Carolina Power Yoga has transformed from a studio with classes, workshops, teacher trainings and retreats to exclusively doing Beach Yoga Pictorials! These sessions will challenge your body, inspire your spirit, and calm your mind.
Smile for Spring!
Inspired by the season, the topic at yoga today was new beginnings. Spring means turning a new leaf and embracing life, change, and all we have to be grateful for. On the drive home one of my favorite songs was on the radio. Little Wonders, by Rob Thomas, comes from the soundtrack of the animated movie Meet the Robinson's. The movie is all about moving forward and being HappY! I wanted to share my appreciation with everyone. Enjoy the weather and everyone around you! Have a great weekend!
Enjoy the song & video Little Wonders...these small hours...
Leave the salt in the Ocean ;)
If your like me, you probably don’t pay attention to how much salt your using on a daily basis.
So, you did good and opted for a salad for lunch, but you still feel bloated and heavy after eating it. Did you add salt? Or check the sodium levels in your Light salad dressing? Most of the time the more “diet friendly,” the label, the higher the sodium levels go.
What about your delicious sushi roll that you dipped in “Low Sodium,” soy sauce? What exactly does low sodium mean in the soy sauce market?
Normal: 960mg
Low: 575mg
Organic: 1006mg
Serving sizes one tablespoon. That’s all we ever use any way right? No.
According to dietary guidelines, our daily-recommended sodium intake should be less than 2,300 mg per day. That’s ONE teaspoon of salt. So, why do most packaged foods exceed the healthy amount of sodium?
Here are some common sodium stocked foods:
Cereal, rice, crackers, chips, cottage cheese, veggie juice, canned soup and veggies, packaged meats and cold cuts, salted nuts. It’s even in your medicine cabinet! Many medications, including Aleve (200mg) contain sodium.
Here’s how to find it. All of these mean salt:
Sodium alginate
sodium ascorbate
sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
sodium benzoate
sodium caseinate
sodium chloride
sodium citrate
sodium hydroxide
sodium saccharin
sodium stearoyl lactylate
sodium sulfite
disodium phosphate
monosodium glutamate (MSG)
trisodium phosphate
Na
So just how bad is sodium for you?
Yes, our bodies need sodium to function properly, but most of us have over done it on the recommended daily intake.
Pass the Electrolyte Imbalance?
Here are SOME health risks from too much sodium.
Hypertension
Abnormal heart rate
Osteoporosis
Kidney disorders
Dehydration and swelling
Electrolyte and hormone imbalance
Digestive diseases
A few Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
90 % of Americans consume too much salt.
44 % of salt comes from only 10 foods: breads and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches, cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and snacks.
65 % from retail processed foods.
25 % served at restaurants.
10 % salt added during meals.
10 % naturally in foods.
Cost of salt-related chronic disease:
You need to assess your own levels. The food industry is probably not going to loose money changing recipes, resulting in what they call "less tasty foods," so we can live healthier. I hope I didn't bore you this week, but there are so many loop holes to staying healthy and sodium is a BIG one.
Sassy Shell's OHC Week One Reflections
Our Bodies Dream Diet Secret ;)
When I first started to consciously eat healthier I tried every diet I’d heard about.
What I found is something about each diet that didn’t work for me. You wouldn’t expect someone to have the exact body type as you. Its crazy to think religiously following a step by step guide intended for “most” women, will benefit you.
People ask me about my diet all the time.
I gave up all meat, including chicken when I was 19. Now, I’m technically not a vegetarian, because I eat fish, or a pescatarian, because I still eat eggs, cheese, and all other dairy products. Some people might criticize my restrictions, but I’m comfortable eating what works for my body.
During college I did a complete over hall of my diet. I lived in a dorm with no kitchen. I was basically eating all raw foods with occasional fiber bars, or fat free/low calorie snacks. I was on what I though was a “health craze.”
I looked great, but I felt tired all the time. I was in bed by 9 o’clock, and 10 out the maybe 13 hours I was a wake I spent on edge while carefully calculating my iron, protein, carbs, and fat percentages.
