Optimism is another critical key to perfect health. Studies show that optimistic people are healthier in general and have fewer doctor visits as well as lower risk for developing chronic illnesses. Being optimist does not mean that you become arrogant in terms of your body and health, but its more realizing the value that your health lies in your hands and your perspective on it.

I am currently reading a book titled, “The Spirit and Science of Holistic Health,” by Jon Robison and Karen Carrier, in which they discuss the optimism and pessimism and how it affects health. This is probably one of the simplest, yet profound books on holistic health that I have read thus far. What I love most about this book is that it is filled with common sense and is an easy read.

When it comes to your health, whether the glass is half full or half empty does make a difference. An optimist will look at their illness as a temporary factor in their quality of life. Illness for them is a time to get some rest and they know that they will heal and move forward. Pessimists see an illness as the end of the world and will wonder if they will ever get out of it. And as I mentioned earlier, optimists have a quicker recovery time just because they have a positive attitude and positivity brings about greater healing power.

Attitude makes all the difference. Positive energy is what is needed for effective healing and maintaining health. Negative energy is dark and heavy and will wear you down. That is why those who are “negative” by nature have a more difficult time in healing and maintaining health. Besides, how many times have you heard me speak about the importance of happiness for health?

Ask yourself…are you an optimist or pessimist? And do you feel that being an optimist/pessimist affects or your health and how do you feel about health in general? I would love to hear any thoughts or experiences you have in terms of interactions with optimistic and pessimistic people…especially in terms of health.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

The winter season is the Vata time of the year. Remember that Vata is comprised of air and space and hence tends to be cool, windy, dry and rough. So, if you have a Vata imbalance, you are more likely to be affected by the Vata season. Dry skin is typically a result of a Vata imbalance.

So what is the best way to prevent and heal dry skin? By countering the dryness. First and foremost, avoid all cold foods and drinks, as well as all dry foods. By consuming anything cold, you will be increasing the dryness in your body and of course, eating dry foods will also take away any moisture that is there.

Next, rather than resorting to moisturizers and chemically filled lotions, doing a daily self-massage with natural oils is recommended. If you must use lotions, use natural, organic moisturizers. In Ayurveda, an oil massage is known as Abhyanga. In the mornings about 20 minutes before you shower, give yourself an oil massage. For Vata and Kapha body types, sesame oil is recommended. For Vata, another option is almond oil and for Pitta types, coconut oil is recommended. How do you know which oil to use? Well, if you tend to have a cool and irregular digestion and if you have a tendency to be sensitive to the cold and often feel cold, then its best to use sesame oil. If you tend to have a strong digestion and are feeling hot more often, then to provide some coolness to the body, it is best to use coconut oil. Olive oil can also be used for all body types. Feel free to contact me if you would like more specifics as to which oil to use.

It is ideal if you can leave the oil on for 20 minutes and either meditate or do some other light activity so that your body has the opportunity to absorb the oil and nourish your skin, joints, and tissues. Be sure to massage all areas of your body, and paying especially close attention to your scalp and soles of your feet. Abhyanga is contraindicated for those who are ill, especially with fevers, and during menstruation. You will begin to notice within the first week that your skin is softer, smooth, and nourished. Your skin will also look healthier and daily abhyanga is a great way to keep the skin looking young and vibrant. It’s also a great way to release stress and relax! Besides, who doesn’t enjoy a nice massage?

Health and happiness,

Varsha

I am positive that either you or someone you know is lactose intolerant. Lactose is a type of sugar found in all dairy products. Being lactose intolerant is the inability to digest and metabolize lactose. Some people truly are lactose intolerant, but most people are just allergic to the GMO milk. Many of my clients come to me saying that they are lactose intolerant, but in a matter of a few weeks, they realize that they are not lactose intolerant. They are allergic to the non-organic milk and other dairy products. Many of my “lactose intolerant” clients drink organic milk. It’s all a matter of making a few slight adjustments.

