Lifestyle

Exercise Like an Ayurveda Queen

How to Maintain a Movement Practice within the Changing Cycles of Life

When it comes to exercise and Ayurveda, we tend to immediately think of yoga as the primary form of exercise. And yes, while yoga is an incredible tool and practice to incorporate into your life, it’s not always the medicine we need in the moment. That’s right, I said it: yoga isn’t always the cure! Ayurveda teaches us to flow with the natural rhythms of life. Just as we adjust our food to match the flow of our life we also need to adjust our movement with the ebbs and flow of life.

What does that mean?

This means learning how to take care of yourself throughout all of the changes that happen within your own community, family, and environment. Whether you're experiencing seasonal, hormonal, career shifts, or any other significant change, most all changes can become a determining factor in how to best fine tune your exercise. This will help to create more balance and harmony within your body and will greatly contribute to your overall emotional well being. Through careful awareness and simple changes you will be able to best tackle whatever is happening in your life.

Important factors to consider when scheduling your workout

Dosha

Perhaps one of the most obvious factors to consider is your dominant dosha. (If you are unsure of what your dosha is, you can begin by taking this quiz). Within the context of dosha, it’s always best to consider which dosha you are primarily dominant in at the current state in time.

Vata

Given Vata’s natural tendency to be on the go, a little flighty, and often gravitating towards more movement it may be best to slow down and add in more grounding movement practices into your weekly routine. Things like tai chi, restorative yoga, meditation, massage, and walks in nature can all be really good to help harness & focus that Vata energy. For strength building focus on slow, intentional, and fluid resistance training.

Pitta

Pitta loves a challenge and can easily fall into a hard and heavy approach to working out. Pitta’s need to express their fiery energy, but too much can easily lead to imbalance and major adrenal fatigue. Make your workouts more moderate (don’t always go to your max), keep your intense workouts balanced with just as many restorative exercises, exercise in nature, and avoid exercising in the midday sun.

Kapha

Kapha is the least likely to get out of balance with excess exercise. If Kapha energy is strong, a swift jog could be the perfect cure. Full body exercises like cycling, rock climbing, running, and swimming can all help to balance Kapha dosha.

*All doshas tend to benefit from exercising during the Kapha time of day (6-10am/pm)

Hormonal cycle

Whether you are still in your reproductive years or menopausal years, your hormonal cycle is extremely important to consider when it comes to exercise.

Luteal/Menstrual

Leading up to your period it’s important to begin to decrease your high intensity workouts. As your body begins to prepare for a bleed week, it needs to take extra care in saving more energy for the event that’s to come. Try to focus on slower movements like restorative yoga, walking, and low-level weight training. I would recommend very little activity at all on the first day you bleed. Gradually as your energy increases you can begin to increase your activity and intensity levels. However, continue to take care in not overdoing it during this time.

Follicular/Ovulation

This is the time in our cycle when we generally feel the best and have the most energy. It’s a perfect time to focus on building more muscle because your body is more equipped for it. Add in your HIIT training, heavier lift days, hot yoga, or sweaty dance classes during this phase of the month.

Peri/Post Menopausal Years

This can be a really challenging time for many women. But, with the proper information and right support it doesn’t always have to be so difficult. As your hormones begin to change, building muscle and burning fat will not be as easy as it once was in your 20’s and 30’s. That’s why it is extremely important to focus on movement practices that will help you maintain and build muscle. Focus less on heavy cardio and more on resistance training. Walking, jogging, and hiking are all still acceptable options, but practices like yoga and weight training are going to be the most beneficial.

Time

When you are planning your workouts within a busy schedule try to pay attention to what would best support your week. If you have a lot of errands and running around to do, a HIIT class might not actually benefit you. Think of ways to arrange your schedule to support the movement practices you know you want/need while also maintaining balance within a busy life.

Stress (travel, sleep, big life events)

Stress plays a HUGE role in our health. If we are overworked, underslept, or emotionally exhausted we are not going to get the same benefits or make gains from our workouts as we would when we are free from life’s stressors. If you are navigating through a lot of extra stress it’s extremely important to focus on practices that will help to ground and support you. Things like meditation, prayer, journaling, walking in nature, and spending time with loved ones are all helpful during times of stress. Be really honest with yourself about what you need. You might need a run or you may need to skip the workout and schedule a massage (on a budget? Self massage or partner massage works just fine).

Movement is so important for longevity of the body and is just as important for the longevity of the mind. Not only does it help to keep our physical form in shape, but exercise can really help to strengthen our emotional body. We need fluidity, stretching, and building to help maintain a more balanced and harmonious state of being. There is a huge growing body of research about the positive impact of exercise to the brain/body connection. It’s been proven that as little as 20 minutes of aerobic activity can lift people out of states of anxiety and other mood disorders. Movement practices/exercise causes an increase in circulation to the brain which could be a major contributing factor in turning your day completely around!

With a few small tweaks from the helpful wisdom of Ayurveda we can begin to fine tune our exercises to best support us during the unique changes and challenges that life will inevitably bring.

To dive deep into the teachings of Ayurveda, become a wellness coach, or deepen your own path to healing (or all of the above), consider joining our 2022 class of Ayurveda School. Learn more here.

