Food With a Pulse

There Is No Path To Peace. Peace Is The Path

2012-01-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

(Mahatma Gandhi)

January 2012 marked my 10-year yoga anniversary.

Through the practice I have discovered Life. While my body is always present, my mind is often elsewhere, caught in projects, worries and analysis. Yoga and meditation have given me the tools necessary to keep my mind in the Now. Life is only available in the present moment. The past is already gone; the future has not yet arrived.

When we establish ourselves in the present moment we are able to get in touch with the healing and nourishing elements that are always within us and around us.

One month into a new year, as we progress on a renewed path, we often have ideals we think we should be living up to. We put expectations on ourselves to improve in some way.

Difficulty is inevitable in human life, but what causes misery is not the difficulty but our assumption that we are meant to have everlasting happiness. When life becomes difficult or painful, we feel that something has gone wrong.

We pressure ourselves with the idea that if we could only do the right thing we would have everlasting happiness. All this brings is stress and anguish against a self-perceived imperfection.

Science explains how the stress hormones produced by our mental state can affect our weight as much as the amount of calories we consume. I am willing to bet that we all know someone who has either gained weight or not lost weight while restricting calories on a diet.

We are souls with a body, though often we treat ourselves as a body with a soul.

Yoga has taught me that a pose can’t heal me as much as the degree of love I feel while in it. If I can’t feel free with who I am right now, I will be nothing more but a skilled practitioner of breath and alignment. I may learn to reduce my stress but overly focusing on the body will never satisfy the soul.

The path informs the destination. We will never be satisfied with achieving our goals if we don’t learn to be satisfied right now.

A disease is no longer dis-ease if we find ease with it.

Each yoga practice ends with the pose Savasana, in which we are asked to let go completely and allow everything to be as it is.

Can we find a hint of savasana in every pose no matter how challenging? Can we do the same when we are no longer on the yoga mat?

Coconut Maple Scones

2012-01-27T11:45:00.004-05:00

Whole-Grain and Naturally Sweetened

Sex: A Symptom Reliever For The Common Cold

2012-01-10T12:47:00.001-05:00

Put down the nasal spray and listen up! Here’s what your parents never told you about the birds and the bees:
Sex is helpful in clearing nasal and sinus congestion!

In our bodies we have erectile tissue, a spongy tissue that expands and becomes hard when filled with blood. Needed for the proper function of sexual stimulation, it is only present in the genitals, the breasts, and the nose.

The nose?!

The swelling and shrinking of this tissue within the nose is always fluctuating. When one nostril subtly expands, the other one shrinks. For this reason the passage of air becomes stronger on a certain side at different times.

If there is no interference with the rhythm, the breath will alternate dominant nostrils every hour and a half to two hours. The switch is a gradual transition. Irregular schedules of activities, meals, or sleep can interfere with this rhythm. Pollutants and congestion are also a factor. While we still experience the shift from one dominant nostril to the other, the rhythm has been skewed. According to Ancient Indian Medicine this lack of rhythm can bring the onset of disease.

Each nostril governs different functions in our body. The right nostril is associated with the more active and extraverted aspects of the personality. It also has to do with the more heated functions within the body such as digestion.
The left side governs the quieter more passive psychological state, and is associated with the more restorative functions within the body.

Ayurveda recommends resting on the left side after meals. By laying on the left, one compresses the left lung, enhancing the flow of air through the right nostril, which stimulates the digestive tract. When going to bed it is recommended to lie on the left side for 10 minutes to increase body heat for cleansing (we cleanse the blood when we sleep,) and then roll onto the right for a more restful slumber.

However the title of this post suggests using our bedroom for more than just sleeping.
So here it is friends: an insight into my own bedroom adventures:

Last night, with the onset of a cold, I was feeling congested and lousy and was ready for an early night. Engaging in my nightly ritual, I brushed my teeth and filled my neti pot for a nasal rinse. I spent a good few minutes trying to run the water through my nose but it was completely blocked. No use, I headed to bed.

Fast forward to the end of the sex (Sorry, That’s all the details you get,) I noticed my nose is completely open!

Excited by this revelation, I tried the neti pot again and voila! The water ran right through.

Erectile tissue. Who knew?!

Making Your Own Sourdough Breads

2012-01-03T12:31:00.000-05:00

Sourdough vs. Yeast Based Breads

The Egyptians first leavened bread around 2300 BC. Mixing flour and water, they left it to ferment uncovered for several days. This mixture was then added to additional flour and water and baked into bread. This kind of natural leavening remained the basis of Western bread baking until the 20th century. In the 1950s commercial yeast was introduced, enabling bread to be made in less than 3 hours. These days some commercial bread can be made in less than an hour.

The importance of unleavened sourdough breads is that the proofing (the slow rising process) is needed in order to break down the complex carbohydrates and proteins and make them compatible for human digestion. The fermentation process serves as a digestive aid to all complex carbohydrate foods including other grains, beans, and vegetables.

The slow rising of a sourdough allows the bran in the flour to break down, releasing minerals that we are unable to digest in yeasted breads. It is when wheat gluten is properly fermented that it is the healthiest for human consumption.

Some theories state that yeasted breads are the main contributor to what has made wheat and gluten one of the highest allergenic foods we eat. It is not uncommon for people to have sensitivity to commercially yeasted breads but not experience the same sensitivities to naturally leavened whole grain sourdough bread.

It is similar to the controversy with soy which also can only be considered a health food if it is fermented long enough. Correctly fermented wheat provides us with 18 amino acids (proteins), complex carbohydrates (a super efficient source of energy), B vitamins, iron, zinc, selenium and magnesium, and maltase.

Sourdough bread rates a 68 on the glycemic index as opposed to the rating of 100 by other breads. Foods that have low ratings on the glycemic index are prominent in societies that tend to have lower rates of diseases such as diabetes.

How To Make a Sourdough Starter

There are various ways for making a sourdough starter; many include adding ingredients like grapes or potatoes, which provide extra sugar for the yeast to feed on and grow. I prefer the method of using only flour and water. There are a variety of yeasts and we want to be sure to be cultivating a kind that thrives best on flour. Besides, this method cuts out more of the sugars.

1 cup of warm (not hot!) water
1 cup of organic white whole wheat flour (you can use regular whole wheat too. The white wheat berry is lighter, producing a bread that is not as dense as bread made from regular whole wheat flour, which is made from the red wheat berry.)

Mix the flour and water with a wooden spoon in a jar. Cover with cheesecloth, and keep in a warm place (aim for about 80 degrees, but no warmer than 85.) The natural yeast from the air will be drawn to the flour and settle into the mixture. Keep the yeast covered with the cheesecloth for three days, mixing it once or twice a day with a wooden spoon. As soon as it's foamy and full of bubbles, your starter is ready to use!

While your first sourdough starter will take a couple of days to progress, after this first 2-3 day period it will be ready for immediate use at all times, provided you continue to feed it.

Once you've made a starter, take good care of it: sourdough starters impart more and more flavor the longer they live. Store your starter in a jar in the fridge, and be sure to feed it weekly, whether or not you're baking with it. Sourdough is a living culture, if you don’t feed it, it will die. Add equal amounts of flour and water.

Fresh Milled Bread (basic recipe)

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or other)
1 cup rolled oats, ground into a powder (a coffee grinder works great for this!)
4 Tbs of any of the following seeds ground (in coffee grinder:) sesame seeds, flax seed, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed. (I use 1 Tbs of each)
¼ cup sourdough
1¼ cup water

If you have a food processor with a plastic dough blade, add all ingredients except the water into the processor. While the machine is on, add the water gradually until the dough is all rolled into a ball. This should happen within seconds.

If you do not have a food processor, mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the water last, until the dough is formed.

The dough should be on the damper side.

Shape into a ball or loaf and let it rise on a non-aluminum tray for 2 hours.

Knead the dough again, pressing out any air. Reshape into loaf. Let is rise on a non-aluminum tray for another 4-6 hours.

Fill an ovenproof dish with water and place it on the bottom rack of a cold oven. Place the loaf on the middle rack. With the bread in the oven, heat to 425 °F (in most ovens, this takes 10-15 minutes) and bake at that temperature for an additional 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

Walnut Cranberry Bread

The lighter bread in the picture is the recipe above. The darker bread contains walnuts and cranberries, butternut squash for moisture and a drop of maple syrup.

2.5 cups white whole wheat flour
1.5 cups rolled oats, ground into a powder (a coffee grinder works great for this!)
4 Tbs flax
¼ cup starter
1 Tbs maple syrup
½ cup butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree (can use canned)
1.5 cups of water
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped

If you have a food processor with a plastic dough blade, add all ingredients except the water, walnuts and cranberries will go into the processor. While the machine is on, add one cup of water. Turn the machine off and add the cranberries and walnuts. Turning the processor back on, proceed to gradually add the remaining half cup of water. The dough will unify into a ball as it spins around in the processor.

If you do not have a food processor, mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the water last, until the dough is formed.

The dough should be on the damper side.

Shape into a ball or loaf and let it rise on a non-aluminum tray for 2 hours.

Knead the dough again, pressing out any air. Reshape into loaf. Let is rise on a non-aluminum tray for another 4-6 hours.

Fill an ovenproof dish with water and place it on the bottom rack of a cold oven. Place the loaf on the middle rack. With the bread in the oven, heat to 425 °F (in most ovens, this takes 10-15 minutes) and bake at that temperature for an additional 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

Living Our Dharma in 2012

2012-01-03T12:13:00.001-05:00

Here we are. 2012. Great. What’s for dessert?

We all live our days wanting something delightful. We might choose healthier or less healthy pleasures, but the desire is the same: to fill the need for delight.

We’re always thinking about the next best thing; hence the tradition of New Year resolutions.

What were this year’s resolutions? Changing the shape of our body, or improving our health or lifestyle?

If that’s the goal, we’re in trouble! Statistics tell us that we stand very little chance of fulfilling our resolutions.

It seems there is never going to be a number on our scales or in our bank account that will meet our desires. We tell ourselves that we know this, but do we really? “If I can just achieve this goal, THEN I can be happy.” How misleading.

No external goal will resolve the deepest question nagging us all; “Who am I meant to be?”

Each of us is unique with a role to contribute in this lifetime. The extent to which we fulfill our purpose is the extent of our happiness.

Regardless of money, or body weight, if we have not found and begun to live for and commit to the desire of our personal purpose, nothing will satisfy us.

For those of us who practice yoga (or engage in other mindfulness practices,) we have to take care not to lay the same expectations on our practice. No arm balance or backbend will meet such expectations. While yoga will aid in calming the restlessness, it is a tool, not the answer.

Some of us are dealing with professions or obligations that discourage us. We wish we could pour our energy into something we truly love and believe in. This sense of dissatisfaction is our Dharma calling: a desire for our purpose.

Purpose is not about profession. Purpose shines through all aspects of life. It shines through relationships to self and others as well as to each living moment.

When we seek the means to fulfill our purpose and have a healthy relationship to this purpose, we have a natural urge to be healthy in order to reach our fullest potential. Our resolutions can serve as tools but they are not the destination.

Let us seek pleasure, intimacy, kindness, and warmth. The soul longs for expression.

If you are focused on becoming healthier, ask yourself why you are doing this. We all have desires, but some are more helpful than others. Be clear on your purpose. What is your body here to serve you in doing this lifetime? Reflect: look inward and ask questions.

Self Care Through The Holiday Season

2011-12-11T16:30:00.006-05:00

The Holiday Season! This can be a nourishing time when we choose it to be so; gathering with loved ones, giving gifts, celebrating food and paying homage to our ancestors.

But the season of celebrations can also be the season of burnout. As nature slows down we tend to speed up with parties, hectic preparations and low quality foods.

This year, let's rejoyce in the festivities AND take care of ourselves...

Take a deep breath.
Aim for 30 chews per bite.
Eat foods that are warmer, heavier, oilier, and saltier (that means high quality unrefined oils and sea salt - not table salt).
Add miso and tempeh to your weekly diet.
Incorporate more grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, and brown rice, which are filling, full of nutrients and help create calm.
Enjoy the taste of beets, carrots, winter squashes, onions and sweet potatoes. Root vegetables will energetically ground you.
Spice it up with cardamom, cumin, cinnamon and fennel.
Dose up on vegetables. Many people feel more grounded and warm when eating animal protein in the winter. If doing so, be sure to balance your meals with an abundance of vegetables to help with the digestion of heavier animal foods.

More Support?

Download Your FREE Holiday Guide!

Recognizing the potential stress that this season can bring, I am happy to offer you the The Integrative Nutrition Healthy Holiday Guide as your very own go-to resource for holiday eating, self-care, and gift-giving. From delicious recipes that will warm your spirit to unique gift ideas for your family and friends, you are sure to find something to make this holiday season even more delightful!

Click Here to Receive Your FREE eBook
(Link expires on 12/31/11)

Warm Quinoa Breakfast

2011-12-09T13:12:00.001-05:00

Oatmeal sometimes feels a little heavy for me in the morning. So when I want a warm breakfast on a cold day, quinoa is a personal favorite.

¾ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup unsweetened almond milk or any/ other milk/ water
1 tbs raw honey or maple syrup
1 tbs goji berries
1 tbs raw walnuts
¼- banana, sliced
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Combine quinoa, milk, honey and goji berries in a small saucepan and place over a medium-low heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn it down to a simmer and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes, until the porridge has thickened a bit and is heated through.   Stir in walnuts and bananas and top with cinnamon.

Have an energetic and satiated morning!

Eggnog: Naturally Sweetened & Dairy Free

2011-12-04T16:15:00.003-05:00

1/2 cup almonds
3 medjool dates (or 1/4 cup dates)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 Tbs maple syrup
3 cups water
1 cheese cloth
optional - for the alcoholic version add rum and brandy to taste.

In your blender, blend almonds, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and water. Blend until the almonds and dates are chopped as fine as possible.

In a bowl whisk the eggs and add maple syrup.
Pour the liquid from the blender through a cheese cloth into the bowl with the eggs.
Whisk the eggnog and add alcohol if you wish.
Place it in the fridge to cool until it thickens.

For a lighter vegan version, this blended mixture tastes great without the eggs.

(If you are using a powerful blender such as a Vitamix, most of the almonds and dates will have liquified anyway so the cheese cloth is not as important.)

Hey, Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

2011-11-28T15:14:00.001-05:00

Calorie burning efficiency is dramatically affected by lack of sleep. You must sleep! Sleep is the state where we fully integrate the relaxation response. It’s where we do much of our healing.

The average amount of sleep needed is said to average eight hours though for some it might be an hour more or less.

If You’d Like to Gain Weight, Go On A Diet

2011-11-25T19:21:00.005-05:00

Just prior to Thanksgiving, many of the health and wellness blogs and articles shared the common focus of helping people control their appetite during the holiday.

I wondered if someone were to follow any of these suggestions to help curb their appetite, would they feel empowered?

The modern mind has become a master at transforming self-improvement into self-blame. We get trapped into feeling stuck rather than empowered. All these articles seemed to speak to our fears and shame rather than our strengths.

We live in a dieting culture where diets are beginning to create more problems than solutions.

Almost every study shows that 99% of humans who lose weight on a diet gain it back within a year or two. Why do people diet for years on end even though it isn't working?

Chronic dieting (i.e. endlessly dieting 'on and off') has become a seductively destructive epidemic. For most, it enhances self-judgment and unworthiness. In our culture it has become totally acceptable (and somewhat expected) to diet.

Well, here are six reasons why ongoing dieting doesn’t work:

1) The body’s response to food restriction is to slow down metabolism. This is a natural survival response to prevent death by starvation. If the body senses there is a famine, it will slow down caloric burning to sustain itself on less for longer. We can actually gain weight or not lose weight when eating fewer calories.

2) Dieting puts the body into a ‘stress response’. Mental cycles of self-judgment and self-hate increase our stress hormones, cortisol and insulin. “I’m no good, I’m too fat” is a physiology that pulls away from our digestive power, hormonally negating muscle building and fat burning.

3) Most dieters will be a little fat deficient and protein deficient. When we are missing essential fatty acids and essential amino acids, our thermal efficiency is slowed down.

4) Many dieters cannot find pleasure in their food. Part of our digestive power is fired in the cephalic phase in which the brain senses pleasure through the senses. When we are not getting the pleasure, metabolism is weakened. This is also why eating too fast or when distracted weakens digestion, as the senses are not involved.

5) Many dieters skip meals, eating less in the morning and more at night. When we skip breakfast and eat a late lunch, we lose out on the heightened hours of digestion. 12-1:30pm and the hours prior to that are the strongest caloric burning hours.

6) If we have less food, we can take in oxygen less efficiently because the body is trying to slow down its systems. Oxygen enhances the proficiency of our bodily functions.

Calories have little power over the power of the mind.

While diets can be useful and healing short term, a chronic dieting mentality is anti- weight-loss. If it worked, we wouldn't need to continuously diet!

There are a tremendous number of health issues that are a direct result of chronic dieting. These include fatigue, poor digestion, low mood, immune problems, headaches, binge eating, skin, constipation, and more. These conditions are often misdiagnosed as the problem rather than a symptom of nutrient deficiency.

When we are stressed about eating, our body is incapable of properly digesting.

To change our patterns we need to change our thoughts. We need to learn how to relax into the process. While there are many paths of personal growth and evolution, I can speak to the path of yoga, as it has been a pillar in my own personal development.

The path of yoga aids in improving health and weight for various reasons such as caloric burning, cleansing, and mental stress reduction that soothes our emotional drive for overeating. More than that, yoga works because it changes the stress physiology, which prevents us from losing weight no matter how little we eat.

What are your methods for changing your stress physiology?

