Move Over Chia! There's a New Seed in Town!

The first time I ever ate chia seeds was at the juice bar of a retreat center in Costa Rica.

The menu touted the seeds as the newest superfood, so of course I said “yes please” to a scoop in my smoothie.

Cut to 10 minutes later, and my belly bloated up to 6 months preggers and my gut was squirming.

I chalked it up to being my first time eating the seeds and my digestive system not being used to it.

I’d go on to eat chia again, surmising that I just needed to soak the seeds first.

Soaking definitely helped (if by helped you mean not being in pain and bloated) but I still suffered from existing psoriasis, joint pain, and migraines.

After spending much of the last two years studying the microbiome and gut health, I finally learned that chia seeds (and many other so-called superfoods) contain nasty proteins called lectins that have a way of getting past the guard cells of our gut wall, causing “leaky gut.”

Leaky gut is gnarly because it means that bacteria and pathogens can get into our bloodstream and cause an immune response, which in turn creates inflammation.

When we eat foods (or are exposed to substances like glyphosate or NSAIDS/Ibuprofen) that blow holes in the gut wall, inflammation follows. Chia, like gluten, is one of those foods.

I know, I know — you love your chia pudding parfaits — I did too!

The good news is there’s a new (or not-so-new) seed in town that acts just like chia — you know, swells up like a tapioca bubble, has a little crunch, and all the fiber — but none of the leaky gut or inflammation!

It’s basil seeds.

Basil seeds contain:

• 2x more fiber than chia

• 2x more potassium than chia

• 2x more calcium than chia

• 2x more iron than chia

They are also rich in flavonoids, polyphenols, and other plant compounds like Omega-3 and Omega-6.

Luckily, a new mother-and-son company called Zen Basil is bringing organic basil seeds to the market. Use code BASILSEEDSROCK for 10% off!

So how do I eat them?

They go into the smoothies (with no trouble this time), and I also make them into a chocolate pudding using this recipe I adapted from Kristine at Lectin Free Gourmet!

See the video below when I last made it in my kitchen.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Zen Basil Seeds

1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Cream

1 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder (or for a thicker almost fudge-like pudding with some protein, use Dr. Gundry’s Power Plant Shake)

1/4 tsp Stevia Drops

¼ tsp Vanilla Extract

1 oz. 72% or higher Cacao Chocolate Chips

Tiny Pinch Salt

Directions:

Soak Basil Seeds

In a small saucepan, whisk together the Zen Basil seeds with coconut cream, cacao powder, and stevia drops. Allow the seeds to soak in the mixture for 5 minutes.

Add Heat

Put the saucepan on low heat and stir in the chocolate chips until they melt. Pour the whole mixture into dessert cups and chill for a min of 2 hours.

Serve
When you’re ready to serve, garnish with whipped coconut cream and shaved dark chocolate.

Three Ways to Nurture Your Vitality Daily

Almost 12 years ago I discovered my first jars of Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil and Organic Coconut Manna and with that deliciousness they certainly were not my last. Nutiva, one of my favorite superfood companies, recently adopted a statement that embodies their vision and mission. “Nurture Vitality”.

In the spirit of embracing change and helping to create a better world, this got me contemplating how I, as a yoga teacher and earth activist, nurture vitality in my own life and what lessons I can teach others to cultivate their own.

Why Nurture Vitality?

People, animals, and our planet are in crisis. We need leaders and we need to wake up. The longer you maintain vitality and stay able-bodied, the longer you can serve the planet and make a difference, no matter what kind of work you do.

Additionally, wellness and longevity are two things I’ve always valued. I’d like to be able to make myself a smoothie or pour a cup of tea when I’m in my 90’s without depending on someone else. And, while I’m still independent, I’d like to be rocking my A-Game when I’m working, teaching, speaking, or writing!

How I nurture vitality changes from year to year. Currently I do it with three different methods:

1. Yoga and Strength Training


Photo by Taro Smith

I’ve practiced yoga since I was 16. The practice has been transformative, helping me reduce stress and be a nicer person. Yoga has helped me learn about myself in deeper ways and choose things that make me happy and more authentic; moreover, my yoga practice helps me be a better leader.

