HeyMonicaB

PITTAS! Where are you? Gimme a show of hands!! Hey guess what? It’s early June…which means it’s almost summer and Ayurvedically speaking, it’s pitta time! Remember, pittas are made of fire + water and the sun relates to pitta. In fact, the sun stays out much longer now as we crave fresh fruits, salads, ice cream, and cold drinks to balance out the external heat. During summer, the fire element literally increases in all of us. The vatas and kaphas will love the heat of summer because it is opposite of their cool nature and it warms them up. Pittas who are inherently warm always, will get cranky and will most likely complain that it’s too hot, quickly followed by some solution to cool themselves off :)

In summer we are prone to pitta problems like sunburn, heat stroke, heat rash, extra pimples, and itchy eyes. We may find that we have a shorter fuse as our “blood boils” over things that normally might not bother us as much. Pittas will sweat like crazy because one of the sites of pitta is the skin which it allows excess heat to escape to keep us cool. We might find ourselves taking a dip in a pool or lake to cool off or enjoying a nice bike ride with plenty of wind in our face. Ahhh…so soothing for pitta.

Just as in fall, the nature of summer tells us exactly what to do. We don’t need to be told not to wear a down jacket in summer because our bodies know that it’s just too darn hot! That’s pretty obvious. But what about seasonal changes in diet and exercise that might not be so obvious?

If you only remember one thing, remember that pittas need to stay cool, calm, and stress-free.

Diet. Pittas should avoid excess salt, spicy foods, yogurt (always), sour fruits (including tomatoes), red meat, alcohol (sorry) and fermented foods. These foods all have “heating” qualities to them, which will send pitta swimming through the body like a hot oil, increasing emotional, mental and physical heat. Pittas should favor the “sweet” taste by eating fresh sweet fruits like mango, coconut, berries, pomegranate and peaches to name a few. This would be the time you can eat cereal with milk and can enjoy salads with fresh veggies and a sweet dressing. Oo!! Tossing a cucumber slice in water will taste especially refreshing! Other foods to balance pitta are ghee, milk, and all grains.

Exercise. Pittas should avoid exercising in the sun or participating in anything overly competitive (competition increases emotional heat). Evening walks, bike rides or early morning runs would be good. Swimming would be best for our hot-bodied friends, but I know water is not always accessible. Yoga is good for all bodies all year round, but absolutely NO bikram for pittas!!

Pranayama. Pittas should practice Nadi Shodhanam daily to help relieve stress. I do this every day before my shower and it has made a world of difference with my stress/tolerance levels!

Watch fire. Pittas can calm the eyes by watching a natural flame.

Burning, itchy, or stressed eyes. To calm the eyes, massage the feet with ghee or almond oil OR you can talk a stroll barefoot in the cool grass! Cotton balls soaked in milk are also very soothing for irritated, burning eyes.

Skin. One of my very favorites is spritzing rose water on my face during the warm months. You can buy this or you can make your own by putting a few drops of rose essence into a spritzer bottle. Spritz away!

Scents. Sandalwood is great for ridding any negative energy and it’s very soothing for the skin too. Pittas loooove the smell of sandalwood. It’s instantly calming. Mint, ylang-ylang and camphor are some other scents that would balance pitta.

As summer approaches, let’s all be mindful of those pittas around us and within us! Remember the key is to keep them cool and sweet. I look forward to any questions you may have and am happy to share more tips to keep my pittas healthy and very haaaaaappy.

Hey! TGIF. Yesterday someone asked me for Ayurvedic advice on making right choices and following through with right action. She knows how to eat/live the proper way, but is having a problem with actually doing it. She is certainly not alone – I think many of us can relate to that.

The conflict lies between mind that is attached to the senses (Manas) vs. wisdom (Buddhi!). I recommend reading The Mind part 1 if you have not, for a little background on Buddhi.

When something is of pleasure to our senses, we will chase it because our ego wants more. I want, I want, I want. These can be simple things like, “I know I shouldn’t have one more slice of pizza because I am full, but it’s so tasty, so what the heck?!” This is not right action. Our Buddhi just told us we were full, but we didn’t listen. The Buddhi (wisdom) part comes in when we can say, “I may want that, but I know eating too much will make me feel awful in about 10 minutes, so I will pass.” Makes good sense, yes?

