Gratitude Moment: Travel

People here sometimes bemoan the lack of excitement living in Switzerland, and I've had my share of complaining about it too. That is, until I developed gratitude for one huge benefit of being here: easy access to travel!

Photo by Nicolas Raymond / CC BY 3.0

Switzerland is unique for its convenient central location in Europe. It's well connected for traveling around the world, especially throughout the continent. Whenever you're pricked by boredom, you have the possibility to explore other places within a relatively short time. You can drive, find a rideshare, take a train, or get cheap air tickets. There are so many options available here; isn't that amazing? We can experience France, Italy, Austria or Germany within mere hours and be home in time for bed if we wanted.

It's easy to appreciate this whenever we're about to leave for a trip and experience the ease of getting to and from Geneva Airport. I particularly enjoy taking short road trips -- hopping over the border to do sight-seeing and shopping for an afternoon. 

What are you most grateful for about traveling from Switzerland? 

-Nhien

Yoga Focus: Self-Care

Let's face it:  We lead busy lives and our commitment to taking care of ourselves falls by the wayside.

Self-care is not selfish!  We tend to feel guilty if we take time out for ourselves as there is always some work to be done or errand to run.  But at the end of the day, the best way to be available and productive for any assignment or work is to feel your best.  This can only come through self-care.

Do you remember the last time you stood by an ocean and just listened?

Self-care includes so many different tools: Exercise, long baths, eating for health, meditation, writing, long walks......you get the drift.

Below are some of my favorite ways to press pause and take time out for myself.



Detox bath (1x a week recommended):
To running hot bath water add the following:
1 cup of Epsom Salts
1/2 cup of Baking Soda
10 drops of your favorite relaxing essential oil.

Soak 20 minutes, close your eyes and realx.

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Golden Milk:
Golden Milk is a recipe handed in our family.  I usually have gold milk before bed when I am feeling a bit congested or bloated.  This is also my go to drink when I travel in India as turmeric is great for the stomach.  It has numerous health benefits that you can read about here.
In a small saucepan add the following:
Milk (measure in your mug)
Crushed cardamom pods (3-4)
3-4 inch cinnamon stick
Haldhi (Turmeric) 1 tsp of dried powder.

Over low heat allow the milk to come to a low boil.  Pour into a mug and add local honey to taste.


Cheers to your health and well-being!


-Uma

Health Tip: Five Gentle Detox Ideas for Spring

Spring is finally here and all around us nature is bursting into life again, bringing with it a sense of newness and possibility. 

Photo Credit: Uma Mishra

In order to make space for the new, however, we must first remove what no longer serves us and Spring provides the perfect time to detoxify the body.

Here are five ideas you could try this Spring to gently support your body’s natural detox pathways without needing to do a drastic detox:

1.   For at least 1 week, completely avoid dairy, fried and processed foods, alcohol and caffeine, white sugar and white flour. Add cleansing foods into your diet, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables that are raw or steamed. Include green vegetables like spinach, asparagus, artichoke and arugula. The bitterness of these foods helps support the liver, the key organ of detoxification. 

2.   Drink a glass of warm water with either 1/2 lemon squeezed in or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning. This simple act helps stimulate the liver and kidneys while while flushing the digestive system. If you can't stomach lemon or vinegar on an empty stomach, at least drink a glass of warm water upon waking. 

3.  Exfoliate your skin by dry brushing your body before you shower using either an exfoliating glove or a natural soft brush.

4.  Finish your shower with cold water to stimulate your lymphatic system which is involved in elimination/detoxification.

5.  Make a commitment to move every day. Sweat is a great way for our bodies to release toxins. 

  

Find more great tips for your health at www.healthwise.ch



-Hiba

Ways to De-stress: Get some sun

Spring is almost here and we are definitely feeling it this week! It's a perfect time to take advantage of the sun to de-stress and rejuvenate our bodies. It's especially welcome for those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter. 

These days we often hear about the negative consequences of sun exposure, but sunlight in reasonable amounts can be very good for our mental and physical health:

Photo by Rhys A. / CC BY 2.0

"[W]hen you're exposed to sun, your brain increases serotonin (a hormone connected with feelings of happiness and wakefulness) production. And when the ultraviolet rays from sunshine touch your skin, your body produces vitamin D, which helps you maintain serotonin levels." (source: the Science Channel)

I always feel happier, calmer, and more relaxed after being in the sun for just 10 minutes. It's not swimsuit season yet but we can still get sun by sitting outside or talking a walk during a lunch break. If you're more serious you can go to Bain de Paquis or the Wake Sport Center. And be sure to get your sun safely; here are some tips and guidelines here.

