Ayurveda - Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator

Sleep, it does a body, soul, and mind good

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:47:57 +0000

I can remember my mother saying, “go to sleep, everything will look better in the morning.” As a young girl, whether I believed her or not, everything did look better in the morning.

Now as a woman over 50, I tell myself go to sleep, “Rommy, YOU will look better in the morning.” And, whether or not I totally believe myself, I generally do look better after a good night’s sleep. Not only is my appearance better, but my perspective, the way I see things is better. Everything really does look better after a good night’s sleep.

But, it’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, my mind just wont shut off, sometimes I wake up, over and over again. Then when it’s time to get up, my eyes want to stay shut. That’s when I know it is time to get back to good sleep habits.

Ayurveda, the Science of Life, provides with some truly wonderful, safe, non toxic sleep aids for beautiful radiant skin, vibrant outlook, and optimal wellness.

The art of caring for yourself before bed is very soothing to our central nervous systems. The art of cooking for ourselves sends a signal to our soul that we matter, we value our body, and we have a purpose.

You can improve your sleep by improving your nutrition, managing your screen time, and setting a schedule and sticking to it.

Try adding these six simple and highly effective steps to your regimen for 10 days.

An hour or 2 before bed, prepare for the next day. Set out your clothes, your purse and keys by the door. Look over your calendar for anything you may have forgotten.
Two hours before bed begin to dim the lights, turn off electronics, sit and watch the sun go down or listen to soothing, tranquil music. Do not watch the news or other violent troubling media.
If you experience chronic sleeplessness, adrenal fatigue, high stress, or are recovering from a long illness or surgery make yourself a rasayana, an Ayurvedic rejuvenative tonic. My favorite is Golden Milk. Download the recipe below.
A hour before bed, take care of personal hygiene. Brush your teeth, scrape your tongue, wash your face and wash your feet if you are not showering. Hot baths should be taken at least 2 hours before bed to allow the body to calm.
Engage in pleasant conversation, journaling, meditation, or read a not too interesting book.
Do some simple yoga poses. Seated forward folds and gentle twists are wonderful for promoting sleep. Try this gentle yoga sequence, suitable for morning or night.

Download your recipe here

GoldenMilk

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The Essential Ginger Pickle

Rommy Kirby — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:32:30 +0000

Ayurveda, known as Yoga’s sister science, offers an array of practices for radiant optimal wellness.

The Ginger Pickle is a highly prized, incredibly effective, and taste bud tingling recipe that increases digestive agni, (agni translates to fire). Because of this, it is also a fabulous boost to the immune system.

It’s a ‘trick’ used by brides to help them fit into their dress on their special day…

but it’s also amazingly beneficial to three of your body’s systems.

Have you noticed that when you’re coming down with something,

your digestion gets sluggish,
you feel full and bloated,
and you can’t think as clearly?

That’s because your digestive system, your immune system, and your nervous system rely on each other.

Think of it this way, they are the 3 wheels on your proverbial tricycle.

If one of the wheels hits a hard bump and bends, it becomes wobbly and the other 2 wheels have to work double time to keep you moving.

Adding the Ginger Pickle into your daily or weekly regimen will help you stay healthier because you are digesting better.

It’s simple…

Eat it before meals and enjoy better digestion, less gas and bloating, and improved mental alertness.

Great to boost immunity when you’ve been around sick people
Awesome to warm you up and tame your tummy when you need that extra soothing.
Perfect when on a cleanse or detox.
A tonic for those with chronic dry mouth.

INGREDIENTS

Honey – the best you can get
Ginger Root – organic if possible, otherwise peel it before you grate it
Lemon – squeeze the juice
Salt – I suggest Gray Sea Salt for most people

Optional Supportive Additions

Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil – 1-2 drops (supports healthy metabolism)
Lime Essential Oil – 1-2 drops (supports the immune system)
Lemon Essential Oil – 1-2 drops (aids cleansing)

DIRECTIONS

Grate a 2 inch piece of ginger root into a glass bowl.

Add

pinch to 1/4 tsp of gray sea salt

juice of one lemon

drizzle of honey

essential oils to taste

Stir

Now eat it…

Take 1 teaspoon before your meal(s) to increase your digestive fire. Save the rest for later in the day.

Why this works…

There are several elements that make this an effective natural digestive aid.

First there is the 5 elements of taste that help your mouth produce saliva. Saliva is rich in enzymes that begin the digestive process in the mouth.
Second, ginger is renown for it digestive properties that aid all three parts of the digest system, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.
Third, an active digestive system is key to greater energy because the system can operate more efficiently.
Forth, the optional addition of essential oils adds supportive chemical properties that are not present in the juice of the the lemon or ginger root.

I adapted my Essential Ginger Pickle recipe from an ancient recipe you can find on Maharishi Ayurveda.

It’s a great recipe to start with for those of you that don’t have quality, safe to ingest essential oils yet. Want to learn about the oils I use and trust? Send me an email.

Like this?

Pin it, share it, tweet it

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Daily Detox Tip for Fresh Breath

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 17:54:20 +0000

Increase your confidence, reduce your cravings and boost your immune system…

with just a few scrapes of your tongue.

