As Ayurveda Melbourne practitioners we know that skin conditions are something that many of us suffer with. The causes are not always known and have been linked to a number of triggers such as stress and genetics. While medicines are commonly prescribed, these often fail to tackle the underlying causes of the complaint and rarely go further than skin deep. Ayurvedic medicine believes that the skin has seven layers. It therefore extends deeper into the body, meaning that an Ayurvedic treatment may be more effective in tackling skin issues such as Lichen Planus. Here we examine the more holistic approaches to dealing with this particular skin condition.

What is Lichen Planus?

Lichen Planus is a type of recurring skin rash that is triggered by the immune system.

It occurs when your body starts to attack your skin or mucous membrane cells for no reason. Although uncomfortable, it’s not usually a serious condition nor is it contagious. The condition can affect anyone although it’s most likely to present itself in those who are middle aged: It’s rare in children and older adults.

What are the symptoms of Lichen Planus?

The condition can manifest itself on skin, genitalia, mucas lining, scalp and nails.

Some common symptoms of the condition include:

-Purplish coloured lesions or bumps

-These may develop and spread over body in the course of several weeks to a few months

-When it affects the muscal lining it may produce symptoms on the mouth. Some symptoms include bluish white spots that may be on the inside of the cheek, on the sides of the tongue or on the gums. These may be painful and cause a burning sensation.

-If the skin is affected then lesions may be itchy and either single or clustered. Skin will be itchy at the site of the rash and lesions may be shiny or scaly in appearance with a sharp border.

What causes Lichen Planus?

Some cases of Lichen Planus cure themselves after a few weeks but if symptoms persists then you may want to consider one of our homeopathic treatments. As Naturopath Melbourne specialists we believe that most health problems can be cured naturally, without the need for a lot of modern medications.

The Ayurvedic approach sees this particular skin condition as a variety of the Kushta (Skin disease) that results from an accumulation of toxins in the body, something our Naturopath Melbourne practitioners believe is the basic cause of most disease.

Initially these toxins develop as a response to the environment that we live in, both inwardly and outside our body and our mind. These can include regular exposure to unwholesome food, activities, chemicals. It can also include other toxins may affect proper functioning of digestive fibre.

A build up of toxic Ama

Exposure to these elements results in the production of toxic Ama which accumulates and is transported through the body.

In the case of Lichen Planus we believe that this toxic Ama gets deposited in the skin or the mucous membrane. These toxins then get covered in Kapha, one of the three Doshas or biological energies found in the human body and mind. This means that they are able to resist digestion or excretion. This affects the Vatha, Pitha and Kaptha components of the skin, with Pitha and Kaptha being the primary ones involved in this case

Exposure to the previously mentioned triggers can then result in starting the whole cycle over again. Therefore, a holistic approach to dealing with this can be effective as it aims to tackle the underlying cause of the problem.

The Ayurvedic approach to treating Lichen Planus

According to Ayurveda, the skin has seven layers and so extends itself to the deeper levels of the body. Due to this skin conditions such as Lichen Planus have deep rooted causes. Ayurvedic treatments have to be penetrative, aiming for the purification of the body and overall regeneration.

Common approaches to dealing with Lichen Planus include prescribed medications such as retinoids and antihistamines. However, as Ayurveda Melbourne practitioners we believe that there are plenty of Ayurvedic approaches that you can take in order to treat the condition.

ayurclinic treatment for lichen planus

Ayurvedic treatments for Lichen Planus

1.Detoxing the system by Sodhana or Panchakarma: Detoxing the body is an important stage of most Ayurvedic treatments, in order to remove toxins that have accumulated in the body.

After assessing the particulars of the patient’s condition the first treatment may involve prescribing Vamana (medicated vomiting) or Virechana (medicated purgation).

2.Correcting functioning of Agni and preventing further generation of Ama

At this stage the Agni, or the body’s ‘inner fire’, may have been weakened by the detoxifying stage. The next step involves using light to help digest food and help the Agni to recover.

3. Pacifying the symptoms

In order to then pacify and soothe the symptoms gargling (Kabbalah) or washing (dhara) with herbal devotion may be useful. Medicines for external application may also be used in some cases.

4. Rasayana or rejuvenating medicines

The rejuvenation process occurs after the treatment procedures to rejuvenate and restore the body tissues.

At this stage rejuvenating medicines that are specifically useful to the skin are used. These provide strong immunity power to prevent any further vitiation of the three Dosha.

Diet and Lichen Planus

Do’s

Spices such a Turmeric, Ginger, Cumin, Tulsi, Cardamon and Curry Leaves are all effective at dealing with Lichen Planus.

Dont’s

–Heavy to digest food should be avoided as this can impair the Agni.

-Regular use of sweet, oily and heavy milk products should be avoided as well as consumption of fast foods, refined sugars, fermented and sour foods.

Lifestyle Factors

Mental health

–Reducing stress and aiming for good mental health is important in tackling this condition. Examples include practicing yoga and meditation.

Sleep

-Good sleep is important in order to ensure normal functioning of digestive fire and immunity to toxins.

Hygiene and Clothing

–It’s important to keep skin dry in warm and humid climates as well as wearing cotton clothing and cotton bed clothes.

Useful Herbs

Ayurveda believes that certain herbs can also be effective in treating the different conditions of Lichen Planus,

Predominant Vatha ( dry skin lesions) conditions herbs of Dasamoola, Tuvaraka, Pata, Bala and Ashwagandha may be used.
In Pitha predominant conditions (with inflammatory changes and burning sensations) herbs such as Brahmi, Mandukaparni, Manjistha and Liquorice are effective.
In Kapha predominant conditions where itching and white patches are present herbs that may be effective include: Vacha, Triphala, Musta, Bitter Gourd, Patola, Arka, Guluchi, Neem, Aragwadha, Turmeric and Katuki.

