It is amazing how the mind-body connection works. I have repeatedly found the minute I take good care of my mind-body and spirit through healthy eating, movement, strength training, yoga and the simple act of conscious breathing the universe joins in. It does it’s magic of allowing the things I need most to find their way into my life. Creating good habits around our personal wellness is not a selfish act. In fact, as we prioritize our personal wellness we become more present in giving to our family, our work and those around us in general. As you evaluate your priorities for 2012 consider giving the gift of “creating space” to yourself. The mind-body-spirit connection begins with creating space. It could be as simple as following Thich Nhat Hanh’s advice he shared this year in Washington DC at the Warner Theatre …“Breathe in, Breathe Out” consciously to check in with your mind, body and spirit as you bring in the new year.

What will you create space for in 2012?

My grandmother was one of the first working moms in my family living in India. She was a principal of a school and got married late in life, 19-years-old was pretty late back then — because her father valued education. Although she was a professional, she still had her household duties. I remember when I was 4-years-old I asked her to repeat a story about how she would cook for the family when she got back home from school. She would come home and quickly throw off her sari to change into her daily salwar kameez and make fresh chappatis for all of her 7 children. The children would sit Indian-style, lined up on the kitchen floor as she served fresh chappatis to each of them. She would quickly spoon out portions of a fresh vegetable sabzi that was half-cooked to each child’s steel plate. To this day, my mom prefers her vegetables under-cooked because of her how her mother made vegetables.

I too love the smell of garlic and ginger sizzling on the stovetops and eating chappatis just as they are made. It reminds me of my childhood and my mom’s lamb curry and chickpeas. My mom made chappatis while we set the table and then sat with us while we said our daily prayer. More likely than not, she went back into the kitchen to finish making the chappatis as we started eating. At some point, I began to feel that a woman always keeping her eyes on the kitchen was anti-feminist. Fresh chappatis, that keep a woman apart from her family at dinner, just weren’t necessary. Though I stand on the shoulders of generations of women who brought food straight from the pan to the plate, I chose not to make fresh chappatis.

Instead, I hired women to make chappatis weekly and would freeze the extra ones. I stocked up on frozen chappatis from the Indian grocery store. Admittedly, my family has eaten their fair share of naans, made with white flour. We have asked my mom to make chappatis for us, and have happily taken them from anyone who recognized that my family’s plight of not getting enough chappatis in our meals (usually kind aunties).

But lightly buttered chappatis straight from the cast iron skillet has a way of bringing people to the table in a way that calling can’t. I fought tooth and nail to to draw my kitchen boundaries. But now, as I hear First Lady Michelle Obama say that she is a “mom first” in the White House, I wonder what being a mom means to me today. For months, I thought about buying the perfect rolling pin, a plastic mat and a better skillet. I hesitated at making chappatis because the consistency of the dough probably would not being right. I wondered would I roll my chappatis into some odd, bent-out triangular shape instead of a perfect circular chappati.

It took one evening, though, when I decided, “What the heck — let me just do it and see what happens.” So I pulled out my whole-wheat flour, tossed three cups into my Kitchen Aid mixer and added one cup of water. In minutes, I had home-made dough that was ready to be made into fresh chappatis. From that moment, I buried all the baggage of “Making Chappatis” and gave my family fresh bread. Thirty minutes later, while my family shook their heads in disbelieve and I myself marveled at how easy it was. It was just a matter of trying.

What Food Traditions are You Creating in Your Family?

From the symposium I realized there is a sea of change occurring in our society as we take control of our health and stress management. The medical field is beginning to integrate the best healing practices from many cultures. As I indulged in all the yoga books I could afford and inhaled the smells of paper and binding I met yoga teachers and researchers from all walks of life.

The conference blended intellectual discovery with a daily yoga practice, while leaving ample time for reflection in solitude or quiet groups. I shared a dormitory with ten other women where we did not speak after 10 p.m. to honor silence in the monastery tradition. I discovered nuggets of truth from lectures and conversations over fragrant vegetarian communal meals and fresh chai. The IAYT conference showed me that yoga offers the possibility of transforming each one of us.

