Sleep

RAW
Sleep is something that we all need, but it seems as though we do not get enough of it. We are advised to get anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep a night and there are a few things that can get in the way of a good nights rest.
Here are a few foods that can actually help you sleep.

Fish: One fish in particular that is really helpful for sleep is Salmon, Halibut and Tuna. Fish is packed with vitamin B6 which is a natural ingredient that is needed to make Melatonin. "Melatonin is a natural substance which acts directly on sleep, regulating the sleep-wake cycle in a safe way." (www.all-melatonin.com/)

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Tart Cherry Juice: This juice can have a lot of Melatonin within itself, so drinking this can actually aid your sleeping cycle. "When adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia." (www.eatingwell.com)
As stated in the title, this juice is tart! I would recommend that you drink this juice by itself, and not with a meal because the flavors can mix unpleasantly.

tartcherryrecipies.com

Decaf Tea: Please make sure it is in fact decaffeinated before you consume it. I would not like to have you drink caffeine when trying to sleep. Two types of tea that are recommended for aiding sleep is Chamomile and Green Tea. Hot tea before bed can be really soothing. I was shocked to read that the amino acids within Green Tea can actually "lulls your Brian to sleep". One study done in Japan actually found that the L-theaine, which is found in amino acids in Green Tea, can actually enhance the quality of sleep. (http://www.nutraingredients.com)

By: Rabecca Smithers

Cereal: Having a small bowl of cereal is something you can eat before going to bed. It is suggested to be a low-sugar and whole grain cereal if you would like to experience the effects of a better nights rest. Dr. Dalton-Smith says “Complex carbohydrate–rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream, increasing the sleep-inducing effects.” (WomansDay.com)

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Balance
There are many different Yoga poses that can help you catch more Z's. These poses are not supposed to bring your heart rate up, but they are going to relax and calm your mind. Feel free to stay in these poses for as long as you would like. There is never a time minimum or maximum when practicing Yoga.

Supported Inversion: You will need a wall for this pose. Lay down so that you are perpendicular to the wall. Then you will put both legs up in the air and then move your hips so that they are touching the wall. Feel free to move as close or as far away from the wall until you feel comfortable. Once you are in this pose comfortably, take a few deep breaths and quiet your mind. I find this pose very calming and comfortable.

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Pigeon Pose(both sides): This pose is one that can be calming, but it is also a hip opener. If you are tight within the hip region, this pose can be intense. If this is your first time doing Pigeon Pose and it is intense, please do not give up! I find that each time that you get into this pose, it becomes easier.
I find it easiest to get into Pigeon Pose easiest is to first get into Downward Facing Dog and bring your right leg back behind you. Once that leg is behind you, bring it forward, bend your knee, and have your right foot on the left side of your mat. This is a pose that is somewhat hard to explain, so my pictures below will really help you.
 If you are very tight within the hip region, you are welcome to stay upright in this pose, like so:

 If you are able to bend forward, please do so.



yogahealthretreats.com 

 

Once you are in this pose, take a few deep breaths and try and really focus on quieting your thoughts. As stated before, it may be intense at first, but it does become easier. When you feel ready to switch sides, get back into Downward Facing Dog and put your left leg to the sky and repeat all steps on the left side. It is very important to have both sides balanced.

Corpse Pose (Savasana): This pose comes at the very end of every yoga session and is also refereed to as "horizontal time". All you have to do is lay on your back, lay your head back and close your eyes. You no longer have to do anything else, except lay there. Feel your body as a part of the Earth and think no longer. Horizontal time is something that everyone can do anywhere. All you need is a space where you can lay flat on your back and just take deep breaths. Feel free to lay in this pose for as long as you need.

By: Lizzie Fuhr

Once your mind is calm, start to bring life back into your body by slowly wiggling your fingers and toes. Then you are ready to sit up and take three final breaths(this is also something done at the end of every yoga session). Before taking your three final breaths, place both hands to the center of your chest almost in a "prayer" position. The first two breaths will be completed with your hands in the center. Then on your final breath, bring your hands to your third eye, or your forehead.

