Pilates: The Hundred

"In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in twenty you will see the difference, and in thirty you'll have a whole new body." - Joseph H. Pilates

The Pilates method, originally developed by Joseph H. Pilates, is a wonderful mind-body exercise for anyone who wants to tone, streamline, and realign their body. The hundred is a classic Pilates mat exercise designed to begin circulating your blood to warm up the body in preparation for the full pilates routine. You will be asked to perform it during the beginning of almost any Pilates class you take. It builds core strength, stamina and coordination, as well as being a dynamic warm-up for the abdominals and lungs. It requires that you coordinate your breath with the movement, and be strong and graceful at the same time. It is challenging, but the hundred is an easy exercise to modify (make harder or easier).

1.  Lie on your back with your knees bent in toward your chest. Deeply inhale, and as you exhale feel your chest and belly sinking into the mat beneath you.
2. Keep that feeling of a weight pressing your torso down into the mat as you bring your head up to look at your belly button (make sure you are folding forward from your upper torso and not your neck).
3. Lift forward until you feel the bottom of your shoulder blades pressing into the mat beneath you.
4. Stretch your arms out beside you, reaching from deep in the pit of your arm (as if you were trying to touch the wall across the room with your finger tips).
5. Begin pumping your arms straight up and down (as if you were slapping water). Keep your arms straight and pumping just above the mat.
6. Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts, reaching forward as you breathe.
7. Maintain this position, pumping your arms and breathing, for as close to one hundred counts as you can manage.

Modifications and Progressions

You can place a small pillow or rolled towel under your head to support your neck if it is too difficult to hold lifted. Begin with thirty breaths and gradually increase to one hundred. As you progress, allow the exhalations to get longer and longer in order to improve cardiovascular capacity. Begin to straighten your legs to the ceiling at a ninety-degree angle as you continue pumping your arms.

Keep Safe

If your neck hurts, put it down! Do not push to the point of strain.

Recommendations

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, I highly recommend taking a class at Dharmaspace Pilates Center http://www.dharmaspace.com/dharmaspace_homepage.html. For those of you that like to exercise in the privacy of your own home (my personal preference!), I really like the book "The Pilates Body" by Brooke Siler. Brooke is the owner of re:ab, a renowned studio for pilates training in Manhattan. I've been using my own dog-eared copy of her book for the past 10 years, but she also came out with a DVD called Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners that I definitely recommend. You can order your own copies by clicking on the Amazon link on this blog.

Qigong Meditation to Calm the Heart

The traditional Buddhist greeting involves placing your hands in prayer position and then bowing to the person whom you are greeting, who then repeats the same gestures. Interestingly, the acupuncture meridian for the heart runs down the arms into the palms. When you place your palms together, you are sealing energy into your heart and heart meridian. In qigong practice, this posture is used to calm the heart, which also means to calm the emotions. It is a simple meditation to take you out of your environment and into your own body and mind. 

1. Sit upright in a chair.
2. Place your palms together in prayer position in front of your chest.
3. Breathe slowly and deeply into your belly.
4. Place your attention on your chest and upper back as you breathe.
5. Feel your chest and back relax with each inhale and exhale.
6. Feel waves of calm spread from your chest and upper back to the rest of your body.
7. Continue focusing on the calm spreading throughout your body for as long as you wish.

You can practice this exercise for ten minutes, or you may do it for only three minutes. Either way, you are sealing off your heart so that it can relax into the present moment, free from any distractions. When your heart is relaxed, you have a better grasp on your emotions and your mood, and are more open to the love around you. 

10 Steps for Dealing with Sugar Addiction

What is the most common addiction in our society today?  You may be surprised to learn that it is sugar addiction. The average American consumes 32 teaspoons of sugar a day.  Not only is it addictive, but this very common everyday product is responsible for many health problems we find in our society.

