• Always use filtered or pure spring water in your neti pot. The sinuses are cavernous spaces surrounding the brain and 4/5 of our sense organs. We only want good stuff going in these spaces.
• Most amoeba don’t make it past the epithelial lining in our “open-to-the-outside” spaces, such as the digestive tract or nasal passages. In fact 90% of amoebic exposure is uneventful, asymptomatic or non-invasive.
• The 10% of cases in which they do make it into inner spaces usually happens in the digestive tract (drinking ‘dirty’ water), and results in some uncomfortable digestive symptoms.
• A rare subset of these cases will result in the amoeba actually getting to deeper organs and setting up house (liver, lungs, and brain are their favorite spots). When this happens, they set up shop and the amoeba and necrotic tissue surrounding them usually form an abscess.
• Diagnosis is made upon histologically (under a microscope) examining the contents of an abscess (from a biopsy) or finding the little guys in stool samples.
• Amoebiasis is treated with an antiparasitic drug called metronidazole usually.
• Factors that have been found to be positively correlated with amoebic infection include: stress, malnutrition, immunodeficiency (HIV), on steroid medications (most asthma or chronic autoimmune conditions), alcoholism (usually related to stress and malnutrition and low immunity).
• So, basically, if you are healthy and have a healthy functioning immune system, you are unlikely to be affected by exposure to amoeba.

For those of us that are science dorks, here’s a cute slide show on amoebiasis.

How are you nurturing yourself on a regular basis?

Why is nurturing ourselves vital to our experience as women? Well, two reasons:  ojas and shakti. If you are going to drop Sanskrit works in casual conversation,  these are two of my favorite because there really aren’t good words in the English language for them (and because it’s cool in yoga circles). Each of these can take several years of personal inquiry to really understand, or get to know; but here is my attempt to give you an introductory description:

When I think about ojas, I think about Austin Powers describing his ‘mojo, baby.’ This is your creative life juice, your glow, your overflow of life energy. So it’s as though you consider all the energy coming into your being, use what you need to make tissues and perform bodily functions, and whatever is left over (this means you are not in the red on your energy tank) gets pooled and store as ojas. We draw directly from this pool when we orgasm, or engage in any life-creating activities. This extra store of resources is also a  safety net when we dip into periods of not getting enough energy in vs. out, and thus helps us to avoid states of depletion (low immunity, slow healing, fear based decision making). When you have good ojas, you emanate it and people tell you you look great and you genuinely feel great.

Shakti is often translated as force or power, which to me are associated with a more masculine energy in the West. How I’ve connected to the concept of shakti in my own life is understanding the power of unlimited possibility. When I reside in my masculine energy, I find that I try to direct how I want to achieve something (e.g. I want this particular job). When I reside more in my feminine energy, I go to the heart of the feeling I am looking to cultivate and then allow, or focus on just receiving that feeling in any one of the infinite ways that feeling can come into my life (e.g. I want the feeling of being rich and professionally respected, but how that comes I’m open to receive). Because I am not wasting my time on trying to determine how these feelings are going to manifest, I am more likely to spend that energy cultivating the desired feeling, and more focused in my manifestation. I don’t have to play the role of the middleman, and I don’t limit myself, as the universe can always come up with more ways to bring us an experience or feeling than we can.  This ability to allow the manifestation of that desired experience in any number of ways is an incredible talent, strength, or power. It’s the power to draw your desired experience in.

So what does nurturing yourself have to do with ojas and shakti. Well, self-care increases ojas (energy in and repletion), and ojas increases shakti. Simple, but brilliant–like all ancient concepts.

1. Don’t sleep past 7am. Once kapha gets rich in the atmosphere, we feel it and we fall deeper into sleep. It’s really tough to wake up when you are in a kapha cloud. The earlier you can get out of bed in the morning, ideally rising with the sun, the less likely you are to have kapha-head-stay-in-bed syndrome. I’ve found that 7am is really the farthest most of us can push it before entering hit-the-snooze-button-land.

2. Sun salutations (surya namaskar) are great to keep our internal fire nice and stoked. Heat helps balance the cold quality of kapha. Surya namaskar also helps to get our circulation going, which counters the stagnant quality of kahpa.

