Get Grounded with Kidney Strengthening

Fall has been with us for 2 weeks now. We have just experienced from a distance the turbulence of Hurricane Irene. These 2 things increase the instability and lightness within us.

For those of us who have Vata Prakriti (genetic characteristic to be light, flexible and spiritual) or Vata Vikrati (an imbalance that could manifest as indecision, turbo-speed, and nervous disorders), this can cause extreme imbalance in our behavior and health.

To counteract this very light, fast, dry energy, I recommend including Kidney Chi Kung in your morning practice. It will strengthen the and detoxify the Kidneys a weakness with Vatas and it will help ground you for the day.

It was taught to me by my Chi Nei Tsang Master Gilles Marin along with other useful Chi Kungs like Sleeping Chi Kung, Sunning Meditation and Bone Breathing Chi Kung
The Above Photos will help demonstrate the following instructions. # 1 corresponds with the first photo and so on.

1. With your back facing the Sun - Breathe in and stretch arms up. opening the front of your body
2. Breathe out while simultaneously pulling Chi into your body
3. Continue to breath out as you bend over with length of torso on your thighs
4. Then push your tail bone up as far as you can without releasing your torso from your thighs. Feel the Chi of your Kidneys in this position
5. release and start to open front of body as you breath in and stretch arms upwards. Go to #1 and start again

It is important to have your back face the sun so that the sun's infared rays can nourish your kidney area.

You can add another step to intensify the cleansing of your kidney. Half way in #5 stop and tap your kidney area gently. You are still feeling the rays of the sun on the Kidney area. sometimes you feel the rays more intensely in this position.

The healing infared rays of the sun are known for healing. It is being used in Japan to cure cancer. Infared saunas are used for detoxification.

You can purchase infared devises to heal all sorts of diseases. I recommend this Chi Kung and infared equipment and devises to help balance Vata and Kapha Prakritis and Vikritis.

Beautiful Skin in the Summer

Summer is fast approaching with its changes in weather conditions. To achieve true proactive anti aging skincare, you need to keep your skin healthy and moist. So to do this naturally and well you should change your skincare routine in response to the higher temperatures and humidity of summer. This summer it is forecasted to be more hot and humid than normal.

The net benefactor of the summer weather are those who are Vata http://our-metamorphosis.blogspot.com/2009/04/ayurvedic-doshas.html dominant. Summer's humidity and heat are perfect for a Vata who's main characteristics are cold and dry. so Vata skin types need to do very little to balance skin in relations to the weather. Vatas can choose to lower heaviness of their cold weather moisturizer. Since Vata skin is thin and dry, sun protection is a must to prevent further long term damage and dehydration to their skin. Choose between a natural sunscreen with minerals with a sun protection factor of 30 or a hat with a wide brim.

Vatas need to watch out for dry windy days. On those days it is advisable to pump up the moisture of skin by adding a face oil after the serum and before the moisturizer and for extra dry skin take time out for a relaxing mask. Carry a hydrosol http://www.pureandsimple.ca/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=551&Itemid=27 to use when your skin is dehydrated throughout the day. Drink more and warmer liquids along with avoiding dry foods will keep skin more moist looking. This will keep Vatas thinking and behaving more grounded as well.

The warming weather is also great for Kaphas http://our-metamorphosis.blogspot.com/2009/04/ayurvedic-doshas.htmlwho have thicker, oilier skin. The warmer weather stimulates a quicker metabolism and circulation which improves moisture and hydration of the skin of extremities like hands, feet and face. Kaphas tend to be believe they do not need to do much with their skin due to its oiliness. And while Kaphas do tend to have the potential to age more slowly, if Kaphas that do not care properly for their skin, they will find their skin will look the most unattractive with orange peel textures to deep wrinkles and leathery reptilian looking skin.

Rainy days can be cooler causing Kapha skin to become acneic or suffer surface dehydration. On those days make sure you use a good hydrating lotion. Kaphas should drink pau d’arco tea to counteract the tendency for increase in candida http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidiasis

Summer is an unsettling time for Pittas skin and personality as the hot humid climate unbalances their elemental energies of fire and water. Pitta skin care needs to promote cool and calm.

Make sure skin is hydrated and moisture loss is minimize to lessen redness, acne and other unhealthy skin conditions. The goal is to keep skin calm and less red. This will in turn prevent broken capillaries and acne.

