5 Tips to Strengthen Your Practice After Being Away

Some illnesses have a lasting effect on the body and require many days to be spent in bed, relaxing and recovering. These sick days may also mean you are without your yoga mat or without your meditation practice for a period of time.

You may find that when you are finally feeling well enough to return to your normal routine, your body feels out of sync and your practice seems a little unfamiliar. Finding the strength to meet your body where it is, even after an illness, requires patience and understanding.

Here are a few suggestions for making your practice your own after being sick:

1. Start slow - Begin with a seated meditation, which can centre your thoughts back to the mat and away from your illness. Keep in mind that five good minutes on the mat can be more restorative than 50 uncomfortable ones. Scan your body through the meditation and send your breath, consciously and with awareness, to the places where you are feeling discomfort. After meditation, continue on with simple warm-ups that don’t require much twisting or rolling of your body. Practice lengthening the arms and spine by lying on your mat and extending the arms overhead and then back down. Other warm-ups, like Cat Cow, can also be done.
2. Relax into poses – Make your way into the asanas slowly and with purpose. Feel free to linger in them for awhile, really taking your time. Take care not to rush in and out of poses. Stay in poses for two to three minutes initially, allowing the body time to warm back into the practice.
3. Back off if you start feeling sick – If you began to feel lightheaded or sick at any point during the practice, make your way into seated or a relaxing child’s pose. You may even find that just lying back and meditating is exactly where your practice leaves you feeling well. If Sun Salutations are part of your normal routine, incorporate them back in with ease. You may want to slow down your movements as you flow through them. Not only can this take your practice to a new perspective you may not have experienced before, it will also ensure that you don’t overdo it.
4. Modify - Most of the time, meeting ourselves where we really are can be difficult. We don’t want to be held back by an injury or an illness. But making space for your body and making modifications can help to strengthen the body.
5. Meditate restoratively - At the end of your practice, lie back on your mat for a restorative Savasana or choose a seated, moving meditation, which may help restore depleted energy levels. For the moving meditation, start seated with one leg comfortably in front of the other. Place your arms down by your sides. As you inhale, bring the arms up and overhead. Touch the palms lightly and then, as you exhale the breath, bring your arms back down to your sides. Flow through this a few times, linking the movement to the breath.

By Kelly McLendon
Kelly McLendon is a yoga teacher and writer. She enjoys teaching yoga basics and restorative classes and believes that yoga should be accessible to everyone. 

You may notice a natural inclination towards vegetarianism after some time on your yoga mat. The question is how to do this safely without ill-health, and how to make your transition a lifelong, successful one…

The main concern most new vegetarians have is whether they will get enough protein. An unknown fact is that women only need about 45g of protein a day (a little more if they are pregnant, breastfeeding or very active) and men need about 55g (more if very active). This equates to a very small piece of red meat. In fact, many dieticians recommend that red meat in particular should be eaten only once or twice a week, if you are going to eat it at all.

Getting Started
In making your transition from full meat-eating to vegetarianism, it is strongly advised to go slowly. Over the course of weeks, months, or even years, begin to eliminate certain protein foods and substitute them for vegetarian alternatives. Most people first cut out red meat, then chicken, then fish. Ensure you are comfortable with a few substitutions before you stop eating animal protein altogether.

Give yourself time to adjust to your new food intake and to ensure you get sufficient protein while your body learns that change is underway and adapts to it.

Allow your mind to overcome the attachment to a lifestyle of meat eating. If you try to do this too quickly, or too forcefully, your mind will reject the change and becoming vegetarian might be a short-lived fad for you.

Listen to your cravings and if you are craving red meat in the early stages, eat a small amount, and realise that perhaps your substitutions aren’t working and you need to pay more attention to your protein intake.

Vegetarian Proteins
As a vegetarian, your protein can come from many sources, including:

• Nuts – hazels, brazils, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine kernels etc
• Seeds – sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds
• Pulses – peas, beans, lentils, peanuts
• Grains – wheat (in bread, flour, pasta etc), barley, rye, oats, millet, maize (sweet corn), rice
• Soya products – tofi, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, soya milk
• Dairy products – milk, cheese, yoghurt (not butter and cream as they are very poor sources of protein)
• Free range eggs

There are 20 different amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, and we can make most of them in our bodies by converting other amino acids. Only eight amino acids – the essential amino acids – cannot be made in our bodies and have to be provided for by the diet. By mixing plant foods together correctly, we get all the essential amino acids we need. Single plant foods do not contain all the essential amino acids we need in the right proportions, but the deficiency in one is cancelled out by the excess in the other when combined properly, forming a complete protein.

A few examples of complete vegetable protein: are beans on toast, muesli, rice and peas. Adding dairy products or eggs also adds the missing amino acids, e.g. macaroni and cheese, quiche and porridge with milk.

