Cheers to Amazing Health - Thankful Detox Juice

So while many people are coming down from their food comas (post thanksgiving) there is more incentive to detox and get healthy. While it is important to be mindful of how we exercise our body, and it's obvious Yoga is one of my favorite methods to exercise the Mind-Body-Spirit, what we eat is also very important to be mindful of. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetable provides our body with phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, water, and oxygenation to our blood and organs.

In the tail end of summer I did a 4 week complete Raw Vegan Cleanse. With daily juicing and smoothies that left my body with more energy than I ever imagined. You can actually witness the transformation in my skin and hair in the videos on my youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/Ambriali

In the past I have been blessed with amazing opportunities of doing detox challenges with Yoga Students, only to witness incredible transformations, and while I am no stranger to doing a juice cleanse or even multiple month long fasts myself, the inspiration behind this summers juicing detox, was to inspire my family to get healthier. Since the summer, family juice extravaganza my daddy who is already a healthy person, has kept my juicer, and joyfully makes juice 4-5 times a week (Yeaaa Daddy).

While the superficial benefits of doing a detox are amazing like a leaner body, glowing skin, healthier hair, the Spiritual benefits are amazing as well. Challenge yourself to cleanse your dietary habits and notice the shift in all areas of your life. Your meditation and yoga practice will be stronger, and you will feel a deeper sense of joy. Just a note, when embarking on any type of detox you may get initial hurdles like fatigue, and or headaches ...that is just the toxins leaving your body, it's very temporary, be patient and embrace the detox. Also, if your diet is not so clean/pure or "Sattvic" as they would say in Ayurveda, be mindful that the alkalinity of the fruits and veggies may be a taste that your acidic blood initially has to get used to.

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world" ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Today, I decided to try a new juice combo suggested by a friend.

The Thankful Detox Juice

4 Grapefruits

2 Gala Apples

4 Organic Carrots

1 bunch of Parsley

HAPPY JUICING!!!

Supermodel Yogic Diet - Coconut Oil

So while many people embrace yoga for various reasons, it is also important to maintain a clean diet. Clean diet can include veggies, fruits and "good fats". A common staple growing up for me was the use of coconut oil. Coconut oil was the oil of choice for every food prepared or cooked, it was like how people use "butter" in the Western part of the world. The irony of this was mostly all of my relatives consumed a healthy amount of food with dietary staples like (Sambar, Dahl, Vegetable Thorin, Rice etc) all made with a coconut oil, and everyone of my relatives and neighbors were slim and healthy. It was not until Western Scientists deemed that Coconut oil contributed to high levels of Cholestorol, that many Indians made a switch to Sunflower or Olive Oil.

The switch altered the taste of the food, and I noticed how my relatives and neighbors were changing their body structure. Coconut oil and coconut water has many medicinal values for the human body. When taken internally it is a healthy fat which our body needs for cellular function. It also provides Vitamin E and K, and high amounts or minerals and high amounts of Iron. While it is an oil that has been extensively used in Ayurveda, it is especially a wonderful oil for those in the Ayurveda Dosha type of Pitta, as it has wonderful cooling properties. This "medium chain triglyceride fat assimilates well in the body. According to research antibacterial, anti fungal, anti microbial, and anti oxidant properties are rich in Coconut Oil which is attributed to the high amounts of lauric acid, and capric acid.

The Ayurveda research concludes that Coconut oil when applied topically sinks into the subcutaneous levels of the skin to break apart fat particles and give a smooth glowing appearance. Coconut oil was also used in our hair, basically in most every Indian girls hair to provide nourishment to the scalp and hair follicles, and perhaps the reasons for strong, shinny, healthy hair. It can be used like conditioner or a leave in treatment.

If you are worried about consuming coconut oil and it's high caloric count, well Mirranda Kerr (Victoria Secrets Supermodel) consumes 4 tbs a day, and she is, ummmm, well she is pretty slender. If anything, try it out, and consult your doctor to discover your cholesterol level before making any switch. The reality is, if you add coconut oil to your diet and you are still consuming McDonalds or various other popular weaponized foods, you may want to blame other dietary sources for your cholesterol levels or weight loss hurdles. Find the foods that give you optimal energy, optimal taste, optimal beauty, and optimal longevity for a healthy life.

