Headache Relief

In Ayurveda we work with things called marma points, which are pressure points that are similar to accupuncture points, but instead of a needle, pressure is applied by touch.  If marma interests you click here for some more information. Otherwise, all you need to know is we have points on our bodies, that when sore or tender, can mean that there is an imbalance. By pressing on these points, which are correlated with certain organs or places on our bodies, we can help clear or alleviate any stagnation or discomfort. One thing that I struggle with is headaches. And I know from other people, headaches are a major inconvenience and quite frankly, suck!

Another thing you can do in conjunction with pressing on these recommended points is using a few drops of jasmine or peppermint essential oils when massaging these points. Just remember to wash your hands after so that you don't get any in your eyes.

The points to focus on are the brow points, outlined in red box below, and the pads of your thumbs (Right and left hand). Feel around for any tenderness and then once you find it, push on that point for a few seconds at a time. Notice if that helps to relive the pain in the head. better yet, find someone to massage these areas for you and try to relax into it as much as you can.

Other things to look at:

• Do you work at a computer all day? Headaches hit mid afternoon or evening? Try take consistent breaks from your computer. Stand up every hour or two and stretch, take a quick walk or a trip to the office kitchen for some hot water. 
• Also, look at your computer set up. Is your laptop or computer forcing you to look down when you type? If so you are straining your neck muscles by making them hold your head (which weighs on average, 10lbs) out from your shoulders. This tension causes tension headaches. Make sure you can look at your screen at eye level. If you cant, make it happen by elevating it with a shelf, books, bricks etc. (get creative). 
• Have you gotten any fresh air in the past 3-4 hours. If your answer is no, take 5-10 minute break and go outside.
• Have you exersiced in the past couple days, if the answer is no, make a point to go for a walk, take a yoga class or go to the gym after work for atleaste 30 minutes. 
• Have you been drinking enough water? Make sure you are staying hydrated. No iced drinks. try sipping warm - hot water through out the day. This will also help with your immunity so it is a very important step into getting rid of headaches, while also keeping you healthy in other ways. 
• Headaches can also be lack of nutrition. So make sure you are not skipping meals. 3 rounded meals a day is very important. if it seems like you are still missing something talk to a doctor, as it could be a lack of something in your diet. 

I hope this will help you find some relief. 

Be Well!

Now is the Time for a Fall Cleanse

Fall time is here, days are shortening and the temperature is dropping. Great time for an easy cleanse before your digestions gears up for the heavier foods in the winter months. 

Step 1: Eliminate sugars, carbs, fried foods, dairy, most fats and drink plenty of hot water or ginger tea throughout the day

Step 2: Go on a mono diet eating just vegetable soup, miso soup or Kitchari for all three meals and drink plenty of hot water or ginger tea throughout the day

Step 3: Take 2 Triphala every evening before bed

Step 4: Add in calming meditation, pranayama (breath work) and/or relaxing yoga into your day

Commit to a minimum of 3 days and a max of 5 days.

Choose step 1 OR step 2 and it is optional to add on step 3 & 4. 

Feel the lightning and clearing qualities as this cleanse purges out the heat of summer and gets you ready for winter snow! 

Website links for soup recipes:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/01/detox-green-soup-recipe-with-broccoli.html

http://reciperenovator.com/recipeindex/detox-veggie-soup/

http://honestfare.com/miso-detox-soup/

http://www.buddinglotusbody.com/nourish/2011/01/sweet-pea-and-mint-soup/

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/14/carrot-cumin-and-ginger-detox-soup/

Superfood Power Bites

Pictured: 1/2 mixture with cocoa powder for a chocolatey punch, other half with spirulina for a green powerhouse option!

In need of a snack item that you can eat right away, that will give you the energy that you need and the nutrients it takes to make it until the next meal? Make these in numerous varieties so that you always have something on hand. Also, great for a healthy sweet-tooth option! 

