In this solo episode, Colette continues her series on the srotas or channels of the body and she focuses on rakta vaha srotas.  Rakta is the second tissue formed in the processing of our food. Rakta is our red blood cells and rakta vaha srotas are the channels involved in the production and transportation of blood which includes the red bloods cells, the heart, liver, spleen, bone marrow and arteries.  Colette discusses the following: The root, passage and opening of rakta vaha srotas. Causes of aggravation of the blood channel. The signs and symptoms of aggravation e.g. acne, eczem ..read more

Rasa Vaha Srotas are the channels carrying rasa which is the first tissue produced from the elemental juice formed from our digested food. Rasa vaha srotas includes the plasma, the fluid portion of the blood in the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system. In this episode Colette details the many functions of this plasma carrying channel in the body including; the transport of nutrients and respiratory gases, aiding in the absorption of fat, maintaining water-electrolyte balance, regulating body temperature, viscosity and volume of blood and filtrating toxins and removing excess fluids a ..read more

Ayurveda teaches us that we are a part of nature and not separate from it. We are made up of the same 5 elements as nature or the panchamahabhoutas as they’re called in Sanskrit; space, air, fire, water and earth. Our unique dosha ratio of Vata, Pitta and Kapha in our individual constitution determines the energies and qualities in our body. Each season will result in a shift in the 5 panchmahabhoutas depending on the climate and this shift in the elements and qualities of our environment will effect the qualities of Vata, Pitta and Kapha in our body. In this episode Colette discusses the foll ..read more

Colette continues her series on the channels (srotas) of the body. This is the third episode in this series: In episode #272 she did an introduction to the channels of the body and in that episode she focused on the first input channel, anna vaha srotas (the food channel). In episode #274 she focused on the second input channel, prana vaha srotas (the respiratory channel). In this episode, Colette focuses on the important role of udaka vaha srotas (the hydration channel) in the body and mind as water is required for the following functions in the body: Aiding digestion Elimination Regulatin ..read more

Kamalesh Ginger Hooven is interim Provost of Mount Madonna Institute, where she is the Director of the Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy program. Kamalesh returns to the podcast to discuss the energy of prana, our vital life force energy and pranayama, breathing practices. This is a great follow up to the previous podcast episode #274 The Respiratory System (Prana Vaha Srotas) where Colette explains in detail how the prana vaha srotas carries this vital energy through the respiratory system.  Colette chats with Kamalesh about the following: The energy of prana. What is pranayama. The relations ..read more

In episode #272 Colette did an introduction to the srotas or channels of the body and in that episode she focused on the anna vaha srotas, the food carrying channels. She explained the journey from the intake of food at the mouth through to the small intestine, explaining the doshas and subdoshas involved along the way and their role in transforming food into energy. In this episode, Colette focuses on another input channel, prana vaha srotas, the respiratory system. Prana vaha srotas works with anna vaha srotas (the food channel) as the breath kindles the agni (our digestive fire) and the agn ..read more

Divya Alter is a certified nutritional consultant, educator, and chef in the Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda tradition. Divya and her husband Prentiss founded Divya’s Kitchen, a plant-based restaurant in New York City that reimagines classic dishes through an Ayurvedic lens. Divya’s brand has since expanded to include a line of plant-based retail food products, educational videos and two books. She is the author of What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen and Joy of Balance: An Ayurvedic Guide to Cooking with Healing Ingredients. In this episode we take a deep dive into the five types of ..read more

The Srotas are channels in the body through which the doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha move. There are many types of srotas in the body from the subtle energetic channels called nadis to the largest channel in the body, maha srotas, the gastrointestinal tract. In this episode Colette explains the main channels of the body and she focuses on anna vaha srotas, the food channel. She details what happens when we eat and the journey through the food channel and the subdoshas involved which includes: bodhaka kapha prana vayu sadhaka pitta kledaka kapha samana vayu pachaka pitta ranjaka pitta apana v ..read more

Colette takes questions from the Elements of Ayurveda Podcast community and she answers the following questions: Ayurvedic view on intermittent fasting or time restricted eating and which dosha would benefit the most/least? My family has been suffering with coughs and congestion since early Autumn, what are some natural Ayurvedic tips to help relieve these symptoms and what could be the root cause? Vata type cough - Make a soothing tea with 1 tsp raw honey, 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric & 1/2 tsp ground ginger + 1 pinch of ground black pepper. Golden turmeric milk in the evening with ghee ..read more

Dr. Sujatha Kekada is the Head Physician and Co-Founder of AmrtaSiddhi Ayurvedic Clinic in Ubud, Bali. She is a certified Ayurvedic Doctor (B.A.M.S) with a degree from Rajiv Gandhi University, Karnataka, India. Dr. Sujatha’s profound understanding of Ayurvedic Medicine and her deep love for plants is the basis for her exceptional ability to diagnose the root causes of diseases and to find effective remedies. In this episode Colette chats with Dr. Sujatha about the Ayurvedic view on osteopenia and osteoporosis. They discuss the following: A description of the conditions of osteopenia and osteo ..read more