Eating Organic Foods On A Budget

What you put in my body matters.  What you eat - more specifically what you absorb and don't eliminate - has an impact on the structure and function of your cells, biochemistry, mood, to your wellbeing.  

In the short run, organic foods can initially cost more than conventional grown foods. In the long run, eating organic foods may provide you with more nutrition, such as antioxidants. Antioxidants can help you have more energy,  move more, recover faster, and feel better.  Conventional foods can carry pesticides that can hurt the function of your mitochondria (your cells' main source for energy), wreak havoc on your DNA, organs, and - ultimately - your health and wellbeing. 

I decided to create this list, due to feedback from folks who wanted ideas on how to save money when buying organic foods.

Here it goes!

Organic Proteins & Animal Fats

• Buy less commonly used parts of the animal (ex. picnic, butt, or brisket); slow cook or pressure cook them to soften their textures.
• Buy organ meat.  These types of meats tend to be more nutritious in micronutrients, particular liver, which is a great source for vitamin A, vitamin K2, magnesium, & iron.  
• Buy the whole animal or do a share with other folks (ex. gym, work, family or friends).  Some companies, like Marin Sun Farms, allows you to buy the whole animal. It ends up costing less than if you were to buy parts of the animal at the store or farmers markets. 
• Buy in bulk.
• Organic nonmeat sources for protein can be less expensive than organic meat sources.  Check out Weston A. Price Foundation on how to prepare nonmeat protein sources.  By doing the following, you will decrease the anti-nutrients (ex. phytates) and increase the nutrient availability of these nonmeat protein sources. If you have a weaker digestive track (ex. autoimmune condition), these added preparations may make it easier for you to digest grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds by reducing the amount of lectins that can wreak havoc on the digestive track lining. The following recommendations are discussed in more detail by the Weston A. Price Foundation:  
  • Soak legumes before cooking them (between 12 - 24 hours). 
  • Soak, sprout, or ferment grains before using them in preparations.
  • Soak and dehydrate or lightly toast nuts and seeds before eating them.

 

Organic Produce

• Check out farmers markets near closing time; produce may be discounted.
• Buy in bulk. Some stores (ex. Berkeley Bowl or Rainbow Co-Op) will charge you less if you bring in your own containers and bags when you buy in bulk. 
• Buy in season.  
• Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)!  There are now a ton of options the Bay Area, one being Full Belly Farm.  
• Buy produce in season and freeze your favorites for future use. My favorite fruits to freeze are berries.
• Use the whole fruit and vegetable (ex. eat the leaves of beets as a salad or sauté and roast the root part of the beet).
• Check out Imperfect Produce! They sell produce for 20% less and can deliver to your home.  
• If you want to know which conventional produce to definitely avoid and which conventional produce is cleaner, check out The Environmental Working Group Website for The Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen.  

Cooking from scratch and limiting prepackaged consumption can also be another way to save money. If time is a determining factor, batch cooking (cooking in bulk and freezing parts of it for future use) can help make cooking from scratch less time consuming. I have posted plenty of recipes that you can batch cook on my website. Go check them out!

Additionally, a lot of us may be eating too much meat protein.  Grass-fed and organic meats definitely cost more than conventional raised meats.  Double check your proteins needs and determine if you can reduce your consumption. 

Lastly, chew your food! It is free way to increase the absorption of your nutrients! By chewing, you release chemicals in your stomach (ex. HCL), mouth (ex. amylase) to break-down macronutrients (fats, proteins, & carbohydrates), destroy foreign invaders, and more. Chewing even stimulates your 'relaxed' response, so think of it as a mini-massage or meditation session.  

Is there anything else I am missing?  Feel free to let me know!

As always, I am here to help and work as a nutritional coach.  I offer 15-minute free consults, if you have more questions.

References: 

Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, Lara. (2012). The Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine. New York, New York: Atria Books. 

Bauman College with Rosie Ueng as lecturer. (2015) NC103.2 Lecture - Nutritional Biochemistry Lecture 2 - How Cells Make Energy

Pressure Cooked Salmon

I truly believe that high quality ingredients don't need a lot of work to make a tasty meal.  This recipe is part of my standard diet, since it is so easy to make and taste delicious!  

Recipe will produce about 4 servings.

Ingredients

1 lb. of wild caught salmon

3 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon Sea salt

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Use Citrus Dressing as a topping with parsley to your liking.  

Directions

Place all of the ingredients, with the exception of Citrus Dressing and parsley,  in a pressure cooker at high for 15 minutes to fully cook it. If you would like rarer version, you can cook the salmon for 10 minutes.  My preference is a 10-minute timing.  After the cooking time, remove the salmon from the pressure cooker after it has cooled enough for it to be safe for removal.  Place the salmon on a plate and enjoy it with your citrus dressing and parsley.  The combination of flavors, nutrition, and easy to follow steps will have you repeating this recipe quite often. 

Citrus Dressing

Citrus Dressing

1 cup of olive oil

1/2 tsp of sea salt or to taste

2 freshly squeezed lemons

1/2 clove of crushed garlic (if you wait 10 minutes, you will enjoy the peak activation  of allicin in garlic)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium size bowl or mason jar. You can store your leftovers in the refrigerator.  When you plan to use dressing again, allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 10-15 minutes, since olive oil will harden in the refrigerator.  

Play with the ratios. Everybody's taste buds are different, so feel free to add more or less of each ingredient.  

Easy Beet Salad

Premixed Beet Salad

After studying how to support liver health, I thought to myself that I must share my favorite easy beet salad.  I love the combination of roasted beets, oregano, and citrus dressing!  

Ingredients

1 cup of chopped roasted beets - my favorite are golden beets!

1 teaspoon of oregano

1/8 cup of citrus dressing

Instructions

Mix all of these ingredients together in a medium-size mixing bowl.

Serve and enjoy immediately!

