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Greetings!
Spring is an ideal time for "Spring Cleaning" not
only our homes but also our internal body.
Previously, winter storages of food would be
dwindling this time of year and people would be
taking advantage of fresh greens and spring plants.
These would naturally begin cleansing our system
from the "heavy" winter foods of stored meat and
grains. Today, we don't take advantage of seasonal
changes. We rely on processed food, fast foods,
and "junk" foods.
We have several classes coming up to help
you "Spring Clean". You can sign up to learn more
about a nutritional cleanse to spring clean your body,
learn how to make household cleaning products that
are simple, natural and environmentally friendly or
join the fun and learn about chakra and energy
clearing. Be sure to register if you plan on
joining us for one of these classes.
One last thing....we have a new feature to our
newsletter. E-mail us a question you may have and
each month we will answer one question in our
newsletter.
In health and happiness,
Kelly, Donna, Jodi, Shelly and Linda
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SPRING CLEANING YOUR BODY AND HOME
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This article by Jodi Cabral.
Spring is
finally here bringing warmer days, more
sunlight hours, growth, rejuvenation and renewal. As
we transition into this new season, we often think
about what needs to be done to remove the stuffiness
of winter and move into this lighter refreshing season.
This spring we'd like you to think about cleaning from
the inside out. Start by cleansing your body and
renewing yourself. To continue this cleaning trend,
consider using less toxic cleaning products that won't
harm your body or the environment, and will reduce
your ecological footprint. By making a few simple
changes, you can feel fresh and new all throughout
the year, not just in the spring.
Cleansing your body internally can be accomplished
in many different ways. At Simple Balance we offer our
clients a simple, gentle and very effective cleansing
program. During the cleansing process, extra pounds
melt away as toxins stored in fat tissue are released.
Our bodies have a natural detoxifying ability, but the
large amount of toxic exposure we encounter everyday
makes it impossible for our bodies to keep up.
Therefore cleansing the body helps to restore a
necessary balance.
Other cleansing
programs
address one of the seven elimination channels (the
bowel, blood, skin, kidneys, lymphatic system, lungs
or liver), but the program we offer at Simple Balance
cleanses at the cellular level and thus cleanses the
entire body, not just one part.
If you want to
incorporate cleansing into your lifestyle, contact us
and we can answer your questions. Be sure to
check out the 2 FREE upcoming talks this month
on "Nutritionally Cleansing Your Internal Body".
For more information or to sign up click here for the April
10th class and click here
for the April 17th class.
Spring greens are another way to naturally cleanse.
They are full of young vibrant energy and as you
consume these foods see if you can notice an
increase in your energy. Incorporating a simple
delicious salad into your diet daily is a great way to
benefit your body. So why not get excited about the
spring and make a weekly habit out of trying to find a
new ingredient or recipe to try throughout the season.
If you need some ideas - we can help! Our next
monthly cooking class and demonstration is on May
2nd. As it gets a little closer you will see this
class listed on our weekly Schedule of Events, along
with a link to the menu and how to sign-up.
On your next trip to the grocery store, don't forget to
check out the wonderful array of spring vegetables.
Asparagus, baby beets, bok choy, dandelion greens,
dill, green beans, lettuces, peas, radishes, scallions,
spinach, Swiss chard, spring onions and sugar snap
peas are readily available in the spring. You may want
to start thinking about finding a local farmers market
or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm to
acquire the freshest and most nutritious seasonal
selections. Click here to go our resource page for links
to some Farmer's Markets and CSA's.
Changing your conventional cleaning products over to
more natural, organic methods is another way
to "cleanse" your lifestyle (literally). Common
household items like baking soda, lemons and
vinegar are all effective ways to clean your house. As
an alternative to homemade cleaners, there are many
organic, natural cleaning product brands like Seventh
Generation and Meyers. Consider using some of
these to help yourself and the environment.
