Ayurveda Ireland~ Health is a Choice

Questions about Ayurveda and Yoga

The difference between Ayurveda and Yoga:

I recently read a post by someone in Ireland that said Ayurveda was a form of Yoga. To that I said What??? I am both a yoga instructor and an Ayurvedic practitioner and the two are not the same. Yoga is at it's simplest explanation a form of body postures that aid the body to stay flexible and youthful. Ayurveda is a medical science that deals with imbalances in the body and treats them through adjusting food, body treatments, adjusting lifestyle and herbs. The two complement each other and are said to have been taught as a complete system for health and longevity, but they are two completely different things.

What style of Ayurveda do you practice?

I was also asked what style of Ayurveda do I practice? There are no "styles" of ayurveda. I think people get confused and don't really know what ayurveda is because you have some people giving body treatments while others are suggesting foods. An Ayurvedic practitioner is one who does both or at least facilitates applying both to an individual client for their health. Ayurvedic therapists are those who give ayurvedic body treatments.

Ayurveda is unique because it takes all modalities for health into consideration when looking for the best path for a client. An Ayurvedic practitioner can recommend their client get reflexology, acupuncture, color therapy or a number of other modalities that would help the client. In addition, ayurveda works hand in hand with regular medical doctors. There is no reason you can't get treated using Ayurveda as well as seeing your GP.

Ayurveda is over 5000 years old and offers practicle ways of healing the body that make sense once you understand them. Regular Western medicine in mearly hundreds of years old and is just discovering many things that Ayurveda has known for thousands of years. Ayurveda is a science so results can be studied and applied and being done so.

If you have any questions about Ayurveda or want to learn more then email me at edie@ayurvedaireland.ie or post a comment.

5 Tips for Improved Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important activities we do each day. If you are suffering from insomnia or if the quality of sleep that you are getting is not good then it can snow ball into other problems. It is very important that you try to make sleep important. Here are my tips to get your sleep back on track.

Don't worry about it. The worst thing you can do is worry about not getting enough sleep. This will only make the problem worse. You have to accept that something needs to change and then try things. Worrying will not help, but make you stay right where you are at.
If you wake in the night don't look at the clock. Looking at the clock triggers in you worry that you aren't going to get enough sleep before you need to wake up. It also makes you wake up a little more when you look because you are then registering in your head what time it is and how long you have left to sleep.
Before bed oil the bottom of your feet and the tip top of your head. These are energy points in our bodies and oiling those points will allow the energy to dissipate so you can get some rest.
Drink a cup of warm milk with some fresh ground nutmeg. Both the milk and the nutmeg allow the body to relax enough to get a sound sleep. Just make sure that you don't put too much nutmeg in your milk as it will make you feel groggy in the morning.
Give yourself a pre-bedtime routine. This routine could include meditating, stretching, a warm bath, reflection time, journalling. Choose activities that are not requiring a lot of mental activity and or physical activity. You want the body to start being trained into knowing when it is time for bed.

Sometimes we need a little extra help with getting our sleep back on track. If that is the case for you then I suggest you sign up for my free 30 minute consultation. You may need a little more help then what I have already provided. You can email me at edie@ayurvedaireland.ie or go to my websites at www.ayurvedaireland.ie or www.amrutaayurveda.com

7 Tips to Move your Bowels Naturally

My Top 7 Ways to Move Your Bowels Naturally

Before I get to the bulk of my article I want to say that my point of view is the result of my training in Ayurveda and through my own experience. It is not intended to be used as a diagnosis or to replace a visit with your GP. If you have concerns about your bowel movements I recommend you visit your GP for a full exam.

Are you having days when you don’t have a movement? Do those days sometimes stretch into a week at times? If so then I want to talk to you.

