Learning about Ayurveda is like receiving an Owner’s Manual for your body/mind!  There are so many interesting details that go into optimal care of a human body such as when to sleep, when to eat, how to care for your skin, how to clean your mouth and on and on…!  I find it fascinating and I continue to be in awe of Ayurveda’s powerful impact not only on my own life but also on the lives of my clients. 
Today I wanted to share a little lesson from the Owner’s Manual about showering/bathing. There are ideal times and ways to shower. The best time of day to shower is in the morning. It cleans the body from ama (toxins) that accumulated during the night, moves the lymphatic system which also clears toxins, brings clarity of mind, lifts the mood (depression prevention) and brings a ‘lightness’ to your being.  One of my colleagues always says, “Bathing in the am attracts people to you!” You really can’t lose with this tip! 
The temperature of the water is also very important.  Warm to hot is best. The skin prefers warm as hot can be too drying. Water that is too cold constricts the tissues and over time can cause the tissues to harden which causes premature aging. 
When rinsing the head/scalp use a little less hot water as the head is the home of our sense organs and they like to maintain more of a body temperature status otherwise known as homeostasis.  Also, if you’re concerned about hair health/growth always avoid hot water on the scalp. 
The element water, called “apas” in Sanskrit, is one of the four elements in Ayurveda. It’s qualities are:  cool, stable, heavy, moist, smooth, gross, flowing, dull, cloudy, and soft. When we look at the qualities and think about how that might affect the body especially when considering digestion this is the reason we want to shower/bath prior to having a meal. In order to have healthy digestion we require balanced Agni (digestive fire), submerging the body in water with it’s heavy, cool, dull, moist and flowing qualities you can see how that might make it more challenging for the body to digest and it might cause bloating, gas, lethargy and constipation. If you do need to shower after a meal it’s best to wait two hours. BTW this includes swimming as well! ;)
There are many lessons within this overall shower instruction yet I’ll leave you with one more… 
The head is the “seat” of Kapha in the body. Kapha holds the energy of earth and water. If we shower before bed and go to bed with wet hair we add to this heavy and cool energy. We might wake up feeling lethargic, pressure or congestion in the sinus’, a headache, dull senses and/or a foggy mind. Once and awhile having your shower before bed won’t be the end of the world but if it’s practiced over time it could lead to dis-ease. Ayurveda is very much a science of PREVENTION. It can sometimes be challenging to practice because we’re accustomed to ‘curing’ or seeing immediate results. When we practice balanced routines we don’t get to see what we are avoiding in the future. That’s where trust and mindfulness comes in. The more we practice the more we notice the subtle differences and the better we feel! One of my inspirations to put Ayurveda to the test in my personal life was witnessing some of my incredible teachers who are 60-75 years old with radiant skin, nimble bodies, loads of energy and sharp minds. I figured it was a win/win and 13 years later I am still in the Ayurveda game! 
My last word of advice is to give the early pre-breakfast shower a try for one week! See how you feel. And remember it’s what you do most of the time that counts over time! 
​
To Practice:

• Drink ½ cup warm water with a pinch of Himalyan or sea salt before bathing. 
• Take your shower/bath BEFORE you eat.
• Best time to bathe is in the morning before breakfast.
• Water temperature should be warm. (Not below body temp and not super hot.)
• Always wet your head even if you’re not going to wash your hair.
• Always dry your hair after showering.
• Use non-toxic bath products.
• Dry off well, especially your toes, armpits and groin.  

Avoid:

• Putting your head and scalp under hot water.
• Showering AFTER a meal. (wait at least 2 hours).
• Going outside with wet hair especially on cooler days.
• Going to bed with wet hair.
• Using soap with chemicals or artificial fragrances. ​

When digestion is a little slow or agni (digestive fire) is weak (bloating, gas, foggy mind, lethargy) or you would like to lose weight eat a blended soup for dinner. The best time for dinner is just before sunset. After the sun sets Agni (digestive fire) is low and it's harder for the body to digest.  Here is a simple recipe/guideline. Once you make it a couple of times you’ll become a pro soup master!

