3 Ayurvedic Tips to Boost Your Immune System

With spring around the corner, and the wild temperature swings, there’s no better time to give your immune system a little extra LOVE.

As a Yoga Health Coach™, I want to share 3 simple Ayurvedic tips to support your immune health so that it can support you in keeping you vibrant and well.
For 5,000 years Ayurveda has been teaching us to utilize the laws of nature, in all its forms, to create a unique map to find your most ideal state of health, which in my book, is what immune health is all about. 

These are three tips from an Ayurveda perspective to boost your immune system:

1- Strengthen your Digestive System.

Per  Ayurveda, a strong digestive “fire” is the key to year-round health.  AND the first thing is to strengthen your digestion by eating meals at regular times and choosing foods that are easy to digest.   How do you know you’re digesting well? For me, it’s pretty simple. I just feel good: no discomfort, no gas, no, bloating, no tiredness, and no heavy mind.   I feel light, comfortable, and at ease.  

Ways to strengthen your digestion? Here are my two go-to:

Be sure to include immune-boosting foods in your diet. You can think of foods that boost the immune system in two ways—foods that are easy to digest and foods that offer support. Foods that are easy to digest are  kitchari, a traditional Indian dish made of rice, mung dal, and spices. It is so easy to digest that it is often given to the elderly, to those who are ill, and even to babies.  Other similarly easy to digest foods are soups, stews, and broths.  

Foods that offer support include things that are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as turmeric, ginger, echinacea, and vegetables & fruits.

Be sure to avoid foods that are cold, oily, and heavy. This includes things like cheese, ice cream, yogurt, potato chips, and fried foods.  Yep, I said it and you read it.  

2- Get Good Quality Sleep

If I’m not getting enough sleep, I immediately notice a snowball effect of feeling more and more tired and run-down- think hangover without the fun memories.  There are tons of books and articles about it, but in summary you’ll get good quality sleep by going to bed and rising at the same time daily, aiming for eight hours of quality sleep per night.  A little side note- you can’t force good sleep, you can only invite it.

3. Have a Daily Supportive Routine

Having a supportive daily routine is way more important than you’d think.

Remember last time you went on a trip?  Remember you end up needing as many days to recover?  Well, it’s not always just because the airplane was dirty. It’s because your body is totally confused from being stressed out, from staying  up too late, waking up too early and eating weird foods.   Creating stability through healthy ]habits will make all the difference and keep your body from being out of balance.   Ayurvedic habits to include in a daily routine are things like scraping your tongue, oil swishing, daily self-massage with oil and so on.

If you can nail these 3 basics, you're likely to experience a huge difference in how you feel.   

Lastly, I want to remind you to give yourself permission to slow down, nourish, and take care of yourself.  This is one of the most powerful ways to avoid depletion and support both mental and physical health.

Why Scraping Your Tongue

Tongue scraping is as basic as toothbrushing in Ayurveda. It’s a MUST, really. Tongue scrapping was my introduction to Ayurveda’s daily routines over twelve years ago and it has changed my health as it has become a cornerstone of my morning rituals.

Why the emphasis? To start, in western science, dentists point to post-nasal drip as the cause of bad breath. The post-nasal drip coats the back of the tongue with mucus that is rich in dying, bad bacteria, resulting in volatile sulfur compounds that create bad breath. The white coating on the tongues is what in Ayurveda we call ama (or toxins). Any toxin that has that sticky and heavy quality, causing dysfunction in the body, is ama.

In Ayurveda, our tongue represents our entire gastrointestinal tract and what is going on there. As the body processes the ama and puts it back into the gastrointestinal tract for elimination, it also spits ama out onto the tongue. So scraping the tongue daily is like cleaning the lint from your dryer before you use it.

