Lifestyle

Ingredients

• 2 green zuchinis
• 2 yellow zuchinis
• 1 large carrot
• 2 corn cobs (kernels only)
• 200 g fresh peas or sugar peas
• 1 large handful of mixed herbs, such as coriander, flat-leaf parsley, rosemary, oregano, thyme

  CURRIED COCONUT SAUCE

• 1 small banana shallot
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 3 cm piece of ginger
• ½ a fresh green chilli
• 5 cm piece of turmeric , or 2 tesapoons ground turmeric
• 1 lime , plus extra to serve
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 300 ml coconut water
• 100 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 1 teaspoon medium-hot curry powder

Method

1. First make the sauce. Peel and roughly chop the shallot, garlic and ginger, and roughly chop the chilli. Juice the turmeric, if using fresh. Zest and juice the lime.
2. Blitz all the sauce ingredients, except one tablespoon of desiccated coconut, in a food processor until combined. Season to taste – the sauce should be smooth and creamy.
3. Using a julienne peeler or spiraliser, cut the courgettes and carrot into long noodles. Place in a bowl with the rest of the vegetables, slicing the mangetout diagonally (if using).
4. Pour over the sauce and mix well. Pick, finely chop and sprinkle over the herbs and reserved tablespoon of desiccated coconut .
5. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes, until the ‘noodles’ have softened slightly, then serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Recipe by Jamie Oliver

Full Moon in Capricorn July 2015

“Things could get interesting, to say the least, with Mars (in Cancer) inciting the fierce protective edge of the Cancer (Sun). Keep in mind this is an atmosphere ripe for outbursts that are highly emotional AND highly subjective.

Emotions could hit extremes of both highs and lows, and everything in between, with quick, inexplicably loony shifts.

This is a tricky one, because the charged emotions can show you what’s bothering you — in a dramatic punchy way that leads to action.“

-Written by Molly Hall. Visit MysticMamma.com for full report.

Photo by spacewatchtower.blogspot.com

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Monthly Horoscope

Aries Horoscope (March 21 – April 19)

Although your heart is drawn toward your family life, the Capricorn Full Moon highlights your 10th House of Career. You might feel as if everyone is depending on you at work and you don’t want to let anyone down. Meanwhile, those you love at home also require your undivided attention. Luckily, your newfound spiritual approach to problems enables you to advance professionally while still attending to your emotional needs. It’s impossible to go wrong if you keep a firm grip on your integrity.

Taurus Horoscope (April 20 – May 20)

The hardworking Capricorn Full Moon brightens your 9th House of Big Ideas, complicating your goals for the future. Although you have thought long and hard about your goals, insecurities may kick in, causing you to doubt yourself all over again. Keep an open mind about your plans, even if you attempt to stick to your current agenda. Fortunately, you can dream your way right around any roadblocks, real or imagined. Extending your imagination into the vast realm of possibilities is a powerful way to expand your horizons.

Gemini Horoscope(May 21 – June 20)

Your thinking is out of whack while the ambitious Capricorn Full Moon illuminates your 8th House of Intimacy, yet your feelings are revealing something significant about a current relationship. It might seem prudent to exercise self-control, but narrowing your focus won’t prevent your emotions from influencing your decisions. You could waste endless energy trying to find the logic in an illogical situation. Follow your heart now; you may need to throw caution to the wind before you can sprout wings and fly.

Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – July 22)

The earthy Capricorn Full Moon in your 7th House of Partners pulls directly opposite the watery Cancer Sun, stirring tidal forces from the depths of your subconscious. Your unacknowledged needs come precariously close to the shores of awareness, impacting your most important relationships. Luckily, you can create a safe harbor in your imagination that allows you to share your dreams and fears without worry. Rather than isolating yourself, consciously move closer to those who will support you through times of change.

Leo Horoscope (July 23 – Aug. 22)

The Capricorn Full Moon shines in your 6th House of Habits, encouraging you to stick to your daily routine in spite of your desire to while away the time daydreaming. Pressing responsibilities may stymie your attempts to dive into the luxurious and nurturing backwaters of your own fantasies. Ironically, you will feel more emotionally satisfied if you have something tangible to show for your efforts. Just don’t get so swept up in a whirlwind of productivity that you forget to honor your unexpressed dreams, too.

Virgo Horoscope (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

The goal-oriented Capricorn Full Moon spotlights your 5th House of Self-Expression, urging you to exercise good judgment if you want to reach your desired destination. Fortunately, suppressing your feelings isn’t anything new to you since you understand the impracticality of emotions. But self-restraint isn’t always your most effective strategy. Push past your tendency to separate yourself from others by inquiring about their hopes and dreams. You may be pleasantly surprised by how easily a conversation unfolds once the words start flowing. Sharing your heart is the fastest way to true intimacy.

