1. Ayurveda Herbs and Spice
Mary Sullivan AYS
May 17, 2015
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2. Goals today
We will use Ayurveda to shine a new light on herbs and spices.
Examine how Ayurveda uses herbs and spices to bring balance and promote health.
“This coordinated or integrated usage of herbs was based on the ancient Ayurvedic science of herbal energetics. In this is a system for determining the qualities and powers of herbs according to the laws of nature, so that herbs can be used objectively and specifically according to individual conditions” Dr. Vassant Lad & Dr. David Frawley
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3. What is Ayurveda
The sister science to yoga and is the science of wellness.
Ayuveda seeks balance between opposites. Like creates imbalance
Ayurveda looks at the world through the eyes of the elements, dosha and gunas
Look at herbs and spice through the elements dosha guanas &6 tastes and their actions in the body.
Allopathic Ayurveda use herbs and spice to treat symptoms
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4. Balance Opposite balances like Like unbalances (increases) like…..
This is true for the elements and the tastes and the doshas
It is a principle in Ayurveda.
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5. 5 ELEMENTS Earth Water Fire Air Ether/Space 2/15/2019 5 5/17/2015

6. Dosha
Dosha – 3 dosha are the forces which bind earth, water, fire, air and ether into living flesh.
The dosha maintain all normal healthy processes of the body.
Imbalance in the dosha is the root of dysfunction and disease.
Kapha, Pitta, and Vata are the 3 dosha
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7. Dosha & Elements Kapha earth and water Pitta water and fire
Vata air and ether
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8. Prakruti
Prakruiti – ones nature from birth as expressed through the doshas and the elements.
Vikruti is ones nature at the moment expressing imbalance or balance with Prakruti
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9. The Gunas
10 pairs of opposites that describe the elements and the dosha, herbs and spice
Heavy     ⇔     Light Dull         ⇔     Sharp Cold         ⇔     Hot Oily         ⇔     Dry Smooth ⇔     Rough Dense     ⇔    Porous Soft         ⇔     Hard Static     ⇔     Mobile Cloudy     ⇔     Clear Solid         ⇔     Liquid
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10. Spices & Herbs
Qualities of Herbs & Spice in Ayurveda unfold in the body and impact the dosha
Taste Rasa
Energy Virya
Post Digestive Effect Vipaka
Actions of the herbs effect symptoms and treat disease.
Energe
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11. 6 Tastes & 5 elements 3 dosha
Sweet combines earth & water K P
Sour … earth & fire KP
Salty …… water & fire P
Pungent … air & fire VP
Astringent …… air & earth VK
Bitter …… air & ether V
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12. Energetic Qualities & Dosha
Taste
Sweet earth & water
Sour earth & fire
Salty water & fire
Astringent air & earth
Pungent air & fire
Bitter air & ether
Energy
Cooling
Heating
Post Digestive effect
sweet
sour
pungent
Dosha
Kapha
Pitta
Vata
This is a general guidelines, but there are exceptions…..
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13. Main Actions of Herbs in Ayurveda
Carminative digestive aid celery seed, cardamom, thyme, cloves ,dill, fennel, ginger... almost allspices
Expectorant moves phlegm mullen, elderberry,
Alterative blood purifier, anti infectious, aloe vera, burdock, red clover
Astringent drying turmeric, triphala chicweed, comfrey, honey
Hemostatic slow or stop bleeding agrimony, golden seal, mullein, nettle, plantain
Vulnerary wound healing aloe vera, self heal, yarrow
Demulcents help form a protective barrier licorice root, slippery elm
Diaphoretics heating promote perspiration bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander
Diuretics promote water loss parsley, cilantro, fennel, cinnamon
Emmenongogues promote menstruation cinnamon, ginger, parsley, turmeric, asafetida, black pepper
Nervines relax or stimulate the nervous system asafetida, basil, garlic, nutmeg, hops, wood betony
Stimulants creates activity in a process digestion or tissue ginger, peppers, garlic, clove, cinnamon
Adaptogenic helps the body in a nonspecific way to resist stress and come back into balance or homeostasis. Tulsi, Ashwaghanda, Siberian Genseng
Courtesy of
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14. Western Examples Herbs
Mint pungent/ cooling/pungent Actions stimulant, diaphoretic, carminative, nervine PK-V+
Licorice sweet, bitter/cooling/sweet Actions demulcent, laxative, sedative VP-K+
Nutmeg pungent/ heating/ slightly pungent Actions astringent, carminative, sedative, nervine VK- P+
Slippery Elm sweet/cooling/sweet Actions nutritive, emollient, expectorant PV-K+
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15. Food Herbs & Spice in Ayurveda
Spices & culinary herbs are used to balance the properties of the food and support digestion. They are consciously integrated into the daily routine of life. This is the first line of defense for health.
Herbs and Herbal preparations are given as necessary to balance the dosha, treat disease and support health.
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16. Herbal Preparation Delivery Systems in Ayurveda
Water
Alcohol
Oil
Milk
Ghee
Honey
Food
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17. Ayurveda Examples Holy Basil Tulsi Triphala Chyawanprash Spiced Oil
CCF tea
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18. Holy Basil Tulsi Taste pungent Energy heating
Ocimum tenuiflorum, also known as Ocimum sanctum,
Taste pungent
Energy heating
Post-digestive effect pungent
DoshaBalancing for vata and kapha, may increase pitta.
Adaptogenic
Photo from wikipedia.com
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19. Triphala
Three Fruits Containing five of the six tastes (all but salty),
Taste sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, astringent
Energy neutral
Post-digestive effect sweet
Dosha Balancing for vata, pitta, and kapha
Carminative, immune support, elimination support, antioxidant
Dried Fruits in Triphala photo courtesy of yogahealer.com
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20. Chyawanprash Carrier Spices & Herbs 36 + or so Cooked for hours
Honey
Sugar
Ghee
Spices & Herbs 36 + or so
Amalaki
Cinnamon
Cooked for hours
Recipes Vary
Restorative, antioxidant
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21. Spiced Oil Oil and herbs are heated Oil is filtered Examples
Triphala Oil
Mahanarayan Oil
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22. CCF Tea Seed Tea to support digestion Cumin Coriander Fennel 5/17/2015

23. Ayurveda & Herbs Integrated into daily diet and health practices
Specific for your individual prakruti aligned with nature
Empowers to manage you own wellness
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24. Wheel of Ayurveda Pitta Tendencies
Intelligent, Passionate, deliberate, intense, hot, slightly wet, light, subtle, slowing, mobile, sharp, smooth &clear
Salty increases pitta Astringent and Bitter decrease Pitta
Doshas in Life
Microcosm to Macrocosm
Over the Hours of a Day
Over the Seasons of the Year
Over the Course of a Life
Pitta Time
fire & water
each day
Summer (July – October)
Midlife (twenties to
menopause)
Kapha Tendencies
Steady, thorough, loving, slow to anger, wet, heavy unctuous, dull, cold, smooth, soft, gross, dense, static & cloudy
Sweet increases Kapha
Pungent and Bitter decrease Kapha
Kapha Time earth & water
6-10 each day
Spring (March –June)
Childhood (birth – twenties)
Vata Time
air & ether
2 to 6 each day
Season Winter
(November - February)
Old Age
(Post Menopause)
Vata Tendencies
Visionary Open Minded, light, dry, fearful, hard, irregular, mobile, cold, subtle, sharp, & rough
Bitter increases Vata
Sweet decreases Vata
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25. Resources Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing by Usha and Dr. Lad
Eat Taste Heal by Chef Johnny Brannigan
.com
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