So for sure with tongue scraping you’ll be eliminating a big cause of bad breath. But bad breath is only one benefit of scraping your tongue. Doing so will support your entire body by helping maintain a healthy bacterial environment in the mouth and by stimulating the cleansing of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

It is also a great way to stay in touch with your health. By cleaning your tongue daily, you will quickly get into the habit of taking note of the coating on your tongue. You will notice a thicker coat after a heavy meal, sickness, or after eating a lot of dairy products the night before. Your tongue becomes a mirror to your digestive health.

If a tongue scraper is not right next to your toothbrush and floss and it is not already part of your daily routine, now is the time to start. You can get your at any health food store or good pharmacy.

Could Ama be the source of your confusion?

CONFUSION = AMA

In Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine of India that seeks to treat and integrate body, mind, and spirit , Ama is undigested food that gets stored as toxin in the body. Ama also has an emotional, mental and relational component as undigested emotions and impressions create confusion. Both Ayurveda and Yoga are trying to bring clarity in our lives, so both are trying to remove Ama from us, so it’s important to know about Ama and recognize it when it’s present.

My teacher and Ayurveda Practitioner, Cate Stillman, goes further describing Ama by saying that “Ama causes confusion both on the cellular level - creating a slimy coating around cell membranes that dulls the cell receptors and endocrine optimization. Ama also causes confusion - or dullness - on the mental level leading to complacency and lassitude.” Ewwww, so gross!

Signs of Ama (regardless of your Ayurvedic Constitution)

• Excess body weight (i.e., Kapha is not Ama!)

• Lethargic upon arising (i.e., if you’re human, you’re a morning person, stop telling yourself otherwise)

• Grumpy upon waking (i.e., mmmhmmm!)

• Unstable energy (i.e., stop blaming your sugar level swings)

• Bad breathe (i.e., you’ve smelled Ama in the subway, you know!)

• Lots of white coating on tongue

• Traveling body aches and joint pain (i.e., maladiesRus or Achaques Galore)

If you see any of these signs showing up in your life you must address them before they turn into a permanent illness; Ama is slow moving in and very slow moving out AND Ama’s toxicity is the cause of permanent conditions. The long term solution is to cultivate healthy habits and to consider a gentle cleansing program once/twice a year. Let me know if you are interested in learning the basics of Ayurveda, which habits will keep Ama away and do an Ayurvedic inspired detox.

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Spark Up Your Life (or is it time for a cleanse?)

No matter how much we work on staying at my optimal health, living in a big city and career obligations catch up with my body and mind.  That is what brought me to my first cleanse many years ago. I was feeling overwhelmed, overweight and overextended. As a yogi I can’t praise enough the practice of regular cleansing in the year to observe, pamper and thank my body.  

After studying and trying many ways to cleanse, this is what I know as a Yoga Health Coach, a good cleanse has to address both internal and external toxins. It has to deal with the toxins we eat, drink, breath and put on our bodies AND also with the internal toxicity created by the body as it performs its normal everyday functions.

I believe that cleansing isn’t about starving yourself or skipping meals.  Ayurveda offers a straightforward approach to detoxing and to me the most efficient and with long lasting results because Ayurveda encourages your body to do it’s thing.   

So how do you know if it’s time for you to try a cleanse?

YOU’RE FEELING SPENT, TIRED AND WANT MORE ENERGY

If you’re feeling lethargic and drained and don’t have the energy to live your daily life with vibrancy, your diet could be the culprit. A cleanse clears your system of any foods that are squashing your energy (the biggest culprits are usually sugar, dairy and caffeine) and gives your digestive system a reset.

YOU’RE CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT, FEELING BLOATED OR PUFFY

If you want to lose weight in a way that nourishes your body and gets you on the right track for changing your habits for the long term, a cleanse can be a great place to start. By cutting out the foods that triggers weight gain and learning to find healthy replacements, you’ll be setting yourself up for sustainable weight loss.

YOU WANT TO CLEAN UP A SLUGGISH DIGESTION

If you often feel constipated, bloated, gassy, or have stomach aches and indigestion, it may be time to clean up your gut with a cleanse. A healthy digestion is one of the cornerstones of Ayurveda and an indication that you’re living optimally a cleanse can ignite your digestive fire.

