Pondering Cherries during Sakura Matsuri - Sleep Better Slim Down Reduce Aches

 This Cherry Blossom Time Lapse  video from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is the Editor's Pick on vimeo and a lovely preview of what I am set to see this weekend at the annual Sakuri Matsura Cherry Blossom Festival right here in Brooklyn. The BBG has 17 different varieties of cherry trees on the grounds. Like heaven on earth, what a joy it is to walk under the trees, taking in the fragrances of magnolia, cherry and the incoming wisteria. The fruit of the cherry tree is a wonderful source of antioxidants that helps stimulate melatonin production, the usherer of a restful nights sleep.

 Melatonin and Body Fat Reduction

The tart or sour cherry variety in particular boost melatonin as well as helping to reduce inflammation in such a sweet way! The juice of the cherry helps reduce uric acid and helps the body burn fat. Sweet cherries I have discovered are rich in potassium and provide a summertime source of it and an alternate to the banana. Potassium is a great way to lower high blood pressure levels and control heart disease. Being a red fruit they are high in anti oxidants like our delicious friends blueberries, raspberries, dark grapes and blackberries. Eating 2 cups of cherries per day while they are in season will be effective in delivering their health benefits. When I went to high school in Michigan, cherries were one of the prime fruits of the region aside from apples. This store sells Tart Cherry Juice by mail order. While you may not be able to indulge in this treat everyday,  you can also insure your body gets enough melatonin with Usana's Pure Rest. I use it on a regular basis and it has been effective in helping me get the beauty sleep I need here in the City that Never Sleeps. It's a high quality pure form of melatonin that is vegetarian friendly. It has also proved useful while changing time zones and avoiding the perils of jet lag and sleeping pills. Now knowing what we know about the link between a reduction of body fat and the role sleep plays in weight management here is wishing you sweet, sweet dreams.

Let's Go Outside! Fitness & Fun May 4th McCarren Park

The track at McCarren Park with the Pool to the right

Let's Go Outside - Fitness and Fun in McCarren Park!

It's been a long hard winter with storm after storm and we could all use a life affirming boost during Spring! Join me and instructor Elina LeClaire who will lead us in Intensati®, a nifty mind, body, spirit workout that will get your blood pumping and mood elevated Saturday, May 4th at 10:30AM in McCarren Park! I took a class with Elina at my neighborhood training gym Human @ Ease and really enjoyed myself. Although I may be coming late to the party, I wanted to share this with you because her approach offers a new twist on the same old workout. Why is Intensati®  different? Studies are showing that shouting positive affirmations to yourself (and anyone else within earshot!) while working out leaves you coming back for more. The idea here is to replace the old negative tapes running on repeat in your head with better thoughts. If you are what you eat, you do what you think!  As part of the event, yours truly is going to offer some insights into the easy ways you can take care of your heart and the right fuel to give your body AFTER a work out.  Losing weight may not be what you think! And of course we will have snacks - healthy snacks courtesy of Usana Health Sciences the Nutritional Supplement company that is NSF and ConsumerLabs approved. Afterwards enjoy the McCarren Park Farmers Market overseen by GrowNYC or join me at Urban Rustic our local farm to table deli eatery.

Where Meet us at Human at Ease located at 31 Nassau Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222

Once the group is assembled we''ll walk together two blocks to the track!
What to Bring: Bring water, wear sneakers and dress in your sweats. If you are prone to sweating bringing a dry tee shirt to change into post workout. 

We'll meet here Human @ Ease

How to Get There: Take the G to Nassau. If you are taking the L transfer at Lorimer 1 stop to Nassau. Take Nassau exit. Walk on Nassau towards McCarren Park two blocks. We'll be out front.
Start Time: 10:30AM Yes you can do it!

End Time: 12:15PM See that wasn't so bad was it?

Cost: FREE You can't beat free!

  


Elina LeClaire has a passion for health & wellness, inspirational events, and coaching

people to discover and pursue their dreams.  For over a decade, she has helped challenge, inspire and equip more than 10,000 people through her company Dream Careers.  Since 2010 Elina  has been practicing Intensati® a practice she loves to share as it  has taken her to the next level in pursuing her own dreams. She teaches Wednesdays and Sundays at Human @ Ease in Greenpoint. You will leave class feeling stronger, uplifted and inspired. Elina is enthusiastic about leading you through a transformational workout of mind, body and spirit that will empower you to live a life you love.

Ekayani Chamberlin is a wellness and lifestyle coach based in Greenpoint. She offers True Health Assessments helping clients focus on long term health goals in the areas of weight management, nutrition, sleep and glowing skin.She radiates health and vitality at age 50 and is motivated to assist others in feeling the same way based on the principles optimal nutrition, diet and attitude. She comes from a long line of healers and doctors most notably Bernando LaPallo who is 112 years young, currently working on his second book. Take the True Health Assessment  here

Intensati® is a revolutionary workout developed by Patricia Moreno. Its a fusion of high-energy aerobics, martial arts, yoga, and strength conditioning. Combining spoken affirmations with simple choreography, IntenSati provides a heart-pumping, exhilarating workout that builds physical, mental, and spiritual muscle. It is fitness at the highest efficiency and empowerment.

