Archives: October 2012

No produce left at Fairway Market due to hurricane Sandy!

Over the past couple of days, my husband and I have been housebound. Hurricane Sandy really affected our city and we’re still all dealing with the after effects. Personally we got very lucky and our home still has power, internet, water and all the essentials for us to be comfortable. Unfortunately that’s not the case for many of our fellow New Yorkers. We are definitely feeling the tension in the city as people mourn the loss of their homes and personal belongings. Frankly, I’m shocked at how bad the city was hit and I feel awful for those who lost so much.

Yesterday, as we awaited Sandy’s arrival I got the cooking bug. I think it was because I was anticipating a power outage and I wanted to make sure we had enough yummy food to last us a few days. I was concerned about making a meal that had sufficient protein – so I turned to Indian dal which is a lentil dish that I pared with brown rice. It was grounding, warming and it came out really well – if I do say so myself! Despite not having a few ingredients I still made it work. Here’s the recipe. Enjoy it!

2 tablespoons ghee

2 whole cinnamon sticks

2 cups dried red lentils (washed and picked through for stones)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (I didn’t have this and it still tasted great!)

3 whole cloves

4 green cardamom pods (I didn’t have this and it still tasted great!)

½ teaspoon turmeric

6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Since I didn’t have a few spices, I added 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 yellow onion, diced

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee with cinnamon sticks in a large sauce-pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the cumin, cloves, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. Add the lentils, turmeric, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and skim well, Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of lentil used. Add more water during cooking, if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to.

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small sauce-pan, add the yellow onion and cook until soft. Add ginger and mix with the onion so it doesn’t burn. Once dal is finished add this to it.

The dal might be watery, continue simmering on medium heat until your desired consistency. Serve with brown rice and enjoy!

Click me for a tutorial on Kapala Bati Breathing!


Kapala Bati Clip from The Fix Your Belly Blues Program

What is anxiety? I just left a very intense therapy session where we spoke primarily about my anxiety and the many ways it manifests itself. Not only is fear a big part of my anxiety but so is the unknown.

Wow… Heavy topic today.

I bring it up because I think many of us, whether New Yorkers or not, suffer from anxiety. I know I scare myself in many different ways and I wonder how you do too?

Today my therapist, who practices in the Gestalt modality, had me work not on the fears that my anxiety brings, but the anxiety itself. I placed it in a chair, figured out what it looked like, the color, and how it made me feel.

I realized that this thing I call anxiety is shaped in a blob like form that sticks to my insides. It’s the color brown and often times it gets stuck inside of me.

I’ve already found a way to help it escape with breathing exercises but today I added on an extra step that I’m really excited to share.

I know all of this might sound funny to you, but growing up in a household with two parents as Gestalt therapists, this stuff is totally normal!

So, my steps to help release anxiety are to practice Kapala Bati or breath of fire. As you practice, imagine your anxiety as a set of red handkerchiefs coming out one by one just like a magician! Once finished with this exercise take some all purpose cleaner, wipe up the floor and throw the anxiety away!

Let’s go, it’s time to get rid of this once and for all!

Are you with me??

Stop letting your anxiety get the best of you. Take a stance and be strong. Of course it’s a work in progress so don’t get upset if your anxiety comes back right away. Keep practicing this at least once a day and see what happens.

Watch the video above for a tutorial on how to practice breath of fire.

Good luck!

I couldn’t resist – she’s SO cute!

Do you get enough rest? This is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. With the change of seasons, I’ve found my body wants to hibernate as much as possible – especially with the last few days being rainy and gloomy.

The trick is though; you have to give in when your body is tired. I learned this when I had mono back in high school. That was a really interesting time… All I wanted to do was sleep and I was allowed to do it! Doctor’s orders were to sleep! AMAZING!

Sometimes in my life now I get this guilty feeling when I have free time in my afternoon that I should be doing something very productive and not wasting my time sleeping.

Oh man… you therapists out there will probably have a field day with this – BUT when one works for him or herself this gets to be a problem.

How can we get rid of the guilt, allow our bodies to rest and feel refreshed?

