Heart Healthy

Things to live by- Positive energy wins them all

"It's certainly true that if you're around somebody that's giving you many compliments, you start giving people compliments yourself. If you're around people who are more positive in general, you get more positive. On the other hand, when you're unhappy and you're bitching all the time, you're not just affecting yourself, you're affecting other people, too, and you're also teaching them about how to act or not act." Dan Buettner from Thrive

Avocado, yes or no?



I think the answer is pretty simple. YES! Avocado is great for you, all those myths you have heard about it being fatty and no good, those are absolute garbage. Avocado contains a high amount of healthy fats which support brain development. These fats include Omega-3 Fatty acids, vitamin E, protein, and fiber. Also included in this guacamole is onion and tomato. Onion contains sulfuric compounds that fight infection. Onions also feed good bacteria in your stomach which in turn helps to aide and ease digestion. Tomato's are an antioxidant food because of lycopene. Lycopene helps against radiation and some cancers, as well as heart health, and lowering levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Besides the technical reason's to eat guacamole, and multiple health benefits, it is so delicious, and a great snack.

Calling all lady dragons (You know what I mean)

So yea, its that time, and I know everyone knows what I mean. You want to eat absolutely everything edible, your emotional, you ache, you sweat, your anxious, and all else awful that comes with this part of nature for woman. This pretty pink bottle shown above can be the cure all for these grand of times. Ylang Ylang, is known as an antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, sedative, and tonic. It can help to calm, relieve mental fatigue, relax, reduce stress and tension. During that time of the month I like to diffuse Ylang Ylang to balance the female hormones. It helps me greatly to relieve anxiety and mental fatigue, and it smells great. This oil is steam distilled from flowers. It can be purchased from my Young Living website https://www.youngliving.com/cb2457 for $53. 62. Or sign up with a premium starter kit and get the wholesale prices on oils. Revisit my blog soon for initiative's to join Young Living with me.

Sweet summer right around the corner.
 

2 cups kale, 1 and a half bananas, 1 cup raspberries, 1/3 cup wheat bran, 1/4 cup cashews raw, 5 tsp. raw cacao, and 2 cups of water. There are so many reasons to drink a smoothie or juice to start your day. For one it boosts your intake of vitamins and minerals, early in the day, and provides you with lasting energy. Cacao is a high antioxidant superfood. It supports heart health, balances blood sugar, and regulates mood and alertness. Kale is super detoxifying , it is very fibrous and helps improve bowel regularity, which removes toxins from the body and supports a healthy liver. Blueberries can help improve memory and ward of destructive brain processes such as Alzheimer's.

Morning water

I start everyday with a cup of hot water, a half a tbsp. of really raw honey, and a drop of Lemon Essential Oil. The really raw honey has pollen in it, and it has significantly helped to get rid of my seasonal allergies. The lemon helps to support my immune system, acts as an antidepressant, antioxidant, and is refreshing and invigorating. It can be purchased from me https://www.youngliving.com/cb2457 for $14.80

Another Great Heart Healthy Smoothie

1 cup swiss chard, 1 cup kale, 1 pear, 1 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup cashews, 1/2 cup goji berries, 2 tbsp. raw cacao, and 2 cups unsweetened almond milk.

Its been awhile, back with more healthy info

It's been a while since my last post. I've been to busy finishing my degree in early education. I graduate this May with my bachelor degree. So now I'm done with my internship, and I can spend more time with the blog and my essential oils business. Although I love children, I also have other passions, such as health, food, nutrition, yoga, nature, and holistic living. This is why I started the blog, as an outlet to put my other research, knowledge, and compassion. I want to help those that want to change their lives. I advocate strongly for vegan and vegetarian cooking, I'm obsessed with essential oils and all their benefits, and I enjoy helping people.

