Using Lifestyle Engineering to Buy Healthier Food

Most people think that building better choices, creating healthy habits or changing your actions is all about willpower or motivation. But from all my years of helping folks organize their spaces and their bodies, AND all my years of studying yoga, human mind and anatomy, I believe that the number one driver of behavior change (or at least the easiest to access) is our physical world.

Our environment has an incredible ability to shape our actions and choices. Nowhere is this more true than with food. What we eat on a daily basis is often a result of what we see.  If you are anything like me, you will buy or eat whatever is closer to you, whether it’s wholesome food or not.  So to eat healthy food a good reverse-engineering is to surround yourself or hang out with healthy food.

When I go to my local grocery store (which I must say it’s a gigantic emporium of Portuguese & South American food), I walk around the outer periphery of the market.  This is true to every supermarket around the world I have ever been, the outer periphery is where the healthy food usually lives: fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, lean meats.  Basically all items that are usually not processed and healthier for you.  So shopping on the outer periphery is what I am “choosing” to eat, because it is what I see.    

Architecture determines where things go, since electric outlets for massive refrigeration are usually on a wall and so are the building´s drains.  That means that the middle aisles are where all of the caned,  boxed and adulterated stuff is placed -they, more likely don´t need refrigeration.  If you don’t want to eat or you want to cut back in processed-food consumption, don’t go down those middle aisles and you won’t buy those foods. If you don’t buy those foods, they won’t end up around for you to eat. Try this the next time you go to the store and do your best to not make exceptions.  When I do this not only I spend way less money in my groceries, but I find myself cooking and eating healthier = feeling great in my body and mind.

Sure, there will be the occasional time that you’ll need to go down an aisle to pick up your oils, spices or honey but that will be rare and not often. It could be weeks before I go into those middle aisles ( but when I do I always pick more than what I intended to buy, which confirms that knowing of something isn’t as effective as doing something- smile )

Panama Blend (traveling green smoothie)

One of my favorite things about green smoothies is that they are the easiest way to diversity your intake of nutrients for breakfast.  This is even more relevant when traveling, when your body's wisdom craves the surrounding flora.  If there is a blender available, I don't waste the opportunity to visit the local markets (and yards) and feast on the regional chlorophyll. 

I was recently traveling through my homeland of Panama, where the local cuisine isn't rich in greens so I took it as challenge to find ingredients for what turned out to be a fabulous green smoothie.  So hoping that it will inspire you in your next "green" travelings, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 4 cups of spinach (not a lot of local greens available in the market, but watercress and spinach grow easily in most tropical regions)
• 1 banana (tons of fruits available, but I opted to keep it simple)
• a handful of local spearmint + wild cilantro (these I found in my mom's backyard...wild herbs taste so WILD, you can taste the Prana or life force on these local beauties)
• 1/2 an avocado (this is a gingo luxury! but I deserve it)
• 1/2 tsp of minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric (no local turmeric roots available but I was craving some astringent flavors, local stores carry tons of spices so if fresh ingredients aren't available, improvise)
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt (local sea salt made this a fun ingredient to add)
• 1 Tbs of local eucalyptus honey (yummm!!!)
• 1/2 cup of water 

1.  Add all ingredients to a blender.  Blend!  I don't like cold smoothies but you can add either a frozen banana or ice instead of water.  Enjoy.

Start Oil Pulling Today - detox + rejuvenate

In recent days I’ve seen resurgent interest in oil pulling, I’ve been practicing oil pulling for about 7 year now and I can't praise enough all the benefits it has brought to my health and daily rituals. This is an updated post, originally posted in 2014.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic method for detoxing and rejuvenation. It’s a simple practice, with quite remarkable results. If you’re looking for ways to naturally improve your health, you’ll eventually hear about oil pulling. It definitely has a mystical and exciting vibe around it, which made me eager to try. But what exactly is it? What does it do?

what is it?

Oil pulling is swishing unrefined, high quality oil in your mouth; similar (but not quite) to the way you’d use a mouthwash.  Yep, any oil.   My favorite is coconut oil. This can be done anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. The process attracts and removes bacteria, toxins, and parasites that live in your mouth or lymph system, and also pulls congestion and mucus from your throat and loosens up your sinuses.   With the help of your saliva, all these scary undesirables bind with the oil, ready to be disposed of. Some sites say that pulling also helps re-mineralize your teeth and strengthen your gums by thoroughly cleansing the area.

This sounds good, right? But how exactly do you do it?

Traditionally, oil pullers used virgin sesame oil. The reason I prefer to use raw coconut oil is because it taste good to me.  The other benefit is that coconut oil has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and enzymatic properties. This provides the added benefit of killing any unwanted bacteria that may be residing in the mouth, while leaving behind healthy probiotic strains.

To start, scoop ½ to 1 full tablespoon of oil into the mouth; if it’s cold, allow the oil to melt. Now push, swirl, and pull the oil between your teeth, around your gums, and allow it to touch every part of your mouth except your throat.  Not too vigorously or you'll be tired in a minute.  You don’t want the oil getting in contact with your throat either because it’s now carrying somewhat toxic material. No gargling!

If you feel it's too much oil in your mouth, it’s too much, so use less.

Once you’re swirling, have fun with it.  Hum a little song, or practice deep breathing through your nose. Allow this to be a sacred time. Enjoy the feeling of cleansing, the relaxation with the absence of talking. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of smiling with a mouth full of oil. Something about it just feels so right.

Once your time pulling is over, as I said 5 to 20 minutes, spit into the trash can, but never your bathroom sink — the oil could solidify and clog your drain. Now rinse your mouth out with clean water two or three times. Finally, drink a glass of water and relax. You should be feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

why oil pulling?

A popular reason for oil pulling is to find relief from congestion in the sinuses and throat. It’s unbelievable how quickly this happens.  Immediately after, you will find yourself blowing your nose and clearing your throat.

I began pulling to benefit my gums and teeth. My gums strengthened, and teeth became much whiter! It also proved to be beneficial to my skin, which became bright and almost glowing. Swishing with coconut oil, per Ayurveda literature, has also proven to be beneficial to those with skin disorders such as psoriasis, and is great for anyone who wants to detox and begin taking better care of their immune system.

Oil pulling can be done at any time of the day, but for a more thorough detox, its best to do this in the morning, before eating or drinking. If you are having a hard time fitting oil pulling into your routine, I’ve found a nice time to do this is while performing another morning ritual like showering or walking when talking is not needed. This way, you aren’t counting the clock until the minutes are up and you link one good habit with another one.

I hope you enjoy this healing, divine and sensual experience as much as I do. Love the oil. Love the process. Happy oil pulling!