Self-Love

Moving energy on any matter is an important thing to do. When it comes to self-love, sometimes all we need to do is stop and take a bath, or pour ourselves a nice, cold glass of water on a hot, summer’s day.

Sometimes, when we’re working really hard, oozing our passions into things we love, it’s important to take a step back.

Moving energy comes in all kinds of different forms. Sometimes it stems from taking action—bona fide action that says, ‘yes, I’m worth this.’ ‘Yes, this is the step for me.’

Moving Energy in Stillness

Sometimes though, it comes from being still.

In stillness, we find movement. We can be still, caring for ourselves by listening to our own inner quiet—by allowing ourselves the peace of being still—even if just for a moment or a breath, and we can watch the motion of the world around us. We can sense the energy, moving onto what’s next, listening to our intuition and trusting it is safe to follow the path where our hearts will lead.

I know this is true for me. Ebbing and flowing through life, following its natural rhythms sometimes feels like a staccato—short, short burst—kind of rhythm, but for me, it’s imperative. Trusting the crisp, cool bursts of creativity can be followed by a still moment—the peace and time to take it all in.

This is especially useful if you’re feeling stuck on a matter. Sometimes you need to move—take action—and sometimes you need to let yourself sit and breathe. Take a walk, take a bath, call a friend, do something fun—whatever works best for you.

Sometimes indirect action is the most direct action you can take because your subconscious mind needs time to filter through everything you need to know your next best step.

As I write this, a bird lands on my windowsill outside the window where I work. It rests for a minute or two, surveying the area around it. Then, in one fleeting motion and, as birds do, it flies away.

What Needs Movement in Your Life?

Have a think about anything that might need movement in your life. Is it time to be still, or is it time to take action? Either answer can be right, as long as it’s right for you. We are our own best measurements. Our minds tell us, our hearts tell us and, most importantly, our intuition tells us. When we give ourselves the love we need—whether through stillness or movement, indirect action or direct—we move all the energy we need.

I encourage you today to take one item in your life. It could be as simple as planning next week’s meals or it could be bigger like planning your next career move.

Breathe and trust. Trust that whatever action you take—even if it’s in inaction—will be the perfect one for you.

Till next post—and glad to have joined the Living Kitchen Wellness Group’s Blog Team!

Jenny McKaig is a fire-starter. She works as a creative consultant, coach and writer who rocks the well-being world, as well as corporate engagement and recognition. She believes in lapping every last drop from life—living fully, loving unconditionally and leading with the heart—and trusting that the rest always follows.

Jenny’s  nearly a decade in wellness (Can-Fit-Pro PTS, MBS, NWS, Les Mills, Groove & YogaFit) coupled with fourteen years in writing and creative process (BAH, Creative & Professional Writing) have helped her craft a unique approach to writing and life. She’s available for coaching/consulting/writing requests at jenny_mckaig@hotmail.com.

It’s nettle season!!!  So many of us have no freakin’ idea what to do with nettles- mainly because they have stingers on them, which can be quite painful if your skin comes into contact with them.  However, if you dare to prepare the nettles- the rewards are fantastic!!  And, it’s not really that difficult, we promise.

All you need are some tongs or thick rubber gloves or gardening gloves to protect your hands.  Nettles are available at farmer’s markets right now if you don’t have them growing in your back yard (or neighbor’s back yard).  Then, you can use the leaves in cooking (like any other green leafy vegetable), steep in boiling water for tea, or you can dry the leaves to save for making tea in the future.

Once you heat, freeze, dry, or juice the nettles- their sting goes away!

Nettles are rich in iron and medicinally are used to build up blood and strength in the body.  Nettles are one of the best herbs that women can eat or drink during and after their period, to restore blood loss.  Nettles also act as a slight diuretic, which works well on flushing toxins out of the kidneys and urinary tract.  Drinking nettle tea is a good way to benefit the urinary system.  Juicing nettles is another powerful way to get benefits from the plant- which regulates blood pressure and helps to redue hypertension.

Just to give you an idea of how easy-peasy it can be to prepare fresh nettle leaves, we added them into the most delicious soup!

