108 Sun Salutations Yesterday

A little more than a year ago,  I wrote about my upcoming first attempt at 108 Sun Salutations with a group of people to celebrate the Winter Solstice.      It was my first time and I was unsure what the experience would be like.   It was actually pretty much a non-event struggle wise and I, along with everyone else in the group,  finished up in about 1.5 hours.

Last Years Post..... Click Here...

Yesterday was my second attempt at the  108.    This year,  the person who lead us (and who counted for us) suggested that we should do a Chaturanga and an Upward sog  (or Cobra) without using our knees.   This basically meant 108 slow  push ups  in addition to the 108 down dogs,  216 forward folds,  216 lunges  (I did 108 low and 108 high ) and 108 prayer positions.    This added an extra level of challenge to the day.     Despite this challenge,  I,  along with everyone else,  finished in 1.5 hours.      I was so focused on the count and the flow  (every 12 we stopped for a rest breath) that I was not even aware of how everyone else was doing.    The hard part was more mental,  as doing something that many times  and knowing how many were left was more of a challenge than actually doing the flows.    The count down of the last ten was quite intereting..

Today, my hamstrings are pretty sore and I skipped a morning class but did a long Yin sequence at home to stretch my hamstrings,  hips and back.    You cannot rest on your laurels.

Thanks to Take Yoga Studios for doing the every year..   Take Yoga

Namaste and Happy Winter..

Lots of work stress lately.

I am in the middle of one of the most difficult and time consuming work projects I have ever been on.   I have basically been working 12 hours days and many weekends since the middle of September.   As a result,  my ability to make 6:15 PM classes is quite limited.   It is at these times I am happy that I have developed a home practice and that I have a dedicated room in my house where I can go away and practice in.    I sure do miss going to class  (especially hot ones) but I am trying hard not to let it interfere too much with my practice. 

Coming home late and hungry makes it an extra effort to heat up my Yoga room and get my mind ready for my practice.   Having a dog who demands attention and likes long walks when I come home make this doubly hard.    Once I am on my mat, however, I can feel the stress leaving my mind and body on my first Mountain Pose.   For that alone making the effort is worth it.    What I have realized is that a full practice may not be possible and that even a partial one is better than none.    What I cannot do is say I am too tired and too hungry to practice.   Yoga is too important to my mind and body not to practice..




Namaste. 

99% Practice....

On Sunday,  I did a bonehead move and left my mat in the studio.  I was not sure if I left it in the parking lot so I drove back and, sure enough,  there it was in the closed studio by the sign-in desk.   It was soon relegated to the corner of shame with the other items left behind by fellow Yogis.

I practiced for  two nights with my original cheap mat that I paid probably $15 dollars for (I spent  about $90 for my Manduka mat) before I could get it back.    During those two two sessions.  I really did not see any real difference in my practice with the exception of the fact the mat moved a bit more than my newer one  (which weights 7 pound vs. the 1 or 2 pound the old mat weighs) and balancing was harder due to my carpet and the lightness of the old mat.  Both practices were fine and enjoyable.

What this tells me is that it is not the equipment but rather the Practice that is important.  As  Sri K. Pattabhi Jois says  "99 percent practice 1 percent theory".  

Namaste and a Happy turkey free Thanksgiving..

Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskara)

During the beginning of many flow classes and as part of the "warm up" of an Ashtanga practice, two types of  Asana  sequences called Sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskara A & B) are practiced after initial stretching.

Sun Salutation A is a series of nine movements that  I generally practice slowly and deliberately in order to further stretch out my muscles and to prepare my body for the practice that is going to follow.    It is standard to do five sequences and I really like the gentleness and quietness of this flow as I  feel my body beginning to warm up.   As in all flow practices,  it is very important to breath properly and each movement (with the exception of Down Dog which gets five breaths) is done with a single designated inhale or exhale.

Sun Salutation B extends the flow of the first series and incorporates 17 separate movements.    Like Sun Salutation A,  one generally does five sequences.     With Sun Salutation B,   the pace moves more quickly and it takes concentration to acclimate the breath to the movements.   Two single breath (one on each side ) Warrior One poses are done and, additionally, the series also includes three Chaturanga and three Upward Dog Asanas.   The movement  from Down Dog to Warrior One to Chaturanga then Upward dog and then back to Downward Dog are all done with one breath per pose and this is where the beauty of the Sun Salutation B lies.

The core of Surya Namaskara B requires three Chaturanga Asanas (Astau) and two Warrior One  (Ekdasa) Asanas

With the concentration on  the flow (and there are no breaks between each sequence) and the breath,  once can feel like you are floating from pose to pose.   It is a great way to warm up and the sequence develops strength, endurance and flexibility.   The five breaths taken during Downward Dog after both Warrior One poses are really needed to get ready for the next sequence..

When I first started practicing and followed a class where the B series was done in a quick deliberate pace,  I really struggled.   I knew when I did the full five series I was getting a physical workout from the flow and a mental workout by having to concentrate on my breathing.     As I have progressed in my practice,  the challenge to the B series makes it my favorite "Asana"  even though it is 17 separate ones.  I will never be perfect,  I struggle to move in and out of Warrior One with the breath and have a hard time smoothly moving to the pose on my right side with regularity.  I try, and that is what is important.

Five Sun Salutation A and B poses really get the body moving.   If you do Chaturanga properly,  the combined series gives you 20 slow pushups.     When I am done with both series,  I know I am warm and ready for the challenges of the core of my practice. 

Namaste.  

Flexibility Improvements with regular Yoga practice.

