At Fine Balance, we have witnessed the transformational impact yoga has for the young women in our high school programs and regularly hear remarks such as, ” this is the only time during the day that I feel good.” As a yoga teacher, I see the awe and pride young women can have in themselves after a challenging and successful yoga class. And it appears yoga may be going even further to help girls with their self-image. A recent study of 50 girls at Seattle Children’s Hospital found yoga, in addition to providing girls with an uplifting physical experience, may also help them achieve lasting success in overcoming serious eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. In the eight week study, girls participating in yoga showed steady weight gain beyond four weeks, the point at which the non-yoga teens disease state relapsed.

We believe in the power of yoga and are excited about the far reaching positive clinical effects of the power of yoga. We look forward to the day when every high school student has access to the infinite potential of yoga.

This morning as I was walking down Broadway,  an aggressive, ungracious driver pulled out in front of another driver, agitating the driver from behind to the point that she slammed on her horn and simultaneously threw her arms in the air. In that instant, the offended driver lacked the awareness that this moment would pass. Her loud horn and splayed arms did nothing to alleviate the congestion nor prevent the encounter, it only escalated the tension between the two drivers and everyone in near proximity.

Regular, daily experiences are perfect teachable moments for meditation. A conscious re-connection with the breath during stressful times provides a platform to develop a more mindful, balanced state of mind.  If you think meditation can only occur in peaceful solitude, try to use a stressful moment during your daily routine to tap into the powerful teachings of meditation and take a minute to follow your breath. Your mind, your body and everyone around will thank you.

Don’t you love those unexpected moments when life seems so good and so simple that it fills you with great joy? I had just that feeling after spending the afternoon volunteering at the produce distribution at my local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). It was another great week as we received a beautiful selection of produce including three varieties of eggplant, beautiful green tomatoes, carrots, four varieties of squash, fennel, fava beans, 2 1/2 pounds of peaches, 4 pounds of plums, maple yogurt, eggs and non-homogenized milk — all for under $30.  (I am including such detail to help sway those of you who are only thinking about joining a CSA to take action!)

It was wonderful to meet fellow CSA members and to see the diversity of people all driven by one desire – access to amazing, affordable, healthy food. But beyond the self-serving aspect of participating in a CSA, I also  witnessed a true community driving change in this great city. People cared about one another in a way that seems rare nowadays. As volunteers, it was an unspoken commitment to take great care when bagging this week’s fruit allotment to not bruise a single peach or break the skin of a single plum. It’s a generosity of spirit I can’t say I’ve seen at my beloved Fairway market (and trust me, Fairway shoppers really care about their food as well). In the wonderful fulfillment I experienced volunteering for such a profound community movement in the way we receive our food, I couldn’t help to still be saddened by some of the incredible injustices currently taking place across the United States with regard to our food system.

Food, Inc.
Last weekend I watched Food, Inc., an incredible documentary about the wretched state of the American food system. Michael Pollen fans are able to visually experience some of the horrific conditions of feed lots and slaughter houses across the country. You witness pigs slaughtered by mechanically crushing them together, cows and chickens who have been grown so fast and furiously using synthetic growth hormones that their legs are not able to support them. You may know E.Coli originates from the bowels of improperly fed animals, but did you know that if a cow is taken off a feed lot and placed on green pasture for only 5 days almost all traces of E.Coli are removed? 5 days! Yet in the big world of agribusiness, 5 days is time they are not willing to sacrifice for the health of their customers.

Since the beginning of time, seeds, whether from a flower or cabbage have been saved. It is nature’s way of preserving all of the essential ingredients to sprout new life the following season. Big businesses, like Monsanto, now use patent law to prevent any farmer from saving their own seeds to be used the following harvest season. Food, Inc. details the story of Moe Parr, operator of a seed cleaning business in Indiana where, at the end of each harvest, he would clean seeds for farms to store over the winter months to rid the seeds of any spores of mold or other contaminants that may cause the seeds to rot during the winter months. This practice, that has existed since at least the beginning of agricultural man, was grounds for Monsanto to initiate a law suit against Moe Parr in 2007. Monsanto claimed that Moe had encouraged farmers of genetically modified (GM) soybean to save their seed.

Given Monsanto’s patent law over the GM Round-Up Ready soybean (yes it’s genetically modified and ready to withstand that toxic spray that instantly initiates death in the weeds in your yard), it is against the law for Moe Parr or anyone to clean and reuse the seed. But the real trouble here revolves around the issue of seed ownership and cross-pollination. At no other time in history have patents on seeds existed. Throughout history they have been a product of nature and nature does a fine job of helping them spread.  It has been found seeds can cross-pollinate with non-GM seeds more than 26km away. What happens if genetically modified seed from a GM farm cross-pollinates with seed on a non-GM farm?  According to Monsanto, the originally non-GM farm has now infringed on the patent for the genetically modified seed! This means the farmer is legally obligated to forgo profits from that year’s harvest and it is impossible to ever remove all traces of the GM seed. For the previously non-GM farmer the only solution to continue to operate his farm is to purchase GM seeds from a company like Monsanto. And since Monsanto owns the patent on the seed they can require that the seed is not cleaned at the end of the harvest and must be repurchased the following year.

