Tag Archives: cleanse

Why YogaLean Loves Purium

Yoga is a huge step in elevating self improvement, mind-body awareness, and learning to listen to your body. But so is nutrition. Eating right is incredibly important in getting the body healthy and more balanced.

For someone looking to lose weight and get in better shape, nutrition plays an even more crucial role. You can’t just do yoga or cardio while still eating the same high-fat, high-sugar foods and see weight loss results.

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So why is YogaLean such a big proponent of Purium products?

With YogaLean, you’re not just fixated on losing weight, you’re more concentrated on getting your body healthy. For me, I felt like the Purium products offered an incredible jumpstart in detoxifying the body, preparing it for a healthier, more holistic way of living.

I’ll be completely honest – I’ve never been the type of person who wants to do a cleanse – for 3 reasons:

1) I don’t want to lose my muscle

2) I like to eat

3) I want to have energy

What I found with Purium was far different than other cleanses I’ve tried in the past. For one, the powders and shakes use ingredients that are all natural and that pack a ton of energy and potency – ingredients that Chinese medicine and shamanic healers have been using for thousands of years. Their protein powders taste amazing, and I never feel like I’m limiting my body of essential minerals and nutrients when I’m taking the cleanse.

You’ll never find artificial ingredients in the Purium products. This includes NO

• Artificial colors

• Artificial sweeteners

• Artificial flavors

• Excipients and fillers

• Excess sugar

• Excess fat

The Founder of Purium and author of The Green Food Bible, David Sandoval is the mastermind behind the 10-Day Transformation Diet.

Purium has mastered the art of phytochemistry (the rejuvenating benefits of plants). By studying the ancient arts of Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Amazonian herbs, the shamanic healing arts of Native Americans, and other traditional aboriginal practices, they’ve captured the most potent whole food plant extracts from around the globe to repair your body at the cellular level.

These herbs have been revered for thousands of years for their purported ability to support the naturopathic principle that “the human body is capable of creating and supporting perfect health if given the proper tools.” No other company has such a complete holistic approach to food and nutrition.

Green foods are healing foods – they always have been and they always will be. Purim’s line of products contain ingredients such as cracked cell chlorella, red marine algae, organic spirulina, organic barley greens, organic kamut, and many more.

The first 10 days of the YogaLean Coaching Program is actually the 10-Day Purium cleanse. I built it this way, so that people can detox and lose weight quickly; then when they’re adding foods back in it acts as an elimination diet. So you can see what foods cause you gastric distress, what foods upset your stomach, what foods work with your body rather than against it. It’s a great way to jumpstart your weight loss while feeling rejuvenated and healthy.

This is a wonderful option for people who are maybe a little skeptical about doing a cleanse, but who want to feel better from the inside out.

We already know this, but it bears repeating: plants have amazing healing capabilities. Learn more about Purium and what it can do for you, by visiting their website, here.

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Tofu Simple Sandwich

June 10, 2015 – Rene MacVay, Food Blogger | Healthy Recipe Variations

I was looking for a quick and healthy meal to have post workout. I had about an hour to eat and get ready for an appointment so I worked with what I had. I looked in my refrigerator and found the following items already cooked:

Roasted bell peppers
Roasted red onion
Roasted garlic

I also knew I had available:

parmesan cheese and gluten free hamburger buns
extra firm tofu as well as gluten free deli turkey … so decided to go with the tofu
a head of cauliflower and some low sodium vegetable broth

Therefore, in less than 30 minutes I had dinner on the table. If nothing was prepared, this would have taken an hour.

Directions:

Chop the cauliflower stem and leaves into small pieces. Add the stalks and flowers to a pan with 1/2 cup low salt vegetable broth. Cover and let it simmer. (Check your pan from time to time…add some more broth if broth is almost gone and cauliflower is not at your desired texture. I prefer it to have a bit of a crunch. OPTION: dice a clove of garlic and add to the pan for flavor.
Drain the tofu by wrapping it in a kitchen towel and putting it between two dinner plates with a BOOK on top. How long to you drain the tofu? That is a personal choice. You can omit this step or drain it for up to an hour. After the tofu drains, if you decide to drain it (I prefer my tofu dry so I drain it as long as I can), cut the tofu block in half length and width wise…creating 4 evenly sized pieces.
Sautee the tofu in a pan with toasted sesame oil and some black pepper.

NOTE: If you wish to add another step and a few minutes to your meal…marinate the tofu in Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce or Sriracha Sauce. Adding the sauce TO the tofu means you will not need to add the sauce to the sandwich.