New research has shown that the body has a pool of amino acids so that if one meal of deficient, it can be made up with the body’s own stores. Because of this we don’t have to worry about complementing amino acids all the time, as long as our diet is generally varied and well-balanced. Even those foods not considered high in protein are adding some amino acids to this pool.

In turning vegetarian, vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that may cause some difficulty, as it is not present in plant foods. Fortunately, only tiny amounts of B12 are needed and are present in dairy products and eggs.

Iron is also needed for healthy red blood cells and, although vegetable sources of iron are not as easily absorbed as animal sources, a good intake of vitamin C will enhance absorption. Drinking a glass of orange juice after a meal is a great way to enhance the absorption of iron from your meal. Iron is found in leafy green vegetables, wholemeal bread, molasses, eggs, dried fruits (especially apricots and figs), lentils and other pulses.

The Healthy Vegetarian Diet
As a rule, vegetarians who are careful about what they eat are healthier than meat-eaters: they generally eat less fat and more fruit and vegetables than meat eaters and have an increased intake of phyto-nutrients, which protect cells in the body against damage that could lead to disease, particularly cancer.

Vegetarians have a higher intake of fibre because their diets include more fruit, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins, like lentils. Fibre intake is vital to keep us regular and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Vegetarian diets also tend to be bone friendly, because they are usually lower in protein than meat eaters and include more foods rich in magnesium. This means the body loses less calcium and bone formation is aided.

Vegetarian food is generally cheaper than meat and fish-based meals, and it can be much healthier, tastier and more exciting, as well as being friendlier to our beleaguered planet.

The Case for Vegetarianism
There are many reasons to choose vegetarianism, from personal, physical and mental health to environmental concern and moral activism, to spirituality.

Consider the following facts which appear on www.vegsoc.org:

• In the UK almost 800 million animals are slaughtered for food each year, about fifteen live animals per person per year.
• Roughly one quarter of all methane emissions come from livestock giving off gas (farts) contributing to global warming.
• Ammonia from animal waste and agricultural fertilisers contributes to acid rain, which kills aquatic and plant life.
• Intensive grazing causes soil erosion and nutrient depletion, which can make soil infertile, creating deserts on previously fertile land.
• It takes up to 10 kilos of vegetable protein to produce one kilo of meat. It takes 900 litres of water to produce 1 kilo of wheat but 100 000 litres to produce a single kilo of meat.
• Commercial fishing has decimated fish populations to the point of near extinction and many governments, including ours, have had to implement stricter fishing quotas.
• Recent health scares such as E-coli and BSE (Mad Cow Disease) which resulted in the slaughter of millions of animals.
• Research has shown that a vegetarian diet could help reduce risks from certain cancers by up to 40%; decrease the possibility of dying from heart disease by 30%; restrict the chance of suffering from kidney and gall stones, diet-related diabetes and even high blood pressure. It could also lower cholesterol levels and reduce health problems related to obesity.
• Over 90 percent of all food poisoning cases each year in the UK are related to the consumption of animal products.

Yoga and Vegetarianism
For those who have adopted yoga as a lifestyle, it is strongly suggested to turn vegetarian. The above listed reasons are the strength behind the philosophy of non-violence – ahimsa – one of the back-bones of yogic philosophy.

Yogis believe that by consuming the flesh of an animal you are consuming the emotions that the animal has stored in its lifetime. Animals treated badly store this energy in their bodies and this energy gets transferred to us when we eat their flesh. We spend time on our mats to expend emotions we store in our own bodies; it would seem odd then to replace that with the emotions of another life.

Vegetarianism prevents the yogi from creating karma due to violence toward the planet, toward the co-inhabitants of the planet and toward the yogi personally through ingesting impure foods.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, it is beautifully stated that the nature of the food we eat is a wonderful signpost to what is going on inside our minds. If you are craving hot, spicy foods, the mind is ill-at-ease and there is unrest within. If you are craving heavy, dead foods (meat, chicken, fish) or find yourself craving stale foods, the mind is depressed and dark, if you are craving pure foods (of a primary source of energy, with limited intervention), the mind is still and calm. You are what you eat. By putting certain foods into your body, you process and manufacture certain states of mind. You can be in control of the quality of your life through a greater awareness of what and how you eat.

Yoga does not only exist on the mat, however it is your choice how deeply you wish to integrate it into your lifestyle.

By Kerry Weavind and Nadine Fawell

Kerry runs the Haum of Yoga

Article first published in Complete Yoga, 2005, Volume 7

Subtle (and calorie-free) winter remedies…

In wintertime, we tend to eat a little bit more to help compensate for the cold. Extra calories can be burned off to keep us warm and a little more body fat will do the trick, too. However, more food also makes us lethargic, and when you are used to a steady weight accompanied by a certain “body feeling”, it can make you uncomfortable and unfamiliar within your physical home.

