Cherry Blossom 21st April and the cherry blossom is flourishing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Kourtney Nelson

Zodiac Signs: Taurus & Gemini

Dosha Accumulation: Kapha & Pitta primarily, some Vata

Dosha Provocation: kapha during wet, cloudy weather, pitta with hot clear days, vata with large or frequent weather changes and windy days

Gunas Involved: cold-sita, hot-usna, snigdha-oily, heavy-guru, mobile-cala, clear-visada, picchila-cloudy, dry-ruksha, light-laghu

Conditions
April - Average sunrise - 6:30am, average sunset - 7:45pm; Temperature range 62-34, average 53.
May - Average sunrise - 5:45am, average sunset - 8:00pm; Temperature range 71-44, average 61

Weather - Wide range of weather patterns, and large temperature changes. Can be very warm and sunny, or cold. April and May are often some of the wettest months in the year, with snow storms or thunderstorms. May experience windy periods as well.

Recommendations

Diet

Kapha - during late spring Kapha has accumulated is liquefied by the increasing heat, which can disturb the digestive system. Kapha can become provoked during precipitation, snowy days and cloudy rainy days

To minimize Kapha:
Favor:

• warming, drying, and activating foods
• Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes
• Honey and hot herbal teas
• Vegetarian, low-fat diet
• Limit oils - Sesame oil and flax seed oil can be used minimally
• Vegetables, grains, and beans, cooked and well-spiced
• One salad per day
• Whole grain crackers and toasted breads of millet, quinoa, and corn
• Pungent spices: cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, mustard, cloves, celery seed, dill, radish,
• Spiced, cooked fruits
• Cranberry, pomegranate, carrot, grapefruit, and spinach juices can be used in moderation
• Herbal teas 

• Cold, wet, bland foods
• Excessive use of oils, sours, salty
• Too many dairy products (especially yogurt)
• White sugar and too many sweets
• Wheat, oatmeal, unless toasted
• Too many cooling fruits such as banana, dates, mangos, apples and apple juice, especially in winter 

Pitta - During late spring Pitta begins to increase in the body. Pitta can increase or be provoked on warm clear days

• Excessive sour, oily, salty, and fried foods
• Red meat, shellfish fish
• Alcohol, caffeine, and soda pop
• Excessively hot spices, such as cloves, mustard, onion, garlic, chilies, radish, and cayenne.
• Frequent use of acidic fruits, juices, and vegetables: tomatoes, beets, eggplant, corn, carrots, hot leafy greens, papayas, pineapple, citrus (except limes), and vinegar.
• Cashews, peanuts

Vata - During late spring Vata can be aggravated by the highly changeable conditions and dry windy days

To minimize Vata:
Favor:

• Cooked, warm, soupy, moderate to heavy foods, soothing and satisfying
• Plenty of healthy oils (monounsaturates, sesame oil, ghee, butter, nut butters, and EFAs) - avoid hydrogenated oils, other saturated and polyunsaturated oils
• Natural sweet, sour, and salty tastes and flavorful sauces
• Carminative spices such as basil, oregano, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, pippali, coriander, and dill.
• Protein-rich diet of animal products: ghee, warm milk, yogurt, cooked cheese, buttermilk, kefir, eggs, etc, as well as the grains like quinoa, corn, and basmati rice, and easily digested nuts and sesame seeds
• Best fruits and juices: tomato, pomegranate, carrot, fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit, apricot, peach, strawberry, raspberry, and vegetable juices
• Lots of fresh veggies (cooked are easier to digest for Vata): pumpkin, carrots, beets, green leafy veggies, avocado, broccoli, baked potato, winter squash, tomatoes, etc. 

