Keesha's Blog
July 2007

Here’s hoping everyone is staying cool during this most beautiful of Pacific Northwest summers! In the science of Ayurveda, there is an understanding that each season has a corresponding dosha or constitutional type. Accordingly, we need to adjust our daily routines, diets, and activity levels to adjust to the shift of temperature, light, and vibration of each time of year. Pitta aggravation is common in the heat of the summer. Consequently, many people develop inflammatory processes, irritations, and skin problems during the summer months. Following is information from Banyan Botanicals on how to beat the heat and stay balanced!

Beautiful skin is an outward sign of health and vitality. From an Ayurvedic perspective, problems such as rashes, acne, hives, boils, psoriasis and eczema occur when too much heat accumulates in the body. Although the seasonal increase in temperature makes heat-related imbalances of the skin more prevalent in the summertime, they can happen at any time of the year. Fortunately, the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia offers some wonderful herbs that cool the system and help restore our natural state of balance. Following a daily herbal regimen, along with a few simple diet and lifestyle suggestions, is the Ayurvedic recipe for beautiful, healthy skin.

Excess heat is normally eliminated through the GI tract. However, when the system becomes overloaded with toxins, this heat becomes trapped and is absorbed into the blood. The body, naturally seeking to remove these toxins, resorts to using the skin as an organ of elimination. This will usually manifest as some type of skin inflammation or irritation.

Diet

Pitta dosha governs the digestion and transformation of ingested food into a usable, nourishing substance for the body. Following a proper diet and making appropriate food choices are one of the most important ways to pacify pitta dosha and prevent excess heat from accumulating in the body.

• Avoid hot spices, chili peppers, oily or fried foods, fermented foods and citrus fruits.
• Eliminate alcohol, tobacco and caffeine.
• Favor intrinsically cooling foods like vegetable greens, basmati rice, sweet juicy fruits, coconut, cucumber and cilantro.
• Drink plenty of fresh water.

For more information on pitta-pacifying diet please go to the Ayurvedic diet page.

Lifestyle

Although we naturally accumulate heat within the body during the summer season, it is important to minimize daily practices that aggravate pitta dosha. Some practices include working in a hot kitchen, being exposed to chemicals or fumes, and being in highly competitive, stressful or hostile environments. Try these helpful lifestyle tips:

• Cultivate peace, patience, and tolerance.
• Massage pitta massage oil, coconut or sunflower oil on your body before you bathe.
• Exercise regularly. A cooling yoga practice or swimming is best.
• Try rose oil on your pulse points to soothe your senses.
• Instead of sunbathing, try bathing in the moonlight.
• Minimize anger, criticism and hate.

Herbs

Ayurvedic herbs have been used effectively for generations to restore the normal elimination process while promoting healthy lustrous skin.

Blood Cleanse is a powerful blend of five blood purifying herbs: manjista root, neem leaf, turmeric root, guduchi and burdock root. This formula helps to cleanse toxins from the blood, lymphatics, and liver, remove excess heat from the body, and restore the skin’s natural beauty.

A digestive aid for pitta, Digest Ease is a formula that helps with digestive complaints such as hyperacidity and heartburn. Digest Ease helps to maintain normal acid levels and promote healthy digestion.

Include Triphala to support elimination, detoxification, and tonification of the gastro-intestinal tract.
Ayurvedic herbs may also be used externally to support the skin’s healing process. Neem is an extremely cooling herb that is naturally antibacterial and antifungal. Neem soap is great for cleaning and cooling irritated skin. Neem oil can be applied to dry inflamed skin.

Soothing Skin Balm is an excellent topical formulation which is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory. It is ideal for red, irritated skin.

Yoga

Practicing Moon Salutations can be the most beneficial exercise for pitta types. Not only does it help to keep channels of the body open to move toxins out, but it also imparts a sense of calm. Boat and Bow give a nice massage to the small intestine, an important seat of pitta dosha. Spinal twists give a gentle squeeze to the liver and spleen. Forward bends are cooling and help to relieve excess pitta in the body.

Meditation

Meditating for a short time both morning and night reduces stress and gives the analytical pitta mind space to digest the experiences of the day.

Pranayama

Shitali Pranayama, the cooling breath, is excellent for eliminating heat from the body. The practice is as follows:

• Curl or roll the sides of your tongue inward into a tube or straw.
• Inhale slowly through the rolled tongue, and then close the mouth and exhale normally through the nose.
• If you are unable to roll your tongue, lightly clench your teeth together with the tongue pressed against the teeth at the front of the mouth. The air is then inhaled through the teeth and sides of the mouth.
• Notice the instantly cooler temperature of the inhalation as the air passes over the moist tongue.
• Practice for 15-20 rounds of breath.

Skin Care

Elise, our wonderful esthetician is offering treatments to keep the skin beautiful from the outside:

• Body Wraps encourage and facilitate the removal of metabolic toxins via the skin and assist in bringing balance to the body.
• A series of Hungarian Herbal Mud Wraps are ideal for the Kapha dosha to help stimulate a sluggish lymphatic system and increase circulation. Hungarian Herbal Mud is a spicy, healing and detoxifying treatment that also helps to nourish and improve skin tone. It is stimulating, revitalizing and warming, especially great for aKapha or Vata imbalance. 
• A French Clay Wrap is perfect for a high Pitta imbalance. Excessive heat is drawn away from vital internal organs like a magnet. Impurities attach themselves and are absorbed by the clay. French Clay is algae nutrient rich, detoxifying, improves elasticity and stimulates the skins natural healing response.
• Wraps include a warm footbath and scalp massage. Series of 3 $275 (savings of $55) thru August.

News

Welcome Ryan Fossen

Help us extend a warm welcome to Ryan Fossen, our new Power yoga teacher. Ryan hails from Sweden and has many years of yoga teaching experience. He also brings a welcome male presence to the staff of Fern Life Center!

The Yoga Barn

We are excited to announce a new collaboration with Issaquah’s Yoga Barn. We will be offering Ayurvedic workshops at the Yoga Barn and hosting Yoga Barn classes at Fern Life Center. This is a natural union of the sister sciences of yoga and Ayurveda. Robin Rothenburg and I are committed to building a thriving health and spirituality community on the Eastside. Classes will start September 4th. Check out our website at www.FernLifeCenter.com for an updated Fall yoga calendar this week.

Empowerment Radio

We are now sponsoring Empowerment Radio on 1150 AM KKNW, Alternative Talk. I had my first interview on Ayurveda last week. It went very well. Make sure to check out this station.