Ayurveda

Living in France, I am tempted by cheese all the time. Famous for beautiful ash-rubbed rounds of chévre and silky soft “moelleux” wedges of Camembert, one wonders how the French manage not to overindulge. One secret in French culture is the cheese course of a meal traditionally follows the “plat,” or main plate, and after one has (hopefully) already filled up on protein and vegetables. Another secret here on the French Riviera, near the Italian border, is parmigiano reggiano, a staple in Italian cuisine.

Herbs, Herbs and More Herbs:

Celery:

Average Cost Per Pound In U.S. and Midwest Region

$1.37

Time to Reach Maturity

130-140 days

Scraps To Garden:

Someone once said that the best friends are the ones who feed you beautiful food.  I would add that the ones who share great recipes are pretty fabulous too.  When I was looking for a way to make gluten-free crepes, my friend Dino Lenger told me about his mom’s recipe.  This wonderful little formula traveled thousands of miles, required a bit of translation, and ended up producing a delicious, thin pancake that seems to work with everything that a wheat flour crepe does, without the gluten.  Arrowroot flour is used in place of wheat flour and gives body to the crepe.

Tiny threads of orangish-gold, staining clothes for monks and sanyasa, dying milk to support digestion, sprinkled for spells of love, costing upwards of $1000/pound --  the status of Saffron is that of royalty, and has been for thousands of years.

If you have a love of spicy food, or just food in general, odds are you've encountered indigestion at least once in your life. This can lead to acid reflux or heartburn. The digestion process had become interrupted and stomach acid can creep up into the esophagus. In Ayurveda, this is known as Amalpitta, a condition that occurs when pitta is aggravated. To restore balance, cooling foods that calm the inner fire are in order. These six foods pacify pitta, acting as a natural antacid.

Basil

Panchakarma is a highly restorative and detoxifying therapeutic treatment used in Ayurvedic medicine. Deriving from the Sanskrit language, pancha meaning “five” and karma meaning “actions,” Panchakarma is a healing treatment that uses a variety of procedures to cleanse the body, revitalize the immune system and re-establish mental and physical balance. It is a completely unique experience for each person and is individualized based on the individual’s particular needs.

Artificial LED lighting like the winter waning of natural light can have negative effects on health and well-being. Ayurveda can help re-balance the body deprived of enough natural light and overexposed to LED lighting.

Winter darkness and the blues are hardly new. Natural light deprivation disrupts balance between mind and body, especially for people who mostly stay indoors during daytime hours. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can make people feel more depressed, irritable, moody and tired with low energy.

My, what times. We are witnessing the Kaili Yuga, my friends - the prophesized era of warfare, Monsanto, and yes, Donald J. Trump. In a time of confusion and illusion, the tendency -- and the trap -- is to feel powerless.

Oh beating hearts, we are anything but powerless.

In Ayurveda, the Science of Life, rose water is essential and used as both a medicine and a beauty treatment to balance the doshas and maintain youth. The beauty of the rose has long been appreciated and utilized as a symbol of love and healing. There are few women who do not adore receiving gifts of the rose and rose water is a gorgeous method by which to reap the benefits of the glorious rose, year round.

Why Ayurveda?

Being healthy is an incomparable life experience, and the way we eat plays a huge role.  We all want great health, but for many people, it seems complicated.  Our busy lives, the number of diets, and conflicting messages about what we should eat can be overwhelming.  Ayurveda offers us a holistic, intuitive, easy approach to eating.  Since it’s been in use for at least 5,000 years, we can rest assured that it’s safe and effective.