This week, meet Fennel Seeds. Ok, so technically we are using the seed of the plant. But what a seed. One of Vata's best buddies, it's actually balancing to all three doshas due to its sweet, pungent, and cooling properties. There are really no precautions and they combine well with many other herbs, in cooking and in treatments. I have started leaving a small bowl out during our tea time at our Mantra & Mudra gatherings- roasted w/ rock salt. Take a teaspoon. They get rid of gas while calming the nervous system and promoting mental alertness. So you can relax and be fully present in your yoga class and let go without worrying about letting, well, too much go.
Each week I will focus on a different herb as I get to know em and love em. Since we are starting the 2nd week of the year, I thought I would give y'all 2 this week. The first is my precious Triphala that I have been taking for a while (not as consistently as I should…hello, Vatas) and the second is my new bestie, Ashwaganda. I usually get my herbs from Banyan Botanicals, but found these at our local Whole Foods when I was lunching and shopping with clients on New Year's Eve and we all snatched them up so we could start the new year right!
TRIPHALA
I previously had these as pressed tablets and intended on getting it in tea form the next time but I found these gel caps filled with the powder so I grabbed the last bottle (whew!) and have been busting a few of these bad boys open into my hot water at night to make into a tea. It's not a lot of trouble, but it's not very economical, so I will be getting the tea next time. Anywho, here's what you need to know about this OMazing supplement, including WHY tea is better than tablet.
Triphala means three fruits and thats exactly what this magic stuff is made of- Haritaki, Bibhitaki, and Amalaki. You've heard of super-fruits and super-foods. Triphala gives you THREE!!! Boom. Tri-doshic, it's great for everyone and their guts. YAY! Here are 11 wonderful things Triphala does for your body:
- Tones the gastrointestinal tract
- Cleans bowel and normalizes the digestive system, alleviating and correcting constipation AND diarrhea.
- Removes excess fats out of the body
- Nurtures voice quality
- Strengthens hair roots and enriches hair color
- Improves eyesight
- It has various liver, blood cleansing and nutritional properties
- It contains anthraquinones that help in stimulating peristalsis
- Rich in one of the powerful antioxidants, polyphenols, which reduces oxidative stress on the body
- High amount of vitamin C builds immunity
- Maintains good reproductive health in both genders, nourishes and strengthens the respiratory tract and the lungs
So all of these things are great, right? Who couldn't use ALL of those benefits?? That's not even the coolest part. This stuff is magic. I'm talking Willy-Wonka type craziness. You have to taste it to believe it. That's why I have been bustin caps my water and keep talking about that tea. Tasting is an important part of Ayurveda. It's one of the first steps of digestion that signals to the rest of your body what is coming next so it knows what to do with it. A lot of people won't like the taste at first, which is why the pill form has been so popular in our culture.Well, guess what else is popular with our culture? Poor digestive health (which is basically the root of all of our health problems.) So let's suck it up, ok? Or, rather, sip it up. That's the magic part. The tea tends to reflect whatever taste(s) are lacking in your diet. For most of us this will show up as, or taste, bitter and/or astringent because that's what most of us are missing. Most of us get enough sweetness in everything we eat- too much probably- so don't expect your cup to taste like roses and nectar just yet. As your system becomes more balanced you will find the taste of the triphala tea evolves into a rather sweet experience. Ok, so it will probably never reach rose and nectar status but the benefits are beyond worth it (and I know most of us will drink some pretty gross stuff in search of a sweet experience.)
ASHWAGANDA
Awwwwww yeah! Ashwaganda...The newest addition to my arsenal. More magic from India that has actually become very popular in the Western World. In my opinion, water treatment plants should be infusing all of our agua with this stuff and hold the fluoride! A rasayana (rejuvenate) in Ayurveda, ashwaganda is a wonder herb that reduces physiological and psychological stress and, like triphala, is an adaptogen so it will change to fit your needs. Great for Vata and Kapha but can aggravate Pitta because of its heating and building qualities.
Ashwagandha offers a number of benefits:
1. Supports a healthy immune system
2. Calms mental processes
3. Fosters healthy sleep patterns
4. Benefits a healthy reproductive system in both males and females
5. Sustains energy levels, strength, and vitality, including with physical activity
6. Supports healthy back and joints
Ashwagandha is available as powder, tablet, and tincture. I currently have a tincture and have been adding about 40 drops to water, though I am still experimenting with the amount of water I use and the number of times per day I take it. The traditional use is as a powder, mixed with warm milk and honey, and taken before bed. It can also be used with ghee and sugar to support the female reproductive system and joints.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my first installment of this series. Check back every Sunday to meet another Herb and maybe find some new tools for your own health holster.
Namaste
FK
