Namita Nayyar:
You introduced Ayurveda to Stanford Medicine and led staff training at prisons throughout California. How far has the project been successful? What are the Ayurvedic life principles that have visibly worked in your life?
Ananta Ripa Ajmera:
The projects to introduce staff members at Stanford Medicine and California prisons yielded a self-reported 47% reduction in aches and pains, 46% better sleep, and 85% said they felt much more able to manage their daily stresses. The Ayurvedic lifestyle principles that have visibly worked in my life include: waking up early and following circadian rhythms (sleeping by 10 pm and awakening by 6 am), oiling my body with warm seasonal oils, eating only warm, cooked, gently oiled foods, following a seasonal diet, showering before eating my first meal, and starting each day by thanking Mother Earth for the chance to start a new beginning.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you like to kick-start your day? What do you recommend for a day filled with positive energy?
Ananta Ripa Ajmera:
I love to first look at my hands, and mentally repeat a mantra that affirms that the powers of transformation, abundance, and creativity reside in my own hands, followed by other ancient Sanskrit mantras, the last of which is a mantra that involves thanking Mother Earth for her blessings before stepping foot out of bed, upon her. I follow this up by silently reciting the Gayatri Mantra, which evokes the light and power of the sun, 108 times on a japa mala (rosary of prayer beads). I find that this puts me in a great mental state each morning.
Namita Nayyar:
What kind of diet do you follow and recommend? 5 foods you must have and 5 you keep to a minimum.
Ananta Ripa Ajmera:
I recommend following a seasonal diet that changes according to the needs of each season but always involves eating only warm, cooked, gently oiled foods, with ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil.
5 foods I must have include:
- ghee (clarified butter) to cook my meals
- white basmati rice
- mung lentils
- sweet potatoes
- plant-based milk (almond, coconut, and oat are my favorites).
5 foods I keep to a minimum include:
- eggplant
- garlic
- onions
- mushrooms
- peanuts
the first four foods tend to have a heavy and dulling effect on the mind, and peanuts tend to be very sharp and agitating to the mind.
