How Was Your 2015? - reviewing your year without criticism

Well that's it, Christmas is over for another year. How was yours? Mine was... well, the same as always yet different and unexpected. We followed the same traditions as always - the tree, the lights, decorations, typical Christmas dinner (vegetarian) opening stockings and presents under the tree - and yet this year some of my people were missing so it felt a bit different. My father died in October so although he hadn't been been part of the festivities last year due to his dementia, this was the first Christmas truly without him. I know that things can't ever stay the same and that life changes but still there is sadness that he isn't here any more.  My sister was ill so couldn't join us for Christmas Day which meant her husband and his mum didn't come either - we really felt their absence but still enjoyed the day - it was just different than expected.  

And here we are at 31st December with another year completed too. How was yours? I'll sum my 2015 up in 3 words - creative, challenging, energetic. Creative because Thrive Yoga's online classes became a reality. Challenging because that process was long and demanding, and also because of the many difficulties that come along with a member of the family having dementia. Energetic because even when I'm not working, my leisure time is spent on-the-go, walking the dog, running, gardening, etc.   

Although generally I'm not one for dwelling in the past, it can be a really helpful process to review the year to help prepare for the coming one.  This afternoon I'll be settling down with my brand new notebook to answer some thought provoking questions. I thought I'd share them with you so that you can do a little "lifestyle design" too to help your 2016 be your best year ever.

Firstly, here are a few tips before you start this inner work: 

• Be honest - this stuff is just for you - you don't need to share it with anyone, 
• But don't be critical - it's not a competition and you haven't failed at anything. You're writing this stuff down as a guide for the future not as something to regret and give yourself a hard time about. 
• Don't just do this on a piece of scrap paper then forget about it - writing it in a dedicated notebook or journal will make it easy to refer back to so you can align your 2016. 
• Don't worry if you don't feel you've got much to write - it doesn't need to be an essay, bullet points work well.

Ok. Ready? Here we go....

• What worked for you in 2015? 
• What didn't work?
• What did you do too much of?
• What didn't you do enough of?
• What little things did you enjoy doing in your day-to-day life?
• What would you like to do differently in 2016?
• Why?
• What 3 words sum up 2015 for you?

Now, with that out of your head and down on paper, say goodbye to all that you experienced in 2015 and get ready for a new 365 day journey full of potential, inevitable ups and downs, and infinite possibilities.

Next week I'll be sharing a similar guide to designing your 2016. I love doing this - it feels so good to turn the page and have a fresh start.

Here's a recipe for a nutritious soup to help with those New Year healthy eating intentions. 

Tomato and Turmeric Soup

This soup is so easy to make and it feels great to be enjoying something so healthy. Tomatoes are full of lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant and has high levels of Vitamin C. (If you're interested in knowing all the scientific data, click here to go to the website of the World's Healthiest Foods which gives very detailed information.) Turmeric is a spice that is widely used in Indian cooking and also in eastern medicine. It known to be a good antioxidant and has potent anti-inflammatory qualities.  (You can take a look here if you'd like to learn more about it's health-giving properties.) All the other ingredients are good for you too (apple cider vinegar especially) so this really is a case of "let thy food be thy medicine".

You will need:

5oz cherry tomatoes, rinsed and cut in half
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup (120ml) of vegetable stock (Marigold vegetable buillon gives the best flavour - always!)
1 small onion finely diced
1 garlic clove minced
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coconut (or olive) oil for frying the onion
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 
Freshly ground black pepper
Mixed seeds to garnish

And here's how to make it:

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic gently for 2 minutes.
Add the turmeric and cherry tomatoes and cook gently until the tomatoes soften.
Add the can of tomatoes, vegetable stock, apple cider vinegar and basil.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Transfer to the blender and blend until the mixture is creamy.
Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with mixed seeds.
If you don't require this to be a vegan dish you could add a spoonful of Greek yoghurt to make it more creamy and some grated Parmesan to add to the flavour.

The papers and the news on TV are full of negative things, constantly reminding us how bad everything is and promoting fear. But it isn't all like that - it's just that they choose to show us a one-sided view of things. Whilst we need to know what's going on, it would be nice to hear some good news for a change. Here's an article about some positive things mankind did in 2015 to help redress the balance.

