The Experts Weigh In: Hittin' the Road Yogi-Style!

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BY: FERN LANGHAM, CONTRIBUTOR

My clients often ask me for guidance around maintaining a healthy lifestyle while traveling. It is one of my favorite topics to talk about because there is an abundance of not-so-well-known ways we can prepare ourselves to flourish in a changing environment. These tips can help us all enjoy a smoother, healthier, more carefree vacation - which is exactly the reason we like to get away in the first place.

Are you feeling me?

While traveling allows us to get away and explore fascinating new destinations, our bodies often lose their natural rhythm in a changing environment. Ever wonder why airplane travel is associated with dry skin and sinuses, ear pressure and anxiety? Clearly, our bodies are reacting to changes in air, height and space. Even travel by car, bus, train and boat shake up our natural balance and we may notice changes in our energy, immunity and digestion. Time zone and temperature changes may confuse our bodies, especially our digestive systems, which may take a beating. Ayurveda, yoga's sister science (the science of life), explains that the key to keeping in balance is to sync up with the world around us. Here is a great article on just that!

In Ayurveda, there are three main doshas, or constitutions - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. They are determined at conception and relate to your inherited physical and emotional traits. To find out your constitution, take this simple quiz.

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The Vata dosha, comprised of air and space elements, is particularly sensitive to changes in routine and space, and is prone to experience irregularities in the body and mind. While traveling, out of balance Vata can experience dry sinuses, coughs and sore throats, as well as constipation. Sesame oil rubbed on the inner nostrils during air travel is an excellent way to keep moisturized to prevent upper respiratory infections. To bring Vata back into balance, it is important to pack warming herbal teas with grounding spices such as cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon, along with Triphala, a natural digestive herbal supplement that serves as a mild laxative. A cozy scarf helps Vata to stay warm and comfortable in a cooler settings, which can be unsettling for this "prone to feeling cold" dosha.

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The Pitta dosha, comprised of fire and water elements, is in balance at home and in stable environments, and therefore can easily be disrupted when unplanned detours arise. Out of balance Pitta is prone to indigestion, impatience, excessive sweating and stubbornness. The company Traditional Medicinals makes a beautiful Easy Now herbal tea with cooling herbs to help alleviate feelings of irritability, anxiety, impatience and frustration. Lavender oil, which helps calm anxiety, can be rubbed on the temples, inner wrists and sternum. Oh, sweet relief, Pitta!

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The Kapha dosha, characterized by water and earth elements, provides lubrication to the joints as well as mucous to protect the sensitive tissues of the sinuses, lungs and stomach. While traveling, out of balance Kapha is prone to experience upper respiratory infections, allergies and constipation. To keep excess mucous at bay, daily Ayurvedic rituals such as tongue scraping, gargling warm saltwater and oil pulling with coconut oil are essential. Sipping on warm water with lemon and Smooth Move senna-leaf tea while traveling promote circulation and serve as a gentle laxative (safe to sip daily to promote smooth elimination).

All the doshas will benefit from the following Travel Kit, designed to restore inner harmony and move out toxins that may disrupt the body's natural balance in a changing environment.

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FERN'S AYURVEDA ESSENTIALS TRAVEL KIT:

1. HERBAL TEA - Traditional Medicinal's Smooth Move and Easy Now are my go-to choices for digestive stimulation and stress relief. I am also a big fan of Joyful Belly's Travel Tonic Tea to ease travel-related anxiety and indigestion. It contains Dashamoola Powder, Triphala, Trikatu, Ashwagandha, Cardamom and Licorice Root.

2. TRIPHALA - Triphala is a completely balanced energetic formula perfect for all three doshas. When taken regularly, it gently promotes the elimination of toxins that are residing deep in the tissues. Triphala has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, making it an excellent supplement to take daily, especially when on the road. Triphala comes in capsule or powder form. My personal favorite is Triphala for intestinal and colon health formulated by Organic India, which comes in capsule form. My clients have also had great success with Triphala in powdered form from Banyan Botanicals.

