New Arrivals CASTRO STREET:
1. Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Bigfoot 750ml(limit 1 per customer)
2. Sierra Nevada Ovila Quad with Plums
3. Midnight Sun Obliteration IX Double IPA
4. Midgnight Sun My Bloody Valentine
5. Alesmith Decadence 2012(limit 1 per customer)
6. Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial
7. Pretty Things Baby Tree Quad
8. Moonlight Meadery "Sumptuous"
9. Moonlight Meadery "Desire"
10. Struise Pannepot 2011
11. DuPont Avec Les Bons Voeux Magnums
12. Widmer Brothers' Reserve Chocolate Imperial Russian Stout
13. Lagunitas Sucks 6 packs
14. Hangar 24 Double IPA
15. Shipyard Smashed Blueberry Imperial Porter
16. Krusovice Cerne Dark Lager
17. Krusovice Imperial Premium Lager
18. Eggenberger Doppelbock
19. Eggenberger Ur-bock
20. Wandering Aengus Anthem Cider
New glassware from St. Bernardus, La Rulles, Rodenbach, Delerium, Lucifer, Straffe Hendrik,Cuvee Des Jacobins, Bellegems, Brasserie Des Rocs, Eggenberg, The Bruery and More!
Cheers,
Dave Hauslein
Beer Manager
415-255-0610
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Yoga and The Pursuit of Happiness
by Nina
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” — Declaration of Independence, United States of America
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it was a bit surprising that one of the three “unalienable rights” the U.S. Declaration of Independence recognizes is “the pursuit of happiness.” In contrast, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen defines the natural rights of man as: liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression. And it’s quite interesting to contemplate what our founders meant when they used the word “happiness” in this context. From what I can tell, hundreds of years later, there is still quite a bit of debate about it.
On the other hand, the Yoga Sutras make it pretty clear what “happiness” means to a yoga practitioner.
2.42 Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. —translation by Barbara Stoler Miller
And if you’re wondering what “contentment” means, in his translation of the Yoga Sutras, TKV Desikachar provides an explanation that I really love: “Contentment or the ability to be comfortable with what we have and what we do not have.”
I’m thinking about happiness this morning because I woke up with a troubled mind. There’s a problem I can’t solve right now, and maybe will never be able to solve. But I decided that I didn’t want to dwell in that troubled state, and consciously decided to let go of my negative thoughts for the time being. I wasn't particularly trying to be happy, just not weighted down by frustration and anger—in other words, more “content.” Then as I started to work at my computer, I stumbled on to some online instructions for how to fold fitted bottom sheets. Hey, I always wanted to know how to do that! So I ran downstairs and grabbed one of my mashed-up bottom sheets and refolded it. The results weren’t as perfect as shown in the instructions (which were for sheets that just had elasticized corners—mine are elasticized all around), but the technique was a great improvement over the one I’d previously been using (well, calling that a technique is a bit of a stretch). And as I stood there admiring the rather attractive rectangle I had created, I was shot through with a tiny burst of happiness.
It struck me then that by quieting my negative thoughts and achieving a more contented state, I had given happiness the space to arise. And I was reminded of Edwin Bryant’s translation of sutra 2.42 and his commentary on it:
2.42 From contentment, the highest happiness is attained.
“This sattvic happiness does not depend on external objects, which are vulnerable and fleeting, but is inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content.”
So maybe yoga is the pursuit of happiness. For if happiness is “inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content” then the practice of yoga, whose aim is equanimity or contentment, will lead you toward happiness. The Yoga Sutras make it clear which steps to take on that journey:
1.12 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.
1.33 Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy, and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.
1.34 Or, by maintaining the pensive state felt at the time of soft and steady exhalation and during passive retention after exhalation.
1.35 Or, by contemplating an object that helps to maintain steadiness of mind and consciousness.
—translation by BKS Iyengar
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” — Declaration of Independence, United States of America
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it was a bit surprising that one of the three “unalienable rights” the U.S. Declaration of Independence recognizes is “the pursuit of happiness.” In contrast, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen defines the natural rights of man as: liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression. And it’s quite interesting to contemplate what our founders meant when they used the word “happiness” in this context. From what I can tell, hundreds of years later, there is still quite a bit of debate about it.