Refined white sugar is stripped of any nutritional value and is an empty calorie food; In addition to that, in order to be metabolized in the body it has to draw from your vitamin and mineral reserves and therefore is responsible for depleting mineral and vitamin levels, which in itself creates numerous health problems. Sugar has many destructive effects on the human body, including but not limited to, damaging, altering and disrupting proper function of the nervous system, endocrine system, metabolic system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and immune system as well as primary organs like the liver, kidneys, colon and pancreas.

Sugar addiction develops in several different ways. Partly it is due to the fact that sugar effects the area in the brain called the reward pathway in the same manner as drugs and alcohol, it over stimulates the neurotransmitters until they no longer function properly, tolerance develops and the mind becomes dependent on sugar to function. Additionally, because sugar is void of any nutritional value, the body never gets the essential nutrients it needs from it, and therefore it keeps craving more. 

Are you looking for ways to cut back on your own sugar intake? Try the following suggestions from Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet, by Ann Louise Gittleman.

1. Reduce of eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and other blood sugar swings, causing sugar cravings to be more frequent.
2. Drink water. Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sugar, have a glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see what happens. Caution: soft drinks are now America's number one source of added sugar.
3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are sweet, healthy and delicious. The more you eat, the less you'll crave sugar.
4. Use gentle sweets. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia, barley malt and agave nectar.
5. Get physically active. Start with simple activities, like walking or yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. It will help balance your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and reduce tension without medicating yourself with sugar!
6. Get more sleep, rest and relaxation. When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy - in the form of sugar. These cravings are often a result of being sleep-deprived, going to bed late or waking up early, sometimes for months and years on end.
7. Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat. Eating too much can lead to cravings for sweets. So can eating too little! A good health coach will help you sort this out.
8. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat packaged snack-foods. These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller-coaster ride of sugar highs and lows. 
9. Experiment with spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.
10. Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways! Your body does not biologically need sugar, but it does long for hugs, time with friends, outside time, workouts, massages, etc. When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed!

Sat Kriya For Chakra Balancing

We all have seven chakra points in our body: the top of the head, between the eyebrows (also known as the "third eye"), the throat, the chest, above and below the navel, and the base of the spine. Chakras are believed to be the energy centers of the body, and each chakra vibrates at a different color. By keeping all seven chakras at their optimal level, you can ward off imbalance and lessen the effects of illness. 

 

The chakras are connected to our nervous and endocrine systems - if they are aligned, then the rest of our body works in harmony. If they are out of balance or if there is a "blockage", then the body is unable to circulate energy effectively. Numerous studies around the world have found that chakra balancing can be effective in treating depression, fibromyalgia, thyroid disorders and even some cancers.

The Root Chakra

Color: red
Area: base of spine/anus
Associated with: security, trust, and ability to function within everyday issues
Signs of Imbalance: weight issues, lethargic, apathetic, constipation

The Sacral Chakra

Color: orange
Area: below the navel
Associated with: sexuality, maternal or paternal instincts, happiness
Signs of Imbalance:  panic attacks, sexual problems, stomach aches and cramping, urine infections

Solor Plexus Chakra

Color: yellow
Area: above the navel
Associated with: self awareness, ambition and empathy
Signs of Imbalance:  allergies, tiredness, muscles aches and diabetes

Heart Chakra

Color: green
Area: heart and chest
Associated with: self-esteem, love, forgiveness, and friendship
Signs of Imbalance:  immune system issues, fatigue, repetitive colds and flu

Throat Chakra

Color: blue
Area: throat, neck, ears, and shoulders
Associated with: communication, expressing emotions, and creativity
Signs of Imbalance: sore throat, skeletal problems with shoulders, arms and hands, asthma and thyroid imbalance

Third Eye Chakra

Color: indigo
Area: between the eyebrows
Associated with: intuition, thought, dreams
Signs of Imbalance:  headaches, vision problems, and mood swings

Crown Chakra

Color: purple
Area: top of the head
Associated with: happiness and links to a "higher power"
Signs of Imbalance:  epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, extreme fatigue and self doubt

Balance Your Energy System With Sat Kriya

This is one of the most powerful exercises used in Kundalini Yoga. Sat Kriya helps to raise energy from the lower Chakras to the upper Chakras and is helpful for repairing energy imbalances. It can be used as a personal form of therapy for people suffering from mild depression. It also helps the brain and body recover from toxicity and memory loss due to drug abuse, so it would be a terrific addition to a recovery program. It is said that those who practice this technique daily notice an increase in their feelings of security and overall well-being.

