Are You Really Feeling It Or Is It The Music?

Music is a universal, cultural phenomenon.  People all around the world and throughout history have used it to evoke emotions (like joy, comfort or sadness), regulate mood and energy (just like people use caffeine or alcohol), enhance physical performance (think athletes or surgeons) and increase cooperation (kind of like armies and cheer leading).  Ayurveda uses music as a therapy for relaxation and sleep because it has a healing impact that affects our consciousness.  There is a traditional favorite known as 'The Rain Melody.'  Ayurveda recommends one only expose themselves to uplifting, pleasant music because of its physiological impact on one's health.   Music is also a popular, lucrative industry because people enjoy it and use it frequently.

A recent scientific study has found  music can increase feelings of interest and attraction among single males and females if it is playing in the background at a couple's initial meeting.  Japanese singles were split into two groups.  One group had background music and the other group did not when they were meeting for a party designated for finding a marriage partner (gokon party for konkatsu).  The participant couples who had the music for their first meeting rated each other higher for positive personality traits than the ones who did not.

One might argue that music is giving a false impression and should not be used when making important decisions.  I hear that. But sometimes it is nice to know we can flip on our happy switch without resorting to drugs or alcohol.

Stay healthy & well,

Lisa

The Best Way To Have Your Coffee

Coffee is the most popular morning beverage in The United States and maybe even around the world.  There is also research showing coffee has many nutritional benefits.  Ayurveda views a food's value by the effect it has on your unique body type.  Coffee has a bitter taste which makes it more suited to kapha and pitta body types.  Even with its benefits for those body types, coffee consumption should not exceed three (one or two is even better) cups a day and is best had in the morning. 

People tend to drink coffee first thing in the morning and have a special ritual associated with it.  There is also a personal preference with what people put in their coffee.  Non-dairy creamer is probably the worst choice nutritionally.  The chemicals, oils, sugars and milk products vary depending on the brand, but they mostly contain bad oils that are trans fats or saturated providing harm to the body and little nutritional benefit (like palm, soybean or partially hydrogenated oils).  Additionally, usually there are high fructose corn syrups.  If the corn syrup is  “high fructose,” that means enzymes were added to convert some of the glucose to fructose which in effect makes it have 15% more calories and 20% more carbohydrates than plain white sugar.  I would rather add my own sweetener if I even want sweetener.  There are also lots of preservatives and chemical products that modulate consistency in non-dairy creamers.

A better way to add a creamy taste to coffee would be to add almond, coconut, soy, hemp or real milk to the coffee.  These are all better choices nutritionally.  However, there has been research showing that some of the healthy benefits of coffee are lost when milk  is added.  Coffee is probably best consumed in its natural black state.  If coffee is too bitter and dark for you, then make it with a lighter roast and use more water.  The natural coffee and its nutritional benefits are more bioavailable just plain.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Caffeine Free Tips For More Energy Now

Most people are looking for a little more energy, so they can do more things or simply just get through their day.  In Ayurveda, your tired feeling is your body talking to you and should be listened to.  Being tired means you need to take a break and get some energy.  There are three sources of energy in Ayurveda: sleep, food and meditation.  All three are natural sources of energy. 

Sleep and meditation are the best ways to give your body real rejuvenation, but few people consider them for energy.  If you are chronically tired, getting additional sleep and meditating more are absolutely essential.  Getting enough food is necessary for energy too, but most people are tending to overeat or eating the wrong things to get energy.

The focus of this blog is getting an energy boost in the middle of your day, and here are some quick sources of energy to turn the fatigue around without resorting to caffeine.  Coffee in the morning is fine, but drinking it throughout the day can cause side effects of jitteriness and insomnia.  It is nice to have a few alternatives that are natural and potentially less harmful.