In the last 5 years, I have added strength training (sometimes called “functional fitness”) to my repertoire since yoga alone is not sufficient to maintain vitality.

Benefits of strength training in a nutshell:



• Keep Strong Bones. 
Through using and stressing your bones, strength training helps maintain bone density; thus, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• Stay at a Healthy Weight. Strength training is critical for increasing lean muscle mass. And when your body has healthy lean mass, it can burn calories more efficiently and maintain a healthy body weight. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a specialist at Mayo Clinic. As you increase your lean muscle mass, your body will burn calories more swiftly. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to stay at a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight can be hard on the body, especially when the body’s lean mass has decreased.
• Increase Balance and Stamina. 
More importantly, the decline in muscle mass with aging is correlated to decreased balance resulting in higher fall rates leading to fractures. Most of us think that cardio workouts are what burn fat, but without a healthy amount of lean muscle mass, the calories we take in will not get burned. The stronger you get the less you will experience fatigue. Increased lean mass is also associated with increased capacity for independence with age.
• Keep Chronic Issues at Bay. 
Strength training when done in good alignment can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

The benefits listed above illustrate why strength training is critical and has become one of my favorite activities! Strength training done alongside a yoga practice is a winning combination.

Benefits of Yoga in a Nutshell:



• Improves Balance
. Yoga’s many standing poses help strengthen the concentric muscles around the ankle, aiding in better balance as you age.
• Enhances Coordination Skills. 
Moving gracefully in coordination with the breath does wonders for staying coordinated in body and mind.
• Maintains Flexibility and Joint Health
. When practiced in good alignment, yoga stretches the belly of the main muscle groups, giving them greater elasticity and protecting surrounding joints.
• Reduces Stress
. A number of studies have shown that yoga can help reduce stress and anxiety. Practicing yoga can also enhance your mood and overall sense of well-being.
• Increases Mental Sharpness. Yoga is a mindfulness practice and requires concentration. As a result, it brings you into the present moment with greater clarity.

Here is my latest combined strength training and yoga practice ritual each morning - Preferably I like to get outside in nature to do it!



• 10 minutes warm-up with yoga stretches for my quads, side body, and hip flexors.
• 15 minutes of intrinsic core work in a circuit with physio bands.
• 5 minutes of lunges and push-ups circuit.
• 10 minutes (or longer when time allows) of yoga standing poses and freestyle practice on the mat.

Note: Practicing Acro Yoga can also give you similar benefits to straight up strength training!

2. A Daily Green and Purple Smoothie


Photo by Taro Smith

My body and digestive system responds very well to starting the day with liquid food. Each morning I make a green juice, followed 40 minutes later with a green and purple smoothie! It’s a great way to get everything you need in a 12oz cup: Hydration, fiber, green veggies, antioxidants, healthy fats, and protein in one tasty, easy-to-digest meal.

Throw the following into a blender:

1. Organic nut milk and water as the base
2. Nutiva Organic Hemp Seeds
3. Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds
4. Nutiva Organic Coconut Manna or a spoonful of avocado
5. Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein Fiber
6. Sunflower sprouts, organic dandelion greens and/or lettuce
7. Plant based protein powder of your choice
8. Frozen organic wild blueberries
9. Ice if you like it cold
10. Optional: Acai smoothie packs unsweetened.

3. Get Enough Sleep!


Just one night of lousy sleep totally changes my ability to do my work. When I sleep well my thoughts are focused, I have energy, and am able to be super productive. With a busy schedule it is easy not to prioritize sleep time, but I try to get at least 8 hours.

Getting a good night’s rest helps you:

• Have more energy
• Be in a better mood
• Improve your sex life
• Look better and less haggard!
• Maintain your weight
• Think clearly and have better memory
• Maintain your immunity

The benefits are endless, and yet we still stay up too late, use electronics way too close to bedtime (which makes us wired and disturbs rest), and forget to create optimal sleeping conditions for ourselves.

