Health and Wellness with Allison

My friend recently introduced me to Kabocha Squash, and it's my new favorite food! Kabocha has a creamy and buttery flavor that melts in your mouth. My favorite way to eat the squash is simple, just steamed in the oven. This technique maximizes the Kabocha's flavor and leaves you full and feeling warm. It's a perfect pairing for this cold and rainy weather! Step 1 Set the oven to 375 degrees Step 2 Cut the Kabocha in half and take out the seeds. Step 3 Put the Kabocha on a baking tray with water in the oven and cook for 35 minutes And Enjoy! *Namaste*

I love yoga, and have an eclectic taste for the practice. I enjoy my freedom to pick and choose what I like best from each discipline of Hatha Yoga. I've taken classes in Restorative, Yin, Kundalini, Bikram, Power, Vinyasa Flow, Prana Flow, Forrest Yoga, Ashtanga, Iyengar as well as Anusara-based and Dharma-inspired yoga classes. In each class, my body experiences an "ah-ha" moment. The "ah-ha" can sometimes be subtle or muted, and other times it's a verbal "oh, ah-haaa!" and then, there are the rare moments when my "ah-ha" is more like "boo-hoo" and I'm bawling in a yoga pose. My practice is a beautiful hodge-podge of these moments. And I love that whatever class I take, and with whomever is the teacher, I experience a shift in my practice on the mat that transforms my life. I have been cautioned by some people for my eclectic taste which they consider to be "cafeteria-style." They warn with good reason, saying

Home: Where there is fear, there is also so much love! I've been afraid most of my life. When I was young I was afraid of the dark. As I grew older, my fear evolved into an existential fear - I was afraid that I was not living the life that I am supposed to live. Fear has influenced my life in many ways. It has shaped my intrapersonal (with myself) and interpersonal (with others) relationships. I could even say that at times, it has even taken on a life of its own. Fear has made decisions for me and has acted for me because of its power to dictate my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The practices of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving Kindness Meditation has helped me to sit with fear.  I have been able to experience the bodily sensations of fear and not run from them. I've noticed that fear causes a quickening of my heartbeat and a shortening of my breath. I feel like I am suffocating when I am afraid. I used to rely on crying to help me release from that state, b

HOW I AM HANDLING EMOTIONS It has been a while since I've written on my blog because nothing has seemed to compel me to write. But perhaps it the idea of what I think is worth writing about that has been blocking me.  Today, I found inspiration in what seemed to be a "normal" dilemma in an average Monday. Today, I was told that I could not register for a class but had to sign up on the waiting list. I was to come back in two days to see if there was an opening for me. Initially, I tried to give my reasons for why I really needed to be in the class and why the administrative rules should not apply to me. (This is so of my character!) I was polite but persistent in trying to get my way until finally I accepted the fact that I needed to wait like everyone else. I thanked the lady for her time and left the building. That's when a surge of emotions appeared.  First there was fear. I was afraid that without this class, my plan would dissolve and I would not h

Make Your Own Lavender Spritzer For a refreshing way to cool off this spring and summer, make your Lavender spritzer. Making the spritzer is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Lavender is a wonderful plant, with a rejuvenating aroma and many healing properties. What You'll Need Lavender Essential Oil Clear, Unscented Alcohol Water Spray Bottle First, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil into a spray bottle. Next, add a little bit of clear, unscented alcohol. Finally, fill the rest of the bottle up with water. Spray and Enjoy! Namaste*

Healing White Sage Salt Scrub White Sage is a plant that speaks to me. I have benefitted from its healing properties by using it in many different ways: as an essential oil, a hydrosol spritzer, a tea, and smudge bundles. I use White Sage products from Lucky Six ( luckysixfarms.com ). They have the highest quality and best White Sage products in the market. The sage is wildcrafted, and the oil is made by hand in small batches. Their products are truly phenomenal! White Sage is an adaptogen . It is a plant that can both stimulate and calm you, depending on what you need. If you are feeling stressed, it can relax you. If you are feeling lethargic, it can energize you. White Sage is highly revered in Native American culture and is one of the most healing and medicinal plants in the world. I have chosen to make a salt scrub out of this plant, but as always, I encourage you to make this product your own! Find a plant that speaks to you (may it's lavender or rosemary?) and tr