1. Get some movement for five to ten minutes.  A brisk walk outside (sun and a change of scenery are always a winner) is the best, but even a walk around the office, dancing to your favorite song or some jumping jacks in place will deliver energy.   Physical exercise gets your heart pumping and increases circulation to your brain, helping to make you more alert.
2. Try some aromatherapy.  Essential oils like pine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, or jasmine help increase alertness.  Keep a bottle of essential oil near you and put some on your wrists and inhale deeply.  Also, a few drops in a bowl of water will refresh the entire room.
3. Give your eyes some rest.  Long hours of staring at the computer screen causes eye fatigue. Your tired eyes may be making you feel tired.  Take a break at least once an hour to look away from the screen. Have your eyes use your distance vision by looking out the window or anywhere outside.   A five-minute gaze at something else can help you feel more awake.
4.  Do something new. Doing the same things over and over again can quickly make you tired and bored. While you may not be able to totally leave a task, we usually have some choices about what and when we have to do something.  If you’ve been working on one thing for over an hour and you are feeling like you are drooping, mix it up by doing something else for awhile.  It helps to flip on the energy switch.
5. A few Yoga  poses that help stretch the spine.  You do not need to go to a class (which would be good thing too, FYI), but sitting throughout the day makes the energy in the spine get stagnant. If we can elongate the spine, it will energize the spine and the entire nervous system. 

While having a cup of caffeine may seem easier, you are better off trying one of the above tips.  You could even replace your caffeine drink with a natural, low calorie beverage like water.  It will hydrate you (which is also a source of fatigue) instead of being a diuretic which caffeine is.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Easy Way To Lose 11 Pounds in One Year

I apologize for the gimmicky title, but it is true.  Loving the holistic health care approach, I am constantly looking to learn new things.  Recently, there was an Integrative Healthcare Symposium that Dr. Oz spoke at.  I was not there, but I read about it.  I personally admire Dr. Oz's holistic health approach and use of Ayurveda (as do many people considering how famous and respected he is), so I like to learn about his recommendations.  One of his key points in his address at the symposium was about the ills of sugary drinks, and how if a 100 calorie sugary drink a day was cut from a person's diet, the person could lose 11 pounds in a year.  Obviously,  soda is a sugary drink, but so is juice, sports drinks, lemonade, sweetened teas, frothy lattes with sugar and cream and more.  Water is a better drink that truly hydrates without adding the calories of sugar.  Plain tea and coffee are okay too, just watch the caffeine.  What if you already cut out a sugary drink a day?  Easy, just cut out another 100 calorie processed food item from your diet.  Congratulations for taking the first step with the sugary drink!  It is the small, simple changes that create a healthy life right now. 

The biggest resistance to cutting out sugary drinks is usually taste and energy.  Taste can be adjusted by getting creative with lemons, limes and herbal teas.  They are flavorful and give a natural low calorie zest.  Personally, I drink a traditional tea in Ayurveda known as "smart water."  It has 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds and 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds steeped in 1 1/2 quarts of boiling water.  I drink it throughout the day for its healing properties and hydration.  Sometimes I add other herbs like mint or licorice, and I really enjoy it. 

If needing the sugary drink for energy is your block, you need to get to the root of your fatigue.  When you discover why you are tired and what steps you need to do to naturally build back your energy, then you will have real energy not a false stimulant or rush that makes you gain weight.

Are you ready to take the 100 calorie a day challenge?  Try it and lose an easy 11 pounds.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Balancing Your Optimism For Successful Change

With New Years coming up, the inevitable desire for resolutions comes up.  People want to lose weight, get more organized, budget their finances better and there are many other improvements we want in our life.  Initially people get excited about the change and with New Years encouraging people to change, there is this optimism for change.  The inner voice says, "yes, I want to do this and I can!"

While the positive attitude is praise worthy and a great start, it is usually nothing more than just a start.  When the first difficulty comes up, the resolve to change is hard to sustain without a plan.  Maybe you want to avoid your late morning donut, but when you have skipped breakfast or had a stressful morning, the donut offers you a quick fix.  This type of scenario is common for all areas of change- the reason we got into the bad habit in the first place comes up and we fall into the old habit pattern. 

As a health coach and someone who has studied change, the answer lies in preparation.  You need to prepare for the tough situation that will come up.  What will you do to replace the need for the old habit?  How can you distract yourself?  How can you even avoid the need for the habit?  These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself before creating a lasting plan for change.