9 Actually Good Things Humans Did For The Planet In 2015 - because it's not all gloom and doom

by Emma Loewe via Mindbodygreen

It's easy to become discouraged when considering the state of our planet. We're constantly bombarded with stories about how our cities are collecting in smog, our ice caps are melting and our temperatures are skyrocketing (I mean, who in the Northeast wasn't freaked out by the great Christmas Heatwave of 2015). 

Climate change presents a complex challenge, but it's one we can all approach with a healthy dose of optimism. The environmental movement reached some seriously impressive milestones in 2015 - here are a few I was especially grateful to see as mbg's green editor.

1. Wellness companies found some pretty ingenious ways to upcycle materials

In an effort to cut down on waste, manufacturers continued to design upcycled goods from used material this year. Yoga mats constructed out of recycled wetsuits and Adidas sneakers made with ocean plastic trash are just two examples of trendy, practical second-life products that any wellness junkie could use.


2. Billions of dollars were invested in clean energy research

Thanks in large part to donations like Bill Gates' recent multi-billion dollar fund, alternative energy sources are becoming less expensive and more widely available. In a shift away from coal, the U.S. now sources about 13% of its energy from renewable resources. At one point this summer, Denmark wind farms collected enough power to fuel the entire country and then some.

3. The world came together at the Paris Climate Summit

Earlier this month, 195 government leaders from across the world met in Paris to draft a comprehensive plan to combat human-caused climate change. The resulting Paris Agreement calls on every country to do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and holding global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. The accord is the first of its kind, and President Obama said it "represents the best chance we have to save the one planet that we’ve got." 

4. We started to tackle the trashy problem in our oceans

The bad news is that there's a ton of plastic in our oceans - anywhere between 93,000 and 236,000 metric tons, according to a recent study. Upwards of 13,000 pieces of plastic are dumped into our waterways each day, and they often end up in massive garbage patches or, worse yet, in the bellies of wildlife. But there's some (relatively) good news too. The U.S. government just passed a bill demanding that personal care companies rid their products of microbeads - tiny plastic particles that collect in waterways and can be dangerous to marine life. Meanwhile, innovators like 20-year-old Boyan Slat are thinking up creative ways to clean up existing marine debris. Slat will test his design for a floating ocean boom that uses ocean currents to collect trash off the coast of Japan in 2016. 

5. Major clothing brands vowed to clean up their production practices

The fashion industry is a notoriously unsustainable one. Up to 2,000 gallons of water go into producing a single cotton T-shirt and an estimated 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile dying. In an effort to get these figures down, traditionally "fast fashion" corporations like Kohl's, Nike, Target and Walmart signed onto the American Business Act On Climate Pledge this year. Some promised to reduce their water consumption while others pledged to invest in more renewable energy sources, but each company set a specific plan to lessen their environmental impact in some way. 

Shoppers can now check in on their favorite brands with resources like www.projectjust.com  a site that compiles information on the transparency, labor conditions and business models of popular retailers. 

6. Large restaurant chains made green pledges

Likely fueled in part by the impassioned campaigns of celebrity chefs, 2015 proved a promising year for sustainable restaurant reform: Chipotle nixed its genetically modified foods, Taco Bell opted to serve cage-free eggs in its breakfast options, and Kraft, Nestlé, Panera and Subway promised to get rid of their artificial ingredients. Sweet Green introduced a salad made out of food scraps and Starbucks announced that it has more LEED certified locations than any other global retailer. All these changes speak to an underlying dining shift towards natural, healthy fare served in sustainable spaces. 

7. Farming saw a resurgence

In a movement largely spearheaded by health-conscious millennials, more people than ever before are shopping for local, organic food. The head chef behind NoMa, the Copenhagen eatery voted the Best Restaurant in the World last year, recently announced plans to close doors and reopen atop an organic urban farm in 2017. The farm-to-fork movement is clearly having a moment - time to dig in.