There is a belief that the hot spices in the Indian diet are responsible for the high incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure among Indian souls. However, strictly speaking, it is not the spices that are the “baddies”, rather the modern instruction and liberal use of cooking oil (rather than the moderate use of cold-pressed sesame, mustard, coconut oil and ghee) and white flour for rotis, puris etc.

Spices help to stimulate the body towards self-healing and provide a fine-tuning of the body. However, there seems to be two types of people when it comes to spices: those who enjoy spices (and sometimes feel bad about having them!) and those with whom they don’t agree at all. To the first group, one would suggest, “Please enjoy them!”, and to the second group, “Practice makes you perfect. You can slowly raise your tolerance level!”

A wise way to deal with winter’s austerity is to rely on the warming and invigorating natural medicines that Ayurveda, the ancient “sister” of yoga, discovered many thousands of years ago. These are subtle and calorie-free remedies and go a long way to working small changes into the way we feel and experience. Spices are natural medicines and can be warming or cooling. Here we look at a few of the prominent warming ones:

Turmeric (also known as Haldi or Borrie)
Turmeric has a mellow, warming effect. It “lubricates” the body by harmonising all the mucous membranes functioning. Do you know that dry, cold feeling inside? Turmeric will help balance the air element and is rejuvenating, a natural beauty remedy and a good blood purifier. It creates that glowing, youthful look on yogis and yoginis which makes us wonder “is this person 30 or 50 years old?”

If you suffer from cracking joints, turmeric too will take care of that. Cheap as it is, I suggest you buy a big packet and start taking it now!

Original turmeric recipe:
Simmer 1Tbsp in water for 8 minutes, then add milk, bring to the boil, add a touch of ghee and serve it up with a bit of honey. Have this daily for 40 days and appreciate the effect is has on you.

Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper increases circulation and provides vitamin C. Mountain climbers have been known to rub Vaseline on their feet and put a sprinkling of cayenne pepper into their socks before putting them on, to keep their feet buzzing and warm. Cayenne pepper acts as a natural anti-depressant (against winter blues?) and stimulates without harmful side-effects. It gives you a pleasant “lift” and puts an unreasonably happy smile on your face. Cayenne pepper also assists nutrient absorption and allows us to better metabolise food.

Yogi cocktail:
When you feel a cold coming, heat up some fruit juice and add 1Tsp each of honey and cayenne pepper (less if desired). This is called a “yogi cocktail”. You may have it twice a day and it goes a long way towards coping with your flu, in conjunction with your Echinaforce or whatever flu remedy works for you.

Black Pepper
Black pepper has similar qualities to cayenne pepper. It contains vitamin C and acts to clean the colon. It prevents constipation and gas. Freshly ground is best, so why not buy one of those beautiful pepper mills and sprinkle it liberally on salads, pasta, steamed veggies, mushrooms etc.

Ginger
Ah, glorious ginger creates enough heat to make you sweat! It is very soothing for coughs and sore throats, flu and congested sinuses. Ginger is a digestive aid, neutralises toxins and has a wonderful effect on the nervous system.

If you want to start enjoying spices in their pure form, try and make a delicious formula called Gota. Gota purifies the breath and palate safter lunch or dinner.

Gota spice recipe:
Toast half the amount of aniseeds over medium heat in a pan (preferably heavy cast-oron), taking care not to burn them, until they are pleasantly fragrant. Mix with the other half of untoasted aniseed. Add 6 times the amount desiccated coconut and add the contents of 1 green cardamom pod per each tbsp to the mix. Add 1Tbsp brown sugar per each cupful of the mix. Store in a screwtop bottle and offer to your friends!

(Does this recipe sound confusing? This is how original Indian recipes work. Cooks manage to remember an infinite amount of recipes just by picturing the different proportions to each other).

By Pritam Hari Kaur Khlasa
First published, Complete Yoga, Volume 3 1993

We’re all born flexible. But some are more flexible than others. Despite the fact that yoga instructors always reassure me that “flexibility is not the aim of yoga – it’s a side effect” I cannot help but wish that I too could bend my body into pretzel shapes with zen-like grace. Usually my attempts at flexibility result in much huffing and puffing, grunting, wheezing and squishing, with little effect.

But what is flexibility and why do some people seem to come by it so much more easily than others? Is there any real physical advantage to being flexible? How can you attain pretzel status?

What is flexibility?
To put it simply flexibility is the extent to which you can move your joints through their entire potential range of motion. Some joints have a greater potential range of motion than others (for example, your elbow will only ever extend to 145 degrees, while your shoulders can technically rotate a full 225 degrees).

