The Pole Truth with Shelia Kelley

THE
POLE TRUTH
w/ Sheila Kelley
Friday, September 23rd
Promptly at 6pm




S Factor New York
226 East 54th Street
New York, NY 10022

An intimate evening with the originator of S Factor - Sheila Kelley

Raffles, Beauty Bar, Goodie Bags
Meet and Greet and Book Signing

$40 per person with a portion of the proceeds going to:
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer - American Cancer Society

RSVP online only at Sfactor.com/ny54 under events

Send your questions ahead of time to Sheila@sfactor.com
and Sheila will answer selected ones in person.
Subject line: NY Pole Truth Questions

Good Morning!

Details, details, details...It's all in the details. Here are four details you should never skip when it comes to your health. You must insist on doing the following four steps first thing in the morning.
1. Clean your mouth
2. Clean your nose
3. Clean your ears
4. Clean your eyes

#1
What is the very first thing you do in the morning when you get out of bed? Your answer better be: brush your teeth and scrape your tongue! When you wake up, the first thing you should do is head straight to the bathroom and scrape your tongue with a proper tongue scraper and brush your teeth. By doing these two things, you prevent the toxins that form in your mouth during the night from going back into your system.

#2
Next, clean your nose. A neti pot is ideal for cleaning your nose. Much dust collects in the back of your nose while you sleep and just blowing your nose in the morning isn't enough to clean the back of your nose. When you're done, gently massage the bridge of your nose and just below the bridge. You will breathe easy....

#3
Listen up! Clean your ears too. I love this part of my morning routine. Never stick a swab too deep into your ear. I clean just around the outside of the canal. I run my hands under the warm water and then clean just outside the ear canal. I also massage the back of my ears starting from behind my ear lobe and up around the top of the back of the ear with warm water. This helps to loosen up any wax in your ears and it feels so wonderful.

#4
Our eyes are neglected. They are always on duty - all day! Be sure to rinse your eyes with warm water. I like to make a cup with my hands, fill them with warm water and flutter my eyes in the water. This always feels so cleansing. Don't forget during your day to help your eyes relax by closing them and blinking them every so often. I also look up and down and side to side while I'm brushing my teeth. Eyes need exercise too!

When you're done with your four invigorating steps, drink a glass of filtered water!

There you have it. Four quick steps to feel your best!
Om...

Text-ercise....

Exercise is sacred to me. The hour or so I spend moving my body is not only a necessity but a privilege. I am so grateful that I can take time each day to clear my mind, build muscles, get my circulation going, massage my heart and then enjoy a soothing warm shower afterwards. I go to a pretty amazing gym here in NYC. The instructors are awesome and the energy at this gym sets members up for great results. A good workout is valuable. You've heard it - "If you're healthy, you're wealthy." "Your health is your life!" So, I am always so puzzled and I even get a bit disturbed when I see someone at the gym either in a class or on a machine and they're texting! The other day I was in a toning class. We were all standing in the splits - ready to hinge at the hips and stretch into a blissful forward bend. I couldn't wait to dig into my hamstrings and hip adductors. I drew in a deep nourishing breath and went forward and so did the girl in front of me but when she reached her hands to the floor she grabbed her phone and started texting! Wow. I wonder if she considered taking in a long relaxing inhale? The next day I was in a Spinning class. The instructor is inspiring. He really motivates us to give our max so we achieve results. We were in the middle of pedaling up an incline, the music was pumping and the instructor was cheering us on to make it to the top of the hill. Then the girl in front of me to my right grabs her phone and starts texting! What? I've seen her do this every time I see her in class. She must be really important. Don't get me wrong maybe she is in real demand. I actually feel bad for her that she is so in demand and can't take 45 minutes for herself. The worst was a few weeks back when I saw a woman running on the treadmill and when she went for her phone to text the phone slipped out of her hand and landed on the belt and hopped away, yes the cell phone hopped away...that was actually comedy but luckily she didn't fall either. Actually, now that I think of it the entire situation could have been far worse than a hopping cell phone...

People can do what they want, watch television while making love, text while working out whatever floats your boat I guess... but I think texting while working out is not only rude to the instructor but also a good way to set yourself up for failure and injury.
I have a quote written down in one of my journals from one of my Yoga teacher trainings. 'The healthier your body is: the easier it is to focus, memorize, learn and tackle your problems.'
If you don't leave that cell phone in your locker and commit to wholeheartedly focusing on making your mind and body healthy, you won't be able to tackle whatever is on the other end of that mobile phone...

