5 Tips to Survive the Overindulgence of the Festive Season
5 Ayurvedic Tips to Survive the Festive Season
Overindulged in fatty foods and an abundance of alcohol? Take a day of rest. In Ayurveda, we use foods that are easy to digest such as Kitcheri. A simple recipe of basmati rice and mung dhal along with digestive spices such as ginger, coriander and cumin. For one full day that may be all you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner – no snacks.
kitchari recipe
for about 2 portions
In a pan add ghee or oil
Add 1/4 tsp each of organic turmeric, ginger (preferably fresh), cumin and coriander. Or to taste
1 part split mung dal
2 part basmati rice (or other grain)
simmer in 4-5 parts of water
add a pinch of salt
Optionally you can add seasonal vegetables: spinach, peas, asparagus, carrots etc. to make it a nourishing meal. OR you can leave out the vegetables and make the Kichari more watery and use it for fasting.
Boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes until cooked.
Add a teaspoon of ghee, clarified butter, (or vegetable oil) at the end.
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Can’t make a full day of kitcheri? Simply add spices and herbs to support your digestion. Make a digestive tea from chopped fresh ginger, cumin seeds and coriander.
Take a breath. Christmas parties and spending time with family can be wonderful and heartwarming. But sometimes too much of a good thing is simply too much. Take a walk on your own, and take time to breathe deeply, slowly and naturally. Sigh out the exhale if needed. Just a few moments of feeling and connection to our own breath can calm us down.
Detox the mind. Once our breath starts to calm down so does the mind. Your breath can become a meditation. Simply observe the breath coming in – and the breath going out. Listen and feel the waves of the inhale and exhale. “I am breathing in… I am breathing out”. There is not judgment or analysing. Just observe the breath. Thoughts will come and go. And if you notice the mind thinking, then come back to the mantra “I am breathing in… I am breathing out”.
Need a complete chill-out session? The parasympathetic system is responsible for the stimulation of “rest and digest”. When we are stressed we won’t digest very well. Taking time for rest and relaxation actually help us digest better. I created this very chilled-out yoga practise to completely relax, nourish and nurture ourselves. Try it out on our Online Monthly Membership where we regularly do chill-out Zoom classes (and there are lots of recordings too) – it will calm both body, breath and mind!