This past year, to nurture my vitality, I’ve been committing to hitting the sac before 10pm each night and rising earlier in the morning, and it’s made such a huge difference!

If you struggle falling asleep, do something before bed that signals to your body that it’s time for rest. Try blending some warm almond milk, ¼ banana, and cinnamon in a blender and pouring a glass after dinner. The calcium and magnesium in these ingredients can serve as a muscle relaxant to help get you nice and sleepy.

You can also try “Legs Up the Wall Pose” (or Viparita Karani) by laying down with your legs leaning against a wall. Hold for 3-10 minutes and focus on your breathing.

There are so many ways to nurture our vitality so we can show up at our best and leave this earth better than we found it. How do you #NurtureVitality? Share your ideas through your photos on Instagram with the #NurtureVitality hashtag, and enter yourself in the Nutiva Instagram #NurtureVitality Giveaway Contest! Details here.

My Daily Springtime Smoothie

If you've ever taken a weekend workshop with me, you've seen me plunk down in front of the classroom with a dark purple, mysterious smoothie in hand. As you can imagine the first thing I get asked is, "What on earth is in that??" I’m here to spread the smoothie love and let you in on the ingredients I use, particularly in the spring time when seasonal greens start coming back.

One of my favorite things to put in smoothies this time of year is dandelion greens. Not only are they are full of nutritional benefits, but they are so huge and beautiful in spring, they are irresistible. I especially love getting them from my local farmers market.

Eating dandelion greens also indirectly supports honey bees because to eat them means that people will have to stop using weed killer on their dandelion flowers, which poisons the bees!

Some of the many nutritional benefits of dandelion greens:

• They are detoxifying, cleansing, and purifying
• High in antioxidants and phytonutrients
• They contain lutein and zeaxanthin - two nutrients important for healthy eyesight. A daily serving of these daily lowers your risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, according to the American Optometric Association.
• They contain considerable amounts of vitamins A and K, both of which positively affect your blood – assisting with the formation of blood clots and supporting new blood cell growth. Vitamin A also contributes to healthy eye function and boosts your immune system, while vitamin K helps keep your bones healthy.
• Incorporating dandelion greens into your diet will also give you an excellent source of vitamin C, as well as a solid dose of calcium and protein, which will positively affect your bones.
• Dandelion greens also contain many anti-inflammatory properties and much more!

Now let's put those nutritional benefits to work along with the other super food ingredients!

Here's the Recipe:

2-3 Handfuls of Dandelion Greens 8-12 oz Almond Milk (to desired thickness) 1 Tbsp Goji Berries ½ Cup (or more) Frozen Wild Blueberries 1 Serving of Vega One protein powder - (Any flavor will do - they all are yummy!) 1 tsp Vitamin C (Healthforce Nutritionals) 2 Tbsp Hemp Seeds 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds 1 tsp Nutiva Coconut Manna or Coconut oil ½ Unsweetened Sambazon Acai Smoothie packet Optional – 1/2 Frozen Banana if you prefer a sweeter taste

Throw it all in and blend!

I hope you enjoy my daily smoothie as much as I do. I would love to hear which nutritionally packed ingredients you like to toss into your smoothies!

My Secrets for Glowing Skin

At age 45, I am flattered when people write me or comment about my skin. And I get asked frequently about what I do to take care of my skin and make it glow. So, I’m finally putting it all down in writing for you! Is it vain to care about how your skin looks? Sure it is. But healthy skin also comes from a healthy lifestyle on the inside and a desire for self care as well. Therefore I think there is absolutely no shame in caring about your skin or how it looks.

Getting glowing skin is a combination of external and internal health habits.

Taking care of my skin, or at least "the idea" of it, actually started at a young age, when my mother attempted to impart the virtues of self-skin care to me and my sister. Of course, as with many things our mothers try to teach us, I didn't really "get it" until I was about 30, when it dawned on me that I was getting older.