 Reduce or Avoid: 

• Caffeine, white sugar, and soda
• Excessive use of beans and heavy grains (prepare them with ghee and spices)
• Dry foods taken alone, large amounts of raw vegetables
• Taking foods and drinks colder than room temperature  Red meat

Lifestyle

Late spring is a time of changing weather and release of accumulated kapha in the body, so digestion can be especially delicate, it can be especially important to follow agni rules at this time

Agni Recommendations:

• Follow agni rules
• Proper food combining
• Drink ginger tea in the morning (fresh for vata and pitta, dry for kapha)
• Take Agni kindler before meals
• Drink CCF tea after meals

For Kapha:

1. Movement: vigorous exercise daily (ex. jogging, aerobics etc), strength training, engage in new activities and mental challenges
2. Do not skip meals, and do not fast. The Kapha digestive agni tends to be low, as does appetite, and not eating on time slows down the metabolism even more. Start your day with a light breakfast. Eat a sustaining meal at lunch, and a lighter meal for dinner.
3. Vigorous oil massage with warming oil
4. Protect yourself from the damp and cold. Drink lots of warm water, infused with warming spices such as turmeric, dried ginger and black pepper. At-home steam therapy can help open clogged channels.
5. Go to bed early and wake up really early in the morning, 90 minutes before sunrise, do not indulge in daytime snoozes.

For Pitta:

1. Stay cool--both physically and emotionally. Avoid going out in the heat of the day, especially on an empty stomach or after you have eaten tangy or spicy foods. Avoid exercising when it's hot. Walk away from situations that make you see red.
2. Do not skip meals, do not fast and do not wait to eat until you are ravenously hungry. You want to keep the fire burning at a moderate temperature, you don't want to put the fire out or to stoke it too high.
3. Daily oil massage with moderate to cooling oil
4. Water-based activities are ideal exercise for Pitta-dominant people. Try swimming or aqua-aerobics to stay fit but cool. Strolling after sunset, especially along a waterfront, is also a soothing way to fit some leisurely activity into your day.
5. Go to bed early, rise 60 minutes. Make sure to turn off the computer or TV by 10pm and turn the lights out. A cup of warm milk, with some cardamom, can be helpful before bedtime.
6. Balance work and play. Set aside some time for R&R everyday, and do not get so absorbed in a project that you are unable to detach from it.

For Vata:

1. Establish a daily routine. Go to bed and rise at same time (30 min before sunrise). Regulate meal times, eat even if not hungry to establish routine. Don't skip meals.
2. Foods and drinks that nourish
3. Daily oil massage with warming oil such as sesame
4. Light to moderate daily activity (don't over do and exhaust self) - slow classical vinyasa, swimming, dancing, bike riding
5. Keep warm, stay out of wind.

Flatirons with Spring flowers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Image via Wikipedia

By Alakananda Ma

http://www.alandiashram.org

Your hair and your health

Your hair concern may indicate issues with your general health. For example, changes in thyroid function can lead to hair loss, or digestive issues may lead to poor nutrition of your hair roots. To best care for your hair, it is important to follow your practitioner's advice regarding herbs and lifestyle changes as well as pursuing any referrals your practitioner may suggest.

Diet and your hair

Because your hair is nourished and grows from its roots, your diet is an important key to hair health. To support the thickness and appearance of your hair, avoid junk foods such as white sugar, refined flour, trans fats, fast food and bagged snacks. Healthy, attractive hair requires a diet rich in whole grains vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds as well as those legumes and dairy products that are suitable for your constitution. Taking the time to relax, sit down and eat helps maximize the nutritional benefit from your food.  Proper digestion is aided by using spices such as turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and fennel and by drinking spice teas made from cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Your practitioner will guide you as to the specific nutritional guidelines for your body type.

Herbs and your hair

Your hair will be helped not only by external applications but also by herbs taken orally to support your hair roots. Both Healthy Hair and Triphala contain herbs which, according to the Ayurvedic texts, help support the colour and thickness of your hair.

Hair Damage

Although male pattern baldness is a natural process, hair damage can speed the loss of your hair. Tight hard hats or helmets used at work or for recreational activities may damage your hair shafts, as may wearing a hat. Unless your religion obliges you to wear a hat, yarmulke or turban, leave your head uncovered whenever feasible.

