A perfect snack should be nutritious and digest easily even in those with poor digestive strength(agni) This can be really important for those with poor agni which is almost always the case
Fresh fruit fits this category and is the primo snack food, hands down It beats anything in the middle of the grocery store
The Universal Fruits
Energetically we are not created equally Some are PV others PK while others VK(unusual) so we don't resonate the same to foods and fruits are no exception Perhaps some of you already know that a granny Smith apple due to its sourness can provoke your IC
But there are some fruits that can be used all the time....the universal fruits Notice that they are all sweet because the sour taste will provoke Pitta
Fruit that can be used all the time: Sweet apples(apple a day keeps...), applesauce, sweet berries, sweet cherries, sweet cherries, soaked prunes, soaked raisins
Particularly during the summer when central agni is low, fruits make an excellent way to protect an already compromised agni Try to use locally grown fruits when you can and support the organic growers
Remember the general rule to not mix other foods with fruit If you eat fruit before or after a meal allow 30minutes as a separating time interval Fruits and yogurt is a particularly nauseating combination
Fruits and Improving Digestive Fire(Agni)
Consider using fresh fruit for the below to charge up your agni berries
Fruit fast (PV every 2w...PK evergy week)
Fruit juice fast
Fruit as meal subsititutes
Fruit as snacks
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How to Counter Decision Fatigue
We have likened the mindbody as a energy battery that can become drained in many different ways One of the more common ways is chronic disease When there is constant daily discomfort for long periods of time there will be a high chance that an energy drain can occur
In the world of psychology this can lead to more often than not decision fatigue This is a situation where after several decisions "pile up", say while grocery shopping, that by the time we're done we are mentally fatigued That's why the candy bars are at the checkout stand because with decision fatigue impulse buying happens to increase(unless a high will power quotient is present)
But add on the energy depletion from chronic disease and you're more likely to start in the hole even before you get started with the shopping in the first place
So protecting your energy when you have the IC bladder pain syndrome is an important thing to look at
7 Ways to Protect Your Energy
Establish a daily routine In the energy science a daily ritual in which foundational "to do's" are always done such as brushing your teeth These foundational activities require no decision making and allow you to put yourself on "auto pilot" but at the same time they provide a structure that you can always rely on
So going to bed by 10 to 11p each night is a great start to be able to get up preferably at sunrise or by 6-7a each day This early morning rising then establishes a time when the bathroom ritual done and do some form of centering work(contemplation, meditation) Then you can get in a hour of exercise of your choosing...pranayama, asana practice, walking etc Typically the choices are based on your energy constitutional makeup
Having regular mealtimes with the biggest meal at noon is essential to maintaining good health rinking room temperature fluids(ice is not nice!), using spice mixtures(churans at foodsheal.com), simply paying attention to what you're doing when eating(few meals a week in silence), or not eating when busy helps replenish your body's energy
Reduce mental turbulence Perhaps a surprise to some is that the mind is the biggest drain of them all! Often the mind is running in the background even though you think it's quiet This incessant turbulence shows up as fear, anxiety, depression, worry, and of course fatigue because the body gets beat up with this kind of mental activity Solution Spend 5-10 minutes twice a day(morning and evening) closing your eyes and watching the breath
Remove nutritional stressors There are foods that drain the body's energy such as refined sugar, coffee, chocolate(what the heck?) carbonated drinks
Improve food choices Foods that bring about balance for you according to the nutritional formats at foodsheal.com after you take the mindbody questionnaire will help you sort this out
Using proper food combining stops the depletion of energy expended due to difficult to digest food combinations
Avoid snacking Eating before you have digested the last food that you've ingested requires the mindbody to use more energy so this habit is depleting At least 4 to 6 hours between meals or better yet wait until your hungry since appetite is the best gauge of the body's readiness for food
Toxicity If you have poor digestion, chances toxic formation will occur leading to the qualities in the bladder being held there and unable to be released But this toxicity is everywhere and it reduces the mindbody's efficiency in functioning The mindbody can no longer function with "ease" but now functions with "dis-ease"
So there you have it....7 ways to reduce energy drainage by protecting your energy battery with rituals that allow you to put it on semi auto pilot
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Medicinal Energetic Effect of Sprouted Grains
Grains are an interesting food group energetically but the one use of grains that is universally safe for all energy constitutional makeups is sprouted grains
Grains vary in terms of the types that can be used For example, Pitta Vata can use cooked oats, rice, and pancakes all the time whereas PK would use these in moderation Typically it's recommended to avoid yeasted bread products so flatbreads become the best way to use grains as a form of "bread"
Use of Sprouted Grains
In general the husk of the grain is difficult to digest and requires strong agni Since most people's agni is not up to par it makes the digestion of husked grains difficult to digest For example, brown rice is not balancing for any of the energy patterns due to the husk
White basmati rice is a classic grain without the husk Other grains are usually husked Here's a video demo demonstrating the dehusking process
Another way to deal with the tough husk of a grain is to soak the grain and that stimulates the grain to begin to sprout Sprouting grains is a time honored way of releasing nourishing aspects of any grain The benefits of sprouting are three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them
It is the last aspect that is of most interest for those with IC since phytic acid would be irritating and provoking energetically But all three of these benefits are important in terms of improving the nutrition of the foods we eat
So another way to take advantage of sprouted grains is to access available products commercially The best is a nonyeasted sprouted grain product, tortillas Nonyeasted products are superior to yeasted grain products because yeast produces gas and heat in the small intestine
The most affordable and commonly commercially available bread source of sprouted grains is sprouted wheat bread
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Strategies to Eat Well on a Budget
Ultimately, it is up to us to take control of our kitchens and our lives. The most radical message we can send the food industry – which considers money, not our health in regard to its bottom line – is to prepare our own meals, make the best food selections within our budgets, and reclaim our health.
