Tag Archives: health

Yoga and Flexibility

I am on day 15 now of my personal yoga challenge and for some reason when I think of yoga, I naturally envision a beautiful healthy person, bending their body into amazing poses or maybe I just assume that everyone is able to touch their toes without bending their legs. Well, my friends, this is certainly not me. Everyday I can feel my body stretch a little more as I practice but resistance is futile.

What is this resistance? Will I ever be able to release this resistance? Is it structural or functional resistance due to my life patterns? So I have really been trying to take the time to breath through this and listen to my body as I ease into a posture. Or sometimes when I don’t want to physically participate in a posture, I imagine myself doing the posture. When I do this it actually empowers me to keep going & keep breathing.

yoga

With every yoga pose (asana) I experience I have the opportunity to explore my body by applying more or less effort, cultivating balance and flexibility. Involving parts of my body that may other wise be dormant consciously moves energy and wakes up my body, opening myself up to a more subtle awareness. Even though I am not flexible and can’t even straighten my legs when I try to touch my toes, I continue on, movement by subtle movement.

During this process I have also started to read the powerful book, A Course In Miracles: Foundation For Inner Peace. So far I am really enjoying reading about the meaning of miracles and doing the daily lessons.

Here are some quotes from Chapter 1:

  • Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.
  • Miracles are everyone’s right, but purification is necessary first.
  • Miracles are a kind of exchange. Like expressions of love, which are always miraculous in the true sense, the exchange reverses the physical laws. They bring more love both to the giver and the receiver.
  • Prayer is the medium of miracles. It is a means to communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles loves is expressed.
  • Miracles are both beginnings and endings, and so they alter the temporal order. They are always affirmations of rebirth, which seem to go back but really go forward. They undo the past in the present, and thus release the future.

So onward with my yoga adventure, with increasing purpose, process and practice!!!

Love,

Michelle

Real life is not always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgment of what is working in our lives can help us not only survive but surmount our difficulties. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Blackberry Smoothie Blast

To continue on the smoothie craze…. here is another delicious recipe for you to enjoy!

Blackberry Smoothie Blast

  • 1 cup frozen or fresh blackberries
  • 1 banana fresh or frozen (you can omit this if you want a lower glycemic smoothie)
  • 1/4 cup cashews (preferably soaked overnight)
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 1 generous dash of cinnamon
  • 1 cup blessed water or tea (I used my own wildcrafted blend of rose hips, raspberry leaf, wild mint and nettle leaf)
  • 1 teaspoon spirulina
  • 1 teaspoons Premier Research Labs Greens Mix
  • 1 drop vitamin D3 serum

Place all ingredients in blender, blend it up till smooth and enjoy!

Blackberry Bomb Smoothie

Cinnamon is an amazing spice that has many superpowers used to treat colds, indigestion & cramps, improve energy, vitality & circulation. Its cold here in Montana, so cinnamon is a great thermogenic spice to add to our everyday routine!

To read more about the health benefits of smoothies, click here!

More tomorrow on my yoga challenge adventure!

Lots of love,

Michelle

Michelle’s Super Green Smoothie

Smoothies are a great way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet to increase your overall health! If you have kids its easy to get them to participate in making smoothies by having them “experiment” with different ingredients, it also helps if you love making smoothies too because leading by example is the best teacher!

Health Benefits of Green Smoothies:

  • Increase Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables
  • Easy to Digest and Assimilate Nutrients
  • Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
  • Mental Clarity and Focus
  • Increased Fiber Intake
  • Clearer Skin
  • Natural Weight Loss
  • Reduced Cravings For Junk Foods
  • Alkalizing to help maintain a proper pH level in your body.

Now is a good time to try to make your own green smoothie! Try to stick to about 60% greens and about 40% fruit.

Michelle’s Super Green Smoothie:

  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • 1 Large Kale Leaf or 2 Small Kale Leaves
  • 1 cup Blessed Water
  • 1/4 cup Walnuts
  • 1 tsp Friendly Force (Vegan Powdered Probiotic by Healthforce Nutritionals)
  • 1 tsp Vitamineral Earth
  • 1 tsp Spirulina
  • 1 tsp Maca
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp Max B-ND by Premier Research Labs
  • 1/2 tsp Liver Care by Premier Research Labs
  • 1 dropper full Nettle Tincture
  • 1 dropper full Chaga Tincture
  • 4 drops Stevia
  • 1 drop Vitamin D3 by Premier Research Labs
  • Dash of Cinnamon

Put everything in a blender and blend away! How’s that for a super smoothie?

If you don’t have all of these ingredients, don’t worry about it, experiment, taste test, and most of all have fun with it!

Lots of love to you!

Michellesmoothie goodness

Boosting Immunity

As we are falling into the winter months its important to build and maintain immunity naturally with diet, lifestyle and a proper supplement routine. I would like to share with you some of the steps I take to boost my immune system naturally.

Immune boosting foods include ginger, garlic, tea, fresh juice, sweet potatoes, beets, winter squash, carrots, beans, miso, spinach, kale, swiss chard, celery, cilantro, parsley, berries, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, cauliflower, almonds, olive oil, grapes and pomegranates. Add herbs to your diet like a echinacea tincture (1/2 teaspoon every half hour for a super immune booster – decrease dosage as you return to wellness), astragalus (I personally enjoy astragalus tea with honey and a 1/2 a lemon) and spices like turmeric.

Click here to learn how Nancy makes an echinacea tincture to boost the immune system.

Lifestyle is important when we talk about overall health!! Prioritizing exercise as well as rest is important to have a healthy physical body and mental happiness. Daily physical activity helps rid the body of toxins, increases our blood circulation and helps to lower stress levels. Walking every day for 20 minutes and having a simple cardio or weight training routine 3 or 4 times a week where you break a sweat is super important for health, longevity and our immune system.

A good supplement routine is also important during the winter months. Vitamin D, garlic extract, reishi extract, vitamin C, turmeric is both and anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory, cranberry extract, elderberry extract, and I also take something called Adaptogen-R3 by Premier Research Labs for adaptogenic and rejuvenation support. Email me if you are interested in Premier Products! sublimele@gmail.com

Its also important to drink plenty of clean water!! Read here for more information on water. How much water should I be drinking to boost my immune system and ward of illness and dis-ease? Since water is the principal chemical component of the body, comprising of about 70% of our body’s weight. It is important that we are all individually unique and require different amounts. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body’s weight in ounces of water everyday. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would drink 75 ounces of water a day.

Drink plenty of water and stay healthy this winter by following these simple tips!

Love and empowerment to your health,

Michelle