Episode 442 Ananta Ripa Ajmera Natural Healing Through Ayurveda Transcript

This transcript is from episode 442 with guest Ananta Ripa Ajmera.

Scott DeLuzio: [00:00:00] Thanks for tuning in to the Drive On Podcast where we are focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community. Whether you’re a veteran, active duty, guard, reserve, or a family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio, and now let’s get on with the show.

Hey everyone, welcome back to Drive On. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio, and today my guest is Ananta Ripa Ajmera. Uh, you’ll recognize her from our last episode, and if you haven’t checked that episode out yet, go check it out now. Uh, we talked about becoming the hero of your journey. Um, you know, basically taking negative situations that happen in our lives, traumas or other things that might happen, and, uh, Seeing it in a more positive light, you know, how, how can we grow from this, um, kind of along the lines of the post traumatic growth, uh, mindset that, that sometimes [00:01:00] we, we throw that phrase around.

Um, so for anyone who maybe hasn’t checked that out, checked out that episode yet, uh, Ananta is a spiritual teacher, Ayurveda, uh, practitioner and author of, uh, the Ayurveda Way and The Way of the Goddess. And she’s also the co founder of The Ancient Way. And today we’re going to be discussing the benefits of Ayurveda and how these ancient practices can help to transform your life.

So before we get into all that, uh, Ananta, I want to welcome you back to the show.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Thank you so much. It’s so nice to be back on the show.

Scott DeLuzio: Figured out, I think the pronunciation, which if you were listening to the last episode, I was trying to pronounce Ayurveda and I was screwing it up. I was butchering it so bad that I actually had a question prepped geared around that, um, [00:02:00] in the last episode. And I was like, I’m, I’m just going to skip it.

Cause I, I’m. I had a mental block and I couldn’t say it. And so I think I figured it out. I think I’ve got it so, so far. So, which is good because that’s what this episode is going to be about. So, um, so, uh, to kind of kick off the episode, can you start by explaining what Ayurveda is and what it is?

Principles around it. And, um, you know, it’s a term I know prior to meeting you, I was unfamiliar with the term, um, but, and I’m sure there’s, there’s some listeners who may not be familiar with it either. Uh, can you tell us a little bit about what it is and, and, uh, you know, kind of what we’re, we’re looking into here.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah, sure. I’m very happy that I get to be the one. To introduce you to Ayurveda. Ayurveda is the world’s oldest system of health and healing. It’s a holistic system that comes from ancient India, and it’s the sister science [00:03:00] of yoga, which teaches you all about healing. How to live a healthy lifestyle that will give you back the power to reclaim your own natural healing abilities.

Ayurveda looks at four different dimensions of the human being. It looks at the physical dimension, it looks at your mind, it looks at your spirit, and it looks at the dimension of your five senses. In terms of how you interact with the world, what you take in through your senses, and also what you put out through your senses.

One of the key principles of Ayurveda is the presence of what are known as five great elements. These are, from the grossest to the subtlest, we have earth, water, fire, air, and space. And these are kind of like what we understand in science as being the [00:04:00] solid state of matter, the liquid state of matter.

Physicists now are acknowledging a thermal state of matter, the gaseous state of matter, and then a potential state. of matter represented by the air element. What Ayurveda teaches us is that we are deeply connected with nature through the presence of these five great elements. And we are actually the microcosm of nature, which is the macrocosm.

So we are deeply connected with nature and anything that we need to learn about ourselves and anything that we need to understand in order to come back to a state of balance, which is the key to health, is really about learning from nature. And when we look to nature, nature has the answers for us. And nature actually is the one who brings about the deepest [00:05:00] healing.

Yeah.

Scott DeLuzio: I like, I like where this is going. Um, so, you know, in a, a lot of times, um, we have some issue with us, whether it’s our, with our physical health or our mental health or something is, is going on with us. And we’ll go to a doctor and the doctor prescribes some medication and the medication helps with certain symptoms that you might be having.