Libra Horoscope (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Although you want to take advantage of the opportunities right in front of you, the serious Capricorn Full Moon impacts your 4th House of Roots, anchoring your feelings to the past. Unfortunately, you could anticipate the future with such enthusiasm that you miss the most important piece of the puzzle. You can imagine the amazing potential but still have a tough time making room for new plans. The key to resolving your current conflict is not about doing anything in the real world; it’s about changing your frame of reference. Sometimes living in the present moment is enough.

Scorpio Horoscope (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Taking an extreme all-or-nothing approach to fulfilling your needs can turn love into a complicated jumble of feelings at this Full Moon. It’s not easy to stay comfortable in the middle of the emotional spectrum, especially when your fantasies are so vivid. Nevertheless, the calculating Capricorn Full Moon casts its light in your 3rd House of Communication, prompting you to consider the consequences of your message before telling anyone what’s on your mind. Establishing a healthy balance between expression and restraint may be enough to put you on the path to relationship success.

Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

You might be concerned if you don’t see an easy way to balance your income with your expenditures. Separating your financial worries from deeper issues about self-worth isn’t only a matter of numbers, especially while the responsible Capricorn Moon accentuates your 2nd House of Personal Resources. Instead of misdirecting your attention to what’s lacking in your life, concentrate on all the positive growth. Counting your blessings is a simple yet magical way to raise your self-esteem and, surprisingly, also your bottom line.

Capricorn Horoscope (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Your strength is being tested as you ride the powerful emotional waves of the Capricorn Full Moon. Your life is even more complicated with surreal Neptune’s presence making it nearly impossible to separate reality from fantasy. Balancing your feelings with the demands of the outer world is both challenging and invigorating. However, committing to a path of resistance will eventually exhaust you. Instead, dig deep and find the courage to push away from the safety of familiar territory. There’s so much to gain if you let go of your need for certainty and embrace the unknown.

Aquarius Horoscope (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Sneaking away for some personal time could become your obsession while the Capricorn Full Moon lights up your 12th House of Escape. Unfortunately, current obligations may still require you to adhere to your regular routine. But don’t work yourself into a state of anxiety trying to complete everything. Just do whatever is feasible while allowing time for short breaks on a regular basis. Ultimately, the most strategic practice is to continue seeking the right balance between responsibility and recreation.

Pisces Horoscope (Feb. 19 – March 20)

Your commitments seem all-consuming but you also recognize your need to rest. The steady Capricorn Moon recharges your 11th House of Social Networking, offering you the opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of friends and relatives. But you must stay vigilant and keep things in proper perspective while nebulous Neptune is also floating around in the picture. Swimming in your imagination can be tricky business when you don’t know which side of the truth you are on.

-Horoscope by tarot.com

Photo sourced from ayurvedaposters.com

A couple of weeks ago we introduced the Tri-Dosha in the article (list here), and briefly touched on the vulnerabilities of each of the three. Today I want to explore these weaknesses more in depth, so that we are able to better manage our bodies, minds and hearts. The presence of each element in the body brings with it both strengths and weaknesses, and today I want to explore these more in depth. Through awareness in or lives we find change and progress, and this is especially true with our bodies.

Vata

Being composed of air and space elements, Vata dominant people are vulnerable to these elements rising in their body and mind, causing them to go from being light, care free and creative to a state of instability, anxiety, weakness and fragility. Activities, environments, and foods that increase the air and space in their bodies will quickly cause this type of imbalance. For example, if a Vata person spends to much time in a cold, dry place they will develop a dry cough, dry skin or hoarseness of the voice. If they are constantly on the move, traveling or simply moving around to much in their daily lives, they will begin to feel unstable, anxious, and may develop insomnia. The extra space and lack of earth and water elements in their bones leave them are prone to breaks, arthritis, and cracking joints.

Pitha

Common Pitha ailments revolve around heat, often causing acidity, swelling and emotional disturance. Fire can be of service but can also turn quickly on it’s host. For example, in Ayurveda our digestive power, or ‘Agni’, is considered to be the source of all health and disease. With a weak digestive system our food is not properly digested and assimilated, causing it to sit to long in our system where toxins begin to form, causing all types of disease. In a Pitha person the digestive fire is very strong and their bowel movements are regular, a key to good health. In an environment with to much heat, or by eating to much sour or spicy foods, this advantage quickly transforms to heart burn, acid reflux, ulcers and diarrhea. Excess Pitha can also surface on the skin, showing in red, hot inflamed swellings, cysts or acne. They are commonly known for their ability to multi task and over accomplish, and at the same time for their tendency to become intolerant, angry, and obsessive.

