Apr 24, 2021
bengreenfieldfitness.com/ayurveda
It's no secret that I weave into my personal health protocol many "ancient" tactics I've borrowed from the fields of Traditional Chinese Medicine and also Ayurveda, including...
...tooth and oral care via coconut oil pulling and tongue scraping...
...Tai Chi and Qi Gong-esque morning exercises...
...acupuncture, acupressure, and tapping...
...digestive organ massage...
...dry skin brushing...
...cooking and blending with ghee...
...and much more...
I find Ayurveda particularly intriguing.
After all, these days, time is scarce and precious in today’s world and we seek solutions that are quick. While allopathic medicine tends to focus on the management of disease, the ancient study of Ayurveda provides us with holistic knowledge for preventing disease and eliminating its root cause.
For the past 21 years, my guest on today's podcast and author of the excellent book Everyday Ayurveda: Daily Habits That Can Change Your Life in a Day, Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya, MPH, MD, Ph.D., DABHM, FABPM, HHC, CAP, has been practicing holistic family medicine emphasizing Ayurveda and teaching best clinical practices and educational techniques for learning Integrative Medicine.
She currently works between her private consultation medical practice in Manhattan and her deeper study of indigenous medicines around the world, when she consults with patients via phone/video conference.
She has recently completed a Ph.D. in Ayurveda at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the ancient city of Varanasi in India. As the first U.S. Fulbright Scholar sponsored jointly in 2013-2014 by the U.S. Department of State and the Government of India to research and teach Ayurvedic medicine, Dr. Bhattacharya continued research in the clinical and physicochemical bases of bhasmas, which are herbometallic compounds that often work quickly and cleanly to rebalance the body from "incurable" diseases.
For her Ph.D. thesis 2014-2018, she studied how plants work medicinally, from soil to stomach to cell. Specializing in The Patient, Dr. Bhattacharya actively incorporates traditional and indigenous medical systems into her clinical practice of holistic family medicine, using modern science only where it actually works for real patients.
The goal is not a clinical trial; it is to help each patient improve his/her quality of life, health, and well-being. She defines, refines, and practices medicine on a holistic and truly integrative path. She provides holistic medical care for the underserved as well as for insured patients.
Modalities that Dr. Bhattacharya uses include herbs, nutrition, yoga, breathwork (pranayama), exercise counseling, energy work, mind-body medicine, homeopathy, and aromatherapy, with a strong underpinning of Ayurveda, as well as the use of biomedical drugs and procedures as needed.
During this discussion, you'll discover:
-Bhaswati's childhood development as an ayurvedic practitioner...7:30
-How phases of the moon affect the quality of ghee while it's being made...13:45
-How the day is split up according to Ayurvedic principles...21:30
-Bhaswati's morning routine ...36:15
- Bhaswati writes a weekly column for South Asian Times
- Bhaswati's 12-step morning routine:
-
- Rise an hour before dawn
- Lie still and listen to your belly
- Your belly conveys how it's doing (your second brain—your gut—talks to your first brain)
- The gut tells you what it wants (if you are hungry) and any other information (gut instinct)
- Bend fully down and touch the ground with your hands; say a
prayer before stepping on the earth
- When you twist your body you twist your gut; waking it up
- Sit up, take a small sip of water from your right palm and
swallow
- Gives information from your mouth's microbiome to your body (do this only when you are healthy)
- Things growing in your mouth signals the body to produce natural antibodies as well as hormones
- Head to the toilet
- Wash your hands, wash your face with cold water, a little bit of water into each nostril and expel
- Swish some water in your mouth
- Clean your teeth
- Use a small Nim tree branch (4 inches long), chew on it, brush teeth with it, spit the bitter juice, rinse your mouth with water
- Tongue scraping
- Swish your mouth with sesame oil; very good for lubricating the
nerves
- Put some oil on your fingers, swipe on the insides of your cheek, gums, and put some hot water in the mouth
- Fill the 5 senses with beauty, good things, light a candle, light incense, touch something soft, tulsi plant
- Look in the mirror, present yourself for the day; head to the kitchen to sip your first beverage
-Problems with the way processed food is produced...49:20
-The 5 oils that are compatible with Ayurvedic practice...57:35
-Practical uses of Ayurveda in everyday life...1:05:45
-The best oil to use in rinsing out your mouth...1:16:40
-How neglect of our senses will deleteriously affect our lives...1:22:15
-And much more!
Episode sponsors:
-Ben Recommends: Curated by yours truly, each and every item on this list will take you one step closer to living your best, healthiest, most fulfilling life—every hour, every minute, and every second of every day.