SUPERFOODS FOR DRY SKIN

One of the most common complaints during winter is related to dry skin, but dry skin can happen at any time of the year. Apart from the obvious moisturizing solution, look at your diet to added help. Foods for the dry season are sweet, sour, salty, heavy, oily, moist foods provided you can digest them well.

The following are superfoods that will sustain you all winter long and help not only your avoid constipation, dry skin, hair and nails, but also

THYME AND THYME AGAIN

Sylvianne Latus, left, learned from her mother,
who learned from her mother, to use thyme
for herself and her family when they get colds.

Five years ago, all I knew about thyme was that it grows in Europe and here in Ottawa's gardens to spice up salad dressings and other dishes. That was until a colleague recommended it for coughs and colds. Since then, I keep finding more about its benefits. Healers of the past have counted daily on this mult-purpose herb and today’s researchers keep adding to the body of knowledge.

Thymus vulgaris

Like oregano, wild thyme is a member of the

FASHION, FOODS AND FLAIR FOR VATA SEASON

Nothing like a colourful
turtle neck sweater
to stay warm and cozy.

A former colleague and fashion aficionado, Madeleine, used to say that she prefers fall and winter because the colours and textures of clothes are richer and more cozy. I suspect that her preference was guided by her dosha. However, it is true that colors and textures contribute greatly to balance the body, mind and spirit.

According to ayurveda, everything in the universe is energetic and gives off a vibration, including colors, animals,

SOAP MAKING: DELICATE - HANDLE WITH GLOVES

Cranberry harvest in B.C. by Paul Woodcock. What a
gorgeous colour for soap! 

Making soap can be done anytime, but I prefer summer and fall as this is when all things fresh are available to fuel creativity and productivity.

It can be very simple or quite complex depending on what type of soap you want to make,

INNER AND OUTER BEAUTY: BALANCE AND SELF-CARE (FALL 2013 PROGRAM)

The Aroma Muses for the Arts workshops announced in the previous entry are only one part of Face to Grace’s calendar of activity. They're definitely for those who are seeking expansion and want to put on their wings. The core part of Face to Grace’s course program includes:

• Practical Awakening for those seeking help for sailing journeys regardless of weather
• Balance Your Emotions with Aromatherapy, both in English and French, offer tools when the tides of emotions are high.
• the 1-Year Biovedic Beauty Certification Program develops grace and flexibility, and provides countless tools on the journey of beauty.

All three include components on aromatherapy, ayurveda and much more.

RECIPE: LEMON VERBENA CLEANSING TEA

Although this fragrant recipe will suit all skin types, Kapha ladies and gents will enjoy it most. If you want to drink the tea, simply double the recipe. Great to improve digestion, which will also benefit your skin.

Ingredients:

5 leaves of lemon verbena

3 lavender stems with flowers

3 leaves of lemon balm

1 litre of water

Method:

• Make a tea with the following 3 fresh or dried herbs. 
• Let it steep for 11 minutes
• Let the tea cool off a bit
• When temperature is appropriate for your skin (warm enough to open the pores) soak 2 face cloths in the mixture.
• Quickly fold both facecloths in triangle shape, place first one tip up from nose to forehead, the second one tip down from under the nose to the chin.
• Make sure all areas of the face are covered.
• Add a small towel on top of everything if breathing is not an issue.
• Relax for 11 minutes.
• By then, the rest of your herb tea will have cooled off. Use it for a final rinse.
• OPTIONAL: Spray lavender hydrosol as a toner. If the day is cool, use ginger hydrosol instead.

YOUR SKIN CELLS HAVE SUCH GREAT MEMORY!

The human cell: no wonder it has such
good memory.

Skin cells have an incredible memory. You may have experienced this yourself. For example, years after having recovered from surgery or a trauma of some kind, you’re getting a treatment from an ayurvedic practitioner, a chiropractor, an acupuncturist or a massage therapist. Then seemingly out of nowhere, a memory blocking self-healing comes up through

MINI-QUIZ FOR A LAZY AFTERNOON

All answers to these questions are found in previous posts, but it's summer, so I made it easy to check the answers for those with a Pitta mind with answers below.

1. What gift did the magic pumpkin give Cinderella on the night of the ball?

1. almond milk to keep a rosy complexion
2. sparkle oil for her dancing shoes
3. a password to win the prince’s heart
4. pumpkin seeds to make beauty oil (answer in CINDERELLA'S CARRIAGE HAD A GIFt FOR HER... AND FOR YOU TOO!)

