Grounding Spring Nourishment

Vata season in Connecticut is not behind us quite yet. The cold is still upon us as the cold winds whistle through the trees at night. As we start to consider adding more greens and bitters to our life----to stave off the winter sluggishness, you may still be feeling the insomnia, dry skin, arthritis, constipation, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression, that winter/Vata has beset upon us. So our bodies are very much in a transition time. But, it is not time yet to abandon the warming spices and slow cooked foods of winter. It’s a time of deep self-care to ask what our bodies need. And, we do live in Vata and Anxiety provoking times. A simple cup of tea, a homemade spice-rich veggie soup and a walk in the woods or meditation practice won’t make this go away. But, it hopefully will make your body and soul less reactive. 

When ailments arise out of air and space, the simple solution is to find grounding, and the first place to find our center is in the kitchen. Aromatic slow cooked, warm food is still the foundation of the day. Homemade soups, chillies, and stews with seasonal vegetables (start adding those asparagus and peas), and pungent spices such as cinnamon, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and turmeric will keep your body back into balance. Remember to listen to your body, and eat as much as your gut calls for: if you eat real, whole foods, you won’t be as hungry. And with the addition of some simple bitters, your appetite will normalize.

Eating in a peaceful environment, with regular meals, and savoring each bite is powerful for your health. We encourage you to not “marry” a food philosophy, such as Atkins/Keto, Paleo, Vegan etc. but rather to look at this time in your life, this season and ask your body what it needs among the foods that are “whole” such as plants, spices etc.

You can start transitioning to a bit more greens, cleaning teas with dandelion root (such as our Cleanse tea) or nettles/peppermint or a bitters tincture (contact us via email for ideas). The gut is often considered the body’s second brain, and it plays a critical role in your overall wellbeing!

 After a full day of grounding our body through nourishing, warm, and hearty food, one of the most essential grounding practices happens at night, while we sleep. Food and sleep are directly aligned in balancing the body, mind, and soul. According to the World Journal of Gastroenterology, there is 400 times more melatonin (sleep hormone) created in the gut than in the brain. Essentially, a well-functioning gut releases more hormones for restful, quality sleep, thereby creating a harmonious cycle of grounding.

 If you would like to special order quarts of our current beneficial veggie-rich culinary spice filled/Transition to spring soups, see our list here. We are here to do the soup and stew cooking for you! 

Happy Vata/ transition to Kapha season! Stay warm, stay nourishes, stay rested, and be well.

The Power of Writing Thank You Cards

Last month we were inspired to practice gratitude for our physical selves, to better ourselves from the inside out. This month, after diving deep into John Kralik’s “A Simple Act of Gratitude : How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life”, we’re taking gratitude a step further, using it to improve our relationship with the worlds around us-- our families, friends, loved ones, nature, work, etc. 

Once we establish a gratitude-relationship with our physical body, we recognize the power of gratitude in the relationship with all that surrounds us. In his book, Kralik explored writing thank-you cards as a way of expressing gratitude, for anything and everything. These notes were his tool to take suffering relationships and revive them, not taking any relationship for granted, while also finding the positive in those he never before valued.

So how do we use this tool? Here’s what we’ve got so far:

Thank you, roommate, for sharing your dinner with me last night,

...I was so exhausted, you made my day.

Thank you, doctor, for giving me a thoughtful diagnosis last week,

...I was so scared, but you made me feel like it is going to be okay.

Thank you, mom, for calling me once a week,

...I can get too caught up in my busy schedule, but you remind me of the important things in life.

Thank you, to my ex, for keeping our dog’s best interest in mind, and letting my walk him once a week,

...He is so special to my life, and I don’t want to lose him, although our parting was for the best.

Thank you, boss, for the constructive feedback on my latest project,

...I worked really hard, and although you suggested I make changes, I appreciate your perspective            and commitment to my success.

To you, barista, for never forgetting my order,

...You help me start every day feeling cared for.

Wow, that felt good. Now let us remember that the timing of these thank-you cards is of the essence. The hardest time to express gratitude is when we don’t feel it at all. So, make a conscious effort. Take out a pen and paper exactly in those moments of self-pity, of frustration, and of anger. Gratitude is exactly the tool to get rid of invasive negativity. Through this exercise, we remember that there is never a lack of good things in this world, it is all a matter of perspective. 

Let us all set an intention today, and every day, to find gratitude, even in the toughest of times.

What are you grateful for? Let’s spread the positivity. 

With gratitude, be well.