Happy New Year! (January 2025 Newsletter)
Image credit: Bob Brewer
The New Year is upon us. We at YWB wish for you Happiness and Joy, Justice and Peace.
Another year is ending, and if you stop to think about it, how was it? Did you achieve your goal or goals? Are you satisfied with how life has turned out? If your answer is 'yes', cheers to you! If not,what can you do about it? Time moves on and the past is unchangeable. Let it go and set a new, achievable goal.
Ayurveda, the ancient and universal system of health and balance, observes nature for guidance in our own lives. Observing and following the behavior of plants and trees and animals around us is the best guide to living our own lives.
Getting ready for winter, plants and trees cut off the food supply to the stems and limbs. Photosynthesis stops in fall to start the process of preparing for the frigid winter ahead. Without the magic of sunshine, plants and trees lose their leaves and become dormant. They appear lifeless and dead.
Our own lives need to become dormant as well. Well, that is not to suggest dormant like many mammals who sleep through the winter. It simply means using those techniques of dormancy that nature uses. For us, winter is full of seasonal holidays when we celebrate with rich foods such as steaks, pies, and lots of cheese. Wines and alcohol are free flowing. Late night entertainment and sports keep us awake into the wee hours of the night. Winter is time for vacations, travel and winter sports. So be it. But try to balance the fun with some early to bed and late to rise days.
Adapt your diet for winter needs. Stews and soups, hot, nourishing and relaxing, are perfect, along with nuts and crunchy chips. Ideally, cook with heat generating spices like hot peppers. Add astringents to build up the immune system adding foods like pomegranates to your meal. Whole grain bread provides carbs to soothe the body and add a layer of fat that keeps out the cold. Eat lots of beans, lentils and other grains that are complex proteins and immune system builders. Beans keep you regular in the cold dry air which can cause constipation and irregularity. If beans disagree with you, try adding epazote leaves when cooking the beans. Don't forget a small dessert.
The liver works hard in winter to protect us from winter illnesses like flu, infections and the Corona Virus. The liver also uses energy from food to create energy for the body. Adding rich foods and alcohol to the diet puts the liver into over-drive.
Don't forget citrus fruits for a daily supply of vitamin C. It is the season to try out the many delicious varieties available in the next few months for immune support.
Go to bed at 8 pm, and enjoy the sports, movies, and entertainment from your bed. Or just enjoy a good book or movie in bed. Hibernate!
Namasté,
sipra
Calendar
Thursday, January 1, 2025: Yoga-Well-Being reopens for 2025!
Mondays, January 13, 20, & 27, 7:30 PM: Ayurvedic Wisdom for Healthy Digestion
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