One of the traditional recommendations of Ayurveda is to drink water from a copper cup. According to the ancient science, water stored in a copper vessel has the ability to balance all the three doshas (Vata, Kapha and Pitta). Ideally water should stay in the copper container for at least eight hours. Ayurveda recommends starting…

Now that the cool, wet Kapha days of spring are behind us, it is time to adjust to the increasing heat in our environment. The hot, sunny, and dry days of summer mean that that same heating influence is increasing in our physiology. Ayurveda refers to this as Pitta. Pitta is hot, sharp, sour, pungent,…

In recent years, modern science has come up with the term “bioenhancer”. This refers to”newly” discovered compounds that are supposed to mark a “new chapter in medical science.” What is a bioenhancer? By definition, bioenhances are substances that increase the “bioavailability and bioefficacy” of other substances. Peririne, (a compound naturally occurring in black pepper) along…

Looking for more energy? Perhaps you should consider the fuel you are using to keep your body running. Or, from an Ayurvedic perspective, ask yourself, are you giving yourself enough prana? Understanding Prana Prana is the principle of energy responsible for giving life to and maintaining the body. Prana is the vital energy present in fresh vegetables…

Bitter is one of the six tastes identified in Ayurveda. It is associated with the decrease of Kapha dosha in the body. According to Ayurveda, the lungs are one of the main seats of Kapha dosha. In 2010, researchers at the University of Maryland School of medicine found that bitter taste receptors are located in the…

Life, by nature, is unpredictable —and therefore, stressful. If we are lucky, the stress we experience is short-lived. Too often, however, situations occur that keep us stressed for days, weeks, or even months. This experience of unrelenting stress can cause significant damage to our health, mind and emotions. If you go to the internet, you’ll…

Ayurveda acknowledges that the process of eating and digesting is a wondrous thing that should be treated respectfully. In our Western culture the process of eating is too often either mindless, or merely a form of entertainment. We eat while we watch TV, work on our computers or have meetings— or we eat standing or…

There is an interesting term in Ayurveda; rasayana. A rasayana is something that makes everyone stronger, regardless of one’s individual mind/body type. Although we usually hear the word in reference to herbs and herbal formulas (such as Maharishi Amrit Kalash) it can also refer to behaviors. In fact, there is an entire subcategory,  Achar Rasayana,…

During springtime, when Kapha is becoming lively in our environment, getting up early becomes more important than ever. During Vata season (late fall through early winter) we can get away with sleeping into the Kapha time of the day. Vata has been increasing in our mind/body system and a little Kapha influence can be grounding….

Ayurveda can contribute helpful recommendations that have been used to address viruses and the common cold throughout the ages. Firstly, if you have the slightest symptom of the beginning of ANYTHING, stay home, get plenty of rest, eat only when you are really hungry, and sip hot water throughout the day….and watch your symptoms. Make…