What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How to determine whether weight gain is caused by a kapha imbalance or a vata imbalance.
• Why you should always suspect vata if stress is involved.
• Why normal weight-reducing practices don’t work if the cause of weight gain is a vata imbalance.

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Be a coach
• Have a conversation
• Watch the Masterclass NOW

Show Highlights:

• While warmth is pacifying to both kapha and vata, the dryness of many kapha-reducing foods and herbs can exacerbate an underlying vata imbalance.
• Distinguishing vata from kapha comes down to an underlying feeling of being “alright.” Kapha is contentment, while vata is stress, anxiety and nervousness.
• When it comes to weight gain, kapha weight gain comes from lethargy while vata weight gain comes from a need to be grounded and insulated.

Favorite Quotes:

• “It’s very, very common for the body to put on weight, and to put on weight quickly, like a security blanket, when vata is out of balance.” — Cate Stillman
• “As the practitioner, instead of trying to get her to exercise more and do all these fat-stripping things, instead I just want to soothe her. — Cate Stillman
• “If we can start to analyze ourselves when we’re looking at is this a vata imbalance or is this a kapha imbalance and know that one of the cool things about vata is that it’s so mobile, it’s so adaptive, it can look like the other doshas. . . . If you’re ever wondering, assume vata is involved. In the modern age, because of stress, if stress is involved, I KNOW vata is involved.” — Cate Stillman

Guest BIO:

Grace Edison lives in British Columbia, Canada. She’s a mom of twin 8 year olds, a Yoga teacher, studio owner, and Yoga Health Coach — and she also works for Cate Stillman in Admissions at Yogahealer! More than anything, she loves to make people laugh and has a not-so-secret dream of doing stand-up comedy. Grace has a strong passion for empowering others to take their health and wellness into their own hands. She loves building authentic relationships, making people laugh, and creating supportive communities. After a long-standing relationship with severe depression, Grace has found deep relief through the habits of Ayurveda — and much credit is due to Cate and her Body Thrive program. After taking Body Thrive several times and jumping into Yoga Health Coaching, Grace came aboard the Yogahealer team.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• Why you shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes
• How to embrace Kaizen as a go-to coaching skill
• How YHC can bring you into better integrity
• Kattie’s best advice for new or prospective yoga health coaches

Links:

• Kattie’s website 
• YHC Have a conversation
• Discover more about Body Thrive 

Show Highlights:

• 2:15- In her 20’s Kattie experienced issues with depression and anxiety. She was on prescribed medication, but was also self-medicating with alcohol. Kattie talks to us about how her journey with yoga and Ayurveda led to her regaining her health.
• 5:11- Kattie talks about her desire for more freedom in her life, a better self care routine and more integrity with herself and her time. She explains how Yoga Health Coaching has helped her to find this.
• 14:58- Kattie speaks in detail about the YHC course and how it has affected her life. Her habits and patterning have become more dialed in, she has purged old emotions, and has grown into a different person than she was in the past.
• 30:16- Would Kattie tell someone else considering the YHC course to make the investment? Heck yes! If you sign up for YHC, you are not only making the investment in yourself but in your career, and so much more. The YHC course is life- changing. Join us and find out for yourself!

Favorite Quotes:

• “I have a little more control with how I spend my time, which I think has been one of the biggest changes and shifts in my life in the past year (with YHC).” – Katie Maffeo
• “I really enjoy doing what I am doing. I love the teachings of Dinacharya. I think that the more we live in rhythm and in tune with nature the more healing can occur in our lives”. – Kattie Maffeo

Guest BIO:

Kattie Maffeo is a health crusader and enthusiast who shares her love for Ayurveda and Yoga with her community. Kattie discovered Yoga and Ayurveda over a decade ago when she was going through a challenging time in her life; she found the practice healing and transformational. She decided to deepen her studies and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in her hometown. This brought her to the discovery of Ayurveda and from here everything fell into place. Wanting to expand her impact and have more flexibility with how she spent her time, Kattie enrolled in Yoga Health Coaching.
Kattie is a Yoga Health Coach, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200 RYT 500), and Yoga Therapist.
Connect with Kattie here or join her community on Facebook and Instagram.

Knowing your self from the inside is self-care.  Can you think of three self-care practices that you do regularly? Looking at your list are they extrinsic, meaning does it require someone or something else (ie massage, pedicure, glass of wine)? What would it be like to take your self-care practices to the next level by learning intrinsic self-care?  Personally, before I can integrate a new practice I need to know where I am starting from, what my current behaviors and triggers are and why do I want to evolve them. For the holidays, acknowledging my comfort eating style was a good start.

I tend to be introverted and shy away from holiday gatherings.  When party tasks are delegated I am the one that signs up for cutlery.  This is my way of staying accountable and actually attending, as I know that the hostess and persons who brings a big bowl soup would be terribly annoyed with me if I did not show up with spoons.

Getting ready for a holiday affair, my old self would drink a few glasses of wine (liquid courage), then grab the Cutlery and head for the car.  I would take a deep breath and tell myself, everything will be okay. You only have to stay an hour. My senses would be overstimulated with holiday lights, sounds and smells.  My digestive system greeted by soda pop, Chex mix, and holiday themes of cheese, gluten and white sugar.

In large groups, I tend to accommodate.  Why? I want to socially fit in with the tribe.  To be accepted and liked. I would eat food I didn’t want to eat because I wanted to fit in, knowing that I would be rewarded with a distended belly in the morning.  I would smile and listen to conversations that really weren’t that interesting. I would experience a sleepless night due to the digestive mix and worry that I said the wrong thing. Late at night my inner voice spoke to me in a loud critical voice, rewinding the night’s events.

Know Your Comfort Eating Style

Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHHS, holistic nutritionist and health coach and founder of True with Food explains binge eating through the lens of three comfort eating styles: the Accommodator, the Competitor and the Avoider.  I like the way she breaks the styles down because I easily identify with all three of them.

Everyone has experienced all three eating styles at one time or another.  Like the three doshas, we identify with the one style or dosha that is the most dominant.  For the Ayurveda perspective, I turn to Brodie Welch, health coach and self-care strategist. She describes the Accommodator as Kapha, the Competitor as Pitta and the Avoider as Vatta.