Sleepinar May 19 Unity Church Tips & Strategies for Better Rest

 

This workshop runs from 2:30PM to 4PM 

Sunday May 19, 2013 at Unity Church

70 West 36 Street in New York City. 

Admission is $20

Karina Yanku of Karina Yanku Healing Arts and Ekayani Chamberlin are holding a spring into summer event on Sleep and How To Get Better Rest Tips and Strategies for You and Your Family. The demand for these presentations has grown reflecting the need of the general public to find holistic solutions to sleep deprivation that affects more than half of the U.S. population including children. In the "city that never sleeps" come take a break to Interact and Learn Self Massage Techniques for Restorative Sleep! Is beauty sleep a myth or reality? Learn about Night Renewal and Anti Aging Skin Care! The presentation will begin with an overview on the Environmental Impact on Sleep and simple things you can do to improve the rest you get every night. This event is presented in cooperation with Unity Church a Spiritual Center for Creative Living.

About Karina Yanku, LMT
Karina has been in practice for 15 years. She finds that three of the most profound healing elements on Earth are sound, rhythm and touch. They are the most primal forces we humans resonate with, regardless of race, gender, age and culture.  A warm, reassuring touch or the sound of beautiful music can literally restore and lift your spirit, grounding you and letting you know that you are safe and loved.The mission of Karina Yanku Healing Arts is the discovery and creation of new ways to merge these powerful energies of massage and music to affect an even greater sense of balance and well-being.  Whether it is Swedish, Deep Tissue, Hawaiin Lomi Lomi, massage accompanied by live didgeridoo, vibrational sound therapy, or composing exclusive musical scores for OANAMASSAGE ®, she seeks to provide increasingly innovative healing therapies for the 21st Century, specializing in touch, rhythm and sound for the body, mind and soul. Learn more about Karina's practice here

About Ekayani Chamberlin

Ekayani Chamberlin lineage is based on Culture and Nurture. She comes from a long line of healers on the maternal and paternal sides of her family. She has become a Sense skin care expert for Usana Health Sciences a pharmaceutical grade company that specializes in internal and external nutrition for optimal health over the past four years. At 50 she continues to model, perform and most importantly demonstrate the benefits of foundational health.  Her passion is educating both men and women and parents about the importance of what the body ingests through the skin. Now 50 years old, Ekayani got her start in fashion in Paris where she was exposed to many "top" products that failed to deliver effective results.Her foundation and inspiration for healthy living comes from her 111 years young grandfather Bernando LaPallo. She is the event coordinator and PR liasion for Bernando LaPallo's 112th Year. Connect with Ekayani here

Empowered Beliefs

Nicki Keohoho

 Nicki Keohoho is a co-founder of the Direct Selling Women's Alliance. I first became aware of her via Usana Health Sciences that engaged Nicki as a featured speaker during Sweet Retreat an event geared specifically towards women entrepreneurs. 

She has a gift for coaching that has been honed over 30 years of working with women who have decided to pursue the path of direct sales from their homes popularly known as a home based business. I recently listened to her speak via a webinar that the Usana Field Office presented on a live national call.  Nicki had great things to say on how women can in general empower themselves through practicing thoughts, feelings that in turn manifest into actions and results. Here I sum up what I took away from this gentle and strong lady's presentation for entrepreneurs that might also be called Thinking, Feeling and Willing.


1. Empowering Beliefs Free Us  Coach yourself first and shift your beliefs. Like En Vogue said "Free your mind and the rest will follow". Managing one's mind is powerful and noticing what thoughts we are having that are sabotaging our ability to believe in self is a critical first good step. Nicki also taps into impulses that come naturally to women and using that feminine energy to help motivate us in the positive.
We can ask ourselves a series of empowering questions such as 
What am I most excited about today?
Who can I help today?
Whose life can I improve in some way today?
Make sure you get support in making a decision to change your perceptions.This can be through books or audio if you don't already have a support person or group.
2. Feeling 
A trip around the wheel brings us to how we are feeling. Do we feel confident about our business building actions? If not why not?  Do we need to learn something about our business to feel better about what we are doing? Do we need to understand our product line better? Are we feeling the improvements in our life based on our involvement in some way? When we feel good about something it then becomes easier to take action by speaking with others.
3.  Actions lead to successful results.
What I liked here is that Nicki pointed out that success needs to be defined by us individually. While many dream about that big overnight success the truth is that success is built upon a series of smaller actions. Looking for and acknowledging the small yet significant victories we have makes us more appreciative and makes working towards our goals less overwhelming. A series of small successes grow over time.
4. "No one ever died from a NO. " How true Nicki, how true. An undeniable part of sales is that you will hear the word "No.  According to Nicki this seemingly simple no can have many meanings. Try asking your prospect if No means "No, Not now?" or "No not ever". If it's the latter you can respect that person's wishes. If the response is the first one simply ask when would be a good time to follow up?  6 months down the line? A year? A week? Learning to listen to others more deeply helps us avoid the pitfall of believing that our business is all about us when really it's all about the customer.
To conclude I felt Nicki conveyed a seasoned long term view of direct sales and the fine tuning we need to do on our own minds, thoughts, feelings and actions. The core of doing anything consistently over time is a balanced and mature outlook. Growing out of our self limiting beliefs help move us forward and gives us courage . I felt that this message was a complimentary perspective held by Jordan Kempner who speaks often on the importance of increasing your skills as a person which can be translated as self mastery.