Cast Your Vote
We all have two very important tools. The first is knowledge. Understanding what happens to the food you’re eating is the first line of defense in protecting you and your family. The second is every time you spend a dollar on any type of food item you are making a vote. You either get to vote for the large business who patents seeds and builds forced consumer bases (and did I mention the seeds like corn and soy that make up most items in the American diet aren’t that good for you?) or you can vote for the business that supports the animals and the land it runs, values its customers health and satisfaction and builds community. I imagine Moe Parr’s whole life has probably been turned a bit upside down. Monsanto forced him out of business, he exasperated his savings in legal fees and many of his former friends and farming partners, who are now, freely or not, Monsanto customers are not allowed to speak to him. I am saddened by part of his journey but I am so grateful his story can be shared so more of us can learn from his trials. Are you ready to vote with the choices you make about food?

The beautiful weekly bounty!

Eat local. You’ve heard it several thousand times and you know why it’s right – for you and for the environment. But, particularly for those of us in NYC, we rarely find ourselves in rolling pastures (other than Sheep’s Meadow) and public transport doesn’t have a direct route to farm country. Enter Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). This year marks the first year I have participated in a CSA and it is a practice I will partake in for the remainder of my days (ughum, ok, years) in the City.

Each week I stop by a church near my apartment in the afternoon to pick up a glorious supply of produce, including vegetables and fruits, farm-fresh eggs, and non-homogenized milk and yogurt. In the first two weeks I encountered vegetables I have never seen nor heard of  before, like garlic scapes and lamb’s quarters (a green with absolutely nothing to do with the furry friend), let alone ever eaten or prepared. Each week is a new adventure, almost as if I am a forager from the distant past, except surprising finds are delivered to me. All for a little under $25 per week. Pure joy!

Now all I need is some sun to balance out the rain for my window sill herb garden.

If you are interested in finding if a CSA is available near you, visit the Just Food website.

It is so wonderful to see the faces of new yogis light up as they draw parallels between their every day world and yoga. Not to mention it is amazing to witness when the awe of the ability of their body in a more challenging balance pose, such as Tree Pose or Crow Pose.

While adults around the globe have long had an appreciation for the sense of balance yoga can bring to one’s life, I can’t even really begin to comprehend what it might have meant for all of us yogis had we been exposed at a much earlier age. I am just grateful we are able to pass this unique tool on to as many children across New York City as possible.

Blackberry Farm provided a perfect platform to delve deeply into yoga. The serene environment, combined with the out-of-this-world hospitality perfectly complemented my goals as a yoga instructor to help guests unwind from the hectic bustle of their everyday lives and recharge. While any new place or new experience can challenge us in a myriad of ways, Blackberry Farm offered an energy that both soothed and calmed, similar to that of a mother, to allow us to be fully present in this idyllic retreat. Upon arriving to the resort you are greeted with the ease of visiting extended relatives, the one’s whose company you truly enjoy. You are escorted to your own cabin hidden in the lush woods of the mountains. Once in your room, you are reminded of what true hospitality feels like: beautiful classical music floating in the air, a welcome card with flowers, a gift basket with the finest of snacks and treats from the region, and, my personal favorite, a fridge stocked with Dove chocolate covered ice cream bars.

Yoga sessions were held each morning and afternoon in a beautiful open-air pavilion overlooking a serene pond surrounded by 4,200 acres of natural beauty. During the Yoga Getaway retreat, yoga became less of something you tried to manage to fit into your day, and more about what your day revolved around. Sessions were practiced amidst the glorious sounds of nature, which seemed to automatically eliminate the competitive nature sometimes found when practicing yoga in more high-strung environments. We ended with long meditative walks throughout the property, either guided or at your own pace. After each yoga session, superbly prepared local food, most of which comes from the garden, dairy and smokehouse on site, provided for exquisite meals served at a leisurely pace. Dinners were served in a glorious, original red wooden barn, where the owner, true to his roots and commitment to southern hospitality, greeted each table and served as the restaurants sommelier, which made you feel almost as if you were visiting an old friend for a home cooked meal.

Blackberry Farm is not the type of retreat where you attempt to continue to focus on your profession life and ignore the idea of relaxation; the lack of reception in the area makes it nearly impossible to wander aimlessly chatting on a cellphone or typing on blackberry. Fortunately, for you and all of the other guests, it enables you to be fully aware, allowing you to drink in each new experience with a sense of aliveness under appreciated in the grind of a daily routine. It served as a reminder for all, including those  who juggle the many different roles that the breathtaking awe of life is often found in the most simple moments, a baby’s first smile or the recognition of one’s own breath.