Related Articles:
The 100 Year Diet Cycle
Are We Overestimating Overeating?
Understanding Macronutrient Balance

Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-25T08:31:00.007-05:00

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of pumpkin pie. BUT I really enjoyed the filling in this one! It has a sweet finish without being too sweet. I wondered how others would receive it since it had less sugar than most pies. When taking it to a Thanksgiving meal, everyone loved it and there wasn’t a crumb left in the dish!

The Crust:
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, finely ground

2 teaspoons raw coconut crystals (this is evaporated coconut tree sap. You can also try date sugar or pure maple sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold organic* butter, cut into small pieces
2- 3 Tbs very cold water

Grind the oat in a coffee grinder until they become flour. Combine flour, ground oats, sweetener and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter using two knives until the mixture is crumbly (I use my fingers although your not suppose to as the heat of the hands will make the dough less flakey.) Sprinkle with water; mixing until the mixture holds together.

Shape the dough into ball; place on lightly floured sheet of wax paper. Top with additional piece of wax paper; roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Don’t be surprised if the dough is a little tougher to roll.

Remove top sheet of wax paper and invert dough into 9-inch pie plate; slowly peel away wax paper. Trim excess crust. Turn edge under; crimp as desired.
Cover by placing it in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

The Filling:
The filling is tailored from Alice Water’s Joy of Cooking.

1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1 Tbs organic* butter, softened
1 cup organic* heavy cream
2 teaspoons flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup raw coconut crystals
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of fresh-ground black pepper

In a small saucepan whisk together 1/4 cup the cream with the flour. Heat the mixture over a low heat until it fully heats and thickens. Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream. Continue whisking until the mixture returns to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Mix the pumpkin purée, butter and eggs together in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir the sugar and spice mixture and the thickened cream into the pumpkin mixture.

Pour into the pie shell. Using a brush or your finger, dip into the remaining egg that tends to pool in the leftover eggshells and thinly coat the edges of the pie crust.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375, until the center is almost set. Let cool completely on a rack before cutting.

* Buying Organic Dairy Products:
People often ask me what's "most important" to purchase organic if working with a budget. My answer is animal products. The dairy and meat industry has become unhealthfully contaminated with synthetic hormones, antibiotics, and harmful pesticides. Antibiotic overuse is a major public health problem and hormones are powerful that even trace amounts can cause dramatic changes in living beings. These agricultural methods have been implemented for the sake of profit at the expense of our health and the health of our planet.

Related Article: Truth or Dairy?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for Breakfast

2011-11-21T08:45:00.002-05:00

This morning's breakfast was inspired by my friend's pint of Ben and Jerry's that was in the freezer. My favorite thing as a kid was not the cake, but the batter!

1/2 cup quick/ rolled oats
1/4 cup raw cashews (or almonds)
1 Tbs maca powder
1 date
1/2 medium banana (1/3 cup)
2 Tbs flax meal
3 Tbs dried shredded coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup water/ almond milk/ coconut water
2 Tbs cocoa nibs (or grain-sweetened-chocolate-chips)
Optional: for more sweetness, add coconut nectar, agave, or maple syrup.

Blend all ingredients except for the cocoa nibs/ chips in a powerful blender (Vitamix works best!) until smooth. Then mix the cocoa nibs into the batter.

I kind of had my fix from licking the mixer clean with a spatula (to be 5y/o again!), I might save the "batter" for a mid morning snack...

Click Here to learn more about Maca and other Superfoods....

Green Smoothies

2011-11-18T08:58:00.001-05:00

I love a green smoothie for breakfast. Actually, I love vegetables for breakfast! Green smoothies give me a long lasting energy boost and are very satisfying when I am craving something sweet.

To make a green smoothies:

Choose your base: water or non dairy milk (if you have a Vitamix, throw a handful of nuts in with some water and your milk will be made along with your shake.)
Choose your green: I love using kale but it is a little bitter so I would suggest starting with spinach or romaine lettuce. (The darker the green leaf, the better.)
Choose your fruit: bananas almost always have a starring role, but avocados, mangos, fresh dates, pineapples, berries, apples, and pears are tasty too.
Optional superfoods*: a tsp of maca, spirulina, other seaweeds (like dulse), hemp powder for protein, cacao powder or nibs, goji berries, or bee pollen.
If you need some added sweetness: add raw honey, maple syrup or agave.

The average ratio in a green smoothie is about 60% fruit to 40% leafy greens but you can start with more fruit and work your way up.

* View this related article explaining superfoods

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies

2011-11-01T09:16:00.000-04:00

(make one dozen)

3/4 cup pureed butternut squash (fresh or canned)

1/3 cup maple syrup (preferably grade B)

4 Tbs peanut butter (all natural, unsalted)

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably grain sweetened)

Preheat oven to 350.

mix ingredients together adding one at a time, following the order in which they are listed above.

bake for 20 minutes.

If You Binge, You Are Powerful Beyond Measure!

2011-10-31T17:55:00.000-04:00

If you gorged yourself on chocolate during Halloween or suspect you might find yourself eating too much on Thanksgiving, you know what it feels like to overeat. It's not unusual to overeat from time to time, most people do.

Binging is quite different in that it is more immediate and intense.

In order to understand binging, we must acknowledge its power. Often binging is described as “a trance in which a force takes over.” A similar thing can be said about a woman’s child birth experience, a dancer on stage, or a act of life threatening self defese.

All these examples, whether we may think of some as more positive than others, point to inner power. Power is a good quality to maintain and binge eating is a powerful force being unleashed. Somewhere within we are sitting on our power, unable to unleash our expression or emotional flow. Binging points to a need to unleash.

Binging is an out of control behavior which helps balance other areas in our lives where we over control. We may intensely control our diet through calorie restriction. Such restrictions guaranty a future binge because the body’s natural impulse is appetite rather than restriction. We may overly control our emotions: harnessing anger, sexual energy, desires; or perhaps we are overly controlling with others such as our partners, coworkers or kids. The balancing laws of nature dictate that the more we act as a control freak; the more we will lose control in another aspect of our lives.

In order for the body to binge, the body has to be in a deep state of stress. Stress will accumulate with our daily anxieties or fears that we try to push away in order to “survive” the day. We may feel we don’t have the time, the tools or the willingness to deal with these stresses and we put them aside. The nervous system doesn’t unwind.

If we binge, the body will need to relax the nervous system in order to digest such large amounts of food. To enhance digestion, the body sedates all our emotional processing and the mind goes a little numb. We feel like we got a break.

This is a response to the ego’s fear of discomfort. It comes from the same drive we all share to occasionally withdraw when life is uncomfortable and there is too much emotion in the system.

Nutritional Reasons That Can Cause Us to Binge (or Overeat):
The body isn’t always smart enough to let you know what you specifically need. Regardless of what the body lacks , whether it be fat, protein, or any of the micronutrients, it will simply call in hunger. Keep in mind that we don’t always crave what we need. We may crave carbohydrates when the body wants fat or protein (sometimes we crave things that meet an immediate need but do not fulfill what the body needs for healing.)

If we are dealing with binging or overeating, we need to evaluate if our body is really getting enough food, if our foods are providing all the needed nutrients, and if our diet is too strict that there is no pleasure in our meals. It is a common belief that emotional eating is a “bad” thing. We are emotional creatures; it is natural to crave pleasure from our food!

Going Beyond Nutrition:
The body doesn’t do anything without reason. A binge can be a placeholder to digest past experience. We may put things out of our minds, but nothing gets swept under the rug within the body. Sometimes we have to find a place to metabolize our experiences and if we haven't learned healthier methods, a binge might be that place. To unleash such an uncontrollable power that would lead us to binge, there is clearly a message to which the binge is pointing towards.

Begin exploring for yourself:
1. Where do you sense you are you a control freak? Where would those close to you like to see you less controlling?
2. Are you really engaging in things that give you pleasure? In what great pleasures are you not engaged?
3. Which "wilder" aspects of you are you restraining? Binging can be a release of power that we are holding back from releasing in another realm of life.
4. Where is life asking you to relax more? (Work, money, relationships, sexuality?)

A binge is not a lack of power. You are too powerful to be contained. Power is the ability to act. The more tools we learn to decompress, relax the nervous system, and metabolize our life experiences, the more we are able to channel our powers into health and conscious living.

* Regarding the picture above: Yogis believe that each finger has a different energy, and there are hundreds if not thousands of mudras or hand positions with different meanings and healing capacities. Jnana Mudra is one of the simplest and most common mudras in yoga. Jnana means wisdom or knowledge. Its root is similar to the Germanic root for the word 'know.' Mudra means seal or gesture. Jnana Mudra is the seal of wisdom.

A Tool Bag for Dealing With Sugar Cravings

2011-10-31T12:28:00.002-04:00

Halloween is approaching. Come November 1^st, eitheryour home is filled with candy or your work place is overflowing witheveryone’s Halloween leftovers brought in by your co-workers in the hope that someoneelse (you!) eats it instead of them.

If you are concerned about how to moderate your sugarintake, here are some steps to help:

Evaluating Diet:

Incorporate morecomplex carbohydrates into your diet: Craving something sweet is natural.The sugars that give us the sweet flavor also provide us with energy. Complexcarbohydrates will provide the sugars needed for the body without an extremedrop in blood sugar levels. By preventing our blood sugar dipping too low, wecan reduce or eliminate the cravings for simple sugars. Beans, grains, nuts,vegetables and fruits can all contain sugars as well as being rich in othernutrients.

Eat Sweet Vegetables:Sweet vegetables in our diet are one of the most helpful tools ineliminating sweet cravings. Incorporating the sweet flavor into our nutritiousmeals, will lessen the urge for additional sweetness when the meal is done. Furthermore, if you thinkabout a root vegetable, the direction in which it grows is downward, deeperinto the earth. Energetically, roots are very grounding. While sugar can oftenleave us feeling spacey, sweet vegetables provide the body with sweetness whilestill maintaining ground.

Vegetables with a deep sweet flavor: corn, carrots, onions,beets, winter squash, sweet potatoes and yams. Some semi sweet veggies include turnips, parsnips andrutabagas. These are very easy to boil or bake until desired tenderness- thesofter these vegetables get, the sweeter they become.

Fruits: They aresweet, healthy, and delicious. If you suffer from yeast infections or hightriglyceride levels, sugar and fruits should be avoided.

Incorporate mostly wholefoods into your diet: Remember that processed carbohydrates will affectblood sugar levels just as simple sugars do and can cause sugar cravings. Enjoybrown rice instead of white and have an orange instead of Tropicana.

Drink water!!!Sweet cravings are often a sign of dehydration. If experiencing a craving, havea glass of water and wait a few minutes to see what happens.

Caution: soft drinks are now America’s number one source ofadded sugar.

Reduce or eliminatecaffeine: If sugar is a craving you tend to always have, consider that theups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, causingsugar cravings to be more frequent.

Use gentle sweets:Forget about the chemical artificial sweeteners. These are the worst sweetener foryour health. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, rawhoney, dried fruit, stevia, or raw agave nectar.

Forget about sugar in your tea and use a natural sweetenerinstead. If you enjoy baked goods, substitute the sugar in your baking recipeswith natural sweeteners. If shopping for cookies, look for ones made from wholegrain flours and sweetened with fruit juice or other natural sweeteners.

Evaluate your proteinintake: Eating too much or too little protein can lead to cravings forsweets. Figuring out the right amount as well as the right type of protein foryou will depend on your individual body and lifestyle.

Read the labels onfat-free or low-fat foods: These foods most often contain high quantitiesof sugar that are sure to spike your blood sugar levels.

Get the highestquality: If it is chocolate you crave, get yourself a high quality darkchocolate and take a moment to savor the experience of its flavor. It is quitea different experience in comparison to half consciously consuming an entire packet of Hershey’s. Dark chocolate contains a high percent of cocoa and will takea much smaller amount to satisfy your craving. Common chocolates contain littlecocoa and more sweeteners and artificial flavors.

Products always list ingredients beginning with the highestamount and working down to the lowest. If sugar is listed before cocoa, it isnot really a dark chocolate. There should be at least 51% cocoa in a darkchocolate bar.

Knock out the sweettooth: Sometimes you can eliminate a sugar craving by eating the oppositeflavor to what you are craving. Try something sour like sauerkraut...

It works!

Evaluating Lifestyle:

Move your body: Physicalactivity will help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce tension. Startwith simple activities, to be sure that you don’t overwhelm yourself. Add somewalking into your day or incorporate simple stretching. Soon enough the body willwake up and crave more movement.

If you fight with yourself to go to the gym, it is time tothink of other activities you might cenjoy. Try yoga, dancing, martial arts,sports, rock climbing or anything that will be fun for you. Rather thanthinking of it as exercise, find an activity that feels therapeutic inmovement.

Get more sleep andrelaxation: When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy.Since sugar is the quickest form of energy, the body will crave it. Find ten minutes to close your eyes atthe end of the work day, stop your “to do” list at a reasonable hour, and shutoff the TV earlier at night.

Sweeten your days:If you are reaching for sugar in search of comfort, temporarily sedating thecraving with sugar will only make things more uncomfortable in the long run.Spend time with friends, enjoy the outdoors and treat yourself to regularacupuncture or massage treatments. When life is as sweet as sugar, no substitutesare needed.

Make a NourishmentList: If sugar is your way of soothing or energizing yourself and you areexperiencing a craving, it is difficult to think of a healthier choice thatwill meet your needs. Take some time to write all the activities you can thinkof that energize and sooth you. This way, you have access to a list of ideasfor you to choose from at a time of need. Keep adding things to the list overtime: A walk outside, 10 deep breaths, a few stretches, a few minutes of restwith elevated legs, calling a friend, a bubble bath, etc.

Manage Your “To Do”List: Make a point of first addressingthe bigger tasks that you want to avoid so that you don’t expend your time and energy on the smallertasks, ending the day feeling less accomplished. List all the things that zapyour energy and all the things that give you energy; then balanceout your ‘To Do’s with both.

Are We OVERestimating Overeating?

2011-09-28T16:08:00.001-04:00

The common belief is that most people are overweight because they eat too much and move too little. While this represents some of the population, it is a mistake to see this as a truth in its whole. On the contrary, many of us struggle with weight or health issues because we are not eating enough while moving too fast.

We may very well be falsely labeling ourselves as an overeater. Lets face it, what we consider overeating is subjective. One person might consider 1-2 cookies as overeating while another would consider overeating to be an entire bag of cookies. Many of us set impossible standards for ourselves based on a fear of food, a fear of appetite, and fear of weight. This often stems from a deeper belief that “food is the enemy,” that food equals fat and if we eat less food, we will have less fat. Fear is what guides the assessment of how much we eat.

Only the body can determine overeating. It’s the wisdom of the body that knows these things.The body is where wisdom lives. We may need more or less food on different days or in different seasons. When we learn to tune into our bodies, we know what to eat and how much of it we need. we cannot learn this about ourselves in a diet book.

As soon as we self-label ourselves as “overeaters,” we start to self-hate and begin an internal attack on self. Let’s get the word “overeater” out of our vocabulary. The word itself is seen by most as a horrible crime. We often equate eating too much to a weakness or an unbeatable battle. Internally we are saying, “I’m bad, I’ve failed.” A mental fight against food keeps us in survival mode (the sympathetic nervous symptom), which physiologically prevents us from releasing fat and building muscle. The mental process alone is often what gets in our own way of maintaining our health or any sense of self-compassion.

Rather than seeing overeating as a failure, lets look at it as a doorway: A gift with a brilliant message. It is a symptom of something else. Overeating has little to do with eating. It has to do with a transformation that we are seeking in our lives.

Welcome it. The more we fight something the more it comes back. Especially if what we’re fighting is ourselves. There is no winner in a fight against self. Overeating comes from body wisdom, asking us to better nourish ourselves.

Why we overeat:

Becoming curious about our symptoms will help us evolve as individuals both consciously and biologically (in our health and metabolism.)

1) Are we under-eating while falsely self-diagnosing ourselves as overeaters?

A) If we are always on a diet, we may overeat as a rebound to under-eating. If we are not getting sufficient amounts of fat and protein, the lack of these macronutrients will lead the body to scream hunger.

B) If we are skipping breakfast or lunch in service of work schedules or weight loss, our bodies’ natural need to nourish will eventually win.

C) Holding on to a belief that food equals caloric fat and is bad, we will fight food, and it will fight back. Appetite will win because it is natural. We are biologically designed to eat food. It is very basic junior high biology.

2) If our diet is lacking in needed fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins or minerals, it will continue to hunger in search of what it needs. Let’s get the majority of our calories from sources of the highest quality.

3) Emotional stress

Symptoms show up (thanks to our body’s wisdom) to slow us down. We tend to want to sweep the past under the rug but our body speaks up if we haven’t resolved our issues. Unexpressed hurts of the past remain in the present and may be shoved down and sedated with food. Current relationships or careers not congruent with who we are, will cause us to feel stress. If the body can’t find nourishment in life, it will search for it in food. If it cannot relax on its own, it can rely on overeating. One method to deal with stress is to overeat because the body will pull blood out of the brain and into the digestive system, causing us to feel relaxed. Since digestion is only possible when the nervous system is relaxed, the body must start to relax in order to deal with all the food we just ingested.

4) Fast-paced living

Overeating is a lack of awareness, of satisfaction, of relaxation, and of a palatable life or diet. The body needs time to realize that it is full. The brain needs to know we have received all the nutrients needed. The body requires time and presence. In a rushed mindset, we will keep eating because we are not giving the body enough time to sense what is enough. Some may see this as fast eating. I see it as fast living.

