Time for Inner and Outer Spring Cleaning

Happy Sunday and Happy Navratri 

The nine auspicious days and nights of Navratri happens twice a year. It marks a transition phase between 2 seasons. This period is regarded extremely important in Ayurveda. Nature gives us time to shed old layers and prep ourselves as we dive into a new season. These nine days are excellent to detox, cleanse - basically clean our house both inside and out. Chaitra Navratri is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra that falls in the middle of spring and summer.

My dharma and priority as a mom dictates my work and life each day. So while I don't have the time to whisk myself into a special retreat and undergo extensive detox, I still find creative ways to cleanse and detox in my own way at home. And I do different things in spring and fall navratri.

Nine Simple Things I am doing this year during the Spring Navratri 

1. Drink water from copper container all through the day for the next nine days. Now, I do this anyways every single day, but I am especially diligent during the nine days of Spring Navratri to help reduce the lymph stagnation that occurs during spring time. To answer the What, Why, How? Click Here . If you don't have access to copper vessel. Begin your morning with one cup of warm water for 9 days. Don't use microwave to warm your water though.

2. Replace dinner with a bowl of fruit and have this before sunset. Yes, I am going to skip my dinner for the next nine days and give my gut a gentle rest. There is a whole lot of buzz these days about intermittent fasting  and its relation to metabolic health. Intermittent fasting in simple terms means an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Basically, giving your body  gut rest. Now in Ayurveda, there is lots of importance given to not only what you eat, but also when to eat, how to eat and where to eat. If you plan to skip or modify a meal, please check with your doctor to make sure you are OK to do this. If you have diabetes or take any medications or have a medical condition, skipping a meal or making drastic changes is not advisable. Please STOP and check with your doctor first.  

3. Skipping wheat and gluten for the next 9 days. This is going to be easy for me as my meals are not super gluten dependent. Choose Rice, Oats, Millets as my grains. 

4. Add 2 cups of my CCFR digestive tea. One cup before lunch and one before dinner to help my digestion and give a gentle cleanse to my gut. Watch the YouTube Video to learn more.

5. Oil my body and give self-massage before I take a shower every morning with warm sesame oil. If possible, make an appointment for deep tissue massage or Ayurvedic Oil Massage called Abhayanga. If you don't have access to Ayurvedic Massage, don't worry - find a way to pamper yourself with a pedicure and add a foot massage to your service. 

6. Not shop for the next 9 days. For those that know me, also know why I am often called Shopna instead of Sapna. So, I am staying away from online and in person shopping these nine days - my husband will like this one for sure ;)

7. I am going to deep clean and organize my pantry, refrigerator and closet during these nine days.

8. Commit to some physical activity for 30 minutes every day for the next 9 days. Walk, Yoga, Cardio. 

9. Find 10 minutes to chant my mantra quietly. Or simply close my eyes and sit still. Or sit outside and gaze at a tree or plant.  

Hope these 9 steps inspired to create your nine intentions. Even if you don't have time to create 9 intentions, set at least one intention you can keep during these auspicious and powerful 9 days.  

Please leave a comment with your intention to inspire others. 

Happy Navratri to you all. 

Namaste 

Sapna

Wellness in a Copper Bottle

Copper Bottle by beSPICED

Drinking water from a copper bottle is an age old practice in India. Copper has many anti-microbial properties. Storing water in a copper vessel has the ability to destroy many harmful microbes. According to Ayurveda, an ancient holistic science of life from India that dates back more than 5000 years ago, drinking water stored in a copper vessel kindles our digestive fire or Agni.

This practice is safe for all three doshas or bio-energies. Current medical studies support this ancient Ayurvedic practice and consider it safe to use.

Be sure to discuss this practice with your health practitioner to rule out any contraindications.

  PURCHASE YOUR COPPER BOTTLE HERE

My Personal Story and a Little Bit about the Birth of this Copper Bottle

For as long as I can remember, I have watched my mom boil several gallons of water every night and once it was cooled would transfer the water to a big copper pitcher with a spout. This would be the water we used for drinking through the day as a family. This is still a practice in my home in India and I have continued this practice in my home in the US. The difference is I don't boil the water. I simply fill my copper pitcher at night and we drink water from this copper vessel the following day.

Idea: I have had many questions and lots of curiosity about this practice when folks come to my kitchen during my cooking classes. So the last time, I was in India for family trip during summer of 2017 I decided to design a water bottle that would be an ideal solution to drink water through the day in a copper bottle. The bottle is engraved with Naivedhya (which means an offering) and also "You are What you Drink".

Process: The process took several months with going back and forth on design, bottle specifications, shipping issues and most importantly me being satisfied about quality of the materials and the process to manufacture these. After months of patience and perseverance, I received my first batch in time for the holiday season of 2017 Christmas. The bottles were instantly sold out with a couple of social media posts. They were loved and supported. I also asked for feedback from the first lucky customers and went back and made minor tweaks. And finally received a new batch in early 2018.

Another Wish Fulfilled: I have always wanted to give back to a local charity that spoke to my heart. While I was designing this bottle, I also was constantly thinking about fulfilling this wish of mine. I have been inspired by a local Dallas family whose daughters have been creating origami art to help with water crisis and fund water projects across the globe through their non-profit called "Paper for Water". I had personally met the Adams family at a local event and was inspired by their enthusiasm and have been following their story on social media. During the time I was expecting my first shipment of copper bottles from India, I reached out to the Adams family and shared about the copper bottles and my wish to donate a portion of sales of each bottle to their cause. The common connection of India (where they have water projects and also where my bottles are made one at a time) and mission for clean water was simply perfect. They were excited and fell in love with the bottle and my work. So, I am so proud to say that with purchase of every copper bottle you are also going to contribute towards the cause of providing clean water to those that might not have access to this basic necessity of life.

You are What you Drink: Get your 100% copper bottle today and change the way to drink water every single day.

What Can I fill in this Copper Bottle

• This bottle is ONLY meant for room temperature water.

• DO NOT add ice, ice water, soups, teas or any other beverages.

• DO NOT add other ingredients (e.g. no limes, fruit).

• Ideally store water for 8-10 hours or overnight before drinking.

• Replace water every 24 hours.

Care of your Copper Bottle

Prior to first time use

• Thoroughly wash with warm water and a drop of gentle dish soap. Use a bottle brush to scrub the inside of the bottle thoroughly.

• Fill the bottle with water and store overnight. Discard this water.

• Repeat (fill, store, discard) one more time before using the bottle.

NOW your bottle is ready to use.

Regular Care

• ​Hand wash ONLY. Never in a dishwasher.

• Regular clean the inside of the bottle with warm water and a drop of gentle soap. Scrub with a bottle brush.

• If you don't like the idea of dish soap, you can add 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar OR 1 tablespoon of lemon juice + fill with hot water. Put the lid on and shake the bottle and give a nice scrub from inside with the bottle brush.

The bottle will lose its shine with use. Enjoy the natural patina. If you must polish the exterior, use copper polish or scrub with salt and lemon wedge.

PURCHASE YOUR COPPER BOTTLE HERE.

>> Masala Chai Recipe

>> TURMERIC Spice health benefits