All About Ghee
| What Is Ghee?
Ghee is clarified butter. It's butter that's simmered until all the water is boiled off and the milk solids are removed. It can be stored at room temperature indefinitely, as long as it isn't exposed to moisture. It's delicious and it has many uses!
Ghee is considered the food of the gods in Hindu tradition. It's used during religious rituals as an offering to the deities and is also burned like a candle, in a ghee lamp.
Ghee holds a special place in
ayurveda and is used in countless ways. It is said to increase intelligence and improve memory. It builds immunity and gives luster to the body. It makes the voice melodious. It slows the aging process. When combined with herbs, ghee acts as a delivery system that helps the healing properties of the herbs penetrate the tissues more deeply. It allows the mind and body to burn with brilliance. C'mon! Who doesn't want this?
How Is Ghee Used?
The simplest is to add it to your foods. It can be used on toast, in oatmeal, to sauté vegetables, added to popcorn, pasta, rice or quinoa...anytime you'd add oil or butter to your food. (Scroll down on this page to see a list of recipes, etc. that include ghee.) Although ghee is a building (or fattening) substance, it differs from other fats in that it kindles dietary fire which means it actually aids in digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Since the dairy solids have been removed, ghee is considered safe for those who are lactose intolerant.
Kaphas beware! You probably love ghee more than the other doshic types but you can only have ghee in small amounts or it becomes too "kaphagenic" for you. A teaspoon a day is fine.
Ghee can also be used topically to moisturize skin and to heal burns and blisters. If you have burning or dry eyes, place a drop of melted ghee in each eye before bed. Ghee can also be used as nasya, or nose drops, to hydrate nasal passages and sinuses. (Truthfully, I like using ghee in my eyes but there's no way I'll huff it again. The smell of butter was overwhelming to me...and not in a good way. I'll stick to Nasya, thanks!)
How To make Ghee?
Making ghee is simple. Use organic, salt-free butter, preferably from grass-fed cows. I sometimes like to use (non-organic) French butter, Plugra, because it tastes so good.
Here are instructions from the Food Network. You can also find video instructions for making clarified butter on YouTube.
Where to Buy Ghee?
Whole Foods sells ghee. I've seen it in both the baking-goods aisle and the "ethnic-foods" section, depending on the store. My favorite prepared ghee by far is made by Ancient Organics. It's expensive to order because it's heavy and it comes in glass jars but it's really, really good! Some Whole Foods stores in northern California carry it.
I recently saw an article in the NY Times about a new-to-me ghee company, Pure Indian Foods, that sells both plain and "flavored" ghees that look to be of very high quality. They have Garlic Ghee, Herbes de Provence Ghee, Digestive Ghee (with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger), etc. I haven't tried them yet but they look great.
|
|
Supplement Of The Month: VITAMIN D
| This month, I want to remind you (again!) of the importance of vitamin D. I urge you to get yours tested next time you (and also very importantly, your kids) go to the doctor. Mine was between 16 and 20ng/dl for a few years and I had to take what some would consider a huuuge amount daily to get it into the normal range. You don't know how much you need until you have it tested. So, go!
Part of my D deficiency was due to my zealousness in the SPF-application department. When we use sunblock, we also block our exposure to the vitamin D we receive from sunlight. I don't advise cutting back on the sunblock but it's OK not to wear it in the early morning and late afternoon in order to boost your vitamin D.
The average blood level of vitamin D is 25 ng/dl for Caucasians and 16 ng/dl for African Americans. The optimal level is 45 ng/dl and requires about 3000-4000 IU a day of vitamin D3 -- 10 times current recommendations!
You need vitamin D to avoid cancers of the colon, breast and prostate; depression; high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; osteoarthritis; and immune-system abnormalities that can result in infections and autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
If our whole population achieved a minimum level of 45 ng/dl, we would have 400,000 fewer premature deaths per year. There would be a reduction of cancer by 35 percent, type 2 diabetes by 33 percent and all causes of mortality by seven percent.
Here's a good article published last month in the NY Times.
The two vitamin D supplements I recommend are:
·Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 1000 iu
Go to: http://karenklutznick.healthylivingshop.com
In order to use the site, you have to register and enter "karenklutznick" in the "Provider" box. It's a PITA but you'll find excellent products that aren't available everywhere.
·Carlson Baby D Drops 400 iu
·Carlson D Drops 1000 iu
|
Two Books You Should Know
|
A fellow ayurvedic practitioner (waving to JoAnne) turned me onto The Answer to Cancer: Is Never Giving It a Chance to Start. This book has a friendly tone and is written from both Western and Ayurvedic points of view. It gives practical advice on daily routine, foods to eat, spices to add to your foods, meditation, etc. in an effort to make sure you don't get cancer. This is crucially important if you're genetically predisposed to cancer or if your cancer is in remission. There are also a few tips about chemotherapy but, for the most part, this book is for those who aren't actively treating cancer.
The Subtle Body: The Story of Yoga in America is a book I just started reading and I'm very much enjoying it. If you've ever wondered how yoga got to the US and the fascinating personalities involved, this book's for you. Even if you don't want to book, check out the cover, it's pretty.
|
|
A Journey Through The Chakras
|
Saturday, August 21 at 2 pm, I'll be leading a special version of Conscious Relaxation at Tejas Yoga. It's called Conscious Relaxation: A Journey Through The Chakras and it will combine the benefits of Conscious Relaxation with an exploration of the chakras. Chakras are subtle energy centers, located along the spinal column, that aid in the transformation of psycho-emotional energy into spiritual energy. Although they are invisible, chakras exert strong influences on our bodies, minds and emotions.
Within the Conscious Relaxation practice there will be a guided meditation on each of the main chakras, its color, sound and other characteristics. During this sessions, all you'll need to do is wear comfortable clothing, lie down, be at ease and listen as you are guided through systematic relaxation and visualization techniques.
Please click on the Tejas link above to sign up. This session usually sells out!
(While you're there, sign up for Elesa Commerse's upcoming workshops. I worship her. More next month.)
|
 Love,
Karen Klutznick
312.445.8532
KK AYURVEDA
KK@KKAyurveda.com
|
|
|
