Linguine with Zucchini. almond and mint pesto

-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1/3 cup silvered almonds
-1 1/2 clove garlic
-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
-1/2 cup chopped blanced almond
-2 leafs of kale

-1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

-2/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
-spaghetti or linguine
-salt and pepper

Directions:
Toast almonds until brown, and leave aside
Halve zucchine and boil in a big pan with salt for 8 minutes. Save the water for the pasta.
Put the zucchine, mint leaves, garlic, kale almonds, olive oil in a processor. Add more olive oil if needed.
Cook pasta and , spoon the pesto over and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with almonds and serve immediatly.

The Traditional Yoga Asana Practice

This video really inspires my practice and it resonates with my idea of yoga. You can see that asana practice is not about going deeper into the posture as the main goal. It is to accept your body, being persistent and learn how to access the breath and the bandhas according to limits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZslZUHU-kYw

Detox Day!

Detox day - Kitchari Recipe:
1 cup basmati rice
½ cup organic whole or split mung beans (bulk section of the health food store) These need to be soaked for at least three hours before cooking.
4-6 cups of water
2 T ghee (clarified butter) An organic brand will be available at the health food store
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 pinches hing (asafetida)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon of turmeric
1 - 2 cups chopped vegetables (optional) - I used chart and kale and I also spinkled chia seeds

Preparation
This recipe makes 4 servings
Wash rice and mung and soak for three hours or overnight. Drain soak water.

In a saucepan warm the ghee. Add the ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and hing, and sauté for one to two minutes until the mustard seeds start to pop and the aroma of the spices is released. Add rice and mung beans and sauté for 2-4 minutes or until they start sticking to the sides of the pot. Then add 4-6 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Stir in the seaweed, salt, and turmeric, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until beans & rice are tender (approx. 30-45 minutes). If you are adding vegetables to your kitchari, add the longer cooking vegetables such as carrots and beets halfway through the cooking. Add the vegetables that cook faster such as leafy greens near the end. Your finished kitchari should be the consistency of a vegetable stew as opposed to a broth. If you need to add more water, you can. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Serve with fresh cilantro or one of our tasty chutneys. Click here for the chutney recipes.
Health Benefits

Kitchari is a potent blood purifier. In Traditional Chinese Medicine we use the mung bean to strip environmental toxins out of the tissues which is especially helpful for the reproductive organs, liver, and thyroid gland health. Serve kitchari with yummy, fresh side dishes such as our spiced greens. Steamed vegetables are always good too. Good luck and enjoy.

Aging Well

STRONG TEETH=STRONG BRAIN
"Maintaining your teeth may also help you mantain your memory as you age, according to new reserach from Sweden. The study links a lack of teeth with a loss of cognitive function and lack of teethvwith losss of cognitve function and a higher risk of dementia.

Having a few or no teeth makes chewing difficult, which may lead to a reduction in the blood flow of the brain. Researches determined that older adults who had difficulty chewing hard foods such as apples had a higher risk of developing cognitive imparmantes. Weather chewing ability was sustained with natural teeth or dentures had no bearing on the effect."
*Source "chewing abikity linked to reduced deementia risk" Karolinska Institute and Taste for life Magazine

Save The Guarani Kaiowás!

" THE SOUL IS NOT A PART, BUT LIFE AS A WHOLE"

(from the beautiful text entitled Ñe'ẽ - the word soul, which is the word for the Guarani Caiovás.)

YOGA CLASSES- SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE:

BRIDGES ROCK GYM

MONDAY - VINYASA FLOW: 12:00-1:00PM

THURSDAY - HATHA FLOW: 7:00-8:15PM

SUNDAY- HATHA FLOW: 5:00-6:30PM

ADRESSES:

BRIDGES ROCK GYM

5635 San Diego Street

El Cerrito, CA 94530.

The Truth About Coconut Palm Sugar: The Other Side of the Story!

The Truth About Coconut Palm Sugar: The Other Side of the Story!

