Eating foods that won't digest easily and efficiently when eaten together can wreak havoc on our digestion and our entire being, for that matter. When food digests improperly, it weakens our agni and leaves behind a residue of gunk, called ama, which is considered to be the foundation of disease.  However, we do live in the modern world, and of course, food temptations abound! And to try to follow the recommendations that Ayurveda puts forward for eating in a way that serves Swastha rigidly and dogmatically can lead to tension, perfectionism, overwhelm, pitta imbalance and an inability to ..read more

  Good sleep is one of the Traya Upastambhas (3 supporting pillars of life) and is said to destroy half of our diseases. Sleep is the time when our organs reset and regenerate, when the jatharagni (the digestive fire) processes, assimilates and produces waste meant for excretion, while the subconscious mind digests emotions, all thanks to the fires of Pitta dosha, which governs the time period between 10pm - 2am.   With high rates of insufficient, excessive or low-quality sleep leading to chronic health disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, burnout, adrenal fatigue ..read more

There is nothing like fresh food, shared with the ones you love. The freshness, the bright colours, the tantalizing aromas, the shared connection and energy. But of course, it is not always practical to prepare freshly-cooked meals and the modern conveniences of refrigerators and freezers make it all too easy to prepare in large batches and set aside for the next few days.   But, Ayurveda actually suggests against eating leftovers? Why is this?    In ancient times, refrigerators simply didn't exist, so storing food for a number of days was literally impossible. Cooking fresh foo ..read more

The great debate between raw versus cooked food wages on in modern, holistic circles. And with so much information available on the internet, it can be so hard to find a clear answer. So we look to Ayurveda, the oldest surviving medical system in existence, to discover its perspective.   Ayurveda considers that we eat, in fact, to take in Prana. We don't eat just to satisfy our appetite, or to please the senses, or to dull boredom, or even just to meet our nutritional needs. We are taking in the energy of the Panca Mahabhutas (the 5 great elements), which then become the building blocks o ..read more

Today is 'Bell Let's Talk Day' in Canada, an annual event whose intention is to bring awareness and conversation to the topic of mental health in this country. While this may simply be a clever marketing initiative by Bell Canada, the truth is that mental health imbalances in our culture are heartbreakingly rampant.    This comes as no surprise, from the perspective of Ayurveda, given that we as individuals, as a collective and our societal systems have diverged further and further from Swastha, from the way of naturalness, the way that we were designed by consciousness to live in or ..read more

Lassi is a popular yogurt drink in India, that can be served either sweet or savoury.  When eaten in moderation and with proper food combining practices in mind, yogurt lassi is a deliciously tasty beverage that can serve as a digestive aid, replenishing the gut with healthy probiotics, and is an excellent source of protein.   And with the addition of our Golden Mylk (turmeric latte drink mix), this particular recipe feels nourishing, grounding, warming (especially if prepared with warm water, which we highly recommend) and can serve as the perfect mid-day snack or digestive aid when ..read more