And we Uh, and that’s great because those symptoms were the thing that brought you into the doctor in the first place. A lot of times those, um, those medications create new symptoms and you have other problems that come from that. And then you go back to the doctor. Hey, this was great, except for now I’m having this other symptom and okay, okay, well here’s something else to take.

And before you know it, you’re on 10 different medications, all because there was one, one thing that was wrong that maybe. There was an answer in nature, you know, something that we [00:06:00] could have done differently. Um, you know, maybe, maybe it was, uh, changing something in our diet or, you know, exercise or, or something in, you know, to change.

Something around us, uh, that could have alleviated some of that. And maybe we wouldn’t need that medication in the first place. And so, um, so that’s kind of how I’m, uh, kind of envisioning, uh, what you just described. Is that kind of, am I in the, at least in the ballpark,

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah, totally. Totally. There’s an ancient Ayurvedic Aphorism that says when your diet is correct, medicine is not necessary. When your diet is not correct, medicine will not be of any help.

Scott DeLuzio: Interesting. Okay.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: So, food is medicine, is a big principle of Ayurveda, and there’s a lot to be found within that itself. And even the herbal [00:07:00] supplements and recommendations that you should ideally get from a qualified practitioner will be all natural. They will not give you any side effects. side effects, as long as they’re well created and balanced to suit your unique constitution.

Ayurveda is definitely not a one size fits all type of science. It’s highly customized. It looks at each individual as an individual, seeks to understand each individual, and then gives something that is going to be really specific to what ailments you have. On the other hand, though, there is It’s a whole host of guidance for how to harmonize your daily routine and your seasonal routine so that you’re really in alignment with the movement of the sun, or sorry, the movement of the earth around the sun.

So we really look to the sun as a symbol of health [00:08:00] and a symbol of the fire within us that will lead us to a state of balance. So health is really defined as balance. A balanced state of mind, a balanced body, and balance in terms of how we’re utilizing our five senses. A lot of the holistic traditions actually don’t really take into account how we’re engaging with our five senses, and yet this can be a big source for where we find the root cause of problems coming in for people.

It’s the overuse underuse or misuse of, say, the eyes and what you’re taking in or what you’re hearing or smelling or tasting or touching.

Scott DeLuzio: So someone who’s staring at a computer screen all day, for example, is probably not optimal, uh, with, with regards to that, right?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: yeah, exactly. It’s out of balance, right? So they need to do some extra nourishment to care for the [00:09:00] eyes. We have some interesting recommendations for that. Some might feel a little intimidating, but that’s why we don’t start with those. We start with the more gentle recommendations.

Scott DeLuzio: Well, I think that that’s a good approach with just about anything is if you are, uh, just going to dive into the deep end, then a lot of times that’s intimidating and people don’t, they’re just like, ah, that’s not going to be for me. I’m not going to do that. But, but if you start off with the, um, the, that low hanging fruit, the, those easy wins, uh, and, and you, and you use those, then they’ll be more likely to say, Hey, well, that, That worked.

Um, so why not try something else, you know, and try that next thing and the next thing and the next thing until, um, you know, they, they get into a little bit more complex, uh, things. And I’m sure we’ll get into some of that with that, those types of things are, um, uh, for someone who maybe is just learning about, [00:10:00] uh, uh, Ayurveda and what it has to offer.

Um, it. It might sound, uh, might sound obviously different from what they’re used to. Something that they’re used to is probably more along the lines of what I described earlier, where you go to the doctor and the doctor prescribes something and, and then you get this, this benefit or that benefit, but also maybe some side effects and, and whatever.

Um, what are some, uh, you know, maybe misconception, misconceptions or some, uh, you know, maybe pushback from people who are not so sure about. about going down this route.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: I think some misconceptions around Ayurveda is that it’s going to recommend a certain kind of diet, like a vegetarian diet, and that it’s going to be restrictive, it’s going to take away your freedom, it’s going to be hard [00:11:00] to do, hard to maintain, hard to live a modern lifestyle while following these different practices, that it will take a lot of time.

I think these are definitely Some of the misconceptions that people have. So we always reassure people that, you know, we’ll, we’ll meet you where you’re at, we’ll give you the most simple thing that will give you the greatest relief. And you can really. Still enjoy all the foods that you might enjoy once you understand how to best have it, right?

