Spinach and Yoga

Interview with Lisa Munger

With the Happy Sexy Belly program running full course all my thoughts are on digestion and ways to improve it. I do my best to share the most effective tips on improving the feeling of digestive un-ease with my students. I share what worked well for me, what I learned from my teachers, and read in my favorite health books.

I also interview lots of experts to learn new things or to hear a new perspective on things well-known. Today my friend and a great ayurvedic practitioner Lisa Munger shares her wisdom.

According to ayurveda, dis-ease stems from improper digestion. Both mental or physical indigestion cause toxins or ama and eventually lead to maladies that range from anxiety to constipation, from weak immune system to anger.

There many ways to improve both physical and mental digestion to prevent bloating, reduce stress, and stay healthy.

Lisa Munger, an ayurvedic expert answers my questions about:

• The effect of TV on our digestion
• Why it is good to eat with your fingers
• How much food is a perfect amount for your body
• One incredibly versatile and tasty dish to heal your digestion
• How to use essential oils to improve the unpleasant symptoms or indigestion

If you want to experience the healing power of kitchari that we discuss in the video on your tummy, try this recipe:

Quinoa Kitchari (adapted from Dr. Sunil Joshi)

image from http://www.cookingrecipesyard.com

This dish is really easy to digest, healthy, balancing, and tasty.  Make it when you need to detox, let your digestive system rest, get over a virus or sickness faster, and just nourish your system after a stressful event. Traditionally, kitchari is made with rice but quinoa goes great, too! It has more protein (amino acids) and tastes great!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup yellow or green mung dal
• 1/2 quinoa or white basmati rice
• 1-2 tsp. ghee
• 1/4 tsp EACH black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 pinch Asafoetida
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, chopped
• 3 cups water
• mineral salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro and a few slices of lime
• Optional 1 small beet, kale, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, green beans or any other vegetable that you like

What to do:

• Soak dal and grains overnight or at least for a few hours. Rinse well.
• Heat ghee and mustard seeds in a large saucepan on medium heat until seeds begin to pop. Add remaining spices and cook briefly.
• Then add the water before the spices burn.
• Add the rice, dal, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add hard vegetables like beets and carrots, cover and simmer until both dal, veggies and rice/quinoa are soft, approx 30 mins.  Add additional water as necessary.
• Add softer vegetables and greens 5 mins before grains and lentils are fully cooked.
• The cilantro leaves and lime juice right before serving.

You can read more about kitchari benefits and get a few different recipes here.

The winner of Gaiam Giveaway

On another note, it is time to announce a lucky winner of Gaiam Giveaway. And the winner is Carrie A Groff! Congratulations Carrie! I will email you personally with all the details.

Things that I’m loving lately and that your friends and loved ones will love as presents!

The holiday season is here! Time to celebrate, spend time with friends and family, and indulge in yummy food (don’t over-indulge though!). This is also a season of gifting and sharing.

Gifts don’t have to be expensive to show that you care. They also don’t have to take hours of browsing the stores to be personal and useful. Gifts are a perfect opportunity to share something that changed your life or perception in the past year. It is a perfect time to offer inspiration for a change, instead of demanding it.

Many of you ask me about what I eat, what I use on my skin, and what are my favorite kitchen must-haves. So while putting together Holidays gift guide 2012, I chose things that I love, that I use often, and that I hope you and your lucky gift-getters would enjoy as well!

You will find some amazing body stuff, yummy foods, nutrition-dense snacks and even a couple of self-care practices that I am loving.

Ayurvedic Holidays Gift Guide 2012 (Love List)

Nasya Oil $10.95 – The nose is the direct route to the brain and also the doorway to consciousness. It is the entrance for prana, the life force, which comes into the body through the breath. Healthy uncongested breathing is important to ensure proper flow of prana throughout the head and body. When an excess of bodily fluids accumulates in the sinus, throat, nose or head areas, it is best eliminated through the nose. Administration of herbally infused oil, or nasya, helps faciliate this cleansing process. Nasya Oil soothes and protects the nasal passages and helps relieve sinus congestion. Daily nasal lubrication helps to release tension in the head and relieve accumulated stress. Balancing for vata, pitta, and kapha, Nasya Oil is also traditionally said to improve quality of voice, strengthen vision and promote mental clarity.

Weleda Wild Rose Body Oil $19 – Colder months tend to lead to dry skin. Weleda’s body oils are great to prevent it. Pampers and harmonizes the skin and senses and helps revitalize the skins natural functions. It protects skin from damaging free radicals and environmental influences with the essential fatty acids antioxidants and vitamins A and E that are highly concentrated in Weleda’s organic rosehip seed oil. Organic rose flower oil is prized for its harmonizing aroma therapeutic properties that promote your inner balance and relaxation. A base of organic jojoba seed oil ensures this blend is easily absorbed, keeping skin soft to the touch and giving you a radiant glow. It’s always a pleasure to receive roses, and having their very essence wrapped around your entire being is a beautifying experience that goes beyond skin deep. Goat milk lotion. Butterfield Farm in Lavender smell $8 – Love this stuff! Got it from Union Sq market and looking forward to using it every day. It has a perfect light calming aroma and is very moisturizing. It absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling silky soft. It’s also very affordable by natural skincare standards. Goat milk has long been regarded as the ultimate skin luxury. It is said that Cleopatra’s beauty secret was bathing in goat milk. Goat milk is nourishing because it has more vital vitamins and triglycerides (fats) than either cow’s milk or water. It is packed with vitamins A, B, C & D as well as protein, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Goat milk is gentle because it has a pH level that is closest to that of our skin.  It contains Caprylic Acid which maintains this low alkalinity. Great for sensitive skin! Goat milk is moisturizing because its short-strand protein structure allows it to be easily absorbed into the skin. Goat milk is often recommended by dermatologists to patients who suffer from dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

Pratima Soothing Lotion $22 – Pratima knows skincare! Sandalwood Soothing Lotion for Blemishes / Problem Skin. A Signature PRATIMA product derived from the Calamus root works with healing Comfrey and Neem to provide dramatic and immediate relief from acne, blemishes, irritations and inflammation. Botanicals of Chamomile and Sandalwood leave the skin soothed and calm, never dry!

