What is Ayurveda Medicine?

• Ayurveda is India's traditional, natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. 

• Ayurveda translated from Sanskrit means science of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge).

• It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vibrant and healthy while realizing their full human potential.  Medicine Net

• Ayurvedic medicine is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. Web MD

• In the United States, Ayurveda Medicine is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine.  In India, ayurvedic practitioners receive state-recognized, institutionalized training.  Web MD 

• Ayurveda includes 400 medicinal herbs.

• Herbs can help with digestion, mind and emotions, men and women's health, balancing the metabolism, alleviating pain from arthritis and inflammation, detoxification, rejuvenation and energy, and enhancing circulation.

• Of the 150 most popular pharmaceutical products sold today, over 80 contain ingredients from natural sources.  Examples include:  morphine, Metamucil, quinine, camphor, aspirin and atropine.

• There is a growing body of scientific literature demonstrating measurable benefits of herbal remedies.* 

• Laboratory and clinical studies have shown herbs have a range of potentially beneficial effects for preventing and treating certain cancers and infectious disease, and promoting health. Medicine Net

• Herbs are not a substitute for prescribed medication nor good nutrition.

• There is not a magical herb that cause physical problems to evaporate without any other lifestyle change.*

If you are interested in finding a herb to address a specific health issue there is a lot of information on the internet.  Or you could borrow the The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook*  from the library.  It includes 40 herbs and their specific benefits.  Walmart carries many herbal supplements, you don't have to a go to a health food store.   

MoonJuice offers a combination of herbal supplements that are made into "dusts".   The  "dusts" can be sprinkled into smoothies or drinks to help with beauty, brain, power, sex or spirit. The company is from California and is growing.  I read about them in Money magazine.  (Money, November, 2018 page 76-79, Meet the CEO Selling $40 Jars of "Sex Dust")

Tumeric
I started taking a Tumeric supplement several years ago  (see 5/29/2018 post, Tumeric Really Works!).  At the time I did not know that it was an important herb for healing in India.  

Ashwagandha (Winter cherry)  - I recently starting taking this supplement when I learned that it helps with achy joints.  (It has been very humid lately and my joints have been achy).    Ashwagandha has helped.  It is one of the most important herbs in the Ayurvedic pharmacy.  It is classified as an adaptogen which means it helps the body adapt to stress.  It also protects the immune system, provides calming effects, and improves memory and logical thinking.

*The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook, Chopra, Deepak and Simon, David, Three Rivers Press, New York, 2000

Nutritional Comparison for Bread, Rice, Pasta, Potatoes, Tortillas and Fortified Cereal

I love carbohydrates;  large bowls of rice, pasta or cereal, tortillas with cheese melted on top, and baked potatoes with butter.  A few weeks ago I bought some GMO free bread and ate four slices per day until the loaf was gone.

Because I eat a lot of carbs I decided to find out which ones are the healthiest.

I compared nutrition information for bread, rice, pasta, potato, tortilla and cereal side by side in a table (see below).  I did not include sugar and fat in the table because they are similar.  Fat grams ranged from 0.2 - 3 grams per serving and sugar ranged from 0.1 - 2 grams per serving.

I was surprised to learn that in addition to cereal;  bread, pasta, and rice are fortified with nutrients and minerals such as iron, folate, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.

Comparison summary for bread, rice, pasta, potato, tortilla and cereal: 

• Tortillas have the most sodium (200 mg) and pasta has the least (0 mg)
• Rice and pasta have the most calories (206, 200 calories respectively)
• Rice has the most carbs (45 g) and bread has the least (15 g)
• Potatoes have the most fiber (4.7 g) and rice has the least (0.6 g) 
• Pasta has the most protein (7 g) and tortillas (2.5 g) have the least 
• Tortillas have the lowest Glycemic Index (GI) (30) and potatoes have the highest (85)
• Potatoes have a lot of Vitamin C and potassium
• Cereal (Cheerios) has the most added iron (45%)

