In our YouTube Video on the Ayurvedic Daily Routine, Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta describes the importance of living in accordance with the Laws that pertain to the Ayurvedic Times of Day and how it affects the three Doshas of Vata, Pitta, & Kapha.

Pay particular attention to how Dr Cravatta explains the Pitta Time of Night – 10pm to 2am and why it is so important to be in bed by 10pm. You will be amazed by how going to bed early will have a profound affect on your health and well being. You will learn a deeper understanding of how the Pitta Subdoshas of Ranjaka Pitta and Sadhaka Pitta are influenced by this time of night.

Doing the Yoga Postures in our Awaken Within Yoga DVD before bed will assist you in unwinding from you day and help in having a deeper nights sleep.

www.shaktiveda.com Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta Grass Valley, CA 95945
Ayurvedic Herbal Products – Ayurvedic Consultations – Ayurvedic Cleansing Programs – Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

Since many of our patients have phone consultations and do not live in Northern California to attend classes in our Ayurveda Clinic, we offer you an easy method to deepen your Ayurvedic knowledge.

Shaktiveda hosts a monthly free Ayurvedic conference call on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Each month features an interesting Ayurvedic topic that will assist you in gaining an even deeper understanding of how to live an Ayurvedic Lifestyle. To access the live Conference Call, dial this number a little before 7pm PST on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Check Shaktiveda’s Calendar for the upcoming topics.
1-218-862-6789 – Conference Code: 902716

www.shaktiveda.com Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta Grass Valley, CA 95945
Ayurvedic Herbal Products – Ayurvedic Consultations – Ayurvedic Cleansing Programs

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

Through her years of experience helping patients with their Ayurveda Consultation in her Northern California Ayurveda Clinic and with Ayurveda Phone Consultations, Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta has written these articles so that you may look at specific health concerns with an Ayurvedic perspective.  New articles are added on a regular basis, so please check back on a regular basis.

You may also wish to check out the articles on our Yoga website – www.awakenwithinyoga.com

Would you like to sign up to receive our free  monthly Newsletter?  Please contact us either by email or phone with your email address.  We do not share email addresses.

www.shaktiveda.com Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta Grass Valley, CA 95945 – 530-273-8716
Ayurvedic Herbal Products – Ayurvedic Consultations – Ayurvedic Cleansing Programs – Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being. You may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

Through the years of practice in our Northern California Ayurveda Clinic, we have recognized that eating in a conscious manner is integral to achieve a level of optimum health.

A properly functioning digestive system is crucial to having a healthy body. Since every single cell within our bodies is made up of the food which we have ingested, the health of those individual cells is dependent upon our digestion. Therefore, it is important to eat healthy food to begin with and to set up the conditions to facilitate the digestive process.

Only eat when hungry.
This may sound obvious, but we often eat due to our emotions–anger, stress, sadness, or boredom.

Focus on the food.
Do not watch TV, do not read, do not work on the computer, do not drive your car and do not talk excessively while eating. If we are doing other things while we are eating, then our energy is not in our abdominal area, but up and out and not able to help with digestion. Doing two things at once is also dividing to the mind. Then we are in our heads and not in our bodies. It becomes difficult to know when to stop eating. It could be those one or two bites too many which could affect digestion.

Always eat sitting down.
Apana vata, the downward moving vata located in the lower abdomen is disturbed if we eat standing, moving, or if we get up in the middle of the meal. It will then flow upward and blow out our digestive fire.

Avoid cold food and drinks with meals.
We want a sharp digestive fire to burn our food. Putting cold
foods into our bodies will dampen or put our the digestive fire.

Have some warm water or ginger tea with your meals.
There is a proper balance of having enough liquid with our meals and having taken too much liquid with our meals. If the food you are eating is dry or dense, you will need more fluid with your food. Drinking ginger tea with meals aids digestion.

Lunch should be the main meal of the day.
The digestive fire is at it’s highest between noon and 1pm. We will more easily digest our food at this time. If you feel sluggish after a big lunch, it may be because you ate too much or ate heavy food and aggravated kapha.

www.shaktiveda.com Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta Grass Valley, CA 95945
Ayurvedic Herbal Products – Ayurvedic Consultations – Ayurvedic Cleansing Programs – Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

One of the Primary reasons that we should incorporate Ayurveda into our lives is to increase the flow of consciousness in our Mind/Bodies. Consciousness is manifest within us through Ojas.
Ojas is the most subtle, refined level of our physiology. In the Manifest Creation it is known as Ojas. On the level of Consciousness it is know as Soma.

Soma (or Ojas) is the sweet Bliss of Divinity — the Nectar of the Gods.

• A Sattivic Lifestyle will increase the ojas within you.  This is a Life Supporting Lifestyle.
• A Tamasic Lifestyle will decrease the ojas within you.

Ojas will be increased by:

• Regular Meditation
• Positive Thoughts
• Sattvic Foods: Ghee, Dates, Rice, Fresh Fruits (especially sweet grapes, figs, melons), well cooked fresh vegetables, foods that are not processed, foods free of chemicals, foods cooked by a conscious cook (with the attention on the food while in preparation)
• Following an Ayurvedic Daily Routine – with attention to the Times of Day
• Ayurvedic Cleansing will assist Ojas in flowing freely throughout the body
• Quiet time in the day – free from excessive noise and talking

Alcohol is the direct opposite of Ojas. Here is a quote from Charaka Samhita:

“Madya (wine) having entered into the heart counteracts the ten properties of ojas with its corresponding ten properties and thus upsets the mind. Wine prosesses ten properties such as light, hot, sharp, finely entering, sour, quickly absorbed, quick-acting, rough, depressent, and non-slimy. (On the other hand), ojas possesses ten properties of heavy, cold, soft, smooth, viscous, sweet, stable, clear, slimy and unctuous. Wine counteracts the properties of ojas by its own properties. . . Thus disturbing quickly the mind dependent on ojas produces narcosis.

