Ayurveda (Idiot's Guides)

352 Pages·2017·3.71 MB·english

by  Sahara Rose Ketabi

“A must-read for anyone coming
to Ayurveda for the first time or as
a readable brush-up for all. Sahara
offers a contemporary explanation
of Ayurvedic wisdom that resonates
with today’s readers.”
—Deepak Chopra
A
y
Ayurveda
u
r
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e
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a
Ayurveda’s time-tested The wonderful Ways to incorporate
approach to health and healing potential Ayurvedic practices in
well-being Ayurveda offers your life
Sahara Rose Ketabi
with Foreword by Deepak Chopra

Ayurveda
by Sahara Rose Ketabi
A member of Penguin Random House LLC
Publisher: Mike Sanders
Associate Publisher: Billy Fields
Acquisitions Editor: Janette Lynn
Cover Designer: Lindsay Dobbs
Book Designer: William Thomas
Compositor: Ayanna Lacey
Proofreader: Lisa Starnes
Indexer: Brad Herriman
First American Edition, 2017
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ISBN: 9781465462763
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Contents
Part 1: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Application .................................1
1 Discovering Ayurveda .................................................................3
What Is Ayurveda? .........................................................................................................................................4
The Meaning of Ayurveda .........................................................................................................................4
The History of Ayurveda ............................................................................................................................4
Ayurveda Today .............................................................................................................................................6
Ayurvedic Versus Western Medicine ......................................................................................................7
Ayurveda and Yoga.......................................................................................................................................8
A Spiritual and Medical System ............................................................................................................9
Ayurveda’s Two Main Principles............................................................................................................9
The Eight Branches of Ayurveda .............................................................................................................9
The Secret to Health ..................................................................................................................................11
The Ayurvedic View of Health ..............................................................................................................12
The Ayurvedic View of Life ....................................................................................................................12
Digesting Food and Thoughts: Ojas and Ama ............................................................................14
Beginning Your Journey ...........................................................................................................................15
2 Practicing Ayurveda ...................................................................17
You May Be Practicing Ayurveda Already ..................................................................................18
Your Morning Routine .............................................................................................................................18
Herbal Teas and Remedies .....................................................................................................................19
Oils ...................................................................................................................................................................21
More Ayurvedic Practices .......................................................................................................................22
Misconceptions About Ayurveda ........................................................................................................23
Ayurveda Is Time-Consuming ..............................................................................................................23
You Have to Be a Vegetarian .................................................................................................................23
It Only Includes Indian Food ..................................................................................................................24
Anybody Can Practice Ayurveda .......................................................................................................25
3 The Cornerstone of Ayurveda ................................................27
The Vedas ..........................................................................................................................................................28
The Upavedas ..............................................................................................................................................28
Shad Darshan: The Six Philosophies of Life ....................................................................................29
The Mind-Body Connection ..................................................................................................................29
The Three Doshas and the Five Elements That Create Them ......................................29
Vata: Air and Ether ....................................................................................................................................30
Pitta: Fire and Water ................................................................................................................................31
Kapha: Earth and Water ..........................................................................................................................32
We Are All the Doshas ..............................................................................................................................32
iv Ayurveda
Part 2: Your Unique Mind-Body Type .............................................35
4 Discovering Your Dosha ...........................................................37
Dosha Quiz .......................................................................................................................................................38
Dosha Quiz Results .....................................................................................................................................40
Vata Characteristics...................................................................................................................................41
Pitta Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................41
Kapha Characteristics ...............................................................................................................................42
Making Sense of the Doshas ..................................................................................................................43
Vata Types .....................................................................................................................................................43
Pitta Types ....................................................................................................................................................45
Kapha Types .................................................................................................................................................46
5 Qualities of the Doshas ............................................................49
Understanding the Doshas as Qualities ..........................................................................................50
Your Qualities .................................................................................................................................................53
Balancing Your Qualities ........................................................................................................................54
Your Choices Affect Your Characteristics ..........................................................................................55
Addressing the Causes ...............................................................................................................................55
Dryness ...........................................................................................................................................................55
Oiliness ...........................................................................................................................................................56
Heaviness .......................................................................................................................................................56
Lightness.........................................................................................................................................................56
6 The Best Foods for Each Dosha ............................................59
The Best Foods for Vatas .........................................................................................................................60
Fruits ...............................................................................................................................................................60
Vegetables .......................................................................................................................................................61
Grains .............................................................................................................................................................62
Legumes ..........................................................................................................................................................62
Dairy ...............................................................................................................................................................63
Nuts and Seeds ............................................................................................................................................64
Animal Products ..........................................................................................................................................64
Oils ...................................................................................................................................................................65
Sweeteners .....................................................................................................................................................66
Spices ...............................................................................................................................................................67
Sample Vata Recipe ....................................................................................................................................68
The Best Foods for Pittas ........................................................................................................................69
Fruits ...............................................................................................................................................................69
Vegetables .......................................................................................................................................................70