If you are suffering from Lichen Planus or any other skin conditions, contact our Ayurveda Melbourne partitioners today. We can provide you with further information on our Ayurvedic treatments and how they might be beneficial for you.

Every day, we are living with continuous process of repeated daily activities, interactions, gaining and analyzing information, encounter social influences, changing lifestyle to find a fulfilled and balanced life. Mindfulness and meditation are the perfect tool to live with true purpose and meaning with best values by practicing self-awareness and building the attention muscle. If you are looking for Ayurvedic treatment, consider mindfulness and meditation for your health needs.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a process of having awareness of your thinking, feeling, doing and identifying your environment and each moment of different aspect of your life by building more attention and focus. Whereas meditation is a pathway to inner self and consciousness through steady awareness by stilling the mind. Mindfulness and meditation is the bridge to the inner and universal consciousness.

Mindfulness has invaded every corner of life and movement of being in present moment bring more harmony and better perception of who we are and environment around us.

Presently mindfulness is practiced by top class athletes, alternative to medications for diseases and even taught in some of the most powerful corporations in the world. You don’t have to be in Himalayas to do meditation, you just have to be a person with a functioning mind.

Mindfulness is a type of meditation where we focus our attention on the present moment on the body and mind activities with self-awareness and self-acceptance without any judgements. Mindfulness meditation is the most well researched type of meditation. We take few moments to check in to notice the state that your body is in and your mind. The ancient science of meditation has moved out of the temple and simplified into our daily lives in our present innovative and stressful life.

Meditation

Meditation has 3 stages according to Sage Patanjali who bring science of pathway to enlightment to the world through Patanjali Yoga Sutras. They are 3 internal mental process called Dharana (initial concentration /focus) Dhyana (one pointed contemplation) and Samadhi (Aligning and absorption with the universal energy/consciousness). Yoga Sutras of Patanjali says that meditation is the progressive quietening of the mind till it reaches the source in pure silence.

Meditation takes you to the source of thought, the source of thought is pure awareness on the unconditioned mind. It is a field of possibilities, creativity, unpredictability embedded with intention, and those are the qualities of your consciousness and it is beyond our cognitive and perceptual mind which is usually conditioned by experience

Our mind operates predominantly with thoughts, feelings and emotions, beliefs, experiences, Higher faculties of mind such as memory, perception, will, imagination, and intuition. We identify our self in the array of past and future with lacking and wanting. Mindfulness and meditation bring our self into present moment and expand that focus to whatever frame you are in action and help to have clarity and boost your productivity in desired direction

Why you should be in mindfulness and Meditation

You don’t have to set aside any extra time for meditation, you can simply integrate this meditative practice into your daily activities.
You can begin with shorter activities and expand with time.
It lays a solid foundation to begin an internal meditative practice.
It can be a great way to manage and reduce stress.
Build your emotional resilience and adaptability
Create clarity and productivity

Outcomes and benefits of meditation

Research on meditation shows that, there is significant changes in our body as well as the mind. There are physiological, psychological, biochemical and neurological changes. This makes it an ideal Ayurvedic treatment.

Psychological and physiological benefits are

You feel less threatened, and you’re less reactive,
You’re more rested, and you sleep better,
Your blood pressure gets lower,
your immune function gets a boost,
help to boost memory and creativity
Treat depression and anxiety.
Improve your health and wellbeing.
Slows down aging and enhance the longevity

Meditation is the key to change and charge your Brain.

Meditation bring more clarity and productivity by remarkable changes in the Brain. As we expand our awareness, we are increasing the neural connection and Researchers identified changes in the structure of the brain and genes which enhance our life span and delay aging just by exercising your attention muscle.

Scientific evidence is that when we practice mindfulness for some period, connection in the brain is strengthened and this allows the prefrontal cortex (Executive centre of the brain ) to modulate the impulses from the amygdala (Fear centre) and to recover more quickly modulate stress and fear .As we control fear centre, important consequence is that emotionally, you don’t react as much , you recover more quickly, and we develop important attribute of resilience and emotional intelligence. ity.

Meditation and mindfulness train our mind by influencing the Default network of the brain and achieve more neuroplasticity with consistent and long-time practices. It is great that we don’t need anything other than our mind and training our minds to do this.

Mindfulness in Workplace and Business

Mindfulness and meditation play a significant role in workplace and business. Mindfulness practice relate the ability to focus attention and to selectively focus on what we choose to focus on. We are in an environment that have all kinds of competitions, achieving targets and filled with information overload and workload. Ability to selectively focus on certain things and ignore other things is part of our capacity of choice. Basically, mindfulness develop self-awareness as our mind is less prone to wandering and it strengthens the prefrontal ability to say no to those low impacting activities and emotional impulses. It also helps us keep our attention on that one thing that’s so important.

Another factor Scientists has realised is that mindfulness open and strengthen the spectrum of emotional intelligence competence. There are four parts of emotional intelligence self-awareness,

self-management, empathizing and social skill and within each of those domains, there are specific learning abilities that make executives outstanding performers.

Mindfulness help to handling negative emotions, improve adaptability in general and maintaining a positive outlook. In business and work having attitude of keeping your eye on that long-term goal despite setbacks, obstacles and distractions keep you going and succeeding to the next level.