Kapha:  The Accommodator:  Do you eat to please others and/or keep the peace?  If yes, you are an Accommoder. Scenario:  You are at a family gathering.  Aunt Clara proudly displays the holiday table and feast she has been preparing for days for you and others.  When you take a small portion of each dish you are greeted with: “You eat like a bird. What is the matter with you?  Eat more I prepared this for you!”  What do you say to yourself and then Aunt Clara?

Pitta: The Competitor:  Are you a competitive eater?  Do your eating patterns fluctuate between strict and binging? If yes, you are a Competitor.  Scenario: At the work party you are feeling super fit and toned in your new slinky little black dress.  The strict diet and workouts have paid off! You are enjoying holiday toasts when suddenly, the topics turn political.  You feel yourself becoming angry as you do not agree on the political nature or tone. Listening to the supportive cheers you feel more and more disenchanted with the evening.  You walk to the wine table to refill your wine glass and are greeted by mouth-watering cheeses, salty crackers and delectable chocolates. Does the voice it your head say, awe screw it and you start binge eating?

Vatta:  The Avoider:  Do you eat absentmindedly on the run?  Are you hungry after you eat because you did not chew, smell or taste the textures of your food? If yes, you are an avoider.  Scenario: You made it to the party and you suddenly realize how tired you are.  You find yourself in the kitchen next to the holiday Chex mix. As you unconsciously put you hand in the bowl and begin eating, you review your day and check off the boxes, suddenly realizing that you have not eaten all day.  You look down at the bowl and the Chex mix is all gone. What is the voice in your head saying after you ate all the Chex mix?

Developing a Relationship with the Voice in Your Head

Working with the voice in my head, my inner critic, is a daily practice.  I have learned strategies and some of the best are from Acharya Shunya. She is a master and spiritual teacher of Vedic Yoga and Ayurveda.  From Vedic Philosophy there are 4 guidelines when speaking to yourself or others.

1. Do no harm (nonviolent communication)
2. Speak your truth
3. Speak in a pleasant tone
4. Rein in your ego.  Is what you are about to say contributing to the conversation?

Using the 4 guidelines of Vedic communication as a base, you can decrease the anxiety and tension which can arise during conversation while speaking your truth in a kind and caring way. We can all begin with acknowledgment.  Hosting a party and food preparation takes time. Many men and women work full time, juggle household duties and have responsibilities caring for children or aging parents. They may also have financial or medical struggles we don’t know about.

Kapha:  What do you say to yourself and then Aunt Clara?  Take a breath and get centered. Begin with acknowledging her for her efforts and complimenting her on the savory food.  You can tell her that you are taking smaller portions because you know that each dish was prepared with love. You want to take the time to enjoy the smell, texture, and taste which will fill you up faster.

Pitta: Does the voice in your head say, “Awe screw it” and you start binge eating? When alcohol is flowing people tend to become ungrounded.  Everyone has their own opinion which is based on their perspective to life.  What would it be like to be curious and ask questions with no judgement?

Vata:  What is the voice in your head saying after you ate all the Chex mix?  What would it be like to say in a  gentle, kind voice, “Opps! Hummm, I can’t undo that and I am still hungry.  I think I will sit down, slow down, and breathe. I will nourish my body with some warm vegetable soup.”

Holiday Action Plan: I want you to have a healthy and nourishing holiday season.  Now that your clear on the three styles of eating, grab a piece of paper and brainstorm on how you will change your patterns. Tell me below in the comments.   

References:
http://brodiewelch.com/how-we-eat-is-how-we-live-unapologetic-feminist-self-care/
https://alishapiro.com/about-ali-shapiro/
https://yogahealer.com/?s=acharya+shunya
https://www.acharyashunya.com/

*Special thank you to Elise, Kari and Alec for your encouragement on writing this blog.

They all looked very relaxed and cheery. Even in those old sepia pictures, I could see that their eyes were clear and glowing. Although most of them were probably octogenarian, they all exuded vitality which is not commonly seen at that age.

I was entranced, quite curious, and admittedly – I thought they were all a bit crazy! Who in the world would wittingly subject themselves to the freezing water, however good it might have been!

I knew I would not be silly like that any time soon, for sure

The very idea of feeling cold is very off-putting to most of us. The thought of standing naked in the frigid weather, surrounded by solid snow, and then of plunging into the freezing cold pool is enough to make the hairs raise up your back.

But they were doing it. Daily. Happily. Me? I was sure that I’d have an instant heart attack if I even tried one second in a cold plunge or a shower.

Wind the clock a few decades later, and here I am, taking cold showers daily!

And here’s why.

Benefits of Cold Water Showers/Plunges

I began finding out more about the effects of cold plunges many years later when I was learning Naturopathy.

Traditionally, cold showers or cold plunges are done after the body’s core temperature has been raised first – either by steam baths, sauna, hot baths or strenuous physical activity, such as an intense running session which draws up sweat.

Research shows that being cold, and especially getting immersed into a cold water, has a highly beneficial impact on our body.

Cold showers/baths benefits:

• Improve the Immune System
• Stimulate Production of Brown Fat
• Support Weight Loss
• Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
• Prevent Aging
• Improve the Circulatory System
• Reduce inflammation
• Provide Pain Relief
• Improve m\Mood and Fight Depression
• Help with Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Let me break it down in a bit more detail for you.

Cold water bathing stimulates our immune system, causing a form of evolutionary stress which makes it work harder and more efficiently to protect us not only from the effects of cooling in cold weather but also from infection by bacteria and viruses like flu, passed on by other people. The immune system becomes more robust, effective and much quicker to respond to such attacks, and more effective overall when dealing with any other illnesses.

It affects the production of brown fat. We have three kinds of body fat – the white fat, beige fat, and brown fat. The two main fat types that interest us here are the white and the brown fat. (See image comparison here.)

The white fat is associated with obesity and a number of chronic conditions –  type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, cancer, infertility, and so forth. It is notoriously difficult to lose, particularly when we lack the brown fat in the body.

The white fat cell is quite big, and it comprises of a nucleus (its genetic material), one predominant solid oily mass and very few mitochondria.**

The brown fat cell is usually smaller than the white and contains a large number of mitochondrial cells in addition to a nucleus, and a number of small oily droplets. The brown fat helps our body to break down the white fat, due to the presence of a large number of mitochondria in it. Effectively we are replacing the white fat with a thin layer of protective brown fat which uses the stores of white fat for its production and metabolic processes.

