Attaining a Healthy Body and Mind Through the Practice of Yoga

The “Five Principles of Yoga” describes the holistic perspective of yoga. Each Principle emphasizes the idea that yoga is a practiced lifestyle, meant to achieve physical and mental health, as well as spiritual growth, and not just an exercise routine.

Our bodies are made to move and need exercise to maintain good health. We have become an unfit and unhealthy population due to inactivity, stress, and our polluted environment. Without movement, discomfort and disease set in.

Yoga asanas, or postures, are designed to systematically work all parts of the body … stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, improving flexibility of the spine and joints, and regulating the metabolism and improving circulation.

Yoga poses, practiced properly, relax you, give you strength and vitality and rejuvenate all the systems in your body, including your internal organs, glands and hormones. The flow from one pose to another is combined with proper breathing, which regulates physical and phsiological functions of the body.

Most people breathe in a shallow manner, using only a portion of their lungs. Learning to control your breath  through breathing techniques helps you to use your lungs to their fullest capacity. Proper breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical, maximizing oxygen intake by using all the parts of the lungs. Yoga teaches you to regulate and become aware of the length and duration of your inhalations and exhalations and to breathe from your diaphragm. Proper breathing increases your lung capacity, which sends more oxygen throughout your body, increasing energy and mental clarity.

We live in a stress-filled world. Our lifestyle — social life, diet, work, and even entertainment — makes it difficult for us to relax. Even while attempting to rest, our minds and bodies continue to consume energy through tension. Bad moods, depression, anger, irritation and physical pain use up a lot of energy. Attempting to repress negative emotions can become a way of life. This can be devastating for both the mind and the body. Releasing tension in muscles and resting the whole body revitalizes your nervous system, allowing you to feel relaxed, refreshed and at peace. When you’re relaxed, it’s easy to let go of worries and fears. Tension uses up energy and a relaxed body conserves energy.

Principle 4: Proper Diet

The food we eat not only sustains our bodies, but it greatly affects our minds as well. An improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness.  A proper diet should be well balanced and based on natural foods. Simple meals aid digestion and improve the assimilation of food’s nutrients.  Foods from nature that are free from chemicals and pesticides provide superior nutritional value.

A proper diet also means eating in moderation and eating only to satisfy hunger. Many of us have a tendency to use food to treat sadness or depression and usually reach for unhealthy “comfort” foods filled with sugar, fat and additives. These foods tend to make us feel sluggish, dulling our senses and fogging our minds. And they cause us to crave even more unhealthy foods. This type of eating often leads to diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes. We should eat for sustenance so that we have strong immune systems, light and supple bodies and calm minds.

The way we think greatly affects our lives, because ultimately, we are what we think we are.  Positive and creative thoughts will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind.

Meditation is the act of concentrating your mind on an object, or turning inwards to your own thoughts or on a mantra. Practicing meditation helps you to become attentive and more observant of the present. It not only relaxes your body, but also sharpens your thinking. With practice, everyone has the ability to meditate  - to shut out thoughts and quiet the mind.

Fitness Myth: The Less You Eat – The More You Lose

You’d think this would be true, wouldn’t you? A lot of us think that if we cut out a meal or two, we’ll lose weight. But when the body senses the lack of food, it goes into a self-preservation mode. Thinking it’s being starved, it slows digestion and holds on to fat.

To effectively lose weight and boost your metablism, it’s best to eat small meals throughout the day than to skip meals and go hungry. This way your body will burn fat rather than store it. And add some exercise into the mix and your body becomes an efficient, fat-burning machine. In fact, it will even burn fat when you aren’t exercising. How great is that!

Stay Strong with Healthy Bones

Did you know that all of us, men and women alike, begin losing bone mass around the age of 30? Bones are composed of living tissue that constantly breaks down and reforms. Up until age 30, your body produces more bone tissue than is destroyed, but once you hit the big 3-O, it’s all down hill. The good news is that whatever your age, the right exercise and diet can help prevent bone loss and keep you healthy and strong.

Exercise Equals Strong Bones

Just as exercising your muscles makes them stronger, exercising your bones makes them stronger and denser.  Health professionals suggest movement for 30 minutes every day of weight-bearing exercise So, include daily activities that will keep you moving like walking, biking, hiking, climbing stairs, dancing, even cleaning the house. Lifting weights is especially important. “Anything that puts stress on the bones strengthens them,” says Lanou.

