CRISPY BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
Recipe by Jentry Lee Hull; Inspired by Hot for Food and Sid Garza-Hillman
CRISPY BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER INGREDIENTS
· 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
· ½ cup blanched almond flour
· ½ cup oat flour
· ½ tsp. pink salt
· 2 tsp. garlic powder
· ½ tsp. cayenne
· ½ tsp. paprika
· ½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning
· 1 tsp. onion powder
· 1 cup plant milk (use plain unsweetened)
· 1 cup buffalo sauce (Wing Time)
· 2 tsp. melted dairy-free butter or refined coconut oil (Miyoko’s Kitchen European Style Cultured Vegan Butter)
SALAD INGREDIENTS
· 1 head romaine lettuce, chiffonade
· 4 large handfuls baby kale or other dark, leafy greens
· 1 cucumber, sliced
· 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
· 2 carrots, shredded
· ¼ red onion, thinly sliced and diced
· ½ bell pepper, sliced
· 1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
· 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
· 3 Tbsp. hemp hearts
CASHEW RANCH DRESSING INGREDIENTS
· 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes*
· 1 ½ to 2 cups water, depending on your consistency preference
· Juice from 1 lemon
· 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
· 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
· 1 tsp. garlic powder
· ½ tsp. ground white pepper
· 1 tsp. dried dill or 1 Tbsp. fresh dill
· 1-2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt, or to taste
CRISPY BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER METHOD
SALAD METHOD
CASHEW RANCH DRESSING METHOD
Jentry Lee Hull is the culinary wizard behind the plant-powered delights on @hullyeahwerevegan. As a yoga instructor, boot camp coach, Dietetics student, amateur chef, and longtime vegan, Jentry strives to marry fitness, wellness, mindfulness, health, and compassion in every aspect of her work. Jentry loves creating and sharing tasty vegan food with clients, friends, neighbors, and family.
“Just as yoga is the intention of linking our movement to our breath, how we nourish our bodies is a matter of uniting our values with our actions. It is not about achieving perfection, but rather doing the best we can for ourselves and others.”
This moon makes relationships to Venus (the lover) and Pluto (the transformer), meaning that we are specifically directed to clear up our interactions with loved ones, and ensure that they serve everyone’s highest good. If it is time to speak up about a problem or an issue, do so with an open-heart and focus on the love you share. If it is time to end the relationship and move on, try to end on a high note and release any lingering attachments to the way things “should have been.” If you want to deepen your relationship with someone, take this opportunity to look deeply inside yourself for what you need to clear in order to open more fully into intimacy.
This is a perfect opportunity to work with the throat chakra, and allow the truth to flow. Chanting, and mantra is particularly powerful right now. Try chanting the throat chakra mantra, “Ham,” silently or out loud to keep you in alignment with this moon’s energy.
Alchemical Ritual for the Gemini New Moon
As an air sign, Gemini enjoys all the things that allow us to communicate and share with the world, including teaching, technology, media, journalism and conversation. On the low side, this mercurial sign tends toward nervousness, idle chatter, anxiety and trickiness. This new moon ritual for Gemini helps to accentuate the high side of this energy and clears up our mental chatter so that when communication flows (in all its various forms), it flows clearly.
Gemini's ruler is Mercury, the messenger god who is able to travel into the underworld as easily as the real world. It is a slippery slope: to communicate in an elevated way, or slip down into the shadow, harming ourself or others with our words. To keep our energy on the high side in this ritual, gather blue stones such as lace agate or chalcedony and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the air element in some way, perhaps by diffusing essential oils (eucalyptus, lavender and vetiver work well with Gemini), or by sitting in front of an open window or gentle fan for a cool breeze. Lavender, frankincense or myrrh essential oil can be used to anoint your throat chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and bring the hands together at the heart center. Connect to the throat center, the location of communication and the planet Mercury in our bodies. Feel the energy moving into the throat by engaging in a gentle ujayi style breathing, constricting the back of the throat ever so slightly to produce an oceanic sound of the breath. When you establish a consistent attention on the throat area, consider the question: What is my truth? Your answer will likely come quietly and simply, not as a diatribe, and perhaps only as a feeling. Listen closely to the answer from the heart. Once you receive your answer, choose one stone, hold it firmly in your right hand and say the following invocation out loud:
Mercury, please give me the strength to speak the truth about what is most important to me.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the throat, and allow for the invocation to sink in and begin to show you your path. Allow any symbols, sensations, emotions or energy to arise and continue to quietly witness all that happens without judgement or thought.
When complete, place a hand on the throat and chant Ham (the mantra for the throat) three times before bringing both hands together at the heart to chant Om three times. Hold the stone talisman that you have now charged with the energy of your heart’s desire. Snuff the candles and place the talisman somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the path to your heart’s fullest expression. This ritual creates a clear pathway of communication for your highest truth, so that whenever you speak, you speak your truth clearly to power.
By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.
Click Here to learn more about Alanna's 200hr Online Teacher Training with YogaDownload.com
This vital benefit may not immediately come to mind, but yoga can aid you in maintaining healthy joints. As we age, our joints begin to deteriorate. Cartilage breaks down, arthritis kicks in, and stiffness can morph into pain. Even if you’re still in your twenties, vigorous sports and even genetics can leave you feeling creaky and inflexible.
What’s in a joint? A joint is the point where two bones meet. Think your vertebrae, knees, elbows, wrists, shoulders, and ankles. Bones connected to other bones with ligaments and attached to muscles with tendons. Add in some cartilage as a buffer or cushion and synovial fluid to provide lubrication in the joint cavity. Ways Yoga Can Help Keep Your Joints Healthy
1. Yoga increases your range of motion.
In a well-rounded yoga practice, you work your joints through their full ranges of motion. In our daily lives and in specific sports and activities, we usually don’t. Physical asanas include twisting, lateral bending, as well as backbends and forward bends. Working this way helps prevent sports-related injuries, as well as relieving everyday aches and pains from sitting too long at your desk or driving a car.
Because yoga exercises ligaments and tendons it causes your joints to be more effectively lubricated, which in turn, may support joint comfort. Yoga encourages circulation of not just your blood and lymphatic fluid, but also the movement of synovial fluid inside your joints. The synovial fluid keeps the cartilage lubricated and comfortable, instead of feeling grinding or rubbing of bone on bone.
2. Yoga strengthens muscles that support the joints.
Many yoga asanas strengthen your muscles. Think holding Warrior 1 or Extended Side Angle—where you strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee and offer greater support for the joint. Muscles affect joints range of motion. Yoga increases spinal flexibility and core strength, which can help support the lower back and increase overall strength. If your muscles are weak, your body will bypass using them and rely on joints to stabilize during activity. This process leads to accelerated degeneration of the joint and often injury too. Strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint and enjoy greater stability and reduce injury risk.
3. Yoga increases bone strength.
Weight-bearing exercise, like standing and balancing yoga asanas, increase bone strength and in turn positively impact the joints. Bones are living tissue and respond to exercise by growing stronger. Standing on one leg in Tree Pose, for example, can give you stronger knees and hips. We’ve got four new classes this week and an older classic from Shy Sahar to aid you in getting the healthiest joints for you.
1. Shoulder Strengthening Flow - Channing Grivas
2. Yoga for Healthy Knees - be sure to also check out Shy's Therapeutic Yoga for Wrists, Shoulders & Neck if you haven’t tried it before. 3. Yoga Therapeutics for Shoulders & Upper Back - Deb Rubin
4. Reset the Sacrum: Tips for a Stable Pelvis - Alanna Kaivalya
#1 Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice, often praised for its benefits over the body and the mind. Practiced on a regular basis, it can help you relax and achieve an unparalleled state of mindfulness. Yoga allows you to calm down; as you concentrate on your breathing, you move away from the fight-or-flight response and achieve the much-desired state of relaxation. It helps you improve your self confidence, allows you to become more centered and even acknowledge the areas where a lot of tension is held. Use yoga to boost your mental health and you will only have benefits to gain.
