The #1 Ingredient for Radiant Skin

I couldn’t count the number ads I see for the “best” products for skin health, from creams to serums to capsules to collagen powder. But don’t break your budget, because the number one ingredient for radiant skin is not something you can buy. The key to beautiful skin is something that comes from the inside: ojas. Ojas is a term in ayurveda that means radiance, longevity and immunity. It’s like the gas tank for our health, and when our ojas tank is strong, its reflected in our appearance. Ojas is like the superfine essence of our nutrition, and it is maintained via the three pillars of health: Pure Food, Deep Sleep, and Right Use of Energy.

Pure Food: We are what we eat. For most of us, youth let us get away with eating anything we wanted, but at some point, that changes. We have the most ojas when we’re young, and that’s reflected in our skin. We look at young children and teens and admire their radiant, smooth skin. But at some point, teenagers start to get acne, adults start to get under eye circles, and the older we get, the more wrinkles we get. But proper nutrition supports clearer, smoother, more radiant skin as we age. Our diet, not only WHAT we eat, but HOW we eat, creates the tissues of our bodies, including our skin. Proper nutrition is individual, according to our dosha (mind body type), the season, our age and other factors. But generally, focusing on saatvic foods, meaning pure, harmonious, fresh, well prepared, and wholesome, produces the most healthy cells, and therefore, the most radiant skin. Eating seasonally, and with the right timing and quantity, as well as using herbs, hot teas, and other digestion enhancers helps us nourish a radiant body and avoid toxicity. Check out my top tips for good digestion here.

Deep Sleep: I don’t know about you, but I can CLEARLY notice the effect of even one night of poor sleep on my face. Dullness and dark under eye circles anyone? They are the direct result of exhaustion. Good sleep doesn’t only mean enough sleep, but also getting enough of the deep, uninterrupted kind of sleep that leaves us feeling well rested in the morning. The number of recommended hours depends on your age and dosha, but for adults its generally between 7 and 9. If that sleep is light or interrupted by wake ups or restless dreams, your body won’t be able to properly assimilate the experiences and nutrition of your day, or detoxify and process the accumulated daily wastes and emotions. Some of the keys to deep sleep are regulating our nervous system throughout the day (see Right Use of Energy), avoid eating late, reduce caffeine, and establish a night time routine, including turning off bright lights and screens a couple hours before bed.

Right Use of Energy: How we spend the precious energy (prana) we’ve been given is one of the greatest keys to overall health, and just like with nutrition and sleep, the way we use our energy is visible on our faces. Constantly working, worrying, and being busy keep us is a very active nervous system state, reducing our ability to digest well and to sleep well. Not only that, but always doing, stressing, and overthinking tend to make us tense our facial muscles, leading to wrinkles between our eyebrows, around our mouths, and even on our lips. It’s sadly easy to spot a person who’s spent a lifetime in mental struggle by the lines on their faces. This is not only aesthetically damaging, but wreaks havoc on every other aspect of our health, especially cardiovascular and mental health, leading to some of the most dreaded diseases of our times, heart disease and dementia. Regularly engaging in play, rest, and nervous system regulating practices each day helps us manage stress in a healthy way, and enlivens our own inner intelligence to heal our body, and rejuvenate our skin, from the inside out.

How the Doshas Affect Skin:

It’s helpful to know about your dosha type because each one has different skin tendencies.

Vata: People with a vata predominance tend to have skin that gets dried out easily and is sensitive to wind. Vatas are most likely to get dark circles under the eyes when worn out, and dull, tired skin in general. Vata is comprised of air and space, and so vata skin is kept in great shape by applying skin appropriate oils daily, such as almond and jojoba for the face, and sesame oil on the entire body (abhyanga). Consuming healthy fats in the diet is also essential for vata skin health, such as ghee, olive oil, and avocado oil. Vatas tend to struggle most with overthinking and worry, so doing calming, relaxing practices like gentle yoga, guided relaxations, and meditation help reduce the accumulation of wrinkles. Adaptogens like ashwaghanda, shatavari, and general rejuvenative herbs like guduchi, licorice, and tulsi support vatas to relax and be resilient to stress, smoothing out and brightening their skin.