https://www.youngliving.org/cb2457

I got excited the other day when I was talking to a friend, she called me to ask about essential oils, she had read about on my blog. I told her about peppermint and lemon, how she could use them, and their many benefits. She then told me she loves my blog and reads it every time something new is published. Just that one person made my day. I really didn't expect anyone to read what I had to say, I just did it to jot stuff down. Anyway, it made me feel great, and I hope for anyone else that reads this, that my information and research has an impact on your life. I stated a website for you readers to order the essential oils and products from young living that I talk about. Or, maybe you are someone who wants to start their own business. You can order your own premium starter kit from my website (Sign up here), or you can go directly to youngliving.com and order it their using 2545600 as the enroller id and 2276763 as the sponsor id; and you can be a young living distributor as well. Distributors get wholesale pricing, deals and promotions, rewards, and compensation plan opportunities. https://www.youngliving.org/cb2457 - Personal website link

The collection keeps growing, learning more and more everyday!

Overnight Chia Pudding

Ohh sweet summer, you are right around the corner. Work on your health by eating more raw foods. In the winter it is hard to just eat raw foods for most because it gets very cold, but spring and summer is the perfect time to eat raw vibrant fruits, vegetables, and some grain. The picture above is chia pudding, a great breakfast or lunch, with loads of fiber. I like to add bananas, blueberries, and rolled oats to mine to make it a little more filling. 4 tbsp.'s of chia seeds, one cup of almond or coconut milk, 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract, put in jar and let sit over night. Yummmmm.


Newest light smoothie
 

Another way to eat more raw foods is starting your day with a smoothie or juice. I always have a smoothie for breakfast. This one has 2 cups of spinach, 1 1/2 bananas, 1 orange, 1/4 of almonds, 1 tbsp. of chia seeds, 1 tbsp. of blackstrap molasses, and 2 cups of water. Boost your immune system to start the seasons off right with a smoothie like this.

It's getting warm* Have you gone natural?

It has officially started to feel like spring here on the east coast. We have all been anticipating the great feeling of sitting outside, letting the warm sun light up your life, and fill your body with a warm feeling. I have recently begun flushing all the toxins from my body using lemon essential oil. Just a drop in my water, makes for a refreshing and detoxifying drink.
Lemon Essential oil- If lemon essential oil is ingested, it is a source of d-limonene, which supports a healthy immune system. It is light and refreshing to taste, I absolutely love this flavor in my water. Lemon essential oil can be purchased from me for $11.25 for a 15ml. Or if you are interested in starting essential oils as a lifestyle change, the premium starter kit can be purchased from me. Contact for details cmbeck24@gmail.com
 If you haven't gotten outside, please do, breathe the fresh air, enjoy the beautiful world we live in. You can get a great amount of natural vitamin D, by just spending 20 minutes outside in the sun.

Over time I have began to love essential oils so much that I am now creating beauty products. I recently made my own toothpaste, and I must say it was a true success. The texture is a little difficult to get used to, but the end result proves worthy. This toothpaste though a bit gritty, gets the teeth feeling clean and breath smelling great throughout the day. To make this toothpaste I combined 1 cup of coconut oil, 1 cup of red mill baking soda, 5 drops of Peppermint essential oil $28.29, and 5 drops of Thieves $44.41. Honestly toothpaste companies these days, add so many chemicals that you are ingesting into your body, even the organic or so called natural ones are made with chemicals of some sort. Ditch the grocery store toothpaste, and try this recipe. Guaranteed to put money back into your wallet, and more holistic natural living into your life.

Two more smoothies for you guys to try out! Starting to get a little more involved in the raw foods nutrition. First one is 1/2 cup of wheat bran, 2 cups collard greens, 1 banana, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1 ounce of raw almonds, and 2 cups of water. Makes 2 servings and is absolutely springtacular.

