Nature to Balance

One of the ways excess Pitta (heat) can show up is through our SKIN. Pitta dosha governs this organ, so having practices that keep the skin COOL is one way to stay balanced in Summer. . Here are a few things I just can't live without during the Summer months that support my skin. These all provide cooling & calming to both body & mind. . Lovely, refreshing ROSE WATER provides much-needed relief during this sharp & fiery season. Spritzing this anywhere on your body is such an... easy & pleasant way to quickly mitigate the heat. RW soothes skin irritations, redness, inflammation & burns. Its divine scent enhances your mood as is it softens & soothes the mind, reducing intensity. . Spritz on the back of your neck and face for instant cooling. Fantastic for women with hot flashes. . You can easily make your own at home by steeping ORGANIC Rose Petals in water. Boil water, add RPs, cover & steep, strain, done! Keeps in the refrigerator for 1 month or in your bathroom cabinet for a week. Store-bought contains preservatives so it lasts longer. . During the cooler months, & particularly for a drier constitution, a heavier, warmer oil might be necessary for our daily self-massage (abhyanga), but when Summer rolls around, we could find more balance with the lighter & cooler COCONUT OIL which reduces inflammation & has antimicrobial & antifungal properties. . Don't do ABHYANGAS you say? Ditch the lotion & grab some pure organic oil & envelop the largest organ of your body with this unctuous elixir. Your skin will deeply thank you. . For more on this see my blog post titled "Abhyanga". https://www.nature2balance.com//abhyanga-~-lymphatic-syste . The Sun gets a lot of attention in Summer, but it's the MOON we should turn to & BATHE IN when we need some chilling out. Too much time in the Sun greatly increases Pitta leading to irritated skin & burnout. . The Moon, the Sun's softer counterpart, offers us cooling, nurturing & calm energy which we need more of in Summer to balance the intensity & sharpness of the season. So go out into the night air & gaze at our beautiful celestial neighbor. . #coolingremedies #pittadosha #pittabalancing #seasonalbalance #selfcare #staycoolinsummer #rosewater #coconutoil #moonbathing #nature2balance See more

All the COOL things! . Going to a gathering at the beach this weekend & want to bring something cool & refreshing. . Put together this CUCUMBER & FENNEL SALAD with fresh herbs & a Lime Dressing.... . Most of the ingredients help cool our bodies & minds, but also keep ease of digestibility in check. . Raw foods can be hard to digest. In addition, Summer is a time when our digestive fire is weaker because the heat is dispersed to the limbs to allow for our internal body core to stay cooler. Cold, raw salads can wreak havoc on our tummies if we're not eating one that contains compatible ingredients & digestive aids. . The Mint, Cilantro, Lime, Salt & Pepper are all digestive aids. If you add the Honey, well that is one too! . Ingredients: 2 Persian Cucumbers - thinly sliced 1/2 Fennel Bulb - chopped into small pieces 1 handful Fresh Mint - chopped 1 handful Fresh Cilantro - chopped . Lime Dressing 1/4 cup E.V. Olive Oil Fresh squeezed Juice from 2-3 Limes 1/4 tsp Pink Salt 1/4 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper 1-2 tsp Raw Honey (optional for those that like it a bit sweet, less sour) . Toss the salad with the dressing & enjoy! You might even try throwing the herbs in a blender with the dressing. I'm going to try that next time. . Salt, Pepper & Honey can be heating, but with such small amounts & many other cooling ingredients, this salad is sure to help turn the heat down. . #summerfoods #summersalad #pittabalancing #coolingfoods #ayurvedicnutrition #nutrition #digestivehealth #staycoolinsummer #cucumber #fennelbulb #mint #cilantro #lime #seasonaleating #seasonalbalance #ritucharya #pittaseason #foodismedicine #veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #plantsaremedicine #nature2balance See more