Bone Nutrition

Strong bones require lots of calcium.  The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. Try to include foods that are calcium rich in your diet. Milk and milk products are high in calcium but as we age, we lose the ability to absorb calcium from these foods. Many of us become lactose intolerant as we age.

But, no worries, there are plenty of other calcium-rich foods to choose from. A diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish will provide plenty of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a great source and a lot of fruit juices now come fortified with calcium.

In supplement form, it’s best to take two 500 mg dosages at different times during the day with vitamin D and magnesium to help absorption.

Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Our bodies can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D.  There is also research that suggests that vitamin D may play a key role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” D is naturally produced in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Because of the fear of skin cancer and the aging affects of sun exposure, we tend to avoid direct sun or slather on sunscreen when do spend time outside.  But sunscreen blocks the skin’s natural production of the vitamin and the end result is that many of us are D deficient.

It doesn’t take frying on the beach to produce sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. Consider getting outside for 10 to 15 minutes daily without sunscreen.  Foods that provide calcium and vitamin D include almonds, beans, fortified cereal and oily fish, like tuna and salmon.  Vitamin D can also be taken in supplement form, although scientists and nutritionists recommendations vary anywhere from 200 IUs to 1500 IUs a day.

Vitamin D requires fat to stay in the body, so be sure to include healthful fats in your diet, like extra-virgin olive oil, unrefined sesame oil and organic coconut oil, as well as omega-3 fats from fish and flaxseed. A recent study showed that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also result in stronger bones.

Our bones give us the freedom to do the things we want to do. They help us stand up straight, to run, to jump and to play. Make sure you take care of your bones so they can take care of you.

A Brief Guide to Common Yoga Styles

Yoga has gone mainstream in the United States. Studios are popping up on every corner, classes are being offered at the “Y”, in health clubs, in adult education programs at your local school, in the park at sunrise, on the beach at sunset.  This is a good thing! Yoga is so very good for you. Researchers continue to discover more ways that a regular practice benefits everyone, no matter how old you are or what physical shape you’re in. But if you’ve never tried yoga, you may not know where to begin. Are you looking to tone up? Stretch out? De-stress?

There are many yoga disciplines to choose from. Each offers something a little different. Here’s a guide to some of the styles that are commonly found in most areas.

Hatha. Hatha yoga is a very general term that encompasses most physical styles of yoga. If you’re looking at a yoga studio’s class schedule and the yoga offered is simply listed as “hatha,” most likely the teacher is offering a combination of several styles listed below.

Vinyasa (also called flow yoga). Vinyasa-style yoga combines a series of flowing postures that are linked together with controlled breathing. Vinyasa is a general term that can be used to describe many different styles, like Ashtanga and Power Yoga. Vinyasa can be somewhat to very intense depending on the instructor. The classes usually involve a series of “Sun Salutations” to warm the body, which are then followed by intense stretching at the end of the class.

Ashtanga (astanga). Vigorous and physically demanding, Ashtanga classes follow a set series of postures (6 in all) that are linked together with breath. Each of the series increases in difficulty but you work at your own pace and advance as you’re able. Alignment and proper form are not priorities as you move through the postures, but breathing is emphasized. Be prepared to sweat.

Power.  Power yoga is the westernized version of Ashtanga yoga. It’s for hard-core fitness enthusiasts who want to increase strength and flexibility while continuing to move. It’s based on Ashtanga yoga postures, but without the set format so that the sessions vary every time. Power yoga is designed to create heat and energy in a very challenging and disciplined workout. This class is not for beginners.

Iyengar.  Iyengar yoga is all about alignment. Unlike vinyasa, each posture is held for a long period to get the full benefit of each stretch. Props, such as blocks and straps, are used to prevent over-stretching and injury.  This is an excellent class for beginners, for anyone recovering from an injury, or for someone who has special needs due to any type of physical impairment. Instructors who teach Iyengar classes must complete a rigorous 2 – 5 year training program for certification.

Restorative. Restorative yoga is all about slowing down and bringing the body back into equilibrium. Studies haveshown that restorative yoga triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that serves to slow the heart rate and stimulate digestion. Its purpose is to soothe and relax.