Pitta: Pitta gives color to our skin, hair, and eyes, and pitta people tend to have a nice rosy complexion, often with freckles. But the fire that gives that color can also cause acne, rashes, and red patches when out of balance. Pitta people tend to struggle the most with acne and inflammation, and knowing how to reduce inflammation through food and lifestyle will support clearer skin. An anti-inflammatory diet for pittas includes apples, pears, berries, green vegetables, cucumbers, chicken, white fish, rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, coconut, avocados, and mild spices like fennel, coriander, turmeric, and small amounts of ginger and cumin. To reduce pitta, avoid spicy food, pickled or fermented foods, raw garlic and onions, sour foods, cow dairy, fried foods, alcohol, coffee, beef, pork, and lamb, nightshades, and white potatoes. Pittas have to really manage their tempers, because their fiery nature can lead to anger, irritability, and outbursts that increase acidity and inflammation in the body, leading to redness and rashes on the skin. Reducing competitive activities, and practicing soothing, cooling exercise like swimming, morning walks, gentle flowing yoga (not hot!) and meditation are very supportive to keeping pitta in balance.

Kapha: Kapha types are stable, strong, naturally well lubricated, and easygoing, and they tend to have the most beautiful, healthy, radiant skin and great, friendly smiles with nice teeth. But kapha out of balance tends to overaccumilate wastes, or toxins, leading to cystic acne and dull, sluggish skin cells. Kaphas stay radiant by eating light, easy to digest foods, favoring moderate amounts of healthy fats like olive oil, and mostly eating cooked veggies, grains, legumes, fruits, and small amounts of poultry. To avoid ama accumulation, kaphas should minimize heavy foods like cream, cheese, fried foods, white potatoes, white bread, beef, pork, and pastries. Consuming metabolism boosting herbs like ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and cumin, doing regular cleanses, and invigorating daily exercise help kaphas stay light and bright inside and out.

Skin Care Products:

Although the key to beautiful skin doesn’t come in a bottle, there are some really wonderful skin care products out there and it is important to use the highest quality, most pure and organic ingredients on our skin. Your skin is your biggest organ, and what you put on it gets absorbed systemically. Avoid most moisturizers found at pharmacies, as they tend to contain preservatives, petroleum products, and other suspicious ingredients. Instead of using harsh, drying soap, use mild, gentle cleansers that don’t strip your natural oils. Watch out for most cosmetics, which are linked with dangerous cancer causing agents, and find mineral based natural cosmetics instead. You can do your own research on skin care and cosmetic products at EWG.org. I personally use local skin care products by Singing River Farms and Sex Plants and Rock & Roll, because I know they are formulated in small batches with only natural ingredients and lots of love, and they make my skin feel amazing.

Herbs for Radiant Complexion:

When dealing with skin issues, ayurveda seeks to treat the root cause, which starts with addressing dosha imbalance, as discussed above. Additionally, certain plants offer their incredible intelligence to work synergistically with our own body to improve our skin quality or treat certain issues.

1. Turmeric: This vibrant yellow spice is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Use turmeric in face masks or consume it in warm milk to promote a healthy complexion from within.

2. Sandalwood: Known for its soothing properties, sandalwood powder can be mixed with rosewater or aloe vera gel to create a calming face mask. It helps reduce redness and rejuvenates the skin.

3. Aloe Vera: With its cooling properties, aloe vera gel is perfect for sensitive or irritated skin. Apply it as a gentle moisturizer or mix it with honey to create a hydrating face mask.

4. Neem: Neem oil is renowned for its purification and antimicrobial properties. It can be used to treat acne-prone skin and alleviate conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

5. Manjistha: Manjistha is a powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It can be taken internally to support liver health, which is a major player in clear, healthy skin.

Remember, Ayurvedic skincare is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Tailor your routine to suit your specific dosha, skin concerns, and the climate you live in. Embrace Ayurveda's holistic wisdom and nourish your skin from the inside out for lasting radiance.

BOOK A ONE ON ONE AYURVEDIC WELLNESS CONSULT to determine your dosha and specific diet, lifestyle, and herbal recommendations to support your inner radiance! Prices will be going up after December when I will graduate with my master’s degree and officially become an Ayurvedic Practitioner, so book now!