3. Exercise in the morning. Being active helps to balance the passive and sedentary nature of the kapha time of day.

4. Avoid cold temperatures. Staying warm helps to counteract the cold quality of kapha dosha. Dry heat and saunas balance cold and damp inherent to kapha; saunas with eucalyptus essential oil are really nice.

5. Avoid cold dairy foods. So cold foods are only really balancing if you are in pitta imbalance. Most of us have a vata imbalance and should favor warmed food. Cold dairy foods are really high in kapha energy.

6. Spice your food. This is the time to heat up your food. Most all of the warming spices are natural decongestants–this is not a coincidence. I love how eating seasonally really is the best prevention for disease. My favorites this time of year are cinnamon, cardamom (ok i love cardamom every time of year), clove, turmeric, cumin, ajwain and black pepper.

7. Brush your skin. “What the ___ is that?” was what I thought the first time I heard of this. And here I am today a devoted fan of skin-brushing. So the women in my family use the eco foot brushes. There are several brands of wooden/bamboo foot brushes out there (and for all you Ross/TJMaxx fans, they usually carry them for around $5). We use the brush side as a body brush instead of foot brush, brushing the skin all over moving from the perifery towards the heart. It promotes healthy circulation and help to stimulate the body to access remote fat stores, aiding in toning and discouraging cellulite (anti-kapha).

8. “Breath of fire” (kapalabhati) helps to balance kapha energy. The translation of the kapalabhati is “shiny forehead” because you get a little sweat going from the heat you build. Here’s a video I like demonstrating the pranayam practice.

9. Try new activities. Stepping a bit out of our comfort zone balances the immobile, sluggish or stubborn sort of feel to kapha imbalance. This is a good time to finally try things you have been meaning to do.

10. Cultivate new friendships. Getting to know the people around you is a great way to step out of your own life and

11. (BONUS POINT FOR THIS ONE) Try on new perspectives. This one doesn’t need explanation

For others of us (especially if you have been running high in the vata department and are more vulnerable), kapha season can bring some unwelcome experiences.

Signs of kapha imbalance include:

MIND: heavy, sluggish, dull, sleepy, tired, stubborn, too much psychological baggage, holding on to grudges, melancholy/ depression, crying, unmotivated, tough am wake

BODY: heavy, sluggish digestion, swollen, congested, bloated, low appetite especially in the morning, pale skin, increased sweating, longer/heavier menses, cysts, rheumatic nodules, cold, increased ama, weight gain

If you are relating to the pattern above, then here are Ten Ways to Balance Kapha. Where most of us is at is acutally a state of Vata and Kapha imbalance (Ten Ways to Balance Vata). We are just leaving vata season and entering kapha season, so this makes sense. So, whenever there are two doshas out of balance (in excess) at the same time, the goal is to emphasize qualities of energy that are balancing for both of the vitiated doshas. So, for both vata and kapha, heat is balancing.

• This is an important time of year to stay warm. The damp with the chill can really get into your core and I’m seeing lots of people with longstanding sinusitis and cold symptoms. So that means being warmly dressed, but can also mean bringing in heat in other ways.
• Eating warmly spiced foods is great now. Avoiding cold foods, especially cold dairy is a good seasonal adjustment in diet as well.
• Supporting your digestive fire with routine eating times and healthy eating habits will help pacify VK imbalance;
• Avoid overeating this season, because the body is storing everything extra.
• In addition to diet, physical activity is a great way to build heat.

You always have to listen to your body to feel for the subtle boundaries on these approaches. So, for example, I may increase my exercise and thereby also increase movement and disruption of my usual routine, which would end up aggravating my vata symptoms. To avoid this, I  will be conscious of limiting vata energy in how I increase my physical activity.  For example, I could choose to exercise in nature (kapha)  during the mornings (kapha) in a regular routine (kapha), building up to my ideal frequency and intensity (slow transition to appease vata). I could also choose to walk at a moderate pace or do a gentle hatha yoga class, and those would be more soothing to vata than a spin class or surfing (cold and wind and wet). You get the idea…

• Increasing the passion in your life–yes, Valentine’s Day is actually seasonally appropriate ; however, don’t overdo it or  vata imbalance will be aggravated.
• Go to bed early (like 9p) and wake up early (before 7a)

All the above is a lot! What’s great is that feeling in balance is such a rewarding feeling. Kapha season is the best time to cultivate, especially feelings of contentment and bliss.