Thai Curry Red Lentil Coconut Soup with Nettles

Ingredients:
3/4 cup red lentils
1 cup coconut milk
2 tsp coconut oil
2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube (yeast free)
2 tsp Thai kitchen red curry paste
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 leek, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups nettle leaves

Directions:
1. Saute the leeks and garlic in coconut oil in a pot for a few minutes.
2. Add the lentil, coconut milk, water, vegetable bouillon cube, sea salt and red curry paste.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer, covering.
3. Simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
4. Add the nettle leaves in and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Serve with a salad or with some brown rice or quinoa.

It’s finally hot and sunny here in Toronto.  When it heats up and the season changes, our bodies also shift.  Ayurveda, the traditional Indian healing system, provides us with many tools and suggestions for easing into this shift and being in partnership with nature.

Spring Practices:

1. Wake up early.

As the days become longer, our bodies naturally want to be awake for longer.  The mornings are the perfect time for some silence and reflection inward.  Although it might seem like an exhausting thought to wake up earlier, rising with the sun is actually one of the best ways to energize your body.   The sun infuses us with vibrancy, light and energy.  You can still benefit from this, even if you don’t wake up at the crack of dawn.  If you wake up at any point during the first few hours of sunlight, you can still tap into the power of the sun.

2. Eat with the sun.

Eat your largest meal int he middle of the day.  When the sun is at its highest point in the sky, our digestive fire is strongest.  Your body will digest and assimilate heavier food during lunch time much more efficiently and quickly than later in the day, when our energy starts to dwindle.

3. Eat refreshing, light foods.

The spring is the most natural time to do a detox.  Check out our Sugar Detox, Going Gluten Free, or the Alkaline Life if you want to do a supported detox program.  We are just about to launch a brand new version of all of these classes on June 1st!  So, stay tuned for new programs that are full of tons of educational material, updated menus, and supportive daily tips.

Choose foods that are light and full of energy- lots of green and fresh vegetables.  Bitter vegetables, such as arugula, dark leafy greens, and dandelion greens enhance digestion and the liver in detoxing the body.

4. Get moving.

Go on walks and stretch.  Get into some outdoor sports or join a dance class.  Do whatever movement inspires and excites you!

Here is a recipe for a light, refreshing and energizing smoothie juice.  Using coconut water as the base, instead of milk or yogurt, is a great way to add in the energy of spring (and reduce congestion and stuffiness).

Coconut Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
1-2 cups coconut water
1/2 cup kale, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped

a great blender or Vitamix

Directions:
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

The Environment and Us

When you’re studying holistic nutrition, it’s sort of hard to not become an environmentalist. I feel as though it comes with job, not only to educate others, but to do my part to help preserve the earth. We live in a symbiotic relationship with plants (recall back to grade school when you learned about photosynthesis), we breathe out carbon dioxide which the plants breathe in and in return give us oxygen. Plants are also a major source of our nutrients, so it’s important that we do what we can to preserve the environment to continue this cycle. There are a lot of changes going on in the world right now with corporations that threaten our natural state (ahem, GMOs) that can leave some of us feeling helpless. Fear not, there are simple things you can do to not only improve your nutrition, but also help preserve the earth.

Besides opting to buy organic, local and seasonal foods (something I’ve discussed in previous articles here), my biggest tip I can give to anyone, is to simply be more conscious of your food sources. Know where your food is coming from. This is the food you’re putting into your body, this is what is contributing to your health as well as the health of your family and the environment.

Conventional Meat Production

A big strain on the environment is from conventional meat production, which comes from factory farms. Besides the inhumane treatment of animals, and unhygienic conditions, the resources required to farm these animals are taxing our available land resource pool. A huge amount of space is required to “raise” these animals (these practices also tend to overcrowd, leading to health hazards galore). The land requirement leads to the threat of deforestation, which eventually leads to loss of biodiversity. Besides space for breeding pens, there is a required increase in the production of grains for feed (an unnatural diet for these animals, usually consisting of GMO corn) which also requires more land to grow. Both the grain and animals require water; it’s said for each pound of beef upwards of 5000 gallons of water is required.

A Vegetable Based Diet (doesn’t mean you have to completely  stop eating meat)

As someone who chooses not to consume meat, I understand, not everyone wants to eliminate meat from their diet.  I also recognize that we’re all biochemically unique. However, a diet high in meat is linked with inflammation, fatty plaque buildup in the arteries, as well as acidity. The action of reducing your intake of meat by focusing on vegetables as the main dish and not consuming meat at every meal can make a huge difference. Ever hear of “Meat free Mondays” where one day a week you eat vegetarian (or vegan)? For some it may sound crazy, but consider it a challenge. Let it be a chance to explore new recipes and get creative. After all, it’s only one day a week.