Flexibility does not come easy,  but with hard work and persistence, Yoga can slowly but steadily build up the flexibility needed as one ages.    No one is "not flexible enough"  to practice Yoga  (something that  has been said to me more than once)  but rather we need the practice to get the flexibility.   It is a proverbial conundrum.   If think you are not flexible enough to practice Yoga, then you will never increase your flexibility because you do not practice. 

When I first started practicing my flexibility was pretty dismal.    Touching my ankles was a stretch  (no pun intended) but, even more so, my lower back, shoulders, hips etc.  were very tight.  This made me a prime candidate for muscle strains in my upper and lower back especially.      As I advanced in age,  I was even more of a candidate for injury.  The fact that I started practicing Yoga has no doubt made me much more flexible but it took  a lot of hours on the mat to get to the point where I can feel flexibility in my daily life.   It took at least six months of almost daily practice just to get to the point where I could touch my toes  when I was warmed up.    It was not easy and it took dedication.   It was not a once a week going to the Yoga studio practice. 

Over time, I could see improvement in areas where I had issues.  My shoulders are much more flexible  (not something I ever thought about before starting to practice) and I  am more upright and flexible on my upper and lower back.  (touching your toes is pretty much all in your hamstrings) .  I still have a ways to go in every area but I look back even six months ago and see the improvement.

One of my goals in Yoga was to flatten my hands on the floor during a forward fold.   It took over three years of hundreds of hours on the mat and thousands of Sun Salutations, Intense Stretches to the West etc. to get there but if I am warm enough and after a deep practice session,   that goal has been achieved.

Namaste...

Inactivity and Processed Foods.

I recently read a book called " The Story of the Human Body: Evolution Health and Disease" by Daniel E. Lieberman.   There were some very interesting thoughts from the author about how we, as humans, have  evolved to be active, long distance walking hunter/gatherers who have high levels of exercise and whom eat a variety of foods that are low in sweetness.  He theorized  how, because of the nature of our existence,  (where the next meal was coming from was uncertain),  we have evolved to have a higher fat content in our bodies as a way of storing up energy for times when they are needed.  He also said that we are evolutionarily inclined to crave sweet food for the energy content that they contain.  He pointed out that as hunter gatherers,  the primary source of any sugar would come from honey, which is not easily found and difficult and potentially dangerous to gather.  As a result, we  have not evolved to be the consumers of sugars that we are today.  

Our modern society, however,  has imposed challenges on our bodies due to modern food and conveniences that go against the nature of  our human evolution and as a result are causing  unnecessary health issues.   We can live a life with little exercise and can have as much sweet foods as possible (and crave those sweets).   It does not bode well for our health,  and as a result,  we are succumbing to diseases caused both by inactivity and the increased consumption of sugars  such as Diabetes 2.

Basically,  we live in a society where we wake up tired on a warm bed,  take a shower,  eat processed foods for breakfast, go into the garage,  use the automatic garage door opener, drive to work, eat processed foods for lunch,  take the elevator to our desk and sit down for eight or nine hours, have a big lunch in between,  drive home,  automatically open our garage door, eat processed foods and factory processed meats for dinner, then sit in our easy chair to watch TV (and maybe have an ice cream while doing so) and finally retire to our nice warm beds for six or seven hours of not enough sleep to start the process all over again.   If this sounds familiar it once was for me too.    My only exercise was mowing the lawn, shoveling the snow and shopping.

It is relatively easy to start adding some walks,  taking the stairs and other activities that will put some exercise into one's life.  For myself,  the struggle is to look at all the processed foods that I eat such as pasta, bread and cereals and to decide if the consumption of these is detrimental to my long term health.    The biggest thing that I have done  (and can easily be done by anyone) is to reduce the number of foods that we eat that contains sweeteners.  (I think elimination is quite extreme) The number of foods on our shelves that contain sugars in various forms are staggering.   Many of the "healthy" cereals and breads we eat  contain either high fructose corn syrup,  cane sugar,  brown rice sugar, maltose, molasses, honey, agave syrup and maple syrup among others.    I have always been an ingredient reader,  mostly looking at fat and sodium content but I now mostly put down the package if it contains some form of sweetener and I now put down a good amount of packages.

Take a look at what is in your pantry.   Pull 10 items randomly and check the ingredients.     You may  be surprised to find sugars in each of the following.

Vinegar Based Salad Dressings
Bread  (especially Whole Wheat breads)
Soy and Almond Milks
Jarred Spaghetti Sauce
Ketchup
Dried Fruits
Cereals  - Even ones touted as healthy
Many Peanut Butters like Jiff.  Choosy mothers should not choose it..


Taking the time to reduce the unnecessary sugar in your life means a better you.   It also means less guilt for that dark chocolate bar..




Namaste. 

Today will be the best you will feel for the rest of your lie.

Just say you decide not to watch what you eat and do not consider adding a small amount of planned  focused exercise ,  then today will be the best you will feel for the rest of your life.  

That shortness of breath you feel walking up a couple of flights of stairs, it will only get worse.   That pain you get in your lower back when you sneeze or turn the wrong way,  it will happen quicker the next time.  Those toes you can't see past your stomach,  they will be a few inches further away in a couple of years.    That tomorrow you have been always saying you will start working out and watching what you eat is here today,  and the choice to take control of you health is only in one person's hands.

It is not too hard to start reading labels,  cutting back on fats and sugars , walking for a half an hour 3 or four times a week,  eating more fresh and less packaged foods.  Your body will appreciate it and so will your health. 


Namaste... 

