What is Hay fever? 

Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction that occur mainly in the respiratory system, especially the eyes and nose. Signs include sinus congestion, watery eyes, catarrh, phlegm, sneezing a cough and cold.  Hay fever is mainly caused by pollen. 

What happens in an allergic reaction? 

Mast cells are immune cells, scattered throughout the tissues lining the surface of the body, lungs, intestines, eyes, nose and mouth. They are responsible for producing a chemical called histamine. Histamines start the process of removing allergens out of your body. They can make you itch, make your cry or sneeze. They are a defence mechanism. 

This defence mechanism sounds great! What is the problem? 

In an individual that suffers from hay fever, their immune system is hypersensitive. They may spend the whole season suffering from hay fever. Your body’s intention to keep your safe is great. It is the overreaction that creates these symptoms. 

The Ayurvedic take on Hay fever 

Ayurveda believes that allergies are a result of a weak or imbalance digestion / digestive fire. If the digestion is weak, food cannot be processed correctly neither can nutrients be extracted efficiently. The end results of the digestive process in Ayurveda is Ojas which translates as life’s essence and immunity. Lowered immunity gives rise to allergies.  

There are three different types of allergies:

• Vata related – can be seen in the Vata parts of the body. Nervous system, respiratory system, bones and colon. You may get bloating, tingling sensations, twitching of muscles, bones or muscle ache (not inclusive list). 
• Pitta related – can be seen in the pitta parts of the body. Skin, eyes, parts of the digestive system. You may get heartburn, nausea, diarrhoa, burning red eyes. 
• Kapha related – Parts of the respiratory system are kapha related. You may experience runny nose, mucus accumulation, hay fever, congestive disorders, sinusitis and asthma. 

Treatment of Hay fever 

The basis of Ayurveda is the digestive system. We first look at balancing / improving the digestive power. This will result in processing food correctly and not producing excess ama or toxin. Depending on which type of Hay fever you have, eg kapha related etc Ayurveda tailors your food accordingly. We look at the nidana or causative factors. For example, if you have vata related allergies, you would avoid cold, dry, windy weather (or if you must go out in it, wrap up super warm!). There are beneficial herbs for each situation but I don’t list these as it is best to consult a practitioner before self diagnosing. In Ayurveda, herbs are medicine but used incorrectly, can be poison.

Herbal teas may help as follows: 

• Vata related allergies – herbal teas with ginger, cumin and lemon teas. 
• Pitta related allergies – teas with fennel, ginger and saffron 
• Kapha related allergies – herbal teas with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger 

Not too sure which type your hay fever is? 

If you suffer in the spring, it is likely to be kapha related. When we come out of winter in to spring, Ayurveda guides us to go through a Ritucharya, or season change. At this time of year, kapha is melting in your body. We support this, whether we have hay fever or not, by creating an environment for our body to kick out the melting kapha. With hay fever, your digestion is not strong enough to process and eliminate this. Hence the ‘ama’ staying in your body and going to the weak part of your body which is your respiratory system here. 

Steps you can take at home 

Do your own ‘cleanse’ at home. You can do this by eating warm cooked foods and eliminating cold, heavy, hard to digest foods. If possible, eliminate or reduce the following foods: 

• Dairy 
• Tomato 
• Fried food
• Red meat 

You can also sip on that herbal tea, get into a routine with regular meal times and use a neti pot to clear your passages.  

Seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner or Ayurvedic doctor to rebalance your digestion with herbs is a great way to improve your experience with Hay fever this year. Send me a message for a consultation!! 

In Ayurveda, doshas are the three energy patterns of life. They represent seasons, planets, functions of your body, moods and more. We are all made up of a unique mix of doshas, usually having a predominance of one or more. The three doshas are Vata (air and ether), Pitta (water and fire) and Kapha (earth and water). 