So if you are trying to lose weight, you will help your body utilise unwanted white fat for energy through exercise by including the cold bathing into your routine.

The brown fat can even reverse type 2 diabetes, through its utilisation of body’s triglycerides and sugars stored in white fat cells.

The brown fat produces a number of natural antioxidants, thus preventing ageing and other degenerative processes.

Cold showers or plunges improve our circulatory system too. This is particularly useful for those people who are constantly suffering from feeling cold, having cold extremities, and those who are not exercising regularly. This improvement also helps decrease any inflammatory process and reduces the pain in the body.

Cold showers are very stimulating, and they are beneficial for those with depression due to the endorphins released during cold water showers naturally improving their mood. They are even helpful to those diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome as they regulate hormones leading to more energy, lessening of pain, and increased mobility.

That is some list there! The practice of cold bathing has a huge positive effect on our system.

So where do you start?

The best place to start is to begin courting and contemplating the idea of the cold shower first. Try to imagine what it would feel like.

To me, it is an exhilarating experience! It feels fresh and invigorating as the cold water hits the skin. It starts to produce a shiver all over my body. Then it draws the warmth from deep in the body to the surface and makes me feel really warm. It clears the mind completely, makes me feel focused and relaxed. I feel the increased elasticity in all my muscles and tissues as the blood circulates freely. I feel no pain associated with the current injury to the tendon in my wrist, and there is no swelling. My eyesight improves, and the light and colours appear more vibrant. My hearing is acute.

Does it sound good to you? Could you imagine what it would feel like on your skin if you had one? Try thinking of it when you are in your bath/shower perhaps… try to entice your body to move into it… and remember – when you come out of your hot shower, it always feels cold, even if it’s warm in the house….After a cold shower, you come out feeling nice and warm! Ideal for the winter months, great for summer months too when you wish to manage the heat better. Gently build up your own excitement and expectation.

When you’ve been courting this idea for a while, one day after your hot shower, or a hot bath even (I like my hot baths), switch on that cold shower and just go for it – perhaps only for a second or two, and then see what happens!

And then do it again, the next day, and the next, increasing the length that you stay immersed each day.

I really love the cold showers now. My first one was accompanied by a piercing shriek and lasted about ¾ of a second at most. But now I can not imagine having a day without it.

Once I forgot to do a cold shower after my bath, I was too busy planning the day ahead and not fully present, and it was halfway through toweling my body that I realised it, so I jumped back in and had my cold shower – to me it’s like a desert after a fine meal, just so yummy! My mind became focused too.

A few tips for cold showers/plunges:

• Don’t shower your head – you can shower the face, but don’t immerse your whole head.
• Don’t shower at all if you feel that you’ve ‘picked up’ a virus, or getting a cold sore, and your body is trying to ‘shake it off’. I found that on one day where I felt I was ‘coming down’ with a virus, I felt the urge to avoid the cold shower, so I didn’t plunge in, and the next day I resumed with my practice as I felt back to my full health, no virus lurking inside me.
• Avoid cold showers during your menstrual period and pregnancy – you can do a lukewarm shower instead
• Do it on empty stomach, before your breakfast is the best time
  

And what about Vata types, surely they get aggravated?

Vata is responsible for all movement in the body: the flow or breath, the expression of speech, the circulation of the blood, the elimination of waste, and the regulation of the immune and nervous system. It moves the diaphragm, muscles, and limbs, and also stimulates the intellect.

When Vata is out of balance, you can feel more anxious, flighty, or forgetful than usual, you may lose weight, experience pains or spasms, numbness, dry skin, dehydration, excessive bloating, erratic digestion or insomnia.

The cold showers will not further imbalance your Vata, they will ground it instead. Their stimulating effect is not stimulating in the same way as the stimulating foods are. It is balancing, it restores the natural function and balance in our system, and it will help you anchor your Vata, and harness it for a calm mind and inspirational creativity, comfortable movement, deepened breath, a consistent appetite, normal bowel function, positive enthusiasm, healthy desire, and good energy all round.

For Vata types, I would recommend that you have a hot bath instead of a shower before your cold shower, and to increase the duration of immersion very slowly over a time.

Give it a try!

Enjoy the process of discovery of beneficial changes in your own being. Let me know what you find out.

**Mitochondria are essential for the maintenance of normal physiological function of our cells, and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as lack of mitochondria,  is implicated as one of the reasons for pathological changes, e.g. contributing to the development of disease states in the human body.

As a mental health therapist, a yoga teacher trainer, a coach, and a human, I have found that a cleanse for the mind can be extremely helpful in dealing with everyday stress. If we are not able to cleanse negative and unhelpful thoughts from our minds, they too, like the doshas, can build up over time and lead us to a place of dis-ease.

In my own life and in all of the roles I hold in guiding others toward greater health, I turn to mantra as a regular practice to cleanse the mind and the thoughts.

While the word is subject to different interpretations, the word mantra is believed to come from the roots Manos meaning ‘mind’ and Tra meaning ‘vehicle’ or ‘that which carries across’. So, I describe a mantra as a “mind train”. When my mind is spinning, I simply place it on a mind train and send it off in the direction that would be more helpful for me.

In mental health therapy, I explain this concept as a way to take a time out from the frantic energy of the mind that contributes to anxiety, fear, panic, and depression. When we can focus completely on repeating a sound, word, or phrase over and over, we leave no room in the mind for worry, criticism, judgment, shame, rumination, etc. that can so frequently become the norm.

A mantra can be a sound, a word, or a phrase that is repeated over and over to help keep the mind focused where we want it. Our thoughts are energy and they create vibration in our bodies and our lives. That vibrations affects our happiness, and our mental, physical health and our ability to cope. When we use mantra to direct our thoughts to more helpful and healthy places, we can change our entire experience of what is happening, our perspective, and our ability to respond in the moment.

