Toxin Fighting Foods For Clear Skin

The food we put inside, shows up outside if it’s not doing any good.

And now with the change of season, our bodies need to adjust.

Here’s a list of toxin fighting foods that will help with clear skin -

1 – tomatoes – rich in Vitamins A & C, nutrients and antioxidants

2 – beets – detoxifies and supports the liver

3 – lemons – helps balance body’s acidity and clears skin

4 – avocado – rich in Vitamin E and great for skin health

5 – fennel – supports digestion and intestinal health

6 – berries – full of antioxidants promoting healthy skin and reducing body stress

7 – sweet potato – contains beta-carotene for intestinal, skin and menstrual cycle

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Foods For A Leaner Body

Summer’s approaching and we all want that lean body!
Guess what?!  Vegetables can help – along with a good amount of water intake, balanced lifestyle, exercise, meditation and a nutritious diet.
Here’s a list of foods you can eat to gain a lean body -

Kale – kale is high in vitamins A, C, and K; manganese, antioxidants and fiber

Lemons – increases bone strength

Almonds – great for the heart and blood sugar levels

Spinach – improves vision, bones, blood pressure, immunity, skin, brain and nervous system

Blueberries – high in antioxidants and helps reduce belly fat

Olive oil – improves skin, complexion and slows the aging process

Parsley – rich in vitamin C, folic acid, iron and beta-carotene

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Rose Water

Rose water is excellent!  I always have a bottle for on the go and at home.  It’s a great Ayurvedic formula to help with soothing, cooling and moisturizing the skin, especially the face.

You can use the rose water in different ways -

• if you have the spray – a couple of spritz on the face will keep you cool and fresh
• if you have the liquid in a bottle – you can take a cotton ball, dab some rose water on it and tap all over face
• you can also take the rose water on a cotton ball and massage all over eye area – this helps with releasing any tension around the area, keeping the area cool and toned
• rose is also known to be balancing the mind and heart – so you should feel just wonderful!
• great for all dosha types - especially pitta 
• best to spray on a hot pitta day - will keep you cool and refreshed 

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The Power Of Triphala

Ama, or toxins accumulate in the body especially when your digestion or elimination is out of balance.  And these days, with all the crap that I’m sure we all eat from time to time, puts our bodies out of balance.  And when out of balance, the body craves to be cleansed.  Signals are given to us when digestion or elimination is not up to par, for example, you may feel fatigue, lack of sleep, foul smell form body, breakouts, etc.  This is where the power of Triphala does the job!

Triphala is made up of 3 powerful fruits – Amalaki, Bibhitaki and Haritaki.  Each of these fruits contain balancing and rejuvenative  qualities known as Rasayana.  Basically, tripahala is a mild laxative and when used over a long period of time, the deepest level of tissues and organs become free of toxins.

Here are some more powerful benefits of triphala -

• purifies the urine
• cleanses and tones the digestive tract
• detoxifies the liver
• clears all channels of circulation
• nourishes eyes and skin
• maintains good cholesterol
• contains anti-inflammatory & anti-viral properties
• maintains regularity
• natural antioxidant

Get your hands on some!

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Powers of Ashwagandha, Neem & Brahmi

Ashwagandha, Neem and Brahmi are just some of the most valuable herbs Ayurveda offers.

• Ashwagandha is great for balancing Vata, which governs all movement in the body.
• it is an adaptogen and promotes stamina and well-being
• supports all nerve impulses
• increases strength in muscles
• supports healthy functioning of the reproductive system
• helps with joint pain
• promotes a good sleep, memory and clear mind

Neem has been around for centuries and is very widely used in India.  In Ayurveda, it is known as a great herb to have a medical effect on the skin.

• Neem is great for balancing Pitta
• helps in the removal of ama and other toxins
• excellent purifier for the blood
• clears blemishes
• helps with psoriasis and other skin problems
• also very nourishing for the hair

Brahmi is one of the mot popular Ayurvedic herbs.  In ancient Vedic literature, it is known that brahmi was used by scholars and students to increase their memory and proper brain functioning.

• Brahmi calms the mind
• supports proper brain functioning
• increases memory
• promotes relaxation
• support consciousness and longevity

Powers of Ashwagandha, Neem & Brahmi

Apple Cider Vinegar & Skin Tag

For so many years, apple cider vinegar has been used as a food and a medicine.  Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, amongst others have used vinegar as an energizing tonic and healer.

Apple cider vinegar helps with the following amongst others -

• acne
• allergies
• nail fungus
• sore throat
• skin problems
• asthma
• sinus infection

But did you know that this can also remove skin tags!?!

Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, organic if possible.  Rub over skin tag.  Apply this around 2-3 times a day.  After some use, you'll see the tag changing color and it will fall off. 