8. The tiny home movement got big

Tiny homes are less resource-intensive to build and less energy-exhaustive to maintain than traditional houses, plus they often give their owners more freedom and mobility. These days there are plenty of design options for people looking to take a walk on the minimalist side, and you can find everything from tiny wooded retreats to wind-powered pods (see photos below).

9. Bikes took over city streets

Hopping on alternative transportation is a great way to cut down on one's carbon footprint, for cars are one of the most egregious contributors to dangerous air pollution. Many European cities are encouraging residents to add some green to their daily routines by making streets more bike-friendly. Earlier this year, Paris held its first carless day - a city-wide event that reduced smog-producing chemicals by 40 percent - and Oslo announced that it will completely ban cars from its city center by 2019. Milan is currently in the midst of a three-day car ban of its own, and Dublin and Madrid aren't far behind.

An Ecocapsule 

Inside an Ecocapsule

The Matchbox in Washington DC

Inside The Matchbox

I hope you have a wonderful New Year and I look forward to connecting with you again next week here on the blog with some ideas for planning a fabulous 2016.

I'll leave you with a video that I hope will set the tone for your coming year.... enjoy....please do let me know in the comments section if you didn't laugh! I bet you do though!! :-)

Mindful Eating at Christmas

Mindful eating is the practice of being aware of what we are eating while we are eating it. It is helpful to cultivate this awareness so we can then notice our habits,which we are largely unaware of most of the time. It's even easier to succumb to these habits at Christmas with all the distractions and possibilities for over-indulgence, so I've put together a few tips for being mindful over the coming festivities, when you're out at parties and family gatherings, which will hopefully be useful to you into 2016 and beyond.  

Firstly, I want to say these tips are not about dieting or denying yourself foods that you love to eat. They are about 'noticing', just like we do in our meditation and yoga practice. When we notice we don't always like what we see, but when we do see what is going on we can make a choice. And when we have a choice in how we behave and act we are empowered. 

We want to enjoy our food, not eat it mindlessly then wish we hadn't and feel guilty about it. This is not self-love. So if you make a choice to eat an extra piece of Xmas pudding, own that choice and enjoy it!  What we eat sustains and nourishes us - food is our friend not the enemy. With a little more mindfulness we can develop our awareness of our habits and change our often long-conditioned battles with food. We can love ourselves enough to want the best possible nourishment to feel healthy and well.

Don't try to adopt all these tips at once. Keep it simple and pick the ones that might shine a light on your 'blind spots':

• Be aware of what you are putting in your shopping trolley. Supermarkets are adept at persuading us to multibuy unhealthy foods, leading us to think we have got a bargain when that item wasn't on our shopping list in the first place! Stick to your list (online shopping is a great way to remain firm against temptation) and remember, what you don't buy won't be going into your cupboards and therefore you won't eat it - who needs that tub of Roses chocolates anyway!

• Drink some water before you go to your party or gathering. It's really easy to mistake your body's thirst signals for hunger. Hydrate yourself first so you don't misread the signs.

• If you're going out to a friend's party take something healthy and nourishing with you to share - you'll be being considerate of others' wellbeing too as well as your own. (See the recipe further down this post for some quick and healthy canapes.)

• Don't pick! All those little morsels that keep being handed round add up without you being aware of it. Take a (small) plate and choose and enjoy the canapes you really want. When things are handed round again, you can politely decline saying you've had enough (see last week's post). 

• That small plate is useful to help you keep an eye on portion sizes. If you have a choice, take a smaller one.

• If you're at a buffet take the time to look at all the food on the table before you start loading your plate. You can then choose with intention.

• If you're hungry fill your plate with more veggies - plants are good for you.

• Don't sit down near the buffet table - take your plate somewhere else, sit down, chew slowly, taste and appreciate. 

• Swap hands. If you eat with your unfamiliar hand you just have to do it more mindfully.

• Use a smaller fork - you'll take smaller mouthfuls which is helpful if you tend to eat quickly and shovel your food in!

• Finish each mouthful before taking the next one.

• Watch the pace of how others in your gathering eat and notice whether you're a fast eater or a slower one - just an interesting exercise.

• When you eat, focus on eating - don't multitask on your phone or watch TV etc.

