Holiday Survival Tips!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, “Christmakah,” Kwanzaa, or any other holiday this time of year, no doubt the hustle and bustle of the season can take its toll on you. Body, psyche, spirit, and pocketbook, all are affected. Eating different foods than you usually do, often forced connections with family members for the sake of tradition, social events, and the financial stress of buying gifts can all contribute to frazzled nerves and often a little extra “not so jolly” jiggle in the midsection or on the hips.


Here are some thought provoking tips to help bust you out of the “holiday season” box, so that you can start celebrating from a place of possibility and freedom:

Instead of getting caught up in the consumerism of the holidays, think of ways to express your appreciation for loved ones that saves you income, trees and precious time. Here are some ideas:

Put a love letter in your partner’s stocking (on a recycled card)

Donate to a cause that is meaningful to your loved one.

Give the gift of your focused presence. Make a date and most importantly, keep it!



Let your values play a role in how you express yourself-a love for service could mean volunteering. If you enjoy community, you could host a potluck “no gift” party and get creative with the food or a fun theme.

Create your own traditions. Gazing at lights, going to a play, ice skating, cooking a healthy version of a favorite dish, anything at all that brings you deep joy, a sense of peace, and time to breathe.

On that note, never estimate the power of breathing. This one skill if done consciously can make or break your experience. If you are faced with a tension-filled family environment, stay in touch with your body and the present moment. Feel your feet on the ground. Feel breath rising in your belly. Breathe into the NOW and realize that often your old issues are being triggered. Have a mantra or comforting reminder that you can say to yourself to bring you back to the present moment. For example, imagine the inhale filling every cell of your body with peace. As you exhale, you could say, “It’s not personal.” You could also keep repeating it out-loud in the presence of your most obnoxious relative, but I think that is material for a different article! Before you even show up at your destination, have this Breath/Mantra resource in place, so you aren’t scrambling to find inner peace.

What I am about to say now may sound radical, impossible even, but nevertheless I will introduce the possibility to those of you who are game. Why are we sabotaging ourselves for a month or more before New Year’s day only to convince ourselves we will start fresh on January 1st? I say, let’s start caring for our bodies now, so that we dive into the new year with energy, inspiration, and a head start on what we are committed to creating. If you know that sugar is your enemy, or white pasta makes you BLOAT like a corpse out at sea (gross but effective imagery, no?) then why are you eating it? By all means, partake in moderation. But please don’t use the holidays as a free pass to gorge on things that actually rob you of energy-when this is the time of year that you could especially benefit from some extra veggies or complex carbohydrates to keep you satisfied. Some major holiday culprits that you may want to reign in: alcohol, white sugar, refined and processed foods and caffeine. Try reducing these items by crowding them out with healthier options: green or herbal teas, natural sweeteners like agave nectar or honey, and whole grain pastas. Drink less alcohol and stay hydrated by having a glass of water for every cocktail or glass of wine. Plus, you will have to pee so much you will be burning calories running to and from the bathroom.

My hope is that you have uncovered some new ways to express yourself, take care of yourself, and most importantly BE yourself, despite the social hypnosis of what we “should” be doing this time of year. Let’s move from surviving the holidays to thriving in the midst of them!

Namaste!

Kendra

Healthy PB & J!

I know peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a comfort food for many. They are also filling and offer a good source of protein and carbs (if you don't use Skippy or Jif on white bread with processed jelly)  Ohhhh, did I just take the fun out of it? Supermarket peanut butter has added sugar and almost always has hydrogenated fat-aka, POISON, in order to keep it's shelf life nice and long.  White bread fills your belly but  doesn't feed your cells with good nutrition.  Even many so called whole wheat breads have added high fructose corn syrup and preservatives.  When you buy wheat bread it must say 100% whole wheat and have that listed as the first ingredient.  If it says "made WITH whole wheat" you are being played. Jams and jellies usually have an immense amount of white sugar and food coloring added as well.  If you have kids, it's great to start them out on their pb & j careers with a taste for a more wholesome version of this favorite.

So, are you ready for my version? 

