The recent diagnosis has fallen over me like a warm blanket. No longer am I cold, exposed, and bewildered by the unknown thief stealing my life as I slept- too exhausted to fight back. Now the thief has a name, and I can study his M.O. and protect what is mine. I am a Butterfly Sister Soldier.

Are there any other Butterfly Sisters Soldiers out there willing to share their knowledge, feelings, experiences with me?

Are you burned out and in need of some relaxation and pampering? You do not have to take time off for a long vacation or leave town for a quick getaway. Stay local, set aside a few hours and enjoy a rejuvenating romantic day with your partner. Some day spas can be found in a swanky urban hotel or a beautiful beachfront resort. After your treatment you can enjoy the amenities that the property has to offer and best of all, if you choose, you can always spend the night! Read the rest of this article at www.truzion.com/naturalessentials.

Ever since I started classes at Institute of Integrative Nutrition, I've been getting that question a lot.  I don't mind people asking because it gives me an opportunity to explain but I do wish it were a more prevalent profession.  More health coaches would mean more people living happier lives, less prescription drugs and hospital bills which means less tax dollars spent on healthcare.

Since graduating last week as a Certified Health Coach, now seems like the perfect time to include an entry on what I do.

Health coaching is simply helping people lead healthier lifestyles.  And there are many ways that signing up for my program can help you. Let us count the ways.

"The tomato, star of earth, recurrent and fertile star, displays its convolutions, its canals, its remarkable amplitude and abundance, no pit, no husk, no leaves or thorns, the tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness."
~ Pablo Neruda, Ode to Tomatoes

Nutrients
1 cup of tomatoes provide vitamins c (57% of daily needs), A, K, B 1 2 3 5 6, potassium, manganese, fiber, chromium, folate, copper, magnesium, iron, and small amount of vitamin e and protein.

Benefits..
click here to read the entire article

I am currently reading Sassafrass, Cypress, & Indigo by Ntozake Shange and I am steadily falling in love with these three sisters and their stories of girlhood and womanhood.


But one of the things I love most about the book is that it is truly a celebration of female-ness, sharing a deep love of our arts, our movements, our creativity, our love, our bodies, and yes, our Moon time.


Indigo is the youngest of the three sisters; she is both sensitive and tough as seen in her creation of the dolls that are her best friends and in her initiation into a street gang. The book describes her first time menstruating, with an older woman saying to her, “Take your blessing and let your blood flow among the roses.” I found so much liberation in that line. It seems that we live in a time where women’s monthly flow is something to be stopped up and closed off and hidden instead of something to celebrate, cherish, and allow to flow naturally. Indigo tells her dolls, in her “Marvelous Menstruating Moments” that:

www.theconsciouschick.com

MACA

Since becoming a student of  integrative nutrition I have heard the term superfood more times than I can count.  The term basically applies to a  food that is very high in nutritional content surpassing that of other mere mortal foods.  Considered to be one such food is maca.  Grown, in Peru for centuries, maca is a root related to the radish family and is consumed primarily in powdered form.  It has a multitude of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper, zinc and Vitamins B1, B2 and C.  It's plethora of benefits include:

• Rebuilding the immune system
• Increasing energy and endurance
• Balancing the endocrine system
• Aiding in digestion
• Increasing circulation
• Maintaining memory and focus 
• Providing a sense of overall well-being
• Enhances sexual function (hence the title)

www.theconsciouschick.com

MACA

Since becoming a student of  integrative nutrition I have heard the term superfood more times than I can count.  The term basically applies to a  food that is very high in nutritional content surpassing that of other mere mortal foods.  Considered to be one such food is maca.  Grown, in Peru for centuries, maca is a root related to the radish family and is consumed primarily in powdered form.  It has a multitude of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper, zinc and Vitamins B1, B2 and C.  It's plethora of benefits include:

• Rebuilding the immune system
• Increasing energy and endurance
• Balancing the endocrine system
• Aiding in digestion
• Increasing circulation
• Maintaining memory and focus 
• Providing a sense of overall well-being
• Enhances sexual function (hence the title)

In our seemingly never-ending quest to lose weight and eat more healthfully, Black women have a new motivating resource and guide in Tracye McQuirter and her recently released book, By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat.
***
A nutritionist and 20-year vegan with a master’s of public health nutrition from New York University, Tracye is co-founder of BlackVegetarians.org and the Black Vegetarian Society of New York. She shares the message in her new book that a plant-based diet without meat, dairy or eggs, is the best for Black women’s health.
***
If you’re already thinking, “Forget it! I’ve got to have my meat, ice cream, butter, or cheese!” read on. Tracye has a message that everyone can benefit from. She busts the nutritional myths about protein and dairy, and will definitely have you thinking twice about your food choices.
(Read the full post and interview)

http://Consciouschicknyc.blogspot.com

Since I have an addiction to smoothies, I'm always on the lookout for flavorful  ingredients to add to the mix.  Papaya is one such ingredient that packs a powerful nutritious punch and adds a refreshing taste to your dishes. 

