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Reiki in Home Health Care

Approximately five million Americans receive home health care services annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s National Health Statistics Reports’s “Characteristics and Use of Home Health Care by Men and Women Aged 65 and Over,” 13% have osteoarthritis or allied disorders. That’s just one group of disorders where chronic pain is a symptom. Thankfully, we are seeing an increase of Reiki and home health care agencies bringing in complementary medicine practitioners.

Demand Is Rising | Reiki in Home Health Care

Scientific research continues to bear fruit in the understanding of the effectiveness of Reiki and other complementary medicines, much of that funding coming from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In “Energy healing: a complementary treatment for orthopaedic and other conditions,” it notes that beneficial outcomes have been shown in studies ranging from “wound healing (Grad, 1965) and advanced AIDS (Sicher, Targ, Moore, & Smith, 1998), and positive results for pain and anxiety (Aetna IntelliHealth, 2003a; Wardell, Weymouth, 2004), among others (Gallob, 2003). It is also suggested that [energy healing] may have positive effects on various orthopaedic conditions, including fracture healing, arthritis, and muscle and connective tissue (Prestwood, 2003).” It is also noted that the risk is at or near zero to have Reiki or other energy healing practices performed so it can be applied in a wide array of medical conditions.

It’s with this perspective in mind, that home health care agencies have taken a hint from clinical and hospital care and are starting to adopt the use of Reiki in its home health care services.

The Goal Is Healing the Whole Being | Reiki in Home Health Care

Different than the goal of allopathic medicine, which is to cure the disease of the body, complementary medicines are designed to heal the mind, body, emotions and spirit of the patient. Since they work together (hence the complementary), Reiki is a perfect companion for seniors and others in home health care settings, who may need well-being management alongside their traditional medical care.

Home health care, funded through the Medicare program, provides short clinically-necessary services. Medicare home health services are less costly than other facility-based care and often individuals prefer to remain in the comfort of their own home. “Home care” services are usually associated with privately paid or Medicaid services that allow for someone to help with light housekeeping, meal preparation, light chores and more to also help individuals remain comfortably in their own homes.

There are some potential negatives to being home. Home-based services means the loss of privacy, less independence as one relies more and more on others for activities of daily living (such as washing/bathing, getting dressed, meals, and more), and greater isolation from spending time at home and not out in the community. This is not the case for all home health care scenarios, but a sizable percentage experiences many if not all of these issues. With this in mind, shouldn’t we challenge our healthcare system, to also include approaches that support the whole person – body, mind, emotions and spirit? With Reiki, patients report increased relaxation and peace, reduced stress, and lessened chronic pain. These all add up to a greater sense of well-being, and better overall healthcare!

Finding a Reiki Master | Reiki in Home Health Care

If you are interested in finding a Reiki Master to help your home health care agency, here are the resources you need at your fingertips.. If you’re in the Alexandria, Virginia / Metropolitan Washington DC area, touch base with Four Directions Wellness and if we can’t help you, we’ll put you in touch with someone who can provide Reiki services for your patients.

If you’re outside of our area, you can find a qualified reiki practitioner here.

Home Health Workforce Considerations

It is also important to note that several studies have suggested that clinicians have had reduced stress when they receive or are taught Reiki self-care. Home health and home care employers may wish to consider increasing their employee retention rate by offering Reiki training and services for their employees. If we are committed to good healthcare, then supporting our employees may be the first place to begin!

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The future of Reiki in home health care is bright. As more research confirms the efficacy of Reiki and the collective healing modalities that make up complementary medicine, the more hospital, healthcare organizations and home health care will adopt the practices that help alleviate pain and suffering of patients. And offer stress reduction to their staff too!

Has your home health care agency offered Reiki? What was your experience? Let us know about your Reiki experiences in the comments.

Wicked Lessons

Think of your favorite musical or song? One that stirs within you all kinds of emotions. The one song that really pulls at your heart strings. If you are like me, there are many songs, depending on my mood. I found myself today listening to two of my favorite songs from the wonderful musical, Wicked. “Defying Gravity”is an all-time favorite song. The lyrics and music are awe-inspiring. Just consider the following lyrics…

“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules
Of someone else’s game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap…..

I’m through accepting limits
Cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I’ll never know!”

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth

That is a go-to song for when I need to follow my intuition regardless of what those around me might be saying or encouraging me to do. How often in our lives do we accept limits because our parents, doctors, teachers, bosses or others told us to? And why? Why are we more influenced by them than by what our own intuitive guidance is seeking?

“Until I try, I will never know”… so why hold back now? If you are in your mid-life years like me, then you might notice how decades have gone by with you remaining stuck. You might even feel that there has been no movement towards your personal dreams. Or you have not stretched past perceived boundaries. Or you are noticing that you are being kept small by society and the views of those around you. If you slow down and listen, you know that something is stirring within you. It might be small. It might also be big…but it is calling you.

So take a moment, to tune into this song on You Tube. Play it a couple of times and then identify what your personal intuition is stirring up inside you. Hold your breath for just a moment… and decide to leap!

Who Has Left a Handprint on Your Heart?

The other wonderful song is Wicked‘s “For Good”.In this song, two people who have had a rocky relationship at times realize that each has come into her life for a lesson – and yes, made her a better person.

“I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them…
And we help them in return…

So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart”

Idina Menzel and LeAnn Rimes

It’s certainly easy for me to identify my family members, friends, mentors and colleagues who have left a beautiful handprint on my heart. I am so thankful to have them in my life. But when I think about it, there are others who have entered into my life and made me stretch further – made me expand my heart, rethink my beliefs and yes, wrecked havoc on my emotions. Today, I thank those who have entered my life, turned it topsy-turfy, shaken it all up from what I believed to be true to my core as they have helped me expand and grow even more. After all, aren’t those the people who help us learn lessons in a more powerful way?