Kapha

The earth and water of Kapha make for some of the most beautiful and desirable qualities in a person. They move from the heart and are deeply devoted, loyal, loving and sensitive. This grounded strength when in excess moves easily toward lethargy, depression, attachment, greed and weight gain. In the skin Kapha tends to surface in the form of large, cool, painful swellings and acne, often without puss. Excess water in the body can also lead to overly unctuous or lubricated joints, leaving Kapha persons bones strong but vulnerable to dislocations. Kapha aggravation or excess is often caused by taking to much sweets, oily/salty food or over sleeping. A lazy day of over eating can lead to a week of depression and hopelessness for a Kapha Dosha and they must be very diligent in managing their heavy hearts. Just as easily as they gain weight, they are able to lose it. By simply managing their diet and keeping regular, rigorous exercise they are able to avoid these issues and thrive.

Written by Jordan Ross Dore, Co-Founder of Breathe in Life

1. Saying Hello and Thank You (because why would you travel to ANY country without learning these two phrases in the local language)?

To say hello in Thai is ‘Sa Wat Dee’, and thank you is ‘Kob Khun’. If you are a lady you will add the word ‘ka’ to the end of all of your Thai phrases to indicate politeness, if you’re a guy you’ll add the word ‘krup’ to the end of yours.

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2. Why the Wai?

You may notice that people bring their hands to their face in what looks like a prayer when they greet or thank you – this is called a ‘Wai’. It’s respectful to reciprocate, and a safe place to hold your hands is just under your nose.

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3. Say no to pointing!

Pointing your fingers or hands at people or objects is not considered to be very polite in the Land of Smiles, but pointing your feet at anything is a major no no! More specifically, be sure to never point your toes at any Buddha statue/photo or any photo of the Royal family. You can avoid doing this by sitting cross legged or kneeling down in any temple setting.

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4. WHAT year is it?!

No my friends, you did not travel through time. The current year really IS 2560 in the Land of Smiles! While both calendar years are used here, Thailand operates on its’ own solar calendar which is thought to have begun in March 543BC (the time of the death of Buddha). You will see both 2560 and 2017 while you’re here, and it’s just fine for you to write 2017 on any document you may need to fill out upon your arrival/departure.

There’s so much more to see and so much more to learn! Be kind and be smiley and enjoy your time in this truly incredible country! I think you’re going to love it here.

Blog by Niki Young (A friend of Breathe in life and fellow travel obsessed adventurer. Follow her to hear about her incredible journeys around Thailand and beyond.)

Humans have been lacto-fermenting vegetables — combining them with salt and submerging them in their own brine to ferment — for thousands of years. It’s a fundamentally simple process (salt + veggies + time) and is responsible for plenty of familiar foods like kimchi and sauerkraut.

Still, the thought of leaving food on the counter for a couple of weeks or more can make it intimidating, especially for beginners. A simple formula and the right tools can make the process nearly foolproof, so it’s easy to create your own probiotic-rich fermented veggies at home in just three steps: chop, salt, and wait.

Chop

To ferment (nearly) any vegetable in a quart mason jar, start by thinly slicing or finely chopping it. As a general rule, broccoli, leafy greens like kale, and veggies with a higher water content (zucchini, for example) ferment less well. Radishes, cabbages, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and parsnips all do great in ferments. Beets work best used sparingly.

Consider adding freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, green onions, or your favorite dried spices. Use a kitchen scale to weigh your chopped produce and record the weight in grams. Aim for around 750 grams of chopped veggies to fill a quart mason jar.

Salt

Next, we salt! Fermentation makes some minerals in sea salt more bioavailable, so fine-grain sea salt is a great choice. Calculate 1.5 percent of the weight of your chopped vegetables and add that much salt to the vegetables in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl. Use your clean hands to massage the salt into the veggies for a few minutes.

This is very much like massaging kale for a salad. You’ll begin to notice the salt drawing the liquid out of your vegetables. Once you notice a layer of water in the bottom of your bowl, you’re ready to pack the mixture into a jar. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature if there isn’t sufficient liquid initially.

Pack

One handful at a time, pack the mixture tightly into the jar, pressing it down with your fist until the liquid rises above the vegetables. (It’s OK if it goes back down again when you take your fist away.) Repeat that process until the jar is full just to its shoulder, the curved part below the rim.

Secure the top of the jar with an airlock designed for a quart mason jar. My favorite is the Kraut Source because it’s stainless steel. A quick Google search will reveal that there are various types of mason jar airlocks and even ways to craft them yourself. An airlock is an additional investment, albeit a worthy one, that pretty much eliminates the potential for mold and the need to be as
meticulous about keeping the contents of your jar submerged below brine.

