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Whole Foods Nutrition
Recipes
Power Potion Smoothie
Easy Raspberry Smoothie
Mung Bean Curry With Tomatoes
Fitness Training / Athletics Coaching
Tips for a Fit Pregnancy
Fitness Tips Post-Partum
Pre/Post-Natal Fitness Training (NEW)
The Healthy Being e-zine:
(to subscribe, please e-mail: Amaiah and we will put you on our distribution list - Thanks!)
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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.
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Sources and Good Resources for Understanding TCM Organ Systems and Nutrition
1 Leggett, D. Recipes for Self-Healing, 1999.
2 Bernhart, Andy. Integrated Dietary Therapy, 2007.
3 Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods, 1993. |
Relaxation Pose: Lie on your back with your feet up the wall and arms out from your sides. Place a small blanket or pillow under your low back if desired. Focus on your breath and consciously slow it down, filling your entire lungs on the inhale and exhaling completely. Visualize and feel your pelvic area and uterus relaxing. After a minute or so place the soles of your feet together and bring them down the wall, allowing your knees to fall outwards. Breathe and relax for another few minutes. Curl your knees into your chest and roll over to the left side for a minute or two before getting up. Cautions: (1) If menstruating, don't raise your lower back with a pillow; (2) if you are in the third trimester of pregnancy, you can adapt this pose by raising your back into a semi-reclining position with pillows and legs up on a couch.
Good Pre and Post Natal Fitness Resources:
1) Dumais, Sue. A Strong Core for Life: A Guide to Your Deep Core Muscles - Finding Strength from Within. Trafford Publishing, 2007.
2) Nodahl, K., S. Kerr and C. Peterson. Fit to Deliver: An Exercise Program for You and Your Baby. 2000. |
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We welcome you to the Summer 2007 issue of Mandala Massage and Fitness' "The Healthy Being" newsletter. The bi-monthly newsletter provides regular fitness, whole foods nutrition and wellness information to friends, clients and subscribers.
With summer time here (even though the weather has been cool) we hope you are outdoors enjoying the parks, attending potlucks and relaxing with family and friends (not indoors too much reading e-zines!). In this issue we have included some recipes for smoothies and lighter meals for warm weather, some guidelines for summer exercise, and in keeping with the Traditional Chinese Medicine theme, some tips to balance and nourish your Fire Element throughout the summer. As we are expecting our first baby in late June, we will be taking the summer off to nurture our new family unit. Amaiah will be available for sessions again in September, and Dennis in December, adding pre-natal and post-natal fitness training to our offerings. We will, however, gladly answer any questions that you might have during this next while. As always, we welcome your feedback - suggestions and recipes are most appreciated. Please forward the newsletter to others that may be interested.
In Good Health, Amaiah and Dennis Paradine, Thanks! |
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Whole Foods Nutrition |
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Summer - The Season of the Heart – Nourishing and Balancing Your "Fire Element" (TCM)
To unify with summer, we need to express the 'yang' principle--expansion, growth, lightness, outward activity, brightness, and creativity (1). Summer is the season to be outdoors, connect with family and friends, wake up early in the morning and greet the sun, travel, play, garden and be joyful. The bursting forth of life and warmth of the sun often brings us into a state of gratitude and connection with Earth and Spirit, especially as we explore our favourite natural spaces and spend time with our loved ones and our community. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the Heart is not just an organ that pumps blood and nutrients - it is the seat of our relationship to the Divine. Meditation, contemplating one's connection with the earth and cosmos, prayer and ritual all strengthen our Heart-Mind balance and allow stronger energy flow in all of the meridians. Many practices such as qi gong, tai chi, traditionally-based yoga and devotional dance (such as Sufi dancing) were developed and are practiced as a celebration of life and spirit. These help to fuel a person's Fire element - which includes the Heart, the Small Intestine, the Pericardium (Heart Governor) and Triple Burner meridians.
