Wellness Warriors
This page is here to bring a variety of useful information regarding your health and well being that may interest you.
​
Please note : LVC Yoga does not have a qualified doctor providing any of this information and any details on this page do therefore not constitute medical advice.
All of this page's offerings are therefore to be used at your own discretion
Thank you
Weekly Ayurvedic Recipe
Ayurveda is a traditional system of Indian medicine. It's an example of a well-organised system of traditional health care, both preventive and curative, that is widely practiced in parts of Asia. Ayurveda has a long tradition behind it, having originated in India perhaps as much as 3,000 years ago. Today it remains a favoured form of health care in large parts of the Eastern world, especially in India, where a large percentage of the population uses this system exclusively or combined with modern medicine.
​
In Ayurveda, food is not just sustenance; it is medicine for the body and mind. The Ayurvedic food as medicine approach focuses on balancing the three doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha - to promote overall health and wellbeing. Incorporating ingredients like sweet potatoes and lentils, which are both revered in Ayurveda, into your meals can help you maintain dosha balance within your body.
This Sweet Potato Lentil Curry is not only a feast for your taste buds but also a nutritional powerhouse. Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, while sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. The combination of these ingredients creates a well-rounded meal that will leave you feeling satisfied and energized.
​
Ingredients:
-
30–60 ml olive oil
-
2 shallots, finely chopped
-
2.5–5 cm grated fresh ginger (to your taste)
-
30–60 g red curry paste (to your taste)
-
200 g dried red lentils
-
2–4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
-
80 g spinach
-
700–950 ml broth or water (this depends on how thick you like your curry)
-
30 ml soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
-
15 ml creamy peanut butter or nut/seed butter
-
1 can (400ml) coconut milk or cream (full fat)
-
Juice of 1 lime, freshly squeezed
-
15 g coriander, finely chopped
Method:
-
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
-
Add the shallots and sauté until soft.
-
Add fresh ginger root and sweet potatoes. Cook for a few minutes.
-
Add the curry paste and stir it all together well.
-
Add broth, lentils, soy sauce and peanut butter.
-
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
-
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, ensuring the lentils are soft and the sweet potatoes quite tender.
-
Meanwhile, cook up some basmati rice or quinoa.
-
When the lentils are soft, add the coconut milk, spinach and lime juice. Stir well and simmer for about five minutes.
-
Serve over the grain of your choice and garnish with cilantro.
-
Enjoy!
Interesting Articles/Studies
Yoga Effects on Brain Health: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature
​
This 2019 article aimed at the time, to summarise the current knowledge of yoga practice and its documented positive effects for brain structure and function, as assessed with MRI, fMRI, and SPECT. I'd be interested to read any update or more recent study.
Weekly Yoga Pose
The extended side angle pose is a blend of triangle pose and warrior II pose.
This pose demands a lot of strength in the legs and requires us to adjust the pose however necessary to keep the chest open.
Though it can be tempting to go “all in” for this pose, if you feel that your shoulders are rounding and your chest isn’t open, add as many blocks or props as you need below your hand.
“Extended side angle pose eases the body into a beautiful place of alignment,” says Yoga Answered contributor Keira Shepherd. “It’s all about taking the time to feel how your body moves into this pose as well as recognizing any adjustments that you need to make to reap the same benefits.”
Beginner’s Tip
Instead of bringing your hand to the ground, try bringing your elbow to your knee.
Another variation that may be more accessible is to come to a low lunge with the right leg and bring your right knee to the ground. From here, place your left hand on your mat on the outside or inside of your left foot and reach the right fingers to the sky.
There is also another other way to modify this pose
Place a block on the outside edge of your front foot to make this pose more accessible.
Envision keeping the chest open and shoulders down to really open the upper body. If this feels difficult, adding a block underneath the hand will help.
In time, you may be able to bring your feet further apart and sink deeper into the pose – for now, move with your body and don’t force the position.
Once you’re ready to practice extended side angle pose, imagine that your body is trying to fit into a toaster or between two panes of glass. This will improve your alignment and help you to keep your chest open.
​
Extended Side Angle Pose Step-By-Step
-
Start by standing at the front of your mat.
-
Take a big step back with the right leg.
-
Turn your right toes to 90 degrees as you bend deeply into your left knee.
-
Ensure that your left knee is stacked over or behind your ankle and that it’s in line with your left hip.
-
Turn your torso to the right and stretch your arms out on either side of your body.
-
Root through the back heel to keep your right leg strong.
-
From here, slowly hinge at the hope to bring your left fingertips to the ground on the outside edge of your left foot (or left forearm to top of left thigh as an easier modification)
-
Reach your right arm up to the sky.
-
Gaze up to the right fingertips (if your neck, body position allows, if not look wherever is comfortable)
Yoga Meme
