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Food, Herbs

What Your Gut is Trying to Tell Your Heart

What your gut is trying to tell your heart - Understanding your emotions and what they mean for your health.

Understanding your emotions and what they mean for your health

A gut feeling is an instinctive, intuitive feeling, without any logical rationale. It’s very common to hear people using the saying gut feeling, but on what level do we really understand the connection between the gut and our emotions? How often are you treating your heart’s longings for an issue you may be experiencing in your digestion? With the ongoing amount of research and development on the inner workings of the microbiome, there are hundreds of ways to help to create a healthy gut. Especially when we turn to Ayurveda. Ayurveda is all about healing the digestive system and the practices, dietary guidelines and herbal remedies have been meticulously put together for thousands and thousands of years to do just that, so why doesn’t it always work? 

The digestive system has its own nervous system, called the enteric nervous system. It has over 100 million nerve endings and in many ways, it can control digestion independently without your conscious awareness. The enteric nervous system has been nicknamed our "second brain.” This gut-brain is intimately connected to our "big brain" via a network of nerve pathways and the two nervous systems share many of the same neurotransmitters to facilitate communication. In fact, 95 percent of serotonin is found in the gut! This bidirectional pathway is referred to as the brain-gut axis and involves moment-to-moment communication to control digestion. Loyolamedicine

The gut-brain is intimately connected to our "big brain" via a network of nerve pathways and the two nervous systems share many of the same neurotransmitters to facilitate communication.

The gut-brain communication is so closely linked that when we experience a state of dis-ease, stress, heart ache or any other negative emotion that feeling gets signaled through bidirectional nerve pathways to the gut that then causes an upset or imbalance. In return, if such emotions aren’t addressed the gut can then take on the problem and send its own signal to the brain causing a vicious cycle of imbalance and possibly some unwanted digestive issues. 

So, how do we become more connected to the instinctual and intuitive gut feeling when it comes to the matters of the heart? It starts with getting to your Self and falling in love with your Self. Katie talks a lot about self love (especially in Ayurveda School) and has defined it by how capacious we are at actually liking our funny, quirky, silly little inner child. Self-love happens when we know who she is, how she’s been hurt, and when we are gentle with her through the steps towards healing. 

Self love is also about taking the time to listen and the space to feel. When we don’t give ourselves enough space, solitude, and quiet it’s more difficult to tap into our inner wise woman-- this is the woman who has a healthy gut! Have you ever noticed that when you are relaxed and in a place that makes you happy surrounded by people you feel at ease with (often happens on long vacations) magically your gut issues seem to improve? We are unable to tap into the depths of our wisdom and the place of true self love when we are in a constant state of fight or flight.

Seek out ways to ground yourself. Do the practices that help you feel the most relaxed. Breathe in self love with every breath. Practice daily meditations, affirmations, or prayer. Be in the arms of nature. Do not give up on yourself and stay diligent with monitoring how you speak to your Self. And, consider joining us in Ayurveda School 2022 where we will discuss ALL about the gut, brain, and heart connection and so much more.

Greens for the Gut & Potatoes for the Heart

An Ayurvedic Green Recipe for Gut Health.

For the Greens

1 large bunch of dandelion (finely chopped)

1 cup of finely chopped kale (or any other green of your choice)

1 tbsp fresh ginger (diced)

1 tbsp of olive oil or ghee

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium sized saute pan over medium heat, add the oil and spices, and let simmer for a few minutes. Next, add the greens and cover with a lid. Let the greens cook for about 15 minutes while periodically stirring and covering with the lid. If the greens are sticking you can add a little water (this will also help to steam the greens). 

 

For the Potatoes

1 cup of fingerling potatoes (halved)

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp rosemary (fresh or dried) 

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until the potatoes are completely covered with the oil and spices. Next, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. (Option to do in a saute pan: follow the same directions as for the greens) 

The greens and potatoes are great on their own, but feel free to top with your favorite protein source to make this a complete meal. 

Potato recipe for the hearth.

