Jingle Juice, Jingle Juice, Juicing All the Way

I have wanted to try juicing for quite awhile now.  Several of my friends have been doing it and having nothing but good stuff to say.   I of course wanted to take it to the next level and get a Vitamix.  A Vitamix is a crazy, insane blender that turns fruits and veggies in their raw form into lovely smoothies.  Its miraculous and amazing, it's $700.  Its kind of like the Magic Eraser, you think to yourself, "How does this work?  It really is magic!!"   After some serious soul searching I decided I couldn't invest in the miracle machine and opted instead for a kitchen Ninja, another high powered blender, with a much more reasonable price tag.  My Ninja is great for making soups and general blending, however, my atttempts at green juice were what I called "chunkies", not smoothies.  I continued with this for about a week, literally chewing my juice.  It was not enjoyable, but I was trying to prove to my fiancee that the Ninja was a good investment.  And it was, just not for juice.  We ended up getting a juicer about two and a half weeks ago, Tommy's dad had one laying around his house so we snagged it up. SCORE!!!  Its a little old, and a little loud, but boy does this machine make a mean glass of juice.  Which is the point, of course.

I have juiced once a day for the past 17 days.  I usually juice in the morning after I practice, as a substitute for breakfast.  If I decide I want eggs and bacon in the morning I will juice in the mid-afternoon.  I usually experience a slight decrease in energy level between 2 and 4pm.  It used to be pretty extreme and has mellowed out considerably since dropping the cup of coffee a day habit. However, due to my general lack of sleep, (co-sleeping, nursing baby in bed), a decrease in my energy is still noticeable.   If I juice in the morning, my energy level is stellar all day.  If I juice in the mid-afternoon, I get a kick-butt energy boost.  Juicing in general improves my energy level.

I have noticed considerable improvements in my body.  The most astounding to me is the improvement in my night vision.  Since giving birth to two babies, I have no depth perception at night, the lights of other cars and the streetlights get kind of halo-ey.  As a rule I try not to drive at night unless I absolutely have to.  My green juice always contains one large carrot, and in just two weeks, my night vision has improved radically.  Also, my teeth are getting whiter.  My skin and hair feel great.  And, the most noticeable improvement is the quality of my waking energy.

I am not a scientist or health expert by any means, so I will say, juicing is just great for you.  When you juice you are eating vegetables and fruits in their most pure form.  Which means you are getting as many health benefits, vitamins, and minerals as possible.  The dark greens I put in my juice are jam packed with vitamins and nutrients.  I also add other veggies that fight free radicals (cancer causing agents) in the body.  There is a lot of information out there.  If you are want to learn more,  google that shiznit. The facebook page Juicing Vegetables always has great recipes.


My daily juice contains:
1 large handful of spinach
1 large handful of kale
2 stalks celery
1/2 cucumber
1/4 Cup red cabbage
1 large carrot
1/2 inch of ginger
*****I use an old baby bottle brush to clean my juicer, the little nipple brush works perfectly on the mesh shield to get the leftover veggie gunk out*******

I sometimes add beets, apples, pears,  herbs, lemon, or whatever else I have in my fridge.  The above recipe is my starter that I build from.  I tend to steer more towards just veggies, I love the earthy "green" taste.  When I make juice for my fiance I always add more fruit, he can't handle just veggies.  So, it's really up to the individual.  The important thing is to get started. 

The whole process of juicing is very mindful for me.  I like to get all of my veggies out, wash them, and set them up on my counter next to my juicer.  The veggies look so fresh, alive and colorful.  Then the juicing begins.  One veggie at a time, feeding it into the juicer and watching the vibrant juice of each veggie pour out into my cup.  I just love it.  If the color green had a taste, it would taste fresh and alive, and that's what my juices taste like.  The process and the end result, are both supported by an essence of health and vitality.  I am so glad that I started this new juicing regimen.  Juicing feels healthy, because it is.  If you have ever thought about trying juicing, stop thinking about it and start doing it.  Drink your veggies.  Cheers to health!!

Perspective, Gratitude, Love

Today a woman I know shared a very humbling and moving story.   She shared with me that her best friend of 28 years, husband had recently committed suicide.  He had a gambling problem and wiped out the kids' college accounts and all savings they had.  This woman said she hadn't been to yoga all last week because she was afraid that she would start crying at some point in class.  To witness the sadness and distress as she told me about the experience of being present when her friend told her two chldren that there father was gone, was beyond touching.  I could feel her pain, and shared her sadness with her.  Sadness, for this now single mother, for the fatherless children, for the loss, for the heaviness of it all.  The heartache that she was feeling for her friend was palpable, and it touched me very deeply.  I had no words of comfort to offer, I mean, what do you say?  I chose instead to hug her very tightly and for probably an inappropriate amount of time.  We parted ways, but her story stays with me.

Her story is just one of many.  So many people I know right now are going through some very difficult times.  My sweet, loving mother is getting royally screwed by the company she has worked at for two years, a dear friend of mine is experiencing some financial woes due to a job change, my neighbor is struggling with the care of her mentally ill sister and is morally torn between her sense of responsibility and wanting to let it go.   These are women that have busted their butts their ENTIRE lives and just can't seem to catch a break.  It's heavy.

I am personally still working through some of my own shit, experiencing, processing, learning, letting go, REPEAT.

I am not trying to get super dark by any means.  I love this time of year. It's actually my favorite, I am the geek who starts decorating before Thanksgiving.  I love the soft lighting from my tree, the piney smell when I wake up, the carols, the joy, the wonder, the generosity and the kindness.  I say hello and smile at alot of strangers all of the time.  During the holidays about 400% more people will respond with a smile or hello of their own.  They may even add on a "Happy Holidays."  It is truly magical.  Its a kindness shift.  Families come together and memories are made.  However, a little perspective and a whole lot of gratitude can take an experience from amazing to unforgettable.
 

I invite you this holiday season to take a step back, and notice.  Notice when you're feeling overwhelmed because you have so much to do to prepare for the big day.  Notice when you start bickering with a loved one.  Notice your frustration when trying to find a parking spot at the mall.  Be aware.  All of these incidents are really teeny, tiny little miracles.  What a blessed life to live to HAVE to prepare, to have the turkey to cook, the stockings to stuff, the "stuff" to stuff them with, and most importantly the family to share it all with.   If the worst part of your day is trying to find a parking spot, I think you're having a pretty awesome day.  I say go ahead and bicker!!  Go ahead argue!!  It's healthy!  But don't be hurtful, don't raise your voice.   When it's done, it's done.  Apologize and hug it out.  A long hug.  Hold each other, and let your embrace remind you of the super special love that you share.  Personally, I enjoy some serious smooching as well, but I will leave that up to you ;)

For every person experiencing joy and comfort, I am sure that someone else, somewhere else, is feeling lost, hurt, or confused.  If you fall in the latter, know that you are not alone.  We all go through our own heavy times, to varying degrees.  The individual experiences are different,  but the emotion is still the same. Financial hardship, being treated unfairly at work, feeling inadequate as a parent, losing a loved one, these are all very heavy in their own right.   Sometimes things just don't make sense.  Other times, these obstacles are put in our paths to guide us a new way, or to shift our perspectives.  And other times, it's a not so simple letting go. Like all things,  "This too shall pass."

We all share a common experience, a thread of connection that binds us to each other.  This connection, this light, this love, is stronger than we could possibly imagine.  Its in these connections to each other that we can begin to reconnect, to heal, and to know the light of our own hearts.