WOMB RENEWAL YOGA

Womb Renewal Yoga is a yoga class that is designed for women by a Traditional Naturopath and Yoga Therapist to heal and restore their mind, body and spirit. The poses and sequences that are chosen have been traditionally used to heal from female pathologies such as, endometriosis, fibroids, menstrual cramps, uncomfortable menopause and PMS, etc. Your yoga experience will be enhanced with the use of essential oils for aromatherapy. This class closes with a guided meditation. Come and experience total relaxation and healing. Suitable for all levels, beginners are encouraged to join.

You can pre-register online at www.herbanlivingconcepts.com

Wednesdays 7:00pm 733 Euclid St NW Washington, DC 20001

Thursdays 7:00pm 8507 Baltimore Ave, College Park MD 20740

$15 per Class or 4 for $45 (Buy 3 get one free!)

info@herbanlivingconcepts.com

Being primarily a raw fooder is cool, but how did my ancestors eat? Did they honestly live off of nothing but raw fruits and veggies, soy milk, veggie patties, and tofu? When I started to lose my hair and anger started to become the norm, I had to retrace my steps and find out where I dropped the ball. I was also constantly hungry, irritable, had no energy, and depression would hit me for no reason. I wondered what the heck was wrong with me. Then I did some research. Did you know that some Afrikan tribes ate nothing but meat and were the perfect pictures of optimal health? Me neither! Then I dug a little deeper. Soy and what the western diet does to it ought to be a crime. What processed soy does to the human body should be outlawed. The western diet, with its processed carbs, stripped grains, dead dairy and fake food ought to be shot and buried in the back yard, right next to the old gold fish bones.

I don't do animal dairy...I don't drink it, eat it, or intentionally smell it. I'm just not that into it. :-) Alas though, for centuries, people have survived without it as a primary source of calcium. We have shuffled our way into a land of processed foods and now our finding out ways back into the wild, about time yes? Part of our wilderness journey is to make sure we are getting the most our of the foods we consume, especially making sure to get all of vitamins and minerals.



Why is Calcium important?

Calcium insures that we have strong bones and teeth. Having enough calcium insures the proper function and control over our muscles and nerves, as well as blood pressure and clotting. Proper monitoring of our calcium intake is an important aspect of preventing osteoporosis.



Today, we will look at a few of the many plant-based options for getting our calcium fix. As a point of reference, 1 cup of milk usually contains about 300 mg of Calcium.

I have been having peeks at allergy symptoms over the last few weeks, and I’ve heard a lot of the same from even those who don’t usually deal with seasonal allergies. Below is some information and research that i pray will support you in your allergy wellness journey.

The first thing to investigate is the possibility of hidden food allergies, which can make inhalant allergies worse. Some patients have real problems with hay fever until they eliminate milk and cheese products from their diet. Dairy products are common sources of hidden food allergies.

This initially worked for me after I first eliminated these two items from my diet. I believe there are several factors that are contributing to the return of some allergy symptoms: age (changing sensitivities), environmental pollution, and reduced water intake/increased sugar intake.

Taking the following supplements may support combating allergies:

http://consciouschicknyc.blogspot.com

This entry is a little late this week but you will see I had a lot to say about this one.They may taste sour but the benefits are sweet.  Lemons are one of the most versatile natural ingredients Mother Nature ever invented.

Hey All! So I decided to start a series for every Friday of this month to support myself and others in cleaning up our diets. I may sprinkle in a few tidbits here and there during the week, the the primary focus will be on Fridays.

So today's focus is on the kitchen and planning, yay!

1:Out with the Old
It's time to go through our pantries and refrigerators this weekend, and get rid of all the foods, expired items, opened packages, left overs that don't serve our well being.read more....

I've had several people ask me how old I am and what my natural skin regimen is. I don't use any products with cones or parabens in them and I REFUSE to pay upwards of $20 for alittle jar of "age-defying" anything. My beauty secret is basically drinking plenty of water, exercise, (although I could be more consistent) and eating as much real food as possible and using natural products on my skin.

