Dear Yoga Student,

Biodiversity is essential for the planet, for ecosystems…

… and for MOST people, a bio-diverse diet is also a
great approach to eating because it gives your body
more opportunities (and more natural opportunities)
to find what it needs.

The macro nutrients – fat, protein, carbs – those are
relatively easy to find. The micro nutrients, particularly
minerals, are in short supply.

Why? It’s pretty simple. Our water is not mineral water.
Our food comes from overused, malnourished soils.

So what’s a mineral-loving yoga guy to do?

There are lots of great ideas, but one of the simplest is
to go ugly when you shop. Head to the produce section
and pick out the bumpy, ugly, army green stuff…

… the dinosaur kale, the bitter cabbages, the pungent
herbs. Get that stuff and figure out how to eat it or juice
it.

Why the ugly stuff?

Modern agriculture has done a stellar job of creating
beautiful looking foods, but the prettiest of foods are
often the most mineral deficient; while the ugly, often-
ignored, ancient looking plants can pack 2-10x the
micro-nutrient punch.

Personally, I mega-dose the ugly bumpies by
juicing them or steaming them. I’ll send you some
recipes shortly, and if you’ve got a recipe, please post
it down below.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Vegan Protein for Yoga Students

p.s. Let me know your ugly, bump yoga food recipes
(if you’ve got some) below:

Dear Yoga Student,

It’s always a challenge to find useful, reliable websites
for health and wellness info online, and I’m particularly
impressed by “Ask the Dietitian” (see video above).

If you have some thoughts or reference sites you use
for info, please share them with the YOGABODY gang
below.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Yoga Protein for Strength & Power

Dear Yoga Student,

As you know, yoga students need lots of water
to rehydrate, to cleanse, and to keep their body
loose and lubricated.

But here’s the question: “What type of water
should I drink?”

I’ve got a really simple answer for you…

But first, let’s take a look at how crazy the water
business has become.

Take Figi or Evian waters, for example.

They are really good, yes, but in order to get that
water halfway around the world to you (assuming
you don’t live in Figi or The Alps), you have to dirty
up the environment by transporting the stuff…

… so to get your clean water now, you’re making
more water dirty during the transportation… this can’t
work long term (this system is only slightly less absurd
than polluted cities building giant fans to “blow” the
smog somewhere else).

From my research, here’s what I think the most
responsible and healthy choice for obtaining clean,
local water:

(1) If you live in a city with safe drinking water
(meaning no bacteria or parasites), filter it with
a carbon filter (Britta style) or a reverse osmosis
filtration system (more expensive, but better).

If you’re water is not potable or if you know that
it’s super high in fluoride or lead, then buy locally
filtered water in big jugs with high quality plastic
(better than cheap disposable bottles).

(2) When you do need to buy water (we all do),
buy local/regional brands, but keep in mind
that your home-filtered tap water is probably
more pure—so try to use that as your primary
source.

(3) Lastly, never drink straight tap water if you can
avoid it, even if you’ve got a private well or live in
a city that brags about its water (like NYC). Bad pipes,
ground water run-off… all sorts of things can get
into your water, and a simple carbon filter is cheap
and easy.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC

http://www.YogaBodyNaturals.com

p.s. There are all kinds of crazy complicated filters
on the market, but maintenance on most is really
complicated making them poor long-term solutions.

Really, you’ve got two options: Low end is the Britta-
style carbon filters what do a pretty darn good job.

And on the high end, you’ve got reverse osmosis
units. Everything in the middle is not worth it (in
my experience).

Got thoughts on this? Share them below:

Dear Yoga Student,

Lots of yoga students ask me, “What’s the best juicer or best blender to buy?”

It’s a great question, and I’ll give you my 2 cents as a chef and former restaurant manager and owner.

*Kitchen Tools 101*

1 – The good stuff costs a lot of money, but it will last for 5-15 years.

2 – The cheap stuff will work OK, but will break if you use it hard (like I do).

3 – Complicated kitchen tools with lots of parts are a nightmare and long cleanup time is a drag.

OK, so what’s the best juicer?

Well, if you’re serious about juicing, you’ll want to juice lots of veggies, maybe wheatgrass, and for sure things like ginger and fresh herbs.

So you need a masticating juicer. These juicers have an auger that moves slowly and “chews” produce into juice.

Forget the spinning ones. They’re no good. I know there are newer versions that can do
wheatgrass, but they can’t do nuts or sorbets.
Forget it.

Because of my restaurant work, I’ve had over a
dozen juicers including industrial monsters that
look and sound like a space pod. Those things have
their place, but for average-to-heavy home use, you
want to get an Oscar or a Omega single auger juicer.

GET OMEGA JUICER HERE

They are reasonably priced, small, and best of all –
easy to clean!

(NOTE: the Samson is very similar, but it’s much
harder to clean. Oscar and Omega are the same,
just different brand in different countries.)

For blenders, I still use crappy blenders to this day
when I’m traveling because the good ones are so
heavy and pricey, but if you’ve got a good kitchen
setup, you want a Vitamix.

