Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Determining Your Dosha


The principle medical system of India is known as Ayurveda and is over 5,000 years old. This "Science of Life" is considered the art of living in harmony with nature. In Ayurvedic philosophy, people, their health, and the universe are all thought to be related. It is believed that health problems can result when these relationships are out of balance. The goal of Ayurveda is to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit. This is believed to help prevent illness and promote wellness.
Developed from the ancient text of The Vedas, Ayurveda views the human body as a homunculus of our cosmic Universe, regulated by the balance between three primordial humors, call dosha.
Your dosha is your Ayurveda mind & body type. There are three doshas in Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. We each have all three of the doshas in our physiology, just in different proportions, so your dosha is unique and personal; it is like your fingerprint.
- Each dosha is made up of one or two of the five basic elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth.
- Each dosha has a particular relationship to body functions and can be upset for different reasons.
- A person has her own balance of the three doshas, although one dosha usually is prominent. Doshas are constantly being formed and reformed by food, activity, and bodily processes.
- Each dosha is associated with a certain body type, a certain personality type, and a greater chance of certain types of health problems.
An imbalance in a dosha will produce symptoms that are related to that dosha and are different from symptoms of an imbalance in another dosha. Imbalances may be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle or diet, too much or too little mental and physical exertion, or not being properly protected from the weather, chemicals, or germs. 

The following test will give you a good idea of the levels of your doshas. We have to remember that everyone has all three doshas, but in varying degrees. After reading each description, on a separate sheet of paper mark 0 to 7 for each question. Note that values 2 and 5 are not assigned at all (don't use them). 
Add up your totals for each Dosha and place the name of the first, second and third Dosha, beginning with most dominant in the slots below.


0, 1 = Does not apply
3, 4 = Applies sometimes
6, 7 = Applies most of the time



Evaluating My Vata
Physical Attributes:
1.My physique is thin - I don't gain weight easily.___
2. I am quick and active. ___
3.My skin is usually dry, more so in winter.___
4.My hands and feet are usually cold.___
5.My energy fluctuates and comes in bursts.___
6. I usually develop gas or constipation.___
7. I usually have difficulty falling asleep or having a sound night's sleep.___
8. I am uncomfortable in cold weather.___

Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Attributes
9.My nature is lively and enthusiastic.___
10. I have difficulty memorizing things and remembering them later.___
11.It is easy for me to learn new things quickly, but I also forget quickly.___
12. I am not good at making decisions.___
13. I am anxious or worrisome by nature.___
14. People think I'm talkative and that I talk quickly.___
15. I am usually emotional by nature and my moods fluctuate.___
16. My mind is restless, but also imaginative.___
17. I have irregular eating and sleeping habits.___

Total Vata: ___


Evaluating My Pitta
Physical Attributes:
1. I don't tolerate hot weather. ___
2. I sweat easily.___
3. I can't tolerate delaying or skipping a meal.___
4.My hair is fine, straight, light, blonde, red, graying early, or balding. ___
5.My appetite is very good and I can eat big meals.___
6.My bowel movements are regular. I might have occasional loose stool but not much constipation.___
7. I like cold drinks and such foods as ice cream.___
8. I often feel hot.___
9.Spicy, hot foods upset my stomach.___

Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Attributes
10.I consider myself efficient.___
11. I try to be organized and accurate.___
12. I have a strong will and my friends think I am stubborn. ___
13. I am impatient by nature.___
14. I tend to become irritable or angry quite easily.___
15. I try to be meticulous and am a perfectionist by nature.___
16. I get angry easily, but I don't hold a grudge.___
17. I am usually critical of myself and others.___

Total Pitta: ___


Evaluating My Kapha
Physical Attributes:
1.It is easy for me to gain weight but difficult to lose.___
2. Skipping meals is easy for me and does not cause any problems.___
3. I tend to have congestion, mucus, or sinus problems.___
4. I'm a sound sleeper.___
5. I have thick, oily, dark, wavy hair.___
6.My skin is smooth and soft with an almost pale complexion.___
7.My body frame is large and solid with a heavy bone structure.___
8.My digestion is slow, so I feel full after eating.___
9. I have a steady energy level with good endurance and strong stamina.___
10. I'm sensitive to cool and damp weather. ___

Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Attributes:
11. I tend to be slow, methodical, and relaxed.___
12. I need to sleep a minimum of eight hours to feel well the next morning.___
13.By nature I am calm and composed. I don't get angry easily.___
14. I am not a quick learner but I am good at memorizing things and remembering them later.___
15.Many people consider me affectionate, forgiving, and peaceful.___
16.I usually oversleep and have difficulty waking up the next morning. ___
17.I am very reluctant to take on new responsibilities.___

Total Kapha: ___

My total scores are: Vata_____, Pitta_____, Kapha_____.
I am ________ first, ________ second, and ________ third.






I hope you find this interesting and have fun with it! The Ancient Science of Ayurveda is very complicated in the sense that if you want a deeper understanding of your Dosha makeup, your Prakriti, seeing a qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner is suggested.

Two books with more information to support your understanding of Ayurveda are: 
Ayurveda: The Science of Self Healing - A Practical Guide by Vasant Lad
Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing by Usha Lad and Vasant Lad


Next Time: Focus on Cilantro 

Thursday, July 7, 2011

What is a Dosha?

Read any article on Ayurveda and you are likely to see some mention of the three Doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. What exactly are Doshas and what do they have to do with our well-being?


According to Ayurveda, the five fundamental elements that make up the universe--space (Akasha), air (Vayu), fire (Agni), water (Apu) and earth (Prithvi)--also make up the human physiology. How do these elements work within us? Looking at the elements from the point of view of what they do in the physiology, rather than what they are, Ayurveda describes three biological humors or psychophysiological energies called doshas. There are three doshas, called Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and each is mainly a combination of two elements. Vata dosha is made up of space and air. Pitta dosha is a combination of fire and water. Kapha dosha is made up of water and earth. Each of these doshas are further divided into five sub-doshas. Together, the doshas orchestrate all the activities that occur within us.
The combination of the three doshas that you inherit at conception is called your Prakriti or original constitution in Ayurveda. While it is not unheard of for people to have nearly equal proportions of the three doshas or just one very predominant dosha as their Prakriti, most people have two doshas that are more or less equally dominant, with the remaining one less dominant. Thus, there are ten classic types of prakriti possible--Vata-Pitta-Kapha, Vata (where Vata is much more dominant than either of the two other doshas, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta (where Vata and Pitta are the two major doshas with Vata being slightly more dominant than Pitta), Pitta-Vata (where again Vata and Pitta are the two major doshas, but Pitta is slightly more dominant than Vata), Vata-Kapha, Kapha-Vata, Pitta-Kapha and Kapha-Pitta. Of course, each of us has a unique doshic thumbprint, and an Ayurvedic healer performs an Ayurvedic pulse assessment to discover that unique doshic make-up and the exact nature of imbalances in order to recommend a very individual program for restoring balance.
For good health and well-being to be maintained, the three doshas within you need to be in balance. That does not mean they need to be equal, unless you were born with equal doshas; it means that you need to maintain your original doshic make-up or Prakriti through life as much as possible to maintain good health. Unfortunately, factors such as the dietary choices you make, the lifestyle you lead, the climate where you live, levels of environmental pollution, the work you do, the nature of your relationships with people and even just the passage of time can cause one of more of the doshas in your Prakriti to increase or decrease from its original level in your constitution, creating vikriti or imbalance. If this imbalance is not corrected, you eventually lose your good health. That's why restoring balance is the central theme of the Ayurvedic approach to health.
While it is ideal to follow a personal program of balance laid out by an Ayurvedic healer after an Ayurvedic pulse assessment and a question-answer session designed to discover your precise needs for balance at a given time, a well-designed questionnaire can help you assess for yourself if you need to balance one or more doshas, and diet and lifestyle tips and herbal formulas can help maintain or restore balance.


