Balance

This is something I strive for daily in my life and unfortunately most days I never achieve it. But like yoga, it is a journey and takes time. It does not happen over night. Transformation of the body, mind and spirit takes a lot of work. I love learning about chakras---energy that is naturally flowing through our bodies. It might sound a bit weird but to me, it makes perfect sense. Our bodies get blocked by toxins, chemicals, stress, un-healthy foods, and just life in general. We are so far removed from nature and it is destroying us little by little. 

Think of how you feel in nature.......

I FEEL CALM.

RELAXED.

HAPPY.

PEACE.

STILLNESS.

BLISS.

REJUVENATED.

LOVE.

ENERGY.

So when we do things that are in harmony with nature---our bodies THRIVE and HEAL. 

The foods we eat to the the desks we sit in, are doing some harm to us, so its up to us to take control of our life and find the things that bring us back into balance. 

Here are some foods that can bring balance back into your gut---thus, alkalizing your body so you don't have so much acid.

Almonds

Avocados

Arugula

Beets

Coconut

Carrots

Garlic

Herbal Teas

Kale

Lemon

Lentils

Olive Oil

Peppers

Quinoa

Sesame Seeds

Spinach

Sweet Potatoes

Wheat-grass

 Yoga can help open the blockages, as well as mediation and proper eating.

Here are some beginner poses to build strength and bring about clarity and balance.

Upward extended feet pose with support

 Lie on your back. Bend your legs and put your palms or fists under your buttocks. Straighten your legs and raise them vertically up. Tighten your knees, stretch your toes down. If it feels difficult, put your hands under your thighs. Try lowering your legs slowly.

Downward facing dog pose

 Sit on your heels, lower your head on the mat, stretch your arms forward. Go to the table pose. Push with your hands and straighten your legs. Extend your pelvic bones up and heels down. Let your head hang freely, stretch your waist. Try lifting one leg at a time.

Cat pose

Stand on all fours. Put your hands and knees at your hips' width and hands directly below your shoulders. Round your back and hang your head down. Relax into this pose.

Camel pose, palms set against feet

 Lift your thighs and pelvis up and forward while sitting on your heels or between feet. Press your palms against your feet and arch your back. Gently look backwards with your head. Keep your feet and knees at your hips’ width. This might be difficult for some, try only going half way while flexing your quads and butt.

Before I meditate or practice Yoga, I always apply Essential oils.

Here is what I use. 

Whisper

Balancing for beauty, allure, and femininity

Vetiver

Relaxation and Grounding

Bergamot

Self Love and Acceptance--it helps us love who we are.

http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/

SUPERFOODS FOR KIDS

We could prevent cancer, strokes, heart disease, and diabetes if we start teaching our kids better nutrition from day one.

10 SUPERFOODS FOR KIDS

1. AVOCADO: A great source of fats, which aid in child's development and growth.
2. EGGS: Easy to prepare and versatile, and rich in protein and choline, which is vital for brain development.
3. SEAWEED: Chock full of iodine which is necessary for healthy thyroid function.
4. ACAI BERRIES: Full of fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants, and also very tasty in a morning smoothie.
5. FIBER: Kids need between 19-38 grams per day, to slow down absorption of sugar and keep intestines clean, but most aren't getting enough---oatmeal, fruit, veggies, flax seeds, beans, peas, and legumes.
6. COTTAGE CHEESE: (FULL FAT) One cup contains 9 grams of fat-which doesn't make kids fat, concentrated protein and vitamins and minerals to help build strong bones.
7. NUT BUTTER: Delicious almond, cashew, walnut, or hazelnut butters provide proteins, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that help prevent cancer.
8. BANANAS: Yummy and rich in potassium, good for healthy blood pressure, arteries, bones and heart.
9. SPINACH: An excellent source of iron, calcium, folic acid and vitamins A and C--all great for growing bones and brain.
10. SWEET POTATO: Packed with vitamins B, C, and E, calcium, potassium, iron, and fiber, as well as complex carbohydrates to keep energy levels stable.

KALE

I love Kale but, it hasn't been until the last few years. 

I never tried it growing up that I can remember and if I did try it I am sure I hated it. 

The first time I tried it was when we grew it in our garden a 

few years ago and I haven't stopped eating it since. 

I like it almost as much as goat cheese!

Not only is it good in EVERYTHING, it super good for you too. 

