Is yoga an amazing all-over workout? Heck yes! But that’s only one benefit. Yoga is a combination of physical movements and postures along with meditative movements, breathing, and mindfulness. It can provide you with an approachable way to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.
If the panic attack has already hit
Let’s get to the nitty-gritty. If you’re reading this, it is highly likely you have experienced or even right now, are experiencing an anxiety attack or panic attack. Know you are not alone and that nobody has ever died from an actual panic attack as much as your nervous system may beg to differ at the time!
Panic attacks are nothing to be ashamed of. They can happen to literally anyone, regardless of their lifestyle. In these sweat-inducing, tremor-producing moments, your body preps for fight or flight even if there’s no real danger. Panic attacks can be scary, especially if you’ve never had one before.
Symptoms of a panic attack
pain or tightness in your chest
a sense of impending danger
trembling and shaking
dizziness or faintness
shortness of breath
a pounding heart
numbness
sweating
nausea
impaired vision
You can use yoga to ease anxiety and panic attacks. Although, before you jump into a new routine, take some time to calm yourself. The breathing techniques below are a great way to begin recalibrating the nervous system.
Try to take deep, slow breaths that fill your belly (not just your chest). Draw air in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. You can also try alternate nostril breathing. Focus on your breath until you begin to feel relief.
Entering a simple yoga pose can also help. Pick one that promotes a sense of grounding but also helps you relax. Some good choices are Child’s Pose and Bridge Pose. This can open your lungs, slow rapid breathing, and decrease your heart rate.
Best yoga poses for anxiety
I have put together a sequence of yoga poses (asana) that will help the body to relax, transferring over to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) as opposed to the sympathetic system (fight or flight). These yoga poses for panic attacks can help promote a sense of safety, relaxation, and overall stillness.
The practice is for all levels, including beginners, and takes around 60 minutes from start to finish. Each pose should be sat in for around four nourishing belly breaths. If you are struggling with reoccurring anxiety such as GAD ( Generalised anxiety disorder) I would suggest you practice this sequence at least twice a week to keep your nervous system in check, rather than waiting for it to become overstimulated and burnt out.
Click the link here will take you to the free Yoga for Anxiety and Stress sequence, all you need to do is press play and follow its lead.
If you have any questions, need some additional advice or guidance, or would like to attend a 121 or one of my morning online sessions, please click on the link here to get in touch and to find out more or book straight on here
Meditation & breathing exercise for anxiety/panic attacks
This meditation is particularly good for women and essential at times of worry, unease, and irrationality. Normally, we breathe at a rate of 15 breaths a minute, but when we’re able to rhythmically slow down our breath to only 4 breaths per minute, we have indirect control over our minds. This eliminates obnoxious behavior, promoting a calm mind regardless of our surroundings. This is a very effective method of balancing the functional brain.
Please bear in mind that this meditation, and breathing exercise, is an advanced practice. It stabilises the pranic body (energy body), resulting in an increased sense of self and elimination of anxiety. Conscious and subconscious fears negatively impact our judgment and self-trust every day. This meditation removes our reactions to those fears and makes us steady. Follow the Nadi Shodhana link above if you feel this is too advanced for you at the moment.
Try It
Sit in Easy Pose with your eyelids 1/10th open, gaze focused at your brow point. Hold your right hand 4–6 inches in front of your body at the level of your throat. Curl your fingers into a fist. Extend your thumb straight up. Hold your left hand directly below your right fist. Curl the fingers of your left hand into a fist. Extend your thumb straight up.
Adjust the position of your hand so your left thumb tip is about 2 inches from the base of your right fist and your thumbs are aligned with each other. The base of your left hand to the top of your right thumb should cover the space from the level of your diaphragm to your mouth. Hold your elbows so that your forearms are parallel to the ground.
Regulate your breath in this pattern: Inhale deeply and quickly, then exhale immediately, powerfully, and completely. Lock your breath out. Suspend your chest and keep your neck locked. Keep your thumbs stiff and in perfect position.
Hold your breath out for a rhythmic count of 26. With each count, gently apply mula bandha. Visualize as you count. See and feel the energy and awareness going up your spine, vertebra by vertebra. The count of one is the first vertebra at the base of your spine and the count of 26 is at the top of your spine at the center of your skull. Continue for 3–11 minutes
I do hope these tools and techniques help in some way. Always remember…
All is well, and I am safe.
I inhale strength and exhale fear
I’ve survived this before, I’ll survive now
and my favourite…
Let go of the fear, only love is here
I do hope this post brings some relief to you and wish you peace and stillness.
Among the most common misconceptions about yoga is that it’s just another form of exercise. Perhaps this is because people often see yogis stretching and doing pretzel-like poses. However, the reality is that the benefits of yoga are more encompassing than just the physical. And, thanks to modern technology and functional MRI scans, we’re now able to see how regular practice affects your brain.
Here are some of the mental benefits of yoga and how it produces those effects by changing the structure of your brain.
Yoga Increases Gray Matter Density
Our brains are primarily made up of two types of tissues: white and gray matter. A normal human brain consists of about 60% white matter and 40% gray matter. Both of which play important roles in healthy cognitive functioning, however, each brain tissue type has a different function:
Gray matter consists of your brain cells or neurons. While it’s called gray matter, in reality, it is pink in color. That’s because while you’re alive, blood continuously flows through it. After you die, it turns gray. Due to its concentration of neurons, gray matter is responsible for many of your brain’s functions, including learning skills and memory. It is also responsible for the functionality of interpreting your senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch. Additionally, it affects your muscle control and self-awareness.
White matter, on the other hand, is the connection that extends from your brain cells. Its job is to connect different sections of your brain, much like how the internet interconnects the world, by allowing areas of your brain to send and receive signals to one another. As such, healthy white matter allows your brain to coordinate your thoughts as well as your movements.