Eating and living (aka nourishment) is about presence, relaxation, and time. Overeating is predominantly a problem of not being present to the experience of life and what it has to teach us. If we are rushing around, we will over-consume.

Amp up on vitamin T (time) and vitamin R (relaxation.)

Further Thoughts on Caffeine

2011-09-27T08:56:00.000-04:00

Caffeine, sugar and alcohol are the three substances that Iam most frequently asked about. All three are powerful substances that need tobe respected. To understand their potency, we could compare them to prescriptionmedications. For some they might aid healing , but be harmful to others. They maybe tolerated at a certain dosage but become harmful when exceeding therecommended dosage . We need to understand and honor the powerful effect ofthese substances on our body.

When we over-use caffeine, it mimics the stress responsewithin the body. Our heart rate increases, our blood pressure goes up, insulinlevels rise, as do the levels of cortisol and adrenalin. Each person is able tometabolize caffeine differently and expel it from the system at a differentrate. Some people get the buzz from ½ a cup, and some get it from 2 cups. Smallamounts of caffeine could increase metabolism, but too much will weaken it.This is similar to building a fire (our digestive fire,) a small log canincrease the flame but a large one will smother it.

Individuals who struggle with weight issues and drink lotsof caffeine should cut down on the caffeine. Caffeine’s effect on cortisol andinsulin through the stress response, slows down calorie burning capabilities,sustains fat, and inhibits muscle from being built.

Caffeine gives us a false sense of metabolism. It providesan artificial sense of energy but this it is not a true calorie burning kind ofenergy (i.e when we eat food, we extract the nutrients and burn the calories.)

If we find ourselves binge eating, ravenous later in theday, experiencing mood swings, or a lack of weight loss, then it is best toreduce caffeine. This is especially true if we are relying on caffeine’s energyfor the early third or half of the day. We reduce our calorie burning capacity toa degree that when we do eat food, we’re burning the calories more slowly.

To read more about caffeine and its effect, view this past posting.

The photo above was borrowed from a T-shirt design available at this link

Protein Bar

2011-08-24T08:41:00.001-04:00

1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin/ pepita seeds
1/3 cup cashews
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup flax meal/ seeds
4 Tbs sesame seeds (or hemp seeds/ meal)
1/4 raisins
1/4 dried goji berries
1.5 cup oats- quick/ rolled
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond butter
3 Tbs. cocoa powder (preferably raw)
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar

If you have a food processor, blend all nuts and seeds, adding oats in for last few seconds. Mix all other ingredients in as well. (This can also be done in a bowl with no processor.) Then press into a 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Once cooled, cut into squares and store in fridge or freezer.

Optional: Add to recipe:
1 Tbs of spirulina along with 1 more Tbs of agave nectar and 3 more Tbs of cocoa powder

Understanding Macronutrient Balance: Fats, Proteins and Carbohydrates

2011-08-23T13:58:00.004-04:00

The macronutrients in our diet are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, (and water)

Fat is the New Healthy: Eat Fat, Get Thin.

A common imbalance in our modern day diet is the consumption of too much unhealthy fat. These fats are the refined and hydrogenated kinds.

Many of us might be consuming significant amounts of unhealthy fats due to false advertising of food or simply by eating out a lot. However there is a large percentage of our population that is so fat conscious, that we’re not eating enough fat as a result of its bad rep.

We live in a nation with the largest fat-free food industry and yet we are the most obese. Our collective weight issues lay in the quality of fats we eat, not in fat itself. Most fat free products are extremely low in quality: yogurts are filled with processed sugars, foods are filled with chemicals, and milk is chemically altered and flooded with hormones.

Headlines news- Low fat diets are passé! Science has changed. Most low fat diets are rooted in a toxic belief that fat in food equals fat in the body. This is not an absolute truth and is often a misconception.

If we are on a fat free diet and not losing weight, chances are that our bodies have gone into starvation mode. If the body does not receive the basic macronutrients it needs to function, it will consider itself in famine. Not knowing if it will receive these nutrients anytime soon, it begins to store fat and inhibits the building of muscle in order to sustain energy.

It’s time to get over the fat phobia. The phobia itself might be making us fat.

Poor quality fats as well as the processed carbohydrates and artificial ingredients that supplement fat-free foods tend to lead us to craving more carbohydrates and more unhealthy fat. If we are low in fat and protein, we will almost definitely find ourselves binge eating.

A fat deficient diet often leads to dry hair, dry skin, brittle hair or skin, mood issues, digestive, redness around the eyes, deficiency in fat soluble vitamins A D E, and the already mentioned inability to lose weight. Fat deficiency also tampers with memory, cognition and brain function.

When adding in EFA (Essential Fatty Acids,) we will most likely see a difference in skin and hair as well as the stabilization of our mood within as little as two weeks. Within a few months, chances are we’ll be losing weight rather than gaining it. These fats are found in unrefined oil present in food such as extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, unrefined sesame oil, fish, avocado, and nuts. We can also take a fish oil (or flax oil if vegan) supplement, which tend to be most digestible when consumed during a meal.

Carbohydrates: Forget Simple; Keep it Complex

Most of the population has a diet excessive in processed carbohydrates. If the bulk of our diet contains processed carbohydrates, we will often experience symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, binge eating, cravings, indigestion, heightened PMS and mood swings. If consumed in large quantities over a long period of time, we may develop a variety of conditions such as diabetes, depression (as insulin blocks serotonin,) yeast infections, and ADHD.

These carbohydrates appear in fast food, junk food, packaged food, breads, and all the sugars added to our pre-packed foods. Often referred to as “empty calories,” these carbohydrates are stripped of all their nutrients during a refining process. Since the body taps into its own storage of minerals and vitamins when digesting, empty calories not only provide no micronutrients (minerals and vitamins,) but we end up further depleted after using our stored ones to digest them.

Like with fat, many of us have become carbophobic. Carbohydrates are extremely important to our health! They provide us with the energy we need to function. They are not bad! They become hazardous when the majority of our carbohydrates intake is in its lowest quality versions. We have been educated through past diet fads to fear carbohydrates and often we forget that not all carbohydrates are created equally. Be sure to get complex carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, beans, and grains. When eating whole grains, try to have the majority of them in an unprocessed form. While a whole wheat bread or pasta is preferable than its white flour version, it is still a refined food that plays its effects on our blood sugar levels.

Protein Deficiency:

Often when we try to lose weight and cut down on calories, the first calories to go are breakfast calories. We may have nothing more than coffee or a bagel and work till lunch with out fueling the body with any sustenance. If lunch then is just a salad, we may not be having much protein till dinner.

Overeating at evening and night often has to do with daytime starvation. If this could be you, reevaluate your intake of protein and healthy fats during the day. These foods help us feel grounded and satiated. If we consume little more than carbohydrates and caffeine during the day, when its time to settle down in the evening the body will gorge on anything to help it feel grounded… going from one extreme to the other.

Focus on protein earlier in the day and include meat, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu and tempeh. Beans might work for some but as they are pretty low in protein, if this is your main source and you have some health complaints, you may need to reconsider your protein resources. If you are vegan, consider adding a high quality protein shake into your diet. Hemp, pea and brown rice are all good sources.

Too little protein can lead to sugar and carbohydrate cravings, low energy, low mood, and the inability to build muscle and lose weight. Our response to stress tends to last longer and have a stronger impact.

Stress and Micronutrients:

When the body is in stress mode, it excretes nutrients. Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B as well as all minerals get released through urine (as well as through perspiration.) When stressed, a urine test will reveal a 50% increase in calcium, zinc, and other vitamins and mineral that have leached. The body releases the micronutrients and holds onto macronutrients as fat.

Quality of Food:

When it comes to macronutrients, we need to be sure that they are nutrient dense.

The basic combination of fresh, real, home cooked, and cooked/served with love all effect nutrient density.

Much of our diet is mass-produced in a way that leaves little to no nutrients in our food. This means decreased nutrition to the body, which in turn increases our appetite and cravings because the body is looking for its needed nutrients.

When we are not getting what we need from food, the body sends out more hunger signals. This increases appetite and food cravings and will lead to binging. Often at this point we beat ourselves up thinking it’s about lock of will power.

Increase the quality: upgrade meats to antibiotic and growth hormone free (grass fed is best,) free-pasture laid eggs, home made pizza with organic cheese, organic produce, etc’. Many people have reported that taking hormones out of their meat and dairy products has resulted in weight loss.

When we mostly eat out and order out, our internal body wisdom gets dumbed down (it gets dumber!) As we start to eat in a more conscious way (simply by cooking for ourselves or taking a moment to notice and appreciate our food before eating,) we start to connect to the subtle messages we receive from our body regarding our personal nutritional needs (i.e. what foods we need and when.)

The nutrition world pulls us in various dietary directions, resulting in us losing our confidence to connect to our own body wisdom. Start a dialog with your body and you will discover things on your own.

Related Articles:
The Pros of Protein
The Food Pyramid... What Should I Eat?
Understanding Digestive Rhythm
Overeating- It's Not About Willpower

Understanding Digestive Rhythm

2011-08-23T13:33:00.004-04:00

Starting to surf this summer, I find myself gaining a deeper understanding of the rhythm of the ocean. I watch the more experienced surfers tune into a rhythm that I have yet to feel. It reminds me of musical rhythms. I am often in awe of musician’s ability to tune into each other’s beat. This too is a rhythm I don’t truly understand.

The rhythms I find myself most intrigued by are the rhythms within our body. We all experience them, yet we may not be truly grasping their wisdom

Rhythm is everything; we find it in our heartbeat, our breath, our brain waves, or in a woman’s cycle. When rhythm is on, we are on. When it becomes erratic, we become erratic. Through yoga we discover that when the breath finds its rhythm, the mind finds peace.

When it comes to digestive rhythms, there is much to be said about timing and frequency. Some experts support three meals a day while others advocate lots of snacking. While there may not be one true way to eat, if we are experiencing weight, mood or health issues, our own rhythm is out of sync.

It is not uncommon in our culture to skip meals, or to have the first meal late in the day. Often trying to minimize calories, we have a small breakfast and supplement our appetite with a dose of caffeine. Immersed in work, we may push through lunch not feeling hungry until 2-3pm. These actions are most commonly not based in rhythm but rather in stress or in fears such as of gaining weight.

When we do this, we are over-riding our body wisdom. Our body temperature fluctuates through the day. When body temperature is at its highest, then metabolism is at its peak. This happens around noon, when the sun is highest in the sky.

Put simply, the peak metabolic hours are between 12pm-1:30pm. When we postpone lunch until 2pm-3pm, we miss these hours.

Between 2pm-4:30pm our body temperature naturally drops. Historically in Japan (before it was influenced by modern Western diets,) Sumo wrestlers would eat the same foods as all other Japanese but in bigger quantities and late at night. Mostly at 1-3am, when digestion is at its lowest.

Many of us have our biggest meals at night. One study has shown that one group of people ate a 2000-calorie diet at night and they all gained weight. The other group ate the same 2000-calorie diet during the first half of the day resulting in some losing weight and some maintaining weight.

Skipping breakfast and lunch is not sustainable- it leads to fatigue, sugar cravings, headaches, weight gain, and binge eating later in the afternoon or night. Perhaps we don’t experience it within a day but within the spectrum of a week. Holding back on calories during the week and binging on the weekend.

When the body is going through its days starved of nutrients, it is triggered into starvation mode. In order to survive what it perceives as scarcity, it begins a hormonal process to slow down the capacity to burn calories and refrains form building muscle in order to conserve energy.

The same effect can happen through a diet rich in food but lacking in nutrients. But we’ll save that for the next article about Macronutrients.…

What We Judge We Can't Digest

2011-07-28T14:46:00.002-04:00

Our number one goal is to become relaxed eaters.

Recently I sat down to eat lunch; a home-made stir-fry of homegrown kale and organic grass-fed beef. Sounds pretty healthy. And yet as I was about to take a bite, a thought popped into my head about the “pesticide ridden tomato” I mixed into the stir-fry. A tomato I bought last minute at a local 7/11 just for the convenience. Was I really judging this beautiful meal as unhealthy due to a tomato?! I put down my fork, took a breath and took a long look at my food. The kale began to look greener, the smell of the beef got juicier. My digestive system had turned on. It looked amazing and I was once again excited to eat.

Our digestive efficiency is dependent on our nervous system which in turn is dependent on our mental state. When our body is under stress it goes into a state of “fight or flight” which physiologically halts our digestive efficiency. The same switch in the brain which turns on stress, turns off digestion. Digestion is at its strongest calorie-burning power when we are in a relaxed state which is when we breathe deeply and feel okay with ourselves and the foods that we choose.

We could be eating the healthiest of meals, but if we feel any degree of stress, anxiety, fear, or judgment, we are unable to assimilate its nutrients. Hence, we decrease the nutritional value of the meal because our metabolism is impaired.

It is basic science and yet we are never taught this. Everything to do with advertized diets has to do with food and not with ourselves. Quite simply, this type of information can’t be packaged and sold.

Stress will decrease the blood flow to the gut needed for digestion, and will prevent the production of important growth and thyroid hormones. These hormones boost metabolic rate and are important for growth and healing, building muscle and burning fat. Stress will cause the excretion of vitamins and minerals. When we are under chronic low-level stress on a daily basis, we decrease our oxygen intake.
Stress will increase inflammation, change the chemistry of our cells, and alter the physiology of the digestive system. Inflammation is a major contributor to weight gain, blood sugar imbalance and diabetes.

If we are multi-tasking or rushing our meals, we are eating under stress. If we say to ourselves, “I’m too fat, I shouldn’t be eating this, food is bad; this will make me unlovable,” these are all stresses.

Even if we eat less food, we are still chemically training the body to store fat because that is the body’s natural response to stress.

Our ongoing process is to recognize our mental state when engaging in activities of self-nourishment. Not just with food, but also in conversations, our exercise (movement practices), or anything else we do to nourish ourselves.

We can create a powerful difference if we learn to modulate and influence our state of mind and heart.

Beef and Arugula Stir-Fry

2011-07-28T12:25:00.002-04:00

1/2 pound beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons of oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium red peppers, cut into thick strips
1-2 bunches arugula, well washed
2 teaspoons kuzu
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
¼ cup water

Stir-fry beef in pan with 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until browned.
Remove beef with tongs or fork, allowing excess oil to drip off and set aside.
With remaining oil, stir-fry ginger and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes and then add bell peppers. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix together fresh arugula and bell pepper mixture in a serving bowl.
In a small bowl, combine kuzu, tamari, vinegar and water.
Place mixture into skillet and cook over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken.
Return beef to skillet and cook for 1 minute, just enough to warm up beef.
Add beef to serving bowl with arugula and bell peppers.
Mix and serve warm.

*What is Kuzu?

Kuzu is a substitute thickener to corn starch. without the health hazardous effects of corn starch, kuzu is alkalizing, relieves upset stomach, controls diarrhea, and can strengthen the body from prolonged weakness. It easily dissolves in cold water and thickens in hot, Use ti thicken sauces, stews and puddings.

Recipe by Integrative Nutrition

What Causes Us To Have cravings?

2011-07-04T21:29:00.001-04:00

Our bodies are amazing.

The body knows when it needs rest, when it needs to go to the bathroom, how to maintain 98.6 degrees, how to recover from a cold, and how to heal cuts or scrapes. The body knows the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth. The heart never misses a beat and the lungs keep to the rhythm of the breath. The body never makes mistakes.

With such inner intelligence, why would the body experience unhealthy cravings? Many of us view cravings as weakness, but really they are important messages meant to assist us in maintaining balance. Our bodies are designed to always heal and maintain balance. Even the unhealthiest of cravings contains something that the body needs.

If we pause long enough to deconstruct our cravings, we can figure out how to meet the body’s needs in a healthier way.

Cravings Caused By Physical Aspects

Dehydration: Most people do not think to drink enough water and walk around in a constant state of dehydration. Our thirst mechanism is impaired which often mistakenly translates a craving for water into mild hunger.
Water has a very light and expansive energy to it. If your body is too tight or tense, or you suffer from stress-related disorders, the body will search for the light expansive energy of water. Sugar has a similar energy to water, both causing us to feel ‘lighter’. Often the body’s signal of dehydration will be confused with the cravings for sweet treats. A glass of water may subside the craving.

Nutritional Deficiency: If our diet does not contain the various needed nutrients to maintain health, we may be driven to overeat in search of the required fuel. Salt cravings, for example, may indicate a lack of minerals. Adding more leafy greens as well as seaweeds to our diet might calm the craving. If our diet lacks nutrients due to a low variety or high quantities of processed foods, we may find ourselves constantly thinking about food as the body remains unsatisfied. Commonly this type of deficiency is tied in to a dependency on caffeine or sugar. Be sure to incorporate all macronutrients and an abundance of micronutrients in your diet.

Hormonal (women): the female body goes through cycles of fluctuating testosterone and estrogen levels that may cause strange cravings.

Cleansing: As we take better care of ourselves, our body goes through a cleansing process. As part of this process, the body clears out old cellular memory, surfacing old memories or experiences. This may cause a craving for a certain food that once we start eating, does not actually taste as great as we remembered. In this case, stop eating and let yourself cleanse out the old, making space for a healthier you.

Addictions: Similar to an alcoholic or a smoker,we may be craving what is harming us most; convinced that is the only thing that is going to make us feel better. Common food addictions include caffeine, sugar and dairy. Do you have foods or people that you are addicted to in your life?

Cravings Caused By Emotional Aspects

Emotional Dissatisfaction: When we are not truly satisfied in our relationships, not inspired by our career, or have not found a spiritual practice that gives us a sense of peace, we may turn to emotional eating to fill the void.