I’ve used them all (yes, the “will it blend” blender too)
and this is the most versatile. The only thing better is a
a commercial Warring Blender but that sucker costs
a small fortune and is way too much power for home
use.

GET A VITAMIX Here

DISCOUNT CODE: If you use promo code: 06-004355 they
will ship it for free (and shipping is pricy, the thing
is heavy).

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Yoga Swings for Back Pain

p.s. If you’re tight on cash and just want ONE tool,
get the blender. You’ll use it at least 2-3x more than
the juicer… but spinach juice is really nice:)

Write questions and comments below please!

Dear Yoga Student,

I watch a lot of weird films and read lots of
weird books.

Most of it, I just nerd-out with myself, but
occasionally I find something that really
strikes a chord.

“The Bitter Truth About Sugar” is one of those
films. [watch it above]

Here’s the shortlist of what I learned from Dr. Lustig:

*Fructose is ONLY metabolized in the liver making
it a weird/funky sugar that (when concentrated)
can be a real problem.

*Fast food can also be thought of as fiber-less food

*Corn syrup and fructose sweeteners may very
well be regulated in the future.

*Fructose sweeteners affect the body in the
exact same way as alcohol – just without the
noticeable intoxication.

WORD OF WARNING: you might have to watch
this a couple times. He uses simple language but
somehow it takes a couple times (at least for me)
to get it.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Yoga Swings

p.s. The conclusion that most people jump to when they
hear fructose = poison is that fruit = poison. That’s not the case. You’ll see what I mean.

Dear Yoga Student,

As a former bean junkie, turned coffee-hater,
people are always giving me grief…

I can relate. I’ve been there. For many years,
I truly believed coffee was the gift of Gods.

Starbucks, my heaven in the sky. But then, by
chance, I was cut off from the bean for 10 days
straight (I was in silent meditation, actually). So
accidentally, I quit.

Simultaneously, I woke up.

No kidding, coffee makes you stupid tired. In a
pinch, it can wake you up for 90 minutes or so,
but other than that, it’s a liquid energy suck.

So I gave it up for good, and noticed all kinds of
other changes too… namely increases in my flexibility
and attention span.

If you secretly know that your morning brew is
keeping you down, learn more about quitting here:
YOGA & COFFEE

If you’re not ready yet to part with your coffee,
I understand. We’ve all got our vices, and there
certainly are worse ones.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC

p.s. If you really want to hear me rant about coffee,
visit my new “quit coffee” page here:
YOGA and Coffee

p.p.s. Got questions or comments? Please post them
below.

Dear Yoga Student,

I make most of my own food, so it’s really
important to me that my food is (a) good
and (b) easy.

On holidays and things, I don’t mind spending
a couple hours in the kitchen, but mostly, I
just want to grab something that’s fast, healthy
and delicious.

On a plant-based diet, nuts and seeds are an
amazing source for protein, healthy fats, and
minerals – and with some simple preparation,
you can make some really decadent foods.

Here is one of my favorites, cashew nut cheese
(I may have sent you this recipe before, but I
got so many emails wanting to “see” it that I
figured a video was best).

*RECIPE*
1 part water
2 parts cashews
miso paste to taste (chickpea miso is a good choice)

*IMPORTANT TIPS*

1 – If your blender is weak, you may need to blend
for 3-5 minutes, carefully using a spatula to mix

2 – You will be tempted to add MORE cashews because
it will look TOO thin – don’t do it! As they blend, it’ll get
thicker and thicker.

3 – Make sure you add all the ingredients together before
you start. Adding things slowly will not work.

Enjoy!

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Bikram Yoga Flexibility?

p.s. Got questions? Post them below….

Dear Yoga Student,

Ever heard of a miner’s canary?

Before we had all these tech gadgets to measure
toxins, coal miner’s took a bird in a cage with
them to work.

If the canary stopped singing (meaning it died),
the miners knew they’d be next if they didn’t get
out fast… usually it meant that there was too much
carbon monoxide or methane gas.

Canaries are no longer used in mines, but they are
kept as pets, and if you keep yours in the kitchen
while cooking with a nonstick pan, it might die.

Really? Yes, really. If you don’t believe me, read
Teflon’s official statement here:
NONSTICK KILLS BIRDS

So what gives?

Nonstick pans are made with perfluorinated chemicals
(PFOAs). When heated to 680 degrees F, toxic gases
begin releasing, and at 1000 degrees F (not as common,
but can happen), the nonstick turns into PFIB which
is a warfare chemical.

Aside from nonstick pans, what else has PFOA’s?
*microwave popcorn bags
*stain repellant sprays
*waterproof prays
*fire retardant sprays
*greasy food packaging

It’s not totally clear how PFOA’s affect humans, but a
10-year study of 3966 people suggests that people with
high levels of PFOA’s in their systems are 2x more prone
to thyroid disease.

And in all likelihood, many more disease connections will
be made in the future.

Long story short, if you’re in a mine and the bird
stops singing–run! If you’ve got nonstick cookware
(and I know you do), get rid of it. Don’t give it away,
throw it away.