Conclusion

Ultimately the goal of meditation is to experience our core consciousness which is a domain of awareness where we are experiencing our universe and we are connecting to inner awakening by developing qualities and attitudes of love kindness joy compassion empathy and equanimity.

Meditation challenges people who are undergoing personal transformation because of a deeper knowingness of themselves, by self-awareness and ultimately freedom from conditioning. With meditation we touch base to the mass of humanity through personal transformation and bring about social transformation. Finally, we move in the direction of more peace, social and economic justice, health well-being and everything that human life deserves

Well, why wouldn’t anyone want to meditate or practice mindfulness with these given benefits and all the research that has been done on meditation.

Contact AyurClinic today to learn about mindfulness and meditation as an Ayurvedic treatment.

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Depression is a mental health issue that many struggle with for months or even years. Sadly, this disease is killing many people, with suicide rates skyrocketing. Part of the problem is that people don’t have access to the help they need to lead a healthy life again. While there are many effective ways to treat depression such as cognitive and behavioural therapy, they don’t always work for everyone. We examine how you can treat depression with Ayurveda and get back to a better state of mind!

Ayurveda & Depression

Ayurclinic ayurveda and depression

Depression is linked to many factors one experiences in their life such as loss, financial problems, stress at work, abusive relationships and many more. No matter what someone is going through, it’s their perception that is of utmost importance. Two people could be going through the same thing, let’s say a divorce. One person may really struggle with the event, spiralling into a depressed state, while the other could be handling it much better. The difference is how each individual is perceiving the situation and how it will impact their life in the future.

Learn About Your Sadhaka Agni

Ayurveda looks at this difference in perspective from the lens of a weak ‘Sadhaka Agni’. The Sadhaka agni within each person is one’s inner fire that is responsible for dissolving emotions. If your Sadhaka agni is out of balance or weak, it may be impacting your emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence has to do with how you control your emotions and how you let it impact your life. It’s not healthy to withhold your emotions, but it’s also not healthy to let them severely impact your everyday life. There needs to be a fine balance between emotional awareness and coping with those emotions.

Sadhaka agni influences the neurohormones which are in your brain, spinal cord and heart. When you experience a traumatic or emotional event, your heart sends a depressive signal to your brain if your sadhaka agni isn’t strong enough. With a strong sadhaka agni, the signal sent will be much more positive. Therefore it will help you deal with the emotional pain in a much healthier manner.

How to Strengthen Your Sadhaka Agni

Ayurclinic stengthen sadhaka agni

There are many ways in which you can strengthen your Sadhaka agni. Below are a few methods Ayurveda takes into consideration when working towards helping you break out of your depression.

Learn how to detach yourself from your emotions → Detachment from emotion is key when trying to break free of depression. While it’s a simple concept, it takes practice and consistency to implement into your life.
Change your sleeping patterns → Excessive sleep is often a side effect of depression. In order to change your mental state it’s important to rise with the sun and sleep with the moon.
Get in tune with your eating habits → The Kapha dosha in Ayurveda has to do with the body-mind connection and gets impacted when you are depressed. You can restore balance by eating the right foods such as plant-based whole foods.
Get your yogi on → Yoga is used by many people to restore balance and help with a variety of health concerns. Yoga is good for the body and the mind.
Smiling Meditation → This method of meditation at sending positive energy waves throughout the body, through smiling internally. You can learn more about this method of meditation through one of our practitioners.

Becoming aware that you are depressed is the first step towards recovery. Taking action is the second. Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to healing, looking for the root cause of the problem and dealing with it. Learn how you can adjust your mental health through Ayurveda in Melbourne.

If you or someone you know is struggling from depression, one of our licensed Ayurveda practitioners in Melbourne may be able to help you. Contact AyurClinic today to get started with a consultation.

How To Treat Psoriasis With Ayurveda

What is Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition affecting up to half a million Australians. It shows itself in the form of chronic patches of dry and often red patches of thickened skin. The infected skin is often flaky and itchy, and can affect day-to-day life for those suffering.

One important thing to note is that it is not contagious, however it can often be passed down through a family, as it is associated with genes. Unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis, however it can be controlled completely. When treated appropriately, the symptoms for psoriasis can be virtually eliminated.

What Causes Psoriasis

Whilst psoriasis is commonly passed down through genes, just because a family member does or does not have it, doesn’t mean you will be the same. There are certain things that can trigger its symptoms for those who may be prone to it. According to Ayurvedic practices, these triggers are:

1: Mental or physical stress.

2: Irregular lifestyle, or Mithya Vihara which can disrupt the digestive system and cause imbalance in your doshas.

3: Diet. In particular psoriasis is thought to be triggered by consumption of ‘opposite foods’ or Viruddha Aahar, such as yogurt and seafood, strong sour or spicy foods. As well as Mithya Aharajunk, or ‘improper diet’, which is excessive consumption of junk foods and fast foods, and smoking and alcohol consumption.

How Can Ayurveda Treat Psoriasis

Ayurveda treatment as been seen to be very successful for addressing the causes of psoriasis flare ups, and reducing symptoms so they no longer negatively affect your life. One of the best Ayurvedic treatments is Panchakarma treatment. Panchakarma is a treatment that focuses on purification of the body. It helps reset mind and soul to focus on better overall health. This is important for those whose psoriasis is being flared up by stress or irregular lifestyle causing imbalances in doshas.

Treatment also centres around lifestyle change. To address psoriasis, Ayurclinic suggests changes such as increase in gentle exercise, such as yoga, to address physical and mental stress. Any strong stressors in life must be addressed, for full holistic treatment. One of the biggest aspects of lifestyle change is diet change.

