One inspiring cue:
“Brighten” your feet by reaching out through the balls of your feet. This requires that your feet are pointed, with your toes pulling back towards you. You may have heard this called a “floint” (flexing the toes and pointing the feet).
Why?
As Allison Ray Jeraci from Yoga International says, “this will also help to keep the inner thighs engaged. The legs have to be strong to keep the energy evenly distributed throughout the body.”
One inspiring tip:
To practice this week’s cue, place two blocks at the wall (refer to the image below) and lean your hips into the wall. If you don’t have wrist issues, you can try the lift that is shown in the picture as well.
One inspiring song:
“Palm Trees” by Goldlink, Motez
One inspiring quote:
“Every cell in your body is constantly listening to your thoughts.”
– Dr. Mark Hyman
Therefore, one more quote this week…
“You can change the course of your life with your words.”
– Anonymous
Nutrition nugget:
Add herbs and spices to your diet not only for more bone density, but overall health. In my last newsletter, I shared with you the benefits of cinnamon. This week, I’d like to share the robust nutrient density of some other herbs and spices.
You may have heard of the ANDI index score for food. It stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index and ranks the nutrient density of a food on a scale of 1 to 1000, with 1000 being the best. It takes into account 35 nutrients and scores the foods with the most abundant of these nutrients. Keep in mind this is only one way to rank food, but it gives us an idea of how nutritious some herbs and spices can be – they are pretty powerful!
As provided by Whole Foods Market, here are the top 10 most nutrient-dense herbs and their respective ANDI scores:
1. Basil – 518
2. Cilantro – 481
3. Spearmint – 457
4. Tarragon – 426
5. Oregano – 426
6. Thyme – 422
7. Parsley – 381
8. Dill – 326
9. Chives – 319
10. Peppermint – 293
Other scores include Bay Leaves (271), Rosemary (84), and Lemongrass (55).
I recommend keeping it easy at first by picking one or two herbs to start adding into your salads, meat, and fish.
For my readers who are most interested in bone health, Basil, Oregano, Celery Seed, Thyme, Dill, Marjoram, and Cinnamon have some of the highest amounts of calcium, not to mention other important nutrients. For example, by adding one tsp of Oregano and Basil to a salad or any other dish, you are adding approximately 30-50mg of calcium! Remember, it is best to get as much calcium through food before using supplements.
I continue to pray for peace, love, hope, and change.