It’s that time of year, the wild garlic is out. That means one thing and one thing only…wild garlic pesto! It’s in its masses on my local walk, so I’ve been busy foraging while on some beautiful family woodland walks.
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.
INGREDIENTS
50 g / ½ cup pine nut or walnuts are nice too!
100 g / 3.5 oz wild garlic leaves
1 unwaxed lemon, zest, and juice
½ tsp salt, more to taste
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
black pepper, to taste
120 ml / ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
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…
Well, yesterday was Shrove Tuesday and even though the gang eats pancakes for breakfast almost every Saturday, we ate our weight in them yesterday! I am seriously still full and it’s 2pm the day after. Food baby alert!
Anyway, the reason for my post today is because I’ve had heaps of requests for the recipe for my pancake/crepe mix. If you’re looking for something a little sweeter, for a dessert crepe, remember to add a tablespoon of agave nectar to the ingredients.
So yesterday was fruit pancakes for breakfast but it didn’t quite fill the pancake cravings. So, we decided to have pancakes again for dinner but this time we went savoury!
We chose two fillings, the first being filled with feta cheese, mushrooms, vegan smoked salmon, spinach, and olives. The second crepe was filled with vegan chicken, spinach, dairy-free cheese, and mushroom.
The recipe for the vegan smoked salmon can be found here, and below is a link to where you can buy the yummiest feta cheese.
Before my sweet family and I transitioned to our plant-based diet, we loved chilli-con-carne. So I set about looking for the perfect ingredients to make a perfect plant-based chilli. I tried loads of delicious vegan recipes, including coconut for texture but it just wasn’t cutting it. So I made my own, and after weeks of using my family as guinea pigs…we found it!
vegan, gluten free chilli
I made careful consideration on three things for this meal.
Its nutritional density
Cost
Time
All of the above are important to me, as a busy independent parent of three, money can be tight, time can be tight and first and foremost I have a duty of care to my little eggs, ensuring I feed them good, wholesome foods!
This meal is high in fibre, iron, protein, and vitamins. I have carefully combined complimenting macros to make sure they have maximum absorption into the body. We can’t absorb non-heme (plant-based) protein (beans) into our gorgeous bodies without the help of vitamin c (tomatoes).
So let’s cut to the chase…what’s in the dish?
INGREDIENTS
2 carrots, grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, or one tsp of crushed garlic puree
1 x 400g tin red kidney beans
600g passata
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tins black beans
1 x 400g tins cannelleni beans
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garam masala
8 tbsp of nutritional yeast
brown rice, to serve (make sure you rinse the rice well before cooking…it helps it to cook quicker
NOTE: remember to taste the sauce and feel free to add a little salt or pepper or more of any of the spices to suit your palette
METHOD
This is what appealed to me the most with this version, and what makes this dish a quick healthy meal for the family. You literally throw it all in a deep-sided wok-style pan and mix and simmer. The most strenuous thing you have to do is crush the garlic and grate the carrots! OR in my case, have a fight with the tin opener and nearly slice my thumb open..AGAIN!
Place the carrot and garlic into a large saucepan. Add the passata, tomato purée, both the beans, jalapeño pepper and the chilli flakes to the saucepan along with some salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook the chilli for about 10 minutes, stirring it well until it’s lovely and warm and everything’s nicely mixed together.
Pour the chilli over brown rice and enjoy.
You can even add some guacamole and some vegan gluten-free tortillas to the side.
So, give it a whirl! If you’re looking for a nutritious vegan meal that’s quick and cheap to make for your family, you have hit the jackpot with this beauty!
To make things even easier, I have added a few links to the ingredients, it’s far more cost-effective to buy in bulk, and to save time, soak the beans the night before, if using dry!
I stumbled across this gorgeous recipe from Medical Medium. A whole food recipe that’s a definite hit with me and my family. This Strawberry Banana bread is so easy to throw together, pop in the oven, enjoy the amazing smell that fills up your home while you wait for it to cook. You can replace the strawberries too with walnut and a slash of coffee if you’re fancying one to deter the kids from!
This recipe is gluten, dairy and egg free, and also low in fat.
