The Dangers of Adderall

The cover story in this weeks’ Sunday New York Times is titled Drowned in a Stream of Prescriptions.  It’s a tragic story about a young man, a good student and president of his college class, who recently committed suicide after becoming addicted to Adderall, an A.D.H.D. medication.  Richard did not have A.D.H.D. but was easily able to procure prescriptions for Adderall from several different doctors.  I read the article and was shocked to learn how simple it was for Richard to get prescriptions for a medication that treated a condition he did not have. 

 

Wow!  I guess I’m pretty darn naïve.  Yesterday afternoon I spoke about this article with the Mother of two college students.  She informed me that her daughters tell her  “many kids take drugs meant for A.D.H.D.” Apparently these drugs make it easy to stay up all night to study. 

 

A clinical neuropsychologist, named DeAnsin Parker, made the following statement in reference to Adderall.  “Stimulants will help anyone focus better.  And a lot of young people like or value that feeling, especially those who are driven and ambitious.  We have to realize that these are potential addicts—drug addicts don’t look like they used to.”

 

To be ambitious is OK.  As a matter of fact, most people consider ambition and competiveness to be desirable traits.  Don’t we all feel happier if we perceive that we are reaching our potential?  It’s been said that work should be to adults what play is to children. We should enjoy our work and wish to do well at it. Parents want their kids to achieve and kids want to make their parents happy. If an ambitious and driven kid feels blocked or thwarted she is going to look for a solution.  What a tragedy that too often the solution is medications.

 

In our book Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way Sandra and I write about the incredible benefits of physiological balance.  When the mind-body-spirit is balanced potential is more easily reached.  Understanding the essence of physiological balance and suggestions on reaching this desirable state are offered in our book.  One of the interventions we suggest, and the one I wish to write about today, is the Transcendental Meditation technique.

 

Increased inner control, decreased anxiety, relief from insomnia, improved job performance and increased job satisfaction are only a few of the myriad positive benefits gleaned from practice of the TM technique.  Increased well being and improved grades are also reported after learning this meditative technique. TM is a positive solution for the competitive kid who feels thwarted.  Drugs are not!

 

Millions of people worldwide practice the TM technique but word needs to get out to millions more.  If you know of someone who is using a stimulant to stay up all night and study, someone who doesn’t have A.D.H.D., but who just simply wants to do well——-please tell her to get online and click on TM.org——–do that first and then click on Amazon and order copy of Healing Depression the Mind– Body Way.  Non-drug solutions do exist!

 

As always, Sandra and I wish you perfect health and happiness.

 

 

 

 

 

Even Coffee, a Stable of American Life, Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

Good morning, everyone!  I just finished drinking a cup of coffee.  I “do” one a day and I treasure it, but I really don’t want any more than that.  If I drink more than one cup I become a bit shaky.  How about you?  Do you drink no coffee, one or two cups in the morning or are you an all-day-coffee drinker?

 

 

We hear a lot about both the evils and the benefits of caffeine and it is difficult to know which message is correct. Let’s try to straighten out “coffee confusion” by looking at the Ayurvedic take on this substance and some western research data.

 

You might be surprised to know that a great deal of research data supports coffee as a beneficial substance to ingest.  Most likely researchers find coffee beneficial because of its antioxidant properties.

 

According to Ayurveda, coffee, while being alright or even good for some of us, isn’t a beneficial substance for everyone.  Yes, coffee does have antioxidant properties, but it also is a stimulant.

 

Ayurveda views each and every person as unique, with a unique mind-body constitution which must be considered in making decisions about life style.  In other words we are all affected differently by substances and experiences. Each of us marches to our own drummer!  For some of us small intakes of a stimulant are OK or even beneficial. Others will not benefit and might impede their over-all well being from ingesting a stimulant.

 

In our book Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way Sandra and I described three archetypes of depression.  We described Airy Depression which is triggered by an imbalance in Vata dosha, Burning Depression which comes about from an imbalance in Pitta dosha, and Earthy Depression which is caused by an imbalance in Kapha dosha. In our book we also informed you that many individuals suffer from a mixed type of depression. If, from our questionnaire, you determined that you have a mixed type of depression we urged you to balance Vata dosha first.

 

Depending on your constitutional type and the type of depression you are vulnerable to coffee will have a different overall effect.  Today we want to encourage you to think about your relationship with coffee. Thinking about this relationship is especially important if you are currently depressed.