Resources:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-199009060-00001

The Brain, Gut, and Heart

Our Gateways into Resetting for the New Year

Every year around all parts of the globe there are celebrations of a new year. In America, it falls on the first of January with the common expectation to set some sort of a resolution for the new calendar year ahead. As I’ve mentioned in my monthly Shakti Letter every January, I don’t really love the idea of New Year’s resolutions. Instead of setting resolutions, I like to think about setting goals that will support any idea of a resolution. For example, if you don’t want to binge eat ice cream every night, rather than restricting ice cream all together, why not integrate a mindfulness practice to cultivate more presence with your behavioral patterns?

Do you know what you are?
You are a manuscript oƒ a divine letter.
You are a mirror reflecting a noble face.
This universe is not outside of you.
Look inside yourself;
everything that you want,
you are already that.
Rumi

You are your biggest resource when it comes to getting more of what you want. The key is being connected to your higher self, the part of you that intuitively knows what is best for you and your success. One of the best ways to reconnect to your higher self, is to do a full body reset. The reset is intended to stoke your internal fire (your metabolic processes) and the fire of your soul. These tips and practices will activate your spirit while also allowing the body to find more space for restfulness, ease, and clarity. This kind of reset can be done at any time of the year (and multiple times throughout the year).

Reset Your Gut

This will look differently for each person, but a very simple way to reset the gut and break bad habits around food, is to commit to eating real and whole foods. Ditch the sugar all together and focus on foods that are as closest to their natural form as possible. Cook your own food and eat in a way that works for you. Try for Ayurveda-focused eating: eat with the season, eat for what’s going on in your life, and eat for your body type (not your best friend’s body type, your sister’s or your husbands).

In general, aim to boost Agni (digestive fire). Add digestive spices to all your dishes (fennel, coriander, cumin, and ginger). Eat light. Eating light does not mean fasting. It’s fully possible to eat grounding and nourishing foods while also eating light. Give your digestion a break. Create longer gaps between meals. Consider eating your largest meal earlier in the day and go lighter in the evening (simple soup or broth).

Take Triphala (use code KATIES15 for 15% off). Triphala is the sacred trio in Ayurveda composed of the dried fruits amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki, and can be super helpful in getting your digestion in check and the whole body operating more functionally.

Move your body in the morning. Dry brushing, stretching, and oil massage will help to get the lymph circulating and the internal organs stimulated which will help with digestion and energy production.

Reset Your Brain

One of my favorite teachers, Tara Brach, said,

“In moments of presence is when we reconnect with goodness”

Goodness is a positive brain state. It’s when we can be in a flow state, when we are productive, and most energetically alive. How can you best find your connection to goodness? You may already know what activities bring you into your own innate goodness (and if you do, do more of those). But, for most people, these are some practices that are bound to help.

Explore meditation. Even just five minutes a day can drastically improve the quality of your day. In life we are in a continuous flow of remembering and forgetting (our higher self). When we take time to slow down we often come back to remembering.

Immerse yourself in nature. Take a long walk, go to a park, or find a mountain and get to the top!

Try a week-long digital detox. This is such a great way to get more centered in your True Self. Unfortunately, as a society we’ve become far too addicted to devices and distraction. It’s essential that you find your own healthy limit with how much energy you invest in mindless scrolling. Exercise for you. Again, stick to what works for you. What makes you feel the most alive and full of energy afterwards when it comes to movement practices? Maybe it’s daily stretching, taking a walk, or maybe you have a lot of Kapha energy and need a morning run. Whatever it is, do some sort of movement that elevates your energy.

Reset Your Heart

Matters of the heart can be difficult to heal. And more often than not it takes a lot of time. By resetting the gut and the brain first, you will have better luck when it comes to healing the heart. If you are experiencing any trauma related emotions, it is best to work with a professional in somatic experience who can help you navigate that space.

Manage your stress levels. This is something you can start doing now. Stress plays a huge role in emotional well being (which also leads to a lot of physiological effects as well). When we are stressed, we are disconnected. Become more familiar with the ways you disconnect so that you can best prepare yourself for when it comes up.

Take time for prayer. Praying doesn’t have to be a religious act. Prayer can be mantra reciting, it can be through repetition of a positive affirmation, or it can look totally different.

Keep a journal and write in it. Getting your thoughts on paper will help you to sort through your emotional hang ups or will simply help to process the day. It is in journaling when I gain some of my best inspiration.

Manage your time + make the time to unwind and relax. In our go, go, go society there can often be pressure associated with non-stop doing. Push against this societal norm and make space for doing nothing. It is in that space where you will be able to find stillness, your body can decompress, and your heart will have the time to heal and make peace. Check out this Inner Bliss Meditation to start finding ease and more aliveness in the heart.

And, Sleep!

High quality sleep is vital for optimal brain function, heart health, mood, hormones, and the list can go on and on. It’s crucial for resetting your whole nervous system into a state of balance and resiliency. And it’s not just about the amount of sleeping hours you get in a night, but the quality of your sleep too. The largest sleep study ever conducted (on 1.1 million people) showed that it’s quality, not quantity, that matters most. (1) And, at least half of all Americans say they suffer from insomnia, and nearly 9 million are using prescription sleep medication. (2)

To jumpstart your sleep, start by limiting the use of blue light at night. These are my favorite Blue Light Blockers. Turn off the screens three hours before bedtime.

