Nanci

It is a month of higher highs and lower lows. You can expect intense emotional mood swings, lots of weeping, incredible chaos that you think you can’t handle, and then amazing synchronicity where everything falls into place. There will be bursts of energy as well as unexpected times of deep fatigue where you can’t get out of bed. You may on one day experience overwhelming inspiration, incredible clarity, courage and determination; and on another, debilitating despair, deep confusion, and paralyzing fear.

Everything is intensified this month. Nothing escapes. If you are grieving it will be at a level you have never experienced. If you are ecstatic, it will be almost more than you can handle. The higher emotional center is paired with the instinctive center this month in an interesting relationship whose purpose is to stretch you like a rubber band, expanding your container to eventually be more, do more, receive more, understand more and experience more. The ultimate goal is to break through the membrane of our limited beliefs about how this universe works and what we are actually capable of creating. So that is the reference point we need to hold out there as a carrot for ourselves when things get tough this month.

April is full of growing pains. We are in the process of replacing the fabric and patterns of how we operate in this physical universe with a new matrix and energetic circuitry much like replacing a light fixture that was only able to handle 100 watts to one that can handle 1000. And then replacing the bulb from 100 watts to 1000 watts. Imagine the intensity of light from that sudden change!

The adjustment to a higher intensity is difficult. The body is resistant and our comfort level suffers. It is easy to get trapped in the negative expressions of this intensity and we want to warn you all about going there. The discipline this month will be to focus on how to use and channel this increase in intensity to feed the positive, the creative and the inspired intentions in your life rather than anything negative.

This month could be life changing for some of you. When you have this level of intensity you can actually make permanent radical changes in your life. This is challenging since most of us are creatures of habit and we would rather live with lower intensity suffering than with the unknown territory and promise of a more intense experience of joy, love and success. After all, the skeptical mind tells us that what we don’t know could be dangerous to our well-being!

This is a great month to take risks and put yourself out there, reaching for a bigger dream, a better life, a more meaningful relationship, increased wealth, health and vitality, and a more fulfilling sense of worth, work and essence. This will take discipline and trust. Reaching for and experiencing the highs and the higher centers will always swing the other way at some point giving you the point of reference of the other end of the spectrum. The task will be to stay neutral, out of judgment and proceed to do what is necessary to continue clearing the lower frequency energies (physical, emotional and mental) out of your life.

If you find yourself crashing to the bottom, it means that there is something you are still carrying around that has to go. Often this is triggered by an experience of a higher center, of inspired possibilities, new ideas and creativity. As you reach for this brighter light, what is in the way of getting there will surface with an invitation to take a look, make a choice and take an action to free yourself and move on.

The most important thing this month is not to allow intensity to feed any martyrdom, disappointment, resentment, anger or judgment either of self or others. If you have to go there, take 30 seconds. OK, maybe 5 minutes, and then let it go. There will definitely be times this month where you will be tempted to wallow in misery. The intensity of the times will only take this indulgence to a place where you won’t be able to function to get yourself out of it. You will also need to watch cynicism. Cynicism when used wisely can bring humor into difficult situations but when allowed to negatively take over, it can nail you to the cross of your own false personality.

The instinctive center has a strong purpose that needs to be understood. It is there to keep us alive and functioning by informing our reactions based on all the information it holds about what it takes for us to survive. It is designed to keep us alive but in this process, it also keeps us limited. New information downloaded from the higher centers and from our own intense experiences needs to be processed by the instinctive center in order to change how our lives are being created on a daily basis. After a period of expansion and growth, there needs to be a down time for the instinctive center to assimilate and integrate new information. This can happen at night while you sleep but may also need other times of deep rest and going into the void.

There is a lot of instability this month and we may see many who are already on the edge literally losing their sense of reality and needing help and support to get back into balance. If you even think you are one of these, get some help before it gets there so you have a good container to support you. And if you yourself are fine but are witness to this imbalance in others, make sure not to take the unstable behaviors and reactions of others personally.

It is an exciting time, a difficult time, an unstable time and we are in the birth canal pushing to be reborn into a new landscape where we can be more. Keep pushing and don’t lose sight of the door on the other side of the temple of 10 thousand demons!

How the month shows up:

YOU PERSONALLY

It is a perfect month for making big and permanent changes. What you surrendered or surrendered to last month is still in the process of being integrated but make sure you are not trying to “get back to normal or to the way it was”. The idea is to welcome change and have things be new and different. It is important to spend some time focusing on bigger dreams and channeling some of the intensity this month into those bigger dreams. What do you want? Be clear and courageous about asking for it.

Pay attention this month to your personal needs. If you need to be alone, be alone. If you need to rest, rest. If you need some self-care, indulge yourself. It is a challenging month but with great rewards possible. Think of your own rebirth. What kind of environment would you like to be reborn into?

The discipline this month will be not to indulge in the negative. It is always your own judgment that identifies something as negative or positive. Try and see all experiences this month as neutrally Intense rather than judging them one way or another. If something does not feel good, don’t stay there. Accept it as a process and then move on.

Beauty is an important aspect to surviving this month. Beauty is related to the higher emotional center and should be present in your life on a daily basis. Beauty whether through nature, art, music, love, inspiration or ideas, will always bring you up out of the dumps. If it triggers weeping, it is a good clean out. Just make sure you never indulge for more than a few minutes in feeling sorry for yourself for anything. Trust that whatever experience you are having is all part of a greater plan.

If you don’t already have a good daily practice that keeps you connected to spirit, grounded to the earth, protected from energies from the outside, and neutrally balanced, start one asap. It could be as simple as honoring earth, sky, the four directions and all of your unseen support. Always be in gratitude and ask for help when you need it.

RELATIONSHIPS

This could be either a tough month for relationships or a really positive one depending on the nature of the relationship and where it needs to ultimately end up. The higher emotional center often acts as a catalyst to open up essence contact. Sometimes this is wonderful and just what is needed, and sometimes it can be misinterpreted. Just because you experience essence contact with someone does not mean they are your long-lost soul mate. Practice discernment this month with regards to relationships especially new ones that you may be connecting with for the first time. On the other hand, the higher emotional center is extremely helpful in supporting community and bringing people together in a more intimate way.

