Archives: Shira Turkl-Rubin

It’s HOT out there today! What can you do to stay cool? Keep yourself hydrated of course. One of the best foods to eat to keep you cool on a day like today is watermelon!

Watermelon is 92% water and is filled with vitamin C, A, B vitamins, magnesium and potassium! It’s sweet and is a great dessert instead of that chocolate cake you’ve been eyeing all day.

Stick to the healthy stuff, your body will thank you – I’m sure of it.

There’s nothing like fresh tea from your own garden – even if it’s a small garden like ours. 2 weeks ago I planted herbs! I’ve always wanted to do this and now it’s happening. Why does it make sense to grow your own? Well, firstly you’ll save $$. How often do you need cilantro for a dish and are forced to buy a huge bunch that you know you’ll never finish? Now you have the opportunity to pick the exact amount that you need without letting it go to waste!

I hate throwing food away and that’s what I’m forced to do when I buy these large bunches. Now all I have to do is work on keeping my plants alive! I’m a rookie when it comes to gardening so if you have tips for me then leave them in the comment section!

Tea recipe from my garden:

Basil

Peppermint

Lemon Balm

Chamomile

Steep in hot water and let chill for iced tea or drink warm. Enjoy for a fresh, calming, soothing tea.

Today, despite the rain, it’s a ground breaking day for me – and maybe for you too.

I’ve been working with a shoulder injury for about year now. I’ve rested it, stretched, practiced yoga, gotten massage, acupuncture, chiropractor adjustments, the works – finally today I felt as back to my “normal” yoga practice as I have in a long time. Yes, I still feel my shoulder at times so I know it’s not fully gone, BUT the great news is that it’s feeling stronger. I feel stronger.

It’s amazing how that simple fact makes me feel better, a lot better. I got home after sweating my butt off in a packed Vinyasa class in Nyack and started dancing around my apt! That’s how I know I’m feeling better. FINALLY!

It’s taken a while, but anyone suffering from an injury can relate to my struggle.

Here are 5 tips to working with an injury:

1)   Patience is the key to dealing with all injuries. I know, you probably hear this all the time, but you have to go inside and have a small conversation with yourself. Maybe it goes something like this “Even with my injury, I can still move in other ways and it’s ok to rest. I repeat, it’s OKAY to rest.”

2)   Rest whenever you can. Your body heals when it’s in a resting state.

3)   Move forward – continue to go to yoga classes even with your injury. Talk to the teacher before class and tell him/her about your injury so you can learn how to modify. Don’t feel bad about doing something different then the rest of class, you are doing the right thing by listening to your body.

4)   Ask for help – There are others around you, family, friends, etc. who can help – Let them.

5)   Ask for support – injuries can take a serious toll on your mind. When you need a boost don’t be afraid to ask for it – that’s what friends and family are for.

For those doubting your injury will get better – STOP STINKING THINKING – be positive, stay positive and be proactive. If you need physical therapy, go and get it. Don’t wait because the longer you let an injury go, the more likely it will stay injured for longer.

Have faith in the strength of your body and mind to heal you. I doubted it  for a moment and here I am, giving you advice.

Be kind to yourself.

Sunbathing Kitty!

Is it possible to detox a city out of your system? Well, Chad and I have been living in NYC for the past 5 years and we just recently moved to the exurbs of Rockland County. We’re in between the suburbs and country! How cool! It’s green, the air is thin, fresh and clean. There are birds chirping everywhere I turn and our apartment has light! That’s right, the sun actually shines right through the window warming up our toes.

We have the same exact bed that we did when we lived in NYC but for some reason it is 100 times more comfortable now – both of our sleeps are deeper and more fulfilling – and the only thing I can think of is… maybe we are detoxing the city out of us. It’s possible right? Maybe we are happier here as well… There’s really nothing like being in a good place mentally, physically and emotionally.

Where’s your happy place?

For the next week and a half my other half is on the other side of the world visiting China! He’s there for business and that means I’m home alone figuring out what to eat for dinner.

Since Chad is not too keen on stir-fry I’ve found it to be the perfect time to experiment. Stir-fry has always been my go-to, home alone meal. It’s easy, nutritious and delicious – why doesn’t Chad like it – that’s a good question that I wish I could answer!

Anyway, tonight’s meal had to be written about because I made it up on a whim and it ended up being absolutely delicious!

Feel free to use any veggies that you have at home, or pick some up on your way home. This is what I had on hand:

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 zucchini,

half package baby bello mushrooms

2 leaves kale

1 small sweet potato

1 tablespoon ghee

2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Heat ghee in a pan. On medium heat add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, add the sweet potato since it takes the longest to get soft, then add the zucchini and mushrooms. Turn the fire to low and add the tamari, sesame oil and apple cider vinegar, mix well. Everything should be combined in one pot, stir frequently so it doesn’t burn. Taste the sweet potatoes; once they soften the dish is ready.

Serve with quinoa, rice, beans, tofu, or eat it plain (that’s what I did!)

Just because I’m home alone doesn’t mean I can’t make a delicious meal for myself, right? Many people think it’s silly to “put in all that work” just for myself. Firstly, it wasn’t a lot of work and secondly I deserve to eat well too, not just when my hubby is home!

Let me tell you something, your diet is just as important as anyone else’s in your family. Often times we get trapped caring for others, and we lose sight of what’s important for ourselves. Take the time to listen, nourish and heal your body. If you don’t, you won’t have a place to live.

Cheers to life.

Hi Friends,

Chad and I have been searching for a new place to live for about a year now and we finally found it! This feeling of excitement, nervousness and anxiety all sit deep in my belly – and you can imagine what’s happening for me…!

It’s a roller coaster ride, that’s for sure.

