 Community Garden - Izunome Farm, Hollywood Fl by Marisa Barbosa Supporting the good things and rethinking our role in the earth I always knew about the meat industry and watched movies, etc, but two movies clicked something in me a few days ago and both are available for free on Youtube: “A carne é Fraca” and “Earthlings” (ou Terráqueos, em português) - both are posted below. The first one is very educational about the whole industry and the ethics of eating or not animal products. The second one is really really harsh and I couldn’t keep watching something that in the end we (meat and animal products consumers) all support. As a coincidence with Earth Day, I’ve been rethinking about eating meat and being more proactive about the good initiatives. I recently went on a Saturday morning to help in a community garden and it was such a nice experience that I’m trying to create more time in my life to participate more. This one (photo) is called Izunome Nature Farming Garden in the Highland Gardens neighborhood on Adams Street, close to 24th Ave, around Hollywood. May we all rethink and give the firsts of many steps! Marisa Barbosa is a Brazilian living in Miami, working as a journalist to Gazeta Brazilian News.
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 By Eliane Carotta
Some people believe that gluten free diet is just a myth; others believe that cutting it will help to lose weight. I’ve seen posts saying that this protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, might cause allergies too. Then I decided to go deeper. 90% of you who are reading this article now, might be sensitive to gluten without even knowing it, and then yes, it might affect you and make you fat, because it will cause inflammation and insulin resistance. Then your body will have to produce more insulin to get the blood sugar in your cell. (Test below) THERE’S NOTHING POSITIVE about going to a supermarket and packing your cart with tons of gluten free labeled processed food if you just doing that to lose weight, without even knowing if you are sensitive. Many people gain weight because they just start abusing of gluten free processed food. Whole foods are always the solution! I particularly chose gluten free diet for myself, because I have some symptoms of the test, and I eat a whole food gluten free diet, and NOT processed gluten free; otherwise I’d do a test and first check if I’m sensitive to it. And that’s what I advise my students that want to lose weight: to avoid the crappy diet full of sugar, fat, processed food before anything. Any food that there’s just one ingredient (those without ingredients label) is gluten free - fruits, meats, lentil, dairy, pure chocolate, rice... There are researches showing about over 50 conditions that could come from gluten – anemia, osteoperosis, etc. And this happens mostly because of hybrids of wheat being developed. The dilemma of genetically modified food… Nowadays bread comes from factory, which has more gluten in the final product. That’s why we have to choose as many organic and local products as possible, and AVOID PROCESSED FOODS. If you randomly pick an item off a grocery store’s shelves, you have a 70 percent chance of picking a food with genetically modified (GM) ingredients. This is because at least seven out of every 10 items have been genetically modified. We are not born with the gluten issue (it can come at any point), but born with the genes that allow it to happen. It takes time with the environment to interact with the genes. This is just a simple test. Go go to your doctor and do the blood one for a more accurate result. Four or more symptoms indicate that gluten may be impacting your health. But even one symptom, if severe and chronic, can be a sign of gluten sensitivity: Digestive Symptoms Frequent bloating or gas Diagnosed with IBS or acid reflux Daily diarrhea or chronic constipation Neurologic & Skeletal Symptoms Migraine or headaches Joint pains or aches Brain fog Hormonal & Immune Symptoms Depression or anxiety Ongoing fatigue Chronic eczema or acne Source: mercola.com and doctoroz.com  Those are two great asanas (positions) to stretch before and after train, but to achieve the best from the exercise, you should do at least 10 minutes of Pranayama (breathing exercise) before, so you tune up and connect your body and mind for the exercise. Pranayama is also a great way to help focus for a competition. If you have a Facebook account,, click here and learn Kapalabhati Yoga breathing technique. Enjoy your practice! LEFT SIDE: Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana) Benefit shoulders, front torso and neck. Avoid if you have neck or shoulder injured. - Grab your belt with your right hand. - Inhale lifting right arm, letting belt hang on your back. - Exhale rotating right arm inwardly bending elbow so palm rests on your upper back between shoulder blades. - Inhale, bending the left elbow and moving left hand behind your back with palm facing out and grab belt with fingers facing up. - Keep working your fingers closer and closer to each other to stretch further at each exhalation, until eventually they connect. - Keep sitting straight, with head in line with the torso. The original position should have student seated in Dandasana (staff pose), with a bent knee on top of the other, but because most part of BJJ fighters have very tight hips, I barely teach them to seat like that. In this case, start seated in any comfortable cross legged position, or lotus. You see the picture with a belt as a prop, but if you can hook your finger, you don’t need the belt. RIGHT SIDE: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) Great for hips and thighs, relieves tension in the chest and shoulders, and stimulates abdominal organs. Avoid if you have ankle or knee injury - From Downward Facing dog, slide your right knee forward between hands, with right ankle near your left wrist - Slowly slide your left leg back, keeping kneecap and top of your foot resting on the floor. - Make sure your right knee is aligned in front of your right hip bone, and left foot is aligned behind your left sit bone. - Inhale, pressing fingers against floor, looking up and opening shoulders to stretch spine and length the front of your body. - Exhale bending forward while balancing your weight evenly between your right and left hips, avoiding falling to sides. 99% of the fighters I’ve taught asked me for hip openers positions. This is a great one but be careful, overstretching is counterproductive! IN BOTH POSITIONS REPEAT THE SAME STEPS ON THE OTHER SIDE. HOLD POSITIONS DURING 5 DEEP SLOW NOSE BREATHS. Namaste!