What does it mean if you miss a bowel movement? If you miss having a bowel movement on the very rare occasion I wouldn’t put any thought into it. But, if you miss having a bowel movement 1-2 times per month and/or it seems to be increasing in how many days you miss then you should really start paying attention. Also, if you can’t have a bowel movement without the use of a laxative or caffeine then you should also pay attention to this article. I cannot say enough how important it is that your bowels move on their own every single day.

I used to suffer from constipation (less than 1 bowel movement per day) and I really didn’t think much of it. I also didn’t know how it was connected to my health and so didn’t see any importance of making sure my bowels were moving. When I was quit young I suffered from stiff and sore joints, scattered, drifty mind and from extreme mood swings. What I learned later is that all of these conditions clear up once the bowels move. Now, some people have regular bowel movements and they still suffer from some of the above symptoms, and if that is you then your body is different, and there is another reason specific for you. But, if you are not having regular movements AND you have health issues, then moving and getting the bowels in good health will help clear up a lot of your health conditions.

How do I get my bowels moving naturally?

This is the big question. I will give you some simple, natural ways to get your bowel health back on track, but remember, depending on how long the constipation has been going on, it may take a bit of time to reverse and none of my suggestions include taking supplements. The following suggestions are for those who aren’t obese. If you are obese or have a large amount of extra weight then please skip suggestion 1-4 and go straight to suggestions 5-7.

Increase the amount of oil in your diet. Your bowels aren’t moving because you are dried out. You can replace the dryness by adding good, natural oils to your meals. This includes eating foods that naturally have oil in them such as avocados, nuts and seeds. For some people they could be eating these foods but still not having regular movements and to that I would say you still need more oil.
Avoid dry foods. Dry foods require more moisture to digest which means it takes it from your body. Eat foods that are naturally moist and or cooked but not dry. The worse foods to eat if your bowels aren’t moving are rice cakes, ryvita, popcorn, dried fruits, granola and museli to name a few.
Oil your skin. If your skin is dry this is a good indicator that internally you are dry and oiling the skin will help bring moisture from the outside in. Sunflower is a safe oil to put on the outside of your skin. Don’t worry about pimples or skin eruptions, basically if the oil is of good quality it will be absorbed by the skin and used in the body.
Avoid raw food. If your diet is based mostly of raw foods and you still aren’t having a bowel movement then you should come off the raw food until the bowels are moving again and then start with the raw food in the summer. It takes a certain enzyme to digest raw food which is completely different than the enzyme we need to break down cooked foods. During the warmer time of the year we have an easier time adjusting our diets to raw. Make sure you educate yourself about how to eat healthy if you do want to stay on your raw diet. You should be having regular full movements if you do eat raw foods and if you are missing bowel movements then I strongly suggest you seek advise or stop and get digestion back on track before you proceed.

There is yet another category of us who are very heavy and aren’t having regular movements. Here are my suggestion for you.

Give your body a cleanse. If you are heavy and have never cleansed your body then my suggestion is that you do. Cleansing requires some will power and so asking a friend or getting yourself a health coach would be recommended. You need to have someone you are accountable to in order for the cleanse to work. There are a few ways of cleaning the body:
1. Juice fasting: decide to only drink juice (that you make yourself) for a certain number of days. In the beginning you may want to try 1 or 2 days and then once you know you can do it you may want to increase it to a 5 day juice fast. I suggest you juice all organic fresh fruits and vegetables for your fast
2. Fasting: I know this isn’t going to be a popular choice, but fasting once a week has been proven to improve any health condition. Choose 1 day a week where you will drink only water and eat nothing solid. This will allow your body a break. Choose the same day every week to make it simple.
Avoid bread, pasta and cereal. This is high on my list of getting the bowels moving again. These foods tend to be heavy and create stagnation in the body and make you put on weight. We become addicted to the simple carbohydrate “highs” but what happens is after the high we have a very deep low and energy plummets. Avoid this by replacing your bread, pasta or cereal with whole grains.
Increase whole grains in your diet. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that give us energy over time and are much more efficient fuel to burn. Whole grains include rice, quinoa, barley, millet, amaranth and oats. Yes, I said rice and I do mean white rice, but what I don’t mean is Uncle Bens or a quick cooking rice. Rice only needs about 20 minutes to cook and is one of the simplest food items to digest.