#2 Change your diet
The food that we eat has a clear impact on our body, including when it comes to mental health. For this reason, you need to change your diet, so as to include more fresh fruits and vegetables. These are rich in nutrients, as well as vitamins and minerals, helping you maintain an excellent state of health on different levels. You should also consume more nuts and seeds, as these can help you maintain the best cognitive function (you won’t have to ask yourself anymore how to improve memory). Fatty fish is also recommended, due to its rich content of omega-3 fatty acids, while sugar should be reduced, if not excluded, from the diet.
#3 Physical exercise
Physical exercise is one of the best ways to fight against any mental health problems, especially when it comes to conditions, such as anxiety and depression. You do not even have to engage in difficult physical exercise; it is enough to take a walk or even work in the garden. What matters is that you maintain a constant level of physical activity, one which will stimulate the release of happiness hormones at the level of the brain (serotonin, dopamine). Physical exercise will also help you keep your weight under control and maintain the health of the heart as well.
#4 Sleep – quality & duration
You need to develop excellent sleep hygiene, as this will help you maintain your mental health in top shape. First of all, it is recommended to sleep for at least 7-8 hours per night. Second, avoid looking into bright screens, eating heavy meals or drinking caffeinated
beverages before going to bed (this will decrease the production of melatonin and keep you wide awake). Instead, practice relaxation techniques, read a few lines from your favorite book or drink a glass of warm milk. Educate yourself to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same hours so that you maintain adequate sleep hygiene. Avoid sleep deprivation, as this can do quite a lot of damage to the brain, increasing the risk for mental health problems.
#5 Stress reduction techniques
Depression is one of the most often encountered mental health problems out there, being aggravated by stress. Among the symptoms of depression, there is lack of interest in daily activities, concentration difficulties and lack of appetite. Stress reduction techniques can help one deal with the symptoms of depression in an efficient manner, especially since they will improve the overall perspective on life. Meditation is particularly recommended, as it leads to mindfulness and stress reduction; it can be tried not only by those who suffer from depression but also by those diagnosed with anxiety or bipolar disorders.
#6 Reduce alcohol intake
Alcohol might give you a state of euphoria, helping you forget about any problems in your life. However, this is only temporary and, in the long run, it does more harm than good. So, you see, if you want to maintain an excellent state of mental health, you need to reduce alcohol intake. Do not expect alcohol to solve your problems and, instead, be pro-active. Seek out to solve your problems on your own, without any additional help. You will feel better for having taken this decision, that is guaranteed.
#7 Travel
Staying for too long in one single place can have a negative influence on your mental health. Instead, when you travel, you get to meet new people, discovering unique cultures and locations that are simply beautiful. You open up as well, feeling happy to share your own culture and background. Traveling is one of easiest methods to boost your mental health, helping you get over common problems, such as anxiety or depression. Moreover, it takes you to new places, ensuring an extraordinary experience.
#8 Keep your brain active
Too much technology can have a negative effect on our mental health, as many studies have confirmed. So, instead of checking social media more often than it is necessary, find other ways to keep your brain active. Read a good back, do a puzzle or play different brain games. It is important to stimulate your brain from different directions so that you maintain mental health at top levels. You can also consider taking natural supplements, such as Geniux, in order to improve the overall cognitive functioning and keep mental problems at a safe distance.
In conclusion, there are some lifestyle changes which you can make, in order to boost your mental health and enjoy the best quality of life. As you have seen for yourself, many of these changes are not difficult to make, but they can make a genuine difference in your life. Do not hesitate to start making these changes today and, soon; you will notice how they have helped you!
Sophie Addison is a popular blogger and skincare expert. She is very passionate about writing on skincare and beauty. She has posted articles on tips for fine lines and wrinkles, joint pain treatment, weight loss and fitness news. When she's not writing, you can find her gardening and listening music. Find out more about Sophie through her Facebook and Pinterest.
Before heading downstairs to my gum for some yoga I quickly made my absolutely favourite oat balls. I will never get sick of these delicious breakfast treats, and the best part is that I don’t have to feel guilty for eating a whole heap of them because they’re super healthy!
Breakfast Bites:
1 cup finely grated apple
1 cup mashed banana
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
Directions:
1. First peel the apples and grate them – you should be left with the consistency of apple sauce. Mash the bananas and mix them in to the apple.
2. Add in the oats. Stir to combine. Then, add in the chocolate, walnuts, cranberries, and cinnamon and mix well.
3. Add in the raspberries and stir until combined. Spoon out about soup spoon sized of the mixture and roll in to. Place on a line baking tray.
4. Bake in the oven on 175C for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Corinne Marabel, creator of A Vegan Kitchen, never intended to follow a vegan diet, much less did she intend on creating what she has today. In July of 2013, feeling constantly run down and tired and after spending far too many months treating my body like a garbage bin, Corinne decided to turn from vegetarianism to veganism for a short detox. However, days turned in to weeks, and she began to find herself feeling not only better internally, but completely inspired to create beautiful and clean vegan dishes.
Check out @avegankitchen instagram page, and ebooks!
Often, in life and in yoga, we assume to progress to the next level, we need to go harder, faster, stronger…that’s not necessarily true. Yes, if you’re on the cusp of moving toward the second series in Ashtanga or working to master a handstand, by all means, go for it! Just know that striking a pose doesn’t necessarily correlate to a deeper practice.
Going upside down: If your usual practice doesn’t include inversions, try shifting your focus and play with gravity. Delving deeper could be a matter of turning everything upside down! Allow Shannon Paige to guide you in Apex Fusion Inversions: Up, Under, Down & Across.
Tweak your alignment: You also don’t have to completely revamp your practice or struggle to wrap your leg around your head. Much of yoga’s power lies in subtle shifts in perspective and alignment. Transform your practice by altering your shapes on the mat. According to Kristen Boyle in her latest class, The Smallest Change, you can achieve profound results by fine-tuning your alignment. Try it and get inspired.
Intensify your intention: Sometimes the depth of your practice doesn’t have much to do with the physical asana. Empowering your practice can simply come from becoming more conscious with your sadhana or practice. In Absolution Flow: Deepen Your OM, Mark Morford instructs on how focusing on your true yogic intention can bring your practice to another level. The intentions you set on your yoga mat are often a direct reflection of your intentions off of the mat.
Japa Meditation: You’ve probably heard that physical asana was created as a path toward meditation. Opening and strengthening your physical body allows you the ability to sit still and meditate without being distracted by pins and needles in your foot, a gnawing ache in your lower back, or tight hips. As Sri Pattabhi Jois, the credited founder of Ashtanga yoga said, “Yoga is an internal practice the rest is just a circus.” At the end of the day, your yoga practice is an internal one. If you’d like expert guidance, Alanna Kaivalya offers this excellent class, Japa Meditation: Using Mantra to Focus the Mind.
We invite you to experience each of these different classes and see what resonates for you today.
You’ll start off on your back in a Supta Padangusthasana series, which requires very little exertion for those of you feeling fatigued. From there, you’ll gently open your hips, where stress and tension often pool. Then you’ll move into forward bends, which facilitate quiet, inward-drawn attention. You’ll finish with some rejuvenating inversions that reverse blood flow and open the neck and shoulders. (Sometimes they even relieve sinus congestion, although too much inverting can make it worse, so listen to your body.)
As you move through the practice, give yourself permission to slow down and settle in to your body and breath. Try to be as gentle and patient with yourself as possible – especially if you have a cold when frustration and impatience can rear its head. These qualities—going slowly, nurturing yourself, taking your time—are your own natural antidotes to stress, depletion, and fatigue. I hope this sequence helps you tap into them!