Ingredients For An Easy Detox Salad

I understand that life can be super busy, so I created a salad recipe that is easy peasy to make or to find at an open salad bar. For folks who have time to cook, some of these ingredients can be batched cooked (roasted beats, carrots, and Brussels sprouts).

I have also included a citrus dressing that you can make in larger quantities for future use too.  The citrus dressing combines its sour flavor with the bitter flavors from the salad; flavors that stimulate the liver and gallbladder to work while adding a punch to your tastebuds!

To understand more on why I included these ingredients in a detox salad, click here for an article I wrote on foods, herbs, and spices to help your liver support you more.  .  

 

These ratios ca serve around 2-3 people

Ingredients

2 cup of sliced kale or collard greens

1/2 part of an apple diced in 1/4 inches

2 cups of arugula or parsley 

6 radishes thinly sliced

1/4 cup of roasted and sliced steamed beets, carrots, onions, and/or Brussels sprouts

2-3 kumquats; a 1/2 of a blood orange or lemon thinly sliced for the topping is optional

Citrus Dressing

4 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tsp of sea salt or to taste

2 freshly squeezed lemons

1/2 clove of crushed garlic (if you wait 10 minutes, you will enjoy the peak of allicin activation)

Directions

1. Mix salad ingredients (with the exception of the kumquats) in a serving bowl.
2. Mix the citrus dressing in a small cup.
3. Pour the dressing onto the salad and mix them together, until all of the leaves are covered with the dressing.
4. Top the mixed salad with slices of kumquats, blood oranges, or lemons.  

Lastly, a diet filled with a diverse amount of whole foods - like the ingredients in these types of salads - can help your liver function like a well oiled machine. Basically, what you eat matters!  Without the appropriate ingredients, your liver can become inflamed, scarred, and lead to congestion in not only your liver, but your gallbladder and the rest of your digestive system - why it is important to include foods and herbs I have mentioned in this salad and in a previous post.  

I hope you enjoy this salad and how it feels to feed yourself these nourishing ingredients! 

Liver Support Shot

After writing an article about how to support your liver function, I wanted to include some recipes related to liver support.  One of my favorite recipes  for liver support is a shot that includes ginger, turmeric, lemon juice, licorice, and lemon peels.  

For folks who have an autoimmune condition and are TH2 dominant, you may want to remove turmeric from the ingredients.  For more information about why, please click here.  

Personally, I like to have at least 2 shots of this drink before meals.  Now give it a try! And remember to let me know what you think!

Ingredients

2.5 cups filtered water for the fresh ginger version; 2 cups for the ginger tea bag version

2 tbsp peeled (optional) and cubed ginger or 4 ginger tea bags

1 tablespoon turmeric powder or fresh turmeric

4 lemon peels from a full lemon

1 freshly squeezed lemon (optional)

2 licorice tea bags (optional)

Directions

Boil or pressure cook the freshly sliced ginger for a full 30 minutes.  Turn off the heat.

If you are using ginger tea bags, add the ginger tea bags after the water has come to a boil. Allow the ginger tea bags to sit for 8-10 minutes with the rest of the ingredients (turmeric and licorice)}.

If you are using a pressure cooker, use fresh ginger or dried loosed ginger.   Add the turmeric at this time too.  

Add the  licorice tea bags when it is near the time (around 5 minutes)  to serve.

Pour the mixture into 4 shot glasses. Add the lemon peels.  Wait for the liquid to cool to your drinking preference.

How To Improve Your Energy & Reduce Your Headaches

Your liver helps clean your blood, neutralizes toxins, and send them packing to leave your body. This hardworking organ can even regenerate itself! Fatigue and headaches can come about when the liver doesn't have the appropriate amount of material to function well.  I have compiled a list of foods, herbs, and nutrients that can help your liver help you. 

Foods that support your liver.

• Leafy vegetables, such as greens and sea vegetables
• Colorful fruits
• Organic foods
• Adequate protein, 3-4 times a day
• Lecithin
• Micro algae
• Limonene containing fruits: 2-3 pieces/day of whole fruit; eat the skin where it is most concentrated.  
• Orange, tangerine, & lemon (not grapefruit)
• Sulfur rich foods: garlic, legumes, onions, egg
• Soluble fiber: pears, oat bran, apples (especially green apples, which has malic acid), legumes
• The brassica family: broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage
• Bitter veggies: artichokes, dandelion, arugula, radishes
• Sulfur foods: onions and garlic
• Beets
• Carrots
• Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon & licorice
• Bitter and sour foods

Herbs and spices that support the liver.

• Milk thistle (silymarin)
• Dandelion root
• Artichoke leaf
• Burdock root
• Yellow dock
• Barberry
• Gentian
• Turmeric
• Cinnamon
• Licorice

How food and specific nutrients help the liver out.

I am believer of nutrition through whole foods, but understand not everyone can do that. Hence, I have added to this section some nutrients - in addition to foods, herbs, and spices - associated with improving liver function for folks thinking about supplementation. In addition, I do discuss what impact these sources play in the two detoxification phases in the liver.  

High Sulfur foods (ex. garlic, legumes, onions, & eggs), cruciferous vegetables (ex. broccoli, brussels sprouts, & cabbage), artichokes, beets, carrots, & dandalion protect the liver from damage and improve liver function.

Vegetables from the brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts), oranges, tangerines, caraway seeds, dill seeds help stimulate phase I detoxification in the liver.  Phase I detoxification in the liver converts some toxic chemicals into less harmful ones.  At the same time, phase I detoxification can convert some toxic chemicals into more active forms, making them more toxic, while preparing them for Phase II detoxification enzymes.  It is why it is important that Phase II detoxification enzymes act as swiftly as Phase I detoxification enzymes to package these more active forms (intermediates) for clearance or neutralization.   

Turmeric, specifically curcumin, slows down phrase I detoxification and stimulates phase II detoxification in the liver. This type of help is great if Phase II detoxification enzymes are not acting as swiftly as the phase I detoxification enzymes.

