Podcasts about kaphas

As we continue with our theme of strength

As intuitives, you may think initially that if something doesn't feel good, you need to run in the opposite direction

This season brings the utimate joy in our lives, but I also notice that this is the time of year that my boundaries are tested the most. I love to indulge but overindulging leaves me feeling heavy. I love hanging out with family and friends but when I neglate my alone time, I feel disconnected from my intuition. So I am breaking down how we can still experience the bliss of the holidays while also staying in balanced. In this episode, I cover:

Happy Healthy Hadlee is an expert in Ayurveda and the dosha's and today she's sharing her top nutrition tips for Kaphas! If you don't know what dosha is most prominent for you - go take the quiz now: https://drnicolecain.com/welcome-dosha-quiz/ Here's what you can expect in this episode: What is kapha? Qualities of anxiety with kapha Intuitive eating tips for kapha (HOW to eat) The emotional work kapha's may need to do How to balance kapha in the ways you are eating List of foods to get unstuck from the mud The ways to prepare foods for kapha Hadlee's take on mushrooms for the doshas List of foods that will aggravate kaphas Go back and listen to the episodes on Pitta and Vata as well!   Dr. Nicole Cain, ND MA is a nationally renowned expert in natural mental health, helping people transform their mental health naturally by uncovering the root cause. She has been published by Salon Magazine, Well + Good, Psychology Today, quoted in Forbes and more!    Happy Healthy Hadlee is an Ayurvedic expert, academic, healer and her mission is to teach people how to transform their habits, health, bodies, energy, confidence, and all of the other things in order to lead less stressed and more joyful lives.   Resources: Dr. Cain's Free Resources Holistic Wellness Collective - Monthly Membership Work one-on-one with Dr. Nicole Cain Hadlee's Happy Healthy Habits Program   Current On-Demand Courses: The Anxiety Breakthrough Program Ayurveda: The Key to Your Success  Gut Health Course Medication Tapering Course Vagus Nerve Reset Program Natural Solutions for Bipolar Disorder Course Natural Solutions for Depression Course Liver Health Course High Libido Life (For Women)   Follow Dr. Nicole Cain, ND MA on: Instagram Facebook  YouTube DrNicoleCain.com   Follow Happy Healthy Hadlee on: Instagram Facebook HappyHealthyHadlee.com     Disclaimer: This podcast was created by Dr. Nicole Cain, ND, MA for educational purposes only. These are the opinions of Dr. Nicole Cain, ND, MA and should not be taken as the “definitive opinion” or “absolute medical opinion” on any subject. This podcast is not a substitute for medical, psychological, counseling or any other sort of professional care. Consumption of these materials is for your own education and any medical, psychological, or professional care decisions should be made between you and your primary care doctor or another provider that you are engaged with.    

En Ayurvéda, il existe 3 types de personnes : les Vatas, les Pittas et les Kaphas. Dans cet extrait, Rita nous explique ces 3 profils et comment découvrir le votre. Extrait issu de l'épisode 10. Ayurvéda ou “Connaissance de la vie” Pour écouter l'épisode en entier : https://audmns.com/xcsLpiJ Une note 5⭐️ et un petit commentaire sur Apple Podcast ou Spotify aide beaucoup ❤️ Merci de continuer à me suivre, toujours ouverte à vos retours

In which the author talks about how to see. Ayurveda divides us into three phenotypes: vata, pitta and kapha. Vatas have acute hearing and enjoy the sense of touch— if my memory serves right. Pittas have acute vision and enjoy the sense of smell. Kaphas have acute taste and enjoy the sense of touch. As a classic vata, I have acute hearing, as a result of which I'm very sensitive to the sound of birds. As I write this, I hear three birds: a wagtail, a bulbul, and a parakeet. This can become a curse when I hear the sound of a bird that I cannot identify. I obsess about it and go to an app called "Bird Calls," that is loaded on my phone to try to figure it out. It has to do with a way of seeing that is cultivable but not necessarily common. If you have it; that's a gift. Some people can see owls just by walking past. The trick to quick identification is observing size and shape, colour patterns, behavior and habitat according to this website. I have still not cultivated this way of seeing yet. Mostly I stare at a tree where the bird-calls emanate from and wait for movement. I cannot drive by birds on telephone poles and quickly identify them. Where I score is with the sound. Once I hear and identify a bird by it call, I never forget it. Even now, I can wake up and listen to the trill of a Kingfisher calling at a distance and know that it is in my neighborhood. I know the rosy starlings who have migrated from Tajikistan by their excited cheep-cheeps; the bulbul, by its sweet piercing whistle that echoes around my building; and the wagtail by its loud call, unusual for a bird so small. My bird watching happens through the day. Usually, when I'm bored or have nothing to do, I pick up my binoculars and look out. Usually I see something. There was the time when it was raining. I trained my binoculars on a Ficus tree, and found a golden oriole perched on the top. It did the most amazing thing. It circled and went upside down on the branch, almost as if it wanted the rain to wet its underside. It had been a terribly hot day. As I stood in doors and watched the oriole enjoy the water drops, I felt like doing the same. In another branch, a black drongo (Dicurus macrocercus) sat perfectly sit, enduring the rain that was pouring on its black head. In the beginning, with blind ambition, I decided that I would memorize the Latin names for all the bird species that I saw. I have given up that endeavor now. It is complicated enough to keep track of the markings and learn the common names. This then is the other learning that will occur: spotting minor differences between birds that belong to the same species: white cheeked barbet, gray-headed barbet, coppersmith barbet, blue-throated barbet, you get the picture. They all belong to the Megalaima species. It doesn't come easy but I struggle at it anyways. Slowly and surely, like a tortoise, I'm climbing up the hill of taxonomy and nature watching.

Let's dig into the Ayurvedic concept of tridosha, or Vata, Pitta and Kapha, a system of categorization based on the five elements that can help us understand our health challenges better, and keep us balanced! I use this a lot in my clinical practice as an herbalist. Today we will talk about strategies, including herbs, to keep Vata dosha in check, but this episode will be useful to Kaphas and Pittas also. Vata can "corrupt" any dosha, and it increases as we age, so we will all get our share of it eventually. Pacifying Vata, or any dosha, is a daily task for balanced health and fulfillment in life! Get access to exclusive videos and posts through my ko-fi donation site (like Patreon). For the price of a cup of coffee (or herbal tea in this case!) you get my cold and flu protocol with all herbs and dosages that I posted a few weeks ago, and a video with my deep dive into Ginger, which is such a versatile and tasty herb! I show you how I make my ginger tea and other preparations and we discuss the many benefits, from immunity, over throat ache to migraines! Last week's video was about Astragalus and my favorite and very tasty way to take it and this week I show you my beautiful flowering almond trees and the medicine that hides in them. If you join my membership program on ko-fi (monthly donation), you get access to all of these and future videos and posts, which are created to help you on your herbal learning journey and to inspire you. Let me be your guide and teacher! Thank you so much for supporting the creation of this podcast and of my Youtube Channel! We are also starting with our case studies, this is the middle tier of the ko-fi membership, which is a very accessible way to get actual personalized health advice on a problem, which could be about your own or a friend's health issue. This is an amazing opportunity to look over the shoulder of a practicing, clinical herbalist, and watch me going through the assessment process and creating a personalized, real herbal health protocol for somebody (this could be you!). Or I can help you to identify your dosha and how to balance it! We can all learn so much from this! YouTube Channel: Herbal Help by Tamara Follow me on Instagram: herbal.help If you like the show please let others know and write me a review! You can rate me on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, Castbox, Audible Podcast Addict and more, and it's super easy, just click on this link. You can enter the drawing to win a free health consultation package, just send me an email after writing the review and let me know that you want to get a chance to win! Online Health Consultations are available through my website: www.herbalhelp.net Send me a message through the contact form on my website. I love to hear from my listeners and get feedback! What herb would you like me to discuss next on this podcast? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downtoearthherbalism/message

