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Recently Mind Body Soul Healing held it's annual retreat in Field Ontario, at Fisher's Paradise situated on the Sturgeon River where 13 souls gathered for:

~Ayurvedic constitution consultation

~Discourses on Yoga + Ayurveda

~Daily meditation and Yoga

~Ayurvedic healing meals

~Sound healing circles

~Shamanic Journeys

~Ecstatic Dance

~Saunas and Swimming

Each morning a special juice was prepared, to drink first thing on an empty stomach.

I will tell you we had an interesting time with the juicer! The juicer supplied to the kitchen had been heavily loved and had a few nuances in the methodology of holding the juicer and it's parts a certain way, so it would actually turn on. Ha ha! Day 1 juicing proved nearly detrimental for Katie - juicing alone. The bitter gourd and amla are quite fibrous and tough to get through the tiny blades of this ol' juicer. But we did it! Day 2 proved to be a quick task for us as we were two - so juice was done with minimal pit falls! Hooray! 3 Litres of beautiful healing juice was prepared to share with the retreat group. Of course, very bitter in taste, yet refreshing and so effective! I felt my brain fog disappear!

Amla (Emblica officinalis or Phyllanthus emblica) refers to it's sour taste. It is also called Indian Gooseberry and is known to be one of the most consumed Ayurvedic medicinal foods.

The Indian Gooseberry belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. This fruit ripens in the autumn in wet, forested, hilly areas on the Indian subcontinent. In India it is considered a sacred tree. The fruit is very nourishing, but it tastes sour. Both dried and fresh fruits can be consumed for their health benefits.

It provides remedies for many diseases, so it is widely used in Ayurvedic treatment. Gooseberry is very rich in Vitamin C, and contains many minerals and vitamins like Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Carotene and Vitamin B Complex. Amla is also a powerful antioxidant agent.

Many health problems are caused by oxidative damage (when body cells use oxygen, they produce by-products called free radicals that can cause damage). Antioxidant agents prevent and repair these damages. Vitamin-C is a good antioxidant agent, which makes gooseberries a powerful tool against a variety of conditions, including various types of cancer.

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Bitter gourd is a vegetable that comes from tropical and subtropical vine. I've noticed it in stock, even in the local budget grocery store and is grown in India as well as Dominican Republic. It will easily be found at Asian and Indian food stores.

Bitter gourd juice is enriched with goodness of Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and C. It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana. Bitter gourd has many healing effects on the body, just to name a few: Blood Disorders - Bitter gourd juice is highly beneficial for treating blood disorders like blood boils and itching due to toxemia; Diabetes Mellitus - Bitter melon juice contains plant insulin that is highly beneficial in lowering sugar levels in blood and urine; Eye problems - The high beta-carotene and other properties in bitter gourd juice makes it one of the finest vegetable-fruit that help alleviate eye problems and improving eyesight; Immune booster - This bitter juice can also help to build your immune system and increase your body's resistance against infection; Respiratory disorders - Bitter juice drink daily can improve asthma, bronchitis and pharyngitis.

Drinking these juices together can have a very detoxing effect on the body. It balanced cholesterol, has a multitude of anti-cancer/aging properties, increases immunity, prevents coronary heart disease, improves red blood cell count, digestive problems, improves hair health, heals skin infections, anti-inflammatory/viral/fungal/bacterial. So powerful!! To me, this feels like the green juice version of chaga or reishi tea which are also cure-alls!

Participants of the retreat learned a lot of practical Ayurvedic & Vedic knowledge as well as deepened their mindfulness and yoga practices, all in the beautiful surroundings of nature! See you next year!

Link to finding your dosha type - http://bit.ly/1EStfwC

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Sources:

http://easyayurveda.com/2013/01/17/amla-benefits-dose-usage-side-effects-complete-ayurveda-details/

http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/why-amla-is-so-great-for-your-health/

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/indian-gooseberry-amla.html

This Blog was written by Laura Brookes