What is a Mandala?

A mandala, which is Sanskrit for “circle,” is a geometric design that holds a great deal of symbolism in Hindu and Buddhist cultures mostly in China, Japan and Tibet. In their most basic form, mandalas are circles contained within a square and arranged into sections that are all organized around a single, central point. They’re typically produced on paper or cloth, drawn on a surface with threads, fashioned in bronze, or built in stone. Aside from the aesthetic beauty, Madalas provide symbolic guide for meditation and healing.

A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol almost like a blue print. It can be understood in two different ways: visually as a visual representation of the universe and/or internally as a map for several practices including movement practices and meditation. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the belief is that by entering the mandala and moving towards its center, one is guided through the cosmic process of transforming one’s perception of the universe from one of suffering into one of joy and happiness.

As it relates to my work in yoga, mandalas represent ancient ideals; signifying a sacred space to shut away external influences, think a temple or church. Often, mandalas are positioned around a studio and sometimes even drawn during meditation periods. Similarly, mandala art is used in healing circles, a practice that derives from Native Americans. The circles are often associated with the restoration of the body, mind, and heart.

Get your Chaas In Order

Masala chaas is a staple Indian spiced buttermilk/yogurt drink which is refreshing, delicious, and healthy. Made with yogurt, spices, and herbs, it takes only 5 minutes to make and can be served after lunch, dinner, or any time of the day as a small meal.

Chaas is categorized as a sattvic food in Ayurveda, that is balancing (and good) for most people. You can enjoy with your meal or make it your own small meal if you’re hungry in the middle of the day (i.e., in Ayurveda we count any food ingested as a meal that’s why I’m not calling it a snack). I’ve known about this ‘savory lassi’ for years but frankly I never had a great one till I was in India, and I also realized how vastly different home cook meals and recipes are. In conclusion, experiment till you arrive to your chaas. Another thing, buttermilk and yogurt despite their similarities are different (LOL) so for disclaimer, I enjoy the yogurt version of this beverage and that’s what I’m calling a chaas but I suppose the proportions using buttermilk would be different. All that to say, please treat the recipe I’m presenting here as a basic formula or a departure for your own. It’s the same principle behind a Bloody Mary or a good soup!

Even though Chaas is a simple everyday drink for many, per Ayurveda it has numerous health benefits:

• Reduces Acidity

• Fights Constipation

• Cooling Effect

• Helps in detoxification

• High in Vitamins and Nutrients

• Prevents Dehydration

• Reduces blood pressure

How to make Masala Chaas

1. To a large blender add 1.5 cups of cold plain yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon of roasted ground cumin, 1 tablespoon of chopped mint leaves or coriander leaves (cilantro), and ½ teaspoon of black salt (or regular salt, as needed).

For a spicy version of masala chaas recipe, add ½ teaspoon of fresh grated ginger and ½ teaspoon of chopped green chillies OR ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

2. Next add 1 cup of cold or room temperature water. For a colder spiced Chaas, I suppose you can add a few ice cubes. But I cannot stand ice cubes and can’t honestly say that would be a good idea.

3. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes, until the ingredients are combined and '“the curd has been whisked well.” I don’t get much foam with this recipe but you could see that and I’ve seen the foam on some version of Chaas I had, which use more water or perhaps buttermilk vs yogurt. I suppose it’s a taste thing, but I don’t like foam either so I would just spoon it out before drinking.

Raju, the chef whose chaas I felt in love with, would garnish his chaas with thinly sliced onions and a pinch of powdered red pepper. Hmmm so good. I’ve tried with success adding 1/2 teaspoon of fire vinegar and/or garnishing with sumac. Again do your thing and don’t let anyone shame your chaas!

3 Turmeric Studies That Will 'Root' You

In the world of culinary and medicinal spices, there are few that shine as brightly as turmeric!  Known for its vibrant golden-orange color (that will get on everything, but it will come off, I promise) and its unique earthy/bitter taste, it's used to add color and flavor to all different types of cuisine, but it also has numerous ways in which it supports many aspects of your physical health.  Here are some turmeric (curcuma longa) studies that may explain why in Ayurveda turmeric is a staple herb.  

According to these studies, the major constituents naturally found in turmeric root are the golden-colored phenolic compounds called curcuminoids—namely curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin.  These curcuminoids give turmeric root its golden color and contribute to its ability to support overall health and well-being.