I know many of you struggle with this, even those who work in corporate office environments.

The challenge is this: can you listen to your body, know when it’s tired and be OKAY with that? Give in already… healing happens when we sleep – really!

Sleep more, rest more and feel great! If you have a problem sleeping here are a few tips to help.

– Try taking 5-6 drops of valerian root before bed. It comes in a liquid form at the health food store

– Try taking melatonin before bed, get the sublingual kind – it melts in your mouth so it absorbs faster

– Try 1 tablespoon kuzu root mixed with warm or cold apple juice. Stir well and drink about ½ a cup of the juice before bed.

I’ve used kuzu root and valarian in the same night to ensure a great sleep. Give it a try!

With all of these remedies don’t be dependent on them for too long. Try it for 2 weeks then stop and see how you are naturally. If you’re having sleep deprivation for too long then make sure to see a doctor and get it checked out.

Sleep is sacred – treat it as such!

Dear Friends,

I am SO excited to share this news with you! I just launched my newest program to help those with gastrointestinal problems. It’s called The Fix Your Belly Blues Program and the best news about it is that it’s all online. It’s a 21-day program with a focus on cleansing, diet, yoga/meditation. It includes everything you need to know to help your belly heal. I have used my own personal experience to create the program and that’s how I know it works!

If you or anyone you know has the belly blues, ie: colitis, crohns, ibs, gastritis, ulcers, heartburn, diverticulitis, etc… and are looking for a way to feel better – then this is the program for you. Click the link below to see my promo video and to learn more about the program. Also, please share the link below with anyone you think might benefit from this! Help spread the word! I appreciate your help and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

click HERE to check it out!

Cheers,

Shira

Playful Kali

Kali Posing for the Camera

Almost 3 years ago we adopted a cat. I grew up with a cat my whole life and when she died I thought I could never love another cat again. I knew Chad and I both really wanted a pet but the demands of a dog didn’t seem to jive with our schedule and he said he was “allergic” to cats.

Well… for some reason I decided to challenge his allergies and we agreed to foster a cat on my birthday 3 years ago! Well… we never gave her back – and Chad’s allergies are totally fine!

We fell in love with this animal who brings us more love each day then we ever could have imagined.

Here are several things that I’ve learned from my 4-legged furry friend.

She’s never afraid to ask for what she wants – a.k.a. stepping on my computer to get my attention so I can give her attention!

She takes time out of her day to stretch.

Her cleanliness is impeccable and she wouldn’t have it any other way!

When she needs something she’s vocal and let’s us know immediately without holding it in.

She’s playful

She knows how to get what she wants almost all the time – a trait I am trying to figure out how to master!

She is one big ball of love and isn’t afraid to share it with everyone who crosses her path.

Do you have a pet? What are some things you have learned from your pet?

If you don’t have a pet, you might want to think about adopting one. There are tons of kitty shelters like The American Street Cat who capture and save cats who are loving and friendly.

Cherish your pet everyday. They live off of your love.

Last week was the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. It completes the annual high holy days in the Jewish tradition and is a day where Jews everywhere repent and reflect upon the days past and the days to come.

Chad and I are traditionally Jewish and find that we continually take the holidays into our own hands bringing our own meaning to them.

Chad and I decided to do a juice fast instead of a full fast for Yom Kippur. I made all the juices on Tuesday night, put them in jars and had them all prepared when we woke up on Wednesday morning. When I drove Chad to work – just as he got out of the car he said: “thanks for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner!” This small act of appreciation made me stop and get excited that we were actually going through with our cleanse and that we were in it together!

It’s a great idea to cleanse with another person. Then you have the ability to call the other person up, complain that it’s challenging and then you push each other to keep going and hold off until you can drink the next juice!

I have to say that through this cleanse I didn’t get a headache once. My blood sugar was raised enough all day so that I didn’t have a serious crash. When I did feel like I was about to crash I started drinking my next juice slowly and it helped immensely!

If you’re planning on completing a cleanse, try doing it with someone else!

Cheers to an easy fast!

Shira