So please, hug your loved ones.  I read recently that a six second hug actually shifts your brainwaves and creates happiness hormones.  I say hug for ten seconds, or twenty.  Kiss ALOT.  Kiss your kids, your pets, your friends, your mom and dad, kiss your husband, boyfriend, girlfriend or wife.  Revel in the small miracles of the day to day.  Make the phone calls to friends and family that you've been putting off.  Don't let an opportunity for joy be missed because of a to do list or a need to hurry to get things done.   Look for any opportunity to create a connection, whether its a smile, a helping hand, or maybe to be a shoulder to cry on.  Practice gratitude, every day, with every breath.  Every day, every moment, every breath, every shared experience can be a blessing, if you choose to let it be.

Happy Holidays
with love, k

Paleo Beef Broccoli with Cauliflower "Rice"

Paleo Beef Broccoli with Cauliflower "Rice"

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs stir fry beef
2 c. broccoli
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 head cauliflower
2 tbsp.  scallions, chopped (for garnish)
Marinade (Recipe below)


Marinade:
1 in. ginger
1 lime (juice and zest)
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
2 tbsp. scallions ( green onions) finely chopped
1/4 c. honey

Prep:
Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl and whisk together.  Taste.  If you prefer a little sweeter add more honey or orange juice, a little saltier, add more Braggs.  Combine meat and marinade, cover and store in your fridge for a minimum of 24 hours. 

Directions:
Chop and core cauliflower.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add cauliflower.  Boil for about 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.  Drain, then use a potato masher to mash up.  Creating our faux rice.

While cauliflower is cooking,
Chop broccoli florets from stems.  Bring a pot of water to boil add broccoli.  Boil for three minutes.  Drain set aside. 

Heat a large pan or wok to med-high heat.  Add marinated stir fry steak, cooking to sear meat.  When the steak has a nice sear add about a half cup of your marinade to your pan.  Add mushrooms.  Add broccolli.  Cover and saute for five minutes. 

While stir fry is cooking, chop 2 sprigs of green onions.

To serve:
Use a cup or bowl to portion cauliflower rice, it just looks prettier.  If looks aren't that important to you, use a spoon:)  Portion cauliflower onto plate.  Spoon a heaping portion of stir fry mix on top of "rice", dress with green onions, and enjoy.

This meal is super tasty and super healthy!!  Enjoy!!

Practice With Intention

Winter Solstice Mala Saturday, December 22nd 1-3pm Urban Yoga
The holidays are jam packed with outings, events, and ever increasing to do lists. It is easy to get caught up in the holiday hubbub. Our bodies and minds become overwhelmed with details and we often find ourselves expending more energy than we have to give. The winter solstice is a time of inner reflection. It is a time for renewal and rest. Yoga provides the perfect balance to the holiday mayhem. This workshop will allow you to cleanse and detoxify the physical, mental, and emotional stresses that accumulate from over-doing. It will also promote time and space to breathe, release, and most importantly, just be.
 
In this workshop we will practice a modified mala, repetitive rounds of sun salutations. Each round of mala will be themed with setting a personal intention to manifest in your life. The heat, or tapas we will build during the mala is the perfect tool to burn away and shed old ways of thinking, acting and believing that no longer support our most authentic selves.

Between malas, we will move into longer held poses and practice breathing techniques that promote a sense of steadiness and ease. With the aid of pranayama, yin and restorative yoga we will give ourselves the opportunity to turn inwards and reflect. The space we create will help to establish a stronger connection to our innermost knowing, enabling the practitioners to rest fully in the light of their own authenticity.

This workshop will help you connect to your inner light, stoking the internal fire of change while promoting an essence of support. Give yourself the gift of practice with intention. Join Kim in this very special mala practice and celebrate the bright light that shines within.

Lessons Learned

In my yoga class I often guide my students to create an intention for their practice, I ask them to consider how their yoga practice can serve them in the most fulfilling personal way and to shape their intention with that in mind.   Today, in class, I also asked to consider how we as individuals can serve our yoga practice.  Meaning, how can we as students and seekers bring to the world the beauty, insight, and understanding that comes with a committed practice.  

Over the past month I have had several situations put in front of me that challenged me as a woman, mother, sister, and friend.  I thought to write about the specific incidents but sat with the experiences and found that my opinions shifted and that I needed to spend more time considering what I had to learn from these "challenges."  I chose instead to take the time needed to feel, experience, and get some much needed perspective.

A brief glimpse at my opportunities to grow.  First, an overly aggressive basketball coach for five year olds, who encouraged his players to hit, kick, and punch my sons team.  Second, a yoga teacher who in class told me that she was the teacher and I MUST do things her way.  Third, a very complicated relationship in my family.  All of these instances challenged me, to be kind, to be honest, and to find a place of understanding and letting go.  The emotions I felt ranged from anger and frustration, to a very deep sadness and sense of helplessness.  Even now as I am writing my heart begins to get heavy.  There are things in this life that are completely out of my control.  I am starting to make peace with that, but in some situations, raw emotion overwhelms any sense of inner knowing and takes over.

My blood started boiling when I saw the way this grown man was coaching and the lessons he was teaching his team of young, ripe, minds. The yelling, getting in our coach's face, it was all ridiculous and getting out of control.  When the other team's coach tried to physically fistfight our coach(our coach had asked him to stop telling his players to punch and kick our team) my sweet, very sensitive son started crying.  IT WAS INTENSE.   As I comforted my son I began to shake, LITERALLY, my heart started pounding, I got really flipping angry.  I really could not believe what was happening at a five year old's basketball game.   I am not a violent person, but  I wanted to knock this guy out. My son felt threatened, and like a mama bear, I wanted to protect him.   I didn't,  I remained calm.  This was such an important lesson for me because I am sure this is just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to dealing with douchebag parents.  As a parent, what do you do?  Yell?  Fight?  No, the answer here is to do nothing.  The issue was resolved, the kids finished there game, and by snack time everyone was smiling.  I realized the only thing I can do is play an active role in the team that is my family and continue to instill moral ethics, teamwork, kindness, and gratitude in my children.

The Four Rules of Speech:  Is it kind?  Is it necessary?  Is it honest?  Does it improve upon the silence?

As the yoga teacher put her hands on me physically and starting to move my body forcefully into what she thought was right I was confounded and dumbstruck.  I asked "Shouldn't I be allowed to go at my own pace?"  To which she responded, "No, I am the teacher, you go at my pace."  I got up and left the class and will not be returning.  I have so many issues with this, as a teacher.  First, I practice and teach that your body and breath are the supreme guide to where you take your physical practice.  If it doesn't feel right, stop.  If you cannot maintain even breathing, stop.  As a yoga teacher I am a guide, not an enforcer.  This all-knowing attitude of the instructor can not only cause injury, but it can turn people away from yoga, and in my opinion yoga is for everyone.  Its like finding a comfortable pair of shoes, keep trying new classes and teachers on until something fits.  I spoke to the person in charge and let them know my feelings on the whole situation and planned for an entire week to go to the teacher directly and speak to her.  I sat with that, and changed my mind.  I realized that me speaking to her was more for me than it was for her.  My spewing my shpeil was to make myself feel better about the whole thing.  I learned from this that sometimes I want to do and say things to people because I want to get a reaction.  A reaction that will satisfy me, not necessarily help the overall relationship or situation.   AHA!!  I am working on being more mindful of my speech and actions.  I am taking more time to consider where these thoughts and actions come from.  Are they selfishly motivated?  Will they cause another person harm?  Will they help the situation at all?
 
