Sophia's Health & Travel blog

What is Ayurveda? A journey to self discovery

What is Ayurveda? A journey to self discovery

Ayurveda is a combination of two words from Sanskrit, "Ayur" meaning life, and "Veda" meaning knowledge. Ayurveda can be translated as 'the knowledge, or science, of life.' This knowledge serves two purposes: maintaining health and preventing and/or curing illness. An Ayurvedic lifestyle contributes

Why you should eat Ghee + recipe to make your own Ghee at home!

Why you should eat Ghee + recipe to make your own Ghee at home!

Do you enjoy a meal that contains fats or oils? Or do you prefer to eat everything lean and "light"? In my opinion, fats and oils in food have an undeserved bad reputation. Fats are essential for the functioning of our organs. Like a chain that needs lubrication.

My easy detox strategy for this Spring

My easy detox strategy for this Spring

Spring is the season to detox! Let go of anything that is not nourishing anymore, or has never been, and now you’ve become aware of it. Eating habits, lifestyle routines, emotional baggage and/or thought patterns… Time to make space for new life, creation and inspiration. What do you

Detox lemon water

Detox lemon water

This is my new favorite drink: lemon water with Celtic sea salt. Super refreshing and great to flush out the toxins. I like to use lemon essential oil because it's super concentrated but of course you can also use fresh lemon juice. Did you know that Gisele Bundchen

What is a balanced digestion according to Ayurveda?

What is a balanced digestion according to Ayurveda?

🔥 Food can get properly digested. Remind that everything is food! Thoughts, experiences, emotions, sensory perception, and of course the food and drink you take in; 🔥 Waste products are properly eliminated from the body through sweat, urine and stool. The importance of our digestive capacity The food that is healthy for

Ghee: 4 reasons why you should eat this fat

Ghee: 4 reasons why you should eat this fat

Ayurveda considers Ghee as the most vital form of dairy and as a very important medicine. Ghee is very suitable for all kinds of food preparation and is beneficial for physical and mental health. What is Ghee? Ghee is pure butterfat made from unsalted butter. By cooking the butter, the

Why golden milk is good for you + how to make your own golden spice mix for a delicious golden milk

Why golden milk is good for you + how to make your own golden spice mix for a delicious golden milk

Ayurveda sees every type of food that we take as a medicine. Our kitchen can serve as a pharmacy! Maintaining a balanced digestion together with the right diet contributes to your health, because the tissues get the appropriate nourishing. And this will help in preventing and curing disease. Golden milk

Around the world 🌎

Around the world 🌎

Almost a year ago, I went on this adventure to follow my path. To go on a journey of discovery to and within my Self. Into the unknown. I had to let go of almost everything I had. It no longer served me. This was something I had to do,

3 easy ways to stay healthy and balanced while traveling

3 easy ways to stay healthy and balanced while traveling

Life of a traveler: long travel hours, jet lag, uncomfortable beds, air-conditioning, a lack of rhythm and different food… Traveling is awesome - it’s one of the things I love to do most - but it can also create discomfort like digestive problems and congestion, and mental imbalances such

A time of coming and going

A time of coming and going

We came to Costa Rica to learn that it’s time to go. We feel full with impressions and experiences we have gained along the way and feel the need for integration. We noticed this in Mexico last month, where it didn't feel like being on the road,

Kicheri

Preparation time: 15 min. (+1 night of soaking). Cook time: 45-60 min. Kicheri is a soup of mung beans and basmati rice, cooked with spices, Ghee and water. Kicheri is nourishing, easy to digest, and helps the body to get rid of toxins. Because of the detox effect of this

Abhyanga: the Ayurvedic self massage

Abhyanga: the Ayurvedic self massage

How about some self love? A beautiful example of self care and self love is an Ayurvedic self massage with oil, called Abhyanga. In this article you will read about the benefits of this massage and how to do the self massage. Why do a self massage? Anointing the body