Up your healthy fats. Make sure you are getting enough healthy sources of fat throughout the day: avocado, olive oil, ghee, and fish oils are all great sources.

Ditch the caffeine and alcohol + add in the magnesium. I know this can be hard, but higher amounts of coffee and alcohol really disrupt the quality of sleep. Try it out for a month and see how you feel. Replace your evening nightcap with a warm Ojas Nightly Tonic from Lifespa.

Finding ways to reset your system will be super helpful year round (sometimes even mini resets throughout each day). We are learning to lean into these times of uncertainty and uncertainty can be a really difficult realm to navigate. The key is to be present. When we are present in each moment it’s easier to make decisions in our day to day life. As human beings it is our habit and condition to want life to be different when life isn’t easy. The truth is life will always be uncertain, so it’s all about how you set yourself up for success and respond to it.

By finding ways to focus and connect to presence, love, and your inner spirit you will be guided with much more awareness and acceptance of what’s to come.

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010336/

https://aasm.org/cdc-analysis-finds-low-rate-of-prescription...

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db127.pdf

How to Find Purpose In Your Life

Making Lasting Change
For More Joy + Fulfillment

We often go through life fishing, only to realize it’s not fish we were after.

-Thoreau

The Buddha said that the whole world lives on the tip of intention. How aware are you of your intention? At the end of it all the outer world fades and we are only left with our inner world. How is your inner world serving you? What is the intention that is driving your daily habits? Are you living from your heart’s deepest aspirations? Or, are you living from a place of fear, worry, or regret? If we want to live a life of true purpose, to feel freedom, and flow with the natural rhythms of this world, it is absolutely essential that we start being intentional with how we shape our daily life. It is only when we are fulfilling our heart’s deepest longings that we will feel free.

So, how do we become free?

It starts with thought. Many of the great ancient teachings (including the Upanishads) highlight the importance of your thoughts, and more specifically, watching your thoughts. Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. Therefore, it is your thoughts that determines your destiny. Again: Your thoughts determine your destiny, your freedom, and your purpose.

As we go through life, slowly we start forgetting why we are here. Our purpose fades away and it is in the forgetting that we suffer. Studies on the world’s blue zones (regions of the world where it is claimed that a higher than usual number of people live much longer than average) have shown that waking up with purpose can extend your life up to seven years! In a world where distractions are easy and at an all-time high, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold onto the soul’s purpose and so we naturally forget. The ancient teachings say that this is the human condition. We don’t examine our life, we forget what our gifts are and how to use them. The Buddha said that everyone is gifted, but most people never open their gift. This life is precious. Your gifts are precious. Don’t waste another minute of your life not opening your gift.

How do you discover (or rediscover) what the heart truly wants?

I will admit, relearning how to follow the heart and rediscover your spiritual purpose is not easy, but as an essential ingredient to the success and happiness of your life, it is worth the sometimes difficult start. And that start happens the minute you open your eyes every morning. Setting aside time for spiritual discovery can quickly get moved to the backburner, especially when your task plate is already so full, but it’s important that you do not sacrifice short term gain for the longer vision of who you want to be.

Steps for Uncovering the Soul’s Purpose:

Meditation

Reclaim the Mental Narrative. What makes up your daily mental narrative? Are you having trouble getting out of a toxic mindset (a spiral of negative mind chatter)? This is an indicator that you are not living in alignment with your soul’s purpose. Find a meditation practice that works for you and stick to it. Whether it is 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 30 minutes, set aside the same time every day for intentional stillness and contemplation. Essential soul time.

Daily Prayer or Affirmations

Proverbs 23:7 says, As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Another powerful way to shift the mental narrative is to actually start retraining the brain for what you want. This can be achieved through daily thanksgiving, prayer, or self proclaimed affirmations that are in alignment with what you want more of. Include this in your daily essential soul time.

Invest In Your health

What are you doing to sustain your own physical health? And are you taking mental stock of that? It doesn’t have to be a new strict diet plan that you follow, but simply begin to notice what you put into your body and how it makes you feel. The physical and mental bodies are intricately connected. Nurture your body, give yourself permission to feel pleasure from food, and stay connected to the wisdom of the body that knows what and how much of something it truly needs. If the mind is chaotic, make your plate simple.

Writing Exercises

Free form writing can be extremely beneficial when it comes to making space in the mind. Working with certain prompts can help answer some heavy hearted questions. Here are some examples to get you going that are specifically designed to target your soul’s purpose:

What did you want to do when you were a little kid?
What is the core part of you that you want folks to talk about at your funeral?
What gets you completely in the flow or in the zone?
What naturally comes easy to you?
What do you fear most when it comes to internal growth?
What is essential to your long term health? Your success?
What is meaningful to you? How do you feed your soul?

Try following up your meditation with this writing exercise and I am positive that you will uncover some answers.

