Growing up in South Florida, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the incredible impact of the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation firsthand. From attending the annual events to volunteering and now serving as the President of the South Florida Chapter, my journey with Ekal has been deeply meaningful.

In today’s digital era, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is at the forefront of innovation, harnessing the power of technology to enhance education in rural and tribal communities. Recognizing the pivotal role of modern tools in education, Ekal has seamlessly integrated tablets, computer labs, and e-learning platforms into its curriculum. This forward-thinking approach is bridging the digital divide and equipping children in remote villages with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century.

Beyond academics, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation is committed to addressing the holistic needs of the communities it serves. Established in 1989, the foundation has empowered 10 million girls and boys with literacy, currently enrolls 2.8 million children, and has vocationally trained 17,400 women. With a network of 80,000 schools and 20,000 youths who are digitally literate, Ekal is making a tangible difference. Additionally, 855,000 individuals have access to healthcare, and 90,000 youth and adults have gained skills training through the foundation’s initiatives.

Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation’s success lies in its collaborative approach and strategic partnerships with various stakeholders, including government bodies, NGOs, and local communities. Through these partnerships, Ekal has been able to expand its reach and implement impactful initiatives that address not only educational needs but also healthcare, skill development, and economic empowerment.

As we celebrate the transformative impact of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, let us reaffirm our commitment to supporting its mission and creating lasting change in the lives of those it serves.

Whether through volunteering, fundraising, or advocating for the cause, everyone can play a part in shaping a brighter and more inclusive future for India’s underserved communities. A contribution as modest as a dollar a day can make a profound difference, enriching countless lives and empowering communities to thrive and prosper.

Join us in this incredible journey towards education, empowerment, and holistic village development. Together, we can make a difference and build a more equitable and sustainable future for all. 

About the Author

Chahna Tailor Gupta, an Ayurvedic Practitioner and certified yoga teacher, has a background in occupational therapy and health science with a focus in public health. Chahna was yoga trained in Rishikesh, India and had ayurvedic clinicals in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, meditation, 200-hr yoga teacher training, and ayurvedic health counseling services through her company Namaskar To You. Chahna is a volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, American Association of Ayurvedic Professionals (AAAP), and Ayurveda Association of Florida (AAF). She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.

Ayurveda is being accepted as an alternative medicine in the USA and in the Western world in general. Although it can be complex, some basic understanding of the science should allow us to begin applying some of the concepts. So, where do we start? Understanding our body type is fundamental so let’s start there.

Ayurveda recognizes that the universe and our bodies are created through combinations of five elements. The panchamahabhuta (five great elements) fuse to create three doshas, or humors – vata, a combination of akash (ether) & vayu (air), pitta, combined from tejas/agni (fire) & jal/aap (water), and kapha, which is the mixture of water & prithvi (earth).

Everyone has all three doshas in the body, but the prominence of each can be as individual as a fingerprint. There are seven prakritis (constitutions): Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata Pitta, Vata Kapha, Pitta Kapha, or Tridoshic (VPK). Let’s detail the three doshas.

Vata is “that which moves things” and can be translated as wind. It is considered to be one of the most influential doshas. It moves everything from the food through the digestive process to the air you breathe. It is one of the easiest doshas to come out of balance and can even push other doshas out of balance. Vata has characteristics such as: dry, hard, rough, light, flowing, sharp, clear, subtle, mobile, and cold.

A person that has a primarily vata constitution can have dry skin/hair, brittle nails, is characterized by irregularity in features and mentality (can have pitta and kapha features), become cold easily, rough skin, light on their feet, have low endurance, does not sweat much, smaller eyes, prone to constipation, thin but prone to gain weight around the midsection, and can be either super short or very tall. They are creative, innovative, prone to anxiety, an overthinker, restless, have an active mind, procrastinate, are airy, and live in a dream land.

Pitta is “that which digests” and can be translated as to shine. Pitta has to do with digestive function, chemical and metabolic transformations in the body, and heat promotion. Characteristics that are associated with pitta are hot, light, flowing, sharp, clear, subtle, mobile, smooth, soft, and wet.

A person that has primarily pitta dosha is of medium frame, has sharp, penetrating eyes and features; sweats easily, likes cold weather, will gain weight evenly over the body, prone to balding and early graying, and athletic. They have a sharp way of speaking, are direct, competitive even with themselves, focused, driven, disciplined, a thrill-seeker, prone to anger outbursts, the life of the party, and can be a workaholic.