Excess shampooing, combing and brushing may be counterproductive and damaging your hair. It is better not to wash your hair daily as the natural oils produced by your scalp nourish your hair. So unless you are being exposed to pollution that collects in your hair, twice a week is a good shampooing routine. Be very gentle with wet hair.  Blow dryers, and rough towels as well as brushing or combing while wet may damage your hair shafts. It is best to pat wet hair gently and wrap it in an absorbent towel. After it begins to dry, comb it out gently with a wide toothed comb.

Hair Care

Oiling your hair: According to the Ayurvedic tcxts, "One who moistens his head with oily substances daily does not suffer from headache, hair loss, greying of the hair or baldness." Given the importance of a youthful look in today's job market, oiling your hair daily could be a prudent move. Of course, showing up at work with oil in your hair might not be perceived as good grooming!  However, try to oil your hair at least once a week, using coconut oil in summer and sesame oil in winter. For best results, you can massage your scalp with Bhringaraj oil in winter and Brahmi coconut oil in summer.

Herbal hair rinse

As  baldness has been an issue  since ancient times, the Ayurvedic text take care to mention herbs that help improve the thickness and growth of hair. A herbal hair rinse with hair tonic remedies can benefit your hair.

Hair rinse for thinning or greying hair: : 1 tsp Amlaki

                                                                 1 cup water

                                                    Place in screw top glass jar. Shake vigorously with the lid on and leave overnight. In the morning, use as a hair rinse. (Vata--warm it before pouring over your head!)

Dandruff

Diet: Take great care to avoid white sugar and junk foods

Hair oil: Massage head with neem oil

Dandruff rinse: 2 tsp Triphala

                           1 tsp neem powder

Place in screw top glass jar and add 2 cups water. Shake vigorously with the lid on and leave overnight. In the morning, use as a hair rinse to improve sheen and body. (Vata--warm it before pouring over your head!)

Care of the bald scalp

Despite the best of hair care, a combination of genetic and hormonal factors may still leave you with a bald patch. Remember to protect this area from sunlight as it is vulnerable to skin cancer. Traditionally in India this area is protected and cooled in summer with application of Brahmi oil in a coconut base and is gently covered when going out in sunlight.  

Alakananda Ma

http://www.alandiashram.org

Your hair and your health

Your hair concern may indicate issues with your general health. For example, changes in thyroid function can lead to hair loss, or digestive issues may lead to poor nutrition of your hair roots. To best care for your hair, it is important to follow your practitioner's advice regarding herbs and lifestyle changes as well as pursuing any referrals your practitioner may suggest.

Diet and your hair

Because your hair is nourished and grows from its roots, your diet is an important key to hair health. To support the beauty of your hair, avoid junk foods such as white sugar, refined flour, trans fats, fast food and bagged snacks. Healthy, lustrous hair requires a diet rich in whole grains vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds as well as those legumes and dairy products that are suitable for your constitution. Proper digestion is aided by using spices such as turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and fennel and by drinking spice teas made from cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. To have healthy hair looking its best, it is also important to eat enough. Crash diets or restricted food intake may cause your hair to thin. Your practitioner will guide you as to the specific nutritional guidelines for your body type.

Herbs and your hair

Your hair will be helped not only by external applications but also by herbs taken orally to support your hair roots. Both Healthy Hair and Triphala contain herbs which, according to the Ayurvedic texts, help support the colour and thickness of your hair.

Hair Damage

Every woman wants beautiful hair, yet often we harm our hair in our efforts to beautify it. Women with curly black afro-type hair want straight, light colored hair while women with straight hair want curls or waves. Ayurveda suggests that we enjoy who we are. If you are vata, enjoy your frizz, smooth your hair with oil or try some interesting hair ornaments. If you are pitta, make the most of your straight, fine hair. If you are kapha, you may have a blessing of thick, long hair. Excess waving, bleaching and dying may harm your hair.

Image via Wikipedia

Take care with braids, ponytails and cornrows. While these are beautiful and traditional in many cultures, it is important that your hair is not pulled too tightly. Keep braids or cornrows as loose as possible and alternate these styles with a looser, flowing look.   Your bicycle helmet, if too tight, could also be damaging your hair.

