Living the Practice

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” –B.K.S. Iyengar

The more I practice yoga and take note of its effects the more I notice yoga is reflective of life. I find myself gathering more from each yoga class to take into life off my mat. Each and every practice provides a new experience and endless opportunities in the same manner as each day offers infinite moments. On our mats we learn extremely vital lessons that should be applied to our everyday lives. I would like to share a few of the lessons that I have found to be extremely beneficial in my yoga practice and everyday existence. 

It is not all physical. There is much more behind the practice of yoga than what meets the eye. Many people find themselves at their first yoga class to work on strengthening, toning, and stretching the body. But it is those who find something beyond what meets the eye that become passionate life long students of yoga. I am not stating that the physical elements of the practice are not important, because they are.  I am simply expressing that we cannot judge the book simply by its cover. As lovers of the art of yoga we understand that our practice cultivates much more than the physical asanas. While we work on aligning, strengthening, and stretching the body on our mats there is something much deeper that takes place within.  During the practice yogis work to be present, stay balanced, obtain full breathing, gather focus, become aware, and remain enlightened. Seeking to find something beyond the surface allows one to fully dive into the pool of the soul, rather than float on the top of the water. Dive deep-- the greatest treasures are always hidden!

Be present (even when you don’t want to be). Sometimes we find ourselves in a demanding posture on our mats and wish the instructor would take us to the next pose. However, yoga reminds us to breathe through the tension or discomfort as long as it is nonharming to others or ourselves. Rather than searching for the next “out” in an uncomfortable situation, yoga conveys the importance of focusing on the breath and being present even when we wish not to be. I once had an instructor tell me that we must learn to endure uncomfortable postures on our mats just like we must learn to handle uncomfortable situations in life. This is fundamental in our lives because we all experience moments where we would rather be somewhere else. By applying this lesson to our lives we are reminded to stay where we are rather than looking for where we want to be. Looking toward the future takes away from the beautiful steps of the present, which is a gift we can never get back. Be where your shoes are, or in the case of most yogis, where your bare feet are.

It’s all about balance. Balancing is a vital aspect of yoga as well as life. In yoga classes balancing poses prove to be difficult for most students because they are extremely demanding. Balancing poses help to challenge our physical as well as mental equilibrium. They require great focus, alignment, and attention. Taking the gaze to one still point assists balancing poses because when the eyes are set on one still point the mind typically rests on the same space. Taking the mind to one point helps us to quiet a chattering mind and focus on where we need to in any instance. In our everyday lives we attempt to multi-task and sometimes need to allow the mind to rest on just one thing at a time. Balancing poses also greatly test our patience. Often times in a practice we find ourselves swaying or falling out of a demanding balance posture. In falling out of a pose we are reminded that balancing and falling are two sides of the same coin. We must honor it in its entirety and attempt to get back up even if gravity tries to pull us down. Similarly, in our daily lives we must remind ourselves that even if we fall we must challenge ourselves to try again. Such determination and dedication will take us out of our comfort zone and allow us to reach a new pose or goal. It is crucial to find balance because in our everyday lives we must balance our work, play, and relaxation.  Balance, in meditation and yoga, as in life, equates to acceptance of our current situation. Balance is neither resisting nor wishing to change internal or external forces. Find your equilibrium--live in harmony with yin and yang.

By Julie Strittmatter

Food For Thought

We are all familiar with the saying “you are what you eat.” However, many of us take this with a grain of salt, and continue our lives with little awareness of what we put in our bodies. We must remember that food is the body’s fuel and crucial to a healthy life. Our diets impact our entire wellbeing, which extends beyond our physical being to our mental health.  Therefore, we should not focus on “fad dieting” and instead place emphasis on refining our overall eating habits for a positive lifestyle change.

      Mind-Body Yoga was fortunate enough to welcome Dietitian Ruth Douthett, DTR to the studio for a healthy eating lecture on April 14, 2012. She shared fifteen practical ways to make healthy changes in our diets in order to promote overall wellbeing. Below are Ruth Douthett’s rules for healthy eating for a healthy lifestyle. Read, apply, and enjoy!

1.    If You Can’t Pronounce The Ingredient – Don’t Eat It

Read label and look at the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce it or never heard of it – DON’T EAT IT! Many ingredients used are also used in other ways like paste/rat poison (google the ingredients) Read the nutrition label – ingredients are listed in the order of amounts in the product.

Try eating foods that have only one ingredient or combination of them!

2.    Apple Pie Is Not A Serving Of Fruit

It’s easy to play games with yourself when you are trying to eat healthy – eat the real thing! There may be some broccoli hidden under the cheese or there may be some juice in that favorite breakfast drink.

Be honest with yourself, look for the real food.

3.    Eating All Your Pasta Is Not Going To Save Any Starving Children

Stop eating when you are full, box up the leftovers and save for tomorrow’s lunch. Make your pasta healthier by substituting white pasta for a multi-grain, whole wheat, brown rice, corn, or any of the other new pasta’s on the market. Look for whole grains and check the fiber!