Because of the theme of intensity, expect relationship dynamics to be intensified. These could include heated arguments, intense reactions, overwhelming attraction, emotional outbursts, and past wounds and disappointments coming to the surface to get worked out. Keep it real, keep it grounded, keep it neutral, follow your instincts and intuition, be supportive not enabling, don’t take things personally and focus primarily on your relationship with yourself. Do what needs to be done, feel what needs to be felt, let go of what needs to end, and keep pushing through that birth canal.

HEALTH AND THE PHYSICAL BODY

You are going to feel things intensely. If you get the flu, it could be a bad one. If you need to change a pattern you could lose a tooth or break a bone. If you need to reset your assemblage point, you may create a shock or accident for yourself. It is important not to judge the whole picture by what may be going on for you on any given day. You may feel totally well and energetic one day and on another feel like there is something very wrong. The experience of good health is intensified as well as the sense of being off. Again, we reiterate the need for neutrality and acceptance of any state as part of a larger picture that we have no choice but to trust.

How can you support your health and well-being this month?

Don’t indulge in your additions. Whether it is alcohol, sex, medications, over exercising, obsessive thinking and rationalization, worry, cleaning, internet surfing, or something else, it will only give you temporary relief and never a permanent solution to any situation. We all have addictive personality behaviors that surface under stress and times of intensity can definitely produce stress. But is up to you to be disciplined about how you handle it. Don’t fall asleep under your addictions. This will only set you back and you will miss a great opportunity for growth, change and expansion.

The other way to support yourself this month is to pay attention to what you put in and on your system from the kind of food, air and water, to toxicity from environments and people. This includes what you put on your body as well. It is a good month to go through your closet and personal belongings and to purge what feels like an “old you”. Your discards will become someone else’s treasure.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS PROJECTS

This is a good month to take a risk, expand your dreams and go for it. This area is a perfect one in which to channel some intensity in a positive way however be prepared for the consequences of this as it may include upgrading areas you were not prepared to upgrade. For example, if you set a great intention for expanding your business and you can really see and feel how that would be, the fall out may include employees quitting, computers crashing and other failures in your container that point to a need for an upgrade in order to better support your new dream.

If this happens, take it in stride with gratitude and acceptance. After all, you asked for it. This also goes for anyone who is striving for a better experience of life and work and suddenly finds themselves laid off a current job. The universe is taking direction from your intentions and this month the results may show up with more intensity than you may be prepared for.

Partnerships are important this month as part of building your container for something new. You can either feel and be intensely supported or feel intensely unsupported and abandoned. This is a matter of perspective only as there is always lots of support available if you are open to it.

In terms of finances, they could go up or down depending on where you are in your process and what needs to happen for your expansion and move to the next level. Beware of higher emotional impulsive spending and practice being discerning and practical.

ENVIRONMENT

Be prepared. Pay attention to what needs to be purged, reconfigured, cleaned up, moved around and upgraded in your personal environment. There is a craving for more space both internally and externally. Honor that craving by getting rid of clutter. This month could bring sudden changes to your environment such as a move to a different space either for home or for work. We advise very regular energy clearing of any space and environment you work with on a daily basis to keep things neutral.

Expect intensity in the environment. Rain will turn into a storm, snow into a blizzard, wind into a tornado. Wind is a major element this month and adding wind to any climate event will intensify that event. Make friends with wind as an agent of change and use the element of air to focus on your own breath as a way of working with clearing and expansion.

DATES AND TIME FRAMES

April 1-7: Don’t let stress get the better of you during this time frame. There is no rhyme or reason for why your energy may be up and down and sideways so just leave it at that and accept that it is just the way it is. With that said, this is a good week in which to set up a new foundation of ideas and intentions and then to begin to feed them with positive intensity.

So, if you are irritated, go out and garden or dance. If you are intensely emotional, have a good cry. If you are restless, clean something. If you are inspired, be grateful and share your enthusiasm. It is all in the attitude and outlook so as long as you are being positive about what is happening in your life, the intensity will feed the positive aspects of where you are hoping to go. If you find yourself sliding to negative judgement, regroup and let something go. And most of all practice good stress management. Take a break when you need to and honor your own rhythm. Get support. It’s a good week to purge

April 9: Mercury goes retrograde until May 3. See this as a help in regulating some of the intensity of the month. Focus a bit more on details so things don’t fall through the cracks. Make lists so you don’t space something out.

April 8-14: This time frame can be a bit chaotic where you may not know what is going on and how to deal with it. There are a lot of moving parts that have not found a place to land yet. Communication may be wonky and some things may be misunderstood or may fall through the cracks. Be vigilant and pay attention.

It will be important to have your practices in place as well as ways you can do a reality check on what is important to you. Be disciplined about staying out of toxic environments and away from toxic people. Reactions are intensified during this time especially around the full moon on the 11th. It is a good time to use the intensity to fuel and feed an intention of something that you have always wanted.

The temple of 10 thousand demons represents distractions and addictions of the false personality. The door at the other end is the portal to the place we all want to end up. Keep your eye on the door and discipline yourself against the distractions. Know what is important and stay out of other people’s drama.

April 10: Full Moon is Tuesday, April 11, at 12:09 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Since it is just after midnight MDT, the 10th is a good day to begin honoring and celebrating this moon. The anchor of this time needs to be time out in nature, honoring both the higher emotional center with its beauty and inspiration, and the instinctive center with its link to vitality and raw energy.

A full moon intensifies everything and this is especially true this month. It is up to you what gets intensified. Don’t indulge in the negative.

April 15-22: This is an emotional time where we can come to terms with past experiences and do some deep letting go. The intensity shows up in our emotions. Rather than wallowing in old wounds and disappointments, use the emotional intensity to feed something you truly desire. Letting go of the old will always make way for something new and feeding your new desires with emotion will intensify them in a good way.

This is also a very good time for community, connections and support. The higher emotional center can create great intimacy and essence connection that will fortify partnerships and strengthen community. It is also a good time to launch projects that have the support of community and partnership. Don’t be afraid to take a risk as long as others are on board with it and there is some practical aspect that can ground it.

April 23-30: Expansion is a wonderful thing and it can come with a price. In the aftermath of change and choices, you will either witness what is working well by the synchronicity and ease that surrounds you, or it will become clear where adjustments need to be made. The most important thing is to stay out of judgment and to be neutral and accepting of the adjustments that need to be made.