Stay tuned for our upcoming retreats and classes, where we will further explore the wonders of Ayurveda. Until then, may your journey to wellness be filled with balance, tranquility, and radiance.

Do Vatas thrive in Vata Season? + Essential Self Care Tips for Fall

I’d like to address a type of question that comes up a lot: “I’m Vata, so shouldn’t I feel best in Vata season?”, or “I’m a Pitta, why do I struggle in Pitta season?” The principles of ayurveda are based on understanding the qualities of times, seasons, substances, and people, and that similar qualities increase, while opposites decrease. Vata people AND Vata season are characterized by the qualities dry, moving, clarity, and cool. So, a Vata person, who already has a tendency to dry skin and hair, dry digestion (think gas and constipation), and runs cold, will struggle in autumn, AKA Vata season, when the qualities outside exacerbate their natural constitution, leading to digestive issues, feeling ungrounded, sleep struggles, and lowered immunity. Pittas, who run warm, sharp, and slightly oily, contrary to loving hot, Pitta season, usually don’t love summer, becoming overheated, irritable, and inflamed. Kaphas, who run cool, slow, steady, and heavy, do better in warm weather than winter, when the damp, heavy, cold, snowy weather can increase feelings of sluggishness and stagnation. (Of course, dual doshas and imbalances can blur the lines here and make it confusing to understand your mind-body type, hence the benefit of a one-on one consultation!)

Vata season is coming, and really, any dosha can get thrown out of balance as mother nature does a scene change. And if you have a good amount of Vata dosha in your nature, it’s an especially important time to start preparing your body for the seasonal shift by bringing in Vata balancing qualities: moist, steady, dense, and warm.

Here are some of my favorite Ayurvedic self care tips for staying centered and grounded in Vata season:

1. Abhyanga: Because DRY is one of the primary qualities of all, ayurveda looks to balance it with lubrication and moistening. That means oiling up your body from head to toe with deeply nourishing oils. This practice is called Abhyanga, and is especially important if you live in a dry place, and even more important during the drying season of autumn. Using oil on your body is different to lotion. For one thing, lotions can contain all kinds of preservatives, fragrances, and other questionable ingredients. Your skin is your biggest organ, so a good rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, don’t put in on your skin. Additionally, the oil allows your hands to slide and massage your body, which is one of the best ways to move lymph and support your lymphatic system to do its work of removing toxins. Traditional abhyanga oil for autumn is organic sesame oil infused with nourishing herbs. My favorite is this one from Banyan Botanicals. The ideal time for abhyanga is 20 minutes before you bathe.

2. Stay Warm: The changing temperatures throw our body’s rhythms for a loop. Lowered body temperatures mess with digestion, reduce immunity, and can increase vata in general. Dress in layers, bring a thermos of tea with you, and keep your head and feet covered when it’s chilly or windy. Cold and wind are especially exacerbating to Vata dosha, so take care to protect yourself. A warm scarf wrapped tightly around your abdomen is a favorite fall practice to protect your vital organs from cold and wind, and can be really flattering too!

3. Slow Down: Take it from me: keeping too much on your schedule is a cause for anxiety, trouble sleeping, and illness. Now is the time to start simplifying your days, be picky when it comes to social engagements and commitments, and schedule downtime. Slow down your yoga and exercise practices, and get to bed by 10. Do more mentally calming things like alternate nostril breath, yoga nidra, mindfulness, and meditation. Here’s a free Chakra Balancing Meditation I recorded for the awesome app Insight Timer, check there for many more guided practices of mindfulness and yoga nidra.

4. Eat Vata Balancing Foods: Think moist, dense, and warm, like stewed fruit and porridge in place of granola, roasted root veggies and proteins in place of sandwiches, and sauteed greens in place of salads. Drizzle olive oil or ghee on top of foods. Use warming digestive spices, such as this DIY Immune Boosting Spice Mix. Avoid dry, cold, crunchy foods like rice cakes, iced drinks, and popcorn. Drink plenty of herbal tea!