Preparing Your Food

I highly recommend taking this challenge to the kitchen and learn to make food from scratch. Healthy, satisfying meals don’t have to take hours to prepare. By making food yourself, you’ll be reducing waste since the food won’t be coming in plastic wrapped bags sealed in cardboard boxes. You’ll also be eliminating additives – many like methanol, a wood alcohol found in aspartame, doesn’t even belong in food. There are 3000+ food additives that can be found in prepackaged food, and only about 15% are tested! I realise that for people always on the go this is a hard switch to make, but start small. Bring leftovers to lunch, have snack items like nuts & seeds, fruit and cut up veggies ready to grab. This isn’t a 100% or nothing, do what you can – eventually it’ll become habit. Remember when brushing your teeth was a huge chore but now it’s just part of your daily routine – well it’s sort of like that. There are many resources and recipes online (just check out the ones listed through this website) – find ones that suit your taste buds.

Getting Back to Basics

Being environmentally conscious on a food perspective really comes down to being aware, being active and being responsible. Even though many people may feel it’s a lot of work, it’s really about being simplistic and going back to the basics. With the bounty of fresh produce becoming available, now is a great time to start including more produce while learning some new skills in the kitchen. It might even be the perfect opportunity to show everyone your newfound kitchen wizardry at the next picnic or dinner party.

The 30 Day Nutrition Challenge Online Courses are a full-on supportive program to inspire you and assist you in eating consciously.  We jump into all aspects of health- from nutrition and diet, to cooking and recipes, to how to emotionally and spiritually sustain this healthy lifestyle.

Courses start on June 1st!

For more information check out these documentaries:
Food, Inc (2008)
Food Matters (2008)
Forks Over Knives (2011)

Articles:
http://www.ewg.org/release/ewg-meat-eater-s-guide-spotlights-meat-s-outsize-carbon-footprint
http://www.naturalnews.com/034172_food_additives_ingredients.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/035382_aspartame_side_effects_headaches.html

Alison Klektau is currently a student at The Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Vancouver where she is studying to earn her certification as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. It is her passion to educate others on the power of eating a plant-based whole foods diet while incorporating regular exercise, as she believes in a mind-body approach. Previous to that, Alison earned her BFA in Theatre and Film Studies from the University of Victoria.

You Either Love it or Hate It

Cilantro—or what some call coriander— is an herb commonly found in Latin American, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisine.  Its leaves are graciously used to add a powerful flavor into sauces, meat fillings, rice, and or just as garnish. In a way, this herb is used very similarly to parsley or dill.

Except unlike parsley, there are a huge number of people that find cilantro repulsive. In fact, some think that it tastes like soap, which some researchers say has a lot to do with genetics. But it’s a shame that some hate cilantro.

Cilantro is not only tasty in my opinion, but it’s extremely inexpensive and is loaded with tons of disease-fighting antioxidants such quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and epigenin. It’s also a great source of potassium and helps increase good cholesterol.  That said, for those that do like the flavor, below are a few ideas of what to do with this herb.

Below I’ve listed some of my favorite recipes, but cilantro can serve as a substitute to lettuce— many Asian sandwiches use cilantro as their leafy greens. Its leaves can also be added to salads, soups, and used as garnish.

Cilantro Lime Rice

If you’re looking to make some bland rice interesting, all you need to do is chop up some cilantro and stir it in to make an interesting side dish for tacos, grilled chicken, or even some fish.  Below is my favorite recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon of olive  oil
• 2 Tablespoons of lime juice

1. In a medium size sauce pan, heat rice with oil over medium heat.

2. Add garlic. Continue to stir until rice is golden brown.

3. Add chicken broth, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir.

4. Cook on medium heat until broth turns into a rapid boil. Reduce heat to low. Add cover.

5. Continue to cook for 25 minutes or until rice is soft.  Right before serving, stir in cilantro in pan of cooked rice. Serve immediately.

