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Ep. 143 Hot Tips on Building Winter Immunity

This is a picture of Katie Silcox. The text reads, "Spirit Sessions: Find your true spiritual home with Katie Silcox."

The Fall to Winter transition is here, and now is the time to tune inward and take advantage of this winter energy. It’s time to understand our external dynamics and get in alignment with them. After all, that is what Ayurveda is all about. In this episode, Katie shares with us her hot tips on building winter immunity, and ways to thrive in the wintertime. If you aren’t a fan of these darker months, we hope this episode can bring you some helpful tips to flourish this season.

In this episode you’ll hear: 

~ Practical tips to make this winter as immune-building as possible

~ Why a thermos will become your best friend this season

~ Self-care practices to cultivate, including all things oil massage

~ Recommended foods and supplements for winter wellness

~ The importance of being outside first thing in the morning

~ Practices to reset your nervous system and lower your stress levels

~ Why sleep is the medicine of the winter

~ Ways to honor this season through prayer and dreamwork

~ Level 1 Ayurveda School starts January 18, 2023! Here’s your chance to launch your Ayurvedic path with our one-of-a-kind course. If you’ve ever considered diving deep into this healing tradition, whether for yourself or as a career path, this is your chance to jump start that change and get the support you need. 

~Have questions about Ayurveda School? Head here to book a free coaching call with a Shakti School grad

~ Join Katie over at The Breath Source for more healing breathwork focused on subtle energy, the parasympathetic nervous system and heart-centered spirituality.

~ Some of Katie’s favorites to get you through this winter:

Winter Oil

Ashwagandha powder

Ginger powder

Astragalus

Echinacea

Zinc

Omega-3

L-Glutamine

Thermos

Huberman’s Sleep

 

Katie’s sleep cocktail recipe:

Magnesium 3-4mg

L-Theanine - 2-4mg

Gaba - 150mg

Glycine - 2g

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Ayurveda understands nervous system balance throug Ayurveda understands nervous system balance through the lens of Vata dosha, the subtle force of movement that governs the nerves, mind and sensory flow. When Vata is high, we see anxiety, poor sleep, tension and overwhelm; the goal is to warm, oil, nourish and rhythmically soothe the system so the body can return to safety and coherence. 🌀

Herbs:

• 🥛 Warm Milk with Nutmeg is a gentle sedative that calms Vata; nutmeg supports GABA activity and sleep onset� • 🌿 Ashwagandha is a classic Vata tonic; clinically shown to lower cortisol and improve stress resilience� • 🌱 Kapikacchu nourishes the nervous system and supports dopamine pathways for mood stability� • 🧠 Brahmi is a cooling, sattvic brain tonic; supports memory while reducing mental overactivity� • 🌙 Jatamansi is deeply grounding herb that quiets excess Vata and supports restorative sleep� • 🌼 Chamomile is mildly warming and relaxing; shown to support parasympathetic tone� • ☕ Cinnamon, Clove and/or Ginger Tea these spices improve circulation and reduce Vata
 • ✨ Golden Milk with Saffron - an Ojas-building tonic; saffron supports mood balance and nervous system resilience

Rituals:

• 🍯 Abhyanga (warm oil massage) oils the tissues and down-regulates the stress response; shown to reduce sympathetic activation� • 🐝 Bhramari Breath - humming vibration stimulates the vagus nerve and quiets mental agitation� • 🌬️ Nadi Shodhana balances prana flow and hemispheric activity; supports heart rate variability and calm focus� • 👃🏼 Nasya lubricates and nourishes the head/neck region; supports sinus–brain pathways
 • 🛁 A bath with ginger powder is warming and circulatory; helps relax muscles and discharge accumulated Vata tension

Consistency is the medicine. Small, rhythmic acts of warmth and nourishment teach the nervous system that it is finally safe to soften.