Every joint consists of several components – bones, synovial joint lining, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Each one of these components determines your flexibility. Tight or bulky muscles usually result in reduced flexibility, as do shortened or inelastic ligaments and tendons, arthritis or injury to the bones and synovial joint lining. The shape of your bones at each joint can also determine your flexibility.

Is flexibility genetic?
Yes, but not always. Some people are naturally more flexible than others. They have joints which are shaped to be more flexible or they have ligaments and tendons which have greater elasticity than others.

This can come at a price. Many naturally flexible people have hypermobility syndrome. Hypermobility is a medical condition where the ligaments and tendons are too elastic. These individuals are at higher risk of damaging their joints and developing arthritis from their super-bendy activities.

Are women more flexible than men?
Yes. There are advantages to oestrogen. Men generally have to work harder at being as flexible as women. There are several reasons for this:

Hormones: Oestrogen, one of the predominant female hormones has a loosening effect on joint tendons. This leads to increased flexibility especially in the few days before the menstrual cycle when oestrogen levels are at their highest. During pregnancy the hormone relaxin is released which further relaxes the ligaments (in preparation for pregnancy).

Anatomical: Women also have physical attributes and structure which makes them more flexible. For example, according to Dr Katherine Whitcome of Harvard University, who led a study on flexibility in women (published today in Nature), the curve in women’s lower lumbar spine is spread of three vertebrae compared to two vertebrae in men. This gives them extra bendiness. In addition, women’s spinal vertebrae are more flared, giving greater mobility.

Ageing and flexibility
We are all born flexible. Watch any baby and you can admire how easily they touch their toes. This is because children are still developing and their joints consist of soft cartilage rather than bone.

Once the bones are fully formed children start losing their inherent flexibility (unless they actively pursue activities like yoga or gymnastics). In general this starts to happen in boys from the age of around 10 and in girls from around 12.

From there on we continue to lose flexibility. As we age our ligaments and tendons tend to become more brittle, calcium deposits aggregate in our tissues and fragmentation and dehydration lead to reduced flexibility of the joints.

Not naturally flexible? Don’t worry.
If you take your time to quiz your more flexible fellow yogis the majority will tell you they were never “naturally” flexible. Repeated stretching is the one sure way to improve your flexibility. It doesn’t, sadly, happen overnight.

There are two types of stretching which can help you improve flexibility namely static or dynamic stretching. Static stretching is essentially stretching the muscles to a certain point and then holding that stretched position for 30 seconds to 2 minutes (downward facing dog would be an example). Dynamic stretching on the other hand is a controlled movement which results in muscle streching (Ardha-Chandrasana and Pada-Hastasana are examples of such poses). The stretch is in the movement. Yoga obviously incorporates both of these types of stretches.

To improve your flexibility stretch to the point at which you feel tightness and a slight burning sensation in your muscles. A stretch should be mildly uncomfortable but not painful. Any sharp pain is not a sign of stretching – it’s a sign of damage.

It’s also important to be consistent about stretching if you want to improve flexibility. You need to practice every other day to improve flexibility. Long breaks between stretching will land you right back where you started.

Forcing flexibility is a “no-no”. Bouncing, jolting or forcing joints into the range of motion you wish to achieve is extremely dangerous. The sudden force can damage to muscles and tear ligaments and tendons.

Are you healthier if you’re bendier?
There’s much debate which rages around the value of flexibility in health. Some studies such as that published in the October 2009 issue of American Journal of Physiology suggests that if you’re over 40, your bodily flexibility could reflect the elasticity of your arteries and blood vessels. Being less flexible could indicate an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

If you’re an athlete then flexibility is important to overall performance. Flexibility allows athletes to optimize (expand) limb movements. This allows for more efficient and powerful movement.

For the rest of us common mortals it’s unlikely that being super flexible has any real health benefits. The benefits come from the practice of doing the yoga. Not from whether you can do the splits. Nonetheless, I still wish I could bend it like Bikram!

By Karen Koch (MBCbB)

Considering it’s thousands of years old, it might seem silly to say that yoga has come a long way in recent years. But as mind/body exercise continues to take hold of the fitness industry, the practice of yoga has moved from the alternative to the mainstream

Today’s hectic lifestyle has left many people wondering how to manage the stress that comes along with it. While regular aerobic exercise and strength training can help, they aren’t the complete answer. Some experts and practitioners believe that yoga is the piece you need to complete the puzzle of maintaining fitness in both the body and mind.

A Trend Worth Following
Now, before you start conjuring up images of zoned-out new-agers in pretzel-like positions chanting mantras, consider this: yoga is an ancient practice that can help you deal with the stress of modern life. And more and more people (stressed out or not) are discovering the benefits of yoga.

In fact, it has been reported that more than 11 million Americans are now practicing some form of yoga.

Yoga, which means “to yoke” or “unite”, is the practice of uniting all aspects of a person— body, mind and spirit — through physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation. Flexibility, strength and muscle tone improve quickly as the mind and body work together in harmony and unison.