Ok, there are my top 7 ways to get your bowels moving naturally. Remember that we are all individual and the best results will be if you are working one on one with a health coach. If you have questions or comments please feel comfortable in leaving them here. Also, if you would like health coaching then you can find me at www.healthcoachingwithedie.com. I coach online so it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, but you do need to speak English. If you are in the Dublin, Ireland area you may want to stop by my clinic or go to my website at www.amrutaayurvedacentre.com You can also email me at edie@ayurvedaireland.ie

Free 5 Ayurvedic Tips for Energy

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Community

by Edie O'Reilly

I recently gave a workshop titled the Spiritual Power of Women. Though I had offered this workshop before I decided that the approach I was going to take this time was about allowing what needed to come up to come up without me trying to structure the whole thing. I felt great inspiration from doing that and it has brought me to an awareness of the need for community building especially with and between women.

The connection between one person to another is very important. We are social, spiritual beings regardless if we want to admit it or not. We thrive, if we are able to accept to live in communities. The community opens us up in ways that we can't open on our own. My belief is that we thrive in community because everyone is a reflection of the other person and by seeing our reflections we start to love ourselves on a very deep level. Now, this can go in the other direction in that we don't love what we see in others and so living in a community can be very hard. This is ok and everyone is at their own level of awareness, but I can say that if we can let ourselves experience, without judgment, what it is the community can bring to us then we have a great opportunity for growth.

Next Top Spiritual Author Competition

http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=1480

You can click on the link above to view my video pitch for my book titled Chi-A Spiritual Being.

I have entered myself into a competition. This competition is giving me the platform to write my book and I need your votes to get me through the first round. In addition to your vote, I am asking you to put this link on your facebook, twitter or email list. Click on the link to vote for my book pitch.

http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=1480

Many Thanks and blessings!!

Here is an overview for my book.

Book Description: Chi is a young girl who is abused and feeling vulnerable, hopeless and helpless. But, in the summer of her twelth year that all changes. Chi meets a woman who teachs her about who she is- a spiritual being. Chi learns how to slowly gain the power that is within her, the power of self confidence, wisdom and a continuing flow of connection. Once Chi feels this empowerment within herself she then learns that she can change her current situation. And she does. Chi is a part of each of us. We all have times in our lives that we feel lost, hopeless, helpless and vulnerable. You can learn from the story of Chi or you can read for the pleasure of seeing how this child transformed her life. I invite you to learn more about Chi....

Next Top Spiritual Author Competition

http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=1480

You can click on the link above to view my video pitch for my book titled Chi-A Spiritual Being.

http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=1480

Many Thanks and blessings!!

Here is an overview for my book.

Book Description: Chi is a young girl who is abused and feeling vulnerable, hopeless and helpless. But, in the summer of her twelth

My Shift

by Edie O'Reilly

I have recently agreed to be in the Irish Beauty Show. No not me personally, but my business, Ayurveda Ireland. I really had to sit with this decision because I’m not about make-up, perfumes and cosmetics. I was approached by one of the organizers to be part of the show to represent alternative therapies in Ireland. While I was happy to come on board for those reasons, it still made me think about the implications of what it meant to be in the show.

I signed up and agreed to the Irish Beauty Show when I was in the mode of making my business a success by what “I” can do to make it happen. Then one day, while meditating, it came to me….this whole thing about “me” making things happen could be setting myself up for stress, depression, frustration and burn out to name a few. This doesn’t mean I have to have this outcome, but it does mean that I am more prone to these health/mind issues when the “I” becomes the doer.

