Dancers Pose
Besides nutrition, yoga is another one of my passions. It has amplitudes of health benefits and I think that everyone should give it a fair chance!
There is a stigma surrounding yoga, most men have it classified as a female sport, but this is far from the truth! Yoga has become the new cross training for men and women who are looking to increase their flexibility and condition their ENTIRE body. It will provide that extra little edge in your golf swing or hockey game, and makes you feel amazing all around!
It improves skeletal and muscular strength. While practicing yoga, pilates and weight training your body develops fast twitch muscle fibres, which help to boost your metabolism. Activities like running hockey help your body to develop slow twitch muscle fibres, these promote endurance during activities but they are less beneficial to your metabolism. A great marriage of activities is yoga and running, as you will develop a balance of both types of muscle fibres and both activities will balance each other out. Running is fantastic for your cardiovascular fitness, but like any activity, it can cause wear and tear on your joints and muscles, that’s where yoga comes in, stretching releases tension and tightness in your muscles that lead to soreness.
Yoga is a full body workout. In most sports such as hockey or soccer, you tend to utilize only 10 to 15 per cent of the muscle groups, whereas yoga provides movements that include every muscle, joint and organ. You use muscles you would never know you even have. The movements oxygenate the blood, creating more energy when you finish the exercise as opposed to depleting the body of it. When I first started practicing yoga, what kept me going back to classes was the rush I felt after a class, my teacher described it to me as a “yoga buzz”, its remarkable. Cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular and endocrine systems are all exercised during practice, as the organs are massaged and cleansed during a class.
Stay tuned for part 2 ….
Pumpkin Curry
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
½ large can pumpkin
1 can chickpeas or mix beans, rinsed
1 cup broccoli
¾ cup cauliflower
2 large carrots grated
1 green zucchini, cubed
1 ½ cups green beans
1 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp marsala seasoning-Club House brand
2 tsp hot red pepper flakes ( or more if you prefer)
Season to taste. (salt and pepper)
PREPARATION:
1- Soften onions, garlic in the hot oiled wok or pan until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes.
2-Add vegetables starting with the green beans and broccoli. Stir for 5 minutes.
3-Add pumpkin, chickpeas and seasoning and baby spinach.
4- Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Try this delicious dish with quinoa and a toasted piece of whole wheat pita for dipping! Halved Brussel sprouts are a nice addition to the variety of vegetables in this dish!
Looking for a protein boost? Add some chicken or tofu!
