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You Are What You Eat, What You Think and What You Exercise...

It is proven that you can overcome negative mind body diseases that limits or restricts you...just through positive thinking, diet and exercise! Your reward is looking good and staying young always!

 

It is becoming increasingly clear that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses - including heart disease, many cancers, and alzheimer's disease.

We all know inflammation on the surface of the body as local redness, heat, swelling and pain. It is the cornerstone of the body's healing response, bringing more nourishment and more immune activity to a stress site of injury or infection.

But when inflammation persists or serves no purpose, it damages the body and causes illness. Stress, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition, and exposure to toxins (like secondhand tobacco smoke) can all contribute to such chronic inflammation.

Dietary choices play a big role as well. Learning how specific foods influence the inflammatory process is the best strategy for containing it and reducing stress and long-term disease risks.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

• Try and eat only organically grown foods; they reportedly have 2-5x more nutrients and it will decrease exposure to pesticides.
  
• The foods listed are only examples of foods to eat.
  
• Try to compose meals of approximately 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% healthy fats.
  
• Try not to eat any food more than 4 times a week.
  
• Plan your meals ahead of time.
  
• Find at least 10 recipes you enjoy.
  
• This diet is recommended for a minimum of 6 weeks. After that you can start adding in one food at a time and see if you feel as good as you did before. If so, keep it in you diet and move on to the next food. As you gain higher levels of health your body is often able to eat a wider variety of foods

  STEAMED VEGETABLES:

• Steaming improves the utilization or availability of the food nutrients allowing the GI mucosa to repair itself.
  
• Use minimal raw vegetables except as a salad.
  
• Fermented vegetables are highly recommended for immune system benefits and colon health
  
• Include at least 1 green leafy green vegetable daily (such as chard, kale, collards, turnip greens etc.).
  
• Eat a variety of any and all vegetables (except tomatoes and potatoes) that you can tolerate.
  
• Add your favorite spices to enhance the taste of these vegetables.
  
• It is best to try and eat mostly lower carbohydrate (3%, 6%) vegetables. For example:
  
• 3% vegetables: asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, broccoli, red & green cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cucumbers, dandelion greens, endive, lettuce (red, green, romaine), mustard greens, parsley, radishes, spinach, sea weed, Swiss chard, turnip greens, watercress
  
• 6% vegetables: beets, Bok Choy, brussel sprouts, chives, collards, eggplant, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsley, pumpkins, red pepper, rutabagas, string beans, turnips, zucchini
  
• 15% vegetables: artichokes, carrots, parsnips, green peas
  
• 20+% vegetable: cooked carrots, winter squash, yam

  GRAINS:

• Eat 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day, unless you have indications of high insulin levels, are over weight, have high blood pressure, have high cholesterol or have diabetes.
  
• Allowed grains include: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati or brown rice, rye, teff.
  
• If you have a gluten intolerance then your best choices are brown rice, wild rice, red rice, black rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa or buckwheat.
  
• Other grain foods that may be eaten are rice crisps, Wasa crackers and dehydrator raw food crackers .

  LEGUMES:

• Eat a variety of any legumes that you are able to tolerate. Soak them for 48-72 hours and cook slowly with a pinch of asofoetida (hing) and a piece of wakame. The wakame and hing help reduce any flatulent tendencies. The following are the recommended legumes: aduki beans, adzuki beans, chick peas, kidney beans, lentils, mung beans, pinto beans, and split peas. Fermented soy beans (tempeh or miso) are wonderful to add to your diet. Miso comes in many different forms, from sweet white to heavy rich dark ones. I recommend if you have not tried these yet that you start with the white, red or chick pea miso's as a base for a soup or a lovely addition to your vegetables. I encourage you to take the steaming water from your vegetables and use it as a base for your miso soup. It is also used to make wonderful salad dressings when combined with tahini, apple cider vinegar and ginger juice. Tempeh can be added to stir fry.