A lesson on  Allowing. I finally fixed my bike! It had been a big "to do" for me for many months. The bike is my grandpa's. It is old (I found out that the brand of bike no longer exists, and some parts will have to be special ordered) but in great condition. I was able to put off the project for such a long time because I had many excuses . . . and a car! The biggest reason why I hadn't started the project was that I told myself "I didn't have time" for it. Finally, on this past Saturday, different factors aligned so that I could finally fix my bike. It was a beautiful day, I felt energized, and I had one less commitment and therefore a window of time to dedicate towards the project. My bike went from being another "to do" in the back of my mind to being my top priority. I had so much fun fixing my bike !! at The Bicycle Works, a bike co-op in San Anselmo. It is a very welcoming environment with lots of creative energy and fun people.

GOAL SETTING A useful exercise for setting goals and realizing dreams   Until recently, one of my biggest fears was setting goals. This was a very harmful fear to say the least. It stopped me from believing in myself and following my heart. It dampened my ability to act on what I wanted in my life. This fear caused anxiety, stress, and depression. I am happy to say that this fear no longer exists for me! Meditation has transformed my life. It is a tool I use to find clarity, to calm down, and to increase my self confidence. And it has been a major reason for why I can set goals and realize them!  I was taught to meditate at Madre Grande Monastery in Dulzura, California (see photo). This magical place is in the high desert on the border between San Diego, California and Tecate, Mexico. On my most recent visit there, the abbot of the monastery, John, taught me a writing exercise on goal setting. I have benefited so much from this writing exercise that I wish to share it with you

CRUNCHY and SAVORY PROTEIN SNACK A Healthy and Easy to make Snack! I am a big fan of snacks. I am even a bigger fan of crunchy snacks! Lately, I've been toasting a lot of nuts and seeds, and discovering new ways to improve the quality of this snack. I believe I have found a new level of yumminess! What You'l Need: Honestly, I did not go out to buy anything for this recipe, but used what I had in the cabinet. I encourage you to do the same! I found: 1/2 cup of raw Cashews 1/2 cup of raw Pumpkin Seeds 2 cups of raw Sunflower Seeds a small handful of raw Pecans 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tablespoon of Sunflower seed Oil Spices (I used Cardamon, Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Majoram and Red Pepper Flakes). How To: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2. Combine nuts and seeds into a bowl. 3. Add in spices. Measure out a small palm full for each of them but use a pinch (or two) of the red pepper flakes. 4. Add in oil and vinegar. 5. Stir. T

Green Juice for Health Simple veggie juices packed with the nutrients you need to live well. Lately, I have been drinking a lot of Green Juices. They are easy to make and VERY delicious. Drinking vegetables is a great way for the body to absorb nutrients. Making your own green juices is much more cost effective than buying them at Whole Foods for $6 or more. Instead, you can spend your hard earned money on a bunch of Chard, a coconut water, an apple, and a lemon  - and wa-lah! you've got yourself some homemade juice.  When I first began my juicing journey, I tried to put too many fruits and vegetables together. Even though EACH ingredient was tasty, when I combined ALL off them the taste was ... well, bad.  The key to creating a delicious health drink is to keep it simple! I use 5 ingredients or less in mine. Here are two of my favorite green juices. And remember, I encourage you to try different variations to make these drinks your own! Clean Green   What You&