All these restrictions had made me irritable, and uptight. I wasn’t giving my body what it needs to survive. Which is different for everyone. I decided to stop restricting myself from fish and cooked foods, because I love them. After all a healthy lifestyle is about MODERATION not DEPRIVATION.
Your eating healthy to live longer. More years to either suffer through, or savor your meals.
I’ve learned there is a healthIER alternative to almost anything! I also learned healthy does not equal fat free, or low calorie. Always consider what is being added, in order to reduce the fat or calories. It’s usually sodium, or artificial sweeteners, which contain sorbitol, or aspartame. These laxative additives have been proven to cause small amounts of stomach poisonings, and can lead to irritable bowl syndrome (look for them in anything sugar free!)
The best advice is, prepare to be HUNGRY. Hunger can hit fast and lead you to make regretful food decisions. I stock our fridge with cut fruits and vegetables. I pre-wash everything and keep it in tupperware.
I also keep a variety of healthy alternatives in the apartment. Companies like Boca, Morning Star, Quorn, Amy’s, make delicious meatless options. Whether your craving a cheeseburger, ground beef, chicken nuggets, or even bacon, they’ve got it. They’re actually really good (my meat eater friends agree). They’re also freezable and microwavable, so they cook fast and last long.
I love Tempeh and Tofu. I use the tofu in stir-fry with Asian dressing when I’m craving Chinese food. They also make alternative cream cheese or Tofutti.
When I want sweets, I go for the real stuff. I love frozen yogurt, but I don’t do sugar free. I stick to chocolate froyo. I mix in Annie’s organic graham crackers, or I buy a 60% (or more) coco chocolate bar. I love organic lollipops and gummy bears, by Yummy Earth. Peeled Snacks, is an organic dried fruit company. Ingredients: only the organic fruit, NOTHING else.
I make my own juices and keep them packaged in the fridge. I love Kale Juice, Carrot, Iceburg, and even parsley mixed with mint (The juice helps aid digestion also, which can be a problem when you first state eating healthier.)
Companies like Teavana, and Republic of Tea, have different tea leafs and strainers. They make great tea alternatives to any drink you can think of, chocolate milk, coffee, even energy drinks.
And if you’re like me and there is absolutely no alternative for the girl-scout cookies you’ve been eating since you were 5. Then DON’T try to find one. You’ll only end up dissatisfied and eventually buying them anyway. Use them as motivation to squeeze in some extra yoga time this week!
Sassy Shellie's Pre-Optimum Health Challenge Musing
GOOD LUCK!
Optimum Health Challenge~Simplified Elimination Diet
Did you know? Every bite of food you eat sends some sort of message to your body with the body responding accordingly. Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the interface between food and body. This huge organ system, the size of a tennis court when stretched end to end, is responsible for converting our food into chemical messages through the processes of digestion and absorption.
The Tract to Optimum Health
Given the amount of resources devoted to the proper function of the GI tract, it seems obvious that a healthy body starts with a healthy GI system. Want to lose fat? Gain muscle? Improve sports performance? Shine with good health and vitality? If so, better get that GI system working properly.
But a whole lot can go wrong in the gut. The following can wreak havoc on our GI health:enzyme deficiency *microbial imbalance* motility issues detoxification abnormalities* inflammation
Interestingly, food intolerance or sensitivities can contribute to every single one of these problems, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, a growing body of evidence shows that food allergies, or more accurately food sensitivities, can harm numerous other body systems and cause a wide range of unwanted symptoms.
Food sensitivities/reactions and GI Disturbances have been linked to:
- asthma and allergies
- autoimmune disorders
- skin conditions
- arthritis
- atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases
- neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia
- mood disorders
- ADD/ADHD
- narcolepsy
- addiction
- migraines
- kidney problems
The Elimination Diet
Obviously there’s no such thing as a perfect diet. Biochemically, we’re all unique and have individual needs for how much to eat, what to eat, and when to eat. Not to mention the fact that there are social and psychological components to eating well. So we also have to do our best to find the best nutrition/lifestyle match.
