Spring Detox Suggestions
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Spring is the season of renewal. We come out of the cold, dark winter into the sunshine and blooming trees, flowers and plants. It's also the time when kapha dosha liquifies, melting mucus and the stored fats of winter. The air feels brighter, lighter and more energized. This is a good time to re-evaluate some of our eating habits, boost digestive fire, support the liver...do a spring cleaning! It doesn't have to be a big production. Here are some simple tips:
· If you do nothing else, start with these 3 steps: Reduce the amount of processed and fast foods you eat--freshly prepared foods are more nutritious and contain prana (life force). Reduce your use of plastics. Reduce consumption of soda, coffee and ice-cold drinks. (Drinking warm or hot beverages kindles digestive fire which is key to good health.) Start slowly, ayurveda has a preference for small, gradual changes that last!
· Eat a green vegetable every day. Asparagus, arugula, watercress, broccoli, kale, romaine...all support the liver while it gets rid of winter's sluggishness.
· Scrape your tongue every morning with a stainless-steel cleaner to remove "tongue scum" and energize your internal organs. Ayurveda holds that the tongue is divided into sections, each tied to one of our internal organs.
· Use Nasya, ayurvedic nose drops, in the morning and in the evening. Nasya contains eucalyptus oil which helps fight off the dreaded "spring cold". It also keeps sinus passages lubricated and creates a barrier between sinus tissue and environmental toxins. (It's KK Ayurveda's best-selling product!)
· Use herbs. Take triphala nightly. Drink tulsi (holy basil) tea. Or, try a tea made from equal parts cumin, coriander and fennel. Eat a bit of chyavanprash.
· if you're prone to seasonal allergies, start taking freeze-dried stinging nettle capsules daily in preparation. Stinging nettles contain a natural antihistamine and can help stave off allergy symptoms, if taken early enough.
· Start a meditation practice if you don't already have one. Email or call me for an appointment, I can get you hooked up! Taking some time--literally just 10 to15 minutes--each day to quiet your mind and re-set your nervous system creates space for healing and change.
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OPEN HOUSE!
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Stop by on Saturday, March 26, from 1 pm to 3 pm 40 E. Oak St., #1002 to say hi, have some tulsi tea, see pictures from my recent trip and perhaps purchase a scarf, earrings, a beaded bag or a mala from India.
I'll also have my skincare and ayurvedic products ready for testing and purchase!
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Events You Should Know About
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On Saturday, April 2, I'll be teaching a workshop called, AYURVEDIC NUTRITION: FOOD IS MEDICINE at Tejas Yoga.
In ayurveda, all substances are considered both medicines and poisons, depending on who takes them, when and in what amount. For instance, why is a raw apple or coffee or dried ginger a good choice for one person and inadvisable for another? This is the basis for studying ayurvedic nutrition which is quite different from modern Western nutrition The first half of the workshop will cover basic theory: shad rasa (the six tastes), virya (heating or cooling energy), vipak (post-digestive effect), the stages of digestion and their effects on the doshas. The second half will cover how these theories are applied in everyday life. We'll discuss how to use food to help pacify doshic imbalances, proper food combining and a few modern-day tips for healthier eating.
Please note that for this workshop, prior knowledge of the basics of ayurveda (doshas, gunas, elements) will be assumed. We'll spend a few minutes at the beginning reviewing these concepts but not enough time if this is your first exposure.
I'm leading ongoing CONSCIOUS RELAXATION sessions. Check my Events page for times and locations.
And, here's a reminder that Dr. Claudia Welch, one of my most favorite instructors at The Ayurvedic Institute, will be coming to Chicago to do a weekend workshop at Tejas Yoga supporting her about-to-be-published book: BALANCE YOUR HORMONES, BALANCE YOUR LIFE (which can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com). Claudia's brilliant, funny and inspirational...and brilliant. I'd listen to her read the phone book.
Even though Claudia's a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and an ayurvedic practitioner, this workshop is designed to be accessible to all women and anyone interested in women's health issues. No previous knowledge of ayurveda or Chinese medicine is required.
On Friday, April 15, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., she'll give a free lecture and sign copies of her book. The rest of the workshop, "Breath, Mind and Hormones", will take place on Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th.
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FACEBOOK
| KK Ayurveda now has both a "group" and a "page" on Facebook. Don't get me started on the differences, these are mysteries better left to the geeks at Facebook and myself. While there are more people on the "group", I urge you for the love of God and all that is holy to "like" KK Ayurveda's PAGE. You'll know you're on the page because you can click "like" at the top. I'm hoping to transfer everyone over to the page but this isn't an easy task. For now, content will be posted to both the "page" and the "group" which makes me a little crabby.
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 Love,
Karen Klutznick
312.445.8532
KK AYURVEDA
KK@KKAyurveda.com
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