Why is this helpful? For a practitioner or Ayurvedic doctor, it guides us on where a problem is and how we can treat it. I wouldn’t give the same treatment plan to a Kapha person as perhaps I would to a Pitta person. Diseases are imbalanced doshas, and it is the imbalance we look to balance for treatment. All sound a bit complex? It can be. For the purposes of an individual, the advice is to learn about yourself. Learn to identify when you are in and out of balance. For example, I am a Pitta/Kapha constitution. When I am balanced, I can take life’s shenanigans in my stride. In fact, I feel the joy of the ebbs and flow. When I am imbalanced, I get angry quickly in the summer, and I put on weight in the winter. These are just a few examples of what helps me identify how I am. 

Equally, the doshas are responsible for different functions in your body. Vata is responsible for movement, the nervous system, breathing, downward movement of the excreta and menstrual process. Pitta is responsible for metabolism, heat in the body, digestion, vision, the liver and more. Kapha is responsible for the growth and stability of the body, the liquid in the body that supports the organs, regeneration. Vata is responsible for automaticity, pitta is responsible for metabolism and Kapha is responsible for homeostasis. 

The purpose of today’s blog is to mainly let you know that your constitution isn’t the be all and end all. Dosha quizzes are fun but not something to get attached to. In Ayurveda it is your digestion that is the centre of your health. Hence my dosha vs dosa title (thanks Sadguru for that joke!). You can tell someone the biggest secrets in the world but if their stomach is rumbling with hunger they won’t be as focussed. What you eat (and what you digest) has an affect on your body, emotions and thoughts.  

In a nutshell, to bring yourself in to balance, you would address your digestion and change what you eat, having foods that are easy to digest. Foods that are cooked, and simple combinations, are easier to digest. Different kitchen herbs have different medicinal properties. An example of this is the famous digestive Ayurvedic tea CCF tea which is made up of 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp of fennel. CCF tea is perfect to drink after a meal, as it helps balance bloating and IBS. Ayurveda is a massive subject and to heal ailments, that is why we have Ayurvedic doctors with several years of medical training. The small preventative changes are the ones that Indian households know. My parents’ generation know exactly which herb to consume in soaked water to lower cholesterol, which teas to make for different problems etc 

So get to know your doshas if you fancy it, but definitely get to know your digestion more! Everyone is different and it is recommended that you eat to your digestion. In Ayurveda there is not a one size fits all. It is an individualised approach.  

This  month, we have been thinking about the power behind learning to listen better. In a world full of so much complex variety, it’s understandable that sometimes we forget to listen to others’ stories. Not only does it help us engage more with the world around us, but through listening actively to others, we can help them feel seen and valued. Through this empathetic practice, we can strive to make the world a little bit kinder one step at a time. 

Sometimes when we hear others talk about unfamiliar realities, that we don’t fully understand or relate to, our gut instinct is to judge. Often this instinctive judgement can’t be avoided, but what we can do is work on moving through it. Through challenging these misconceptions, and working on actively listening, we can reap a wealth of rewards for ourselves and the people who surround us. So let’s keep an open mind and listen to others! 

Listening to others’ stories on social media 

One way we can listen to others without directly interacting is through the wonderful world of social media. Only thing is, we often predominantly follow/befriend people who we are very similar to, whether with our lifestyles, opinions or general experiences. While this is understandable, when we do this, we often stop learning about or engaging in realties that vary from our own. Our social media feeds almost become an echo chamber, and we forget about the variety that the world contains. While we think we have an open mind, we are only engaging in and observing a limited view. Through the practice of expanding our horizons, we both open our minds, extend our understanding, and also reaffirm our views on some topics. Through being challenged, and working through it, we can be assured and founded in our understanding. 

But I hear you ask “how can I improve my listening skills once I’m talking to someone?” 

Active listening can be understood as the bridge between literally listening, and helping someone feel actually heard. Here are just a few tips and tricks to practice active listening: 

• Be present – not only avoid distractions (such as phones/Tvs etc) while talking to someone, try and focus on what the other person is saying without pre-empting or planning the conversation. I know this is challenging and nerve-wracking sometimes (and something I have to actively work on) but the other person often values your focus and attention more than actually wanting practical solutions. 
• Physical cues to show that you’re engaging with what they’re saying. This includes nodding, eye contact and smiling (if appropriate).   
• Verbal feedback – you can ask questions that almost rephrase what they’ve been saying, such as “ah so you feel ….?” This shows that you are engaging and trying to understand their concerns. One thing though, don’t interrupt their attempts to do so! 
• Asking open questions – these prompt the other person to expand and keep talking, reassuring them that you are actually interested in what they have to say.  

