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Ep. 101 Getting Practical with Nidhi Pandya + The Definitive Guide to Eating

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In this episode, Katie gets down and practical with Nidhi Pandya, third generation Ayurvedic practitioner and lineage carrier, to talk late winter and early spring routines + her newest course with The Shakti School, Ashtanga Hridayam: The Definitive Guide to Eating.

In this episode you’ll hear:

~ Fueling late winter immunity

~ Tips for getting sun this spring

~ Avoid projecting your neurosis: Ayurveda for modern people

~ The key to learning through an ancient text

~ Nidhi’s course:

Ashtanga Hridayam (Part 1): Fundamental Chapters

Ashtanga Hridayam (Part 2): The Definitive Guide to Eating

~ Katie’s episodes on sun and spring:

Ep. 40 To Sunscreen Or Not To Sunscreen? How About Natural?

Ep. 42 What Does Ayurveda Say About Allergies?

Ep. 55 Vitamin B.S. – Sunlight + Forest Baths

~ Nidhi’s instagram @my_ayurvedic_life

Herbs we mentioned this episode:

Or Subscribe on iTunes

Learn more:

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

The Shakti School Subscription

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!

It’s seems 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

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The Power of Healthy Digestion

The Power of Healthy Digestion

A simple approach to feel and look amazing

Have you ever had those days where you wake up feeling amazing? There is a lightness in your step, your hair seems to look especially good, and your skin is glowing? And, then the very next day you have the opposite experience? You wake up feeling sluggish, a little puffy, and your hair is oddly oily or too dry, and things seem to upset you easily? Most likely the glorious day you had before also started off with the perfect poop. Yeah, that’s right, I said it. Poop.

Of course there can always be many other contributing factors at play here, but oftentimes it is our digestion that determines how we feel, how we look, and how we see our inner and outside world.

In Ayurveda, digestion is all about agni. When your digestion is strong your agni is strong. And, when agni is strong, you can easily tap into that glorious flow state. A flow state is when you are in the zone. It’s when your mental clarity is at its peak, you feel vibrant, full of life, and your shakti is lit up. When your digestive system is weakened it becomes much more difficult to follow through with daily tasks and your energy is usually pretty tanked. In Ayurveda, this is associated with an excess of ama. Ama is anything toxic that accumulates in the body. You can think of it as the sludge that slows down digestion. It is only when we are free from ama that we are able to digest our food properly and therefore we can more easily digest our life.

So, how do you clear ama and get the perfect poop? First it is helpful to determine what imbalances may be present within your actual stool. We love what John Dilliard published over at the Life Spa on The Perfect Poop. I highly suggest looking at the chart he created in order to do your own stool analysis. This will help give you a better idea of how to move forward with your dietary choices based off of your individual dosha.

It is important that you are properly assimilating the foods you eat. Your morning movement (the one you do in the bathroom) shouldn’t be too loose, difficult to pass, and it should be free of all food particles. If you fall into either of these categories, you most certainly will want to focus on optimizing your digestion. It’s also possible that your morning movement could look totally normal, but your energy is still lagging behind. In these cases I would still suggest trying out some of the habits and tips mentioned below for increasing your digestive fire.

Food should make you feel sexy

When your gut is off - your brain is off, and most likely, you won’t feel quite yourself. Ever heard of the term gut feeling? The gut and the brain are in constant communication. There’s tons of research to support that having a healthier gut leads to an increase in mood, clearer thinking, and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety. (The Psychobiotic-Revolution: Science Gut Brain Connection)

So, how can you amplify your digestion today? 

  • Sip on warm water or herbal tea throughout the day 
  • Add spices like cumin, fennel, and coriander to your meals
  • Chew on ginger before/after meals
  • Consider taking Triphala at bedtime
  • Consider seasonal cleanses
  • Move your body
  • Abyhanagha 
  • Manage Stress

And...

  • Address food sensitivities 
  • Avoid cold beverages
  • Avoid negative emotions or excessive thinking
  • Avoid eating in excess or emotional eating 
  • Avoid cheese or other heavy dairy products
  • Avoid drinking too much (especially caffeine & alcohol)

The healing tradition of Ayurveda is very tuned into this concept of healthy digestion. So much of our well being (if not all) depends upon how easily we can digest the things around us. If there is a threat to our physical, emotional, or spiritual environment the state of our digestion will surely be affected. But, through careful attention and possibly a few lifestyle changes, we can improve the state of our digestion and the state of our being. When things are moving more freely through us we will always be able to move freely through our lives.

