Yoga | Ayurveda San Francisco | Yoga in San Francisco | Meditation Clinic San Francisco, CA 94117

Ayurveda San Francisco suggests that during Winter, the inner Agni or the digestive fire is stronger than in other season of the year. So this is the time when you can chow down and eat more heartily because the digestive fire is strong. Strengthen your body and mind during this time.

1. Warmth:
Eat warm and nutrient dense meals. This would include foods such as stews, soups, dairy (organic), almonds and other soaked nuts, soaked dry fruits such as raisins, dates or figs (which can be served with cinnamon). Avoid ice cream and cold foods. Stay warm and bundle up.

2. Spices

Include the following spices in your diet: fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, licorice, cloves, basil, and parsley. Vata Churna is a spice mixture that already has a lot of these spices in it. You can sprinkle some on your food.

3. Hydrate Right

Avoid ice cold drinks and drink warm ones instead. Drink hot water throughout the day. Boil water gently for about 15 minutes in an uncovered pot. Then pour into a stainless steel thermos and sip small amounts throughout the day. Avoid stimulants, such as coffee, black tea, cigarettes since these throw the Vata (space and air elements) off very quickly and out of balance.

4. Oil Massage

Loving yourself with an oil massage. Doing an oil massage with unrefined, cold-pressed sesame oil, or with Vata Oil (oil cooked with vata pacifying herbs) help to nourish the skin and is anti-aging. Please leave on for a few minutes before taking a shower or bath afterwards so the oils and herbs can be absorbed by all the different layers of tissue. This massage has a calming effect on the nervous system, supports the circulation, and aids in toxin reduction from the body.

5. Vata Reduction Reduce everything that could compromise the Vata dosha balance in your body, especially during Autumn and Winter. Reducing stress factors such as work pressures, long journeys/travel/commutes, going to bed past 10pm, too much tv or late night computer work. For change, have a warm, relaxing bath with epsom salts and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Listening to some relaxing music before bedtime or reading some uplifting spiritual books or poetry. Get enough rest and sleep. Sleep is very important during this time.

Come in for a tune-up and re-balance yourself and your life.

With spring upon us, people prone to inflammation of the skin may be experiencing the discomfort of more frequent flare-ups and break-outs. From an Ayurvedic perspective, problems such as rashes, acne, hives, boils, psoriasis and eczema occur when too much heat accumulates in the body. This can happen at any time of the year, but the seasonal increase in temperature make heat related imbalances of the skin more prevalent in the summertime. Fortunately, the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia offers some wonderful herbs that cool the system and help restore our natural state of balance. Following a daily herbal regimen, along with a few simple diet and lifestyle suggestions, is the Ayurvedic recipe for beautiful, healthy skin.

Excess heat is normally eliminated through the GI tract. However, when the body becomes overloaded with toxins this heat becomes trapped and is absorbed into the blood. The body, naturally seeking to remove these toxins, resorts to using the skin as an organ of elimination. This will usually manifest as some type of skin inflammation.

Ayurvedic Herbs for Healthy Skin

Ayurvedic herbs have been used effectively for generations to restore the normal elimination process while promoting healthy lustrous skin. The traditional Ayurvedic formula Triphala is used to remove excess heat from the system by facilitating healthy elimination. A daily dose of Triphala will:

A combination of herbs like turmeric and neem that pull toxins from the blood and minimize the body’s need to use the skin as a route of elimination. These herbs can:

Ayurvedic herbs may also be used externally to support the skin’s healing process. Neem is an extremely cooling herb that is naturally antibacterial and antifungal. It is available in the following forms:

The use of herbs is an excellent way to restore and maintain healthy skin. Making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle will also help to address the underlying causes of the imbalance. Trying any or all of the following suggestions will accelerate and amplify the results you experience from taking your herbs.

Diet Tips for Healthy Skin

Avoid consumption of spicy foods
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
Minimize alcohol and coffee consumption
Drink plenty of fresh water
Favor intrinsically cooling foods like vegetable greens, basmati rice, sweet juicy fruits, coconut, cucumber and cilantro

Lifestyle tips for Healthy Skin

Yoga for Healthy Skin

A simple seated forward bend is cooling to the system and good for releasing heat from the body. For the more advanced yogi, incorporate moon salutation into your daily practice.

Cooling Breath for Healthy Skin

Shitali Pranayama, the cooling breath, is excellent for eliminating heat from the body. The practice is as follows:

Curl or roll the sides of your tongue upward into a tube or straw.
Inhale slowly through the rolled tongue, and then close the mouth and exhale normally through the nose.
If you are unable to roll your tongue into a tube, lightly clench your teeth together with the tongue pressed against the teeth. The air is then inhaled through the teeth and sides of the mouth.
Notice the instantly cooler temperature of the inhalation.
Practice for 10-26 rounds of breath.

Ayurvedic Recipe: Fresh Dilled Zucchini

Wash dill and chop finely. Wash zucchini and slice an inch thin. Heat oil in medium sized skillet. Add turmeric, hing, zucchini and water. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5 minutes more.

5 Ways to Stay Healthy During Autumn & Winter

Healthy Skin for the Summer