Blended Veggie Soup
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups of veggies (Choose 1-2 veggies. My favorite is zucchini and/or asparagus!)
• Pinch of each. (Choose 1-4 spices. I like to use coriander, cumin and fennel.)
• 1-2 cups purified water. (more water for thinner soup.)
• Salt (celtic salt), pepper to taste.
• 1-2 teaspoons of cultured ghee.

How:

1. Roughly chop the veggies.
2. Add veggies and water to a pan and saute (this is called water sauteing). 
3. Cook until they are fairly soft.
4. Add spices and ghee.
5. Pour into the blender. (Be careful when blending hot liquids. I always cover with a towel while it’s blending.)
6. Pour into bowls and serve!
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.

“Pohash”- Savory Breakfast Delight! (or any meal you like)
Serves 2
(If you don’t have all of the ingredients it’s ok!  Make your own version and enjoy.)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Organic Poha 
• 1-2 fresh green thai chillies
• 1 medium shallot or 5 pearl onions 
• 6 curry leaves 
• 6 baby tomatoes
• 1 zucchini
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
• ¼ teaspoon kalonji seed
• 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 avocado
• ½ lime
• ½ cup cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

1. In a medium pan heat ghee or coconut oil on medium heat.
2. Add green chilies whole (take stems off and do not cut)
3. Peel shallots or pearl onions. Chop coarsely and add.
4. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, coriander powder and kalonji seeds.
5. Sautee all of these ingredients while you rinse the Poha in a mesh strainer. Rinse Poha once thoroughly and let sit. 
6. Chop zucchini into ¼” cubes and add to the pan. 
7. Saute until zucchini is medium soft.
8. Add poha and turmeric.
9. Gently stir all of the ingredients in the pan to thoroughly mix and heat the Poha for a couple of minutes.
10. Add the baby tomatoes for the last 2 minutes. They can be whole or sliced in half.
11. Serve with fresh cilantro, half sliced avocado, squeeze of lime and season to taste with salt and pepper!

YUM!

*If your Pitta is high then eat this as a treat once and awhile. You can also reduce the onions and chillies to make it less spicy. 
*Pearl onions, shallots, green thai chilies and baby tomatoes are easier on the system then their counterparts. 
* You can substitute yam/sweet potato with the zucchini to change things up!  Or any veggie that you like! Have fun with it!

Hempermint Latte 
Sedative, grounding, building/nourishing (Vata/Pita pacifying)
Ingredients (serves 2)

•  3 cups purified water
• ⅓ cup shelled raw hemp seeds
• 2 tsp jaggery 
• 4-6 mint leaves
• 2 pinches Himalayan salt
• Optional: cacao nibs
• Optional: Matcha Powder 1/2 teaspoon 

Instructions

• Put all ingredients in blender (except for optional cacao nibs)
• Pour and enjoy!
• If you want to sprinkle some cacao nibs on the top it looks and tastes great!
• Mint is cooling so no need for ice. Keep this yummy drink at room temperature which will keep your digestive fire strong! ​

Since being on Holiday I have used this spray daily for multiple purposes!  I can't get enough of it and is currently my favorite new product because of its effectiveness and multiple uses!

I've used it for bug spray protection, immune boosting and protecting (on airplane), soothe sore muscles from dance class, clear toxins from the body when I had a cold and cough and a room deodorizer (smells, bacteria and energy)! 

If you travel carry this in your purse!  If you're a bodywork practitioner it can be sprayed on the bottoms of your clients feet for thermogenic qualities (heats up the tootsies) and it also clears the channels assisting with immune function/strength! If you have children ages 12 and up you can spray the bottoms of their feet before putting socks on and going to school to protect them from bacteria and viruses! 

And a little goes a long way! I've used it non stop and there is still plenty left in the bottle!
This product is a winner in my books! yay!

From the Chandika Website:

​"Product DescriptionTribindu is a classical formula named after the 3 drops it carries: camphor, peppermint, ajwain. Instead of using the essential oils, Vaidya uses the crystals of these herbs for greater purity and potency. Vaidya has made 2 SVA variations: with or without Tulsi (Holy Basil). 

What does Tribindu do? 