 We all know that free radicals are the main responsible for age related deterioration, since they damage our cells membranes, our dna, our proteins..., all our genetic material; so we have to build up our internal defense mechanism by eating plenty of high quality (organic and locally grown) plants and vegetables.
Anti oxidants are our best friends to prevent from this damage, and yes, we can also use vitamins C and E, but instead of supplements, we should adapt to a healthy diet and maximize benefits by eating natural food. There are powerful plants specifically loaded with many vitamins and minerals, and TURMERIC is one of them. The active constituent of turmeric is curcumin, which is eight times more potent than vitamin E and much stronger than vitamin C, so it can protect NATURALLY your body from free radicals. The best way to get all benefits of it is to ALWAYS buy from a trustable source that certifies it as being 100% organic. Besides that, Turmeric also has antibacterial action, prevents bacterial infections on wounds, and has a long history of use for its anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. If you find the fresh root, use instead of dried or powder, so you can chop 1inch of it and add to your favorite salad, or grate it and mix with your favorite sauces, substituting for ginger or curry. In fact I love to use all of them together, but just try and be creative ;) Bon Appetit! Summer is coming, and everybody wants to look good. Our skin is the largest organ and the great protector of our bodies. Let's take good care of it!
You are what you eat. Excess acid found in foods like cheese, meats, eggs, and sugars can lower your immune resistance and make your skin prone to inflammation. People with acid overload may be more likely to get sunburns, acne, eczema, and premature skin aging. Healthy skin tip: Avoid acid and raise your pH by eating kale, and broccoli. To keep your skin looking fabulous all year, try to have a low glycemic diet, rich in fruits, legumes, fish, vegetables, and nuts. Drink plenty of water, stay away from processed foods and soft drinks, and never, ever smoke. To minimize damage from sun exposure, take anti-oxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. Selenium and Chokeberry (aronia) capsules. And don’t forget to include essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and cleansing foods in your diet for beautiful skin year-round, as: Avocados; Olive Oil; Coconut Oil; Walnuts; Salmon; Berries; White Tea; Artichokes; Brightly colored veggies; Dark Chocolate; Lemon; Ginger; Garlic; Chamomile; Dark leafy greens. Brown Sugar Honey Scrub • 3 tbsp. of room temperature organic cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil • 3 tbsp. of brown sugar • 3 tbsp. of raw honey Mix together, rub in circular motions on face, then rinse and moisturize The anti-microbial properties and enzymes of raw honey, the exfoliating texture of sugar, and the moisturizing fatty acids of olive oil make this a winning natural cleansing scrub for revealing radiant & glowing skin! Enjoy ;) And remember! Physical activity increases your oxygen intake, circulates nutrients, releases toxins, and reduces stress, but relaxing promotes optimal immune function and contributes to hormonal balance, resulting in fewer breakouts and brighter skin. So, everything in moderation is the solution for a better health! Font: www.integrativenutrituon.com One of the biggest fears from who start a vegetarian way of living, is to loose muscles or get weak. Many nutritionists already wrote that this is a myth, specially nowadays with so many alternative protein options, and so much chemicals inside animal proteins.