The Long Journey to a Healthy Life Style.

Many days if the weather is good and it is not too dark,  my dog an I do a few laps around a part of the park that lies adjacent to where  I live.    Many people walk the loop and dog and I have a lot of dog friends we say hello to. Over the last month so,  I have noticed an overweight 20 something year old woman walking every day no matter how hot it is.   I hope for her sake that she keeps this up,  and that she is also making the changes in her diet that need to be accompanied by an exercise program.  

I saw an ad on TV yesterday for a product called Lorcaserin,  which, based upon what I read,  stimulates satiety (absence of hunger) in your brain.  This product is FDA approved for its intention and I think it is a good thing for people who suffer from obesity related diseases like diabetes.   I, however, cannot believe that a person will be able to use this for the rest of their lives and I wonder  what the long term effects of using this product for years will be.   This is where I go back to my first paragraph, in which a person is "getting off the couch" and doing something for themselves.   With help from a nutritionist, and maybe an exercise coach and lots of support from friends and family,  she can turn back the clock and not be in the position to need products like Lorcaserin.   It is not an easy path to choose as the easiest thing to do in this country is to get fat.

Taking control of your diet and exercise life should be quite easy but for some reason it is not.   Things like family and work take priority but also,  procrastination and the ease of sitting on the couch comes into play.    It is much easier to pop in a microwave meal than it is to cook or even make a salad.    Much of the food that is available pre-made in our stores are filled with sugar of one form or another.     Reading ingredients is always a good idea.    It is a long road,  and watching what you eat and getting adequate exercise is something that needs to be done in the long haul.       The current exercise guidelines from the federal government, based on  recent scientific evidence,  recommend that healthy adults engage in 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling.   Yoga would fit into this as well as long as it is a flow type.  That is probably 3 Yoga sessions or five 30 minute walks.    It is not too much time.    This exercise, however, must be combined with a scrutiny of the food that we put in our bodies.

Namaste. 

Southwest Quinoa Bean Recipe

Chock full of protein,  vitamin C, fiber and flavor.  Very easy to make. Great summer salad.  You can almost live on this.

Ingredients

1 Cup uncooked quinoa
8 oz black beans
1 cup fresh raw corn
2 tsp cumin seeds or 1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime
1/2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 bell pepper chopped


Cook the quinoa  as per the package (usually 2 cups water to 1 cup of quinoa)
Let cool
Toast the cumin seeds in a un-greased pan until they pop
Add beans, corn, seeds, cilantro, lime juice, coriander seeds and pepper
Salt to taste.
Add a cut up jalapeno for added kick.
Give it 1 hour to settle the flavors. 

Server cold or room temperature.

Aging, Flexibility, and Yoga.

When I was in my early 30's ,  I pulled a muscle in my lower back that basically kept me in bed for a week.    I had neglected basic flexibility and I sure paid for it.  It was the only time I ever experienced back spasms, and the pain was the worst I had ever felt.  It is not something I want to repeat.  I was able to learn from this experience and understood how easy it is to hurt yourself from simple activities if your muscles or joints are tight and inflexible.   Even though I diligently kept up a back flexibility exercise routine of the next few years,  I eventually fell back into a pattern of not focusing on stretching. 


Muscle and joint flexibility has been demonstrated to decrease both from aging and disuse.   A person cannot stop the aging process but disuse is under our control.    If one chooses to live a sedentary lifestyle,  then your flexibility will decrease quicker than a person who actively exercises. The benefit of exercise on your flexibility cannot be over emphasized.  Flexibility will decrease your chances of injury from simple activities and will increase the enjoyment of your life due to an increase range of motion.   According to the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons "Many of the changes in our musculoskeletal system result more from disuse than from simple aging."  So,  there is a  choice.

Since starting practicing Yoga,  my fear of back injury from a sudden strain from bending over to pick up something or any other daily activity has been reduced.   The range of motion in my back,  hips,  hamstrings and shoulders is at a point where I can do things like touch my toes even first thing in the morning.    I am not tightness free as my SI Joint is always tight and I need to constantly work on getting it "unstuck",  but overall I able to do things I never thought was possible even 20 years ago.

Yoga can be many things,  but at its basic level, it is design to increase flexibility and strengthen your "core"  (back and abdomen muscles).    Depending on how you practice,  you can also increase flexibility in your hips,  shoulders,  upper back and other joint and muscle areas.    And for those who currently suffer from back pain,   there is clinical proof that Yoga can help alleviate that pain.   A study done by Boston University Medical Center concluded that even after 12 weeks of practice,  a significant reduction in pain was noted.

 "As part of the trial, the researchers asked participants to report their average pain intensity for the previous week, how their function is limited due to back pain, and how much pain medication they are taking. The yoga group participated in 12 weekly 75-minute classes that included postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. Classes were taught by a team of registered yoga teachers and were limited to eight participants. Home practice for 30 minutes daily was strongly encouraged. Participants were provided with an audio CD of the class, a handbook describing and depicting the exercises, a yoga mat, strap, and block.

Pain scores for the yoga participants decreased by one-third compared to the control group, which decreased by only 5 percent. Whereas pain medication use in the control group did not change, yoga participants' use of pain medicines decreased by 80 percent. Improvement in function was also greater for yoga participants but was not statistically significant."

Study Link

Yoga is a long term journey.   Over the past 3 years,  it has done great things to improve my health and flexibility (along with my outlook on life) .    I know I cannot stop aging, but I can make my older existence a lot better with it.