When repeating mantra, it can be said out loud, as a whisper, or silently in the mind. It can be practiced any time and any place without anyone even knowing if needed. Mantra is a powerful support that we can lean back on when we feel out of control or when we don’t know where else to turn. It can bring the peace needed to pause and then decide where to go next in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Finding a mantra that feels good and that represents your intention around what you would like to shift is important. We can really use any language that we prefer. Here a some short mantras to consider:

1. Just This– This mantra is used with the breath, inhaling and thinking “just”, exhaling and thinking “this”. It is a way to practice mindfulness and to stay in the moment when our minds are fighting to wander out of the body and out of the present. This mantra helps me to stay focused and present when I feel overwhelmed.
2. So Hum– This mantra is also used with the breath, inhaling “so” and exhaling “hum”. So Hum can be translated as ‘I am that’ or ‘I am that which I am becoming’. This mantra reminds me that I am in forward motion toward who I want to be and it is all already inside of me, I simply have to tap in to it.
3. Om– This mantra is the ultimate default mantra. You can never go wrong with repeating or chanting Om. Om means all the things. It has been defined as the vibration of the universe and all that is. Om is calming and helps me to feel in touch with the power of the universe.
4. 2 word intention– This mantra consists of choosing 2 words that would represent something you are wanting to grow in yourself. For example, while writing this blog, I used the words “creative and present”. On the inhale, I repeat “I am creative” and on the exhale, I repeat “I am present” in my mind. This type of mantra helps me to affirm who I am growing in to in each moment.

Consider trying a thought cleanse with mantra. As with other practices, mantra can take time to become automated and we must think of it as an added support rather than an additional task that we must master. Be gentle with yourself as you try on different mantras. Notice how you feel as you are using one and afterwards.

It may be that you find one mantra to stick with for a 40-day practice, or it may be that you use different mantras depending on the situation. However you choose to use mantra, you can begin to experience the power of directing your mind where you want it to go when you want it to go there.  

Check in with me and let me know how it is going or if you have a favorite mantra that you are using.

If you are in any way a progressive thinker, you’ve tried your utmost to make an improvement to ‘those days’. You are familiar with practices of mindfulness. You’ve tried recommended natural products.  You’ve talked to lots of people – heck you talked to the professionals too! You might have even taken big-boy pharmaceuticals promised to make a huge difference to your mental well-being.

Little has changed over the years. Most likely ‘those days’ are still a common feature of your life and you just cope, not allowing yourself to consider the possibility of genuinely enjoying this day.  The day seeps into your week, month, year, and the heart silently weeps, in spite of the smile on your face.

You wonder if this can EVER really change… if this mind of yours can ever become a true buddy on this journey of life, and not continue to trip you up, often when you least expect it.

Ayurveda and Mental Health

Western medicine considers mental health as separate from our overall physical health. Yogic and Ayurvedic traditions see the two as inseparable.

For the last 4000 years, through self-inquiry and practice, yogis (yoga masters) and vaidyas (the ayurvedic healers), came to realize one simple but powerful fact: there can be no peace and clarity of mind, or stability of our moods, in a body experiencing disharmony, discomfort, pain or stress.

More recently even Greeks come to the same realization – their now famous motto was:

“A healthy mind in a healthy body.”

Ancients knew that incorporating self-nurturing habits of yoga and Ayurveda into our daily routine would help heal the sick, and make those that are healthy stronger and at ease, more resilient, full of energy, and vitality.

In yoga we talk of ‘bliss’ often. It is a bliss of the mind, for sure! But it is a result of deeper levels of innate comfort emanating from the depths of our physical being. The yogis and vaidyas realized that there can be no true happiness & contentment if the body is suffering. The way we feel in our body will determine our mood.

The Power of an Ache

For instance, remember the time when you had a headache or a toothache. If one suffers in acute pain, you quickly realize how much your mood, and emotional mental well-being are affected.

We feel cranky, irritable, and uncomfortable – and not just in that affected body part.

Our whole being will be ‘squirming’ with discomfort, suffering greatly. And so will our mind. We’ll have difficulty concentrating or focusing our mind on little else but our pain. We’ll feel tired,  exhausted in fact. We will want to avoid all unnecessary contact with others, or we may feel particularly needy and unsupported.

Isn’t it strange how a ‘small thing’ like a headache or toothache can affect our well-being on such a deep level?

Although, it’s quite simple and logical, when you look deeper within our body.

Everything in our body is connected via the huge web of neural pathways. Whenever one nerve fires, this whole web lights up, firing the signals of discomfort through the whole body-mind system.

Funnily enough, those instances of sudden or short-lasting pain, such as toothache or headache, are much more remarkable and memorable much more felt than the seemingly small niggling pains, aches, and discomfort. We become tolerant to low level chronic inflammatory processes, digestive imbalances, immune & hormonal disorders, circulatory issues that go on over a long period of time which seem to become a part of our backdrop.

Surviving by Dampening the Pain

Why? Well, the body-mind system just learns to settle into, and to dampen down signals of distress that are coming from affected parts and systems. The body-mind system always looks for homeostasis,that innate balance, and this is geared by our own survival mechanism.

If we learn to ignore our discomfort on the conscious level, we may be able to function – and in this case, simply plod on, for a little bit longer, hopefully.

But the pains and discomfort are still there, even when we’ve learned to dampen their signals from our immediate consciousness.

And we begin to feel low in our moods, we begin to accept this low as ‘normal’. As we continue to spiral down, we forget how it actually feels to feel great!

Or maybe we step up, and decide we will try to redress these ever-present low moods, so we try the talking therapy, or mindfulness, or pills, or supplements.

But it doesn’t work. After all these years, it still leaves us feeling down, defeated again.

Until we begin to re-balance our body and attune to our circadian rhythms all else will be an uphill struggle. Allow your body to heal the layers of discomfort – in your joints, gut, lungs, belly, skin, and all of your more subtle systems by simply adjusting the rhythm of your day.

The mind will be low, our moods betraying us: feeling stressed, grumpy, moody, tired – as our thoughts endlessly ‘catch’ onto the signals of discomfort emanating from the central channel of our nervous system. Continually creating stories & patterns that will keep us mentally spiraling down in spite of our best efforts.

That feeling of Bliss that yogis always speak of is not a concept of the mind. Bliss is the physical sensation of the calm and quiet nervous web, which then spills into the well-being of our mind. We feel refreshed, relaxed, at ease. Our mind becomes joyful & light. Our thoughts are filled with generosity, patience, tolerance, gentleness & peace. And our heart is steady, brave and determined, opened with the wonder that the world holds for us all.

