Sync Up With Your Body's Internal Clock

Ayurveda looks at diet, lifestyle, seasons and time, to help heal the body, mind and spirit. One main way of healing ourselves in this day and age is to de-stress, reduce anxiety and use the hours of the day to our advantage.

Looking at the day and dividing it into 3 sections (6-10am/pm, 10-2pm/am 2-6pm/am), can help support the body in what it naturally is programmed to do.

• ·      6am – 10am this is the best time for working out to overcome the heaviness of sleep and to re-set the metabolism. Your brain power is strong.
• ·      10am – 2pm your digestive fire is the strongest, between 11 and 1pm so this is the best time to eat your largest meal of the day, lunch! A 15 -20 minute rest after lunch helps the body focus on digestion and assimilation.
• ·      2pm – 6pm, this is second wind time, where your brain power is able to sustain before winding down for the evening.
• ·      6pm – 10pm your start to get heavy and your body starts to slow down. It is time for a light dinner (between 5-7pm) and then you should start tapering off your activity. Bed time between 9-10pm.
• ·      10pm – 2am your body is in deep sleep and is detoxifying and resetting for the next day.
• ·      2am – 6am – movement starts to happen between 4am – 6am you should wake in order to make the most of your brain stimulation. It is the “magical” time of the day, great for meditation and yoga.

   See what happens if you get up a little earlier in order to start your day with meditation. It may just set you off to a great start! Or try getting to bed a little earlier and see if that effects your energy level the next day.
 

Sweet Tip For The Day

Sometimes sweet cravings strike and you can not control the urge. So I have been playing around with simple, easy, good for you and fully flavorable treats.

The perfect combination:
walnut half
1/2 of date
1 piece of dark, organic chocolate
Stack, eat and savor. It tastes amazingly like a cookie/smoore!!!!!

Hint: Make 2 so you use up a whole date and share it or eat both pieces. This is a treat that when indulged in in moderation, should have no guilt attached. These three ingredients are full of great omega 3 oils,  antioxidants, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium.

Navigating Breakfast

Navigating Breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal, but not all of us actually are hungry in the morning. Many people, articles and nutritionists have told us that we have to eat in the morning because of all sorts of reasons: kick starts metabolism, gives us more energy, keeps us from eating more later in the day, etc., and for some of us this may be true, but not for all. So if you are TRULY not hungry in the morning have a cup of herbal teas and some fruit and call it good (not being hungry in the morning may mean your body needs extra time to process through the food from the night before, and therefore more food is not necessary). Eating when you are not hungry can put out your digestive fire, and in Ayurveda terms, that means digestion slows, metabolism slows and your food turns into sludge in the body. So eating at a consistent time is important. But also eating when you are hungry and not eating when you are not hungry, can help you to keep your fire burning bright and strong. 

If you are hungry at breakfast, do not ignore it, it means you have a strong fire and you need some nourishment, so have a decent sized breakfast, nothing too light but not too heavy either. Make sure it is warm. Kitchari, oatmeal, eggs with veggies, steamed vegetables or freshly made muffins can be a perfect choice. 

Gluten free, Vegan, Morning Glory Muffins

1 ¼ cup buckwheat flour

¼ tapioca flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon powdered ginger

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 mashed bananas

½ cup olive oil or your favorite cooking oil

2-4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup raisins

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3 grated carrots

½ cup hemp hearts

Optional ingredients

            Chocolate chips

            Coco nibs

            Candied ginger pieces

            Crushed pineapple

            1 egg

Preheat oven to 345 degrees. Grease muffin pan. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Mash bananas and add vanilla. Mix in raisins, coconut, carrots, hemp hearts and any other optional ingredients. Combine with flour mixture and scoop into muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. These are wonderful breakfast treats with a little nut butter and ghee, or a wonderful afternoon snack with tea for a little pick me up. 

Spices - what they can do for your body

Spices

What they can do for you

Cooking and making teas with certain spices can be flavorful, but they can also be used as a medicinal way of cooking. Here are a few spices that I recommend you start incorporating into your diet for flavor and health reasons.
In Ayurveda every food, spice and herb plays a roll on the 3 doshas that you are made up of, which is vata, pitta and kapha. Below is general information about the spices and also what doshas they effect and how. If you are not sure what dosha type you are take a quick quiz here: http://lifespa.com/health-quizzes/body-type-quiz/

NOTE: cooking with these spices will be beneficial to anyone, but notice the amount in which you are cooking with them, if some heat up your stomach too much, then counter balance them with cooling spices and herbs like fennel, cilantro, coriander and cardamom. If you need more digestive help, use black pepper, ginger, turmeric and mustard.

Turmeric: (decreases kapha, vata and pitta)
Light and dry herb that is bitter, pungent and astringent in taste. Its post digestive effect is heating. It is good for cleansing the blood, decongestant, anti - inflammatory, anti- carcinogenic, blood purifier and helps to improve blood circulation and acts as a natural antibiotic.
This herb can be used fresh or in powder form and is great in rice, mung beans, stir-fry and roasted veggies. Using it every day will increase its benefits.

Fennel: (decreases kapha and vata)
This herb is light, moist and sharp. It is sweet, bitter and astringent in taste and has a cooling post digestive effect. It is great when used for abdominal pain, flatulence, indigestion and colic. Fennel tea can be made by simply seeping fennel seeds in hot water for 5 minutes and then drinking the water and chewing the seeds. It is great for upset stomachs and indigestion.