So the question is, “How do I learn to listen more to my Buddhi to ensure I make right choices and right actions?”

It starts with nutrition. If we eat fresh, natural foods and follow the nutritional guidelines, our bodies will be filled and fully nourished with prana. If you take anything away from my blahblahblah’s on here, please never forget that food directly affects the mind! For example, crappy food creates a crappy mind and crappy decision making…which then in turn makes us feel bad emotionally because we’ve let ourselves down. Then to comfort ourselves, we might grab some other crappy food to make ourselves feel better…and…repeat. You can see how this becomes a difficult trap to get out of.

BUT BUT! If you start with fresh foods, prepared by yourself or someone who cooks with love, your mind will become more clear, your body nourished and you will feel like you did something great for yourself. That will only help you to make that great decision again. And again. And you will be succeeding and you will be LOVING yourself for it and you will only want to do it more.

Complete small tasks. Make a list and follow it – to a tee. Even if it’s just 3 things you need to get done. Start small and make them doable to set yourself up for success. Watch yourself complete those things and you will feel awesome. You will feel your Buddhi start to glimmer.

Surround yourself by positive, supportive, loving, funny (laughing is good medicine!) people. Forget the ones that drain you or leave you feeling any negative emotions. Focus on high quality people and nothing less.

Get creative! What else can you do to increase your Buddhi? Creativity lives among the highest vibrations and is great for Buddhi. Also maybe volunteer, take music lessons, sing, paint, write, bathe shelter animals, garden, build something with your hands…whatever!

Whatever leaves you feeling really GOOD is when you know you’ve tapped into the Buddhi level and you will start living according to RIGHT action. Let me know what you come up with and share your stories! I would love to hear how this starts working for you.

Hey! Everything we ingest is converted to give our bodies nourishment and energy. If we eat well, our bodies will be well. It’s really that simple, no magic, nothing overnight, but it’s true and it will keep us healthy.

I love this saying which came from one of the great Ayurvedic teachers, “If we are eating the right foods, why would we need medicine? And if we are not eating the right foods, what good would the medicine do?”

Aha! I just love that. Rings true.

As we enter summer, we have the opportunity to buy all kinds of “right foods” at farmer’s markets! Dude, if we want to eat well, this is the best way to do it! And not just because “fruits and vegetables are healthy,” but because these items come straight from the source of nature. Right from the ground, or off the tree or from the vine, these foods have had no interruption between us and nature and THAT is eating well my friends! Nothing tastes as good as those fruit samples on a toothpick – so GOOD!

Ok now think about the opposite, like..spaghetti o’s with meatballs (yes, with the meatballs). Who knows what’s even in that. But we know we can’t pick it off a branch and eat it and it feels “unhealthy” to us. Nobody even has to tell us, we just know that it’s not “good” for us. The problem is that those kinds of “non perishable” foods are very far from the source and therefore have no prana, no nourishment. The lack of nutritional value in these foods has a direct affect on our physical health, but more importantly, our mental health.

Mistaken intellect is the first stage of disease so we must properly nourish our bodies to get to our minds! Notice I am not saying “eat sad” by giving up your favorite things. Even pizza can be made by using ingredients close to the source with loads of prana! Well made organic dark chocolate can have prana too. See, not bad!

As we enter summer, let’s become mindful of the abundance of foods that are close to the source – and choose them! We all get happy in summer because we get “fresh” foods. Let’s remember that feeling so that we choose wisely and eat well throughout life.

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). When you get the awful bloating pains, just chop off a piece the size of your baby finger nail, and chew it up. It tastes a little like window cleaner but that’s nothin compared to piercing pains in your lower gut. You can sprinkle some salt to cut the sharpness if you want. But VOILA! Your pain will TOTALLY go away!! I super promise! Please try it next time and then give me a big, “woohoo!” when it works!