  FISH:

• Poach, bake or steam deep-sea fish not farmed fish: cod, croaker, haddock, halibut, pollock, sardines, sole, summer flounder, tilapia, wild Pacific salmon are preferred
  
• No shellfish: clam, crab, lobster, shrimp

  CHICKEN/TURKEY:

• Eat only the meat and not the skin.
  
• Eat free-range or organically grown chicken or turkey.
  
• Bake, broil, or steam.

  MEAT:

• All free-range, grass-fed animals including lamb, buffalo, venison, elk, and beef are okay.

  FRUIT:

• Eat only 1 or 2 of practically any fruit except citrus.
  
• It is preferred to eat the fruit baked.
  
• Eat mostly low carbohydrate fruits. For example:
  
• 3% fruit: cantaloupes, melons, rhubarb, strawberries
  
• 6% fruit: apricots, blackberries, cranberries, papayas, peaches, plum, raspberries, kiwis
  
• 15% fruit: apples, cherries, grapes, mangoes, pears, pineapples, pomegranate
  
• 20+% fruit: bananas, figs, prunes, blueberries

  SWEETENERS:

• Occasionally barley syrup, lohan, maple syrup, raw honey, rice syrup, stevia, or xylitol (birch sugar).
  
• Use ONLY with meals.
  
• Absolutely NO sugar, splenda, sacharine, NutraSweet, or any other sweetener.

  SEEDS AND NUTS:

• Grind flax, pumpkin, sesame, or sunflower seeds and add to steamed vegetables, cooked grains, etc.
  
• You may also eat nut and seed butters: almond, brazil, cashew, sesame, etc.

  BUTTER/OILS: (you can also use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil on your skin for to moisturize)

• For butter, mix together 1 lb. Organic butter and 1 cup of extra virgin oil (from a new dark jar). Whip at room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
  
• Use extra virgin olive oil or centrifuged coconut oil from young spoon nuts for all other situations requiring oil.

  SPICES:

• Add whatever spices you enjoy.

  DRINKS:

• Drink spring, bottled, filtered, or reverse-osmosis filtered water every day.
  
• Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily.
  
• Sip the water and drink 1 glass per hour.
  
• A few drops of chlorophyll will add a pleasant taste and numerous health benefits.
  
• NO distilled water.
  
• Small amounts of soy, rice, or oat milk are allowed ONLY on cooked grains or in cooking.

  To reduce inflammation avoid the following foods:

  • All animal milks
  • All corn products
  • All animal cheeses
  • Tomatoes
  • Commercial eggs (organic are ok)
  • All dried fruit
  • All wheat products
  • Fried foods
  • (including breads & white flour)
  • Alcohol
  • Citrus fruits
  • All fruit juices
  • Peanuts & peanut butter
  • Any processed food
  • Meat (pork & grain-fed animals)
  • All caffeinated teas & coffee
  • Potatoes- red & white
    

Mind and Body Fitness for Life long Good Health

Use movement to explore the connection between body and mind

Mind and body fitness

Many people who want to get into shape don't realize there is more to fitness than well-toned muscles. There's no shortage of exercise regimes that just promote the perfection of the body, or the idea of fitness as a part of a weight loss plan.

Centuries ago, Western culture lost its focus on the interconnectedness between the body and the mind or spirit, and how each has the power to affect the other. Cultivating a love of movement can help you get beyond the concept of physical fitness as separate from mental fitness – and toward a lifelong program of good health through mind and body fitness.

Whether you choose yoga or another form of movement for exercise, remember that our bodies are made to move to feel good. So when you incorporate regular activity in your life, you're moving closer to overall mind and body fitness. But if you are overweight, this can be more difficult. You can improve your mind-body connection for better mind and body fitness – it's just important to choose realistic.

You might consider redefining exercise as any activity that unites your mind and body and reduces your stress level. In fact, high levels of stress have been linked to weight gain, and certainly can lead to emotional eating. Finding activities that are both enjoyable and easy to do is important when developing any type of.