In general, both gray and white matter complement one another to allow you to think, coordinate movement, and interpret the world surrounding you. Damage or reduction in one or the other area affects your cognitive abilities. How yoga is relevant to our brain matter is that recent research has shown that yoga increases gray matter volume in the hippocampus and frontal sections of your brain (1).
How does this help you?
Research involving a comprehensive study of structural brain scans found that a person’s general intelligence is associated with the volume of gray matter in that specific area of the brain. Essentially, the thicker the volume of the gray matter in a region of your brain, the more cells are present there, and in turn, are more likely to perform better.
A few examples include:
London black cab taxi drivers are well reputed for their knowledge of local streets and their ability to navigate around traffic. These humans have a higher volume of gray matter in their hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and spatial navigation (2).
Humans trained as Professional musicians, when compared to amateurs and non-musicians, present more gray matter in the Broca’s area as well as in the motor, auditory, and visuospatial regions of the brain thanks to their years of music training (3).
Similarly, in yoga, your constant use and practice of control in your postures, breathing, and mental activity results in increased gray matter density and activation in your hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Together, allowing you to have better:
Focus and concentration
Emotional and impulse control
Make you more in tune with your senses and be self-aware
Decision making as well as being better at evaluating rewards and consequences. And, be more willing to delay gratification (4).
It Increases the Folds in Your Brain
If you look up a photo of the human brain on the internet, you’ll probably notice that its surface is made up of bumps and wrinkles, like a big sponge. These bumps play an essential role in your ability to think.
These wrinkles are basically called cortical folds, or gyrification if you prefer a more medical or scientific term. These folds contain your brain cells. And, they’re there to increase the surface area of your brain. That’s a good thing. After all, who doesn’t like more brain cells, right?
Why does your brain have folded tissue?
That’s because your brain has to fit in your head. And, because your skull is small, it has to find a way to ‘squeeze’ itself in there.
To visualise this, think of packing a small suitcase. It has only so much space. If you lay out all your clothes there, it will be hard to fit everything in. But, if you fold your clothes properly or roll them up, you’ll be able to fit more into the same small suitcase. The best part is, that folding or rolling your clothes up doesn’t change how big your shirts or pants are when you wear them. They still contain the same amount of fabric.
This uses the same concept as gyrification, the twisting and coiling of your brain tissues show up as folds. In the process, they allow more surface area, which holds more neurons, to fit in your skull.
Where does yoga fit in?
Holistic yoga consists of three main components that cater to your physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. These come in the form of poses (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation.
When it comes to your brain, the meditation aspect plays a large role as it is connected to increasing the number of folds in your brain (5). According to a study done by UCLA researchers, MRI brain scans showed that long-term meditators had more gyrification of their brain’s cortex. Researchers believe that this was a result of the brain’s neuroplasticity, indicating it adapted to the changes in its environment. In this particular case, it was the 20 or more years or regular meditation that produced the structural changes in the brain. Just as interestingly, the study also learned that the number of years of practice is correlated with the amount of gyrification.
Since your cerebral cortex is responsible for things like language, reasoning, perception, information processing, memory, and voluntary movement, the increase in gyrification allows for better functioning and faster information processing.
It Lets You Relax More by Reducing Stress and Anxiety
One of the primary benefits of yoga reported is a sense of post-practice relaxation. This associated body-mind connection is a positive change from the hectic pace of life but it doesn’t end there.
During yoga, your brain releases all sorts of chemicals that not only help you relax but also lower your stress and anxiety levels including, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. Each of which functions in its own way to help you calm down and feel better.
GABA is a neurotransmitter or your brain’s chemical messenger. Its job is to suppress neural activity in order to prevent your brain from getting overly excited. In doing so, it controls how much fear, stress, anxiety or nervousness you’ll feel. Research shows that yoga increases your GABA levels by 27% (6). In fact, another study found that yoga is even better than walking if you want to relax and reduce anxiety (7).
Happiness Hormones. Collectively, your happiness hormones are dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. They’re called as such because each of them makes you feel better about yourself and your well-being. For example, dopamine makes you feel rewarded and lets you experience a pleasure. Meanwhile, serotonin reduces tension to help relieve stress and anxiety.
Together, these chemicals help you relax and feel content. It is why many yogis will tell you that they feel happier after a class.
One of the reasons you’re able to relax is that yoga also does a number on your stress response (8). During a yoga session, certain parts of your brain slow down to allow them to rest. This functionality helps you de-stress, which takes place in two major areas of the brain:
Frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is the most advanced part of your brain because it is responsible for most of the thinking, planning, and reasoning. Additionally, it plays a role in self-awareness and emotional regulation. As you can imagine, this part of the brain is racing when you encounter a dilemma or when you feel self-conscious about something. However, during yoga, your frontal lobe goes on vacation. Thus, allowing you to take a break for a while.
Parietal lobe. This section of the brain handles all the information coming from your senses. It takes in the sights, sounds, and everything else you observe around you. As such, when you’re always on the move, working, driving, or observing things, you can imagine how much activity is going on here. Yoga likewise causes your parietal lobe to slow down.
But, it doesn’t stop there. Yoga also helps reduce stress by lowering your body’s cortisol and adrenaline levels, two critical stress hormones. That is, when you feel stressed or anticipate something stressful about to happen, your stress response is triggered. As a result, your body releases stress hormones to help you become more alert, make your heart beat faster, and spike your blood pressure. All of these are a result of your body getting flooded by stress hormones including cortisol and adrenaline.
Stress in itself is a good thing. It allows us to take on emergencies or focus better when we need to take a test or give a presentation. It, likewise, prepares you to protect yourself during life-threatening events.
