Wednesday, February 27, 2013

FLOW Luxe Yoga & Detox Music Video



Last February 16-17, the FLOW team hosted the very first of their luxe retreat series focused on Yoga & Detox at Cintai Coritos Garden, Batangas.

The FLOW guests took refuge from their busy lives in the beautiful 3-hectare Asian-inspired garden sanctuary. Spacious rooms with interesting Balinese woodwork furniture, high quality beddings and bathrooms made for a very comfortable weekend abode. Carefully crafted meals were prepared by Cintai's resident chef, who also happened to be vegetarian before.

Lush green nature was the perfect backdrop for the two yoga classes led by Monica E. Manzano, FLOW's official yoga teacher. She taught a sunset Yin Yoga session to relax stiff bodies and restore tired minds. She also led an invigorating Vinyasa sunrise yoga class the following morning to help awaken and revitalize the system.

The three FLOW founders: Denise Bernardo, Monica Manzano and Noelle Hilario conducted the Green Smoothie and an introduction to a Live Foods workshop. Breville supplied the juicers and blenders for the health tonics and Moringana green smoothie recipes which was sampled by everyone hoping to jump start their path to a healthier lifestyle.

The FLOW girls also shared their daily personal detox tips using ancient methods like Sun gazing, Oil Pulling (an Ayurvedic practice of swishing Oil in the much to pull toxins), and drinking apple cider vinegar with honey & water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

All participants came home to the FLOW signature tee and Eco-tote bag with goodies from our sponsors- Moringana teas and capsules, STRIP gift certificates, Nyogi all natural coconut drink, Beyond Yoga class passes. Premium prizes were also given out from Rawlicious green smoothies, Fitness Lab, INDIGObaby and DHARMA all natural products.

For more photos, please check the facebook album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151534425550992.549395.129726960991&type=3

Interested to join our weekend retreats? Check our website www.flowsurfyogasamba.com for our 2013 retreat map and schedules. Follow FLOW on twitter @surfyogasamba and on Instagram @flowsurfyogasamba

Friday, February 08, 2013

DIY: Non-Dairy Chocolate Milk

Here's a quick DIY non-dairy chocolate drink recipe which you can make for yourself or your kids too!

Ingredients:
Freshly squeezed gata / coconut milk
Carob powder (from Healthy Options)
Cinnamon
Honey

Just mix the carob powder with the coconut milk and add honey and cinnamon. Yup, that simple. And it tastes GREAT!

You can use this for a chocolate smoothie, soak your chia seeds, or use in your raw vegan cereal made from mango, banana/saba and papaya :)


Tuesday, February 05, 2013

SUNGAZING PROJECT

I got the opportunity to meet George Cromack during last year's FLOW Zambales retreat. He was one of the doctors in the team of Dr. Gabriel Cousens at Tree of Life in Arizona, a famous raw food & yoga sanctuary. I've known about Cousens since my days working with the people behind Bahay Kalipay. Cromack talked to us about the benefits of sun gazing. I didn't get to try it, had many doubts in my head but eventually gave it a shot last weekend at Anilao.

You're required to gaze at the sun for 10 seconds in increments each day at sunrise or sunset, when the sun is at the closest point to the earth... While being barefoot on soil or sand. (This is the tricky part as we live in mostly cemented city) I'll track my process, although it won't be as often as I would like it to be (since earthing is a challenge in the city where there is minimal access to actual soil- isn't that sad?).

Here are some listed from the global healing website:

Boosts production of melatonin and serotonin. Research shows sungazing stimulates the pineal gland as the direct sunlight hits the eye, moves through retinal-hypothalamic tract, and then hits the brain. This stimulates the pineal (“master gland”) and boosts the secretion of melatonin and serotonin, our “feel-good” hormones.

Increased energy levels. Modern day sungazers say the practice has boosted their vitality. This is probably related to the secretion of the aforementioned hormones.

Increases the actual size of the pineal gland. Not only can this practice boost hormone levels, it has also been shown to increase the size of the pineal gland. Normally, as we age, the pineal gland shrinks. However, brain scans of a long-term practitioner of sungazing show that this 70 year-old man has a gland three times as big as a normal man.

Promotes weight loss. One of the historical theories for sun gazing was that the body and mind could be nourished by the sun, reducing the need for food. Similarly, some modern day sungazers say they have lost excess weight, and some even report a total loss of the desire and need to eat.

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-sungazing/

There is also a documentary made on sun gazing called EAT THE SUN. Find the trailer on Youtube.

Curious? Give it a shot as well! And tell me about your experience.


YIN YOGA for Stress and Insomnia

Many relatives and friends complain to me that they suffer from stress from work or insomnia. These problems are definitely induced by lifestyle factors, or plainly put, the decisions you make for yourself in your diet, work habits, etc.

With that being said, it's TIME to do something about it! Join me and Anna Carbonell at Beyond Yoga QC this Saturday as we lead you into a specialized Yin Yoga session for Insomniacs and over stressed peeps! This is a free event so please spread the word and see you all there!

DIY Raw Vegan Mango Coco Loco Dessert

Each afternoon I try to do an outdoor activity with 5 year old Santi, who needs to expel more energy these days. We decided to play mailman and flyer out for Beyond Yoga and the workshop for Sarah Powers.

Aside from doubling as my cardio exercise today, I discovered that one of my neighbors sell farm fresh (organic!, claims the help) mangoes at 50php per kilo only.

Here is what we made for dessert tonight: Raw Vegan Mango Coco Loco ;) *note that I am not raw vegan but I do enjoy Raw dishes and love whipping them up because there is simply no cooking involved!

Directions: Dice ripe mangoes and soak in coconut milk with chia seeds. Wait for the chia to grow (20 minutes will do). If mangoes are sweet enough, no need to add honey or muscovado sugar. Enjoy!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...