Learn and Explore

For some people, there can be immense spiritual value in exploration and learning something new. If you find yourself in an unshakable funk, try visiting somewhere new. I know we are currently living through a pandemic, but it doesn’t have to be a faraway land. Even going on a drive to a different neighborhood, or a nearby town and walking around can help shift the inner workings of the brain. When we see things for the first time our creativity is stimulated, our dopamine increases, and our soul can get a little wake up call. Or, sign up for a class! There are so many virtual offerings available these days and learning can be a powerful tool to stimulate the mind and reinvigorate the heart. Our Ayurveda Program is the fast track to finding inner wisdom and purpose: More on that here.

Find Your Supporters

Who are your strong supporters? Your spiritual cheerleaders? Lean into the people that help lift you up. Community helps build spiritual resilience. Find the people you trust the most and work together to encourage and uplift one another. You do not have to be alone on this journey.

Remember, this is a journey. Be gentle with yourself. Learn how to trust your instincts and be willing to invest in yourself. Caring for your soul is one of the most important jobs you have in this lifetime. And, once you rediscover your soul’s purpose, the job then becomes how to share your unique skills with others. As your skills become a service to your community, it will inspire others to do this very necessary soul work. The work that leads to more joy, more openness, and more fulfillment in life.

Two books to take you deeper down this journey of self-discovery and purpose:

From a more Western tradition: Designing Your Life
From a more Eastern tradition: The Four Desires

And if you want to spend a WHOLE YEAR learning about yourself and potentially launch a new career, join us in Ayurveda School. We start in January!

The Physical Body, Social Media & Your Brain

It’s understood in the Yoga Tradition, and has even been scientifically proven, that simply moving and stretching the body with breath awareness as an anchor can begin to shift the habitual patterns of our brain. Therefore, the state of our brain can be directly related to so much of what is ailing our physical body. But a new variable in this equation is the link between social media and how it’s forming habitual patterns that we may or may not be in control of.

How we perceive the world and what makes up our daily mental chatter has a direct relationship to the physical condition of the body.

If your mental space is caught up in a spiral of negative thoughts, this in turn will likely lead you to feel depressed, agitated, anxious, or dull. How you digest your thoughts can also have a tremendous effect on how you digest your food. How many times have you scrolled through your phone, email, instagram, or any other form of social media and felt really good and energized afterwards? Do you find yourself reaching for a device when you’re not feeling your best? Unfortunately, social media platforms, which were originally created in an effort to connect us, are now seeking to keep us addicted and caught in a dangerous loop of distraction and dissatisfaction. Which in turn leads us towards more and more disconnect with ourselves, with those around us, and the environment in which we live.

One of the core teachings behind the Tantrik Yoga Tradition is that our Prana (energy) follows our focus and what we choose to focus our attention on will also direct our energy.

When our energy goes into mental processing in a push towards personal perfection, more possessions, or fame, it becomes a never-ending process that can lead to a deep sense that we can never be fulfilled, that life is never enough, and a deep insecurity and fear begin to set it. According to the wisdom of Ayurveda and Tantra, it happens because we are confused (or experiencing avidya – mis-knowing) and we have forgotten that the continual processing towards perfection, a quest to avoid pain, disappointment and gain things that feel good, leads us to the false belief that we are not good enough already.

It is in this confusion that we forget that, deep within, lies a bottomless well of support and freedom, and it is this light that will bridge the gap of freedom from the duality of good and bad, as well as a gateway into peace. Therefore, it is essential that we take recognition of this interplay happening within our internet communities. It is time to take charge in order to intentionally use such platforms for a source of good and constructive education (like they were initially intended to be). This will limit the power that it has over our physical and mental wellbeing.

How To Take Back Control

Work with the Brain

What are the negative beliefs about yourself that you tell yourself? The story you repeat to yourself?

How has it affected you? Your relationships? Your ability to be intimate? Your creativity? Gratification? Or, your ability to enjoy life?

Whatever your answer may be, most likely these are FEAR-based beliefs. We create beliefs steeped in fear when we are trying to protect ourselves from failing or falling short. We start to believe that a negative belief is better than being steeped in uncertainty, or failing. Then, we look for anything that supports our belief, so the lean towards the negative gets amplified. (This is what happens with endless scrolling, or fill in the blank with your negative addiction).

We must learn how to step out of this prison of fears and turn them into a source for healing and growth. When we live from love and awareness our whole world view becomes more focused. Neurologists have found this to be true. When studying the brain it was found that when we are feeling negative thoughts our learning centers shut down, which directly affects our body and our ability to respond to life.

First Step

Become aware of your thoughts.

This is the process of metacognition. Once we become mindful of our thoughts, we’ll have a better chance at not believing our thoughts. Your thoughts are a mental representation of reality. They are real and are happening, but they are NOT reality itself. You cannot always trust what you think as truth.

Whatever the tantrika focuses on, that will become the inclination of her mind.

If you know the difference between your a) thoughts, and b) reality, you can change how you respond and be less reactive. Start by making time for a daily practice that cultivates more objectivity (observer/Shiva consciousness) to wake you up out of your thoughts and allow stillness.

Start simple. This practice does not have to be difficult. It's about setting consistent intentions and finding time for silence.

Close your eyes, place one hand on your belly, and the other on your heart, skin to skin.

Take a few deep breaths into your own belly, your own heart. Keep breathing equal parts inhale into exhale until you taste a tiny drop of silence. Continue this practice daily until gradually your taste of silence becomes longer and longer. You can also pause throughout the day and come back to this morning's intention.

