Those are carrot dogs on the grill :) 

August 24, 2023 | issue 152

What's Inside This Week:

Shake It Off

We carry a lot of stress in our minds and in our bodies. A stress management technique you may not be aware of is the Qigong Shake. I learned the benefits of shaking the body years ago in a yoga class. It's remarkable how this simple movement can allow us to unleash the power we all have over the stressors in our lives. Shaking is especially good for someone who sits all day. 

 

Qigong is the life force energy known as chi (often spelled qi) and the magic of cultivating that energy is the art of effortless power. Practicing qigong dissolves blockages in our energy and enables us to discover our radiant health and well-being. 

 

Shaking is an easy exercise that most of us can do without special equipment. Below is the link to one of many YouTube videos that are available demonstrating the qigong shake technique. It's easy to do when you find a video that resonates with you. For those who prefer to create their own way, start by shaking your hands and wrists. Smooth shaking is best. No need for excessive shaking. Next, shake your shoulders and elbows. Then bring movement into your entire body by bouncing up and down on your heels gently. Keep your head, neck and shoulders relaxed as you allow the vibration from the shaking to move throughout your body. As you bounce lightly, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, visualizing tension leaving your body. See the stressors of the day flowing away. Do this for 2-3 minutes (or start with as little as 30-60 seconds if that feels right). Notice your body after the shaking ceases. Your body will likely feel looser, more vibrant, lighter. 

 

Shaking promotes better circulation, clears stress that's stored in the body and opens up the joints. Give it a try. You may be surprised how this simple technique can help you feel better all over. 

 

Here's one of my favorite videos to follow. It's super short and easy to do. 

https://youtu.be/Xh0ZLeQNfrM

Eat Your Calcium

This SNL skit was hilarious so when I saw the GIF, I had to add it here. Nothing wrong with poking a little fun at those who eat “differently”…lol. One thing that confuses a lot of people is where we plant-eaters get our calcium. Traditionally, we have been taught that we must have milk and other dairy products to get our calcium. Here is something to ponder…where does the cow get it's calcium? Cows do not drink milk. They eat grass :)

Many people do not know the value of eating greens (aka - grass) when it comes to calcium content. Dark leafy and and cruciferous vegetables are rich in calcium. Spinach, bok choy, spring mix, kale, collards offer calcium content. Some of these foods are higher in oxylates which can be problematic for some. Steaming greens reduces oxylate content by 5-53% and boiling them reduces this even more. Broccoli, Brussel sprouts and cabbage not only provide calcium content but are known cancer fighters. 

Soy products (always choose organic) are good sources of calcium. Immature soybeans, aka edamame, is so good and a one cup serving provides 27% of the recommended daily index. That's a large serving but combined with other foods…like adding to your dark green veggie salad boosts the calcium you are providing your body. Add some tofu to your salad and you've increased the calcium even more. Soy foods offer complete protein, fiber, and an array of other vitamins and minerals.

Beans, peas, and lentils contain decent amounts of calcium and are great sources of protein and fiber. Soaking, sprouting, or fermenting them can improve nutrient absorption. They can be added to your daily salad or to soups or other recipes to boost the nutrient value of all your meals. 

Almonds and Brazil nuts are good sources of calcium, as well as many other nuts. Choose raw, unsalted nuts for the healthiest choice. Use nuts to make a salad dressing to top off that high calcium salad and boost the nutrient value. It's no surprise that Dr. Fuhrman's best advice is to eat a large salad every day. In addition to nuts, seeds also are a good source of calcium. Sesame seeds ground into tahini can make a nice salad dressing and is used in many plant-based recipes. Chia and flax seeds are highly nutritious and offer calcium in addition to Omega 3 fatty acids. This nutrients are important for disease prevention. 

Some fruits even have calcium! Figs, oranges, blackberries and raspberries are a few examples of higher calcium content fruits. These fruits offer the highest absorbable calcium content. Eat 'em up. 

Some plant foods are fortified with calcium. Plant milks, plant yogurts and some cereals and crackers have added calcium. Soy milk is an excellent substitute for traditional cow's milk. Soy gets a bad rap and I wonder if some of that is marketing and concern about loss of revenue. Do your own research about soy. Dr. Michael Greger has excellent videos on his nutritionfacts.org website. 

The takeaway here is that we can eat our calcium when we eat a variety of plant foods without the worry of not getting enough. Plants are the most nutritious foods on the planet. 

Are you, or do you know someone who is waiting to be happy when….?

 

This destructive lie keeps us chasing without ever finding the happiness we say we will achieve when a certain circumstance comes to pass. What happens is anti-climatic. We achieve that thing but we doesn't feel happy. We may even feel let down. We then up the ante and create a new “I'll be happy when…” scenario. 

 

The truth is that there are actually two lies in this thinking. The first is that we cannot be happy now. The implication is that our current situation is not happiness-worthy and that we must achieve this bigger, better thing to feel happy. The second lie is that the “when” becomes a moving target because when we achieve it, it doesn't make us feel happy. Argh! How disappointing.

 

 The “I'll be happy when…” statement comes from our inner critic. It's that little voice that talks to us all day long. It's our judge and it's typically not very kind. It's the voice that says we must do better. We must have more. We must do this or we must do that to be happy. I call BS. 

 

The time for happiness is now. In your current circumstances. Today. 

Any other choice but to be happy is coming from your inner critic…your Judge. So ask yourself now…what am I grateful for in my life right now? Pointing out all that you have to be grateful for is a step in the direction of discovering happiness. We can choose happy. Every thing we do involves a choice. We can choose to delay happiness until something happens…until we win the lotto, our children move out of the house, or when our husband finally takes a day off. Or, we can choose to be happy today anyway. 

 

When two people kiss, they exchange between 10 million and 1 billion bacteria.

Recipe of the Week

By Vicki Brett-Gach 

 

 

1. Steam-sauté onion and green pepper in a hot pan until tender. Add beans and the seasoning, and continue to cook together until well combined, and heated through.

2. Next, spread the tortilla with a layer of hummus. Cover most of the hummus with the spinach (or other greens), from one end all the way across to the other. Add the asparagus down the center.

3. Spoon the spiced beans, pepper, and onions mixture over the top. Carefully roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.

4. To slice, cut the wrap into halves. Line up the two halves, and cut each one into halves again, and serve.

Recipe from Nutritionstudies.org

https://www.facebook.com/healthcoachteri

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My Favorite Quotes

“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we’d all be vegetarian.” 

-Paul McCartney

hen Basics tea