Roasted Veggies and Toasted Nuts and Seeds Many delicious and easy dishes can be cooked in the oven. Two of my favorite are roasted vegetables and toasted nuts and seeds. I've found the key to their deliciousness is in minimizing the seasoning. Doing so allows the boldness of the flavors to come through. I absolutely love the hardiness of yams, the sweetness of carrots, and the boldness of garlic! And I can't get enough of the salty and creamy taste of the nuts and seeds.  These dishes are simple to make and very handy to have ready to eat with meals, as leftovers, and for snacks! Roasted Veggies What You'll Need: 2 Sweet Potato Yams 3 Japanese Yams (a smaller, dark skin and white meat yam that is less sweet than its cousin). 1 Yellow Beet ( For a sweeter option choose a Red Beet). 5 small whole Carrots 2 leaves of Chard 1 glove of Garlic How To: 1. Set the oven to 410 degrees. 2. Chop half of the vegetables into cubes and the other half into longer cu

Raw Energy Bliss Balls  With Spring approaching, I anticipate that I will need more energy for the longer days.  My schedule is hectic and my days long and I don't see an end in sight! And I am grateful for this! Between teaching private and public yoga classes, giving Reiki treatments, coaching softball, working at a gym, working at a yoga studio, and working at a bakery and completing nutrition school - I need to Eat for Energy! I try to always find time in the day to be in the kitchen, but with some 12+ hour days, I need to have something healthy already prepared to eat! These Raw Energy Bliss Balls are just the thing that give me a boost! They are easy to make and delicious. My friend gave me a recipe and I have modified it to fit my taste. I encourage you to try this recipe and then create your own! What you'll need: 2 cups raw cashew pieces 3 tablespoons sunflower seed oil (or vegetable oil) 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup gluten free oats 1/4

Simple, Easy and Delicious Comfort Food                Many different things factor in to wanting comfort food. For example, I tend to crave comfort food when I wake up to an overcast sky or when I feel sleepy in the morning. I've also realized that I gravitate towards comfort food when I need a hug from a friend or to feel loved. In these states, I want food that is warmer, heartier, and sweeter.                       For lunch today, I made a simple and easy comfort meal.  Grated Beet, Carrot, and Radish Salad grate 1 carrot grate 1/2 small beet grate 1 red radish Brown Rice and Tempeh combine 2 cups water with 1 cup brown rice. boil on medium high, uncovered, until water has evaporated. (you can have the leftover bown rice for later!) marinate tempeh overnight in Braggs Amino Acid (Soysauce). bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Pumpkin and Yam Puree chop 1/2 yam into small chunks. Saute on medium high until yams are tender.  combine yams and canned pumpkin

SIMPLIFY FOR SPRING - The lesson I learned from Meat & Potatoes. Yesterday, as I was in the grocery store, wandering around the produce isle and thinking, what should I to cook for dinner? I experienced a wave of strong surges of thoughts, feelings and emotions. My mind began to race with questions such as What produce is in season? Which vegetables should I eat? I think I need more fiber, more protein... My stomach tightened and my breath shorten. Recently, I modified my diet to heal from  candida albicans (Candida), a overgrowth of yeast and unhealthy bacteria in the gut. By cutting out refined sugar, wheat and corn and eating more vegeatbles, I have increased my energy level and have cleared up the embarrassing acne on my face. I have also been experimenting with different herbal concoctions and taking different vitamins and supplements. But still, I have been having bad stomach pains and indigestion. As I stood behind my cart in the grocery store, I caught myself in this

FULL CIRCLE - From Player to Coach I've been meaning to start a blog for a while now. I kept hesitating, not knowing where or how to start but now I'm finally writing! And the inspiration to write came from a unexpected yet totally understandable place for me - the softball field. I played softball for 14 years, and when I left the game in college, I thought I was done. After my softball career, I lived in Nepal, New Zealand, and Australia. I studied meditation and Reiki at a monastery in San Diego and completed my yoga teacher training in Los Angeles. I am currently teaching yoga in Marin County, CA and training to be a health coach at Integrative Nutrition.   I didn't think softball would find a place back in my life, but it has! And I believe that my coaching experience at Drake High School this year will positively inform my life journey and holistic health practice.  Today was my first game as Assistant Coach for Drake Varsity Softball. We had a great game,