Body Scrub by Breathe Deep Naturals $17 – All girls want soft skin. All men love the touch of the soft skin. Jasmine Spice Organic Sugar Scrub. A sweet organic sugar scrub with the aroma of luxurious jasmine and exotic spices.  We’ll understand if, while scrubbing a friends back, you are tempted to stretch out your tongue and lick a little off. Made with organic sugar, organic sweet almond oil, organic coconut oil, orange essential oil, cardamom essential oil, clove essential oil, ginger essential oil, jasmine absolute oil, vitamin E, grapefruit seed extract Grass Fed Ghee $11.95 – When it comes to cooking oils, in my opinion, nothing beats ghee. Golden colored Ghee is prepared by melting and simmering butter until all the water evaporates and the milk solids settle at the bottom. Organic Ghee is rich in nutrients, including healthy fat soluble vitamins which aid in the absorption of nutrients in the foods. Ghee contains naturally occurring CLA, Vitamins A, D & K. Per Ayurveda, cow ghee is one of the most sacred foods. During the clarification process, milk solids are removed, leaving the healthy butter fats behind. Small, trace amounts of casein and lactose can possibly remain in the ghee, but unless a person is extremely sensitive, consuming ghee will be fine, even if dairy is not. There is no hissing, popping or splattering when you use ghee. Ghee has a high smoke point (485 degrees F) and it won’t burn like butter. Perfect for sautés, stir-fries and sauces. Delicious on rice, pancakes, scones or biscuits, and it makes the best popcorn ever. Pure Indian Foods ghee is made from milk obtained only during the spring and fall when the cows are on the pasture eating rapidly growing fresh, green grass. Teechia $10 – A great present for busy people who need a filling healthy breakfast that will keep them going for a few hours. It should also be easy to digest since so your loved ones feel light not bloated. Gluten free Teechia with blueberries and dates is one of my favorite choices. It has no added sweeteners besides dates, lots of fiber from ground up chia seeds, and a healthy dose of protein from quinoa and pumpkin seeds. Nutrient-dense super seeds in a delicious blend with gluten-free oats, blueberries and dates create a high performance cereal to keep you energized and satisfied all morning long. A rushed girl’s dream! Pour hot water, let it soak for 5 mins and eat! Teeccino $8 and up – Herbal Coffee is naturally caffeine-free, non-acidic, and taste just like coffee! Every cup of Teeccino is brimming with nutritious health benefitsthat are naturally released during brewing from Teeccino’s herbs, grains, fruits and nuts. These nutrients are quickly absorbable from brewed Teeccino because the nutrients are suspended in liquid so digestion isn’t needed to remove them from fiber. With Teeccino, people experience an energy boost that comes from nutrients, not stimulants like caffeine. A cup of Teeccino keeps energy steady and balanced, but won’t provide that spike and subsequent crash that you can experience from too much coffee. In many ways, Teeccino rebalances the negative effects of coffee. For instance, Teeccino is excellent for people with digestive health conditions because it is non-acidic and contains the prebiotic, inulin. Inulin is a soluble fiber from chicory root that supports a healthy population of beneficial digestive flora, so necessary for good digestive health. Seasnax $3 and up – I love it, my boyfriend is hooked, and my sisters keep asking me to bring it to them to Russia. Crispy salty healthy snack or a great addition to soups. Seaweed is one of the most nutrient-rich foods. Olive oil and wasabi are my favorite flavors. The one with Sesame oil is probably best for Vata that needs some warming. Non-GMO Project Verified roasted seaweed snack that is vegan, gluten-free. Crunchy and delicious snack made with just three all natural ingredients No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and high in vitamins (B1, B6, C), vegetable protein, fiber, iron and other minerals and trace element. Enjoy wrapped around rice, in your favorite soup, salad or sandwich, as a pizza topping or just right out of the pack Sunflower seed butter $6.99 – Sometime products that we consume on a regular basis can cause sensitivity. WIth almonds being a very popular snack food, more people are starting to develop sensitivity to almonds. Taking a break from almonds means no more almond butter. In search for a vata and pitta friendly alternative, I stopped at sunflower seed butter. As all nut and seed butter, it is a treat not a daily food. I smother it on bananas and while it is not a perfect food combination, it tastes amazing! As an occasional treat is quite yummy! Organic Sunflower Butter contains only the pure goodness of certified-organic sunflower seeds–with no added salt or sugar! SunButter is power-packed with a mix of mono and polyunsaturated fats, high levels of vitamin E, protein, fiber, minerals and phytonutrients–all important to the nutritional quality of your diet. Delicious alternative to peanut butter–use in sandwiches, snacks, and other recipes. Kids love it! Made in a peanut- and tree nut-free facility.

Artisana cashew, goji, milk thirstle $29.99 – I got a sample of it in the last Conscious Box. It is very interesting in taste and is made out of nutrient-dense ingredients. In a cold dry Vata season, we need healthy fats. The butter has a slight sweetness to it and a hint of cashews. I would sprinkle some cardamom on it, too. It comes in single serving packets and can be a good on-the-go snack. Your healthy friends will love it as a present! Over the past forty years, intensive chemical, pharmacological and clinical research has confirmed the mechanisms of action and therapeutic value of Milk Thistle in a wide range of human liver-related and non-liver-related conditions. Literally hundreds of modern research studies have confirmed the remarkable ability of milk thistle to protect the liver and the body against virtually all types of damage. Milk thistle extract is used to maintain liver health and to protect the liver from the effects of toxins such as alcohol, a polluted environment or workplace, and a host of liver related diseases. The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies $11- Based on the ancient healing tradition from India that dates back thousands of years, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies offers natural alternatives to conventional medicines and treatments with practical advice and easy-to-follow instructions. A leading authority in this field, Dr. Vasant Lad first explains the principles behind the science of Ayurveda, exploring the physical and psychological characteristics of each of the three doshas, or mind-body types–vata, pitta, and kapha. Once you have determined which type or combination of types you are, Dr. Lad helps you to begin your journey to the ultimate “state of balance” and well-being.

Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life  $12- A great book for any woman! In clear, accessible language, internationally renowned doctor Claudia Welch explains hormones from A to Z, specifically how they relate to each other, how and why they become imbalanced, and how women can restore that balance. Welch includes simple diet tips, stress-management techniques, and natural sleep secrets. Using the principles of Ayurveda (popularized in the West by Deepak Chopra) and the holistic sensibility of Dr. Christiane Northrup, Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life gives women the essential tools to achieve the perfect balance between their yin (sex hormones) and yang (stress hormones), and between the body and the mind. Eat-Taste-Heal: An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living $19 – Eat.Taste.Heal is a groundbreaking work within the field of holistic health and nutrition, written by a medical doctor, a patient, and an acclaimed chef. A complete guidebook and cookbook in one, Eat.Taste.Heal demystifies the ancient healing science of Ayurveda, humankind’s most ancient system of healthy living. The aim of the book is simple: to create harmony within through using common foods and healthy lifestyle practices as medicine. The collection contains over 150 cross-cultural recipes and received a Maverick Award for excellence in photography. The authors are a unique trio: physician, patient, and chef. Dr. Thomas Yarema M.D., director of the Kauai Center for Holistic Medicine and Research, created for his patients an understandable dietary program rooted in common sense. Daniel Rhoda, a patient who found healing through Ayurveda, demystifies the ancient science that helped restore his health. Chef Johnny Brannigan, an internationally trained Ayurvedic chef, has created more than 150 recipes to empower individual healing through the exploration of taste.

Vegan Cuts Snack Box or Conscious Box $19-  — a monthly subscription boxes that deliver a variety of healthy goodies right to your door. Each box includes sample size or full size products, ranging from sweet treats to household fun stuff, body care, and supplements. If you are looking for a present for someone just getting into a healthy lifestyle, it is a great way to help them get savvy in the healthy food products. Homemade Tasty Treats precious-  (Homemade Mocha Nutella from Oh She Glows) – Why not give a gift of a tasty and healthier version of tasty food delights to a loved one? You can make a big batch and give it to several friends. Nothing is more precious in a world where you can buy anything that a DIY gift. It means that you put in thought, heart, and time into it.

Calorie-free event – shows, galleries, museums are always a fun and unusual present. For everyone who is in NYC next weekend, I invite you to join me in a calorie-free holiday celebration http://tinyurl.com/ct6jscj! Enter NADYA as a discount code and all your tix will be only $10!

Idea to better living (Sitali) – Take a beautiful card and write down your favorite relaxation technique, tea recipe, or inspirational quote. One of my favorites is Sitali practice. Even though it is getting cooler outside, my people will experience fiery pitta surge after party alcohol and crazy shopping. It can surface as short temper, acid reflux,  I love how a regular daily practice is making me feel. It is cooling, calming, grounding, and very soothing. If you have outbursts of temper, hyperacidity, heartburn, inflammation, or irritation of some sort, try sitali!

If you have a healthy treat that you think would be a great gift, please share it in the comments!

Now let’s talk gift to Spinach and Yoga fans! Last week I posted a special giveaway contest for a beautiful VonVonni transformer dress. The winner was chosen using http://www.randomnumbergenerator.com/ Today I am announcing the lucky winner – Carlen Hultgren! Congratulations, Carlen! I will email you with details!

While some might feel the same tender love for a beautiful Fall season others may experience quite the opposite – constantly cold feet and hands, dry skin, chapped lips, racing thoughts, fatigue, and even depression. Add to it constant digestion problems and you get a rather unhappy individual. All these are signs of an aggravated Vata that tends to accumulate in the Fall.

However, Vata season doesn’t have to be miserable. Balanced Vata portrays characteristics of an increased creativity, lightness, and enthusiasm. As always in Ayurveda, it is up to you to decide how you want to feel this Fall!

Lisa Munger, a passionate ayurveda practitioner and a talented healer was kind enough to do an interview for Spinach and Yoga. We talk about Ayurvedic tips for Fall, digestion, glowing skin, and much more!

Make a cup of herbal tea, get cozy on your couch and join our conversation!

Make sure to comment below and enter our awesome Breathe Deep Naturals Giveaway! All the details are below the video!

Giveaway:

Lisa Munger and Breathe Deep Naturals were kind enough to sponsor an Ayurvedic Vata-Balancing Giveaway for www.spinachandyoga.com readers!!! Yay!

The winner will get a gift of Vata-balancing all-natural organic skincare products!

• Vata-balancing Grounding Oil that will help to pacify Vata with a blend of sweet, grounding and warming essential oils of sweet orange, vetiver, jasmine, clove and ginger.
• Vata-balancing Spray to pacify your unruly dosha with this blend of sweet, grounding and warming essential oils in a light mist.  Great to use in the car or at your work desk! Made with purified water, organic glycerine and pure essential oils of sweet orange, vetiver, jasmine, clove and ginger
• An amazing Lavender Sea Salt Body Scrub made with sea salt, organic sweet almond oil, organic coconut oil, organic lavender flowers, lavender essential oil, vitamin E, grapefruit seed extract

How to Win:

1. Like Breathe Deep Natural on Facebook
2. Like Spinach and Yoga on Facebook
3. Post a comment below telling us why you prefer to use organic skincare

The winner will be chosen randomly on Nov 14th and will be announced on facebook and in the newsletter. Make sure that you subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss the news!

For more Vata Fall tips, check out this article.

Ayurveda Practitioner Weighs In

Cleanses are so HOT these days, they’re like a bikram yoga class in the summer. But just like not every yoga class is for every body, not every cleanse is going to benefit every body in the most optimal way. So before diving into the vast juicer-kale-mung bean laden world of cleansing, take a moment and use this guide below so you hit the Ojas-full feelings of detoxification & rejuvenation just right, and skip the fatigue/wrinkles/depression of depletion cleansing.

I realize this post might be a little controversial and I want to start off with the old adage of Ayurveda (the medicine of the Vedas): “Nothing is good. Nothing is bad.” because it’s all about who it’s for, which is why I love Ayurveda so much in the first place. Everything in this world has a way of acting as a medicine and a poison; it all depends on whom it’s for and how it’s used.

So keeping that in mind, one could say that all methods of cleansing could potentially be “good” just so long as they’re used by the right person – and for the appropriate length of time. For clarity, I’m going to go through some of the most common types of cleansing below but first, the basic constitutional types so that you have a frame of reference for the doshas.