Next Time: Determining your Dosha

Saturday, July 2, 2011

A Life in Balance

Having read Becoming Whole a book written by Meg Wolff documenting her battle with Cancer, I was in awe of Meg's tenacity to overcome her illness and her journey using the Macrobiotic Diet as a Healing tool to support her recovery. 
Meg has blessed us with a new book titled, A Life in Balance: delicious Plant Based recipes for Optimal Health. This book is chock full of recipes from some of Meg's favorite restaurants such as Rosti for One from VBites, Heather Mills Restaurant in the UK; Tempeh Hash from The Good Egg Cafe in Portland, Maine and Masao's Blueberry Cake from Masao's Kitchen in Waltham, Massachusetts. 




Meg shares Breakfast Ideas like Big Treat Waffles; Soups like Cannellini Bean, and a  Basic Miso Soup which is perfection! There is a recipe for Poached Pears with Ginger Almond Cream that is, well, Divinity! There are tips on Sea Vegetables, Cutting Techniques, Family Reactions to Diet Change and much more.
I have chosen two of Meg's Salad Recipes to share with you. The first recipe was created by Meg's Daughter Cammie who is studying at The Natural Gourmet cooking school in New York City. I Love it because it is simple, elegant and unexpected! The second recipe is a Salad of Fennel and Orange, and with my Italian Heritage how could I resist!


Strawberry Shiitake Salad
Ingredients:
1 Head of Romaine Lettuce torn into bite size pieces
A few Handfuls of Baby Spinach
1 pint of Fresh Organic Strawberries thinly sliced
10 Shiitake Mushrooms stems removed and thinly sliced
3 Tbl of Olive or Sunflower Oil
4 tsp of Golden Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of Sea Salt or a few drops of Shoyu/Soy Sauce
Mix all Ingredients in a Bowl and Toss
Enjoy!


Salade de fenouil Ã  l'Orange
Ingredients:
2 Fennel Bulb
1 Tbl of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 Orange
6 Tbl of cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbl of FreshlySqueezed Orange Juice
1/2 Tbl of Rice Syrup or Honey
Fleur de Sel or Regular Sea Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
1 Tbl Dill 
5 Mint Leaves


Method:
Remove Stalks from Fennel Bulbs, cut in half and core
Slice Bulb as thin as possible, use a Mandoline if you have one
Place in Bowl, add Lemon juice and toss to coat
Grate the Zest of half of the Orange avoiding the Pith add to Bowl
Slice off top and bottom of the Orange to stabilize on Cutting Board, slice around to remove skin exposing flesh
Cut along side the Membrane to remove segments
Add segments to Fennel
Squeeze out any remaining Juice from the left over Membrane onto the Fennel and Orange segments
To make the dressing in a separate bowl, whisk Olive Oil with the 2Tbl of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, add  Honey or Rice Syrup 
Add to Salad and sprinkle with Fleur de Sel and Freshly ground Pepper and Toss
Sprinkle with chopped Fresh Dill and Mint
Enjoy!


This is just a glimpse of the Meg's vegan recipe selection from, A Life in Balance: Delicious Plant-Based Recipes for Optimal Health, distributed by Down East Publishers. 
If you can't find it at your local bookshop, they will order it for you. You can also find it at Amazon.com, Borders and Barnes and Noble. Get your hands on a copy today, you will not be disappointed! 



Visit Meg at: www.megwolff.com and read Meg's story in her Independent Publisher Award Winning Book: Becoming Whole, the story of my complete recovery from Brest Cancer























Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Nourishing Slaw

While hiking today I had an urge for something crunchy. I could have reached for crackers, chips or a cookie but I chose my Raw Slaw instead! 
This is a great accompaniment to any meal and a wonderful way to get some raw energizing vegetables on everyone's plate! I have been known to have this tossed with, or on the side of, Grains, Pasta, Tempeh or Beans. "Have it your way" and enjoy.



