Saucha: Purity

Saucha one of the five Niyamas, invite and guide us to explore a direction of something better than we are now aware of.

Purity: Invites us to cleanse our bodies, our speech and our thoughts.

Purity in Food

Eat Only Organic Food:

To begin our journey on Saucha we must examine the "pure" foods we feed our bodies. The Yoga Girl Diet says its important to consume as many fruit and vegetables as possible. Yet the challenge isn't just about the quantity of produce you take in, but also the quality, you want safe, wholesome fruits and vegetables whenever possible. The problem is that produce and other food are contaminated with residues of pesticides that can be unhealthy for our bodies. Research shows us that pesticides might damage nervous systems, and chronic low level exposure to environmental toxins might increase the risk of cancer and degenerative neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and ALS. 

To Eat or Not to Eat?

I am asked this question often, "should I eat before class or wait until after class?"

With even the lightest meal, such as fruit or juice, allow at least one hour before class.

For larger meals with vegetables and grains, allow two hours before class.

For heavy meals with meat, allow three to four hours before class.

Eating right after class is okay; you may notice that this snack or meal turns into a pleasant social event with classmates. 

Copyright Yoga Girl Diet 2013

Purity: Water

Water Is the Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years. Although the Fountain of Youth lives on as a metaphor for anything that potentially increases longevity, there is a truth behind the legend. The power of this legend should not be where The Fountain of Youth is, but what is The Fountain of Youth?

The Fountain of Youth is water; it is the elixir of life. Water has the restorative powers to cleanse, rebuild and restore the body. But do you sip enough from The Fountain of Youth? Most people feel that they do, but perhaps your body is telling you something different. Many people think that substituting sodas, coffee and juice for water is enough to keep us hydrated and healthy, but nothing can beat the original and the best – water.

Water is second only to oxygen in importance for health. Roughly 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water. At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant’s body weight. During your day you lose fluid continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health.

Once you drink water, it leaves your stomach in about 5 minutes.

We can survive a month without food, but we’ll die after a week without water.

The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

75% of the earth is covered with water.

97% of earth's water is in the oceans. Only 3% of the earth's water can be used as drinking water. 75% of the world's fresh water is frozen in the polar ice caps.

Human brains are 75% water.

Human bones are 25% water.

Human blood is 83% water.

A healthy person can drink about three gallons (48 cups) of water per day.

By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.

Taken from my book Why Should I Drink More Water? By Kimberly Wechsler

To purchase this book go to...http://www.amazon.com/Should-Drink-More-Water-ebook/dp/B00BT017PW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374772193&sr=1-3&keywords=kimberly+wechsler

Copyright Yoga Girl Diet 2013

Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender

Look to this day,

for it is life,

the very life of life.

In its brief course lie all

the realities and verities of existence,

the bliss of growth,

the splendor of action,

the glory of power.

For yesterday is but a dream,

And tomorrow is only a vision,

But today, well lived,

Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

Author Unknown

Ahimsa: Creating Balance

What should be my first journal entry for Yoga Girl Diet? I thought about this for days and then it occurred to me that I should let me write whatever thoughts come into my head. So I took a few deep breaths and began to write...teach 6:00 a.m. yoga...feed dogs... call publisher...teach yoga at 2:00...return phone calls and emails (over 100 of them)... write blog, twitter and facebook ..walk dogs...go to market...meet with client @ 4:00...laundry...prepare dinner and prepare for photo shoot...I thought "I can't write about this!" Then this voice within me silently whispered...B.A.L.A.N.C.E...

Balance comes from listening to the guidance and wisdom of our inner voice. Creating balance is not an easy thing, it feels selfish at times, our schedules just don't allow it, we have so many demands on us. So what happens when our lives are out of balance? Do you feel grumpy, sluggish, overwhelmed, can't think straight? Balance is unique, it is presents itself in different ways to each of us. Balance effects our diet, thoughts, habits, lifestyle, and the people around us. We need balance in our life everyday, so this is the foundation on which I begin Yoga Girl Diet, set aside time everyday and tune into that listen to that inner voice, it simply knows what we need to be healthy, vital and how to live in harmony.
Namaste


copyright Yoga Girl Diet 2013