A person with a balanced Fire Element tends to have clear, brilliant speech: the voice and words reflect the clear condition of the heart when one is speaking one's truth. Clear eyes, a calm mind and sound sleep patterns are also signs that the Fire Element is in balance. Relationships with others tend to flow smoothly, as these are a reflection of our 'Shen', or Spirit, which arises from the Heart/Mind. Physically, circulation is good with abundant blood and nutrients flowing from the core to the extremeties and back to the core unimpeded through the vessels.
Excessive speech or fast speech can mean that the Heart yin is disturbed or not rooted (grounded in the Kidneys). Dull eyes can mean the heart/mind is clouded, either through a mind that is too busy, or a physical fullness of too much food for the digestive and cleansing organs. Heart pain or palpitations can indicate either a physical blockage in the vessels or a deficiency in nutrients (blood in TCM). On a more emotional level, Heart disturbances can come from a lack of openess - closing off towards others and thus not receiving emotional nourishment.
Here are some steps to help harmonize your Fire Element - this is the season where it will be the easiest to do so!
1. Nourish your Heart/Mind through connecting with the Divine, Spirit, God, Higher Self -- whatever you refer to as the lifeforce which animates your physical form -- through meditation, prayer, devotional art and poetry, dance, yogic sun salutations... try a few practices and discover what truly opens up your heart!
2. Exercise - bike, walk, jog, climb stairs, play frisbee, swim, do triathlons, lift weights, garden, do Tai Chi, anything that increases circulation and works the heart muscle (slowly and moderately at first if you are a sedentary person or have health challenges such as high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity). If you haven't exercised much or have health problems, its a good idea to check with your MD or ND and a certified personal trainer before you begin a new fitness program.
3. Pick the Right Foods and Have a Joyful Approach - Whole foods are more Heart-nourishing than refined ones because they have more of their nutrients intact. For example, whole grains and green foods are high in magnesium which is healing to the heart because it allows calcium to function properly in the heart tissues and nerves. (3)
The bitter flavor of any food is said to be beneficial because it has a cleansing effect on deposits of the physical heart and associated arteries (the phytic acid content of whole grains is cleansing in this way).(3) Other actions of bitter foods include clearing heat from the heart and calming and bringing excess yang qualities in the head down to the heart (calming the Heart/Mind). Foods with a bitter aspect include whole grains (note that it is the germ and bran from rice and grain which some people do not like and are thus removed from many refined versions of foods to make it sweeter), salad with some bitter greens like raddichio and dandelion greens, and bitter elixors (Swedish bitters). Dandelion root coffee is a bitter drink which nourishes the heart and aids digestion. A little bitter goes a long way, so we should incorporate some of this flavor into meals, but not go overboard as an excess can oppress the heart energy.
Add some flowers to your food - organic edible flowers such as calendula, rose petals, borage, nastursium and sweet violet can be added to salads, infused in oil for a salad dressing, fruit punches, desserts or folded into rice. You will find that the Heart responds well to these subtle essences added to your food. Check out the local farmer's markets for organic flowers, vegetables and fruits.
Foods containing red pigment are said to nourish the Heart - tomatoes, red peppers, red berries (contain ellagic acid and resveratrol), paprika, cayenne pepper, pomegranites, hawthorne berry, and red meats (in North American society, the problem is generally overconsumption of red meat which can stress the heart, so these are best eaten in small amounts).
Foods that cleanse and nourish the Liver also help the Heart because, according to Five-Elements Creative Cycle, "Wood feeds Fire", so if there is a pattern of liver stagnation, the Heart will not get enough flow. For Liver-nourishing foods, please see The Healthy Being Newsletter Vol.3 - April 2007 Issue.
Above all, take delight in the tastes, the textures, aromas and the colors of food. Make a meal that is Heart-nourishing - put on your favourite music, buy your favourite ingredients and be in the present moment as you prepare your food, either a special meal for yourself or to share. Give thanks for the bounty and abundance, even with a simple meal of kale, beans and rice. You may want to rent the film, "Like Water for Chocolate" or "Babette's Feast" to get you into the mood to cook.