Dr. Sat Bir Khalsa

The IAYT conference experience reflects the vision of Dr. Sat Bir Khalsa an international speaker, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Director of Research for the Kundalini Research Institute and Kripalu Center for Yoga. Join me for your own intellectual journey and experience of yoga on March 5, 2011 at The Science of Yoga seminar from 8 am to 12:30 pm in Arlington, Virginia as we welcome Dr. Khalsa to the Northern Virginia and Washington D,C, area.

Have your own yoga experience with the lovely Maryam in the morning and meet a yoga pioneer, Dr. Sat Bir Khalsa. Bring a friend, enjoy some tea and good food, do some yoga and learn how you can empower yourself. All levels welcome. Contact Anu to find out more information and register today.

Anu Kaur: What is yoga therapy? And what type of yoga therapy do you teach?

Dilip Sarkar, MD: Yoga therapy is a state of empowering an individual toward wellness and health by the application of the philosophy and practice of yoga. The philosophy we teach is “Yoga Sutra of Patanjali” and the practice is “Patanjali Ashtanga Yoga.”

AK: As an advocate of yoga, how do feel yoga changes a person physically, mentally and spiritually?

DS: Yoga by definition is the union of the mind-body-spirit. It cures a disease and maintains health through self-realization. You look inside yourself, atman darshan (introspection), and observe what is bothering you and hurting you. Yoga tradition believes that, you are the cause and cure of your disease. By doing yoga, you achieve overall wellness and protect yourself against the progression of disease.

AK: How should conventional medicine and integrative medicine play a role in people’s lives?

DS: Traditionally, chronic diseases are first diagnosed in the acute phase, and that is when we start our customary evidence-based medicine of tests and treatment. By also incorporating integrative medicine into evidence-based medicine, we can add personal lifestyle modification to the treatment of disease. In time, if that personal lifestyle modification helps, then your doctor can cut down or take off pharmaceutical medicines slowly.

AK: Given your 40 years of experience in conventional medicine and extensive knowledge of integrative medicine, where do you see society headed in this information-filled world?

DS: The evidence-based physician is looking for and finding more and more data and information about integrative medicine. I believe that conventional physicians are going to change their modalities, in particular in chronic disease, because we have failed in the treatment of chronic disease arena.

A beautiful example of the integration of Western and traditional medicine is this: In the 1920s, the Chinese government began to accept Western medicine and ignoring traditional Chinese medicine. In the 1950s, new political forces who were pushing for universal health care did not have enough Western-trained physicians in the country, so the government relied again on traditional Chinese practitioners, putting them back into practice. Both the systems became integrated, as is evidence today. For any acute health care issue in China today is treated with Western medicine, and chronic health care issues are treated with traditional Chinese medicine.

AK: Any last bit of advice to our readers?

DS: Lifestyle modification is more powerful than taking medication. Lifestyle modification is a strong but slow medicine, so people need to stick to it. Remember, body, mind and spirit are not protocol-driven. It is an individualized response that can take up to six weeks or up to six months, depending on what is happening for the individual.

What Type of Yoga Workshop Would You Like to Attend?

Savor the Moment

Are you so busy that you multi-task in all areas of your life, including your eating habits? Functioning at maximum level, how many of us have eaten lunch in front of the computer or in the car, skipped a meal or inhaled something that our taste buds did not even catch? Is your schedule packed with meetings, chores, deadlines and social obligations? Have you ever found yourself in front of the candy dish at work without even remembering walking to it? Maybe you actually do sit down and have a meal, but you’re so preoccupied while eating that you still don’t taste the food.

If that is the case, mindfulness can be a wonderful tool to begin using in your life. Mindfulness is the opposite of being on autopilot. In today’s busy, information-loaded world, multi-tasking has become the accepted norm and eating is no exception. However, mindless and unaware eating can have an effect on us, both psychologically and physically—and eventually takes a toll on our body and overall quality of life.

More and more research is showing that mindfulness can play a role in managing stress, depression, anxiety and medical conditions such as heart disease, obesity and disordered eating. The beauty of mindfulness is that it is simple and available to you at all times.