Despite my experience of creepy holism on Saturday, I do want to call out my great experience in the realm of holistic products and services on Sunday!  I was hoping something could be redeemed from my first experience, because I honestly didn’t believe that’s all the holistic community had to offer. So! The day after the not-so-great holistic fair, Erewhon (a natural foods store close to my house) had an expo for their 30 year celebration. HALLELEUJAH (sp?) was that refreshing!! It was exactly what I was looking for. Yummy treats, chocolate, coffees, skin care, antioxidants, teas, etc., AND the people were friendly and just happy to be in the sun. Good job Erewhon!

Here are a few of my favorites:
Olivia Care: Bath and Beauty www.oliviacare.com
Righteously Raw: A Gourmet Raw Chocolate Experience www.earthsourceorganics.com
Sacred Chocolate www.sacredchocolate.com

I believe in ending things on a positive note, so I wanted to toot the horn of the very cool holistic community I found on Sunday. And I’d like to thank Erewhon and its vendors for restoring my belief that alternative viewpoints/sciences are approachable, useful, healthy, genuine and totally not creepy.

Dude! No wonder people can be averse to holistic viewpoints. Doooode (with more force)! I went to a “holistic” fair this weekend. As alternative and hippie dippie I can be sometimes, THIS was definitely along the lines of creepy. There was an overabundance of “get slim,” “extend your life,” new age products, which came complete with an infomercial-like delivery.

Some dude blasted pine smoke up my nose and I nearly died. Another dude was trying to get me to buy maxi pads (with demo!) that had 16,000 negative ions…to soak up liquid AND reduce infections. Yum! A different dude grabbed my arm, put chakra oil on it and said that it would “clear my face up” because apparently I have, “all these dark spots and blotches.” Well guess what. My face might be slightly blotchy but your logo sucks! So there.

(that was not very Ayurvedic of me)

The kicker was the guy who felt my chakras and told me that I was, “a f-ing mess.” Really? Really did you drop an f-bomb, dude, to describe any part of me!? Unreal. I walked away, held back tears and left.

What kept running through my mind was, “Oh my gosh. Is this is what people see!? Is what people think ‘alternative’ science really is?” I was so sad because for a second, I thought Ayurveda would get lost in the creepy jumble of other things. But then I knew better. And I also know that there are GREAT holistic practitioners and products out there (Thank you! And why weren’t you at the fair?! I was looking for you guys).

Anyway, I was quickly confirmed that this is exactly why I created HeyMonicaB. Granted the neti pot, ghee, kitchari, and nadi shodhanam might be foreign to some, but please trust that the advice comes from my heart. I am gathering knowledge daily and believe that it is my job to promote the heck out of it – because nobody ever told us these things! Ayurvedic information is simple, easy, logical and frankly, cheap to practice!

So my friends, thank you for reading and please continue to do so. Heck, pass on to your friends! Together we will create a mini community that is healthy, helpful, authentic to YOU, created with the right intention.

And if you see a logo that looks similar to the image above, run! Just kidding. No I’m not. Yes, yes I am. No, I’m really not…

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.

Hey! It’s no new news that social networking is all the rage. Seems like every time I turn around, there is another article or story on it’s fantastic explosion into our little worlds.

I was thinking about why these networks are such a huge success and one main thing came to mind. Loneliess. A starvation for human connection. We all crave it and we truly need it to keep us balanced. In our culture it seems we are zipping here and there to enhance our careers and chase our dreams, but in the process many of us leave loved ones and friends behind. Thanks to social networking we can take our friends with us, or can we?

I agree that it feels really good to see all of them there on the screen. They feel close because I know exactly what they are up to. But what about hearing their voice, receiving their hug, kissing their child on the head, or shopping with them on a Saturday? What about seeing the expression on their face about your funny story, rather than a “comment” an hour later on a screen? Honestly, I miss my friends’ physical presence – I miss their energy and their laughter. And that’s not something a computer can deliver.

My teacher, Dr. Apte, said that one of the main causes of imbalance in America is loneliness. It is a vata imbalance where there is a lack of nourishment, grounding, and touch. The TRIPPY thing is that the computer is also vata imbalancing…so it’s a circle. Lonely – go to computer. Computer – makes you feel more lonely. Because the computer is not alive and breathing, we don’t get any energy from it, there is no prana, no life. It can cause feelings of loneliness, emptiness, anxiety, depression, or even a sense of desperation.