Ayurveda Treatment For Infected Areas

There are also Ayurvedic ways to treat painful infected areas of the skin, in natural, safe ways. One of the most popular treatments for infected areas is jasmine flower paste. When applied to the areas, this paste can reduce pain and itchiness.

Another popular method is applying fresh banana peels to the infected area, bananas natural anti-inflammatory and cooling properties have been very successful for some sufferers.

Aloe Vera is also favoured by some sufferers. Aloe Vera is known for its soothing and cooling nature, and Aloe Vera gel, applied directly from the leaf for natural healing, can help soothe the burning feeling of psoriasis.

Diet Changes

Diet changes are important to implement when attempting to treat psoriasis. It is important to review what potential diet habits may have bought on the disease, and adjust those. One must also focus on consuming foods that can help address psoriasis symptoms. Recommended diet changes for flare ups are:

1: Eliminating ‘opposite foods’ such as dairy and fish eaten together.

2: Control intake of strong intake of salty and acidic food

3: Consider a full or partial vegetarian diet

4: Reduce intake of junk foods

5: Avoid cold drinks

6: Avoid tobacco and alcohol consumption

7: No fermented foods

8: Avoid overly sweet foods

9: Increase intake of anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric, ginger and garlic.

Be Careful With Treatment

Psoriasis, its symptoms, and its causes differ strongly from person to person. Before attempting to start treatment on your own, it is important to see a trained Ayurveda doctor. At Ayurclinic, we can helps assess you and your personal situation, considering your health in a holistic way. Treatments will be catered for individual situations, and address whole health. If treatment is attempted without first consulting with a doctor, they may cause more harm, damage your health.

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Ayurveda is a holistic method of medicine that has been helping people for over 5000 years. With that being said, there are many interesting facts surrounding Ayurveda that people are still unaware of. Did you know that there are many breathing practices you can adopt to relieve stress in your everyday life? We examine Ayurveda breathing practices for beginners, as well as give a brief history on the topic for those who are new to the Ayurveda practice!

Ayurveda rundown

While Ayurveda is known to be one of the oldest complete systems of medicine in the world, many are still only discovering it’s benefits today. With many principles to the system, it can sometimes be confusing or difficult to fully understand. In short, Ayurveda is a holistic method of treatment based upon five primary elements (space, air, fire, water & earth). Two of the elements are then combined to form what are known as ‘doshas’. For example, space and air combined is vatadosha. Each person has three doshas, with one being most prominent. By evaluating each dosha, you are able to understand one’s health challenges. Then you can proceed to deal with the problem.

Ayurveda encourages incorporating these breathing practices into your routine to restore balance. It’s important to keep in mind that with each person having a more dominant dosha, that there are specified breathing practices for the dosha you most identify. You can find out what your most prominent dosha is with the help of AyurClinic’s medical professionals.

There are many medical professionals who practice Ayurveda in Melbourne currently. They can assist you in any area of Ayurveda that you would be interested in!

Take a deep breath in…

If you feel like the stress of everyday life is taking over and need a way to cope, you can test out some of these simple breathing techniques.

1. Nadi Shodhana Breathing

Ayur clinic nadi shodhana breathing

While this alternate method of nostril breathing is best suited for those with a dominant vatadosha, it can be helpful for anyone looking to reduce stress. This type of breathing works to release physical tension, reduce stress and clear your mind. You begin in a comfortable, seated position and place a thumb over your left nostril, inhaling through the right nostril. Next, exhale through the left nostril, while holding your right nostril. This method is said to help unite the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

2. Sitali Breathing

Ayur clinic Sitali breathing

This breathing technique is said to be ideal for those who embody the pittadosha. This type of breathing is excellent if you’re feeling irritated or angry. Sit comfortably with your hands on your lap, facing upwards. With your eyes closed and lips sealed, breathe in deeply, running the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth lightly. Then exhale through the nose, allowing your tongue to return from the roof your mouth, back to a natural position. Continue this calming rhythm for a few minutes or until you feel like you’re in a relaxed state.

3. Sohum Meditation

Ayur clinic sohum meditation breathing

This method of breathing resembles that of an ocean wave. Start by sitting and placing one hand gently on your stomach. Breathe in through your nose deeply, breathing from your diaphragm and not your chest. Exhale slowly and make sure to pause for a few seconds in between each inhale and exhale. Completing a few rounds of this method will release tension and stress from the body and mind. It can be helpful to use this technique before any stressful event.

4. Bhastrika Breathing

Ayur clinic bhastrika breathing

Khapadosha’s are best suited for this technique that stimulates excess khapa. Breathing in this way will also help to alleviate any congestion you may be experiencing and should be done on an empty stomach. Begin seated with your hands resting on your lap. With your eyes closed and facial muscles relaxed, breathe in through your nose deeply, while you feel your ribs open. Then allow yourself to exhale fully and continue the process for up to 20 seconds. Return to your regular breathing pattern afterwards.

5. Sama Vritti Breathing

Ayur clinic sama vritti breathing

This breathing technique places it’s main focus on breathing ‘equally’. Begin by inhaling for a count of four, then exhale for another count of four. Remember to breathe in through your nose and try to increase the count to six or eight seconds as you progress with this practice. This method can help you fall asleep, regain concentration or de-stress.

By putting these Ayurvedic breathing techniques into practice on a regular basis, you will be able to lower stress and get to a more peaceful state.

If you’re interested in Ayurveda in Melbourne, AyurClinic has a variety of treatments that will help you achieve a healthier you. Our experienced and licensed practitioners have dealt with a range of patients and their individual patients, getting them to where they want to be. Contact us today to get started with an initial consultation!

