for taking time to edit this manuscript and provide valuable feedback and to Georgia Clark for her artistic talent and creation of the illustrations in this text.
I give gratitude to the yogic tradition that I have been a part of for twenty years and to all the many teachers I have had through this time who live and teach this ancient spiritual practice. I thank Joanna Cashman for her grace and teaching gifts that have allowed me to help others with yoga.
Heartfelt thanks to my family for their bountiful gifts: my mother for her strength, faith, and dedication to healthy living; my father for his ability to love unconditionally and be engaged with the dance of life; my sister for her keen wit, empathy, and creativity; and my brother for his humility, depth, and authenticity. My partner, Mark, has been supportive of the time and space I have needed to write. He continues to teach me the power of the middle path. I love and acknowledge the three orange furry friends (Simon, Sasha, and Charlie Brown) who surrounded me with gentle purring while I was writing this book.
My agent, Krista Goering, is a bright, brilliant soul who understands this life work and does an excellent job finding the best conduit for its appearance into the world. I appreciate her diligence and passion for the work she does. Not everyone is as fortunate to have an editor like Caroline Pincus, an angel of the publishing world. Her compassionate comments and balanced approach to writing are greatly admired.
Truly, I am in awe of all the people I have met on my life path, seeking wisdom and healing within classes I've offered or within the setting of a clinic visit. Thank you for allowing me into your lives to give and receive what I could. I remain in service to you.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Dietary Supplements
CHAPTER 3 The Interrelationship Between Herbs, Supplements, and Chakras
CHAPTER 4 Supplements for Grounding and Protection (Root Chakra)
CHAPTER 5 Supplements for Creativity and Flow (Sacral Chakra)
CHAPTER 6 Supplements for Power and Transformation (Solar Plexus Chakra)
CHAPTER 7 Supplements for Love and Compassion (Heart Chakra)
CHAPTER 8 Supplements for Communication and Truth (Throat Chakra)
CHAPTER 9 Supplements for Intuition and Imagination (Third Eye Chakra)
CHAPTER 10 Supplements for Purification and Clarification (Crown Chakra)
APPENDIX A Chakras and Corresponding Herbs and Supplements
APPENDIX B Chakra Reference Guide to Physiological Conditions
APPENDIX C Recommended Vitamin and Mineral Intakes for Adult Men and Women
NOTE TO READERS
This book is intended to be an introductory, informational guide and is not meant to treat, diagnose, or prescribe. This text provides information available at the time of writing. Since the research on dietary supplements is always changing, new developments will undoubtedly be revealed over time. It is the responsibility of the individual to consult with experts and current literature for future updates on vitamin, mineral, and botanical supplements that may be relevant for physical conditions, including changes in dose, duration of use, side effects, or in treating or preventing conditions, to name a few.
Additionally, please note that this book is not a comprehensive guide to all supplements that exist for all conditions. Only a select group of supplements were included. For any medical condition or symptom, always consult with a qualified physician or appropriate healthcare professional. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any responsibility for your health or how you choose to use the information contained in this book.
Names and identifying details have also been changed to honor people's desire for confidentiality.
INTRODUCTION
I was introduced to chakras about twenty years ago when I started taking yoga classes. Their connection to the concepts of energy and vibration was particularly intriguing to me. Being an artist drawn to the intensity of colors and the healing arts, I soon realized that the chakras were a perfect marriage of the two. Since that time, I've read countless books on chakras, attended classes on chakras, painted chakras, created chakra greeting cards, and finally learned to read and interpret the chakras. Now I work with the chakras in my own daily practice and use them as a tool in working with others. Sometimes I choose not to say that I am utilizing the chakra system as a framework to helping others, simply because it's not always necessary to get trapped in the net of an unfamiliar verbiage that may require undue explanation. To make the chakra concept more accessible and modern, I have attempted to describe the chakras differently, capturing their essence for the nonsubscribers to this system. Instead of talking about the root chakra, I might refer to the “body and everyday physical needs.” Rather than saying the “third eye chakra” and talking about intuition, I talk about insight and thought. These words can be understood by all without the umbrella of the chakra system.
The beauty of the ancient chakra system is that it can be applied to just about anything in life. Anything we do, think, say, and feel has the ability to shift our chakras and our collective energy field. Many authors have discussed how to heal the chakras through various means, such as verbal or written affirmations, yogic exercises, or visualization. Since my academic and professional background has been focused on nutrition, I soon began to discern a correlation between food, eating, and chakras. From this perspective, I created a series of classes and workshops called Nutrition for the Soul to describe this multidimensional, triangular relationship in an experiential way. These classes prompted me to create the book Chakra Foods for Optimum Health: A Guide to the Foods that can Improve Your Energy, Inspire Creative Changes, Open Your Heart, and Heal Body, Mind, and Spirit in order to take these concepts to a larger audience. While cravings for foods could explain chakra imbalances and eating certain foods could help to correct