 The heat has begun. I'm so happy to be able to spend the days outside in the sun. I was raised in the South of the United States, basking in balmy 100 degree days. We've finally hit the mid-80s in Albuquerque. I'm happy we've made it.
With that, I can see my natural food cravings have begun to shift, and how certain foods that were great in the cooler months, now sit weird in my stomach. It's amazing what a little self-awareness can do to your body. Let's explore the flavors of the summer, and how we can truly enjoy the best of the summer days ahead.
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 Ice. Cold. Frozen. Honestly, none of these words appeal to me. Even in the middle of the hot summer. Let's talk about our obsession with having our drinks freezing cold, because it's time to break a bad habit folks!!
Ayurveda says a big heck no to cold drinks. There are a few reasons why. Let's discuss.
Well, I don't want to belabor this point, but it's so important! I know it feels like it's never going to refresh you or quench your thirst or anything. But I promise it will. If warm water or other beverages are completely out of the question, try room temperature. I promise you will get used to it! Trust me on this one folks! There are better ways to cool yourself down. Look for foods and drinks that have naturally cooling properties like coconut, cucumber, and cilantro. This stands true now more than ever as we start to transition into the cooler, dryer, and windier months of autumn and winter. It's important to combat those qualities with the qualities of the food and drinks we consume. Raise your glasses to your last iced drink! Cheers! Cleanses have become pretty popular in this day and age. Every where you look and turn, you see the latest juice cleanse, or sugar detox, or fruit-only diet. Well, from an Ayurvedic perspective, cleanses have a proper time and place in the year. They're not all the same, and the same cleanse shouldn't be done throughout the year.
As our external environment changes with the seasons, so does our internal bodies. And more importantly, what goes on inside during spring, is going to be completely different than what is going on in the summer, autumn, and winter. That is one of the most important lessons of Ayurveda--how to adapt our bodies and our lifestyles with the natural ebbs and flows of Mother Nature. We are just a mere microcosm of a much greater macrocosm. One goal is to learn how to sync our bodies and natural rhythms with that of our environment. Since we are in the heart of spring, I thought it would be appropriate to share my experience with a mini-cleanse that I'll be doing this week. Although a full Ayurvedic Pancha Karma is much more detailed and thorough, I unfortunately do not have the ability to take off work and participate fully. But, there are some things I can do on a regular basis over the next 7-10 days to help my body detox some of the heavier elements of winter that are still lingering. Throughout the next week, I'll be posting different tips for you to try at home as well. TIP #1: drink warm water thought the day. In general, you should be drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water each day. Begin carrying a small thermos around. Sip warm water every 15-20 minutes. Make sure you don't chug it down. The more you chug, the more it will just flush out of your system. You want your tissues and cells to actually absorb the water that you are taking in. Our bodies are made up of 70% water--how many times have you heard that?! Probably one too many. But, with that, it's important that we keep giving ourselves the right amount of water. Why is water a great way to help detox our bodies? Well, it just does a really good job of flushing out different toxins that have built up in our body. If you drink a glass of warm water as soon as you wake up, it help prepares your gut by getting it ready for digestions--it wakes up your metabolism, let's say. If you have proper digestion, then your body won't accumulate as many toxins. Don't like the taste of water? Add a splash of fresh lemon juice for taste. Along with this tip, something that is important, is that you want to try and avoid caffeine as much as possible. If it's hard for you to complete give it up, then try cutting back to 1 glass of caffeine. Remember, caffeine is a dehydrating substance for your body. If you want a proper "mini-cleanse" you want to stay as hydrated as possible. Stay on the lookout for tip #2! For more information on Ayurvedic cleanses or to receive a personalized cleanse routine for you, just shoot me an email! Have fun! |
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