Here’s a list of things I want to always remember to do, continue to do… as often as possible! Create your own list, too!

*Love. Love. Love. Love.

*Love and appreciate my body, even when it’s changing or different than what I wish it were.

*Get outdoors, in nature, even for just 10 minutes.

*Continue to inspire myself while inspiring others.

*Pamper myself in some way: a bath, a massage from my hubby, paint my nails, mini facial

*Get exercise, get the blood flowing, sweat.

*Make love, with my partner or with myself!

*Have quiet time where I shut down from the world, for even 10 minutes. Meditation, or just a time when I put my phone on silent and take deep breaths and appreciate.

*Read something that brings me pleasure.

*Eat something that brings me pleasure.

*WRITE IN MY JOURNAL! OR DRAW! express myself.

*Be forgiving: with myself and others.

*Snuggle with my dog. Let him lick my face. Life’s too short to care.

*Speak up for myself.

*Ride my bike.

*Be playful. Laugh. Giggle.

*YOGA. live it. LOVE IT. do it. on and off the mat!

*Eat beautiful, organic, natural foods. As many colors as possible!

*Take too many pictures.

*Keep learning and growing. Evolving is what life is about!

*remember it’s OKAY to be WRONG.

*Share with EVERYBODY.

*Express gratitude, send thank you cards. Remember Birthdays.

Stomach

Our bodies host plenty of guests in the form of beneficial, healthy bacteria that live inside our digestive track and stomach. At one time or another, most people have used antibiotics, reinforcements that Western doctors prescribe to help us fight off harmful infections. Unfortunately, these drugs also wipe out the helpful organisms that play an important role in our digestive process. When this happens, you want to replenish the intestinal flora with probiotics. There are several types and fortunately you can obtain most through natural foods!

What are probiotics??

According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host1 (2001 WHO/ FAO Report).

Probiotics help intestinal bacteria perform their tasks more efficiently. They take over when your intestinal bacteria have too much work or are weakened or even destroyed by antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition or any other factors.

Where can I get Probiotics from?

For a rich, readily available source of lactobacillus, eat yogurt, preferably goat yogurt, which is easier to digest than the kind made from cow’s milk. Additional sources include sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and organic soybeans. Immediately after a course of antibiotics, you may wish to recharge your sytem with probiotics, which are found with refrigerated items in health food stores. Be sure they contain bifidobacteria, enterococci, and saccharomycese as well as lactobacillus. And always take them on an empty stomach!

Anytime my clients or friends have an upset stomach or just finish a round of antibiotics, I highly suggest Bio-K, which is available at Whole Foods and most health food stores. It’s an incredible probiotic resource, with over 50 million healthy bacteria contained in one small container! Gluten-free, free of pesticides and hormones. Click on this link to order straight from their website.

Research from the University of Minnesota found that rats fed for 135 days on an 80% cooked food diet resulted in an increase pancreatic weight of 20-30%.

This means that the pancreas is forced to work harder with a cooked food diet. “Although the body can manufacture enzymes, the more you use your enzyme potential, the faster it is going to run out..” wrote Dr. Edward Howell, who pioneered research in the benefits of food enzymes. A youth of 18 may produce amylase levels 30 times greater than those of an 85 year old person.

Some excellent food sources of enzymes are: papaya, pineapple and sprouted seeds. Science cannot duplicate enzymes because they are the stuff of life itself. Only raw food has functional “live” enzymes. Therefore the liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines must come to the rescue and furnish the requisite digestive enzymes to the individual nourished solely on a cooked food diet.

This extra activity can be detrimental to health and longevity because it continually taxes the reserve energy of our organs. Furthermore, cooked food passes through the digestive tract more slowly than raw food, tends to ferment, and throws poisons back into the body. Colon cancer is 2nd to lung cancer as a killer in America and is related, in various ways, to eating enzyme-deficient cooked food.

All raw foods contain exactly the right enzymes required to split every last molecule into the basic building blocks of metabolism: Amino acids (from protein) glucose (from complex carbs) and essential fatty acids (from unsaturated vegetable fats.)

This isn’t a post to say you should ONLY eat raw or living foods… just to try and incorporate more in your diet. Even once a day is a great treat for your body!

Respect yourself

Self respect is one of the great secrets to health and longevity. If you respect yourself, you won’t pollute your body-mind with drugs, junk food, and smoke, and you won’t abuse it with a poor lifestyle.

If you respect yourself, you will treat your body like a superior being and you would treat your mind like a sage. Treat yourself with respect-you may be a potential Buddha, or the person with the potential to save or positively change the world.

