The Shakti School

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The Best Beauty Secret: Clean Water & Why We Need It

Water Secrets

Clean water is essential for good health. All of our cells need water to survive. It helps regulate our body temperature, flush out toxins, keeps our skin clear, and we literally cannot live without it. Dr. Jack Kruse, who is a highly respected neurosurgeon, CEO of Optimized Life, a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and Age Management Medicine Group, has likened water to

“life’s battery”

He says, “It keeps our body energized and our systems functioning properly. Good water increases our exclusion zone (EZ), or the area where energy transfers take place for cell functioning, thus improving blood flow and our redox potential. The bigger the exclusion zone, the better the energy transfer.”

Basically, having clean water is how we reduce oxidative stress and it gives our cells energy, so it's essential to our biological thriving.

Goddess Drinking Water

Have you ever poured a glass of water from the tap and thought, “yuck, what the heck is this?” I know I definitely have. Unfortunately, for many of us, our tap water is some of the most tainted we could consume. Not only is it unpleasant to drink, it’s loaded with highly toxic chemicals like fluoride, chlorine, bromide, and many other narley substances that can cause some major damage to your health. The U.S. Geological Survey tested water in nine different states across the United States in urban and suburban areas. This survey found traces of 85 different man made chemicals! Among these were household and industrial chemicals, pesticides, medications, and many other hormone disrupting pharmaceuticals. One of those being birth control. Remember our recent blog on estrogen dominance? If there’s traces of birth control in our water supply then we are definitely being affected by some unwanted estrogen disruptors.

These super harmful chemicals are overloading our country’s water supply leaving tap water, and even some filtered bottled water, basically toxic and wreaking havoc on our health. Some of the big offenders are fluoride and chlorine. Unfortunately, fluoride is a highly toxic chemical compound that can cause cancer, neurological impairment, lower IQ in children, and cause learning disorders. Chlorine is another and even more common chemical found in our water supply. Not only is it in our pools (where we soak it up through our skin) but, like fluoride, it is also found in city tap water. Exposure to chlorine can cause cell wall damage, autoimmune disorders, asthma, allergies, and many other detrimental health concerns.

How do I test my water?

There are a few different ways to go about testing your water. A very quick and simple way is to visit the website below, plug in your zip code, and see what’s lurking in your water. This site should give you plenty of information to feel well informed about what’s in your water and it also provides a helpful chart to help determine which filters are best for certain chemicals. Another option is to purchase the Allora Water Test Kit. This kit seems to be one of the best and most affordable water test kits on the market. It’s not too expensive and will give you a much more thorough analysis of your water. If you are drinking from a well, this is the kit I would recommend.

City Tap Water Resource: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/search-results.php?zip5=11233&searchtype=zip

Allora Water Test Kit: https://www.alloratestkits.com.au/shop/

Where can I get clean water or what are the best filters for my tap?

Spring Water

Spring water is some of the best water for your health and is also the tastiest. It is harvested from natural or artisanal mountain springs where the water rushes over rocks, crystals, and is exposed to a diverse natural ecosystem making the water full of minerals that are vital to your health. It can be difficult to find a local spring, but in many rural (and even some urban) areas they are out there. If you do find a spring, make sure that you test it first. You can also purchase spring water at most local grocery stores, but an even better option would be a spring water delivery service.

Reverse Osmosis Filter

Drinking water that has gone through a reverse osmosis filter is going to be your number one healthiest option when it comes to installing a filter in your home. Contrary to many other filters, reverse osmosis filters get rid of most all the chemicals and pesticides from dirty tap water (even glyphosate). This is our favorite reverse osmosis filter. It’s easy to use and doesn’t cost nearly as much as converting your entire home.

Our favorite reverse osmosis filter: AquaTru Reverse Osmosis Filter

Should I add minerals to my water?

Yes! After filtering your water, you've gotten rid of the toxic chemicals, but you’ve also gotten rid of any good minerals that were in the water (if there were any). The best way to remineralize your water is simply by adding some celtic sea salt. You can also remineralize by adding some quinton waters or trace liquid minerals.

Check these out:

Celtic Sea Salt

Quinton Waters

Trace Liquid Minerals

What about Hydrogen tablets?

