Blog posts from the ‘Food’ Category

Have a Green Christmas

Christmas! A time of goodwill and celebration, often accompanied by seasonal increases in eating, drinking and spending. If all goes well this combination should result in a lot of fun, but unfortunately it will also result in an estimated 3 million tonnes of waste. But you can have the best of both worlds. With a bit of thought you can limit the impact you have on the environment this Christmas and still have a great time.

A feast of waste

* Overflowing dustbins and extra bags of rubbish are a common sight in the streets after Christmas. We all create more waste over the holiday period.

* The Royal Mail delivers around 150 million cards and packets each day during the pre-Christmas period. It is estimated that up to 1 billion Christmas cards (17 for every man, woman and child) could end up in bins across the UK.

* 7.5 million Christmas trees were bought in 2001. Some councils reported their Christmas tree recycling activities for early 2001 to EnCams. The total number of Christmas trees reported to be recycled was nearly 1.2 million.

* It is estimated that over Christmas as much as 83 square km of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins, enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey.

* We could use an extra 750 million bottles and glass containers, and 500 million drinks cans. About 20% to 30% more glass and cans are collected each year over the Christmas period.

Food and drink

* When shopping, avoid goods which involve unnecessary packaging or complicated mixed material packaging which can make recycling difficult.

* Try to buy food and drink packaged in materials that can be recycled in your area, such as paper and glass.

* Order any extra milk in returnable bottles from the milkman to avoid plastic bottles or cartons from the supermarket.

* Buy drinks, like lemonade or beer, in large containers, rather than in a lot of small ones. One large bottle results in less waste than a lot of small cans and it’s more economical. Alternatively, buy drinks concentrates that can be diluted.

* SNUB – Say No to Unwanted Bags! Always use a reusable shopping bag or reuse plastic bags. Don’t accept bags that you don’t need.

The amount of waste we produce and our main methods of disposal are currently not sustainable. The production, treatment and disposal of waste can all harm the environment. This is not just because of the problems with landfill, incineration or other disposal options – it is also because we use new resources to replace ones we have thrown out. It is estimated that for every tonne of waste produced in our homes, five tonnes has already been produced in manufacturing and 10 tonnes at the point where the raw material was extracted. About 600 million tonnes of raw resources are used in the UK per year, 570 million tonnes of which end up as waste losses through energy, water, solid wastes and other emissions.

As a result of our lifestyles, on average every household in the UK throws away 1.2 tonnes of waste every year. This amounts to a staggering 30 million tonnes in total. Having a green Christmas doesn’t mean being a Scrooge! Just follow these simple action points for cutting down on Christmas waste.

Laura Watson 19 December 2010 Enviroment, Food, Wellbeing, yoga environment, Food, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Food for Christmas

We have tried and tested this vegetarian extravaganza and it really did put a smile on all of the Yoga Wellbeing team. It’s a great idea for a meat free alternative for your main course this Christmas. I would go as far as saying that this makes up for the absence of stuffing on your plate. Enjoy!

Whole baked Squash with Spiced Cous Cous

Ingredients

2 acorn squash or other small squash , tops sliced off, or 1 butternut squash, halved, seeds scooped out and brushed inside with olive oil

1 teacup couscous soaked in 1 teacup of boiling water with a few saffron threads

4 tbsp pistachios

3 tbsp parsley , chopped

1 tsp harissa , depending on how hot you like it

1 tsp ras-el-hanout (optional) available from seasonedpioneers.co.uk

butter , melted to serve

2 tbsp dried sour cherries or dried cranberries

pomegranate molasses (optional) available from Middle Eastern shops or Sainsbury’s Special Selection

Method

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roast the squash for 30-40 minutes or until tender.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together, stuff the squash and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with extra melted butter and pomegranate molasses (if using) spooned over.

Mmmm festive goodness.

Laura Watson 17 December 2010 Food, Wellbeing, health, yoga Food, health, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Do you need a mid afternoon energy boost?

Are you suffering from a post-lunch energy dip? Learn how to keep yourself energised throughout the day.

Research shows that the most common time for energy slumps is 2.15pm. This is when many people hit a brick wall – and wish they could hit a soft pillow. Low blood sugar and the body’s circadian rhythm hitting a natural low are the culprits. But you can take action.