Imbalances of the Vata-type Cleanser: very low weight or potentially underweight, weight accumulates around waist/belly, anxiety, worry, feels easily overwhelmed, insomnia (waking in the night), lack of direction, dry skin, constipation (lack of daily bowel movement or small pebble-like poops), abdominal distention, bloating, gas, dislike of wind, often cold, PMS: cramps bloating fatigue, lack of menses. *And if you’ve had an eating disorder in the past, look no further.

Imbalances of the Pitta-type Cleanser: medium body fat, weight accumulates around thighs & hips, stress, perfectionist, critical, anger (repressed or quick to explode), insomnia (can’t settle down at night), inflammatory skin conditions, acne, loose bowels, very smelly gas, generally runs hot, PMS: acne anger.

Imbalances of the Kapha-type Cleanser: plentiful body fat (can be overweight but not necessarily), weight accumulates evenly all over body, dullness of mind, lethargic, depressed, over-attachment to belongings/emotions/habits, wakes feeling sluggish even with 8-10 hours sleep, congestion-prone, can have constipation but due to stagnancy so will improve with exercise, PMS: breast tenderness water retention.

So now what’s the right cleanse-medicine for you…

Sunshine & Water Cleanse
This is sometimes recommended in Ayurveda for true Kapha constitution individuals and only for a short amount of time. This is not something I would ever recommend to someone living in a city, who has a job, and/or can’t take absolute rest. Continue to juice cleansing for why…

Juice Cleansing
This is perhaps the most popular type of cleansing at present and for good reason. Juice cleansing can balance Pitta and Kapha all depending on what types of juice you use. Juice cleanses typically use lots of bitter and astringent greens both of which are balancing for Pitta and Kapha. Kapha needs ample spices to be sure its digestive fires stay up like ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon. Pitta can follow a juice cleanse for a day perhaps but without the strong fire of Pitta being fed, it can blow out of proportion even more so than before. Don’t believe me? Find a firey type who is doing a juice cleanse and see how “balanced” they stay before they want to rip someone’s head off. Thinking “oh but that passes”? Scroll down to Signs of good cleansing below.

Now, Vata-types, I know that juice cleansing appeals to you because it just looks so simple. Like you wouldn’t have to think about anything, and you’d feel so “clean” and “clear”. I know, and I hear you. But how about feeling grounded and calm so you can think clearly? How does that sound? “Cleansing” really isn’t what Vata-types really need. In some ways they can cleanse their lives of things that are making their Vata worse like coffee, sugar, alcohol, and eating un-mindfully which for most will feel like a big “cleanse”. What Vatas don’t need is something that’s going to strip them down and make their nervous system even more raw to the elements around them. They need to learn how to build a comforting home in their own bodies through nourishing rituals and meals, so that they feel that they can better weather the storms of life. Vatas, darlings, scroll down to Kitchari Cleanse…

Raw Foods Cleanse
I love me some raw foods. Yes, that was my Pitta talking. Raw foods for a few days can be just what the doctor ordered for someone of strong Pitta constitution. Their blazing digestive fire can happily handle eating raw for a little while and the extra work required to digest raw foods can help bring that excess fire to balance. Kapha folk, meh, you could do this for a little while but ultimately you’ll want to bring back those heating spices I mentioned in the juice cleanse section and hot teas or you’ll never spark that fire that you need to get the spring back in your step and instead the food you eat will just sit in your belly and not feel like it’s going anywhere anytime soon. Vatas, if you want to feel spacey, and more prone to fatigue, bloating, and constipation, give this a try; in other words, please don’t go there with the raw food diet.

Kitchari Cleanse
Ah, Kitchari, the traditional dish of Ayurveda made of mung beans, rice, ghee, and spices. Kitchari is the star of the Pancha Karma diet (if you don’t count ghee). The Ayurvedic Cleansing that you see offered by myself and the majority of Ayurvedic Practitioners here in the west is an incredibly mild version of PK (if we can even say that) as PK should only be done under the keen supervision of a qualified practitioner and away from life (work, family, bad weather etc). Kitchari is balancing to all doshas provided it’s done with appropriate portions/spices and for an appropriate time (not too long for Vata). Kaphas do well with more beans and spices and less ghee and rice. Pittas do well with equal parts beans and rice, lots of cilantro, and some ghee & appropriate spices. Vatas do well with more rice, ghee and spices and less beans. Like the above cleanse methods, a Kitchari cleanse follows the Signs of good/bad cleansing too.

Some of the many great things about Kitchari:

• It’s a complete protein, which means you can eat it and still have energy for a full day of work/life
• It’s incredibly easy to digest. So long as the spices are right, no one has any belly/GI trouble after eating this.
• It soothes the nervous system without bogging it down. Kitchari because it’s so easy to digest remove any stress from digestion allowing the body’s tissues to detox what they don’t need and take the nutrients they do.
• Kitchari heals with its amazing spices like cumin, coriander and fennel.
• Mung beans have been used for centuries to detox the body.

If a Kitchari Cleanse sounds right to you, join the online cleanse I’m leading with the Doctor Blossom Team this fall!

Whole Foods “Cleanse”
For some this is perfect. This diet will suit all doshas though might not be the best medicine for Pitta and Kapha. Giving your body a break from all processed or refined foods, stimulants, and depressants can be huge! The better your digestion can function, the better your body can eliminate the toxins you naturally come into contact with. If your week typically includes more days with than without coffee, alcohol, refined sugar, baked goods, or processed meats then this could be the perfect place for you to start. If you’re considering one of the other cleanses it’s wise to include a few days of this Whole Foods diet on the start and end to avoid any boomerang-effect that brings you back into your old less healthy habits/crutches.

What To Look For While Cleansing

Signs of good cleansing:

• Improved sleep
• Improved energy (after the initial rest period that your body has been craving)
• Feeling less sluggish in the morning
• Clear lustrous skin
• Improved digestion (happy belly)
• Sattvic (peaceful) mind
• Grounded clear thinking
• Increased comfort in your body

Signs that it’s not the right cleanse for you or that you were doing the right one but for too long: Excessive cleansing leads to depletion of Ojas and increase of Vata so you’ll start looking more like the Vata-type Cleanser if you cleanse for too long or too strongly.