Bikram. Bikram is a 90 minute class in which 26 sequenced postures are performed twice in a room that is heated to a humid 100-105 degrees Fahrenheit.  The class is designed to warm and stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons and cleanse the body of toxins through profuse sweating. The class is always the same … there is no variety in the postures.  Bikram is similar to, but not the same as, hot yoga which is a form of Hatha yoga practiced in a heated room.

Anusara. Anusara yoga is an integrated approach to Hatha yoga that is spiritually inspiring as well as grounded in the precise alignment of the physical postures. Classes are taught in a therapeutic way, light-hearted and accessible to students of varying abilities. Props are often used. This is another good option for those recovering from injuries or with special needs.

Kundalini.  Designed to awaken the energy that is stored at the base of the spine and draw it upward through each of the seven chakras, Kundalini incorporates classic yoga postures with breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.  Classes are made up of sequences called “kriyas” which include rapid, repetitive movements and poses that are held for long periods, each combined with breathing in a particular way. Kundalini is challenging both physically and mentally.

I highly recommend trying a variety of classes before deciding which yoga is right for you.  Maybe they all are … vinyasa (flow and stretch) to energize you on Monday, restorative (relaxation) to unwind on Friday and Iyengar (stretch and flexibility) to loosen you up for the weekend!

We’ve all heard it from our mothers, who heard it from their mothers, who heard it from …  well, you get the picture … “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  Have you ever wondered, though, where that saying came from and if there’s any truth behind it? Do apples have healing properties?

Here are a few bits of apple trivia, core facts and nutritional info to sink your teeth into!

• “An apple a day …” was first proclaimed by JT Stinson at the St Louis World’s Fair in 1904 — adapted from an old English saying “Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed Makes the doctor beg his bread.”
• In medieval times, physicians were taught that cooked apples could relieve disturbances of the bowels, lungs and nervous system.
• In ancient Greece, Hippocrates recommended sweet apples with meals to aid digestion and sour apples for fainting and constipation.
• Archaeological findings show that humans have been eating apples as far back as 6500 BC.
• There are actually 7,500 of varieties of apples grown worldwide. They range in size from slightly larger than a cherry to the size of a grapefruit and vary widely in flavor. Apples can have an aftertaste of citrus, pears, cinnamon, strawberries, coconut, cloves, pineapple or grapes.
• A medium apple is about 80 calories and contains about five grams of fiber. Fiber promotes weight loss and aids in digestion. Apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol and are high in vitamin C and potassium.
• A medium apple with skin provides the antioxidant activity equal to 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for healthy tissues and bones and protects your body from toxins. Antioxidants fight free radicals which damage cells, a contributing factor in the development of cancer and also in the aging process.
• Apples are rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants that help prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes and may also help in fighting bacterial and viral infections. Phytonutrients have been shown to offer stronger anti-cancer properties than vitamin C.
• Apples contain quercetin, a flavonoid that plays an important part in keeping blood vessels healthy, reducing inflammation throughout the body and preventing DNA damage to the cells. This could be beneficial to those suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Other studies have shown that quercetin may protect the brain from the type of damage that triggers neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.  Recent research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss.
• Apples are a natural source of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps prevent cholesterol build up in the lining of blood vessel walls, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Insoluble fiber aids digestion and promotes weight loss. One apple contains the same amount of dietary fiber as a bowl of bran cereal.
• Apples are good for your lungs. British researchers found that apples are effective in reducing the risk of lung cancer. Dutch scientists have found that smokers who eat an apple a day are half as likely to develop emphysema and chronic bronchitis, common diseases suffered by smokers.
• Apples contain an essential trace element called boron. Boron helps with bone density and, therefore, can help prevent or decrease the effects of osteoporosis.
• Apples are one of the richest sources of malic acid, which can help boost cellular energy and alleviate muscle pain and tenderness.
• Crunching on an apple helps prevent tooth decay by stimulate the flow of saliva.
• An apple is a natural breath freshener.

To get all the nutritional and health benefits from an apple, you do need to eat the skin.  Not only does it contain a lot of  fiber, but all the quercetin is located in the skin and almost half the vitamin C content is just under it.