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Nature always knows how to help us stay balanced, Nature always knows how to help us stay balanced, and Mama Nature is always offering us her health-giving gifts in the form of seasonal produce! Ayurveda teaches us to eat with the seasons—in summertime, that means letting our food nourish and cool us from the inside out.⁠
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Here are my go-to summer fruits and veggies to keep that Pitta calm, your digestion happy and your skin hydrated and glowing:⁠
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🥒 Cucumbers: The ultimate Pitta soother, hydrating and cooling.⁠
🍉 Watermelon: Sweet, juicy and the perfect antidote to summer’s heat.⁠
🍓 Strawberries: Antioxidant-rich, sweet and a little astringent—the optimal light pick me up.⁠
🍑 Peaches: Hydrating and satisfying: Is there anything better than a fat, juicy summer peach!?⁠
🥒 Zucchini (and all your summer squashes): Moist, cooling and easy to digest.⁠
🍒 Cherries: Sweet and astringent goodness with heart-loving benefits.⁠
🌽 Sweet Corn: Grounding and satisfying, a perfect addition to your summer salads.⁠
🫐 Blueberries: Cooling and cleansing, while also supporting overall digestion. Their antioxidant-rich profile is just a bonus!⁠
🍇 Grapes: Grapes are kinda like nature’s perfect summer candy, amiright!? ⁠
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A few little tips I’ll leave you with:⁠
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~ Fruit is best enjoyed on its own (not with heavy meals).⁠
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~ Keep it seasonal and local if you can, even if it doesn’t match this list perfectly!⁠
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~ Mid-morning or afternoon is the ideal time to consume fruit while honoring our agni’s rhythm.⁠
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Ayurveda helps us balance our mind, body and spirit from the inside out with ancient (yet timeless) healing spiritual principles. ⁠
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🌺 If you’re ready to take your journey with Ayurveda to the next level, join us in 2026 and become a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. Learn more about Shakti Ayurveda School at the link in our bio.
The heart chakra is where we get a second pass at The heart chakra is where we get a second pass at our emotions—the sacral chakra says, “How does this make ME feel?” The heart says, “How does this experience affect EVERYONE?”⁠
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When we allow our emotions to rise into the heart, we can hold our own feelings alongside an awareness of the collective.⁠
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We begin to understand that we’re all touched by the same moment in different ways, because we’re each seeing through a unique lens and set of past experiences. ⁠
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Join us on June 26th from 10am-12pm ET for our next Spirit Sessions deep dive into the Heart Chakra! ⁠
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🌿 Curious what last month’s session was like? Catch a sneak peek by listening to the latest Spirit Sessions Podcast episode and get a taste of these monthly spirit-woman gatherings.⁠
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🌹 Catch the podcast and join us for the next Spirit Sessions meeting on June 26th at the link in bio.
When you try to delete your shadow work instead of When you try to delete your shadow work instead of actually doing it… 🫠🗑️

Healing doesn’t happen in one meditation practice (or even one therapy session). True healing is actually a lifetime of learning to love and accept who you really are.

Authentic self-compassion isn’t about deleting our darkness or getting rid of our shadows. It’s about developing our capacity to hold it all. ✨
Raise your hand if this is you!? Ladies I’m so r Raise your hand if this is you!? Ladies I’m so ready for our Summer of LOVE! Let’s rock our rose coconut oil covered bodies all over this town! Stay tuned for all things Summer Ayurveda Goddess (but make it FUN!)
The study of Ayurveda isn’t just about memorizin The study of Ayurveda isn’t just about memorizing the dhatus and srotamsi and then going along on your way. At The Shakti School, we are inviting you into a living, breathing experience of Ayurveda—one that happens inside your body, not in a textbook.⁠
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Whether you already have a spiritual practice or you have no connection to any tradition, this program is for women from all paths. Shakti Ayurveda School is about exploring what works for you and discovering how ancient wisdom can meet your real, modern, everyday life.⁠ 🪷⁠
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Ready to bring the wisdom of Ayurveda alive in your body? Here are some ways to take the next step:⁠
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🕯 Comment WISDOM to access our free Women's Wisdom and Ayurveda Mini-Course.⁠
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💃🏽 Comment MORE INFO and we’ll send you the link to book a free call with one of our coaches to explore if 2026 is your year.

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