Month: September 2013

YOGA

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I love yoga workouts! Always makes me feel great. Yoga has been my best friend for long time. I am not anti-gym, but yoga has works for me on every level. It’s different & challenging whether it’s balance poses sequentially on the same foot, Or seeking relaxation, hang out in pigeon, a few seated and a restorative backbend.

Before my class, I expected yoga class to be easy; I was wrong. Yoga is challenging, and it requires concentration and motivation. Controlling my breathing and remembering all the details of every new pose were intimidating at first. One of my greatest challenges was trying every pose and not giving up when I couldn’t complete it right away. The positions in Yoga take time to achieve and you have to be patient. Disciplining my body, I have also tried to control my eating habits. Eating healthy is difficult, especially when you are a busy college student and work full time. In college my regular diet consisted of bagels, noodle, Chinese carry-out, Chipotle burritos, iced tea… etc.  

Now I Practice Yoga at least two times a week. Lately I have hard time going to my yoga class because my hectic work schedule. So since equipment is not necessary I just do it at home with the help of YouTube videos and inspirational yoga dvds.  Also I have been eating out less and stocking up on healthier foods so I can prepare healthy meals at home. I eat plenty of organic baby spinach leaves, salads, fruit, lean protein, and I drink as much water as I can every day and limit my sweets and processed junk foods. I don’t feel tired in the mornings as I use to in college, my energy has increased, and my skin looks healthier. The effects are real and worth the effort.

 I plan on continuing this regimen and recommending Yoga to my family and friends. But Yoga might not work for everyone. We’re all different and enjoy different things. My best advices find fitness activities you love and do it for 30 minutes.

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

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FARMERS MARKET

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I’m huge fan of Farmer’s Market! For it’s organic fruits and vegetables and a taste of the local vibe, hit this oh-so-colorful farmers market. This past Saturday I had the chance to go to the market as soon as it was opens at 8. I was there at 8 am and the market was already fully in motion and crowded with the diverse, produce-seeking.
Before I became fan of  farms market, I assumed the vendors would try to rip me off or sell me sub-par quality products; I figured they would assume it didn’t know the difference. However, it was just the opposite. I did not feel like I was being taken advantage of, and I was surprised to see most of the food, and snacks were good to excellent quality. 
I alway buy a lot seasonal produce that won’t break my bank. Buying produce that is in season, the food won’t need to be shipped in from far away places, and that decrease in travel time is reflected in your lower food bill. All produce found at farmer’s markets is sure to be in season.
My Helpful Tips:
1.Bring your own bag or baskets.  
2.Bring cash.  While more and more vendors have a mobile app like “Square” to be able to accept charge purchases, many still do not.
3. Know what’s in season. Foods grown locally and picked in peak season are much tastier than foods that travel 1,500 miles.
 4.Ask questions. Farmers can offer helpful tips for preparation of the foods they sell
 5.Try new things.  Many farmer vendors offer heirloom varieties of produce, most of which have disappeared from the grocery stores with the industrialization of food.  Rainbow carrots, watermelon radishes, Cherokee Purple tomatoes, Romanesco cauliflower, and many others
6. It’s okay to pick produce that looks less than perfect. USDA Organic and Certified Sustainable foods are often not as perfect-looking as foods that are grown industrially.  Don’t be afraid of a spot on your apple, or a dent on your peach. Perfect is not always the tastiest – and you may get a discount.
7.Find more than produce.  vendors sell honey, eggs, breads, pastries, jellies, jams, grass-fed beef and more, all produced locally.  Supporting these small, local business strengthens the local economy. 
8.Become an informed, conscious and conscientious consumer of food.


Remember to make going to the farmer’s market part of your schedule. Supporting sustainable local agriculture is an incredible investment that can benefit your health, your local community, and the environment. Call that a win-win-win!!




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Gluten-free

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Gluten —  has been a hot health topic, it’s much more than just a fad. I’m sure most of you heard gluten-free recipes and foods. More and more groceries and health food stores are stocking up gluten-free products. It seems like everyone is going “gluten free” these days. Some say avoiding gluten makes them feel better. Others do it to lose weight.

What Does Gluten-Free Mean?
Gluten is a gluey protein that’s present in our most common dietary staples, such as bread, pastas, cereals, and desserts. It’s an essential ingredient in most conventional baked goods because it creates the “fluffy” quality of cakes and muffins and binds doughs, giving them their moist texture.

 For many people, foods with gluten can lead to severe digestive issues and, over time, serious conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and intestinal cancers. Here’s what you need to know

  • The label format is left up to food makers; the FDA does not have a mandated design or any requirements for where the gluten-free label has to be placed.
  • The terms, “gluten free,” “no gluten,” “free of gluten” and “without gluten” can be used on labels of foods that meet the FDA gluten-free standard
  • No universal symbol will appear on packages to indicate that a food meets the FDA gluten-free standard. If a food company wants to indicate that a product meets the standard, it has to use one of the gluten-free terms.
In my opinion, there are 2 types of gluten friendly restaurants: restaurants with a gluten free menu; and restaurants with a designated gluten free kitchen, so talk to the waiter about the safest choice on the menu. When I eat at a gluten-free friendly restaurant; I talk to the waiter as an ally advising what would be the safest choice on the menu (a good waiter will know- a bad waiter won’t care; if I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t order anything)

Bon appetit!

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