“If you really want to know your mind, the body will always give you a truthful reflection, so look at the emotion, or rather feel it in your body. If there is an apparent conflict between them, the thought will be the lie, the emotion will be the truth.”

~Eckhart Tolle

Raw

Mind-Body Detox

Our bodies remember everything: every physical, mental, and emotional moment we have experienced.When those moments are unpleasant or overwhelming, we often fail to process them thoroughly; we gloss over, repress, or disregard and keep on trucking away. This disconnect between the mind, body, and spirit can often manifest as physical pain, chronic stress or illness, fatigue, emotional distress, and even behavioral “bad habits”.Yoga therapy and other mind-body healing practices can release and reintegrate any experiences that may be “stuck” and getting in the way of feeling balanced. With the guide of a trained practioner, you can clear out a lot old subconscious junk and make some space for new possibilities to arise.

The body is what shelters the soul on this Earth. Be bad to your body, you are bad to your soul.

The Flat Belly Diet

"To keep your belly in check, remember the acronym SED: Strength training to preserve muscle mass, Exercise aerobically to burn fat, and your Diet should be healthy, calorie-controlled, and include heart-healthy fats."

The basic Flat Belly Diet plan is a 1,600-calorie Mediterranean-style diet with an emphasis on wholesome, unrefined foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, seeds, lean protein.

According to the authors, the secret ingredient in the Flat Belly Diet that whittles away belly fat is the addition of a monounsaturated fat, or MUFA, at every meal. MUFAs are found in olives, avocados, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, soybean, flax, and olive and sunflower oils.

During the jump-start, dieters drink 2 liters of daily "sassy water," a blend of spices, herbs, citrus, and cucumber. "We tested the diet plan on 11 volunteers and they told us the flavored water reduced bloating, constipation, helped them feel better and get rid of that sluggish feeling," explains Sass.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/flat-belly-diet?page=3

"When you eat because you are actually hungry, you're open to options. When you are eating to fill a void that isn't related to an empty stomach, you crave a specific food."

Emotional eating can leave behind feelings of guilt; eating when you are physically hungry does not.

"Comfort foods are foods a person eats to obtain or maintain a feeling," says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Food and Brand Lab at the University of Illinois. "Comfort foods are often wrongly associated with negative moods, and indeed, people often consume them when they're down or depressed, but interestingly enough, comfort foods are also consumed to maintain good moods." (Oh marbles can I relate!)

"If you eat when you are not hungry, chances are your body does not need the calories," says Jakubczak. "If this happens too often, the extra calories get stored as fat, and too much fat storage can cause one to be overweight, which may present some health risks."

According to an interview with Jakubczak on the University of Maryland web site, 75% of overeating is caused by emotions, so dealing with emotions appropriately is important.

"The first thing one needs to do to overcome emotional eating is to recognize it," says Jakubczak. "Keeping a food record and ranking your hunger from 1-10 each time you put something in your mouth will bring to light 'if' and 'when' you are eating for reasons other than hunger." (I want to eat only for reasons of hunger).

Next, you need to learn techniques that help manage emotions besides eating, explains Jakubczak.

"Oftentimes when a child is sad, we cheer them up with a sweet treat," says Jakubczak. "This behavior gets reinforced year after year until we are practicing the same behavior as adults. We never learned how to deal with the sad feeling because we always pushed it away with a sweet treat. Learning how to deal with feelings without food is a new skill many of us need to learn."

Managing Emotional Eating

Here are a few tips to help you deal with emotional eating:

Recognize emotional eating and learn what triggers this behavior in you.

Make a list of things to do when you get the urge to eat and you're not hungry, and carry it with you, according to the Tufts Nutrition web site. When you feel overwhelmed, you can put off that desire by doing another enjoyable activity.
Try taking a walk, calling a friend, playing cards, cleaning your room, doing laundry, or something productive to take your mind off the craving -- even taking a nap, according to the Tufts Nutrition web site.

When you do get the urge to eat when you're not hungry, find a comfort food that's healthy instead of junk food. "Comfort foods don't need to be unhealthy," says Wansink.

For some, leaving comfort foods behind when they're dieting can be emotionally difficult. Wansink tells WebMD, "The key is moderation, not elimination." He suggests dividing comfort foods into smaller portions. For instance, if you have a large bag of chips, divide it into smaller containers or baggies and the temptation to eat more than one serving can be avoided.
When it comes to comfort foods that aren't always healthy, like fattening desserts, Wansink also offers this piece of information: "Your memory of a food peaks after about four bites, so if you only have those bites, a week later you'll recall it as just a good experience than if you polished off the whole thing." So have a few bites of cheesecake, then call it quits, and you'll get equal the pleasure with lower cost.