Here are some yummy recipes I have found, I have not tried all of them but most of them and they all  sound delicious...thought I would share.

Get your Kale on!

--I prefer curly kale--

Creamed Kale

Recipe Here

Creamed Kale

Recipe Here

Kale Pizza

Recipe Here

Kale Pesto

Recipe Here

Breakfast Kale

Recipe Here


Kale Salad

 Recipe Here

Emotions

This is a very powerful word in and of itself. 

When I say the word 'emotions' out loud, I instantly feel a flood of change come over my entire body. 

I can actually feel the word and all the energy behind it---it's that powerful. 

We deal with emotions at every level of our lives, down to the tiny feelings of joy when we see a beautiful butterfly, to the intense feelings of losing a precious loved one. 

Our emotions can affect our health in a positive way or a negative way. 

I have actually experienced this first hand after my son Ollie, passed on. 

My body attracted every sickness and weird ailment that it could possibly find. 

I have never been as sick as I have in these last 3 years.
My body has outwardly been crying for healing, and healing takes time--it might even take an entire lifetime.

 I was unhappy and depressed. 

The negative energy was eating me alive.

At times, I had no hope.

At times I had and immense amount of hope.

Overall, I needed some relief from my deep deep pain.

I had experienced grief so severe that my body was actually falling apart at the very core.

 My life felt like it was a total mess. 

I felt unstable in my marriage and with my children. 

I didn't know who I was and I needed to find myslef again quickly, so I could teach my children who I was and am.

I truly lost myself the day my son died.

 So this year, I have been dedicated to heal myself.
I have known for a while there is something more that I needed in order to heal.
My family needed me to heal so I could take care of them to the best of my ability.

Since I have begun to work on 'me"', I have healed unbelievably. 

I have climbed mountains I never thought were passable, and I have experienced the sweetness of the calm after the storm. 

I have felt more peace as I looked inward. 

I feel my son even more now and I am not closed to the idea of him being around me and near me all day everyday!

Emotional healing can make all the difference in our lives.  

Our bodies like to work in harmony and it will perform at an optimum level--and that is what I strive for daily.

^^^^^^^^^^

When your body goes through a physical trauma, it might express itself it your emotions. I thought for a while I was bi-polar--nope, it was just the grief manifesting itself in my daily emotions. It was so intense at times that I thought my heart might physically stop beating. I do think my body was grieving so intensely that when I was pregnant with my third child, my body decided it wasn't healthy for the baby in my womb so, he came 3 months early.
Our bodies are simply amazing, yet oh.so.fragile.
I honestly think I had a grieving uterus. I bled from 15 weeks on until my son was born.
Grief made my son come out early--it physically manifest itself by releasing a child.
The grief was locked inside and needed to release itself.
and that's just what it did.
and the end result was more beautiful than I had imagined.... 

Emotions are real, they are intense and they can be very beautiful--but we do need to release them. 
They simply can not stay locked inside, they will find a way out.

Here are a few things I have personally done to help release my anxiety, depression, PTSD, and stress to try and put my body back into balance.


Daily Yoga Practice.
Essential Oil Blends.
Healthy and Energizing Foods.
Nature.
Prayer.
Meditation.
Uplifting People.
Pro-biotic. 
Homeopathic Remedies.
Tinctures. 
Finding My Passions.


-The Camel Pose- 
I try to do this pose daily.
I imagine my negative emotions leaving through my heart and the positive and peaceful ones entering back into my heart! I also rub the essential oils over my heart. This asana really opens up my heart to the heavens and releases my heart and throat chakras--in turn releasing the negative energy that was blocked.
 

This is just so true.....

I apply all these oils several times a day--especially right before yoga.
They really do lift my spirits and my frequency levels.
Patchouli in particular brings me back to my teenage years and I feel so happy.
These are currently my top favorite.....

Here's to healing your mind, body and spirit!

Where I studied Yoga-Bodhi Yoga

Ancient Oils

You may have heard all the talk about essential oils lately??? Hopefully you are taking advantage and becoming your own doctor for your family. Well, these oils-Doterra, are as good as everyone is making them sound.  There really is something amazing and powerful you can use to heal your family. 

They are ancient
and
they are very sacred.

• Jesus' body was wrapped in Myrrh and Aloe.
• Egyptians have used essential oils for all their burials and oils have been one of the few things they found preserved in the tombs--along with honey and gold.
• The Egyptians also used oils to clear negative emotions after death so they could progress in the afterlife. 
• Jesus was brought Frankincense and Myrrh when he was born. 
• In Traditional Chinese Medicine they use oils to move the Qi-body energy, and to promote overall health.

