Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of ways to live to be 100. By, Maoshing Ni. What a title! 

"Very informative, easy to read and to understand! Great tips for a life of wellness, easy to flip to a topic of interest, and simple methods to put in place."  -Reader on Amazon

Are you (your friends or lovers) crampy, grouchy, headachy and drained every month around your period? 
You don't need to be. In fact you shouldn't be. 

Ayurveda says a healthy (ie: normal) menstrual period is fairly easy and quick, arrives regularly each lunar month, lasts only 3-4 days, and is painless. 

Blood should be bright red, without clots, not too profuse, and easy to wash out! It is normal to be a little tired or weak feeling and spacey-- but it is not normal to be plagued with headaches, body aches, bloating, emotional extremes, digestive problems, or any of the myriad of other symptoms that we often suffer with.

Too many women have been lead to believe that it is normal to be disabled every month and to think that there is nothing that they can do to change things for the better. So many women are forced to take birth control pills or monthly rounds of pain killers to maintain their lives. 

The ease or difficulty of periods indicate a woman's underlying health and fertility and the integrity and vitality of all the other systems in the body. A healthy woman has easy & regular periods. Irregular or unpleasant periods display problems in many other tissue systems in the body. 

There are few physical experiences that tie us to the cycles of nature as profoundly as a menstrual \ fertility cycle. This make it a perfect place to see the benefits of Ayurvedic practices.Monthly (in sync with a particular moon phase) our bodies remind us: we are of this planet and we are indelibly tied to it. Based on bringing the body into better alignment with these phases Ayurveda lays out how you can make your periods easier and your whole body healthier. If you follow these guidelines you will improve your health in ways that impact your periods, fertility, and even your experience during menopause.

Rules for 'rajaswala': woman who is menstruating:

• Good thinking: be mindful of your mental processes. You are more sensitive during this time so avoid situations that are upsetting and spend a little extra time sitting, meditating, reading \ watching positive things, & avoid people that you find aggravating.
  
• Avoid sex: this is expressed in the texts as the indication to not wear make up & jewelry or dress flashily. This signals to your lover\s that you are not in the mood and that your priorities are elsewhere.
  
• Rest a lot and sleep more.

• Eat simply: Milk (and rice or barley pudding) and Barley are recommended. Meat broth or soup is good-- but avoid eating meat itself.
  
• Eat less: it is indicated that women on their period should not cook (your taste and smell senses are off and you should be resting!). Let others cook for you or eat out, but in moderation.
• Do as little work as possible. Your long term health is more important than anything else and this is definitely a way to protect your long term health.
  
• Don't travel: air travel is especially upsetting and will cause increased pain and fatigue.
  
• Don't exercise: During your period you should not exercise more than a gentle walk. But exercising the rest of the month will improve your cycles.

There are many herbs and formulas that Ayurveda uses for correcting menstrual issues. Please visit a skilled Ayurveda practitioner to address your specific issues.

But as you know I can not pass up an opportunity to recommend my favorite home remedy: Castor Oil.

• If you are plagued by cramps, constipation, body aches, delayed flow, or clots (but not excessive flow) you can take a tiny dose (1\4 tsp) of castor oil nightly during the week preceding your period and you will see these symptoms melt away.

Read more from Eden here! 

In general Ayurveda doesn’t care what your weight is if everything is working properly (but it doesn’t take much to have weight issues to make us feel less vigorous). Much of what Ayurveda says about what we would call ‘the issue of weight’ is actually about building weight and  strength. 2000 years ago people were more likely to be over-active and undernourished than us moderns. But as Classical Ayurveda (what was written down) primarily addressed the courtly and warrior classes there is also knowledge about how to avoid excess heaviness. The rich have always suffered from overly rich food, more psychological than physical stresses, and laxity in daily routine (it’s hard to be a lazy serf!).

5 Things to do if you want to (healthily) gain weight (don’t do these things if you want to lose!):

1.     Sleep in the afternoon, especially after eating. Napping increases bulk (ie Kapha) — generally over-sleeping increases weight.

2.     Drink liquids after you eat: liquid dilutes your digestive fire (agni) and slows down the digestion process.

3.     Eat heavier, sweeter, starchier, more nourishing foods. This is the diet of a person who does a lot of physical activity and is trying to build tissues and especially muscles. Foods to prioritize:
- meat (especially chicken, fish, beef, and pork)
- wheat products, and other refined grains
- Urad dhal: a tasty small black bean used in many south Indian snacks like idly and dosa, also used in the light bean soup called dahl. Also known for making your bosom bigger.
- raisins: considered good for muscle development.
(note: many of these food requirements are also aphrodisiac as healthy weight is required to be fertile and sexual).

4.     Drink beer. Actually the texts say drink sura or varuni. Both are sweet beverages said to be like beer (perhaps bubbly) made of rice, herbs, and dates or jaggary. Unlike the sharp, heating, & light drinks like vodka or whisky which in small doses increase digestion and assimilation sweet drinks are said to increase fat weight.

5.     Don’t exercise so actively — or even move around very much. If you are a thin fidgety person and you want to build weight channel your kinetic energy into strength building exercise like weight lifting, Iyengar - type Yoga or other vata calming activity.

7 Things to do if you want to (healthily) lose weight:

1.     Make Honey your main sweetener. Get rid of all other sweeteners (especially artificial!) and use a dab of honey when you need a bit of sweet. Honey is light and a bit astringent so very good for countering overweight conditions. Just remember never to heat your honey—it becomes a poison over 125 degrees or so.

