Self Healing Through Ayurveda Workshop Series

Ayurveda is all about self care. In order to implement lasting changes we need to educate ourselves! Join Half Moon Ayurveda practitioners Mary Rider and Katelynn Ingersoll for a series of educational workshops to kickstart your self healing process. These workshops will be held at our clinic located at 1520 Sansom Street, on 4th floor of  the Hot Yoga Philadelphia studio.

Daily Routine with Mary Rider March 13th 6:30 – 8pm

In this workshop we’ll learn simple, effective Ayurvedic techniques you can incorporate into your daily routine to restore energy, inner peace and overall well being. Learn how to nourish the five senses through ancient practices like self massage and the use of herbalized oils.  Theses time tested Ayurvedic therapies help us age gracefully and offer tools to stay calm through the storm of our daily lives.

Marma Therapy with Katelynn March 20th 6:30 – 8pm

In this workshop, we’ll learn how to utilize the 108 Vital Energy Centers, known as Marma Points. Similar to acupressure, these points provide access your inner pharmacology and stimulate deep healing.  We’ll discover uses and indications of these points so you can use them for healing of specific ailments. Discover simple, therapeutic touch as a healing method. 

Both workshops are hands on, full sensory experiences and space is limited.

25 dollar investment per workshop, 40 dollars for both.

Enroll before March 1st for a 10% early bird discount.

Register here

Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse

Why seasonal cleanse?

For over five years, we have been leading guided seasonal cleanses. Join Mary and Katelynn for a modern approach to Ayurvedic detoxification.Ayurveda recommends we detoxify our bodies at the juncture of two seasons in order to remove built up ama, or toxic sludge, from the previous season.  Doing so keeps our bodies and minds ready for the upcoming seasonal elements.  The best time for a fall seasonal cleanse is October and November. After the heat of the summer has passed and before the deep cold of the winter sets in. We’re offering this program now through December.  You can start your week long cleanse whenever is convenient for you.  For more reading about the science of seasonal cleansing, check out this informational video.

 

What is included in your seasonal Ayurvedic cleanse?

We’ve got options for every budget and are ready to guide you in any way you desire.  It is a one week program.  We provide all the ingredients – organic herbs, medicated oils, food, organic herbal teas instructions, and schedule. You do the food and meal preparation in the comfort of your home. Coaching calls, consultations, and Ayurvedic treatments are available, depending on the program you choose.  See options below. While it is best to rest and relax as much as possible during your week of detoxification, it is possible to work while doing the program.

Ayurvedic Cleanse Kit Only

Your Ayurvedic cleanse kit includes all the supplies you need for a do it yourself week of detoxification. We provide instructions and scheduling for your week of rejuvenation and renewal.  This is a great kickstart to your healing process. $90 purchase online here.

Fully Guided Cleanse Option

This is our favorite option. You’ll start your week off with an Ayurvedic consultation and we’ll customize your program together.  You’ll do the meal and herbal preparation, but we’ll be by your side every step of the way via text messages and daily coaching calls.  This package includes the cleanse kit plus a detoxifying full body Ayurvedic spa treatment. $345 purchase online here.

Ayurvedic Cleanse Kit + Treatment 

Want the do it yourself option, but also want to treat yourself to the Ayurvedic spa treatment? Then this is your package.  Basically this option gives you a discount on the kit and the spa treatment, as a package deal. $240 purchase online here

Complete Customized Option

Beginning with a consultation with one of our certified Ayurvedic practitioners, together we’ll decide which treatments, herbs, and meal plan will work to meet your detoxification goals.

Pricing of this option varies. Please email halfmoonayurveda@gmail.com to start the conversation.


Please email Katelynn & Mary at halfmoonayurveda@gmail.com after your purchase so we can arrange for pickup of your kit and scheduling of your treatment and consults. We look forward to serving you this season!  We are also standing by to answer any questions you may have about the process.

Ayurveda Meal Prep – Healthy Eating for Spring Cleaning

A cooking class wIth Mary, Katelynn and Sean

Tired of the “what do I eat to feel good” dilemma???

On Saturday, May 12th from 1-3pm Katelynn will open her home kitchen for a very special afternoon Ayurvedic cooking class. In this intimate session, we’ll prepare (and of course eat!) a palete pleasing medicinal meal appropriate for the spring season.

You’ll leave with practical, easy food prep tips and techniques to get you started on a path to healthy eating.