Choose Your Yoga
There are several different branches of yoga, each with its own unique focus. Hatha yoga, the most widely practiced form, emphasizes concentration and consists of gentle stretching and strengthening exercises.

Because prana, or “life force”, is thought to originate in the breath, Pranayama yoga uses breathing exercises and breath control to enhance vitality and energy. Mantra yoga uses the concentrated repetition of a word or phrase to aid in the control of the mind.

A Time to Relax
For some, yoga is a primary means of relaxation, something that is often difficult to achieve in the high-stress, high-speed modern world. Regardless of which type you choose, yoga is an excellent way to stretch and strengthen the body, focus the mind and relax the spirit. In fact, most modern stress-reduction techniques are based on the principles of yoga.

Available research indicates that stress-related diseases respond favourably to this type of approach. Hypertension, insulin resistance, pain, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression all are beneficially affected by regular participation in mindful exercise such as yoga.

Easing Into It
The best way to get started in yoga is to find a class that appeals to you. Find out where yoga classes are being held in your area and stop by to see what you think. There are many different approaches to yoga—some focus on breathing, others focus on holding specific postures — and it’s important to find the one that appeals to you the most.

An Intense Yoga Workout
For a more intense yoga workout, choose Ashtanga, or Power yoga. This type involves a series of very intense yoga postures done in succession. This class, which is a vigorous workout, can help develop strength as well as flexibility.

Improve Overall Health and Performance
Yoga is a great way not only to relax, but also to improve your performance in other activities. Once you have learned a few yoga moves and breathing techniques, they can easily be integrated into your regular fitness routine.

So don’t let any preconceived notions of yoga keep you from enjoying the benefits of this dynamic mind/body exercise!

Words By
Specialist Personal Trainers, Jaycee (Specialist CPT Dipl. Int)  and Kerry-Lee Dipl. (Aura) Yoga Alliance /Dipl. Fitness & Nutrition/Dipl IDEA )
We consult from Superbodies / mail us at jaycee.cpt@gmail.com or kerrylee.jesson@gmail.com

Western science is starting to provide concrete clues as to how yoga works to improve health, heal aches and pains and keep sickness at bay. How can yoga prevent disease and help you recover from it…

In much of conventional medicine, most patients are recipients of care.  In yoga, its what you do for yourself that matters. Yoga gives you the tools to change, and you may start feeling better the first time you start practicing. When you get involved in your own care, you discover that your involvement gives you the power to affect change, and seeing that you can affect change gives you hope. Hope itself can be healing.

• Improved Flexibility – during your first class you probably wont be able to touch your toes, but if you stick with it, you will notice a gradual loosening and aches and pains will start to disappear. It is no coincidence. Tight hips can strain the knee joint due to improper alignment of the thigh and shinbones. Tight hamstrings can lead to a flattening of the lumbar spine, which can cause back pain, and inflexibility in muscles and connective tissue, such as fascia and ligaments, can cause poor posture.
• Strength – Strong muscles do more than look good, they also protect us from conditions such as arthritis and back pain and helps falls in elderly people. When you build strength with yoga, you balance it with flexibility.
• Joint cartilage – is like a sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when the fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up. Regular yoga takes the joints through their full range of motion, “squeezing and soaking” areas of cartilage that aren’t normally used.
• Flow – yoga gets your blood flowing and oxygenates your cells and boosts levels of haemoglobin and red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues. Yoga thins the blood by making platelets less sticky and by cutting the level of clotting proteins in the blood, reducing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes.
• Lymph drainage is increased as you come in and out of postures, which helps the lymphatic system fight infection, destroying cancerous cells and disposing of toxic waste products produced by cellular functioning.
• Heart smart – yoga improves cardiovascular conditioning, lowers resting heart rate, increases endurance and can improve maximum uptake of oxygen during exercise.
• Worry – yoga lowers cortisol levels. Excessive cortisol levels are associated with major depression, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.
• Weighty Matters – move more, eat less. Yoga encourages you to address weight problems on a deeper level and may inspire you to become a more conscious eater.
• Blood sugar – lowers blood sugar and bad cholesterol and boosts good cholesterol.  Lowers cortisol and adrenaline levels encourages weight loss.
• Brain Waves – an important part of yoga is focusing on the present. Regular practice improves coordination, reaction time and memory.
• Nerve Centre – yoga encourages you to relax, slow your breath and focus on the present, which is calming and restorative.
• Chill Pill – stimulation is good, but too much taxes the nervous system. Yoga can provide relief from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Words By
Specialist Personal Trainers, Jaycee (Specialist CPT Dipl. Int)  and Kerry-Lee (Dipl. Fitness & Nutrition/IDEA) consult from Superbodies – email your questions to kerrylee.jesson#@gmail.com

Cocoa beans are nuts that comes from the fruit of the cacao tree which grows in tropical rainforests in South America, Africa, and Malaysia. The official scientific name of the cocoa tree is Theobroma Cacao. “Theobroma” is Latin for “food of the Gods”.

