Veggied Lentils

Veggied Lentils 

My cooking style has evolved over the years just as my eating habits have changed. I have always enjoyed cooking. Currently, I love to prepare simple, nourishing meals that are easy for everyday life. I am a householder meaning that I actively live and participate in society. My husband and I live with our puppy and a roommate. I own a business, AND I highly value my health. 

With training in Ayurveda and a love for cooking, I love sharing ways to simplify our lives but keep health and wellness at the forefront.

Here are a few simple Ayurvedic principles around eating and cooking:

• Eat cooked foods for easier digestion
• Use spices (cumin, coriander, fennel) while cooking to aid digestion
• Saute your spices in fat (oil or ghee) to activate healing properties 

Dosha considerations -
Pittas should avoid cayenne. 
Kapha types should add in more cayenne and sub zucchini/sweet potato for spinach/carrots or other bitter, pungent, astringent vegetables. 

Serves 1.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 1/2 cups purified water
• Dash of oil or ghee
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 zucchini 
• 1/4 - 1/2 sweet potato (depending on size)
• Small handful of cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Squeeze of lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Add lentils and water in a small saucepan. Turn stove to medium high and let boil. Once boiling, turn down to low and let simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. 
2. Preheat cooking pan to medium low. Dice zucchini and sweet potato. 
3. Add oil or ghee to pan. Add spices and ginger then sauté until they become fragrant. 
4. Add in vegetables. Stir occasionally. Cook until tender. Chop cilantro.
5. Transfer lentils to a bowl then add vegetables on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and top with cilantro!

How To Choose A Vacation Spot Based On Your Dosha

Do you have vacation on your mind now that summer is fast approaching? Have you ever stopped to think about what a balancing vacation spot may be for you? 

Environment plays a role in your health and well-being, too! According to Ayurveda, there are various environments which harness healing properties for specific doshas. This blog sheds light on how to choose a vacation that supports your constitution.

Funny enough, this article was sparked by a dream I have one night. In my dream, I contemplated various destinations for each dosha. Read below for tips to plan a trip that is best for you! 

Vata

Vata types struggle with travel because travel sparks movement. Vata is air and space and has plenty of movement already. Traveling on an airplane means you are traveling through space and time quickly (400 mph+)! Even traveling by car, you are moving quickly (75 mph+ on the highway). Ayurveda provides insight on how to balance the elements in your environment and your body for optimal well-being. 

Travel Insider Trick: Constipation is common with travel due to excess movement. Movement increases vata which increases dryness. Triphala is a wonderful Ayurvedic herb which can be used for constipation due to travel. It is a blend of three fruits and helps to regulate bowel movements. 

Here are two recommendations for vata types:

Staycation! Get extra sleep, each nourishing foods, and stay warm where you are. 

Go somewhere tropical! Warm and moist environments are most balancing for the cold and dry properties of vata. Here are a few locations to consider:

• Hawaiian Islands
• Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
• Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Pitta

Pitta types need to pay extra attention to staying cool in the summer. Pitta is fire and a little water. The sun and heat can cause rash, inflammation and redness for pittas. 

Choose somewhere that is cool in temperature! Here are some places that are notoriously cooler in the summer months:

• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington
• Portland, Oregon
• Rochester, New York
• San Diego, California

Kapha

Kapha is earth and water, and these types can use the activation and stimulation of a dry heat. While on vacation, choose to move around. Go for walks or hikes in the heat. Hop on a bike and go for a ride. Movement is great for you!

Choose a location that is warm and dry - think desert! Here is a list of hot and dry places:

• Sedona, Arizona
• Tucson, Arizona (my hometown!)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Palm Springs, California 
• Moab, Utah

Spring Arugula Salad

Spring Arugula Salad

This spring arugula salad is delicious! This time of year diet should be light, warm, dry and rough. Think bitter greens, astringent beans and pungent chilies. 

Dosha considerations -
Pitta avoid chili and add coriander or fennel as seasoning. Swap arugula for mixed greens. 
Vata can cook in ghee. 

INGREDIENTS

• Dash of oil, flax or sesame
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp oregano, fresh or dried
• 1/4 tsp thyme, fresh or dried
• 1/4 thai chili, chopped
• Small handful green beans, chopped
• 10 stems asparagus, chopped
• Handful arugula
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Squeeze of lemon juice 

DIRECTIONS

1. Add oil to pan. Add spices and sauté. Add green beans. Stir to coat then cook for a few minutes.
2. Add in asparagus and continue cooking. Stir occasionally. Cook until tender. Add in arugula. Sauté until barely wilted.
3. Place in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon juice!