Don’t fight it

“Short naps of five to 15 minutes are very effective at promoting energy renewal and increasing cognitive function,” says Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep and energy coach at Capio Nightingale Hospital, London. Studies show grabbing 40 winks boosts memory too. You don’t have to nod off – in fact, you want to avoid deep sleep. “Just sit or lie comfortably in a well-ventilated room, relaxing muscles and breathing deeply from the stomach. You’ll approach a near sleep state without falling asleep and will probably remain conscious of your surroundings,” says Dr Ramlakhan. If you’re afraid to power-nap because it leaves you groggy, fear not. This is so common that it has a name – “sleep inertia”, the inability to shrug off sleep. The trick is not to cat-nap for more than 15 to 20 minutes, because the most you’ll get is light sleep, which is easy to get out of. Or sleep longer, say about 60 minutes, to get out of deep sleep and into REM.

Sleeping on the job was once grounds for dismissal but employers are coming round to power naps. After Cornell University found they increase productivity in the workplace, some US companies, including Nike and Deloitte Consulting, started encouraging employees to add an afternoon snooze to their to-do list, and some firms have installed beds or sleep pods.

Desk Y0ga

Desk Yoga stretches: link your hands, push your arms out in front of you and raise them above your head. Also try extending your legs in front of you and point and flex your toes. Then hug your knees, one by one, towards your chest.

Have an energy snack

This is not an excuse to reach for a whole milk chocolate bar. The high glycaemic index (GI is a measure of how high a food type pushes up your blood sugar) in a sugar-filled snack might give you an energy boost, but your blood sugars will crash quickly and you’ll probably feel more tired than ever, warns nutritional therapist Shona Wilkinson. Opt for a snack with low GI, such as oat cakes or hummus and carrot sticks, to raise your blood sugar levels steadily and keep them up, she says. For more information, visit www.glycemicindex.com. “It is worth a look because, whilst it’s usually sugary foods that are high GI, there are a few unusual ones to watch out for – French baguettes, watermelon, dried fruit and rice cakes,” says Wilkinson.

If you must have chocolate, stick to a few squares of high-quality plain chocolate as it contains less sugar and the richness means you’ll want less. And ideally, eat your snack half an hour before you know you’re likely to slump because it takes the body that long to convert what you eat to energy, says Wilkinson.

Revamp your lunch

Afternoon crashes are often the delayed result of too many simple sugars at a midday meal. Replace white bread, pastas and dessert with protein (chicken, tuna, hard-boiled eggs) and a slow-digesting carb (brown rice, lentils, sweet potato). Eating protein with carbohydrates can bring down the glycaemic load, so a turkey sandwich on wholewheat bread or a salad niçoise is a win-win. “Note that the glycaemic index of some foods changes according to how they are cooked,” cautions Wilkinson. “Baked potatoes are higher in the glycaemic index than boiled.”

Drink some water

Dehydration causes fatigue. It diminishes the capacity of most of our organs, especially the brain, kidneys and skin. “Research shows one in five of us consumes too little water,” says nutritionist Fiona Kirk. The recommendation is 1.5 litres, so aim for eight to 10 glasses a day, preferably keeping a filled bottle on your desk so you’re more likely to drink regularly and can monitor if you’re getting enough.

“If you’ve drunk no water by 2pm but have downed coffee, fizzy drinks and tea, you’re asking for headaches, concentration problems, mood swings and tiredness. The receptors for thirst and hunger are close together in the body, meaning that when you feel hungry, often what you’re really feeling is thirst.”

Never skip breakfast

Low afternoon energy is down to what we eat from the moment we get up and this meal does what it says on the tin: refuels the body by breaking a fast. You’ll need a healthy, sizable breakfast with complex (slow-digesting) carbohydrates and a little protein. Good choices include an egg on wholemeal toast, oats or sugar-free muesli with berries and natural yoghurt, or porridge with semi-skimmed milk and a banana.

Other slump-beating methods

* Essential oils: pop a couple of drops of a reviving essential oil into a tissue and inhale deeply. Citrus scents, along with peppermint and rosemary – are energy boosters.

* Avoid energy drainers: the most common are alcohol, caffeine, low-quality food, obesity, too much chocolate and dieting (slows metabolism, saps energy).

* Get active at lunchtime: if you can’t nip out for a quick walk at the time you feel a slump coming on during work, a preventive measure is an amble at lunchtime to lift your mood for the hours to come.