Signs of not-so-good cleansing:

• Increased aggression, anxiety, lethargy
• Feeling “spacey”
• Feeling cold, especially hands and feet
• Waking in the night
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Deep fatigue
• Sustained achiness and/or popping joints

If you’re giving up the famous dietary crutches (caffeine, alcohol, sugar, meat) there are often a few days of the less fun detox with some headaches, body aches etc. It varies completely from person to person often having little correlation with how much of the crutch foods they were using. If in two or three days these detox symptoms haven’t cleared up and you’re not feeling more of the good cleansing signs, then adjustments need to be made.

I hope this article helps shed some light on what method of cleansing would best suit your current state of health. If you’re looking to learn more about what fits you, you can always book a consultation with an Ayurvedic Practitioner (like me!).

If you’re considering a cleanse of any kind it is always a good idea to consult your health practitioner first.

Join Kate in the Doctor Blossom Online Fall Cleanse where you’ll receive a cleanse catered to your unique constitution and current imbalances!

Kate Lumsden, a San Francisco-based Ayurvedic Practitioner & Yoga Teacher, spreads her love for these healing practices in her home city and beyond (via phone & skype) through her recipe blog, group cleanses, yoga classes and wellness coaching practice. Catch her on Facebook or Twitter where she posts regularly on how to weave Ayurveda into everyday life in fun, juicy ways.

Daal Payasam – The Most Unusual Healthy Dessert

It’s been awhile since I posted any recipes. My diet is pretty simple most days and consists out of one-pot lentil and quinoa with veggies stews, salads, and soups. I’m more about functionality and digestibility when it comes to my foods rather than gourmet dishes. If it’s easy to make, simple, and easy to digest, it gets my approval.

The recipe that I about to share was inspired by a recent visit to one of my favorite vegetarian Indian restaurants in Murray Hill. I kept thinking about this dish for a few days after and tried to create my own version at home. It came out so good that I think it deserves sharing. It is an unusual combination of tastes for a Western palate – lentils, raisins, coconut, cardamom, and dates. It might sound too weird but surprisingly it tastes pretty damn good!

Vegan Daal Payasam – Split Lentil Pudding

• 1 cup red split lentil (soaked overnight)
• 5 cups water or non dairy milk
• 2 dates (chop up and take the pits out, I used 1 coconut/date roll instead)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes or can use cashew halves instead
• 1 tsp coconut oil or ghee
• 6 pods cardamom
• A few strands of saffron

1. The original recipe calls for a slow cooker and roasting nuts and raisins beforehand in ghee but to save time, I just put everything together in one pot, added water and let it boil.
2. Once the water or milk, if you are using it, starts to boil, reduce the heat and stirring occasionally, let it simmer until lentils become very soft and the water almost completely evaporates. It should turn into a quick soup consistency.
3. Enjoy it warm as a separate meal. It is pretty hearty but not heavy. Lots of fiber, iron, and needed grounding for Fall-aggravated Vata dosha.

For more Vata-balancing desserts, check out this post. You can also read more about Vata dosha here.

If you want more Fall-inspired healthy recipes, register to my upcoming lecture on October 10th.

Clean Insides → Clear Mind

Nobody likes to feel bloated. As for constipation, I wouldn’t wish it on my enemies, oh, wait, I don’t really have any… but if I did, I wouldn’t wish it upon them!

Clarity of the mind depends on the clarity of your bowels. Plugged up intestines lead to a foggy sluggish thinking process and kill creativity. Plus, it can give you a headache, acne, fatigue, bad breath, and unpleasant body odor. Not pretty inside or out.

Your digestion is highly dependent on what and how you eat it. Some snacks that modern health and weight loss experts recommend can actually cause enormous digestive unease. I bet you will be surprised to see some items on this list.

Ayurveda says that like attract the like. It means that when you are suffering from gas (excessive air) or constipation (dryness) adding more light or dry item to your diet will exacerbate the problem. Instead, you should try to counterbalance current problem with the opposite qualities in your food: soft, easy to digest, nourishing foods. Since irregularity is such a big problem in the US, I will cover few items that potentially could worsen the condition. According to ayurveda gas and constipation can be attributed to Vata dosha imbalance. Vata dosha tends to be very light, dry, and airy by nature.

Please keep in mind that these are just general guidelines and since everyone’s body is different, they will not always to true for everyone. If you would like to get individual recommendations, you can make an appointment with a qualified Ayurvedic consultant

My goal here is not to add more items to your ‘must avoid’ bucket but to share my experience and some ayurvedic wisdom about modern day popular ‘healthy’ foods that can create bloating and irregularity. I will also share tips on how to make these foods more digestible and alternative options.

3 ‘Healthy’ Snacks That May Upset Your Tummy

Nuts - one of the favorite snacks in the North America but, unfortunately, it can be drying for the digestive system, hard to digest, and too heavy for most people. Americans eat more nuts than most other nations. Peanuts, almonds, pistachios, macadamia, Brazilian nut – the varieties and quantities are endless. Nuts are too expensive in most other countries to have them on a daily basis but in the US and Canada they became a go-to healthy protein, fat, and fiber rich snack. While nuts are amazing in terms of nutrients, nutrients on their own is not what should determine whether you eat something or not. It is whether you can digest the product and absorb all those nutrients. If you can’t digest it than no matter what it is, you shouldn’t overload on it. Roasted nuts found at most stores are dry, heavy, oily, and hard to digest according to ayurveda. They can aggravate all 3 doshas if consumed in excess by someone with a weak digestive system. To make nuts more digestible, ayurveda advises to get fresh nuts (almonds is the best choice), and soak them for 8-36 hours. Soaking nuts re-hydrates them, reduces phytic acid that can irritate stomach, and increases life energy (prana). According to Mark from Mark’s Daily Apple, phytic acid binds to minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, chromium, and manganese in the gastrointestinal tract, unless it’s reduced or nullified by soaking, sprouting, and/or fermentation. Bound minerals generally cannot be absorbed in the intestine, and too many bound minerals can lead to mineral deficiencies. Once soaked, peel of the skin and enjoy! Limit to 10-15 almonds per day.