We all want to find our purpose in life and move forward with authenticity, but how exactly do we make that happen? If you’re feeling lost or you’re not really sure that you’re heading down the right path, you won’t want to miss our conversation with a wise old soul who happens to be in a modern body that loves to dance.   Joining us today is our inspiring friend Sahara Rose Ketabi. Sahara is a best-selling author, thought leader, podcast host, inspirational speaker, founder of Rose Gold Goddesses, Ayurveda expert, DJ, and dance enthusiast. Sahara works to take ancient wisdom and make it modern and relatable, and she does it in a way that is going to leave you feeling inspired!   In our conversation, she defines each of the three doshas and explains how they impact every part of your life, from your workout style to your eating habits. She shares amazing insights into why we do the things we do and steps we can take to be more authentic in our relationships. And finally, Sahara offers insights from her newest book, Discover Your Dharma, and how doing so allows you to fully express who you really are.   This conversation was filled with aha moments for both of us, from how we show up at work to how we show up in the bedroom. You won’t want to miss all of the fantastic practical tips that you can start right now to make real change in your energy levels, your productivity, and your life.   IGNTD Specials: IGNTD Live Online Groups (Free for 14 Days) IGNTD Subscription ($43 per month & 30 days of Live Groups included) IGNTD “Once an Addict” Campaign   Topics Discussed: [:35] Philosophie Superfoods benefits our family, and it can benefit yours, too! [2:22] About today’s episode with our inspiring guest Sahara Rose Ketabi. [6:20] Sahara Rose introduces herself and how she applies the ayurvedic language in a modern society. [8:02] Adi and Sophie share their results from the Dosha quiz — and they couldn’t be more different! [9:14] Sahara defines Dosha, Pitta, Kapha, and Vata and how each variation helps us show up in the world. [11:27] Adi relates to Pitta and Sophie relates to Kapha, and they still ended up together. [13:44] Understanding the exploration phase of a relationship compared to the commitment phase, and how sexuality is affected by each. [15:50] Spicy foods and intense workouts are just a few favorites of the Pitta. [17:19] Sahara explains why the Kapha aims for balance and grounded causes and needs to set clear boundaries. [21:20] Navigating friction in the bedroom from the perspective of the Dosha. [23:36] Sahara elaborates on the importance of valuing differences in the dynamics between Pittas, Kaphas, and Vatas. [28:58] Our journey from devastation to greater communication, understanding, and commitment. [33:05] Sophie shares how the Vata energy of L.A. feeds her soul. [34:05] Sahara walks us through the different phases of the Dosha over the course of a life. [35:42] When did Sahara find her own self that is comfortable with twerking on TikTok? [39:05] Sahara shares her Dosha as well as her husband’s and what brings them together! [41:02] What are the warning elements that are hinting you’re getting out of balance? [43:47] Physical signs that you have too much Vata in your body and tips to help you do something about it. [46:44] Overcome low-grade anxiety by connecting with Pitta energy and nourishing your body with superfoods. [49:27] Sahara explains what feelings of excess fire can feel like in your body and brain. [51:58] Perfection is selfishness and only keeps you from living your best life. [54:40] The low-energy feelings that come with Kapha and how it keeps you from living your truth. [56:53] Sophie is a Kapha? She explains the lessons she’s learned from watching other people make mistakes. [59:06] Oprah is one of the best examples of a powerful Kapha. [59:50] Sahara elaborates on her new book All About Dharma and the big questions that people are asking themselves. [1:01:15] “I need your advice.” What people ask for your advice about shows what you embody most. [1:06:00] Finding your purpose in a world that doesn’t support you. [1:10:40] What is the best advice Sahara has ever received? [1:11:26] One of Sahara’s proudest moments to-date. [1:11:59] What have been some of Sahara’s hardest moments? [1:12:42] Some of the self-care rituals that keep Sahara aligned. [1:13:30] What ignites Sahara? [1:14:00] Thanks to Sahara for joining the podcast and sharing her gifts with the world. [1:14:45] Be sure to screenshot this podcast and share any of the aha moments you had during this episode by tagging us and Sahara Rose and sharing on social media!   Mentioned in this Episode: Sahara Rose Discover Your Dharma: A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose, by Sahara Rose Ketabi Sahara Rose’s Dosha Quiz Sahara Rose on Instagram Philosophie Superfoods Use code IGNTD to stock up on your favorites!   Find out more about IGNTD: IGNTD.com IGNTD.libysn.com   Subscribe to the Podcast iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify   Follow us on Social Media! Facebook: IGNTD Instagram: @IGNTD.me Sophie’s Instagram: @Sophie.Jaffe Adi’s Instagram: @DrAdiJaffe   If you enjoyed this podcast… Please let us know what you want to hear about! Tell us in the comments or send us an email at info@igntd.com.   About Our Sponsor: Philosophie Superfoods The Philosophie offers cleanses and other nutritional products that are unlike any of the other supplements and detoxification programs on the market. Why? Because they actually nourish the body with whole, live, nutrient-rich foods. Each of the Philosophie superfoods and protein blends is vegan, raw, gluten-free, and has absolutely no filler ingredients. Use code IGNTD to stock up on your favorites this holiday season!

This is a relaxation for Kapha. Since the Kapha dosha is already fair relaxed and chill, I decided to keep your Kapha dosha more alert and vibrant. It is a short practice because Kaphas need more energising and more thought provoking activity...so even the end will create some form of like or dislike to wind Kapha up a bit. (hee,hee!) Take The Dosha Life quiz and see what is dominant for you today! click here!  www.yogaayurvedaliving.com                                        www.instagram.com/thedoshalife/CREDITS: Great thanks and kudos to the creative ideas and behind the scenes go to Leah Wilmot on all things creative for The Dosha Life including the logo.  For the final edits and future graphic art work go with thanks and hugs to Laura Lowry. Further details of either of these great young women contact me. xA whole lot of gratitude to the Cafe Creek Band and their royalty free "Happy Song". Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thedoshalife)

Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele. This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com. Today Dr. Michele explains "Why Taking Care of Your Five Senses is Vital to Feeling Young." I hope you enjoy the show! About Dr. Michele: As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yin yoga teacher, anatomy & physiology professor, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program. She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For 25 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health. Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine. Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health. Show Notes: In Ayurveda, it is believed that there are 3 causes of disease: making poor choices, using your senses improperly, and living out of rhythm. This week's habit, caring for your five senses, deals with the second one. When you are not taking care of your Sense Organs, it’s called Asatmen-driy-artha Sam-yoga, or “Using Your Senses Poorly.” When we make unwise choices, we confuse our senses. Astmaya means inappropriate, indriya means sense organs, artha means the objects of the senses, and samyoga means to combine or to link. It's a mouthful that packs a punch, I know. So let's unpack it, starting with inappropriate. You and I both know what taking an appropriate or inappropriate action feels like. If you're attentive to your body, you know when music is too aggressive, food too processed, or your eyes too tired to read the screen. Disregard your senses and you create disease in your body, your mind, your relationships, and/or in your spiritual life. That is asatmen-driy-artha sam-yoga in a nutshell -- our senses interacting inappropriately with specific things. Respect the wisdom and sensitivity of your senses. But, which specific things are appropriate to interact with? Our senses are delicate instruments able to discriminate between that which brings long-lasting balance and that which is damaging. Pay very close attention to what you taste, see, hear, feel, and smell. Notice what delights and nurtures your senses. Tune into your senses to learn. Your senses will tell you when they've had enough. Your job is to pay attention and respond appropriately. If you continually make smart choices that respect the wisdom of your senses, you won't have a problem with the second cause of disease. When you make inappropriate choices, you confuse or damage your senses. Confusion blocks the flow of consciousness. Damage destroys consciousness. Making decisions from an unconscious place will destroy you over time. We need to understand why sense organ care is such an important habit. Your senses are how you perceive the world. We all know that taste, sight, smell, touch, sound is how we take in the world around us. We know this, but on some level we forget that these are instruments. And that these instruments are extremely sensitive. And that sensitivity is how we learn what we want to connect with, what we want to merge ourselves with, our consciousness with. And yet we disregard our senses. We are often too tired but we are still reading or watching something. Our tongue may taste food and say oh, this doesn’t taste this good, but we swallow it anyway. Or we have a coating on our tongue so we can’t taste food that accurately. Sometimes we listen to music but it’s not really resonating with us but we don’t turn it off. Or sometimes the news is on in the background but we leave it on in the background even though it’s driving it us. Or we don’t update our relationship agreements or deal with our relationship issues even though they are making noise in our presence. These are some of the things that we have to deal with and pay more attention to on the yogic path or on the body wisdom path.  We are preventing disease in the Ayurvedic manner. We are attuning to learning from our experiences which relates to the #1 cause of disease, Prajna-paradha which is “Making negligent choices” or  making poor choices or not learning from your experiences. So if you’re tired and you go to bed too late and then you do it again tomorrow, that is Prajna-paradha. The idea is that we are offending ourself, we are hurting ourself, we are trespassing against ourself. We are not correcting behavior today based on what we learned yesterday. The second cause of disease is disrespecting our senses, or not keeping our senses really clear, super sharp, and learning from our senses as we get older. And the third cause of disease is living out of rhythm with the cosmic clock, living out of rhythm with the seasons and the times of life. We have talked about this a lot with the other habits. Back to working on the senses. We know that the senses are super subtle instruments. If we pay attention to the senses, we will naturally be attune to the life that we really want to live by knowing what we want to take in through our eyes, through what we touch, through what we hear, through what we taste, through what we smell. And we start to live more and more through our senses. We wake up in a little bit to our more mammalian animal self. How do we do this? How do we attune our senses and up-level our self-care as we age? Each sense organ corresponds to one of the 5 elements. The tongue is water, the ears are ether, the eyes are fire, the skin is air, and smell is earth. If your tongue is dry, you can’t taste. If you put your hands over your ears and take out that space element, you can’t hear. If you’re in the dark with no fiery light of the sun, you cannot see. The sense of smell is your oldest sense, it is the most primitive sense, it has the most memory. We can recognize smells from our earliest memories. Let’s start by looking at the tongue. We want to scrape our tongues every morning before we drink water. You can get a tongue scraper from a grocery store or online from yogahealer.com/banyan or banyan.com. This is where the tiny habits come in. Use these little practices to trigger other habits. You can habit stack your habits in the morning like this: I wake up, I go to the bathroom to urinate, then I scrape my tongue, then I drink my water. Why do we need to scrape our tongue? Scraping your tongue enables you to Take stock of your health Remove bacteria from your mouth Prevent bad breath Prevent oral decay Detox your mouth Stimulate digestion + elimination Crave healthy foods Taste more accurately The tongue itself is a map of the organ system of the body: the heart, the lungs, the liver, the spleen, the kidneys, the stomach, the intestines, the pancreas. It’s all laid out on a tongue map. There are nadis or energetic pathways that connect the tongue to the corresponding organs. As you scrape, you stimulate the pathway. So on the other end of the nadi, it gets the action of scraping which is stimulating. So we scrape our tongue and as we scrape our tongue, we are taking stock of our health. What do we want to see? What are we looking for exactly? Are there different patterns and patches on your tongue? If there is a big patch on your tongue, look at a tongue map to see where that corresponds on your tongue. If there is a big patch of yellow goop over the intestines, then you know that you have ama in your GI tract. If you’re aware of that and you scrape it off, that will provide the function of stimulating digestion and elimination.  We also want to look at the sides that correspond to the kidneys that are stressed out. It may mean you have some adrenal fatigue going on. If you’re relying too much on caffeine or sugar or stimulants or alcohol, it is telling you to pay attention. We can also see malabsorption going on by looking at the edges of your tongue. It will look like scallops. It’s teeth marks that go along the edge. Look for cracks on your tongue. This corresponds to a vata imbalance, especially if there are multiple cracks. Look at stress level. Look at if you are eating meals regularly at the same times every day. Do you need more sleep? Do you need more time sitting in silence? Do you need to eat more of a vata pacifying diet or have more a vata pacifying lifestyle? This is all about rhythm and regularity. If the tongue shakes and you can’t hold it still, this means there is excess movement in the nervous system which can become anxiety. It is also a sign of a vata imbalance. Also look at excess caffeine or too many stimulants in your diet which can cause excess movement in your nerves. Look for too much frothiness around the front sides of your tongue. This is a sign of too much kapha in the lungs, which is mucus, heaviness and dampness. So you may want to have a cup of ginger tea. Look at big patches on the tongue. Look to see where they correspond  on the map of the tongue. If your tongue looks really red and dry and has cracks, there is a pitta imbalance. There is too much heat and not enough moisture or kapha. If your tongue is really sensitive or has canker sores, this is another sign that there is a pitta imbalance. A Kapha imbalance is more pale, coated, and watery. Vata will look dried out. Pitta tongues will look more inflamed. A deep crack down the center of your tongue corresponds to your spine. The very front of your tongue is the crown of your head. The back of the tongue corresponds to your root. Know your tongue. Your kids should know their tongue. You want to see how much goop you’re pulling off of your tongue in the morning. This is a sign of ama, or undigested food in your GI tract. Maybe you ate too late, maybe you’re in a detox phase, or maybe you overloaded your gut. These are signs that you have ama so you’ll want to drink a ginger tea and follow all of the other habits so that you can get back into rhythm and stop developing ama. Your tongue is responsible for absorbing and tasting all of the 6 tastes in your diet. Another practice we can do for oral care and our tongue is Oil Pulling. You can do it any time of day when you haven’t eaten for an hour, but a lot of people like to do it in the morning before breakfast. It’s bizarre at first because it’s a practice that most of us are not used to doing. How to Oil Pull: Why are we doing this? Oil pulling can start to pull some of the ama out of the other senses. Our skin will improve on our face, it loosens up goop in our throat, it can improve hearing, it can pull mucus out of our sinuses and into our mouth (then you spit it out). If 20 minutes is way too long, use a Kaizen approach. Maybe it’s only going to be a 2 minute practice for you in the beginning for a month. It only takes a few seconds to put the little scoop of oil in your mouth. Another Kaizen move with oil pulling is to start with a tiny bit of oil. Oil pulling will also whiten your teeth and make them stronger and less sensitive to temperature. Your gums will also feel healthier. In Ayurveda, we have an oil for every orifice in the body. Let’s move on to the nostrils. There are two nasal care practices: Nasal Rinsing and Nasal Oiling. Nasal rinsing helps to get the goop out of your nasal cavities. Do it until snot stops coming out. Sometimes it’s superficial snot and sometimes it’s deeper snot. It’s important for kids who are full of mucus and Kaphas who tend to be more mucus-y. This works better in prevention, not if you have a sinus infection or a cold or flu.  Parents can teach their kids how to do it using a rhino horn in 5 minutes. Bring your chin toward your chest and lift your neti pot or rhino horn. Let gravity do the work. Use 2 fingers to blow the nose. Kids love to notice how their bodies work. Water can go into the throat when the head isn’t aligned horizontally or is tilted back. Tilt your head forward, chin to shoulder, nose to crown aligned horizontally. Lift the pot up and let gravity feed the water down. It's good to get the snot out of the nasal passages for snotty kids and kapha adults because extra snot trapped up there traps bacteria and viruses, but well lubricated nasal passages are a good barrier to bacteria. It can be done everyday during the season or for just a few days until they’re snot free. Its also a sign that their diet should be cleaned up by first removing dairy and wheat. Start to connect diet with snot. A teaspoon of seasalt mixed with warm water is all you need. If the neti pot comes with its own little spoon, then use that to measure the sea salt. If you are a very dry vata, then this might not be the best practice for you. Nasya, or nasal oiling, would be better for you. Nasya is applying oil into the nostrils. You can use an eye dropper to drop a few drops of oil into the nostril. What kind of oil should be used for nasya? Use what you have, but a good oil to use is sesame oil mixed with essential oils such as tulsi, peppermint, coriander, and eucalyptus. You can also buy a special nasya oil. You can buy the Sinus Lube nasya oil from shop.yogahealer.com. Different nasya oils have different qualities; some are better for vatas, some are better for pittas, and some are better for Kaphas. The practice remains the same to just use the lubricant into the nostrils. If we have dried snot or crust in our nose, we just need more lubrication. We can just do a few drops in the morning or before bed every day. When kids pick their nose a lot, its because theres a lot of dried mucus up there. The nasal hairs can then do their job better. If you do too much nasya oil, it can come out in your mouth so just be aware of that. If you have sinus issues, you can find an Ayurvedic practitioner to do a full nasya treatment for you. It’s a pretty amazing experience. Benefits of Nasya: Balance your mind and emotions Clear your nervous system Optimize your breathing and pranic absorption Clear debris from your nasal passages Strengthen your immune function In terms of a Kaizen approach here, choose if you are going to do a nasya practice or are you going to do a neti pot? And just work that into your morning routine. If you work in a place with a lot of dust like construction or if you hike a lot on dusty trails, then you should do the neti pot. It will help you breathe a lot better. If you swim or surf in the ocean, you are already getting the effect of the neti pot with the salt water. Today Dr. Michele explains "Why Taking Care of Your Five Senses is Vital to Feeling Young." Now let’s move on to eyes. Our eyes can get really tired in today’s world. So let’s talk about some Eye Care Practices. Let’s do it together, unless youre driving. 1. The first one is called Figure 8’s: Roll your eyes in figure 8’s for 10 slow easy breaths. This simple therapy increases the flexibility of your extra-ocular muscles. Smile and relax while you do your eye exercises which releases tension in your eyes. Don’t over do it. If you feel strain in your eyes at all, back off. 2. The next one is called Palming: Rub your hands together to generate heat. Place your right fingers on top of your left fingers. Gently place your hands over your eyes, applying no pressure. Relax for 10-15 breaths to release unnecessary tension from your body. Notice the darkness and the light pressure. You are giving your eyes a little break. You are now pulsating between lightness and darkness. Notice if your body starts to relax. You might yawn and feel a deeper relaxation. Now let go of your hands and simply notice if your body is more relaxed. 3. Next, we are going to Zoom Out: This exercise is recommended especially for individuals who suffer from computer vision syndrome, but it can also help relax the eyes after any other strenuous activity. Choose an object that is located six to ten meters away from you, and focus on it for about twenty seconds, without moving your head. Doing so provides rest to the ciliary muscles that we tend to put a lot of stress on when we focus intensely on the computer screen. 4. Now we are going to Zoom in: This simple (and somewhat hilarious) exercise can be performed by holding a pencil in front of you at arm’s length, then slowly moving the arm closer to the nose, while focusing your eyes on the tip of the pencil. The goal is to bring the tip of pencil as close to the nose as possible, until your eyes can’t keep focus. Doing this exercise ten times in a row helps improve eye movement control and strengthens the eye muscles. 5. Next is Repeated blinking: This simple action, that we often take for granted, plays a vital role in eye health and vision — it replenishes the tear film that covers the surface of the eye (the cornea), lubricating it and protecting it against dryness, dust particles and other irritants. Some research shows that when we watch TV or use the computer, we tend to blink less, which dries and irritates the eyes, potentially causing headaches and other types of discomfort. Blinking every three or four seconds for about a minute is thought to help reduce eye strain by clearing the cornea and allowing the eyes to rest. 6. Finally we are going to Look At The Horizon: We are going to look outside, so if you are inside you may want to stand by a window. You are going to look as far as your eyes can see. What do you see on the horizon? You may be able to see the mountains miles away or you may only be able to see the building across the street and the sky. If that’s the case, look at where the building meets the sky. You may be able to look up and see the clouds which are also miles and miles away. Allow your eyes to zone out or space out. It’s really important to look at nature like mountains, the sky, clouds. We want to take in elements straight from the elements. As you do this, release your eyeball into the back of the eye socket, just as you did with Palming. It should feel relaxed, not strained or bugged out. So we just did a few minutes of eye practices, we did not spend a huge amount of time on them. If you’re someone who uses the computer a lot, pulsate your work on the computer with spacing out and looking at the horizon. Set a buzzer for an hour when you’re working or every 20 minutes and just stand up from your desk, walk to a window, and look at the horizon. There is another eye therapy that you can do at home using eye goggles and organic ghee. Melt the ghee to body temperature, fill your goggles with the ghee, lay down with your head on a towel, and open your eyes. This is a great therapy that lets your eyes relax backward, it’s great for anyone with dry eyes, it’s very nourishing and amazing to experience. You can do it as often as you want. Don’t do it if you’ve had eye surgery. You can also do this practice at an Ayurvedic clinic or spa using a dough dam called Netra Basti therapy. It’s placed over the eye and ghee is poured into it. It is usually done after another therapy like a massage or a full body steam. The goggles version is like a home version of this. Let’s move on to the ears now. There is a simple therapy of putting warm sesame oil into the ears. Put an old towel under the head. It’s an amazing therapy at the seasonal junctures. The ears are ether. They are extremely light. This is a very deeply nourishing therapy for the ears. It’s more of a water earth therapy, so it’s very grounding; it decreases sensitivity throughout the entire NS. It is a very subtle and sublime therapy. You can also do it by putting a few drops of oil on your fingertips as you do your self-massage. Then put your fingertips into the ears and do a few little circles with your fingers. It opens up the cervical lymphatics. You’ll be able to oil your ears in a faster way. If you have kids, do this practice every month. Have them lay there for 3 minutes, then flip over and do the other side. Make sure you have an old towel under their head. We already covered Skin, or touch, in the habit of self-massage in Episode #83 because it’s such a big habit. Doing each of the other sense organ care practices doesn’t take you much time at all, except in the very beginning when you are learning how to do them. Doing tongue scraping is only going to take you 10 seconds, neti pot is only going to take a minute, putting a few drops of oil in your ears is only going to take you a few seconds, eye care practices is only going to take a minute or two. Pick out what you want to do now. Which one can you do now easiest? Which one can you start incorporating into your day now? Remember that your little habits are always triggered by something else like brushing your teeth or sitting down at your computer. So write down right now which one of these microhabits of sense organ care are the most important to you and which ones you can start doing right now this month. Click here for: Your 5 Senses Tip Sheet. Namaste, Dr. Michele ****************************** If there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com or schedule a coaching call with me so we can dive deeper to find out what is going on and come up with a plan of action for you: drmichele.com/schedule Today’s show was brought to you by the Body Wisdom Membership Program. For more information, head on over to my website drmichele.com and click on the JOIN NOW or WORK WITH ME tab. All of the information is there about my group programs as well as 1:1 coaching. If you have questions about your health that you would like me to answer on air, you can email them to me or go to my website drmichele.com/get in touch to contact my team. If you have questions you’d like to discuss with me directly, sign up for a coaching call at drmichele.com/schedule.

