Caribbean Body and Soul Issue 2

Caribbean

BODY & SOUL The Holistic Health and Lifestyle Magazine

HEAVENLY SLEEP Don't We All Want This!

Simple Sparkling Beauty

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN LOOK YOUR RADIANT BEST NOW AND ALWAYS

NEW SERIES

Interior Designing —Natural Style

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Balance RETURNING TO

Get Your Body Back in Tack with This Yoga Practice

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NOVEMBER 2015 caribbeanbodyandsoul.com

Contents November 2015 vol. 1 issue 2

4 Body

returning to balance—A Yoga Practice with Tulsi Bagnoli

10

heavenly sleep—Simple Techniques for the Best Sleep Possible by Dorothy Rowe

12 Mind

vitamin b12—symptoms, deficiency, and natural treatment by Nancy Lonsdorf m.d.

16 Beauty

simple sparkling beauty Ways to Look Your Radiant Best During the Holidays with Ayurveda

20

grounding—the bare feet treat

by Launa Whittier

22 Good Vibrations

Music to Soothe Your Body, Mind and Spirit

23 The Book Nook

3 must read book titles

26 Diet & Nutrition

dr. doulliard's five ways to perfect digestion

30 rose halva 31 organic cashew cookies 32 Harmonious Living

interior designing—natural style with Christy Maingot

36

organic meets modern—An Excerpt of an Interview with Hayden Kublalsingh of Designs for Natural Architecture and Bobby Brand for the 2016 online Holistic Park Summit

Contrib Tulsi Bagnoli m.a., e-ryt 500 has been practicing yoga and meditation since the age of four and teaching professionally throughout the us and India for the past ten years. She has a Master's Degree in Vedic Science and has completed a 200 hour Vinyasa Krama Yoga teaching training with Ramamswami Srivastsa and a 300 hour certification in Sattva Yoga in the foothills of the Himalayas. After a lifetime of Ayurveda studies, Tulsi is currently finishing her studies as an Ayurveda Counselor and is looking forward to incorporating Ayurveda into her teachings.

She is based out of ca, usa. (yogawithtulsi.com) Nancy Lonsdorf, m.d. is a popular speaker, author, teacher and recognized Ayurvedic expert specializing in women's health issues.

Dr. Lonsdorf is the author of The Ageless Woman: ­Natural Health and Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda and A Woman's Best Medicine: Health, Happiness and Long Life Through Maharishi Ayurveda. (drnancylonsdorf.com) Dorothy Rowe has been practicing and teaching meditation for 40 years. After an awakening of perception in 2008, she has been helping people learn to heal themselves through the intelligent direction of awareness.

Dorothy works with people of all ages and beliefs. She is committed to supporting everyone's innate ability to heal from the inside out through energy work. (distanceenergywork.com)

Caribbean Body and Soul is published by SC Designs Lot 13, Goindoo Street, Petit Curucaye, San Juan, Trinidad, W.I. Tel: (868) 730-6443 • Email: shrimatic@gmail.com www.caribbeanbodyandsoul.com

SC

DESIGNS

Copywriting * Graphics * Interiors

butors John Doulliard, dc, directs the LifeSpa Ayurvedic Center in Boulder Colorado. He is the former Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets nba team. He has been featured on the Dr. Oz Show, in Woman's World Magazine, Elephant Journal, and Yoga Journal. (lifespa.com) Christy Maingot is a Trinidadian Interior Designer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the International Academy of Design and Technology, Orlando, Florida, as well as a Master of Design Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Design from the Boston Architectural College, Boston, ma. (cmidinteriordesign.com) Launa Whittier is a certified massage therapist and owner of the Cascade Healing Haven.

She received her qualification from the Steiner Training Academy, London, uk, after which she gained experience working on board the Croisiere de France cruise ship for Steiner Transocean Limited

Editor's Note

We are so pleased to be able to bring to you another issue of Caribbean Body and Soul as our first edition was so well received by readers both locally and regionally.

We are thrilled to welcome on-board Dorothy Rowe and Christy Maingot, two of our very talented and engaging writers who have put their best foot forward in bringing to you some very informative articles on practices for enjoying heavenly sleep and for a healthy home and office environment respectively.

In this issue, we also have the good fortune of being able to feature an excerpt of an interview with Hadyen Kublalsingh, of dna (Designs for Natural Architecture) and Timberyard Homes, and Bobby Brand of the Netherlands, for the 2016 on-line Holistic Wellness Park Summit. This purpose of this summit is for the development of land based projects optimized for health, well being, personal development and sustainable living.

May we take this opportunity to thank all our returning and new advertisers who have helped to make this edition of Caribbean Body and Soul a reality.

Shrimati Charan, Editor / Designer shrimatic@gmail.com NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 3

Returning to Balance

A YOGA ASANA PRACTICE BY TULSI BAGNOLI M.A .

BODY

photo by christian adam

T

he practice of yoga invites us to arrive and acknowledge where we are and work from there to grow and deepen our experience.

Through our intention, awareness, movements, and breath, we cultivate our experience of life. “Whatever you put your attention on grows stronger in your life.” When our only reference point is the ever changing world around us, rising and falling like the ocean tide, that is all that we know: diversity. Many ancient texts whispered the teaching, “look beyond the ever changing world around us and turn within to know your true nature.” Thankfully those that came before us have passed down techniques to help us tune into the rhythms and cycles in nature to aid in guiding us back to balance, to our true Self. Inside all of us all is the inherent ability to heal ourselves completely. Sometimes we need the reminder of how to take that inner journey and return to balance.

The Patanjali Yoga Sutras teach us that yoga is sthira sukham asanam, which translates from Sanskrit as, “Yoga is steady pleasantness.” This steady pleasantness arises in the complete relaxation of our effort and absorption in the infinite, unbounded nature of pure (awareness) consciousness. This practice is much easier than it sounds.

I would like to begin with a little bit of science, even though I am far from an expert. There is a theory in physics known as Measurement Theory that we can compare to this teaching of yoga. The theory explains that the attention of the observer on the object of observation, physically alters the state of the object.

This principle of Measurement theory can be identified within the practice of bringing our attention (individual awareness) and breath to the point of stretch in the body (object of observation).

Innocently this can dissolve any tension or holding in the body and welcome unboundedness to dawn.

First, stretch into the pose without strain, welcoming a pleasant stretch. Moving into the stretch as far as is comfortable and then a bit more to lean gently with breath into your edge. Hold the pose steady where you are and allow breath and attention to rest at the place of stretch in the body. By actively sending breath and attention to the point of stretch, stresses and strains will then be melted away. At first, only awareness may rest on the point of stretch and with practice, soon breath will follow. With practice you will eventually be able to breathe awareness into every cell of your being with your one pointed attention, awakening you to the infinite, non changing experience of your own being.

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 5

THE PRACTICE:

Between each pose I invite you to rest in Savasana, relaxation pose, seen in figure 6. Rest with the eyes closed, feeling the wholeness of the body in your awareness as you rest for five breaths to one minute and then transition into the next pose.

Figure 1

1) Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) Bend the knees and press the soles of the feet together. Pull both feet toward you as much as is comfortable while keeping the knees open to the sides and releasing on exhales towards the ground. Keeping the head, neck and spine upright and shoulders back and relaxing down. Interlace your fingers to hold your feet. With an exhale begin to bend forward from the hips, and keep the knees pressing towards the ground. (You can use your elbows to help aid in pressing your legs down) Hold for five breaths or up to two minutes.

2) Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose) From Dandasana (legs stretched straight out in front and feet flexed back) bend the left knee to the sky and place the soul of foot on the ground. Then rotate the hip and release the outside of the thigh down and soul of the foot into the inner thigh with the heel as close to the perineum as is comfortable. This movement helps to protect the knee, which is made for bending verses rotating. Center your torso over the right leg. With an inhale reach the hands up over head, palms facing each other, bending from the hips. Exhale with a straight back and release the hands to the floor, shin, ankle, or interlace your fingers around the foot. To complete the pose, inhale the 6  CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL   NOVEMBER 2015

arms overhead with a straight back and exhale the hands down by the sides. Return to Dandasana by first rotating the hip, drawing the knee to the sky and then kicking the leg straight. Rest in Dandasana with the hands resting on the thigh, palms down, feel the wholeness of your body for a few breaths and then repeat on the opposite side. Hold for five breaths or up to one minute on each side.

3) Virsasana (Hero Pose) Begin by moving to all fours with your knees hip width apart. If comfortable for the knees, slowly move back and sit between the feet. You can also take Vajrasana (Thuderbold pose) with the feet together and move back Figure 3 resting your sit bones between the heels. Place the hands on the thighs with the palms down. Draw the shoulder blades together and down, engage the navel center, sit tall with a strong spine and release the tailbone down. Eyes closed. Stay for five breaths up to two minutes.

Figure 2

BODY

4) Shashankasana (Hare Pose) Sit in Virsasana, place both hands on the floor in front of the knees and with an exhale begin to slide the hands away from the body, extending the arms until the forehead rests on the ground with the arms shoulder width apart. On exhales melt into the support of the earth, releasing in the head, neck, navel center and hips. To come out of the pose, slowly roll up one vertebrae at a time, so the head is the last to arrive upright. Stay for five breaths up to two minutes.

Figure 4

NOVEMBER 2015  CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL  7

BODY

Figure 5

center with an inhalation, exhale and release the legs straight beneath you. Take five breaths to one minute per side and end in Savasana.

6) Savasana (Relaxation Pose) Have a blanket or sweater present to stay warm if needed. Lay comfortably on your back with the legs stretched long, feet as wide as the mat and toes falling off to the sides. Tuck chin slightly as you lengthen your neck. Shoulders down and tucked under as your lengthen your arms long and well away from the sides with the palms facing the sky.

With the eyes closed, Inhale deeply. Exhale release your entire being into the support of the earth. Relax any doing or holding in the body and allow the mind to rest.

This is the pose where we soak up all the benefits of our practice. I invite you to lean back, hold the wholeness of your body in your awareness and practice receiving.

Rest for 5-15 minutes.

5) Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Spinal Twist) Find your way onto your back with your legs long beneath you. With an inhale draw both knees into the chest and on the exhale release the lower half of the body to the

A balanced life is when the three doshas or fundamental energies (known in Ayurveda and Vedic Science as Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are in balance along with balance between the mind, body and spirit. To bring cumulative

Figure 6

left. Arms down by your sides with the palms facing up.

Aiming to rest with the shins parallel to the wall beside you. You can lay back with the torso flat on the earth and take rest or for the deepest stretch, on an exhale, release the upper half of the body to the right for a full twist. To switch sides, allow an inhale to draw the knees through center and exhale release the knees to the right side and if it feels comfortable, release the upper half of the body to the left. To complete the pose, return to 8 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

results and maximum balance in one's life, yoga asanas (postures) are ideally practiced twice a day, even for 20 minutes at a time. The more you experience this steady pleasantness in asana, you will identify with this non changing. The awareness acquired will guide you to remember and weave this state of experience into your life. Pathamaatrena siddyati. “By mere repetition one gains perfection.” hari aum Photo credits: Mel Sauerbeck

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Heavenly Sleep___ Simple techniques to fall asleep quickly, rest deeply, and rejuvenate profoundly during the night

By Dorothy Rowe

H

ealthy rest is one of the four pillars of life along with a good diet, appropriate exercise and activity dedicated to the well being of oneself and others. Aligning even one of these pillars with one's full potential will reflect favorably on all the others. Since we spend a third of our life sleeping, it makes sense to ensure that this time is spent wisely.

Here are practical tips for getting the most out of your night's sleep.

1. Your Body's Natural Rhythms Before the days of electricity, it was common to retire and rise with the sun. Few people today still do this. However, our bodies have not forgotten their eternal connection with the natural world. Our circadian rhythms are naturally attuned with the cycles of day and night. If we honor this natural attunement by aligning our sleep patterns with our circadian rhythms, maximum benefit will be gained from the night's sleep.

10 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

It is good to aim at a 9:30 p.m. bedtime and plan to be asleep by 9:45 p.m.

The ancient natural health system known as Ayurveda recognizes the presence of energy activation in the body from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. which is responsible for healing and rejuvenating the body.

If we are in sleep state by 9:45 p.m., our body will recover from the day's stresses with maximum efficiency.

2. Discover the Magic of Magnesium Magnesium is a wonderful supplement for supporting the nervous system, circulatory system, and skeletal system and as well as the absorption of calcium. Healthy assimilation of calcium and magnesium helps to ensure deep rest.

There are many great ways to get enough calcium and magnesium to bring on the sleep of a baby.

One is to drink a small cup of warm milk before bed. If the milk is brought to a boil and then cooled, it will be easily

BODY digested and provide the nutrients to support deep sleep. Try adding a little nutmeg for an enhanced effect.

A great way to settle the body is to soak in a bath of Magnesium Bath Crystals. The crystals distributed by Health and Wisdom (www. health-and-wisdom.com) produce a dramatic boost in the quality of a night's sleep. Soak for at least 15 minutes before bed. If you don't have time for a bath, soaking only the feet is also highly effective.

3. Get to Know Your Pineal Gland The pineal gland produces a hormone called Melatonin. Melatonin signals the brain to shut down in preparation for sleep. Activating the

direct these feelings to the pineal gland or the pineal gland area. ˌˌ Offer the suggestion to your pineal gland that a sufficient quantity of melatonin be produced to bring the brain into a state of deep sleep . ˌˌ Remain openly receptive with gratitude and love. Sometimes impressions can come which indicate the reason why sleep has not been as good as possible. Perhaps worries of the day or strain in activity are blocking the ability to relax.

Just letting the attention gently validate these impressions will help override their effects and allow the brain to continue moving in the direction of sleep. ˌˌ Repeat as necessary.

pineal gland will speed the onset of sleep at bedtime or in the night if you awaken prematurely.

Here's how to do it: ˌˌ Laying in bed with the eyes closed, gently allow the attention to focus on the pineal gland. This organ is located in the center of the skull, laterally, about three inches behind the forehead. If you can't find your pineal gland with your inner feeling, then attend to the general area. ˌˌ Feel your love and gratitude for this precious organ which allows your brain to rest during sleep. Really appreciate it with sincerity. With intention,

Expectations, judgments and attachments can hamper the effectiveness of this process. So practice gently, without expectation. Being easy on oneself brings the best success in such a practice.

4. Head East is Best Aligning body position to beneficially maximize the relationship between ourselves, the Earth and the Sun will support rejuvenation during sleep.

In ancient times bodies were buried with the head to the North because they decay faster this way.

So, for maximum rejuvenation it is advised to orient the head to the East instead. When the sun is rising in the East it brings a light, fresh, life nourishing energy to the Earth.

This energy will permeate the body during sleep as well if the head of the bed is oriented in this direction. If East is not an option in your room, try South as second best.

5. Resting and Digesting It is always easier to sleep when the body is not trying to digest a heavy meal.

Therefore, it is advised to take the last meal of the day several hours prior to bedtime. An early dinner will ensure plenty of energy for the evening's activities. By bed time maximum physical energy will be available for the healing and rejuvenation of a great night's sleep.

