VAL JOAN
“Ayurveda is a personal journey: each body is different, each story is different. There are some fundamental rules that are valid for everyone, but the rest should be personalised. Knowing yourself then becomes central. Ayurveda creates a path to more self-awareness, self-consciousness and emotional intelligence.”
Val Joan is a certified Ayurveda coach and yoga instructor. One of her passions is helping women navigate menopause and midlife with Ayurveda, yoga and mindfulness. She promotes a modern and free form Ayurveda that women can easily incorporate into their life. She is part of a new movement that wants to change the narrative around menopause: menopause should not be seen as a painful moment of life but an opportunity to make changes, heal, and set the foundation of a thriving second life. Body, mind and spirit. Modern Ayurveda, hatha yoga, kundalini yoga, and mindfulness are the cornerstones of her work. She is French and lives in San Diego with her family.
Follow Val:
Intagram: @ayurveda_with_val
Website: www.ayurvedawithval.com
“Here is one thing I love about Ayurveda: the aim is not to achieve a nirvana state of perfection but rather to create a durable lifestyle that will build resilience and strength.”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
I like to say that Ayurveda is not only a science, it's a way of life. To me, it is the foundation of how I see myself as a human being connected to the world, nature, and other humans.
The simple yet elegant concepts behind the science — the five elements — make so much sense when you think about it. Through that lens, we can read how imbalances are created inside and around us, and more importantly, how to take the actions that will restore balance. Here is one thing I love about Ayurveda: the aim is not to achieve a nirvana state of perfection but rather to create a durable lifestyle that will build resilience and strength, so we can stay in balance whatever life throws at us. It teaches us to know and accept who we are, to balance and heal what we need, and celebrate our uniqueness. This is a powerful teaching to find peace and joy.
Yoga and Ayurveda are the two pillars of my lifestyle. They are the framework that I use daily to create wellbeing and Prana in my body, mind and spirit.
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
I discovered Ayurveda through yoga, on a trip to Kerala, Southwest India, more than 8 years ago, as I was completing my yoga teacher certification. At that time, it seemed very complex, somewhat austere, and hard to execute. Nevertheless, I immediately recognised Ayurveda as an enriching complement to my yoga practice. I started to study Ayurveda passionately, on nights and weekends, and got certified as an Ayurveda Lifestyle Coach with Katie Silcox Shakti School. I am now on my way to being certified as an Ayurveda Health Counsellor.
My particular focus is on promoting the use of Ayurveda among women who struggle with the transition of midlife and menopause. And I know what I'm talking about! Menopause hit me four years ago... Since then, I have been researching, testing, applying everything yoga and Ayurveda can offer to help me not only feel better but transform myself. After those years practising for myself, I feel it's my mission (and passion!) to share with others.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
To me, Ayurveda is such a natural complement to my yoga practice, I was just organically drawn to it.
Yoga and Ayurveda share the same values: they go deep inside, they see life as a system and not a collection of pieces, and they are a personal practice.
Like yoga, Ayurveda goes deep into the body, the bones, the tissues, the energetic centres. It seeks to reach the core, the root causes of our tensions, imbalances and pains. Not your instant relief pill that will just treat the symptom! Some perseverance, effort, routine and consistency is needed. But benefits are durable and profound.
Ayurveda proposes a systemic view: the body and mind are interconnected and need to be addressed with the same importance. What modern medicine is starting to promote was already very well understood some 5,000 years ago.
Ayurveda is a personal journey: each body is different, each story is different. There are some fundamental rules that are valid for everyone, but the rest should be personalised. Knowing yourself then becomes central. Ayurveda creates a path to more self-awareness, self-consciousness and emotional intelligence.
Has it helped you with anything major?
Ayurveda is my menopause lighthouse! When perimenopause hit me, at age 48, I felt miserable. Mood swings, sudden drops of energy, loss of libido, hot flashes, headaches… I started to wake up at 2 a.m. every night, sweating and feeling anxious. I became irritable, impatient, intolerant... The worst version of myself. I was starting to feel depressed. It was as if I was living in a body and mind that I did not recognise anymore, as if someone had taken control over me. Of course, I talked to my gynecologist. "No worries," she said, “for your mood, I can give you antidepressants and for all the rest, I recommend that you take hormonal supplements.” Hmm. I thought about it. I did not sound right to me. Of course, that was the easy way: with a few chemicals, I could probably find relief. But I had an internal voice telling me that all those changes were for me the opportunity for a bigger one. Not a time for numbing and surviving through the symptoms, but a time for rethinking and redesigning my life. I decided that menopause was an opportunity and that Ayurveda plus yoga would be my medicine.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
Ayurveda is definitely part of my everyday life, but in a modern, intuitive and non-dogmatic way. Over the course of the years, I have learned what works for me. I have adapted some of the practices and recipes in a way that works for me. I always say that it is more important to do something imperfectly every day than one perfect thing on occasion. Regularity is the key. When we repeat, we integrate; when we integrate, we transform.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
Cleanse + Nourish + Balance is what works for me.