YOU WANT CLEARER, GLOWING SKIN

Your skin is a mirror of the internal state of your body. If you’re having breakouts or other skin issues, it can be a sign that something on the inside isn’t right. Skin issues are often a result of inflammation in the body, so removing anti-inflammatory foods on a cleanse can result in your skin clearing up and having a healthy glow.

YOU’RE FEELING ADDICTED TO CERTAIN FOODS

We all know the feeling of being attached to foods – needing that coffee, glass of wine, cheese or chocolate. If you’re relying on certain things like caffeine and sugar to get through the day, a cleanse can help you reset, and begin to crave things that truly nourish you.

YOU WANT TO KICK-START A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE AND NEW HABITS FOR THE LONG TERM

Sometimes, being disciplined for a short period of time can help you find the middle way. If you want to create a lifestyle that is healthy, but you don’t even know where to start, a cleanse might be a great option. You’ll learn new healthy ideas, and reset your days to be more health-supportive.

WHEN SHOULD YOU NOT DO A CLEANSE?

If you’re feeling weak and run down, or your body is underweight, cleansing may not be the best choice for you.

Vegetable Wedges with Creamy Cashew "Mayo"

This is one my easiest go-to recipes when I want a nutritive, healthy and rich-tasting meal.  I don't think I have to tell you how much your body will love you for eating veggies and the sauce I am calling "mayo" is made with cashew nuts which list among its benefits obtaining a healthy heart, healthy hair, healthy nervous system and it even prevents cancer.  The most important part is that the mixture of  sweet flavors of  beets & carrots with the zesty of the "mayo" makes this dish incredibly satisfying.

These are the ingredients

• 5 medium carrots, each cut into thick wedges

• 2 large beets, cut into similar sized wedges with the tops discarded

• 2 hands full of raw cashews (or 3 heaping tablespoons cashew butter if you don't have a food processor)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper

• 1/4 cup fresh mint (or 1 tablespoons dried)

• Sea salt and fresh black pepper

This is what you do

1. Steam the carrot and beet wedges in a steaming basket until tender (roughly 15-20 minutes depending on size and water temperature).  Keep an eye on the evaporating water.

2. Drain and place in a bowl to cool.

3. In a food processor begin to create the "mayo" sauce by adding the cashews with a little bit of olive oil and pulse your processor till you begin to cream the cashews.  Add more cashews and olive oil till you create a mayonnaise consistency.

4. Then mix together these creamy mixture withe the water and red peeper and half the mint. Season with salt and black pepper.

5. Pour over the carrot and beet wedges and add additional fresh mint to garnish, and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Serves four (or two hungry yogis).  Enjoy

Eliminate Surfaces and conquer clutter

As true as gravity will keep your ass from floating in space, so will empty flat surfaces accumulate clutter in your home or office.  That is because clear surfaces provide unstructured, hook-free, often-vertically-unlimited storage. If you don’t believe me, go ahead make a clear surface–table, desk, counter-top, or even inside a drawer–and see how long it takes for it to get cluttered up with all varieties of stuff: unopened mail, brochures, dog leashes, pencil sharpeners, etc.   Our brains seem to be telling us "don’t know where to put this crap, stack it on that table, sure you'll get to it soon."

Here is another truth that will help you deal with this issue, clear surfaces tend to be magnets for stuff we don’t need, use or even want. These clear surfaces are especially useful for holding stuff we don’t want to deal with. Why do you think that “to table” something means to postpone the issue?

If you are looking to de-clutter and simplify your home, try removing a surface or two–one less end table, even one less dresser.  If this is too much for your cluttered mind, create limits on the surfaces you have by adding a small tray or small basket to collect your precious I-don't-want-to-deal-with-this stuff (hint...smaller the tray, the smaller the clutter).  Without easy places to deposit and pile stuff, we often find ourselves compelled to deal with it (or toss it on the floor, I guess, but tripping on it will force you to deal with it).