Wait

You can begin tasting your creation after three days, but expect for it to take at least two weeks to be sufficiently sour. It’s likely to be more active, possibly bubbling, around days three through five. It’s done when it tastes more sour than salty. Cover with two-piece mason jar lid, label, and place in the fridge for long-term storage.

Get started with the recipe for pink salt kraut from my new small-batch preserving cookbook, Beyond Canning. It’s a straightforward basic kraut recipe made with mineral-rich Himalayan pink salt.

Pink Salt Kraut

Some folks swear by Himalayan pink salt for all of their ferments. It has a reputation for being pure, mineral rich, and beneficial in a number of ways. I won’t argue with any of that.

There’s one big reason I don’t ferment with it on a regular basis and didn’t make it a requirement for the ferments in my book: it’s significantly more costly than sea salt.

Seeking out fine-grain Himalayan pink salt in the bulk bins and buying a few tablespoons, however, is an easy and affordable way to experiment with this high-quality salt in ferments.

Because I was interested in exploring the salt, I chose a completely straightforward sauerkraut recipe. It’s funny that changing just one variable (salt) made me aware of all the other variables — place, time of year, amount of rain, and so on — that have the potential to influence the final result of a ferment. I’m sure you’ll have fun comparing the flavor of this kraut to the other krauts that come out of your kitchen.

Makes 1 scant quart

Ingredients

• 800 grams green cabbage, shredded

• 12 grams Himalayan pink salt

Preparation

1. In a large nonreactive bowl (stainless steel works well), combine the cabbage and salt.

2. Use your hands to stir them together, then work the salt into the cabbage for about 2 minutes. If you’ve ever massaged kale for a salad, that’s the motion you want to employ here. In slightly less technical terms, it’s basically smooshing.

3. Use your hands to pack the mixture tightly into a quart mason jar, a handful at a time.

4. Once all the mixture is packed into the jar, push it down with your fist, the back of a wooden spoon, or both, a few times. Now it should be just covered with its own brine.

5. Secure the airlock on top of the jar and allow to ferment for up to 2 weeks. You may begin tasting for doneness after 3 days.

6. Cover, label, and refrigerate for long-term storage.

Article by BIL guide and nutritionist Meghan Trompetter

Arambol is easily one of the most vibrant, culturally diverse places we have found anywhere in the world. It seems that all of the world’s most eccentric and creative people have found each other in this small town on the northern coast of Goa and devloped an incredible community of teachers, students and artists. Everything, everyone, everywhere is flowing hand in hand in the same direction. It’s all about art, yoga, music, healthy food, love, harmony and surrender. This is the Goa you have been hearing about.

What to Do?

So many options. Places like The Love Temple, Blue Pyramid and Magic Park are always running a very, very wide variety of classes, workshops, lectures, dances, trances, healing ceremonies, meditations and other expressive events. At Love Temple there is a big chalk board outside you can check out when you arrive to see what is running for that week and pencil in what jumps out at you.

There is one very unique thing about Arambol, each evening around sunset everyone gathers on the beach for a huge drum circle. Many musicians join and for a few hours you can kick up some sand and dance the sun away, a seriously amazing way to get the juices flowing for the evening. During the circle all sorts of other cool things are going on as well. Acro Yoga jams, free Tai Chi sessions, ecstatic dance, meditations, musicians busking, you name it. There is also a huge gypsy night market along the beach with dozens of stalls selling all sorts of amazing hand made goodies; everything from jewelry and clothing to instruments and home made natural foods.

Arambol Night Market

On the Saturday night in Arambol we head to Anjuna for the huge Arambol night market. This is like the beach gypsy market but much much bigger and very well organized. Artists from all over the world sell amazing, high quality one of a kind creations. There is also a really awesome food court with dishes from all over the world and a big concert running all night. This is definitely one of the highlights of our stay in Arambol.

Time with Amit

In our time here we are fortunate to attend a 4 day course with our favorite teacher in India, Amit Raina of the Kashmir Shaivism School of Yoga. Amit comes from a long lineage of spiritual teachers but also has a background in engineering. After completing his education he built a successful business before being called to follow the higher path of his ancestors. He left his home and spent 6 years as a Sadhu (Indian holy man) on the banks of the river Ganges. When he felt his work was complete there he came back to the city where he studied with B.K.S Iyengar for seven years. Amit’s mixed background of spiritual influence as well as real world experience has brought him to be a very grounded, humble teacher. He will be taking us through philosophy teachings as well as alignment based Iyengar Yoga workshops.