This is a good time to take care of anything in your environment that does not reflect you or how you want to show up. This is probably the most potent time frame for intense change that may include a move, a loss or change of job, a break up or a commitment in relationship, a turnaround in health and something really big either leaving your life or coming into your life. Enjoy it whatever it is and however it chooses to show up.

April 26: New Moon is Wednesday, April 26 at 6:16 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). A New Moon is always a good time to reset intentions and do an inventory of where you have been and where you wish to go. This is especially true on this new moon as you may have been through a lot of change, chaos, choices and letting go.

It is a good time to ask for more clarity of intention if you need it and to focus on creating a fairly detailed action plan based on your intentions. Although this could be a good time to spend with others, it is also important to take some time just by yourself without the distraction of another’s agenda.

Have a wonderful month!

Blessings,

Lena from powerpath.com

Yin Yoga has become increasingly popular as of late. We can all benefit from slowing our lives down and taking some time for a deeper, slower practice. Here we’ll break down the physiological and spiritual aspects of practicing Yin Yoga, and go over some of the do’s and don’ts.

Yin vs. Yang

According to Chinese background and philosophy:
•    Yin implies cooling, moon, feminine, soft, shade.
•    Yang implies hot/heat, sun, masculine, strong, bright.

Yin and Yang are relative terms. We can pretty much find these two elements in all existence of life.

Yin Yoga is More Than Just Stretching

Contrary to widely-held belief, there is very little stretching in a 75–90 minute Yin Yoga class. From The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga by Bernie Clark, Bernie explains the difference between stretching and stressing. Stress occurs when we apply tension to our connective tissues, whereas stretch is the elongation of the tissue that results from stress.

Stress is a vital element in sustaining and promoting good health. For example, an effective way to stimulate bone density is by exercising. Through appropriate amount of weight bearing exercises, like walking up the stairs or lifting weights, bone calcium naturally depletes due to impact. Through homeostasis, the body detects the depletion and increases calcium absorption through our food intake. Same with our tissue, an appropriate amount of stress followed by rest strengthens the tissue, over time it becomes stronger. Rest, this is the key to practicing Yin Yoga.

The rest intervals between poses allow the tissue time to recover, hence less prone to over-fatigue or injury. This is in a way similar to weight lifting in terms of work and rest intervals. So in Yin Yoga we’re not stretching the tissue but rather, stressing it, and then allowing time for rest and repair. Applying just enough pressure in any given area of the body can stimulate change in the long term.

So you might wonder … what tissues are we working with exactly?

Learning which tissues are targeted in Yin Yoga is fundamental to preventing injuries. Our bodies are composed of muscles and connective tissues which may include ligaments, tendons, bones, joints and fascia. Muscles are essentially elastic, heating up when exercised. They respond well to repetitive and rhythmic movements because their elastic qualities allow the muscle fibers to elongate when appropriately stretched.

Conversely, the connective tissues remain generally cool when exercised; it does not elongate much due to its plasticity element. We can think of muscles as Yang tissues and connective tissues as Yin.

In Yin Yoga, we’re focusing on stressing the connective tissues. There is a concept among physiotherapists that stressing the ligament is dangerous. This is absolutely correct, but only if we’re applying repetitive Yang movements to the Ying tissues.

As Clark exemplified in his book, imagine bending your credit card repetitively, it will snap pretty quickly! Our ligaments/tendons are the credit card. We cannot apply forceful movements on them! Rather, we need to hold the poses for a long time and allow gravity to slowly work its way to the deeper Yin tissues. Practitioners should refrain from active muscles engagement, as this will stiffen the area around the joints thus makes it harder to get to the ligaments/tendons.

Moving Beyond the Physical Realm

According to Clark, when practicing Yin, there are only two reasons why a practitioner should move.
1. If he/she is in pain.
2. A space has been created within the Yin tissue and invites the practitioner to move deeper.

Unless you check one of these two options, you should remain still. Therefore, all Yin postures are in fact meditation postures. Whether it’s a seated Forward Fold or

Happy Baby, you’re in it for the long haul!

Once the clock starts ticking, 5 minutes of Happy Baby may seem blissful, but if your hips are tight, that baby isn’t so happy anymore. When facing such challenge, a practitioner would find meditation particularly helpful. Rather than dwelling over the painful sensation, you can engage in soft Ujjayi breathing or silently chant “So-Hum,” a classic meditation technique.

Discovering the right type of meditation can help the practitioner ease into the posture, find deeper relaxation in the body, and enter a space of spiritual tranquility.

Flexible or Not, Yin Yoga is Not Easy

A gumby-like practitioner might find the physical aspect of Yin relatively unchallenging. However, such yogis would have a harder time focusing in the posture because he/she cannot feel the physical discomfort. The mind might start to wander a million miles away, rather than staying focused on the present. Without meditation, you cannot receive the full blissful benefits of Yin Yoga.

Those who are very active will also find Yin Yoga challenging or even excruciating. Individuals with lots of Yang energy like to move, achieve and conquer. We know them as the “Type A Personality.” Funny enough, these are the people who may need Yin Yoga the most.

A well-known Chinese proverb: “Things will develop in the opposite direction when it becomes extreme.”

A person who is over-exercised may weaken their immune system and become prone to sickness overtime. If all we did were Power Vinyasa classes, the body would be overrun by too much Prana (or Chi), and we would experience difficulty sleeping and restlessness. Yin Yoga slows the overactive mind and cultivates mindfulness.

When Not to Practice Yin

Yin Yoga is generally safe for all ages when practiced mindfully. It’s also safe to practice if you’re pregnant; however, it’s always best to check with your doctor first. During pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin is produced in the expectant mother. This is to increase mobility in the joints and help with the delivery of the baby. I would recommend decreasing the amount of time spent holding a pose in Yin Yoga and put more emphasis on meditation and breathing.
You should also avoid practicing Yin if you’ve been stagnant for a while. If you haven’t gotten off the couch for a week, do something active first!