Fear of Change: Change is scary. Sometimes when things are going extremely well, we find ourselves self-sabotaging. We resist letting go of old ways even if we know that they do not serve our greater self. While we may recognize that old habits are preventing us from moving forward, these are the ways in which we have come to identify ourselves. If we let go of what we know, who are we? The process of self-improvement involves trust. Create a supportive environment for yourself so that you feel excited to grow in new directions.

Craving Caused By Energetic Effects

The Energetic Qualities of Food According to the Modality of Yin and Yang:
Yin & Yang present a system of opposites: Yang being a more masculine, grounded, contractive energy and yin being a more feminine, uplifting, expansive energy.
For example; drinking coffee, eating sweets, or drinking alcohol all provide a lighter and more expansive energy, making them yin. Eating a diet rich in red meat, salts, eggs, or hard cheeses, provides a denser and more grounded feeling, making them yang.
Eating foods that are either extremely yin or extremely yang cause cravings of the opposite to maintain balance. A common craving is the sway between sweet (yin) and salty (yang). Another example is seen in people who enjoy a diet rich in dense animal proteins (yang) and experience cravings for sugar or alcohol (yin).

Stress: When looking at cravings through the modality of yin and yang, it is not only our diet that will create cravings for the opposite. If we are easily and commonly stressed out, we are in a contracted state of yang. Such a state of being will create a craving for yin foods to make us feel lighter. If most of our day is spent in a yang state of being, we can easily get hooked on yin. Examples of this would be the craving for alcohol at the end of the workday, sugar while at work, or perhaps ice cream late at night. Learning to balance our stress levels and decompress in healthier constructive ways is what is needed to eliminate such cravings.

Cravings Caused By Environmental Aspects:

Seasonal: Often the body craves foods that balance out the elements of the season. During spring, the earth produces detoxifying foods like leafy greens, as our body naturally goes through a post-winter cleanse. In the heat of summer, the earth produces fruit and vegetables that help cool our body temperature. In the fall the earth delivers warming foods like winter squash. During winter we may crave hot foods with heat-producing ingredients such as meat, oil and fat.
We feel different in each season, but when we are in tune, our cravings will change accordingly. This correlates with the system of yin and yang; craving cooling foods when we are hot, and vice versa.

Summer Coolers

2011-07-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

The heat of summer can have us reaching for the cold and creamy... commonly in the form of ice cream.

To satisfy the craving in other ways, keep cold apple sauce or your favorite yogurt in the refrigerator. Often a serving of these moist cooling foods will meet your needs. For a cooling crunch, freeze fresh blueberries and eat them right out of the freezer. This is also the perfect time to get creative with smoothies.

Blueberry Smoothie

recipe from: Ani's Raw Food Kitchen

3 cups of water

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 pitted dates

1 Tbls. pure vanilla extract

In a blender, blend 2 cups of water with berries, nuts, dates and vanilla until smooth. Add last cup of water and blend again.

Will keep for 3 days in fridge

Mango Smoothie

recipe from: Ani's Raw Food Kitchen

3 cups of water

2 mangoes, peeled & cubed

1/4 cup almonds

1/2 cup pitted dates

1 Tbls. pure vanilla extract

In a blender, blend 2 cups of water with mango, nuts, dates and vanilla until smooth. Add last cup of water and blend again.

Will keep for 3 days in fridge.

Creamy Coconut Pudding

recipe from: Ani's Raw Food Kitchen

2 cups cashews

1.5 cups water

1/4 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup shredded dried coconut

Blend water and cashews until smooth. Add coconut and dates and blend again until smooth.

Will keep for 3 days in fridge.

Banana Ice Cream

4 ripe large bananas

2 Tbls. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Peel & cut bananas into chunks. Spread chunks on a plate and freeze for 1 hour. Place in food processor/ blender with vanilla and cinnamon. At first, process in "burst mode" until bananas soften and then process continuously until creamy smooth.

Top with either chopped walnuts, tahini paste, or maple syrup.

Serve immediately.

Variations: add cacao powder and agave nectar, add berries, or add spirulina.

USDA's Replacement of Food Pyramid Makes Little To No Change

2011-06-10T20:56:00.002-04:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is serving us a new plate. Throwing out the food pyramid and replacing it with the image of a plate, the USDA hopes to make nutritional guidelines easier to understand.

The plate icon is a colorful circle graph divided into four sections representing fruits, vegetables, protein and grains, plus an additional small circle on the side for dairy.

In introducing the plate icon, First Lady Michelle Obama said feeding our children should be easy, as long as their plates are “half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy.”

The image of the plate will no doubt make it easier for both parents and kids to understand balanced nutrition. The symbol also serves as a reminder to control portion sizes and to consider various options for each category.

There are no foods pictured on the plate, just words that represent each food group. On the My Plate website, the USDA provides tools to determine more specific serving sizes and other dietary guidelines.

In a country where obesity and fatal diseases related to unhealthy eating habits are continuously on the rise, is making the guidelines even more abstract a sufficient strategy to address a nation’s nutritional health?

My Plate may offer a more understandable illustration than the previous My Pyramid, but nothing more has been improved. My Plate still keeps the lobbying for food subsidies for the sake of economic gain instead of prioritizing citizens’ health.

Dairy: Since the plate differentiates between fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains, why aren’t dairy products included with the “protein” group? After all, dairy contains as much protein as meat, poultry, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds.

Keeping dairy as a separate food group has little to do with the USDA’s concern for calcium intake. Some green vegetables offer just as much calcium as milk yet they remain unmentioned in the generalized vegetable group. If the concerns were truly about calcium intake (rather than political ties with the dairy industry), it would make a “calcium-rich” group and include dairy along with kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, sesame, quinoa, and other fortified dairy alternatives. Considering that over half of the American population is suspected to be lactose intolerant, is this really in our people’s best interest?

Fruits and Vegetables: The problem is not that Americans lack awareness that fruits and vegetables are healthy. It is that fruits and vegetables compete with cheaper junk food and false advertizing. Many of today’s breakfast cereals, breads, yogurts, spreads and most packaged foods are marketed as health foods despite their content of artificial flavors, preservatives, trans-fats, and copious amounts of sugar. These foods can be marketed as healthy and cheap because they are made with crop subsidies.

As an example, "Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal" is positioned as a highly nutritious cereal with the words "100% nutrition," "Blueberry" and "Pomegranate" appearing on the front of the box. While the cereal contains no actual blueberries or pomegranates, it does contain eight different sweeteners (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Brown Sugar Syrup, Malt Syrup, Sucralose, Molasses and Honey.)

The blueberry-like appearance of small bits in the cereal are made through the use of artificial colors like Red #40 and Blue #2, combined with various oils and sweeteners such as soybean oil and sugar.

Until blueberries are as affordable as the artificial subsidized soybean version , I suspect we won’t see much improvement in America’s health.

A South American friend told me that back home, he would feed his family fruits and vegetables because it was cheaper than McDonald’s. Now living in America, he can only afford to feed his family McDonald’s because it is cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

Grains: The simplicity of the plate icon in comparison to the previous pyramid is much to be admired as well as appreciated for the elimination of the processed flour products that were pictured as examples for healthy grains. However with no images on the plate, there may well be even more confusion over what a healthy grain would be. Some of us might know the difference between whole grain flour and white flour but most of us still mistake servings of cereals such as Total as a healthy whole grain. These cereals may have started as whole grains but have been processed to a point that they no longer offer the body the same nutritional benefits. While cereals and breads might have a place in our diet, they cannot be the only type of whole grain that we eat. We must also incorporate unprocessed grains such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and the many other grains available.

Fats: Much like the old pyramid, this plate does absolutely nothing towards differentiating between healthier and unhealthier fats. In fact, on the new plate there seems to be no room for fat despite its vital importance to our health.

When presenting ‘My Plate,’ First Lady Michelle Obama mentioned the importance of increasing access and availability of fruits and vegetables. No specific actions or policies to achieve this goal were mentioned. The USDA says that vegetables and fruits should make up half of our diets but only 1 percent of its food subsidies go to farmers who grow produce. Until unprocessed foods are made largely available, our new colorfully illustrated guideline serve little to no purpose.

Overeating? It's NOT Lack of Willpower! It's Physiological...

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

"I'm glad you're overeating," I told my friend, who was complaining she has no willpower around food and consequently is overweight.
"How do you feel right after you eat?" I asked.
"Guilty," she answered.
"And before that?"
"Calm."

Exactly!

Overeating, or any other symptom or unwanted behavior always has a beautiful reason for its presence. In my friend's case, her overeating calms her, fills her, and medicates her. While it may have negative consequences in the immediacy, it is relaxing. When we are overly stressed we have to do something overly relaxing. We each have tools to bring us down.

Our nervous system is structured in a way that we can respond to each moment in a way that contributes towards either stress or relaxation. Its either/or.

If we are concerned with weight issues, impaired digestion or matters of immunity, we often examine the body and forget to take into account the effect of life itself on health, weight and metabolism.

When we are affected by stress, we contract both physically and emotionally. When our emotional energy is stuck, metabolism is stuck. We can continue to try to battle the symptom, but unless we learn ways to increase the relaxation response and care for ourselves within times of stress (career, relationship, finances,) symptoms such as overeating will most likely prevail.

Overeating is not the problem. It is the symptom.

Overeating has little to do with willpower!
Why is it that we find ourselves eating more than we think we should or make unhealthy choices despite "knowing better?" How is it that we eat a meal and hardly remember what it tasted like?

Stress desensitizes the pleasure response in the body. When we experience stress, the body is programmed to go into fight or flight, making it hyper aware of its own pain as a survival mechanism. Decreasing sensitivity to pleasure will increase sensitivity to pain. (This is why deep relaxed breathing reduces awareness to pain.)

Without pleasure we can't physiologically enjoy the foods that we eat. Stress shuts down digestion so the neural connection between the gut and brain is severed. Without this connection, the brain can't radiate pleasure to the gut and the gut can't signal fullness to the brain. When we feel full in the belly but the mouth still wants more, the connection between gut and brain is impaired.

When calm, we are able to connect to the parts of the brain that govern wisdom and reasoning around food and digestion. Under stress this part of the brain containing the knowledge of what foods make us feel good, what makes us bloated, what energizes us, or what gives us a headache is neurologically isolated. When the survival part of the brain is activated and the connection between gut and brain is impaired, it is neurologically harder for us to listen to the wisdom around which food types or quantities make us feel more guilt than pleasure in the long run.

Pleasure helps regulate our appetite. When the body feels pleasure, the brain is able to communicate to the gut the right amount of food that will maintain pleasure. When under stress we can't feel the pleasure so we eat more in search of it.

Overeating is not about willpower. We simply don't have the proper physiology to register what we're eating and how much. When stressed, the body requires more food to taste the sense of pleasure.

Stress is not bad: it is natural. Often it keeps us on our growing edge. Detrimental stress is the self-induced kind created either by our thoughts or by holding on to stress that is no longer prevalent.

We are naturally self-correcting beings and we can physiologically produce powerful healing in the body by learning to modulate our frame of mind and heart.

As a start, make sure to improve your conditions around meals. Fast eating activates stress, multi-tasking when eating causes stress, negative self-talk or judging your food ("this food is bad for me") equals stress and equating food as fat or viewing it as the enemy is ultimately stressful eating.

Making our meals more relaxed can be as simple as adding 5 minutes to breakfast, taking 5 breaths before and after each meal or turning off the computer at lunch.

Fast eating is a reflection of fast living, i.e. living in a way that is not always self-nourishing. When we slow down, we connect to feeling. The switch in our brain that turns on relaxation turns on digestion and body wisdom. We can be eating healthy foods, but if we eat them in stress or judgment, we change our metabolic chemistry.

Where else do we move too fast? Usually we are too fast in our interaction with others- a true sign of not being present.

Back From Israel!

2011-06-02T17:37:00.001-04:00

Having recently spent a couple of weeks in Israel, I am inspired by the fresh foods readily available at the food stands on the street: Freshly made hummus, freshly made juices from fruits and vegetables, salads deliciously dressed with nothing more than lemon juice and olive oil, and teas that are commonly brewed with fresh mint herbs. Keeping foods fresh and free of preservatives is one of the most important nutrition guidelines for good health.

Quick and Easy Home Made Hummus

1 15oz can of chick peas, commonly called garbanzo beans* (or 2 cups freshly cooked)
3 Tbs. tahini (available in most supermarkets, tahini is made of ground sesame seeds)
2-3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 garlic clove (optional)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cumin (optional)
1/4- 1/3 cup of water (adjust for desired consistency)

Blend all ingredients in a blender, adding water as needed, till the hummus is of a smooth consistency.

Hummus can be served garnished with unrefined olive oil, paprika and chopped parsley.

* When purchasing a can of garbanzo beans look at the ingredient list to make sure there are no added preservatives in the can. The ingredients should include nothing more than beans, water, and salt.

How Being Healthy Can Be So Unhealthy

2011-04-30T15:01:00.000-04:00

Modern culture has taught us well to obsess about our looks. We knowingly apply toxic chemical products to our hair and skin for the sake of appearance and deal more and more with eating disorders.

Whether consciously or not, we often sacrifice our physical or emotional health for the sake of our appearance.

While it is fun and important to feel beautiful in our bodies, we often are driven to do so by stress rather than self-love. This is an inevitable result of a culture that has little focus or education around how to nourish the spirit.

Hyper concentration on the finite body is based on our fears. We fear that we are not good enough or attractive enough. We fear that we won’t be liked or accepted.

There is no way out of this obsessive suffering without shifting our attention internally from finite to the eternal-self, the love that exists in us all. Self-awareness leads to non-violence, both mental and physical, against ourselves and others.

The Journey Will Inform the Destination.
However the journey looks is the way the destination will look. If we hate ourselves into exercise and diet, it will end with more hatred. Even if we lose the weight, we will either gain it back or keep hating ourselves fearing its return. The Biggest Loser educates us how to shame ourselves into weight loss. While I am in awe of the strength that each participant emanates, I suspect that unless each found further guidance in self-love, he or she will live forever in shame of their bodies regardless of the number on the scale.

There are two types of people who heal themselves of their health challenges: Those who do it from love and those who do it from fear.

If we are working on self-acceptance, why are we spending all our energy on external results? This leaves little room for focus on the process of self-acceptance.

In my early 20’s I discovered the practices of meditation and yoga that revealed to me a whole new world of mysticism and self-revelation. Up until that time I had been very self-conscious of my body. The movement of my long limbs always felt very awkward and somewhat lifeless. The more time I spent exploring this internal world, the more I started to connect to my body as a sacred space. As a container for my spirit, there was much to honor and be grateful for.

Unknowingly I started to walk differently, I started to be noticed more, and I felt comfortable being seen. By connecting to something greater within myself and in seeing it in others, I felt worthy to take up space in the world. My muscles naturally started to tone and my stride became more confident.

I realized that the state of my body had everything to do with my mind. The subconscious need to “blend in” is what had prevented my body from shifting its shape.

Weight or any other health challenge is the way we express our deeper challenges in the world. In our healing process we are learning lessons that can be very powerful to our growth. These very challenges are the signs pointing us towards our personal development.

Learning to heal involves learning to love ourselves into healing.

It's Not What You Eat, But How Much You Digest...

2011-04-30T14:57:00.000-04:00

How we digest is often an overlooked factor in our attention towards healthy eating. Despite a well-balanced diet, if we are having trouble digesting our food, we may actually be malnourished.

We may be eating “the right things” but not absorbing them. Have you ever found yourself more tired after a meal than before it? If digestion is weak, our body will have to draw energy away from other systems to use towards digestion, leaving us feeling tired or fog brained.

The digestive enzymes needed for the initial breakdownof food particles are contained in our saliva. By chewing our food properly we are able to assimilate the nutrients form our foods better.

Other digestive enzymes are present in living foods (foods that have not been processed and would spoil if left out.) These enzymes have been thoroughly destroyed in almost all processed foods, despite being marketed as healthy. Eating a diet high in processed foods puts a huge strain on the pancreas that now needs to manufacture the enzymes lost in processing in order to enable digestion. Since the pancreas is also involved in the regulation of stress hormones, a diet high in processed foods directly lowers our resistance to stress.

It is a good idea to minimize eating and drinking anything pasteurized, as by definition, pasteurization heats the food to the point where everything that was alive in the food is now dead. These days, most store-bought juices, most milk and dairy, and most cans of vegetables are pasteurized, so check labels and buy unpasteurized when possible. While raw milk is not readily available, cheeses made from raw milk are becoming more popular. Look for local brands of orange juice that are unpasteurized and be sure to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.

During spring, be sure to not overcook your food. Lightly steam vegetables and remove from the heat before the color changes from bright to dull. When eating animal products such as red meat, enjoy pasture-fed, non-medicated meat. During spring it is best to reduce our normal intake of animal proteins.

In order to improve digestion and assimilation, we need to eat more foods rich in enzymes. Adding raw foods to each meal helps, as well as consuming fermented foods. Lacto-fermentation is an ancient method to preserve food (prior to the invention of refrigeration,) and the fermentation process greatly increases the vitamin content and enzymes needed for digestion. Consuming fermented vegetables, dairy, grains and meat also promotes healthy flora in the intestine, which also aids in the assimilation of the food. Many common foods are fermented, such as cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, tempeh, sauerkraut, pickles, pickled ginger that comes with sushi, miso, kefir, and corned beef. (When eating fermented dairy, look for unpasteurized raw milk products.)

If you are interested in reading more on the topic, Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook is a great resource for your library.

Becoming a Urban Composter

2011-04-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

It's been over a decade since I began studying the relationship of nutrition to the mind and body. As with all things, it continues to be a process. There are many aspects in my present routines that I was either not aware of or not ready for a few years ago.

