When I first began my journey of yoga teacher training we were introduced to Ayurveda. As my teacher went into an overview of the principles behind this ancient healthcare system, I remember thinking she was a bit nuts. However, as I learned more, my perception began to shift. Everything about Ayurveda began to make so much sense to me and principles and practices behind it were so simple. Ayurveda creates an essential framework for self care that heals our bodies, optimizes our health, and can prevent disease.
Now I am sure you are thinking I am nuts and wondering what in the world Ayurveda is. According to Integrative Neurologist R. Kulreet Chaudhary, “Ayurveda, pronounced I-your-vay-da, means knowledge of life or science of life, and it is the most ancient system of healthcare in the world.” We don't know the exact origins of Ayurveda, but the legend has it that it handed down from Brahma (God) to humans through a lineage of sages in ancient India, who continued to develop and refine the practices through insight derived via deep meditation over five thousand years ago.” In a nutshell Ayurveda is a holistic healthcare system that ecompasses body, spirit and mind. An Ayurvedic proverb says “What you eat becomes your mind. As is the food, so is your mind.” In other words, food is medicine. When the food we ingest is healthy and suited to our unique needs, it can dramatically improve our health and help prevent sickness within our bodies. Another key component of Ayurveda is self care, not only eating right, but also breathing fully, finding balance, reducing stress, and getting plenty of sleep. Let's face it.... we all need more of that in our lives.
In Ayurveda, each one of us is comprised of a unique mind-body constitution or dosha. These doshas comprise the five elements of air, space, fire, water, and earth. The primary dosha you are born with is know as your prakruti and as we age this can swing out of
balance, but by adopting practices of Ayurveda it can create a framework to keep things in balance. There are three doshas in total and each person has a natural balance of the three with a dominance in one or two doshas. YogaMotion Academy states, “Our speech patterns, physical appearance, digestive capacity, and lifestyle tendencies, mental rhythems are all sign as to our constitution (Prakruti).”
Vata Dosha: Comprised of air and space, Vata types are usually creative people who learn quick, but can forget just as quickly. Typically, they are tall and slender, run cold, and are on the dry side.
Pita Dosha: Combination of fire and water, Pita types are confident, strong and sharp minded. However they can lean towards agression and jealousy when out of balance. Pitas are ususally medium in build, run hot, and muscular.
Kapha Dosha: Water and earth combine in the kapha dosha creating easy-going, affectionate and relaxed personality types. Kapha's are typically physically strong and have a sturdy, heavier build.
To asses your unique dosha you can take one of the many questionares online. The one from Banyan Botanicals is my favorite because I feel it is more thorough. However, I recommend taking a few online questionares to more fully determine your dosha.
The good news is you can dive into Ayurveda as deep as you feel comfortable with. Currently, I have taken a plunge off the diving board into learning more about Ayurveda and am enjoying all it has brought to my life. However, if you are more comfortable incorporating a few Ayurvedic practices into your routine I have some suggestions:
Start your day with hot water and lemon. This will not only help to improve your digestive system, but also improves your bodies ability to absorb nutrients.
Incorporate dry brushing into your daily routine... not only does it feel great, but dry brushing helps our lymphatic system, exfloiates the skin, and has been known to reduce celulite.
3. Upon waking, scrape your tongue with a tongue cleaner to remove toxins, help with digestion, and improve taste and gum health.
4. Lastly, if you struggle with constipation add the herbal formula Triphala into your evening routine before bed. Triphala aids in internal cleansing, maintains regularity, and helps maintain balance of the doshas. (As with any herbs, please contact a healthcare practitioner before starting.)