Ayurveda for Wellness through Balance

Ayurveda literally translates to "the science of life". In ayurveda, health is defined as an active state of wellness--a state in which you truly live, not merely exist. This active state of wellness, according to the ancient texts of ayurveda, extends beyond the physical body to the mind, heart, senses and spirit. In this "zone," you experience physical vitality, mental alertness, emotional bliss, sensual balance and spiritual awareness, not just for a fleeting time, but day after day, year after year.

The ayurvedic approach to health is inclusive, extending to your daily diet, your routine, and your environment. Your needs for achieving that active state of wellness, which ayurveda calls balance, change over time. Age, environmental factors, stress levels, poor lifestyle choices and dietary excesses or deprivation can all cause imbalances in your physiology. Ayurveda offers a wide range of therapies and tools to restore balance, from dietary recommendations and ayurvedic rasayanas--herbs, fruits and spices that help maintain good health--to internal cleansing and rejuvenation treatments.

At AyurBalance, we offer you the inclusive approach to ayurveda, with authentic ayurvedic wisdom on all aspects of wellness and pure ayurvedic rasayanas for balanced, sustained herbal healing designed to keep you in the zone.

Shop for Ayurvedic Products

Ayurvedic Skin Care

Our ayurvedic skin care offerings start with pure, natural products from Ajara, Primavera and Sundari. These skin formulations are made using traditional ayurvedic ingredients and processes or natural herbs, flowers, and oils.

Swami Blend Facial Oil (for all skin types/tridoshic)
Yogi Blend Facial Oil (for all skin types/tridoshic)
Herbal Facial Mask (for all skin types/tridoshic)
Vata Facial Oil (for Space and Air predominant skin)
Vata Facial Cleanser (for Space and Air predominant skin)
Pitta Facial Oil (for Fire and Water predominant skin)
Pitta Facial Cleanser (for Fire and Water predominant skin)
Kapha Facial Oil (for Water and Earth predominant skin)
Kapha Facial Cleanser (for Water and Earth predominant skin)
Sundari Lemon Cleanser for Oily Skin (for Kapha skin)
Sundari Neem/Burdock Gel Cleanser (for normal skin)
Sundari Neem and Green Tea Cleansing Mask (for Kapha skin)
Sundari Neem Night Cream (for Kapha skin)
Primavera Natural Balance Gentle Cleansing Fluid (for all skin types)
Primavera Wild Rose Aroma Face Oil Capsules (for Vata and Pitta skin)

Ayurvedic Hair Care

Our ayurvedic hair care offerings start with pure, natural products from Ajara, Vadik and Banyan Botanicals. These hair and scalp formulations are made using traditional ayurvedic ingredients and processes. They contain no chemicals, preservatives or artificial fragrances.

Herbal Hair and Scalp Oil (for all hair types/tridoshic)
Almond Oil (for Vata hair)
Organic Coconut Oil (for Pitta hair)
Organic Sesame Oil (for Vata and Kapha hair)
Organic Bhringaraj Oil (for all hair types)
Organic Brahmi Oil (for all hair types)
Amla Herbal Hair and Scalp Oil (for all hair types)
Bring-raj Herbal Hair and Scalp Oil (for all hair types)

Ayurvedic Body Care

Our ayurvedic body care offerings start with pure, natural products from Ajara, Neem Tree Farms, Earth Pharmaceuticals and Banyan. These body care formulations are made using traditional ayurvedic ingredients and processes. They contain no chemicals, preservatives or artificial fragrances.

Herbal Dusting Powder (for all skin types/tridoshic)
Herbal Body Cleanser (for all skin types/tridoshic)
Vata Massage Oil
Pitta Massage Oil
Kapha Massage Oil
Relax Bath Salts with Lavender (for Vata)
Harmony Bath Salts with Rose (for Pitta)
Energize Bath Salts with Rosemary (for Kapha)
Neem Nail Enhancer
Neem Bark Tooth Powder
Neem Oil for Nails
Neem Salve (Unscented or with Lavender Oil)



Ayurvedic Personal Care

Stainless Steel Tongue Cleaner
Nasal Rinse Cup
Nasya Oil, certified organic

What is Ayurveda?