Vegetables from the brassica family, limonene-containing foods (citrus peel, dill weed seed, & caraway seeds), glycine, lipotropic nutrients (choline, methionine, betaine, folic acid, vitamin B12), cysteine, taurine, whey protein, eggs, red peppers, citrus fruits, garlic, onions, nutritional yeast, whole grains, legumes, & fish oils stimulate phase II detoxification in the liver.  Phase II detoxification in the liver takes the chemicals made during phase I detoxification and prepares them for excretion or neutralization.

Legumes and whole grains are rich in molybdenum (a trace mineral needed for sulfoxidation, part of the phase II detoxification in the liver). If you have trouble digesting legumes and whole grains, you may want to soak and sprout them for better digestion and to increase their nutient bioavailabilty.  You may also consider supplementation.  

Soluble fiber (ex. pears, oat bran, apples, legumes) promotes bile secretion (product of the liver) that helps eliminate bodily waste.  

If you have Gilbert Syndrome [a phase II detoxification syndrome that inhibits the breakdown of bilirubin (a byproduct of the breakdown of hemoglobin) efficiently], it is encouraged to drink at least 48 oz of water a day.  Methionine administered as SAM-e may help folks with this condition.  

Lastly, drink alcohol in moderation (2 glasses of wine or beer or 2 fl ounce of hard alcohol for men;  1 glass of wine or beer or 1 fl ounce of hard alcohol for women); avoid it completely if you have liver damage and immune suppression. 

 

References

Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, Lara. (2012). The Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine. New York, New York: Atria Books. 

Bauman College (2013) NC102.3 Lecture - Digestive Physiology, Lecture 3 - Pancreas, LIver, Gallbladder, & Excretion (Kidneys, Bladder).  Retrieved from http://dashboard.baumancollege.org/pluginfile.php/10056/mod_resource/content/6/FON_Materials/102/Lecture/pdf/102_3_Handout_OrgnsOfDig_09302013_LB.pdf

Nutrition For Stronger Teeth

Avoiding sugar is not the only way to modify your nutrition to protect your teeth. You can develop stronger teeth, in addition to preventing dental caries and decay, by making sure you include vitamins K1, K2, A, & D in your diet.

Since I like to nerd out on nutrition, I have read a bunch of research articles and books, so you don’t have to do the work on finding out why and where to get these important nutrients. As a heads up, my list is by no means a comprehensive one.

Vitamin K2

Why

K2 helps convert bone protein osteocalcin to its active form; allowing calcium to stay in bones. 

Current research is exploring the relationship between K2 and the hypothalamus.  K2 works as an antioxidant in the brain; most likely protecting the hypothalamus from stress. The hypothalamus is part of the limbic and endocrine system. When under stress, the hypothalamus decreases salivary production.  Decreased salivation is not good for your teeth, since it works to protect them from dental caries and decay. In case you wanted to know more interesting information about saliva, it contains water, mucus, enzymes (ex. amylase & lipase), electrolytes (ex. Na, CI, & K), & immune chemicals (ex. IgA). 

Sources

You can find K2 in nattō, cod liver oil, hard cheese, egg yolk, grass-fed butter, liver (more so from poultry sources), salami, chicken breast, ground beef. There is no known toxicity level for K2.

 

Vitamin K1

Why

K1, like K2,  helps calcium stay in bones.  Low levels of K1 in blood has been associated with osteoporosis.  

Sources

You can find K1 in dark green leafy vegetables, green tea, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, asparagus, oats, whole wheat, & fresh green peas.  

Vitamin A

Why

Deficiency in vitamin A can negatively impact the formation of developing teeth. The intake of vitamin A is associated with decreased dental caries in children, particularly when mothers ate vegetables during the prenatal period and when children consumed vegetables at a young age.  

Sources

For preformed vitamin A, sources include liver, whole milk, cod liver oil, & fortified skim milk. Toxicity levels have been reported in people who supplement over 10,000 RE for many months or eat 6 to 24 lb. of liver per a week.

For vitamin A, formed by carotenes, sources include dark green leafy vegetables and yellow-orange vegetables. There is no known toxicity level for beta-carotenes.

Vitamin D

Why

Regulates calcium and phosphate absorption and reabsorption. In a review of of 24 controlled clinical trials, the intake of vitamin D demonstrated to be a possible factor for preventing dental cavities. As research is always refining its conclusion, further investigations need to be done to understand the relationship between the specific relationship between vitamin D and dental caries.

Sources

The best source is natural light on the skin.

In animal products, sources include cod-liver oil, cold water fish (ex. mackerel, salmon, & herring), butter, & egg yolks.

In plants, sources include dark green leafy vegetables.

 

References

Boerum, A.V. (December 2012) Supplement Usage and Its Effect on Oral Health Retrieved from http:// pubs.royle.com/display_article.php?id=1247271

Sheiham, A. James, W. P. (2014, October) A new understanding of the relationship between sugars, dental caries and fluoride use: implications for limits on sugars consumption. Public Health Nutr. 7(10): 2176-84. doi: 10.1017/S136898001400113X.

Southward, K. (2015, March) A hypothetical role for vitamin K2 in the endocrine and exocrine aspects of dental caries. Med Hypotheses. 84(3):276-80. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2015.01.011.

Yen, C.E. Huang, Y.C. Hu, S.W. (2010, June). Relationship between dietary intake and dental caries in preschool children. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 80(3):205-15. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000022.

Dudding, T. Thomas, S.J. Duncan, K. Lawlor, D.A. Timpson, N.J. (2015, December 21). Re-Examining the Association between Vitamin D and Childhood Caries. PLoS One. 10(12):e0143769. doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0143769. eCollection 2015.

