Athreya Herbs: Ayurvedic Herbs, Classical Formulas and Herbal Oils

“Let us live for one hundred years” is the primary motivation of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a gentle holistic system, which promotes health and wellbeing. Protection against diseases is the principal goal of Ayurveda. Prevention of imbalances is achieved by improving the vitality of bodily tissues, organs and organ systems. This can be achieved through lifestyle based daily routines and seasonal routines such incorporating a wholesome diet including potent herbs and spices, self-care therapies, and timely detoxes.

Longevity is the objective of Ayurveda. It guides you to enhance body, mind and spiritual integrity.

If you are looking for tools that help you achieve long healthy life then Ayurveda is your path.

The first step is to become aware of what surrounds you. For Ayurveda everything is interconnected, “micro the body and the macro the universe” are constantly interacting. Food, water and breath connect us to our surroundings and bring the influence of forces of nature. The same wind, sun and water that are responsible for governing circadian rhythms are also seen as governing functionalities of our bodies. VATA functions like the wind, regulates breathing, ensures regular heart rate, eliminates body wastes in a timely fashion, activates sensory perception, and basically makes all movements of the body possible.

PITTA represents the SUN or the heat that surrounds us, digestion of the food, maintains body temperature, transforms vision to form, and is responsible for metabolism at all levels.

KAPHA is seen functioning as water with an earthy association that is involved in stabilizing the body parts, binding joints and lubricating them, strengthening muscles, moistening organs and sustaining all body parts.

If it is a windy day watch out for increase in VATA causing unsettled sleep, fast moving thoughts, dry lips, skin, eyes and scalp, tight muscles and less flexible joints. When you are upset and have a hot spicy meal there are chances that PITTA can get aggravated and irritate the stomach causing acidity, skin sensitivity and irritation, redness of the eyes, intolerance to bright objects, and loose stools.

The other scenario includes eating late night really heavy meal with cheese and ice cream pushes the KAPHA to go out of balance producing mucus and nasal or throat congestion, sinus pressure, sluggish feeling, slowing down lymphatic flow, bags under the eyes and puffiness of the face.

One who wants to learn and adopt the Ayurvedic lifestyle must become a good observer. Take note of what is happening around and what is my body expressing. Make changes in diet, lifestyle and supplement herbs and spices; embrace routines to best adopt to the environment that we live in so that the forces of nature enhance our overall wellbeing and support our longevity.

The bio-energies know as VATA, PITTA and KAPHA are the three DOSHA. The term DOSHA stands for “something unstable.” Indicating the critical state of balance of these energies. (Read the ayurvedic principles question) VATA is a derivative of WIND that is co-operated with SPACE. Functionally it governs all voluntary and involuntary movements. PITTA is the integration of primary FIRE (SUN) that is counter-balanced by WATER. Physiologically it governs all the transformation and conversion.

KAPHA results from WATER and combined with EARTH. It is responsible for the sustenance and stability to the body.

For Ayurveda you are “one of its kind” as no two bodies are alike. In here too Ayurveda sees the influence of the WIND, SUN and WATER in our make up, as VATA PITTA and KAPHA influence formation and function of the body. Each of us has one or two DOSHAs infused into us as we grow in our mother’s womb based on which our digestion, tissues, organs, immunity, sleep, and aging are characterized. Factors like parent’s body types, mother’s diet and lifestyle, seasonal variations and such factors heighten a particular dosha to effect our formation. The primary Dosha that constitutes all aspects of our growth, development and wellbeing is called the body type. Diet and lifestyle that balances our body’s primary dosha is health promoting and improves quality of life.

Ayurveda sees the life activity as experiential and endlessly interactive. The sensory experience that we have from various stimuli in our surroundings are conveyed by the sense organs to the mind and then to the consciousness. If the mind is not clear then it creates unwholesome experiences making us to eat, sleep and adopt a lifestyle that is disease causing.

Clarity of mind is very important for our health and wellbeing. Ayurveda knows that wrongful choices are the first step in creating an imbalance in the body. Ayurveda is all about mindful eating, sleeping and exercising, by encouraging one to follow a daily routine and healthy meal planning. While defining health, Ayurveda says among all factors a peaceful state of mind that works in clarity is very key to health. Such a state of mind is called SATVA or SATVIK state.