Let thy medicine be thy food

Price: $25, includes a hearty Ayurvedic lunch

Location: 20 St. James Court, Philadelphia 19106

Register: Online here. 

Limited space!

 

Holiday Eating Survival Guide

Ayurveda teaches us that our Agni (metabolism, or digestion) is everything, and that one who has perfect Agni will have perfect health.  We celebrate the holidays with family and friends with elaborate meals and parties.  This year, instead of bringing in the new year with extra pounds and guilt from over indulgence, remember the teachings of Ayurveda with these very simple tips and practices.  Make your Agni bulletproof.  Before your holiday party or dinner, keep these simple things in mind:

  • During the day before a large meal or holiday party, Kapha types can fast.  Vata and Pitta types should take simple foods like kitcharee or rice with steamed vegetables and ghee.
  • Sip warm water throughout the day to kindle the digestive fire in preparation.
  • Avoid the snack table. Instead of munching on hors d’oeuvres and cheese and crackers, opt for a full meal.  Th
    is may seem counter intuitive, but nibbling bombards digestion and doesn’t leave room for the fire to burn.  Make a full plate.  Eat it. Then mingle!
  • 30 minutes before you eat, drink 8 ounces of water.  Eat your MEAL (not snacks). Wait a full hour before taking more liquids or water. Again, we are trying to kindle the fire so that digestion can happen.  Excessive liquids taken after a meal will extinguish the fire.
  • Avoid iced or carbonated drinks.  Opt instead for a glass of wine.
  • This one might be over ambitious, but give it a try: exercise or do yoga in the morning! There’s no better way to kindle Agni.
  • If you’re the cook, be sure to use plenty of metabolism kindling spices like cumin, coriander, fennel and ginger. Avoid snacking while cooking.
  • I decided to save the best news for last. Eat your sweets first. Salad last. It’s the nature of the chemical digestion process. Think of a fire. If we throw kindling on it (lettuce, or a salad), it will flicker and soon die. If we put a nice log on the fire, it will burn for hours and hours.

Oh, and have fun. May you be present and full of grace during the holiday season and always!

This Holiday Season, Give Healing. Give Ayurveda.

Half moon ayurveda gift cards are here.

With a Half Moon Ayurveda gift card, the recipient will be able to choose from a variety of classical Ayurvedic treatments, acupuncture, Thai bodywork, or traditional massage.  Email the gift certificate directly to the recipient, or print at home and hand deliver.

Browse our services here.

Gift cards are available in any amount and can be used for any product or service.

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 **Please note, when you purchase a gift card online, you will receive a printable gift card OR a link to email to the recipient. You will be given the option to personalize a note to include with your gift card at check out. **

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Ayurveda For The Whole Family

Join Ayurvedic practitioners Katelynn and Suzanne for a weekend of wellness for the whole family.

Saturday + Sunday

November 4th and 5th  1-3pm


 

Day 1 (Saturday)  :: Women’s Health with Katelynn

Screen Shot 2017-09-21 at 12.30.59 PMDemystify and even befriend your cycle, using it as a barometer for your overall wellbeing.  Experience freedom from common ailments through daily routine practices based on the science of Ayurveda.

 

 


 

Day 2 (Saturday) ::  Pediatrics with Suzanne

Are Screen Shot 2017-09-21 at 12.32.44 PMyou sick of your child always having a runny nose or being constipated? Are you tired of constantly giving your children snacks but then wrestling them to eat an actual meal?  Do you wish your children ate healthier, but then again you’re not even sure what it means to eat well? Are you worried about the pollutants and chemicals your children are exposed to daily? Learn how to raise balanced and blissful children through the simple, practical, and effective wisdom of Ayurveda. Just a few changes in diet, lifestyle, and routine can make a world of difference for your entire family’s sanity and well-being.

30 for each, 50 for the weekend.  

Childcare + kids yoga will be provided during the workshops. $10 drop in

Enroll here, for one or both of the workshops.

Self Administration of Nasya Oil

Nasya oil has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of diseases of the head and neck.  Though it can be curative, the strength of this remedy lies in its protective / preventative properties which work in the nasal passageways, stopping pathogens and allergens before they enter the respiratory tract and cause inflammation.

For acute conditions or high allergy days, use this oil every 2-3 hours.  For prevention and general maintenance of the nasal passageways and mucous membranes, use once every day, preferably in the am, after bathing.