By: Saul David Raye

Once you are finishing your third and final breath, lean forward, and say Namaste. This is a saying that comes at the very end, and it means to honor the light within you and me.

Thank you for reading!

Namaste

Digestion

RAW:

Whole Grains also help with digestions. These grains include whole-wheat toast, brown rice and oats. All of these foods also have a lot of fiber which is something quite a few America's lack in their diets.

Photo by Caitlin Moore

Bananas are great for helping restore the normal bowel which helps with health digestion. Bananas also have a lot of electrolytes and potassium. An interesting quick fact about bananas is that they can actually stop eye twitching from occurring because when the muscles around your eye spasm, it is a sign that you do not have enough potassium in your system.

Ginger "This spice has been used for thousands of years as a safe way to relieve nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, morning sickness, gas, loss of appetite, and colic.
But it's best to consume it in moderation. High doses of ginger can backfire; more than 2 to 4 grams per day can cause heartburn." (Foxnews.com)

Photo by Ryan Andrews

On the flip side, there are other foods that can be hurtful to your digestion system. The foods that do not help include foods high in fat, whether its fried foods or foods that have a natural high fat content. If a food has a lot of fat, it takes your body more time to break it apart and be able to process it properly.

Hot chili peppers are also harmful because they can irritate the esophagus and actually lead to heart burn that causes an unpleasant feeling in your body.

Photo by Elementals Living

Alcohol is also tough on your digestion because it is high in fat and "it relaxes the body, but, unfortunately, it also relaxes the esophageal sphincter. This can lead to acid reflux or heartburn."
Coffee, Tea and soft drinks have been proven to have the same effect on relaxing your esophageal sphincter and this also put them on the list for not assisting digestion. (Health.com)

Photo by Sy Mukherjee

Balance:
These poses will help your digestive organs and can actually help you long and short term.

Pose: Downward Facing Dog

Benefits: Downward Facing Dog brings the body into alignment and relaxes your gastrointestinal tract. How Downward Facing Dog got its name is the fact that dogs do actually do this stretch a lot. If you yourself have a dog, or a family member who has a dog, you have probably seen them get up and stretch their weight to their back legs. As a human, this pose can really be felt in the back of your legs depending how "bendy" you might be. If you are unable to bring your feet flat on the floor, that is perfectly fine! You still get the great benefits that come from this pose!

Pose: Extended Triangle Pose

Benefits: Triangle pose can give a little extra love to your intestinal area and increase blood flow all over the body. Since this pose does require you to bend slightly forward, this pose is one that can be done to assist your digestive system long term.

(Yogachocolatelove.com)

Pose: One Legged Seated Spinal Twist

Benefits: This pose can kick start a slow digestive system and also relieves tension in your back. If you have not done this pose before, you might feel or hear your back actually crack. Do not be alarmed if you hear this noise. This is your body telling you that you may not have even twisted this way before. This pose is great because it does not take up a lot of space, and it can be done anywhere at anytime.

Pose: Balasana Pose description: From laying on your back, hug your knees together with your arms and then turn your whole body to the floor on the right side. If you need a "pillow" feel free to extend your right arm over your head and use that to relax your neck.

Benefits: Balasana actually compresses the abdomen and massages the intestinal organs. The reason you are rolling to your right side is actually because on the lower right side of the body is where the intestine is located. (MindBodyGreen.com)
Start out in a curled position by bringing your knees to your chest and wrapping your arms around them:

 Then, roll to the floor on your right side still holding your knees into your chest. Feel free to lay in this position for any amount of time, and take deep breaths in and out of your nose.

By doing all of these different poses, you will increase blood flow and actually massage your organs that are necessary for a health digestive system. Your body will be sure to thank you for doing each any every of these poses.