The first stage of intoxication starts when the heart is stimulated but the ojas is not affected; the second stage comes when ojas is damaged and the third stage comes when ojas is damaged severely.”

Ojas is also disturbed by Pungent & Sour taste. The ojas of Pitta constitution will be particularly affected by these two tastes.

People of Pitta Constitution will have a greater tendency to “burn” their ojas. When the ojas is “burned” within an individual, the sweetness is less. There will be a harshness or somewhat of a difficult nature.

Holding on to old negative emotions, old angers, old resentments, and old criticisms will also have their effect on the amount of ojas within you.

It is so very important for spiritual growth that one be mindful of the old patterns that may be pulling one into ways of thinking an behaving that may not be in one’s best interest.

www.shaktiveda.com Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta Grass Valley, CA 95945
Ayurvedic Herbal Products – Ayurvedic Consultations – Ayurvedic Cleansing Programs – Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

In this section, Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta of Shaktiveda has written a series of Articles designed to assist you in gaining a deeper understanding of Ayurveda.

Be sure to check back frequently, as new Articles will be posted on a regular basis.

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

Fatigue & Difficulty Sleeping

by Dr. Mary Jo Cravatta

Feeling fatigued during the day and having difficulty sleeping is usually from an imbalanced Vata dosha (the subdosha of Prana Vata which is in the head and brain). Vata Dosha governs the nervous system and the NS is affected by the stress in our lives. It is important for you to recognize what are the main stressers in your life, then take the necessary steps to correct the situation. So often in our everyday hectic lives, we do not take the time to have moments of peace and calmness.

Vata Dosha is aggravated by irregular schedules, fitting too much into the day, trying to do three things at once, and by not focusing on whatever we are doing at the moment. After years of having this erratic schedule, the vata dosha accumulates and then becomes some type of symptom such as fatigue or insomnia.

You will need to take a deep look at your daily routine. Remember that old saying “early to bed makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”? Well, it must have come from an ayurvedic practioner. It is important to be in bed by 10 pm. The hours of sleep between 10pm and midnight are worth twice as much as the hours afterwards. If we go to bed too much after 10pm, then pitta becomes energized and we get our second wind. It will make it much more difficult to fall asleep.

Kapha time is 6pm until 10pm, and it is a natural slowing down time for us to get ready to go to bed. But all to often we are very busy during those hours or we are having a big dinner and not taking advantage of this calming time of the evening.

You may want to assist in balancing your Vata Dosha with taking ayurvedic herbs. You may try them in combination with doing a calming Pranayama (breathing technique) called Alternate Nostril Breathing. Taking the herbs and doing the breathing technique in the evening will help you in releasing your stress from the day and therefore getting a better nights sleep.

The Shaktiveda Herbal Product Calm Within is Designed to release stress from the nervous system, quiet a busy mind, and relieve bodily tension – this Shakti Infused formula is perfect to unwind and relax. You will notice within a few days that you are better able to respond to your busy day with a sense of stability and calmness. This formula is a combination of a variety of Ayurvedic herbs that synergistically work together to have a profound effect on your mind and nervous system. This in turn will allow you to feel calmer during the day and have a deeper nights sleep. You may take 1/2 tsp in warm water 1 or 2 times per day. Most prefer to also take it at bedtime for a deeper sleep. It is very delicious to drink as a hot tea. You may also wish to try it with adding a sweetener and some milk (cow, soy, rice, almond) and to have this as a Chai type of beverage. You may purchase Calm Within by going to Shaktiveda’s Shopping Cart

www.shaktiveda.com

Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.

Ayurvedic Daily Routine

Vata – 2am to 6pm and 2pm to 6pm

    Pitta – 10am to 2pm and 10pm to 2am

       Kapha – 6am to 10am and 6pm to 10pm

• 6am to 7am Wake up without an alarm (if possible) Upon arising – Oil Pull then drink a cup of hot water Do the abhyanga – daily sesame oil massage, then bathe
• 7am to 8am Take your Shaktiveda Herbs Yoga asanas, pranayama, and mantra meditation
• 8am to 8:30am A nurishing breakfast – ideally, a warm, cooked cereal Be sure to have a complementary protein
• 8:30am to 9:30am Exercise – walking is the most ideal, ayurvedic exercise
• 12 to 1pm Lunch should be the largest meal of the day Attention to: grains, beans, and greens Your main protein source should be at lunch Remember to have all 6 tastes
• 5pm to 6pm Yoga asanas, pranayama, and mantra meditation Take soothing herbs before your practice
• 6pm to 7pm A nourishing, but light dinner Steamed greens, rice, or kitchari is easy to digest Or cooked cereal grains with some nut butter
• 7pm to 9:30pm Have a relaxing evening to settle down before going to bed Listen to soothing music, take a bath, or do some stretching
• 9:30pm to 10:30pm Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise ! Remember to take your evening herbs

www.shaktiveda.com

Shaktiveda Yoga (Workshops, Yoga Classes, Yoga DVDs)

Experience the Joy that can be experienced by the Shaktiveda Ayurveda approach to health and well being in our Berkeley, CA or Grass Valley offices. If you are not in Northern California, you may have your consultation by either phone or by Skype.