Bananas: The fructose in banana is liver’s favorite source of food. It provides quick fuel to the liver and wakes up sleepy cells, increasing their ingenuity and work output. Soothes the linings of the intestinal tract and also soothes the nerves attached to the intestinal tract. Bananas are a powerful antiviral food and contrary to popular belief, they are also one of the most antibacterial, anti-yeast, antifungal foods. A great food to combine with other nutrient-rich foods or to take with supplements, because they improve the liver’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Strawberry Banana Bread
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas (yields about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 1/2 cups gluten-free oat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup roughly chopped strawberries
2 whole strawberries, thinly sliced, for topping
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
Place the bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract and almond milk. Mix well.
In another bowl, combine the oat flour, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk until lump free. Add the wet ingredients and fold gently until you get a uniform batter. Add the chopped strawberries and stir very gently, just enough to incorporate them.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
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)
1tsp of turmeric
1/2tsp coconut sugar
1/2tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
splash of agave nectar
METHOD
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!
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.
To better understand your primary dosha type, we first must take a look at Ayurveda, which roughly translates to “the science of life.”
Ayurveda is a buzz word that seems to be popping up in the world of wellness a lot these days. But did you know it’s actually an ancient medical science believed to be one of the first health systems in the world?
Ayurvedic medicine is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing born out of the Vedic texts of India. In a nutshell, the idea is there are three doshas — Vata, Pitta and Kapha — and keep them balanced for our unique body type is quintessential to being mentally and physically healthy.
What Are Doshas?
Here’s a little more basic background on doshas to help things click. Ayurveda breaks up the elements of the universe into these parts:
Ether (space)
Air
Fire
Water
Earth
These elements create the three main “doshas” found in all of us. We all contain a personalised mix of the three main doshas — Vata (ether/space + air), Pitta (fire + water) and Kapha (water + earth) — but we tend to be dominant in one. And that primary dosha is also the one that’s most likely to come out of balance, threatening our health.
Knowing we’re all a unique mix of all three doshas, in this article, we’re going to focus on better understanding kapha.
Identifying and better understanding your dominant dosha is helpful and important. But that’s just one part of the puzzle. It’s also best to combine that information with the seasons to staying balanced, regardless of your make up.
Late winter and spring is the kapha time of year, meaning a kapha person may have to work extra hard to keep things in balance. That’s because the qualities of each season can increase or decrease those qualities in us.
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.
Signs of imbalance due to increased kapha include:
Weight gain
White coating on the tongue
Depression
Hoarding/accumulating clutter
Sleep too much
Excess mucous
The great news is Ayurveda lays out a clear path of daily activities we can turn to in order to help bring the body back into balance.
Kapha individuals are naturally loving, supportive, and stable. Kapha can be compared to a swan or a tortoise. Kapha people make pleasant companions and loyal friends. They have an amazing ability to nurture.
Underneath their calm constitution, however, Kapha suffers from fear of the unknown. For this reason, Kapha people naturally gravitate towards secure, stable lifestyles. Change is very scary for a Kapha. Like an ostrich, they may bury their head into the sand. For this reason, Kapha can sometimes get into a rut.
treat Vata like a delicate flower, Pitta as a sweet friend, and Kapha like an enemy
Ayurveda says to treat Vata like a delicate flower, Pitta as a sweet friend, and Kapha like an enemy. Since movement and change don’t come easily to Kapha, they need to be prodded and motivated. Kapha needs a coach that can rip the Band-Aid off. Most Kapha people appreciate individuals that hold them accountable. Their tendency is to stay comfortable in familiar surroundings. Instead, they should shake things up a bit and branch out into new territory. Travel, signing up for a online e-course, or a night out dancing can lift Kapha’s spirits and provide much needed inspiration.
Rising with the sun helps keep Kaphas clear headed and light on their feet
Kapha’s cold, heavy nature leads to poor circulation, water retention, and hypothyroid. Kapha fluids are generally thick. They need cardiovascular activity to get things moving. Kapha needs stimulation on multiple levels. Dry and vigorous massage invigorates Kapha and prevents stagnation in bodily channels. Spicy and invigorating foods can help stimulate Kapha out of their rut.
Kapha should wear bright, stimulating clothing and choose stimulating surroundings. Rising with the sun helps keep Kaphas clear headed and light on their feet. As a Kapha, you should not oversleep or take daytime naps, which make you feel sluggish.
Kapha’s poor circulation leads to respiratory congestion and low immunity. They should keep warm to protect their lungs and sinuses. Since Kapha has low immunity they should not share drinks and foods with friends, as they are more susceptible to germs.