4. Connect with Others - This often goes along with sharing food - invite your family for a picnic; go have lunch at a farmer's market and enjoy the music and sense of community; attend a music festival, a parents and tots class or a slideshow; volunteer at an event or sign up to help a favorite group fundraise (selfless service is a great way to nourish your heart!). There are a million ways, but sometimes when the Heart energy is not flowing, we don't feel like connecting with others and we can tend to isolate ourselves. Work on your yin, your roots (Kidneys), your connection to earth and spirit and the Heart energy will start to flow, and the connections will follow.
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Recipes
Power Potion Smoothie: can be used as a delicious meal replacement or an in-between protein and nutrient boost. Try in the afternoon for energy instead of a caffeine break. |
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Ingredients: 2 full Tbsp organic protein powder (rice, hemp, fermented soy or whey) |
Directions: Blend with water (about 2-3 cups) and ice if desired. |
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1-2 Tbsp flax, hemp or omega oil blend (e.g. Udo's Oil) |
Optional: 1/4 tsp Stevia or 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup for added sweetness |
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1-2 tsp greens powder (e.g. Greens plus, spirulina, chlorella) |
Optional: Sprinkle (1/2 tsp) of powdered ginger for circulation & immune support. |
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1 Tbsp fibre formula or ground flax seeds (you can grind your own flax seeds using a coffee grinder. Keep ground flax in the freezer in a jar to prevent oxidation) |
Use fresh - pour into a wine glass, add a sprig of mint and enjoy! You can also put in a thermos or glass jar (store in the fridge) and take to work for your "shake break."
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| 1-2 Tbsp plain yogurt or kefir |
Makes enough for 3 small servings or one large one. |
| 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit |
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| 1 Tbsp bee pollen for B-vitamins and energy |
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| 1 Tbsp lecithin (food for the brain and nervous system) |
Adapted from Patricia Fitzgerald's excellent book, "The Detox Solution" (2001) which is packed full of information on cleansing toxins from the body. |
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Easy Raspberry Smoothie: a cooling and nutritious blood-cleansing drink
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Ingredients: 1/2 cup almond or rice mik (or dairy if you prefer) |
Directions: Blend with about 1 1/2 cups water (ice optional for a colder drink) |
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1 heaping tsp greens powder (see recipe above) |
Options: substitute blueberries, strawberries or a blend of berries depending on what's available |
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2 tsp maple syrup or a pinch of stevia powder or stevia liquid |
Makes about 2 1/2 cups or two 10 oz servings. Get outside, put on a sun hat, drink slowly and enjoy!
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3/4 cup frozen (or fresh) raspberries |
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| 3 Tbsp (30 grams) hemp or other protein powder |
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Mung Bean Curry with Tomatoes : mung beans are cooling in nature, and are "useful in their capacity to cleanse the heart and vascular system and reduce toxicity" (Paul Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods)
| Ingredients: 2 cups mung beans |
Directions: Rinse mung beans and cook until soft but not mushy (about 1/2 hour). Heat olive oil and dry spices in a medium skillet - stir to prevent burning. Add water and cover for 15-20 minutes. Check and reduce temperature to prevent burning. Add ginger and tomatoes. Add mung beans (minus cooking water) to spice and tomato mixture. Cook over a low heat for another 1/2 hour to marry the flavors. |
| 1 tsp olive oil |
| 1/4 tsp cumin |
| 1/4 tsp turmeric |
| 1/4 tsp coriander |
| 1 tsp grated fresh ginger |
| 1/2 cup water |
| 1 can tomatoes or 3-4 large chopped fresh ones |
Serve with brown basmati rice and roti.
Makes 4 servings. |
Recipe adapted from "7-Day Detox Miracle" 2001 by Peter Bennett, ND and Stephen Barrie, ND.