However, when suffering from GI-related complaints, the elimination diet is one approach that’s extremely useful. It addresses many of our individual needs, and benefits nearly everyone who tries it. Plus, it’s sorta fun. It’s like planning your own research project – on yourself.Again, if you don’t have any gut-related complaints, there’s probably no need to experiment with an elimination diet. Nevertheless, if you’re suffering from food sensitivities, following an elimination diet for a few weeks could be the most profound dietary change you’ll ever make. For some people, the results can feel nothing short of miraculous.
So what is an elimination diet? Well, it’s all in the title: you eliminate certain foods for a period of time, usually three or four weeks, then slowly reintroduce specific foods and monitor your symptoms for possible reactions.
Elimination diet philosophy and practice
Four principles guide the elimination diet plans we assign to our patients.
- Science: We look to the published research for data on how certain foods impact digestion and health.
- Experience: Although not based on published research, we use our experience to guide other recommendations.
- Theory: Based on both science and our experience, we come up with explanatory models for what we’re doing.
- Practicality: In the end, it all comes down to what people can actually stick to.
The best elimination diets remove the largest number of foods. Generally speaking, the more restrictive the better. Yes, it’s more work. But, as with most things, the more work, the greater the payoff.
To begin with, a good elimination diet will remove gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, pork, beef, chicken, beans/lentils, coffee, citrus fruits, nuts, and nightshade vegetables. That might sound like a lot, but it leaves plenty of options for a relatively satisfying diet comprised primarily of rice, meat (i.e. turkey, fish, lamb), most fruit, and most types of vegetables.
The following table gives an example of what to include and exclude during an elimination diet.
Foods to include | Foods to exclude | |
Fruits | Almost all fresh fruit | Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, etc) |
Vegetables | Almost all fresh raw, steamed, sautéed, or roasted vegetables | Tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes (sweet potato and yams are okay) |
Starch | Rice*, buckwheat* | Wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, oats, all gluten-containing products |
Legumes | Soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, all beans, peas, lentils | |
Nuts and seeds | All seeds and nuts | |
Meat and fish | Fish, turkey, lamb, wild game | Beef, chicken, pork, cold cuts, bacon, hotdogs, canned meat, sausage, shellfish, meat substitutes made from soy |
Dairy products and milk substitutes | Unsweetened rice milk*, almond milk, coconut milk | Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, non-dairy creamers, eggs |
Fats | Cold-expeller pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil | Margarine, butter, processed and hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise, spreads |
Beverages | Drink plenty of fresh water, herbal teas (e.g. rooibos, peppermint, etc.) | Alcohol, caffeine (coffee, black tea, green tea, soda) |
Spices and condiments | Sea salt, fresh pepper, fresh herbs and spices (i.e. garlic, cumin, dill, ginger, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, turmeric) | Chocolate, ketchup, mustard, relish, chutney, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, vinegar |
Sweeteners | Stevia (if needed) | White or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, desserts |
As mentioned, this is a fairly restrictive elimination diet. There are lists available on the internet allowing more, and sometimes fewer, foods in the diet. The key here is to not get too dogmatic. Self-experimentation rules the day. So try different things and see what works for you.
The only caveat here is that the more you remove, the more likely you are to discover foods you’re intolerant to, which is a good thing for your health.
And here’s another tip: consider removing any other foods you eat frequently. For example, eat turkey or asparagus every day? If so, try replacing them during the elimination experiment. You may find that you’ve become i
ntolerant to one of your daily staples because you’re eating it so frequently.
Length of Diet *Optimum Health Challenge is 28 Days The length of an elimination diet can vary depending on your age and the severity of symptoms. Children can usually see benefit from a 7-10 day elimination diet, while most adults seem to do well following the program for around three to four weeks. Just don’t make things too complicated on yourself. Macronutrient ratios, calorie intake, etc aren’t very important during an elimination diet. The only really important thing is to completely avoid the foods discussed above. Also, during the elimination diet, be sure you consume adequate amounts of water. Anywhere from 2L to 4L daily should do the trick.