{illustrations by MCKIBILLO}
By Jason Crandell
Jason Crandell and Andrea Ferretti are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com
With a Full Moon in Scorpio, we might take a look at what needs to be let go of in order to feel fully your intimate connection with someone else. It is a good time to do deep shadow work and stop brooding over old wounds. Scorpio at its worst resists transformation and blames others for its pain, but at its best, it is the quintessential spiritual transformer willing to let go of all that stands in the way of cosmic union.
On a more practical level, this scorpio full moon is an awesome time to do your taxes if you missed the deadline in April, or a good time to closely examine your business investments or partnerships with others. A cradle aspect between the Sun, Pluto, Neptune, and this full moon only enhances the universal prompts to pursue what is sacred to you, and do a deep-dive into the shadow work that will allow you greater access to union and bliss.
Alchemical Ritual for the Scorpio Full Moon
As an water sign, Scorpio often soaks in the watery depth of emotion. On the low side, however, that can turn to moodiness, brooding, and a tendency to play the victim and lash out with others. This full moon ritual for Scorpio helps to accentuate the high side of Scorpio which transfigures our shadow into powerful healing energy.
Scorpio’s modern ruler is Pluto, who is the king of the underworld, but also respects those who can escape it. Our work here is to get to know our own underworld so we can undergo a resurrection and once again see the light. Scorpio is not afraid of the challenge, so our work is to move toward what is uncomfortable in the ritual, in the hope of shedding some light on it. Gather a black stone (onyx, lava, kyanite) or a red stone (malachite, red hematite, rhodochrosite) and place it in the center of your ritual space. If you have some ginger, you can place it in a bowl nearby, or sprinkle it around your space. Ginger essential oil also works, and you might anoint your solar plexus with it before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Place a pen and paper nearby and come to sit quietly inside the circle. Close the eyes and contemplate a current challenge in your life. What is the belief system that this triggers? What negative thoughts swirl around? Finally, what do you feel? Do not immerse yourself in the emotion, simply observe and witness it like a silent bystander. Locate it in your body. Place your hands on the part of the body that you feel activated and simply watch. Breathe into that space, the emotion, and the body. Stay here, silently witnessing, until the emotion begins to transform: dissipate, change shape, move on, or shift quality. Once it does, say the following invocation out loud:
Scorpio and Pluto, please allow me to feel what is necessary in order to learn the source of empowerment and healing.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation of healing in the body. Allow a new thought or belief to arise that replaced the old one that you started the ceremony with. When it arises, write it down on your piece of paper.
When complete, chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Place the piece of paper in prominent view and whenever you see it, feel the sense of empowerment in the body you discovered in this ritual. This ritual catalyzes the unconscious into deep shift and transformation. In doing so, a part of you is resurrected and brought into the light where you shine for all to see.
The definition
To start, Dictionary.com says transformation means:
“change in form, appearance, nature, or character.”
(There are a couple other not useful options, such as “the state of being transformed” or “the process of transforming.”)
The most important word in that definition is change. To change form, appearance, nature, or character there must be a will to change. If there is no will, there can be no transformation.
There are also stages of transformation, starting with form at the most gross level and moving toward character at the deepest, most subtle level. While changing form may lead toward a change in character, the process isn’t always linear or even necessary.
I recently started teaching a series on transformation, so I read up on the yogic perspective of this process.
I am pleased to share with you now some yoga philosophy on change.
Philosophy of transformation
Five thousand years ago yoga was all about chanting, meditating, and practicing rituals (that often involved more chanting). This set of practices evolved out of a philosophical teaching called Vedanta. Vedanta came from the Vedas — texts that outlined all the rituals, chants, and philosophy. As yoga philosophy evolved, some followers decided following rituals couldn’t actually change your life. Chanting and practicing rituals was a passive experience. As a student you would be instructed on how to chant and how to perform the rituals perfectly. Beyond learning and reciting what you learned, you couldn’t DO anything to change your circumstances other then wait for something good to happen!
The process of taking action is one of the defining aspects of yoga philosophy today. To practice yoga is to take action. The model for taking right action is called Kriya Yoga.
Components of Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga is broken down into 3 stages.
Tapas is defined as heat. When we have to do something we don’t want to do but we do it anyway we experience a type of mental friction. When we show up to do something over and over again, we build discipline born from this heat. Heat creates energy that propels us toward action and burns away the conditioned patterns that led to suffering in the first place.
Svadhyaya is self-study. Once we choose to take action, it’s important to study the results of that action. Without analysis of how things are working, it’s significantly more difficult to make a good decision next time. Svadhyaya is the process of creating efficiencies on your path towards action. Work smarter, not harder!
Ishvara Pranidhana is surrender. Ultimately, we must surrender to something greater then ourselves, whatever we believe that something to be. If our action is only for the benefit of ourselves and not something greater then ourselves, the world will eventually end. When we can act in the world without fear because we are certain that we are doing the right thing, our action has the potential to change the world.
This change brings about transformation.
Applying transformation to our daily lives
Transformation is not just about one change. It’s the process of many changes happening over time. No transformation happens overnight.
A practical way to put Kriya Yoga into practice is to show up, be present, reflect, and express gratitude.
Showing up creates heat. Being present balances the energy from that heat. Reflection optimizes your energy. Expressing gratitude releases and delivers that energy in a kind, loving way.
In some of my other research on the yogic process of transformation I learned that the old-time yogis had different measures for physical fitness. Whereas today we think about a physically fit body based on numbers, way back when the measurements were based on feelings. A physically fit body was light, stable, focused, and adaptable so that it could withstand constant change. Transformation back in the day wasn’t about losing weight or looking different. It was an inside job.
Taking action produces a change that creates transformation.
How can you start applying these principles to your own life and/or yoga practice? (Hint: DO something :))
By Ashley Josephine
I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.
Using Sanskrit expressions is a great way to incorporate the spirit of yoga into a class, but it can also be overwhelming for students. Helping them understand Sanskrit terms better might help them immerse themselves into the class. Here are some common Sanskrit terms I use during yoga class that will come in handy!
Namaste
Namaste is a common term used at the beginning and at the end of class. In its basic understanding, Namaste is a greeting expression used to acknowledge each other’s presence. But if you go deeper, Namaste means “the light within me bows to the light within you”. This is an acknowledgement of the soul in one by the soul in another. To perform Namaste, bring both hands together near the heart and bow your head. Performing it in this way offers a deep form of respect to the recipients of your greeting.
Pranayama
Most yoga classes end with a session of pranayama practice. Pranayama comes from two Sanskrit words – prana and yama. Prana means life force, while yama means control. As a whole, pranayama refers to controlling the life force. In short, pranayama is the practice of controlling breath, since breath dictates life force. For B.K.S Iyengar, pranayama means a “conscious prolongation of inhalation, retention, and exhalation.” There are various pranayama practices that can be incorporated into a yoga session, including ujjayi pranayama, nadi sodhana and kappalbhati.
Chakra
Chakras refer to the centers in our bodies through which energy flows. There are 7 chakras in our body including the root chakra found at the base of the spine, sacral chakra in the lower abdomen, solar plexus chakra in the upper abdomen, heart chakra in the center of the chest, throat chakra at the throat, third eye chakra in between the eyes and the crown chakra at the top of the head. It is essential to keep energy flowing freely through the seven chakras as blocked energy in the chakras is believed to lead to illness.
Drishti
Drishti, or yogic gaze, is a form of gazing technique that develops concentration in our yoga practice. Yoga believes that the attention can be directed using the eyes. Directing the focus of our eyes in a certain direction will help direct our mind’s attention that way too. Drishti is
particularly popular in Ashtanga practice, where students are taught to gaze in one of nine specific points in each asana.
Savasana
Savasana is a yoga pose, with its literal translation being corpse pose, typically done at the end of a yoga class. In this pose, practitioners lie down on their back and relax body and mind. Though seemingly unassuming, savasana is arguably the most difficult and most important pose in yoga. In savasana, a yogi’s mind is relaxed but not asleep. It is clear of distracting thoughts and is calm. Savasana is known as the ultimate act of conscious surrender. Get a more in depth understanding into Sanskrit terms in a yoga teacher training.