Happy Father's Day & Happy Summer Solstice! . Wow, what an extraordinary day it is! I find it fascinating how Father's Day has fallen exactly on the solstice this year. In a year of remarkable events & transformative shifts on all levels, our world seems to be giving way to DIVINE ALIGNMENTS & has a heightened sense of energy buzzing about it. . In both Eastern & Western Astrology we associate the SUN with the MASCULINE.... . Masculine energy is stable, courageous & driven. It responds to permanence over feelings so this energy sticks to principles providing structure & consistency. . In Ayurveda, Summer is the PITTA season. The season that is ruled by FIRE. This fiery energy is expressed as confident, powerful & determined ~ all very masculine qualities. . If you can just see how much symmetry there is here today, it truly is the day/season of the masculine. This is an auspicious moment to honor the FATHER(s) in your life. . Fathers, our ever-radiant Sun, the masculine energy within all of us ~ the powerful & stable counterpart to the nurturing, intuitive & watery feminine energy (associated w/the Moon). . We live in a world of polarity where one is necessary to balance the other ~ Masculine/Feminine, Black/White, Love/Hate, Purusha/Prakriti, Yin/Yang, Shiva/Shakti... . As our world has been coming to terms more than ever with the negative side of masculine energy (oppression, domination & aggression) let us remember & honor the VIBRANT, SUPPORTIVE & BALANCING traits this determined energy brings. . This grainy picture is my sweet Dad & I at Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts ~ I was 6 yrs old. I used to love combing his hair! Such beautiful memories for me. I love you Dad!! . #happyfathersday #summersolstice #lovemydad #pittaseason #pittadosha #masculineenergy #fireelement #cherishedmemories #fatherdaughter #family #love #sun See more

A nourishing & hydrating snack I'm reaching for these hot, heat-wavy days ~ RED GRAPES! . Red Grapes have a very sweet & slightly sour taste, are COOLING & are considered a RASAYANA in Ayurveda as they are restorative for conditions that make Pitta hot & Vata dry. Such a prized fruit in Ayurveda for so many reasons. . Red Grapes are full of the plant pigment Anthocyanin & a little bit of Beta-Carotene that act as ANTIOXIDANTS to help guard your cells against free radical ...damage & have an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY effect. Anthocyanins are missing in their very sour relative - green grapes. . Red Grapes are also very rich in MINERALS (potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium) & EASY TO DIGEST making this a fantastic food for women during menstruation, pregnancy & after childbirth to help replenish mineral stores & support digestion during a time when things can get a little off balance. . Due to their cooling nature, Red Grapes have a MILD NERVINE effect helping to calm the mind & act as a TONIC to the BLOOD & a hot LIVER. Red Grapes are also full of water providing a MOISTENING & HYDRATING quality to the tissues that supports a healthy Rasa Dhatu (lymph). . In addition, they are great for the HEART as they contain Resveratrol, a plant compound that helps prevent blood clots, lowers cholesterol & supports the circulatory system. . Eating Red Grapes also supports the EYES (helps prevent age-related vision loss & macular degeneration) & the IMMUNE SYSTEM as they are full of many different vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients. . Even though Red Grapes are considered moisturizing & full of water, they are also a GENTLE DIURETIC so this makes them a great DETOXIFIER as they help flush the body of excess fluid. . They are also LOW on the Glycemic Index scale so they actually are a healthy fruit to include in a diet for MANAGING DIABETES. (Serving: approx 32 grapes) . Truly, RED GRAPES ARE MEDICINE during Summer. Chill out your body & mind by grabbing a handful of this cooling, vibrant & thirst-quenching fruit. . Please remember, Grapes are part of the Dirty Dozen so make sure you're only buying ORGANIC! . . #redgrapes #summerfoods #hearthealth #bloodhealth #eyehealth #nervine #antioxidants #rasadhatu #rasayana #seasonalbalance #seasonaleating #vatabalancing #pittabalancing #diabeticfoods #staycoolinsummer #nutrition #ayurvedicnutrition #holisticnutrition #digestivehealth #easytodigestfoods #hydratingfoods #coolingfoods #foodismedicine #nature2balance See more

My GREEN BEAN plants are starting to flower ~ that means they'll be producing some beans very soon, roughly about 2 weeks from now. . Green Beans, aka String Beans, are among the only beans that are more easily tolerated by Vata along with Peas & shelled Mung Beans. . Green Beans are a great Summer food as they are pretty agreeable for most doshas, cooling in nature & are considered a highly nutritive laxative.... . Green Beans are astringent & bitter so they naturally balance Pitta & Kapha. For Vata, cooking with oil / ghee & some digestive spices make them more balancing. . Green beans are full of antioxidants & phytonutrients, & are rich in vitamins A, C & K, Folic Acid & fiber. . One of my fondest memories of my family garden when I was a little girl was walking barefoot & picking Green Beans & eating them right then & there ~ so crunchy & full of moisture!! . Little did I know that my sensitive Vata constitution needed them to be cooked a little first. . Green Beans have always been one of my favorite veggies. I'm counting all the ways I will cook them when these beauties blossom! . . #greenbeans #stringbeans #summerfoods #growyourownfood #lovemyporchgarden #ayurvedicnutrition #seasonaleating #ritucharya #balancethedoshas #astringenttaste #bittertaste #coolingfoods #natureismedicine #nature2balance See more