My point is that these social networking sites do not replace human beings. Person to person connection is what we crave. I am not poo-pooing social networking. I love it since I am one of those people running, chasing, and leaving people behind. I think it’s super handy since I can connect with everyone at once. But, it’s just not a substitute for people. So let’s get out, see them, hug them, laugh with them. There is no better medicine than spending quality time with people you really love.

Hooray! I have a new favorite product! I found this Lavender Salt Scrub at Trader Joe’s today. It was like $3.50 or something cheap like that. Quite the economical luxury if you ask me. It’s great for exfoliating and then it leaves a nice thin layer of oil on the skin which will soak in even after the shower. The icing on the cake is that the smell is amazing!

From what I can tell based on the label, it seems to be tri-doshic (good for vata, pitta & kapha). The lavender aromatherapy is soothing and calming for all doshas. The oils used are safflower, sunflower, and sweet almond which are not too heavy for kapha or too warming for pitta. Kaphas will love the invigorating texture of the salt on the skin. Pitta will love the calming smell. And while sesame oil is ideal for vata, vata skin will gladly absorb any oil it is given. Happiness for all.

A lovely spa treat, it would make a nice gift for someone (too bad I didn’t know about this before Mother’s Day) or even for yourself. It was an unexpected mega-happy purchase – and did I mention it was cheap?

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 to heating elements in the environment. As we know, pitta is made of the elements fire and water and when those elements increase we use the opposite qualities to balance. So in this case, cilantro works because it has cooling and astringent qualities which cools and calms the fire.

*For those of you who think cilantro tastes like soap or tin foil, don’t worry it’s going on your skin, not in your mouth ;)

You know how it says, “do not top off” on the gas pump? I would say the same is true for our stomachs. We really should only fill our stomachs 3/4 of the way full with food and liquid. The remaining 1/4 should be left as space for the food and liquid to move around – like a washing machine! With proper amount of suds and water, clothes get properly cleaned and nothing gets stuck or off kilter. On the flip side if it’s too full, nothing can move, the suds don’t properly form, water doesn’t get in where it needs to and…the clothes stay in a lump. SAME with food. We all know that if we put too much in our bellies and we get what we call a “food coma.” Really, that means our bodies are so stuffed with food that our physical body and mental bodies cannot function well. And that could create (dun-dun duuuun), ama! And that’s not the goal of eating.

The goal of eating is to provide the right amount and the right type of nourishment for our bodies so that we can use the energy and function at our best! Let’s be mindful of the amount of food we take in, while chewing it well, and remember the overall nutritional guidelines. These things will help us avoid “topping off” and will keep our digestion running like a well fueled machine!

Ah, unfortunately (or fortunately – many people look better with no hair!) one of the obvious places excess pitta shows up is on the head, resulting in hair loss or prematurely gray hair. Pitta type people are constantly thinking, planning, organizing, stressing, competing, strategizing, gettin’ angry (haha), all these things that require lots of brain power, heat and transformation. No wonder their hair can start to thin, what with so much going on in that brain o’ theirs!

If you have a receding hairline or notice that hair is thinning and are not thrilled, I offer some suggestions.

First to reduce hair loss, chill out! Pitta, you must chill. Calm your mind and try some nadi shodhanam or alternate nostril breathing for 5 minutes daily. Bring stress levels down through breathing. Ahhhh…

Second! Massage the scalp at bedtime with either brahmi oil or coconut oil. This will help prevent further hair loss. You could also massage your feet because it will be very calming and help the eyes (another site of pitta). The massage will stimulate and strengthen the hair follicles as well as improve circulation at the roots. Place a towel or something on your pillow so it doesn’t get greeezy.

You can buy brahmi oil on Banyan Botanicals and coconut oil can be found at a decent grocery or Indian grocery store. You could get that on Banyan also, but it might be pricier than other places.

Third!! Let’s not forget about diet. Dairy products (calcium!), specifically ghee, are great nourishment for the hair. Milk and ghee are pitta’s best friends. Remember to follow a pitta balancing diet, staying cool and sweet. For a nice treat float cucumber or piece of mint in your water – you can always do this.

