Let’s get out of our heads people and wake up to the present. Here’s a taste of what’s in store for us in reality…
1.) You’ll sense when you’re full and thus not over eat and gain weight.
2.) An orgasm will come with ease and more intensity because you’ll be aware of all the sensations.
3.) Mind numbing chores will be more fulfilling.
4.) When you do need to think or create, ideas will flow effortlessly because it’s coming from a cleared perspective.
5.) You’ll meet new people, network (advance your career!) because you’ll take the opportunity to connect with people in the real world instead of just living in your thoughts.
6.) You’ll truly listen and make honest connections with the all people in your life.
7.) You’ll experience new things just because you can and why not in the present moment?
8.) You’ll get more bang for your buck at the gym. Focusing on the internal workings of the body = better quality, less quantity.
9.) It’s the easiest way to de-stress.
10.) Your pets will adore you even more because you genuinely pay attention and bond with them.
11.) The world will be more beautiful. It was always beautiful you just didn’t notice.
So I ask you, why not switch your consciousness now?
“It is the only thing. It’s all there is. The eternal present is the space within which your whole life unfolds, the one factor that remains constant. Life is now. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.”-Eckhart Tolle
Day in and day out we sit in front of a glowing screen with rounded shoulders, a hunched back, and head protruding forward…and then wonder why we leave the office with neck and shoulder pain! Poor posture, whether it’s on the job or simply walking around, puts undue strain on the muscles that support the spine and head. Even if you can ignore the nagging neck tension day to day, over time poor posture will change the shape of the spine leading to more severe problems like pinched nerves and disc issues. Plus let’s face it, no one wants to be a hunch back!
One of the best ways to combat tension on those days when we have to be glued to a chair typing away is to take movement breaks. Try this easy movement series I created to specifically stretch the muscles that ail us desk bound the most. Follow along!
Believe it or not, fats are fabulous! By now you probably know that the grease covering that BK patty or the hydrogenated oils in those yummy blueberry muffins are artery clogging no-no’s. That’s great! But, all fat is not equal. Long gone are the spandex wearing 80’s when every fat was black listed and stripped from the diet. We now realize that fats are essential to controlling appetite, stabilizing blood sugar, and even burning fat. Proper digestion, and glowing skin, hair, and nails are just a few benefits of eating healthful fats in moderation.
Here’s a clear cut look at the best fats for optimum health and how to use them. Finally, simplicity! Coconut Oil and Fresh Coconut: The poor poor coconut. Until very recently coconut has been labeled a “bad” fat due to the fact that it’s saturated. The brown furry fruit was compared to other nasty saturated fats when in actuality the coconut helps lower cholesterol! Nutrients found in the coconut even boost the immune system, warding off viruses. It’s easy to digest, helps the body burn fat more efficiently and is perfect for high-heat cooking.
How to use em’- Use coconut oil for frying, popping corn, or any other high-heat cooking since it’s not broken down easily. It adds a light flavor to food and is perfect for curry sauces. Toss fresh coconut into trail mixes, oatmeal, and yogurt as a natural rich sweetener. Oh yeah, and nothing beats a little coconut oil for super-dry skin. Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil: Hello heart-healthy omega-3’s! Fifteen percent of the oils in flax get converted into omega-3’s. The seeds are high in fiber and contain lignans, which help prevent breast and colon cancer and fight constipation. Grind the seeds in order to reap the benefits. Otherwise the seeds will pass through you whole. Keep the seeds in the freezer and the oil in the fridge to prevent rancidity.
How to use em’- With their nutty flavor, flaxseeds make a fab addition to yogurt, oatmeal, salads, soups, smoothies, and ice cream. You can add them to baked goods as well! Flaxseed oil should only be used in salad dressings or taken straight up because heating the oil destroys the essential linoleic acid… Causing rancidity, which is toxic! I love to top my yogurt and granola off with a spoonful of flax oil. You hardly even taste it! Grapeseed Oil: Touted as the protege’ to olive oil, grapeseed oil is a superstar when it comes to cooking with high-heat. Unlike olive oil which breaks down at high temps, grapeseed has a smoking point of 420 degrees F. It does contain omega-6 fats, but without the unhealthy ramifications like with hydrogenated oils.