May you enjoy deep, heavenly rest every night and bright, brilliant energy every day. For further support for a healthy lifestyle, please visit distanceenergywork.com __________________________ Dorothy Rowe has been practicing and teaching meditation for 40 years. After an awakening of perception in 2008 she has been helping people learn to heal themselves through the intelligent direction of awareness. Dorothy works with people of all ages and beliefs. She is committed to supporting everyone's innate ability to heal from the inside out through energy work. Her Youtube videos and remote healing sessions have reached thousands of people bringing relief to the broad spectrum of concerns which plague our world.

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 11

MIND

VITAMIN

12

By Nancy Lonsdorf m.d.

Deficiency, Symptoms and Natural Treatment

or redness of the tongue, tingling, numbness or crawling sensations in the arms, legs or feet, lack of coordination and hair loss.

Be Sure It’s Not B12 Here are several real-life cases of B12 deficiency—out of several dozen— that I have treated in the past few years: Suzanne is a 57 year-old teacher who came to me worried that she was developing multiple sclerosis like her brother. She was experiencing “cramps” in her legs, along with numbness in her hands and feet while walking, which she stated were the same symptoms her brother had first developed. A

B12—Is Your Brain Deficient?

Forgetting names lately? Battling brain fog? Lost your “edge?”

Don’t write it off to just “getting older.” It could be something as simple, and curable, as vitamin B12 deficiency.

Once thought to occur only in vegetarians or the elderly, the Framingham study recently found that nearly 40% of Americans of all ages, whether vegetarian or not, have suboptimal levels of vitamin B12. That puts virtually everyone at risk.

What does B12 do?

Known as the “energy vitamin,” vitamin B12 is essential for many critical functions in the body, including energy production, dna synthesis and blood formation. However, B12 is most critically needed to form myelin, the protective “insulation” that surrounds nerve endings and helps nerves “talk” to each other efficiently.

Without adequate B12, myelin can break down and cause symptoms that mimic multiple sclerosis, depression or dementia. Other common symptoms include poor memory and mental fogginess, loss of motivation, apathy, mood swings, low energy, fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness

neurologist diagnosed a nerve dysfunction of unknown cause, so she came to me for further evaluation.

Fortunately, her blood test showed B12 deficiency, and her symptoms disappeared within 3 months of starting B12 supplements.

Bruce, a 52 year old broker, had tried “everything” for his recalcitrant depression. His B12 tested low, and within days of beginning B12 supplements, his mood improved dramatically.

Tom, a 62 year old retired businessman, came to see me for his “stiff toes.” He wondered if he were getting arthritis. A quick examination revealed the joints in his

12 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

feet were normal, but lacking in vibration sense, a classic sign of B12 deficiency. Indeed, a blood test showed a very low level that was sure to cause him some pretty serious problems if not corrected soon.

Fortunately, sensation in Tom’s feet returned within a few months of beginning B12 supplementation, and he was spared possibly irreversible long-term nerve problems.

Rob, a usually tireless globe-trotting reporter felt unusually fatigued after completing a big project.

He also felt uncharacteristically lacking in motivation and ambition. A B12 test showed a level of nearly zero. Within a few weeks of

supplementation, his usual drive and energy returned.

Are you at increased risk?

Anyone can have B12 deficiency.

The Framingham study found that taking supplements, eating fortified cereal or drinking milk helps protect against deficiency, but interestingly, not meat consumption. In my clinical practice, I find that many vegetarians who get plenty of milk and dairy still have low B12 so lacto-vegetarians should not feel they are protected from B12 deficiency.

If you are over 50, are mainly vegetarian, have digestive problems, do not take vitamin supplements or eat fortified cereal containing B12 regularly, or you take 500 or more mg of vitamin C with your food daily (which blocks B12 absorption,) you are at increased risk of B12 deficiency.

Are you B12 deficient?

Of course, it’s ideal to find out before symptoms appear. So, if you have one or more of the risk factors above, or have mental, emotional or nerve symptoms, get a prescription for a B12 blood test from your doctor. Experts give various opinions on the “gold standard” test, but a simple B12 blood level will do.

Do keep in mind (and challenge your doctor if needed) that the “normal” low cutoff of about 200 pg/ ml is not enough in the case of B12.

Lab norms simply means that 95% of the results fall within that range.

But with 40% of the population deficient, that means many with a “normal” level are actually deficient.

B12 levels below 300 double your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and increase your risk of hearing loss with age. Even children and teenagers with low B12 are at risk for reduced learning ability and intelligence. So your B12 level should be

above 350 or 400 to be safe.

If you can’t afford a test, and do not have symptoms, you may simply start taking a daily B12 supplement. 500 to 1000 mcg per day is needed regularly for life for effective prevention. However, I generally recommend getting tested rather than blindly starting supplements, because without knowing whether you are truly deficient, it’s all too easy to quit over time and possibly end up with irreversible damage to your mind, brain and nervous system.

Where is B12 naturally found?

Vitamin B12 is essential to life and good health and must be consumed in our food. It is found naturally only in animal products, including dairy, and in certain seaweeds, tempeh and nutritional yeasts.

However, some sources state that the B12 in non-animal products are not active in the human body and may even block the effects of active vitamin B12. More research in needed in this area, but for now, it is safest not to rely on these products for your B12 source.

Keep in mind that if you are deficient, it is not possible to correct it with food alone.

How to Replenish your B12 Fortunately, oral supplements are as effective for most people as getting shots, which were the treatment choice in the past. Methylcobalamin, the form naturally in your body, is preferable to the more prevalent cyanocobalamin tablets (which contains toxic cyanide, albeit in trace amounts.) Over-the- counter B12 patches, sublingual tablets and nasal sprays are available and may enhance absorption.

In summary, B12 deficiency is common today in all age groups,

whether you are vegetarian or not.

If you are at increased risk, take supplements regularly to prevent future health problems. If you have symptoms now, see your doctor for a check up and blood test. B12 deficiency is preventable and treatable, and correcting a deficiency may be just what you need to perk up your memory, mood and overall well-being.

_____________________________ Nancy Lonsdorf m.d. received her m.d. from John Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. She has studied Ayurveda with some of the world's most renowned Ayurvedic physicians in India, Europe and the u.s. Dr. Lonsdorf has over 25 years of clinical experience with Ayurveda and is currently Associate Clinical Professor in Physiology and Health at the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, ia. Dr. Londsdorf has authored two books on Ayurveda and women's health: A Woman's Best Medicine and The Ageless Woman—Natural Health and Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda. Take the body type test at Dr. Lonsdorf's website: www.drnancylonsdorf.com

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 13

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SIMPLE, SPARKLING BEAUTY Ways to look your radiant best during the Holidays and all-year-round with Ayurveda!

BEAUTY

A

yurveda believes that true beauty is composed of three vital elements: a well-nourished body, a balanced mind, and a peaceful spirit. Achieving all three might seem like a lot of hard work, but here’s the good news. Ayurvedic beauty secrets are astonishingly simple. And you are about to discover them—right here, right now! Nine simple steps that will launch you on a beautiful journey: S-T-R-E-T-C-H: Ever seen a cat stretch its supple body? The way it lengthens every muscle — lazily, luxuriously, deeply? What is it doing in that moment? It is being fully present in its body, practicing awakened relaxation. At the same time, it is giving you a lesson in physical fitness. Every morning, give yourself some time out for exercise. Yoga not only nourishes the body, but strengthens the mind and nurtures the spirit. Don’t work yourself to the limit, however. Using up just about half of your total energy reserve will give your circulation a boost, while also loosening ama or accumulated toxins, urging it toward exit points.

Could there be an easier, more pleasurable beauty tip?!

BREEEATHE: Right from the minute we’re born, we know the “breathe in, breathe out” routine.

But right now, as you read this article, ask yourself — am I breathing right? Stop for an instant, and observe your rhythm of “inhale-exhale.” Chances are, you’re breathing too shallow — just in and out of your upper chest. Ayurveda recommends breathing deep and slow.

