When I was pregnant, I couldn’t get myself to eat meat very often; I find this aversion quite common in pregnant women. I made lentils a key source for my protein and iron intake. In Ayurvedic nutrition legumes (known as pulses) are the edible seeds of leguminous plants. They are either peas, beans or lentils…
Growing up in India, head massages were part of life. It wasn’t uncommon for my mother, or my grandma to massage my hair with herb infused oil, especially when I was stressed with school work. Ayurvedic head massage is an ancient therapeutic treatment that has been practiced in India for thousands of years and involves…
It’s the first day of Spring, and while we think of spring with everything blooming in our gardens, none of it is possible without Water (one of the core elements in Ayurvedic Medical Philosophy). Water represents soma, the nourishing, cooling quality that is associated with lunar energy. It helps with digestion, cools and balances Pitta…
If you are new or nursing mom, you might find sleep patterns erratic making you feel lethargic, mentally foggy, digestively unhappy and overall cranky. We spend roughly 1/3 of our lives sleeping and there is a reason it is sleep is vital for human survival. In Ayurveda, sleep is one of the three pillars of…
Growing up in India, I was very accustomed to my physician or treatment provider asking me to open my mouth so they can “read” my tongue. It wasn’t’ till I moved to the United States during my teens, when I learned that the practice was unique to eastern medicine which then took me on a…
In Ayurveda, Garbhini-Pandu (anemia in pregnancy) is described as a pregnant woman becoming weak and pale. The major driver of this (mostly temporary) disorder is the increased need for iron during pregnancy driven by the need for nourishment in her own body, building lactation support and growth of the fetus. While it is broadly defined…
Pranayama is an ancient breath technique that originates from yogic practices in India. It involves controlling your breath in different styles and lengths. It is known as the fourth anga, or limb, of yoga. The word pranayama comes from two separate words: prana and ayama. Prana translates to breath or life force, while ayama has…
Stretch marks during pregnancy are developed due to the stretching of the skin. According to Ayurveda, stretch marks have Pitta (Water and Fire) and Kapha (Water and Earth) imbalance in them. Kapha involvement causes itching and Pitta causes burning sensation.
Pregnancy stretch marks can be generally be found on the lower part of abdomen, sides…
Edema, also known as Shotha in Ayurveda is disorder that occurs due to water retention or accumulation of fluid in the body tissues causing pain and inflammation. The swelling or water accumulation can either be localized (affecting only a part of the body) or generalized ( affecting the whole body). Although the swelling can be…