HeyMonicaB

Oooo. Didja feel the breeze? Let’s give a round of applause for vata’s first appearance in 2009 (vatas really like applause)!! <Pause so vatas can bow> OK! Today marks the first day of fall and that means that vata moves in to govern nature for the next few months. While pitta was around for summer, [...]

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I would love to introduce you to Pure Indian Foods. If you ever have doubt or are in a quandary about how to make or where to buy ghee, look no further. I am so NOT a product gal, but I highly recommend this organic ghee over anything you can buy anywhere else. It’s the [...]

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Ok! We’ve talked about the six tastes, what they are and how each taste affects the body. It makes logical sense that we need to incorporate each of the tastes into our diet to maintain complete balance. Ayurveda says you should have all six tastes in each meal for proper digestion and to nourish and [...]

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Hey-o! Do you remember what the six tastes are? hint: see below Effects that the tastes have on the body Sweet: Increases kapha (see full chart), reduces vata & pitta. The sweet taste is a builder and a strengthener of all tissues. Sour: Increases kapha and pitta, reduces vata. Helps aid digestion, reduces gas, sharpens [...]

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So, I got a question today about what remedies help hot flashes from menopause. It’s a good question and while I did give some suggestions, there are a couple of very basic things to remember. FIRST it’s a totally natural process so many times treatment is not needed. Also be mindful about any remedies you [...]

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Carbonated drinks reverse the body’s natural downward flow which can cause hiccups, hyperactivity in the G-I tract, an inability to concentrate and irritability! The bubbles bring excess air into the body (increases vata) which impedes food absorbtion and digestion. Effervescence is fun but the goal is to keep things moving down and out!

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Every morning when you wake up, take a look at your tongue. If you have a tongue scraper, scrape it a few times to get the night time slop off of it. After that, look again. If it is pink you are doing great! Our entire digestive system is reflected on the tongue. It’s the [...]

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I received a great question about food and Ayurveda. One gal was really confused because the information on Ayurveda and what foods are “OK” can differ depending on the source/author. I have to say, if you are reading them and taking them to heart, I agree that it is confusing. When I was first studying, [...]

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How much you actually listen when someone talks to you? I mean really listen. Like listening without thinking about what you are going to say next, or without thinking about a similar experience you had, or without handing over your advice. I’m sure you’ve been in a situation where there were 3 people talking at [...]

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Ok this is brill and I know you will love it. Last night at the movies I had to pee so bad, but I held it. And held it. And I thought I was going to die. Dumb. It reminded me of my most favorite Ayurvedic principles, “Do not resist your urges.” I can’t stress [...]

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If you are groggy in the morning, try eating a lighter dinner. Heavy food landing on our tired agni will not get digested properly, especially in the evening after agni has been working all day! Eating a large dinner (and too late) can result in weight gain, cloudiness of mind, lethargy, and toxins. Think about [...]

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OhKAY! Poop! Ayurveda talks a lot about poop. And in case nobody ever mentioned it, I am here to tell you, you should poop every day! And ideally in the morning. I know, I know, not glamorous. But it’s important to talk about poop. The only way we can tell what’s happening on the insides [...]

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In the heat of summer, check out this cooling shake made simply from two happy summer ingredients, watermelon and mint! Both are so naturally cooling and sweet that you won’t need to add anything else. Perfect to keep pittas happy when they are crankypants because it’s too hot ;) Watermelon and Mint Shake 2-3 cups [...]

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Whoa! Once again I was reading my favorite Ayurvedic book, Absolute Beauty by Dr. Pratima Raichur, and once again my mind went spinning into inspirational delight. It’s a timely read just after Independence Day in America, where abundance in food, material things, and freedoms flow easily. But are we independent enough in our thinking and [...]

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Ok, we don’t normally tend to overeat fruits or veggies, do we? But quite often we mindlessly grab salty snacks and sweet candies just because they are hanging out (like at the office), regardless of hunger. Then as we’re all jacked up on sugar, we might get jittery, extra chatty, feel restless and lose our [...]

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Ok! More goodies about our mental state and whether the quality of our mind is living in sattva, rajas, or tamas. If you haven’t read about the three qualities of the mind (or trigunas) give it a quick read and this will make more sense. A quick reminder, sattva is purity, rajas is activity, tamas [...]

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You might be wondering why I talk about the mind all the time when mostly, it’s our bodies that we focus on being healthy and balanced. Because! If the mind is not healthy the body won’t be either. It starts with the mind first! In addition to the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), there are [...]

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