May 2008 Issue 2 |
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| personal note from darshana | ||
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Have you ever heard the joke: “Do you know how to make God laugh? Tell God your plans.” Kind of silly but true. We just can’t predict what will happen ~ right? Even though my husband and I planned for a baby we didn’t expect sperm and egg to unite so fast. Yup, that’s right; my life is shaking up right now. I’M PREGNANT! It’s very exciting!!!! Just completed my 11 th week. I’m thrilled to share the news with all of you. Life is changing and so are my cravings, my body, my feelings and of course (some of) my plans. I feel like I am learning a whole new dimension about women’s health. Yes I have studied all of this in school but now I’m getting my Masters or rather a PHD. Wait till you hear about the food cravings in weeks 5-9. More on that later… But we’ve been here before. Thinking life would take one turn and then it takes another. Do you know what I mean? How do YOU stay centered in times of transition? How do you keep your balance? Sometimes you might even notice you are moving in the direction of old habits; emotional eating, lack of will, being overwhelmed. This week, with the theme of shaking things up, I have included some QUICK smoothies and drinks that you can just shake up and go! Why sacrifice your health and food when life has a different plan for you. In health, P.S. My friend and former Fruition Women’s Health client is leading a workshop that gives you tools to work with life’s changes. Check out Megan Woolever & her upcoming May workshop at http://emergehealing.googlepages.com/workshops |
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| recipe of the month | ||
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I am just fascinated by the last 2 months and my relationship to food. I didn’t even want to LOOK at a vegetable during weeks 5-9 of my pregnancy. I definitely couldn’t cook any vegetables and if Chris, my husband, made any for me I moved them around my plate like a skilled anorexic. NO WAY – veggies were out! I was laughing so much, probably out of fear I really thought my career was over. I thought, "I’m a fraud! How can I tell my clients to eat dark leafy greens & tons of veggies when I’m not even visiting that aisle in the grocery store?" Bread and cheese (which I hardly ever eat) became the main course and wheat crackers with almond butter became the side dish. Moving into week 11 I am now fully bonded with vegetables again. Last night at a pot luck I attended I was actually a bit embarrassed. I felt like I was re-united with the love of my life (vegetables in this case). I couldn’t get enough of the sesame greens (that’s what I brought), the beets, or the decadent salad. At this point in my life I deeply trust my intuition so I didn’t question what I was craving. When I was in my teens and early 20’s and my intuition said eat Ben and Jerry’s I had some doubts. Learning to eat well can change the false cravings to real ones and we can begin to trust ourselves on a deeper level. But for now I trusted that I was getting what I needed. A friend of mine was actually sharing with me that there are some studies that say during early pregnancy the body will reject certain vegetables so as not to harm the fetus. Some elements of the vegetables compute as toxins to a young fetus. No that’s not an excuse to NOT eat veggies, but great to know if you are in early pregnancy. At the same time I found my intuition to be correct, I also knew I needed some high quality nutrition. Mainly because I was so exhausted. I could hardly move from the couch to the bathroom. So in this moment I decided to bond more deeply with my vitamix and see what I could come up with. Make Shakes and Smoothies seemed like the answer . They were quick, fun, sweet and I didn’t have to labor too long in the kitchen. It’s a great way to get high quality nutrients as a mom-to-be. They are amazing time savers and nutritionally dense for moms and the modern day working women. I did a corporate workshop 2 weeks ago in San Jose and suggested the HR women invest in a vitamix for the company break room. Here are some shakes I came up with in the last few weeks. I really recommend them and hope you find the simplicity of it as a way to shake things up to your current health plan.SHAKIN’ THINGS UP- RECIPES A LITTLE PINK 1 red ruby grapefruit1 banana Place in blender and blend For a little extra protein add a handful of sunflower seeds THE RAINBOW 1 banana1/3 cup blueberries 1/3 cup strawberries Coconut milk – ¼ - ½ can 1 orange Place orange in first to make the juice/ liquid LIGHT AND REFRESHING
1 apple THE D 5 soaked dried apricots Additional super nutrients to add to smoothies to help stabilize the glycemic index and create balance NUTS OR SEEDS: Walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flax, hemp seeds or others
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| darshana's pick of the week | ||
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THE VITAMIX I was first introduced to the power of The Vitamix because an old yoga student of mine had one. Every Sunday after class he would invite me over for a smoothie and I just starred at the vitamix, longing for one of my own. Besides all the amazing things you can make with it the real reason I wanted one was because they are so easy to clean! Just add a drop of soap to 5 cups of water put it back on the blender and blend for 1-2 minutes and it’s done. Who can be bothered with all those attachments with juicers and blenders? Finally I made the plunge and bought one and I use mine practically every day. It does EVERYTHING. I can make smoothies, soups, dressings, dips, vegetable juices (and you don’t loose the fiber) and more. If you get the second blade you can also grind whole grains and make your own FRESH flour. It was the best investment in kitchen gear. And believe me if you come to my house I look like a kitchen warehouse. I hardly use any of the other appliances now that I have a Vitamix. I won’t lie, it’s pricey. It runs anywhere from $ 440- $500 depending on the model and parts you choose. If you are interested in buying one let me know. I can get you one at a cheaper price and save you money on shipping. Email me at darshana@fruitionhealth.com for questions or to purchase your very own VITAMIX – you won’t regret it! |
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| upcoming events | ||
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RETREATS IN 2008 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 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. SAVE THE DATE THE FALL FRUITION WOMEN'S HEALTH RETREAT DATES: September 19-21, 2008 |
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| what is fruition health? | ||
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Fruition Women's Health is a holistic approach to wellness that includes:
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.
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| ©2008 Fruition Health www.fruitionhealth.com |
Transforming women's relationship to food and themselves. |
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The Fruition Health Newsletter is written by Darshana Weill. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to us! darshana@fruitionhealth.com |
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