Elaine is a contributing writer for BookYogaTeacherTraining.com. She is a big fan of Harry Potter and dreams of organizing a Harry Potter-themed yoga class one day. To keep the Dementors at bay, she recommends meditation.
The Nadis carry a special kind of energy: your personal life force, or Prana. Think of them as a roadmap for your energetic self, the pathways responsible for authentic expression, sensations of consciousness and your health and happiness. So if you’re ever feeling a little stuck, maybe your Nadis are experiencing a traffic jam, unable to send the vital you-ness to all the parts of your body.
The connections made inside your body can deeply impact those you make outside, like the connection to your mat or to the higher purpose you serve your body when you practice. Nadis help your body communicate, allowing each body part to chat with the other, telling you where to send energy and when to go with the flow.
Networks are powerful things, and you have all the nerves to harness that power… Here are 4 classes to help get Nadi by nature:
Energetic Awakening: Understanding the Nadis & Your Energetic Body with Alanna Kaivalya Learn how to harness your energy and channel it towards empowerment and awakening in Alanna’s new vinyasa class.
Pranic Meditation with April Laliberte Want more energy? Learn to use the Pranic Breath – a breathing technique that will not only improve your mental awareness, but also provide more physical energy.
Rise & Shine Flow with Pradeep Teotia If you’re not a morning person, you likely feel the least energetic in the morning, and again when you hit that 2pm wall. Flow through simple, yet inventive sequences that are accessible even before you’ve had your morning matcha.
Remember the Good: Feeling Down with Dia Draper If you’re alive, you get stressed, you get down. It’s easy to forget how fortunate we are to get to do the things we do, even if it’s work. A quick, 10 minute gratitude practice with Dia reminds us to find the joy in everything we do.
Mojo Flow 1 with Kristin Gibowicz Mojo could easily be another word for nadi. It’s that unseen force that gets us moving and grooving. A heart-pumping, non-stop flow can rejuvenate, recharge, and get your mojo back – in just 30 minutes.
Right now, hundreds of people are wrapping up our New Year’s Conscious Cleanse. For the last 14 days, this amazing group of people have been in massive action. They’ve been in the kitchen, learning new skills, practicing mindful eating habits. And the results have been nothing short of phenomenal.
“You’ve literally changed my life!” “I don’t remember the last time I had this much energy!” “I feel like a new person!”
These are just some of things we’ve heard in the last 24 hours. And the truth is that it doesn’t take nearly as much effort to get these results, as you may think. But it does take commitment and consistent daily action.
The next step on the journey of commitment is our 80:20 Plan.
So if you’re ready to practice what you’ve learned from our 14-day cleanse or have fallen short (already!) on those New Year’s resolutions (you are not alone), then join us as we start a new 80:20 journey together.
To get you in the mood, we’ve got a delicious new 80:20 recipe to share with you today!
Our Shrimp “Pad Thai” features taro root, which is a tuber native to Southeast Asia and India, and most similar to a white potato. Loaded with more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and flavor than your standard potato, taro root is as versatile in that it can be mashed, made into fries, or even noodles!
To make our taro root noodles, you’ll need a spiralizer like this one. A simple vegetable peeler works too.
This recipe falls into our 80:20 category because of the shrimp, but could easily be cleanse-friendly if swapped out with chicken or more veggies.
We both loved Asian food, but since the Conscious Cleanse, we’ve struggled to find good clean options out there. This one definitely hits the spot. We hope you enjoy it and leave us a comment below.
Happy noodling!
Shrimp “Pad Thai”
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
Stir Fry:
1 ½ pounds taro root, peeled, spiralized 15 medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 TB. olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced ¾ cup green onions, sliced 1 LB. baby spinach 1 tsp. black or white sesame seeds
Sauce:
1 TB. chickpea miso 1 TB. tahini 1 TB. coconut aminos 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger 2 TB. unsweetened rice wine vinegar 2 tsp. maple syrup 1 tsp. Sriracha or other chili paste Dash of cinnamon 1 ½ TB. water (to thin)
Instructions: Fill a medium sized saucepan with water. Add salt to taste. Boil and add spiralized taro root, cooking until almost done (al dente) approximately 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Pat the shrimp dry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl combine chickpea miso, tahini, coconut aminos, ginger, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, chili paste, cinnamon, and water. Whisk until smooth.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot but not smoking add shrimp, green onions, and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the drained taro root and the sauce and toss until combined. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until heated through and the shrimp turn pink. Be careful not to overcook as the shrimp will be tough and the taro will become sticky. Serve over a bed of baby spinach and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website.
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
Think about the vibration of a fast food restaurant versus a health food store. You don’t need to study energy in depth or be professionals in the field of vibration to tell the difference. Which makes you feel better? By buying, downloading, watching, or consuming something you are in agreement with what that product, idea, or process it stands for. The more you experience, the better you will be at discerning what is best.
By bringing more consciousness to your choices, you start to become aware of not only choices that we’ve made in the past that need to change, but also habits and patterns of behavior that do not serve you in the present. In short, the lotus grows from the muck…a lot must change in order to bloom into a lotus flower and first you have to take a look at the muck! Which are you choosing? The universe is listening and will bring you more of what you choose. Choose more consciously, you will have more clarity.
By digging deeper and deeper into your choices and what is driving them, more and more light will be revealed. The gem inside of us starts to feel wanted and starts to sparkle more frequently. The vibration that is you starts to awaken and you make healthier choices. You will make connections with people, places, and things that you personally needed to find, you will experience more “ah-ha” moments. Information you’ve been seeking has been seeking you, and it’s finally revealed.
Physically, you will feel better in your body, more grounded, and can state your point of view without being defensive or overbearing. With this awareness comes a natural feeling of being content—because you are now taking care of your needs and are listening to what is good for you and not what others tell you is good for you.
By raising your personal vibration by choosing consciously what feels better to YOU, you cast out any outdated belief systems that are not yours (which is the case with MOST of them!) and return to true connection with others by relating to them from a place of truly knowing yourself. This is true intimacy.
Raising your vibration by making more conscious choices such as practicing yoga, meditation, visualization, clothing, gemstones, home décor, food, etc. can change your life. Choose wisely and with intention! First ask, is this the best choice for me today? Then give yourself permission to trust yourself to know what is best for you!
By April Laliberte
April is a yoga instructor for Yoga Download. You can also find her energetic meditations at YogaDownload. She also teaches Sacred Sound Vinyasa in Nederland, CO at Tadasana Mountain Yoga and connects conscious individuals to their sacred art objects in her/her husband’s store Nomadic Import Traders in Boulder, CO.
Download one of April's yoga classes or energetic meditations today!
Astrologically, the last few months have been very intense, and there are still some overwhelming energetic patterns in the sky—with Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto all retrograde, and two other planetary formations calling us into deep, energetic, soul work– so this delightfully inspected new moon is a calm center in the middle of the storm.
Take advantage of it, and take care of yourself. Stop for a moment, look around at your life, and get clear on the most personal and basic things that bring you joy and love. Use your spiritual and yoga practices to work with Venus energy, heart opening, and the heart chakra. Spend some time with the earth, the beauty of Spring time, and get grounded (one of Taurus’ favorite qualities).
Finally, if there is something that you need to put a little drive and persistence into, this is a great time to set the intentions and gather the energy for that. Taurus is great at staying the course. If you’ve been wavering, or haven’t mustered the energy to continue, use this new moon energy in Taurus to gather your bull-headed strength to start (and stay!) on your way.
