Check your Rasa.

Here are a few common signs that I had no idea what they meant until I plunged into Ayurveda. Here are the symptoms and what is happening behind the scene:

• itchy ears:  your lymph is clogged
• itchy skin: your lymph is clogged
• dark circles under eyes: your lymph is clogged and you’re not eliminating well
• PMS with lumpy breasts: your lymph is clogged
• sore throats: your lymph is clogged
• you’re grumpy: yup, still clogged
• swollen lymph glands: your lymph is clogged, duh

In Ayurveda, we call lymph rasa dhatu. Dhatu means tissue. Rasa refers the watery plasma tissue – or the first layer of tissue that receives nutrients from our gut. If our gut has excess doshas in it (air, bile, or mucus) then these get absorbed into Rasa. If we have ama (undigested food that forms a yogurty-plaque), then that gets absorbed into Rasa. Rasa gets clogged and you have the symptoms above.  If your lymph is clogged your immune system is compromised, making colds & flus more difficult to avoid, and further down the line leading to auto-immune disorders. The job of Rasa dhatu is to nutrify and detoxify every cell in the body. When Rasa is clogged waste gets trapped and cellular starvation and dehydration occurs due to malabsorption which leads to your cravings being “misinformed” or stupid. Stupid cravings lead to bad food choices, which leads to more clogging. Vicious, vicious, vicious.

So, here is what to do: unclog your Rasa Dhatu!

• Sip hot water every 15 minutes a day for 2 weeks and see what happens. If after a day or two you are craving more water – it’s working! This hot hydro therapy is amazingly effective. I carry a 1 liter thermos around. Dorky, but effective. 
• Nasal breathing exercises with 20 minutes of daily cardio. Focus on exercising your lungs over your legs. 
• Do dry brushing on your skin upon arising every day 
• Eat a 70% alkaline diet. This means 70% of your diet is vegetables and fruit, with the emphasis being on vegetables. I find that starting the day with the Green Lemonade (from Part 3) starts me off right.  Each meal look at your plate or bowl. Is it 70% vegetables? (potatoes don’t count). Alkaline diet = prana in lymph = healthy lymph 
• Order Manjishta or my Liver Cleanse with manjishta, amalaki, neem other gentle effective lymph scrubbers for just $25 (includes shipping in US). Just send me an email. 
• Detox your Lymph in my Yoga Detox course.
• Watch this youtube with John Douillard