Ayurvedic Consultation

The Ayurvedic Lifestyle consultation is an integrated approach to mind/ body health.

A typical consultation includes all or some of the following:

Initial Consultations are 1 1/2 – 2  hours with a 1/2 hour follow-up consultation. The cost is $95.

Follow-up visits : $75/Hr

Wellness Packages:

Ayurveda is not a static system. As we work together, your ‘program’ will be adjusted to the  shifts in  your lifestyle, your body and the seasons. Over time, you will learn to recognize the signs and signals of how and when to make the necessary changes in your diet & lifestyle to most effectively support you.

3 month- Initial Consult, Wellness Plan, & 2 Follow Ups: $150 ($20 savings!)
6 month Initial Consult, Wellness Plan, 5 Follow Ups: $300 ($95 savings!)
9 month Initial Consult, Wellness Plan, 8 Follow Ups: $500 ($120 savings!)
12 month Initial Consult, Wellness Plan, 12 Follow Ups: $650($300 savings!)

Following-Up Consultations Ensure Success

During your follow-up consultation we will review your program, see what works for you and what needs adjustment, or even just for encouragement! Self awareness is the foundation for your well-being. Your follow-up sessions will help to illuminate your understanding of  ’cause & effect’ in your diet and lifestyle, giving you the tools to continue to refine your program throughout your life!

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone seeking greater health, balance, and well-being will benefit from an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation. You will gain an in-depth understanding of Ayurveda’s timeless healing principles and learn practical tools for benefiting from this wisdom in your own life.

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that translates as “The Science of Life.” Ayurs translates as “life” and veda as “knowledge” or “science.” It is the worlds oldest holistic health care system, dating back at least 5,000 years. Ayurveda embraces the union of body, mind, senses and the soul. Its wisdom is universal, transcending race, religion, region and belief systems. The practices of Ayurveda are not dependent upon the country of it’s origin, but rather by the context in which it is used. The primary focus of Ayurveda is the maintenance of optimum health, the prevention illness, and aligning the body and mind with the rhythms of nature, so that we may realize our full potential in this lifetime.

Ayurveda is unique in that it takes the individual into account, rather than simply diagnosing disease and illness based on symptoms. Self awareness is the essence of Ayurveda and the foundation for good  health. The foundation of Ayurveda is in the understanding that our behavior is our most potent tonic. Specific principles in diet and nutrition, daily routines, exercises and techniques are utilized to stabilize the body & mind. Many of the remedies for common ailments can be simply and quickly prepared in your own ‘kitchen pharmacy’ with widely available foods, spices and herbs.

Ayurveda is based on the five element theory. The foundation for the entire cosmos is seen as an interplay of the energies of  Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. All organic and non organic substances are made up of some combination of these five elements. The body’s constitution, referred to in Ayurveda as one’s ‘dosha’, is an individual’s inherent physical and mental nature. Each persons constitution is a unique combination of the five elements, with some elements more predominant than others.Vata is composed of ether and air, Pitta is fire and water and Kapha is earth and water.  A fundamental principle in Ayurveda is that an imbalance of the elements in the body creates an energetic imbalance in the body. If the imbalance is not addressed it can lead to illness or disease. Often a change in diet and lifestyle, which in essence is removing causative factors, is all that is needed to bring the body and mind back into its natural state of harmony.

The five element theory explains why the foods that we eat are medicine, nourishment or toxic for the body. The elemental make-up of food effects the elemental make-up of the body. By following Ayurvedic guidelines of ‘like increases like’ and ‘opposites balance’ we can make choices that support our intrinsic nature. Living in harmony with nature and according to nature’s rhythms is the prescription for a healthy mind and body.

The Doshas

Vata translates as ‘wind’ and is responsible for movement in the body and the mind. Like the wind, the qualities of Vata are dry, light, rough mobile, cool and subtle. The primary location of Vata is the colon. It also resides in the bladder, thighs, ears, bones, joints and nerves.Vata governs breathing, assimilation of food, movement in the muscles and the tissues, elimination,
menstruation, circulation and talking. In balance, Vata promotes creativity, flexibility, enthusiasm and quickness of thought.When out of balance,Vata promotes fear, anxiety, fatigue, constipation, dryness, insomnia and intolerance to cold.