My posting on May 14, 2014 (Yin Yoga Asana Sequence) is a great way to stretch your hips, back and hamstrings.

Namaste.

Keeping fit in on the Road.

I am in Germany this week for work.    My cure for jet lag is to just walk, walk and then walk some more as I tend to tire out (and want to sleep)  if I sit down too long or stay in my hotel room.     Thanks to my Fitbit, I know that I was able to walk 11.67 miles (about 18.8 km) from when I landed until I went to bed a very exhausted 12 hours later.    I even got to practice 45 minutes of Yoga yesterday which given the pounding walking on concrete and paving stones causes for my back, is quite necessary.   I think I earned my fries with mayonnaise that I lunched on yesterday. 

Again, thanks to my Fitbit,  I am able to see that even without doing massive walking around Cologne,  my walking pace outstrips what I would normally do (without a lunch time walk) back in the US.   Walking from my hotel to the train,  then from the train station to the office and then walking out for lunch has taken me about twice as many steps  I would normally do going downstairs,  hopping into the car and then going into my office.   

It is nice to travel to a place where you can walk forever and still not see everything.   Travel in the US is so much more of staying in a suburban hotel near a strip mall where walking is an impossibility.   It is nice to have this chance.

I cannot forget my Yoga practice.   My little travel mat  (really thin and folds down to the size of a t-shirt from Giam) is really great for hotel room practice as long as their is enough space in the room.    One problem with Europe is sometimes even expensive hotels have really small rooms and you have to use their Gym to practice.  The travel mat really only works well on a soft surface like carpeting.

Finding vegetarian food is actually much easier here than in Japan or China.   Even the local canteen where we eat has a special vegetarian offering each day.    There are plenty of Thai,  Italian and Indian places to choose from.   The Donner Kabab places also all offer Felafel,  which is not too easy to find where I live.  Now I just have to resist bakeries and Gelato.  Kölsch on the other hand,  is never to be avoided..

Namaste

My new Fitbit

About a month ago, my employer offered a pedometer called a Fitbit to anyone who wanted one as part of a fitness program.    It is a nice little perk.   Fitbit offers a few models (wristband,  clip on) and mine tracks steps,  distance walked,  stairs climbed and estimated daily calories burned.    Like anything technical these days,  it includes a IPhone app that syncs to the Fitbit and then updates a website so you can track your progress.   It even emails you "stickers" when you hit milestones.   It is a nice little package

The daily step goal Fitbit is encouraging is 10,000.  According to the Fitbit website  "10,000 steps a day is a rough equivalent to the Surgeon General’s recommendation to accumulate 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. "   For me, this  means that sometime during the day, in order to hit 10,000 steps,  I need to get in a 2.5 mile (4.1km) walk in in addition to the regular steps  that I take during the day and on top of my Yoga practice.   10,500 steps is about 5 miles (8km) for me.   

A study tracked the steps of 1,136 adults around the United States who wore pedometers for two days in 2003. The results were compared to similar pedometer studies in Switzerland, Australia and Japan. The data collected showed that Americans, on average, took 5,117 steps a day, compared to the averages in western Australia (9,695 steps), Switzerland (9,650 steps) and Japan (7,168 steps).  It also tells you how sedentary we are as a nation.  We need some motivation. 

The people that I know who have gotten a Fitbit seem to be really motivated by the feedback that is provides.   I have walked about my home trying to get the last 500 steps to hit 10,000 for the day.  

I have always used long walks (2-4 miles) to supplement my Yoga practice.  It is easy now that the weather is nice but during the winter,  it is hard to get out after work in the dark to take long walks.   This is good motivation to keep it going during the winter. 

It is nice to see my company encouraging fitness  and there is a sense that this has motivated a lot of people where I work.   So, if you are looking for a little encouragement,  I suggest trying this out.

Namaste

Yin Yoga Asana Sequence

A co-worker of mine was complaining about tight legs from her power yoga classes.  I talked to her about Yin Yoga and how it really is great for stretching your hips,  hamstrings,  abductors, lower back etc.  I thought about sending her a  primer I have but decided that a post would be better.

A yin practice is one where you hold poses longer and allow gravity and not active muscles to stretch.  It really gets deep into the fascia and ligaments in addition to your muscles.  All poses are generally either seated or lying down.

I  find it quite relaxing as you quietly move from asana to asana.   I really love to do it with Tibetan Singing bowl music.   When I am done,   I have a great feeling of peace and calmness that lasts for a while. 

I pretty much practice the same Yin sequence at home on the days where I do not do an Ashtanga or Vinyasa flow and after I take long walks in the park with my dog.   It really does a great job.    So, here it is.  It is not patented,  and I am not trained to tell you how to do the poses but I think the photos will be enough.   There are lots of sites with instructions on how to do each pose.   With the exception of Dangling and the final twists,  I hold each pose for 3 minutes  ( I use a timer on my cell phone) .  I follow this sequence in order.   It generally takes about 1 hour with awarm up and meditation.

Warm Up
Dangling (5 minutes)

Janushirasana - Head to Knee (both Sides)
Pigeon (Both Sides)  or Shoestring (both sides)  -  both are great hip openers
Bodhakonasana 1 -  Butterfly feet together far from Pelvis to work deep hip. Your forehead should be in line with your heels.
Bodhakonasana 2 - Butterfly,  feet together close as possible to pelvis to work abductors (inner thighs) 
Bhekasana - Frog Pose - Great for abductors.. 
Parivrtta Janushirasana - Revolved Head of the Knee Pose  - Both sides
Upsvistha Konasana - Seated Wide Leg Forward fold  - 
Seated Forward Fold 
Seal / Cobra -  This has two names
Seated Twist on each side for 1 minute
Breath Meditation (10 minutes)  


One thing to note is that I used to hate Seated Wide Leg Forward fold because to be honest,  I really could not fold at all.  That has not stopped me from practicing it and while I will never put my head on the floor, I can still feel it working.