On the bright side, once Kapha is committed they have great stamina, and see a project through to completion. As in the story of the tortoise and the hare, Kapha is the slow and steady one that will win the race.
To understand kapha, it’s best to break down the physical characteristics we’re born with, the mental characteristics associated with kapha types and explore the conditions and symptoms that may rise to the surface if you’re living with excess kapha.
But first, let’s take a look at the qualities of kapha itself:
Moist
Cold
Heavy
Dull
Soft
Sticky
Static
When a kaphic person is in balance, he or she possesses physical strength, strong immunity and wonderful personality traits.
Physical Characteristics (Kapha Body Type)
What is the kapha body type? Often described as strong, sturdy, larger boned and more endomorphic (meaning they tend to gain weight easily and have trouble losing it), the kapha type’s body is a reflection of the heavy, dense qualities of earth. (Remember, kapha is Earth + Water elements).
Some other kapha body type and mental characteristics include:
Large eyes
Full, this, oily, luxurious hair
Strong stamina
Good memory
Moist, thick and soft skin
Although lots of people Google, “How do you get rid of Kapha Dosha?” The truth is, kapha types have many great characteristics, as long as things are in balance.
Here’s a really fun perk for kapha types: They tend to age more slowly and enjoy a longer life span because they’re full of “ojas,” or “juiciness,” known as the sap of life in Sanskrit.
It can also be very liberating to learn about your primary dosha body type because it provides a better understanding that we’re all born with specific body types and characteristics.
For instance, kaphas tend to have larger frames. A kapha type may never look like a very slim “airy” vata type, but bringing kapha into balance facilitates a strong, sturdy frame with a bolstered immune system, along with strong health and vitality during the aging process.
Emotional and Personality Characteristics of Kapha
I always like to say everyone should have a kapha type as a best friend. That’s because the positive qualities of a well-balanced kapha type include:
Compassion
Patience
Sweetness
Easily forgiving
Gentle
Emotionally stability
Loving
Loyal
Nurturing
When in balance, the kapha type is healthy, supportive, mentally stable and loyal. But what are the symptoms of kapha dosha that’s out of balance? Kapha excess tends to surface in the form of hoarding, becoming too attached to people, avoiding any change and becoming inactive. For a kapha dosha, sleep in excess is a common problem.
Kapha Blanacing Diet
Kapha loves comfort and the good life. They love sweets and satisfying comfort foods like mashed potatoes. Some Kaphas love the creamy texture of pudding and ice cream, others love salty, crunchy chips. Kapha people like familiar foods and resist trying new things.
It’s best for Kapha to avoid eating after dark, when their body is tired and metabolism starts to wane. Kapha people who eat late at night will store their calories as fat and quickly gain weight. Kaphas do best on a diet of light and dry foods with plenty of vegetables and legumes.
Most Kaphas have trouble resisting food cravings. Since discipline is a struggle for Kapha, sweets and cakes should be removed from the home. Foods with bitter taste can help Kapha overcome food cravings, as bitter taste refreshes the palate. Bitter taste gives Kapha an opportunity to be more disciplined. It is also the most cleansing taste, which may help Kapha lose weight.
Kapha’s nature is cool and dull. Generous amounts of spices can add vitality to their cooking and energize their life. Hot spices such as cayenne, black pepper, and fenugreek reinvigorate Kapha. These spices will make you feel hot and increase your heart rate, positive signs that your fluids are circulating and that the spices are working to stimulate you from within.
Kapha people tend toward slow, heavy digestion and do well avoiding dairy, wheat, and sugar. Cold foods are generally contraindicated. Raw food astringes Kapha’s moist nature and the roughness of raw vegetables scrubs their GI tract clean.
Remedies for the following imbalanced qualities:
Heavy – light foods, exercise, avoiding oversleeping and eating at night
Dull – spices, movement
Oily – astringent, bitter, and pungent tastes, dry massage
Cool – spices, warm foods and drinks
Static – movement, trying new things
Cloudy – pungent spices, rising early
Kapha Blanding recipe
Ingredients
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 bunch of leek
4 whole large potatoes
1 pinch or red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbsp of coconut oil
6-8 cups of water
Method
1. Heat 4 cups of water on high. Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes into approximately 1 inch cubes. Add to the water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, slice and chop the leeks into small bite size pieces.
