YOGA: BEYOND BODY - Simple diet - weight control

A simple suggested outlined below can bring benefits to our lives.

A principle of “grounding of the body”:

- To decrease the stress and to increase the energy, it is suggested to combine the gift of gravity (connection with Nature) with the benefits of healthy eating and easy elimination of impurities.

Put this principle of “grounding” into practice: 

Activity: Walk, (run, hike), garden, connect with nature, cook from scratch, eat in a group, connect with family, de-clutter… Find fragrances that comfort you.

Nutrition:  Simplify your diet and eliminate clutter from your body and mind.  Avoid reaching for the foods known as “comfort”. The most of those foods interfere with our well being. You will end up feeling guilty and exhausted, rather than nurtured and comforted.  Give the Earth a chance to help you: choose a walk (activity) or choosing these foods in place of manufactured “treats”:  

Vegetables

Whole grains

Nuts

Water

According to the Yoga Sutras (ancient texts that is the basis for the philosophy behind yoga) there are eight “limbs” of yoga. 

 Each limb relates to an aspect of achieving a healthy and fulfilling life, and each builds upon the one before it. You may be surprised to hear that only one of the limbs involves the performance of yoga postures. Here is a description of the eight limbs.

1.       Yama: Five ethical guidelines regarding moral behavior towards others:

1)     Nonviolence

2)     Truthfulness

3)     Nonstealing

4)     Nonlust

5)      Non-covetousness

- Being happy with what you need.

- Not coveting luxury items.

2. Niyama: Five ethical guidelines regarding moral behavior towards oneself:

1)     Cleanliness

2)     Contentment

3)     Sustained practice

4)     Self study

5)      Surrender to God

3. Asana: Practice of yoga postures.

4. Pranayama: Practice of breathing exercises.

5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses, (meaning that the exterior world is not a distraction from the interior world within oneself.)

6. Dharana: Concentration, (meaning the ability to focus on something uninterrupted by external or internal distractions.)

7. Dhyana: Meditation. (Building upon Dharana, the concentration is no longer focused on a single thing but is all encompassing.)

8. Samadhi: Enlightenment. Bliss. (Building upon Dhyana, the transcendence of the self through meditation. The merging of the self with the universe. )

By incorporating the described above principles, we should be able to gain more energy, greater emotional stability, and better concentration. Yoga will enhance how you see and respond to challenges in daily life. It will create positive change at the deepest level, for life!

Wheat Germ: Natural Weight-Loss Food

When you cut back on saturated fat, you cut back on the amount of meat you eat. When this happens, you may also be cutting back on important nutrients. I have a solution for you:  fat-fighting wheat germ!

 It provides a multitude of minerals, including all-important iron and zinc, vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s a powerhouse antioxidant with lots of fiber that can be mixed into almost any meal. Eating wheat germ can also increase your sense of being full, stabilize blood sugar, and decrease cravings. It's one of the best sources of folic acid. Folic acid reduces a compound in your body called homocysteine. Lowering homocysteine reduces the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis bone fractures, and dementia. Thus, pay attention to the levels of folic acid you have in your diet! The recommended daily intake is 400 micrograms of folic acid. In addition to Wheat Germ, the folic acid is found in healthy foods like beans, fruit, and vegetables. (Just to give you a reference: one cup of orange juice contains 60 to 100 micrograms of folic acid.)

Back to Wheat Germ:....

Germ: The germ is the part of the wheat kernel that germinates and turns into a plant. It is the most nutrient-rich part of the wheat.
Due to the high levels of nutrients contained in the wheat germ, it is extracted from the kernel and used as a supplement to create healthy meals.

Selection and Storage

Because of its unsaturated fat content, wheat germ goes bad easily, especially if it's raw. Fresh wheat germ should smell something like toasted nuts, not musty. Unopened, a sealed jar of wheat germ will keep about one year on the shelf. Always store opened wheat germ in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, where it'll keep up to nine months.
I use Wheat Germ where the precipices call for “breading”; thus, I no longer use bread crumbs or flower. Look for it on the food-store shelf:

Preparation and Serving Tips

Wheat germ makes a nutritious and often undetectable addition to a lots of dishes. It's a lower-fat alternative to granola that can be added to yogurt and cereals.
As you work on your weight-loss plan to cut back on fatty meat dishes, remember that wheat germ can provide you with those vitamins and minerals you may be missing, as well as give you fiber to satisfy your appetite.

