Monday, December 29, 2014

Optimize your Digestion

“Food that is eaten is divided three-fold. The gross part becomes waste. The middle part becomes flesh. The subtle part becomes the mind.” -Chandogya Upanishads

Choose 2-3 of the following healthy eating practices to incorporate into your meal rituals. Keeping a food journal to record your conscious eating experiences may help you become more aware of how these simple practices can transform how you digest your food and nourish the mind, body, spirit.

  • Sit quietly for a few minutes before and after each meal.
  • Eat in a quiet, settled, comfortable environment.
  • Never eat when you are upset.
  • Always sit down to eat.
  • Eat only when you are hungry.
  • Pay attention to your internal signals.
  • Eat at a comfortable pace, an stay conscious while eating.
  • Don’t engage in other activities while eating.
  • Include all six tastes in every meal.
  • Eat freshly prepared foods. Lightly cooked foods are preferable to raw or over-cooked foods.
  • Favor plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and healthy fats.
  • Finish chewing and swallowing what’s in your mouth before taking another bite.
  • Chew solid food until it is liquid before swallowing.
  • Swish your liquid food in your mouth as if “chewing,” and then swallow.
  • Minimize ice cold foods/beverages.
  • Sip warm water with your meals.
  • Stop eating when you are satisfied.
  • Digest the previous meal before starting the next one.
  • Allow intervals of 2-3 hours for light meals and 4-6 hours for full meals.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Gift of Taste!

Experience all six tastes at every meal!
“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” -Hippocrates

     Ayurveda identifies six basic tastes, each of which has a specific influence on your mind/body physiology. Ideal nutrition results from choosing foods with suitable tastes that are prepared appropriately and eaten in a nourishing environment. To feel satisfied and ensure that every food group and nutrient is represented, experience all six tastes at every meal. If all six tastes are not present,  you may feel unsatisfied after our meal and experience additional cravings.

Include more of the tastes that pacify your current Elemental Nature imbalance.
  • To pacify the elements of Infinity/Air, favor sweet, sour and salty tastes.
  • To pacify the lament of Fire, favor sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
  • To pacify the elements of Water/Earth, favor pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. 

SWEET 
* Predominant in our diet * Most nutritive *build body tissue
Chicken, fish, starchy vegetables, sweet fruits, milk, butter, grains, pasta, rice, bread, oils, honey

SOUR   
* Increase appetite * Promote digestion, * Facilitate passing of gas * Add interest to other flavors
Citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, pickled foods, salad dressing,  yogurt, cheese

SALTY  
* Mildly laxative and sedative * Promote digestion
Salted meats fish sea vegetables, table salt,  soy sauce

PUNGENT 
* Stimulate digestion and secretions * Clear congestion
Chilies, peppers, onions, radishes, horseradish, garlic, salsa, cayenne, black pepper, cloves, cumin ginger, mustard

BITTER  
* Anti-inflammatory * Detoxifying
Leafy vegetables, green and yellow vegetables, beets, broccoli, celery, kale,sprouts, turmeric

ASTRINGENT 
* Drying * Compact the system
Cabbage, cauliflower, green apples,  pears, pomegranates, grape skins, lentils, dried beans, nuts, tea


Merry Christmas!! And Happy New Year!! From all of us at Pure Essence

Monday, December 15, 2014

Restoring Balance Year-round

Monday, December 8, 2014

AVEDA Stress-Fix Collection

Monday, December 1, 2014

Holiday Makeup Tips

Two looks are classic and hot right now:
* Smokey, shimmery eye paired with light lips
* Deep red lips balanced with a light eye
Shimmer is in this year, as it was last year, and it's the perfect festive looks as long as you don't overload on the shimmer.