WHAT IS AYURVEDA?

Whether healing digestive issues, strengthening immunity, alleviating anxiety, or struggling with the sticky parts of Mamahood, Ayurveda is designed to help us self-heal. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda simply translates to “the knowledge of life”, meaning the knowledge of one’s own life. With its ancient roots in India, Ayurveda is a holistic health system focused on maintaining the quality, vitality and longevity of life. It combines the studies of physiology, psychology and spirituality to explain our bio-individual needs for beautiful health, happiness and consciousness. Think of Ayurveda as another way to explain our genetic DNA, but down to the soul level.

To begin incorporating Ayurveda we must adopt the language of the science.

the fundamentals of an Ayurvedic lifestyle

In Ayurveda philosophy, the FIVE ELEMENTS—ether, air, fire, water, and earth—created the universe, existence as we know it. We also possess these five elements in our minds and bodies. The Ayurvedic DOSHAS — Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are the physical and mental energies that contain these elements which then dictate our unique constitutions. We possess all three doshas but in different amounts individual to us, with 1-2 being more dominant. Our dominant dosha/s are vulnerable to internal and external stressors causing mind-body imbalances that can materialize into excess heaviness, hormonal imbalances, skin issues, digestive issues, anxiety, stress — the list goes on. These imbalances tend to intensify during pregnancy and postpartum given the intense mind-body transformation happening. To regain balance, we must understand the qualities of the elements, how they relate to the doshas, and how they exacerbate the anxieties of daily Mama life. Once we learn and apply this knowledge, we have the tools to create the secret sauce for better health and wellness during the beautiful and wild ride that is Mamahood.

THE DOSHAS + THE FIVE ELEMENTS

vata dosha

elements: ether & air

governs: nervous system; motion in the body

season: fall/winter

qualities:

subtle: like ether, empty space; hello constipation, gas & bloat

light: lean body frame; physically hard to put on fat & muscle

mobile: like air, always moving; the “leg shaker” and the “quick thinker”

dry: dry hair, dry skin, dry nails—dry, dry, dry

cold: that one friend that’s always bundled up

rough: anxious and nervous; prone to digestion issues

Vatas need to ground the mind and body to oppose the excess air & space qualities they’re prone to. Invite more warmth, moisture and stillness into daily foods and activities.

LIFESTYLE TO FAVOR:

~ establish a daily routine

~ slow down; one task at a time

~ regular meals to support digestion

~ grounding yoga & meditation

~ mobility & strength training

~ spend time in nature

~ invite more warmth + grounding in during the fall/winter seasons

FOODS TO FAVOR:

~ qualities are warm, moist, dense, oily, sweet

~ warm foods & beverages

~ sweet cooked fruits

~ grains + root vegetables

~ cooked vegetables—AVOID raw

~ ghee, sesame oil, coconut oil

~ warming spices: ginger, cumin, cinnamon

pitta dosha

elements: fire & water

governs: digestion; transformation in the body

season: summer

qualities:

hot: like fire, excess heat; prone to anger, frustration, skin issues & inflammation

sharp: a focused and organized mind; the “decision maker”

oily: like oils, aggravated by heat; oily skin & hair, prone to acne

liquid: like the quality of water; the “profuse sweater”; diarrhea or loose stools

light: quick “light-bulb” thinkers; that special light in someone’s eyes

mobile: just as fire moves fast; ambitious & hard-working but prone to burnout

Pittas need to cool the mind and body to oppose the excess fire & heat qualities they’re prone to. Invite more cooling, sweetness and stillness into daily foods and activities.

LIFESTYLE TO FAVOR:

~ move with more ease; careful to not get overheated, especially the head

~ eat largest meal between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when digestion is strongest

~ find sweetness in activities; mindfulness with each task to avoid burnout

~ walk in nature, swimming especially in the summer, moderate work-out effort

~ rest & recovery, take time for the pause

~ spend time outdoors in nature

~ focus on more cooling in the summer season

FOODS TO FAVOR:

~ qualities are cooling, sweet, juicy, bitter & astringent

~ cooling foods—cucumber, avocado, mint

~ sweet fruits—AVOID sour fruits

~ leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables

~ legumes; pitta digestion can generally handle beans

~ cooling coconut oil and ghee

~ cooling spices: cumin, fennel, cardamom, coriander

~ seeds—AVOID nuts due to their oily nature

kapha dosha

elements: earth & water

governs: lymphatic system & immunity; structure in the body

season: winter/early spring

qualties:

cold: quality of the winter season; susceptible to colds & low immunity

heavy: like Earth, large in structure; gains weight easily, heavy thoughts & depression

wet: like water, dense with liquid; prone to sinus & congestion issues

slow: heaviness slows the mind & body; hard to get moving

dense: strong bone structure; sturdy and protected

liquid: prone to loose, mucousy stools

Kaphas need to move the mind and body to oppose the excess heaviness from the earth & water qualities they’re prone to. Invite more movement, lightness and dryness into daily foods and activities.

LIFESTYLE TO FAVOR:

~ rise with the sun to get going

~ make morning movement & sweat a priority to break up stagnant energy

~ only eat when hungry—AVOID snacking

~ physical and emotional housekeeping, clear out the heaviness

~ a more stimulating yoga practice, strength training, running; break a sweat!

~ brisk walks outdoors in nature

~ focus more on dry warmth in the winter/early spring

FOODS TO FAVOR:

~ qualities are light, dry, bitter, pungent

~ astringent fruits—AVOID overly sweet fruits

~ all the vegetables, lightly cooked

~ grains, but go easy due to their sweet nature—choose quinoa or barley

~ coconut milk (unsweetened), non-dairy milks—AVOID dairy products

~ extra virgin olive oil & ghee, but go light

~ ALL the spices

~ seeds, but in moderation—AVOID nuts

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