10 November 2010 Diet, Fitness, Food, Wellbeing, health, yoga Fitness, yoga, yoga wellbeing No Comments

Yoga in Prisons

Yoga in Prisons workshops throw up the philosophical questions such as Who am I? Am I separate from what I do? They investigate basic goodness, identity, and forgiveness as well as develop listening and empathy skills. Leaders also introduce simple meditations to help prisoners learn how to calmly be with whatever emotions arise in the present moment. The boys count their breaths and do body scans to get into their bodies, relax, and find freedom from reactivity.

The idea of spending less time in solitary may lure the prisoners but once he started attending the yoga meetings they start to see the benefits. Each session offered a brief respite from isolation, a glimpse of self-awareness, and a chance to connect to others who had similar lives filled with drugs and gangs.

Thinking it over and talking with others, I was able to sort out my ideas. Using a breathing technique, which he learned in group sessions, to control his temper. My anger and other people just don’t mix. Yoga breathing techniques have helped me cope with everyday life.

24 September 2010 Fitness, Food, New classes, health, meditation Fitness, health, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Yoga in Sunny London

It’s the paradox of sunscreen. When you dutifully slather on the SPF 30 before heading outside on a sunny day, you’re protecting your skin  from harmful ultraviolet rays. But you’re also preventing those rays from prompting your skin, liver, and kidneys to make an essential vitamin—vitamin D.

For more than 90 years, vitamin D has been known to play a role in bone health. But new research suggests that vitamin D may have many other health benefits. Vitamin D may play a role in reducing the risk of cancer, heart attack, and stroke. Emerging studies are examining the effects of higher doses of vitamin D on depression and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin D occurs naturally in a few foods, such as salmon, egg yolks, and liver, and many other foods are fortified with  it. The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine deems a vitamin D intake of 2,000 international units per day to be adequate for adults aged 50 and younger; older people need more. In light of new research, those recommendations are currently under review. But many of us aren’t getting enough even by the current recommendations. By some estimates, as many as three out of every four people in the UK aren’t getting enough vitamin D. While some nutritionists recommend seeking vitamin D by going outside for 10 or 15 minutes without sunscreen on a sunny day, dermatologists argue that’s neither a safe nor reliable way to ensure adequate vitamin D levels.

What’s the yogic message today? Read the label of your multivitamin to see if it contains the daily value of vitamin D, and ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels  at your next physical, if you’re concerned. And don’t forget your sunscreen and hat when you head for the beach.

11 August 2010 Fitness, Food, health, yoga Fitness, health, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Healthy Easter Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cakes are relatively healthy desserts if you use good quality chocolate with high percentage cacao. Now days, organic dark chocolate are available almost everywhere, and will allow to make this recipe even more healthy.

In addition, this recipe does not use wheat, so it can be tasted by anyone, even people having allergies.

Sugar is not considered as healthy but brown sugar or honey will be a better choice than white sugar. Be careful to allergies. Some people may be allergic to honey.

History of Chocolate:

The cacao seeds were discovered in South America, 2000 years ago, by the Maya and Aztec populations. Later, in the 1500s, the Spanish conquistadors brought the seeds in Europe. Since then it is the favorite desert of European and North Americans.

Ingredients for 8 to 10 servings:

800 gr dark chocolate (70% or more)
180 gr butter
4 eggs
½ cup sugar

Optional: orange juice 1/4 cup or orange zest, vanilla seeds, ginger powder, pepper/species (not for children)

Time Required:

20 minutes preparation

20 minutes cooking

Preparation:

Before starting the recipe, if it is possible, put the butter out of the fridge on a counter top to warm-up at room temperature.
Spray a round baking cake pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter spread a thin layer of butter.
Just before starting, preheat oven at 180ºC or 350ºF.
Cut the chocolate in several big pieces.

Directions:

In a large pan, heat the butter over low heat, pour over the chocolate, stir together chocolate and butter until you get a homogenous paste.
Stir in four eggs and sugar. Mix well.
Optional: add a taste of orange, vanilla or ginger. Pour orange juice and mix well. Do not put too much juice (the cake will be too liquid). Add vanilla seeds or ginger powder and mix well.
Spread batter in the baking pan sprayed with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180ºC or 350ºF, until center of the cake gives slightly when touched with finger or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry.
Optional: decorate the cake by dusting powdered white sugar and/or chocolate chips
Let cool completely before cutting.