On April
10th we will have a free workshop on how you can
make your cleaning choices healthier. Click
here for
more information or to sign-up.
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FOOD FOCUS: BOK CHOY
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by Kelly Bollman
Bok choy is a vegetable that is found in most
supermarkets, but is not a vegetable that most
American cooks use on a regular basis. Once you
become familiar with this delicately flavored and quick
cooking Asian green, you may find yourself
purchasing it on a regular basis.
Bok choy is a tall plant ranging from 12 to 18 inches
from the base of the plant to the leaf top. Baby bok
choy is more tender and as the name implies,
smaller, about 6 to 8 inches tall. The leaf stalks are
crisp, thick and white and the leaves are a very dark
green. Both the leaves and the stalks are edible. The
leaves are loaded with vitamins A and C and contain
sulforaphane, which can help stimulate enzymes that
protect against cancer.
Both bok choy and baby bok choy can be stir-fried,
sauteed, added to soups or one-pot dishes or very
finely cut for salads. The taste and texture of either
type of bok choy go well with tamari or shoyu
(naturally brewed soy sauce), toasted sesame
oil, olive oil, garlic and hot red peppers.
When selecting bok choy choose those that are intact
at the bottom, with white stalks and leaves that are
crisp looking and upright. Once you get home with
your bok choy, store it in the refrigerator in a plastic
bag that is large enough to hold the vegetable,
covering the leaves, but not tightly. Bok choy keeps
quite well, but for best results use within 4-5 days.
If you would like to learn more about healthy whole
foods, go to www.aboutsimplebalance.com to read
about our classes and programs.
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH: STIR-FRIED BOK CHOY
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Prep Time: 10minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 head bok choy
- 1 red pepper
- 2 teaspoons cold pressed organic canola oil or
organic coconut oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- pinch of sea salt
- 3 tbsp. water, vegetable or chicken broth
Directions:<br>
- Wash the bok choy and cut the leaves away from
the stalks. Thinly slice the stalks and set aside. Slice
or chop the leaves and set aside.
- Seed the red pepper. Cut into thin strips and set
aside.
- Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil and
swirl in wok to coat sides. Add the garlic and stir-fry
for 15 seconds; add the bok choy stalks, red pepper
and sea salt and stir fry over high heat for 1
minute.
- Add the greens and stir-fry to mix with the other
vegetables. Add 2-3 tablespoons water or broth to
create a little steam, cover, and cook for 2 minutes, or
until greens have wilted. Stalks should be crisp-
tender and greens still bright green. Serve
immediately.
Be sure to check our calendar for upcoming
cooking classes....
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH: WHAT IS A CHAKRA?
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Answered by Donna Messina
What Is a Chakra?
The word Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel,
or vortex, and refers to each of the seven main energy
centers located in the spinal area from the tail- bone
up to the crown of the head.
These chakras, or energy centers, regulate the flow of
energy through our energy system, much like the way
our heart pumps blood through our veins and
arteries. The functioning of the chakra and how well
the energy flows from one to the other is reflective of
our beliefs, early life experiences, environment,
feelings, both emotional and physical, as well as how
we choose to respond to these conditions in our
life.
When the chakras or energy systems are blocked, the
energy does not flow freely, causing us to feel out of
sync. By clearing the chakras and energy fields that
are blocked, you can give your entire energy system a
boost.
In short the seven chakras resonate respectively with
the principles of survival, creativity, power, love,
expression, transcendence and unity. To learn more
about chakras click here.
Click here (and scroll to the bottom of the page)
to read about or sign up for our upcoming Chakra
Class on April 8th.
If you have a question you would like one of our
practitoners to answer, please e-mail your question to
simplebalance@charter.net. We will select one
question each month to answer.
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MEET THE PRACTITONERS
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Click Here to learn more about
Kelly Bollman...
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Click here to go to the
calendar
on our website to check out upcoming talks, classes
and events....check back often as we are continually
adding new things!
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