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 Milk is revered in more ways than just one in Ayurveda. There are so many benefits of drinking milk that I couldn't even get into all of them right here. Specifically, cow's milk is said to be one the greatest medicines to man. It's a great source of healthy fat and proteins that help maintain and nourish our bodies. From an Ayurvedic perspective, milk is said to nourish many of the tissues--including our nervous and fat tissue. It's even great for our skin. However, my favorite quality of milk is its grounding effect on the body. There is nothing like a warm glass of milk in the evening before bed, or on a Saturday morning curled up in bed with a book.
Of course, the milk that I am promoting comes from cows that are not brought up in factory farms. It's important to know the source of our animal products. If the animals are under stress, then all that energy is going to go into that product, thus affecting our bodies with that same energy. Even though I'm not a huge fan of thick milk, I always recommend everyone to drink as close to raw milk as possible. This may be in some form of organic, non-homeginized, full fat milk. (PS--if you are like me and don't like the thick milk, make your own less fat milk by just adding water. It's the less processed way of doing it, without taking away the healthy fats that come from milk). With all of the benefits that milk has, it can also be hard to digest for many people. Milk can also be tricky in the sense that it increases phlegm production in the body, making it less than ideal in the cold and rainy months. One way to counterbalance those side effects is to add some heating spices to the milk that will help ease the digestion. I love this milk recipe because it's really easy to make, and is so good for the body and mind. A warm glass of milk at night before bed can do wonders on your slumber. It's great for vata, calming the nervous system, and all-around grounding. Make this recipe your own and get creative! Ingredients:
Directions:
 Over the holidays, my husband and I took a trip to India. While I love being there, it's always so incredibly great to get back home, be able to sleep on your own bed, and shower in your own shower. One of my favorite things about India (which you can probably guess), is the FOOD! The flavors and freshness of everything is second to none. To call it indulging when I'm over there is a serious understatement. So, as delicious as everything is while there, it's always nice to reset when I get back home and get my eating habits back in order. To me, a proper diet is vital for a holistic and healthy life. What better way to start off the new year, then with a good healthy diet cleanse to reset your metabolic fire and get everything back right! My go-to diet cleanse is based in Ayurveda. The real version is actually much more stringent then what I did. But, the idea behind everything is that if we focus on eating foods that are really easy to digest and those that don't take a lot of energy to digest, our body can use those resources to cleanse and pull toxins out from other parts of our body. I'll explain the real cleanse process in a later blog post. The main foods for consumption during the cleanse are these: mung beans and rice. That's it. Because I didn't do a full on cleanse, I incorporated root vegetables and greens to keep fiber in my diet and to have some grounding factors after the whirlwind of a trip that naturally increases vata. I made this chutney to have add a little bit of fresh flavor to my otherwise simple meals. But, I ended up liking it to much, I wanted to share it with all of you. This chutney is super easy to make, and would pair well as a really nice dip, a spread on some bread, or any other way your imagination can think of! Enjoy! Ingredients:
Directions:
This chutney doesn't have to be used only during a cleanse. Enjoy it all-year-round!  |
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