It’s a natural thermogenic mixture that helps unblock them micro and macro-circulatory, physical and vibrational channels, thus supplying more oxygenation to the body overall.
thermogenesis helps to burn the shleshak kapha and ama combination - shleshma. It travels transdermally through the skin to the rasa and rakta dhatu-s, the lymph and blood tissues clearing them up, and thus reinvigorating whenever there is fatigue due to ama or toxic build-up.
Tulsi and Camphor have antibacterial and antiviral properties confirmed by scientific studies. They help maintain the physiology as well as the environment free of contaminants. 

Tribindu can be used to ward off insect and mosquito bites, as the aroma of the mixture acts as a repellant to them. Careful topical application on clothes and some body parts will help keep away insects and mosquitos. 

As a thermogenic mixture, Tribindu can be used to ease off tight and sore muscles, as well as achy joints. High Pitta individuals or those with sensitive skin should dilute some of the drops in almond oil or jojoba oil before applying on the skin.
9 uses of Tribindu:

1) Use it to help support your sinus pathways and discourage potential bacterial growth in your oral cavity -  apply on a scarf, wrap around your mouth and nose and gently inhale
2) Spray it in your room – on your couch, pillows, carpet, desk, or just in the air, to clean and refresh the air. You can also use an essential oil diffuser and squirt 2-3 times into the water and then plug it in for sustained delivery.
3) Apply a small amount on your feet and massage in: when you have fatigue, poor circulation, cold hands and feet, the Tribindu will warm you up right away, enhancing circulation and thermogenesis.
4) Apply on sore achy muscles before and also after exercise to mobilize and evacuate toxic build-up and ease the flow of toxins to support enhanced mobility
5) Support your overall circulation and thermo-genesis, specially in cold weather, when you have to go out - apply on hands and feet before putting on gloves and socks.
6) Use it to ease away tension and stress from your neck and shoulder areas – spray 2-3 times and massage in. You can also use it on your lower or upper back areas
7) Use it to ward off insect bites or to soothe itchiness from bites: spray on insect bites or mosquito bites and massage – do not spray on an open wound or bite.
8)  Spray on joints – knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, finger joints, etc, morning and evening, to help maintain healthy joints free from toxic accumulation, and enhance mobility. Spray and gently massage.
9) You can also use the Tribindu to help ward off infections, for example, apply on your nails and fingers after clipping them.
Whichever way you use it, it is a great and safe household remedy to keep close by, rain or shine!"  Purchase Here

Hello Friends!
For the next two weeks I am offering a special on Gift Certificates! The Gift of Health is a gift that gives impactful lifelong lasting results! What more could one ask for?!
Receive 20% off until February 1st when you enter code LOVEMONTH
Gift Certificates can be applied towards:

• Your own body therapy sessions
• A gift for family/friend
• Consultations (online or in person) 

*They cannot be applied towards packages, Panchakarma or products. 

On an Ayurvedic Detox (Panchakarma) you can eat so many yummy things! There are only a few days out of about a month long process that the diet is light and dull otherwise you’re eating like a healthy King/Queen! 
If you’re curious about Panchakarma I offer a free 30 minute information call. 
​Click here to schedule your call. And enjoy this delicious recipe!
​
Vegan Thai-style Soup
Serves 6

• 8 cups water
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 leek, chopped finely
• 1” fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (more or less to your liking)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2-3 bok choy, chopped finely
• Small carton of baby tomatoes, cut each in halves
• 1 can unsweetened full fat coconut milk
• 2 limes, cut into 8 slices / each serving 
• Fresh basil handfull
• Salt 
• pepper

1. Water sauté carrots, leeks, ginger, sweet potatoes with 1 cup water until medium firm.
2. Pour contents into pot with 7 cups water.
3. Add garam masala and chili flakes.
4. Cook on medium until carrots are soft about 20 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk, bokchoy and tomatoes and cook on medium for another 10-15  minutes. 
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. ​
7. Serve and add lime squeeze with fresh basil leaves to garnish!

Sum yum soup!

Hello Friends!
For the next several days I am offering a special on Gift Certificates! The Gift of Health is a gift that gives impactful lifelong lasting results! What more could one ask for?!
Receive 20% off until December 7th when you enter code GIFTHEALTH