Cooking an Ayurvedic Meal at Home

If you have an organized kitchen and your ingredients handy, cooking an ayurvedic meal can be simple and fun, taking about 15 minutes to prepare and 20-25 minutes to cook. (read more of this article from Maharishi Ayurveda Products)

Also, see my crockpot blog for easy recipes based on principles of Ayurveda, the ancient science of healthy living.

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Barefoot conditioning—Getting in touch with your “hands that touch the earth”

Decades ago, I was lying on my dorm room floor, staring in astonishment at the bare feet of my friend Elspeth, who stood in the doorway. Much of her childhood took place on the beaches of Australia, unfettered by shoes. I was experiencing a revelation, a vision of the perfect specimen of healthy feet. No corns, red pressure points, or tormented toes. Who knew?!

Now as a teacher of the Nia Fitness Technique, I find bare feet even more fascinating. Feet are meant to move freely, like hands. They communicate with us through sensation, the voice of pleasure and pain, asking us to pay attention and make adjustments. Together with the legs, feet provide the foundation for the architecture of our bodies.

And like a building, a weak foundation causes problems throughout the entire structure.

Clinical evidence suggests going barefoot strengthens our feet by allowing them to move the way they were designed. International fitness educator Stacey Lei Krauss states “Barefoot training allows freedom of the toes so they can fully extend, flex and grip. This movement enhances stability in the joints of the foot, which is transferred through the ankle, leg, knees and hip.”*

Not only is walking barefoot good for the feet, but evidence suggests wearing shoes weakens the feet, leading to other problems. According to Nike research running injuries, sprains, bunions, hammer toes, shin splints and plantar fasciitis are almost non-existent in barefoot populations, said Ms. Krauss, a Nike Elite Instructor. “By insulating the sole from the ground with an athletic shoe, sensory feedback is diminished and the natural function of the foot is impeded.”

Researchers at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, compared the feet of 2,000-year old skeletons and three modern population groups - Sotho, Zulu (cultures who typically go barefoot) and European. Their findings? Feet were healthier before shoes were invented.**

At Rush Medical College, scientists compared shoe-wearing to bare-footing, and to their surprise found “peak joint loads at the hips and knees significantly decreased during barefoot walking, with a [12%] reduction in the knee adduction moment.” Their conclusion? “Shoes may detrimentally increase loads on the lower extremity joints.” ***

Some people feel that going barefoot is impractical in most cases for safety and hygiene. Fortunately there are many ways to gain the benefits of barefoot conditioning. The Nia Fitness Technique is an excellent choice.

Twenty-five years ago, two aerobics instructors, Carlos Rosas and Debbie Rosas (owner of a chain of successful fitness studios) took off their athletic shoes and created what they termed “Non-Impact Aerobics” (Nia), a fusion of dance, martial arts and healing movement practices.

Now referred to as Neuromuscular Integrative Action, Nia is a cardio workout that’s FUN! Nia teaches you to sense for stability, mobility, comfort and, dare I say, pleasure in your feet and ankles during stances, walking and stepping motions. Of the 52 moves incorporated in the Nia Technique, 27 are specifically designed for the feet and legs.

In my experience, Nia has relieved chronic ankle pain from an old injury. And I’ve fallen in love with my own feet.

Here are some Nia exercises (Source: The Nia Technique by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, details these and other foot exercises; Published by Broadway Books, available at Amazon and bookstores):
• Move your feet like hands - wiggling toes, spreading the toes, grabbing as if picking up pennies or scrunching a towel.
• Every time you step, lead with your heel and imagine your foot as the mouth of an alligator opening.
• Keep your ankles pliable and strong by rising up onto the balls of your feet as if reaching for something on a shelf, then slowly lower your heels down.

