Creamy Dal Makhani

Finishing up my “favorites from India trilogy” is Dal Makhani, a sumptuous stew of lentils and kidney beans traditionally served at weddings. Given its depth of flavor and richness, you might expect it to be difficult to make. But really it’s as simple as cooking up the beans, making a sauce, and deciding how you want to finish it – milk, ghee, or a Vegan twist on the original, coconut cream.

The recipe comes from our Chef Altah Shah of Raga on the Ganges. I’ve dramatically simplified it for you, without, I hope, sacrificing any of its richness because I really don’t want you to miss out on this Punjabi treasure.

For those of you pressed for time, I’ve given quantities for pre-cooked beans. Of course we should all cook from scratch, but lately I have been hearing so many friends tell me they and their families are eating frozen and microwaved “foods” due to time shortages. This breaks my heart and makes me want to run over and prepare weekly meals! I can only hope to make delicious, savory, satisfying meals easier, tempting busy people with wedding feast recipes to be enjoyed as everyday delights.

You can find urad dal at Indian/Asian grocers. Typically whole dal is used, but I was only able to find split urad dal. If you can’t find urad dal at all, replace it with mung or adzuki beans. If you are new to cooking beans,  the kitchn has a great how to article.

If you use precooked beans, look for adzuki in place of the dal. Use 3 cups adzuki with 1 cup kidney bean. Drain and warm them in a saucepan, stir in the sauce and finish with your choice of cream.

When I make this, I use coconut cream instead of milk, since Ayurveda warns that mixing beans and dairy can cause gas, bloating, indigestion. Typically, though, it is milk or cream that is used. The milk makes it creamy without altering its flavor. The coconut has its own distinct taste, of course and makes it sweeter.

Creamy Dal Makhani

Beans
1 c urad dal (black gram)
1/3 c kidney beans
5 c water (or veg broth or a combination of the two)
3-4 garlic cloves or 1 T garlic powder
1 T finely chopped ginger
1 t turmeric
1 pinch hing (asafotida) or hingvastak which can be purchased from Banyan Botanicals

Sauce
4 T ghee or coconut oil
1 t cumin seeds
1/2 t fenugreek seeds (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 T ginger, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 scant t smoked paprika
1 t garam masala powder
2 t pink salt
1 T ghee or olive oil
Coconut cream, yogurt, creme fraiche, sour cream or milk

Soak dal and kidney beans for 24 hours in plenty of water. Drain and rinse. Bring to a gentle simmer with enough water to cover, along with the ginger, garlic, turmeric and cook until beans are soft. Stir in hingvastak.

To make the sauce, heat ghee or oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add cumin seeds and sauté, gently swirling the pan now and then to keep them from burning. As soon as they begin to brown, stir in the fenugreek, onion, ginger, and garlic, and sauté until golden.

Add the red pepper flakes, and sauté another minute. Next stir in the tomatoes and turn up the heat to high. Cook until the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp, stirring often to keep the bottom from browning.

Stir in the paprika, garam masala, and salt, then pour this sauce in with the cooked beans.  Simmer on low heat until the mixture is creamy and well blended. Turn off the heat. Adjust seasonings to taste. Stir in one final spoonful of ghee or olive oil, and a hearty scoop of coconut cream, yogurt, creme fraiche, sour cream, or milk, and serve.

It is a perfect meal with basmati rice (in the final photo below) and greens like palak paneer, or simply with a warm flatbread like chapati or naan.

The Ayurvedic literature gives the benefits of urad dal as: unctuous, promoting positive kapha and pitta, increasing bulk of feces (meaning “high in fiber”), laxative, grounding, warming, strengthening, reducing Vata, sweet in taste, and good for reproductive tissue.

What is your favorite Indian food? Are there any you would like me to write up? Let me know so I can help you help everyone stay healthy, happy and whole.

Love always. Sat Nam. Santé. Namaste! 

Eat Rice: An Imperial Dish

In my early twenties I had a friend whose motto was “Eat Rice.” After having lived and travelled through Asia, he was convinced that rice is not only the key to physical and emotional wellbeing, but that rice-eating societies are more peaceful. His theory was: Eat rice for peace.

Later, he opened a Thai restaurant in SoHo, in New York City. Its name, Kin Khao, means “eat rice.”  It was a fabulously successful restaurant; so much so, that he opened two more Asian restaurants, Kelley & Ping and Bop, each more successful than the last – and all with rice, and rice culture, at their base.

Two summers ago, while visiting my friend Phoebe at her family’s home on Lake Como, one of the children woke up one morning feeling under the weather. Suddenly, from the women there was a chorus of “Mangia bianco!” Or was it “Manga in bianco”? Either way, this young girl, knowingly repeated, “Devo mangiare in bianco.”

Now, I had the good fortune to live in Italy and learn the language at one immensely beautiful time in my life. But I didn’t know what they were talking about. Phoebe explained, “The Italians believe that when you are sick, you should only consume foods that are white, as in rice, chicken, white fish, an apple, plain crackers or bread.”

This article (in Italian) explains it in detail, with an accompanying photo that cites: Riso, classico esempio di piatto per la dieta in bianco; or “Rice, a classic example of a meal according to the white diet.”

Then, last month my husband and I were teaching at Shakti Fest. I love to meet people there and learn about their reasons for attending. It usually reveals the passion of their heart, and causes a sweet soul exchange. This year, I visited with an Indian sage named Nandhi who surprised me with his vision for a more compassionate world.

Did you know that once cows are past child-bearing years they are no longer “useful” for their milk and often then tossed on the streets in India? (I don’t know what we do with them here. I shudder to think.)

Nandhi and a sustainable farming engineer friend of his have begun a collective in India,  where they gather these olds cows and allow them to roam free on the pasture. Not only is it a great humanitarian act, it is beneficial to the farm, as cow dung is one of the best fertilizers there is!

Nandhi’s project is called Ariven. The “Ariven Vision” creates, assists and collaborates to build global sanctuaries for retired animals, cows and oxen in particular. Each sanctuary grows biodynamic organic ‘intelligent’ vegetarian food while sharing its produce with the hungry. Their goal is to emulate this full-cycle sustainability for farms, while feeding hungry people worldwide. And it all has to do with rice!

Ariven’s crop is Imperial Rice. According to their website, “Around 1,500 years ago, during the rule of the Chera and Chola dynasties of Southern India, Imperial Rice was considered a royal food exclusive only to the royal family. And now it is available to all.”

So, maybe rice really is a way to peace.

Rice is, of course partners well with any vegetable, and all legumes. Combining rice, beans and greens is a great fortifying/detoxifying dish, as all ancient people knew. But rice on its own or with a bit of yogurt makes a light, satisfying, anytime meal. You can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and especially any time you are focused on healing, or just want to give your digestive system a rest.