This single practice of truly respecting yourself should be enough to propel you on the path of radiant health!

After living in LALA land for almost 8 years, I’ve discovered quite the enticing places to eat. I always love finding new spots to grab a bite, especially when the food is healthy & inspiring and the energy is positive.

Here are my top choices if I WERE visiting Los Angeles and wanted to grab a healthy snack or meal.

Santa Monica:

• Euphoria Loves Rawvolution on Main Street in between Venice and Santa Monica, fun part of town, 2 blocks from the beach. They serve vegan and raw food, sell a few supplements and raw desserts to LIVE for!  I bring my laptop or a book here and cozy up on their couch. They have open mic nights and special events for the community. It’s a very friendly environment, super casual and the staff are wonderful. 2301 Main Street, Santa Monica

• Santa Monica Co-Opportunity this is a lovely place to go if you want to get snacks for a picnic or a smoothie after gallivanting at the beach. It looks like a grocery store, but ohhhh, it’s so much more. You may not know that a supermarket can be cool, until you go here. Juice/Smoothie bar, best bulk variety items I’ve ever seen, and a whole refrigerated section dedicated to raw and vegan prepackaged foods. I’m here minimum 4 times a week! Corner of 16th and Broadway in Santa Monica.

• Planet Raw (owned by raw chef Juliano) Couldn’t leave this one out. To be honest, If I had the money, I would go nowhere else but here. It’s super expensive but the MOST creative dishes in the raw food world. Friends/other planet raw frequenters complain of the service and staff, that they are snooty and give off a bad energy. Planet Raw  is among the quintessential So Cal dining experiences-attempting to be causal with absurd prices and pretentious attitudes. ALAS, their food is OUT OF CONTROL. I highly recommended the Ariel Salad, which will give you your day’s worth of greens and energy, and I crave it daily.  I almost always get a Chocolate “milk” shake, which is beyond my comprehension in tastyness. This place has a great location, blocks from downtown Santa Monica but the energy is much calmer and you would never know it’s inches from the famous 3rd St. Promenade. 609 Broadway, Santa Monica.

Silverlake/Hollywood:

• Cru is a sit down restaurant, great for a nice dinner. You can bring your own wine for a small corkage fee. They have both cooked vegan dishes and raw vegan foods, and I have never had a bad eating experience! “Artfully weaving Italian, Japanese, Tunisian, Thai and Indian flavors into a fresh interpretation of life enhancing gourmet food, including desserts that even the most health conscious individual can indulge in guiltlessly.” They also have uncooking classes here-which I will be teaching in June! Sundays 3-4:30p here’s the link! 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Silverlake.

• Erwhon Natural Foods Market “Health Food Nirvana” is in West Hollywood. Similar to the experience of the Co-Op (see above) but a little more upscale. They have more of a selection (if it were possible) and the best part about this place is their tonic bar. You’ll find super knowledgeable staff and drinks you won’t find anywhere else.  They have a great selection of raw living foods, vegan, specialty chef spices, local produce, macrobiotic diet and body ecology diet foods.  They also have great cheese, nut cheese and raw chocolate ingredients.  The bulk items are maybe 10% higher than whole foods for organics, but the selection is good.The tonics and vitamin selections are far superior to any juice bar I’ve ever visited in SF, NYC or London. They have tons of great events featuring organic gourmet chefs, raw foodists, and educational talks.  It is definitely more pricey than other “markets” so just be prepared. Don’t come for a big shopping trip, come for an experience. 7660 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood.

dairy-free dessert

Beverly Hills:

M Cafe features Macrobiotic Cuisine—balanced, nutritious, creative cooking which can be enjoyed by everyone, not just vegetarians or people with dietary restrictions. The chefs prepare each item fresh daily, using only the finest ingredients without any refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry. Easy items to grab and go, or sit and have a bite to eat in the center of BH. 9433 Brighton Way.

Urth Cafe: For beautiful lattes and organic specialty salads and sandwiches, visit Urth Cafe. This is a good place to go with non-vegan friends because you’ll be happy and so will they! Something for everyone. 267 South Beverly Drive.

Lemonade is a new discovery of mine. They have delicious salads to chose from, and the secret is to have them take one scoop from each salad choice so that you get more options. (you get 2 scoops for each salad) Another good place to go with non-vegan friends, sandwiches and fish/poultry dishes.. but everything is clean and healthy! Oh, and definitely try their house-made lemonade! Peach Ginger was my fave!  9001 Beverly Blvd.

Hello wonderful Philosophie lovers!

