Ayurveda for Daily Living Retreat, Heading Back to the Ashram

If you have been following our blog, you know that I love spending time at Yogi Hari's Ashram. Recently, a group of us headed over for a weekend retreat. For me personally, there is something very calming and rejuvenating about the place. 
Weekend Retreat 1.2020
On the weekend of Feb 21-22, I will be returning for an Ayurveda for Daily Living Retreat.   

If you are new to Ayurveda, according to the National Institutes of Health, Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, it is one of the oldest known medicines. Ayurveda uses products (mainly derived from plants, but may also include animal, metal, and mineral), diet, exercise, and lifestyle to treat disease. Preliminary scientific studies show it to be just as effective at treating arthritis as drugs and shows promise for treatments of type 2 diabetes. 

As a research scientist, I know that it will take a long time to prove that it is effective, that is the way research works. However, as a researcher, I also know that there is a significant amount of biologic plausibility in Ayurvedic Medicine. (Biologic plausibility is a concept in medical research. It simply means that knowing what is known about the body, does this "treatment/intervention" make sense.)
For those that do not know, I am also the national Chair of the American College of Sports Medicine, Exercise is Medicine(R)- On Campus Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to assess physical activity levels as a vital sign, just like heart rate and blood pressure. Then, depending on your activity level, prescribe exercise and lifestyle changes. So, Ayurvedic medicine is just another tool in the arsenal of seeking out better health.


So as I head back, I am excited to learn more about using food as medicine. I hope to make monthly visits. If you ever want to join me, just drop me a line. Om Shanti, see you on the mat. 

Leela Mata, our Ayurveda Instructor





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