Private Ayurvedic Health Counseling Sessions
How can Ayurveda can transform your life and bring you radiant health? Find ways to sleep better, feel more energy, experience spaciousness in your mind, and feel hope around your overall capacity to heal. Receive a full assessment of your health from a holistic perspective using the time-proven diagnostic methods and remedial measures from one of the worlds top three internationally recognized medical systems. I will tailor a specific diet, assign certain types of yoga, mantra and changes in your daily routines to help you reach radiant and health and give you the tools to heal your life. I am also a Vedic Medical Astrologer (15 years) with a Masters degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and can "see" the medical imbalances clients might be predisposed to, as well as when illnesses might arise and dissipate mysteriously. This knowledge is invaluable as it is considered the fabric of your unique blueprint, genetically, spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally. You can heal yourself by simply understanding "why", "when" and "how". I was born with a gift to help others heal and shed insight into the cloudy places. I brought Ayurveda to Rhode Island in 1997 after graduating from The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico. I have helped many people since then and am honored to continue helping.
View My Professional Member Profile on the National Ayurvedic Medical Association's Website Here.
What to expect in an appointment with me:
Discover your personal birth constitution: Vata, Pitta or Kapha.
Nourish your microbiome, eat for vitality and have a calm, clear mind.
Tailored planetary diet and lifestyle remedies to reduce inflammation in your mind and body
How to be in right relationship with yourself and know what you need, moment to moment
How to see Ayurvedic practices as a life-giving gift versus one more thing you have to do
How to overcome overwhelm with simple life-balance ideas
How to remove obstacles to your joy, energy and sexuality
What type of meditation works best for your brain
Harmonize with natural cycles and circadian rhythms
Herbal and recipe remedies for thriving at every stage of life
Book Your Appointment with a Professional, Highly Experienced Ayurvedic Practitioner Today!
Testimonials from clients
"Karyn, I have a gift for you. This gift is not for your head, but it is for your heart. If we were part of a tribe and my role was to choose names that would best describe a tribe member, I would have to choose “Karyn Goodmedicine” for you. You are one of those rare people in society....really good medicine. I know it when I see it. If you think about it, you are even teaching your Ayurvedic teachers and only a person as cool as you could be ‘asked’ to do so. Please think about this if you haven't already. Thank you for bringing in some much light!" Norm Nyburg
"My wife and I really enjoyed our consultation with Karyn. She verified our intuitional knowledge about our current and future experience. She also gave us a greater appreciation of our married relationship and its significance to greater evolution." --Sidhas in Fairfield, IA
"Karyn, for 5 years I have struggled with seriously painful athletes foot condition. I tried homeopathy, diets, herbs and all kinds of alternative and conventional therapies and nothing worked. When I was editing your shirodhara dvd, I saw you put fresh lemon and sea salt on your client’s feet before the treatment for detoxification. I didn’t think much of it, but decided to give it a try for the hell of it. Four days later, my condition is totally cleared up and I am running around like a little kid! Thank you for this remedy. More people should know about this!" BrianFairfield, IAJuly 31, 09
"What a wonderful experience all students had during Karyn's visit to our BlissBlissBliss Spa. From the fundamentals of Ayurveda to the full demonstration of Abyanga, Karna Purna, Nasya, and Shirodara Karyn led us on a beautiful, profound, insightful journey. Karyn was like a positive version of pandora's box. Open the lid and information keeps flowing. We are still basking in the warmth of her personality, her integrity and honesty in her teachings and the love she shared in this beautiful craft. We can't wait to have her come back next year. "Elizabeth Halliday-Reynolds Owner and LMT at BlissBlissBliss Morgantown, WV
"Dear Karyn, What a beautiful minister of healing and benediction you turned out to be! I will carry the memory of your lovingly bestowed beneficence all my life. May you be many times rewarded." Gratefully, Anna Wendell (90 years young)
Study Online To Become An Ayurvedic Health Counselor
