Ayurveda Consultations

10/08/2025

Ahimsa

Non-violence is the heart of the first of the eight limbs of yoga and an essential aspect of Sattva, the evolutionary force that moves life towards perfection in enlightenment. This beautiful essay captures the essence of Mahatma Ghandi’s legacy of Ahimsa and applies it to the leadership requirements of the current world: https://saathee.com/gandhis-enduring-legacy-truth-leadership-and-nonviolence/ . Non-violence is a weapon of the strong leader who builds unity by putting ego aside and working one-pointedly for the collective good.

Amazingly, the author is Raajeev Aggerwhil a stand-up comedian from Los Angeles whose typical schtick involves self-reflective humor about the foibles of South Asians typified by his alter ego: Mr. Cheap Gupta. There is nothing funny about his article. It’s serious business that warrants our attention.

10/08/2025

Drawing Respectful Boundaries

This insightful piece of advice applies to personal life as well as work. https://cruciallearning.com/blog/how-to-respectfully-draw-boundaries-at-work/

My biggest challenge was mastering my own emotions about the situation. It’s all too easy for them to poison the relationship and short-change potential solutions to the problem.

The reason you’re hesitating to set a boundary with your coworker is you know it has potential to hurt her feelings.

09/24/2025

The Real Causes of Autism

When elected officials make a habit of disseminating misinformation for personal gain, a responsible public needs to take notice and act to protect themselves from future harm. Here’s a good summary about what is known about autism from reliable sources:

President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., have tied Tylenol use during pregnancy and folate deficiencies to rising autism rates—but the evidence is thin

09/16/2025

Conscientiousness Trumps Self-Control

Here’s a clear article that explains why conscientiousness is turning out to be a more important trait to cultivate in children than self-control:

Being conscientious will serve kids in the long run. Here are some tips to help them learn that trait

09/16/2025

All of Nature Has a Purpose

This fascinating summary of research into the social behavior of NYC rats is well worth reading: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-map-nightlife-and-communication-of-nyc-rats-to-help-urban/

I've been reading Darwin's Origin of Species and can't help admiring these adaptable survivors even though I'd rather not party with them.

A new preprint field study reveals that New York City’s rats aren’t just survivors—they’re talkative city dwellers with their own hidden nightlife. Mapping their movements and conversations could offer insights to transform urban planning and pest control

08/28/2025

Amazing Deep-Sea Life Discovered

There's always more to learn and value about our natural world:

Researchers spied a wild array of life, including dozens of suspected new species, in an underwater gorge

07/09/2025

You Can’t Cheat on Sleep

Most of us appreciate the importance of a good night’s rest. There is plenty of data associating disturbed sleep with chronic diseases. This brief article explains why there is no short cut to getting adequate sleep if you want to function at your best.

People on TikTok and other social media say they feel more alert when they have had fewer hours of sleep—but sleep scientists warn this is a false sense of energy

07/06/2025

Want to beat the heat? Check out my latest newsletter:

Banyan Botanicals is celebrating its 29th year with a site-wide sale from July 7 to 14. Get 20% off on $75+ or 29% off on $150+. No code is needed. If you use my links, I get a 15% commission that does not affect the price you pay. I've been trying some of Banyan Botanicals products and have a few...

04/14/2025

Another Time Limited Banyan Botanicals Discount

From today through Sunday April 27, you can get 20% off site-wide with the discount code CLEANSE20. Please use my affiliate link to get there: https://glnk.io/kovw3/marc

I've been trying some of Banyan Botanicals products and have a few suggestions based on that experience.

Super Nasya Oil ( https://glnk.io/3v3yq/marc15035 )
developed by Vasant Lad is an excellent alternative to Clear & Soothe, which has been out-of-stock for a long time. Super Nasya Oil has a little camphor, which enlivens the mind in addition to opening the nasal passages. Use it morning and afternoon. I would not use it in the evening.

Shakti Prana ( https://glnk.io/3v3yq/marc150z0 ) is a Rasayana in classic "lickable" (aveleha) form. It contains date sugar, ghee and honey as the vehicle for promoting absorption of the herbs. It has a peppery note and is stimulating. Take a teaspoon in the morning on an empty stomach, after meditation.

Meanwhile, MAPI has reverted to parent company ownership. You cannot make purchases on their website at this time and it's not clear when that will be resolved. The future of their affiliate discount program is uncertain. If you don't have a supply of Maharishi Amrit Kalash, you could temporize with Shakti Prana once a day or Organic Chyawanprash ( https://glnk.io/3v3yq/marc150yc ) twice a day.

See my website for more details on these Rasayanas ( https://qatoqi.com/ayurveda/rasayana.htm ).

Information about Ayurvedic rasayanas - elixirs for health improvement and disease resistance.

04/03/2025

How Microplastics Get into Your Food

Much of the problem is unwittingly self-inflicted. Educate yourself:

Kitchen items—sponges, blenders, kettles—are abundant sources of microplastics that we all consume

04/02/2025

Forthcoming Food Nutrition Label Changes

In January, the FDA issued a final rule on food labeling requirements for the “healthy” claim: https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-finalizes-updated-healthy-nutrient-content-claim. Oranges, nuts, seeds, and water, for example, would not have qualified as healthy under the old rule, but will under the new ones which align with the agency’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. It’s instructive to review the changes. They reveal how outdated the olde guidelines were: https://www.fda.gov/media/184535/download?attachment. Not only must healthy-labeled food actually contain a certain amount of healthy food like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it must adhere to strict limits on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

The new rule becomes effective 2/25/25, but the compliance deadline is 3 years away. Meanwhile, don’t be fooled by manufacturer claims. Look at the contents and judge for yourself.

Here’s some background on other options for food labeling for the consumer by a physician/scientist. While there may be logic in trying to distill a lot of factors into a single number, some fundamental issues are lost in the effort.

https://theconversation.com/what-if-you-could-rank-food-by-healthiness-as-you-shopped-nutrient-profiling-systems-use-algorithms-to-simplify-picking-healthy-groceries-245844

Nutrition Facts labels provide useful information about how nutritious a food is, but can be overwhelming. A single score could help make healthy grocery shopping more approachable.

03/27/2025

Time Limited Banyan Botanicals Discount

From today through Tuesday April 1, you can get 20% off site-wide with the discount code SPRING20. Please use my affiliate link to get there: https://glnk.io/kovw3/marc

I've been trying some of Banyan Botanicals products and have a few suggestions based on that experience.

Super Nasya Oil ( https://glnk.io/3v3yq/marc15035 )
developed by Vasant Lad is an excellent alternative to Clear & Soothe, which has been out-of-stock for a long time. Super Nasya Oil has a little camphor, which enlivens the mind in addition to opening the nasal passages. Use it morning and afternoon. I would not use it in the evening.

Shakti Prana ( https://glnk.io/3v3yq/marc150z0 ) is a Rasayana in classic "lickable" (aveleha) form. It contains date sugar, ghee and honey as the vehicle for promoting absorption of the herbs. It has a peppery note and is stimulating. Take a teaspoon in the morning on an empty stomach, after meditation. I've been taking it in the morning and using Maharishi Amrit Kalash Nectar Paste at bedtime.

Meanwhile, MAPI has reverted to parent company ownership. You cannot make purchases on their website at this time. The future of their affiliate discount program is uncertain.