Water + Earth = Kapha. Our Ayurveda intro series continues! Find out more about the stable and nurturing qualities of Kapha and how to thrive as this dosha. Tune into the podcast!   What you’ll get out of tuning in: What is Kapha dosha. What are Kapha imbalances. How Kapha types thrive.   Links Mentioned in Episode: Check out our Ayurvedic tip sheets Take a Dosha Quiz Living Ayurveda training   Show Highlights: Cate likens Kapha energy to that of pond life. Cate describes her Kapha husband and sister.  Cate explains why calming Kapha isn’t necessary. Timestamps:   9:18 Qualities of Kapha.  10:06 Physical traits of Kapha types.  18:07 Kapha imbalances.  22:23 Best food practices for Kaphas. Favorite Quotes:  “Yoga is the path of enlightenment. Ayurveda is the path of thrive in body mind and spirit.” - Cate Stillman. “Kaphas are blessed with endurance.” - Cate Stillman “Emotionally people like hanging out with Kaphas. They’re mellow, they’re calm, they're reflective. They can listen, like really listen.” - Cate Stillman “The more we understand our nature and our tendencies that bring us out of balance, the better we’re able to actually cultivate the opposite.” - Cate Stillman “Kaphas work is to become a flowing river.” - Cate Stillman “When Kaphas go out of balance it comes from not doing enough. It comes from not being as involved in the world. It comes from not being physical.” - Cate Stillman    