Cleanse with a gentle gel cleanser. Make sure you have your organic chamomile hydrosol http://bit.ly/kmjh4X to cool skin throughout the day. Use a serum to ensure healthy hydration levels http://bit.ly/kPGGdV and a light moisturizer http://bit.ly/aFfyEJ to slow down moisture loss.

So the goal of your summer skin depends on the type of skin you have. Balance your skin to the weather conditions to ensure continually moist smooth skin. Skin that is moist will suffer less damage from the environment.

Fearing Your Kidneys?

Kidneys should be cleanse and toned daily. In Traditional Chinese, this very vital organ is believed to determine your energy level, your sexual stamina and your lifespan.

Its daily functions include filtering your bodily fluids of waste created from your body’s many processes, regulating your mineral levels and maintaining body PH levels.

Symptoms that may be a result of poor functioning kidneys includes;

1. Low energy, easily fatigued
2. Edema and high blood pressure from excess water in the blood
3. Kidney stones and sore, burning feet caused by high acid levels and from dehydration
4. Lower back pain
5. Chills
6. Balding
7. Ear problems
8. Indecisiveness and unclear, scattered thinking
9. Excess fear

Daily care of Kidneys

Winter and Fall are challenging times for the kidney. To keep them functioning well, eat Kidney friendly foods like cooked root vegetables and grains. Drink herbal teas with herbs like ursa uva.

Kidney friendly habits include;

• Keeping the body, especially the lower parts, warm.
• Making sure you get enough rest regularly.
• Minimizing the consumption of red meat, excess salt and refined carbohydrates like white sugar, flour and potatoes.

To detoxify and tonify your kidneys that are under stress;

1. Get a customized kidney formula from your Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, Ayurvedic doctor, Naturopath or herbalist. See the pure + simple website for some practitioners, we have had good experiences with.
2. Get a prepared formula from your supplements store like Kidney formula or on line from Banyan and Kidney Fornula
3. Manually detox your kidneys by massaging them with Chi Nei Tsang. You can learn how to do it with lessons from Dorothy Ramien……… Or get a series of Chi Nei Tsang from her.
4. Rest!!!!!
5. Keep warm!

Balancing Vata in Autumn

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Dry Skin and Absent Mindedness are part of middle age because they both are the result of the same energy.

The days are getting shorter. The weather is telling us to sleep longer. While you are beginning to become more absentminded or feeling spacey your Vata is becoming unbalanced and sleep is an excellent way to regain groundedness.

It is harvest time for hearty ground vegetables like potatoes, carrots yams and for nourishing gourds like squash and pumpkin. These are excellent food to nourish and moisten our insides.

While you may be oblivious to your internal dehydration and the lapses of mental acuity may be overlooked or forgotten, excess Vata in the windy turbulent autumn environment gets you right in your face. There in your mirror is dry dull skin that looks years older than just a week ago.

My secret to the fountain of youth is to wear a hydrating gel mask to sleep. Night time is rejuvenation and repair time. While skin is in protection mode in the day time it is hard at work repairing damaged skin cells and producing new ones through the night.

Make sure you wash your skin of pollutants and dirt first. A real convenience is Pure + simple Skin Smoothing Collagen Mask. No need to fuss with toners and serums before apply it. Just apply it straight after you cleanse and you wake up looking fresh and your skin looks plump.

During the day, apply a high quality serum like Collagen Elastin Plus before a richer moisturizer like Martina Gebhardt’s Evening Primrose Face Cream. This cream is natural, rich and great for those of us loosing our Estrogen,

For a skincare routine that is customized to your skin’s needs and to your personal preferences, visit one of Pure + simple’s 4 locations and enlist the help of a natural skincare specialist to create your own special routine to beautiful skin even in fall and winter.

Whether you follow my routine or develop one more suitable to you, commit to keeping it until next March. If you don’t waste energy second guessing your decision you will have one less thing cluttering up your active mind.

Now that you feel better about yourself, you can look at ways to balance the excess Vata in the environment and in you. No matter what Dosha is your main Dosha, you are in the Vata stage of your life (forty plus years old). This strong creative energy can lead you to increased spiritualism but also contributes to your forgetfulness, indecisiveness and dryness.

Increase your time for healing metabolism and energizing with more sleep as days grow shorter. After September 21 days are proportionally shorter with intensity of sunlight

Create more routine in your life. Vatas need to discipline themselves in conserving energy with less change and impulse with regular routines.

I have taken more time away from work. I found that somehow there is no great urgency over this. Hmmm, so I am not so indispensable.

