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Leda is the founder of Simply Leda. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She received her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC and also holds a Certificate in Integrative Nutrition from Columbia University. She has studied all the different dietary theories from the top in their fields as well as both eastern and western nutritional philosophies. Leda also holds a BA in Journalism from NYU and a BA in French Studies from NYU, Paris.
Please see website for my services and more on my personal philosophy toward balanced healthy living.
www.simplyleda.com |
| Affirmation of the Month |
I am always thinking,
speaking,
acting,
in alignment with
my inner truth.
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| Soul Work
December Reading
by Anna Celestino |
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The first thing I see when I touch into December is an opening into a lot more light. There is an openness and a softness in stark contrast to the darkness and hunkering down we've been experiencing. In a word, there is hope. We can all breathe a sigh of relief, for this is the light at the end of the tunnel. We are moving toward a rebirth into a new life.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we must remember that we are in the midst of a very long cycle. Changes are not immediate. They are transitions. We are beginning a transition from darkness into light, from unconscious to more
conscious. Collectively, there is a stirring. We are coming out of a long
hibernation and we are waking up.
The theme I'm discerning for 2010 is Sustainability. Recycling is nice, but what sustains you as a person? This month is an excellent time to review 2009. Ask
yourself what sustained you? Possibly of more help, what didn't sustain you? What drained you? What made you feel like, "If this is all there is, what's the point?" Expressing your frustration with your life, the world, our social, economic and political constructs allows you to identify what's not working so
you can begin to explore what does work. Don't be afraid to enter the shadow.
As a tip, I always declare, "Ritual space" when I enter my shadow thoughts, so Life knows I'm just exploring and not manifesting. That way, I feel free to
give voice to all of the dark, troubling thoughts otherwise suppressed. Bringing them to the light, allows me to see what's been driving me from behind.
This month has the potential for productivity. Projects that have been on hold are beginning to open up. Go slowly. We've practically atrophied from the delays we've been experiencing so take it slow. Enjoy the holidays. Rest. Savor the potential of the projects. Roll them around in your mind. There will be time
and energy enough down the road to bring them to fruition. For now, enjoy the
fact that the brakes are coming off and things are starting to move. This brings us back to sustainability. What we create now must serve our personal
and collective wellbeing. Anything else will run out of steam before it begins.
Lastly, focus on fun. Fun frees up the heart and mind and nourishes the soul. If you've been feeling a lot of pressure and responsibility, fun may be the last thing on your mind. Time to re-prioritize. Fun first - duty second. (This came through
loud and clear, so I trust it's important.) Play, laugh, kiss, hug. The rest will work itself out. Create Your Sustainable
Life. |
| Where to find me |
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You can now
find me on Facebook and Linked-In!!
I am starting a group entitled Simply Leda.
Come join and let's create an open forum for discussion on how to keep ourselves in balance beginning with good nutrition.
See you there...!!
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| Simply Leda Blog
WRITE IN!! |
I would love to hear from you!
Comments, questions and thoughts are all welcome.
All the articles are posted.
Click above on the link in the heading to go straight to the Simply Leda blog and be heard.
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Creativity is...seeing something that doesn't exist already. You need to find out how you can bring it into being and that way be a playmate with God.
- Michele Shea
Dear Friends,
Well, we made it!! 2009 is finally done with all its ups and downs. I know this has been a difficult year for many but the energy of standing still is over and 2010 promises to be a more productive and positive year with things finally beginning to move. Read on with Anna to tune in to this month's energy.
December is almost always a month wherein most of us commune more with others. The holiday season and its festivities have a way of putting us in good spirits and through these good feelings we open up and exhibit more tolerance, patience and overall good will, towards ourselves and others. Our mind, body, spirit is in alignment which is why we feel so good. Read on in "Be, Do, Have" how we can be aligned more regularly so that we can create and experience these wonderful feelings year round.
This month I have the pleasure of adding a new feature on bodywork. Close friend and Chiropractor; Dr. Chris Berge Hutchinson, talks to us about the connection between bodywork and our essential nature. She is the founder of LifeQuest Natural Health Care, a multi-disciplinary alternative healing center located in Oyster Bay, LI. She specializes in Network Spinal Analysis and Sacro-occipital Technique for adults and children. Log on to the website and read her testimonial; www.simplyleda.com/testimonials.php
Our food focus this month is a favorite holiday staple; sweet potatoes. Information and new recipes help make it easy for us to enjoy this great root vegetable all year long. And, what would the holidays be if I did not include a cookie recipe for the kids to explore their decorating talents? You guessed it - it's my old time favorite Thin & Crisp Wheat cookies. For those of you who know and have made this...it's a must!