While the research on turmeric is extensive and ongoing, I’ve picked out 3 interesting studies that illustrate the diverse applications of this potent wonder-herb. 

1- Turmeric Helps Digestion

Per a study published in the National Library of Medicine - LINK HERE-  The University of California in Davis conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in which 30 healthy adult subjects were given either turmeric tablets, curcumin tablets, or a placebo tablet and instructed to take 6000 mg per day over the course of eight weeks.

Over this time period, “changes in the gut microbiota were determined using 16S rDNA sequencing of stool samples. Though the results were highly personalized, the turmeric group showed an increase in healthy gut bacterial species in comparison to the placebo group and the curcumin group showed the most significant improvement with a 69% in detected species.”

2- Turmeric Helps with Inflammation

In a 2021 study, researchers gathered a group of healthy adult participants between the ages of 50–69 in an attempt to study the effects of turmeric extract —which contains anti-inflammatory turmeronols—on the body’s natural inflammatory response.  This study is also published by the National Library of Medicine- LINK HERE.

Over the course of twelve weeks, one group received turmeric extract and another group received a placebo. At the end of this time, the serum inflammatory markers of each individual were measured in order to detect changes in the inflammatory response. Each participant also completed surveys pertaining to their mood and overall health. 

Results showed that curcumin extract may indeed support a healthy inflammatory response, and in addition also support improved mental health.

3- Turmeric Helps Joints + Movement

One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial LINK HERE was created to study the effects of turmeric on joint comfort and mobility, focusing specifically on the knee joints. To this end, 96 participants received either a capsule with 150 mg of curcuminoids or a placebo capsule once daily for 90 days.

At the end of this three-month period, changes were assessed according to a pain score on a  visual analogue scale, along with an 80 meter fast-paced walking test. The results showed a significant drop in the average levels of knee discomfort and improved times for the walking test in the participants who were given curcuminoids.

With so many positive attriburtes on so many different aspects of well-being, turmeric seems to be proving what Ayurveda has known for 5,000 years—that this bright golden herb is a powerful tool for promoting optimal health, longevity, and quality of life. 

Glow on

Create a Supportive Winter Diet

The quiet nature of the winter can feel at times heavy, lethargic and, well, blah.  Per my understanding, in reality every season has the potential to either exalt  or quench your sense of well-being. You know, we co-create with the Divine. 

Winter holds the perfect medicine for the fast-paced mobility of the summer, fall, and December.

That said, in Ayurvedic theory, winter holds the perfect medicine for the fast-paced mobility of the summer, fall and December.  This is a time to go into your inner world of energy, hold space there, build vision, reflect and extend outwardly from there.

According to Ayurveda, winter is the season when the digestive fire is the strongest.  That was a bit shocking  when I heard it first since digestion is associated with fire and winter is, ahmm, cold?!  Plus my Kapha (earth/water) constitution feels  somewhat sluggish in winter.  So after a few years of playing with my winter habits, diet and researching the theory behind that theory (yep, I’m a Ayurveda nerd), this is what I have for you.

In winter your body needs more fuel (1) to stay warm and (2) to build healthy building blocks (kapha!) in the cold months.  So the whole summer body is built in winter got some resonance here.   The cold weather also pushes the fire that keeps you alive toward your core where your digestion takes place.

Your body craves, needs and wants a nutritive diet at this time of the year and it can handle large quantities of food.  For me, this also means giving more time in between my large meals…most days that’s only one large meal in winter and two very light ones.  In the last few years that’s what they’re calling intermittent fasting, but it’s a 5000 years knowledge AND it doesn’t work for everyone; the point here is deep listening to YOUR body’s needs.  I’m not going to tell you what or when to eat, you’ll find that yourself,  but I’m going to give you the best guideline for whatever is going on this winter with you,

• Focus on eating warm, cooked, slightly oily, well-spiced foods! Yum!

Jumpstart your health TODAY

If you’re yearning to cultivate greater experience of life, there’s no better time to start than right now.  Below are my TOP three simple practices that will transform your self-care + jumpstart your yogic lifestyle and Ayurveda journey. These three simple practices will set you up for a lifetime of radiant health.

1. Perfect your oral hygiene.

Don’t just brush & floss, optimize your oral health by swishing with coconut oil (READ my article on oil pulling) and scraping your tongue (READ my article on tongue scraping).