Time For A Spot of Tea!

With the weather in NY cold and snowy, it is wonderful to indulge in some tea. Tea is calming, soothing, relaxing, and healthy. I love drinking tea. In the Indian culture, it is a tradition to have tea throughout the day. On each visit to India growing up, it would be totally normal to have a minimum of 4 cups of tea throughout the day. Hot tea in a Hot climate can be interesting to get used to but very beneficial for the body. In India tea is called Chai, which literally translates to "spiced tea" or "masala tea", it is tea leaves with additional spices like cloves, Cinnamon, cardamon etc. These spices poses many medicinal benefits. Historically, tea is considered an Ayurvedic remedy for many illnesses in India. When the British invaded India, along with many other things that they staked claim too, they adapted a love for Tea, and that is how they established phrase/custom "TEA TIME". Over here in the West many popular coffee shops have coined the name "CHAI" and used a translation for fancier sugary/flavoured types of teas.

My personal indulgence is purchasing loose bag tea from Alice's Tea Cup on the Upper West Side (occasionally they have Vegan Scones too!). Natural Green, Oolong, and Black Teas are a healthier option than the sugary laced, dairy infused other teas in your local coffee shop. Many studies have shown that tea is loaded with antioxidants polyphenol properties that are a wonderful for fighting cancer. Many teas can help reduce risk of gastric, esophageal, skin, and even ovarian cancers. Some studies suggest that green tea even lowers rates in heart disease. A research study in Sweeden took over 60,000 women ages 40-76, over 15 years found that women who drank more than 2 cups of tea a day, lowered their risk of Ovarian Cancer by 46 percent, those who drank one cup a day lowered the risk by 18 percent (results of this study were published in Archives of Internal Medicine 12/05).

Teas like White, Green, Oolong and Black teas tend to contain the polyphenols, because they derive from the warm-weather evergreen tree known as Camellia-Sinensis. While the herbal blend teas which are usually a combination of flowers, roots, spices and herbs are generally considered more of a tisane tea, meant for calming and relaxing. A popular South African tea "Roobis" is also said to have antioxidant qualities but in realty it is in the "calming" category of teas, since it does not come from the Camellia-sinensis family of trees.

Sometimes I enjoy adding cloves and cinnamon to my tea pot. Cloves are amazing for cleansing the body, preventing infection and killing bacteria. Cinnamon is the amazing addition that everyone should add to their diet, as it helps regulate sugar levels in the body. Along with the health benefits of cloves and cinnamon, they create an amazing aroma for your home. Adding lemon or honey to your cup of tea can help heal a sore throat.

Whether it's a daily ritual like mine, or something you share with friends, take a minute to have a spot of tea! ~ Namaste

Gratitude, Ego Free Yoga, and Scheduling

First off, gratitude....many thanks to the showering of lovely gifts from all my students over the Holiday Season. I must say, I am truly blessed to work with a variety of people all over NYC, and everyone of them is so generous of heart. Your love is the most amazing gift, that I cherish, your dedication to the practice no matter how challenging is what I admire, and your gifts are truly an honor to receive. I love you all, and I am grateful for all that you teach me as well. It's really a blessing to be part of your Mind-Body-Spirit transformation.