Who has entered into your life to make you gain a new perspective? To make you love the shadow parts that lie dormant within each of us? Who challenges us to learn to love unconditionally and without reservations? Today, see if you can send gratitude to them for the handprint left on your heart and for the personal growth. It is very likely you did the same for them too.

Irish Ancient Healing Practice Proves a Modern Miracle Antibiotic

Hospitals throughout the world are fighting not just against your ever-present diseases and ailments of humanity. Today, healthcare professionals must contend also with the mounting prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, of which is the most widespread bacterium, MRSA, or methicillin-resistant streptococcus aureus. But, did you know there’s hope in integrative medicine? Specifically, there is newfound hope in an Irish ancient healing practice with the use of dirt!

As a boy growing up in Ireland, Gerry Quinn, PhD, remembers his great-uncle’s belief in his ability to cure a variety of illnesses using natural mountain ingredients. This healing tradition is one of many ancient Irish healing practices we discussed before, passed down throughout generations.

In Western medical parlance, Gerry Quinn’s great-uncle had what is known today as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, geophagy, or a mostly benign, dirt eating disorder. But, in ancient folk medicine, the Druids speak of eating the soil as good for your digestive health and building tolerance to toxins. Some folklore talks of placing a clump of dirt beneath your pillow to cast away spirits. And, others add a small amount of soil to tinctures that are consumed.

The last known person to known about and use this Irish ancient healing practice was Reverend James McGirr. As this Ancient Origins article, details

In the old churchyard there is the grave of the ‘’Reverend James McGirr, the parish priest in 1803’’ reports the BBC. He was a respected figure in the community and on his deathbed he claimed that the earth from his grave had healing powers. There is a long-standing belief in the locality and beyond that the earth from Father McGirr’s grave can heal and is very effective against infections.

What’s different is that this one Irish ancient healing practice was not forgotten or dismissed by that little boy growing up in his hometown mountain regions. As it turns out, Quinn is now a microbiologist studying antibiotics, and uniquely, a former botanist. And, his great-uncle’s beliefs are proving lucrative for fighting against bacterial resistance.

In the scientific journal, Frontiers in Microbiology, Dr. Quinn, as part of an international research team, write that they have discovered a new Streptomyces bacterium that has some potent properties. (Streptomyces are the bacteria from which modern antibiotics are produced.) And, where did it come from? It originated from those same grasslands of Toneel North in Boho, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, where Father McGirr’s grave lies.

These bacteria, a strain before unknown, develops in the alkaline/radon soil in Boho. And, as science has determined there’s merit to the folklore. This newly-discovered strain of Streptomyces, Streptomyces sp. Myrophorea, has antibiotic properties that can inhibit the growth of four major pathogens, including none other than MRSA. The other drug-resistant strains that Streptomyces sp. Myrophorea combats against are Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Carbenepenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii.

Now with the process of developing cultures of this bacteria and synthesizes it for medical purposes, there may be future hospital-grade medical uses that stemmed from this successful ethnopharmacological research project.

Once again, we learn that respecting and understanding the ancient healing practices of cultures from around the world are a worthwhile endeavor. Not only can they help us understand our fellow man better, but in them are the potential to find evidence-based medicine. Complementary, integrative medicine is changing the way in which we heal the mind, body, emotion and spirit, when we choose to be open to all healing pathways.

Do you have a family medicinal secret? Perhaps one that helps cure a cold/flu? Or, helps with another particular ailment? Let us know about your family’s healing traditions in the comments.

Declutter Your Home to Support Your Wellbeing

The first day of Spring is just around the corner. And, with the start of the new season, you will start to see spring cleaning advertisements in the home magazines and organizing products appear on the shelves of local department stores. This is no coincidence that you are prompted to declutter your home and do a thorough cleaning at this time of year.

Spring cleaning has multiple historical roots dating back to ancient times. From the Persian new year (Nowruz) to the Jewish Passover or Catholic Lent (and Clean Week), there is a long, storied history of societies taking the change in temperatures as a time to cleanse.

More importantly in modern times, though, beyond our ability to clean and declutter our homes any time of year, is that doing so is good for our mental health. In this article, I will discuss why it’s important to declutter your home, decluttering strategies, where to send your clutter, and further resources for managing clutter.

Why Declutter Your Home?

If we consider the advertising industry again, a great amount of stress and anxiety comes from our society’s obsession with consumerism and materialism. Both in moderation are good and healthy for you and society. But, the way in which they make you feel bad are plentiful, even if not writ large, and that only gets exacerbated the more you own and the more you spend.

If you bought a pair of running shoes, but failed to before a thrice-a-year marathon runner, you feel bad about not running. Worse yet, you are loathe to rid yourself of those running shoes because it admits defeat on an even deeper level. Marketers, one. You, zero.

To declutter your home and support your wellbeing, you need to wrest control back from some of society’s less savory aspects. And, the benefits start to stack up once you consider all the ways decluttering your home can help, and your family, thrive.

By decluttering your home, you can:

make some money selling things you no longer need/want. Plus, you will buy less things after you declutter;
An organized space is inherently de-stressing, so you’ll experience less stress and anxiety at home;
increase productivity around your home;
find things more easily because items will now have “homes” where they always go back to; and,
reduce allergens in your home, which means you and potentially more vulnerable members in your family (humans and pets) will get sick less often.

A 2011 study in the Journal of Neuroscience found that clutter limits the brain’s attention capabilities and the brain’s processing efficiency, while UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families has published a book, Life at Home in the 21st Century: 32 Families Open Their Doors, detailing the effects on the wellbeing of cluttered homes. Below is some video from UCLA discussing its central findings.

Declutter Your Home, a Tale of Two Opposing Strategies

So, if decluttering your home is good, then knowing how to do it is better. Enter two opposing views on decluttering strategies from great minds in the arena of maintaining a clutter-free home.

