DoshaCare » Organic nutrition

DoshaVibes Transforms Beauty Into Wellness

doshacare — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:26:17 +0000

Authentically Radiant Skin Achieved with a Holistic Service Approach
Visit DoshaCare at the Discovey Beauty Section of Cosmoprof North America to Learn about DoshaVibes

In the centuries-old Indian Ayurvedic philosophy, authentic beauty is achieved through lifestyle choices that nourish the body and fulfill the mind. This healing system addresses all factors that influence the quality of life, such as maintaining a consistent daily routine, engaging in meditation and regular exercise, sustaining a healthy diet, and being in harmony with nature. In the professional environment authentically radiant skin is achieved by engaging all five senses through customized Ayurvedic Facial Services provided by DoshaCare and the new DoshaVibes.

The DoshaVibes CD that was composed to complement DoshaCare Facial Services, specifically addressing each of the doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Ayurveda combines the five elements in nature (water, earth, wind, fire and space) into three distinctive categories.
-Vata, the air principal, is comprised of space and air. When we have too much Vata in our body, our skin is dry.
-Pitta, the fire principal, is comprised of fire and water. Too much Pitta in our system will result in skin that can be sensitive.
-Kapha, the earth principal, is comprised of earth and water. Too much Kapha can result in oily, congested skin conditions.

Each DoshaVibe CD meets the unique needs of each dosha, resonating with the individual’s nervous system to bring them into the deepest level of relaxation possible. For the esthetician giving the service, each music composition provides cues to move to the next segment of the treatment. This allows the esthetician to perform the most relaxing manipulation in concert with the deepest relaxation of the nervous system, giving the client a meditative and restorative service that supports authentically radiant skin. The last segments of each CD are designed to gently guide the client out of the supremely relaxed state to a balanced consciousness of rejuvenated clarity.

The Vata Service is designed for dehydrated skin that requires nourishment to bring the natural function of sebum and moisture into balance. Skin is returned to balance with a breathing ritual and head massage inspired from India’s ancient traditions incorporated with deep cleansing and hydration treatment.

The Pitta Service is designed for sensitive skin that requires nourishment to soothe the over-heated system, reducing inflammation, the biggest sources of premature aging, by incorporating gem stones and single note essential oils for the Pitta mind, body and spirit. Balance is restored by decreasing inflammation and increasing hydration.

The Kapha Service is designed for skin that is congested due to overactive sebaceous glands. Skin becomes nourished by decongesting pores, stimulating healthy circulation and strengthening the immune system. The rich tradition of Ayurveda incorporates Marma therapy (Ayurvedic version of acupressure) to balance Kapha mind, body and spirit.

Each of the three DoshaCare protocols have unique add-on features that can be performed in 55 or 75 minute format.

With DoshaCare Customized Ayurvedic Facial Services estheticians move from beauty services to wellness services providing clients the benefit of inner peace, outer radiance and ageless living. DoshaCare is seeking professionals who are looking to offer a deeper level of customizable service by believing and practicing the following core concepts:
*True health is more than the absence of illness; it is a balanced state of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
*Balance is achieved by following a lifestyle that nourishes our body and fulfills our mind.
*Quiet introspection, or meditation, can be one of the most powerful tools for relaxing the mind and igniting our internal pharmacy.
*Our business thrives upon creating an experience that indulges the five senses – sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell.
*Indulging the five senses allows us to reach a deeper level of being which is therapeutic, holistic and health supporting.
*By thoroughly educating and training our staff, we can provide a haven for health that supports inner and outer radiance.
*We don’t simply sell products; we take care of people.

If you are a beauty industry professional contact us for a meeting at Cosmoprof North America July 18th-21st in Las Vegas to become a DoshaCare Wellness center. If you are a not in the professional beauty industry and would like to experience a DoshaCare service, visit your favorite salon or spa and tell them about DoshaCare and your desire to have one of our wellness services. You can make a difference by letting your local beauty professional know that you are no longer interested in getting just a facial. Times have changes and now you can have a treatment that restores your inner, outer and ageless health.

Holiday Detox!

doshacare — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:17:52 +0000

The major philosophy behind Ayurveda is balance. Balance in life, health, relationships, career, etc. Somehow during the holidays between parties, marathon gift shopping, and four course meals, many of us get a case of Holiday Fatigue, and by January 1st, we are more than eager to regain the balance and ritual of life that we enjoy the other 11 months of the year. Here are a few ways in which I’m planning to detoxify and cleanse this month.

www.elephantjournal.com has listed DoshaCare among its recommendations for detoxing after the holiday season both internally and externally.http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/01/holiday-detox-adriane-little-organic-india-tulsi-tea-blackwells-organic-desserts-simply-boulder-doshacare/

I consider myself a pretty healthy person, working out, hydrating and eating a variety of organic foods on a daily basis, but I too am feeling the need for a jumpstart cleansing after a champagne soaked holiday. Here, I’ve gathered a few recipes for some purifying concoctions from Healthy Healing by Linda Rector Page. You’ll notice the back to basics list of ingredients and simple methods for making them.