Buy stainless steel or cast iron. I know, I know…
you’ll miss being able to fry an egg without
adding any grease. But what’s worse? A little
oil or a warfare chemical?

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC
Yoga Exercises & Yoga Poses

p.s. I travel a lot (and move a lot) so I know how
difficult it is to buy cookware that is NOT nonstick.
The high end stuff, the cheap stuff, it’s all made
nonstick right now so you really do have to hunt.

But you CAN find it.

Just a word of caution though… don’t get aluminum.
It’s cheap and light, but it’s not appropriate or safe
for cooking either.

Got a question? Post it below…

Dear Yoga Student,

Fiber is the secret to eating more, weighing less,
and feeling better.

“But what is fiber, anyway – is it just bran?”

There are 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
Both are undigested meaning they are NOT absorbed
or metabolized (as opposed to something like sugar
that IS metabolized or stored).

Instead, fiber moves through your body’s gastro-intestinal
tract like that weird-o at a party who bumps into things
on his way out the door, dragging his friends with him
as he goes.

With food, fiber does the bumping and dragging – and
it’s generally VERY heathly.

Soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid. You’ll
find it in foods like:

- Oat bran
- Dried beans and peas
- Nuts
- Barley
- Chia & flax seeds
- Fruits such as oranges and apples
- Vegetables such as carrots
- Psyllium husk

Insoluble fiber does NOT gel and instead passes through
your intestines intact. Here’s where you find it:

- Vegetables (like green beans and dark green leafy vegetables)
- Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
- Whole-wheat products
- Corn bran
- Seeds & Nuts

As a yoga student, here are the important things to
remember.

SOLUBLE FIBER slows down digestion and regulates hunger
(this is good). It also helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol
levels. A diet high in soluble fiber can help reduce your risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and may help you lose weight.

INSOLUBLE FIBER (imagine eating tree bark) is the type that
helps prevent constipation, colon problems and other
digestive diseases.

Cavemen ate 100-150 grams of fiber each day. Modern
man eats just 15 grams. You should aim for 30-50 grams
daily, ideally with a sizeable dose for breakfast.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC

p.s. If you’re eating whole, unprocessed foods all the time,
fiber is easy. When you can’t get fresh veggies or if you’re in
a rush in the morning (yes, I am suggesting you eat veggies
for breakfast), I always just drink a glass of chia lemonade.

It’s super easy to make and it sorts out your bowels too.
We have organic chia now here: YOGABODY Store

Dear Yoga Student,

I’m going to tell you one of the simplest, most powerful tricks
for improving your flexibility right now.

Drink more water.

Sounds too easy? Well, here’s the situation. Most people
are dehydrated. They drink coffee and tea and soda all
day long, and they pee out all their vital fluids.

I’m not exaggerating, and I’m not making this up.

Literally 70-80% of people are dehydrated and constipated,
and the combination means your connective tissues are
going to feel stiff and stuck all the time.

The good news is you can fix it, fast!

Step 1: Try to drink a maximum of one caffeinated beverage
per day.

Step 2: Drink 3-4 liters of water per day for 1 week to
reprogram your system (I know that’s a lot, but do it).

Step 3: Add a little bit of apple cider vinegar (the raw
kind) to your water to improve your absorption.

Step 4: Eat water-based foods as much as possible (there’s an
entire section in the YOGABODY Handbook devoted to this).

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC

http://www.YogaBodyNaturals.com

p.s. Did you know I have a bunch of free yoga wallpapers?

“Thank you. I love this scientific and logical approach.”
- Debapriya (yoga student)

Dear Yoga Student,

If you’ve heard about the heart-healing and brain-power benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids but just haven’t gotten around to doing anything about it…

…then I’d like to introduce you to my new 100% organic, energy-packed YOGA Seeds!

I’ve been a closet fanatic about chia seeds for years, but it was nearly impossible to find a consistent, USDA organic supply, so I couldn’t really get too excited—until now! I got ‘em!

IMPORTANT NOTES:
1 – Squeeze 1/2 a lemon into this mixture and it’ll taste awesome (no lemon, no taste).

2 – This stuff LOOKs weird, I know, but it’s tasteless and amazing for you (omega-3, protein, trace minerals, and enzymes).

3 – You can use juice instead of water for natural, tapioca-style pudding.

You can buy organic chia seeds here.

LISTEN NOW!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Dear Yoga Student,

I recently did a very interesting teleconference with Rachel
Tsai who is a yoga & Ayurveda teacher and Ayurvedic clinical
& nutrition consultant.

Here’s what we talked about:

1 – How different bodies react differently to foods,
yoga, seasons, and lifestyle choices.

2 – How to find a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner to help
you learn about your unique constitution.

3 – The differences and similarities between Western
medicine and Eastern sciences.

I learned a bunch of new things on this call, so I encourage
you to listen in by clicking “play” above.

Stay bendy,

Lucas
YOGABODY Naturals LLC

p.s. Above are the 2 cookbooks that Rachel recommends.

p.p.s. You can learn more about Rachel at: www.Matipatha.com