A Yogic Diet For Immune Function

Using the Yogic Diet to Improve Immune Function:

Foods to Look For:

colorful fruits/veggies raw or lightly cooked
LOTS of WATER to keep hydrated (also some tea with a little RAW honey)

Strawberries
Kefir
kale
oats
almond butter
beans
matcha
black rice
pumpkin seeds
milk

www.webmd.com

Herbs/Spices:
cinnamin
FRESH chopped garlic

Suppliments:
Elderberry
Echinacea
Zinc (do not take on an empty stomach)
Vitamin C (do not take with zinc)

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Beta-carotene and other carotenoids: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon
Vitamin C: Berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, honeydew, kale, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, red, green or yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes
Vitamin E: Broccoli, carrots, chard, mustard and turnip greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds

• Omega 3- flax, cold water fish
• Zinc: Found in oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, seafood, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products
• Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry and fortified breads, and other grain products
• Hot peppers/spicy foods- contain "mucolytics" to clear sinus and lungs

From:  http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/antioxidants-your-immune-system-super-foods-optimal-health 

Yoga For Immune Function: 10 Tips to avoid a COLD

10 ways to boost your Immune Function this winter:

Our Yoga Practice naturally stimulates the 3 major parts of the immune system (thymus, spleen, lymph system).  By incorporating a few specific poses on the mat and a few habits off the mat we can look forward to a winter season free of Colds/Flu!

1. DeStress! = a reduction in stress improves thymus function and improves immune response.  Meditation is a big part of this because we can learn to control our nervous system and stay in a state of peace and calm no matter what is going on around us.

2. Thymus Thump= the thymus gland is located behind the sternum (breast bone) - taking the fingers and tapping this area for a few minutes each day will stimulate the thymus to function more effectively

3.  Chest Opening= another way to stimulate the thymus.  Use postures that incorporate opening around the heart and back bending like Camel and Cobra. Chanting the bija mantra for the 4th chakra "yum" will also stimulate the thymus.

4.  Lymph Flow= improved immune function.  Sequences that incorporate twisting, hip opening and inversion will stimulate the lymphatic system and improve lymph flow in the body to move immune cells more effectively. 

5.  Neti Pot= sinus cleanse will clear out bacteria/virus before it is able to colonize our system. Pair this with gargling salt water to cleanse the throat at the first sign of a tickle. 

6.  Breathing exercises: Lion Pose to stimulate the tonsils and neck lymph nodes. Kapalabhati to prevent respiratory infections, Nadi Shodhana breath to prevent sinus infections. 

7.  Cleansing: wash hands (soap & hot water, at least 30 seconds of bubbles) and dont touch your face with your hands during the day.  Stay home when sick.

8.  Yogic Diet: fruits, veggies, low sugar, plenty of WATER (see the list of Immune Boosting Foods)

9.  Herbs & Vitamins: fresh garlic, Echinacea, zinc  (see the list of Immune Boosting Foods)

10. Balance & rest: make sure you are not over scheduled, over worked and lacking sleep as this is a recipe for a run down immune system.

Know the first subtle symptoms of illness and act quickly as soon as you notice them setting in.  This will help to stop an illness in its tracks, or at least to shorten the severity and duration of the illness.

Online Resources for YOGA info

Here are some websites with great yoga information:

www.LauraYoga.webs.com   <<<<  ME!

www.YogaJournal.com

http://tarastiles.com/

http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/

and more to come...

(post your favorite online yoga Resources)

Online Resources for Health, Fitness and Happiness :)

Here are some websites that are full of great information on health, exercise, diet, nutrition, meditation, fitness and anything else you could be looking for:

www.drweil.com

www.livestrong.com

www.doctoroz.com

www.sparkpeople.com

and more to come...

Healthy Bites: Anti-Inflamatory Diet

After talking about the inflamatory properties of sugar and sweeteners I wanted to look at what we should eat & why inflamation is so damaging to our body. 

Chronic inflamation from the food we eat can cause conditions including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, memory loss, circulatory problems, premature aging and stroke.

Step 1 = cut down on the refined sugar & carbs
Step 2= learn the foods that help decrease inflamation in the body and incorporate them into your diet
Step 3= feel better :)

So before I make my weekend trip to Whole Foods lets look at what items I should be keeping an eye out for...

