Day 2: 🌿Awareness & Cleansing. Breath & Digestion

🍲 Nutrition: Reset Your Digestion with This Cooling Japanese Rice Bowl

🔥 Ayurveda Element: Breath Awareness and Mindfulness

✍️ Reflection: How does your breath change when you’re stressed vs. relaxed?

Welcome to Day 2 of "The Challenge"!

🌿 “When I forget, I return. When I fall, I breathe. This body is my altar, this breath, my prayer. With each inhale, I remember my light. With each exhale, I release all that dims it.” ✨

💜 🔥 I walk this path not to be perfect, but to be present—again and again.

Let these affirmations of the day be your anchor in moments of emotional tornadoes. 💜🔥

Dear Gentle Seekers, 

We’ve arrived at Day 2 of The Challenge—and guess what? I’ve already sinned! 😅

Last night, while writing about Day 1, I stayed up a little too late. And right at midnight, hunger struck. Salt & vinegar chips whispered my name, and yes—I caved. 😭 I had done so well all day, but ignoring my circadian rhythm invited those taste cravings to take over.

📜 Ayurvedic Wisdom: Why Late Nights = Late-Night Snacks

🌑 Night (10 PM – 2 AM) is governed by Pitta time, according to the circadian clock.

✔ This is when your body naturally detoxifies and repairs itself.

✔ Sleeping by 10 PM supports deep healing and renewal.

✔ Eating late disrupts digestion and encourages fat storage.

But I stayed up... and paid the price. 😬

🔬 What Science Confirms:

• Late-night eating throws off your hunger hormones, leading to more cravings.

• Metabolism slows in the evening, so snacks tend to be stored as fat.

• Disrupting your circadian rhythm impacts natural digestion and fat-burning.

• And yes, your food choices? They get noticeably worse late at night (chips, cookies, processed snacks… sound familiar?).

💡 From Ayurveda’s Eyes:

It’s in complete alignment. Late-night eating blocks detoxification, dulls your digestive fire, and stirs up imbalanced cravings. The antidote? Light dinners before sunset and full respect for your body’s natural rhythms.

If we must stay up late, let’s do it with mindfulness and stay present to the body’s deeper needs, not just fleeting urges.

🚀 Your Turn:   Have you ever faced the midnight craving monster too?

Tag me using #AyurvedaDaily! Share your story below. We’re learning together, not aiming for perfection.

🌿 Ayurveda in Action – Learning Through the Fall

Sometimes… we slip. But guess what? That slip becomes a mirror—gently reflecting a pattern, a moment, a habit we now have the power to shift. 🌿

This is how I learn to align my choices with the best version of me.

🥗 Nutrition:

🌾 Reset Your Digestion with This Cooling Japanese Rice Bowl 🍤✨

Skipped breakfast (oops!)—but stayed strong. I had my cappuccino and resisted my favourite chocolate cookies (small victories count too!).

For lunch, instead of my planned risotto with veggies and cheese, I chose to finish yesterday’s Japanese rice with prawns, eggs, and vegetables, topped off with a slice of cheese. Nourishing and done with intention.

I didn’t use Ayurvedic spices today, but if you’d like to elevate your meal while balancing Pitta,

Here’s a flavorful way to do it:

🔹 Ayurvedic Spice Adjustments for Pitta Balance

Since prawns are a warming food, bring in cooling, digestive-friendly companions:

✔ Coriander – Naturally cooling and gentle on digestion

✔ Fennel – Relaxes the gut and reduces internal heat

✔ Cardamom – Balances Pitta, adds a soft aromatic sweetness

✔ Mint or Cilantro – Light, refreshing, and energetically cooling

✨ Tip: Add these during cooking to enhance flavour or infuse them in a light post-meal broth for better digestion and grounding.

🔥 Ayurvedic Perspective on Japanese Rice & Prawns for High Pitta

 Ayurveda teaches that the Pitta dosha is ruled by fire and water, making it hot, sharp, and intense. Cooling, soothing, and balancing foods help regulate it. 

 🌾 Japanese Rice (Cooling & Nourishing): 

✔ Sweet, grounding, cooling—perfect for Pitta. 

✔ Steady energy without overheating digestion. 

🦐 Prawns (Heating & Aggravating for Pitta): 

✔ Warming & salty, can increase Pitta in excess. 

✔ Best paired with cooling herbs & spices (fennel, coriander, mint). 

🥦 Vegetables (Cooling Choices Matter!): 

✔ Best for Pitta: Zucchini, asparagus, leafy greens, cucumber, bell peppers. 

🚫 Avoid: Onions, garlic, tomatoes, spicy veggies (they increase heat). 

🔥 Ayurvedic Tip: 

✔ Squeeze lime (not lemon, which is heating). 

✔ Serve with coconut chutney or cooling yoghurt. 

 🚀 Tag me using #AyurvedaDaily & let me know: how do you balance Pitta (Fire) in your meals?  

🌬️ Ayurveda Element – Breath Awareness and Mindfulness

Swami Rama emphasised diaphragmatic breathing for mindfulness.

Try this today: 

🌬️ How to do it: 

✔ Lie on your back. 

✔ Place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. 

✔ Breathe deeply into your diaphragm, feeling your belly expand. 

✔ Exhale slowly, letting the belly fall naturally. 

✔ Repeat 10 times, noticing the flow of air. 

🎥Countdown Challenge:

🔹 Set a timer for 10 slow belly breaths and join me! 🌬️

​​​​​✨ When you’re done, comment “Done!” below—let’s do this together! 🚀

Let's do it together! Click below to see the video and do it together:​​​​​​

Diaphragmatic Breathing Practical Introduction

​✔ Reflection:

Swami Rama taught that breath reflects the mind. Observe and write it in your diary:

- How does your breath change when you’re stressed vs. relaxed? 

- What happens when you slow your breath consciously? 

- How does this simple practice shift your awareness?

✨ Bonus Challenge: Try eating mindfully, paying attention to warmth, flavour, and digestion. 

🚀 Tag me using #AyurvedaDaily in the comments below & let me know how you feel after this breathing practice!

Final Thoughts

The challenge is about awareness, small shifts, and learning from our habits.

Not about being perfect! 

💛 Mistakes make us mindful,

and

Mindfulness helps us change! 💛 

Who’s on this journey with me?

Comment #AyurvedaDaily below & share your experience! 🚀

See you tomorrow! :)