Glowing health usually requires balance, moderation, and routine. But variety is the spice of life— travel enlivens the spirit and new adventures feed the soul! However, many travelers find it difficult to happily hop around the country (or the world) without feeling some common travel woes, like disturbed sleep, poor digestion , constipation , or mild anxiety . From the perspective of Ayurveda (yoga’s sister science), most travel discomforts are due to increased vata dosha, the energy governing all movement in the body-mind. Despite constitutional differences, everyone has vata dosha, which supports movement in the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and digestive systems (and elsewhere). When vata is in a healthy state, these systems run smoothly—breath is fluid, elimination easy, thoughts well communicated, etc. But when the momentum of external travel increases the momentum of internal vata, the emotional result is feeling wound up, scattered, forgetful, or anxious, while the p...
Most people at some point in their lives suffer from gas, flatulence and other issues with the colon . In small doses these are natural function of the gut. However, when it becomes very often or in long term, it can be a sign that your body has a week digestion, metabolism , or other imbalances . From an Ayurvedic standpoint, the colon is the main seat of the vata dosha (body and mind constitution). Vata’s predominant elements are air and ether, so out of balance vata can create these qualities in the body. These qualities can result in gas, dryness, constipation, cramps , and anxiety. Vata can increase in the colon due to a number of factors. Some of which are: vata-aggravating foods, anxiety, insomnia, cold and windy weather, constipation, and improperly digested food . These factors can all lead to a build up of gas due to the disturbance on our agni ( digestive fire ). When our digestive fire is compromised we cannot properly digest or assimilate food...