How to HEAL YOUR MIND with the 10 Habits of Yogis

These seemingly simple practices will revolutionize the way you feel within and without! Rooted in ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, they have the power to transform your life in ways that you can’t possibly even dream of now!

Imagine sleeping well & waking up early each day, with a smile on your face, even before your alarm goes off. Having plenty of time for self-nourishment, exercise, enjoyment of nourishing foods. Plenty of time for reflection and play with your loved ones. Feeling energized, happy and joyful, no niggling aches or pains, at your optimum body weight.

As we automate our daily practice of 10 Habits, we allow our body, and particularly our nervous and hormonal systems to re-boot and heal, and by default our mood and our mind-set will change drastically.

Start Here

Begin on this journey by taking little steps each day – start by simply going to bed a bit earlier.

Trust me – this was a BIGGIE for me – I always identified with being a Night Owl type – for many many years, going to bed at 2 am was considered an early night here! Now I am regularly fast asleep by 10 pm – catching that first and most important part of the night when our bodies detox and rebuild.

During the hours of 10 pm until 2 am we use the power of our internal Agni/Digestive Power to do do some serious housekeeping. When we wake up in the morning, our mind feels fresh and clear.

A TIP for better Sleep and more effective overnight detox: commit to eating a bit less and a bit earlier each evening.

On The Road to Bliss

You will soon notice that your mind feels rather chirpy and optimistic each morning. There is this lovely feeling bubbling up from the depths of your heart, making you feel very positive about the day ahead, and even the week ahead of you, without any particular cause… Just a sense of joy starting to surface and integrate itself into your daily perception.

As you deepen and automate your practices of the 10 Habits, you will soon be coasting in Bliss, your mind at ease, joyful & light, and feeling refreshed, relaxed, and brimming with deep vitality and zest for life.

A week away from the stress of daily living. Time with friends. Time outside.

Vacation helps us to recharge and feel great in our bodies and our minds. To settle and feel more at ease.

This summer, my husband and I were fortunate enough to go on vacation with some friends to an island on the East Coast. We ate fresh seafood and produce, lots of vegetables and lighter fare. We got daily exercise by walking for miles on the beach, playing for hours in the waves of the ocean, and riding a bike along the trails. We played games with our friends and had quality conversations away from electronics. We went to bed early and experienced sound sleep after a long day of outdoor activity. And I rose early in the mornings to sit outside in silence and listen to the sounds of the island.

It’s really no wonder that this type of vacation helps us to feel so great. With a laid-back schedule of space and freedom, we are resetting our nervous system to match the rhythms of nature by allowing ourselves to step out of our busy schedules and fall into the calmness of just being. We are typically also more mindful on vacation to enjoy every moment, to soak up time with those we are with, and to purposefully check out from the stress of work and home. Our bodies and minds get time to expand, release, and relax.

But alas, all vacations must come to an end.

What if we could give ourselves a vacation from the stress and anxiety that comes with daily living without going anywhere? By mindfully planning the habits we practice daily, we can do just that. If we set our schedule up to support aligning our habits with the rhythm of nature, our nervous system can feel better every day and we can experience less stress and anxiety. Mindfully creating our daily schedule can set us up for happier and healthier lives in which we experience more of that refreshed vacation feel every day.

Routine is a great way to calm the nervous system. Patterns in our schedule help the brain and body feel more secure and stable by knowing what to expect and reducing the amount of decision-making involved in daily living. It’s almost as if we can approach our nervous system like a child. Too many decisions and too much stimulation will frazzle and fray our nervous system. We can actually fall victim to decision fatigue and by the end of a long day or by the end of the week, we are making poorer decisions and giving in to things that are not moving us closer to our goals. This, along with the responsibilities and stressors we are faced with as adults, can push us over the edge and into desperate need of a break. If we can automate our habits, we free up energy that we would be using to make little decisions and this freedom adds up. We are also guaranteeing ourselves a better chance of continuing with the choices we feel good about rather than rolling the dice on whether or not we will follow through when we are mentally and physically drained.

As a mental health therapist, my patients are often puzzled when I start digging into their daily routines and prescribing schedule changes to support mental health. There are small adjustments we can make to our schedules to enable increase in daily peace. We must be able to step back and assess if our schedule is working against how we want to feel. Because our identity is so closely tied to what we do repeatedly day after day, it is of utmost importance to create a schedule that will allow us to find ease in our minds and bodies. We have the ability to feel our best if we take the time upfront to do the planning.  

Eating our meals at the same time every day and drinking only water between meals can make a huge difference. When we eat our meals at regular times, our bodies can stop wondering when the next round of nourishment will come and how to allocate the nutrients from the last. Fasting between meals can help the digestive and nervous systems to have time to rest and restore, setting us up for optimal digestion, absorption, and elimination along with more peace of mind in the absence of constant internal stimulation. The adjustment of transitioning from a grazer to an intermittent faster can end up being more of a mental challenge than a physical one, so mindfully noticing the stories we tell ourselves is also helpful.

Next, setting our bed and rise times for the same time every day can help to reset our circadian rhythms. This enables the body and the brain to know when to rise and shine so that we awake ready to face the day and when to reset and rejuvenate so that we experience restful sleep. Consistent bed and rise time- even on weekends- can help us to more easily get out of bed in the morning every day rather than depending on caffeine so heavily or battling with the snooze button for the first few days of every week. Our bodies weren’t created with a workday/weekend schedule in mind, so winding down at the same time every day can help us to more easily fall asleep and feel more rejuvenated the next day.

It may sound boring to settle into a rhythm of eating and sleeping at the same times every day, but the calming effects on the nervous system are well worth it. And we will find that we have more energy and better concentration to boot. Getting our bodies realigned with their natural rhythms can help us live with more joy and the enthusiasm of feeling good every day. What’s boring about that?!

For this vacation effect, we don’t even have to save up money or count down the days. We can start immediately and feel better in our bodies, minds, and lives right now. Join a group who is already working on the habits, start a book club, or try reaching out to others who are interested in shifting the way they feel as well. Start with small changes and see how you feel. Think about how your daily schedule is different on a vacation or how your ‘perfect’ day would look and take steps to make that a reality.

