Interview: Topic Chocolate

Interview by Ms Rebecca Schärli for her Matura thesis

• Is chocolate a topic in your counselling sessions?
Yes, when it comes to the topic of what sweets you can eat. Most people like to eat chocolate.

• How much chocolate can I eat?
Vata and Pitta constitutions can eat some chocolate, Kapha constitutions should choose an alternative but rather leave it out. Otherwise in masses. If someone absolutely wants to eat chocolate, I recommend black chocolate, as it contains less to no milk. Alternatives to milk chocolate are chocolates made from soy, rice, oats or almonds. However, you should look for organic quality and make sure that the soy it contains is not genetically modified. The consumption of alternative chocolate should be appropriate to the dosha type. Milk and sugar do not go together in that the combination clogs the shrotas (fine bodily channels of the body) through mucus. This in turn leads to the absorption of food and the release of waste products not being able to proceed adequately. This results in metabolic waste products (Ama) in the tissues.

• Do you (not) forbid your clients sweets?
No, I do not forbid anything. I only recommend something. If something tastes good, it can even be considered “food for the soul” in some situations. Then the person is more satisfied than if they forbid everything that is not good for them. To say that something is unhealthy is also wrong. It is always a question of consuming in moderation. Industrial sugar and other artificial additives should be avoided. Ayurveda is also about which constitutional type (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) something suits. At what time and in what atmosphere something is eaten. How the food is prepared, what quality it has, etc. There are also plenty of chocolate alternatives.

• The WHO recommends a maximum of 50 grams of sugar per day. Do you think these recommendations make sense?
Here I do not allow myself to give an answer, as I am not a nutritionist. Again, there are plenty of alternatives to industrial white sugar, which is not recommended from an Ayurvedic point of view. The alternatives are fruits, dried fruits or sweet vegetables. There is palm sugar, date syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut sugar, raw cane sugar and certainly several others. Every recommended food in Ayurveda is based on the constitutional type.

• Where do you see possibilities to avoid sweetness?
First of all, sweetness should be defined. Fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses, etc. can be sweet. The taste component sweet should be present in every meal, along with sour, salty, spicy, bitter and tart. Again, it is a matter of moderation and paying attention to the constitutional type (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). Which and how much sugar I recommend to a client becomes apparent after an anamnesis discussion. Ayurvedic nutritional counselling is holistic and individually oriented. In Ayurveda, nothing can be determined in a general way. That is the uniqueness of Ayurveda and for me therefore so interesting and lively. With certain illnesses, you should avoid sweets as much as possible or reduce them considerably.

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How do I strengthen my immune system easily and effectively, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic?

To answer this question I would like to share with you the article by Dr. med. Ernst Schrott (board member of the German Ayurveda Society). This article is about how we can strengthen our immune system from an Ayurvedic point of view in addition to the known corona protective measures. Incidentally, these recommendations generally apply to strengthening our immune system, but especially now during the corona pandemic. A well-written article and very helpful.

Wish you all a nice and healthy Advent season.

Sincerely,

Valerie

https://www.ayurveda.de/covid-19-warum-so-wenig-empfehlungen-zur-staerkung-des-immunsystems/

Manose – Suskera: Solo Bamboo Flute

A wonderful music with the bamboo flute played by Manose (https://devapremalmiten.com/about-manose/).

Soothing to hear between all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and a great gift.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and for the new year health, peace and love.

And now a little Christmas present in the words of the Hopi, the people of peace.

I am the country,

my eyes are the sky,

my limbs the trees.

I am the rock, the depth of the water.

I’m not here to control Mother Earth,

or exploit them.

I am nature myself.

Mantra – Our Message of Love (Book with Mantra CD)

Following the recent article about the self-healing study (60-day challenge) I would like to recommend a book including a CD of the most important mantras sung by Deva Premal and Miten. It is called Mantra – Our Message Of Love.

A great book with many impressive photos, interesting and personal experiences, stories about encounters with people and friends, their musical work, explanations of the mantras, and much more. The book and the music are beautiful. As the title of the book already conveys, Deva Premal and Miten are ambassadors of love. And that feels, sees and hears.

Other CD’s are available at: https://store.devapremalmiten.com/store/categories/all, other Internet sales platforms or in book and CD stores.

