Have you ever tried a facial steam? Facial steams are great for clearing your pores and can be customized to your liking. They're fairly simple to make and only really require herbs and water.  Facial steams can also be great for people who are suffering from colds, allergies, or congestion (of any sort). That's because they promote healthy circulation through increased perspiration: This helps your skin's blood vessels to dilate, which in turn improves blood flow. Of course that's only one benefit: Facial steams also cleanse, hydrate, nourish, and calm the skin.

Join Basmati.com every week for a Q&A session with one of Basmati’s practitioners, Melissa Hill (FDN-P)! We know that there is a lot of confusing information out there, which can make applying health advice overwhelming.  Sometimes, it’s best to ask a practitioner directly, so each week we’ll cover a common health question!

Years ago I read an interview about James Franco’s childhood. When he found out he would die one day, he cried because there were so many things he wanted to do and he didn’t think he’d be able to accomplish them all in his lifetime. I relate, but not exactly in the same way. Yes, there is a lot I want to see and do, but my predominant feeling is that I’m behind. If life were a race, my perception is I’d be losing.

Farro is an ancient food of the people who lived in the Mediterranean basin. It fed the Roman army, was a biblical food, and is the national dish of Lebanon. Not only was it a staple but it was also a cure for many maladies. Farro was found to have first been cultivated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East 10,000 years ago. Its initial use was as the main ingredient in bread. It is also known as emmer and by the 20th century was replaced with durum wheat.

You may have heard the word “ashwagandha” get thrown around the health scene lately, and no…it’s not a cool, new yoga pose…Ashwagandha, also called “Indian ginseng,” is an herb, or more like a root, that is useful for everything from adrenal health to hair growth. And although it’s most famously known as an adaptogen, it’s got plenty more tricks up its sleeve. Here are just some of the ways that ashwagandha can completely turn your health around for the better. 

Shakes, powders, pancakes, pills – if you are into fitness, there is no way you haven’t come across a supplement or two. Whether you drink protein shakes as a meal replacement or take omega-3s, among a host of other over-the-counter remedies, there is one thing you need to know.

Supplements in the United States are only ever regulated after the producer has placed them on your supermarket shelves or in your local health food store. This may also come as a surprise: vitamins also fall under this umbrella.

The body is layered, stacked like a Russian doll. In yogic philosophy, it is explained how the body is actually made up of various sheaths and what each sheath of the body is responsible for. By coming to know the five main koshas, or body fields or sheaths, it is easier to understand what part of us responds to, holds or processes each of our experiences.

Wellness Wednesday 61 Simple Peacock Pose / Sahaja Mayurasana

Benefits:

Heart opener.

Stretches shoulders and arms.

Helps stretch out the backs of legs.

Foundation & General Alignment:

Start with feet slightly wider than hip distance. Next, interlace hands behind back. Bend forward raising hands up behind back.

Keep back straight for as long as possible.

Arms can be slightly bent for comfort.

Shoulders are not up by ears. Keep them relaxed.

If you haven’t heard about the latest trend of “goat yoga,” you likely will soon. It’s new, but it is catching on quickly. Goat Yyoga was started pretty recently (in August 2016) by Lainey Morse in Willamette Valley, Oregon, and is quickly becoming a trend.

What is goat yoga, you might ask? It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like—it’s a yoga class with goats! And adorable, snuggly, curious baby goats, at that.

We've all heard how good it is to eat seasonally, but sometimes it can be hard to know what to do with seasonal produce. After all, once you find out what's in season, how do you concoct that into a healthy meal? Well, thankfully, I'm here to help. I do my best to eat seasonally, so I wanted to share with you some of my go-to recipes for the spring. These four spring dishes will make your mouth water and bring a new appreciation to seasonal foods. After all, plants that are in season taste so much fresher and tastier than in other seasons.