Americans have an interesting relationship with food, and as a result, our digestion suffers. When our bodies cannot properly digest our smoothies, snacks and meals, toxins will accumulate in our tissues, encouraging disease to bloom and spread, affecting the quality of our life.
Symptoms of toxic build up include:
· Waking up tired, even after a good night’s sleep
· Feeling heavy and lethargic
· A coating on your tongue, especially first thing in the morning
· You don’t feel hungry, even though it’s been hours since your last meal
· General aches and pains in your body and joints
· Mental fogginess, or lack energy and enthusiasm
· Dull, gray skin
· You experience frequent gas, bloating, indigestion or heartburn
· Blockages such as sinus congestion, constipation, or difficulty breathing
This quiz adapted from my Teacher, Arpita Shah of Om Yoga Journey can help you determine your level of toxins, known in the ancient science of Ayurveda, as Ama.
___I experience constipation, congestion, or breathing problems
___I feel foggy when I wake and need coffee to get going
___I go a day, sometimes 2, with no bowl movement
___I have a coating on my tongue in the morning
___I feel general aches, pains and tiredness in the morning
___I lack mental clarity, energy and enthusiasm
___I feel heavy or tired within 30 minutes of eating a meal
___I eat canned, frozen, packaged, or fast food at least 4 times a week
___I eat meat or animal protein at least 4 times a week
___I am a fast eater
___I watch TV, or read while eating
___I eat on the run, in the car, standing, while working, or on my computer/phone
___I drink ice water or cold beverages
___I eat past 8pm
___I enjoy naps during the day, for more than 30 minutes
___I get sick, or catch colds throughout the year
~A score of 4 or less and you’re on the right track, consider ditching the final few unhelpful habits.
~If you checked 4 – 8 boxes, it’s time to review your habits and invite a more healthy routine.
~More than 8, we invite you to consider meeting with an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor or Health Practitioner to determine how to ease yourself into more balanced digestion and routine, to reduce chronic issues and help you feel more free and satisfied.
A toxin free body experiences a fresh and blissful morning, a healthy pink tongue, clear glowing skin, bright balanced energy all day, a clear mind, and a weight that is normal for your body and constitution.
Ayurveda is The Science of Life, or the Art of Conscious Living. It provides logical and time-tested guidelines to healthy living based on our own unique constitution, gifts and weaknesses. It considers ‘good health’ to be holistic, including body, mind and soul.
Prani Lifestyle Consulting provides customized programs to help you answer the fundamental questions, Who am I, Why am I Here, and How do I work this Thing? Leveraging studies, direct experience, and certifications in Yoga, Ayurveda, Tantra and Vedanta, along with a background in Western medicine, we can help you develop simple lifestyle changes to support longevity, and wellbeing in the body, mind, energy, heart and soul.
For more information, contact Kirsten@PraniLife.com
(Ayurveda: /eye – your – vay – duh/) – dates back well over 5,000 years (some say 10,000) for a system of healing that includes: internal medicine, ENT, OB/GYN, longevity / nourishment, psychiatry, surgery. Ayurveda is called ‘The Sister Science of Yoga’, and traditionally was taught prior to beginning the education of yoga and meditation. Yoga is a technology used in Ayurveda to support health, stability and overall wellness. Ayurveda is a technology to support and sustain an evolving Yoga Practice.