The Myrrh Tree

I have always been fascinated with the Egyptians and their culture--they accomplished some pretty amazing things for their day. If these precious oils have been around since the first humans and were used on a son of a God, then I think we should be using them too.

I personally have used essential oils for about 15 years. I started wearing patchouli and sandalwood. They just made me so happy. After years of learning about them, I know understand why I loved them at such a young age. They really were elevating my mood back in high school.I have tried more brands than I can count. Most of my oils have since gone rancid. The carrier oil has spoiled. Doterra doesn't use any carrier oils. They are 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade and they even have a higher standard than organic.

I use the oils daily on my children and myslef. I use them to combat my grief and lift my depression and aid in my anxiety. I use them to prevent colds, heart burn, to aid in the healing of yeast infections, earaches, toothaches, burns, rashes, digestion, infant teething, croup, sleep, and a hundred other ailments. They really have become my go-to product in my home. They really do help with most hings I have come across---but one thing is for sure, you have to be consistent. 

Consistency is key.

You can not use them once and expect help. For example, I had a giant toothache and my gum was super swollen. I couldn't get to a doctor for a few weeks. I needed relief. I began applying Tea Tree/Melaleuca and peeled garlic cloves to my gums about 5 times a day or more. I needed immediate relief and that's what I got. I was willing to do anything. We all now how bad a toothache feels? It's miserable. I had relief within a day and actually the swelling and pain went away within 3 days. I never went to the doctor---I was a poor college student and determined to take care of it on my own!

Have you used essential oils? 
Are you wondering if Doterra is organic? Read this article here

Want to start healing your family? Email me or comment below.

Bodhi Yoga 

Hands On

As a yoga teacher, you can use hand on adjusting with your students while they are in a pose, if you first take a few precautions. This touch can make the teacher-student bond long lasting and can take the asanas to a new level, if done properly. I personally love the hands-on adjustments done to me, it helps me bring awareness to the body part that is being touched.  Remember, the body works as one entire operating system and is connected from head to toe!

Guidelines for Hands-on Adjusting
-You first need to ask permission-do not be offended if touch is refused.
-Communicate what you will be doing to them and where you will be touching.
-The breath is what grounds you, so make sure you are both using ujjayi breath.
-Firmly apply even pressure, increasing little by little, more can always be added.
-Make sure you are grounded before touching the other person, so you bwill both get the full benefit of the adjustment.
-You can gently tap or apply pressure to the area needing adjustments and make sure you adjust both side equally.


This adjustment is one of my favorites--maybe a little too personal for a teacher, but with your mate, this would be wonderful. So much love and connection.

My personal opinion is to use hands on adjusting in every single class. It creates a level of connection and healing. I just love hands on. It heals me and it heal others. It takes the practice in areas often never felt before. It can be very tiring too for the teacher, so don't overdo yourself. So often we go through out our days not touching many people,(this is not true for me---I even touch strangers as I talk to them, I am one of those creeping touchy people ha) and we need touch as humans. I would love to hug everyone I see and meet, it really opens people up and knocks down their barrier. We would all love more, I just know it.

Bodhi Yoga

Ayurveda

Ayurveda. What is it?

Ayurveda is one of the oldest Indian lifestyles that tries to create balance within the body, mind and spirit and treating them as a whole. It has been practiced for about 5,000 years. The Chinese also use a system that has become popular in the Western culture called, Chinese Medicine--which is more familiar to most. Ayurvedic practices categorize everything in our day to day life into 5 elements.  Earth, wind, fire, air and space.  Ayurveda is about creating health, rather than treating disease.

Balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

Every single person has a unique make up of these elements in their body from the time of conception, if you are a fiery person, this will be the first element out of whack--this is your Dosha presenting itself. 

So, if you look at the seasons and combine them with the elements, you can determine where and why you might be out of balance.

Summer is fire/pitta season--hot, humid
Early fall and winter are air/space, vata season--cold, windy
Late winter and spring are earth/water kapha seasons--heavy wet snow and ice.

I am a pitta person(hot), so summer can be a challenging time for me. As the elements in the environment increase, my heat inside my body also increases. Running in the hot sun can ignite my fire or an intense work out, making me feel symptoms of anger, irritability, envious, competitive, and likely to gossip. You might also experience acne, headaches, stomach acid, and diarrhea.