Instead of wheat bread or white bread, try a hardier, more sustaining bread made from spelt. Spelt is an ancient grain, older than wheat, good for those sensitive to wheat, which offers high protein and a good amount of fiber-plus it is important to have variety in the diet!  You can get spelt bread in the frozen department of a health food store (I like the sourdough version) -or buy "sprouted" grain breads that retain their vitamins and enzyme activity.

Use a NATURAL peanut butter, with no added sugars and just a hint of salt if you need it.  Health food stores sell it and even supermarkets are starting to offer healthier versions.  You could also try ALMOND or CASHEW butter for a change.  Almonds are an exceptional source of nutrition.

Buy jam or jelly that has no added food coloring and minimal sugars added.  I make my own and it takes literally 30 seconds.  Here is the recipe:

Handful of organic fresh raspberries
 A SQUIRT of agave nectar (great sweetener that is easy on your blood sugar, similar to honey)
Mash this up with a fork and spread it on!

Remember, just because something says its NATURAL doesn't mean it is.  Take the time to read the ingredients on the back and decide for yourself.

There you go-I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it!  Your body will thank you.

namaste,
kendra

Tasty Avocado Toast Recipe!

This recipe was completely inspired by one of my favorite restaurants-Carmel Belle, of Carmel, CA.  I took the liberty of making some healthy changes to suit my needs and make it wheat free.

Toast a piece of sourdough flavored spelt bread (you can find this in the frozen section of health food store)
Top it with 1/2 a sliced avocado
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt

Spelt is an ancient grain that is a good source of protein and gluten free.  Adding sources of healthy fat like olive oil and avocado help to slow down digestion and keep you satisfied longer.

I eat this for breakfast or as a snack or side dish to a soup.


Enjoy!
Kendra

The Recipe Is Not The Meal!

Do you get excited about joining a gym and all the benefits it will create in your life?  Do you feel inspired when you see recipes for healthy food and make a list for the grocery store? Do you ever look up personal trainers or nutritionists, counselors, or any other health advocate with the intention to follow through?

Do you go as far as to write out a new "schedule" that includes all the things in your life that you know you need to be doing to support yourself and your wellbeing, or the wellbeing of your relationships and family?

I know I have.  And I have many clients who have the best of intentions...weight loss, improved relationships, exercise, you name it. 

There is something exciting about the planning stage, the imagining phase, of any new journey we decide to take.  We can see how good we will look, and can imagine how great we will feel, envision our quality of life improving. This is the just the "recipe."   We often lose momentum when we allow life's challenges to work their way into our kitchen!

In order to enjoy the "meal"  of (fill in the blank, wellness, health, abundance) we need to gather the necessary ingredients.  These ingredients may include information, resources, SUPPORT, and time managment adjustments,  to name a few.   But we can't stop there.  We have to put those ingredients together to create our intentions.  ACTION is often the missing ingredient. And just as a good soup needs a hardy stock as its base, so too do we need a base - called COMMITMENT.  My clients hear me saying time and again that "your commitment must be bigger than your circumstances."

What is the life recipe you find yourself thinking about all the time?  Are you ready to taste the success of your commitment in action?

Take your recipe out of the box and enjoy  it as the meal you intend it to be!

Namaste,
Kendra

Nothing is an Interruption

Oh, the irony.  It has taken me literally 3 months to write this and get it posted.  Even as I type, my computer is threatening to shut down as my battery dips below 10%.  And there is some supposed urgent "update" that keeps blinking down below, drawing my eyes away from the screen, luring me into distraction.

I originally sat down to write this posting in the wee hours, after the end of a very long day of balancing new motherhood with work and other obligations.  I got the idea in my head, fired up the laptop, cozied up in the recliner...and then, "Wahhhhhh.....!"  My son Evan woke up crying for a nightly feeding.  In a flash I was up and switching gears to meet his needs and basically call it a night.  The posting titled, "nothing is an interruption" would have to wait.  It wasn't until I was in bed  that I realized that the subject of my posting  was in full effect.

Many years ago, I read or heard this phrase and it stuck with me.   "Nothing is an interruption."  I found this to be such a profound statement.    Everything is life, expressing itself.  My ego's idea of something getting in the way of what "should" be happening in the moment is just pure denial of life, expressing itself.  Really, what is more important in any given moment then me being present to WHAT IS, and responding to that with as much awareness (and compassion) as possible? 

