Episode #17 – What Is Ayurveda Medicine And How It Can Help Your Health With Emily Glaser

Tune In To Learn:

Foundations of Ayurveda: Understand the basic principles of Ayurveda and how they specifically apply to women’s health at different stages of life.
Food as Medicine: Explore how everyday ingredients can be transformed into healing foods, including practical tips and recipes from Emily’s book tailored for women’s wellness.
Holistic Health Practices: Learn about holistic Ayurvedic routines that enhance physical, mental, and emotional health, helping women balance their energy and revitalize their bodies naturally.

Key Takeaways And Show Notes:

In this episode of Hack Your Health, Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp welcomes Emily Glaser, author of “Ayurveda for Women” and an expert in Ayurvedic medicine. Together, they discuss the core principles of Ayurveda, its unique understanding of health and disease, and how it can help individuals achieve optimal well-being through a holistic approach.

Introduction to Ayurvedic Medicine

The episode begins with Emily sharing her personal journey and how she discovered Ayurveda while working as a nurse. She explains that Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest healing systems, originating in India, and has influenced many other traditional medicine practices. Emily emphasizes that Ayurveda is a spiritual science at its core, recognizing the connection between our inner and outer worlds.

Core Principles of Ayurveda

Emily dives into the fundamental principles of Ayurvedic medicine, which include:

The macrocosm is reflected in the microcosm, meaning there is a profound connection between our inner and outer worlds.
Aligning with the higher purpose of life and understanding our true nature.
Living in harmony with nature and its cycles.

She explains that by understanding and applying these principles, individuals can achieve balance, prevent disease, and promote overall well-being.

Ayurveda’s Unique Perspective on Health and Disease

Dr. Beauchamp and Emily discuss Ayurveda’s approach to understanding the causes of disease, which goes beyond the physical realm to include mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. According to Ayurveda, the root causes of imbalance include:

Misuse of the senses, such as overeating unhealthy foods.
Prajnaparadha, or going against one’s intellect or wisdom.
Parinama, the passage of time and degeneration, related to biological time and movements of the mind.
Forgetting our true spiritual nature, which is considered the ultimate cause of disease.

Emily emphasizes that Ayurveda views health as more than just the absence of disease. It employs a holistic approach that encompasses body, mind, and spirit, focusing on prevention and maintaining balance and harmony.

Understanding Doshas and Their Role in Health

Emily explains the concept of doshas, which are the three fundamental energies that govern an individual’s physical and mental characteristics. The three doshas are:

Vata (air and ether): responsible for movement, creativity, and flexibility.
Pitta (fire and water): responsible for metabolism, digestion, and transformation.
Kapha (earth and water): responsible for structure, stability, and lubrication.

She discusses how understanding one’s unique dosha composition can help tailor diet, lifestyle, and treatment plans to achieve optimal health and well-being.

Food as Medicine in Ayurveda

Dr. Beauchamp and Emily explore the role of food in Ayurvedic medicine. Emily explains that Ayurveda views food as a powerful tool for balancing the doshas, promoting health, and preventing disease. She shares tips on how to create an Ayurvedic diet based on one’s dosha type, emphasizing the importance of consuming fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced foods.

Practical Applications of Ayurvedic Principles

Throughout the episode, Emily shares practical tips and insights on how individuals can incorporate Ayurvedic principles into their daily lives to promote health and well-being. These routines, known as dinacharya, include:

Waking up early, ideally before sunrise.
Tongue scraping to remove toxins and stimulate digestion.
Oil pulling to promote oral health and detoxification.
Self-massage with warm oil (abhyanga) to nourish the skin and calm the nervous system.
Meditation and yoga to cultivate inner peace and harmony.
Eating a balanced, dosha-appropriate diet.
Going to bed early, ideally by 10 PM, to align with the body’s natural circadian rhythms.

Dr. Beauchamp and Emily’s engaging conversation highlights the wisdom and relevance of Ayurvedic medicine in today’s world. By understanding the core principles of this ancient healing system and applying them to modern life, viewers can take a proactive approach to their health, prevent disease, and achieve optimal well-being on all levels – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

For more information on Emily Glaser and her book “Ayurveda for Women”, please visit: https://www.tejasveda.com/