1. According to ayurveda, which constitution (dosha) is most likely to be upset during summer?

1. Vata (air and space)
2. Pitta (fire and water)
3. Kapha (water and earth)

3. To balance dry skin and hair, nervousness, insomnia and constipation, it is best to:

1. never miss an opportunity to go out and have fun.
2. decrease your consumption of crackers, increase oil in your diet and skin care, avoid stimulants and rushing.
3. go South during winter

4. What can cool off and heal sunburns?

1. aloe vera gel
2. plain organic yogourt
3. lavender hydrosol
4. all of the above

5. A shirodara is :

1. a full body massage by two practitioners
2. a massage of the forehead with warm oil to balance the Vata constitution
3. a massage of the forehead with cool milk to balance the Pitta constitution
4. 2 and 3

6. Which vitamin is essential to the life of a skin cell?

1. B3
2. E
3. Zinc
4. A

7. Which massage oil mix is most likely to help with sluggish digestion?

1. cumin, anis, ginger, cardamom essential oils with sesame oil
2. vetiver, eucalyptus and frankincense essential oils in coconut oil
3. cedar, birch and pine essential oil in petroleum jelly (Vaseline)

8. Which are the most effective ingredients to preserve the integrity of moisturizing creams?

1. essential oils
2. hydrosols
3. certain vitamins
4. jojoba
5. clay
6. 1, 3 and 4
7. 1, 2 and 5

9. Face to Grace offers courses on topics such as:

1. ayurveda, aromatherapy and energy work
2. yoga
3. ayurvedic nutrition
4. stress and emotions
5. a 1-year beauty certification program
6. all of the above
7. 1, 4 and 5

10. Pimples on the chin and lower area of the face indicate a Kapha disbalance.

1. True?
2. False?

****

ANSWER KEY:

1. (4); 2. (2) Too much of anything creates disblance; 3. (2) Number 3 could work, as long as you hydrate yourself and avoid stimulants, eg. alcohol and over-activity; 4. (4); 5. (4); 6. (2) All are good, but vitamin E is essential; 7. (1); 8. (6); 9. (7); 10. (1)

PANCHA KARMA IN KANNUR, YEAR 2

My friend Anamda receives a blessing and an offering
of turmeric from the
"priest" at this 500-year old Kovu (temple).

Although I doubted I would ever return to Kannur, here I am, reporting on my second pancha karma experience. In fact, the trip would turn out to bring much more than a great cleanse, swimming in the ocean and shopping. Mind you, the gold jewelry stores display incredible quantity, creativity and splendor.

FRANKINCENSE: NUGGETS OF GREAT POWER

Frankincense, a precious, affordable
and versatile gift!

Apart from shoveling snow, there are so many ways of warming oneself! You may like vigorous cardio-vascular exercises, hot yoga, a Cuban beach, or a warm cup of chai tea by the stove. I discovered a fabulous new and affordable way recently. Using frankincense. A student asked if it was possible to make tincture with the resin of the frankincense tree. Intuitively, I believe it was, but could not say yes outright so we both researched it. I had frankincense resin at home that I burn occasionally for meditation and its essential oil used in healing work to balance the seventh chakra. That was the extent of my knowledge. Thanks to Chantal’s curiosity we discovered a treasure worthy of the cave of Ali Baba.

RECIPE: MUSTARD COMPRESS FOR COLDS AND FEVERS

Use this with CAUTION. Mustard can be quite heating and irritating to the skin, so make sure you don’t let it burn you or the person under your care. Some people have allergies to mustard seed; in doubt, ask or do the muscle test.

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

4 Tbsp. dry mustard powder, or less according to strength

Warm water

Method:

• Mix the flour and mustard, then gradually add warm water to make a paste. Aim for a smooth and easy-to-spread, but not runny, consistency.
• Take a clean tea towel, or piece of cotton or flannelette and apply the paste on it.
• Fold up the bottom half of the towel and apply to chest area, fabric side on the skin. Do NOT apply the paste on the skin! This would cause blistering.
• Before covering with a blanket to encourage sweating, make sure you put another piece of fabric on top of the paste to avoid staining the blanket.
• Leave on for 10 to 20 minutes. Tingling, heat and redness of the skin are normal as heat and blood circulation is drawn to the surface but too much can bring blistering. Remove if skin turns deep red. If using on a child, watch carefully as young skin is more delicate.
• Remove poultice, wash skin with a warm cloth to remove any trace that may have seeped through and dry.
• Apply sesame oil.
• Repeat the same procedure on the back.

Apply every 4 to 6 hours as needed.

A good recipe to make your own mustard paste is available at http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/12/how-to-make-mustard-home.