Connecting to a natural way of eating has made me more environmentally respectful. I recycle, drive a hybrid, reuse plastic bags, carry around my reusable shopping bags, and look for biodegradable products as much as possible.

And yet, just as with the process of nutrition, there are things I have been willing to overlook.

Living in the city, I never bothered with composting. I mistakenly figured that as long as I was using organic materials, they would all decompose, even in a landfill.

Landfills provide ideal conditions for the production of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. It is 72 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. It is created when organic materials (such as yard waste, household waste, food waste, and paper) decompose under anaerobic conditions (i.e., in the absence of oxygen.) Food that is mixed in with non-decomposable trash is estimated to make up about 40% of the trash in landfills and is the biggest offender in creating landfill methane.

Locally, our cities only pick up vegetative waste from our yard. Cities such as San Francisco, Minneapolis, Toronto, and Boulder all have programs in place that allow residents to place food scraps curbside to be turned into compost.

By properly composting their kitchen waste, rather than having it transported to a landfill site, individuals can ensure that, as the waste decomposes, it forms carbon dioxide, rather than methane, and so has less of a greenhouse gas impact.

Cambridge offers its residents the option to drop off food scraps for compost at the recycling center.
Cooking as often as I do, in the last couple of months I have been freezing my vegetable scraps and taking a monthly trip to the recycling center.

Living in the city, I grow my vegetables in boxes as I don’t have much of a backyard. I’ve always wondered where I would put a compost bin?!

The most popular urban solution seems to be red worm composting. I now keep a sealed container with red worms into which I toss my food scraps instead of into the trash. The worms feed off the scraps and all my received junk mail and turn it into compost. Hassle free.

If you are thinking you’d never bring a box of worms home, I thought the same. But these little ones are a private bunch and keep to themselves buried under the scraps. I actually find myself wanting to see them when I open the container. Its like having 1001 pets! I have 1000 worms and 1 cat.

Since I stopped throwing out food waste (first freezing and taking it to the compost center and now using worms,) in an entire month I have had nothing but one small kitchen-sized trash bin to put out on the curb.

Resources:

Cambridge Recycling Center
Building a worm compost bin: the cliff notes

The commercial made compost bin I purchased (This way I never have to deal with cleaning the bin or sorting the soil from worms)
Everything you need to know about red worm composting
Red Worm Purchase (it is not recommended to get less than 1000 to start)

* Some cities run non-profits where compost is picked up from your home. Here is an example of Somerville’s SoilCycle Program

* Most cities have inexpensive home composting systems for sale. Find out more on your city’s official website.

The Body Knows Best - Respecting My Symptoms

2011-03-25T11:21:00.000-04:00

Six or Seven years ago I was diagnosed with severe digestive complications and was told I would have to be on medication for the rest of my life. Within a year I was off my medication and besides a few minor episodes over the years, I have been free of symptoms ever since.

Nutrition works!

But nutrition does not represent the entire picture. A holistic notion of healing treats not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well. To credit healing entirely on external influences is to underestimate one’s self-worth and inner-power as well as the body’s internal wisdom.

Each physical symptom we experience, whether it is weight, pain, or disease, carries an important message. The body is a mirror of our inner thoughts and beliefs. Every cell responds to every thought and every word you speak. No matter what disease or symptom may be present, it carries important messages to help us develop our individual path.

Symptoms are messages from the body to slow down, look deeper, and listen. Welcome the symptoms. You are being asked to really explore how to better nourish yourself, listen to your gut and start over. What is the symptom saying, how does it express itself? Symptoms love stress; we need to explore the stresses in our lives.

The body speaks through sensation, pleasure, and pain. Relaxing into life entails learning the language of the body.

My initial thoughts when I first got sick and was diagnosed were all on the lines of “Oh no! I’m screwed!”

How wrong I was! I began to explore and journal about all the belief systems in my life that would cause my gut (intuition,) to be so heated and over protective. I explored both my diet and the internal workings of my mind until I learned what was needed for my personal growth at the time. Addressing the cause, released the symptom. My digestive issues had become my dearest friend, a barometer for my internal stress levels.

A couple of weeks ago I started to experience cramping in my stomach. My old friend was showing early signs of a visit. I was confused, as nothing had changed much in my nutrition or lifestyle in recent weeks. I sat with the question, “why are you here, what are you here to say?”

On the evening of the third day of cramps and sitting with the question, it occurred to me that I had recently declined a great professional opportunity in the field of nutrition. The decision came from the voice of reason while in my body there was a huge urge and curiosity to explore this opportunity. While I felt at peace with my decision, I realized that in doing so, I had shut down the excitement stirring in my gut.

What happened next has still left me amazed! I mentally acknowledged my belly, letting it know that I had heard its voice and decided to take a different route that was better for the whole. In that instant I felt a shift, a subsiding of pain and the next morning I woke up feeling as good as ever.

When we ignore our symptoms we act irresponsibly and disrespectfully to our body. While modern day medication is extremely valuable, many of us take over-the-counter medication a little too often, anytime we have the slightest onset of discomfort. The symptom is masked and we forget it was there or how often it appears. We keep it under control and choose to keep riding the wave of our stresses, refusing to truly slow down and listen.

Quick and Easy Home Made Bread and Home Made Cheese

2011-03-22T19:35:00.005-04:00

Having friends over for Middle Eastern cuisine this past weekend, I had to come up with quick and easy appetizers to match the dinner's theme. These were a great hit!

Home Made Labneh (strained yogurt)

32 oz plain organic yogurt (always choose organic dairy)

Cheesecloth

Optional: 2 Tbs. fresh mint (or parsley), chopped

Optional: 1 Tbs. olive oil

Place the yogurt in cheesecloth and tie the ends of the cloth together with a rubber band, making it into a little sack. Place the cheesecloth in a strainer over a large bowl. Let the liquid drain out of the yogurt (you can help it by gently squeezing the cheese cloth every few hours.) You can keep the yogurt on the countertop for a few hours before placing it in the fridge or put it directly in the fridge on a hot day. Within 24 hours the cheese will have drained it’s liquid (about 2.5 cups of liquid!) and is ready to be served. It will taste even better if you give it 2-3 days before serving.

Presentation: You can either spread the cheese out on a plate or roll the cheese into little balls, topping with olive oil and fresh chopped mint. (These also taste great when served with freshly cut tomatoes.)

Optional: you can also mix your favorite spices into the yogurt at the start of the process to flavor the cheese.

If you'd like to store labneh for yourself in the fridge for a long period of time, place in a jar and cover with olive oil.

I needed some bread to go with it....

Quick Bread (makes 12)

3.5 cups white whole-wheat flour

2 cups water

1.5 Tbs. olive oil (poured into a small bowl)

Optional: Za'atar (middle eastern spice)

Salt to taste

To make the dough, mix flour with water. The consistency of the dough should be elastic and shouldn’t stick to the rolling pin or countertop.

Tear off small fist sized pieces of the dough and roll out with a rolling pin. (There should be no need to dust the counter or pin with extra flour). Each bread should be 4”-5” round and about ¼” thick.

Dip you finger in the olive oil to coat both sides of each bread-round before placing the bread on a baking sheet. Once all breads have been made and placed on a baking sheet sprinkle za'atar and salt over the breads and gently rub the spices in.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Feel free to use any other spices to top the bread.

These breads freeze well, they are whole grain, and yeast free!

After our appetizers, this recipe is what we had for dinner. Yum!

The Tongue Scraper for Cleansing and Elimination of Cravings

2011-03-10T18:30:00.016-05:00

The tongue scraper, an inexpensive yet transformative utensil, is a simple, thin, u-shaped piece of stainless steel. It consists of a blunted edge that removes plaque and build-up from the surface of the tongue. Dentists in America are recommending the tongue scraper more and more because it helps to fight cavities by removing bacteria from the mouth. The tongue scraper also prevents bad breath, especially for people who eat a lot of dairy and build up mucus in the mouth, nose, and throat.

The tongue scraper comes from the tradition of Ayurveda, which asserts that people who use a scraper are better at public speaking, express themselves more thoughtfully, and speak more sincerely and authoritatively. Some people ask if the same effect can be gained by brushing the tongue with a stiff toothbrush. Brushing the tongue moves stuff around and is helpful, but a tongue scraper is more effective as it clears out the deep deposits and generally keeps the area cleaner, stimulated and alive.

Cravings can be reduced by cleaning the tongue of leftover food. When the mouth can still taste the food, you may experience cravings for previously eaten foods. A tongue scraper reverses the process of desensitizing your taste buds, which has happened to everyone to a greater or lesser extent. It allows you to taste more subtle flavors in food so that you can eat vegetables, fruits and whole grains with greater joy. When old residue is removed from the tongue, you will be better able to taste your food and won’t need to eat as much since you will have gained greater satisfaction from your meal.

And finally, a big advantage is that it enhances kissing because it makes the tongue more sweet, fresh and sensitive. If you are in a relationship, I invite you to check this out with your partner. Make an agreement to scrape twice a day for one week, and notice the difference.

Directions:

Apply a few quick strokes, 2-3 times a day

Use the rounded cleaning edge to scrape gently down the tongue several times while applying slight pressure

Rinse under running water and gently scrape again until no white residue is left

There should be no pain or gagging involved whatsoever—if you feel any discomfort, you are probably scraping too hard or starting too far back on the tongue

Calorie Free But Loaded With Stress

2011-03-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

Stress is a natural body mechanism for survival. The classic scientific definition of stress is “a real or imagined threat and the body’s response to it.” Hence, each time we experience stress, the brain interprets it to the body as a threat to your survival.

In primal days, stress (fight or flight) was the body’s reaction to a potentially life threatening experience, such as a lurking predator. In response to stress, the body shuts down the digestive system in order to supply more energy towards survival mechanisms.

Most of us function on low-levels of stress all day every day. While some stresses can help motivate us to get things done on time, much of our stress is created by “stressing ourselves out” in our own heads. The quality of our thoughts affects the stress levels in the body.

Low-level stress reduces your ability to burn calories and can minimize the flow of blood to the digestive tract by up to four times.

Stress levels will rise from anxiety, judgment or attack mode against self or others. Fighting people, lack of forgiveness, and unresolved past experiences will all raise our stress levels. Any thoughts or words that degrade self and others will cause stress. A simple thought such as “I’m five lbs over weight and that sucks” will elevate your stress levels and tell your body not to digest or assimilate.

The same switch in your brain that turns on the fight or flight stress mode will simultaneously turn off digestion.

The stress response will eventually show up as weight issues, immune issues, digestion concerns, blood sugar levels, heart disease and cholesterol levels.

Dieting and Stress

Any strategy or remedy that creates stress, any diet or exercise that is driven by stress or asks you to hate yourself is harmful and counter to healing.

When the body is under stress it is less connected to its gut wisdom, the neural information regarding digestion. We eat when anxious or stressed, a time when the appetite is most deregulated. If we over eat it is not because we have will power problems, but rather the brain has not registered “I’m full, nourished and satiated”. When we are relaxed, the brain is fully engaged in the digestive process and is making choices from body wisdom. When we relax, the digestive system is at its best.

When the body has an excess of stress hormones, cortisol and insulin, it slows down calorie burning, sustains fat and refrains from building muscle in order to maintain energy. This is an evolutionary survival response to primal time famines. This is the main reason why people often gain weight on diets. If the body doesn’t get the calories it needs, it believes its in famine and goes into survival mode.

Eating less, exercising more, pushing yourself, hating yourself and beating yourself up does not work. The stress response can over ride any of the wonderful healing dietary strategies that we choose.

We must integrate tools to relax in all the key realms of our life so the body can be in a natural state of healing. Then all the healthful nutritional strategies will really take hold.

How you eat is as important as what you eat. Take 5- 10 deep breaths before and after each meal to signal the body that you are eating in a relaxed environment. Take a moment to notice if the mouth has started to salivate, and you will know that your digestive juices have started to flow!

Approaching Your Health, Weight (or Yoga Practice) From a Place of Wholeness

2011-02-15T12:37:00.005-05:00

Perennial philosophy is the philosophical concept, which states that each of the world’s religious traditions share a single universal truth.

We are each an individualized consciousness that is the manifestation of a Divine Ground. As human beings we possess a double nature, an egoist self and an eternal Self, which is the spirit, the spark of divinity within the soul. A human’s life on earth has only one end purpose: to identify the egoist self with the eternal Self and so to come to the united knowledge of the Divine Ground.

Our religions share a similar story: a tale of how we started as a whole, connected to the divine, until something occurred to create separation. In the Old Testament we learn of the temptations within the Garden of Eden, the wounding and our fall from grace.

We start to believe that we are alone, separate from the divine. We forget about the internal glory of the divine and focus fully on external victories, out-winning “others”. Our approach of ‘self against else’ leads us to hatred, violence and destruction towards others or ourselves.

Many of us struggle with health, weight and body image issues. We can spend decades of our life resenting our bodies until we exhaust ourselves fighting these issues. We often need to reach exhaustion before we have an awakening. We realize that in a physical and psychological battle against ourselves there is no winner.

Having spent years resentful of our bodies, we get trapped in the limited belief that medical and nutritional ailments can only be healed by medical and nutritional strategies. As an example, we are taught that excess weight can only be lost by less food and more exercise or by the use of a drug.

While this holds some truth, it does not paint an entire picture. For many of us the issues are not nutritional, they are psychological. Every issue we face with the body is somehow linked with heart, mind and soul. Thoughts, feeling, and beliefs all affect nutrition, too. While we can heal ourselves by dietary means, we need to move deeper into ourselves if we want to create true healing.

We carry the divine spark within us; we are perfect as we are. Yet there is a journey and on this journey, we receive clues. Each of our symptoms hints towards the things that we do that is not an expression of our authentic self. When we learn to understand our symptoms, we learn what we need to let go of.

When we don’t listen to the mild symptoms, they get louder until they grab our attention. Rather than attack our symptoms or try to rapidly get rid of them, let’s listen and learn from them. As we authentically evolve, the symptoms will dissolve.

One of my clients recently shared how once she realized that each pound of her excess weight carried a divine message, she began to feel lighter in her body. The embodiment of lightness and sense of universal support has made it easy for her to embrace a healthy lifestyle and lose weight with no feeling of fight or depravation.

Our health challenges are doorways to deeper places in our lives that call for healing. The body lives downstream to the soul. Improved health or achieving a healthy weight is the result of our practice but it is not the practice itself. The practice is carrying out our authentic service to the world.

As we empower ourselves as individuals, our metabolic power and physical vitality increases. When we learn to step out of our own way, true healing can take place.

Ghee (Clarified Butter): What Is It? And Why You Want To Use It

2011-02-08T09:56:00.007-05:00

According to Ayurveda, ghee is said to be beneficial for the whole body. Traditionally, ghee has been used to promote memory and brain function as well as heal inflammation and enhance digestion. Modern science tells us that ghee also harbors phenolic antioxidants which bolster the immune system.

If you are familiar with the doshas in ayurvedic medical philosophy, ghee is best for Vatas, soothing for Pittas, and balancing for Kaphas in moderation. For cold, dry, stiff and airy (Vata) types, ghee adds heaviness and lubrication to the body in the joints and in digestion. Ghee is cooling and soothing for the fire-based ailments (Pitta), such as fever, acidity, and inflammation. For all three doshas, ghee helps memory and is a healthy fat that is good for the liver and immune system, though Kaphas should consume it in moderation as it also helps build body mass.

Ghee is none other than butter that has been clarified; having had the impurities of saturated fat and milk solids removed. Ghee is lactose-free.

In yoga, ghee is said to lubricate the connective tissues and promote flexibility,

You can use ghee as you would use butter. Remember that ghee is fat, and only a certain amount of total fat is necessary in the diet.

You'll find ghee at the health food store, or you can easily make it yourself.

* When buying or making ghee, or any dairy product, look for organic. All toxins like to settle in body fat, and especially mammary glands, which makes it important to choose organic animal products like milk and butter, otherwise they tend to be the most laden with impurities like pesticides, herbicides and other toxins found in air, water and feed.

How To Make Ghee

Cut 1 pound of unsalted butter into large cubes (keep all cubes at approximately the same size) and melt over a medium-low heat in a heavy pot with a rather thick bottom and high sides.

When the melted butter starts boiling, it will begin to create a popping sound as moisture evaporates from the butter. You may need to adjust the heat slightly to be sure you hear constant sizzling and spitting sounds.

As the butter continues to boil uncovered, the amount of foam will decrease. You will notice curd solids beginning to form and sink to the bottom of the pot. As a result, the butter will become more and more transparent.

From time to time, gently stir the surface with a wooden spoon to better check the transparency of the melted butter. Don't go deep with the spoon; the purpose is not to stir but to check if the clarified butter is taking a clear golden color.

When the clarified butter has become transparent and there is very little foam left on the surface, the ghee is ready. All solids should have settled in the bottom by now. This process should take anywhere between 10-15 minutes depending on the cooking heat.

As soon as it turns a beautiful golden color and begins to smell like popcorn, immediately remove the ghee from the heat. At this stage it can burn very quickly. If the ghee has become darker in color, it has been overcooked.

Let it cool a little. Pour the golden liquid through a fine sieve, a tea strainer or cheesecloth into a glass jar. Discard the brownish curds at the bottom of the pot.

Clarified butter can be kept covered without refrigeration. Once cool it will solidify like butter.