You’ve all heard the saying “If it is to be it is up to me”. While I agree with this statement in that I am the only one that is ultimately responsible for the success of my business, I think that people interpret this saying as they have to think of ideas and come up with ways of being successful (ego self). On the other hand, I believe there is a spiritual connection to the work we do and in keeping with the energy of that when we can place our ego self aside and realize that we have a choice to be the doer with the potential to create stress, burn out and whatever else comes with it, or we can choose to allow the flow of energy to give us inspiration to act upon what is being given to us on the day in the moment.

It has to do with me stepping aside and allowing my silence to lead me. This doesn’t mean that I am not doing anything, but what it means is that I become aware that the “I” acting in my body is either ego driven or divine driven. When I am acting in the divine driven self I am feeling the effortlessness of being and having doors open to me that I may not have been aware of if I was in my driven ego self. The driven ego self is busy trying to “figure things out” and “meet the next goal” of which needs to be attained no matter what. When driven by the silence or the divine, the ideas come from a space of stillness and not through effort. They come from a knowing space and not a lets try and see what happens space.

This may not seem concrete enough for a lot of people and I suppose it isn’t. But what I have realized is that what most people are doing is creating more health issues for themselves because they don’t see or even feel the connection between their acting in divine energy or them acting in the “I”. One of the great spiritual teachers of today, Eckhart Tolle, is a prime example of being in the flow and not acting as the “I” that needs to do everything. As he says, all answers come through the stillness and that stillness is our flow or connection with the divine energy that is within us. Eckhart didn’t set out to make millions, he set out to experience the stillness and what rose from that was this enormous platform for him to share what his truth is which isn’t based in the gain of his ego.

The only way of letting your self be in the flow of the divine energy is through meditation and through calming and quieting the thoughts in the mind. You won’t even be aware of the flow if your mind is going all the time. You may be able to grasp the idea of it, but in order to truly understand it there must be an experience.

“The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become” Ben Herbster.

Being aware of the flow of divine energy and working to become aware of your involvement or connection with it will open doors and put you in an endless stream of heart opening energy. What comes from that flow is what is unknown and is what is so exciting to find out. Every day is an opportunity to experience the greatness of what your possibilities are.

After this shift took place within my being I thought that being part of the Irish Beauty Show wasn’t something I wanted anymore. Funny enough, I was contacted that day by one of the organizers and I explained that I would like to pull out. She reminded me that I had signed a contract and that I was bound by it. I realized that my own limiting beliefs may be holding back this opportunity for me and now I embrace the idea of being in an environment of people that may not have heard about Ayurveda. Though I don’t have products to sale to make you beautiful from the outside, I can be there in my stillness to see what the day may hold and choose to be inspired and blissful in my state of being.

Food Home Remedies

by Edie O'Reilly

Did you know that fennel seeds dispel gas/wind and green tea relieves and itchy scalp? Well you do now. I am Edie O'Reilly and I own Ayurveda Ireland and the Amruta Ayurveda Clinic in Dublin, Ireland. I have put together these home remedies that I think you will enjoy and some you may be surprised to know about. Who needs the first aid kit, just go to your kitchen cupboard and start mending the aches and pains.