For athletes, 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean muscle is optimal for increasing strength and size. For example, if you weigh 180lb and have ten percent bodyfat, then you should get 150-160 grams of protein to build more muscle. If you want to maintain your size, then 100-120 will probably be sufficient. Another important point is that without enough fat in your diet, your skin will dry up, and your energy level will go down. To have 20-30% of your calories from fat is a good way to go. Examples of healthy fats: flaxseed oil, avocado, almond butter and walnuts. Coconut oil or milk are saturated fats that are not present in the case of a vegan diet, also required for optimal health. I always advice my students to have a balanced diet without excess, but that 80% of their diet comes from fresh organic food. Example of combining foods to get muscle building aminoacids: black beans + quinoa, lentils + brown rice, almond butter sandwich (Ezequiel bread), rice protein milk shake. Veggie burger (soy free) is also a good option every now and then… Some tips on muscle building foods for vegetarians: Quinoa, Pea-Rice-Hemp Protein Powder, Avocado, Steel -Cut Oats, Almonds, B apetit lack beans, broccoli, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, seitan, spinach, chia seeds, Chick peas, brown rice, natural peanut butter, walnuts, collard greens, cauliflower, lentils, Portobello mushroom,and peas. Bon Appetit! Font: bodybuilding.com and livestrong.com  I recently had an experience that wanted to share here, and clarify some details about the Yoga philosophy.
One of the places I contacted to teach here in California, didn’t want to add Yoga to the program because of their Religious belief. Of course I respect that, and I AM NOT JUDGING, but as a Yoga teacher, I wanted to clarify that YOGA is not a religion. It is a physical practice that might originate a lifestyle with physical and emotional benefits to the practitioner. And even if you practice its moral philosophy, you can STILL have your religious beliefs, because the ethics and moral parts of Yoga refer to character and conduct, without any creed or fixed set of beliefs, nor prescribed godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. Yoga and its history, as many other physical practices, or Martial Arts, has its ancestors, considered examples of conduct that might be mentioned and honored with respect. So, if you have a specific religion, don't get confuse when seeing images or pictures in Yoga studios. This doesn’t always mean that the teacher is worshiping an image or picture. In my case, it means I respect the teachings of a specific master, and will use it as an example of conduct to inspire my students (and myself, of course) on how to become better individuals. I always mention during classes or guided meditations I teach, that our life would be much easier and we would be much happier if we think twice before saying (that’s why we have 2 ears and 1 mouth) or acting; if we stop judging or expecting; if we give up on our fears; and specially, if we learn how to let go and forgive others. It’s hard, and I always catch myself committing such “sins”…, but we are here to learn and improve, right? So, let's keep learning, let’s FOCUS on IMPROVE day by day by following good examples without criticism or resistance to change ;) "Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours." Swedish proverb NAMASTÉ! How do you deal with your fears? Are you willing to face them and learn how to live fearlessly?
According to a research from Business Enterprises (a group of coaches that help people thrive in their vocational pursuits), the four FEARS that hold us back, avoiding us to succeed, are: - the fear of failure, the fear of blame, the fear of harm, and the fear of not being liked. When we accept that protecting ourselves from harm will also protect us from opportunities, we stop declining opportunities that we are perfectly ready to take on! Carl Jung said: “Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children then the unlived life of the parent.” Yes, we were raised by parents that might expect us to be what THEY want, and we respect them because they are our base, our family, our strength. But are we in our own path, doing what our hearts feel passionate about, or we are just following what our parents and the society imposed to us? According to Dr. Ivan Kos (Head of Radiological Laboratory at Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Academy of Medical Science of Ukraine, Ukraine), "Newborn babies have only two fears: of loud noises and falling. These are normal, and considered alarm system given by nature as a means of self-preservation. All other fears are abnormal, caused by particular experiences, or passed on by parents, and others who influence us as we grow up." Traumatic incidents in life are the top responsible for fear, but many "victim" words that should be avoided in our thoughts, are usually and unconsciously holding us back, as "what if", or the expression "woulda coulda shoulda". How to overcome your fears? First, be aware that NOW is all you have, and even though decisions in the present affect your future, you never really have to say "forever" about anything, because you don't actually know what will happen in the future. Take AWAY the pressure that freaks you out, and ENJOY your present!!! And, remember:“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone…” Ready to face it? Check how fearless you are: click HERE and try this simple quiz In Ayurveda, the body is formed by five elements: air, fire, water, earth and ether. However, the functions are controlled by three doshas (or the vital energy): Kapha, Vata and Pitta. These dynamic energies make things happen in the organism, and if imbalanced, lead to problems.