Something I do wherever, whenever I need to COOL, CALM & SOOTHE my body & mind...a Forward Bend & Child's Pose (especially potent when done directly on Mother Earth). . Both of these poses activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System, slow down your brain waves & shift you into a state of relaxation. . Your SPINE is loaded with a bundle of nerves & is a COMMUNICATION CHANNEL between the body & the brain. When we stretch & create space between our vertebrae, it improves circula...tion of the cerebrospinal fluid & acts as a reset for the nervous system. . Also, this space that is created in the torso from these grounding stretches gives our diaphragm more room to take deeper, calmer breaths which in turn further soothes the nervous system. When we calm the breath, we calm the mind. . When doing Forward Fold (Uttanasana), make sure you are listening to your body & not aggressively pushing your limits. We're looking to relax the nervous system here so the goal is comfort & ease, not how far you can stretch at this moment. Bend your knees and/or place your hands on your shins to appropriately support yourself if needed. . Child's Pose (Balasana) offers a safe space as it closes off most external stimulation by folding into yourself. I prefer to do mine with wide-stretched knees so that my chest can sink in allowing for deeper breaths & a bigger stretch of the back body. . I pull these poses out several times a day as needed. I often do these after I perform bodywork to ground myself, clear my energy & give my body a much-needed stretch. These are definitely fantastic to do before bed to encourage the mind to slow down for a restful sleep. . . #nervoussystemsupport #calmthebody #calmthemind #selfcare #balanceinsummer #vatabalancing #pittabalancing #yogaforgrounding #yogaforanxiety #yogaforstress #shiftyourenergy #breathedeeper #chillmoment #naturalstressrelief #peace #calm #nature2balance See more

Yesterday was my birthday & I indulged a bit. Celebrating with my boys, we went out for lunch ~ I had a creamy pasta dish followed by a piece of flourless chocolate cake. Yum! But surely a digestive challenge for this sensitive tummy. . I consciously chose to indulge at lunch (not dinner) as this is the time our digestive fire is strongest & most efficient. . Luckily, there are Ayurvedic tools to get myself back in balance. For the rest of the day after that meal I sipped on... GINGER TEA, no dinner. This morning I took some TRIPHALA POWDER an hour before my breakfast. Breakfast today was an easy DIGESTIVE SOUP that is simple, yet nourishing & will provide me with some energy while I work. . Depending on how I feel later, this might be lunch, too. I should be ready to eat a light, but complete meal by dinner. I will eat this soup until my digestive system is feeling strong again. . We're human, it's nice to indulge every now & again, especially for special occasions so it's important to have tools to find your way back to balance after you've disturbed your digestion. . This soup is very easily adjustable to suit your unique needs & taste. I have several versions I use. Play with the amount of each spice to your liking. I use enough Ginger & Black Pepper to get my nose running. I know then that this is liquifying any toxins & mucus that was created by my poor digestion & will help remove it from my system. . Here's my soup recipe that I made this morning: . 4 cups Veggie Broth 1/2 cup cooked Basmati Rice (I had cooked some yesterday that I threw in there) 4 stalks Celery, chopped 1 Green Onion,chopped 1/2 - 1 tsp Ginger Powder 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp Black Pepper pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt . ~garnish with plenty of fresh Cilantro ~squeeze of a fresh Lime or Lemon . See my post "Soup for Breakfast for another version of my digestive soup. . https://www.nature2balance.com/post/soup-for-breakfast . . #digestionsupport #enkindleagni #digestiverest #digestiveremedy #soupforbreakfast #soupforlunch #nutrition #holisticnutrition #ayurvedicnutrition #balanceyourdigestion #foodismedicine #digestiveaid #nature2balance See more