Where to Eat

Arambol has some of the best options we have found in all of India for creative, living, organic foods. Many conscious people have settled here and are always bringing the latest health foods and trends to Arambol. You can find it all here; raw, vegan, gluten free options as well as kombucha, loads of super foods and of course incredible traditional Indian dishes. Our favorite restaurants include Magic Park, Lamuella, Cheeky Monkey, Shantaram and Harimba.

Visit to Sweet Lake

Just on the next beach over there is a cool little hang out spot called Sweet Lake. Named for it’s fresh water, it’s just a hundred or so meters from the sea and is a perfect spot to relax and have a swim. Here you can paraglide as well, as seen in the photo above, which gives an amazing view of this very unique and beautiful beach!

We are stoked to hit Arambol with our group members this February on our 20 Day South India Tour! For details visit breatheinlife.com

Photo: @amanyara_resort

Upon returning to my glass casita following a day of beachside workouts, acupressure facials, and fresh local cuisine, I took a moment of reprieve to soak it all in. I stood overlooking the ocean’s rocky coastline set against a lush, green nature reserve, suddenly struck by the idea that this landscape—even more than the itinerary that preceded it—was the ultimate luxury.

My four-day trip to Amanyara in Turks and Caicos with my husband, Jason, and new baby daughter, Ellie, was a much-needed break from the hustle-and-bustle of the everyday. The resort’s wellness programs were designed to help me move, relax, and recharge surrounded by water, wildlife, fresh air, and everything else I’d come to miss while in NYC. With 31 properties spread across 20 countries, Aman is the proud poster child of luxe vacationing grounded in a sustainable ethos.

During my brief stay, I trained with a boxing champion, meditated along white sandy beaches, and indulged in bespoke spa treatments. Each of these offerings was informed by the surrounding community. Skin serums were infused with local coconut oil and sea salt, float therapies took a cue from the swells of the Caribbean, and meals featured produce from an aquaponic vegetable garden just a stone’s throw away. By allowing nature to take center stage, Amanyara turned the surrounding wildlife into the centerpiece of our vacation.

Photo: @jasonwachob

“Our environmental programs offer something for all ages and center around the discovery and conservation of the surrounding indigenous wildlife, from guided hikes and snorkeling expeditions to our Adopt-a-Coral program and the chance to participate in the Amanyara Sea Turtle Initiative,” says Amanyara resort manager Serge Ditesheim.

This immersive mentality pervades their dozens of locations worldwide, each one inextricably linked to the land. Whether it’s by inviting guests to release new members of a native species on the verge of extinction in Bali or explore a surrounding UNESCO World Heritage site in China, Aman is incredible at pinpointing unique, transformative experiences to be had outdoors. “Each Aman has its own identity, experience, and feel, and each is unique in what they offer their guests,” Ditesheim explains. “All of this, however, is intrinsically linked to and influenced by the location of the hotels.”

When I think of what luxury means to me, it’s not a high-thread-count sheet, an Italian handbag, or even a great bottle of wine. It’s the opportunity to practice physical and mental well-being in a beautiful space that motivates and grounds me. In this sense, wellness is a connecting thread between two seemingly different realms: luxury and sustainability.

Photo: @jasonwachob

At the end of the day, striving to be “well” means living in harmony with yourself and your surroundings. Eco-resorts like Aman offer guests the opportunity to do so with a side of pampering—and guests are signing on. Wellness travel is expected to eclipse $563 billion in earnings this year, and 66 percent of travelers are now saying they’re willing to pay more to ensure their trips are as sustainable as possible. The marriage of travel, wellness, and green is a profitable one. The wellness travel industry grew 6.8 percent between 2013 and 2015, and it shows no sign of slowing.

Aman has paved the way for other luxury sites to treat guests to nature in a way that feels respectful and mindful of culture. From The Sanctuary at Two Rivers, offering yogis a retreat in a 100 percent off-the-grid, solar-powered facility, to Maderas Village in Nicaragua, pairing surf and water-sport offerings beside an open-air village that’s constructed of local, naturally fallen timber, there are now a handful of resorts around the world introducing wellness lovers to new landscapes without harming them. And this emphasis on eco-luxury isn’t relegated to faraway beaches. In our own backyard, 1Hotels Brooklyn is turning Brooklyn Bridge Park into a playground for wellness-hungry visitors and New Yorkers treating themselves to a staycation. Crafted using repurposed material and dotted with plant species indigenous to the area, the hotel’s furniture, food, and décor are almost exclusively sourced from the surrounding neighborhood.

“I wanted to use a hotel as a platform to teach people how to live a green life and live well while still having a luxury experience,” founder Barry Sternlicht told mbg back in April. “I want people to realize that in today’s world of gadgets and gizmos, nature is the greatest luxury of all.”

