The new year brings with it a fresh start. As the year begins, I find it helpful to check in with my daily habits and commit to incorporating Ayurvedic rituals that are nourishing to the body and mind. I’ve listed my three favorite Ayurvedic daily rituals below. These are all relatively inexpensive and not time-consuming. These rituals will enhance your day, rather than taking time away from you. 

Tongue Scraping

I recommend starting the day by scraping your tongue. The benefits of using a tongue cleaner include helping to fight cavities by removing bacteria from the mouth, reducing excess mucus from your mouth, reducing cravings and allowing you to more fully taste your food. Ayurvedic tradition believes those who use tongue cleaners are more expressive and thoughtful, better speakers and conversationalists. Tongue scraping is simple and takes less than a minute. Scrape down from the back to the front of the surface of the tongue 2-3 times, then rinse off your scraper to clean off mucus. I like the copper tongue scraper by Paavani Ayurveda.

Dry Brushing 

This wellness practice takes less than five minutes a day, costs nothing, and helps cleanse your body inside and out! Your skin, the largest organ of the human body, is an organ of elimination. A third of your body’s toxins are excreted through the skin. Dry brushing helps to unclog pore and excrete toxins that become trapped in the skin. Benefits of dry brushing include exfoliating the skin, stimulating circulation, boosting the immune system and helping digestion.

To dry brush, purchase a natural bristle brush (many available on amazon). Get naked and stand in your bathtub before a shower. Begin brushing by starting at your feet, in short strokes going towards your heart, brushing several times in each area and overlapping as you go. This is usually done before you shower

Ayurvedic Self-Oil Massage

Self-massage is one of the ultimate self-care practices and by far my favorite Ayurvedic ritual. Everyone that I recommend it to loves it! By massaging your own body you are consistently increasing circulation, deeply restoring the nervous system, lubricating the joints, softening the skin, and breaking up toxins and fat that could be sitting stagnant. Living in Colorado, I hear many people complaining of dry skin with our dry climate – this practice is very helpful to nourish and moisturize the skin.

Self-oil massage is easy – I usually do this before a shower (after dry brushing). In the winter months, sesame oil is best because it is warming. In the summer months coconut oil is best because it is cooling. Paavani Ayurveda makes a great oil that works for all seasons. Warm your oil by either running your bottle under hot water or rubbing a few times between your hands. Take the oil and generously coat your skin. Starting with your extremities, work the oil into your skin, using strong, vigorous strokes towards the heart. Wait 10 minutes and then shower, which helps the oil absorb more fully into the skin. Then lightly towel off – you’ll want to designate a special towel for this as the towel will get a little rough from the excess oils over time.

#ayurveda #holistichealth #newyearreset #holisticnutrition #naturalhealth #ayurvedicroutine #ayurvedicrituals

Come Glow and Flow with me in the new year! BUTI yoga is combination of strength and conditioning, cardio and primal movement woven into a dynamic yoga class all to the beat of a super fun playlist.

Glow and Flow BUTI Yoga
Saturday, January 14th
5:30 – 7:00 pm
YogaSix Northfield (8216 E Northfield Boulevard, Unit 1330, Denver, CO, 80238)
$25
Register here

Fall is the time of transition to the bright, hot days of summer to the cold, dark days of winter. As I write this, it’s an early dark and chilly October morning.

Fall and early winter are known as vata season. Vata embodies the elements of ether and air – cold, light, dry and mobile. Ether (or space) lacks structure and form. Ether is the changeable quality we see in nature at this time of year. Air element also reigns at this time of year – think of air as movement. Think of the movement of air with a cool breeze and leaves blowing in the wind. In Ayurveda, like increases like, and opposites balance. For this season, you want to bring in more qualities that are warming, nourishing and grounding. Keeping these qualities in mind make choosing the food we eat and our self-care practices with the seasons simpler. Below are some tips on how to feel your best and thrive at this time of year.

Food for Vata
To bring balance to vata dosha in this time of year, it’s healing to eat foods that are warm, oily, grounding and nourishing. Balance the cold and dry air of late autumn and early winter with warming soups, stews and curries. Eat for the seasons enjoying the orange and red colors found in those seasonal foods. Eat food that is well-cooked and well-spiced. Keeping our food cooked and spiced allows for easier digestion of the heavier foods we enjoy at this time of year. Keeping our agni, or digestive fires, running smoothly will help us stay healthy and energized.