Namaste

Stress

Stress is something that we all experience. Whether it be with work, school, friends, family or any other aspect of life that can get hectic. Do not stress the stress, there are many things that you can do to help deal with negative stress and they are very simple!

RAW: To help with stress there are many different foods that you can eat. Some of these foods include vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

A vegetable that is great with helping stress is Asparagus. The reason this particular vegetable helps stress is because it has folic acid and it's packed with antioxidants. These two nutrients are known to help stabilize moods and release positive hormones into the body. Another possible benefit of Asparagus is that it may help slow down the aging process.

Photo from: Simply in Season

Blueberries are also known to help with stress. Since Blueberries are part of the fruit family, they are always a great option to eat when you are in need of natural sugar, plus they are finger food!
Blueberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. This super fruit is also known for helping other aspects of life, and I am sure Blueberries will come up again throughout this blog! Berries in general have great benefits that can help with stress and enhancing food. They also add a lot of color to your diet, which is needed!

Photo from: Garden of Eaden

Another way to reduce stress is by eating healthy foods that have a crunch and that you might crave throughout the day. These foods include mostly nuts like almonds and seeds.  Almonds have vitamin B2, vitamin E, and also magnesium. All of these nutrients together help regulate mood and actually can help relieve stress.

Photo from: Market Watch

Balance: Yoga is a practice that includes many different positions and stretches that can help your mind, body and spirit. I have been practicing Yoga for three years now and I find the practice very calming and fun! I am very far from being a perfect Yogi, but I am always looking for ways to improve my own practice and learn the different benefits of Yoga.

Specific yoga positions to help reduce stress:

Child's pose: This is a pose that requires you to get on the floor and do a slight stretch. You are to spread your knees wide and then fold forward. The reason Child's Pose is known for reducing stress is due to the fact that you are touching your forehead to the ground. By doing this, it allows your body to feel a connection to the Earth and it can really bring down your heart rate. This is also a pose that you can practice anywhere, whether it be your home or your office, it does not require a lot of space or time. Coming to this pose throughout a stressful day will really ground your thoughts and can really help reduce stress.

We are always told in my yoga classes to refer back to this pose if we need a break from the other positions because this pose calms the mind and reduces stress and anxiety.

 

Half Moon: This pose require you to stand up straight and take one leg and place it at 90 degrees, and lift the same side arm up to the sky. You must always remember to keep your back foot active in this pose. It creates more balance in your body and also keeps everything active in your body allowing you to stay in the pose for longer. This pose requires balance and concentration. By focusing on balancing your body, it helps your mind relieve stress and anxiety.

One variation is to  keep your gaze to the floor, or to the bottom hand.

Another variation is to take your gaze to your top hand. This adds more of a balance challenge.

 

Tree Pose: This is a position that almost anyone can do. All you have to do is take one leg off the floor when standing, connect it with your other leg in a triangle position and place your hands together at your heart, or for more challenge, lift them to the sky as branches. This pose is one that I really enjoy in my practice because I am thinking about balancing and being a graceful standing tree.

This is one variation you can do in Tree Pose. By holding your hands in the center of your chest.

  

 

If you would like a bit of a challenge, which I always love, feel free to bring your hands to the sky while still balancing, your arms are to be the branches of your tree. To add to this challenge, take your gaze up to the ceiling and keep looking farther and father back. You can always make your tree into a slight back bend as well.

Don't forget to smile!

 

Namaste

WELCOME!

Are you interested in health, wellness, and balancing them? Then you are in the right place!

 

Everyone can agree that health and wellness is very beneficial by boosting self esteem, calming the mind, illuminating the soul and opening your life to many different possibilities.

I have created this blog to bring together yoga, all of its perks, and healthy foods to create a positive collaboration between mind, body and spirit.

Week by week I will chose different topics to highlight, such as heart health, and show how eating well and yoga will assist you in achieving your wellness goals.
 

Every week your comments will help me to chose the next topic, so please share your ideas!

I will be posting on Thursday evenings at 7pm, so please stop by then to see my new posts.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Namaste