 

The physical manifestations of an Earthy Depression include eating and sleeping in excess, which often leads to weight gain and increased lethargy. Sleeping late only adds to the heaviness experienced. Coffee can be helpful if it provides enough of a kick to get the person experiencing this imbalance in Kapha dosha out of bed. The antioxidant qualities in the coffee will also be helpful for those experiencing this archetype of depression.

 

Those who suffer from a Burning Depression have usually been living a life of high intensity and excessive competitiveness.  The result is an imbalance in Pitta dosha triggering depression. In addition to depression those with a Pitta imbalance often also experience skin problems, digestive disturbances and irritation of the eyes. Migraine headaches and muscle tension and insomnia are often reported.

 

Coffee? Absolutely not!  Ayurveda would not recommend the ingestion of coffee for these folks.  The properties of coffee might well increase acidity and trigger heartburn, headaches and may increase irritability.

 

At the root of the problem for Airy Depression are long-standing sleep debt and mental or emotional fatigue. Unfortunately, one of the first telltale signs of a depression caused by an imbalance in Vata dosha is the presence of insomnia.  The inability to get a good night’s rest adds momentum to the depressive episode.  Individuals suffering from this archetype of depression have a depleted nervous system.  They are, to put it in a nutshell, exhausted.  They need to nourish the nervous system in order to feel better.

 

How does coffee affect the nervous system?  Coffee is a stimulant and can be terrible for the nervous system especially for those exhausted people who desire it the most.

 

Stimulants directly impact sleep, decrease appetite, and activate the nervous system.  Coffee is a huge no-no for those experiencing a depression triggered by an imbalance in Vata dosha.  As with any other stimulant, when the effects wear off feeling down or depressed ensues. We would recommend an herbal tea or hot water and lemon in the morning for individuals suffering from this archetype of depression.

 

In sum:  Every time we drink coffee we step on the accelerator.  Coffee is a stimulant and it increases the innervations of our sympathetic nervous system.  If we continually keep our foot on the gas we definitely will eventually burn out our engine (nervous system).

 

Ayurveda considers the nervous system to be the orchestrator of our metabolic functions.  The nervous system affects endocrine gland activity and the physiological functioning of all organs.  If we have excessive stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system this will lead to energetic depletion and burn out.  Coffee can be a significant trigger for the onset of depression.  Certainly, too much coffee can be stabilizing to depression once this malady is entrenched in the physiology.

 

To undo depression we look for substances which nourish the physiology and stabilize the nervous system.  Even small amounts of coffee may or may not be the best for you!

 

Sandra and I wish you happy holidays—filled with health, vitality and happiness!

 

Will Natural Treatments for Depression Also Work as Effective Treatments for Anxiety?

For several years newspapers, magazines, and TV talk shows were chock full of “depression-talk.”

The rates of depression were, and still are, rising propitiously and conversation about the phenomenon of depression and possible cures for this malady were discussed endlessly.

 

I haven’t  noticed as much “depression-discussion” in recent weeks.  The conversation has shifted to discussion of anxiety.  Now it seems as if newspapers, magazines, and TV talk shows are chock full of “anxiety-talk.”

 

I wonder why this shift occurred. One reason could be that  research has shown the anti-depressant medications to work, in most cases, no better than placebos. Discussion of a problem, when it is believed that no strategy for solution can be offered might, perhaps, block the discussion.

 

It is my hope that discussion about depression will be renewed and will focus on the good news that solutions do exist! Natural medicine and natural solutions definitely work as effective treatments and cures. For the majority of people drugs have been shown to be ineffectual and, therefore, not needed.   We do not need to collectively grieve over this news. Instead we can turn our attention in a different direction and find viable natural  treatments which empower and enhance overall health.

 

In our book Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way Sandra and I describe how depression is created and we offer seven anti-depressant strategies, coming from Ayurveda, the oldest form of natural medicine.

 

And here is some exciting news—–the same strategies that effectively treat depression work also for the treatment and cure of anxiety!  You see, neither anxiety nor depression are isolated conditions.  These maladies are tied to the overall health of the entire seamless energetic system that is YOU and understanding how to process matter and digest life is curative. Ayurveda offers an instruction manual on how to accomplish this; how to attain physiological balance and to deter the problems of both anxiety and depression.

