Incorporate Movement in your Day and Feel Great

A lot of times we may find ourselves trying to find the time in a busy day to incorporate physical activities.  A lot of times we may think that a formal setting is the only way to bring those precious calorie burning experiences in our life.  Yes, a visit to the gym, going to a fitness class, or spending time with a personal trainer  have tons of benefits; however we have lots of other ways to incorporate physical activities during the day.  We love excuses, the balance game is to try to meet a busy day with creative alternatives to traditional  exercise.  Nature is never lacking, so here are some ideas to incorporate in you life:

• If you are bound to a desk or spend lots of time driving around.  Make a commitment to get up from your desk or out of your car at least once every hour and walk around a building, walk up or downstairs, find a parking area and walk – whatever you have convenient to you.
• On your lunch break, go for a walk instead of sitting in the cafeteria.
• When possible, walk or bike to work/the store/your friend’s house instead of driving. Often we automatically get behind the steering wheels of our car without realizing places are close enough to walk to.
• Make a date to walk or bike with friends, instead of going for coffee or drinks. You can still do all the talking you want, but you’ll be burning calories and getting fitter by moving around. If you don’t want to give up your coffee or drinks, meet up on the other side of town and walk to your destination.
• Instead of ordering in – cook. standing in the kitchen, walking from your fridge to the stove can all burn more calories than sitting on the couch waiting for the pizza guy to ring the doorbell. Extra points if you go out to the garden to get some fresh herbs. Not to mention, you can cook a much healthier meal.

Just keep your eyes peeled to the endless opportunities to incorporate movement in your day.

Down Dog and Amp-Up You Energy Right From Your Desk

   It’s three o’clock and it seems that your day at the office is just starting.  It’s one of those days when coffee alone is not going to cut it.  If there were only a way to remove fatigue and revitalize your afternoon.  But wait there is such a thing:

AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)
adho = downward
mukha = face
svana = dog

or as we lovingly call it Down Dog pose.

Mr. Iyengar himself says that Down Dog “is an exhilarating pose.”  From removing fatigue and eradicating stiffness in the shoulder region to toning your abdominal muscles and legs, Down Dog is a super pose.  However getting on the office floor mid afternoon could be time restricted or perhaps  just plain embarrassing.   In addition to other at-your-desk poses that I practice,  I like to practice this Desk Down Dog which bring some of those amazing benefits of the full pose, OK it is still a bit embarrassing, but you will make new friends with all the extra energy you will have.

Step by Step

 Facing the desk stand with the feet a bit wider than hip distance apart; 8″ to 12 ” apart.  Feet are parallel to each other.  Begin to inhale and exhale through your nose, allowing the inner body to stay bright and your skin softens.  Keep this breath throughout the pose.  Uji breathing if you know it.   [Stand on the side of your desk that offers more space.]

Bent your knees a little bit and place the palms of your hands on the desk.  Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out.  Keeping the palms of your hands firmly pressed on the desk, begin to walk backwards away from the desk till you create an L shape with your torso and legs (see sketch).   Keep breathing into your back body, particularly in the kidney area, so that you feel your lower ribs integrated into your body.

Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your leg bones down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them.

Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively into the desktop.  From these two points lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper arms; don’t let it hang.  Can you keep the heart soft?  Imagine the heart as a drop of melted chocolate dropping down towards the floor!  Enjoy the pose for a minute or two.

When you are ready to come out of the pose, you can bend your knees and walk forward till you are standing again.  If you have extra time you can add to this down dog some other desk yoga poses.

The Fast and Furious: Caprese Salad to Go

Fasten your seatbelts, this is the fastest recipe in history.  If you ever wonder if there was a healthy  appetizer that will take no time in making and could single handed change the course of a cocktail party; wonder no more.  My favorite go-to-domestic0-maven Joannie Coles shared with me this recipe which turns out to be a favorite anywhere it goes.  I believe she got it from Rachel Ray, originally called “Caprese Antipasticks” and who wouldn’t  love that name or  the bundle of smile Rachel Ray is.   In Joannie’s own words, this isn’t so much a recipe as it is an assembly instruction.  Enjoy.

This is what you need

• 1 package 8-inch bamboo skewers
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 (1 pound) tubs bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella), drained
• 24 leaves fresh basil
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Salt and pepper

This is what you do

For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes and bocconcini bites, placing basil leaves between them. Drizzle these sticks with extra-virgin oil and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Cucumber Apple Salad – a break from breakroom treats

I worked in retail for so long that I tend to ignore the holiday decorations and music, gliding oblivious to the fact that the end of the year is approaching.  To me, the holiday season starts the moment all the home made treats appear on the break-room tables across America.  New recipes get tested, excess sweet treats get recycled, sugary gifts get re-gifted…you name it; temptation lurks around the corner.  Unless you are made out of stone, you will succumb.   When I do, I always tell myself what I imagine Iyanla Vanzant would tell me: ‘ Beloved – I love when she says that- you must first forgive yourself, don’t blame the sweets, don’t blame yourself, ask instead what can you do to bring  the caring and wellness that you deserve back into your life?’

