GENTLE AND EASY AYURVEDA-INSPIRED FALL CLEANSE

Hey psss! Did you read the article I wrote for YUJ’s French blog?

It’s about getting our body ready for the transition from summer to fall. I was inspired by some ayurvedic routines and tried to build a gentle and easy routine to follow, in order to cleanse the body before entering the new season. For those of you who want to practise their French, please, go ahead, and have a look at the post. For the others, you will find the translation of the article below.

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Cold weather is approaching! How to get ready for the change of season?

Dear Yoginis, we know you dread the coming fall, the coming cold and the coming rain! We do too at YUJ!

But come on! We should not feel dejected since fall can also be a “warm” season with the nice twilight, the pumpkins’ warm colors, the cosy sweaters and the steaming herbal teas…

Fall can be a likable time of the year! All the more so as YUJ is launching a new series called “Fall in The City”. You will read 4 episodes in which you will find tips to reenergize the body despite the greyness and the cold.

In this first post, we will share some Ayurveda-inspired tips to get our body prepared for the coming gloomy weather… in a gentle way!

According to the Ayurvedic medicine, external factors -such as climate and seasons- affect our internal balance and our wellness. During these changes of season, it is very important to listen to our body, to cocoon and to be nice to ourselves.

Here is a fall routine we can follow to feel good and grounded:

–      First and foremost, we should use a tongue scraper after waking up to get rid of those bacteria that built up during the night.

–      Then, on an empty stomach, we can drink a big glass of warm filtered water to rekindle our digestive fire… and help eliminate the toxins.

–      For breakfast, we should try to eat some sweet fruits instead of the ones that are too tart.

–      Throughout the day, we eat some light spices such as ginger, fennel, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin and coriander. We can consume these spices in an herbal tea, on our morning fruits or on our evening soups. That’s to say, we can use them with and on everything!

PS: Our favorite easy-peasy combo is grated apple + grated pear + cinnamon +  ginger + cardamon.

–      We do not forget to drink, as always! Herbal teas, filtered water -our best friend for a life full of vitality-  or cold-pressed and organic fruit&veggie juices. Your call!

–      With the coming cold, we try and curb our consumption of frozen products and drinks as they slow the digestion process (especially during cold seasons).

–     At night, before curling up in the bed, we can massage our feet and body with sesame oil. In Ayurveda, sesame oil is said to help get rid of the toxins caused by stress, anger, alcohol and pollution.

–     And finally, for those of you who are keen on detox and cleanses, Ayurvedic medicine recommend to clean our body thanks to a 3-to-5-day “fast” (during which we could consume nothing but liquid and nutritious products). Or we could also decide to set one day of detox per week during the whole season. And you know our favorite Detox brand: Nubio. We love their “Intense Cure” which consists of green juices rich in chlorophyll. This cure always does miracles for the complexion!

NAMASTE #yujgirls!

RECIPE: Super Bowl Sunday

How to treat your body like a temple on a beautiful Sunday morning? By nourishing it with a nutritious and scrumptious superfood bowl!

This Sunday I decided to indulge in a smoothie made with veggies, Sol Semilla superfoods, fruits and spices! It was a perfect combo and a great boost of energy!

 

To whip a purple super bowl up, you’ll need:

2 handfuls of leafy greens ( I used collard greens, kale and some celery leaves);

Stevia leaves (I only used about 6 leaves as they are really sweet!)

1 raw beetroot ;

Ginger powder;

Cardamon powder;

1 teaspoon of Klamath;

1 teaspoon of Maca powder;

1 small (ripe!) banana;

200g of mixed berries (I used frozen ones);

Raw cacao nibs;

 

 

Now, start by mixing the leafy greens and the stevia leaves with some filtered water (so that your greens are really well mixed – preventing you from having leafy chunks in your smoothie).

Then, add the beetroot, ginger, cardamon, klamath and maca. Blend again until you have a sludge-like consistency.

Now, you can add the banana and the berries. Mix to get a creamy smoothie.

Done!

You can top it with raw cacao nibs, more fruits, goji berries, aguaymanto, bee pollen, rawnola, etc. Whatever you feel like eating for breakfast! Have fun!

 

PS: As always, try to consume organic produces whenever it’s possible.

 

Health Benefits:

– Ok, everybody knows that we should eat more greens as they are full of minerals, vitamins, fibers, chlorophyll, ie full of super nutrients!

– Beets are high in antioxidants (which help protect against free radical damage) and can support with detoxification. They are a good source of manganese (which can protect against free radical damage) and folate (or vitamin B9, which helps with tissue growth and cell function). They may also help your hair and skin look younger and healthier.

– Ginger has stomach-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants.

– Cardamon is a spice used in ayurvedic medicine to prevent bloating and to soothe other digestive issues.

– Klamath Lake Blue Green Algae is harvested in the pure waters of the Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon, USA. It is rich in essential minerals such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron. It contains a whole bunch of vitamins (A, B, C, E), easy-to-digest amino acids, active enzyms, essential fatty acids and chlorophyll! You got it: This treasured algae is a great superfood that may help us repair our body cells; correct overacidity in our body; boost our concentration and memory skills.

– Maca is a root from Peru that may help balance the hormones, boost mental clarity and help with endurance.

– Berries are rich in antioxidants (which help protect your cells against free radical damage). They are a good source of vitamin C (which boosts the immune system and helps building collagen) and fibers (=happy transit).

– Banana is a good source of vitamin B6, potassium (which may help you improve your brain activity when learning for instance) and manganese.

– Raw cacao is said to protect the nervous system as it is high in resveratrol (a potent antioxidant), to help repair damages caused by free radicals (again thanks to those powerful antioxidants!), to reduce blood pressure and to energize your mood. Raw cacao is also a great source of minerals like magnesium (again: Good for the brain!), potassium, iron and zinc.

 

Food Combining “Tip”:

It is a good thing to start your day with your fruits since they are the quickest food to be digested. Eat them first thing in the morning, to avoid bloating and bad digestion.