If your tongue looks likes Miley’s in this picture, there are a lot challenges your body is needlessly dealing with. I share with you about those issues in a separate post.

Today, I’m sharing with you a very simple yet effective way of daily detox that has not only increased my confidence but also boosted my immune system.

When you add this handy dandy little tool into your daily hygiene regimen you will wonder why they don’t make commercials about it…seriously.

It’s called a Tongue Scrapper and this simple instrument has been used for centuries in Ayurveda, the Sister Science of Yoga.

The tongue scrapper, is an inexpensive yet transformational tool.

It’s a simple, thin, u-shaped piece of stainless steel with a blunted edge that removes plaque and build-up from the surface of the tongue. American dentists are now recommending the tongue cleaner because it helps to fight cavities by removing bacterial build up from the mouth. The tongue scrapper will also help prevent bad breath, especially for people with sinus issues or that consume dairy products.

According to Ayurveda, people that practice daily tongue scrapping are better public speakers, can express themselves more thoughtfully and speak more sincerely and authoritatively.

You might think that simply brushing your tongue will have the same benefits, but that just isn’t the case.

When you brush your tongue, all your doing is moving things around, which might be helpful, but will not clean off deep grimy deposits in the surface of the tongue. Scrapping is simply more effective because it cleans off the deep deposits and generally keeps the area cleaner, stimulated and alive.

The tongue scrapper helps you to desensitize your taste buds.

Scrapping your tongue between meals can be a powerful tool in managing your cravings because is removes the taste of your previous meal from the taste buds When you can still taste the food your taste buds become used to experiencing taste and that can lead to cravings.
With daily use, you will be able to enjoy the more subtle flavors of whole foods, fruits and vegetable. You will develop a palate for clean food and a dis-taste for chemically laden processed food-like substances.
When old residue is removed from the tongue, you will be better able to taste your food. You won’t eat as much because your taste will be satisfied sooner and you will experience greater satisfaction.

Tongue scraping also boosts your immune system because you won’t continually be swallowing the toxic film and decayed food particles.

Now, here’s the Numero Uno benefit for you love birds…it makes kissing so much more enjoyable! The tongue is sweeter, fresher and much more sensitive. Go ahead, try it out with your beloved.

Now, pick up one up on your way home or have Amazon deliver a Stainless Steel to your door.

Try it for one week. I’ll bet you add this to your daily detox regimen or dinacharya!

How to

Brush your teeth.
Stick out your tongue
Hold scupper with by grips with rounded end toward mouth
Gently scrap from back to front
Rinse and repeat 2 – 3 times
Note – You don’t want to scrape off your taste buds and you should not be gagging. Don’t scrape too hard or too far back. If you’ve found the bumps one the back of your tongue, those are your salivery glands, you need them, leave them there.

Here’s a video where I show you how to say bye-bye bad breath.

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Coconut Water find the best and leave the rest

Rommy Kirby — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 21:22:41 +0000

I have been a huge fan of coconut water of the years. I clearly remember first time I walked out of a Hot Yoga class, downed my very first coconut water, and felt ahhhh-mazing!

I drank and recommended Zico for about 3 years before other companies jumped on the bottled coconut water band wagon. These days I drink and recommend a different company for those of us that don’t live on a coconut plantation. Actually, my daughter introduced me to it.

First though, you might wonder about the why & what of coconut water

from Harmless Harvest

It’s a great sports drink.

Sports drinks are really great synthetic chemical concoctions that are ultimately difficult for our organs to process. While coconut water is easier to digest, has fewer calories, less sodium and more potassium. Studies show that coconut water replenishes the body better that plain water and as well as sports drinks.

Here’s a little taste test for you…

let your favorite sports drink get to room temperature and taste it. Right away, you’ll notice the flavors of the chemicals, food coloring, and processed sugars. YUCK!

It is a natural remedy.

Like most plants, coconut water may even have medicinal properties.

Coconut Water has been used in tropical climates for health and vitality. It’s incredibly more hydrating than water because of the natural vitamins and minerals. In Jamaica they use it to support kidney function. According to Ayurveda it promotes digestion and a clearing of the urinary path. Mariners used it during long journeys to stay healthy. During World War II and in remote regions it was used as an emergency intravenous hydration and resuscitation fluid.

Because it’s a tropical, I use it in my spring and summer detoxes to aid alkalization of the body and ease discomfort.

So which coconut water am I drinking these days?

While I truly prefer to pop a straw into a freshly opened green coconut in the tropics, like you, I make the best with what I have. My coconut water of choice is called Harmless Harvest.

It’s deliciously thick, nutty, and sweet and so so good for you.

If you’re like me, when possible, you want to buy from a company that thinks about sustainability, the environment, as well as working conditions. Check their website out, find out about the company and how the produce and package.

Next time your in your local whole food grocer, look for it in the refrigerate section!

Thanks to FoodBabe for her diligent research into the growing and bottling practices of coconut water, arguably the fastest growing segment in the beverage and health food industry.