Don't forget, you can now find me on Facebook and Linked-In!! I have started a group entitled Simply Leda, come join and let's create an open forum for discussion on how to keep ourselves in balance beginning with good nutrition.
And finally, all of the articles and recipes will be posted on the Simply Leda blog (log on thru website) for comments and discussion. Jot me a note and tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Here's to a year well done!
Leda
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| Eat Less, Play More |
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Let's live more in pleasure and bring pleasure to others. Pleasure can escort us safely through very difficult times and give our spirits a place to replenish.
-SARK
Remember when you were a child, and you got so wrapped up in playing, imagining or creating that you didn't want to stop when it was time to eat? Do you remember leaving your meal half-finished to run off and continue playing? Children innately understand that food is secondary to what is most nutritious and primary in life: fun and play.
As adults we seem to have lost our instinct to prioritize play. In our busy world, with its emphasis on work and responsibility, to be healthy and balanced we must work on more than just our bodies; we must feed our hearts, minds and spirits.
Have you noticed that when your body, mind and spirit are engaged in a creative project or happy relationship, your reliance on food seems to decrease? Likewise, when you are unsatisfied with your relationships, your job or other areas of your life, you may depend on food to cheer, soothe or numb you. When your life is out of balance, no amount of food can feed you where you truly need nourishment. The food that we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us--a full and fulfilling life--doesn't come on a plate.
What is fun for you? What makes you light up? What excites you? Make time for it this week...even if you don't have much time for fun, try approaching a "serious" activity with an attitude of play. This can greatly reduce stress and anxiety and bring more pleasure to your day. Take your focus off food, try adding more fun into your life and watch the magic unfold. |
| Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes |
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Sweet potatoes are on everyone's mind this season. They seem to go hand-in-hand with the holidays, and fortunately, eating these and other sweet vegetables needn't be limited to this time of year. Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables; such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas, to your daily diet. Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently, rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there's no energy crash after you eat them and they are stars in nutritional value as well. They are an especially exceptional source of Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, very high in Vitamin C and manganese and when eaten with the skin they deliver more fiber than oatmeal. They are also a good source of potassium, copper, Vitamin B6 and iron.
The sweet potato has yellow or orange flesh, and its thin skin may either be white, yellow, orange, red or purple. The intensity of it's yellow or orange color is directly correlated to its beta-carotene content. Sometimes it is shaped like a potato, being short and thick with rounded ends, while other times it will be longer with tapered ends. Many times the sweet potato is confused with the yam. Yams are orange colored and they are in fact sweet potatoes. Yams are most usually eaten during the holidays although available year round. They offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing, as are all sweet root vegetables.
Due to it's many nutritional properties sweet potatoes are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and pre-menstrual symptoms.
When buying, select firm potatoes without any bruises, cracks or soft spots and at home store them loose in a cool, dark place; they will last up to a week.
*References: IIN, WH Foods, Food Reference |
| Be, Do, Have
by Leda Anagnostopoulos |
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To be, or not to be: that is the question.
- William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Act 3 Scene 1)
We hear much these days about aligning the three aspects of ourselves; the mind, body, spirit. But what does that really mean? Is it just a coined phrase of some state of being that is unattainable? Is it some New Age mumbo jumbo giving us yet another "thing" to do, in addition to everything else we "should" be doing?
Actually, it is none of those things. In fact, it is our natural state of being; inherent to us as the air we breathe. We have merely forgotten what it is to be in alignment because we are constantly trying "to do" things as opposed to just being. We are very much a "to do" kind of society. We make lists and lists of all the things we "have to do" from chores, to behaviors, to physical fitness etc. These lists take on a life of their own distracting us and leaving little room for anything else. That "anything else" is the simple state of being. As a society we have reversed the Be Do Have paradigm. We feel that we need to "have" something (more time, money etc) in order to "do" something (that which we really want - a vacation, home, relationship etc) in order to "be" something (happy, peaceful, in love etc).
The truth is that all we simply need to do is to "be" the thing we most want to "have" (the peacefulness, the love, the happiness), then "do" things from this state of being and the rest will follow; that is, we will soon see that this will bring us everything we wanted to "have", hence Be, Do, Have.
This paradigm is a creative process which follows Natural law nothing more. Ask yourself what it is you want to "have", then just go straight to "being" those things. If you want to "have" happiness, then start "being" happy right where you are. But, you will ask "how can I be happy (or anything else) if I do not have what I need in order to be happy? The answer? Act as if you are happy and you will draw it to you. This doesn't mean to be fake, it means to simply act as if you already have those things you want from a place of truth and sincerity.
Now let's take this one step further, for this process of creation to work your mind, body and spirit have to be united in thought, word, and deed/action.