Ultimately, any aspect related to metabolic function and its relationship to health and disease boils down to the harmonious actions of the three doshas. After doing this test, I suggest you to “google” the best diets to benefit your type of body. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me ;) Good luck, Eli What is your Prakruti (body constitution)? Circle these answers based on the state of your natural being throughout your life. The focus is YOU, the real you, not what happens to be true recently, nor what you wish to be. You may float between two answers and in that case, pick both. Add up the totals for each V, P, and K at the end. The test will tell you if you are Vata, Pitta, Kapha or any combination of the three. 1. Physique v) I am a slender person and I hardly gain weight p) I am medium build k) I am well built and I gain weight no matter what I do 2. Skin v) My skin is dry, thin, and itches often p) My skin looks flushed; I have lots of moles and freckles on my body k) My skin is smooth and soft, it looks pale sometimes 3. Hair v) My hair is dry, thin and brittle p) My hair is neither dry nor oily (men, receding hairline) k) My hair is thick, full, lustrous, and slightly oily 4. Face v) My face is oval p) My face is triangular (pointed chin, prominent jaw line) k) My face is round 5. Eyes v) My eyes are small; they feel dry often and have a bit of dullness (usually brown) p) My eyes are medium in shape; sharp & penetrating (usually blue) k) My eyes are big and round in shape, full eyelashes 6. Hands v) My hands are generally dry, rough; slender fingers; dry nails p) My hands are generally moist, pink; medium fingers; soft nails k) My hands are generally firm, thick; thick fingers; strong & smooth nails 7. Joints v) My joints are small, prominent bones, and often crack p) My joints are medium and loose k) My joints are large, sturdy, with lots of muscle surrounding 8. Activities v) I am a very active person (always on the go, mind constantly thinking) p) I like to think before I do anything k) I am steady and graceful (I don’t like to rush) 9. Actions v) I walk fast and talk fast p) My actions are very thoughtful and precise k) I like a slower pace and I take my time to accomplish things 10. Sleep v) I do not sleep soundly at night. I tend to toss and turn. I wake up early in the morning p) I am a light sleeper but if something wakes me up, I can go back to sleep easily k) I am a heavy sleeper 11. Appetite v) Varies, sometimes I feel hungry, sometimes not, I feel anxious if I don’t eat p) I always feel hungry. If I don’t eat I get irritable and angry k) I don’t feel very hungry. I can go without food easily for a day 12. Bowel Movement v) I tend to have constipation and can go a day or two without a bowel movement p) I am regular and sometimes stools are loose (tend to get diarrhea) k) I have no problem. I wake up to go to the bathroom. 13. Voice v) My voice tends to be weak or hoarse p) I have a strong voice, I may get loud sometimes k) My voice is deep, has good tone 14. Emotions v) I am a born worrier, I often feel anxious and nervous p) If things don’t happen my way, I feel irritable and angry k) I am a happy person, very caring and loving 14. Weather Preference v) I love warm and humid weather p) I enjoy cool weather, I dislike a warm climate k) I like warm but dry weather 16. Sweating v) I sweat little but not much p) I sweat profusely and it might have an unpleasant odor k) I never sweat, unless working very hard 17. Memory v) I remember quickly and forget quickly p) I remember what I want to remember and never forget k) It takes me a while to remember, but once I do I never forget. 18. Actions v) I tend to be spontaneous p) I am a list maker. Unless I plan,I don’t do anything k) I don’t like to plan, I prefer to follow others 19. Stamina v) I like to do things in spurts and I get tired very easily p) I have medium stamina k) I can work long hours and maintain good stamina 20. Mind v) My mind gets restless easily (it starts racing p) I get impatient easily k) It takes a lot to make me mad. I usually feel very calm 21. Decision Making v) I change my mind more often and will take time to make a decision p) I can make a decision easily and stick with it k) I want others to make the decisions 22. Personality v) “Can I change my mind”? p) “It’s my way or the highway” k) “Don’t worry be happy” 23. Sports v) I like action p) I like to win k) I like to have fun 24. Health Problems v) My symptoms are mainly pain, constipation, anxiety and depression p) I often get skin infections, fevers, heartburn, and hypertension k) I tend to get allergies, congestion, weight gain and digestive problems 25. Hobbies v) I like art (drawing, painting, and dance) and travel p) I like sports, politics, and things that get my adrenaline pumping k) I like nature, gardening, reading, and knitting. Font: www.bluelotusayurveda.com www.allthatmatters.com |
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