The Healthy Being Newsletter

Amaiah is certified in Asian Healing Arts and Whole Foods Nutrition from the Heartwood Institute in California.Her training with Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods, forms the foundation of her nutritional counselling practice.

We welcome you to the second issue of Mandala Massage and Fitness' "The Healthy Being" newsletter. The bi-monthly newsletter provides regular fitness, whole food nutrition and wellness information to clients and subscribers. We welcome feedback - suggestions and recipes are most appreciated. Please forward the newsletter to others that may be interested.
Thanks! Amaiah and Dennis Paradine

Nourishing Your Kidneys - Your True Bank Account

Even though the sun has returned (once or twice), we are still in the Winter (water element) season for a couple more months – In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we are best to focus on foods & cooking methods that nourish and cleanse the Kidneys*, and lifestyle choices which balance our yin and yang.

Incorporate some lighter foods into your diet as the weather warms up (some salads; and add dandelion greens; steamed nettles as they become available), but not too much raw and cold foods. Kidneys benefit from a varied whole foods diet to give the body the whole spectrum of minerals and essential nutrients. Water element foods such as seaweeds and fish are especially nourishing, as are seeds, dark colored foods such as red or black beans and some salted foods that direct energy toward the kidneys (e.g. Miso, soy sauce). Slow cooked foods are also beneficial. Two suggested recipes – black bean & celery soup; broken bone soup - are provided below.

Give your kidneys & adrenals a rest from the constant yang stimulation of caffeine (coffee & tea; colas; chocolate); Try coffee and tea substitutes such as dandelion coffee; “Teccino” nut and grain coffee (available at health food stores); Swiss Water de-caf coffee (doesn't use methyl hydrate like other decaf methods); Rooibos/honeybush or fennel tea (full of flavour and good for the kidneys). Simple pure water is also important to clean and flush out the Kidneys and Bladder.

Winter is a time to nourish and build up our Kidney “yin”, which can be described as our substance (our tissues, our blood, our deep energy stores). We can do this through more contemplative, quiet ways of being: meditation, listening to meaningful, beautiful music (really relaxing and listening!), receiving and giving massage, mindful walks outdoors, Tai chi, yoga, playing an instrument, singing, journaling…

The more we “go within” this season and nourish our yin, while balancing it with exercise and daily work, the more “yang” energy we may have for the spring and summer! Yang energy is like the electricity that moves through us, helping us to be active, vibrant and full of life!

*in TCM, “Kidneys” refers to not only the kidneys (& adrenal glands) and urinary bladder, but also to the entire meridians that relate to and run “chi” energy through those organ systems. Each organ system has a physical, emotional, and spiritual component which all work together in creating balance. The “Kidneys” can be out of balance when we are tired, have an achy low back and/or knees and feel fearful, have low libido or a lack of will.

Kidney Nourishing Soups

Sample Winter Walking Workouts

If you've been inactive for a few months and those New Year's Resolutions haven't yet kicked in as a habit, or if you just want to add some low impact cardio to your fitness regime, walking outdoors is the way to go. Try these gentle yet invigorating workouts one hour after dinner or first thing in the morning, rain or shine. Especially near forests or by the ocean, the fresh air will re-charge you, reduce mental stress and help burn extra calories!

Day One: “Out and Back” power walk – after a 5 minute warm-up, decide how long you are going to walk for and just head out the door in any direction. At the halfway time mark, its time to turn around and head back. Make note of how far you go to in, say, 10 minutes and try to get farther next time.

Day Two: Hill walk – plan a loop to walk in your neighborhood that has at least one big hill or stairs to climb. Keep within your comfort zone and slow down if your breath becomes too rapid (RPE of 3-4 for beginners). Record your time.

Day Three: “Fartleks ” – Yes, it is a funny name … its Swedish for speed play and is an informal type of interval training. In this type of walk, you speed up for a period of time that you determine. For example, “from this bench to that telephone pole I will walk my fastest” … then you slow down your pace until your breathing and heart rate drop down, and when you're ready - do it again! Repeat 3-10x beginners or 10-20 times for more fit walkers. This is a great way to start to incorporate some jogging into your walking program.

Day Four: Yin Walk – The purpose of this walk is relaxation and stress reduction. Choose a day where you can walk for a while without an agenda …see where your feet lead you … notice everything … be present … breathe fully … stop and watch the birds, the traffic, the people … the sky …really notice the details … and be relaxed in just BEING. If your mind is racing, bring yourself back to the present moment – what do you hear, what do you see, what can you feel?

Cool-Down & Stretch – Follow up each walking workout with a 3-5 minute cool down (slow walking) and 5-10 minutes of stretching (preferably indoors where its warmer), holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds (hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, low back, gluts).

Walking Tips:

• If you are not comfortable walking at night, or would like the motivation of having someone along, invite a friend or partner to accompany you on a regular basis - or join one of the running store or community centre walking groups
• Wear reflective clothing and shoes with good support. If walking at night, carry a flashlight or red bike light to let others know you are there.
• Dress in layers (a rain jacket can always go around your waist, hat in pocket for pulling out when its windy)
• Bring a full water bottle with you and keep hydrated
• Buy a pedometer (priced from $16-30) to keep track of your mileage/kms. They all have different features. Some of them track caloric expenditures, or have a logbook that goes with them. They're a fun tool to help keep you on track with your fitness program as you set and meet weekly goals.
• Walking 5km/hr expends ~145 calories in 30 minutes for a 150lb walker (adapted from: American College of Sports Medicine: Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription, 1991)