In one corner is Dana K. White, blogger and podcaster at A Slob Comes Clean, as well as author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life. White presents a view of decluttering that can be best summed up as: declutter a little bit in whatever time you have. You can always be decluttering to keep up the with the rising tide of stuff that washes in and out of your home. In Decluttering at the Speed of Life, she provides you with a room-by-room ability to assess, divide and conquer, then tackle clutter piecemeal. For some people, this is highly practical, less stressful, and if nothing else, you can listen to her entertaining podcast episodes while you get your house in order.

And, in the other corner is Marie Kondo, creator of the KonMari method, tidying consultant and author of her two The New York Times best-selling books, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy. Kondo believes in a specific, five-step process to decluttering once and for all:

Ask yourself, why do you want to tidy up your home?
Commit to tidying up your home in one, complete event.
Discard by category—not room by room, or little-by-little, but in order clothing, books, paper, miscellany and then sentimental items, choosing only your items that need to be discarded and throw them away. No, don’t donate, give them away or otherwise. She says you must trash them.
Treat your possessions that you are discarding with dignity. Thank each one for serving its purpose to you before you throw it away.
Now, again by the same categories, ask yourself does this item spark joy for me?
1. If the answer is no, to any item, it also gets discarded (with the same gratitude ritual).
2. If it’s yes, then all items are given a home together with its own kind. That’s where everything goes anytime when they’re not in use.

Declutter Your Home, and Then Where Does the Clutter Go?

And, while Marie Kondo doesn’t advocate anything other than throwing away your clutter, as they say, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” so I’ll offer more resources than simply your garbage can.

Here are some places you can send things once they’ve outlived their usefulness to you:

Local waste collection, recycling centers — they are often happy to take things that might be too bulky to be picked up by your everyday garbage collection workers.
1-800-Got-Junk — these folks will show up with a truck and haul away items that your local city/county won’t take away (minus hazardous materials).
Library donations — if you have books, periodicals and the like, think about donating them to your local (community or school) library.
Goodwill — clothes and other odds-and-ends are easily given away to Goodwill to sell for charity.
Food bank / Homeless shelter — you would be surprised at what food stuffs you find in your pantry or cabinets, that can go to good use at these community assistance centers.
Local nonprofits — they might want your excess furniture (and it’s tax deductible, possibly).
Craigslist, Freecycle, eBay, LetGo, and many more apps — if you have something of value you want to sell, or would like to go to a loving new home, check out the plethora of online services and mobile apps out there.

These resources can let you release those items that don’t “spark joy” and perhaps will help others with a bit of joy in their lives.

In Need Professional Declutter Help to Declutter Your Home

Sometimes you need some help beyond your physical or emotional abilities to deal with clutter in your home. Perhaps you have mom or dad’s belongings hanging around the attic long after their passing. You may have a basement or garage filled with newspapers you were hoping to decoupage your retirement away until you found a new love. Well, did you know there are professional dedicated to help you declutter? Find a Certified Professional Organizer at the National Association Professional Organizers’ website and they will help you tackle the clutter with aplomb.

If you feel like your home clutter issues go beyond the normative levels (Levels III, IV and V on the Clutter-Hoarding Scale) and you need specialized professional assistance, there is the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. You can find decluttering specialists who can help you with the issues that have caused your home clutter to get out of hand. Don’t feel like you have to tackle clutter on your own.

Have you ever struggled with clutter? How did you tackle the project of decluttering your home? Did you feel better afterward? Let us know about your experiences in the comments.

Ready to Ignite Your Intuition?

Are you ready? Cast off the winter blahs! Let go of hibernating at home. It’s time for rejuvenation, reawakening and a feeling of new energy or hopefulness. The days are becoming lighter and warmer and color is returning to nature. It’s time to blossom and feel connected to all that is around us.

Just a few more weeks until we officially welcome spring – Wednesday, March 20! In many cultures, there is a ritualistic approach to welcoming in the warmer weather and new energy. There are ceremonies for the Spring Equinoxwith some even having a modern spin to them.

Other rituals have been around for centuries. “Lent” is celebrated by some Christians and actually means “Spring.” It is a period that begins with Ash Wednesday on March 6 and lasts for 40 days (plus six Sundays). A period when before the holy day of Easter or the rebirth or reawakening, a person takes dedicated time for insights and the letting go of certain attachments, beliefs, story lines that no longer serve them.

Wisdom Teachers Use 40 Days for Insights

The 40-day time period is well known by many of the religious groups. It has an auspicious timing that indicates the ability to intuitively connect to the Universe and gleam powerful insights. We know that Jesus fasted and entered into silence for 40 days. Moses also reportedly fasted for 40 days on Mount Sinai before receiving Spiritual insights. Buddha received his intuitive insights during a 40-day fast as did Muhammad who was in a cave for 40 days as received the words of the Quran. The insights are not exclusive to religious leaders. The inspiration for Reiki was provided when Dr. Usui fasted for 40 days in the mountains of Japan.

Each of these wisdom teachers as well as present day leaders recognize the importance of taking dedicated time to connect with something larger than ourselves. They recognize too that time for your inner reflections helps us release from the attachments of modern living and gain a larger, more deeper understanding.

Begin Your Personal 40-Day Spring Journey

Where do you begin? In our modern day hustle and bustle, you might be saying this all sounds great but there is no way to hide away for 40 days. And who wants to fast for that long? And you would be right! So we need to find creative ways to adopt the practice into your current life. The key theme is taking focused time to personally connect with your intuitionand with Spirit.

For some Christians, Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day journey usually with them giving up something of importance. It might be giving up a certain food or food item like sugar, or giving up the use of something such as negative thinking or letting go of binge watching TV.

For Muslims, Ramadan which begins in May is a month-long fasting ceremony that coincides with the 40 days when Muhammad received his insights for the first part of the Quran. Muslims reframe from eating AND drinking (even water) during the daytime and at night have a healthy bite.

Fasting is a way to cleanse our physical bodies and allow for access to our intuitive guidance. Yet, the process of igniting your intuition for 40 days does not necessarily need to center around fasting or food.

