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ayurve

Curb Unhealthy Cravings

When I feel the chill of winter near, I start to dream of warm, foamy chocolate; hot toddies; and long, luscious sleep. And this is a good thing. Naturally, the fall and early winter season season beg for more heaviness and warmth in both the foods we eat and in our lifestyle routines. The downside of this season is that it is also a time for overindulgence and strong cravings, especially when we couple the cold weather with the stressors of the holiday rush.

One of my favorite Ayurvedic authors, Dr. Robert Svoboda, says, “If Ayurveda were a religion, Nature would be her god, and overindulgence would be her only sin.” And I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of “sinning.” But the good news is that in the world of Ayurveda, there is no need for guilt and atonement when it comes to working with overindulgence and taming our cravings. In fact, it requires a heavy dose of self-awareness and self-compassion. All of us, to a certain extent, use substances (particularly food) to effect our mood and mind. And according to Ayurveda, when we lack self-awareness, we will actually choose the very foods that will bring us into deeper states of imbalance. Oh my!

So, those of us with more vata will crave energy-boosting sweet tastes for that instant energetic high—and a subsequent energy crash. Similarly, fiery pitta types will typically crave meat and spicy foods that create more heat and intensity in the short-run, but can lead to more internal inflammation over time. Kapha types will lean toward heavy fried foods or sweets—comfort food—that lead to more lethargy and dullness.

So how can we turn our body’s cravings into body wisdom? The first step is awareness. Start to notice the foods that you crave when you feel awesome and balanced. When you feel good, you will probably be choosing foods that make you feel even better! Then, notice the foods you choose when you are sad, angry, exhausted, or just plain stressed out. These are usually the foods that will be more harmful for your constitution. Easy peasy. The foods you crave when  you feel great are the ones that fuel you in a good way. The ones you crave when you feel bad, they’re the harmful ones.

There is a really powerful moment in time when we can move from an old pattern (overindulgence with food, shopping, media, sex—anything!) to a new pattern. Once you have connected with self-awareness, notice what you are craving. Take the time to check in and ask yourself, “What do I really need? Would moving in a different direction than my habitual pattern actually allow me to feel better tomorrow?” When we can shift the pattern, we release ourselves from the pains of addiction, and we free up energy to move toward our life goals and our spiritual journey.

How? Well, you can start small. Give a little of the poison. If your body/mind is used to getting a few glasses of wine or a big bowl of ice cream each night, simply taking it away from yourself can be like ripping a bottle out of a baby’s mouth! Try reducing the amount of what you deem to be an addictive or unhealthy substance by one-third each week.

You can also replace the substance with something else. For example, instead of too much alcohol, try a hot ginger-spiced milk and a long, essential-oil infused bath. Your body/mind may not even notice the ol’ swaperoo! Be compassionate with yourself. No one, especially not you, is served through harsh self-judgement. Sometimes we all indulge our unhealthy cravings. If we can indulge with awareness and moderation, the effects are usually quite benign.

So, practice self-compassion when you overindulge in dark chocolate, Facebook, or pizza. Put your hand on your own heart and say silently or aloud, “Oh, look, my darling, you just overindulged in (fill-in-the-blank). You must be really tired (sad, angry, lonely, etc.).”

I have found that the more I connect to this process, the less I actually use substances to shift my moods and energy levels. I also experience tiny miracles popping up all throughout my daily life as self-awareness turns into self-compassion. And who doesn’t need a big ol’ oversized helping of that?

~Katie

This article was originally published on the Yoga Journal blog on November 7, 2013.

