Travels to Sri Lanka & Bali – the health & wellbeing lessons
This was my 1st visit to Sri Lanka and my 3rd visit to Bali , the latter I am still in love with! Each time I visit another country I learn so much about the culture, traditions and the ancient wisdom and latest trends in health and well-being.
Sri Lanka – a verdant, lush landscape that gives 2 or 3 crops a year depending on the fruit, vegetable or grain. The diet is still very much based on using fresh natural ingredients obtained at daily markets and is primarily vegetarian but with fresh and dried fish and meat when its affordable, as the population is mainly Buddhist, there is little alcohol drunk. Curries are the order of the day for all 3 meals and Sri Lankan cuisine heavily features certain aromatic spices, which are often dry-roasted before being ground to develop a deep, complex flavour.
Common ingredients found across various Sri Lankan curry powders and mixed spices typically include:
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Cinnamon (or cassia bark)
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Black peppercorns
- Chilli powder/dried chilies
- Turmeric
- Mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
We know that all spices have amazing health and wellbeing properties, now well scientifically documented and you can find out more info here
A common “5 spice” blend for general use might contain cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg, with a fifth spice varying by maker. A “7 spice” blend would incorporate more of the common ingredients listed above, such as coriander, cumin, fennel, and fenugreek.
One of the most popular drinks is Coriander Tea – just literally steep Coriander seeds ( I bought split ones ) in hot water for 5 mins and add honey to taste. Coriander seeds offer benefits like improved digestion (reducing bloating & pain), better heart health (lowering bad cholesterol & blood pressure), blood sugar control, and powerful antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects due to compounds like linalool, protecting against chronic diseases and cellular damage. They also support skin, brain, and bone health, help flush toxins, and aid in managing symptoms of conditions like IBS.
Bali – UBUD, the spiritual and wellness capital of this beautiful island is bursting at the seams with all things pertaining to wellbeing and spirituality. As in many places, there is a mixture of the old traditions, interspersed with some cutting edge new fangled therapies and a bit of nonsense on the side (but actually very little)
Yoga is top of the popularity tree with every conceivable style of classes and many teacher training programmes promising that you will be ready to teach in 6 weeks! Call me old fashioned, but I do still feel that it takes a little longer than 6 weeks (200 hours) of training to understand the principles of being an empathetic and innovative teacher.
My top favs of things I experienced this trip were :
Light Sound Activation (LSV) in an amazing venue : The Pyramids of Chi
The Pyramids are small replicas of the ancient pyramids and built along the same lines of Sacred Geometry.
LSV is a form of Sound Healing using hand made Chinese Gongs, Crystal and Himalayan bowls, Digeredoo and other ancient instruments, together with modern music tracks. You lay on a water bed (with eyes closed) which is connected to the music system and vibrates with the frequency of the music being played and there are many coloured laser lights that also move in time with the music and sound as well. It’s like a Sound Bath combined with a Rave (not that I have ever been to a Rave lol!) The lights really enhance the experience as do the vibrations of the water bed. I was very skeptic all but I actually loved it.
My second favourite discovery is the traditional Indonesian drink of Jamu. it consists of Turmeric and Ginger root, lime and honey and it is served cold over ice but you could serve it hot in the winter here.
Recipe: Makes 4 servings
- 1 cup Turmeric root (washed, peeled and chopped)
- 1 cup Ginger root (washed, peeled and chopped)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2/3 fresh Limes juiced
- 1/2 cup local honey
Blend the Turmeric, Ginger and water in a blender until smooth.
Pour into a saucepan and bring to the boil and then simmer for about 15 mins
Remove from the heat and add the honey and lime juice ( your an always add more to taste – note if you can get Balinese limes they are much stronger in flavour!)
You can also just do it with the Ginger if you find that your armpits have a whiff of Turmeric a little too frequently!