Thinking Out of the Box

If you have reached this part of the article, then something is resonating in you to consider a 40-day Spring initiate. Here is the fun part. There are many ways to incorporate this beautiful ritual into your life and it does not require any specific religious alignment. All you need to do is use your own creativity or imagination – both of which are heavily linked to our intuition. What is calling within you for rebirth or rejuvenation?

Here though are some considerations for your first steps:

Objective: What are you trying to accomplish? Connecting with your intuitive side? Seeking to reframe your personal storyline? The objective does not have to be framed through a negative lens of “giving something up.” It might instead be on how to incorporate something new. Take time to really think through what you would like to accomplish.

Dedicated Time: You have decided on your objective. Let’s now talk about what you plan to do during your inner challenge. Example: Your objective is to focus on positive things and incorporate meditation. You therefore plan to do small acts of kindness and will meditate daily.

Date and Timing: Pick a date and time to begin your Spring Initiate. You might wish to begin with a religious start such as Ash Wednesday or Ramadan. Your time frame might wish to be 40 days to coincide with the ancient wisdom leaders but certainly can be whatever you would like. Remember that changing patterns usually requires more than a month – 40 to 100 days is excellent! From our example above then, the person might wish to meditate daily for 10 minutes and have a goal to do 4 small acts of kindness over the 40 days.

Compassion for You: When we begin the journey of making personal changes and having energetic shifts, it is only human to not be perfect. Be compassionate with yourself over the 40 days. When something happens that does not meet the objective, be aware of it and what happened but mostly be compassionate with yourself. Then go back to your beautiful objective and try again.

What Happened? One of the most important components to a successful Spring Initiate is to simply be aware. For whatever you decided to do, what have you noticed? Simply being aware on a daily basis is critical to observing changes. As you implemented meditation and small acts of kindness, what happened to you physically? Emotionally? Mentally? Spiritually? Simply be aware!

Join me on Instagram!

I am also going to start a #SpringInitiate beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 6. I have never previously observed the season of Lent yet feel it is a good time frame and like that it is connected to a spiritual ritual. A wonderful book I am reading is “Lent for Non-Lent People” by Jon Swanson. Easy read and interesting considerations for the 40 days plus 6 extra days so my ritual will also include 46 days total.

If interested, join me on Instagramto track how you are doing. I am still working through what I will be doing but will keep you posted there! Hope you too will join the 46-day challenge! #SpringInitiate

Kapha Dosha Diet, the Ayurvedic Nutrition Series (Part 3 of 3)

As reported in the Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine’s research paper, “Dosha brain-types: A neural model of individual differences,” the authors present a framework for seeing the brain functions represented by the three doshas—vata, pitta and kapha doshas.

For instance, the prefrontal cortex, which includes the anterior cingulate, ventral medial, and the dorsal lateral cortices, would exhibit a high range of functioning in the Vata brain-type leading to the possibility of being easily overstimulated. The Vata brain-type performs activity quickly. Learns quickly and forgets quickly. Their fast mind gives them an edge in creative problem solving. The Pitta brain-type reacts strongly to all challenges leading to purposeful and resolute actions. They never give up and are very dynamic and goal oriented. The Kapha brain-type is slow and steady leading to methodical thinking and action. They prefer routine and needs stimulation to get going. A model of dosha brain-types could provide a physiological foundation to understand individual differences.
Source

We look forward to seeing more research done to show an evidence-based understanding of Ayurveda and its role in integrative, complementary medicine. So, this research paper is exciting! Until then, we have to lean into our ancient understandings of Ayurveda to get to the heart of the doshas.

In this, our third and final installment of the Ayurvedic Nutrition Series (Part 1 covered Vata Dosha and Part 2 covered Pitta Dosha), I cover the Kapha Dosha, its lifestyle and dietary guidelines to keep it in check, and some recipes to balance out your kapha dosha when necessary.

Kapha Dosha

The doshas are energies built upon by the five great elements. Each of the five elements—akasha (ether), vayu or vata (air/wind), agni or tejas (fire), apas (water) and prithi (earth)—combine uniquely into the doshas. Kapha Dosha comprises the earth and water elements together. It is responsible for the storage of energy and other anabolic processes, structural growth and maintenance, and all things related to stability.

Kapha dosha manages, in addition to structure, lubrication in the mind-body. Accordingly, kapha governs

Avalambaka kapha—protection for the cardiac, muscular and respiratory systems;
Bhodaka kapha—sense of taste;
Kledaka kapha—gastric rugae (lining of the stomach) for digestive functions;
Shleshaka kapha—joint lubrication (which includes tissue formation—blood, bone, fatty, marrow, muscle, nutritive fluid and reproductive tissues) and lung functions; and,
Tarpaka kapha—moisture management of the brain, eyes, mouth and nose.

When your kapha is imbalanced, the mind-body responds with symptoms independently or combined among these:

(avalambaka) feeling lethargic, lumbar pain and respiratory conditions;
(bhodaka) diminished sense of taste; increased food cravings;
(kledaka) poor digestion and absorption of nutrients;
(shleshaka) increased adipose tissue (body fat) leading to weight gain; increased epidermal oils; joint loosening and other pain conditions; and,
(targpaka) sinus congestion; diminished sense of smell.

If any or a few of these symptoms present themselves, that’s a sign that your kapha dosha needs help. While kapha dosha is naturally higher in children as they are growing, if you stay imbalanced beyond childhood here are some guidelines for understanding how to bring your kapha dosha under control.

Guidelines for Balancing Kapha Dosha

Kapha dosha is wet and heavy from its water and earth elements, so to counteract it, foods should be light, dry, warm or hot, well-spiced, and easy to digest.

Kapha is brought back from its heightened state with regular exercise daily, which doesn’t mean necessarily getting a gym membership or fitness coach (although those are good for accountability). Regular exercise, for example, can be walking briskly for 20-30 minutes in the morning or evening to get your heart rate elevated.