But what if you really are lactose intolerant and cannot have dairy products? Many people struggle with getting enough calcium and therefore resort to calcium supplements, which is not ideal for your physiology. Many other foods contain calcium. Some vegetables which contain calcium are spinach, turnips, broccoli, peas, brussel sprouts, and bokchoy. Other foods are salmon, tofu, sardines, beans, sesame seeds, and almonds.

If you are eating proper, balanced meals, then you do not have to worry about where you will get your calcium from. Calcium is most needed in maintaining strong, healthy bones. Getting plenty of calcium in your diet and with proper exercise can prevent osteoporosis. In fact, studies show that women you consume the same amount of calcium in their diet have a higher bone density than those who consume that same amount of calcium as a supplement.

It is possible to overcome being lactose intolerant. In most cases, it is about strengthening your digestion. With a strong enough digestion, you can digest anything you consume. Most people have become lactose intolerant due to all the unnecessary chemicals and hormones that are in the non-organic milk. Organic milk is much richer in nutrients, higher in antioxidants, and it tastes much better.

Ayurveda has always promoted milk for great health. Some of the most prominent benefits of drinking milk, especially cow’s milk is that it instantly nourishes all the tissues of the physiology and acts as a rejuvenate. Cow’s milk is also rich in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B12, and C. With all the nutrients milk has to offer, it will also give you more strength, energy, and increase Ojas (immunity) in your physiology. If you feel that you are not able to digest milk well, boil it first and then drink it. Boiling milk allows the milk to become lighter and therefore it is more easily digestible.

Enjoy your milk!

Varsha

The relation between eating and imbalances is quite simple. According to Ayurveda, diet is just as important as your digestion. The second you overeat or consume any food or drink in excess, you have just set yourself up for an imbalance in your physiology.

Ati is Sanskrit for excess and this in itself, excess of anything, will ultimately be the cause for any imbalance. Eating an excessive amount of any food will disturb your Agni, or digestive fire. When your digestion is disturbed, this leads to ama, or the build up of toxins. Ama is undigested food. This will cause Ajirn, or indigestion. And it is indigestion that will lead to the imbalance.

When you have overeaten, your stomach will have a tough time digesting and metabolizing the food. You should only eat about 2/3 of your capacity and leave some room in your stomach for your stomach muscles to work and digest the food. For example, when you completely stuff your mouth with food and you barely have any room to chew or swallow, a similar thing happens in your stomach as well when you stuff yourself. With no room for effective digestion, you will create ama in your physiology.

To sum up this process, Ati disturbs your digestion, which leads to ama, which causes Ajirn, and this ultimately leads to an imbalance in your physiology, which will cause the illness or disease. This is a chain reaction, one leads to the next, with excess being the root cause.

Ati (Excess) à Affects digestion à Creates Ama à Ajirn (Indigestion) à Disease/imbalance

To avoid any imbalance or disease, have everything and do everything in moderation. For example, do not overeat, do not overindulge, and do not stay up too late.  Anything in excess means that you are burdening your own physiology. Prevention is key, so avoid anything in excess and have everything within your limits.

Enjoy everything in moderation!

Varsha

Our world is filled with worries, stress, noise, pollution, and many other disturbances. You often hear people saying that all they want is some peace. Everyone has their own definition of peace. For some people, its world peace, and for others, its their boss not giving them more work, or its parents wanting their children to quiet down. Regardless of your definition of peace, true peace comes from within. Peace comes from inner stability and inner satisfaction. You can often tell when people are at peace within themselves.

One of the best ways to be peaceful from within is through meditation. The Sanskrit word for meditation is Dhyana. There are many scientifically proven benefits of practicing meditation such as reduced stress levels and blood pressure. However, I am not recommending meditation simply because of its scientific basis. Meditation has its roots in almost every culture of the world, from culturally to religiously, meditation is a part of history and there is a reason for why it was there.

Meditation is a time to explore yourself in silence. It is a time to release stress and discover your inner beauty and strength. These days, meditation is considered to be a spiritual practice and has no relation with religion, which allows everyone from all walks of life to find a type of meditation that suits them. Furthermore, meditation brings the inner peace, the inner stability that is needed for a healthy life. You cannot always control your external environment, but you can control your reaction to your environment. You have control over how you handle and cope with a situation. And of course, from the Ayurveda standpoint, meditation balances all the doshas, improves digestion and sleep.