On the other hand, the Yoga Sutras make it pretty clear what “happiness” means to a yoga practitioner.
2.42 Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. —translation by Barbara Stoler Miller
And if you’re wondering what “contentment” means, in his translation of the Yoga Sutras, TKV Desikachar provides an explanation that I really love: “Contentment or the ability to be comfortable with what we have and what we do not have.”
I’m thinking about happiness this morning because I woke up with a troubled mind. There’s a problem I can’t solve right now, and maybe will never be able to solve. But I decided that I didn’t want to dwell in that troubled state, and consciously decided to let go of my negative thoughts for the time being. I wasn't particularly trying to be happy, just not weighted down by frustration and anger—in other words, more “content.” Then as I started to work at my computer, I stumbled on to some online instructions for how to fold fitted bottom sheets. Hey, I always wanted to know how to do that! So I ran downstairs and grabbed one of my mashed-up bottom sheets and refolded it. The results weren’t as perfect as shown in the instructions (which were for sheets that just had elasticized corners—mine are elasticized all around), but the technique was a great improvement over the one I’d previously been using (well, calling that a technique is a bit of a stretch). And as I stood there admiring the rather attractive rectangle I had created, I was shot through with a tiny burst of happiness.
2.42 From contentment, the highest happiness is attained.
“This sattvic happiness does not depend on external objects, which are vulnerable and fleeting, but is inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content.”
So maybe yoga is the pursuit of happiness. For if happiness is “inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content” then the practice of yoga, whose aim is equanimity or contentment, will lead you toward happiness. The Yoga Sutras make it clear which steps to take on that journey:
1.12 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.
1.33 Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy, and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.
1.34 Or, by maintaining the pensive state felt at the time of soft and steady exhalation and during passive retention after exhalation.
1.35 Or, by contemplating an object that helps to maintain steadiness of mind and consciousness.
—translation by BKS Iyengar
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Degenerative Disk Disease and Yoga
by Baxter
In my ongoing attempts to stay up on the developing information about yoga, aging and health, I look at other online sources of new information. One such resource is the online site called Yoga U, which sends out a periodic newsletter as well as offering special live interactive webinars on a variety of topics and yoga. (I’ll be doing a webinar for them in May on “Yoga and the Digestive System” so stay tuned!) As I was preparing for my Sunday session at Yoga Journal Conference last week “Yoga for Arthritis,” I came across a piece on Yoga U about a recent study that looked at degenerative disc disease.
Degenerative disc disease is a process of change to the cushion-like discs found between the vertebrae or spinal bones. It most commonly affects the discs in the neck/cervical region and the lumber/lower back region. There is some ongoing debate on whether the deterioration of the discs is a natural part of the aging process (since it is seen in people without symptoms of back or neck pain in gradually increasing percentages as we age) or whether it is directly related to an abnormal condition of change in the discs. It is really part of the general wear and tear arthritic changes we see in other joints, as the discs represent a unique kind of cushion structure that is similar to the cartilage caps found on the ends of other bones in major joints of movement. But it is different from the regular cartilage in other joints in that it is a larger structure, not adherent to the vertebrae above and below it, as well as having a unique structure that distributes the intense force of gravity that travels down the spine in a specialized way.
Despite our uncertainty as to a direct correlation between the presence of degenerative disc disease and back and neck pain, I have LOTS of patients and students who have both situations present together. So if I knew of something to offer them that could decrease the development of degenerative disc disease, I would be hopeful it would also reduce their chances of pain as well. The study discussed on Yoga U, which was originally published in the European Health Journal, March 2011, compared the spines of long time yoga teachers, via MRI imaging, to those of a matched group who did not do yoga. Lo and behold, the yoga teachers, who had been teaching for at least 10 years, had significantly less degenerative disc disease.