 

We’ve written a lot about depression.  Today I want to focus on anxiety and offer one specific strategy to alleviate this disorder.

 

Anxiety is truly our enemy.  It gets in the way of nurturing relationships.  We can become detached or revved up because of anxiety.  Either way makes true connection impossible. Anxiety makes focus on our work difficult and sleep impossible.  Because we each possess a unique nervous system, anxiety is displayed differently by different people.  Some people shut down while others fly about, eating on the run, moving from thing to thing like a jack rabbit on steroids.  When anxiety overwhelms, panic attacks or phobias can occur.  All of us suffer occasionally from a degree of generalized anxiety.  Those who experience phobias, such as hypochondria or agoraphobia have severe anxiety.

 

What is the basis of anxiety?   It is, in most cases, triggered by a depleted nervous system.  Our physiology is in an ongoing energetic exchange with both its immediate environment and with the universe at large. In other words—we are affected by our expectations of ourselves and others and by everything and everyone around us.  Staying in balance is necessary if we are to keep our equilibrium.  Life is often filled with obstacles and challenges which profoundly effect our mind-body. We need strategies helping us to maintain physiological balance and relieve stress.

 

We need to effectively treat anxiety because this disorder can make our life miserable.  Nothing that happens to us is as bad as the anxiety which can  accompany the event.  Anxiety is so uncomfortable that oftentimes individuals become fearful of its presence.  This fear creates a tension which insures the occurrence of a subsequent attack. Whether you suffer from generalized anxiety, anxiety about the occurrence of anxiety, panic attacks or phobias, simple, breathing techniques can be helpful.  Breathing techniques are powerful medicine but guess what—-the breath is free medicine. No expense occurs!  And there are no troublesome side effects.

 

Breathing techniques are potent.  Integrating the performance of our respiratory tract with that of our nervous system has an impact on our digestive, immune, circulatory, and endocrine functioning.  When used properly and on a regular basis breathing techniques help us to exert voluntary control over our mental and emotional states.  The oxygen that meets your nose is a medicine that can effectively treat anxiety disorders.  No kidding!

 

Our breath mirrors our moods.  When we become anxious shortness of breath ensues.  Choppy, irregular breathing causes an inadequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, which in turn causes the heart to pump faster to oxygenate the blood.  Such an increase in heart rate enhances the experience of anxiety.  When your hear pumps wildly, your thoughts race, your emotions are bound to be out of control and vitality will evaporate.

 

Begin to train your nervous system to function in a calm and healing mode by focusing on nose breathing.  Mouth breathing has the same effect as gasping for air:  it sends a message to the brain that the physiology is in a state of stress; the physiology then responds by going into overdrive.

 

When air enters through the nose, it affects the part of the brain that sends a message of relaxation to the nervous system.  A deep full breath through the nose also ensures that oxygen is being delivered to the lower lobes of the lungs.  As the lower lobes expand to accept the gush of air, stretch receptors are activated. These receptors trigger the release of biochemicals that ground one’s mental torrents yet invigorate the physiology.  Putting the breath under your voluntary control is a great antidote for a physiology that is overcome with anxiety and exhaustion.That’s why so many people advise, “Take a deep breath” when the going gets rough or when things get tense—–because it works!

 

Breathing techniques are but one of the solutions Ayurveda offers for the treatment of anxiety.

If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder we hope you will utilize your breath as a free and effective treatment and that you will come to Ayurveda to learn about other interventions!  There are many and the good news is this—they work!

 

As always, Sandra and I wish you health, happiness, and—– an anxiety free day.

 

Smoothies that Detoxify and Cool!

Memorial Day is the harbinger of summer.  Warm days and a more relaxing state of mind is promised for the next three months.

According to Ayurveda we can build imbalances (blockages in our energetic network) if we are not careful to keep our mind-body cool in the summertime.

The human being is an aspect of the natural world and as such is influenced by the change of seasons, the flora and fauna and changing temperatures.  We possess homeostatic mechanisms helping our physiology to remain in balance in the face of environmental changes and challenges.  At the same time, our physiology can always use a nudge toward balance.

Smoothies are great for keeping us cool in the summertime.  In addition, they work well as a liver cleanse.  Why not enjoy a smoothie and accomplish two tasks at the same time?