Start your next eco-friendly vacay off right with this primer on sustainable airfare.

Blog by Colleen Wachob. Colleen is a founding partner and the chief brand officer at mindbodygreen.com

The holiday period spanning Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve is a special time in North America when we gather our loved ones and celebrate abundance, community, and renewal. Yet a growing body of evidence suggests that this six-week period has a concerning side effect: It accounts for most of our country’s weight problem. Understanding this fact, and why it happens, gives us powerful insights into why we gain weight—and how to prevent it.

It’s a fact: We eat too much during the holidays.

In a recent study, scientists set out to answer a simple question: How does a person’s body weight change over the course of the year? To find out, they used internet-connected scales to collect daily body weight data from nearly 3,000 volunteers in the United States, Germany, and Japan. After crunching the data, a striking pattern emerged: No matter where you live, or what you celebrate, holidays are likely your period of greatest weight gain.

In the United States, our ascent begins at Thanksgiving when we enjoy our iconic feast and well-meaning relatives inundate us with delectable treats. Yet we don’t reach our peak weight until we’ve danced with the sugar-plum fairies of Christmas and the New Year. After the New Year, many of us dutifully step into our jogging shoes and try to work off the extra flab, but on average we lose less than half of it. Each holiday season, our weight ratchets up a little bit, gradually bringing us closer to obesity. More than half of our annual weight gain comes from just 12 percent of the year.

In Germany, the situation is similar, minus Thanksgiving. Most annual weight gain occurs around Christmas and the New Year, with a smaller bump around Easter. Could it be that our bodies simply want to gain weight in winter, perhaps as a way of guarding against the winter famines our ancestors faced? Maybe our weight gain has nothing to do with the holidays after all? The data from Japan put this idea to rest. In Japan, the largest weight gain doesn’t occur in winter but in spring. This gain coincides with the Golden Week, a holiday period in April and May during which Japanese people celebrate nature, children, and their national constitution. Our conclusion is inescapable: Holidays themselves are making us fat.

The brain’s role in cravings

Superficially, the explanation for this is no great mystery: During the holidays, we simply eat and drink too much, and some of those excess calories get shunted to our love handles. But to really understand why this happens and empower ourselves to fight back, we need to dig deeper. We need to take a detour to the brain, the organ that generates all behaviors, including eating.

Craving trigger no. 1: food composition

The human brain is the product of millions of years of survival in the face of scarcity, and it has a number of hard-wired tricks up its sleeve that helped us stay alive in the world of our distant ancestors. One of these is an important function called reward, which mostly whirrs away below our conscious awareness. Here’s how it works in a nutshell. Every human brain is wired with specific motivations that drive us to seek the things that are good for us, including physical comfort, sex, social interaction, water, and of course, food. But not just any kind of food: The brain has no instinctive love for celery sticks or Brussels sprouts; it wants richsources of fat, starch, sugar, and protein that would have met the rigorous demands of ancient life, and the more concentrated, the better. In everyday experience, we feel cravings as we smell a glazed ham emerging from the oven or see a slice of pecan pie obscured by a generous dollop of whipped cream. This craving, along with the enjoyment we feel as we eat delicious foods, is the conscious manifestation of reward.

Craving trigger no. 2: food proximity

But reward isn’t solely triggered by a food’s composition. The human brain is fundamentally opportunistic and always on the lookout for a good deal. In other words, it wants to get you the most benefit for the least sacrifice (for more on this effect, see Brian Wansink’s book Mindless Eating). Food within arm’s reach fires up your motivation to eat, even if you’ve already eaten more calories than you need. By the time our brains throw the emergency brake to limit the metabolic damage of a feast like Christmas dinner, we’ve already eaten far too much.

Craving trigger no. 3: sensory-specific satiety

The story doesn’t end there. Another textbook brain function, called habituation, also chips in to drive up our food intake. Habituation is one of the oldest and most basic functions of the nervous system, and it simply makes us respond less and less to a specific stimulus the more we encounter it. For example, if you see a new billboard on your way to work, you might glance at it, but after a week it becomes part of the background and you stop paying attention. Food works the same way, thanks to a property called sensory-specific satiety. What this means is that your feeling of fullness (satiety) is specific to the particular foods you ate. You may be completely sated by what you’ve already eaten but still be ready and willing to eat something that tastes different. So while your “first stomach” may be full of ham and sweet potatoes, your “second stomach” still has room for apple pie, vanilla ice cream, and maybe a Christmas cookie or three. That’s because your second stomach isn’t in your abdomen—it’s in your brain. If your only option were more ham and sweet potatoes rather than pie, you probably wouldn’t eat them.

In practice, what this means is that we eat more total food as the variety in a meal increases. Some people call this the “buffet effect,” and chances are, your personal experience confirms that this name is apt.

