fruition health news | April 2008

Feed your body. Change your life.
April 2008 Issue 4
	personal note from darshana
	I am feeling gutsy this week. The reason I mention that is because back in October 2005 I wrote an article for the Yoga Tree's newsletter about the microwave. OH MY GOSH –In all the years of writing for them I have NEVER received so many responses. It was, and is, a HOT TOPIC. THE MICROWAVE. I remember the morning very clearly. I submitted my article to the staff at YT a few days earlier. A few mornings later I went to check my email. I saw the YT newsletter go out and I read my article. With in 5 MINUTES the emails started rolling in. It wasn't even 9:00 am. People wrote things like "Hey, the woman in that article is me!" Some people thanked me for the article. But most people were outraged thinking that I had told them not to use their microwave. (Which wasn't what I was doing but that's how they read it). It went on and on. I had to teach my noon yoga class that day but honestly I was afraid to leave the house. I thought, "people have been killed for bringing up controversial issues- what have I done?!!" But I did leave the house and went to teach that afternoon. The yoga students had all read the article and for the first 45 minutes of class we spoke about it. Some people wanted to know more facts but the majority of people used it as a spiritual question. What is my relationship to food? Attachment? Routine? I posed the question- "What happens when someone "threatens" the way we think and do things?" "What happens when someone shakes the ground underneath our patterns?" "What happens when you feel like your habits are being challenged?" It evolved into this beautiful conversation that stuck with me and my students for many months to follow. So here it is, a (new) version of the Microwave article. I invite you to read it with the questions above in mind. Look at your habits, attachments, routines and what it means to feed yourself bite by bite. In health, back to top
	food for thought
	The other day I went grocery shopping and as I was standing in line putting my groceries on the food belt I looked in the women's cart behind me. All I saw were frozen foods. My eyes widened. Not one fresh veggie. I said to her- "Wow, you must like frozen meals, yeah?" She answered "Well, I bring them to the office and eat them for lunch and dinner. They are great when I have to work late." I asked her what else she ate, since I didn't see any other foods in her cart. She said coffee, snacks at the office and sometimes leftover Chinese takeout. I asked her how she heated up all these foods. Her answer. "The microwave." OK – I get it- there's nothing wrong with eating leftover Chinese food- and even my husband and I keep a few AMY'S ORGANIC meals in the freezer. But I will say the microwave, although handy and easy for the active person, is not great for your health. Especially when used on a daily basis. Here are some of the reasons: Carcinogenic toxins could be leached from plastic or paper plates or covers and mix with your food. Vegetables and other food lose valuable, cancer-fighting nutrients when cooked in the microwave. The chemical structure of foods changes when microwaved, with unknown consequences. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations. Eating microwaved food can cause loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence. Reading this information really changed my relationship to the microwave. Does that mean you should never use it. I don't know the answer to that question. It's for each individual to decide and each one of you will have to choose for yourself. Yet if you are still using the microwave I want to ask you to ask yourself: Is it worth it? Why go out and buy all the organic produce to have it zapped of its nutrients. Can you make small changes. For example is it possible to heat up soup or other foods, even hot water on the stovetop? It doesn't take that much longer. Maybe a few more minutes because you now have the pot to clean, but I know my health is worth it-- is yours? Darshana More on microwaves and other information on : http://www.mercola.com One article of Dr. Mercola's that I particularly like can be read at http://www.mercola.com/2003/nov/5/microwave_food.htm. In this article he references the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture where they found that broccoli "zapped" in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97 percent of the beneficial antioxidant chemicals it contains. Check out his site to learn more. back to top
	upcoming events
	NUTRITION 101 Finding your Own Path to Wellness Where and when? Saturday May 10, 2008 1:00 - 4:00pm Yoga Tree Hayes San Francisco, CA The investment for your health: $35 INCLUDES A FREE WEEK OF YOGA AT THE YOGA TREE Call THE YOGA TREE 415 701- YOGA or visit www.yogatreesf.com RETREATS IN 2008 Solstice Sangha Retreat 2008 with Learning to Listen Join Learning To Listen's collective of teachers (I'm one of the teachers!) for our 2nd Annual Solstice. Last year we had a blast. You can check out pictures here. http://www.learningtolisten.info/pages/calendar/pastretreats.html The retreat will feature: yoga, meditation, food awareness, a hands on cooking class, Tai Chi, and bodywork. The weekend will be filled with play, discovery, and community. Each day will begin with meditation and yoga. Throughout each day there will be a food awareness class and plenty of free time for relaxing and enjoying living consciously. Later in the afternoon there will be a second asana & meditation practice. You can see the full schedule at http://www.learningtolisten.info/pdf/SSR2008schedule.pdf and check out the location. http://www.ventureretreat.org/index.html We look forward to sharing this time together. Retreat Dates: June 20th – 22nd, 2008 Investment to your health: $400 (Includes all classes, lodging, and food.) For anyone that signs up for a for the retreat through Fruition Health I am offering a free mini consultation during the retreat to help you integrate your experience. Space is limited to 14 Participants TO REGISTER contact Jonathan at retreats@learningtolisten.info. THE FALL FRUITION WOMEN'S HEALTH RETREAT Cooking, Yoga, Meditation, Sharing, Swimming, Hot tubing, Hiking and More! WITH HEALTHY WOMEN! DATES: September 19-21, 2008 STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS back to top
	what is fruition health?
	Fruition Women's Health is a holistic approach to wellness that includes: Nutritional education to help you understand and clear up health concerns Skilled counseling that supports you to work through emotional blocks in your personal relationship to food & Inspiring coaching to transform your ideas into practical action steps Both in person and phone health counseling programs available. Find out more at www.fruitionhealth.com Contact us for your FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION. During your free initial session, we will review your health history in detail and discuss your goals. Then we will work together to design a program that focuses on your specific health goals. Click HERE to tell us more about you and your health or email info@fruitionhealth.com to set up your free consultation. back to top
©2008 Fruition Health www.fruitionhealth.com	Transforming women's relationship to food and themselves.
The Fruition Health Newsletter is written by Darshana Weill. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to us! darshana@fruitionhealth.com Subscribe to Fruition Health News: First Name : Email:

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