Cumin: (decreases kapha and vata, increases pitta)
This light and dry herb has a heating post digestive effect and tastes more pungent. It improves the digestive fire, reduces gas, helps to purify blood can be used as a diuretic and can be anti-inflammatory. Chew the seeds to help with stomatitis or mouth sores. Easting a few seeds before or with a meal helps with digestion and absorption of food. Woman, If you have a tendency to have cramps while menstruation, dry roast a couple of tablespoons of these seeds and then chew on a pinch or two every hour or so throughout the days of your heaviest flow. The anti-inflammatory property can help alleviate painful cramping.

Cinnamon: (decreases kapha and vata, increases pitta)
This spice is light, sharp and dry and has a heating post digestive effect. It is a pungent taste and can be good on fruit and vegetables. Cinnamon improves your digestive fire, stimulates the liver, is a cardiotonic and a diuretic. Cinnamon helps to even out blood sugar levels so adding it to hot water mid day can help you avoid those sugar cravings.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this blog are based upon the opinion of Staraya McKinstry. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice.

Go Nuts.....

Nuts are very grounding, nourishing and heavy. They are loaded with good oils and fats for our body and can be a perfect snack and are great for making nut butters. Vata and Pitta Dosha favor nuts in the diet because of the grounding effect that nuts have on the body. Kapha dosha types should avoid almost all nuts and seeds because these people need lighter foods in order to keep their body and minds clear and mobile.
Remember, nuts with fruit or vegetables is not recommended because the rate of digestion is different for the 2 food groups and create toxic build up.

So, if you are a vata or pitta person and want an idea on how to eat your nuts, here is a quick recipe I mixed up...in about 5 minutes flat.

2/3 cup almonds

1/3 cup shelled pistachios

1/3 cup roasted cashews

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1-3 tablespoons raw honey (depending on sweetness desired)

Mix in Vitamix or food processor and spread on anything you desire!

Food Combining - what works and what may leave you toxic

Food combining adds a whole other layer on how to eat healthy. And I know we all have enough to think about in a day, but this can be really important when looking at cleaning out or creating toxin in the body.
The other day I made an apple crisp and a strawberry mint crisp. I have to say, they were both delicious. And my favorite dessert of all time is whipping cream. Real, organic, fresh/raw (when possible), whipping cream. And I love the combination of crisp and whipping cream. More please!
But I notice that after each night of eating this combination, I had really bad bloating and my stomach was off the next day. I was in denial that it could have been the combination of foods I ate because I didn't want to give it up......but in Ayurveda dairy and fruit is a toxic combination that can lead to fermentation in the stomach. Yep, I will confirm it. I ate the crisp, for a third day, by itself and had no problems. Looking back this combination had always upset my stomach, but I loved the flavors so much I never thought of it being something that was not working for me.

When looking at food combining, here are a few more to be aware of:

• Eggs and Dairy
• Seafood and dairy
• Nuts/seeds and vegetables
• Honey and boiling water
• Equal parts of honey and ghee
• Citrus and dairy
• Fruit and dairy
• Fruit with any other foods

The combinations of these foods will leave toxins in the body, creating sluggishness, and digestive issues. Some happen because the foods digest at different rates, creating sludge because the body can't move everything along at the same time. Meaning some food sits and ferments, waiting for the other food to finish digesting. Honey, for example, just becomes a toxin when it is boiled so make sure the water is warm/hot but not boiling, when mixing. Hint: if you have to add nuts or seeds to a vegetable dish, make sure you soak the nuts over night first, this will make them easier to digest.  

Some of these may be a disappointment to you. (I am a sucker for a cheesy omelet) But just be aware. Notice if you combine these foods, how you feel. If you do ok then allow yourself the pleasure every once in awhile. Good digestion or not, if you do combine some of these foods, just try to make sure the rest of the food you eat for the following meal is light and easily digestible so that you allow your body to clean the toxins out so that they do not accumulate. 

Rememeber: Ayurveda says "80% & 20%" meaning 80% of the time try to eat clean, healthy, with good spices and good combinations of flavors and types of food. The other 20%, enjoy without any guilt and many thanks. And after you enjoy, eat light and clean and reset. 

Thai Coconut Curry Soup With Kelp Noodles

Thai Coconut Curry Soup With Kelp Noodles 

This is a fantastic dinner that is great for a summer evening. I found out about kelp noodles not too long ago and find these to be really fun. It gives a dish body and a slight texture, without making it heavy or starchy. Top this soup with avocado and cilantro mint chutney and you will be happy camper! This recipe was inspired by The Spunky Coconut . 

Eat Well.

Recipe:

Kelp noodles.

Prep kelp noodles by soaking in HOT water with juice from a half squeezed lemon. Let sit 20 minutes.  

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 inch grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 chopped carrot

1 can coconut milk

1 cup water or vegetable broth

4-5 large kale leaves

1 avocado

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup chopped mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot at medium temp. Add crushed garlic, chopped onion and grated ginger, make sure not to burn. Add curry paste, sriracha, tomato paste, turmeric and carrot. Allow 2-3 minutes to sauté. Add mushrooms, mix until mushrooms are coated with spices and then mix in coconut milk, liquid of choice and kelp noodles. Bring to a simmer and drop in chopped kale and bean sprouts. Simmer 3-5 more minutes. Serve in bowls, top with avocado and cilantro mint chutney.

Cilantro Mint Chutney

Makes 1½ cups.

1 bunch cilantro, chopped
¼ cup mint, chopped
3 shoots green onion
¼ teaspoon jalapeno or more (to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Make sure to rinse your cilantro well before chopping. Then combine everything in a food processor and pulse to combine. That’s all there is to it! Taken from http://kripalu.org/article/770/ where there are a ton more recipes.