In a world of weight-loss programs and diet books, I would like to offer a fun approach to health which as a side effect keeps us at our optimal weight.

I do hope to shift the way we approach weight loss and weight as a whole and model a better approach to our children and future generations.

There is so much conflicting information on diet, exercise, and weight loss and I want to harmonize the information into a cohesive, applicable form.

Do we as a society have a problem with weight? Do we have a problem with self-image?

Is it an issue with the quality of our food? Our culture?  Is it about the expectations women put on themselves?

Maybe it is all of the above plus a few more issues.

 

REMEMBER: other people’s dreams are not your dreams and other people’s healthy body image is not your version of health.  Don’t compare yourself to others. Be the most comfortable,  healthy version of yourself. Look within and only allow yourself to look at people who inspire you rather than make you feel that you need to keep up with them.

Strive to be healthy but not in an OCD perfection way. Focus on treating your body well. Do the things that lead to health – good energy, good sleep, positive emotions, a creative mind, etc. Measure that as the right approach rather than the numbers on the scale or how your belt fits.

Navigating through all the information out there.

We have to find our own healthy relationship with the world outside and within ourselves. There is a lot of dysfunction and sickness in our culture and when we learn to practice discernment we can begin to navigate our own experiences while functioning in society in a healthy way. The correct path is always the inner path. Ultimately the answers come from the inner search.

 

When there is one extreme in society – say “diet culture”, skinny models; then we see the exact opposite and equally extreme side – accept your body despite not treating it in a balanced way. We keep swinging from one dysfunction to the opposite one and of course, the problems only compile.

We went from dieting and counting calories to ALL IN, NO RESTRICTION.   Some people apply “ALL IN” to all types of processed foods- just eat everything you want.

The ancients had long and strict systems of food classification for a reason. We are learning to interact and be a part of the natural world. To be in harmony with it. You don’t need to read every food book out there to find that harmony with the natural world but when you resonate with certain people you can definitely learn from them.

 

In most cases trying or wanting to lose weight is the WRONG way; the wrong approach.

We can be in an unhealthy state where our digestion, lymphatic system, and internal organs are overburdened. We have to develop a relationship with our body that is based on wisdom, deep knowing, harmony, and balance. By balance I mean we can work with the polarized energies and learn to harmonize them – the balance between work and rest; eat and rest; discipline and flow, etc.

 

At this point in my life, my approach is quite soft.

I still strongly believe that we should focus on health; and not in an obsessed OCD way where everything must be controlled and perfect. A big portion of manifesting health is the love that we develop for ourselves.

Important. I do believe that we should learn about health because we only have this one physical temple, and the world is really not set up in a healthy way. The water, the air, the food quality, the sedentary lifestyle- all of this over time can affect us greatly.

 

Pure clean food, water, and air are an absolute key to health. Pure clean thoughts and emotions go hand in hand with physical purification. now, our food, air, and water are not exactly clean so that’s where the learning goes. Our yoga practice allows us to purify the inner state while examining our day-to-day habits allows us to improve what we put into our bodies.

For most people, I do believe that weight loss should not be the goal and the focus of trying to heal and feel good. I think if we focus on a healthy routine and lifestyle things naturally fall into place. I must mention that achieving health in a toxic world is a learning process and a job. Things are not built in a way that they just naturally support health. From the fabrics we buy to the detergents and water we use to wash them; from the air we breathe, the frequencies we bathe in, and the food quality – things have greatly deteriorated in the world. Sorry about the sober tone but if I just wrote “love your body” and expect that everything magically will fall into place I would be doing many a disservice. Yes, Love that comes from a self-realized place is the ultimate panacea and awakener. We are taking daily steps to get there. It is a journey.

(a side thought- an out there bleep) We are developing the thought process, the finer bodies that will create the new healthy physical organs over the process of evolution. That’s why a daily practice of movement, health, and thought hygiene is so important. We are literally the builders of our own bodies and our own reality. 

If we create a practice that supports health, a loving attitude toward ourselves, and a delayed pleasure approach we can really heal on every level. (delayed pleasure so our dopamine levels are great and we are generally motivated and inspired about life). We cannot overeat, undersleep, over-watch TV, overdo any fun and pleasant activities,  and expect that to be fine – we must seek a balance between giving and taking; pushing and pulling, yin and yang, cleanse and rebuild, ebb and flow, day and night. We are moving in a rhythmic universe. In a way, we are master painters and we are creating a masterpiece called life.