The main producers and exporters of cacao beans are the West African countries of Cote d’Ivoire or “Ivory Coast” (40%);  Ghana (15%),  Indonesia also produces about 15%. Brazil, Nigeria, and Cameroon also grow cacao in lesser quantities.

The cacao pods take five to six months to ripen. In the typical cacao plantation, the growers harvest the pods from the cacao tree at the time of perfect ripeness, then remove the cacao beans from the pods (about 45 beans per pod) by cutting the pods open with a machete knife.
The beans are then covered with banana leaves and left for about five days to ferment, which reduces the bitterness and develops an enhanced chocolate flavor. When they have reached the proper level of fermentation, the beans are then left to dry in the sun, where the brown color and the chocolate flavor intensifies

Now for some amazing facts about the Raw Cacao:

• Richest source of anti-oxidant on earth! By weight, raw cacao has more antioxidants than red wine, blue berries, acai, pomegranates and gogi berries combined. Raw cacao has 540% more antioxidant power.
• Over 300 compounds of minerals: sulphur (“beauty” mineral, helps build strong nails and hair, promotes healthy and beautiful skin, helps detoxify the liver, and supports healthy functioning of the pancreas), calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese, Vitamin C, plus some of the B Vitamins. Cocao also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Rich in magnesium, it’s good for your heart! Cacao seems to be the number one source of magnesium of any food! Magnesium is one of the great alkaline minerals. It helps to support the heart, brain, and digestive system also important for building strong bones.
• Food for your brain- Increasing focus and alertness. Phenylethylamine (PEA) helps promote mental alertness and the ability to concentrate. The PEA in our chocolate can be of help to students taking tests, and to senior citizens who want to retain the mental capacity of a younger person and postpone the onset of dementia.
• Awakens the Love chemical (PEA) found in abundance in cacao.  PEA is the chemical that we produce in our bodies when we fall in love. This is likely one of the main reasons why love and chocolate have such a deep connection.
• Helps with weight loss – Because it has appetite-suppressant properties, cocao is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger.
• Anti-depressant, Cacao brings instant comfort and acts as a mild anti-depressant by increasing our serotonin and endorphin levels. Cacao helps stimulate the production of “pleasure nuerotrasmitters”, the chemicals in your brain that also get released during pleasurable experiences from intimacy to laughter with friends. These pleasure chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) also act as anti-depressants for the mind.
• Natural aphrodisiac – The ancient Mayans used dark chocolate for fertility as well as for hightened pleasure during intimacy . The Aztecs also revered dark chocolate for its powers of erotic stimulation… yum!

These are the health benefits that Kutai Raw Chocolate is dedicated to, as their natural, raw and artificial-free chocolate making processes deliver not only decadent and mouth-watering sensations but is an 100% guilt free and health-stimulating indulgence.

Choose from a delicious range of chocolate and savour the taste of the amazing 300 complexes in each and every bite!

Available as gifts and deliveriesavailable for Johannesburg too.

Chocolate Bars, R35

Chocolate Macaroons, R47

Chocolate Truffles, R60

For more information on Kutai Raw Chocolate, visit www.kutairawchocolate.co.za, email info@kutairawchocolate.co.za or call Dori on 076 109 5177. You can also visit them at the Bryanston Organic Market every Saturday and Sunday!

The most peculiar feature is the bent posture of the person affected. Normal walking is not possible, ability to think, respond and reason is impaired. They are forgetful of everyday things and even their own names. There is continuous tremor of the limbs and flexibility is almost nil. The range of movement of the limbs is tremendously impaired. The disease causes a rapid deterioration if it is not checked and slowed down by preventative movements.

About two years ago, upon returning  from Yoga Vidya Gurukul, I was approached by my elderly neighbour. She asked me if there was maybe anything I could do to help her ailing husband. He was in his 70’s and diagnosed with Parkinsons about six months earlier. As a yoga teacher and personal trainer I immediately accepted this challenge and agreed to assess him and draw up a training program. On completion of the evaluation, I was not very hopeful, as he battled to even walk properly, was unable to dress  or feed himself  efficiently, never mind taking on some training program. Luckily I was on such a positive note from my wonderful Ashram experience, I took it on. I drew information from my sports science background as well as from my yoga training and came up with a sort of eclectic program.