For many people, their daily meditation is their time to themselves and their time for peace. It is a cleanse for the heart, mind, and soul. Especially for those with an overactive Vata and those who think a lot, meditation is highly recommended. One of the purposes of sleeping at night is to rejuvenate your body and clean out the toxins that have accumulated. Meditation has a similar effect. Meditation in fact takes it a step further, because it not only rejuvenates, but it also helps relax the heart and mind, thereby paving a smoother path towards a healthy life. Again, there are many different kinds of meditative practices out there and it is all about finding the right one for you.

Happy meditation!

Varsha

Pain is a sign. It is a sign that there is an imbalance in the physiology. It is a sign of weakness in that area. When you feel pain, your first thought should not be where is the painkiller, but rather, how can I fix this? My yoga teacher in fact says, “pain is a blessing.” How is it a blessing? According to Ayurveda, before you are actually facing the disease or illness, you are first face to face with the preliminary symptoms. When preliminary symptoms come about, it is the first sign of an imbalance. Therefore, pain is a warning and as always, warnings should not be taken lightly.

What does Yoga do for pain? Yoga works not just on the physical level, but it works on a deeper, cellular level. All yoga postures provide a health benefit. For example, the cobra position will improve circulation and improve digestion. The downward dog will balance Vata, while stimulating Kapha. And the warrior pose helps to open up the chest and lungs. There is a yoga pose or a series of asanas (postures) that will aid in the recovery from any kind of pain. From basic to complex poses, every point in your physiology can be addressed through yoga.

Suryanamaskar, also known as sun salutations, are great for Vata and Kapha type of people. Vata people should do them slowly and steadily, where as Kapha people should do their round of sun salutations with a quicker, more active pace and do more rounds. Pitta people are recommended to do moon salutations more than sun salutations. The reason being is that Chandra Namaskar (moon salutations) are more calming and cooling for a Pitta physiology.

Many types of pain, such as arthritis, back pain, joint pain, and even headaches, can be addressed through the practice of Hatha Yoga. If you do have any physical pain, my recommendation is to practice Hatha yoga, rather than taking a painkiller. But remember, when you are using yoga as a form of healing, it is important to work with a certified yoga teacher. It can be dangerous to do yoga on your own through the Internet or a video. I have helped many people with their headaches, back pain, shoulder pain, and so much more through Hatha yoga. If you suffer from pain, give yoga a try; you have nothing to lose, except lose the pain itself.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

In terms of Ayurveda and health, fasting is not recommended for everyone. If you are thinking about fasting for your health, here are some general recommendations for you. There are three doshas according to Ayurveda, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Rather than discussing only the different body types and whether or not you should fast, I am going to approach this from the angle of how strong is your digestive power according to Ayurveda. The main factor you should consider when you are thinking about fasting for your health is your digestion, not necessarily your body type.

There are four general types of digestion. They are balanced digestion, irregular digestion, too strong of a digestion, and a weak digestion. The first type is a balanced digestion and that is known as sama-agni. Sama meaning balanced and agni meaning fire. Thus, it means a balanced digestive power. Those who have a balanced digestion do not need to fast because all aspects of their diet and routine are balanced. A balanced digestion also means that your Ojas levels are higher. Ojas is the finest product of digestion and represents your immune system.

The next type of digestion is an irregular digestion known as Visham-Agni according to Ayurveda. This type of digestion tends to be irregular and thus it is correlated with Vata. Sometimes it works great and other times, not so well. Some days you will have a nice bowel movement and some days you will be constipated. With an irregular digestion, the best way to balance it is to be regular with your diet and routine. Fasting is only recommended if you are to fast on a regular basis, for example every Wednesday. A one time fast is not recommended for Vata types or those with a Visham-agni.