What is Ayurveda?

A system of self-care that originated in India more than 5000 years ago, Ayurveda is becoming very popular all over the world, with hundreds of healers incorporating it into their practices and thousands of people using its well-tried principles and therapies to improve their well-being.

The Vedic word ayurveda has two root words--ayu and veda. Every root word in the Vedic tradition has its own definition--thus, ayu has its own definition and so does veda. Literally and concisely, ayu means "life" and ved means "science." According to this translation, ayurveda means "the science of life." But the Vedic texts expand on these definitions to offer us a more complete understanding, and our ayurvedic expert Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra has explained some of these expanded statements.

Ayu explained

What is the real meaning of ayu or life according to the fundamental principles of ayurveda? Sharirendriya sattwa atma samyogo ayuhu, goes one verse. Sharir means physical body; indriya means senses. Sattwa refers to the combination of mind and heart--overall psychological strength, and atma means soul or spirit. When all of these--body, senses, heart, mind and spirit--are in proper balance and function in a harmonious, coordinated manner, that is true life--"the living body."

Veda explained

Veda means science: not a science that changes its theories and its findings every few years but ageless, eternal knowledge built on siddhantas, fundamental unchanging principles. Veda refers to guided knowledge: it is not just theory, but also a roadmap for how to derive practical benefit from the knowledge.

A longer definition of ayurveda

Another longer definition of ayurveda goes: ayurhitahitamvyadhe nidaanamshamanam thathaa vidyate yatra vidhwadhihi tatra ayurveda uchyate. This verse takes us to a deeper level to understand what ayurveda is.

Ayurveda provides us with a complete understanding of what is life-sustaining and what is not, not just for the physical body, but also our mind, heart, senses and spirit. This includes descriptions of the kind of diet, lifestyle and behavior that is optimal for well-being, the ideal environment, and the herbal rasayanas that are good or bad for each of these aspects of health. There is great detail on each of these modalities--what to eat, when to eat and how to eat are a part of dietary recommendations, for example. The texts also include recommendations for nurturing relationships and living as part of the human community.

If an individual does not have this knowledge or has the knowledge but does not implement the knowledge, then, say the texts, the person becomes susceptible to imbalance and disorders.

Ayurvedic Skin Care

Kapha, EARTH type of Skin

People with Kapha type of skin are Earth predominant and also have a strong water element. The characteristics of Kapha are oily, cold, heavy, soft, slow, dense, dull and lubricating. The skin imbalances can be identified by the following characteristics, cool, fair, oily and thick skin, large pores with proneness to cystic acne, and deep wrinkles.

Vata, AIR type of skin

These people are born with predominantly Vata, air and ether elements. The charactersics of Vata are light, dry, cold, rough, and mobile. Vata type of skin imbalance is seen as thin, dry, rough and cold, prone to premature aging. A lack of sebum occurs because the sebaceous glands are low in number and are sluggish. The small pores charactersitc of this type of skin lose water quickly. The loss of water leads to tiny superficial wrinkles. Signs of aging, therefore appear much faster for Vata constitutions than with other types of skin.

Pitta, FIRE type of skin

People with Pitta type of skin are Fire predominant and also have a strong Water element. The characteristics of Pitta are slightly oily, hot, light, mobile, sour-smelling, sharp fluid, and pungent. Pitta skin imbalance is usually warm, reddish, sensitive, with blotchy red patches, medium pores with large pores in the T-zone, and proness to blackheads and allergic reactions.

Founding Principles of Ayurveda

Ayurveda (Ah-yur-vay-dah) literally means science of life. The ancient science of Ayurveda has been the traditional medicine of India for over 5000 years. The primary focus of Ayurveda is to ensure longevity (Ayur) by maintaining and promoting health.