Rice Purifying Soup

Toast in a large pan until aromatic (about 5 minutes) the following:

2/3 cup lentils 2/3 cup split peas 2/3 cup brown rice

Add and cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally:

2 cloves minced garlic

1 onion, chopped

3 cups water

3 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1.2 tsp. ginger powder

The perfect dish to ignite your inner furnace and what is know in Ayurveda as agni, which is responsible for digestion, metabolism, and all over health.

After all the excitement and overindulgence associated with the holidays, it’s easy to be sucseptible to the cold or flu bug. This recipe for a detoxifying broth is said to work miracles on these encroaching feelings of sickness and general “rundownness”.

Cold Defense Cleanser

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons brandy

I haven’t gotten sick yet (knock on wood) in order to try this, so if anyone uses this concoction, please let me know the results. Check back tomorrow when I’ll talk about some other ways to regain balance after the holidays.

How to Have a Green Thanksgiving and Save Money

doshacare — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:48:00 +0000

By Maura Judkis
US News & World Report, November 21, 2008

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/fresh-greens/2008/11/21/how-to-have-a-green-thanksgiving-and-save-money.html

Mother and daughter combo Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson have several things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Their coauthored book, “Celebrate Green,” has found success for its savvy, stylish advice on how to make every holiday of the year greener. Going green, which can be expensive, may be difficult this Thanksgiving, though. You’re already shelling out a lot of money for a big meal, and many people are feeling the recession’s pinch. There’s also a great deal of family ritual and custom attached to the day. “Thanksgiving is not the best holiday to go overboard on going green,” said Colwell. “People have strong feelings about tradition.”

Colwell and Colwell-Lipson know that it’s tough to splurge on expensive Thanksgiving foods, so they’ve offered up six ways to save money and food on turkey day that are both green and subtle.

Buy only key items organic: Some people balk at the cost of organic food because they think that it’s an all-or-nothing deal. Instead of looking at your whole shopping list as organic, purchase organic items only where it counts—meaning items most likely to transmit pesticides to you. These foods from the “Dirty Dozen” list (the 12 produce items most likely to carry pesticide residue) are the ones most likely to show up in your Thanksgiving feast: apples, celery, grapes, lettuce, pears, potatoes, spinach. But if asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, corn, eggplant, peas, or onions show up in any of your recipes, it’s OK to get these conventionally grown.

Host a potluck: Spreading the work out makes it easier and cheaper for the host family without lessening the food to share. Besides, you’ll have the added benefit of oohing and aahing over each other’s dishes and learning new recipes. “It brings meaning and input from the family,” said Colwell-Lipson. “The tradition will live on through several generations.” And you’ll have the anticipation of looking forward to Aunt Mary’s famous pumpkin pie each year.

Plan ahead: Buying a locally raised, organic turkey can definitely add to the price of your meal. That’s why Colwell and Colwell-Lipson advise planning ahead for next year. “In January, look ahead at your whole year and think about the holidays,” said Colwell. “If you’re interested in a 20-pound heritage turkey, you think, ‘I can’t spend that much on a turkey.’ But if you divide that by the number of expected guests and people put away $2 a month, you have your money. Panic causes us to spend more.”

Package leftovers in reusable containers: After a big Thanksgiving celebration, there may be more leftover turkey sandwiches and pie than any family can eat for lunch the following week. Colwell-Lipson sends leftovers home with guests, but not in Ziploc baggies or Saran-wrapped paper plates. “I save up glass jars from spaghetti sauce, and any leftovers get packed up and sent home in those, so they can be enjoyed later,” she said.

Buy less food: We waste so much of what we prepare for Thanksgiving—about a quarter of our food, said Colwell. To prevent food waste, the solution may simply be to cut back on things that aren’t as necessary. “If people just consider reducing 25 percent in their amount of food, or variety of food, they would save. Do we need both sweet and mashed potatoes—could we do without one?” she said. Both of the authors advise discretion here, though: “Saying ‘we’re not feeding you as much this year’ is not going to fly,” Colwell said.

Use smaller plates: Because of the size of some dinner plates, people often take more than they can—or should—eat. If you use smaller dinner plates, people often eat just what’s in front of them, and they can always come back for more if they are still hungry. This is an especially good idea for kids, who may take two bites of stuffing before abandoning the dinner table to go play with their cousins. “With children, people give them way too much on their plates,” said Colwell. “Ask Suzy what she likes. She’ll come back for more.”

Real Halloween Treats, not Sugary Tricks

doshacare — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:30:25 +0000

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/halloween-sugar-free-treats.html

By Cait Johnson, Assistant Producer of Care2 Healthy Living Channels.