Recipes to balance Vata:
Vata balancing breakfast (oatmeal)
Golden latte
Butternut squash soup

Lifestyle for Vata
Think warming, nourishing and grounding. Vata energy can feel very erratic and chaotic, and we can balance this by having a daily routine. To do this, you wake up, take your meals, and get to sleep at around the same times daily. Make your home a warm and comfy place to nest, and spend time with family and friends that nourish you. Make sleep a priority, and practice grounding yoga practices like yin, nidra and restorative. Self oil massage is really wonderful at this time of year and balances the dry and cold qualities of fall (how to do a self-oil massage).

Fall will be here before you know it! Learn how to flow with the seasons and support your body and mind for this time of year using Ayurveda and yoga.

Join Cori, Ayurvedic Health Counselor and Yoga Teacher, to nourish yourself at this time of year using Ayurveda and yoga. Ayurveda is the “science of life,” a 5,000 year old system of natural healing. Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga, and together they help bring balance to mind and body to achieve health and happiness. Ayurveda is a way of living that is connected with nature, being in tune with the seasonal shifts and circadian rhythms.

In this workshop you will:

• Discover foods appropriate for the fall season
• Be inspired to create a daily routine to stay connected with nature during fall and winter
• Explore yoga poses and movement that is most beneficial this time of year with a restorative yoga practice
• Learn basic principles of Ayurveda to live a balanced life, not just this season, but for a lifetime
  

Date: Saturday, October 1st
Time: 12:30-2pm
Location: YogaSix, Northfield (8216 Northfield Blvd Unit 1330, Denver, CO 80238)
Investment: $35
To register: Click here
Bring: Pen and journal to take notes, yoga mat and props you like to use, wear comfortable clothing. We will be doing a restorative yoga practice.

Travel is back in a big way this summer – especially air travel. Trying by airplane can be a frustrating, stressful experience. I thought it would be interesting to approach travel from an Ayurvedic approach for a balanced mind and body. Traveling by air can be really unbalancing to the body, as our bodies weren’t really meant to be traveling at high speeds, at high altitudes, across time zones! From an Ayurvedic perspective, flying by air is vata aggravating. The energy of Vata embodies the elements of ether and air (or movement), and the gunas (qualities) of cold, dry, mobile, light – sound like being in an airplane to you? The way vata dosha out of balance manifests in your mind and body is through dry skin and sinuses, anxiety, spaciness, insomnia, constipation and generally feeling ungrounded. So let’s talk about some vata balancing tips specifically for air travel…

Hydration

You already know how dehydrating it can be to travel by air, yes? Drink lots of water (more than you normally would) and try to avoid beverages that can actually be drying to the body like coffee and alcohol. I will go a step further with my hydration by actually bringing a very small container of Himalayan salt and lime wedges and add them to my water bottle at the airport for an Ayurvedic hydration beverage. 

Tackle Jet Lag

Like I previously mentioned, traveling through time zones is very ungrounding to your body. It is said that for every one hour time zone, your body needs one day to recover! To help, make sure you get out in the sunlight during daytime hours. Reset your clock to local time before you even get off the plane. Resist the urge to nap.  Do the yoga pose “legs up the wall” at night. If you are somewhere this is appropriate, walk on the ground with bare feet (this is great to do a the beach!).

Take Triphala

Triphala is an Ayurvedic herbal blend that helps regulate the bowels – which can get slowed down with travel. I always take this when I travel. In addition to getting things moving, triphala contains amalaki, a fruit that has 10 times the amount of Vitamin C as an orange! Take 1/2 tsp of triphala powder with hot water at night right before bed (wait a few hours to take it after eating). 

Travel Nutrition

To balance vata while traveling, you want to focus on warm, grounding foods and avoid raw, cold, dry foods that are typical travel fare (chips, cookies, raw salads, dry fruits). Think soups or steamed veggies and rice or oatmeal for breakfast. I’m lucky that I can find these easily at my local airport. Or, you might need to prepare ahead for this and bring your food. Like, I might typically prep some roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa and steamed greens and bring in a plastic container. I personally like to keep my diet really simple on travel days. 