Recipe:

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup hempseeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup regular OR gluten free oats 

2 teaspoons chlorella or spirulina

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup diced dry figs

1/4 cup goji berries (soaked in warm water 5-10 minutes and drained)

1/3 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup dried tart cherries

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 cup shredded coconut

In food processor combine walnuts, oats, all seeds and nuts, green powder and salt. Pulse until nuts are ground coarsely. Add rest of ingredients and mix for 15-30 seconds. Stop to scrape off sides and pulse for another 30 seconds or so until you get a sticky dough. You do not want to over mix. Roll into 1 inch balls and freeze until ready to eat. Store in fridge for 3 weeks or freezer for 3 months. 

Variations:

If you want all nuts and no oats, replace oats with favorite nut.

If you love nut butter add 1/3 cup favorite nut butter like peanut, cashew almond etc. in replacement of dates. However, add 2-3 dates for sweetness. 

Omit the cocoa powder all together for a more earthy treat. 

Omit coconut if you do not like the taste.

If you don't have figs or do not like them, replace them with golden or red raisins. Same for dates. 

To make these even more powerful add 1-3 of these superfoods: 1 tablespoon acai powder, 1 teaspoon maca powder, 2 teaspoons ashwagandha powder, 1.5 tablespoons camu camu, maqui berry, pomegranate powder. 

Adding fiber and more protein: 1 tablespoon tasteless fiber powder and/or 2 tablespoons favorite protein powder

Ayurveda Note: Great snack for vata or pitta. Too heavy and sticky for Kapha. 

Balance Pitta With Afternoon Buttermilk

Balance Pitta With Afternoon Buttermilk

Pitta (fire) time of the day is from 10-2pm. Drinking something that compliments the heat of pitta can help to stay balanced and allows your digestive fire to burn just right. Making homemade buttermilk shake tastes delicious and is a great addition to your afternoon meal.

Homemade Buttermilk
1/2 cup organic plain yogurt
1.5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cumin (double this if you like the taste)
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
5-6 fresh mint leaves

Blend in blender for 30-60 seconds and drink immediately.

If you don't have a blender handy during your lunch hour you can make this in the morning and bring it with you, just give it a shake before you drink. Or you can try it on your weekends and notice the difference.......it might inspire you to make it before you head to work :)
Enjoy!

Ayurveda Workshop in Alaska

Yoga & Ayurveda Workshop

Homer, Alaska

Many Rivers Yoga Studio

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda translates into;  the science of life. It is an ancient system of health that developed in India over 5,000 years ago. Linked to the natural rhythms of nature, its tools are foods/nutrition, herbs, lifestyle and seasonal changes. Yoga and meditation are also used to help restore balance to the body, mind and soul.

^{September 13th • 12:30-2:30pm - Intro to Ayurveda:}

This workshop will introduce you to the foundations of Ayurveda and teach you simple practices that you can apply in your own life to create balance and harmony. 

This will be in discussion format, dress comfortably and bring paper and a pencil if you desire to take notes. 

^{September 14th • 12:30-2:30pm - Food as Medicine:}

Diet and nutrition is a large part of Ayurveda. Different foods react differently for each of us and understanding your constitution (dosha)  will allow you to make choices in your diet that will help support health and wellness. Seasonal changes also play a factor in how and when to eat and are taken very seriously when looking at an ayurvedic lifestyle. All these things will be discussed in this workshop so that you can apply the basic concepts into your daily life. This workshop will build off of the concepts learned on Saturday, September 13th. 

This will be in discussion format, dress comfortably and bring paper and a pencil if you desire to take notes. 

^{September 14th • 3-5pm - Ayurveda Yoga Flow:} 

A dosha is the Ayurvedic word for constitution (your body type).  According to Ayurvedic medicine, there are three doshas and each person’s balance of the three doshas is their individual blueprint.  The prevalence of certain doshas in a person can affect things like personality, mental clarity, mood, and physical attributes. As we move through three dosha-specific flows, we will balance each dosha for optimal physical, mental and spiritual health. Pranayama (breath work) for each specific dosha will also be highlighted. 