Namaste..
 

Dangling.

Shoestring

Pigeon

Butterfly

Frog Pose

Revolved Head of Knee

Wide Leg Forward Fold

Seated Forward Fold

Cobra - Known as Seal in Yin

Seated Spinal Twist

The Buddah on Eating

"When a person is constantly mindful, And knows when enough food has been taken, All their afflictions become more slender — They age more gradually, protecting their lives."

This cannot be said any better,  this is one of the main messages that I am trying to convey.   Eating right makes our future life much better because we are able to enjoy our aging instead of fighting the illnesses wrought by the food we eat.

Namaste..

Physical and Mental Benefits of a Yoga Practice.

Now that I am nearing 3 years of practicing Yoga,  there is no doubt that this practice has provided me with many benefits and will continue to do so as long as I continue to practice. 


From the physical side,  hundreds of practice sessions have slowly increased my flexibility, my strength and my stamina.   I am able to get deep into poses I never thought was possible to even contemplate doing  and hold them for longer than I could ever imagine.    It has been a slow transgression and milestones  sometimes happened after months of practice.  The effect, however,  makes all those hours worth it.    I think back to when I started where I could not even touch the tops of my feet and now, on a good day,  I can flatten my hands on the floor with my knees unbent.    I do not have to worry about each sneeze and whether it will pull out my back.  Physically,  I am a different person.

On the non-physical side,   Yoga has allowed me to think about how to control the points in life where I become unsettled or frustrated.    The focus on your breath in Yoga  (where each pose in a non-Yin practice is based upon the inhale or exhale of breath)  has taught me to use this breath to maintain composure in situations where I would  have not handled well in the past.  For example, driving to and from work has been much less stressful because I have learned to stop and concentrate on my breath when I catch a light or someone in front of me is driving too slow.    Additionally,  because of the time I spend in practice , where my mind is cleared of life thoughts by focusing on my asanas and breath for at least an hour a day ,  I feel much more calm and centered.    It is a hard feeling to describe.

If you think about what you have in life,   stress is probably the most influential factor in unhappiness.  Worries over money,  children,  marriage, parents etc.  bring a level of stress that takes away from our happiness.   Yoga has taught me to turn off thoughts in my head for short periods so that I can clear it.  It has taught me to use my breath to bring myself back into focus and to calm myself.   It has not eliminated stress in my life,  but it has helped reduce it.  

Yoga is good for both the mind and body.





Namaste. 

Savasana - My most difficult Yoga Asana

At the end of a practice,  the standard way to end  is to practice an asana called Savasana (Corpse Pose) where your body is fully relaxed,  your breath is even and quiet,  and your thoughts are focused on your breath or on how your body feels.   I find this the most difficult pose during a class  and, many times,  I skip it at home even though I won't skip any of the more physically challenging asanas.     This pose really requires you to clear your mind of outside thoughts  and concentrate on your breath or body and I find it difficult to  quiet that inner voice for more than a short time.   I constantly find thoughts coming in and if I am not too careful,  I may start thinking about what's for dinner or work.   I also , at times,   find myself drifting off to sleep and while that is relaxing,  it is not the goal of Savasana.   It is a struggle to push away those thoughts and to remain fully relaxed.

I have worked  hard to master that mini me in my head during this very important time in a practice.   This is the time to reflect on your body and to absorb the work that you have done to it and to also relax the mind and to come out of the practice feeling refreshed and relaxed.     I have much to learn still.

Namaste.

Watson's Vegetable Noodle Soup Recipe - Vegan..

A great recipe on any day.  This is really easy especially if you have the vegetable stock prepared.   Lots of good vitamins and protein. 

1 Can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
8 oz  (or one can) of Chick Peas, low sodium if possible 
1 Zucchini
1 Onion
2 Carrots
1 Quart Veggie stock   (low salt if a package) or use recipe below
1/2 cup elbow macaroni  (don't add more than this,  it will be enough)
2 cloves garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs olive oil

Veggie stock

2 Quarts water
1 onion peeled and quartered
1 cup spinach
1 tsp soy sauce
2 Carrots
1 tomato

Mix and cook for about 1 hour.
Strain and keep stock.  Toss the veggies or feed them to the dog.


Soup
Slice garlic
Mince Onions
Peel and cut carrot into small pieces
Cut zucchini into small pieces

Saute Garlic, Onions,  Carrots and Zucchini  and fennel in olive oil until onions are translucent
Add in crushed tomatoes, oregano,  veggie stock and salt and pepper
Cook about 45 minutes on medium low
Add in chick peas and macaroni. 
Cook about 15 minutes

Serve with nice baguette.

Namaste.

First Anniversary Post

One year and 80 posts later.   I am 53 as of yesterday..  Sometimes the muse is not there (it has been four weeks since my last post) and sometimes she is running through my head so much that I have to post two times a day. 

I still hope that I can connect with at least one person who will say to themselves,  I can get healthy. and I can change my life..   That was my goal when I started writing this blog and that is still my goal.   As we age,  the best way to enjoy our lives is to work as hard as we can to make sure our bodies are in shape for that aging.   This means diet and exercise over the long term.   It means a conscious attention to what you eat and how it effects you.     It means a commitment to health and not taking short cuts of diet shakes and quick idiotic diets like Atkins.   it means taking your dog for daily 1/2 walks,  or practicing Yoga a few times a week, or riding your bike or swimming.  It means turning off the computer or TV and getting out the door.    It also means throwing out the cakes and potato chips that fill your food pantry and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables each and every day.    