Wang, L. Tran, A.B. Nociti, F.H. Thumbigere-Math, V. Foster, B.L. Krieger, C.C. Kantovitz, K.R. Novince, C.M. Koh, A.J. McCauley, L.K. Somerman, M.J. (2015, October). PTH and Vitamin D Repress DMP1 in Cementoblasts. J Dent Res.
94(10):1408-16. doi: 10.1177/0022034515599726.

Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, Lara. (2005). The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods. New York, New York: Atria Books. Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, Lara. The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods.

Kresser, C. (May 2008). Vitamin K2: The Missing Nutrient. Retrieved from http://chriskresser.com/vitamin-k2-the-missing-nutrient/

Barker, J. The Health Perils of Gum Disease. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/ health-perils-of-gum-disease

PP Hujoel. (2013) Vitamin D and dental caries in controlled clinical trials: systematic review and meta- analysis. Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-assessed Reviews [Internet]. 

Bauman College (April, 2016) NC 102.1 Lecture -Introduction & Upper GI Tract Retrieved from http://dashboard.baumancollege.org/pluginfile.php/10040/mod_resource/content/8/FON_Materials/102/Lecture/pdf/102_1_Handout_IntroUprGI_093013_040114_LS.pdf

Zesty By Nature

Membrillo Without Added Sugars!

Ingredients

1/2 lemon juice

1/8 cup of collagen*

1/8 cup of agar agar

1/2 cup peeled apples (pink ladies are my favorite for this recipe)

zest from 4-5 kumquats (optional)

1/4 cup zest from Meyer lemons (regular lemons are fine, but I prefer the sweeter taste of meyer lemons)

*If you want a sweeter recipe, replace the collagen with agar; equal parts.  You can also use the leftover apple juice; just add more agar accordingly.

Directions

1. Pressure cook the peeled apples at high for 20 minutes. If possible, use a steamer to separate apples from liquid, so that the apples don’t absorb more liquid than necessary. Remove them from the heat.
2. Pour juice in one container; place steamed apples in another. 
3. In a saucepan, add the lemon juice. Turn on the heat and allow the liquid to come to almost a boil.
4. Add the collagen and agar to the saucepan; slowly to avoid making clumps. This part should take around 4-5 minutes.
5. Once the entire amount of collagen peptides and agar has melted into the mixture, turn off the heat.
6. Sieve the mixture to remove any clumps of collagen into another saucepan or mixing bowl.
7. Add the pressured cooked apples to the mixture. 
8. Taste try the mixture. If it is not sweet enough, you can add the leftover apple juice you placed in the container from step 1 until it suits you. 
9. Add the zest from kumquats and lemons.  
10. Place the mixture into a mason jar. Allow to cool overnight.   

 

Background

I hate baking, because I hate measuring things and don’t like how most gluten-free baked goods taste. For my mindful dinner I wanted to offer a dessert as the fourth course, so I decided to work on synergizing the creamy textures from agar agar and gelatin with the sweet and sour flavors of citrus fruits.  My first version worked well with folks who ate paleo, but folks who were use to eating added sugars thought it tasted strange. After a couple of iterations, I ended up with this current recipe.  I normally serve this dish with my version of greek style coconut yogurt - what I now call 'coconut crush'.   

Nutrients

Lemon: vitamin C, A, B1, P, potassium, magnesium, & folic acid, flavonids, phyotochemical (ex. limonene; lemon peels have high amounts of oxalates it is recommended that people with a history ofcalcium-oxalate kidney stonesshould limit their intake of them.  Zest contains essential oils (ex. limonene, citral, citronellal, alphaterpineol, linalyl, geranyl acetate).  

Apple: vitamin C, fiber (ex. pectin), potassium; when raw they contain measureable amounts of phytonutrients (ellagic acid, chlorogenic) & flavonoids (ex. quercetin). 

Kumquat: vitamin C, calcium, potassium, vitamin A

Collagen peptides: glycine, may be beneficial for people with conditions affecting connective tissues and the skin.  

Agar agar: used on a daily basis, appears to help obese people lose weight

References

Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, L. (2005). The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods. New York, New York:  Atria Books. 

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. (2009) Find a Vitamin Or Supplement.  Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-80-agar.aspx?activeingredientid=80&

How To Create Your Own Mindful Dinner!

After presenting my passion project on Mindful Dinners at Shine, I wanted to share with you some of my newfound wisdom on how to create your own mindful dinner! 

Benefits Of A Group Practice

• Increased accountability to practice.

• Increased feeling of connection to a community and expansion of network of support.  

• Less experienced practitioners can learn from more experienced practitioners.

• Experienced practitioners can learn how to teach and guide less experienced practitioners.  

• Exchange of recipes, cooking techniques, and inspiration for trying something new.

Stay Focused

You can create an intention, preamble, or theme for the event to guide the planning and execution of the event. Feel free to start developing this intention before the dinner or once the group begins to meet, in order to create a shared one. Setting guiding principles (in yoga terms, they are called sankalpas) will help with your decision making and communication style of the event. Once the intention is set, the leader can communicate it to attendees and all helpers. You can decide to practice one type of meditation or change it up as the intention and group evolves.

With my dinners, my intention was to  help support people to explore more intimacy in a safe and nourishing environment to connect to their deepest desires.  I developed questions for attendees to answer as a group and among each other to explore mental formations they developed and what their peers developed as well (ex. What does intimacy look like to you?).  Before each meal, I offered a story of why I was serving it. Before eating each dish, I encouraged a mindful practices (ex. noticing the taste, texture, aesthetics, smell, sound, inner thoughts, and inner physiology).

I also wanted attendees to develop a practice that they could take beyond the dinner. Because of my intentions,  I offered paper and pens to attendees to write out a lovingkindness mantra after they finished eating.  I shared examples of lovingkindness phrases, so they could have some ideas.  Lovingkindness nourishes intimacy and exploration, which is why I chose to end with this type of practice.  Throughout the dinner, I used a mix  of different styles of meditation I have practiced, because I used different styles during my healing journey.

