EASY AND HEALTHY

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES?…
and gluten free, dairy free and raw? is it true? Here’s the recipe, you be the judge!

Cookie Batter

• 1 3/4 cups cashew “flour”
• 3/4 cup ground oat groats (or use all cashew flour for a much sweeter dough)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract or dark chocolate stevia
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (room temp is fine if it’s warm in your house)

Chocolate Chips

• Blend 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1/2 cup carob/dark chocolate, 1/2 cup cacao.
• Put mixture in freezer, then chop into chunks.

THEN…

• In a large bowl, mix “Cookie Batter” ingredients with hands.
• Add and fold in Chocolate Chips.

Form into balls, roll in cashew “flour” and refrigerate. (I put them on a plate or on parchment paper)

BONA!!!

**you can add less coconut oil (just do 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup) if you don’t crave that taste or if it’s too “buttery” but you need some to bind the ingredients.

**you can just add dark choc pieces from a bar that you put in the freezer and add a little agave unless you want that “bittersweet” taste

Bee Pollen is granulated pollen gathered by the bees and is one of nature’s most complete, nutritious foods. About 40 percent protein, half of which is free amino acids, bee pollen supplies humans with almost every essential element we need to survive. I was once told that we could survive only off bee pollen and water because of it’s abundance in nutrients.

It is also incredibly high in folic acid, B vitamins, and nucleic acids, and is thought to help cure chronic digestive and autoimmune diseases. And women, listen up: not only has bee pollen been tapped to stimulate the production of eggs from ovaries, it also plays a role in preventing and treating such cancers as breast and uterine. In this case, a spoonful of bee pollen just might save your life.

“Bee pollen is often referred to as nature’s most complete food. Human consumption of bee pollen is praised in the Bible, other religious books, and ancient Chinese and Egyptian texts. It has long been prescribed by traditional health practitioners-including the fathers of Western medicine Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder, and Pythagoras-for its healing properties. Bee pollen rejuvenates your body, stimulates organs and glands, enhances vitality, and brings about a longer life span. Bee pollen’s ability to consistently and noticeably increase energy levels makes it a favorite substance among many world class athletes and those interested in sustaining and enhancing quality performance.” Steve Schecter N.D

Most of the time I blend a tablespoon of bee pollen into my fruit based smoothies. It creates a funny pasty taste that you may not like, so test it with different flavors. Sometime I’ll sprinkle it on top of a shake or salad instead of blending it, but lately I’ve been craving the pure taste and taking it by the spoonful!

Only Bee Pollen has the following:

* All 22 elements of the human system.

*All essential amino acids and is a complete protein.

* Vitamins A, B Complex series C, D, E, K and Rutin.

* 28 Minerals, Trace Mineral needed for good health.

* Enzymes and Co-Enzymes necessary for good digestion.

* No cholesterol.

Bee pollen is also fine to use while on a cleanse, used in a juice or as a supplement.

First of all, what is “mindful eating”?

Regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese, according to a recent study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The Center For Mindful Eating says that mindful eating has several components, including:

*learning to make choices in beginning or ending a meal based on awareness of hunger and satiety cues;

*learning to identify personal triggers for mindless eating, such as emotions, social pressures, or certain foods;

*valuing quality over quantity of what you’re eating;

*appreciating the sensual, as well as the nourishing, capacity of food;

*feeling deep gratitude that may come from appreciating and experiencing food

The study, which was a follow-up on an earlier study that revealed middle-age gained less weight when practicing yoga over a 10-year period than those who did not, confirms that the increased awareness that yoga practitioners often experience may play a bigger role in weight management than the yoga asanas themselves.

“The researchers found that people who ate mindfully – those were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full – weighed less than those who ate mindlessly, who ate when not hungry or in response to anxiety or depression,” states a press release from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center released August 3. “The researchers also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating but found no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking or running, and mindful eating.” Click here to read the whole report.

Basically, yoga helps people be more aware of their actions, which helps them better gauge how much food they need and control weight. That sounds about right to me. Anyone else?

As a personal trainer, I hear my clients ask and worry all the time about running. It’s as if there’s this huge amount of weight attached to running: pressure, anxiety, fear.