Fourth. Aromatherapy helps too. Calming and soothing scents like lavender or sandalwood are instant calm for pitta. Sniff with mouth closed. If you like, you can mix a couple drops of the aromatherapy into your oil treatment at night for the ultimate in relaxation.

There are other things to try also with herbs and aloe vera juice, but those will vary by person so I offer these suggestions first. Really honestly, the bottom line is to chill your mind. Calm the mind and the hair will stay put. There is no magic cure to grow hair back (at least not that I know of yet), but these will help keep the hair you have.

Hey! Who likes a fruit parfait with yogurt and granola? A lot of us do. We also put berries or bananas on our cereal. While I love bananas in my cereal as much as the next guy, Ayurveda has taught me that fruit and dairy is considered a “wrong food combination.” So sad, I know! But I have to share the information because nobody tells us these things!

Fruits curdle the milk which turns digestion a little sour and rancid. The result could bring heart burn and/or an acidic or sour taste in the mouth. The combo is also a channel clogger and potential ama creator. If you have digestive problems and are currently eating fruit and dairy as a combo on a regular basis, try omitting the combo for the time being to see if you feel any better.

If you are wondering if I combine fruit and dairy, I will tell you honestly that I don’t anymore. I have my fruit as a snack in between meals and sometimes I have a mixed fruit for lunch. Just a little fyi, fruit is a nice “fast” for vata/pitta types (vata should never fast, pittas can do fruit juice fast) when digestion is sluggish or when we had a heavy meal the night before.

If you have the fruit & dairy combo often, mybe try the fruit minus the yogurt/milk for a week and see how you feel. You might notice subtlties in your emotions, digestion, or clarity of mind that you didn’t realize you’d lost! And if you’re mad at me, you can let me know ;)

Ok right off the bat, I am not a cook. However somehow, lately I am coming up with some really tasty recipes that I just hack together. One of my clients says she loves my “hack recipes.” Cool! A most recent hack recipe I am hooked on is making pesto from scratch. Hooked I say! I keep it in a jar in the fridge and then using for all sorts of stuff. Hooray for cheap, healthy, and fresh eats!

Fresh Basil is tri-doshic which means it balances vata, pitta and kapha. Depending on the ingredients you add, you can gear the mixture toward your own dosha(s) to enhance optimal digestion and overall balance. It’s super easy. There are no rules or recipe so you can be creative, but here’s what I do:

• Get a bunch of fresh basil. Trader Joe’s has it for like 2 bucks a carton. We always use 2 cartons.
• 3 Cloves of garlic. Vata and kapha can have more garlic, pitta should have less
• Olive oil. Vata should have a fairly oily based pesto, pitta can have some oil, kapha should have less so that their pesto is more paste-ey.
• Salt. Vata yes, pitta and kapha less salt
• Black pepper. Yes for all, pitta be mindful of too much
• Optional: Pine Nuts, Almonds, Fresh Parmesean.

Now for the fun part! Put the basil and oil into a food processor and grind it up. If it’s too sticky, add more oil. Add minced garlic, grind again. Then add salt and pepper…try it on a little piece of bread! Add more oil or salt and pepper…try it again! Get it til you like it and then you can store it in a little jar in the fridge. If adding the nuts and/or parmesean, add it only when you are going to eat it right away – don’t store it.

You can use it on plain pasta or with veggies, fresh bread, toasted cheese sandwiches, chicken & rice, mozarella & tomato sandwiches, add to homemade pizza, and basically anything that could use a spread! It’s sooo yummy and so simple. You can always add more oil depending on the dish. If you come up with something clever, do share! I would love to hear what you’re doing with tri-doshic pesto!

Kapawhat?! Kapal-bah tee. It’s a breathing exercise (pranayam) that is literally translated to “glowing” or “shining” skull. Dude, it’s the BEST because it purifies the mind by forcefully ridding all toxins. The breathing itself is a series of forceful exhalations one after the other while never intentionally inhaling. The body will automatically inhale for us – we don’t need to worry about it.