7 Simple Yin Yoga Rules to Live By

1.  Find a space with very little clutter. Uncluttered space means uncluttered mind.
2.  Quiet. Shhh. Hide your phone, computer, TV, kids, husband, and dog. Put on some meditation music and enjoy tranquility.
3. Wear comfortable clothing. Sometimes I put on socks and a meditation shawl.
4. Fragrance free. Leave the Christian Dior for a night out. Fragrances can disturb the mind (and others around you if you’re in a class).
5. Timer. Yin Yoga is time sensitive so you’ll need to set a timer. I use the meditation app Insight Timer. However, make sure to turn to turn your phone on airplane mode––no text messaging!
6. Start gentle. For beginners, hold the posture for 1–2 minutes. Eventually work up to 5 minutes.
7. Use props! Lots of them. Have pillows, blankets, blocks, and straps ready. Finding a comfortable position is helpful in minimizing movement during the posture.

There is so much more to Yin Yoga than just physical postures. We calm our nervous system, have better concentration and in general, feel more blissful over time. It is good to balance your yin practice with your yang practice. I’d recommend at least one Yin Yoga class per week.

Photo by alibaba.com

Papaya is one of the most nutrient dense and healing fruits on the planet. It is extremely high in beta carotene, vitamins C & A, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. It is a phenomenal fruit for helping to heal any type of digestive disorder such as constipation, acid reflux, colitis, pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, celiac’s disease, H.pylori, diverticulitis, indigestion, bloating, flatulence, and stomach upset.

Papaya has a soothing, cleansing effect on the digestive tract and gently removes toxic debris while decreasing swelling and inflammation. Its high nutrient value also provides the body with all the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and essential fatty acids it needs to rebuild muscles, tissues, bones, and organs.

Papaya contains potent anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties and can provide significant relief for those suffering with joint pain, shingles, chicken pox, arthritis, colds, flu, and autoimmune disorders such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, lupus, and cardiovascular disease. Papaya is also an excellent food for the convalescing and can help rebuild the body after a long illness or from being bedridden. If consumed regularly, papaya will greatly improve skin, hair, and nails and keep eye’s bright and clear.

The black seeds inside the papaya are completely edible and can act as an effective vermicide or worm/parasite remover. The black seeds are peppery and when eaten with the sweet papaya taste like a spicy-hot cinnamon candy. They can also be sprinkled into smoothies or onto a salad for added health benefits. The seeds are an excellent digestive aid and contain more enzymes than a whole bottle of digestive enzyme capsules, plus the fresh seeds have all the nutrients necessary for almost instant assimilation. Ripe papaya is delicious with a fresh squeeze of lime and can also be made into a healing and soothing pudding by simply blending the ripe papaya flesh until smooth.

There are two major varieties of papayas on the market today: the big football-size Maradol papayas and the small hand-size solo or strawberry papayas. The large Maradol papaya variety contains the most nutrition and healing properties and are NOT GMO. The smaller varieties are sometimes grown GMO and should be avoided when possible. Maradol papayas are ripe when they yield to gentle pressure. Once fully ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Maradol papayas can often be found year-round in supermarkets, health food stores, and speciality produce stores.

Written by medicalmedium.com

Enjoy fresh papaya right off the tree on Breathe in Life’s Nicaragua Retreats! Papaya is grown right on the property where we stay!

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I adore teaching, and lately I have had the fortune to teach and run a variety of yoga teacher trainings. My passion for teaching revolves around getting people excited and curious about the body and movement. And within that,  sharing my perspective and experience of a sustainable way of practicing yoga. I’m finding in the trainings that there are those who like me, had been feeling like something needed to change in their practice. They felt both in their own body and those of their students that something was missing. That as much as yoga is promoted as a healing practice for everyone, in their experience, it wasn’t actually doing that and in many cases creating more injury.

That has been my journey for many years. In fact, I had to go outside the yoga paradigm to get a more well-rounded and integrated understanding of human movement so that I could be a more effective teacher of yoga.

As a result of my continuing education and studies, I’ve been integrating this knowledge back into yoga asana. And what a difference it has made. The body we have in our everyday life is the body we bring onto the yoga mat. And for the large majority of people, we are bringing tight shoulders, shortened and weak pectoralis muscles, low back instability, overly dominant quadriceps and underdeveloped backsides (glutes, hamstrings, tight calves) among other things into our practice.

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Many of the traditional ways of practicing yoga can create an over-emphasis on certain movements that don’t always reach the places where we need to move. Different cues such as tucking the tailbone will add to an already unstable low back, practicing arm balances (even downward dog!) without addressing hand and forearm tension and mobility, and backbending that is really rib thrusting are all common practices in many yoga classes.

Yet what is so exciting, is that I’m seeing more and more people embracing an evolved approach to yoga asana. You don’t have to completely change the way you practice, but sometimes it is enough to fill in the missing pieces so that you are creating sustainability in your body instead of wear and tear. The more I’ve shifted my practice and teaching  along with the more teachers I teach,  it is so wonderful to see people eating up this information. And I don’t have to convince them, the proof is in the difference of how people feel in their bodies.

So what is a sustainable yoga practice? I’ve done a few tutorials on the blog that you can see HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE as an example of how to update your yoga asanas to promote structural integrity and prevent wear and tear and injuries. I’ve also compiled a few different approaches and principles to play around with in your own practice and teaching. Yoga has so much healing potential for people on all levels of who we are. Adding these sustainable elements is filling in the missing pieces, augmenting an already powerful practice. A sustainable yoga practice first requires an understanding of what a sustainable body is. Read this for more in-depth perspective of a sustainable body.

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Diversity in Movement

As humans, we have the potential to move in a wide variety of ways. Yet most of us spend most of our movements in the saggital plane. It’s that forward and back movement, such as walking, running, hiking, and so on. You will see even in a yoga practice that many of our postures are practiced in the saggital plane. When we can get out of the saggital plane and move in all directions, you get more movement to more parts of you. And more movement to more parts of you means more circulation and more circulation means more nutrients delivered which means a healthier you!  Do you do mostly passive stretches? How about adding more active stretches into your practice. Move in as many ways, with different type of muscle work to maintain a diverse movement experience to as much of you as possible. Quick Tip: Next time you lift your arms in front of you or out to the side in a yoga pose, try changing the angle, even slightly to get movement into other muscle tissues. 