Your liver can be compared to the engine of a car.  It is what keeps you going and it doesn’t continue to work efficiently unless it is cleaned from time to time.  Food that is easy to assimilate, gives energy and detoxifies is perfect for a liver cleanse.  These smoothies are also cooling and so they make a good summertime treat.  Enjoy.

Play around with the amounts of the ingredients until you get something flavorful.  Each person might prefer a little more or a little less of this or that!

Smoothie Ideas from Nancy and Sandra

 

Dandelion and Fruit Smoothie

2 cups of dandelion greens (dandelion greens are great for cleaning your motor aka—liver!)

1 cup milk thistle

2 cups chopped apple

1 chopped pear

1 tbs of grated gingerroot

½ cup of dried cherries or cranberries

Add coconut water to make desired consistency of smoothie

Dandelion and Fruit/Vegie Smoothie

 

1 cup of cilantro or parsley

2 cups of dandelion greens

2 stalks of celery

2 chopped pears

1 chopped zucchini

1 tb of grated gingerroot

1/4 -1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp lemon juice

1 chopped mango

Add coconut water to make desired consistency

Enjoy!  Happy sipping and happy summer!

Sandra and I hope you have a wonderful and “cool” summer!  We hope “your engine” helps you to enjoy lots of time in the great outdoors!

Negativity and its Destructive Power

 

Illinois State Police stand guard on Michigan Ave., Chicago, during a protest march as a part of this weekend’s NATO summit Sunday. Security has been high throughout the city in preparation for the NATO summit, where delegations from about 60 countries will discuss the war in Afghanistan and European missile defense.

My husband, Bud, and I spent the weekend in Chicago.  This metropolis, on the shore of Lake Michigan is a spectacular city.  We love to spend time there.  The architecture and cultural life delights us with its excellence and variety.

You may have read that this week NATO is convening in Chicago.  A convention of this size and power invites not only worldwide delegates, but also protestors wanting to be heard by the individuals in power.  Thousands of people lined the streets and parks in Chicago.  And, what seemed to us like thousands of police also marked the sidewalks and surrounded the beautiful parks.

In 1968 the violence between police and anti-Vietnam war protesters in the streets and parks of Chicago gave the city a black eye from which it has yet to completely recover.

Let’s all hope that the NATO convention doesn’t trigger the same type of breakout.

In 1968 it was the police, not the protesters who were held primarily responsible for the violence.  This was because of their reactions to a perceived threat.  Certainly the police in 2012 also perceive the protesters as threatening.

We saw police carrying bully clubs in their hands, angry scowls on their faces and we heard them yelling at sign-carrying protesters. These experiences reminded me of the power of negative interactions and how negativity can bring about violence.

We could feel tension in the air and sense a growing anger.  I heard one woman carrying an “end all wars sign” call out to a policeman who was corralling her off the sidewalk, “Why do you treat us like this?  We aren’t mad at you.  We are here for peace.” I’m sure there were some serious troublemakers in the protesting crowd, but the ongoing reactions from the police (that Bud and I observed) seemed over the top.

The Chicago police definitely desire peace and safety.  I’m sure in many ways they have done and are doing a terrific job.  However, if the reactions on the street that we observed are indicative of their general attitudes and behaviors then they will certainly bring about, at the least, some unnecessary skirmishes.

How we react to perceived threats is always pivotal in meeting our goals. I know the policemen’s goal was to insure a peaceful city but I wondered if they were unwittingly sabotaging themselves.  Watching their behavior I was reminded of how well meaning parents often sabotage their goals for their children by becoming oppositional and negative when they perceive a threat to family values.  I was reminded of the skirmishes that often occur between parents and children—-especially parents and teen-agers.

I was also reminded that industrial psychologists believe that one person carrying a negative attitude and exhibiting negative interactions can cause tremendous problems in a total work force.  I was reminded of how easily the human being becomes oppositional when he is threatened.  Unfortunately opposition usually brings about that which we desire to avoid as it increases opposition in the people we are opposing.

In sum:  I was reminded of the power of opposition and negativity when it exists in our personal lives.

My thought processes led me to a mental review of research on the TM technique and how that technique is helpful in creating peace.  Practice of the TM technique has been shown to create increased peace in families, in the work place and in society at large.

