We cleanse our outsides, why not the insides?

Why Cleanse?

• we are bombarded by toxins and pollutants in, on and all around us each day--no matter how careful we are
• our bodies and minds need a break
• feel, smell and look better
• clear your mind
• take time for  yourself
• re-set your eating habits
• increase your sensitivity to tastes and smells
• let go of things, thoughts, substances and people that don't serve your highest potential

As many of you know, I like to spend 2 months a year doing a slow, gentle cleanse. In the Spring, cleansing helps let go of the heaviness of winter and in the fall, cleansing prepares us for the winter to come.

You don't need any fancy equipment, supplements or foods. The key to safe cleansing is to buy organic, local foods and to plan and prepare your meals consciously. When you become mindful of your behaviors, you become aware and able to make changes. I like to make small changes that have long-lasting effects.

Take some time for yourself. Move, relax, eat well and let go of what's not working in your life. Comment below with ways you cleanse your body, mind and life.

If you what to work with me, set up a complimentary call. #cleanse

Burdock: Another Healing Weed from Nature

Burdock, pictured left, is something that by many is considered a weed. For 1000's of years, though, it has been known as a powerful herb used for a variety of maladies. It is used in Asian cooking and has been used by those Native to the Americas for it's healing and nutritive value.

You can use the root as you would ginger, although be sure to taste it beforehand and make sure the flavor works with what you are making. My favorite way to use burdock is to cut it into thin slices. Fry it in a cast iron skillet without oil. My Asian friends suggest frying it 9 times for the fullest effect. I have done this and it's a lot of work. I don't know that it makes the affects more potent and I have found no research suggesting this.

Filtering impurities from the blood is one of the main uses of burdock today. It is also used for skin irritations, as a diuretic and as a mild laxative. It is also considered an antioxidant and is an anti-inflammatory. Burdock root contains polyacetylenes that give it its antibacterial and antifungal properties. I recommend burdock tea during my Spring and Fall Cleanse. Join my in my Fall Whole Foods Cleanse. 

I don't purchase burdock because in Utah, burdock is plentiful and it's the perfect time of year to harvest it. To harvest burdock, wait until the plant has died and the flowers have withered. The root is the part of the plant that is used. Digging in moist soil is easiest. The root grows deep. Be prepared to use some muscle and get a little dirty. 

For more information or to purchase dried burdock root click here. I am not an affiliate and receive no monetary benefits if you buy from them. Burdock is considered safe for children and pregnant or lactating women. If you have questions, comment below. 
#burdock #cleanse #tea

3 Steps to Make Your Spring Cleanse a Success

warming kichadi

Cleansing has been around for a long, long time and there are many ways a person can choose to cleanse. No matter what type of cleanse you are doing, these simple steps will help you succeed.

1. Be Prepared-write down what you're going to eat and to do for self-care. Think about each choice you make and decide if it really needs to happen and if it supports you. Make a shopping list, buy what's on the list, and prepare ahead of time what you can. Have some go to healthy snacks in the fridge, office and/or car.

2. Keep it Simple-one-pot recipes-soups, kichardi's, give yourself a couple of days to get ready, let go of addictions slowly, choose the right cleanse for you, stop eating before you are full, move slowly and be mindful of your choices.

3. Return to Your Regular Diet Slowly-Slowly add your regular food and drink into your diet. I encourage my students to journal while cleansing so they can observe what helps them to feel good and what does not. If you find that a food doesn't support you, don't eat it. I know, it's easier said than done. Many of us must prove to ourselves that we can or cannot eat something over and over before we finally do what feels best. After you've spent time feeling energetic, bright and amazingly healthy, you will notice very quickly what does not work for your system.

Just as every food, exercise or medicine does not work for every person, neither does every cleanse. I think I've tried most everything available over time. What works best for me is eating whole foods, in small quantities, prepared with love (hopefully with a bit of chanting). Eating local, organic, and well-cared for products supports a healthy diet. Making sure your environment and company are inviting and calm. Turning off the TV or other electronics enhances and soothes digestion.