Listen to your body. It takes 20 minutes for the message you are full to go from the stomach to the brain. Portion control is key: everything in moderation.

Pasta- ½ cup. Meat/fish/poultry- 3 oz. deck of cards or size of computer mouse.

Fruit- size of your fist.

No food is forbidden! Just remember everything in moderation!

4.    Choose Whole Foods

Adam and Eve ate the first fruit – Including the package! Mother Nature provides her foods with their own package to protect them. Select whole fresh foods rather than fruits squished into a “100%” fruit snacks or vegetables that are dehydrated, salted, and backed into a cracker. Whole foods grow on trees and out of the ground – fat, salt, and cholesterol free!

Eat 5-7 servings of fruits & vegetables daily

5.    Try One or Two New Foods Each Week

Substitute one or two foods a week for a healthier option. Involve the family in choosing a favorite food to substitute for a healthier option.

Challenge each family member to find new options and give a prize for the best!

6.    Go Meatless – Do a Meatless Monday

Rising cost of meat should be a cure for high cholesterol! Anything with cholesterol had 4 legs at one time. Reduce your red meat intake once or twice a week and only serve 3 oz. portions (deck of cards). Look for low fat (90-10% fat or lower on ground meat) try ground turkey! Use beans for a great protein substitute they are fat, salt, and cholesterol free and a great source of fiber.

Try: Meatless- Monday, Turkey- Tuesday, Wrap-Wednesday, Tomato-Thursday, Fiber- Friday, Saltless- Saturday, Smoothie- Sunday. Make your own ideas!

Need recipe ideas? Try looking on your computer!

(Allrecepies.com or just type in what you are specifically looking for)

7.    Eat the Rainbow –Different Colors –Different Nutrients

Eat different colors throughout the day. Each color has different nutrients –the darer the color the more nutrients. Dark blueberries are on the most powerful foods. Mix your colors for a meal with better eye appeal and nutrition. A good salad always has at least 5 ingredients of different colors: vegetables, fresh or dried fruit, buts, low fat cheese, and dressing. Instead of dressing try fresh lemon juice.

8.    Don’t Skip Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Starting your day without breakfast is like running a car without gasoline or starting a fire without wood.

Your body needs fuel!

Try new ideas: yogurt parfaits (yogurt, fruit, cereal), smoothies (possibilities are endless), whole grain pancakes or waffles topped with fruit, oatmeal with dried or fresh fruit and cinnamon, or whole grain low fat muffins.

9.    Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping meals can lead to uncontrollable food cravings and can put the body in starvation mode that will cause it to hold onto fat and store it for future use – you might call it hording. Eat every 3-4 hours. Eat Breakfast, 100-calorie snack, Lunch, 100-calorie snack, Dinner, and 50 to 100-calorie snack in the evening. Try to include a low pat protein each time to help keep your blood sugars level and prevent you from getting hungry for a longer period of time.

Low fat protein: handful of nuts, low fat or fat free yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese, beans, peanut, almond or other types of nut butter, 1 oz. chicken

10. Chew Slowly –Mindful Eating

Take time to chew your food slowly. This will not only enable you to truly enjoy the flavor of the food, but will aid in proper digestion.

Take mindful bites! Use your senses to enjoy your food!

Take time to look at the food before you eat it, smell it, notice the texture as you put it in your mouth and enjoy the taste as you chew.

Try laying your fork or spoon down after each bite- amazing what you may discover.

11. It Takes An Apple A Day to Keep The Doctor Away. What Would It Take To Keep A Heart Surgeon Away?

Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol. The American Heart Association offers these guidelines:

Saturated Fat- Less than 7% of your total daily calories

Solid at room temperature (butter)- source- animal

Transfat (hydrogenated oils) – Less than 1% (Translates to none)

                        It is the most dangerous and man made to increase shelf life

            Cholesterol- Less than 300 milligrams for healthy adults

                        Foods that are animal based (eggs, cheese, milk ect)

            Healthy fats:

                        Olive oil- high % of monounsaturated fat

                                    Other foods include avocados, peanut butter, nuts, and seeds

                        Omega 3- 3 fatty acids: mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, tuna

12. Reduce Your Salt Intake

Eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure, a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease. The recommended amount for a healthy adult is 2,300 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon). The real culprit of salt is in our diet processed foods. Almost anything you buy that comes from a can or package will contain salt. Eating fresh foods, making your own soup, or buying low-salt or salt free foods can reduce the amount of salt in your diet. Choose your condiments carefully because many have hidden salt. Most of all avoid breaded products of any kind; they are not only high in salt but also fat.

13. Clean Out Your Cupboards

As much as you hate to part with some of the foods try your best to clean out your cupboards of foods that do not fit into your healthy diet plan. Donate the food to a food bank if you can’t just throw it away! Still too hard? Try disposing of one food a week you feel you can be successful at doing without. While it may be difficult to say goodbye to your favorite brand of snacks or cookies, if you do, the temptation to satisfy your craving will be reduced ten-fold.

Better yet, remember what goes in your cart, goes in the house, and goes in the mouth. Don’t put it in the cart.