Scientific research informs us that negativity and oppositional tendencies are reduced through practice of the TM technique.  Ample research shows that meditating families are, in general, significantly happier than non-meditating families.  Research also shows that meditating families are able to avoid becoming caught up in escalating conflict.  Of course meditators experience stress but their physiologies are able to brush stress off instead of incorporating it into mind and body.

Many companies now suggest and support the practice of the TM technique for their employees.  Research shows that absenteeism, accidents and substance abuse are reduced while efficiency and productivity in these businesses increases.

In addition, at least ten large-scale studies, carefully controlled for all demographic influences known to affect crime, have demonstrated that when one percent of a population practices TM, the crime rate in that city or country drops markedly, as do the suicide and accident rates.  One study found a significant overall drop in crime rate in a sample of forty-eight American cities and reported results in the Journal of Crime and Justice.

There is no doubt that the TM technique helps the individual, the family and society avoid negativity and oppositional tendencies.  It helps us to avoid conflicts and tension and to resolve differences in a peaceable way.

In Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way Sandra and I discuss how the practice of the TM technique helps the individual in a myriad of ways.  In general we focus on the helpfulness of this technique to avoid and to treat depression.  Do you want to know more about the power of this technique?  If so I suggest you click on TM.org and read some of the impressive research that has been done on the effects of this practice.

You don’t need to be a protester in Chicago carrying an anti-war sign to make an impact on society.  Instead you can begin by creating peace within that radiates outward to all around you.  May I suggest that you investigate learning the TM technique?  One does have to pay to learn but no one is ever turned away for lack of funds.  Check it out.  Again—-that website is TM.org—-

As always, Sandra and I wish you perfect health and happiness.  Today we also wish you peace in your relationships, your work place, and in society at large!

It’s After Thanksgiving! Give Yourself a Break. We Know You Tried

It is the Monday after Thanksgiving and we are wondering if any of you still feel like that overstuffed turkey you ate last Thursday?  Here are a few suggestions that will work to bring lightness back to your body.

1. Drink the wise water.  We gave you the recipe for this in a blog a few weeks ago.  This water will work to purify your body and the purification will help you feel lighter. See the Wise Water Recipe here: https://healingdepression.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/depression-affects-our-immunity/
2. Begin and end your day with lemon water.  The properties of lemon alkalinize your body.  All that heavy and starchy food you ate over the holiday can make your body acidic.  If your physiology moves into an acidic state inflammations can begin a siege.  Inflammation is a signal that the immune system is at war with an invader.  Lemon water will tone down the acid in the body and help the immune system fight off troublesome invaders.
3. Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way will help you to discern your doshic type.  Focus on eating to correct your imbalances and to remove ama (Sanskrit word for toxins) from your physiology.

It’ll all be OK.  Drink wise water.  Begin and end the day with lemon water.  Read about nutrition and learn more helpful hints.  And don’t bother to resolve that next year will be different.  We know that Thanksgiving is a day to feast.  But correcting the overload sooner rather than later will help to prevent any problems.  Remember the roots of depression are often found in the body and one of the most important ingredients for preventing depression and achieving happiness is found in the morsel on the end of your fork.

 

 

Have a great week!

 

–Nancy

 

Stay Healthy—Even in the Winter time!

Our human physiology is an aspect of the natural world.  Of course we know this, but we often need the reminders that Ayurveda offers to us.  We witness seasonal changes in the natural world but we are not always aware that our bodies go through hormonal changes season to season.  We have different needs at different times of the year.  It’s mid-October and all of nature, including our bodies, is making a shift.  Different seasons demand different behaviors from us if we are to stay healthy and happy!

A key to maintaining good health and preventing illness is to understand and respond to the changes of seasons.  As the weather changes, our minds and bodies also go through transformations.  If we ignore this and behave as if we are not influenced by the powerful forces of the natural world we set ourselves us for illness.  Depression can be one of those illnesses.

Winter is the Vata time of the year.  Cooler winds blow in and Vata begins to dominate the environment.  Vata dosha is the combination of space and air.  Its qualities are dryness, cold, and darkness.  Depending on where you live you will find that the Vata season lasts from October/November until February/March.  Positive Vata qualities such as enthusiasm, energy, lightheartedness, and creativity can increase during the Vata time of the year if we are in balance.  If we are out of balance we are in danger of experiencing anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, difficulty with memory and concentration.