I read an article in USA today that said we will gain one pound a year as we age.  Most, of not all of this weight gain is due to diet and lack of exercise.     As we age past 60,  however,  the average weight of both males and females decrease slowly.   This weight decrease is due to higher mortality rates among people who weigh the most. 

So, you have to ask yourself dear reader  (I love saying dear reader) ,  do you want to increase your chances of having a longer life and keeping that life happier by having a healthier, thinner body that will allow you to enjoy that life.    It is really your choice,  and the best time to start is today.


Namaste...

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/06/Why-we-gain-weight-as-we-age/48736944/1

The Home Yoga Practice

Most of the yoga I practice is on the floor in my living room.   

I like going to my studio because it does provide me with new poses,  some good Yoga friends, hotter rooms and an exact time to go.  Additionally,  certain instructors (most don't) do at times make corrections to my poses  (one especially works on Triangle with me) which is a good thing.   There are some teachers who's  class I would never miss and these tend to be strenuous,  hot , flow type classes where Down Dog is your only break. 

The disincentives to going to the studio is that you really do not know what to expect sometimes  and to be honest,  I get a better more focused  "work out" when I practice at home.  This is  because I flow faster,  do more sun salutations than most classes and I  gear my practice toward what I need.    I really appreciate the physicality of a hard flow session and I am guaranteed to get that at home.

It is my opinion that you need a home practice  in Yoga.   A studio based practice means that when you do not have the time to go to the studio or are  traveling , on vacation etc., you do not practice Yoga.  If your are able to build either a primary or secondary home practice,  it allows you to continue this practice outside the confines of the studio.

There are a few ways to build a home practice.  There are many YouTube videos that range from 5 minutes to 2 hours that you can follow.  I have a number of these either linked or downloaded and there are 2 that I especially like.    I also have been able to build my "stock" Hatha flow and my "stock" Yin series.   Most of the time,  I will follow one of these (depending on the day).    The Hatha flow has as a core set of poses that I add to depending on how strong and flexible I feel that day.   In general a typical Hatha flow should have some primary components

Stretch of Shoulders, Lower Back,  Hamstrings
Core (Bicycles,  Leg Raises)
Warm Up  (Sun Salutation A and B is the best way)
Standing Sequence  (Warrior I, II,  Reverse Warrior,  Triangle,  Side Angle etc.)  - add Chaturanga between sides.
Balance  (Tree,  Warrior III,   Half Moon)
Seated Forward Fold  (Dhandasana)
Inversion   (Shoulder Stand,  Head Stand, Plow)
Back Bend  (Bridge,  Bow)  
Hip Stretcher (Pigeon)  - Hold at least 1 minute
Twist
Savasana

The flow above can be done in about an hour if you hold most poses for 30 seconds  (5 - 10 breaths)

The best thing that I like about my home practice is that while on the floor,  I can toss a ball to my dog.

Namaste. 

From Farm to Fridge

If I ever  (and I have never) thought about going back to any sort of meat and animal product consumption,  I would just have to watch the video linked below one more time.

Click Here: From Farm to Fridge
 

You are what you eat / The China Study

I was watching an old Jack LaLanne video on YouTube where he said something like,  "If you are what you eat,  then Americans are made of Cigarettes,  Coffee and Donuts because that is what we eat for breakfast".  Even from the grave Jack still speaks the truth.    What we eat does makes what we are.    If you eat too much refined sugars,  meat and dairy fats and processed snack foods an you will eventually have issues with your health because of that diet.    Is is not too late to move toward a healthier diet. 

Think about these statistics.  (from the US Department of Health and Human Services)

35.7% of US Adults are Obese   (78 million)
16.9% of US Children and Adolescents are Obese (12.5 million)

Note,  this is the obese percentage  (where the body mass index is greater than 30) .   In order to be considered obese,  a person who is 5feet 9 inches tall (1.75 meters) has to weigh over 203 pounds (92 kg)  anyone at this height who weighs over   169 pounds (76.65 kg) is considered overweight. If we look at the percentage of people overweight,  69.2% of Americans are either overweight or obese.    That is an incredible number.   That is more than 215 million Americans carrying around too much weight on their bodies.


I recently read a book called the "China Study" written by T. Collin Campbell, where Dr. Campbell  (a PhD at Cornell University) ,  along with his physician son, examine the relationship between the consumption of animal products (including dairy) and chronic illnesses such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancers of the breast, prostate and bowel. The authors conclude that people who eat a whole-food, plant-based/vegan diet—avoiding all animal products, including all meats, fish, eggs, cheese and milk, and reducing their intake of processed foods and refined carbohydrates—will escape, reduce or reverse the development of numerous diseases.   Now this study has been controversial to say the least  (with the meat and dairy industries attacking it especially and vegans touting it as the bible) and I think that is has to be considered  and not yet taken as gospel but the authors do  make a compelling case.