We have all heard of laughter being the best medicine. Kapalbhati works the same way. Think about laughing, “ha-ha-ha.” The whole time it’s exhale-exhale-exhale. During laughter and kapalbhati we are exhaling and ridding the body of toxins, while bringing in a lot of fresh oxygen. Ok lemme tell ya more, it gets better!

Benefits of kapalbhati:

Totally purifying.
Good for weight loss. It’s a cardio work out. 10 minutes of kapalbhati is equal to 1 hour of cardio workout, like running. No kidding! But you have to work up to it just like regular cardio.
Strengthens Respiratory System. Strengthening lungs, lung capacity, purifies nasal passage, and removes blockages in the chest.
Strengthens & stimulates Digestive System. Remember, “We are what we digest” so we need to digest food properly. This will help!
Stimulates Circulatory System. Gets the blood to all parts of the body by opening channels and promoting circulation.
Purges us of all negativity. Mind, body, spirit
Helps to overcome stress, depression and negative emotions.
Gives mental clarity.
Helps bring higher awareness as it removes blockages and focuses our mind on pure and right intention

Ready to try it?! Ok, I have included a video so that you can see how it’s done.

Kapalbhati Demo

You can also follow instructions below:
1. Do this daily in the morning if you can, before breakfast (2 hours if after meal. You will get a cramp otherwise. Trust me.)
2. Start with a count of 20-30, then rest. See how you feel. This is very individual depending on your cardiovascular condition, so take it easy if you haven’t done exercise in a while. Or if that was a piece of cake, then try for 45 seconds or one minute.
3. Sit with legs crossed in a lotus-like position or if in a chair, both feet on the ground
4. Spine straight, chest open, like a string is going from your butt up through the top of your head and holding you straight
5. Using on the the diaphragm, inhale while ballooning the belly
6. Start! Forcefully exhale, using the diaphragm and count, 1-2-3-4-5 (you will automatically inhale, but focus on the exhale)
7. Take a rest when you are tired and repeat 3x. Even with just 2 minutes of this a day, you will notice the benefits.

If you try this and notice a difference, please share! I know I benefit greatly from it – just mental clarity, less crabbiness, I get a LOT more done during the day, and I take things more in stride. I hope this helps you discover more clarity and brings a nice sheen to your brilliant skull :)

Are you stressed? How much do you have? Where does it live in your body? Stress factors can be physical, psychological, or spiritual according to Ayurveda, but the question is, “Is stress real?” Or do we create it through our interpretation and perception of the events around us? Think about it.

There is a woman (maybe 50?) I used to work with who seemed very healthy, she was always pleasant, and generally look to be in great shape. Recently her company had layoffs and her entire team was let go, she stayed. The day after the layoff she had a massive stroke and was in the ICU for a couple weeks. Another very healthy gal I know just had an ovarian cyst that burst. Come ON! These “burstings” are signals to our bodies that they cannot handle any more. Something has to give and when the mind won’t let go of stress, our bodies will find a way to let it go.

“Wherever a thought goes, a chemical goes with it,” says Deepak Chopra. Once our mind tells our body that a situation is stressful and that thought signals stress hormones, which prepare us for fight or flight. Imagine how many times we prepare for fight or flight in a day!? OMG I am going to be late! OMG I forgot to reply to that email! OMG my stocks tanked! OMG I lost my job and what if I never get another one!! One after the other, over and over. It’s just not natural! We do not have to fight for our food, for our sleep, or for our survival, yet we tell ourselves these stressful stories constantly and we FREAK our bodies out!! Really, we are choosing to create our own chaos.

I don’t have a magic answer for what to do about a crappy economy and people losing their jobs. I cannot control it. It’s very sad and can be very scary. But in my life, I am learning to worry only about what I can control. So, my advice is to analyze your stress and if there is something out of your control, then let it go. There is nothing you can do about it anyway, so leave it. Concentrate on what is in your hands and make the best of it.

Stress relieving tip! If you want a magic answer to help you, this is my suggestion. I do both of these daily.
Meditate & Pranayama every morning (even just for 5 minutes!)
Either So Hum or Nadi Shodhanam