The study, done in Taiwan, looked at yoga teachers that practiced a gentle and slow form of yoga. I found this quite compelling, since much of the yoga we recommend here at YFHA is somewhat gentle, and we always recommend moving mindfully into and out of poses. Those of our readers who practice similarly could benefit from this style of practice in regards to their spinal health. The researchers matched the yoga teachers and the control group for age, sex, general health and all were non-smokers. (Why non-smokers, you might ask? Smoking is considered a risk factor on its own for increased chance of back pain.) Even though yoga teachers had less degenerative disk disease in all areas of the spine compared to the control group, within the teachers themselves there was less degenerative disk disease in the cervical spine versus the lumbar spine. Finally, the researchers concluded that their results suggest that hatha yoga may have slowed the natural aging process in the discs.
They hypothesized that a combination of factors, such as stretching and positioning of the spine, as well as decreased weight-bearing on the spine while practicing yoga, may allow for more nutrients to diffuse or enter the spinal discs. Whatever the reasons, these are surely encouraging results! However, as always with these initial studies, this early evidence warrants further studies with larger groups of people. In the meantime, I am going to continue with my gentle, slow yoga, with the intention that my discs are benefiting every day. Won’t you join me?
In my ongoing attempts to stay up on the developing information about yoga, aging and health, I look at other online sources of new information. One such resource is the online site called Yoga U, which sends out a periodic newsletter as well as offering special live interactive webinars on a variety of topics and yoga. (I’ll be doing a webinar for them in May on “Yoga and the Digestive System” so stay tuned!) As I was preparing for my Sunday session at Yoga Journal Conference last week “Yoga for Arthritis,” I came across a piece on Yoga U about a recent study that looked at degenerative disc disease.
Degenerative disc disease is a process of change to the cushion-like discs found between the vertebrae or spinal bones. It most commonly affects the discs in the neck/cervical region and the lumber/lower back region. There is some ongoing debate on whether the deterioration of the discs is a natural part of the aging process (since it is seen in people without symptoms of back or neck pain in gradually increasing percentages as we age) or whether it is directly related to an abnormal condition of change in the discs. It is really part of the general wear and tear arthritic changes we see in other joints, as the discs represent a unique kind of cushion structure that is similar to the cartilage caps found on the ends of other bones in major joints of movement. But it is different from the regular cartilage in other joints in that it is a larger structure, not adherent to the vertebrae above and below it, as well as having a unique structure that distributes the intense force of gravity that travels down the spine in a specialized way.
 |
| Spinal Vertebrae and Discs |
The study, done in Taiwan, looked at yoga teachers that practiced a gentle and slow form of yoga. I found this quite compelling, since much of the yoga we recommend here at YFHA is somewhat gentle, and we always recommend moving mindfully into and out of poses. Those of our readers who practice similarly could benefit from this style of practice in regards to their spinal health. The researchers matched the yoga teachers and the control group for age, sex, general health and all were non-smokers. (Why non-smokers, you might ask? Smoking is considered a risk factor on its own for increased chance of back pain.) Even though yoga teachers had less degenerative disk disease in all areas of the spine compared to the control group, within the teachers themselves there was less degenerative disk disease in the cervical spine versus the lumbar spine. Finally, the researchers concluded that their results suggest that hatha yoga may have slowed the natural aging process in the discs.
They hypothesized that a combination of factors, such as stretching and positioning of the spine, as well as decreased weight-bearing on the spine while practicing yoga, may allow for more nutrients to diffuse or enter the spinal discs. Whatever the reasons, these are surely encouraging results! However, as always with these initial studies, this early evidence warrants further studies with larger groups of people. In the meantime, I am going to continue with my gentle, slow yoga, with the intention that my discs are benefiting every day. Won’t you join me?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Reaching Out to Encourage
Holley challenged us this week to reach out to someone and share our God-sized dreams with them. I have actually been doing this all along- my dad and my friend Rae Ann. A little bit about each of them will follow and then an update of where things are! ** I am linking up to Holley in her God-Sized dream post
My Dad- Bill- not even sure where to start- other than to say that he has always (along with my mom but she doesn't blog) been my biggest supporters. They encourage me to take risks and step out of my comfort zone and are right there praying along with me. He always makes it a point to comment on my blog when I post and he sure pushes me (in a good way) to always seek out God's truths and His purpose for my life. He has never belittled my dreams and in fact has encouraged me to pursue every single one of them. From looking at athletic training in high school to changing career directions in college to moving 1000 miles away after graduation to pursuing this health coaching dream. I know that I can go to him with ANYTHING and trust that he will pray for me about it. He has set the bar high ;) (which could be why I am still waiting in my singleness... LOL). I love my parents and treasure any time spent with them and talking to them. My only regret is that I don't get to do it more often and that I live 6 hours away from them.