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3. TONGUE SCRAPER - Good morning, bright eyes! It's time to scrape your tongue! Tongue scraping dislodges "ama", which is the Ayurvedic term used to describe the undigested food, mucous and toxins that have accumulated overnight. Tongue scraping has been part of the Ayurvedic routine for maintaining oral health for thousands of years. I suggest using a stainless steel tongue scraper like this one. Follow up this routine with a saltwater gargle and coconut oil pulling.

4. HIMALAYAN SEA SALT - Gargle each morning in warm water after tongue scraping to expel mucous and soothe a sore throat. Gargling with Himalayan sea salt, in particular, draws out pathogens and kills bacteria and germs. Gargling activates enzymes in the saliva, which pull mucous out of the mouth and sinuses. Using sea salt in a neti pot is also a fabulous way to clear out the sinuses, whether you are traveling in a dry environment, recovering from air flight or just using it daily at home to maintain upper respiratory health.

5. COCONUT OR SESAME OIL - I bring coconut oil in a mini-Mason Jar for oil pulling each morning. Never heard of oil pulling? It is an Ayurvedic detoxification ritual that when done daily, expels toxins from teh body through mucous. Swishing the oil in your mouth from 5-20 minutes each morning attracts and expels bacteria, toxins and parasites that reside in your mouth and lymphatic system, while also pulling mucous from your throat and loosening up your sinuses. Just remember to spit the oil out afterwards, preferably into the garbage to prevent clogging up your sink drain! Don't swallow the oil or you will be ingesting all the toxins you are trying to expel. Rinse your mouth with warm water after oil pulling.

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6. BODY BRUSH - Dry brushing is immunity's best friend. A daily self-massage with a body brush before a shower stimulates the lymphatic system and boosts immune function. Already have a crammed suitcase? Not to worry! Buy a mini-brush like the Bodecare Mini Travel Body Brush and toss it in your weekend tote for a whole body, mini-acupressure workout. Remember to always stroke towards your heart in small, circular motions. Shower afterwards so you can wash off all the dead skin you just sloughed off!

7. LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL - The scent of lavender essential oil is extremely pacifying. During air travel, in long lines or before bed, a few drops on my inner wrists, temples and sternum provides tremendous relief. The lovely smell of lavender on my wrists as I sip a cup of tea is complete and utter bliss!

8. COZY SCARF - I've learned the hard way that many places are more than generous with their air conditioning (something the Vata in me is not a fan of, but my Pitta boyfriend loves!). Hey, opposites attract! Yet, when I forget to pack a scarf and am left shivering and uncomfortable, I have the potential to wreck havoc on a carefree dinner date. Vatas, always come prepared!

When you finally arrive at your destination, take time to relax, settle in, prepare a warm cup of soothing herbal tea and do a few grounding yoga poses (such as standing balances, forward folds or spinal twists). Finding a quiet place for meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises) can help you find your inner calm and allow you to set the stage for a blissful vacation. Bon voyage!

In love and green juice, 

Fern

Fern Langham is a yoga instructor, cleanse specialist and blogger for Purée Artisan Juice. As a crusader for Ayurvedic nutrition and holistic wellness, Fern's intention is to guide you to tap into your radiant potential. After years of struggline with chronic digestive issues, food allergies and an autoimmune thyroid condition, she is finally glowing. Her passion is to help you find your glow too! For more Ayurveda, yoga, nutrition and holistic health inspiration, check out Yoga with Fern or connect with Fern on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr.

The Experts Weigh In: A Singer's Secret Arsenal

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BY: ROWEN BRIDLER, CONTRIBUTOR

Before I became a professional singer and actress, I read a lot about the topic of protecting your voice. I wanted to have a clear throat for recording, and for my acting, I desired the ability to get my words out without stumbling. I quickly learned the obvious tricks, such as drinking herbal tea (to warm up the throat) and having throat sweets when I got a bit 'croaky'. But while I did all these things, I lacked a good strategy for dealing with stress, which can negatively affect the voice. I'll admit it - I'm one of the many victims of IBS, and extra stress can cause my IBS to play havoc on my life if I don't keep it under control. I have to be extra careful to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, while avoiding white bread, pasta, rice and other typical foods that make IBS symptoms flare up.