My personal recipes and ways I incorporate Wheat Germs into my diet:

1.     Wheat Germ Smoothie

Ingredients (mixed in the blender)

6 oz Original KEFIR (avoid fruit flavors!)

1 cup FLEX or Almond milk

1 banana

1 tbsp wheat germ

1 tbsp of RAW Almond Butter

1 tbsp of RAW Sunflower Seed Butter

1 tbsp cacao powder (no sugar!)

1 tbsp cinnamon spice (no sugar!)

2.     Wheat Germ “breaded” Fish

 

Ingredients

2-4 Filet of Cod
2 tbsp Wheat germ

1 egg

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

Your favorite seasonings

Wisk 1 egg in a mixing bowl (big enough to fit filet of Cod into it later.) Cut filet into smaller pieces and roll them in the egg. Add your spices and Wheat Germ to the fish and roll all the pieces so they receive an even amount of wheat germ on them.

Slice onion and garlic and sauté it in the olive oil using large fry pan. As soon as you see the onion is turning color, add the “breaded” fish pieces to the fry pan. Cook until done (approx 10 minutes. I will leave the timing up to you because it will depend on the size of the pieces)

Serve on the top of mashed sweet potatoes!

3.     Wheat Germ Salmon

            Ingredients

             Skinless wild caught salmon fillets

             2  tbsp Dijon mustard

             3 tbsp wheat germ

             2 cloves of garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

             1 tbsp olive oil

             1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or your favorite spice)

             Salt and pepper

Directions

Make marinade using mustard, olive oil, garlic, and spices. 

Coat salmon fillets with marinade, and then dip salmon into wheat germ. Cook salmon in skillet, and enjoy!

Healthy diet tips: You think your know all about vitamins?

This information is intended to provoke your curiosity about the ”subject” and requires your further research and personal judgment on application of discussed matters.

The archived articles are saved : http://theyogabuddiesclub.blogspot.com/

What Brand of vitamins to choose? Is there is difference from one brand to another?

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet.

Synthetic and Natural whole food nutritional supplements:

There are many brands to choose from, yet the various brands are far from being equal. I personally buy supplements according to quality, and not according to price. The synthetic supplements are the least expensive. Those not only may NOT improve your health, but can even harm it if you are taking them for a long time.
The marketing tactics are used to make you to believe you are getting what you think , so , no offence to my marketing buddies, let’s keep our mind and eyes open.

We know that most over-the-counter brands are synthetic and they contain additives that could actually make you feel worse. Even the local health food-stores sometimes sell high-priced, yet synthetic vitamins. So, let’s save money when we buy the toilet paper and make sure we make the right choice when we buy our vitamins!

Based on my reading about the subject, some doctors suggest that “Although most healthy people will have no obvious side effects from ingesting small amounts of toxins found in cheap vitamins, the long term consequences of continuous, daily intakes are potentially dangerous." They conclude that in a long run the “allergic reactions” may occur including “fatigue, memory loss, depression and insomnia.”

The things to keep in mind:

1. The nutritional supplements are not regulated by the FDA. So what the bottle says is in the bottle could be different from the truth.

2. Learn which brands do Independent Testing. That is where the lab work is done by a third party that has no vested interest in the results.

3. Chose the Brands that offer most bio-available product. That is when the amount of the product that stays in you at the most achievable level.

But, what we think of doing (finding only whole food natural vitamins, ) may be difficult to achieve, because:

Most vitamin products, including those sold in health food stores or by (personal) distributors, contain synthetic vitamin powders. Due to the expensive R&D, there are only a few manufacturers of vitamin powders, and they are almost always large pharmaceutical companies. Thus, it is very likely that most of the vitamins manufacturers may be using the same suppliers (for the vitamin powders).
One of the chief differences in “health food store” vs “drug store” brands is what is not in the tablet.
For example, the natural brands leave out artificial chemical colors, which is a good thing to do. Just about all brands contain tablet fillers, needed to physically hold the pill together. Since these will vary, the only way to find out exactly who uses what is to write to the company and find out.

My personal take on this: I TRY eating food that is not harmful and full of good nutrients. And from time to time I take vitamins and other supplements manufactured by the company I trust. But, my goal is to follow these principles:

1. Maximize consumption of the nutritious food that is natural, the food that came from Mother Earth and not from the manufacturing facility.