My friend Rae Ann :) What can I say about her? Well, she's crazy, fun, an amazing spin and Zumba! instructor and friend. She has been another that has encouraged me from day 1 of this journey. All the way back in June when she went to my first spin class with me so I didn't have to go it alone. She will post things on my FB wall if she sees them, sends me messages or texts to encourage, and she even has sent me information about a class taking place in May. She pushes me also- in a different way than my parents. She is a runner also so she helps me in that way for sure (my dad is a cyclist not a runner so no help there) She encourages me to dream and dream big!
As you can see- I have an AMAZING support system because those are just two of the encouragers I have pushing me and supporting me! And, because of that support I start one of those classes I mentioned in this post this week! Eek!
Anger Management: Philosophy, Science and Yoga
by Ram
The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and serves as a guiding manual for the daily conduct of life, spiritual uplift and self-realization. It is a treatise addressed to each and every individual to help him or her to solve life’s daily problems and progress towards a bright future (see also Nina’s post Acceptance, Active Engagement and the Bhagavad Gita).
Growing up in an extended family in India, we were regularly counseled by the elders on the spiritual foundations of human existence based on the principles of the Bhagavad Gita. Particularly striking and fascinating within its eighteen chapters are several references to sound mental health, which declare that the very goal of any human activity is to achieve a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.
One particular verse that triggered my interest was regarding the death of an individual triggered by rage and anger.
“From anger comes delusion. From delusion loss of memory. From loss of memory the destruction of discrimination. From destruction of discrimination, the individual perishes.” —trans. by Swami Chidbhavananda
According to the textual commentary, the ignorant mind thinks that worldly objects will give it pleasure and happiness. Continuous thinking about the objects of senses creates attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and when the desire is not fulfilled, one gets angry (krodha), that in turn leads to delusion (moha) and confused memory (smriti). The confusion of memory causes destruction of reasoning (buddhi) due to which an individual is ruined and dies.
I used to recall this relationship between anger and death during my college days and as a graduate student in neurosciences. How did these divine preachers suspect that anger could trigger the demise of an individual? Is there a causal relationship? What molecular pathways connect rage/anger to the death of a person?
Research from several diverse groups, including health professionals, behavioral scientists, psychologists and others, indicates that rage and anger are definitely hazardous to health. A high level of rage/anger has a powerful effect on the incidence of preventable cardiovascular death. Evidence indicates that anger evokes physiological responses that are potentially life threatening in triggering Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
“When we are angry, not only do we spew out negativity to someone else, but our own body chemistry changes, and these changes can be harmful to our health” —James S. Brooks & Peter Anselmo from Ayurvedic Secrets to Longevity & Total Health
Anger triggers increased platelet activation and thrombosis, resulting in unwanted, pathological, and life-threatening clot formation. Anger also increases vulnerability to illnesses, compromises the immune system, increases lipid levels, exacerbates pain, and produces vasoconstriction of narrowed arteries. Finally, anger has been associated with chronic over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. This increased sympathetic activity has been shown to result in increased blood pressure and heart rate, and alterations of ventricular function.
In addition, anger triggers the release of free fatty acids into the bloodstream, and elevates the levels of circulating catecholamines and corticosteroids, all of which ultimately trigger heart disease. According to the American Heart Association and National Institute on Aging, CHD patients with higher levels of anger/hostility are also more likely to engage in CHD-risk behaviors, such as, smoking, overeating, decreased physical activity, decreased sleep, and increased use of alcohol and drugs. Thus, it is imperative to understand the significance of the pathways that connect anger to death. Once a seeker understands these pathways, he or she can then master the technique of controlling/processing the anger process.