2. Take Triphala every day.

I’m not one to recommend supplements, as you probably figured by now, but this is how strong I feel about it.  Detoxify and rejuvenate your body by taking Triphala when you wake up or just before bed.  Get it from a good source.  

3. Give yourself a massage.

Oil up before you shower and use your own hands to massage yourself. Sure, you can also do this without the oil or use any method such a foam roller or ballwork  (READ my article on Self-Myofacial Release).  

That’s it.  You’re ready, GO!  Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions.  

4 Remedies for Soothing your Autumn Imbalances (Not today, Vata, not today!)

Ayurveda is the science of living well, it’s the sister science of Yoga.

When balanced, you’re well

When you’re out of balance, you are not well.

Ayurveda’s principles are based on the Doshas Theory. It is a complex system of beleives, but basically states that there are biological building blocks that create who we are. There are three Doshas and these are based on the classical elements. In other words, you’re made of fire, earth, water, air and space, corroborating what modern science states; we are made of star dust!

As you would guess, a healthy body is one that keeps these Doshas in balance.

When balanced, you are well and when they are out of balance, you’re not well. LOL It can be way more complicated than that, but that’s it. Today I want to talk about one of this imbalances. In the fall season when the dosha associated with space and air , Vata, has a tendency to find itself out of balance. When this occurs you will see issues such as dry stools, gas, bloating and occasional irregular bowel movements, from there, excess Vata, like wind, travels to other areas of your being creating anxiety, restless mind, trouble sleeping among other nervous system imbalances. So, how can you balance this Dosha?  Like in western medicine, if there is a deep pathological imbalance you’re better off consulting with an Ayurveda doctor, but for seasonal imbalances, here are a few remedies that focus on soothing Vata so you can maintain a sense of grounded well-being and prevent further imbalance:

 1- Enjoy Nabhi Abhyanga (a nice belly massage)

Abhyanga is a classic protocol in Ayurveda and I have written about it READ HERE. It’s basically self-massaging. Nabhi Abhyanga is massaging the belly.

Massaging the belly in gentle clockwise circles will immediately start to calm down and settle some of the digestive discomforts aggravated by vata dosha. There are refined and targeted techniques that include oils, but you can start by rubbing your belly!

The more you can relax, the more effective this practice will be. It can be really lovely to follow the massage with a hot water bottle on the belly while you breathe deeply into the area below the belly button! 

2- Drink Hot Water

When our digestive tracts are not eliminating properly, it creates a sense of ungroundedness characteristic of a vata imbalance. Drinking hot water, yes, this includes herbal teas, provides a greater sense of grounding by supporting the natural downward-moving process of digestion. Of course there are teas specifically to address this imbalance but hot water is a good starting point.

3- Practice Knees to Chest Pose (Apanasana)

This gentle yoga pose is fantastic for bringing more balance and stability. Here’s how it’s done:

• Laying down on the ground with your knees bent and feet on the ground, take a few deep breaths allowing your low back to find a neutral position.

• As you exhale, bring your knees into your chest, flattening your low back towards the ground.

• Tuck the chin slightly to lengthen the neck. Keep your head and back flat on the earth including the sacrum. Draw the shoulders away from the ears and broaden across the collar bones. 

• If you are comfortable here you can rock gently back and forth or from side-to-side. 

• To release, take an exhale, extend the legs out and bring the arms to rest alongside the body.

This practice can be done twice a day or more, in the morning and evening.

4-Honor a Relaxing Evening Routine

For many, me included, one of the biggest challenges of the fall is the increasing amount of darkness. Is it midnight? No, it’s only 7 pm!

This can caused disruption in our sleep routines which leading to more anxiousness and difficulty sleeping.

Do your best to set a consistent bedtime that works for you. Do the math, if you want 8 hrs of sleep what is the time to go to bed? Yep, that simple. About two hours before this time, start to prepare the environment in your home by dimming the lights or even using candles if you can.

Start to shut down screens like your TV and computer and opt for reading or listening to music instead. Turn your phone on night-mode and only use it if truly necessary. Non mentally challenging routines and/or self massaging your feet could be easy additions here.

3 Ayurvedic Tips to Boost Your Immune System

With spring around the corner, and the wild temperature swings, there’s no better time to give your immune system a little extra LOVE.