You will find that planning is easier once you edit the list of activities on your to do list. Trying to plan them all in is so Vata.

Rest and eat a hearty meal before you make your choices as excess Vata will increase your indecisiveness.

Then after you have completed your plan, warm and hydrate yourself by treating yourself to a steamy hot sauna.

The Autumns of Our Lives

It is still August but the weather has turned cool and dry. This Vata energy affects how we feel and look. Vata time is about change and transformation.

Those of us who are naturally dehydrated know how to cope with the dry skin. But those of us entering this time of our life may resist the change from youthful adulthood to midlife maturity can learn from Plato who advises, “He who is of calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden.”

While those of us, who are naturally more Vata, welcome change, the cooler, lighter fall energy can create unbalancing affects our physical body, our thinking and feelings. Fall can cause Vata skin to look more dehydrated, thin and dull.

For the younger oilier Kapha skin types, this cooler weather can cause more congested and blemished skin.

And for the sensitive Pitta skin types the internal dehydration can trigger outbreaks of Rosacea and eczema.

Get immediate relief with a change in your skin care. Increase skin cell hydration with the regular use of serums and slow down the moisture loss by increasing the richness of your moisturizer
Then change your diet. The physical nourishment of richer foods and skincare can help balance that spacey feeling and hydrate our bodies. Eat warm moist foods to lubricate from inside out. In this transitional time eat warm salads and grains. Choose nourishing stews with root vegetables.
To further rejuvenate take strengthening herbs like Ashwaganda and Ginseng. You can get individualized formulas from your Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Doctor. You can take Ashwaganda in tablets alone or in formulas like Healthy Vata

If you prefer Ginseng, you need to both understand your own body constitution and the different types of ginseng. The safest one to take without advice is Canadian Ginseng. The smaller sweeter roots are best for Pitta types. The larger, older roots are best for Vatas types. The best way to get them is to go to a Chinese herbal store and select your roots and have them cut into slices. Then you can make tea by dropping 4-6 slices into a cup of boiling water and let it steep for 20 minutes.

If aging or Vata imbalance is a concern then Autumn is also a good time to detox your kidneys. In Ayurveda kidneys are considered a Vata organ and can influence our emotions negatively with worry and fear. According to Caroline Marie Dupont in her book, Enlightened Eating, we can support our kidney function by developing our ability to process fear, letting it flow through us while retaining the lessons.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the kidneys determine how well you age. My Traditional Chinese Doctor recommends caring for the Kidneys start in your Thirties to ensure healthy aging.

Kidney detoxifiers are available at most health food stores. My favourite is Kidney Support from Alpha Science Laboratories . It is very effective and easy to do. Just take 2 tablespoons until the bottle is done.

Caroline Marie Dupont advises on maintaining kidney health with a diet high in vegetables and low in fat, salt and animal protein. Drink an average of 8 glasses of water - pure spring water, or purified water from distillation or reverse osmosis.

Time for Self Transformation

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September is approaching. While it is not the beginning of the New Year, it is a popular time for self transformation.

After a couple of months of detoxification, I have experienced emotional transformation. Along with the surfacing of repressed emotions, I have been also wizened up to new habits and behaviors that are more suitable to my new awareness.

My annual visit to Steven Dao has confirmed that becoming more succinct in my communications is my home work for the next year. I go to Steven not so much for future predictions but his uncanny ability to tell me what I am ready to hear.

Steven foretells of increase of negations and warns against my regular verbosity. (This is the only time I am quiet so how did he know! ;) My “long form” of communicating has endured through a cousin in law telling me that “while I don’t consider you a big mouth, you sure talk a lot” and to the constant dismay of my more reserved daughter.

So I preparing for September with a new look to solidify the revamped internal me. I will cover my grey hairs with a natural but convenient hair colour, a more conservative -- so longer hairdo from Sharon at John Steinberg (because she can give me a hairdo that is pretty but not boring) and I will save my usual yoga chic dressing for the weekend. ( a lovely site with menopausal tummy)

I have committed to a look that takes more maintenance and is more appropriate to my half century age. I still wanted natural and easy to care for but now it will take more time and money.

While I believe that many of my habits, like over activity, lack of routine and lack of sleep, have sped up my aging , my ability to reflect on my past behaviors and to embarking on new ones have rejuvenated me.

So what are you plans for yourself the next year?

If you are looking to do some self renovation here are some great ideas.