Read more about Pittas here

So, in order to try and bring back balance to your body, Ayruvedic practices believe it is good to not feed the fire of you primary Dosha. Mine, being pitta, I must do yoga asanas that have lost of twisting and balance--focusing on my breath.

 Foods are also a very big part of the Ayruvedic lifestyle. Foods have many elements and can heat and cool the body, thus affecting our moods, appetites, and mental state. 

Ayruveda can be used in every day lifestyles from the foods we eat, to the exercise we do.
Balance is always trying to be obtained, but never will be.

 
www.gobodhiyoga.com

Gunas

I have recently finished a Yoga Teacher Training at Bodhi Yoga. I t was wonderful and I learned so much--I am still processing everything. I mostly did the class for myself and to heal my body, mind and spirit, but one day I do hope to teach others the beauty of yoga and meditation.  I needed to be healthier in every way and have received some valuable tools.

As part of my training I am supposed to write a blog entry about Gunas and yoga practice.

There are three main Gunas that manifest physically in everything we do. In yoga they manifest themselves as lines of energy, the struggle of the pose and intention of the practice.  After we have moved into a yoga pose, the energy flowing in us and our bodies alignment are symbiotic-they both benefit.  The gunas, in Yoga are necessary to achieve the union of the body, mind and spirit-you must work with your body to decided which guna will present it self in that particular pose.

RAJAS
Rajas movements are spirals from side to side, inward and outward of a pose, and forward and backwards. The movement of rajas is passionate, insistent, energetic, and dynamic. The emotional rajas will present itself in anger, willingness, manipulation. A person who is extremely active or passionate would possess a lot of rajas.

TAMAS
Tamas movements would be strong, deep and internally focused. The deep reflection inward and the extension of the hands high above the head to the bottoms of the feet would be tamasic practice. Tamas is heaviness or lethargy, inability to reprieve-ignorant. The subconscious mind is present with a tamasic approach creating fear and holds one back form trying a posture, receiving hands on adjustments, or to re-coil from yoga practice. The emotional movements are slothfulness, inattentive, and low vitality.

SATTVA
Sattvic movements are light, clear, delicate, and graceful. Sattva is stillness or balanced. It could be present in a balancing posture and also the center point of your practice. Sattva is non judgmental and when we free ourselves from negative thoughts or emotions to achieve the pure enlightenment. Sattvic approach to yoga would be balance in all things, a pure joy along with the challenge and suffering.

http://www.gobodhiyoga.com/

Food after my heart

I know valentines has come and gone, but these recipes are after my own heart.
They all look so delicious!!!  

I love mushrooms, cheeses and fresh ingredients and these recipes have them all!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/vegetarian-valentines-recipes?sub=2984750_2408553 

I am going to try this one tonight,  roasted chestnut and Brussels sprouts.

Amazing food site

One of my new favorite food sites....

//Check it out//

http://www.101cookbooks.com/index.html 

Beets

My favorite beets salad (fiy not one for details, hope this is not too vague.)

Ingredients:

* 3 Med. Cooked Beets (Cubed) -boil beets until tender and remove from heat, put in cold water and remove skins.

* Handful of Rosemary (Chopped)

* Handful of Sunflower Seeds

* Handful of Walnuts (Chopped)

* 2 TBS. Balsamic Vinegar

* 2 TBS. Olive or Grape Seed Oil

* 1 Tbs. of Honey

* Salt and Pepper to taste

*Cube the cooked beets, chop the nuts and herbs, mix together in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar and honey. Pour over beet mixture, Add salt and pepper. 

**It is a real simple recipe. You cant mess it up. Add more of anything or lees. I don't like it too sweet but you might want to add more honey.

 ***So fresh. So yummy. So healthy!

*handful of chopped walnuts (sorry no picture)

-Quinoa-

There have been many requests of recipes for quinoa-(ki*nwa). I use it as a side dish or a main course. You can have fun with this. So many variations of quinoa. If I want to keep it simple, I add fresh cilantro, a dollop of butter, salt and pepper. I love the taste of quinoa with out anything added. Its so delicious.

Read about the health benefits of Quinoa here.

Here are some delicious recipes I have found.