What is Triphala?

One Ayurvedic Medicine our Ayurveda Melbourne practitioners are commonly asked about is Triphala. So, let’s uncover what this staple in traditional Ayurvedic medicine is all about. The herbal concoction has been used for more than 1000 years as a healing remedy. Due to its traditional use as a bowel tonic, Triphala is often prescribed as a mild laxative. Although many people are aware of the herbal blend laxative qualities, it has a myriad of other benefits that may be even more significant. For example, Triphala has rich antioxidant properties which you can read about in this detailed research article that was published in the International Journal of Pharmacognosy. Also known as Triphala Churna, the formulation is well regarded in Ayurveda due to its multitude of health benefits for all of the doshas. The literal meaning of Triphala is “three fruits” as the mixture consists of three medicinal fruit plants native to India. For this reason, Triphala is considered a polyherbal medicine. These types of medicines are popular in Ayurveda as it’s believed that additional therapeutic effectiveness can be experienced from combining synergistic herbs, rather than taking any one individually. The three fruits Triphala contains include: Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Bibhitaki, (Terminalia belerica).

Amalaki

More widely known as the Indian gooseberry, Amalaki is a powerful fruit in it’s own right, having been used in Ayurvedic medicine since ancient times. The berries are grown on small-to-medium sized trees throughout India. They are edible, with a fibrous texture and sharp, sour taste. To increase palatability they are commonly soaked in sugar syrup, pickled or added to dishes. Amalaki is highly nutritious – packed full of vitamin C, minerals and amino acids, as well as tannins, phenols and rutin. It’s benefits include helping to lower cholesterol and treating symptoms like constipation. In addition, Amalaki is especially useful for balancing Pitta.

Haritaki

This small, green fruit is grown on Terminalia chebula trees in India, Thailand, China and the Middle East. Nicknamed the Tibetan “king of medicine”, Haritaki has long-established medicinal usage in Asia. In fact there are several depictions of the healing Buddha offering a handful of this fruit. Haritaki is calming to Vata and thought to have a number of positive health benefits for the brain and heart, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. In Ayurvedic medicine it is often used to treat digestive issues and as a remedy for conditions such as asthma, ulcers and heart disease. You can read more about how our Ayurveda Melbourne practitioners can help you with digestive disorders on our website.

Bibhitaki

The third fruit in Triphala is Bibhitaki, commonly used to treat bacterial and viral infections grown in Southeast Asia on the large Terminalia bellirica tree. The fruit is also a potent rejuvenator with with a range of detoxifying qualities on the muscles, bloody and the bodies fatty tissue. Otherwise known as “the one who keeps away disease”, the fruit has many benefits on Kapha. In Ayurvedic medicine, Bibhitaki is also frequently used to regulate blood sugar and treat diabetes.

General Use

As explained above, all three Triphala components provide benefits to a specific corresponding tri-dosha element. Throughout the world the use of Triphala has risen in popularity due to its numerous alleged health benefits, the most notable being benefits to digestion. The herbal bend essentially assists with digestive regularity. From experience treating clients who suffer from irregular bowel habits, our Ayurveda Melbourne Practitioners understand the value of Triphala. Through pulling toxic residue (also referred to as stagnated Ama) from the digestive tract the absorption functions of the colon are increased, hence the formulation promotes balanced, full elimination.

The colon is perceived as the seat of Vata, common Vata disorders therefore benefit from Ayurvedic medicines that assist with the colon’s function. Many bowel diseases actually begin as imbalances of the Vata, regardless of whether they are exacerbated by Kapha or Pitta issues down the track. The “wind” of your digestive tract becomes balanced from Triphala as the concoction helps to move things along and your bowels to find an appropriate regularity for optimal absorption.

If you have experienced any of the issues mentioned, our Ayurveda Melbourne Practitioners can provide you with further information on Triphala and how it might be of benefit to you.

Detox is an essential part of naturopathy. This is because the environment we live in, inside and outside of our body and mind, has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. Sometimes this impact can be negative. Detox can help your body and mind recover and get rid of toxins, improving your overall health.

Naturopathy believes and teaches that accumulation of toxins or morbid matter is the basic cause of disease. Toxins and morbid matter form the environment for foreinbodies (bacteria and viruses) to stay and grow in our body, becoming a disease condition. Even though toxins are accumulated in the body, they don’t always manifest themselves as diseases, especially in the early stages. There is a gestation period and a threshold after which the negative effect on the organs and body parts start to show. Hence, it’s better to remove the very cause of the disease even before it becomes visible.

Detox in ayurvedic healing

In Ayurveda, stages of toxicity and disease formation are described in six steps called shad kriya kala. The six stages of disease development are Chaya (accumulation of toxins), Prokopa (increase or aggravation), Prasara (spreading of toxins), Sthana samshraya (collection in a particular organ or part), Vyakta (clear manifestation of the disease) and Bheda (differentiation or further complication of disease). Your toxicity hides itself before it manifests as a disease.

Naturopathy also believes that blood has to maintain a certain quality and an optimum quantity for the perfect maintenance of the body. The quality of blood is affected when toxins are pushed into the blood stream from the digestive system. Your blood loses its efficiency to repair and maintenan your body. Hence, detox and removal of toxins is an important part of healing.

We are constantly exposed to and consume toxins in our daily living through external factors like urban environment, climate and chemical exposure. Internal elements such as consuming artificial foods, beverages, metabolic end products like free radicles and c–reactive proteins are also conisdered to be toxins, which can cause additional inflammation.

