Member’s thoughts and opinions are the heart and soul of Generate Voices, they are experts by lived experience! A new goal for Generate Voices is to let members takes turns with hosting sessions, speaking about topics which they are passionate about!
Last week at our monthly face-to-face session, Generate Voices member Sean led the session. He spoke about something he practices which helps his wellbeing and is very passionate about.
It’s called Ayurveda
None of us knew what this was coming into the session, Sean took this time to explain all and why it helps with his mental health.
Ayurveda is an alternative medicine which was started in India 5000 years ago and has many health benefits! It helps with the body, mind and restore people’s health including mental health.
There are five elements of Ayurveda which are: Ether, Earth, Fire, Air and Water. These make up our environment, the food we eat and how we take care of our bodies.
According to Ayurveda, people can be one of three doshas based on their personality and body type:
Vata
Kapha
Pitta
Vata is based on air and space, people with the Vata Dosha are usually known to be slim and creative.
They’ve known for thinking outside the box but can be distracted too, their moods depend on the weather and the people around them.
They can however be anxious, get overwhelmed easily and can have trouble sleeping.
According to Ayurveda, people with the Vata Dosha need to follow a daily routine and take part in calm activities. They must also maintain a warm body temperature by avoid cold weather and having warm food and drinks.
Kapha is based on earth and water, people with this Dosha can be strong and caring.
They’re known for keeping things together and supporting others, rarely getting upset and think before acting.
However, they can gain weight and may have other health issues. They may also experience depression and need extra encouragement from people.
For good health, a person with the Kapha Dosha should do regular exercise, maintain a healthy diet and have a regular sleep pattern.
Pitta is based on fire and water, people with this Dosha said to be very athletic and are strong leaders.
They learn quickly and aim for success however, they can be inpatient, have mood swings when hungry and are sensitive to hot temperatures.
People with this Dosha should focus on balancing work with their personal life and avoiding extreme heat including not eating spicy food.
Sean explained about Ayurvedic treatments, a practioner will create a treatment plan designed for you and is aimed to restore harmony and balance.
To achieve this, a practioner might rely on massages, oils or herbs.
Sean went on to explain that he chose Ayurveda to help with his anxiety and used to suffer from panic attacks in the past.
He noticed the name Ayurveda and decided to look up an Ayurveda website and found a local practioner, he went for a consultation and spoke about his anxiety and sleep patterns at the time.
He found out that his Dosha is Vata.
Sean shared some wellbeing tips with the members, he suggested drinking one cup of tea or coffee a day and only drinking alcoholic drinks on rare occasions like parties or weddings.
He now only tends to drink herbal tea and for breakfast, he normally has a date shake which helps with his concentration and gives him more energy.
(He advised that if you’re interested in Ayurveda, always speak to your doctor!)
Thank you, Sean, for sharing something that your passionate about with the Generate Voices members! The rest of Generate Voices will all take turns in leading sessions and speaking about any topic they choose, as we want to include our members more going forward!
If you’re interested in Generate Voices and the sessions we run, please do talk to the Generate Voices Co-Ordinators, Chiz and Tony!