So someone may really benefit from eating meat, but the way that you prepare it, according to Ayurveda, would make it a lot more friendly for your digestion. So in Ayurveda, it’s not so much about prescribing a certain diet as it is about understanding how is a person’s digestion of their food as reflected by [00:12:00] their pattern of elimination and then being able to Recommend foods that the person can digest well, because any food or substance can be a poison, any food or substance can be a medicine, and it’s actually based on your capacity to digest that and convert the, what you take in to fuel for your body that determines whether it’s going to be of benefit or of harm.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. And when, when you’re adding fuel, um, to your body that your body doesn’t need, um, your, your body needs to do something with that fuel, right, and it has to, it has to go someplace and, and you know, just I think historically our bodies have been, you know, Designed to, uh, retain as much of that fuel as possible, uh, you know, and, and hang on to that as opposed to just, let’s just get rid of it because we don’t need [00:13:00] it.

Um, you know, like if you were to fill up your car with gas and, and you’re putting, putting that fuel in and you’re, you put too much in and it’s just going to spill out and you’re going to waste it all. It’s going to spill all over the ground. Um, versus, uh, You know, our bodies don’t do that. We don’t get rid of it, uh, quite that, that same way.

Uh, we, we hang on to it and that’s where, you know, fat starts to build up and that type of thing. And, and we don’t obviously want that. And so, you know, finding, like you said, finding a balance, right? You can enjoy the foods that you, uh, that you’ve always liked. Um, and Maybe some more in moderation than others, right?

And, and, and like you said, in the way that you prepare them might be different too.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Exactly, exactly. Balance is the key to health. So balance and moderation in all things will infinitely bless us on our wellness [00:14:00] journey. And that’s really what Ayurveda is teaching us. That’s one of the key principles, actually.

Scott DeLuzio: Now, when you’re talking about Incorporating some of these practices into your daily routines. I mean, we talked a little bit about food, um, and, and how that can serve as medicine. Um, you know, also could be toxic depending on, uh, you know, what the food is and how much of it you’re, you’re taking in. Um, Does this help out with, um, dealing with things like stress, anxiety, other mental health type challenges, or is this primarily a physical, uh, health related concept?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: It definitely helps with mental health, stress, and anxiety, for sure, yeah, because we believe in the holistic healing traditions that the mind and body are one entity, they’re so deeply interrelated that whatever we do, they’re one entity. At the level of our [00:15:00] body will affect our mind and vice versa. So whenever we’re working on the level of the body, there’s also great benefit to the mind as well.

And there are certain foods actually that were recommended for mental peace. and certain lifestyle practices that bring about greater calmness and acceptance and all of the spiritual characteristics that we’re looking for. Ayurveda and yoga actually, the deep traditional yoga are very deep spiritual sciences and they are working at the level of the body as a way to prepare the body to become a vessel for unfolding spiritual knowledge and really Being able to connect with your soul power.

So we really want the body and the mind to be in a great position to be able to sit and ultimately to be able to [00:16:00] meditate, to be able to reflect. to be able to do the internal work that it takes to evolve yourself as a person. So it’s all working together.

Scott DeLuzio: Now, are there any simple, like, practices as far as the, the, the food, to identify the, the food that should either, Be, be modified or, or eliminated or added to a diet or, um, you know, any, anything that you can do to, uh, you know, kind of maybe get started on this or is this something that you would recommend having, uh, somebody guide you through as opposed to go figure it out on your own kind of thing?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: You know, the first practice that I write about in my book, The Ayurveda Way, is actually a great starting point for most people. This is Simply shifting from having cold, raw food and drinks to [00:17:00] incorporating more warm cooked food and warm beverages into your diet. This is generally a really good practice that will be a game changer for a lot of people’s digestive health because in Ayurveda the sages who have been revealed the science The sages, who are similar to the sages who have been revealed the science of yoga, have poetically envisioned the digestion as being like a fire.

