12 th April Dear Students and readers, These are the nine holy nights of the spring Navaratra from 6 th to 14 th

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1 s 12 th April 2008 Dear Students and readers, These are the nine holy nights of the spring Navaratra from 6 th to 14 th April. Those of you who have studied my book Programming your Life with Ayurveda (Das Ayurveda Programm für jeden Tag) may have read in that book about the Ayurvedic importance of these 9 days for purifying the body by doing half fast. These nine nights are the nights of the different goddesses with different feminine powers. There are tails to demonstrate that even the gods could not achieve victory without the help of these feminine powers. On this occasion of Navaratra, I am going to tell you about how you can make yourself sick or healthy with food. The title of this article is also a title of the 5 th Chapter in my book, Stress free Work with Yoga and Ayurveda.(Ayurveda in Alttag und Beruf). The other details are from my book Ayurvedic Food Culture (Lebens Kuche). I wish you all the best for the spring season and I hope to see some of you at the end of next month when I am in Europe. My programme for this year is given at the end of the article. Dr. Vinod Verma The New Way Health Organisation.NOW. 1

2 HQ: A-130 Sector 26, Noida , Uttarpradesh, India Telephone: (0) Mobile: or or Website: NOW's Himalayan Centre Charaka School of Ayurveda Village Astal, Tehsil Dunda, District Uttarkashi, Uttranchal Telephone: (0) Mobile: NOW' MESSAGE BE OLD AND WISE AND NOT OLD AND SENILE! ********************************************** Your Food: Nectar or poison? Nectar is called amrit in Sanskrit and it is that which is delicious, strength promoting and makes you live longer. Opposite to nectar is poison or Visha and it tastes bad and causes suffering and death. The food we eat should be nectar and not poison. I have cured many people in my life from their chronic and nagging troubles by altering their food habits and bringing them to Ayurvedic food culture. Food substances are not good or bad according to Ayurveda. The same strength promoting nutrients for one person can prove to be harmful for another. Take an example of milk. Cold milk is beneficial for someone who has excessive heat in the body (pitta vikriti). Sweetened cold milk is a medicine to cure acidity and should be taken immediately after meals. On the contrary, the same cold milk can do harm to someone who has kapha prakriti (cool by nature, tends to accumulate phlegm) and consumes the milk on a winter evening. To make you understand about the Ayurvedic nutrition, I have summed up the Ayurvedic nutrition principles described so beautifully in Charaka Samhita, in the form of a sutra or aphorism. 2

3 Who eats what, when and where, and how and how much 1. In other words, the factors that constitute the Ayurvedic food culture are: Your prakriti or the fundamental constitution (who) The intrinsic quality of food and the right combination of rasas 2 (what) According to time or kala (time of the day, season and your age) (when) The climate of the specific place where you are residing (where) Right way to eat with a peaceful mind (how) Stomach only 2/3 full at each meal (how much). These short statements will be more clear after you read about the eight golden principles of Ayurveda. Heal your stomach ailments with EIGHT GOLDEN PRINCIPLES OF AYURVEDA I give you below the eight golden principles of Ayurvedic food Culture and believe me; many of you will be cured from your nagging stomach ailments by following this fundamental wisdom of Ayurveda. Those who have chronic problems will feel some relief and perhaps will need some simple home remedies to feel completely all right. Even if the food is prepared by taking care of the rasas (diverse tastes) and the climate and so on, it can still do harm if the fundamental principles of Ayurvedic food cultures are not followed. These are even more important than making the food rejuvenating and balanced. 1. Keep in mind to include all the rasas while preparing food. Try to include a variety of ingredients in each meal and take care that you do not eat foods antagonist in nature (see box). Take always warm and fluid food with moderate quantity of fat. Never take preserved foods or those foods which are kept overnight after cooking (basa). Food should be served in a beautiful manner to create the congenial and aesthetic atmosphere for its consumption. 2. Never consume food under stressful circumstances or under any emotional restraint. If you happen to be in such a state shortly before your meal, wait for a while, do some breathing exercises, wash your face with cold water and then sit comfortably for taking your meal. 1 Cited from my book, Eating Right the Natural Way: Ayurvedic recipes for healthy life, 2001, Penguin-India. In German- Die Lebens Küche: Die Basics der Ayurvedischen Esskulture, 2002, Mary Hahn, München. 2 Literal meaning of rasa is taste. Each of the six tastes in the cosmos (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent) has an effect on our body and provide us energy in the elemental form. For a balanced nutrition, you must include all the rasas in your meals. 3