Ayurveda asserts that we are all born into an unchanging constitution known as dosha. The main doshas are based on a combination of the five universal elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. These elements combine to form three basic constitutions or doshas: Vata (ether and air), Pitta (fire and water), Kapha (water and earth).

A person is characterized by his or her proportion of doshas present in the body. These doshas are influenced by diet, environment, state of mind, etc. Each dosha can go out of balance and Ayurveda states that by following a diet and lifestyle that corresponds to our body's inherent makeup, we can stave of illness. Restoring and maintaining a level of balance is the key to healing and managing health.

Ayurveda attempts to balance or restore these doshas through understanding each person's unique combination of elements (doshas). This is achieved through questioning, pulse and tongue diagnosis, and a physical exam. To restore balance, Ayurveda relies on dietary guidelines, herbal preparation, lifestyle, meditation and yoga.

Ayurveda is not viewed as an alternative to or substitute for western medicine. Ayurveda seeks to prevent disease by detecting the imbalances and correcting them. It can be used in combination with western medicine and western herbs. The role of Ayurveda is to rebuild tissues, strengthen the immune system and restore balance to the whole person.

As Pratima puts it: "When we follow the laws of nature, we have balance and harmony. Internal harmony brings happiness, and happiness brings health and beauty."

Eating Your Way to Clear Beautiful Skin

Ayurvedic healers contend that clear beautiful skin on the outside happens only when your insides are clean and toxin-free and you follow a strict daily and weekly external cleansing regimen. With these timeless beauty secrets from Ayurveda, you can keep your skin looking and feeling clear, healthy and radiant.

Your skin is like a mirror: it reflects what’s going on inside. Blemishes, eruptions, patches and sallow skin are often related to inappropriate diet or lifestyle choices that lead to accumulation of dietary toxins, called ama in Ayurveda. Following a skin-friendly diet, making sure your digestion-absorption-elimination cycle is efficient and supplementing with skin-friendly herbs help your skin look clear, radiant, healthy and youthful.

In general, choose foods that are appropriate for your constitution and the season. Eat lighter meals, space out your meals so that one meal is digested before you introduce another into your system, and choose whole fresh foods.

Here are seven simple dietary recommendations that will help keep your insides cleansed, and lead to a clear glowing complexion that will turn heads:

1. Start your day with a mug of hot water into which the juice of half of one lemon has been freshly squeezed. Lemon is anti-bacterial, promotes regular elimination and helps flush toxins from your system. If your skin tends to be oily, a second drink of lemon water in the afternoon can be helpful. Vata and Pitta skinned individuals can start the day with a handful of raisins that have been soaked in water the previous night. Raisins help promote regularity.
   
2. Have two or three herb/spice tea breaks during the day. Choose from fennel, mint, cumin, fresh ginger root, aniseed, cardamom, rosehips and cinnamon. Ayurvedic herbs that are known for their cleansing properties include Neem, Indian Sarsaparilla, Turmeric, Indian Madder (Manjistha) and Marshmallow Root. These herbs cleanse the blood and help support the liver in its efforts to keep your system free of toxins.
3. At lunch, include a portion of raw vegetable salad to your meal. If your digestive fire is very dim, you may want to wait until it is stronger, since raw foods are harder to digest and the benefit of eating the salad is only derived when your system is able to digest the assimilate the nutrients. Chop the veggies fine or grate them. Stick to high-water content vegetables that are easier to digest, such as lettuce, carrot, cucumber, daikon radish (which is revered by Ayurvedic healers for its purifying properties), fennel bulb and tops and very tender asparagus tips. These vegetables are tridoshic: they are good for all types of skin. Combine at least 3 and enjoy with a simple olive oil-lemon juice dressing.
   
