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My Journey to a Plant-Based, Yogic Diet: From Struggle to Serenity

One evening in 1997, while cooking dinner for my dad and husband, I was preparing a Chinese stir-fry with beef and vegetables. As I sliced the meat, a flash of insight hit me: How was this animal’s flesh any different from mine? Though I finished making the meal, I decided that day to stop eating red meat for good.

Without much knowledge, I became a vegetarian overnight. I remember walking through our college town in Texas, feeling overwhelmed by the smell of burgers and BBQ. Back then, I was strict about not eating meat but still consumed eggs and dairy. In 2003, while heavily pregnant and chasing after a toddler, I found myself craving chicken nuggets at a McDonald’s. My family, like most, was conditioned to believe meat was necessary for health, so they encouraged me to eat them. Reluctantly, I returned to eating chicken and fish.

In 2007, while living in the jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia, I took a 45-minute flight to Singapore for my first yoga teacher training. I...

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Reflecting on Yoga Alliance 25th Anniversary Conference "More Yoga, Better World"

Last week, I had the privilege of representing Bilingual Education Institute (BEI) at Yoga Alliance’s 25th-anniversary conference in Washington, D.C., titled “More Yoga, Better World.” Yoga Alliance, a non-profit organization, sets standards and provides resources for the global yoga community. The conference's goal was to amplify the transformative power of yoga and make it accessible to everyone, regardless of location or circumstance. Through BEI’s partnership with Yoga Alliance, we are bringing these healing practices to Houston’s refugee community by offering yoga classes specifically tailored for trauma recovery.

During the conference, I focused on how BEI can continue to enhance this partnership and expand our refugee yoga program. Yoga has a profound capacity to support trauma recovery, a crucial element of our work with refugee populations. One of the most inspiring stories came from Rodrigo Souza, a Brazilian native raised in London. He...

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Products You May Enjoy

Uncategorized Sep 14, 2024

I'm not a perfect eater, but I do try to mostly buy products that will be good for our health. A general rule of thumb for products and processed foods is to look at the fiber content. Check the label and divide the total carbohydrates by the fiber. Your answer should be 5 grams or less. For example, plain Cheerios have 29g of carbs divided by 4g of fiber, which gives you 7.25. This may be okay for once in a while, but for daily consumption, you want a breakfast cereal that gives you 5 grams or less to help keep your blood sugar balanced and prevent hunger and cravings.

One delicious cereal that fits the bill is Nature's Path Heritage Flakes. The total carbs are 31g and the fiber is 7g, giving you a result of 4.4! Topped with lots of fruit and plant-based milk, this cereal makes for a healthy and delicious start to the day or a satisfying evening snack.

Another product I recommend is sprouted grain bread, like Ezekiel bread. Ezekiel is a flourless sprouted grain bread, which is both...

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Exciting Updates and Wellness Insights

Uncategorized Aug 31, 2024

As many of you know, I achieved National Board Certification as a Health and Wellness Coach in August 2023. This journey involved integrative health coaching certification, a practicum, and passing the national board exam. I’m thrilled that this certification aligns with the principles of lifestyle medicine, as outlined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Lifestyle medicine is an innovative medical specialty that treats the whole person through lifestyle interventions. This approach emphasizes a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections. Unlike conventional medicine, lifestyle medicine not only prevents chronic diseases but can also treat and even reverse these conditions when applied intensively.

In my personal wellness journey, I’ve been dedicating just 12 minutes each morning to sun salutations before starting my workday. Even after...

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What I'm Making For Lunch - Mung Beans

 

When I’m on top of things, I try to meal prep for work each week. It’s a win-win because I have a healthy lunch ready to go, and I avoid spending money (and extra calories) on takeout that’s often loaded with processed oils. Even though it’s still hot in Houston, school’s back in session, and I can feel fall creeping in. I’ve been craving something cozy and seasonal to cook, so I decided to dig through my pantry for ideas.

I came across some dried mung beans that have been sitting there for a while. Perfect! After a bit of searching, I found a hearty recipe featuring mung beans, warming spices, potatoes, and spinach—just the kind of comfort food I’m looking for. I just need to grab some fresh spinach, and I’ll be all set.

