Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness in Ireland

This month has brought me on a beautiful adventure to the magical country of Ireland.  I was invited here to conduct 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training, Kids Yoga Teacher Training, and Workshops.  Special thanks to Mary Henry and Mia of Sun and Moon Yoga Studio for inviting me and organizing so much for the local people in Limerick.  Beginning my journey in Limerick where I got to look at Mia's beautiful yoga studio, then visiting the captivating coast of Galway, and up to Dublin where I gave a Yoga & Ayurveda Wellness Workshop for a brilliant group of Yogis at Yoga Dublin.  First, I must say that Ireland is a beautiful country with the most cheerful, and loving people I have come across.  Apparently I have brought the sunshine, because every day has been gorgeous which is not the norm.

First aerial view of Ireland

In Galway I got to see such incredible beach side views, the lush green landscapes, Salt Hill, Islands, live Irish music, Magpie birds, and I had the honor to stay in a beautiful 5 bedroom thatch house that was all arranged by my beautiful student/friend Beverly.  Bev does incredible Tarot Card Readings for anyone who is interested, you can find her on my facebook.  My host was the incredibly charming Martin (Bev's dear friend), who paraded me around all the local sites of Galway, and entertained me till I had to request returning to his beautiful home that he built himself, for some much needed sleep.

Looking out to the coast in Galway

The next day it was off to Dublin, Ireland.  The city is full of charm and incredible architecture.  I am ever grateful to have shared a beautiful 4 hour workshop for Ayurveda & Yoga to the Yogis there.  It was a lovely group of 19 Yogis who were not practitioners of Yoga Dublin (the lovely Venue), but practitioners of the practice.

It

Beautiful houses in Galway

is amazing how Yoga just spreads this vibration of love.  We explored so much about Yoga, Ayurveda Constitution, Self Healing, Rejuvenation, and much more.  It was great fun and the students were very receptive.  It was great to see a familiar face (Elaine Gemmel) a wonderful yoga teacher, and student from a Teacher Training I was a guest teacher on in Kerala, India.  I also had the chance to meet Kim's beautiful mom, Kim was also a student from Kerala.  After the workshop we enjoyed some delicious food at a local Vegetarian Restaurant, and I did some exploring of Temple Bar area.

Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness Workshop @ Yoga Dublin

With Elaine & Sarah Jane @ Cornucopia

With Bev outside Temple Bar

Thank you to Bev for coming all the way from Wales and being so generous to me with hospitality.  It was wonderful to see familiar faces and new ones in this amazing city.  I hope to be back again perhaps in the fall or next year for some more workshops in Dublin. 

Looking forward to more adventures in Ireland.  The next morning before my return to Limerick I had the chance to venture out and explore Dublin, seeing the famous Book of Kells, St. Patricks Cathedral, and Christ Church. 

How Ohashi Method™/Ohashiatsu® brings the Healing Touch for Yogis

While many Yogis worldwide embrace an holistic approach to health and wellness, utilizing Ayurveda, massage, reiki, crystals and other modalities, the Ohashi Method/Ohashiatsu is especially effective to combine with Yoga practice. Developed by Ohashi Sensei over 40 years of teaching and practice, his method combines stretching muscles and meridians together as part of a treatment. These meridians or energy lines are similar to the Nadi lines spoken of in Yoga, which we want to keep energized for well-being and health. 

For many people who practice yoga, their precious tools may include their yoga mat, a copy of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and perhaps the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. I would also recommend this latest DVD as a valuable tool because it combines two modalities in an easy to adapt-format, for both private students and group class situations. It also provides an excellent introduction to Ohashiatsu® for those Yogis eager to explore this beautiful modality of holistic bodywork, and a great visual as to how they could possibly combine it with the Yoga Practice. 

Learning various stretches and pressure points will help sedate muscles, and allow the flow of prana. While I am grateful to have completed and graduated the Ohashiatsu Program, I realize some people may want something they can use with private yoga students, or even themselves. The best investment would be the newest Ohashi Method™ DVD that takes Yoga students and teachers on a journey through basic stretches that relate to meridians in the body.