Yogurt - Heavy, cold and mucus forming yogurt can be quite heavy for digestion. Good quality dairy is not that easy to come by and most yogurts available in stores are from unhappy and unhealthy cows. The word ‘Greek’ on a yogurt box doesn’t not make it much better. It can still be filled with hormones, antibiotics, and hard to digest additives. If you love yogurt, always get organic and as fresh as possible. Unpasteurized goat yogurt can be a better choice. Add some honey and cinnamon and serve at room temperature, not cold. Warming qualities of honey and cinnamon will help to counterbalance yogurt’s dampness.

Kale Chips – oh, how sorry I am to put Kale Chips in a no-no list. I love them so much! But remember this, the value of the item is not what measured just by what it says on the nutrition label, it is measured by what your body can assimilate from it and how much energy it will take to digest it. Kale being from the cabbage family has a tendency to give gas to weak bellies. Dry chips out of an already hard-on-the-stomach product will only make it worse. The toppings of nuts, spices, and protein powders turn kale chips into a gas-promising constipating crunch. Have kale in stews, soups, or well-massaged salads instead.

Some other ‘healthy foods’ that can aggravate Vata dosha and lead to bloating and irregularity are: crackers, granolas, dried fruits, protein bars, rice cakes, bottled juices, popcorn, chocolate (even the dark one), whole-wheat bread, trail mix, pretzels, non-dairy ice cream, bran muffins, jicama, and many more. I will included an expanded list of ‘Happy Belly’ healthy snacks as part of my upcoming online program that is in development right now! (so excited!)

You still have a chance to let me know what you would like to see offered in the upcoming program. The more you ask, the more I will be able to address your needs and deliver the best program based on your wants. Please, fill out this short Health and Wellness Questionnaire http://tinyurl.com/8s34mow to let me know what health problems you are working on right now. Once you fill out the survey, you will automatically be entered in the contest. The winner will get 6 months subscription to Conscious Box filled with sustainable, eco-friendly snacks, treats, organic samples, tons of coupons, and other cool stuff!

A Creamy Cooling Healthy Dessert

Kheer or rice pudding is traditionally viewed as a cooling easy to digest dish, nourishing all tissues, cooling the body, and calming the mind. What more to ask from a yummy dessert?!

Spices make it easy to digest and lighter. They also add irresistible aroma and a very homey taste. Nuts and coconut add crunch, fiber, and protein. Dates substitute sugar while adding richness.

Kheer is easy to make and I still have to meet one person who doesn’t like it.

I made this healthy dessert for 17 people for my free yoga and ayurveda class at Pure. Girls loved it and asked for a recipe! Below is a picture of tub of rice pudding that I made and girls enjoying the pudding after Pitta-balancing yoga class

So here is a healthy dessert recipe that you can make for the entire family. It is very affordable and tasty!

Ayurvedic Rice Pudding (Vegan, Gluten and Sugar Free)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 4-5 cups almond milk (depending on whether you want it on a liquid or thicker side)
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp coconut manna or coconut oil or ghee
• 3 tbsp coconut flakes
• 5 chopped dates
• Handful of raisins
• 1/3 cup pistachios
• 1/3 cup cashew pieces
• 10-15 saffron threads
• 5-7 cardamon pods
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

What to do:

Soak rice in 2 cups of water for 2 hours. Drain and rinse.

Bring to boil the rice in 4 cups of almond milk with nuts, dates, spices. Keep on low heat for 30 mins until rice absorbs most water.

Once rice is soft, turn off the heat and let it cool for another 30mins. Serve rice pudding warm or cool with a cup of herbal tea.

If you want to learn more about healthy recipes and smart grocery shopping strategies, join Kitchen Evolution Summer Grocery Shopping tour and Dinner on July 18th. More info here 

If you like this recipe, share if with your friends and family! Inspire the world to be a healthier place! Every single person can make a huge difference! Be the change! SHARE!

Functional Juice to Calm the Nerves and Clean the Colon

Do you drink green juice because you know that they are supposed to be good for you or because everyone is doing it? How does your body feels when you drink green juices: light or bloated, tired or energized, hungry or nourished? Does your body respond the same way to all kinds of green juices or does prefer some greens to others? These are just some of the questions that you should have a very clear answer to if you are serious about finding your personal, individual, customized diet. 

As with exercise and food, I like to get the most out of my green juice in terms of what they do for my body. Not all juices are equal! Some are like a concentrated wholefood supplement that provides a ton of nutrition at a very low calorie exchange while others just bring on a sugar rush even if they look green!

I often add spices (cinnamon, cayenne, cumin, or fennel) for an additional sugar balancing and cleansing effect. A splash of Aloe Vera helps absorption and reduces bloating. Maca powder goes in as a booster for adrenal glands. And Camu Camu can be thrown in for an extra vitamin C. You can also experiment with Bee Pollen, Coconut Vinegar, and Reishi Mushrooms. Let your imagination guide you!

With so many of my friends embarking on juice cleanses, I often hear people complaining of bloating and poor elimination while limiting food intake to fresh juices. While this is to be expected on a diet that is lacking fiber, it doesn’t mean that you need to wait for a week to go the bathroom! Quite the opposite, the cleanse is incomplete, if nothing is coming out!

To help out all juice lovers I created a ‘Calm and Clean” Green Juice with Magnesium and Cinnamon. It has magnesium to help move things along while balancing the bloating queen Vata with cinnamon, fennel, and sour lemon. Magnesium has many roles in our body. Here is some info:

Every organ in the body — especially the heart, muscles, and kidneys — needs the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the makeup of teeth and bones. Most important, it activates enzymes, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate calcium levels, as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients in the body.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency may include agitation and anxiety, restless leg syndrome (RLS), sleep disorders, irritability, digestive issues, etc.. Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/magnesium-000313.htm#ixzz1sS1HmxYl

‘Calm and Clean’ Green Juice:

• 3-4 Leave Rainbow Swiss Chard
• 1 small or 1/2 large grapefruit
• 1 fennel bulb and greens
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 large cucumber or 1 small
• a few stalks of parsley
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1-3 tbsp Natural Vitality Calm Plus Calcium

Juice all the veggies and then add cinnamon and Calm powder. Mix everything and drink on an empty stomach, preferably in the 2nd half of the day. This magnesium formula is not strong enough to act as a laxative but think of it instead as a digesting helper. If you are really clogged up then you might want to try using Oxy Powder  which is also magnesium based but a lot stronger. The good thing about magnesium is that it is not habit-forming like some herbs.

