The Elements of Ayurveda Podcast

Episode 299

Ayurvedic Doctor, Simmi Chopra has a double Masters in Biostatistics and Molecular Biology from Rutgers University and JNU which helps her to understand health problems from both mainstream as well as the Ayurvedic perspective.

In this episode Colette chats with Simmi about Ayuvedic Bhasmas. Bhasmas are very fine medicinal powders of metal, minerals, stone etc. They discuss the following:

• What are bhasmas and how they are processed.
• The controversy around bhasmas.
• Testing the purity of bhasmas.
• Using bhasmas vs. using herbs in treatment.
• Simmi shares case studies using bhasmas.
• Scope of practice of bhasmas.

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Check out AD Simmi Chopra's website here.... www.sidhayur.com

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Click here to learn more about the 7 day Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat with Dr. Sujatha in Bali, Indonesia - December 2023.

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Visit Colette's website www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com 

• Online consultations
• Private at-home Digestive Reset Cleanse tailored to you
• Educational progr...

Episode 298

In this solo episode Colette focuses on the 3rd and final elimination channel which is sveda vaha srotas, the channel for carrying sweat. If you’re new to this wisdom from Ayurveda on the srotas or channels of the body, check out the first episode in this series, episode #272 - The Food Channel & The Srotas which will give you an introduction to the Ayurvedic wisdom on the channels of the body.

She covers the following in this episode:

• The root, passage and opening of sveda vaha srotas.
• The subdoshas governing this channel.
• The functions of the sweat channel.
• The correlation between sweating and our emotions.
• Signs and symptoms of aggravation.
• Causes of aggravation.
• Maintaining the health of sveda vaha srotas.

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Thanks to Kerala Academy for sponsoring this episode. European students can begin their Ayurvedic transformation this fall! Now is the best time to join for $250 off tuition with early bird savings through August 31st. For an additional $100 off,...

Episode 297

Colette chats with Jamila Colozzi about her new book, Moonlight & Shadows - a poetic discourse on Ayurveda and Yoga in the West. She speaks from her many years working in the Ayurveda and Yoga industry, along with her personal studies of these sister sciences. 

Jamila sees this book as a conversation stater for anyone navigating how to study, practice and engage with the ancient Vedic wisdom system. We cover the following topics in this episode:

• Jamila's story on how she came to write her new book.
• Discussing sensitive topics in the Ayurveda and Yoga communities.
• The shadow of social injustice in the industry.
• Spiritual bypassing - it's not all "love & light".
• Jamila's personal healing journey with fatigue. 
• Cultural appropriation in the these communities.

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Check out Jamila's website and purchase her new book here... missjamilacat.com

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Click here to learn more about the 7 day Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat with Dr. Sujatha in Bali, Indonesia - December...

Episode 296

Colette continues her series on the srotas or channels of the body and in this episode she focuses on the channel for urine, mutra vaha srotas. She covers the following topics:

• The root, passage, opening and subdoshas governing mutra vaha srotas.
• Ayurvedic perspective on urine formation.
• The four main diseases that can manifest during an aggravation of mutra vaha srotas:
• 1. Mutraghata (urine retention)
  2. Mutrakricchra (difficulty in urination) 
  3. Mutrashmari (urinary stones)
  4. Prameha (diabetes)
• Signs and symptoms of aggravation.
• Causes of aggravation of mutra vaha srotas.
• Diagnosing doshic imbalances in the urine.
• Treatment of imbalances of mutra vaha srotas.

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Thanks to Kerala Academy for sponsoring this episode. Fall training applications are open and now is the best time to join for super early savings! $200-450 off tuition is available this month, and listeners like you can enjoy an additional $100 off when you share the code Elements100. To learn...

Episode 295

Ayurvedic Doctor Simmi Chopra practices in New York and has a double Masters in Biostatistics and Molecular Biology from Rutgers University and JNU which helps her to understand health problems from both mainstream as well as the Ayurvedic perspective.

Colette chats with Simmi about her passion, geriatric health and preventing age-related diseases. They discuss arthritis in detail and focus on osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. They cover the following topics:

• Preventing age-related diseases in the Pitta stage of life.
• Types of arthritis and how each manifests in the body.
• The samprapti or progression of arthritis.
• Ayurvedic treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Diet and lifestyle guidelines to help manage arthritis.

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Check out Simmi's website here.... www.sidhayur.com

Here's the buttermilk recipe mentioned in this episode.

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Click here to learn more about the 7 day Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat with Dr. Sujatha in Bali, Indonesia...

