The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
Do you find yourself hitting the “snooze” button on your alarm clock more than usual these days? Feeling congested and groggy? The transition to the kapha time of year may be bogging you down.
The season of Kapha dosha begins in late winter and early spring. This is when we move from the dry, cold, mobile qualities of vata-dominant winter to a time of greater precipitation and moisture. This is usually a welcome change which provides groundedness and steadiness.
When the environment shifts, your body needs to calibrate in response. If your doshas are in balance, you might notice that you are slowing down a little, even though you continue to feel clear and energized. However, if your doshas are imbalanced then you will experience issues in your physical body and your mind, which can impact your connection to your spiritual self.
If you’ve accumulated excess vata during the winter season, this will create blockages that obstruct the appropriate movement of kapha. This will show up as dried sinuses, heaviness in the head, and growths like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), cysts and tumors.
If kapha is imbalanced, then it’s damp and heavy nature can slow digestion and weigh you down. This can lead to increased congestion, constipation, weight gain, excessive desire to sleep, water retention and allergies this time of year. In the mind, kapha in excess can also manifest in the form of low motivation, attachment, dullness, stubbornness and sometimes depression.
HOW TO STAY CLEAR, FOCUSED, AND MOTIVATED DURING THE KAPHA TIME OF YEAR.
Ayurveda teaches us that like attracts like & the opposite qualities bring balance. By assessing the qualities of your experience you can use opposite qualities to restore balance.
Here are 5 things you can do to balance excess kapha dosha this time of year:
1. Rinse, Gargle & Neti for a fresh start
Start your day with a cup of warm water first thing in the morning. Use half to rinse the mouth, even before you swallow to clear any accumulation of bacteria. Then use the other half to gargle and clear excess kapha in the throat.
Then practice neti - a sinus rinse with a mineral salt solution which does wonders to reduce – and even eliminate – seasonal allergies and congestion and also clear the mind.
Neti is a great preventive practice to be free of springtime allergies and colds. Be sure to follow it with a couple of drops of ghee or sesame oil in each nostril. You may like to use a medicated nasya oil to assist with mental clarity and focus.
Begin your day with an active asana practice. For inspiration, check out these Yoga asana sequences to balance kapha dosha.
Then be sure to walk 100 to 1,000 steps after meals to assist the digestive process, which can be slowed by excess kapha. Proper digestion is essential for great health and vitality and connecting with nature will also uplift your spirit.
3. Lighten up
Support agni - your digestive fire - through kapha season with these tips to bring to your dining table to balance kapha dosha.
4. Sleep enough, but not too much
People with a lot of kapha dosha in their constitution enjoy deep, healing sleep. But when imbalanced, kapha can crave too much sleep, which leads to tamas, or dullness and inertia.
Make it a practice to get about 8 - 9 hours of sleep. Be sure to wake before 6:00 a.m. before the kapha time of day. Getting out of bed after 6:00 a.m. becomes harder and you will feel heavier through the day. Avoid napping to prevent an increase in kapha dosha.
5. Panchakarma
As the temperature rises, Kapha season is a great time to do panchakarma, an ancient Ayurvedic practice to cleanse, detoxify and gently guide your body and mind back to health.
Traditionally performed in therapy centers, Panchakarma Home Therapy brings profound changes in your body, mind and spirit, all in the comfort of your own home.
Stay in balance all year long
Remember, we have all three doshas in us and any one can become imbalanced at any time. Focus on balancing all doshas by eating sattvic foods, meditating, and practicing gentle asanas to bring about the best results. Trust that subtle changes are most effective. Be conscious of how you feel now and how the changes you make affect your body, mind and spirit so you can learn more about what keeps you in full health.
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