When I was a little girl growing up in Massachusetts, Sundays were family day. That was the only day my Dad didn't work & all 5 of my family members were home enjoying each other's company. We had big meals together, sometimes other family members gathered & there was often a Red Sox or Patriots game on TV ~ back in the day when our society wasn't running 24-7. . I still have such sweet nostalgia about those days every time Sunday rolls around. When I tap into this memory, a... warm sense of ease & comfort come over me. . As I get older & after years of working to the grind, many times straight through Sundays, I'm calling the shots now. Fortunately, I'm able to control my schedule & no work happens on this day for me anymore by choice ~ as much as I can help it with a busy business. . Sunday is my RESET day, my "take a breath day", slow down & calibrate. Ground into the Earth's rhythms & align myself to allow for a week where I am more in tune with my needs. . This is what I did with my Sunday this weekend ~ went to the Butterfly Pavilion @ the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. . Do you have a day of the week, or time of the day consistently where it's solely for self-care, leisure & slowing down? . It's literally good medicine & part of a balanced lifestyle to smell the roses & watch the butterflies gracefully float! . #selfcare #sundayleisure #butterflies #takedeepbreaths #slowdown #balancedlifestyle #earthsrhythms #santabarbara #natureishealing #nature2balance See more

Come experience my Total Bliss ~ a harmonious & unique combination of Ayurvedic abhyanga & Swedish massage. Total Bliss is the ultimate stress reducer as it works directly on calming the nervous system & deeply pacifying the energetic body. Using copious warm oil infused with nurturing Ayurvedic herbs & applying gentle pressure & Reiki over important energy sites called Marma points, you will feel completely nurtured & utterly peaceful.... Give yourself the gift of TLC. Be your own best Valentine. You deserve it! DM to inquire about booking. #massageismedicine #massage #massageishealing #abhyanga #ayurvedicwisdom #ayurvedicbodywork #treatyourself #loveyourself #oilislove #oilishealing #stressrelief #anxietysupport #anxietyrelief #depressionsupport #blissfultherapy #totalbliss See more

In search of better sleep? Most people are. Sleep deprivation & low quality sleep are epidemics in our modern, fast-paced, technology addicted culture. Getting the nervous system to settle down so as to support sound sleep is truly an art & science by following the appropriate diet & lifestyle for your unique type. Ayurveda has a wealth of time-tested wisdom to offer here. See my Ground & Align: Ayurveda 101 series for more on this. https://www.nature2balance.com/ayurveda-1...01 Here is a yummy little Ayurvedic tonic to sip on in the evening that will offer you some sleep support. This concoction will help coax your nervous system down a few notches & lull you into a rejuvenative & restorative sleep. As always, everyone is unique & therefore will need a little different recipe, so please see my notes on how to cater to your specific dominant dosha. .1 cup of milk (dairy or nut) .1/2 tsp Ashwagandha powder (high pitta ~ sub for 1/2 tsp Shatavari) .1/2 tsp of dried Ginger (high pitta ~ fresh, less or none) .1 pinch Nutmeg .1 pinch Cardamom .1 pinch Saffron .1 tsp Coconut oil .1 tsp Honey (add when warm, not hot) 1. Heat milk in a saucepan 2. Let it boil, then turn down flame & stir in Ashwagandha/ Shatavri & spices 3. Add Coconut oil, stir until well blended. 4. Let brew & cool for 5 minutes. 5. Stir in honey. 6. Sip slowly in the evening. All these ingredients have several medicinal properties, so see the full article on my blog to take a look at the particular qualities of the ingredients that make this truly a powerful sleep aid. www.nature2balance.com/post/moon-milk #sleepaid #sleeptonic #nighttimeritual #ayurveda101 #ayurvediclifestyle #ayurvedicnutrition #ayurvedicwisdom #ashwagandha #shatavari #insomniahelp #lullyourselftosleep #nervoussystemsupport #nervines #adaptogens #restoratives #rasayanas #balanceyourdoshas #ojas #moonmilk See more

We live in a world of artificial light which allows us to work, play & live by our own wishes. Unfortunately this gets in the way & muddles our connection to our circadian rhythms ~ which are the biological rhythms of the brain, body & hormones to regulate sleep, digestion, blood pressure & several other bodily processes for optimum health. Have you ever gone camping and noticed you get tired earlier in the evening than when you are home? We are typically removed from most... artificial light & most often, our gadgets, when we camp. This is a perfect example of how we are linked to the natural light/dark cycle. Every single cell in our body has an internal clock that is regulated by the rhythms of Nature and by a part of our brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, SCN. All bodily processes are regulated by this part of our brain recognizing the rhythms of Nature. Come discover some deeper wisdom about our profound connection to Nature & how stepping into Nature's flow is where we will find true well-being. Join me for my series Ground & Align: Ayurveda 101 on Feb 8th @ 6 p.m. PST via Zoom. . See link in bio. #circadianrhythms #flowwithnaturesrhythm #lightdarkcycle #sleepwakecycle #balanceyourhormones #balanceyourdoshas #artificiallight #detoxfromtechnology #ayurvedicwisdom #ayurvediclifestyle #ayurveda101 #livebetter #feelbetter #healthylifestyle #healthygut #balancedlifestyle #uplevelyourhealth #uplevelyourlife See more

