 Ayurveda For Salt Lake City UtahAyurveda for Salt Lake City Utah - How is practicing ayurveda in Salt Lake City (or anywhere in Utah or the desert west region) different from practicing ayurveda in other parts of the country.
When we relocated from New Orleans to the high desert, my ayurveda Salt Lake City had to change. In New Orleans, the environment was hot and wet most of the time. So coming here to Utah where it is "high and dry" - I had to alter the way my husband was practicing ayurveda because he has a lot of Vata already, and being here was just going to further complicate the potential imbalances. Without all of that hot and wet air from the Gulf of Mexico tamping his Vata Dosha down, I was worried he might end up with a terrible Vata Imbalance, so we had to make a lot of adjustments to his diet and daily routine to help keep him in balance. That got me thinking - there are probably a lot of people in Salt Lake City and Utah who need Ayurveda to help stay on top of the dryness and altitude to prevent a Vata Imbalance. Let me explain Ayurveda and Geographical Environment to get started. First off, it is important to think about your region and it's qualities. The Salt Lake City area could be called "high and dry" to put a fine point on it. So when you are looking at Ayurveda for a region, you have to think about what elements qualities correspond to the elements of where you live. As an example - the qualities of the Air Element are cold and dry, but certainly "high and dry" fall directly into the Air Element, which in Ayurveda is called Vata. So if you live want to do ayurveda salt lake city, then you have to think, "O.K., it is high and dry where I live. That is a lot of Vata in my environment. So if I already have a lot of Vata Dosha (air element) in my constitution, and then I live in a place that also has the qualities of Air, then you get air on air, and that isn't good. It is going to go out of balance. I should work hard to balance all of that air." How might you do that? Add the OPPOSITE QUALITIES into your life. If the qualities you are trying to offset are cold and dry (the qualities of the air element), then you want to add the opposite qualities of Warm and Wet. How do you do this? Easy - Add: - eating foods that are warm and wet - like soup. - put oil on your body and moisturize your skin every day (abhyanga in Ayurveda) Remove - - Cold Dry Foods from you diet - Carbonated Beverages (cold and full of air bubbles) - Excessive Movement - Excessive Meditation - Extreme anything - Vata equals movement, so slowing down and avoiding anything extreme in your life will help reduce Vata Imbalance. Vata imbalances can lead to dry joints, dry hair, anxiety, and eventually disease. Vata (being like the wind) is the easiest of all of the doshas to become imbalanced, and the hardest to contain and balance. This is doubly true, when you live in the high desert. If you are wondering how to apply ayurveda Salt Lake City, please contact Meghan today by e-mail meghan@meghanhays.com or visit our Contact Page where you can book an Ayurvedic Consultation at her Ayurveda Clinic Salt Lake City. Email: meghan@meghanhays.com
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The Three Ayurvedic Doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha - Introduction to Ayurveda Salt Lake City8/1/2021 The Three Ayurvedic Doshas - An Introduction to Ayurveda in Salt Lake City Utah.
Disease in Ayurveda is thought to be the natural end result from living out of balance with Nature. Disease symptoms are the body's natural way of communicating that imbalance. Conversely, Ayurveda views healing as a natural result of living in harmony with our environment. Ayurveda teaches us how to achieve that balance by balancing what is knowns as the Three Doshas, which are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Ayurveda is organized around the concept of the five elements which are: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. You can read more about the 5 great elements here. The elements make up every part of ourselves and our universe, and the combine to form the three ayurvedic doshas. What Are The Doshas? The doshas are the fundamental energies that make up the universe and operate in our bodies. Each of us has a individual, and unique composition of the doshas in our bodies and minds when we are born. This combination of the three doshas does not change throughout our lives. They determine what we’re naturally attracted to and what we are repelled from. They are also what cause us to become out of balance with our environment, which causes us to become sick, or become diseased. Understanding your constitution gives you the power to choose and create a diet and lifestyle that best supports your unique constitution, which will keep you free from disease and disharmony. This is what an Ayurvedic consultation will help you do. A Description of the Three Ayurvedic Doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha Vata Dosha is composed of air and ether (space). Individuals with a primarily vata based constitution will tend to be drawn to creative pursuits; they love movement and variety. Physically, people with Vata Dosha tend to have small, thin, and delicate features. They will tend to be "dry." Their digestion will tend toward having a variable appetite, gas, bloating, and constipation. When in balance, people with Vata Dosha are enthusiastic and energetic. When they are out of balance, they will have a very difficult time staying still, maintaining commitment to projects or tasks, and keeping focused on completing what is in front of them. People with Vata Dosha are prone to fear, worry, and anxiety. However, when they live in balance with their environment and practice a vata reducing diet and daily practices, they will find relief from these difficulties. Pitta Dosha is comprised of a mixture of fire and water (to contain the fire). People with pitta dosha constitution tend to be drawn toward leadership and intellectual pursuits. They love to achieve goals and will generally have a tendency toward being intense in everything they do - especially work. Physically, people with pitta dosha tend to have moderate features. They tend to be a bit oily and have very strong digestion, strong appetite and have a tendency toward overly acidic (hence the tendency toward ulcers) if they abuse their digestion for too long. When in balance, people with pitta dosha are warm, friendly, and focused. When out of balance, people with pitta dosha become intense, angry, and prone to inflammation. However, when practicing a pitta reducing lifestyle, none of these become a problem, but something they will need to monitor or pitta will go out of balance. Kapha D osha is made of earth and water. People with a kapha constitution tend to be drawn to routine and comfort. Being the heaviest of the elements, earth and water cause more solid features (thicker bones and skin, larger features, etc.). People with kapha dosha tend to have more moisture in their bodies and more emotional “flow” in their minds. Their digestion will tend to be on the slower side and can cause them to weight gain. People with kapha dosha often have a very low appetite and feel better when they fast. When in balance, kapha people are nurturing, steady, and reliable. When out of balance, they are withdrawn, sluggish, and emotionally attached to their possessions, routines, and relationships. By practicing a kapha-reducing lifestyle, these troubles can be mitigated and maintained at a low level. During your session with me as an Ayurveda Clinical Specialist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor in Salt Lake City (or online) we will identify your unique makeup and constitution, which is achieved looking at your physical features, physical tendencies, and lifelong digestive, psychological, and emotional tendencies, From this, we will determine your Ayurvedic constitution, which ayurveda calls “prakruti.” We will also determine the imbalances in your body and mind. This is called your “vikruti." Once we determine what is out of balance, we will determine which practices, including diet and herbs, will bring you back into balance and harmony with your environment, To schedule an appointment or ask for more information about Ayurveda Salt Lake City, email meghan@meghanhays.com. To book your initial consultation now, click here. Email me today to set up your 2-hour Initial Ayurvedic Consultation and 50-minute Report of Findings. I am an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Ayurvedic Health Counselor in Salt Lake City; I can also meet with you anywhere in the world via Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime. |