What is Ayurveda? The time-proven holistic medical system of India, also known as the science of longevity and self-healing. “Disease is not spontaneously procured; it is always produced. It is acquired by a lifestyle that is not aligned with the laws of nature. Disease is not a question of exposure. It is the status of the individual’s inner ecology and immunity that gives rise to the vulnerability of contracting disease. If an external pathogen such as virus yeast, parasite and bacteria invade the body, the impact on our health will be minimal unless our inner ecology has become toxic, acidic, weakened, or congested. By applying the principles of the ancient, evidence-based, holistic science of Ayurveda to our daily modern living, the human condition will be supported by the laws of nature effortlessly. Registered Ayurvedic Health Counselors are trained to create the space and provide the tools for people to heal the body, mind and spirit by making simply daily choices based on your unique body type. More education, more meditation and less medication.” —Karyn Chabot, M. Ay, LMT, RYT
This is a self-paced online program where students need to be self-motivated and directed, happily working on their own from the comfort of their own homes. Our online audio and video libraries are robust and inspiring, featuring over 50 video recordings of the top Ayurvedic masters in the world, for example, Dr. John Doulliard, Marc Halpern, David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad. Karyn has over 6 instructional Ayurvedic Bodywork videos and manuals available to students as part of the Online Ayurvedic Bodywork Specialist Program. Our library has over 40 audio recordings from the National Ayurvedic Medical Associations annual conferences that come as part of your enrollment. Our AHC program also includes an online Anatomy and Physiology self-paced course with a multiple choice auto-corrected exam. View the Online Ayurvedic Bodywork Specialist Course that is the highlighted specialty of our AHC online program and included free. Karyn Chabot is the owner of Sacred Stone School and also offers Medical Vedic Counseling and Astrology Online Courses.
The Registered Ayurveda Health Counselor Program at Sacred Stone School is approved and exempted by the RIOPC since 2012. Our Ayurvedic Bodywork Specialist (ABS) program is approved by the CBTMB for 17 CEs in massage therapy as well. We have graduated over 3,000 successful and happy students in the metaphysical healing arts. This advanced, comprehensive form of Life Coaching is now available for students, laypersons and professionals in the healing arts industry who are interested in learning Ayurvedic and counseling skills to enhance their yoga or massage practice, or their personal health as well and the health of others. The time-proven science of Ayurveda is founded on the concept of individuality, food as medicine, consciousness, metaphysics, sound healing, love, our genetic constitution and epigenetic principles. This is the science of self-healing from India and considered one of the three top medical systems in the world, according to the World Health Organization in Atlanta, GA.
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Ayurvedic Tongue Analysis: What’s Your Tongue Telling You?
by Karyn Chabot, M.Ay., L.M.T. RYT
“While thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.”
---William Shakespeare
On a break during class at the Ayurvedic Institute, Dr. Vasant Lad agreed to see a few students about their health issues. I told him I had not been feeling well, and I asked if there was any way he could help me. He asked me to stick out my tongue, so I did. “Hmm,” he responded. “There’s pain in your shoulder blades, grief and sorrow in your heart, a thyroid condition and a harmless parasitic infection."
I began to get chill bumps, and I could barely speak. I always get chill bumps when some great truth is spoken. I just nodded and waited to hear what else he might say, hoping he would prescribe some magic remedy. Without me saying a word about the details of my health, Dr. Lad figured out I had lost function of my thyroid (a few years earlier from Graves disease, which he was unaware of), sorrow from a recent divorce, chronic pain in my shoulder blades from stress and that I had a mild parasitic infection, perhaps from the New Mexico tap water. He told me to watch the changes in my tongue as I began my healing process. To save his voice (since he had been lecturing all day and seeing so many students during break), he wrote down an Ayurvedic herbal remedy especially designed for each of my imbalances, taking into consideration my Ayurvedic constitution. After religiously taking these herbs (which tasted like dirt) every day with warm water, I curiously watched my tongue clear up and reshape itself.
I learned many unusual, fascinating things at school that year, but among the most interesting topics was that our tongues are holographic maps of every aspect of our beings. Once you learn to identify the markers, it’s very easy to read. Charles Chow, a Chinese doctor, agrees, “A tongue reading is much simpler than pulse diagnosis. The patient can also see where the problem is and monitor changes themselves.” Tongue diagnosis is more objective than pulse diagnosis, though pulse diagnosis takes decades to master, while basic tongue diagnosis can be taught in a weekend workshop.