And whenever we put warm substances into a fire, it kindles that fire. When we put cold water, ice, and, you know, cold substances onto a fire, it tends to extinguish it. So, just by making this one simple shift From cold and raw to warm and cooked, from salads on a menu to soups, for example, it makes a real world of a difference in how well a [00:18:00] person can typically digest what they’re eating.

Scott DeLuzio: That’s interesting. I, that was not the answer. I, I thought I would’ve, uh, that I would’ve expected. Uh, is, is really the. It’s almost like the temperature change could make a huge difference, um, you know, with, with that. And, um, you know, that, that is interesting. Um, and the way you described, I think sort of makes sense to the, the visual, uh, of, you know, adding something warm to a flame, uh, versus, you know, adding ice or water or something like that, that douses that flame.

Um, and, and that’s not what you want to do in this case. Right. So, um, so. Okay, so look at adding more warmer, uh, you know, or, or hot type foods. Um, what, uh, you mentioned yoga and how they’re kind of sisters [00:19:00] with, uh, yoga and Ayurveda is sort of like a sister, uh, you know, to each other. Um, I got to imagine that there’s a, that they can compliment each other as well. Uh, if, if they’re incorporated together, is that, is that correct?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Oh yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And Ayurveda, we incorporate yoga for sure, because yoga, breathing exercises, yoga poses are very much about returning to nature, which is the whole theme of Ayurveda. So they become a really important part of the daily lifestyle that we’re recommended to lead. And Ayurveda actually helps you To practice the kind of yoga movements and breathing exercises that are most aligned with the needs of each season that unfolds.

So it can actually really ensure that your yoga practice is most optimized for each period of the [00:20:00] year, which is pretty cool.

Scott DeLuzio: As you go through the year,

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Mm hmm.

Scott DeLuzio: you’re talking different, there’s a different, uh, maybe recommendations that you might have, uh, in the summer versus the winter, for example. Okay.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah,

Scott DeLuzio: Could you talk a little bit more? Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. Could you talk a little bit more about that and, and how things might different and, and, and maybe why they are different throughout the year.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah, sure, sure. So, I think for exercise as a whole, we have a whole map that is very much dependent on the relationship of the earth where you’re located and the sun. So, in seasons that are colder, like the winter season and even going into the spring season, we have our internal digestive fire. Which is working in an opposite fashion to the fire of the [00:21:00] sun, right?

So the sun is considered a fire, and we have the fire of our digestion. And when it’s really cold outside, we don’t have the sun’s presence quite as much. And so our internal fire wants to bring us to homeostasis, or balance, by getting stronger. So at this time of the year, in the colder seasons of the year, our internal fire is stronger, which means that we can eat heavier, more nourishing foods, like even traditional Thanksgiving foods in the United States, and actually be nourished by that food, provided that we do more intensive exercise.

So if a person wanted to run a marathon, for example, it would be great if they started to train at the beginning of the winter and then ate, you know, good food throughout the winter. And then the diet lightens up as the sun gets stronger into the spring. But the spring [00:22:00] season is a really great time to actually run that marathon because you would have built up your strength over a period of time.

And then the spring season is when we have more of the earth. And water elements, which are heavier by nature in nature, right? Like you see the dew outside and you see like the moisture coming and the growth happening in the trees and the flowers and the plants and our body to experiences that moisture and it experiences that kind of natural strength in the environment.

So that’s a great time to do more intensive exercises. Conversely, as we get into the summer season and even into the fall seasons, it starts to reverse. When the sun gets more intense outside, the internal fire of digestion reduces a lot. So you wouldn’t want to have a whole Thanksgiving meal in the middle of July.

You would just kind of want to go light in that time and we’re [00:23:00] recommending more Liquid type of things, and even some cooling potency things. So while most people will benefit from the warm temperature when it’s really warm outside, there’s a way that we can incorporate cooling spices, which basically are good for your digestion, but they also cool your body down.

And we are also recommended more. Relaxing forms of exercise. So the summer and fall is a perfect time to swim. It’s a perfect time to do more of a yin yoga type of practice, more of calmer poses, more of, you know, relaxation in whatever way you can do that so that you are conserving the energy that you have since the fire is not so strong to eat so much.

