Lifestyle & Wellness - Ananda Wellness

Holistic wellness is about mind-body-community wellness. Explore our thought pieces on a number of important lifestyle topics that we hope may spark some inspiration on your journey.


 
Posts tagged seasonal cleanse
Managing doshic balance during airplane flights

Keeping the doshas balanced during and after long airplane flights can be tricky, as we sit in tightly packed and poorly ventilated, cold and dry spaces for extended periods, moving through space. This can aggravate our Vata dosha made up of the air and space elements that are also cold, dry, rough, mobile and erratic; inviting insomnia, dehydration, constipation, tiredness and jet lag into our lives.

The ayurvedic way can be useful in rebalancing this, making travelling easier on both the mind and body. Here are some travel ideas from a recent trip with a long flight to and from Sri Lanka to Melbourne.

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Exploring Rest - It's more than just sleep!

So many people around the world today feel tired and stressed from busy days and lives. While we might think that getting more sleep is the solution, true rest involves more than just sleep.

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Yogic Prayer Before Eating

The Yogic prayer before eating, sometimes referred to as "Brahmarpranam” is a practice that acknowledges the interconnectedness of all beings. By expressing gratitude for the food, it helps to mindfully practice the process of eating - and creates an awareness of the energy and effort that has gone towards to bringing sustenance and meals to the table.

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3 Day Ayurvedic Cleansing Plan and Menu

Here is a sample menu for a 3 day cleanse, that I usually follow and also recommend to others….

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Managing Comfort Eating

Food consumption today goes beyond pure sustenance and nourishment – it has become a vehicle for connection, socialising, activity and significantly – emotional regulation.

Nourishment is one of the first and key ways that humans learn to feel cared for and held. It brings back memories of old times, family, friends, culture, tradition… it gives a sense of belonging, safety, comfort.

However, as we move through the ‘waves’ and cycles of life it is easy to start attaching to food for safety, comfort and often for distraction. This seeking of comfort leads to over attachment, sluggishness, suppression of the real issues. It leads to a low and overburdened agni (digestive fire), causing excessive and then imbalanced kapha dosha (earth, water elements) and beyond this it leads to the formation of ama (toxins) from undigested food and also emotional matter.

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Remedial Massage at our Hawthorn Clinic Now Available

We are pleased to announce that we now offer Remedial Massage Services along side our traditional Ayurvedic Massage services.

Introducing to you, the incredibly experienced Eduard Elkin has over a decade of knowledge and successes working as a remedial massage therapist, healing people of all ages and activity levels, including working at the Prahran football club.

Eduard specialises in treating chronic musculoskeletal pain and has a very high success rate. Focusing on manipulating key trigger points, he is able to locate and treat the epicentre of the problem providing immediate pain relief for muscles and joints.

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What is Ayurveda?

Vata follows the principle of movement and is a by-product of space and air. Similar to air, it is cold, light, dry, rough and mobile. It governs movement, respiration, the heart and nervous system.

Pitta is the by-product of fire and water. Similar to fire it is hot, light, dry, sharp and penetrating. Manages metabolism, our digestive system and emotions.

Kapha is the stabilising force and is a by-product of earth and water. Similar to earth it is heavy, wet, cold, soft and smooth. It manages our bodily immunity, vitality, hydration and strength.

Another element that is key is ‘ama’ or a toxic by-product of undigested physical and energetic matter.

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Exploring Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

Keeping the doshas balanced during and after long airplane flights can be tricky, as we sit in tightly packed and poorly ventilated, cold and dry spaces for extended periods, moving through space. This can aggravate our Vata dosha made up of the air and space elements that are also cold, dry, rough, mobile and erratic; inviting insomnia, dehydration, constipation, tiredness and jet lag into our lives.

The ayurvedic way can be useful in rebalancing this, making travelling easier on both the mind and body. Here are some travel ideas from a recent trip with a long flight to and from Sri Lanka to Melbourne.

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Surya Bhedi Pranayama

According to the Hatha yoga pradipika, Surya bhedi pranayama or right nostril breathing is one of the most beneficial pranayama (breath work) techniques in activating and energising the body. In Ayurveda too, this pranayama technique is used to dispel a kapha vitiation leading to lethargy, sluggishness, low energy, low motivation and a feeling of dullness.

The focus of this pranayama technique is to activate the surya or ‘sun’ element in your body, via the right nostril and ‘Pingala’ nadi which aligns with the vitality of the sun.

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A guide to Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

Alternate nostril breathing (From Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati)

These techniques have a calming effect and relieve anxiety, improves concentration and stimulates ajna chakra. The ratio 1:1 in stage 1 establishes a calming rhythm for the brain and heart, assisting people with cardiovascular and nervous disorders specifically, and stress-related conditions generally. As the count is extended, the breath slows down. The respiration becomes more efficient because the air flow is smoother and less turbulent. This ratio helps people with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis.