Healing Rice

Rice, 1 cup
Yogurt, half a cup
Black Pepper, fresh cracked to taste
Mint, a handful, torn

Optional: a handful of sesame seeds

Make the rice according to directions on the packet. Once it is done, spoon your serving into a bowl. Stir in the yogurt, crack some fresh pepper over it, add sesame  seeds optionally, and sprinkle with fresh mint. Tuck in and enjoy slowly.

“White food” is usually not bursting with flavors. Instead it is calming. It satisfies the body’s need for nurturance, while going easy on digestion. Rice, in particular, has loads of B vitamins, along with magnesium, manganese, and selenium, so it is calming not just to taste but it’s calming to the mind, nervous system, an upset belly, and maybe, just maybe, an entire organism, even a community, a society, a world?

Rice is considered by Ayurveda to be excellent for Pitta Dosha, as it is cooling (remineralizing). It is also great for Vata Dosha as it is considered one of the prime sweet tastes, and therefore grounding, tonifiying, stabilizing.

People have been eating rice for thousands of years. It is a healing, healthy, nourishing grain. Even Paleo people ate rice, which has been demonstrated by archaeologists who have discovered tools for grinding and cooking. I have rice about once a week. I like it as a light, digestible source of energy – which is one of the reasons it is so good when you are sick.

Curious about rice as a healing food? Dr. Linda Kennedy’s Top 10 Health Benefits of Rice is a quick overview. Confused about rice? Wondering about White v. Brown? Here Ryan Andrews, RD explains.

I have 2 bags of Ariven Imperial Rice, and will mail one each to two commenters randomly picked from below. So tell me, do you like rice? If so, why? What is your favorite rice dish?

Since every purchase of Ariven Imperial Rice supports the Ariven Community, an NPO with a vision for global sanctuaries for retired work animals and sustainable farming globally, I wish I could send one bag to each of you. But if you do believe in rice, peace and a world united by sustainable living practices, I invite you to write Ariven and ask for a sample. Or, join us at Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree this September to pick up a free bag at their booth and learn for yourself about the Ariven vision. It is a beautiful dream of a world where nourishment, bounty and peace prevail, for all.

Eat Rice? Make peace. Jai Ma!

Ginger Brew

Since returning from India, it’s all I want. In fact, I think it’s the reason none of us got sick. 16 people. No one got sick. One wore herself down, needed a day of rest, but that’s not the same as getting sick. Not India sick. Ginger Lemon Honey Tea. Mother Nature’s gold. We drank it every day. And now it is all I want. Since coming home, though, I’m replacing hot water with sparkling. I don’t know why. It’s just what I crave. It seems to help with the jet lag. It also helps with fatigue, ache-y bones, travel sickness, nausea. It is so vata-reducing this drink, it takes straight aim at any imbalances that result from irregularity, hyper mobility, or dryness – all of which describe a trip across the world. So here’s what I’m doing now. It’s a little like the Lemony Ginger Tonic I posted a few years back, but this one is easier to make, and a lot more fun to drink. First, because it is not a cold remedy, so you don’t make it when you are sick but when you are happy, alive with deep, rich memories. Second, it is so fizzy, it will make you dance. It’s elegant enough to serve as a “virgin” cocktail, while its color and sparkle make it a great wake-up spritz for breakfast or brunch. Ginger Lemon Honey Sparkle 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled 1 lemon, juiced 1-2 very generous spoons of raw honey sparkling water Optional: 2 slices of pink grapefruit, peeled, for extra detox zing Put the ginger, lemon juice (and grapefruit optionally) with a bit of water in your high speed blender, and mix on high to really macerate the ginger. Add the honey and blend some more. This time you can mix on low but mix it long enough to really integrate the textures. Fill three-quarters of a glass with sparkling water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the ginger-lemon-honey blend. Enjoy while it is still fizzy. Let me know what you think. It is also great for a Spring detox, and can be used as a cold remedy – but then you’d want to heat it up instead, with non-fizzy water. That’s how we had it in India. Every day. And – did I mention? – no one got sick.

To your best health. May you enjoy of all of Mother Nature’s true gifts.

~

Thanks to Jamie Rollins for photos 4 and 6. More photos from our adventure are here.

Thank you for reading and committing yourself to good health. Every individual is an integral part of the whole and thus makes an important contribution to our integrated wholeness.

Namaste!  

Immunity Spices

near my mother’s home on sunday

How are you handling this arctic blast? Are you staying warm? Is it a challenge or a welcome break for you? I would love to hear – unusual weather has a tendency to draw us closer, so please let us know how you are doing.

Meanwhile, I want to share with you something to help you stay warm and well. But first a little background: In November, we taught on a Holistic Health Cruise, after which I posted this Immunity Spice Recipe as a thank you to those who attended my talk on Ayurveda & the Power of the Six Tastes to Heal. Thing is, I posted it in a semi-private place since it was a gift to them… But it got out and around, and now people are looking for it here on this blog and writing me when they can’t find it. So, especially given the weather around the country, and the fact that winter is cold season anyway, I felt it should get a posting here. I apologize if it is redundant for you, but maybe you’ll appreciate the reminder? I hope wherever you are, you are staying warm, sheltered, safe, and at peace.

---

This Immunity Spice Mix is warming and purifying, with primarily the pungent, astringent and bitter tastes, considered so medicinal in Ayurveda. Try to have a teaspoon, as tea or cooked into your foods, every day.

The spices can be sautéed with ghee or coconut oil before cooking in vegetables, rice, or grains.

You could also add it to boiling water to make a tea ~ As a morning tea, it will rev up your system, encouraging circulation. As a tea to accompany meals, add a splash of lemon juice and a touch of honey and sip warm to strengthen digestion.

I like it as an afternoon tea, with boiled almond milk, a dash of cardamom, maybe a spot of honey, too. You could even add it to your smoothies with a date or two.

Remember: The sweet taste lubricates and tonifies which is important to balance Winter’s Vata. It also helps your body absorb the nutrients of the other tastes, so ghee, milk, dates are all part of the medicine.

A note of caution – this could be stimulative. It’s best to avoid taking near bedtime.

Immunity Spice Mix

• 6 parts ground turmeric
• 3 parts ground cumin
• 3 parts ground coriander
• 6 parts ground fennel
• 1 part powdered, dry ginger
• 1 part ground black pepper
• 1/2 part ground cinnamon

Mix spices together thoroughly. Store in an airtight container. Use within one month.