5. Nasya Oil: Nasya is a practice of putting oil in your nose to keep your sinus passages nourished and lubricated. Additionally, like with abhyanga, traditional oils are infused with herbs. In the case of nasya, because the oils will directly reach the brain, traditional oils contain medhya rasayanas, which means they support brain function, intelligence, and memory. This one is my favorite! Simply turn your head to each side and sniff in a few drops of the oil, OR, lay down in bed and let a few drops drip in through each nostril for 10 minutes.

Immune Boosting Spice Mix

Vata (autumn) season is coming, and all that change in the air weakens our immunity. It’s the time to start focus on building ojas, (strength and vitality), staying warm, getting enough rest, and managing our energy.

In my Ayurveda studies we were recently given a description of the main factors that affect immunity, according to the vedas. These include:

1. Sahaja Bala/ Innate Strength: the constitutional immunity inherited at birth, which depends on the strength of the parents at conception as well as the consciousness and constitution of the child at birth. Sahaja Bala explains why some people just seem to never get sick, while others get sick a lot.

2. Kalaja Bala/ Strength Related to Time and Season: Our immunity is stronger at certain times of year and day. For example, it’s easier to resist a pathogen when exposed in the morning when your energy is still strong, compared to at night after a long day.

3. Yuktikrita Bala/ Acquired Strength: We affect our level of immunity, our strength against disease, through diet, herbs, and lifestyle.

We can’t trade in what we were given at birth. So if you’re one of the lucky ones that rarely get sick, I’m so glad for you!! But if you feel you might have gotten the shorter end of the stick, it means you get to become a healer, by learning the ways to strengthen your constitution, and optimize your body’s capacity to resist illness. The sanskrit for this is vyadhi kshamatvam, and you have the choice to take the reins.

Ayurveda sees three main areas that are the pillars of our health: diet, sleep, and regulation of energy. A healthy diet means eating wholesome, compatible foods that suit our constitution in the proper amounts, timing, and season. Enough sleep is essential to detoxification and restoring our energy levels. Regulation of energy allows you to manage life’s stresses with a balanced use of energy, through practices such as yoga, meditation, somatic release, pranayama, exercise, walking, getting enough sunlight, and spending time in quiet solitude and nature.

By healthy diet, ayurveda also means healthy digestion. It doesn’t serve you to eat all the healthy super food fruits and veggies on earth if your body doesn’t assimilate the nutrients well. And when we don’t digest well, we start accumulating ama, aka toxins. This spice mix boosts your immune system in several ways. The spices themselves are medicinal, for example turmeric is well known to reduce inflamation, and cinnamon supports healthy blood sugar. Additionally, spicing our food is one of the best ways to kindle our digestive fire and help our body digest what we take in.

Immune Boosting Spice Mix
• 3 parts ground cumin

• 6 parts turmeric

• 3 parts ground coriander

• 6 parts ground fennel
• 1 part powdered ginger
• 1 part ground black pepper
• ¼ part ground cinnamon

I use one teaspoon as one part, and mix all into a jar and stir. Sprinkle it on root veggies before roasting, marinate meat or mushrooms, mix into dressing, or use it to flavor a soup or kitchari.

This spice mix recipe comes courtesy one of my lectures at Maharishi International University, Maharishi Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.

Unleash the Power of Unplugging: The Essential Benefits of a Digital Detox

This weekend, my family and I went to one of our favorite campgrounds, a place in the Colorado mountains that has gorgeous pine forests, a cold and clear river, cliffs for climbing, and no cell service at all. For me this was a welcome and intentional move, I know I need dedicated breaks from technology to reconnect to myself, my loved ones, and nature. I had spent much of the week on my computer and phone, planning and promoting retreats, gatherings and trainings, doing schoolwork, and increasingly noticing the effect of spending hours each day attached to my devices. Leaving my phone at home, we headed out, and within minutes, I felt my nervous system relax, my mind clarify, and my heart soften. Throughout the weekend, I enjoyed being present with my family, my body, and the beautiful river, trees, plants, animals, and cliffs all around us. Coming home, my attention is more focused, my body is more relaxed, and my ability to stay present and act as a witness to the daily goings on of my life stays with me.