 

Practicing Sat Kriya

• Sitting on the heels in rock pose, interlace the fingers with the index fingers pointing straight up.
• Cross the thumbs (females cross left over right, males cross right over left).
• Raise the arms straight up and rotate the upper arms inward so that the arms are hugging the ears.
• In this position you will chant the mantra "Sat Naam" (meaning "the truth within you")  in the following way: pull the navel point in as you chant "Sat" (sounds like "Sut"). When you pull your navel in you will simultaneously contract your sex organs and anus. You will notice that this happens naturally and is what is called a "root lock" or Mulbandh".
• Release the lock as you chant "Naam" (almost like a sigh).
• Your eyes are slightly open (1/10th of the way, staring at the tip of the nose).
• At the end, inhale completely and hold, squeezing the root lock and the muscles of the back and shoulders for as long as you can. Imagine that you are sending the energy up your spine, through the top of your head. Exhale.
• Inhale and repeat above step one more time.
• Then inhale completely  and exhale completely and hold the breath out as long as you can, while pulling the root lock and squeezing the muscles of the back all the way up again.
• Inhale, and relax
• Start with 3 minutes of Sat Kriya and as you become accustomed to it, slowly increase your time.

Additional Health Benefits of Sat Kriya

• Rock pose (sitting on the heels) is the basis of Sat Kriya and aids digestion. This pose combined with the tension of the Mulbandh (root lock, described above) further stimulates the stomach, intestines and the overall digestive tract.
• Sat Kriya directly stimulates the sexual-creative energy held in your lower chakras and redirects that energy upward, through the upper chakras causing a balancing of the energy system. This redirected sexual energy can be very healing to the entire body.
• Stimulates the glandular (endocrine) system, particularly the lymph glands which remove toxins from the body.
• Strengthens the heart through the rhythmic increase in blood pressure which results from the pumping movement of the navel point.
• Increases and strengthens the nervous system for overall well-being and radiance.

Breathing Gathas

In the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, also known as the Anapanasati Sutta, the Buddha shows us how to transform our fear, despair, anger and craving. It is the Buddha's way to help us remember to breathe and to enjoy our breath. When you breathe in slowly, mindfully, you can enjoy your in-breath. Connecting with your breath is a simple, yet vital tool that can both energize and calm your body and mind. It is a means of awakening and maintaining full attention in order to look carefully, long, and deeply at the nature of all things.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk whose lifelong efforts to generate peace and reconciliation moved Martin Luther King, Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He lives in southwest France and travels regularly, leading retreats on the art of mindful living. He wrote the following gathas, small practice poems, to remind us that the Buddha is not a person outside of us, but the energy of mindfulness, concentration, and insight in us. When we need to, we can take refuge in the Buddha.

Breathing Gatha 1

Let the Buddha breathe,

Let the Buddha walk.

I don't have to breathe,

I don't have to walk.

Breathing Gatha 2

The Buddha is breathing, 

the Buddha is walking.

I enjoy the breathing,

I enjoy the walking.

Breathing Gatha 3

Buddha is the breathing,

Buddha is the walking.

I am the breathing,

I am the walking.

Breathing Gatha 4

There is only the breathing,

There is only the walking.

There is no breather, 

There is no walker.

Breathing Gatha 5

Peace while breathing,

Peace while walking.

Peace is the breathing,

Peace is the walking.

Super Yummy Superfood Treats!

Superfoods are a class of the most potent, super-concentrated, and nutrient rich foods on the planet. They  have the ability to tremendously increase the vital force and energy of your body, and are the optimum choice for improving overall health by boosting the immune system, elevating serotonin production, enhancing sexuality, cleansing, and alkalizing the body. 