Check Out Dr Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/pyramid/press-foodpyramid.html

garlic
onions
kelp
papaya
dark chocolate
fresh Herbs & spices- especially ginger, garlic, onion, cinnamon, tumeric
Omega 3 rich foods = flax seed, hemp seed, natural eggs
pumpkin seeds
olive oil
avacados
oat meal (without sugar)
organic fruits & veggies - the more colorful the better
nuts
berries
whole soy products (tofu & temphe)
grapes
green veggies (organic)

overall= think fresh, natural, unprocessed, low animal fat & refined sugar content, colorful food!

Healthy Bites: 100 Super Foods

Vegetables Asparagus Avocados Beets Bell peppers Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Collard greens Crimini mushrooms Cucumbers Eggplant Garlic Green beans Kale Mustard greens Onions Peas Portobello mushrooms Potatoes Rainbow chard Romaine lettuce Shiitake mushrooms Spinach Summer squash Sweet potatoes Swiss chard Tomatoes Turnip greens Winter squash Yams Calcium-Rich Foods Almond milk Cheese, low fat Cottage cheese, low fat Milk, skim or 1% Orange juice with calcium Rice milk Soy milk Yogurt with active cultures, low fat

Fruits Apples Apricots Bananas Black olives Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Cranberries Figs Grapefruit Grapes Honeydew melon Kiwifruit Lemons Limes Nectarines Oranges Papaya Peaches Pears Pineapple Plums Prunes Raisins Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon Grains Amaranth Arborio rice Barley Brown rice Buckwheat Bulgur Corn Farro Jasmine rice Millet Oats Quinoa Rye Spelt Triticale Wheat berries Whole grain breads, cereal, pasta Whole wheat breads, cereal, pasta Wild Rice

Proteins Almonds Black beans Cashews Chickpeas Egg whites Eggs Flaxseed Garbanzo beans Hemp seeds Hummus Kidney beans Lima beans Lentils Miso Navy beans Nuts Peanut butter, natural Peanuts Pinto beans Pork, lean Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Soybeans Sunflower seeds Tahini Tempeh Tofu Veggie burgers Walnuts Miscellaneous Canola oil Dark chocolate Green tea Olive oil Coconut Oil

List from : http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=307 

Healthy Bites: Looking at Natural Sweeteners

Searching For a Natural Sweetener: ( & decreasing processed Sugar)

After setting out to find the perfect natural source of sweetness I have discovered...there is no such thing.  The answer to our sugar addiction is to work on decreasing our need for sweet foods and using small amounts of natural sweetener as needed.  Over time we can retrain our pallet to appreciate foods with less sugar content.

But One thing is for sure...we need to make a drastic change in the amount of refined sweeteners we take in on a daily basis. ( ...and please dont even consider using aspertame and saccharin)

My sweeteners of choice are Agave Nectar & Raw Honey

In an effort to cut down my intake of refined sugar I have changed the following foods in my diet:

- vanilla almond milk to unsweetened almond milk

- greek yogurt with fruit to plain yogurt (add my own fresh fruit)

- flavored coffee creamer to natural cream/soy creamer & cinnamon

- honey nut cheerios to plain cheerios

- whole wheat bread without high fructose corn syrup

- Gatorade to natural ice tea or water with lemon

- processed peanut butter to natural almond butter

- milk chocolate to 85% dark chocolate

- tomato sauce in a jar to fresh

Why Decrease your Intake of artificial and refined sugar?

"Having sugary foods and drinks can cause a spike in your blood glucose levels. In response, our bodies secrete insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF). These two substances promote cell growth and inflammation. And when you have too much of them, they can pave the way for the development of cancer. "

- http://breastcancer.about.com/od/cancerfightingfoods/a/natrl_sweetener.htm

Well, aside from the increased bulge around the waistline, diets high in sugar are strongly linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, elevated triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and heart disease. Sugar intake has also been linked to depression, migraines, poor eyesight, autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, and multiple sclerosis), gout and osteoporosis.

- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1663

Learn the Glycemic Index:

"The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. "

-http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

Sweeteners & Glycemic Index (GI):

Agave: 15

Fructose: 17

Rice Syrup: 25

Raw Honey: 30

Maple Syrup: 54

pasteurized honey: 75

(refined white sugar: 80)

Four Steps to decreasing your Sugar Intake:

- read food labels (find out what foods have hidden sugar or excessive sugar per serving)

- turn to foods that have natural sweetness (not added sweeteners) like fruit

- re-train your pallet: this will take time to break your food cravings, but remember that when you eat or drink something with lots of sugar it will condition your pallet to want more sugar

- learn the glycemic index value of foods you commonly eat and work to maintain constant blood sugar levels (instead of highs and lows that will cause cravings and energy crashes)