  “And then I felt sad because I realized that once people are broken in certain ways, they can't ever be fixed, and this is something nobody ever tells you when you are young and it never fails to surprise you as you grow older as you see the people in your life break one by one." ― Douglas Coupland, Life After God

My toxic relationship.   This is the real heart breaker, my heart breaker, the cause of a dismantled heart, and family.  Its not only complicated, its impossible.   This is a relationship that has tried to work for most of my life and continues to fail.  This is a woman with so much potential but who hides in the shadows of her own darkness and creates more insanity with every decision she makes.  I am helpless.  I am torn. My family is broken.  I can do nothing.  I have been trying to handle the total sadness of it all the past few weeks and its just not getting any easier.  I find myself thinking well what if I had done this?  Or maybe I should've called more?  Or, maybe if I had tried harder then  things would be different.  But I know they wouldn't.  Profound sadness is new to me, I am a joyful person.  Helplessness is new to me, I am a fixer and a nurturer.  I can do nothing. I have to let go, and let God.  I have to focus on the positives in my life and pray, and pray, and pray, and pray.  And, keep praying.   This has taught me that control is an illusion.  You cannot control people and situations, you can only control how you react to them.  Bad things happen to good people all of the time. Find the lessons in the "bad", there's always some new sliver, or some old sliver of yourself that you can explore and decide what to do with.   You just have to wake up everyday and be thankful.  Pour yourself into life, find a purpose, and get involved.  Become an active role in how you choose to live.  I will be honest, I am telling myself this every day, but the sadness, the helplessness and the guilt, are still monsters lurking around, trying to scream and shout for attention.   They're my monsters right?  Well, shut the F@#K up monsters.  I know you are not real, I know you are full of shit.  Let go, let God.



How does my yoga/meditation practice serve me?  The time I have on my mat, is my time to just be.  Its me, my breath, my body, and my mantra.  I feel connected and this connection gives me strength, courage, and insight.   How can I serve my yoga practice?   I can give myself permission to let go of feelings and relationships that do not serve me.  I can love from a distance, having faith that from this pile of shit a flower may someday grow.  I can continue to pay attention and listen.  Good and bad are seemingly relative. Both create opportunities to learn and grow, some are just easier to see than others.  I can write.  I can get it out, without fear, hoping that someone somewhere can relate.  I can be inspired by the simple magic of being alive, by the magic of connection, to each other, to God, to the divine, to beauty, to joy.  Its this connection that holds me together, that holds all of us together, that continues to shine brighter than any darkness. 

 

 “This is an important lesson to remember when you're having a bad day, a bad month, or a shitty year. Things will change: you won't feel this way forever. And anyway, sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones your soul needs most. I believe you can't feel real joy unless you've felt heartache. You can't have a sense of victory unless you know what it means to fail. You can't know what it's like to feel holy until you know what it's like to feel really fucking evil. And you can't be birthed again until you've died.”
― Kelly Cutrone, If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You



 with love, k

     

Paleo Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Bisque with Sweet and Spicy Oven Roasted Walnuts

This recipe is delish.  I have made it without the sweet potatoes and it is a little creamier, but I think the nutritional benefits of the sweet potato are worth the very small difference in texture.  I read somewhere once that orange fruits and veggies are super good for you.  If you are interested in more info, google that shit. 

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Bisque

Ingredients-Soup
1 tbsp. coconut oil
One medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
One medium sized sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
One small onion or half of a medium onion, roughly chopped

1tsp. cinnamon
I tsp. nutmeg (fresh grated preferred, but powder is ok)
I tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground chipotle chili
1 tbsp. fresh black pepper
salt to taste (optional, I usually leave the salt out completely and let my "diners" season themselves)
*****if you like it spicy, add a tsp. of cayenne, I would do this but my kids wouldn't eat the soup, and they love the stuff with out it******

1 can coconut milk-  the light coconut milk tastes great but I have found that the regular kind just tastes better and you get a better consistency.
32 oz of chicken or veggie stock

To prepare
In a large stockpot add first four ingredients, saute over medium heat for about ten minutes.  Add the dry ingredients.  Turn the heat to medium low, saute until veggies are tender and cooked through.  When the veggies are completely cooked turn off the heat and get your blender ready.  Combine all of the ingredients in your blender and blend adding the entire can of coconut milk until smooth and silky.  While you are blending place your empty stockpot back on a medium heat.  Add about a quarter cup of stock and bring to a boil.  Scrape the bottom of the pan and get all of that goodness that was cooked out of the veggies.  When the bottom of the pan is clean, add the mixture to the blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour entire blender full of soup in to stockpot (the same pot you have been using), turn the heat to medium low.  Add your stock in small doses until you reach your desired consistency.  Heat through.  

Ingredients-Sweet and Spicy Oven Roasted Walnuts
1 cup walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cayenne **I leave the topping off of my kids soup****
1 tbsp. brown sugar ***technically not Paleo, but I am back to 90/10 and its worth it for the flavor***
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Crumble walnuts into a small bowl, I like the lack of uniform-ness.  If you crave more order in your soup, roughly chop your nuts :)  Combine nuts with the rest of ingredients, spread in a fine layer on a an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.  Roast for five to ten minutes. 

Serve soup hot with a generous palmful of nuts. (I was just re-reading this and realized the hilarity of this last instruction.  I am leaving it, too funny to not.)   This soup is amaz-balls. (Oh my goodness, my re-read is cracking me up.  This is ridiculous.)  All joking aside, this soup is so good, and so good for you.   Enjoy!! 

Enough's as Good As A Feast Part 1

"Enough's As Good As A Feast",  Mary Poppins

This sentiment hits home for me on so many levels. 

First as a mother.  The holidays are approaching.  There is a constant bombardment by society and the media that we need more.  In my home there is a constant dialogue between my son and I about what he wants and NEEDS desperately.  This dialogue isn't reserved for just this time of year, its everyday.  This car, that toy, a new game, it seems that with every new commercial or story coming home from school there is a new request for something to be purchased.  How do I as a mother relay to my son that he doesn't need everything he wants.  This is a very hard moral to instill in a five year old.

A very common thread that is discussed between my son and I is his desire to live in a new home.  This is especially hard for me because when life gets me down in the dumps, this is what I crave most.   In fact, most arguments that occur with my fiancee revolve around this "problem" and my son has probably learned to identify with this issue because of me.  If that's not a slap in the face as a parent I don't know what is.  I focus on the fact that we live in a two bedroom condo without a yard, and I desperately desire more.  More space, space in my kitchen, in my closet, another room or two, or three, a yard, I just want more.  My attention goes immediatley to what I feel we are lacking, instead of on the simple blessings we have.

 "Comparison is the thief of joy." Theodore Roosevelt. 

I get into the game of comparing.  What an evil game to play with yourself.  Someone will always have more, be doing more, be achieving more if that's how you allow yourself to think.  If you get sucked into that mindset, you will continue into a downward spiral of self pity and despair.    Believe me, I have done it, I do it.  Its just ridiculous, I have a home, my fiancee and I both drive nice cars, our son goes to an excellent school, we have enough, we have everything we need.    Remembering this is a very big challenge for me.  I still get sucked in, and let my mind go a little nutso. 

 "We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like."  David Ramsey

So what do I do?  I shift my perspective.  My Pop in New York told me a story once.  When he was a boy living on the farm, he would get an orange and a piece of maple candy for Christmas, and he was ecstatic.  That's it, THAT'S IT.    Currently in our country, hundreds of thousands of people are without the basic necessities for survival due to Hurricane Sandy.  They are not worried about how grand their Christmas will be, they are not sad because their homes aren't big enough, or that they don't have the new pair of Uggs they want for this winter.  They are just trying to feed, clothe, and keep their families warm.