Kapha is “that which holds things together” and translates to mucus/phlegm. It can be seen as that which provides structure to the body. Characteristics associated with kapha are heavy, gross, dense, static, dull, cloudy, smooth, soft, wet, and cold.

Persons with kapha dosha have soft skin, generally on the heavier side, gain weight in the hips and thighs, have luscious hair, big eyes, soft features, rounded nose, full lips, small but wide hands, are very strong, have thick skin, are cool to the touch, can sweat a lot, can be prone to sluggish digestion, and can go without a meal with no problems. They like to chill, enjoy routine, could eat the same thing every day, can be prone to depression, are grounded, stable, can be lethargic, lazy, are the most loving out of all doshas, nurturing, helpful, and prone to allergies.

This list of qualities is not exhaustive but definitely a start to getting to know the doshas and yourself. Understanding your dosha & prakriti, one can use Ayurveda to bring about balance. Any issues you find such as sluggish digestion, endurance, memory, etc., can be addressed through Ayurveda so you can feel your best. For a detailed assessment and specific recommendations, feel free to reach out!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor is a Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a background in occupational therapy. Chahna completed her yoga training in Rishikesh and recently completed an Ayurveda internship in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna’s company, Namaskar To You provides yoga, pranayama,meditation, and Ayurveda services. . She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine.

We have three doshas in the body: vata (created by space and air), pitta (created from the combination of fire and water), and kapha (created from water and earth). If you are not sure what these are, check out last month’s Desh-Videsh magazine for my article on the three doshas!

When it comes to its relationship with the doshas, Ashwagandha is known to pacify both vata and kapha elements, but can disturb pitta. Ashwagandha has a heating potency. Since pitta is a dosha that has a hot quality to it, ashwagandha, in large amounts, can put pitta out of balance.

Ayurveda sees everything as opposites. If there is too much cold, you give it hot. If something is too rough, you give it soft. If it is static, then you give it mobility. Because of this, Ashwagandha will work best for those with high vata, high kapha, and low pitta.

Ayurveda looks at an herb’s rasa (taste), virya (potency), and vipaka (post-digestive effect). But, this herb can also be too heating. Ashwagandha’s virya is heating, and it is also characterized by the guna (quality) of being oily. These are both pitta increasing. So, if you find yourself having symptoms such as hair loss, early graying, a temper, getting hot too easily (even hot flashes), and other ways that show an increase of pitta, it is best that you limit or reduce your consumption.

Ashwagandha is considered a rasayana. Rasayana translates to ‘rejuvenative tonic.’ It is also considered as an adaptogen – which means it is an herb that has the ability to adapt to the body depending on the functions required, biologically, chemically, and physically when stressed.

It is perfect for immunity and anti-aging. It can be used as a sleep agent and can even be used in cases of paralysis, nerve issues such as MS, sciatica, and arthritis because it is a heating herb. Body pain, sleep disturbances, and nerve issues (anything nervous system related) in the body are usually characterized as an imbalance on the vata dosha. Since Ashwagandha is heating, it will help balance vata related issues.

Ashwagandha is also good at scraping out toxins in the body. It is used for creating tissues in the body and reproductive fluids, thus balancing kapha dosha – since kapha is used for building and creating matter and mucous in the body.

On the other hand, if you find yourself having issues with fertility, ADD, ADHD, anxiety, and poor immunity, Ashwagandha can be used to nourish reproductive systems, provide a grounding effect mentally, and rejuvenate the body.

Another contraindication for using Ashwagandha is if you have high ama. Ama is undigested food. When food is undigested and still in the body, it is looked at as a toxin. Over time, it can cause imbalance in the body. If you would like to know if Ashwagandha is right for you, consult your physician to make sure it is okay for you to take and then get an Ayurvedic consultation to know if your doshas would be balanced with usage of Ashwagandha or imbalanced!

Fun fact: In Sanskrit, ashwa means horse and gandha means scent or smell. So, Ashwagandha means the scent of the horse! So, next time you want to tell someone to smell the roses, tell them about the scent of the horse instead!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor is a Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a background in occupational therapy. Chahna completed her yoga training in Rishikesh and recently completed an Ayurveda internship in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna’s company, Namaskar To You provides yoga, pranayama,meditation, and Ayurveda services. . She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine.