Lastly, remember that emotional eating is something that most people do when they're bored, happy, or sad. It might be a bag of chips or a steak, but whatever the food choice, learning how to CONTROL it and using MODERATION are key.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/emotional-eating-feeding-your-feelings

15 Must-Have Grocery Items for a Happy Belly

1. Yams: Nutritious and easier to digest than the regular white potato. While most people don’t differentiate between sweet potatoes and yams, according to John Immel from joyfulbelly.com, yams are more moist, orange colored, and very belly-friendly. Sweet potatoes have a more dry, astringent quality and are lighter in color. Sweet potatoes are best minimized when you experience irregularity or bloating.

2. Red and Yellow Lentils: Warming, grounding, and fiber-rich small lentils are easier on your digestion than larger beans. Soak them overnight and cook until soft with some coconut oil or ghee. Add cumin, coriander, and black pepper.

3. Seaweed: Rich in minerals, vitamins, and easily-digestible protein, seaweed is almost a perfect food. It tastes good in salads or sauteed.

4. Avocado: Soft, nourishing, and rich, this fruit is surprisingly rich in protein and fiber. While quite heavy in texture, it is gentle on your stomach. According to Ayurveda, avocados help to build strength and a healthy immune system. If avocados are too difficult to digest, add lime, pinch of salt, and cilantro.

5. Squash and Zucchini: Easy on your digestion, especially when lightly steamed or blended into a soup.

6. Spinach: Soft and so nutritious, spinach is one of the milder dark greens. When kale is a bit too rough for a sensitive stomach, spinach is a safer choice.

7. Almonds: Ayurveda recommends 10 soaked and peeled almonds a day to build strength and immunity. Make sure that almonds are soaked for at least 8 hours (up to 36) and that you peel off their dark skin. If even peeled soaked almonds are too heavy for you, blend a handful with water, 1 date, and a piece of fresh ginger to make a nourishing light smoothie.

8. Coconut Oil: Perfect for high heat cooking and baking, coconut oil is a must-have in any healthy kitchen. You can use it as a moisturizer, as well.

9. Blueberries: Many of us have an elevated amount of yeast in the body due to stress and poor diet. Sugars even when they come from fruit can create bloating in people with high yeast. Blueberries because of their low sugar levels compared to other fruit are less likely to upset your stomach even in someone recovering from yeast or candida.

10. Fennel: Soothing, and quite tasty, this fiber-rich veggie goes great in soups, stir-fries, and salads. It can also reduce bloating.

11. Aloe Vera Juice: It is a thousand-year-old healing herb, which is well known for its laxative and anti-inflammatory qualities both for GI and skin. Gel is more concentrated than juice. Try adding 1-2tbs in water and drink it throughout the day.

12. Unsweetened Applesauce: A perfectly belly-friendly sweet treat or quick snack. Natural applesauce is also a good source of vitamin C. If you’d like to slightly increase the fiber, stir in a tablespoon of ground up flax seeds. Ayurveda recommends having apple sauce with a little bit of ghee and powdered ginger and serving it warm.

13. Quinoa: It is a great source of complete protein in an easy to digest form. It is great for most people, even the ones who have hard time digesting other grains. It’s fluffy and softer than most grains, which makes it easier on the stomach.

14. Raw Sheep or Goat Milk Cheese: Unpasteurized goat and sheep's milk cheese is easier on our digestive system than regular cow milk cheeses. Look for organic, grass-fed varieties.

15. Eggs: Assuming that you are not allergic to eggs and consume animal protein, eggs is an easier to digest form of protein than meat. Keep in mind that it is still a very high-protein food and protein is one of the harder-to-digest items.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6184/15-MustHave-Grocery-Items-for-a-Happy-Belly.html

Thick Thighs, Wide Hips & Large Breasts: How I Learned To Love My Museum-Worthy Body

Our attempts to achieve unrealistic goals often fail, or we achieve them at a great expense. We’re left with lower self-esteem than when we started.

I can remember a time when I’ve been heavier, as well as a time when I’ve weighed less than my current weight. I know what it takes for me to go in either direction, but the truth is that my current weight is natural for me. Most importantly, I know that I'm healthy.

So when I sometimes hear my nasty inner critic start to judge my body when I see photos or videos of myself, I take a deep breath and smile.

