What is Panchakarma?

If you’ve read about or studied Ayurveda at all, you’ve no doubt come across the term “Panchakarma”. But unless you’ve read up on Panchakarma specifically, you probably have little idea what it is.

In searching for a good definition, I came across a web site that explained it like this:

“Panchakarma is a Sanskrit word meaning “five actions.” In ancient times these included massage, steam treatments, enema, blood letting, and emesis. In modern times, massage, steam and enema are more commonly used while blood letting and emesis are rarely used. These “actions” were traditionally performed during the transitional seasons of the year, as hot shifts to cool in the fall and as cool shifts to warm in the spring.”

When visiting an Ayurvedic practitioner these days, panchakarma may be prescribed as part of your treatment therapy. The most common “prescriptions” of this nature are massage, steam and enemas. Colonics can also be used in place of enemas. While colonics don’t sound very appealing, I can tell you from personal experience that they are actually quite comfortable, even for the most apprehensive person (me!).

Basically, Panchakarma is a set of five different therapies that purify the body. The idea is to get the body completely cleaned out in every way possible, so that the body can regain it’s own healthy balance.

Well worth the effort.

Namaste,
Tiffany
Personal Alchemy

Originally posted 2008-04-28 15:54:50. Republished by Old Post Promoter

The Bindi

Aside from looking pretty, Why do so many Indians wear red or decorative dots on their foreheads?

The red dot that many Indian women wear is called a “Bindi” (among other names).

The bindi can be worn by either men or women. But most often, you will see it on women.

Originally posted 2008-06-02 10:24:08. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Ayurveda and Obesity

According to ayurvedic belief, a kapha doshic person is at a greater risk for obesity. Obesity can be caused by several conditions which are all believed to be the result of a kapha imbalance:

• Overeating
• Water retention
• Lymph congestion

Overeating, whether due to food addiction, comfort eating or merely not paying enough attention to our eating habits, can lead to several problems. When kapha takes over, the vata and pitta are depleted. Reduced vata affects the thyroid gland; therefore, slowing the body’s metabolism. Reduced pitta causes kapha accumulation in the fat cells.

Water retention can cause that uncomfortable bloating that so many pregnant women experience. Of course, you do not have to be pregnant to suffer from being bloated.

Vata is the energy responsible for expelling water from the our system. When vata is depleted, this process is not activated and kapha energy gets stronger causing water retention. Vata is also the active force in the removal of toxins by means of the lymphatic system. So, again, when vata energy is depleted, our body’s ability to removed toxins slows.

The use of diet aids and other quick fixes are not encouraged if you are looking for a holistic approach to getting and staying healthy. Oftentimes, these things can slow the metabolism even further making you gain even more weight in the long run.

To help correct this imbalance of the doshas, you should follow an individualized treatment plan recommended by your Ayurvedic practitioner.

Have a balanced day,

Lena

Find peace and balance. Unveil your bliss with Ayurvedic bath and body products. Personal Alchemy offers botanical bath salts, ritual massage oils, healing balms and body creams.

Originally posted 2009-03-27 07:16:16. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Ayurvedic Beauty

The concept of Ayurvedic beauty is a simple one. Eat correctly, get enough sleep, exercise and use natural products. You can’t help but look your best!

But what if you want a little something extra?

Here are a few of my favorite tips I found in various Ayurvedic resources online.

This information is in no way intended as medical advice and should not be construed as such. Please talk to a doctor for all medical issues. If you have any adverse reactions to these suggestions, discontinue immediately, and consult a physician.

Puffy Eyes. We all get them. We look in the mirror, and there’s that unwanted, unattractive puff around our eyes. What can you do about them? Wet a chamomile tea bag, chill in the refrigerator, and then place over your eyes for a few minutes.

Hair loss. Massage your scalp every day with coconut oil for 10 to 20 minutes. The coconut oil will help with any dry scalp issues that may be causing the hair loss, and the massage will stimulate blood flow to the scalp, helping with hair growth.

Scaly legs. Take a few tablespoons of sea salt and mix with a small amount of milk. Scrub on the skin vigorously and wash off. It acts as a powerful cleanser and exfoliater.

My favorite treatment. At the end of a long day, I’m tired and weary and all I want to do is relax. I boil a pot of water, and add chamomile tea to the pot. I let it steep and cool slightly. (The water should be the temperature of a nice warm shower before you touch it.) Put a wash cloth in the water, wring it out slightly, and put the cloth over your face. It’s an amazing feeling, and the smell of the chamomile calms me immediately.

What’s your favorite natural/ayurvedic beauty treatment?

Originally posted 2008-03-27 04:22:41. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Beauty in Balance

The article even includes a quiz to help you figure out what your dosha is, and what to do once you know. Can’t get the magazine? Take our dosha quiz here!

Originally posted 2008-02-29 20:35:41. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Do-it-yourself Ayurvedic Facials

People are always surprised when I tell them that I clean my face with olive oil and a cotton ball. I never use soap or water, and my skin looks great.

The other day, I had a conversation with my mother the other day about beauty aids you can find in your kitchen. I began to wonder how to do an Ayurvedic facial with simple, natural products that you might have in your kitchen cabinet (just like my olive oil!).

I found a blog that tells you how to do just that! So I thought I would share it with you here.

If you try this facial, let me know how it turns out! I’ll be trying it myself very soon.