Welcome to The Ayurveda Glow Podcast, a show dedicated to helping you live your healthiest, happiest life, stay balanced in mind, body and spirit, and glow from the inside out by applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda to your everyday, modern life. I'm your host, Katrina, an Ayurvedic Health Counselor & plant-based nutrition advocate based in Santa Monica, California. Through this podcast, I'll be sharing with you what I'm learning in the areas of plant-based nutrition, sleep, yoga, meditation and a variety of holistic mind-body approaches to optimal health. I aim to explore each of these areas through the lens of Ayurveda. If you are new to Ayurveda and wondering what it's all about, be sure to check out episode 002, “What is Ayurveda?” where I shared the origins and core concepts of Ayurveda, one of the world's oldest holistic health systems that originated in India and has been practiced for over 5000 years.  One of the things I appreciate most about Ayurveda is that it's all about personalized wellbeing. It's for this reason that in Ayurveda, there's no one-size-fits-all diet, fitness plan, nutrition plan, lifestyle plan or health or healing plan. Everything must be personalized because no two people are exactly the same.  In this episode, I want to share three core concepts that support Ayurveda's personalized approach to well-being. These concepts can help us to keep our mind and body in balance, stay healthy and achieve our highest potential. Specifically, I want to talk about the doshas, the five elements, and the Ayurvedic principle of “like attracts like”, which teaches that we can restore balance in the mind and body by applying opposing qualities to a condition. Let's dive in! First, let's talk about the doshas. You may have heard the word dosha. Dosha is a Sanskrit word that means energy. In Ayurveda, there are 3 doshas or energies within the body called Vata, Pitta and Kapha.  The doshas also represent unique mind-body types and we can use our understaning of the doshas to better understand ourselves. This understanding gives us the insight we need to keep our mind and body in balance so that we can stay healthy and thrive. Speaking of the doshas, Vata dosha is known as the Wind Energy. Pitta dosha is known as the Fire Energy. And, Kapha dosha is known as the Earth Energy. I'll circle back on each of these doshas in more depth in a moment.  For now, I just want to share that you can think of the doshas as being a mind-body type that is unique to you, determined at conception and provides a blueprint for optimal health that stays constant throughout your life.  The more you understand your dosha or mind-body type, the more you'll understand how to take care of your mind and body so that you stay in balance and thrive. Okay, so there are three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Again, I'll circle back on each of these in a moment. Next up is the concept of the five elements. Ayurveda teaches that everything that exists is made up of the five elements that we experience all around us. The elements are: earth, water, air, fire, and ether (or space). Like everything, the doshas are also made up of the five elements.  It's important to note that the five elements refer to more than just the tangible elements in their physical form. The five elements also represent ideas – they are symbolic metaphors that help us to understand the building blocks of everything that exists.  EARTH: Earth, for example, is dense, heavy and grounding. It's the idea of stability and solidity. A rock, a piece of wood or metal is infused with earth energy. In the body, earth represents our physical structure. In the mind, earth represents mental stability. WATER: Water is fluid and cool. It represents the idea of flow, liquidity and cohesion. In the body, water represents fluids. In the mind, water represents gentle, loving and compassionate emotions. FIRE: Fire is hot and powerful. It represents the idea of transformation. In the body, fire governs digestion. In the mind, it governs perception. AIR: Air element is also referred to as the Wind element – it's light, and moving, like our breath. Air is the energy behind all motion. In the body, air element represents the movement of nerve impulses and movement of the breath and limbs. In the mind, air is the energy that moves thought. ETHER: Ether is the idea of Space or connectedness. It's the space within us when we meditate or still our minds. In the body, ether represents the empty spaces that exist. In the mind, ether represents consciousness. So that's a quick overview of the elements.  Everything in nature, including each of us, is made up of all five elements at once, but the element that is most dominant determines the characteristics that will be expressed. This is where the doshas Vata, Pitta, and Kapha come in. One person may have a dominant Vata dosha with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual characteristics that characterize Vata dosha, and someone else may have a dominant Pitta dosha with characteristics unique to Pitta. No one is entirely one dosha. We all have all three doshas but one dosha or more may dominate. Ayurveda teaches that optimal health occurs when the doshas are in balance. For this reason, the dosha that is out of balance is always the one that's treated. Okay, so let's talk about the three doshas or mind-body types called Vata, Pitta and Kapha! And, most importantly, how you may be able to recognize these doshas in yourself so that you can give your body what it needs to stay in balance, optimize your energy, and thrive. First up is, VATA. Vata dosha is made up of air and ether elements and is often called the Wind dosha because it's just like wind – cold, dry, light, mobile and moving. Vata is the energy in the body that is responsible for all motion.  When Vata energy is in balance, the movements of the body are graceful, unimpeded, and controlled. If you have excess vata, it means you have too much wind energy.  A few signs of excess vata in the body are: gas, excessive bloating, constipation, tremors or twitches or a tendency to feel cold. In addition, excess Vata shows up as dry skin, frizzy or dry hair or dry, cracked nails. The doshas also reveal themselves in the mind. For example, a vata imbalance may show up as having racing thoughts, feeling easily overwhelmed, not being able to stop worrying, having a hard time falling to sleep, or anxiety. To counteract any of these conditions or tendencies, Ayurveda teaches that you can help bring Vata back into balance by introducing the opposite qualities of Vata into your lifestyle or diet.  For example, if you recognize the characteristics of Vata dosha in yourself, you can help yourself stay in balance by infusing practices that provide more grounding energy into your lifestyle. Introducing grounding activities is helpful because they oppose the Vata qualities of being cold, light, dry and mobile. If you recognize Vata dosha in yourself, some grounding activities to keep you balanced include spending time in nature, eating meals at regular times throughout the day, going to sleep and waking up at the same time and committing to moderate exercise like yoga or a walking each day. All of these activities help ground Vata's light, airy, mobile energy and can help you stay balanced and healthy. Also, because Vata dosha is characterized as being cold, light, dry and mobile, the best foods keep Vata dosha balanced are foods that are warm, oily, and moist. Foods that are sweet, sour or salty are also best to keep Vata balanced. Think grounding foods like warm soups, root vegetables like sweet potatoes, avocados, or warm stews. And sweet, heavier foods like mango, dates, squash or pumpkin. Okay, so that's a brief overview of Vata dosha, how it shows up in the mind and body and a few ways to keep yourself in balance if you recognize Vata dosha in yourself. Next up is Pitta. PITTA: Pitta is known as the Fire dosha – it's hot, fiery, transformative and responsible for digestion and metabolism. Pitta is made up of fire and water.  If you have excess Pitta in the body, you have excess heat. An example of the signs of a Pitta imbalance in the body include experiencing a fever, heartburn, ulcers, skin rashes, acne or red, bloodshot eyes.  In the mind, someone with a Pitta temperament is ambitious, driven and gets things done. This is great when Pitta dosha is in balance. An excess of Pitta energy in the mind, however, shows up as impatience or anger.  If you recognize the characteristics of Pitta dosha in yourself, one important way to stay balanced and keep Pitta in check is to stick to a regular eating schedule throughout the day.  Pittas stay in balance with consistent meal times, preferably eating at least three square meals a day, and preferably in a calm, peaceful environment. This one lifestyle hack of eating consistently is key because Pittas have a strong, fast metabolism. Hunger is a way our body signals us that digestion and metabolism from the previous meal is complete. If you recognize yourself as having a tendency to become “hangry” – hungry and angry – when you skip meals, it's a sign that your digestion is strong which is a characteristic of Pitta dosha.  If being “hangry” sounds familiar to you, you can use this insight to plan ahead and make sure you eat regularly or, if you're on-the-go or traveling, be sure to always have some healthy, Pitta-pacifying snacks on hand. You may want to consider bringing some almonds, fresh fruit, coconut energy balls or another healthy, Pitta-pacifying snack with you so that you're never stuck without something to eat and you can bypass the uncomfortable “hangry” experience. Keep in mind, that because Pitta dosha is characterized by heat, foods that will aggravate Pitta dosha are those that are hot, spicy, extremely sour or overly salted. For this reason, the best foods to keep Pittas balanced are foods that have the opposite qualities. For example, the best foods for Pitta dosha are cool, soothing, and hydrating. Also – foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent will similarly counteract the excess heat of a Pitta imbalance and help alleviate the heat of a Pitta imbalance. If you've ever been to a Thai restaurant and ordered an extra spicy curry with red chilies, as I have, you know that one of the best options to soothe the burning sensation in your mouth is a cool, sweet, creamy Thai ice tea! A Pitta-pacifying lifestyle includes activities that keep you cool in mind and body. A peaceful, soothing, calming environment is also especially beneficial for Pittas.  Okay, so that's a brief overview of the characteristics of Pitta dosha and a few ways to keep yourself in balance if you recognize Pitta dosha in your mind or body. Last but not least, is Kapha! KAPHA: Kapha is known as the Water + Earth dosha because it's made of these elements. Like water and earth, Kapha dosha is defined as being soothing, grounded, cool, moist, stable, and heavy. Kapha is the energy that gives our body structure and stability. Emotionally, Kapha individuals are known for being especially loving and compassionate.  When the body has too much Kapha energy, this excess shows up as weight gain, excess mucus, sluggish digestion, and low energy.  In the mind, excess kapha may show up as stubbornness and lack of motivation.  For example, if you have an excess of kapha dosha, you may feel sluggish and have a hard time waking up in the morning. You may also have a weak digestion, in which case, you may have a tendency to skip meals since you don't feel hungry as often.. Once again, Ayurveda teaches that it's helpful to introduce the opposite qualities to keep Kapha dosha in balance.  Since Kapha is made up of the elements water and earth, it has the qualities of being cool, heavy, and moist. For this reason, if you recognize excess Kapha dosha in yourself, it's helpful to introduce foods into the diet that are light, warm, and dry. Fresh veggies and leafy greens are especially helpful for Kaphas. And – since Kaphas tend to have a weak ability to digest – another Ayurvedic hack is to use warming spices like ginger, black pepper and cinnamon to aid digestion. Okay, so those are just a few examples of food hacks you can incorporate into your diet to keep yourself in balance if you recognize Kapha dosha in your mind or body. Ayurveda teaches that we can support our best health by taking care of all five senses. So it's not just about food. It's also about what we see, hear, touch, smell and taste. With this in mind, a Kapha-balancing lifestyle also includes exercise. Most important is exercise that you enjoy so that you're inspired to get moving. That said, the livelier and more invigorating the exercise, the better. Also, energizing music and warm, spicy smells or aromatherapy are stimulating and therefore, beneficial for Kaphas. So that's a quick summary of the three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. As mentioned, we each have all three doshas within us. But one dosha is often dominant.  Being able to identify the combination of doshas that make up our unique individual constitution can provide us with valuable insight into what our mind and body needs to stay balanced and thrive. As a side note, I just want to share that it's taken me quite a bit of time to wrap my head around the concepts of doshas and five elements. So, if this is new to you, I want to assure you that you're right on track and it may be helpful to listen to this episode more than once. I'll be talking about doshas and other core concepts of Ayurveda in future podcast episodes as well. So with repetition, these concepts and the wisdom they provide should start to sink in and everything will make a lot more sense. This will be especially true as we start to apply the concepts to our own lives. I know for myself this was the case. Okay! So this brings us to the end of this episode.  I'm so excited to share more in future episodes.  As Aristotle once said: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” I'm so grateful that Ayurveda provides us with ancient wisdom to help us to better know ourselves and a holistic set of tools to help us personalize our diet and lifestyle so that we can stay healthy and thrive. I hope you enjoyed this episode. We covered a lot of ground and I'll be building on these concepts and more in future episodes. If you are interested in figuring out your specific mind-body type or dosha and knowing which herbs, foods or diet to use for a specific imbalance, it's best to consult with a Ayurvedic practitioner one-on-one to make sure you are treating the right dosha.  Thank you for joining me today.  To get the latest episodes, please subscribe and if you find this podcast helpful, please share with anyone you think may benefit from it. Also, if you'd like to support this podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your rating and review will help more people to find this podcast. Thank you so much for your support.  Together, we can spread the message of holistic healing and co-create a healthier, happier world.  I'd love to connect with you on Instagram and you can find me there @katrinaheppler. If you have any topics you'd like me to cover on a future episode, please use the hashtag #theayurvedaglow. If you'd like to learn more about my programs and upcoming workshops, please visit my website at katrinah.com. I'll drop links in the show notes below.  Thank you so much for listening. I appreciate you so much. Wishing you a beautiful day. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Show Transcript Learn more @ katrinah.com.  