Alchemical Ritual for the Taurus New Moon
As an earth sign, Taurus loves to feel the sensual beauty all around and manifest earthly abundance and pleasures whenever possible. On the low side, however, this grounded energy makes us stuck and stagnant, disallowing growth and flow states. This new moon ritual for Taurus helps to accentuate the high side of this energy which uses the power of the earth to create beauty and abundance inside and out.
Taurus’ ruler is Venus, the great goddess of love and beauty. In her we see the energy of attraction, sensuality and connectedness. To enhance this energy in your ritual, gather green stones such as jade, tourmaline or peridot and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the earth element in some way, either with a small bowl of dirt, a plant, or do the ritual outside. Rose and Sandalwood essential oil can be used to anoint your heart chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and place the hands on the ground. Connect deeply to earth energy and call forth the sensual wisdom it offers. Feel the energy moving into your seat, your legs, your hands and up through your body into your heart. Coordinate the breath with the flow of energy. When you establish a consistent current, meditate on the question: What does my heart want? Your answer is not trivial, and it will likely come quietly and simply. Any running dialogue is not from the heart, but from the ego, so listen closely to the answer from the heart. Once you receive your answer, choose one stone, hold it firmly in your right hand and say the following invocation out loud:
Venus, please show me the path to manifesting my heart’s greatest desire.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the heart, and allow for the invocation to sink in and begin to show you your path. Allow any symbols, sensations, emotions or energy to arise and continue to quietly witness all that happens without judgement or thought.
When complete, place your hand on your heart and chant Om three times. Place your hands in prayer at the heart with the stone inside and recognize this talisman that you have now charged with the energy of your heart’s desire. Snuff the candles and place the talisman somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the path to your heart’s fullest expression. This ritual creates a connection between you and your heart, and allows you to walk forward on a clear path of manifesting abundance for yourself and all around you.
Perhaps the tranquil look of the pose is what makes us all pine for it. But make no mistake — it’s not to be attempted lightly. It requires an enormous amount of flexibility in the hip joint and if your body just doesn’t “go there,” you risk hurting your knees.
In the meantime, you can get many benefits with a sequence that prepares you for Lotus. And if your body is ready to fold into the pose, you will know. (Trust me on this.) There will be no knee pain, no stress, no sense of prying or leveraging or forcing. Instead, it will feel like you are folding yourself into the pose. Forcing your body into Lotus Pose is not worth it in the long run. Pain in your knees or your hips is a sign to back off. Got it? Good.
Most students make the same mistake when they open their hips for Lotus Pose: They focus on stretching the outer hips but forget to open the other muscle groups that make up the hip joint. While the outer hips usually need plenty of help, the key to freedom and balance in your hips is working with all the muscle groups that affect the joint, not just your external rotators. I can’t promise you a Lotus, but practicing the following sequence will make your hips be happier, healthier, and more supple as you work toward it.
If you want to make this sequence a stronger, sweatier flow practice, feel free to practice several Sun Salutations first. You can also add standing poses, arm balances, and inversions to increase the intensity of this practice.
If you’re in need of a quieter, more contemplative practice, you can finish with seated meditation or pranayama.
Hold each pose in the sequence for at least 5 breaths and be sure to practice both sides before attempting Lotus Pose.
If you want to learn more about how to create great yoga sequences, I encourage you to check out my e-course, The Art of Yoga Sequencing.
Wouldn’t you know, the very first time I made it, an honest-to-goodness Indian saint had come to visit. There are rules regarding saints, and at mealtime, the first and foremost is that no one can try the dahl before she does. I must have done something right, because she tasted, smiled, and kissed me gently on the forehead. I treasure that memory, and also appreciate the experience of making that dahl because it taught me that spices—which have phenomenal healing properties—can be the heart of a dish, rather than an add-on to enhance flavor. Here, the blending of spices is what really gives this dish its power, both nutritionally and on the palate.
2 tablespoons organic ghee or extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds 1 onion, diced small 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 2 teaspoons turmeric 2 teaspoons ground cumin Sea salt 2 cups chopped tomatoes, or 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and juices reserved 8 cups Magic Mineral Broth or store-bought vegetable broth 2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed well 1 cinnamon stick 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 teaspoon Grade B maple syrup 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or mint, for garnish
Heat the ghee in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and sauté until they begin to pop. Immediately add the onion, ginger, turmeric, ground cumin, and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth and the reserved juice from the tomatoes to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the pot.
Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the lentils and stir well, then add the remaining 7 1/2 cups broth and the cinnamon stick. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the spinach, lime juice, and maple syrup. Serve garnished with cilantro.
Rebecca Katz invented the term “Culinary Translator” to describe what I do, which is essentially translating nutritional science to the plate, seasoned by wisdom and the alchemy of flavor. Ater a stressed-out career in the business world, Rebecca was led to seek out a more nourishing life. She found the answer in a signora’s kitchen in Florence, and went on to formal culinary training at the Natural Gourmet Institute. Since then, she has become Executive Chef for the Food As Medicine professional nutrition training program, obtaining a Masters of Science degree in Health and Nutrition Education from Hawthorn University, and publishing her first science-based cookbook, Healing Kitchens.
With a two-pronged approach to your yoga practice, you can create a well-aligned pelvis and open hips. In addition, we tend to store unprocessed emotion in our hips, so learning to find balance in this area of the body gives you a sense of emotional freedom too. So, our hips need to be healthy and free not just for the physical body, but also for the emotional condition too.
In our modern lifestyle, we sit for hours. This shortens the hip flexors at the front of the hip and tightens the hip rotators. The outer hip and buttock work intensely to level and stabilize the hips. If you run, play sports, and practice asana, you can create overly tight muscles in the legs and groin, which will pull your pelvis out of proper alignment too.
Creating space in the psoas, rectus femoris, and sartorius will provide freedom in the pelvis and assist in alleviating pain that can manifest in the lower back. Strengthening the hip stabilizers like the gluteus medius will protect against hypermobility and related injuries to the bones, connective tissues and muscles.
Focus on building stability in standing poses like Mountain Pose Tadasana and Warrior/ Virabhadrasana. When you pay attention to alignment in these postures, you can tell where imbalances may lie and work to correct them. Balancing poses also utilize the gluteus medius and minimus to stabilize and will create more strength in the bone, muscles and ligaments. Awareness of how each posture feels in your body will help you find balance.
Classic hip openers like one-legged King Pigeon pose/ Eka Pada Rajakapotasana and seated twists will aid in releasing tight muscles. It’s vital to protect the cartilage and ligaments in the hip joint and preserve the joint’s integrity. Again, relying on correct alignment in these poses will provide maximum benefit. As you get more flexible in the hips, it becomes even more important to create strength in the hip muscles to help stabilize that mobility.
This weeks new classes offer a few different approaches to happy hips. Choose a more therapeutic approach with Deb Rubin’s Yoga Therapeutics: Lower Body Focus and Shy Sahar’s Correcting Pelvic Misalignments.
If you’re in the mood for more, get down with Ellen Kaye’s Align & Flow: Quick & Dirty Hips or fly with Kylie Larson’s Tittibasana Flow: Balance and Fly.
Yoga, which aims for balance and harmony at every level of life, can help us stabilize and revitalize our hips. Get happy today!
Inspire your nature with these 6 Earth-Day-approved yogi tips to conserve, recycle, or regenerate your own energy – plus classes that will fire you up and cool you down.
Recycle Your Energy Just in the same way you’re mindful about being energy efficient with household appliances, you are the ultimate tool for conserving and recycling energy. Spend some time locating the places in your life that feel stuck, and, instead of trying to “let them go,” work to dissolve them and recycle their potent energy back into your system as bright, healthy and useful in Mark Morford’s new vinyasa class Yoga Alchemy: The Recycle.
Plant The Seeds All your thoughts and actions are seeds you plant. Ask yourself, what are you cultivating this week? Dig deep, find your inner strength, and Stand in Your Power in this 75 minute class with Pradeep Teotia. .