Yes! It has been shown that adding hydrogen tablets to your water can help to prevent, reverse, or alleviate many health conditions due to its ability to function as an antioxidant or an anti-inflammatory. It has also been proven to increase your energy metabolism. We love to use hydrogen tablets especially while traveling, during stressful times, or after intense exercise.

Save with code SHAKTI for 10% off molecular hydrogen tablets: Vital Reactions Hydrogen Tablets

We love doing what we can to help make a difference in support of cleaner lands and water supply. If you are in a giving mood and would like to donate to a good cause, the Thirst Project is doing amazing things all around the world to help supply different communities with healthy drinking water. Just $25 gives one person safe, clean drinking water for life!!!

Donate for Clean Water: https://www.thirstproject.org/donate/

And, as our good friend Karen always says,

“Go drink water and be nice to people.”

Goddess Drinking Water2

References 

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Fatty Balls Recipe

FattyBalls1

In Ayurveda, fat is seen as an important nurtient because of it's role in keeping the body lubricated and hydrated. All the doshas can benefit from adding fat to their diet. You don’t want too much, but you don’t want too little either. Fat helps to fuel your brain, aids in keeping your internal organs functioning optimally, and it also helps to keep your hormones in balance.

Did you know that the human brain is made up of 60 percent fat?

A recent study from the National Library of Medicine, found that fatty acids are among the most crucial molecules that determine your brain's integrity and ability to perform. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20329590)

As always, we love getting our nutrients through whole food sources. So, when it comes to fat we are looking at things like: avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, organic pasture-raised egg yolks, raw nuts and seeds, and even dark chocolate. Certain fats you want to avoid are things like: highly processed vegetable oils, butter and other meat products that aren’t organic and grass fed, non-organic nut/seed butters, and any other processed trans fats from foods like packaged baked goods, margarine, and fried foods.

In addition to fueling your brain, boosting your mood, and keeping your organs lubricated, fat is also an incredible source of energy and will keep you full for longer. That’s why these “fatty balls” are my favorite go-to snack when I’m in a hurry and need an extra boost. (if kept cool, they're a great snack for hiking/physical activity because they're filling and give you energy 😉

These are SO easy to make, contain only the healthiest ingredients, have no sugar, and are stupid good.

Fatty Balls Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut shreds
  • 1/3 c. coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup coconut butter
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pepitas
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (brazil nuts or macadamia nuts work great too)
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • 1/3 c. almond milk (optional)

*optional add ins: chia seeds, marine (or grass fed beef) collagen powder

Directions

This recipe is super simple to make. All you need is a food processor or a high powered blender.

*  Place all ingredients in your food processor. Pulse or blend on high until they reach your desired consistency. We like ours to be pretty well blended with maybe a few crunchy chunks here and there.

*  After making the batter, you may need to let it firm up just a bit in the fridge in order to form your balls (usually takes about 10 min). After that you are ready to form the balls into any size you like. Keep in mind the size you want and where you'll be consuming them.

*  This is our favorite part of the process: toppings! It’s easiest if you put the toppings in small bowls in order to fully cover the balls. (Don’t you love how many times we've used the word balls?)  We use either cocoa nibs, hemps seeds, or cinnamon (sometimes all three). But, feel free to get creative. Crushed rose petals or shredded coconut works well too.

*  After you’ve topped your balls, place them in the fridge (or freezer) again and let them get a little firm — now they should be ready to eat! For best consistency store them in the fridge or your cooler bag when on the go.
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How to do a Wintertime Cleanse

A Guide to Feeling Healthy After the Holidays

(beetroot pizza recipe included)

How To Winter Cleanse

December brings on many indulgences (eggnog, cheese, pie, the list goes on). It can often make the start of the new year feel like you’re trudging through sludge while your digestive system is trying desperately to get back on track.  As we finish up the holiday season, January is an ideal time to detox, but the fact is it’s still a busy time of year, it’s cold outside, and the long dark days can make the idea of cleansing somewhat unappealing and in most cases untenable. This is why it’s essential that we follow an Ayurvedic approach to cleansing as we move through the winter months.

While most of us don’t live in the appropriate environment to do a super strict cleanse, this specific detox is all about focusing on lots of cooked vegetables, whole grains, legumes, some fruit, and digestive herbal teas while limiting high amounts of animal products, high quantities of oil, salt, processed foods, and sugar. The main objective is to get your digestive system working properly and optimally.