Anti-inflammatory Sweet Ghee Spread

6 Tbs. of ghee
4 Tbs. of honey (preferably raw.) Amount can be adjusted according to your liking.
6 tsp. of turmeric
6 tsp. of cinnamon
5 tsp. of ginger (dried, not fresh)

Mix the ghee and honey in a jar. You may need to soften them by placing the jar in a bowl of hot water (or soften in microwave). Mix in all spices and store in a tight-lid jar. This spread can last for months without spoiling. Enjoy it on toast..

Raw Chocolate Truffles

2011-01-28T09:44:00.003-05:00

These truffles are always a hit at parties!! Sometimes I'll have one in the middle of the day and call it an "energy snack"... yum!

½ cup cocoa powder (preferably raw)
1 cup cashews
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 Tbs agave
2 Tbs maple syrup
1/3 cup cocoa nibs

Grind the cashews as fine as possible in a food processor. Add all other ingredients except the cocoa nibs and blend together.

Roll the mixture into balls. Spread the cocoa nibs on a plate and roll each ball in the nibs, making sure to coat it well.

Tips: The smaller the cocoa nibs are, the better. If you have a coffee grinder, grind your nibs down before rolling the balls in them.

Variations: You can substitute the nibs for ground cocoa, ground nuts such as walnuts or cashews, or coconut flakes.

Raw Chocolate Pudding
Click Here for Recipe

Store Bought Chocolate Truffles For Valentine's Day (or any day!)
Don't want to make your own? Check out UliManna or Gnosis

Cold Remedies From Your Kitchen Cabinet

2011-01-28T09:37:00.001-05:00

During the winter season many of us are either experiencing, fearing or recovering from the common cold. While there is no cure, there are many remedies to maintain health or speed up recovery.

The suggestions bellow are not meant to be taken simultaneously. Pick two or three to try at a time.

Simple Kitchen Herbs

During a Cold or For Winter Health Maintenance:

• Boil a pot of water with ginger, cinnamon, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a pinch of chili flakes or cayenne, and honey. Keep refilling your cup and enjoy several times a day until you feel well.
• Other ginger and cinnamon tea options could consist of lemongrass or a pinch of cardamom.
• Tulsi (holy basil) can be purchased in tea bags and is a great winter tea to prevent and recover from a cold or flu.
• Garlic: chop a clove of garlic into small pieces and swallow like a pill with water. Garlic helps fight bacterial and viral infections. You can do this every morning and will not experience garlic breath.

Cold Remedies:

• Half a teaspoon of fennel seed mixed with one teaspoon of honey can be taken 2-3 times a day.
• In a jar mix honey with chopped onion and garlic. You can also add chili flakes, black pepper or a pinch of cayenne to the mix. Let sit for a couple of hours until the honey has liquefied. This concoction is highly effective as an antibacterial and for breaking up accumulated mucus.Take 2-3 tablespoons of the liquid solution daily.
• For colds with a cough and congestion: Mix half a teaspoon of cinnamon with one teaspoon of honey. Take 2-3 times a day.
• For a cough with mucus or sinus congestion: Mix a quarter of a teaspoon of black pepper with one teaspoon of honey. Take after a meal.
• For a dry cough: Mix half a teaspoon of ginger with one teaspoon of ghee.
• For a sore throat: Mix one teaspoon of whole cloves, half a teaspoon of celery seeds, half a teaspoon turmeric, quarter teaspoon of ginger powder, one teaspoon ghee, and half teaspoon of honey. Take half a teaspoon of this mixture several times a day.
• For sore throat: Chew on one whole clove followed by the black inner seeds of a cardamom pod. Spit out the remainder of each when done chewing.
• For sore throat: Mix half teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of salt in one cup of hot water. Gargle it in the morning and evening or up to five times a day.
• For Nighttime coughing: Take two teaspoons of honey at bed time to reduce nighttime coughing. Honey is also known for soothing a sore throat when taken with warm water and lemon.

Morning or Evening Routines For Winter Health

• Neti Pot:
The regular use of a neti pot can be more effective than many over-the-counter medications for cold or allergy related nasal and sinus congestion. First fill the neti pot with warm salt water. Tilt your head over a sink and place the spout of the neti pot in the upper nostril. Allow the water to flow through your nasal cavity, coming out the lower nostril. This will flush out excess mucus. Blow your nose (preferably not squeezing the nostrils shut) and repeat on the other side.
Ceramic neti pots are available at most pharmacies and health product stores. Costing about $15, they can last a lifetime.

• Sesame Oil Rub:
Using sesame oil (preferably cold-pressed and organic), warm the oil and apply topically all over the body. Daily self-massage (called abhyanga in Ayurveda) will hydrate dry skin, move lymph, enhance circulation and boost immunity. The hydration of the skin will also prevent the lips from cracking.
When applying, use circular motions around joints and long strokes up and down on limbs. When oiling the belly, it is recommended to rub up the right side and down the left to flow with the direction of the digestive tract.
A daily routine of self-massage will calm the mind and grounding the mind, and sooth the nervous system. These are the qualities that keep us in balance during the winter months.

Heal Your Cold Through Diet

• Winter appropriate diet: click here to learn more about a diet geared towards winter health.
• Mom’s infamous chicken soup: For generations people have been using this remedy during a cold for its anti-inflammatory and anti-congestive benefits.
• Hydration! Room temperature or warmer water, clear broth, or water with lemon are vital for cold prevention and recovery. Drinking hot water several times a day is effective in removing toxins and recovering from a cold.
• Avoid drinking sodas and coffee when sick. Not only are they dehydrating but their stimulating effect on the nervous system robs the body of its healing capabilities.
• If congested with mucus, avoid dairy products.

Rest And Exercise When Sick

Mild to moderate exercise can be helpful in relieving a cold if you are not running a fever and all your symptoms are upper respiratory (runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat). If symptoms are felt below the neck (chest congestion, hacking cough, upset stomach, widespread muscle ache), it is best to postpone exercising. Keep your exercise gentle. Vigorous practices can move the cold to the chest. Inversions such as shoulder-stand or headstand as well as forward bends can help prevent postnasal drip and drain mucus through the nose.

Breathing Exercises For Winter Balance

• “Breath of fire”: Kapālabhāti Pranayama
This is a vigorous breathing technique, stop before the muscles and lungs become fatigued.
Gently exhale all of the air from the lungs then inhale a little. Exhale rapidly like a gentle sneeze making a sound with the mouth closed. Then inhale rapidly and begin to exhale and inhale in quick rhythm. Use the diaphragm to create the force required for quick inhalation and exhalation. Adding a little more force to the exhalation, the inhale will be quick and automatic.
Start with 8- 12 rounds of inhalations and exhalations. Gradually build up the number of Kapālabhāti breaths taken each time. Stop if the chest fatigues.
This breath burns the cold.

• Alternate Nostril Breathing: NādīŚodhana
Alternate nostril breathing will balance the nervous system and relieve congestion. The term NādīŚodhana refers to cleansing the Nādīs (energy lines that carry prana, vital energy and life force) and nerves.
Perform NādīŚodhana by Inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the opposite nostril . Then inhaling through the same nostril that was used in exhalation and switching nostrils after each inhalation.
Bend one arm and pinch the nose with the thumb and a finger of your choice. Breathe in through the right nostril. Exhale through the left nostril. Inhale through the left nostril. Exhale through the right nostril. Keep this flow going, trying to pause at the top of each inhalation, effortlessly retaining the breath, before naturally exhaling.

My Eight Year Old Guru and The Law of Impermanence

2011-01-07T12:10:00.000-05:00

The day after returning from a seven-day silent meditation retreat, I was driving my eight-year-old nephew to the movies, both of us excited to see the newly released Chronicles Of Narnia movie.

Discussing the fighting that occurs in the film, my nephew was explaining to me that at this point in time he does not wish to be a soldier but that he might feel differently when he is older because he changes all the time.

Deciding he should explain himself more clearly, he continued by saying “When I was little I really liked tomatoes. Then I really didn’t like tomatoes. Yesterday I ate a little bit of tomato.”

My nephew was sharing the realization that reality is more fluid than any of our ideas about it.

Impermanence is a fundamental insight in many spiritual practices. Most meditation practices point toward becoming equanimous in the midst of change and wiser in how we respond to what comes and goes.

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, said we can never bathe twice in the same river. A river is a progressive moment, a successive series of different moments, joining together to give the impression of one continuous flow. It has an outward impression that it is one continuous and unified movement, where as in reality it is not. The river today is not the same as the river of yesterday. Life is like a river, changing continuously, becoming something or the other from moment to moment.

Meditative practices help us open to the moment-to-moment arising and passing of every perceivable experience. With deep concentrated mindfulness, we see everything as constantly in flux, even experiences that ordinarily seem persistent.

Sitting in meditation for seven days, I was experiencing acute pain in my knee and hip joints. However when I tried to focus on the pain, I couldn’t pinpoint the exact spot. As soon as I brought my attention to the pain, it flashed out of the existence and reappeared a millimeter to the side. It transformed into a dance of sparking sensations located in no particular place. Pain that seemed solid was actually in constant flux.

Realizing impermanence, we realize that it doesn’t make sense to try holding onto anything, because everything simply flashes in and out of existence. There is nothing real that we can actually cling to. We see that our experiences don’t correspond to our fixed categories, ideas, or images.

It is often our resistance to change that causes most suffering. We view the world in black and white and refuse embrace the shades of grey.

If we defined ourselves as “tomato haters” and discovered a newfound love for tomatoes, do we cease to exist? Our most ingrained attachments are to self, self-image, and self-identity. In the deeper experience of mindfulness, we see that the idea of self is a form of clinging to concepts; nothing in our direct experience can qualify as a self to hold onto.

Giving Up Hope As A New Year Resolution?

2010-12-28T10:26:00.001-05:00

The Buddhist tradition teaches us that as long as we continue to wish for things to change, they never will. As long as we hope to improve, we won't. As long as we have an orientation toward the future, we will never just relax into what we already have or already are.

One of the deepest habitual patterns we carry is to feel that now is not good enough. We reflect and compare the present to the past or wish things to be different when imagining the future.

Even at times when we feel great satisfaction in our lives, we tend to think about what the future holds. We don't quite give ourselves full credit for who we are in the present.

It is easy to yearn for things to improve as a result of our actions. We create our New Year resolutions based on these hopes. Vowing to exercise more or improve our diet, we hope to feel or look a certain way.

Abandoning any hope of fruition does not mean abandoning our ambitions. Instead, it points to a path that focuses on the present rather than on results.

Whatever we do, it is usually done for a purpose, hoping to succeed rather than fail. That works well until our thoughts of success or failure begin to overpower the task at hand. Hopes and fears tend to go hand in hand and when we become result driven, we often miss the lessons presented along the way.

How is it possible to maintain our focus and work toward achieving our desired outcomes, without getting fixated on results? As we go about our activities, we must pay attention to the difference between having a goal and being taken over by our hopes, fears, and speculations.

I personally want to meditate more this year, but am not listing that as a resolution. My intention is to continue integrating more compassion toward others and myself. My methods to experience this include meditation and yoga, teaching and coaching, nutrition, and nurturing my relationships. By doing what I love, I tap into my natural strengths. In this way I can experience my ultimate result in the present moment and by meditating more, the experience will simply continue from what is already present rather than from what I feel may be missing.

As you work with your New Year resolutions, keep in mind that the root of healing is not in the premise that you are going to try to push things away, but that what you already have in each step of the process is worth appreciating. Enjoying the ride is how we ultimately find joy and gratification in our lives.

Yoga Sutras 1&2: Bringing the Mind to Rest

2010-12-15T11:06:00.003-05:00

Now The Discipline of Yoga

Yoga is The Cessation of Mind

Patanjali’s first and second yoga sutras have been a great reminder, a mantra, to center and ease my recent experiences of a tumultuous mind.

I am fascinated by how much more the body can be affected by the stories of the mind than actual life experiences. Circumstantial events, such as my car accident this past summer, are not the worst upsets to the body. As people we are extremely adaptable in times of crisis. Although life’s events can be destabilizing, it’s the mental worrying about our imagined future or perspective on past that truly causes internal damage.

Yoga postures are not really concerned with the body, they are concerned with the capacity to be. It is only in the Now that we can understand the science of yoga, the scientific laws of being. Yoga is an experience, not an idea or belief. Such an experience can only be accessed in Now.

Discipline means the capacity to know and learn. But we cannot know unless we have first attained the capacity to ‘Be.’

Osho describes us as a crowded house of people filled with our various personas. As we currently are, there are many people in our house but we are not there. A disciple is a seeker, learning to feel his/her being, to be the master of self rather than a slave to the crowding desires. To Be is to learn to be alone in your home in silence.

Yoga is the state of no-mind. The mind includes anything thought related: All ego, desires, hopes, fears, preconceptions, philosophies, or beliefs.

I often confuse the mind with something substantial that exists within my body. I can physically feel the effects of its turmoil. The second Sutra reminds me that the mind is just a function. The mind is an activity just as talking is. If we stop talking, talking stops existing. When we stop ‘minding’, minding stops existing. The problem is we’ve forgotten how to stop. We have lost the capacity to Be in Now.

These two Sutras serve me as a reminder to recognize the turmoil of the mind and to simply remember that this “minding” can be put to rest.

It doesn’t matter how many times the mind wonders off or for how long. What matters is the moment we realize the wondering of mind and bring our attention back to the experience of now, feeling the breath. To recognize the wondering of the mind and to attempt to shift back to present is the ultimate act of compassion for our process and ourselves.

A Winter Way Of Eating

2010-11-27T11:28:00.002-05:00

The New England winter climate is mostly cold and dry. Just as the trees and plants around us have dried, we may experience the dryness of our own skin and lips as well as a drop in our body temperature.

As things change externally, our inner body changes in a similar manner and we must care for our bodies accordingly.

Foods For Winter

* Since winter is cold and dry we need to avoid similar food to maintain warmth and moisture within.
* Warm, home-cooked foods are ideal, cooked with easy-to-digest oils such as ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil, but not deep-fried.
* Use cooking methods such as steaming, roasting, stir-frying or poaching in order to heat the food all the way through.
* Avoid raw foods, which are cold in nature such as salads, cold fruits, ice (especially in drinks), ice cream and raw vegetables as these tend to cool the body.
* Incorporate foods that create moisture and warmth. Minimize the consumption of crackers, rice cakes and breads, as they are very dry.

Flavor

* The flavors that nourish and balance the body in the cold, dry, winter season are the sweet, sour and salty tastes. It's best to eat less of the astringent, bitter, and pungent flavors in winter, although all six tastes should be included in your diet.
* From the less ‘favored’ flavors use ginger (unless you run both an extremely hot body temperature and a hot temper) and radish for pungent to keep warm, enjoy leafy greens and dandelion root for bitter, and cranberry or apple for the astringent flavor to aid detoxification during these months.
* Root vegetables and grains will provide the sweet flavor. Refined sugars will create more harm than good.
* For salty flavor reach for small amounts of high quality sea salt and an abundance of sea vegetables.

Food Suggestions

* Warm hearty soups, healthy lean meat and root vegetable stews, whole grains, and roasted nuts.
* Cereals, grains, and legumes: brown rice, oatmeal, millet, soybeans, and mung beans.
* Meat, poultry and fish.
* Nuts (avoid in excess if you have a lean or lanky body combined with a quick and restless mind.)
* Root vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes, yucca, potatoes, beets, turnips, ginger, ginseng, taro, burdock, carrots, parsnips, as well as, fennel, onions, chives, scallions, garlic and leeks.
* Herbs, spices, condiments and oils: peppermint, basil, ginger, turmeric, parsley, gogi berries, licorice, cinnamon, cloves, chamomile, pepper, honey, and sesame oil.
* Fruits and nuts: (at room temperature) apples, clementines, cranberries, red grapes, grapefruit, persimmons, dates, figs as well as lemons and limes.
* If eating dairy (choose organic products!) avoid having them cold. Using ghee (clarified butter) is a great butter substitute.
* Hydrate! Hot water and room temperature only. If drinking with a meal, sip hot water slowly.
* The salty taste is attributed to the kidney and bladder, so by adding some salty foods in your diet during winter you can improve the function of these two organs. In Chinese medicine these are the meridians/organs governed by the water element that can be most affected by the dryness of the season. Incorporate some of the following foods to support the kidney and bladder function in winter: burdock root, eggs, fish, miso soup, nuts, tofu, and sea vegetables (such as arame, hijiki, kelp, kombu and wakame.)
* This is not the season to be eating a fat-free salad and cracker diet. Play with steaming or roasting vegetables for salads and if eating things like toast for breakfast, spread a thin layer of ghee or butter on top.
* To promote consistency, regularity and a sense of calm it is important in winter to keep a regular routine with your meals.

Winter Breakfast Recipes (balancing the cold and dry season)

2010-11-27T11:04:00.001-05:00

Stewed Apples 

2 apples peeled, cored and sliced
4-5 dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
4 dates, preferably medjool, pitted and cut in half
2 cups water
1 Tbs. maple syrup 
1 Tbs. grated ginger 
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom 
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  With a ladle, transfer about a third of the contents, including the liquid, to a blender or food processor and blend into a puree. Return the puree to the pan and serve warm.

  Spiced Oatmeal

1/3 cup almonds (preferably soaked overnight)
1&1/2 cups of water 
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbs. raisins
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom 
1/8 tsp. allspice powder
1/8 tsp.ground ginger
1/2 banana 
1 Tbs. maple syrup

Boil the water and stir in the oats and spices. Simmer for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using quick oats, simmer and stir for 3-4 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and add banana and almonds. 

Sprouted Wheat Bread (Manna or Essense Bread) 

Purchase Manna bread at your health food store and enjoy with ghee or almond butter. For a sweetener use honey (preferably local and raw) and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top. 
Click Here to learn how to make your own Manna bread

Sprouted Bread (known as Essene or Manna Bread)

2010-11-26T10:00:00.001-05:00

The simplest bread of all: Grains and water, no additives necessary.

