On top of tea’s antimicrobial properties, research has shown that drinking tea helps with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It also encourages weight loss, lowers cholesterol, and brings about mental alertness. Tea is also an excellent antioxidant because it contains flavonoids. Tea can also be used to substitute the consumption of coffee.

Black Tea –
- Made with fermented tea leaves
- Has the highest caffeine content out of all the teas
- Is typically the base for many flavored teas, such as chai
- High in antioxidants
- Research shows that black tea protects lungs from damage due to smoking
- Reduces risk of stroke and heart disease. Helps in recovery from a heart attack
- Aids in blocking allergic reactions, improves skin, delays onset of diabetes, and slows the growth of tumors

Green Tea –
- Preserves many of the original qualities of the fresh leaf while enhancing and bringing out its effects through its making
- Made by cooking the leaves and then pressing them to release their moisture and then drying them out
- Research shows that green tea is an excellent antioxidant
- Prevents cancers of the bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal
- Helps with recovery from a hangover and burns fat
- Reduces risk of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, reduces risk of stroke, improves cholesterol, and prevents clogging of the arteries
- Counteracts oxidative stress on the brain

Herbal Tea –
- Made with various herbs, fruits, seeds, or roots that have been steeped in hot water
- Are lower in antioxidants than green and black teas
- Some types of herbal teas include, ginger, hibiscus, jasmine, rosehip, mint, chamomile, and Echinacea
- Research shows that herbal teas prevent and heal colds, bring restful sleep, lowers blood pressure, and helps with weight loss
- Chamomile tea prevents complications from diabetes, such as loss of vision, nerve, and kidney damage, and prevents the growth of cancer cells
- Echinacea tea fights off the common cold
- Hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure

Tea is best when consumed as a hot beverage and should be brewed for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Milk, lemon, and organic sugar may be added to the tea for taste. Various teas, especially herbal teas, give off therapeutic aromas. Here is a quote for you to sum up the benefits of tea: “If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you” ~ Gladstone, 1865.

Enjoy tea time!

Varsha

In traditions around the world, ginger is used therapeutically. Most health professionals recognize the amazing healing qualities found in ginger. According to Ayurveda, ginger pacifies both kapha and vata, and it increases pitta. Ginger’s most impressive quality is how it helps digestion. It is an excellent spice for digestion and cleansing the body of ama (undigested food in the body). Ginger is excellent for constipation, the heart, cholesterol, coughs and colds, improves circulation, headaches, relieves distention, is a blood purifier and its great for respiratory conditions. Really, these are just some conditions in which ginger is good for. In reality, you can use ginger for just about any ailment.

The bigger question here is how do you use it. For coughs and colds, a remedy I use widely is green tea with fresh ginger and lemon. You will find some immediate relief and you will find that your recovery time has been reduced by at least half. Drink it about 3 to 4 times a day at minimum. If you find that you don’t like green tea, simply having hot water with ginger and lemon will also do the trick. Green tea is high and anti-oxidants and that is one reason why I like to add green tea to this home remedy.

To increase digestion, have a slice of fresh ginger before meals. Ginger will stimulate the digestion and is also good for those who have a loss of appetite. To prevent bloating, have a glass of hot water with ginger during meals. Another great way to ensure that you are able to digest your meal is to cook with ginger. Ginger adds spice and flavor to meals.

Ginger can also be used for chronic arthritis. Take about 10 grams of freshly grated ginger and boil it in about 1 liter of water. Sip this warm infusion only during the day. This same remedy can be used for vata type of pain.

Let me know if you have any questions, but ginger is excellent for just about everyone. However, never apply any sort of ginger pastes to skin lesions and rashes and do not use in cases of severe bleeding and high fevers.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

There are many benefits of Savasana, such as reduced blood pressure, reduces stress, brings clarity to the mind, reduces anger and frustration, and allows the mind and body to calm down and relax. At the end, you should lie in Savasana for at least five to ten minutes. Ten minutes would be ideal.

This is a guided meditation to bring the attention inward to release stress and tension throughout the body after a yoga class. Lie down in the corpse pose, which means the legs are apart and relaxed and palms are to the sides facing up. Ideally, a teacher would take you through this guided meditation.

Here is the meditation, step by step, waiting about 20-30 seconds in between each new instruction:

1. Take nice deep inhalations and exhalations to keep your attention within the body. With every inhalation, you will find yourself to be in the moment.
2. Relax your feet
3. Relax your legs
4. Relax your hips
5. Relax your abdomen
6. Relax your back
7. Relax your chest
8. Relax your arms
9. Relax your shoulders
10. Relax your neck
11. Relax your facial muscles by slightly opening your mouth
12. Continue to breathe.
13. If you feel any aches, pains, or discomfort, gently ask your mind to focus upon the discomfort to relax it away and continue to breathe. (Wait about one minute before continuing).
14. Bring your attention back to the present moment and focus upon the third eye, in between the eyebrows, and continue to breathe. (Stay here for the rest of the meditation, at least one minute and if time permits, several minutes).
15. Take your time, but when you are ready to get up, stretch, and slowly get back up.

