Im enjoying the last few days of my journey. Have just returned from Spain, where I wandered along the Natural Camino by the cliffs and through amazing old forests. Through all the countries Ive visited this trip- from England to Malta, then Italy, Ireland, France and Spain, my herbal friends have smiled at me! Its been such a joy wikd harvesting and sharing them with people along the way...

Ive really enjoyed the last few weeks in Ireland, tge land of my ancestirs in my Dads side. So many Magical places. Stone circles, wild seas, fairy forests and tge stiney mountains of the Burren. It feels like home here. Herbal friebds greeting me wherever I go.

My friends here in Ostra, a little village in Italy, have organised an Ayurvedic Presentation  for me this Saturday morning. It will be translated, so if any of you are in the area please come. Including those of you from the Yoga training groups... should be fun.

Ive started writing small articles in our local Northern Rivers magazine. This is an informative and connecting community mag and I love being able to share some health tips here.
Check out this link for my latest article on health and wellbeing in this Spring season.

Ayurvedic Medicine advises us all to regularly cleanse our body and mind of toxins. This is a primary way of gaining and maintaining good health. In Ayurveda we understand the inseperable link between body, mind and spirit and traditionally this age old system of health was used to restore balance even before disease manifested physically. Therefore it is advisable to cleanse at least once a year for preventative health care, and more often if treating imbalances which have already caused or manifested as diseases.
The best time to cleanse is at the change of seasons as at this time we shed toxins more easily.

A key element in Ayurvedic Medicine is the concept of Ama.
Ama are the toxins which accumulate when we lose contact with nature's rhythms. They may arise from eating unsuitable foods, like over processed or chemical laden foods as well as consumption of alcohol, tobacco, excessive meat, coffee or white sugar. Toxins can also enter the body via the skin when we expose ourselves to to the chemicals in some skin care products, cleaning products, and hair dyes. Additionally these days ama comes from over use of screens like computers and from excessive mobile phone use.
For many of us we are exposed to toxins on a daily basis - thus the importance of cleansing.
Toxins can also result from not digesting our food properly. If our digestive fire (or agni) is not functioning well, we are not able to absorb the nutrients and minerals so end up becoming depleted and under- nourished. The power of digestion is one of the most important determinants of good health and longevity.
Cleansing removes the ama which is undermining good digestive function, and vastly improves it.
The toxic effects of negative life experiences, stress, trauma, negative thoughts and addictions are also a form of ama. When the body-mind is chronically bathed in the biochemistry of anger, hate, envy, resentment, fear etc we experience the cellular dysfunction which accompanies such mental or emotional ama.
My teaching companion Leanne and I regularly offer Ayurvedic Cleanses.
The next one is to be held at the Byron Yoga centre in November 6th to 8th 2015.
Over the weekend we guide you to begin your cleanse, and then if you wish to continue for a few more days at home you are empowered to do so...