This bread has a moist consistency that resembles a hearty muffin. I often enjoy a slice topped with nut butter or honey as a light breakfast or a sweet snack.

Traditionally, the Hebrew tribes in ancient Egypt made Essene bread by grinding berry roots between rocks or millstones that were then laid to bake on stones heated by a fire or the sun.

These days we don't have to work quite as hard...

You can make your own essene bread or find it in the frozen bread section of your health food store.

Instructions for Making Your Own Essene Bread:
1. Using 2 cups of dry wheat berries for each loaf, rinse the grains and cover them with twice the volume of water in a ceramic, metal or glass bowl, jar or pot. Cover with a screen or netting that will allow a flow of air and let soak overnight (at least eight hours).
2. Drain in the morning and rinse at least twice a day for 3 to 4 days, keeping them covered with the netting. Make sure to drain out all the water each time you rinse while shaking the berries to prevent matting and spoiling.
3. Allow the sprout hairs to grow at least the length of the berries and/or to be sweet to the taste before grinding. If they still taste starchy, give them another day of sprouting.
4. Grind into a paste in a food processor, knead and shape into loaves (keeping them somewhat round and flat in shape.)
5. Bake on a cookie sheet at low temperature (160-250°) for three to four hours or until browning occurs.
6. Let cool and store. Refrigerate or freeze if intended to keep for more than three to four days.
7. Cut with a wet and serrated knife, and enjoy!
8. Variations: Add honey, seeds, or chopped nuts or fruit when making your bread.
* Ezekiel and other sprouted bread are made in a similar fashion from sprouted grains and water only with the addition of yeast.

Health Coaches: The Future of Health Care

2010-11-21T16:38:00.001-05:00

Health Care continues to base its systems on reacting to illness rather than preventing it. Chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes wreck our quality of life and cost a fortune. For obesity alone, the medical costs are estimated to be 147 billion dollars a year.

Preventive medicine saves money along with lives. A 2009 article in American Public Health Association calculated that a middle-aged person successfully treated for obesity, hypertension, and diabetes would gain about six years of life and, despite living longer, could save as much as $55,000 in lifetime medical spending.

Preventive medicine must become an integral part of our health care system. This is where health coaching comes in. There is currently no one in the healthcare system who has the job or the expertise to actually help people make the lifestyle and behavior changes that they want to make. It is hard to change engrained behaviors. An Integrative Health Coach is trained to help people clarify their personal health goals and achieve them.

My decision to attend the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and become a nutrition and wellness coach was one of the most transformational decisions of my life.

IIN taught me the information, skills, and practical steps I needed to build my health couching business from scratch... and make back my entire IIN tuition before graduation.

I was recently interviewed by IIN to speak of my success as a health coach. If you've ever thought about becoming a holistic wellness counselor, listen to this interview. You can create your dream job!

http://www.integrativenutrition.com/lp/danielmax

(you will be required to put in an email address to listen to the webinar. It is a formality- you will not be spammed!)

Here's to the future of nutrition!!

Seasonal Pumpkin Oat Energy Balls

2010-11-01T08:37:00.001-04:00

my solution to leftover pumpkin....

Balls:

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
2 Tbs maple syrup
2 Tbs dry roasted almond butter
1/4 cup apple sauce
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/3 cup pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds)
1/3 cup walnuts

Coating:
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup pepita seeds

For Balls: Mix pumpkin, maple, almond butter and apple sauce. Add in oats, nuts and seeds. Roll into two dozen balls.

For coating: In a coffee grinder, grind oats and pepita seeds into a flour. Pour the mixture onto a plate and roll each ball in the flour until covered.

Variation: Roll balls in shredded coconut instead of oat and pepita mixture.

Pumpkin-Oat Power Bar
Press the ball mixture into a 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Once cooled, cut into squares.

Pass The Salt: A Source To Winter Health & Iodine

2010-11-01T08:31:00.004-04:00

Iodized Table Salt

With cooling weather, falling leaves animals preparing for hibernation, plants retreating underground and darkness arriving earlier, nature has begun its preparation for winter.

Meanwhile inside, in the comfort of my own kitchen, the salt shaker has made a reappearance on the dinner table...

Salt carries a contractive/grounding energy that coincides with the ‘downward and inward’ natural direction of the season. As the body redirects its energy for the winter, small amounts of high quality salt can be supportive for winter health.

Not all salts are created equally.

The salt we are most commonly consume is iodized table salt. This salt is a commercially refined table salt that has been heated to such high temperatures that the chemical structure of the salt has mutated from its natural state. It is chemically cleaned, bleached, and treated with anti-caking agents. (That’s why it pours so easily.) Common anti-caking agents used in the mass production of salt are sodium alumino-silicate and alumino-calcium silicate. Both are sources of aluminum, a heavy metal that has been suspected to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Himalayan Pink Salt

Celtic Sea Salt

During the refining of table salt, mined natural sea salt or rock salt is stripped of more than 60 trace minerals and essential macro-nutrients. Refined salt is similar to refined sugar in the sense that they have both been stripped of their nutrients and are concentrated to a degree that throws the body off balance.

To avoid refined salt, minimize the consumption of processed foods (especially soups and microwave dinners), many of which are extremely high in refined salt which is added as a preservative. Furthermore, forget about the salt shakers at most restaurants and switch the salt you cook with at home.

The best salts to purchase are sea salt. There are many on the market, from plain old sea salt to fleur de sel, gray french sea salt, and Hawaiian sea salt. Many are coarse, but you can grind them to make them fine.

Using a coarse salt, you will most likely need to use less of it to reach your desired flavor. It is best to add salt at the end of the cooking process to maintain its mineral contents as well as to minimize the amount needed.

I most commonly use Himalayan pink salt, considered the highest grade of natural salt; it contains 84 elements and helps your body maintain a healthy electrolyte balance. You can even add a pinch to filtered water, along with the juice of a lemon, for a natural sports energy drink post-workout.

Natural sea salts promote health and can aid your body in maintaining normal blood pressure. [Click here for more information on different salts.]

The importance of Iodine:
Refined salt is usually fortified with iodine, which is responsible for many of the body’s health functions including thyroid support (iodine is needed for under active or hypothyroid), fighting infection, and helping the body fend off cancer and mood instability. Severe lack of iodine causes goiter (swelling of the thyroid in the neck), a result of the thyroid gland swelling.

Iodine deficiency can show up in the body as fatigue, foggy thinking, cold hands and feet, dry skin, thin hair, and constipation. If you suspect you might be deficient, ask you doctor to run the 24 hour urinary iodine load test or click here for Dr. Douillard’s mail in test

Natural Sources of Iodine:
We do not get enough iodine from high quality sea salt since much of it is lost during packaging and transportation of the product. However there is no need to seek out iodine artificially as an additive. Be sure to incorporate natural sources of iodine from the following foods:

1. Sea Veggies: the number one source of iodine in food, kelp is the superstar (also available in capsules for a more vigorous treatment).

2. Fish: Pacific cod, Atlantic sea bass, black perch and Atlantic haddock are fish high in iodine.

3. Animal Foods: Animal foods such as turkey, chicken, high quality dairy and eggs are a decent source.

4. Other: Baked potatoes with skin and legumes can contain some iodine.

Sea Vegetables

No food group serves as a better iodine source than sea vegetables. The estimated amount of iodine needed by an adult each day is 150 mcg (micrograms). Depending upon the specific type of sea vegetable, this guideline can be met by 1 teaspoon. A gram of iodized table salt typically contains about 65 micrograms of iodine, whereas kelp contains 100-200 mcg, dulse contains 150- 300 mcg, and wakame contains 79 mcg.

Kelp is particularly interesting with respect to iodine because some studies suggest that up to 35% of the iodine contained in some varieties of kelp is actually stored in the same forms in which iodine is found in our thyroid hormones.

Simple ways to add iodine to your diet, purchase kelp or dulse shakers and sprinkle on a warm dinner meal or over a salad. Click here to see what seasonings you can purchase at most health food stores.

Further more, click here to discover all different sea vegetables available at health food stores with explanations of how to best use them along with a variety of recipes individualized for each product.

In addition to iodine, sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a wide and abundant variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium and iron, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body.

Studies have documented sea vegetables to reduce blood cholesterol, remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body, counteract obesity, strengthen bones and teeth, aid nerve transmission, improve digestion, and soften hard masses and tumors.
Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.

Winter Squash and Pumpkin Muffins!

2010-10-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

Winter Squash

Not only sweet and filling, winter squash is known to have anti-cancer effects, is beneficial in fighting against diabetes and heart disease, and is rich in the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene which contains anti-inflammatory properties.

The rich content of beta-carotene in winter quash makes it a healthy vegetable to fight against asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, all of which have inflammatory symptoms. Winter squash is also rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, which considerably lowers the risk of lung cancer.

Being high in fiber, winter squash helps lower cholesterol and protects the colon.

Not only does this vegetable provide us with its sweetness, its carotenoids help regulate the blood sugar level. Its potassium content also helps lower blood pressure.

Gourmet Squash Recipe:

1 acorn squash
cooked grain (brown rice, quinoa, millet etc.)
dried cranberries (preferably sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than sugar)
1 onion
chard or kale
extra virgin olive oil
shredded goat or cow cheese (optional)

Cut squash in half, discard seeds, and place face down in baking dish with 1” water. Bake for 40 minutes at 375F until tender.
Sauté onion for 5 minutes, add greens until they soften 2-3 minutes. Add cooked grain and cranberries, mix for another minute. Stuff squash with grain mixture sprinkle cheese on top and bake face up for another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm!

Daniel's Pumpkin Muffins (made with Quinoa!)

1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or from a can)
2 Tbs ground flax seeds mixed with 1/3 cup hot water, cooled for 10 minutes.
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups white whole-wheat flour**
additional 1/3 cup pecan pieces

Chop walnuts and 1/2 cup pecans. Add all other ingredients except flour and extra pecans and blend. Add flour and blend. Fold in in 1/3 cup pecan pieces.
Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.

** White whole wheat is made from white wheat berries while standard whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. Still a whole grain flour, white wheat has a lighter texture and is great for baking.

HOW You Cook Affects How You Feel

2010-09-29T08:20:00.001-04:00

Mom knows best. As the seasons change, so do the vegetables that Mother Nature provides. With the cooling temperatures of Fall, the vegetables we harvest are ones of a more grounding and warming nature.

When we eat right, the type of food we eat medicinally creates health and balance in our body. Similarly, varying our cooking methods will do the same.

The way we prepare our food plays a role in the effect it has on our body. In the Fall and Winter it is best to cook our meals on a lower heat for a longer period of time. This releases the more warming quality of our food and provides a settling effect that in turn helps internalize our focus.

Baked foods, sautéed foods, heartier foods, and root vegetables all contribute towards the thickening of the blood. When living in a cold climate, it is necessary for the blood to thicken as the weather grows colder.

Different methods and temperatures of cooking will also help balance out our personality. Since slower cooking methods are more grounding, it makes sense that rapidly cooked foods will have a more activating yet relaxing effect, suitable for the more stagnant and tense individual.
A more harmoniously sweet flavor, cooked undisturbed on a low heat for a longer period of time will have a more calming effect for the angry or impatient person.

The more pressure, salt, oil, time and heat that is used, the more concentrated the food will be. Concentrated foods provide the warmth needed for weaker constitutions that have lost interest in food or life.

When cooking, mindfully engaging with our food by pureeing, mashing, tossing, stirring, or kneading will help energize the food.

Cooking is the highest of art forms; when it is complete, you ingest your artwork and it becomes you and all those you feed.

It is helpful to be aware of your intentions. The state of the cook affects the state of the food. One can often taste the richness of a meal made and presented with attentiveness and love. Similarly so, a meal prepared in anger imparts anger. Respect what you are doing no matter how simple the preparation.

The foods you eat today prepare you for tomorrow. If feeling melancholy, bake something sweet like winter squash or yams with sweet spices such as cinnamon. Similarly, add some lemon zest to your dressings to add zest to your day. Become creative. At social functions, eating lighter, sweeter foods will help you be more sociable. When studying, simple concentrated foods will help your focus.

Be intuitive. Let the colors, flavors, shapes and smells be your guide.

Choose Living Food

2010-09-01T10:55:00.003-04:00

Kirlian photography
captures the energy
field of an apple

As individuals we have the choice of participating in our own health care. We can constantly discover new and healthy ways to nourish ourselves, connecting to our inner source of healing.

We are more than just a physical body. Our body has an energy field of life force pulsing within and around it. Food gives us life so we need to eat foods that contain life as well. When we eat, we nourish ourselves to maintain our ‘life source,’ known in the East as Chi or Prana. When choosing food it is helpful to ask yourself the question “How close is this food to its original source of life?” In other words, how many processes has it passed through since it was harvested from a field? The more processed the food is, the less Prana, life force, it contains.

• A vegetable picked today is more nutritious than a vegetable picked months ago, as it is still filled with the life soaked up from the earth and the sun. A freshly cooked vegetable has more life energy then a canned vegetable, as it has avoided factory processing.

• However, a canned vegetable has far more life energy than a box of mac & cheese. Processed foods contain little or no energy. In fact they can cause more harm than good.

• Whole grains are closer to their natural state then processed grains. For example brown rice is what white rice was prior to processing; therefore it is closer to the original state of growing in the fields.
• Whole grain products do not equal whole grains. A bowl of oatmeal or high quality granola is less processed and therefore contains more life than a box of “whole grain cereal.” Whole grain cereals may be made from whole grains but they are no longer whole grains. As a processed product, they act more like sugar in the body rather than like grain.
• Organic has more life energy than conventional, providing a higher content of vitamins and minerals due to factors such as the soil that is used.

Locally Grown Food

For those of us living locally in New England we are fortunate enough to enjoy the seasonal pleasures of local produce at the farmers markets. The selection at a farmers market is usually picked the same day, versus the produce found at a conventional grocery store that is often weeks or months old. If you have to ship a piece of fruit halfway around the world, it will contain far less vital energy than the fresh fruit you get from the farmer who drove in from the fields that same morning. Keep in mind that the closer to home the food was harvested, the fresher it is. When shopping at a conventional supermarket, look around the produce section; try to find foods that came from your state, or at least your country, not the other side of the globe.

An economical option is to buy lots of fresh food at the peak of its season and freeze, jar, or dry it for later use. Why not freeze your own fresh fruit or broccoli?

What's Preferable; Local or Organic?

Organic foods imported from other countries will usually be more expensive than those from local farmers. Organic foods that are shipped long distances are also often picked when they are unripe. Since organic standards ban the use of fungicides, this allows the food to be transported long distances without spoiling. When fruits and vegetables are picked before they ripen, they contain fewer vitamins and minerals.

When shopping at a farmers market, you have the opportunity to find out from the farmers which treatments they have used on their crops. Many small farms grow their crops following organic standards, but do not get organically certified because of the cost.

When we eat locally grown foods we help the environment by minimizing the miles of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide that it takes to get the foods transported. We are doing our part for both our local agriculture and the environment. Plus, it tastes better. Produce loses flavor on those long journeys.

Recipes: Edamame Dip With Cumin Corn Chips

2010-09-01T10:54:00.001-04:00

Making your own corn chips is easy. This way you get to use the highest quality oil as well as bake chips rather than frying.

Edamame are young soybeans. They are a good source of protein, are easy to digest and are exceptionally high in fiber.

Edamame Dip

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

2 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons (extra virgin cold pressed) olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 garlic clove

salt to taste

2-3 tbs water (as needed)

Boil 2 cups of water in a pot. Once boiled add edamame and bring back to boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Drain immediately and let cool.

Blend with all other ingredients adding water as needed to create desired smooth consistency.

Options: add parsley or cilantro to the mix.

Cumin Chips

1 packet (usually 10-12) corn tortillas, sized 5-6 inches

juice of 2 limes (4 Tbs)

1.5 Tbs olive oil

3/4 tsp ground cumin

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Combine oil, juice and cumin in a bowl and brush the mix on both sides of each tortilla. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges and spread out on a baking tray. You will need two baking trays to fit all chips. Once all chips are on the trays, sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10 minutes, turn them over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Bodies @ An Airport: (living outside our bodies)

2010-08-27T11:56:00.000-04:00

I recently learned from health practitioners in hospitals and nursing homes that they can tell when a patient is close to death. They all describe it as ‘seeing’ the life force withdraw away from the limbs towards the center of the body. The hands feel “lifeless” although the patient may still be moving them.

While it might be more noticeable in the frail, many of us live our lives energetically withdrawn from our limbs or disconnected from the totality of our body.

When practicing shiatsu, I’ll often sense the receiver’s energy stop flowing in the chest, neck or shoulders. The meridians of the arms feel depleted of chi (life force) even if the individual is young, strong and healthy.

I am currently blogging from an airport. There is a couple sitting near by, both holding their chest high reflecting a personality of a proud achiever. They both seem too congested in the chest to make any space for relaxation, trust or tenderness in their communication. Some of the passing travelers walk through the world (or maybe just through terminal D) while holding everything inside. Each one has a holding pattern reflected in another part of the body. In contrast, others have the posture and stride of someone who can't seem to hold it together at all. The body is a mirror of they way we most commonly approach life.

We are not a culture that is living in our bodies. Who ever designed the chair I’m sitting in definitely did not have the health of my spine in mind nor was there much thought to my physical or mental health when planning out the airport’s food choices. We are not taught to listen and understand our bodies. Instead we are expected to learn from external resources. Similarly to the dying person, we withdraw our energy away from the whole and into the part. Energetically withdrawing into the thinking head we can no longer hear or comprehend the messages our body is trying to convey. We find ourselves confused about what to eat, how much to rest, when we are hungry, or when we are full.