Cilantro Cream Sauce (made with holistic ingredients)

Cilantro can also be used to intensify a bunch of cream-based sauces, dips and spreads. This particular recipe can be eaten with a side of chips, veggies, or used in fish/chicken tacos, burgers, or sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of chopped cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Cup of plain Greek yogurt (organic is best!) or goat yogurt or sheep yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon of lime juice
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

*For added spice, stir in 2 chopped and seeded Serrano or jalapeno peppers

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Cilantro Dressing

It’s almost summer and what better way to enjoy a cool, crisp salad than by eating some light and refreshing cilantro salad dressing. It’ll give your salad a little tropical feel.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• ½ cup of chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons of spicy brown mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

Directions:

1. In a blender, add cilantro, lime juice, and vinegar. Blend until smooth.

2. Add maple syrup, salt, and garlic. Blend again. Add the brown mustard.

3. Slowly add the oil until it emulsifies and combines with the other ingredients.  Pour in a dressing jar or pour in a bowl and spoon over leafy greens.

 
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email: blauren99 @gmail.com.

written by Jasmine Kaloudis

I’ve been making my hunky hubby a bit wonky with all the natural beauty treatments I have been dabbling with lately.  He’s actually limited me to no more than one beauty experiment a day (what century are we in that our men can try to impose rules on us anyway?)

Ever notice how many of the beauty products boast ingredients like aloe, vitamin e, honey etc.?  Instead of buying synthetic products that have a bit of these ingredients, why not just buy them directly and put them on your face.  You can buy Vitamin E capsules, poke them with a needle and put on your face.  If you have an aloe plant, you can rub the juicy part of the leaf directly on your hands.  Rub honey on your face and then rinse off.

Most of these things you will probably have in your house anyway so no need to go out and buy a bunch of new products.   I love all the beauty stuff at Whole Foods with their commitment to clean ingredients but my wallet feels so naked after I shop at this place.  (It’s my aspiration in life to be able to do all my grocery shopping at Whole Foods.  Whenever I go there, I limit myself to purchasing whatever I can fit in my arms and hands… don’t allow myself to get a cart or the basket).

Some of them get a bit messy though. These can be fun girls nights or slumber party stuff to do together instead of spending $150 a person at a local spa.  Some of these will stay for awhile (like the scrubs, mil of magnesia and rose-water toner).    These are fun things too for mommies and daughters to do together.   ( I actually did the cucumber on the eyes with my dad and also boyfriend on different occasions… men like to appear macho  but they also want to look good.  See if you the man in the house wants to join you in some of these treatments)

Chuck your Toner and Grab Your Lemon - How much is toner anyway, like $20 a bottle?  Yikes!  Instead of using this, I just rub my face with a lemon, I actually use the same lemon a few times so I only need to use about 2 lemons a week.  You could also buy some witch hazel at the $1 store if you aren’t partial to rubbing produce on your face.

Morning Face Rinse - You can use a tomato, splash of whole milk or lemon to rinse and activate your skin the morning.

Cucumbers - Next time you peel and seed a cucumber for a salad, take these and put the green mush on your eyes while laying on the ground with a towel under you and some paper towels nearby to wipe up the drippings.  You’ll lose about 5 years from your eyes.  Put your legs up the wall as you lay down while doing this and you will get a restorative yoga pose out of this.

Body Scrub - How much have you paid for these things?  Up to $20 a jar?  Take some olive oil, sugar and lemon and scrub them on your feet, elbows and knees.  Yay!  You’re all shiny and new.

Blond Brightener - Make a few gallons of chamomile tea and let it steep and cool.  Rinse your hair with it to bring out your blond highlights.  You can also put in a spritzer and spray on your face for a pick-me-up.

Brunette and Red-head Brightener - Take 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water and rinse your hair with this after you shampoo and condition. Will be a bit sour smelling at first and then will go away.

Cold Water Rinse For Hair – This one does not feel that great, but if you rinse your hair with cold water that will seal the cuticle and make it shiny.

Milk of Magnesia Mask - Most people have a bottle of this in their medicine cabinet and never use it.  I think this one is one of my favorites, but also one of the messiest.  Put on an old-shirt you don’t wear out of the house. Dab it on with your fingers and let dry for 30 minutes.  Go up to the dog and yell “BOO!” since you will look kind of scary in this.  Ideal for oily complexions, especially in summer.

Honey Face Mask - Dab your face with honey and let sit for 15 minutes.  Rinse and pat dry off and now you’re all silky.