Inhale so that you can feel the air reach into your abdomen. Take care not to breathe too fast, because if your Vata vahi shrotas, or air circulating channels, are not clear, the oxygen will be distributed unequally in your body, and that can do more harm than good. Therefore, keep the pace easy and the rhythm steady. The use of a therapeutic essential oil or blend at this

time — lavender, rose and jasmine are good choices — will support your deep-breathing activity. Do this at least twice a day for 10 minutes each, and your skin will radiate bliss. Deep breathing also brings instant calm, and serenity is one of the essential elements of beauty.

TURN DOWN THE NOISE: The rich and the famous make a conscious effort to get more silence into their lives. They build and buy retreats in remote islands and mountains. Fortunately, it’s perfectly possible to invite that silence into your own life at absolutely no cost. All you have to do is, well, nothing. Just for a few hours, every now and then, say nothing. Hear nothing. Filter the noise out of your life, and tune in to your inner self.

This means no phone calls, no pagers, no television, no conversation, not even the computer or books — just true, deep silence that connects you to yourself. Ayurvedic philosophy says this increases your spiritual density, making you a person of substance.

From your ultra-hectic schedule, steal 20 minutes in the morning and evening to give your mind the rest it craves. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation® technique does more than relax your tired body and mind. It puts you back in contact with yourself and provides numerous benefits to mind and body. And by helping your mind and body stay balanced, tm® contributes to your goal of looking and feeling truly beautiful.

TIGHTEN UP: Discipline is one of the most powerful beauty ingredients. And it need not be painful at all. Ayurveda has a very intelligent approach to cultivating beauteous habits: it asks you to weave little acts of discipline into the small routines of life. Look at them as small favors you are doing yourself. Like leaving just one-quarter of your stomach empty when you eat a big meal. Or spending 15 extra minutes in the bath to give your skin a pampering massage. Rising early in the morning. Paying closer attention to the way you brush your teeth and clean your tongue. To the hurried and the harried, these little favors might seem like punishments at first, but when the rewards start to come in — and that happens almost immediately — you learn to look at beauty with fresh eyes.

LIGHTEN UP: Ayurvedic philosophy, being so intimate with nature, believes less is more. And that applies to skin care, too. Don’t work your skin too hard. Give it a vacation! Keep it free of lipstick, mascara, and concealers that contain chemicals your skin can do without. Remember, your skin absorbs ­everything it touches. Once you start thinking of your beauty products as food, you’ll never buy synthetic ones again.

Just like the petals of a delicate blossom, your skin needs to breathe.

Just keep it clean, and protect it from the glare of the sun, the friction of the wind and the chemicals in pollutants. Remember, most of

Reprinted with permission from Maharishi Ayurved Products International (www.mapi.com)

BEAUTY your skin-care routine is geared toward purification and protection — all those other lotions and creams are only supplements to a good basic beauty routine.

EAT FOR THE SPIRIT: Ayurveda urges you to spend time and attention on the preparation of your food. This not only ensures you choose the best ingredients and cook in the best way possible, but also that you make your food a visual feast. Keep the flavors simple, the portions austere. But make the presentation so stylish it feeds the senses and satisfies the soul. The very act of eating should be an exercise in grace. Let the mouthfuls be small and dainty. Savor each morsel. Put your fork down between mouthfuls. While eating, keep your posture perfect: straight spine, and a relaxed stillness to the body. All these habits promote automatic portion control — eating precisely what your physiology needs. Soon, eating right will become a habit Bonus: Most foods Ayurveda

recommends have tremendous healing value, too. Think ghee (clarified butter), whole grains, lightly-cooked fruit, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, legumes and herbal tea.

Many of these foods are said to possess anti-aging, hair-nurturing and skin-strengthening properties.

PLAY WITH PACKS: Ayurveda doesn’t believe in trying to outrun the time clock. It advises you to work towards graceful aging right from the beginning, when the skin is naturally young and beautiful.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians recommends gentle, all-natural face packs for every kind of skin. Many of the ingredients used in these packs are like medicine for skin. See below for skin-care packs and masks.

THE BEAUTY BATH: Ayurveda invites you to make your daily bath

a pleasurable, healthful ritual. A 15to 20-minute massage with warm sesame oil can work wonders for the way you feel. This self-massage nourishes the seven different layers of the skin, as well as the seven different types of body tissue. It is also considered ayushkar — conducive to longevity. Specifically, it is also considered twak-dardhya — helping to increase the firmness of the skin. Further, such a massage is considered jarahar — capable of “destroying” old age; shramhar — helping to reduce physical and mental fatigue; and mrijavard

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balapradha — something that purifies the skin, enhances the complexion and makes it more radiant and attractive.

A

SELF-IMAGE: Ayurveda urges you to remember a universal but often-forgotten truth: each one of us is beautiful in his or her own way.

Sadly, few of us are ever truly secure about the way we look. Even if your physical features are less than perfect, you can be the picture of grace

SKIN RECIPES

and beauty, say Ayurvedic beauty experts. How? Simply by changing the viewing angle: starting to cultivate gunam, or inner, non-physical beauty attributes like elegance, grace, kindness, softness, and creative energy. Supplement these natural elements with consciously cultivated roopam, or physical assets like graceful movement, good posture, relaxed manner and calm voice — and you’ll start feeling truly beautiful.

A

here is a sampling of recipes to start you off on your skinsational adventure Cleansing Scrubs For Dry Skin: 2¼ ¼ ¼ 2

teaspoon almond powder teaspoon orange peel powder teaspoon lavender flower powder tablespoons yogurt

Stir together all the ingredients and apply very gently on face with fingertips. Let the scrub set on skin, then using very slight pressure, flake the mask off into the basin. If the mask feels too sticky, use warm water to rinse. Dab face with a soft towel, and apply a good moisturizer.

Instant oatmeal is excellent for ex-foliating the skin.

Oats counter daily sun damage and replenish the skin with vitamins b & e. Orange peel balances the ph levels of the skin and softens it. Almond powder is a ­protein-packed exfoliant. Yogurt contains friendly ­lactobacilli that pacify an aggravated Pitta. And the healing aroma of lavender powder makes this a soothing, pleasant mask.

For Oily Skin: 1 ¼ ½ 1

teaspoon toasted wheat bran teaspoon almond powder teaspoon orange peel powder tablespoon lemon juice

Wheat bran is a very efficient scrub, coaxing the grime out with ease. Combined with cooling yogurt, it helps

gently ex-foliate the skin. The Vitamin C in lemon juice promotes scrubbing activity.

For Sensitive Skin Make as for dry skin, but substitute whole raw milk for yogurt, and use rose petal instead of orange peel.

Moisturizers For Dry Skin 1 ½ 1 3

teaspoon cocoa butter or coconut oil teaspoon almond powder teaspoon olive oil drops lavender oil

This is a deep yet non-greasy moisturizer. Lavender oil keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Mix ingredients together and apply lightly to face twice a day.

For Oily Skin 1 2 1 ½

teaspoon lemon juice drops of lemon peel essential oil teaspoon olive oil teaspoon cocoa butter

For Sensitive Skin 1 2 ¼ ½ 1

teaspoon white sandalwood powder teaspoon marshmallow powder teaspoon rose petals teaspoon Organic Rose Water barley powder

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 19

Grounding— k Bare Feet Treat

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By Launa Whittier

Certified Massage Therapist and owner of the Cascade Healing Haven

A

re you connected…?

Come on, take off your shoes and walk barefooted for a minute! Enjoy that don’t you?

When we were kids we often went barefooted around the yard and enjoyed it. As adults, we are too busy to spare even a minute of our time to do the simplest thing.