What to eat (and what to avoid!) when you’re pregnant, according to Ayurveda

What to eat (and what to avoid!) when you’re pregnant, according to Ayurveda

A lot is written about what you can and can’t eat when you’re pregnant, which might make you insecure about what you should eat (and what to avoid). Ayurveda sees food as medicine and describes how diet can contribute to fertility, the development of the pregnancy, postnatal recovery

Agni, the digestive fire

Agni, the digestive fire

According to Ayurveda, our digestive fire, or Agni, is at the base of our health. Agni means ‘fire’ in Sanskrit, and is like a flame that is burning inside each of us, digesting everything we take in: food, thoughts, experiences, and impulses from our environment. The ability to transform Agni

Destruction and creation

Destruction and creation

Our trip through Japan was very special. The theme that dominated this trip was letting go of, or destruction of our (old) lifestyles with certain expectations and patterns that didn’t nourish us, but sucked the life energy out of us. However, it’s easier to hold on to something

The Kapala Bhati breath

The Kapala Bhati breath

The breath is our life energy. All our cells and tissues need oxygen to function properly. Regular breathing practice, called ‘Pranayama’ in Sanskrit, can contribute in strengthening the respiratory system, so that the body can take in and divide this life energy better through our system. One of my favorite

Ayurveda and Spring season: 3 ways to balance your respiratory system

Ayurveda and Spring season: 3 ways to balance your respiratory system

After a cold winter period, the first sun rays and rise of temperature really give that Spring feeling. Open those doors, let the fresh air in, and let’s go out and about! According to Ayurveda, Spring, like Winter, is the season of the Kapha Dosha. The Kapha Dosha is

Date balls with coconut and sesame

Date balls with coconut and sesame

Dates are very good for Vata and Pitta Doshas, especially during the cold fall and winter months. Kapha types: eat a very small amount, not too often, and don’t use Shatavari. Shatavari is also called the “woman’s herb” in Ayurveda because it supports in hormonal balance, menstrual difficulties,

Menopause & post-menopause

Menopause & post-menopause

During menopause, a big transition is made in the women’s body: the menstruation will stop. The word “menopause” comes from the ancient Greek language: men meaning month, and pause meaning that something will stop. You can experience various physical, mental and emotional symptoms of imbalance. Some examples are hot

Tongue scraping: what you need to know

Tongue scraping: what you need to know

Do you recognise that feeling of waking up with a coated tongue? Or bad breath? That’s because during the night, the food parts that remain undigested collect on our tongue. That can create a coating, or mucus on the tongue, and / or a bad taste when waking up. Why

Ayurveda and traveling - 3 ways to balance your Vata Dosha

Ayurveda and traveling - 3 ways to balance your Vata Dosha

Travelling is an activity that increases the Vata Dosha. How? Being in the air or on the road for a long time, in a different location or frequently changing locations, other types of food… Can all have quite an impact on you, on physical, mental and emotional level. As well

The digestive system as the base for overall health

The digestive system as the base for overall health

You have probably experienced some (or all!) of the following digestive issues in your life: stomach ache, a bloated feeling, pain in the (lower)back, nausea, diarrhoea, acid reflux, constipation and/or tiredness…to name some examples. A lot of us don’t like to talk about our digestive issues.

10 Ayurvedic ways to get rid of that bloated feeling in Spring

10 Ayurvedic ways to get rid of that bloated feeling in Spring

A bloated feeling without having eaten a crumb of bread? Lack of appetite? Do you feel puffy or are you are you experiencing heaviness? We are in the middle of the transition from Winter to Spring, in where the rise of temperature is ‘melting’ the solid Kapha that was built

Food combinations to avoid

Food & Diet Featured

Food combinations to avoid

Ayurveda sees food as a medicine. The right choice of food can help balance our constitution, the base of our personal health. Every individual has a unique constitution, which is a unique combination of the Doshas Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This makes that we all have our own (dietary) needs.

What is Ghee and why is it so good for you?

What is Ghee and why is it so good for you?

Ghee in Ayurveda Ghee is one of my favourite Ayurvedic products. Ayurveda considers Ghee as the most vital form of dairy and as a very important medicine. Ghee is very suitable for all kinds of food preparation and is beneficial for physical and mental health. What is Ghee? Ghee is