For Vata Dosha, add a dash of Himalayan pink salt, and a sprinkle of sesame seed.
For Pitta Dosha, replace the cumin with mint or cilantro. Optionally, use cardamom powder instead of black pepper.
For Kapha Dosha, it is perfect all year round. You could even add 1/4 part clove or cayenne.

~

In addition to this immunity spice, you might benefit from one of these make-it-yourself Ayurvedic healing recipes, like the ginger lemon honey cold remedy, pictured here.

***

Please take care. Mother Nature can be an overwhelming power, demanding our respect.

I wish you strong inner fires to can stay warm and healthy in this new year!

our weekend winter wonderland

*Namaste*

Sunshine Soup

It’s all about the light really, isn’t? These holidays ~ Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, New Year’s? Aren’t we all in some way, each in our own way, celebrating light? Its sustenance… its return… its birth… its miracle… its warmth… our dependence on it….

I had a teacher who used to say, “Eat Light. Plants do. Why can’t you?”

In this darkest of seasons, here is a soup of sunlight. With its saffron swirl, it offers vitamins A, D and E to strengthen your color and sight, and selenium to keep your moods sunny and bright. It’s a warm break from winter’s toil, and another good reason to celebrate the return of light, and the approach of a new year.

The brazil nuts offer a rich base note to the carrots’ creamy sweetness, while the tarragon weaves through with a unique pungency, and the orange zest gives that bite of bitter that makes it all beam. It’s so simple, you might be surprised by what a grand dish it makes.

Carrot Tarragon “Sunshine” Soup
Serves 2-3

2 t ghee (or coconut oil)
1/2 t ground turmeric
2 t tarragon, chopped (dried is okay if you can’t find fresh)
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1″ piece of ginger, peeled
1 lb carrots
1/4 t sea or pink salt
1 dash red pepper flakes
2 cups vegetable broth
8-10 brazil nuts, lightly toasted
1 orange

Roughly chop your carrots, onion, garlic, ginger. Grate the orange peel to make about a teaspoon of zest and set aside. Juice the orange and measure out about 1/4 cup.

Melt 1 teaspoon ghee in a sauce pan on low heat. Add the turmeric and 1 teaspoon of the tarragon to the ghee and give it a good swirl. Add the chopped vegetables, red pepper flakes and half the salt. Allow this to “sweat” by cooking on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.

Turn up the heat, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat so it just lightly boils for about 10-15 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.

Put your toasted brazil nuts, and a bit of the soup mixture in a blender and mix until the nuts are completely broken down and throughly integrated. Pour in the rest of the soup and purée. Add water if the consistency is too thick. Pour the purée back into the sauce pan, cover and warm over a low heat.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining ghee in a small saucepan. Add the remaining salt and tarragon. Stir over a very low heat for about one minute. Turn the heat under the soup off. Stir in the orange juice. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with the tarragon “butter” and sprinkle with orange zest. Serve piping hot.

On a recent day devoted to cleaning out the pantry, we had it for lunch with gf crackers and this cilantro pesto. But it’s not just a worker’s lunch. In elegant bowls garnished with a stalk of fresh tarragon, it would be an inspiring starter for a New Year’s dinner. I’m sure Champagne’s sparkle would delightfully pair with this bowl of sunshine.

I wish you a Happy New Year ~
With light and love in every bite!

Rose Lassi Recipe & Ghee Giveaway

Have you ever been to Bhaktifest? It’s a beautiful thing. In addition to Kirtan day and night, fabulous Yoga classes overlooking the desert, divine Yogis everywhere, and a reunion of so many friends, what I love so much about these Festivals is that, more than anywhere outside of Rishikesh, you are surrounded by people who do things that really stir your soul and make your heart sing.

Things like: Combine Classical Indian Dance with Yoga…

Hemalayaa Devi (who is returning to The Sophia Conference in December) | Photo: Jeff Skeirik

Preserve indigenous botanical medicines, while nourishing their ancient place, cultures, traditions…

Organic India and its founder, author of Turmeric, Prashanti de Jager | Photos: organicindiausa.com

Honor highland Peruvian people with sustainable cultivation and importation of unique, adaptogenic super foods…

Imlak’esh Organics | Photos: Owl and Deep Yoga

Or, make ghee for a living.

Matteo Girard Maxon of Ancient Organics straining ghee upper right | Photos: Ancient Organics

Our master teacher Dr. David Frawley says, “The mind is like a wick. Knowledge (Jnana) is like the flame, but Devotion (Bhakti) is the oil (ghee). Without the oil to sustain the flame, it will merely burn up the wick. So too, a mind that does not have that flow of grace or devotion, can be burned up or dried out by the flame of knowledge. We must remember to keep our Soma flowing.”

Photo: Ancient Organics

Since Bhakti is like ghee, how appropriate that this golden nectar has a central presence at a Festival devoted to Bhakti. Having now sampled it, I can say that Ancient Organics Ghee is the very taste of Soma, the flow of Soma made manifest.

You can make ghee at home, of course, but every now and then it is wonderful to have someone make it for you, especially when it is mindfully small batch brewed, nutty in taste and so authentic.

While at Bhaktifest, I picked up a jar of Ancient Organics’ Niter Kibbeh, a ghee cooked with North African spices. It’s fabulous with everything, and would make a unique hostess gift.

Niter Kibbeh Ghee

Matteo Girard Maxon, co-founder of Ancient Organics, is offering a full 16 ounce jar of this Soma to one of our readers. All you have to do is comment below. I’ll randomly pick a name/winner next week. Ancient Organics will ship directly to you.

Beginning the day with ghee!

One thing that kept us returning to the Ancient Organics booth was their Rose Lassi. It was nourishing, cool comfort in that high desert, high summer, dry heat.

Rose Lassi

I’ve tried making it at home, and ended up coming up with two versions. The first is according to Matteo’s instructions, at least so far as I remembered. The second is quick and easy.

It was my first time making rose syrup, and I wanted to make it as healthy as possible, so I adapted it a bit. Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear if you think you can improve upon my efforts.

pink roses gave a creamy color

ROSE LASSI (Click Here for Print Version)
2-4 servings

For the Syrup:

Roses, organic or wild-crafted, 1 dozen
Coconut Sugar, 1/2 cup
Ghee, 1 teaspoon
Water, 1 cup

For the Lassi:

Full-fat Yogurt, 1 cup (or your favorite non-dairy alternative)
Rose Syrup, 1/3 cup
Rose Water, 1 teaspoon
Cardamom powder, 1 good strong shake
Himalayan Pink Salt, 1-2 hearty pinches
Raw Honey, 1 tablespoon
Water, 1/4 cup

Making the Syrup: 1. Rose Petals, 2. Water, 3. Coconut Sugar, 4. Heat

To Make the Rose Syrup:

Put the ghee and coconut sugar in a 1-quart sauce pot, and stir together until melted and combined. Add the petals of all 12 roses and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to keep at a light, slow simmer. Stir occasionally until the mixture reduces to a brown, thin syrup, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool.