Not even as simple as walking on the grass, barefooted. Believe it or not, that simple act can give your health such a boost. Anyone who has ever done this would tell you how strangely elated it makes them feel, and here is why. The soles of your feet, with its millions of nerve endings, tingles as the grassy surfaces interface with it. The same

sensation is felt when walking on the beach. These experiences are always so wonderful and memorable based on how it makes us feel.

We think it’s from being on vacation or with family and friends, but there is the added sensation infused into these experiences which made them blissful, and it’s because we were bare feet. This is something that goes unnoticed, but think about it.

When we get sick it is not a sudden occurrence. It is the result of what has been going on inside our bodies over time, until it produces a disease. Most of the modern diseases are caused by our lifestyles.

On a daily basis, we interface with electro-magnetic fields, the rays

20 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

of which are absorbed and locked inside our bodies unable to pass through and this creates a toxic environment. We get it from everywhere, work, school, home, parties, even in our beds, because the average person sleeps with their cell phone, television and clock. In his book Earthing, Clinton Ober shows how the simple act of walking bare feet produces health benefits.

The Earth, with its negative electrical discharge reduces the amount of electrical buildup within us when we make barefoot contact with its natural surfaces. It is interesting to note that practitioners of Yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong, very often do so, on lawns, beaches and wooden

BEAUTY surfaces while bare feet. The meridians and nerve endings of the body located at the soles of the feet are essentially connected to the entire body. By this means, being grounded allows the flow of free electrons from the Earth to enter

into your body. Stand on wet, fresh cut grass and inhale deeply. Feel the energy of the earth as it comes through your feet and flows through your chakras giving balance and a general feeling of wellbeing.

Concrete and tiled surfaces are

less effective than natural surfaces.

So, kick off those shoes, most of which are rubber soled and are in particular, responsible for preventing the flow of the earth’s healing energy to you.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO ATTAIN THE GROUND EFFECTS INDOORS

Reflexologist/Acupuncturist Reflexologists and acupuncturists know the techniques that can help to balance the energies of the body and allow for release of toxic buildup. A visit to either of these practitioners always proves beneficial.

Launa Whittier can be contacted at (868) 710-1691

Wearing Jewelry Jewelry made out of grounding stones, which are natural stones can help to keep you balanced throughout the day. A few examples are black opal, black tourmaline, hematite, quartz, onyx, ruby and garnet.

Use of Essential Oils Essential oils like cedar, sandal wood, rosewood, vetiver, myrrh, lavender, patchouli oil, chamomile, and ylang ylang, does a great job. A reflexologist may also use some of these oils in the treatment.

Salt Baths Enjoy a good old fashion leisurely soak in salt as a form of grounding. Sea and Himalayan salts are great for this because of their neutralizing powers, and are available at most supermarkets.

Grounding Blankets The beautiful thing about this Grounding is that you don’t have to be on the ground to enjoy its benefits. If you live somewhere that is not close to earthy spaces, you can purchase the Grounding Mats or pads as they may be called, and simply connect it to the household grounding in any outlet (in a three prong outlet, the round one). Lay the mat half way under your pillow to ensure contact with your body while you sleep or place it on the floor of your bed or living room sofa where you sit to watch tv and revitalize yourself while watching your favourite show or having a chat with a friend.

For many of you, like myself, who sometimes feel stressed out, low energy, clumsy, or over exhausted, here is a lovely alternative that just might work a bit of magic. Just sit in your garden or lay on your mat while you re-energize and balance yourself. Stay connected!

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 21

Good Vibrations Music to Soothe the Mind, Body and Spirit

Deva Premal—Deva Lounge

Snatam Kaur—Sacred Chants for Healing

Karenesh—Call of the Mystic

Nine inspired gurus of groove apply their remix alchemy to Deva Premal's sacred Tibetan and Indian mantras. The result: blessing-infused chant with future-forward downtempo beats. A fresh new soundscape for yoga, massage, the spa or a little slow dancing with the Beloved. Including remix artists: EarthRise SoundSystem and Bhakti Brothers featuring MC Yogi.

Acclaimed chant star Snatam Kaur offers a heartfelt collection of her favorite songs for healing, strength, and peace. With Snatam's crystalline vocals floating through a landscape of guitar, flute, violin, harmonium, tabla, and other traditional Indian instruments, The Essential Snatam Kaur offers listeners a blissful collection and personal testament to the beauty and power of sacred sound.

There is a stillness, a point of balance, from which all movement stems, just as there is a place of silence from which all sound emanates. On Call of the Mystic, Karunesh has established such a base from which many wondrous instruments and sounds leap into joyful expression. Beautifully played instruments come alive in a symphony of celebration.

22 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

The Book Nook

b

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

By Valerie Ann Worwood A necessary resource for anyone interested in alternative approaches to healing, this book contains more than 600 easy-to-follow recipes for essential oil treatments and aromatherapy. It prescribes oils for everything from basic first aid and treating common ailments to natural cosmetics and body care, fragrance for the home and office, and cooking with essential oils.

Complete with aromatherapy charts and an aroma-massage section at the end of the book, this is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to incorporate essential oils as part of their everyday life. As always, one should use caution when trying recipes on their skin or on animals as the book does not present and safety data for the recipes provided.

3B o o k T i t l e s MUST READ

Dying To Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

By Anita Moorjani

When Love Meets Fear: Becoming Defense-Less and Resource-full

By David Richo

In this truly inspirational memoir, Anita Moorjani relates how, after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body began shutting down—overwhelmed by the malignant cells spreading throughout her system. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary neardeath experience where she realized her inherent worth . . . and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was released from the hospital within weeks—without a trace of cancer in her body! Within these pages, Anita recounts stories of her childhood in Hong Kong, her challenge to establish her career and find true love, as well as how she eventually ended up in that hospital bed where she defied all medical knowledge.

The author of the best-selling Flow to Be an Adult explains in his popular style how fear cripples our ability to release our full potential. He then presents a concrete program of change for overcoming this fear.

Richo looks at th deepest roots of fear: fear of love, loss, change, being alone, fear of others, fear of self-disclosure, fear of giving and receiving, coming and going. His program includes becoming defense-less, that is, allowing ourselves to feel fear without our buffering defenses, and then becoming resource-full, that is, learning to act in new ways.

It is written in a conversational tone, yet is informed by dozens of sources and years of professional experience which helps to distinguish between neurotic fear and appropriate fear.

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 23

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John Doulliard, dc has published over 500 health videos and articles that are available on LifeSpa.com. He has written six books, produced numerous health dvd’s and e-courses, and has formulated his own line of organic health care products. He is the former Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets nba team. He has been featured on the Dr. Oz Show, in Woman’s World Magazine, Elephant Journal, Yoga Journal and dozens of other publications and venues.

He currently directs the LifeSpa Ayurvedic Center in Boulder, Colorado where he lives with his wife and his six children.

Dr. Doullia Five Ways t

Perfect Dige With Food

I

n this series on how to perfect digestion, I have shared important lifestyle and herbal tips to get your digestion in tip-top shape. In this article I would like to shed light on the most potent foods I know of that can perfect your digestion.

