Named after one of the highest states of consciousness (Brahman or God consciousness), the herb, Brahmi (Gotu Kola), is one of the most powerful brain tonics known in the Ayurvedic system. Recognized for its healing properties in maintaining the balance of the right and left hemispheres...
Saffron is used quite widely in India. From providing a beautiful coloring to basmati rice, saffron is also used in Indian sweet dishes, as well as in worship. During meditation, it is not uncommon to find it being mixed with sandalwood paste and applied to the forehead, as this paste...
As the East Coast continues to experience a heat wave, I've been determined to stay cool by eating foods that are naturally cooling. Enter the cucumber! Considered a holy fruit in northern India, cucumbers are sattvic, calming and refreshing. Being made of over 90% water, cucumbers...
The Charaka Samhita, (ancient Ayurveda text) does not recommend using salt (specifically sodium chloride) on an everyday basis, as it increases pitta and kapha and can exacerbate diseases of the blood. Himalayan salt, on the other hand, may be consumed daily, as it is considered...
With summer gearing up, it’s time to celebrate the season. Head outdoors with friends, go hiking, plan that picnic in the park, take an outdoor yoga class. It’s a time to relax and be a flâneur. As you think about what to pack in that picnic basket,...
The coconut, praised in ayurvedic healing as being sattvic, is considered to be a very holy food. Considered to contain both sweet and cooling properties, coconuts are know to subdue excess Wind (Vata) and Bile (Pitta). In sacred ceremonies, the coconut is worshiped as Vishnu and...
As we gear up for the hot days of summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about the healing power and beauty of water. Grateful for having access to safe drinking water, I’ve also come to realize just how much I’ve taken this life-sustaining elixir for...
With it being Spring, ahem, allergy season, I’ve been loading up on vitamin C - mainly through plenty of grapefruit, one of my favorite power-packed citrus fruits. According to Ayurveda, grapefruit is considered a sweet, bitter and cooling fruit, known to increase bile and mucus. Grapefruits...
Today, we’re going to focus on rice, basmati rice, in particular. Basmati rice is said to be tridoshic when taken with some ghee. The most common rice in Ayurveda, basmati rice is a beautifully light and aromatic long-grain variety which is know for its cooling effect on...