In addition, I offer a paleo inspired dinner which does not follow most traditional Buddhist lineages. I wanted to offer this type of event to share the type of food that has worked to heal me. What has helped me to become more  intimate in my life are my guiding principles.   

Schedule It and Share It

Set up a time and place.  

Figure out a place: a home, yoga studio, gallery, co-working space, church, monastery could work.  In the summer or spring, look for outdoors at a park or public space.  Typically, as long as the place is quiet or serene, it can work.  

Let people know about it: send out an email or post a message to your networks. I find word of mouth works best for the type of dinners I coordinate. For social media, you can use Facebook event pages (this way friends can add their friends to the event), Evite, Eventbrite, community calendars, and Meetup groups.  If you plan to have it at a yoga studio or church, request the studio to post it on their calendar.  

 

Delegate Responsibilities

Choose a leader who will guide the meditation or be responsible to offer pre-recorded guided meditation or figure out what the group wants to read, chant, exercise or practice. Exercises can include the following:  silent guided meditations, mandala drawings, vision boarding, mantra making, Q&As, lectures, and book readings.  

For my events, I allowed ½ hour for arrival time, 30 minutes of meditation exercises, a story telling for each dish served, and a homework exercise to take beyond the event.  Throughout the dinner, I am being conscious of how much guidance in meditation and mindful eating is appropriate for attendees - allowing for change in plans as needed.  

Figure out if you want to do a potluck or a dinner. If it is a dinner, have someone be a leader for this part.  Another person could be in charge of the event planning (logistics, decor, plates, execution, and/or theme).

From experience, I found it hard to be present when multitasking delegate, delegate, and delegate!

Figure Out Food Accommodations

If you are doing a potluck, this section may not apply to you. If you are planning a full dinner, please continue reading this section.  

Create a Mis en Place for organizational purpose.

Some easy to do meals I have done include:

1) Slow cooked meats which are easy to keep warm.

2) Puree’s that can easily be kept warm.

3) Salads made in advance; you can add the dressing when ready to serve.  

Future Events

Create a sign-up sheet for attendees to collect emails for future events. This information may be important to keep for funding future gatherings.

Pay For Your Expenses

You can ask for dana or charge upfront for the total cost of it.  Depending on your intentions and situation, either set-up will make sense or not.  

Register Your Group

If you are sticking to follow a particular lineage of meditation, you can register your events with such organizations (ex. MBSR, Thich Nhat Hanh, and so forth).  

5 Ways To Minimize Jet Lag

Lack of restorative sleep time can have a huge impact on your wellbeing.   During this time of year - with travels and holiday festivities -  your normal sleeping pattern may have been thrown off. Because getting restorative sleep can be hard during this period, I thought I would do some research on what science has to say about the impact of jet lag on circadian rhythms and more. I collected a lot of great information, but wanted to keep the list short for this post. With the intention of being succinct, I am sharing with you 5 evidence-based approaches to help you recover and minimize the effects of feeling jet lag and changes in your circadian rhythm. May you rest better after reading these tips!

1. Expose yourself to natural light during the morning

Natural light can help you rebalance your circadian rhythms by exposing yourself to blue light. Additionally, being exposed to ultraviolet light can help your skin produce vitamin D - a natural anti-inflammatory chemical.  Two great reasons to go for a walk or to work outdoors in the morning! 

2. Take a warm shower or bath in the evening  

Research has shown that lower environmental temperatures at night may help prepare the body for sleep.  The drop in your body temperature after taking a warm shower or bath may help induce sleep.

3. Minimize your exposure to blue light for at least 2 hours before sleep  

Commit to not using any electronic devices that emit blue light close to bedtime. Blue light can stimulate your nervous system, so that it is harder to go asleep.  You can use a free program called f.lux on your computer, if you cannot help but use your electronic devices. You can also buy amber glasses, like Gunnars, to do the same trick.  

4. Practice meditation and yoga

Research has shown certain forms of meditations and yoga may help with sleep by increasing melotonin levels. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant and seems to help trigger restorative sleep.  If you want a guided meditation practice, you can check out one of my youtube meditation sessions or practice the below meditation practice. Otherwise, practice something you already know.  Note: keep it simple and practical since you are already jet lagged, in other words feeling stressed out.

Breath and Attention Meditation Exercise

Feel free to sit or be in any position that feels comfortable to you.  You are welcome to have your eyes closed or opened (with opened eyes make sure you are facing something like a plain wall to minimize your distractions).  

1. Inhale 1, exhale 1

2. Inhale 2, exhale 2

3. Inhale 3, exhale 3

Repeat up to 21 times. If you lose count, start over again.  You can use a timer and set it for seven minutes.  In general, 15-20 minutes of meditation a day is supported by research to reduce stress.   I recommend starting with what you already practice. If you have never meditated before, start with maybe 5 breaths or 1 minute of meditation.  Over time, you will develop your meditation muscles and be able to practice longer and reap more benefits from your practice.

5. Improve your digestion

With changes in circadian rhythms, metabolism can be disrupted (ex. liver metabolism, bile function, and fat digestion).  Make sure you chew your food thoroughly to promote better digestion and to balance the lag in your digestive organs.  Avoid or reduce your alcohol intake as well.  

References:

Yetish, G., Kaplan H., Gurven M., Wood B., Pontzer, H., Manger P.R., Wilson C., McGregor R., Siegel J.M. Natural Sleep and Its Seasonal Variations in Three Pre-Industrial Societies.  Current Biology, November 2015, 25(21): 2862-8. 

Smolensky, M.H., Sackett-Lundeen L.L., Portaluppi F. Noctunal Light Pollution and Underexposure to Daytime Sunlight: Complementary Mechanishms of Circadian Disruption and Related Diseases.  Chronobiology International, October 2015 32(8): 1029-48

Tooley, G. A., S. M. Armstrong, T. R. Norman, and A. Sali. Acute increases in night- time plasma melatonin levels following a period of meditation. Biological Psychology, May 2000, 53(1):69-78. 