I will recommend powerful foods for balancing blood sugar, elimination, microbiology, lymph and bile flow, liver function, and pancreatic enzyme and stomach acid production. As we aim to perfect digestion, it is essential to bring balance and

R

DIET & NUTRITION

ard’s to

estion

Reproduced with permission from Dr. John Doulliard, dc © December 25, 2014. Original Document: 5 Ways to Perfect Digestion with Food

1. MOVE YOUR BILE coordination to all of the pieces in the digestive puzzle.

Chia Seed Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds: Chia and Flax seeds are loaded with According to Ayurveda, stress aggravates essential fatty acids that Vata, can dry out the mucous lining of the lubricate the intestinal wall intestines, and lead to eliminative issues while nourishing the microbes such as constipation. To avoid this, foods that support intestinal health and function. They should be unctuous, soothing and lubriare also high in fiber. High cating to the intestinal wall. That said, fiber foods create bulk that Ayurveda’s #1 recommendation for stress puts pressure on the intesmanagement is meditation, so if you missed tinal wall, resulting in an urge to move the bowels. the “lifestyle” part of this series, please High fiber foods also attach check it on out on lifespa.com to learn to the bile in the intestines about my approach to meditation—The and escort it to the toiTransformational Awareness Technique. let while stimulating the NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 27

DIET & NUTRITION request for more bile. Adequate bile flow helps govern the regularity and consistency of the bowels.

laxative, called dihydrophenylisatin, which can kick-start sluggish bowels by boosting intestinal contractions.

Green, Leafy Vegetables are highly alkaline, which supports lymphatic drainage. In nature, spring and summer harvests are both primarily alkaline and boost lymphatic flow. The winter harvest is primarily acidic, which is nature’s way of rebuilding.

Fennel: Eating fennel and drinking tea made from fennel seeds are traditional ways to move the lymph. As

Raw Beets and Apples are great bile-movers and thus very effective for constipation. A great way to start the day is a breakfast mixture of freshly grated raw beets and apples sprinkled with lemon juice.

Green, Leafy Vegetables are high in fiber and magnesium, which supports healthy muscular contractions, called peristalsis, in the large intestine.

Legumes provide bulk and better bile flow which support healthy elimination.

Prunes are also high in fiber and within their skins exists a mild

2. MOVE YOUR LYMPH The lymphatic system is actually the largest circulatory system in the body, with a high concentration of lymphatic vessels lining the intestines. The villi and lacteals that line the inside of the intestines, and the lymph that surrounds the outside of the intestines, make up 70-80% of the body’s immune system. Primarily, the lymph removes cellular waste while circulating the immune system throughout the body.

This happens as a result of muscular contractions, thus making body movement, stretching and exercise the lymphatic system’s best medicine.

Staying hydrated is also a nutritional requirement for healthy lymph flow. For optimal hydration, some experts recommend half of our ideal body weight in ounces per day.

Eat Red: The best foods for the lymphatic system are the foods we generally classify as antioxidants.

Classic examples of lymph movers are all foods that would dye your hands red. Berries, cherries, cranberries, pomegranates and beets are all very good lymph movers.

28 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

a tea, it is effective for gas and bloating, and also supports the function of the intestinal lacteals. The lacteals are small projections, similar to the villi, in the intestines that help absorb nutrients (particularly fats).

3. FEED YOUR MICROBIOME Seasonal Organic Foods: Plants attract certain microbes from the soil and, when we eat those plants, the microbes become a part of our microbiome. Organic produce is a significantly greater source of beneficial microbes for the digestive tract compared to conventional foods.

Eating seasonal, organic foods will provide microbes that support bodily functions required for each season. For example, in the winter, foods are denser and require stronger digestion than the leafy greens of spring. Microbes that support stronger digestion naturally propagate in the winter from its seasonal harvest. While research is only beginning to shed light in this area, Ayurveda has understood the value

of seasonal eating for thousands of years.

Fermented Foods such as yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, and miso are all great microbial sources.

beets and apples, beets, apples, celery, radishes, artichokes, olives, and fenugreek

5. BOOST YOUR STOMACH ACID Once we have increased the bile and pancreatic enzyme flow, encouraged lymph drainage, possess a healthier microbiome and enjoy better elimination, we can fire up the stomach’s production of hydrochloric acid (hcl).

Here are some of my favorite tips:

These were traditionally eaten in the winter, as a way to preserve vegetables in the colder months.

Fermented foods are made from a process called lacto-acid fermentation, which makes them very acidic and heating for the body. Eating more acidic foods in the winter makes sense, but can be problematic if eaten in excess in the summer.

Generally, fermented foods should be taken in small quantities, like condiments.

4. CLEANSE YOUR LIVER Bitter Roots: Traditionally, digging up and eating dandelion root, burdock root, oregon grape, goldenseal and others was a standard part of the American diet. Today, such liver-cleansing and bile-moving staples are conspicuously lacking in most diets. If it is impossible for you to dig them up or purchase them fresh, get your bitter roots in capsule form and take them in the spring. Always choose an organic, whole herbal root form rather than an herbal extract, as most of the good microbes are killed during the extraction process. Whole herbs are simply dried and ground up, leaving the majority of the good microbes intact.

My favorite liver-cleansing and bile-stimulating foods are: sliced

ˌˌ Chew fresh, raw ginger root, or drink ginger tea before and during a meal. ˌˌ Dress a salad with oil and vinegar. Vinegar is ascetic acid, which boosts hcl.

Apple cider vinegar works even better, because it is safe for high acid conditions. ˌˌ Drink a large glass of water a half hour before a meal to pre-hydrate the stomach’s natural buffer layer; this incites the stomach to make more hcl. ˌˌ Enjoying fermented foods as an appetizer will help kindle the digestive fire. ˌˌ Sip hot water with lemon before or during the meal. ˌˌ Add a little salt and pepper to a small glass of water and drink before a meal. ˌˌ Spice food with fennel, cumin, coriander, ginger, cardamom (lifespa’s gentle digest). ˌˌ Ginger, black pepper and long pepper (lifespa’s warm digest) is Ayurveda’s premier spice formula to increase hcl production.

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 29

Rose Halva The secret to cooking healthy food is to start with the purest ingredients possible. We're proud to announce that our Rose Water is now certified organic Roses are an important feature of Ayurvedic cooking, known to balance mind, heart and emotions. Made from organic roses grown in Bulgaria, our Organic Rose Water is food-grade, perfect for flavoring sweets and drinks. Pure rose flavoring adds more than grace and flavor — its sweet, astringent qualities are cooling to hot Pitta dosha, and help balance the emotions. And like the flowers themselves, roses in food express love and elegance.

Packaged in a convenient spray bottle, Organic Rose Water is also an Ayurvedic tonic for cooling, moisturizing and soothing the skin.

Cashews are not only a good source of protein, but they are packed with minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. Organic cashew butter is a convenient, delicious way to enjoy the health benefits of cashews. You can spread it on toast, use it as a flavoring in baking, or eat it off the spoon for an instant energy boost. Here are two recipes that use these pure, organic ingredients.

Rose Halva This recipe looks complicated, but is actually very simple and fast.

Ingredients: 2 handfuls golden raisins

30 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

2 handfuls organic cashews ¼ cup ghee 1½ cups water 1 tbsp Maharishi Ayurveda Organic Rose Water 1 cup farina (Cream of Wheat) 1 cup sugar pinch of ground cardamom Melt a teaspoon of ghee in a small frying pan and brown the raisins and cashews on medium heat. Set aside.

Boil 1½ cups of water and set aside. When cool, add 1 tablespoon of rose water. If the rose water is not Maharishi Ayurveda Rose Water, make sure it is of edible quality, without synthetic ingredients or alcohol added.

In a large saucepan, mix the farina and ghee together and stir on medium heat until light brown spots appear.

This usually takes 3-4 minutes.

Add sugar and cardamom and stir.

Add the water that was set aside and the raisin/cashew mix that was set aside and stir. It's important to keep stirring over medium heat to avoid lumpiness.

Stir until the mixture becomes solid, usually about one minute.

Pour the mixture in a buttered 8-inch square cake pan, pressing it flat. After it cools, cut it into squares or diamonds and serve.