Energizing Delicious Smoothie

So While I am a huge fan of juicing, on occasion I love to make smoothies.  I am also a big fan of a company called Vega.  Vega was created by Brenden Brazier, a Vegan Professional Iron Man Triathlete.  It is a complete plant based protein, alkalizing, rich in fibre and omega 3, and awesomely healthy smoothie brand that I enjoy adding to my drinks.  In one scoop it has 2 servings of veggies! When we drink our body has the ability to absorb and break down nutrients, which is why many athletes rely on smoothies and shakes as part of their daily routine.  While we know Pineapples are rich in vit C & A, Bromelain, and Bananas are a great source of potassium, and Mixed Berries are rich in antioxidents, it is unlikely that we would eat all of these in one sitting.....but add them to the blender and we can all get the benefits in one delicious drink!!!

Anyways, back to my delicious recipe.

THE ENERGIZING DELICIOUS SMOOTHIE

1/4 Pineapple (cut chunks)
1/2 Banana
1 Handful Frozen Berry Mix
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1 tsp Macca
1 Spoon of the Vega Energizing Smoothie in (Choc-a-lot flavor)
Sprinkle of Raw Cacao Nibs on top


Cheers to AMAZING Health!

Was Jesus a Yogi?

After the weekend that marks one of the most celebrated weekends in the Christian Calendar (Easter), which commemorates the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, some people wonder if Jesus was a Yogi.  Some people wonder why we call it Easter, when it is referring to the Pagan Goddess Ishtar goddess of fertility/love/war and sex who was often depicted with rabbits and eggs.  The purpose of this article is not to debunk the efforts of Constantine in 4^th Century AD when he combined the 2 festivals of resurrection & Ishtar to draw more Pagans to the Christian movement, or to have people avoid eating chocolate eggs or bunnies, but rather to ponder if Jesus was a Yogi?

The question can arise from both Yogis and Non Yogis often creating division and emotional reactions. 

You could have some fundamental Christians who may condemn the practice of Yoga and therefore engage in the “judgment” or “biblical stone throwing” (John 8:7), towards those who practice yoga.  Then there are the super hippie Yogis of today (some may consider modern day Constantine’s) who cling to their yoga pants, cult worship of their favorite “style” of yoga/teacher, and chastise the thought of believing in Christ because it conflicts with their spirituality. 

Perhaps we should focus on the message of Jesus and the essence of Yoga (as highlighted in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika or Yoga Sutras)? One is the Prince of Peace, the other is the practice of Peace.....let's explore with that common thread in mind.

Some may point out that Jesus was prophesized in the Bhavishya Purana, which is considered to be one of 18 Puranas of the Vedic Canon.

Many refer to the teachings of the incredible Yogi Parahmansa Yogananda from his books “The Yoga of Jesus” or “The Second Coming of Christ” where he compares the Yogic Mindset to that of Christ Consciousness, he draws a parallel of the 7 seals in the book of Revelation to that of the Seven Chakra centers.  He like many scholars have brought to light their belief in the travels of Jesus that were unaccounted for in the Bible, as leading him to India, Tibet and immersing in the practice of Yoga.

So again the question arises, was Jesus a Yogi?

What is a Yogi – By definition a yogi is a practitioner of yoga.

What is Yoga – The Union of the mind, body, and spirit.  It takes its journey through 5 paths; Hatha (postures & pranayama), Bhakti (devotion), Karma (Selfless service), Jnana (knowledge through study), and Raja Yoga (royal path of meditation & control).

Within Raja Yoga, Patanjali refers to the 8 Limbed practice in order to achieve Samadhi.  All 8 Limbs can be achieved for those who abide by the Golden Rule that Jesus shared.

Luke 10:27 - "...‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Jesus never came to abolish the previous Laws (10 commandments), but to make a new one, an umbrella or summation of the previous laws.  The amazing connection is The Golden Rule is also a summation of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.  Here are some scriptural references for just the Yama’s & Niyamas (limbs 1 & 2) as related to the “Golden Rule”. 

We all can aspire to be “yogis” when we abide by these ethical rules, which are summed up in Jesus’s Golden Rule.