It’s summer. It’s hot. What is the instinctive way to cool ourselves down? Water, iced. Super cold. You can immediately feel a reduction in heat!

Whenever I am asked about Ayurveda tips that can be easily integrated into our daily routine, the first thing I suggest is to hold off on the ice. The suggestion is usually met with wide eyes and disbelief. No ice?! No way!

But, there’s a good reason for it! In Ayurvedic medicine, the Sanskrit word for digestive fire is agni. Our digestive fire metabolizes and converts the food that we eat into energy. If our agni is not working effectively, then we start to see disorder in the digestive system and even other areas of the body. But, just focusing on digestion, if our agni tends to be working slower than usual, we will be faced with a sluggish metabolism.

Cold water is a big contributor. When we drink cold water, it requires a lot of our energy to bring the temperature back up. In science, we talk about how coldness can constrict the flow of nutrients and blood through the body. That is why you will see a lack of circulation in cold areas. Warmth promotes circulation and encourages movement and stimulation.

When it comes to cold water and our agni, it is like throwing water on a fire – it extinguishes it. In Ayurveda, like increases like. So, if you want to stimulate good digestion and fire up your agni (pun intended!), you should drink warm (to hot) water. Even right before a meal, just a small sip of warm water can jump start the digestion process and increase your ability to metabolize what you eat.

It can be difficult to implement this. I mean, who wants to drink warm water when the weather is so hot or when we’ve just finished exercising? If you cannot take warm or hot water, even room temperature water is better than cold water. You can always add cooling elements to it by adding mint leaves, cucumbers, and/or lime. Or make yourself a room temperature tea with hibiscus flowers, chamomile, or licorice!

It takes a little time to get used to it, but it is possible. I’ve started doing it and have even converted my cold-water-loving dad!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor is a Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a background in occupational therapy. Chahna completed her yoga training in Rishikesh and recently completed an Ayurveda internship in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna’s company, Namaskar To You provides yoga, pranayama,meditation, and Ayurveda services. . She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine.

Did you know that even in Ayurveda there is a perfect way to start your day?

Dinacharya is the combination of two words: dina, which means day or daytime, and charya, which means regimen or routine. This daytime routine can help to make sure that your doshas remain in balance. If we start in the morning, there are some cool rituals we can integrate into our day that don’t take up too much time! The best part about it? Pick and choose what works for you!

First things first 

Start by waking up early – preferably about 1hr and 36 minutes before sunrise (also known as brahma muhurata). This auspicious timing is perfect for spiritual practices and starting your day. Before you leave the bed, take a moment to express gratitude for life. Start your day by waking up your senses – rub your palms together until you create heat from the friction and then bring the palms to your eyes to send pranic healing to them. Before you brush your teeth, drink a glass of water that you left overnight, preferably in a copper container, to allow your body to detox, flushing out all of the toxins in your body. This practice is known as ushapan.

Body care 
First and foremost, your body should be light – eliminate your bladder and bowels. This is good to do before yoga and meditation so that you can practice without being disturbed by the body processes. The second your feet touch the ground, you should want to feel like eliminating your bowels. Initially, you may not be able to, however with practice, this can become a part of your morning routine and can make you regular.

Next, wash your face, eyes, and mouth and scrape your tongue. Perform oil pulling (flossing coconut oil in between the teeth). Apply nasya (oil drops in the nose) to lubricate the nasal cavity (refined sesame oil is a good one for all doshas!) and add sesame oil in the entrance of the ears also. Continue with oleation of the whole body (abhyanga) with sesame oil. Leave the oil on for a minimum of 15 minutes to make sure that the body has a chance to absorb it and then take a shower, wearing clean clothes afterwards. I like to leave it on for longer, so I usually shower and then apply oil!

Wake up the body and focus the mind 
Integrate a yoga session. If your mind is all over the place, go for a slower, steadier yoga flow. If you’re moving slower than usual, go for an invigorating practice. Incorporate some pranayama techniques. A good technique for everyone is ujjayi (deep diaphragmatic breathing) and can be practiced in tandem with yoga postures, and nadi shodhana/anuloma viloma (alternate nostril breathing), which can be done in a sitting position. Or, you can also incorporate some meditation. If you are unable to concentrate, utilize something in front of you, like a murti or a candle, and work to focus your attention on only what you are staring at. Another way to meditate and build focus is to concentrate on the breath and feel the path of it as you inhale and exhale.

