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Basil and Mint open the channels, both physical and vibrational. In that way, they allow for nourishment to be carried deep into the dhatus or tissues.  Basil works deeper than mint but slower. So it's a good idea to alternate them in your chutneys.  Never cook with them but you can chop them finely and sprinkle on the food once it is no longer steaming.  My favorite way of adding Basil or mint to my meal is by making chutneys.  I am particularly fond of Grape / Basil Chutney. Here is the recipe for Grape/Basil Chutney (from Vaidya Mishra’s Health Compendium)  This makes about 1 cup of chutney. It's so delicious that it won’t last long. In the bottom of a wand blender, I put 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and the juice of 1 small lime, 1/8 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of Mum’s Masala. Then add about 1 cup of organic seedless grapes and “some” Basil.  I use about 10-12 large leaves or about 1/2 cup loosely packed.  You can play around with the amount.  Onc...

Barley is an amazing grain with so many benefits.  Most people only seem to think its great in turkey soup but I will give you many reasons to find ways to introduce Barley into you diet at least a couple of times a week. Mostly we find hulled Barley or pearl Barley on the shelf at the grocers.  Hulled is better than pearl as because the husk is removed but not all the beneficial coating that they remove in pearl barley.  But now I found out that flaked Barley is another option.  You can cook it like oatmeal for breakfast. It cooks in 10 minutes!  Whereas hulled Barley you have to soak overnight or for at least a few hours and then it still takes about 60-90  minutes to cook. Barley has some gluten which we do want to reduce. However it has about 50% less than wheat and the benefits of Barley outway the small amount of gluten present. Here is an exert from Vaidya RK Mishra's Health Compendium on the benefits of Barley: "In SVA we know that barley bi...

I hope you read the recent post on the benefits of Pomegranates by Dr Marianne Teitelbaume that I reposted.  I just wanted to share a personal experience about the benefits of Pomegranate. Yesterday I went out for dinner and chose what I could form the menu.  Later that evening I was at home and feeling tired and achy so was looking for a snack and decided to have some Pomegranate - within 15 minutes I could feel the benefits - less tired and perky.  Thinking back on the chicken wings I had for supper there definitely was not astringent qualities in the food.  Pomegranate is sweet juicy and astringent that helps to increase nutrient absorbtion.  I know it seems expensive to buy Pomegranates. In our store they are selling for $2.50 each.  But I always compare that to a tea or coffee at your local favourite coffee shop.  Also one Pomegranate feeds me for at least 2-3 snacks. It is a great pickme up in the middle of the afternoon when we need somethin...

We all know the importance of protein as the precursor of hormones, muscle and many other structures in our body.  By preparing the protein this way makes it is: 1. highly digestible 2. the protein molecules are microencapsulated by the chlorophyll from the greens preventing oxidation or the protein.  Then eating just 4 ounces of protein in the way - doubles the benefit - you get twice as much protein. 3. heme-iron is created preventing anemia You can use any protein but I prefer chicken (breasts steamed) or paneer prepared at home. But one can try using lentils or eggs - I have never tried.  Leafy green that I prefer is spinach or chard. I have also used collards, kale and Brussel sprouts however they make the blend more tough or fibery. The ratio of protein to greens is 20% protein to 80% green by weight.  If you buy a bunch of organic chard - you can weight it at the store - mine are usually about 300 Gm - that means you would need 60 Gms o...

Here is a quick and easy meal which I made today - this is enough for 2 people Millet. .....,,,,,,,,,1/3 cup and add enough Mung beans to make 1/2 cup. Toast in the pan with 1 tsp of ghee then add 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water and cook for 30 minutes. You can keep this warm in the oven if its ready before other dishes. Be careful that water does not boil completely away as the bottom will burn. Prepare your  Cilantro Chutney by putting 2 tablespoonfuls of organic olive oil in your small blender or cup for wand blender, add 1/4 tsp Soma Salt, juice of one lime and a small bunch of chopped Cilantro - blend just before serving.   Nice blend of sour, salty, bitter and astringent from the cilantro leaves.  Also is your best heavy metal detox.  Makes my taste buds sing. In a small heavy cast iron, frying pan put 1-2 tsp of ghee, 1 tsp of your spice mix or Mum's Masala (available from Chandika.com) salt to taste and then your fa...

Pomegranates are in season! While you may purchase pomegranate juice, you may be surprised to know you can actually make it fresh at home with a pomegranate juicer. As with anything else, the health benefits are always greater if you make it from scratch at home since the vibrant life energy (prana) and nutritional value decline the longer food sits around and oxidizes.  They sell several types of pomegranate juicers on Amazon.  A compound in pomegranate juice called p unicalagin prevents amyloid plaque buildup in the brain (which causes Alzheimer's). This compound also reduces inflammation in the digestive tract and in colon and breast cancer cells. The juice of pomegranates contains more antioxidants than grape, orange or blueberry juice, and even more than green tea (3x as much!) One study showed that drinking 5 ounces of pomegranate juice was able to lower blood pressure in just two weeks. It can also block enzymes that are known to damage joints in people with ost...