Second Step

Make changes towards more of what you want

Environment

Where we live has a huge impact on our health and wellbeing. It’s important to feel supported by your environment and to love where you live. If you love where you are living you will be inspired and motivated to show up as the best version of yourself. Get clear on your living environment in order to fully thrive. And, if you feel like a change is necessary, make a practical timeline for change in order to gather the resources you need. If switching up your environment is somehow out of your control, really focus in on the other factors below.

Community

Love the ones you're with. Being surrounded by like-minded people and loved ones elevates our serotonin and dopamine which helps combat the symptoms associated with times of high stress or fight-or-flight. This is especially important for women. We are biologically hard-wired to tend and befriend. If you are feeling low, unable to concentrate, or stuck in a negative spiral, make sure that you are getting in adequate time for friendship. And, it doesn’t have to be about you! Helping others (tend) also has a huge impact when it comes to enhancing your mood and the health of your brain.

Social Media Engagement

This is a big topic and perhaps the largest factor when it comes to society’s declining mental stability. We have become so dependent on these little devices. We are letting devices run the show and it is imperative that we take back the reins of our mental health. Start by setting guidelines on how often you allow yourself to use social media. This includes instagram, facebook, youtube, email, podcasts, etc. Maybe even designate certain days throughout the week where you completely eliminate your usage. (Keep a lookout for our ongoing community digital detoxes, including the #ShaktiShutDown in a couple of weeks). Be selective about accounts you follow. Are they helping to lift you up? Look through who you follow and delete accounts/people who are not positive or do not bring you joy. Only you can determine your personal healthy boundaries. Make a plan, stay consistent, and perhaps have an accountability buddy to keep you on track. This is your brain we’re talking about! The iPhone now has a Screen Time function that allows you to put a limit on how long you spend on certain apps and when you use them. Set up your preference. There’s a version of this app in the Google Play store for Android users.

Check out this new documentary: The Social Dilemma (2020)

And these studies:

Exercise

Of course it’s important to do some form of exercise every day. This doesn’t have to be a HIIT class every day, but even a daily walk will help stimulate and regulate the mind in a positive way. Pay attention to what your body needs. Some days you will need to sweat and some days you will need to create space for rest. (Don’t forget that deep rest is just, if not more, important than being active). It’s also helpful to maintain low levels of exercise throughout the day. This can help to stabilize your mind and will allow for you to come back to that morning intention. If you work at a desk, set a timer on the hour for every hour you sit. Get up and do 10 air squats, 10 lunges, 10 windmills of your arms. Draw your shoulders back and open your chest. This will help to relieve stress and stagnation. You can also do this throughout the day even if you do not have a desk job.

Purpose

Are you living out your life’s purpose? Are you being lit up by what you do? That might be mothering your child, bagging groceries, or slinging that CEO life, but whatever it is you should be doing it with JOY and feeling inspired on a regular basis. Our working life makes up so much of our daily lives, so it’s important that we love what we are doing. And, of course every job (dream job or not) will have dull moments. That is normal and healthy. It’s important to face challenges for growth and renewal. Overall your job should give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, week, or month. And, if it’s constantly causing you more stress. Change it up! I know it’s scary to make big changes, especially when they have financial consequences, but if you are truly unhappy with what you are doing, I promise you that by listening to your passions combined with your unique skills, success is sure to follow. And, if you are really struggling to find just what that purpose is, our flagship one-year Ayurveda training might be the container you need to open your eyes to your soul’s deepest longing 🙂

Food

Notice how this is last on the list? If you are reading this blog post chances are you already have a pretty good start when it comes to what you are feeding your body. And if not, we have plenty of good resources for you in The Shakti School Blog. But when it comes to brain health and dealing with stubborn negative thought patterns, often we cannot clean-eat our way out of it. Of course research shows us that high doses of vitamin D, upping our omega 3’s, and getting enough high quality oils can boost our brain health; but it is still essential to work through the other obstacles that are keeping you from your ultimate freedom. It’s always smart to eat whole foods that are nutrient dense, lightly cooked, and spiced according to the season and to your constitution. Eat in a calm atmosphere, give gratitude before meals, and eat until you are 75% full. To put it simply, when your life feels chaotic, simplify your plate.

All About Coffee

How to Biohack Your Morning Cup of Coffee, Caffeine Alternatives That Actually Taste Good, & Why Cutting Out Caffeine Could Help Save Your Hormones

Did you say Coffee? Heck yes, of course I love coffee. I don’t know many people who don’t. Especially when it’s paired with your favorite creamy frothed nut milk, full fat coconut cream, or a little raw honey and a dash of cinnamon. Wait a second, isn’t this article supposed to help me get off the coffee craze?! Well, kind of. The key is not to completely eliminate your favorite beverage all together. We want to help you find new (and perhaps tastier) ways to consume your favorite stimulant, but it’s possible that after reading this you might be excited to try other alternatives. The point is that you are choosing a morning beverage that is supportive and balancing to your individual health while also maintaining the rituals that you love.