See what changes you can make in the next week and what works or what doesn’t. Comment below and let me know how it’s going. I will be trying right along with you.

Did you know this leads to anxiety and depression?

According to Ayurveda, this behavior is associated with a Vata imbalance.The wisdom teachings of yoga teach us that the balance of the 5 elements in our bodies will help us maintain our health and well being.

The air element is  wonderful for moving energy, stoking new creativity, stirring up your enthusiasm. If the air element combined with the space element you can become spacey, ungrounded, and easily distracted. You will find yourself going from one project to the next never completing anything. You will often feel overwhelmed, anxious, and have trouble sleeping.

Usually this imbalance occurs more frequently after women go through menopause or are pregnant. But it also can also occur for everyone as they move into Vata time of life after age 50. Shifting levels of hormones, change of seasons, transitioning into Vata season (Fall) and travel all cause a Vata imbalance.

Lack of Energy & Focus

Your lack of groundedness is causing you to have sleep disturbances which leads to unevenness of energy throughout the day. You can have moments of total clarity and focus followed by feeling spacey, tired, dull or exhausted.

By constantly depleting your body you will feel like you are always running on empty. Napping is said to really improve your heart health. 15-20 minute power naps are really wonderful for rejuvenating your energy. If you need more than a 10-20 minute nap a day you need to get more rest.

The effects of sleep deprivation over time are scary.

The lack of quality rest and not enough REM cycles or deep sleep will adversely affect your memory, focus and concentration.

According to Webmd.com here are the effects of sleep deprivation over time.

• Heart disease
• Irregular heart beat
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Kills your sex drive
• Causes accidents
• Dumbs you down
• Can contribute to causing depression
• Ages your skin
• Messes with your memory
• Puts on extra weight and makes it hard to lose it once it is on.
• Impairs your judgement (you might think you can get away with 6 hours of sleep…. NOT!!)

How Your Belly Disturbs Your Sleep and Mind Focus

What throws a lot of us off balance is chronic inflammation in our microbiome. Digestive issues will contribute to brain fog and sleep deprivation. If you have ever tried to sleep on a full belly you will get how important it is that you eat early and lighter in order to get a good night’s rest.

What causes inflammation in your gut?

• Processed Foods (breads, pasta, chips, cookies, candy ,cakes) anything that does not grow in nature.
• Any food that has been treated with radiation, chemicals, hormones, antibiotics.
• Meat and fish that has been given food that is not in the animals natural diet.
• Heating foods with microwaves in plastic containers.
• Eating too heavy late at night, past 7:00 pm.
• A diet that includes refined sugar.
• Having the same foods every day.
• Gobbling down your food too quickly while walking, standing, or driving.
• Taking a huge amount of supplements instead of eating wholesome fresh organic foods.
• Sitting down for a meal when you’re upset.
  

Ignoring The Problem Won’t Make It Go Away

What if you are complacent or apathetic about your lack of energy and focus?

This syndrome if left unattended over decades will eventually lead to some serious health issues down the road like: immune disorders, chronic fatigue, weight gain, diabetes, heart problems, chronic depression,  anxiety, memory loss, or dementia.

4 Secrets To Solve Your Foggy Mind And Low Energy

1. Early to Bed Early to Rise…

Going to bed at 10:00 pm or earlier every night consistently will help you break this pattern.

By staying up late and being on blue screens (TV iPhones, iPads, laptops), you rob yourself of essential deep rest that will help you keep your mind sharp and help you sustain your energy during the afternoons and early evening. Taking the TV out of the bedroom is the first step.

Watch for Signs of Tiredness. Yawning, eye rubbing, and heavy eyelids. If you find that you are reading the same sentence 10 times without comprehension close the book and turn off the lights!

2. Avoid Drinking Alcohol During The Week & Caffeine After 10:00 am

Drinking alcohol will cause you to wake up in the middle of the night disturbing your REM cycles and preventing you from being on top of your game the next day. Save it for the weekends.

3. Practice Daily Meditation And Yoga 5 Days A Week

Doing 10-20 minutes of body breath practices will help you oxygenate your body and help you keep you mind clear and your energy even throughout the day. Even five sun salutations will help regulate your energy.

Would love to exercise but have no energy to get yourself off the sofa?  Daily exercise will give your more energy so that you can exercise and improve your health and mental clarity.

Daily meditation helps you floss the mind and increases your grey matter!  You get smarter! Read this great blog about Meditation. Meditating before bed helps you process your day and give you a deeper sleep.

4. Eat Earlier lighter dinner for better sleep.

Closing the kitchen after an early dinner and fasting on water between meals will also help you get to bed earlier, leave you well rested and energized the next day.

Stop eating at 7:00pm

Do Intermittent fasting by putting 12-16 hour between the last meal of the day and breakfast. For example, if you eat at 6:00 pm dinner you would fast until 7:00-8:00am the next day.

If you are hungry before bed try making warm Golden Milk recipe with either milk or Almond milk.

The Next Right Step

If you have had it with losing the plot and low energy, invest in your health and well being. Get to know why your daily habits can make a huge difference in how your mind and body ages. You will be able to have the energy to step into your Swa Dharma (the next right step for you and your family).

I have seen folks in their 20’s dragging themselves through the day and elders in their 90’s full of beans still working because it so so much fun. It has nothing to do with age and all do do with your daily habits.

I am a 65 year old yoga teacher and teacher trainer. I just added a new career as a Yoga Health Coach four years ago. I see students adopting this healthy lifestyle and dropping years off their physiological age. I am working with folks 20-80 years young. They are active and sharp as a tack!

You can avoid serious health issues by following the healthy habits that are recommended by Ayurveda. These habits  help to regulate your personal clock so that you are in tuned with the daily rhythms of nature. Read here about  Dina Charya.  

An insightful quote from the Dalai Llama when asked what surprised him most…

 “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.”  Dalai Llama

A Challenge

Vibrant energy is your birthright! I invite you to share with me how you are investing in your well being and any challenges you have with adopting a healthier habits. Wherever you are in your life, you can always get this party started!

Let me know what you are doing to keep you mind clear and to have vibrant energy throughout your day.

