HeyMonicaB

Hey Students (and learnees of all kinds)! Studying in the early morning for one hour is equivalent to studying in the evening for 3 hours. Why? Because the mind is empty in the morning and it’s ready to absorb information! In the evening after a full day, we may have difficulty concentrating because of the [...]

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Happy New Year! And Happy NEW Decade! So, have you come up with a resolution yet? I always go back and forth on whether or not I like resolutions. I feel like we should be mindful of our health every day all year long, so why only focus only at the beginning of each year? [...]

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Hey! A friend of mine recently asked me how to stay healthy during flu season. The first thing that came to mind was ojas! What the heck is ojas? Ojas (OH-jus) is the essential energy of our vitality, immunity, strength, luster and health. Ojas is the pure essence of all bodily tissues which means that [...]

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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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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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Many vata people know what it’s like to be doubled over in pain from gas or bloating (vata’s main seat is in the colon). Others can get it from time to time as well, but no more! My friends, please keep ginger root on hand (America’s Test Kitchen says it keeps best in the fridge). [...]

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Cool! When feelin’ the burn, have a small glass of milk. It will cool you down instantly! Try it and let me know if it works for you.

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So! It works because the leaves of the cilantro (corriander) are cooling. That sounds way simple, but let me explain the rest of the story. Skin is ruled by pitta and when we get a rash or skin irritation (even acne) its because of pitta and too much heat in the body, or a reaction [...]

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Energy in our food either helps or hinders digestion. In fact, our state of mind or mood can create physical indigestion just as much as it creates mental indigestion. To help keep positve energy flowing, remember to eat with peace of mind and with thanks. When cooking, be happy! Play some nice music or sing, [...]

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Winter skin can have many of us itching and scratching. I recommend putting the lotion aside and giving oils a try. If you are high vata (naturally dry all the time), use sesame oil. If you are a pitta, use almond or coconut oil or ghee (but you’ll smell like buttery goodness). Kaphas are naturally [...]

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Computer eyes get really strained during the day. Try to take a break every couple hours, just for like 2 minutes, and focus on the blue sky or trees outside (even snow on trees!) The natural surroundings will bring eyes back to their natural focus and help them relax a bit. Eyes need a break [...]

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Taking a brisk walk daily is one of the best exercises for the body! Not only for the reasons we already know (gets heart rate up, helps break a sweat, lowers blood pressure, etc), but it also strengthens the large intestines and helps with constipation :) Also in Ayurveda, it is taught that exercise should [...]

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Didja know that each dosha has a season? Sure, yep. They do. Fall (and early winter) is the season of vata and it just blew in on the 21st of September. The air is a little more crisp in the morning and we bring out the sweaters and coats we had stowed in the back [...]

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You know when you feel a chest cold coming on. Tightness in the chest (you can feel there is mucus milling around down in there), phlegm-ey coughs, and any sinus junk is a sure sign that there is a kapha imbalance. For those pleasantries, I recommend this ginger and tumeric tea.* Make a lot of [...]

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*** Tumeric turns things yellow. Hands, Towels, Tea Cups, Skin, etc., Be mindful.*** Yesterday I had a hearty zit on my upper lip. Very hearty. And it was angry. Not only that but it was like the 3rd one because I kept squishing them and then they would reappear about 1/8″to the left. TMI? Anywho, [...]

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Hey! If you hop into the shower but don’t realize the water is still cold, isn’t it an intense shock!? Drinking ice cold water is the same. It’s a shock to our warm and cozy 98.6 degree system and it closes the channels. Let’s do our bodies a favor and spare them the shock and [...]

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