What is Mindful Eating?
As babies we eat instinctively—in other words, we eat when we’re hungry. Over time most of us train ourselves to eat in response to certain emotional or environmental cues, which have us reaching for food even if we’re not hungry. Mindful eating is about understanding why and how you eat, and it means approaching eating with patience, acceptance and trust.

To practice mindful eating, do a quick assessment of how hungry you are before you start to chow down on the food in front of you, whether it be a bag of Doritos or a gourmet meal. Remember to neutrally observe yourself as you eat and acknowledge how full you are when you are done eating. You always have a choice in how much you eat.

Tips for Mindful Eating*

1. Arrive. Come to your meal and eat in a specific place. Acknowledge that you are eating.

2. Check in. Ask the simple question: Am I hungry and if so, how hungry? This helps you learn to eat until you are full, rather than until the food is gone.

3. Slow down. Take the time to eat and appreciate the food. The entire experience can be completely different from when you’re eating quickly.

4. Be curious. Think about the food you eat and where it comes from. A healthy dose of gratitude for each grain of rice can affect us.

5. Savor. Take pleasure in eating. Food is not just about calories or restricting them. Rather, it is about pausing and soaking it all in.

*Reference:  The Center for Mindful Eating

Mindful hunger checks allow you to make choices with awareness. Notice the sensation of satiety or fullness. How does it feel to be overly full versus two-thirds full? When it comes to healthy eating, satiety cues, such as feeling a slight stretch to the stomach, feeling energetic and feeling satisfied, are just as important as hunger cues like hunger pain, irritability and poor concentration.

We all have unique triggers for mindless eating; acknowledging personal triggers (fatigue, boredom, watching TV) and coming up with an alternative can minimize mindless emotional eating.  To get more tips on Mindful Eating and learn how I used mindfulness in my own life read the full article as featured in ABCDlady Wellness Section.

The Power to Transform

Mindful eating helps uncover parts of ourselves that we usually bypass as we rush through our day focusing on either the past or the future. Mindfulness is about the present, and mindful eating is the opportunity to enjoy your eating experience at a new level.

Consider mindfulness as you start 2010 and see what personal discoveries come your way. I eventually realized I didn’t like sweets as much as I enjoy crunchy and light savories. Who knew? I discovered this preference once I gave myself permission to slow down.

Ultimately mindful eating is about your life attitude. Do you choose to be present in the moment and enjoy the food that nourishes you? The gift of mindful eating is to give you a richer experience. Over time, the practice of mindfulness seeps into the rest of your life. Enjoy this New Year’s gift and share your experience with us.

What Have You Mindfully Eaten?

Dilip Sarkar, MD

Dr. Dilip Sarkar is one of the healthiest vascular surgeons in Portsmouth, Virginia. He exercises, eats right and gets regular check-ups. He doesn’t smoke, have no traditional risk factors and doesn’t have a family history of heart disease.

While no one expects to have a heart attack, Sarkar was completely unprepared for the heart attack he suffered on his 52nd birthday. He narrates his experience and begins the story of how he transformed his life.

Dilip Sarkar: It was my operating day. I still remember it was a Wednesday. I had just completed 7 or 8 surgeries and had come home. I was not feeling well (unexplained fatigue) but I did not have any classic symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain or shortness of breath. When I shared my discomfort with my wife she said that I looked tired and that I “must be over worked.” A family friend came for my birthday dinner that evening and I could not eat properly during the meal. My friend also said, “You must be overworked.”

After my friend left, I checked my pulse and it was high. As a physician, I knew it was a cardiovascular issue. My wife told me to call a physician, which I did. My cardiologist friend was waiting for me at the hospital when I got there. He took my EKG and told me I was having a heart attack. He took me right in for a coronary angiogram, which showed triple vessel disease. The doctor recommended coronary artery bypass surgery, which was performed two days later.