I have not been taking any vitamins since I used up all my nature code supplement I ordered from QVC. I really like them. I felt that I had more energy but my body just got use to them. The vitamins comes in little individual packet. The box thats last about 3 months. I like that it has high amounts of all the important stuff including biotin, selenium, lycopene, coenzyme Q 10, and red raspberry leaf. Now I'm taking a break to try something new I decided to try New Chapter Organics Every woman's one Daily. The supplement percentages are a low compared to the nature code but I'll give it a shot. Consumerlab.com rates vitamins but you have to become a member to see results, but it recommends sites to purchase vitamins from. Purtin Pride is one of the recommend sites which I have heard good thing about their products. One that they are very affordable/ low priced and the quality is excellent. I will give Puritan Pride a try too.

http://consciouschicknyc.blogspot.com/

Trying to navigate the myriad of of conflicting info on nutrition can be a bit daunting. Well, this article may be just as confusing for you but it helps to know that just about too much of anything is not good for you.  Some foods have been given a bad rap over the years and are not only fine in moderation but can be good for you as well. So live a little and indulge in some of your favorite "guiltless" pleasures.

Chocolate

photo credit

Hey everyone

I have returned back to myself. Last year I vowed to be a different person. That I would be better to myself and promised to nurture myself holistically. Unfortunately the devil gains hold of you when he sees that you are progressing. That is what happened to me. I had bought raw food and began to follow Queen Afua's book " Sacred Woman". I felt good at the end of the first month and that's when I fell off. I began to stress about college and finances ( I was a senior in high school at the time) and also stressed about my boyfriend who was in his first year of college. There were other issues along with these stresses of getting into school and trying to nurture a long distance relationship. That summer I returned back to eating meat ( chicken and seafood) because I figured that I wouldn't be able to afford the vegetarian diet in school ( moved from New Orleans to New York). I began to feel the side effect.

I remember years ago when I studied aikido that I would always get a little freaked when the sensei would train us to fight more than one person at a time. I hated it. I always wanted to go last, because it was never two-on-one, it was always like FIVE-on-one. He’d laugh as my eyes got big like saucers, but he’d make me do it anyway. The thing he taught me was that as long as you’re standing, you’re never, ever going to fight 5 guys at once. What you will do is fight 5 guys one at a time…repeatedly.

That’s kind of how I look at weight loss. You don’t need to lose 50 pounds.

You need to lose 1 pound….50 times.

Get it?

Think about how much better your day would go if instead of thinking “Oh I can’t eat anything. I have to lose, like, 50 pounds.” you said “I’ll have one cookie. Just one. Because well, all I gotta do this week is lose 1 pound”. Statistics show when it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. So sit down and think about one thing you could do everyday to lose just ONE pound.

Here’s a list of a few I’ve come up with:
1. Put skim milk or 2% in your coffee instead of whole milk

No. this is not a post about chickens that do yoga.

It’s about me.

And my fear of doing yoga in public.

It’s not a debilitating fear. Its’ more like a strong aversion to having anyone behind me while I’m doing downward facing dog. Outside of martial arts, I’ve always worked out alone…with headphones. I’ve done yoga before, but it’s either been at home alone or in a really big class (think YogaZone). I’m aware of yoga’s myriad of benefits, but I admit that I’ve been slacking off lately in the exercise department. So at the beginning of the week, I made a promise to myself to face my fear and go to a yoga class with my friend Anna. She’s invited me before, but I’ve never gone for the reasons previously mentioned.

Well yesterday I dove into the deep end of the pool folks.

I took a yoga class… in Soho.

Is anyone here interested in changing their appearance?

Peace and prosperity everyone, this blog post is for anyone interested in purchasing an Ardyss Body Magic garment. Its a phenomenon thats allowing men and women to drop hooks on those belt loops whithin actual minutes.

How does it work?
Its a garment created by a team of orthopedic surgeons to lift and sculpt by redistributing body fat from undesirable areas to more desirable areas. It provides tremendous support to the lower back which through my own personal research reveals is a sensitive place in our bodies responsible for supporting the functioning of the entire upper body. This explains why everyone who has purchased a garment from me has reported better breath. Once the garment is purchased and becomes exclusively yours, it functions in a similar way to dental braces, eventually reshaping your undesirable's into highly desirables.

Does it work?
Meaning are women and men actually dropping sizes in minutes? I'll let you see for self.

After suffering with fibroids of varying shapes and sizes and their symptoms for the past 6 or 7 years, (I'll go into detail about fibroids in a future post), I had myomectomy surgery to remove 12 of them and...they came back. My doctor told me that African-American women over 30 who eat a diet high in fat, dairy and meat have a high-risk of developing them.Well, I don't fit that last category, I've been vegetarian and pretty much lactose-intolerant for years. I've read about them, talked to other women about them and every woman who's suffering with them seems to have different symptoms. And there is no cure.

I’m always looking for ways to save money, look good, keep my house clean, and keep my weight down. But I’ve decided to challenge myself by minimizing the use of anything unhealthy in or on my body, or in my house. Even if I have to make it myself.

So I ask the questions...
Isn't it possible to save ourselves AND the planet?
Isn't it possible to have great looking natural hair without chemicals and minimal heat?
Isn't it possible to clean your house without using harmful chemicals or pesticides?
Isn't it possible to to do all of the above on a budget?