Fuel up!
Now, finish your morning off and start your day with some breakfast! The best way to break your fast (get it, breakfast?) is to eat fruit. It is best to eat fruit alone on an empty stomach because it digests the fastest. If you mix it with other foods, it can cause fermentation in the stomach, so it is best to have a half hour window between fruit and other foods. Otherwise, you’re pear-pared to start the day!

How many of these rituals have you already integrated into your day? Hope you saw a few items that you can easily integrate in your current routine! Start slow – you don’t need to do everything. Over time, as you become more comfortable, you can add additional items as these activities become a part of your daily routine. Remember, everything can be modified to fit your life. These suggested techniques can be utilized in any way that works for you. Mix and match and make it your own flow – your body will thank you for it. There is nothing better than keeping ourselves in balance, so start your day the Ayurvedic way!

Next month let’s review Ratricharya. You’ve guessed it – it’s the night time routine!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor is a Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a background in occupational therapy. Chahna completed her yoga training in Rishikesh and recently completed an Ayurveda internship in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna’s company, Namaskar To You provides yoga, pranayama,meditation, and Ayurveda services. . She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine.

Ratricharya is the combination of two words: ratri, which means night or nighttime, and charya, which means regimen or routine.

Eat a Warm, Cooked Meal

If you are having issues with digestion, before you start your meal, you can eat a slice of ginger with some rock salt or vinegar to start up the digestive fire. Make sure that the meal you have for dinner is warm, and cooked. Cold foods at night are not recommended. There are times of the day where the quality of cold is more prominent. Kapha time is upon us from 6pm – 10pm, so we want to combat its cold effects by eating something heating. Eat salad and raw vegetables during lunch time; this is when your digestive fire is at its highest. Your dinner meal should not be very heavy either. A relatively light but filling meal is perfect to end the day. Dinner should ideally be around 6 to 7pm. After dinner, chewing some fennel seeds is a great way to keep digestion going as well as freshen your mouth!

Take a Walk

Go for an evening walk. Sitting down right after eating can cause a bit of stagnation to happen in digestion. A nice walk can help to promote movement and stimulate digestion.

Shower and Abhyanga 

Oleation of the whole body (abhyanga) is perfect for winding down. Different types of oil can be used depending on each dosha but refined sesame oil is great for everyone! It is suggested that you leave the oil on for a minimum of 15 minutes. I like to leave it on overnight but if you do not like it, you can always take a shower after. Take a nice, warm shower and end with giving yourself a foot massage and head massage (maybe with some oil!) to relax.

Wind Down

If you have trouble sleeping, you can have a nice warm tea [chamomile, CCF tea (Coriander, Cumin, and Fennel), lavender, lemon, lemongrass, or mint) or even make a glass of golden milk (turmeric + milk or non-dairy milk). In order to get the mind to a restful place, aim to turn off electronics at least an hour before bed. You can put yourself in good spirits by reading anything that makes you feel at peace or something spiritual.

Prepare Yourself for Bed

Leave a glass of water on your bedside table for you to drink out of in the morning (preferably in a copper cup – will go more into detail about why to use a copper cup in another article!). Take a moment to show gratitude for the day and have a few moments of stillness and silence or even meditate. If you have trouble sleeping, you can also do a relaxing yoga flow or some pranayama techniques right before bed (as long as it is about an hour or two after your dinner meal). The best time to head to bed is around 10pm because this is the beginning of pitta time. Pitta time (10pm – 2am) is when the body does a lot of digesting and rejuvenating. These are the prime hours that you want to be asleep!

The way you end your day can determine the quality of sleep you have at night as well as how refreshed you feel when you wake up the next day. It can also determine the way that your digestion will function in the morning. This list is not exhaustive, by any means! There are so many little techniques you can include that can help end the day perfectly. Are there any other techniques that you include? As I said last time, everything can be modified to fit your life – so, mix and match as you please! Find your own Ayurvedic way to end your day!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor is a Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a background in occupational therapy. Chahna completed her yoga training in Rishikesh and recently completed an Ayurveda internship in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna’s company, Namaskar To You provides yoga, pranayama, meditation, and Ayurveda services. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine.

Wedding season is upon us! For brides and grooms, this is that one day (or a week!) where the spotlight is on them. This auspicious and ceremonious time in their lives can also put pressure to feel confident on their big day. Having gone through the same myself recently, I can relate.