Case in point:  I want to watch a movie.  The electricity goes out.  What an interruption! (says ego, who would rather watch a movie then sit in the dark)  As I get drawn into the mental chatter of what should be happening I create alot of resistance to the moment.  Resistance wastes the energy that could be spent responding to WHAT IS.  When I let go of the resistance, be present, and respond appropriately, it's amazing how quickly life seems to come back into a sense of harmony.  By the way, responding appropriately in this case was lighting some candles, enjoying the quiet, and playing a game of Scrabble with my husband.  You know, the guy I hardly get to see since having a baby!

So, that is my lesson, every day.  I keep saying "nothing is an interruption."  I use this mantra during big traumatic events.  I use it when the light turns red when I am running late.  I use it when someone calls me and I really think I have something else I should be doing. And it commands me back into the moment.  This rich, full, beautiful, inconvenient, perfect moment.

Namaste,
Kendra

WHAT IS IN YOUR FRIDGE RIGHT NOW??

Looking in your fridge can give you an objective peek at what goes into your body on a regular basis. I'll go first. Here is what is in my refrigerator at this very moment.

All of these ingredients are ORGANIC as well:

sliced watermelon

quinoa

chickpeas and kidney beans

strawberries

peanut butter

low fat milk

1/2 and 1/2

coconut water

eggs

spinach

orange juice

apple juice and apples

earth balance natural butter spread

cheddar cheese

whole wheat bread

whole wheat wraps

limes and lemons (for veggie smoothies)

various condiments like toasted sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, etc.

an old rotisserie chicken that I should remove

my husband's month old Mountain Dew (he drinks them on road trips)

flax seed oil

fish oil supplements

You can do the same thing with your cupboards and freezer. Look at some of the cans you have, or boxed/premade foods. Do they have added salt? Artifical colors? MSG? Hydrogenated fats? Just notice. No need to judge yourself.

Take compassionate inventory.

What kinds of healthy items could you bring into your home that would start to "crowd out" the less healthy options? Every time you shop, replace one item with a healthier version. For example, replace regular milk with organic, or replace chips with yummy, whole grain crackers.

Before you know it, you will open your fridge and cupboards and find them full of wholesome, nutritious, life giving foods that energize you for the life you want to live.

Namaste,

Kendra

Super Green Energizer Smoothie!

This smoothie is inspired by David Wolfe, raw foodie extraordinaire. It's rejuvenating, cleansing, loaded with calcium, magnesium, vitamins and minerals to feed your cells and make 'em happy!

You need a decent blender to pull this recipe off though-since we are blending everything whole.

1/2 bunch of green kale (curly kind)
2 carrots
4-6 stalks of celery
1 apple
1 cucumber
1 whole lemon (peeled and seeded)

Blend all these ingredients together with enough water to make a drinkable consistency. You may have to add a few things at a time and blend. This will make several servings. I re-use glass bottles with screw top lids (from 16oz or so size juices). Fill the jars up 3/4 of the way and the rest with apple juice. This sweetens it a bit, but if you are in a hard-core green mood, just use water. Tastes so great when super cold too!

USE ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS! There is no sense in blending up a bunch of pesticides and drinking them in copious amounts.

The color of this smoothie is so incredibly alive, and once you have had it a few times you will fine tune it to your own tastes. It has been known to squelch a sweet tooth and other not-so healthy cravings.


Namaste,
Kendra

Meditation-What do you need right now?

One of my favorite meditations to share when I am teaching a yoga class or guiding a client deeply into themselves is this:

Sit quietly, feeling the support beneath you.

Breathe deeply into your lower belly, and relax the body with each exhale.

Once you are feeling centered, bring your awareness to your heart center.

Ask these three questions, and openly receive the first answer that comes to you:

1) What does my body need?

2) What does my heart need?

3) What does my mind need?

Allow there to be a pause and several deep breaths between the answers.

This is a great brief meditation to do to focus your awareness and nurture a loving dialogue with your body, mind, and spirit in the midst of a busy day (and life!)

Namaste,

Kendra