Ayurvedic Cleanse Explained

Cleansing is a hot topic in our society -- but why? Well, people are drawn to detoxing for various reasons. Some include: drop weight, reduce cravings, shift dietary or mental patterns, improve digestion and/or hit a reset button. As there are many reasons for cleansing, there are many options for cleansing as well. Some popular cleanses include: juicing, shakes, fasting, eating raw and/or a diet consisting of whole foods. 

Prior to learning about Ayurveda, I had never participated in a cleanse. My interest was zero to none. The idea of not eating food seemed drastic, harsh AND plus I get really hungry. During my studies with Dr. Paul Dugliss from New World Ayurveda, I learned about the practical application of Ayurvedic cleansing. This style of cleansing is different, and has been practiced for thousands of years. I have since participated in an Ayurvedic cleanse every spring and fall since 2014, and am convinced from my experience that mind, body and spirit under-go a healthy release and reset. It is something that I genuinely look forward to. 

Ayurvedic cleansing is different than most cleanses for a few reasons:

You Eat!

Our bodies are intelligent. If suddenly you stop eating, your body can go into survival mode also known as adaptive thermogenesis [1]. Survival mode means that even if caloric intake is reduced, weight will remain or may even increase. It also means that the body is holding on to everything it possibly can, and is using its natural defense mechanism to keep you alive for the "famine" or lack of food available. This begs a question: how can the body remove toxins if it's in survival mode? 

Cleansing should be gentle for exactly this reason! Ayurvedic cleansing uses a very special and well formulated meal - kitchari. It is designed to create satisfaction and provide necessary nutrients so the body does not go into survival mode. Kitchari is mung beans, rice, spices and ghee which makes it the perfect meal of fat, protein and carbohydrates. 

Self-Care Practices And Emotional Release

Many cleanses require a lot of emotional energy to stick-with-it. They test willpower, which can be emotionally exhausting. Yes, any cleanse requires a certain amount of accountability and commitment. However, Ayurvedic cleansing is designed to be simple and nourishing. Practice self-care techniques that are used to aid in emotional release - such as mindfulness (breath practice and meditation), self massage and ample sleep.

Ayurveda suggests that fat cells store emotions. Therefore, emotions can get "stuck" in the body. The cleanse uses ghee, clarified butter, to pull fat soluble toxins from the body which also releases emotions. [2] In addition, ghee feeds the healthy microbes in the gut. Butyric acid is the main fatty acid in ghee, and it happens to be the preferred source of energy for the intestinal cells. [3] Gut health and emotions are certainly connected! [4]

It’s All About Digestion

Impaired digestion is the bridge to disease. Inability to digest foods well is a sign that digestion needs a reboot. Wheat + dairy are well-known culprits that are hard to digest in our society. 

Liken your digestion to fire. If you put a lot of liquid on a fire the fire will go out. If you put too many logs on the fire it will go out. If you put the right amount of wood on the fire, it will roar! This is the idea behind Ayurvedic cleansing, feed the body the correct food and correct portions to kindle the fire. Once the fire is strong, it will "burn up" or cleanse undigested foods, undigested experiences and environmental toxins. 

Group Cleanse

Shri Wellness hosts Ayurvedic cleanses twice yearly - spring and fall. If you are interested in joining a group cleanse this fall, please consider our guided 12 day home detox. For further questions please contact us!

India Travels 2018: Deeply Connected

FOR THE LOVE OF TRAVEL

Traveling to India in February 2018 was a blessing. During our trip to India, we visited New Delhi, Agra, Vrindavan, Rishikesh, Haridwar and the Rajaji Tiger Preserve over a total of 16 days. Travel is a great way to get out of routine, thought patterns, sleep cycles (12.5 hour time change!) and immerse yourself completely in other cultures and communities.

I have always had a strong desire to experience how other human beings exist on our planet. I am curious about their daily routines, diet, work, relationships and families. And I am particularly curious about their experience of life's greatest joys and struggles.

A few years ago I decided as a student/teacher/practitioner of Yoga and Ayurveda that when the time was right I would travel to India where they share their roots.