It’s also best to find your way to warmer temperatures. That doesn’t need to be a warmer climate (although if you can afford a vacation to someplace warm, go for it!). But, you can use a dry sauna, indoors with the heater on without the humidifier turned on (not to the point of discomfort), and avoiding particularly wet environments for long periods (avoiding long baths or showers, for instance).

When kapha is elevated, it’s also good to be adventurous and entertain yourself with novel experiences. This is also a good time to practice going to bed early and rising early as well, if that’s possible for your chronotype.

To use a pacifying nutrition regimen to lower your heightened kapha dosha, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Boiled then cooled to warm, low-fat milk is good without a meal to help with restoring your digestive process.
Reducing your sugar intake altogether helps to reduce kapha. If you do need to sweeten something, use honey and be sparing with it.
Foods to avoid include: avocados, bananas, breads, buttermilk, cakes, coconuts, cow’s milk, deep-fried foods, (almost all) flours, hard cheeses, hot cereals, olives, pastas, pies, puddings, nuts, and wheat.
Foods to increase: apples, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, chilis, collard greens, rice crackers, cranberries, dark chocolate, dried fruits, dry red or white wines, kale, lettuce greens, parsley, popcorn, radishes, raw onions, rice cakes, (most) spices, turnips, and white potatoes.

For further guidance, see this resource list of kapha-leveling foods.

Kapha Recipes from around the Web

While it may be a good idea to skip breakfast when kapha is overly abundant in your mind-body, here are some options for a kapha-pacifying breakfast as well as lunch/dinner options.

Breakfast

This almond date shake with cinnamon is not only a light breakfast, but it has all the ingredients for an easy, kid-friendly drink too! While the recipe says bedtime, we think it’s equally good to be able to start your day.

Any fruit salad can help you start the day with apples for kapha-pacifying. They’re even better if you use cinnamon, stewed apples.

Lunch/Dinner

Mung dal, coconut and cilantro kitchari – As the Joyful Belly website describes, “Kitchari is Ayurveda’s perfect food, indicated in times of recovery as well as cleansing. Kitchari can even be the centerpiece of a mono-diet or fast, as it is a simple food that supplements the healing process. Think of kitchari as the vegetarian equivalent of Grandma’s chicken soup, with much more fiber.” I couldn’t have said it better!

Kale and carrot soup with ginger, fennel and lime – This light and strong-flavored soup will pacify even the most overactive kapha dosha. This stores well so you can cook a batch and have it for several days throughout the following week.

Making your wet and heavy kapha drier and lighter can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that mindset is as important as nutrition. Keep the positivity, levity and adventure-seeking in mind as you approach balancing out your kapha dosha.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Ayurvedic Nutrition Series on the vata, pitta and kapha dosha mind-body types. Let us know what you’ve learned about your constitutional dosha in the comments!

Pitta Dosha Diet, the Ayurvedic Nutrition Series (Part 2 of 3)

Ayurveda’s three doshas—vata, pitta and kapha—are made of a combination of the five elements—air, ether, earth, fire and water. And, the fire element (or, tejos in Sanskrit, but also called agnis in the body) is the source of the Pitta Dosha.

This is the second installment of three in the Ayurveda Nutrition Series, so if you missed Vata Dosha (Part 1 of 3), please check it out now. In this article, we explore the pitta dosha for an understanding of this mind-body type, along with pitta dosha dietary guidelines with a few recipes you can reference and use to keep your pitta dosha in check.

Do you know your most active dosha? All your doshas are important to understand, but knowing which plays the biggest role in your life is important. To learn what your dosha is, there are several online quizzes, such as this popular, free dosha quiz from Dr. Deepak Chopra.

Pitta Dosha

Pitta Dosha comprises of the single element, fire, which makes it a powerful dosha for many reasons. And, if Pitta is your predominant dosha, you likely have a fiery personality! As it manages all things that are derived and powered by heat in your body, including body heat (i.e., thermoregulation), metabolism, digestion, and energy, you are keen to pay attention to how your pitta dosha is interacting diligently with your other doshas.

Pitta dosha governs

Alochaka pitta—eyes;
Bhrajaka pitta—epidermal (skin) health;
Pachaka pitta—decision-making, desire, motivation, and spirit;
Ranjaka pitta—digestion, metabolizing of nutrients; and,
Sadhaka pitta—blood-purifying functions, including fighting any rheumatism.

Once you understand what pitta dosha does, now you can become more aware of when it is not operating optimally for you. If these systems go into overdrive or awry, these are commonly linked to pitta dosha:

(alochaka) your eyes become bloodshot or your vision becomes impaired;
(bhrajaka) your skin breaks out in acne or rashes;
(pachaka) you exhibit controlling behaviors, perfectionism, or workaholism;
(ranjaka) your stomach becomes acidic; or,
(sadhaka) you feel anger, your hair follicles begin to gray prematurely, and you experience rheumatic symptoms.

If any or a combination of these symptoms crop up, it’s time to look at these upcoming guidelines to combat your overactive or unreactive pitta dosha.

Guidelines for Balancing Pitta Dosha

Pitta-balancing nutrition has the counteracting qualities of pitta, so they tend to be cool, hearty, dry and carbohydrate-rich foods. These foods help to calm the heat from your pitta dosha, are anti-inflammatory, balancing your digestive tract, and absorbing excess liquids and oil in the body. Be mindful of pitta-activating foods and whether those are causing you discomfort so you can make small changes in your nutrition moving forward; no harsh or abrupt changes so you can monitor closely what changes impact your health.

Too much pitta dosha can be bad for your digestion, especially during the summer season when heat accumulates in the body. Pitta-pacifying foods can be raw or cooked, but are cooling in nature, especially in warmer months of the year. And, the inverse is therefore true, that you should avoid dishes that are warming, alcohol and caffeine.