Indications for nasya oil:

  • Allergies
  • Frequent colds
  • Headaches
  • TMJ
  • Teeth / jaw grinding
  • Epilepsy
  • Parkinson’s
  • Bell’s palsy

Our favorite nasya oil:

For more of Katelynn’s at home Ayurvedic allergy remedies, click here.

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 12.52.30 PMAbout the author: Katelynn Ingersoll, BSN, RN is a practitioner of Ayurveda, yoga studio owner, and non-profit founder.  You can find her at her spot in center city Philadelphia where she teaches workshops, sees clients, and practices yoga.  For questions, or to schedule a consultation contact her at 610.462.1352 or email halfmoonayurveda@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Step Away From the Allergy Meds

allergy_1

Zyrtec. Allegra. Claritin. Take away my suffering.

Is it just me, or does it seem like EVERYONE is on allergy medications these days? Zyrtec, Allegra, and Claritin have become household names – the holy trinity of seasonal allergy survival.   If you are a consumer, you may already know that these medications offer nothing more than symptom relief, and no cure for the allergy plague which returns again every season forcing us to buy more pills.  I’ll spare you more of why we shouldn’t support the manufacturers of these medications.  You’re all smart. You made it to an Ayurveda blog, after all.  Then I started thinking what would happen if we HAD a cure – no more allergy medications? Wait – then what would happen to all the allergy medication?  We could disrupt a market. That’d be pretty radical.

If you’ve lived in or visited the northeastern US during the “high allergy season,” which happens every spring and fall, then you know that the complaints are coming in as I write.  You might be reaching for a tissue now.  Eyes are itching, noses are running and it’s about time we explore an Ayurvedic perspective of what exactly is going on here.  I’m about to get all pathophysiological here, so I don’t mind if you skip to the treatments at the end…

First, we have to consider three very important Ayurvedic principles that apply to the immune system, which becomes confused in an allergic response ::

In sanskrit English translation (approximately)
Tejas Cellular transformation (cellular metabolism – mitochondrial ATP production)
Smruti Cellular memory (antigen recognition, or immune response)
Prana Cellular communication (present in DNA synthesis and  immune response)

We already know the importance of nutrition in maintaining tissue health. But how do the cells of our immune system get their nutrition? I’m so glad you asked! It just so happens that the cells of our immune system congregate within the lymph tissues or nodes.  Lymph nodes live in the groin, axillae, small intestine, and neck – but are actually found in nearly every inch of the body.  The nodes are nourished by the lymph vessels.  

Think of the lymph vessels as superhighways delivering nutrition to immune system cells hanging out in the lymph nodes. Now think of a big traffic jam on the interstate. 

When the tissues: like the stomach, small intestine, liver, are putting out high levels of toxicity (from poor diet and lifestyle practices), our vessels become blocked.  This traffic along the lymphatic vessel network prevents nutrition from getting in and toxins from getting out of the immune system. The lymph vessels are not able to properly carry out their OTHER crucial function: to carry non blood fluid waste from the tissues and eventually dump it into the venous system for further

This image shows how closely the lymph system – shown in blue – works with major organs – like our stomach.

purification at the level of the heart where it forms our most vital essential fluid: ojas (another lecture on that later, I promise).  It’s a downstream effect.

The immune system is our greatest expression of self.

Specialized immune system cells distinguish self versus non-self – and it stages its attacks accordingly.  Malnourished cells of the immune system lose their smruti (memory) of what is self vs non-self and start attacking inappropriately. Tejas (cellular metabolism) is usually in a heightened, overactive state, enhancing normal responses.  Prana, communication, is no longer free.  Imagine rogue cells of the immune system acting in a state of emergency chemical warfare releasing all those chemicals that cause runny nose, itchy eyes, swollen lymph, fatigue, excess mucous production…

 Restoring order:

You guessed it…the deeper the tissue level, the more we have to work to restore order.  Although we know each individual may have a unique pathophysiological process, I’ve put together a list of generally tri-doshic (for all metabolic types) dinacharya (self care) items to not only ease symptoms, but also to address the root cause.  Remember, I always say there’s an ideal, then there’s reality.  You’ll find your balance somewhere in the middle by incorporating what works for you.  Enjoy these tips and tricks.  Be patient, natural remedies take longer to be effective because they last longer.