Raw Slaw

serves 6 to 8

1 Large Head of Green Cabbage sliced finely
2 Large Carrots Sliced on a diagonal and cut into fine Matchsticks
Place these ingredients into a large glass bowl with 1Tbl. of Sea Salt
Massage the salt into the vegetables, you will see that they begin to sweat
Cover with a plate and a weight leave for 20 minutes, then drain
You may rinse with water to remove salty flavor


Matchstick Cutting Technique

  In a separate bowl place:
1/2 Med.Head of Red Cabbage sliced finely, massage and marinated with 3 Tbl. of Umeboshi Vinegar, let it sit for 15 minutes then lightly rinse and drain

In one additional bowl place:
1 Med.Red Onion sliced finely, massage  and marinate with 1Tbl. of Umeboshi Vinegar, let sit for 15 minutes then lightly rinse and drain

I like to squeeze all the excess liquid from the vegetables in an impeccably clean tea towel
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl with 3Tbl. of Olive Oil, 2Tbl. of Apple Cider Vinegar, 2tsp. of Agave Nectar and 2Tbl. of finely minced Italian Parsley
Garnish with Black Sesame Seeds
Enjoy!



                                                
                                                                         

Friday, June 24, 2011

Nourishing Tempeh

This past Monday my Partner and I packed up the Car, our dog Jack and headed for Castine, Maine! We are staying in an adorable Cottage with a view of the Bay, balmy breezes, vibrant meals and RELAXATION! Brisk walks on the Beach and leisurely strolls into Town. Maine is known for its Seafood, and all along the Coast are these Lobster Bars, if you will. Well, after driving past about nine of them in one day, I said, that's it! I have to make some Tempeh of the Sea, ASAP! 


Living in Vermont I have gotten very spoiled by the most delicious Tempeh I have ever tasted and a texture which cannot be matched. This is Rhapsody Tempeh and it is produced by the Welters a family originally from Holland and living in Cabot, Vt. It is made with local Soybeans, by hand, in small batches and sold all over Vermont and Nationally on their website: www.rhapsodynaturalfoods.org
  
I have created many dishes using this Tempeh and I swear it makes the simplest meal special! One of my Favorites is a Salad I call "Tempeh of the Sea" It is really Yummy and Nourishing! 




Tempeh is made from Soybeans and has a high protein content. It is considered to be one of the best way to consume Soy because the fermenting process aids in digestion. I steam the Tempeh for an additional fifteen to twenty minute as well to assist in its digestibility and so the warm Tempeh will absorb more flavor when tossed with your other ingredients. 


Ingredient List:
8 oz. of Rhapsody Tempeh cubed and steamed
2 Tbl Diced Red Onion
1/2 Cup Diced  Celery
2 Tbl Fresh Dill (fresh is important here)                     
2 Tbl Maine Coast Dulse Flakes,  www.seaveg.com         
2 tsp Fresh or Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbl Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup of Organic Vegenaise by Follow your Heart found refrigerated at your Natural Food store


Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and chill




I love serving this on Butter or Boston Lettuce Leaves like a wrap, a scoop served on a Bed of Baby Greens and Sprouts, great on Endive for an Appetizer or Hor d' oeuvre, and Sour Dough Bread, Pita Pocket or Wrapped in a Tortilla with lots of your favorite Veggies. 
No matter which way you serve it, I promise you will begin collecting Fans!


Next Time: From her new book A Life in Balance, author Meg Wolff shares Nourishing  recipes to live for!                                                  
                                                                         



















Monday, June 13, 2011

Nourishing your Sweet Tooth

The weather seems to have made an abrupt change here in Vermont. It is 50 degrees outside, feeling a bit like Autumn and I have a hankering for a Morning Muffin. 
As I rummage through my pantry I find a jar of Shredded Coconut, some frozen Organic Mango in the freezer and a container of So Delicious Coconut Milk in the fridge. Yay! Coconut Mango Muffins it is!
So I dig for my Muffin Tin which has made its way to the back of my cupboard. Search for my Muffin Liners which I swore  would not be used till next Fall, and begin the process.



