Powers of Ashwagandha, Neem & Brahmi

Ashwagandha, Neem and Brahmi are just some of the most valuable herbs Ayurveda offers.

• Ashwagandha is great for balancing Vata, which governs all movement in the body.
• it is an adaptogen and promotes stamina and well-being
• supports all nerve impulses
• increases strength in muscles
• supports healthy functioning of the reproductive system
• helps with joint pain
• promotes a good sleep, memory and clear mind

Neem has been around for centuries and is very widely used in India.  In Ayurveda, it is known as a great herb to have a medical effect on the skin.

• Neem is great for balancing Pitta
• helps in the removal of ama and other toxins
• excellent purifier for the blood
• clears blemishes
• helps with psoriasis and other skin problems
• also very nourishing for the hair

Brahmi is one of the mot popular Ayurvedic herbs.  In ancient Vedic literature, it is known that brahmi was used by scholars and students to increase their memory and proper brain functioning.

• Brahmi calms the mind
• supports proper brain functioning
• increases memory
• promotes relaxation
• support consciousness and longevity

Powers of Ashwagandha, Neem & Brahmi

Dosha Sleep Recommendations

For those with a vata sleeping disorder  -

• favor more sweet, sour and salty foods
• eat three warm cooked meals at the same time every day
• bed time should be before 10 pm and rise by 6 am
• take your time with day to day activities - do not rush

For those with a pitta sleeping disorder - 

• avoid spicy foods in the night
• favor more sweet, bitter and astringent tastes
• avoid skipping meals
• eat enough dinner so you won't feel hungry
• if you feel lots of heat in the head during the night time, mix 3 tablespoons of coconut oil with 5 drops of lavender oil and massage it on the crown of your head

For those with a kapha sleeping disorder - 

• rise before 6 am
• favor to do self massages in the mornings before shower
• exercise everyday
• avoid eating heavy, sweet, sour, salty foods
• favor a light and warm dinner 

Your Dosha And Sleep

"The goal of the Ayurvedic approach is to create more Ojas, the finest product of digestion that provides energy, enthusiasm, happiness, clarity of thinking, better coordination between the heart and mind and immunity.  Only the deepest, most restful sleep, called Stage Four Sleep by researchers, creates ojas," says an Ayurvedic expert from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians.

Ayurveda identifies 3 types of sleep disorders -

1 - Vata sleep disorder - this is when you find it difficult to fall asleep (this is caused by a vata imbalance or mental stress).  You tend to toss and turn a lot, mind is over active, tends to correlate with worry and anxiety of day to day stresses.

2 - Pitta sleep disorder - this is when there is intermittent awakening - you fall asleep fine, but wake up every 90 minutes due to muscle tension, racing heart, emotions, fear, anger, sadness.  Or there is another pattern where one wakes up between 2-4am and has a ton of energy.

3 - Kapha sleep disorder - this is when you sleep long hours and wake up unrefreshed.  You feel sluggish, tired and completely exhausted even though you had a full nights sleep.

Which one most relates to you?
Look out for tomorrow's post, I'll give you some recommendations for each of the doshas.

Ginger - The Natural Pain Killer

I recently had someone reach out to me asking what he can do naturally to relive some joint and muscular pain.

Here's what I recommended -

Believe it or not - ginger reduces joint pain and inflammation.  The antioxidants in ginger reduces the production of pro-inflammatory compounds in the joints.

It can be used in different ways - 

- add a good amount of ginger in your meals

- chop 2 inches of fresh ginger - add a quart of water and let boil - add a pinch of sugar if needed and drink 2-3 cups daily

- finely grate ginger and mix about a tablespoon into a small cup of sesame oil (since it's Vata season).  Massage in clockwise motion to the affected area.  Best to do before shower and before bedtime - rinse off lightly if massaging before bed 

- take ginger tablets daily 

- make fresh ginger tea - boil a cup of water and grate some fresh ginger in the water as it boils

Vata Pacifying Diet

Is your vata of balance?
Here's what you can do to pacify Vata.

Favor the following foods -  

General - sufficient quantity, unctuous food, warm food and drinks.  Sweet, sour and salty tastes.

Grains - wheat products, rice (whole rice is best), cooked oat flakes in small amounts.

Beans/Daal - yellow mung beans (green skin removed)

Vegetables - white pumpkin, zucchini, okra (lady fingers), artichokes, asparagus, tender eggplant, carrot, beet root, sweet potatoes with fat, tomato, cucumber, tender radish, celery, green papaya spinach in small amounts.

Dairy - All dairy products, cheese should be soft and fresh.

Oils - All

Nuts & Seeds - All except peanuts, seeds in small amounts.

Spices & condiments - cumin, ginger, mustard seeds, fenugreek, hinge (asafoetida), cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, anise, fennel, black pepper (small amounts), salt, lemon juice, tamarind.  All others in small amounts.