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Tea Time

Perhaps it's the chilly winter days that are approaching or perhaps it's the impending beginning of a new season of Downton Abbey ; the truth is that tea season is upon us.  The bitterness and sweetness, perhaps it is its resemblance to the essence of life that make tea such a pleasurable experience.   So here is some basic information I found helpful in my own tea journey.

What is Tea anyway?

All “true” tea comes from the same plant, called the Camellia sinensis. Any leaf, root, fruit or flower that comes from a different plant is considered an herbal tea. For example, chamomile flowers and peppermint leaves are considered herbal teas because they do not come from the traditional tea plant. It is important to distinguish between real tea and herbal tea since the flavor, health benefits and nutritional characteristics vary from plant to plant.

THOUSANDS OF TEAS, DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES There are thousands of different kinds of teas, each with their own individual appearance, taste and aroma. To make sense of all the variations, “true teas” (those made from the tea plant, or Camellia sinensis, versus herbal teas which come from other plants) can be categorized into 4 major categories: white, green, oolong and black. Generally, these categories refer to how much a tea is oxidized. The more oxidized the blacker the tea. See table below.

How to brew the perfect cup of tea?

Once you know the basics, brewing the perfect cup of tea is easy! If you can boil water, you can make tea. Fine tuning the flavor is essentially a game of manuvering and adjusting 3 elements: water temperature, steep time and amount of tea used.

With just a little practice, preparing a great tasting cup of tea is easy and will quickly become second nature. The right brewing equipment can also further simplify the process.

BASIC DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring fresh, cold water to a rolling boil. Always start with the freshest, purest source of water available as this will heavily impact tea's flavor ... it is the main ingredient, after all!

2. Add tealeaves to a teapot, fill-your-own teabag or infuser basket. Use 1 teaspoon – 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) per cup (8 oz) of water depending upon desired strength. Adjust to taste.

3. Pour boiling water directly over black, oolong and herbal tea. Allow water to cool slightly before brewing green tea, white tea or yerba maté. Cover.

4. Infuse (steep) leaves for 2-5 minutes; 3.5 minutes is a good standard steep time that works well for most teas. Do not oversteep or tea may become bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.

5. Remove tea sachet, bag or infuser from water or strain leaves.

How to Clean Your Tea Kettle?

To remove mineral deposits, boil equal parts white vinegar and water inside kettle. Remove from heat. Let sit several hours; rinse. Hand wash the pot's exterior with a gentle pot-scrubber sponge. Let tap water run for a few moments before adding it to the pot.

Now brew yourself a delicious cup of tea.  Enjoy!

Find out who you are by eliminating clutter - Office

One of my sweet students sent me an article from the Boston Globe titled Free yourself by letting go of the clutter in your home, office, and finances, the article is about balancing your finances and it points to a book written by Gail Blanke- “Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life." I am sure the book explains why "fifty" is the magic number, but I haven't read the book.  I do love the idea to start with a random number.  Engineering school taught me to analyze numbers and patterns, but it  also taught me  to trust numbers that don't quite make sense because at the end of the day you are looking for results (my Catholic upbringing just reinforced this methodology).   I've counseled hundreds of folks in how to organize a space and the most difficult part of the process is editing one's belongings.  I know it is very difficult, I struggle myself with parting from items I've attached myself out of nostalgia or out of fear.  So this is an experiment on how to free oneself of material things that aren't serving one's life anymore and I know for a fact that the process can become a metaphor to embrace the present and face one's fears.

As an unscientific experiment,I will throw out fifty items. Yes, I will become the subject of this experiment as I downsize my already pocket-size belongings in hope that the process will help you cope with the editing process of simplifying your life into a richer and healthier one.  If it doesn't do that, at least I hope it brings a smile to your day.

I am going to start with my Office Space.

So where do I  start?  I need to get rid of 50 things, so I guess as any good editor I am gonna look at every item in my office and ask  how is this item contributing to my work?

