Maharishi Ayurveda Blog

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Most people understand the importance of eating natural foods in order to stay healthy. Processed foods and foods with a high sugar content have a devastating impact on one's health and are the cause of many modern ailments that were unheard of in years past. However, it is also important to realize that foods can also help to balance out one’s dosha.  There is one particular dosha that is prevalent during any given season of the year, and this dosha will affect not only a person’s moods but also his or her health.

Summer is the time of year when the Pitta dosha is prevalent, while the …

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Every mother knows her child is unique and special; Ayurveda recognizes that as well. To know Ayurveda is to know life. The principles of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, combined with herbal remedies for kids, can be very beneficial to the emotional, physical and spiritual health of a child.

These principles begin with breastfeeding for the optimal start in a child's life. Breastfeeding combined with a happy state of mind of the mother and a loving and secure environment for the baby balances the baby's doshas right from the very beginning and provides the building blocks necessary.

When an …

In Ayurveda, each individual is predominantly one of three types of dosha: Vata, Pitta or Kapha. Vata types are usually slender and wiry, but they can also experience weight gain due to an imbalance in their dosha. All doshas have the capacity for creating ama, or digestive toxins, due to an imbalance. Healthy recipes for weight loss and all natural remedies can help a Vata-predominant individual shed unwanted pounds and avoid future weight gain.

Individuals who are Vata-predominant are more susceptible to mental stress. Mental stress can affect how much they eat, how often, and the types of …

The term "comfort food" is a misnomer. Rich sauces, cakes and ice cream might give you temporary pleasure, but in the long run they are more likely to lead to discomfort. Think of that the next time you reach for the potato chips or candy bars in the middle of the night!

Genuine comfort food is food that satisfies you, while providing you with goodness and nutritional value. According to Maharishi Ayurveda, these foods should be nurturing, wholesome and intelligent. "Intelligent" in this sense refers to the ability of the food to carry nature's intelligence to the body and mind. Known as …

Maharishi Ayurveda places great importance on aromatherapy; using extracts from flowers and herbs, aromas can treat many psycho-physiological issues. Synthetic or chemically-produced fragrances simply do not have the same health benefits and may even cause more harm than good. The most common way of using aromatherapy in Ayurvedic medicine is through a blend of many different aromas. The aromas enter the body through the senses and go straight to the bloodstream. By carefully combining several ingredients, potential side effects of any one single substance can be avoided. Single essential …

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Each season we pass through is linked to an Ayurvedic Mind-Body type, or “Dosha”. Spring links to Kapha, Summer with Pitta and Winter with Vata. These respective Doshas have a tendency to increase during their associated season - the heat of summer tends to push the Pitta in us, whilst a cold and windy winter tends to increase our Vata.

These seasonal movements of the Doshas in our physiologies can be offset by eating appropriately for the season. Time and place are important aspects in choosing what to eat, and most of us unconsciously work to balance these all the time. Take as a simple …

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Current Nutrition facts show that grains give the carbs, iron, protein, calcium, potassium & important B vitamins necessary for a healthy diet. According to the age-old Traditional knowledge of Ayurveda, grains support the creation of healthy bone tissue & muscle, and provide strength and endurance to the body. The right quantity of grains are especially important to growing children on a vegetarian diet.

Grains are great for meat eaters and vegetarians alike, but are particularly useful for vegetarians as they assist in the creation of whole proteins when matched with legumes, beans …

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No matter what your age, there are things you can do to look and feel younger, healthier, happier. You hold the future of your health in your own hands. The wonderful thing about ayurvedic healing is that it teaches both damage-prevention and damage-reversal; so following these few basic tips from our Maharishi Ayurveda Experts can make a big difference to that image you see in the mirror.

Here's what the experts have to say about looking and feeling young:

1: Eat to Live Longer:

How much of a change in your way of eating do you have to make to start feeling younger? While no one has been …

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Tips for Balancing Vata

• All Vata products: drink Vata Tea and season meals with Vata Churna, diffuse calming Vata aroma oil in the environment
• Abhyanga (daily ayurvedic massage with sesame oil)
• Warm temperatures
• Warm, cooked foods (less raw foods)
• Early bedtime, lots of rest
• Favor warm, oily, heavy foods and sweet, sour, and salty tastes
• Reduce light, dry, cold foods and pungent, bitter and astringent tastes
• Regular daily routine
• Avoid stimulants
• Regular, daily elimination
• Stay warm in cold, windy weather

Vata-Pacifying Diet

Ayurveda recognises the powerful effect any …