I’m still taken aback by how challenging breastfeeding is. Maybe it’s a metaphor for our entire culture – that the simple basics of food and eating are so lost. Whether it’s the man who thinks a Starbucks muffin is a healthy breakfast choice, the woman who drowns her sorrows in cupcakes, or me trying desperately to figure out how to get my nipple solidly into my infant’s mouth enough times a day to make him grow.
Food issues abound. From out-and-out eating disorders to the fact that most Americans have never tasted a Brussels sprout and most certainly do not know how they are grown.
We are so disconnected. Our food comes from far away….a field, a farmer, somewhere, maybe an apple from Argentina, who knows. We interact with packages and marketing more than the physical look and feel of the food we eat in its natural form.
And when it comes to how we feed our young – well, I’m still in shock how little breastfeeding we see in public. Women hide at home, hide under shawls, nurse their babies while sitting on the toilet in public bathrooms, all to avoid the embarrassment.
I’ve had great massages and so-so massages…and some downright useless massages. I’ll tell you right now, if you’re pregnant, ask if they have a special pregnancy foam thing so you can be on your stomach. So much nicer than lying on your side! Man, I could really go for a massage like that right now…
But what about the days or months (or years) between trips to the massage table? I personally get a great deal of use out of 2 tennis balls and a sock to help work tension out of my back. It’s really easy! Check out the video above to see how to do it.
On the radio the other day I heard a commentary about unwanted gifts. You know, all that stuff we give and get just because we feel like we have to. The woman on the program was adding up the cost of a gigantic vase she’d received. First, the cost of the vase itself. Second, the cost of storing it in her home (pro-rated based on the size of her house and monthly rent). Third, the more abstract but equally valid cost of her peace of mind – she said she looks at that thing and wishes she didn’t have it about 3 times per day.
The premise was that we waste a lot of money (and time and peace of mind) every year on the gifts we give and get.
A friend told me that her 3 year old niece makes lists of stuff she wants from the Toys R Us catalog. When presented with a gift wrapped in simple craft paper, the 3 year old declared, “I want a pretty one!” and refused to open it.
What does all of this say about our culture and the way we live our lives?
Ahhh. The pomegranate. Recently it’s got some press as a superfood…have you heard about it? It’s kind of a bunch of crap. A pomegranate is good for you, but so is a grapefruit. Or blueberries. Or an pear, whatever. All fruit has antioxidants and vitamins. So don’t buy into the hubbub. In fact, POM was just given a bit of a smackdown by the FTC because of its arguably false advertising claims.
I think it’s hilarious because the last project I worked on at my old advertising job was for a Cran-Pomegranate juice by Ocean Spray. They made us call it a “Super Fruit” and make as many vague health-related statements as we could. 100% Bulls**t. It’s full of sugar, that’s all you need to know about most bottled juice.
Ever had a bad haircut? I’m assuming yes, especially if your hair is on the shorter side or if you’ve had to change hair stylists. UGH. That’s what happened to me a few weeks ago when my stylist changed locations and I couldn’t find him. I was desperate after seeing a picture of my pregnant self…I was like, man, I could at least fix my hair! So I went and trusted a totally new person to give me a cut and that was a very, very bad idea.
Anyway, I ended up in tears when I got home and realized that even my beloved Chi straight iron couldn’t make sense of these feathery layers.
Unfortunately, I had to make a video. And though I was psyched to be asked to contribute to Harvard Pilgrim’s wellness site…I was less psyched about showing off this hair.
Have you ever walked by those boxed detox kits at Whole Foods or seen an infomercial showing pictures of clogged colons? Let’s just agree on this – there are a lot of options out there when it comes to detoxing. They sorta freak me out. I mean, what are in those little boxes that are going to make my body feel better? They might work, I don’t know. I’ve never trusted anything like that.
