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!

Don’t forget the BITTER TASTE.

Bitter taste belies a combination of the lighter elements air and ether. These elements bring light and dry qualities, which in small amounts is good to balance the heavy qualities of the winter foods we crave in cold climates.

If you are beginning to feel sluggish digestion or mind coming around as February gets going, try increasing your greens.

Anything green is going have some bitter, like parsley, brussel sprouts, kale, and broccoli. I like to garnish with fresh parsley as a rule in late winter and early spring. It brings a lift to any meal in two seconds!

YOGA AND EXERCISE

One more thing in this emerging exercise series...what about Yoga?

Don’t be fooled- it's not exercise. Yoga is, according to Patanjali for one, clearly a system dedicated to the field of the mind. The activity is meant to quiet mental and energetic fluctuations.

Physiologically, yoga also does amazing things for building prana, dilating channels, and balancing agni for sure. Health is a necessary pre-req for evolution of consciousness. And there's nothing wrong with desiring a healthy bod.

How do we balance and utilize the many gifts from yoga? A key here may be in the stages of life and how our focus naturally undergoes changes as we age. I’m super excited to be breaking into the topic of the Four Ashramas, or stages of life, in a Live Online Workshop soon. This topic is dear to my heart and has many amazing insights.

What happens with too little exercise?

A lack of physical activity can cause its own problems. An overload of unremoved wastes, clogged channels, or dense and slow qualities can begin to shroud the body and soon the mind as well. This is most likely in those with earth and water constitutions who can happily remove some moisture (mucous) by sweating and are likely to sweat more profusely once they get going. Exercise is the #1 management for Kapha types, in my experience. Coupled with a lighter diet, these folks enjoy the strongest of body types that withstands all sorts of stressors.

The season is an important factor, because hot weather makes the body tired, where cold weather makes the body stronger, but also harder and slower. Exercise is more important for warmth and circulation in winter and spring. Funny thing is, living in a cold place, I notice how many people stop exercising in winter, then dust off the sneakers and get back outside in warm weather. Managing a long winter, exercise is key, and will make the heavy, damp spring season much lighter.

The right amount of exercise should feel refreshing, not tiring. The ideal of “fitness” in Ayurveda probably looks like a LOT less movement than you think.

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!

GARLIC!

I don’t eat much garlic. I find it too stimulating. When I taught yoga full-time I did not like going in there smelling like garlic, and once I stopped using it, I found it way too strong to even be around!

However, our dear friend Garlic offers five out of the six tastes, which makes it a powerful medicine for a variety of ailments. It is intensely heating, which kills germs, and is a good choice for deep winter- but not all year long.

Here is Ayurveda’s classification of garlic, from my “Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care's medicinal foods directory.”

Botanical name: Allium sativum

Parts used: bulb, scapes

Rasa: sweet, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent

Virya: heating

Vipaka: pungent

Qualities: oily, heavy

Actions: aphrodisiac, increases circulation, relieves earache and other pains, antibacterial, lowers cholesterol

Contraindications: too much garlic can increase pitta, rajas, and acidity, and make you smelly.

How often do you use garlic??? What do you use it for?

REJUVENATING TONIC RECIPE!

If you saw my last post about winter foods, you may be thinking about the dry quality. Here’s a home remedy for you!

This recipe is for a very common constipation home remedy. Three things: milk, ghee, and warming spices to help break it down.

If you have dry poops, this is likely to cause a change you will notice within a week or so. For best results, take this drink in the evening close to bedtime, as opposed to around other foods. Taking it by itself will optimize digestion and absorption.

1 cup milk of choice (cow, almond, coconut)

1 tsp ghee

pinch of digestive spice: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cumin- any or a combo!

Preparation:

In a small saucepan on medium heat, warm the ingredients to steaming.

Whisk to a uniform consistency with a fork or a milk frother.

Drink immediately. Be sure to sit down and relax while enjoying.

*please keep in mind that long-term constipation can have diverse causes and may be best served by consulting an Ayurveda practitioner. 

Photo @carabros

Winter is described as that time when the earth is tilting away from the sun, making the environment more cold and dark.

Without the drying heat of bright sun winter starts out with more moisture.  Something else to consider these days, however, is the climate indoors. If a place is cold enough to require heaters inside, this heat is going to dry the air. If a lot of time is spent indoors in winter, dryness will result, especially in the respiratory channels.

If you don’t get enough good fats in winter time, you may begin to notice dry stool or dry skin.

What's the deal with BEANS?

The name of the game in Ayurveda is small beans in winter. Little guys such as mung and lentil, are easier to digest during the Vata season. They soften and moisten quickly and more completely through the cooking process.

Large beans, such as garbanzo and kidney, eaten in excess, can fill the digestive tract with air, which is very aggravating and irritating to the body, and also the mind (being gassy is a little...distracting, no?).

Some bodies can eat beans no problem (like your Pitta and Kapha types!), others will have to moderate even small beans. Always soak them over night, and cook them well with some spices and fat to balance their light, dry qualities.

This is why you find so many dal recipes in my cookbooks. Head over to my IGTV to find a video of me making a super quick dal soup.