Om....

Beautiful Beets!

I was picking out a bunch of yellow beets at Whole Foods the other day when a woman shopping next to me said, "How in the world do you cook those?" She said some veggies intimidate her simply because she's not great in the kitchen and so she has no idea how to cook certain vegetables. She let me know she sticks to steamed broccoli, asparagus and salads. She really dropped her jaw when I picked up a bunch of turnips... I encouraged her to enjoy beets and just because they look like a swamp monster on the produce shelf this shouldn't stop her from picking up a bunch of beets from time to time... I have three things to say about roasted beets. 1)EASY. 2)Delicious. 3)Healthy.

Roast those beets tonight!
After cutting the greens off and saving them for my stir fry for the next night's dinner, I scrubbed them well with vegetable wash then dried them off. I put them in an aluminum foil pocket, drizzled extra virgin olive oil on top and sprinkled with sea salt. In a 375 degree pre-heated oven, I roasted three medium sized beet bulbs for about 45 minutes. The way I check to see if they are done is to poke a fork into them. If the fork goes in pretty easily but still a bit firm and before they are too mushy, they're done! After they cooled a bit, I peeled them and sliced them into wedges. I made a mix of about 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, a splash of olive oil and about a tablespoon of Bragg liquid aminos and a sprig of rosemary. I like simple. I put the beets in the fridge and let them bathe overnight in the dressing. We had them for lunch the next day. I have three more things to say about roasted beets. 1)Magnificent. 2)Crunchy. 3)Flavorful.

Beets are beautiful! They are colorful and full of the phytonutrient known as betalains which leads me to say three more things about beets: 1)Rich in antioxidants. 2)Good for anti-inflammatory support. 3)Detoxification support!

Happy roasting!

Take Good Care of Your Tongue

What happens in your mouth at night while you sleep? There's a soiree going on and the toxins are partying like rock stars. Of course, you brushed and flossed before bed to remove the SLUDGE from the day. Good Start! Sweet Dreams...

The alarm goes off. Rise and shine. First, take in a few deep breaths to get the oxygen going, maybe an easy going forward bend to release the back? Now, head straight to the bathroom and clean your tongue! Using your magnificent ergonomically correct tongue scraper, tongue wand, tongue cleaner whatever you want to call it, scrape your tongue. Tongue scrapers are designed to clean the bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. The tongue is a nesting ground for bacteria and at night while you rest, everyday toxins, bacteria etc make their appearance and settle into the many tiny crevices in your mouth. The last thing you want to do is to let those toxins and bacteria start to make their way back into your body. If you tongue scrape first thing, you can get rid of a lot of those irritating toxins that settle in the night, so they don't drip back into your system throughout your day.

Tongue hygiene has roots in the tradition of Ayurveda, the practice of traditional Indian medicine. In Ayurvedic practice it is recommended that tongue cleaning be part of one's daily hygiene regimen, to remove the toxic debris, known as Ama.

Along with cleansing toxins from your mouth, tongue cleaning also improves the sense of taste and regularly cleaning your tongue also stimulates the secretions of digestive enzymes. So scrape away!

There are a variety of tongue scrapers on the market.
Visit your local health food store or shop online.
THIS IS A GOOD ONE!

xoxo, Doce Vida Fitness

I am breath...

My grandfather is 97 years old and while growing up he would always remind us, "Your breath is your life!" Before we left for school, at the dinner table enjoying one of his famous fish dinners or on Sundays when we'd walk through Golden Gate Park he was always reminding us to breathe. He's right - I thank him so much for his wisdom and advice... Now, if I could give any advice, it would be to practice Alternate Nostril Breathing (in Sankskrit Anuloma Viloma Pranayama) and practice this awesome breathing exercise everyday. Breathing exercises are important to your vital energy and these rounds of breath will make you feel energized, centered and happy! Be good to yourself...Invest 5-10 minutes of your time each day for this breath work.

Alternate Nostril Breathing can be done anywhere. Although a quiet, comfortable and clean environment is optimal. I've been know to take 5 minutes and partake while sitting in traffic. I'm not a fan of traffic jams so a quick breathing exercise soothes me.