Cleansing is about letting go of toxins, excess and rejuvenating so don't stress out. Choose a cleanse that is gentle, safe and supportive. Remember there is some truth in the statement, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Be clear and realistic about your intentions and most of be gentle with yourself. We want to create healthy bodies, minds and lives. I'd love to hear about your experiences below.
#cleanse #keepitsimple #beprepared

My Favorite Beauty Blast

www.soulfulspoon.com

Getting ready for my Wake Up From Winter Spring Cleanse, people ask me for easy-to-make recipes. You can prepare greens ahead of time; pop it in the blender; and drink it up. Some people freeze their greens, yet I prefer not to. They will keep in the fridge for a number of days.

One of my favorites in the Spring is what I call:

Beauty Blast Smoothie adapted from Adina Niemerov's, Super Cleanse.

3 c baby spinach, kale or other dark leafy greens

2 c water or nut milk of your choice (depending on caloric needs)

1 medium apple, cored and quartered

1/2 c berries (blueberry, acai or others-fresh or frozen)

1 t flax oil

1 opened capsule of each Vitamin E, D and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)

1 t Spirulina or green powder

1 t bee pollen

Dash of Himalayan salt

 

The most challenging part is gathering your ingredients. Once you have them, it's easy. 
Blend the greens with the liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients, blend and drink. It will keep in the fridge for a day or 2.

This smoothie is great for your healthy skin and general wellness. Drink up and share your favorite cleanse recipes and helpful hints below.
#cleanse #healthyskin

The Yogi Diet: 10 Do's and Don'ts

I am a yogi and I love food. I also have a predominantly Kapha constitution, which means that it a bit easier for me to put on weight, something I didn’t really think about until after I had children. Click here for a constitution quiz.

Some yogis choose to be vegetarian for a variety of reasons. I have been one for a very long time. My mother says that I came out that way. She actually says that I ate pasta and green beans, Guess what I still love? You got it! You don't have to be a vegetarian, though, just because you're a yogi.

Throughout my years of trying various diets (not diets to lose weight) and cleanses, I’ve noticed some things. I’ve also spent a lot of time reading about what yogi masters and teachers as well as lots of other professional say about food.

What did I learn? I feel light, my emotions are level, I sleep well and I feel energetic when I am eating organic fruits and vegetables and not much else. Other people do not have that same experience. Some feel drained, some get light-headed and some are down right miserable when they don't have animal protein.

Bottom line is that some people make better vegetarians than others. Some need animal protein more than others. Some people do well with dairy; I’m not one of them. We are different and we have different needs.

My suggestions for a healthy, healing yogic diet:

1.   Eat organic, local and humanely-treated food sources

2.   Mostly veggies and some fruits, fresh, raw or cooked

3.   Find the protein sources that suit your body type and lifestyle (beans, meat, fish, dairy, eggs)

4.   Whole grains again that work for you

5.   Lots of warm water and hot tea

6.   Very little sweeteners—honey or maple syrup if needed

7.   Spices of all sorts remembering that spices have long been used as medicine

8.   Homemade foods whenever possible, made with love, chanting and in a peaceful environment

9.   Eat the right amount for your body, 2/3 full

10.  Any food that makes you feel truly alive

The things we want to stay away from:

1.   Genetically modified foods

2.   Anything with a label with words you don’t know

3.   Processed, packaged, re-formed foods

4.   Fried foods

5.   Eating while you are doing something else, angry or rushed

6.   White flour

7.   Sugar

8.   Alcohol, tobacco and other substances

9.   Overly salted food

10. Any food that doesn’t make you feel more alive

If you’re interested in learning more about a healthy diet, join me for a group cleanse starting on September 2^nd. Click here for more information.

For another perspective, you might read, The Yogic Diet: 10Foods to Enjoy & Avoid, by Lisa Mitchell.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts about food and yoga and how they work together.