However, as a singer, I found that spicy foods cleared up my throat effectively. Much to the dismay of my IBS, I happen to be quite a fan of Mexican food, especially snacks like chips and salsa (Tori Amos used to eat salsa and blue corn chips before recording, so it seemed like quite a good habit to adopt). Although eating these things can be really effective for clearing my throat and sinuses, it wreaks havoc on my tummy. The stress of going into the studio, knowing I'm spending £25 an hour to get the vocals recorded on a song, will push me over the edge if I eat spicy food as well. Thankfully, if I need the same throat-clearing effect of spicy foods, I can opt for hot tea with ginger (fresh ginger is always much preferable to lemon and ginger tea bags). Ginger is kind to my stomach, leaving me with little to worry about in the studio.

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Some of my clients worry about their voice 'giving out on them' if they have several gigs (or a long series of audio books to record). Even for those who don't sing or act, voice preservation can be a concern when delivering a series of presentations over a few days. Honestly, I think the worry of losing your voice makes everything ten times worse. From personal experience, it isn't going to happen unless you purposely go against recommended advice. The most basic things you can do to preserve your voice include avoiding dairy products (yes, that means chocolate) and drinking plenty of herbal tea or water. But remember, it's also important to manage your stress levels.

Now let's talk about smoking. One of my clients recently asked if it was absolutely necessary to give up smoking. This one's a no brainer - yes, yes and yes! Smoking is the worst thing you can do! It sabotages your breath control, limits your lung capacity and reduces your range for singing. There's no two ways about it. Unfortunately, where I live in the Czech Republic (and in many other places in Europe apart from the UK), there is still no ban on smoking indoors. If you live in a place like this, you need to avoid hanging out in smoky bars, especially if you're likely to get caught up in a fascinating conversation that requires you to yell above the din of the music and chatter - you'll be breathing in huge lung-fulls of smoke this way.

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Lastly, regular exercise is enormously beneficial to anyone needing to speak in public or sing. I exercise three times a week with sessions of 30 minutes of Pilates followed by 30 minutes of aerobics, which involve me leaping about to my favourite pop songs (Kylie Minogue and Madonna time!). This has helped me in so many ways, so much so that I can't do without it now. Firstly, it keeps my energy levels up overall, and secondly, it helps to improve my circulation, which, judging by my Mum's constantly cold hands and feet, would be getting even worse now if I didn't work out. And thirdly, it helps in dealing with stress because I can literally punch and high kick my way to feeling strong and in control, and that in turn keeps the worst of my IBS at bay.

Exercising also has great mental health benefits. That feeling of energy and strength (and giving Kylie Minogue a run for her money as I half dance, half leap about through a series of her songs) makes me feel like anything else I have to tackle in my life is simple compared to the energy needed for aerobics. It also gives me the added bonus of doing a bit of singing while out of breath, which is really good practice for any pressured situation (like an audition or performance in front of a big crowd of people) because you learn to make the best of a really difficult situation. There's definitely something important about keeping to those three slots per week as non-negotiable time for me. I block it out on my calendar and stick to it. I'm prioritising my health, and I think that's vital. It reminds me that above all else, despite however many clients I may be coaching that week, my health comes first. Exercising improves my breath control and helps my voice directly in that way, but it's also a crucial form of self-care. Above all else, it's fun. And fun is the perfect antidote to stress!

Rowen Bridler is a singer-songwriter, actress and voice coach. A native of the UK, she now lives in Prague, though if she had it her way, she would be a nomad, travelling across the US and Europe. She works with clients from both an acting and/or musical background to help build their confidence and enable them to best use their voices for either singing or voice over work. She is currently working on a couple of films, one of which is the Danish production '1864', where she plays Johanna von Bismarck. She has also established a 'mini-songs' series containing snippets of her own songs performed in front of her Macbook. In her spare time, of which she has almost none, she can be found wearing Cookie Monster t-shirts with her pearls, working out to girly pop songs and reading old copies of Vogue.

To read more about Rowen, visit her at www.rowenbridler.com and www.howtosingforyourlife.com.