For many people, exercising seems to take the back seat to everything else that is on their to-do list. Exercise, being one of the easiest aspects to neglect is also one of the most important factors for maintaining great health. Exercise doesn’t mean just lifting weights or walking the dog. A good workout includes cardio activity, strength training, building endurance, and creating flexibility.

We all know how good it is to exercise daily, yet most people give the common excuse, ‘I don’t have time.” My philosophy is that you always have time for things that are most important for you. For example, you always have time to call your best friend. You always have time to watch the morning news and you always have time to watch sports or your favorite shows. You always have time to do the things you love to do. Then, there are the chores of life that you really don’t have time for, but you do make time for them, such as paying bills, doing laundry, or taking care of the tedious errands. Similarly, it isn’t that difficult to make time to exercise.

One of my friends even considers exercise to be one of the pillars for perfect health. In this case, I do agree with him. I have seen it in many of the clients that I see. Majority of them who come by for a consult have serious health issues do not exercise.

Exercise is a great way to release stress and tone up your body. Cardio activity, such as swimming or running, can build good cardio strength as well as muscular endurance. As you get older, you want to keep your heart as healthy as possible. For those of you who have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, next to diet, exercise is one of the best remedies.

Another benefit of exercise is that it is the perfect anti-aging remedy. Exercise helps keep the body in shape and keeps all the cells and tissues of the body young and healthy. Those who exercise and are physically fit also have a speedier recovery rate for illnesses and injury. Furthermore, exercising promotes a more efficient and healthier immune system. No matter which kind of workout you have, just make sure that you cover cardio, strength, and flexibility into your routine.

Anytime you have an Ayurvedic consultation or speak with an Ayurvedic health specialist, you will find them using the terms, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. In short, Vata is comprised of air and space elements, Pitta is comprised of fire and water, and Kapha is comprised of water and earth. The consultant may tell you that you have a Vata imbalance or a Pitta imbalance. But what does that really mean?

You are not meant to look at the doshas to see whether you have too much of it or too little of that dosha. That factor is left up to the Ayurvedic consultant. What is most important for you to know is which dosha is imbalanced and how to bring your physiology back to a state of balance.

When you are told that you have a Vata imbalance, for example, it means that Vata is not functioning in its balanced state. The main functions of Vata are movement, communication, and transportation. In the physiology, these functions are expressed through the nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system, and the elimination portion of the digestive system. In terms of disease names, neuropathy, constipation, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and arthritis are just some examples of an imbalanced Vata. (Although all of these diseases can also be caused due to an imbalanced Pitta and Kapha, or a combination of any of them). An imbalanced functioning of a dosha is primarily seen as an improper functioning of an organ or organ system.

The best way to reverse an imbalance is to avoid the causative factors. For example, staying up late can cause brittle hair and nails, and having too many ice-cold drinks can cause constipation and indigestion. The bottom line is that if you know that something isn’t good for you, then don’t do it. The next key is to know the qualities of the doshas. Vata, being comprised of air and space, tends to have the qualities of dryness, roughness, light, subtle, moving, changing, irregular, cool, and brittle. If you have a Vata imbalance, anything cold and dry will aggravate your imbalance and will make it worse. So if you know you have a Vata imbalance, do not have dry or cold foods and drinks.

The same principle applies to Pitta and Kapha imbalances. If you have a Pitta imbalance, then avoid salty, sour, fermented, and spicy foods, as all of these will make the Pitta imbalance worse. For Kapha imbalances, avoid heavy, sweet, and unctuous foods, as these foods will aggravate Kapha and will also make you feel heavy and lethargic.

Once you know your imbalance, whether its one dosha or a combination of the three doshas, it is important to avoid the causative factors and know which qualities will balance the doshas. A balanced functioning of all three doshas means a balanced functioning of the physiology.

Many people have trouble sleeping as well as staying asleep. If you are one of those people who lie in bed for hours at a time wondering when you will fall asleep or if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night and are tired, yet wide awake, then you may benefit from my top five herbal recommendations for insomnia.

Insomnia is a chronic problem, which requires a lot of patience…especially with herbal remedies. Of the list below, you may have to try each one more than once. Each case of insomnia is different…no two cases are alike. For example, difficulty falling asleep is primarily a Vata imbalance, where as waking up in the middle of the night not being able to fall back to sleep is a Pitta imbalance. A thorough Ayurvedic evaluation will allow the determination of the cause of your difficulty with sleeping. These are Ayurvedic recommendations for the treatment of insomnia in adults. Just be careful of any allergies you may have.

1) Mom always said, drink your milk.
Have a glass of boiled milk with nutmeg and saffron, at least 30 minutes before bed. Both nutmeg and saffron are natural tranquilizers. For one glass of milk, add 1/4 to 1 tsp of nutmeg (depending on body constitution and severity of insomnia) and 2 strands of saffron.