Frequency of Movement

It is common to unroll your mat and practice for a set amount of time either daily or for most people, a few times a week. While any time you can get on your mat is great, if you only wait until then to do your “movement” then you are missing out on keeping your bodymind fed throughout the day. This is especially true if you are sedentary for most of the day, at a computer or job that doesn’t require a whole lot of movement. The more we can move, (and move in diverse ways) the better it is. Experiment with doing little movements more often throughout the day. You’ll find it adds up to a whole lot more. Click here to read more. Quick Tip: Even something as simple as a neck roll or shoulder stretch every half an hour you are on the computer can make a big difference.

Know Your Boundaries

This is super important and for many people, sometimes the hardest to incorporate. In movement, we often create compensation patterns because when we move past our boundaries, other body parts will “help” out, and this can create that wear and tear. For example, to lift my arms all the way up to the ceiling, if my shoulders are tight, I’ll recruit the ribcage to help bring my arms the rest of the way. If I was minding my boundaries, I would only bring my arms as high as I can without letting the ribs do the rest of the work. And it is in that spot where my arms stop moving and my ribs stay down is where I need to stay to eventually get more mobility back into my shoulders. Click Here for a video tutorial of this. Quick Tip: Next time you are going to do a forward bend, put your hands on your pelvis and only bend as far down as you feel your pelvis can tilt down. Not letting your spine go past that movement of your pelvis.

Restore & Support

This may be the most important part of a sustainable yoga practice. Why? Because in our busy culture where we are plugged into devices, lead busy lives with constant stimulus and stress, slowing down and doing less is so much more. There are many ways to restore and support your bodymind. Take 10 minutes a day to do a restorative yoga pose.  Unplug. Go outside. Walk more. Spend time with people who make you happy. And so on and so on. Quick Tip:  Learn what muscles in your body you chronically hold tension and stress and periodically check in throughout the day and give them permission to relax.

Play around with these principles in your yoga practice and in your everyday life. To learn more, you can check out some of my workshops and teacher trainings. Whatever I’m teaching, it is always firmly rooted in these principles.  And soon, I promise, SOON I will have the Sustainable Yoga Practice Online Course ready to go!

Blog by Brea Johnson of Heart and Bones Yoga. Brea is doing an Iceland retreat and a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training with Breathe in Life this July and September! Visit www.breatheinlife.com for more info.

Do you remember how you felt after your very first cup of coffee (ever)? Excitement and a remarkable ability to focus…Sometimes, even euphoria. Compare that with the slightly less-sleepy feeling you get after the fifth cup of coffee this morning. So, what happened since that first, magical sip?

Caffeine tolerance

Found in tea and coffee, caffeine is the world’s most popular stimulant. We usually associate a cup of coffee with happiness, and for some of us, even relief. Unfortunately, only people who aren’t used to caffeine will experience the euphoric effects associated with that cup of liquid gold. Chances are, if you’re a coffee-lover, you’ll only experience caffeine’s anti-sleep effect, and not much else.

And before you reach for that second cup, remember, caffeine tolerance is an insurmountable tolerance. This means more, doesn’t necessarily mean better. Increasing the amount of caffeine you consume will not amplify the effects of caffeine, no matter how much coffee you drink.

So the question is, are you considered caffeine tolerant? The ‘bad news’ is, just drinking coffee more than a few times a week will increase your caffeine tolerance, which means no super-focus and no euphoria. If you want to maximize the benefits of caffeine, you may want to try weaning yourself off of it or excluding it from your diet for a month, which will allow your tolerance to fade.

How it works

Caffeine blocks a subset of adenosine receptors called A2A receptors. These receptors are normally responsible for the sleepy feeling that signals you to get ready for bed, but when caffeine blocks this receptor, that sleepy feeling disappears. Blocking this receptor also augments dopamine signaling, which results in the stimulated feeling associated with caffeine.

Caffeine tolerance prevents augmented dopamine signaling, which is why coffee veterans don’t feel true stimulation after drinking a few cups. Even the most enthusiastic coffee drinker however, will benefit from the anti-sleep effect caused by blocked adenosine receptors.

Benefits of caffeine

For many of us, grabbing that hot cup of coffee or tea in the morning, has become almost instinctual. It doesn’t just taste great, it also helps us kick off that lingering feeling of fatigue after a poor night’s sleep. But just in case you need another excuse to drink coffee, here are two more science-backed reasons to justify each sip:

1.Cognitive benefits

Caffeine increases catecholamine signaling (adrenaline and dopamine) in the body, which doesn’t just make you feel good, but also increases motivation and improves focus. Just like how supplementing Creatine alongside exercise improves exercise performance, supplementing caffeine while studying will improve retention and focus.

2.Exercise benefits

A caffeine dose of 400 – 600 mg is one of the most reliable and potent ways to temporarily increase strength through supplementation. People who are caffeine naive will typically experience improved power output during strength training or anaerobic exercise.

Caffeine can also play a role in recovery post-workout, whether you’re caffeine naive or caffeine tolerant. Ingesting caffeine alongside carbohydrates can improve the rate of glycogen replenishment, which is particularly important if you work out very frequently or multiple times per day.

Getting more from less

How do you maximize the benefits of caffeine? Drink less. Or to be even more specific, less frequently. It may be difficult, but capping off your caffeine intake to once or twice a week is the best way to get more from each cup.

Wellness Wednesday Wisdom by EXAMINE.COM

“After water, cacao is the single healthiest substance you can put in your mouth. It can easily replace a number of psychiatric drugs for mood, plus it produces the same chemistry in the brain that occurs when we fall in love.”   

– Chris Kilham (a.k.a., “The Medicine Hunter“)

This is one of those quotes I truly believe, because the more I get into this wellness research, the more Cacao Chocolate pushed its way up to one of the “Kings of the Nutrition Hill”.

And for me, Cacao is one my personal top four or five foods that is “head and shoulders” above all others, for health, wellness, and longevity….that’s why I consume it everyday in my smoothies…………

-Food of the Gods?    …..it just might be

The ancient Mayans knew a good thing when they saw it and worshiped the cacao bean as an idol. The Aztecs also held the cacao bean in high esteem, and their delightful story about its origins involves their creator and god of agriculture, Questzalcoatl.