DIET & NUTRITION

Organic Cashew Cookies Ingredients: 4 oz. organic cashew butter (almond butter can be substituted, if you prefer) ¾ cup ghee ½ cup raw sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients in succession and reserve the flour until the last ingredient has been added. Add the flour slowly, bit by bit and stir into the previous ingredients until well blended. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and roll the dough into 1-inch round balls. Place each dough ball on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake a batch for 10-12 minutes. Remove each batch from the oven and allow to cool on a cookie sheet until each cookie has hardened.

1 cup light brown sugar Egg replacer for 2 eggs 3 tbsp. plain yogurt ½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder

Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

1 tsp. vanilla

If you are lactose sensitive, you can use water instead of milk.

1¾ cups dry quick cooking rolled oats 2 cups all-purpose flour

Reprinted with permission from Maharishi Ayurved Products International (www.mapi.com)

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INTERIOR DESIGNING —NATURAL STYLE WITH Christy Maingot Hello readers, I am extremely thrilled to have this opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with you. Interior design is more than a job for me; it is my passion, but what I am even more passionate about is sustainable design. This type of design is not just beautiful and functional, but focuses on the well-being of the building occupant whilst having minimal negative impact on the earth and its resources. In this series, we’ll look at the various aspects of designing and decorating covering everything from kitchen and baths, bedroom and living room spaces, floorings, finishes and decor, as well as outdoor spaces such as porches, decks and patios, and much more. It's an exciting journey, so I hope you'll join me!

Christy Maingot is a Trinidadian Interior Designer with experience in residential and commercial interior design. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in ­Interior Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology, Orlando, Florida, as well as a Master of Design Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Design from the Boston Architectural College, Boston, ma. She is also a leed ap with specialty in Interior Design and Construction (id+c).

Christy can be contacted at (868) 713-4244, e-mail: info@cmidinteriordesign.com, website: www.cmidinteriordesign.com 32 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL NOVEMBER 2015

First of all, what is the value of design or decorating natural style? Interior design is about finding harmony in a space through all the senses—smell, touch, hearing and in particular, sight. So every aspect of what goes into a home or building needs careful consideration of its effect on the occupants. Interior design that incorporates green home building practices results in homes and buildings that are more comfortable, durable and healthier. Sustainable design is an investment that pays in return by reducing costs and unnecessary wastage. For ins­ tance, a simple thing such as using energy efficient bulbs can contribute to lowering your electrical bills; proper ventilation can help to decrease toxic fume levels in the home by 40 to 60 percent, thereby reducing costs for damage done by mold, mildew and other fungal growth.

NATURAL DAYLIGHT Are you mindful that in sustainable interior design, natural daylighting and views to the outdoors provide an economic form of lighting and at the same time improves the indoor environmental quality in workplaces, home offices and residential spaces?

The lack of natural daylight affects most people. Natural

HARMONIOUS LIVING daylight has been proven to reduce stress and increase people's performance. We are naturally drawn to the outdoors and feel more comfortable when we are connected in some way with nature. Even though natural daylight can be a source of glare and uncontrolled or variable illumination, it is still a strong desired design element needed in our workplace and our home environment.

The Positive Benefits of Natural Daylight Reduced Use of Energy Making use of natural daylight with lots of window access, results in less of a need for artificial lighting, which means less energy consumption and lower energy bills. When artificial lights are left on, when no one is around, it is a waste of energy and money, however when natural daylight is utilized, there isn’t any waste. Many contemporary workplaces and home offices are making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and are witnessing a large reduction in their annual electricity costs by cutting down on artificial light and maximizing natural daylighting. For an added increase in energy efficiency, daylight-monitoring sensors are also being installed,

which automatically adjusts the light levels indoors according to the light outdoors.

Improved Health Research has proven that headaches and eyestrain are among the leading health problems in the workplace and home offices, and these issues are related to the spectrum of light experienced. The Colour Rendering Index (cri) rates how lamps render colour. The best cri is natural daylight because it has the full spectrum of colours. Eyestrain can be significantly reduced when people have a window with a view. Landscape views, either short-range or long-range force the eye constantly to refocus, benefiting the eyes.

Natural daylight helps to increase attentiveness, causes fewer headaches and improves productivity.

Increased Productivity Besides natural daylight affecting the eyes, it can also have physical effects on the body that influences a person’s mood and motivation levels. Studies have proven that employees prefer to have their workstations near a window, because the natural daylight and views of the outdoors provides stimulation and variety throughout the workday. Bright and open working environments with plenty of

windows reduce stress leading to increased concentration and productivity. When companies try to save money on lighting, studies have revealed that the quality of work and productivity decreases.

How to Improve the Amount of Natural Daylight: To improve the amount of natural daylight in an existing building or home office, full pane or floor to ceiling windows can be installed to maximize the amount of lighting entering a building.

On the top floors, skylights or light tubes can be installed to funnel light into the spaces below.

The use of glass walls and low partitions add more visual access to windows helping to create a more efficient workplace. People with convenient access to natural daylight have instant access to time, weather, and a connection to the outside world. When they have a view of the outdoors, they tend to show less stress from their work, less illnesses, and more work satisfaction. They also recover from stressful situations quicker.

Nobody should feel confined in a space while working in an office or relaxing at home. Natural daylighting and views to the outdoors offers many pluses and is essential to everyone including our pets.

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 33

EAST MEETS WEST

G REEN A RCHITECTS VASTU A RCHITECTS

We design buildings that create harmony, happiness, wellbeing and prosperity— an enlightened development process.

DAVID FOJO, MTTIA , MED (Yale) Vastu Architect /Green Building Consultant Cascade, Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies Tel: (868) 621-1259 • Mobile: (868) 730-9669 david@fojodesign.com • kavita@fojodesign.com www.greenvastuhomes.com • FB: Green Vastu Homes

FOJO DESIGN & DEVELOP

Lighting uses seven to ten percent of the total energy consumed in the home. A few ways you can reduce you electric energy consumption from lighting are: 1. Turn off lights when you don’t need them.

2. Use dimmers 3. Use photoelectric lighting controls such as motion or occupancy sensors or timers to turn outdoor lighting on and off automatically.

4. Use energy-saving Light Emitting Diodes (led) or compact fluorescent (cfl) bulbs wherever possible.

5. Look for products that carry the energy star symbol.

THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE Clean air is vital to our health and well being and a home that encourages the free flow of fresh air is an essential component of good design.

This can be accomplished by the use of non toxic building materials, furniture and finishes in the home (more about this in our series).

Paints that have low voc’s (volatile organic compounds) would be a healthier choice for providing color and protection of wall and ceiling surfaces.

Houseplants do more than just look beautiful. They help clean the air we breathe, and make us feel less alienated in the artificial

Sansevieria (snake) Plant, Peace Lilies, Philodendrons, Bamboo Palm, and Golden Pothos.

GREEN IS GOOD If you have ever seen any of the Wall Street movies, you may recall the famous line from Gordon Gekko, Michael Douglas’s character declaring that “Greed is Good”. Hmmm,

well I’d like to say that if greed is good, “green” is even better. As you can see, style does not have to be sacrificed in order to live as sustainable lifestyle. I am here to “plant the seeds”, so to speak and guide you on how you can achieve this in your home or workplace without breaking the bank or the environment!

Stay tuned to our column and remember that nature is the world’s best designer. If ever you need some inspiration, look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.

—Albert Einstein Until next time! cm Did you know that in order to address a sustainable approach for the life of a product after use, William McDonough and Michael Braungart converted the “cradle to grave” into the “cradle to cradle” (c2c) concept? The c2c concept focuses attention on products that are designed to return to the earth without any harmful effects. Think of creative ways that you may be able to reuse, recycle or up-cycle materials leftover from items rather than dumping them.

Green Tip E

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

environments such as offices.

Most buildings emit hundreds of chemicals from the carpets, paints, upholstery, computers and plastics.

