 February 2007 |
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Hi reader, In our first newsletter for 2007, I have enclosed some dieting tips based upon Yogic principles and an article on Yoga for Depression. Announcement:
Below you can find an article I wrote to help you choose the right yoga teacher and I've also included a special offer and a great gift idea:
Yogic Dieting Tips By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 It's that time of year again, after the holiday season, when most of us could learn a little restraint and still be able to enjoy ourselves, at the same time. Please observe, or pass on the following information to your loved ones, friends, and students. Two years ago, I lost 10 pounds during the holidays, and kept the weight off, by using the following guidelines. After you eat, your stomach should be half full, or less, with food. For every two parts of food consumed, you should drink one part water. Leave your stomach at least one quarter empty for movement of air. When eating at a restaurant, eat half a portion, maximum, and wait five or ten minutes. Restaurant portions are commonly two or three meals on a single or double plate. This is way too much to consume at a single sitting and you may find out that, once you pause and sip your drink, you are already full. In the Attleboro, and North Attleboro area, there are some restaurants where the single portions could feed a family of four. No wonder a man of 200 lbs. is now considered thin. Establish control over your appetite. Most of us feel guilty if we don't finish a plate. This is usually conditioning from your childhood. Let go of guilt and have the rest "wrapped to go." Here are a few more guidelines that will help you throughout 2007. Always eat something for breakfast and never "skip it." When you skip breakfast, you will over-consume for it, later in the day. Eat slowly and thoroughly chew your food. If you love carbonated drinks - drink carbonated water without sugars or sugar substitutes. Make sure your last meal or last "snack" of the day is small and nutritionally dense. Examples: Cereal with fruit, vegetable salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, rice with vegetables, and light popcorn, without the extra butter and salt. For those who eat meat or fish: turkey, chicken, or salmon salad on top of fresh greens. In the last part of your day skip desserts, sugary cereals, bread, and second portions. If you must have sugar: Eat fruit salad, fruit with rice, or yogurt. If you must have coffee or alcohol, beware that these should be consumed in extreme moderation. Both substances can dehydrate your body and you will drink extra water to make up for it. Wine is much better than hard alcohol, but one or two glasses a day is the limit. Coffee consumption should be held to the same guidelines (one or two a day). Remember that green tea is a good substitute for coffee. Green Chai is tasty and healthy. Nutritious food is not an excuse for over indulgence. Even when you eat all the right things, the volume consumed should be in moderation. It will take a lot of Sun Salutations, or Vinyasa Yoga, to make up for overeating anything. Make your meal a meditation. Pause every few minutes, think about the amount you have eaten, be thankful for your life, and breathe. © Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications Yoga for Depression: Pessimism and Perfection By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Is Yoga a cure for depression? How can Yoga stop you from feeling hopeless? Let's look at how Yoga can help you prevent negative thinking and the resulting damage negative thinking can have on your life. To be honest, Yoga is not a cure fore depression, but Yoga can be an effective solution for some causes of depression. The hard part is to identify the causes of depression. In order to understand yourself, you will have to engage in mindfulness and self-reflection. These are mental exercises to help you find the sources of negative thought within your mind. Mental health is also an aspect of Yoga practice. What are your fears? Do you constantly worry about money, losing your job, a family crisis, or something else? Is this a real problem or a self-created situation? The answers to these questions will enable you to discover real solutions, instead of worrying years off your life. Below are some common negative thoughts and some Yogic solutions for them. Are you a pessimist? Do you envision your life on the "bottom of the rock pile?" If you envision anything, you can create that image with the power of your mind. Karma Yoga teaches us that any action causes an equal reaction. Why waste your time on pessimism, when you could create positive thoughts and images? Learn from children: They are full of positive energy and not afraid to dream. Get to know your "inner child" and create your world of positive thought. If you made mistakes - So, what?; we all do. Life is full of mistakes, but you can turn each one into a positive thought. Do you always expect perfection? If you expect everything to be perfect, you are "killing yourself," and those who love you. This is not a perfect world. What is the cause of your search for perfection? Most of the time, a perfectionist is driven by his or her desires. Consider non-possessiveness (Aparigraha): This one restraint (Yama), teaches us not to desire anything more than we need. The true source of perfectionist thought is the desire to have more of something than is realistic. The desire to have everything perfect, in an imperfect world, is a mindless pursuit. When you desire constant perfection, from yourself and others, you are taxing your own health. Holding onto the perception of a perfect world will strain relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. Ultimately, the pursuit of perfection will create a lonely and depressed world without any friends. Pessimism and perfection are just two of many causes that can result in depression. In both cases, the guidance of a competent Yoga teacher could be a form of preventative medicine. However, if you, or a loved one, is experiencing chronic depression problems, the advice of a competent psychologist, or psychiatrist, should be sought. Yoga is a good alternative form of therapy, but not a cure for depression. © Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications Attleboro Yoga Blog
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