In the post by Nina, Baxter recommends pranayama techniques and certain specific asanas to curb anger and achieve calmness. Another method to control/process anger is through meditation (dhyana), the cheapest and simplest recourse to a healthy body and mind.
Meditation transcends gender, race, skin color, profession, monetary status and, above all, religion. It does not require any elaborate setup, materials, clothes, space, doctors, nurses, or hospitals. Anyone who has the time and interest can practice meditation. Its benefits are immense and it is becoming mainstream. While meditation does not cure a person of anger, a person who has a meditation practice sees and reacts to anger differently. The individual will not only have the capacity to transcend the anger process but this person will not evoke the same physical and emotional reactions that are commonly seen in a person who does not meditate. Awareness to the thought and its flow, and awareness to anger arising inside can have remedial effects. And all this can be helpful in the journey to the center.
The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and serves as a guiding manual for the daily conduct of life, spiritual uplift and self-realization. It is a treatise addressed to each and every individual to help him or her to solve life’s daily problems and progress towards a bright future (see also Nina’s post Acceptance, Active Engagement and the Bhagavad Gita).
Growing up in an extended family in India, we were regularly counseled by the elders on the spiritual foundations of human existence based on the principles of the Bhagavad Gita. Particularly striking and fascinating within its eighteen chapters are several references to sound mental health, which declare that the very goal of any human activity is to achieve a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.
One particular verse that triggered my interest was regarding the death of an individual triggered by rage and anger.
Krodhad bhavati sammohah, sammohat smrti-vibhramah!
smrti-bhramsad buddhi-naso, buddhi-nasat pranasyati!!
“From anger comes delusion. From delusion loss of memory. From loss of memory the destruction of discrimination. From destruction of discrimination, the individual perishes.” —trans. by Swami Chidbhavananda
According to the textual commentary, the ignorant mind thinks that worldly objects will give it pleasure and happiness. Continuous thinking about the objects of senses creates attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and when the desire is not fulfilled, one gets angry (krodha), that in turn leads to delusion (moha) and confused memory (smriti). The confusion of memory causes destruction of reasoning (buddhi) due to which an individual is ruined and dies.
 |
| Prickly Catcus by Brad Gibson |
Research from several diverse groups, including health professionals, behavioral scientists, psychologists and others, indicates that rage and anger are definitely hazardous to health. A high level of rage/anger has a powerful effect on the incidence of preventable cardiovascular death. Evidence indicates that anger evokes physiological responses that are potentially life threatening in triggering Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
“When we are angry, not only do we spew out negativity to someone else, but our own body chemistry changes, and these changes can be harmful to our health” —James S. Brooks & Peter Anselmo from Ayurvedic Secrets to Longevity & Total Health
Anger triggers increased platelet activation and thrombosis, resulting in unwanted, pathological, and life-threatening clot formation. Anger also increases vulnerability to illnesses, compromises the immune system, increases lipid levels, exacerbates pain, and produces vasoconstriction of narrowed arteries. Finally, anger has been associated with chronic over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. This increased sympathetic activity has been shown to result in increased blood pressure and heart rate, and alterations of ventricular function.
In addition, anger triggers the release of free fatty acids into the bloodstream, and elevates the levels of circulating catecholamines and corticosteroids, all of which ultimately trigger heart disease. According to the American Heart Association and National Institute on Aging, CHD patients with higher levels of anger/hostility are also more likely to engage in CHD-risk behaviors, such as, smoking, overeating, decreased physical activity, decreased sleep, and increased use of alcohol and drugs. Thus, it is imperative to understand the significance of the pathways that connect anger to death. Once a seeker understands these pathways, he or she can then master the technique of controlling/processing the anger process.
In the post by Nina, Baxter recommends pranayama techniques and certain specific asanas to curb anger and achieve calmness. Another method to control/process anger is through meditation (dhyana), the cheapest and simplest recourse to a healthy body and mind.