Reintroduction
Of course, it’s not the purpose of the elimination diet to get rid of all the foods above forever. That would be awful. Rather, the point is to eliminate the foods and then slowly reintroduce them, one at a time, so you can monitor yourself for symptoms.So, at the end of the 3 weeks of elimination, reintroduce a single food for a single day only. And then monitor your symptoms for two days. For example, you might decide to reintroduce dairy on a Monday. That day you could eat some cheese, ice cream, and drink a glass of milk. While getting right back to your elimination diet, monitor for any abnormal reactions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
If you have no observable symptoms, you may try reintroducing another food (i.e. eggs) on Thursday. You can continue this process for a couple more weeks, reintroducing one new food every few days, until you’ve determined what foods may cause you an issue (if any).
The whole process will take approximately 5-6 weeks and, at the end of the experiment, you’ll know a heck of a lot about how your body responds to different foods.
How Do You Feel?
The key to the approach is this: pay attention to how you’re feeling. For example, you’ll want to monitor your sleep, mood, energy, digestion, bowel habits, etc.In fact, we recommend keeping a journal during the elimination phase and tracking any physical, mental, or emotional signs and symptoms. If you feel better during the elimination period (i.e. more energy, better sleep), it may indicate that a food you commonly eat is causing you a problem.
The second thing to watch for is symptoms – negative or positive – during the reintroduction. Negative reactions can include:insomnia, fatigue, joint pain/ inflammation, skin breakouts /rashes, headaches, bowel changes or GI pain, bloating, brain fog, sinus or other respiratory issues
Because you’ll be introducing eliminated foods one at a time, you can be very observant of food-related changes. And virtually anything that is different than you felt during the previous three weeks could be a symptom, negative or positive. Interestingly, some people actually report increased energy when a given food is reintroduced. Unfortunately this may be created by a stress response to the particular food. And that’s actually a negative thing. So it’s important to keep a log of all reactions, positive or negative.
The Pulse Test
Another tool you can use during the reintroduction is the pulse test. First thing in the morning, after resting for about 5 minutes, take your resting pulse rate for one minute. Then consume the food you’ve decided to reintroduce (i.e. dairy), and retake your resting pulse rate at 20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the challenge.A change in pulse, either increased or decreased, greater than 10 beats per minute, can indicate sensitivity to a given food. Repeat the test again later in the day after a second exposure to the food. If the same thing happens, this can definitely suggest a food intolerance.
Obviously pulse rate can vary for a number of reasons and therefore this test is not diagnostic of food intolerance. But, when correlating it with symptoms, it can add additional valuable information.
Tips for Success
By now you should realize that the elimination diet isn’t necessarily easy. But it’s not that hard either. It just requires that you have a plan and you pay attention. Of course, the more you put into the elimination diet, the more you get out of it. So here are some tips for having success with this plan.The number one key to success with this diet is preparation. People that spend the week prior to starting the program looking up recipes that are elimination-diet-friendly do far better than people that jump right into it.
Have the foods that you will need on hand. Know how to cook them. And prep as much as possible in advance. For example, making a large pot of rice, complete with vegetables, protein and seasonings ahead of time can help increase compliance during those times when you get hungry and have few options nearby.
Also, clean out your kitchen. Get rid of the foods that are not part of your elimination phase. (Or hide them really well). People aren’t particularly good with willpower. So make it easy on yourself and eliminate the need for it.
Finally, keeping a journal of symptoms, energy and mood throughout the day can help identify any patterns with food intake and physical/mental symptoms. Don’t try to rely on your memory. Remember, this is a self-experiment. And every good scientist needs a lab book in which they can keep their notes and experimental details.
If you think you might be suffering from food intolerances, you might want to try an elimination diet. Food has the power to promote health or create disease, and following an elimination diet can be a rewarding and eye-opening experience.