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GLOW-WORTHY is now available and will be arriving into so many of your hands today! ❤️⁣
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Make sure you share your pics when you get it 😍😍😍⁣
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“This path shows is how every heavy, painful, shameful thing we carry inside is the fuel that forges us into who we can become… It’s about how inside every woman resides an intuitive healer, a fiercely loving mother, a sexy vixen, and a wise and unshakeable ally to guide, nurture, and protect us at any and every stage of our lives.”
We’re throwing YOU a party (tomorrow)! You’re We’re throwing YOU a party (tomorrow)! You’re not gonna wanna miss this virtual launch PARTY/oprah-style-giveaway/workshop for creatives! (Swipe to see the incredible stuff we’re giving away) ➡️⁣
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TOMORROW 10/3 at 10am ET (US Time) join us for a Morning of Glow, the official virtual launch party for my new book, Glow-Worthy 🧘🏼‍♀️⁣
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We will be:⁣
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✨ Celebrating the release of my new book, Glow-Worthy (!)⁣
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✨ Getting insight into my “secret” process for writing (and how you can use these easy tips for busting through the inner blocks on your OWN creative babies) like imposter syndrome and perfectionism, and how those two little demons were the enemy of getting this thing done. You’re also gonna hear about the book I actually tossed out the window before I wrote this one!⁣
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✨ Practicing some of the embodiment energy meditations from the book ⁣
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✨ Getting showered in love and gifts (yes, we ARE giving away 2 spots for Ayurveda School + TONS of other amazing prizes, swipe through for more)➡️⁣
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We will also dive into some of the core ideas from the book and I will tell you WHY I wrote it and for whom… (you, of course 😉). ⁣
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I cannot wait to celebrate with you! Go get on our email list ASAP (link in bio) and keep an eye on your inbox for the zoom link!
Join us tomorrow for a very special book party onl Join us tomorrow for a very special book party online! We will be giving away TWO free spots to level one Ayurveda school but you have to show up with your best friend and be there for the whole event live! We will also be going deep into our creativity with meditation/journaling. If you are in need of a creative boost and a celebration of soul: Please join us. 🌈🦄💕🩵We are also giving away $8000 in prizes to everyone- all levels of Ayurveda School snd people new to our community welcome! To register simply put your name in our newsletter. Link in the bio and we will be sending emails tomorrow morning with the zoom link.
We’re trading hot girl summer for cozy girl fall We’re trading hot girl summer for cozy girl fall up in the Northern Hemisphere. The theme?? ➡️major permission to start slowing down, warming up, and amping up our witchy Fall self-care rituals. Send this to a friend you wanna plan an Ayurvedic fall self-care day with 🕯️🕯️
With warming ginger, black pepper and nutmeg to he With warming ginger, black pepper and nutmeg to help kindle your agni plus some grounding pumpkin and Ashwaghanda - WHAT more could the vata in each of us need!? 😉☕️🍁🍁⁣
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@ayurveda.bianca is one of our Level 1 grads and she offers personalized Ayurvedic consultations out of Long Island, NY (and also virtually!) She is such a sweet soul and we are honored to call her one of our grads. (She also shares amazing Ayurvedic content on her page so go check her out) 🤍🤍🤍⁣
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Here’s the recipe for this incredible Ayurveda-girl style PSL she’s making:⁣
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1 cup of your choice of milk⁣
1/8 cup of pumpkin purée⁣
1 tbsp of coconut oil⁣
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon⁣
1/4 tsp ground ginger powder⁣
1/4 tsp ground turmeric⁣
Pinch of nutmeg⁣
Pinch of black pepper⁣
1/2 tsp ashwagandha⁣
1 pitted and soaked date⁣
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Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. In a small pot, simmer over low heat until warm. Serve and enjoy!⁣
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Modifications for each dosha:⁣
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Vata - This recipe is perfect “as is” for keeping Vata in balance.⁣
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Pitta - Reduce the heat by removing or reducing the amount of ginger, black pepper, or turmeric.⁣
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Kapha - Substitute 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup water, use just one tablespoon pumpkin purée, and/or don’t add the sweetener.⁣
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Want your very own e-book of our FAVE fall recipes? Come to our Fall Rituals and Routines webinar this morning at 11am ET (link in bio to register) and/or come to our Morning of Glow workshop on Tuesday 10/3 (get on our email list to get the invite) - those who attend either of these events will get our Fall recipes e-book for free! 🍁🍁

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