They believed he traveled to earth on a beam of the morning star carrying a cacao tree from Paradise, and that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the tree.

-Cacao was so revered it was used as currency…….

……. as one European explorer noted of cacao beans “that four cacao beans could get you a pumpkin, 10 a rabbit and 100 would buy you a slave”.

Columbus’ son Ferdinand wrote about a Cacao bean encounter. He was struck by how much value the Native Americans placed on cacao beans, saying……..

…….”They seemed to hold these almonds [referring to the cacao beans] at a great price; for when they were brought on board ship together with their goods, I observed that when any of these almonds fell, they all stooped to pick it up, as if an eye had fallen.”

-30 seconds of Cacao Science….if you please

Before you make Hershey Bars bars a staple in your diet, it’s important to understand that the health benefits of chocolate are mainly due to its rich Flavanoid content. And the more chocolate is processed, the fewer Flavanoids it retains.

Fewer Flavanoids translates to less antioxidant content and less potential health benefits.
Raw chocolate is naturally rich in Flavanoids, which are natural nutrients with antioxidant properties; the same nutrients that make berries, grapes, and green tea health-promoting foods.

-Flavanoid Power!!!

Flavonoids that are abundant in raw chocolate can protect your cells against damage by free radicals, which can help to prevent premature aging.

Flavonoids in raw chocolate are good for your heart, as they can help to prevent stickiness of platelets, which are cells that play an important role in blood clotting. Flavonoids can help your body produce nitric oxide, a compound that promotes a healthy cardiovascular system.

There is volumes more on Flavanoids on the web….take a look……..

-Flavanoids….the latest craze

I’m sure we’ll start hearing that word everywhere, just like antioxidants, Omega-3’s, and all the other “latest crazes”.

Flavanoids are heavy hitting antioxidants, that have since been credited with most of chocolate’s health benefits. Flavanols affect the way nitric oxide is produced in the body, helping blood vessels to relax, and thereby improving blood flow to the heart, the brain, and extremities.

-The Bitter Truth……………..

Good news….flavanoids also may reduce inflammation, and the proliferation of dangerous free radicals produced in regular cell metabolism.

Bad news……at this stage, cacao powder remains quite bitter. As a result, it’s often processed by treatment with alkali — most commonly sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda — to make it darker, less acidic, and easier to mix into beverages. Unfortunately, this 200-year-old method, also known as “Dutch-processing,” has been shown to destroy the active flavanol content by as much as 80%.

Thus, the percentage of cacao contained in a piece of chocolate, whether it’s 60%, 70% or higher, is no indication of its flavanol content, argues Hollenberg in a 2007 editorial in the journal Circulation. He and other nutrition researchers have argued for labeling chocolate products with flavanol values instead.

-Any living proof of Cacao Power? The Kuna Tribe in Panama

The Kuna Indians in Panama, who are immune to hypertension, live a good long time, do not gain excess weight, and seem to have less cardiovascular disease and cancer than most of the world,  and lower cancer rates than their city-dwelling cousins. They drink 40+ oz of hot cacao per day.

An interesting article on the Kuna and Cacao can be found here

 –Old School Cocoa 

The word chocolate is said to derive from the Mayan xocolatl which meant bitter water.

The Kuna Indians drink largely homegrown, unprocessed cacao powder, containing very high flavanol levels There’s a big difference between the cacao the Kunas drink, and the cacao and chocolate people usually purchase in a grocery or specialty store — mostly due to how it’s processed and its formulation. Cacao beans grow as the seed of the berry-like fruit of the cacao tree, hand picked and shelled…….

-After shelling and roasting…..

….the beans are ground into a suspension called cocoa liquor, made up of cocoa butter (fat) and solids. Pressing removes most of the cocoa butter, resulting in a hard, dry cake, which is ground into what we use as cocoa powder.

-The traditional Kuna process….get fresh cacao beans, ferment and dry, grind them up….take a pot of water, add 8-10 banana to sweeten, add the ground up cacao/cocoa, strain, drink.

-Sometimes, Mayan people added a few grains of black pepper…….

……..to add some taste. Once the powder is obtained, a little bit of water is poured from a calabash bowl to make a paste. The paste is mixed in a bowl of water consumed hot or cold and with or without sugar according to preference. It was very similar to the hot cocoa we know (minus the milk), but few us will fancy the bitter beverage made without a sweetener.

The Aztecs also consumed large quantities of xocolatl as a luxury drink. However their version was described as ‘finely ground, soft, foamy, reddish, bitter with chili water, aromatic flowers, vanilla and wild bee honey,’….slightly more inviting than the Maya concoction!

Why can’t I just eat a chocolate bar everyday?

Why?……

* questionable sweeteners and other added ingredients
* very expensive (real cacao bars can be over $8 a piece)
* amount of favanoids may be diminished through processing
* even bars that tout over 70% cacao may have little flavanoids
* there is always a tendency to gravitate to best price as opposed to best quality
* lower price means less Flavanoids
* less bitterness means less Flavanoids
* Hershey Bars means no flavanoids

I do occasionally grab one of quality cacao bars at Whole Foods when the mood hits me, since I consume so little sugars these days so I can take the hit,  but it is something I do maybe once every 2-3 months. With smoothies, its very simple to get my Cacao benefits everyday.
Read my article on choosing Chocolate Bars.

As always, my smoothies to the rescue…

……since real Cacao chocolate is very bitter. As I learned with many superfoods that I love, they may not taste so great on their own, so my solution is to throw them into my smoothies.

And trust me, I can make a smoothie that is so scrumptious and fruity and delicious, with sweeteners like Wild Raw Honey and Ripe Banana diced and frozen, it’s like  milkshake of pure heaven and health

The Mayans would be proud of me I think…….

Written by Gaiahealthblog.com

Photo by time.com

By the time I was 15 years old, my mom, sister, and I had moved homes at least 25 times. My father was an alcoholic. I was getting government-paid school lunches and had a weekend job at a local bakery. I was not surrounded by much ambition or inspiration.

But I knew the life I was given was special. I yearned to do something important with it, but I couldn’t find the words to explain this to anyone (and even if I could, I doubted I could find anyone who would entertain my “very optimistic” ideas).