Separating from the experience of our body, we separate from the roots of our existence. Our body is the container that enables our entire earthly experience. It is the flute that transforms air into music or the flower that manifests its vibrant colors. Without it we would all be floating potential unable to manifest.

The Food Pyramid... What Should I eat?

2010-08-03T05:17:00.002-04:00

The Food Pyramid, a model created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has become an iconic illustration of what the USDA says is the element of a healthy diet. The Pyramid model has been taught in schools, appeared in the media and has been plastered on cereal boxes and food labels.

Tragically, the information conveyed in this pyramid hasn’t pointed the way to healthy eating. This symbol doesn't give enough information to help us make informed choices about our diet and long-term health. It continues to recommend foods that aren't essential to good health, and may even be detrimental in the quantities recommended.

Every five years, the US Departments of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services update their nutrition recommendations for citizens. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans continues to reflect the tense interplay of science and the powerful food industry. The panel that writes the guidelines must include nutrition experts who are leaders in pediatrics, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and public health. Unfortunately the selection of the panelists is always subject to intense lobbying from organizations such as the National Dairy Council, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Soft Drink Association, American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Wheat Foods Council. With panelists representing diverse industries, creating the guidelines has become more of a negotiation process to appease all sides, rather than keeping the focus on the public’s best interest.

Several of the new recommendations represent important steps in the right direction while others remain mired in the past.

Positive changes include the continuing development in the recognition of individual caloric needs and recommendations for overall smaller portions. There is a shift to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Furthermore the guidelines emphasize the importance of significantly reducing the consumption of foods with added sugars, solid fats, sodium and refined grains.

Vital changes that have yet to be made include the following:

* Grains: The guidelines lack instruction showing the difference between unrefined whole grains and

their refined versions. This is a shame since refined starches (found in cereals, breads, pastas etc.‘) behave like sugar, having adverse metabolic effects and increasing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Pictures on the food pyramid of highly refined products such as white bread and pasta continue to represent examples of grains. Simply put, Special K is not a whole grain just as ketchup is not a tomato.

Recommendation: Keep experimenting with unrefined whole grains. While you may have been eating wheat products your whole life, have you ever tried wheat berries from which the flour is derived? View recipes for ideas.

* Protein: The guidelines continue to lump together red meat, poultry, fish, and beans (including soy products) with little differentiation between each type. We are asked to judge these protein sources by their total fat content, making choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Due to the meat and dairy industries’ involvement in the guidelines, suggestions to lower the recommended amounts have not been approved.

Recommendation: Because of our bio-individuality, protein requirements vary dramatically from person to person. Many people feel lighter and clearer when they reduce animal products. If you notice that you feel better when eating animal protein, enjoy it in smaller portions together with an abundance of vegetables. Click Here to learn more about plant-based and animal protein.

* Fat: Since the 2005 guidelines there has been more differentiation between detrimental fats like trans fats and health-promoting fats. While this has been an improvement to our past fat phobic education, most of us still have no idea what oils we should be using.

Recommendation: Let ‘unrefined’ be your guideline. The unrefined label can easily be found on oils such as olive or sesame. Some brands of sunflower or canola can be found unrefined in health food stores. Saturated oils such as butter, ghee or coconut are always unrefined but should be used with care for cardiovascular health.

* Dairy: The recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day to prevent osteoporosis is another step in the wrong direction. Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant, and even small amounts of milk or dairy products give them stomach aches, gas, or other problems. This recommendation ignores the lack of evidence for a link between consumption of dairy products and prevention of osteoporosis as well as ignoring the suspected association of dairy with the causes of more serious diseases.

Recommendation: Minimize your intake of milk and choose other dairy sources instead. Enjoy fermented products like yogurt and kefir and experiment with goat dairy products for better digestion. Choose raw dairy when available. Milk sensitivities often appear as digestive, respiratory or skin disorders. Try eliminating dairy from your diet and enjoy leafy greens, sesame, soy, flax, and seaweeds for their high calcium values. Due to the antibiotics and hormones used in the US dairy industry, choosing organic is highly recommended.

For more information Click Here

* Water: The USDA makes no mention of the importance of water.

Recommendation: With the body made up of 75% water, it is essential that we continuously replenish this source. Drinking more water helps all of the body’s systems to run smoothly, enabling our organs to comfortably perform their functions. When the body is too dry it contracts. Drinking water helps relieve symptoms such as body tension, headaches, or any other stress related disorder. Hydration also keeps the skin smooth and clear.

Always keep a bottle of water on hand.

Related Article:
USDA's Replacement of Food Pyramid

What's The Deal With Wheat?

2010-08-03T05:00:00.003-04:00

Wheat berries are a suitable choice as a whole grain in the summer as they have a cooling thermal nature to them. According to Chinese medicine, this grain helps calm the mind and can be used as a remedy for palpitations, insomnia, irritability, menopausal symptoms and emotional instability. Wheat absorbs a wide range of minerals from the soil and is said to be a vital food in the process of growth and development. It encourages growth and weight gain so is especially good for children and frail individuals. Wheat, however, should be minimized if one is obese or if dealing with tumors or growths.

Wheat often causes allergic reactions as result of the flour products we normally consume that have been made with flour rancid from oxidation. Wheat flour should ideally be used immediately after grinding. Some people who are allergic to processed flour products can still digest cooked wheat berries or sprouted wheat.

Wheat Berry Salad

1 1/2 cups wheat berries

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped tart dried cherries/ dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice concentrate rather than sugar)

1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot combine the wheat berries with enough water to cover the wheat berries by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender. Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked. Drain and let cool. Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cherries, scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Variation: add beans such as garbanzo or edamame and add your favorite vegetables such as green beans, peppers, asparagus, broccoli, etc’.

Bulghur Wheat Tabouli

Bulgur is made from boiled wheat berries that are then dried and cracked. To avoid buying oxidized grains, purchase it in a sealed package and once opened, store in an airtight container.

1 cup bulgur

1 cup boiling water

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup parsley, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1 tomato, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

2-4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

(or 1 teaspoon dried mint)

salt to taste

Place Bulgur in a mixing bowl, pouring over it the boiling water. Cover the bowl and let it stand for

15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, gently toss all ingredients together.

Grow your own Wheatgrass

Place wheatgrass in a container with soil, covered with an additional thin layer of soil, and water regularly until grass is grown. Grind or juice for its cleansing properties.

Coming Back To Life Through Yoga

2010-07-11T17:17:00.000-04:00

It’s absurd (in my humble opinion) to think that when one experiences physical trauma, there would not coincidently be emotional levels to resolve.

In the last three weeks since my car accident, while my body has been diligently working on healing, I hadn’t felt the need for much emotional release.

While I have been conceptually thankful to escape an accident with such minor injuries, I can’t say I’ve experienced an emotional overwhelming sense of gratitude. Until today.

This morning I was back to practicing yoga in a class setting. Every movement and each pose carried my body through the experience of being alive. Living was no longer a concept but a feeling. Life force in those moments translated into happiness and it was engulfing me from both inside and out.

Catharsis came in a twist following my deep backbend, a heart opening pose that I have physically not been able to access in these past few weeks.

The tears started flowing and through the vibration of the quivering body, a huge surge of tension found its way out of the system.

When I was a kid I felt weaker for crying and as an adult I’ve learned not only the strength of tears but their necessity. We are all vibrational beings; a good cry or a good laugh are the response of a vibrational process. Preventing that vibration by 'holding on' creates accumulated tension, hence creating dis-ease.

Swami Kripalu called crying “one of the highest devotional songs. If you can cry with a pure heart, nothing else compares to such a prayer.”

The practice of yoga has taught me (perhaps above all) how to feel alive.

Aligning With The Summer Season

2010-07-08T08:15:00.002-04:00

Summer is nature’s season of growth and maturity with an abundance of fruits and vegetables ripening in the sun. Nature’s energy is effervescent, making it the season for us to engage in outdoor recreation and soak up solar power. We must learn to flow with the rhythms of the seasons. Otherwise tension is created and disease can be born.

Since summer is more hot and active, we need a diet that is more cool and light. It is no coincidence that nature provides us with an abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables. A diet of primarily raw fruits and vegetables (ideally organic) will help us feel lighter, aid in weight loss and keep our energy strong. Enjoy multicolored salads and vegetables, fresh fruits and juices, some seeds, nuts, and grains, and fewer dairy and meat products.

If you are feeling sluggish or low energy during summer, your meals might be too heavy for this time of year. You might be choosing too many foods of density or perhaps eating too many heavy foods at night. Try having your heaviest meal in the middle to late afternoon to provide better digestion and more restful night’s sleep.

Summer is not the time to overburden the liver, the main detoxifier of the body, with fried foods, processed and chemical foods, alcohol, or too much caffeine.

While barbeques might take a center role in our social gatherings this time of year, they do not have to reflect in abuse to the body. Offer to bring a big salad or some home made guacamole to be sure you have something nourishing to eat. You can create a more conscious and meaningful experience by enjoying friend’s company when you are not channeling your energy through too much beer or excessive amounts of hotdogs or chips. If you are reliant on alcohol to enhance your feeling of connection or pleasure, you are affirming the disconnect with every sip.

Balancing The Fire Element in You:

In Chinese medicine, the summer is governed by the fire element. As individuals, we are all different in the way that we are governed by the different elements.

People with increased fire may be hot types, full of energy, with red complexions, usually very busy, love to talk and socialize, and may find it hard to slow down or connect to feelings. With summer heat adding to their already excessive fire, a cooling diet of primarily fruits, vegetables, fresh juices and water will be most balancing.

For people with a weak fire, a more warming and cooked food diet will be beneficial. Spices like cayenne, ginger, or curry will add some fire as well as heat building whole grains such as buckwheat and millet.

One of the tools to assess the state of the fire element in your body is by looking at your tongue. The tongue should be moist and pink. If it is red, the heart energy might be too strong. If the tongue is pale, it may be a sign of weakness in circulation of oxygen and nutrients via the bloodstream. A coated tongue usually indicates poor digestive functioning.

Summer is a time to recharge the batteries with solar power. Drinking water should be a primary focus and keep the body loose through movement and stretching.

This is a time to shine from the inside out.

Summer Cleanser and Sweet Treat Recipes

2010-07-08T08:14:00.002-04:00

Post Party Liver Flush

Overdid it at a party last night? Start your day with the following recipe on an empty stomach:

1-2 lemons squeezed

1 Tbs cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced (may substitute with ginger)

4 ounces of warm water

Blend and drink.

After drinking, wait a short while and then enjoy a cup of herbal tea of fennel seeds, fenugreek or peppermint. You can eat breakfast half an hour after the tea.

'Chunky Monkey' Ice Cream (serves 2)

4 bananas

2 tsp vanilla

handful of walnut peaces

4-5 pieces of dark chocolate squares (or preferably 1 Tbs of raw coco nibs)

optional: 1 Tbs maple syrup.

Preparation: peel and cut bananas into chunks, spreading chunks on a plate (or parchment paper) and freezing with some space between each piece. (Once frozen, they can be piled in a container in the freezer.)

Blend the frozen bananas until creamy with the vanilla. Add in the nuts and chocolate. Top with sweetener if needed.

Variations: Blend with cocoa powder/ Blend with cinnamon/ Switch nuts and chocolate for berries.

Mango Pudding (serves 2)

3 ripe mangos

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup berries + extra to top

Mix in food processor (add enough coconut to make mixture thick). Place in small cups, sprinkle berries and/or coconut flakes on top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and serve.

Foods for Healing Broken Bones

2010-06-30T21:52:00.003-04:00

The body’s healing capabilities are amazing. Within a week my face went from completely swollen and bruised to almost normal. The body is designed to heal. Sometimes we just get in it’s way. This week, I’ve found my body naturally craving the foods that heal.

Nutritionally I’ve focused on getting a large amount of uncooked fruits and vegetables for their cleansing properties. My main fruits have been papaya and pineapple as they both contain enzymes that heal skin and bruising.

Pineapple contains Bromelain, an enzyme used to treat inflammation associated with infection and injuries. It tastes great when mixed in a shake with wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It can significantly enhance the healing process of fractures by reducing swelling and ceasing subcutaneous bleeding.

Adding green leafy vegetables purify and oxygenate the blood as well as promote circulation. Greens are also known to promote a subtle, light and flexible energy that helps lift the spirit and aid with depression. I’m finding light foods to be helpful, allowing me not to feel heavy while I physically limited in movement.

Spirulina is another helpful super-green that I’ve been mixing with some juice or adding to a delicious chocolate shake.

Proteins are important for the healing process and spirulina provides both the power of greens as well as the protein. Red meat is not recommended for bone healing due to its congesting density and its negative effects on calcium absorption. (other calcium “robbers” are processed sugars, caffeine, alcohol, and processed salts.)

Apples are helpful in healing bones as they contain Boron which reduces urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium and significantly increases blood levels of both estrogen and testosterone, both of which play a role in the healing of bones.

I’ve been finding myself craving cheese and ice cream this week and am guessing that the sudden strong interest in dairy is due to the body’s need of calcium.

While enjoying some of what I desire, I am also making sure to incorporate other calcium rich foods so that I don’t over indulge in the less healthy calcium providers. Many green, leafy vegetables — including broccoli, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens and bok choy or Chinese cabbage — are excellent sources of calcium. Salmon and sardines (can be canned), almonds, figs, tofu, dates, oranges and dried beans (especially pinto beans) are also good dietary sources of calcium.

Omega3 oils are important so adding flax meal or oil to my meals has been essential.

The last booster I’ll mention is bee pollen, a full-spectrum blood building and rejuvenating food, especially beneficial in the healing of broken bones and new cell growth.

Topically using homeopathic arnica gel has been amazingly noticeable in it’s effects on reduce the bruising and healing the skin.

I’m on the mend!

Yoga In 'Limited' Motion

2010-06-27T12:25:00.003-04:00

A week after a car accident, still limited in movement, my stretching routine currently consists of laying flat on the floor with my feet on a chair. As I lay flat, the muscles of my ribs are elongated and consequently begin to spasm. I stay in the position, breathing deeply until the spasms subside. Each small movement in the direction of stretching my arms over my head invites more tension. Laying on my back, waiting for a few breaths until the muscles relax and then moving a little further in to the stretch; this is my current yoga practice.

Whether stretching in my current range of motion or going deep into a pose when I’m not injured, the benefits of the practice remain the same. Taking the body to its edge, learning to stay and breathe into discomfort, allowing the discomfort to consequently subside, and going deeper into a new range of possibility.

I am often told by others “I’m not flexible enough for yoga.” Spending half an hour working to comfortably stretch my hand over my head has provided me with the same feeling of freedom that my usual vigorous practice does. To breathe into limitation, to work with whats currently there and to move forward from a place of ease. Yoga is not a pose, its a feeling, and it is accessible to all.

The Yoga of Car Accidents

2010-06-24T13:33:00.003-04:00

The ‘attack’ of the shopping bag occurred while driving on the highway with open windows. The wind carried a bag that flew into my face, blocked my vision and lead me to swerve off the road. I crashed into the median and flipped the car over taking (what I think was) a couple of rolls.

Once the car went from spinning to flipping there was nothing I could do to control it. I closed my eyes, stayed clam and waited for the movement to come to an end. I felt the body release its tension as it took its last few tumbles. Once coming to a halt, I unbuckled my seat belt and crawled out through the window of my upside down vehicle.

As the airbag had never inflated, (thanks Toyota) I had hit my head badly on the steering wheel and was bleeding heavily. The medics had covered my nose and eyes with bandages and I was taken to the ER.

For the next 4 hours of care my eyes remained shut from swelling and bandages. Without the stimulation of sight, I stayed fully focused on my internal experience of thoughts, emotions and patterns of breath. Each time a thought would bring a sense of panic, I’d return to my deep rhythm of breathing and the anxiety would subside.

As I was being stitched up, I could hear a woman in the other room screaming, more from fear than pain. It is so easy for us all to get trapped in the fear if we don’t access the tools to bring us back to center.

I am so grateful for my yoga training that had enabled to release my muscles at a time of extreme tension, minimizing the impact of the crash, and has taught me ‘breath awareness’ to transform my experience to a lesson in healing rather than pain.

Is Alfalfa Really Healthy?

2010-06-09T14:38:00.007-04:00

When I was a kid and my mother started adding alfalfa to our salads I was resistant to be eating what I called, horse food. Unknown to me then was that when the Arabs first discovered this food, they would feed it to their horses to provide them with its strengthening qualities. It was so highly thought of; al-fal-fa means “father of all foods.” Soon enough I too became accustomed to loving this sprout and grew up to be big and strong.

The mighty alfalfa sprout is helpful in cleaning the intestinal tract and removing harmful acids out of the blood. Alfalfa can also help us assimilate proteins, fats and carbohydrates and is helpful in producing more milk in nursing mothers.

However, alfalfa does have its down side. In "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon, the author mentions that alfalfa has been shown to "inhibit the immune system and contribute to inflammatory arthritis and lupus". This is caused by an amino acid called canavanine.

As a sprout lover myself, I tend to have alfalfa in moderation. If buying alfalfa in the store, I tend to buy the kind that is mixed with other sprouts as well. For the most part, I eat broccoli and radish sprouts as they do not contain the canavanine. Some studies are saying that red clover sprouts contain canavanine as well and should be eaten in moderation.

Click here for more information about sprouts.
Click here to find out more about Sally Fallon's approach to health.