This is the 2nd part in the Kapha Series — all about understanding the kapha mind. Kaphas are risk-averse, steady, single-focused, slow, patient & thorough. Learn how kaphas can both help and hinder by way of their mind.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele. This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com. Today Dr. Michele discusses "Ayurvedic Guidelines for Healthy Eating." I hope you enjoy the show! About Dr. Michele: As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program. She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health. Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine. Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health. Show Notes: There are a lot of ideas of how we should eat: eat 6 small meals a day, eat 3 meals a day, intermittent fasting, and the Ayurvedic theory of eating according to your dosha. Ayurvedic Theory: It’s based on the GI tract and how your digestive system works.  We create a backlog in the digestive tract if we meal stack, so we shouldn't eat one meal before the previous one is digested. It could look something like this: we have food in the large intestine that we ate 6 hours ago and food in the small intestine that we ate 4 hours ago and now we have food in the stomach that we just ate. This is causing a backup of food. If we eat something, it goes into the GI tract and is now sitting in the stomach being digested. If we then eat a snack a little while later, we have food in different phases of digestion, adding undigested food to partially digested food, which will then cause digestion to slow down and work harder to digest all of the food that are in these different stages of digestion. The problem with this is it doesn’t deal with the law of pulsation, between empty and full. When we have a lot of little frequent pulsations by eating several small meals in a day, we don’t get to experience true emptiness and true fullness. It also has to do with deep peace. There is a stillness that comes from emptiness, and there is a stillness that comes from fullness too. And we can really tell what we want when we’re really hungry. When you don’t know what you want to eat, like when you open the fridge or the pantry door and just stand there looking at the food choices and you can’t decide what to choose, you’re not really hungry; you are eating because of something emotional that’s going on. When you’re truly hungry, you will know what you want to eat and you will eat something. You are in tune with your desire. This is why yogis go into a fast at least twice a year, at the beginning of spring and the beginning of fall. Some of us do it four times a year, with the change of seasons. We detox to awaken our desire. Desire is smart. Smart desire is different from this kind of unsure desire. If you’re having an unsure desire to eat, not knowing what you want to eat or eating too many times in a day, you are just getting bounced around and you may think “oh I’ll just have another snack.” This desire to eat is not coming from being deeply hungry and wanting deep satiation. This is where a lot of cravings and addictions come from because we are not comfortable with the emptiness. We are not feeling that deep peace of stillness and emptiness. If you are not a meal stacker, you know the feeling of being ready to eat, of being ready to receive food, because you are empty. When you are empty, your blood sugar will shift your metabolism into a state of fat metabolism and you will be ready to replenish your blood sugar. With meal stacking, we may have food in all of these phases of digestion, and as these foods build up, there is less energy available for everything else. There is not even enough energy for the food that is coming in to be digested completely. So there is a backup or a traffic jam of food, and we don’t want that feeling. We want a feeling of clarity. Even after we have a big meal, we want to have the feeling of being ready to receive. We don’t want to feel exhausted after a big meal. When food is backed up, what happens next is that there is an accumulation of ama, or toxins. If you are more vata, you will have a vata accumulation in your colon. The feces will get dry and hard, it will push back up and you will end up getting bloating. You can even start having pressure on the heart muscle because there is no room for the heart to drop. When air is trapped, it gets hard. Imagine air in a balloon. When too much air is forced in, the balloon gets really hard. The same thing happens in your digestive tract when air gets trapped. The bloating is so intense that it will hurt and get really hard and feel like cramping. For pittas, there is a different kind of ama accumulation. It will get acidic. Either there will be loose feces if the pitta goes down or heartburn if the pitta goes up. Excess Kapha accumulates in the stomach, and Kapha is associated with heaviness and water and mucus, so there is a buildup of a feeling heaviness in the stomach. So Kapha will have a slow digestion and there won’t be much appetite. Because the entire digestive tract is all surrounded by blood vessels that are trying to get nutrients into the circulation, you can imagine how excess vata gets picked up from the colon and enters the blood as excess air, how excess pitta gets picked up from the small intestine and brings an acidic nature to the blood, and excess kapha gets picked up from the stomach and circulates heavy dense qualities in the blood. The excess vata will come down as gas in the colon through the anus or will go up as bloating as I mentioned before, the excess pitta will come up as hyperacidity or down as loose stool, and the excess kapha show up as excess mucus in the lungs and sinuses. Then the excess doshas will circulate in the blood and enter the mind. Vata will show up as anxiety or a feeling of being ungrounded or overwhelm, pitta will show up as irritation, and kapha will show up as depression or lethargy. And then they move on to the weak points in the body. They can end up in the joints and you wake up feeling ama in the morning as stiff joints. If we feel stiffness in our joints in the morning, this is a good sign that we want to go toward emptiness and we want to do deeper into our digestion to feel lighter. So we might want to start off with a green juice for breakfast, or take in more smoothies and soups, because these are lighter foods. This will allow the doshas to start to clear from the digestive tract. When the doshas build up in the GI tract because we’re meal stacking or because we are not eating at regular times, it’s not good because we are wasting so much energy. The doshas start to over accumulate and circulate in the blood, and then settle in the mind-body. This creates a backlog of stuff like those emotions I mentioned earlier (anxiety, irritation, or depression) in the mind as well. This is the emotional-gut reaction that so many people talk about now, but Ayurveda has known this for over a few thousand years. In terms of the doshas, eat twice a day if you’re kapha and eat 3x a day if you’re pitta or vata. If you’re convalescing or have a really weak digestive system, you can eat 4x a day. We want these pulsations to stabilize our meals. Eat regularly at the same time every day. Then agni (digestive fire) knows when to show up to digest our food. Main agni shows up in the middle of the day around lunchtime, so that is why we want to eat our biggest and heaviest meal for lunch. We want to fast in between meals. We should only be taking in water between meals. This is especially true between the evening meal and breakfast so there is more than 12 hours of fasting occurring during the night, when it is dark. We want to eat in daylight hours. There are some exceptions of course, like in winter when it’s dark before 6pm, that’s a great time to eat easily digestible food like broths, soups, and stews. Again, make sure to eat foods that are harder to digest at lunch when agni is strongest. It may sound straight forward and basic on the surface. Just eat mindfully. When we really do it, we start to see massive shifts. We will have to shift a lot of relationships, even if it is just our relationship with food or our relationship with ourselves and how we spend our time. Eating healthier is a trajectory. We never arrive. We simply become more wise at nourishing the complexity of who we are with the simplicity of our informed habits. Let’s go a little deeper into healthier eating guidelines. It really starts with feeling in touch with what our body wants. Do a body scan. Start with hands on your belly, and feel the breath. This is a simple way to tap into relaxed breathing. The idea is that we are in touch with what is going on inside, like how do I feel, where is my breath moving, how does my belly feel, how does my heart feel, how does my womb feel, how does my brain feel, how does my back feel, what would help me feel better, what emotions are present right now taking space, am I ready to receive or am I full, am I content, if I am ready to receive what am I ready to receive? Start there with the qualities, or the gunas. Am I ready for something that is heavy or light, do I want something that is warm or cool, what tastes would feel good right now, something spicy or sweet, do I want something soothing or energizing? In the most basic way, let’s notice what we really want if we are ready to receive, what does the body really want, let ourselves choose viscerally, trust our cravings, trust the body, be connected, and then enhance the connection. Eating is a celebration, even when our food is simple. These are some basic Ayurvedic healthier eating guidelines: Be hungry. Be ready to receive. Don’t confuse thirst and hunger. Drink room temperature water or warm water between meals to clarify this relationship. Eat really good nutrients for breakfast like a simple cereal or a green smoothie. Start out on track. Eat during daylight hours. Have a satisfying lunch. Notice the prana in your food. Don’t be distracted. Pause and experience gratitude. Love your food and those who prepared it before it becomes your body. Notice the tastes and how they change as they mix with your physiology. If you tend to overeat, focus on getting full with more senses than just your tongue. Or eat a big salad using orange juice for dressing with no fat. Fast between meals, drinking only water. Eat just as much and as frequently as your body needs. Be honest. Vatas eat 4 times per day, Pittas eat 3 times a day, and Kaphas eat 2 times a day. Relax after eating. After a big meal, rest for 15 minutes and then walk. Eat a light dinner, leaving time to digest before bed. Learn about your constitution. Eat for your individual needs. Eat your ecosystem. The outer ecosystem is becoming your inner ecosystem (your body). Simply honor what is happening, and the intelligence of the process will refine itself through you. Prepare your own food. Shop or harvest from your body’s needs and desires. Get on schedule. Eat green. Click here for your: Healthy Eating ebook. Namaste, Dr. Michele ****************************** If there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com or schedule a coaching call with me so we can dive deeper to find out what is going on and come up with a plan of action for you: drmichele.com/schedule Today’s show was brought to you by the Body Wisdom Membership Program. For more information, head on over to my website drmichele.com and click on the JOIN NOW or WORK WITH ME tab. All of the information is there about my group programs as well as 1:1 coaching. If you have questions about your health that you would like me to answer on air, you can email them to me or go to my website drmichele.com/get in touch to contact my team. If you have questions you’d like to discuss with me directly, sign up for a coaching call at drmichele.com/schedule.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele. This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com. Today Dr. Michele answers the question "Why Is Self-Massage So Important?" I hope you enjoy the show! About Dr. Michele: As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program. She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health. Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine. Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health. Show Notes: Why is self-massge so important? Because our hands are healing. In Ayurveda, the left side is the feminine or the goddess, and the right side is the masculine or the god. And we use them both to create unity. Self-massage is a very topical habit, but it is also about creating unity consciousness by bringing all the body parts into one. Self-massage makes your whole body feel better. In Ayurveda, daily self-massage is called Abhyanga and is part of how to have a body. We should be doing it every day. We can change our aging trajectory by doing self-massage every day. We can actually break up scar tissue and increase the flexibility of our skin and joints. What you put on your skin affects how you touch your skin, and how you touch your skin affects how you feel, your self-confidence. From research we know that self-massage helps us feel more grounded in our body, we feel like we have more control of our body, it affects how we age, and it deeply affects self-esteem and how we feel about ourselves. Your identity starts to shift as you get more grounded in the layers of tissues in the body. In Ayurveda, we know that we have 7 layers of tissues, or the 7 dahtus. We are affecting all 7 layers of tissues when we perform self-massage on our body, from the bones to the nerves to the reproductive fluids. This is huge for people dealing with fertility, birth, and even menopause as we start to recycle some of the hormones and fluids of our body. Self-massage affects all the levels of the body and moves stuck energy in all levels of the body, including the subtle body, the physical body, the energy body, the mind, the emotional body, the intuitive body, and the bliss body. For people with low energy, we can do it in a way that energizes the body using vigorous strokes. We can do a dry brush massage to energize the body too. The more you use your hands to touch your body, the more you will know about your body and the more intuitive you will feel. Let’s talk for a minute about the issue of touch. Some people are touch averse and don’t want to touch themselves. It could be from a history of abuse or other psychological or physical issues. If this is true for you, just stay with the feet. Just start here. Do your foot massage with oil before bed every single night. And this habit of self-massage can actually be a healing process for you, beginning with your foot massage and then moving up to your arms and legs and then moving on to using oils mixed with essential oils. You can even make your own body oil (see downloads below).  Dry Brushing: Some people are oil averse and just don’t like oil on their body. If your body is really oily already, you are fine to just dry brush (could be true for Kaphas), but if you are Vata, your skin is probably dry and needs the oil. It stimulates your circulation. Resistance can come up about giving up lotion vs using oil. Our skin absorbs 60% of what we put on our body. Lotions have toxins, carcinogens, pesticides, and preservatives in them so we want to avoid using lotions on our body, especially Vata types with rough dry skin (because they will absorb so much more of it). We want to use oils which are pure and free of these ingredients like raw, virgin organic, cold-pressed, or first cold pressed oils (it hasn’t been through a heat process to change its chemical composition). This also applies to make-up and anything else we put on our skin like sunscreens.  In summary, start with your feet. Make your own oils. Do it everyday, even if it's just for a minute each day. Make it part of your daily routine.  For podcast listeners, I have created some easy-to-follow instructions for you…to help you learn how to massage yourself. This is self-care at the next level! Also included in this instant download is a cheat sheet, showing you how to make your own massage oil. Click here for your: Self-Massage Instructions.   Namaste, Dr. Michele ****************************** If there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at dr.michele.colon@gmail.com or schedule a coaching call with me so we can dive deeper to find out what is going on and come up with a plan of action for you: drmichele.com/schedule Today’s show was brought to you by the Body Wisdom Membership Program. For more information, head on over to my website drmichele.com and click on the JOIN NOW or WORK WITH ME tab. All of the information is there about my group programs as well as 1:1 coaching. If you have questions about your health that you would like me to answer on air, you can email them to me or go to my website drmichele.com/get in touch to contact my team. If you have questions you’d like to discuss with me directly, sign up for a coaching call at drmichele.com/schedule.     Contact Information and Important Links for Dr. Michele: Dr. Michele can be found online or by email. Dr. Michele is currently accepting new 1:1 coaching clients as well as new members into her Body Wisdom Membership Program.  If you have questions about the Body Wisdom Membership Program or about how you can make lifestyles changes to improve your health, check out the Dr. Michele website or sign up for a coaching call with Dr. Michele here: drmichele.com/schedule Namaste, Dr. Michele Here's Where You Find Dr. Michele: website - drmichele.com email - dr.michele.colon@gmail.com twitter - @doctormichele facebook - @doctormichele instagram - @drmichele