As a Yoga Health Coach™, I want to share 3 simple Ayurvedic tips to support your immune health so that it can support you in keeping you vibrant and well.
For 5,000 years Ayurveda has been teaching us to utilize the laws of nature, in all its forms, to create a unique map to find your most ideal state of health, which in my book, is what immune health is all about. 

These are three tips from an Ayurveda perspective to boost your immune system:

1- Strengthen your Digestive System.

Per  Ayurveda, a strong digestive “fire” is the key to year-round health.  AND the first thing is to strengthen your digestion by eating meals at regular times and choosing foods that are easy to digest.   How do you know you’re digesting well? For me, it’s pretty simple. I just feel good: no discomfort, no gas, no, bloating, no tiredness, and no heavy mind.   I feel light, comfortable, and at ease.  

Ways to strengthen your digestion? Here are my two go-to:

Be sure to include immune-boosting foods in your diet. You can think of foods that boost the immune system in two ways—foods that are easy to digest and foods that offer support. Foods that are easy to digest are  kitchari, a traditional Indian dish made of rice, mung dal, and spices. It is so easy to digest that it is often given to the elderly, to those who are ill, and even to babies.  Other similarly easy to digest foods are soups, stews, and broths.  

Foods that offer support include things that are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as turmeric, ginger, echinacea, and vegetables & fruits.

Be sure to avoid foods that are cold, oily, and heavy. This includes things like cheese, ice cream, yogurt, potato chips, and fried foods.  Yep, I said it and you read it.  

2- Get Good Quality Sleep

If I’m not getting enough sleep, I immediately notice a snowball effect of feeling more and more tired and run-down- think hangover without the fun memories.  There are tons of books and articles about it, but in summary you’ll get good quality sleep by going to bed and rising at the same time daily, aiming for eight hours of quality sleep per night.  A little side note- you can’t force good sleep, you can only invite it.

3. Have a Daily Supportive Routine

Having a supportive daily routine is way more important than you’d think.

Remember last time you went on a trip?  Remember you end up needing as many days to recover?  Well, it’s not always just because the airplane was dirty. It’s because your body is totally confused from being stressed out, from staying  up too late, waking up too early and eating weird foods.   Creating stability through healthy ]habits will make all the difference and keep your body from being out of balance.   Ayurvedic habits to include in a daily routine are things like scraping your tongue, oil swishing, daily self-massage with oil and so on.

If you can nail these 3 basics, you're likely to experience a huge difference in how you feel.   

Lastly, I want to remind you to give yourself permission to slow down, nourish, and take care of yourself.  This is one of the most powerful ways to avoid depletion and support both mental and physical health.

Winter Yoga Guide

The calm, dark and quiet nature of the winter can seem… how do I say this?  Oppressive!  The combination of the winter season and the stress of the times can leave us feeling weighed down, stagnant, or uninspired. 

Here is the BIG Ayurveda tip to counteract this:  double down your commitment to yoga.  

An invigorating and expansive yoga practice during winter can be surprisingly supportive of your overall well-being.   Below are some specific recommendations to practice yoga during winter.

Here are the go-to yoga poses to bring vigor to your life this winter: 

• Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

• Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Forward bends and bacbends are also recommended, as are postures that stimulate metabolism like:

• Cobra (Bhujangasana)

• Bow (Dhanurasana)

• Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

• Supine twists like Revolved Abdomen Variation (Jathara Parivartanasana Variation)

Of course you can adapt your practice on a daily basis to work with your local climate (as you know and your internal needs.  For example if you feel stressed and depleted (Vata imbalance), move at a slower and gentler pace.  Or if you feel unmotivated and lethargic (Kapha imbalance), move at a faster pace, allowing your breath to quicken and your inner heat to intensify.  I know this makes total sense but sometimes you need to read it somewhere.

However you practice, PRACTICE.   Practice with an expansive heart and hold your poses long enough to feel challenged.

In addition to your yoga practice, cultivate a  supportive winter-season diet and lifestyle.  These  may look quite different from one person to the next, but each of us has a great deal to gain from honoring and aligning ourselves with the rhythms of nature.  

Find your best sleep

Do you suffer from irregular sleep? Trouble falling asleep? Wake up in the middle of night? Sleeping more than your cat? All these can be equally problematic.

