Living Yoga classes with Ellen at 1801 Avondale,  Monday evenings at
5:30, Wednesday mornings at 9:30, and now also offered on
Friday mornings, 9 - 10:30 am beginning November 2nd!

and maximum energy, you'll want to try this little gem:

 

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Ellen's Easy Fall Recipes

Apple Granola

Health is the result of healthy living.  That makes total
sense, and we all want health, so why do we all have such a
hard time with the "healthy living" part?  We could name
many different, valid reasons, of course, such as busy work
schedules, children's needs, environmental toxins,
addictions to cooked foods and other substances, lack of
energy, unlucky genes, unsupportive family or friends, and
on and on.  But if we are willing to be really honest, we
will see that these are just excuses.  The real #1 reason
why many of us fail to live healthfully is that deep down
inside we do not feel worthy of vibrant health.  Most of us
do not even let ourselves imagine the power we would come
into if we experienced our true health potential.  We could
quite literally change the world.

Somewhere inside you know that if you truly saw perfect
health as a real possibility for yourself, then you would
also see the need to make changes, perhaps even some big
changes, in your lifestyle in order to create the conditions
needed to support that new worthy, healthy self.  This can feel
scary!  Some people around you might express discomfort. 
I'll be clear, for most of you it requires that you mobilize
all your energy reserves and take massive action, because
the fact that you are living in this culture means that you
have likely strayed very far from the kind of natural
lifestyle that supports your true health potential, and your
real power.  

The human body is an infinitely wise, living organism,
perfectly designed to be self-regulating and self-healing. 
All we have to do, really and truly, is to just step out of
the body's way, trust in its infinite wisdom, and provide
the conditions it requires for it to maintain its natural
state of perfect health!  These are very basic, natural
conditions, such as plenty of rest, the right foods in the
right quantity, sunshine, fresh air, appropriate exercise,
happy thoughts, loving relationships, creative
self-expression, etc.

In an unnatural world, however, creating natural conditions
presents a real challenge!  In fact it sometimes seems so
impossible that we easily fall prey to the tempting idea
that there could be a magic pill, or herb, or treatment that
could heal our illness, without us having to make major
lifestyle changes.  Sometimes this even appears to work, for
a while, as drugs, herbs and other treatments can
temporarily suppress our uncomfortable symptoms.  But the
truth is that only the body can heal itself, and when we use
unnatural or irritating substances or influences to
manipulate the body, we are tampering dangerously with its
infinite wisdom.  We are questioning the body's ability to
regulate and heal itself, and we are interfering as if we
somehow know better than the body knows.

Consider the aptness of the following quote from Swami
Sivananda Radha,  

When you believe that perfect health is meant to be your
natural state, and that you deserve to live joyously in this
natural state, you will also come to realize the extent of
your responsibility to yourself.  You are worthy!  In fact
you are a divine being, capable of radiant health and
infinite power to manifest whatever you want in this earthly
experience!  I invite you to step up to the plate and step
into this power you possess.  Create your life the way you
really want it to be.  No one and nothing else can do it for
you.  This may well require you to make some changes that
feel big.  You will have to take responsibility for how your
health, and your life, turns out.  

Truly, it is our fear of our infinite potential, and our
fear of the responsibility that potential implies, that stops us from
becoming all that we can be, from choosing health in every
way, every day.  But taking responsibility is not only
unfamiliar and scary, it is also exciting and empowering! 
It is about saying "Yes!" to your worthiness, "Yes!" to
yourself, and "Yes!" to your infinite potential and your
natural birthright of radiant health.

You've all heard that chronic stress adversely affects your
health.  When stress becomes chronic, toxic byproducts build
up in your body and this can lead to disease.  In response
to stress, your adrenal glands secrete hormones that act
upon the autonomic nervous system to prepare the body for
"fight or flight".  When this stress is not quickly resolved
(as is so often the case in today's chronically stressed
lifestyles), the body's ability to heal itself is
compromised, as many systems such as digestion and
elimination are shut down so that the body can direct its
primary energies to the perceived crisis.

An effective way to counteract the adversity of chronic
stress is to practice deep relaxation, and to learn to give
the body deep rest.  Many research studies have now proven
the immense health benefits of deep, conscious relaxation. 
Even 5 minutes a day of inducing the "relaxation response"
(a term coined by a doctor to describe the physiological and
mental responses that occur when one consciously relaxes)
can help to break the unhealthy cycle and heal the effects
of chronic stress.

