❤ 30 days Clean Detox Program

9/22/2013

If we're connected via Facebook, then you already know. I'm gearing up for 30 days of Loving-kindness Clean Detox Program filled with meditation and yoga in October. Yes, I guess you could say I caught the meditation bug which in my opinion is the best kind of bug to catch! I was introduced to meditation by my ever faithful personal yoga guru. It is said that the sound and pronunciation of sanskrit mantras can lead to a transformation within. There are really so many benefits to chanting.

As with anything we do, it is all energy. And the type of energy we put out in the world is the type of energy we will receive. The vibrations of your practice will have a ripple effect. You may begin to see the world through fresh new eyes. You may begin to be more conscious of the things you do and say. These are just some of the shifts that can happen from consistently practicing.

Anyway, you can follow my 30 day challenge right here, I shall be posting photos, blog post, recipes etc. So ensure you're receiving updates by signing up through my RSS feed and/or email alerts.

So, what's a detox?

Detox. It's a word that carries so much hope for some  -- and so much fear to others . Detox the smart way and you're in for clearer skin, more energy, and a smaller number on the scale. Detox drastically and you're likely to do more harm than good. But with so many detox plans out there, and so much conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of each, how's a girl to choose the cleanse that's right for her? 

And boy, do I need one right now. Lots of work, not enough time to shop for (and prepare) healthy foods, and a jam-packed social calendar has caused me to rely on all the wrong things. I haven't eaten correctly for more than I could recall. I finally put my foot down "stomp!" lol and created a daily detox plan for myself. I'm also hoping to get my after birth tummy down as much as I can. "phew..talk about up-coming pressure!"

Ready, Set, Action Plan: Prep Days

Start by Sipping Water

Starting a detox isn't easy, especially if you're not accustomed to eating this way daily. That's why I have built 8 bonus days of Action Plan prep into the calendar: The eight days before you officially begin your plan.), So starting on Monday, 23rd, September, 2013 use these tips to prepare for your 30-day plan. I always suggest slowly cutting these foods out of your diet (caffeine, wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, eggs, and meat) so that Day 1 of your detox isn't so shocking -- both physically and emotionally. 

• Start by purchasing a juicer. I have been juicing for a number of years and so I've gone through quite a bit of juicers. And this is what I've learnt, choosing a juicer depends on your lifestyle.Ask yourself a few questions; What do you want in a juicer? What is your lifestyle–are you busy or do you have more time to spend juicing? Is juicing a casual thing or part of your daily routine? Do you want to be able to juice wheatgrass or would it be mainly veggies?
  
  Based on your answers, here are my recommendations:
  If you want a centrifugal juicer, I would recommend the Omega 330 Mega Mouth Juicer.
  If you want a masticating type of juicer that cold presses the juice and one that will juice wheatgrass, the best model I’ve found is the Omega 8005 Juicer.
  If you are looking for a reasonable juicer, my top pic is the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor 67601
  If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. 

Juicing Tips;

1. Focus on vegetables, but include some fruit. I’ve found that one small apple makes a huge difference in flavor. 
2. Include 1-2 root vegetables–such as carrots or beets–to add additional flavor and antioxidants. I like to include either 2 small carrots (1 large) or 2 small beets (1 large). These tend to contribute a tad more sugar and a nice earthy flavor, adding complexity.
3. Add at least one leafy green vegetable.I love using broccoli and spinach, but others likely work as well.
4. Include one watery vegetable. Cucumber, celery and other watery vegetables help dilute the too-strong flavors of the previous 3 ingredients. This can make a big difference in drinkability, while adding some nice flavor and additional vitamins.
5. Don’t forget a garnish. A small amount of a strong flavored item such as ginger, lemon, mint or other herb can make your juice a real pleasure to drink while adding highly concentrated antioxidants.
6. Consider adding back a few scoops of the fiber that is filtered out by the juicer. This will make your juice more filling.