Nothing serves me better than a nutritious, light and fresh lunch.  Below is one of my favorite cleansing salads.   The crunchy apples and watery cucumbers always taste heavenly during this time of the year.  Enjoy.

This is what you need

1 Apple- cored and diced.  I tend to use green apples, but you can try your favorite kind.

1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped with seeds removed

1/4 small red onion, diced

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

sea salt and fresh pepper

Sometimes I add a little mint or any other fresh herb I may have at hand.  A little bit goes a long way with these simple ingredients.

This is what you do

In a bowl, toss all ingredients together and serve!  I love any recipe this easy.  I promise the flavor of this small lunch will be so big you will be satisfied till snack time.

Roasted Pumpkin and Arugula Salad

My new friend roof-top-sparklers-show-Angel gave me a the biggest pumpkin to take home the other day and I have taken it as a personal mission to use every ounce of this pumpkin.  I have incorporated the darn thing in all my fall recipes and I still have some pumpkin left,  so I dusted my recipe box and found this glorious arugula-pumpkin salad recipe in there.  I am not sure where I found this little treasure, but I feel I should give credit to Martha Stewart.  I think we all should give credit to Martha Stewart even when it is not her recipe.  Just reading the recipe makes me salivate in anticipation; partnering the sweet pumpkin with the tingling flavors of arugula and peppers is, well, just genius.  Enjoy.

This is what you need

• 1/4 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 pumpkin (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (you can use honey if you don’t like maple syrup)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (sometimes I use lemon juice or white wine  if I don’t have time to go to the store)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 pounds arugula (2 to 3 bunches, thick stems removed), washed and dried
• 6 ounces feta cheese (you could opt this out if you are vegan)

This is what you do

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spread pepitas on a large rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
2. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss pumpkin with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  IMPORTANT TIP:  If you tend to forget that you have things in the oven, like I do, set your timer to 10 minutes at a time so you remember to toss/flip the pumpkin- the pumpkin will burn if you forget to toss.
3. Remove garlic cloves from sheet pan; set aside. Drizzle pumpkin with 2 tablespoons maple syrup; toss to coat. Return to oven and continue roasting, tossing every four minutes, until pumpkin is glazed, 8 to 12 minutes more; let  it cool.
4. Meanwhile, cut off root ends of garlic cloves; squeeze out garlic and mash to a paste with the side of a knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lime juice, mustard, and remaining maple syrup; season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, add remaining oil in a steady stream; once emulsified set aside.
5. Add arugula and pumpkin and toss to combine. Serve salad sprinkled with toasted pepitas and crumbled feta cheese.

This is good for 4 servings.

Aromatherapy for your yoga practice

Chances are that if you have been around me in the last several years, you have come in contact with  my aromatherapy experiments – I do apologize for the Summer of patchouli ; experiments do come with sacrifices.

I am not gonna try  to explain what makes Essential Oils and Aromatherapy such a unique and interesting form of alternative medicine, I’ll let you explore the information on you own.  I can only tell you that  it has made my health a lot better since I started using them.

There are different ways to use essential oils, and they have a lot of emotional and esoteric properties attributed to essential oils,  however I will concentrate on the practical ways in which I  use them during my yoga practice.  Needless to say,  if you tend to have allergies or have a specific condition, consult with your doctor before exploring the wonderful benefits of essential oils.

Before and After your Yoga Practice

• Preparing the space: Diffusing oils like lemon essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, Thieves® essential oil or Purification® essential oil before or in between yoga class will purify the air while bringing a refreshing, uplifting energy to the space.
• Cleaning:  For cleaning your yoga mat, props and or the area where you practice, you can use my formula.    Thieves household cleaner is a great non-toxic-disinfectant alternative for those of you who don’t enjoy the DIY projects.

During your Yoga Practice

• Meditation (dhyana): Diffuse or directly inhale oils such as lavender essential oil can sooth your mind and senses to become more open.  I find the calming quality of lavender very useful in softening my heart and opening my mind to the experience of meditation.  By the way, lavender is like the baking-soda of essential oils; it can practically be used in all circumstances (and a little trivia, the term Aromatherapy was named after the use of lavender essential oil to treat burn victims- royalty! )
• Breathing (pranayama): The pure aroma of essential oils such as eucalyptus essential oil can assist in opening the pathways of your respiratory system (pharmaceutical companies reproduce synthetically this chemicals, but can we really surpass nature’s wisdom?).  If I wake up with a stuffy nose, I diffuse eucalyptus essential oil in the room.  I sometime do a face steam bath with one drop of  eucalyptus essential oil…this is a stronger application for more severe nasal congestion, but so effective – again consult with your doctor if you have any medical condition.
• Poses (asana): Topical application of oil-diluted peppermint  essential oil may help alleviate muscle soreness and tension.  Make sure you dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil such as almond oil.  I sometime use  lavender essential oil  to decrease post-practice muscle irritation or yoga mat burns.