Defrost (if necessary) and toast the buns (adding a small amount of parmesan cheese) while the tofu and cauliflower cook. I started the buns with about 5 minutes to go. I warmed up the left over roasted items at the same time.
The sandwich was great open faced…with stacked vegetables on the bottom and thick tofu wedge on top. (I added gluten free teriyaki sauce on my toasted buns to add flavor. You could add a gluten free sauce of your choice.) A smaller sandwich would have thinner slices of tofu. The crunchy outer shell of the tofu, the softer interior, the vegetables melting in your mouth, and the bread to absorb the flavors was a delight after a long day.
I served with a side of roasted vegetables with rosemary (already cooked).

Variations:

OMIT vegetables and add lettuce, spinach, or arugula (or include them as well)
Substitute a chicken breast or gluten free deli turkey meat for the tofu
Omit cheese if you are trying to avoid dairy
Omit bun and use butter lettuce or another green as your mock bun

Enjoy this fast and simple YogaLean meal. Be active and eat healthy to be the best you that you can be. Enjoy this recipe and other gluten free recipes at Healthy Recipe Variations Blog.

Successful Stress Management Techniques

Beth J Shaw author of YOGAFIT

Stress Management means basically, learning how to manage stress, by witnessing it, and releasing it.

Stress management, is simply, a daily process to let go of tension stored in the body and mind. Without this letting go process, we become candidates for ulcers, heart attacks, migraines and premature aging. All known to be caused by stress. Stress Management techniques, allow us to discover and experience, how, we hold emotions, thoughts and experiences in out bodies. Exercises will offer us the opportunity, to tune into different moods, feelings, attitudes, and states of consciousness beside the low-grade stress levels, most people in our society, operate under. In our busy information society, we are constantly bombarded by external stimuli. A good stress management program, can help tune out the exterior world, and allow the participant to drop inside their bodies, and find a place of stillness. Some techniques that aid in this process, are deep breathing, extended stretching, and body scanning – all done in a quiet, warm room, with soft music playing, or simply, the relaxing sound of one’s own, deep breathing.

We learn to increase the probability of desired moods, and feelings through our heightened self–awareness, while simultaneously decreasing negative states of anxiety. Excess of stress can also result in an extended period “flight or fight syndrome” which over time can drain the adrenal glands. Participants in a stress management program gain a powerful awareness of how to positively influence health, reactions, feelings and response. A good mind/body class can give clients the tools they can use for the rest of their lives.

Yoga is the 6,000 year old secret to health and vitality. Yoga can be considered technology for getting back in touch with our true essence and ourselves. It is a way of remembering the health and wholeness that is our natural state of being. Yoga, when broken down to its most simple form is breathing and feeling.

Through this breathing and feeling we learn to control our reactions to events and people. It is not the events and people in our lives that give us stress but the way we react to them. What makes yoga unique in terms of stress reduction is in its multifaceted approach. By working at the physical and psychological levels concurrently, yoga reduces stress at each level and this reduction in stress is supported by the work done at other levels. Yoga postures combined with deep breathing facilitate deep relaxation that combats stress.

Physically, yoga massages the skeletal system which supports bone mass and growth while taking the stress away from the supporting muscles and tendons. Yoga mechanically removes tension from the muscles through stretching. The steady even yoga breathing reduces stress levels in the body. Stress response, is accompanied by rapid, shallow breathing., Yoga encouraged deep diaphragmatic breathing activating a relaxation response. Yoga also massages the internal organs reducing high blood pressure, stress in the cardiovascular system at the level of the heart, arteries and blood. The nerves are massaged and stretched through yoga, conducting messages; throughout the body.

Emotionally the body believes what the mind believes. Affirmations about peace, calm, and tranquility, along with positive imagery are conveyed to the nervous system. Yoga brings greater relationship with others, life, and us. As we begin to explore these relationships more, we see which interactions genuinely support us in moving towards calmness. As we become more relaxed through yoga and stress management classes, we release addictive behaviors, which are often used to relieve stress. Yoga brings awareness to the emotional blocks that limit our experience of life. Our perception of life has been conditioned by our experiences and sometimes we close ourselves off from feelings and emotions. Through yoga we learn to bring awareness to all parts of ourselves with the understanding that through integration, we come to a natural place of balance. Many of our stressful habit patterns are conditioned. Yoga teaches a whole set of patterns which are helpful in reducing stress.

Salsa Style Blackbean Pasta

June 1, 2015 – Rene MacVay, Food Blogger | Healthy Recipe Variations

Since I had to become gluten free I have reduced my pasta intake quite a bit. Pasta used to be a great go to for me, as it was a quick meal to fix and great leftovers to take to work the following day. A few Gluten Free pastas have come along that are organic, non-GMO, high in fiber, and cook without getting soggy. I can enjoy pasta again!

Tolerant Black Bean Pasta is a great addition to my pantry as it has great texture and flavor. I was looking for something to make for a quick evening dinner and decided to us up a few ingredients I had from my recent trip to the farmer’s market. I had a little of each ingredient, so pasta was the perfect way to marry the flavors and use the fresh ingredients.