Second, Ego Free Yoga. I have touched upon this subject many times before, and I realize that this is my challenge as a Yoga Instructor to detach from this reality. The reason this ego based practice, bothers me, is because it is not safe for every one's body, and it is not embracing a Mind-Body-Spirit connection. In order to join the Mind-Body-Spirit, one must deepen pranayama (breathing exercises), these deep breaths allow us to go inward, this breath is meant to initiate the movement, so we flow through the poses. No pushing, no straining, just floating with peace and ease. Nonetheless, it is evident that here in the Western part of the world, we embrace the concept of challenging the body with the Asana practice. If you have taken my classes, you know, I LOVE A CHALLENGE. But, there is sometimes what I call, "the race to headstand" in yoga classes. As an instructor, we should all respect the anatomy of the body. If a student is practicing headstand on the wall, and unable to perform headstand in the center of their mat....shouldn't this tell us that they may need to improve core strength? Or maybe they need to shift their shoulders higher into their back? And maybe they need to stabilize the muscles surrounding the spine before attempting more challenging variations on Sirsasana (headstand)? Variations in Headstand can risk injury to the cervical spine, two seconds of saying "I did Headstand with my legs in Eagle" compared to a life time of neck pain is not worth it. This was a scenario that some students of mine told me they experienced at a popular studio here in NYC, and the reason for this post. If you are teaching a group class and want to inspire a challenging class, here are some tips:

• Get to know your students, if you have a new student be attentive to their needs.
• Demonstrate variations of the pose so people can learn a step by step process of getting into advanced asana.
• Make sure students body's are warmed up, and ready to go into deeper variations.
  
• Be ready to do hands on adjustments for students who need.
• When you see that a student is unable to do certain poses, please do not cue them to do a more intense variation....cue "watch-asana" or have them practice the beginner variation.
  

In the linage of Astanga yoga, students are required to master certain sequences before they progress to the next. This is done for a reason, so that the body flows naturally into the sequence. Yoga is meant to be a practice, and not a perfect, so enjoy the challenge to the body and practice but without the ego. We have a responsibility to our students to make them experience a Mind-Body-Spirit connection, embrace that connection and come back for more. We can still challenge the body, make them sweat, and have fun, but be safe and good to the body at the same time!

Finally, scheduling.....Last year I was blessed to be teaching nearly 30 classes a week and taking yoga classes with some of my favorite teachers at the same time. Some would not find such a schedule a blessing, but for me I enjoyed every minute of this labor of love. A fellow yoga Instructor/friend of mine met me early this year with the similar scenario. We both love what we do, and see how dedicated our students are. We are also both artists, so our passion is deep. While it is awesome to be able to affect change in so many people's lives, to do what you love for a living we have to make sure that we are being good to our body, mind and spirit too. I noticed how I missed my music, I missed out on being social aside from with students, and I chose to make a change. This year, I decided to cut back on some yoga classes. While it was so hard to come to that decision, I knew I needed to do it, for me. In order for me to make time to be social, to possibly travel, to do more work with Special Needs Yoga, to promote and share my books, to work on and perform music, to volunteer more, I need to free up some space in my schedule. With any job that you do, make sure you schedule time to do the things that you love. Luckily for me, I love yoga, so work is more like play for me.....but in order to maintain love for the other things I enjoy, scheduling it is important. Tony Robbins talks about scheduling your life, your success, and I agree. It is wonderful to be a free spirit, and go with the flow. However, when you write down what you want from life, your mind/body drives towards it, and when you schedule it, you have a definite date with your destiny!

Yoga For Dudes is Back

Once again we (Bamboomoves) will be having the amazing "Yoga For Dudes Workshop"! Sunday November 21st at 4pm, after the FREE Meditation Workshop which will be at 2pm. The first workshop for men only was a wonderful experience. This exclusive workshop allows men to embrace the practice fully. The workshop itself was built around the theme of balance. The questions raised and discovered in the last workshop were:

• Imagine your life if you had everything you needed
• What if you had everything you needed but didn't realize it?
• How do you find balance between wants and needs?
• How do you find balance with who you are?

Yoga answers these questions and many more. While some may focus on the physical benefits of strength, flexibility, rehabilitation from injury, it is also the most amazing way to bring balance to the mind, body and spirit.

In many ways men have fallen victim to the limiting beliefs placed on society through various forms of media, creating a role and identity of a man should be. Men should ask themselves, what role do you want to play? Do you want to be in control of your senses? Do you want to be in touch with the core essence of who you are? Do you want a life that is limitless? If so, yoga is for you!