Caffeine, like any strong stimulant, is highly addictive. This is why it can become increasingly difficult when it comes to limiting your consumption. Unfortunately, too much of a good thing is never really all that good. There is a famous quote in the Bhagavad Gita explaining, "that which seems like nectar at first, eventually will taste like poison.” The key is finding the appropriate balance and applying moderation to everything you choose to take into your body. Finding balance will differ from person to person and is best discovered after you have first eliminated the stimulant, allowed for a detox period, and then slowly added it back in. (This goes for most foods and allergens). Another way to determine whether or not you tolerate coffee is through genetic testing. It might sound extreme, but genetic testing can give you a lot of insight to what’s going on internally. However, I’ve found that the elimination method is super effective. It is only then that you can really figure out where your sweet spot is and whether or not you’re overdoing it with your caffeine intake.

Overloading your system with caffeine can lead to some unwanted negative side effects to your health. Caffeine, especially coffee, elevates your cortisol (your body’s main stress hormone) which can wreak havoc on your endocrine system (especially if you are a woman). And, when your hormones are out of whack this can then lead to a lot of other issues like: sleep disturbances, weight gain or a stall in weight loss, PMS, increased anxiety, increased blood pressure, and that unwanted jittery feeling.

Ugh, sounds like a lot right?

The good news is there are SO many amazing coffee alternatives out there with tremendous benefits to your health. Once you get past your initial caffeine withdrawal you might even like your new replacement beverage even better than your usual beloved cup of coffee.

Our Favorite Coffee Alternatives

Rasa Original Herbal Coffee: Backed by Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Rasa herbal blends are packed with herbs and adaptogens to give you more wakeful energy without stressing out your nervous system. Also in Rasa’s line up:

Rasa Cacoa Herbal Coffee
Rasa Dirty Coffee
Shakti School insiders get a discount with the promocode SHAKTIXRASA

LAKA Matcha Green Tea: Although green tea still has caffeine is has significantly less and it also includes L-Theanine which helps to calm the nervous system

Paavani Hydrating Blend: Another ayurvedic herbal alternative. They have also a nice Rooibos Tea

Four Sigmatic Reishi Cocoa Blend & Foursigmatic Matcha Green Tea

For 10% OFF Four Sigmatic with promo code SHAKTIFOUR

If You're Still Going to Drink Coffee...

Don’t worry, there is an upside to all of this. The good news is that it is true there are some benefits to drinking small amounts of coffee. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid which is the main component contributing to it being a good source for antioxidants. Additionally, studies continuously show that drinking coffee increases your lifespan, aids in liver detoxification, increases insulin sensitivity and improves beta cell function, and not to mention it leaves you with a little boost.

If you have determined that you can tolerate coffee (through elimination and reintroduction or by testing your genetics), you still want to be extra careful when it comes to which coffee you choose and how you prepare it. If you’re not ready to kick coffee to the curb, here are some helpful tips:

Always Buy Organic: Non-organic coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Those narly chemicals & pesticides go straight into your morning brew and have an affinity for female reproductive organs.
Always Buy Mold-Free: Unfortunately, coffee is one the #1 food item in the grocery store that is highly susceptible to mold. Make sure to do your research on your favorite roasts to ensure that you’re drinking the cleanest coffee possible. Many coffee companies are starting to advertise for mold testing.
Choose darker roasts: darker blends actually have the least amount of caffeine
Don’t Filter Out the Healthy Oils: Using a metal filter, a french press, or any other brewing method where you’re not losing the oils to a paper strainer (those oils are the source of antioxidants
Use Spring Water
Properly Store Your Coffee: Coffee beans are best stored in an opaque, airtight container, not in the freezer or stored in glass on your kitchen counter. Coffee is highly absorbent so it’s best to keep it away from moisture, sunlight, oxygen, or other odors that could diminish the benefits of your coffee.
Consider Adding Fat: Blending your coffee with fat such as grass-fed butter or coconut oil may help to avoid a blood pressure spike which could also cause an increase in cortisol.

Our Favorite Coffee Products

Herbal Cacoa Latte
(can also be made with coffee 😉

-1 cup of hot rasa coffee (or your favorite mold-free coffee)

-1 tablespoons organic cacao powder

-1 tablespoon coconut butter

-1 tablespoon cashew butter

-1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

-1 scoop of collagen (optional)

-¼ cup of warm nut milk (optional)

-A tiny dash of cardamom

Place all ingredients in a high powered blender, blend on high for 15 seconds, pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!

References

Wellness Inspired Interior Design

How to fine tune your Home to suit your Ayurvedic Life

For many of us, our home is the space where we spend the majority of our time. And if not, it’s at least the space where we return to for rest, comfort, rejuvenation, and joy. That’s why it's essential for overall wellness that the home is styled in a way that energetically supports the activity intended for the space. When it comes to wellness, where we go to rest and recover at the end of each day is vital.

There have been countless research studies showing the benefits of having a clear and calm space. Some of the top benefits are brain health and stress reduction. According to a study from Cornell University, stress triggered by clutter may also trigger negative coping patterns such as eating junk food, oversleeping, or binge-watching TV! So, not only will having an organized space help you be more productive, but it might help to minimize some of the bad habits you’ve been trying to break. When our homes are in harmony with our heart + health it can really affect how we show up in our day to day lives.