• Pay attention to whether you use internal or external cues to know when it's time to finish eating. External cues for the end of a meal include: lunchbreak is over, the waiter takes your plate away, the bag of crisps is empty. Internal cues include noticing when you are full (in the good way of satisfied and replete rather than can't eat another thing, just about to burst), the size of the portion you have eaten, when you feel thirsty.

• Eat an apple before your meal. One study found that eating an apple before lunch can cut how much you ultimately eat by up to 15 per cent, thanks to it's filling fibre preventing you from overeating. 

• One of the easiest times to be less than mindful is after a meal as you're clearing away. If there are little bits left over it's easy to eat it up rather than throw it away. If you always seem to have leftovers in your house start to cook slightly smaller amounts of food or pack the leftovers up into containers and get them in the fridge quickly so you're not tempted to pick.

• Say 'grace' before your meal. It doesn't need to be a religious gesture or even said out loud, but a moment of gratitude for those who grew, transported and cooked your food can help you to appreciate it more. 

• Pause long enough to look at the colours and shapes on your plate, notice the smell, savour each mouthful and notice the textures, be aware of how you chew (do you chew slowly or quickly?)

• Notice whether you are hungry or bored? Maybe you are thirsty rather than hungry? Maybe it's become a habit to have a biscuit (or three) with your afternoon cuppa. If you choose to have those biscuits that's fine - don't deny yourself - but make sure you actually want them, that you notice and appreciate them rather than shovelling them in because that's what you always do at 3pm or you are bored and tired, and then wishing you hadn't because you didn't even pause long enough to taste them.

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and eat something you wouldn't ordinarily choose to eat. As a vegetarian I prefer to eat cheese made with non-animal rennet but I don't question this at other people's houses or at restaurants - I accept that it might possibly not be and don't give myself a hard time about it.

Remember that living a healthy lifestyle has to be a long-term project, not something to do for a few weeks to lose a couple of pounds then forget about. Your pledge to eat better in 2016 doesn't have to be abandoned if you get knocked off course sometimes (as you almost inevitably will). Set achievable intentions and don't aim for perfection. Enjoy your food and enjoy the feeling of nourishing yourself so you can become the healthiest version of yourself.

Are you going to a gathering where you take a plate to share? This recipe for Cucumber and Avocado Canapes is very easy, and offers a fresh, healthy alternative to the many pastry based bites that seem to be on offer at this time of the year:

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers
2 large ripe avocados
sea salt
black pepper
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
fresh parsley, chopped finely
fresh dill, chopped finely
olives or capers for garnish

Wash the cucumber and slice into ribbons using a mandolin or vegetable peeler (be careful with them, they're quite delicate).

Mash the avocado flesh in a bowl with the salt, pepper and herbs.

Spread avocado mixture along the length of a ribbon of cucumber and roll up (the end will stick to the mixture so it seals the roll up nicely.

Add an olive or caper on the top.

Chill in the fridge (you might need to gently soak up some excess cucumber water with kitchen paper before serving).

Voila! Simple, pretty and healthy!

This is nice. I wish I'd written it! Alas I did not - it is wisdom from Leo Babauta from zenhabits.net

31 Perfect Things by Leo Babauta

As we see more and more holiday gift guides, articles espousing the perfectness of glitzy products, I’d like to offer an alternative perspective.

We don’t need to buy things to make our lives beautiful or joyous. We don’t need more glamorous items in our lives to find happiness and contentment. We can find these wonderful qualities in what’s already in front of us.

Most moments, I forget this. In my best moments, I remember, and my heart expands with love for life and everyone around me.