If you have any comments or questions, please let me know.   There is a lot of information available through the Young Living website, the company I get my essential oils from.   I also have various aromatherapists available for questions.

How to Order Organic & High Quality Essential Oils? I created an ordering essential oils page with easy steps to make it easy.  There are a lot of products market as essential oils, but therapeutic grade oils are the ones to use for Aromatherapy…after all there is aroma & therapy in Aromatherapy!!

Experience life…better.

Less <3 More

“What if we could save money, radically reduce our environmental impact, and have a freer, less complicated life?”  Now that is an attention-grabbing-question, isnt’ it?  This exactly is the premised behind the interior-design project LifeEdited.  In the project, Graham Hill challenged interior designers to create a space using technology and common sense to transform his NYC 420 square foot apartment into a comfortable place to live.  I mean, comfortable: home office, space for 2 guests to stay over, a sit down dinner for 12, lounge space for 8 and even a workout/steam room!!

I totally recommend you look at the designs submitted- the winning designs are outstanding, and you can also see all the submitted designs.  It is a feast of multi-function and organization.  However, you don’t have to move or remodel your home to achieve this Less = More status, you can start right now and I think that  we  can all use technology and common sense to make more out of our living spaces.  Here are some life-editing steps we can all implement immediately:

Multipurpose spaces:  allowing your real estate to be multifunctional doesn’t have to involved designer or custom-built contractions (though I have seen some amazing work at my friend Lalita’s renovated apartment).  If you want to transform, for instance your living room into your personal yoga space, add casters or furniture sliders to your coffee table and sofa and listo, you have created the necessary space for your yoga mat.  Another example could be packing your laptop computer and file folders in a canvas tote when you are not using them, this can clear a lot of space of your desk or kitchen table.

Store everything digitally: this may require some effort and time, but the amount of space you will gain will be lucrative and satisfying.  First sign up to receive your bills electronically-don’t ask any question, just do it.  Additionally, little by little you can download your CD and DVD to your computer.  Donate the hard copies to your local Library.  Chances are you have a bulky printer that scans, faxes and make copies; it is time you put it to use and begin to scan to your computer all those snapshots from the 90’s that you have been carrying with you for decades.  You will be surprise the amount of embarrassments you will inflict on your facebook friends.  Worried about computer memory?  You can use countless sites to store your information.

Think Accessibility vs. Ownership:  Netflix, eBooks, SoundCloud…should I continue?  You get the idea, why have excess DVDs, Books, CDs collecting dust and taking space.  The only way to allow for the divine grace of new/fresh ideas to come into your living space is to have space for it (spiritually, mentally & YES, PHYSICALLY!)

Only Keep Essential Necessities:  Constantly, ask yourself how is this item serving my vision, my values and everyday harmony?  That is a tough requirement to fulfill, but aren’t you and your home worth it?  Think about it, how could you take space from your everyday existence for something that isn’t allowing you to live a better life?  Edit, edit harshly.

Find + Abundance in your Day with these Free Services

One of the most re-occurring contemplations that occupy my mind is that of ABUNDANCE… I spent a whole summer trying to find abundance through butter; please ask me about it when you see me next.

As we come to celebrate the harvest time, it could seem that we don’t have enough, and yet if we take the time to stop and become a receptacle of the always abundant power of the universe we can see how many amazing thing are always available to us.  On that spirit, I decided to share some of my favorite sites that are available to all of us that have access to the Internet.

Mint.com – The best free way to manage your money.

Mint brings all your financial accounts together online or on your mobile device, automatically categorizes your transactions, lets you set budgets and helps you achieve your savings goals.  This may be a scary thing to do, but it really pays off to have a personal secretary keeping track of your expenses and your INCOME!

elsiesyogakula.com – Amazing free way to practice Anusara yoga on the go

Elsie is this fabulous Anusara yoga teacher that has been my cyber teacher for years.  I absolutely love her Free Online Yoga Classes.  She also has a very cool App available for your mobile devices.

There are over 80 audio yoga classes on the site. They range from basic yoga/beginner yoga classes to more advanced yoga practices. The length of the classes also varies. Classes can be from 45 min to 90 minutes. The average class runs about 75 minutes.

You can find those classes easily via the categories on the side bar, as they’ve been split up for greater accessibility. Each class has it’s own post, that begins with a small intro article, a link to the mp3 file, which you can download or stream directly from your computer or mobile device and the corresponding sequence of classes highlighted by pictures.