Meditation transcends gender, race, skin color, profession, monetary status and, above all, religion. It does not require any elaborate setup, materials, clothes, space, doctors, nurses, or hospitals. Anyone who has the time and interest can practice meditation. Its benefits are immense and it is becoming mainstream. While meditation does not cure a person of anger, a person who has a meditation practice sees and reacts to anger differently. The individual will not only have the capacity to transcend the anger process but this person will not evoke the same physical and emotional reactions that are commonly seen in a person who does not meditate. Awareness to the thought and its flow, and awareness to anger arising inside can have remedial effects. And all this can be helpful in the journey to the center.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
A Few Days later...
I have no excuse for not posting other than life. This week was a little busy and I took a little time off of running except for Tuesday and Friday. Last Saturday (1/12) I ran race #2 in my 13 in 2013. It was a virtual run that was a fundraiser for Sandy Hook. I ran it outside (and might I add that the temp was about 60* and I ran in short sleeves- quite the opposite from the week before). Anyway, I was going to attempt a 5-6 mile run however, I cam in just short of 4. About mile 1 I started having issues with my knee- judging by the symptoms and what I read it looks like it's my IT band SO, this week I foam rolled, stretched it good before and after running, and bought two knee braces (#1 I wore Tuesday and it hurt by the mile point so tried a different kind on Friday and it worked much better and I did a 5K on the treadmill in 37:22.) I went with the treadmill for two reasons- one, we had quite a bit of ice out there plus it was cool and two, I wanted to be at home in case my knee gave me the issues from the week before.
Okay, back to the SH virtual run. I started having issues but I knew I had to finish- my thoughts just kept going back to the fact that those babies, those moms and dads, those teachers suffered/are suffering through so much worse than a fussy knee and I needed to give my all for them. So, give my all I did... You can see the picture below (it's a collage)for a look at the bib- it listed all of the victims of that day.
My next race is scheduled to be next Friday (the 25th)- they are calling for rain turning into snow so it's a possibility that it will be on the treadmill once again. I need to start getting some more outdoor running in but my schedule doesn't allow it during the week so I need to increase my mileage on the treadmill but it's so boring at times. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how to approach it? I thought about covering up the screen but at the same time I like to see where I am. I usually put music on but if anyone has any suggestions that would be great. I do try to play around with the incline while I am on it. I think that tomorrow (since it's supposed to be COLD in the morning and when I am off I like to run in the morning) I will try a treadmill interval workout I found and see how that goes- do you have a favorite?
Okay, back to the SH virtual run. I started having issues but I knew I had to finish- my thoughts just kept going back to the fact that those babies, those moms and dads, those teachers suffered/are suffering through so much worse than a fussy knee and I needed to give my all for them. So, give my all I did... You can see the picture below (it's a collage)for a look at the bib- it listed all of the victims of that day.
My next race is scheduled to be next Friday (the 25th)- they are calling for rain turning into snow so it's a possibility that it will be on the treadmill once again. I need to start getting some more outdoor running in but my schedule doesn't allow it during the week so I need to increase my mileage on the treadmill but it's so boring at times. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how to approach it? I thought about covering up the screen but at the same time I like to see where I am. I usually put music on but if anyone has any suggestions that would be great. I do try to play around with the incline while I am on it. I think that tomorrow (since it's supposed to be COLD in the morning and when I am off I like to run in the morning) I will try a treadmill interval workout I found and see how that goes- do you have a favorite?
Friday, January 18, 2013
Simple is Healthy
 |
| Simple is Healthy! |
Simple is Healthy ~ Food, Part 1
YES…I have lots to say about keeping it simple and being such a chatter box, and trying not to jump too hard on the soap box, I knew this was going to become a series of SIMPLE. I came across a quote that struck me “90% of people avoided obesity and diabetes long before anyone knew what a calorie was let alone counted them…let’s make “healthy” healthy again” and it ended with the word…SIMPLE.