Ayurveda says that each dosha requires a slightly different diet. This is where Ayurvedic eating really becomes customized and acts in a way as preventative medicine. If we are eating the right foods for our unique bodies, our minds will thrive, our bodies will function well, and our immunity will be strong! Vatas are very light and airy. They will need foods that are grounding, stabilizing and warm. Since vatas don't have a lot of structure, their food needs to have more structure or they will get weak and their tissues will break down. They need to eat what I call "building" foods. Pittas are slightly oily, hot and sharp. They will also need foods that are cooling, fresh, and mild. They will also need grounding foods but for a different reason — pittas will burn through food quickly, so if it's not substantial enough, they will be hungry (and cranky!) often. Pittas have medium structure and also need "building" foods so their naturally strong digestive fire stays strong, without burning up the tissues. Kaphas are already quite built! They need light, warm, spicy foods to ignite some heat! Kaphas don't need grounding or overly "building" foods because they have that naturally. Too much of those types of foods and kaphas will feel heavy and tend toward weight gain and sluggishness. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Have you subscribed to my podcast? If not, be sure to do that today. I'll be adding some great episodes in the mix to help guide and transform your LIFE! I'd hate for you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! If this episode helped you, I would be so grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Reviews help other people find my podcast and I love to read them and watch your journey unfold. Simply click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what you're learning so far! Thanks and big love! Links mentioned in this episode: In Your Elements BookMonica B's YouTube Channel Dosha Menus