 

The following recipe contains three of my favorite Superfoods (cacao, maca and hempseed) in one super yummy treat! Cacao and maca will both elevate your mood (and get you in the mood ...) as well as increase your energy and stamina. The hempseed is packed with protein, amino acids, omega-3's and GLA. Get ready for Superpowers!

Cacao, Hempseed & Maca Truffles 
 
1 1/2 cups cacao nibs
1 cup hempseed
4 tsp maca
1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
3/4 cup yacon syrup

Combine the first four ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until mixture takes on a thick, sticky consistency. With the food processor on low, pour in a thin stream of yacon syrup until the mixture forms a thick paste (proportions may need to be adjusted). With a dab of coconut oil on each hand, remove the mixture from the bowl in walnut-sized portions. Form into balls, place on a plate, and refrigerate for one hour ... enjoy!

 

Variation: After you have formed the truffle balls, roll them in a dusting of cacao powder, maca powder or shredded  coconut for added variety (plus they look pretty!).

Practice Gratitude To Confront Fear

"When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears." - Anthony Robbins

Sometimes we need to step back and reassess what is happening in our lives. If you feel hopeless or fearful, what are the positive things, the highlights, of your days that you can focus on to keep you going? No matter how hard life may seem to be, we all have something for which we are grateful, something which brings us joy when we think about it. This meditation will help to bring perspective and keep you focused on the things in life that truly matter.

• Sit comfortably in a chair with your hands resting on your thighs, palms up, or lie on your back with your arms and legs splayed out comfortably, like a snow angel. If you are lying down, turn your palms up to face the sky.
• Slow your breath and quiet your mind.
• Get a sense of how your body feels. Is it tense? Relaxed? Try to bring some relaxing energy to any tense areas. Take a few minutes to really feel your body, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Don't judge how you feel; just feel.
• Now think of something in your life that you are grateful for, or something you are grateful to have had or experienced in the past. Pull up an image or a memory, and then let the accompanying feelings of gratitude fill your entire being.
• Feel the waves of gratitude energize every cell in your body, from your head to your toes and then back up, from your toes to your head. 
• Stay with that image, or pull up another image of something or someone for whom you are grateful. Let that sense of gratitude fill and energize every cell in your body.
• You can continue to make a gratitude list in your head, or stop at just one image, whatever feels right for you.
• When you feel that you have completely recharged with your gratitude, take a few deep breaths before concluding this exercise.

Azuki Beans With Kabocha Squash

Originally cultivated in Japan and revered for their healing properties, azuki beans are said to strengthen both kidney and bladder function. Adzuki beans are a good source of source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc copper, manganese and B vitamins. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they can help reduce blood pressure and act as a natural diuretic. Like most beans, adzuki beans are rich in soluble fiber. This type of fiber provides bulk to the stool and binds to toxins and cholesterol, aiding in their elimination from the body. When combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein, which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein.

The following traditional macrobiotic recipe is adapted from the wonderful book "The Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone. Deeply nourishing and revitalizing, this is a perfect dish to support your body in the transition from Summer to Fall.

Azuki Beans with Kabosha Squash
Serves 4

4"-6" piece of kombu seaweed
1 cup dried azuki beans
2 cups kabocha squash cut into large chunks (peel only if the squash is not organic)
1 tsp shoyu
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Combine the kombu and the beans in a bowl and cover with water by an inch or two. Soak overnight. The next day, drain the kombu and beans and discard the soaking water. Slice the kombu into 1"x1" squares and place them in a heavy pot with a heavy lid, preferably enameled cast iron. Add the beans and enough water to just cover the beans. Bring to a boil.

As the beans boil, strain off any foam that rises to the top. Let the beans boil, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, as this allows the gases to release. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 40 minutes. Check the beans every 10 minutes or so, adding water to the pot when the water level appears to dip below the bean level. After 40 minutes, arrange the squash on top of the beans and add more water to keep the beans covered. Cook for another 20 minutes, or until the beans seem soft and tenger. Add the shoyu to the beans, and cook 10 more minutes. Serve garnished with the cilantro or parsley.