Cleanse: Every month, I cleanse my digestive system of all the Ama (toxins) that have accumulated and prevent the proper absorption of nutrients (and proper digestion of emotions!). A gentle 3-day kitchari cleanse with CCF tea is usually what I do. This is a simple yet efficient detox for both the body and the mind. It leaves me feeling lighter, more energetic and experiencing greater clarity.
Nourish: Every day, I practise Abhyanga. I am a Vata-Pitta person, and the Vata qualities of menopause add to my already dominant Vata mind-body type. That is why I practise daily Abhyanga (massage) with sesame oil. It is a non-negotiable routine, even if I only have 5 minutes for it. It leaves my skin nourished, and brings me a great sense of peace. And don't we say that self-care is self-love?
Balance: Hormonal balance is a major concern at menopause. I have found that phytoestrogens help me restore balance. Every day, I take shatavari powder, either added to my food or in the form of a tablet. There are many other sources of natural phytoestrogens, and they are a great alternative to synthetic hormonal therapy.
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
The concepts are simple without being simplistic, and very applicable. Ayurveda is not an esoteric science made for the few spiritual or enlightened ones, it is a system of knowledge that provides actionable tools for every body and every day. The practicality, simplicity and efficiency of Ayurveda is what still continues to amaze me. Everything that Ayurveda teaches me makes perfect sense, and works.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
When I started to apply the principles of Ayurveda to help me with my own menopause, I wanted to do everything perfectly and made drastic changes in my lifestyle. It was too much at a time, and I felt overwhelmed. Then I adjusted and prioritised the things that were the most beneficial to me, like daily sleep routines, oiling, and diet. I would let that sink in for some time, so that it became natural, and then added one more thing and another. Today, it is my advice to women: let's start with identifying the 3 things that would be the most efficient for you to change right now, and let's start with only those. After experiencing the first positive outcomes, it becomes easy to add new changes. You feel empowered and motivated!
Do your children/family eat an Ayurvedic diet? And if they do, do they know it’s Ayurveda or do they just think of it as home cooking?
Ayurveda is part of our family life but in a very intuitive way. In San Diego, we are lucky to be surrounded by many organic farms, so it's very easy to get great fruits and vegetables. I buy local and seasonal as much as possible. There is intelligence in what Mother Earth produces at each season; if we follow that rhythm, we mostly consume fruits and vegetables that will be balancing for that specific moment of the year. For me, this is essentially what an Ayurvedic diet means. Then of course, we incorporate the spices and herbs that will balance our respective Doshas or current disorder. Usually a lot of ginger for digestion, curcuma and turmeric to boost immunity. And we cook fresh every day. More Prana!
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
I am a golden milk fan! I make it everyday. It is so easy and packed with benefits — that's the best use of your kitchen if you only have 5 minutes there! I like mine with soy milk, raw honey, a pinch of ginger and cardamon, and lots of turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties.
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
Ayurveda is an integral part of my morning and evening routines.
Whatever the rest of the day looks like, if I set the foundation for it with my morning routine, I'm good. I wake up before 6 a.m., start with tongue scraping to get rid of the Ama accumulated during the night, splash my eyes with cool water to declare clarity, open the window, look outside and take a few conscious breaths. Then I head to the kitchen and make tea. All of this is just a few minutes, but it does create a clear mind and calm energy for the day. Then only do I look at my phone or my computer.
Evening routines are just as important. I like to do my Abhyanga at night because of the calming and pampering effect it has on my nervous system. Evening is also my journalling and reading time.
As for yoga and mediation, it is whenever I can depending on the agenda of each day. I learned that allowing this flexibility is what works for me, and that having a fixed constraint time for yoga/meditation was actually a source of stress!
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
I think that there need to be more of us preaching a free and modern form of Ayurveda. Many people think Ayurveda is complicated or that it is just a medical system. But you used the right word in your question: Ayurveda is a lifestyle. We, in the West, need to use the best of the two worlds: Ayurveda to create durable balance and health, and modern medicine if there is urgency to alleviate the pain. A dual approach is what I see developing moving forward. I would also love for more yoga teachers to incorporate some Ayurvedic tips and advice into their classes.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Yes, they can't avoid me talking about it with passion, so they all have some degree of knowledge now! Also, many of my girlfriends are my age, and face the menopause transition. I have been sharing my learning with them and they have adopted much of it. I never miss an occasion to talk and plant the seed. I realise that women are hungry for information on how to face midlife in a more natural way. Menopause is not a taboo anymore, and definitely not a disease, but rather a natural stage of life that Ayurveda can help us navigate gracefully. I am passionate about educating women and help them apply the principles for themselves.
What’s the one thing you would encourage everyone to try or you think would benefit the majority of people’s health for the better?
There is one thing that I keep repeating: listen to your body. The body knows, the body talks, the body has intelligence. If we learn to listen, if we respect the body, we are already on the path to healing and thriving. And as one of my favourite teachers says: "the body is nothing but a vibration of the soul.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
I feel very grateful to be part of this growing and vibrant community of women who promote modern Ayurveda. More than ever, connection with nature and our true self is much needed.