I skipped the blender and put it straight into a glass jar but you have to shake, shake, shake!

To Make the Lassi:

In a blender, add the yogurt, rose syrup, rose water, spices, honey and water and blend on a low speed just to break up the yogurt and make it liquidy and smooth. Depending on how you like your lassi, you might want to add more water for a thinner consistency. Taste, adjust to your liking, and serve.

Keep refrigerated for up to three days.

Ancient Organics Rose Lassi was really pink while mine turned out more creamy in color

If that seems like too many steps, you can try this simpler version. It’s almost as good.

Simple Rose Lassi

1 cup of your favorite creamy Yogurt
1 cup water
1 t Rose Water
1 T Raw Organic Honey
1 good shake Cardamom
1 pinch Pink Salt
Petals of 1 Rose

Put it all in a blender and give it a good whirl. Adjust cardamom, rose water, pink salt until it is absolutely like drinking heaven. Enjoy!

With the simpler version, I used red rose petals to give it more color

So, why is Rose Lassi good for you, especially in high sumer, the high desert, or if you have high Pitta? I’ll leave it to the experts at Maharishi Ayurveda to explain, which they do beautifully here.

Yogurt is also great for balancing Vata, and as we enter Autumn, our Vata season, I find myself just craving it. If you’d like to learn more about right diet for Autumn, I invite you to join us for our ten day Autumn Cleanse coming up on October 5th. You can learn about it and register here.

Deep Yoga at Bhakiftest| Photo: Owl

But back to Bhakitfest…

Deep Yoga at Bhaktifest | Photo: Owl

Bhava made this video of our classes at Bhaktifest, which were so juicy thanks to all the Yogis who arrive so ready to give and to love.

Deep Yoga at Bhaktifest | Photo: Owl

We are going to be teaching again at Shaktifest next May. Tickets are half price though September here, if you’d like to join us for this festival of heart. Also, Floracopiea is offering a free webcast today of Dr. Frawley talking about Soma: The Nectar of Rejuvenation. You can access that here.

Karnamrita & Gina Sala | Photo: Lakshmi Grace / facebook.com/lakshmigracedesigns

Hope to see you next May at Shaktifest or next year at Bhaktifest. Meanwhile, as Dr. Frawley says, “Keep your Soma flowing.”

With Hemalayaa

Namaste!

~

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROBYN FIELD WHO WILL BE RECEIVING ANCIENT ORGANICS’ WONDERFUL GHEE! 

Related articles

• How to Make Ghee
• How to Make Coconut Yogurt
• Ten Reasons to have Ghee in Your Kitchen (spice flair.com)
• Rethinking Saturated Fat (drweil.com)
• Shaktifest (sacredpractices.com)
• The Flow of Soma (vedanet.com)

Healing Foods: Keeping Cancer at Bay & Warrior Pose Giveaway

Did I ever tell you that my husband had cancer?

You will already know that, of course, if you follow his Sacred Practices blog, if you take Yoga with us, or if you’ve read his new book, Warrior Pose.

I didn’t know Bhava when he had the cancer. We met one year after his recovery. When we met, I fell head over heels, swoosh, in love.

Every day since, that love is affirmed, strengthened, deepened. I am grateful for a decade now of oceanic bliss, and a vibrant aliveness that grows and expands, even with another birthday just celebrated and time flowing by.

It could be said that this entire site is something of a paean to that love, exemplifying one aspect of a shared life: the foods we love, and the way we love them. Everything that shows up here was made first, lovingly, for him, and sometimes by him, or with him.

So I thought, in honor of his book, his recent birthday, his vibrant aliveness, and the healing that is in Mother Nature’s foods, I’d write a little about our food habits and what we do, as often as we can, to keep the cancer far, far away. It’s a good practice for all of us. I invite you to share it with anyone who could use the guidance and Bhava’s inspiration.

8 Healthy Food Habits to Keep Cancer Away

1. Eat Fresh

You want high energy? Eat high energy foods. Eat foods that “eat the sun,” foods that are locally grown, recently picked, farm to table, lightly cooked or raw.

Bhava and I eat something raw daily. How much depends on the season. But in every season, the food you eat should be as alive as possible. Simply put, make it fresh.

2. Eat Organic

If you have cancer, EVERYTHING YOU EAT has to be organic. No toxins. No microwave. No exceptions.

3. Eat Vegetables

If Mother Earth loves you and food is her way of showing you, vegetables are her super heroes. They have the power to save you, even from your worst habits!

Did you know, as an example, that apart from being startlingly beautiful, artichokes have three unique cancer-dissolving molecules? Try adding a handful of artichoke hearts to your meals, or enjoy this vegan spinach artichoke dip for a healthy snack.

We eat vegetables of every color, shape and size every day, and we eat them chopped, juiced, blended, raw, steamed, lightly sautéed, or baked. We are not shy when it comes to vegetables, nor should you be. Be bold. Try every kind, every which way. Let it be an adventure. Ask your local grower for tips on preparing vegetables you are not familiar with. Allow a relationship to blossom.

4. Eat Brassicas

There is a saying that “Cancer hates cabbage.” In fact, cancer hates the entire cabbage family, called the Brassicas, whose kin include broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, bok choy, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, and watercress.

Numerous scientific studies are finding that Brassicas help fight cancer due to their relatively high content of glucosinolates, which have shown anticarcinogenic properties. In our house, our daily cornucopia of vegetables will always include broccoli, cauliflower, kale or collards. We also enjoy watercress and mustard greens in the Spring.

5. Eat (Blue) Green

Power up your vegetable nutrition by treating yourself to a daily dose of algae. My favorite is spirulina, a fresh water, blue-green algae similar in makeup to the sea vegetables of Japanese cuisine: dulse, kelp, nori, kombu, arame, wakame, and chlorella.

We make a morning fresh pressed Juice or Smoothie four to five days a week, always with a heaping spoonful of spirulina, sometimes with chlorella too, or with the VitaMineralGreens blend of land and sea greens because they give us sample jars every time we go to BhaktiFest, and because it is true quality.

Detoxifying, rejuvenating, immune supporting and liver loving, blue green algaes are a must. Be sure to source well : clean, non-toxic, organically cultivated.

6. Eat Berries

The antioxidants in berries help fight cancers. Bhava has blueberries and strawberries with every breakfast, and I always toss a handful into our Smoothies. Lately, my favorite berry for a Smoothie is the Himalayan Goji. For a sweet treat, add blueberries, raspberries and Goji berries to a Fig Smoothie.