Six months before my marriage, I began incorporating small Ayurvedic regimens into my day. These not only helped me deal with the stress, but also helped me look my best for the joyous occasion. Here are some things I added to my routine…

Teeth:

In the morning and evening, I was oil pulling (gargling) with unrefined coconut oil, using neem, mint, or miswak toothpaste, and brushing my teeth with an Ayurvedic tooth powder. I always do tongue scraping anyway but this is a great routine to add – especially with a copper scraper!

Face:

For my face, I started making homemade face packs with different ingredients. Sometimes I would just use the inside of a tomato. Other times I would use besan, turmeric, and some water. I also used a calcium bentonite clay mask mixed with apple cider vinegar once in a while. For a scrub, I would use sugar to exfoliate my face. I would make sure to wear sunscreen every day and moisturize so that dry skin wouldn’t accumulate on my face. I would also use steam to open up my pores and allow a detox.

Skin:

I started using Kevala’s 100% Unrefined Sesame Oil every day to give myself an oil massage, also known as abhyanga. This was a great way for me to relax as well as hydrate and moisturize my skin with clean ingredients. Because I am prone to dry skin, I did my abhyanga after my shower so that the oil could continue to keep my skin moisturized. For those of you that have more oily skin, doing an abhyanga before showering and leaving the oil on for 15 minutes is enough before you wash it off! This oil can also be used for oil pulling! Even before I was married, I was using Dr. Bronner’s soap. It is made of only clean ingredients. Even though it is a little drying, I prefer it because it balances out well with my abhyanga after!

Hair:

To make sure that my hair was nice and healthy, I made sure to get a haircut that would cut out any dead hair and then maintain it by using leave-in conditioner after washing my hair and also putting oil in my hair before bed. Some really nice hair oils include amla oil, neem oil, and brahmi oil. This can help reduce heat in the scalp, keeping hair more healthy and less likely to fall out.

Herbs and Teas:

Because I was noticing that I had a lot of heat in my body, I started taking a blood purifier, Manjishta, to help clean my blood – which also helped clean my skin. I am also prone to kidney stones, so just to avoid passing one on my wedding day (can you imagine how that would’ve been?!), I started taking Chandraprabhavati daily. Even though it is not a herb, I started taking Vitamin C chewables as well for immunity!

Something that really causes an imbalance in digestion in Ayurveda is eating cold foods and drinking cold drinks. I am not a person that routinely eats or drinks cold things, but I started to introduce more tea into my life. Whether it was a simple chamomile or ginger tea, or an ayurvedic CCF tea, drinking warm/hot fluids made me feel more relaxed on a daily basis and definitely helped my gut with digestion.

Everyone’s regimen is different and some people don’t have one! It’s important that you find what works for you. At the end of the day, you will be married to your partner and that in itself is the most beautiful part of it all. For those of you getting married, I wish for you all of the blessings, happiness, and love that life can offer!

Please note that Ayurveda relies heavily on understanding your unique natural composition first. Therefore, the above suggestions may not be suitable for everyone. If you’re interested in specific ideas for your dosha, please reach out to me!

Find what I used on Amazon!

• Vicco Vajradanti Ayurvedic Tooth Powder
• Himalaya Mint Fresh Gel Toothpaste, Organic Neem 10 in 1 Fluoride Free Toothpaste
• Kevala Organic Extra Virgin Sesame Oil
• Aztec Secret – Indian Healing Clay
• Nightly moisturizer: Origins Drink Up- Intensive Overnight Mask to Quench Skin’s Thirst
• Dr. Bronner’s – Pure-Castile Eucalyptus Liquid Soap (I would not suggest the Peppermint one – it will burn!)
• Banyan Botanicals Manjistha Tablets
• Patanjali Divya Chandraprabha Vati
• Fresh Nutrition Vitamin C – Powerful 1500mg Per Day Immune Support Chewables

About Author:

Chahna Tailor is a certified yoga instructor with backgrounds in occupational therapy and health science. Occupational therapy opened up the doors of knowledge when it came to taking care of the Self first and leading a healthier life. This led her to the physical practice of yoga. Chahna deepened her practice by training in Rishikesh, India, where she studied the science behind yoga, the breath, and meditation. Chahna also practices personal training, Reiki, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, pranichealing, and sound healing.

But why?

Acharya Charaka, author of Charaka Samhita, wrote about many metals that are beneficial to the body. There are two ways to get these metals into your body: by utilizing utensils made from these metals or directly through food. In pre-Vedic times, copper, silver, and gold were often incorporated in daily routines and rituals.

