STRAWBERRIES!

It’s that time for the light, sweet, sour, and astringent friend: the berry. Moisturize it, mineralize it, and enjoy it.

Cook them into a hot cereal, eat them to hydrate and refresh in the AM before the big foods. Eat berries instead of chips and coffees in the pre-dinner slump.

Maybe not so much the mixing into salads, as they do digest faster than all the roughage and will nourish you better on their own, or cooked along with other friendly foods.

If you’ve got choices, never forget to eat the berries when in season, as they will inevitably go out of season. Time is now!

Healthy Menstruation

Today’s online workshop we are going deep into the topic of healthy menstruation.

What does that even look like? Feel like?

Common imbalances and simple remedies.

The sooner we start taking care, the smoother it all goes, from fertility to menopause.

A beautiful description of Vesanta, the spring season from one of the Ayurveda texts.

This inspires me to take pleasure in the swelling waterways, the delicate sun and clouds, and the glory of the Earth springing forth!

May we celebrate her glory every day, in every season!

🌶 The chili

Is spring a good time for chili peppers. Well, they are sharp and dry which opposes the damp and cool spring weather nicely. They melt mucous and can speed up a sluggish gut, as well as aid circulation.

Thing is the chili is not a very moderate friend. It’s an all it nothing kind of thing. If we take the so often followed road of more-is-better we can end up in a pickle. The chili is strong medicine and can be enjoyed in small amounts in damp cool weather it doesn’t need to be taken daily.

My first spring in Maine I completely overdid it. Then dealt with aggravated heat in the summer in the form of PMS, skin blemishes, and the occasional night sweat. Ah, my friend the chili your medicinal powers are not to be underestimated! I will be more moderate this year 😇. Will reach for ginger and cumin instead.

Food combining is such a popular topic, and one that I’ve noticed causes a lot of anxiety.

Let’s remember this: stress and anxiety about what we are eating can be THE MOST important causative factor for sub-par digestion.

This pithy sloka from the classic texts tell us hey, its ok! Get some daily movement and preserve the agni. Then, mixing up some weird stuff in the belly ain’t no big thang.

Stay tuned as I’ll be posting about food combining for a bit...

Who’s baking??

This is one of the most often shared baking recipes from my books

Don’t forget about these carrot ginger muffins from Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Clam, Clear Mind. Wheat flour-free and veggie packed. Kids like them too.

Yay for Ayurveda!

My tendency has always been cold turkey but I have to say as the years go by, it’s the ones that came slow and careful that are still with me. For example, my digestion continues to improve in tiny increments every year. The first five years after parasitic infections were serious. Now I enjoy a sense that things are on a general upward trajectory, with wise choices.

Yay for Ayurveda.

Its dal season!

Well, it's kind of always dal season, but I'm reaching for it lately. Whether its red lentil or split yellow mung bean, a dal soup with some veggies and digestive spices is so easy to fix up, and so satisfying with rice or a tortilla of sorts, its hard to go wrong.

Find all sorts of dal soups in my books- one of my favorites is the Carrot and Dal Soup from #calmclearmind. Don’t forget the dal!

What happens with too much exercise?

As with all things Ayurveda, the question remains, for who is exercise beneficial, and in what amount, at what time of day and year? How much is too much, and who should avoid it altogether? The “more is better” mentality applied to exercise can get you in a pickle. Understanding the “right amount” and how that amount might change at times can be a great tool for energy management in both body and mind.

Exercise is generally recommended until breath becomes fast, the mouth becomes dry, or sweat begins to form on the forehead, nose, and spine. Then it’s time to cool down. The idea is not to wring out the body, but just to get the circulation moving, warm things up a bit, and call it good. A nicely moderate daily routine for longevity might include walking, swimming, easy jogging, tai chi, or yoga.

In the case of excess fat tissue, more exercise is ok, according to individual capacity. That’s not to say if you are a lover of bodybuilding or marathon running that you are on the wrong track, but know that vigorous exercise, going beyond the half-capacity recommended, is a hobby that needs to be balanced by adequate rest, recovery time (perhaps an oil massage?), and nourishing diet. When we push too hard, the body can dry out, the dhatus undergo depletion, doshas can become aggravated, and we burn up our Ojas.

EXERCISE according to Ayurveda!

This week, I will be making a series of posts about the Ayurveda view of exercise in the winter season.

Firstly, what is vayama, or exercise?

Traditionally speaking, exercise is considered that which makes the body tired. It increases lightness of the body, brings endurance and the ability to withstand hard work, increases agni, reduces fat, and defines muscle tissue. Those with heavier, denser builds, those who consume rich foods regularly, and those who live in cold climates should exercise to half capacity, while those in warmer climates and of lighter build should be moderate.

I find this to be quite different from the western view of exercise! Exercise is thought of as something that brings energy, rather than makes the body tired. Due to the often sedentary lifestyle of the developed world (watching TV, desk jobs where 8 hours are spent sitting) and the availability of unlimited quantities of food, it makes sense that exercise feels energizing. Many bodies need it, real bad.

What are you feeling lately about your exercise (or lack of..?). No judgement!