And additional tips for healthy, happy feet:
• Flex your feet and stretch your calves before getting out of bed - especially helpful for plantar fascitis (pain in the arch and heel, acute in the morning).
• Create a barefoot-friendly yard, preferably without toxic chemicals. Take your feet for a walk and be thrilled by the sensation of grass, moss, sand, or smooth pebbles.
• Refresh achy feet with a soak of Epsom salts and essential oils of lavender or peppermint: cool soaks in hot weather; warm soaks in cold weather.
• Massage a few drops of sesame or almond oil on the soles and toes before bed - a great way to enjoy quality time with your feet.
• Favoring an anti-inflammatory diet may help reduce arthritic pain: fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, wild Alaskan salmon, ground flax seed and/or omega 3 supplements; avoid red meat and fried or processed foods; drink pure water.
• Wear shoes that allow the natural flex of your arches, that don’t pinch your toes or shift weight to the forefoot. Some interesting shoes have been developed to support “barefoot” conditioning. Ask a podiatrist or knowledgeable shoe salesperson. See www.nikefree.com and www.vibramfivefingers.com.

Love your feet, and they will take you dancing through life.

Note: This article first appeared in the New Life Journal, October 2008.

View my website or www.NiaNow.com for class information.

* The World at your Feet, by Stacey Lei Krauss; American Fitness Magazine, April 2007
** Shod versus Unshod: The emergence of forefoot pathology in modern humans, B. Zipfel, and L. Berger; peer-reviewed and published in The Foot, International Journal of Clinical Foot Science, November 2007
*** Rush Medical College of Rheumatology, Chicago; Najia Shakoor, and Joel Block

Click here: Article by Dr. Mercola on barefoot running.

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Meditation—My daily spa treatment

Three-day weekends are nice, but do you already feel like you need another one? Trips to Italy, a luxurious spa, or camping in the Smokies are nice diversions, but don't we mainly just want some freedom from the "daily grind"?

Every morning and evening, I go on vacation and come back refreshed. The airfare is cheap. The accommodations are comfortable. I don't even have to leave my house. I simply close my eyes and access my own inner spa, a reservoir of rejuvenation. Sometimes the place I go to is a still pond with quiet ripples that wash away fatigue. Other times it's a deep ocean of pure bliss, with waves that energize and nourish me from the inside. This is my daily practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Meditation experts, Tom and Jeanne Ball, are giving a free introductory talk about Transcendental Meditation—and specifically the scientific research on the health benefits—next Wednesday evening, 7:15 at the Asheville TM Center (165 East Chestnut St). Tom is an Asheville native, poet, writer and musician, with a BA in Philosophy, and an MA in Creative Writing. Both Tom and Jeanne earned PhDs in World Peace Studies, and have taught meditation for over 35 years, all over the world.

Check out www.meditationasheville.org for lots of interesting information, including links to a recent David Lynch Foundation benefit concert, featuring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, that raised money to teach TM to at-risk kids. Scroll all the way down for delightful and insightful comments by some local Asheville musicians (a well-known folk singer, and a home-schooling mom who is an ace on the fiddle and violin).

There are many good reasons to do TM, and lots of endorsements by credible health professionals and businesspeople. For me it's simply that I always feel better after doing TM. It's refreshing and balancing. It cultivates a profound basis for enjoying my life. Even my eyes and skin look better after meditating—It's the very best kind of spa getaway!

See also www.tm.org and www.doctorsontm.org

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Win a gallon of pure olive oil

Take the No GMO Challenge, learn about genetically-modified foods so you can make an informed choice about the food you and your family eat: Pure, organic food abundant with Nature's wisdom and nutritious blessings? Or food that is genetically manipulated by biotech companies who want to control the patents to the world's food source?

Visit www.Realfoodmedia.com and enter to win a gallon of pure, non-GMO olive oil from the Chaffin Family Orchard in California.

Feel Your Best—Ayurvedic recommendations for daily routine

Does this sound like your day? You wake up rested, enjoy clear meditation or personal time, relish your productive workday, appreciate your friends and family during recreation, and peacefully slip off to sleep at night...

It may seem obvious, but our quality of life is directly related to how well we take care of ourselves. We function best when we honor our body’s cycles and its need for rest, food, and exercise. In our culture, it’s common to override nature’s intelligence by staying up late, waking up with alarm clocks, skipping meals or eating on the run.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” —Benjamin Franklin

Michael Roizen, MD and Mehmet Oz, MD, authors of You—The Owner’s Manual, say, “Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most crucial things you can do for your body.” They advise against sleeping pills, and encourage natural ways to promote sleep. A consistent schedule, including daily exercise, is key.