This smoothie is an exact replica of a chocolate protein drink. This smoothie packs 2 cups of spinach, 1 1/2 cups of blueberries, 1/2 avocado, 2 tbsp. raw cacao powder, 1 cup of raw coconut water, and 1 cup of water. Its delicious, smooth, creamy, and makes 2 servings.
Smoothies and juices are the best way to start your day nutritionally. I tend to like smoothies more, because they are filling, and pack a lot of fiber into my diet.

Spring Allergies, Smooties, Chakra 2

Its been awhile since my last entry, but I have a lot of new info for you followers. First up is Organic Raw Kombucha for the win. This drink comes in many different flavors, my favorite is the multi-green. Kombucha is a probiotic drink that adds many benefits to your overall health. Many people can not get past this drinks taste at first. It has a semi-vinegar like taste. I personally love it!! It has a strong resemblance to a carbonated drink, without it actually being carbonated at all. It is actually fermented. Now don't go getting all grossed out, this drink really is a health elixir. You can either purchase this drink from a health food store, or make your own.

Kombucha boosts the immune system. If you are feeling run down by colds, you need this drink! You can naturally build up your immunity just by having more fermented drinks and foods. Kombucha can increase your metabolism through its many powerful enzymes and beneficial bacteria, which help your body function at its maximum. It is also a natural detoxifier; by adding this beneficial bacteria, your body and most importantly your liver, can be detoxified faster.  Just an added bonus to all the properties listed above is that through detoxification, your body gains more energy. Drink energy drinks often? Kombucha packs many B vitamins that give your body natural energy, no caffeine necessary.



Two is better than one. The smoothie on the left can be made with 2 cups kale, 6 parsley sprigs, 1/2 cup of cucumber, 2 celery stalks, 1 pear, 1/2 inch of ginger, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and 2 cups of water. This smoothie is great for boosting the immune and digestive system. The smoothie on the right can be made with 2 cups kale, 1 1/2 cups of blackberries, 1 banana, 1/2 cups cooked black beans cooled, 1 ounce of almonds raw, 2 tbsp. of raw cacao, and 2 cups of water.  This smoothie packs the protein, and it tastes just like a chocolate shake. Don't be apprehensive about the black beans, they are completely covered up with the chocolate taste from the raw cacao. If you have children that do not eat any vegetables or fruits, this would be a great smoothie to try with them. Just don't let them see what you are putting in the blender.

So many great things can come from these smoothies. Here are some properties of the foods included: Almonds; they are composed of monounsaturated fats (the good ones), fiber, biotin and vitamin E. They are a heart healthy food as well as blood sugar regulating. Almonds have been proven to lower the risk of weight gain. Even though almonds have a high calorie count they help the body fight hunger through their satiating properties. Raw Cacao: Is one of the most antioxidant rich foods. Cacao supports heart health, balances blood sugar levels, and helps in regulating mood and alertness. It also supports metabolic functioning, and the transportation of oxygen to the blood stream. This is because Raw cacao contains minerals such as copper, zinc, magnesium, chromium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.

I recently went on vacation and was trying to manage my weight and bloating before having to get in a bathing suit. I used the first smoothie recipe mentioned above to achieve that goal. When I returned from my vacation, I got a cold/allergies. I have been doing many things to combat this annoyance. One of them is adding 1 tbsp. of raw apple cider vinegar to 8 ounces of hot water, and one drop of lemon essential oil. I have been drinking this twice a day, and have started to feel significantly better. The apple cider vinegar helps in stopping a cold in its tracks, and the lemon essential oil is a great source of d-limonene, which supports a healthy immune system. Lemon essential oil can be purchased from me for $14.80. Email me for details cmbeck24@gmail.com

I have also been using these essential oils that can also be purchased from me. Peppermint $28.29, PanAway $42.76, Thieves $44.41, Tea Tree $34.21, and Lavender $30.92.  I have been rubbing peppermint and or PanAway on the back of my neck, behind ears, and on forehead for easy breathing and to reduce sinus pressure and headache. I mix thieves with coconut oil and rub on the bottom of my feet to help with coughing. Lastly Tea Tree and Lavender are mixed together and rubbed on my forehead and outside of nostrils. This acts as a natural antihistamine. I have really been trying to stay away from using any over the counter or prescription remedies. It is hard because we all want that immediate satisfaction of getting better. However, I don't think we realize what we are doing to our body in the long run. We are just adding chemicals and unnecessary junk to our body, and unfortunately it isn't going to thank us later.
 