Running can be for everyone, you can run, too!

If you can walk from the couch to the refrigerator, you are not too heavy or slow to run. If you can go to a 45 minute spin class, you can run outside for a few miles.

Running doesn’t imply that you are running a marathon. It doesn’t mean you have to run everyday. Having an aversion to running just for the sake of it is only limiting yourself. I move through so many emotional and psychological blocks when physically running.

Here are my suggestions if you are open to the concept to running:

• start on a treadmill or the dirt, jogging slowly for a 30 sec-1 minute, walking recovery for 2 min.
  
• after 5 to 10 minutes of this, take your jog speed a little faster to a light run, increasing your interval from 30 seconds to a minute or a minute to 90 seconds. Walking recovery for 90 seconds.
• after 15 to 20 minutes, stop.
• walk for another minute or two, slowing the heart rate and letting the muscles relax
• stretch AFTER your run, not before.
• Do these stretches:
  

1. take your right ankle over your left lower thigh (above the knee) and bend your knees as if you’re sitting in a chair. you can hold onto the railings of the treadmill or hands and back against a wall.
2. take your left ankle over your right lower thigh and repeat above directions. These two exercises stretch the hip flexors and glutes.
   
3. stand up straight, legs strong, cross right foot over left foot and begin to lean over. you can slightly bend your knees so you can get deeper into the position. This will stretch the IT Band.
   
4. stand up straight again and repeat the above, crossing the left foot over the right foot and leaning over.
   
5. stand erect again, this time grabbing your right foot or ankle behind you, bottom of the foot to the glute, stretching the quadracept.
   
6. repeat number 5 with the left foot.
7. stand up straight and take your arms to the sky, reaching and stretching from your hips.
   

• remember that every single run after the first is easier
  

If you get shin splints easily, it means you have overworked the tibia and you definitely want to start on a treadmill or dirt. Also, avoid going downhill, and avoid sports that have a lot of back and forth movements like tennis or basketball. Shin splints can also be caused by a person running to long, too hard or training to intensely.

to stretch the shins after a run:

• stand flat foot, knees slightly bent and lift the toes with the heel of foot on the ground. Do both feet until you can’t do it any more.
• Find a step and hang the heel part of your foot over the edge. Great shin stretch.
  

• if you have a little more time, the lunge is great too for your legs in totality.
  

Here are a few more questions commonly asked:

Q. What shoes do I buy? do I need to buy expensive running shoes?

A. A pair of light, good fitting sneakers or walking shoes works fine. You don’t want to waer old sneakers that don’t fit or are worn down. but you don’t need to buy new shoes. you’re not going to be doing high mileage. If you DO begin to run more often, and further, you can go somewhere that isn’t a specific running store/ specialty and you can find cheaper shoes. I like ascics a lot and bought my last pair for 45 dollars.

Q. I can’t run because I’ll get hurt and have to stop.

A. True, runners get occasional muscle and joint aches, but these should go away quickly. Treat muscle aches with ice or an anti inflammatory gel or cream like Traumeel (homeopathic).  Jeff Galloway (running coach, marathon runner) began teaching beginners in 1974, he was worried about some of the participants. “But everyone finished the class,” says Galloway. “you don’t get inured if you follow the ‘no huffing, no puffing rule.” Also, take it slow starting back into a running regiment. Take a few days in between running to let your body recover. And *listen to your body!!!!

Good morning!! I woke up thinking about how badly I wanted a green smoothie for breakfast.

After you try this concoction you’ll understand why!!!! Grab a blender and toss in:

• 1 handful kale or collard greens
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 stalks celery
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup blueberries or strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1 scoop hemp protein
• 1 cup almond milk, rice milk, oat milk or water
• pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt

This drink gives me energy for hours, unlike any energy a caffeinated drink could  provide. Another plus about this drink is that it really alkaline’s the system, helps you keep weight off and it is incredibly cleansing for the system (lymphatic and digestive).

You can take away the banana for less sugar or add more to make it sweeter. You’ll still get the beautiful benefits of all the green vegetables.

