Yoga In My Backyard

Wow what a kick-off to the summer with record-breaking heat and lots of sunshine! No complaints here…Stay cool this season with some Ayurvedic tips!

1. Favour sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes like berries and cherries, kale and spinach, avocado and cucumbers.
2. Reach for cool drinks, but not ice cold. Try this: fill a jug with room temp water; add a handful of frozen pineapple chunks (will cool it just a bit); a splash of coconut water; and a few mint leaves. Leave it on your counter to enjoy throughout the day. Refreshing!
3. Stay away from oily, heavy, salty, sour, and spicy foods that are heating to the system. Instead choose drier, and more nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, legumes like black beans or adzuki beans, and cooling herbs such as cilantro. Oooo, I’m craving a cool Mexican salad as I write this!
4. Take a break from the heat and sunshine during the day, and go for evening walks in the moonlight…ahhhh…
5. Calming yoga practices like slow sun salutations and cooling pranayama (left-nostril breathing, Brahmari breath, etc.) are so beneficial to an overheated system. Tempers can also flare at this time, making you feel irritable and cranky. Make the time to sit quietly in meditation even just for 10 minutes a day simply connecting to the inflow and outflow of your breath.
6. Enjoy the sweetness of life! Laugh, be in the company of good friends, try something new…nourish your body, mind and spirit this season.

Happy Summer! I’ll be back to classes in September!