Ayurveda for Anytime: Get More Ojas in Your Life!

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, ojas is the life-sustaining vitality that promotes immunity in the body. Ojas can keep you healthy during flu season and prevent depletion during a stretch of overtime at work. It takes a long time to build this nourishing substance, but, in our fast-paced, overscheduled, and under-rested lives, it can get spent quickly. Here are a few ideas for building more ojas.

• Keep good company. Positive people will be uplifting and nourish your soul.
• Eat cooked foods. Raw foods are dry, light, rough and express as dry, light, and rough in the body.
• Take rest. Bypass your typical vigorous vinyasa and try a restorative yoga class.
• Hug someone—really hug them, for one to two minutes.
• Go to bed by 10:00 pm and wake at sunrise. The hours between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am provide the most restorative sleep.
• Avoid coffee and alcohol.
• Try this nourishing recipe:

Ojas Milk for One

1 cup raw whole organic milk or almond milk
10 almonds, soaked overnight, peeled and chopped
2 whole dates, chopped
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
Pinch of saffron

Place all ingredients (except saffron) in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil. If you like, use a standing blender or immersion blender to blend the mixture to a creamy consistency. Pour in a mug and add a pinch of saffron. Enjoy!

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