Yoga is often associated as a type of exercise. That is true…a good yoga class will give you a cardio and strength workout. However, a great yoga class will also place attention upon your mind and physiology as a whole.

Research shows that 75 to 90% of all doctor visits are stress-related. In fact, most diseases, whether it’s a cold or an organ failure is typically caused due to stress.

The secret behind the success of yoga and its practice is that yoga is supposed to address the mind as a part of the yoga classes. Most people always say that they feel great after their yoga class. Part of that reason is due to the exercise portion. But the better part of that is the relaxation of the mind and body while remaining active.

My yoga teacher always says, “a fast mind is a sick mind and a still mind is a divine mind.” Many of us tend to over think, analyze too much, worry too much, or get caught up in all of our other troubles. Ayurveda treats any and all illness from the root cause and addresses symptoms as secondary. Similarly, yoga treats and nourishes the physiology from inside out. Yoga will also target the root cause of your imbalance.

There are many ways to “fix” your mind and body through yoga. All you need is a teacher who can guide you and teach you accordingly. But always remember the most important factor in yoga. That is you must always remember to work with your mind and body as a whole, not only the parts that need the attention.

Enjoy your yoga!

I often get asked when the best time of the day is to exercise. I recommend mornings. Morning time between 6 am and 10 am is the best time to exercise. According to Ayurveda, the morning time from 6 am to 10 am is Kapha time of the day. Kapha, as you may already know, is one of the three doshas that make up our physiology. Kapha is responsible for all of the structure, cohesion and lubrication in the physiology. Kapha has the qualities of being heavy, sweet, oily, cool, thick, and stable.

The reason you want to exercise during the Kapha time of the day is to be able to counter act the natural thickness and heaviness that is in the environment. By exercising in the morning, you will have more energy with you throughout the day. Exercise in moderation allows for a more balanced physiological functioning throughout the day. When you exercise in the morning, you will feel more balanced, fresh, and clear throughout the day! Enjoy your exercise!

Not only should you watch what you eat, but you should also pay attention to your digestion as well. What is the point of eating anything if you cannot digest it or metabolize it effectively? A poor digestion can lead to many illnesses ranging from constipation, to colds, to a weak immune system, and even heart disease and cancer.

Here are the top five tips according to Ayurveda to maintain and improve your digestion so that you can prevent the occurrence of any disease.

1) Never overeat. Only eat to about ¾ of your capacity. Eating to the point of ¾ will give you the sense of satisfaction, but not stuffed. If you are feeling stuffed, then you have overate.

2) Have a fresh slice of ginger before your meal. Having a slice of ginger will stimulate your digestion.

3) If you must drink liquids during your meal, have some hot water with lemon. The hot water with lemon will also stimulate digestion.

4) Sip hot water throughout the day. This will improve digestion and cleanse the channels of circulation.

5) Exercise! Exercising will stimulate digestion and enhance metabolism.

These are just a few simple tips that will improve your digestive power. It is important to be able to digest what you eat. I tell all of clients, “you can eat whatever you want, as long as you can effectively digest it.”