Yoga for Kids!

My daughter brought home an order form from school, from Scholastics book club. As a kid, I never got to order anything from Scholastics because we were on a budget, and let's face it, ordering books for 5 kids would get expensive! I wasn't going to order anything for Rosie until I saw the cutest book ever and it was only $5. It's called the ABCs of Yoga for Kids. I ordered it and we read it together. For each letter of the alphabet, they have a yoga pose, like "D is for downward dog" and they have these cute poems that teach the child how to correctly do the pose. They also have the most adorable illustrations. Rosie was trying to do each pose as we read the book. Now she's asking for a yoga mat for her birthday!!! I would HIGHLY recommend this book for any child (or even adult). I think it would make a fab Christmas gift!

- Elisabeth

Tune into Oprah Today if you HATE Dieting!

Ok I've said it before.... I'm not one of those "I love the gospel of Oprah" kind of person. I seriously watch her show like five times a year tops. But for some reason I get emails from her show everyday. Today I read the subject and immediately set my PVR to record today's show (and I suggest you do the same!)

For all of us diet haters, here's something that just might shake up the way we look at food forever. Women all over have been losing weight (and keeping it off) thanks to New York Times best-selling author Geneen Roth's latest book, Women, Food and God. This book has had a significant effect on Oprah's life. "[It] blows the doors off of my tumultuous relationship with food," she says. "It's a love/hate thing that so many people have experienced."

Geneen says the way many women eat doesn't indicate that they necessarily love food. "When you really like something, you pay attention to it and you take time with it. When you like something, you don't eat standing up, you don't eat it in the car, you don't eat sort of shoving the food in your mouth on the way from the stove to the table," she says. "When you like your body, you also pay attention to that, to when it's had enough."

Sounds interesting to me! I've already set my PVR to record it. I can't wait to see the before and after of many women and to hear more about this amazing book. Hmmm, it's my birthday tomorrow. Maybe I'll add this book to my wish list!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Oprah's website is full of GREAT nutrition advice.

A few times a week I get Oprah newsletters in my inbox. I'm not really sure when I signed up to receive such emails since I RARELY tune into Oprah's church - er, I mean show, but I have to admit that her show has some pretty good nutrition advice from time to time. Now, most of the time I delete those emails telling which jeans to buy or talking about some celebrity, but today's email was all about nutrition. I found it pretty interesting and thought I'd share.

The first story is about a woman attempting to eat healthy on a budget. Sound familiar? That's a major struggle in our home, especially with a financial planner for a husband. After reading her story, I think I'm going to watch Food Inc, WITH my husband so we can both hear what it has to say about the foods we eat. Maybe after watching it Dave will think twice about getting a McDonald's $1.39 double cheeseburger and instead spend a couple more dollars on a whole wheat sub.

http://www.oprah.com/health/Navigating-the-Grocery-Store/1

The second is about a man named Thich Nhat Hanh, a World-renowned Buddhist master, who teamed up with nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung to change the way we eat with their book Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Living. I really want to buy this book (maybe I'll buy it for myself when I loose 10 pounds, ooohhh and a pair of Lululemon pants). A lot of the strategies sound easy, while others will take time to adjust. In any case, I'm a strong believer that health and nutrition is a lifestyle, not a fad, gimmick, or fake foods, and this book is all about that. I really like this quote "This is an unprecedented time in history. Globally, there are more people who are overweight than who are hungry and underweight. Scientists have already warned us that if the overweight and obesity trend is not turned around, this generation of youth will have a lifespan shorter than their parents." To read the full story see http://www.oprah.com/spirit/A-Conversation-with-Thich-Nhat-Hanh-About-Savor.

I really wish I has seen her show today and hear everything Thich Nhat Hanh had to say, but I totally forgot to PVR it and instead went on a walk on the beach with my family (I think that's probably better anyway). Did any of you see it? Did it inspire you at all? What did you think?

My Favorite Nutrition Book

My husband knows how much I love learning about nutrition and health, so one Christmas he bought me a few health books. Among those books was The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray N.D. I absolutely love this book and refer to it on a regular basis. It goes through common foods and list the nutrition highlights and health benefits, as well as tip on selecting, storing, and preparing these foods. I find this book useful if you are looking to nutrition to help cure common ailments from acne to high blood pressure to varicose veins.

Get this book and next time your kid asks why they should eat egg plant, you can turn to page 194 and say "it's an excellent source of fibre, a very good source of vitamin B1 and B6, and potasium, and a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, niacin, and folic acid. It contains a potent antioxidant shown to protect cell membranes from damage. It also may help lower cholesterol." Your kids will think you're the smartest parent ever!

Me Ka Aloha

-Elisabeth