2. When I get sick, I eat as many oranges (and other vitamin-C rich fruits) as I can.

3. When I feel fatigue, I make sure I eat foods rich in B12. (refer to my article on B12)

4. When I feel unmotivated and may be uninterested in the world, I make sure I eat food reach in D and get sunlight, to get my NATURAL vitamin D!

If you are taking vitamins in a pill, (which I do periodically), I think it is IMPORTANT to know that there are two types of vitamins:

Water soluble and Fat soluble.
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING:

• Water soluble: vitamins B and C are water-soluble vitamins that are not stored in the body and must be replaced each day. These vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during food storage and preparation. When grains are refined, essential nutrients are lost during processing are put back into these foods through a process called enrichment. That is why you can see processed grains (like rice) and breakfast cereal on the shelf with a screaming “Enriched with vitamin B!” .

• Fat soluble: vitamins A, D, E and K. Most fat-soluble vitamins come from natural vegetable or fish oils. They get dissolved in fat before they are absorbed in the blood stream to carry out their functions. Excesses of these vitamins are stored in the body (skin and  liver.)  Because they are stored, they are not needed every day in the diet. Foods that contain these vitamins will not lose them when cooked. Because fat-soluble vitamins are stored for long periods, they generally pose a greater risk for toxicity than water-soluble vitamins when consumed in excess. Eating a normal, well-balanced diet will not lead to toxicity in otherwise healthy individuals. However, taking vitamin supplements that contain mega doses of vitamins A, D, E and K may lead to toxicity.

The natural form of a vitamin is clearly superior to the synthetic form, however:

If we decide to take supplements, let’s at least learn about them and may be start choosing the brands that deliver the best quality product. It is not always possible to tell if a compound is synthetic or natural simply by looking at the name, so I , personally, go with the brand that I learned to trust. Please talk to a customer service specialist at your local Natural Food Store or your nutritionist and make your own choice on the brand.

1. Vitamin E (Protects vitamins A and C and fatty acids; prevents damage to cell membranes. Antioxidant.)
a. The natural form of vitamin E is called "D-alpha tocopherol," and is made from vegetable oil.
b. The synthetic form is “DL-alpha tocopherol. “ Not a big difference in name!
c. Based on independent studies, there are suggestions that the natural "D" molecular form of Vitamin E is far more useful to the body than is the synthetic “DL”. While choosing vitamin E supplement, you should carefully read the label. There are many natural-looking bottle labels with natural-sounding brand names contain the synthetic form.

2. Vitamin D3 (Vitamin D is a hormone precursor and acts to control calcium absorption in the small intestine. Prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even effects diabetes and obesity.)
a. Scientific name: activated cholecalciferol

3. Vitamin C (Formation of collagen (a component of skin tissues), wound healing; maintaining blood vessels, bones, teeth; absorption of iron, calcium, folacin; production of brain hormones, immune factors. Antioxidant.)
a. Scientific name: ascorbic acid . Vitamin C is call ascorbic acid whether naturally extracted from natural plant sources or synthetically derived.

4. Vitamin A (Helps to form skin and mucous membranes and keep them healthy, thus increasing resistance to infections; essential for night vision; promotes bones and tooth development. The beta-carotene is an antioxidant and may protect against cancer. Deficiency result in: night blindness, diarrhea, intestinal infections, impaired vision. )
Severe: inflammation of eyes, keratinization of skin and eyes. Blindness in children.)
a. Scientific name: Retinoids (retinol, retinoids and carotenoids)