When In France…Drink Wine!

My junior year in college, I studied in Montpellier, France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region where some of the finest wines in the world are made. One of my courses was in wine tasting, and I would travel around the region to vineyards tasting my way through Southern France. During this time, I grew a great appreciation for fine wines. Let me also say that during this time, even though the French are notoriously known for being thinner than Americans, I weighed more than I have ever weighed in my life outside of my two pregnancies.  My body just wasn’t doing a very good job at processing all that sugar even at the ripe age of 21. When I returned to the Bay Area at Mills College, my parents would take me to Napa Valley where I also enjoyed some of the finest wines made here in the States. Over the years, I developed an affinity for dry wines, champagne, and my summer drink a bitter gin and tonic. I love fine dining and trying the newest cocktail to pair with my appetizer, and a wine to pair with my dinner.  And I am partnered with a husband who is a Bourbon connoisseur, which makes it all that more enticing to want to bond with your partner over a drink.

Ojas and Alcohol

Almost two years have passed since I began seriously practicing Ayurveda. In the beginning, I wasn’t willing to give up alcohol, and there’s no rule in Ayurveda that says I should per say. In Ayurveda, alcohol can be used medicinally or it can be a toxin. If you have low Ojas, like I do, then alcohol is not recommended as it has the opposite effect on ojas. Ojas in Sanskrit means vigor, and thus is thought to be responsible for vitality, strength, health, immunity and mental and emotional wellness. Vatas tend to have lower Ojas than say a Kapha or Pitta because as a dosha Vatas deplete more quickly. When someone has an autoimmune disease or has faced life trauma, they also have low ojas. Similar to our immune system, ojas also means a deep emotional well or reserve. When your body is healing, then you must rebuild your ojas. Alcohol diminishes our reserves of ojas. If you have a low digestive fire, like me, then alcohol is also not recommended. Instead, Ayurveda is about raising self awareness, listening to your subtle body and attuning to your digestive fire, the season, your constitution and the food you are pairing it with.

Self Awareness Sheds Light on the Effects of Alcohol

Since I began studying Ayurveda, I have found that my appreciation for alcohol has waned. Through my daily practice of yoga and meditation, I have begun to honor my body. The days when I have a drink or two the stenosis in my neck becomes worse, I get headaches, I feel more drained, fatigued, dehydrated, and have more muscle and joint stiffness. I have a Vata-Pitta Prakriti, and a Vata Vikriti. I’m a lightweight so one drink alone can leave me feeling like hell and push me over the edge. Furthermore, drinking alcohol is too drying for my constitution, and I can feel it at night when I go to bed. I wake up thirsty, I urinate more in the night because I am up drinking water to make up for what I didn’t drink the night before I went to bed. When I urinate, I feel a drying, burning sensation, and wine gives me cystitis, which causes urinary frequently (Vata-Pitta Vikriti).

I Felt Like a Lunatic!

Prior to drastically reducing my alcohol consumption, the urinary frequency at night and neck pain was giving me insomnia. I was up just about every hour of the night sometimes only getting three to four hours of solid sleep. I blamed insomnia on my stenosis. I went to see many healers for my stenosis. Yet my chiropractor, physical therapist, naturopath, functional doctor, never once said to try eliminating alcohol to see if that helps. I would literally get up in the night do yoga postures to soothe the aches and pains away so that I could go back to sleep, and by then I was up with the Moon, I literally felt like a lunatic. I was exhausted, strung out, and in horrible pain. My neck would hurt so bad that even though I had one drink or two, I felt totally hungover. This insomnia literally went on for 10 years until I realized that alcohol was one of the biggest culprits. In Ayurveda, when the doshas are out of balance, we have accumulation, aggravation, and overflow. At this point, the symptoms are mild.

Imbalance 2.0

During the next pathological phase, the doshic imbalance will overflow and go from mild symptoms to more severe. At this point, the doshic imbalance will go to the weakest point in the body. For me, that is where I have stenosis or neck pain. The next pathway of disease is relocation, manifestation, and diversification. That is when it gets a western name like stenosis. Thus, my imbalance had been in the works for years before it became so severe. Little did I know that my casual glass of wine at night was one of the biggest contributors. Before eliminating alcohol from my evening meal, I never knew that it was causing me such debilitating pain and insomnia. I was never a heavy drinker. I didn’t think a glass of wine three or four nights a week was a problem, and it certainly wasn’t raising any flags with anyone I spoke to about my pain and insomnia.

No Western Diagnosis for Being out of Balance

Before Ayurveda, I remember meeting with my primary doctor asking her why I was up drinking and urinating so much at night. She said I didn’t’ have any symptoms of being pre-diabetic, and she had no Western diagnosis for me. Over the years, I suffered many UTI’s, kidney infections, and was on many rounds of antibiotics to treat them. This lead to gut health issues from the antibiotics further depleting my digestive fire and ojas. Then when I met with my functional doctor, he said that alcohol was causing cystitis. It turns out I have a genetic trait that makes it hard to process and detoxify sulfites well. The wine has a lot of sulfites.

Alcohol and Anxiety

Over the past couple of years, I’ve gone from drinking a glass of wine at night to just having a gin and tonic on a Friday or Saturday night or a cocktail at a special dinner. At the beginning of 2018, I decided to take a bold step and try to eliminate as much alcohol from my activities as possible. As mentioned earlier, I am married to a bourbon connoisseur, I live in a town of Bourbon drinkers, and my family bonds over wine and cocktails. I know that my appreciation for alcohol isn’t just the taste. I know that I love the relaxation that it brings, and how it helps me deal with my Vata anxiety in social situations.

Benefits of Building Body Thrive Habits

Since reducing my alcohol consumption, I find I have higher energy levels, stamina, clarity, and a greater connection with the people around me. Alcohol is such a great icebreaker in social situations, but my goal is to be more authentic with those around me, and not to hide behind any anxiety that I have through a glass of wine or cocktail. I don’t want to use alcohol to feel more free and uninhibited, less anxious or to chill myself the f$#@%! out when I am stressed out. If I didn’t have this practice, I probably wouldn’t notice the difference. The thing about Ayurveda is that you don’t know how good you can feel until you feel it. I’ve realized that when I am triggered by stress, I am more inclined to drink. Several years ago, when I read my first book on Ayurveda, I put it down and thought this practice is way too intense for me. Going to bed early, waking up early, practicing yoga and meditation daily, and eating a plant-based diet was more than I could commit to. I wasn’t willing to make the changes necessary to heal my body. I just didn’t want to believe that I had to change my lifestyle. Now I know the hard truth that alcohol just doesn’t make me feel good, and that it holds me back from being truly authentic with those around me. I’ve also found that by not drinking it shines a light on those who are drinking. It also sheds light on what some friendships and relationships are based on.