We had a wonderful time cooking up a storm in m kitchen last Saturday.  I promised to post some recipes and menus in the following weeks.  Today lets get back to basics. The foundation of each meal is a lentil or small bean and a grain. The lentils or beans in order of preference are: MUNG BEANS (SKINNED), MASOOR LENTILS (RED LENTILS), SMALL FRENCH LENTILS, MOTH BEANS, GREEN MUNG BEANS. The yellow mung beans are easiest to digest and assimilate whereas the green ones will scrape the toxins out of the colon. Grains: Basmati Rice, Millet, (both gluten-free) and Barley which has a bit of gluten but has so many other benefits that the small amount of gluten is OK unless you are celiac or highly sensitive to gluten. Amaranth and Quinoa (white and red) - they cook up like grains but are actually seeds and high in minerals and make a great base for a light evening meal. So the grains are cooked 1 part to 2 parts water. The lentils or beans need a bit more water. ...

With the cold wet weather on our doorstep, here is a suggestion from Dr Marianne Teitelbaum. A hot tea to open up channels and stoke our digestive fire.  This is most important as the cold weather and winds aggravate Vata and shrink our shrotas and nadis Warming ginger mint lime tea! Start out the day with warm tea instead of a channel-clogging cold smoothie. Warm ignites the digestive fire which is very dull in the morning. The cold smoothie is putting out this flame as it is trying to ignite after a long night's sleep. Lime is better to take than lemon as it turns alkaline quickly once entering the digestive tract and it stimulates the flow of bile out of the gallbladder more than lemon. I have a whole chapter devoted to the gallbladder in my upcoming book, but I will tell you this: the liver dumps all the toxins into the bile for eventual removal into your intestines. Cold thickens the bile turning it into a sludge thus preventing its release. The toxins just sit there ...

It is often that I am sitting around chatting with friends socially and they tell me the latest best diet they have started.  On one hand they want an Ayurvedic perspective and on the other hand, they are sure that their way is the best way.  Here is an example. Yesterday a friend told me about the most amazing breakfast smoothie that she has every morning. Everyone is into breakfast smoothies.  It seems that if you don’t have a blended mix of superfoods and antioxidants first thing in the morning you are not serious about your health. Let's look at this from the perspective of Dhinacharya or the 24 hours cycle of Vata Pitta and Kapha.  Ayurveda recommends eating out biggest meal at noon when the sun is high in the sky. The sun (Agni or fire) and the moon ( Soma or cooling nurturing energy) have a big influence on our physiology and also the space element (Marut) First thing in the morning after hopefully at least 12 hours without food we are just “breaking the...

Yes, regular bowel movements are important. Best to eliminate first thing in the morning, just after arising from bed.  You can start the morning by drinking warm to hot water with some lime or lemon. Drink 1 full cup, wait, drink another full cup and wait. Water is needed by the colon to expand the fibre and stimulate peristalsis. Sometimes it can take up to 3 cups of water before there is enough water to stimulate the colon to eliminate. Another very useful tool to keep the colon healthy and able to eliminate regularly is the herbal product called Triphala. (3 fruits). Triphala is astringent in quality and reestablishes the intelligence of the lining of the colon.   You can take 1-3 tablets or 2 teaspoonfuls before bed and this will generally give you an excellent bowel movement in the morning.  Do not take more than 4 tablets at bedtime or it will give you nightmares. Another wonderful way to get fibre into the system is a smoothie of Pin...

Bitter gourd/Karela/bitter melon : great detox for the liver after eating heavily. Also the best vegetable for healing the liver and pancreas, making it GREAT for diabetes and lowering blood sugar. It contains polypeptide-p, a plant-based insulin which lowers the blood sugar; it also lowers bad cholesterol. Since it purifies the liver and blood and contains zinc, it is excellent for clearing up acne, eczema and psoriasis. A compound found in bitter melon called "Mamordica Charantia" strengthens the antioxidant activity of enzymes in the liver, helping it to rid the body of accumulated toxins. Bitter gourd is one of the best vegetables for treating obesity as it can break down old fat cells and prevent the formation of new ones! And finally, it reduces the risk of cancer and even prevents cataracts and helps eyesight due to its high levels of beta-carotene and Vitamin A. Whew!   Here are 2 recipes. The first is OK but I found it difficult to eat because it was so bitter. ...

Our medical system is heavily biased toward chemically manipulating our bodies. Everything from pain medications, to antibiotics, to anti-hypertensives is anti anti anti!!!  So how and why do these medications work? As science developed tools to explore the biochemistry of the body it was able to produce chemicals that either mimic or block existing pathways.  So where am I heading?  Only to say that the reason medications work is because of something the body already knows how to do but for some reason its intelligence has been blocked or weakened. There are some medication pharmacologists still don't understand, like Acetaminophen or Tylenol.  However other pain medications like NSAIDS, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are better understood by the medical community. When the body needs help to balance and heal, the first step is always to examine our life style, diet, and exercise. In addition, we should examine our relationships so that they are life sup...