From that moment, something changed inside me. I have always been a spiritual person. But at that moment after surgery I said to God, “Have it as you will.” I had to surrender to him. I had been one of the busiest surgeons in town, yet when I came back home after my operation I decided I was not going to go back to work part time, as suggested by my cardiologist.

This experience had me questioning, “Why me? What is next in my life?” My cardiologist had told me after the surgery that I did not possess any risk factors for a future heart attack, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. Therefore, the remedy was not in medication (to control the risk factors), but rather in learning to control the mind and the stress of daily life. I wondered what else should I do since all of my life I had studied science and medicine.

New Life

So I decided to take a different approach and look to alternative and spiritual remedies for health and wellness. I met an Ayurvedic practitioner who told me, “We will use food as medicine.” So I had my dietetic consultation from this Ayurvedic practioner, which introduced me to the discipline of Ayurveda.

At the same time, my mother-in-law, a retired professor of history in India, shared her experience of yoga asana (postures) and pranayam (the science of breathing) with me. She herself had become a Swami Ram Dev certified teacher and was teaching to groups in India. She suggested that I also incorporate yoga asana and pranayam into my recovery, along with the medications and dietetic consultations.

I looked at yoga asana and pranayam video by Swami Ram Dev and I was sold. Immediately I started to practice yoga as therapy and began to study Ayurvedic nutrition and cooking. It took me six years to learn about these alternative and complementary therapies. In the meantime, I downsized my lifestyle. My wife and I moved out of a large family home and bought a condominium. I was not working, but my recovery was going fairly well. Eventually, this new lifestyle of integrating Ayurveda, yoga asana and pranayam resulted in improvement in my organ functions. My cardiac stress test was improving. My doctors took me off the beta-blockers and eventually, took me off most of my medications.

I have literally used food as my medicine and still do, by balancing my diet through Ayurvedic principles. I currently do not take any medicine. What I do instead is daily yoga asana and pranayam in the morning for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. I supplement this with weight training and treadmill activities every other day. However, more importantly, I live a yogic lifestyle. I have mind control and my body is relaxed. According to Ayurvedic thinking, if the body and mind are relaxed, then food is properly digested because digestion is a complex process of mind, body and spirit. If one is not relaxed in mind, body and spirit then food is not holistically digested and more toxins are produced, which becomes the root cause of disease.

Stay tuned for Part II and learn more about Dr. Sarkar’s new lifestyle.

As you enjoy the holidays and gear up for 2010…

How Do You Want to Relax Your Mind and Body?

Maryam, Yoga Instructor

Maryam was born in Iran and came to the US when she was 6 years old. She grew up in the Reston/Northern Virginia area and was exposed to art through her father, Nasser Ovissi, a living legend of Contemporary Iranian art.

Maryam studied Art Management and opened a gallery dedicated to Iranian-American Art Gallery in California.   She is an artist who now co-owns the amazing yoga studio, Beloved Yoga, in Reston, Virginia.  As she describes it “a place for people to just do yoga.”  Maryam is not new to the fitness world.  Maryam and her husband are also the owners of Kamp Pendleton Personal Training Studio.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with her at the delightful and refreshing Cafe Sano in Reston.  I discovered a place that locals enjoy and got a glimpse of Reston’s lake culture.

AK: Tell us more about your own yoga practice, how that started for you and eventually led you to opening a yoga studio?

MO: My path to yoga started when a friend of mine, Simin, planted the seed in 1999 by asking me to go to a private yoga class with her when I lived in Northern California. I was intrigued and started my yoga training with a Yogafit’s weekend training and went on to do a lot of self-study. I decided in 2001 that I really wanted to find a teacher and eventually found a teacher, Bhekaji and began studying with her. I began teaching at the YMCA in Reston in 2001 and met my current co-founder of Beloved Yoga, Odisa there.

AK: How do you feel yoga changes a person physically, mentally & spiritually?

MO: Yoga means union. Yoga forces you to face the idea of union. You create union with your breath, body, mind, and eventually with your spirit/divinity. Yoga brings it all together. If you stick with the unity in yourself it allows you to become one with your body. When you face the idea of union it challenges you physically and mentally. You have to be present and be careful to notice your dialogue with yourself.