Various studies have confirmed the advantages of having houseplants around are because they make our indoor environments a healthier place to work and live. Consider decorating the house with either one of these which are rated as some of the best for this job: Rubber Plant, Ficus Benjamina, Dracaena, Boston Ferns, Spider Plants, Moth Orchid (phalaenopsis), English Ivy,

NOVEMBER 2015 CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL 35

ORGANIC MEETS MOD

Design talk: Bobby Brand (left) and Hayden Kublalsingh

HARMONIOUS LIVING

DERN [

An excerpt from an interview with Hayden Kublalsingh of dna (Designs for Natural Architecture) and Timberyard Homes, and Bobby Brand of the Netherlands, for the 2016 online Holistic Wellness Park Summit

Bobby Brand: You use a lot of natural materials in your architecture.

Why do you use natural materials?

Hayden: Natural materials resonate at different levels physically, according to the laws of physics. Timber and stone are found from natural sources from the earth and resonate at different frequencies from say, steel or plastic. When we design using natural materials at a subatomic level, there is a harmonious relationship with the building or the structure and the individual. That's at a very deep and physical level. At a visible level, you are sitting in a home which is built ninety percent from timber and stone and when you live in a cottage, or wooden natural buildings such as this, and you walk barefooted, and you wake in the morning and you can see and feel the timber and the stone and you can look through your open space planned designed home, past the decks, the openness, into the woods and into the forest and experience the trees, that form of natural living is all a unified experience, that brings together a holistic individual, so there is a huge preference for living harmoniously. Having said that,

for thousands of years, mankind has lived this way. Plastics and steel are really just a couple of hundred years old and before that, we all lived without electricity, we all lived without mechanized vehicles, we all lived without air conditioning, and we all lived in houses primarily built out of timber and stone, and some sort of a clay product. Man has moved away from that in the last couple of hundreds of years, and I think that our need to deal with our population growth has put demands on the natural resources. It has caused man to be more creative and innovative and develop materials which can do for instance high rise buildings, which require a different sort of physical structural support as would a house built out of timber fifty years ago.

Bobby Brand: Okay, you say you use many ancient building techniques and in former days they lived without electricity. However I see in the designs you make, that all the amenities for a comfortable life are available. So I assume you use natural and ecological appropriate technology as well. Can you say something about that, how you move forward as

[

well as taking knowledge and inspiration from the past?

Hayden: Certainly. I still travel in a car. I still travel in airplanes to go from one country to another, so there is no need to move away from new technology, it's how we integrate new technologies sensibly with ancient principles of healthy design. For instance, in my home here, I use electricity, but I have all led and cfl lighting which is low energy so the pull on our national grid is minimized. If everyone in Trinidad were to live that way, we would have a much better economic situation simply because we have a much lower demand on our electric grid. In Trinidad, unfortunately, it is quite expensive to go with solar and wind technologies simply because the cost of our electrical energy is so cheap because we are an oil and gas rich country. In other parts of the Caribbean like St. Kitts, Jamaica, Barbados, where the cost of energy is much higher, solar and wind and other renewable options are much more feasible. I have designed homes which I have specified solar air conditioning in Trinidad but which have turned out to not need

NOVEMBER 2015  CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL  37

“So building naturally is almost the same cost as building with normal structural construction materials, which is very interesting because people sometimes do not understand and they assume that it is a lot more expensive with hardwood timbers and slate stone roofing and that sort of thing.” the air conditioning eventually, so we didn't use it, but that trend towards these technologies will improve over time as these technology costs become lower and more available and also as our energy cost continue to rise. There is going to be an equilibrium point at which I think many of the buildings around the world will be powered by renewable energy sources.

Bobby Brand: Okay. Do you think that natural buildings can become more main stream again, like available to more people in general, or do you think it's really mostly a niche market?

Hayden: I think it's going to remain a niche market for some time and it has to do with one's own level of awareness. By awareness, I mean one's own level of wakeful state.

So each individual is functioning at different levels of wakefulness, and I have found that the more awake, or aware or conscious an

individual is, the greater the tendency for that individual to go back to things which are natural, food which is healthy and organic, technologies which are sustainable and renewable. There is however, unfortunately, still a mass majority of the world who do not see the relevance of these things and would always continue to build and design around principles, which are not consistent with that higher state of awareness.

This does not mean that one cannot live in a concrete structure say one that is tiled and with aluzinc sheeting, and not be aware or conscious, but a fully integrated human being wanting to have that experience, would prefer a more naturally designed space. I think that the world is going on a trajectory where, while that trend is increasing, it is not going to be a dominant trend in the short to medium term, unfortunately.

Bobby Brand: Does building with

natural materials also bring up different kinds of challenges? And if so, did you find ways to overcome these challenges?

Hayden: Yes. When we build with natural materials or we design with natural materials, we have to consider structural integrity of the buildings on the projects. One of the challenges is that timber a framed building is not as versatile structurally, as say steel for instance, where you can do say thirty feet spans of columns —which you cannot do with timber. You don't have that flexibility with timber so it does affect your design. Another element of it is in a tropical island, as we have living in an environment like this in the woods or the forests, one has to be careful of the materials that you use, that they are resistant to termites as an example.

I use Greenheart timber. My company Timberyard Homes is major supplier of sustain-ably harvested

Greenheart and Purpleheart timber. These are two timbers that have for hundreds of years, been used throughout the Caribbean, in particular, and now in different parts of the world and require no termite treatment. They are naturally termite resistant, so they require no toxic chemicals to be treated for termites, which is an advantage, so that's another challenge.

And of course, another challenge is when you wish to work sustain-ably, you have to find suppliers who are compliant with sustainable practice in terms of how they harvest timber, how they use natural labor resources and how fair they are as commercial enterprises towards local labor in terms of cutting, sourcing, and processing of materials and so on. So these are all challenges and once you are in it, you tend to want to do it right and you tend to look around a bit before you make decisions and you tend to pay a little bit more sometimes to get the right thing done.

Bobby Brand: Can you say something about the cost of natural design as compared to another type of conventional home?

Hayden: I've done some fairly substantial projects naturally,

using natural design principles. For instance I am doing a 34 acre nature resort on the north-east coast of Trinidad. I am also doing a few residential homes at the moment, some very nice residential projects up on the northern mountain range. I've been able to cost the square foot or square meter average unit cost of construction as compared to using hybrids of concrete and steel, typical construction techniques, and I've found that the costs match exactly, which is very strange. So building naturally is almost the same cost as building with normal structural construction materials, which is very interesting because people sometimes do not understand and they assume that it is a lot more expensive with hardwood timbers and slate stone roofing and that sort of thing.

Bobby Brand: What about the durability of the product?

Hayden: The timber that I have used in this house as an example and the other projects that you have visited would last as long as sixty to seventy years.

Bobby Brand: Okay Hayden: There are buildings in Guyana that are built, like the Anglican church in Georgetown, the

capital city, which is over a hundred years old and while it has been modified and rehabilitated somewhat, the main timber that has been used in it is still there, so we are using timbers that are sustainable in the construction industry. Lifetime use is typically twenty-five to thirty years. These materials go way past that. The slate stone that I use from Brazil as an example is good as lifetime, so there is no need to assume that your naturally designed and constructed building is any way compromised in terms of quality or integrity Bobby Brand: And maintenance?

Hayden: We do find that with timber structures, there is that added maintenance, rails and so on which are more exposed to weather need to be sanded every three or four years and re-varnished or re-coated with a protectant. That's a very small deterrent when compared to the huge benefits of sitting in an outdoor deck like this and not being surrounded by concrete walls and the coldness of tiles. _____________________________ For further information, go to: bobbybrand.net • naturalspaces.org Email: timberyard7@gmail.com Tel: (868) 377-2165 / fb: Timberyard

NOVEMBER 2015  CARIBBEAN BODY AND SOUL  39

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