Rejuvenate your appearance with better care for your skin. Fall is a great time for sun sensitizing treatments like Microdermabrasion and Intense Pulse Light. Intense Pulse Light is an excellent way to erase lines and plump up your skin tone. But don’t neglect your daily care routine to help you maintain your youthful appearance. See a video of our Microdermabrasion Treatment. While you are there look over at the sidebar for our other facial treatment on video.

If you are over 35 years old – invest in a good serum. I may be bias but I totally recommend our most popular product, Collagen Elastin Plus for the job. It's like my child as I dictated the ingredients in this seaweed based serum. It will give your face an improved day to day appearance while helping you lessen long term expenditures on skin rejuvenation.

To help you update your fashion statement with accessories consider the advice of Jezebel.com. an e-news for alternative minded women’s http://jezebel.com/5616391/dress-code-accessories-101?skyline=true&s=i.

If your health seems sluggish, you may need to detox. After reading Gilles Marin’s book Healing from Within with Chi Nei Tsang, I would advise against any detox products that contain alcohol. Alcohol, according to Gilles, intoxicates our organs thereby needing to be detoxed. You can visit my past blogs for some ideas. Just avoid the liver detox if you want to avoid alcohol.

If you need some help in deciding your future, you can call Steven Dao at 416-846-0588 and get a objective reading. See my past blog for more on Steven.

An now for a deserved feel good break -- go to Jezebel.com to see the controversy over untouched photos of Jennifer Aniston. While she looks older I believe she looks more beautiful without the touch ups.

Foods for Vata

Foods for Vata

I am continuing with the requested recipes from the book party and accompanying it with information on how to balance your state of mind body and spirit with food.

Finally we are at Vata and not fast enough as Vatas are not used to being last.

These quixotic change agents get bored easily so they tend to act quickly. Their quick metabolism gives them the willowy silhouette so in fashion today but also gives them the disadvantage of lower stamina, inability to gain weight, premature aging.

Their strength is in the spiritual and conceptual. They adapt easily to change, take risks and embrace innovation. But in imbalance, they have the tendency to show signs of premature aging, to suffer from nervous disorders, to appear flaky, to seem forgetful and to be chatty.

If you are not a Vata but exhibit any of the above symptoms, you can be suffering from a Vata imbalance and can also follow the following advice to return to balance.

Things that can tip the scales to manifest these negative tendencies can be triggered by Vata Weather – cold, dry – eating Vata Foods –popcorn, ices, cabbage, dried meats, salads – or hanging out with Imbalanced Vatas – people who are overly frenetic, changeable, scattered or unstable.

The general rule is to eat nourishing and warm -- favouring flavours that are sweet, salty and sour and minimizing eating those that are spicy, bitter astringent.

The big no-nos are dry crispy (crackers, dry nuts), stimulating ( caffeine, white sugar), gassy (carbonated drinks, cabbage) and cold foods.

And the balancing foods can include red meat, dark meat of fowl, root vegetables, dairy (cheese), oils, and whole grains rice.

A sample daily menu can be;

Breakfast

1. Eggs with whole-wheat bread with a glass of milk
2. Smoothie with fruit and yogurt with herbal tea
3. Cooked whole grains with raw nuts and fresh or dried fruit
4. Melon (summer)
5. Whole grain bread with nut butters with Herbal tea with honey.

Lunch

This will be your main meal for the day

1. Salmon with vegetables and brown rice
2. Lamb with vegetables and sweet potato
3. Whole wheat pasta with meat sauce and vegetable
4. Dessert can range from crème brule to cheesecake or as per Snack suggestions

Snack

Vatas can graze. So snacking between meals is encouraged.

1. Whole grain Muffin sweetened without white sugar
2. Yogurt
3. Any pastries made with whole grains and without white sugar
4. Sweet fruits like melons, papaya, mangos
5. Soaked nuts and seeds

Dinner

Dinner is lighter but is highly nutritious. Vatas can also snack, of course choosing nutritious snacks --- or suggestions see the above snack section.

