Ask Selina

Meet Selina Van Orden! Selina is a fully qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner, having trained for 5 years at the UK’s College of Ayurveda, with clinical training in Karnataka, Maharashtra and California. A member of the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association, Selina has talked in the British Parliament and the European Parliament, on integrating Ayurveda into the western system. Always striving for deeper wisdom to share with patients and shape treatment, Selina continues the study of plants, Sanskrit, meditation, pranayama, astrology, and medicine, under the guidance of her teachers. Follow her at @_atyourbest.

Hi, I’m Selina! It is a joy to be here, I can’t wait to hear all of the questions you have about Ayurveda! It has transformed my life, and I know it can do amazing things for yours. We are living through an incredibly tough time at the moment, and it is more important than ever that we reach out and support one another. So, what ever you want to know about wellness and the world of Ayurveda, feel free to ask…

Please do not submit specific or personal medical questions.

Get Answers to Previous Questions or Watch Educational Videos:

• Why does some music make me feel good, even if I was in a bad mood before? I know that Ayurveda is a holistic health system, so is there an Ayurvedic explanation for the power of music?
  Frances, Norfolk, UK
  
  Everything in Ayurveda has a quality to it, and that quality has an action. Just as a bitter medicine will scrape the toxins from the body; the sound of drums will fire the digestive system up. Music can be like medicinal formulas with their mixtures of sounds, melodies, tones and rhythms. 
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• My 5 month old – who is exclusively breastfed – is suffering greatly with eczema. Will a pitta balancing diet help and can I safely take chyawanprash while breast feeding him?
  Lisa, Toronto, Canada
  
  As your baby is metabolising further all that you have metabolised, it is sensible that you are starting with yourself in finding remedies for their eczema. There are three ways in which I would tackle eczema: cleansing the system, rejuvenation or Rasayana therapy, and a pitta balancing diet.
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• I’m A Busy Mother Of Three, How Do I Cook Fresh Foods To Suit Everyone Without Spending My Life Cooking. And How Do I Eat Out ‘Safely’ Within The Realms Of Ayurveda?
  Lorraine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
  
  How do we eat good, easy, fresh food within the safety net of Ayurveda? Without spending our life cooking, while accommodating a household of people with different constitutions…My first piece of advice would be to look at what all good Ayurvedic food has in common. Then would look at how we can make it easy for ourselves.
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• How Should I Store Chyawanprash and Ghee?
  Lisa, Chicago, USA
  
  The beauty of both Chyawanprash and Ghee is that they do not need to be refrigerated. I like to keep mine in a cupboard in the kitchen which is easily reachable so that I can consume it happily each day.
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• If I Cannot Have Dairy, Can I Have Ghee?
  Natasha, NYC, USA
  
  A lactose intolerance means you have problems digesting lactose. This shows up as digestive disturbance, including bloating, cramps, constipation or diarrhoea, excess gas and a painful abdomen. If you suffer from these symptoms of lactose intolerance, you can consume Pior’s ghee as the lactose has been removed in the process of making the product.
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• How Do I Work Out My Ayurvedic Constitution and How I Am Out of Balance?
  Hope, Los Angeles, California
  
  We are all made up of all the doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha) to varying degrees, one or two are usually more dominant than others...that you are ticking all the dosha imbalance boxes could well be the case. But what is showing up and how is what needs to be worked out. For there are a multitude of reasons, routes and root causes that have got you here. 
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• How Can I Find Out What My Ayurvedic Constitution Is?
  Corina, Bergamo, Italy
  
  Ayurveda is all about how we navigate the outside world while staying in balance inside. It is about how gracefully we can allow these two envronments to meet.
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• In What Order Should I Consume Ghruta and Chyawanprash in the Morning?
  Alicia, Lake Placid, NY
  
  Getting our morning routine right is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. It is, after all, how we begin our day, creating the imprint for the hours that follow. If we begin it well, - in harmony with our needs and constitution - then we are giving ourselves the best chance of feeling balanced and energised for the rest of the day.
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• Can I Consume Ghee If I Have a Dairy Allergy?
  Angenique, Lafayette, Louisiana
  
  The process of making ghruta - means that the lactose and beta casein - which are the disturbing qualities of the dairy product (as mentioned above) are removed. So those with a lactose intolerance can consume it
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• Can I Add Chyawanprash To My Morning Smoothie?
  Blaine, New Orleans, USA
  
  The short answer to the question is: no. Not on my watch. It raises an important set of points that I am keen to cover because Ayurveda was formed in utter precision, not a stone was left unturned and not a hair is out of place.
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