Healthy Habit

Earlier this month, I participated in my first cleanse. I swore I would never do a cleanse because I worried about not having enough food, I'd feel weak, yadda yadda, the list of stories I told myself goes on.

This time it felt different. It felt more compassionate. The cleanse was with my Ayurveda classmates (100+ women), there was a cleanse guide (document) with food and self care supplies along with recipes, daily journal prompts, meditations in addition to three calls: kick-off, mid-week check-in, and closing call.

My scarcity mindset around food (from childhood) was challenged by the abundance of support from the other participants and the nourishment I was able to give myself each day of the 5-day cleanse; an overall healing process unfolded, an emotional cleanse in addition to a physical cleanse.

Build your Rasa Dhatu: Bone Broth

The first day of my cleanse also happened to be the first day of my cycle, so I was feeling pretty worn out and weak.

My rasa dhatu needed a boost! In Ayurveda, there are 7 tissues (dhatus) and rasa is our first layer. Our rasa dhatu's primary function is to provide nourishment and satisfaction to every cell and tissue. It carries nutrients and hydration throughout our body, ensuring all tissues are properly fed.

When you are feeling depleted, the first area to pay attention to and feed is your rasa dhatu.

Bone broth is nutrient-dense and highly digestible, which allows our body to easily absorb its beneficial components and transform them into healthy rasa. A warm, liquid bone broth helps to restore proper hydration and support the flow of nourishing fluids throughout our body.

You can either make your own bone broth or purchase bone broth. To prep for the cleanse, I had bought beef and chicken bone broth from these two brands (see picture). "Zoup!" was my favorite. It was tasty and helped me feel nourished and grounded.

If you choose to make your own bone broth, be aware of the source where you're getting your bones.

If you are a non-meat eater, you may consider trying bone broth. Bone broth boosts your immune system, improves digestion and elimination. Bone broth is also packed with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and a little rich fat. I don't know if vegetable broth provides the same support.

Abundance & Marshmallows “The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.” ​ ~ Marianne Williamson  Have you heard of the Stanford Marshmallow Test Experiment? The Stanford Marshmallow Test asked children to choose between one treat now or two treats if they waited, measuring their ability to delay gratification. It became one of psychology’s most famous studies on self-control. Purpose The experiment aimed to explore how early self-control skills might relate to future success in areas like academics, health, and relationships. Researchers followed participants over decades to see long-term patterns. Findings Initial results suggested that children who could wait tended to have better life outcomes later on. These outcomes included higher test scores, healthier lifestyles, and stronger social skills. Limitations Later research showed that family background, environment, and economic stability strongly influenced waiting times and life outcomes. This challenged the idea that self-control alone drives success. Source: Simply Psychology I think about this experiment and what I would have done as a child. Knowing my food scarcity environment, I may have saved the marshmallows. Now as an adult, I would savor each marshmallow. What would you have done? Eaten the marshmallow OR wait? What life conditions would have influenced your choice?

Breathwork Technique: Alternate Nostril Breathing (aka Anulom Vilom)

We're entering vata season with the following qualities: dryness, coldness, and lightness. This season can easily create imbalances in people such as your mind having feelings of being "up in the air," scattered, anxious, or a lack of grounding and can manifest physically as dryness, light sleep, or a need for more structure in the body.

Alternate nostril breathing, specifically anulom vilom, is a great practice for this season because it helps with clearing sinuses.

I enjoy doing this breathwork every morning since I'm the type of person who can be in their head a lot and practicing this breathwork daily helps me stay grounded.

Anulom Vilom is different from Nadi Shodhana (another alternate nostril breathing technique) because it doesn't have breath retention between inhalations/exhalations.

How to Practice: Check out this short "How To" Video

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Benefits of Anulom Vilom

• Reduces depression
• Eliminates migraines
• Clears sinuses
• Brings vitality to visceral organs
• Regulates digestive fire (agni)
• Decreases cholesterol levels
• Brings clarity to the mind
• Strengthens immune system
• Creates a sense of mental groundedness

Cautions and Contraindications

Menstrual cycle or pregnancy. You can still decide to do this breathwork gently if you're experiencing either of these two conditions.

Book of the Month!

Boundaries are AWESOME! You can either think of boundaries as keeping bad stuff out OR keeping the good stuff in so you have a more fulfilling life. I fall into the latter. This book has great boundary stories as well as scripts you can use to maintain boundaries. Sometimes we recognize we need to set a boundary and are unsure what to say - I love that this book provides the words. It gets easier to set a boundary each time you do it; it's like working a muscle. Enjoy! Boundary Boss: The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen, and (Finally) Live Free by Terri Cole

Join Me at my Upcoming Event!

Moon Cycles + You: How to Live in Sacred Cyclical Attunement 4-part workshop series @ True North: Thursdays, postponed until March (5:30-6:30pm) - $99, includes unlimited yoga pass for duration of series (sign-up link)

Each week we'll visit a phase in the female menstrual cycle OR moon cycle (if you no longer menstruate). I'll share what's happening in your body (in the sky) and ways to care for yourself.

See you next month!

Angela

FIG Bites' intention is to "Feed your body and mind so you are a fully nourished and joyful person able to fully embrace life" whether you're at work or home.