But, if you have a hectic lifestyle and are constantly stressed, it can become harmful to your health. This is because your stress hormones trigger different events in your body to produce the effects mentioned earlier. Among them are releasing more sugar into your bloodstream, increasing your blood pressure, and producing inflammation. When sustained for long periods of time, this can result in serious conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
In contrast, yoga helps to reverse these effects. One study notes how yoga reduces your body’s cortisol levels (9). Meanwhile, another study found that 12 minutes of daily yoga helps lower your body’s inflammation response, which is important as chronic inflammation is linked to serious long-term conditions like depression and heart disease (10).
Anxiety is closely related to stress. But, they aren’t the same thing. Stress is the response your body produces due to a threat. Once that situation passes, the stress goes away. On the other hand, anxiety can be a result of stress as well as a myriad of other factors (to name a few: trauma, brain chemistry, environmental influences, genetics, use or withdrawal from substances, etc.)
Common symptoms of anxiety may include constant worry, feeling restless, startling easily, inability to focus, and often difficulties sleeping.
Here’s where yoga comes in.
Interestingly enough, while yoga increases the volume of gray matter in some areas of the brain, it also has an opposite effect on other regions of the brain. One such example is your brain’s amygdala (11). The amygdala is what you can call the message processing center of your brain. It receives incoming messages from your senses and internal organs and then processes them. As such, it plays a critical role in your emotions and how you react to them, the most prominent of these emotions being fear. This is why you get nervous or afraid when you feel an impending threat or problem.
Thanks to yoga, the reduction of gray matter in your amygdala means that there is less activity in this part of your brain. As such, you’re better at handling fear and your emotions. Plus, you’re likewise better able to relax.
Final Thoughts
Yoga is commonly thought of as a series of poses that involve stretching and other complex movements. As such, its benefits are often believed to be physical. However, its effects have much more depth. The combination of poses, breathing, and meditation produces structural changes in your brain. This not only causes certain areas of your brain to increase or decrease in size but also affects your cognition as well as how you process your emotions, stress, and anxiety. All of which help you live a happier, healthier life.
It’s that time of year, the wild garlic is out. It’s in its masses on my local walk, so I’ve been busy foraging while on some beautiful family walks with the kids and fur baby Blu.
Wild garlic has so many benefits, it’s widely known for its antibacterial, antibiotic, and possibly antiviral properties, and contains vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, and copper. Studies have also shown that it can also help reduce blood pressure, which could lower the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Now onto the important stuff!
It’s important to notice the difference between the flowers of the Wild Garlic plant and the Lily of the Valley. You can see the Lily of the Valley look like snowdrops and face down to the ground, their petals also are denser. Wild Garlic has an almost daisy-like, lighter petal, and the flower heads face up to the sun. They also give a distinct smell of garlic too! Lily of the Valley is highly poisonous so please take care to look for flowers that look like the image on the right and if you’re unsure, leave well alone.
Wash wild garlic leaves really well and dry them with a kitchen towel or leave to air-dry.
Dry-roast the pine nuts in a hot pan on low-medium heat. Make sure you stir them so they don’t bur and don’t be alarmed if you hear a few pops and cracks. Once they have turned slightly golden, leave too cool.
Place all the pesto ingredients apart from the olive oil into a food processor. If you like a little sour kick to your pesto, you can use 4 tbsp / ¼ cup of lemon juice in the pesto mix, you may want to adjust the amount to your taste so make sure to add it a bit by bit instead of throwing it all in. Process until chopped small and then start trickling in olive oil through the funnel while the processor is still going.
Spoon the pesto into a clean jar and top with an extra tablespoon of olive oil over the top to prevent mold from setting in. Store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
TIPS:
You can also cleanse and freeze in air-tight containers or carriers. Just make sure to carry out step one before freezing.
Take care to cut the stems midway to allow the roots to remain for growth next year!
Leaves can be added to all kinds of recipes, we enjoy them in stir-frys and soups too.
Don’t throw the flowers away, they’re bitterness gives a lovely kick to most recipes and can be eaten with salads too.
For this evening’s dinner, we mixed the pesto with some gluten-free pasta and cooked chestnut mushrooms. Couldn’t resist some gluten and dairy-free garlic bread going on the side. Would you believe the kids still had room for some dessert and polished off the rest of the chocolate chip banana bread I had made the day before? The recipe for that is here
I hope you enjoy it and don’t forget to let me know what you thought of it in the comments below…
Bioresonance is a little-known yet powerful therapy that taps into your body’s energy field. Expert practitioner, Lowell Riezouw, is now offering Bioresonance therapy at the London Clinic of Nutrition.
What is bioresonance?
You are an energetic being, and bioresonance uses energy to locate imbalances in your body.
The easiest way to understand this is to think back to the experiments you used to do with magnets at school. Remember you would take a magnet, cover it with a sheet of paper, and then scatter iron filings on top of the paper? The iron filings would form a clear pattern, reflecting the magnetic field.
You could take the magnet away, but as soon as you placed it back under the paper, the iron filings would arrange themselves once more. If there were any disturbance in the pattern, you’d know something was up with the magnetic field.
Your body is no different. Every single one of your cells is made of energy, and that means your body has its own magnetic or ‘biomagnetic’ field. Much like iron filings in disarray, imbalances in this biomagnetic field can contribute to symptoms.
Using the same metaphor, we can see that the conventional approach to healthcare tries to rearrange the iron filings to reinstate order. Bioresonance looks to the body’s biomagnetic field to resolve the underlying cause of a disturbance.
How does bioresonance work?
Bioresonance works by measuring the biomagnetic field or frequencies of your body to identify the source of any disturbances.