This does not mean turning bargain food shopping into a second hobby. We are all overworked, overstressed, and overtaxed. Most of us don’t have time to scrupulously compare store prices or cut coupons.
Even so, there are ways of making choices that work within our resources. Here are 10 ideas based on how I save time and money AND create better health for myself.
1 Keep a journal. This might be the most eye-opening experience you will encounter to better budget your time, resources, and money. For just one week, keep a journal of every cent you spend and how you spend every hour of the day. Think of money as your life energy. It represents your time in physical form. How do you want to spend this life energy?
2 Choose three things that give you more money. For example, don’t buy that $2.00 coffee every day — that’s $730.00 a year! Likewise, you might find yourself gravitating to the vending machine daily. You can put that money towards much better use.
3 Buy in season. You will almost always get fresher produce, probably locally grown, for less money, when it is in season.
4 Learn the Dirty Dozen. Not everyone has the budget to buy 100 percent organic, but the more you can, the more you will avoid GMOs and have better health. To learn the most and least pesticide-ridden foods, visit this link....goo.gl/t9TZdh
5 Frequent discount grocery stores. Search out cheaper sources of fresh, whole foods in your neighborhood. My top choices are stores like Trader Joe’s and shopping clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club, where you can buy vegetables, olive oil, fruits, nuts, canned beans, sardines, and salmon at much lower prices than regular supermarkets or other retail chains.
6 Think about joining your local food co-op. Co-ops are community-based organizations that support local farmers and businesses and allow you to order foods and products in bulk at just slightly over the wholesale price. This takes a bit of advance planning but will save you money.
7 Join a community-supported agriculture program. Buy direct and cut out the middleman. We get organic, mostly seasonal, local vegetables delivered to our house for $55 a week, or a little more than $10 a person for a family of four per week. We don’t always get to choose what we get, but it makes us more creative cooks.
8 Keep some basics on hand. Develop a repertoire of cheap, easy-to-prepare meals. Have the ingredients available at home at all times so you don’t get stuck eating food that doesn’t make you feel well or help you create the health you want. This takes planning but is well worth it.
9 Create a “potluck club”. Have coworkers share the responsibility of making lunch for the group once a week or every two weeks. No more buying lunch out, and you get to eat real, whole fresh food and only have to cook a few times a month. Or create a “supper club” with a group of friends; rather than go out to dinner, once a week or once a month rotate dinner parties at one another’s homes. You will build community and health at the same time.
10 Order staples online. Why pay retail for healthy kitchen staples like turmeric, coconut oil, and almond butter?
Many products can be found on Amazon.com simply putting in what you're searching for in the search bar. Even with shipping the prices are excellent.
This is in part courtesy of Dr Mark Hyman
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Energy Science 8 Natural Remedies for Constipation
In general Vata due to the elements of Space and Air presents when imbalanced as gas Gas or air when present has the capability of drying This dry quality tends to be most prominent in the colon and so colonic contents and the lubricating element of the colon get dried out The contents don't slide along leading to further drying The result is a slow down of the normal transit time through the colon leading to constipation
Constipation and Natural Remedies
The energy science of Ayurveda offers a guideline that a healthy functioning state of the colon is a bowel movement first thing in the morning and then a stool 2h after eating From this definition most of us are constipated to some degree or another
Constipation is a Vata issue and it may be that due to the PV nutritional format(nf)Pitta has risen and is blocking Vata leading to an increase in the Vata energy The nf is never ever the problem....it's the shifts, releases, and the imbalances that lead to changes in patterns I would do one or all of the following:
1 Begin using soaked overnight prunes or raisins(can use them as snacks not with meals) or apples bananas peaches pineapple juice based on the nf 
2 Eat more fiber....oatmeal wheat bran oat bran
3 Use triphala(T3) on a every night basis...you can make a decoction(5min boil of the herb in cup of water) at night or straight up powder(churna) and wash it down with warm water....link http://goo.gl/RMD8ny....I think the churna is superior to tablets(vati)
4 If you get loose with the T3 switch to bhumyamalaki at the same link 3 There is a T3 tincture if your agni is poor at the same link
5 2t of ghee with warm milk at bedtime is a gentle way to help with constipation
6 Castor oil can be used if the constipation is obstinate but not for long period of time as it can cause dependency One way to prevent this dependency is using castor with warm milk at night
7 Boil 1T of flaxseed in 1c of water for 3minutes then drink including the seeds
8 If there is absolute constipation for 3 days, don't use purgatives The better approach is to use basti(medicated herbal enema) to initiate steps of regulating the system You can use T3 tea as described above just more volume with more T3
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