AK: How did it feel to enter into this lifestyle and career change of owning a yoga studio?

MO: I have always been spiritual. I could finally bring it all together with a yoga studio. In this society we compartmentalize. The practice of yoga eventually comes off the mat and into your daily life.

AK: What did you intend or want Beloved Yoga to be and offer to people?

MO: A place to do yoga. We weren’t trying to open the best yoga studio. We told ourselves we would be perfectly happy if we had 1 person in a class or 10 people in a class. We just wanted a place to do yoga. We went with the more urban style of passes because both Odisa and I are moms and we wanted to be flexible. It has been a blessing and we recognize we did not do this alone.

AK: What recommendations do you have for others who want to be their “own greatest teacher?”

MO: To just get quiet. Stop talking. Spend time with silence. You can study with teachers and books but spend some time with the divine also. It starts with just one minute of breathing and silence. Or it starts with even just looking at something that is beautiful. When you are a parent you don’t have two hours. Sprinkle silence into your day. I also recommend that every few months you allow for some time to gather yourself.

AK: Any recommendations for those toying with the idea of starting a yoga class?
What should one consider or look for in a yoga class or studio?

MO: Well, there is this book, Teaching Yoga that says, “ A good teacher will bring out the teacher within.” A yoga teacher is a guide that challenges you not from a place of fear but from a place of empowerment. Start with a beginner’s yoga class.  You can find a yoga class everywhere now, the gym, the YMCA, at work, etc.   Just be open-minded and don’t think you know what yoga is. It is useful to look at the teacher’s training, see if they are seasoned and if you have injuries be sure to communicate that with your yoga teacher.

AK: So far what have been your favorite life/yoga experiences?

MO: Seeing how to overcome adversity. Being kind when someone isn’t. Being loving when someone isn’t. What I admire in a teacher is courage to believe in something and say it and not always be politically correct.

AK: Any last Bit of Advice to our Readers?

MO: The world of yoga is a big world – there are many paths and there is no one path that is the best. There are many paths, Iyenger, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, etc. So try and see what you find best for you. Yoga comes from necessity and is the art of living and breathing.

Come visit Beloved Yoga to see some of Maryam’s own art and try a drop-in class $16 or $8 on Sundays at the Reston location)

Beloved Yoga
Maryam & Odisa
Owner/Yoga Teacher
www.belovedyoga.com

What Type of Yoga Class Have You Enjoyed or Would Like to Try?

]]> http://www.anuhealthyyou.com/blog/spirit/a-yoga-instructors-perspective/feed 1 http://www.anuhealthyyou.com/blog/spirit/three-mealing-planning-tips http://www.anuhealthyyou.com/blog/spirit/three-mealing-planning-tips#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:47:07 +0000 Anu Kaur http://www.anuhealthyyou.com/blog/?p=1569

A kitchen is like a favorite soft t-shirt; it feels better the more you use it. Settling into your kitchen can take a bit of trial and error as you figure out the ergonomics that will best fit your needs. Learning the key place to keep your favorite sharp knife so you can quickly dice onions and vegetables and toss them into the pan while the cumin sizzles or placing your spices within arm’s reach as your prepare a meal in under 30 minutes after work can take a bit of customization.

The kitchen is an amazing space in many ways. When guests come over, they all congregate here, no matter how beautiful your living room or how much seating is available elsewhere. The warmth of your kitchen draws people to it and ultimately to the nourishment it can provide. It is the part of the home where tantalizing aromas are created and waft through the hallway and into rooms, beckoning everyone to inquire, “What’s cooking?”

The responsibility of cooking for two (or more) is peppered with the reconciling of tastes. He likes it spicy; you like it bland. She says coconut curry; you say no way. Where do you start when blending tastes, coordinating schedules and dividing daily responsibilities? Awareness and planning can make all the difference.