Shop our Favorite Digestive Aids

Banyan Detox Digest

Banyan Triphala

Banyan Cleanse Bundle

For Banyan Botanicals use code KATIE15 for 15% off at checkout

Prior Living Chyawanprash Use code SHAKTISCHOOL for 25% off

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Ep. 64 How to AyurVeda Biohack Your Holiday Travel

Traveling soon? Learn Katie’s favorite hacks from Ayurveda and holistic health so you can be sure you stay sane and healthy when you’re on the go.

In this episode you'll hear:

~How to prepare in order to avoid stress

~Getting ready the night before

~Food to bring with you

~What herbs I take with me

~My recipe for hydrating water

~My earthing/sun practice

~The flow of prana when we travel and how to regulate it

~Less than 6 weeks to get into 2020 Ayurveda School! Join the next crew of courageous and wonderful women.

~If you have questions about Ayurveda School you book a call with Amaury or Lyndsay

Products I mentioned:

~License to Chill Set by ApotheKary

~Noise cancelling headphones

~Melatonin - Quicksilver makes a liposomal version that acts fast

~Compression socks

~Massage balls

Ayurvedic Products I mentioned (use promo code SHAKTI10 for 10% off):

~Nasya (Nose) Oil 

~Ashwagandha Tincture

~Tulsi Tincture

~Triphala tablets

Or Subscribe on iTunes

This episode is sponsored by ApotheKary! A boutique apothecary offering Ayurvedic inspired herbs and blends. Their kits make holiday shopping super easy with curated sets of wellness products based on one's Dosha or health concern. Use promocode GHEESPOT10 for 10% off your entire order.

This episode is also sponsored by the Ahara Ghee family. Use promocode GHEESPOT at checkout for $5 off your order.

Learn more:

Shakti Ayurveda School

Free Divine Feminine Ayurveda Mini-Course

Lineage of Love Community

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!

It’s seems 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

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Instant Pot Kitchari

Kitchari is good for all doshic types and can be tailored to the seasons with seasonal-appropriate spices and veggies. Basmati rice and mung dal are sweet, cooling and easy on the digestion. It is a complete food, said to nourish the tissues, boost strength and increase our vitality.  Kitchari is also the preferred food we use when doing any type of deep cleansing.

To cook the Kitchari, you can use a pressure cooker/instant pot, or stovetop to cook!

The reason why using an electronic pressure cooker is so rad is not only because it cooks everything faster, it’s also because the pressure further removes lectins and other anti-nutrients that plants produce to protect themselves. Learn more about that in this book: The Plant Paradox.

Plus, you can get your pressure cooker going and then forget about it, when it’s done cooking it automatically switches to the Keep Warm function until you’re ready to eat.

Honestly, I use the pressure cooker every day. It’s changed the way we eat and prepare food for the better. We’ll be doing a post about pressure cooker bone broth soon.

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-25 minutes

These measurements are for a one or two person serving:

(you’ll have to experiment with how much you want per serving/ for how many)

 Directions:

  • Add Ghee and/or coconut oil to your instant pot/electronic pressure cooker
  • Add your spices, salt, garlic or onion (if you're putting any, it's not necessary), stir until it's an even consistency
  • Add mung dal, sauté for a couple of minutes
  • Add rice, sauté a minute more
  • If you're going to add broth, you do this now and let it mix a half-minute with the mung dal/rice
  • Add lots of water (I like adding so much that my Kitchari is really wet, porridge like)
  • Place cover and set to Pressure Cooker for 15-25 mins depending on how much you're making (you'll have to experiment with your device to get the right consistency). You can use the custom, Multigrain or Rice setting.

For the stovetop: In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the ghee, add the spices, stir until fragrant for about one minute. Add the mung and rice, mix well. Pour in the water or broth and bring to a medium boil. Let boil for 5 minutes and then turn down the heat to very low. Cook, lightly covered, until the dal and rice are soft, about 25-30 minutes.

In the meantime:

  • Sauté your seasonal greens or veggies in a saucepan on the stove; and/or
  • Make a coriander-based pesto or pull your pesto out.

When the Pressure Cooker is done, release air.

Open and serve your Kitchari in a bowl, add your pesto and then the sautéed veggies or greens on top et voila!