Avocado Face Mask - Best for dry skin.  Whatever parts of the avocado you don’t eat, just rub the rest on your face for 15 minutes and then rinse off.  You can use this for other body parts, feet, hands, elbows. etc.

Banana Face Mask -  Good for all skin types,  Mash up 1/2 a banana and then apply and leave for 15 minutes and then rinse off.  Now your skin is all dewy and radiant.

Oatmeal Face Mask - Good for all skin types,  Whatever you don’t eat from your breakfast, go apply and leave for 15 minutes and then rinse off.

Bath Time - Get some herbal tea bags (not the black tea though) and chuck a few of these in your bath. Recommended flavors are chamomile and sage.

Stinky Feet? Get some black tea (not herbal) and boil a few gallons worth.  Let cool and let your feet steep in this.  Your feet feel softer after this.

Teeth Whitening - Conventional teeth whitening can be pricey or can be painful (my teeth always seem to hurt when I leave the bleach on).  Take some burnt toast (the charcoal is what will take away the yellow) and rub, brush on your teeth vigorously for a while.  This won’t taste great but your wallet and tender-teeth people  (like me) will appreciate this technique.

Jasmine Kaloudis teaches  Romantic Couples Retreats and yoga classes in Philadelphia and is the author of the Top 100 Mind-Body-Spirit and spiritual websites.  

Twitter – –   http://www.Twitter.com/synergyjasmine
Facebook – www.facebook.com/couplesyoga
You Tube – http://www.youtube.com/user/SynergybyJasmine

What’s That??

You’ve probably heard or seen the names of many superfoods like maca, mesquite, lucuma, cacao, chia, goji and shilajit – just to name a few. If you’ve ever come across some of these rare gems, you’ve also probably seen the super price tag.

 
Now, I love superfoods, and I definitely do use those listed above as a little extra something special for my smoothies, but the term superfood tends to get misused a lot – only saving it for trendy hard to find (and somewhat pricey) items. And yes, while they do have some awesome nutritional benefits and pack a lot of punch, there are many other superfoods that get ignored that are more widespread and cost effective.

The Best Free Superfood

One of my current favorite superfoods can be found in your own backyard, it’s a great detoxifier (especially for the liver), is high in calcium, iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. We usually discard this little wonder as a weed– so instead of composting Dandelion leaves why not add them to your meals? Dandelion leaves do have a bitter taste, but bitters are great for stimulating digestion so they are an ideal way to start off your day.
I love to juice the leaves, but you can also add them to a green smoothie if you don’t have a juicer. Other great ways to use them would be in a salad, nori rolls, or a wrap.

Most grocery stores are starting to carry dandelion leaves and they should cost around the same price as a bunch of kale or head of lettuce.

If you do decide to pick them, make sure it’s in a location you’re allowed to pick from and to steer clear of areas where pesticides (like the common grass fertilizer) has been applied, and keep away from areas located near the street as you don’t want all that exposure from car exhaust.  A good rule of practice is – if you’re picking it; make sure you know what you’re picking.

A Well Loved Super Food

My next favorite superfood gets a lot of attention in the holistic world, and for good reason; I present the Avocado. I used to have a huge fear of consuming anything with fat in it – but we need fat, our cells are made of lipids. Without fat, we end up depriving our bodies and this can lead to inflammation, skin and hair issues (dry, damaged, dull), and can cause us to harbor a little extra weight.

Avocadoes are considered a complete protein, and help raise HDL cholesterol levels (the good fat) while lowering LDL levels (the bad fat). They are high in Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, selenium and zinc. My favorite way to incorporate avocadoes is in a big salad with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and Himalayan salt, but they can be added to smoothies to create a smooth creamy texture, quinoa/rice bowls, guacamole, and so much more.

A Super Herb

One of my all time favorite herbs is also one that’s super accessible, and that’s none other than Parsley. Most people are familiar with using parsley as a way to help combat bad breath, as it’s often been said one should chew on a parsley sprig after consuming garlic. It’s also a versatile herb that’s great in dips such as hummus, or as a salad topper, or an addition to fresh homemade pasta sauce, and it’s also great to add to your morning juice.

Parsley is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and folic acid. Some raw foodists also praise parsley for preventing or helping treat iron related anemia.