In my mind, these things are perfect, and are proof that we don’t need to buy anything to be happy, cool, excited, contented:

1. A quiet morning.

2. A walk outdoors.

3. Reading one of those books sitting on your shelves.

4. A cup of tea, drunk slowly.

5. Family.

6. A hug.

7. Meditation.

8. An avocado.

9. Berries, savored.

10. A good workout.

11. Time to practice sketching.

12. A song that gets you dancing.

13. Creating something.

14. This current moment.

15. A connection with someone else.

16. The light of the dying day.

17. Fallen leaves.

18. Warmth.

19. Love.

20. Learning something new.

21. Someone wanting your attention.

22. A friend.

23. Coconut.

24. Reflecting on life, in a journal.

25. People laughing around you.

26. Imagining future possibilities.

27. A bite of mango, lingered over.

28. Writing a love note to someone you miss.

29. Solitude.

30. Knowing that you love yourself.

31. You.

Make a Mindfulness Jar

If you find sitting still and becoming quiet for even a minute a challenge, why not make yourself a Mindfulness Jar? I understand that they are used in schools to help calm children down, and I can see why - they're very relaxing. Keep yours on your desk and shake it up every now and then. Pause, breathe deeply, sit still and watch the glitter settle back down.

You need a glass jar filled with water, to which you add some fine glitter (I used a big dollop of glitter paint that I bought from the local Post Office as I read that having some PVA glue in the mixture suspends the glitter for longer) and then some strong glue to seal the lid in case of accidents! 

All Together Now!

The festive season can bring challenges as well as joy. From overspending to feasting and over-indulging (more on that next week when I'll be sharing tips for mindful eating) to dealing with relationship niggles that can occur as we spend more family time together - the potential for over-reaction is heightened during the Christmas period. Yoga and meditation can help us be calmer and more compassionate in the face of these situations so that we can all enjoy a more peaceful time.

Here's a story that I have shared before in my classes:

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

The message of this story is that there will often be prickly moments when we spend more time with our families but we can develop compassion and tolerance through our meditation practice to help us deal with these challenges. 

"Just Like Me" Meditation

This meditation is helpful when you are dealing with a challenging person in your life. It is also helpful to recite the lines in your mind if you are meeting new people and are feeling anxious and unsure of the situation.

Take a comfortable seat and close your eyes.
Relax your face, shoulders, arms and hands to help you feel soft and receptive.
Notice the weight of your sitting bones on your chair or the ground and your feet on the floor to help you feel grounded and steady.
Notice your breathing and allow it to fall into a relaxed and even rhythm.
Picture the person you are having difficulties with in your mind and say, either out loud or in your mind, "Just like me, this person is seeking happiness in his/her life." Pause for a few breaths to absorb this.
The next line is "Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life." Pause.
Then "Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair." Pause.
Then "Just like me, this person is seeking to fill his/her needs." Pause.
Then finally "Just like me, this person is learning about life." Pause again before you complete the practice and open your eyes.

This meditation really does help you feel a little more kindly and understanding towards that person. Try it. I'll record a video of it this week and upload it on to the Thrive Yoga classes so you can do it with me :-)

Extremely Delicious Cabbage

This dish is a great way to use up any cream that you might have left over after a Christmas meal. I used single cream rather than double, and only a splash of it, and it worked just fine and cooked a little quicker than the recipe said. It was creamy and caramelised and zingy, infused with the flavours of onion, garlic, and ginger. 

Serves 2-4
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaped tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 medium green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
200ml double cream
Salt and black pepper to taste

1 In a very large pan, heat the butter over a medium heat until it is melted and starting to bubble a little. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.

2 Stir in the ginger and cook for about a minute. Then, add the cabbage, stirring well to coat it with the butter and other flavours. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and caramelised.

3 Turn the heat down to low and stir in the cream, making sure to scrape any browned bits up from the pan bottom. Cover and continue to cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Uncover, add salt and pepper to taste. Then cook for a few more minutes, stirring once or twice, to let some of the liquid evaporate. Adjust the seasonings as desired and serve.

Recipe from by Emily Vikre, www.fiveandspice.com

Why Singing is Good for Your Health

I love singing Christmas carols because the tunes are so familiar and I somehow remember nearly all the words. They always seem to be pitched a bit too high for me though so I adapt them to fit my somewhat limited vocal range but that does mean I tend to sing more at home than I do in public! 

Singing is good exercise for your upper body (lungs, diaphragm, intercostal muscles) and it increases oxygenation in the blood stream too. It has physchological benefits as well by boosting the endocrine system, releasing feel-good hormones which, well, make you feel good!  And when people sing together in a choir there are the added benefits of community and teamwork. 