The ancient art of tongue analysis has its root in the science of Ayurveda, although many other ancient Eastern healing systems use this method as well, including Chinese medicine. When we use the tongue as a tool for analysis and diagnosis, we are looking at the shape, shadings, markings, wetness, texture and even the way someone sticks out her tongue. Having this knowledge can help describe the current state of a person's (or animal’s) health, as well as his or her genetic tendencies. It is a diagnostic technique, and it can reveal an existing disease process and disclose many things about a person on many levels. Much like reflexology, all the organs and the entire body can be located on specific regions of the tongue. As a mirror of the body’s digestive system, the tongue can reflect what minerals and vitamins may be deficient and can reveal the health of other various organs in the body.
Tongue analysis can be a valuable tool for a massage therapist, or anyone in the healing industry. I had a chart designed by an artist, who studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. I gave her some notes and sketches I took during Dr. Lad’s one-year Ayurvedic program on tongue analysis and asked her to create a wall chart for my treatment room. This chart has been quite a conversation piece and the main attraction in my room. Everyone stands around the chart looking at each other with their tongues hanging out of their mouths! This chart makes people laugh because the artist drew silly faces with these different tongues, but it has also given the science of Ayurveda some credibility to my clients.
Benefits of tongue diagnosis include:
• The greatest advantage is its value in self-diagnosis and monitoring one’s state of health on a daily basis.
• The beauty of tongue diagnosis is in its simplicity and immediacy.
• Determines one’s unique inherited constitution.
• Assesses a person’s current health condition.
• Used as an early detector for disorders in the body.
• Informs the practitioner about the underlying cause of disease.
• Is an accurate way of determining what is happening in the digestive system: liver, stomach, spleen, small and large intestines.
• Reveals the stage and progression of a particular illness.
• Shows the quality of the individual’s energy production.
• Reflects the quality of the circulation of prana, blood, bodily fluids and essence.
• Reveals the quality and balance of the five elements as revealed within the organs and overall body chemistry.
• Determines the acid-alkaline pH balance.
• Mirrors the condition of the bodily fluids, function of the organs, strengths and depth of the pathogenic factors in the body.
• Assists in determining the cause of illness.
• Reveals the emotional aspects relative to the constitution.
• Pathological processes for disorders that war full of contradictions are quickly clarified.
(Ayurvedic Tongue Diagnosis, by Walter “Shantree” Kacera, D.N., Ph.D.)
Ancient indigenous cultures all practiced daily tongue scraping to remove toxins and increase their immunity. Using a tongue scraper has been shown to be more effective than a toothbrush, dental floss or mouthwash, and it doesn’t make one gag or dry the mouth in the way alcoholic mouth rinses can; however, this doesn’t mean you should throw away your floss and toothbrush. The medical community once thought halitosis was attributed more to tooth decay or stomach problems, but it now concurs bad breath is primarily caused by harmful tongue bacteria that isn’t removed by brushing, flossing or gargling alone. Bad breath is produced by toxic volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) which the Journal of the American Dental Association (September 2000) advises one remove with a tongue scraper.
If the tongue is covered by a thick coating, it may indicate the presence of toxins in the stomach, small intestine or large intestine. If the posterior part of the tongue is coated, it will indicate that toxins are present in the large intestine. If the middle of the tongue is coated white, the toxins are present in the stomach and in the small intestine. A pale tongue may indicate an anemic condition or lack of blood in the body. A yellowish coating on the tongue may suggest excess bile is present in the gallbladder or a possible liver disorder. A blue tongue is normally an indication of a heart condition. A whitish tongue indicates Kapha imbalance and mucus accumulation. A red or yellow-green tongue indicates a Pitta imbalance. A Vata imbalance is manifested by a black to brown coloration on the tongue.
“Periodic detoxification, a pure diet and daily use of a tongue scraper, helps to rid digestive toxins accumulated on the tongue,” suggests Dr. Lad. It also massages the entire body in a sense such that it enlivens the circulation and lymphatic systems. Nobody wants a furry tongue and bad breath. Removing the superficial layer of coating and bacteria resting on the tongue lowers the risk of tooth decay, throat infections, bad breath, heart disease and gum disease, according to modern research. It won’t, however, alter the appearance of deep pathological tongue indications.
A healthy tongue should look like a kitten’s tongue: symmetric and evenly pink. It is neither too thick nor too thin, and oval in shape. When the tongue is sticking out, it’s naturally straight rather than curving to one side. It should remain still, not trembling, flaccid, flat-tipped or stiff. It should have a thin, transparent coating, coloring the tongue pink. All the taste buds are flat, orderly and free from strawberry-looking bumps, deep cuts, lines, cracks and patches. It should not have foam, hair, fur, be too dry or too wet or have a foul odor or taste.
