Meera Klein
“We ought to take outdoor walks, to refresh and raise our spirits by deep breathing in the open air.” — Seneca.
This pandemic has given us a perfect reason to change some of our old, perhaps unhealthy habits. Here’s a list to get you started.
As philosopher Seneca says, get outside more! Most dog lovers do this every day, rain or shine! But everyone can benefit from being out in the fresh air. So go out there and take some deep breaths. You can enjoy the dusk and the gorgeous setting sun. Or perhaps you are a morning person who loves watching sunrises. There’s something for everyone.
♦ Start your morning with a glass of warm lemon water. There are so many benefits to this simple routine. Lemon water aids digestion, supports your immune system, and can help balance your PH levels. Just be sure to use a straw (I use a metal one) to protect your teeth enamel.
♦ Take part in a mini-fast: By skipping one meal, you can wake up your taste buds. I had a wise relative who recommended we eat only one meal on Sundays. Studies have shown that fasting for 12-16 hours can help revive our metabolism and help the body cope with a myriad of ills. Don’t do this if you have a medical condition. Please use commonsense.
♦ Add more vegetables to your diet. Or try to be vegetarian (or vegan) one day a week. My family comes from a small village in south India and has been a vegetarian for over 500 years. So continuing this tradition is important to me, and I find there is such a wide variety of grains, pulses, fruits and vegetables that we don’t miss animal products in our diet.
♦ Bring back tea time: The other day, I had the joy of sharing a pot of Chai Tea with a group of friends. We munched on savoury and sweet goodies and enjoyed an afternoon of camaraderie. When I was growing up in the Blue Mountains or Nilgiris of south India, we often had tea and a small snack right after we got home from school. My sister and I looked forward to this treat. Taking time to have an afternoon cup of tea forces us to slow down, and it is a great way to unwind. Elaborate tea making and drinking ceremonies are common in many countries. In India, we like to boil our tea with a few slices of ginger root or cardamom pods. The boiled tea is mixed with fresh whole milk and served with palm or brown sugar. This spicy concoction is delicious and invigorating.
♦ Be more mindful: My close-knit circle of family and friends call mindfulness by another name: Meditation. But whatever you call it, set aside some time to be still. Practice going inward and calming the mind. It may be difficult at first, but you’ll notice the difference and love what it does for your body and mental state.
♦ Be more one-pointed in everything you do. This is tough to do in our busy world. We are expected to multi-task. As a young mom, I used to try to do a myriad of things at the same time. But I noticed I wasn’t doing anything properly, and when I slowed down and gave my undivided attention to a task, it was completed sooner and better. So try it, and you might be surprised at how much you can actually accomplish.
♦ Practice gratitude. If we have learned anything during these troubling times, it’s that we need to appreciate the small things. So take pleasure in that first cup of hot coffee, the sight of chirping birds in your yard or the cool breeze on a hot day. Make sure you let those around you know you are thankful for them.
♦ Read a book or two: When my boys were in elementary school, they were asked to keep a reading log and try to read for at least 20 minutes a day. Luckily, both boys loved reading, and the 20 minutes a day was an easy quota to meet. That habit has made them lifelong readers, and as young adults, both of them still enjoy reading books.
♦ Support a local author or artist: Recently, I attended a book signing for a local author and came away with three instant and personalized holiday gifts. Most books are under $20, and authors are thrilled to meet with you and sign a copy or two. Do you know what they say? Make an author smile, and an angel gets his/her wings. Just kidding. But it does make us happy to hear you are enjoying our work.
Cardamom Tea
4 green cardamom pods, peeled and crushed with a rolling pin or in a mortar and pestle
2 cups water
2-4 heaping teaspoons of loose black tea (we love Ceylon tea)
½ or more cup milk (depending on how milky you like your tea). I prefer whole cow’s milk but use milk of your own choice.
Sugar-optional
Preparation:
Add spice to the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Add loose tea and boil for another two minutes. Add milk. Stir and turn off the heat. Let the leaves seep for three to five minutes. Strain and serve in pretty cups.