How much is enough?  If we are contantly looking outside of our selves for satisfaction, will we ever be truly satisfied?  Abundance is a state of mind.  It is not measured by the size of your home, the quality of your wardrobe, or the type of car you drive.  The so called gifts we purchase  to satisfy our children and ourselves are made of shoddy material, and usually break or are outgrown in a year. Styles are always changing, and there will always be something  "newer" and "better".
When it comes to this holiday season  I am taking a minimalist approach, with my children and with myself.  In the past I have always tried to make the holidays big and grand with the purchase of a ton of gifts.  I am choosing instead to make this year about the experience, not the gifts.  It is time to start instilling a sense of value and appreciation in my family.

"Be thankful for what you have, and you will end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don't have you will never, ever have enough."  Oprah

 Writing for me is a lot about processing, not only sharing what's going on in my life but reminding myself to stay present. My advice to myself?  Focus on what you have Kim. Here is where gratitude comes in.  Practicing gratitude on the daily will really shift the way you live your life.  The best gifts we can give and receive do not have a price tag.  Our time, our love and our affection will always outlast the newest video game or doll.    I do have a lovely home, small, yes.  Cluttered, yes.  Full of love, yes.  Full of laughter, yes. We have more than enough and are never in need.
 

 Every morning my son crawls into bed with his sister and I and we snuggle and giggle and talk about our previous night's dreams and what we want our day to be like.  These moments are the irreplaceable treasures.  We are so close.  We are so blessed.  We are blessed with our home, our health, our daddy who works his ass off to provide so I can stay home with the kids.  We are blessed with joy and love.  These are the messages I want my children to hear.  These are the messages I need to remind myself of.   God has put my family in this small home for a reason. I believe that it is to remind us every day that our family is the most special  "THING"  that we really need.  We have each other and that's enough, and enough's as good as a feast.

with love, k

Welcome To My Crazy House, admission is your sanity, please pay in advance.

Being a mom is tough work.  Let's think about it.  As a parent you are in charge of creating a PERSON.  One day this person will be in relationships, will have an impact on his world around him, and have the ability to affect another person's life. Every action, every word, every gesture is shaping who this little person will eventually become.

I am a stay at home mom of two wonderful children.  My son is sensitive, funny, and very energetic.  My daughter is stubborn, wild, and a little diva in training.  They are a constant source of inspiration and joy.  Being a mother has completely changed my life. 

As fun as it is, there are still days when I feel like I have been taking crazy pills.  Picture this, we are running late because I snoozed the alarm one too many times, I do not sleep. My daughter cosleeps and is teething.  Currently this means she sleeps with my nipple in her mouth all night long, usually draped across my body in some strange contortion that is comfortable to only her.  Running late....Lawson refuses to eat breakfast, he wants a "SNACK BREAKFAST ONLY MOM!!!"  Naya is running around naked, as I try to get L ready for school and fed.  I hear an uh-oh from Lawson and look to see, Oh No!!  The baby pooped on the floor!!  Right on the carpet. I knew I should've put the diaper on her first!!  Then I hear a scream, Lawson in pain!!  What did you do son?  I put these eyedrops in my eye mom and it hurts!!  Those aren't eye drops, that's razor oil!! Do I leave the poo in lieu of the eye?  Yes, of course.  Fix the eye debacle. Clean up the poo. Get kids dressed and fed. Get out the door.  Then yoga, aaaahhhh bliss, oooooommmmm.   This is reality. Welcome to my crazy house, admission is your sanity, please pay in advance.  Some days I do not talk to another adult all day and begin to worry that my communication skills as a grown up may never be used again.  I know this is dramatic but it's very true. 

Being a stay at home mom is a very interesting job. It's a job that doesn't often get much recognition, and sometimes feels like nothing is really happening, although the days are non stop.  When the kids are asleep at night and the first moments of stillness enter my house, I cannot pinpoint one specific thing that I accomplished that day, I just know it was busy and I am tired.   All of my days are jam packed with running around.  We have to get to basketball practice, piano lessons, doctor's appointments, and play at the park.  Meals have to be prepared, laundry has to be washed, the house has to be cleaned.   It's a never ending cycle of to dos.   All of this while being the most kind, loving, parent I can be and instilling a sense of adventure and joy in everything that we do.  As a SAHM I am constantly expelling energy to ensure that my children have the best chance at a happy and healthy life.  Its nonstop. 

As a mom, my number one rule is to never let my kids see me get angry or upset.  Most of the time this is easy for me.  My yoga practice has taught me a lot about patience, and most importantly how to connect to my breath.  When I get upset, I breath, and take a mommy time-out.  I try to change my perspective and see what this issue may look like to a five year old.  Usually this shift works.  But SOMETIMES, yes sometimes, that doesn't work.  How many times can I politely ask my son to stop yelling(he's very loud), or to stop swinging his sword around(I am fearful he may behead his sister) before I lose it?  Five?  Ten?  One hundred?  This is where the challenges of motherhood become deeply personal.  In these instances of losing my cool, it's not about how my kids are behaving, its about how I AM BEHAVING.  I am the adult, I am the parent.  I have to maintain my self control, while relinquishing some control of the situation.  If my kids are acting like looney tunes inside, screaming, yelling and running around like maniacs, it probably means they are bored and have to get outside.  Or another option, they need attention.  They just want to play with their mom.  This is another huge control issue for me because sometimes I forget that my kids don't care if the kitchen floor is swept or if the laundry is done.  They certainly don't give a crap about me checking emails or writing.  They just want to snuggle and have fun.  So, I put that stuff aside. I let the laundry pile up, my floors sometimes look atrocious, and my blog goes unattended.  I like to think that my messy home is a badge of honor, that I proudly display for putting my kids first.

I have a few key parenting tips that I want to put out there. Don't let your kids see you get upset.  Nine times out of ten it's your issue, not  theirs.  Change the scenery, change your attitude, change your tone.  Which leads me to tip number two, how you speak to your children now becomes how they speak to themselves in the future.  Be kind, be loving, be patient, BE CALM.  Tip number three, Get down on your kids level.  Literally, get on the floor, play with them, run around, laugh, snuggle, say yes when they ask you to help them build a fort or paint a picture.   Even if your tired, even if your having a bad day, its not about you, its about them.  Tip number four, pick your battles.  I let my kids splash in the tub.  It's fun for them and super easy to clean up.  Why not?  If its not hurting anyone, and its fun, let your kids enjoy themselves.  They only get to be young for a very finite amount of time.  Let them be children.  Lastly, I encourage you as a parent to find something that is just for you.  Something that fuels your internal fire and that gives you some time to yourself.  For me its yoga.  But it could be anything, running, hiking, writing, dancing, someTHING.  I recommend something physical because movement shifts energy in the body and also increases endorphins (happy vibes) in the body.  Just find something for yourself.  Dedicate twenty minutes a day or an hour a week to yourself, heck, dedicate five minutes if that's all you have.  Just do it.  When we take care of and nurture ourselves we encourage our best selves to be present.  By taking time out for you, you will improve the quality of all of your relationships.  You are worth it, you deserve the best you, your family deserves the best you. 

If you do slip up and have a moment you are not proud of, give yourself a break and let it go.  Apologize and move on. Lead by example, this will show your kids that everyone makes mistakes and its ok.  It's tough work being on all the time, and no ones perfect.  Just do the best you can and remember that you are everything to that little person, they will forgive you with a hug, a smooch, and a smile.