4 3. Before beginning your meal, bring your mind to your food, which is the fundamental basis of body s energy. Look at your food and make a wish that the five elements of the food may provide you with equilibrium, vigour and good health. Say a little prayer or take some deep breaths. 4. The food should be eaten neither too slow nor too fast. You should not speak with food in the mouth. 5. Ayurveda recommends drinking only one hour after the food. If required to drink along with food, one may consume liquid in small quantities. Ayurveda recommends drinking only very good quality of wine or beer in a small quantity with food. Juices and milk should not be taken with food. Water is highly recommended but after one hour of eating the meal. Food should be prepared in such a manner that it is fluid and should include some soup or something similar. 6. Never eat anything before the previous meal is completely digested. According to Ayurveda, it is poisonous for the body if one eats when the body is still in the process of digesting the previous meal. Do not eat anything four hours after having eaten something. For your stomach, a little thing like a piece of chocolate or a fruit is also food to be worked upon and digested. Thus, strictly do not eat anything between meals. If due to some heavy food, you are not hungry for the next meal even after 5 or 6 hours, then avoid taking a meal or take something very light like a soup. 7. Many people in the world make themselves sick by eating too much. According to Ayurveda, you should always eat that much quantity, which fills the stomach two third and not completely full. It means, eat to the limit when you feel comfortably satisfied and not so full that you cannot eat any more. Logic of this is that the three doshas also require place in the stomach for the digestion of the food. If the stomach is made full to its utmost capacity, during digestion, the humours are pushed out and give rise to vitiation causing thereby various digestive troubles. This may also give rise to amadosha. Amadosha is the partial digestion of the food and undigested food remains in the stomach and intestines, ultimately leading to toxicity in the whole body. For the well-being of the body and for avoiding serious ailments related to digestion, it is absolutely essential to have discipline about the quantity of food you consume. 8. Never take a shower or bath immediately after eating. Wait at least two hours, preferably three hours. In any case, it is better to have shower or bath before eating. Also avoid any form of vigorous exercise after food. All these vitiate vata. Going for a slow walk after dinner is highly recommended. Dinner should 4

5 be taken at least two hours before going to bed and you should give a break of about 12 hours at night without any food. The principles 5, 6 and 7 are extremely important and I have cured many people from their nagging stomach problems by making them follow these. Antagonism in food In Charaka Samhita, there is a detailed description of the Ayurvedic food cultures and it is specified that the combination of antagonist substances or antagonist acts that react contrary to the nature of the body should be absolutely avoided. Effect of antagonist substances may be in the form of immediate malaise or slow poisoning of the body. Here are some examples of antagonistic food combinations: Milk in combination with sour foods, radish, water melon or fish Honey in any heated form or taking a hot drink immediately after taking honey Fatty food in combination with cold drinks or cold water Use of diet adverse to a person s food habits Combination of too hot and too cold foods Food antagonism to time, place and constitution Foods excessively dominating in one particular rasa like excessively salty, sweet, sour etc. If you are serious about healing your stomach problems, follow the Ayurvedic principles of food culture. 5

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7 Books by Dr. Verma and their Availability The World of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Yoga: The Oldest and Holistic System of Medicine The Ayurveda Pioneer Dr. Vinod Verma s Authentic and Value-added Work on all aspects of yoga and Ayurveda Dr. Verma is the first one to present to the world the ancient wisdom in a scientific manner with modern metaphor and with a new paradigm. She has been doing research since 1980s and her first books appeared in late eighties. 7