In today's technology-driven world, our constant connection to digital devices has become a double-edged sword. Social media and information technology have undeniably revolutionized the way we connect and communicate with others. However, along with the many benefits, there are also some major downsides to their pervasive presence in our lives. The ever-present allure of smartphones, tablets, and computers can lull us into a sedentary lifestyle that poses numerous risks to our physical and mental well-being. Physically, screen time not only contributes to a lack of healthy movement, leading to detrimental effects on cardiovascular health and weight, but it also strains our eyes, potentially leading to long-term vision problems, as well as the loss of curvature in our necks, leading to spinal column damage and neural disorders.

Another significant drawback is the impact on mental health. The addictive pull of this instant mental stimulation takes us out of our body and into our heads, causing lack of mind-body connection and ultimately diminishing our overall quality of life. Constant exposure to carefully curated online profiles can lead to feelings of inadequacy, fostering a culture of comparison and self-criticism. The addictive nature of social media and incessant notifications from our phones can easily hijack our attention, leading to decreased productivity and difficulty focusing. The constant stimulation of our devices keeps our nervous system in an active sympathetic mode all day, leading to increased cortisol, adrenaline, anxiety, and insomnia.

As screens dominate our lives, the need for a digital detox is becoming increasingly crucial. Unplugging from the digital world may seem like a daunting task, but the benefits that await us on the other side are truly transformative. Let's explore why a digital detox is essential for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being:

1. Reclaim Your Mental Clarity:
Our daily interactions with digital devices bombard our minds with a never-ending stream of information. The constant notifications, pinging messages, and scrolling through social media can leave us feeling overwhelmed and mentally fatigued. By taking a break from the digital world, we allow our minds to rest and recharge, and our nervous system to balance. This mental decluttering enhances concentration, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, enabling us to approach life and work with renewed focus.
2. Foster Authentic Connections:
While digital devices claim to bring us closer, they often lead to superficial connections. We sacrifice face-to-face interactions for virtual conversations, forfeiting the richness of genuine human connection. A digital detox allows us to rediscover the power of authentic relationships. Without the distractions of devices, we can reconnect with friends, family, and ourselves on a deeper level. From heartfelt conversations to shared experiences, offline connections nurture our emotional well-being and provide a sense of belonging that no online community can replicate.
3. Improve Sleep Quality:
Digital devices have wreaked havoc on our sleep patterns. Late-night scrolling not only steals away precious hours of rest but also disrupts the quality of sleep. The blue light emitted by screens suppresses melatonin, the sleep hormone, making it harder to fall asleep and causing sleep disturbances throughout the night. By disconnecting from digital devices before bed, we allow our bodies to return to their natural rhythms, promoting restful sleep and waking up feeling truly rejuvenated.
4. Reconnect with Nature:
The digital world often tethers us to our desks or couches, limiting our connection with the natural world. A digital detox offers an opportunity to venture outside, breathe in fresh air, and immerse ourselves in nature's beauty. Engaging in outdoor activities, such as hiking, swimming, or simply sitting in the sunshine, has been proven to reduce stress levels and increase feelings of well-being. Reconnecting with nature provides a much-needed reset button for our souls, reminding us of the profound healing power of the natural world.
5. Rediscover Personal Passions:
We often tuck away our personal interests and hobbies when consumed by the digital world. A digital detox gives us the time and space to reignite our passions and pursue activities that truly bring us joy. Whether it's reading, painting, cooking, or playing an instrument, dedicating uninterrupted time to our favorite pastimes can reignite our creative spark and add fulfillment to our lives. We may even discover new talents or interests that were previously overshadowed by the constant hum of technology.

A digital detox is not just a momentary break from screens; it is a radical act of self-care. By giving ourselves the gift of unplugging, we regain mental clarity, forge deeper connections, improve our sleep patterns, reconnect with nature and our body, and rediscover our true passions.

How to do a Digital Detox:

When doing a digital detox, make a plan for how long and prep for it finishing crucial tasks and letting relevant family and co-workers know you’ll be offline. You can embrace small daily habits, such as instituting “Intermittent Fasting” with your technology. Most days I aim to keep all devices off between 8pm and 8am. I also force digital breaks by leaving my phone at home while I go for a daily walk or hike. But at times, and especially if your career requires you to be constantly attentive to your digital devices, it can be life changing to institute a true Digital Detox and give yourself days of uninterrupted pure presence with reality. This is one of the things I’m most excited about at my annual winter women’s retreat in Mexico this year! Equilibrium Healing Resort and Spa is intentionally designed to give guests the experience of a digital detox and reconnect to the bliss of true connection. Read on for more about The Queendom Retreat, January 11th-16th in the jungle of the Sierra Madres near Puerto Vallarta.