The Forgotten Superfood

Lastly, a superfood that’s often been ignored, or more likely overshadowed, is Carob. Ok, I know it doesn’t quite taste the same as chocolate and I’m not saying to replace your beloved cacao either, but carob shouldn’t be left on the shelf as it has a lot of great benefits. It contains magnesium, iron, calcium, Vitamin B, and Vitamin E, and it contains no caffeine.

Chocolate is actually a high allergen food – many people are sensitive to it, so carob is usually a great replacement. Yes the taste is a little different, but adding it to a coconut (another awesome superfood) smoothie, or with some frozen bananas you’ll be able to re-create a delicious smoothie shake just in time for summer. You can easily substitute carob in recipes where you’d use cacao, just be aware you might have to play around with levels as it does have a sweeter taste to it.

Superfoods are all around us, and though some of the “trendy” superfoods are still great, it’s no reason to ignore the great benefits we can find around us, sometimes even in our own backyard. Will you be trying any of these superfoods soon?

References 

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-dandelion.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/034370_avocado_nutrition_facts_health.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100
http://www.gilead.net/health/carob.html

Alison Klektau is currently a student at The Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Vancouver where she is studying to earn her certification as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. It is her passion to educate others on the power of eating a plant-based whole foods diet while incorporating regular exercise, as she believes in a mind-body approach. Previous to that, Alison earned her BFA in Theatre and Film Studies from the University of Victoria.

Physical Flexibility

Are You Sitting All Day?

It’s Not Just For Your Joints

Be Patient with Your Body

Recipe of the Day

Blueberry Apple Thyme Galette

by Sam Hall

Those Rough Days

It never ceases to amaze me how yoga can truly and completely heal. There was one particular day a couple months ago that was pretty bad.  I was completely drained, emotional, and anxious, and really all I wanted to do after work was curl up in a ball in my bed and never leave.   But I ended up walking towards my studio, and despite the tears streaming down my face, and the shortness of my breath, I found myself entering the studio, laying down on my mat, and completely succumbing to the overwhelming emotions that were filling up in my body.

My practice began quite roughly. I had short shallow breaths, I was crying (probably freaking out the girl next to me) and I literally couldn’t just be.  During the first few poses I felt impatient and my inability to focus was tremendous.  But even if I was crawling out of my skin and wanting to curl up in a ball in my bed, I knew that this was better than sitting in my room wallowing in my sadness, and I knew it was better than going for that glass of wine and ice cream that I much would have rather indulged in.  Feeling vulnerable on my mat just resulted in me going deeper and becoming more introspective in my practice.

The Junk Drawer

As fate would have it, I realized quickly that my teacher decided to choose this day, this particular class that I reluctantly walked into, to focus on hip opening positions.  There are so many physical reasons to do hip-opening poses: limber hips can ease back pain, give you a more agile walk, and even improve circulation in your legs.  But there’s also a more sublet benefit as well: typically hips are the center of a lot of emotions.  Most yoga teachers I have practiced with, or any articles I have read on the subject, all agree that we hold our stress and negative emotions – fear, guilt, sadness – in our pelvis and hips. So it is extremely important to do poses that move prana (life force) through that area.  One teacher even said once that “The pelvis is like the body’s junk drawer. Whenever you don’t know what to do with a feeling or experience, you put it there.”

While I certainly do feel frustration in hip openers, and know that this is a very tight part of my body, I had never had a particular emotional experience in any hip opening poses. But let’s just say that after that night, I totally get what all the hip-fuss is about.

This was exactly what I needed that night.  And while I certainly had an emotional practice that began quite panicky and sad, slowly throughout the class I started to relax, my breathing deepened, and my focus completely centered.  Isn’t that so amazing? Walking out of the studio I almost couldn’t believe how a short 90 minutes completely readjusted my attitude and simply made me feel just so much better.

I strongly encourage anyone who is having an anxious, sad, angry, or stressful day to go to a yoga class, open your hips, and release your pent up energy and emotions, refocus your mind, and I guarantee you will leave feeling completely released and free.

And then AFTERWARDS you can go indulge in that ice cream and wine

Good Hip Opening Poses

(that you can do in the comfort of your own home):

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon)
Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)
Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
or simply sitting cross legged, breathing deeply into your hip flexors

Sam Hall is a recent graduate of the Yogaspace Teacher Training program who specializes in Vinyasa and Hatha flow.  Having been drawn to yoga initially to help deal with a stressful personal experience, yoga has now become an integral part of Sam’s daily life.  It has not only opened her body but it has truly freed her mind, and she is extremely passionate about sharing this with any individual she works with.  Sam hopes to inspire those beginner and advanced yogis alike to step out of their comfort zones and try something new!