So I scheduled my first facial at a Jurlique concept store and spa in New York City.

After the facial, I was high for three hours! (Some of you might remember the yoga class I taught right afterwards...)

Something about the nourishment, aromatherapy, and pampering made me feel like I was on a cloud.  It left such an impression that I was ready to do whatever my aesthetician told me to do to get this feeling on a daily basis. I bought the cleanser, the serums, the mists, the moisturizers, the masks, the eye creams - and I haven't looked back since!

Ever since that pivotal moment, skin care has been a major part of my day and a lovely ritual. Long gone are the days of just washing my face with soap, putting on a basic face cream, and walking out the door.

For 15 years I've followed a complete ritual, which can seem (and is!) expensive and time consuming, but it's been an investment in myself that has paid off. When you live in a dry climate with 300 days of sunshine a year like I do, the environment can take a toll on your skin. Despite having lived in Colorado for 10 years, I've been able to protect my skin and keep the glow with a 5-step daily process.

My Daily Skin Care Ritual: For this 5-step ritual, I use all Jurlique products which are 99.9% organic, natural, and chemical free. Jurlique is an Australian company that makes an all natural, organic line of skin care products with biodynamically grown ingredients free from synthetic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and insecticides.

This line may or may not work for your particular skin, and if it doesn't, I encourage you to find an organic, chemical free line like Dr. Hauschka, Weleda, or Pangea Organics. As long as it resonates with your skin (no rashes, no breakouts or burning!).

1. Cleanse with a cream or foaming cleanser (not soap!).
2. Apply a cream exfoliator and rinse. Do this daily if specified for daily use, if not alternate days. Do this step only in the evenings.
3. Apply a toner mist (blot into skin with fingers).
4. Apply serum and eye cream.
5. Apply moisturizer with sunscreen for daytime (reapply mid day especially if you are in intense sun/altitude); apply night cream before bed.

Tip: your skin benefits most when it has direct contact with your products, so be sure to cleanse first!

In addition to the daily regimen...

• Exfoliate with a Clarisonic 3x per week in place of step 2. If you don't have a Clarisonic, just use the exfoliating cream.
• Once a week, use a detoxifying, hydrating mask. Weekends are a good time to fit this in.
• Get a monthly facial if possible (let the professionals do a deep cleanse, massage, and treat your skin; a good aesthetician can also help you find the right products for your skin).
• Considerations for a dry climate - use a facial steamer 1-3x per week and especially before your weekly mask (I like the Panasonic EH-SA31). Run a humidifier in your bedroom while you sleep.
• Remember, whatever you're doing to your face, you should also be doing to your neck!
• For lip care, I find that most chapsticks and lip balms actually dry out my lips. The one natural product I've found that works to moisturize and protect is Alba Unpetroleum Jelly in a tube or their chapsticks, which are fantastic.

Alright. Now you know what I do for my skin externally, but skin care is two fold - what you put in your body also makes a huge difference!  Below are some ways I tackle the health of my skin from the inside out.

Internal:

• Drink tons of water - use a hydration calculator online to find out how much you need.
• Green juice daily - suggested juicer Omega VRT 350.
• Omega 3’s critical - I like using a vegan fish oil equivalent by Premier Labs, called DHA.  As I age, this supplement has made all the difference (not just for my skin, but for my hair, nails, and my memory)! When I am not taking it, my skin looks dry and less glowing. I take a high dose, but as always, check with your health care provider as to what amount is right for you.
• Welcome good fats into your diet such as coconut, coconut oil, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, hemp seed oil, sprouted nuts and seeds, etc.
• A high fiber diet is key too - chia seeds, greens, and fiber supplements help keep the gut clean and moving, which is great for the skin.
• Many people also find that dairy products negatively affect their skin, likely due to the difficulty in digesting dairy. I've been dairy free most of my life.

There you have it! What do you do to keep that beautiful glow? Comment below and let's continue to share and spread the skin care love!