Ayurveda

Driving through Dateland, Arizona, we had to stop at the travel center and get a date shake. With soaring summer temperatures and a long day’s drive, it was a much needed break from the road. The creamy, sweet shake got me thinking about the origin of dates and why an area would be so inclined to pride itself on a single crop. After investigating, I began to understand what makes this fruit so sought after and how its nutritional benefits have been enjoyed for thousands of year.

Popping pills at the behest of Big Pharma profits is a poor substitute for healthy dietary choices. Taking drugs for avoidable lifestyle diseases is hardly a path to good health. Cholesterol is a case in point.

Unhealthy diet and inadequate exercise usually lead to high cholesterol levels. Excessive cholesterol causes fatty deposits to accumulate on arteries and blood vessels, which restricts blood flow, leading to high blood pressure – a precursor to heart disease and strokes. Young adults and even children can have high cholesterol.

This is a common gesture across cultures. It is most frequently used to express frustration, disappointment, embarrassment, exhaustion, shock, and more.

This sign has even crossed the species divide as it was also observed in the animal kingdom. Zookeepers at the Colchester Zoo in England noticed a group of Mandrills adopting a similar gesture. They used it to signify their desire to be left alone.

This gesture has even found its way to the Internet world, becoming a popular meme to denote the same emotions.

Let’s delve into an age-old beauty practice that has its roots in Ayurveda…

An age-old Indian tradition practiced at most Indian weddings is the haldi (turmeric) ceremony of the bride-to-be, and sometimes even of the groom-to-be. Now while it is called the turmeric ceremony and there is a bit of turmeric that goes into the ubtan (paste) used to exfoliate, massage and then bathe the bride-to-be, the main ingredient of this ubtan is besan. What is besan? Nothing but chickpea or chana dal (Bengal Gram) flour.

My first introduction to yoga was as an elective tenth-grade PE class. While it may have been limited in education, it was an excellent beginner course that opened my eyes to a yoga revelation that has stuck with me since. One of the homework assignments was to scrape the tongue in the morning before brushing. Scrape the tongue? As odd as it sounded, in Ayurveda this is practiced on a daily basis. And by taking one look at your tongue in the AM, it is easy to see why.

Your connection to Earth, to being grounded, feeling cared for and protected is in your hands – literally. It’s in the food you eat. The more whole foods you consume, the more peaceful you become. The body utilizes everything it needs – everything else, whether it be too much of something or a foreign ingredient, is removed. This takes energy - you are energy. So the question becomes: what do you want to do with your energy?

Back when I lived in Minnesota, I used to participate in a seasonal detox program at my local yoga studio. The program included early morning yoga classes, acupuncture, and a detoxifying diet filled with nutritious, whole foods, and plenty of time to meditate and reflect. I found this short 1-week detox to be nourishing not just for my body, but also for my soul.

As a country, we’re becoming increasingly more aware of what we eat, and how what we eat makes us feel. The past few years have seen a rise in the popularity of many diets advocating a return to real, whole foods, and prompting us to listen to our bodies. Dietary choices such as Paleo, vegan, raw, and the hormone diet mark a turn away from processed foods and towards a more natural way of eating.

As the summer winds down and nights wander in with cool breezes our bodies call out for different things to keep healthy and strong. Where the heat of the blazing summer sun was once enough to call forth the power of our immunity, without its penetrating rays staying strong in the sky, we require a bit more to support the seasonal transition into fall that leads the way to winter's doorway. Here are some essential nutrition tips for fall-transition and beyond.

1. Start with a Glass of Warm Water

**Note Kapalabhati is not recommended for pregnant women. If you begin to feel dizzy or anxious during the practice slow down your breathing or halt the practice.

What is Kapalabhati?

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique that is exceptionally effective for detoxifying the body, strengthening the core, and warming the body. Kapalabhati is often translated to “skull shining breath,” which alludes to its mind clarifying properties. In Kundalini, this practice is often called “breath of fire,” because of the heat it produces in one’s core.