1)   The Yama’s:

a)    Ahimsa – Non Harming (Luke 10:27 – Golden Rule)

b)   Satya – Truthfulness (Matt 15: 19,20)

c)    Asteya – Non Stealing (Golden Rule)

d)   Bramacharya – Moderation or sexual restraint,  (Matt 5:28)

e)    Aparigraha – Non-greediness/non hoarding. (Matt 6:19)

2)   The Niyamas:

a)    Saucha – Cleanliness/purity (Matt 15: 16-20 – sermon on the mount)

b)   Santosha – Contentment (Matt 6:25)

c)    Tapas – discipline austerity (Golden Rule)

d)   Svadhyaya – Self study of sacred texts (Golden Rule)

e)    Ishvarapranidhana – Surrender to a higher power (Golden Rule)

While one could find a Biblical reference to point out in favor or against the concept of Jesus being a Yogi, all in all his message was Love & Forgiveness in order to achieve the Kingdom of God or Spiritual Liberation, which Jesus said is within us (Luke 17:21), is much like the goal of Yoga.

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali refers to this liberation or goal of yoga as: 

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥

yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ ||2||

When you are in a state of yoga, all misconceptions (vrittis) that can exist in the mutable aspect of human beings (chitta) disappear. ||2||

While we may not have proof of Jesus doing Scorpion Pose, and we know for sure he did not wear LuLu Lemon, we do know that his message was that of Love, forgiveness, peace, humility, compassion, discipline, faith, and ultimately Spiritual Liberation (the goal of yoga). 

To my Jewish sisters and brothers who celebrated Passover, and my Christian Sisters and Brothers who celebrate Resurrection/Easter Weekend, I send you all love.  Eat some chocolate, do some sun salutations and live a life with Love & compassion for all.  Namaste

Beat the Heat with Watermelon-Strawberry Pops

This summer has been a sizzling hot & humid summer and many people have enjoyed their Fan or Home Air Conditioner.  Another way to keep cool is to stay hydrated.  Eating foods rich in water, and making refreshing juice is always a bonus.  This weeks juice was a Watermelon-Strawberry Juice.

Watermelon is high in Vitamin A, C and B6, while strawberry is an amazing source for Vitamin C.  Many of you have seen my youtube channel where I make yummy juice recipes, well what about taking your juicing to a whole new level for the SUMMER?  I used the pulp for making Raw Vegan Burgers before, but this time, we made Watermelon-Strawberry Pops.  Pour the left over pulp from the juice into a popsicle tray, add the sticks (in our case spoons because someone threw out the sticks) and wait till they freeze.  After, Voila, and amazing healthy, refreshing summer snack for everyone to enjoy!!!

Life exists in our breath

We live in a world that is constantly moving, where our time is bombarded with so many obligations, distractions, memories, joy, pain, escapes, fantasy that at times we forget to come back to stillness.  Yet, stillness is one of the most natural things for us to be.  The constant marketing tactics of magazines, internet, and corporations, with subtitles of promises and illusions, are all just a distraction from the real title which is YOU.

"The sun and moon create time in the form of day 

and night. Sushumna (the central passage along

the spine) is the consumer of time, this is the revealed secret. "

- Hatha Yoga Pradipika 4.17

Many people look to meditation for freedom from these external and internal distractions.  We must accept that any external distraction is one that we internally allowed.  In meditation, we do not need to limit our focus, rather expand our focus to the greater picture that exists in our breath.  Our breath is the most basic function of our daily life.  Have we ever focused on it during yoga asana, while we are preparing a meal, while we are enjoying a beautiful view of nature?  If yes, we understand the bigger picture, and we truly experience time as it is meant to be experienced, we become truly connected.   This experience of becoming one with our breath, allows freedom to take place.  Now we can ask ourselves have we ever become focused on our breath during an argument, during a passionate exchange, during a time in our life when the person we trusted abuses that trust?  This times may be more challenging to focus on our breath, however, if we do we experience the reality of freedom in a magical way. No longer are we limited in our beliefs, no longer do we cling to vicious patterns of behavior, no longer do we feel this awful concept of separateness, instead we become one with our Universe.

