JANA SIIM
“We all have some preferences with food, lifestyle, etc. and if we have too much of the same, it causes problems. When you switch your food choices, you will get back into balance again most of the time. These qualities just work all together and once you are aware of what is going on, it’s not difficult to keep yourself in balance.”
Jana Siim is a fully qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner and founder of Doshic Balance Ayurveda, where she practises Ayurvedic herbal medicine, crystal therapy and other Ayurvedic body treatments in Central London. She completed an Ayurveda lifestyle and nutrition diploma course and Ayurveda Practitioners course at Ayurveda Institute UK.
She grew up in a small country in Europe where natural medicine was commonly used in the past. Practising medicine has always been of interest to her, but she found a true calling with Ayurveda in 2016.
Jana is also one of the only people in the UK to make the famous Ayurvedic skin cream called Shata Dhauta Ghrita, or 100x washed ghee.
Follow Jana:
Website: Doshic Balance
Facebook: Doshic Balance Ayurveda
“It has been a challenge, but I wouldn’t change my Ayurvedic life for anything!”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda itself means life science or knowledge of life.
It teaches you mindfulness. Being mindful is being in sync with nature and self. It teaches all this through meditation, food, therapeutic treatments such as Abhyanga, crystal therapies and many more. All of it can bring you and keep you in balance. This is true science.
Ayurveda is something so close to my heart that it’s very difficult to put into words what it means to me. I appreciate all the knowledge of life. It is a way of life and a lifelong commitment to the whole universe.
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
I guess I have always felt that there is more to life, food and health than what majority of us know in the West. When I was very little, I already knew what plant to get from my garden to stop bleeding or heal corns on my feet. I was fascinated by this.
I found it quite difficult to live in a world where there was (is!) so much illness around and most of these were incurable. I knew I was meant to do something, but Western medicine didn’t quite reach where I wanted it to reach.
The first time I heard of Ayurveda was more than a decade ago. I happened to listen to a radio programme where the guest was an Ayurvedic nutritionist. The way he explained everything made lots of sense to me, like nothing else ever has. A few years after, while looking for natural lifestyle and nutrition courses, an Ayurveda institute popped up. I had such a good feeling about it and I always listen to my intuition, so I decided to go ahead with the course. It didn’t end after just a year, as the more I learnt the more fascinated I became. I ended up studying for a few years, before becoming a practitioner — and I’ve now been practising for over half a decade. I’m constantly learning what else is there to know.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
Discovering that the Ayurvedic system of health is many millennia older than the entire modern medical system is what drew me to it. When reading Ayurvedic books or listening to lectures and the same time practising it in my own life, it feels RIGHT. It feels like every piece of the life puzzle has been gathered. Why illnesses happen, why we should eat certain foods, why we act how we act, etc. This is what Ayurveda explains: we are all different by nature. We all have our own constitutions, some have more fiery natures and others have more earthy natures. Ayurveda helped me understand that it’s OK to accept yourself and others how they are. The most fascinating thing was how this knowledge can heal anything and everything.
Has it helped you with anything major?
I used to suffer from a skin disorder. I went to many Western medicine specialists and in the end they told me I just had to learn to live with it. I wasn’t convinced — how could I learn to live with something that was so debilitating? It’s true that I caused this myself with my hectic lifestyle — not eating, not sleeping, lots of stress, etc., but I needed to find a way out of that situation at that stage. I was ready to try anything, but nobody told me what I should do other than just keep using steroids. When I finally went to see an Ayurvedic doctor, it took just about two weeks to see really good improvement with my skin and it might sound like a long time, but after two years of treatment my skin was completely clear, my body felt clean, I had energy and my whole life seemed brighter than it ever had been. It’s the been like that ever since.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
Ayurveda is my everyday life — personal and professional. I eat, sleep, exercise, and take herbs that are Ayurvedically good for me. It’s a really great way to live, but I try not to over-obsess because that can also lead to problems. Once you learn all the tricks, you won’t find it difficult to remember, and perhaps you won’t do something that will later on cause you harm. Mistakes happen, though, so it’s great that my spice cabinet is also my medicine cabinet. It’s important to ask the food to be good for you and thank it for its nutrition and goodness.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
Eat right and appreciate it — many people are not aware of the importance of food combinations. In the West, we have a lot of such recipes that do us more harm than good: fish pie for example! Fish and milk products combined are a big “no” in Ayurveda. The same goes with milk and sour fruits — think lemon cheesecake. It is very important to understand not everything that tastes good in your mouth is good for your health. There are not many combinations to remember and if you memorise them, you’ll become healthier! Appreciation for food is not really in the Western culture — by that I mean thanking the food for being here for us, even though this is one of the most important parts of our daily eating routine. Food can be used as medicine.
Do Abhyanga daily — Abhyanga or body massage works wonders. Whether you are anxious, sluggish, or overheated, it will help you. You can just use oils which are best for your constitution or imbalance. If it’s been a difficult day at work, and you need something to calm you down, use coconut oil in the evening to calm your Pitta with a gentle slow massage. Or perhaps you are feeling heavy and lacking energy. In this case, do a vigorous massage with mustard oil.
Meditate daily — It took me a long time to find a meditation that works for me. It might sound weird, as meditation is supposed to be just sitting legs crossed and not thinking, but actually it’s much deeper than that. Most of us cannot just sit and not think of anything, as we all have busy lives. Perhaps there is something else that might help you get rid of these thoughts? Walking or sitting and watching nature is my way of doing it, even if it’s just looking at my own plants at home. This organises my thoughts and feelings daily and once even got rid of my post-concussion anxiety!
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
What surprised me most is how everything works together. How Kapha type prefer more earthy foods because they are dominated by earth quality, how Vata type love light foods because of their air quality. We all have some preferences with food, lifestyle, etc. and if we have too much of the same, it causes problems. When you switch your food choices, you will get back into balance again most of the time. These qualities just work all together and once you are aware of what is going on, it’s not difficult to keep yourself in balance.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
I would like to say it all happened overnight, but looking back it was actually a gradual change. I first decided to eliminate some animal products (before I decided to leave them out altogether) that would add on to my imbalance, as this was something my first Ayurvedic nutritionist suggested.
When I started my treatment for my health issue, I had to change almost everything overnight. Now even after many years, I find myself not liking the foods that were causing me harm.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
Lentils are absolutely my favourite. You can make so many dishes with red lentils, just balancing them out with spices.
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
I don’t see it as having to fit it in — it’s more like do I want to fit other things in? I follow my intuition and I listen to my body a lot. I feel I’m actually appreciating and looking after myself more now by cooking my own food and using my own Ayurvedic beauty products.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Very few. In the culture I come from, people eat what feels good in their mouth only and what is fashionable. Sometimes going back visiting my home country, I feel like a complete alien! It has been a challenge but I wouldn’t change my Ayurvedic life for anything!
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?
I would recommend people to stop, listen to their body, appreciate the environment and act accordingly. Although it can be very challenging if you have to run to work every morning to pay your bills, it will lead you to a better health and life in the long run.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Don’t be afraid of the beautiful herbal medicine and beauty products Ayurveda has to offer. Their energy is incredible, even if we’re not used to the tastes and smells.