Practice Non-Violence The Sanskrit word Ahimsa means non-violence for all living things. Les Leventhal’s 20 minute class Guidelines for A Balanced Life honors Ahimsa and leads you through a flow that will help you move your body with ease and let go of any tension and intensity of the day.
Take A Nature Walk Take 15 minutes to get in touch with your surroundings. Les Leventhal’s walking meditation will help you wake up to the world around you so you can notice what we do and do not pay attention to. This walking meditation will help you focus your energy and feel more grounded and connected to the earth.
Water Your Roots Your root chakra is where you hold your power of being in the world. This glows fiery red and roots you to Mother Earth, ensuring all your survival needs are met. In Cicily Carter’s 20 min Root Down Flow, you will align and strengthen this area with a warm up series and sun salutations.
Call Your Mother AKA touch the ground. Katie Silcox’s Earth Grounding Tantric Flow is a dynamic vinyasa-based practice designed to build your connection to the pranic force that grounds, stabilizes and connects us to the bigger world we live in. Use this class anytime in your life when you need to surrender, let go or reduce anxiety and fear.
What if I told you that you don’t have to lose your peace of mind to lose weight? In fact, you can gain it while you lose the flab. How? The answer to your problem is yoga. While you can relieve yourself of the stress, you can lose weight too.
Here are some of the best asanas that let you look trim without having to hit the gym.
1. Surya Namaskar
While you set out to impress the Sun God, you also end up impressing people with your lean body. Surya Namaskar allows you to stretch your body in such a way that it benefits you in more than one manner. It helps detoxify your body. It gives your body the movement it needs after it has rested during the night and, in the process, helps you lose weight. It works on your internal abdominal organs and aids digestion as well.
2. Bhujangasana
If you are trying to get rid of the handles around your tummy, go become a cobra. Yes, Bhujangasana or the Cobra Pose is one asana that’ll let you reach your goal. It strengthens your back muscles, works very well on your abdomen, and makes your spine flexible. Just hold the pose for 30 seconds and repeat.
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana
When it comes to weight loss, you can be the underdog. But, to be the underdog, you’ll have to accomplish the Downward Facing Dog Pose. As you are going against gravity, your blood flows in the opposite direction, benefitting you in many ways. It strengthens and tones your muscles and arms, so you can flaunt them like it’s nobody’s business.
4. Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
Also known as the Dolphin Pose, this is another asana that will help you trim down the excess fat in your body. This pose is about your arms keeping your upper body steady. It works on your shoulders, arms, feet, and hamstrings. So, if somebody asks you the secret to your toned body, tell them about your little dolphin secret.
5. Chaturanga Dandasana
Also known as the Staff Pose, Chaturanga Dandasana works on your abdomen, legs, and arms. It doesn’t just help you shed weight, but also helps you maintain your posture so that you look graceful and poised, no matter what you are doing.
6. Utthita Parsvakonasana
This is known as the Extended Side Pose. It strengthens your legs, knees, and ankles. It also works on your groin, waist, chest, and shoulders. So, if you are looking at getting a chiseled figure, Utthita Parsvakonasana it has to be!
7. Paripurna Navasana
Hop on to the boat of weight loss and get going with the Boat Pose. Known to help people lose those extra tires, Paripurna Navasana works best on your abdomen, hips, and spine. It stimulates your kidneys functions and the thyroid and prostate glands, and helps your intestines work well. Needless to say, it also aids digestion.
With these powerful poses, weight loss will no longer be impossible for you. Dedicating some time in your day to do these asanas will help you lose weight and dissolve your worries. Instead of keeping yourself away from food, say yes to yoga.
By Vineetha Reddy
Being a regular practitioner and adviser of everything related to health, fitness and yoga, I have also begun to write and contribute to this knowledge ecosystem on sites like YogaDownload.com. I strongly believe that the organic food you find in your pantry provide the best benefits for good health.
For years I tried and consistently failed at a low-fat diet, unconsciously filling up my healthy-fats void with sugary frozen yogurt or microwave popcorn (which still sends shivers up my spine). These days I find that adding just a bit more fat to my diet is making me feel better all around.
But, as we start to embrace healthy fats, I’m also noticing the pendulum swinging the other way. Think bacon-laced muffins, cookies, scones or the Bulletproof Diet. I’ve even noticed myself getting a little bit too excited about the crème fraiche that’s now in my fridge!
The new 2016 dietary guidelines released by the Agriculture and Health and Human Services Departments reflect the confusion that still surrounds how much fat we need: Jane Brody reported in The New York Times that, for the first time, the guidelines do not suggest restricting total fat in order to maintain body weight. But they do suggest limiting saturated fats to less than 10% of daily calories – which means limiting most animal fats that you find in meat, cheese, yogurt, and eggs. However, doctors like Mark Hyman, the director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional medicine debate that saturated fat only poses a health risk when you’re eating a diet that is high in sugar and processed carbs.
Confused yet? Me too. That’s why I sat down with Rebecca Katz, chef, nutritionist and author of The Healthy Mind Cookbook to help me figure out a sane way to navigate healthy fats. Rebecca also calls herself the queen of “everything in moderation, including moderation,” which I love.
A Q&A with Rebecca Katz
Q
Why is fat a vital part of our diet?
A
Fat plays a really important role in our ability to feel satiated. If you take fat out of your diet, you then have to increase something else, usually the sugar content. And when you increase the sugar content and you take out the fat, the brain gets the signal ‘I need more, I need more, I need more!’ because it’s not satisfied.
So, on a macro level – what is a healthy approach to fat?
When I talk about fat I really like to stick with what I call “ancient oils.” So, I include extra virgin olive oil, a little bit of grass-fed butter, avocado, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, and ghee, which, as you know, has been around since the beginning. The fats that I don’t particularly gravitate to are the fats found in processed foods.
Do you mean transfats? Why are transfats so bad for us?
Trans fats are created when you add hydrogen to liquid oil — like soy bean oil or corn oil — which turns the oil into a solid. Think of Crisco and Margarine. These are the fats found in many processed foods – anything that says “partially hydrogenated,” on the label is a dead give away. These fats are nasty since the increase the levels of LDL, or what I call lousy cholesterol, and inhibit HDL, the good cholesterol that slows the build up of dangerous plaques in our arteries.
When you say a little bit of grass-fed butter or coconut oil, what does that mean?
Like everything else you don’t want to overdo. When I say a little, I mean a small percentage of what you’re cooking, so a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with whatever dish you are cooking. In a day you could have a ¼ cup of walnuts, a half of an avocado, and some olive oil. We are not talking about old school French cooking, we are talking about a new way of looking at fat so that it’s complementary and it’s incorporated into the diet. I look at the Mediterranean diet because I think it makes the most sense. Fat is integrated without being extremist.
And why is grass-fed butter better than, say, regular organic butter?
Grass-fed butter is high in omega-3 fatty acids because the cows are grazing on grass. It’s also higher in Vitamin K2. If you can’t find grass-fed butter in your market, then go for organic so you can skip the added hormones and pesticides.
What are the benefits of including healthy fats in your diet?
Our brains are made of 60% fat. You need to feed your brain good, healthy fats if you want to have optimal brain function.
Fat also plays a really big important role in the way we absorb nutrients. So, remember in the 1980s, when we were eating what I like to call ‘hippie gruel’ and eating plain, steamed broccoli? Healthy foods were like a punishment. But, what science is telling us is that nature knows best. So, that plain steamed broccoli that we are eating – well, guess what? If we sautéed it in some olive oil and garlic, we would be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins of that broccoli. And not only that, it would’ve tasted great and we would’ve been satiated!
That’s the snapshot: If you want your food to taste good, if you want to feel satiated, if you want your joints to feel good, and you want your brain to function optimally, then adding good fats to your diet gives you that.