Namaste
Tiffany

  
Find peace and balance. Unveil your bliss with Ayurvedic bath and body products. Personal Alchemy offers botanical bath salts, ritual massage oils, healing balms and body creams.

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Originally posted 2008-06-30 07:06:50. Republished by Old Post Promoter

A beautiful head of hair

I don’t know about you, but every Indian woman I’ve ever seen has an incredibly beautiful head of hair. It’s always thick and full whether it’s gray or not.

Ayurvedic hair treatments can go a long way towards helping anyone achieve a nice head of hair. While us westerners do everything possible to get the oil OUT of our hair, those following the Ayurvedic lifestyle know the value of putting oil INTO the hair. (Hot oil treatments, anyone?)

Here’s what you do:

Once you know your dosha, purchase a dosha specific oil. Put it in a bowl, and place the bowl in warm to hot water until the oil is nice and warm. Then, slowly massage your scalp with it. This will encourage blood circulation in the scalp and conditions the hair at the same time.

Wet a towel with hot water (don’t burn yourself!), and wrap your head and hair completely. Wrap this with plastic wrap to keep the heat in longer. The longer you leave the oil in your hair, the better. Shampoo as you normally would.

Do this regularly, and you’ll see a difference quickly.

Enjoy!
Tiffany
Personal Alchemy

Originally posted 2008-04-23 15:21:38. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Personal Rituals

Personal Rituals are a very individual thing. You may not realize it, but you have your own personal rituals already. From your routine in the morning, to the order in which you do things when going to bed at night, personal rituals are already a part of your life.

The trick is, to change those rituals just a bit, so that they are helping you to reduce the stress in your life.

One important change is in the way you care for your body. You may exercise and eat right, but there is always more you can do here.

One very important personal ritual that is often overlooked, is self massage. Massage in any form lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, and has many many other positive effects on the body, including stress relief. We often feel we don’t have time for this type of personal ritual. But the trick is to just make the time. It doesn’t have to take an hour out of your day. Try rubbing your feet with a nice lavender oil before going to bed, or moisturizing your body with an invigorating eucalyptus oil in the morning to get you going.

Meditation is also an important personal ritual, with many positive effects (similar to massage!) on the body. Just ten minutes a day can have a wonderful effect on your health. The same benefits can be had from a daily yoga practice.

The idea here, is to take the time to do these things, even if that time is just a few moments out of your day. The more you care for yourself, the better you’ll be able to care for those around you. So give it a try. What do you have to lose except your stress?

Do you have any personal rituals that help you unwind at the end of the day? I’d love to hear about them. email me, or post a comment! Either way, I love to hear from my readers.

Namaste,
Tiffany
Personal Alchemy

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Originally posted 2008-05-14 07:20:24. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Dosha Diets (Part 2 – Pitta)

Generally speaking, it is important for all doshas to allow time for each meal. To sit at a table, chew food thoroughly, and relax to allow for good digestion.

While this is obviously not typical of the American lifestyle, the more you can do to achieve this, the better off you’ll be.

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Pitta doshas: here are some guidelines to get you started. Keep in mind, however, that for a true evaluation of what is good for you as an individual, you should see an Ayurvedic practitioner.

• Eat juicy fruits, as they tend to “calm the fire” of Pittas.       

• Use Ghee to cook with, as it is cooling to pitta doshas       

• Stay away from really spicey foods       

• Drink “smoothie” type drinks, such as milkshakes, fruit smoothies and mango lassi’s       

• Eat your foods cool, but not cold. Let very hot foods cool before eating       

• Eat healthy fats in moderations.

Dairy: Milk, ghee, goat’s milk, ice cream and soy milk

Oils: Ghee, sesame seed oil and vegetable oils

Drinks: Mineral water

Meats: Chicken, duck, goose, lamb, turkey and venison

Again, this is just a loose description of what you should eat. Each person will be different and unique. But it will give you a place to start.

To your health
Tiffany
Personal Alchemy

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Originally posted 2008-05-06 23:14:07. Republished by Old Post Promoter

The power of a bath

A bath can be a wonderfully healing experience. Done correctly, it is truly one of life’s great personal rituals.

But how do you turn a bath from a simple cleansing ritual, to a therapeutic, stress relieving personal ritual?

Here are some tips to help you relax and unwind ayurvedicly.

• Atmosphere is everything. Don’t just fill the tub with water and jump in, be sure to make the environment as clean and relaxing as possible. Light a candle, use lush towels, place a flower in a vase where you can focus on it’s beauty, or anything that will focus your mind on how wonderful this experience is.
• Use bath products that are appropriate for your dosha. It’s pointless to set yourself up for a relaxing massage, only to dump a chemically enhanced, headache inducing bath oil or salt into the tub. It does nothing for you or your stress levels.
• Use this quiet time to meditate, or use visualization to relax your tensed muscle. The idea is to focus on your personal needs and to nurture your self and your body as much as possible.
• When your bath is finished, be sure to moisturize your skin while it is still damp. This will seal moisture into your skin. This is the perfect opportunity for Abhyanga (self-massage).

The main idea is to turn a plain ol’ bath into a nurturing and tension relieving experience. Take the time to pamper yourself, and watch your spirit soar!

Namaste,
Tiffany
Personal Alchemy
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Originally posted 2008-05-26 21:07:54. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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