I think the key here is the active verb, contributing as supposed to contributed.  Many times I hold on to the stories in my head of how wonderful a book was, how nice a workshop was , and how one day I will use that stationary again.   Embracing who I am today means honoring those items that helped me move forward.  I need to trust that I don't need "the story" that the item evokes and let it  go from that place of confidence where I am.

- 28  Books:  this was a tough one since these books were not just books I read, these are books that moved me.   I love stories and if I find a good story like in the many novels I've collected through my adulthood I feel that parting with the book will not let me hold on to the story.  This isn't true, these stories will be with me as long as I can recall the connection I had with them.  Public libraries and electronic books are my friend, if I decided to reconnect with any of my favorite books, I know where to find them.  20 books were donated to the Dobbs Ferry Library.  I also have carried with me textbooks since graduating from college.  I sold most of them right after graduations but I kept  a handful after school thinking that I may need them, I never did, but they represented hundreds of dollars and the fear of being wasteful made me hold on to them.  Truth is that no only I never use these books and no one can use them neither.   I can't sell them or donate them, no one wants them.  So holding onto hundred of dollars that can't serve me or anyone else IS wasteful.  8 Textbooks were tossed (yes, no alternative, I even consulted with theater  prop shops).

- 1 Box of envelops,  these 81/2 " x 11" white3 envelops have been with me since college too.  I used them to send resumes to potential employees.  I don't send mass mailing anymore and PDF electronic files is the standard.  Recycled them.

- 1 Day Runner Day Planner; I have been using my iCalendar for two years now, very successfully.  The repeat/end by date function is a huge help and the fact that I can syncronize with my mobile devise is awesome.  Why do I keep this day planner? I spend a lot of time and money creating my personalized day planner, but it is not useful anymore.  Recycled.

- 2 Decks of playing cards.  Last time I used playing cards I was in Vegas, and casinos make playing cards super available.  Tossed.

- 1 Desktop lamp which has been broken for two years.  I thought I could find a small repair shop to help me with this, but I didn't find one or made any effort.  Tossed.

- 2 boxes of postcards collected in coffee shops.  I had the great idea of forwarding these post cards to friends as I thought of them in my often thinking afternoons in coffee shops.  Texting has become then new postcards.  Recycled.

- 8 pens/markers that do not work properly.  I accumulate so many pens and markers that it becomes hard to keep track of which ones are working.  60 seconds of testing, but I know I can pick up a writing devise with total confidence of success.

- 4 File Folders.  These folders contained finished projects with relevant information, which could come handy for me or my clients.   I scanned all the documents, store the electronic copy my DropBox account and shred paper files.  I  have feared that the information will be stolen or lost in the cloud network, but it could have been  stolen and lost in my house or through all the e-mails I have sent.  I surrender to technology...it is indeed a good thing.

- 5 Yoga  DVD.  These were some of my first yoga teachers.  Rodney &  Shiva were there to help me build my yoga practice, they are still in my practice, but I haven't use these DVD's in years.  I can honor their teaching by just donating these to the library.

- 1 Mouse pad.  I haven't use it in three years...bye bye, my friend.

Who am I?  I am space.  I am efficient. I am open to new experiences.   The whole experiment was very difficult to start, but once you start the process, it is relatively simple.  A great side-effect: You will find your mind more open and more willing to let go of thoughts that are not serving you.

Drop me a line if you find this helpful.

Cool Cucumber And Avocado Soup

It’s that time of the year when Summer is upon us, and all of Winter’s extra calories and Spring’s extra allergens catches up with our bodies.  As we progress into our Spring Cleaning, it is also a good time to do some good Digestive Cleaning.  This Cucumber and Avocado Soup is a great Spring/Summer addition to your Detox recipes.  The green color is so mesmerizing and the flavor is soothing and just kewl. This is what you need:

zest of 1/2 lime

juice of an entire lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, roughly chopped

1/2 avocado, peeled and roughly chopped

This is what you do

Blend everything together until totally creamy and smooth.  I love drinking this at room temperature, but I can’t see why it would be a problem warming it up a bit if the idea of a cold soup isn’t appealing to you.