They based this theory upon studies done in labs showing rats who where given "Carcinogens"  having almost no cancer when they were not fed animal protein to having cancer once they increased their percentage of proteins from animals above a certain percentage and remission when that protein was removed from their diet.   Additionally,  they worked on a study in  China where data from all causes of death for three years for the whole country was collected (from 1973 thru 1975).  Using the mortality data,  65 rural counties were chosen to study the dietary habits of the population of randomly selected people to link the causes of death in these counties with the diets of the people in them.  The study collected diet and lifestyle variables (ignoring all other factors) from inhabitants of the same counties approximately 10 years later, and found that, as blood cholesterol levels rose, so did the prevalence of "Western" diseases recorded in those counties in 1973–75.    Since the only source of cholesterol from outside of your body is from animal products,  the assumption is that there is a strong correlation between the consumption of animal products and certain diseases.    

Here is a link to a Dr. Campbell presentation where he reviews his findings. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDXxo5Sussk

 I never knew about the China Study when I became a vegetarian. The main driver for me in becoming a vegetarian was my desire to benefit my health and not compassion for animals.  I was feeling unhealthy,  pudgy, and unfit and really wanted to change the direction I was headed.     At the time I weighted 173 pounds (78.5kg)   at 5 Feet 11 Inches tall (1.8 meters).   While I was not obese,   I was heading toward high point of the BMI (body mass index)  for normal  as my BMI was 24.1 and overweight starts at 25.  If I continued with my lifestyle,  by the time I was 60 I probably would have been 180 pounds (81.6 kg) or more and would have been "overweight" according to the BMI index.  Additionally,  the extra weight would have been all fat and that would have had a detrimental effect on my health and general outlook on life. 

The transition to vegetarianism  happened over time ,  I had stopped eating red meat about a year before I  stopped eating meat completely (and very soon after eggs and fish)  and the transition itself was easier that one could expect.   I think the main reason for this was the fact that I could cook and I always was thinking about what I was putting into my body.  Recently I have been working to eliminate all dairy products from my diet.   This is easy to do at home  (though I miss Romano cheese on pasta) but it may not be so easy outside of the home especially when I travel.  So far it is 99% dairy free.    Driving past the local ice cream shop and realizing that I may never have a milk shake again kind of puts a feeling of finality on it. 




Namaste

New Year's Resolutions - Crowded Classes

A friend of mine recently posted something about how by February 7,  most people who start an exercise in January will drop off.    New Years resolutions (if they are life changing) are very hard to maintain without a level of discipline and realistic expectations.    

I have been seeing an uptick in people in my Yoga classes which is both good and bad from my perspective.   It is good to see classes with more than a few people and they do bring additional energy into class.   Having to cram people into a classroom is a challenge.  It is good that I always come early unless there is a class right before mine.    Teachers have to spend some time showing people who are new to Yoga the nuances of poses but that is to be expected.  It does pain me, however,  seeing people taking a hot class for their first one as it can be a turn off if the instructor tends to have a hard flow class.

Keeping that January resolution is important and dropping  just makes it harder the next year..   I read somewhere (and  you can't believe all that you read) that only 12% of people stay committed to their January get fit resolution.    That is a pretty sad percentage.

I think people who are new to Yoga need to do a little basic research.  It will mean a world of difference if they have some knowledge and confidence before they step into a studio. One of my first posts is a good way to get acclimated. 

http://middleagedyoga.blogspot.com/2013/03/starting.html


A smart studio should think about offering (and advertising) free introductory classes maybe one time a month to introduce people to what Yoga.   The cost is low to them  (just the instructor's hours) and it could bring in new members. 


If you have started,   keep it up,  and remember,  it is both Diet and exercise. 

Namaste.

Overnight Oatmeal - Vegetarian/Vegan

This is for 1 person.        Double etc for more than one.

1/2 heaping cup of oatmeal
1 cup of unsweetened soy or almond milk  (regular milk  if not vegan)
2 tbs raw sliced almonds or other nuts
1/2 to 1 cup berries -   They can be frozen to start as they will thaw overnight.
1/8 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened if you can find them)
1/8 tsp lemon juice

Mix everything together in a container.  

Leave overnight in refrigerator. 

You can make it creamier  by adding 2tbs of plain Greek yogurt but it removes the vegan seal then.


Eat and enjoy.  

The American Breakfast -- Start of a bad eating day or a good eating day.

I stayed at a chain motel last night that offered a buffet breakfast in the morning.     Here is what was offered.


Sausage Patties
Scrambled "Eggs" that looked like they were premade
Hard Boiled Eggs - most likely packaged
Make your own waffles from a mix and using a waffle maker to cook them.
White English Muffins
White Bread Slices
Lenders Like Plain and Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Whole Wheat Bread Slices
Yogurt  (non were plain and they  either had sugar or artificial sweetener)
Assorted Danishes and Pastries
OJ
AJ
Fruit Drink
Coffee
Apples
Pears
Coffee
Fruit Loops,  Unidentifiable sugared Cereal,   Wheaties.
Cream Cheese,  Butter, Margarine,  Peanut Butter,  Jelly
Instant oatmeal   (plain that may have had sugar,   brown sugar and maple,  apple cinnamon)

Most people went right to either the eggs and bacon or used the waffle maker  (the kind that you flip and it makes a big waffle that you eat with "syrup").    A few people were just eating the pastries and danishes.

What you can get from this,  its that most of the food consumed,  was high in fat,  had some sort of sugar content  (even the Peanut Butter had sugar) ,  and was generally carbohydrate laden.   The sausages should have been called "Death Pucks" due to all the fat and chemicals and nitrates in them.
 Overall,   if one as not careful,  it would be very easy to build a filling but not very healthy breakfast.     I can easily see eating many calories with lots of grams of fat and sugar based carbohydrates.    Protein content was fine,  but the amount of calories to get that protein was too much. 