It’s helpful for massage therapists to know how to detect spinal imbalances, such as scoliosis, lordosis or kyphosis, just by examining the tongue. When the line in the middle of the tongue is curved or bent to one side, it is an indication of scoliosis. A crack in the front of the tongue near the tip on the right side would be an indication the client has pain in his or her right shoulder blade. The same goes for the other side. When the line is very deep and nearly split apart, it can be an indication of deep spinal pain or deep sorrow that is being stored in the spine.
Vata, Pitta and Kapha Pain Classification:
Vata, pitta and kapha are called doshas. These words are from the Sanskrit language. The word dosha usually refers to an excess of biological principles that relate to the five great elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. We all have a certain preponderance of vata, pitta and kapha within us and within the universe. When this delicate balance of vata, pitta and kapha is knocked out, we experience pain and symptoms of the disease process. Below are some helpful hints for how to determine what dosha is knocked out and what do about it.
It is very helpful not only to observe your client’s tongues, but also to listen to how they describe their pain. If you can’t figure out what’s going on with their tongue, then break it down into sections by using the tongue chart at the bottom. It’s the one that is sectioned into vata, pitta and kapha. If your client has demarcations, lines, bumps, indents and other strange symptoms, for example, in the pitta section, you can determine they are experiencing high amounts of the fire element and internal inflammations. By knowing what dosha is the culprit, you can choose the right therapeutic protocols for them.
Kapha pain: If the client apathetically describes his or her pain as dull, stubborn and stays in one place, this will be a clue that kapha (earth & water) is in excess within their bodies. Once you are sure it’s kapha, you can recommend a kapha reducing diet, lifestyle and yoga postures. Give these recommendations with authority and conviction in your voice. Kapha is intrinsically lazy and will need you to really “push” them to take action. Do not use much oil, if any. They will respond best to a dry, stimulating massage such as Tui na, Shiatzu, Garshana (dry brushing) or Deep Thai Massage. Rigorous and vigorous therapy is indicated for them to release pain.
Pitta pain: Your clients who have an excess of pitta (water & fire) will be obviously annoyed and impatient as they describe their pain with as sharp, burning and hot. Once you are sure it’s pitta, you can recommend a pitta reducing diet, lifestyle and yoga postures. Give these recommendations in the form of “suggestions”, not mandatory stipulations or rules. Better, yet, you can get your point across using questions, if you are clever. Pitta does not like to be told what to do. Use a moderate amount of oil, not too much. Apply a moderate amount of pressure and always check in with them to ask if the pressure is ok because they will usually have an opinion. They will usually want to tell you exactly how to massage them. It is best not to argue with a pitta client. They may need their ego stroked more than they need their muscles stroked.
Vata pain: Your clients who have an excess of vata (ether + air), will be in a moderate amount of pain that is radiating, elusive, unpredictable or gripping. They usually experience pain more dramatically than pitta or kapha and can appear very needy and hopeful that you, the therapist, can help them. Once you are sure it’s vata, you can recommend vata reducing diet, lifestyle and yoga postures. Give these recommendations with a soft, compassionate voice. Vata is like a delicate flower. Give them compression therapy and make your massage movements slow and confident. Use lots of oil. Use wringing and squeezing techniques.
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Ayurvedic Migraine Headache Advice
By Karyn Chabot, D.Ay, LMT
According to the science of Ayurveda all of creation is made up of five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Each individual is born with a unique combination of these elements that form the Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas determined at the moment of conception. This unique constitution or genetically determined blueprint (prakruti or “first creation” in Sanskrit) reveals innate tendencies, gifts, challenges, lessons, functional habits and hidden potential and determines how one experiences life. This also includes the specific foods that will be more healing or more harmful overall.