5. Vitamin B-Complex
a. Vitamin B1 - Thiamine (Helps release energy from foods; promotes normal appetite; important in function of nervous system. Deficiency result in: Mental confusion; muscle weakness, wasting; edema; impaired growth; beriber.)
b. Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin (Helps release energy from foods; promotes good vision, healthy skin. Deficiency result in: Cracks at corners of mouth; dermatitis around nose and lips; eyes sensitive to light.)
c. Vitamin B3 - Niacin, niacinamide (Energy production from foods; aids digestion, promotes normal appetite; promotes healthy skin, nerves. Deficiency result in: Skin disorders; diarrhea; weakness; mental confusion; irritability.)
d. Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, pyridoxal (Aids in protein metabolism, absorption; aids in red blood cell formation; helps body use fats. Prevents : Skin disorders, dermatitis, cracks at corners of mouth; irritability; anemia; kidney stones; nausea; smooth tongue.)
e. Vitamin B7 - Biotin (Helps release energy from carbohydrates; aids in fat synthesis. Deficiency result in: Uncommon under normal circumstances; fatigue; loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting; depression; muscle pains; anemia.)
f. Vitamin B9 - Folic acid, folinic acid (Aids in protein metabolism; promotes red blood cell formation; prevents birth defects of spine, brain; lowers homocystein levels and thus coronary heart disease risk. Deficiency result in: Anemia; smooth tongue; diarrhea.)
g. Vitamin B12 - Cyanocobalamin, hydroxycobalamin, methylcobalamin (Aids in building of genetic material; aids in development of normal red blood cells; maintenance of nervous system. Deficiency result in: Pernicious anemia, anemia; neurological disorders; degeneration of peripheral nerves that may cause numbness, tingling in fingers and toes.)

6. Vitamin K – (Helps blood to clot. Deficiency result in; Excessive bleeding.)
a. Scientific name: Phylloquinone, menaquinones

I will continue emphasizing the need for all of us to make better choices when we come to the dinner table. Make sure your food delivers all your body needs (balanced diet!!!) and does not poison your body with man-made “stuff” like white sugars and bleached flower …

What IS and Why vitamin D is important to overall health?

Vitamin D. Heard enough??? May be not:

N a t u r a l S o u r c e:

Although we can find many foods in the supermarket that have been fortified with a synthetic form of Vitamin D, there are only a select number of foods containing vitamin D in them naturally.

Foods high in vitamin D:

1.       Fish Oil, Cod Liver, Fish: Highest IU. Sockeye Salmon, Herring, Tuna:

A small 3½ ounces portion of cooked salmon will give you 90% of the Dietary Reference Intake for Vitamin D. Make sure to purchase salmon that has been caught from the wild. Salmon eat zooplankton, an excellent source of the important vitamin. Herring also very high in vitamin D. A 3 ounce tuna has 50% of your Vitamin D needs. 

2.       Mushrooms:  

Surprisingly, the dried versions of shiitake mushrooms are high in Vitamin D. This may be due to the fact that these mushrooms are adept at sucking up sunlight. Shiitake is also rich in B Vitamins like B1 & B2. Make sure that you find mushrooms that have been dried in the sun, not by some artificial means, in order to extract the benefits of high Vitamin D content.

What IS and Why vitamin D is important to overall health?

S u p p l e m e n t:

Vitamin D has emerged as a "star supplement" because of its many nutritional benefits. It is available in two forms: D2 & D3. The D3 is more active and a better choice. Talk to your doctor about a simple blood test to determine the right dosage for your individual vitamin D needs. Vitamin D works closely with calcium and magnesium. You must take Vitamin D in the morning with Magnesium and take Calcium at night.

Cod Fish – Spanish Style:

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds wild Atlantic cod fillets, cut into 8 pieces

·         1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·         1/2 teaspoon salt , blk pepper, red pepper

·         1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

·         1/4 cup sliced shallots (onion)

·         3 large garlic cloves

·         1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato , mushrooms

·         1/3 cup dry white wine

·         ½ cup of parsley (chopped)

·         1 tablespoon lemon juice

·         1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1.     Heat a skillet over high heat. Add oil. Combine salt, paprika, and black pepper; sprinkle evenly over fish. Add fish to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn fish over; reduce heat to medium-high. Add shallots, red pepper, and garlic; cook 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, wine, bring to a simmer, and cook 6 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon parsley and lemon juice; stir gently to combine.

2.      Serve on the top of brown rice, top it with remaining fresh parsley, and toasted almonds.

Vitamin D and Cancer

Laboratory, animal, and human studies suggest that vitamin D may be protective against some cancers.

Vitamin D Toxicity

It is very rare to have a vitamin D overdose. However, it is important to understand:

Tolerable Intake Level for Vitamin D

Infants 0-12 months- 1000 IU
Children 1-18 years- 2000 IU
Adults 19 years and older- 2000 IU

Health Benefits …

1.       plays a key role in the proper absorption of calcium

2.       supports colon, breast, prostate, ovarian, heart and colorectal health.