Excess shampooing, combing and brushing may be counterproductive and damaging your hair. It is better not to wash your hair daily as the natural oils produced by your scalp nourish your hair. So unless you are being exposed to pollution that collects in your hair, twice a week is a good shampooing routine. Be very gentle with wet hair. Blow dryers, curling irons, rough towels as well as brushing or combing while wet may damage your hair shafts. It is best to pat wet hair gently and wrap it in an absorbent towel. After it begins to dry, comb it out gently with a wide toothed comb.

Hair Care

Oiling your hair: According to the Ayurvedic tcxts, "One who moistens the head with oily substances daily does not suffer from headache, hair loss or greying of the hair." In traditional  India, a woman was not considered properly dressed unless her hair was smoothed with coconut oil. Of course, today, showing up at work with oil in your hair might not be perceived as good grooming. However, try to oil your hair at least once a week, using coconut oil in summer and sesame oil in winter. For best results, you can massage your scalp with Bhringaraj oil in winter and Brahmi coconut oil in summer.

Herbal hair rinses

Hair rinse for black/brunette: 2 tsp Amlaki

                                                    1 tsp hibiscus

                                                     1 tsp rose

Place in screw top glass jar and add 2 cups water. Shake vigorously with the lid on and leave overnight. In the morning, use as a hair rinse to improve sheen and body. (Vata--warm it before pouring over your head!)

Hair rinse for blondes: (According to our experiments, Hibiscus won't color your hair red or pink. But to be on the safe side...)2 tsp Amlaki

                                                    1 tsp licorice

                                                     1 tsp rose

Place in screw top glass jar and add 2 cups water. Shake vigorously with the lid on and leave overnight. In the morning, use as a hair rinse to improve sheen and body. (Vata--warm it before pouring over your head!)

Dandruff

Diet: Take great care to avoid white sugar and junk foods

Hair oil: Massage head with neem oil

Dandruff rinse: 2 tsp Triphala

                           1 tsp neem powder

Place in screw top glass jar and add 2 cups water. Shake vigorously with the lid on and leave overnight. In the morning, use as a hair rinse to improve sheen and body. (Vata--warm it before pouring over your head!)

Gluten Free Eating

by Alakananda Ma

http://www.alandiashram.org

Image via Wikipedia

Your Ayurvedic Practitioner has determined that, according to Ayurveda, you may be benefitted by a gluten free diet. Typically you will do a three-month trial of this diet, to see if the effects are beneficial for your overall health goals. The trial will work ONLY if you are totally gluten free for the three-month period. Tell your Doctor that you are on a gluten free diet. For certain tests, it may be necessary to eat gluten in order for the test to work.

Purpose
Gluten is the protein part of wheat, rye, barley, and other related grains. Some people cannot tolerate gluten when it comes in contact with the small intestine. This condition is known as celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. There is also evidence that a skin disorder called dermatitis herpetiformis is associated with gluten intolerance.

In patients with celiac disease, gluten injures the lining of the small intestine. This injury results in weight loss, bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. There may be many other manifestations including neurological or cognitive effects, malaise, fatigue or inflammation. Not all people with gluten sensitivity notice intestinal symptoms. When patients totally eliminate gluten from the diet, the lining of the intestine has a chance to heal and other symptoms may abate or disappear.

Removing gluten from the diet is not easy. Grains are used in the preparation of many foods. It is often hard to tell by an ingredient's name what may be in it, so it is easy to eat gluten without even knowing it. However, staying on a strict gluten-free diet may dramatically improve your condition.

Oats is a grain the merits special attention. Oats are believed safe in patients with celiac disease although this was not always the case. The problem with oat products is not the grain but rather the manufacturing process. When oats are processed in the same facilities as wheat, contamination can occur even with the best cleaning protocol. Oat products can now be found that are not cross contaminated. These can be tried after an initial period of 6 months to see if they can be tolerated. Most, but not all patients can tolerate pure oat products. Many other products are contaminated with gluten in the milling process so it is safest always to purchase food labeled gluten free. Most natural foods markets now have a gluten free aisle for your convenience.