At the beginning, you can gravitate toward grains, milk, butter and ghee (but not cheese, cultured buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt), root vegetables, seeds, and cooling oils (such as coconut oil). Beans, oats, pasta, popcorn, potatoes, and most vegetables are all going to help you with balancing your pitta dosha. You will benefit from astringent (dryness), sweet and bitter tastes that come from sweet fruits, whole grains, squashes, and (again) those root vegetables. For further guidance, see this resource list of pitta-stabilizing foods.

Let’s look at some pitta dosha recipes that can help you keep your fire just the right flame.

Pitta Dosha Recipes from around the Web

Breakfast

Pitta Tea Recipe – There’s nothing like waking up to too much pitta dosha. So, to soothe that, here’s a lovely tea recipe to calm your pitta and start your day well.

Cinnamon Oatmeal with Almonds and Milk — Source

Cinnamon Oatmeal with Almonds & Milk – When you need to start your day with a wholesome pitta-pacifying meal, this cinnamon oatmeal with almonds and milk breakfast is the answer.

Lunch/Dinner

Summer Pasta for Pitta – From the cookbook, Heaven’s Banquet: Vegetarian Cooking for Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way by Miriam Kasin Hospodar, this pasta dish is not only easy to make, but it is great to make in the summer when your pitta will be hottest.

Sweet Potato with Kale & Ginger – Another easy-to-make, five-ingredient recipe is nutrient-packed while helping to maintain your pitta dosha through the afternoon and evening hours.

Find more pitta dosha recipes here and experiment with what will balance your pitta when needed.

Tempering your pitta passions are not exclusively dietary, so remember that these guidelines need to match your emotional and spiritual states too. Remember to stay away, as best as you can, from canned and processed food as they may not have all the nutrients you’re looking for during an overactive pitta period.

In our final installment we will be covering kapha dosha and how to keep your kapha dosha working for you through the day and night.

Vata Dosha Diet, the Ayurvedic Nutrition Series (Part 1 of 3)

Your body is consistently in a state of trying to maintain homeostasis, or equilibrium of all of its systems. In the traditional Hindu medicine system, Ayurveda (sometimes called “yogic science”), good health is maintained and corrected through balancing nutrition, herbal remedies, and yogic breathing. Of all the principles of Ayurveda, none are more powerful than an understanding of the doshas.

Doshas are the three life forces—vata, pitta, and kapha doshas—which comprise your whole being from the elements (i.e., earth, air, ether, fire, and water). When these doshas are in equilibrium, akin to Western medicine’s homeostasis, you can lead a virtuous life. And, the opposite can be true; if you are out of balance with your doshas, then dis-ease and disease are possible and probable.

In our article on Ayurveda, we noted,

Each person has usually one or two doshas that present themselves more often. For the Vata Dosha person, your energetic physiology and personality, when in balance, produce abundant creativity and vitality. For the Pitta Dosha individual, your energies come from the metabolism and foster contentment and your intellectual capabilities. And, last, for those with a dominant Kapha Dosha, your body’s growth and immunity are central to you and provide love and forgiveness. Again, everyone has all three of these doshas in them, but those fluctuate from person to person, and this in Ayurveda is where individuality and dispositions originate.

For this article, and the next two installments, in this Ayurveda Nutrition series, we will discuss the importance of balancing your doshas, one dosha at a time. We will also explore the doshas as dietary guidelines with recipes you can reference and use to keep any overactive doshas in check.

Do you know your primary dosha? To learn what your dominant dosha is, there are several online quizzes, such as this popular, free dosha quiz from Dr. Deepak Chopra.

Vata Dosha

Vata dosha is the most common of dosha and its constitution is that of the elements, air (or, wind) and ether (or, space). Vata is considered the leader of the other doshas, and this is because it manages motion throughout your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Vata governs

Apana vata—waste elimination, menstruation, and sexual functions;
Prana vata—four of your senses (i.e., sight, taste, hearing, and smell), thinking creatively as well as reasoning;
Samana vata—digestion;
Udana vata—your vocal quality, memory functions, and movements of thoughts across the mind; and,
Vyana vata—blood flow, cardiac tempo, perspiration, and your sense of touch.

Once you determine your primary dosha, you can start to identify when your doshas are misaligned, and perhaps if one is overactive. Here, we explore how to identify if your vata dosha is hyperactive. In most cases, you will notice an increase in these systems:

(apana) stomach cramping, atypical menstruation, lower lumbar region, and other intestinal discomforts (e.g., gas, bloating, indigestion, and constipation);
(prana) worrying, rumination, sleep disruption, and even breathing difficulties;
(samana) irregular (too fast, or too slow) digestion, gas, and stomach cramps;
(udana) coughing (without phlegm), sore throat, otalgia (i.e., earache), and fatigue; and,
(vyana) dry/rough skin, increased anxiety, trembling, noticeable blood flow reduction, and distress-related issues.

If you notice these grouped symptoms start, you may have an overactive vata dosha and next up, we discuss guidelines for balancing out that hyper vata dosha.

Guidelines for Balancing Vata Dosha

Vata-balancing foods tend to be hot or warm, mashed, flavored plentifully with spices, and high in protein and fat macronutrients. These types of foods help to increase moisture and warmth in the body, lubricating the motion that has dried up because of the vata energy build-up.

An abundance of vata dosha can be disruptive in many ways, especially in the autumn and winter seasons when coldness and dryness are strongest around you. The following guidelines (more suggestions than not hard-and-fast rules) can help in maintaining balance when vata dosha is overactive.

To start, begin by eating more of the foods above than you regularly do. Be mindful of your digestive process to see if your body starts to flow more easily, or not. Some specific foods to consider to eat more of are dairy products (and remember that we’re talking about boiling milk, warming cheeses, and so forth before consuming, and avoid milk with full meals), use all-natural sweeteners with your foods, expand your use of grains, fruits, oils, vegetables, and spices in your cooked meals.

You can experiment with the varieties of vata-balancing foods for how your body responds and tells you how it supports your wellness. Keep in mind that vata dosha tends to be cool, dry, rough and light, so you want to approach balance through warm, moist/oily, smooth and hearty foods.