THIS SUMMER, all LONG DISTANCE CLEANSES are on sale!!!!

do you live outside of Los Angeles but want to get healthy and ready for summertime? Have you been curious about a cleanse or ready to get back on track but need a little push and guidance? I’m here to help! All you need is a blender, a local grocery store/farmers market to get fresh, organic produce and a computer!!!!! Spots are limited!*

*I can only take a few clients each week so that I can give you unlimited attention (i.e. skype chats, instant messaging, gchat, email, phone calls) so book your spot TODAY!

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for more information or to book your long distance cleanse contact: Sophie@thephilosophie.com

My husband, Adi Jaffe, is getting his PhD in Psychology at UCLA. His goal is to help people who are addicted to anything from gambling, to sex, to drugs and alcohol find healthier ways to cope with life. Therefore, we have a lot in common! Yoga and eating healthy food, in my opinion, are two of the greatest coping mechanism when dealing with life’s obstacles and greatest challenges. We are both dedicating our lives to helping others figure out the best way to navigate this ship we call life, both in our individual and unique ways.

A New Tool in Addiction Treatment

There are so many ways to treat addiction, and just like he states in a post he wrote, “different methods work for different people…if there’s a tool that can help, we need to put it into action.”

He’s also been working on a system of matching each person to a treatment facility that is the best possible “fit” for that individual. The person goes onto his website, and after answering a few questions, the system figures out what would be the best match for them. As he explains, “We’re currently testing a system that will use some basic, and some a bit more advanced, criteria to help direct addicts towards the right provider for them. Don’t have much money and working full-time? Then residential treatment should probably not be your first choice? Medicated for schizophrenia? You better stay away from providers that don’t offer serious mental health services (though they’ll sure take you if you walk through their doors)” This amazing new tool will be available in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!!!

(This rehab finder is NOW AVAILABLE! click here to access this phenomenal tool)

The point here? We’re not all the same. We are extraordinarily unique individuals with equally as unique issues. These issues could be worked out in a million different ways, and it’s important that we are treated by and as the one-of-a kind person we are to get through these issues in a healthy way.

Yoga and Healthy Coping

There are all kinds of ways to cope with life’s challenges. One way is by getting yourself to a yoga class and working out your issues on your mat. Yoga is a beautiful metaphor for life. As you practice yoga, moving through the asanas (postures/poses), you move as gracefully and truthfully as possible. Wherever you are that day, maybe you’re in a crappy mood, you’re just doing the best you can: moving, growing, evolving. Just as in life.

Camel Pose-Backbend

Back bends, for example, are a natural way to release endorphins. Natural opioids (also called endogenous opioids), which include endorphins, are used by the body to relieve pain and increase relaxation, especially during periods of extreme stress. These are the chemicals that make sure we can function during accidents, like after breaking our leg.

This chemical is released during yoga over and over again, which is why we feel so good during the class and for hours following the practice.

After a light warmup, you can practice back bends in the comforts of your home. It’s a great way to relax before bedtime or if you begin to enter into dangerous space or get thrown off track. After your body is warm, a really gentle pose to try is upward facing dog or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.

Try This Heart Opening Yoga Pose

upward facing dog

1) Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, with the tops of your feet on the floor. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your waist so that your forearms are relatively perpendicular to the floor.

2) Inhale and press your inner hands firmly into the floor and slightly back, as if you were trying to push yourself forward along the floor. Then straighten your arms and simultaneously lift your torso up and your legs a few inches off the floor on an inhalation. Keep the thighs firm and slightly turned inward, the arms firm and turned out so the elbow creases face forward.

3) Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don’t harden the buttocks.

4) Firm the shoulder blades against the back and puff the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Look straight ahead or tip the head back slightly, but take care not to compress the back of the neck and harden the throat.

5) Urdhva Mukha Svanasana is one of the positions in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence. You can also practice this pose individually, holding it anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release back to the floor or lift into Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) with an exhalation.

Impulse control has a lot to do with ones addictive behavior. If we can learn to regulate our impulses in healthy ways, i.e. through healthy challenges like sitting through an entire yoga class, we can figure out ways to bring this control off the mat and into our everyday habits.

There are so many healthy ways to cope with life’s challenges other than reaching for an unhealthy addictive substance or turning to an addictive behavior. One extremely healthy way to face obstacles in one’s life is by getting into your body to get out of your head or repetitive unhealthy patterns. Yoga is a wonderful way to connect inward.

Adi Jaffe writes for a website/blog called All About Addiction, which is a great resource for the latest cutting edge research and science in the addiction and psychological realms. He also contributes to Psychology Today, another amazing resource.

The Goods On Greens

Read up on the benefits, flavors and all the wonderful nutrients in all these green vegetables.