It’s Time for a Toast

While I haven’t given up alcohol 100 percent, my goal is to save it for the rarest of opportunities to celebrate a wedding or a momentous occasion. As I have become aware when I drink and don’t drink, over time I have evolved to want it less and less. At this point, I see it is something to be enjoyed with good friends and good food as it’s done in the Blue Zones. The Blue Zones are the areas of the world that have the largest number of centenarians. Think about it this way, in a modern society, our bodies are bombarded to detoxify the chemicals in our air, food and water. Our livers are working overtime to try and break down these toxins and alcohol puts an additional burden on the liver.

I Want to Feel Fulfilled

The truth is in American culture, we have made alcohol something to be enjoyed all the time just like sugar and caffeine. We have come to regulate our circadian rhythms using caffeine and alcohol to lift us up and bring us back down rather than having the body habits that we need to regulate our mood and energy levels. Who knows where I will be as I progress on this journey, but I can say that one of the biggest factors in reducing my chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and joint and muscle pain has been my drastic reduction in alcohol consumption. There may come a day when I no longer desire alcohol at all as I tap into deeper and greater levels of fulfillment naturally. What I do know is that I am more hydrated, clear, and have greater levels of clarity and energy without it. I recommend eliminating for anyone wanting to feel pain free, less anxious or stressed out to eliminate alcohol for a few weeks to notice any shifts in your own well-being? We don’t know how well we can feel until we feel it through self-inquiry, trial and error, and experimentation.

“Breathing in, I calm my body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh– from Being Peace

When I was 25 my dad died from pancreatic cancer. His death, just 4 months after diagnosis, left me questioning what it meant to live a full life and how we can most effectively navigate these very human challenges. My search for answers unfolded into studies in Buddhism, Yoga, and eventually Ayurveda. Some of the first writings I was introduced to were the simple and effective teachings of Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. One of my favorite writings of Thich Nhat Hanh was a mantra from his book, Being Peace: “Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is the only moment.”  This phrase was taught to me in an abbreviated form: “calm, smile, present, wonderful.” I began to use it during hot and sweaty Bikram yoga classes, during the stress of marital separation and as a tool to share with my yoga students. Over 20 years later this mantra is still my favorite go-to.

Mantra = Mind Protecting

Mantra- the use of sounds or words as objects of concentration- means “mind protecting. ” By allowing our awareness to settle on the sounds we repeat aloud or silently we “protect” ourselves from thoughts or emotional responses triggered by our daily lives. Staying focused on the mantra protects us from negative thoughts, monkey mind and replaying conversations in our head. It keeps us in the moment. Mantra comes in many forms. Some mantras, called “seed” mantras, are sounds that do not have a particular meaning in English. Full phrases in both Sanskrit, “om shanti shanti shanti,” and English (“breath in goes deep, breath out goes slow”) are used commonly. Mantras can be used with other practices like yoga or as a stand alone meditation practice.

Train Your Nervous System to Be Calm and Steady

A key teaching from the world of Ayurveda is the value of mindfulness or meditation practice as part of a daily rhythm of self care called “dinya charya”.  One of my teachers- the Abbot of a Theravada Buddhist Monastery, helped me understand that practice is just that, practice. The time we spend meditating – whether we follow the breath or use a mantra- gives our nervous system and subconscious a chance to develop a familiarity with the technique.  The goal? When we face a challenge in real life – when we need to be calm and steady and hold space for ourselves – the mantra and our breath are right there with us. Our practice gives us ability to access calm and peace even when it seems elusive.

Anxiety + Overwhelm: Using Mantra to Navigate Life

As much as I had used the mantra “calm, smile” both in practice and in troubled times, it was this winter, over 20 years after first learning it – that I had the chance to see the full benefit of mantra in action.

My History of Anxiety

Part of my history is one of anxiety and overwhelm. I notice that this tendency is worsening as I age. Ayurveda views anxiety through the lens of what is called a Vata overdominance imbalance. As we age, we tend to become even more Vata dominant in our bodies, minds, and hearts which means that managing anxiety is made easier by self care practices like keeping things simple, following a routine, oil massage, and using practices like yoga and meditation.  Although I follow Vata pacifying self care practices, my life recently has been one of travel, living in temporary accommodations and spending endless hours working on the computer. These are all lifestyle factors that increase Vata and make me more vulnerable to the panic attacks I can experience on planes and buses when I feel confined.

How I Stopped My Panic Attack

I am sitting in an aisle seat in a plane. I fly a lot and love travelling in spite of the fact that as soon as the beverage cart rolls up beside me and the flight attendant looks down at me, I get triggered. Something about this scenario makes me unbelievably claustrophobic, which I compensate for first by taking off shoes and sweaters. I start clearing away anything that might be blocking me or even touching me. I ask my family to move as far into their seat as they can. The stronger my panic attack the more I need to take action, I ask the flight attendant to move the cart, and I often stand up and try to walking in the aisle. In the past, I have never been able to calm myself without asking others to help by moving and giving me space.  On my recent flight to Mexico, I had a surprise. I began to feel myself getting triggered, a panic attack looked inevitable, I looked down, dug deep, and began repeating “breathing in, I calm my body, breathing out, I smile.” I blocked out everything else and repeated until the beverage cart moved on. And to my surprise, I averted my panic attack.

Trust The Practice

I lie on the floor in Bikram yoga with eyes wide open, breath ragged and “calm, smile, present, wonderful” on endless repeat. Walking and breathing to the rhythm of mantra. Meditation. Following my breath, as I drive, sit to work and in-between activities.I have learned that practice comes in many forms and that when my real-life anxiety meets years of experience with a favorite mantra, my ability to calm and regroup is right there, waiting for me. Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. I got this.