Just sharing 3 practices you probably already know, but might need a small reminder before Thanksgiving; but before we get started, i wanted to thank you for being part of this community.  

1. Connect - I get so excited about connecting and hanging out with family & friends on Thanksgiving.  As a kid, I remember my mom being so busy with cooking, cleaning and serving people, that we didn’t get a chance to spend quality time with her.  So this is a reminder to stop what you are doing every once in a while, look at people in the eyes and truly be present when you are talking to them. If it’s ok with them, give them long heart to heart hugs.  Being a heart with ears is the biggest gift anyone could receive.  It's better than a perfectly cooked meal. 
2. Acceptance - Then there are family members and friends that trigger us.  It’s so easy to love people that we are in line with; However,...

Scott Olsen is a biomechanics and movement specialist that works with athletes and active people to overcome chronic pain and limitations by retraining breath, posture and movement patterns.  He has some great tips on how to engage the diaphragm so the breath initiates in the belly and not the shoulders and neck. 

Couple of days ago, I woke up with anxiety and tried to figure out what was causing it.  I can attribute it to two things:

First one is being tired.  When I am tired, I’m a different person.  Everything becomes so exaggerated.  Something that I could easily handle when I'm rested, feels like it is the “end of the world”.  

The second reason for my anxiety was all the “expectations” I had created for myself and placed on others.  I woke up disappointed in myself that I wasn’t where I wanted to be with the progress of my studio and online programs. Always wanting things to be better or different. Comparing myself to others in my community.  Disappointed that a person I knew really didn’t treat me the way I wanted to be treated.  Fixated on work, outcomes and deadlines I had created for myself.  No wonder I felt anxious!!!!

As soon as I started practicing non-attachment, I felt...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sebastian from Nature Unplugged a few weeks ago.  Nature unplugged is all about intentional use of technology and balancing that with spending time in nature. 

I don’t know about you, but I can get very addicted to my phone!  As much I want to leave it behind during a hike, I bring it with me for pictures!!  Next thing you know, I'm checking texts and answering calls.

I loved Sebastian's 3 tips on how to create healthy boundaries with technology:

1. Find a home for your phone:  meaning find a place you can store your phone when you walk into the house.  If it’s with you, you will use: if it’s put away, you can be more present.
2. Phone free bedroom:  getting a simple alarm so that you can charge and keep your phone in another room and not your bedroom.
3. Spend time in nature daily:  studies show that even a 5 minute walk in the park can change people’s mood and self-esteem. 

There is...

Dr. Alison McLean give us great advice on how to live a healthy life.  Plus her story on how yoga helped her overcome a sports injury...physically and emotionally!  

Dr. McLean can be found at: 

[email protected]

This video is filled with information regarding the importance of calming down the nervous system so our bodies can heal and perform well!!  It will be well worth your time. 

Dr. Mark Kalina is a Primary Care Physician at Pacific Pearl, an Integrative Medical Center in La Jolla, CA. 

In this video, Coree talks about how eating healthy can be so simple.  And she gives great tips on how to incorporate spices and greens into your daily diet.  

The spices Coree recommends to incorporate into your diet:  

-turmeric (with black pepper, because black pepper allow turmeric to get absorbed into the system), cur cumin & curry powder for inflammation and flavoring

 -himalayan salt (great source of minerals)

Best snacks:

-nuts, or nut butters

-eggs

-avocado

-cut up veggies

Staple foods she has in her fridge:

-fermented foods

-micro greens

-seasonal foods

-salad dressing on everything (using healthy ingredients in salad dressings and putting it on everything.  Below you can find recipes Cilantro Vinaigrette and Turmeric Tahini Sauce)

Cilantro vinaigrette

• 1 huge bunch of fresh cilantro (2 cups packed)
• 1/2 cup olive or avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons ACV
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
...

Dr. Emoto’s experiment proved that thought, words and music affect physical reality.  By producing different intentions through words, feelings and music toward water samples he saw the water “change it’s expression”.

When he said negative angry words like “I’m going to kill you, I hate you” toward water samples, the water crystals started looking like this:

When he said positive words like peace and love, the water crystals started forming brilliant and complex snowflake patterns like this. 

Here are two water crystals; one of Mother Theresa and one of Hitler.  Guess which one is which?

Mother Theresa!!

In another study, two plants were given the same amount of water, sunlight, etc…just placed slightly apart from each other.  The plant that was spoken to with loving words, thrived.  The plant that was spoken to with anger and unkind words, died shortly. 

This is a reminder of how we...

Here are some facts about water and our brain function!!

85% of our brain is water

70% of our body is water

The average person drinks 32 oz of water

We lose 80 oz of water per day through sweat and breathing.

Benefits of giving your brain lots of water.  

-think faster

-more focus

-better clarity and creativity

-more energy

-better sleep

-less stress

-better emotional stability

-production of hormones and neurotransmitters

Here is what lack of water contributes to:

-at 1% dehydrated, you will likely have 5 percent decrease in cognitive function.

-loss of short term memory, lack of focus and fogginess

-worsens Austism, ADD, Aspergers, Alzheimers, Parkinsons

-worsens depression & anxiety 

WHY?

-because water is needed to deliver nutrients to your brain and the rest of your body.

-water allows your brain to receive and send signals to the rest of your body

-water is needed for detoxification of the body.  When the body is dehydrated, the body...

7 Range of Motion Hip stretches on and around the chair