This article by Sarah Rainey for the Telegraph shares some more reasons for singing your heart out, not just at Christmas, but all year round. 

"After years of singing in the shower and warbling my way through karaoke duets, 18 months ago I finally joined a choir. Every Thursday evening, I head to a church hall in Marylebone, central London, where, along with 30 others – mostly women, the occasional bloke – I spend 90 minutes belting out Motown, gospel and pop classics, from Abba to Bon Jovi. I’m more of a keen amateur than a wannabe soloist, but even the odd off-key note or wrong lyric can’t detract from how good singing makes me feel. I leave every session uplifted, buoyed by a flurry of endorphins flooding through my body. 

So it comes as no surprise that scientists have shown that not only does singing in a choir make you feel good, it’s got health benefits, too. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found that choristers’ heartbeats synchronise when they sing together, bringing about a calming effect that is as beneficial to our health as yoga. 

The scientists asked a group of teenagers to perform three choral exercises – humming, singing a hymn and chanting – and monitored their heart rhythms during each. They showed that singing has a dramatic effect on heart rate variability, which is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. 

“Song is a form of regular, controlled breathing, since breathing out occurs on the song phrases and inhaling takes place between these,” says Dr Björn Vickhoff, who led the study. “It gives you pretty much the same effect as yoga breathing. It helps you relax, and there are indications that it does provide a heart benefit”.

Having done both yoga and singing, I’m inclined to agree. Panting one’s way through a downward dog just isn’t as soothing as a floaty aria; nor does contorting oneself into the shape of a cobra make you feel quite as good as a burst of Aretha Franklin. Yoga may supposedly be relaxing, but it’s also sweaty, tiring and often painful. Singing, on the other hand, never fails to leave me feeling fabulous. But is it really better for your heart? (Note from Deborah: I think she must do hot yoga!!!) 

Over the years, scientists have found that crooning has a number of health benefits. The Gothenburg researchers proved that with singing we can train our lungs to breathe better; similarly, a study at Cardiff University in 2012 found that lung cancer patients who sang in a choir had a greater expiratory capacity than those who didn’t. Singing has also been shown to boost our immune system, reduce stress levels and, according to a report published in the Journal of Music Therapy in 2004, help patients cope with chronic pain. A joint study by Harvard and Yale Universities in 2008 went one step further, claiming that choral singing in a Connecticut town had increased residents’ life expectancy. 

“Singing delivers a host of physical and emotional benefits, including increased aerobic exercise, improved breathing, posture, mindset, confidence and self-esteem,” says Jeremy Hywel Williams, who leads the Llanelli Choral Society in Wales. “While singing alone is good, singing with others can be even better.” 

It explains why we Brits are flocking to choirs in our thousands. There are more than 3,000 groups listed on the British Choirs on the Net website, and the body that runs my choir, Rock Choir, has over 16,000 members in 250 communities nationwide. There are said to be more choirs across the country now than there are fish and chip shops. Gareth Malone, the preppy choirmaster credited with reigniting our interest in choral singing through his BBC Two series The Choir, helped a new generation of singers realise the benefits of making music; his Military Wives Choir had a Number One hit in December 2011. 

Tom George, a Rock Choir leader in Surrey, says singing takes his members’ minds off physical and mental illnesses. “We receive many emails from members telling us how Rock Choir has helped them,” he adds. “People recovering from depression, arthritis, surgery, dealing with the effects of cancer and many other ailments find it a real tonic and have even suggested it should be prescribed on the NHS.” 

Do choristers agree? David Webb, 30, part of the Amore quartet that serenaded the Queen during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, equates singing with a session at the gym. “Using your whole body as you sing is massively important,” he adds. Rachael Brimley, 25, from Bedfordshire, whose vocal group Les Sirènes was named the 2012 Choir of the Year, agrees: “The discipline of breathing often feels like a good workout, as you are using the core muscles and focusing your energy to achieve a great sound.” 