NaturalNews.com

 7.  Eat Turmeric

Oh Turmeric, how do I love thee? Let me count thy ways….

The most researched spice in the world today, turmeric is revered for its cancer-fighting, tumor-reducing potency.

I believe so fervently in turmeric that once, a few years ago, when there was a false suspicion that Bhava’s cancer had returned, a voice inside me silently shouted, “But that’s impossible. Not with all the turmeric he takes!” Turns out that voice was right.

Again, don’t be shy. Add it to everything ~ smoothies, sautés, home-made ghee, almond milk. If you are overly generous, its astringent aftertaste will overpower. But with measure, it goes with anything.

8. Eat, Don’t Eat

Occasional Fasting is good for you. It gives your digestive system a rest, promoting proper metabolism, deep tissue cleanse and proper elimination.  It’s a bit like tidying up your room weekly, or taking the garbage out. Once in a while, we just need to do it. My husband called this his Organic Chemotherapy: Regular 24-hour fasts were central to his healing.

Start by skipping dinner on Mondays. Once you feel comfortable with that, consider skipping breakfast on Tuesday. By lunchtime you will have completed a 24-hour fast. Or, simply reduce your portions. Eat less. Give your body a chance to catch up, a pause to heal.

In the vegetable family, Alliums – onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives – are also widely known for their anti-carcinogenic properties.

I like to focus on the positive. When you choose to eat as nature intended, you enjoy rich flavors, colors, aromas, textures, and an aliveness that excites. But since we are talking about cancer, a life-threatening disease, it is important not to mince words. Here is what not to eat: red meat, pork and poultry, dairy, sugar, processed foods. We know they feed cancer. Best to avoid altogether.

Forever? Maybe not. But until you are recovered, absolutely. A whole food, plant-based diet is essential if you want to reverse chronic disease.

If you need convincing, read the science… Or dive into Warrior Pose, my husband’s true story of overcoming the worst odds: a broken back, a broken spirit, and suddenly “terminal” cancer. I have three copies of this highly acclaimed book to giveaway. Just comment below and you will be added to the drawing. We draw randomly and anonymously, and will pick names from the proverbial hat on Tuesday. Please leave an email address or a way to contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be made public. We love and respect you too much for that.

Wishing you golden health, vibrant aliveness, deep love, and the
clarity to remember: You matter. Live accordingly.

Namaste ! 

~

Congratulation to Warrior Pose book winners Chris, Emma and Anne. We wish all of you could have won, but it is available at Amazon for a bit less than retail, and at libraries across the country.

Related articles

• Fight Cancer with Food (oprah.com/health)
• Is Eating red Meat Dangerous for You? (mindbodygreen.com)
• Healthy Foods That Help Defeat Cancer (healthhealing101.com)
• Beautiful Brassica’s (botany.com)
• Greens and Artichokes Stew (Saveur)

A Few Ideas for Breakfast

Buckwheat Cakes

I have a client who loves Quinoa and spinach for breakfast. It sounds good to me, especially with a light touch of cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and ghee or coconut oil. She adds a splash of GF Tamari. Some days I might add raisins, too.

I like Rice Pudding for breakfast and would definitely add raisins to that. Rice pudding is also a happy home for cooked dates, apples, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, and coconut flakes. I think of rice that way: a happy home for most things.

But what I’ve been having for breakfast lately I’ll say with a whisper, for fear that some of my Ayurveda friends would not approve (“Hot hot, hot,” they repeat, like the Nanny to Eloise).

Almond Butter & Mango

It’s a wake-me-up-with-a-smile plate of sunny mango slathered with earthy almond butter, and a few bite size pieces of grape juice-sweetened ginger. I’m going Paleo, my friends….

Or at least I am enjoying how strikingly the latest craze, the Paleo Diet is such a briliant modern repackaging of the ancient wisdom we call Ayurveda: Eat what you can get your hands on ~ your own hands if you were left out in a jungle, or forest, or open savannah long enough to have to find your own food. In other words, eat food. Real food. Food of every shape, color and size. A wide variety, but mostly plants. Your body will take care of the rest.

A Paleo friend celebrates Super Bowl Sunday with bacon roses | Photo: Marriott

I am not really going Paleo, of course, although I do appreciate its dynamic approach to reducing junk and focusing on high quality. I even like its focus on protein, although its emphasis on animal flesh isn’t for me.

Our 15 year old offers a history lesson: animals weren’t always easy to kill. Many were dangerous and just as likely to kill you. Paleolithic people had to hunt long and hard for their meaty animals, and when they did bring one home after their equivalent of a long day at the office, it was split amongst a tribe of say 10-20 people.

Yes, those were the days when he-men were devoted to the public good: sharing dinner with friends, stoking the communal fires, stewarding and safeguarding the community at large, carrying the heavy load for the womenfolk, teaching the children and contributing to the health and care of all.

I digress. It is easy to get lost in this Paleo wonderland.

So, our Paleo comrades probably did not eat bacon at every meal even if our modern-day Paleo friends would like to. In fact, one scientist suggests that our paleolithic ancestors were far more likely to subsist on tubers and termites!

For us, the simple everyday rule to healthy eating is this: whole food, plant based. The focus on unprocessed is where we celebrate our shared similarities!

Buckwheat Cakes with Yogurt and Honey

Anyway, if you are a Neanderthal, or a HIT (High Intensity Trainer), and you want to really go Paleo, how about making up these quick buckwheat cakes? Topped with a cage-free, organic egg, pesto, a bit of cheddar, or honey and yogurt (non-dairy, of course), it makes a hearty meal for any caveman.

Buckwheat Cakes
Less fluffy than pancakes, and thicker than crepes, these “cakes” are delicious with Almond Butter, Yogurt and Honey, Maple Syrup, pesto and melted cheese. Really, anything that needs a base.  They might even be wonderful drizzled with chocolate. Let your creativity play and let us know what  you discover.

BUCKWHEAT CAKE RECIPE
adapted from Martha Schulman’s Buckwheat Crepes

1/2 cup Almond Milk
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour
1/3 cup Almond Flour/Meal
3 tablespoons melted ghee, or your favorite high heat Oil
Water

Place the milk, eggs and salt in a blender or a bowl. Blend, or whip with a fork to mix thoroughly. Add the flours, then add the oil, and mix well.

Place a 7 to 8-inch pan over medium heat. Brush with ghee or oil. When the pan is hot, remove from the heat and ladle in about 3 tablespoons batter. Tilt or swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly, and return to the heat. Cook until you can easily loosen the edges with a spatula. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Turn onto a plate. Continue until all of the batter is used.