Moisturize

Practice abhyanga, Ayurvedic self oil massage. In the evening, massage your body with sesame oil or another oil of your choice. Banyan Botanicals makes great travel packs of massage oil that are great for this. For detailed instructions on how to do a self-massage, check out this post.

Join me in January for a Winter Rest & Reset virtual workshop. We’ll gather in community to share a simplified diet, gentle yoga class, and self-care rituals based upon the principles of Ayurveda. You will be given information on how to do a gentle 3 day cleanse to support your body and mind to recover from the toll of the holidays. We will also create a strong foundation of digestive health and immunity to get you through the rest of winter. You’ll come away with tools for deep relaxation and nourishment that you can turn to both for the winter season, and for the entire year. 

The Winter Rest + Reset workshop includes:

• 3 live Zoom sessions (orientation, yoga, closing)
• Information on how to do a gentle 3 day cleanse appropriate for the winter season. We will be doing this gentle cleanse from January 14-16
• Ebook with full information on the reset, recipes, self-care ritual instructions
  *Note that this is a virtual workshop, and we will be meeting for our live sessions on Zoom. All zoom sessions will be recorded and available for replay until January 31, 2021.

Schedule:

• Session 1: Orientation and Reset Preparation
  Tuesday, January 11th, 7-8 pm
• Three Day Reset: January 14-16
• Session 2: Gentle Yoga Class (beginner friendly)
  Saturday, January 15th, 10am-11am
• Session 3: New Year Visioning and Closing
  Tuesday, January 18th, 7-8 pm

Investment: $85

Fall is here, and winter is coming. Learn how to flow with the seasons and support your body and mind for this time of year using Ayurveda and yoga.

Learn to nourish yourself at this time of year using Ayurveda and yoga. Ayurveda is the “science of life,” a 5,000 year old system of natural healing. Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga, and together they help bring balance to mind and body to achieve health and happiness. Ayurveda is a way of living that is connected with nature, being in tune with the seasonal shifts and circadian rhythms.

In this workshop you will:

• Discover foods appropriate for the fall and winter seasons
• Be inspired to create a daily routine to stay connected with nature during fall and winter
• Explore yoga poses and movement that is most beneficial this time of year with a heated slow flow and restorative yoga practice
• Learn basic principles of Ayurveda to live a balanced life, not just this season, but for a lifetime

Date: Saturday, November 6th
Time: 2-4pm
Location: YogaSix, Northfield (8216 Northfield Blvd Unit 1330, Denver, CO 80238)
Investment: $25 YogaSix members / $35 non-members
To register: YogaSix App or sign-in sheet at front desk at YogaSix Northfield
Bring: Pen and journal to take notes, yoga mat and props you like to use, wear comfortable clothing. We will be doing a heated slow flow yoga and restorative yoga practice.

Join me for a seasonal Ayurvedic cleanse this fall! Ayurvedic cleanses provide a physical, mental and emotional reset. Detoxing has been practiced at seasonal transitions for thousands of years, and plays an important role in your overall well-being. Using the ancient healing tradition of Ayurveda, this workshop will provide the knowledge and resources to complete a 10 day detox cleanse.

The Ayurvedic approach doesn’t involve juice, spicy lemonade, fasting and depriving yourself of solid food. Instead, it focuses on cooking and eating warm, nourishing and comforting foods and teas that encourage a gentle release of toxins built-up over time. It also includes self-care practices that promote both cleansing and rejuvenation.  You’ll notice a renewed sense of balance, inner-peace and calmness as you move through the cleanse.

This guided cleanse includes:
*Two workshop sessions for support and instructions
*Two yoga classes to support your cleanse and reset
*E-book that has all of the information you will need to complete the cleanse including the schedule, recipes, shopping lists and other resources

The cleanse will last 10 days and starts October 11, 2021.

Workshop and Yoga schedule:
Introduction, Precleanse, and Preparation; heated detox slow flow yoga class: 10/3/21, 1-3 pm (Sunday)
Active Cleanse Check-in, post cleanse; nourishing restore yoga class: 10/17/21 1-3 pm (Sunday)

Cleanse Dates: October 11-20th, 2021
Note that you are not actively cleansing the entire length of this time frame – this includes a pre cleanse phase and post cleanse phase.