	Bread (1 slice)	Rice (1 cup cooked)	Elbow Macaroni (1 cup cooked)	Potato (med.)	Flour Tortilla (6”)	Cheerios (1 cup)
Calories	79	206	200	163	95	100
Total Carbs  (g)	15	45	41	37	16.5	20
Glycemic Index	71	65	47	85	30	74
Fiber (g)	0.8	0.6	2	4.7	1.5	3
Protein (g)	2.7	4.3	7	4.3	2.5	3
Sodium (mg)	147	2	0	13	200	140
Potassium (mg)	35	55	0	897	0	180
Iron* (%)	6	11	10	9	4	45
Vitamin C* (%)	0	0	0	70	0	10
Thiamine* (%)	8	17	35	13	0	25
Riboflavin* (%)	8	0	15	8	0	2
Niacin* (%)	6	12	20	21	0	25
Folate* (%)	15	38	30	21	0	15

*% of daily requirements based on a 2000 calorie diet

Typically I eat cheerios for my carb fix, 2 - 3 bowls every day.  However, based on this investigation I am going to eat baked potatoes instead of cereal because of the significant amount of Vitamin C and potassium in potatoes. 

Although cereal has quite a bit of sodium (140 mg) compared to pasta, rice and potatoes I don't eat many other foods with sodium and I don't have any issues with high blood pressure.  Although potatoes and cereal have a high Glycemic Index (GI) (85 and 74 respectively) I am careful to monitor what I eat if I feel hungry again shortly after eating.

You should decide what is best for you based on your diet and body.   I hope this summary table helps! 

Background Info

Dietary Guidelines for Carbohydrates -  Carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories.  So, if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day.  Mayo Clinic   But if you need to lose weight, you will get much faster results eating around 50 to 150 grams of carbs. HealthLine  

Glycemic Index (GI) - Glycemic index rates foods that contain carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100. Foods on the lower end are considered low-glycemic foods, while foods closer to 100 are high-glycemic foods. Foods with a GI rating closer to 100 cause your blood sugar to spike suddenly and then drop to a lower level than it was in the first place. When this happens, you may feel hungry again shortly after eating.  Healthy Easting 

Benefits of Potassium - Potassium supports blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and bone and muscle strength.  Adults should consume 4,700 mg per day.  Medical News Today

6 Tips To Improve Mental Toughness

Are you ever in the middle of a tough situation and you quit because you talked yourself out of it? I have been known to quit during a hard workout, studying for a test, and working on a presentation for work. My mind tells me to quit because .... I am too sore, too tired, frustrated, bored, or impatient.

When I was training for the half marathon I was worried that my body could not handle 12.2 miles. I was surprised to realize my body was fine, it was my mind that I had to strengthen.

Mental Toughness is based on a strong mind which is needed for commitment and consistency to meet goals.

Mental Toughness is a measure of resilience and confidence that can predict success in sport, education and the workplace.  Wikipedia

Mental Toughness is based on positive attributes like willpower, strength, grit, steadiness and perseverance which help a person cope with a difficult situation.

6 Tips to Improve Mental Toughness

1. Practice - Mental toughness is like a muscle. It needs to be worked to grow and develop. Building mental strength is similar to building physical strength. You need to push yourself in small ways so that you can push yourself when things get really difficult. Psychology Today  Mental toughness is built through small wins. For example, during a workout tell yourself to just keep going one more minute. And then add another minute. At the next workout push yourself for just two more minutes. Over time you will find you have "Mind Over Matter" or the use of willpower to overcome physical problems.
2. Be Positive - Only focus on thoughts that make you feel good about yourself. Feeling sorry for yourself, giving up after your first failure, and comparing yourself to others will rob you of your mental strength.  Men's Journal
3. Consistency - Motivation may come and go but to be truly successful you need to consistently chip away at the things that matter most. Create habits that help you achieve your goals and relentlessly stick to them, no matter how tempting it may be to go off course. For example if you are excited and motivated because you just signed up for a 10K road race make sure to develop a consistent training schedule. Over time your motivation may lag but if training is a habit you will still reach your goals.  Strategic Athlete
4. Confidence - Teach yourself to increase confidence. Do this by overcoming small failures. For example if you train yourself not to grab a cookie every time you are near the kitchen you will gain confidence in controlling what you eat. With more confidence you can overcome larger challenges like controlling how much you eat at a Christmas party. When you do things over and over again you become good at it. And being good at something will give you confidence. Art of Manliness  
5. Visualize - Imagine how you will feel when you complete your goal. Think about how happy you will feel when you complete the chapter you are studying. Also, visualize your larger goal like getting an A on the test.
6. Reward Yourself - Promise yourself a reward if you get through a challenging situation. Reward yourself with something you enjoy like relaxing with a good book or a phone call to a friend.