Vatayanasana

 This pose is good for stiffness in sarcoiliac joint

Yucca Root

I grew up eating Yucca for breakfast. Eating Yucca is one one of my best memories from Brasil.
Every time I am home sick, I go to Mi Tierra  (a Mexican supermarket that carries Mexican and some Brazilian products) to find yucca root and yucca flower. I tend to eat yucca at least once a month. My grandmother and great-grandma who have Indian and Afro-Brazilian ancestors,  used to say that yucca is a wonderful root that has many benefits.

I love having yucca with butter or ghee.  It's a really simple and healthy recipe that I will share with you and you can have it at any time, for breakfast, snack or dinner.

There are properties in the Yucca that can help arthritis and rheumatism . Yucca is high in Vitamins C, B & A as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron.

  Yucca is delicious baked, boiled or fried.  Add it to your favorite soup and substitute it for potatoes for an added health benefit.

Yucca is native to South America, in the Amazon Basin of Brazil, Central America and to the hot and dry parts of North America and the Caribbean
Native Americans, Mexicans and Indians have used the Yucca Root for centuries to treat a wide variety of maladies, especially headaches, gonorrhea, arthritis and rheumatism.

Seasons/Availability

Yuca root is available year round.

Recipe:

1. Peel the yucca. Yucca. It is harder than a potato, but it is easy to peel with a peeler. If you have trouble getting it started, you can slice a little of the skin off with a knife to get it started. Peel the brown skin off until the white flesh is revealed.
2. Cover with water and let it soak overnight
3. On the next day, change the water, and place the yucca again into a pot of water, add salt and bring it to boil. This usually takes 30/45 minutes. You want the yucca to be the same consistency of potatoes
4. When it's ready add butter or ghee and enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee or tea.

Farmers Market

Nice fresh organic vegetables from Berkeley Farmers Market.
More recipes to come.

July Asana Practice

Kabocha & Green Beans with Basmati Rice

Instructions:

1 . Heat Ghee in a medium high temperature
2. Add ginger and let it fry for 45 seconds

3.Add Kobocha Squash and let it cook until it starts to get brown
4. Add French Green beans and cook for 3-4 mints
5. Add Salt and chopped fresh mint

Kabocha Sqaush

Called Japanese pumpkin, kabocha began its history in Japan where it was favored for its sweetness and pleasing texture.

Kabocha's hard, deep green skin, boasts exceptional flavor to those who have had the pleasure of tasting its succulent, naturally sweet flesh. Kabocha, pronounced kah-bow-cha, is even sweeter than butternut squash.
The flavor and texture of the Japanese pumpkin is likened to that of a sweet potato crossed with a pumpkin.

Kabocha squashes are available all year round, but we found that the best flavored ones are harvested in the late summer and early fall. Like many winter squashes, kabocha can vary in size with the average weighing two to three pounds, but we've encountered larger ones as well.

Despite its lower calorie and carb count, kabocha squash is an excellent source of beta-carotene, which can be converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for healthy white blood cells, for good immunity and for healthy night vision — and a serving of kabocha squash provides 70 percent of the day’s recommended requirements. It also helps to keep skin and hair healthy.

Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and is a good source of iron, vitamin C and some B vitamins. In addition, it contains fiber, which most Americans don’t get enough of. To boost the fiber content even more, cook it with the edible skin still on.

Ghee Nutrition: Benefits of the Indian Clarified Butter
Ghee nutrition has been used in Indian cooking for many thousands of years. Ghee is an essential (and nutritional) element in much of Indian cuisine.. Ghee nutrition transcends the cooking realm, as ghee is also often used in religious ceremonies and various healing arts in Indian culture. Ghee's nutrition and healthy properties are touted as ideal for anyone from athletes to simple dieters.

Ghee Nutrition
Ghee lacks hydrogenated oils and is a popular choice for health-conscious cooks as well. Additionally, since all the milk proteins have been removed during the clarifying process, ghee gains further nutritional value because it's lactose free, making it a safer alternative for those who are lactose intolerant.