Restorative yoga poses can effectively help you with stress
in several ways.  By supporting your body with physical
props, you are freed from having to make any muscular
efforts.  You can completely relax into the pose, resting on
the props and allowing them to do the work of opening and
stretching your body.  By doing a sequence of a few
restorative poses, including forward bends and backbends,
your spine will be moved in several directions, and your
organs will be massaged and stimulated.  An inverted pose
has the additional benefit of reversing the effects of
gravity and gently returning fluids to the upper body. 
Restorative yoga also helps to balance the breath, and thus
the energy and heart rate.

The more regularly you practice, the greater the benefits. 
It is generally more helpful to practice a little bit each
day, or several times a week, rather than a long practice
every now and then.  Don't wait until stress builds to
monumental proportions!  Begin with just one or two
restorative poses at a time, for a total of 5 - 15 minutes. 
If you have already established a more active practice,
consider devoting one or two days a week to a restorative
practice.  Choose whatever time of day you know you will
feel the least rushed.  Experiment with different times. 
But do try to wait a couple of hours after eating before
practicing, and make your practice space as quiet and
distraction free as you can.  

You should feel comfortable and relaxed in each pose.  You
may feel some intensity of stretch or opening, but you
should not feel pain or lasting discomfort.  If you do, come
out of the pose slowly, and adjust your props.  Breathe
through your nose, with a slow and steady breath.  Set a
timer for each pose, so that you can completely relax and
forget about the time.

Here are 3 very simple but extremely effective restorative
poses you can safely begin with right now at home, in 15
minutes and with minimal props (a couple of blankets and/or
towels and pillows, a wall, and if available an eyebag).  
Please contact me if you have any questions about setting up
these poses.  You can learn more about these and other
restorative poses in my restorative class at A2 Yoga on
Fridays at noon. www.LivingYogaNow.com. 

1.  Legs-up-the-wall Pose:  To enter this inverted pose,
simply sit sideways to the wall and roll back as you swing
your legs up the wall.  Allow your lower back to be
supported by the floor.  If your head tilts back so that
your chin lifts toward the ceiling, place a folded blanket
under your head to support the natural curve at the back of
your neck, being careful not to crunch your chin down into
your neck.  Legs are straight but relaxed, arms by your
sides with palms facing up, eyes closed.  Breathe deeply,
and feel the tension draining out of your legs, your back
totally supported, and your chest open and free.  If you
experience any strain in this pose, experiment with moving
slighter closer or farther from the wall, and/or slightly
bending your knees.
(Caution: do not practice this pose if you have a hiatal
hernia, are menstruating or more than 3 months pregnant, or
if you have sciatica.)  

For a wonderfully beneficial 15 minute restorative practice,
stay in Legs-up-the-wall Pose for 5 minutes, Child's Pose
for 3 minutes, and Relaxation Pose for 7 minutes.  Practice
these healing poses as often as you wish!

 

the north!

 

As October progresses, I am increasingly aware of the
dwindling local harvest.  The cherries are long gone,
peaches and nectarines don't taste fresh anymore, the
berries have gotten very expensive, the figs are nearly all
gone, it's hard to come by a ripe melon, and even the grapes
have gone up in price.  Tomato and cucumber production is
winding down. Oranges are not in season yet, and persimmons
are still too unripe.  At least we have yummy apples and
pears, but most of our tummies have a hard time eating these
two fruits in meal-size quantities.  Bananas are always
faithfully available and in season, and I do rely on them as
a daily staple, especially as our local harvest disappears. 
Still, the prospect of staying raw and finding a
satisfactory variety of fresh food as we head toward a
northern winter can feel rather daunting. 

Finding sufficient, affordable fresh food is one challenge
to staying raw, but there are many dimensions to raw success
in northern winters.  I will admit that my first winter on a
raw diet was a real struggle.  I was cold all the time, and
I mean really cold, that deep in the bones kind of chill
that you can't get rid of.  More experienced folks assured
me that my body was housecleaning and transitioning, and
that soon, with much improved circulation and thinner blood,
I would tolerate cold better than I ever had before going
raw.  Sure enough, after another year on a raw diet, the
following winter I was much more resilient to the cold. 
Along the way I have discovered several strategies for
building and maintaining an internal fire, which I will
share with you later in this article.

Another challenge is getting enough sunshine and fresh
outdoor air in the winter, and keeping up with a robust
exercise routine.  Maintaining a positive outlook can also
be more challenging in winter weather conditions.  It is
tempting to reach for familiar hibernation comforts, like a
cozy chair, a nice distracting novel, and a bowl of warm
starchy or fatty cooked food.