The Super Powers of Dahl

I recently took a 10 day trip with family out of state. Whenever I travel I do my best to stick to my routines and care for my body, but I also know how important it is to be FLEXIBLE and not stress about things that I can’t control. With my diet, I have to be REALLY flexible, because being on the road just doesn’t allow for nearly the same kind of exquisite culinary care I usually take for myself, especially when trying to go with the flow with other people!

So when I get home, I usually crave the simplest, healthiest, easiest to digest foods there are. Dahl is one of my go-tos.

There are lots of ways to make dahl, and various small legumes you can make it with.I have another recipe for a delicious Red Lentil Curry Dahl, but in the middle of summer that recipe can be a bit too heating. Split yellow mung (or moong) beans are considered one of the most healing foods in ayurveda. That’s because when they are split, well cooked and spiced right, they are very nourishing and easy to digest. (Unsplit ones are green and harder to digest for most people but awesome for sprouting!) They are also high in protein and many vitamins and minerals including manganese, phosphorous, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D,  vitamin B6, cobalamin and magnesium. They are a good source of fiber, folate, folic acid, and antioxidants. They are anti-inflammatory, good for the eyes and skin, and both helpful for weight loss as well as in building bones. Eating them helps lower blood pressure, balance hormone production, and may help lower blood sugar levels.

Here’s what I made on my first day back from traveling that really hit the spot!

Simple Mung (Moong) Dahl

Ingredients:

1 cup split yellow mung (moong) beans, soaked overnight or most of the day and rinsed

2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee

1/2 teaspoong ground turmeric

1/2 chopped onion or 1 shallot

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped (LOVE THIS TOOL FOR DEALING WITH GINGER!)

4 cups water

3/4 teaspoon sea salt or himalayan salt (or to taste)

Optional chopped veggies such as sweet potatoes, peppers, carrots, greens.

Garnishes: chopped fresh cilantro, ghee, squeeze of lime, chopped avocado

Directions:

Start by warming the oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan.

Add the onion, and once it as softened, add the turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and ginger, and stir until it browns but not burns.

Then add the soaked, rinseed mung beans and water and stir.

Bring to a boil and then lower to a moderate simmer. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking to see if it needs more water.

Uncover and add the salt to taste. Continue to cook if necessary, stirring occasionally, until mung beans are soft enough to not crunch when you eat it. The thickness is up to you and you can use more and less water to achieve a more soupy or thicker consistency. Turn it off and let it rest for 10 minutes. (I like to add some cilantro here so it wilts).

Optionally, you can add any veggies you like. Hard root veggies like sweet potatos can go in after about 15 minutes of cooking, carrots and peppers can go in after 30 minutes, while fresh tomatoes or green can go in right in the last few minutes of cooking.

Serve on its own or over white basmathi rice, and top with a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, spoonful of ghee, and some avocado.

Kid tips: My 7 year old son likes to keep his dahl separate from his rice and top both with nutritional yeast. I’ve also heard of parents melting some cheese in the dahl to make it more kid-friendly.

Enjoy!

Fried Foods, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas

We all know we’re supposed to eat healthy and limit things like processed foods, added sugars, and fried foods. So why are these things still so ubiquitous in our world? Well, for one thing, they are so darn TASTY! But with excessive rates of morbid illness like cancer and heart disease linked to these foods, I believe more education at every level will support us all to gradually adopt more beneficial eating habits. This is close to home for me since my parents both recently recovered from cancer and my dad is still recovering from a stroke caused by a blood clot. My grandmother died of pancreatic cancer, and my grandfather died of heart disease. Today I’d like to explain from an ayurvedic perspective WHY we’ll do ourselves a favor by passing on the french fries, at least most of the time!

Ayurvedically speaking, our intention in life is to enliven our own inner intelligence, which is what brings us ultimate health, inspiration, and bliss. According to ayurveda, the same cosmic intelligence that birthed the world and sprouts every plant is pulsing through our every cell. It’s what turned two single cells into a fetus, and turned that fetus into a fully formed adult. It’s the same intelligence that heals our cuts, processes what we eat, and guides our intuition as we navigate our world.