Wonders of Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the most popular ingredients in the kitchen, but it can also be found in the medicine cabinet and even on a night stand.  In fact that it is rich in vitamin E and essential antioxidants, makes it one of the most efficient measures to balance blood pressure levels and cholesterol, to precent heart attacks, cancer and fight aging.  And if you thought that's where its benefits end, you are sorely mistaken.

Here are 25 more uses for this excellent material - the olive oil

1 - to precent snoring - swallow a spoon of olive oil before bed

2 - to reduce stretch marks - massage olive oil before bed

3 - to treat acne - prepare a mix made of 3 table spoons of olive oil with 4 table spoons of sea salt, put on your face for 1-2 minutes.  The mix will clean the pores and keep the moisture of your skin.  Wash with hot water and soap.

4 - to alleviate ear pain - spill one drop of warm olive oil in your ear

5 - to reduce stomach ulcers and pain - mix one table spoon of live oil with a 3/4 cup of citrus juice or vinegar and drink

6 - olive oil can serve as a substitute for shaving cream

7 - to strengthen your fingernails - soap them in a bowl of olive oil

8 - to rehabilitate your skin - to treat dry skin of the hands, elbows and knees, warm a few table spoons of olive oil (until it's luke warm) and smear on the relevant areas.

9 - to treat colds - warm a mixture of 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/3 cup of sesame oil, 4 drops of thyme, 2 drops of rosemary oil and massage the warm mixture on the chest area 

10 - to treat dandruff - massage olive oil into your scalp and leave overnight.  Wash your hair in the mooring and wash with a regular shampoo.  Try this treatment for a week.

11 - to treat dry hair with split ends - warm the oil and smear on scalp for 45 minutes

12 - to treat after hair coloring - soak a soft cotton towel with olive oil and wipe the spotted skin, it may take some time but the color will come off the skin

13 - to prevent hair loss - mix 2 eggs with 2 table spoons of olive oil.  Smear on the scalp and hair for 40 minutes and then wash with cool or luke warm water.  It's recommended to repeat this 3 times a week.

14 - to treat lice - mix 1 table spoon of olive oil with 5 drops of the the tree oil and smear on the scalp for several minutes.  Then comp your hair with a live comb and wash with hot water.

15 - Relieve toothache - mix drops of clove oil with drops of olive oil, in about a ratio of 3:1 and use a cotton ball to put on the aching area.  Not recommended for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. 

16 - remove mascara - drip a bit of olive oil on a cotton ball and wipe the make up from your eyes.

17 - relieve coughing - swallow a spoon of olive oil mixed with a spoon of honey.  Another option is to massage the upper back and chest with the oil at body temperature. 

18 - treating swollen/red gums - wash your mouth with a mix of olive oil and water.

19 - prevent diaper rash - mix 2 spoons of olive oil with a spoon of water and smear on baby's rear

20 - to polish furniture - mix olive oil and lemon juice at a ratio of 2:1.  Use a gentle towel soared in the mix to polish the furniture 

21 - to maintain garden tools - smear a bit of olive oil on garden tools to keep them from accumulating filth and corrosion.

22 - to prevent squeaks - smear some olive oil on screaming hinges to make them silent 

23 - for digestive problems - swallow a spoon of olive oil every morning on an empty stomach.  Another option is to drink a glass of water with a spoon of olive oil and spoon of lemon juice.

24 - to maintain knives - after washing thoroughly with water and soap, wipe the blades well and then use a small amount of olive oil and gentle rub it on the blades with a towel. 

25 - prevent wax from building up in the candlesticks - just drip a bit of olive oil and it won't stick. 

Juicing Greens

My father is obsessed with juicing - fruits and vegetables.
He juices every morning for his family and gets our metabolism on check for the day.

Here are some benefits when juicing greens -

• bone and joints are improved
• improves focus and mental clarity 
• aids in weight loss
• boosts energy
• gives healthier hair, skin and nails
• digestion is improved
• builds a strong immune system
• loaded with nutrition 
• anti-aging 

Natural Skin Remedies

Your face is the first thing a person sees when interacting with you.
There are 20,000 pores on the face.
Majority of the face products that are sold are chemical based which definitely clears the skin to an extent, but in the long run will cause some problem.
I have been putting lemon juice all over my face for about a month now before bed time.  And it's definitely looking good.
Below are some natural skin remedies for you all to try.
Take one from below and apply all over the face once a day, twice a day for better results.

Lemons - removes the skin of dead cells
Turmeric - lightens blemishes and pigmentation
Cucumber - prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles and dry skin
Coconut - wash your face with coconut water - your face will be blemish free
Neem - gets rid of pimples and cleans out pores

Kale

As you all already know, my mother makes us all eat healthy by giving us a variety of fresh vegetables everyday!
We've been eating a lot of kale.
And it's delicious!
Especially the many different ways my mom cooks it.
Here's why we have kale once a week.