Self-Healing Study – Mantra Medicine With Deva Premal And You

Für unsere deutschsprachigen Freunde:Hier ist ein Gespräch (vor ein paar Wochen auf Corfu aufgenommen) wo ich mit Ingo (Dr Ingfried Hobert) über die Selbstheilungs-Studie rede, bei der inzwischen schon ungefähr zweitausend Leute mitmachen. Du kannst jederzeit einsteigen, um zu erforschen, wie heilende Mantren (in Kombination mit einer alten ayurvedischen Kräuterrezeptur oder auch nicht) einen nachhaltigen Einfluß auf Deine Lebensqualität, körperliche Gesundheit und Jugendlichkeit haben.Hier ist die website, um mehr darüber zu erfahren, und dich kostenfrei anzumelden:https://ethnomed.de/mantra-medicine-challenge

Posted by Deva Premal and Miten on Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Ingfried Hobert (specialist in general medicine and naturopathy), Deva Premal (Mantra interpreter, musician) and you in this study (60-day challenge) want to find out to what extent healing mantras in connection with an ayurvedic herb blend (Triphala) have a positive effect on your health, quality of life, and youthfulness. I am also very curious about the outcome. Participation in this study is for free. If you are interested, you can visit EthnoMed.de directly get all further information and sign up, as well.

I wish you a great experience.

Namasté!

The Maharishi Ayurveda Privat-Klinik In Bad Ems Germany

In this article I’d like to introduce you to the Ayurveda Privat-Klinik in Bad Ems by leveraging its official video material.

Basically, I can recommend those interested to undergo a Ayurveda (Panchakarma or detoxification treatment, respectively) or specialty treatments in the country of residence. Long journeys, for example, to Asia, have the tendency to not only be costly, but also to increase Vata-Dosha, which was decreased by the treatment. It should also be noted that not every Panchakarma treatment abroad is a classical treatment. Rather, it is often just a spa treatment and might not achieve the desired results. Therefore, it is important to always inform yourself very well and comprehensively. Although the Panchakarma treatment of an Ayurvedic Center is the core of its treatments, there are also special treatments for various ailments and disorders. These can be explored in advance on the center’s homepage or by phone. My recommendations are for your reference only, and based on my own positive experiences.

 

The Knowledge Of Life – Ayurveda In Sri Lanka – A Film Documentary From The TV-Channel Arte

The land of Ayurveda. Sri Lanka is known for its oversupply of Ayurvedic cures. You can find them on every street corner. Therefore, it is important to prepare well and find an authentic spa hotel. Unfortunately, I can not give recommendations because I have no experience in this regard. Nevertheless, it is interesting to accompany two women from Berlin on their journey. Also, it is interesting to see that the Ayurvedic cures can be quite different, depending on the country and region. Basically, all Ayurveda cures have one thing in common. The health maintenance or health restoration of the person, physically as well as psychologically. Yoga and meditation are also an important part of this. Have a look at it and learn again. Enjoy.

 

YogaMeHome – Online-Yoga

YogaMeHome is an online yoga class with video tutorials for anyone who wants to practice yoga at any time at home, and who does not want to go without specialist instructions.

However, before I recommend these courses, I would like to point out that I have tried the exercises myself before this writing and they feel really great. There are many different exercise categories for beginners, unsportsmanlike, advanced, and more. There is something for everyone. There is even a free 14-day trial subscription, where you can test, whether you like it or not. So, if you’ve been fond of trying out yoga for a long time, then this is your opportunity.

Enjoy.

yogamehome

Movie Recommendation: The Indian Doctor

“I love what I do and I do what I love.” Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic doctor

A film about Vasant Lad, one of the most esteemed ayurveda doctors worldwide. He holds a BA in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S.) and a Master of Ayurvedic Science in India. He is the director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, has published many Ayurvedic medical books and articles. He teaches physicians, naturopaths and others worldwide.

The film shows how Vasant Lad brought Ayurveda to the West and tells about his life and work in America and India. He gives us interesting insights on what is possible with Ayurveda. Very impressive. If you have not seen the movie yet, you can do that by purchasing a DVD. It is highly recommended, especially for those who do not know Ayurveda.

Here is a trailer for the movie:

I would also like to recommend his bestseller:

“Self-healing with Ayurveda” The standard work of Indian healing art

By the way, also a good Christmas present.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Stay healthy.