Example: Vital Energy System -Ayurveda

 THE BODY AND THE NADIS

Nadis are pathways of pranic, mental and spiritual currents which form a matrix throughout the physical body. They provide energy through every cell, and organ through their vast network. Nadis are not physical or measurable but channels of energy which underly and sustain life and consciousness. Out of the 72,000 nadis, 72 are considered important. Out of these 72, 10 are considered to be major. Among the 10 major pranic flows, three are the most significant. (Situated in the spinal column which pass through every chakra.)

• Eda (Mental channel = female; Chandra = lunar/moon nadi) 
• Pingala (Vital channel = male; Surya = sun/solar nadi)
• Sushumna (Spiritual channel) 

The 7 lesser major nadis include:

• Gandhari 
• Hastijihva
• Yashaswini
• Pusha
• Alambusha
• Kuhu
• Shankhini

The three most important nadis are also referred to as the 3 most important rivers in India:

• Ganga (Eda) 
• Yamuna (Pingala)
• Saraswati (Sushumna) 

The junction where these three rivers join is called Prayag, located outside Allahabad in North India. In the pranic body, they converge at ajna chakra. 

• Eda governs the left side of the body and Pingala the right side of the body. 
• Eda and Pingala dominance is directly related to the flow of breath in the nostrils. 
• The specific functions of the brain are correlate with the activities of Eda and Pingala. The right hemisphere governs the left side of the body and the left hemisphere governs the right side of the body. Eda is connected to the right hemisphere and Eda to the left. 
• The right hemisphere (Eda) processes information in a diffuse and holistic manner. It controls spacial awareness and is sensitive to vibrations and the external senses. 
• The left hemisphere which relates to Pingala processes information in a sequential, linear and logical manner. It is responsible for analytical and mathematical ability. 
• The Eda controls manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas, whereas pingala controls anamaya and anandamaya koshas. In pranamayakosha, the Eda and Pingala forces reach out in both directions. 
• Sushumna, the neutral channel- when the two forces of Eda and Pingala are balanced, the third channel of Sushumna becomes active. When the sushumna is active, the breath flows through both nostrils simultaneously. 

Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. It is one of the seven sister sciences (along with yoga). Although suppressed during years of foreign occupation and British colonial rule, Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and throughout the world. Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda. Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical ayurvedic medical texts dating back thousands of years.

More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life,Veda = science or knowledge). 

• It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. 
• Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, 
• diet, 
• behavior and 
• the proper use of our senses

Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit. There is no standard therapy as in Western (allopathic) medicine, so that the only limitations are those of the physician.

Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as:

•  Vata (Wind), 
•  Pitta (Fire), and
•  Kapha (Earth)

these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our "constitution" (nature).

• If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. 
• If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. 
• When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing. 

Although each of us has all three forces, most people have one or two elements that predominate.

For each element, there is a balanced and imbalance expression. 

• When Vata is balanced, a person is lively and creative, but when there is too much movement in the system, a person tends to experience anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, and difficulty focusing. 
• When Pitta is functioning in a balanced manner, a person is warm, friendly, disciplined, a good leader, and a good speaker. When Pitta is out of balance, a person tends to be compulsive and irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition.
•  When Kapha is balanced, a person is sweet, supportive, and stable but when Kapha is out of balance, a person may experience sluggishness, weight gain, and sinus congestion.

An important goal of Ayurveda is to identify a person’s ideal state of balance, determine where they are out of balance, and offer interventions using diet, herbs, aromatherapy, massage treatments, music, and meditation to reestablish balance.

Ayurveda: the science of health PP 

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Ayurvedic Cleanse (you could try this!)

Ayurveda (Sanskrit for “the science of the lifespan”) is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. This Ayurvedic cleanse and diet will reset the body in balance!

Adapted from Melissa Weinberger DC, RN

Daily Cleansing Routine

*Starred points are to be followed only during the cleanse. All other points should be followed during the pre-cleanse, cleanse and post-cleanse

·         Begin each morning by drinking 6-8 oz of hot water

·         *Optional: drink ghee (see instructions below)

·         Abhyanga: Ayurvedic Massage

Before bathing, rub a thin layer of warmed or room temperature oil (unrefined sesame or coconut) over entire body. Use long strokes for your limbs and circular strokes for your joints. Ideally, let the oil sink in for 20 minutes before showering.