When my daughter was born and I was breastfeeding, I learned about how fat helps with brain development and it was liberating for me. And since I’ve started giving her grass-fed butter, she has become the best eater. She was born a very tough eater and wouldn’t gain weight. She eats a lot of butter now and it seems to be very helpful.
What’s really important about that story is that that kids can have sensitive taste buds. As we get older, our sense of taste numbs a bit. But kids taste things so profoundly. It’s why they tend to stray away from bitter, like spinach and broccoli. What good fats do is they calm down those taste buds, so your daughter feels like, “Oh! Somebody just wrapped a blankie around my tongue so now I can eat!”
My daughter would probably eat a half a stick of butter a day if I let her. How much should we follow our kids’ lead versus being aware of how much she is having?
I would look at how she is responding. If your child doesn’t have a sensitivity to dairy, then trust your instincts about how she is doing. It sounds like she’s eating better, she’s eating more, and her body is capable of absorbing it.
That’s what I’m feeling; just observe her and observed how she responds.
Absolutely. And one size does not fit all. If you have a kid who’s lactose intolerant, maybe grass-fed butter is not her thing, maybe it’s olive oil or coconut oil.
For those of us who tolerate dairy, do you recommend whole milk and yogurt or low-fat?
If you’re eating dairy, I recommend full-fat, organic dairy that has no added hormones. Low-fat dairy is a processed food. Whenever you take the fat out of the dairy product, the natural sugars go up, so now you’ve got something that is much higher in sugar.
Is that because the fiber is stripped out?
No, it’s because the fat helps slow down the absorption of sugars. The things that slow down our production of insulin are good healthy fats and fiber.
I understand that we want to get oils from fish because they provide us with omega-3 fatty acids, but I feel very concerned about toxins in our fish because our oceans are so polluted. I’ve been told to eat the smaller fish like anchovies, sardines but I don’t really like them.
I have two ways for you to do sardines in my cookbooks and I think you might like them. But here’s the deal if you don’t eat fish: There are a lot of the fish oils like the Nordic Naturals that are very safe. As we age, the omega-3s are really important to quell inflammation, help with brain health, heart health, mood. If fish is not a part of your world, then you really need to supplement with a good quality fish oil. If you’re vegan, there are really good oils made out of kelp.
And if you do eat fish, you want to choose wild fish because eating farmed fish doesn’t give you the same health benefits – is that correct?
Correct. With farmed fish, you’re not getting those omega-3s. They are higher with omega -6’s which is a little more pro-inflammatory. So you are looking for that omega-3 triad and that comes from a wild fish, scallops, mussels, crabs, shrimp, sardines, anchovies, those types of fish.
Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us! The takeaway for me is to stop being afraid of healthy fats and to be conscious about adding it for its health benefits and for how satisfied it makes me feel – without going too crazy.
By Andrea Ferretti
Andrea Ferretti and Jason Crandell are a husband and wife team who have been teaching, writing about, and living their yoga for nearly two decades. Andrea is the former executive editor of Yoga Journal and is now creative director for Jason Crandell Yoga Method. Jason is an internationally recognized teacher known for his precise, empowering, down-to-earth approach to vinyasa yoga. They live together in San Francisco with their full-time boss, Sofia-Rose Crandell, age 3. To read their blog or to learn more about Jason's upcoming teacher trainings, please visit their web site www.jasonyoga.com
I’ve wrestled with this question for a long time and it is without a doubt a complex topic. In simple terms what I’ve come to realize is this – The modern day body has become overly acidic, inflamed, and toxic. Many people are walking around with blood sugar imbalances, candida, yeast and mold overgrowth. Our guts are all out of whack and the result is intense sugar cravings and sugar sensitivity (not sure if that’s you? Be sure to check out our Sugar Sensitivity quiz here). For these people sugar IS sugar IS sugar. And eating fruit (or any other natural sweeteners) will only add to the gas, bloating, constipation, brain fog, mood swings, exhaustion, and weight gain. And this is exactly why we developed our new Low Sugar Plan as part of our live support Cleanse(get info about our next cleanse here).
So, while I’m personally not swearing off fruit for good, I have been on a month-long sabbatical from all forms of sugar….apples, bananas, dates and all! And it’s been a real eye-opener to see all the ways in which I reach for something sweet (even if natural) over the dark leafy greens and more alkaline foods like cucumbers and celery.
I love fruit for the energy and great bowel movements that it gives me, but I’ve also loved taking a break from it. The bottom line is this – eat fruit in moderation, focus on low glycemic fruits, and if you feel like you can’t go without it, take a hiatus and see how you feel.
Are you ready to start blending? Today’s green smoothie is a delicious, low sugar, fruit free smoothie that is loaded with healthy fat and green veggies. I hope you love it and it helps you break free from your fruit addiction.
Are you confused about fruit? Be sure to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
With fruit free love,
Fruit Free Green Smoothie
Yield: 1 Quart
1½ cups almond or hemp milk ½ cup water 2 cups spinach ½ avocado, peeled ½ cucumber 1 TB. nut butter (we used almond but sunbutter is delicious too) ½ tsp. cinnamon Handful of ice (optional)
Instructions: Place the almond or hemp milk, water, spinach, avocado, cucumber, nut butter, cinnamon, and ice (optional) in a high speed blender. Blend until creamy.
Jules Peláez (pronounced like Goliath with a P) is co-founder of the popular Conscious Cleanse, a 14-day program designed to guide health-seekers on a supportive journey of healing and whole body cleansing. Jules is grateful to share her passion for vibrant health, raw food and personal transformation with her yoga students in Boulder, CO and the ever-growing Conscious Cleanse community. Her book, The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life quickly hit many best-sellers list and is available at all major bookstores and online retailers.
Take a class with Jules today!
Get to know your Self
Improving your yoga practice is about getting to know your Self better. The better you know your Self, the more improvement you’ll see in your practice.
You can get to know your Self physically, energetically, mentally, and spiritually.
In regards to yoga asana practice, it’s really important that you get to know your physical Self. If you’re obsessed with doing postures right, get to know your muscles, joints, and bones and then you’ll be able to find your “right” posture. Without this integrated awareness of the physical body, something will always feel a bit off.
If you’re yearning for results from your yoga practice so you can feel more energized, get to know your energetic body. Spend time getting to know your breath. Then you will access reserves of energy you never knew you had and you can change your entire life.
If you’re searching for peace of mind, get to know your mind. So many of us are afraid of our own mind. Running away never helped anyone improve at anything. Meditation is a great tool for getting to know the mind.
When you want to improve your spiritual connection, dive deeper in the body, the breath, and the mind and experience them all as one.
This is how you improve your yoga practice.
Practice
I’ve filmed a video for you today that illustrates some tips for getting to know your physical body better. Stay tuned for more on how to improve your connection to your energy, your mind, and your spirit!
If you were wondering where I got my new, fun pants that I’m wearing in the video they’re from Niyama – a women’s clothing company based in Germany!
Stop. Stop right now and pause whatever you are doing. It can wait a moment. Unless you are in the midst of extinguishing a fire or delivering a baby, you can hit the pause button and inhale for a count of four and exhale the same way.
Is your breath steady and strong? Is your mind clear? Your muscles relaxed? Or, are you stressed out? Mind zooming a mile a minute, gut clenched, and breath shallow as if you’d just reached the summit of Kilimanjaro? If it’s the latter, yoga can help.
Yoga is comprised of asana, pranayama, and meditation. These three modalities are intertwined and practicing one or all of them alters our physical body, our nervous system, and our brain waves. How powerful is that?
Asana, our physical yoga practice, can vary by our mood or what we need on any given day we step onto the mat. Stop and check in: what do you need today? Certain practices stoke your inner fire and energize you. Other styles of yoga are designed to help you recuperate and restore your energy.
If your go to is a sweaty Vinyasa practice or an intense hot yoga class, experiment with the polar opposite of your comfort zone. We might think exhausting ourselves through a vigorous flow will result in a release of stress, and yes, it can do that. Sometimes, however, that invigorating practice will simply invigorate, not calm you down.