Yield: About 5-6 pancakes

For me, my Almond butter slathered Mangos keeps me happy, daydreaming about the days when were were all swinging through the forest happily gathering mangoes, bananas, and all variety of exotic fruit, as if it were an Eden of delight made just for us. Meanwhile, I give thanks to a modern world where every kind of delicious fruit is just a short walk away, and a modern belly that has had the intelligence to adapt, so I’m not stuck eating tubers and termites!

How do you keep mornings inspired? What do you eat for breakfast? What do you do to maintain strength and energy? I am curious and would love to hear about your creativity and routines.

Salutations and Santé!

~

Melissa Bechter of Vegenista recently joined me for my Ayurvedic Winter Cleanse and shared with me this photograph of the Paleo Pancakes she made on our “Integration Weekend.” Thanks, Melissa!

A Few Healing Remedies

There was a recent discussion amongst Ayurvedic students regarding the flu shot. A number of them said that their preferred choice is not a shot, but a food: garlic. It inspired me to post a few of our own preferred Ayurvedic cold and flu formulas, some with garlic, some without, so you’d have a few of your own home remedies to choose from.

GARLIC

To be or not to be – that is the question for me when it comes to garlic. To include it or eschew it? Ayurveda likes it. Western Ayurvedis seem to love it. After all, Garlic is Kapha-reducing, immune-boosting, antiviral, antibacterial, and touted for its power to shorten the duration of a cold or flu.

But Yogis say no to garlic because it is rajasic-tamasic and, truthfully, you can notice how “sattvic” you feel when you have a complete meal balanced in all six tastes, with no garlic added. Apart from winter days when I feel one of us is getting sick, I avoid it. On the other hand, when a cold is coming on, there is nothing like garlic to snuff it.

Garlic Honey Cold Remedy

1/2 c honey
5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled.

Put the cloves of garlic in a clean, glass jar and cover with the honey. Seal the lid and let sit for 3 days. Do not taste it or try it until at least 72 hours have passed. (I’m warning you. Enough said.) After three days you can eat it by the spoonful.

Since you don’t usually know when you will need it, and when the need arises you won’t want to wait three days (warning: wait!), it’s a good remedy to make up and store in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 1 year.

Check out Nouveau Raw’s version with great research from author Amie Sue ~ including the CDC’s ruling that children under the age of 1 should not be given honey.

I learned this next simplest of remedies ages ago from an Italian Nonna. More recently, in India, I was so sick I didn’t get up, barely even woke up, for over a week. I tried every remedy. Finally, I asked for a garlic clove, did this little trick, and instantly began to improve.

Garlic Sore Throat Remedy

1 unpeeled clove of garlic

Place the unpeeled clove in the back of your mouth, behind your molars, and close down on it. The juices of the garlic will trickle down your throat, killing bacteria. Keep it there for 20 minutes, or until the garlic peel is shredded. You will know when it needs to be removed.

I have to warn you again: this is anti-social behavior. Avoid taking if you must go out. Instead, try it at night before bed. And not to get personal, but if you share your bed, have your sleep mate take it, too!

GINGER

While garlic is superior once the cold has begun, ginger reigns supreme when it comes to maintaining overall wellness in body and mind. Ayurveda has long used ginger to help relieve colds, fevers, headaches, as well as arthritis, digestive disorders, intestinal gas, menstrual cramps, nausea, anxiety, asthma, depression. It is showing benefits in tests for heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, sciatica, ulcerative colitis. Best of all, ginger is sattvic, meaning light, balanced, and peace-promoting, unlike garlic’s anti-social assault.

One simple way to keep a medicinal store of ginger handy is this Lemon Ginger Remedy. It, too, will keep in the refrigerator, but I make it fresh – enough to last a few days covered and sealed on the counter, so it’s never chilled and never taken cold. Come over to our house and you will see little bowls of this, and its variations, scattered about. I am always moving it to keep it in the line of sight: furtive missions to keep the family strong.

Lemon Ginger Cold Remedy

2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled
1-2 T Raw Honey
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
Cinnamon

Chop the ginger into little match-sticks. Place in a small bowl with the raw honey. Put this bowl in a larger bowl filled with hot water and let stand a few minutes until the honey is runny. Remove the bowl and add the lemon juice and cinnamon. Give it a light stir to coat the ginger thoroughly.

Take small bites throughout the day if you are sick, or just before a meal to kindle your digestive fire.

HONEY

Honey is outrageous. An utter miracle. “It has sweetness (madhura rasa) with added astringent as end taste (Kashaya anu rasa). It is heavy (guru guna), dry (ruksha) and cold (sheeta). Its effect on doshas is as follows: It aggravates vata, scrapes kapha and normalizes pitta and rakta. It promotes healing process.” ~ Ashtanga Hridaya

It is also a natural antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant that speeds up the healing process. Last winter I posted this honey based remedy to avoid or dispel winter colds. But another popular remedy is this Honey Ginger Tea, using the same ingredients as above but with hot water to liquefy mucus and help warm the cold.

Honey Ginger Tea

2 inch piece of Ginger, peeled
1-2 T Raw Honey
Juice of half a lemon
Cinnamon

Chop the ginger into chunks and put in a pot of two cups boiling water. Boil gently for about ten minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover and allow it to steep another 10 – 15 minutes. Once it is cooled enough that it wouldn’t burn you if you put a drip on your inner forearm, ladle yourself a cup, add the lemon juice, give it a shake of cinnamon, and stir in the honey. Drink daily in winter, or if you are sick, drink regularly throughout the day.

For a spicier version of this, try our Lemony Ginger Tea.

How about you? What do you do to stay healthy and strong in flu season? Do you have any natural recipes from “Nonna” that you rely on?

~

Wishing you warmth, health and happiness!

Namaste ~

Related articles

• Ginger for the Flu (LiveStrong.com)
• Treatment for Cold and Flu (AlexAyurveda.com)
• Fight Flu with Food (Vital.com)
• Natural Healing Broth (faithfulprovisions.com)

Top Ten Tips for Radiant Health in the New Year

Ayurveda has a unique term, Dinacharya, that means daily habits, or daily rituals. It is unique because it refers to small, personal things we do each day not just to be healthy, but to align ourselves with nature and universal rhythms in ways that bring balance, peace, ease and optimal wellness. Here is a basic dinacharya that will help you stay strong in 2013.

Download PDF: TOP TEN FOR 2013

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Happy New Year! 

Deep Sleep Tonic

This is one of my basic staples ~ great for calming Vata, or any space-y, scattered, restless, anxious, busy, can’t settle down sort of energy. It is such a basic staple that for years I’ve had it on the Basics page. But people were always asking me for the recipe and not finding it there, so I’m posting it here for all to see, share and enjoy.