Veggie Flavor Nutrients

1. Arugula- intense and peppery; Vitamins A and C, iron

2. Broccoli rabe- bitter and robust; Vitamins A and C, calcium, iron

3. Collard Greens-mild and smoky; Vitamins A, C and K; folate; manganese

4. Kale-similar to collards but more intense and earthy; vitamins A, C and K; manganese

5. Mustard greens- pungent and peppery; vitamins A, C, and K; folate; manganese

6. Romaine lettuce- Crisp with a fresh, mild flavor; Vitamins A and C; folate; manganese

7. Spinach- mild and versatile; Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and K; manganese; folate; magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium

8. Swiss Chard-bitter and slightly salty; vitamins A, C,E, and K; magnesium; manganese; potassium; iron

When taking the first sip of this green juice, you may be shocked that it tastes so refreshing, clean and delicious! It’s so light, almost like a green colored lemonade! Give it a go!

Kale Juice

This is an incredibly healthy, refreshing way to start your day. Kale is full of calcium and antioxidants and just about everything else—it’s one of the best things you can put into your system. Kale and other green vegetables are super alkalizing for your system, and therefore helps to cleanse the body. When juiced with a bit of lemon and agave, kale turns into a sort-of grassy lemonade. No worries if you don’t have a juicer, a blender and a sieve do the trick.

• 1 bunch of organic kale, stems removed and leaves washed
• the juice of 2 small lemons
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of agave nectar
• 1/2 cup cold, filtered water

Combine everything in a blender and blend until completely pureed. It might take a little bit of time and a shove to get it going. Strain the juice through a fine sieve into a bowl, pushing down on the solids with a kitchen spoon being sure to extract all the juice. Taste the juice and add a bit more lemon or agave if you think it needs it. Pour into a glass and drink up!

Exercising is a vital part to life, and that definitely doesn’t stop when you become pregnant!

Just because you’re a waddling woman with a big belly and back pain doesn’t entitle you to skip this healthy regiment. Being active doesn’t mean going to a gym necessarily, but you must get your butt moving for at least 30 minutes almost every single day. This can be walking for 30 minutes with your dog in the afternoon or breaking it up- 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes after dinner. You can go on a bike ride, go swimming or participate in a yoga class.

What Not to Do…for a safe pregnancy

Obviously be smart about what type of exercise you choose. Clearly, football, soccer, softball, horseback riding, gymnastics, kickboxing, downhill skiing, hockey, cross fit, plyometrics and the like should be avoided for a safe pregnancy. Use your head-nothing that will hurt the baby by hitting your stomach, shaking the baby or risking injury of falling.

Benefits to Exercise During Pregnancy

Exercise can be invaluable in making your pregnancy healthy and happy. For starters, it can help with constipation, backache, fatigue, and varicose veins. And not only can it aid in improving your sleep, but it also reduces the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety. (“Why Exercise During Pregnancy?” womenshealth.gov)

As if that all wasn’t enough, Active women have shorter labors, easier deliveries, quicker recovery times, and can be into shape faster postpartum. (Snuggs, Exercise and Pregnancy, suite101.com) And of course, what’s good for mom is good for baby. Exercise gets the blood circulating, which positively affects the placenta (which gives baby oxygen and nutrients). (Booth and Alpino, Exercise during pregnancy helps you stay healthy” babyfit.com)

Talk to you Doctor before

No matter what your activity preference may be, just be sure to verify whatever you chose with your midwife or doctor before starting. There are a few cases when it could be unsafe including: carrying twins or more, risk of premature labor, heart or lung disease, bleeding, ruptured membranes, placenta previa, (“Why exercise during pregnancy” womenshealth.com) complications with past pregnancies, severe diabetes, seizure disorders, asthma, anemia, muscle or joint problems, repeated C sections, previous miscarriage, a sedentary lifestyle or if you’re extremely over or underweight. (“exercising while you’re pregnant” babyfit.com)

HYDRATION!

Assuming you’re in the clear with your doc, remember to drink plenty of water before, during, and after working out. You’ll need more water than you think you need. It’s also more difficult to manage your body now with your big belly, big boobs and your imbalance! So be cautious and go slower than you think you need to until you get used to this new body. Patience is key here (biggest lesson I’ve learned during this process!)

FLEXIBILITY

All of your ligaments and joints are looser than ever, allowing your body to expand for the growing baby and uterus. Overstretching will not do you any good. And neither will lying flat on your back. After sixteen weeks, avoid doing any exercise that has you in that position. The weight of your newly heavy uterus on a major blood vessel can affect blood flow to the placenta. Not cool. Be careful when stretching and doing yoga!