Alex Bucktin, 25, a graphic designer from Harpenden, joined a choir in March and says singing has helped her sleep more soundly. She adds: “I have done yoga and pilates, and singing uses so many muscles and so much concentration on your breathing that it exerts your body in the same way.” Suzie Jennings, 30, a London-based resource manager, says she has slept better since she started singing last year, and has noticed a positive mental effect. “A few months ago I was made redundant on the day of choir practice,” she explains. “I went along feeling pretty depressed, and while singing didn’t solve my employment issues, it made me feel a million times better.” 

Choral singing has been used as music therapy in hospitals, care homes and hospices for decades. “Singing enables people with dementia to access memories and joy in times when communication is faltering,” says Sarah Teagle, co-founder of the Forget-Me-Not chorus, a charity for dementia sufferers. 

Can as much be said for the downward dog? Those living in Los Angeles don’t have to choose between the two: vocal yoga is the latest trend in the US, combining the health benefits of both in a single class. Back in the UK, no such newfangled activity exists – but joining a good old-fashioned choir can provide benefits aplenty. The science doesn’t lie: singing really is better for your health than yoga. And, in the words of Ella Fitzgerald, “the only thing better than singing – is more singing”. 

And finally, two videos for you:  the first is a funny one - I think I sound like that when I sing Christmas carols too - and the second is a much more peaceful vision of togetherness.

Take What You Need

It has started. The incessant TV advertising - big companies trying to tell us (and sell us) what we "need" to have a good Christmas. I love that I have pause and fast forward buttons on my remote control so that I can skip these emotional manipulations. They are drip, drip, dripped into our psyche day after day, warning us that we don't have enough, - that we are not enough - unless we buy more stuff. If we buy more then we'll be happy and our Christmas will be fabulous.

What is the yogic take on this? Yoga teaches us to know the difference between what we want and what we need. It's one of the Yamas - guidelines for a life well-lived as set out in the 8 limbs of yoga by Patanjali (see my previous post here). There is nothing wrong with wanting and desiring nice things. Problems arise when we feel we need more things to make our life complete. In our yoga practice we notice how we are breathing and how we are placing our bodies. We notice our thoughts and our reactions to the poses and the sequences. When we cultivate that awareness off the mat too, we can make conscious choices and life becomes more intentional.

Leo Babauta from www.zenhabits.net reminds us in this article how practicising gratitude can help.

Gratitude to Cure the Impulse to Buy More Stuff

It’s funny that two days with such opposing spirits come back-to-back in our calendars here in the U.S. - Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

One is about being thankful for what you have, and the other is about getting more of what you don’t have. They aren’t aligned at all.

The good news is that we can use our thankfulness to overcome the urges to buy a lot of stuff — these urges being created in us by the corporations and purveyors of consumerism. We don’t have to listen to their messages of needing more things at discount (as if spending our money or getting into debt is “saving” money) or needing to buy things for our loved ones to show our love for them.

We can counter these messages with gratitude:

1. I’m grateful for what I already have, for the life I’m already living … and so I don’t need more. I can save much more by just not buying anything, and finding joy and contentedness in what I already have.

2. We can show our love for people not by buying them stuff, but by showing our gratitude for them being in our lives: sending them thoughtful letters or notes, giving hugs, spending time with them, playing games indoors and out with them.

We will get the impulse to buy more, but that doesn’t mean we need to follow the impulses. We can recognize the more rapid beating of our hearts when we begin to consider a shopping purchase, the excitement that comes from imagining a future with these purchases in our lives. Imagining a future happiness gets us excited!

Instead, we can calm these heart flutters by refocusing our attention on the present. Turn your attention to what’s in front of you, right now, and realize how amazing it is that you have all of this in your life. Turn your attention to the people in your life, near and far, and find gratitude for their presence in your heart. Turn to all the fortune you have, materially and monetarily and in spirit, and be grateful it’s there. Be grateful for the opportunity to live life, for the joy that you can find in every moment, for the good that’s inside of you right now.

These are what can bring us joy, not future purchases. This moment is all we need, and it is an opportunity for thunderous gratitude.

The following article reminds us how being aware can help us with our food choices during this time of excess and over-indulging: 

The Only 3 Words You Need To Survive The Holidays

by Brigitte Weil via Mindbodygreen.com   

I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. I love the lights, the smell of cinnamon and pine, connecting with family and old friends, slowing down, taking the needed and well-deserved time away from the daily routine. 