Athletics Coaching / Fitness |
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Tips for a Fit Pregnancy
#1 Get in Shape Before You Conceive: Taking part in a regular exercise rountine which involves cardiovascular fitness such as power walking, cycling, dance or swimming 3-6x per week for 30 minutes to 1 hour or more will help ensure your heart, cardiovascular and lymphatic systems are in good working order. Good circulation and lymph flow encourages natural detoxification, a healthy weight and decreases your risks of having gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Moderate weight training for muscular strength and endurance is also helpful, particularly to tone and strengthen the core, legs and back muscles. If you have a strong, balanced body going into pregnancy, chances are you will be less likely to have back pain when carrying your baby -- both inside and outside of the womb!
Make sure to add a stretching component to your cardio and weight workouts for joint flexibility and overall relaxation as these are vitally important for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. According to Sue Dumais, a pre/post natal yoga teacher and fitness instructor in Vancouver, it is vital for a woman to learn how to relax her core and rest her body both if she is preparing to conceive and throughout her entire pregnancy. So the focus should be on cardio and strength training balanced with rest, relaxation and "letting go." Yin yoga or pre-natal yoga classes are a great way to prepare your body for pregnancy, as the classes encompass strength, endurance, flexibility and relaxation components.
#2 If You Were a Regular Exerciser Prior to Pregancy: it is generally safe to continue with your program, with a few things in mind:
*Hydration - drink lots of water to stay hydrated - drink beyond your thirst (if you are thirsty you may be already 10% or more dehyrated)
*Listen to Your Body - some types of exercise may not feel 'right' to you. For example, jogging didn't feel right to my body after about the 10th week of pregnancy, so I switched to walking and doing cardio on an elliptical trainer (which felt much better).
*Caloric and Nutritional Needs Increase - your body is growing a placenta and a baby and undergoing many hormonal and other physiological changes. You will need an additional 390 calories per day in your first and second trimesters, and about 300 extra in your third trimester(1). Your body will also demand more of certain nutrients and minerals such as calcium and iron, so it is important to eat a varied, healthy diet to meet these needs.
*Exercise at a lower intensity and duration - during pregnancy your resting heart rate increases by 10-15 beats per minute and there is a greater demand for oxygen, causing deeper and more frequent breathing, thus you may need to drop your pace or shorten your workouts to be comfortable.
It is recommended not to work out too hard during pregnancy (although some elite athletes and competitors have continued their rigorous training schedules during pregnancy with no apparent harm to themselves or their babies). Most women can use the "talk test" guideline to gage an appropriate workout level - to be able to talk during your workout comfortably without gasping for air between words. Above all -- go by how you feel!
There are other exercise precautions specific to what stage of pregnancy you are in and your personal health history. Ask your Fitness Facility or Personal Trainer for a PAR-Q Med-X for you and your physician/midwife to fill out to make sure there are no contraindications for exercise and you can embark upon or continue a safe exercise program for you and your baby!
PAR-Q Med_X forms can be downloaded from: http://www.csep.ca/forms.asp
#3 Newly Pregant and Previously Sedentary - If you haven't been very physically active and are newly pregnant, its best to start with very mild exercise like walking. Just 15-20 minutes a day of strolling is a good start from which can slowly build up from. Check with your Physican\Midwife and a Fitness Trainer certified in Pre and Post Natal Fitness for safe progressions to your walking program for the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
Fitness Tips for After Your Baby is Born (the Post-Partum Period)
Many women get overly concerned about losing weight and getting in shape shortly after the birth of their babies - pressure from partners and family can often fuel this concern. Its important to let your body heal first before its safe to return to physical exercise. The amazing journey of growing a baby and bringing it into the world takes a huge amount of physical and emotional effort and stamina, so give yourself some time to regain your energy and bond with your baby.
How much time is needed to rest? This depends on each woman and and what her labour was like. In general, a woman's body needs 2-4 weeks following a vaginal birth to heal first before its safe to return to physical exercise. This depends on tearing, stitching and how soon the uterus clamps down and heals. For a caesarian section, this timeline is about 6-8 weeks. Again, check with your physician or midwife and start out gently (like easy strolls with baby), working up gradually.