This wintertime cleanse does have some elimination restrictions. Try to limit or eliminate the following:

 coffee, alcohol, gluten, added sugar, processed foods and processed oils.  

Really try to challenge yourself to completely take these foods out of your diet for the month. However, we also recognize that completely eliminating certain foods or favorites doesn’t always work for some people (and can be triggering), so if that’s you try to at least minimize these certain foods. It may be helpful to instead focus on the foods you can enjoy instead of focusing on the foods you can’t have.

Here is a sample menu of what your food intake my look like during this type of cleanse:

Morning Beverage:

If you are feeling like you really need a reboot, try having a cup of hot water with a little ginger and lemon or if you aren’t giving up caffeine completely, enjoy one cup of green tea with oat or nut milk.

Breakfast: 

Warm porridge- cooked (pre-soaked for easier digestion) with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. If you want to add fruit or a few nuts make sure to cook them with the oats for easier absorption.

Lunch: 

Cooked Quinoa with turmeric, steamed carrots & spinach, topped with Avocado

Mid-day Ginger Tea 

Dinner: 

Sprouted brown rice with a small amount of ghee and mung bean stew

Post Dinner Beverage: 

Dandelion tea, ginger tea, or Magnesium Calm for additional digestive/stress support.

It can be fun to eat in a new way. Just avoiding using excess oils or animal products can lead you to finding new ways to be more creative in the kitchen. As you can see this cleanse isn’t super restrictive. It just focuses on eating plants and revving up your digestive system. Check out this extremely healthy plant based pizza recipe! You may find that eating clean is easier than you think.

Beet Root Pizza

Canva - Beetroot Dough, Vegetables and Sprouis Pizza, Healthy Fast Food on Slate (1)

Ingredients:

1 head raw cauliflower

2 medium beets (raw & peeled)

¾ cup almond flour

¼ cup coconut flour

4 eggs

1/2 tsp sea salt and black pepper

1 tsp oregano

*You'll also need parchment paper

Directions:

Place cauliflower and beets in a food processor and blend until it turns into a fine rice texture. (You may have to pre-chop the beets a little bit). Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the flour and spices.

Mix well with your hands and then add in the eggs.

Whisk until everything is nice and combined. It may be a little wet, but you should be able to form it into a ball.

Next place on a lined (with parchment paper) baking pan and spread out evenly with your hands.

Bake in the oven at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until slightly golden and firm.

Remove from the oven and add your desired plant based toppings

Place back into the oven for another 10 minutes and then it'll be ready to enjoy

Need more support?

Download our digital cleanse guide for step by step instructions on how to do an Ayurvedic cleanse. Use the promocode WinterCleanse at checkout for 30% off!

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Adaptogenic Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Holiday Treats with a Twist

Holiday treats with a twist

Tis’ the season for gifts and treats, and who doesn’t love something slightly sweet and with a crunch!?!

This is almost too simple to even call a recipe, but a buttery crunch + dark chocolate + sea salt is a damn good combo, that’s why we want to share it anyway.

Like with our special holiday Pumpkin Pie blog, we want to offer you an alternative to the usual sweet snacks on the holiday table.

This recipe is simple and will fill the room with a little extra joy once you take your first bite. These also make a superb travel snack when you’re headed to the in-laws. With adaptogens like Maca Powder and Ashwagandha your hormones will thank you for this magnesium rich raw cocoa delight. Here’s How it’s Done:

Holiday Treats with a Twist

What you will need: 

Directions: 

  • In a medium sized pot add your coconut oil and set on medium-low heat. (You can also do this with a double boiler, but this method seems to work well)
  • Break up your chocolate bars and add them to already heated pot
  • Once the chocolate is completely melted, add the spices and the adaptogens (with the heat turned off)
  • Stir generously until the chocolate is nice and smooth
  • Add the pretzels in one handful at a time
  • Using tongs scoop them out (shaking off any excess chocolate and place them onto the parchment paper
  • Next sprinkle any toppings you like (we did coarse sea salt and coconut flakes)
  • Transfer into the freezer for about an hour

Happy Holidays ! !