General guidelines for balancing Vata:


Pitta translates as ‘that which cooks’ and is associated with the body’s metabolic system and the energy of transformation. Pitta is responsible for mental and physical digestion. Like fire & water, the qualities of Pitta are hot, oily, sharp, light, fluid, acidic and spreading. The primary location of Pitta is the small intestine. It also resides in the liver, blood, gall bladder, stomach, eyes and sweat. Pitta governs mental and physical digestion, metabolism, body temperature, endocrine function and sight. In balance, Pitta promotes courage, focus, intellect, joy and willpower.  When out of balance, Pitta arouses anger, jealousy and hatred. It manifests in the body as infections, inflammation, fever, heartburn, acidity, skin disorders and intolerance to heat.


General guidelines for balancing Pitta


Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure. It is responsible for building of tissue and lubrication of the body and mind. Like water & earth, the qualities of Kapha are moist, cool, heavy, dull, soft, sticky and stable. The primary locations of Kapha in the body are the chest, throat, lungs, head, lymph, fatty tissue, ligaments and tendons. Kapha lubricates the joints, supplies water in the body and maintains immunity. In balance, Kapha promotes love, compassion, nurturing, stability
and patience. When out of balance, Kapha expresses itself as greed, attachment, envy, depression,inertia, lung disease, sinus issues, excess weight, high cholesterol, tumors, and edema.

General guidelines for balancing Kapha


Ahara – Dietary Guidelines

Ayurveda highlights the importance of digestion and diet as the key to wellness. The ancient texts on Ayurveda have clear guidelines about which foods are the most nourishing, the most easily digestible, and those most often found to be the source of illness.


Let Your Food Be Your Medicine

Remember, your food becomes you! Eat to nourish your body, calm your mind and satisfy your senses. There is a saying in Ayurveda, “When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need.”

You Are What You Eat: The Alchemy of Food into Consciousness

Imagine having a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day. The soft and warm qualities of the soup help to counteract the cold and rigid qualities we experience in a cold climate. As the body becomes nourished with the warm soup, the body relaxes and the mind feels a sense of peace and fulfillment. A calm mind produces calm clear thinking, clear thinking allows for balanced emotions. A calm and balanced mental and emotional state determines our beliefs and our actions. Our actions determine our life!

An important guideline in choosing foods is to work with balancing the body & mind. It is as simple as remembering, opposites create balance. Respectively, like increases like. For example, when  you feel excess heat in your body or your mind (a rash on your skin, acidic digestion or feeling hot tempered) chill out with some mint tea, a piece of sweet fruit or incorporate  cooling herbs and spices like fennel or cilantro in your food. Conversely, a night out at a Mexican cantina, snacking on chips, salsa and a margarita, would be like pouring gasoline on a blazing fire. *Remembering these simple guidelines when making diet and lifestyle choices will have a profound effect on the quality of your life *

Variety is the Spice of Life

An important principle of Ayurveda is the emphasis on the combination of the six tastes: sweet, pungent, salty, astringent, sour and  bitter. Incorporating all six tastes in your meal has  physiological and emotional effects, in addition to supporting digestion. When all six tastes are not present, we tend to feel unsatisfied after a meal. Quite literally, there is something missing.

The main taste in our staple diet is sweet, sometimes considered ‘bland.’ Some examples are meats and grains. Next in proportion are pungent (often we refer to pungent foods as spicy) and sour. The others trail behind.

Keep it Simple

Foods listed in bold are the most nourishing and most easily assimilated by our body.This is a crucial factor in building healthy tissue and ensuring the body functions at its optimum.Make these foods a regular part of your diet.

Grains: Aged rice, wheat, barley, oats, couscous, amaranth, millet, rye

Cooked Vegetables: Squash (snake gourd, obo, kabocha, butternut, acorn, delicata), okra, eggplant, radish, sweet potato, bamboo shoots, bitter melon, spinach, onion, daikon radish, avocado, carrots, beets, parsnip, asparagus, artichoke, bok choy, broccoli, brussels spouts, burdock root, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, leafy greens, peas, zucchini, cauliflower, leeks, kohlarabi, turnip

Fruits: Coconut, dates, grapes, mango, pomegranates, raisins, persimmons, apricot, banana, all berries, cherries, figs, grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, limes, oranges, papaya, plums, peaches, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries, cranberries, pears, prunes