According to Ayurveda and macrobiotic medicine, taste has a specific and powerful effect on the body. Taste directly affects our nervous systems and its action is transported by prana (life force located inside the oral cavity), and received by the prana located our brains. Taste sets our vital fluids in motion, stimulating gastric fire and the power of digestion. Without the pranic stimulation of digestive fire as a result of tasting our herbal medicines, food, or supplements, it is nearly impossible to properly digest and absorb any nutrients. Our physiologies are healthier when they have a balanced experience of tastes each day. Americans tend to overeat sweet and salty foods, which is why our population is so obese. It’s better to taste even a bitter herb, because the taste will signal the brain to secret specific digestive enzymes into the digestive track just right for that food. Swallowing dead vitamins or herbal pills without tasting them reduces their efficacy. If you taste and chew them a little first, you increase their efficacy substantially.[1]
Specific foods are not good or bad for everyone overall; an individual’s blueprint or constitution must be considered to make healthy food choices. It doesn’t matter what we eat. It matters what we can digest. This can be determined by self-exploration and observation, including trial and error. Begin by eliminating certain foods to see what changes happen in the body or adding certain foods to notice the effects. You might also want to seek out the professional services of an Ayurvedic counselor who is trained to read the pulse, observe the tongue, eyes, body, mannerism, speech, hair, nails, astrology chart (Jyotish) and so on.
Let’s use an example of someone who has been struggling with migraine headaches. According Vedic medical literature, migraines are a disorder of ether, air, fire and water. People who are constantly overthinking, compulsive, Type-A personalities, overachievers, perfectionists and people who are hyper focused on striving for fame and fortune are most prone to migraines, especially women. The pain usually begins in the aura of the eye, then spreads.
Heat toxins in the liver can disturb a specific sub-category of the fire element within the eyes, which can create pain and photosensitivity when the eyes are moving. This type of internal fire is also responsible for disorders of the cranial blood vessels, which will cause inflammation of the arteries and visible pulsations at the temporal artery, which will lead to migraine. In order to heal a migraine, one should be aware of the time of the headache and its relationship to food, emotions, and environmental or emotional stress.[2] Topically treating the marma points (ethereal windows in the body) at the temples, using gentle pressure with the tips of your fingers with rose, lavender, sandalwood or jatamamsi essential oil can help soften the pain of any headache.
Some Triggers of Migraine Headaches
sour foods, such as pickles
citrus fruits, including tomatoes
soft drinks
coffee
chocolate
insomnia
disturbed emotions
food allergies
genetic predisposition
karma
Remedial Tips for Acute Migraines
• Avoid allergic foods such as wheat, gluten, dairy, corn, GMOs or others
• Avoid spicy, sour tastes
• Use the sweet and salty taste sparingly
• Add the bitter taste in moderation, such as arugula
• Increase magnesium with supplements or foods such as oats, barley, pumpkin seeds, green leafy veggies
• Avoid artificial sweeteners, MSG, smoking and alcohol
• Meditate, rest, read and relax for 20-30 minutes between 10am-2pm and again around 6pm
• Get enough deep, restorative sleep
• Exercise briskly (walking, biking, yoga) between 6am-10am
• Use sacred nasya oil (drops in the nostrils) twice daily
• Rub coconut oil on the feet and top of the head before sleep
• Receive sacred shirodhara therapy (oil flowing over forehead) regularly
• Reduce aggressive sexual activity
[1] Caraka Samhita Sutrasthanam. XXVI.9
[2] Ayurveda Today. Volume XI, No. 1.
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Rejuvenating Ayurvedic Oil Massage
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest hers/his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease“ – Thomas A. Edison
For all of us, stress and unresolved emotions accumulate in our body tissues on a daily basis. In particular, stress can be particularly damaging and serves as the root cause of most diseases. Ayurvedic massage techniques contribute to the processing and removal of these negative influences. Studies show a professional therapeutic massage once a month will dramatically lower stress levels and rejuvenate the body. Long term, daily stress can be managed through the incorporation of simple healing techniques like meditation, yoga, Ayurvedic massage, and nutritional planning (based on your Ayurvedic body type) into your daily routine. When balanced with traditionally recommended relaxing methods like exercise, laughter, and breathing techniques, the impact can be quite remarkable. Balance is the key word. Located in the maritime district of Newport, the Seaside Academy of Massage and Ayurveda acronym (SAMA) is the ancient Sanskrit word for BALANCE. At SAMA, individuals can learn the healing sciences of Ayurveda, massage and yoga at a single location. The Wall Street Journal recently published an article on the profound benefits of basic massage, but Ayurvedic oil massage, also known as abhyanga, transcends most forms of bodywork when it comes to reversing the aging process and rejuvenation.