This is a 1 serving recipe, who else is going to join you for it  and it only takes 1 minute to make, you got no time to waste!

Enjoy!

Saucha for Your Home Office

Saucha is one of  the observances of  Patanjali's eightfold path of Yoga.   Saucha can be translated roughly as cleanliness; and there are many amazing interpretations and explanations on how utilizing Saucha will align us with our Yoga path.   A way in which I apply Saucha is through awareness of my surroundings (i.e., how are my surroundings honoring my experience of life?).  In a yoga setting, a simple way to apply Saucha may be placing back the props in the yoga studio so that the next students can enjoy their yoga practice as well- little by little you can see how practical Saucha can be.   But this concept, just as yoga itself, doesn't stop when one steps away from the mat.  In this post I am trying to utilize Saucha to help you deal with paper management at home.

As I work with clients, a common issue that most of them face  is  document management.  I can't stress enough that you best friend when working on  paper management is a sleek and dependable shredder !   However when it comes to dealing with the IRS we must still keep some document handy.  Below are some guidelines which I hope can help you decide what to keep and what to throw away.   For more information speak with a financial expert or your accountant.

To make it easy, I divided the paper load in three categories:

1- Documents you don't dispose- long term storage box or filing cabinet are the best for these documents.  Keep these safe and protected.

• Annual tax returns
• Year-end summaries from financial service companies
• Stock and bond certificates
• Deeds of property and ownership, auto titles, insurance policies
• Home improvement records
• Health records, wills and powers of attorney
• Birth certificates, adoption and custody records, death certificates

2- Documents you will eventually shred. Accordion-type files, desktop file boxes work better for these.

• Paycheck stubs; phone and utility bills for one year (or seven years if business-related);  monthly bank and credit card statements for one year; and monthly mortgage statements for one year- however if you ask to receive these bills/statements via e-mail, it will be one less thing to keep around the house.
• Brokerage or mutual fund statements until they’ve been reconciled at year end
• Year end statements from credit card companies for seven years
• W-2 and 1099 forms for seven years
• Cancelled checks and receipts for all tax-deductible expenses for seven years

3- Discard and/or shred

• ATM, bank-deposit slips and credit card receipts after cleared on a statement
• Non-tax deductible receipts for minor purchases
• Old magazines and articles not read within the past three months
• Receipts, instructions and warranties for items you no longer own (or warranties that have expired)

Keep breathing through the process and remember that just like all yoga poses, you've got to start somewhere.

Aromatherapy for your yoga practice

Chances are that if you have been around me in the last several years, you have come in contact with  my aromatherapy experiments - I do apologize for the Summer of patchouli ; experiments do come with sacrifices.

I am not gonna try  to explain what makes Essential Oils and Aromatherapy such a unique and interesting form of alternative medicine, I'll let you explore the information on you own.  I can only tell you that  it has made my health a lot better since I started using them.

There are different ways to use essential oils, and they have a lot of emotional and esoteric properties attributed to essential oils,  however I will concentrate on the practical ways in which I  use them during my yoga practice.  Needless to say,  if you tend to have allergies or have a specific condition, consult with your doctor before exploring the wonderful benefits of essential oils.

Before and After your Yoga Practice

• Preparing the space: Diffusing oils like lemon essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, Thieves® essential oil or Purification® essential oil before or in between yoga class will purify the air while bringing a refreshing, uplifting energy to the space.
• Cleaning:  For cleaning your yoga mat, props and or the area where you practice, you can use my formula.    Thieves household cleaner is a great non-toxic-disinfectant alternative for those of you who don't enjoy the DIY projects.

