We asked an expert.
This Week In Wellness we spoke to naturopath, CEO & Founder of natural health & wellbeing brand, Orchard St. Kirsten Shanks who shared an insight into her wellness and ayurvedic rituals to heal and nourish from the inside out.
@orchardstlove
orchardstreet.com.au
What is your exercise philosophy?
Keep it flexible and fluid; amenable to the variable needs and state of being each day brings.
My exercise practice is intuitive and fluid, but anchored in strength. Yoga has been an integral part of my life for over two decades now, and while this is still at the core of much of my daily flow, once I began integrating into this pilates based strength building exercises it transformed not only my yoga but my physical experience of life.
Which rituals are a non-negotiable part of your week?
My morning practice. Carving a window of space to light a candle, to move and meditate, to drop in, sets the foundation for my state of being for the day ahead. Even if sometimes that’s just 10 minutes squished in between dawn breastfeeds and making school lunches.
What is your favourite Fluidform at Home workout?
The young ballerina in me can’t go past a barre class!
What is your pre-workout meal or snack?
A spiced cacao Elixir; Cacao powder, Maca, Shatavari, a medjool date or dash or maple syrup, cinnamon, a good pinch of cayenne and a teeny pinch of sea salt blended with boiling water and 2 heaped tablespoons of almond butter. Gold.
How do you nourish your body post-workout?
Hydrate; I guzzle green juice and sip on water with sea minerals for extra electrolytes.
What is your favourite beauty indulgence?
A holistic facial.
3 ingredients you will find in your kitchen?
- Umeboshi paste
- Chocolate
- Avocados
Favourite meal in summer?
Friends over for a long Mexican inspired brunch after a morning at the beach.
Favourite meal in winter?
A Sri Lankan curry feast with alll the side dishes and condiments.
Can you share a bit more about Ayurvedic rituals and how you incorporate them into your day?
- Pranayama; Each morning before meditation and movement practices, I begin to settle my mind with 5-10 minutes of alternate nostril breathing. Slow and steady breathwork supports vagal tone to enable us to shift into a more parasympathetic state; essential for healthy digestion.
- Tongue cleaning; Gently gliding a copper tongue cleaner over the tongue each morning removes toxic ‘ama’ build-up, provides a daily health check and supports oral hygiene.
- Eating in line with the rhythms of earth; our Agni, or digestive fire, follows the path of the sun. It is wise to eat our biggest meal at noon when the sun and our Agni are at their peak, opting for smaller meals at breakfast and lunch.
- Yoga Asana; while strength building, pilates centric practices (hello Fluidform) are essential in my wellbeing toolkit, waking, releasing and dropping into my body and breathing each morning with an intuitive asana practice is akin to my morning brew, I can’t begin without it.
- Botanicals; Ayurvedic medicine shines in its long-revered and widely embraced selection of plant medicines. Whether cleansing, anti-inflammatory and digestive soothing Culinary spices such as coriander seed, turmeric and black pepper or more purpose-driven purifying plant medicines such as Triphala or our Detox Tea, integrating botanicals into my teas, elixirs and recipes throughout the day.
- Like most holistic modalities, Ayurveda sees the gut and the mind inextricably linked; therefore a nerve-nourishing herb such as ashwagandha not only helps to settle the mind, but also to rebalance high Vata energy, which will help soothe any gas, wind or bloating problems.
What is your favourite Fluidform at Home recipe?
No surprise – the Butternut Kitchari from our 7-day cleanse detox.
