Roasted red pepper dip and the yamas

Patangali is often considered the father of yoga-he compiled the blueprint for living a moral life and incorporating the science of yoga. At the centre of his teachings are the eightfold path of yoga-simplified these are the asanas (poses), pranayama (the breath), yamas (social behaviour), niyamas (inner discipline), pratyhara (withdrawal of senses-concentration), dharana(focus on one point).

When I am travelling I often spend alot of time in my hotel room at night thinking...alot. Often this ends in some earth shattering revelation about myself that I haven't acknowledged or was in denial about. Ultimately, this begins a lengthy internal debate (I am a Gemini so that is nothing new!) on whatever the issue I am having with myself and ends with either finding harmony as I resolve my analysis of myself (are you still with me?) or total frustration.

So, tonight while I was engaged in a truly great roasted red pepper dip at the hotel lounge I began to think about virtues, specifically those associated with the the yamas : non-harm to others/yourself, truthfulness, not-taking what is not offered, sense control and take only what is required. The association with the roasted red pepper dip is that I was really into a serving that two people could have woofed down (the "not taking more than what is needed" part of the virtues I am getting at here). I will be eating salad for the next day to balance the my indulgent behaviour.

The point is, no matter how virtuous we try to be, there will be occasions when we slip-we are human: whether it is the 3rd or 4th glass of your favourite wine; when you are overly critical of yourself, your appearance, your behaviour; when you muscle through your day instead of taking the time to breathe and so on it goes. The most important thing is to find self-acceptance, ignore the negative self-talk; focus on your achievements and when you do feel as if you took more than you should, find balance-the objective is to be in harmony with yourself.

This week @ The Studio: November 29th

Pls Note: Monday's 11 am restorative and noon Core strength vinyasa classes are cancelled for this week as I am required to be in Montreal on Monday for business.

Zumba: Are you looking to increase energy and burn those calories as the holiday season springs upon us? This week's Zumba class is a sure way to achieving both! We have packed alot into this week's set in order to burn mega calories while having so much fun.

Yoga: Finding balance in the inner and outer body.

Kickboxing, Conditioning and Bootcamp: Burn, baby, burn (while smiling through an awesome experience)!

Have a healthy and safe week

Easiest Exercise (EVER)

What is the easiest exercise ever? Breathing! Breathing exercises help to strengthen the lungs, reduces stress, and can improve heart health. And of course, it doesn't cost us anything to do this exercise, and we don't need any special equipment. There are muscles all around our lungs. The diaphragm is a powerful muscle at the bottom of the rib cage, and the intercostal muscles run between the ribs. We use these muscles all the time as we breathe, and we can exercise them to strengthen them further. Strengthening these muscles helps us to draw more air into the lungs, so then we have more oxygen to use. It also helps us to use the oxygen more efficiently, delivering it throughout the body. This is important for athletes, who want to optimize their performance, and for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions. It is also essential as we get older, we want to keep all of our muscles in use and in good shape.One simple breathing exercise: Breathe in slowly through the nose to the count of five, allow the belly to expand comfortably. Then exhale to the count of seven, pushing the air up from the belly, through the lungs and out through the mouth. Hold the breath for a moment to increase the carbon dioxide level in the body. This helps to relax the muscles and reduce strain. Repeat for a few minutes. (From Lisa Coffey's Coffee Talk)

Remembrance and Gratitude

A few years ago my husband and I were in Holland for work and travelled to the community of Holten, the site of the final resting place for @ 1600 Canadian soliders. My husband's uncle, after whom he was named is resting here. I was struck by the sheer beauty of the cemetery and the kindness and dedication of the Dutch people in maintaining each of the graves. After finding the resting site for my husband's uncle, I began to walk among the remaining sites: 18, 19, 20 year ages etched onto the headstones from all provinces stood out-I found myself in tears reading how young these men were. We found ourselves stopping to reflect and pay homage at all of the graves of these young men-their sacrifices so profoundly visible standing there in the beautiful countryside surrounded by all of those headstones.

The month of November is associated with the concepts of Remembrance and Gratitude-remembrance for those who fought (and continue to fight) so valiantly to maintain freedom and thankfulness for their efforts. Although we stop and reflect on November 11 for the sacrifices that were made so we can enjoy our freedom, we can cultivate the virtue of gratitude daily to help us move with ease through life and grow spiritually.

Being grateful in all aspects of life is essential to a person's well being. Appreciating your family, your friends, your job, and anything else conducive to happiness facilitates your physical and emotional health.

Take a few minutes of your day to reflect on what you have to be grateful for-your health, your family, your freedom, etc. You will find it easier to move through your day by bringing on a sense of inner peace.

This month, as I pause to reflect upon the sacrifices made by those selfless men and women and their families in our military and to Tracy, who I am in awe of every time I reflect upon the sacrifices she makes daily to ensure individual rights and freedoms are protected. I am so truly proud to call you sister-you are our rock.

Low fat & tasty black bean and corn dip

I love this dip-I am a big cilantro fan so I throw some fresh or dried cilantro into this dip and will often substitute the chili with 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper (more somedays).

Some of the health benefits of beans:
-major source of soluble fiber, which, when passing through the digestive tract grabs and traps bile that contains cholesterol, removing it from the body before it's absorbed. A study conducted at the University of Kentucky has shown that only three weeks of increased bean intake (3/4 cup of navy and pinto beans) lowered the men's cholesterol by an average of 19%. This reduces the risk of heart attack by almost 40%.
- the high fiber in beans means they can curb your appetite for fattier more dangerous foods.
- the compound found in beans-isoflavins lagnins phytic acid sapopin and protease inhibitors- have been shown to keep normal cells from turning cancerous and inhibit their growth.

Did you know? You can reduce the effects of beans (as in the old saying, beans, beans, the magical fruit....) by rinsing canned beans, soaking dried beans over night and changing the water several times.

1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed or 2 cups black beans cooked at home
2 cups cooked fresh, frozen or canned corn
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Black pepper to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for about 20 seconds or until all ingredients are smooth.
If the dip is too thick, stir in two tablespoons of yogurt.

Serving Size: 1/4 cup (69 g) Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount per serving Calories 68, Calories from fat 3, Total Fat0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol
0 mg, Sodium 77 mg, Total Carbohydrates 13 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 4 g,