8 Books written by Dr. Verma The following books were published between 1987 and Some books are in the process of reprinting and are not yet available. Please contact for more details and book orders: or (A-130, Sector 26, Noida , Uttarapradesh, India). Ayurveda: A Way of Life (Published in English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Czech, Portuguese and Hindi). A complete and comprehensive book to attain knowledge about the fundamental basis of Ayurveda and its practical aspects in everyday life. It is the first book ever to present Ayurvedic wisdom in an analytical and scientific manner and with the supportive citations from the original ancient manuscripts. Ayurveda for Inner Harmony: Nutrition, Sexual Energy and Healing (Published in English, German, Italian, French, Romanian and Hindi). This book deals with the three principal aspects of Ayurveda for health and healing and importance of these aspects for our well-being. Balanced nutrition, equilibrium in sexuality and spiritual therapy (along with rational and mental therapies) are some major aspects in Ayurvedic treatment. Programming Your Life with Ayurveda (Published in German, French and English) This is the first ever workbook on Ayurveda and has the practical aspects of daily routine, weekly routine, seasonal routine, monthly routine and half yearly cleansing practices. Description is given with each detail so that you can learn and do on your own. It has also healing remedies for maintaining balance and promoting strength. Companionship and Sexuality: Based on Ayurveda and the Hindu tradition. (Published in English and German) Sexuality is the nucleus of companionship and companionship is the protective cover for sexuality. Based upon the three characteristic qualities- sattva (stillness), rajas (action) and tamas (inertia), the book highlights the primordial differences between men and women and provides practical methods for enhancing understanding and harmony. 8

9 Aum: The Infinite Energy: Techniques for Stability, Strength and Stress Management (Published US/UK edition, Indian edition and in German) Aum signifies the totality of the cosmos. Repetition of AUM helps develop mental lucidity, intuition and enhances work efficiency. The present book teaches you how to imbibe AUM practices in your daily routine and benefit for health and healing. (available at ). Losing Weight with Ayurvedic Diet (Published US/UK edition, Indian edition and in German) Contrary to the most available diets, the wholesome Ayurvedic diet is delicious and health and beauty promoting. Based upon Ayurvedic principles, it is the result of Dr. Verma s long time research. Patanjali s Yoga Sutra: A Scientific Exposition (Published in English, Hindi and German). A translation and commentary of the Yoga Sutras, made easily comprehensible with charts and drawing, and shows the systematic and scientific aspects of yogic wisdom. Yoga: A Natural Way of Being (Published in English, German, French, Italian and Hindi) This book has simple methods to adopt a yogic way of life for physical strength and mental harmony. Through very simple exercises and a nine-week plan, you can learn yogic exercises, postures and concentration practices on your own. Losing and Maintaining Weight with Ayurveda and Yoga (Published in English (UK, USA) and German) Over-weight is a perpetual problem of modern times. The book tells you not simply the methods to reduce weight or diets for doing so, but also all those factors and actions which enhance weight. This holistic diet will not only make you slim but also will improve your health. (available at ). Good Food for Dogs: Vegetarian Nourishment based on Ayurvedic Wisdom (Published in English UK/USA and German). Pet dogs are mostly given industrial food either dried or canned. It is not good for their health. Fresh food gives as much pleasure to dogs as to human beings. Dogs can be fed very simple but healthy vegetarian food. According to Ayurvedic wisdom, health norms are the same for dogs or other living beings, as for humans. (available at ). Following books are out of print in English at the moment and are in the process of getting republished. The Kamasutra for Women (Published in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Hindi and Malayalam). This book describes for the first time the primordial difference between men and women based on the three qualities of Prakriti The Cosmic Substance. Menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and their relationship to women s sexuality are an important part of this book. The three phases of sexual act and sexuality and spirituality are the other highlights. 9