Ge W, Chen G, Ding Y-T. Effect of chewing gum on the postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. 2015;8(8):11936-11942.

No More Living Hard

Growing up in the LBC, I connected with the rap lyrics “No more living hard,” by Dr. Dre.  And through being inspired by some of my biggest role models - like Thich Nhat Hanh, Jane Goodall, and Dr. Marian Diamond - I knew something different was possible. Their light and others is what inspired me to study biology and to practice meditation and yoga therapy. Plus, carrying a hard heart, mind, and body was energetically draining for me.  To shift this heavy weight, I knew I had to focus on practices that allowed me to transform my mind, body, and heart in order to experience a deeper self-love and a more fulfilled, meaningful life. Letting go of my hardness has allowed me to focus on what matters most in my life, which is to help people heal themselves using mindful movement for wellbeing.  It has become my life's purpose.  

Because I am committed to working on helping people heal themselves, I am also committed to learning to be aware of my habitual patterns and learning to let them go when they longer serve me. This way, I can be a better role model and of service. It is a path that has helped me better connect to my deep intentions from a place of deep love, connection, and curiosity. My path is simple yet not easy.  And it is why I constantly practice reviewing my intentions, relaxations exercises, nonviolent communication, and meditation.

Currently, I haven’t yet reach enlightment, though working on it!   As I am learning to work with the mantra ‘progress and not perfection’, I am learning to be kinder to myself and  playful with the process of learning and living. It means making mistakes and allowing myself to become aware of them with kindness. It also means gaining wisdom so that I do 'better' from knowing 'better' - in other words being more wise in thoughts, speech, and movements.

With these thoughts and the best of my intentions, I want to leave you with a practice that may help you let go of some ways that may be contributing to you living ‘hard.’  Feel free to record yourself speaking it aloud, so you can listen to it. And, seriously, I would love to know how this practice or other ones work for you!

Short Body Scan & Intentional Exercise

Part A:

I invite you to find a comfortable position and to close your eyes.  

Notice your thoughts, feelings and sensations.  

Start to notice your left ear, right ear, both ears. 

Now, your left shoulder blade, right shoulder blade, and both shoulder blades.  

Then your left hip, right hip, both hips.  

Left leg, right leg, both legs.  

Left foot, right foot, both feet.

Repeat part A another time.

Create an intention you would like to create for today or for this week.  It could be three words.

I invite you to go back to your breath - sensing it more than thinking it. 

Allow yourself to count your breath for 5-10 times.  If you lose count, please feel free to start over again.

Feel free to review your intention or a new one that you would like to create for rest of the day, week, or for your next practice. 

How would this intention feel in you body, mind and heart?  Feel free to take this practice with you as you slowly open your eyes.

Notice your thoughts, feelings, and sensations.  

Feel free to write about your experience and/or continue the rest of your day. 

Can Wellbeing And Productivity Get Along?

Considering how much time the average American devotes to work, I am excited to see a growing trend of business leaders implementing wellbeing practices into their workplace. It is quite clear - from scientific research - that productivity and wellbeing can work together.  And by wellbeing, I mean consciousness practices - such as mindfulness, compassion, play, and curiosity that cultivate the expansion of being present.  

There are now many books out there for helping leaders to faciliate practices for a more conscious business.  I thought the book, called Beyond Ego: A Framework for Mindful Leadership and Conscious Human Evolution, by Abigail Stason and Anneliese Smith, is a great example for supporting such leaders.   In this book, Abby and Anneliese discuss their path to mindfulness, the roles (ex. hero, villain, victim)  that people may take that can erode mindfulness , along with insights and practices that can strengthen mindful leadership. The book also goes over touchy topics (ex. how to deal with gossip), getting clear with commitments, and how to use play to foster mindfulness.  It is a quick read with lots of insight on how to reframe the mind and body to stay present.

After reading the book, you will have clear and specific activities to practice mindful leadership - in addition to resources for further help.  I see this book as a great primer for beginners in mindful leadership and a great reference for experienced practitioners.

If you decide to read the book, I would love to hear what you think about it!

I really like this quote on commitment from the book, Beyond Ego.  

This is one of the many visuals Abby and Anneliese offer on the process to practicing mindful leadership in Beyond Ego.  

My Favorite Chicken Recipe!

With Thanksgiving coming around, I want to  admit to you that I don't like eating Turkey.  Because I prefer the taste and texture of chicken and duck over this large bird, I wanted to share with you a recipe for roasting chicken with duck flavors - just in case you can convince your dinner party to eat something different this year.  

Ingredients: 

Whole chicken

1/4 tablespoon of Sea Salt

2 tablespoons of duck fat (you can use ghee or lard if you don't like the flavor of duck)

Herbs and Citrus of your choice

Directions:

For starters, please make sure you have a roasting pan that fits your chicken. If not, go buy one or improvise something else.  If you do not have a roasting pan, a baking sheet is fine. With a baking sheet, the bottom side of the chicken will be absorbing the delicious drippings so it won't be as crispy on this side. The taste of this bird will still be delicious.

If you bought a frozen chicken, please allow it to defrost the day before you plan to roast it.

The day before or a couple of hours before you plan to roast your chicken, rub it with about a 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt. No worries if you don’t have the time. The taste will still be great! You can stuff your chicken with herbs and citrus fruit at this time too.  

Stuff your chicken as much as possible. The stuffing will shrink inside as the juices drip off to the bottom of the pan.  

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  

Place the chicken for 5-10 min in the oven. Take it out, when you are ready to baste it with duck fat.  

After the first baste, you can repeat this part every 15-20 minute. 

Flip your entire chicken before your 3rd baste.

Roast it for a total of 60 minutes (Please make sure your chicken is fully cooked. If it needs more time, go for it!)

Basting your chicken with duck fat will help keep the chicken from drying out and getting burnt. It will also have a more savory taste to it.

