Category: Healthy Activities

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Healthy Activities

Oktoberfest table center

First time hosting Oktoberfest … so keeping the gathering under control and relatively cozy:) just a little over a dozen to show up ?

A cute mini-keg for a table center ? Variety of mostly bottled beers from around the world in ice chest outside by the grill …  Hot spiced apple cider and mulled wine … it’s really Autumn in California with fallen leaves rustling under our feet.

It’s so much about sausages, what could vegetarians and vegans eat?  No problem – Sauerkraut with NO BACON:) Replace with organic garbanzo beans and top onto tofu-based sausages – quite lovely.  It’s practically only once a year I visit this German butcher/deli in Silicon Valley to get what’s needed – the owner’s son, jumped out from behind the counter with so much enthusiasm when I uttered the word “Oktoberfest”.  His energy and love to help others spilled over to affect me in such a way that I now was in the mood to skip around –  our energy – aura is so catchy and I actually learned something about “teaching” from him.  His was all about teaching me about German food culture and an attitude of “I will take care of you !!!” “leave it to me; I know everything about this” !!! not in a patronizing way but in a way that fosters instant trust.

It seemed as though he danced and waltzed around this store as he made all his recommendations – must haves?  wow, Traditional German Egg Noodles “SPAETZLE” is made with cage-free eggs and pure durum semolina? (not for vegans, right, but great for vegetarians okay with eggs).  Or if you are like me – not rigid, not dogmatic – make some small exceptions when it’s culturally unique and special.

He gave me the recipe verbally and so easy.  Apparently he has helped locals put together Oktoberfest for last 20 years or so and he said with confidence, all will come back to him the following year to repeat the tradition.  First time for me so does this mean, I am going back to this gentleman every year should I decide to host this again?  Why did I come all the way here?  I am so against preserved or processed meats but at least, this place makes their own sausages fresh daily so no preservatives – in fact, must buy the sausages within a day or two from day made he says to have them “fresh” for the occasion.  He was dead against refrigerating it for more than a day – it’s got to be fresh to or it’s just does not taste the best – we don’t use any preservatives – it’s all natural – I see.

If you are staying away from meats, absolutely no problem – lots of root veggies like squash, pumpkin; lots of dark and light greens with array of colorful beans and peas – Mulled wine and spiced apple cider … local farmers market breads and …

Apple, pear tarts + vegan chocolate moose cake … and beer is … vegetarian.  lol:)

One of the guests was a 12 year old boy who danced some crazy moves – So funny to watch a boy slouched immobile on a couch intently staring into his cell phone screen maybe for 2 hours?  – then – surprise –  boom! all the sudden he’s off the couch and full of action,  teaching his dad the steps and arm movements – a rather cool dad keeping up – and me, a newbie into this Fort Nite craze – sooo crisp and sharp are his moves ! Mine?  ahhhh, well.  Google Fort Nite dance challenge (with professional dancers) it’s quite a challenge – I cannot keep up with middle schoolers – it was a harsh realization? lol –   They are fast quick learners and Hilarious to watch the crazy moves. If I were teaching Kids Yoga, definitely would incorporating them between poses:)  Get the wiggles out 🙂 Do the “Floss” then YOGA to balance out !

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Beautiful Deeds Beautiful People Beautiful Rituals Healthy Activities Healthy Living Yoga

In 15 more days

Then, Day Light Savings will be over.  As we shift with setting the clock one hour to “Fall” back, we will truly be in midst of Autumn season.   Even in California, we do have subtle seasons that loosely reflect the 2018 calendar’s markings of seasons…

SPRING EQUINOX March 20
SUMMER SOLSTICE June 21
FALL EQUINOX September 22
WINTER SOLSTICE December 21, 5:23 P.M. EST

Already it’s getting darker and chillier outside in the mornings … and that means extraordinary will, a determination to make it to the gym, the studio, to your practice before sunrise.Sunrise being around 7:30am these days, for me, the drive is to feel and see the sunrise, which … is a spiritual feeling … a magical awakening.