Ariel, a young woman, with a Vata imbalance came to us in the month of March.  She was suffering from Airy Depression.  This is depression coupled with anxiety.  Her condition had worsened over the winter months.  Ariel’s constitution was primarily Vata and during the winter months her lifestyle had not supported the functioning of a health physiology.  An exercise routine of running out of doors, a nutritional routine of grabbing meals on the run, working until the wee small hours of the night, and just a basic hectic and disordered lifestyle had contributed to her Vata imbalance leading to an anxious depression.  This is the type of depression which we refer to as “Airy” in our book Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way.

Certainly we understand that for Ariel and other individuals of a Vata nature keeping regular daily routine is difficult.  However, irregular habits adversely affect the nervous system.  Keeping an irregular daily schedule is especially threatening during the winter:  the Vata season of the year.  Your mind might believe that is OK for “you” to eat at different times of the day, maintain a willy-nilly sleep schedule and exercise however and wherever you can fit it in even if “fit in time” is at midnight—-but the body doesn’t understand this type of a routine and cannot adjust to it.  The body scrambles to play catch up and symptoms are a signal that it is failing in its attempt.  As a first step to feeling better Ariel was advised to develop a daily schedule and to stick with it.  A regular schedule helps to balance Vata dosha and maintain health. Your body needs to sleep at approximately the same time every night and to be fed at approximately the same time every day.  A regular routine will go a long way to help keep Vata dosha in balance and to help you avoid depression and anxiety.

Following are tips for keeping Vata dosha in balance.  Some of these tips may seem like common sense and perhaps they are, but we often forget to follow our own common sense.  Our forgetfulness is an invitation for all types of illnesses to come to us.  This winter resolve to follow the Vata pacifying tips and to avoid the problems which come with a Vata imbalance.

1. Staying up late at night will also drive Vata out of balance.  Try to get to bed by 10 or 10:30.
2. To reduce the likelihood of insomnia, restrict your activities in the evening to the lighter side.  Spending evening hours doing hard work on the computer will pay off by giving you insomnia.  You will sleep better at night if you have a relaxing evening.
3. Practice meditation to relax and reduce anxiety, stress, and tension.  A successful meditation technique allows the mind to become very still, much as a choppy lake can become settled and silent.  Due to the interconnectedness of mind and body, the physiology also becomes relaxed when the mind quiets down.  Because of the extensive research showing its efficacy we recommend the Transcendental Meditation technique.
4. Follow a Vata pacifying diet.  Favor warm and heavier foods and drink warm drinks.  Eat your veggies, of course, and this is a good time to add nuts to your diet.  Nuts are an oily food and our bodies become dry during the winter.  Nuts help to keep the body lubricated.  This is also the season to load your morning toast with butter!   During the winter reduce or avoid foods that are light, dry or cold.
5. Unless prescribed by your doctor, Vata season is not the time for fasting or an unusually light diet, such as salads or a lot of raw foods.  Well cooked, heavier foods are better in this season
6. Some herbs that you can use to help balance Vata are cinnamon, ginger, cumin, fenugreek.   The Indian herbs ashvagandha, jatamamsi, shankapushpi , and bala are also excellent for balancing Vata
7. A warm sesame oil self massage each morning prior to bathing is particularly helpful in promoting emotional stability and mental clarity throughout the day.  If you have trouble sleeping massage the soles of your feet with warm sesame oil for a few minutes before getting into bed.  Sesame oil has been shown to have anti-oxidant properties and to strength the tissues of body.  The warm of the oil settles the entire physiology.  Buy organic sesame oil and heat it under the facet of warm water for a few minutes.  Massage your entire body and let the oil soak in before taking your morning shower.
8. Keep warm. Wear a hat to protect your head and stay out of the wind as much as you can
9. Regular exercise is helpful, but not to extremes, especially if you have a Vata constitution it is also best not to exercise outdoors during Vata season, the dry, cold air can cause respiratory problems and it will aggravate Vata. Dosha.

 

Ariel began following a Vata pacifying routine and much to her delight her anxiety dissipated and she entered the following winter feeling balanced and energetic.  We hope you get through this winter problem free and enter spring time fully ready to make the shift into the next season!

 

 

Have a great week!

 

— Nancy