Why is yoga so good?

It seems that yoga has reached new heights in the world of health and fitness these days. People are practicing more, and learning the benefits along the way.  It’s the type of practice that speaks for itself, to every individual that experiences it.When I first started practicing yoga, I was working full-time in the fashion industry. Life was chaotic, days were stressful, and I really never allowed myself the time to slow it all down.  I was on autopilot from one thing to the next, and as soon as one task was complete, I was already thinking about what the next thing was. It was only when I found my yoga practice that my views started to shift, and the chronic pains I had experienced for what seemed like years started disappearing.  I found myself rearranging my schedule to get to the next class, and it became a priority since every time I left I felt the noticeable change.

Yoga can work for many different types of bodies, many different stages in life and for each person’s many different moods.  While some might enjoy a vigorous Vinyasa flow, others might benefit and require a more gentle practice with the usage of props or a restorative practice.  Most importantly, each different type of yoga is effective in; increasing flexibility over time, hydration of the joints, ligaments and tendons, helps to massage all of the internal organs of the body, detoxification and toning of the muscles. It also greatly decreases stress levels, enables us to become more aware of our breathing in each moment and helps with sleep.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?  I have had great success with clients who have dealt with chronic pain for years.  After practicing yoga on a consistent basis, the pain that was there for years, was simply not there in the way that it always had been.  We all have our holding patterns, and of course life will throw you curve balls every now then.  In those times, some old chronic stuff might reappear, as is the usual case when stress is current.  However, yoga provides an overall greater sense of well-being, and in those more stressful times, we can learn to cope and breathe through it differently than before.  Yoga strengthens the body, but the mind as well.  It’s worth a shot, at least. Try it! We can all use a little more zen action in this concrete jungle we live in.

Mika Samuel
Mika is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance, licensed massage therapist in New York State and certified in prenatal for both. She is certified with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), and is a proud member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)

Unfortunately, my Mom’s recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of sugar, which is just way too much for me, so I have modified the old favorite so that I can enjoy every bite and feel good about it. Not only did I cut down on the amount of sweetener, but I opt for honey instead of sugar and I’ve also replaced the flour with blanched almond meal, which will make anyone on a gluten-free diet jump for joy. I make substitutions for grains that contain gluten whenever possible to broaden my exposure to other wholesome grains and avoid especially, overly hybridized wheat. I also use coconut oil, which is rich in medium-chain triglycerides and remains stable when heated as compared to molecularly unstable poly-unsaturated vegetable oils.

This bread is incredibly moist and satisfying. I hope you enjoy!

The Recipe

1 ⅔ cup blanched almond meal
⅓ cup tapioca starch
½ tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
½ cup coconut oil (melt in oven in pyrex bowl if solid)
1 cup pumpkin (if using freshly baked pumpkin, strain out any access moisture)
2 organic free-range eggs
½ cup honey (for sweeter bread increase to ¾ cup)
Preheat oven to 325 if using a glass loaf pan or 350 if using a metal loaf pan. Combine dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Pour blended wet ingredients over mixed dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Grease pan with small amount of coconut oil and dust with a bit of tapioca starch. Pour mixture into the pan and bake for an hour and fifteen minutes or until an inserted knife comes out mostly clean. Note: the bread is very moist and the almond meal does not act the same as regular flour so an inserted knife will never come out totally clean, but the bread should be firm on top.

About the Author

Alison Jolicoeur is a yoga teacher and health food enthusiast.
She founded EarthBabyYogaMama in 2011. Earth Baby Yoga Mama is an online community for anyone who is concerned about wellbeing, the health of future generations, and the planet itself.

Sugar Pumpkin Soup

When I walk through the farmer’s market at Union Square and see pumpkins everywhere, what really catches my eye are the small ones used for culinary explorations, not their massive brethren used for carving. Sugar pumpkins are truly a fall superfood and I feel that its truly the time to take advantage of this wonderful seasonal treat.

I will cut the pumpkin in half, and take out the seeds. Keep the seeds if you wish to grow your own next year. Dry them and place them in the fridge until next spring.

The halved pumpkin will be placed on a baking pan or cookie sheet…with a little coconut oil or grass-fed butter to prevent sticking.