To start with we had to do all movements in a prone position. I realised that the muscle spasms were not balanced and that the one side of his body was more affected than the other. This caused the slight twist of the spine and lots of discomfort. Due to this I always started with the weaker side, repeated it on the right and then returned back again to the weaker side. This gradually brought about a better balance in the postural muscles. We had to start from the beginning to re-connect the brain with all the muscles, so we started with the following:

• Lying flat on back, single arm raises overhead, be careful to make sure the back remains in the ground here and does not arch to try take the arm closer to the floor when it’s raised. We worked with the breath here too, inhaling and exhaling as is appropriate.
• From here we progressed to angel breathing, arms at sides, outwardly raising overhead, cross at the wrists and bring down to hips, returning upwards and again to sides.  Try to keep arms on the floor all the time. Keep awareness with the breath.
• In time I got him to march like a soldier, but lying flat. We had to pull him up from here as he was unable to do that by himself. Slowly we progressed to working in a chair, knee extensions, shoulder shrugs etc. eventually, about 10 months later, to starting in a standing position. His toes had a life of their own, all pulled up and never on the floor. This created a serious balance and posture problem. I eventually had him walking  around on his toes to try and get them active again. We did lots of flexing and extension, ankle rotations and stretching for all his muscles but in a supported way.
• One year later we had progressed to standing warm ups, he still could not bend down and stand up as he would fall over. We carried on with supported movements like the half spinal twists, knees to chest, half bridge, forward bends and cat and cow. We did a lot of sacral rock breathing, as his lower back, the sacrum was so stiff and did not want to move at all. In our second year, we started standing for a few seconds on one leg doing ankle movements and such. Now in our thrid year, he is doing basic warm up movements, knee right into his chest, half bridge, cobra, forward bend (not very flexible yet though ), cat and cow (until the cows come home as it is so beneficial, activates 72 000 nerve endings ), camel, child pose, tree (for one minute ), warrior and he is able to breathe slowly in for four counts and out for eight counts (this has taken one and a half years to achieve as he was not aware of his breath at all). He also does yoga nidra almost every single day. He has been so motivated and we have trained everyday except on Sundays when he goes for a walk on our beach and on the rocks ( he could never have done that one and a half years ago as he had no balance ).

About six months ago, while out walking, he was attacked by a huge bull mastiff dog. The dog flew at him and he raised his arms to protect himself, so the dog grabbed both his forearms and mauled him before the owner ran out to pull him off my client. The result was that chunks of arm were bitten out of both forearms. We all feel that if his balance was not as good as it had gotten to be, the dog would have knocked him down immediately and the missing flesh would have been out of his throat and we would not have the pleasure of his company now. I still work with him three mornings a week and he trains on his own the rest of the days.

I have attached some photos or for your interest. I hope this helps anyone else if they are ever in the same situation. I can only begin to imagine how frustrating this terrible disease is for the entire family involved. You can contact me for any further information.

By Cheryl Lancellas

Southern Africa Yoga Safaris

Mobile: (+27) (0)84 090 2083

Email: cheryl@sayogasafaris.com

As yogis striving towards a clearer consciousness, interference from EM waves (sometimes close to our brains) could be posing some serious risks to our physical and mental health, never mind or quests for enlightenment.

The consensus is divided regarding the threat of EMR, with some studies and opinions pointing towards the dangers and others saying that the effects are too minimal to elicit any ill-health effects. According to Tracey-Lee Dorny, who is self-proclaimed “electromagnetic sensitive” and heads up what she has coined the Electromagnetic Radiation Research Foundation of South Africa (EMRRFSA) we should be gravely concerned about the effects of EMR on human health. Dorny started the foundation after being exposed to EMR through a broadband tower that was erected very close to her home in the suburb of Craighoven, Johannesburg. According to Dorny, symptoms experienced by her, her family and some other residents in the suburb included nausea, skin rashes, insomnia, irritability, memory loss, gastric disturbances and headaches.

A representative from the GSMA (GSM Association), an organization representing the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry, Claire Cranton, there is little need for concern. Cranton explains that The World Health Organization (WHO) had concluded in its 2006 fact sheet, that “considering the very low exposure levels and research results, there is no convincing evidence that weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects”. The WHO has however, not updated its report since its release in 2006.

In 2007 The Bio Initiative Report was released, which consisted of 2 000 medical and scientific papers showing evidence for the effects of EMR on gene and protein expression, DNA breaks, stress responses, neurology and behavior, brain tumours, breast cancer, acoustic neuromas, childhood cancers such as leukemia, reduced melatonin production, Alzheimer’s, skin disorders, strokes, weakened immunity and breast and other cancers. Cranton believes however that the studies presented in the Bio Initiative Report do not accurately assess exposures of the subjects and relied on subject’s own reports of symptoms, which may bias the findings. Cranton also retaliated by referencing two studies (one which appeared in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2006 and another in Bioelectromagnetics in 2009), both of which found no association between EMR exposure and cognitive and physiological symptoms. However, the studies both looked at only short-term exposure at levels no more than 10 µW/cm2. A 2009 study, which appeared in the Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at a group of 57 participants living within 100 meters of a mobile phone mast giving off radiation levels in excess of 10 µW/cm2 and found that self-declared base station neighbors had higher rates of obsessive-compulsive behaviours, anxiety and phobias.