Its is good to know that many of the changes of pregnancy persist for 4-6 weeks post-partum. For example, the hormone relaxin is still being produced which increases joint flexibility - increasing the chances of muscle and tendon injury by overstretching. Also, 60% of pregnancies have some degree of "diastasis recti" or separation of the connective tissue between the rectus abdominal muscles(1). This will show up as a bulge or tenting along the midline as you try to sit up. If you think you have this (or want to prevent it) roll over onto your side to get up from a lying position from the 4th month of pregnancy and into the post-partum period. You may also want to check with a physiotherapist or pre/post natal fitness trainer about how to prevent the separation from getting worse and how to repair the tissues.
Deep Core Exercises - There are specific deep core exercises that will help strengthen the transversus abdominus (TVA) muscle and repair connective tissues for someone who has diastasis recti. Deep core exercises, particularly pelvic floor exercises called "Kegels" will prevent incontinence, support the pelvis and bring circulation to the area for healing. Also, exercises such as pelvic tilts, leg slides and "half-plank" work to re-build the "internal girdle" (TVA) muscle which is stretched during pregnancy. This deep horizontal muscle is also important for back support, preventing injury and giving a 'girdle effect' to the waistline. Its a good idea to learn how to isolate and do some basic exercises for your deep core before you go on to abdominal curls and more advanced ball or floor exercises.
Once you re-start your exercise program with core exercises, walking, yoga, easy weight training or your own preferred activity, keep it easy, fun and work up slowly as your body re-builds energy reserves, overall muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. Fatigue can set in quickly with all the demands of a new baby (and lack of sleep!) so take it easy on yourself. Look for yoga and fitness classes for moms and babies that focus on specific training to help you carry baby and baby's equipment and get you back into shape while meeting other new moms.
Nutrition for New Moms- if you are breastfeeding you will need an extra 500 calories a day (or about 200 more than your 3rd trimester requirements). Make sure your foods are nutrient-rich ones - not empty calories - or you may soon find you don't have enough energy to get through the day. If you don't focus on nutritious whole foods, you may put on additional weight due to taking in too many quick fix simple carbohydrates. Consider this time the 4th trimester - you need to feed your body the best possible fuel so you can be healthy, recover quickly and feed your growing baby. Nutrient-rich soups like broken bone (jing) soup (see The Healthy Being Newsletter, February 2007, Vol.2), whole foods like brown rice, legumes, quinoa, fresh fruit and vegetables, protein and fruit shakes, greens powders, organic meats, yogurt, herbal teas such as raspberry and nettles are all great choices. If anyone asks "is there any way I can help?" - say "Thank you, yes, I'd love it if you'd make a nutritious meal for us, like a whole-grains casserole or a home-made vegetable soup!" You don't have to do it all on your own - traditionally a whole community or extended family would help the mother after the birth of the baby for many weeks or months while she recovered.
Take the time to relax: if you can, take a yin yoga class, listen to a meditation tape, do breathwork to reduce stress and drop cortisol levels. This will get you in the habit of consciously relaxing and help you cope better with all that comes your way. Rest when baby rests, play when baby plays!
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Pre/Post-Natal Fitness Training (NEW)
This fall we will be offering fitness training and wellness coaching for new moms and moms-to-be. The pre-natal and post-partum periods require huge adjustments for the body and its vitally important to include appropriate exercise, optimal nutrition, relaxation techniques and adequate rest into your lifestyle - for both you and your baby.
Mom and Baby "Bootie Camp" - outdoor group classes to get you back in shape while you connect with other new moms. Needed: comfy clothes, running shoes, stroller, baby.
Pre-and Post Natal Personal Training - One-on-one instruction and program design geared for you throughout the four main stages of pregnancy, including the early post-partum period.
Please contact us by e-mail if you, a friend or a family member may be interested - we will send out more information in August about pre- and post-natal fitness classes and schedules. |
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