"Those who aspire to the state of yoga should seek the Self in inner solitude through meditation" ~ Bhagavad Gita

There will always be moments when we think, analyze, or evaluate an experience or perhaps we just enjoy the natural flow of just being present.  When we allow ourselves to be present, there is no distinct between yesterday and tomorrow, no need to compare, no need to digress, and instead we are one with our reality.  Becoming one with our reality with acceptance is the true essence of meditation.

"I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live" ~ Ezekiel 37:5

In our meditation practice, lets look to become one with our breath.  In Hinduism, breath or prana is life force energy.  For Christians breath is life (Ezekiel 37:5, John 20:22, Genesis 2:7).  If we live our life in a panic state, always short of breath, or holding our breath when stress arises, we are living a limited life.  Despite common views on meditation that we need to clear our mind, instead we need to fill our mind, expand our mind with attention on our breath.

"He breathed on them and said 'receive the Holy Spirit'" ~ John 20:22

Many health care experts like Dr. Oz recommend patients to practice meditation, which is an ancient practice.  Amazing Gurus like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Baba Ramdev invite yoga aspirants to experience liberation through Yoga Kriyas and Pranayama.  Scientists like Dr. Gerson who realized the power of healing disease through juicing, for the purpose of providing more oxygenation to the body, cells and blood by the use of prana rich food sources.  


"And the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul" ~ Genesis 2:7

Discover the secret to living a full life, free of limitations and take some time to breathe deep. ~ Om Shanti

Ayurveda Cooking Class

So while normally each morning is immersion into the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga (Mysore style) we had a special treat recently on our Full Moon, of an Ayurveda Cooking Class. Our daily meals are delicious Kerala style meals, with Ayurveda menu items, as suggested by our beautiful Ayurveda Doctor. Since everyone has been enjoying the meals, part of our experience included a lovely Ayurveda Cooking Class. Our amazing Ayurveda Chef, a fellow Malayalee made some amazing food items.

The menu included:

1. Beet Root Rice
2. Snake Gord Thoran
3. Pineapple Curry
4. Payassam (dessert)

The food was delicious!

Delicious Green Smoothie

Starting this new amazing year with vibrant Green Juices and Smoothies. Green drinks provide plenty of chlorophyl, and oxygenation to the cells of the body. These beverages replenish our system and energize us. Benefits include glowing skin, healthy hair, increased energy, and much more. Recently I used my brother's Vita Mix (the best blender around....pricey but worth the investment) to make the most delicious Green Smoothie. Here is the recipe....

• 1 cup water
• 1 head of Romain Lettuce
• 1 1/2 cup Spinach
• I cut apple
• I cup chopped Pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped Mango

The Vita Mix will pulverize anything.....If you are interested in making Raw Vegan Cheese with Various Nuts, this is the blender to invest in. Many of my friends who are Raw Foodies, swear by this awesome appliance. The great thing about the Vita Mix is that it incorporates everything from the veggies & fruits.....no waste & optimal health value. You can make Raw Soup with this machine and it heats up just enough so that you don't lose the nutritional value of the food.....Last night I had Asperagus soup and it was AWESOME!!!

You can try this recipe with a regular blender, but you might have to spend a lot of prep time chopping your Veggies....Nonetheless make your health your priority. Cheers to Amazing Health!!!

photo: Delicious Green Smoothie......Recipe Served 5 people

More Highlights of San Francisco

San Francisco was truly an amazing experience, words cannot express the level of gratitude I have to Stephanie for such an awesome experience. The city has a lovely energy. We explored walking the hilly streets, riding busses, and trolley's and had a wonderful time!!! If you are ever in the Bay area and want to get a healthy juice or shot of wheat grass head to the Castro District, you will drink your wheat grass in the sexiest Shot Glass you could ever sip from. Also, if you are looking for a place to get some new Crystals or have a reading or healing session with one of their healers, I highly recommend Crystal Way, an amazing assortment of lovely pieces, incredible energy (waft of sage as you enter is always a wonderful sign) and pieces at reasonable prices. A Variety of Yoga places, and of course the incredible Golden Gate Bridge where you can meditate and do some Yoga with the beautiful panoramic view of the city.