Nancy Lonsdorf, MD* says, “Keeping a regular routine of early bedtime, waking time, and mealtime aligns all of your biorhythms into a harmonious and coordinated flow.”

Dr. Lonsdorf is a primary-care physician and also an expert in Maharishi Ayurveda—the complete system of natural medicine from the ancient Vedic civilization of India. Ayurveda attends to the root of health through natural means such as diet, herbal supplements, daily routine, and exercise. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is the foundation of Maharishi Ayurveda because it develops consciousness, the basis of our physical and mental well-being. TM provides deep rest, and research has verified many health benefits.**

When I work with nature's cycles, I feel like a different person; I feel a smoothness that permeates my activity. When I rest before I get tired I'm more satisfied with the accomplishments of the day.

Here’s the ideal daily routine, according to ayurvedic knowledge of daily cycles:
•Wake up by 6 AM.
•Gentle yoga or light stretching, followed by TM, prepares you for a good day.
•Exercise between 6-10 AM for greater stamina and energy. If you're looking for an exercise program that's fun, try Nia!
•Light breakfast. Depending on your needs, favor protein, whole grains, and stewed fruit.
•Lunch at noon. Digestion is strongest midday. Make lunch your main meal. If you eat meat, have it at midday.
•Gentle yoga or light stretching, followed by TM to release the stress of the day.
•Dinner by 7 PM. Favor a light, vegetarian meal such as soup.
•Walk after dinner. If this is the only time you have for exercise, do something that won’t be too stimulating before you up before bed. Walking for 30 minutes is great for everyone.
•Pleasant evening activities. Avoid computer work, especially in your bedroom.
•Be in bed by 9:45 PM. Even if you’re awake with your eyes closed, you’re establishing a restful routine which will promote sleep.

If changing your routine all at once sounds overwhelming, Dr. Lonsdorf advises a gradual start. “First establish one ‘anchor time’ each day—a regular bedtime, waking time, or mealtime—whichever is easiest for you. Focus on anchoring that one event at a particular time of day for one, two, or three weeks, until it becomes easy and automatic. Then add a second anchor time in your schedule, and later a third and fourth."

If going to bed is a challenge, Dr Lonsdorf suggests, “Begin with a do-able time. For example, if you’re in the habit of going to bed at 1 AM, but you know you could get to bed by midnight, start with that. Gradually move your bedtime earlier by half-hour or fifteen-minute intervals. Allow a few weeks to pass after each change for the new time to become automatic. Make 9:45 PM your eventual goal."

“Eventually, every meal, bedtime, and waking time will have its own stable place in the soothing, balancing rhythm of your day.”

* Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf: www.drnancylonsdorf.com
** For research on TM and comments from doctors who recommend it, see www.doctorsonTM.org and www.tm.org

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Natural health consultations in Asheville, May 4-5

Ayurveda is the world's most ancient system of natural medicine. An ayurvedic doctor, called a vaidya, diagnoses by reading a person's pulse—detecting imbalances in the doshas, the biological principles that regulate the functions of both body and mind. The vaidya makes recommendations that are simple and effective, usually involving diet, herbs, specific exercises or lifestyle practices (such as going to be earlier). A personal consultation is a valuable opportunity to deepen your understanding about your own mind and body, and how to maintain better health.

I had my first experience with ayurveda years ago. A vaidya touched my pulse for about 30 seconds and told me I eat too many sweets... (I was thin, so there wasn't an obvious clue about my dietary tendencies.) Impressive as that was, I wasn't ready to make such a drastic change. But I did follow her suggestions to relieve (ahem) chronic constipation, including a gentle ayurvedic herbal formula that I took for several weeks, twenty years ago. I've never had a problem since.

The vaidya coming to Asheville comes from a family of doctors that traces their lineage back thousands of years to ancient India and the origins of ayurveda. Their family name is actually Vaidya. His first name is also Vaidya... Seems he was born to be a vaidya!