If we try to incorporate sun daily, movement daily, learning daily, cooking fresh beautiful meals daily, some form of healing practice such as a bath, sauna, cold dip, infrared light, magnetic therapy, there are new and interesting ones out there such as cryotherapy, suspension tanks, IV vitamins, etc. we can create a healing impulse in the body. I will share a few of my favorite healing tools at the end of the article.

 

One thing I have observed is that If I get my 8 hours of sleep and my proper nourishment daily I can predictably expect a physically and mentally strong day the next day, I can expect to be in a good mood, inspired, and excited.

I don’t like to overdo it one day and pay the price the next day. I like my energy more even-spread throughout my week and month.

Dieting falls in the same category – the body always seeks balance- if we deprive it one day it will look for excess the next day. We cannot outsmart and cheat our way to health. There are definitely what they call “hacks” now but we have to put the work in. so basically restrictive diets always (in my opinion) lead to binge eating and eating disorders or a minimum of food obsession. Most people that do body competitions often develop eating disorders due to the restrictive nature of the cut phase.

I feel we can achieve great results as long we have acceptance towards the body with one condition –  we provide it with a nourishing and healthy routine in a loving way.

So that is really my number one tip. 

ROUTINE AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR ALL YOUR HEALTHY HABITS

When I say acceptance I do mean acceptance. We cannot give our body a small window of desired weight or shape we want it to be. Now that I am in California I am reminded of the amount of plastic surgery and body modification that is so popular here. I feel that most surgery can be safely avoided with a lifestyle practice that supports health rather than weight loss. (not all surgery of course – there are always exceptions but I am simply saying a lot of procedures are not only very expensive and painful but downright dangerous. Another topic for another day.).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder- learn to see beauty in the physical manifestation of you!!! See that the richness of your mind, the softness of your heart, your compassion, generosity, spirit, humor, wittiness, and so forth make you beautiful. Work on your character, your expansion, knowledge, softness, surrender, and love and that will make you see yourself as the most beautiful being ever! Trust your body – it will give you all the cues you need.

Sometimes certain bodily attributes can be a signal of a brewing condition. We cannot dismiss the body and accept everything but we cannot expect it to look perfect either. I am sorry there is no one way or the other. It is always that balance between the polarities. Everything of value requires work and expansion. We can simply make the work fun.

If we have heaviness in the midsection and big rolls – forget the esthetics but it often can mean the liver needs some tender lovin’ care. The inner organs are surrounded by visceral fat. If we struggle with heavy periods and bloating – it can mean that we need to address the hormones. Hormones are often a matter of toxicity and imbalance. Hormonal and mental health are the 2 new buzzwords in the health world as of recently. We go through new trends every few years and right now everything is hormones but overall all health is always the same thing- a matter of achieving balance and a clean lifestyle. Hormones are the aidsymptom rather than the cause.

I wish I could write a simple article and just say one of the two:

calories in and calories out

or

just radical acceptance

but both of these phrases are just polarized statements of an otherwise very nuanced subject.

I do feel there is studying that we need to do. We do study so many meaningless things in school. Yet the one thing that’s absolutely crucial and irreplaceable – our health: crickets.

I provide a lot of content that aids in studying the subject – health is a combination of practical steps, emotional freedom, and mental attitudes that all help us free ourselves and empower ourselves with tools.

Cleaning the lymph, improving digestion, learning to breathe; sweating a few times a week, getting to know oneself,  and moving in new ways so that we not only build muscles but also we create new neural pathways- all of these are essential.

Eating fresh food and releasing the junk-food addiction is also crucial.

Learning to soften around expectation; learning to give our body a rhythmic routine – for me these two are GOLD.

Learning to release stress, to let go of old emotions that imprison you, to let go of tension in the body – all of this is key.

We can always use the help of practitioners such as massage therapists, acupuncturists, dance and yoga teachers (hello); kinesiotherapists, etc.

There are many techniques we can apply a few times a week that add incrementally to our health. For me, these are hot springs, saunas, cold dips, boron-salt-magnesium baths, red light therapy, magnetic therapy, salt rooms, walking in nature, etc. I will add recommendations at the end.

Worth mentioning here is that you MUST FEED your body and soul. If you restrict calories and keep yourself hungry in order to drop weight you end up just binge eating and having a reverse effect. Many people starve themselves so much that it creates a food-obsessed attitude. If you pay attention to your food you will get an idea of the ballpark calories or nourishment you need daily when your activity level is moderate. If you end up doing more you must adjust your calories accordingly or you will be feeling it the next day – either you will feel low in energy or too hungry. I admit I cannot count calories (unless i change my diet and need to track my macros and micronutrients)- what I do is pay I attention to my hunger and level of activity and have a ballpark idea of whether I have eaten enough. Women tend to vary their caloric intake during the different phases of their cycle. If I eat enough and sleep enough I can almost 100% of the time predict that my energy will be very good the next day.