Grains .............................................................................................................................................................71
Legumes ..........................................................................................................................................................71
Contents v
Dairy ...............................................................................................................................................................72
Nuts and Seeds ............................................................................................................................................73
Animal Products ..........................................................................................................................................73
Oils ...................................................................................................................................................................74
Sweeteners .....................................................................................................................................................74
Spices ...............................................................................................................................................................75
Sample Pitta Recipe ...................................................................................................................................76
The Best Foods for Kaphas .....................................................................................................................77
Fruits ...............................................................................................................................................................77
Vegetables .......................................................................................................................................................77
Grains .............................................................................................................................................................78
Legumes ..........................................................................................................................................................79
Dairy ...............................................................................................................................................................79
Nuts and Seeds ............................................................................................................................................80
Animal Products ..........................................................................................................................................80
Oils ...................................................................................................................................................................81
Sweeteners .....................................................................................................................................................81
Spices ...............................................................................................................................................................82
Sample Kapha Recipe .................................................................................................................................83
7 Nature Versus Imbalance .........................................................85
Prakriti .................................................................................................................................................................86
The Dosha You Were Born With .........................................................................................................86
Case 1: Vata ..................................................................................................................................................87
Case 2: Pitta .................................................................................................................................................88
Case 3: Kapha ...............................................................................................................................................88
Assessing Your Natural Tendencies .....................................................................................................89
Your Shifting Vikruti .................................................................................................................................89
Causes of Vata Imbalance .........................................................................................................................89
What Happens When Your Vata Is Excess? .....................................................................................90
Causes of Pitta Imbalance ........................................................................................................................91
What Happens When Your Pitta Is Excess? .....................................................................................91
Causes of Kapha Imbalance .....................................................................................................................92
What Happens When Your Kapha Is Excess? ..................................................................................92
Knowing Your Imbalances .......................................................................................................................93
8 Lifestyle Practices for Each Dosha ........................................95
Vata Practices ..................................................................................................................................................96
Establish a Routine .....................................................................................................................................96
Slow It Down ...............................................................................................................................................97
Yoga Practice ................................................................................................................................................98
Meditation Tips ........................................................................................................................................101
vi Ayurveda
Pitta Practices................................................................................................................................................103
Chill Out ......................................................................................................................................................103
Practice Mindfulness ..............................................................................................................................104
Stay Cool .....................................................................................................................................................104
Yoga Practice ..............................................................................................................................................105
Meditation Tips ........................................................................................................................................107
Kapha Practices ...........................................................................................................................................109
Move Your Body .......................................................................................................................................110
Try New Things .......................................................................................................................................110
Practice Forgiveness .................................................................................................................................110
Yoga Practices ............................................................................................................................................111
Meditation Tips ........................................................................................................................................113
Pranayama ..................................................................................................................................................114
Part 3: Establishing an Everyday Routine ......................................117
9 The Times According to Ayurveda .......................................119
Categorizing Time ....................................................................................................................................120
Why Follow an Ayurvedic Schedule? .................................................................................................120
How the Dosha Times Work.................................................................................................................121
Kapha Time (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.)...........................................................................................................122
Rise Right Before the Sun .......................................................................................................................123
Move Your Body .......................................................................................................................................123
Eat a Light Breakfast ..............................................................................................................................124
Pitta Time (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) ...............................................................................................................125
Stay Present ................................................................................................................................................125
Tackle Your Hardest Task ....................................................................................................................125
Make Lunch Your Biggest Meal .........................................................................................................126
Vata Time (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.) ...................................................................................................................127
Tap into Your Creativity .......................................................................................................................127
Stay Grounded ...........................................................................................................................................127
Snack Smart, Not Sweet .........................................................................................................................128
Kapha Time (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) ............................................................................................................128
Settle Down .................................................................................................................................................128
Eat a Light Dinner ..................................................................................................................................129
Walk After Your Meal ............................................................................................................................130