 

 

-Nhien

Gratitude Moment: Tough times

We all go through tough times and handle them differently. Having gratitude is one way to deal with these challenging experiences; it can even be what we need the most! Gratitude can turn a painful moment into a beautiful one. It can transform your feelings from despair to peacefulness.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ― Melody Beattie

It might be difficult to take this perspective, but it can be just the thing to help us get through tough periods. For example, last year, I lost a job, developed a health problem, and my dear grandfather passed away, all within three months. I got through this period using gratitude because in every situation there were blessings to be found and appreciated:

I was grateful to be free from a stressful work environment and to have more time for myself. I was grateful to have reliable care and support from good friends during my health issue. And I was most grateful that my grandfather lived a full and wonderful life before he died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.

Tough moments can highlight the opportunities and gifts we have that we sometimes overlook. Considering a difficult time you've had in your life, was there anything about it that you can feel grateful for?

-Nhien

Health Tip: Winter-Proof Your Smoothie

You probably already know about the wonders that are smoothies. 

And perhaps you have already noticed that when you really listen to your body, it doesn’t want the same kind of smoothie in the sweltering summer heat as it does on a cold and dark winter morning. 

So here are 3 ways to winter-proof your smoothie. Read on for an awesome winter smoothie recipe. 

1.  Leverage the warming nature of spices. Here are my favorite combinations added to taste: 

- Ginger, lemon juice and lemongrass (pealed & chopped) - all fresh

• Cacao - either alone or with a dash of allspice and chile
• Cinnamon, clove and cardamon
• Saffron, vanilla and powdered ginger

A collection of warming winter spices.

2.  Add more fats and protein. According to Ayurvedic expert, Dr. John Douillard, we need more fats and protein in winter than any other season. An easy way of adding these to your smoothie includes adding: 

• Seeds (raw & unsalted) such as chia seeds, ground linseeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower or pumpkin seeds. You can also use a seed butter like tahini (sesame paste).
• Nuts (raw & unsalted) such as cashew, almonds, walnuts, pistachio, Brazil nuts etc. You can also use a nut butter like almond butter or peanut butter. Just make sure it doesn’t have any added salt, sugar or oils.
• Healthy fats such as coconut milk or topping of grated coconut, avocado or natural, unsweetened, full-fat yoghurt (also a great protein). 

Bonus points: Soak your nuts and seeds overnight in water, then throw out the water and rinse them before adding them to your smoothie. This makes them more digestible and increases their health benefits. 

3.  Use mostly in season vegetables and fruits

• Currently in-season vegetables and fruits that are delicious in a smoothie include:
  Beets (both raw and cooked), endives (raw), spinach, Swiss chard, kale, carrots, apples, pears, kiwi as well as dried fruit like dates or figs. 
• Avoid cooling vegetables such as cucumber or celery. There is a reason they are currently not in season! Also try to avoid frozen fruit as this has a cooling effect on the body. 

How do you winter-proof your smoothie? 

Find out more about how to make a smoothie: 

http://www.healthwise.ch/perfect-green-smoothie/

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Winter smoothie (for 1)

1/2 banana

1 endive, outer leaves peeled, then chopped

a handful of spinach leaves

1 carrot

Juice of 1/2 lemon + lemon zest (make sure it is organic)

1 stalk lemon grass - remove outer leaves and bottom half

a knob of ginger (to taste) - wash but no need to peel

1-2 medjool dates for added sweetness if needed

1 tbsp chia seeds or other seed of your choice

1 tbsp nut of your choice

About 1/4 - 1/2 cup water or more - depending on how liquid you like your smoothie

Blend all the ingredients and pour in a bowl. Top with nuts, seeds, cacao nibs or coconut flakes and eat your smoothie like a pudding. You can also add more water and drink it instead. 

Enjoy!

-Hiba

Ways to De-stress: How to Make Stress Your Friend (TED Talk)

Everyone has stress in their lives, but not all of us know how to handle or cope with stress in a healthy way.  Here are two ways to de-stress:  Change how you think about stress, and connect with people.  

In the TED Talk "How to make stress you friend" (see link below), health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains two interesting points: (1) viewing stress as helpful can improve our body's response to it; and (2) human connection improves our stress resilience.  

First, did you know that we can change the negative effects of stress by viewing it as helpful instead of harmful? For example, it can be beneficial to believe that when your heart is pounding and body is pumping with adrenaline, stress is actually helping you rise to the challenge at hand. Stress can provide energy and focus, enabling us to get through difficult times. 

Second, the "cuddle hormone" oxytocin is released when you're stressed. It's anti-inflammatory and strengthens your heart. It's also what makes you want to be around loved ones. And it's enhanced by social contact and social support; by reaching out to others to seek or give help, we release more of this hormone. By seeking and giving care to others we are also helping ourselves de-stress.