How to use em’- Use for salad dressing, stir-fries, sauteing, pancakes, and baked goods. It has a clean, light neutral taste. Olives and Olive Oil: Olives contain omega-9 fats and oleic acid. Oleic acid helps the body absorb the omega-3’s found in fish oil and flaxseeds. They also sensitize your cells to insulin, making it easier for sugar into your cells, and for you to burn fat!
How to use em’- Toss olives into salads and sandwiches, or as a garnish for poultry and fish. You could do what I do and just keep a bowl full to snack on! Olive oil is the foundation of the Mediterranean diet and is great for low-to medium heat cooking, such as sauteed veggies or scrambled eggs. Use the oil for salad dressings, or drizzle over veggies and bake. Fantastic! Raw Nuts and Seeds: Chock full of omega-3s and omega-9s these babies help fight heart disease and keep cholesterol levels in check. Raw nuts and seeds also contain trace minerals that stabilize blood sugar and control your appetite.
How to use em’- Make your own trail mix with a wide assortment. Use ground pecans or pistachios to bread chicken or fish, instead of bread crumbs. Toast and toss in a salad or buy as a nut butter. Pass on the peanut butter and give almond butter a try on celery, cucumbers, apples, or on toast. My cupboard staple is raw, unsalted almond butter from Trader Joe’s. Just divine by itself!
So now that you’ve got a better grasp on those luscious fats, stalk up and eat in moderation. I realized years ago after a period of cutting fat completely out of my diet that I actually lost weight when I reintroduced healthy fats. They are essential to your most Epicself!
Resource: Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous, by Esther Blum
Thanks to Sunday Streets, Labor Day weekend in San Francisco was marked not only with stellar sunshine, but with open roads. In a gallant effort by the mayor, one of the main thoroughfares of the city was blocked off this last Sunday to promote fun, health, and fitness. A 4.5 mile stretch of the Embarcadero’s glistening waterfront views were cleared for bikers, skaters, and even the occasional hula hooper. This citywide experiment in communal fitness was pawned from a successful 20 year program in Bogota’. The message … eat healthy and live active.
So what can one do with an open street you ask? The sky’s the limit! Run, skate, bike, play catch, or join one of the many scheduled activities like free yoga, and salsa dance classes. Or you could jump into a hula hoop or rope jumping contests! AT&T Ballpark was even open for kids and adults alike to run the bases.
All I have to say is what a great way to bring the community together, burn some calories, soak in some sun, and learn something new. If you missed the August 31st event, mark your calendar for the September 14th road closure. It’s on!! You’ll probably find me in the adult yoga classes at the Ferry building or in the Cardio Latin dance class. Or maybe I should get a bike tune up? Hell I could do it all. Here’s the list of activities for you to peruse. See you there!
When your 9 to 5 includes staring at the computer screen you are no virgin to tired red eyes. A quick look in the mirror is enough to see the damage. Black circles, and dry, bloodshot eyes aren’t the best look walking into that swanky happy hour! And yet, the zombie look is only half the battle. Long hours spent a foot away from the computer screen, driving, watching TV, and even reading, put undo strain on our poor little peepers. Causing mental fatigue, headaches, and increased tension in the body.
In today’s tech savvy world, where people spend more time glaring at their miniature iphone/blackberry screens then actually speaking to others, eye strain has become quite a hindrance to productivity and overall well being. As natural hunter-gatherers the human eye evolved to see best at long distances. So it’s no wonder all of our nearsighted video game playing, and internet surfing (for hours on end!) causes stress on the eyes!
Luckily there are a plethora of ways to soothe and calm those dazzling baby blues. Try these today and finally find some relief:
1.) Check Your Ergonomics: How close are you to your computer screen? To ease undue strain make sure the screen is at least an arms length away from your body.
2.) Take Eye Breaks: Every half hour un-glue your retinas from the box and look out the window. Look as far into the distance as possible. Keep the gaze for about 5 minutes. This allows the focus to relax. Also play with looking at a close object then flip to looking far away. Go back and forth, near and far. 3.) Screen Glow: Fiddle with the contrast and brightness of the screen. Too much light is shocking to the eye and not enough contrast between a background and it’s text can have you squinting to read. You want the screen light to match your environments. No surfing in the dark!
4.) My Secret Weapon: I have to share my secret, eye yoga! I found this eye exercise sequence on YouTube and boy has it worked wonders. Follow along and feel the difference. Instantly refreshes. It’s seriously the only thing that allows me to sit and write Epicself or hours.