Before you get overwhelmed, you should realize change can take place in small steps and small wins.  It is not the goal you aim for, but rather the commitment to direction.  Mistakes will happen, but it is vital for you to take one small step successfully and move from there.  You are capable of change.  Sometimes you need a little help to get started or a coaching relationship that will give you structure and accountability.  The extra support is a tool to help you accomplish the change. Invest the time to follow your dream of change.  If you don't honor your dreams, there is no one else to do it for you.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Your Energy Account

No, I am not writing about your Consumers Energy Bill.  I am referring to your personal energy level and being able to meet your daily schedule without feeling fatigued and without feeling the need to reach for stimulants.  Waking up with a cup of coffee is okay, but needing coffee all day long means you are overspending in your energy account.  Some people even turn to prescription drugs like Ritalin, Provigil, and amphetamines to enhance their wakefulness and job performance.

Unfortunately, the nervous system becomes overstimulated with the drugs or even excess coffee.  Then, people need something with which to wind down turning to alcohol and sedatives like clonazepam or alprazolam.

Where is the real person when someone needs artificial help to wake up or to go to sleep?  It seems like someone is truly not present.  Moreover, these types of enhancers stress the nervous system hurting its ability to function normally.  The system will become damaged and that can cause a host of other bodily problems.  The body is one integrated system and tampering with one part will eventually hurt the other parts.

Your energy level is like money.  One should not spend what one does not have.  Using stimulants and depressants to dip into our "savings" account will only harm one later.  It is difficult to fix the body once it is damaged.

In Ayurveda there are two sources of energy: food and rest.  Give your body a quality amount of those and you won't have to turn to other sources of energy.  Sometimes people overspend because they feel like they have certain responsibilities or certain desires that need attending.  There has to be a budget of your time.  This budget requires a little thought and organizing of one's priorities.  A balanced budget will leave your energy account filled with the right amount of resources so you can work without needing to borrow from other sources.  Give your energy the same respect you give your finances and you will feel fit and satisfied.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Finding Caffeine In Places Other Than Your Coffee Cup

Guarana is a vine plant with fruit that has high levels of caffeine.  The plant is found in rain forests and its fruit is said to improve energy and strengthen mental function.  There are studies confirming these claims.  Even without studies, it is logical to conclude that anything with caffeine will increase energy and improve mental alertness.  The guarana seems to have an enhanced effect over plain caffeine.

Many people consume energy drinks with guarana and are unaware of the added caffeine content.  Too much caffeine can be a source of risk to people with heart disease, cause insomnia, cause anxiety and many other problems.  Many companies do not label the amount of caffeine in their products.  A good precaution is to read labels and check for caffeine in the ingredient list.  A company will usually post actual caffeine content on their website. 

There is a company that makes beef jerky which is marinated in guarana and packs 120 mg caffeine per serving.  Another company adds guarana to its chewing gum making for a total of 35 mg of caffeine.  A typical can of soda contains about 30-50 mg of caffeine.  Please read labels carefully to check ingredients and go to the company's website to get the true caffeine amount.  It is important to be aware of what we put in our bodies.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa

Coffee - Good or Bad for You?

There are numerous studies showing coffee to have benefits like lowering the risk of Alzheimers, cutting the risk of stroke, cutting the risk of gall stones and lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes.  Conversely, coffe has been shown to cause insomnia, anxiety, upset stomach and the withdrawal symptoms are debilitating.  So what's the deal?  Should we drink coffee or not?

Ayurveda views whether a food is good for you based on an individual's body type.  One of the factors determining whether a food is suited to an individual is the taste of the food.  There are 6 tastes: sweet, sour, salty, astrigent, bitter and pungent.  Each taste carries certain energetic properties.  Coffee is a bitter tasting food.  Bitter foods tend to break up tissue and purify.  If someone has a lot of ama (toxins), there is an excess that would benefit from the bitter process.  For example, in Alzheimers a certain plaque builds up in the brain and inhibits brain function.  Coffee with its bitter taste may energetically break up the plaque and this explains how it is statistically reduces the risk of Alzheimers.  Yet, a vata type individual should favor sweet, sour and salty tastes.  The other tastes are recommended in moderation because energetically they cause an excess of vata.  Some signs of excess vata are anxiety and insomnia.  Coffee has been known to cause anxiety and insomnia.

So, is coffee good or bad for you?  It depends on who is asking the question.

Stay healthy & well,

Lisa