Special Ingredients that we used:

Ashwagandha Powder from Banyan Botanicals

Maca Powder by Healthworks

Dark Primal Chocolate Bar by Eating Evolved 

FitJoy Gluten/Grain-free Pretzels 

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Blending Ancient Modalities with Modern Day Health Trends

Ancient Perspectives on Modern Day Health Trends

In the modern health world, what is considered healthy or not is constantly in flux. One day eggs are good, the next day they’re bad. One day going vegan is the answer to longevity, and the next day animal fat is the key ingredient to health.

So, What the F**k are we supposed to eat??

It has become increasingly difficult and more confusing than ever to know what diet is individually appropriate. What will give us the results we want? What is suitable to maintain long term health? With the growing number of "diets", nutritionists, wellness coaches, health professionals and biohackers, everyone seems to have a different take.

It’s common for them to use language such as:

  • This diet will make you really healthy
  • You’ll live a really long time
  • This xy or z will make women really skinny, or will help men to build muscle & virility
  • If you don’t eat “this way,” you’ll suffer
  • Here’s the scientific proof that this nutritional approach is “right”

Of course we want to be healthy, strong, and at our ideal body weight. It’s okay to desire to look and feel well, but these types of statements can often be misleading. If we are already in a vulnerable place of feeling unwell, it’s easy to go down the Google-search rabbit hole. This can snowball into attaching yourself to a particular diet that might not actually be suitable to your specific needs or the imbalances at hand.

Perhaps one of the most unique things we can learn from the ancient teachings of Ayurveda is that there is no one standard diet. Each and every one of us has a unique constitution, lifestyle, and background and therefore what will work best for us will be highly individualized.

A good approach in determining the best meal plan that works for you is to first understand what the different diets out there are, decide what resonates with you, what the benefits are, what are the potential side effects, and then how can you fine tune the diet to be appropriate to your specific constitution. Another way to look at would be to ask the question: What would Ayurveda say? 

This may sound like a lot of work, but luckily we’ve given you a head start. Keep reading to learn more about some of the most current health trends, and how using an Ayurvedic approach can lead to a more balanced plate.

Keto

The ketogenic diet is made up of eating mostly fats, a moderate amount of protein, and a very minimal amount of carbohydrates. Eating a high amount of fat and very few carbohydrates will cause your body to go into ketosis. Ketosis a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs (or glucose) for fuel. This can be very beneficial for certain types of bodies. Especially if it is applied as a short term protocol or in cyclical manner.

Who would benefit from a ketogenic diet? 

If you are insulin sensitive, struggling with high levels of inflammation caused by the “standard American diet” (that is if you are eating high amounts of white sugar and flour), or if you’re looking for a quick reset and you can tolerate high amounts of fat and protein this diet could be helpful. It’s interesting to note that the ketogenic diet was actually developed as a treatment for epilepsy in 1921 by Dr. Russel Wilder, MD, of the Mayo Clinic. He and his team determined that this particular diet could stop seizures and also slow the rapid growth of a lethal brain tumor. This shows that eating in the ketogenic style is and should be used as a therapeutic treatment and not as a long-term plan.

Who is it not suitable for?

If you are undergoing any type of extreme stress, extreme Vata imbalance, or hormonal issues (thyroid regulation or menstrual irregularities) this diet can have some serious negative long-term effects including mood disorders, increased cortisol levels, and it can even lead to weight gain. So, it’s best if this diet is approached with caution, especially for women. As women, we need a certain amount of carbohydrates to produce enough estrogen in order to keep our cycles regular. As Lara Briden, Doctor of Naturopathic medicine, points out in her findings, in a clinical trial on the ketogenic diet for women, 45 percent of the female participants lost their periods within six months.

What would Ayurveda say? The ketogenic diet may have some benefits and could be used as a short-term treatment for some, but too much fat and too much animal protein is hard on your digestive system. We know that animal protein takes longer for the body to digest therefore it sits in your gut longer creating more TAMAS that the body has to deal with later. Going full Keto is similar to carnivore-heavy diets, focusing on consuming large amounts of meat with little to no grains, legumes, or fruit.  In Ancient Ayurveda, grains, legumes, and fruit are actually more Sattvic and are the foods that are essential to creating health and balance.

Whole 30

The Whole 30 diet is somewhat similar to a ketogenic approach, but not quite as extreme with the limited carb intake. The diet consists of eating meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and fats. While eliminating foods such as dairy, sugar (including natural sweeteners & alcohol), all grains, and legumes. The idea is that you will only be consuming whole and unprocessed foods.