After your chicken is fully cooked, you can increase its crispy texture by broiling it.  Before broiling it, move your roasting pan, so that your chicken is directly under or over broiler. Different ovens have different set-ups, so just work what you got.  Broil it for 5-10 minutes, depending on how crispy you want it.  

You can use the leftover drippings for gravy or use it to make mashed potatoes or cauliflower. 

C'est la fin!

Please let me know how this recipe went for you!

If you have leftovers, stuff it into a roasted winter squash.  

Fearbuster Wisdom

One of my goals this past year has been to learn how to better handle my fear of rejection. I wanted to work on it for three reasons: firstly, I am pivoting part of my business; secondly, I am not sure how well this shift will be taken by my community; lastly, I don’t want my moonshot ideas and work to be limited by my fears.

With that being said, I think I learned how to work with it better after this weekend at the Start Conference. At the Start Conference, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop led by Jia Jiang, known as the fearbuster master.  In his workshop, I learned why most people fear rejection, how to prepare for them, and what to do after I experience being rejected. And as with all great master teachers, Jia didn’t end with a typical lecture and a Q & A. He had us test try his teachings through real life situations. Basically, he had us go out on the streets in the Dogpatch (if you don’t live in SF, it is an urban part of The City) and get down and dirty with being rejected.  

For this part of the workshop, I decided to pair up with another student for additional support.  My partner in crime - let’s call her Jane - found an opportunity to practice her fear of rejection before me.  Jane ended up asking a sales lady at a boutique store if she could borrow - without paying upfront - a piece of jewerly. This jewerly piece would be for an event she was planning to attend that night. She promised the sales lady that she would return the item the next day. For a better picture of the situation, Jane was basically wearing her PJs. She got locked out her house that morning, without her keys and wallet. And she wanted to use the jewelry as an opportunity to dress up her 'casual' wardrobe. She explained this whole story to this nice and approachable sales lady.

As she was telling this story, I was internally cringing inside. This nice lady ended up politely rejecting Jane’s request. Then she promptly changed the topic of the conversation.  Both ladies seemed at ease with staying in communication with each other, even after I almost had an invisible heart attack.  Somehow, I felt the rejection all over my body, especially around my chest area.

After we explored the rest of the store and walked out with Jane, I asked her "So how did it go?"  What I had meant to say was how did she not run out of the store after being rejected.  In summary, she explained that she actually did experienced fear, but she didn’t let it affect her communication or her request.  

After sensing such a strong emotion from just observing rejection, I started to psyche myself out of putting myself out there.  I didn’t want to feel the same hurt and pain over again.  But as I walked by a divey bar, I noticed a lady with beautiful hair - kinda like Jem and the Holograms - blond and light pink rocker stripes.  Something I could appreciate, but would never do with my hair. I saw this situation as an opportunity to ask for a selfie and face my fear of rejection. I mean, who would accept such a random request from a stranger off the street and on a non-celebratory day?

My genuine excitement for her hairstyle overrode my fear of rejection.   I stepped closer to the opened window, enough for her to notice me. Then I asked this 'Jem'  if I could take a selfie with her because I loved her beautiful hair; trying hard not to sound like a weirdo.  She learned towards my direction as she spun the top of a wooden chair next to her.  As she twisted this chair around, I found myself looking at two cute french bulldogs - an adult and a puppy. Cuteness overload was in full effect.   Wow!  From the looks of it, it seemed like she had not heard my request.  The bar was loud inside and people were buzzed… I rolled with her misunderstanding to get an opportunity to take a selfie with her pups.  

What I learned from this experience is that facing my fear of rejection may never be easy.  At the same time, if my purpose to face my fear of rejection comes from a place of love and joy, it will be easier to handle my fear. Plus, social accountability helps too.   

Above all, facing my fear of rejection might bring me more joy in ways that I could not have imagined - like two cute french bulldogs.  

Please let me know your thoughts about my story. I would love to hear what you think!

Lastly, I plan to post more videos on mindful movement. If you have any special topics you would like me to go over, please let me know!

 

ME AND TWO BUNDLES OF LOVE

It Starts With Your Hips

In previous work, I discussed how current anthropological research has associated the development of shorter and wider hips in humans with our ability to move more with more ease in a biped position. Such findings provides more support on how integral hips play in human movement and posture. Because of their importance in movement, I tend to focus a lot on factors that can help this part of the body move with more ease during training sessions.

That being said, I would love to share with you some basic exercises I did to maintain and balance my range of motion in my hips and SI joints (the area where your spine and hips meet) as I rehabilitated from a neck injury this year.  In the video below,  I included some exercises that helped me not lose my ability to squat and walk with more ease; activities that became difficult to do when I injured my neck. 

If you have Ankylosing Spondylitis (an autoimmune condition) like me, these exercises may help you relieve some tension and perceived aches around the SI joints associated with neural and muscular imbalances, along with inflammation.  There are definitely more exercises to help with this condition, but I wanted to cover some of the basic ones for beginners and people returning back to movement after a flare, like mine. 

When I shot this video - several months ago -  I wasn’t able to move very much.  If you know anyone suffering from this similar condition, please forward them this video.  Please help me help as many people as possible.  

Lastly, you don’t have to have AS to benefit from practicing these exercises.  You can think of these exercises as a form of mindful movement; incorporating the benefits of body awareness, breath work, meditation, focus, relaxation, and core strength.  

I highly recommend you view the complete video before performing these exercises. And please let me know what you think about them. Lastly, please double check with your doctor and/or physical therapist to make sure these exercises are appropriate for you.  

Now let’s get started!

Okay With Not Being Okay

Meditation and yoga therapy continues to be one of the most rewarding and difficult internal explorations I have endeavored.  The rewarding part is noticing how much I have grown in kindness, mindfulness, and wisdom. The difficult part is noticing and being present with myself when I get caught up with my uncomfortable emotions -  such as anger, fear, and irritation - or with sensing pain and fatigue. 

