This Small Business Saturday we want to celebrate and give thanks for you, our amazing clients.
Follow this link first thing on Saturday to purchase a 70-minute massage gift certificate for just $85. That’s $20 off the retail price. Quantities are extremely limited, are only available to purchase ON Saturday, and you can only purchase one per recipient. Giving the gift of massage therapy is giving the gift of health and relaxation, so let us help you make your gift giving as smooth and easy as possible. Our system will walk you right through creating an e-version or print version of your gift certificate.
When you think of Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is…FOOD! Often we give thanks by enjoying an over-abundance of sustenance and stuffing ourselves into a coma-like state. So how can you celebrate this family and food focused holiday without feeling the ill effects of overeating?
Ayurveda has a few great pointers, and luckily they coincide perfectly with conventional wisdom. Here are a few:
- Make your plate veggie forward. Fill ⅔ to ¾ of your plate with a variety of vegetables and use the other portion for meat and sweet condiments (like Cranberry sauce or marshmallow covered sweet potatoes). The fiber in veggies will fill you up while keeping your digestion regular.
- Consider ALL SIX tastes. In Ayurveda we consider six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Getting some of each taste in your meal helps your brain to register satiation more quickly. The first three are relatively easy to get. For the second set you may need to add some “non-traditional” items to your Thanksgiving menu. Pungent can be found in onions, garlic, and chili or other peppers. Bitter is found in green leafy vegetables, so starting with a salad of mixed greens or including collards are good ways to satiate this taste. Astringent can be found in cauliflower, tea, tannin forward things like cranberry. Make sure there is a non-sugary version of one of these things in your meal. See recipes below!
- Eat SLOWLY. We all know that eating too quickly causes indigestion. It also means that your body can’t register fullness before it’s too late. Your stomach needs space to digest food. Eat slow and stop when you are 70% full.
- Eat bile-stimulating food. In Ayurveda we like to “wake up” the digestion before consuming food. Drink a tea of steeped cumin, coriander, ginger and fennel before your meal. Add beets to your green salad. Drink lemon water first thing upon rising. All of these things will stimulate the digestive process and prepare you to more easily digest your food.
Autumn Spice Roasted Cauliflower
(Salty, pungent and astringent)
- 1 head of Cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
- 3T. Olive oil
- 1tsp ground cumin
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1tsp turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a mixing bowl make a paste by combining olive oil and spices and stirring to combine. Add the cauliflower florets. Coat the cauliflower in the spice paste (I like to put on a glove and thoroughly mix the two together). Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until they have reached your preferred level of crispness. Turn once during roasting for best results.
Six-Taste Kale Salad
Six-Taste Kale Salad
- Kale
- Beets, diced and roasted
- Pepitas, freshly toasted
- Radishes, finely chopped
- Goat Cheese (optional)
- Dried Cherries (optional)
- Lemon Juice from one lemon
- Olive Oil
- Himalayan Salt
Second dressing:
- 1-2T cherry preserves
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 1tsp grated ginger or ½ tsp dry
- ½ tsp tarragon
- Whisked together
Prepare the kale by removing from thick stalks, tearing into bite sized pieces, and washing and spinning it before placing in a large salad bowl.
Squeeze lemon onto kale, adding a plethora of salt. Massage kale with hands until it begins to wilt. Add olive oil (enough to give it a shine).
Add your other salad ingredients. Just before serving, toss the salad with the second dressing. This salad contains all six tastes and takes great advantage of Autumn vegetables.
Here at Pure Life, we are grateful for our clients and for the opportunity to serve you. May you have a wonderful holiday and we hope to see you in the office soon.
Be well,
Gin
919-619-0211
ayurvedagin@gmail.com