Jumpstarting Your Design Room by Room

1. The Bedroom: Make your Bed!

Making your bed plays a huge role in your overall health and how you set the intention for the day. It’s also the first step to keeping your bedroom free from clutter. Not making your bed in the morning can really set you up for adding more mess to the room throughout the day with the attitude of “I’ll get to it later…” This is the attitude you want to avoid. As much as possible try to do little things throughout the day that add to the organization or cleanliness of your space.

Studies show that simply making your bed every morning can have a huge impact on sleep, your mood, and your productivity. The same study demonstrated how sleep was dramatically improved when the sheets were clean. So, the first step for getting organized is to always start the day by making your bed (with clean sheets—I aim to wash them once a week).

For spaces to be in alignment with your Ayurvedic life (or to feel more in balance) it should easily welcome the activity intended for the space. The bedroom should be the space that is only for rest, sleep, and intimate activity. To support these activities, the bedroom should make you feel calm. Try to minimize any excess clutter in this room, keep it clean (especially free of dust to promote a healthy sex life), and choose colors that are more muted to promote rest and ease. Neutral shades like creams, beiges, antique white, and light pink are perfect colors for a bedroom. Or, if you don’t like white, go for the softer tones of your favorite colors.

For objects in the bedroom, keep it minimalistic. You really only need some beeswax candles, possibly a couple of plants to purify the air, and whatever book you’re nighttime reading calls for at your bedside table. When it comes to art, try to find something that makes you feel at ease and sparks joy, but isn’t too overstated.

2. The Living Room: Display only what you LOVE and what gives LIFE

The living room is the area where you welcome guests. This is the space that can be more vibrant, active, and entertaining when it comes to your decor. But, at the same time you still want to minimize clutter (that goes for every area of the house). This doesn’t mean you can’t have your favorite sculpture sitting out or other relics and treasures, but the key is for everything in the room to have a life and to be something you love. Otherwise, objects will hold dullness and that will be expressed into the energy of the room. The living room is an area where you may have more pops of color: a citrus green pillow, eclectic art, or your favorite purple chair. When creating a space that’s more active and welcoming it’s still important to balance the elements. If you have a lot of modern pieces, try to focus more on adding some natural elements to the space like a wooden sculpture, a beautiful pottery piece filled with sticks, or a handwoven textile.

3. The Kitchen: Merging Function and Inspiration

The kitchen is one of my favorite spaces in the house. Similarly to the living room, this room should also be welcoming, warm and spark inspiration. The kitchen is often where we begin and end each day. For many people it's not only the space where we are fed and nourished physically, but emotionally as well. It can be the key place for conversation, for networking, the blossoming of ideas, friendships and more. Cooking requires that you use your imagination, your creativity, and that you are careful. It is because of that that the kitchen must invite you to express yourself!

Many designers refer to the kitchen as the “hearth” of the house, or even the “womb” of the house. The kitchen plays such an important role to the health and harmony of the entire home, it is SO important to keep the kitchen clean. When your kitchen is clean and organized it makes cooking easier and more fun.

If you don’t have a problem staying organized, open shelving can be a beautiful way to display your favorite dishes and can give them more life. We've found that open shelving leads us to use so much of the kitchen that was once hidden behind a door. However, if keeping things tidy really is difficult for you or if your kitchen already has a lot going on, it might be best to keep your cabinet doors on. 🙂

For centuries human beings have thrived off of food and connecting to the nature that provided sustenance, so bringing more elements that invoke nature will be beneficial in keeping that connection alive. Try adding materials like wood, stone, and greenery to the space. Items like wooden spoons, decorative wooden platters hung on the wall, stone bowls filled with brightly colored fruit, or even hang your own potted herb garden.

4. The Entrance: Make It Special

The entrance, or foyer, of the house stems from the Latin word focarium, which means the "center of focus.” When you are greeted by the foyer of your home after a long day it’s best to be greeted with the feeling of opening arms, ease, and comfort. Your entrance should invoke a sense of happy relief to be home, not a reminder of the chores on your to-do list. Try to keep it a “dumping” free zone. Don’t let your bags, shoes, and coats pile up. Put them in a closet or an armoire as soon as you arrive through the door.

This is a great area of the house to keep fresh flowers. It’s such a sweet reminder of how little things can spark joy and gratitude. The foyer is also a fun place to be a little more expressive with your colors. This is the perfect space to paint the ceiling turquoise or display your favorite piece of art.

5. The Bathroom: Keep It Extra Clean!

We all know what the bathroom is intended for. There’s a lot that takes place in the bathroom that is vital for our health (we won’t get into that here). But, it is perhaps the most important area of the house with the potential to create bliss. Because of that the bathroom should always be kept clean. The bathroom is one of the easiest places to clean as you go: wipe down the sink after every use, take the trash out more often, keep a natural all-purpose cleaner in your shower to spray between uses (you can transfer it to a minimal glass jar to create an aesthetically pleasing look), keep your favorite hand towel out and refold it between uses.

I also love adding additional items that smell of my favorite bright essential oils. Keeping a candle lit in the bathroom (when you’re home) can be an easy way to maintain a nice fresh smell. Or, find your favorite space mist to keep the area feeling cleansed. This is also a great space for fresh flowers!