During your Yoga Practice

• Meditation (dhyana): Diffuse or directly inhale oils such as lavender essential oil can sooth your mind and senses to become more open.  I find the calming quality of lavender very useful in softening my heart and opening my mind to the experience of meditation.  By the way, lavender is like the baking-soda of essential oils; it can practically be used in all circumstances (and a little trivia, the term Aromatherapy was named after the use of lavender essential oil to treat burn victims- royalty! )
• Breathing (pranayama): The pure aroma of essential oils such as eucalyptus essential oil can assist in opening the pathways of your respiratory system (pharmaceutical companies reproduce synthetically this chemicals, but can we really surpass nature's wisdom?).  If I wake up with a stuffy nose, I diffuse eucalyptus essential oil in the room.  I sometime do a face steam bath with one drop of  eucalyptus essential oil...this is a stronger application for more severe nasal congestion, but so effective - again consult with your doctor if you have any medical condition.
• Poses (asana): Topical application of oil-diluted peppermint  essential oil may help alleviate muscle soreness and tension.  Make sure you dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil such as almond oil.  I sometime use  lavender essential oil  to decrease post-practice muscle irritation or yoga mat burns.

If you have any comments or questions, please let me know.   There is a lot of information available through the Young Living website, the company I get my essential oils from.   I also have various aromatherapists available for questions.

How to Order Organic & High Quality Essential Oils? I created an ordering essential oils page with easy steps to make it easy.  There are a lot of products market as essential oils, but therapeutic grade oils are the ones to use for Aromatherapy...after all there is aroma & therapy in Aromatherapy!!

Experience life...better.

Less <3 More

“What if we could save money, radically reduce our environmental impact, and have a freer, less complicated life?”  Now that is an attention-grabbing-question, isnt’ it?  This exactly is the premised behind the interior-design project LifeEdited.  In the project, Graham Hill challenged interior designers to create a space using technology and common sense to transform his NYC 420 square foot apartment into a comfortable place to live.  I mean, comfortable: home office, space for 2 guests to stay over, a sit down dinner for 12, lounge space for 8 and even a workout/steam room!! I totally recommend you look at the designs submitted- the winning designs are outstanding, and you can also see all the submitted designs.  It is a feast of multi-function and organization.  However, you don’t have to move or remodel your home to achieve this Less = More status, you can start right now and I think that  we  can all use technology and common sense to make more out of our living spaces.  Here are some life-editing steps we can all implement immediately:

Multipurpose spaces:  allowing your real estate to be multifunctional doesn’t have to involved designer or custom-built contractions (though I have seen some amazing work at my friend Lalita’s renovated apartment).  If you want to transform, for instance your living room into your personal yoga space, add casters or furniture sliders to your coffee table and sofa and listo, you have created the necessary space for your yoga mat.  Another example could be packing your laptop computer and file folders in a canvas tote when you are not using them, this can clear a lot of space of your desk or kitchen table.

Store everything digitally: this may require some effort and time, but the amount of space you will gain will be lucrative and satisfying.  First sign up to receive your bills electronically-don't ask any question, just do it.  Additionally, little by little you can download your CD and DVD to your computer.  Donate the hard copies to your local Library.  Chances are you have a bulky printer that scans, faxes and make copies; it is time you put it to use and begin to scan to your computer all those snapshots from the 90’s that you have been carrying with you for decades.  You will be surprise the amount of embarrassments you will inflict on your facebook friends.  Worried about computer memory?  You can use countless sites to store your information.

Think Accessibility vs. Ownership:  Netflix, eBooks, SoundCloud…should I continue?  You get the idea, why have excess DVDs, Books, CDs collecting dust and taking space.  The only way to allow for the divine grace of new/fresh ideas to come into your living space is to have space for it (spiritually, mentally & YES, PHYSICALLY!)

Only Keep Essential Necessities:  Constantly, ask yourself how is this item serving my vision, my values and everyday harmony?  That is a tough requirement to fulfill, but aren’t you and your home worth it?  Think about it, how could you take space from your everyday existence for something that isn’t allowing you to live a better life?  Edit, edit harshly.