If you want it to be more savory and less sweet, you can alter the recipe this way:

• 1 handful kale or collard greens
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 stalks celery
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 avocado (if you have a good blender toss the pit in there, it will make it super creamy!!)
• 1 cup water
  
• a few squeezes of fresh lemon
• a couple parsley sprigs
• pinch of cayenne pepper

I like this variation for a mid day snack or a lunch or dinner replacement with hemp protein. If you let it blend longer and get really smooth, it will even warm in the blender and come out tasting like a savory soup!!

Okay now that I’m drooling–time to make my shake!!!

For natural energy, I try and chose natural and healthier options. I have begun thinking about this daily energy as a process of ups and downs, rather than something continuous and constant. It’s more natural to have a low period or two during a day versus constant up because of band aids and quick fixes (coffee, stimulants, etc).

I have been adding blue green algae to my routine for about 2 years now and I’ve really noticed a difference in my energy level.

There are two kinds of blue green algae: that from fresh water and that from the ocean. The fresh water blue green algae is from a lake in Oregon called Klamath Lake. The blue green algae from the ocean is termed Spirulina and comes in a powder/flake or tablet form. I add spirulina flakes to smoothies and juices or sprinkle it onto a salad. I take blue green algae in liquid form and usually take a shot of it in the morning and mid day during my energy shift. Lately I’ve been putting the liquid algae (I use E3 Live brand) into an ice cube tray and dropping it into a glass to melt so that I have an ounce or two at my finger tips instead of freezing and defrosting the whole bottle once or twice a day. I found that I got lazy and would rather not go through the process before I was putting it in an ice cube tray.

The technical term APHANIZOMENON (genus) and FLOS-AQUAE (species) are actually zoological terms of classification that literally mean “invisible living flower of water” in Greek.

Algae capitalize on the direct energy of the sun more than any other food. Primitive as they may appear, most are highly efficient photosynthesizers. Algae utilize light energy from the sun, carbon dioxide from the air, and hydrogen from the water to synthesize its bio-chemicals. Klamath Blue Green Algae is unique among all food grade algaes in that it also metabolizes molecular nitrogen directly from the air to produce proteins and other nitrogen containing bio-molecules.

What are the benifits to adding this to your diet?

• increase in mood and mental clarity
• Immunity booster
• for healthy hair and skin
  
• fights off aging (powerful antioxidants-fight free radicals)
  
• feel good food-helps with serotonin
• detoxifies our bodies: liver, GI Tract
• Green Foods in general help with cholesterol problems (regulates gallbladder and liver)
• 10-30x more nutritious than land vegetables

You can begin feeling the effects of blue green algae by trying Spirulina in your smoothie at a juice bar (most have it) or you can try a shot of E3 live. I would suggest trying it a few times before purchasing it to see how it works with you and if you like the effect on your body. I’ve tried several supplements or superfoods some people LIVE by, only to find out it makes me feel off. These are all suggestions, find what works with your body, experiment with many options, and ask lots of questions!!

As if the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) weren’t bad enough, the awful diet is now causing deep-rooted psychological and physical issues.

Check out this great post about how to stop food addiction, specifically dealing with processed and refined sugars.

If you want to deal with your food and/or sugar addictions, a great way to start is by doing a food or juice cleanse as a “restart” button. 

Answer these questions to see if you could use a cleanse or could suffer from an addiction to food:

• Do you eat when you are not hungry or when you feel low or depressed?
• Do you eat in secret or eat differently in front of others than when you’re alone?
• Do you consume inordinate amounts of food and then purge later with vomiting or laxatives to get rid of the excess?
• Are there foods that are unnecessary or harmful to you, but you eat them anyway?
• Do you feel guilty after eating?

If you answered yes to any of these or have any questions at all, please email me at fusionfitnessyoga@gmail.com for help with healing and suggestions or contact Mr. Addiction himself through his website: allaboutaddiction.com

YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND

Body and Mind

 

The connection between mind and body is, without a doubt, the most exciting area of modern research into the causes of illness and disease and the maintenance of good health. It is now a proven fact that when you are depressed, your immune system is too. More and more areas of science and medicine are being forced to give serious consideration to the mind-body relationship and its implication in your overall mental and physical health.