Dropbox – Best free way to store and share electronic files online

My friend Xavier introduced me to this service.  For those of us that are not willing dedicate time to technology this is the perfect “cloud computing” site.  It is the easiest way to share documents of all kind among all your computers and with other people.

Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Dropbox was founded in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi, two MIT students tired of emailing files to themselves to work from more than one computer.

Today, more than 25 million people across every continent use Dropbox to always have their stuff at hand, share with family and friends, and work on team projects.

Cinnamon Spinach Recipe

Cooler temperatures connect me with my kitchen and all the delights I tend to experience during these harvesting months.  Vegetables are so readily available and the kaleidoscopical transformation of the trees inspires me to use spices in some very irreverent ways.  Cumin mayo, mustard seeds dressings, paprika syrup, and the conspicuous cinnamon with pretty much any vegetable- what a decadent experience for the senses.

Just the other night I concocted a very simple and delightful recipe using cinnamon.  I am calling it, well, Cinnamon Spinach.  It is a perfect side dish, but be aware that it will be the main attraction on your plate.  Below see the recipe and right after I am listing ten + one benefits of cinnamon.  Enjoy…

This is what you need (serves 2)

1 Lb of washed spinach

1 Tbl. spoon of olive oil

½ Tea spoon of Cinnamon

Salt

This is what you do

This recipe doesn’t take a lot of time so prepare when you are ready to serve dinner.  To begin, add the olive oil to a medium size skillet and heat for one minute.  Add all the spinach to the skillet and begin to stir it with a fork.  Add the cinnamon and salt to taste.  If you are new to cooking spinach, don’t panic looking at the overflow of spinach in the skillet, when cooked it will shrink considerably.  I love the earthy and voluptuous flavors that the cinnamon brings out in this simple side dish.

When it comes to food, I am a believer that when you listen to your senses and your body’s reaction, you can tell a lot about the benefits of food, but for those that need more information these are at least ten benefits I found listed for cinnamon:

1.  Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
2. Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.
3. In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.\
4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.
7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative
8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.
11. Delicious!!!!!

Re-energize your workday – yoga at your desk

Sitting at your desk, working hours at a time and  creating repetitive movements can stop the flow of Shakti (a.k.a. it can suck the living energy out of you).  The tension of meeting deadlines, plus the constriction of typing and looking at a screen for sure creates tightness in my shoulders and thigh muscles.   A good way to counteract this effects is going regularly to a yoga class.  I also find that taking several yoga-breaks during the day is a fabulous way to stay in the flow all day long—lets face it, cigarette breaks aren’t coming back, so if you are choosing a healthy lifestyle, don’t get punish by it, take a yoga-break today!

These are my favorite desk-asanas; please ask your yoga teacher for variations for your specific needs or contact me.

Seated Mountain Pose

Sit with a straight back, making sure your feet are grounded on the floor-about hip distance distance apart.  Clasp your hands, and extend your arms forward. Turn the palms away from you and raise your arms until the palms face the ceiling.  As you inhale fill the torso with air from the bottom of the spine to the top of your lungs.  Expand the ribcage concentrically as you do so. Pay attention to to your back, we tend to forget to breath in this region.  Make sure the shoulders and sides of your neck are moving back.  Stretch and feel yourself growing taller as you reduce the stress in your head, neck, and shoulders. This posture lengthens your sides, and it just plain feels good.

Eagle Arms

Sit tall and place your arms in front of you at a 90 degree angle. Cross your arms so that the right arm is above the left. Interlock your arms and press your palms together with the tips of your fingers pointed upward. Feel yourself contracting.  Surrender to this feeling and begin to breath deeply while relaxing your shoulder blades.  This pose strengthens triceps, shoulders, and back muscles. It’s a good preventative measure against carpal tunnel syndrome.   If you know the full pose, add your legs by simply cross your legs and interlock them with one foot behind the other. Do the left arm above the right next.

Thread the Needle

Sit in your chair and cross your right leg over your left knee. Flex both feet- press through the mount of the big toe.   If chair allows it, lift the feet off the floor.    “Thread the needle” by clasping your hands around your left leg, just under your knee.   Stay connected by pressing the ankle against the knee, even if you cannot lift your feet of the floor, this posture stretches hip rotators, outer thighs, and relieves tension in the lower back. Be sure to reverse sides.

Modified Child at the Desk Pose

Before returning to work, give yourself a few minutes to relax.   This relaxing pose is so simple but very effective in reducing stress in your facial muscles and helping to prevent fatigue.  Simply cross your arms and place them on the surface in front of you.   Make sure your feet are planted on the floor about hip distance apart.  Then rest your head on your crossed arms; just breath and enjoy the yoga-break.