So being that it’s with an effort, we make our way to this undertaking called “practice”,  I am more in awe and gratitude for anyone showing up for self-care.  Is it more a self-care to lick our wounds and stay under cover or do some other activity to let your body rest (good!) … maybe.We are all busy … but happy if we all carry just a little yoga intention off the mat so days off, we all need to care for self and others.

Many friends go on walks and so do I when I want to catch up by walking and talking. I love that time with our dogs … walked by our dogs, venturing into paths as they pull us to forge on.  I guess this foxy dog can be a sled dog …lol.

So I am not saying walking is not as good as yoga – there’s no comparison – they are both good to do for common and different reasons – just noting this helpful information – Here.

TGIF & Oktoberfest coming up:)  Please have a wonderful weekend capped by Sunday 4:15pm Deep Stretch Gentle Mellow Flow Yoga … it’s sweet for sweet yogis who deserve the time to be with Self to ready for Monday the start of week – a preparation starts the night before as my mom used to say.

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Healthy Activities Healthy Food Healthy Living

Autumn Cleanse – 10 days

Started the seasonable transition cleanse Monday and I am on Day 7.  What does it look like?  No it’s not one of those all juice & smoothie diet but a very approachable real life program anyone with the right guidance can undertake.  In other words, it’s not a diet – it’s a cleanse:

  • Daily Yoga – yoga ultimately is about a cleanse – a de-cluttering of the mind; to strengthen our muscles, lubricate the joints, spur bone growth, stretch and elongate to release tension, tightness, unravel the knots …  to distill the essence of life so we can bottoms up the nectar of the sweetest life ever.  In our busy lives, weaving in tidbits can work with the right intention  – warm up and stretches for injury free heated practice in the mornings; cooling lunar practices in the evenings – this can be as short as 10 minutes or a full blown 60-90 min. class if manageable, scattered throughout the week. If you have a protocol designed by your Yoga Therapist for your home practice, even better.  Group class just for the vibe but rest done at home, all good.
  • Daily Meditation – self-guided or guided meditation with Visionary Yoga I love.
  • No refined or any kind of sugar – zero, nada.
  • No processed foods
  • Primarily plant based diet primarily vegan with the exception of eggs.  No honey – replaced by mashed dates to sweeten chai.
  • Maximize sleep – ideally 8 hours a night or min. 7 hours.  & makeup allowable deficits with restorative yoga or yoga nidra – Read up “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab.

May I just say – thank goodness to local Farmers Market.  I am not starving myself at all as the photos that follows will indicate:)  The menu is blend of Macrobiotics, Japanese cuisine inspired by Shinobeu of Wanowa, and Ayurvedic cooking learned from Jyoti Jain of Palo Alto + some Californian/Italian recipes from Chez Panisse – yes:)  It’s a melting pot plant based menu embedded with legumes, and grain based nourishment.  It’s not for losing weight (though that may just happen naturally – 2 lbs in a week – very gradual) but to spur the cleansing of excesses, quiet the inflammations, exit the gook and toxins from our system to better welcome the seasonable transition.  It’s the kind of foods that’s light and kinder to our intestinal tract that balances the gut flora to boost our immune system to prepare for the flue season – if flue shot misses the exact strain of the virus, this kind of eating will still protect you from seasonal fluctuations.  It’s kind of food that’s simple, lush, fragrant and vibrant.  Not in a manic but in a steady, stable way, It’s … energizing !

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Came across BK Bose’s quote … while their latest mission to address the needs of school-aged youth is so admirable, Niroga’s Yoga Therapy Advance study course will be so missed .  The faculty that included the best in the field of yoga therapy led by BK was exceptional, the cohort’s passion for this study was … infectious.  They are all sure to make even better teachers than they already are:

“This is not some feel good, foo-foo practice from the Himalayas. This is based in cutting edge neuroscience, trauma research, and in somatic psychology. This is vital to ensure our well-being, and to our economy.  Let’s come together under the banner of transformative practices, and put forward the essence of yoga, not the hype. This is simple. Anyone can do this, anytime, anywhere. If you can move, if you can breathe, then you can do the practice.”

-BK Bose, Founder, Niroga Institute