Ayurvedic Insight
Issue #38, December 2004
In This Issue
Digestion and Immune Function
by Shannon Mooney
Each and every cell of the body possesses an intelligence
encoded with a will to live, be healthy and work together as
a whole, communicating with the other cells of the body.
This natural proclivity toward balancing the body is
intricately expressed through the many mechanisms of
homeostasis and within the vast complexities of the immune
system. Proper immune system function depends on the quality
of digestion and the function of the liver, endocrine and
lymphatic systems.
The function of the immune system is to protect our bodies
against foreign invaders. The invaders can come in the form
of actual foreign bodies such as bacteria, viruses, fungi
or parasites. Unwelcome entities can also be created from
within as with auto-immune disorders and cancer. Proper
immune function is an intricate balancing act. While a
weakened immune system predisposes one to virtually every
type of illness, it is also possible that an immune response
becomes over-reactive or misdirected. When functioning
properly, our immune systems are able to discriminate
effectively, targeting and killing unwanted intruders.
Immunity is influenced by the power of agni, digestive fire
and our ability to digest, assimilate and absorb nutrients
in our bodies. Within a healthy body where immune function
is strong, any invaders are either neutralized or destroyed
then expelled and the body returns to normal. If the body is
unhealthy or has ama, stored toxins from undigested food,
then an environment is created in which invaders are
encouraged to thrive. Ama can be created from both physical
and mental indigestion. It serves as fertile ground upon
which parasites feed and settle into weak spots in the body.
According to Ayurveda, indigestion is the root of all
physical disease. Indigestion prevents nutrients from
reaching the tissues and weakens immune function. Ama can
result from improper eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle
practices. Our relationships, stress and traumas also
greatly impact our digestive process and immune function.
Particularly when you engage in an activity or indulge in
food that you know is not good for you but you do it anyway,
you are committing prajnaparabda, a crime against wisdom.
Not only are you promoting ama formation and creating a
toxic environment within the body, but you are also
weakening your will. The strength of your will and identity
are in direct correlation to immune function. Discipline and
healthy relationships help to build your sense of self. When
your identity with your self is strong, then the cells in
the body are better able to differentiate ‘self’ from
‘non-self’ and kill off that which is not serving the whole.
The Sanskrit word for immunity is vyadhikshamatva which
translates as ‘forgiveness of disease’. By being flexible,
practicing acceptance and adapting to our ever-changing
environment you can enhance immune function. Resistance to
change and clinging to challenges will only impede health.
This type of flexibility is about becoming more whole and
saying ‘yes’ to life. It is about positively accepting all
that comes your way, even the pain and suffering, allowing
yourself to be with it. Although this is more of a mental
and spiritual process, it is important to remember in the
face of adversity, when something does not go your way.
The physical body is generally the best place to begin
establishing good health and strong immunity. Bring
awareness to your digestive process, noting how you feel
(physically and mentally) after each meal and when you awake
each morning. Proper digestion will result in feelings of
lightness, energy, and satisfaction. Question the
digestibility of the foods you eat, the people you surround
yourself with and the environments in which you live and
work. The answers will help you to make better choices
concerning your well-being, self-worth and self-confidence
according to your own constitution, enabling you to better
support your immune function, protecting against invasion.
There are several immune enhancing medicinal foods and herbs
traditionally used in Ayurveda. Foods such as milk, ghee or
clarified butter and honey all enhance the subtle essence
that supports immunity. Including many fresh organic fruits
and vegetables in your diet provides you with nutrients,
antioxidants and fiber necessary for immune function.
Herbs can also play an important role in giving a boost to
your natural defense system. Banyan Botanicals Immune
Support is a blend of herbs that combines Ayurvedic formulas
of sitopaladi and mahasudarshan, traditionally used to
prevent colds and flu, as well as Western herbs osha and
echinacea, which are well known as powerful
immunostimulants. This herbal remedy may be the extra
protection you need to stay healthy through the fluctuations
of the season. When defenses are low, it is the perfect
remedy to help you feel whole again.
Understanding the immune system and how it is influenced can
help us to take more responsibility for our health and make
the best choices to support our bodies. A long and healthful
life requires a strong commitment to live, be happy and whole.
Winter Skincare
by Nicole Hinterstocker
In most areas of the United States, early winter is the time
when the dryness of fall meets the cold of winter. Many of
us begin ‘winding up’ for the holidays, bringing stress
levels to an all time high for the year. Others will be
outdoors skiing, snowboarding, and snow shoeing. Whatever
your winter activity is, dry, chapped skin seems to be the
norm for almost everyone. On a doshic level, this means we
must be careful to keep vata in balance, while trying not to
aggravate kapha.
Vata comes from a combination of the two elements Ether (or
space) and Air. When we imagine the qualities of these
elements, dry, light, cool, and mobile come to mind.
Therefore, when we aim to keep vata balanced, we want to
consider ways to counter these traits by trying to include
moisturizing, grounding, warming, and calming principles
into our daily routine.
Ayurveda states that winter is the optimal time of year to
pay close attention to the care of our skin, since the skin
is drier and ready to absorb all the nourishment we are
willing to give it. Moreover, while it is important to take
care of our skin from the outside we all know beauty comes
from within, literally, making internal self-care just as
essential to healthy, radiant skin.