   Cruciferous vegetables, although very purifying and skin-friendly, are harder to digest and should be steamed before they are eaten. If you are an individual with Vata skin, minimize consumption of cruciferous vegetables. For Pitta and Kapha skin, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts can be steamed and dressed with an olive-oil/lemon juice dressing for a cooked lunchtime salad.
   
4. Dry-roasted seeds are rich in nutrients and good essential oils. They offer natural lubrication and are recommended for all types of skin (in small quantities for persons with Kapha skin). Sesame seeds, melon seeds or sunflower seeds can be dry-roasted and sprinkled on top of salads and soups for a nice crunch.
   
5. Persons with a less fiery digestion can enjoy the benefits of skin-friendly vegetables by combining them in detoxifying soups. Steam-cooked cauliflower or broccoli can also pureed with a little organic rice milk to make a hearty dinnertime soup for Pitta or Kapha-skinned persons. Steam-cooked whole or cooked pureed asparagus is extremely beneficial for all types of skin.
   
6. Include at least one helping of a leafy green vegetable a day. Pick only the freshest greens, wash thoroughly and shred large leaved varieties into fine slivers before cooking. Persons with Kapha skin can benefit from the addition of peppery greens such as mustard, and persons with Pitta skin from the addition of a bitter green such as fenugreek or tender dandelion. Steam-cook your greens until just done and drizzle with a little olive oil or sauté them in olive oil and your choice of spices. Leafy greens help nourish, protect and detoxify the skin.
   
7. Stick to skin-friendly oils and avoid foods that contain trans-fats. While bad fats lead to clogged skin pores, breakouts and a sallow appearance, healthy oils can actually enhance skin health, clarity and luminescence. This is especially so if you have Vata skin, which tends to be naturally dry and rough and prone to flaking easily. Ayurvedic healers recommend ghee, which is clarified butter – butter with all the milk solids removed. Extra-virgin olive, sesame or walnut oil are other good choices. Ghee has the advantage of being able to be heated; other oils should be drizzled over cooked foods.
   

Ayurvedic Beauty and Skin Care

Our philosophy is very simple " if you cannot eat it, do not put it on your skin. What is put on the skin should be filled with nourishment, naturally occurring vitamins and minerals safe enough to be taken internally." Omveda Ayurvedic beauty and skin care products are manufactured to adhere to this principal.

• Essential Oils can be too concentrated and can irritate sensitive skin. In it's skincare products OmVeda uses pure herbs specifically selected to balance the body, mind and soul.


• The base of our skincare products are beeswax, sunflower oil, almond oil, sesame oil, purified water. That is it.


• All our skincare products are made to Strict Ayurvedic Medicinal Guidelines.


• Our products are 100% natural.


• What is good for the inside is good for the outside.

From an ayurvedic perspective there are seven dhatus or tissues. The outer layer being the skin and innermost being the blood plasma. Srotas or channels pass through the dhatus. Srotas when blocked or filled with toxins are the seat of disease or imbalance.

There are many ways to keep the body in balance. The one that is ignored the most is the skin. It is the largest organ of the body, and it is one place that we do not give much thought to from the point of view of what goes on it.

People are generally so very careful about what they eat and drink – organic food, vitamins and minerals. OmVeda ingredients are organically grown, and picked in the right season for maximum potency and effectiveness in skin care.

Skin Care

Skin Care

Being the mirror, the barometer of an individual's health, skin is the clue to one's Ayurvedic constitution. This can be understood by the types of skin that one has. Example: If vata is predominant the skin of a person is dry, rough, cold, thin with fine pores and wrinkled. In case of pitta constitution, the skin is delicate, fair and red toned with freckles, moles or acne and burns easily. If the constitution is of kapha dosha the skin of a person is oily, smooth, moist and thick with a tendency towards large pores.

If the skin is not cared properly and neglected it suffers from premature aging, becomes dull and blemished. Regular consumption of milk, honey and yogurt are good nourishment for skin and prevents premature aging.

Following are some common skin problems and ayurvedic remedy for preventing and curing the same.