Charaka Samhita states that copper can be used for rejuvenation, hiccups, respiratory distress, poison, skin disorders, abscesses, and even eye disorders. Some simple ways to introduce copper is by using copper utensils such as tongue scrapers, cups/containers, or even as an enema nozzle.

Copper is said to play a strong role in purifying drinking water because of its ability to eradicate microbes that can be fatal to our body. Current science is also supporting these findings. In the old days, it was a common practice to leave a copper tumbler filled with water at the bedside, so that the water can be consumed immediately upon waking up. This was a way to remove toxins from the body. My uncle’s father, until his very last day, purified his water in a copper lota, drank from a silver cup, and ate with a silver spoon. He lived a very long life!

Copper is also known to be one of the elements that can help the body produce red blood cells as well as contribute to the absorption of iron. Bill Keevil of the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, performed a live experiment where he placed MRSA (staphylococcus aureus) bacteria on a copper surface and demonstrated how the bacteria died immediately. On the other hand, the same bacteria lived for weeks when placed on a stainless steel surface (Telegraph India).

These days, we use glass to hold our water and stainless steel for our tongue cleaners. When it comes to a tongue cleaner specifically, Charaka Samhita mentions it “should be made of gold, silver, copper, tin, or brass, and should be non-sharp and curved, so as not to injure the tongue.” If current science is also supporting that stainless steel allows bacteria to live on its surface, is it a good idea to use it for something we use every day (sometimes twice a day) in our mouths?

In case a copper tumbler or copper tongue scraper is not readily available or you simply cannot incorporate them in your daily routine, certain foods can also be a great source. For example, foods such as spirulina, shiitake mushrooms, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, spinach, kale, swiss chard, and even dark chocolate are a rich source of copper.

Ayurveda is said to be endless, ananta; our Vedic history is filled with such rich knowledge. Just a simple switch of adding some copper tools into your daily routine can provide you with some healthy benefits. So, what do you think? Ready to incorporate it?

About the Author

Chahna Tailor, a certified yoga instructor, has a background in occupational therapy and health science & administration. Chahna deepened her yoga practice by training in Rishikesh, India, where she studied the science behind yoga as a whole. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, and meditation services through her company Namaskar To You. A volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, Chahna also Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.

Happy June and happy wedding season! Usually, in preparation for our wedding, we want to make sure that we look our best physically. But are we also in our best shape when it comes to our health? Our bodies do so much for us. But, we do not always take care of it to the best of our abilities. The foods we eat, the lifestyle we live – it may not be conducive to good health.

Food becomes our body. It creates all of our tissues and all of our being. According to Āyurveda, we have 7 bodily tissues: rāsa (plasma), rakta (blood), mamsa (muscle), medha (fat/adipose tissue), ashti (bone), majja (bone marrow), and shukra (reproductive tissue). Our food breaks down into two categories – it creates a superior byproduct and an inferior byproduct. The superior byproduct creates the first tissue, rāsa, and the inferior byproduct goes to create the next tissue in line, rakta. This continues to happen down the line. Along with the inferior byproduct, a little bit of each tissue drips down into the next until it collects some of each – which ends up being our reproductive tissue – the last in line.

In Āyurveda, there is a concept called aam (also seen as āma, ām, aama). Aam is known as undigested food. Food that is undigested becomes toxic. It is considered as poison to the body. Āyurveda believes that much of our health is related to our gut health. If our digestive fire, our agni, is not working at its optimal level, it starts to leave food undigested, thus creating aam. If aam is created, it can start to spread to other parts of the body and throw our doshic nature out of balance. It also starts to hinder the body tissue creation process – creating weaker tissues.

Signs That You Have Aam Building Up

There are some telltale signs that there is aam building up. You can take a look at your tongue. Even after tongue scraping, do you see a white coating? This is aam buildup. Are you constantly feeling weak and fatigued? Is your breath smelling bad? Are you having excess buildup of earwax, more nasal congestion, or digestive issues? These are just a few signs.

What Can We Do To Get Back On Track?