Keep your gut happy with Homemade Sauerkraut

Why does this yogini care about sauerkraut? 

Well, our gut needs good bacteria to break down food during digestion. Good bacteria, lots of vitamin C and A (more than in fresh cabbage), and special enzymes that help our bodies break down food are created during the fermentation process of cabbage.

Fermentation
Many of us think of booze when we hear the word fermentation. Yet, it has been used for centuries to make bread, miso, kimchi, yogurt, pickles and certain cheeses. Fermentation is a natural process that converts sugar to alcohol, acids and/or gasses. It is used for preservation of food, making alcohol and generating large amounts of microbes.  

Most of our diets have changed dramatically over the last few decades and our digestive systems need help in maintaining the natural flora that "should" be present. Yes, you can take probiotics and I do when I am doing a cleanse (you can read more about my upcoming group cleanse) or taking medication that could compromise my gut--like antibiotics, which I avoid when I can. It is best if we can get the diversity that we need in our gut, naturally through our diet.

What happens when we don't have fermented foods in our diet?

Any diseases that are related to poor digestion, constipation, IBS, compromised immunity, yeast overgrowth, as well as illnesses some might not think as connected to digestion like skin disruptions, mood swings and irritability, food allergies, weight issues, and even autism.

What can you do?
Most of the time I eat plain yogurt -- dairy or non-dairy (when my predominantly Kapha dosha is in balance). As a kid, I didn't care for sauerkraut and had never heard of kimchi. We did eat lots of pickles and homemade yogurt. I had played around with to making homemade sauerkraut. I have a friend who makes kimchi (kind of a spicy Korean version of kraut) all the time, and people love hers. But, I haven't found a kimchi recipe that speaks to me yet. When I do, I'll share it.

I had been toying with making sauerkraut and tried various recipes; none of them had been to my satisfaction--until I found this recipe last year. Cabbage naturally has Lactobacilli on its raw leaves.

Ingredients and Supplies Needed for Homemade Kraut:

• sterile jars- I used canning jars
• large bowl, knife and cutting board
• organic cabbage (red, green or both)
• sea salt (needed to pull liquid out of cabbage)
• coffee filters 
• rubber bands 

Feel free to add in carrot, green apple, celery, caraway or celery seeds, whatever you want after you do your first batch. 

• Wash cabbage. Take off outside leaves and reserve. Chop cabbage; I like to quarter and core it and then slice it into thin strips.

•  Add about 1 Tablespoons of salt per medium head of cabbage.

•  Mix the salt into the cabbage. 

•  You will notice that liquid starts to be released (salt make the cells shrink so the water comes out).

•  Press cabbage and liquid into a sterile jar. Pack it in as much as you can. Make sure liquid covers all of the cabbage.

•  Place one of the outside leaves on top of liquid.

                                

• Cover the jar with a coffee filter and rubber band.

• Place in a cool place to ferment. 
• Check your jars each day to ensure that the cabbage  stays under the liquid, and use a clean hand to push them back down if necessary; be sure your hands are clean.
• Taste test every few days – it’s done when you think it tastes good to you! It can take anywhere from 1 to 5 weeks. Remove the filter and add the lid. 
• You can store it in the fridge for months. 
• If you see or smell any unfriendly bacterial growth, throw it out and begin again making sure that all of your equipment, hands included, is clean.
  

I'd like to thank Bonzai Aphrodite for the easy-to-use and helpful blog post on how to make sauerkraut.
I'd love to hear about your experiences, recipes or antidotes about fermented foods. I will be guiding a group online and in person through a month-long cleanse. Click here to read more and register.




 

Food, healing and yoga--Oh My!

As I continue to research yoga and diet, I find that yogis continually discuss diet, our behavior, how we take care of our bodies and minds, and so much more than just doing yoga postures. The physical is only the beginning. We cannot go much deeper if we cannot control our body.
 
So what exactly are whole foods? And, what do they have to do with healing and yoga?