So, it warms my heart to hear all your recommendations; thanks for your kind words. I do not offer GYN exams/ pap smears. As far as recommendations go, here’s what I have:

Complete Women Care (Lakewood and Naples); I worked with Dr. Lin and loved her. She’s not so holistic in her approach, but so supportive of it. She was my OB with my son until I transferred over to my midwives. They leave chocolates on the pillows and are all really sweet. They take all forms of HMOs and PPOs and have great customer service…562-424-8422

My sister really likes Robin who works with Dr. Black (Irvine I think)–natural approach and very woman-centered. 949-722-2510

The Birth Sanctuary (Venice); These were my midwives and lovely. A bit expensive if you don’t have insurance and a bit of a drive from Long Beach, but worth it if you want a long term relationship with midwives that may help you birth in the near future. On that note, I also had a great experience with South Coast Midwifery (Irvine) –about the same distance in the other direction.

If you are not depending on insurance, I would go with a local midwife that perhaps a friend recommends–anyone have recs? Please post a comment below. Thanks!

Other’s recommended:

• Dr. Tierny’s wife, Sandra Goines-Tierney (recommended by Shoshanna Husak) 5242 Katella Avenue Suite 106 Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (562) 431-5010
• Dr. Stearns and Percy (recommended by incredible midwife Katie McCall) Pearcy & Stearns Inc: Stearns Lauren M MD 539 S Brea Blvd # 100, Brea, CA 92821-5377 (714) 671-2936 ‎
• I did a local search and came up with Dr. Kaleb on Yelp. She seems to have good reviews: Vanessa Kaleb, MD  2865 Atlantic Ave Ste 250 Long Beach, CA 90806(562) 595-7709

And then I was reminded that I’m human. And we humans love to let our minds make the decisions instead of our whole beings.

I had definitely slipped into old patterns of not taking care of my self and doing things my mind felt I ought to, instead of listening to that beautiful wisdom that resides within each of us.

In ayurveda, not listening to our inner voice (forgetting our true nature as spirit )is actually a cause of disease. (Learn more about Causes of disease in ayurveda)

As we embark on the holiday roller-coaster, it is a great time to take a quick inventory of your plans for the rest of the year, your commitments–how do you feel about them?

If it isn’t feeling joyous, maybe you take a first giant step in letting the feeling guide your decision making process (instead of the mind and the obligation). I’m still learning to do this myself, but oooh does it feel good from the inside-out!

Ultimately, isn’t everything we do to feel good in that way?

2. Oil your skin. This is the largest organ of the body, and a digestive organ. Medicinal oils are so important this time of year. Although traditional abhyangha (daily self massage) is recommended before bathing, I recommend oiling yourself after bathing in place of a lotion or sheabutter. 20 minutes on your skin is all it takes for something to be seen in your blood stream! So medicinal oils are a great way to take in herbs that are balancing and reduce dryness from the outside in.

3. Cook with ghee. Ghee, to me, is clarified life-force from breastmilk–minus the lactose sugars and waxes/debris in butter that clog arteries. It nourishes all tissues, is known to help rejuvenate deeper tissues, and pacifies vata and pitta. Ghee reduces dryness and increasing the quality of tissues from the inside-out. On this note, avoid dry and cold foods!

4. Lock into some kind of routine. Routine is rhythm and that rhythm is what our internal clocks (e.g. circadian rhythms) will set to. With routine to anchor your mind and body, there is greater harmony amongst the millions of processes taking place inside your miraculous self. This synchrony helps prevent against imbalance.

5. Spend quality time with supportive people in your life. AKA bring in healthy kapha. Really plug into the people that ground you. Maybe instead of going to get a drink in a noisy bar, you go for a walk together; instead of watching a movie, prepare a meal together. You get the idea, it’s about feeling present during your time together.

6. Move around less (that means stay at home more) Constant movement is the hallmark of vata. Stay still. Leave space in your schedule. Lie on the floor, stare at the trees out of the window, meditate…just be. After all, we are human BEings, not human DOings.