1. Vegetables with whole grain pasta without cheese or cream sauce
2. White fish with vegetables and brown rice
3. Legume and vegetable stews
4. Veggie burger with steamed vegetables or salad ( depends on season) – No fries

Vata Hors d’oeuvres ( from the book Party)

The criteria for these dishes are;
The food ingredients follow the Ayurvedic diet for Vatas
Use whole organic food ingredients
Minimal waste – edible containers
The dishes chosen can follow the “hundred Mile” whole foods diet, which is very suitable for Vatas
The ingredients in the recipes are easily substituted
I recommend modifying them to suit your taste


1. Wild Rice + Peanuts (if not Hundred Mile diet - you can add a small box of saffron
a. Steam 10 – 20 leaves of collards or any dark green leaf vegetable
i. Drain and carefully place leaves flat to cool
b. Cook 1 cup of herbs wild rice as per package instructions
i. When cooked – put aside
c. Cut up fresh herbs – choose from scallions, basil, sage, garlic greens, garlic, parsley
d. Put 3 cups of cauliflower clusters in a pot of boiling water
i. Lower temperature to simmer
ii. Put into food processor or blend to make creamy and let cool
iii. Take 2 cups of the creamed cauliflower (the left over cup is

1. saved for the fish) and add in the following;
   1. 1 table spoon tahini
   2. ¼ teaspoon sea salt
   3. handful of the cut fresh herbs
   4. if not following Hundred Mile Diet – you can add any of the following
   a. 2 tablespoons hoi sin sauce
   b. 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
   c. Tablespoon of curry
   d. A box of saffron
   e. 1 teaspoon of turmeric
   f. 1 teaspoon of cumin
   g. ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg

e. Mix together the wild rice, 1 cup of Ontario peanuts with skin, fresh herbs and the cauliflower based sauce
f. Place the mixture on a collard leaf and fold leaves over to cover and then roll

2. Salmon trout on Belgian Endive
a. Baking the fish
i. Use the fresh herbs from the Wild Rice + Peanuts recipes
ii. Finely dice up onions, grate fresh ginger
iii. Olive oil a pan and sprinkle on the onions, sea salt and ginger
iv. Place filets of salmon trout on the pan skin on the bottom
v. Rub oil on the filets
vi. Sprinkle on the cut fresh herbs on the top side of the filets
vii. Put into oven 350 degrees for 10 minutes
b. The sauce
i. 1 cup of the creamed cauliflower
ii. 2 tablespoon of tartar sauce

• c. Mix the sauce with fish
  d. Cut up Belgian endive into leaves
  e. Place the fish mixture onto the firm part of the leaves

3. Pumpkin cheesecake

a. Go to http://www.joyofbaking.com/PumpkinCheesecake.html for the recipe
b. Replace white sugar with stevia or xylitol.
c. Replace brown sugar with Demerara sugar
d. Replace the ground ginger cookies with more graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of dry ginger
e.

Enjoying the Weather

Enjoying the Weather

Sorry for keeping you suspense. I am blaming it all on Ayurveda.

While it is spring, many of the days were “relatively” cold and dry which stirred up my Vata.

Pure + simple is celebrating Kristen’s book on Ayurvedic beauty, BEAUTY 2.0, on June 11th. Find the book at Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-2-0-Holistic-Natural-Modern/dp/0981262406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244553268&sr=1-1

So even though I have too much to do, I decide to make the food for the party. I have many logical reasons like I want to give our guests a more intimate experience and I want to give the Ayurvedic theme o the party authenticity. But honest one is not that logical. For Vatas, it’s always about the “new” with little consideration to existing responsibilities.

Did I tell you my second Dosha is Pitta? So what started as an impulsive, challenge seeking Vata idea has now become a Pitta drive for purpose, planning and perfection. The food must be true to the three Doshas, made from natural or organic ingredients and be “environmental”, be served in their own edible containers. After pouring through Ayurvedic and organic food cookbooks I decided to formulate my own recipes. After few days of testing on staff and family I am finally prepared to serve the nine dishes and is now able to continue my blog and catch up with my “real “work.

But my experience has also helped me be more engaged in advising about food to balance your Doshas . And you all can come and taste the food at the party on June 11th from 4:00pm to 7pm at Pure + simple 725 King West. As I mentioned last blog, Dr Sharma will be there to do Ayurvedic Diagnosis so you can find out your true Dosha. For more information, go to http://pureandsimple.ca/.

Back to Balancing Your Energies to the Weather

Before you can balance with the weather you need to know your Doshas.

Then you need to understand the Doshas of the things you can control like foods, types of exercise, activities and skincare.

Today I will begin with understanding the Doshas of the weather with brief advise for each of us to optimize our day with.

The Energies of your Environment

Vata Weather is dry and cold. If it is windy, it will be more intensely Vata. The characteristics are relative. You can have cold days in summer. They are just not as intensely Vata as in the cold days in fall or winter.

