Pulses such as chickpeas are great to have alongside whole-grains or dairy to provide a full complement of protein. Chickpeas tend to aggravate vata a little (think wind…) but with oil, garlic and herbs such as cumin, this can be lessened. This simple home-made hummus recipe has the handy addition of Read more
I think they can. It’s a fine balance but it is possible. I often get asked about healthy packed lunches. I try to tiptoe a wiggly line between health, ease, environmental-impact and child-acceptability! I don’t get it perfectly right and I’m no Delia Smith, but for what it’s worth, here Read more
This is an excellent soup for times when you need to cleanse. This may be when you are feeling unwell, sluggish or have poor digestion. It is also a fantastic soup to have as a cleanse at the turn of the seasons, when doshas are most likely put out of Read more
Given my usual fascination with digestion, you’d be forgiven for thinking I mean that kind of wind. But, for once, I don’t. In this instance, I refer to vata, the ‘wind’ (or air and space) principle in your body and mind. It is one of the three doshas (vata, pitta Read more
“Let’s meet for coffee”. Who doesn’t say it? I don’t even drink coffee and it is still a phrase that trips off the tongue. Coffee has reached cult status and it is no surprise. That hit of caffeine feels good. When you start adding in creamy milk, syrups and chocolate Read more
Balanced meals, balanced person, that’s the concept. Ayurveda has a delightfully simple way of devising a balanced meal; it’s all done through taste. There are 6 tastes, and if you have a balance of all 6 in your meal, your meal will be nutritious and, importantly, satisfying (assuming that your Read more
“It comes back to the beginning” – the theme tune punch line from the fantastic TV series, The Bridge. If you haven’t seen it, you should! I’m singing the song for you now, you are just very lucky not to be able to hear me. It does indeed all come Read more
Wow, it’s lovely to see the sun out. Out comes the sun and out come the smiles. Have you found that this winter’s dreadful weather has been making you a bit sad? Or indeed, quite a bit S.A.D.? With the lack of sunlight in the winter months, many people start Read more
Abhyanga (Ayurvedic warm-oil massage) is not a luxury, it’s essential. That’s not from me, it’s from the ancient Ayurvedic texts: ‘Abhyanga should be resorted to daily. It wards of old age, exertion and aggravation of vata. It bestows good vision, nourishment to the body, long life, good sleep, good and Read more
Most of us know that this creation is made up of fundamental elements – 118 at the last count. Some we’ve heard of – oxygen, gold, silver – and some most of us haven’t – number 118 is Ununoctium. Knowledge of this doesn’t help us very much with our day Read more