Archives: IBS

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Recently I’ve been teaching meditation to many students all around NYC, Rockland and Bergen Counties and I love it! As much as my students all enjoy coming to class, when it comes to practicing on their own I continue to hear the same thing over and over again: no time or, I continuously forget to practice.

Meditation only works if you actually practice it – not just in class but on your own too. Meditation isn’t just about sitting on a cushion and watching your breath. Meditation is about being mindful and aware of your body, your surroundings and allowing yourself to be fully present. You can do this while taking a shower, walking down the street, sitting at your desk, etc.! I’ve found meditation to be extremely helpful when dealing with colitis, crohns, ibs & any other belly issues.

Here are some helpful tips to get you going:

1)   As soon as you wake up do some light stretching in bed such as, gentle twists, forward folds and maybe even a childs pose. Once you’ve gently moved the body then prop yourself up on some pillows so that you can sit cross legged comfortably. Practice meditation for a minimum of 5 minutes. There’s no excuse not to practice this one since it’s in bed!

2)   When you’re on the go I suggest downloading some kirtan music to listen to. Kirtan is a form of bhakti yoga, which is the yoga of love, song and devotion. There are many soothing artists you can listen to that can help get you in a meditative zone. Here are a few that I love:

Snatam Kaur

Krishna Das

David Newman

Deva Premal

Jai Uttal

Donna De Lory

Girish

Karunesh

Ravi Shankar

3)   If you’re having a hard time scheduling meditation into your life then just like you would do with any other appointment – put it on your calendar.

4)   Set your alarm to wake up 10 minutes earlier so that you can have sufficient amount of time to breathe, meditate and move gently.I know that if you adapt at least one of these tips you will already be well on your way to cultivating a life long meditation practice. Meditation has the ability to change your life forever – so let’s go, get in on it. Everyone can do it, there’s no excuse.

Good luck & let me know how it goes.

With lots of love & support,

Shira

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on thyroid health and I’ve come across some eye opening information that I have to share.

Let me back up a bit – I started getting a really bad neck ache about a month and a half ago and thought it was muscular. After meeting with a medical intuitive she informed me that my thyroid was swollen, something I had never considered. She asked me if I had been feeling sluggish, she asked about the quality of my sleep, my motivation and my mood. Well, turns out that once I started looking at all these signs I realized that indeed something is going on with my thyroid. Yes I am getting a blood test next week, however I’m not one to wait for the blood test to confirm anything, I like to dive right in and start making immediate changes. So I started juicing and eating as healthy as I know possible and still, my neck ache persists.

Then, I came across some research online referring to raw cruciferous vegetables and their negative effect on people with thyroid conditions. Apparently when eaten raw they contain chemicals that block the production of thyroid hormone in the body. All this time I thought I was doing something great for my body and boy was I wrong! It just goes to show you that even when you think you are eating all the right things, one bit of research can change everything. That’s why I believe it’s so important to educate yourself about whatever condition you have.

Cruciferous vegetables: Arugla, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, collard greens, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, radish, rutabaga, watercress.

This doesn’t mean that I won’t continue my juicing habit – it just means I’m planning to leave out the kale and spinach (spinach isn’t cruciferous but it also negatively effects the thyroid when eaten raw – see the note below about oxalic acid.)

Here’s a delicious juice that I made this morning:

1 organic beet

4 organic celery stalks

1 organic apple

½ organic cucumber

½ organic lemon

½ inch fresh organic ginger

This amount of juice made enough for both Chad and I to enjoy.

Some greens contain a chemical called oxalic acid – it’s irritating to the mouth and intestinal tract as well as blocks calcium and iron absorption. It may also contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Greens with this chemical are listed below. For those who have a thyroid condition please make sure to lightly steam or cook these foods to minimize the oxalic acid.

Spinach, chard, parsley, chives, purslane and beet greens.

There are other foods to avoid when dealing with a thyroid condition. All it takes is a Google search. Educate yourself and you will ultimately help yourself heal.

Please pass along this very valuable information. Many people suffer from thyroid conditions but don’t know about the benefits of changing specific foods in their diet.

Please help spread the word so that more people can become aware of the very specific ways to heal. Healing also takes place when stress is reduced and a spiritual practice is added.

Stay healthy,

Shira

Say no to fear and yes to acceptance.

Lately my anxiety levels have been a tad high. I’m not exactly sure why but I think what’s making it worse is the fact that I keep trying to figure out why it’s happening. The same thing goes when I have a stomachache. I try to figure it out until I’m blue in the face – not literally but you get my drift.

Last night and this morning I tried a new ritual.

Before bed I said to myself:

It’s ok to feel anxious

It’s ok to have a stomachache

It’s ok to not always feel the best.

By accepting it and not pushing it away I’m able to feel what’s going on in my body instead of trying to change it.

This can certainly apply to you if you have a specific issue that you’re dealing with and can’t exactly figure out how to feel better about it. Start with acceptance and miracles will happen.

I woke up this morning feeling…. Different.

There’s something to this acceptance thing. Try it out! I dare you!

***With Thanksgiving here in 2 days I had to share a delicious recipe with ya’ll. It’s for gluten free stuffing!

Hazelnut Stuffing adapted from Terry Walters Clean Food Cookbook

Serves 6

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

5 stalks celery, diced

½ pound cremini mushrooms, diced

½ cup diced dried apples, no sugar added

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 cup hazelnuts

6 slices gluten free rice bread cut into ½ inch cubes and toasted

½ cup organic vegetable stock

¼ cup tamari

2 tablespoons mirin

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft. Add the celery, mushrooms, apples, rosemary and dried parsley and sauté 4 minutes. Fold in crushed hazelnuts and toasted bread cubes and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together stock, tamari and mirin. Drizzle over stuffing mixture to evenly soak. Season with pepper to taste and gently fold to combine all ingredients. Place in a large casserole or stuff into a roasted winter squash and bake 25 minutes until top is lightly toasted.

Remove from oven then top with almonds and fresh parsley – serve.

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