Although many don't realize that Yoga was originally intended for the Elite Warriors of India because somehow in the Western World it is being embraced by Women, the practice itself is very much like special ops, designing a mans mind, body and spirit to overcome obstacles and conquer everything with a calm mind first. It is time for men to reclaim their heritage and take back the yoga practice! No more letting limiting beliefs run your life guys, join us at Bamboomoves for an amazing experience!

Some people who have embraced the yoga practice and are a shinning example of the Mind, Body, Spirit connection include: The entire LAKERS TEAM, Sting, Evander Holyfield, Russell Simmons, Madonna, and NOW YOU!!!!

If you know a guy, are dating a guy, are married to a guy, related to a guy, and most importantly if you are a guy, Come join us at Bamboomoves BX, Sunday November 21st at 4pm for our Yoga for Dudes workshop. Check the Bamboomoves Website for more details.

Also feel free to check out our amazing & hilarious Commercial for Yoga for Dudes, starring some of our outstanding yoga students/participants, yoga instructors and shot by our Rockin' Studio Owner, Michael Baez.

21 Day to Wellness Graduation

The Bamboomoves 21 day to Wellness Challenge had its graduation! The challenge encompasses weekly meetings/workshops, trips, books, guest speakers, tons of guidance and information, and most importantly a commitment on their part. The group committed to taking out processed/packaged foods, reducing/removing sugar, reducing/removing caffine, regular exercise, daily food journals, and most of the group took out meat and dairy. What they learned was to embrace the benefits of a healthy diet, to experience increased energy, and a wonderful way to lose inches and pounds. The act of journalling our food intake is a great way to see if we are eating enough of the "right foods", and also to note what makes us eat certain things. Sometimes it takes a challenge like this to realize how much our relationship with food is habits, and emotions, rather than for optimal health. All the ladies admitted to feeling better, having more energy, and losing inches. To celebrate the 21st graduation day, the group received certificates, roses, books, bracelets, and we enjoyed some yummy Vegan Chocolate Cake. It was so wonderful to be part of this challenge. These ladies are remarkable, inspiring and supportive. The funny thing is, when the weather changes it affects peoples energy, and changing diet can be challenging, but we did it!!! Congratulations ladies, keep up the good work.

Pictured: Martha, Denise, Ambria, Doris, Margie, Jody (missing was Michelle)

Namaste Andrew

This past Monday was Andrew's last class at Bamboomoves Bronx. The folks in the bronx and myself love Andrew. He gives a wonderful class. While Andrew is very busy with work for his Guru (Sri Dharma Mittra) and various other projects, he isn't able to get to the Bronx for his Monday night class. I will be teaching his Monday night time slot for now. Andrew will be back for workshops and other special events. Hopefully, Andrew will be giving a special workshop for people who sign up for the 21 days to wellness challenge!!! Thank you Andrew for planting a beautiful seed in the hearts of many people at Bamboomoves, Namaste.

Picture: Andrew in Headstand on top of Mt Cardigan at the Teacher Training Retreat

Dosha Workshop @ Bamboomoves

Tonight I had the pleasure of working with the new group of health enthusiasts, who are participating in the 21 Day Challenge at Bamboomoves, under the expert guidance of the lovely Carissa. I introduced the group to elements of Ayurveda, and guided them in discovering their Dosha (Ayuredic constitution). This new group of gorgeous gals have immersed themselves into a regular fitness routine, a clean vegan diet, and various workshops/information sessions that are part of the 21 Days to Health and Wellness Challenge, all while supporting and encouraging each other along the journey. Tonight they learned ways to eat for a well balanced Dosha, and ways to monitor their wellness with better understanding of their Dosha. Some of these ladies have attended my Yoga classes regularly, and have made an amazing commitment to the challenge. It is truly inspiring when you see people eager to improve their health, and be committed to making the necessary changes. Good job ladies! Thank you for letting me participate on your journey. Our session was only an hour, so we did not get to take a group picture, but most importantly, If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me or talk to me after yoga classes. Wish you the best of Holistic Health and Wellness!!!!

~ Peace and hugs,

Ambria