Once cooked, I’ll portion out the curry over rice into containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. I’ll add some fruit on the side for a balanced meal.

In case you’re curious, mung beans...

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Afghan Refugees

I have a side gig. I am teaching Afghan refugees English. It is a meaningful service opportunity that is feeding my spirit.

 

This week I planned a field trip with them.

 

These women are family members of former New York Times employees. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan last August, the NYT got their people out on one of the last flights out of Kabul.

 

Since coming to Houston, the only outside food they have eaten is Afghan and Persian food, so I decided to take them out to eat and do some clothes shopping.

 

The day before the trip, I was stunned to find out that one husband told his wife that she couldn't attend. He allegedly said that she should stay home with her kids and that America is not good for women.

 

This prompted a side conversation with another woman in which I asked about the matter. She told me, “My husband is different. He says that I must go and go and go and go.”

 

Imagine my surprise when all the women showed up...

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Finding Purpose

When I was four years old, I went to a wonderful Montessori school. I vividly remember asking all of the other kids to sit down while I stood at the small blackboard and declared that I was their teacher. I proceeded to “teach” them numbers, letters, and more.

 

It seems that my purpose has always been to be a teacher. I could be teaching kids in a school, teaching ESL to adults, teaching yoga, or teaching nutrition, but that thread remains the same.

 

Pictured above. I taught some kids yoga last week through the Peaceful Planet Foundation. It was so fun! I also did an Instagram live discussion last week with Jessica Sontag about finding one’s purpose. While researching some information about purpose, I found this cool equation from Richard Leider, the author of The Power of Purpose:

 

Your Gifts + Your Passion + Your Values = Your Purpose

 

I love these kinds of equations, so I immediately had to jot down some notes.

 

  1. My gifts are that I...
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Stress Management Basics

Got stress? The science about stress shows us that stress can be helpful or harmful depending on how we handle it. 

 

Here are some stress definitions: Stress is defined as 1. pressure or tension exerted on a material object, 2. a state of mental or emotional tension, and 3. a “surprise.”

 

Stressors are external environmental circumstances, and our stress response is our emotional, behavioral, and physiological reaction to environmental circumstances.

 

There are two kinds of stress: acute and chronic. Acute stress, that fight or flight response, that is not managed well over time can lead to chronic stress which causes mental and physical health problems. However, stress in and of itself is not a bad thing. How we manage it turns it into a good or bad thing.

 

Interestingly, when we experience stress there are two hormones that are released. One is adrenaline which causes the fight or flight response in the body. This is a helpful stress...

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Tranquility

I started the week last week feeling in awe of the way my life is manifesting. For instance, in my yoga classes, there is a lot of intimacy as people share bits of themselves over time and we build relationships with each other. We all come to depend on each other and on our time together to enhance our well-being. Also, I am savoring the moments before I become an empty-nester at the end of next summer. Life feels sweet and satisfying.

 

By the middle of the week, a war started that brought confusion and sadness. These feelings caused me to shift from savoring to acting, and I have been consciously sending prayers of strength and resilience to the Ukranians. I am especially praying for the children, the innocent, and the helpless to find strength and safety in these tumultuous times. 

 

I also have done some reacting when seeing notifications of bombs and blow ups literally blowing up my phone. I have felt stressed, sad, and anxious. I truly believe that we are not...

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Mindfulness

I was first introduced to mindfulness when a friend gave me Thich Nhat Hanh’s book The Miracle of Mindfulness back when I was living in China in 1996. 

 

Thich Nhat Hanh, global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist and “the father of mindfulness,” died a few days ago at the age of 95 years old.

 

As my friend who introduced me to Nhat Hanh’s teachings texted me, “There is a person who has really helped decrease suffering in this world.”

 

Nhat Hanh taught mindfulness as a way to live in a state of peace.

 

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us or inside of us. 

 

Mindfulness is something that we already have within ourselves; still, mindfulness can be cultivated through sitting, standing, and walking meditation, through short pauses that we insert into...

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