3.       blood pressure regulation

4.       supports a healthy immune system

5.       has a role in insulin secretion

'GROUND BEEF' and 'WILD VERSUS FARM RAISED SALMON'

This post is for the meat eating comunity.
While I support meat-less diet, I respect the fact that many of the readers do not share my opinion, just yet.
Thus, ....

GROUND BEEF

Pink Slime Found In 70% of Supermarket Ground Beef.



The price of beef has risen dramatically in recent years. That has led many of us to shift away from steaks and towards cheaper hamburgers. At the same time, the meat vendors, in search of better margins, increased the use of the cheapest possible kind of ground beef: "pink slime."
………..70% of ground beef sold in supermarkets contains the ammonia-treated sludge, which is the product of a method for salvaging meat scraps from otherwise unusable parts of a carcass. Whenever a cow is butchered there are pieces that are cut off that aren’t considered for human consumption. There is a greater risk for E. coli in those parts of the cow. It is used mainly just for pet food. So to make sure that pink slime won’t be a problem, they pull out a chemical – ammonia. Since the pink slime comes from the caw, USDA allows the vendors to call it MEAT. As much as we want to think that USDA protects us, the agency protects the industries first. (it is all about the money.)

Pink slime is widely used and it is in the mix of the ground beef used in school lunches, so as in restaurants’ burgers.

How to Avoid It?

Learn where your food comes from.  In my opinion , You should never ever buy ground beef labeled as hamburger. That is almost a guarantee that you will be getting some pink slime in there. Next time at your local grocery store, grab :  eye round , top round roast or sirloin (leaner beef) and ask someone behind the butcher counter if they can grind it for you. If you can get it, choose organic or grass-fed beef (GFB). The GFB is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in omega-3 fatty acids. If the ground beef is labeled certified USDA organic, then, it cannot contain any filler.

Key message for today:

1.     Do yourself a favor: choose organic meat, grass-fed beef, and invest in a grinder, but always go for lean meat:  Eye Round Roast or Sirloin! Learn about harmful Saturated Fats in beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, lard and cream, butter, cheese. Try to make the right choice so you do not harm your body.

WILD VERSUS FARM RAISED SALMON

They say that wild salmon is best, but Is it safe to eat farm-raised? Is there a difference?

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish, at least twice a week to ensure you get plenty of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Nearly all salmon Americans eat are farm-raised in dense – packed pens near ocean shores. That fish is low in omega 3 and high in omega 6.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are types of essential fatty acids - meaning we cannot make them on our own and have to obtain them from our diet. American diet shows deficiency of omega 3 is it is full of omega 6.

The body also constructs hormones from omega 3&6 fatty acids. In general, hormones derived from the two classes of essential fatty acids have opposite effects. Those from omega-6 fatty acids tend to increase inflammation (still an important component of the immune response), blood clotting, and cell proliferation, while those from omega-3 fatty acids decrease those functions. Both families of hormones must be in balance to maintain optimum health.

Well, remember, the chance that you have it balanced is slim because of the limited omega-3 in our diets. The answer is to either supplement or go for the food that has plenty of it. Eating farm-raised fish occasionally is not a great concern, but risks can add up if you eat salmon often.

Reports showed that farm raised salmon in US has the highest levels of PBS, toxic man-made chemicals. (Canadian salmon has less of it.) We should limit consumption of farm-raised salmon to once a week.

In addition, trim skin and fat as much as possible and use cooking methods such as grilling and boiling to reduce fat. In general, however, you can cut down on omega-6 levels by reducing consumption of processed and fast foods and polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, soy, for example).

At home, use extra virgin olive oil Eat more oily fish (opt for wild caught) or take fish oil supplements, walnuts, flax seeds, and omega-3 fortified eggs. Your body and mind will thank you.

Key message for today:

1.     Increase the intake of heart-healthy omega-3. The imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids contributes to obesity and depression.

2.     Avoid over-eating HIGH OMEGA 6 FOODS like Vegetable Oil, Sunflower oil, Mayo, Caesar, Italian dressing.

Eco Details

• Most salmon sold in U.S. supermarkets and restaurants are farmed and labeled Atlantic salmon. Most are imported from Chile and Canada. (Wild Atlantic salmon is endangered in the U.S and cannot be caught commercially.)
• Salmon farming is associated with numerous environmental concerns, including water pollution, chemical use, parasites and disease.
• Wild salmon from Alaska (Pacific Ocean) come from a well-managed fishery and are low in contaminants.