Craving trigger no. 4: the satiety system

As if that weren’t enough, another brain system jumps into the holiday fray to help us pack on the pounds: the satiety system. Located in the brain stem where your brain meets your spinal cord, the satiety system receives information from your digestive tract about the food you’ve eaten at a meal and uses it to determine your feeling of fullness. Although fullness may feel like a simple physical sensation in your stomach, it’s actually your brain’s interpretation of complex food-related signals coming from several parts of your gut.

As sophisticated as this system is, it’s surprisingly inaccurate in one key way: the amount of fullness you feel doesn’t correspond very closely to the number of calories you’ve eaten. In particular, the more calorie-dense the food—in other words, the less water and fiber it contains—the less fullness you get out of it, per calorie. So a bowl of oatmeal that’s bulky with water and fiber will deliver much more fullness than the same number of calories of white flour crackers, meaning that you may need to eat twice as many calories of crackers to feel full. Since Christmas dinner and Aunt Sally’s famous egg nog are especially calorie-dense, we tend to eat more calories than usual before we reach that feeling of fullness that tells us to stop eating.

Together, the instinctive functions of your brain conspire to parlay the abundance of the holidays into an extra layer of body fat, as insurance against a future scarcity that never arrives.

This might seem grim, but understanding the problem empowers us to eat better this year. If more than half of our annual weight gain comes from only 12 percent of the year in the United States, then just a little vigilance will go a long way toward keeping us feeling good. And if we know why we eat too much during that period, we can do something about it. Here are four tips that will help you work with your brain’s instincts to make this your healthiest holiday ever.

1. Be mindful of your food environment.

If the reward trigger—such as the sight or smell of cookies—isn’t present in your immediate surroundings, it won’t make you crave, and you won’t have to fight yourself to avoid eating it. The most effective way to do this is to purge your home and work environments of tempting foods that don’t support a healthy weight. If a friend brings over a pie, say thanks, eat a small piece, and find another home for the rest.

2. Create small effort barriers to eating.

Small effort barriers, like having to open a cupboard, unscrew a jar, peel an orange, or shell nuts, make food a less attractive “deal” to the brain and help reduce your intake of unnecessary calories. If you have to work a little bit to snack, chances are you’ll only do it when you’re genuinely hungry.

3. Simplify.

The fewer types of food that are available at a meal, the fewer calories you’ll eat overall. Consider cutting out appetizers, or only offering one option and keeping it light. Rather than providing the riot of dishes that normally defines holiday feasts, pick a few traditional items and stick with them. Instead of serving three different desserts, choose only one.

4. Lighten up.

Serve lighter versions of your favorite dishes, snacks, desserts, and drinks. For foods that you prepare, the easiest way to do this is to use less fat, sugar, and white flour in your cooking and stick with ingredients that are minimally processed. For foods that you buy already prepared, look for lighter options that you still like. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, which are inherently high in calories, wine is the best option because it delivers fewer calories per serving than beer or cocktails. And you might want to lay off the egg nog.

If you follow these four simple tips, chances are you and your family will enjoy the holidays as much as ever, without the long-term consequences.

Blog by Dr. Stephan J. Guyenet via mindbodygreen.com

Photo by heysigmund.com

Intuition is your most powerful resource available to you in this world of rapid-fire information, surface level relationships maintained by our fingertips through the spill of social media, and a struggling economy that makes us all want to hide our money in a vault so it won’t disappear.

Whether we’re beginning a relationship with the words: “She’s the one; I just know it,” taking a risk in business with “I just know, in my gut,” or responding to crisis with “I could just tell something wasn’t right,” intuition has a long been guiding us in the right direction when all other clues were absent or pointing us in the wrong direction.

Emerson called it “the divine impulse.” I simply call it, “Your Vibes.”

Today’s question is no longer, “does it exist?” We know it does. The real and relevant question is now, more importantly “So how does it work?”

Your sixth sense, your “vibes,” works best off a solid foundation of knowledge. It begins by noticing what is happening all around you right now. When was the last time you took a moment to really look around, wherever you were at the moment, to just feel with your Spirit? Take a second and do it right now. Reach out with your energy and feel the electricity buzzing in the room, the residual energy of people that have been in this space with you today or the day before, the pulse of life, knowledge and wisdom all around you in so many forms.

The more we connect with the world in this intimate and intuitive way, the more we begin to understand what that energy is giving us in return.

By simply becoming more attentive to the world around us we can be far more guided about what is happening just beneath the surface.