What are Vatas, Pitta and Kaphas like in relationships? How can they relate to one another? What do the combinations look like? I nerd out on one of my FAV topics ever in this Valentine’s Day episode. Receive 15% off Four Sigmatic at foursigmatic.com with code "sahara" Try Vahdam Teas chai sampler by heading over to vahdamteas.com and use coupon code "sahara" for 20% off Take the fertility quiz and receive $20 off your comprehensive fertility kit at modernfertility.com/sahara Receive up to $2250 off my alma mater Institute for Integrative Nutrition, plus How To Write Your Dream Book Course and TWO high-level business coaching webinars with me at http://integrativenutrition.com/sahara Intro + Outro Music: Silent Ganges by Maneesh de Moor Be part of a community that supports you discovering your dharma in Rose Gold Goddesses, the sacred sisterhood collective with community, content, creativity and so much more — learn more about rosegoldgoddesses.com. Discover Your Dosha (Mind-Body Type) with my free quiz: iamsahararose.com Connect with me for daily Ayurvedic and modern spiritual wisdom at Instagram: @iamsahararose Facebook.com/iamsahararose Twitter.com/iamsahararose Order Eat Feel Fresh: A Contemporary Plant-Based Ayurvedic Cookbook and receive my Essential Oils for Your Doshas E-book FREE here: eatfeelfresh.com/book

This is part 3 of a 3-part series on what each Dosha should be focusing on for the New Year! I dive into the lifestyle, food, exercise, self-care and habitual suggestions for each Dosha in my modern Ayurvedic approach. Be sure to listen to all parts to thoroughly understand your Dosha, those around you and recognize that we are all all three Doshas in varying amounts! Intro + Outro Music: Silent Ganges by Maneesh de Moor Be part of a community that supports you discovering your dharma in Rose Gold Goddesses, the sacred sisterhood collective with community, content, creativity and so much more — learn more about rosegoldgoddesses.com. Discover Your Dosha (Mind-Body Type) with my free quiz: iamsahararose.com Connect with me for daily Ayurvedic and modern spiritual wisdom at Instagram: @iamsahararose Facebook.com/iamsahararose Twitter.com/iamsahararose Order Eat Feel Fresh: A Contemporary Plant-Based Ayurvedic Cookbook and receive my Essential Oils for Your Doshas E-book FREE here: eatfeelfresh.com/book

In my Akashic Record Practitioner Training, I had a realization: that always doing is preventing me from creating my best work. I share this realization and how we have to step into our Kaphas and take a sacred pause in order to allow our best ideas to come through. I also share with you my new book on Ayurvedic Entrepreneurship and that I'm heading off to Bali to focus on writing it. I hope this episode inspires you to too take that sacred pause and join me for my 30 Day #DoLessCreateMore Challenge. Be part of a community that supports you discovering your dharma in Rose Gold Goddesses, the sacred sisterhood collective with community, content, creativity and so much more — learn more about rosegoldgoddesses.com. Discover Your Dosha (Mind-Body Type) with my free quiz: iamsahararose.com Connect with me for daily Ayurvedic and modern spiritual wisdom at Instagram: @iamsahararose Facebook.com/iamsahararose Twitter.com/iamsahararose Intro + Outro Music: Silent Ganges by Maneesh de Moor

This episode is a deep-dive on how to balance each Ayurvedic Dosha and a sample of what my Doshas + Dharma 4 Week Virtual Coaching Program is like. I discuss: What Vatas, Pittas and Kaphas are really good at What they could use a little work on How to balance out the Doshas within you for optimal health, radiant living, inner peace and wild success Ayurveda is the world's oldest health system and the sister science of yoga. The premise of Ayurveda is that we are each comprised of three Doshas, or energy types. To discover yours, take my free quiz: http://eatfeelfresh.com/new-quiz My Doshas + Dharma Program is designed to help you get to the root of what it is you are good at (which is part of your Dosha), that you enjoy (also part of your Dosha), that creates abundance (which is necessary to do it full-time) and the world needs (because we always must give back.)  Learn more about my program at https://eatfeelfresh.lpages.co/doshas-dharma-program/ We begin on May 28 and I'm happy to answer any questions you have: sahara@eatfeelfresh.com Be part of a community that supports you discovering your dharma in Rose Gold Goddesses, the sacred sisterhood collective with community, content, creativity and so much more — learn more about rosegoldgoddesses.com. Intro + Outro Music: Silent Ganges by Maneesh de Moor Get 35% off your Youveda supplements with code "sahara" at youveda.com

Author Monica Bloom rejoins NOL to explain how Ayurveda can improve not only the body, but also the mind. She also explains what the heck panchakarma is.   Show Notes  Vata's Vices http://heymonicab.com/vatas-vices/ Pitta's Vices http://heymonicab.com/pittas-vices/ Kaphas's Vices http://heymonicab.com/kaphas-vices/ For a 15% discount on her book In Your Elements: An Ayurvedic Handbook to Customize and Transform Your Life”: (by the way, the link expires soon! This offer doesn't last forever!) https://www.createspace.com/5492389 Type in the special code for NOL listeners: 2LMPTMKS   In-episode ad mention Alpha Levo IQ All-natural supplement with Vitamin B6, B12, folate, zinc and more. Enhances memory and focus! Get 5 FREE bonuses with your first purchase AND help support the production of this podcast! www.alphanol.com

Author Monica Bloom rejoins NOL to explain how Ayurveda can improve not only the body, but also the mind. She also explains what the heck panchakarma is.   Show Notes  Vata’s Vices http://heymonicab.com/vatas-vices/ Pitta’s Vices http://heymonicab.com/pittas-vices/ Kaphas’s Vices http://heymonicab.com/kaphas-vices/ For a 15% discount on her book In Your Elements: An Ayurvedic Handbook to Customize and Transform Your Life”: (by the way, the link expires soon! This offer doesn’t last forever!) https://www.createspace.com/5492389 Type in the special code for NOL listeners: 2LMPTMKS   In-episode ad mention Alpha Levo IQ All-natural supplement with Vitamin B6, B12, folate, zinc and more. Enhances memory and focus! Get 5 FREE bonuses with your first purchase AND help support the production of this podcast! www.alphanol.com