With this meditation, you are now ready to jump back into your activity.

Happy Meditating!

Varsha

Those who already have a yoga practice, that’s great and keep up the fantastic work. For those who are thinking about it, starting new, or have made a resolution to be regular with your practice, now is the time to start one. To begin a yoga practice at home requires self-dedication and commitment.

After having a busy day at work, the last thing anyone wants to do is get back up and stretch the body. The way to commit to practicing yoga daily is to make it a part of your routine. Yoga should become just as important as brushing your teeth. The simplest way to begin a home yoga practice is to begin with doing Suryanamaskar, or Sun Salutations. Sun Salutations are a series of postures that are designed to increase flexibility, tone, and strengthen the muscles. Start by doing at least one set a day and then each day, gradually build up the number of repetitions to about 5 or 10. To begin with, go at a comfortable pace, not too fast and not too slow.

Here is a Youtube video that lays out the most basic set of Sun Salutations, which is demonstrated by Dashama Each teacher may vary the set slightly by adding other postures or variations, but here is the most basic and simple form. Sun Salutations is also a great way to warm up and prepare for any exercise routine.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

1) Experience. How many years of experience does the teacher have teaching yoga? Does the teacher have experience working with what you are looking for? For example, if you have Multiple Sclerosis, does the teacher have experience working with MS patients?

2) Training. Where did the yoga teacher do his or her training? Who is their teacher? Are they certified by Yoga Alliance?

3) Practice. Does the teacher have his or her own practice? True yoga teachers will have their own practice outside of teaching. How often do they practice? What are their expectations from their students in regards to practicing outside of classes?

4) Personality. Is the teacher open? Does he or she speak loud enough? Are the instructions clear? Is the teacher approachable? Is he or she taking the time to listen to and meet your individual needs?

5) Ask for Recommendations. The best way to understand the teacher and their style is to ask their students for recommendations. Current, active students are the best source for a recommendation because they will tell you why they are taking the classes.

In order to enjoy and gain maximum benefit from a yoga practice, the style must resonate and so should the teacher. The student-teacher connection is very important for the experience and practice of yoga.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

Many of you have heard of “The Secret.” There is a book and a movie, so whether you read it or watch it, you will get the same message about the secret to life and happiness is using the law of attraction. So how does the law of attraction work? Its simple…all you have to do is think and believe. So when it comes to utilizing the law of attraction for your health, believe that you shall be well and you shall be well. Paramahansa Yogananda, who is an Indian Guru and the author of my all-time favorite book, “The Autobiography of a Yogi,” states, “I could show you that whatever your powerful mind believes very intensely would instantly come to pass.” That’s true. Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life. Its like how when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong and when something goes right, everything goes right. As long as you focus on the positive, things will continue to go well.

The more positive outlook you have on life, you will be happier and are statistically known to have a healthier life. If you have a cold, focus on how great you will feel once you recover, rather than focusing on how terrible you are feeling and you will feel better sooner. Those who only focus on the illnesses they have tend to attract more and more sicknesses than those who focus upon their health in a positive light. Use the law of attraction to bring about radiant health. Use affirmations, such as “I am healthy and vibrant,” rather than, “I am sick.” Although there is a benefit in just saying it, there is a greater benefit when you believe that you are well rather than ill. They say, be careful with what you wish for, cause you never know, it just may come true. That my friend is the law of attraction. Use it wisely and really, the law of attraction is the secret to a happy, healthy life.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

There are many integrative health centers of wellness centers out there, but how many of them are truly “holistic?” Holistic is not just alternative medicine or natural healing; holistic health is all forms of medicine, eastern and western, and includes healing of the mind, body, and spirit, and not just one of them. Only working with the body is not holistic, just like only working with the spiritual Being is also not considered to be holistic. Holistic really does mean whole and not only one part or another.

When you walk into an “integrative medical center,” it is important to recognize what they actually do. There are some integrative centers that treat only according to western medicine and might incorporate a little bit of Ayurveda for example. Also, let me ask you this. What really is a “wellness” center? Again, a wellness center has a huge variety of services from meditations, to spa treatments, to classes, massages, yoga, and the list continues.

Holistic Health is often misunderstood to be only complementary and alternative forms of medicine. But really, it Holistic Health encompasses all healing modalities, whether its an eastern of western approach. True holistic healthcare means that the health of the mind, body, and spirit are taken into account. Holistic health treats not just the individual’s disease, but all the person, the state of mind, the spirit, and also takes into account the environment of the individual as well. That is where the future of health care is headed towards. It is heading towards holistic healthcare and not just one form of medicine over another. An ideal health care system will include all forms of healing and one form will not be falsely stated as being better than another form of medicine. As all forms of medicine has its own benefits and works in its own way. The integration of medicine into one holistic healthcare model is what is needed and that is where we are headed.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

We are surrounded by energy, because without energy we cannot function. For example, it takes energy to lift a heavy box, and it takes energy to come home and cook after a long day at work. The body needs energy to digest the meal and energy is also needed for the nerves within our nervous system to function. Blood circulation and the beating of the heart also takes a lot of energy.