4 April 2010 Food, Recipes, Wellbeing, yoga chocolate, recipe, yoga No Comments

Escape to Peru

You just can’t escape the beauty in Peru between the desert and the lush expanse of the Amazon rainforest, it can’t help but surprise you. Peruvians honor gods both Christian and indigenous. Ancient ruins let you in on prehistoric secrets. There are stunning lakes to stare into, waves to surf, and cities to get lost in.

It’s a place continuously energized by fresh influences. In Peru, you can find yourself dancing to African music, admire impressive Catholic churches and be amazed indigenous textiles.

Meanwhile, prepare to send your vision into overdrive. Peru is home to snow-capped mountains, giant sand dunes, magestic volcanoes and rocky Pacific outcroppings inhabited by grumpy sea lions.

And let’s not forget the food, a bounty of sublime concoctions made freash and fast. You’ll need weeks to savor the vast selection of delicacies: from rare strains of potato to tasty guinea pig.

Peru will not let your taste buds down.

28 March 2010 Escapism, Food, Lifestyle, Wellbeing, yoga peru, Travel, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Healthy snacks

The Yoga Wellbeing team love to think, talk and most of all eat food. We were having a winding chat about whether we should add a couple of ideas about healthy snacks instead of just recipe ideas. We are a collection of grazers and love to plan what the next snack will be. We have scribbled down our top ten healthly snacks through the week.

Nutty nuts – There are good for you in nearly every way. Our nut of the moment is the almond. It can feature on your morning cereal or could just be popped into your mouth.

Houmous

Jarvis Cocker ordered two crates of it when he was touring with Pulp. Rock and roll. Whichever way you look at it, it’s the most perfect dip in the world. Made up of cooked chickpeas, with a dash of garlic and, if you choose, tahini, which is a great source of calcium. Try chopping some celery or carrot and enjoy a healthly dunk.

Smoothies

Blended fruit drinks – also known as ‘Smoothies’ – have, in the last few years, become a popular ‘trendy’ lunchtime alternative. Here is a basic recipe:

4 tablespoons low-far bio yoghurt.

Some fruit-juice.

Some fresh ginger (optional).

Some soft fruit (bananas, mangos, kiwis, papayas, cucumbers, that sort of thing).

19 March 2010 Diet, Fitness, Food, Wellbeing, yoga Diet, Food, health, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Yoga and food

Eating can also be considered a practice in which you seek balance. Like yoga, eating is a highly personal activity-you learn to adapt your needs to the many popular nutritional systems and diets. Developing a mindful eating practice can provide a ground that truly supports and nurtures your yoga. But in developing this kind of supportive nutritional practice, one of the joys and challenges is understanding that there is no easy solution for finding the right foods.

For better or worse, within the yoga community there are endless myths asserting what foods help your yoga practice. You’ve probably heard at least some of this yogic eating folklore before: “Feeling stiff? Eat more sweets, have only fruit before you practice. Remember that if you’re practicing in the morning, don’t eat dinner before you go to bed!” To understand the truth that may lie at the heart of these and other food myths which are so prevalent in yoga communities, we could begin by tracing their roots. Many theories stem from yogic scriptures, and others are theories found in Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of preventative health and healing. To understand the relevancy of these yogic food myths to your diet, it’s essential to examine them in their original context.

Yoga from its earliest inception has been integrally tied with Ayurveda. Central to Ayurveda is the concept of varying body types, each of which thrives on different kinds of foods. Vata types, for example, need grounding foods like oils and grains. Pitta types are supported by cooling foods, such as salads and sweet fruits. Kapha types benefit from heating and invigorating foods, such as hot peppers. A classic premise of Ayurveda is that few people are strictly one type, and most in fact are a blend of at least two types. Each individual must therefore find a personal balance of foods to fit his or her own unique consitution.

Just as certain yoga poses are appropriate for certain people or at particular times, so it is with what you choose to eat. Food should provide energy and clarity. A “good” diet may appear very different from one person to the next, but you will know your diet is working well for you when you feel healthy, sleep well, have strong digestion, and feel your system is supported rather than depleted by your yoga practice.

Do you feel like you create balance through your yoga practice? Which body type do you believe you have?