Get Your Groove Back

 

 Dear friends,

With the rise in chronic fatigue, type 2 diabetes, hormone imbalance, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia we need to go back to basics of nutrition to see where the missing links are. One key ingredient, “magnesium”  serves to kickstart many functions in our bodies. Did you know that magnesium is needed for over 300 biochemical reactions in our bodies alone?

Some key examples are:

Protein Synthesis

Nerve Function

Blood Sugar Control

Neurotransmitter Release

Energy Metabolism

Production of key antioxidant- glutathione

Here is a list of the top ten magnesium-rich foods. One of them is pumpkin seeds which you see in the picture above. I bought a small pie pumpkin from Dekalb Market- peeled it- used the flesh for soup and roasted the seeds at 400 degrees with pink salt until they browned. Can’t be easier. They weren’t around for long. Figs are another in-season food right now on this list. Fresh figs are delicious on toast with goat cheese!

1. Spinach — 1 cup: 157 milligrams (40% DV)
2. Chard — 1 cup: 154 milligrams (38% DV)
3. Pumpkin seeds — 1/8 cup: 92 milligrams (23% DV)
4. Yogurt or Kefir — 1 cup: 50 milligrams (13% DV)
5. Almonds — 1 ounce: 80 milligrams (20% DV)
6. Black Beans — ½ cup: 60 milligrams (15% DV)
7. Avocado — 1 medium: 58 milligrams  (15% DV)
8. Figs — ½ cup: 50 milligrams (13% DV)
9. Dark Chocolate — 1 square: 95 milligrams (24% DV)
10. Banana — 1 medium: 32 milligrams (8% DV)

Aim to eat at least two of these foods daily.

Ayurveda

If you are Vata constitution in Ayurveda you may be prone to insomnia, anxiety, dry skin, constipation, erratic schedules and eating habits as well as fear or over-worry. If you don’t know your constitution you can take the dosha quiz on my website http://8zq.e3b.mywebsitetransfer.com/services .

Vata types when balanced are creative, spiritual, imaginative, loving and sincere. Their delicate nervous system needs regular care.

We are in Vata season right now so if you are a Vata person dominantly here are four important things to pay attention to daily:

1. Oil your body at least once a day. “Abhyanga” the practice of oil massage is an ancient anti-aging ritual to keep the skin moist and prevent signs of aging. It also protects the immune system as well as stimulates circulation as a result. Ideally this massage can be done in the morning before a shower . “Vata” oil by Banyan has all the warming and grounding oils you will need for this practice or make your own combination using sesame oil and a few essential oils such as vetiver, lavender, orange, or geranium. It’s nice to add a dry brush at the end of the massage in the morning if you are showering.
2. Aim to eat warm cooked foods, slightly oily. Leave out your smoothie ingredients from the frig before eating. Our digestion is like a burning fire according to Ayurveda. Add spices such as ginger, garlic, cumin sauteed in ghee and use over vegetables or rice. Include fats such as ghee, olive oil, and avocado in your diet.
3. Aim to go to bed by 10:30 as once the 11pm time rolls around you are heading into liver meridian which can then keep you up til 2 or 3am with no problem. Have you noticed that? A nice warm drink of almond milk, with turmeric ( especially homemade almond milk) is just the magnesium you’ll need to calm the nerves and get a good night’s rest. Restful sleep will support your immune system for the upcoming winter.
4. Stay hydrated- it’s easy to fall off the wagon here since it’s not hot outside.  You may want to drink ginger tea, tulsi tea or a nice cup of chamomile to be relaxed and warm.

 Many of my clients ask me about my family. Let me introduce these great men- Noah now 25 is next to me- he lives in Boston working in IT – bikes to work every day and loves to play tennis. Then my husband David- a businessman, my closest friend, who joined me in yoga and meditation back in 1990, always supportive and thoughtful of me, then son Zack- who lives in Baltimore- now 29 years old- a creative- foodie and interested in wine pairing, making films, traveling, cooking and creating menus for a farm to table restaurant. I adore them with all my heart! They are truly heart-centered people- a joy to be with.

Zack and Noah were the inspiration for me to connect with my feminine values- the healing arts- and to learn and practice everything I do so that we could refrain from taking unnecessary antibiotics and live a life close to nature. We lived in California when they were growing up and from a young age we had weekly farm shares, took lots of hikes outdoors, skiing to family weekends in Tahoe, biked in the hills, and always ate dinner together. I cherished my time being with them as they grew up and still do although they don’t live with us anymore.

 

“Each day of our lives we need to find the strength that allows us to take action with fierce love.

We need the strength to dust off the mirror of our consciousness and show up in ways that go beyond what we feel like or don’t feel like to fulfill our greater purpose and destiny.

For this, we need a guide, a mentor, a healer, a compassionate listener, a safe environment; an attunement to our very own nature.

This is who I am and this is how I can serve you.”

-Gedalia