State of mind is seen as active (RAJAS) or passive (TAMAS). Action and energy fills the body and mind when in RAJAS, while Rest and slowness permeates the body and mind with the TAMAS. Both these states are very essential for us to live in this world, but they cannot be in excess. Excess of RAJAS causes raising of thoughts, agitation, lack of patience, disturbed sleep, anxious states and so on. When TAMAS state is reflected on to the mind the thoughts become dull, there is lack of enthusiasm, unwillingness, unhappiness, isolation, gloominess and such states.

The mind being under RAJASIK or TAMASIK influence is disease provocative. Hence a balanced of RAJAS with TAMAS situates the mind in SATVA. Ayurveda recommends diet, herbs, spices, yoga, meditation and lifestyle changes that promote SATVA.

The anatomical make up of our body is done through systematic arrangement of DHATU (tissues). There are 7 Dhatus namely RASA (plasma and lymph), RAKTA (blood), MAMSA (muscle), MEDA (fat), ASTI (bone), MAJJA (Marrow) and SHUKRA (reproductive tissues). The tissues combine to form various organs and organ systems. Doshas work through the Dhatus and make bodily functions possible. When Dhatus are healthy they contribute to resistance against diseases and support longevity. Nourishment from the diet goes to support the formation and maintenance of the Dhatus.

The ability of our bodies to digest and assimilate food is known as AGNI. It governs digestion, metabolism and assimilation of nutrients. In order for the Dhatus to function healthy and resist diseases it is very important that the nutrition is supplemented. In addition proper functioning of the Doshas. From the Ayurvedic point of view it is essential for us to maintain a healthy state of Agni. When the Agni is diminished and the food is not properly broken down into nutrients it creates toxic substances known as AMA. All systemic disease such as high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, rheumatism and so on are directly or indirectly developed from AMA.

Spices and herbs used are in Ayurveda have significant action on breaking down Ama. By adopting the rules of Ayurvedic healthy eating one can achieve perfect gut health and prevent diseases.

Seeds of illness start in the mind. When the mind is under the influence of Rajas or Tamas it motivates sense organs towards unwholesome objects. There after the sense organs excessively engage in those unwholesome objects and create patterns that repeat automatically. Most of the eating choices made when the mind is under the negative influence disturb the Agni. Digestive toxins formed as a byproduct of defective metabolism (Agni) provoke Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Digestive toxins (Ama) that are associated with dosha wander throughout the body and settle in different tissues and organs. Upon weakening the tissues and organs give refuge to various disease.

Ayurvedic supplements are herbal and natural. Scientific studies looking at drug herb interactions have not reveled any kind of major reactions. Even though most of the ayurvedic supplements can be incorporated with other medical modalities, we advise you to use caution and consult your primary care provider before taking Ayurvedic supplements. However Ayurvedic spices and daily routine products could be safely used. If not indicated otherwise by the attending physician, Ayurveda Medicines can generally be taken along with allopathic medicines. Moreover, Ayurveda Medicines are used as adjuvant to allopathic medicines in most of chronic and degenerative diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicines are similar to ayurvedic herbs, they can work synergistically and re-establish health.

Ayurvedic approach to health is holistic and comprehensive. It uses diet, spices, herbs, supplements, Yoga therapy, breathing techniques, ayurvedic health counseling, detox procedures, body therapies, and rejuvenation methods. A qualified Ayurvedic practitioner can determine your body type and the dosha imbalance, and recommend a program to promote health or correct an imbalance.

Ayurveda is a whole body, mind and spiritual system. The concept of disease in Ayurveda is that disease is a total affection of mind and body, the disturbance of the whole organism. Individual organs are not the cause of illness but disturbance at the inner level is the cause of illness. Management of only symptoms is not the approach of Ayurveda, rather it understands symptoms as manifestations of the overall imbalance of body and mind.

Therefore Ayurveda does not believe in giving different medicines for different afflicted parts of body but rather takes a whole body approach, which will address disturbances of the whole person. More over in Ayurveda everything is individualized seeing person as a whole.

Herbs are nature’s gift of health and longevity. They do not have any side effects, when used as whole herbs. They are absorbed easily and because of their different characteristics such as tastes, potencies, qualities they influence body and mind.

We strongly believe in “giving back to the nature”. We are very responsible in sourcing our raw material. All our products made from ingredients are contract farmed or our suppliers procure them from organic sources. The classical products are manufactured at facilities that are specifically chosen by our experts. These facilities follow traditions of formulations that go back to several generations. Most of our manufacturers have their own herbal gardens for the supply of raw materials. We pick the best products from several companies and implement high quality control so as to ensure safety and efficacy.