Hi! I'm Aleks.
I like to laugh and to cook.
I am a student of Ayurveda and Yoga and I started this blog as a way of documenting my journey to balance, and to offer a resource for anyone who has also found a passion for these sister sciences, like me! After gaining over 120 lbs. and experiencing a lot of mental, emotional, and spiritual battles throughout my life, I found myself in a place of total imbalance and overall suffering. I discovered a deep love for sharing Ayurveda with others by creating healthy but delicious meals and healing through food. So far, I've lost about 65 lbs. on my journey and I am so excited to continue learning and sharing my experiences with these wise, ancient principles which have given me a deep purpose and love of life. Thanks for being here. Jai Ma (Praise to the Divine Mother).
Why Ayurveda?
It can naturally help with
Stress
Stress is one of the main causes of disease, according to Ayurveda. With a balanced lifestyle, you possess tools to maintain a peaceful interior at all times, even in potentially chaotic times.
Digestion
Digestion is the single most important determinant of good health on the physical level. Ayurveda teaches that disease starts in the gut.
Fatigue
Fatigue is very common in the Western world due to our noisy environments and hectic, busy lives. Getting enough sleep can ensure longevity, according to Ayurveda.
Women's Health
Many women are experiencing hormone imbalances and reproductive disorders, such as PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which make it difficult to conceive or to maintain a comfortable life.
Weight Loss
Excess weight is a sign of imbalance according to Ayurveda. A balanced diet can lead to natural weight loss.
Detoxification
Ayurveda offers many ways to heal, from doing cleanses and taking herbs, to eating vibrant meals which stimulate your digestive fires and nourish your soul.
What is Ayurveda?
Known as the sister science to Yoga, Ayurveda is the root of all modern medicine. A complete system of healing which honors the natural relationship we have with the five elements found on our planet (air, ether, fire, water, and earth), Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to health that is not a "one-size-fits-all" method. Just as each person has a unique fingerprint, they too possess a particular mixture of the elements in their bodies and minds. Therefore, they require their own exclusive practices and treatments in order to achieve balance. This is one of the main things that makes Ayurveda so effective when it comes to addressing whole health.
In the simplest of terms, it has been called the "diet" or "lifestyle" side of yoga. Like yoga, the continued practice of Ayurveda brings us closer to our true selves, meaning, we begin to align with who we truly are. We move towards and eventually obtain what is known as svastha, which is translated to mean "establishment in the Self". We begin to enter the state of svastha as we bridge the gap between mind and body. This is a disconnect that occurs for many various reasons, one of which is when we lead lives that are purely in the physical realm. Yogic philosophy teaches us that the path to perfect health is parallel to Enlightenment. Upon healing the mind-body connection, we evolve to automatically understand the things that will serve our highest cause and we begin to become naturally drawn to them.
The word "Ayurveda" comes from the Sanskrit words ayus meaning "life" and veda meaning "knowledge", therefore it literally translates to "the knowledge of life". Developed over 5,000 years ago by the wise rishis (sages) of the Vedic Age of India, it is not only a discipline of disease prevention, but a complete medical science with advanced healing modalities that can address any illness in the body or mind. By understanding your unique constitution or prakruti (your nature), how elemental excess manifests in you (the nature of the imbalance), and understanding the elements present in everything you take in through the five senses (the nature of the treatment), you can empower yourself to become your own healer.