It is a gentle, non-invasive therapy. Electrodes are placed on your skin, and these are linked to a machine that emits electromagnetic signals. The machine sends a gentle impulse to your body. If your cells are balanced and healthy, the machine will read a clear signal coming back. If there’s any disturbance in your body’s biomagnetic field, the returning signal will be much weaker.
One frequency might mean there’s an issue in your liver cells, for example, while another might point towards a virus or allergen.
The machine is programmed with thousands of different frequencies so that it can recognise what the various returning signals mean. One frequency might mean there’s an issue in your liver cells, for example, while another might point towards a virus or allergen.
As more and more signals come back, the system starts to create a picture of what’s going on in your body. This information, coupled with a comprehensive case history and an assessment of your current symptoms, can help to uncover underlying and previously undetectable reasons for stubborn health issues.
As well as pinpointing the problem, bioresonance can also be used to restore balance. The machine can emit counter-frequencies to help reset the body’s biomagnetic field, making it strong and stable once more.
This therapy—in conjunction with other treatment approaches such as nutritional therapy and Functional Medicine—can be transformative.
What is bioresonance used for?
There is a small but emerging body of research on the benefits of bioresonance. Studies so far suggest that it can help with:
Fibromyalgia. A Russian study compared two groups of fibromyalgia patients. One group received manual therapy and massage as a treatment, while the other received manual therapy and massage, plus bioresonance. The group receiving bioresonance experienced a quicker improvement in their symptoms, and the therapeutic effect lasted for longer too [1].
Overtraining and fatigue. Another study of 60 burnt-out athletes found that those who received bioresonance therapy experienced greater recovery [2]. It appeared that the bioresonance helped to normalise blood pressure and rebalance the athletes’ stress response.
Stomach pain. In a small German study that compared 10 people receiving bioresonance with 10 receiving no treatment, researchers found that bioresonance significantly reduced unexplained stomach pain [3].
Smoking addiction. In 2014, a study looking at 190 smokers found that those who received just one session of bioresonance were more likely to have successfully given up smoking a year later [4].
Allergies. A review of studies found that bioresonance can improve allergic symptoms such as asthma and eczema [5]. Interestingly, its effect is more pronounced in children.
It’s worth considering that while we should strive to be evidence-based, it’s also possible to be evidence-limited. Our medical system works on the assumption that biochemistry is the foundation of biological systems, which means little money is spent investigating the energetic side of medicine.
But we are, without question, just as much energetic beings as we are biochemical ones. It will be interesting to see how the research that’s developing in this area will change the landscape of healthcare.
Bioresonance should not be relied upon to diagnose conditions. However, if you’re curious, it can be an illuminating tool to add greater depth and insight to your health journey.
Who would benefit from bioresonance?
Because bioresonance investigates a little-explored aspect of health—your biomagnetic field or frequency—it can provide another way of looking at mysterious or persistent symptoms.
This gentle and non-invasive therapy is suitable for everyone, but it can be particularly insightful in cases of:
Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Unexplained illness
Lyme disease
Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
At the Home of Alchemy, we work with many expert practitioners, including the founder, Leanne Tipton, who uses a top of the range bioresonance machine to get the most precise readings possible. She uses these findings to develop a personalised protocol that may include further energy therapies, along with body-centered psychotherapy and homeopathy.
As with all treatment approaches at the Hone of Alchemy, the goal of bioresonance is to help your body restore its natural balance—so you can enjoy better health.
1 hour follow up bioresonance appointment costs £105
Packages with discounted rates are also available.
For personalised support and to find out more, please feel free to get in touch.
To book a bioresonance appointment please contact Home of Alchemy directly who handle bookings: Email: info@homeofalchemy.com Phone: +44 (0) 7856973252
It’s been a hot couple of weeks for us in the UK and I’ve witnessed a lot of heated, sweaty bodies in my St Helens Yoga classes, including my own!
It’s summertime and, from the Ayurvedic perspective, that means pitta season—when pitta dosha (fire and water elements), is at its most dominant. It’s relatively common at this time of year to feel a lot of pitta’s main qualities—hot, oily, liquid, and light—all of which can encourage symptoms like inflammation, acid indigestion, rashes, acne, burning eyes, agitation, frustration, and anger to come to the surface.
Summertime Is The Pitta Season—When Pitta Dosha (Fire And Water Elements), Is At Its Most Dominant.
In my St. Helens yoga class, the months of June and July have been themed with the third limb of yoga Asana, so it was useful to learn techniques such as the lion’s breath, to help cool the body down during physical practice and removing excess heat, helping to restore balance.
Another technique my yoga students and I explored was the Sheetali breath, otherwise known as the Cooling breath.
How To Do Sheetali Pranayama (The Cooling Breath)?
Choose a cool, quiet location where you won’t be disturbed. Prepare a steady, comfortable seat: Balance the weight between the sitting bones, lengthen/extend the spine, and close the eyes. You might want to rest your hands on your lap, palms facing up, which keeps them cool during practice, or place the hands, palm facing down to help restore strength and focus.
Begin with a body scan. Observe which pitta qualities are present in your body-mind (e.g. excess heat, acidity, inflammation, irritation, or intensity).
Now bring your tongue all the way out and fold both sides of the tongue like a tube or straw.
Take a long, deep inhalation through the tube in the tongue which is formed by folding the both sides of tongue taking care to expand and not lift up into the chest.
After inhalation, lower your chin to the chest (Jalandhar bandha) and hold your breath for about 6 to 8 seconds. (During retention of breath lower and bend the chin downward resting it on the throat pit. Actively push hands into legs)
When you feel like breathe out release the Jalandhar bandha (lift your chin to the normal position) and exhale slowly by the left Nadi (nostril). Using the right hand to block the right Nadi if needed. This is optional and can breathe out of both nostrils if preferred.
