Body Defrost - A Spring Ayurveda Story

March can be a frustrating month. You're expecting your first trip out to the park or beach and your local weather man may unexpectedly inform you that you are in for the Nor'easter of the Century! March's weather is unpredictable. Here in the US, we can attribute this to the March Jet Stream which is powerful this time of year because of the temperature difference between the moist air in Gulf of Mexico and the arctic air coming from Canada.

But what does it all mean for your body?

Do you feel that drip in the back of your throat? That itch that won't go away? Are your sinuses beginning to ooze with phlegm? Are you feeling weak or tired? Is that dreaded sinus pressure back and you want to hide your head in under a pillow? You can thank March and her ever changing weather.

Don’t fret. The Ayurvedic tradition has been around for 5,000 years and while India may not have Nor’easters they do have a remedy for that itch in the back of your throat. The following items are meant to ease your body’s spring defrost.

• Eat freshly-prepared, easily digestible warm foods such as soups. These should contain mostly fruits and vegetables which are full of the nutrients necessary to bring the body back to balance.

• Continuously drink warm water throughout the day. Your warm water can be prepared with cinnamon or black pepper. Alternatively, you can drink water with fresh ginger, fresh lemon and Himalayan Sea Salt.

• Avoid foods that are high in sugar or fat: milk, sugar, coffee, white flower, refined fast food, carbonated soft drinks, and chocolate. These foods will only add to an excess of Kapha in the body, making you feel more sluggish.

• Gargle a mixture of: ½ tsp of Turmeric and ½ tsp of mineral salt in a cup of warm water. This will sooth the throat and encourage healing od the tissues.

• To reduce congestion: crush 4-5 garlic buds and inhale or inhale a balm of menthol.

• Boil 1 gallon of water and add 5 drops of clove oil, 12 crushed mint leaves, and 5 drops of eucalyptus oil. Inhale the steam for 10-15 minutes. Continue this twice a day until congestion clears and then once a day to clear the phlegm that is deposited in the sinuses.

• Nasya Oil therapy is a great way to assist the body of ridding excess fluids that accumulate in the sinus, throat, nose and head area. An herbal infused oil is administered into the nasal passage while the head is tilted back. This treatment can be conducted in home or by an Ayurvedic Practitioner.

Now go out and practice some Pranayama. Rid yourself of that ama that’s been building up all winter. Welcome Spring.

Eating Healthy Can Be Easy

People-On-the-Go are often searching for food on the go. Mornings are short, meetings are long and the day leaves little time for food. In that case, people tend to turn to fast food when looking to eat. This kind of eating often leads to poor food choices e.g. McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Wendy’s. Sometimes fast food can leave you hungry and unsatisfied. The following meal recommendations are meant to be quick, good for you and Ayurvedic.

An Ayurvedic breakfast should be light and eaten between 7am and 8am. The Ayurvedic Tradition suggests that this meal will make you less hungry for lunchtime.

• Whole Grain Toast – Topped with Almond Butter, Avocado, Ghee with Cinnamon.

• Oatmeal with Dates and Almonds

• Coconut Milk, Almond Butter, Date and Vanilla Bean Smoothie

• Papaya Sprinkled with Ginger & Lime

• Fruit with Honey

• Applesauce with Ginger & Ghee

• Banana Smoothie with Lime and Cardamom

The easiest and quickest way to make lunch and dinner is to make them together!

Prepare enough dinner so that you have a meal for tomorrow. This could mean that you make a rotisserie chicken and save the leftover chicken for a chicken salad or a chicken wrap. You can prepare crock-pot meals in the morning before you start your day. They are simple and easy to do. Below is a recipe for Lentil Soup to be made in the crock-pot:

2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)

2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced)

2 cups potatoes (chopped)

2 cups celery (chopped)

1 cup green or red lentils

¾ cup yellow split peas (or just use more lentils)

1 onion (chopped)

5 cloves garlic (minced)

8-10 cups bone broth soup

2 teaspoons herbs de provence

1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

Add all ingredients to crock-pot. Cook on high for 5-6 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.

Top with:

2-3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped)

1 cup parsley (chopped)

½ cup olive oil – rosemary olive oil or other herb infused oil is delicious

For a quick lunch or dinner meal. Take a look at the recommendations below:

• Rice topped with arugula and roasted sunflower seeds.

• Sweet Potato with Kale and Ginger

• Raw Zucchini Noodles & Mint Walnut Pesto

• Angel Hair Pasta in Pumpkin Sauce

• Curried Lentils and Coconut Rice topped with Roasted Carrots

• Vegetable Stew

• Coconut Sweet Potato Soup

The Ayurvedic Tradition understands that modern people live a fast paced life and want them to be able to eat in order to maintain a balanced life. That means eating healthy and nutritious foods. The aforementioned foods and meals are small changes that can affect you positively and keep you away from processed foods that can be harmful to your body. Try one meal this and see how it helps to save time during your day!