Benefits of Stretching

Benefits of Stretching:
- increases vitality
- protects from injury
- increases flexibility
- strengthens the body
- improves muscle tone
- re-aligns the body so that it functions effectively
- regulates the internal organs, keeping all systems functioning efficiently
- slows the aging process
- enhances concentration
- fights depression

Stretching also assists in the elimination of lactic acid in the muscles that cause muscle cramps and post-training aches and pains. This is extremely important if you run or work out often, and by stretching fully after a workout you will increase your endurance and reduce post workout aches.

Stretching before a workout can do more harm than good; you should do a light warm up with dynamic stretching (such as walking lunges) before exercise and static stretching after.

Emotional Energy Centers of the Body

I. Throat Center - self-expression issues - lack of trust - inability to speak your feelings - lack of nurturingII. Burden Area - burdens and responsibilities - carrying a heavy load - weight of the world on your shouldersIII. Heart Center - grief, sorrow, sadness, and loss - emptiness of the heart or a lack of love - helplessness, aloneness, disillusionment - embarrassment, shame, humiliation - repressed feelings and disappointment - cruelty and meannessIV. Fear Center - fears and phobias - loss of control or the fear of losing control - giving our power to another person - relationships

Homemade Veggie Dip!

This veggie dip has a nice kick from the cayenne pepper and minced garlic. I do not use mayonnaise or sour cream either... the base is Greek yogurt! The empty spot will be filled with celery tomorrow which I let chill in water overnight so that they are crispier.

- 1 17.6 oz. containers of plain Greek yogurt

- 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

- 2 tbsp. minced onion (I used fresh but dried can be substituted as well)

- 1 tsp. garlic salt

- 2 tsp. dill weed (fresh or dry)

- 1 tsp. paprika

- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

- 1 clove minced fresh garlic

Mix together and chill for at least an hour to let the flavors settle. And of course, everything is more fun with a glass of wine. Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Even though it is starting to warm up out there, this soup still gets the job done. Full of healthy tidbits and still tastes delicious!

 

You will need:
- 2-3 lb. stewing chicken
- 1 qt. water
- 1 qt. chicken stock
- 1 med. onion, diced
- 6-8 carrots, diced
- 1 bunch celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- salt/pepper
- olive oil
- egg noodles
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. rosemary, crushed

Step 1: In a large soup pot, drizzle 2 tbsp. olive oil and add the onions and garlic. Cook over medium low heat for about 2-3 minutes until translucent; add desired amount of salt and pepper while they are cooking. Next add the carrots and cook for another minute; add thyme and rosemary. Add the celery, cook another minute.
Step 2: Add the stewing chicken, water, chicken stock, and a bay leaf (or two) to the pot. Bring to a boil, skim any fat, reduce heat to simmer, and cover for 2 hours.
Step 3: Remove chicken from soup, let cool, and debone. Skim any fat and put the shredded chicken back in the pot. Cook egg noodles and enjoy!

Benefits of Brahmi!

Gotu Kola, Centella asiatica, also know as Brahmi "the greatest of great"

This ancient, traditional herb contains the triterpenoids: asiaticoside, centelloside, and madecassoside. These powerful components make this medicinal herb useful in a range of complications and prevention of further damage.

• promote cell apoptosis; cytotoxic towards many different cancer cells
• increases the tone of connective tissue
• accelerate healing process of burns, keloids, and wounds (enhance collagen production and reduces scar tissue)
• lowers blood pressure and reduce leg edema (keep blood vessels strong, maintains resistance of the veins, and enhances blood flow)
• mild adaptogen (enhances the body's ability to resist a stressor)
• fatigue, depression, anxiety (assist in producing neurotransmitters)
• protects against neurodegeneration
• mild diuretic
• anti-inflammatory
• heightens mental function; improves memory and learning capabilities (useful for ADD/ADHD)
• restore some of the memory loss of Alzheimer's disease
• nourish, support, and rejuvenate the liver and kidneys
• Himalayan yogis used Brahmi to aid in meditation and yoga by calming and awakening the mind for a clear, steady practice.

Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet?

 

  Have you heard about Mycobacterium vaccae yet? It is a type of good bacteria that you breathe in when you spend time in nature or dig in your garden. M. vaccae was discovered on accident during an experiment to find a cure for lung cancer, after boosting the immune system it was also observed that patients “emotional health, vitality, and cognitive function” had improved.

My First Taste of Freedom – Part 1

What happened to me?!...I have had some strange experiences since November of 2012. This is when I first felt an overwhelming surge of energy through my body that seemed to collect in my bottom lip. The lower lip got so tight and puckered that I couldn't force a smile, and I did my best to act normal so that nobody would notice. When this happened for the first time, I also smelled electricity. The kind of smell that I can only compare to the haunted house rides at a fair, where you ride through on low budget metal track in a rusty cart. The first time I felt this was during a high energy, life and death moment and I could not sleep that night. I blamed it on the adrenaline, and perhaps it was.

The many benefits of Garlic!

Another one of the simple remedies that I wanted to start my blog with is raw, crushed garlic. Garlic is a native to Central Asia, one of the oldest cultivated plants, and predates written history. Garlic remedies have been recorded in Sanskrit documents for about 5,000 years and its use in China goes back 3,000 years. An Egyptian medical papyrus, the Ebers Codex, dates the use of garlic to about 1550 B.C.E. for many ailments, while Hippocrates, Aristotle, and Pliny also cited many uses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga Sutras

Yoga: arriving at a place we have not been before; a science of the mind; to bring two things together- unite. The roots of Yoga can be traced back roughly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley civilization where the first seals depicting people performing asanas are found.

Those seeking to go beyond habituated thought and the stressful, distracting demands of materialist society are drawn to the meditative practices of yoga. Yoga reunites all opposites, using practices and systems dealing with regulations and exercises, to bring reconciliation between them. There are many styles that all stem from the same concept of sustaining a lucid, balanced mind; waking up the sleeping soul. The goal is to direct the mind to a state of stillness, without any distraction, while you remain conscious; achieving Kaivalya (freedom). Through practice you understand the purity, clarity, and maturity of intelligence.

Of course, there really is no goal when you practice asana or kriyas, the benefits will come when you enjoy the practice with an open mind and fresh insight. By focusing on the bandhas, "to bind or tie together", you will intensify the cleansing of pranayama and clear any energy blocks. These are "locks" in your body. The three most important are jalandhara bandha (involving the neck and upper spine), uddiyana bandha (between the diaphragm and floor of the pelvis), and mula bandha (between the navel and floor of the pelvis).