I will bake it for about 1 hour, occasionally checking with a knife to see if the pumpkin is soft all the way through.

Once baked, I will scoop out the rich orange flesh and put it in my blender.

Some will want to add a little sweetness…palm sugar, date sugar, honey, or grade B maple syrup would be great additions.

I blend until smooth, and then pour it in the bowl. So satisfying and warm on these colder fall and winter months coming up.

Enjoy!

This recipe is designed with specific ingredients your body will benefit from during the winter months. You can find ripe bananas year round due to the fact that they are one of the few fruits that can fully ripen off the tree. In addition to that the banana’s potassium acts as an electrolyte, which will contribute to the smoothies immune boosting qualities .

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup Coconut Water
1 teaspoon Bee Pollen
1 teaspoon maca powder
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder nibs  or powder
1 Banana
1-2 teaspoons raw Honey ( depends on your sweet tooth )
10 drops liquid Echinacea
10 drops liquid Asragalus

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until smooth. Can’t get easier than that!

Superfoods have become a common ingredient in smoothies and for good reasons – each superfood will provide the body with a complex supply of quality nutrients, antioxidants and minerals. When these superfoods are combined with the herbs and raw honey in this smoothie, your body will get an immune boost to help get you through the winter flu free.

By Snow

Who doesn’t have any stress in New York City? The answer is nobody. Stress is bad for us physically and emotionally, causing all kinds of sicknesses. In a sense, stress can kill us. This is simply not good. We need to do something about it.

Moving out of the city may be one way to reduce the stress we absorb by being in the city. We can simply stay away from the source of such stress. That makes perfect sense. Except, wait a second, I don’t want to give up all the goodness of New York City. In the city, I’m surrounded by unlimited opportunities. I can encounter so many interesting people, and can learn from the foremost experts in any imaginable area. The energy in the city is explosively high and inspiring. The level of creativity is beyond my imagination. I love New York City and haven’t had enough of it.

The question then is how can I keep having fun with every surprise and inspiration the city can offer, without sacrificing my health and sanity?

I’m going to share my secrets about how I try to reduce my stress a little bit at a time and hopefully you can share your secrets with me. Working together, we’ll learn to survive in New York City, happily and healthily ever after.

We need your feedback…… Don’t be shy. Comment below now

1. Remember to wear sunscreen! The Mayo Clinic suggests that soaking up those rays for 15-30 minutes per day grants you all the vitamin d you need, but if you’re going to be out having fun in the sun, it’s crucial to use a good sunscreen. Make sure to choose one with both UVA and UVB protection in order to protect your skin from the cancerous rays as well as the rays that make your skin burn. Apply a good half hour before going out, and most importantly, reapply, reapply, reapply!

2. Summer rooftop barbecues are a fantastic part of living in NYC, but keep in mind that late night partying, as well as vacationing, can lead to sleep deprivation. Maintain your sleep quality by sticking to a regular sleep/wake schedule and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Lifehacker.com reports that resting in a hammock helps you better catch those z’s! The gentle rocking motion apparently not only helps you fall asleep faster, but grants you better, more restful sleep. Read more here.

3. On the subject of summer barbecues and parties – be careful of overindulging in treats like hot dogs, burgers, and sundaes. To avoid the problems that regularly eating fatty foods like this can cause, remember to maintain a varied diet including lots and lots of fruits and veggies. Choosing delicious in-season summertime veggies from your local farmer’s market is a great way to save money, as well as adding variety to your diet. Some of my favorites for summer are berries (of all kinds, but especially raspberries and strawberries), cherries, watermelons, summer squash, and zucchini blossoms.

There you have it! 3 tips to help you stay true to your health during the summer.

A fine example is the chia seed, a member of the mint family which grows abundantly in southern Mexico.  Chia seed is a good source of fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc.  In other words, it aids in digestion, it’s energizing, and it helps ease joint and muscle pain.  Also, it stores really well and has a tapioca-like texture if soaked, so it can replace unhealthy cream-like fillings.  WIN!

Another one of my favorites currently is hempseed.  Containing all 10 essential amino acids renders this seed a complete protein.  As a vegetarian, honing in on the perfectly complete proteins in the food world is vital.  If you’re a vegan or a raw foodist, this aspect is even more important for your health and wellbeing.