My crazy family.  I flipping love them.  My kids have opened my eyes to a whole new level of love that I never knew was possible.  They are constantly testing their boundaries and in doing so I am forced to test mine. For every one instance of pure insanity or of feeling overwhelmed, there are a hundred smiles, giggles, hugs, and subtle moments of sweet connection.   Its an adventure, its a riot, its my life and I am so blessed.

with love, k 

Paleo Chicken Soup Cure-All

Whelp, it's that time of year.  Runny noses, sore throats, congestion, and belly aches abound.  The change in seasons and the continuously dropping temps have brought the onslaught of cold and flu season.  My family has already survived its first and hopefully last fight with the Cold and  Flu.  Most colds are caused by viruses which cannot be treated with antibiotics.  You just have to let them "run their course".  In lieu of this accurate, but not very helpful medical advice I suggest making homemade chicken soup for your family.

There's nothing more nurturing then a nice hot bowl of fresh chicken soup.  I love the feel of the warmth of the bowl in my hands, the steam saturated with yummy healing smells as I breathe it in and out,the super delicious taste, and the nostalgia. It just makes you feel GOOD.  Chicken soup reminds me of being  a kid.  When I was feeling yucky either my mom or  Na-Na would take the time to make this soup for me. The memory of my mom and grandma comforting me when I was sick  begins to heal me immediately, on some level.  There's definitely something to be said for putting time, effort, and love in to the food you prepare for your family. 

I am an at home chef, and don't usually follow any recipes, I put it all together and everything usually tastes ridiculously good.  I attribute this to genetics, and having a family full of outrageously good cooks.    So, my recipes are always a guideline.  Follow it, but if you don't like an ingredient, leave it out or add something if your belly is requesting it. 


To make really kick-ass chicken soup ( no noodles here) you MUST make a homemade stock, or broth.  It is time consuming work but not very labor intensive.  From there you begin to make your healing potion.

Kim's Chicken Soup Cure-All

serves 10-12 (I always make extra soup, everybody loves it, I give it to my neighbors, my mom, it always seems to get eaten)

INGREDIENTS-STOCK (broth)
4 medium carrots (roughly  chopped)
1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
3 stalks of celery (roughly chopped)
1parsnip (roughly chopped)
1 bay leaf
4-5 peppercorns
4-5 twigs of thyme
1 handful of parsley
1 whole chicken approx. 4-5 lbs with bones, remove innards, save the neck
1-2 gallons of water
salt(optional)

In a large pot combine carrots, onion, celery and parsnip.  Sautee over medium heat for about five minutes.  Add the chicken and the neck.  Cover with water.  There should be enough water to completely cover all of the ingredients and then some.  Add bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil.  Allow the stock to maitain a rolling boil for twenty minutes, then turn the heat down to low for about two hours.  Occasionally skim the scum from the top of your broth using a spoon.  This will look like a fatty layer on the top of the broth, close to the edge of the pan.

After two hours drain your stock.  It should have reduced by about an inch or two.  You may have to do this in batches.  Save your chicken, but  throw away the rest of the ingredients.  Pour stock back in to large pot.  It's time to start the soup!!

INGREDIENTS-SOUP!
1 small bag baby carrots
1 large rutabega (peeled and cubed)
3 stalks celery (1 inch chop)
1 parsnip (peeled and chopped)
1 generous palmful of fresh thyme (off the twig)
1 bayleaf
2 peppercorns
2-3lbs of chicken
fresh stock

Let's get started. While my stock is cooking, I usually prep my veggies for the soup.  You can use a vegetable peeler for your rutabega and parsnip.  The rutabega is very dense and difficult to chop.  Just show it who's boss and get the job done.  Your knife skills don't have to be perfect here.  I try to get everything around the size it would take to create a perfect spoonful of soup everytime with everything included.  The perfect bite.

Add all of your veggies and herbs to the stock.  Bring to a rolling boil for 20 minutes.  While the veggies are cooking it's time to tackle the bird.  This is a messy job, but hey, that chicken's not gonna clean itself, right?  Place the chicken on a cutting board.  Cut it in half directly down the middle, this makes handling the bird easier.  First remove the breast, then the legs and thighs.  Be sure to clean all skin or sinewy parts of the bird from the meat.  Gently pull the meat apart and set aside.

After twenty minutes at a rolling boil, reduce heat to simmer, add chicken.  Simmer for twenty minutes.  Serve hot with some fresh parsley and enjoy!  This soup is sure to kick that cold or flu right in the arse!!

Chicken soup is just one remedy that I use at home to stay healthy and fight off sickness.  When I get sick I always up my Vitamin C intake, from the daily 1000 mg, to 4000 mg.  I also use a vaporizer at night all winter long.  I think this extra moisture helps keep my lungs and sinuses in check.  My grandma and mom used to put a cool cloth on my head, and give me a ginger-ale to sip on and to this day, both of these very attainable at home remedies make me feel better when ill. Lastly, rest.  You must rest to heal.  Give your body the time it needs to fight off whatever is ailing you. 

Enjoy the soup, be well, stay healthy!!

with love, k

The Challenge is the POINT

The past four weeks have been trying for me physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Detoxing from coffee, sugar, and eventually nicotine all really turned me into a crazy lady.  You think that what you are doing is just physical, but you can really begin to learn just how deeply these dependencies are imbedded into your WHOLE self, when you let them go.  Not only was I physically detoxing, but there was a ton of emotional (for lack of a better word) CRAP coming out as well.  Fits of anger, irrationality,(Kimmy-Kra-Kra)  and sadness, (I'm talking the UGLY cries here people).  Accompany this with the universe  presenting me with opportunities to grow (read, really super shitty things happening), I am surprised and amazed at my own fortitude. For example, my car broke down after a beautiful morning hike and I was stranded at the bottom of the mountain with my one year old for two hours as it started to heat up to 95 degrees in AZ, I got into a whopper of a fight with my sister, and came down with the worst case of food poisoning I tihnk any person has ever had on the face of the planet , EVER.  All of this while trying to be supermom, and superwife, and practice, AND not cheat on my challenge.  Sounds impossibe, but, I did it.  

 Why?  Why did I do this challenge? .  First of all, because I wanted to see if I could.  I wanted to see if I was strong enough to resist temptation to achieve a goal I had set  for myself.  I WAS srong enough, I AM strong enough, I did it, and am continuing til its done.

I also wanted to see how differently I would feel if I cut coffee, alcohol, grains, and sugar from my diet.  ( A reminder here, I was allready almost completely Paleo, no grains, ever, except at cheat meals.)  Truth be told, I felt pretty crappy at first.  But now that its been almost four weeks for coffee, sugar, and alcohol, and two for nicotine, I am feeling more energized, alert, and focused. The quality of my sleep has improved, allowing me to get a better night's rest.  This makes me a much happier and productive person everyday.  My skin got pretty icky the first two weeks, but has cleared up and feels great now.  My hair is thicker and has more body.   I have lost about six pounds and my body is leaner and stronger.  