You know, if we’re not nourishing the body properly, then too much of exercise can deplete the body. So there’s that whole [00:24:00] relationship.

Scott DeLuzio: Well, and it, it sort of seems like for me anyways, kind of just what I would prefer having as far as a meal in the winter months. I want the heavier, uh, you know, like a Thanksgiving dinner kind of meal or a stew or something like that. That’s, you know, a little bit thicker, a little hardier, uh, you know, um, I would much rather have that in the winter than in the summer when we were talking before we started recording.

I’m in Arizona and we’re dealing with heat and, and, and dryness and it’s just opposite from where you are in Florida. And, you know, you have the heat, but not the, uh, the dryness. You’re, it’s very dry. I’m not going to get too wet there, but, um, I would not be interested in having, uh, you know, a real heavy meal in the middle of the summer.

Um, just, just, [00:25:00] I would eat it if that was being offered, you know, if that’s what was being offered, but it wouldn’t be as appetizing to me as something lighter, uh, in, in, in the summer months. Because I, I just, I don’t know. It just, I, I can’t never really thought of why, but I, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.

It just doesn’t feel right. Uh, I don’t know why it, it, it, the specifics of it. I can’t, uh, describe it, but I, it just wouldn’t feel right to me. Um, and, and, but in the winter. And when, when it’s cooler and yeah, I can, I can see myself having, uh, you know, a much heartier meal, something, you know, a little bit heavier, um, you know, and, and, uh, know, in, in the spring and the fall, you know, you’re in that transition phase between the two extremes, uh, I think.

And so, um, yeah, I, You know, going, going back to that, um, you know, I, I totally get that. And, and in the, uh, you know, in the winter and in the summer, [00:26:00] the, the activities, um, even just look at the difference between, uh, you know, the winter and the summer Olympics, you know, you have more, more water sports in the summer than you’re going to have in the, in the winter.

They, they just don’t exist. Exists really well, but they are technically water. It’s just frozen water, you know, the ice skating and hockey and, uh, you know, the, the bobsledding and all the other things that, that, that go on in the, in the winter months, uh, those activities are going to be different as well.

And, and so, um, you know, those things to me, that, that does make sense that there is some sort of, uh, connection there. Um, and why is it that? I feel that way. I don’t know. Just do. And it just was, maybe that’s just the way things have always been. And that’s why I feel that way. But, um, but there, there could be something, you know, more to it, you know, in nature that, um, you know, kind of draws you more towards one thing than another depending on the time of year.

So that, that’s kind of interesting how you, how you, uh, [00:27:00] describe that.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah, yeah, it really aligns with our inner wisdom, you know, so Ayurveda is giving us an explanation for what we may intuitively already understand. And it’s also, um, it’s also giving us more kind of reasons for why we do what we do. So I think it’s, it’s really Amazing to know kind of how nature is working with us to, you know, give us a certain kind of feeling.

And the more in touch we are with that, the easier it is to really understand the system, you know, and to harmonize with it. And it gives us just so much in return. Mm hmm.

Scott DeLuzio: well, and, and, and when you, Have that inner, uh, intuition, you know, that this is [00:28:00] kind of giving a little bit more feedback and a little, uh, description about why things are the way that they are, um, which, which is great. Um, You think about the, um, the reason that you might want to have one thing versus another in the winter versus the summer.

Um, or, or in activity, you might want to do one thing more than, uh, in the winter than you would in the summer. Like, I don’t want to go jump in a swimming pool in the middle of the winter.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Yeah.

Scott DeLuzio: that just doesn’t sound very appealing, you know, but in the summer that might sound refreshing to some people and that might, that might be good.

Um, But it helps to define it and say, this, this is, uh, you know, why it is the way it is. We, we look at our, our bodies and our bodies will tell us when something is hurting or when something’s not right. Something is in, in your words that, you know, something’s [00:29:00] out of balance. Um, and it, and it tells us that, but we don’t always know why.