(Click on image for larger view)

Cabbage

I eat all my vegetables.
As an Indian, we sure do eat all types of vegetables and my mother cooks them all!
Cabbage is my least favorite so my mom always makes something else along with that.
But I just learned that the sulfur in cabbage gives you radiant skin and hair.
Bring on the cabbage mom!!!

Healing Qualities of Water

When water is properly absorbed by the body, the healing qualities are very positive- 

• enhances glow of skin
• increases stamina
• helps with digestion
• prevents constipation
• releases fatigue
• cooling
• antioxidant
• easy to assimilate
• life giving
• provides satisfaction to all organs
• always helping to fulfill the body

Lemon Water

Drinking one tall glass of lemon water is very beneficial to the body.  And since Ayurveda likes to keep things rolling, purifying the channels of all toxins is very important.

Here are some reasons why drinking lemon water is important:

• purifies the liver
• stimulates the liver
• aids in digestion
• aids in bowels
• helps lower blood pressure
• maintains a higher pH balance in the body
• dilutes uric acid
• reduces phlegm 
• clears the skin
• helps with weight loss
• boosts the immune system
• freshens breath
• promotes energy
• helps with urinary tract infections

For better results - have a glass in the morning. 

Pitta & Coconut Oil

Greetings.

It's almost the month of October and the summer is coming to an end.
I hope you all had a great summer.

Since the weather is transitioning to be a little cooler than the earlier months of summer, we all can still benefit from adapting to our routine to the seasons and following specific guidelines that will help us balance our bodies.

Pitta season is the summer season July - October.  And a lot of us can become aggravated, in the body and or the mind because of the fire and heat from the universe.  Pitta type physical imbalances can occur such as inflammation, skin irritations, heat rashes, diarrhea, etc.  I noticed a rash on my right arm.  It first started out as a minor itch, which later escalated to tiny white bumps and with all the scratching I was doing made it red in color, which in turn aggravated my Pitta.  And since it's the summer time and I needed to cool the Pitta in me, I started to apply coconut oil.  Coconut oil has a cooling effect and improves many skin disorders such as - eczema, fungal infections, heat rashes and acne to name a few.  I'm getting great relief with minor itching and the redness is gong down.  So the next time you have an itch or irritation on the skin, apply some coconut oil and massage for about 10 minutes and let the oil just soak in your skin.  It will definitely cool you down.

Healthy Fun Facts 2 - Chocolate

I love chocolate.
Who doesn't?
And I love putting things into my body that makes sense, serves a purpose, nourishes and heals.
* Please Note * - everything in moderation.

In The Moment. In The Air.

LaGuardia Airport.
American Airlines
Flight # 327.
American Airlines
Flight # 5276.
I’m on my way to Fairfield, Iowa.
The land of the Veda (knowledge).
The place where it all started.
The knowledge,
The people,
The smiles,
The love,
The air.
It’s like magic.
I’m going to be visiting Fairfield, Maharishi University of Management and above all, my dear friends.
Friends that I’ve always kept in touch with since graduation.
Friends that I haven’t seen in 10 years.
It’s a 10 year reunion.
I’m very happy.
Excited,
Anxious,
Nervous,
So shy,
Scared,
And proud of myself for leaving New York and coming here.
I meditated on the plane. 
It was such an effortless meditation.
Gosh.
Sounds.
So many.
Such different sounds.
Seat belts buckling.
Babies crying.
Children laughing.
Cell phone talking.
Food eating.
Soda cans popping.
Plane engine riveting.
Turbulence.
Loud, roar like, thundering in your ear.
Bright white and blue sky.
First class view of the world below me.
Meditative.
Tranquil.
Happy.
And Soft. 
So effortless, natural and peaceful.
I’m grateful. 

Here are a few tips to know when flying -
1 - The dry air in the plane can dehydrate your body tissues causing fatigue, constipation and skin irritation.  Definitely drink plenty of warm/hot water before, during and after. 

2 - Best to avoid any alcohol or carbonated beverages as they are diuretic in nature and can increase dehydration in the body. 

3 - Eat light on the plane.  Our bodies change during altitude and movement in the air which makes digestion and food intake a little difficult.  Try to eat 1-2 hours before take off. 

4 - Try to get up and move around every hour.  This will help with stretching of the body and opening up all the channels. 

5 - Before heading to the airport, try to give yourself a light oil massage.  This will help with opening all the channels of circulation and keeping the skin smooth and not irritated. 

5 - Rest and meditate.