Legumes (soaked and well cooked) : Mung beans, aduki beans, red lentils beans, black-eyed peas, chana dal, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans, split peas, white beans, black beans

Nuts & Seeds: Sesame seeds, almonds, charoli, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, cashews, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia nut, pecans, pistachio, walnuts, chia, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, poppy seeds

Fresh Dairy: Raw cow’s milk, ghee, butter, goat milk, home made buttermilk, unsalted cheese

Meat: Buffalo, bone broth, goat, rabbit, chicken, turkey, lamb

Occasional: beef, fish, seafood, duck, chicken eggs, duck eggs, pig

Sweeteners: Raw honey, jaggery, rock sugar, raw sugar cane, rapadura maple syrup, sucanat, agave, turbinado sugar

Oils: Sesame, ghee, unsalted butter, olive oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, flax oil (never heat) , hemp oil, pumpkin seed oil

Spices: Most spices are beneficial, ginger, cumin, cardamom, fennel, coriander, cinnamon, saffron, turmeric, cilantro, dill, mint, neem leaves, black pepper, cayenne, chili, long pepper, cloves, garlic, horseradish, mustard seeds, nutmeg, onion, paprika, thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, hing,…

Avoid Completely (Ideally, or when ill)

Raw leafy greens & raw vegetables, Yogurt, All fermented foods (saurkraut, miso, kim chee, kombucha, soy sauce, …), Mushrooms, Sprouts,Tomatoes/Ketchup, Vinegar, Table Salt, Ice Cream, Cold Drinks,, Smoothies, Fried & Fatty Foods, Cheese, Molasses, Frozen Food, Dried Meats & Vegetables, Leftovers, Sour Dough Bread, Processed and canned foods, Sandwich, Salted Butter

Special “Stand alone foods” / Food Combining

* Fresh Fruits

* Milk should be taken alone or with other sweet tastes. Allow 1½ hours before having other foods.

* Milk should not be taken with vegetables, meat, fish, sour foods, salt or eggs. This includes milk with most cereals (read the ingredients on the label, cereals generally have salt) and cheeses made with salt. Keep this principle if you have the habit (a good habit to break!) of having milk with coffee or tea with meals. Try vegan milk alternatives if you enjoy milk with these foods (almond, rice, etc)

Timing – General guidelines

Eat only when you are hungry and only after the previous meal has been digested. Generally, it takes 6 hours to digest a meal. If you wake up hungry, have a light breakfast. If you aren’t hungry in the morning skip breakfast or have a glass of warm spiced milk.. Eat your main meal of the day, around noon when your digestive fire is strongest. Dinner should be light and eaten close to 6PM. Avoid snacking between meals.

Helpful Hints

* Use organic ingredients ~ Fresh, seasonal & local whenever possible

* Prepare and eat your meals in a peaceful environment

*  Chew slowly, mindfully & with gratitude

*  If your digestion is sluggish, chew a slice of fresh ginger with a little lemon juice to stoke your digestive fires and appetite

* Fill your stomach with 1/2 food, 1/4 warm water and leave 1/4 empty for digestion

* Remember, good fats are good for you. One teaspoon of ghee at each meal is a wonderful way to nourish the body.

* Cook with digestion-stimulating spices. Spices like dried ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander and ajwan not only enhance digestion, they also help flush toxins out of the body and help improve absorption and assimilation of nutrients.

* Use only real, unprocessed salt. (Salt should have some color and moisture.) Saindav rock salt has the most nourishing qualities of the many varieties of salt.

* Soaking grains, lentils, nuts and seeds for 30-60 minutes in warm water helps make them easier to digest. Cooking with asofetida(hing) helps avoid gas and bloating associated with digesting beans.

* Add pungent spices to rice cooked with meat and/or vegetables to aid the digestion process.

* Each morning, have one to two glasses of warm water to hydrate the body and stimulate the digestive system.

* Drink beverages at room temperature or warm. Avoid cold drinks.

*Drink only when you are thirsty. Too much liquid weakens digestion.

*Boil your drinking water. It makes it easier for the body to assimilate. Use fresh water daily. Water that sits overnight is hared for the body to digest.

*Traditional Indian foods are not necessarily Ayurvedic

* The most important ingredient is your intent. Infuse your food with Love & Gratitude!