For aam build-up, Āyurveda prescribes that we first increase the power of our agni. More efficient agni will kickstart proper digestion so that new aam won’t form. Herbs that do this are called agni deepana dravya. The next step is to remove the aam by digesting it. Herbs that do this are called aam pachana dravya. In addition to herbs, we need to start taking light foods (laghu ahara) such as warm kichari (with ginger, pepper, salt and cumin seeds), and also perform therapies (langhana) such as fasting and exercising that lighten the body and increase our agni and metabolism. Some herbs can help destroy aam in the stomach area and some others can help with loss of taste due to aam buildup. Yoga and Pranayama are also very beneficial because such practices can help to cleanse and stimulate agni. Lastly, we would want to create a dietary protocol to help us reduce aam from building up again.

Clearing aam may take a little bit time and dedication, but it is so worth it! You will feel lighter, happier, healthier, and it will help you feel more balanced for your wedding. Isn’t that all we can ask for?

Interested in a consultation so that you can be feeling at your best for your wedding? Give me a call or text at 954-695-9296 or email me at chahna@namaskartoyou.com.

About the Author

Chahna Tailor, a certified yoga instructor, has a background in occupational therapy and health science & administration. Chahna deepened her yoga practice by training in Rishikesh, India, where she studied the science behind yoga as a whole. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, and meditation services through her company Namaskar To You. A volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, Chahna also Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.

Happy July!

Some people eat to live, while others (like me!) live to eat. The thing is, everything you eat becomes your body. Your food can balance you or imbalance you; it can build a healthy body or an unhealthy body. So, how do you ensure a good balance? Let’s review some basic Ayurveda principles related to doshas and tastes.

In Ayurveda, there are six rasa, flavors that make up all tastes. Each taste is a combination of two of the five elements and also falls under one or two doshas, Vata (V), Pitta (P), and/or Kapha (K).

• Sweet is a combination of earth (K) and water (K) which can be used for building tissues (and weight). It is also calming for the nerves.
• Sour is a mixture of earth (K) and fire (P) and can help increase the absorption of minerals. It helps with tissue cleansing.
• Salty is a blend of fire (P) and water (K) and is great for stimulating digestion, lubricating tissues, and improving a person’s taste ability.
• Pungent is the fusion of fire (P) and air (V) and helps with increasing metabolism and stimulating digestion.
• Bitter is made up of air (V) and ether (V) and has a light energy which helps with detoxifying.
• Astringent is a mix of air (V) and earth (K) and is drying, which helps with drying fat, absorbing water, and tightening your tissues.

Which ones are right for you?

Well, let us look at the doshas. When it comes to balancing a dosha, think of a seesaw. You must put enough of the opposite to balance. If one side is too light, you add some heaviness. If one side is too heavy, you take something away to make it lighter. Ayurveda works in the same way.

Sweet, Sour, and Salty increase Kapha. All three of these tastes have a prominence of Kapha elements. So, if you are Kapha, it is best to avoid these tastes, especially Sweet since it is a combination of both Kapha elements. You would benefit from eating foods that are more predominant with Vata elements, such as Pungent, Astringent, and Bitter.

Sour, Salty, and Pungent all have the fire element. These increase Pitta. If you notice that your Pitta is out of balance, it is best to avoid these tastes (especially Salty because it has both Pitta elements) and consume foods that are more prominent in Kapha and Vata elements such as Sweet, Astringent, and Bitter.

Pungent, Astringent, and Bitter tastes all have air within them. These increase Vata. If you have a Vata imbalance, these tastes should be avoided, especially Bitter because it has both Vata elements in it. Try to consume foods that are high in Kapha and Pitta elements, such as Sweet, Sour, and Salty.

Keep in mind, everything is a balance. If one of your doshas is out of balance, it does not benefit you to binge eat balancing elements. It will end up raising that dosha. For example (and personal experience!), if your Vata is high and you consistently eat Sweet and Salty foods, you can end up increasing your Kapha to the point where it comes out of balance. Maybe some of your Vata symptoms go away, but you might also see an increase in mucous or even weight gain since your Kapha has now increased.

So, again, balance.

The best approach is to try to include all of the tastes in one meal so that your palette is nicely balanced. That’s why a desi meal is the best – utilizing our spices can help to keep us from overeating one taste. There is endless knowledge on the 6 rasa, but this is just a taste of the rainbow!

About the Author

Chahna Tailor, a certified yoga instructor, has a background in occupational therapy and health science & administration. Chahna deepened her yoga practice by training in Rishikesh, India, where she studied the science behind yoga as a whole. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, and meditation services through her company Namaskar To You. A volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, Chahna also Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.