2) Do Yoga and/or Meditation.
I highly recommend both as they both will aid in healing the insomnia from the root cause. Yoga and Meditation will bring about balance within the physiology. Hatha yoga is best for addressing insomnia.

3) Massage.
Right before bed, massage some coconut oil onto the scalp and soles of the feet. The oil massage will be really relaxing and soothing. If you like, you may massage ghee onto the soles of the feet instead of coconut oil.

4) Hot bath or shower.
Another great way to release the stress and calm the mind down is have a hot shower or bath before bed. If you want to have the shower and do the oil, take the shower first and then apply the oil.

5) Aromatherapy
The best aromas for insomnia are sandalwood, rose, lotus, lily, lavender, and camphor.

These are my top five recommendations for sleeping aids. In order to feel good during the day and be productive, as well as prevent all illnesses, sleep is very important.

Happy dreaming!

Varsha

According to the National Institute of Health, 32 million cases of chronic sinusitis are reported every year to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Americans spend about $5.8 billion a year for health care costs related to sinusitis. Sinuses are hollow spaces, or cavities, located around your eyes, cheeks, and nose. These cavities are lined by a mucous membrane filled with air and are connected to the nasal cavity. Their purpose is to lighten the anterior portion of the skull and act as chambers that add resonance to the voice. Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the inside of the nose and sinuses. Chronic sinusitis is difficult to treat and responds more slowly to antibiotics and at times, may not respond at all. 

The sinuses are located in four places, frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow area, maxillary sinuses inside each cheekbone, ethmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes, and sphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyes. Normally, the sinuses are filled with air, but when it gets blocked, the sinuses are filled with fluid and the mucous membrane that lines the inside of the nose becomes inflamed, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses into the nose and throat. This blockage gives the bacteria an opportunity to grow in the sinuses, which results in an infection and the mucus cannot drain itself from the sinuses. Any condition that obstructs sinus drainage can cause sinusitis.

There are two kinds of sinusitis, acute and chronic. Acute sinusitis typically lasts less than three weeks and majority of the people who develop acute sinusitis are able to cure themselves without antibiotics. Chronic sinusitis lasts about three to eight weeks and is very difficult to treat. Some factors that may cause chronic sinusitis are upper respiratory tract infections, allergies, smoking, air pollution, asthma, acute sinusitis, and viral infections, including colds. Bacteria and fungi are more likely to grow and become infected in sinuses that are blocked. Any of the previously mentioned causes of chronic sinusitis may encourage the growth of the bacteria, because all of them block the sinuses and nasal passages.

The blocked sinuses and nasal passages give rise to symptoms similar to a cold. Pain is also associated with chronic sinusitis. Some of the symptoms of chronic sinusitis are runny or stuffy nose, facial pain and pressure, headaches, cough, cough that produces mucus, fever, tooth pain, and congestion. Each of the four sinuses, frontal, maxillary, ethmoid, and sphenoid also have their own specific symptoms if affected. For example, if there is pain when your forehead is touched over your frontal sinus location, then that means that your frontal sinuses are inflamed. Pain in your upper jaw and toothaches is a result of an infection and inflammation in the maxillary sinuses. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can last 3 to 8 weeks or even longer. The symptoms rarely ever disappear completely due to its severity. Those who suffer from chronic sinusitis always have a low level of sinusitis symptoms, such as headaches, colds, and congestions, which will follow you around in day-to-day activity. 

Prevention of chronic sinusitis would be the key to avoid suffering. The National Institute of Health says, “You cannot prevent all sinus disorders—any more than you can avoid all colds or bacterial infections.” However, from the Vedic Health perspective, sinus infections are completely preventable and so are colds. Ayurveda has the ability to not only prevent, but also cure all sinus disorders. Some of the preventative measures that can be taken are avoid breathing dry air, avoid being around anything that you are allergic to, avoid smoking, treat colds and other nasal congestions quickly, and drinking plenty of fluids. Although these preventative measures are not 100% effective, they may reduce the number of sinus attacks within a year or help relieve some sinusitis symptoms. Furthermore, those who are more prone to sinus congestions should avoid heavy, cold, and sticky foods. These food qualities are more likely to create blockage and cause sinus infections.

Western medicine is not able to find an instant relief and cure, without side effects, for chronic sinusitis. According to Ayurveda, all illnesses within the human physiology occur when an imbalance arises in the physiology. Diet and routine alone can prevent and heal sinusitis. Furthermore, with a strong immune system, all illnesses can be avoided, because the inner intelligence of the body will be lively enough to fight off all illnesses before it manifests. 

Due to the fact that western medicine is not able to help relieve symptoms of chronic sinusitis, Ayurveda can reinforce the body’s own inner intelligence and a strong immune system through diet, sleep, daily routine, and herbal preparations. All in all, a strong immune system means no chronic sinusitis.