This recipe takes less than a half hour from opening the refrigerator to finishing clean up. Enjoy a healthy meal…or put it in an airtight container and take it with you for a great lunch. Enjoy as a meal on its own or a side dish with a sandwich or salad.

Base Ingredients:

1 ear of corn … corn cut off the cob (yields about 2 cups)

½ Red Onion

½ Red Bell Pepper

1 Tomato (I used vine ripe)

Basil (for garnish)

Pasta – 1 Cup Tolerant Black Bean Rotini

Olive Oil

2 TBSP Butter (unsalted)

¼ Cup Vegetable Broth

Variations in keeping with Salsa theme:

 Add a few cloves of crushed Garlic

 Substitute Shallots for Red Onion

 Add a Hot pepper like a Jalapeño, Serrano, or Habanero depending on your personal interest in HEAT

 Add a cup of diced Mango if you wish a bit of sweet flavor

Instructions:

1. Cut the corn off the cob

2. Use a mandolin to cut the pepper and onion into small slices (or dice small with a knife)

3. Sautee all three ingredients in a pan with 2 tbsp butter and ¼ cup vegetable broth

4. Once onions are translucent turn off heat.

5. Add 3 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of Tolerant Black

Bean Rotini. Stir from time-to-time. Drain after 5 minutes…reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.

6. While pasta is cooking dice the tomato.

7. Add pasta water, diced tomato, and pasta to pan with the sautéed vegetables.

8. Cook until water evaporates.

9. Transfer to a plate, bowl, or airtight container. Sprinkle with Olive Oil and/or Basil to garnish.

Enjoy this YogaLean meal and other Gluten Free Recipes on Healthy Recipe Variations.

Twisting Poses to Cleanse and Detoxify

Both athletic and restful, twisting poses offer wonderful benefits for the muscular and skeletal systems, preventing stiffness and injury by improving the spine’s range of movement. They are also extremely helpful in our efforts to detoxify physically and mentally, encouraging the inner organs to expel waste, thus clearing stagnant energy that impedes digestion and a peaceful, effective thought process.

I think of each twisting pose basically as a massage for the inner organs. The twisting motion literally wrings out impurities from the body’s systems, and the compression of the abdomen against the upper thighs increases healthy blood and oxygen flow for improved digestion, immunity, and hormone balance.

Spring is a time of year we when renewing energy and clearing space are particularly important. Here are three of my favorite basic twisting poses, accessible to people at any level of practice and very useful for purifying the body as we enter a new season!

Seated Spinal Twist

Getting into the Pose:

From a seated position, extend your legs out. Bring your right knee up with the soul of your foot on the floor. Place your right hand next to you or behind you and sit upright. Beginning at the base of the spine, rotate to the right, bringing your left forearm around to hold your right shin.

Holding the Pose

Use core strength against your arm to deepen the twist. Lengthen your spine with every inhale; twist further with every exhale. Switch sides.

Modifications

If your lower back rounds, sit on a rolled up yoga mat or folded blanket.

Take it to the next level: Use core strength to deepen the twist. Place your left elbow outside your right knee. Hold and breathe.

Twisting Chair

Getting into the Pose

Start in Chair pose. Lengthen your spine and place your hands in prayer position over your heart. Twist from the waist, placing your elbow on the outside of the opposite thigh.

Holding the Pose

Engage your core to support your lower back. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale, twist. Keep your knees together as you release deeper into rotation.

Modifications

Place one hand on the opposite thigh, the other on the lower back.

Take it to the next level: Place your bottom hand on the floor outside your foot. Reach up with your top arm as you roll your chest toward the sky.

Twisting Lunge

Getting into the Pose

From a lunge position with your right foot forward, place your left hand on the floor close to the inside of your right foot. Stack your right knee over your right ankle. With a straight spine, sweep your right arm up, reaching toward the sky.

Holding the Pose

Press through your back heel. Keep your chest close to your forward knee as you twist from the waist. Look up. Switch sides.

Modifications

Drop your back knee to the mat for a Kneeling Lunge.

Place your bottom hand on a block to help lengthen the spine for rotation.

Take it to the next level: Try a variation called the Twisting Prayer Lunge: Do a Kneeling Lunge, place your hands in prayer position over your heart. Rotate, placing the back of your arm against the outside of your forward thigh. Lift your back knee off the mat and look up for Twisting Prayer Lunge.

These are excellent poses for letting go of excess wintertime baggage in the form of stress or midline bulk and for alleviating back pain. If you suffer from issues with your back, be extra careful to come in and out of the pose gently and listen to your body’s needs. I recommend avidly incorporating these poses into your practice, especially if you are doing a cleanse, as they will support your body’s efforts to rid itself of impurities.