Episode 294

In this solo episode Colette continues her series on the srotas or channels of the body. If you're not familiar with the Ayurvedic wisdom on the srtoas, check out her first episode in this series #272 titled, The Food Channel & The Srotas for an introduction to the to the channels of the body.

Colette focuses on purisha vaha srotas which is the channel that is in charge of the storage and excretion of solid waste and other toxins out of the body. This channel also absorbs liquid, minerals, vitamins and electrolytes and plays an important role in nourishing ashti dhatu or bone tissue as the the bones are nourished by the absorbed nutrients through the colon mucus membrane. She discusses the following:

• The root, passage and opening of purisha vaha srotas.
• Which subdoshas govern this channel.
• The importance of paying attention to your bowel movements.
• Signs and symptoms of aggravation:
  • Excessive gas and bloating
  • Dry, hard stools, pellet-like stools
  • Painful elim
  ...

Episode 293

Jackie Christensen, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized educator in natural health, herbology, and Ayurveda. In episode #281 Colette and Jackie discussed the topic of herbology and in this episode Jackie shares information on herbs that are ideal for Summer and preparations to help our skin and body during the hot season.  

Colette and Jackie discuss the following:

• What qualities we should be focusing on during the hot season.
• Internal herbal preparations for Summer:
  • coriander seeds
  • hibiscus
  • aloe vera
  • rose
• External applications to soothe our skin during hot weather:
  • comfrey
  • aloe vera
  • tamuna oil
  • sea buckthorn oil
  • neem
  • calendula
• Guidelines on how to make herbal oils.

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Check out Jackie's website here.... practiceayurveda.com

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Click here to learn more about the 7 day Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat with Dr. Sujatha in Bali, Indonesia - December 2023.

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Visit Colette's website www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com 

• Online consultatio...

Episode 292

In this solo episode Colette continues her series on the srotas or channels of the body and focuses on the channels for the reproductive tissue:

• Artava Vaha Srotas is the channel carrying nutrients for the female reproductive tissue, the egg.
• Shukra vaha srotas is the channel carrying nutrition for the male reproductive tissue, the sperm.
• Rajah vaha srotas is the menstruation channel.
• Stanya vaha srotas are the channels for lactation.

Colette discusses the opening, passage and function of each channel along with the subdoshas governing these channels. She also details the possible causes of aggravation and the signs and symptoms of aggravation which can include:

• Premenstrual syndrome and menstrual cycle disorders 
• Fibrocystic changes in the breasts
• Cystic changes in the ovaries
• Cervical polyps, uterine fibroids, endometriosis
• Low libido and sexual dysfunction
• Infertility
• STD’s - sexually transmitted disease

Colette also shares the recommended Ayur...

Episode 291

Dr. Sujatha Kekada is the Head Physician and Co-Founder of AmrtaSiddhi Ayurvedic Clinic in Ubud, Bali. She is a certified Ayurvedic Doctor (B.A.M.S) with a degree from Rajiv Gandhi University, Karnataka, India. 

In this episode Colette chats with Dr. Sujatha about the Ayurvedic perspective on cancer. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, cancer is the 2nd leading cause of mortality after cardiovascular disease and is the leading cause of death in over 50 countries. 

They discuss the following:

• What is cancer.
• What are the conditions in the body that could cause these malignant cells to grow.
• Why cancer is a complex disease to diagnose.
• The types of cancer according to Ayurveda.
• Ayurvedic treatment protocol for cancer.
• Steps we can all take to prevent all diseases, including cancer.

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Check out Dr. Sujatha's website here.... amrtasiddhi.com

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Click here to learn more about the 7 day Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat with Dr. Sujatha in Bali, Indonesi...

Episode 290

In this solo episode, Colette continues her series on the srotas or channels of the body and focuses on majja vaha srotas, which is the channel carrying nutrition for the bone marrow and nerve tissue. 

The passage of this channel is the nervous system (the central, peripheral, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system), the brain and the bone marrow in the cavities of the bone e.g. spinal column.

The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotional responses and these responses occur through majja vaha srotas along with communication, coordination, sensation, learning and memory. 

Some of the signs and symptoms of aggravation of majja vaha srotas are:

• Neurological symptoms
• Tingling, numbness, tremors, tics, spasms
• Ringing in the ears
• Feeling of darkness in front of the eyes
• Dizziness, lack of stability and equilibrium, vertigo
• Memory loss 
• Bell’s palsy 
• Convulsions, seizures
• Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple
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