I’m proud to put an image into the public eye that can act as a counter to what we normally see. Yes, it can be hard at times to compete against the slew of petite teachers who look more like the “ideal” images I see on magazine covers, but I have to remember that it’s not a competition between me and these other women. The real battle is me against the self-hate that comes as a result of seeing modern media.

So, when I look in the mirror and compliment my curvy shape, I’ve won.

When I practice yoga and smile at the strength of my thick thighs, I’ve won.

And when I get in front of the camera, wearing tight yoga clothes with nothing to hide behind, again, I’ve won.

Hopefully, sooner than later, women will be valued more for their self-worth rather than their size.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7797/thick-thighs-wide-hips-large-breasts-how-i-learned-to-love-my-museum-worthy-b.html

Whitening Teeth Naturally

When done daily this practice is incredibly effective for:
Brightening & whitening teeth
Healthier gums
Removal of mucus
Boosting the immune system
Preventing bad breath
Increasing energy
Having a clearer mind
Decreasing headaches
Clearing the sinuses
Alleviating allergies
Better sleep
More clearer skin
Regulating menstrual cycles
Decreasing inflammation
Improving the lymphatic system
Improving PMS symptoms

How to oil pull:
Drink 1 cup of water on an empty stomach.
Melt 1-3 tsp. of organic, cold-pressed vegetable oil (I like coconut oil the best) in your mouth or over very low heat in a double boiler.

Swish through your mouth for 20 minutes while you’re busy doing something else. The first few times my gag reflexes reared themselves and it was a little difficult keeping the oil in my mouth, but I persisted and by the third day it was fine. If you have this problem too, I recommend sticking with it.

Spit into trash, compost or outside in the grass (just not in the sink - we don’t want to clog the pipes).
Swish water through your mouth to rinse.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4896/The-Single-Most-Effective-Ayurvedic-Practice-for-Your-Mouth.html

ways to get your best body

1. Get more sleep.

Aim for at least eight hours every night. You should also try to schedule time for rest or solitude, even if it's just five minutes a day. It will maximize your quality of life and cement a good relationship between you and your body.

2. Hydrate -- water, water, water -- whenever you can!

Limit caffeine to once daily (before lunch) MAX. If you are feeling anxious or you can't sleep well, cut it completely for a week or two and see the difference!

3. Start your day with a good breakfast.

Your breakfast should be rich in protein and good fats. A smoothie is the ultimate breakfast in my eyes, since it keeps blood sugars stable and allows for easy absorption of vitamins and minerals.

4. NEVER consume artificial sweeteners or diet sodas.

5. Cut back on the consumption of gluten-containing foods.

One great way to reduce your gluten intake is to choose gluten-free complex carbs like brown rice, quinoa, legumes, pumpkin, and beans.

6. Reduce your stress.

Find a technique that works best for you and practice a stress reliever daily. Some examples of good stress relievers include meditation, deep breathing, yoga, chi gong, walking, barefoot walking, tea, and reading. Choose anything! This will keep your adrenal glands healthy and your hormones balanced.

7. Try to exercise four to five times per week, 30 to 45 minutes each session.

Keep your body moving in your favorite way. I am very against boot camp and pushing the body to any kind of extreme (sorry, guys). I love interval training, weight training, Pilates, yoga, and a 30-minute jog, and I walk on the weekends (whenever I can, really) because I love the fresh air and it clears my mind.

On this note: Change your mentality. Stop exercising because "you will lose weight if you do." Stop putting pressure on yourself. Exercise because it is a mood booster, mind clearer, and is healthy for your heart!

8. Learn to love your veggies.

Eat them with every meal. Aim to have five servings of mixed veggies every day. Get those B vitamins! I try to have at least two vegetarian meals per week, as I feel my body does well with the occasional break from animal protein.

9. Eat through the rainbow.

Variety! I know how easy it can be to get stuck on a particular food and repeat it for months, but please change it up -- especially your breakfast.

10. Chew your food.

Stop inhaling it. Practice mindful eating. I am committed to sitting down and eating my meals in a calm state for optimal digestion and absorption.

11. Put technology to bed.

Switch off your electronic devices by 9pm and put your phone on airplane mode away from your head. Please!

12. Wake up with a delicious ritual.

Here's a good example: Open eyes, stretch, smile, give thanks, drink your lemon water, refresh. Then you can check your phone and emails. This will set a good tone for your day.

13. Get organized on a Sunday!

Or whichever day suits you best. Stock your fridge and pantry as best as you can for the week. This really keeps me on track and supports my healthy eating.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7783/13-easy-ways-to-get-your-best-body.html