Anyways I run the risk of talking too much. There is no simple easy way to just simply lose weight but in the process of learning how to live a healthy life we learn how to heal and grow as humans.

Embrace the process and allow yourself to make mistakes and grow from them.

 

Two very important causes of weight gain and poor digestion are pesticide-laden food and a processed food diet. Glyphosates can destroy the gut microbiome and cause all kinds of health issues. The gut is for a reason the second brain. I have a class on that here

 

If you are not a member on my website I will treat you to one of the classes in the vital organs program called THE SECOND BRAIN 

 

Favorite daily activities that are indirectly related to weight loss and more about health, balance, relaxation, etc.

walking

sun exposure

baths

relaxation

learning

 

 

PRACTICAL TIPS NOW

 

1. Eat a whole-food diet. If you can cook it yourself as often as possible. Crabs, fats and proteins in loose proportions. I typically do the best when my carbs are at 60-80% but everyone has their magic sauce.
2. I like to rotate fats – hemp seeds, walnut butter, other seeds, AVOCADOES, olives, nut milks, MACADAMIA, chocolate, other nuts, coconuts, etc. Non-vegan options that can be beneficial – ghee, eggs, fish, etc. I have not been big on oil but my 5-year-old loti is so big on olive oil that I am getting my oil-spiration from her.
3.  Vary your foods seasonally and locally – it really contributes to a healthy microbiome. Adding in different greens, herbs, and less common veggies can really help you develop a rich and diverse microbiome- talk about dividends! Examples – asparagus, artichoke, brussel sprouts, edamame, sunchokes, dandelions, chicory, etc. If you get indigestion from good food it is not the food that’s the problem – it’s your gut biome.  If we change our diet we do have to give it time so that our system adjusts to the new foods. Gas and bloating from cruciferous, beans and such to me is simply either a. matter of poor combining, too much sludge in the intestines that reacts with the foods, or simply your gut microbiome needs time to get the memo. One more reason for poor digestion is pesticides laden food and chlorinated water. Chlorine is put in water to wipe out the bacteria… it does the same in your gut.
4. Drink a lot of water – best on empty stomach. Experiment with teas and brews. I like to celebrate plants so to speak. I like to plant, harvest and taste healing plants.
5. Avoid glyphosates. If your gut biome is destroyed then weight gain is one of the side effects of that. Many people all of a sudden have wheat or gluten intolerance because wheat is one of the heavily sprayed crops and so people react to the gluten that is bonded with the pesticide. Buy organic when possible.
6. If you think that you can’t digest many foods – that is typically either a gut biome issue or some form of excess, toxicity that has burdened the organs of digestion- for example, an overburdened liver would cause bloating, gas, and inability to digest certain or many foods. A poor gut biome can give you stomach pain, gas and bloating from eating many different foods – veggies, beans, pasta, etc. Undigested matter in the intestines always causes gas and putrifying- toxic waste.
7. If you eat bread do learn the craft of sourdough. It is the healthiest way to eat wheat. You can also make non-gluten sourdoughs. A good and easy one is injera bread from teff. Teff is very high in nutrients – iron, calcium, zinc, etc. it is quite easy to make and a good substitute for bread. I find fermented grains very helpful for the gut biome.
8. This is strictly my own personal note here but I do like intermittent fasting- I like to give my stomach a break for a portion fo the day. Many agree with this statement while other people love small meals. I can’t speak for others but for myself, I thrive on intermittent fasting. My energy, sleep, digestion, recovery time, etc is great.
9. Move daily. We are born to move. Health is interconnected with movement.
10. Indulge in non-food and non-exercise-related activities such as learning, hobbies, communications, etc.
11. ROUTINE. When I was young I preferred spontaneity. In the last 5 years, I really learned to thrive within the framework of routine- routine gives me structure so I can be creative.
12. Follow the rhythms and cycles in nature- the seasonal,  daily rhythms. The rhythms and seasons of your life. As we change our routine changes. As we get older – we change hopefully for the better. A lot of the finer spiritual work is done after the age of 50 – that is one of the goals we want to achieve longevity. We are here to get spiritual work done!
13. Don’t let yourself go!! Funny this is “advice” I myself received recently. I watched a video on how to dress for your age and such. Nails, handbags, designer clothing advice, etc- all things almost in direct opposition to my own life philosophy. However, I took from it what applies to me :). The advice was the expected one – always buy new garments, good shoes, keep yourself well groomed (I am really summing it up – it was more about fancy nails and bags) – either way – there is something to be said about neatness. I do not believe that we have to constantly spend money and contribute to extreme consumerism but again – the middle way is the way- as per usual. Letting oneself go is a multi-layered thing – it starts from what we put into our body and the way we present ourselves to the world. Yes -a. bit superficial but we do have a body in the physical world. it is a valid subject. I have a Taurus rising and I have noticed that in the last few years I have truly developed a love for good fabrics- hemp, organic cotton, linen/flax, and the occasional lyocell. I also love silk but since it is not vegan I limit my silk purchases to either thrifting (mostly new silk- what an irony) or bedding stuff. I do not buy new wool but would buy thrifted wool and maybe sage it. Occasionally I buy thrifted stuff but for some reason, I cannot get over the energy of clothes. I am sure we can sage everything as energy is real and it is often stored in clothes.
14. Do my month-long programs – I vary the styles of movement and exercises which in my opinion is the best way to keep the body in shape. I keep you motivated and fit. I offer hundreds and hundreds of short classes for days when you simply do not have either time or motivation for working out. Weights, cardio, HIIT, Yoga, somatic movement, pilates- all of these are great in rotation.
15. Having good habits is really the result of putting the work in. Most good things require conscious work. Make the work fun but be consistent!!!
16. Go for walks and hikes – in my opinion, walking is way underappreciated.
17. Don’t focus on weight, food, or exercise- make those structural pillars of your day- not the main thing.
18. For me personally, iodine is KEY – dulse, sea moss. Also for years, I have taken Thyadine and I buy it for all my family as a gift. That’s how much I believe in this supplement. After my mold exposure, I had a big bulge in my neck. After starting to take thydine it was gone in probably days.
19. DON’T EAT IF YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY. Your body is wise.
20. DON’T EAT IF YOU ARE STRESSED OUT. Wait until you feel calm.
21. This one is also controversial but I like to eat after a heavy workout. Otherwise, I would either be sore or have low energy the next day. This only applies to heavy workouts.
22. To be continued in future posts