So, with all these challenges, is it really possible to be
happily raw in a northern winter?  To be honest, in my 6
years of experience with a raw diet, I have never thrived as
fully in the wintertime as I do when the climate more
closely resembles the tropical environment natural to our
species.  However, I have learned to cope quite well with
the unnatural conditions we face in the north.

First, about beating the cold.  Make a habit of wearing a
layer of long underwear and warm socks, right from the
start, every day.  Don't let the cold even begin to take
hold, because once it gets under your skin it can be hard to
get warm again.  Next, MOVE YOUR BODY VIGOROUSLY!  This is
really important.  If the weather prohibits outdoor
exercise, then bounce on a rebounder or do lots of Sun
Salutations in the morning.  Resistance strength training
exercises build internal heat quickly.  By exercising
vigorously you will generate a need for more calories, which
will in turn help to build body heat.  A warm bath or shower
can also help at key times of the day.

Another important way to keep the cold at bay is to remove
fruits and veggies from the refrigerator several hours
before you intend to eat them, or soak them in very warm
water to take away the chill.  Never eat cold food in the
winter!  A Vitamix Blender can actually warm raw soups or
dressings if left on long enough (but be careful or your
food can get too hot and be damaged!).  You can even warm
raw soups or dressings in a small saucepan on the stove, as
long as you stir constantly and make sure you can
comfortably leave your pinky finger in the food at all
times.  A dehydrator can also be used to safely warm raw
food.

How about sunshine and fresh air?  I do my best to drop
everything and go outside whenever the sun IS shining in the
winter.  You can also make an outdoor sitting space, facing
south, and create some wind protection around it.  The
winter sun feels quite warm when the wind-chill factor is
removed.  I built myself a tiny, plastic covered greenhouse,
and I am quite warm sitting inside of it on cold sunny days.
 Plan to exercise outdoors in the warmest part of the day,
and bundle up sufficiently.  Another wonderful way to break
up the long northern winter is to spend part of it in a
warmer, sunnier climate.  I like Florida and Costa Rica . .

In facing the fresh food challenge, it helps to keep in mind
that you will consume sufficient nutrients as long as you
have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the
YEAR.  If your selection is somewhat limited in the winter,
you will easily make up for this in the other three seasons.
 I do tend to eat a lot of bananas, oranges, and grapefruits
for a few winter months.  In order to fully enjoy the citrus
fruits in their  winter season, I generally avoid eating
them at other times of the year.  I take full advantage of
available fall grapes, and the November persimmon season.  I
have also discovered another cantaloupe season (in the
tropics) in January and February, as well as papaya,
starfruit, and other tropical fruits.  This really helps to
break up any monotony.  

Eating some tropical fruits that have been shipped from far
away and are often not organic is a compromise I make in the
winter season.  If I'm going to live in the north, it's
either that, or compromise my health even more with cooked
and dried foods.  It is simply not feasible in the far
northern winter months to eat a healthy raw diet that is all
locally grown.  But is it possible to stay healthfully raw? 
Yes!

In summary, here's how you can beat the cold:  dress warmly
(with long underwear!), exercise vigorously, enjoy the sun
when it's out and enjoy the warmest part of the day
outdoors, plan a mid-winter trip to a place with a warm
sunny climate, take warm baths, take the chill off your
foods, and don't worry about achieving a huge variety of
foods in the winter months.  It is not necessary or helpful
to consume lots of extra nuts or fats or spicy herbs in an
attempt to warm the body.  It is far better to focus on
keeping up with your basic self-care program such as
exercise, sleep, fresh air and sunshine, and positive
healthy thoughts.  You will have extra indoor time in the
winter, so dive into some inspiring books or projects, and
enjoy that aspect of a mini-hibernation.  If you stay
committed to practicing the health basics, you will not need
to fall prey to unhealthy cravings or depression, even in
wintertime.  

(In my next newsletter I'll show you how to create a winter
kitchen garden, growing green sprouts the easy way, for
fresh winter salad greens!)

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Healing, a poem by Danna Faulds

There is healing in the laying on of hands;
in the letting to of fear, in asking for help,
in silence, celebration, prayer.  There is
healing in speaking the truth and in keeping
still, in seeking sunlight and not shunning
struggle.  Laughter  and the affirmation of
wholeness hold their own healing.  When
the soul dances, when the day begins in
delight, when love grows and cannot be
contained, when life flows from moment
to moment, healing happens in the space
between thoughts, and the breath before
the first sung note.  Healing is a birthright
and a grace.  When we dare to be open to
the unknown, when we extend ourselves
in caring, when we welcome in the vast
expanse of life, healing comes from the
heart, and blossoms from the inside out.