The last thing I am going to talk about for this post is Chakra 2, which is the sacral chakra, whose focus is the pelvic and hip region.

 I recently took a yoga class that was more so stretching, relaxation, and restoration focused. The primarily focus for the class was the 2nd chakra. We did a lot of positions that open up the hips and pelvic joints. After taking the class, I came home and did some more research on the 2nd Chakra and found an oil that directly relates to this. The essential oil that I diffused and wear frequently as a perfume is Joy. Joy can be purchased from me for $52.30. Joy is an uplifting blend that creates a magnetic energy and brings happiness when diffused. It is composed of the following oils: Bergamot, Lemon, Palmarosa, Ylang Ylang, Rose, Geranium, Jasmine, Roman Chamomile, coriander, and tangerine.

Joy can bring back memories of being loved, being held, sharing loving times, feeling and opening those blocks in our lives where perhaps we have shut down to love or receiving love or love of self. When there is grief, the adenoids and the adrenal glands shut down; Joy opens these glands.

Did someone say Spring?

Today I received my order from Young Living Essential oils. I got peace and calming and black pepper. Every time I receive my oils in the mail its like a mini Christmas. I get so excited with anticipation of the young living package. I can promise you that if you start using essential oils, you will feel the same as I do. Every bottle of oil has great properties for a variety of uses. If you are interested or skeptical, contact me for you free sample, and try it for yourself.cmbeck24@gmail.com

 

Peace and calming is great for relaxation and a good nights sleep. Also peace and calming can be used during meditation. You can diffuse, inhale, or dilute with olive oil or coconut oil and massage directly into the body. I like to diffuse peace and calming or massage on the bottoms of feet, back of neck, and temples. Peace and Calming has a beautifully gentle smell. The oils that are used to create it are tangerine, ylang ylang, blue tansy, orange, and patchouli. This oil can be purchased from me for $18.75.

 

Black Pepper also has a variety of uses. It can be diffused or inhaled to ward of cigarette cravings. It can also be used as a fragrant addition to any food you make. Black pepper has been known to support overall wellness. This oil is very new to me so I will be adding additional posts on how I have used it to be most beneficial. It can be purchased from me for $24.67.

I have also been very frequent in using tea tree oil on my scalp. With the harsh winter, my skin and scalp had become very dry. I rub tea tree oil on my scalp an hour before shampooing, and I have virtually gotten rid of dandruff after only two uses. I also like to diffuse tea tree oil to moisturize and hydrate my skin. Tea tree oil is a cleansing oil great for skin care. This oil can be purchased from me for $34.21

Want to learn more about Young Living Essential Oils? Contact me cmbeck24@gmail.com.

 

That's right! Spring is just around the corner, so there is nothing better than this clean, crisp, and fresh smoothie. Composed of 2 cups of Swiss chard, 1/2 cup of cucumber, 2 celery stalks, 1/4 cup of parsley, 1/2 cup of carrots, 1 pear, 1/2 an orange, 1/4 of lemon, 1/2 cup of pineapple, 1/2 an inch of ginger root, and 2 cups of water. Makes 2 servings, and is absolutely delicious and filling.  

Parsley helps to bind and eliminate metal ions in the body. Lemons are super detoxifying in that they bind and remove toxins. Lemon helps to balance the ph levels in the body. So if you haven't had your parsley or lemon today, this smoothie is a great way to start. If this smoothie is too much for you, try adding a slice of lemon to your water, and adding at least a 1/4 cup of parsley to one of your meals. These two foods are usually looked at as a garnish, and un-recognized as super boosters to your health.

