Natural Soap

The skin is our biggest, external organ. It protects us and keeps the whole body together, in one piece.

We are constantly bombarded with temperature shifts, bacteria and poisons of all sorts, so it is very important that we treat it with love and respect.

One way of doing that is to use natural soap.

Read more about the skin barrier here.

Guava

We have a big guava tree in our garden and today my landlord gave me some ripe fruits.

Guava boosts the immune system, it may help with managing blood sugar levels, heart health, constipation and better eyesight. It is an anti-stress agent and may reduce the risk of some cancers and relieve painful menstruations.

Read more about the benefits of guava here.

Watch a video about guava here.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is one of the most versatile chemical compounds you can find, and to an affordable cost.

You can use it for baking, cleaning your home and your teeth, make deodorant and clean your vegetables from pesticides. It can be used to alleviate heartburn, improve exercise performance, sooth burns and much more.

So, make sure to keep a packet of baking soda at home. You never know when you will need it.

I use baking soda to clean my veggies.

Read more about baking soda here.

Watch a short video about baking soda here.

Walk Barefoot

I walk barefoot as much as possible and every day someone is commenting on why I don't have any shoes. Here in Nepal it's a sign of not having enough money to buy shoes when you walk barefoot, but they can clearly see that I can afford a pair, so it's a big mystery for the people I met, why I actively choose not to wear any.

I explain to each person who I met, who are genuinely curious to know why I walk barefoot, that I want to connect with Mother Earth and I even encourage them to try it sometimes. 

A couple of weeks ago a met a young man who's grandfather had the same philosophy regarding walking barefoot, so it's an ancient knowledge that has been lost over the years.

If you think about it. How good is it to walk on plastic soles all day, disconnecting with the earth we are born to live on?

You don't have to be as extreme as I am, walking without shoes everywhere. Just take them off sometimes and feel the different textures under your feet. Get grounded and absorb the positive energies Mother Earth is so generously sending out for anyone ready to accept them.

"Pain you choose, will only make you stronger", as a wise woman once said.

Walking on gravel will make you think. How do I balance my way through the less painful path? So walking barefoot will also activate your brain,

When you are barefoot you can give a cute street dog a relaxing foot massage.

Click here to find out how you can crochet barefoot sandals.

Yin Yoga

You don't practice yoga to show it off on Instagram. You don't do yoga in between a stressful day at work and a stressful evening with the family.

Yoga is a lifestyle you should introduce in your life with care and much thought. Of course you could say that doing some yoga is better than doing no yoga and of course that's the case, but yoga is not just about doing positions on a yoga mat. 

Yoga is a lifestyle covering so much more than exercise. It also involves breathing, sleep, relaxation, meditation, diet, thoughts and what you say to other people. It's about self-respect and loving yourself. 

I've found yin yoga that is a form of yoga that is meditative, with relatively easy positions, that you hold for several minutes. The slow pace gives you time to really go in to and feel each position. 

I can really recommend Aprille Walker at YogaRangerStudios

Click here to get to Aprille's Youtube channel.

Click here to try out my favorite yoga practice with Aprille.

Read more about Yin yoga here.

My Health "Tea"

Ever since 2020 I've had an extra interest in how to boost the immune system and since then I've made my special health "tea".

I have a lot of herbs, spices, roots and barks, so every time I make a batch I make a new combination, to make sure the diversity is as big as possible. 

Sometime it tastes like a soothing lemonade and sometimes it tastes like a bitter, used sock, but I drink it every time with good spirits, because I know there are a lot of good nutrients in there.

Yesterday I made a 5 liter batch with red onion peels, pine needles, bamboo leaves, Swedish rowan berries, white clover, cinnamon, ashwagandha, banana leaves etc.

I let it cool over night, so the nutrients really have a chance to come out, pour it in to glass bottles and store it in the fridge, easy to access when I need a refreshing drink.

Clouds

How often do you raise your gaze and look at the sky? 

I love looking at the sky and the formations the clouds create. Light or dark, fluffy or thin are they sailing across the sky, over our heads.

We are completely depended on the clouds for rain and shade, so take a moment today and look at the sky and see what the clouds tell you. I can guarantee that they are more correct than the weather forecast.

I took this photo the other day when I was out walking the dogs.

The sun is about to set behind the Himalayas.

Learn more about clouds here.

Antioxidants and Free Radicals

Most people have heard about antioxidants and free radicals, but what are they really?

It is, of course, a complex matter, but imaging that the free radicals are harmful hooligans roaming around the body causing disease and inflammation and the antioxidants are the police taking care of the issue, neutralizing them.

Then imagine the hooligans being part of different gangs, so the police needs to have specialized teams to take care of each type of gang. That's where the diversity of food makes the difference.

Some examples of antioxidants are Vitamin C, Polyphenol; Quercetin, Flavonoids, Curcuminoids are Carotenoids.

The colors of the fruits and vegetables shows the different types of antioxidants, so a colorful plate of food is helping chasing the free radical hooligans away. Just like your old grandmother said when you were a kid. Imagine that they knew that for generations, before internet and all easy accessed information we have at hand, at all times, nowadays.

For a more technical description of antioxidants click here. 

Click here to see a short video.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a fiber and nutrient dense vegetable and it's packed with antioxidants, which will protect you from harmful free radicals and inflammation, and boost the immune system.

Studies show that it's good for weight loss, heart, brain and bone health, lowering blood pressure, digestive issues, diabetes 2, cancers etc.

Cauliflower is affordable and easy to add to your diet. Raw, cooked, steamed or roasted, so why not buy a cauliflower for dinner today already?

Read more about the health benefits of cauliflower here.

Watch a video about cauliflower here.

Photoshoot

Yesterday I had a photoshoot for the covers of my new books "My health journey; Part 1: The Issues" and the sequel "My health journey; Part 2: The solutions".

I went up the mountains in the morning with two photographers and one of the guys was actually born up there. We were able to go and take photos in places that are closed for other people.

Amazing, undisturbed nature made my photos magical, which you'll see in a couple of weeks when I will publish the first book.

If you are in Nepal and need a professional photographer, sound or event planner please contact Flash & Tune Event here.

Manifestation

Manifesting for changes in your life is very trendy at the moment. I approach life with logic, my logic, that is. Just standing in front of the mirror saying some magic words doesn't help.

If you want to meet a partner you you can't dress like a bum, not taking care of your hygiene, not going our meeting new people. It doesn't matter how many hours you spend in front of that mirror, you will not meet a new partner.

If you want to be rich you can't manifest money just landing in your lap one day, unless you have a rich aunt about to die, but what if she stays alive for years and decides to give away all her money to a cat home. You have to get out in the world and work for it.

Manifestations can set your intentions and you have to be very clear what you want, so the universe can help you reach your goal. Asking for a red car one day and a blue the next isn't helpful for anyone.

Magic happens, but you have to be a part of the journey.

The Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi has some wise words to say about manifestations and life in general. Click here to see the interview with James English. 

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are both tasty and beneficial for the health. Just make sure to buy mushrooms from a reliable source.

They are good for the gut and immune system, to promote lower cholesterol and support brain health.

I use to put my mushrooms in the sun for a couple of hours before I fry them in ghee. They soak up vitamin D from the sun and share it generously to the consumer. 

Read more about the health benefits of mushrooms here.

Teej

At this time every year, we celebrate the Hindu festival Teej. Women fast, dress up and dance.

It's of course a religious story behind it and the fasting is done to give luck to the married women's husbands, but besides all that, it's a time when women come together and celebrate their friendship and just have a good time.

Read more about Teej here.

Watch a Teej song here.