What we eat and take in through all of our senses affects our inner intelligence. We enliven it with pure, or sattvic, foods and experiences, we dull it through tamasic foods and experiences, and we make it frenetic and disjointed through rajasic foods and experiences.

When I smell and see french fries, I crave that crunchy, salty, satisfying rich flavor and crunch. In the short term, they are so enjoyable! But when I pay attention to how I feel later, I notice I feel heavy, dull, and sluggish. That’s because fried foods carry tamasic energy, the energy of inertia, that dulls our digestion and our mind, and ultimately covers up our inner intelligence.

Frying food causes complex changes to the structure of food through oxidation, polymerization, and hydrogenation. In ayurvedic terms, frying food destroys the pure intelligence that was once in the living food, whether it was a vegetable, a grain, or an animal.

Tamasic energy is also found in processed foods, red meat, alcohol, frozen and microwaved foods, as well as dive bars, funeral homes, and dank basements. It pulls our energy downwards and even leads to depression.

Sometimes we crave tamasic foods because we are in a rajasic state. Rajas is the frenetic energy of an overactive mind, the high stimulation of a rock concert, the busy environment of a school cafeteria, and the stressed state of someone with too much on their plate. Rajasic foods include overly spiced foods, caffeine, salt, onion, garlic, and refined sugar.

To optimize our health and enliven our inner intelligence, we want to limit rajasic and tamasic foods and eat mostly sattvic foods, which include fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lentils, nuts and seeds, ghee, and fresh dairy products.

So, back to fried foods. Aside from clouding our senses and clogging our arteries, they are also well known from a western perspective to be linked to all the big names in scary diseases including cancer, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory and autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and heart disease, the number one killer in America.

According to study done in 2018 at the University of Iowa, “frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried chicken and fried fish/shellfish, was associated with a higher risk of all cause and cardiovascular mortality in women in the US.”

One potential reason for this from a western scientific perspective (which unfortunately means air fryers are not exempt), is that heating foods to high temperatures increases the production of carcinogenic compounds such as acrylamide, a compound formed in foods that become crunchy when cooked. Steaming, boiling, and sautéing produces far less of these than frying and even baking. DANG! I love that satisfying crunch!

Another rationale for the dangers of fried foods is the oils they are fried in. Most restaurants are using oils such as canola, cottonseed, vegetable, and peanut oils. These are high in omega 6 fatty acids, nicknamed the “bad fats”, compared to omega 3s, aka the “good fats” found in things like fish oil, hemp, chia, walnuts and even fruit and vegetables. Actually, we’re meant to have both of these fats, but in proper ratios. Research is still inconclusive on exactly the right ratio of omega 6s to omega 3s, but what we do know is that our ancestors generally ate close to a 1-1 ratio, and on average most people these days are having more of a 20-1 ratio. So generally reducing our intake of omega 6s is a good idea.

And you probably know that fried foods are high in saturated and trans fats, which are known to increase blood cholesterol levels. Not all cholesterol is bad of course, but the kind of cholesterol in fried foods tends to be the kind that clogs and damages the walls of your arteries.

So should we strictly avoid fried foods? No! Life is meant to be enjoyed, and when we are vital, active, and healthy we can process occasional indulgences without detriment. But can we reduce our cravings for short term pleasures by increasing our enjoyment of life’s simpler, more sattvic pleasures? Yes! I am reminded of the yogic concept asteya, meaning non-stealing, and that when I indulge in a short term pleasure now, I may be stealing from my health and comfort in the future. So have your chips and french fries, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, and focus on slowing down, enjoying simple pleasures, and deeply nourishing yourself with more harmonious options most of the time.

Join me on Tuesday evenings in September and October to study the incredible wisdom and science of Ayurveda. Learn your unique MindBody Type, and understand how to apply the principles of natural law to really know which diets, herbs, routines and self care practices are the right ones for you.

I'm really excited to be sharing what I've been studying for all these years, starting September 5th and OPEN TO ALL: the Ayurveda Deep Dive, an 8 week course to deeper connection with your body, your health, and the natural world.