Dry Ingredients:
3 Cups Organic Unbleached White Flour
1Tbl of Baking Powder
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
3/4 Cup of  Organic Unsweetened  Shredded Coconut


Wet Ingredients:
1 Cup of So Delicious Vanilla Coconut  Milk
1 Cup of Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Sunflower Oil 
1Tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups of diced Mango (frozen or fresh)


Method:
Blend all the Dry ingredients in a Large Bowl with the exception of the Shredded Coconut.
In another Bowl Mix all the Wet ingredients and then add the Coconut. Let the Coconut rehydrate in the Wet ingredients for about fifteen minutes. 
Meanwhile Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare your Muffin Tin, oiling the top and placing the Muffin Liners in all twelve cups. 
Once the Coconut has rehydrated, mix the Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients in a Folding Motion. Do not over mix as this creates a tough Muffin. 
Fill Muffin tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Halfway through the Baking Process I turn my pan to insure more even Baking.
Remove from oven and let cool, if you can wait!
Serve with your favorite Tea (Tazo Earl Grey was my choice) but a Cafe Soy Latte would be Divine!
Savor your Sweet Treat while relaxing with your favorite Book, Newspaper, or with that special someone. Indulge!








Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Nourishing and Cooling

With our days getting longer as we approach Summer Solstice one questions on my mind is: What shall I eat to beat the heat?


Some of my favorite cooling ingredients are: 
Refreshing Herbs and Spices, like Coriander, Mint, Cumin and Fennel. Grains are turned into Salads. Whole Barley, Brown Basmati Rice and Quinoa being my staples. Greens of all kinds prepared in an abundance of ways!  Kanten (Agar-Agar)  prepared Savory as an  Aspic or Sweet for a Dessert. Chilled Roasted Barley Tea becomes my Beverage of Choice, or a Tea made with Umeboshi Plum which is chilled as well! 


I usually begin a Summer day by preparing most of my cooked ingredients first thing in the morning. Cooking  Beans and Grains while the Kitchen is still cool from a refreshing evening breeze is so much more comfortable. Later in the day I turn these ingredients into a quick salad, or saute.
Never eat any thing too cold as this will slow the  digestive process . Beverages are chilled, never Iced.


Here are three recipes to help you "Keep Your Cool"


Quick Grain Salad:
4 Cups of Cooked and Chilled Whole Barley
3/4 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Corn
1/2  Small Red Onion or  1/2 Cup of finely sliced Scallion
1/2 Cup of finely diced Celery
1/2 Cup of  Red Bell Pepper diced small
1/4 Cup of Fresh Dill and Italian Parsley mixed
1/8 cup of Extra virgin Olive Oil (add more or less or skip the Oil if you like)
1Tbl Umeboshi Vinegar
Zest of 1 Lemon (organic)
Toss all ingredients in a Bowl and serve on individual leaves of Butter Lettuce or Radicchio!


Refreshing Cucumber, Wakame and Kim-Chi Salad
2Tbl of Dry Wakame Flakes Soaked and Drained
2 Cucumbers thinly sliced into rounds or half moons
1/2 Cup of your favorite Kim-Chi or Sauerkraut Drained Well
1Tbl of Rice or Apple Cider Vinegar
Zest of 1 Organic Orange (organic)
Place all ingredients into a bowl and Gently Toss, garnish with fine diagonal cut Scallion slices


Coconut Rose Kanten (inspired by aTurkish dessert)
4 Cups of So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk
3Tbl. of Agar Flakes (usually found in the Asian Food section or with other Seaweed)
Place together in a Sauce pan and bring to a Gentle Boil on Medium Heat
Simmer on Low till the Agar has Melted (for approximately10 minutes) 
Add:
1Tbl of Agave Nectar or Two Tablespoons of Rice Syrup.
1Tbl Rose Water
2Tbl of UNSWEETENED Shredded  Coconut 
2 level Tbl of Kuzu or Arrowroot Powder diluted 2Tbl COOL Water
Whisk together continuously while cooking for 3 minutes
Pour into Dessert Dishes, I like using a Wine Goblet or clear  or colored glasses
Garnish with Organic Rose Petals and Chopped Pistachios


I hope you can try one or all of these recipes and enjoy this bountiful Season!