So, give it a try if you think your gut health needs a check-up. What you give up temporarily in creature comforts you’ll gain in lasting and unequivocal knowledge about your own health and well-being!
How To Do An Elimination Diet by Bryan Walsh,
Krazy About Kale
Why Kale Is the Koolest Vegetable
Some tips:
- Avoid washing kale until just before use, since it will hasten spoilage.
- Kale will shrink during cooking, like spinach does but not as drastically.
- As with any fruit or vegetable, it’s best to buy kale in season. A light frost sweetens kale, so here in NYC, fall or winter is the perfect time to enjoy it.
- Fresh kale should have a bright green color. Avoid kale with yellow or brown leaves—that means it’s getting old.
- Green kale – the most common variety in the grocery store, has a firm texture and curly leaves.
- Red kale – similar in taste and texture to green kale, but adds a splash of red or purple to your plate.
- Dinosaur kale (also called Tuscan or Lacinato) – the leaves are flatter and more tender than the other types.
- Ornamental kale – tougher than other kinds, and available in green, purple, pink and white. Often sold as decoration for a garden or window box, it’s still edible and makes a great garnish. (I’ve been caught eating the “garnish” off of platters at family functions! They make fun of me but I’m the one feeling awesome the next day!)
Positive Affirmations and True Authentic Happiness!
This week in yoga Tara and I talked about having a positive outlook on life. It’s important to find a balance between empathy towards another, and jumping on the “Negative Nancy” bandwagon.
Have you ever talked a friend through all of their problems, just to make them feel better, but it made you feel worse? You feel like you’ve made so many similarity comparisons, in an attempt to comfort them, that now you feel awful. When does supportive compassion, turn into a shift of negative emotions?
CPY’s facebook page is constantly posting positive affirmations. I love these updates! I even have a “Positive Thinking Bowl, filled with positive quotes for the day. These quotes stop me wherever I am in my thought process, and remind me to return to my authentic self, and be HAPPY!
Spirit Junkie is one of my favorite books. Author Gabrielle Bernstein talks about the loyal, life long, relationship we unintentionally make with fear. Fear is the basis of all negativity. She suggests releasing (not suppressing), your negative emotions, during meditation, and then making a conscious effort, to no longer revisit them.
Gabrielle also talks about equalization amongst everyone. Letting go of all restricting comparisons or judgments, and imagining a light between you, and anyone else in the world. Teaching us all there isn’t anything one person can achieve, that we can’t.
If Gandhi found happiness in a state of starvation and disapproval, then we should be able to also.
I don’t expect anyone to never be in a bad mood. There are days I walk pass that positive thinking bowl, and I want to throw it right off the building, but I don’t. I just try to recognize how much time out of my day I’ve given to negative energy. If it’s been 10 minutes, I make sure it doesn’t turn into an hour, and if its been 2 hours, I make sure not to make it 3.
I try to smile constantly, and be a positive addition to people around me. The more people can count on you to be in a great mood, the more people will surround you!
Getting a really cute puppy works too! ;o)
Sun Salutation ~ Surya Namaskar
Resource yogasite.com . |
Optimum Health Challenge: Smoothie Recipes
Serves 2 to 4
Place the apple chunks, pear chunks, water, and lemon juice into a blender fitted with a sharp blade, blend until smooth and creamy.
Add the ginger, black kale, romaine lettuce, and green cabbage, and blend again until very smooth. Add more water for a thinner smoothie.
You can taste it now and if it is too “lettucy” for you then add another pear and blend again. Add more water for a thinner consistency.
Optional Additions:
Super Antioxidant Smoothie
1 peach, pitted
1 apple, cored (I like the Ginger gold apples)
3 Italian plums or 1 large plum, pitted
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
4 cups packed spinach leaves
2 cups water
Place all ingredients into a powerful blender, blend on high until smooth. Store any unused portions in a glass jar and place in the fridge for a near future, cell-protective, antioxidant party!
Source: www.NourishingMeals.com.