Let’s be honest, imbalance in your sleep pattern is annoying, debilitating and even unhealthy. Troubleshooting your sleep pattern can seem just as annoying and impossible, BUT with the right guide and tools you can find and return balance to your sleep.

Ayurveda, the science of living, offers simple and practical tools to balancing sleep cycles. Here is my interpretation and take on the ayurvedic approach to sleeping well.

If you are reading this, you know that a balanced sleep cycle (i.e., ~8 hrs of sleep at night) plays a crucial role in your help and well-being. Even thought western science knows this very well, the benefits themselves may be subtle in nature and so difficult to assess. However, every science approach agrees on the possible risks of insufficient sleep:

• Impaired judgment.

• Negatively affected moods and emotions.

• Increased risk of accidents.

• Impaired cognitive ability.

• Decreased libido.

• Increased incidence of feeling depressed (by five times that of the normal population).

• Accelerated aging in the skin.

• Difficulty losing weight.

• Increased odds of developing a more serious health problem or death.

Now that I have your attention, per Ayurveda, each individual may have specific reason for an “imbalance” in her/his sleep and it is important to honor whatever works best for you. Ultimately, you need to feel comfortable in the steps you take to create a sleep environment for yourself. Regardless of your specific needs (your constitution in Ayurveda terms), consider adopting as many of these supportive habits as possible:

Eliminate screen time in the evening.

Screen time of any kind is incredibly disruptive to the biological rhythms that support sleep. If you’re serious about improving sleep, it is best to limit or eliminate screen time from the hours immediately before you sleep—ideally from dinner onward. I’ve opted to delete all distracting apps from my phone at night and if possible move the phone out of the bedroom!

Eliminate stimulants.

In much the same way, stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol tend to disrupt physiological cycles essential to sound sleep.  When struggling with insufficient sleep, it’s best to eliminate them as much as possible from your lifestyle, and in some cases a complete detox may be necessary.

Eat a wholesome dinner early in the evening.

A heavy dinner can interfere with our ability to sleep. I know this goes against current social habits, but this a BIG game changer. The best evening meals are healthy, nourishing, easily digestible, and are eaten at least three hours prior to retiring to bed. Think soup and/or salad.

I sincerely hope that I can continue to support you in finding your way to sound sleep and vibrant health. Just let me know how to support your wellness.

Drink Warm Water to Awaken Your Digestive Fire

Drinking a glass of warm water cleanses and awakens the digestive tract, hydrates the tissues, and encourages a bowel movement. Ayurveda Wisdom

When I was eleven years old, my mom decided to follow a “naturista,” which is like a wellness & health guru via plant-based diet and not a naturist, which is nudism, which my mom would have never approved or followed.  The first wellness guideline from the “naturista” she implemented in our household was room temperature water.  She placed “tinajas” or clay jars around the house and we drank water from these for a long time, eventually the “tinajas” went away and we just drank room temperature water.   So by the time I was introduced to the Ayurveda’s concept of not drinking cold water, I had had over twenty years of practice.  So this is why I am telling you this story: it does take time to switch and move the temperature of the water you are drinking to a warmer degree, but it can be done.  

In Ayurveda, water intake is very important.   Ayurveda recommends keeping water drinking separate from the meals, and adequate hydration is emphasized at least thirty minutes outside of your mealtime. I think we can all agree that the proverbial 8 glasses of water a day is a good place to start.  So let’s explore why cold water is not preferred.

In Ayurveda, an incredibly important concept is agni (your digestive fire). Agni is the transformative power in the body—digesting food, thought, and emotions. It is hot, sharp, light, subtle, luminous, and clear.  To simplify:  agni is fire, fire is hot.  Ayurveda’s principle of “like increases like, and treat excess with the opposite” explains, then, that the ice cold water will decrease the strength of your fire or agni. Likewise, if you want to augment agni you will probably want to drink hot water or hot teas.

There was a small but interesting study done in the 1980’s, where they measured how long it took the stomach to empty its contents when the individual drank cold (39°F), room temperature (98°F), or warm (122°F) orange juice. They found that the stomach temperature dropped after drinking the cold juice and it took nearly 20–30 minutes to return back to normal temperature. They also found that the cold drinks increased the emptying time.1  You could say that the agni had to work harder to maintain its proper energetics so that it could digest properly.