Then I stumbled across a book in a secondhand store, and it changed my life. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D., brought my inner-knowledge words to life. This book heard me. It understood me. It gave me support, ideas, and endless encouragement for years.

Although the author died soon after I was born, he became my mentor, my inner coach, and my closest friend. He taught me to set my goals high, take action toward them every day, and always think positively to achieve them. He told me not to let any small circumstances (or small thinkers around me) make me small-minded.

“The strength given to me by the books I’ve read vastly outweighs any other source of influence in my life.”

His book turned me from feeling like a restless teenager into a formidable force in the world. I still cherish my original (enthusiastically highlighted!) copy.

Point being: I know the power of a good self-help book. The strength given to me by the books I’ve read vastly outweighs any other source of influence in my life. I’ve read hundreds since that day and have found common themes throughout them all. From the spiritual side to business advice and from age-old to contemporary authors, the same golden threads tie their words together. Here are the top five.

The 5 Key Principles I’ve Learned

1. Take 100-percent responsibility for your life.

This is Jack Canfield’s No. 1 Success Principle. It encapsulates the importance of owning every part of your life, including your mistakes. There is neither success nor joy to be had in blaming others and relinquishing control to other people or your circumstances.

“To create the life you want, you have to take sole responsibility for it.”

To create the life you want, you have to take sole responsibility for it. Forget your parents, your exes, the opportunities (or lack thereof) you were given. Your life’s direction is entirely up to you. Zero excuses. Success has no prerequisites, and there is no quality, certification, background, or nationality that has a monopoly on success. It’s all up to you.

2. You are allowed to be anything you want.

“Inherent in every desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment,” Deepak Chopra writes in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. It’s no accident that if you love to sing/write/teach/build companies/fill-in-the-blank, you were given talent in this area. And you are meant to be doing it!

The extent to which you use your gifts and capabilities is up to you (remember point No. 1), but they exist to be shared and to serve others. You have an obligation to be who your heart knows you can be. This way you make your highest contribution to the world and live regret free.

There are no accidents or unreachable goals that exist within your desires. You are also worthy of receiving the blessings (including financial blessings) that result when you bring value to others.

3. Your thoughts are everything.

In As a Man Thinketh (Tony Robbins’s favorite book and what some refer to as “the original text behind The Secret”), James Allen writes that with our thoughts we create our world. He’s right. It’s beautifully (if not deceivingly) simple.

“You can choose to feel good in every single moment.”

Feel like sh*t? It’s because of what you are thinking in that moment (probably fear- or guilt-based thoughts). Feel elated? It’s because of what you are thinking in that moment (probably gratitude or satisfaction with the world). The best news? Every single thought can be changed! You can choose to feel good in every single moment.

Every day, in every way, always reach for your highest-feeling thought. Focus only on what you want. Visualize. The Law of Attraction works like the law of gravity. It’s real. Every single area of your life right now has been manifested as a result of your thoughts. So guard your thoughts like a pitbull (and lose the negative people, pronto).

4. Love yourself.

In Life Loves You, Louise Hay suggests looking in the mirror and into your eyes every day and saying, “I love you. I really, really love you.” You do not need to do, have, be anything different to be worthy of love. You are worthy simply because you exist.

When you truly love yourself, you allow yourself to be the realyou. When your self-love is high, you vibrate at a frequency that deflects fear and that inspires others to be themselves too. It’s alluring. It keeps you present. It allows you to reject self-sabotaging behaviors.

You don’t busy yourself with what other people are doing. You understand that your needs matter and that when you fail sometimes it’s OK because life is giving you either a lesson or a detour. Which leads us to…

5. There is always a higher power at work (and it’s on your side).

Every biography I have read—from Steve Jobs’s to Maya Angelou’s—shares a similar truth: Do your best work and trust in a power that is bigger than you.

Here’s a little secret: We are all terrified. We all feel uncertain about a million things. We are all just doing the best we can. But when you apply the above principles of ownership, action, thinking, and self-love, you will be unstoppable. Why? Because you’re not alone here. We are all connected. We are all from the same source.

“The universe’s helping hand is on call, waiting to lift you back up, literally on demand, as soon as you center yourself and allow the above truths into your life.”

The higher power at work in our lives (call it God, the universe, source energy, it doesn’t matter) is working right alongside you—always. In moments of discouragement, don’t despair. Remember that you have already survived everything that has happened to you so far, and you will continue to do so. The universe’s helping hand is on call, waiting to lift you back up as soon as you center yourself and allow the above truths into your life.

The Takeaway

Every life is special. You matter. Your dreams matter. It’s up to you to take action in the direction of your dreams, and when you do, you’ll be met halfway—I promise.

David J. Schwartz still talks to me. In the moments that I doubt myself (including this morning, when I needed to summarize 17 years’ worth of reading into five simple lessons), I hear his voice saying, “Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.”

Blog by Susie Moore. She is the life coach columnist for the blog Greatist.

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Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha: The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga 

“In the fall of 2013, I touched down on the tropical island of Bali along with 19 other yogis to embark on a 25 day inward journey towards becoming yoga teachers. The little regency of Tabanan became our home — surrounded by devotion, Hinduism, expansive black sand beaches, and the powerful surf — this place gave us the space for our hearts to expand. Through morning asana and pranayama practice, meditation, lectures and practice teaching, our mind, bodies and spirits were challenged to open to the teachings of yoga. Led by our teacher Suzanne and her assistant Alli, we were passed down their wisdom, learnings and experiences, expanding our own yoga practice and creating the path to becoming teachers.”
 

See more of Jon’s beautiful work on his website
http://jonchiang.com/

 
 

The most addictive foods are the most processed ones, with the highest amounts of fat and added sugar. It might be hard to cut out these foods, but with healthy alternative recipes, your body will leave the table smiling!

1. PIZZA

Just hearing the word ‘pizza’ can conjure up cravings for this savory comfort food for many people. And it’s no surprise, given its widespread popularity.

Most people also know that pizza is far from being a healthy food. Laden down with unhealthy oils, processed cheese, gluten, fatty meats, and much more, it’s clear that pizza is low on the healthy foods scale.

But fortunately that doesn’t mean you have to always go without. Making a pizza at home with healthy plant foods will give you the comfort and experience of pizza, without the strain on your liver and other vital organs. Not to mention your energy and waistline, which would only inhibit your healing process more.

