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Ayurveda in the Spring (antiviral tips included)

Ayurveda in the Spring

The beginning of spring is such a magical time of the year. For many of us there is a feeling of relief having survived another winter when there is less sunshine and blue sky to keep our moods elevated. During this time, most of us are overjoyed with the sight of the newly forming buds, the daffodils poking their heads out, and the return of all the chirping birds.

In Ayurveda this is the time when the water and earth elements are most present. When water and earth come together it can make for some pretty beautiful happenings: the growth of new seedlings, flowers bloom, trees grow and reproduce, ice melts, and rivers flow freely. However, when water and earth combine it also forms mud! This mud, or kaphic overload, can take up space in our physical bodies which can cause some imbalances like lethargy, allergies, congestion, and more mucus. And what’s worse: it's often when we're feeling out of balance that we tend to reach for the things that will further take us out of balance such as overeating, laziness, overconsuming sugar or alcohol, or going down a social media spiral. Here are some things you can do to avoid getting stuck in the mud AND that will be extremely helpful for boosting your immunity.

Practices to Pacify Kapha

  • Wake early
  • Dry Brush
  • Exercise first thing in the morning: take a brisk walk, do some jumping jacks, or go on a short run
  • Keep warm
  • Get an invigorating massage
  • Add stimulating music to your playlist
  • Go out dancing!
  • Laugh and spend time with loved ones

Foods Tips to Pacify Kapha

  • Add foods that are pungent, astringent, and bitter: aloe, nettle, dandelion, quinoa & barley, turmeric, mung beans, mustard greens, lemon, spiced broths
  • Add apple cider vinegar to your foods
  • Consume less meat
  • Avoid dairy
  • Add activating spices like cayenne, ginger, black pepper, and mustard

Herbs & Supplements to Support Immunity, Viral Infections & Decrease Kapha

Herbal Nature Study

It’s important to take care of your health at all times, but especially during flu season and other viral epidemics. These foods, supplements, and practices will help to boost your immunity and to ward off viral disease.

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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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Ep. 51 Intermittent Fasting—Giving the Gut a Break

What’s hype? What’s good? Ayurveda’s perspective on this trendy topic of fasting.

In this episode I discuss:

~ApotheKary’s Classics Set

~Why do we need Ayurveda’s perspective?

~What is intermittent fasting?

~A quick history of fasting

~When to do a fasting

~Different styles of fasting

~Different types of adipose tissue

~Where we store toxins

~Who should note fast

~Benefits of fasting

~Interested in Ayurveda school? Book a free coaching call with Amaury here

Or Subscribe on iTunes

We love our lady biz friends at ApotheKary! Their a DC based small-batch Ayurvedically inspired shop. Our discount code is GHEESPOT10 for 10% off.

Learn more:

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

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HELP US SPREAD OUR POD WINGS

This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you enjoy this show and want a free and easy way to help it grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

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Ep. 07 Detox – The Ayurveda Way

Extreme detoxes are all the rage these days, but what would our Ayurvedic foremothers think of all these extreme cleanses? Seasonal cleansing is an important part of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, but an Ayurvedic cleanse is much more gentile on the body. Tune in to today's episode to learn more about what goes on in the body when we detox and how you can do your own Ayurvedic cleanse.

In this detox episode, Katie discusses:

~ FREE Download: The Shakti School's Ayurvedic Cleanse Guide

~ The core practice of her spiritual life: food sadhana

~ What does it mean to detox?

~ What does detoxing have to do with our nervous system?

~ Why your cleansing foods need to be warm and wet

~ It’s about LOVE

~ Cleanse staples: kitchari, mung beans, ghee, triphala

Summer (Pitta-Reducing) Kitchari Recipe:

Use this anytime you have a pitta imbalance, such as acid indigestion or inflammation. It is also a great weekly dish during the hottest months of the year.

  • 1 cup yellow mung dal (whole mung beans are fine if you can’t get split)
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1 handful of fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups water

Preparation

Wash and rinse the split mung and rice until the water is clear. Soak the dal for a few hours before cooking to boost digestibility. Put the ginger, coconut, cilantro and ½ cup water into a blender and blend until liquified. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat and add the ghee, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. Stir until fragrant (a minute or so). Add turmeric and salt and the blended ingredients to the seed. Stir for a few minutes. Stir in the mung and rice and mix well.

Then, add the 6 cups of water, cover and bring to a medium boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low and cook, lightly covered, until the dal and rice are soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in an iron pan or skillet until brown. The consistency is mushy and the beans and rice will form a porridge. Garnish with the coconut and a little fresh cilantro. If you prefer, you can use half the water, and cook the mung beans with the spices and the rice separately, in a rice cooker.

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

Help us Spread our Podcast Wings

Did you love this episode all about detoxing and Ayurvedic cleansing? This show is a passion project that I produce for the love of sharing. If you enjoy this show and want a free and easy way to help it grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

  1. Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” in iTunes
  2. Write us a review in iTunes
  3. Share this show with one friend right now!

It’s simple, but you’d be AMAZED to know how much it helps my little love project reach more people. iTunes’ algorithm uses ratings and reviews to know who to show our show to in their app.

Here’s the link to leave us reviews in iTunes.

From my heart to your screen,

Katie

Continue Reading