Live life in balance

Your guide to dosha imbalance

I’m feeling these symptoms, what do they mean? Do I have a dosha imbalance? Or do I feel pretty balanced? Each dosha has its qualities so the simplest way to gauge a dosha imbalance is to see which of these qualities is getting increased for you. For example, your skin Read more…

travel hot air balloon

To travel is to live – but don’t let it cost your health

Many of us love to travel and find that a change of scene, a rest or an expanse of mind all help to boost our health.  The travelling itself can take its toll, however, and has long been documented in Ayurveda as something to watch out for.  All the principle Read more…

Natural Cycle

Women, love your cycle (and men, it REALLY helps to know)

Women have an amazing aid to living a healthy and happy life. The menstrual cycle. Now, if you are man, please don’t stop reading here as likely as not, you know a woman. She would likely be very impressed and grateful for any glimmer of understanding of this topic and Read more…

Good sleep, great health

When I was 13 I suffered from severe insomnia for a few months and it was, to that date, the most painful thing I had had to endure.  Lying there awake, feeling like everyone was asleep apart from me was a deeply lonely and exasperating experience.  Thankfully that was my Read more…

proteins

Know your proteins – they literally build you

Proteins and carbohydrates seem to be slogging it out in the popular press, with carbohydrates getting the tougher end of the deal.  Proteins seem to have achieved a sort of mythical status.  Here we find out the facts about proteins and how we should incorporate them in our diet. Proteins Read more…

Home-made spinach hummus

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…

Lunch box

Packed lunches: Can they be healthy, easy, cheap, environmentally and child-friendly?

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…

Almond butter

Homemade Almond Butter

This homemade almond butter is incredibly easy, it just requires you to be patient. It’s a great little job to do while cooking another meal as the grinding just takes place in the background while you concentrate on something else! Grinding the almonds into a butter makes them much easier Read more…

Wind tree

Watch the wind – it’s a tricky little fellow

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…

Caffeine – gets us moving, at what cost?

“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…