Garden of Healing Massage Therapy

08/05/2026

Today, I woke up and actually felt goosebumps, the morning was so cool, and it was glorious! We are not free of the heat yet, but today was a sign cooler days are on their way. Hallelujah! August is characterized by cool, crisp mornings and hot, dry afternoons. The mornings are perfect for a walk or working in the garden. Because it still heats up in the afternoon, it's best to keep our diets cool and light. The extra dryness means we really have to focus on staying hydrated with electrolytes. A pinch of salt and a wedge of lime added to a glass of water is the perfect remedy.

Fish, chicken, nuts, seeds, beans, yogurt, and eggs are ideal proteins in August. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are slightly heavier carbs that can start making a comeback. And some of the best fruits like peaches, grapes, and raspberries ripen in August. For more on how to support your body in August, click the link below.

https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/article/Ayurvedic-Diet-for-August/5483

07/23/2026

July is an interesting month because it is generally when the shift from hot and humid to hot and dry happens. We seem to be having a bit of a reverse of that here in Colorado. We have been so dry and are desperate for rain! Take each day as it comes. On the drier days, focus on more sour, salty and hydrating foods like sour fruits, coconut water, and okra. On humid days, focus on more astringent and bitter foods like arugula, zucchini, cucumbers, and beans. This is the one time of year when Ayurveda considers raw foods are okay because they are cooling. Melons are also especially cooling. Check out some of these recipes for more supportive foods in July.

July is prime summertime. School's out, vacation is on the horizon, the workload lightens - so many reasons to celebrate the freedom that summer invites! You will likely find yourself at more social gatherings this time of year. What better way to come to

07/11/2026

Hot, hot July is here which means it's time to chill out. This is not the time for hard labor if you can avoid it. Take a vacation, read a book by the pool, lounge on a paddle board, just take some time to relax and cool off.

Light, bitter, cooling, and slightly sweet foods are the most supportive in July. Cucumbers, melons, crispy lettuce, cilantro, mint, coconut, pomegranate, and jicama are all excellent choices. Lighter proteins like chicken and fish are easier to digest and not as heating. Beans are astringent which is cooling and drying to the body.

Avoid spicy and fermented foods as well as red meat and alcohol. These are heating and could cause tempers to flare. For more on how to support your body in July, click the article below.

Fourth of July fireworks initiate the celebratory feeling that runs throughout July. The fun of backyard barbecues, playful picnics, the excitement of summer vacation, and the thrill of road trips make this a month to look forward to. July is a time to re

07/04/2026

Summer sale on Arnica & Ice lotion, Pain lotion, and Cocoa Butter Body Butter. These are the perfect lotions to soothe sore muscles and joints from all that summer activity. Cocoa Butter Body Butter works wonders to heal sun burns. All are 20% off now through the July 31st.

06/25/2026

Summer is officially here and now we have some humidity to go with it. This is the time of year to eat light, cooling, and easy to digest foods and make sure we are staying hydrated. Fruit smoothies make a great breakfast or snack. The cauliflower and fennel bulb with roasted pumpkin seeds is a light and refreshing side and the corn on the cob with cilantro and coriander butter is simply delicious! Click the link for more summer recipes.

It's the time of year to walk barefoot in the grass and soak in the endless blue skies. June is one of the most anticipated months of the year as schools finish and the summer stretch fills the evenings with light and warmth. The extra heat in the air enc

06/09/2026

It's June and it feels like summer is here. We've had some pretty toasty days already. Heat and heat related emotions (passion, enthusiasm, joy, impulsiveness, anger, frustration) are the biggest things to pay attention to in June. It's easy to overdo it this time of year and become overheated and exhausted. Keep yourself hydrated and try not to say yes to everything to make the most of the month and prevent the positive emotions from turning negative.

Sour berries, fruit smoothies, salads, and legumes are perfect foods for June. They will help keep you cool and hydrated as well as being light and easy to digest. If you are going to spend long hours in the sun, add a pinch of salt, a wedge of lime, and a 1/2 tsp of sugar to your water to replenish the electrolytes you sweat out.

For more on how to care for your body in June, click the article below.

Break out the flip flops and tank tops! Summer is officially here. As the weather heats up and the sun shines ever brighter, summer festivities beckon constant fun. Gardens flourish, humidity rises, bugs abound and children are excited to be at play.

05/22/2026

Our May has not been particularly hot this year, which I think we are all thankful for. Especially the rain! The warm weather returns this weekend. Here are some nice cooling and nourishing recipes you may want to include as side dishes or appetizers for your Memorial Day cookout.

Feel the temperature steadily increase this May as summer lies just around the corner. The days are long and bright and fresh produce seems limitless at this time of bountiful growth. Energy abounds as the cold, dark winter is nothing more than a distant

05/07/2026

Happy snowy day! You know you're in Colorado when the snowiest day of the season is May 6th and it hit the 90s in March. All that moisture should help things green up when the weather warms in a day or two, which is just what we needed. May is typically the month when the weather is more consistently warm. It is a perfect time to get outside, soak up the sun, and enjoy nature.

Bitter, sweet, and slightly sour or astringent, depending on your constitution, will be the most helpful tastes in May. Especially if you are still suffering from spring allergies. Berries ripen just in time to cool and cleanse our livers and there is nothing like a fresh, crisp, salad on hot day to refresh our energy. Make sure to top it with plenty of sprouts for an extra boost of energy. For more on how to support your body in May, check out the article below.

Life comes to full bloom in May just in time for Mother's Day. A tree in flower fills the air with a sweet perfume. Bright yellow and pink flowers seem to capture the very essence of new life. The entire atmosphere of May is buzzing and alive with the sou

04/21/2026

The diet for April is typically light, dry, and cooling foods. Bitter greens, beans, corn, sprouts, and beets are excellent choices for this month. Since we already have a lot of dryness in our environment in Colorado this year, you may want to focus more on the light and cooling foods. If you are dealing with a lot of water retention and puffiness, you will need the drying foods as well. The following are some recipes that incorporate foods with these qualities.

April showers bring May flowers. This time of year, a whole host of bright new veggies come into season after a long winter of dull produce. Fresh artichokes, rhubarb, arugula, strawberries, beans, yellow corn, and asparagus all ripen in April and may cat

04/09/2026

The trees are in full bloom and the daffodils and tulips have come up, which means it must be springtime in April. It also means allergy season is starting. The root cause of spring allergies is often a hot, congested liver. You can relieve this congestion and heat by eating cooling and cleansing bitter greens like kale, collards, endive, red and green lettuce, and dandelion greens.

If you're feeling puffiness in your face and extremities, pungent, diaretic, and diaphoretic foods like radishes, mustard greens, garlic, corn, celery, cabbage, peppermint, and rosemary are your go-tos. Cumin, coriander, and fennel seed tea is excellent this time of year for keeping digestion strong and moving out excess moisture in the body.

Avoid fatty and fried foods as well as wheat, dairy, sugar, salt, and red meat. These foods will tax the liver, clog the lymph, and bog down circulation creating more puffiness, stuffiness, and fatigue.

For more on how to support your body in spring, click the link below.

Have you caught 'Spring Fever'? By April spring fever is in full swing. You may have been hibernating indoors throughout March to avoid the tumultuous weather, but by the time April rolls around, the great outdoors is calling. Children stare lon