Have you meditated today? If not, why don't you give it a try for just 5 minutes. Sit wherever you are and close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and try to clear your mind. This is hard for people at first, but eventually meditation can be extremely effective. Try it for yourself. More posts to come on effective meditation and yoga practices. "Our sorrows and wounds are healed, when we touch them with compassion." Buddha







Vegan Eats and Drinks. Starting your day with Essential Oils.

One thing is for sure, and that is, if you have not tried 100% Raw Coconut Water Dark Cacao, you are missing out.

Coconut water is super hydrating and tastes absolutely amazing. The difference with this coconut water is that it is never heated, which makes for the best flavor. Look for a pink one for an added bonus.

Most people miss out on the most important part of the day, and that my friends is breakfast. You absolutely need to start your day with nourishment. To kick start my day I usually drink three cups of water, two cups of green tea, and then a smoothie of some sort. Personally I have grown to absolutely adore my Nutribullet Rx. Not only is this blender great for smoothies but you can make some great nutrient packed soups. Anyway, if you are not eating breakfast your really doing it all wrong. Here is a recipe to try, its easy and tastes great.

Smoothies are quick and great for on the run breakfast. This week I made a great smoothie it included:  2 cups Red Swiss chard, 2 beets, 1/4 cup pomegranate juice,  1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup almonds, 1 banana, and 2 cups water. Makes 2 servings

After making this smoothie for a couple of days, I decided to give my Ningxia Red a try. Whoa!!! Was I impressed.

Ningxia red is a product from Young Living Essential oils. It is a antioxidant powered drink. It is made from wolfberries; as well as blueberry, aronia, cherry, pomegranate, and plum juice, natural stevia extract, grape seed extract, pure vanilla extract, and orange, yuzu, lemon and tangerine essential oils. I used 1oz of Ningxia in my smoothie, and had a really pleasant experience. I felt nourished, energized, and focused. I also felt like it curbed my appetite, and sustained my energy all day long. For pricing and product information, contact me at cmbeck24@gmail.com to learn more about Ningxia or any other essential oils seen on this blog.

 

Recently, I have become involved and obsessed with essential oils from young living. Another way that I have recently started to get my day going, is by diffusing Citrus Fresh Essential Oil in the morning. I also occasionally will mix Citrus Fresh with olive oil and rub on the bottom of my feet to feel uplifted. Citrus Fresh is a blend of orange, grapefruit, mandarin, tangerine, lemon, and spearmint. The smell is amazingly crisp and fresh. Citrus Fresh can be purchased from me for $20.07 for 15ML.

Welcome to Asanas to Essential Living

Welcome to Asanas to Essential Living. Your blog for young living essential oils, Healthy Vegan and Vegetarian Lifestyles, Yoga, and Holistic Living. I am currently a Young Living Distributor. I am excited to share  my experiences with those that are interested in bringing health to the forefront of their lives. This blog is specifically targeted to those that feel negative habits have taken over their lives. It is my goal to help in sharing positive thoughts on how to bring back the healthy in your everyday life. Ditch the pills, junk food, and other bad habits, and join me in a life changing experience. Follow me on Instagram @ asanastoessentialliving, email me if interested in purchasing essential oils cmbeck24@gmail.com

Currently Diffusing Peppermint Young Living Essential Oil, to promote focus. Peppermint can be used to focus, aid in digestion, and is extremely helpful to those that suffer from headaches. Mix 1 drop of young living peppermint with one drop of olive oil. Rub on temples, across forehead, on the back of the neck, and on the feet. For nausea rub on hands and inhale. This oil is great for some many things (like all oils), and can be extremely beneficial for women suffering from morning sickness, headaches, digestion, and promoting focus. Peppermint can also be ingested by placing one drop in a cup of water. This helps the body break down a meal. Peppermint can be purchased from me for $28.29 email for details cmbeck24@gmail.com