The answer is YES! (I've done it).

I am not a doctor, hairdresser or nutritionist. I'm a wife and a homeowner with a full-time job, a crazy cat and not enough hours in the day...who thinks there MUST be a better way.

So I invite you to take this journey with me, to become more healthy, smart and of course...SAVVY!

As I consciously grow and develop myself spiritually one area that I do not want to neglect is my physical body. It can be very easy, especially for someone like me who has no Earth in her natal chart (the earth element corresponds to the physical body and environment as well as the ability to be practical and grounded. I have no planets in the Earth signs, which makes these areas and attributes difficult for me) to neglect my physical health and well-being.

But not only do I want to take care of my body, I want to cultivate my relationship to the earth. I not only want to make good choices for my body but I want to make eating choices that are good for Her body as well.

To read more please visit http://riverofhoney.wordpress.com/.

Intermediate Yoga Flava Winter Warrior 7 class Series

Mondays ~ 4:30pm - 6pm~

Location:
The New Seminary Center For Interfaith Studies
2672 Bway @ 102nd St. 2nd floor,
New York, 10025

Strength and Balance!

Feb. 1 - Warrior Poses

Feb. 8 - Warrior Flow Vinyasa

Feb. 15 - Standing Balancing Poses

Feb. 22 - Arm Balancing Poses

March 1 - Yoga Flava Intermediate Flow

March 8 - Yoga Flava Intermediate Flow

March 15 - Yoga Flava Intermediate Winter Warrior Flow

Investment for commitment to full series: $100.00
Drop in rate per session: $25.00
*Please take advantage of this recession-buster price as we build an ongoing group at our new location.

To reserve your place, please visit http://yogaflava-africancaribbean.blogspot.com/2010/01/winter-warriors-y...

or

email robin@yogaflava.com

Deadline: Please confirm your payment by 3 p.m. the Friday before each class you will be attending. (Ex: payment for the Monday January 11 class will be due by Friday January 8 at 3 p.m.)

Personalize Private Sessions in Private Room within Studio at an agreed upon date and time $50.00 an hour

Begin the New Year with a commitment to a series of Yoga Flava sessions during this winter season. Come out of the cold, warm up your body, mind and spirit with these mindful Monday night melt downs.

Location: The New Seminary Center For Interfaith Studies
Street: 2672 Bway @ 102nd St. 2nd floor, NYC 10025

Monday Nights - 6:30pm - 8:00pmJanuary 11-March 15

January 11 - Introduction to Yoga

January 18 - The Basics of Breathing - Pranayama

January 25 - Seated Postures

February 1 - Standing Postures

February 8 - Hip Openers

February 15 - Sun Salutations

February 22 - Back bends

March 1 - Inversions

March 8 - Yoga Flava Flow

March 15 - Yoga Flava Flow Finale :-)

To reserve your place, please visit http://yogaflava-africancaribbean.blogspot.com/2010/01/beginners-yoga-fl...

or

email robin@yogaflava.com

I am feeling soooo great lately about the New Year ahead! I feel it is going to even more powerful than last year! I just got my Lunar Calendar in the mail today - it has all the moon phases, and signs for 2010. I have ordered one for me and friends every year for some time now. I use it to record my cycle and work with those moon times ceremonies. I think its a valuable tool - so much so I am giving away 7 on my blogspot at www.SistahGoddess.blogspot.com

I plan to feature more moon cycle wisdom on the site and these calendars will prove to be a great tool as workshops get underway!

Also, if you want to feature your great SiSTAR arts and product links - just send me an email!

Happy New Year!
SistahGoddess

Well...The great thing about blogs, you can make them as informal as you desire....lol being the writer I am, I tend to be a perfectionist in the way I deliver my messages....however, not tonight. Tonight, I'm just crying out for some Divine intervention, healing and sistah support...

It's going on 42 days since my last menstrual cycle.(no i'm not pregnant!...already ruled that option out)... I've already convinced myself that I'm going to skip this month...(which I havent skipped a month since I stopped taking my birth control pills in April- for reasons we will get to in just a sec)....so here I am...angry at myself, angry with stress, depression, and doubt and worry moving into my space without consulting me....or better yet, angry with myself for not protecting my womb from my emotional inconsistences....aggh!

Greetings and Blessings SiStars,

I had a wonderful conversation on Another Reality Show with Golden Hawk about why women should use Womb Friendly Products.

All too often, women suffer from various vaginal issues due to the use of tampons and other commercially made sanitary products and this has got to stop!

Did you know that every time a woman uses a tampon, they are leaving little pieces of threads within that get embedded within the womb and can lead to growths and cancer?

I urge my SiStars to "Be Kind to Your Womb" at all costs!!!

Here is the interview. Please enjoy and be empowered!