Repeat it about 5 to 6 times.
In the end, bring your breathing back to normal and feel relax.
Swallow now and then if the throat feels dry. Continue this cycle for one to five minutes—until you feel refreshed.
If you are unable to curl your tongue, practice a variation known as Sitkari pranayama. Inhale through the teeth, with the lips parted and the tongue floating just behind the teeth).
Pause and feel the effects of the practice, noticing any areas of the body-mind that feel refreshed, ventilated, renewed, or cooled.
Finish with several minutes of silent meditation to bask in the sensations of spaciousness.
My students and I found this technique to be quite useful. Practicing on a daily basis has been known to reduce symptoms of reflux in one of my students too!
It is important to know that you must not try this exercise if you suffer from migraines, are pregnant, or have low blood pressure. The retention of the breath at the top of the inhalation could be unsafe for those who fall into the above category/categories.
I have also attached a link here to a study of the Impact of Sittali pranayama on brain waves. I found it most interesting.
Do you struggle with hot flushes?
So, why don’t you give it a whirl? Maybe try to add this breathing exercise into your daily lunchtime routine, you may notice a change in indigestion you may suffer from after lunch, or try it after your gym visit, see if it helps you to cool down. A student of mine is also more than happy to share that she found the Sheetali breath a great technique for cooling down during a menopausal hot flush, so if you’re struggling with hot flushes, this may be your answer!
Enjoy and please leave some feedback with your experiences!
Fed up of lying in bed and staring at the ceiling waiting to fall asleep? The very thought of not falling asleep is enough to keep you awake ironically. So what if I told you I had a magic potion in a cup that would help you to drift off into sweet slumber, and I don’t mean a bottle of wine!!
This Ayurvedic anti-inflammatory golden milk is magic in a mug and because its so easy to make you can really get a better nights sleep sooner rather than later!
Golden milk, also traditionally know as Haldi Doodh is a traditional Indian drink that originates from Ayurveda. In its standard traditional form it’s a blend of hot milk and ground turmeric. If you haven’t tried golden milk yet, you’re in for a treat because it is amazing! Filled to the brim with nutrients its a creamy treat!
The benefits are said to be experienced around 4 to 6 weeks of slurping on the golden milk, however I find it does help instantly for a good nights sleep. During my Ayurvedic studies I have discovered many benefits to the spices used in this plant based golden milk. Some of these are;
Improves memory and speeds learning
Reduces free-radical damage and oxidative stress
Relieves arthritis pain and inflammation
Improves blood pressure and reduces LDL cholesterol
Prevents or inhibits colon, breast, and pancreatic cancers
Slows the progression of neurodegenerative disease
Supports over 160 individual physiological functions
Though golden milk has been a part of Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, its recently made a bit of a comeback. I’ve suggested two different ingredients, the first being much more simple and accessible approach. This variation is perfect for you to have a little dabble with, if you have never tired it and don’t want to waste time and money on something your taste buds aren’t too friendly with haha! You can get the below ingredients for under £1 each in uk supermarkets nut I’ve added links of the companies I use too. The second option is with the same ingredients but they’re fresh and more potent. Needless to say, both have wonderful benefits to the body!
OPTION 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (large) of plant based milk ( I like coconut for a creamier texture)
Add coconut milk, almond milk, ground turmeric, ground ginger, cinnamon stick, coconut oil, black pepper, and sweetener of choice (I usually add 1 Tsp Agave nectar // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
Whisk to combine and warm over medium heat. Heat until hot to the touch and beginning to bubble- normally around 3- 4 minutes – whisk frequently.
Turn off heat and taste to adjust flavour. Add more sweetener to taste or more turmeric or ginger for intense spice + flavour. If you aren’t too keen on texture I would recommend straining the milk first to catch the sediments to remove to gritty texture, I personally like it and think it adds a kick and character!
Serve straight away, dividing between two glasses and leaving the cinnamon stick behind. Best when fresh, though leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop until hot.
OPTION 2 (my favourite)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk (canned is best, but carton works too)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (DIY or store-bought)
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp fresh ginger root
1 whole cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon // I prefer the stick!)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 pinch ground black pepper
Sweetener of choice (i.e. maple syrup, coconut sugar, or agave nectar to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS
Add coconut milk, almond milk, ground turmeric, ground ginger, cinnamon stick, coconut oil, black pepper, and sweetener of choice (I usually add 1 Tsp Agave nectar // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Also note that if you’re grating 1-2 Tbsp ginger rather than using paste (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) into the mixture and then using a fine mesh strainer when serving to strain out the ginger for creamy texture.
Whisk to combine and warm over medium heat. Heat until hot to the touch and beginning to bubble- normally around 3- 4 minutes – whisk frequently.
Turn off heat and taste to adjust flavour. Add more sweetener to taste or more turmeric or ginger for intense spice + flavour. If you aren’t too keen on texture I would recommend straining the milk first to catch the sediments to remove to gritty texture, I personally like it and think it adds a kick and character!
Serve straight away, dividing between two glasses and leaving the cinnamon stick behind. Best when fresh, though leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop until hot.
IMPORTANT: Please consult your gp to check if there are any medications or current conditions you may have that may result in contraindications with the spices above.
So I hope you enjoy this sleep potion and drift into a wonderful deep slumber. Please feel free to comment below with any adaptations you have made to the recipes above. Would love to hear your feedback!
I sat under the moon bare footed for a while before sleeping last night to reflect, just like the moon. Here are my reflections…
Count your lucky stars not only on the nights when she is full Count your lucky stars Even when the sky seems obscured and dull
Even as the sun shines distracted as you may Your lucky stars are always there even in the brightness of the day
Count your lucky stars for its upon them your wishes come true…
Lea
🌕 The last of the super moons of 2023, the harvest moon is named so, for providing the last light of the summer months for the farmers to reap what they have sewed.