 

Use discount code KATIES15 for 15% off Banyan Botanicals where you can find the mung dal, rice and many spices that are all organic.

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Eat Well

IMG_1387Bohemian-Table-settings-to-feast-uponFullSizeRender

That you are what you eat may be standard wisdom, but according to Ayurvedic tradition, the state of your mind, emotions, and your environment while you eat also has direct impact on the way you feel. These teachings (as well as modern scientific nutrition studies), show us that eating in the right way can reduce stress and promote calm.

The ancient yogis taught that one of the first and most important of spiritual practices was food sadhana, the art and discipline of what, when, where, why and how we put food into our bodies.

For physical, emotional, and mental health, it may not be enough to just load up on organic fruits, veggies, and grains. Even if we eat super-healthful food, if we consume mindlessly, eat in a rush, or shovel it in while texting or similarly distracted, the body can’t settle into its digestive processes. And if we eat while feeling sad, angry, or under significant stress, the digestive fire gets weakened, and instead of feeling satisfied, the mind will feel disturbed post-digestion.

Here are 10 simple Ayurvedic tips for cultivating calm-body nutritional habits:

Prepare your food with love.  The energy of the cook is always in the food. Avoid eating meals that may have been prepared in anger or resentment. Ayurveda understands that we not only eat the food, but also the emotions of the chef. So, if you are angry or distracted and can’t seem to focus, put down the kitchen knife, pick up the phone, and order some yummy take-out instead.

Awaken to your food.  Begin to bring consciousness to your eating habits. As you are preparing the food, sense that you are offering it up to your divine self. Tune into the smell of freshly baked bread, the color of sunny turmeric, or the texture of jasmine rice in your hands, even before you taste the flavors of the food.

Tune into nature.  When we eat, we are not only consuming the food on our plate but also the stimulus in our environment. According to Ayurveda, the impressions we take in through the senses can disturb the mind and hinder digestion. If you are watching television or reading the newspaper, you are “ingesting through your eyes,” causing prana to move out and not inward where it needs to be for proper digestion. It is highly recommended that you eat in or near to nature. If that’s not practical, even placing houseplants within view of your table will help. Of course, birds and flowing streams are an added bonus.

Savor the chewing. Take time to chew your food slowly, until it becomes an even consistency. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend chewing each bite of food 30-50 times so that you begin to break down the food in the mouth before it travels the rest of the digestive tract. Complete chewing allows complex carbohydrates, sugars, oils, proteins, and other minerals to reach maximum levels of absorption.

Make eating a ritual.  Pause for a moment as you sit down to eat, mindful of what you’re doing and where your food came from. Possibly offer up a prayer of gratitude for all the people, animals, plants, and Universal forces that brought the meal to your plate.

Let it digest. Following your meals, take some time to relax to let your food digest before going on to your next activity. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes, it is helpful to take a small pause between your meal and the next activity. One of my Ayurveda teachers in India offers this easy little ditty for remembering a post-digestion ritual:“After lunch, rest a while. After dinner, walk a moon-lit mile.” And allow at least three hours between meals to allow your food to fully digest. If you feel hungry, sip herbal tea.

Stop before you’re full. This is easier to gauge when you eat mindfully and slowly. When you overeat, you weaken agni, or digestive fire. Whatever you don’t digest will turn into accumulated toxins in the gut. This has a dramatic impact on how you feel physically and mentally.

Take a lunch break. Make lunch the largest meal of the day, and take time to eat it. Digestion is strongest around mid-day, when the sun is at its peak. The body’s rhythms mirror the rhythms of nature.

Watch emotional eating. Do you turn to the chocolate or coffee when you feel overwhelmed or exhausted at work? Do you dig into a bag of chips when you feel lonely? If so, try to consciously make a different choice like taking a brief walk or having a cup of herbal tea and see how you feel.

Do table meditation. Before eating, take a moment to close your eyes. Bring your attention to your belly and breathe slowly. Ask yourself, “What do I really need?” Before eating, ask yourself, “Am I hungry, or am I just angry (tired, lonely, exhausted, bored, etc.)?” This is the crucial moment where we have the capacity to move from the unconscious realm of compulsive and dysfunctional behavior, and into the realm of awareness and calm. From this place, we have better access to the inner teacher that knows what we need for nourishment and strength.

This article was originally published in the Yoga Journal Blog on January 26, 2012.

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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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