Ayurveda and book review!

In the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to do the Alphabet Reading Challenge. So far, I am reading 3 books, and finally finished one of them and wanted to do a little write-up! I am currently taking an Ayurveda Certification course through the Yoga and Ayurveda Center. Part of the Practicum was to write a Lifestyle, Nutrition, and Yoga plan for each of the 3 Doshas.

What is Ayurveda and Doshas (a quick overview)?

So before I start my book review, I want to explain a little to those that do not know what Ayurveda and Doshas are (and why you should!!). 🙂 Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga. Just like yoga, it is based on ancient texts (first written in The Vedas, an ancient Sanskrit texts in which these books of wisdom offer guidelines for your well being). There are 4 main Vedas. After these 4 Vedas, there are secondary teachings called the Upavedas (considered “applied knowledge”). Ayurveda is one of these. Essentially, Ayurveda is the science of your health and life. It gives you guidance on what lifestyle, diet, and yoga/meditation is best for your Dosha.

Ayurveda encompasses 3 Doshas which are: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. You can take a quick quiz to see which one you primarily are. However, you could be in-between two Doshas and have a little of each quality. In order for us to live our best life, you need to make sure that all 3 Doshas are balanced (we are made of all 3). These 3 Doshas derive from the 5 elements and their properties, which are: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Below are quick descriptions/characteristics of the Doshas and what elemental combination they are:

• Vata (Ether and Air): People that are primarily Vata tend to be thin and slender, are usually cold, they have low body weight, they can also tend to have dry skin and hair, and their temperament is lively and enthusiastic. To balance this energy, they need to stay warm by eating warming foods with oils, get good sleep, have a schedule set throughout day, and practice a grounding yoga flow
• Pitta (Fire and Water): People that are primarily Pitta tend to be medium or muscular built (they put on muscle fast), are low in weight, tend to be warm with skin that is prone to irritation, and are purposeful and scheduled. To balance this out, they need to eat cooling foods, learn to slow down, and practice slow types of yoga (such as Yin Yoga).
• Kapha (Earth and Water): People that are primarily Kapha tend to be a little larger and heavier in weight. Their skin tends to be smoother and have oilier hair. Their temperament is a little more easy going. To balance this out, they need to eat smaller portions, eat warming foods, and have a schedule in place during the day so that they stay on task. A Vinyasa or Power flow is a perfect yoga for Kaphas.

This was a SUPER quick overview of the Doshas. If you have too much, for example, of Vata, then you need to learn the qualities of Vatas and balance them out with the opposite (i.e to counter cold, eat warming food, to counter dryness, add more oils to your diet and skin, etc.). The types of food you eat affect your agni (digestion – fire), which is where your health lies. There is so much more that goes into Ayurveda, so this was just a quick taste! As I learn more, I would like to go more into details in my posts, because I really enjoy the topic, and am incorporating a lot of Ayurvedic aspects into my life.

Book Review…

In order to do my Practicum, I bought Ayurveda by Sahara Rose Ketabi. I REALLY enjoyed reading this book!

As you can see from the picture above, I put TONS of stickies (and highlighted TONS)!! I really like how the book is structured. The first section talks about the history and philosophy of Ayurveda. Then, the next sections talk about the elements and Doshas (their qualities and how to tell when they are imbalanced). Each of these are intertwined. It gives you sample lifestyle practices (AM & PM Routines) for your Doshas and goes deep into your nutrition. Towards the end, it talks about the spiritual side of Ayurveda (the Cosmic Forces, Koshas, and Chakras). Finally, it gives you some tips on Ayurvedic Healing and Home Remedies.

While I TOTALLY enjoyed my Ayurveda course, I wanted to dig a little deeper, so I feel that this was a great start. Since the book is part of the “Idiot’s Guides” series, it is written in very easy to understand terms and is broken down wonderfully! I’m so happy I bought it! I am eager to learn more and incorporate it into my life! The little I’ve done so far has truly helped me with the digestive issues I tend to have. I try to incorporate something new each week, so it doesn’t get overwhelming!! Also, check out the cookbook, Eat Feel Fresh by the same author. It really helped me in understanding what foods were appropriate for my Dosha.

If you liked what I mentioned above about Ayurveda, and are interested in learning more, I highly recommend this book to start off!

Stay safe everyone!! Paz y Luz.