Ayurveda, the Knowledge of Life, is a holistic method of understanding the world and your place in it. In this course, dive into the theories of Ayurveda, increase self-awareness of your unique MindBody Type, and implement lifestyle changes, dietary choices, cleansing and restorative practices that will support your health, prevent disease, and enliven your body’s inner intelligence.

Ayurveda is the ultimate preventative medicine. Investing your energy in this knowledge may save you thousands of dollars in future medical expenses, improve your physical and mental health and even increase your lifespan.

Learning ayurvedic principles allows you to look at life from the point of view of nature. Ayurveda teaches us how to live in sync with the natural world and honor our own cyclical nature. Ayurveda is not a set of rules or restrictions; it’s an understanding of the natural laws of the universe. By gradually learning and implementing these principles, we find ourselves naturally drawn to the foods, people, places, and practices that balance us.

If you have thought about studying ayurveda but aren’t ready to invest thousands of dollars in a certificate program, this is the course for you. In these 8 weeks you’ll get an in depth understanding of the foundations of ayurveda that will serve you and your family for the rest of your life, for only $333.

1 Thing I wish I had done as a new mom

7 years ago today, I became a mother.

Reflecting on the immense changes that motherhood brought to my life, I can say it has:

• Cracked my heart wide open to new depths of love I never knew were possible

• Reminded me how to be silly and playful

• Taught me greater patience, mediation skills, and empathy

• Showed me places in myself that needed love and healing

These are the greatest gifts of parenting. Now that my boy is 7, and so capable, independent, and smart, I can also reflect on those first couple years when he was so needy of my time, caretaking, and energy. When I was equally enamored with my adorable baby, exhausted from lack of sleep, frustrated by constantly having my attention pulled in many directions, and overwhelmed with trying to balance mom life with my need to express myself through my work and creative passions.

Everyone told me, “nap when he naps”, and I thought, “yeah right, I have things to do”. They told me, “they grow up so fast, be present now” and I thought, “I know AND I’ve got a lot of things I want to BE in addition to being a mom.” The consequences of trying so hard to be supermom, super householder, and super business woman were adrenal fatigue, overwhelm, and insomnia, and I am STILL doing the work to rebalance my nervous system. SEVEN YEARS LATER.

If there is one thing I wish I could have done differently, one thing I really wish I could tell new moms, it’s this: It is true that it goes by in a flash and you don’t want to miss it. It is true that just for this one time in your life, you get to be the world to a child who really needs your complete presence. But being there for your child at this time is NOT the only reason to be present. You get to play this star role not just in your child’s life, but in YOUR OWN life. Enjoy it, not only because your baby will grow up so fast. Don’t rush back to reclaiming the parts of you that you have needed to sacrifice because, THIS: your OWN nervous system, your OWN body, your OWN being needs you to fully be present for this chapter in YOUR LIFE. To witness your OWN growth and development in this new context. To pay attention to your OWN body’s signs of needing rest, nourishment, and caretaking. To nourish your OWN being with your attention, food, and love. (If you know a new mom, forward this email!)

So many new moms, myself included, end up with seriously depleted bodies, nervous systems, and hearts by trying to be everything at once. Our world rewards achievement while downplaying the gifts and sacrifices of the most incredible and important job in the world. Ayurveda recognizes how lack of rest, nourishment, and care for mothers leads to post-partum depression, depletion, and exhaustion in the short term (vata aggravation), which in the long term leads to chronic illness and disease. (Those of us who don’t have young children at home can really support our entire world by looking for ways to lend a hand to parents of little ones.)

Leo turns 7 today and I am so grateful. Grateful for his beautiful soul and love, and grateful for all the support I’ve gotten from my husband, my family, and my community. And grateful for the privilege of studying ayurveda and the many, many ways it has helped me come back to equilibrium.

Learning your body’s individual nature, needs, and how to best support your long term health are the aims of my next online course, the Ayurveda Deep Dive. Join me on Tuesday evenings in September and October to study the incredible wisdom and science of Ayurveda. Learn your unique MindBody Type, and how to know which diets, herbs, routines and self care practices are the right ones for you. I am offering a $50 discount now through the end of July!