Our body has a natural system of cleansing and defence mechanisms to maintain a healthy body. In detoxification, we are nurturing and inducing cleansing by providing an ideal environment for optimal health.

Even though we try to cleanse our body though healthy eating of organic foods, nutrients and supplements, exercise and various therapies, it may not bring a perfect health. This is because we not only have to detox our bodies, but also many mind elements such as thoughts, emotions and perceptions.

How to find out if you need detox?

You can assess whether you, your body and your mind need detox by answering the following simple detox questions:

Do you crave sweets, eat lot of processed and canned foods, drink plenty caffeinated beverages and energy drinks?
Do you feel tired, fatigued, or sluggish throughout the day?
Are you overweight and/or do you have cellulite fat deposits?
Are you suffering from insomnia or trouble getting restful sleep?
Do you have less than one bowel movement per day and get constipated often?
Do you suffer bloating, indigestion and frequent gas after eating?
Does your occupation expose you to environmental toxins such as chemicals and smokes?
Are you suffering form repeated colds, flu and allergies?
Do you have puffy eyes or dark circles under your eyes, acne-prone skin and/or rashes?
Do you notice that you have bad breath, coated tongue and strong-smelling urine?

Fear not if you answered yes to any or a number of the questions above. Just ask yourself: do I want to keep going like this, or do I want to experience greater level of health and wellness? If you answered yes to the latter, congratulations – you made your first step to recovery! The next step is to think about the best way to healing. We suggest you consider detox as it’s one of the most powerful healing pathways available in naturopathy.

Simple outcomes of detox

Benefits of detoxification are many. Ideally it is a preventive, curative and restorative process. Detoxification helps to have glowing and radiant skin, better digestion and no bloating, increased energy throughout the day, sound sleep and clarity of mind. Detox also helps reduce cravings. Thus, it is a perfect weight management tool. You will feel renewed and motivated by detoxing. You will also gain a new positive outlook on your health and goals.

There are three important factors which will help you gain the right mindset for detox, namely preparing your mind to change, changing your cell functions, and adapting to new regime and habits. Best time for detox is spring and summer as this is when we naturally feel most positive about life and change. By entering path of detoxifying your life, body and mind, you will achieve a perfect harmony of health and alignment to the greater energy.

If you’re ready to start your detox journey, contact our ayurveda experts at our naturopathy Melbourne-based clinic. We will help you understand the best detox methods and strategies, and will tailor a pathway to regaining health and wellbeing just for you.

Yoga therapy benefits are far reaching, which makes it an important branch of ayurveda. This is because ayurveda’s focus is on holistic healing, which focuses on all aspects of your wellbeing: the mind, body and soul. And just like ayurveda, the main focus of yoga therapy is taking a holistic approach.

Yoga therapy allows to exclusively assess your individual needs and focus on improving your health: physical, spiritual, emotional and mental. These are the biggest differences and yoga therapy benefits compared with yoga classes and yoga practiced at home. Yoga therapy benefits from focusing on you and developing the best pathway to recovery and restoring balance in your life. Think life coaching with the added advantage of improved health, energy, and spirit resilience.

Yoga therapy has only fairly recently become a phenomenon in Western culture and medicine. Even now, when thinking about yoga, we tend to picture a yoga class led by a teacher, or a yoga session at home by yourself (often assisted by YouTube videos).

Melbourne class yoga therapy benefits

Source: Wikimedia

Most of us don’t associate yoga with medicine per se. However, medical yoga therapy is growing rapidly – in the US alone, the number of registered yoga therapy practitioners tripled in the past three years! This is due to the numerous yoga therapy benefits.

Why is yoga therapy good for you?

Yoga therapy helps people who might be suffering from health, mental or spiritual issues, or a combination of three. Sure, yoga classes and practicing yoga at home can help you relax, strengthen your body and increase the clarity of your mind. However, yoga therapy is designed to help individuals who might need expert medical help in overcoming some difficult issues. This is especially common for people who have had a major physical injury, or are suffering from severe mental health condition, such as depression.

If you feel overwhelmed by a physical, spiritual, emotional or mental pain, yoga therapy benefits from being one of the best ways to help you get back on track.

Nevertheless, there are numerous perks in practicing yoga not only through therapy, but also in class or at home. To help you choose the best pathway to recovery and regaining balance, we looked at different ways of incorporating this extremely beneficial exercise into your life. Have a look at the list comparing yoga therapy benefits with in-class and home yoga below and choose your path to recovery! And if after reading you’d like to discuss your individual case and get advice on what kind of yoga therapy is best for you, feel free to contact our expert yoga practitioners based in our Melbourne clinic.

Yoga therapy benefits

Pros:

Yoga therapy benefits from being tailored to your individual needs. Expert yoga therapy practitioners assess your case and shape the best yoga therapy pathway toward your recovery.
Yoga therapy combines yoga practice with healing for body (after injuries) and mind (suffering from mental health issues). It is a powerful recovery tool.
By entering a yoga therapy, you’re looked after by experts. Doing yoga at home or in class doesn’t give you the chance to discuss your individual needs with experts, whose main aim is to get you back on track. Yoga therapy does exactly that.
By being mentored and supported by yoga therapy practitioners, your road to recovery is faster and more manageable.
Yoga therapy benefits from being very flexible. There are no set class times as with in-class yoga, which means that you often can’t make the class due to other commitments. Yoga therapy practitioners set meeting times with you and adjust to your schedule.

Cons:

Yoga therapy can be more expensive than yoga classes or doing yoga at home. However, by being led and mentored by experts, the health benefits are more substantial and recovery is faster.
Yoga therapy can be time-consuming. This is because you might need to go through a few-stage process, including assessment, therapy planning and then implementation. Full recovery sometimes takes only a few days, but it can also take up to a few weeks or months depending on your individual case.