Since sesame and coconut oil are natural skin cleansers it is best to not wash the oil off with soap; the hot water will wash most of the oil off. Then pat dry with a towel. (1 teaspoon of baking soda in the wash will help to remove oil from towels)

·         Exercise before breakfast (if this is not possible you can exercise in the early evening)

·         *Breakfast – prepare porridge or kitchari (see recipe below)

·         Sip hot water throughout the day

·         *Kitchari for lunch and dinner

·         Supper should be the lightest meal of the day and preferably eaten before 6 pm

·         Drink only herbal tea and honey or water after supper

·         Try to avoid snacking between meals. If you feel hypoglycemic, try drinking 8 oz. of water first. If you still feel hungry, have a snack of veggies, berries or kitchari.

·         The purpose of the cleanse is to eliminate all processed foods from your diet and give your digestive tract a break.

·         However, make sure you are eating enough food that you aren’t starving. Once you feel starving, your body moves from a relaxed state to a stressed state.

·         Optional: 2 Triphala capsules before bed. This is an Ayurvedic blend of herbs that assist with detoxification and rejuvenation.

·         Take time for self-reflection. Emotions are stored in fat cells, so as fat cells are being metabolized emotions may surface that need to be processed.

Pre & Post-Cleanse Instructions

·         The pre- and post-cleanse will last three days

·         Eat a low-fat vegetarian diet of fruits, vegetables, beans, rice, salads, seeds and soup.

·         Eat as many steamed and raw vegetables as possible

·         Add seeds, lean chicken and egg whites for protein

·         Avoid nuts, unless they are prepared properly

·         1 grated raw beet with lemon juice per day is a good addition because it helps to thin the bile and emulsify fat

·         Do not add any sugar, oils, wheat or dairy to the diet

·         Salad dressings should be low in fat but preferably homemade

·         Try to eat three meals a day without snacking

·         Continue the daily routine of sipping hot water in the morning, followed by abhyanga, shower and exercise.

Meal Options for Main Cleanse

·         Kitchari Only (requires strong digestion and balanced blood sugar) – can eat 4 meals/a day if necessary with this option

·         Kitchari with steamed veggies (requires strong digestion and fairly balanced blood sugar)

·         Kitchari, steamed veggies, fruit and salad (Better for weaker digestion and fairly balanced blood sugar)

·         Kitchari, steamed veggies, fruit, salad and lean protein (best for weak digestion and blood sugar issues)

Morning Ghee Protocol & Castor Oil Protocol

**this is optional, depending on how intense you want your cleanse to be**

·         Upon waking (on an empty stomach) drink the prescribed amount of melted ghee (clarified butter). You can mix it with warm almond milk to make it more palatable.

·         Wait a half hour before drinking or eating anything else so ghee has time to collect toxins.

o   Day One: 2 tsp ghee

o   Day Two: 4 tsp ghee

o   Day Three: 6 tsp ghee

o   Day Four: 8 tsp ghee

§  Only increase the dosage if you are tolerating it

Laxative Therapy – do not skip this step

·         On the evening of day 4 take a warm bath followed by ingesting 4-6 teaspoons of castor oil OR 1 ½ cups of prune juice

o   Castor Oil Tip: cut an orange into slices. Put castor oil in ½ cup warm water. Mix the juice from one orange into castor oil and stir vigorously. Hold your nostrils, drink the mixture and immediately bite into a slice of orange. Rinse cup, release nostrils.

·         You should have a laxative effect from 1-15 hours. It is ok if you don’t have one.

Suggested Meal: Kitchari (Rice and Lentils)

Makes about ten ½ cup servings

Ingredients

·         1 cup organic White or Brown basmati rice (you can mix them)

·         1 cup organic Mung Dal (yellow lentils)

·         4 cups water

·         2 tablespoons organic ghee

·         2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger OR 1 tablespoon dry ginger

·         1 ½ tablespoons cumin powder

·         1 tablespoon Cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, coriander

·         1 teaspoon turmeric

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Garnish

·         Chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, Sour Cream or Ghee

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Put rice and dal in a fine mesh colander and rinse mixture under cool water until it runs clear. Pick over rice and dal to remove any stones. Add rice and dal to boiling water. Cover and lower heat to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes or until the water has been absorbed (add more water if you prefer a soupier consistency).

Sauté spices in ghee or butter in sauté pan until fragrant, then remove seeds. When rice is finished cooking, remove from heat. Pour ghee-spice mixture into rice and stir together thoroughly. Serve with chopped cilantro and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.

Variations

·         Add roughly diced spinach, carrots, zucchini, green onion and bell peppers to the boiling water when you add the rice and dal. Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice when finished.

·         Use a low sodium chicken or vegetable broth instead of water

·         Add diced sweet potatoes and asparagus to boiling water when adding rice.

·         Add cubed, cooked chicken breast to rice when finished.

·         For a sweet version: add ½ cup low fat organic coconut milk, maple syrup to taste, and cinnamon and nutmeg to ghee. Omit the cumin and turmeric.