DEEPER MEANING

Alas, the time to travel to India was ripe in 2018. My experience revealed how India embodies all that is life: life, death, love, devotion, beauty, grime, disease, chaos and calm.

My travels evoked a question that I frequently contemplate: What is the purpose of life?

THE ESSENCE OF YOGA + AYURVEDA

My devotion to learning and teaching Yoga and Ayurveda is strong. During my trip, an underlying desire surfaced. I want to continue learning and sharing the most authentic essence of both Yoga and Ayurveda.

The reason I say this is because I believe things can get lost in translation - just like in the game of telephone.

The ultimate aim of Yoga (according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutras) is to reach samadhi. Samadhi is a deeply connected state where the mind is resting peacefully on presence. It is oneness that is experienced between us and the world. In the West, a general perspective is that Yoga is asana (physical posture). Yes, asana is part of Yoga, but it is only one of eight limbs of Yoga. The physical postures are a tool used to bring focus to the mind and prepare the body to sit for meditation or deeper forms of concentration so that we may achieve oneness or samadhi.

YOGA EXPERIENCE IN INDIA

We had the opportunity to practice Yoga with local teachers while in India and this was a blessing. There was one teacher and class experience that I would like to share.

We were in the basement of the hotel we stayed at in New Delhi. The basement was generally used for small conferences, so the banquet tables and chairs were stacked and moved to one side of the large room. On the other side of room we laid 13 mats out for class. It was chilly in the basement, and there were a few lights on over the stacked tables and chairs. Our teacher had taught Yoga for 13 years. He was very direct with his cues to get us into various asanas (postures). If we weren't in the right alignment he would come by and verbally cue us or adjust us manually. He paid close attention to everyone's breath. If we weren't breathing properly, he would come by and offer verbal cues to encourage us to breathe deeper. He also spoke about how reactions in our body resemble reactions in our mind. 

The next two hours went by quickly. Our practice was slow and deliberate. The postures and breath we practiced were simple but effective. Our teacher held space for us to experience shifts and sensations in our bodies. He struck a balance between breathing with movement and pausing in a posture to breathe deeply.

It was time for the final relaxation posture, savasana. Traditional savasana is practiced by laying flat on the back with feet splayed open and arms by sides with palms flipped toward the sky. I felt calm and relaxed, but the room was noticeably chilly. I was curious how savasana would be since I usually cover myself with a blanket and/or put socks or a sweater on, but didn't have anything else with me! I figured we wouldn't be there too long so hoped for the best. It was time for the real test to see if the Yoga worked. 

It seemed like we were in savasana for 5 minutes. I dropped into a space of vast inner peace. I experienced a feeling of warmth and being at home in my body. My mind was calm. It was bliss amidst the cold environment.

After class, our teacher sat down with us and discussed our experience. The group had similar comments of being cold to begin with, but during savasana the sensation of being cold disappeared. We were shocked to find out that we were in the final posture for 25 minutes!

As a group, we could feel the peace that pervaded in our minds and bodies. We dropped into the ultimate space of union where mind, body and spirit are deeply connected. This connection is the purpose of Yoga.

CONNECTION

Yoga brings us back to our natural resting state of pure bliss. I say back because it is always there. We are never disconnected, but yet we find ourselves disconnected.

We may find ourselves disconnected from our body. We may be self-conscious or loathing of it, not feeding it properly or running it into the ground. The truth is that we can't exist in this world without our body.  
We may find ourselves disconnected from our heart. We aren't sure what brings us true joy and contentment.
We may find ourselves disconnected from true love. We may hide or diminish the value of giving and receiving love freely to all beings without attachment.
We may find ourselves disconnected from our real work here on earth because we get distracted with shiny things. 

Yoga reminds us that we are already deeply connected. We are already whole. Deep connection is the sensation of warmth when you are cold. It is the oneness that is experienced when you let go of your stories that keep you separate. It is trust that the experience of your journey is right for you in this moment and every moment.

Most importantly, deep connection is already within you! It is always there. There is no single path or experience that brings you closer to feeling or realizing the connection. It is an exploration that only you can uncover, and you certainly don't need to travel half way across the world to find that deep connection. With that said, traveling to India to immerse in a new culture and practice yoga may just be the right journey for some of us to find deep connection within! ;)