Winter Prep....

I am sitting at my computer this morning thinking of the 21- day cleanse I teach each year at The Yoga Tree in SF and virtually. In my opinion it’s the perfect time to do a cleanse because as spring unfolds our body’s desire is to rid it self of built up winter stagnation.

Some thing similar happens in the winter.

We don’t actually want to lighten up instead I notice there is a need and desire to nest, get cozy and soothe our system.

These needs sometimes get played out by overeating or eating foods that might not serve our health.

Have you noticed as the weather gets cooler and the days get longer and darker you crave heavier, creamier, richer foods and maybe even more sweets and baked products?

There is logic and brilliance to these cravings. History shows us that people needed to fatten up in the cold weather to stay warm. They also needed reserve as crops were not as easily to come by.

But here we are living in the day of instant messaging, facebook, i-phones and more, yet sometimes we act like we are living out on the prairie when it comes to food.

Face it, you can walk down any street in San Francisco and be bombarded with food choices. We don’t need to overeat or eat foods that don’t serve us. So why do we?

It goes back to the need and desire. Our body is looking for something in each season and in winter I have found the need to soothe or grounding is very prominent.

That warm, fuzzy, nesting impulse of winter is just around the corner. What will be cooking on your stove or baking in your oven as you settle in this winter?

This is something to start to think about now, not in mid January when you are already deep into your patterns.

Halloween Is just a week away. Thanksgiving is around the corner, then Christmas and Chanukah and before you know it you will be looking for chocolate eggs in the backyard at Easter.

If you are reading this article and thinking, Darshana things have changed for me, I am eating so much better now, I did your cleanse in the past, or I have been a client, I say, “ AWESOME!”. The exercise and diet suggestions that follow will only lead you to deeper healing and improved health.

That’s why I love seeing life through the seasons , it comes around again each year and there’s an opportunity to check in with your health and how your practices (on and off the mat) are going.

So what can you do?

First is to notice what YOUR need is? What does winter mean to you in terms of food.
Just the other day my friend was telling me that gathering friends and making candy and cookies symbolize the holidays for her. How fun! I said I want to come.

Her next words to me where, Darshana there is no such thing as healthy candy.
I disagree. I don’t know her recipes but I know there is candy made with brown rice syrup ( a natural low- glycemic index sweetener made from sprouted brown rice).
There are 100’s of cakes, muffin and cookie recipes also made with agave, brown rice syrup or barley malt. Also the quality of the flour and adding whole grains to your baking can help balance your blood sugar. So next thing to do is IMPROVE the quality of the sweetener.

Then the third thing making sure you continue to eat regular meals.
You have probably heard this a thousands of time; don’t go to the party hungry.
Well it’s true – don’t. You will over eat or under eat if it’s an h’orderve party and end up coming home to eat a few bowls of cereal. I speak for experience.
Eat well through out your day. Try to avoid the thought: I have to fit in this dress tonight so I won’t eat all day. If you do this trust me the next day you will want everything in site.

Have a wide variety of healthy foods daily.
Keep eating your whole grains, fruits, vegetables from both the sweet vegetable category and the greens category, healthy fats and high quality protein, either vegetarian or animal. DON’T skimp on the protein. If you notice your cravings increasing up your protein.

OK I am going to leave you with this classic HEALTHY pumpkin pie recipe.
http://www.fruitionhealth.com/forum/topics/pumpkin-pie
The whole grain nut crust is scrumptious and feel free to play around with the sweeters. All of the ingredients can be found in most health food stores. Enjoy!
Darshana