If your digestion is too strong, your digestive power is known as Tikshna-Agni and thus it is correlated with Pitta. If you are one of those people who must eat on time and can eat all the food you want and wont gain an ounce, then most likely you have a Tikshna-agni. Pitta people and those with a Tikshna-agni must be fed on time; otherwise they are not happy campers. Thus, fasting is definitely not recommended for them. They cannot tolerate not having food.

The last general type of digestion is a weak digestion, known as mand-agni. A mand-agni is correlated to the Kapha dosha. If you have a weak digestion, chances are that you have ama in your physiology. Ama is undigested food or toxins. You will know if you have a mand-agni, because you will tend to feel heavy all the time and not too hungry. If you have a mand-agni and/or if you are the Kapha type, it is ok for you to fast. In fact it is recommended because fasting will allow for your digestion to catch up. Again though, if you are to fast, do it on a regular basis and do not get carried away with it.

Fasting is not recommended for everyone and one should not fast over a long period of time. Even if you choose to fast, be sure to still somehow obtain all the necessary nutrients through fruits and milk. Ayurveda looks at fasting in terms of resetting the digestion and cleaning out the toxins. By not consuming as much food, your digestion will basically get some down time to clean up. But remember, everything in moderation is good for you.

The trick is that not only do you want to look younger, but also feel healthy. Their secret is simple. They take good care of themselves. They have effective means of managing their stress, they exercise, they sleep, but most importantly, they watch their diet. In future postings, I will touch on the correlation of stress and the graying and thinning of hair, but for now, I want to discuss diet as a form of a rejuvenative.

Would you believe that looking younger is as simple as keeping an eye on your diet? Well, it is. The classic saying, “you are what you eat” is true. Ayurveda has always said that diet and digestion is most important because an improper diet leads to an imbalanced digestion, which is ultimately the root cause of all illnesses.

A proper diet consists of a balance in all six tastes, which are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. The sweet taste consists of grains and cooked vegetables. Sour tastes are fruits and fermented substances, such as yogurt and soy sauce. Salty taste is of course anything with salt. Bitter taste consists of green leafy vegetables. Astringent tastes are nuts and berries. And the pungent taste is anything spicy. Using spices, such as turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, etc. will also count towards the balance in take of many of these tastes. But chances are if it doesn’t look healthy, then it probably isn’t healthy for you to eat.

If you truly want to look younger, then take my advice. Rather than spending hundreds and thousands on chemicals, save that money and shop more wisely the next time you go to the grocery store. And if you are young in age right now, you should also watch what you eat, because someday, your poor diet will catch up to. Remember, inner reflects the outer. Take care of yourself now for a healthier future.

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!

There are three factors to consider when you are analyzing your digestion. The three questions you should ask yourself are:

• How do you feel after you eat?

• How hungry do you feel around meal times?

• How is your elimination?

A typical meal takes on average three hours to fully digest. The first hour of digestion is the Kapha time of digestion, which means that all of the lubrication of the food, as well as the mixing of chemicals take place. The second hour of digestion is Pitta time of digestion. During this time, all of the transformation of the food takes place, so that all nutrients are effectively extracted and metabolized. At this time, the food passes from the upper 2/3 of the stomach, down to the lower 1/3 of the stomach and into the duodenum. Then, the last hour of digestion is the Vata time of digestion in which all of the remaining solids are passed down to the intestines for proper elimination. Now, if you feel any discomfort during any of these hours of digestion, then there is a likely chance of an imbalanced functioning of one or more of these doshas.

The next factor to consider is how hungry are you? It is natural to feel hungry around breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Being too busy is never an excuse not to eat. There is also never a reason to skip any meals either. Not having an appetite around meal times is also a sign of indigestion.

And the last important factor to consider in regards to your digestion is your elimination. How well are your bowel movements? If you are not having at least one good, solid bowel movement a day, then you need to take care of the problem. Elimination is a function of Vata and if you are having any kind of trouble with elimination, whether its loose bowels, hard bowels, no urge to eliminate bowels, or even blood in your stool, then you do need to take care of it. Your elimination systems should always be in working order. If there is a problem, then that is also a sign of indigestion.

Digestion is really the key to a healthy physiology, so next time, I will share with you on how to improve your digestion.