Juicing and Why I love It!

July 21, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Beets, kale, cabbage, carrots, ginger, mint

In preparing for my journey to Costa Rica, I am making sure that my body and mind are as strong as possible. Travel can take a lot out of us, especially in the initial weeks of traveling long term. This means getting extra sleep, nurturing my body with yoga/strength training/cardio but not over doing it, and nurturing my mind with mindfulness meditations, and of course eating an extra healthy diet.

Veggies and fruits hold a ton of vitamins, micro-nutrients, and minerals but we have to eat a whole lot of them daily to get the most absorption of these into our systems. I don’t know about you but I have a hard time even thinking about chewing on 3 large plates of kale, 1 large beet, a whole batch of carrots, and a head of cabbage every day. It’s absurd! Especially as a traveling yogini, sometimes my schedule just simply does not allow for the time that goes into preparing whole foods like that. That is where juicing comes in.

Juicers are easy to buy on amazon and are well worth the money and I am sure someone you know has a juicer that is collected dust unfortunately, maybe they will lend it to you. Juicing has been known to restore optimal health to really ill individuals, don’t believe me? Watch the documentary, “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.” That may change your mind. If you watch this documentary, you will see that every person who went on a juice fast sought the care of a medical doctor first to make sure it was safe to do so remember to consult with your physician before moving forward if you do start to fast! However, I am talking about just beginning to incorporate more veggies and fruits into your diet by way of weaving it into your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Your body and mind will thank you later!

My Top 10 Reasons Why I LOVE Juicing!

1. Removes Toxins

2. Lowers Blood Pressure

3. Balances weight

4. Clean colon

5. Decrease allergies

6. Increases energy

7. Healthier skin, hair, bones

8. Helps balance hormones

9. Helps mental, emotional, and spiritual health

10. Helps sleep

Enjoying drinking to health!

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” ~Hippocrates

I’ll see you on the mat.

Alana

E-RYT, CYT, Reiki, Wellness support, Freelance writer

Sign up to join me for Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience – alanaroachyoga.com

Check out some juicing experts!

https://www.facebook.com/WholeHealthDesignsLLC

http://juicingexpert.com/

http://epicself.com

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/benefits.html

Explorations of Self: A Costa Rica Yoga Experience

May 17, 2014 // by Alana Roach// Leave a Comment

Starting in Jan. 2015, I will be teach the first of many retreats in Costa Rica. I love being able to experience different cultures while traveling light. There is something to be said about the “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” all you truly need to bring is a towel and a toothbrush. I can’t claim that I have traveled with that little, but I like the idea. The more I travel, the less I bring with me. It is freedom. We aquire so much in the material as we grow. From small items to the large, we become subconciously and sometimes very conciously attached to these things. Currently I am in the process of slimming down these items. I am getting back to the basics. That is a big reason why I like yoga, all you need is an intention to do yoga. Sometimes you might want a mat, but not always. I think that is why I like the idea of surfing, it’s you, the board, and the ocean. I pick my activities like I pick my food, the less ingrediants the better.

Alana Roach, Wild Horses on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica with lancelaurence.com

Here are some ways to get back to the basics:

1. Declutter. Do you really need that dress you’ve had for the past five years and never wear or that broken printer you’ve been hanging onto in hopes of some day fixing? I didn’t think so. Get rid of it! Create a good-will pile, e-bay pile, and a junk pile. I know sometimes clearing space can feel daunting but the release you will get afterwards is by far greater than any anxious feelings you may have about doing it.

2. Do more yoga. It’s simple! Get to your local studio or pop on a youtube video at home. The more you practice getting into the flow of the present, the more you will instinctively get back to the bare nessecities in life.

3. Local Farmer’s Market. Buy local, buy often. When you support local farmers you are supporting a healthier you. Local raw honey has been known to fight pollen allergies and organic vegetables and fruit hold more nutrients. Plus, how good does a fresh tomato or local raw honey sound right about now?

4. Craft. Our ancestors used to do it often. We only do it in grade school unless we take a special interest in basket weaving and continue it into adult-hood. There is something to be said about creating something with our own hands or feet for that matter. Check out some of these great ideas for crafting with nature on Pinterest.

5. Only bring 1 back-pack next time you travel. You’ll be happy you did. Bring the bare minimum. A toothbrush, a towel, fresh underwear, socks, one change of clothes, and climate dependant gear like sun block, bug spray, scarves, etc. It’s less to watch, lug around, and worry about period. I will be hosting a Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Jan 17-24, 2015. I would love it if you came to practice the art of letting go with me in a community setting. Here is where you can find the details!

Remember, non-attachment comes in stages. I am definitely still learning to let go, but I can tell you that when I do, I find a new level of awareness that is so incredibly healing to my mind, body, and Soul.

“As spiritual searchers we need to become freer and freer of the attachment to our own smallness in which we get occupied with me-me-me. Pondering on large ideas or standing in front of things which remind us of a vast scale can free us from acquisitiveness and competitiveness and from our likes and dislikes. If we sit with an increasing stillness of the body, and attune our mind to the sky or to the ocean or to the myriad stars at night, or any other indicators of vastness, the mind gradually stills and the heart is filled with quiet joy. Also recalling our own experiences in which we acted generously or with compassion for the simple delight of it without expectation of any gain can give us more confidence in the existence of a deeper goodness from which we may deviate. (39)”
― Ravi Ravindra, The Wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide by Ravi Ravindra

With much love always,

Alana Roach

RYT, CYT, Wellness Support and Freelance Writer

www.AlanaRoachYoga.com