups, making the old young again, and the young stronger!
Verse 73 says:

Increases intelligence; boosts memory; enhances glow and complexion of the skin; keeps the body disease-free; lengthens the life-span; strengthens all five senses. Chyawanprash supports and promotes marital or conjugal bliss, strengthening both male and female physiologies! It also supports the digestive metabolic fire; increases overall radiance; pacifies apana vata.
Verse 74 says:

This verse tells us that chyawanprash could also be used as part of the “kayakalpa” protocol. “Kayakalpa” literally means restoring youth to the body inside and out! There are two kinds of kayakalpa mentioned the Charak Samhita. One is called “Kuti praveshik” which is a protocol that is carried out indoors, under strict supervision. The other is “vaat tapik” or outdoors. The indoors protocol is more efficient, and the consumption of Chyawanprash is recommended for this protocol. This verse says that whoever uses Chyawanprash as a rasayana for the reversal of aging, will get all the benefits of kayakalpa – removal of old age, rejuvenation, reclaiming beauty, strength, youthful skin, etc. This verse confirms that Chyawanprash can be used on a daily basis, safely and effectively, for daily rejuvenation; or as a clinical preparation taken under supervision with specific dosage requirements when conducting “kayakalpa” treatments for the ultimate cleansing and renewing protocol that Ayurveda can offer.

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