Vaidya Jagdish Vaidya, is a world-renowned expert in Maharishi Ayur-Veda, and has held senior posts at prestigious ayurvedic hospitals, clinics and private clinical practices. I encourage anyone who is interested in natural healthcare to make an appointment. You will receive an individualized, easy to follow ayurvedic self-care program, based on the Vaidya's expert evaluation of your health condition and needs, including:

* Dietary recommendations
* Lifestyle recommendations
* Daily routine, including Vedic exercise
* Seasonal routine
* Individualized recommendations for Maharishi Ayurveda herbal products

The cost is $150 for a 30 minutes personal evaluation and $50 for each additional 15-minute interval. If you would like a longer appointment, please schedule this in advance. A limited number of appointments are available so reserve right away.

To schedule an appointment, call (828-649-9781) or email tball@tm.org

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How to Breathe - Stop and smell the roses

Do you find yourself holding your breath while working or talking? Do you feel anxious when speaking before a group? After exercising, do you feel exhausted, rather than exhilarated? You need Breathing 101.

The Better Life Institute, a health education organization, says, "We take between 14,000 and 25,000 breaths each day. Many of us engage in shallow breathing (also known as thoracic or chest breathing) and draw small amounts of air into the lungs using our upper chest to breathe. These breaths are usually short and shallow and do not utilize our abdominal muscles and diaphragm... Most people who breathe shallowly do it throughout the day and are almost always unaware of the condition. Shallow breathing may make us feel anxious and can lead to holding our breath in response to stressful events. Some of us have become upper chest breathers because we have trouble relaxing our abdomens and making full use of the diaphragm. Additionally, women have a tendency to be shallow breathers because we don’t want to let our stomachs out." (my italics)

I often see people jogging with their mouths open, gasping for air—a recipe for free-radical damage and cardiovascular strain. My husband tells me of a weight lifter at his gym who holds his breath. He emits a tiny stream of air... "pffft".... while he strains. At the moment his heart is demanding more oxygen, it isn't getting it. There's a vice-like contraction around his heart while it valiantly pumps harder and harder.

In my Nia fitness classes, I often remind my students (and myself) to breathe in through the nose. This technique triggers deeper, diaphragmatic breathing, resulting in greater oxygen absorption, and optimal coordination of the heart and lungs. It also invigorates the body—students are amazed at how much more more energy they have after class when we've focused on inhaling through the nose, even while moving very dynamically.

"Deep breathing allows more oxygen to enter the bloodstream and rids the body of carbon dioxide and toxic irritants," says Better Life Institute. "It also relaxes the adrenal glands and can help you feel a great boost of energy."

According to Ayurveda, the natural health care system of ancient India, we should breathe comfortably through our nose while exercising. If you have to gasp for air, you're overtaxing your cardiovascular system.

Dr Nancy Lonsdorf, a medical doctor and expert in Maharishi Ayurveda, recommends a gentle breathing exercise called pranayama to calm and integrate the nervous system. I look forward to the ten minutes of pranayama in my daily routine, twice a day ideally. It's tranquil, energizing, and blissful—a great preparation for meditation. (See www.drnancylonsdorf.com or www.mapi.com for resources, or seek out a qualified yoga instructor with experience teaching gentle pranayama.)

The Better Life Institute offers these tips for optimal breathing throughout the day: While sitting up, breathe in through your nose with your lips closed and allow your diaphragm to contract downward. It is your lungs that actually expand as they fill with air, but it is your abdomen (and not your chest) that you should see moving. When exhaling (breathing out through your lips), allow your abdomen to fall in, which pushes used air in the form of carbon dioxide out of the lungs. It is important to inhale fully and promptly exhale the breath." (www.betterlifeinstitute.com)

Instead of a mid-afternoon latte or caffeinated soda, try some deep nourishing breaths for a boost in energy. Take a few one-minute breath breaks throughout the day. If it's a beautiful day outside and you can savor the fresh air, even better.

Inhale... smell the roses—even if they're imaginary—and you'll suddenly feel yourself become calmer and more focused.

More about the respiratory system, from Nia Fitness Co-Founder, Debbie Rosas - click here.

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