As with all that we consume, what matters most is how it makes you feel.  These two seeds make me feel supersonic.  So if you want to try something that made me feel fantastic and could do the same for you, I recommend working some super-seeds into your diet.

Seeds I recommend

Chia

Hempseed

Sunflower

Flax

And don’t forget sprouts !

By Kate

Eating and buying locally means different things to different people. A couple notable rules in the ‘eating local’ realm are: knowing what your eating, tasting the difference in quality, getting in touch with seasons (i.e. some foods can only be produces in a certain season) and the farmers who produce the goods. Buying food today is complicated. Everything from pesticides used in the growing process to the use of artificial corn products said to keep things from turning rotten to quickly. Was that chicken free range or did it grow up in a box? People who buy and eat locally find it easier to get answers, and the reason for that comes from knowing the source. Many build relationships with farmers whom they trust, known on a personal basis, have seen, interacted and questioned at farmers markets, trade shows, that kind of thing. The ability to drive to a farm or an orchard and see eye to eye what is going on stimulates people, even excites them into buying higher quality, naturally grown foods.

According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction. While local is certainly a flexible term, the basic concept is simple: local foods are produced as close to home as possible. Buying local supports a more sustainable food system because true sustainability goes beyond the methods used in food production to include every step that brings food from the farm to your plate. It can lead you outside of town to a nifty little farm or in the case of a friend, down to Mexico in search of new ways to grow fruit, leaving the city, heading out into the villages just before the sun set only to find hand rolled and spiced corn, breads and vegetables, all while listening to the songs of a man play his guitar most likely singing about the ocean behind him and the smells of a good home cooked and grown meal.

- Bhava Ziva, Writer & Photographer

Listen to Your Body. 
Your body has an innate wisdom that can help you make the right choices about food.  Pay attention to the feedback you get from what you put in.  If a certain food or drink gives you gas, makes you feel dehydrated or causes pimples, your body is telling you point blank that it isn’t right for you.  There are countless foods that bring untold pleasure as you eat them, but pay attention to how your body feels afterwards.  Choose foods that make you feel energized, nourished and satisfied.

Look for Indigenous Foods
Think globally, eat locally.  Mother nature knows best. The freshest food is that which has traveled the shortest distance from farm to you. Food that is indigenous to where you live is better for you and for the environment.  Support your local farmers market rather than the ills of industrialized farming and you’ll eat food grown by people who care as much about people and the planet as they do about profits.  Now that’s good nutritional sense!

Eat Fruit and Vegetables that are in Season
Build your diet around foods that are in season.  Root vegetables such as squash, parsnips and sweet potatoes are harvested in winter and should be eaten in winter.  They have a grounding nourishing effect.  In the summer turn towards the naturally lighter foods such as salad greens, strawberries and watermelon.

Eliminate Anything that’s Packaged in a Can from Your Diet
Health does not come in a can.  Get in the habit of checking labels and avoiding processed foods where the ingredients are a paragraph long and contain things that you can’t pronounce.  High-fructose corn syrup is a fancy way of saying “highly-processed sugar” and don’t even get me started on “partially-hydrogenated soybean oil.”  Just steer clear!

Be Conscious of Your Carbon Footprint
Our earth’s resources are limited and its up to us to make conscious choices about what we consume.  Of course we want to eat what is going to make us healthy, fit and shiny, but as it turns out, what’s good for the planet is also good for us. Think of all the earth’s resources expended by processing, packaging and transporting food.  Consider the plight of dolphins before you buy a can of tuna and buy fresh instead.  Ponder the fate of empty plastic water bottles and invest in a water filtering system for your kitchen sink.

Drink Lots of Water
Try to drink at least eight glasses a day.  Not only does being hydrated keep you juicy, but it also helps the liver burn fat and acts as a filter for the body, flushing out toxins and making your skin glow.  If you’re not drinking eight glasses a day, build up to it slowly so that your liver can acclimate and function efficiently.

So, in summation:  Think global, eat local, listen to your body, read labels, consume consciously and drink your weight in water.  Following these helpful tips will get you on the path to being your best you.

NEXT WEEK’S TOPIC:  Avoiding sugars.
(Editor’s note:  Does that include chocolate chip cookies?)

image by: Zsuzsanna Kilian