If you can’t think of what to cook to balance out your vata dosha, below I offer you a few suggestions from around the Web from some popular Ayurvedic chefs to help you spur your own creative choices.

Vata Dosha Recipes from around the Web

Breakfast

These two breakfast recipes stood out in my research, that help to soothe vata dosha, and they look scrumptious to start your day!

The first recipe is savory corn pancakes, which, as the description says, these pancakes are “[m]oist and hearty, accented with smoky-sharp chipotle and cumin, these rustic pancakes will make you smile first thing in the morning. A dash of apple cider vinegar gives soothing moisture to the grainy texture for a hearty, satisfying breakfast of champions!”

Source: pumpkin waffles with pecan maple syrup

And, the second recipe is for pumpkin waffles with pecan maple syrup. According to the recipe, “[t]opped with the rich aromas of fresh maple syrup and nutty pecans, this recipe will entice your senses and nourish your sweet tooth on chilly…mornings. Sleepy eyes open wide as the scent of fresh waffles wafts through the house, beckoning loved ones to the breakfast table.“ Who could argue with that?!

For more vata dosha recipes for the morning hours, check out these recipes.

Lunch / Dinner

Here are two recipes that you can have for lunch or dinner that helps soothe the cold, dry and rough nature of your vata dosha:

Tofu That Tastes Good: Stir-Fry

Tofu Stir-Fry – this stir-fry with tofu as your protein is so delicious-looking on the site, plus it’s easy to make and can be saved for leftovers for several days.

Over-Baked Salmon – this oven-baked salmon recipe is equally easy to make and quick to deliver when you’re rushing to make a meal that satisfies your need to tamp down your vata dosha. Food Network provides a great video demonstrating how to make this oven-baked salmon.

If you’re looking for more lunch and dinner recipes, check out these vata dosha recipes to try out.

So, that’s a vata dosha-balancing diet using tried-and-true ayurvedic suggestions. Remember to avoid processed foods during this time of seeking stability with your vata dosha, as well as stimulants (such as caffeinated drinks and nicotine-infused products).

In next week’s installment we will be covering pitta dosha and how to counteract it when it overreacts in your body.

The World Turned Upside Down

In Lin-Mauel Miranda’s amazing Hamilton musical, he creatively takes our imagination back to a time of great turmoil as we collectively strived for our American independence. It is far from easy as Miranda’s song “The World Turned Upside Down” alludes to the battles for our freedom. Yet, once won, we begin the great American experiment of a new vision for a society, government and life of its citizens. A new government based on the ideals that “all men are created equal.” It is far from perfect but envisions a country representing the higher ideals of freedom, equality and independence as outlined by our Declaration of Independence.

When we think of our Declaration of Independence, it is sometimes as if we have forgotten its significance. We have become so immune to the dynamic and transformational change that our founding fathers secured for us – our basic rights – that it feels as if we no longer grasp the transformational collective change of that era.

Remember that those living in the 13 colonies were use to monarchies. We were not use to thinking about our independence and ability to have a say in the direction of our country. Our first president, George Washington, was so concerned that we would go back to our old thinking of pre-ordained leaders that he purposely resigned after his second term to encourage the concept and process of the citizens determining the next leader.

Age of Reason – The Mind

It was the Age of Reason or Enlightenment. A time when people began to question authority and consider the facts rather than trusting others to tell them how to live life. We focused on our minds. The ability to determine the impact by facts, figures and statistics on our beliefs. During this time, the Christian religion modifies its concepts to focus on rational considerations. And those who are closely aligned with “materialists” develop concepts stating that “the universe seemed to determine its own course without God’s intervention.”

With every new age, there are both the positive changes as well as the negative. As a society, we moved further away from our intuitive connection to the world and our interconnectedness. We transitioned to a concept of believing that we as humans were in control of others, of the animals, of our environment and that we are not intricately connected to one another or to all other living things.

The World Turned Upside Down – Part Two

Here we are today. For 2018, many people have expressed a feeling of “unsettledness.” We are living at a time of significant transition once again. Our mind and its focus on only that which we can reason through facts and figures is not providing the full story. There is a world, a universe, that is full of mysteries and unknowns that can not be reasoned into a limiting societal construct.

Our current authoritative structures and systems are undergoing transition – governments, environment, healthcare, religion, education, judicial/civil rights, financial, etc. This may feel scary yet it is calling for each of us to connect with our own inner Truth, our intuition and inner awareness to balance or equalize our Mind. Both are important and necessary yet we have disconnected from our intuition and higher guidance. As a society, we have only paid lip-service to the sacred and spiritual. We really don’t like to even mention those words. We have conveniently taken the sacred out of our vernacular, with lasting implications to our society.

Connecting to Your Intuition

It is important to incorporate back in our personal spiritual connection – in whatever way it can be personally manifested with integrity. Our soul wants to be re-awakened and our world is badly in need of our enlightenment. It does not require us returning to a religious institution – although our religions still hold important Truths. It requires us to connect to our inner awareness, find our passion and spend time doing what our soul is seeking. The lack of connection is impacting us – body, mind and soul.

This is also not simply about buying the latest essential oils, or saging our houses, or staying clear of those with “bad energy.” It is a much deeper calling of our soul. One that requires us to be held truly in integrity while recognizing mistakes happen and that we are all on a journey of learning. The integrity comes from working on how we use are own power in the world, looking at our motivations and seeking to be in alignment with our intuition, our soul.

As we go through this next “revolution” of sorts, the more that we can equalize the mind and intuition and focus on our interconnectedness, the more we can find the solutions to transform our world in positive directions. Who will be our next founding leaders to envision are new world experiment? And are you prepared to let go of old ways of thinking to usher in the new vision?