• Do not eat anything that contains the following grains: wheat, rye, and barley.
• The following can be eaten in any amount: corn, potato, rice, soybeans, tapioca, arrowroot, carob, buckwheat, millet, amaranth and quinoa. (But if they are milled, look for the gluten free label!)
• Distilled white vinegar does not contain gluten.
• Malt vinegar does contain gluten.

Grains are used in the processing of many ingredients, so it will be necessary to seek out hidden gluten. The following terms found in food labels may mean that there is gluten in the product.

• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), unless made from soy or corn
• Flour or Cereal products, unless made with pure rice flour, corn flour, potato flour, or soy flour
• Vegetable Protein unless made from soy or corn
• Malt or Malt Flavoring unless derived from corn
• Modified Starch or Modified Food Starch unless arrowroot, corn, potato, tapioca, waxy maize, or maize is used
• Vegetable Gum unless vegetable gums are carob bean gum, locust bean gum, cellulose gum, guar gum, gum arabic, gum aracia, gum tragacanth, xanthan gum, or vegetable starch
• Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids unless you know they do not contain wheat, as in wheat-free tamari.

Any of the following words on food labels usually means that a grain containing gluten has been used

• stabilizer
• starch
• flavoring
• emulsifier
• hydrolyzed plant protein

There are now several companies that produce gluten-free products, and several support groups to provide delicious recipes and help patients adapt to the gluten-free diet.

Organized Groups

The Food Allergy Network

11781 Lee Jackson Hwy, Suite 160

Fairfax, VA 22033-3309

(800) 929-4040

American Celiac Society

P.O. Box 23455
New Orleans, LA 70183-0455
504-737-3293

Celiac Sprue

Association/USA, Inc.

P.O. Box 31700

Omaha, NE 68131-0700

(402) 558-0600
(877) CSA-4-CSA

Celiac Disease Foundation

13251 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1

Studio City, CA 91604-1838

(818) 990-2354

Gluten Intolerance Group

15110 10th Avenue SW, Suite A

Seattle, WA 98166-1820

(206) 246-6652

Companies That Sell Gluten-Free Products

Dietary Specialists, Inc.

P.O. Box 227

Rochester, NY 14601

(716) 263-2787

To place an order: 1-800-544-0099

Ener-G Foods, Inc.

5960 1st Avenue. S.

P.O. Box 84487

Seattle, WA 98124-5787

(206) 767-6660

Toll free: 1-800-331-5222

Gluten Free Pantry
P.O. Box 840
Glastonbury, CT 06033

860-633-3826

Glutino

3750 Francis Hughes

Laval, Quebec

Canada H7L5A9

1-(450) 629-7689

Toll free: 1-800-363-DIET (3438)

Fax: 1-(450)-629-4781

Website: www.glutino.com

email: info@glutino.com

The Really Great Food Company

P.O. Box 2239

St. James, NY 11780

Toll free: 1-800-593-5377

Cookbooks

The Gluten-free Gourmet
More from the Gluten-free Gourmet
Bette Hagma

Gluten Freeda Online Cooking Magazine
www.glutenfreeda.com

Recipes

Alakananda Ma's Gluten Free Recipes

Cleansing Kitcheri

1/2 cup split mung beans
1 cup basmati rice
Wash them both thoroughly, melt ghee and add spices: fresh ginger, tumeric (fresh or powdered), powdered fennel, cumin and coriander. Add rice, beans and 6 cups water, then bring to boil. Turn down to simmer for 45 minutes or until mung beans are very soft in pot on stove (or make in crock pot cooking overnight--be sure there's plenty of water or you're making a much larger batch to activate the heating elements in the crock pot).

After cooking, add salt to taste. If you live at altitude, cook the mung beans for 45 minutes while soaking the rice, then add the rice and cook for 45 minutes more.