🌬️ Comment SOMATIC for my free class, Healing the Nervous System with Somatic Ayurveda (the ultimate toolkit for grounding and nervous system regulation).⁠
March in the Northern Hemisphere means that as the March in the Northern Hemisphere means that as the weather begins to thaw, Kapha dosha (earth + water) starts to dominate, bringing qualities that are cold, damp, heavy, slow and congestive. This is why many people notice sluggish digestion, mucus, allergies or low motivation this time of year.⁠
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To stay balanced, Ayurveda recommends lightening, warming and gently clearing the system with foods that are bitter, pungent and astringent:⁠
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🌿Asparagus: Light, mildly bitter and diuretic⁠
🍓Raspberries: Astringent and light; gently scrape excess Kapha and support digestion⁠
🌱Dandelion Greens: Bitter, liver-supportive and encourages natural cleansing⁠
🥬Kale: Drying and bitter; helps clear heaviness and stimulate sluggish agni⁠
🌾Amaranth: Light, slightly drying grain that won’t aggravate Kapha⁠
🥗Spinach: Bitter and cleansing; supports blood and gentle detox pathways⁠
🥬Arugula: Pungent and heating; wakes up digestion and clears stagnation⁠
🫐Blueberries: Astringent antioxidants that help counter spring sluggishness⁠
💦Celery: Supports fluid balance and lymph flow⁠
🫘Mung Beans: Light, digestible and tridoshic⁠
🔴Red Lentils: Easier to digest than many beans; light but nourishing⁠
🌾Quinoa: Protein-rich and relatively light (good for Kapha)⁠
💚Brussels Sprouts: Bitter and fibrous; helps move sluggish digestion⁠
❤️Pomegranate: Astringent and agni-supportive⁠
🥦Broccoli: Bitter and scraping; supports the body’s natural detox pathways⁠
🫐Blackberries: Light, astringent and antioxidant-rich for spring clearing⁠
🌿Parsley: Fresh, mildly diuretic herb that supports kidney and lymph movement⁠
🌻Sunflower Seeds: Nourishing without being overly heavy⁠
🎃Pumpkin Seeds: Grounding and supports tissues but not overly oily⁠
🌶️Mustard Seeds: Sharp, heating and Kapha-reducing; excellent for kindling agni⁠
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🌸 If you’re ready to take your Ayurveda studies to the next level, dive into our free Women’s Wisdom and Ayurveda Mini-Course right now. Comment WISDOM to access.
Meet core Shakti School faculty Sandhiya Ramaswamy Meet core Shakti School faculty Sandhiya Ramaswamy, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, educator, chef and retreat leader. Sandhiya is one of the beloved teachers guiding our Level 2 Ayurvedic Health Counselor Online Certification that begins April 21st. 🌿 ⁠
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For nearly a decade, through her practice Alchemy Ayurveda in Dana Point, CA, Sandhiya has helped hundreds of clients and students experience Ayurveda as a true lived wisdom through consultations, workshops, cooking classes and retreats.⁠
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In Level 2, Sandhiya deepens the classical roots of the tradition while making the teachings profoundly practical. Students study essential Ayurvedic theory including Strotamsi (the living pathways of the body) and Samprapti & Vyadhi Marga (the disease process), building the clinical lens needed to truly understand how imbalance unfolds and how healing begins.⁠
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Her fan-favorite class, Cooking with Spices as Medicine, brings Ayurveda straight into your kitchen. Here, food is honored as the first medicine, the kitchen becomes the pharmacy and the spice cabinet your daily apothecary. 🫚💫⁠
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Through hands-on tutorials and ancestral wisdom, you’ll learn how everyday spices awaken digestion, support microcirculation, build ojas and prevent imbalance - using simple “micro doses” you can apply immediately in real life.⁠
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🙏🏼 If your heart is ready to deepen your studies and become an embodied channel for the living wisdom of Ayurveda, we would love to welcome you. ✨⁠
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💚 Level 2 begins April 21, 2026. Reach out with any questions. We’re here to support you.⁠
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& don’t forget to drop Sandhiya some love below. 👇🏼💗
The first month of your Ayurveda awakening be like The first month of your Ayurveda awakening be like… hello, bank account. 🌿🍯🛒

Suddenly your online cart is full of ghee, herbs and jars of ancient goodness and next thing you know you’re feeding your boo a steady diet of mysterious tonics and herbs every 5 hours. 

The Ayurveda glow-up is priceless though - for you AND your family! ✨🌿 If you know you know. 😉

Inspired by @standwellness meme 🔥
Love really is a frequency, and it extends far bey Love really is a frequency, and it extends far beyond the romantic cliches. 💗 One of the most sacred forms of love is the love between friends.⁠
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We felt the love big time in this beautiful Galentine’s giveaway with Herbal Face Food.⁠
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Our two BFF winners, Ashton Miller + Alexa Frear reminded us what this month of love is really about: ⁠
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“My name is Ashton Miller and my best gal pal is Alexa Frear. We met on a work trip and there was something about her soul that drew me in. She’s truly my soul sister! ” ❤️⁠
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We’re so honored that we got to gift these two friends an incredibly indulgent and luxurious skin-loving bundle in collaboration with @herbalfacefood. 🪽🦋⁠
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If you missed your chance to enter, you can still experience the magic. ⁠
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Shop @herbalfacefood with our code THESHAKTISCHOOL for 30% off—or visit the link in our bio.⁠
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🌹 Make sure you’re on the Shakti mailing list so you don’t miss future giveaways like this one. ⁠
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💌 Comment MAIL to make sure you receive the next Shakti Newsletter.

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