Class yoga

Pros:

During a yoga class, your teacher will help you practice the poses the way they are meant to be practiced. This is a big advantage over home yoga.
You can meet new people at yoga classes. For some people this is the main reason why they attend!
You can use professional yoga equipment provided by the gym or yoga studio you’re attending the class at.
Yoga classes are often held in the mornings, evenings or during lunchtime. If you’re a working professional with a schedule, attending regular classes can help you keeping up a routine. Moreover, having such structure in life can be beneficial to your mental health.
Yoga classes are often developed for different levels, such as beginners, intermediate and advanced yoga practitioners. Depending on your needs and experience, you can attend a class which is most beneficial for you.
If you’re a beginner, attending a yoga class will give you an insight into what each pose entails and how to practice yoga by yourself in your spare time if you wish.

Cons:

Sometimes you might not feel like doing yoga around other people, and this is where yoga classes can be intimidating.
Yoga classes are not tailored to help individual needs of each attendee. They focus on general fitness and most common health issues, such as back pain. If your case is unique and needs to be assessed and supported individually, attending a yoga class is not enough.
Yoga classes have set times which means you might not be able to attend due to your own time commitments.
Yoga classes might be held in locations not close to you, meaning you might need to travel far to attend.

Home yoga

Pros:

If you’re a solitary person, yoga at home can work well. Some people prefer exercising by themselves as it helps them focus and clear their minds of unnecessary thoughts. This can improve mental health and resilience.
Practicing yoga at home gives you more time flexibility – you don’t have to go anywhere to do it! This can be a great solution for people with unusual schedules, or people who live far away from the nearest yoga therapy clinic or studio.
Some people might feel anxious exercising in front of other people. Doing yoga at home can help increase self-confidence before joining a group yoga class.

Cons:

If you’re inexperienced, practicing yoga at home by yourself can actually pose a threat to your health. As you might not know what each pose entails and how to do them properly, you could strain your body.
You might not have yoga equipment at home, which can stop you from doing some useful exercises.
You might not benefit from yoga practice fully if you’re not supported by a professional. For example, if no one is checking your yoga poses, chances are you’re not doing them properly, and the physical benefits are limited.
Practicing by yourself can get lonely!

Hopefully you have a better insight into different ways of practicing yoga after reading our article. Once again, the best yoga pathway will depend on your individual situation. We strongly recommend yoga therapy for people who are facing serious physical and mental health issues. Further, if you want to have a recovery process tailored to your needs, yoga therapy is the way to go. Practicing yoga in class or at home can be beneficial, however it might not lead to a full recovery.

If you’d like to find out more about yoga therapy in a Melbourne-based ayurveda clinic, contact our expert yoga practitioners today.

The Origins of Homeopathy

The origins of homeopathy involves a long history, and many interpretations over time. It was actually a german physician who founded homeopathy, over 200 years ago. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann worked on the idea of treating ‘like with like’. The idea is “any substance that can produce a set of signs and symptoms in a healthy person can be used to cure a similar set of signs and symptoms in a diseased person”.

Early History

However, Dr. Hahnemann was not the first person to consider this idea. For those studying the origins of homeopathy it is believed that the idea of ‘like cures like’ has been around since 400 BC. It is said that Hippocrates treated mania with a small dosage of mandrake root, the same thing that can cause mania in large doses. This idea was also recorded in the 16th century with the latin phrase “similia similibus curantur”, translated to “what makes a man ill also cures him”.

The idea was continued to be explored over the next few centuries. Dr. Hahnemann is credited for studying these historical practices and improving on them, as well as creating the term ‘homeopathy’. He worked with the ideas of ‘like with like’ that has been explored in the past, and established the idea that a small amount one substance being injected into healthy individuals will produce the same effects that are caused by the disease they treat in unhealthy people. He also worked on the idea of illnesses having spiritual components as well as physical.

Growth of Homeopathy

With Dr. Hahnemann’s findings, the study of homeopathy grew. His students started schools to educate doctors around the world on the study of homeopathy. In the 19th century its rise began. This was when many disease epidemics were occurring, such as cholera and scarlet fever. Homeopathy is credited for helping immensely helping treat these outbreaks. In London in 1854, mortality rates of most hospitals were over 50%, however in the London Homeopathic Hospital they were only 16%. This success, amongst others assisted with the growth of homeopathy worldwide.

In the early 1900’s the use of homeopathy was at its highest, with major universities such as Boston University, Stanford and New York Medical College, along with 22 homeopathy schools and 15,000 practitioners in America alone. It was not just popular in America, but also across Europe, favoured by leaders of the times, including the royal family.

American Medical Association

The American Medical Association (AMA) lead a fight against the study of homeopathy. They saw homeopathy as an enemy against the drugs that they were promoting at the time. The AMA would only accept doctors who has trained in homeopathy into their organisation if they denounced homeopathy and promised not to practice anymore.

This is despite the fact that doctors who had studied in homeopathy were performing higher in their medical exams than doctors who were studying medical practices supported by the AMA. Unfortunately, the AMA had a large influence and this lead to the practice of homeopathy almost being wiped out in the mid 1900’s.

Revival

During the mid-late 1900’s homeopathy practice was heavily reduced in America, however was still heavily used in many areas of Europe. Even in these countries though, the study wasn’t growing and was being used alongside other forms of medicine. It was in the 1990’s when questions started to arise around other forms of medicine. The negative and harsh side effects of the primary treatments in America were starting to cause worry.