What is Ayurveda? It is India’s ancient medical system that holistically treats the body, mind and spirit. It was founded on the concept that the human body, given the right support, has an inherent capacity to heal itself. Considered one of the top three medical systems in the world as listed by the World Health Organization, Ayurveda touts that all of creation is made up of five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Each individual is born with a unique combination of these elements that is determined at the moment of conception.
Over 5,000 years ago, the science of Ayurveda understood oil was lipophilic, which means it can dissolve oil-like substances within the body such as fat and oily toxins. When oil is applied to the body during massage in a specific sequence, pressure and amount, the massage oil can help dissolve fat and toxins in the subcutaneous layers of the skin. Ayurvedic oil massage also transmits an “all is well” signal to the brain unconsciously bringing us back to the warm, safe, loving feeling we experienced floating in the amniotic fluid of the womb. Conversely, the use of manufactured creams, lotions, and refined oils (whose ingredients you can’t pronounce) can suppress the body’s metabolism, clog the lymphatic system and poison the physiology. It is critical to use nourishing topical oils to expel toxins, strengthen the immune system and provide deep healing and rejuvenation. According to the medical science of Ayurveda, for maximum results, apply oil to the skin every morning before a shower or bath. In the evening, apply it to the crown of your head, ears and soles of your feet for the most restful sleep. An Ayurvedic principle: Do not apply anything to your skin that you would not eat, so choose your oils carefully and enjoy the sweetness of life.
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Neem Oil to the Rescue
By Karyn Chabot, M.Ay., RYT, LMT
While sitting in class at The Ayurvedic Institute, I remember Dr. Lad telling his class, “No bugs live in neem!” I imagine that’s because it’s has a horrible odor, but if you add a citrus essential oil like grapefruit or ylang ylang, the odor can be masked. Tulsi oil also smells nice when added to neem oil. Neem is the best pesticide, as well as one the most healing oils to apply to our skin. With its long leafy branches and lotus-like flowers, the neem tree has long enjoyed a prominent place in the Ayurvedic tradition. It is green-colored oil with a smoky, earthy scent. Centuries ago, Sanskrit writings made mention of its medicinal applications, and healers in India continue to call neem the “village pharmacy’ in acknowledgement of its versatile range of uses. Today, the benefits harbored in the leaves, fruits, oil and bark of the plant are gaining recognition in the United States, and we now find this ingredient in everything from toothpaste to shampoo.
Why is neem so special? According to the science of Ayurveda, the neem tree possesses powerful cooling energies that act as an anti-inflammatory and anti-septic in cases of excess heat. “Neem can be used to treat imbalances involving the fire element within the body. It’s therefore most often applied in cases of excess pitta (inflammation). By putting out the excess heat of pitta, the fire element, neem prevents problems down the road.
Skin eruptions, roscea, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and acne are a classic pitta problem, and in India, neem has come to the rescue against topical fungi, viruses, and other infections. “Conditions like eczema and hives always involve a heat and toxic ama (bodily waste) component. Neem can counter more serious skin conditions as well, says Ellen Norten, author “Neem: India’s Miraculous Healing Plant” (Healing Arts Press, 2000). “Because neem contains antibacterial properties, it is effective in treating epidermal conditions such as septic sores, infected burns, scrofula, and ringworm. Stubborn warts even clear up with neem.”, she adds.
A powerful blood cleanser, neem is often used in Ayurvedic detoxification programs. Neem also acts as a powerful anti-oxidant on the skin. David Frawley, author of “Yoga and Ayurveda” (Lotus Press, 1999) explains that neem serves to clean the blood and liver at profound levels, even to the point of ridding the body of heavy metals and should be used with discretion. “Neem would be useful for anyone about to embark on a yogic spiritual path, as it counters the ill effects of old diets and toxins. Before committing to a program of internal cleansing, consult an Ayurvedic physician.”
Should We Taste Our Vitamins?
By Karyn Chabot, M.Ay., RYT, LMT
According to the ancient medical system of Ayurveda all of creation is made up of earth, water, fire, air and ether. We are each born with a unique combination of these elements defined by the Sanskrit terms Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas. At the moment of conception, this unique constitution or genetically determined blueprint (prakruti or “first creation” in Sanskrit) reveals one’s inherent patterns, tendencies, gifts, skills, obstacles, lessons, functional habits and unseen potential and determines how one experiences life. This also includes specific foods, supplements, tastes, seasons and activities that will be more cathartic and beneficial overall.