Sometimes we don’t want/need someone to solve all our problems in the current moment, we just want the opportunity to give them space, to be reassured that they’re valid. I know its hard to sit tight while a loved one is struggling verbally through an issue, but sometimes the best way we can support them is to listen and help them feel heard. These active listening techniques can help you along on your way. 

All of these help the other person feel appreciated, valued and listened to. By actively working on trying to pay more attention to others, and opening ourselves up, we can make the world at least a little bit better. 

Always, 

Imogen x

Seva is Sanskrit for “selfless service” and in a world in which we are encouraged to be constantly grafting or striving, Seva encourages us to give without expectation of return or reward. The practice drives you to consider the wellbeing of others, and how you can contribute back to society.

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with seeing injustices or sad things that people went through in the world. I felt helpless and snowed under by all of it, overwhelmed that there was so much to change and yet that I didn’t know how I could have an impact. But there came a point that I realised that every and any action, no matter how small, was worth doing if it helped someone. In a world where you could do nothing or something, do SOMETHING. At this time, I didn’t have a lot of money to give away, so I turned to alternative ways that I could have an impact. The act of giving can take many forms, whether it’s donating money, time, resources or just completing small random acts of kindness. There is no single right way to give, and with all life’s variety, it’s okay that the way you give might look a little different to the way that others might.

One way that I love to give my time and energy, is through donating handwritten letters to the charity From Me To You Letters. This charity helps people with cancer through the experience of social isolation and loneliness, by distributing written letters of support as well as encouraging individuals similarly to support loved ones in their lives. As part of their ‘Donate A Letter Scheme,’ volunteers write one way letters to people going through cancer treatment and diagnosis. Sitting down to pour time and care into a letter is a magical way to show that you are thinking of the recipient and as they can choose when to read the letter, it empowers them with control in a time when they feel overwhelmed. Though a letter might seem so small and simple, it does wonders in helping support someone through a challenging time. Donating letters to From Me To You is a way to show love and support while expecting no reward in return. It’s for this reason that it’s a perfect example of practicing seva in your life. 

Seva reminds me that we have the power and significance to give back to the world around us; even when we think the impact that we make is miniscule, this alone has immense effect. I hope you take this little reflection as a bit of motivation to go out into the world, and give freely without expecting or anticipating receiving anything back in return. 

Always,

Imogen x

P.s. If this has inspired you to find out more about From Me To You Letters, I have included some important links to their website below to help you along on your way.

For more information about donating letters (whether regularly or as a one off) to their scheme:

From me to you | Letter writing tips (frommetoyouletters.co.uk)

To apply to  receive a donated letter for someone near or dear to you going through cancer treatment, follow:

Happy Box – From Me To You Letters

As there are many great ways to give to causes, if you want to find out how to donate money to From Me to You Letters, follow:

From me to you | write a letter to a friend with cancer | UK (frommetoyouletters.co.uk)

-£3 puts stamps on five letters being sent to cancer patients receiving treatment at home.

-£5 pays for the postage to send a pack of 20 donated letters to cancer patients in hospital.

-£10 pays for a letter-writing kit for a new writer. Our writers generate, on average, 11 letters a year. Every year we deliver thousands of letters.

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Ayurveda, the holistic health system from India, is many thousands of years old. As an entire subject, of course, it is large and complex. You don’t need to know the whole subject unless you are planning on becoming an Ayurvedic doctor. At its root however, Ayurveda guides us on how to flow with our circadian rhythm and body clock. You don’t need to become a qualified practitioner to know how to eat the Ayurvedic way. People from India (or my family anyway) are not qualified practitioners but they know what kind of foods to eat, when to eat them and how best to tailor them. Just because they know how, doesn’t mean they always do! 

In today’s blog I wanted to share some highlights on how to eat Ayurvedically.

