On Poetry, Chocolate and Buddy the Elf

52@50 no 19: Reading Poetry

Reading poetry reminds me of school. Until quite recently that's the only time I've ever really sat down and read a poetry book. Then I discovered the work of poet and yogi Danna Faulds and started reading her lovely poems aloud during my Restorative Yoga Classes. They are lyrical, evocative and relaxing and, I think (I hope!), enhance the restful ambience of those classes.  

So I thought I would educate myself and become a little more well-read whilst searching for some new poems to include in future classes. Off to the library and down the rabbit hole I go, and discover a whole new world. So many poems that I never knew existed. I find I get the most from the poems from reading them aloud - I get into the rhythm of them better. I've learned that the rhythm of a poem is called a meter, and that there are different types of meters - iambs, trochees, spondees, anapests and dactyls. Yes, really - who knew?

I'm going to carry on with this particular 52@50 - I'm really enjoying it - and I hope to share some of these lovely poems with you either here on the blog or if you come to one of my Restorative Classes in 2017.  

Here are a couple that I find particularly relevant to life as a yogi... you probably know the first one - I remember it from school...

Leisure by W H Davies (1871-1940)

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs,

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Yoga's Reach by Danna Faulds

It is a wonder 

how a simple stretch 

deepens breath,

and an elegantly held pose 

grows to touch 

the whole of me.

Like sugar stirred into tea, 

the potency of yoga spreads 

from body into mind and heart,

revealing an ocean of energy 

that heals and opens, 

holds me close

and sets me free

all in the same moment. 

Bedtime reading...

Know Your Chocolate

I have some very important information for you this week. It's about chocolate. I'm taking a guess that you'll be eating some chocolate over the festive season.  I love the stuff but I also know that all chocolate is not created equal and, as someone who likes to choose the healthy eating option where possible, I'm interested in finding out what's good and what's not.

First things first, where does chocolate actually come from? It's made from the seeds (beans) of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), an evergreen tree about the size of an apple tree which grows in the tropical regions of Central and South America.  The tree produces pods along it's trunk and inside each pod there are rows of beans. The beans and pulp are carefully removed, partially fermented and finally dried. The beans are then ready to be bagged up and sold on to factories to be made into chocolate.

Cocoa pods 

The beans inside the pods

In the factory the beans are roasted, winnowed (the shell separated from the inner bean), and made into a paste. This is then mixed with cocoa butter, sugar and flavourings to make chocolate.

Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from pressed, unroasted beans. It is very oily and, because of its long shelf life and velvety texture, it makes an excellent moisturiser and is used in the production of toiletries as well as in the making of chocolate.  

So what's the difference between cocoa and cacao?  Although the spelling is almost the same there is apparently a big difference between them, especially in health terms.  Raw cacao is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans, which preserves their natural enzymes and nutrients and cocoa is the result of roasting the beans at high temperatures which destroys some of the nutrients. So therefore any product called or containing cacao has not been roasted and has higher levels of anti-oxidants and nutrients.

And why is dark chocolate better for you than milk chocolate? Dark chocolate is made with cocoa whereas milk chocolate has been diluted with milk solids, sugar and cream. The higher the percentage of cocoa the healthier it is. However, the more cocoa it has in it, the more bitter it tastes, which is challenging for those with a sweet tooth.  I have trained myself to like dark chocolate - I find 75% is about my limit - and I find that I don't eat as much of it as I would if I bought milk chocolate, so it's better for me all round. 


This Week's Recipe... Frozen Yogurt-coated Blueberries and Chocolate-coated Strawberries

Want to enjoy a sweet treat without diving into a tin of Roses (and not being able to stop)? Try these simple recipes. They're good to serve at a dinner party too - and your friends will thank you for offering them a healthier alternative.

For the Blueberries...

You will need:
1 punnet of fresh blueberries
1 tub of Greek yogurt
and a toothpick...

• Wash the blueberries and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper/baking parchment.
• Using a toothpick, pick up a blueberry and dip it in the yogurt until completely covered.
• Tap off any excess and place carefully on the baking sheet.
• Put in the freezer for at least an hour.
• Enjoy straight from the freezer.

For the Strawberries...

You will need:
I bar of dark chocolate
1 punnet of strawberries

• Wash the strawberries and pat dry with kitchen paper (leave the hull on).
• Leave to dry a bit longer on a clean tea towel (this is important - if they are damp the chocolate won't stick)
• Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper/baking parchment.
• Break up the chocolate into a glass bowl and place over a small saucepan with just an inch or so of boiling water in it. Turn down the heat to simmer whilst the chocolate melts because you need to be careful that no water droplets end up in the chocolate or it will not be smooth and glossy and you will need to start again.
• Once the chocolate is melted, carefully dip the strawberries into it until completely coated. 
• Place carefully on the baking sheet and place in the fridge (not the freezer this time).
• Serve straight from the fridge.

Afternoon snack... yummy!

Optimistic women 'cut risk of deadly diseases' - an article from BBC News Health

Women who look on the bright side of life cut their risk of many deadly diseases, according to researchers.

In a study of more than 70,000 women, optimists were less likely to get fatal cancer, heart disease, lung conditions and stroke in their retirement years. Although some of the association is explained by healthier life choices and behaviours, experts believe a positive mental attitude is powerful in itself.

And even if you lack a natural sunny disposition, optimism can be learned. Encouraging people to imagine a bright future could be a good medicine to boost public health, say the authors of the study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The researchers looked at health data collected from a large US study of working and retired female nurses. The participants had been asked to rate how optimistic they perceived themselves to be on a scale of zero to 24. The healthy women, who ranged in age from 58 to 83, were monitored over the next eight years and any disease-related deaths were recorded. There were 4,566 deaths overall.

Higher optimism was linked with lower death risk, even after controlling for other factors such as whether the woman was married, came from a richer or poorer family background, or had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or depression.

A significantly lowered risk was seen for deaths from a number of causes, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory disease and infection over the course of the study period.

The researchers believe optimism may have a biological effect on the body as well as a psychological one, although they didn't look at this. Other studies have linked a positive outlook to lower inflammation, for example, and better heart health.

Investigator Dr Eric Kim, from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said there were several strategies people might want to try for an optimism boost:

• Think about what your "best possible self" should look like for key areas of your life such as family, marriage and career. For example, imagine how you would feel in a future work situation if you worked hard and successfully achieved a personal goal.
• Write down three things each day that you are grateful for. Try it for a week and see how you feel.
• Keep a log for a fortnight of any kind things you do for other people.
• Or you could try a course of mindfulness or some sessions of talking therapy.

He said: "Twin studies suggest up to 25% of optimism might be genetic or inherited which would mean up to 75% could be modifiable."

This Week's Video... talking of optimism, watch this short montage of clips from my absolute favourite Christmas film Elf.  I love the enthusiasm and sheer joy of the main character Buddy.  If you're feeling a bit down or overwhelmed by Christmas preparations go and find/rent this movie - it really does make you feel good :-)

And finally, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. I'm looking forward to an exciting 2017 as I get closer to my big birthday. I'm also excited about Thrive Yoga next year. I have lots of things planned to bring you more revitalising yoga and inspiration to live your life in a healthy and fulfilling way. I'll be sharing these plans with you here on the Blog next week. As always, thanks for reading, Namaste and Seasons Greetings.