I'm Turning 50 and Nobody Believes Me

I just turned 50 today this April 8th, 2013 and the best part is nobody believes me.  When I tell people how old I am the response is usually "Really? I don't believe you."  I tell you it's simply nutrition and good daily habits that keep me looking and feeling good. It's a pleasure for me to demonstrate a living organism that is built on healthy cells.  Overweight, tired with an unspoken resignation that " this is the way it's going to be living from here on out"  with sure decline up ahead is not what I choose. While many women try and be coy and hide their age, poor habits and poor nutrition is talking loud and clear. Poor choices are aging them prematurely. The body and face reveal everything about the way in which a person has been treating themselves. Healthy cells make for a healthy body, clear skin, strong hair and nails, high energy, healthy digestion and so on. There is no reason to hide your age when you can celebrate it.  Partner with Mother Nature and allow her to rejuvenate you for this is the way of life. I am thankful to my grandfather Bernando LaPallo  who has given me a lifelong vision for what life can be with his living example of the cumulative effect of good daily habits. I thank  Dr. Myron Wentz's vision and practical action of making optimal customized nutrition available to me by creating and manufacturing Usana products. They have been a God send. I have seen changes in myself and though many would like to say that it is my "gene pool", all the good genes in the world wouldn't help me if I abused my body on a daily basis. Now I share my beauty secrets with you which are really not secrets at all.

                                           My  Beauty Secrets by Ekayani

* I BIKE
The best cardio vascular workout, other than swimming that works for me is biking. I am a commuter biking approximately 10 miles per day to and from work from my house in Brooklyn to mid Manhattan. I burn calories, get my blood circulating, get sunshine and air without putting undue stress on my joints. I have gone down a pant size again in the past month and am now back to my 27 year old body weight. No gym memberships and a great way to spend time outdoors while toning muscles. Boosts my mood.




*I SLEEP

 I get to bed at a decent hour generally about ten pm. I prepare and set up my lunch for the next day, layout my clothes and make sure my breakfast is together before I go to bed at night. This helps me avoid worry and gets me out of the house on time in the morning. Sleep  keeps my skin healthy and keeps my immune system strong. See the chart here on the right to see some of the effects of sleep deprivation.

* I EAT BREAKFAST 

I eat a healthy breakfast with fruits and whole grains in the morning. Before that however I break my fast by supplying my body with a fresh glass of water with a big old squeeze of lemon juice to flush out my liver, kidneys and hydrate. Ahhh!



* I SUPPLEMENT

I take MyHealthpak by Usana twice a day ensuring that my body gets all the vitamins and trace minerals it needs. I love the auto immune booster that comes with as I require optimal nutrition to live and work in this very busy city of Gotham. As mental clarity and eye sight become more precious to me as I get older,  I make sure Visionex DS and Gingo PS are in my pack. I also take Procosa for my joints and skin.
* I NOURISH
my skin every day and every night with Sense this wonderful line of paraben free skin care that delivers topical nutrition to the cells on my face. I am feeding my skin anti - oxidant protection, boosting my collagen and elastin with Proteo - C and fending of aging with DSR technology. I cleanse, hydrate and nourish with the Basic Pack. It's super important to cleanse and nourish at night. This is when my body heals. I have had several friends tell me that I appear to be going backwards in time. Care to join me?

Twice A Day I Sen-say!

* MY OBSERVATIONS

My Grandfather Bernando in 1924 Age 23

Bernando in 2011 Age 110

 America is obsessed with youth. The other side of this coin is there is also a reckless attitude exhibited in the self destructive habits that you can do anything to your body by way of abuse without end and somehow drag on. This is a pipe dream. Repeated trips to the cosmetic surgeon, fast food parlor and drug dealer can't replace good living. Take a look at some before and after pictures of people you love. In the photos of their youth, before years of smoking, drinking and poor eating they were vibrant with the beauty of younger healthy cells. As you look at photos of that very same person 20 or 30 years later they are almost unrecognizable. What happened? Was it an accident? Is it fate? The plain truth is that is what years of excess will do. Even though it is touted as being normal, abusive habits transforms people from healthy to sick, from their ideal body weight to overweight, from energetic to diabetic. I hope everyone who reads this blog understands that the end of their life is not destined to be lived out in an old age home slumped over a wheel chair pumped full of so many medications that they can barely remember their name. We have choices to make as adults every day for our families, for ourselves and even our communities. The body is a complex fascinating organic machine that only requires love and respect on a daily basis.That will carry you through many years of happy and healthy living. Avoid the sadness and devastating financial burden self created disease will place on your family. While none of us can avoid death, we can live, age and die in beauty, wisdom and dignity enjoying life for as long as we get to live it. Happy Birthday to you!