Jennifer Kurdyla is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, yoga teacher, and writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. Plant-based since 2008, she learned to love food by experimenting with vegan and Ayurvedic cooking in her tiny New York kitchens. She is the co-author of Root & Nourish: An Herbal Cookbook for Women's Wellness (Tiller Press, 4/6/2021). Read more about her wellness services and educational resources at www.benourished.me.
Dive into the five layers of our being, known in Ayurveda as the koshas, and learn how nourishing these subtle layers can support whole-body and whole-being health.
Embrace the healing properties of raw cacao with these four delicious recipes—perfect for Valentine's Day or anytime you're craving a healthy touch of sweetness for your body and mind.
In Ayurveda, there's no one perfect diet. In fact, learning to shift your food choices along with your changing needs is essential to mastering great nutrition.
Inspired by nature's seasonal plant-based offerings, this spicy-sweet apple crumble recipe is the perfect healthy and heavenly treat for late summer and early fall.
Perfect for Spring or any time the kapha in you craves a treat, this cake is not too sweet or too spicy, making it a lovely choice for dessert, breakfast, or a healthy snack.
You've likely heard the phrase "beauty is only skin deep"—but Ayurveda says just the opposite. Here's how to nourish your beauty on every level, body, mind, and soul.
These tasty recipes incorporate mucuna into pantry staples you can use in a variety of ways, morning, noon, and night—like a happy pill you take with your meals.
Let's take a look at how we can receive true satisfaction from what we take in, rather than getting caught in the endless and insatiable search for more.
This twist on classic Thai coconut rice uses coconut water instead of milk, basmati rice instead of jasmine, and other cooling additions perfect for summertime.
Ayurveda can help us develop a relationship with our habits that keeps us awake to who we are, rather than confined by an idea of who we think we should be.
Many things can pull us out of our hearts. Learn how the pathways of rasa, prana, and manas can expand your ability to experience more love and joy in your life.
In this vibrant and soul-satisfying soup, pumpkin moves out of its typically sweet role alongside rich and creamy cauliflower for maximum warmth and nourishment.
Jennifer has spent twelve years practicing yoga, four years teaching yoga, and four years living Ayurvedically.
Degrees and Certifications
Ayurvedic Health Counselor program—Kripalu School of Ayurveda
500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training—Yoga Works
Restorative and Therapeutic 100-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Jillian Pransky
Publications
Jennifer is the co-author of Root & Nourish: An Herbal Cookbook for Women's Wellness (Tiller Press, 4/6/2021). Learn more about it on her website.
Upcoming Events
Jennifer teaches weekly yoga classes with drop-in and membership options. Registration is available on her website at benourished.me/yoga.
Jennifer's Point of View
How were you introduced to Ayurveda?
I first learned about Ayurveda through my yoga teacher training, which prompted me to seek out a practitioner for help with my chronic digestive and hormonal imbalances. After experiencing almost immediate relief with the Ayurvedic remedies she offered me to address my imbalance and constitution, I was hooked!
When are you most likely to go out of balance and how do you bring yourself back in balance using Ayurveda?
I easily go out of balance from excess vata in mind, body, or environment. Too many choices, requests for work, distraction, or inconsistency will affect how I digest and the state of my thoughts and emotions.
The most effective Ayurvedic remedies I turn to over and over are abhyanga, regular mealtimes, and an herbal boost with hingvastak or herbal teas. I focus on grounding rituals like belly breathing and wearing layers to stay warm and feel contained.
What does the future of Ayurveda look like to you?
The future of Ayurveda is bright to me. We're facing a moment where the value of preventive medicine couldn't be more obvious, and I think as we continue to endure the COVID pandemic and its repercussions more individuals will be thinking about how to support their health all the time through diet and lifestyle, using the accessible home remedies Ayurveda offers.
What's one Ayurvedic practice anyone can implement to spur change in their life, right here, right now?
Breathing! So many of us don't breathe fully or with awareness, and without that connection to prana (and oxygen) we prevent ourselves from experiencing so much fullness in our lives.
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