For Wheat Grass Virgins.....Wheat Grass is a wonderful source of nutrients for your body. It provides as much nutrients (vitamins, minerals and amino acids) of 2.5 pounds of veggies!!! It is perfect to improve your immune system, alkalize the body, fight off winter bugs, and give your skin a healthy natural glow.

If you have yet to try Wheat Grass, and are curious of the Health Benefits....please visit my Youtube Link:

http://youtu.be/RKHj4KTmcYs

Cheers to Good Health!!

Healthy Yogi Friendly Products for your Body & Home

While many people are waking up, breaking free from the hypnosis of marketing, embracing healthy eating, yoga and even adjusting their home & beauty products to a less toxic chemical selection....there are still some people who think it is conspiracy. Actually, part of becoming aware is enlightenment, not to be afraid, but rather to be aware.

Whether you want to believe that giant beauty companies, food companies, and government run factory farms are creating products with cancer causing/toxic chemicals as part of a conspiracy or not, the reality is, those chemicals have no benefit for us.

So educate yourself on the ingredient list of things that you use. Our skin is our largest organ, and absorbs everything from products to the water we drink. So if the ingredients are similar to ones that can cause rust removal (like the ever famous Coco Cola), perhaps we should make adjustments to what we put in our bodies and outside.

For a beautiful list of popular products that have cancer causing chemicals as ingredients visit the link here: www.unitedtruthseekers.com (Below are two)

• Johnson and Johnson Talcum Powder: TALC = carcinogenic and risk for ovarian cancer and lung irritation.
• Crest Toothpaste: FD&C Blue #1=carcinogenic, Saccharin=carcinogenic

If you are looking for options, you can create your own products yourself or some products that are natural and safe include:

• Cal Ben Five Star Soap Products : http://www.calbenpuresoap.com/
• Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap: http://www.drbronner.com/

Things that you can use or make yourself:

• Use Coconut Oil with Peppermint Oil/Clove Oil & a little Baking Soda for a homemade toothpaste
• Use Coconut oil/Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil for a body Moisturizer or Hair Oil
• Use tea tree oil to help prevent blemishes and keep skin clear
• MAKE REGULAR VEGETABLE JUICE for clear skin, healthy intestines and a healthy body

Choose wisely, choose consciously......

Rebounding with Carissa

As I am now in transit, and blessed to spread my wings in the global Yoga community, I returned to NYC on a brief trip. Of course I wanted to take classes with some of my beloved friends & fellow Yogis, and most importantly embrace the concept of stillness. This particular post is about a class that is the opposite of stillness. The class is called Rebounding, taught by my Yoga Sister, Carissa. If you have read my posts before, you may have read about my incredible respect and admiration for this awesome lady, Carissa, who I am blessed to call friend. We met teaching at a lovely studio together, where we left maintaining our friendship. In many ways, Carissa and I have agreed that we consider ourselves equals, in that we are both artists, yoga teachers and if we need to, we will kick your butt in a sweaty class that will leave your muscles shaking, all with a loving/encouraging smile on our face, and a namaste as you leave. For two years she has mentioned this class Rebounding, and I was always teaching at the time she gave the class in Manhattan. Finally, my monday night was free, so I decided to get to this class.

The class was packed, with people eagerly waiting to get on their individual trampolines. So this is what the class is Yoga, Dance Mania, Cardio KickBox, Sculpt and more Dance mania, all done on a trampoline!!! Yes, I said trampoline. A lotta jumping. The music playlist was an incredible compilation by an awesomely talented NYC DJ Dax, that was enough to have anyone motivated. I gave Carissa my hair elastic, as I knew she being the Instructor, needed it more than me. She taught the class with the enthusiasm of a ROCK STAR, because she basically is. While she is cueing the class, counting us in and taking us through this routine of mayhem and sweat, she has a giant "Carissa" smile, and she is head bopping to the music. Making her routine look effortless and amazing. I LOVED EVERY SECOND. Being that I have an irregular heart beat, intense cardio is usually a challenge but if you know me, once I get in a zone and the music is playing I just go for it. Carissa is the awesome teacher that makes you wanna go for it! I still kept it yogic and went at my own pace, not always trying to mimic her Janet Jackson Dance moves on a trampoline, as much as I wanted to...perhaps with practice.