Clarified butter is composed primarily of saturated fat. It contains approximately 14 grams of fat per tablespoon but no artificial additives, preservatives, or trans fats. Consuming large quantities of ghee is obviously unhealthy, but because of the rich flavor of ghee, it can be used sparingly to full effect, making it more suitable for low-fat diets. A good guideline is one tablespoon of ghee as opposed to four tablespoons of any other butter or cooking oil.

Ghee Health Benefits
Ghee is most notably said to stimulate the secretion of stomach acids to help with digestion, while other fats, such as butter and oils, slow down the digestive process and can sit heavy in the stomach. Although tests and research are still ongoing, it has been used in Indian medicinal practice to help with ulcers, constipation, and the promotion of healthy eyes and skin. An Indian folk-remedy for thousands of years, ghee is also said to promote learning and increased memory retention.

In addition to ghee's nutritional value, it is rich with antioxidants and acts as an aid in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods, feeding all layers of body tissue and serving to strengthen the immune system. A high concentration of butyric acid, a fatty acid that contains anti-viral properties, is believed to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.

Opponents Against Ghee
Opponents against ghee point to its high saturated fat content, claiming it will lead to heart disease. People with high cholesterol are advised not to consume ghee. The combination of saturated fat and cholesterol can increase the risk for heart disease.

French Green Beans

Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and re very good source of vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.

They are very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA) which acts as bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon. Dietary fiber has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon.

Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A.

They are  good source of folates.  Folate along with vitamin B-12 is one of the essential components of DNA synthesis and cell division. Good folate diet when given during preconception periods and during pregnancy helps prevent from neural-tube defects in the offspring.

They also contain good amounts of vitamin-B6, thiamin (vitamin B-1), and vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents.
Green beans contain healthy amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism.

Fresh Mint
It can be successfully used in gastro-intestinal disorders; it helps the liver and calms indigestion. It contains menthol, menthone, menthofuran, a-pinene, limonene, cardinene, acetic aldehide, isovaleriana, vitamin C and antibiotic substances.

Eggs Benefits - Choose it from a good source!

Make sure you choose your eggs from a good source.  Eggs are healthy and engage in natural behaviors. In short, this means that the hens are cage-free, have access to the outdoors and direct sunlight with an option for shade, are provided with an exercise area and are fed certified organic feed that contains no pesticides, drugs, antibiotics or animal byproducts. That also means their eggs will have a higher level of both Omega 3 and vitamin D.

-Vitamin D: key factor in maintaining strong immunity and building bones. It also improves your mood and combats cancer!

- Choline: important for synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, cell-membrane signaling, lipid transport, and methylgroup metabolism.

- Fat, including Omega 3 fatty acids : helps cleanse and lubricate our internal systems. Great for brain function.

- Antioxidants: a single raw egg contains at least twice as many antioxidant properties as an apple.

They’re also rich in vitamin A, B, C, E and K, iron, zinc and lecithin as well as all the nine essential amino acids - making it a great source of complete protein.

There is naturally occurring cholesterol in eggs, but recent studies have found that eating cholesterol containing foods does not increase your own bad cholesterol (LDL.)  Omega 3 Eggs were designed with these concerns in mind. A "real" shell egg, Omega 3 Eggs look, cook, and taste like a regular egg. The difference is that we increased Omega 3 and added Vitamin E, an antioxidant. The program was developed and patented at the University of Wisconsin, and is brought to you by eggmen who care about you and the chickens they tend to.

Omega 3 Benefits

150mg of Omega 3
17% reduction in cholesterol
300% increase in Vitamin E
Produced by cage-free hens
Third party certified for high standards of animal care
No Drugs, Hormones, Antibiotics, or Animal By-Products
All Vegetarian Diet
No Factory Farms
White shell eggs

Cage Free Eggs

Fresh from the nest of Heather Fedbetter come Egg Innovations Cage Free Eggs. Cage Free Eggs has carefully nurtured a tradition of quality. Starting with a natural grain diet without hormones, the greatest care has been taken to provide you with wholesome and fresh eggs. Our hens live in a more natural environment. They perch, scratch and nest wherever they choose. This is why we take so much pride in bringing these all natural, nutritious and scrumptious tasting eggs to your family. Thank you for choosing a tradition of excellence...from Egg Innovations.