Enjoy and Be Clean!

Natural Vitality Calm Plus Calcium Info:

Natural Calm Plus Calcium utilizes the same advanced technology as Natural Calm. The minerals in this product go into total solution in their ionic form and are readily available to the body. Water acts as a carrier and transports the minerals quickly to where they are needed by the body. Natural Calm Plus Calcium contains added nutrients to ensure that the calcium is absorbed and utilized by the body. It is the most advanced formula available for the utilization of calcium. This is particularly important as calcium will not be efficiently assimilated without these other nutrients being present. In addition to calcium, the product contains magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin D and boron, which assist in the assimilation, utilization and distribution of the calcium within the body. This results in the creation of strong bones, joints and connective tissue, and a healthy, active immune system to protect against invasion of bacteria, viruses and other uninvited guests. This product is ideal for men and women of all ages and in particular for seniors, as it helps in the reversal of bone loss, joint, cartilage and connective tissue deterioration, and malfunction of the various glands and their emission of hormones. It is also ideal for pregnant women, as it will help to supply the essential calcium needed by the mother and baby for the development of a robust body with strong bones. Natural Calm Plus Calcium is formulated with 3 parts magnesium to 2 parts calcium, which will prevent a surplus of calcium robbing the body’s vital magnesium supply and avoid the symptoms associated with depleted levels of magnesium.

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If you are would like some help getting started on your health and wellness journey, take a look at how I can help you. It is easier when you are not alone!

Those of you who know me in person, know that my boyfriend and I are away from home at least 3 weekends out of the month. Being away from my well-stocked kitchen, gym, and favorite health food stores on average 10 days out of 30, I had to come up with some effective strategies to follow my health and wellness ideals even while on the road. It took some time, creativity, and mental flexibility to find strategies that work well every time and that don’t require too much work. Now I use them all the time when I go away. Since my trip to India is only 2 days away, I am giving myself a refresher and hope that you will learn something useful, too!

The most important lesson I learned about staying healthy on the road is that you have to go prepared!

Second, most important lesson is that all the ‘healthy travel’ strategies have to be realistic. If you plan to bring 20 lbs of greens and a juicer with you everywhere, traveling will be quite a chore and not many will be willing to travel with you. I learned that lesson when I was trying to fly with Bio-K probiotic yogurt everywhere I went. 1 yogurt per day took up all my liquids allowance and sometimes had to spill over into my bf’s bag. This one didn’t stick around for too long.

Third, your strategies have to be based on what works for you at home, not some expert’s recommendation that you’ve never tried before. You’ve probably heard that it is best to use worn-in shoes when going on a hike and your favorite running shoes if competing in a race. No matter how many professional runners rave about a shoe, if it doesn’t fit your foot, it won’t work. Same applies to the effective travel strategies – they have to be based on what works for you, not for someone else! Plus, strategies based on your daily wellness routine will help to keep Vata at bay. Vata tends to get out of balance when we travel and change our daily routine too much. Stay true to the effective health habits!

Another thing that is very important to staying in a ‘feel good’ state is to ban the guilt. If for some reason you treated yourself to a little more dessert than necessary or skipped a day at the gym, skip the guilt ,as well. It does nothing good. It creates negativity, increases acidity, promotes inflammation, and hinders digestion. Just move on and do smth good for yourself!

Step by Step Guide to Create Your Personal “Healthy Travel” Strategies

1. Make a list of things that make you feel healthy and create a sense of general well-being while you are at home. If you know what works while you are at home, you can plan effectively for your trip. It will help to avoid unnecessary hyped up “healthy things” like green powders that you never used before or DVD’s that you’ve never done and don’t know whether you would like them.
2. Get creative and find ways to turn your “at home” feel good strategy that has proven to work well for you into a “healthy travel” strategy. What can you do to achieve the same healthy feeling while you are on the road?

Here is how I used my at home feel-good rules to create super effective travel-friendly alternatives:

At home: Go to the bathroom before breakfast. This one is very important to me and according to ayurveda it is one of the most important determinants of health. I don’t like the feeling of carrying around a bag of toxins in me. Traveling can mess up the elimination cycle so it is best to know in advance what can help you to stay regular even after long flights. For me it is a few capsules of triphala before the plane and right before bed and a hot tea with ginger and lemon as soon as I wake up.
Healthy Travel strategy: Take triphala, bring a plastic bag of powdered ginger, 1 whole lemon (weird but I need it), and herbal tea bags everywhere I travel. If there is no coffee machine or a microwave to make hot water for tea, ask room service for some. They usually won’t charge you for it.

At home: Yoga and meditation in the AM. It makes me feel light, comfortable, and happy in my body. It also puts me in a good mood and a relaxed mental state for the rest of the day.
Healthy Travel strategy: Wake up a bit earlier than my bf and fit in my usual morning yoga to stretch and get into a happy frame of mind for the day. Yoga is a just a tool. I am not doing it for the sake of doing yoga but I do it because of the way it makes me feel. For you that tool might be something different. Whatever you do to get into the groove at home, try to do it when you travel as well.

At home: Eat lots of vegetables.
Healthy Travel strategy: While researching some farm-to table, vegan, or health-conscious restaurants is a great idea, your travel companions might not always approve of your choices. Fortunately, with some creativity you can find healthy food even at mean steak houses and old style Italian places. Use a Flexitarian approach to make every meal healthy. Why not have a side dish of asparagus or spinach for an appetiser?  The menu is not written in stone. Think of a restaurant menu as a lego – rearrange items, add, substract, build your own. Do it with a smile and apologetic eyes or blame everything on a medically prescribed diet. This weekend for example I was lucky enough to get braised kale for an appetiser, swapped sides from several dishes to make up my own good food combining dinner of trout with mashed cauliflower, and greens with grilled veggies. If you ask nicely and know exactly what you want, people will work with you.

At home: Have healthy dessert/snacks
Healthy Travel strategy: Bring some with me. Sprouted sunflower seeds, flax crackers, cherry mocha mantra 22 days nutrition bar, Nugo dark chocolate, or macaroons travel with me. If I am not sure if there will be a supermarket close by or if we will have time to go there, I can also thrown in an apple, a pear, or a grapefruit. Healthy snacks get priority in the suitcase over an extra pair of shoes. It is all about priorities, right? Where do you put ‘feeling good’ on your list?