A few alternatives to try: Reset Refuge: Simmer Down with Elise Fabricant or Mythic Motion: Slow Flow and Restore with Shannon Paige and Yin on the Rocks Live with Eric Paskel. Check one or all of these out today.
Next, pranayama or the art of breath control teaches us that simply by altering the way we inhale and exhale, we change the way we feel. By slowing down, you can actually make yourself more efficient, calmer, and dare we say it, happier. Try Pranayama to Ground & Calm the Mind with Maria Garre.
Finally, meditation can transport you to your calmest, softest self. We’ve got several visualization and mindfulness classes to aid you in wherever you seek to go. Sometimes by stepping back, slowing down, you can reconnect with yourself and truly nourish your body, mind, and heart. The effects of stress on the body can be toxic, but yoga is here for you.
This means that the energy of the Full Moon in Libra both cannot and will not be ignored. The influence of Jupiter, Pluto, and Uranus signifies the amplification of radical transformation, in general. But, with the Full Moon so closely tied to this triple-whammy, we get the amplification of that radical transformation in terms of our relationships and creativity. While Libra always strives for balance, the energy here is only balanced by your own ability to absorb the transformation with grace and dignity. At this time, you are being called to take a hard look at your relationships to see what needs a shake-up. If you don’t, the shift will occur in such a way that is more dramatic and uncomfortable. The same is true for your creative or artful endeavors. It is absolutely time to revolutionize your work and think outside the box. But if you don’t, it will be done for you in a way that is more difficult to bear.
Bearing witness to our own transformation creates a profound space of healing and wisdom. This is the optimal outcome for this powerful lunation cycle. If you move through it with open eyes and observe the changes that need to be made, you grab a hold of your own destiny and use the power of the stars to move more smoothly toward your soul’s purpose. Act in the highest interests of all (including yourself), and what would have been a potentially challenging period will turn out to be the best cycle of change possible for you.
Alchemical Ritual for the Libra Full Moon
As an air sign, Libra likes to take an expansive view to witness all sides of a situation, or all levels of artistic beauty. On the low side, however, that overview can lead to indecisiveness and stagnation, with others waiting on you to make a move. This full moon ritual for Libra helps to generate balance between our inner and outer realities.
Libra is ruled by Venus, so focus on creating a loving, supportive energy around you for the ritual. Anything green or copper can aid in bringing in Venusian energy. Draw an imaginary circle (or a real one with chalk, or some other natural marker) to contain your ritual and place in the center any sacred stones (jade, rose quarts or emeralds are good choices). You can also bring in elements of rose or sandalwood (essential oils, prayer beads, or live flowers), as well as a lit candle or two. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. When you’re ready to begin the ritual, sit quietly inside the circle. Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation on the desires within you that most need to be met. Visualize what the manifestation of these desires feels like…rather than try and force a certain outcome, get into the state of being that the outcome generates. Notice how the outcome makes you feel, alleviates any tension, improves relationships, etc. Don’t plan the outcome, just feel it. Once your writing is complete, close the eyes and say the following invocation out loud:
May the energy of Libra, Venus, and this Full Moon manifest my most potent desires.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation of the outcome in the body. Rather than force the outcome, invite any messages that you need to hear or experience that help you move closer to manifesting what is most alive within you.
When complete, chant Om three times, and snuff the candles. Hold the feeling of the final manifestation as you exit the ritual. Do what the messages you received instruct. The act of manifesting our desires requires both a receptivity to the manifestation, as well as the active participation in bringing it forward. When our inner desires match our outer reality, we are fully balanced and harmonized. Our life becomes a dynamic harmony that reflects our soul’s purpose.
It was a dismal day in 2002 when my doctor suggested a second back surgery on my lumbar spine. For an outdoorsy, Colorado girl, I sat in my car in the parking lot of the doctor’s office and cried-- I felt hopeless, out-of-control, weak, and so far from my positive, fun-loving self. I prayed for the pain to subside, to find release from this cloud of depression, and to get back to living my life in a fuller way. On the drive back to my Denver office, I passed a “Now Open” sign outside of the CorePower Yoga studio on 12th and Grant. I had read that yoga could help back pain, so I walked in and met the owner and asked him if the practice could heal my back? Trevor reminded me that he wasn’t a physician or therapist, but invited me to experience an intuitive style of heated power yoga, set to great music and accessible to everyday folks like me. He too was struggling with foot pain from an accident and suggested that I listen to my body and do what I can manage. He told me to honor where I am physically - and that was the mercy I needed to step onto a yoga mat. I remember a quote read in class in those early days of practicing that said"
“You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state” ~Sharon Gannon
This quote resonated with me as I reflected upon the stressful knots I had created in mind, body and spirit. In those first few weeks of practicing, I realized how much of my identity was based on the intensity of my daily physical activity. Much of my happiness was dependent on how many miles I ran to fit into my skinny jeans or the desperate need for that post-workout, euphoric feeling. The unraveling was real and I started to slow-down and bring presence to my afflicted perception of mind, and breathed into the areas of my body in which my emotional state had manifested into physical pain. In yoga class, I embraced my vulnerability and asked God to make His power perfect in my weakness as I rested my head in child’s pose.
Rolf Gates says, “Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in. And this is the point of spiritual practice, to make us teachable; to open up our heart and focus our awareness so that we can know what we already know and be who we already are.”
As I began to excavate to a deeper place, I realize that I was genuinely affected by what others thought of me and it was preventing me from really knowing myself. Learning correct postural alignment continues to be an important part of strengthening my core and healing pain from muscular imbalance; but the key to “working-in,” was finding stillness long enough to dig deeper into my original design and who I’m meant to be.
That first year of yoga revealed areas in my life where I allowed rigidity and fear to take precedence over teachability and love. I stumbled with my ego as I started to feel stronger and forced myself into postures that caused new injuries. In that first year of practicing, I also completed my 200-hour teacher training, and repeat offenders like competitiveness and comparison reared their ugly heads. Only now, my eyes were open to see these patterns and I was on a transformative path to self-acceptance, learning from my mistakes and beginning of a new season of grace-fully becoming.
Fast-forward 15 years, and I continue to fall in love with the modality of yoga for what it’s brought to me: amazing community, a healthy back & overall wellness, a place to find reflection, rest, renewal and acceptance, a space to grow deeper in my relationship with God, and always a platform of presence that reminds me to live gratefully.
As we continue moving through 2017, we are asked to revisit our Sankalpa statement, or divinely-inspired intention. Better than a resolution, kalpa means vow or promise to submit to above any other. San refers to an association with the highest validity. Sankalpa is then a commitment we make as a cornerstone to support our highest truth. I didn’t know about the word Sankalpa until I was many years into this venture and undoubtedly, there is so much more to learn. My first year of yoga taught me to remain teachable & live gratefully and I think I’ll continue to make that my 2017 Sankalpa statement.
*Also read: Sankalpa- Spiritually Aligning For the New Year
Kristin started practicing yoga after a doctor told her she should expect a second back surgery on her lumbar spine. An outdoor enthusiast and a young mom, she refused to accept the diagnosis. She stepped into CorePower Yoga and committed to practicing to see if she’d see any improvements in her condition. With a consistent practice, yoga healed her by strengthening her core physically, giving her body awareness, and reducing stress in her mind and body. Kristin started teaching yoga in 2003 and knowing that 80% of Americans suffer from back problems, felt moved to learn everything she could about the anatomy, breathing techniques to reduce stress and how to transform other’s lives through teaching yoga. “Power yoga brings this exhilarating, cardiovascular yoga practice to “everyday Joes” like me. My goal as a teacher is to share my passion and improve the quality of people’s lives. In each class I hope to help liberate my students both mentally and physically, and leave them in a better place.”
Click here for a complete listing of Kristin's YogaDownload classes!