Also, I wanted to see what I could learn from this experience.  Which of my vices has the strongest hold, what do I miss the most and why?  The obvious and very easy answer to this question is alcohol.  I used to be a "party girl" and drink quite a bit, all of the time.  Now I am almost 31, a mom, and committed to living the most fulfilling life possble.  My life doesn't have the time or space in it for wild nights out or the shitty hangovers that come the next day.   But I do enjoy a glass of wine after the kids have gone to sleep, or sangria with my lova on his night off, or drinks with the girls from time to time.   Because of this challenge, I have really let go of the some of the stories I was telling myself about alcohol and the role it played in my ability to have fun and unwind.  Its just not necessary.  Also, drinking has always been a huge bitchslap to the face of my quest to be cigarette free.  I used to say I would only smoke when I drank, and then go get a bottle of wine just so I could smoke.  Ridiculous!!    My perspective has totally shifted.  I know if I have more than two glasses of wine, I will smoke.  Being a non-smoker is so much more important than catching an alcohol buzz to me.  So, I have to be very moderate and careful in the future, around alcohol.  One or two drink limit, that's what I've got.  Lesson learned.

I wanted to see if this challenge would change my diet for good and how?  To begin, my salads are getting a makeover, they will be lightly dressed, no more salad soup.
I am giving up dairy on the daily.  When I go back to 90/10 I may include dairy in a cheat meal if I am really aching for something cheesy or creamy.
Also, I will not be drinking coffee daily.  I am going have a one cup a week standard for myself.  I really flipping love coffee, and think it is worth the crazy caffeine buzz to enjoy a delicious brew once a week.

Last but certainly not least, I am officially a non-smoker!!  Cigarettes are my bitch!!  They used to own me.  Now I have no room for them in my life. Goodbye, cravings.  Adios, stinkiness.  Au revoir, feelings of shame and guilt.  Hello, money being saved!!  Ola, leading by example for my children!  Bonjour, walking the freakin walk!!  Two weeks and counting!! 

A friend of mine asked me this weekend, "But what's the point of doing this challenge?  Isn't it supposed to change something about your life, or do you just go back to the old ways when you're done?" This challenge enabled me to shed some pretty  unhealthy habits and also create some positive new ways of existing, which in my opinion is bad ass.  The Challenge is stepping outside of your comfort zone into unfamiliar territory.  The Challenge is making a promise to yourself and loving yourself enough to remain honest and consistent with that promise.  The Challenge is choosing to do something you've never done before, and never thought you could do before.  Why?  Why not?   THE CHALLENGE IS THE POINT.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "  Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Don't Be Lazy With Your Happiness

I like to say to my students, " You have all ready completed the perfect practice just by showing up, just by walking through those doors, your practice is complete.  The rest is just about letting go and settling in."    That's really half the battle right?  Showing up?  But just imagine what your life would be like if you chose to "show up"  for yourself, everyday in a positive and meaningful way.  Leave the self-doubt at home.  Forget your fear.  Allow yourself to be accepting and forgiving instead of feeling ashamed or guilty.  Replace expectation and control with interest and curiosity.

For me, the most important part of choosing to show up is maintaining a steady yoga practice. Here are some of the reasons I love yoga.

The physical, or asana practice of yoga, moves energy in the body.  When negative things happen in our life, that negative energy builds up in the body.  It may manifest itself physically, such as chronic low back pain, tightness in the neck, or insomnia  This negative energy may manifest itself emotionally, such as irritability, paranoia, fear, anger, or depression. When you practice yoga, you are giving yourself the opportunity to release these shadows that are hiding in your physical, mental, and emotional body.  This movement accompanied by breath creates a literal shift in the body.

Beginning in May of  2012, I  added meditation to my practice.    The style of meditation that works for me is called jappa. Jappa involves the repetition of mantra using a mala of 108 beads.   A mantra can be compared to a prayer, but it can be as simple as one word, for example, peace, or compassion.  Meditation with mantra helps us to release and break through our samskaras.  Samskaras are conscious or subconscious patterns or habits that we are holding onto. I love B.K.S. Iyengar's defintion, "mental impressions of the past".   By meditating  using mantra I am cleaning out my psyche, and am working through stuff that I may not even be able to define with words.  We all carry this baggage around, its shadows and cobwebs clinging to the deepest recesses of ourselves.  This junk skulks and hides out, affecting our choices, our relationships, and the quality of our lives.  Meditating with mantra is one way to process and let go of this rubbish.  Since I began meditating, I can truly say my life is much richer.  I also believe that my meditation practice has helped me to reconnect to my voice, giving me the courage to write, and put myself out there.

In essence, the asana practice allows us to create space and connect in our bodies, the meditation practice allows us to create space and connect to the essence of our true potential.  Either moving connected to breath in asana, or sitting still connected to mantra in meditation,  a gentle unfolding begins to take place and at the center of that unfolding is a supreme connection to spirit and awareness.

Yoga is about choosing to know yourself in the most intimate and personal way you can.  Yoga is about choosing to be present, even when things get ugly, ESPECIALLY when things get ugly.  When you really allow yourself to become immersed in this practice, you can't just skip over the unpleasantries of life.  You begin to ask yourself, why am I reacting this way?  What's the real issue here?  How does this serve me positively?  You have to allow yourself to completely unravel, to willingly go into the darkest parts of yourself, and stay there, and then be okay with letting go of the parts that don't serve you.   When you begin to let go, you create space.  This new space is yours for the taking.  No past experiences, behaviors, or habits, fill it up.  It can be filled with what you choose, compassion, kindness, gratitude, LIGHT.

When I step on my mat, and connect to my breath I instantly feel calmer and more at peace.  I feel like I am coming home, to myself, back to a place of simplicity, steadiness, and ease.  Every movement, every breath, represents and re-establishes the supreme connection.  My practice helps me to remember and to reconnect to the intrinsic essence of grace and knowing that exists in me and in all of us.   This daily reconnection creates more balance, stability, and joy in my life.

What does it mean to show up?  Well, I guess the specifics are different for the individual, but I think the general message is the same.  Spend time doing things that serve you positively and increase the quality of your life.  DO THE WORK.  Happiness takes effort and commitment.  Happiness takes a certain kind of discipline even.  It is not owed to us, it is not guaranteed.  It is a blessing and a gift that we need to individually and collectively strive for every day with every breath.  Don't be lazy with your happiness.  Take five minutes a day to do something you love, or to simply sit with your breath.  Create opportunities to dance, sing, move, laugh, hug and kiss.  Be present.  CHOOSE to be fully engaged in your life, choose to show up, whatever that means to you.

with love, k

My Love Affair with Cigarettes

 In the essence of honesty I will say that I am addicted to cigarettes.  I have been feeling kind of stuck mentally, and un-inspired to blog because of this addiction.  I am a super healthy woman, I do yoga, meditate, and eat like a cave-woman (paleo).  There's just this one tiny thing, a habit, if you will, that I can't seem to shake.  I smoke.  As I was thinking about this blog, and what I am putting out there as a general message, I can't help but feel like a liar and a hypocrite every time I light up.

Since I started my challenge (which I am owning!!!)  I have definitely cut back on my smoking, but still sneak in one here and there.  I actually quit for the entire first week of the challenge, then like a dummy had a cigarette last Monday and now am back to the disgusting, super unhealthy habit of smoking. 

I used to love smoking.  The entire act, lighting up, inhaling, exhaling, the five minute break from whatever insanity I was taking a break from.  Now, I don't even enjoy it.  I think to my self every day, I am not going to smoke today.  Then after I have a cigarette, there is a whole internal monologue about smoking.  "That was disgusting, and pointless.  How did smoking that cigarette positively affect my life?  I smell disgusting.  What a waste of my life." etc. etc.  So I know, I really want to stop.

I do not want to set an example for my children that smoking is acceptable.  I want my "oms" to be long, sweet, and satiating.  I want to have nice skin in twenty years.  Heck, I want to be healthy in twenty years.  I have survived cancer once, what kind of game am I playing with God, and with my life.