This recipe is perfect to enjoy with friends or family, and pairs beautifully with a a big fresh salad.

Veggie Pizza (wheat & dairy free)

Ingredients:

1 gluten-free/dairy-free pizza crust (Sami’s bakery millet/flax crust)
1 jar marinara/pizza sauce
1-2 cups thinly sliced red, yellow, &/or orange bell peppers
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup olives, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
4 basil leaves
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp fresh dried thyme & oregano,
pinch sea salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F & position a rack in the middle of the oven
2. Bring large skillet to meat heat, add 1 Tbs olive oil, onions, peppers, garlic, dried herbs, salt & pepper & stir. Cook until soft 10-15 minutes.
3. Top pizza crust with desired amount of marinara/pizza sauce & top with sautéed veggies
4. Place pizza either directly on oven rack or pizza stone
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes
6. Top with fresh basil & red pepper flakes, if desired

Eat & enjoy!

Recipe from MedicalMedium.com

2. CHOCOLATE

Chocolate can be good for you depending on the quality. Try not to go for any milk chocolate bar off the shelf. It is not only lacking in the nutrients good quality chocolate has, but is also probably loaded with added sugar and milk. If those are the first two ingredients on the label, move along.

This homemade chocolate is made with just a few essential ingredients – virgin coconut oil, cocoa or cacao powder, and pure maple syrup. (Feel free to use whichever liquid sweetener you prefer). The virgin coconut oil replaces the cocoa butter found in traditional chocolate so while it needs to be kept in the freezer, it’s a great way to sneak some coconut oil into your day. You can also use any toppings you’d like – dried fruit, nuts, + seeds all work lovely. It melts much faster than regular chocolate, so be sure to keep it chilled until ready to enjoy. Eat it straight from the freezer!

Vegan Chocolate Bark

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/3 cup large flake dried coconut
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder, sifted if necessary
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon smooth almond butter, optional
pinch fine sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a 9″ square pan or a small baking sheet with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Set aside.
2. Add hazelnuts and almonds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet and add the coconut flakes and spread out. Continue roasting the nuts and coconut flakes for another 3-4 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly golden. Watch closely to avoid burning – coconut burns fast!
3. Place hazelnuts on several sheets of damp paper towel. Wrap the hazelnuts and rub them vigorously with the paper towel until the skins fall off. It’s ok if some skins don’t come off. Discard the skins and roughly chop the hazelnuts and almonds.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa (or cacao) powder, maple syrup, and almond butter (if using) until smooth. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste. Stir in half of the almonds and hazelnuts.
5. With a spatula, spoon the chocolate mixture onto the prepared parchment-lined pan or sheet and smooth out until it’s about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle on the remaining nuts and all of the coconut flakes. Place into freezer on a flat surface for about 15 minutes, until frozen solid.
6.Once frozen, break apart into bark. Store in the freezer until ready to eat. I don’t recommend keeping it out on the counter long because it melts fast.
Tip: To make this nut-free, simply omit the almond butter, hazelnuts, and almonds. It will still turn out just fine! You can try adding toasted sunflower seeds on top for a little crunch.

Recipe from OhSheGlows.com

3. CHIPS

Potato chip cravings don’t mess around. But answering that craving with store-bought veggie chips isn’t a great idea: They’re often made of mostly potato starch and coloring, and devoid of any actual real vegetables. What to do? Easy. Skip the greasy bag of chips and make your own batch from real veggies—and little else.

Spiced Sweet Potato Chips

1 12-oz sweet potato, peeled

½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt

1. HEAT oven to 375°F.
2. SLICE potato into very thin slices using v-slicer mandoline. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange potato slices on the baking sheets in a single layer. Coat slices lightly with cooking spray.
3. BAKE for 7 minutes, or until barely starting to brown. Turn potato slices over and return to the oven. Bake until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes more. Transfer finished slices to a bowl and repeat with remaining slices, if necessary. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cumin, sugar, chili powder, and salt.
4. POUR spice mixture over chips and toss well before serving

Baked Beet Chips

3 med beets
1½ Tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp salt

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Peel 3 medium uncooked beets and cut into thin slices. Toss with coconut oil and 14 teaspoon salt.
2. SPREAD slices onto two baking sheets in a single layer and bake for about 15 minutes. Flip beets and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until beets have dried out and become crisp. Cool before serving. Chips can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

Recipe from Prevention.com

4. COOKIES

When your sweet tooth kicks in, a nice chocolate chip cookie always hits the spot. But did you know just one of these cookies contains around 200 calories and 18 grams of sugar? And let’s face it, when have you ever eaten just one cookie when a craving strikes?

Welcome to the dream cookie. Ram packed with healthy ingredients, chewy, crispy around the edges, thick and bite-sized, with healthy dark chocolate sprinkled throughout.

Irresistible Chewy Trail Mix Cookies

Ingredients:

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, blended into oat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour
• 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup Sucanat or coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons water, mixed together
• 1/4 cup “drippy” raw almond butter (or other all-natural nut butter)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the ground flax and water in a small mug and set aside so it can gel up.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
4. In another medium sized bowl, stir together the wet ingredients, including the flax egg until thoroughly combined.
5. Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. This will take quite a bit of stirring until all of the dry patches of flour are gone.
6. Portion small balls of dough (just smaller than golf balls) onto the baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. I ended up baking two trays of cookies because I didn’t know how much they were going to spread out.
7. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes (I baked for a full 15 minutes), until light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. The cookies will break apart easily until cooled, so be careful.
8. Wrap up and store leftovers on the counter or in the freezer, if desired.

Recipe from OhSheGlows.com

5. ICE CREAM

Easy as 1-2-3, this creamy, sweet and cool snack or dessert proves that added sugar and oil are not always necessary to satisfy your cravings. Keep some peeled bananas in your freezer so they’ll be ready when you are.

Banana Nice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas, sliced and frozen
• 1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk
• 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter or peanut butter

Method:1. Put bananas, soymilk and almond butter into a blender.
2. Purée, turning off the motor and stirring the mixture two or three times, until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into two bowls and serve

 Recipe from Wholefoodsmarket.com

Blog compiled by Breathe in Life Co-founder, Melissa Jol