Ayurvedic approach to Breast Cancer

Fees: Donation to support Zero Breast Cancer ( formerly Marin Breast Cancer Watch)
Wednesday October 24th from 11-6PM.

The Vedic viewpoint of breast cancer and its associated causes is circular and inductive rather than linear as in scientific Western research.
Breast cancer is a tridoshic (involving all three body humors) disorder of breast tissue, sometimes preceded by fibrocystic breast disease, a pitta-kapha (pitta and kapha are each one of the three body humors) disorder. Causes are both hereditary and acquired; the acquired causes being physical, emotional, spiritual, and environmental.

If you are seeking information on prevention, detection or post treatment methods to heal your body, then Ayurveda offers an alternative approach focusing on daily routines, diet and lifestyle to help you in your path.
Call us to book your appointment.

SAFRONYA SANGHA SILENT MEDITATION
Every Tuesday evening from 7:00pm-8:00pm
From August 7, 2007

Become part of the Safronya community by joining our sangha group (sangha means community in Sanskrit) every Tuesday evening beginning in August. Here you will sit in silence and discover the true nature of yourself. Sessions begin with a brief introduction to simple techniques to meditation and breathing to reduce stress and increase overall vitality in your life. Free to all.

According to Ayurveda, vata dosha is responsible for movement both in nature and in our physiology. With the season changing into colder and rainier days, symptoms such as anxiety, sleeplessness, dryness, constipation, joint aches, restlessness are all possible manifestations of the vata dosha that is out of balance. Here are some ways to lessen the impact of this in your daily lives.

Fall cleansing in Ayurveda is distinctly different from the cleansing that is usually done in the spring. The intention of spring cleansing is to rid the body of toxins stored during the long winter. During the winter the diet is usually heavier and we are less active than the rest of the year and these two factors may cause ama, toxins, to accumulate in the tissues of the body. The pancha karma procedures followed during springtime are intended to quickly remove toxins and prepare the body for the work it must do in the summer and fall.

During the fall, we are cleansing in preparation for winter. This cleanse is not so much to remove toxins as to prevent the body from building up toxicity during the coming winter months. This is a cleanse designed to strengthen the digestion and cellular metabolism in order to best create and maintain healthy tissue.

Strengthening digestion is done through diet, food habits and, often, herbal support. The diet that is indicated during a fall cleanse is light and well spiced. A kichadi fast may be followed. Kichadi is a dish usually made with basmati rice, mung dal, vegetables and spices. It is a complete protein and meets all nutritional needs while being light and easily digested. Limiting the foods for a time to this mono-diet, the digestive system has a chance to rest. What this means, is that by limiting one’s intake to a simple meal, the digestive enzymes and acids needed are limited as well. This allows the body’s resources to be directed to digestion on a deeper level, to restore a strong digestive fire and clean the blood of any impurities that may be there.

Food habits are as important, if not more so, than food choices when it comes to our ability to digest our food. By slowing down and remaining present during our meals, we improve the body’s ability to fully digest what we’re eating. Limiting or eliminating distractions during meals allows us to focus on our food and on the sensations of hunger or fullness that we may be feeling. Eating until we are 3/4 full provides adequate space for our body to digest our food without discomfort. Saying grace before a meal and pausing at the end of a meal to signal the end of digestion reminds us to view our food as a gift that we receive from the universe’s bounty. When eaten in a state of gratitude, the food nourishes the body, mind and soul.

Herbal support may be used to strengthen appetite and digestion. The spices that you may be most familiar with in your kitchen are the same ones used Ayurvedically for igniting the digestive fire. Fennel and ginger tea is excellent for enhancing digestion. Spices used commonly in fall cleansing include cardamom, fresh ginger, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, and turmeric. Including these spices with your food at each meal will enable you to better absorb all the nutrients of the foods you consume.

Enhancing cellular metabolism is done with exercise and massage. During the fall cleanse, it is essential that one exercise daily. If possible, it is beneficial to incorporate two periods of exercise, one in the morning that is more stimulating and one in the evening that is more restorative. Yoga practice is excellent for this, though one may find benefit from a walking regimen or other types of full body, weight-bearing, sweat inducing exercise. The key is to exercise daily, preferably after a meal. Allow at least one half hour after a small meal before exercise, longer for a larger meal. The time taken in exercise is determined by the strength and health of the individual and may be 20-40 minutes depending on one’s health history.

Massage is vitally important during a cleanse to move lymphatic fluid. All of your body’s purification systems are being activated during the cleanse; the digestive system is alkalizing and removing toxicity through the g.i. tract, the liver is purifying the blood and the lymph nodes are clearing the lymph. Massage facilitates the movement of lymphatic fluid to lymph nodes and allows the body to build healthy tissue free of accumulated toxins. Massage may be done daily by oneself or taken at a spa or health center. If doing self-massage, one always strokes in the direction of the heart to enhance lymphatic flow. A small amount of warm oil is applied to the body and massaged in. After a few minutes, this may be showered off or, if desired, may be kept on during the day.

As with any cleanse, intake of adequate amounts of water is important. Generally, we want to take in about 1 oz of water for every 2 pounds of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person would want to take in 75 oz water during a day. This includes water/liquid taken with food in the form of soup, juices, tea, etc. as well as plain water. As your body uses the blood and the lymph to move toxins, it is imperative that we keep those channels well hydrated.

The cleanse detailed here may be followed for one to two weeks. To do a more intense cleanse known as Panchakarm, one would want to work with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. Cleansing is a wonderful way to help your body prepare for winter. Each season brings us opportunities to enhance our health and healing.

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Mary Thompson, CAS has been teaching fundamentals and clinical protocols to students at the California College of Ayurveda since her graduation in 1997. She also has developed and taught Ayurvedic life skills to numerous groups through independent classes, workshops and retreats. Her recognition that conscious cooking leads to healthful dining inspired her to develop cooking classes that empower people to incorporate the principles of Ayurvedic cooking into their daily lives. With her business, The Ayurvedic Approach, she has provided seasonal cooking classes both in Grass Valley and in the Bay Area.