Favorite healing devices:

RED LIGHT THERAPY 

Red Light therapy has been a part of my life for 15 years. Since way before it became a craze. 15 years ago I actually bought a red light device online that was homemade :D. It still works but I finally upgraded.

A few red light devices that are high quality:

Infraredi LED Panel – Pulsed Light + 5 wave lengths   Code ALIKAMENOVA  -This one is one of the few pulsed light panels.

Mito Red Light – One of the strongest Panels      Code alikamenova

Red Light Belts – great for Injuries and Pain – on Amazon . I have given one of these to my mom, and one to my brother and I keep getting them for gifts and for myself. Soft red light devices are generally weaker but easy to travel with and easy to place over the body if there is injury and pain so they have somewhat different applications.

LightpathLED –  Pulsed Light, 5 wavlengths and low EMF  Coupon aliyoga (this one sold out on black friday so I will keep you posted about it for future sales) 

 

A cheaper light from ALIEXPRESS from a reputable maker SGROW

This one is small- just for face and neck. This particular brand on aliexpress has good quality. Not completely the same as the american brands which are also produced in China BTW but relative to the price – good quality.

Water 

Water Distiller by MegaHome . Most of my things are still in storage but I did travel with the distiller. We get spring water when we can but distilled water gives me the best results. there are some fascinating videos on the subject of the memory of water and distillation seems to be the one way to remove the memory from pollution. Here is an interesting video on water as a storage of memory. 

We used Berkey and Reverse Osmosis for years. I have recently learned that berkey’s claims on how long the filters last are largely exaggerated so although it is a great filter I do believe it needs to be changed far more often than we were told.

A little out there blurp on distilled water. I still love distilled water no matter what. It seems to be a reliable way of removing pesticides, fluoride, chlorine, etc and the memory of water. Do you remember the memory of water research? Well, water remembers pesticides and plastics and pharmaceuticals and distillation wipes it clean. It is called dead water – its empty state allows it to receive the new frequencies that we are bathing in.

 

 SUNHOME SAUNA Blanket and Saunas   Code KAMENOVA50

Detox, heat adaptation, immunity, weight loss, and much more.

 

Vibrating foam Roller

 

PEMF and infrared amethyst mats from HealthyLine

 Code: AliYoga10

 

Anyways, this subject deserves an entire book. I will stop here for now. It is an inexhaustible subject. More to come!

Favorite