There is a book called, “The Hidden Messages in Water,” and the examples of the hidden messages are also in the movie, “What The Bleep Do We Know.” The book and movie speak about how water forms crystals according to the messages written on the container of the water bottle. For example, if anything negative is stated on the bottle, such as “you make me sick,” then the water crystals become very dark and ugly, and ultimately, that is what you are drinking. Whereas, if the water bottle states “love and happiness,” beautiful crystals are formed. It is hard to see the difference with the naked eye, so a more realistic example are plants. If you play heavy rock music, the plant is more likely to not survive, then if you play classical music.

It really is all about what you put out there. It is the energy you give off that is absorbed by your surroundings. Food made with love always tastes better. It is all forms of energy. The first time I spoke to a friend of mine about Reiki and energy healing, he understood it to be as a form of positivity and optimism. Which is true. Remember, positive energy attracts positivity and negative energy attracts negativity. When I do Reiki or energy healing work for others, really, all that I am doing is sending them positive, clearing, healing energy to clear out the blockages and negativity. Meditation is another form of energy healing and so are positive affirmations. Energy is in your thoughts and in your actions. Use your energy wisely. There really is no exact definition of energy healing. The best way to define it is to describe it and as my friend stated, it really is a form of bringing about positivity. For example, the more negative you are, the darker and gloomier you are and thus your energy will be darker and dull. On the other hand, the happier you are, the more positivity you have, and therefore, your energy is much clearer.

Therefore, the next time you fall sick, try energy healing on yourself, by remaining positive and being happy and watch how much more quicker you recover.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

Human bodies are very intelligent…in fact all living entities are extremely intelligent. Just take a moment to think about it. We breathe without having to think about it, we are sensitive to touch so that we don’t burn ourselves on a hot stove, our digestive system works on its own without us having to tell our body what to do, in times of flight or fight situations, our bodies will release adrenaline to boost our energy, and on and on the list goes. Our bodies do so much work without having to actually do or think anything. Even as I write this, I am thinking the words in my head, but I am not actually instructing how my fingers should be typing…it just kind of happens.

With so much intelligence within every person, how can we expect to treat the body as a machine? Machines are mechanical and human bodies are not. Therefore, what works for one body may not work for another body. Every individual is different. For example, when I work with those individuals who have an autoimmune condition, their diet and yoga routine is different from someone else who has the same condition. There will be many similarities in their diets and routines, but there will also be some differences. Some may be recommended a different yoga practice then the other person or their diets will vary.

When it comes to the treatment of any ailment, it is important to consider the body as a whole in terms of its parts and also taking into account the mind and spirit along with the body. It simply is not enough to treat every disease in the same way because not every disease has the exact same pathological process. For effective healing to take place, every individual should be treated on an individual basis and it should be recognized that there is no such thing as one pill works for all. Sorry folks, but the body is not a machine and therefore true healing takes more than just a pill. The future of health lies in more than just pills. The future of health care is all about working with the mind, body, and soul individually from inside and out for effective healing.

Health and happiness,

Varsha

The nurse, herself does not get the flu shot and the team lead was encouraging all those that came in for the health screening to get one. Some of the things he would say were that if you get it one year, you must get it every year, and how it’s great to get vaccinated for the prevention of the flu.

Where am I going with this? Well, this simple observation reaffirmed what I have been reading and seeing lately about the fear-based approach to health care. If you don’t want this to happen, you must take this pill. Or if you don’t want to get sick, you must wear a mask and take this antibiotic or vaccination.

I personally haven’t had a flu shot since my teen years and I still have an internal debate about vaccinations. Are they really as great as they are said to be? Getting the flu shot does not mean that you are totally protected and by not getting it, that also does not mean that your immune system is weaker than anyone who has had the flu shot.

For the future of healthcare, I find myself doubting if fear is the appropriate approach for prevention. Prevention is key in maintaining health, but fear itself is not healthy for you. Fear in itself suppresses the functioning of the immune system. So in our healthcare system, we really need to stop scaring everyone. There is no such thing as a magical prevention pill just like there is no such thing as a miracle cure all.

Rather than scaring society, a more rational approach is needed in which people are positively motivated to make the changes they need to stay healthy. Another factor that I have noticed is that out of fear, many people surrender themselves and their health to their doctors or health care practitioners, thinking that doctor knows best. Reality is that in order to overcome the fear, healthcare practitioners, pharmaceutical companies, and politicians need to stop scaring the people. My advice to you will be to take your health into your own hands and realize that fear does not accomplish anything. Be resourceful and be smart about health and never be afraid to question anything that is presented to you!

With that said, you have nothing to fear but fear itself and even then, there is not point in having fear in fear. Fear is just in the mind…so look the world, life, and health in the eyes and move forward.

Health and happiness,

Varsha