🌾 You too, can used this space to harvest what you have sewn and grown.
Whether you have cultivated love in abundance or stability and strength, you have an opportunity to ✨count your lucky stars✨ for all you have grown over the summer months.
🙏🏼 While full moons can be an emotional and intense time, when we understand how to work with them, we’re able to live in tune with their rhythms and harness their power ✨.
🤍 Rather than focusing on the nights ahead as cold and dark, place your focus on seeds of love you have sewn, grown and harvested. Knowing in full faith, that they will continue to provide you with love and nourishment throughout those more challenging months.
Be with the flow of the seasons, of life itself 🤍🌾🌕 ✨
So what in the world does it mean to have a primary vata dosha?
First, let’s cover a few basics. Born out of the Vedic culture of India, Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of holistic healing that roughly translates to “the science of life.” Believed by many to be the oldest health system in the world, Ayurveda utilises diet, cleansing routines, herbal remedies, exercise and other lifestyle approaches to help bring the mind, body and spirit into balance.
balance
The concept of balance is vital in Ayurveda, because being out of balance is the root of all disease, according to this ancient wellness philosophy. If you haven’t done so already, take the What dosha are you? quiz here.
What Are Doshas?
So how do doshas fit into all of this? First, let’s take a closer look at how the elements in the universe — ether (space), air, fire, water and earth — create the three main “doshas” found in all of us.
While we’re all made up of a unique mix of the three main doshas — Vata (ether/space + air), Pitta (fire + water) and Kapha (water + earth) — we tend to be most dominant in one. And that primary dosha is also the one that’s most likely to come out of balance, threatening our mental and physical health.
Knowing we’re all a unique mix of all three doshas, in this article, we’re going to build a greater understanding of the dosha vata.
Now, please keep in mind that understanding your dominant dosha is helpful and important, but combining that knowledge with the season is key to staying balanced, regardless of your constitution, notes Ayurveda and yoga teacher Michele D’Agostino.
we’re all a unique mix of all three doshas
That’s because the qualities of each season can increase or decrease those qualities in us. D’Agostino shares this example: “Autumn is vata season, which can really throw a vata person out of balance. They will need to be more mindful of creating balance during Autumn.”
But really, in today’s hyper-mobile society, chances are we’ve all got a little too much vata. “High mobility is the state of our current culture,” explains D’Agostino. “People travel more than ever, information travels at the speed of light — it’s seems as though time is speeding up.”
It’s this state of high mobility that tends to creates a vata derangement and need to balance in all of us, regardless of our primary dosha.
What Is Vata?
To understand vata, it’s best to break down the physical characteristics we’re born with, the mental characteristics associated with vata types and explore the conditions and symptoms that can bubble to the surface if you’re living with excess vata.
Physical Characteristics (Vata Dosha Body Type)
People high in vata tend to be exhibit the following physical characteristics, also known as vata body type:
Light-colored blue or green eyes, smaller or irregular in shape
Bony, joints crack
Light, thin frame
Very flexible
More translucent skin, easier to see veins
Fine light hair
Dry skin
Delicate features
Tend to “run cold”
Vata weight loss tends to be easy or even unintentional; this type often struggles to gain weight
Emotional and Personality Characteristics of Vata Dosha
Some vata dosha characteristics also include being:
Creative
Artistic
Emotionally sensitive (heart on sleeve)
Perceptive
Spontaneous
Compassionate
Multifaceted interests and abilities
Adaptable
Enthusiastic
When in balance, the vata type seems to effortlessly juggle several things at once, loves change, is adaptable and is highly creative. But what are the symptoms of vata excess? These tend to surface in the form of heightened anxiety, fear, racing thoughts and trouble concentrating.
Bring balance to your Vata dosha
Routine is Vata’s best lifestyle remedy. The minimum routine for healthy, happy, and successful living is 1) eating your meals at the same time daily and 2) getting into and out of bed at the same time daily. Changes in these two areas disrupt your bio-rhythms, upset digestion and the liver, and have the potential to undermine Vata’s delicate health. Vata individuals must take caution not to get too excited or distracted. Excitement will ultimately lead to exhaustion and knock Vata off their routine. Instead, Vata must learn to channel their energy and focus in order to nurture their creative projects long enough to bear fruit.
Vata individuals can create more stability in their lives by making their home nurturing, affectionate, warm, soft, and comfortable. Slippers, comfortable jumpers, throw blankets, and plenty of pillows are helpful for Vata. Keep your home tidy, as a sure sign of Vata imbalance is disorganisation or lack of cleanliness.
Vata balancing with foods
Vata individuals tend towards lightness and need more nurturing foods rich in sweet taste, oil, and salt. Other body types may be jealous of the delicious food recommended for a Vata diet. Sweet taste does not mean sugar, which is actually overstimulating for Vata. In Ayurveda, sweet refers to nourishing foods like root vegetables, animal products, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Foods should be warm, moist, and heavy, yet easy to digest – something like a root vegetable soup, or grandma’s chicken soup, for example.
Vata tends toward dryness, which is often the first sign of Vata imbalance. If you are Vata, hydrate your body before sitting down to eat. Stomach acid, enzymes, and bile all come in liquid form. If you are not hydrating at least half hour before a meal, you’ll lack the 2/3rd litre of fluid necessary to digest your meal, and may experience fullness after only a few morsels.Take care to drink before that window, avoiding water while eating half hour before and after a meal. Dryness often causes gas, bloating, and constipation. Aside from hydrating with water, sour and salty tastes are the juicy flavors to favour. Add good quality oils like ghee to your diet and regularly massage your skin with oil, especially mustard seed.
