Another gooey Ayurvedic substance....

A delicious breakfast  is to toast whole grain bread with a little almond butter and a teaspoon of a dark brown gooey substance called Chavanprash.  It's an Ayurvedic Jam that is mostly made from amla fruit paste, also known as Amalaki and Indian Gooseberry.  Amla is one of the three fruits found in the Triphala that we use during the Elemental Cleanse™.  

Chavanprash doesn't just contain Amla.  Depending on the recipe, it can contain up to 50 other Ayurvedic herbs.  It is very satisfying because it contains 5 of the 6 tastes of Ayurveda.  In Ayurveda, if you have a balanced meal that includes all 6 tastes, you will feel satisfied and maximize digestion.  The tastes included in Chavanprash are sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent.  You are missing the taste of salt which can be found in the almond butter and bread. 

Amla is soothing to The Fire or Pitta dosha and is therefore wonderful for digestion.  It contains extraordinary amounts of vitamin C making it a superior antioxident.  A few of the other 50 ingredients that you will recognize include pepper, sesame oil, ghee, honey, sugar, shatavari, ashwagandha, ginger, licorice and clove. 

A dose = 10 grams or 2 teaspoons.  Take one in the morning and one at night.  Your total Vitamin C content will be around 150 mg. 

In Ayurveda, Amla is considered a Rasayana.  Rasayanas increase strength, vitality and minimize the effects of aging.  Chavanprash is eaten daily because it tastes awesome and helps out with the following:

• Constipation
• Gastritis
• Peptic Ulcer
• Intestinal cramping
• Cough
• Asthma
• High Cholesterol 
• Diabetes
• Acidic Belly
• Pregnancy and nursing
• Anti aging
• Immunity Boost
• Libido boost
• Lowers blood glucose levels
• Stimulates hair growth

Chavanprash is a tasty way to facilitate healing and prevent disease.  

You can purchase Chavanprash in the studio or online>>>

Herbs for digestion

Neem (caution: pregnant women should not take neem..it has contraceptive properties)

In India, the Neem Tree is considered sacred because of its miraculous healing properties. It has been used as a holistic medicine for 4,500 years. In India, it is used to treat or prevent intestinal worms, malaria, encephalitis, menigitis, scabies, fungi, smallpox, head lice, diabetes, epiliepsy, ulcers, headachaches and fevers. It works miracles on skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, allergic dermatitis and eczema. It protects the liver against toxic related injuries caused by drugs, alcohol and viruses. It is used to relieve joint pain and muscle aches. It is a key herb used in the treatment of diabetes, obesity and weight gain.

More than six hundred million people use the branches of the Neem Tree is as a natural toothbrush. Neem has been shown to be effective in reducing cavities, healing gum disease and treating gingivitis.

Neem can be found in toothpaste, shampoo and soap to control everything from dandruff to eczema. It acts in the following ways:

• Neem decreases the Earth and Fire elements and increases the Wind element.
• It's tastes are Bitter and Spicy. The combination of Bitter and Spicy encourages cells to release ama or toxins.
• Antiviral capable of destroying viruses
• Antifungal able to destroy fungi
• Antimicrobial able to inhibit or destroy the growth of disease-causing organisms
• Antibacterial able to destroys or inhibit the growth of bacteria
• Antipyretic able to lower body temperature or prevent or alleviate fever
• Anti-inflammatory able to reduce inflammation
• Anti-tumor able to reduce the risk of tumor growth
• Analgesic able to relieve painImmune stimulation
  
• Alterative able to cure or restore health
• Anthelmintic capable of expelling or destroying parasitic worms
• Anti-emetic able to prevent or stop nausea or vomiting

RECOMMENDED READING: "Neem: the Ultimate Herb" by John Conrick.

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Guggul (this is from Natural Health Magazine, July 2008)

How it works: An Ayurvedic remedy, guggul is used for relieving joint pain, lowering cholesterol and aiding weight loss. In a 1999 study conducted by researchers at the University of Nebraska and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, people who took 750 mg of guggul each day and did a combination of strength and aerobic training workout three times a week for six weeks lost an average of six pounds; those who exercised but did not take guggul lost only a half to one pound. "Guggul helps the body metabolize fat and improves thyroid function by increasing thyroid hormone levels," says John Douillard, Ph.D., director of the LifeSpa School Of Ayurveda.

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Triphala

Known as THREE FRUITS
Amalaki, Bibhitaki, Haritaki

Triphala is a classic Ayurvedic formula comprised of three fruits. Amalaki is a source of antioxidants and vitamins. Bibhitaki fruit augments levels of protein and good cholesterol in the body and Haritaki is an anti-spasmodic.

Claims of weight loss have been made using Triphala. While it is true that Triphala has laxative properties and can assist in the weight loss process through balanced elimination, Triphala alone will not promote weight loss. It can boost digestive and intestinal health and aids with constipation, parasites, diverticulitis, colitis, gas, cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis

Triphala is an integral part of an Ayurvedic weight loss program. An Ayurvedic weight loss program addresses all dimension of a person’s life…….sleeping, eating, eliminating and movement.

Herb Fact

The fruit in triphala contain compounds known as anthraquinones, which stimulate intestinal contractions to speed the digestive process.

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