My favorite insight from this TED Talk is that caring about other people improves our stress resilience! 

Watch the video here: TED Talk "How to make stress your friend".

-Nhien

Gratitude Moment: Love

February is often considered the month of love, with its association to Valentine's Day. What is love? Love is a feeling and an action to care about someone deeply and unconditionally. This can be love for yourself, your romantic partner, your friends and family, your community, your fellow humankind, animals, or all living beings on Earth.

Photo by epSo.de. / CC BY 2.0

Of all the things in life to be thankful for, I'm most grateful for love. A favorite quote is: "With Real Love, nothing else matters; without it, nothing else is enough" - Dr. Greg Baer. So, I make it a priority to cultivate and nourish love in my relationships. To express care and gratitude to others, I find it useful to consider the 5 Love Languages, which help me think of what the receiver might appreciate most, for example, receiving gifts vs. spending quality time.

We can also express love toward ourselves through self-care and giving ourselves the space and elements we need to thrive. It can also mean forgiving ourselves and knowing that we're doing our best every day. What ways do you like to show gratitude for love in your life?

-Nhien

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Le mois de février est souvent considéré comme le mois de l'amour, notamment en relation avec la célébration de la Saint-Valentin. Qu'est-ce que l'amour ? L'amour est un sentiment et l'action d’avoir de l'affection pour quelqu'un profondément et sans conditions. Cela peut être l'amour pour vous-même, votre partenaire, pour vos amis et votre famille, envers votre communauté, l’humanité, les animaux ou tous les êtres vivants sur Terre.

Parmi toutes les choses dans la vie qui méritent la gratitude, je suis très reconnaissante pour l'amour que je reçois et qui m'entoure. Voici une de mes citations préférées : « Avec l'Amour Vrai, rien d’autre n'est important; sans lui, rien d'autre n'est suffisant. » - Dr. Greg Baer. Je prends donc bien soin de cultiver et de nourrir l'amour dans mes relations. Pour exprimer l’affection et la gratitude envers les autres, il me semble utile de considérer « les 5 langages de l'amour », qui m'aident à réfléchir à ce que le destinataire peut apprécier le plus, par exemple, recevoir des cadeaux versus passer du temps de qualité ensemble.

 

Nous pouvons également exprimer l'amour que nous portons à nous-mêmes à travers l’attention et le soin pour nous-mêmes et le fait de nous donner l'espace et les éléments dont nous avons besoin pour prospérer. Cela peut aussi signifier de nous pardonner et de savoir que nous faisons de notre mieux chaque jour. Quels sont les moyens que vous appréciez pour exprimer de la gratitude pour l'amour dans votre vie?

Ways to de-stress: Journal right after waking up

Photo by Luigi Anzivino. / CC BY-SA 2.0

Journaling is a therapeutic way to express your thoughts and to record your experiences over time. I've tried to maintain the habit since adolescence, but it didn't stick due to my forgetfulness. I'd tried everything: keeping the diary near my bed, setting reminders, writing on a computer and smartphone. Despite these efforts, it was difficult to write regularly.

Then a friend told me about a method of journaling first thing in the morning after waking up, instead of waiting until the end of the day when one is often too tired or distracted. The idea is called "Morning Pages" from the "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. The benefit of writing immediately in the morning is that before cluttering your mind with other stimulation, you explore and clarify feelings, uncover thoughts from your consciousness, and release them before you go about your day. Specifically, the task is to journal three pages every morning, writing anything in stream of consciousness style, with no judgment on what you say or feel. 

This method has proven successful for me; it's done first thing and therefore not forgotten by 11pm at night. It's more enjoyable and I'm usually happy after each journaling session. And I feel more prepared and excited for the day after having a morning of reflection.

We usually want to de-stress at the end of a hard day, but why not try journaling in the morning? It could be just what prevents a day from becoming stressful.


-Nhien

Gratitude Moment: Even this Moment is Important

I say many times in my classes that, "I can only teach from the place in which I find myself."  And this also holds true for my writing and these blog posts. So at this moment I find myself thanking my bones and the stars for the incredibly restful holiday we had at home and I wanted to share some moments with you.

You always have to remember to look up.  The best moments are hidden waiting for you to discover them. 

It is not that we cannot see the beauty around us, but that we don't take the time to look.

Homemade cranberry thumbprint cookies.  Little bites of joy.

Always look around, love is every where, especially in the most unexpected places.

Wherever you are in your day, may it be filled with eye opening moments and the knowledge that even this moment is important and needed.



Love,



-Uma