6. The Inbetween Spaces: One Step At A time

Creating the perfect design tweaks and establishing more order in your home is a process. When it comes to design, don’t try to change up the entire house all at once. It's best to start with one room at a time. Take time to make each room special. This is also helpful when it comes to organizing, but as for cleanliness, that’s something you can do right away. In fact, I would encourage you to first clean your house, then organize, then do the designing. You may find just through cleaning your house and getting rid of some unused objects that it enliven the space enough that it feels like a completely new home!

Key Tips To Takeaway

Move things around every once in a while to give it a fresh look and allow for your relics to have new life!
Be mindful of cleanliness throughout the day to avoid a huge task at the end of the week
Open the windows to invite fresh air into your home and to help circulate the air
Splurge on fresh flowers every once in a while or if you’re lucky pick them from your yard as often as the weather permits
Organize hidden nooks and crannies to alleviate hidden to-do tasks filling your brain space throughout the day
Most importantly, create a space that you LOVE!

Products We Love For The Home

Paavani Aromatherapy Space Mist

Somavedic EMF Harmonizers

References

Survey by the National Sleep Foundation

Human Visual Cortex

Clutter, Chaos, and Overconsumption

What are EMFs?

How to Limit Your Exposure to EMFs and Avoid The Potential Health Risks

During the Coronavirus epidemic we've probably all spent more time on our phones and computers than we would care to admit. And while these devices help to keep us connected and informed through such a troubling and uncertain time, we've mostly likely increased our exposure to EMFs.

An Electromagnetic Field (EMF) is a continuous field produced by electrically charged objects such as your cellphones and Wi-Fi. EMF travels in a wave-like pattern at the speed of light and this propagation is called electromagnetic radiation. Some electromagnetic fields are produced naturally, like the low intensity EMF emitted by our body. However, tech-made EMF — those transmitted by cellphones and Wi-Fi — are unnatural and can cause health risks. (getlambs)

Another definition according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, EMFs are “invisible areas of energy, often referred to as radiation, that are associated with the use of electrical power.”

Harmful EMFs are not only produced by our cell phones and laptops, but are also from other devices like baby monitors, all bluetooth devices, cordless phones, smart thermostats, and Wi-Fi routers. So, what are the potential hidden dangers of these devices? Unfortunately, EMFs can cause potential health risks such as:

Cancer
Tumors
Oxidative stress
Reproductive harm
Cardiovascular disease
Cognitive and memory effect
Behavioral problems in children
Increased risks during pregnancy
Effects on testosterone
Cell growth and proliferation

Along with these risk factors, if exposed to too many EMFs, you can start to feel down right cranky. EMFs have also been known to have an effect on your circadian rhythm, your mood, your energy levels, and even your metabolism.

This may sound like a lot of bad news. Especially since it’s really difficult to control the placement of cell towers or how often we might need to use said devices for work or connection. But, fortunately there are some things we can do to limit our exposure to EMFs even if we have to be on the computer all day long…

- Create guidelines to discipline yourself around how much time you spend on the phone/computer. Try to minimize unproductive insta-cruising.
- Put your phone in airplane mode when you know you aren't going to be using it
- Make sure your bluetooth is off when you’re not using it (iPhones now default to having it on)
- Avoid using smart appliances
- Try not to carry your phone directly on your body
- Use the speakerphone instead of putting the phone to your ear
- Do not sit your laptop on your lap!! (Especially not near your reproductive organs)
- Avoid using your computer or phone when they're plugged into the wall as much as possible
- Ditch the microwave!
- Unplug your wi-fi routers at night or whenever you’re not using them
- Increase your Vitamin D exposure (sunlight helps to mitigate the damage effects)
- Use EMF blocking apparel (see links below for our favorites)

Increasing your exposure to sunshine and walking in the forest can have tremendous benefits when it comes to mitigating the harmful effects of EMFs.

References and Resources

Health Implications of Electromagnetic Fields, Mechanisms of Action, and Research Needs

Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast: “5G Dangers & The Shocking Truth About You Getting "EMF'D"

Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Books:EMF*D: 5G, Wi-Fi & Cell Phones: Hidden Harms and How to Protect Yourself

EMF Blocking Apparel: One of our favorite EMF blocking apparel companies is LAMBS. They are doing some pretty amazing things when it comes to blocking the parts of your body you want to protect the most: your reproductive organs. They carry men's underwear, a T-Shirt (can be universal), and a beanie for protecting your brain! Their women’s line is launching soon and we are so excited to have partnered with them. For 20% off your first order just use the code SHAKTIXLAMBS. We love using their products especially for traveling on a plane when EMF exposure is at its highest.

Blue Blocking Glasses

BluShield EMF Blockers

SomaVedic Home & Travel EMF Harmonizers - Use discount code SHAKTI as checkout for 10% off

10 Books to Read When You’re Feeling Lousy

We all go through periods of ups and downs. It can be really difficult at times to pull your spirit up when it feel as if you're being challenged or tested from all directions. Reading is the perfect way to take a break from the negative mental spirals that could be swirling around in your head. It can be so helpful to take pause and read something uplifting, inspiring, or comical to nudge you back into the right direction of positive thinking and give you perspective.

Here are a few of our favorite uplifting reads.