The relationship between mind-body and the interaction between psychology (the mind with all its thoughts and emotions) and the central nervous, immune and endocrine or hormone systems. Studies all over the world seem to bear out what most complementary therapists and holistic practitioners have always maintained-the whole person ins much greater than the sum of all their parts. When looking at creating enduring optimum health, the interconnection of all the mind-body systems holds the vital key to continued wellbeing.

It is a medical fact that stress has a big effect on our general and specific health and on our sense of wellbeing. If the mental and emotional pressures that build up inside cannot be expressed and resolved, they are likely to find a way out through the body, usually through the weakest point-whether its the nerves, the digestive system, the immune system, or our sleeping patterns.

The research and work of Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Preventative Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, CA, certainly support these findings. In a study of heart disease, Dr. Ornish proved for the first time that the clogging of the arteries-which can lead to heart attack and stroke-can be reversed without the use of drugs or surgery, and that love was the key factor in this reversal. He concluded that a sad and broken heart was as damaging and dangerous to health as bad dietary habits or lack of exercise.

Dr. Ornish believes that one of the main causes of heart problems is the profound isolation that growing numbers of people are experiencing in modern society. We are not, by nature, solitary creatures. Our roots take us back to extended families, the community, and the “tribe”. However, our lifestyles have changed dramatically in a relatively short span of time, and the end result is increasing numbers of people living alone, or living far away from either their family or a social network that can offer support and comfort when it is needed. A weakened, inadequate immune system is often the result of an inadequate social support system. One indicator of the immune response is the natural killer cell activity, levels of which are more likely to be lower in people who are lonely. As Dr. Ornish says, “Looking out for No.1 isn’t enlightened self-interest. It’s just lonely, and loneliness kills.” Recent research has shown that people who are usually lonely and isolated suffer more poor health and are much more susceptible to all kinds of illness and disease. 

The point is this: there is absolutely a strong link between ones psychological stress and physical problems. Dr. Larry Dossey in Healing Breakthroughs, which states that more heart attacks occur on a Monday than any other day of the week, not only on a Monday, but most often at 9 o’clock in the morning. If we believe that there is no connection between the mind and the body, then what causes so many heart attacks to take place just as the first work of the week is about to begin? “There are certainly physiological reasons why death might be more likely in the morning than in the afternoon, such as higher heart rates or blood pressure. There is, however, no reason why more deaths should take place on a Monday rather than any other day.” 

Every day stress is what affects us most deeply, by slowly taxing our inner reserves. The fight-or-flight response enables us to respond to danger, but it is not just major life threatening situations that stimulate this response. Fearful or anxious thoughts do it too-the car not starting, being late for an appointment, unpaid bills, arguments with loved ones-all these can create a stress response. 

In conclusion: the body has to work harder when we are depressed, anxious or stressed. In order to have a healthy body, we must have a healthy mind. If we take time to focus on ourselves psychologically, emotionally and spiritually, we can directly affect our body in positive, healthy ways.

1. Ornish D, Scherwitz L, Billings J, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease Five-year follow-up of the Lifestyle Heart Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1998; 280: 2001-2007
   
2. Shapiro, Debbie. Your Body Speaks Your Mind, 2006
   
3. Dossey, Larry Dr. Healing Breakthroughs, 1996
   
4. Mind/Body Connection: Granny Was Right After All. Rochester Review 1997, University of Rochester

This weekend I went to a music and yoga festival in Tahoe called Wanderlust. 

One theme kept recurring in my head: Spirituality. 

I use this word a lot: “I’m very spiritual”, “I wish he were more spiritual”, “let’s be one and connect with our spiritual self.”

But, in all actuality, how do I define spirituality? And how do others? The interesting thing about this weekend is that I learned this word means different things to each individual person. In all actuality, although some use the terms religion and spirituality interchangeably, they are very different to me and not synonymous. 

I believe I look at spirituality as a way to tap into my true self. To connect to the internal spirit, and disconnect from material, external world. Spirituality is a very personal and subjective concept. I get very in-tune with my emotions and feelings when I have a spiritual experience. 