How you go about your day can greatly affect your bodily processes, your energy levels & your moods. Daily lifestyle practices, i.e. rituals, are literally medicine, because every action or experience we move through has a particular energy to it. So when we utilize lifestyle rituals that support our dosha (our unique energetic blueprint) we can positively shift our energy & therefore our overall well-being. The more we honor our unique dosha & align with Nature's rhythm...s & cycles, the easier it is to maintain health of the body, mind & spirit because remember ~ we are Nature too. We're made of all the elements Nature's made of. The pulse of those elements are inherent within us. Nature, & therefore us, thrive on cyclical routines ~ daily rituals. Daily self-care rituals are a sophisticated way of aligning with the intelligence of Nature & providing yourself with powerful support. One of the daily rituals I have is to take a walk outside every morning, sometimes it's 10 mins, sometimes it's an hour, but without fail, I need my daily morning kiss from the Sun & greeting from the birds. Then I do some yoga & I start my day feeling gathered within. It grounds me very deeply. What is one of your favorite daily rituals? Join me on Feb 8 for my Ground & Align: Ayurveda 101 session where you will learn how to balance & transform your life with appropriate daily rituals & how intimately we are connected to the rhythms & cycles in Nature. #follownaturesrhythm #alignwithyourtruenature #doshabalancing #ayurveda101 #ayurvediclifestyle #ayurvedicwisdom #dailyroutine #dailyrituals #dinacharya #dailyselfcare #natureisthebestmedicine #natureisthebestteacher See more

When we live in harmony with Earth's rhythms & cycles, we are also living in harmony with our own nature and this offers us a huge advantage. The brain is cued to secrete certain hormones based on the light & dark cycle. When we honor this fundamental cycle, & learn to work WITH these cues, it allows our being to work smarter, not harder. Stop working uphill. Find ease & well-being. Come to a deeper understanding of your body clock with my Ayurveda 101 series.... Next class: Feb 8th @ 6p.m. PST Topic: Daily Routine ~ Dinacharya www.nature2balance.com/ayurveda-101 #dailyroutine #dinacharya #ayurvediclifestyle #ayurvedicwisdom #worksmarternotharder #circadianrhythm #earthsrhythms #earthscycles #liveinharmonywithnature #bodyclock #knowyourbodybetter #hormonebalancing #lightdarkcycle #cortisol #melatonin #wearenature See more

If you're dealing with a challenged digestive system in the morning & feeling a bit nauseous but you still need some sustenance to stay solid on your two feet, there's definitely an Ayurvedic solution to this. Soup for breakfast! Soup is warm, soothing & easy to digest. The process of cooking in hot liquid softens the ingredients & generously adds the fire & water element to your meal. In addition, when it's full of carminative spices it makes it even easier to digest. A...ll of this offers you some vital energy & nourishment at a time when digestion is unreliable. . Aside from the traditional kitchari, which is the ultimate go-to when in need of a digestive rescue, I like to mix it up a bit & create my own concoctions using Ayurvedic wisdom. . See my blog for one of my own Digestive Rescue soup recipes. www.nature2balance.com/post/soup-for-breakfast When there is low appetite that means low digestive fire. Soup, made with the right ingredients, can help kick it up & provide you with stamina to start your day & help your digestive fire be ready for a more substantial lunch. For an even extra boost to your digestive fire, take Ginger Pickle 15-30 mins before you eat. Caution for those with acid stomach, heartburn, or diarrhea ~ aka high Pitta ~ this indicates there is too much heat. . See my blog for Ginger Pickle recipe. www.nature2balance.com/post/ginger-pickle-for-slow-digestion #digestiveaid #digestivehealth #digestivefire #boostyouragni #agni #ayurvedicnutrition #ayurvedicwisdom #getyourmotorrunning #gingerfordigestion #soupisgoodfood #balanceyourdosha #foodasmedicine #foodismedicine See more