Location: YogaSix Northfield location, 8216 Northfield Blvd Unit 1330, Denver, CO 80238

Investment: $65 YogaSix members / $75 non-members

Register: Sign up at YogaSix Northfield front desk, on the YogaSix app, or e-mail your first and last name and phone number to Cori at healthcoachcorib@gmail.com.

As I write this, it’s the beginning of July and the heat is on! Summertime means long, bright hot days. It is a time of joyfulness, feeling energized and connecting with friends and family. 

In Ayurveda, summer is known as pitta season. Pitta embodies the element of fire – hot, sharp, light and mobile. These are the characteristics you might notice of the summer season – hot temperature, intense heat and thunderstorms, lots of socializing and traveling. In Ayurveda, like increases like, and opposites balance. For the summer season, you want to focus on qualities that are cool, soothing, nourishing and grounding. Keeping these qualities in mind make choosing the food we eat and our self-care practices with the seasons simpler. Below are some tips on how to do this to navigate your way through the summer season without burning yourself out! 

Foods to Balance Pitta

To bring balance to pitta dosha in this time of year, focus on eating foods that are cooling, soothing and grounding. Balance the heat of summer by enjoying fresh, cooling, hydrating fruits, smoothies and salads. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Reduce your intake of heating foods and beverages like hot and spicy food, fermented foods and alcohol. Overall, keep your meals light and refreshing.

Incorporate the following foods into your diet:

• Cooling fats – coconut oil, ghee, avocados
• Mildly spiced food – add mild digestives like fresh ginger, fresh cilantro, coriander cardamom, fennel to your food
• Sweet taste – fresh fruit like peaches, melons and berries, tropical fruits
• Bitter taste – lettuces, kale, collard 
• Astringent taste – apples, pomegranate, fennel stalk, mung beans
• Cooling foods – avocados, cucumbers, coconut
• Add lime juice to your water or squeeze lime over your meals to help keep you cool and aid digestion
• I love to eat chia seeds to help me stay hydrated in the summer… here is a recipe for chia pudding: https://coribernardo.com/2016/06/05/recipe-mango-vanilla-chia-pudding/

Lifestyle for Pitta

Think relaxation. Pitta season is associated with the fire element. Fire is hot and mobile. The opposite of mobile is stable and grounded. This is the time of year to consider slowing down, and staying cool.

• Limit time in air conditioning as it compromises your bodies ability to deal with the high temperatures
• Try moonbathing! Go for a walk at night under the moonlight to refresh your body and mind.
• Avoid overexposure to the sun and wear light, breathable clothes
• Splash face with cool water in the morning and take cooler showers
• Get to bed by 10-10:30 pm
• Take time for peace, quiet and reflection

Herbs for Pitta

In pitta season, use herbs and spices that help cool and calm the body and mind, and gently your digestive fires strong. 

• Make a cooling tea of hibiscus, mint and add a splash of time. Or try this hibiscus ginger tea recipe: https://coribernardo.com/2017/06/26/recipe-ginger-hibiscus-iced-tea/
• Chewing on fennel seeds after meals can be a helpful digestive
• Spray yourself with rosewater to cool down
• Favor mild digestive herbs and spices for your food like coriander, fresh ginger and fresh cilantro
  
  

#holistichealth #holisticliving #holistic #holisticnutrition #naturalhealth #foodismedicine #ancienthealth #ayurveda #naturalliving #eatrealfood #herbalmedicine #ayurvedicmedicine #yogalife #yogi #mindbody #herbaltea #healthydigestion #pitta #pittaseason #summer

Join Cori Bernardo, Ayurvedic Health Counselor and plant-based cooking expert for a workshop exploring Ayurvedic cooking for summer. This workshop is part lecture, and part interactive cooking – we’ll learn and cook together (at home)!

Summer is an important time to stay cool to counteract the hot and fiery energy of summer. We’ll learn what tastes and foods to eat more of at this time, along with how to cook and feed yourself to stay balanced during the summer season. The workshop ends with the creation of a fresh, nourishing, vegetarian meal that will be easy to replicate for everyday meals!

You will receive a grocery list and recipe book prior to the class.

Date: Saturday, June 26th
Time: 10 am – 12 pm
Workshop is virtual over Zoom, a recording will be available 24 hours after the class
Investment: $45

Register here:

The email that you use to check out with Paypal is the email I will use to send you the Zoom invitation, grocery list and recipe book.