Here are a few easy ways to keep your skin healthy during
this tough time of year:
Give yourself a massage – What better way to start your day
than to give yourself a warm oil massage? During the winter
season, use either sesame oil or Vata Massage Oil available
from Banyan Botanicals before a daily morning shower or
bath. Not only will this help to warm the body by improving
circulation, it is also an amazing stress reducer! Be sure
to use warm, not hot water to clean yourself. Hot water, as
well as misuse of soap, will strip away the much needed oil
from your skin. Try to limit soap use only to areas of your
body that actually get grubby.
Counteract dry scalp – While dandruff may be a sign of a
fungal infection, it is more often dryness as a result of
lack of blood flow to the scalp. Offset this problem by
spending a few extra minutes every evening massaging your
scalp. Using your fingertips rub vigorously all throughout
the hair. If you have enough hair to hold in your hand,
slide your fingers along the scalp from your ears to the
middle of your head at the roots of the hair. Make light
fists, gently tugging the hair at the roots. Repeat on the
sides and back of your head. This brings blood to the scalp
and can help with tension headaches. You can use your
regular massage oil on your scalp, or you may want to
purchase oil with special hair and scalp nourishing herbs
such as brahmi or bhringaraj. Of course, if you are going
outside, no matter if you have oil in your hair or not, you
should always wear a hat and make sure to cover your ears as
well (since the inner ear has ‘space’, ears are one of the
sites where vata is most prevalent).
Be sweet to your feet – Whether you are doing laps at your
local mall or out braving the slopes, give your feet some
rejuvenation before bed by soaking them in a warm bath with
dry ginger or any combination of rosemary, eucalyptus, and
lavender essential oils. After soaking for at least ten
minutes use a moist pumice stone to remove any dead skin
cells that commonly build up on the bottoms of feet. After
this, take a few drops of castor oil and rub it into the
heels and pads of your feet. Now put on a pair of old socks
and take your brand new feet to bed! If you have any sign
of a fungal infection like athletes foot or thickened and
discolored toenails (a result of kapha in the system) add a
bit of tea tree oil to the soaking tub and do not wear socks
to bed. This treatment is extremely grounding and calming
and is a wonderful way to relax. It is a perfect treatment
to help calm the kids before bed, too!
Put your best face forward – Facial skin can really take a
beating during the winter months as it is often the only
skin we expose to the elements. Be sure to wear a scarf over
as much of your face as possible any time you go outside,
particularly if it is windy. Before you even set foot
outside, prepare your skin by washing with non-soap based
facial cleanser. While the skin is still moist, apply some
sesame oil (or other specially prepared facial oil)
liberally to your face, neck, and lips. If your skin is
already damaged from windburn or extreme dryness, add one
drop of castor oil to whatever you use to moisturize. It is
very important to apply the oil to moist skin because oil
itself will not do the trick. For example, if you were to
take a dry rose petal and rub oil into it, not much would
happen, but, if you soaked that rose petal in water first,
the petal would become soft and supple. This same principle
can be applied to your skin.
Eat a vata pacifying diet – Warm soups, stews and chilies
are the perfect food for this time of year. Well-cooked
vegetables and hearty grains keeps vata dosha warm and
grounded, while not being too kapha-genic. Dairy is also
great for vata as it is heavy and has an oily quality, but
use caution, dairy can also be cooling and mucous forming.
Use this recipe to get the most out of your milk:
Add one cup of water to one cup of milk. Stir in 4 or 5
punctured cardamom pods, a half a stick of cinnamon, one or
two whole peppercorns, a dash of nutmeg, and a dash of
turmeric. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low, and
let simmer until you only have one cup of liquid left.
Strain into two mugs, and serve immediately with a few
stamens of saffron for garnish and extra flavor.
With Ayurveda as your guide, it is possible to keep your
skin healthy and radiant all winter long. As always, the
first step to better health is to take care of yourself by
reducing the stress in your life, getting enough sleep,
drinking clean water, eating a balanced diet, and exercising
properly. Just remember – by making a small effort
everyday, you can stay healthy for a lifetime!
Nicole is the owner of Ajara Ayurvedic Beauty which is a
company that provides all natural skin care products,
including ‘make your own’ lip balm kits. She is also an
Ayurvedic Practitioner in the Pancha Karma department at the
Ayurvedic Institute. For more information on Ajara skin care
products and lip balm kits, go to www.ajaraskincare.com
Recipe: All Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm
From Nicole Hinterstocker of Ajara Ayurvedic Beauty
It is so incredibly easy to make your own lip balm you will
never want to spend money on a store bought one again. Also,
making your own at home helps to ensure the best possible
ingredients!
- 3/4 tsp clean beeswax
- 1 tsp cocoa butter
- 1 tsp shea butter
- 1 1/4 tsp Almond oil (minus 10 drops or so)
- 6 drops essential oil (citrus or mint oils work best. If
using herbaceous oil such as cinnamon or nutmeg use only 3
drops)
Add all of the ingredients except the essential oil to a
double boiler. Once everything has completely melted, stir
over the heat for 20 minutes more. Then, remove from the
heat and add your essential oil, mix well. Place the lip
balm tubes in an area where they will not be disturbed. Now
using a plastic disposable pipette or a bulb baster,
transfer the melted oil to lip balm tubes. After the top of
the balm has hardened, place a few more drops of the melted
oil onto the tip of each tube to form a dome of oil. Let
them sit for about an hour or so, and voila! Homemade lip balm!
When it is time to clean up, rub any extra melted balm into
your hands before doing the dishes. Your hands will stay
beautifully soft, even through harsh dish soap.
Yield: 3 .15 oz lip balm tubes
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