  I have never talked about smoking on here before because I was ashamed and disgusted with myself for having this addiction.  How can I be the PaleoYogaMom, while taking the occasional cigarette break.  It all seems very counter-intuitive.  I mean, if you're gonna talk the talk, you better walk the walk.  We all have our vices, and I am truly ready to let this one go. I quit drinking coffee.  I quit blue cheese dressing and cheese danish!!  I gave birth to two babies!!!  I can QUIT SMOKING!!! (This is my pep-talk to self)

Writing my blog about the Paleo challenge motivated me to quit wine, coffee, sugar, and dairy(I was allready following the other guidelines to Paleo very strictly).  So I am now applying the same will power and fortitude towards being cigarette free that I have with the Paleo challenge. 

 Life is about growth.  Life is about choice.  It is about learning to choose between what adds to joy in our lives, and what takes away from joy in our lives. If something in your life isn't feeding your light, it is TAKING away from that light.  Either our actions, habits and relationships encourage us to be bright, shining beings or they encourage us to exist in the darkness, the grey, murky areas, of disconnect, and malcontent.  From now on, when I light up, it will be an inner spark.  I choose health.  I choose my family.  I choose honesty.  I choose joy.

No One Said It Would Be Easy

Being Paleo definitely has its challenges.  Temptation is everywhere.  My fiancee owns four gelato shops and an Italian wood fired pizzeria.  I have a never ending supply a free gelato and pizza available at all times!!!! Sometimes he comes home and actually smells like a waffle cone, a sweet, intoxicating waffle cone.  I know all about temptation.  So I thought I would outline a few tips and guidelines to give yourself a chance at being successful with the Paleo diet.

First,  change your attitude towards food.  Food is fuel. Eating Paleo is like giving your body the highest grade fuel available.   Our bodies are our vehicles in which to get through life.  It is very easy to look at food as a comfort bringer or stress-reliever. Food is meant to nourish and support our bodies so that we may have the most fulfilling and longest lives possible.  Also, there will be a lot of people out there that say "Go Ahead, EAT the BREAD, life is too short."  I agree life is too short.  Give yourself a cheat meal, or even a cheat day.  But learn not to indulge everyday.  The basis of the science behind Paleo is disease prevention.  We eat for health not indulgence.  I love Kettle One martinis with blue- cheese stuffed olives and I love cheese danish.   I do not drink or eat them everyday, I actually never enjoy these two things anymore.  Kettle turns me into drunky-mcdrunkerton, and cheese danish makes me feel like I can't get off the couch.  I know how they affect my body,  and how they affect my ability to function as a parent for my children now and in the future. A friend of mine gave me some great advice.  She said, "Don't think about what your health will be like in a week or a month, but think about what it will be like five years from now, ten years, twenty.'  Life is short, give yourself the best chance possible to have the happiest, healthiest time here.   Life is also VERY sweet, life is the reward.  Try enjoying the sweetness that comes from BEING, actual sweetness that fills your heart with joy and love.  Sweetness that comes from family, friends, and nature, not foods that only gratify momentarily.

Next, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO SUCCEED!!    You have to clean out your cupboards and fridge. You have to get rid of any grains, dairy, sugar-based snacks and if you are really serious about your HEALTH, look on the labels of your food.  If it has high fructose corn syrup it has to go.  You will be surprised!! On regular Smuckers jelly the second ingredient is high fructose corn syrup.  They make an Orchards finest that has no HFCS.  If you have kids this may seem difficult, and you're right it is.  My son begs me for cereal every time we are at the store, but I just say no.  Sugary, grains as your first meal of the day?  I don't think so.  I let Lawson (my son) have some cheese sticks in the fridge and goldfish in the cabinet very rarely.  When we go out to eat he orders a peanut butter and jelly on "real bread"  and its like dessert to him. My big cheat is probably wine.  So for this 30 day challenge, my home is wine free.  You just have to adjust, and it takes time. The point being, you will not succeed if these temptations are surrounding you at home.

PREPARE!!  First, always have some Paleo snacks with you.  I carry almonds and walnuts with dried cranberries in my car ALL THE TIME.  If I am leaving my house, I ALWAYS grab my water and a piece of fruit.  Make sure to have snacks handy.  If you are starving it is much harder to resist the quick fix, a sandwich or granola bar, a doughnut, or smoothie packed full of yogurt and  sugar.
Second, try planning out your meals for the week.  Also, make a large mixed greens salad packed with veggies at the beginning of the week then portion it out for your lunch.  Mix it up by adding strawberries, apples, pear, nuts, seeds, avacado, I have even put cooked sweet potatoes in my salads!!

IN THE KITCHEN:
Instead of butter, use coconut oil.  It's super healthy, butter is not.
Get a meat thermometer.  Its the easiest, safest way to prepare your MEAT.
Stock up on raw nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, and proteins.
Plan your dinner:  ONE protein, TWO vegetables
Buy juice that is not from concentrate.
Instead of Soy sauce, use BRAGGS liquid amino acids.  It has the same flavor, but is soy and gluten-free.
Skip the salt.  Just skip it.

It is up to you, and me.  We choose the foods we eat.  We choose the quality of our health by our attention to diet and exercise. Choose mindfully. 

 The body is your temple.  Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.  ~B.K.S. Iyengar, Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health

From Paleo-NO to Gung-Ho Paleo

First, a disclaimer.....I am not a doctor, scientist, nutritionist, or medical expert on any subject, at all.  This blog is about my interpretation of the PALEO diet and my personal experiences with eating PALEO.   Also, when I use the term diet, it is referring to the way I eat and what I choose to eat, not calorie counting.

Second, another disclaimer.....There seems to be this popularity contest with different approaches to diet.  My way is better than yours, my way is the only way, how dare you eat THAT?!!!!?? We've got vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, raw foodists, Paleo people, lo-carb, no-carb, all-carb...whatever.  It's exhausting.  The bottom line is most ways to approach food and diet all have one common denominator, health.  Anyone following a diet or methodology to approach food is looking for a healthy way to eat that works best for them.  Almost all of these diets promote local, fresh, and organic, when possible.  So I say, PALEO is what works for me, I have tried other diets and over time have learned from trial and error with my body, that this is it for me.  Once again, my way is not better, or the best for everyone, it is just what works best for me.

The Paleo diet refers to eating like the cavemen did.  It is also called the hunter and gatherer diet.  Basically, if you couldn't find it in nature, you didn't eat it. Proteins, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and berries compromise the Paleo diet.  Sorry folks, but when you say yes to Paleo, you say no to carbs, wheat, dairy, and refined sugar.   It is comparable to the Science Diet, which is a diet that focuses on eating for your health to prevent disease.

Personally, I love the idea of food as medicine.  What an empowering idea, that we as consumers and as highly intellligent, functioning creatures, can choose to purchase and prepare food that nourishes us and helps to prevent disease in our bodies.  I say, take more control of your diet, be as mindful of the foods you eat everyday as you are of the clothes you choose to wear everyday. FOOD IS MEDICINE!!  The Paleo diet is an anti-inflammation diet.  Inflammation causes about 90% of all disease. Inflammation causes cancer, rhuematoid arthritis, MS, heart diease, and diabetes to name a few.  The basis of Paleo is that certain types of food (grains, refined sugars, and dairy) cause inflammation in the body, leading to illness, and a general poor quality of health.

A reminder of disclaimer #1, this is my interpretation.  If you are really interested in learning the super nerdy science stuff, check out The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf, or The New Evolution Diet, by Arthur Devany, PHD.  I have read both of these books, and learned a lot.  Robb Wolf's website also has a ton of great articles on Paleo.