Rod Stryker of Para Yoga described it to us many years ago, tossing it out casually as something Pandit Rajmani Tigunait gave him after too much work, too much travel, and too much of an overwhelming need for the land of nod.

In translation and over time the recipe may have been modified, so I can’t promise you it is exact according to Ayurvedic tradition (which likes its exactitudes). What I do know is that it is resoundingly, deliciously potent, and seems to work for everyone.

Try taking it an hour before bed for a night of sweet dreams and deep slumber.

As this extraordinary, whole food, medicinal drink came without a name, we nicknamed it Ojas Rasayana. Here’s why:

Ojas is the Ayurveda word for deep nourishment, our underlying reserves of energy. Ojas gives patience, contentment, longevity,  stamina, endurance, strength, stability. In the Autumn, when Vata dominates, Ojas is available to us through seasonal foods like root vegetables, grains, ghee, nuts and seeds, dates, raisins and sweet Autumn fruits.

Rasayana is a grand word used in many contexts, including an entire branch of Ayurveda. Generally it means rejuvenative, and more modernly, anti-aging, stress-reducing. According to Ayurvedic Dr. Vaidya Mishra, “Rasayana is the designation given to special herbs, fruits and spices, or combinations of them, that are particularly renowned for the positive influence they have on overall health, vitality and longevity.”

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The ultimate nourishment, of course, is love, and a delicious tonic like this is a rich reminder that food is a nourishing love story.

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If you do not know what ghee is, where to find it or how to make it, check out this post with a video demonstrating how easy it is to make.

 ~

Gentle Yoga is wonderful in the evening to prepare you for a deep sleep, or any time you want to unwind and come home to yourself. I offer you this gift of a 10 minute, simple practice that can be done any time, any where, and hope it brings you peace.

~

Namaste!

Photos and Illustrations: Getty Images

Please note:  If this tonic does not seem to work for you, it may be a sign of a deeper imbalance, which you might want to take to your health practitioner.

How to Make Coconut Yogurt

I made a 3 minute  video, which you will see below, to show you how I make Coconut Yogurt. It is very simple, and a lovely meditative process, but if you’ve never done it before, it really helps to have someone show you how.

Sugar free, dairy free, delicious, exquisite Coconut Yogurt

First, here is the recipe ~

COCONUT YOGURT

4 Young Coconuts
1 Probiotic tablet

In a blender, thoroughly mix the water of 1 coconut with the meat of 4 coconuts. Pour into a clean bowl and stir in the powder of 1 probiotic tablet. Cover and put in a dehydrator at 110F, or place in a warm, dark place like the top of your toaster set to warm, and leave for a couple of hours. Taste every now and then. Once it is sour, seal well and place in the refrigerator.

After 24 hours, it will be fabulous. Nothing compares.

With pistachio, cardamom and honey, it makes a great breakfast, or snack, in late Autumn/Winter, the Vata seasons.

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Please let us know if you try it, how you make it, and how you like it!

Photo: Jules Clancy of StoneSoup.com

If you do enjoy making your own Yogurt, check out StoneSoup.com for more Yogurt recipes. Author Jules Clancy shares beautiful photos, like the one above, and across her website a variety of sumptuous recipes for a beautiful, healthy life.

~

Namaste! 

Are You Too Sweet? 4 Ways to Reduce Blood Sugar

RePosted from Cooking Up the Cure: Fighting Cancer with Food. 

Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with a number of disease, including inflammation, poor immune function, tumor proliferation, diabetes, headaches and chronic fatigue. Thankfully, there are many foods that help lower your blood sugar. Here are four key ways to maintain good levels.

1. Avoid refined carbs and sweets, including commercially produced whole wheat bread, orange juice, fake butter, and soy milk. Check your labels!

2. Follow the Good Carb Formula, choosing whole grain foods that offer at least 1g. of fiber per 10g. of carb.

3. Avoid eating carbs alone, especially on an empty stomach! Add a protein or healthy fat ~ something like almond butter, coconut oil, sardines, light meat tuna, etc. ~ to balance blood sugar levels.

4. Eat more of these:

Stephen Swain Photography

• Apples with Peel
• Apple cider vinegar
• Avocados
• Barley
• Blueberries
• Chamomile tea
• Chard
• Cherries
• Cinnamon
• Flax-seed Meal
• Garlic
• Goji Berries
• Green tea
• Leeks
• Lemon & Lemon Rind
• Parsley
• Nuts
• Oat Bran
• Olive oil
• Onions
• Raspberries
• Seeds
• Sweet potato
• Yams

Namaste! 

How to Make Ghee

Ayughritam   Ghee is Life

What is Ghee?

The marvelous people at Ancient Organics tell us ~  “In India, ghee has always been a sacred and celebrated symbol of auspiciousness, nourishment and healing; especially in the daily rituals of cooking and worship.”

Ghee is a premium cooking oil celebrated for its taste, nutritional benefits, and medicinal qualities. Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of India, recognizes ghee as an essential part of a balanced diet, and considers it to be the best fat one can eat. Ghee is the very essence of butter; the end result of a long, slow, careful clarification process that removes all the moisture, milk solids and impurities. The absence of milk solids and water in ghee make it completely shelf stable. Ghee has one of the highest flash points (485ºF) which make this oil the best choice for high temperature cooking.”

Making it is simple, but if you’d rather purchase, contact Ancient Organics and see if they can ship to you.

Thanks to my extraordinary husband, Bhavaji who made the video and really is my every day bucket of ghee.

Namaste! 

Dressing Up with Cardamom

What do you feel like eating these days? After all the cake, cookies, bread, rich foods and sweet drinks? I don’t know about you, but in between the holiday celebrations I want plain and simple: simple to make, simple to eat and, frankly, simple to digest.

So the other day I made this ~

Cheese Melt with Garden Greens & Yogurt Cardamom Dressing

The next day I made this ~

Kichari with our own Garden Greens & Yogurt Cardamom Dressing

And the next day I was so in love with this dressing, I ate it straight from the jar…

Dipped with bread or rolled up greens, it makes a tasty snack

This dressing is divine ~ utterly perfect when you want to eat plain and simple, yet unique and magical enough to accompany any New Year’s Eve dinner.  So here is the most wonderful dressing you will ever make, just in time to celebrate the most wonderful person you are and the most wonderful year you are about to begin.