It is, you know, my, my stomach hurts, or my side hurts, or my legs hurt, or my back, or my something hurts. There’s something not right. Well, what is that something? And, you know, if we can, if we can help figure out what those things are, um, then, and maybe define them, then we’ll, Be one step closer to figuring out what that root cause is and solving that root cause to me anyways is better than just masking those symptoms, which is your body by the way, is telling you, Hey, there is something wrong and it’s yelling out and screaming.

That’s why that thing hurts or that’s why that your, your stomach is upset or your head hurts or something. Your body is saying, Hey, there’s something wrong. And then You go and you take some medication that just kind of dulls that sense, and it doesn’t mean that that thing went away, [00:30:00] it’s just It’s still wrong.

You just can’t hear it. It’s like if someone’s yelling at you from the other side of the room and you go put noise canceling headphones on, they’re still yelling. They’re still trying to tell you that there’s something wrong. Um, but you just can’t hear them. And, uh, you know, like it doesn’t, it doesn’t make sense.

So, um, you know, but, but the way you’re describing this is now, now we have, um, A way to take a look into some of these things that might be bothering us and trying to find out what that underlying cause is and try to address that.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Exactly, exactly. Yeah, that’s one of the principles of Ayurveda too, is that the body is naturally a self healing entity. Given the right, uh, attention and care and knowledge, the body always wants to do what it can to heal itself. So when we learn this science, we’re really able to tap into that healing ability that we naturally [00:31:00] have.

And even, you know, when we go to the farmer’s market, for example, the farmer’s market is always Giving us Ayurvedic options because the farmer’s market is producing what’s seasonal and what is, you know, local to a region. So if you want to know what Ayurveda recommends you to eat, you can actually just go to your farmer’s market and you’ll get a pretty similar list as what’s, you know, advised in the Ayurveda tradition, which is pretty cool.

Scott DeLuzio: And does it, does geography play a part in that as well, as far as that goes?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: It does, it does, definitely. There’s definitely certain types of food that a person will be more acclimatized to, depending on even where they’re from in the world, for example. So like, my family originally comes from India, and even though I was born in Toledo, Ohio, my You know, ability to have food that may [00:32:00] be a little bit spicier would be maybe more than yours because you’re not from that part of the world that’s accustomed to these things, right?

So we definitely do have something even based on our, our place of origin or our nationality, which can be, you know, certain tendencies or sensitivities that are good to account for. So it is good to try to stick with what is. You know, you can look at what is suitable to you, you know, based on what you’re used to and based on, um, who you are, and then, you know, secondly, you can look to what’s local and regional and growing, you know, around you and see how well you do with that and how well you digest that.

But there is definitely this concept of unique suitability, which explains why different people can handle different foods differently than others.

Scott DeLuzio: Well, and, and to that point, [00:33:00] so a few years ago, um, I had, I had some issues, some, uh, um, Issues with my, my stomach. Right. And I was, I was having the worst heartburn and just like anything I ate, it just was causing all sorts of, all sorts of trouble. And, uh, I could, I couldn’t handle even. The lightest of light spices.

Like I, it just wouldn’t work with me. It just, it was causing so much pain. And, you know, I, I eventually figured out, you know, what the problem was. And once when I addressed it and by the way, there, no medication was required to address it, um, you know, to all of, you know, what you’re talking about here was, you know, There was no, you know, prescription medications or even over the counter type medications.

Um, it was, it was, it was a change in, in diet. And once when I, I discovered that and I fixed that, I can eat spicy [00:34:00] stuff. And I, like, I, I enjoy eating spicy stuff, but I wasn’t able to handle that before. And I know we’re not just talking about whether or not you can handle spicy foods. There’s other things like that too, but, um, There, there’s so many things that, that could be wrong and if you can tap into what your body is telling you, there might be something that you, you can change as far as your diet and, and things like that, which will help address those problems.

And, and then, uh, You know, going forward, you know, and it may not be an overnight type thing where you eat this thing and all of a sudden you’re, you’re going to feel like, you know, a million bucks, but, um, you know, it, it might be one of those things where it might take a little time, but once when, uh, you give it a chance to work, then you, you start to, to experience those benefits.