It was very hard to pick and choose your foods if you are trying to eat "healthy".   I am sure even the whole wheat bread had some sweetener in it.    

Changing diet habits means starting your day with a good and healthy , low fat breakfast.   I try to include at least 2 fruits which is usually a banana and some sort of berry,   soy milk,   orange juice,  and some sort of whole grain bread with either peanut butter or Marmite (a yeast extract high in vitamins but also high in sodium).   I also eat unsweetened "overnight" oatmeal or high protein cereals.   As much as possible,  I try to keep the sugar content of the prepared foods (cereal and bread) to a minimum.    My sugars come from the fruit I eat and from the OJ.    

You have to ask yourself,  are you better off with what I eat or with 4 slices of bacon and  2 eggs on white toast.       It is not easy making the switch.    Bacon and eggs are what we were mostly raised on,  and removing it is not an easy proposition.   It tastes good,   fills a physical hunger satiation need and has fat that fills a food satiation that we were raised to enjoy.   To give it up is to make a sacrifice at first.  

Try to think about what is going into your mouth in the morning.   Is it filled with fats,  chemicals like nitrates and processed refined sugars and too many calories?     All three of these taste good but they are lying to your body.     You body needs protein,  carbohydrates,  fats and minerals.   There are many lower calorie and healthier alternatives to get these essential ingredients to life.    Your choice in the morning means a good breakfast for you or a bad breakfast for you.   It is really your decision.

Eat to live.  

Mango Banana Smoothie..

1 Mango
1 Banana
1 tbs Soy or Greek Yogurt
1 tbs flax seeds
2 Ice cubes
Soy Milk (or regular milk) to cover

Peel, cut add to blender.  Blend.   Have a smoothie.

Core (Back and Abdomen) Exercise Series

One of the reasons I started practicing yoga was that I had potential lower back problems every time I sneezed or bent over.   I was extremely tight in my hamstrings and my lower back and bending over was a challenge.

Yoga certainly does provide a flexibility in both your back (and there are many muscles there that need to be addressed) as well as your hamstrings but it also provides a focus on strengthening your core abdomen and lower back muscles.     I think this core strength is as important as flexibility in reducing back injuries.

If I am doing a non-Yin practice,  I incorporate a series of core focused exercises  (both Yoga and non-Yoga).    I really feel the effects of this (I started about a year ago) and it was  a great thing to do.

Here is what I do.

30 - 40 Bicycle Crunches

2 to  2.5 minutes Forearm Plank  (need a timer)  -  You need to build up to this.

25  Rolling Crunches   (Start on back with bent legs up in the air and then bring chest and legs together)  Sort of like a hanging crunch only you start with your back on the ground.

10-15 leg lifts  (start from ground,  slowly lift up until all the way up and then lower down.
10 breath side planks on each side  (about 30 seconds)

15 Supermen on each side (alternating) .  You left up one arm and the alternate leg at the same time in rapid alternating succession.

2 Locus Poses held for 10 breaths each time. 

This takes about 15 minutes to complete and with stretching beforehand,  about 25 minutes.   A great start before a good Yoga flow.

Namaste.

30-40 Bicycle Crunches on Each Side

Forearm Plank

Locus Pose

Superman

Side Plank.   Legs up makes it 2x harder

Easy Pasta Broccoli & Beans Recipe

A simple and easy pasta dish that packs a ton of protein,  lots of vitamins and flavor..

For 2 People,  adding more pasta, garlic and broccoli makes it a family veggie treat..

1/2 (half) pound of regular, whole wheat, gluten free pasta
1 can of White Northern or Cannelloni beans  (or equivalent dried, soaked and cooked)
4 cloves garlic
Crushed Red Pepper to Taste
Olive Oil
8 good olives  (if you use Lindsay olives, I will go after your family)
3 cups broccoli
1/2 tsp oregano 
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup pasta water
1 cup packed spinach
1 large tomato
 Salt to taste

Start Pasta water boiling.   This is great with  whole wheat spaghetti

Prep
Drain and rinse beans  -  rinsing canned beans cuts down on gas..
Cut up tomato into 16 pieces
Peel and mince garlic
Cut up broccoli into bite sized pieces
Cut up olives into your desired size.

Cooking
Saute Garlic in olive oil.  Use enough to coat the pan.
When garlic is brown add in tomatoes, oregano, red pepper  and salt and cook for 3 minutes
Add in Broccoli and cook two minutes
Add in water cook until broccoli is bright green  (but not soft!)
Add in olives,  wine and cook for three more miniutes
Turn off gas
Mix in spinach and wait one minute. 

Mix  into the Pasta.   

Serve with Romano or Parmesan cheese if you so desire.  

Zucchini Ratatouille Recipe with Tofu

Great tasting,  protein filled,  low calorie.     It has a nice slightly liquid consistency that goes great on top of grains. 

Tofu can be replaced by something  else if you need to have a dead animal in  your food.

Serves 2 Adults,  2 Kids.


2 Medium Onions
4 Medium tomatoes
2 Zucchinis
6 Cloves Garlic
Crushed Red Pepper to Taste
Salt to Taste
1/4 cup red wine
Olive Oil
8 Oz. Tofu


Slice all veggies.
Use normal saute pan to cook in.   

Cook garlic in olive oil until slightly brown
Add onions and cook until slightly translucent
Add in tomatoes , salt and crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes
Add in Zucchini,  cook until almost soft
Add in Red wine and tofu and cook 3 more minutes

Serve with Quinoa,  Rice,  Cous Cous etc.