TIP - FATTY ACIDS AND IODINE: TO WRITE HOME ABOUT!

You have heard a lot about the benefits of Omega-3 and -6 for brain growth and performance, and to reduce cholesterol and the risks of heart diseases and cancer. Whether you integrate Omega-3s to your meals or spread them on your body, your skin loves them because of their anti-inflammatory properties and ability to repair damaged and dry skin. Omega-6s are also great because they support anti-allergic functions and are great allies against eczema.

Next time you prepare a menu for your skin, add avocado oil and 2 or 3 drops of linseed oil (the best of the Omega-3) and rosehip or poppy seed oil (the richest in Omega-6).

For those of you with eczema, add linseed and rosehip oil to increase the value of your unguent or massage oil. Linseed and rosehip also contain iodine, which is great for the thyroid. Rashes, discoloration, acne and edema are some of the skin problems associated with thyroid malfunction.

RECIPE - 2 FABULOUS EXFOLIANTS

1. For the Vata and Kapha constitutions, therefore for cold-dry and cold-oily skin. Excellent to calm acne.

1/2 teaspoon of honey 1 cup of boiling water 5 bay leaves 1/4 teaspoon of sage powder 5 fresh neem leaves or 1/4 teaspon of neem powder Method: - Infuse the herbs in boiling water. - Gradually dilute honey in approximatez 1 Tbsp of the infusion to obtain a texture that is smooth but not runny - Apply on your face and let penetrate for 11 minutes. - During that time, drink the rest of the tea. - Rince with tepid water. Use a coloured facecloth to avoid visible stains!

2. For the Pitta constitution, therefore sensitive hot skin, use: 2 teaspoons of rice syrup 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric 1/4 teaspoon of neem leaf approximately1/4 teaspoon of rice milk or organic cow's milk Method: - Make a smooth (but not runny) paste with all the ingredients. - Let penetrate for 11 minutes. Meanwhile, enjoy a nice cup of mint tea.

BEAUTY TIP - CHECK YOUR FACE FOR CLUES

Consider your face as a map on your journey to beauty. Pimples, wrinkles and other blemishes in various areas of the face indicate an area of depletion, stress, emotion and loss of balance of one element:

FOREHEAD: a loss of balance of the air (Vata) element; a discomfort or problem in the colon and/or can related to emotions of anxiety, fear and worry

NOSE AND CHEEKS: a loss of balance of the fire (Pitta) element; related to the small intestine and/or emotions of anger, jealousy and frustration

MOUTH, CHIN AND NECK: a loss of balance of the earth (Kapha) element; issue relates to the chest and stomach and/or to emotions of grief, depression and attachment.

Identify what is happening on you face and in your emotional life. See how this relates to the above.

Reviewing what you know about the elements and what you discovered about the emotions to which you gravitate most often, what will you do to bring back balance to your skin?

I FEEL GREAT BUT... STORIES THAT CAUSE PIMPLES

Yesterday, I had a booth at the Journée de la culture event in Embrun, Ontario, and as usual was offering free assessments. I had the opportunity to meet a women who gave me a topic for today’s blog. Her face was tight and serious, she had pimples in the lower part of her cheeks and her eyes were dull.  She asked what I could do to help her skin.

Given the location of her pimples, I surmised that the source was constipation and/or grief or depression. Her shallow breath and shoulders held high and very tight, as if defending from something, also struck me. She mentioned that she has constipation, is chronically depressed, and that people have been mean to her since childhood and keep putting her down. She repeating that story several times during the session.

STAY YOUNG WITH GOLDEN MILK: A RECIPE

Aging is a normal process with many benefits. Several signs of decay associated with it, including the calcification and drying of the joints, can be slowed down considerably with proper maintenance. Golden milk is one of your ticket to liberation from cracking, stiffening joints. I see it a the velvety golden stream of nourishment that flows in the fountain of youth. This delicious recipe has been a staple of Ayuvedic medicine for few thousand years. Drink it regularly.

It is also used before (women) and after (men) sexual intercourse to replenish the ojas.

The recipe below serves 1 person.

Ingredients:

• 1/8 teaspon of turmeric
• 3 pods of cardamom
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 cup of milk or almond milk
• 1 Tbsp of ghee
• 1 tsp honey (2 for Vata) or maple or rice syrup for Pitta

Method:

1. Dilute the turmeric in water on high, then medium heat and stir until you obtain an nice paste.
2. Add milk and cardamom until comfortably warm.
3. Pour in a cup.
4. Add sweetener.
5. DO NOT add honey during the cooking process.

Enjoy!