This will be a yoga class so wear clothes that you feel comfortable moving in, as well as your yoga mat.

Please take this quiz before the workshop so you can find out which doshas prevail in you: www.lifespa.com/health-quizzes/body-type-quiz

Investment:

Before Sept. 1st - $20 per session

After Sept. 1st - $25 per session

To sign up please email: mckinstrystaraya@gmail.com

Lead by Staraya McKinstry: an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ayurveda Yoga Specialist and a 500hr Registered Yoga Instructor. Her passion lies in combining the sister sciences of yoga and ayurveda to bring harmony to all the external senses while benefiting the body, mind and spirit. 

Many Rivers - 1044 East End Rd Homer, AK 99603

Fruit, Not an Evening Snack

Many of us, trying to be good while still giving into our sweet tooth, eat fruit at night. Come to find out, according to Ayurveda, fruit should NOT be consumed at night because of the fermentation qualities. Since you are going to bed soon, the fruit is slow to digest and ferments in the belly and intestines, creating bloating, gas, indigestion  and/or upset stomach. Cure: eat your fruit in the morning or as an afternoon snack and don't eat fruit past 4pm. If you like juice, fresh (nothing in a pre-packaged bottle) fruit juice is the best with breakfast, as long as you don't combine it with dairy. If you live or work in the Indianapolis area, an awesome fresh juice place to visit is: http://www.naturalbornjuicers.com/, or juice at home.

To sum it up:  Eat fruit in the first half of the day and leave it alone for the second half of the day for one month to notice a difference in your digestion. Your mornings will be brighter!

How to Drink Water

Many americans are dehydrated. I see people drinking things all the time but they are drinking the wrong kinds of fluids in order to keep the body hydrated. Sugary drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, soda, vitamin water, coffee drinks of all kinds, smoothies, shakes and even some teas deplete the body of water. Water is what will rehydrate you, and proper rehydration does good for the entire body! Water at the right time of the day is particularly important. It will help with hydrating the skin, hair, eyes, internal organs AND (here is a big surprise) can help with weight loss.
Follow these guidelines and feel and see the difference:

• Drink a big glass of warm water with lemon upon waking up in the morning
• Drink a glass of warm water 30-60 minutes BEFORE a meal
• Only drink about 4 oz of room temp or hot water WITH a meal (sip throughout meal)
• Do NOT drink water DIRECTLY AFTER a meal
• Do not drink up to 1 hour after eating a meal (if you need a couple sips that is fine. no gulping)
• Do not drink ice water, Iced tea or BigGulps....... 
• If you feel very dehydrated sip on hot water every 10-15 minutes throughout an entire day. Be diligent about this. If you still feel like you could chug water at the end of the day then repeat for 2 weeks. This should properly hydrate the body in a way that your body can use and absorb the water it has been lacking. After 2 weeks go to drinking water in a way that is recommended above.
• If your child has regular tummy aches try the water sipping though out the day or the big glass 15-30 minutes before meals. Many times this symptom in children is linked to dehydration. 

According to Ayurveda, drinking water to help with weight loss is not because of what common mainstream articles state; about filling up on water instead of food. That advise is actually killing your digestion, dimming your digestive fire and diluting the digestive enzymes, causing your stomach to have a hard time breaking things down, leading to digestive issues and weight GAIN. Drinking water 15-30 minutes before a meal hydrates the stomach and helps with the buffer zone that is made up of H20 around the stomach, which actually signals to the stomach that it is ok to turn on the stomach acid to full force so that it can break down the food. When you can break down the food you can produce more bile, which helps break down fat. Water drank in this way allows the body to break down and metabolize what you put in, leading to better digestion and if need be, weight LOSS.

CHEERS!