I have just traveled up a storm again. This itinerary was enough to make me anxious before I even left.
The travel itinerary:
Drive from San Luis Obispo to Oakland – 3.5 hours – stay the night at friends place.
Fly out early next morning to Maui, HI – 5 hour flight
Two weeks in Maui – staying at 4 different places with some camping in there.
Fly from Maui to Oakland – 5 hour flight – arrive midnight
Fly out early 6 am to Houston for Texas Yoga Conference – 4 hour flight
Land – 1 hour rest
Teach a 2 hour class. Sleep
Then teach again the next day. 2 hours. Sleep
Fly out next morning to LAX
2 days in LA running around
Drive to San Luis Obispo – 3 hours
The anxiety of this itinerary alone probably caused me to get sick. Three days before I left Maui, physician I woke up with a sore throat. I thought it was from a week of singing Kirtan at a retreat with Gina Sala and Daniel Paul , malady but it turned into a cough on top of a sever case of hives every night for 9 nights of my trip.
I haven’t been sick in about a year, which is pretty awesome since I travel a heck of lot. A rush of remedies came to my brain of ways to help me boost my immune system. I try to stay healthy along the way, which isn’t always easy to do when on the road, but i’ve got my tricks….
The most challenging part was having to travel while sick. The best remedy is to get rest to rejuvenate, but I couldn’t do that. My brain was a bit foggy, and I wasn’t sure what to do. It’s usually the case when I get sick. It’s as though all the things I “know to do” go away with every cough…green stuff coming out of my body, ewwww…!
Ayurveda to the rescue and other wellness practices are perfect for occasions like this. I started drinking water with lemon juice squeezed in, and made some soupy kitchadi – which is a staple food when your sick (according to ayurveda), because it’s a detox dish; easy to digest, and high in protein (mung bean and rice porridge type of food). My mom and dad used to feed me this slop (as I thought of it back then) when I was sick.
Here’s a simple recipe:
1/2 cup of whole mung beans (soaked for 1 hour in clean water)
1/2 cup of white basmati rice – cleaned 3 times with tap water
6 cups water
1 Tbsp ghee*
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp each ground turmeric, coriander, cardamom, black pepper and sea salt
1/2 tsp each cumin and ground cloves
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
chopped fresh cilantro
Braggs to garnish (optional)
In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp ghee and add cumin seeds. Brown lightly, then add the rice and mung beans, stirring to coat. Add water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a small fry pan, heat 2 tblsp ghee and add all dry spices. Saute a few minutes, then stir in ginger. Allow to combine a few minutes, then add to rice and mung. Cover and cook 20 minutes longer.
Serve garnished with cilantro and a splash of Braggs, maybe even a squirt of lemon.
This amount makes me enough for a whole day, possibly two.
*NOTE: ghee is an ayurvedic dairy fat that is healing and soothing for digestion and good for all doshas (body types/imbalances).
And, mung beans can be found in bulk foods department in a natural grocery stores or Indian grocery stores….
I love having this anytime I need a rest from my addiction to “regular food”. It’s easy, has a good amount of protein (mung beans), and is super nourishing.
I rested alot in Houston, and made it through this whirlwind of travel and actually healed along the way. I don’t think I have heard of anyone healing through the travel…usually its getting sick from traveling, but not this traveler! That’s the power of self-care in any environment, even an airplane or airport (my least favorite places on the planet). I did it, and I feel incredible!
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