Cage Free Benefits

Produced by cage-free hens
Third party certified for high standards of animal care
No Drugs, Hormones, Antibiotics, or Animal By-Products
All Vegetarian Diet
No Factory Farms
Brown shell eggs


Certified Organic Eggs

As pure as a mountain stream we bring our eggs to you. Nature's ideal food without man's intrusion. Organic Egg birds roam freely in and out of doors and are fed the purest of grains without chemicals, hormones, or antibiotics. We hope you enjoy Organic Eggs produced the way Mother Nature intended.


Certified Organic Benefits

Produced by free roaming hens
All Vegetarian Diet
USDA Certified Organic
Third party certified for high standards of animal care
No Drugs, Hormones, Antibiotics, or Animal By-Products
No Factory Farms
Brown shell eggs

Vegetarian Eggs

Healthy and humane the vegetarian way. Vegetarian Eggs are produced from hens fed only the finest natural grains and supplement. No animal by-product will ever be fed so you can truly enjoy nature's way and a vegetarian harvest.

Vegetarian Benefits

Produced by cage-free hens
All Vegetarian Diet
150mg Omega 3 Fatty Acids
300 micro-grams Luten
215mg Choline
Third party certified for high standards of animal care
No Drugs, Hormones, Antibiotics, or Animal By-Products
No Factory Farms
Brown shell eggs


For more information, check out:
http://www.egginnovations.com/about-us.html

Yoga Article

Yoga & Happiness Share :          By Bianca Omena Maximiano Become a fan of Bianca

Please share a favorite quote of yours.  This can be a favorite phrase of yours, or something meaningful from someone else.

“You are what your deep, driving desire is.

As your desire is, so is your will.

As your will is, so is your deed.

As your deed is, so is your destiny.”

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV 4.5

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Bianca Omena Maximiano. I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I came to San Francisco in 2008 to live and teach for 6 months in a ashram called Yoga Society of San Francisco. In that time, I was studying and assisting Clayton Horton (an ashtanga yoga teacher). In one of the sanskrit classes I was taking I met my husband Thomas Hughes (Ayurveda Practitioner) who also introduced me to Shadow Yoga. In 2010 we got married and I moved to Berkeley. 

How would you describe your style of teaching?  What is one thing you bring to your class that is uniquely you?

I really appreciate the pure and simple kind of yoga. My classes are influenced by Classical Hatha, Ashtanga Vinyasa, and Shadow yoga methods. I like to let my students know that Hatha Yoga is the foundation for more advanced  practices of Raja Yoga. Hatha Yoga requires effort and through the postures you can gain emotional stability.

I think what is unique about my classes is that I like to let  practitioners know that they can be responsible to unblock and recharge the body’s energy through their own effort without depending on a teacher to guide them all the time. I don’t want to have students who are dependent on the teacher to take care of their own health. I like to inspire people to be more independent regarding their yoga practices.

Why did you start practicing yoga?

I always liked to treat my body as an important gift that I was greatful for.

I remember I took a yoga class about 11 years ago in a gym because the spinning classes was canceled. In that first class I could realize I found the method I was looking for to better understand my patterns and where I was holding my emotions. It was so strong and inspiring that the teacher and I became really close friends. 

How is yoga meaningful to you nowadays?

Yoga has taught me to be persistent, not greedy, and to value important aspects of life. Yoga teaches me that happiness is to be simple, light, and to not take things personally. It is also helping me to become more mature and secure about myself.

What is your vision for how you would like your yoga practice to evolve in the future?

I would like to emphasize the inner yogic meditation upon reality, combining skilful means and wisdom.

You teach a style called Shadow Yoga.  What is Shadow Yoga and what kind of student tends to be attracted to this style? 