Whole food: food that is processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives and other artificial substances. Google

Healing: the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again; therapeutic. Google

Yoga: to unite, body, breathe, and spirit.

Yoga promotes healing if done in a way that supports who and what we are and remember that there are 8 limbs to yoga- 

1. yamas (which I recently discussed-ethical standards), 
2. niyamas (self-discipline), 
3. asana (postures), 
4. pranayama (breathing practices), 
5. pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), 
6. dharana (concentration-the beginning of meditation), 
7. dhyana (meditation) and 
8. samadhi (unending bliss).

You are what we eat, a blog I wrote last Spring, discusses the connection between what we eat and how we feel.  
Our body can eliminate many of the pollutants we take in, yet sometimes it needs help with this process. One of the things we can do to help with this process is to promote cleansing. We can do this through a variety of ways:

• sweating through exercise or heat
• eating until you are only 2/3 full
• eating all your food in an 8-hour period so the rest of the time the body can digest
• eating well balanced, whole, organic foods
• eating a clean, mono diet of a health-promoting and detoxing affect for a short period of time 
• practicing particular asanas (yoga postures) such as halasana (plough) and malasana (squat)
• pranayama (breathing practices), breathing deeply and consciously, bringing in more prana (life force)
• kriyas (yogic cleansing practices) such as nauli, which should be taught by a trained instructor
• drinking plenty of fresh water
• promoting regular bowels

These are just some of the things you can begin to do on your own to promote regular cleansing. 

You might also do an actual cleanse or detox or participate in a group cleanse. I will be offering an online, 27-day group cleanse. For more details check out my flyer. 

Bottom line, if you want to have plenty of energy, sleep well, think clearly, maintain your body weight, and so many other possibilities, you can do a regular yoga practice and eat well. 

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

Happy Spring Things

Like many of us, I like to hibernate in the winter. I dress warmly, eat and drink warm things, and love to find places that have hot water or lots of warm blankets and fire. I have to make an extra effort to do other activities that will keeping my inside fire (agni) burning, which don't require me to be on my bottom.  

Now that Spring is here, even though it did snow this morning, it's time to cleanse the body and the house, get things, all things, moving again and check in with the immune system.   

• Cleanse the body, mind, and home--done
• Get things moving-I've upped my daily practice, lightened my diet, started to walk the dogs regularly, and have been getting my hands dirty in the garden
• Finally, check and build the immune system up

The secret to healthier immune function lies in a happy digestive system.

BY Carrie Demers 
According to ayurveda, good health originates in the gastrointestinal tract. Naturally we assume that means good nutrition and a smooth-working digestive system, but if that’s all we focus on, we’ll miss half of the equation: The alimentary canal—that inside-out tube that runs from the mouth to the anus—is also our first line of defense against the disease pathogens that surround us.  Read more:

For me some of the other things that help my immune system are to avoid cow milk and cheese (boo hoo), eat a colorful, balanced diet, exercise regularly, continue my daily routines and sleep well.
What is it that you do to build your immune system? Please let me know if I've missed something or if you have some wisdom that will help us.
Happy Spring!

4 Questions About Food Cleanses Answered

It seems that everywhere I look, online, magazines, blogs, people are talking about detoxes and cleanses. I am even offering one, Wake Up From Winter, for my students to do together. With so many questions, let's find some answers.

Would a cleanse be right for you? For someone who is living in a polluted environment, eating processed foods, drinking alcohol, fluoridated and chlorinated water, smoking, taking medication, and anything else that puts toxins into your body, you would benefit from doing a cleanse. If you have any health concerns, please check with your health care practitioner before starting a cleanse.  Also, please do not stop taking prescribed medications unless directed by your doctor to do so.