So there you go.  It appears that the apple does live up to its reputation. Don’t you just love it when something that tastes so good is so good for you?

Natural Fitness is a company that takes conservation very seriously. Their products are made of natural, sustainable and recycled materials. The yoga mats are made from natural rubber; yoga blocks from cork and bamboo; yoga straps and mat bags from hemp; and the handles on their rubber resistance tubes are made from recycled plastic. The packaging for every product is made from recycled paper.  In addition, they have initiated the Zero Impact Program - for every Natural Fitness product sold, in some area of the planet a tree is planted where it’s most needed to help moderate the climate, improve air quality, conserve water and harbor wildlife. Past projects have included areas of Asia, Africa and the Americas. Even the Natural Fitness website is “green” — it’s completely powered by solar energy.

One of my favorite products made by Natural Fitness is the exercise ball.  They have two grades – one designed for use with most exercise programs that is burst resistant to 300 lbs, and one that is designed to withstand the most rigorous exercise regimens that is burst resistant to 600 lbs.

Natural Fitness exercise balls have slightly textured surfaces that provide grip and keep you from sliding. Most PVC products utilize plasticizers that contain phthalates to make the material soft and flexible. but phthalates have been proven to be harmful to the environment and pose health risks to humans.  Natural Fitness developed a non-toxic, phthalate-free plasticizer for its vinyl products. This makes the ball somewhat stiff at first, which is probably why the instructions say to inflate it to 80% of its recommended size, let it sit for 24 hours and then fill to its full volume. This gives the vinyl time to “rest” before inflating fully.

I found the included “fast pump” easy to use until I got to the last few centimeters. Then it seemed as if air was escaping through the pump every time I pulled the handle up. So I hauled out my handy-dandy rechargeable air compressor (that I keep in my car for emergencies) and finished filling the ball that way. I probably should have just used it from the start, but I wanted to test the hand pump.  A plug kit is included in the box, so you can use whatever method you want to inflate the ball. Just be careful not to over inflate it.

The textured surface isn’t sticky – animal hair and dirt don’t cling to the vinyl.  I noticed a bit of a smell at first, but it wasn’t offensive and does fade.

The Natural Fitness Exercise Ball comes with a DVD that includes a warm-up, workout and cool-down, with two workout levels – beginner and intermediate. An exercise chart is also included in the kit, along with the pump and plug kit, as mentioned earlier.

When shopping for your exercise ball, be sure to choose by size, not by color. If you’re 6’ tall and you choose the 55cm ball because you like its plum color, you’re going to be very disappointed when you sit on it and your knees are level with your chin!!  Generally, the 45cm ball is for heights 4’7” to 5’; 55cm for heights 5’1” – 5’7”; 65cm for heights 5’8” – 6’1”; and 75cm for heights 6’2” and over. When you sit on your ball, your knees should bend at a 90 degree angle.  If you have extremely long legs and are short-waisted, you may want to go up a size; if your legs are short and waist long, you may want to go down a size.

You can accomplish so much with an exercise ball – increase your core strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance and coordination; and it can be incorporated into any yoga, Pilates or strength-training routine.  Use your ball as a chair, and you can work your abs and burn a few extra calories while watching television or working at your desk. And remember, by purchasing the Natural Fitness exercise ball, you get to help the planet by planting a tree!

If you’re looking for a chocolate fix that will appease your carb cravings without sacrificing your waistline, try this recipe. It’s a fairly guilt-free indulgence — the angel food cake is low in calories and fat and the dark chocolate is high in flavonoids and antioxidants. This cake is satisfying without any type of icing or chocolate sauce, but if you want to add something to it, try some fresh berries. Yum!

Ingredients:
   Angel Food Cake Mix
   Instant coffee or espresso powder
   4 Tbsps - unsweetened cocoa powder
   1 Cup - semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Prepare the cake mix as directed replacing water with strong instant coffee/espresso.  Add cocoa and chocolate chips. Continue as directed on the cake mix.

Nutritional information per slice (12 slices per cake)
Calories: 197
Fat: 4.5 g
   Saturated fat:  2.6 g
   Monounsaturated fat: 1.5 g
Sodium: 256 mg
Potassium: 146 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 39 g
   Dietary Fiber:  1.5 g
   Sugars: 23 g
Protein: 3 g