Spending time at Blackberry Farm can inspire thoughts of the quality of life being better at a different time in history. But the beauty of such an experience is it allows you to take elements of a slower pace and relaxed air back home. The solitude and fortitude that arises from such a tranquil setting helps to plant the seed for great change, as if something larger inside of us, something that has existed all along, is now allowed to grow. Blackberry Farm provides stepping stones for a profound way to live life: graciously interacting with everyone you meet and providing a reprieve from chaos to facilitate deep relaxation and fully recharge.

I just joined my first CSA!

I absolutely love farms (check out the farm I am headed to this weekend: Blackberry Farm) but I also love The Big Apple. New York City couldn’t be much further from a farm, there are no rolling pastures with animals freely ranging and no organic crops (unless you count the organic herbs growing outside my window). But one of the best reasons to live in New York City is you can always count on New Yorkers to access the best of everything!

Today I joined my first CSA, acronym for Community Supported Agriculture! The CSA I joined wasn’t holding the coveted #1 spot on my list, that CSA has a longer waiting list than reservations at Babbo or season sporting tickets in most other towns in the nation. Yet, as a seasoned New York transplant, I embrace the competitive nature of the city and feel blessed to have found a home at a CSA within 20 blocks of my apartment.

What is a CSA exactly?

Here is the lowdown: Our farmer, Norwich Farms, offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. I purchased a share in our farmer and in return I receive a box full of seasonal produce every week through the harvest season, which goes all the way to November! These shares are worth a lot more than many publicly traded companies’ stocks these days. One share consists of a box of vegetables and then I get to add selections of my choosing, like fruits, fresh eggs and non-homogenized milk products. It’s like the local farmer’s market delivered to you!

Just like any shareholder, there are risks. Collectively, the CSA community assumes some of the risk the farmer takes on, for example, like how the weather might negatively impact the crops. I also risk vegetables arriving on my doorstep with no idea how to prepare them, but local CSA members have convinced me that our community blog will be filled with recipes from members on how to prepare anything. For fresh, organic produce delivered straight to my neighborhood, without a middle man, those are risks I am willing to take.

To find a CSA near you visit the Just Food website for CSA locations in NYC.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause or exacerbate a host of diseases and illnesses including, but not limited to: osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Ancient cultures have long known about the important link between sun exposure and vitality. Sunlight has long been perceived as a means to purify, heal and rebalance the body.  Right now, you are probably asking yourself, what about those repeated warnings about sun exposure causing skin cancer? Overexposure to sunlight, particularly during the midday sun, leads to loss of therapeutic benefit and damages the body’s immunity. However, approximately 30 minutes of sunlight per day, before 11am or after 3pm, provides sufficient sunlight exposure to make appropriate levels of vitamin D for most individuals, while avoiding excessive exposure to damaging rays.

Read more about recent study: Four times current vitamin D doses needed for winter levels

HealthCorps, founded in 2003 by Dr. Mehmet Oz, was created to address America’s obesity crisis and to ensure a healthier tomorrow. The HealthCorps mission is to engage and educate America’s youth and families to “Eat Smart and Exercise” by providing them with knowledge, tools and support to make healthy choices.

Recent undergrads, called “HealthCorps Coordinators” provide peer-mentoring opportunities to high school students and lead seminars in health related topics including: mental resilience, nutrition and fitness.

Read the past press release FINE BALANCE WELLNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN DR. OZ’S HEALTHCORPS® TO BRING YOGA TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Visit the HealthCorps website to learn more.

Celina Miller (left), Publisher of YogaMom

Fall is our favorite season at Fine Balance Wellness. It is a season to reflect on previous growth and return to our roots.

Last month marked the official designation of September as National Yoga Month! Yoga Month celebration events were held across the country and we attended the gathering on September 7th at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. We participated in some insightful seminars about using yoga therapeutically, specifically for breast cancer survivors and for the prevention of osteoporosis. The breast cancer survivor session was led by Tari Pristner, breast cancer survivor and yoga teacher leading classes for breast cancer survivors at OM Yoga. We also had the opportunity to hear from and practice with one of our favorite mentors in the yoga community, Dr. Timothy McCall, author of Yoga As Medicine, who spoke about and led a practice session on preventing and working with osteoporosis.

We also spent some time with our good friend, Celina Miller, Publisher of the new magazine YogaMom,  which hit newsstands this fall! We visited the YogaMom Magazine booth and collected a fabulous first copy of the magazine, filled with yogic tips to help moms lead more balanced lives. Learn more about the magazine by visiting www.yogamommagazine.com. We also picked up some adorable YogaMom t-shirts for Fine Balance’s Yoga Mom group in Central Park!