light and fast

Hey lovelies. Happy February! Happy Winter! Happy love month! Happy all of these things that feel very apropos right now. :) 

Let's just jump right in. What's happening in the winter time? What happens to our body? In the words of my great teacher: You are the world, and the World is you! So, its cold and wet right now... quintessential kapha season. What happens on the outside, happens on the inside. So, maybe you're feeling a little wet and cold on the inside? Congestion and lethargy anyone? 

If you're feeling even the slightest bit of this, don't worry. It's not abnormal. In fact, it makes sense. But don't worry...there are ways we can tackle this that aren't that difficult. 

Alright, so if you follow me on Insta, you may have noticed me posting about doing a quick 50-hr fast with very limited food. Now, I know that intermittent fast and all different types of fasting are all the rage and there are a million reasons why you should do this. But, I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to tell you what fasting does to your body in a very simple, Ayurvedic way (just the way I prefer ;) ). 

So, first, let's talk about our digestive capacity. In Ayurveda, we call this agni. Agni literally translates to fire in Sanskrit. So, we can equate our digestive capacity with fire. And what do we need to do fire to keep it healthy--well, we can't douse it. We have to provide oxygen (hello, like a real fire), and we have to tend to it! Agni is the ultimate transformative power in our body--not only does it digest our food, but any transformation process in our body (sensory perception, thoughts, understanding, chemical processes, the whole gambit) is regulated by agni. Thus, it's super important to keep it strong and healthy! 

These things can kill your agni pretty quickly: 

• C O L D water. Yes. You heard me. Drink room temp to warm water always
• Eat appropriate quantities of food, and not over indulging. 
• Incorporate all flavors, specifically the great 6 according to Ayurveda: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. (We can talk more about this later! ;) ) 
• Vary the colors on your plate. Favor healthy fats, bright colored veggies, and whole grains.

But you know what, every now and then, we may fall out these habits, and that's okay. Seriously! There are ways for us to bring back balance. One of the best ways is to fast. 

You know, it's interesting that most spiritual practices and cultures have some sort of fasting aspect. Fasting allows the body to reset. It gives the opportunity for our agni to breathe, it gives it some space. Don't we all need a little space every now and then?! When we take a break from dousing our agni with food, it gives us the opportunity to rekindle the flame. It's like adding oxygen back into the fire...get it. Nothing gets added, and ultimately oxygen is nothing. I hope that made sense, because it definitely did in my brain. 

Even if making a daily habit of fasting doesn't feel attainable, try just 1 day. Try going on a 1-day liquid diet, try going on a 50-hr fast every couple of days...make it work for you! But, the biggest thing is--can you give your body a break? 

It goes through so much for us...the least we can do is let it recoup and rest. 

I hope this gives you at least 1 simple reason why to lighten the lode and fast just a little bit. Happy fasting dear friends!