Tridoshic Yam Kitcheri

Pacifies vata, pitta and Kapha

1cup split hulled mung beans

1 cup basmati rice

3 tbsp ghee

1 and half inches minced fresh ginger

2 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tsp turmeric

1 handful cilantro leaves

8 green cardamom pods

8 whole cloves

11 black peppercorns

3 inch piece cinnamon stick

3 bay leaves

Salt to taste

1 large yam, cubed

Rinse mung beans well with cold water and soak for a few hours

Rinse rice well and soak while beans are cooking

Put ginger, coconut, turmeric, cilantro and some water in a blender or food processor and blend. Use enough water to blend well.

In a large pot, melt ghee over medium heat and sauté cardamom pods (split open first), cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and bay leaves for a few minutes. Then add the blended spices and sauté for a few more minutes until lightly cooked.

Next add beans and yams; cook for a couple more minutes. Add enough water to cover the beans with at least 3 inches  of water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to simmer .Cook for about 45 minutes or until the beans are completely broken down. Then add the rice and cook until the rice is broken apart. Add more water as needed  Salt to taste and enjoy!

Golden Harvest Rice

This warming fall recipe makes use of the seasonal vegetables of harvest time. Soothing for vata and easily digestible, it can be balanced for pitta with the addition of cilantro and for kapha with cayenne or black pepper. Omitting the cashews, it is a great recipe for small children! Serves 6.

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups water

1 pinch saffron

1 medium sized pumpkin or winter squash

1 yellow or orange bell pepper

1 cup sweet corn

½ cup cashews

8 cloves

3 cardamoms, split open

2 black cardamoms, split open

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

1 stick cinnamon

1 pinch hing

1" piece of ginger, finely chopped

3 Tbsp ghee or sunflower oil

1 tsp salt

Wash the basmati rice; soak for an hour and drain.  Allow to air-dry. Boil the water; add the saffron and leave to steep. Peel and cut the squash or pumpkin into 1" cubes and stir-fry or sauté in 1 Tbsp of the ghee or oil until fork-tender (about 30 min). Meanwhile, chop the pepper. Heat half the remaining ghee or oil in a heavy flat bottomed pan and gently fry the cashews until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining ghee, if needed. When the ghee is hot but not smoking, lower the heat and add the spices and ginger, frying until the ginger browns and the mustard seeds pop. Add the hing and within a few seconds the pepper and corn. Stir fry for a few minutes, and then add the rice and cook for a minute or two until the grains are translucent.  Add the saffron water, cashews and squash. Bring to the boil, cover and cook at low heat for 25 minutes. Stir with a fork and serve with wedges of lime.                         

Cold Cure Dal

Serves 4-6

1 cup red lentils

4-6 cups water

One bottle gourd (louki) peeled and  cubed

1" piece peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp ghee

2 royal black cardamoms, lightly crushed open

1" piece cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 tsp garam masala

1-2 tsp cumin seeds

Half teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 pinch hing

1 tsp jaggery or muscovado sugar

1-2 whole dried red chillies

1 handful chopped cilantro

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

6 curry leaves

This is a recipe for a chilly day, when you feel shivery, spaced out, as if you might be getting a chill or a head cold.

Wash the lentils carefully. In a large pan, boil together the lentils, tomatoes, ginger root, turmeric, half the ghee, cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. When the lentils begin to break up, add the louki. Alternatively, for a quick recipe, pressure-cook the dal with the above ingredients and meanwhile, steam the louki.

In a wok or frying pan, heat the rest of the ghee. Turn the burner to warm and add the cumin seeds, then the fenugreek seeds.  When they have browned, add the sweetener and chillies, and then the hing and curry leaves. Immediately add to the cooked lentil-louki mix. It will sizzle as you add it. Cook for ten minutes more to let the flavours mingle. At the last minute, drop in the cilantro and add salt to taste.  Serve over basmati rice.

Louki is a smooth green gourd that is demulcent and rejuvenative. Its astringent and slightly bitter taste benefits pitta and kapha. The spices in this recipe have been specifically chosen to

Kindle agni, burn toxins, promote sweating, strengthen the lungs and sinuses and drive out cold and damp. Enjoy!