Vata tends to be cold skinned and deficient. The blood of a Vata person may be anemic and lacking umph. This lack of umph also weakens digestion since the digestive organs are fueled by blood. Blood builders like grass fed red meat, raisins, eggs, and saffron may be helpful.
A Vata person’s metabolism may be low due to exhaustion. As a result, their food doesn’t get broken down fully. This begins a chain reaction where nutrients don’t get absorbed, further weakening the blood. Bad bacteria grow in the unabsorbed food, causing gas and bloating. Not the afters were looking for after a meal hey?!
Vata individuals should avoid foods that are cold and difficult to digest, such as legumes, raw food, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Add warmth by adding mild spices and serve food hot, ginger, and black pepper support healthy Vata digestion. Vatas need to be sure to chew food well and be present and still while eating.
Remedies for the following imbalanced qualities:
Dry – with salt, oil, sour taste, or protein
Light – with carbs, fats, and proteins
Cold – with spices and cooked food served hot
Rough – with gooey foods like oatmeal
Subtle – with grounding root vegetables
Clear – with grounding root vegetables
A go to dish for Vatas feeling off balance is MungDahl Kitchari
INGREDIENTS
1 cup Basmati rice
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbs ghee
1 inch of fresh ginger root diced or tsp off ginger paste
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 cup of mung beans
1/2 tsp salt
4-5 cups of water
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
METHOD
1. Use split mung bean if possible.
2. Soak the mung beans for several hours before cooking and drain.
3. Bring the mung beans and 4 cups of water to a boil, scooping off any foam that forms on the top. Then, strain out the liquid, and add another 4c to the mung dal.
4. Meanwhile mash the ginger with a mortar and pestle, or slice thinly. Set the mustard seed aside. Mix the remaining spices together with 1 tsp water, making a paste.
5. Fry the mustard seeds in ghee until they begin to pop.
6. Add the spice paste, spreading it in the pan, and fry for thirty seconds.
7. Add the spices to mung bean. Take some of the broth and wash any remaining spices from the frying pan into the simmering mung bean.
8. After an hour, or when mung beans begin to soften add white basmati rice and another cup of water. If you are going to use brown rice, be sure to add an extra cup of water and cook for longer – until the rice is soft.
9. Cook until tender on low heat for 20-25 minutes.
Final Thoughts
A common question is, “Can vata dosha be cured?” Instead of thinking about “curing” a dosha, it’s better to focus on choosing a appropriate daily routine that helps balance your vata dosha.
Bring excess vata back into balance by focusing on:
Spending time with people who are grounded (kapha)
Considering exploring Ayurvedic herbals like triphala to improve digestive health, ashwagandha to balance stress hormones and brahmi, also known as bacopa, historically used to purify the mind
A vata dosha diet should include plenty of warm, cooked root vegetables, warm lemon water and even some seaweed.
I hope this article has given you a useful insight into your dosha, and if you would like more information or support in bringing your mind/body/soul back into union, please leave a comment or drop me a message here
Pitta is one of three main “doshas” in Ayurveda. In a way, it’s kind of like an ancient system of understanding (and working with) your body and personality type. The combining of the physical and energy bodies.
If Ayurveda medicine is new to you, you’re not alone. This sister science to Yoga, is a 5,000-year-old health system and is one of the oldest forms of medicinal practices in the world. It’s derived from the Vedic texts of India and focuses on bringing the body, mind and spirit back into balance by utilising holistic daily practices, diet and other natural approaches.
What Are Doshas?
To understand dosha basics, we first have to see how Ayurveda classifies the elements of the universe, including what we’re all made of. These include:
Ether (space)
Air
Fire
Water
Earth
The idea is that every person is made of a personalized, unique mix of the three primary doshas, which come from the elements. They are:
And here’s where things get fun. Every person tends to be more dominant in one dosha. That primary dosha will also be the one that’s most likely to come out of balance, threatening our mental and physical health.
We’re all a unique mix of all three doshas, but in this article we’re going to focus on better understanding and balancing and increase in pitta.
In Ayurveda, “like increases like.” That means that pitta types need to work extra hard to stay in balance during the pitta time of year, which is summer. For instance, summer’s hot qualities can initially make the Pitta dosha feel at home, but over time, easily overheat pitta’s already fiery constitution, especially if a pitta person eats lots of heating foods during the pitta summer time of year. In Ayurveda, opposites are used to create a balancing pitta dosha lifestyle.
What are the symptoms of pitta dosha? According to the Himalayan Institute, when pitta is in balance, it is in charge of healthy digestion, immunity and enzymatic processes. However, a pitta imbalance, also known as high pitta, could lead to symptoms that include:
What does pitta dosha mean? To better understand pitta, we’ll first take a look at physical characteristics we’re born with, mental characteristics associated with pitta types and explores the health issues that can arise if you’re living with excess pitta.
Find yourself asking, “How can I overcome Pitta Dosha?” Perhaps a better way to look at it is not how to overcome it, but rather work with your dosha naturally to create more harmony in the mind and body.
When in balance, the pitta type seems like they’re on top of the world. In fact, many pitta types go on to become CEOs or land in other positions of leadership because of their strong drive, focus, concentration and competitiveness.
But Banyan Botanicals outlines signs of excess pitta to watch out for. Imbalances of pitta dosha symptoms can be quite intense. When pitta’s out of balance and running too high, a pitta type experience, among other things:
Argumentative personality
Anger/hostility
Perfectionism
Yellowish coating on tongue
Insatiable hunger and/or thirst
Tenderness in breasts
Bloodshot or yellow tinge in eyes
Chronic imbalance in pitta can actually harm longevity and lead to accelerated aging.