When I did my yoga teacher training there was a lot of talk about detoxing. The big question I had was “Why would I detox?” I mean, my body needs to eat, breathe and go to the bathroom. If it needed a seasonal cleanse, wouldn’t that be…er, built in? Turns out, it is built in. Your body is detoxing right now as a matter of fact. So all of these products that are sold on the premise that you need to take some extra herb or shake to get rid of toxins is kind of misleading.
The fact is, we do get overloaded by crap in our food, our environment and even from stress. I decided that instead of finding a magic potion to eliminate toxins, I’d simply let my body do its job. I wouldn’t weigh it down with all the stuff it’s trying to clean out. And that, my friends, is what my 21 Day Detox is all about. It’s not about doing something extra or strange. It’s about allowing your body to work properly (!) and do the job it’s trying to do every day more effectively.
Thanks to everyone who has already signed up – we are going to have an absolute blast! Also, thanks to everyone who has emailed me with your very smart questions. I decided to compile the most popular questions into a video so even those of you too shy to ask can get some answers and feel confident about detoxing with us this September.
This video answers:
1. Does the detox rely on calorie restriction or herbs/liquids? I’ve done that before and got sick!
2. So, what kinds of food will we be eating for 21 days?
3. Will I be able to participate if I have kids? I don’t want to be stressed out at mealtimes.
4. Will you tell us exactly what to eat?
5. What’s the difference between the virtual detox and the South Boston Yoga option?
6. Are you going to run this detox program again in the future?
Ready to create some positive change in your life? The detox starts in about 4 weeks – just in time to create a fresh start this fall. Get all the details and sign ‘er up!
This week I had my first live television appearance! Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous at all. Part of me worried that the green smoothie would end up in a blender mishap, kale pulp all over the host. And part of me wondered if my grays would be visible on screen. But mostly, I thought about a lesson I’ve learned this year:
Most things aren’t as hard as you think they’re going to be.
Impress your friends, impress your family and impress yourself with the most simple meal ever: roasted chicken. I mean, duh. Isn’t this the kind of thing moms have been making forever? But for some reason cooking a whole chicken has gone out of style. Boneless, skinless chicken breast for 3x the price has crept into the public mindset as the “it” way to do chicken.
And why? First of all, everyone is afraid of the fat. This is good fat, people! Chicken skin? Yeah, I’m pretty sure humans have been eating that forever. If you feel like worrying about fats I suggest you turn your attention to margarine and “buttery” spreads with god-knows-what inside. Remember, you need fat!
The other reason I think no one wants to cook a whole bird? Icky! It looks like a bird! It has arms! And legs! Grosssss.
Diane Sawyer’s team contacted me to be part of a story called “Finding a New You” that aired last weekend on ABC’s World News.
At first, they were going to come to Boston and film me teaching at Karma Yoga Studio, but plans changed and travel arrangements took them elsewhere in the country. I didn’t get to meet Diane Sawyer but I did get to show off my titibasana in high definition!
If you watch the video above, be sure not to sneeze or you might miss me! The write-up of the story online is here.
Smoothies are a pretty hot ticket item these days. I see ‘em being sold for $8 at cafes and touted as healthy so everyone can feel good about themselves.
Let’s be honest though. Most smoothies being sold at restaurants or take-out places are full of sugar. They’re the “healthy” person’s ice cream cone.
Wait – I can already hear what you’re thinking! “There’s a place near me that makes fresh smoothies from real fruit!” I think that’s great if you have that nearby. But still, $7 or $8 for a smoothie? Yikes. Plus, I hear a lot of people talk about drinking fruit smoothies for breakfast. If that’s the case, chances are you will be starving by 10am. Most of us need some fiber and not so much sugar first thing in the morning. (Unlike juicing, smoothies include the whole vegetable with all of its fiber.)
As with absolutely everything, when you make it yourself you save big bucks and have 100% control over the ingredients. And so, I present to you….green smoothies!
I help busy people find balance in their over-worked, over-stressed lives. Trust me, it's not an all-or-nothing situation! A few shifts in diet and lifestyle can rock your world like they did mine. Read on