10 Stress-free Work with Yoga and Ayurveda (Published in German, English and Hindi) Tension and stress built at physical and mental level while working can cause several different kinds of aches and pains. Simple yogic and Ayurvedic practices and methods are given to maintain a balance and to keep good health. A sixteen minutes daily programme to maintain physical fitness and inner peace is the highlight of this book. Patanjali and Ayurvedic Yoga (Published in English, German and Hindi). Charaka has laid a great emphasis on yogic practices for health. The principal theme of the book is to learn to integrate the discipline of body and mind from Patanjali s Yoga Sutras to attain good health and inner peace. Ayurvedic Food Culture and Recipes (Published in English, German and Hindi) Disciplined way of eating is as important in Ayurveda as the right combination of ingredients. After the descriptions of the fundamental principles of Ayurvedic nutrition and consumption of food, the recipes of breakfast, main meals, desserts, drinks, side dishes and some other foods are given. The Natural Glamour: The Ayurveda Beauty Book (Published in German, Romanian and English) The book emphasises the concept of roopa, the inner radiation all of us have and how to highlight it with various practices like inner cleaning, outer care and mental balance. The book is meant for all: men, women and children. Timeless Wisdom of Ayurveda: A Scientific Exposition (in press) This is a small book to give you an exposure to Ayurveda and its holistic approach that touches all aspects of your life. The Two Mysteries of Ayurveda: Prakriti and Pulse (in press), published only Pulse part in German. Prakriti is the fundamental constitution and reveals the behavioural psychology of an individual. It is the inner human face that can be seen with careful observations. It helps understanding people physically and mentally and can be used not only for health and healing but also for enhancing understanding. Pulse examination reveals the state of body and mind for an Ayurvedic physician. This book is a practical guide to learn these two aspects of Ayurveda. ********* Bala Kamasutra: Aphorisms for Imparting Sexual Education to Children (in preparation) All these books are fully illustrated with sketches and photographs. 10

11 About Dr. Verma After a doctorate degree in reproduction biology in India, Dr. Verma studied Neurobiology in Paris University and obtained a second doctorate. She pursued advanced research at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda (USA) and the Max-Planck Institute in Freiburg, Germany. At the peak of her career in medical research in a pharmaceutical company in Germany, she realised that the modern approach to health care is basically fragmented and non-holistic. Besides, we are directing all our efforts and resources to cure disease rather than maintaining health. In response, Dr. Verma founded NOW in 1986 to spread the message of holistic living, preventive methods for health care and to promote the use of mild medicine and various self-help therapeutic measures. Dr. Verma grew up with a strong familial tradition of Ayurveda with a grandmother who had enormous Ayurvedic wisdom and was a gifted healer. She has been studying Ayurveda in the traditional Guru-shishya style with Acharya Priya Vrat Sharma of the Benares Hindu University for the last 21 years and completed her doctorate. Dr. Verma is an ardent researcher and is working hard to compile the living tradition of Ayurveda and spread it in the world through her books. She has published eighteen books on yoga, Ayurveda, women and Companionship. The books are published in various languages of the world. Besides, she has published numerous scientific papers. Several other books are in preparation. She lectures extensively, teaches in Europe for several months a year, trains students at her two centres in India and gives radio and television programmes. Her film on Ayurveda was shown in 100 countries in 130 languages. Dr. Verma has founded Charaka School of Ayurveda to train interested people with genuine Ayurvedic education so that they can further impart the knowledge of Ayurvedic way of life and save people from becoming a victim of charlatanry in Ayurveda. Dr. Verma is doing several research projects on medicinal plants and their combination in the form of remedies. She has also taken up a social service project to distribute and promote the use of Ayurvedic remedies and yoga therapy in rural areas of India. She does regular lectures for school children in the rural and remote areas of the Himalayas to promote wisdom of traditional science and medicine. Dr. Verma gives seminars, lectures and teaches in the Charaka School of Ayurveda with guru-shishya tradition. She is the Academic Director of the Charaka Ayurveda and Yoga Academy and Cultural Centre (CAYACC), which has its headquarters in Dresden. She is a visiting professor in Beirat des Berufsverbandes Unabhängiger Gesundheitswissenschaftlicher Yoga-LehrerInnen (BUGY) in Göttingen (Germany). Dr Verma speaks Hindi, Punjabi, French, German and English and she has knowledge of Sanskrit 11