Project Haiti

Recently I have been having a challenging time for a myriad of reasons. The anniversary of my mother's death, financial stress due to the economy and the usual life's challenges. There was a point where I felt really down. Not just down, but feeling like I really couldn't pull myself out of it and I couldn't find my joy. A friend of mine, the amazing Sue Jones and her organization YogaHope have taken the program to Haiti. I was really inspired by all that YogaHope is doing domestically and in Haiti that I decided to join in and do some fundraising myself. My intention was just to help others and not necessarily go to Haiti, but if I make the requirement I get to go also in July. Within the first week I raised over $800! Each time someone donates it is such a rush of pure joy. Even when its only $5 or $10 because that is all someone can afford, it feels like I won the lottery. Through this experience I have realized that no matter how bad I think things are it really isn't that bad. Seriously, I'm not living in a tent after having lost half of my family two years ago in an earthquake and now have the threat of sexual violence! The best part about this cause is that it is empowering communities to help themselves. What better gift can be given than your own empowerment? I am proud to say that I am part of Project Haiti and that I have so far raised almost $2700! It feels great and for someone who is new at fundraising I feel it is a huge accomplishment and something I am pretty good at. I have wanted to be of service for a long time and to be involved in such an inspiring program I feel blessed and lucky. What I am being given in my spirit is so much more than the money I've raised. If you are interested in helping (every little bit counts!) Go to: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/marymackinnonboyd/marymackinnonboydsfundraisingpage

April Newsletter

April

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.

-Jan Glidewell

Spring Cleaning

People like “stuff”. We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don’t know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future. Try these three ideas:

1. For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, so do our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.

2. To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going toward digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.

3. While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring-clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter.

Food Focus: Greens

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Recipe of the Month: Shiitake and Kale

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 cloves crushed garlic

1 bunch kale, chopped

pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

4. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.

Forward to a Friend

It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.

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Mary MacKinnon Boyd
Health & Yoga Life Coach

Power Vinyasa Yoga Teacher

www.realvibranthealth.com