You don’t have to eat Indian food to eat Ayurvedically

For that matter, not all Indian food is Ayurvedic. It is more about what is fresh and in season. In this age of supermarkets, produce is flown in from around the world. We can eat anything at any time of year but it is not local. 

Hack: buy produce from your local area. Local vegetables frozen in season are better than ‘fresh’ vegetables imported from far away.

Food combinations

There are certain foods that when eaten combined, are said to be harder to digest and produce a toxin or ‘ama’. One of these combinations is mixing fruit with any other food. Dates and mangoes are the exceptions. Fruit digests quickly. When mixed with other foods, it stays in the stomach and ferments while the rest of the food is being broken down. This is the food combination that I see the most with my clients, which causes bloating, wind and IBS symptoms. Other incompatible food combinations include and are not limited to:

Mixing dairy and nightshades.

Mixing lemon with yoghurt, milk, cucumber or tomatoes.

Mixing beans with fruit, cheese, eggs, fish, milk, meat or yoghurt.

Hack: If you eat a dodgy food combination and have a stomach-ache, bloating or anything similar, try CCF tea. This is made from 1 tsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds. Put these seeds in 1 cup of water and bring to the boil before turning down the heat. After 5 minutes, strain and drink. 

Food timings

In Ayurveda, your digestion is said to be at its strongest when the sun is highest in the sky. So, if possible, having your main meal at lunch time is recommended. Of course, in this day and age, it is not possible for a lot of people who work during the day. Having regular mealtimes is also recommended but it is important to eat when you have hunger. If you eat without hunger being present, your digestive juices aren’t ready in your stomach. This can cause indigestion.

Hack: If your main meal needs to be in the evening, ensure that you leave 2 – 3 hours after dinner before you sleep.

Drinking with meals

Drinking a lot of liquid with meals, especially cold liquids ‘dampens the digestive fire’. It is recommended to have some if you would like to but sip a warm drink. 

Hack: Only drink when you have thirst. A lot of people seem to force litres of water down without thirst. Our bodies are a balance of salts, minerals and water. If you are constantly drinking water when the weather is not hot and you don’t need to (for exercise as an example), then you are changing your body’s healthy natural balance. See if you can notice if you are drinking because you are thirsty, or you are drinking automatically. You could always try having a drink an hour before your meal instead of with and see if it suits.

Eat calmly and pay attention to your food

It is recommended to cook and eat your food with love, calmly. A lot of us, when anxious or angry can get an upset stomach. Emotions affect us down to a cellular level. So can you imagine what a distraction it is for your digestion if you eat when you are feeling stressed, angry or upset?

Hack: Try some deep breathing, go for a walk around the block or speak to someone if you are having a stressful day to get those bad vibes out. Put that phone down for half an hour. Pay attention to how you feel when you are eating and try to pay attention only to your meal.

Hugs

Puja

Note: Ayurveda is a complementary practice and is not a replacement for seeing a GP.

Ayurveda looks at what you eat, when you eat, daily routines and guides on how to manage your life. I have put together some of the main daily routines. Not all as I believe that some of the routines should be physically demonstrated.

Wake up before sunrise

Brahma muhurta is the term for a period before sunrise that is auspicious. It is roughly between an hour and an hour and a half before sunrise. Clearly in the summer, this is harder to do than in the winter. If you cannot wake up before the sun rises, then it is recommended to wake up with the sun rise. It regulates a persons body clock, is said to help digestion and is good for mental health.

Scraping your tongue (after brushing your teeth)

During the night, your body is naturally detoxing itself. If you look at your tongue in the morning, you may see a coating which is the waste that your body is expelling. Instead of taking a drink of water or eating breakfast without cleaning your mouth, it is recommended to scrape your tongue first with a copper tongue scraper. Cleaning your tongue removes bacteria and toxins responsible for plaque, tooth decay and gum disease.

I would recommend this for everyone, every day.

Oil pulling

From the original Ayurveda books, sesame oil is recommended. Sesame oil is good for all doshas. Coconut oil is used by many people although coconut oil is cold properties. Therefore, if using coconut oil, be mindful if you notice any dryness or adverse feelings after prolonged use. 