According to Dorny about 3% of people are extremely sensitive to EMR and as much as 35% of people are partially sensitive to EMR. The rest of us may not be experiencing any symptoms at all.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM EMR
Dorny recommends the taking the following precautions to help reduce your EMR exposure:

• Restrict your use of mobile phones and keep calls short on loudspeaker preferably. Keep your landline and use it as the preferred option at all times.
• Don’t put a mobile phone in your pocket or near your body while it is on. Use a wired ADSL line for Internet instead of WiFi. If you still have this and use a wireless router in your home – switch it off and rather plug in directly.
• Do not use a mobile phone in enclosed metal spaces such as trains, vehicles or elevators as they intensify the signals.
• Avoid living near mobile or broadband masts or electric pylons and sub stations.
• Ensure the school your child is at does not have a mast or WiFi. Also children limit their cell phone use, and use phones only in emergency situations.
• Do not use a DECT or portable phones as they also omit EMR.
• Unplug electric devices in your bedroom before you go to sleep.

Despite numerous misconceptions surrounding it, menopause can in fact be an experience of self-acceptance, bringing wisdom and a positive change of life and lifestyle for many women – a new beginning, so to speak. Here’s looking at what you can do to embrace the journey and help keep your body in a state of balance throughout this time, naturally

Yoga and Menopause
Says Wendy (Nandiva) Wood, owner of the ISHTA School of Yoga and Health: “Menopause is very much an emotional period in a woman’s life and we need to work with the pineal gland, being the master gland in control of the hormones, in order to bring about the balance with the masculine and femanine energies.” This can be achieved through the practice of Nadi Shodhana – alternate nostril breathing – which should be practised twice a day and is vital for rebalancing since all chakras and the nerve channels that run on either side of the spine are linked at the third eye.”

When it comes to asana practices, it is advisable not to do anything that is too invigorating or stimulating or practise any poses that may agitate the hormonal mood swings. Postures that help to bring the masculine and feminine into balance are better suited and include Moon postures, the Shoulder Stand, Triangle movements and Forward Bends. Inverted poses such as the Plough (Hala asana) work on the thyroid and pineal gland keeping calcium and energy levels in balance. Many women going through menopause have thyroid imbalances and the plough asana helps maintain good health in this area of the anatomy.

One may also wish to incorporate colour-breathing techniques into one’s personal sadana (practice), while maintaining a focus toward the heart and the third eye centre.

Nature’s Remedies
Biologically, the effects of menopause result from reduced levels of the hormone oestrogen. As the levels of oestrogen drop, women tend to lose bone mass and body strength, where in certain medical cases, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may be necessary.  However, HRT also has risks. It can increase the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. Certain types of HRT have a higher risk, and each woman’s own risks can vary depending upon her health history and lifestyle.

Luckily though, nature does provide its own team of little helpers, known as phytooestrogens. These are plant-derived molecules which, when ingested, are capable of binding to the oestrogen receptor in humans and can have actions similar to female hormone oestrogen. Phytoestrogens are much weaker than human oestrogen, so their effects are different from those of hormones found in HRT.

There are many phytoestrogens and their concentration varies considerably from one plant to another and from one preparation to another. As food supplements, they are also sometimes called nutrients or nutraceuticals, whereby the products most commonly in use come from soy bean extracts. One such product is PHYTO SOYA®, which has been clinically proven to be efficient for the treatment of climacteric troubles by decreasing the number and intensity of hot flushes, nocturnal sweating and nervousness. This product has been endorsed as non-carcinogenic, meaning it is safe to use with regard to the endometrial lining and breast tissue and does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Eating a phytoestrogen-rich diet has also been linked to reduced rates of heart disease, colon cancer and problems associated with high cholesterol. The ideal diet for maximising one’s phytoestrogen intake is to eat predominantly fruit, vegetables and whole grains, unprocessed cereals and mono-unsaturated fat (no animal fat). Omega-3-fatty acids are important to the structure and function of membranes and neurological systems supporting heart health and well-being during menopause. Grape extract rich in polyphenols and OPC (Oligomeric Procyanidins) or resveratrol, which contain antioxidant properties and help maintain elasticity and resistance in the vein walls, can also assist the process of menopause by promoting a healthy circulation as well as maintaining skin hydration.

It can therefore be concluded that by paying careful attention to lifestyle habits and being conscious of what you feed your body and mind, you can make all the difference when it comes to managing your menopause both confidently and with ease.

By Hayley Alexander