• Rid your kitchen of junk. Is it heartbreaking to toss all of that delicious food? You bet. But I'm telling you -- if those chocolate covered raisins are on your shelf, and the frozen pizza is sitting in your freezer, you will reach for them in a moment of weakness. And those moments of weakness will happen. 
• Stock your kitchen with staples. Here's a quick run-down of the staples that will get me through this detox: wild mountain rice, almond butter, agave nectar, steel cut oatmeal, organic nuts, organic raisins, avocados, every kind of organic vegetable and fruit you can imagine and tofu. (to name a few). 
• How fresh are your cooking oils and spices? If you don't remember when you purchased them, now's a good time to upgrade to fresher, healthier options. Remember, these changes aren't just for the next four weeks, but will hopefully become healthy habits for life.
• Also, before your plan begins, start your day with a glass of hot water and fresh lemon juice. This can aid in the detoxification process you'll be following in the coming week. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you're a coffee drinker, start to wean off; swap one cup out for green or white tea. I don't ever consume coffee, I prefer to make a body scrub or soap with coffee than ingest it. 

The plan;

Here's the low-down on this detox: It's a low-fat, vegan diet that includes whole (organic) foods, low-glycemic fruits, raw veggies, and lean vegetarian sources of protein (think beans and tofu) to balance your body's pH and rid your body of toxins. The plan includes drinking two green juice's one on morning and ideally, another one every afternoon.

In the coming weeks, we'll be doing meditation and yoga, the routines will be perfect for beginners and don't require any technical equipment, but you should have clothing you feel comfortable moving around in. I do yoga barefeet but, If you prefer there are no-slip yoga socks you can purchase. When I just started practising yoga I bought from Gaiam .. they are comfortable and just fabulous!.

Stay tuned for part 2!

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Learn, Grow & Live passionately! ❤

❤Eating For Your Dosha

6/06/2013

According to Ayurvedic philosophies, we should align our diet to our dosha body type

According to Ayurvedic philosophies our bodies are made up of three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. So which is your dominant dosha, how well balanced are all three? And what foods suit your doshic makeup? Our guide to identifying and eating in accordance with your doshas will help keep your body and mind in check.

The ancient practice of Ayurveda believes we're made up of three different 'body types' that correspond to our physical and personality traits, known as doshas. These are: vata, pitta and kapha, each of which represents two of the five universal elements (a combination of ether, air, fire, water, earth). Ayurvedic philosophies believe we each contain varying proportions of each dosha, generally one or two in dominance. Our naturally dominant dosha does not signify imbalance, but rather how – or who – we are in our most healthy, balanced state.

Mind-body health and harmony may be challenged when any of the doshas become aggravated or imbalanced. Identifying your predominant dosha and potential imbalances, which an Ayurvedic practitioner can assist with, is the secret to keeping your mind-body balance in check.

What's your dominant dosha?

According to GP and Ayurvedic therapist at Bondi's Ayurvedic Wellness Centre (www.ayurvedicwellnesscentre.com.au), Dr Shaun Matthews, dosha types typically display varying characteristics, such as:

Vata
Light build
Naturally creative
Sensitive
Prefer warm, humid climates
Dry skin
Pitta
Medium, muscular build
Productive, hard-working
Irritable
Prefer cold climates
Fair skin
Kapha
Heavy build
Stable, methodical
Easy-going
Prefer warm, dry climates
Oily skin
Equal proportions of two ('bidoshic) or all doshas ('tridoshic') is also possible.

Dine for your doshic imbalance
Regardless of body type, imbalances of any dosha can occur in response to lifestyle factors. Consider this: naturally athletic pittas can lose weight due to vata excess, or gain weight as a result of kapha excess. Ayurveda repairs imbalances predominantly with herbal remedies, warm oil massages, yoga, and lifestyle changes, particularly diet.

The Ayurvedic diet identifies six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Each taste has different energetic effects on the mind and body; either aggravating or pacifying particular doshas. For example, considering Ayurveda's theory of 'like increase like', someone with pitta excess may add fuel to the fire by consuming hot, spicy foods.

Sydney-based Sasha Kahan, 29, recently experienced a rejuvenating diet overhaul to combat vata excess during a month-long stay at Kerala's Somatheeram Ayurvedic Retreat (www.somatheeram.org).

"My diet was strictly vegetarian and no cold drinks were consumed. The benefits became quickly apparent," recalls Kahan. "I was physically and mentally exhausted when I'd arrived, but by week three I'd lost four kilograms, was doing yoga headstands, and enjoying undisturbed sleep and a calmer mind."

Balancing vata

"When vata is aggravated, your system becomes irregular and depleted, which affects weak organs and tissues," explains Dr Rama Prasad from Chatswood's Ayurveda Elements.