2. Strain the potatoes after boiling for ten minutes. Save the water. Add 2c cool water to the potatoes (to cool them for the blender) and blend the potatoes along with the leeks. Pour back into the hot liquid and return to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for twenty minutes.
3. Serve hot and garnish with cracked pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Final Thoughts
The kapha type is made from Earth and Water elements.
Kapha dosha characteristics include having a bigger-boned, strong, larger frame; large eyes; thick, slightly oily, luxurious hair; compassion, loyalty and emotional stability.
Signs of a kapha imbalance include oversleeping, sluggishness, hoarding, depression, weight gain and becoming too attached to people or things.
According to Michele D’Agostino, an Ayurveda yoga teacher, ways to balance kapha include:
Adopting a kapha-reducing diet
Avoiding an overly leisurely lifestyle
Rise early
Avoid daytime naps
Opt for stimulating activity like jogging, hiking and more vigorous forms of yoga
Seek out variety in daily routines
Spend time with motivating people
Ayurvedic herbs for kapha dosha include ashwagandha
Kapha types can benefit from using a neti pot to clear excess congestion.
Things like dry brushing can also help balance kapha.
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
I look out of my window not quite ready to fully commit to peeling myself out of bed, thoughts turn to warming comforting food and drinks as the first snowflakes of the year drift down from the battleship grey sky. Before I unglue myself from the warmth of my duvet, I take a minute thinking about the tapestry and rhythm of the seasons and more specifically winter – falling snow will do that for you!
For me, winter allows the pace of life to slow a little, affording me time to reflect inwards. We can sometime struggle with this can’t we? We can spend so much time distracted with our over stimulated lifestyles that when we become still, or even slow down a little, we become more aware of the thoughts and feelings that pass through the body/mind. This can be tough going when we have been distracted for so long. I think this is why most struggle with these quieter months, they rely on the faster paced months to distract them from neglected, unhealed thoughts and feelings I’ve added a post about this here, where you will find me offering you guidance on how to embrace these winter months with ease and compassions rather than resentment and regret.
Winter Warmer
If you feel its getting the better of you, go make yourself one of these amazing Hot Chocolates (recipe below) and read my post on embracing the dark as well as the light or if like us you’re going to be building snowmen later then what could be better than rustling up a warming, delicious hot drink!
So my lovelies, lets move on to why you are here…. The Yummy Hot Chocolate with a splash of orange!
For all of those Terrys Chocolate Orange fans out there, this is for you! This dairy free hot chocolate is actually good for you AND tastes amazing. How is this even possible I hear you ask…
Benefits Of Cacao Vs Cocoa
So you may think at first that the only real difference between cacao and cocoa is the spelling. But there’s a little more to it than that…
Raw cacao offers amazing health benefits for your entire body! The Incas considered it the drink of gods, an association that gave rise to the scientific name of the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, from the Greek words theo (god) and broma (drink). History lesson over lets move on to the nutritional facts…
Cacao can be labeled to any of the food products derived from cacao beans – the seeds or nuts of the cacao tree. Cocoa looks the same but it’s far from it.
Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value. Cacao powder is known to have a higher antioxidant content than cocoa and has been linked to a variety of health benefits. The processed, sugary cocoa powder you find in your supermarkets will do you more harm than good, please remember this.
Cacao is believed to improve heart health, cholesterol, stress levels, and inflammation and that’s just a few advantages. It also releases anandamide, endorphins, phenylethylamine, and serotonin, into the brain which helps lift your mood.
Unbelievable that all this satisfying goodness comes from a simple, creamy hot chocolate. It’s no wonder the Spanish called it “black gold.”
So on with the recipe
For all of those Terrys Chocolate Orange fans out there, this is for you!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cacoa powder
4 tbsp raw sugar, pure maple syrup or agave nectar/sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
6 drops of DoTerra Wild Orange essential oil.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
In a small/medium saucepan, heat non-dairy milk over medium-low heat. when simmering, add cacoa, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and pinch of salt, stir until the cacoa is completely dissolved. Turn heat to low then add the orange drops and stir, keep cocoa warm until ready to serve.
HOT COCOA TOPPINGS
The toppings can be changed up to whatever you like or have on hand. Try a squirt of dairy free squirty cream, vegan mini chocolate chips, shaved dark chocolate, and vegan marshmallows.
I hope you enjoy your yummy hot cup of chocolate. Let me know what you think!
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