Hair as Psychic Antenna

More in the “about me” series...I trimmed my hair today.

I have had long hair my entire life- except for the first trip to India when I came home with head lice and had to shave it. I don’t have a picture of that.

I used to cry every time mom cut it. Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi) wrote that some yogis keep hair long to “draw from the ether a greater quantity of cosmic rays.”

Well, I'm not sure my fascination, but still with the long hair. It feels a part of who I am, somehow.

In the era of this photo, I had a red-haired cabbage patch kid whose “cornsilk” hair went to her knees. I learned how to french-braid on her and can actually French braid my own hair! 

Did you have a cabbage patch kid? What was her name? Mine was Lucy. I loved her with all my heart.

Three Embarrassing Things

HI! This is my new headshot by the wonderful @carabros – what do you think?

I’d like to make one of those “hello meet me I'm Kate posts” which I've never done here on IG. It strikes me that this platform is actually about connecting, isn’t it? Getting that feeling of being a part of it, following along with the lives of others. Wouldn’t that make it very problematic to use this is as a place to pretend to be other than we are?

In the interest of being a real person as a public figure, I’d like to share 3 embarrassing things about me:

1. I peed my pants on a chair in 3rd grade (because I was afraid the teacher wouldn’t let me go pee) and I let another kid sit on it right after me without telling him. Still remember that moment.

2. I’m very defensive when I think I’ve “done something wrong” and this makes me a hard person to confront.

3. I like cafeteria food! It goes back to when my mom worked in a hospital when I was little.

Should I share more?? Look for a series from me in the coming week...anything you are wondering? Please comment below. I may or may not tell you : )

The Skinny on Salt

In the world of condiments, salt is an important player. Salty taste heats the body due to the presence of fire element in its composition, important in cold weather.

Salt’s hydrating effect also calms the nervous system by softening and relaxing the body. Not all salt is created equal, however. Table salt is demineralized, removing its therapeutic effects. Sea salt has large molecules that are hard to digest, while pink salt has smaller molecules and bio-available minerals.

Ayurveda has long favored pink salt, and it's all I use in my cooking. Its modern trade name is Himalayan Pink Salt and it's easy to find. Enjoy it!

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.

Winter Foods

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.

Recipe Alert!

Turmeric Macchiato, a favorite cozy drink that balances the dry quality and somehow keeps me from eating too many sweets. I find this easier to digest, because it's denser with less liquid. Very satisfying.

More like this in my books!

• 1/2 cup whole cow, coconut, or almond milk

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ginger powder

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• pinch of black pepper

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and warm uncovered over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes or until you see steam rising out of the pan. Once the coconut oil is melted, whisk by hand or with an electric milk frother until combined. Pour into a mug, sweeten with honey, if using, and drink immediately.

 I hope it treats you well, and maybe changes your life?

Licorice!

I use this one when I teach long hours and it keeps me from losing my voice.

Demulcents are important in the dry climates. They bring moisture to the mucous membranes and ward off dry colon and lungs- breathe easy, poop easy. It’s amazing stuff and can easily be made into a tea daily to get its benefits.

Botanical name: Glycyrrhiza glabra

Parts used: root

Rasa: sweet

Virya: cooling

Vipaka: sweet

Qualities: unctuous, heavy

Actions: demulcent, soothes dry throat and loosens mucous, has affinity for the respiratory system, esp lungs

Contraindications: can aggravate Kapha, can aggravate high blood pressure in high amounts

I get this one from my buds @banyanbotanicals

HING!

Reduce the bloat.

Hing is the resinous bark of a small tree. It can be found in powdered form, cut with wheat or fenugreek, or in crystals which dissolve when heated. This warming culinary is a must for bringing its oniony flavor and aroma to sattvic dishes and to reduce gases in legume dishes. It appears in many herbal medicines, most often hingvastak churna, a compound where it is roasted in ghee and mixed with cumin and pepper.

Botanical name: Ferula foetida

AKA: Asafoetida

Parts used: bark

Rasa: pungent, bitter

Virya: heating

Vipaka: pungent

Qualities: sharp, penetrating

Actions: enkindles agni, burns ama, reduces gas

Contraindications: aggravates pitta

Shown here, the BEST HING EVER  from @pureindianfoods , they don’t lie! And it's got no wheat.

CLOVES!

It’s that time of year where cloves start finding their way into things...like these baked apples.

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree native to Indonesia. While the majority of the global crop is used for clove cigarettes, the wide range of medicinal uses of clove has made it a regular in home remedies in many cultures. It is the first ingredient in “Thieves oil” which is used to kill germs and increase immunity. It originates from a story of four thieves who robbed bodies during the bubonic plague without contracting the disease.

Botanical name: Eugenia caryophyllata

Parts used: buds

Rasa: pungent, slightly bitter

Virya: cooling

Vipaka: sweet

Qualities: penetrating

Actions: increase agni, improve digestion, analgesic, clove oil especially useful for gums and toothache.

CARDAMOM!

A necessity for chai, cardamom pairs well with sweets and spiced milk. I keep both the green pods and the powder around, depending on whether I’m cooking with it or making teas. This spice has a broad range of healing actions and it is used in many preparations.

Botanical name: Ellettaria cardamomum

Parts used: seeds

Rasa: sweet, slightly pungent

Virya: cooling

Vipaka: pungent

Qualities:

Actions: increases agni, improves digestion, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac, expectorant, relieves nausea

Tip: for nausea or bad breath chew on a pod after meals.