I realized after this weekend that everyones experience is unique to them. Yoga is my gateway to spirituality. I’ve been saying for years that “Yoga is my religion, yoga class is my church.” Yoga elicits the breath, which takes me inward. It takes me out of the physical body and into my internal self. Meditation and taking time focus on nothing is powerful. And finally, seeing people in the community is also a huge part. Humanity

Music is a way for many to reach a spiritual place within themselves. After listening to Andrew Bird yesterday at Wanderlust, laying on a grassy hill on the top of an 8,000 high mountain top, the sun shining on my warm skin: i tapped into my spirit. I closed my eyes, and felt the music take me inward. 

Many things took me to this moment. Hiking up the mountain (seeing 2 natural water falls and gathering water from them to drink), attending two yoga classes (one kundalini one flow) and being in nature. Eating food from the land (raw, organic), being with loving souls around me (my best friend from childhood)…etc etc etc. I guess my point is this: spirituality means different things to different people. 

Find your personal way to venture into your own spirituality. Go out in nature on a hike, or out at night during a full moon. Try a new yoga class-Kundalini is incredibly powerful. Listen to live music, preferably someone that has a great, healthy message. Volunteer with those less fortunate than you-homeless, the hungry, the sick. Travel alone, some of my most intense spiritual experiences happen when I’m alone, especially in a new environment. And share your own personal journey’s with spirituality here! 

When we travel, near or far, bus, car, plane or camel, there is no doubt our body is affected. Sitting for long periods of time makes hip flexors tight, you piriformis ache, and your mind foggy.

While sitting in the airport waiting for my friend to pick me up to go to **WANDERLUST!!!!!! I was thinking about what I do when I travel and thought I would share it with you.

We are most certainly spoiled by beautiful hour or 90 minute yoga sessions, but when on the road, you probably don’t have time for this. 

Do what you can! Even ONE downward doggie (adho mukha svanasana) can make such a difference on your legs and body. Being upside down is cleansing, allowing the entire body to benefit from the blood flowing opposite its normal pathway. Stretching the legs and arms will wake up the whole system. Focusing on the breath and going inward, even for a few moments, and calm and energize the body and mind. It’s powerful. One or two poses can make all the difference.

When in an airport, I like to take a few minutes while waiting in between flights by stretching in the gate terminal. Yeah, occasionally people stare, and maybe think I’m a little strange, but the jokes on them because I’m the one that will feel good when landing in my destination instead of tight and tired.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. sit on the carpet, take your shoes off and put your legs straight out in front of you. If you want to bend your knees a little, thats fine, you’re not warm yet. Begin breathing deeply in through the nose, out through the nose. Raise your arms towards the sky, and fold forward into Rag Doll pose, releasing your head towards your knees and letting your whole body go limp. Let gravity do the work here, no tension in the neck. Close your eyes and focus on your breath.

2. Separate the legs and stretch them individually: flexing and pointing the toes and leaning forward into the stretch.

3. lay backwards, putting your jacket or sweatshirt under your head (germy in airports!) and go into a figure four pose on your back. This is a great strech for opening hips and to stretch the piriformis. It will energize through your hips into the spine. cross your right ankle above your left knee  and engage your leg by flexing your right foot. On the exhalation, draw your right knee away from your face as you bring your leg slightly closer to your body. AFter 5 deep breaths, switch legs and repeat on the other side. 

4. Then find a piece of wall you can put your hands against. Facing the wall, you will do half downward facing dog pose or Arda Adho Mukha Svanasana) Legs are hip width apart. Inhale, bringing your palms together at the heart. Exhale, reaching your arms overhead and then extending your arms in front of you to grasp the wall, hands parallel to each other against the wall. (walk your feet back as needed to keep torso parallel to the floor) Press your hips up and back, and firm your shoulder blades down your back as you bring you chest toward your thighs. Look towards your belly button and stay for 10 breaths. 

Remember, even doing 1 of these can really help your body and mind! A little goes a long way. Look for opportunities to practice poses like these throughout your day.