Remember the universe is like a giant xerox machine. Think, state and act upon what it is you want to have and it will be made manifest. The key is to think about what you want, then state it as if it has already happened. The most powerful words in the universe are "I am". Therefore, state "I am happy or I am having a new relationship (or whatever else it is you want) and then act on that from a place of truth and sincerity. For example, you want happiness? go out and make others happy. You want a relationship? Be the cause for someone else to have one. You want a house? Help someone else find a house.
By being that which you want to have, and by uniting the three aspects of yourself and acting upon it you become a very powerful creative force indeed.
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| Body Work as Essential Nourishment
by Dr. Chris Berge Hutchinson |
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 I love the statement:
"Simply Leda is a philosophy of nourishment that embodies your whole self thus enabling you to find balance and come home to your essence."
It's the concept of our essence that never ceases to inspire me. As a chiropractor I am familiar with the philosophies of many of the natural healing arts collectively known as bodywork; whether it is acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, reflexology, etc. In addition to alleviating symptoms or conditions, they seek to restore the expression of our life-force, innate intelligence, inner wisdom or chi. They all share a common thread - they essentially seek to connect us to our essence.
In the course of our busy lives we face decisions, choices, and struggles on a daily basis. Imagine if your inner wisdom was more available to you to inform and generate these decisions and behaviors. When the channels are open and our essence has a direct pathway to express itself out into the world, the results are a healthier and more harmonious life. And the real beauty is the reliability of the information or inspiration that comes through. You can trust that it will never lead you in a less healthy or less harmonious direction! I tell my patients all the time that when their inner wisdom is free to express itself, neither they nor I need to tell it what to do. It knows the way.
Physically and energetically, through the activities and stresses of daily life, stagnation and congestion accumulate over time and restrict the flow of our inner wisdom. The soreness we feel is just one way our bodies will ask for some assistance in clearing it. Even our instincts tell us to rub the area that hurts so that we may experience a release. Just as when we are nourishing ourselves with food in a balanced and healthy way; when we take advantage of these wonderful healing arts by having acupuncture, a massage or an adjustment, we go one very real step further on the path home to our essence. | |
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| Recipe of the Month |
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This is a rather unusual recipe for sweet potatoes. I came across it in the Nov 2002 issue of Bon Appetit, but, of course, I have revised it quite a bit and turned it into a casserole. I will be posting it on the blog, so please write in and let me what you think! Enjoy!!
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries, Pears and Pecans
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes (yams)
1 cup dried cranberries
Port (or water)
5 tbs butter
3 large firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 1/4 cup spiced pecans, chopped
4 tspns peeled minced ginger
1/2 tspn cinnamon
5 tspns packed dark brown sugar
2 tspns plus 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 tspn salt
Directions:
Wash potatoes and pierce in several places with a fork. Place on foil lined baking sheet and bake
55 min in a 350 degree oven until tender. Remove and cool slightly.
Meanwhile, place cranberries in a small bowl and pour enough port over to cover (you can use water if you prefer). Heat slightly and let stand 10 min. Melt 2 tbs butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, add brown sugar and pears and saute until golden and tender (about 4 min or so). Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cranberries and pecans and saute one more minute. Mix in 2 tspns vinegar and 1/2 tspn salt.
Peel the potatoes and place flesh in a bowl, discard skins. Mash together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Melt remaining 3 tbs butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in remaining 2 tbs vinegar and pour over sweet potatoes. Mash to combine well.
Spread sweet potato in one layer in a casserole dish and top with cranberry mixture.
Serve warm.
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| Kids Recipe of the Month |
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This is a great cookie recipe that I have made time and time again. The original recipe is from the King Arthur Whole Grains Baking book, but I have adapted it a bit. The cookies are 100% whole wheat, roll out beautifully and bake up sweet and crisp. They are sturdy enough for easy decorating with no crumbling. The kids will love it!
 Thin & Wheat Crisp Cookies Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 6 1/2 dozen - 2 1/2 cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (preferable organic)
3/4 cup + 2 tbs raw sugar
3/4 tspn salt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups traditional whole wheat flour
1/2 tspn baking powder
2 tspn vanilla extract
Directions:
Beat the butter, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, then add the orange juice, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease or line with parchment paper two baking sheets. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out into 14" diameter and cut with favorite holiday cookie cutters. Gather and roll scraps together using all the dough. Place cookies on sheet. Can be fairly close together since they do not spread much. Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through, till their brown around the edges 14-15 minutes. Remove and cool. Decorate as desired. |
Simply Leda is a philosophy of nourishment that embodies your whole self thus enabling you to find balance and come home to your essence. For more information of my services, please log on to www.simplyleda.com.
Eat well and be happy and healthy.
Leda Anagnostopoulos
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