As a dietitian, I have found that healthy eating for couples and families ultimately revolves around three main things: the menu, shopping and prep. One of the most useful things is acknowledging what you don’t like because then figuring out what you do like is easier. Having said that, here are a few things to consider:

The Menu…

Plan a menu with variety. Are you a beans and rice gal at heart while your partner prefers Thai food? Most of us have been exposed to many cuisines growing up. As you plan your menu for the month, week or next few days, consider cuisines that you both will enjoy. Not sure? Ask your partner and take the few minutes to discover both of your favorite foods. Having a game plan is a must in watching your pocketbooks and waistlines.

The Shopping…

Designate a grocery day. As planned as this may feel for you creative souls, this one simple decision has helped many of my clients enjoy the process of grocery shopping rather than being overwhelmed or annoyed by it. Choose your grocery day and time but, of course, be flexible when life and work happen. Having a backup grocery day can be a lifesaver or utilizing online grocery shopping services, such as Peapod, may be an option that works better for you. To avoid buying junk food, be sure to pick a time of day when you are not hungry.

The Prep…

Manage your time. It is just as important to manage your time in the kitchen as it is at work. Knowing how long it will take to prepare something can save a lot of frustration down the line. Also be sure to keep cushion time for when you try new recipes. If you lead a busy life or are new to cooking, try to choose recipes that can be made within 30 minutes. As you build familiarity with dishes, the process will become faster.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be elaborate or lengthy. It could be as simple as jotting down what you both like to eat. If planned right, grocery shopping can become an adventure as you discover new ingredients. And preparation is best appreciated when both parties are involved. If you manage your kitchen efficiently and take ownership (which includes healthy delegation), you may find it pays you back in the kindest of ways. And perhaps, just perhaps, the pleasant call of “What’s cooking?” will give you pride and personal satisfaction, as you play a major role in helping yourself and your family stay healthy.

Visit ABCD lady, a magazine for the American Born Confident Desi for the full article and more meal planning tips.

What’s Your Favorite Meal to Cook?

Nuchi gusui

Food should nourish life. This is the best medicine.

(Okinawan Proverb & Dietary Guidelines)

For several years now I have been enthralled with the Okinawan culture in Japan and their elderly.  I have been fascinated with Okinawans who are in their “hundreds” not because they are old, but because of how young they are literally in their heart, mind and body.

Now I don’t know about you but I don’t really want to live to be hundred something unless I am having fun, healthy and can make use of the wisdom I would have hopefully gained from living a century.  I love this piece National Geographic did on longevity several years back and still have the original cover picture of an elderly Okinawan gentleman doing a head-stand to remind me of what is possible if healthy habits are formed and sustained.

I believe daily healthy habits are really personal.  Each one of us is going to have a separate winning combo of how we exercise, feel connected (to the world and/or divinity) and of course how we eat.

I was at a conference this week and the speaker said something that has stayed with me, “pausing is powerful.”  I think that holds true in all realms of life but especially with food.  What if we did pause and consider our food.  What if we think for even a few seconds about the food we eat & what it offers our body before we inhale it?  Does it taste good to us?  Can we take a few minutes to mindfully chew our food so that the body receives the full nutrition benefits from proper digestion?

I like the concept of considering food as fuel for the body.  Yogis since the beginning of time have “eaten to live and not lived to eat.”  I think food can be thought of as fuel and still be savored.  After all, food that is nutrient-rich is also beautiful as one can see in this great My Daily Bread blog and should be fully appreciated.

In order to gradually change the mindset of improving the fuel we supply our body we have to be realistic.  That is why I love the nutrient-rich concept of knowing what foods to choose first from each of the food groups and at least have a general idea of what these foods provide our body.

Simple Tips on Choosing Beautiful Nutrient-Rich Foods

• Brightly-colored fruits & 100% fruit juice  (provides a lot of vitamin C)

• Vibrantly-colored vegetables & potatoes (provides fiber, vitamin A, B6, potassium, copper)

• Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods (carbohydrates, thiamin, folate, iron, magnesium)

• Lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, beans & nuts (protein, vitamin B6, niacin, zinc)

• Low-fat & fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt & kefir (riboflavin, B12, calcium, phosphorus)

• Fats and Oils (essential fats and vitamin E)

I love this way of eating nutrient-rich foods because it feels simple and nourishing.  In general, the Okinawans do the same and they also take the time to prepare and present the food they eat with care.  Nourishing food is about eating everything in moderation and thinking in terms of variety and color.