Tell me…

Do you drink coconut water? How do you use it? Personally, I drink it straight up no ice.

resources….

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/truth-about-coconut-water

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDQQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpublication%2F231969159_Coconut_water_uses_composition_and_properties_a_review%2Flinks%2F02e7e51efe25ac44e5000000&ei=9XYHVOSSLIWUgwTz1YGYAg&usg=AFQjCNEi1p2EwJjNU0quB7qiSoTlf6LP6w&bvm=bv.74115972,d.eXY

http://foodbabe.com/2014/07/15/how-to-buy-the-healthiest-coconut-water-and-avoid-the-worst/comment-page-5/#comment-1390955

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Simple, Immune Boosting & Skin Nourishing Detox Tip

Rommy Kirby — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:05:58 +0000

You know how when the weather changes, and your skin gets drab, ashy and flaky?

Do you know why that happens?

General wisdom says it’s because that air forced through the vents is dry. Dry air moving across the skin dries it in the same way that air moving across a lake causes evaporation.

Makes sense, right? It did to me until I started studying alternative health care like Ayurveda and nutrition. The explanation is true, at least partially.

There is a more colorful story than that…

According to Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, our bodies move in concert with nature. Like it or not, our bodies experience weather changes, changes with the moon and sun cycles and changes of the seasons.

Take a moment, think about how stiff you felt last time there was a dramatic change in temperature or the restless energy you had on that sleepless full moon night.

That was your body responding to the cycles and shifts of nature. Your body is it’s own ecosystem within the greater ecosystem of nature.

To get a better idea of what is happening, let’s take a basic look at what nature does as she swings, shifts and slides from season to season. (science geek warning – this is a major over simplification!)

As summer becomes autumn, nature begins to let go of her green. The leaves dry and fall away.

Autumn’s wind blows the leaves until they blanket the ground spreading future nourishment.

Winter’s cold, damp days break down the leaves creating new soil.

Spring pulls the nutrients up to create buds, flowers, and seeds.

Spring blossoms float away to reveal summer’s supple bounty of fruits and vegetables.

Start to think of your body as an ecosystem with rhythms that flow in harmony with nature.

Think of it this way, if the atmosphere is the biggest organ of nature, then your skin is the largest organ of your personal ecosystem.

The big difference is that we tend to protect ourselves, our skin, from the elements of blowing wind, bitter cold and intense heat. The trick, then, is for us to stay in harmony with the cycles of nature so we can enjoy optimal health or even regain lost health.

The flaky, dry, and ashy skin needs to be sloughed off. The longer we experience life, the less we our skin naturally releases the dried dead skin cells.

This one, simple, and ancient tip will help your skin look more radiant, luscious. It will boost your immunity and cellular turnover, perhaps even help get rid of cellulite.

Dry (Skin) Brushing

Skin brush for supple healthy skin.

Your lymph system lives under the surface of your skin. It is responsible for cleaning the body of toxins and transporting white blood cells. You have more lymph fluid in your body than blood, but it doesn’t have a pump.

Because your lymph channels are thinner than a hair, to manipulate your lymph system, use a gentle touch and a soft brush.

Though it may sound weird, skin brushing is an ancient technique, used in many cultures for hygiene and optimal health.

Here’s how…

First, get a skin brush. I use the brushes in the picture. I took the handles off the softest back brushes I could find. You don’t need two brushes, I just like having one in each hand, one brush is all you need.

Remember that your lymph channels are very thin, use a light, soft touch.
Using a dry brush on dry skin, start at the top of your body, the neck.
Brush the palms of your hands, the inside and outside of your arms.
Be sure to brush your arm pits as well, (lots of luscious lymph nodes there).
You can gently brush your breasts in circular direction, but be sure to avoid the nipples.
Always brush towards your heart. Brush every bit of skin you can reach, remembering to move towards the heart.
When you get below the heart, move the brush in an upwards direction.
On your belly, move in a clockwise direction.
Spend a little extra time on those areas that look stagnate or have a bit more cellulite.
Then take a wonderful shower or detox bath.
Drink lots of water!

How often and when to Dry Brush?

At the minimum, with every change of season.

At the beginning, middle, and end of every cleanse or detox.

If you want to boost your immunity, at least once a month. Choose to do it around the moon cycles, like every full or new moon.

If you want more radiant, supple skin, once a week.

Benefits my clients see…

Increased immunity. (oo-la-la! healthy is the new sexy!)
Decreased appearance of cellulite. (who doesn’t want that)
Increase appreciation for your body beautiful, your soul house. (what you appreciate, appreciates)
Decreased stress. (you can be radically radiant)
Supple younger looking skin. (without toxic chemical creams)

My personal tip…

I learned from Nadine Artemis, holistic natural skin guru, to put a drop of essential oil in the palm of my hand and run the brush through it before starting.

This takes the dry skin brushing in the realms of an artful self care ritual.

I like to use, Lavender and Frankincense primarily, but will sometimes use Sandalwood, Bergomot or Ylang Ylang depending on my mood.

Tell me…

What is your favorite skin care ritual?

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