Balancing Vata Weather

This the worst weather for Vatas. If you want this day not to be a blur of flakiness and disorganization you will need to ground and warm up. If it is winter, eat lots of root vegetables and yes you can eat your favourite red meat. Sausages are forbidden but today you can indulge without punishment. Hearty stews and warm teas with cinnamon and ginger are in order. Smother your skin in rich moisturizers. Massage a rich oil into your scalp and then soak in a hot dead sea salt bath.

If it is summer, eat warm soups and cooked vegetables with a nourishing meat. Keep skin moist with a hydrating serum and a moderately rich cream. Massage oil on your tummy to prevent constipation. Do grounding activities like gardening, Chi Kung and standing Yoga exercises.

This is ideal weather for Pittas who are usually too hot. You will be in a sweet mood and will feel more energized so don’t over do it. You can eat foods that you normally shouldn’t, -- like ones that are spicy, salty and sour. So eat your favourite yogurt and curries today. If it is winter you will need to protect skin from the dramatic changes of temperatures between indoor and outdoor. But on cool summer day just make sure your skin is hydrated and protected from the sun. Indulge in competitive exercise and activities today.

The dry and the windiness are good for Kapha. It stimulates otherwise slow energy. But Kaphas need to balance the coldness. Warm spicy foods are welcomed. Warming body oil will help to warm skin and keep circulation optimal. Aerobic exercise in the morning will help keep Kapha from feeling fatigued.

Balancing Pitta Weather

Pitta Weather is hot. If it is humid, it is even more Pitta. Again it is relative. A sudden warm spell in the winter can trigger a Pitta imbalance but not as much as a hot day in July.

Vatas are loving this. If it is summer, Vatas can indulge in eating ice cream and other forbidden cold foods. If it is winter, go ahead have a little of the drier foods like popcorn. Normal personal care can be lightened up to gain more comfort.

The heat can stir up rosacea, rashes, irritability and fatigue for fiery Pittas. Eat raw cold foods to cool off from the inside out. Cool down quickly with a slice of sweet melon or a salad with lots of cucumber. Summer is a great time for Pittas to follow a raw food diet. It not a “caveman” diet if you have a great raw food recipe book like, RAW FOOD, by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis. The recipes will satisfy the most sophisticated and delicate palate. For more information on the book go to http://www.amazon.com/Raw-Food-Real-World-Recipes/dp/0060793554/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198200321&sr=1-1

While winter weather is cold, the warmer wet spell can unbalance Pittas unwittingly, so take note of this occurrence and cool down the diet. Keep skin hydrated and in summer keep skin cool with hydrating spritzes like Organic Chamomile Hydrosol, to view product information go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/skincare.html#waters No matter what you choose, make sure the floral water is pure and natural as not to irritate sensitive Pitta skin. Pitta skin that is too hot can become red, inflamed and / or blemish so skin smooth with hydration and protection from heat and sun.


Kaphas will love this unless there is too much humidity. To balance the high moisture content in the air, eat dry foods and lessen liquid intake. Skincare can be a non issue except in high humidity where Kapha then may need to keep drier with a powder for face and body like Jurlique Silk Finishing Powder in Lavender or rose. To view product information go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/jurlique.html#masks

Balancing Kapha Weather

Kapha Weather is cold and damp. Again as in Vata and Pitta the intensity matters. Cold damp days in March are more unbalancing than one in August.

Vata love the damp but will need to balance the cold with warm foods and oily moisturizers. Vigorous exercise can keep Vatas warm.

Pittas love the cold so they can eat foods that they normally would avoid like spicy or hot foods. If it is winter Pittas need to protect skin from the cold to prevent redness and excess dehydration.

Kapha’s will want to stay in their warm dry beds during this weather. Keep warm and invigorated by eating foods that are warm and dry like popcorn, or spicy like a curry. Massage face and body with a warming oil like mustard to keep warm. For oils that are great for Kapha go to http://www.pureandsimple.ca/2005/files/products/ayurvedic.html Vigorous exercise like spinning can prevent that dull sluggish feeling. You feel like you may be sick or coming down with an illness but actually your circulatory system is just too slow and you are not getting enough oxygen to you brain. So don’t pamper yourself with rest—get up and go for a run.


Sounds complicated or far fetched? Test it out. What have you got to lose but the predicament of being at the whim of your constantly changing environment?