Freshly ground Cardamom

But first a little about Cardamom:

Cardamom has this special “Prabhav” which is a word that sort of means magic. It is a way of defining herbs and spices that have a special potency, or a very unique intelligence that our own terrific human intelligence can’t easily explain or categorize. In the case of Cardamom, it has this particular way of strengthening digestion, while helping to increase moisture throughout the body. If you think about it, that means that Cardamom simultaneously kindles your fire while watering your system. Since water usually extinguishes fire, that seems like magic to me.

Plus, it is so medicinal while tasting so incredibly other-worldy. Because it is warm and moist, cardamom is excellent for Vata, meaning any place, season, time or person in which the Air element is dominant, a condition which shows up as windy, cold, dry, erratic or scattered. Cardamom warms, grounds, hydrates, soothes and improves digestion ~ especially helpful after the holidays, no?

Ground Cardamom gives this Dressing its Prabhav

It’s best to purchase Cardamom in pods, not only because these tiny flowers of ginger are gorgeous but because once ground, flavor escapes quickly. When ready to use, peel open the pods, shake out the seeds and grind. Use a mortar and pestle ~ the seeds submit easily. A spice mill or coffee grinder will do just fine, as well.

Once you make this Dressing you can keep it in a tightly covered jar in the fridge or a week, although it is delicious on everything, so it is not likely to last. And remember that to be Ayurvedic, salad follows the main course, of course!  

Click on Recipe for a Print Version

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Finally, I want to thank you for journeying with me through the Ayurvedic kitchen this year. In 2012, I plan to travel the world, so to speak, exploring diverse culinary traditions and adapting recipes according to Ayurvedic wisdom to enhance wellness. The working title is Six Tasting the World. Let me know what you think.

I hope you will join me on this great adventure, starting in January by first establishing the basics. Meanwhile, I wish you a safe, happy, and fulfilling New Year celebration.

See you in the New Year.  Namaste! 

4 Ways to Manage Peri-Menopause with Food

Flaxseeds

Heard of perimenopausal rage? So many women have been asking me lately for help with this issue that when I saw this article from Kate Geagan, author of Go Green: Get Lean, I had to repost it. Her suggestions are not only helpful for Hot Mamas, they are important health habits for all.

4 Ways to Manage Perimenopause through Diet

Kate Geagan

by Kate Geagan, MS, RD

I remember when my mother hit menopause, she started sporting a button that said, “I’m out of estrogen and I have a gun.” She was, needless to say, joking, but our entire family tiptoed on eggshells until the button came off. While women across the globe know that “The Change” lies somewhere in their future, replete with varying degrees of physical and emotional shifts, most women are shocked to learn that there’s actually another stage many of us hit before then: perimenopause.

If menopause is defined by a single event (a woman’s last period), perimenopause is a bit less “pinpoint -able” as it refers instead to the time before menopause (anywhere from 2 to 10 years) during which the ovaries begin reducing hormone production. The result is fluctuating levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can set off emotional changes ranging from mild to mentally unhinged. This latter symptom in particular, which Dr. Oz recently talked about as “perimenopausal rage,” is described by many women as a propensity toward unexpected, heightened anger or a vulnerability to more volatile emotional outbursts, even when the moment before you were cool as a cucumber.

While your health-care provider is your best ally to help you manage your hormones, here are a few dietary strategies that may help keep you from feeling the need to reach for a button of your own.

Eliminate Key “Hot Spot” Triggers

Think of Hippocrate’s advice: “First, do no harm.” Sugar, caffeine and alcohol are three compounds in the diet that can exaggerate any hormonal symptoms, igniting a cocktail of emotions when stress is added.  If your blood sugar is sky high after a donut, or your body’s “fight or flight” stress response is over-activated from a mega-jolt of caffeine, you may be creating a perfect storm for that emotional rollercoaster. And while alcohol may seem to settle your nerves in the moment, overdoing it can have lingering effects on your edginess the next day. Eliminate these three things in your diet and you can often see a difference almost immediately.

Omega-3-rich Foods

Happy brain chemistry is dependent on getting adequate amounts of omega-3s in the diet, as research has linked adequate omega-3s in the diet with better moods and lower rates of depression. The brain particularly loves DHA, a key omega-3 fat in the brain which comprises 50% by weight of some brain cells. Enjoy at least two servings of fatty fish each week like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, barramundi or bluefish weekly to naturally include some of nature’s richest sources of omega-3s. Snack on one ounce of walnuts, which packs a day’s worth of omega-3s in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Or drizzle two tablespoons of ground flaxseed or one tablespoon cold pressed flax oil on your morning bowl of oatmeal for an added boost. If you absolutely don’t like fish, consider taking a USP certified fish oil supplement (the USP certification will ensure good manufacturing practices). Of course, be sure to check with your health-care provider before adding any new supplements to your regimen.

Load Up on Legumes

Beans and lentils are superfoods which offer several benefits to women going through either perimenopause or menopause. Why? The combo of high fiber and protein help to keep blood sugar stable longer after meals and snacks, providing a nice buffer against those “mood swings within minutes” that many perimenopausal women describe. They also score high points for being low in calories, which helps women in their 40s and 50s maintain a healthy body weight during what is typically a time of creeping weight gain (metabolism can slow as women lose lean muscle mass if they are not involved in strength training). Legumes are also rich in B-complex vitamins, including folate and B6, which serve as cofactors for enzymes involved with estrogen metabolism. Aim to include at least one cup per day (a half-cup provides about 7 grams of protein): Enjoy a cup of pasta fagioli or lentil soup with a green salad for lunch, simmer a pot of three-bean chili this weekend, or savor French, green or red lentils (they’re tinier and more delicate) as your next side dish along grilled fish or chicken.

Think About Adding Some Soy

Should you start stocking up on soy products to help you stay cool as things heat up? Possibly, depending on your personal family history. Some evidence suggests that soy might help thanks to the phytoestrogens that soybeans contain. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant compounds that can mimic the body’s own estrogen by binding to certain estrogen receptors, potentially helping your body ease through the loss of your own source of estrogen. Though they are about 1000 times weaker than regular estrogen, there is some evidence to suggests that including 2-3 servings of soy food daily may help reduce the severity of hot flashes, protect against bone loss and heart disease, and reduce your risk of breast cancer (a half-cup of roasted soy nuts or edamame as a snack, or a half-cup of tofu in your stir fry all count as one serving). For that, it may be worth a try to see if you start feeling better after a month or two of adding soy to your diet. However, there have also been some studies which have found no added benefit, and adding soy may be contraindicated if you have a personal or family history of estrogen-sensitive cancers like breast cancer, so be sure to talk with your doctor first.

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If you are going through “The Change,” I hope this helps you. If this would help someone you know, please forward it. Women are the preservers of life. Anything we do to support any woman anywhere, creates a better world for all.

Namaste!