Pitta Time (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) ...............................................................................................................130
Turn Off Electronics ...............................................................................................................................131
Turn Off Your Mind ..............................................................................................................................131
The Importance of Sleep .........................................................................................................................132
Get Quality Sleep Before Midnight ....................................................................................................133
Contents vii
Vata Time (2 a.m. to 6 a.m.) ..................................................................................................................133
The Veil Between Earth and Universe Is Lifted ...........................................................................133
Sacred Time for Meditation .................................................................................................................134
10 Setting Up Your Morning Routine ........................................135
The Importance of Your Morning Routine ...............................................................................136
How Your Mornings Set Your Day...................................................................................................136
The Benefits of a Morning Routine ...................................................................................................137
What If You Don’t Have Time? ..........................................................................................................137
What If You’re Not a Morning Person? ...........................................................................................138
Scheduling Your Morning Routine ....................................................................................................139
Tongue Scraping.........................................................................................................................................139
Mouth and Tongue Toxins ...................................................................................................................140
Digestion Begins on the Tongue ..........................................................................................................140
Scrape More; Eat Less.............................................................................................................................141
Types of Tongue Scrapers ......................................................................................................................141
How to Scrape Your Tongue .................................................................................................................142
Oil Pulling .......................................................................................................................................................142
Types of Oil to Use ...................................................................................................................................142
How to Oil Pull .........................................................................................................................................143
Drink Something Hot ..............................................................................................................................143
Hot Is Hydrating ......................................................................................................................................144
Hot Stimulates the Digestive Fire ......................................................................................................144
Hot Aids Cleansing ..................................................................................................................................145
11 Ayurvedic Nightly Rituals .......................................................147
Slowing Down for Sleep ........................................................................................................................148
Technology Detox .....................................................................................................................................148
Set the Scent ................................................................................................................................................148
The Benefits of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt ......................................................................................149
Dry Brushing ................................................................................................................................................149
Why Dry Brush? .......................................................................................................................................150
How to Dry Brush ....................................................................................................................................150
Abhyanga (Self-Oil Massage) ..............................................................................................................151
The Benefits of Abhyanga......................................................................................................................151
How to Practice Abhyanga ....................................................................................................................152
Types of Oils to Use ..................................................................................................................................154
Nasal Cleansing ..........................................................................................................................................154
Why Cleanse Your Nostrils? .................................................................................................................154
Neti ................................................................................................................................................................155
Nasya ............................................................................................................................................................155
viii Ayurveda
Part 4: Ayurvedic Nutrition .............................................................157
12 The Digestive Fire Agni ...........................................................159
Understanding Agni .................................................................................................................................160
The Importance of Your Internal Fire ..............................................................................................160
Digestion and the Doshas ......................................................................................................................160
Your Body Begins with Digestion .......................................................................................................161
Your Second Brain ...................................................................................................................................162
The Four Types of Digestive Fires ................................................................................................164
Sama Agni (Balanced) ............................................................................................................................165
Vishama Agni (Vata, Irregular) ..........................................................................................................165
Tikshna Agni (Pitta, Sharp) ................................................................................................................166
Manda Agni (Kapha, Dull) ..................................................................................................................166
The Best Foods for Each Agni Type ..............................................................................................167
Foods for Vishama Agni..........................................................................................................................167
Foods for Tikshna Agni ..........................................................................................................................168
Foods for Manda Agni ............................................................................................................................169
13 The Ayurvedic Perspective on Nutrition..............................171
The Five Types of Nutritional Disorders ...................................................................................172
Quantitative Dietary Deficiency ........................................................................................................172
Qualitative Dietary Deficiency ...........................................................................................................172
Quantitative and Qualitative Overnutrition ................................................................................173
Toxins in Food ...........................................................................................................................................173
Foods Unstable for One’s Doshic Constitution ................................................................................173
Treating the Disorders ............................................................................................................................173
Quantitative Deficiencies ......................................................................................................................174
A Closer Look at Quantitative Deficiencies ....................................................................................174
Treating Quantitative Deficiencies ...................................................................................................175
Qualitative Deficiencies .........................................................................................................................175
A Closer Look at Qualitative Deficiencies .......................................................................................175
Treating Qualitative Dietary Deficiencies .....................................................................................176
Quantitative and Qualitative Overnutrition ..............................................................................177
A Closer Look at Quantitative and Qualitative Overnutrition ..............................................177
Treating Quantitative and Qualitative Overnutrition .............................................................178
Toxins in Food ..............................................................................................................................................179
Pesticides ......................................................................................................................................................179
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone .............................................................................................179
Genetically Modified Organisms ........................................................................................................180
How to Spot Non-GMO Food ..............................................................................................................181
Foods Unstable for One’s Doshic Constitution ........................................................................181