What we are avoiding by maintaining a strong agni is the production of ama (toxic, metabolic wastes). When foodstuff sits undigested in your trashcan, it ferments. A similar process can occur in the gastrointestinal tract. 

I know drinking warm water may be a big ask, but here is a place to start: Drink one glass of Warm Water first thing in the morning. Drinking a glass of warm water cleanses and awakens the digestive tract, hydrates the tissues, and encourages a bowel movement.  So maybe you aren’t ready for warm water (I wasn’t for years), start with room temperature water till it’s a routine and then start mixing it with warmer water till you find the right temperature for your new habit.

Why Scraping Your Tongue

Tongue scraping is as basic as toothbrushing in Ayurveda. It’s a MUST, really. Tongue scrapping was my introduction to Ayurveda’s daily routines over twelve years ago and it has changed my health as it has become a cornerstone of my morning rituals.

Why the emphasis? To start, in western science, dentists point to post-nasal drip as the cause of bad breath. The post-nasal drip coats the back of the tongue with mucus that is rich in dying, bad bacteria, resulting in volatile sulfur compounds that create bad breath. The white coating on the tongues is what in Ayurveda we call ama (or toxins). Any toxin that has that sticky and heavy quality, causing dysfunction in the body, is ama.

In Ayurveda, our tongue represents our entire gastrointestinal tract and what is going on there. As the body processes the ama and puts it back into the gastrointestinal tract for elimination, it also spits ama out onto the tongue. So scraping the tongue daily is like cleaning the lint from your dryer before you use it.

So for sure with tongue scraping you’ll be eliminating a big cause of bad breath. But bad breath is only one benefit of scraping your tongue. Doing so will support your entire body by helping maintain a healthy bacterial environment in the mouth and by stimulating the cleansing of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

It is also a great way to stay in touch with your health. By cleaning your tongue daily, you will quickly get into the habit of taking note of the coating on your tongue. You will notice a thicker coat after a heavy meal, sickness, or after eating a lot of dairy products the night before. Your tongue becomes a mirror to your digestive health.

If a tongue scraper is not right next to your toothbrush and floss and it is not already part of your daily routine, now is the time to start. You can get your at any health food store or good pharmacy.

Rejuvenating Drink (Almond Rose Oja Drink)

Ojas is the subtle essence of the vital tissues of your body.  LEARN MORE HERE. In Ayurveda, it’s said that ojas governs your immunity, energy, and vitality. Strong ojas means that you’ll have sustainable energy, strong immunity, a healthy glow, and a robust stamina.  If you find yourself lacking in any of these categories, you may have depleted or imbalanced ojas in your system.

This delicious, almond based drink is one way to increase healthy ojas in your body, restoring your energy and vigor.  It is great to drink first thing in the morning for breakfast to enhance vitality for the day ahead.  This drink is perfect in the rejuvenation phase after a cleanse, but can be taken 1 to 3 times a week otherwise.

There are various version of it out there in the Ayurveda stratosphere, this is my version.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups unsweeten almond milk (most recipes instruct doing this from scratch…soaking almonds, peeling them, etc., etc…it’s a lot of work, I noticed no difference in results)

• 2 medjool dates,  pitted and soaked

• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom

• 1 tablespoon rose petals (yes, organic, washed, rinsed)

• 3 saffron stigmas

• 1 teaspoon ghee (or coconut oil)

• 1 teaspoon honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the pitted dates in the 1.5 cups of almond milk that will be used for the recipe.  Soak for at least 30 minutes.  This will make the dates easier to blend.  Do not discard the date soaking milk as it will be added to the final recipe.

2. Make sure the soak milk is at room temperature (I place it in microwave for 20 seconds if I forgot to bring out of the fridge)

3. Place the almond milk and soaked dates into a blender. Add the turmeric, cardamom, rose petals, saffron, ghee/coconut oil, and honey.

4. Blend on high for up to 3 minutes making sure that a completely smooth texture has been reached.  

Due to the heavy and sweet nature of this drink however, it is recommended to only take this almond shake no more than 3 times weekly.  Enjoy.

Tip: This is a great recipe for taking after a cleanse, after illness, or anytime there is depletion to help regain energy and strength.  For these purposes, take this recipe 2 to 3 times a week for four weeks, or until the energy and vitality have returned.