It improves the health of the eyes, ears, nose, and gums. It is also meant to improve your taste.

If you can do this daily, great. If not, a few times a week are still beneficial.

Nasya

Putting a few drops on oil (anutailam) up your nostrils is recommended. This is done with lukewarm oil, you put a few drops in your nostrils whilst laying down, and tilt your head back.

However, I believe that it is best to consult a practitioner before practices involving your nose and brain cavity.

Nasya is beneficial for reducing symptoms of seasonal allergies and various blockages and infections of this area. It is also good for our voice, health of our throat, eyes, nose and ears.

Same goes for using a neti pot.

Abhyanga

Massage warm oil from the top of your head (don’t forget your ears), down to your feet. If you can, look in a mirror and tell yourself some positive affirmations. Sesame oil is the recommended oil.

If you can do this daily, great. If not, a few times a week are still beneficial.

Exercise or meditate

Yoga, meditation or some form of gentle exercise is recommended. For me personally, I practise abhyanga once a week and during the week when I have to go to work, I will work out in the morning.

Shower

It is recommended to wash with warm and not hot water, as hot water can dry the skin out.

Breakfast

Have a warm, cooked breakfast if you are hungry. The digestive fire is not as strong in the morning as it is at lunchtime, when the sun is highest in the sky. Therefore, eat to your appetite but beware of eating anything really heavy.

Night-time routine

Repeat the mouth cleaning processes from above. In the original Ayurvedic books, there were no mobile phones! However, doctors east and west agree that not looking at the blue light from phones, televisions and laptops for at least an hour before bed, is beneficial.

That is it!

Hugs

Puja

Note: Ayurveda is a complementary practice and is not a replacement for seeing a GP. 

Coming Soon

Ayurveda has been used as a health system in India for many thousands of years. It has stood the test of time, and as it gets more popular in the West, it is important to find your own way with it. How your body works, is the same as how it has worked from the beginning of time. Food is the fuel, water is about 60% of the body and exercising maintains one’s health.  Therefore, the basics of maintaining good health remain the same. 

Traditionally, one would come from a lineage of several generations of Ayurvedic doctors. In India and Sri Lanka, now you don’t have to come from a lineage but the Ayurvedic medical degree is several years. In the West, anyone can study Ayurveda from doing a short course of a few weeks, to being a practitioner in 2 – 3 years. In the West, we seem to have a lot of ‘Ayurvedic experts’. You do the math!  I am certainly not an expert but as well as studying for 3 years for my qualification and growing up in the Indian culture which has Ayurveda weaved into it, I have a few advantages to my peers.

Ayurveda is such a complex and large subject with lots of pieces that I can see why it may put someone off. ‘But I thought it meant going to a spa and having a really oily massage’ I hear you cry. Massages are a treatment in Ayurveda but is not the only piece of the jigsaw. It is a 360 health system. Think medicine added to physical treatments, nutritionists, counselling, wellbeing consultants and herbologists. If you look at the Western system of medicine, you know that there are lots of things that the layperson doesn’t understand. However, you know that it is beneficial to know what to eat and how to exercise to maintain your health. Ayurveda is the same. These are both systems whose joint purpose is to heal the body. You don’t need to understand the whole subject but some fundamentals on how to eat and live a healthy lifestyle are invaluable. There are many overlaps. The difference being that Ayurveda is older, uses plants as medicine (not chemicals or isolated chemicals from plants) and looks at the mind, body and soul. Ayurveda also advises on what foods to eat to bring yourself back in to balance. That is not to say that Western medicine is inferior, or not important. It is, in fact, extremely useful. 

In these polarised years, I find people arguing about Ayurveda OR Allopathy. The real winning combination, in my opinion, is Ayurveda AND Allopathy. What I would like to share in today’s blog are the basics of Ayurveda, in regard to finding your balance. This is not considered in Western medicine. Therefore, it is a handy addition, if you will, to your health toolkit. 