Pausing a moment can allow one to truly taste the textures and mindfully know that this fuel (food) is what the body needs to help its immunity work optimally, brain to function intelligently & heart to pump steadily.

Reference:  Willcox, B & Willcox D.C.  The Okinawa Program

What Foods Nourish You?

I have felt very grateful for those readers and friends who given their words of encouragement.  Most of us have experienced how a few kind words can make our day despite how brief those interactions may be.  For that I am thankful and happy.  Psychology research indicates that gratitude does indeed deepen our happiness.

I am also happy to share that “A Nu Healthy You” blog made the “Top 50 Dietitian Blogs” list.  A special thanks to Suzane Smith and her group for taking the time to see what nutrition-related websites are out there for readers.  I encourage you to visit my colleagues’ websites and explore more of the nutrition world.

In addition to checking out those top 50-nutrition related websites you may enjoy these two delightful blogs:  5 Second Rule for recipes and general life thoughts and the oh so popular ZenHabits on simplifying your life and appreciating that “less can be more.” Cheryl Sternman and Leo Babauta are great writers.  I have been enjoying them over a cup of “chai” for months now and you may also.

If you are interested in the full effect and perhaps willing to make a cup of fresh Indian Chai then check out my chai recipe below and the simple but powerful gratitude exercise.  Positive Psychology teaches us the benefits are not in looking at the cup as “half full” or “half empty” but just appreciating the cup for what it is.  So here’s to your perfect cup!

Anu’s Ginger Chai Recipe (for 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 cups of filtered water

4 whole cardamom pods (2 cardamom pods can work well – I like this flavor heighten so I do 4)

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1/2 inch peeled fresh ginger root (you can keep the skin on for a more earthy taste, first timers may prefer the skin off)

1/2 fresh stick of cinnamon (this is a strong flavor – I typically don’t put any in but some people love it)

2 teaspoons loose black tea of your choice or two teabags of black tea (Lipton & Red Label work great)

1/3 cup organic 2% milk (or to taste – this amount may be on the creamier side for some)

Sugar to taste (if you are not sure where to start I have found most people like 1/2-1 tsp sugar)

Directions

1.  Pour filtered water into pot and turn heat to medium high.

2.  As the water starts to boil crush cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle (or roll over with rolling pin).  The black seeds inside the cardamom should come out and you crush them also.  You should be able to smell the delicate sweetness of cardamom after doing this.  If the inside cardamom seeds are brown that means they are really old (happens if they have been on the grocery shelf too long) and ideally you need to toss them out and try another batch of cardamom seeds.

3.  Add crushed cardamom seeds and pods (yes all of it), whole fennel seeds, whole cloves and peeled 1/2 inch of fresh ginger into water (the cinnamon stick would be added at this time if you choose to use it).  I personally do not recommend using powdered versions of any of these ingredients.  If you don’t have one of these ingredients then just forgo adding it.

4.  Once the water boils with these seasonings for 2-3 minutes (flavor really seeps in) then add black tea (loose or tea bags).

5.  Let the entire mixture boil with black tea for about 1-2 minutes (if you want more caffeine, i.e., like your tea darker) then boil a bit longer.

6.  Now add milk to taste and allow the mixture to boil one more time. This is key for good chai. (For me it is this smell of chai that reminds me of gratitude as I begin my new day).

7.  Use a tea strainer and pour tea in a cup.  Discard all the seasonings and tea (loose or tea bags).

8.  Add sugar to taste.

Play around with these chai ingredients.  Add all of them or take away one or two of them and create your perfect cup.

Once you have poured the chai into your favorite cup, do a two minute gratitude exercise, i.e., think about 2 to 3 things you appreciate in your life right now.  Moonlight jogs and the beautiful Mandeville flowers blooming on my deck have me grateful for living today.  Take a sip.  Savor.

What Are You Grateful For Today?