WOW, I thought on that and realized just how dynamic and powerful this statement was to me and how true it is for my life. As a child, my parents modeled living from the land in our back yard and boy do I ever remember how my weekends were spent…pulling weeds from the garden. Talk about a bitter sweet chore as a child…dirty hands, dirty knees, blisters…and the smell of tomato leaves so strong it could choke you…anyone relate? Fruit trees adorned our backyard, and my Dad was a master grafter trying to create the perfect blend of fabulous fruit flavors. I could walk in the garden and pluck a vine ripe tomato or enjoy an apple from one of our many trees…Simple. What I am trying to say by sharing a small glimpse into my childhood is that food should be simple, and for me…simple is healthy. Part one of this Blog, I will be covering food and what simple means for my Stay Healthy Life and as it relates to what and how I eat.
I enjoy food in its’ true, SIMPLE form to this day and believe that the simpler the food, the healthier the food. If it comes in a box, with a label full of words that I can’t understand, and the ingredient list takes up the entire side of the product, this is not a simple food…it is a bunch of mixed up crap in a box that sits on a shelf and has a shelf life longer than me. That is what I am talking about, and am I going to put this in my body...A BIG NO on that. Now, toss me an organic Fuji apple, and this is one happy girl ready to enjoy Simple Real Food, full of nutrients that my body needs. Keeping food simple eliminates all stress of what I should be eating…how fabulous is that. Once food becomes complicated, stress over the how much, what, and when to eat enters the picture…ok…a small soap box…and thanks to agencies that will go un-named, media, marketing, blah blah blah…this world has gone crazy with complicated food and empty promises of pseudo health in a box that has greatly increased illness in this country. Bringing food back to simple keeps me healthy and I am sure all of America would be healthier too.
Simple means fresh, simple means I can pick the item up and smell it, and inspect it for the best pick of the produce. Simple means one ingredient, I can usually eat the item at purchase, and if I am hungry for example, I will enjoy an organic piece of fruit during my drive. When this concept is truly grasped, it eliminates all questions like…what did she/he eat to look like that? What did they do? What diet was used…YUCK…diet is a dirty word in my book. Keeping my food simple is how I maintain ME. There is no secret this or that and I am hopeful that one day, everyone will wake up and realize this. A few other foods that I include in my simple line up are organic boneless skinless chicken breasts, wild caught fish, grains, nuts, seeds, strained organic Greek yogurt, and cage free organic eggs…now, check this list in addition to what I shared earlier. I am eating foods that are from the earth, as fresh as possible when I purchase organic, not processed in a factory and stuffed in a box.
I enjoy the colors, aromas, textures, and flavors of simple foods and when I combine them into a salad…WOW…simple at its’ very BEST! Of course some of my food items come in bottles and containers such as my Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Vinegars, Honeys, Nut Butters, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk, etc…but I research to ensure that they are minimally and organically processed, minimal ingredients and simple stored form. NOW…this is the thing about eating my simple food…if I do not eat it raw or blend for a green smoothie, I am in the kitchen slicing, dicing, and cooking up a SIMPLE and HEALTHY meal that surpasses any complicated junk- in- a- box non-food item that is being passed off as “good for your health” food.
 |
| Roasted Brussel Sprouts |
I enjoy a stress free simple eating life that allows me to enjoy lots of healthy foods throughout the day. I do not keep a food journal, count calories, grams, ounces, etc…I SIMPLY eat to live. My body tells me when to eat and that is usually every 2 ½ hours and I eat to satiety, not to feel uncomfortable. It is amazing how much MORE food I can eat when it is simply healthy…my large salads for example…OH MY…they seem to get bigger instead of smaller with every bite. One of my favorite simple veggies right now are brussel sprouts….I roast these in the oven with EVOO and spices and OH MY…these nutrient packed baby cabbages are filling.
So….I will continue to keep my food SIMPLE…it is my LIFESTYLE…and I am happy to know that I am making “healthy” healthy again! Stay Healthy ~
Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list. If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!
Stay Healthy~ Darla
Receive My Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide as a Free Gift and Thank you when you donate to Stay Healthy Fitness...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)