14.  Drink In Moderation

Excessive alcohol use increases your risk of heart disease. Limit your drink consumption to the equivalent of less than 1 ounce of pure alcohol in a single day; 2 cans of beer, 2 small glasses of wine, or 2 average cocktails. Another suggestion is one drink per day for women and two for men.

15. Switch From Soda To Water Or Green Tea

Instead of drinking soda or other sugary drinks switch to water or green tea. You never go wrong with water and green tea has a long list of healthy benefits thanks to the presence of antioxidants. Sodas are empty calorie culprits!

By Julie Strittmatter

The Practice of Living Mindfully

“Live your life each day, as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.”

- Harold B. Melchart

Have you ever pulled into your driveway and not remembered the journey home? Or gone to the store and managed to grab everything on your list but somehow cannot name one item in your cart? We are all guilty of these deeds or similar acts due to the busy nature of our lives. Everyone experiences moments in which the brain operates on autopilot and we simply go through the motions of life.  However, in doing so we rob our lives of many experiences in the present. Even though the necessary task is complete we deprive ourselves of moments between point A and B. It is like a dancer who lacks passion for the art and simply moves through designated steps. Our lives deserve passion in each step in order to appreciate the beauty in each passing moment. Through the art of mindfulness we will obtain the ability to turn the brain off autopilot and we begin to treasure each step in our journeys.

Mindfulness in essence is awareness. Mindfulness creates a consciousness in each and every act no matter how small or large. Through this consciousness we obtain the gift of the present moment without the worry of what lies ahead or behind us. Too often we search beyond the moment of immediacy for a sense of clarity when the answer lies within our hearts in the present. Mindfulness is the state of being completely within the self and all that entails in each passing moment. This does not necessarily mean we will love every thought that enters our mind or every path we reach; instead mindfulness serves as an acceptance of things as they are at any given moment. When we are mindful we are fully awake and aware of the possibilities that unfold in the present moment. Through the practice of mindfulness we produce a deep gratitude for the now and become fully awake to appreciate every moment.

Mindfulness is not necessarily an act of meditation or a religion; instead it is a practice with ancient roots. While mindfulness is at the heart of Buddhist meditation, is it practiced worldwide in a variety of ways. In yoga we practice mindfulness on our mats by using the breath to bring us to the present moment. The beauty of the practice is that we can take this off our mats and apply it anywhere in our lives. The art of mindfulness is practical for anyone who seeks a deeper sense of consciousness and awareness in their daily lives. For further reading I highly recommend the book Wherever You Go, There You Are by John Kabat-Zinn which makes the art of mindful meditation very accessible and applicable to everyday life. John Kabat-Zinn truly helped me make mindfulness a practical art, which I incorporate in my everyday life. If you chose to integrate this practice in your life I recommend dedicating several reflective moments each day to focus on being fully present. This can take place anywhere in your day such as a yoga class, the shower, driving, or eating. Allow yourself to relish in every breath in a pose on your mat, feel the warmth of every water drop in the shower, fully experience each bump in the road, or savor each flavor in every bite.  As you take your first steps toward mindfulness, remember it is not always the destination but the journey. Enjoy the smaller moments along the way. After all, life is made up of enchanting moments, which create each day.

By Julie Strittmatter

Spinach, Swiss, Mushroom Egg White Omelet

Mind-Body Yoga of Butler's

"Healthy Eating" 

Blog Posting: Shauna McChesney

An important part of any day is breakfast.  A meal that is skipped for most people.  By skipping breakfast it is like running a car without gasoline. So try to keep your engine running by starting off your day with a nice healthy breakfast.

Spinach, Swiss, Mushroom Egg White Omelet

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1/2 c. spinach

1 slice swiss cheese

1/4 c. sliced button or portabella mushrooms

1 garlic clove finely diced

2 T. diced onion

Splash of EVOO

In small sautee pan,  drizzle EVOO and sauté onion, garlic until tender. Add in 1/4 c. spinach chopped and mushrooms. Once tender set to the side.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until fluffy then  mix in 1/4 c. chopped fresh spinach and splash of milk (opt)

Season to taste with salt and white pepper

Spray nonstick spray into omelet pan or small sautee pan.

Get pan warm enough to make a drop of water hiss, then pour in egg mixture.

Let the mixture cook for about 30 seconds or until the bottom starts to set.

Slowly work pan from side to side use a heat-resistant rubber spatula and gently push up one edge of the egg, while tilting the pan to allow the still liquid egg to flow in underneath. Repeat with the other edges, until there’s no liquid left.

Your eggs should now resemble a pancake, which should easily slide around on the nonstick surface. If it sticks at all, loosen it with your spatula.

Gently flip the egg over, using your spatula to ease it over if necessary. Spoon the mushroom mixture across the center of the egg in straight line to cover half of the

omelet and cover with 2 folded haves of Swiss Cheese

With your spatula, lift one edge of the egg and fold it across and over, so that the edges line up. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, but don’t overcook or allow the egg to turn brown. .

Gently transfer the finished omelet to a plate.