PRACTICING AYURVEDIC

Hi everyone! I hope this finds you all staying well and strong! Last time I gave you sort of a quickie rundown of some of the Ayurvedic ways I keep myself and my family healthy. Well, If the idea/practice of Ayurvedic healing is new to you and you’re anything like me you probably took one look at this crazy word and thought “what the heck does Ayurvedic mean?”. Being the information junkie that I am I’ve done some research on the matter because it’s all so intriguing to me and here’s what I can share with you all so far.

Ayurvedic or the practice of Ayurveda which translates to “the science of life”, is a healing system that originated thousands of years ago in India. The main idea of Ayurveda is that good health depends on the balance between mind, body, and spirit and is thought to be responsible for a person’s physiological, mental, and emotional health. According to Ayurvedic theory, everyone is made of a combo of 5 elements – air, water, fire, earth, and space. These elements combine in the body to form 3 energies or life forces called doshas – Vata, Kapha, and Pitta. Now, I’m not gonna pretend to know much about either of the 3 individual doshas themselves (my research continues) but I can tell you that within the unique mix of doshas that makes us each who we are, there is one that is most influential in each person. The fun is to find out which dosha is the strongest within you. 
Some of the ways to practice Ayurveda are through things like massage, yoga, meditation, specialized diets, herbs, essential oils, aromatherapy, and just good old-fashioned exercise. I think we can all see that most of us have been practicing some form of Ayurveda within our daily lives not even realizing it had a name. I say knowing and doing with intention seems to change the game for the better though, at least for me.  

The last thing I want to talk about this time is one of my most favorite and what I feel to be completely underestimated ways to practice Ayurveda – THE MUSHROOM! Mushrooms of all types when ingested have been known to aid in Ayurvedic health for hundreds of years. These powerful little fungi can help our bodies in one way or another from head to toe and inside out. Just to name a few:
Lions Mane – your brain’s best friend, helping you to have super focus
Chaga – has been supporting immune function for centuries 
Turkey Tail – antioxidant, immune, and gut support
Cordyceps – support energy and endurance and have been used by athletes all over the world
There are so many ways to get these mushrooms into your diets such as pill or powder supplements, teas, or even coffee. I mentioned in my last blog that I found a company that infuses coffee grounds with all of these mushrooms so I know my husband and I both are getting our mushroom dose every single day! (The trick is to find ways to make it simple to ensure you’ll stick to it!)

It’s time for me to say goodbye for now, and I wish for all of you to stay healthy and happy. We’ll talk more about health and wellness next time! Happy shrooming!

Amber