The cutest part was, Carissa had her phone/ipod on silent, and it rang twice. The only person who seems to be able to call her when her phone is on silent, is her mom....I could have swore that her mom called so I could catch my breath. This is the class that will make you sweat, shed those extra layers of fat, get your heart beating, and bring a smile ear to ear, because it is so much fun!! The jumping is also amazing for our lymphatic system too. Carissa gives the new students perfect alignment cues, and is attentive to their safety while making them eager to keep up with the pace of the class....which is probably why the class is so packed. If you are looking for a class to get in shape with, try out Carissa's Rebounding class....she will get you trim & slim. At the end of class after all the sweating, and jumping, I love that Carissa had us sit on our trampolines and center ourselves......what a Yogini. Thank you Lovely Carissa for an awesome Class!!!

Frozen (Grapes) bites of heaven

Recently after teaching an awesome Yoga class downtown to three families on their amazing rooftop, the ever popular topic of healthy eating came up. We were discussing juicing, and healthy foods, when one of the ladies eyes lit up at the mention of fruits. They were insistent that I try frozen grapes, the kids specifically insisted on frozen red grapes. While I have had frozen fruits before, especially for smoothies, I had to admit I never froze my grapes. I was told they are like little bites of sorbet, another person insisted to call them Popsicle bites of heaven. The reality is, organic grapes can be expensive, and sometimes can go bad quick, so putting them in the freezer is also economical.

I tried, and WOW!!! My new favorite snack, that can last for long time. Since the frozen grape has a longer shelf life, their is no excuse to avoid purchasing an organic grape. For the calorie counters out there, grapes are not so high in calories, roughly a little over 60 calories for one serving/1 cup. For parents who are itching to ween your kids to a healthier lifestyle, 4 kids gave their seal of enthusiastic approval when I was informed of this awesome, healthy snack.

Grapes also happen to be an excellent source of potassium, calcium, and magnesium and vitamin A. Grapes are rich in antioxidants like flavones, tannins, anthocyanins, which scientists claim to have anti cancer benefits. Red Grapes are also a great source of Resveratol, which promotes a healthy heart.

Thanks Roof top Yogis for sharing the wonderful snack idea.

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.

Partner Yoga in Group Classes

As I have mentioned before, in life, in NYC, we tend to feel like we are all alone. We cling to our yoga mat, and forget that we are sharing in the vibrational energy of others around us. While it is wonderful to dive deep into the spirit on our mat, sometimes sharing the experience with another person can be incredible. When we share, we can go deeper, we can support, we can encourage, we can feel love, we can feel support, and we can have fun! Every once in awhile I like to reconfigure the mats in the middle of a yoga class, and have students work with a partner. This builds community, helps synchronize the pranayama energy, and it's fun! A wonderful tool for instructors to use when designing a yoga class. It's important to remind people that this world is there to support us, but we must be open to that love to and be able to give that love back, in order to receive it.
Photo: Saturday level 1 yoga @ Bamboomoves, BX

Life's Tune Up's @ Bamboomoves

Last week, I attended an amazing event hosted by Bamboomoves. A Health & Wellness Seminar led by Loren Slocum. Loren is one of the speakers for Tony Robbins. Loren introduced the tremendous turn out of people to wonderful health concerns. She touched upon eating/chewing slow to ensure proper digestion, eating real foods as opposed to processed as often as possible, staying hydrated, and so much more. She touched upon the rise in Type 2 Diabetes in North America, primarily with kids. We need to cut out the sugar, white flours and other nastiness so our kids learn better eating habits. She spoke about grazing, 4 small meals, rather than wait till your starving to eat which may spike your insulin. Loren was truly a breath of fresh air and a wealth of knowledge. It was such a privilege to attend her seminar. Some other tips: Juice your veggies and fruits, try "Juice Plus" gummies for kids (low sugar, high in goodness gummies), Stay hydrated with a good amount of water, and monitor your poop (we need regular bowel movements to keep the colon clean). For more information about Loren visit: www.lorenslocum.com. You can also find Loren in Fiji conducting the famous, Anthony Robbins workshops. The seminar was wonderful, and the tremendous turn out was as well. It is so great to see people be pro active about their health.