Which one is good? As I mentioned in an earlier blog, You are what you eat, whole foods are the best way to go. I don't believe in punishing ourselves and though I have a descent practice and have developed discipline, I am somewhat lacking when it comes to willpower. I need to feel nourished and like I'm doing some thing good for myself.  I really like the cleanse offered by Hale Sofia Schatz in, If Buddha Came to Dinner; it's healthy, safe, and based on a whole food diet. And, like with most things in life, it's better to do with a friend. There are so many books and cleanses available. Read through them. Make sure they are reasonably priced and based on whole foods.

How long should I cleanse? The length of a cleanse depends on you.  I started with a day and built myself up to 21 days.  My goal is to eat from my cleanse diet one day a week.

Are cleanses helpful?
My experience of trying many diets, fasts, detoxes and cleanses is this: I want to change my life not just lose some weight. My friends and family gave me the best feedback about how well the last cleanse I did worked. People told me that my skin glowed. I was filled with energy, lost some unwanted weight, and let go of my coffee addiction (still). Yes there are some withdrawal side effects, but the are worth it.
According to Woodson Merrell, M.D., there are at least 7 reasons we should do a cleanse or detox regularly:

• Reduce toxins in the body quickly
•  Lose weight
• Lowers risk of diabetes
• Makes your body efficient in creating energy
• Reduces the competition in how our body gets rid of toxins
• Helps repair our chronically overloaded digestive tract
• Helps you breathe better

To read more:
Why Starting a Detox Program Should Be a Top Health Priority for 2014 First the bad news: The evidence is now overwhelming that pollution contributes to chronic disease. Almost every system in the body can be disrupted by levels of exposure to toxins commonly found in the majority of Americans. (14) Many toxins target multiple systems and can set off cascades of inflammation that can topple a person's health like a perfect throw straight down the lane at Lucky Strike. And guess what: Your government is NOT protecting you enough from exposures that harm. 

Let me know what cleanses have worked for you. Feel free to ask questions too!
 

You ARE what you eat

reachingutopia.com photo credit

I'm not sure when I first heard the quote, 'You are what you eat,' but I have heard if often especially as of late. I'm also not sure that I believed it whole heartedly until recently. Last November I did a whole food cleanse that changed my life. I've done many cleanses and fasts over the last 20 years, and they were always a struggle. While I benefited from most of them in some way, they never changed my habits or me completely.

What made this last time different? Well, me and where I am emotionally was different. I was cleansing with a friend, yet I have done that before. The particular cleanse I was doing, again, I have done that before. So, we'll come back to this question.

Our diets have changed dramatically since our youth. I remember getting milk from the local farmer, my mother making spaghetti sauce, and fast food was a luxury that occurred once a year.

I don't need to describe how it is today--because we all know--it's almost impossible to find unpasteurized milk, homemade spaghetti sauce is a luxury and fast food for some is the norm.

 Our vegetables are be modified, sprayed with pesticides, chemicals are added to many foods to add to their shelf life, color, packaging with added chemicals, and the list goes on. How has this changed us? We have more allergies, addictions, obesity, chronic illness, emotional disorders, medicated children and adults than ever before.

So what can we do? We can change our eating (cook at home, grow your own food, slow down, eat mindfully) and buying habits (buy organic, eat locally grown food that's in season, read ingredients and don't buy anything that has ingredients that you can't pronounce or know what they are) just a couple suggestions. Does it have to be a total overhaul? We can start small and work our way to changing the aspects of our lives we want to be different--one bite at a time.

So, what was different this time? ME!! Where I'm at in my life, my practice, with my family and career, I see things from a clearer perspective and through my November cleanse, my eyes, tastes and body was changed. I was actually able to give up my worst addiction or habit (diet soda--I know I'm embarrassed to admit it) easily.  When I tried to drink some after the cleanse was over, I just couldn't. People from all parts of my life commented on my transformation. I had wished I had taken before and after pics, but I didn't.

I will be leading a group whole food cleanse starting on March 1st, 2014.  If you are interested, check out the flyer on my website, Wake Up From Winter. I will be blogging throughout the cleanse. Please feel free to share any experiences you have had with changing food habits (or any other appropriate ones) below. Bon appetite!