The roots of ayurveda
If yoga was developed as science to bring balance and control to the mind, ayurveda is the sister science developed for the practitioner to bring balance to the body.
“Ayurveda is the science of life and the oldest medicine we know of,” says yogi Cameron Alborzion. “We live in a society that’s all about ego, changing nature, altering food and needing to know the purpose of everything. It’s all about bringing balance to and cleaning the body.”
The theory goes, we cannot perfect nature so we should live in line with it instead. Nothing should be artificial or chemically enhanced; rather, we should use what comes out for the ground as medicine and food. Food should be seasonal and you should eat nothing packaged or frozen or that has been in a microwave.
Ayurveda versus modern medicine
Modern medicine finds people looking at the symptoms then running to the doctor for pills to make things better, whereas ayurveda teaches you to read into your body and mind to define the cause of the disease-feeding symptom and treat the body to restore balance to the system as a whole. Without pills.
“Look at the body as a unit (body and mind) to diagnose what is out of balance and proceed to treat the symptom, going into the core of the pain and finding out where and why it began,” explains Alborzion.
Dinyacharia: Daily cleaning
Early morning, Alborzion completes “dinyacharia,” the ayurvedic cleansing ritual that prepares you to take on the day.
For you, that simply means spending time on yourself, opening the body through yoga and breathing, showering, brushing your teeth, oiling the body — these small steps root the mind and calm the senses. Attending to the body rather than downing a shot of coffee and heading out will lessen feelings of stress and agitation.
Diet: Less is more
What you need to eat will depend on your height, stomach and nutritional needs.
“There’s a big misunderstanding when it comes to food,” says Alborzion. “We live in a society based on comfort where most people sit in an office chair and use up little energy. The average adult needs food as a source of energy, not for building and too much food blocks the system.”
Keep away from toxic foods that don’t add anything to the body, as they will only cause your system to waste energy eliminating them.
Avoid dairy (too much can create a build-up of mucus), alcohol, and canned, processed or packaged foods.
Eat food with high water content such as fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water and herbal teas throughout the day.