2.      Stop consuming anything cold. This especially applies to iced beverages but also any other cold food.

3.     Drink hot water instead.  Ginger and tumeric tea will be especially helpful. But don’t drink too much liquid: pay attention to your thirst and don’t overdo it. Most overweight people are carrying a lot of water weight and swelling due to being incapable of digesting all the liquid they consume to dampen their hunger.

4.     Have more sex. I know a Vaidya who insists on patients having sex when working on weight loss. This may seem like putting the cart before the horse (ie I’ll have more sex after I lose weight) but sex is the best exercise for losing weight so get started today!

5.     Don’t snack. Sit down at a table and eat as much healthy, delicious food as you need to feel satisfied, then have a pinch of fennel seeds (try an unsweetened mukvas from an Indian store) and don’t put another thing into your mouth until the next meal 3-6 hours later. It is important not to eat any less than 3 hours before bed too.

6.     Wake up earlier—take advantage of the active Vata time of the early morning and get up at 6 am or earlier.

7.     Don’t eat breakfast. When you do get hungry have a light snack of tea and toast with ghee. Make lunch time your largest meal of the day & use the agni or fire of midday to help metabolize your meal quickly and efficiently.

Read more by Eden here! 

Low libido? Back pain? Hot flashes or frequently cold? Unnecessarily fatigued? These are all signs your kidneys are overworked and need nourishment and rest. 

Acupuncture along with herbs are great for treating Kidney issues by nourishing the body, moving stagnated energy, or even boosting energy where it's needed. Each treatment is different depending on what the individual needs, a diagnosis is made by inspecting your tongue and reading your pulse.

The Kidneys are your body's main source of energy. Whether you were born with great constitution or poor, your lifestyle choices, including acupuncture and diet, play a huge role in either depleting or boosting the Kidney Qi.  

Kidneys are the deep essence in our body and require TLC.  Hot flashes, low libido, back pain, and chronic fatigue are all signs of depleted Kidney energy. The organ works intimately with the others in your body to keep you functioning at your best. For example, asthma is a condition of Kidney Qi weakness, it is a sign that the Kidney Qi is not able to grasp the Lung Qi. The process of inhalation and exhalation depend on these 2 organs.  This is a perfect example of poor constitution that one can born with.  

n the flip side, a healthy lifestyle can stabilize a condition like asthma and possibly reverse the condition. But, issues such as these that involve the Kidney health, are not fixed with a one time treatment. Can you have strong muscles after one session of weight lifting class?  It is like exercise, one needs to be consistent in working on Kidney health.  

The great news is that unlike exercise, you don't need acupuncture treatments 3 times a week, after you achieve a healthy stage all you need is a monthly tune up and you are on your way to maintaining your better state of health!

The Kidney is found on the back of the tongue. What does it look like when your Kidney is depleted? Look for these signs: 
1. Red, no coating, cracks
2. Pale, swollen, wet
3. Red-peeled tongue

• Salt and pepper for seasoning
  
• Thinly sliced green onion and crumbled bacon for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa per package instructions. Normally you rinse the grain and combine it with the 2 cups water, bring to a boil and then gently simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
2. Slice the onions and leeks thinly and mince the garlic clove. In a 4 quart soup pot melt the butter and oil and add the onions, leek, garlic, sugar and aleppo pepper(if using). Gently saute until everything softens but doesn't brown. This might take about 20 minutes.
3. Add the wine, chicken broth and beef broth and bring the soup to a boil. Add the cooked quinoa and then simmer the soup for about ten minutes.
4. After 10 minutes cool the soup a bit and then in batches, puree the soup until very creamy. Return the soup to a clean pot and then re warm and taste for seasoning.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with green onion and crumbled bacon

Note: If you feel the soup is thicker than you like, thin it a bit by whisking in a little more broth after pureeing.


Adapted from: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Bone-Broth-and-Dipping-Sauce-Serious-Eats-200648 & http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Creamy-Quinoa-Onion-Soup-377876?columns=4&position=1%2F57 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, when we refer to an organ, it is not just the physical organ itself but the entire meridian and energy channel of that organ. This week we're talking about the organ TCM calls "The Key to Longevity" or the "Root of Life"

Drum roll please.... it's the Kidney! 

These symptoms, along with body temperature imbalances like hot flashes or frequent coldness, are each signs your kidneys are overworked and need nourishment and rest. 

Kidney energy is slower to replenish than others in the body, it necessitates a commitment to a series of acupuncture. By adding herbs to your daily regime, and adopting the proper diet, changes can be felt even sooner, and will make more sustainable and lasting improvements.  

Be empowered to restore your kidney health, be your healthiest you! 

Why self massage, you ask? 

Self massage will improve circulation, eliminate impurities from the body, calms the nerves, tone the muscles, assist your lymph-nodes with movement, boost the immune system, and an added benefit, softer smoother skin!

A really amazing technique for self massage, and an easy place to start, is with dry brushing. You can use a dry brush (found at most health food stores) to work from the end of each limb upward toward the heart.  If done in the shower, you can use a loofah using the same technique.  

Here's a video to introduce you to dry brushing, you're just 3:49 from a better understanding! Give it a try, you will feel amazing. And remember, massage toward the direction of the heart.