Ancient Lifestyle for the Modern Family
Every year it seems a new diet emerges and then so many people jump on the band wagon. It quickly becomes all the rage. However, while these fad diets may help you lose weight, the experience is lonely, mildly substantiated, not sustainable and we don’t know the long term affects of the self-inflicted restrictions on each unique person. What if there is a lifestyle that could be tailored to you, and is flexible, fun, well-studied, life supporting and inclusive? Well, there is!! It just happens to be 5,000 years old. Ayurveda is an ancient healing life-style that leads you and your family on a path of self discovery. You get to find out who you are, and what your body needs in order to feel and look its best! Once you find out about you, then you can find out about the other members of your family so they can feel their best too. You can all do it together!
What a powerful tool you will be sharing with the other members of your family. They can then use this knowledge for their whole lives to sustain their optimal level of wellness.
Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old healing art from India. The word itself is Sanskrit: Ayu means life and Veda means knowledge, the knowledge of your life. It is pronounced: I-yur-vay-duh.
Ayurveda looks at the natural elements in your body to help you find and keep the optimal balance. It categorizes each person into a combination of three body types or doshas. To find out what your dosha is, take a quiz by clicking here.
Everyone has a unique percentage of each of these doshas and we all fall into one of these three dosha’s or a combination of them.
The doshas or body types in Ayurveda are:
Vata: airy, light, fast, creative, anxious,
Pitta: firey, hot, sharp, intense, driven,
Kapha: watery, heavy, slow, strong, sweet,
Once you know your dosha, there are ways to balance yourself to achieve your optimal health and over all wellness in body and mind. For a description of each of the doshas, click here. Ayurveda uses herbs, food, lifestyle adjustments, oils, meditation, yoga and other techniques to make changes in your body. Ayurveda is not a cookie cutter approach to health and weight-loss, but a journey to overall well-being, which includes your weight.
My sister and I comprise a music group called Shanti Shanti and we are both wives and mothers of two young children, each. I love that Ayurveda has interesting and effective methods to help mommy feel good, ways to help bring balance to children and to exhausted husbands. It is fun and a good way to bond with each other. It is simple, flexible and enjoyable to learn about. There are numerous websites and books available on Ayurveda. As exhausted moms, with very little time to read, one of our favorite audio books is “Ayurvedic Wellness” by Dr. Suhas Kshisagar.
Shanti Shanti
The ancient Ayurvedic writings are in Sanskrit and the terminology and practices are in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is an ancient language from India that is known for its deeply peaceful effects. In Ayurveda, chanting mantras can be a part of achieving mental wellness. Learning and chanting Sanskrit mantras have a profoundly peaceful affect on you. Sometimes it is called mantra therapy. Click here for a free Sanskrit lesson to learn to chant a universal mantra.
Please don’t go chasing results from these silly diets!! Get to know your body and see what you actually need! We highly recommend you look into Ayurveda and travel down the rewarding path of joy and wellness with your whole family. A balanced family is a happy family. We wish you the best of luck as you give yourself the gift of self-discovery and knowledge.