Homeopathy started to see a revival in this time. The worry about many unknown ingredients in other forms of medicine saw people looking for more natural and less harsh treatments for common medical issues. People started to be more aware of the ties between mental, physical and spiritual health, and the need to address all of these aspects in treatment.

Practices Today

These days homeopathy is thriving in many areas, with acknowledgments of its ability to work on overall health as well as targeting specific problems in personalised ways. Homeopathic doctors, including those a AyurClinic, study for years to understand the practice and how to deliver the best treatment.

Homeopathy continues to follow the ideas behind its origins, in that simple and often singular substances, taken carefully with assistance from practitioners, can address worrying symptoms and overall health. Homeopathy works on holistic health, treating health as a whole issue were mind, body and soul are tied together.

If you’re looking for a doctor who genuinely cares, and wants your whole health, healing physically, mentally and spiritually, than you should not look past homeopathy. At AyurClinic Melbourne we have had success treating over 9,000 patients with our holistic health method. You can read more about homeopathy here.

The Three Ayurveda Seasons

AyurClinic Melbourne know that the weather outside affects the Ayurveda seasons. The weather affects your health in many ways, and it is important to be aware of what your body is going through during these times. In Australia we mostly think about the year being broken into four seasons; Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. However Ayurvedic practices believe in the idea of three Ayurveda seasons. These seasons follow the three Doshas, and understanding them can help address health problems you have during these times.

Vata Season

ayurveda seasons vata melbourne clinic

The Vata season is considered to fall during what most of us would know as Autumn and early Winter. When the weather is getting dryer, colder, windy, and harsh. The Vata season does tend to bring around changes to our health. Skin will start to feel tight and dry, you may start to feel cold and lacking energy, you joints might start to feel dry and weakened.

It is important to stay warm and comfortable during Vata season. Remembering to consume hot food and beverages to keep your insides warm. Also remembering to adapt your lifestyle to keep your soul warm as well. Be sure to stay inside during days of particular bitter winds or cold. Keep up company with loved ones.

During Vata season it is also recommended to work around an earlier schedule, rise earlier, but also establish an earlier sleep time. The nights can be cold and harsh, and it can be damaging to your health to stay out for too long. A nice relaxing hot bath, with soothing oils and fragrances would be the perfect way to relax your body after a day facing the Vata season.

You can also consider working with homeopathic treatments if this time is effecting you. We can suggest herbal and natural medicines and remedies that can help staying warm and comfortable during this harsher weather.

Kapha Season

ayurveda seasons ayurveda clinic melbourne kapha

When Vata’s cold winds turn into frigid weather, the coldness creeps up even more intensely, and then slowly transforms when the sun starts to shine again, and flowers start to emerge, this is Kapha season. Your body may start to notice these changes as well. You may start to feel cold and sluggish as the winter weather hits strongly. The strong changes to the weather may shock your body and leave you feeling confused. You need to balance yourself to face these change.

One of the most important recommendations for this wet season is to keep dry and warm. Don’t let the slightly warmer days confuse you. You still need to ensure your body stays nurtured. Continue to consume the soothing warm drinks of the Vata season. Whilst staying warm, work on starting to move again. Get your body energised for the warm weather approaching.

As for diet, work on keeping it warm and light. You may be used to consuming heavier foods during the past winter, but keeping light during the slugging Kapha season means a need for a change in diet. This can be combined with trying to continue to work on an early sleeping pattern, embracing the early days of spring.

With the beginning of spring, also comes the need for a spring clean. Refresh your life by refreshing your living space. Clearing out old clutter, and making way for the new start. This might enable a new way of seeing your space. You could add a few natural plants or herbs, to help with the peace and also creating your own food.

Kapha season is beginning now in Melbourne. If you’re worried about embracing your health in this Kapha season, come visit us at AyurClinic, and we can help give personalised, useful advice on how to improve your health during the Kapha season.

Pitta Season

ayurveda seasons ayurveda clinic melbourne pitta

When the warm weather really hits, and the sun starts shining you have hit Pitta season. In Australia we are used to thinking about this as Summer, and early Autumn. Just like the now visible sunshine, Pitta season brings out the fiery spirit within us. This can make us lively, giving us energy to face our days, but it has its own downfalls if we do not act upon the changing weather. With the heat can come heartburn, rashes, irritability, anger, acne.

These common problems can be addressed with appropriate understanding of the Ayurveda behind the Pitta season. Just like with the other seasonal changes, changes within yourself and your lifestyle must occur. Your diet will need to be adjusted, as well as the time of food consumption. Ayurvedic principles recommend eating earlier, to avoid the eat of the day. You want to remove the hot, strong food, and refresh with cool, fresh produce and soothing drinks.

Along similar principles as cooling drinks, you need to work on cooling down the body. Light clothing, easy exercise such as walks, or even taking up swimming. One of the best ways to relax and cool the insides, is by refreshing massages. Using coconut oil with your routine, a 15 minute massage will soothe the skin. If you find yourself unable to do this yourself, come in and speak to us. We can customise one of our massages to work on rebalancing your Doshas during the Pitta season.

Massages can also assist with soothing your temperament. As the sun is burning so can our emotions. Taking time to relax, and organise your thoughts into peaceful patterns is essential during this time.

We Can Help…

If the Ayurveda seasons are getting your down, and causing imbalances in your soul, we are available to help you tackle the challenges that come with the changing seasons. AyurClinic has been practising homeopathy and Ayurveda for 25 years, and we have been able to assist almost 10,000 people with their inner and outer health.

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