7. Go to bed before 9pm. I know, that is a G rated bedtime…and almost impossible during holiday festivities. But really, this is when vata time of night really kicks in, so as many days as possible that you can accomplish this (or closer to this than you are now), you will reduce the vata you take in.

8. Spend less time around electronics. All EMR is movement–TV and laptops screens are moving so fast. And that movement is stimulating to our brains. Less stimulation=less vata.

9.Get massaged (with oil of course). Human touch is grounding. Massages reduce tension, and soften the body. Soft, supple, warm and oily are all qualities that balance vata.

10.Flame-gaze. This is so great when you are feeling scattered and having trouble focusing. So many holidays this time of year incorporate candles and light (Hannukah, Diwali, Kwanza…), so take advantage. Just stare at the flickering flame and allow yourself to become fully immersed in it’s dance and nature. That’s it! It also calms the nervous system.

Vata Imbalance

Vata Season

BODY

• dry skin (can be itchy too), dry hair, brittle nails, dry cuticles, dry lips, dry mucous membranes
• runny nose (and dry scratchy throat)
• dry, itchy eyes
• gas, intestinal gurgling, belching, and cramping
• tendency towards constipation or even just pebbly, hard stools and straining
• loss of appetite (and bloating after you eat)
• increase coating on tongue (low agni…see tongue reading 101)
• PAIN, especially musculoskeletal or cramping anywhere
• stiff creaky-cracky joints
• dark circles under your eyes
• increased urinary frequency
• inability to sit still
• tremor, unsteadiness in movement

MIND

• trouble sleeping (especially the 3-4am wake)
• indecision
• overwhelm
• anxiety
• restlessness
• difficulty focusing, paying attention
• difficulty completing tasks
• interrupting your own thoughts with tangential ones
• cycling of emotions
• impulsive speech or behavior
• addictive tendencies

SPIRIT

• Feeling like you’ve been doing a lot but still don’t really have a sense of where you are headed in this life, what you are about, or where you feel at “home”; A pervading feeling of restlessness, or being unsettled.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture…So, what can you do? Well, in ayurveda we approach balancing with opposing qualities. So one would balance vata by cultivating the opposite qualities of vata in every way possible in their lives. Vata is cold, dry, moving, light, wavering, irregular, unanchored, etc. Bringing in warm, moist, stillness, heaviness, groundedness, regularity or routine, etc. will help to balance vata. These qualities can be brought in through diet, relationships, schedule, yoga, pranayam, climate–there are infinite ways to bring energy into our lives.

Expect detractors, nay-sayers.

Listen (and don’t argue).

Stay silent (and smile).

They are afraid of change; terrified of things outside of the way they understand life. And this makes them reactive by nature.

I am one.

I am scared too.

I practice just observing and ignoring my internal detractor.

Be thankful for detractors–because they are a sure sign you are changing, growing.

When you are solid within, your movement/growth comes from there;

not dependent on external ‘things’

Then…your external reality begins to match your internal reality.

At this point in the summer, many of us have run a bit on the pitta side for several weeks and may now be feeling some secondary kaphic signs in our bodies and lives. A primary pitta imbalance (and for most of us combined with some vata imbalance from summer travel), encouraging a secondary kaphic imbalance (“pitta pushing kapha”) may look like:

• waking up between midnight and 3am and feeling tired when waking in the morning
• being easily irritated, but keeping it to yourself
• yeast yeast yeast
• swollen inflamed joints
• sinusitis
• acne (especially along areas of sweat)
• a coated tongue with red margins and white in center/posterior tongue
• to do lists accumulating

As Dr. Lad would say, “What to do? What to do? (in Indian accent)” Well, personally, I load on the bitter herbs (guduchi, musta, neem) this time of year. I have to check my time in the hot sun and overworking tendencies. Diet wise, I favor light food that is well spiced (with non-spicey spices like coriander, cumin, etc.). Kitchardi cleanses are great now, as are green foods (which are mostly bitter in taste anyways).  Basically, focus on pitta reduction but less through sweet than through bitter in your life. I’m neti-ing a good deal this time of year, and forcing myself to move (but moderating the intensity). Oh, and of course, triphala to keep it all flowing in the right direction…

What do you do to keep your P–>K imbalance in check? Feel free to share!