One of the many topics on the last retreat I attended included practices on being okay with not being okay. An easy concept and a hard one to live by.  Being present and kind towards myself, when experiencing uncomfortable emotions and sensations, is a tough one for me. Then taking ownership of them in a loving way. You got to be kidding?  It was not how I was raised.  And undoing this old habit and retooling it has been a real struggle for me.  My old grooves were super deep. 

With my new understanding from the retreat, I realized that I had misunderstood what Pema Chödrön was talking about in her loving-kindness book.  It is not about changing my old grooves or faking that I am fine with my emotions or sensations when I am not. It is first about just noticing them. Then allowing another layer of compassion or okayness around them. Basically, learning how not to add more gas to the fire.  Do you catch my drift?

Today, I had plans to enjoy the sunny outdoors. Then to do some errands. I wanted to enjoy the crazy sunny weather in San Francisco and to be productive.  My body wasn’t up for it. I was feeling too tired, so I decided to rest indoors and to do some yoga for deep relaxation. At first, I judged myself for not going through with what I had planned to do. Noticing my judgmental self,  I turned to my yoga practice and included a loving-kindness meditation.  Now, I feel rejuvenated - enough to write and share my loving-kindness insight with you! 

Allowing myself to find peace with the unpleasant parts of life has definitely helped my wellbeing. May you find wellness in finding peace with the uncomfortable things in life too.  

Taking a Break And A New Recipe!

I am in the middle of preparing to leave for a meditation and yoga retreat. I am super excited for some downtime! Plus, I look forward to exploring whatever new insights that come up for me - whether it be mind, body, or spirit related. Even though I have a daily practice of meditation and yoga, I have found that retreats to be an important part to revitalizing and expanding my daily practice. 

Before I go, I wanted to leave you with a recipe for a meal that is both nutritious and tastey - just how I like my meals to be.  

Rice Soup

1/4 Parts of rice used to make risotto - my current favorite is Aquerello Italian Carnaroli or Lundberg’s White Arborio.  

3/4 Parts of bone broth

Other ingredients:

Sea salt - to taste - personally I like to use a 1/4 teaspoon for every 4 cups of bone broth.

Olive oil - for every cup of bone both, add 1 tbsp of olive - feel free to add more after cooking it.

Chopped fresh parsely - for every cup of bone both, add 1 tbsp. 

One garlic clove for every 2 cups of bone broth - feel free to add more if you are into garlic breath.

Liver Pâté

I plan to write out my favorite home recipe when I return from retreat. In the meantime, check out the bacon-beef liver pâté recipe by Mickey Trescott.

Tools: pressure cooker and measuring cup or your eyes (my preference).  

Instructions:

Add rice, bone broth, sea salt, olive oil, and garlic to the pressure cooker. If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook these ingredients at medium heat for about 10-12 minutes.  Adjust the burner so that the pressure remains between low and high.  If you are using an instant pot, choose the high heat setting and cook for no more than 10 minutes.  After the time is up, allow the pressure cooker to cool down on its own.  Once the pressure cooker is ready to be safely opened, open it and mix in the parsely.  The soup is now ready to be served with liver pate.  I personally like dunking my pâté into the soup, but do whatever works for you.  

When I get back, I look forward to hearing how the recipe worked for you and sharing what I learned from retreat.

What Is Your Body Saying?

The vehicle through which we experience ourselves as organisms is the “felt sense.” The felt sense is a medium through which we experience the fullness of sensation and knowledge about ourselves.     - Peter A. Levine

Following up with my last post on practicing alternate nostril breathing, I wanted to share with you another practice I do -  when alternate breathing does not work or is not enough to calm my nervous system down.  It is called the ‘felt sense’ - also known as your body sensations.  

Connecting to your body sensations may sound obvious to you, but I have met plenty of folks -including me - who have had a hard time confusing the felt sense with thinking (your mind) or feeling (your emotions).

Because  getting in touch with the felt sense can be incredibly grounding and easy to get out of touch with, I felt the need to share some of the  practices that have worked for me and my yoga therapy clients. If you got  5-20 minutes, feel free to check out and try some of these practices.

• Hold a warm (please make sure it is not too hot before trying this exercise) cup of tea or bone broth. Allow yourself to sense the temperature and texture of the cup in your hands.  
• Take an epsom salt bath - you can do a full body or just soak your feet. Notice how your body moves with your breath and how your skin feels (ex. cold, relaxed, wet, warm…) in the water.   Please let go of your devices during this time.  
• Learn how to do a self-body massage or go get a massage by a licensed practitioner. Your bodyworker or massage therapist can teach you techniques you can safely do at home, work, and while traveling.
• Take a warm shower or run water over your hands in a sink - notice how the water feels against your skin.  
• Go for a walk or run in nature. In the Bay Area there are a ton of urban trails. Just watch out for the bikes!  During your hike, sense how you body (ex. feet, hips, ribs, head) moves and feels as you walk.
• Dance to your favorite song. Notice how your hips, hands, and the rest of your body sense the music and movement. 
• Revisit your coloring books. If you cannot find one, get a magazine you enjoy. Then grab a pen, crayon or pencil and fill in or follow the lines of the pictures in the book or magazine. Notice how the temperature and pressure of your hands feel against the pen, crayon, or pencil you are holding. 

Allow yourself to stay with your sensations as you practice these exercises.  When you find yourself getting lost in your thoughts - gently go back to your body sensations.  With practice, you will find yourself getting caught less in thought and feeling more relaxed and present at the end of your practice.  As with all practices, please remember practice makes permanent, not perfect.  

With continued practice, connecting to your felt sense will help support you to being mindful and present; state of beings that are associated with all sorts of health benefits and wisdom!  Because of these benefits, I encourage you to find practices that work for you - whatever they may be.  

After you have tried some of the ones I have listed,  I would love to know how they worked for you! If you have practices that I did not list,  feel free to share them in the comment section too!