At home: Sweat and move
Healthy Travel strategy: You all know this one: never leave without running shoes, run outside, take stairs, go hiking, bike around, use the hotel gym, and my latest one – bring dvds. Physique 57 is great! A hard core yoga session can work, too. Try www.yogaglo.com, www.doyogawithme.com, If you have internet access. Nothing beats short Tabata workouts by the amazing mother of 4 Bex. Check this one out.

Here are some other great points on staying healthy on the road from Melissa who runs Fitness NYC blog and an inspiring veggie lover Rande who talks about Adventures and Travel-Juicing

That’s pretty much all I need to feel good, stay in shape, and maintain my health at the level that I want.

Question to you: What is your daily wellness routine? How can you recreate it when you travel?

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Off to pack for India!

Nadya

How My Body Forced Me To Listen (The Hard Way) 

Image Courtesy: http://www.alldeaf.com/jokes-funny-stories/

A few days ago I wrote about listening to your body when it comes to finding a perfect personalized diet. Today I want to share my story about finding a perfect personalized workout method using your body’s feedback and some common sense.

After moving to New York 7 years ago, I got addicted to working out. Six days a week of hard core cardio, boot camps, body pump, kick boxing, you name it, I did it all! More always seemed better. If I skipped a day, I felt guilty and failed! While working out at the gym, I did yoga every day, too. An hour long yoga routine was my restoration time, not a workout, like it would be for normal people.

I felt proud that I could push myself to workout even on a 4-5 hours of sleep, that I never gave in to excuses, and that no matter where I went I always found a way to exercise. Social life, my personal relationships, sleep, all were secondary to a good workout…

After 5 years of 90min+ of daily workouts, my body started requesting rest. When I didn’t listen, it started to break down. My periods stopped, I was constantly tired, and always hungry. Ignoring my body, I kept pushing through, thinking that if I stop, I will turn into a fat lazy lady.

The worst thing was that exercise didn’t make me that happy anymore, it turned into a chore, something that I had to do before moving on with my day. One of the reasons I was afraid to workout less is a widely accepted concept that “you get what you work for”, and that the more you workout the better shape you are in. What I didn’t understand is that having a fit body that is tired all the time is not any better than having an unfit body.

Another thing that I didn’t understand is that exercise is a tool not a goal of its own, unless you are a professional. Exercise as a tool that helps to create an optimal, healthy body that allows to enjoy life and never feel constricted by the physical discomforts.

After a few conversations with my ayurvedic doctor, Vasudha, and an enlightening book by Claudia Welch “Balance Your Hormone, Balance Your Life” I slowly started to warm up to the notion of nourishing exercise. As all things in Ayurveda, fitness in Ayurveda is personalized and based on your body type. We all are unique and our bodies have different needs for exercise. Daily activity level, stress, type of food, and health condition will also play a role when creating a personalized fitness program.

Sport By Body Type

John Douillard describes fitness preferences by body type really well:

• Vata types will  typically excel in sports requiring quick, short bursts of speed and agility. They love fast, vigorous activity but can’t handle too much of it if they are going to stay in balance. If anything, Vatas need to slow down and nature often forces them to, since their endurance is not great and they tire quite easily.
• Pitta types excel in individual competition requiring strength, speed and stamina. They are fiery both in personality and desire to win. They are highly motivated and driven and are often not satisfied unless they have won. They are natural leaders and are attracted to individual sports because of their strong ego and natural competence in most sports. Pitta types must be careful not to get overheated and must learn how to enjoy themselves regardless of the final score.
• Kapha types excel in endurance and mind-body coordinated  skills. They are great under pressure and are naturally calm, stable and easy-going. Because of their hypometabolic nature, they will tend to be more lazy and need motivation when exercising. They love team sports but must be sure to get plenty of stimulating and vigorous exercise as well.

Nourishing and Depleting Exercise

Most of us do not realize that high intensity exercise can be a stressor. Our body responds to exercise as an emergency. The fight or flight nervous system gets activated and this emergency  response during each workout not only produces stress fighting degenerative hormones. Considering that most of the big city dwellers have drained adrenal glands and don’t have time to stretch after a workout to calm down the nervous system, extreme workouts over time can do more harm than good. This is even more true for women.

Ayurvedic Exercise Solution

It all comes down to what makes you feel healthy and vibrant. Here are some ways that I used to find what works for me.

BREATHE – To reap all the wonderful benefits from working out without harming your body and your nervous system, one has to be very mindful and listen to body’s feedback. It might mean turning off the loud pumping music or the news while you are on the elliptical and instead listening to your breath. If you breath is shallow and incomplete, slow down and bring it back to slow deep breathing. It doesn’t mean that you have to go at a snail’s pace. You can still run 10 miles and hour sprints and breathe deeply! Getting to that point might take some time though, so start easy.

BE MINDFUL - Pay attention to how you feel after a workout. If you are exhausted for 2 days after, ask yourself if it is worth it. I strive to feel energized, alive, and light in my body after a workout. If you are a data junkie, create a workout log and write down how you feel before and after. This way you will be able to observe trends.

STRETCH – I can’t stress this one enough! Stretching is good for your muscles but it is also very calming to the entire nervous system. Do it slowly, mindfully, and regularly!

What I Do Now

After quitting Body Pump classes, cutting down on Bootcamps, and limiting High Intensity Interval Training, my body didn’t turn into a pumpkin, instead, it feel healthy and energized.

gym rat - 2010

yoga, running on the beach, and hiking - happy and relaxed 2012

My periods are back to normal and my constant hunger is gone. I still love a good workout but I became a lot more mindful of my body’s signals and don’t feel guilty taking breaks. My yoga practice is more active since I have more energy and don’t need to spend an entire hour in restorative asanas, even though I still do it sometimes:). Sometimes I still err on the intensity side and push past my comfort level but my body reminds me quite quickly to stretch, rest, and restore.

Questions to YOU: What type of workout makes your body feel alive and healthy? How do you know when you are pushing too much or not challenging yourself enough?

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Stay mindful and breathe whether you are at the gym, a yoga studio, and walking on the street!

Nadya