Stretching Your Potential

“There is no heavier burden than an unfulfilled potential.” —Charles M. Schulz, cartoonist and creator of Peanuts

At some point, usually near the end of a year, you take stock in what you’ve accomplished. But, now, in the new year, you have likely a better vantage point from to which to see what you want to change, ultimately stretching your potential.

Stretching your potential comes in many different formats in many, if not all, areas of your life. You can make a commitment to losing weight. Or, you might be interested in managing some chronic pain. Further, you may be interested in learning a new language for travel overseas, changing your career path with some professional development, or expressing your creativity with some new art skills. Each of these faculties requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone, whether just a little or a great deal.

In this article, I’ll explore why you might be interested in stretching your potential, how to determine if you are doing so, and a method for taking this from possible to probable to practical!

For the Naysayers of Stretching Your Potential

“Fear and self-doubt have always been the greatest enemies of human potential.” —Brian Tracy

There is a misnomer that stretching your potential means to be doing stuff that is scary and tough. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Actually, most people, including you, do things daily that other people wouldn’t, can’t and, perhaps, shouldn’t. They could lack the skills you have, don’t enjoy doing what you do, or have health or medical reasons for not doing them.

Your potential is an abstraction of the best you can be. But, the reality is that it keeps moving. For the rest of your life, as soon as you reach the next level, there’s another level you can now achieve. You can do something better, faster, stronger, or otherwise. And, yes, sometimes doing things that seem large in your perspective can bring fear or anxiety and be tough, but usually they are doing small, conscious acts that you can achieve if you put your mind to it. More so, they are typically activities you have the skills or can develop the skills to do.

A bit of self-discovery goes a long way here. What are you good at, that either you know you are, or others say about you? What do you know you can do better, but simply aren’t right now (no matter the reasoning)? You can even take some personality assessment tests that might help enlighten you about your strengths and that might lead to a greater understanding your potential:

All this to say, that stretching your potential isn’t as bad as it sounds for everyone for every activity. Potential means simply doing more of what you know you can already do, so you’re already standing on your own current accomplishment. Of course, if you want to go beyond that dramatically and “step outside your comfort zone.” Let’s explore your comfort zone and whether you’re possibly already stretching your potential?

Are You Stretching Your Potential?

“Don’t cheat the world of your contribution. Give it what you’ve got.” —Steven Pressfield

We live in a society and culture that values success and achievement, sometimes to excess. So, it’s important to understand yourself in any discussion of potential and where you are in pursuit of it (along with your motivations for doing so).

A next step is to understand, what is your “comfort zone?” Plainly speaking, your comfort zone are activities that make up the habits and routines of your day. Pretty much everything outside of that behavioral space is going outside your comfort zone. So, as you can see, it’s pretty easy to do! But, focusing on strategic activities that stretch your potential are a tad more difficult because you need to identify them and work diligently toward them.

Now, are you pushing your limits of your comfort zone? Some symptoms that you are outside your comfort zone in a positive way are feelings of eustress (or, “good stress”…as opposed to distress, or “bad stress”). These signs of good out-the-comfort-zone excursions include, but aren’t necessarily only,

you’re excited to start your day, project, or next task toward achieving some goal,
you feel feel antsy, anxious (in a positive sense) to to achieve an outcome (such as a feeling of exhilaration when you are on a roller coaster ride, perhaps),
your mind wanders, but is focused on activities toward goals you’re trying to achieve presently, not switching goals, careers, relationships, etc.,
you feel a sense of progress about what you’re doing daily, weekly, monthly toward your goals, and
you have set standards or metrics to achieve and you’re reaching them, furthering your potential in the way you want to be.

Now, honestly, how well do you feel about each of these afore statements? No judgment here, and don’t lie to yourself as that won’t help either. If there’s something you’d like to change positively about your life based on the above, stepping outside your comfort zone toward stretching your potential is probable.

Striving for Continuous, Incremental Improvement

“Continuous effort—not strength or intelligence—is the key to unlocking our potential.” —Winston Churchill

One way that we can view making change happen in our lives is through dramatic, big overtures that impact us drastically. Sadly, that’s usually disruptive, expensive, and if you fail, highly demotivating to retry achieving the same goal again.

What if there was a way to get to goals that stretch your potential, even pull you out of your comfort zone, and still get you across the finish line? The answer is kaizen.

Kaizen is an ancient Japanese concept that translates best for our purposes as “continuous improvement.” And, it’s your best bet for continually improving your world for the better, thereby stretching your potential. So, here and now, decide what does change for the better look like in one category of your life? Choose that one thing and decide now that you will change it.

Next, let’s take the kaizen principles and corollaries to answer questions that will ultimately identify incremental change for the better:

What can we remove (obstacles, clutter, problems, excess energy) and how can we organize our daily lives to make the work easier toward a goal?
How might this goal match up with your current habits and routines? It’s best if they flow easily in between those parts of your day-to-day life. Sometimes you’ll need to make small or bigger tweaks to make them work, but determine those now.
How can we group activities together to make them more efficient? What activities can we also group with other people for accountability?
Do you have all and the right tools and resources to make your goal happen?

By looking at these kaizen principles, you can next determine what systems need to be built around stretching your potential toward a specific goal. Finally, you can identify what you can do to move forward continuously, incrementally toward improving your life’s work.

You will realize after you realize your potential and identify your comfort zone(s), and you’ll be more productive, more resilient to change, and achieve more life goals. Remember that it’s nice to step in and out of your comfort zone to stretch your potential; your comfort zones are the well-worn paths of your everyday life and adventures outside of them allow you to come back home from them and rest, rejuvenate and tackle the next set of activities or goals tomorrow.

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So, as we make our way into the first part of this new year, take stock in your potential and where you are in your comfort zone right now. Do you plan to make changes that are truly stretching your potential? Or, are you merely treading water? Carpe diem! Not because you have to, but because you want to live fully today and every day.

How will you stretch your potential this year? Let me know in the comments, check out these 10 “stepping outside your comfort zone” ideas, and I look forward to hearing all the great ways you’ll be stretching your potential.

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