  • Use nasya (nasal) oil every 2-3 hours during a flare up. I personally love Usha Lad’s recipe for nasya. Keeping the nasal passageways lubricated adds an extra layer of protection – stopping allergens before they enter your body.  For some allergy sufferers, nasya oil has been a real game changer. DIY best alternative to medicated nasya is to use melted ghee or sesame oil.  Click here for a tutorial on how to use this remedy. 
  • Sip hot water.  It doesn’t get much simpler than this. All day. At least 1.5 liters.  Avoid iced beverages.
  • Do a few sun salutations (or at least cat cow) every morning.  Lymph vessels and nodes are only
    allergy_3

    Use nasya oil once a day throughout the year, and every 2-3 hours during times of allergy flare ups.

    stimulated and flushed by muscular contraction.  My teacher recommends doing as many as your age. I say…divide your age by three. 

  • Avoid self criticism and practice self forgiveness.  One theory popular amongst the naturopaths is that deep seated self hate causes self to attack self (aka, the immune response).  Be conscious of all the times throughout a day when you find yourself in a pattern of negative self talk. Noticing is the first step of changing.  Incorporate this intention in your daily meditation and reflection.  
  • Sleep during the dark hours.  Many restorative metabolic functions ONLY happen at night – including drainage of the glymphatic system which is the newly discovered drainage network in the brain, aka command central for vital unconscious bodily functions (including immune reactions).  A new discovery for the allopaths, yes, but ancient science of Ayurveda tells us the importance of maintaining proper flow of prana through the brain.    
  • Take pippali pepper longum . Some herbal preparations are unfortunately only available in India.  I’ve found this Banyan Bronchial Support to be the closest thing to medicinal herbal wine, which is the best way to take pippali.  Pippali works by soothing inflammation.  
  • Do self oil massage at least once a week.  There is honestly nothing better for allergies than this practice, which works by massaging the lymph vessels and nodes, and thereby flushing our immune system.  Just try it.  Here’s my blog post with instructions
  • For itchy eyes, carry a spray bottle of rose water with you.  It’s all natural, won’t irritate contact lenses, and the rose has cooling, soothing properties.  Use it as needed.  Be sure to get a 100% pure formula with no additives!  My go to is the Heritage brand
  • Take seasonally appropriate foods and avoid eating heavy foods before sleep.  Consult any reputable Ayurvedic cookbook or your local Ayurvedic practitioner for this one.
  • Use ghee.  In all that you cook. Liberal amounts.  This supreme nectar of mother cow has anti-inflammatory properties that help to sooth allergy symptoms.  It withstands high heat and can be used in any recipe as a substitute for any oil.
  • Keep loving, nurturing company.  Just because.

 

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 12.52.30 PMAbout the author: Katelynn Ingersoll, BSN, RN is a practitioner of Ayurveda, yoga studio owner, and non-profit founder.  You can find her at her spot in center city Philadelphia where she teaches workshops, sees clients, and practices yoga.  For questions, or to schedule a consultation contact her at 610.462.1352 or email halfmoonayurveda@gmail.com.

 

References

Benveniste, H., Lee, H., Volkow, N. (2017). The glymphatic pathway: waste removal from the CNS via cerebrospinal fluid transport.  The Neuroscientist 1-12.  DOI 10.1177/1073858417691030.

Ivker, Rob. Interviewed by John Dulliard. The Life Spa Podcast Library Episode 37. 14 November, 2016.  https://lifespa.com/episode-37-sinus-survival-dr-rav-ivker/

Lad, Vasant (2012).  Textbook of Ayurveda Volume Three:  General Principles of Management and Treatment. Albuquerque, NM: The Ayurvedic Press.

 

 

The Science of Taste : Astringent

Astringent taste is cooling and drying. It’s the perfect combination for summer!

Astringent taste causes mucous membranes to contract and dry up, causing a peculiar drying sensation in your mouth and a therapeutic effect on over active secretions like excess gastric juices in the stomach.

More astringent foods to add to your diet this summer are:

  • pomegranate
  • parsley
  • chickpeas
  • coriander
  • corn
  • millet
  • potatoes

Click here for a full Ayurvedic summer protocol. 

Katelynn Ingersoll, founder and lead Ayurvedic practitioner at Half Moon Ayurveda completed her Ayurvedic studies program at the Ayurvedic Institute in 2012 under Dr. Vasant Lad. She has continued to study extensively with Dr. Lad and other leaders in the field in clinical and apprenticeship settings. She sees clients one on one for diet and lifestyle consultations, Ayurvedic massages and treatments, and guided cleanses.

Schedule an Ayurvedic treatment or consultation today with Katelynn and experience the wisdom of Ayurveda for yourself. Kickstart healing. She has limited appointments in June and is looking forward to hearing from you.