I first heard about the Paleo diet about two years ago, but was hesitant to try it, I thought " But I REALLY LOVE bread, and Entemanns cheese danish, and chips and dip, and cupcakes, and doughnuts, and..." well, you get it right?  My fiancee would joke with me that I was the "PALEO-NO lady".  Shortly after being introduced to Paleo I became pregnant with my daughter.  I have always been a healthy eater.  I love food and I love to cook.  My pregnancies for me are kind of  a free for all.  Pregnant Kim still eats a salad a day, lots of protein, but she also indulges.  Candy bars, soda, cupcakes, chips and dip,  when I am pregnant I do not have the self restraint that I usually have.  However, because of my general approach to health and fitness, even my indulging is minimal compared to most.  Anyways, with both of  my pregnancies my peak weight was 175, I gained on average 53 lbs.  I like most women, get HUGE when growing a baby.

 My second pregnancy I was 29 years old.  I dreaded the idea of my soon to be 30 year old body recovering from having another baby. For those of you who don't know, pregnancy does very weird things to the female body, I will put these two words out there, GOOPY and LOOSE.  Use your imagination people.  I lost the first 30 lbs pretty quickly but was plateauing.  When my daughter was about three months old I decided to kick my health into high gear, and get my ass back in shape.   I decided to do a Paleo challenge and go very strict Paleo for 30 days.  I got down to my pre-baby weight after the 30 day challenge.

Currently, I am about a 90/10 Paleo person.  I have a little cream in my coffee or some blue cheese crumbles on my salad here and there. I steer clear of grains, dairy, and sugar.   I also do not eat beans, rice, corn, and some other legumes.  My diet includes a lot of protein, veggies, nuts, and fruits.  Once you start to play with Paleo the simplest things feel very indulgent.  For instance, I allow my self to put cheese in my eggs once a week.  To me, those are the best damn eggs I have ever tasted!!  I have become very adept at making delicious Paleo food and will be sharing recipes and tips through this blog.

One of the main reasons I love the Paleo diet is that you eat when you are hungry.  There is no starving yourself.  Some days I am like a ravenous beast eating and snacking all day.  Its awesome.  Other days, three meals a day are enough for me.  The point is to eat to feel satisfied.  The focus is more on what you are eating opposed to how much you are eating.

Another reason I love Paleo is the encouragement to eat good fats.  There is a common misconception that all fatty foods are bad for you.  Our bodies need fat.  Paleo encourages you to eat what are known as good fats, avocado, fish oil, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil to name a few.   

 The biggest indicator for me as to why Paleo works for me is how I feel if I cheat.  When I eat a lot of bread, or indulge in sweets I feel like garbage.  I get lazy and unmotivated. This leads me to sometimes,  skipping a day of  practice, which throws me off balance.  (Off-balance is a very polite way to say I turn into a crazy lady, looney tunes, irrational, and less joyful.)  When I revert back to crazy Kim I crave foods that bring me comfort, not nutrition.  It can become an endless cycle.  Awareness is key in health.  I am aware of the way certain foods affect my mood and body, so I choose to stay away from them.

  Currently I am in the best shape I have ever been in.  In addition to eating Paleo, I practice yoga and meditate six days a week.  I believe the combination of yoga, meditation, and eating Paleo have all contributed to my new body and my overall quality of life. There are varying degrees of Paleo-ness and if you are intrigued by this, I encourage you to research the diet and the science behind it. I have gone from Paleo-NO to Gung-Ho Paleo, in less than a year. 

In an effort to be as honest as I can about Paleo, I am starting a 30 day Paleo Challenge tomorrow.  If you are curious I invite you to try it out and see what happens.  I will be following up on my progress and invite an open forum on my facebook page.  Below is a link with some guidelines to the challenge!!  Let's do this!!
 http://www.paleoplan.com/2012/01-09/paleo-plans-1st-annual-30-day-paleo-challenge-starts-now/

Facing Your Fear

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."  Eleanor Roosevelt

Let's be real, let's talk about fear, or more specifically my fear.  I have wanted to start a blog for a very long time.  The reason I have not has been an overall sense of fear about speaking my voice.  I have been afraid that I would be judged, criticized, and/or laughed at.  I still have some of these feelings but at this place in my life, I am willing to risk it. Also, I no longer put much value in what any naysayers may have to say.
This week I themed a yoga class around gratitude.  The beginning of September is always an interesting time for me.  In September of 1997 I was in a terrible car accident.  In September of 2002 I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma.  I went out on a limb with my teaching and shared my story with my students, coming back to the essence of gratitude for all that we CAN do, for all of the hidden blessings that surround us in our day to day.  All of the events of our lives have meaning and lead us to where we are right here, right now, today.
Truth, fifteen years ago I was in critical condition from a liver laceration, my face was all mashed up from a windshield, and my self-esteem was pretty much obliterated.  Truth, ten years ago I was undergoing chemotherapy, losing my hair, and just trying to make some sense of the beast that is cancer, and why it was happening to my family and myself.  Truth, currently I am living a very blessed life.  I am a yoga teacher.  My yoga practice has helped me establish a very strong connection to self and to contentment.  I am the mother of two amazing children who make me laugh and inspire me every day.  I am committed to an amazing man, who just gets me.  He supports me, makes me laugh, and sometimes drives me crazy.  He is my best friend, and I am extremely lucky that he is mine.
All of the seemingly "unfair"  and "tragic" experiences in my past have lead me to this time of my life.  A time of happiness, of joy, and balance.
Now, I am starting this new chapter, a blog, and as much as it scares me to put my ideas, thoughts, and perceptions out there, I am going to give it a go.  (Just to be clear, I have had this written for a couple of weeks but have been finding excuse after excuse to just post.  Fear is a tricky little devil.)
This blog will include my personal experiences with yoga and meditation, my relationships, my Paleo lifestyle, and what inspires me.  I cannot promise you that I will always be grammatically correct or free from the occasional spelling error.  But I can promise you that I will be real, and honest.  I will speak from my heart and with every post, let the light of my truth shine onto the darkness that is fear and doubt that may linger inside.
The yoga class themed on gratitude was special for me.  As a teacher, it was one of the very few times I shared something very personal in class.  Even as I was telling my story at the beginning of class, my heart was racing, and I felt as if every one of my students could hear the shake in my voice. Fear, the tricky trickster, was trying to win that day, but I won.  We all had a great class, full of connection and what to me felt like peace.  After class, a fairly regular student of mine approached me with a story of her own.  She is a tutor and is currently working with a seventeen year old boy who has had a tough life to say the least, and who has recently been diagnosed with Lymphoma.  He is defeated and withdrawn from life.  She shared with me that she felt as if she needed to hear my story, that it was "meant to be" that she was in class that day.  She gained strength and insight from my sharing.
 The ten minutes after class talking to her was the most rewarding part of my day.  I felt her emotion, and she felt mine, and we connected.  Not as teacher and student, but as human beings, trying to make each day count, and trying to create the silver lining in a seemingly dark cloud.   I am all about CONNECTING.  Connecting to ourselves, to the people in our lives, and to the world around us.  I think if we tried to find more common threads in our existence, there would be a lot more joy and compassion in our lives.
  I am so grateful she shared her experience with me.  It felt to me as if I needed her there that day, to let me know, that someone, or maybe a lot of people may like to hear what I have to say.   And trust me, I have a lot to say ;)
I took a leap of faith that day in class and am taking one now.  Please take this leap with me.  With a shaky hand and a hopeful heart, here's my first blog. 

Choose Joy
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