I want to be clear that I do not teach Shadow Yoga. I won’t teach Shadow Yoga unless I am certified by my teacher Zhander Remete. Zhander made me undesrtand that you really need to work on things to deserve it.  In my classes I teach basic standing postures and asasnas the way i have learned from him. Shadow yoga students tend to understand that the path of yoga takes great time and dedication. Students of shadow yoga know that yoga requires an experienced teacher and the will to suceed. 

Name one significant way in which your life has changed after becoming a yoga instructor. 

Nowadays I have a lot of freedom and I study what I really love.

If you could have a yoga class with any teacher, living or dead, who would it be and why? 

I guess I am lucky because I would choose my living teachers Zhander Remete and Emma Balnaves. But If I could choose one that has passed on it would be Swami Devanad Saraswati Jhi Maharaj and Swaimi Kuvalayananda. 

SCHEDULE

BRIDGES ROCK GYM

MONDAY - VINYASA FLOW: 12:00-1:00PM
WEDNESDAY - VINYASA FLOW: 7:15 - 8:30PM

THURSDAY - HATHA FLOW: 7:00-8:15PM
SUNDAY- HATHA FLOW: 5:00-6:30PM

YOGA SHALA EAST BAY

FOUNDATIONS OF SAHDOW YOGA

SUNDAY:  FROM 9:00-10:00AM

TUESDAY: FROM 7:30-8:30PM


ADRESSES:
BRIDGES ROCK GYM
5635 San Diego Street
El Cerrito, CA 94530.
YOGA SHALA EAST BAY
2050 4th Street
 Berkeley, CA 94710

About the Author

Bianca Omena Maximiano has been studying yoga for over ten years. She was initiated in Mantra Yoga Meditation from Swami Devanad Jhi Maharaj and has studied classical Hatha and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Since 2008 she has been studying Shadow Yoga with Scott Blossom, Zhander Remete ,Emma Balnaves and Mark Horner. Bianca believes that yoga is a path to learn about patterns, attachments, and fears; and through a continuous practice anyone can take responsibility for their own growth and self-realization. Bianca’s classes are focused on fundamental principals of Hatha Yoga. She likes to bring awareness to the movement of vinyasa and to the energy flow of the body.

THE YOGA OF EATING

11 tips for better health by Thomas Hughes.

1. Create rhythms

Nature moves in steady rhythms. Just as plants animals on daily and seasonal cycles to thrive so does human physiology. When we create rhythms around meal time the body has time to prepare and ready it self fro the complex process of digestion

2. Eat so that you may eat again

Overeating is a common way to create problems for our selves. The stomach is a container that needs room to work. By overeating foods cannot be churned properly and food stagnation and toxins will be the result.

3. Ice is not nice

Our digestion functions in a warm environment.  When considering a cold drink think of your digestive fire. Also think of your self stepping into a cold shower- on a cold day! Cold water constricts the stomach. Ice water and other cold foods will put out the fire that our life depends on.

4. Eat slow and chew

Help stomach and intestines digest your food. The stomach has no teeth. If we do not chew enough then we stress the stomach and intestines. Eating too fast also may cause indigestion.

5. Eat cooked foods

Our digestive fire must "cook" the food the food we consume in order for their assimilation. When we cook our foods in a stove we are decreasing our body's workload. Raw foods are also considered cold on the digestion, which works against our digestive fire. As a wise man once said, "it is not what you eat, it's what you digest that counts. If you like raw foods use them in a small quantities as supplements to a main course.

6. " Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess, and dinner like a pauper".

This bit of wisdom ties back to another aspect of daily rhythms. If we sleep in the night and work in the day this system will suit you well.  Dinner, a.k.a super, is a word derived from soup. Soup, or light fare, is a great choice at night. rest well!

7. Simply eat

The nervous system is intimately tied to digestive system. If we become excited or in any way stimulated when we are eating we disrupt the stomach actions of our digestive process. When we multitask while eating we divert precious resources away from our digestive organs to our other faculties in use. Multitasking also refers to too much conversation. Find time to eat peaceful and quiet.