Pitta Balancing lifestyle
Pitta people have a high metabolism characterized by heat and sharpness. They are intelligent and effective problem solvers. They are goal-oriented individuals and often successful in their pursuits.
However, sometimes Pitta individuals are intense, and their direct and effective communication skills can be mistaken as confrontational. They may be irritable, easily angered, or frustrated. Their criticism is often directed at themselves and those closest to them, which may disrupt relationships. Their pride is easily wounded. They often push their bodies and relationships beyond their limits. There are all characteristics of too much heat/Pitta element in the body.
How do we bring balance?
To bring themselves into balance, Pitta people must avoid bullying their body and soften into it. They must stop working when tired, stop running or exercising when strained, and stop thinking or fighting when their mind needs a rest. Many Pitta individuals appear perfect on the outside, with limitless endurance. But their hypervigilance quickly burns up their biological resources, especially their adrenals and nervous system. Pitta must restore calm and pace their intense ambitions for the long haul. Burning the midnight oil is incredibly tempting for them, as its so easily done but ideally Pitta should head to bed with the lights out by 11pm.
Pitta should allow grace and softness
Pitta’s sharp quality leads them to hyper-focus/fixate. They forget to give themselves space and time for creative solutions, and miss the bigger picture perspective. They often take control of situations and engineer their own solutions – at great personal investment of energy and time. Instead, Pitta should allow grace and softness to operate continuously in their lives and relationships. They need to learn to trust that time will lead to the answers.
Contemplative practices are especially attractive to the Pitta mind. However, they should turn their attention towards leisure and other less mental activities instead. Pitta needs time to breathe. They should get outside for some fresh air or make time and space for idle pursuits. The natural world provides an example of the effortless perfection that Pitta needs and craves. Pitta is nourished by sweetness, affection, and nurturing. They should cultivate this sweetness from within by giving sweet gifts to others and to themselves.
When faced with obstacles, Pitta should treat themselves to relaxing, soothing practices such as marma massage and touch therapy, where they can finally let go and allow their creative non-linear side to provide the answers.
Pitta people are irritable and may become quickly angry or frustrated. To overcome this anger they must cultivate true humility and the ability learn new approaches from others who are radically different from themselves. Sãdhanã (spiritual practice) including pranayama and dhyãna (breath work and meditation)
Pitta Balancing diet
Pittas digestive fire is as intense and their mental one. They have a strong appetite. Pitta people can’t wait when they are hungry or they will become angry and upset. Failure to eat on time can also irritate their digestive tract because they often produce too many digestive enzymes.
As a Pitta you should avoid alcohol, excess spices, and other digestive irritants like coffee. Sour and salty foods encourage the release of hot, irritating digestive fluids, including hydrochloric acid and bile. Pungent foods increase heart rate and blood flow and can make you feel hot under the collar. Strong aromatic herbs like mint, or vasodilators like turmeric, can make your body and your digestion too hot. These foods will also exhaust your liver due to excessive blood flow.
Cooling foods such as cucumber, plant milk, pears, and honeydew melon soothe inflamed Pitta membranes. Bitter greens like kale, collards, and red leaf lettuce can literally cool your temper as they draw heat and blood back downward from the head. After eating bitters such as these, you may notice that your eyes feel more relaxed and refreshed. Astringent foods such as legumes, raw veggies, and dried fruit can absorb and dry up Pitta’s excess acids and fluids. Astringents also reduce inflammation and irritation.
Like Vata, Pitta also benefits from sweet foods like sweet potato, whole grains, and animal products. These heavier foods satisfy Pitta’s strong appetite and can lull Pitta away from their ambitious nature. Sweet taste also soothes their internal inflammation.
Pitta individuals have sensitive livers. For this reason, Pitta should avoid fried foods and poor quality oils that overstimulate the liver. Instead, cook with coconut oil and ghee. Blueberries and strawberries are ideal to nourish your liver. Cooling bitters can also cleanse your liver. You may find your liver is sensitive to nightshades such as tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, or foods with aflotoxins like peanuts and corn. Fermented foods are heating and irritating to the gut, and may also overtax the liver.
Pitta, paradoxically, often has weak digestion due to inflammation of their GI tract. Cooling spices like cilantro, fresh ginger, cardamom, and fennel will improve Pitta indigestion without creating the heat of other, hotter spices like cayenne, black pepper, and cinnamon. These cooling spices will also please Pitta’s palate. Pitta people are often determined to succeed, which can include eating their perfect diet. Pitta’s vigilance, however, can lead to orthorexia – characterized by overly strict adherence to their diet. Ultimately, suppression of instincts works against Pitta, leaving them confused. Instead, Pitta people need to take a relaxed approach, even with their diet. Rather than strictly following the rules of their mind, they need a more body-centric approach. They must cultivate the ability to listen to their body and follow their internal cravings.
If you don’t know your body type yet, take the quiz here to find out. If you do know your body type, use these resources to balance Pitta:
Pitta Reducing Recipe
Ingredients
Serves 2
1 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup coriander (cilantro)
2 tbsp ghee
1/3 cup coconut flakes
1 tsp of ginger paste
1/2 cup mung beans
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
6 cups water
Method
Wash the mung dal and rice separately. Soak the mung dal for a few hours if you have the time, then drain. Put the ginger, coconut, cilantro and the 1/2c water into a food processor and blend until liquefied. Heat the ghee on medium in a large saucepan and add the blended items, turmeric and salt. Stir well and bring to a boil to release the flavor. Next mix in the rice, mung dal and the six cups of water. Return to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for five minutes. Then cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Turn down the heat to simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the dal and rice are tender.
I hope this article has given you a useful insight into your dosha, and if you would like more information or support in bringing your mind/body/soul back into union, please leave a comment or drop me a message on the contact page.
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