Who would benefit from this diet?

If applied short term the Whole 30 diet is suitable and especially appropriate for someone who is insulin sensitive (that is if you didn’t go overboard with the fruit) or if you are targeting certain health goals.

What would Ayurveda say? 

Similarly to the ketogenic diet, it may be beneficial to some and could be used as a short term treatment, but again too much fat and too much animal protein is hard on your digestive system. Ayurveda is also a big proponent of utilizing all the food groups. Any time we completely eliminate multiple food groups for long periods of time you could be setting yourself up for more imbalance.

Veganism

Eating a vegan diet is the complete abstinence from all animal products. The idea is that you are 100% plant based: No dairy, meat, eggs, or any other animal products are permitted. Veganism is often a popular dietary approach in the Yoga community due to the ethical reasons of Ahimsa (non-violence).

Who would benefit from this diet? 

Anyone who is consuming meat from the US industrial farming industry would highly benefit from this diet. If you are unsure where your meat products are coming from chances are it is best to avoid them. The current industrial meat industry is having detrimental effects to the environment, to our digestion, our cardiovascular health, joint health, and is the root cause of many other inflammatory diseases. Adapting a vegan diet would also be beneficial for anyone experiencing high levels of inflammation or extreme Pitta disorders. 

What would Ayurveda Say? 

Similar to all the diets mentioned, whenever you completely eliminate a food group it’s possible you may experience more imbalance. One of Ayurveda’s key ingredients for medicine happens to be an animal product: ghee. Ghee is suitable for all the doshas. It helps to assist in digestion, it keeps your organs and your joints lubricated, it aids in healthy skin, and has many other beneficial properties. There are also many nutrients missing from a vegan diet that would then need to be supplemented if this diet were applied. These nutrients include:

    • zinc
    • iodine
    • vitamin A
    • iron
    • vitamin D
    • vitamin K2
    • coenzyme Q10
    • choline
    • Omega 3
    • vitamin B2
    • vitamin B6
    • vitamin B12

So, while there are some people that may benefit from a vegan diet, unfortunately many of us perform better by adding a small amount of high quality animal protein to our diets. Additionally, in reference to the ethical reasoning for eating a plant-based diet we can best understand this by looking to the Hindu philosophy of Ahimsa - nonharming.

How we can practice Ahimsa in our day to day life has so much to do with feeling healthy, clear, and whole. In order to show up as our best selves, this could mean that we need to incorporate animal products into our diets at certain times of the year in order to maintain balance. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who probably teaches and lives most in the philosophy of Ahimsa has recently adopted the utilization of meat into his diet. Perhaps the best way to approach Ahimsa is NOT with hard and fast dietary rules, but with the question - “How can I do the least amount of harm?” And, “How can I contribute to care-taking the earth/sustainability with my food choices.”

Our diet is truly at it’s best when we are able to eat food in a way that makes it medicine, and promotes a healthy ecology for us all.

Good Food

Conclusion

For many of us in the health and food world, what we eat can often be so intertwined with how we identify ourselves. This can become especially dangerous when the diet we may identify with is no longer serving us. What I have found to be the most helpful is to avoided extremes, be gentle with yourself when discovering what foods are and aren’t contributing to your overall well-being.

Try to keep in mind that your food should be your medicine. Michael Pollan, a famous journalist and food writer truly said it best, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Everyone is unique and therefore the foods they choose to eat should be unique to their specific needs. Read scientific articles, but be your own scientist. Try an elimination diet to see how certain foods affect you, don’t be too dogmatic, and allow yourself to flow with the fluctuations of life: the seasons, the moons, and your own internal tides that are constantly in flux.

Some other takeaways:

  • If you are feeling overwhelmed, work with a health professional/a food coach to help you determine what diet is best for you.
  • When choosing which grains and legumes to consume it’s always best to choose organic, local, and wild when possible. It’s also important to soak grains & legumes and take care in cooking them properly.
  • Be especially cautious when buying animal products. Make sure what you are choosing is coming from a good source: organic, grass fed, local, or wild-caught when choosing fish.
  • Be kind to yourself, practice surrender in order to listen to what your body may be asking of you.
  • Avoid over criticizing other sister’s food choices. We can never know the path of another. Food is our medicine.
  • No matter what foods you are eating, try to eat with joy and gratitude. Our mental and emotional state has far more sway than we know over our physical state. Happiness and thanksgiving increases your body’s ability to digest anything.