Fruits - ripe, sweet and juicy fruits.  Dried fruit is better soaked.  Sweet grapes, pomegranate (sweet and sour), mango, papaya, sweet pineapple, banana, avocado, sweet and juicy apples and pears, sweet oranges, melons, plums, cherries, raisins, dates, prunes, figs, kiwi fruit, peach, apricot.

Avoid or reduce the following foods -

General - light and dry foods.  Cold foods and drinks.  Pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.

Grains - barley, corn, millet, rye, buckwheat, raw oats.

Beans - all except yellow mung beans and red lentils

Vegetables - large quantity of green leafy vegetables, orange pumpkin and squash, peas, potato, sprouts, mature eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery.

Fruits - unripe, dry sour fruits.  guava, jambu, cashew, cranberries, persimmon (dried), chicory.

Vata Pitta Kapha & Hair Oils

Here's a chart for you to better understand what hair type you have and which oil to use - 

Dosha	Hair type	Hair oil
Vata	frizzy, dark, coarse, easily tangled, split ends	almond or sesame oil - nourishes the scalp and hair
Pitta	brown, blond, silky, oily, premature baldness, premature graying of hair	coconut oil - cooling for pittas and helps with thinning and premature graying
Kapha	thick, heavy, dark or light, wavy, lustrous	sesame or olive oil - olive oil has purifying properties that keeps pores open

What's Your Dosha?

What's your dosha?
Vata, pitta, kapha?
Take the dosha quiz to determine what's your dosha.
Check off which best applies to you.
At the end, add up your scores.
The dosha with the highest score determines your body type.

OBSERVATIONS	Click	VATA	Click	PITTA	Click	KAPHA
Body size		Thin built		Medium built		Large built
Body weight		Low		Medium		Heavy side
Weight change		Trouble gaining		Can gain but lose quickly		Gains weight easily, hard to lose
Skin type		Thin, dry		Smooth, combination skin		Thick, oily
Skin texture		Cold, roughness, light color		Warm, reddish, freckles		Cool, pale
Hair		Dry, brittle, scarce, gets knotted		Straight, oily, prone to hair loss		Thick, curly, oily, wavy, luxuriant
Hair color		Brown, black		Blond, gray, red,		Dark black, dark brown
Teeth		Big, roomy, stick out, thin gums		Medium size, soft, tender gums		Healthy, white, strong gums
Nose		Uneven shape, deviated septum		Long, pointed, red nose tip		Short, rounded, button nose
Eyes		Small, sunken, dry, active, freq.blinking		Sharp, sensitive to light		Big, calm,
Eye color		Black, brown		bright gray, green, yellow, red		Blue
Nails		Dry, rough, easily broken		Sharp, flexible, long, reddish tint		Thick, smooth, shiny surface
Lip		Dry, cracked		Often inflamed		Smooth, large
Lip color		Black or brown tint		Red or yellowish		Pale
Chin		Thin and angular		Tapered		Rounded, big
Cheeks		Sunken, lines or wrinkles		Flat and smooth		Big or round
Neck		Long, thin		Medium		Wide
Chest		Small, flat		Moderate		Broad chested
Belly		Small, flat		Moderate		large, defined
Bellybutton		Small, irregular		Oval, superficial		Big, deep, round
Hips		Small or thin		Moderate		Big
Joints		Cracking noise		Moderate		Large, lubricated
Appetite		Irregular in frequency and magnitude		Strong, cannot skip meals		Steady, regular, skips meals
Taste preference		Sweet, sour, salty		Sweet, bitter, astringent		Bitter, pungent, astringent
Thirst		Variable		Need water regularly		Sparse need for water
Digestion		Irregular		Quick		Slow
When there is indigestion		Tendency to constipation, forms gas		Causes burning, heart burn, reflux		Forms mucous
Elimination		Dry		Loose		Thick, sluggish
Physical activity		Always active		Moderate		Slow, measured
Mental activity		Always active		Moderate		Calm
Personality		Vivacious, talkative, social, outgoing		Likes to be in control, intense, ambitious		Reserved, laid back, concerned
Emotional response when stressed		Anxiety, fear		Anger, jealousy		Greedy, possessive, withdrawn
Faith or beliefs		Variable		Dedicated/strong		Consistent
Intellectual response		Quick, not detailed		Accurate, timely		Paced but exact
Memory		Good short term, quick to forget		Medium but accurate		Slow to remember but then sustained
Career, life preference		Creative arts, designing		Science or engineering		Management, human relations, care giving
Environment		Easily feels cold		Intolerant of heat		Uncomfortable in humidity
Sleep		Short, broken up		moderate and sound		Deep and long
Dreams		Multiple and quick, fearful		Fiery, often about conflicts		Slow, romantic
Speech		Rapid, hither thither		precise, articulate		Slow, monotonous
Financial		Buy on impulse		Spends money on luxuries		Good at Saving money
TOTAL		VATA		PITTA		KAPHA