Additional signs of vata imbalance:

Constipation
Dehydration
Anxious
Craving warmth
Frequent viral infection
Weight loss
Disturbed sleep
Excessive consumption of bitter, astringent and spicy tastes contribute to vata imbalance. Prasad recommends pacifying with sweet, sour and salty tastes and warm, moist, easily digestible foods like:

Boiled or steamed starchy vegetables (moderate broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and leafy vegetables)
Ripe fruits
Warm milk (moderate dairy)
Soupy grains: rice, wheat
Mild spices: cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, coriander, salt, cloves, mustard, black pepper
Tea: camomile, fennel, ginger, liquorice, lemon
"Nourishing soups, casseroles and dahls are great for balancing vata, particular during winter," suggests Dr Matthews.

Balancing pitta

"When pitta is unbalanced, you can become aggressive and irritable. Internalising that fire can increase your self-critic, resulting in perfectionism," says Dr Matthews.

Additional signs of imbalance:

Diarrhoea
Over-heating, profuse sweating
Colourful, violent dreams
Excessive hunger
Frequent bacterial infections
Heartburn
Dr Prasad believes pitta imbalance may result from excessive alcohol or hot, spicy, oily, fried, salty, fermented foods. He suggests rebalancing with sweet, bitter and astringent tastes and cool, heavy foods including:

Boiled, steamed, raw vegetables
Sweet fruits
Moderate amounts of dairy
Soupy grains: rice, wheat, barley, oats
Mild, cooling spices: coriander, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, cumin, curry leaves, mint
Tea: fennel, camomile, peppermint, spearmint, liquorice, red clover

Balancing kapha

"When kapha is unbalanced, there is a tendency for mental and physical stagnation. Stimulation of all kinds helps to avoid that heavy, lethargic feeling," advises Dr Matthews.

Additional signs of imbalance:

Sluggish bowels
Procrastination
Craving warmth, spicy foods
Frequent candida
Water retention
Weight gain
Excessive sleep
Dr Prasad advises excessive food consumption can contribute to kapha imbalance, and recommends a light, warm, low-fat diet of pungent, bitter and astringent tastes like:

Boiled, steamed, raw vegetables
Ripe fruits (except banana)
Fat-free buttermilk (other dairy reduced)
Grains: corn, millet, rye, oats, barley, wheatbran
Strong spices: pepper, paprika, salt, garlic, basil, cloves, allspice, fennel, mustard, turmeric, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper
Honey instead of sugar
Tea: cinnamon, fenugreek, peppermint, raspberry
In the wise world of Ayurveda, you really are what you eat; so discover and dine for your dosha to restore holistic health of hips, head and heart.

Find out what's your Dosha here 

 Follow my journey ... Learn, Grow & Live passionately!

❤ To New Beginnings

6/06/2013

I haven't blogged here for quite a while, since the birth of my son actually.  I finally decided its time to get back to my Raw Vegan lifestyle and take him along too.

I started back my ritualistic morning yoga practice with my 'Monk', I call him that. He has studied the texts of yoga, the psychology, the anatomy, and Sanskrit. We do chanting, the yamas, asanas and meditation.

In classical yoga, Patanjali placed yama and niyama before asana on the eightfold path.

But which ever comes first, I always hate having to fight traffic to make it to class on time, remembering to bring my yoga gear, carving out a space for your mat amid the after-work studio crowds .... Yoga quickly became a less than Zen-like experience for me. so I opted to start my practice at home. Since then, friends have always been asking 'How did you make the transition?'  Now, not everyone need to do like me and go all out and make an at-home yoga studio you can simply start in a corner of your bedroom, living room or which ever quiet space you can capture in your home.

What you need to get started with yoga at home

• Choose or create a quiet, uncluttered space in your home for your practice, and stock it with the essential basic yoga props — mat, strap, blocks, blanket, bolster, etc. The space doesn't have to be large, but it should be quiet, clean, open and sacred.
• Set realistic goals, starting out with small pockets of time (10-15 minutes).
• Begin with basic beginner's yoga sequences and expand your practice as your skills improve.

That said, it’s your yoga practice — so build it to best meet your individual needs.

So come along if you wish, follow my journey ... Learn, Grow & Live passionately!