We are moving out of NYC for the benefit of our health, peace, serenity, greenery and a new community.

It’s been challenging living here in NYC with the hustle and bustle. I’ve been grateful to have met beautiful people, incredible students and feel like I’m in the center of the universe! That’s what NYC is, isn’t it? C’mon I know you feel it (those of you living here!) Everyone wants to live in NYC – so why are we moving?

Well, we’re only moving 25 minutes away, so I know we will be coming into the city quite a bit. We’re moving because it’s time.

You know when you just know something is right – deep down in the bottom of your soul? That’s how this is. Even the way we found this apartment, it wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did and I’m excited about it. The place is brand new, no one’s ever lived there and it’s so tasteful that we only have to fix up a couple of things!

I’ll still be teaching in Astoria at The Giving Tree Yoga Studio and I’ll be simultaneously working on my own yoga community in the Nyack, Sparkill area.

I don’t feel like I’m moving so far away that I won’t get to see those near and dear to my heart – so not to worry ya’ll! I’ll be a short drive, bus or train ride away!

My online community won’t change though! Continue to look out for my whereabouts. I’ll be holding a yoga retreat in upstate NY this August. I haven’t sent out all the details yet, but stay tuned!

Much love to you all,

Shira

Everything Is Going to be Alright

I’m reading this book called The Journey by Brandon Bays. In the book she shares her story of how she healed a cancerous tumor in 6 weeks, yep, she made it disappear. WOW! It’s stories like hers that make my mouth drop and have me staring off into space thinking to myself that anything’s possible.

How did she do it? She went inside her tumor and found what was stuck there. She worked on clearing it out emotionally and within 6 weeks there was no sign of the tumor at all.

If it were that simple, how come we aren’t all doing this?

Well I’ve found it to be very challenging to figure out exactly what is “stuck” in me. Recently an issue came up for me that I hadn’t thought about since high school. This particular issue had me working to remember what exactly happened and how it affected me at the time. Wow, going back into the past is pretty powerful. Even as a young teenager I somehow brushed my emotions under the carpet so that I could go on and have a “normal” high school experience.

Maybe this particular issue is the one stuck inside my digestive tract. Maybe this issue coupled with a few others are what’s stuck to my insides. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I’m working on it.

To me, it’s amazing how this one book has helped me dig deeper then where I’ve already been. I’d say I’m pretty in touch with my emotions, but maybe there’s more that I’ve been unaware of until now.

Even when you think you’ve done the work, there always seems to be more that creeps up. I’d say it’s all worth taking a look at to see how you’ve neglected to get rid of any pent up emotions. If you don’t clear those emotions, then they get stuck in your cells creating disease.

I believe it, do you?

picture taken from yourfoodanalyst.com

Have you heard about this new show called Food Hospital? Finally it’s happening! The word is spreading that illness and pain can be healed through food and diet!

The show is on Cooking Channel on Monday nights at 9pm. Don’t forget to set your dvr! I haven’t seen the show yet, but I couldn’t be happier that this issue is finally being shown and projected to the public! Way to go Cooking Channel – you’ve answered my prayers!

To all of those fellow coaches, nutritionists, and alternative health practitioners out there – cheers to us on having our voices heard.

There is always more work to be done, but finally a glimpse into real patients making real changes!

Can’t wait to watch this!

Check out this link to find out more about the program.

To health & happiness.

Tropicana Advertisement on NYC Subway

I saw this advertisement on the subway in NYC. As I sat among fellow NYers watching their expressions (or lack there of) I saw how wonderful this AD really is! It definitely had the effect of making someone smile spontaneously – that would be me! I’m a sucker for great AD’s – I pay attention and love when I see clever ones.

Good work Tropicana. Even though I’m not in love with their product, they got me on the AD. Thanks for the smile.

Cheers to spontaneity.

I just came back from a small trip to Florida – I visited my grandmother and soaked in the warmth. Gosh I love how warm and fuzzy the sun, good weather and blue skies makes me feel. It boggles my mind how much the weather effects my mood. Do you feel that way too?

I wish I didn’t let the weather dictate how I feel on a particular day but sometimes I just can’t help it. Like today, all I wanted to do was snuggle up in bed with a warm cup of tea with my kitty purring beside me. Unfortunately working for myself, the networking and marketing never stop! So I was out there making contacts, teaching and spreading the health word – someone has to do it!

If you didn’t know already – I wrote a book!!! I feel like standing on top of a mountain and screaming that really loud at the top of my lungs! The reason being because I almost can’t believe that it actually turned into a book! I am now selling The Fix Your Belly Blues Program on Amazon Kindle as well as my own website!

I’ve made a career out of teaching others how to be their healthiest selves. As many of you know, my niche market is working with people who have digestive problems. My book is a 21 day program for people who suffer from crohns, colitis and other digestive problems. Currently you can purchase is through my website by clicking here

Or you can buy it on Kindle at Amazon.com by clicking here

My goal is to provide coaching and guidance for those diagnosed with digestive disorders. I myself needed coaching/guidance when I was first diagnosed but I couldn’t find it. That’s why I created my own method and am now sharing it with you and the world. So please, help me spread the word. If you know someone who suffers from digestive problems, send them to my website – I know they will thank you (and so will I!) The Fix Your Belly Blues Program was designed to kick your disease out the door. With lots of tips, guidance, recipes, yoga and meditation you will feel fully supported as you work on healing yourself – that’s the goal. My next step is to begin offering special yoga/meditation retreats specifically for those suffering from crohns/colitis. I am writing out my intention with positive hopes that this will actually happen before the end of 2013! Your support is definitely welcome.

Cheers to a wonderful year ahead.

Shira