It's important to be realistic about what we expect from ourselves. Consider your goals. Is 30 to 60 minutes on a treadmill a reasonable time frame at this point in your life? Are you setting yourself up for failure or success when you create this expectation for yourself? Would it be more enjoyable to you to do some stretching and a shorter period of time on the treadmill?

Exercise For Mental & Emotional Well-Being

Stress overload does some serious damage.  The collective stress alone that our world has experienced as of late has caused a lot of people to just lose it. Gone unchecked, mental and emotional instability can have serious health implications. High blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, adrenal overload, emotional eating, and depression are among these consequences, made even more complicated with a sharp rise in prescription drug “band-aids”.

Stress at some level is a part of life. You cannot control every event and circumstance that occurs, but you can control how you deal with it.  In addition to a positive attitude, regular exercise has a natural medicinal effect on the brain, with which the rest of the body will in turn benefit.  During exercise, those “feel-good” endorphins are released from the pituitary gland, creating a feeling of euphoria. Getting your body into a groove also raises seratonin, a brain chemical responsible for regulating mood and preventing depression. (Psychological trauma is another matter that should be treated under the care of a mental health professional.)

Getting yourself on a regular exercise regimen also involves setting goals.  When you set and accomplish goals, the mental and emotional gratification is extremely rewarding.  This helps us stay positive!

Do It For Weight Control

So you’ve got a little bit of weight to lose, or a lot.  Anxious to start shedding pounds, you might start an all-juice diet. Within the first few days, some weight loss is imminent.  But if you’re not including exercise to your plan, the chances of falling into that dreaded yo-yo scenario are much greater. Why?  Our bodies are pretty darned smart. We’ve got a built-in metabolic calculator that keeps track of movement = daily calories burned.  There are variables depending on female to male, and age.  Same is true for dietary requirements, but I’m attempting the general idea here.

Over time, the body’s metabolic calculator averages intake calories to calories expended through physical activity.  The more physically active, the more the metabolism kicks up and uses the intake calories more efficiently.  If you’re sedentary, a surplus of calories results in weight gain and body fat.  If you’re sedentary, and decide to go a “cleanse” type diet for a temporary period of time, the metabolic calculator thinks you’ve gone into starvation mode. The calories that were once coming in daily have suddenly ceased, and the calculator doesn’t recognize that you’re just sweeping house.  So at the end of the cleanse and back to regularly scheduled programming…boom!  The body frantically starts storing up all it can to protect itself from future perceived starvations = gaining weight back + a little more.

Getting your body moving is the vital helping hand for weight loss, no matter what diet you choose.  While some pounds shed is a direct effect of a change in caloric intake, daily exercise trains the metabolic calculator to burn calories and fat more efficiently, increasing metabolism for the long term. 

There is a reverse scenario. Ever see someone who’s always working out, but their diet consists of empty calorie junk and fast food?  Likewise, their fitness goals and overall health would improve ten-fold by eating nutritious whole foods.

Do It With Yoga

When it comes to yoga, I’ll admit I’m quite biased because I’ve been practicing for more than 20 years. Fortunately there are many different styles to choose from, from the more physically dynamic (Bikram, vinyasa flow, ashtanga) to more gentle hatha styles.

Yoga is associated with that phrase, “mind, body, and spirit”.  And it’s not just a cliché, true yoga is the embodiment of the three principals. Taking a yoga class at a local gym rather than a studio, usually emphasizes more of the “body” portion.  Taking classes at a professional studio with an experienced instructor will ensure all three dimensions are incorporated, as this is what yoga is all about.

One of the most common misconceptions I hear from people who are apprehensive to take a yoga class is, “But I’m not flexible, I can’t even touch my toes”.  The reality is that the less “flexible” you are, the more you need it!  Yoga is about healing, balancing, and aligning the entire body through controlling the mind (meditation), physical practice using asanas (poses), and via pranayama (the breath).  Flexibility is not in vain, it’s not about being competitive with your neighbor next to you who’s putting her leg behind her head. Yoga is strictly an individual growth practice and each person has a unique benchmark.  Something that may seem simple to you may not be for the next, and vice versa.

