Back to school is always an exciting time of year. For most of us, it’s a time of transition in our daily rhythm and routine as well as a change in the weather. If you live in the northern hemisphere, autumn is the season of vata dosha. Ayurveda’s philosophy teaches that the five elements form three…
Blog
Herbs That Heal: Asafoetida – The Digestive Herb
Asafetida, also known as hing, is a latex gum extracted from several species of a perennial herb, Ferula. It is available in the market as a solid brick or smaller pieces, as well as in tablet or powder form. Along with its culinary uses, asafetida has a prominent place in traditional medicine. Its health benefits…
Meals That Heal: Summertime Popsicles-Ayurveda Style!
We took a childhood favorite and gave it a grown-up makeover, added the wisdom of Ayurveda. The result is a seasonal treat to delight all ages. You may be wondering why I am suggesting frozen foods when Vatas and Kaphas do not do well with cold foods. This becomes debatable in the summer as the…
Rejuvenating Summer Ayurveda Tonics
A Trio Of Ayurveda Elixirs, Equal Parts Zingy And Medicinal; Stirred But Not Shaken On a recent summer evening, as I was wondering what to drink, I decided to create this trio of tonics heavily disguised as cocktails so that I could offer them as a summer evening cocktail -sans alcohol of course. Each curative…
Meals That Heal – Blueberry Lavender Smoothie
Yeah for summer! This delicious smoothie is like a big bowl of goodness, you can just feel it nourishing each cell as you sip on this light and refreshing drink. This is the perfect breakfast or afternoon pick me up on a hot summer day. Its the ideal drink to pacify vata and cool pitta….
Meals That Heal – Daikon and Chicory Salad
Did you know that raw daikon is chock full of digestive enzymes making it a great salad for those that normally cannot do raw veggies? When we add the detoxifying qualities of chicory, we get a great salad that helps you burn fat easier. The cooling yogurt and tahini dressing adds a wonderfully creamy bite…
Herbs That Heal: Cilantro – Natures Cooling Herb
For more than three millennia, cilantro has been cultivated for its aromatic foliage, roots and seeds, all found in the tombs of the pharaohs. Cilantro benefits are impressive, it soothes an irritated digestive system and cools any burning sensations in the body. Its sweet aroma can subtly lift the spirits and there’s no doubting that…
Meals That Heal – Grilled Squash Sandwich With Minty Mayonnaise
To me one of the greatest delights of summer cooking is the grill –we’re gazing down a stretch of days toward summer grilling, and we’re itching to do nothing more except lay in a hammock with a cooling lemonade or our favorite beverage. After all who needs to be cranking up the heat in the…
Herbs That Heal: Amalaki the # 1 Healer
Amalaki is renowned for its immunity and anti-aging benefits. It is considered the “mother” as it performs the job of taking total care of the mind-body system and is known as the ultimate healer due to its immune restorative properties. In the Charaka Samhita – one of the root texts for Ayurvedic science – Charaka…
Bugs Be Gone – Natural Insect Repellent
This past weekend, the weather warmed up and lots of people headed outdoors to enjoy being outside. Here in New England (which is where I was this past weekend), bug spray is a necessity due to ticks and the prevalence of Lyme Disease. Everywhere I went, I could smell that unmistakable smell of chemical bug…