How the condition of your nails reflects your overall condition?

According to Ayurveda, our fingernails are a by-produce of our bones. And the condition of our nails is a reflection of the condition of the condition of our body tissues. If we're having problems with our nails, then we need to look at the balance and nourishment of the whole body.

Here are some examples of what we can find by looking at our nails:
-Horizontal indentations indicate a weakened digestion.
-Vertical ridges indicate that we are not metabolizing minerals or proteins well, and that we have a deficiency in Vitamin B12 and Iton.
-White spots indicate a calcium or zinc deficiency.
-Hang nails indicate a lack of protein, Vitamin C, and folic acid.
-Brittle nails indicate low iron or low Vitamin A, an imbalanced thyroid or kidney function and poor circulation.
-Yellowish nails indicate a liver imbalance.
-Bluish nails indicate a lunch and heart imbalance.
-Pale nails indicate anemia, and low liver and kidney energy.In addition, we can look at the particular finger where a nail has a problem, and note that there may be an imbalance in the corresponding organ.
-Thumb: brain
-Index finger: lungs and colon
-Middle finger: small intestine
-Ring finger: kidney
-Little finger: heart and female reproductive organs

Article: Lisa Coffey

An Afternoon of Mind & Body Wellness in Support of the Perth & Tay Rideau Food Banks

June 6, 2009 from 1-4:30 p.m at the Davidson's Courtyard Studio.

Meet specialists & therapists in:

Reiki - Carolyn Lunn, Usui Reiki Master, CRA certified practitioner. Reiki, a gentle Japanese technique for relaxation, healing and stress relief through energy balancing, has become the medium to fulfill that calling. Carolyn has been studying and practicing the Usui method of Reiki for four years. Because of her scientific background, she has approached her practice from an objective point of view and has looked to validate reported benefits

Reflexology-Lindsey Collis, Registered Reflexologist. The theory behind reflexology is that there are "reflex points" in the feet, hands and ears that relate to specific organs and glands in the body. Practitioners believe that stimulating those reflex points promotes health in that organ via the body's energetic pathways.

Natural Medicine - Karin Christlmeier B.Eng. DMH. Achieving Spiritual, Emotional and Physical Health Through Heilkunst. Heilkunst is a comprehensive system of medicine based on natural laws and founded over 200 years ago by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. Our natural state is to be healthy, both physically and emotionally, however as we go through life we sometimes experience events and circumstances that cause blockages or mistunements in the body. Often diseases arise out of these. The nature and severity of the disease will depending on our genetic inheritance and constitutional weaknesses. Heilkunst restores health in a person by treating these events and circumstances using energetic medicines such as homeopathic remedies, biofeedback technology, as well as lifestyle and belief counseling.

Hypnotherapy - Alexis Yuill, Certified Hypnotherapist. A healing technique which unlocks your hidden potential and allows you to embrace the life you deserve.

Yoga & meditation - Darlene Maclachlan, R.Y.T and Suzanne Winslove-Smith, Certified Kundalini Teacher & Yoga Ed Teacher. Learn about Suzanne's work using yoga in schools and the benefits to student behaviour and performance. Learn simple techniques to help you relax using meditation and yoga and the therapeutic benefits of both.

Functional food therapy - Joanne Dunphy. The role of functional food therapy in promoting health and alternatives to hormonal therapy.

Life Skills Coaching - Wendy Suel. Helping clients identify specific areas in their lives that they would like to experience change using an approach to gently support and encourage each individual to express the amazing potential that already exists in each of us.

Drop in and enjoy complimentary mini-treatments & presentations while supporting the Perth & Tay Rideau food banks during this non-commercial event.

Admission: Hygiene & non-perishable food items (complete list of most needed items will be posted later)

...more information to follow

Determining your Dosha

I've been thinking alot about my dosha this week as it has been a fairly hectic one. According to Ayurveda, each of us has a unique mix of three mind/body principles which creates our specific mental and physical characteristics. These three principles are called 'doshas'. Most of us have one or two doshas which are most lively in our nature, with the remaining one(s) less significant.

The three doshas in Ayurveda are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. We each have all three of the doshas in our physiology, just in different proportions, so your dosha is unique and personal; it is like your fingerprint.

If you want to find out what your dosha is, the following site provides a quiz and an overview of the doshas.
http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/index.php

Enjoy!

Change to Infrared Heat for Hot Yoga

Over the next several weeks, the studio will be changing the heating method for hot yoga using infrared heat (instead of the fireplace). This will be on a trial basis and feedback from students will be welcomed!

The room will still remian at 26-28 degrees, but students should notice a difference between the traditional heating method and infrared.

As the infrared waves are absorbed by your body, molecules begin to vibrate, causing them to start to expel the toxins, fat and impurities from your cells into your blood stream. These will then be released from your body in the form of sweat. The result is an incredible detoxifying effect at a cellular level. Your muscles and internal organs will be gently warmed. This form of heat is perfectly safe. Hospitals use infrared heat to keep premature babies warm. 80% of the light that makes it to Earth is infrared, making it a form of light that is easily processed by our bodies.

Infrared heat is reported to have many positive benefits of its own. Research on Infrared Heat Therapy reports the following:

Decreases joint stiffness.
Reduces cellulite.
Detoxes the body.
Strenghtens cardiovascular system
Relieves muscle spasms.
Increases blood flow.
Leads to pain relief.
Affects soft tissue injury.
Increases the extensibility of collagen tissue.
Assists in resolution of inflammatory infiltrated, edema, and exudes.
Referenced from: Therapeutic Effects of Far Infrared Heat - Chapter 9 of Therapeutic Heat and Cold, Fourth Edition, Editors Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin.