There is something perfect about soup in the evening; it’s hearty, warming, and so calming.

Eating squash is particularly satisfying, because the high fiber content fills you up, allowing you to forgo second helpings. This is beneficial in the evenings because eating small portions will ensure that you get a better night’s sleep.

The winter varieties of squash such as the acorn and butternut used in this recipe are particularly nutrient-dense. The distinctive orange-yellow color in acorn and butternut squashes come from the beta-carotene content. Beta carotene is a Vitamin A precursor and is thought to help fight cancer. Winter squashes also contain beneficial amounts of potassium. Low potassium levels can cause muscle tiredness, feelings of fatigue and make you irritable and anxious.

Pumpkin is also rich in magnesium, which aids the body in hundreds of functions, including promoting a healthy immune system.

The chili in this recipe also has a myriad of health benefits including headache and congestion relief. With this recipe, you’ll be feeling calm and grounded once again!

This calming vegetarian soup, rich in nutrients, will relieve stress with its powerful, healthy ingredients. Leeks are full of folate, a cardio-protective food.  Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A.  Kale is healthy with its carotenoids and flavonoids properties— antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals. Kale helps regulate the body’s inflammatory process with Omega-3, and lentils are full of vitamin B, essential for a good mood! See below for all of the steamy details!

Winter Lentil Soup

Serves 6

Hands-on Time: 20m

Total Time: 1hr 00m 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1/2 cup brown lentils
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce; optional)

 

One of my dear friends was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring, and while she is currently cancer-free, the first two things she told me still resonate: 1) I will never stand in front of the microwave again and 2) I never did wash the grapes well enough; I’m going to start buying organic.

I think most of us have some skepticism when it comes to buying produce at the store as we are now faced with the choice between buying conventionally grown fruits and vegetables and purchasing organic. Recent reports I’ve found, such as in a Mayoclinic blog article, Nutrition and Healthy Eating, conclude that while nutritional content of both organic and nonorganic produce is equal, “Conventional growers use pesticides to protect their crops from molds, insects and diseases. When farmers spray pesticides, this can leave residue on produce.” Of course, many of us naturally cringe at the thought of consuming chemicals, but upon biting into those cold, juicy grapes, the thought tends to disappear. After all, the grapes taste good. However, upon further research, one can begin to discern that those pesticides might actually lead to health problems or even diseases.

Below you will see a pie chart published in Environmental Factors in Breast Cancer, a supplement to Cancer magazine. The chart, as Figure 2 says, identifies mammary carcinogens. Sure enough, pesticides do have a slice of the pie.

Other science literature points to links between pesticides and other health conditions such as reproductive health and Parkinson’s disease.

While I was not one to hit the gym after the strike of midnight on Happy 2011, I did write a list of New Year’s resolutions, the first of which I knew I needed most: Listen to My Body. I realize this may sound strange, dramatic, even.  It’s not that I need to take note of my pre-lunch tummy grumble to know that I am hungry, nor is it a need to not-eat until I hear all of those stomach aliens screeching feed me. Believe me, thunder-wielding god, Thor, lets me know.

The thought to listen to my body first came to me after reading the article Inner Light on yogajournal.com. The article suggests that connecting with oneself is a great strategy to stay on path of a healthy weight loss plan.

“The combined effects of the self-acceptance, increased body awareness, and inward reflection that are natural byproducts of a regular yoga practice [including Pranayama] can increase your ability to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and can have a positive impact, whether you’re significantly overweight, just wanting to lose a few pounds, or struggling with a body-image problem despite being at a healthy weight.”

I am not personally focused on the numerical weight of my body, but rather the surrendering insistence that my body does indeed know what it’s doing and needs my brain’s awareness to keep it happy (I’m so busy, it can be 6pm, and I’ve had oatmeal and an orange. No water. Just coffee). No wonder I have a headache. In fact, I’ve lost all sympathy from friends who know my dilemma.

We are lying on our backs in the studio. The lights have been dimmed.

Place your hands on your ribs or over your head or by your side. Breathe. Watch your breath from your lungs’ perspective. Your body did a lot of work today. Sometimes we have to breathe to activate the mind.

This was the end of our hour-and-a-half yoga practice. And prior to, I did have a lot on my mind. I have sixty student essays to grade; I have work emails to respond to; I have Christmas shopping to do; a six-hundred mile car ride to make in a week; and it’s freezing outside.

‘Tis the season for stress and poor health—best treated with chocolate, popcorn, Monday night House, Wednesday night Glee, Thursday night Gray’s Anatomy, and on Friday, a few glasses of wine. Those things carry me through the week just fine. My students, my poor students, who are cooped up in libraries and study rooms until all hours of the night, splurge with a “night on the town” – and sometimes, too many nights on the town; they say “a break,” I say “procrastination.”

During my 9am class, they arrive and immediately slump down into their seats (poor posture, tired bodies).  Some of the students space out, some make poignant observations about our current book of discussion—Dave Egger’s Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius. I see a few students pop out their planners and calendars to ferociously add to their to-do lists.  On our last meeting of the semester, I changed my routine. Instead of looking over my lecture notes, or taking attendance, or writing on the board, I listened to them chat across the table. Economics, I hear, is a killer class. One of my students spent the night at the library; of course, she doesn’t look tired—eighteen year old vibrancy.

Today is Veteran’s Day, and I’m extremely proud to announce that today we launched our new “Healthy veterans, happy families.” campaign to raise funds for Give an Hour.  Give an Hour is an amazing non-profit organization which asks mental health professionals to literally donate one hour of their time to veterans and their families.  Many times, parents, siblings, and loved ones do not qualify for the same kind of support services offered to veterans by the government, but their needs are just as important.  We’re donating ten percent of every app sold in the month of November.  If you’re interested in learning more, click the banner above or go here.

When our servicemen and women return home, it may seem like the war is over for them, at least for now (over a quarter of our military personnel have been deployed more than once).  Yet many of our veterans bear wounds which cannot be seen by the naked eye.  They manifest in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and panic attacks, anger, apathy, and more.  Moreover, it’s not just the veterans themselves which suffer from deployment–their families, friends, and loved ones all suffer in turn.  This is why it’s so important to recognize (article via the Deseret News) the incredible burden which our servicemembers, their families, and communities must bear.

Today I’d like to take some time to address the issue of music in our Health through Breath – Pranayama app.  We’ve had more than a few users, and even a couple reviewers mention that they’d like the option to choose their own music to listen to while going through our breathing exercises.  Seems harmless right?  It’s completely understandable that people want to listen to their favorite music while meditating, breathing, relaxing, etc., and we’re not necessarily saying it’s not going to happen.  However, we do want to take a minute to explain why music is so important to the function and effectiveness of our app.

Pranayama relies on two things to be as effective as it is:  music and animation. Animation allows our users to see the physical form, function, and flow of deep breathing.  It’s used to show you how to breathe deeply using your diaphragm and show you what’s taking place in your body as you breathe.  It’s used to show you how to control your breathing and it helps you settle into your breathing rhythm.

Music is the force which drives you through the various stages of breathing and it’s also what we use to help condition your breathing habits.  After all, the kind of shallow chest breathing that most of us engage in is nothing more than a bad habit.  Our app is designed to help you unlearn your bad breathing habits and encourage the development of new, good habits.  We do this largely through our music.  The rise and fall of each musical tone clearly illustrates the beginning and end of each part of the breathing cycle.  The music conditions your mind and body and directs your advancement through the various breathing patterns. Once you’ve mastered our app, you’re taking 0.97 breaths per minute.  The music is what gets you to that level.