Learn how to heal yourself
with Ayurveda

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How to Keep a Healthy Belly During the Holidays

The holiday season is a wonderful time, but let’s face it, it can also be super stressful, physically taxing, and can leave us with that post-holiday belly bloat. Ugh !

There is nothing worse than starting the new year with your digestion in a funk. When you’re not able to digest your food you're not able to digest your life either, and when we can’t digest our life things start to get really gunked up. This can lead to a number of problems like disturbed sleep, mood disorders, hormonal imbalances, adrenal fatigue, weight gain, and many other unwanted winter-time stressors.

Copy of finallove2618_0061

So, how do you create EASE during the holidays?!

Stoke that digestive fire (Agni)! Cultivating strong Agni pre-holiday season will have tremendous benefits during the festive season and the months to follow. In order to keep your Agni strong do what you can to create ease on your digestive system and lower the intake of anything that is more toxic or inflammatory. Another key element for maintaining easeful digestion is eliminating any stressors that may be causing adrenal upset. Your adrenal glands play a huge role in regulating your stress levels. They help to regulate your blood sugar, your blood pressure, help you burn fat and protein, and they also determine how you react to stress.

Here are some helpful tips to eliminate stress and help you prepare a strong digestive fire pre-holiday feasting:

*Mung bean cleanse (pre and/or post holiday) - leading up to the holidays (and also after the holidays) can be a great time to eat a more simplified diet. A kitchari (ayurvedic mung bean) cleanse helps to clear away any excess sludge in the body, it strengthens your digestion, and will leave you feeling light and clear as you go into the family and eating frenzy. It’s also an appropriate cleanse to do during the cooler months because you aren’t depriving yourself of foods, but rather eating enough food that is warm, nourishing, AND cleansing. This is also a perfect cleansing protocol to do at any time of the year, especially for the working woman who needs to be fueled throughout the day!  A mung bean cleanse can help to keep your vata balanced and will give you loads of energy for all the events on your holiday calendar.

*Tulsi-Ginger tea - This is a great tea to help keep you calm while also aiding in digestion. Ayurveda’s “Holy Basil” is an all around beautiful tea to soothe your mind, boost your immunity, and calm your belly. I love the addition of ginger in this tea for the added “debloating” effect that it has. Try using this in between meals while you are out of your normal routine and watch how it creates more stability in your mood and in your tummy.

*Float Tank- This could be a hard one to find, but Float Tank spas are popping up all over the place and if you’re lucky there might just be one located near your holiday destination. A float tank is a sensory deprivation tank that is filled with water and epsom salts. It is meant to be a meditative experience helping to reduce external stimulation and create ease on your neurotransmitters. It can be extremely helpful when we are traveling, out of our normal routine, or if we are just looking for a targeted way to unwind. You could even suggest doing this as a family event! If a float tank isn’t available, try adding some time for some sort of mindfulness and meditation practice. This will help you to stay present and enjoy each moment through the holiday season.

*Take a walk with the family before/after meals- The holidays are all about togetherness, but this doesn’t mean that togetherness always has to happen lounging on the couch. Of course wintertime is a great season for rest, but it’s just as important to expose yourself to the elements and move your body as it is to relax. Doing some form of exercise in the open air to fuel your lungs and stretch your body will keep you from sinking into that holiday slump. It’s also a wonderful way to have more intimate moments with the people you love.

*Try to stay away from dairy- It can be difficult to keep to our healthy eating habits when we travel great distances and visit people that may not have our same dietary needs. Please be gentle with yourself no matter what you’re eating (your mind plays a huge role in your digestion). However, if you can limit the amount of dairy you take in this holiday season it will significantly aide your digestive system. Dairy is often overused ingredient in holiday cooking. Even if you normally do okay with dairy, it is still best avoided during the times when excess Kapha can start to clog up your digestive tract. So, maybe this means you politely pass on the heavy whipped cream and gravy.