Intuition guides us toward making good decisions, though they are sometimes not the decisions we expected to make. But that is the whole point of tuning into our intuition in the first place. To be able to make the best decisions possible. So when our intuition alerts us to the need to make a change, It’s important to embrace that alert gladly. After all, it’s only serving to protect you.

Next, when thinking about increasing the effectiveness of our intuition, it’s important to remember that tuning into your vibes requires a clear and organized mind. Intuition is a subtle and fleeting insight that can be easily lost under a mountain of unfinished business, or swept away in the drama of disorder. Is it time to catch up with old matters, finish unfinished business, and clear your mental desk? The more you procrastinate, the greater your loss when it comes to tapping into your intuitive reserves.

Finally, your vibes are a physical, as much as a psychic sense. Your physical body relays messages as if it were a radio, broadcasting to your mind. Your gut feelings, your subtle vibes and your heart-based instincts are all messages relayed to your mind from you r intuition, through the vehicle of your body.

And just like any radio tower, if you don’t maintain it, it doesn’t work as well. Hangovers, stress, illness and injury impair your ability to access your intuition as do sleep deprivation, poor diet and under-exercising. The more junked up the system, the less likely it is that the important messages will make it through.

So, if these are all the things that get in the way, what are the things that help?

A quiet moment where you take it slow and give yourself a break is the first step in connecting with your intuition. Doing nothing doesn’t mean nothing’s getting done. In fact, those brief moments where you listen in on your internal guide are the moments where you have the opportunity to make profound and essential course corrections. And, the longer you wait in between check-in’s, the further off course you might get before you notice something going wrong.

Have you ever noticed that when one of your senses is taken away or under-stimulated, the others turn up the volume? For example, if you sit with your eyes closed for a few minutes and then your cat jumps up on your lap, sometimes you can feel the echo of the pressure on your skin, long after the cat has gone along its way. When vision was turned down, touch was turned up. The same is true for your sixth sense: intuition. When you take a moment out of your day to meditate or turn down the volume on your over-stimulated sense, intuition gets turned up and you are able to hear and feel things you might otherwise have missed.

The dictionary defines intuition as “immediate cognition,” which requires the paying of acute attention. The word literally means, “inner teacher.” Get into the habit of listening to your “inner teacher” and expecting it to guide you.

When you expect something you create an energetic vacuum which the Universe seeks to fill. A case in point is two guys driving into town; one expects to find a parking space, the other doesn’t. They both turn out right

Above all, have the courage to trust your vibes. Every great leader has been willing to play the fool. Disney was considered “a nut.” The Wright brothers were called “daft.” Edison was “eccentric,” at best. Progressive thinkers have always challenged conventional wisdom as they blaze a trail to the top. Now, it’s your turn.

10 things you can do to activate your intuitive “vibes” in your world.

1. Write down your goals. Intuition supports clear intentions. Keep your goals clearly posted and review them every day.

2. Visualize your success. Imagine exactly what you want to happen in your life. Intuition supports your vision. Sharpen your visualization skills by sharing your vision with others and observe if they can see your dreams as well as you.

3. Get enough sleep. Your vibes shut down when you are fatigued.

4. Keep a little notebook or tape recorder and record your gut feelings, ah-ha moments, and bright ideas as they arise. Do not edit, censor, or dismiss anything. You will soon see it all counts.

5. Sound it out. Find sympathetic friends who will listen to your intuitive hunches. Sharing a gut feeling is the best way to validate your intuition and gain confidence in listening to your higher awareness.

6. Take time out for reflection. Intuition lies just beneath our conscious awareness and rises to the surface during quiet moments. Rushing through the day prevents your inner voice from speaking out. Schedule regular periods of 5 to 10 minutes throughout the week to do nothing but sit and ponder.

7. Leave the job at your desk. Sometimes the best way to activate your intuitive and creative muscles is to walk away from a problem and let the answers incubate on their own. Do something stimulating and fun on your evenings and weekends. By allowing this side of your brain to take over while giving your work side a rest brings new perspectives and ideas that can take you to a new level of solution.

8. Ask for help. Have the wisdom to be open to receiving help in all ways, and do not hesitate to seek guidance the minute you need it. Being open to guidance is the starting gun to an intuitive life and separates the ordinary from the extraordinary in today’s working world.

9. Keep your office clean and organized. Your sixth sense thrives on order, not chaos. A clear desk leaves the clear mind needed for tuning into your vibes.

10. Acknowledge your intuitive successes openly and comfortably. Share your vibes positively, regarding them as a natural asset designed to help you succeed and not as something to wrestle with or question. Recognize they are a reflection of your higher power, and put them to use every day.

The bottom line is, if you want to succeed in a changing world and have a great time along the way, utilize and trust to the fullest your greatest natural tool: your “vibes.”

-Blog by Sonia Choquette