Potatoes- Yes, the old Irish favorite for your evening tea is also good at cooling and healing burns. If you happen to burn yourself, cut a piece of tati (potato for those of you outside Ireland) and strap it on the burn using a bandage and feel the heat ease away. It won't just take the heat out of the burn it also stops the burn from blistering and it won't stick to your skin....
Yogurt- This dairy product is great for getting rid of bad breath. The good bacteria in the yogurt balances the gut and saliva and gets rid of any odor in the mouth. Plain, organic will do just add your own bits to make it tasty.
Fennel Seeds- These tiny little seeds will dispel any gas or wind that may be making you a bit airy. They neutralize the air in the system by getting rid of the gas. They also taste nice. This little seed is offered to anyone eating in a restaurant while dinning in India. You can toast them in a dry pan for added nutty flavor or make a tea by steeping 1 teaspoon of seeds in 1 cup of hot water for about 5 minutes.
Green tea- Yes, there are more uses for green tea then we all suspected. This tea is said to help the scalp regain moisture and rid itself of dandruff. Steep two tea bags in 1 cup hot water and allow to cool. Once cooled take the tea in the shower with you and apply to your scalp after you have washed your hair.
Horseradish- This tuber is said to clear congestion in the sinuses if sniffed or eaten. I do believe this as I have often got a runny nose after eating horseradish. Enjoy :}
Onions- Onions are said to relieve the skin of itchy bug bites. Most commonly used for mosquito bites but can be used on any itchy bite. The sulfites in the onions help relieve the skin. Just cut the onion and rub over bite. Any type of onion will do.

I hope you are able to use some if not all of these remedies. Remember, food isn't just to eat, but it can also be used as medicine.

Your Mind

By Edie O’Reilly

Your mind is a powerful tool or a powerful detriment to your health and well being. Are you aware of your thoughts? Are you giving the mind a rest and having times of thought less states? Do you want overall health and well being for your body? The mind is the key to all health.....

Imagine, if you only had to do one thing to change your health and your whole life, that one thing would be your mind. I know you have heard the saying, change your mind and you can change your life. There is nothing truer than that statement. We have the resource between our ears that has the ability to move mountains and change the health of our body and can change the whole course of our life. I know, from my own experience, that the mind is not an easy thing to conquer. But, this is a task worth conquering......simply because the mind is the key component in every single thing....Here are some tips that I would recommend to start to change this over consuming mind that leads us from where we truly want to be, happy and healthy.

Tip 1: Take time to not think. This means that you have set aside, everyday, a little time to let everything you are thinking about stop. Consciously think of nothing. This isn't easy, but you can do it with determination. When you first start it may be easier to focus on something: breath, mantra, inspirational thought. But this is one of the most important steps in changing your mind to be the tool it is intended to be.

Tip 2: Stop blaming yourself or finding fault with anything you have done. You will gain nothing in finding fault with yourself. You won't better yourself by going over everything....in fact, you will feel less confident and even more critical of yourself. This is often the stopping force that holds us back from accomplishing things. We are too critical, too self judging. You did what you did and you can't change it. You are not a bad person from it, but you learned from it. If you want a different outcome then make a note to do it differently next time. Let go of what just happened and get in your moment of now.

Tip 3: Become familiar with this idea of being in the now. Really think about what that means. Don't let this growth opportunity pass you by from not understanding that everything you need is right here, right now. There is nothing more you need in order to experience your perfection. You only need to realize that your perfection is now and not in the future and it wasn't in the past.

Tip 4: Let go. When you feel struggle, when you feel pain, when you feel as if you are going against the grain, let go. It is only your ego trying to make something that doesn't want or need to happen, happen. By letting go you gain all you were trying to accomplish because it allows you to see the bigger picture. Often when we are pushing to make something happen we are not aware of what's going on that may be stopping us from achieving whatever it is. Let go and allow the bigger timing to take hold and know that if you were meant to attain it you will.

Tip 5: You are love. I know this sounds really new age, but you are the embodiment of love. Once you truly love yourself you will see your connection with everything else around you. You are not a tiny island of you, you are the hugeness of everything, connected to everything. Embrace that love and blanket yourself in that knowledge. This will help the negative state of the mind to dissipate.

Tip 6: Gratitude. Gratitude is the healer of the mind. Give thanks for everything and you will find yourself in a state of complete happiness. Gratitude shifts negative states of mind like nothing else. There is so much each of us can be grateful for, we just need to use it.

My hope is that we all reach our higher state of knowing there is nothing "wrong" with us and that we have all we need in order for us to be healthy and happy now. Your mind need not be a determent to your health, start to use it to gain your perfection.