Anyone with young children has probably seen first-hand the effects of Halloween candy overload on sensitive systems. Yipes! But we don’t want to be killjoys: trick-or-treating is a magical part of the Halloween experience. So here are some great ideas for alternatives to the candy bars and other sugary horrors that will fill most kids’ trick-or-treat bags this Halloween.

These easy-to-find imaginative treats won’t add to the sugar load, only to the fun!

Food Treats
These make healthier alternatives to the usual glut of sugary stuff:

Small boxes of organic raisins
Bags of trail mix or peanuts in the shell
Envelopes of instant cocoa
Organic mozzarella sticks
All-natural 100 percent juice boxes
Healthy chewing gum (natural flavors and sweeteners, no dyes)
Sun Drops (sort of like dye-free M&Ms)
Small boxes of healthy cookies or crackers

Non-Food Treats
I live in a village where she gets upwards of 150 trick-or-treaters. If you get mobbed at Halloween, you could try my method: I cleaned out her piggy bank and doled out the spare change. My little ghoulies and ghosties were thrilled.

Other fun ideas for non-edibles include rubber spiders, stickers, small packets of crayons or markers, pencils with fun-shaped erasers, miniature pumpkins, or small charms. Look in your local dollar store for fun and inexpensive goodies.

Happy Halloween!

Another yummy fall recipe.

doshacare — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:13:43 +0000

So we’ve now learned that we need to calm our Vata in the fall. We’ve also learned that Vata responds well to warm foods, therefore I’m eager to try this recipe that sounds like the perfect meal for a chilly October night.

cauliflower and caramelized onion tart

Bon Appétit | March 2007

1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), cored, cut into 1-inch florets
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon truffle oil*

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 large onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 large eggs
1 (7- to 8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese)*
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*Available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Italian markets nationwide.

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Spread on large rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes; turn florets over. Continue roasting until tender, about 25 minutes longer. Cool cauliflower, then thinly slice. Drizzle with truffle oil; toss. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Press pie crust onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Line pie crust with foil; fill with pie weights. Bake crust 20 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights; bake until crust is golden, about 5 minutes, pressing crust with back of fork if bubbles form. Cool crust. Maintain oven temperature.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store crust at room temperature. Cover and chill cauliflower and onion separately.

Brush bottom and sides of crust with mustard. Spread onion in crust. Arrange cauliflower evenly over. Set tart on rimmed baking sheet. Whisk eggs and next 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in Gruyère. Pour mixture over filling in tart pan; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes before serving.

Healthy Comfort Food: Farro and Asparagus Risotto

doshacare — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:11:00 +0000

Seven Steps to Eating For a More Balanced State

doshacare — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:41:26 +0000

Excerpts from Nourishing Body and Soul by Deepak Chopra, David Simon and Leanne Baker.

1. Eat a wide variety of foods during the day.

Up until about 10,000 years ago, we spent most of our days hunting and gathering food. During the course of a day, we sampled dozens if not hundreds of food sources. In addition to any animal protein we could snare, we ate a diverse range of roots, leaves, fruits, nuts, berries, beans, mushrooms, and seeds…The average Western diet is much more limited in variety, and as a result we miss out on the extensive natural pharmacy that is available.

2. Listen to your body’s signals of hunger and satiety.

Your appetite is your ally. Listen to it. You probably don’t go to the gas station when your fuel tank is half full. Don’t sit down at the meal table if your stomach is half full. Consider your appetite as a fuel guage from 0 (completely empty) to 10 (stuffed).

3. Use food to fill the emptiness in your stomach, not your heart.

We learn to associate comfort with food at an early age. As adults we sometimes seek food for its soothing, rather than nutritional, properties. This often results in poor digestion, disturbed sleep and weight gain. Use food to feed your body. Develp conscious communication skills to fill your heart.

4. If the meal isn’t delicious, it isn’t nourishing you.

If you are struggling with a diet that you believe is good for you, but do not find at all appetizing, it will not ultimately be nourishing and you will not be able to stay with it for long…you do not have to sacrifice delicious meals for good health.

5. Favor foods that are natural and vital.

To the extent possible, favor fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, freshly harvested, and prepared as soon as possible after picking. Not only are they more delicious, but you are sending your body the message that it is receiving the highest quality health-promoting nutrients.

6. Use herbs and spices liberally as both flavor and health enhancers.

Become familiar with the culinary and health-promoting effects of herbs and spices and use them generously. Even the simplest quickly prepared meal can be transformed into a culinary delight through the appropriate use of seasonings.

7. Eat with awareness.

A principle of Ayurveda is: How you eat is as important as what you eat. If you gobble down your meal while driving or watching television, it will not be as nourishing or life supporting as when you eat with awareness. Savor your food through all five senses.

The Perfect Healthy Fall Cookie Recipe.

doshacare — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:47:21 +0000