Recovering from Chronic Pain and Trama

Returning to physical activity after serious trauma and/or pain can be tricky.  The impulse to jump back into a familiar routine can and usually does create more trauma and can inhibit the healing process.  When recovery is viewed as an opportunity to learn and to retrain the body, the process is an awakening, opening, and freeing experience.
Typically trauma will affect the weakest part of your physicality.  In my case, prior to my auto accident, I was having subtle neck and shoulder issues.  The accident magnified these issues and created the necessity to look deeper into how I was moving so that I could fully recover. 
Although, recovering from pain can be done alone, it may be prudent to hire a trainer to help with the subtleties of movement that WILL be the difference between full recovery and suffering with recurring intermittent pain throughout ones life.
Approaching recovery MUST have the following qualities:
1.  a steady focus on postural alignment throughout each and every movement
2. a steady focus and awareness on breath
3. done with the least amount of tension possible.
Initially, the work is performed at a very slow and mindful pace.  Working at this pace is vital to begin retraining our hardwired movement patterns.  With a consistent, concise practice the body is able to "drop" any dysfunctional movement patterns and create an environment for the body to rewire the neural-muscular system to be efficient and highly functional.
Wrapping your brain around slowing down, reducing tension in the body and initially having your brain work harder than your body is probably the most challenging part of the practice but
patient perseverance will payoff with a stronger, pain free body.
To learn more about recovery or to sample a recovery workout call 330-606-1777.

Unpasta Sweet and Zesty

Angelhair pasta can be made with a spiral slicer (used in asian restaraunts) and a zucchini.
The toppings are limitless.  Here's a little ditty that I whipped up with things I had on hand...I love summer gardens!

2 tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
6 dates soaked
a slice of sweet onion
a handful of basil
half an avacado
salt
pinch of ceyenne

Vitamix all ingredients and serve over zucchini pasta.  The color is a little mustardy but the payoff is the vibrant taste!

Honey's Raw Chocolate Banana Nut Cookie

As I delve more deeply into this raw food lifestyle, I find myself craving something chewy and sweet...like a nutty cookie.
Knowing that most grains are a concern for me and sugar is not necessarily my friend, a concoction born out of foods that "should" taste good together and will do no harm (in moderation), Honey's Raw Chocolate Banana Nut Cookies were born.

3 Cups soaked pitted dates
3 Cups soaked almonds (at least overnight) finely chopped
3 Cups dehydrated bananas or substitute ripe fresh bananas finely chopped
(the intensity of banana flavor drying time will be altered)
2 Tbl raw cocoa
1 Tbl sea salt
cinnamon to taste

Vitamix dates, cocoa, cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth using as much of the soaking water necessary to form a thick paste.
stir in banana and almonds until batter is consistent.  If using dehydrated bananas allow the batter to sit for an hour or more before adding almonds so that the banana has time to rehydrate slightly.

spoon drop onto teflex sheets or parchment paper and dehydrate at 105 degrees until desired texture.

This turned out to be a terrific treat.

Are You a Sugar Addict?

Just about every addicition has its handy questionaire that you will likely lie on the first time you take it.  An astronout's wife took a similar alcoholism quiz in Cosmopolitan and when she finally stopped lying to herself, she checked herself into rehab.  In the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, the actress playing this woman depicted her as taking the quiz with a double rum and cola or other similar drink in hand.  I will submit to you that if you take this quiz while eating a donut that you are addicted and don't have to finish the quiz.  Get help now!!!
For the rest of you, this quiz is worded so that the answer that shows your healthy lifestyle is True and there are twelve questions.
Personally, I thought (or was justifying) that eating fruit was a healthy alternative.  Perhaps, but not 6-8 pieces per day!!!  I am a confessed sugar junkie.  Now I'm dealing with it with the help of an incredibly talented healer in the area...I'm feeling better and better.
Let me know how you fair...sugar junkie or culinary saint.

1. I don't eat refined sugar every day.   T    F
2. I can go more than a day without eating some kind of sugar-containing food.  T   F
3. I never have cravings for sugar, coffee, chocolate, peanut butter, or alcohol.  T    F
4. I've never hidden sweets around the house so I can eat them later.  T    F
5. I can stop after eating one bite of pastry or one piece of candy.  T    F
6. There are times when I have no sugar around the house.  T   F
7. I can have sweets in the house without eating them.  T   F
8.  I can go at least 3 hours without eating without shakes, fatigue or bad moods.  T   F
9. I do not eat something sweet after every meal.  T  F
10. I rarely drink coffee or eat donuts or sweet rools for breakfast  T   F
11. I can go more than an hour after waking without eating.  T   F
12.  I don't drink sweetened soft drinks every day.  T  F

For the record, if you answered four of these questions FALSE then stop lying and seek help for your sugar addiction.

If you answered between 1 and 3 queations as FALSE then you may develop and addiction later, unless you lied.

Zero FALSE answers means you don't have a problem, unless you lied.  Con on, fess up!!!

Carrot Ginger Soup

From the Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw

Healing Foods
A carrot a day might help keep the eye doctor away.  Half of a medium-size carrot supplies you with 100 percent of your vitamin A requirement in the form of beta-carotene.  Beta-carotene has been shown to be essential for eye health and, due to its antioxidant activity, has been reported to lower heart disease.

4 cups carrot juice
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup avacado mashed
2 TB. ginger, minced
2 tsp. nama shoyu
1 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder (optional)
1/2 tsp. fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill
pinch cayenne
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup carrot, peeled and shredded (optional)
1/4 cup beet, peeled and shredded (optional)
1/4 cup corn (optional)

Blend 1 cup carrot juice, macadamia nuts, and avacodo in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Add ginger, nama shoyu, lemon juice, curry powder, dill, cayenne, salt, and pepper and blend on low to medium speed for 15-20 sewconds.  Slowly add remaining carrot juice whil blending on low.
Serve immediately at room temperature.  Pour into bowls and top with shredded carrot, beet and corn. (if using)

Basil-Mint Salad

Found in all green foods, chlorophyll packs a stong nutritional punch.  Chlorophyll has an identical molecular structure as Hemoglobin (the stuff found in the blood that carries oxygen to all of our cells) But instead of Oxygen, chlorophyll carries Magnesium to support our health.

Raw Mint Tea

This simple and delicious recipe was shared by a fellow yogini, Freia Ramsey of Integral Life Healing.  You can check out Freia at www.shaklee.net/integralhealing.
Don't wait too long to try this recipe, once we have our first frost, it may be hard to find the main ingredient.