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A sample Winter meal plan, spices and herbs

Kapha aggravations can impact the health of the kidneys, lungs, mucus membranes, bladder, fluid content. It can lead to swellings, heaviness and accumulations of mucus in the body. It increased by the salty, sour and sweet tastes e.g. salt, citrus fruits and refined sugars. Kapha is decreased by pungent, bitter and astringent tastes (e.g. turmeric, bitter green, black tea, ginger).

Here is a sample meal plan, herbs and spices to consider in winter months.

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Late Autumn, early Winter: adapting to the change

Ayurvedic wisdom places a significant focus on the connection between nature’s seasons and the doshic balance within us. Staying mindful of the time of year and adjusting your routine can help to keep imbalances at bay.

The key is proactively managing the elemental balance that fluctuates in each season. For instance, pitta dosha increases in late spring as the weather warms up and we start to approach summer season, so you’d incorporate more cooling foods and lifestyle practices. Similarly, while we might have been managing vata dosha through early to mid autumn, we’d now slowly shift gears as the weather becomes cooler, wetter and more earthy at the end of Autumn nearing the approach of winter in Australia next month (June).

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Hay Fever & Congestion Relief

Experience powerful Sri Lankan Ayurvedic herbal steam inhalation therapy and a massage / release of key marma points along with heat therapy to help you loosen the congestion and heaviness of hay fever and blocked sinuses.

Suitable for both seasonal as well as chronic conditions.

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Amalaki (Amla) for hair loss, premature greying, liver function, immunity and so much more!

Amalaki (Amla) or Indian Gooseberry is a great natural source of vitamin C and one of the 3 fruits used to produce the highly revered ‘triphala’ formulation. Amla helps to manage excess pitta in the body, supporting the natural functions of the liver and the immune system
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Amla oil or churna made into a hair pack is especially good at alleviating hair loss and early greyness. It is a renowned rejuvenative and adaptogen for slowing age (vayahsthapana), increasing virility, promoting immunity and inducing balanced health (satmikarana).

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Ojas: What it is + How to keep it Healthy and Strong

'When ojas is low the person is fearful, weak, worried, has deranged senses, poor complexion, weak mind, is rough and thin’ (Caraka Samhita Sutrasthana 17.73). However, a person with healthy ojas is calm, content & peaceful within, has strong immunity, digestion, potent fertility and endurance. There is a sparkle in the eye and a special ‘glow’ around them.

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Jala Neti - Saline Irrigation for Natural Hay Fever Relief

Hay fever has been particularly tricky to manage in the last few weeks and we have been helping out with advice and how to’s on using the Ayurvedic / yogic approach to finding relief using a natural approach over pharmaceuticals.

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Snapshots of our Spring Wellness Day 2019!

Snapshots of our Spring Wellness Day 2019!

This day was designed to coincide with the Spring Equinox (today!) and provided a space to experience the cleansing and pausing between seasons preceding a Spring routine

We started with stimulating the thymus for immunity and then practiced invigorating and flowing asana (including lots of khatu pranam from the Yoga in Daily Life System) and pranayama, followed by a yummy, nourishing Spring friendly lunch and bliss balls for snacks, magnesium foot soaks and cleansing golden turmeric teas, healing massages, time for reflection and an uplifting yoga nidra

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Erratic changes in one season: How do I stay balanced?

Ah, Melbourne. Just when we prepared (and hoped for) for a warm, crisp summer, the days become erratic and unpredictable, leaving us all guessing and on our toes. Hot and dry days followed by humidity and wetness, stormy days and jacket weather, and then sunshine again.

How do we adjust to this? I’ve had clients come in with headaches, dry skin, flaky scalps, skin eruptions, feeling frazzled and then other feeling sluggish, heavy and lethargic. It’s challenging to know how to stay balanced when things are all over the place.

The trick is to take it day by day. E.g. avoid kapha aggravating foods on the wet and cold days – e.g. heavy, cold and overly sweet or oily (smoothies, avocado, ripe bananas, rich desserts)…. And avoid vata and pitta aggravating foods on the hot and dry days (popcorn, chilli, too much coffee)…

Then, to manage the erratic energy around you:

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Ritu sandi and ayurvedic cleansing between seasons

The transitory time between seasons, ‘Ritu Sandi’, the point where two seasons meet is a significant time in the ayurvedic approach to well-being. In this time, a short period of cleansing out any accumulations from one season before welcoming the other is recommended.

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Managing coughs, colds, flus during seasonal changes

One of the core principles of ayurveda is that 'like increases like'. Winter and that time in-between Winter and Spring when the cold is ‘melting’ is a time of year when the water and earth element are most dominant in nature - this is why we feel cold, heavy and blue and the incidence of phlegm, mucus, coughs and colds increase. If you are prone to these ailments and are thinking of a more natural route to healing this year, here are some handy guidelines…

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