8. Creating a meal

Find those combinations that work fro you. The more types of foods we consume at the same meal the more our digestive system has to prioritize its activities. This may result in some foods not being digested for the sake of another. Simple and bland foods are great now and the to rest a weary body

9. Eat local and fresh foods

When we eat local and fresh foods we eat seasonal foods. This approach gives us the best chance to stay in harmony with the seasons as well insure  our foods are nutritious. The farmers market is a great place to start. Fresh foods also include foods that have been recently prepared. Foods loose their vital energy when stored for too long. Try to eat foods within 24 hours of cooking.

10. Make your kitchen the center of your home

Practice what you have learned in cooking class. Get together with friends to cook a meal. Cooking is a very human occupation and it connects us to ourselves our health and the world around us. When we cook our own foods we eat better quality foods then those found in restaurants. the cook also plays a role in the energetics of the foods. Consuming your own foods insures you know exactly what you are eating.

11. Enjoy!

THE AYURVEDIC APPROACH

THE AYURVEDIC APPROACH

LEARN THE YOGA OF EATING

THIS MONDAY, MAY 14 AT KITCHEN ON FIRE, BERKELEY!

1509 SHATTUCK  # A

REGISTER AT : www.kitchenonfire.com

or (510) 548- COOK (2665)

with

THOMAS HUGHES AND DOUGLAS CRUE

SCHEDULE

BRIDGES ROCK GYM

MONDAY - VINYASA FLOW: 12:00-1:00PM
WEDNESDAY - VINYASA FLOW: 7:15 - 8:30PM

THURSDAY - HATHA FLOW: 7:00-8:15PM
SUNDAY- HATHA FLOW: 5:00-6:30PM

YOGA SHALA EAST BAY

FOUNDATIONS OF SAHDOW YOGA

SUNDAY:  FROM 9:00-10:00AM

TUESDAY: FROM 7:30-8:30PM


ADRESSES:
BRIDGES ROCK GYM
5635 San Diego Street
El Cerrito, CA 94530.
YOGA SHALA EAST BAY
2050 4th Street
 Berkeley, CA 94710

Definição da prática de Shadow Yoga

Shadow Yoga, foi desenvolvido pelo mestre de Yoga Zhander Remete, baseado nos métodos e práticas de Hatha Yoga clássico e as artes de auto-cultivo (ambos marciais e dança).

O trabalho de preparação tem grande importância para um progresso significativo com uma base sólida.
Três formas de prelúdio são utilizados para o treinamento. Estas formas objetivam conciliar um forte trabalho nas posturas (stances) , em movimentos em espiral, na respiração rítmica e bandhas.
Esta preparação, sistemática libera bloqueios no Sistema Marma (Junções Vital), levando à circulação livre do prana (energial vital). Isso define o cenário para o trabalho interno de asana, mudra, pranayama e meditação.

A ênfase é colocada na construção do Kanda Shakti (poder vital) e Jathar Agni (fogo digestivo).
O Hatha Yoga clássico considera o aumento e equilíbrio dessas energias como instrumental para uma boa saúde e transformação pessoal. O termo "Shadow" refere-se a diversas camadas do ser humano qua são chamados de koshas ou bainhas: físico, energético, mental/emocional, intelectual e felicidade.

Assim como a sombra bloqueia a luz, estas camadas (Koshas) tornam-se sem brilho devido à identificação, apego, e estresse.
Isso limita e distorce a percepção do ser humano (Avidya). Shadow Yoga funciona para limpar obstruções e curar desequilíbrios nessas camadas, ou sombras a fim de despertar a luz do conhecimento discriminativo.

Os cinso koshas (Pacha Koshas):

Físico - Annamaya kosha
Energia - Pranamaya kosha
Mental - Manamaya kosha
Sabedoria - Vijnanamaya kosha
Felicidade - Anandamaya kosha