Or, take your digestive enzyme and choose the dairy dish that you just can’t pass up! 🙂

*Take it easy on the alcohol- I know that alcohol can sometimes help to ease the tension that may come from stressful holiday gatherings, conversations, or family members you don’t quite tolerate as well, but it’s not always the best choice. When misused alcohol can make you feel worse. It also slows down your metabolism and wrecks your digestive fire. If you do decide to drink try to drink moderately, drink lots of water in between, and maybe try adding in some supplements for additional support. Activated coconut charcoal, vitamin C, and digestive enzymes will help aid in your liver’s ability to detoxify the alcohol. It’s also best if you can try to have your last drink earlier in the evening and the next morning add a dash of celtic salt to your water to help replenish any minerals you might have lost.

*Hack your sleep: Getting plenty of rest is so important for the body’s ability to repair itself. This is crucial during the times when we are overloading our system with different foods. It’s not always easy to sleep outside the comforts of your own bed, but I’ve found that earplugs and a face mask can really help in keeping my sleep consistent. Try using some essential oils like lavender, geranium, frankincense, and cypress to lead you into a more restful state. I love adding these essential oils to a carrier oil like sesame or coconut oil for a little self massage pre-bedtime. My favorite oil to use is the Vata Balancing Massage Oil from Banyan Botanical.

*Bring your non-negotiables with you! For me whenever I travel I have to bring a few essential items that I know will help keep me close to my routine and will also help to keep me sane. These items include my morning beverage (right now it’s matcha green tea with oat milk), triphala for healthy digestion, heavy amounts of leafy greens (a green liver powder works great), and my essential oils for body love! I also find it crucial to bring my stash of supplements. I may look a little cookey on the plane, but if it works, it’s coming with!

Supplements We Love

Triphala - Shakti School insiders get 15% off at Banyan! Use promo code KATIES15

Oil of Oregano (for immunity)

Maca - Chaste Berry - Ashwagandha powder (healthy hormone balance)

Lipotropic Complex (liver support)

Quinton Water (mineral replenish/post drinking remedy)

Digestive Enzymes 

Thorne Brain and Mitochondria support 

Nordic Naturals DHA Algae 

Thorne Vitamin D3 + K2

Kettle & Fire Bone Broth (digestive aid)

 

Oils:

Transdermal Samadhi Roll on Set

Banyan Vata Balancing Oil

Essential Oils: Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Cypress, and Eucalyptus.

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The Pumpkin Pie You Want To Eat

The Sugar Timeline, celebratory events, and why we eat more when we’re together
(Recipe included)

Processed with VSCO with e2 preset

The Holidays can be frustrating when it comes to making healthy food choices.

This should be a special time of year when your energy is centered around celebration, togetherness, and joy and where the focus is to spend quality time with the people you love most. Instead it often includes frustration around food decision making, and the fear of uneasy digestion. On Thanksgiving especially, it's common knowledge that we overeat and typically we overeat sugar.

In North America (and all around the globe) the use of sweets in celebratory events has been a historical tradition. Though the cultivation of sugar dates back to 8,000BC, we see the use of sugar in celebratory event as early as 2,400 BC (!) where there is evidence of beekeeping and the collection honey for honey cakes found at a religious temples near present day Cairo, Egypt. (Hippocrates Health Institute-The Sugar Timeline)

We also see this in the Hindu/Yoga tradition where bringing sweets to the temple as an offering to the God’s is commonly practiced. Traditionally, before industrial sugar cane manufacturing, sweets were more of a luxury item and were considered “Sattvic,” or pure. Of course, this is in reference to sugar in the form of dates and honey which aren’t nearly as taxing on the body as the chemically refined sugar we most commonly use today. As sugar cane evolved into the chemically refined substance that we know all too well now, it became more accessible and affordable and unfortunately we see a direct correlation to the rise of Alzheimer's, diabetes and obesity. Instead of sugar being used a sacred treat, or offering, it became readily available to everyone, all the time, in unnatural states and in absurd quantities.

So, how do we go back to making sugar sacred?

It all comes back to eating whole foods and preparing food at home. For most Americans, having access to healthy ingredients and the time to prepare food at home is a luxury. If we all made an effort to only eat sugar when we could prepare our own sweet treats, it would likely lead to much healthier options (no matter if you’re cooking with white sugar or not). The act of cooking for others truly is sacred and the Thanksgiving holiday is a perfect time to make food that is celebratory, healthy, and sweet. 

What about when it comes to overeating? 