Regardless of the benefits of eating organic, the availability and price sometimes leaves us with little or no option. Though most people I know say they’d rather eat organic, it often comes down to affordability, and unfortunately the initial cost of organic compared to non-organic can be significant. However, there are ways that can help you save a few bucks on organic food, not only making it affordable but sometimes even cheaper. Here are my top 10 tips for keeping organic on budget.

Buy food that’s in season.

This is when an item is most in abundance; so not only will this help lower the price, but the naturally occurring flavors will be at their best and so will their vitamins and minerals.

Buy food that’s local.

Local food does not have to travel as far compared to some of the imported items, and sometimes when you actually buy from the farm there are options like “pick your own berries” which ends up costing less than if they were pre-picked. What a better way to get some fresh air, vitamin D from the sun and spend time with friends and loved ones.

Make friends with the farmers.

Farmer markets can be a great way to get local and in season produce, and it’s a good opportunity to talk with the people growing the food. Did you know that some of these farms may be organic but they’re not certified organic because they can’t afford the certification? Don’t pass up an item because it doesn’t have that fancy sticker, ask them. It’s also a great way to get more involved, though many farmers at these markets are organic some might not be and it then becomes a good opportunity to approach them to voice (in a friendly loving way) your concerns and let them know why organic is important to you.

Start your own garden.

There’s a vast amount of information on the internet about starting up a garden regardless of whether you live in an apartment or have access to a yard. Not only do you get to enjoy the fruits of your own labor, its added exercise and can be a great way to reduce stress. There are also garden shares in some cities, or perhaps you have a friend that wouldn’t mind sharing their yard with you.

Join a Share.

Depending on where you live, there are shares you can join where for a certain fixed amount of money you get organic produce delivered to your door. This is a great way to be more in tune with eating seasonally but it also might introduce you to some new veggies. Some even have the option of being able to opt out of foods you may not enjoy if that’s a concern.

Check out the flyers.

Don’t be afraid to shop around, you might get the best deals in some of the most unexpected places.

The dirty dozen.

EWG (Environmental Working Group) puts out a list every year with the produce you should buy organic, due to the heavy use of pesticides/residues on those items, and a list of produce that are considered safe to buy conventionally. This is a great starting point, especially if on a tight budget, to know where you can save and splurge.

Buy in Bulk.

A lot of the time the items in bulk are cheaper than the pre-packaged counterparts, and some big box warehouse grocery stores are even adding more organic food items to their shelves. There are also online businesses where you can purchase bulk orders on things like organic nuts, seeds & dried fruit, which can help save  a lot of bucks in the end.

Select Nutrient Dense Foods.

Items like broccoli, carrots, kale, cabbage, apples, bananas, etc, can make a good base for meals like smoothies, soups and salads. These items tend to be on the cheaper side, and since they can be pretty filling in themselves they can be great items to stock up on.

Buy foods in their whole form.

As convenient as prepackaged foods and canned items may be, you’ll save a lot in the long run by buying food in its whole form. Not only will you help reduce waste (less plastics) you’ll be avoiding things like BPA and xeno-estrogen (a synthetic estrogen that’s found in plastics). It might mean a little more work at first, but then you’ll probably be more inclined to not waste the food and save some for later, and once you get the hang of it, it’s really not a time sucker. If time is a concern consider prepping the materials or making a base once or twice a week that you can add items to throughout the week (thing like quinoa, lentils, beans, soups and lettuce mixes will keep well if stored properly). The best part is that you’ll be enjoying fresh food made by you and you’ll know exactly what’s in it and what isn’t.

Resources:

Dirty Dozen: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
Xeno-Estrogens: http://www.energeticnutrition.com/vitalzym/xeno_phyto_estrogens.html

Do you have any tips for saving on organic foods?

Leave your ideas in a comment below!!!

Alison Klektau is currently a student at The Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Vancouver where she is studying to earn her certification as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. It is her passion to educate others on the power of eating a plant-based whole foods diet while incorporating regular exercise, as she believes in a mind-body approach. Previous to that, Alison earned her BFA in Theatre and Film Studies from the University of Victoria.