I hate the explosion of holiday goodies that suddenly appear everywhere: the cookie platter at my hair salon, the chocolate towers that arrive at the door, the eggnog that tastes too good, the parties with tiny innocent-looking but dangerous cocktail franks, too much creamy artichoke dip, and of course, the extra glasses of champagne. 

It all looks so pretty, until I get on the scales the next day. 

Just because I am a food coach and work all day with others seeking my guidance about WHAT and HOW to eat to stay on their food plan, I am not immune to these same holiday struggles. It’s hard work to navigate the festivities and maintain, or even lose, weight, especially when food is served to us in someone else’s home or at a dinner party and we feel a lack of control over portion size and food choices. 

It also often seems that throughout this season of indulgence, even the most well-meaning friends and family want to make it easy for us to indulge. That is the double whammy: truly tempting food AND the tempters whose familiar pleas include: 

“C’mon … just one bite won’t kill you!” 

“But I made this especially for you!” 

“You don’t look like you need to lose weight!” 

Tough situations call for tough discipline, which sometimes feels a bit wimpy, especially after a couple of sips of that festive punch. To guarantee we all don't lose sight of our goals and that we come through the season with peace and ease, I came across these three little words that work like holiday magic: 

“NO, THANK YOU.” 

Easy enough? 

You might have murmured those three simple words in the past, but if you weren't convincing enough to stop that huge slice of pumpkin cheesecake that was placed in front of you, it's because you missed the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of the three little words: your tone. 

The trick is all in the delivery: You will need to use these three words firmly and decisively. 

The key component is to add a big smile as you say, “No, thank you.” 

Practice saying it again and again, and you will get better at it. Don’t forget the smile. 

Each opportunity you have to say “NO THANK YOU,” increases your comfort level with expressing those three little words. 

As you perfect your new skill, you will become a master at gracefully refusing food and walking away without guilt, regret, hard feelings, awkwardness, or discomfort. You'll get through the holidays with ease and confidence so you can truly enjoy a wonderful, joyful, and peaceful season.

Blueberry and Banana Overnight Oats

This is an easy, healthy breakfast you can prepare the night before and leave in the fridge overnight. It's ready to eat in the morning so it's perfect if you're in a hurry.

You will need:

half a cup oats

half a cup milk or almond milk

half a mashed banana

2 tablespoons of blueberries (fresh or frozen)

optional extras to add in the morning: crushed pecan nuts, dessert spoonful of almond butter, dessert spoonful of greek yoghurt, teaspoon of maple syrup

Put the oats in a jar or bowl, pour over the milk, stir in the bananas and blueberries. Cover and put in the fridge overnight. In the morning add the extra ingredients if required. If you want to heat your breakfast up you can add some extra milk and whizz it in the microwave for a minute or so. You can't get easier than that!

Take What You Need

Coby Persin, known for his YouTube channel focused on human behavioural experiments, is getting a lot of attention for his most recent video.

For his latest experiment Coby walked around New York City with $1 notes taped to his jacket, and a sign that said 'Take what you need' to see how people would react.

Unfortunately, the response revealed that most people who took handfuls of the money were seemingly wealthy, while a homeless man refused to take more than $2 that he needed to buy his lunch.

Interesting stuff...

Finally, my Facebook friend Kelly who runs Project Me for Busy Mothers posted the following on her page this week:

"I thought I'd share a little ritual I do every time I withdraw cash from the bank machine. (I just did it now, and it made me think of it.)

As the machine is counting out the cash and my hand is there, waiting for it to emerge, I say 'thank you, thank you, thank you' and I feel a genuine rush of gratitude as the money hits my hands.

I feel incredibly grateful to be in a position where, if I need money, I can walk up to a hole in the wall and instantly have some. How many people in the world would fantasise about that??? We have to appreciate the money we have and not focus on what we lack / wish we had more of.

True gratitude for whatever money we DO have will bring us even more abundance."

I love this and will be doing this next time I'm at the ATM! The attitude of gratitude is very powerful and can change your mindset in an instant - try it.