Green Kitchen Stories

Here

Ziplist

Here  

Closet Cooking

Here

Gluten Free Goodness

Here

Amazing Carrot Soup

Such a yummy and pretty winter soup!

Recipe found here from Fine Cooking

A few optional suggestions:

•I added (actually my husband added) a pinch of nutmeg and cayenne.

•I added one glove of minced garlic. I add garlic to almost every soup.

•I also added about 1/4 cup of cream-It just makes it a bit more creamy 

and makes it looks oh so pretty!

Dr.Weil-Food Pyramid

I love Dr. Andrew Weil. He is so knowledgeable and I agree with his way of living and eating, we should all be doing what he says.

This food guide pyramid should be the new one we use and live by.

For a larger view and printable of the pyramid click here

Visit Dr. Weil's site here 

*I don't' do the wine thing though, but everything else I sure try.

“Following an anti-inflammatory diet can help counteract the chronic inflammation that is a root cause of many serious diseases, including those that become more frequent as people age. It is a way of selecting and preparing foods based on science that can help people achieve and maintain optimum health over their lifetime.” 
 

Therapeutic Oils

(a blessing in my life at this time)
I have now used therapeutic oils for several years, pretty much since I was 18-I started wearing patchouli and sandalwood, my two favorites. Of course everyone in high school said they didn't like the smell, you either love them or hate them. I Love them! In the last 11 years I have used several brands such as, Young Living, Aurora Essence, Butterfly Express, Tru Essence, Aura Caica, a few others and  now DoTerra. You may have heard of all or some of these brands. Lately, I have been hearing and seeing DoTerra EVERYWHERE. Sometimes it's a bit much, but I too love this brand.

I believe things are liked sometimes because it might be a bit trendy, whatever the reason, essential oils really work. Not all brands work though. This is why I switched over to DoTerra. The oils are sometimes mixed with a carrier oil. These carrier oils go rancid just like a nut. The pure oil will NEVER go rancid. All the brands I mentioned EXCEPT DoTerra, have now gone rancid and I no longer use them. DoTerra is not mixed with any other carrier oil, maybe one or two of them are. They are 100% pure therapeutic grade oils. You can actually ingest quite a few of them. It is amazing how just breathing these oils in can help with your life.

*********************************************************************

Since my life has been so emotional these days and so stressful, I have found some oils that seriously saved me. I can't say enough about how much they elevate my mood.
Seriously.
I put a drop of each oil on my finger and mix them with almond/coconut oil and rub them on the back of my neck and feet. 

So here they are:

Serenity: Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, YlangYlang, Sandalwood, Vanilla Bean Extract

Balance: Spruce, Rosewood, Frankincense, BlueTansy

Whisper: Patchouli, Bergamot, Sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine, Cinnamon, Citrus, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang, Cocoa and Vanilla

In Tune:Amyris, Patchouli, Frankincense, Lime, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, and Roman Chamomile

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

History of Aromatherapy/Essential Oils

Aromatherapy can be traced back more than 3,500 years before the birth of Christ.

At this time ancient Egyptians first burned incense made from aromatic herbs and spices in honor of their gods. They believed that as the smoke rose up to the heavens, it would carry their prayers to the Gods. The history of aromatherapy in many ways is part of the history of herbal medicine. The Arabic countries were the first to distill oils. In Ancient Greece, the Hippocrates used aromatic herbs and spices to treat his patients. Queen Elizabeth I also used spices and oils.   

In 1922, when King Tut's tomb was opened, 50 alabaster jars designed to hold 350 liters of oils were discovered.  While tomb robbers had stolen nearly all of the precious oils, some of the jars still contained oil traces.  The robbers chose oils over gold, showing how valuable essential oils were to this ancient civilizations.

In 1817, the Ebers Papyrus, a medical scroll over 870 feet long, was discovered.  Dating back to 1500 B.C., the scroll had over 800 different herbal prescriptions and remedies.  Many mixtures contained myrrh and honey. Myrrh was also used for embalming due to its ability to prevent bacterial growth.
I believe the ancient people had a greater understanding of essential oils than we do today.

**Essential Oils are highly concentrated substances. For example:
Pure rose oil requires 5,000 roses to make 5 ml. That is why they can be so costly.

Oils are amazing, right? If you would like to try some, I sell them.
Contact me. Heal yourself and your family.
Email: www.tbwizzer@htomail.com

Sources: Natural Home Remedies by:B Phil
               Relaxation by:Paragon Publishing