According to Ayurveda, taste has a specific and powerful effect on the body. Our physiologies are healthier when they have a balanced experience of tastes each day. Americans tend to overeat sweet and salty foods, which is why our population is so obese. Taste directly affects our nervous system and emotional body. Its action is transported by prana (life force located inside the oral cavity), and received by the prana located in our brains. Taste sets our vital fluids in motion, stimulating gastric fire, while aligning specific enzymes in the stomach to receive the nutrient.
The mouth is the first organ of digestion. Vitamins, herbs and supplements will still be effective if they are just swallowed, but some of the therapeutic value will be lost because the action of taste wasn't activated. If the taste of your vitamin is nauseating, it’s not worth tasting it. Just bless it and swallow it with the power of thought that it will be effective. According to Ayurvedic medicine, a large percentage of a herb or supplement's effect is bio-chemical, and that the other half is comprised of several factors, of which taste is one. Swallowing dead vitamins or herbal pills without tasting them reduces their efficacy, but if you taste and chew them a little first, you increase their efficacy substantially.
Specific foods are not good or bad for everyone overall; an individual’s blueprint or constitution must be considered to make healthy food choices. It doesn’t matter what we eat. It matters what we can digest because everyone digests at different rates and degrees with unique sensitivities. This can be determined by self-exploration and observation, including trial and error. Begin by eliminating certain foods to see what changes happen in the body or adding certain foods to notice the effects. This practice will develop your intuition as well, which should be your primary barometer anyway. You might also want to seek out the professional services of an Ayurvedic counselor who is trained to read the pulse, observe the tongue, eyes, body, mannerism, speech, hair, nails, astrology chart (Jyotish) and so on.
Even Dr. Jensen is aligned with the Ayurvedic concepts I have explained in this article because he believes the direct cause of acid build-up in the physiology begins with eating quickly, not chewing properly and not focusing on food we are eating. Here are some culprits: Eating while reading, driving, working, improper chewing, overloading, and the wrong kinds of foods. Food that is not properly masticated is retained longer in the stomach. As a result, it turns sour and creates excessive gas. This causes a great deal of irritation and inflammation in the mucous lining of the digestive system.
The Golden Rule of Health: Eat slowly, chew food well, and don't overload. Eat only plain food, plenty of fresh vegetable matter, salads, ripe fruits. The richer foods, however, such as meat, eggs, starches, sweets, etc., should be taken more moderately and only in proportion to the amount of work one does.
The food should be eaten as dry as possible, mixing thoroughly with saliva to a liquid form, not drinking liquids with the meals. The drier the food is eaten, the sooner the acid condition can be overcome. Chew! Chew! Chew, so that your food is liquefied before swallowing.
For optimum health, we should all be experiencing each of the five tastes every day in our meals: sweet, salty, sour, pungent and bitter. These tastes directly affect our physiology. For example, eating too many sour foods can cause excessive oiliness in the body. Too much sweet taste will increase adipose tissue and cause swelling, though in some cases it can cool internal inflammations when tasted in moderation. If you have trouble getting all five tastes each day, there is a supplement called triphala that has all five tastes within it. I must say that it tastes horrific, but it is an amazingly powerful herbal tonic for the blood, brain and bowel and it pacifies all three doshas. The only contraindication is that it should not be taken during bouts of diarrhea, pregnancy or menstruation. Otherwise, Dr. Lad claims that taking triphala tea each day will help you smell like a flower.
Karyn Chabot graduated from Goddard College with her bachelor's degree in alternative health in 1995. In 1997, she graduated and studied with Dr. Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S, at his school, The Ayurvedic Institute, in New Mexico. That same year, she also graduated from Universal Massage Therapeutics of New Mexico. During the past 23 years of working in the health industry, she became a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist and continuing-education provider for other massage therapists. In 1998, she became certified as a Ayur*Yoga Therapist, and later graduated from the Ayurveda-Yoga Institute of New York City. She then became certified as a master crystologist with the Taomchi Association of America, Reiki practitioner, certified Quantum Touch therapist and certified fitness trainer and nutritionist. She also holds certification as a Pancha Karma Therapist and Medical Thai Therapist. Karyn is currently working towards her master’s degree in Vedic Medicine. For information on her Ayurvedic massage Homestudy courses and teaching schedule, visit www.sacredstonehealing.com.
