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Sweet and Spicy Tea Recipe and Digestion Tips

Some rights reserved by stevendepolo
Some rights reserved by stevendepolo

Today is one of those transition days – where early winter becomes deep winter, Vata season transitions to Kapha season.  We still need to focus on warm food and drink, but the emphasis moves from heavy, towards spicier, lighter foods.  These foods help keep stagnation – or clear it – from settling into the lungs, and lethargy from taking hold.  I love this simple, spicy tea recipe, so wanted to share it with you.

Spicy and Sweet Tea

3 small cinnamon sticks, or 1 tsp powder

1 T licorice root

2 c water

Place water and cinnamon and licorice root in a small pot.  Simmer for 5 or 10 minutes over low-medium heat.  Strain and pour into a mug.  No need to add sweetener!  Helps to curb sweet cravings, especially helpful before bed.

Tips for Optimal Digestion:

It doesn’t matter how well you eat, if you’re not digesting it well!

1. Eat only when you are hungry.  If you are not hungry, it may be recommended to fast until true hunger returns.

2. Eat three meals per day, with emphasis on lunch being the largest.  As a general rule, avoid snacking unless you are experiencing true hunger between meals, not cravings.

3. Always eat fresh fruit on its own.

4. Sit down to eat, with full attention on your food.  Eat slowly, and chew well.  Light, pleasant conversation is ok, but do not eat when you are sad, mad or upset, and do not eat in front of your computer, or while driving.

5. Sip warm water or ginger tea while you eat your meal, but avoid large amounts of water directly before or after eating.  Also avoid iced water at all times.

Learn more tips like these, and put them into practice in my 7 Day Ayurvedic Cleanse Course – registration is open!

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Recipes for Nourishment in the New Year

Welcome your new year with nourishment

I’ll admit, partially I just love the alliteration of these words.  Yet, it’s not just that they sound nice, it’s truly the right time to heed them.  Throughout the Fall I hadn’t noticed many people who had chronic colds, or fevers, or flu, but in just the past week it seems those sicknesses have emerged in lost voices, sinus headaches, and the many-times-overheard mantra of ‘it’s just going around.’

pom copy

I’ll be the first one to admit, it’s hard to heed our own advice. Pragya paradha, or ignoring our intellect, is one of our greatest challenges to health and happiness.  In my latest post, I wrote about some tips for staying healthy during the holidays.  I was able to practice most of what I wrote about, and I hope it brings me out clear on the other side.  After driving 700 miles through 7 states to visit 4 families over the past week, I know what I need now is nourishment: warm, home-cooked foods filled with good oils and nutrients.

According to Ayurvedic understanding, this deep winter is the time of transition between Vata and Kapha dominance.  The elements involved are space, air, water and some earth.  Notice what is missing – FIRE. It’s cold, and it’s a deep cold, sinking into our bones.  We may notice imbalance in the space and air elements in dryness of our skin and nasal passages (despite a constantly running nose), anxiety, insomnia, and constipation.  A Kapha imbalance tends to show up with heavier qualities, mucus, lung congestion, lack of hunger, and sticky, yucky colds.  We need warming teas, lightly spiced grains, and healthy soups (keep reading for recipes!)

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Full Beaver Moon

Most-likely, not many of us will be setting our beaver traps this evening, as the name of the November moon suggests, but there are other ways we might acknowledge tonight’s bold light.  The moon is of one of the closest celestial objects to the Earth, and I believe it pays to bring awareness to this being.  Its mass literally affects the water on our planet, it attracts our oceans, moving incredible weight of water.  If the moon can affect something as powerful as the ocean, we’d be arrogant to say it does not affect our tiny bodies.

Full Beaver Moon - Some rights reserved by Fujoshi
Full Beaver Moon – Some rights reserved by Fujoshi

Each month feel the effect of the full moon, waking up with a mild madness, always glad when I remember it’s a full moon, that there’s a reason for my feeling ‘off.’  I’m sure many of you know what I mean – and some of you might feel it more strongly than others.  Sometimes all I need is that awareness to ground myself, but certain practices can help direct that energy, or prana – into more positive or even useful direction.  These practices can be especially helpful if you’re feeling particularly affected.  Below I’ll discuss a few Ayurvedic perspectives on the full moon (there are many!), and offer some ways to cultivate awareness of this day.

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