Spark Your Balance

17/09/2022

SPARK YOUR INTEREST 💡 🧠

This book explains all the science of intermittent fasting in a very thorough and easily understood manner.

Intermittent fasting is NOT about deprivation or starvation or even weight loss. It is about allowing our bodies to do what they were intended to do naturally to maintain health and vitality. The modern way of eating is causing constant insulin release in our bodies, leading to so many health issues like diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, allergies, inflammation, and more. By limiting what we eat to a feeding window of 8 hours or less, we allow our bodies to function more efficiently, protect our organs, enter autophagy (cell turnover and renewal) and minimize our risks for illness and disease. The benefits are too many to list here!

It is a fascinating read and pretty inexpensive for the Kindle version. I highly recommend adding it to your reading list.

07/08/2022

•

05/08/2022

SPARK YOUR NUTRITION 🍳 🥦 🥗

And redefine breakfast!

Make your first meal nutritionally dense and energizing. Limit the sugary, starchy foods we generally equate with breakfast. Your body will thank you and your hunger hormones will remain at bay from the lack of blood sugar spikes.

If this salad looks completely out of place for breakfast to you, that’s understandable. My first meal is usually 3 hours after I wake and I love starting my day with veggies. Just try to gradually remove sugar and starches from your breakfast. Eat protein and veggies from last night’s dinner, make a small breakfast salad with lettuce, tomato, hard boiled eggs, and avocado, or a slice of whole grain bread with avocado and tomato, or scrambled eggs with leftover vegetables.

This salad is packed with protein from chick peas and h**p seeds, and healthy fats from avocado, olive oil, and tahini in the dressing. It is super filling and satisfying.

What are you eating for your first meal?

16/07/2022

Improving your physical balance requires the use of multiple muscles throughout your body, not just your legs. It keeps you agile and prevents injury. It has even been proven to improve cognitive function. Yoga is a great way to improve your static and dynamic balance skills. 🧘‍♀️ 💪🤸‍♀️

06/07/2022

SPARK YOUR NUTRITION 🍳 🥦 🥗

And make it a flavor bomb!

Inspired by my recent trip to Sicily and the orange salad I grew up with, this salad will blow your mind! Bursting with flavor from oranges, fennel, red onion, and pistachios, it is as healthy as it is delicious. The base is arugula and garbanzo beans and the entire combination is a power house of fiber, protein, vitamin B, and vitamin C. Simply dressed with EVOO, apple cider vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper, this salad is super quick to make.

If you are intimidated by fennel’s strong taste, slice it thinly using a mandoline but don’t skip it! I promise you won’t regret it.

Let me know if you make this!

20/06/2022

19/06/2022

SPARK YOUR NUTRITION 🍳 🥦 🥗

And make it refreshing!

This salad of watermelon, roasted pistachios (unsalted and roasted at home*), and vegan feta cheese is topped with fresh mint and a simple dressing of fresh squeezed lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It is super simple and really refreshing for these warm summer days.

Watermelon contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that may reduce inflammation and cell damage while pistachios are packed with fiber, minerals, and unsaturated fats that can keep your blood sugar levels stable.

*Be careful of salted and roasted nuts in the package—they can be super high in sodium and contain inflammatory oils. I always try to roast and salt my nuts at home.

15/06/2022

SPARK YOUR FLEXIBILITY 🤸‍♀️ 🙆‍♀️ 🧎

Takeaways from Dr. Andrew Huberman’s podcast on the biology of flexibility and mobility reveal that to improve range of motion for each body part (i.e. hamstrings, glutes, shoulders) you need to do 3 sets of 30 second static stretches x 5 days per week for maximum benefit. Alternatively, you can do 3 sets of 60 second static stretches x 3 days per week for significant benefit. In just 15 minutes per day x 3 days per week, a consistent stretching routine can improve your mobility, decrease risk of injury, and improve your overall quality of life.

Additionally, what was also discovered is that individuals with a regular yoga practice have higher thresholds for pain as a result of the practice’s impact on the brain’s insula- the region of the brain responsible for proprioception (understanding where your body is in space) and interoception (understanding what is happening within your body).

Here is a link to all of the studies used in his podcast:

https://hubermanlab.com/improve-flexibility-with-research-supported-stretching-protocols

13/06/2022

SPARK YOUR INTEREST 💡 🧠

If you are looking for science-based information on the importance of flexibility and mobility for health and longevity, this podcast may be for you. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and in this episode he explains the biology of flexibility. He goes deep into the neural, muscular, and connective tissue components of mobility and offers science-backed ways to improve flexibility.

If you don’t do yoga because you aren’t flexible, or if you don’t meditate because you can’t quiet your mind, I offer that you are exactly who needs to do those things.

‎Show Huberman Lab, Ep Improve Flexibility with Research-Supported Stretching Protocols - Jun 13, 2022

12/06/2022

This pose on this day is important to me. I have been working towards this pose for a while and to get it on my birthday at the end of an incredible 5-day retreat with Isabel, is extra special. 🐫

22/05/2022

Teaching yoga, sharing good food, and exploring mindset exercises really feeds my soul. Thank you ladies for spending your Sunday morning with me! I am truly enriched.

21/05/2022

The most satisfying journey is the journey you take inward with yourself.

-Nitin Namdeo

Tomorrow I will be hosting another mini-retreat and the theme this time is self-discovery. When we quiet our mind and tune into our body, it is amazing what can come up. Through yoga and mindset exercises we can begin—or continue—the process of understanding ourselves, our values, and our interests. Understanding ourselves allows us to put all of our greatness out into the world.