Every asana is designed to strengthen and cleanse a deeper part of the body – the organs, glandular system, the muscles and vascular system.  A “yoga-high” is one of the best things you can ever experience as all those happy endorphins flow abundantly after a good class (especially of the more physical styles).  You body is literally wrung from the inside out, and nothing could be better to assist a cleanse or detox.  Yoga Journal is a great source to learn about all things yoga.

Do It For Inside-Out Cleansing

As I’ve just mentioned, yoga is a star for achieving this. But it really doesn’t matter how you work up a sweat, exercise keeps the body operating efficiently in every way.  The skin is the body’s largest organ, and through perspiration, you’re also kicking out toxins. You will also achieve a healthy, glowing complexion!

Do It For Your Heart, Muscular Strength, & Bone Health

Aerobic exercise is the king of keeping the heart muscle in shape. Cardiovascular work-outs are absolutely essential for weight loss and burning unwanted fat. Your present fitness level and goals determine the amount of cardio is needed in a week.  If the thought of running on a treadmill is dreadful to you, no worries! There’s so many ways to get your heart pumping like brisk walking around the neighborhood, playing some sports, or jumping on a rebounder. 

Resistance training is obviously going to benefit strengthening and building muscle, but it also strengthens bones. Women especially should take care of their bones to guard against osteoporosis, and one of the easiest ways to do this is through a strength training regimen. It’s as simple as using your own body weight, or purchasing a simple set of weights to use at home (no gym membership necessary)!

Just DO It:  Tips For Getting Started & Sticking With It

1.  Find something you like to do. Yoga and running are for me, but bicycling and Pilates may be for you. Try out different activities to see what works best.

2.  Variety matters. Make it interesting. Even for the most disciplined die-hard go getter in the gym, incorporating a variety of activities in different settings is a must.  Who wouldn’t get bored staring at the same walls every day around an elliptical machine, or the same exact weight training routine week after week? Change it up, your body will appreciate it too.

3.  As with diet, what works for one may not for another. You might see more results doing a circuit training program, versus a few weekly spinning classes. Find the magical combo that tells you your efforts are working.

4.  Don’t overdo it! And be careful of burn-out. Slow and steady wins the race! Always listen to your body, and don’t push to hard or too fast no matter how excited you are that results are rapidly appearing.  This is also where tip #2 comes in handy. You don’t want to get bored or burned out.

5.  Don’t give up. Even the most successful of regimens, those that have dropped you 15 pounds and you’re seeing your abs and biceps define before your eyes, can halt to a plateau. Suddenly you’re wondering why those few pounds left over won’t come off, you wonder if your efforts have been futile.  Whatever you do, never give up. Hitting a plateau is normal. Remember that your uber-intelligent metabolic calculator is just temporarily making adjustments to all the good deeds that have been happening. Exercise should be for life, and maybe think about changing things up just a little. That could be all that’s needed.

6. Keep an exercise diary. I have kept an exercise diary for 15 years. Nothing could be more helpful, especially when beginning any new program. Logging your activities and your progress shows you in black and white your accomplishments, your growth, and keeps you on track.

7. Build a home gym - in your bedroom. You don’t need a gym membership, complicated equipment, or even a lot of space. A balance ball, a chair, and a rebounder are really all you need to be on your way to fitness.  Plus there’s such an abundance of home work-out programs than ever before, there’s really no excuses! There’s even cable network programs just for exercise. 

8. Remember 196 year old Li Chung Yun's formula...

1. Walk like a pigeon
2. Sleep like a dog
3. Sit like a tortoise
4. Never disturb your inner peace and your connection to the divine
5. Only use herbs and food that enhance the health of your vital life energy

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