One of your nostrils is inevitably slightly blocked. Which means that your lung and nostril on that side are working more which is called imbalance! The goal is to allow the right lung/right nostril and left lung/left nostril to alternate in your breath intake which doesn't necessarily happen between each breath but should alternate each hour at least. If you breathe out of one nostril and one lung all day, there is definitely an imbalance in the system which could be the reason for fatigue and stresses in the body. The idea is to get your breath flowing through both nostrils and lungs and to establish equilibrium. Through alternate nostril breathing you will bring balance to your breath. You will clear your nasal passages, your lungs and your mind.

MY SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS for Alternate Nostril Breathing
Think 4:8:8
4 counts inhalation
8 counts retention
8 counts exhalation

Sit comfortably
Spine straight - sit on a pillow with legs crossed or on a chair with a comfy back.
All body parts relaxed

Keeping it simple with hand mudras...
Use your thumb and middle finger for the nostril holds.

I'm right handed so here's how it goes...
Hold your right nostril closed with your thumb then inhale through your left nostril for 4 counts.
(I like to count by saying to myself: OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4)
When you reach 4 counts keep right nostril plugged with thumb.
Plug your left nostril with middle finger.
Retain breath with both nostrils plugged for 8 counts.
Now...keep the left nostril plugged, let the thumb go and right nostril open and exhale for 8 through right nostril
Now inhale through the right nostril for 4...
Plug both nostrils for 8 counts, then let the left nostril open and exhale for 8.
Now inhale through the left nostril for 4 and so on and so on and then continue this alternate nostril breathing....

So basically you inhale through one nostril, retain (plug) both nostrils, then exhale through the opposite nostril...and keep the pattern going for at least 8 rounds...and you've completed...alternate nostril breathing! If a nostril is open, you have just exhaled through it and then you inhale through it!

I like to do 11 rounds - which means I count one every time I've inhaled through the left nostril.
When I've inhaled 11 times through the left nostril .... I'm done.

I focus on 'watching' my breath move in and out of my body or sometimes I place focus on my third eye (Ajna Chakra) and watch my breath move in and out like a beautiful ray of light - energy!

This is the basics. A good start. Seek out more...
Have fun with your breath work. I'm open for questions too.

My grandfather recently fell while making his way to the kitchen in the same house he's lived in for almost 50 years. I was not there but heard that everyone around him panicked - not him. He was calm and although I was not present at that unfortunate moment I could see my grandfather's face and how peaceful he carries himself and knew that he reminded himself immediately at that moment that his breath is his life. Well, the doctor said when they took him to the hospital...you're like a man of 50!

Peace and Happy Holidays!

Lisa Doce Vida Fitness Inc.

Great Fitness Wear leads to amazing Yoga...& Vice Versa...

Doce Vida Fitness Wear offers Yoga classes in New York City! We are not just fitness apparel innovators we are advocates for a whole health lifestyle. Click on our Yoga schedule to learn more about class description, your Yoga teacher, rates, schedules etc.
STRETCH. BREATHE. YOUR HEART (and spine) WILL LOVE YOU.

Freedom and flexibility...that's what it's all about...

Om to the max...

Onions Galore!

I love onions. Raw. Cooked. Roasted. Yellow. Red. White. Green. Shallots... Leeks... I'm a fan of the onion! I love the way yellow onions glisten after being sauteed in coconut oil. I crave thinly sliced sweet and red onions in a hummus and cucumber sandwich. I savor white onions tossed in a Little Gems salad. The delicious onion flavor break dances on my palate to the tangy apple cider vinegar and oil dressing. No matter what I'm cooking I always add an onion. I do.

Some say onions were grown first in Ancient Egypt then eventually made their way to Rome and were given the Latin word UNIO which means, single, or one. Onions are hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. I say they have good circulation to be able to take those cold conditions! In fact, eating onions regularly can increase your circulation and lower blood pressure. Moreover, onions help reduce cardiovascular disease by lowering your total cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol levels. Our bulby friends are high in B6, B1 and Folic acid - eat onions to help fight the free radicals in your body. They are also rich in the trace mineral chromium which helps cells respond to insulin.

How to pick the best onion? Choose onions that are have a good round shape with dry crisp skin. Don't choose onions that have dark patches, as this may be a sign of decay. Stay clear of onions that are sprouting and have signs of mold. Basically, make sure the onion looks clean! Then,
store your onions in a cool, dry, well ventilated place. If stored properly, they can be kept for weeks.

And yes, onions have been known to make you cry...
My advice - chill...these are tears of joy! Or try chilling the onion for 30 minutes prior to cutting!

I cut up a sweet yellow onion into big chunks. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Then roast at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes. Roasted onions are a perfect compliment to any dinner!

Long live the Onion!