To put it simply, our balance is the natural state in which our body, mind and soul operate at their optimum. The three energies, or doshas, are made from elements that make up the entire cosmos. We have a unique mix in our bodies that are determined at birth.  These levels that make up our physical and psychological composition, are affected by many variables. The climate, our time of life, the food we eat, the thoughts we think and more.

Put simply, being in balance, is when you feel like your best self. Physically and mentally. This alone, confuses many people in society today where we are sold, through social media and advertising, what our best selves are meant to look like. This is the very first and most important piece to address. For if you do not know WHAT your best self is, how would you come back into balance? 

An example of this, is body image. You may naturally sit at a medium size. When you eat natural foods, are happy in your life and your physical fitness is well this may be your size. Fitness for you, may be walking. It may be running or it may be many other things. On social media platforms and with fashion, if you are sold that your best self is an oiled torso with not an ounce of fat and a 6 pack, would you believe that that was your best self? It may be for some people, but it certainly is not for everyone. The important distinction in Ayurveda is that everyone has unique constitutions and best selves. If you force the body into a shape against its nature, you may get health problems. It may take a bit of time and analysis on your part to genuinely find your best self, but once you know your balance, that is your North Star to come back to.

Worth it? Hell yes!

So how do we do it? In Ayurveda, all imbalances are said to come from a vitiation of the digestive fire. A modern comparison would be where the school of thinking is now saying that your gut is the centre of health. When we become imbalanced, we can see physical or mental manifestations. If you have any health issues, you are out of balance. An obvious one may be eczema. The less obvious physical signs include (but are not limited to), waking up tired, having achy joints, constipation or loose stools, having a white coated tongue, feeling anxious or feeling of overwhelm. As I say, this is not an exhaustive list. 

I used to believe that period pain was normal. I went to an Ayurvedic doctor because I didn’t feel like myself. Couldn’t put my finger on it but I knew something was off. From that first consultation is when I started to know my body and question what I was putting in it. Does that mean that I am always in balance now? Absolutely not. There is a Sanskrit word ‘prajnaparadha’, which I feel should be my middle name. It means ‘crime against wisdom’. Having something you fancy every now and then is ok. In fact, Ayurveda talks about eating with satisfaction. And nothing satisfies me more than a massive slab of something chocolate with a cup of tea or coffee! Although I think I am slightly twisting that meaning of satisfaction. When that changes from occasionally, to a few times a week, it starts tipping the balance. This can then spiral to every day (hey don’t judge me!). Can you see where I am going with this?

The first step is figuring out if you are out of balance. The second step is getting yourself back in to balance through eating the correct foods and adjusting your lifestyle. This is something an Ayurvedic practitioner can help you with. Once you know how to come back to the middle way, you can do this yourself. One example from my clients, is having arthritis. Once they realise which foods give them flare ups, they know simply to avoid those foods until they get better. 

If you are already in balance, Ayurveda can still help you. It can help you realise you are in balance so you can call your mates smugly and let them know.

We all fall off the wagon and I am not here to be the fun police. What I would like to bring to your attention, is that there are ways to come back to the middle way. Like a goose being herded by a bored golden retriever. Some people prefer to be left to their own devices. I find a lot of my clients and friends like to do things in groups or like to be accountable to someone.

If you are following any advice, whether that is a healthy lifestyle account on Instagram, or the new fad out of L.A., the same is true including for plants and medicine. Too much of anything can tip you out of balance as can too little. I have spent a summer before having lemon water every single morning. Apart from getting sensitive teeth (which are now fixed, thank you for asking), and increasing the pitta in my body, made of fire and water dosha, I didn’t slim down to a size 8. Nor did I feel any other particular benefit. All that happened is that I increased the pitta, got awful period pain and, as mentioned above, sensitive teeth. Who asked me to do this lemon water ritual every single day? No one. Is lemon water bad for you? No. But like anything, in excess it may, or may not, tip you out of balance.

Does this sound difficult? Or does it just take some thought? The buzz word is ‘mindful’ at the moment. Back in the day, it was ‘paying attention’. Food for thought? Hopefully.

Hugs

Puja

Ps If you would like to have a little go yourself at mindfully checking out your balance, sign up to my newsletter for a free mini guide.