It’s interesting to note that a food study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2013 concluded that people tend to eat more calorically dense food and more volumes of food—depending on the information they’re given about what other people are eating. Similarly, the same study showed that we even synchronize our bites, the same way we subconsciously mirror someone else’s posture or body language, without ever realizing it. Simply becoming aware of this fact is enough to make you think differently and possibly act differently when you sit down at the Thanksgiving table. If you are able to be more aware when you’re eating it not only will help you to make more thoughtful choices about your meal, but it could actually help those you are eating with to make more thoughtful choices about what they are eating as well.

Now, let’s go back to celebrating. 

Now that we’ve established that we all love the occasional sweet treat and we want to celebrate with some sort of sacred sugary dessert,  it’s important to choose something that is still balanced and nourishing, not something that is loaded with white flour & white sugar. This is especially important when you want your energy to be sustained through those long evening chats with cousin Kristie. So, how can we be sure a healthy option shows up to the Thanksgiving table? Bring it yourself!

If you want your family to be blown away, show up to the holiday dinner party with this amazing (and healthy) Pumpkin Pie ! ! !  It’s not going to spike your blood sugar, it’s going to make everyone in the room happy, and eating it might even be a sacred act.

The Pumpkin Pie You Want To Eat

For the Crust:

  • 2 cups pitted dates
  • 2 cups raw nuts (I used half pecans, half walnuts)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • A dash of salt

For the Filling :

  • 2 cans of pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup of cashews (previously soaked)
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 3-5 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg, ginger and cloves
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pumkin Pie

Directions:

For the crust: pulse the nuts & coconut flakes in a food processor until they're crumbs, add the dates and the remaining ingredients and process until it begins to stick together. Press into a pie dish and put in the fridge (or freezer) to harden.

For the filling: blend all of the ingredients until smooth, adding however much of the spices you like. Pour into your crust and freeze overnight until it's set. The next day transfer to the fridge to let it thaw out. Take it out of the refrigerator 15-20 min prior to serving.

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*Top with your favorite homemade whipped cream!

(It’s best to use an organic Grass-Fed Heavy whipping cream or you can try this recipe below for a vegan coconut whipped cream).

Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream: 

1 can coconut cream or full fat coconut milk (Cream tends to work better)

3 TBSP of organic powdered sugar (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract

*Place the can of coconut cream into the refrigerator and leave it there overnight

*The next day, take it out and carefully open it

*Scoop  out only the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer, leaving the coconut water behind.

*Start with a slow speed and gradually increase speed until you achieve a whipped cream consistency

*Once you have whipped cream consistency, Add your powdered sugar and vanilla

*Whisk again until it’s mixed in !

 

Enjoy !

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Balancing Vata for Fall

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As we shift into fall we are leaving the Pitta season and entering into the Vata season.

The Vata element is associated with air and ether. It functions as movement and energy, and seasonally it is the time of year when the atmosphere is dry, cool, and rough (windy).

It is easy to see how Vata presents itself if we look at what is happening in nature (especially those of us that live in a four season climate). The cool air begins to dry the leaves making them brittle and rough and eventually they fall. These qualities translate to our own inner climate as well. Often with the rise of Vata our skin can become more dry and rough, our hair and nails more brittle, and it is not uncommon that our digestion and immunity may suffer. The sometimes erratic nature of the Vata element can also make our minds feel more scattered, disrupt our sleep, and even contribute to unwanted mood swings.

So, how do we avoid the usual struggles of fall? 

Balancing Vata can be simple if we are diligent about balancing our system as a whole. This means we have to look to not only our diet but, exercise, self care and lifestyle habits as well.

Diet:

  • Favor more warm or cooked foods
  • Add more healthy fats like ghee, avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil to your dishes
  • Spice things up with more warming spices: black pepper, cumin, ginger, mustard seed, cayenne, and cinnamon
  • Eat more tubers! Pumpkin, beets, Sweet potatoes, and all types of other hardy winter squash
  • Drink more warming teas in between meals
  • Make golden mama milk
  • Add soups or stews into your weekly meal routine

Exercise:

  • Walk more and run less
  • Favor resistance training over cardio loading
  • Gentle yoga and meditation

Self Care:

Lifestyle:

  • Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day (vata craves routine for balance)
  • Try not to overdo it with too many social obligations
  • Take more time to pause throughout the day and observe your breath
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