And, and I think some of it just requires some patience too, right?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Totally, totally. Yeah, you really intuitively [00:35:00] understand this. It doesn’t feel like it’s the first time you’re coming to encounter Ayurveda. I feel like you’ve got such nice, eloquent ways of describing it from the testimony of your personal laboratory of experience and life. And, you know, I had a similar thing, actually, that kind of Kind of relates to what you shared.

I didn’t have heartburn. I’ve never had heartburn, but I was living in New York City during the pandemic, writing a book, starting a program, working at a company part time, had a lot of things going on. And I also could not handle any spices at that time. I could only have like the cooling spices, right, that are helpful for digestion, but they’re cooling.

They’re not heating at all because I had zero tolerance for it. Because I feel like there’s so much fire and heat within New York City, just the intensity of it, you know, and all the things that I had going on was bringing out a lot of heat within me, but then changing the location, right, like the environment, moving from New York to Florida.

Now I’m like, wow, I can [00:36:00] totally enjoy spices like I never had them before because the environment here is so moist and it’s so conducive to actually having a little more fire to be able to balance out what’s inside with what’s outside, you know, and not obviously being quite as stressed being here as I was over there.

So being able to exercise even more and, you know, feel comfortable doing that. So it is interesting, you know? And so even what’s recommended, advisable for us at a certain time is not always the same, depending on where we’re at, literally, and, you know, in terms of our life situation. So it is all about tuning in and being able to make adjustments according to what our body’s wisdom is telling us.

Scott DeLuzio: Yeah. I think at the end of the day, it’s just listening to your body and, uh, understanding is right for you. And what’s. Right for you. And like you said, those things are going to change from, [00:37:00] from, you know, one time period to the next. And, um, and then that’s okay. You, you just kind of adjust to what works and what doesn’t work.

And you know, as, as time goes on, if you’re listening, your body will tell you if it’s right or not. And, and you, you, uh, take it from there. Uh, you, you, you, You don’t want to ignore it. Um, you just, Oh, I used to, I used to have this all the time and it was great. Well, why can’t you do it anymore? Um, you know, try to figure out what that is.

Maybe, maybe, um, you know, maybe you overdid it. Like you said earlier, you know, too much of, of anything is, it could be toxic too. And, um, you know, it’s too much of a good thing is, is not. Great either. So, um, so for the listeners who want to find out more information about, uh, about this type of practice and, uh, you know, What it is that [00:38:00] you have to offer, uh, where they, where can they go to find more information about Ayurveda and, and what you have to offer?

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: sure. So my books would definitely be good resources. The IRB, The Way, and The Way of the Goddess, which are just available wherever books are sold. And then my websites are also good places to go. My organization website is theancientway. co and then my personal website. Website is Ananta, A N A N T A dot one, O N E, all spelled out, and you can learn more on both of these sites.

I also post a lot on Instagram, at Ananta dot one.

Scott DeLuzio: Excellent. And I’ll have links to all of this in the show notes for the listeners to Take a look at and, uh, you know, if they’re interested in, uh, getting a copy of the book and finding out more and how they can incorporate these [00:39:00] practices in their own life, they can check it out in the book or, uh, reach out through, uh, you know, your websites or on social media and, uh, hopefully find out more information there.

So, um, Again, thank you for taking the time to come on, uh, for the listeners. Um, check out, uh, the, the previous episode, uh, that we, we talked about becoming the hero of your journey. And, um, you know, we had, had some other, uh, good advice in that episode as well. So check that one out. Uh, we also with, uh, Ananta and, uh, we’ll, uh, yeah, yeah.

Thank you for, uh, taking the time to come on and sharing, uh, you know, about all of this as well.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera: Thank you so much for having me, it was wonderful to connect with you.

Scott DeLuzio: Absolutely. Thank you.

Thanks for listening to the Drive On Podcast. If you want to support the show, please check out Scott’s book, Surviving Son on Amazon. All of the [00:40:00] sales from that book go directly back into this podcast and work to help veterans in need. You can also follow the Drive On Podcast on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts.