Happy All Souls Day-Detachment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween is a European tradition that was most likely brought to the US from the Scottish and Irish immigrants. It is believed to have its origin in the Celtic world and later in the Christian world. It is a time to celebrate the soul. In the tradition the wealthy would give small cakes to the poor who would beg from door to door on All Hallows Eve. In return for being chartable souls would be released from hell or purgatory and transcend to heaven. This was called souling and the cakes given to the poor were called soul cakes.

Yoga makes it very clear that we should all be charitable not just with our money, but with our time, our thoughts, our words and our deeds.  It also means we should give without attachment or the desire to receive something in return. Give for the sake of giving. Here is where the ego comes in…it always wants to get something in return.  When we expect joy from outside things we are never satisfied.  So remember to give so that a soul may find peace and in this you will always be rewarded with a sense of peace within yourself.

 

Everyone wants to be happy. Attachment brings pain. Detachment brings peace. In life things come and things go. It is like the ancient fable about the musk deer. The musk deer loves the scent of musk. In the fable the musk deer has a musk spot on its forehead. It runs from place to place seeking out the origin of the scent not realizing that the scent is on its own forehead. Happiness is like that- it’s not out there it’s within you.

Happy Halloween

Doctor Lynn  

Got Tech-Neck?

Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise for improving your posture. Good posture is good for you over all body and especially good for your shoulders and neck. Rounding of the shoulders and neck pain is become a major issue as we spend more and more time hunched over our cell phones.
Here are some easy yoga poses to improve posture and shoulder and neck strength.

Stand tall!  Doctor Lynn  http://www.doctorlynn.com

Burnout- The Next Epidemic!

 

 

 

Basically burnout is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. However, stress may be a causative factor, but it is burnout that is the end result. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet the constant borage of demands. You begin to feel deflated, spent, exhausted and to lose all interest and motivation both personally and professionally.

 

You may be on the road to burnout if:

• Everyday becomes a bad day
• Your exhausted all the time
• Caring about your home and work life seems useless
• You feel like nothing you do is appreciated. Lacking rewards.
• You begin to spend the majority of your day doing mind numbing task. Avoidance.
• Your feel frustrated, disappointed, like a failure and rejected.

 

Burnout is about feeling that there is never enough. Everything is out of control and there is nothing that can be done about it, but to crash and burn. In burnout people do not see any hope of changing things to make things better. Stress is like drowning in excess where burnout is like being all dried up with nothing left to give.

Doctor Lynn

Continuing Education

http://www.doctorlynn.com

A Recipe for Happiness like Peas in a Pod

 

 

 

 

The phrase like two peas in a pod means something that is identical. It comes from the fact that the peas in a pod are virtually indistinguishable. It is an old saying that dates back to the 16^th century.

Peas are a staple in England where they grow and export a very large amount of peas. Canada and not England is the largest exporter. But where do you think the Canadian got the peas from? If you are lucky enough to be in England in the spring time you will get the fresh spring peas which are a delicacy. When I was in London in late May we ate fresh peas served as “mushy peas” which is a soft smashed up pea dish somewhere between smashed wholes peas and peas soup. The taste was very fresh, but I must admit I prefer my peas whole. Apparently mushy peas is the modern version of an old recipe for pea pie. Anyway you serve peas the Brits are all so happy with their fresh spring peas. And quite interestingly here in Los Angles it is all the rage to have English spring peas on the menu.

But, do these little green pellets really make us happy? When I was young the boys in our neighborhood would take the peas and shoot them at the girls through straws, known as peas shooters. If they didn’t have peas they would make little spit balls in the shape of peas and shoot them into the girl’s hair and then laugh like crazy. My brother and I would use our spoons to snap peas at each other at the dinner table when my parents were not looking. This of course was fun and made us laugh. Playing with peas does make for good fun and happy memories.

Nutritionally peas are a great source of phytonutrients. Flavanols (including catechin and epicatechin), phenolic acids (including caffeic and ferulic acid), and carotenoids (including alpha- and beta-carotene) are among the phytonutrients provided by green peas. Phytonutrients are certain organic components of plants and these components promote human health. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and teas are rich in phytonutrients which are different than proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals which are essential for life. Peas are aso a good source of Vitamin C, vitamin K and manganeses. You probably recognize lycopene, and beta carontene which studies have shown are phytonutrients that support heart and eye health.

Although we think of peas as a vegetable they are actually a legume. Legumes are foods that bear fruits in the form of pods. Lentils, chickpeas and beans are also legumes. However, peas are one of the few legumes that are picked and eaten fresh while the other legumes are dried before cooked.

Happiness is an elusive concept with different meanings for different people. However, a state of happiness is something all people strive to achieve. Happiness I would argue is characteristic of a good life and a good life is fulfilling.  Enjoying pea’s fresh from the pod in springtime fulfills the need to share the good nutritious aspect of life with those we love. Happiness is found in the simple things in life. Like peas in a pod, at the most basic level, we all share the same need to be happy. That’s why we love peas- they make us giggle and smile.

Doctorlynn
http://www.doctolynn.com

 

Yoga Today the Obstacles- Attachment

 

 

 

 

 

The first two obstacles are ignorance (which mean to be unaware) and the ego. Remember the ego is not to be annihilated. It is to be controlled. The self will always be falsely represented by the ego until ignorance is removed. This means to remove self-righteousness, self-importance and selfishness. Be compassionate and understanding. We are all equal. However, we are all different and that is what makes the world so interesting.  The third obstacle is attachment. Because of egoism there is attachment to things for the egos pleasure. We attach ourselves to that which brings us pleasure and then we fear losing it. Fear is the ignorant face of the ego.

Most humans find life quite painful because they are locked into possessiveness and can’t adjust to the ever changing nature of life. Everything is transitory. The key word is detachment. Not detachment from things, but detachment from our identification with things. It means to detach from both pleasure and pain and simply experience the essence of life, which is transitory and ever changing. Even this moment cannot last. It quickly moves onto the next moment and then the next moment.

Again this does mean detaching from the object or the person, but to detach from our identification with the pleasure or the pain this object or person brings into our life. Life is meant to be observed and lived; not possessed. Be aware, control the ego and detach by observing life and letting it flow as it will.

Although you may amass ten thousand pieces of gold, at death you cannot take with you even one copper penny. According to Karma yoga, all you take with you when you depart this world is the wisdom you have gained. Choose wisely.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

 

Work Overload

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it time for a break? When work and life become an over load it’s time to pull back and take a break. The best way to pull back is to rest, sleep and escape with a good movie, a good book and a walk in the park. Know when to pullback and give yourself permission to recoup your energy. Energy may be infinite but remember it changes form. Don’t let the stress and strain of life burn you out.

So take a day and be good to yourself. It’s time for a break!

Doctor Lynn

A Recipe for Sex – A Spear or Two Please

 

 

 

Spring time and fresh asparagus appear. Europe is a buzz with delight over the appearance of this sensual vegetable. Known as an aphrodisiac both because of its shape and because of its nutrient value, the fresh asparagus of spring is a delicious experience.

I’ve previously written about asparagus and its virtues as a sexual vegetable. It falls into that reference first through the signature of Doctrines which states that if something looks like something it must be good for that something. Asparagus has a phallic look which accounts for its portrayal as something good for erections which equates to good sex for both men and women.

Asparagus is also a very nutritious food. It is high in aspartic acid, an amino acid that neutralizes the excess ammonia which lingers in the body and makes us tired and sexually disinterested.  Scientists claim experiments with potassium and magnesium salts of aspartic acid have helped people to overcome exhaustion and sexual disinterest. Asparagus is also high in vitamin E, which is needed to produce the sex hormones.

Emperors, kings and even the Kama Sutra praise the asparagus as a  sexual stimulant. Poems have been written and movies have been made depicting the asparagus as a love food and phallic symbol.

In America we usually eat the green asparagus, while in Europe and most notably, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France it is the white asparagus that is the delight of the dinner table. In spring time all of northern Europe is a buzz with the news that the asparagus is ripe and ready to eat. And for good reason!

I had the good fortune of arriving in Amsterdam in the late spring just as the asparagus was in full bloom and appearing on every menu in town. Steamed fresh it was soft, sweet and left me craving for more.

We moved onto Bruges where the white asparagus is cooked Flemish style in a light sauce with a special blend of seasoning. This was it for me. I was hooked on the delightful little stalks. I could not wait till the next night to have another serving of asparagus.

Looking around Bruges I noticed that the people seemed very loving and affectionate. I thought to myself – I wonder if it’s the asparagus? And then I got a surprise.

I opened the window of my hotel room which was located upon the banks of the canal. Directly across the canal  was another boutique hotel  with the old rustic charm of ancient Bruges architecture. As I opened the window, directly across the canal in the next hotel was a young man and a young woman engaged in sex with the window open for the entire world to see! My first thought was that the white asparagus in Bruges must be very potent. It must be true that a stalk or two a day makes asparagus a sexy vegetable!

A Recipe for Sex – A Spear or Two Please

 

 

 

Spring time and fresh asparagus appear. Europe is a buzz with delight over the appearance of this sensual vegetable. Known as an aphrodisiac both because of its shape and because of its nutrient value, the fresh asparagus of spring is a delicious experience.

I’ve previously written about asparagus and its virtues as a sexual vegetable. It falls into that reference first through the signature of Doctrines which states that if something looks like something it must be good for that something. Asparagus has a phallic look which accounts for its portrayal as something good for erections which equates to good sex for both men and women.

Asparagus is also a very nutritious food. It is high in aspartic acid, an amino acid that neutralizes the excess ammonia which lingers in the body and makes us tired and sexually disinterested.  Scientists claim experiments with potassium and magnesium salts of aspartic acid have helped people to overcome exhaustion and sexual disinterest. Asparagus is also high in vitamin E, which is needed to produce the sex hormones.

Emperors, kings and even the Kama Sutra praise the asparagus as a  sexual stimulant. Poems have been written and movies have been made depicting the asparagus as a love food and phallic symbol.

In America we usually eat the green asparagus, while in Europe and most notably, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France it is the white asparagus that is the delight of the dinner table. In spring time all of northern Europe is a buzz with the news that the asparagus is ripe and ready to eat. And for good reason!

I had the good fortune of arriving in Amsterdam in the late spring just as the asparagus was in full bloom and appearing on every menu in town. Steamed fresh it was soft, sweet and left me craving for more.

We moved onto Bruges where the white asparagus is cooked Flemish style in a light sauce with a special blend of seasoning. This was it for me. I was hooked on the delightful little stalks. I could not wait till the next night to have another serving of asparagus.

Looking around Bruges I noticed that the people seemed very loving and affectionate. I thought to myself – I wonder if it’s the asparagus? And then I got a surprise.

I opened the window of my hotel room which was located upon the banks of the canal. Directly across the canal  was another boutique hotel  with the old rustic charm of ancient Bruges architecture. As I opened the window, directly across the canal in the next hotel was a young man and a young woman engaged in sex with the window open for the entire world to see! My first thought was that the white asparagus in Bruges must be very potent. It must be true that a stalk or two a day makes asparagus a sexy vegetable!

Doctor Lynn     http://www.doctorlynn.com

Egoism- one of the five obstacles

There are five obstacles that we must master in order to be able to master our lives. The first is ignorance. This means awareness. The second is egoism. The ego is a reflection of your state of mind. It is not your true self, but a reflection. The true self is always falsely represented by the ego until ignorance is removed. The ego is the great evaluator. It takes what it experiences through the senses and makes judgement. The true self which is your soul observes. It does not judge. The goal of yoga is to bring balanced energy to the body and the mind so we quiet the ego and connect with our soul. We are not trying to annihilate the ego, but learn to control it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ego is the part of you that is prideful, feels self-importance and is righteous.  The soul is humble and values the importance in all of life. The ego is the tool of the soul. We need the ego to right a wrong and to protect us from being abused and mistreated. But like any tool we need to learn how to use it or we will risk getting hurt.

Let’s say you are in a relationship or in job situation that is killing your soul. If you are aware (removing ignorance) you realize that this is not good for your health and will not serve the mission of your soul so you use the ego to give you the self-confidence to stand up, leave and move on. In this way you have used the ego to assist the soul.

 Here is the tool -Ego transcending mudra – a mudra is a gesture. We use gestures all the time to express ourselves. In this mudra we bend the index finger which is symbolic of the ego and place the tip of the thumb into the middle of the underside of the index finger. This is different than the wisdom mudra. In this mudra the ego subsides and wisdom is manifested. You stop take a moment and remind yourself to use the ego wisely. You are not your ego, but your ego is a tool that may be used by the soul for its evolution. Use it wisely.

 

 

Your life is like a flowing river. It knows where it is going and it is best if we just let it flow. But sometimes things get in the way and the ego will surface. Stop take a moment and bend your ego, and then touch it with wisdom. We are not here to win or to lose, but simply to evolve and the best way to evolve is to be aware of the power of your ego and then use it wisely towards the evolution of your soul. Life will present you with many opportunities to successfully complete this mission.  Be aware and stay humble.

Doctor Lynn

A Recipe for Health- A Melodic Composition

 

 

 

 

Fruit compote is a 17^th century French desert made up of fresh slightly cooked fruits. It is seasoned with orange, lemon, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Many Jewish people associate it with holidays. The fruit compote served on holidays is supposed to indicate sweet wishes and good luck in the coming year.

The base of fruit compote is, of course, the fruit. Some variants use dried fruit while others may make berry compote. Some fruit compotes follow a theme, such as tropical compote, while others use preserved fruits in syrup from the summer, or an assortment of whatever looks good. Depending on the type of fruit used, the spicing and level of sweetness is usually adjusted to make the fruit compote's flavor optimal.

Whatever the fruit this is a healthy dessert that packs a punch when it comes to antioxidants. That’s because fruit is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Some of the fruits used are pineapple, peaches, pears, apples, apricots, cherries and berries.

When I was young we lived on an Island off the coast of Maine. It was difficult to get fresh fruit and vegetables in the long winter months. So in the summer my Mother would can fresh fruits so she could make fruit desserts in the winter. Traditionally canned or preserved fruits were used to make compote.

Fruits were first discovered wild. Humans no doubt liked the look, then the smell and finally the taste. Eventually humans began to cultivate fruits and thus began early farming. Today we enjoy a vast variety of fruits from around the world; however, there is nothing better than tree or vine ripened, in season, locally grown fruit. It has a sweetness and texture that just doesn’t exist with half ripened, imported, out of season fruit.

Fruits contain essential vitamins and minerals needed for good health. It’s important to get fresh whole fruits because the vitamins and minerals in fruits have a synergistic effect meaning that they work together to produce the greatest amount of health benefits. For example; oranges are rich in vitamin C, but to get the vitamin C you need a bit of the fleshy white stuff(bioflavonoid) which synergizes with the Vitamin C, delivering the maximum amount of nutrients.

When you mix a variety of fruits together in a fruit salad or compote you get both a wonderful collage of flavors and a healthy portion of nutrients. We need to get three to four servings of fruits a day and sadly most Americans get little to none. The fiber, the skin, the seeds and the pulp of fresh fruits are a far better choice than fruit strips or fruit juice which is often times missing essential nutrients and loaded up with sugar.

There’s nothing like compote of fruits to make for a healthy melodic composition.

Doctor Lynn

Weight Control- you need a meta-kick!

 

Sign up for the Doctor Lynn FREE monthly newsletter and get healthy tips and more. http://www.doctorlynn.com  

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween is the kick off of the holiday season. There goes the diet and here come lots of rich and somewhat unhealthy foods. We all know that exercise is the only real antidote to expend excess calorie consumption. But did you know that yoga breath can help? According to research from the Patanjali Research Foundation in Haridwar India yoga breath increases levels of leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissues that signals the brain in inhibit hunger. Leptin has also been shown to stimulate fatty tissue to burn energy.
Doctor Lynn’s Anti-Aging Yoga Dance video has two section of yoga complete with breathing exercises designed to quiet the mind and enhance the processing of energy. Yoga breathing to control weight is no trick, but a sweet treat that is simple and free!

Get up and Dance!
Visit my website to see my Halloween Playlist

http://www.doctorlynn.com

and don't forget t sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter.

Yoga Today-Ignorance

 

 

 

We practice yoga to minimize the obstacle that get our way and prevent us from finding peace.  They are ignorance, egoism, attachment to things and clinging to life. Today we are going to look at ignorance.

In yoga ignorance does not mean being stupid; it means being unaware of the true nature of SELF. We are not our body and our mind. But the soul has chosen them to create earthly you. The body is the vehicle for the soul and the mind is the soul’s instrument. The soul is struggling to control the body and the mind so it can use them for its evolution. We are ignorant in that we let the body and the mind rule our life. An example would be when you say, “I am tired.” You are not tired. The body and the mind are tired. The soul is never tired.

According to karma yoga when we reincarnated back to earth we developed a state of amnesia so that we forgot about our prior lives. Our journey now is to try and reconnect with our self which is the soul.

Once you accept that you are the essence of life that is everywhere and is everything then the illusion “maya” is removed and we see clearly the nature of SELF which is eternal.  We have nothing to fear. Life is a long learning process and the soul is here simply to learn. That is the essence of life. Let’s practice because nothing is achieved without practice.

Awareness leads to knowledge and knowledge leads to wisdom and wisdom leads to peace. We begin to understand that we are not about the life we are living, but through the life we are living we have an opportunity to know the true SELF. And when you discover the true SELF you will find peace.

How? With dedication and continued practice.  

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

Spiritual Fitness- Master Your Emotions

 

 

 

Let’s focus on the Astral Layer of energy or our emotions. Remember thoughts are pure. We give emotion to them and once they take on emotion they begin to affect our state of being. An example would be stress. Stress is an emotion of fear. We fear losing control. So should we stop having thoughts and stop giving them emotions? No, this is not likely to happen. We are souls here on earth having a human experience and that experience includes thoughts and emotions. Awareness is the key. Try to catch yourself giving emotion to your thoughts. When you feel the emotion, stop, feel it and realize this is not you. It is one of life’s’ experiences and what you do with this experience determine the nature of your life. So if you are feeling anger or having any other emotion defuse it. How?  Awareness, a deep breath and then get up and dance!

Let’s start with yoga and then we’ll dance

 

Become the witnessing consciousness of your life. Learn to separate your thoughts and your emotions. You are not your emotions. You are pure energy. So take a deep breath and gently release the emotion. Then get up and let your pure energy dance!

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

A Recipe for Health, Sex, Happiness and Love

 

 

 

Let’s start with mustard chicken and end with rhubarb pie.  It’s hot and spicy and then sweet and tart.

If you have been following the weekly blog you know why this meal is healthy, sexy, happy and loving! Follow Doctor Lynn on Facebook for more....

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Mustard Baked Chicken

4 chicken thighs and legs with bone – remove skin

2 heaping tablespoons of hot mustard (make your own or use a Dijon)

2 tablespoons of white wine or wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of Herb De Provence

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove skin from chicken thighs. In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients except for the olive oil. Heat olive oil in a pan. Spread the sauce on one side of chicken and place into pan. Coat the other side with the sauce and then turn once to brown each side. Remove from pan and transfer to a baking dish and roast the chicken for 30 minutes until the chicken is brown. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Serve with:

 

Fresh steamed asparagus with balsamic

 Put ¼ cup of white wine and 2 cups of water in a steamer. Place  fresh asparagus on top and steam for 5-10 minutes. Remove and serve with a little balsamic vinegar sprinkled on top.

Or the quick method – place asparagus in a microwavable bowl with 1/4  cup of white wine and a little butter. Cover loosely and cook for 3 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and then serve with a little balsamic sprinkled on top.

 

Beer Bread

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp double acting baking powder

Stevia to equal 6 teaspoons of sugar or use the 6 teaspoons of sugar

1 - 12 ounce can of light beer at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder and sweetener. Add beer and stir until foam subsides and all ingredients are moistened. Place dough in 4x 8 inch loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool bread in pan for 5 minutes. Then remove to rack and finish cooling.

For a variation make rye bread. Add 1/8 tsp of garlic powder and 1 tsp of caraway seeds in with the beer.

 

 

Rhubarb Pie

Two pie crust for 9 inch pie pan

4 cups of fresh rhubarb cut into bit size pieces.

1 1/3 cup of organic sugar or white sugar

6 Tablespoons of flour

1 Tablespoon of butter.

 I like to buy the Pillsbury readymade pie crust. You can make your own crust, but Pillsbury is delicious and quite frankly I have never been able to make a thin crust. My crust is good, but this is so much easier.

Line pan with one crust. Mix flour and sugar together. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons over the bottom crust. Fill with rhubarb and then sprinkle remaining sugar and flour mixture on top. Dab with small chunks of the butter. Cover with top crust and seal edges. Cut a few slashes in the top crust to release steam. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes on lowest rack of oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve hot or warm with or without vanilla ice cream.

Mustard baked chicken, fresh steamed asparagus, homemade beer bread and Rhubarb pie…just the thought of it should conjure up thoughts of health, sex, happiness and love. If you bake this dinner for your special someone, I guarantee it will be much appreciated. One of the best ways to show someone you care is to prepare a meal. Make it with good intentions and you will be surprised at how fulfilled you will feel. Serve with a chilled Chardonnay.

To Good Food!

 

 

 

Yoga Today- Obstacles

 

 

 

 

Why do we practice yoga? Hatha is the physical part which improves the strength, balance and flexibility of the body. The philosophy such as Kriya yoga (which means balance in all things) is a guide for living a spiritual life. With both we encounter obstacles. Sometimes the body has been neglected, injured or is sick and struggles with the poses. With the philosophy we struggle with the obstacles of life. Without the practice such as that in Kriya we can never overcome these obstacles.

The obstacles are ignorance, egotism, attachment, hatred and clinging to physical life. The order of these obstacles is important because from ignorance (unawareness) of self comes egotism and from egotism we get attached to things for the egos pleasure. Because the things we get attached to do not come our way or are taken from us we develop hatred and resentment. And finally because we are attached to things and afraid of death we cling to life.

We cannot overcome all of these obstacles in one yoga class or a hundred yoga classes, but we can begin today to focus on building strength, balance and flexibility. These are the basic elements for overcoming the obstacles of life.

Let’s get started;

To overcome the obstacles is to reach a state of complete peace and serenity.  We may struggle with ignorance, with the ego, with attachment, hatred and clinging to life, but if we practice yoga with sincerity we will eventually be able to bring balance, strength and flexibility to our lives; body, mind and soul; and the obstacles will subside.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

 

A Recipe for Love – Raise a Mug or Two

They say when you drink enough of it (beer or love) you get intoxicated and begin to act stupid. However, beer is appropriate for initiating love as it is the potion of Isis, the goddess of matrimony and motherhood, and hops come from barley which is ruled by Venus the goddess of love.

Moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, raises high-density lipoprotein or HDL, known as good cholesterol, says Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, chief of the section of preventive medicine and epidemiology and professor of medicine and public health at the Boston University School of Medicine. It also appears that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol has a favorable effect on the lining of blood vessels, making them less likely to form a clot or for a clot to rupture and plug an artery.

"People should realize that a little bit of alcohol on a regular basis decreases the risks of aging," says Ellison, who specializes in researching, among other things, the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and chronic diseases.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health released a study showing that frequent drinking in moderation may protect men from cardiovascular disease. Men who reported drinking 120 to 365 days a year had a 20% lower cardiovascular death rate than those who drank one to 36 days a year. Overdoing it, however, can have the opposite effect. Men who knocked back five or more drinks when they did indulge had a 30% greater risk for death via heart disease.

Beer may also boost your brain power. Adults over age 65 who drank one to six alcoholic beverages over the course of the week turned out to have a lower risk of dementia than non-drinkers or heavier drinkers, according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Likewise, a 2006 report that appeared in an American Heart Association journal showed that a drink or two a day might be linked to better cognitive function in women, as well as, it improved sexual functioning.

Hops have bioflavonoid with similar properties to oestrogens which may serve as a natural hormone replacement for women; estrogen is a precursor to vasopressin, a peptide that discourages sexual extremes and encourages monogamy.

In Zulu mythology, Mbaba Mwana Waresa is the Goddess of beer because it is believed that she created the first beer for human consumption. She is also known as the Goddess of rain and the rainbow. She is celebrated for her search of true love.

Ninkasi is the Ancient Sumerian Goddess of beer and brewing. It is said that she provided the world with the secret to making beer. In Sumerian culture, she is known for her power to satisfy human desire.

Desire and love…a mighty potion that should have us raising a mug or two!

Doctor Lynn

 

 

Yoga Today- Verbal Austerity

 

 

 

Be Careful with What and How You Speak – words are powerful so choose them wisely

We all communicate. We use words to express our ideas, our thoughts and our emotions. And it is these words and how we speak them that often times get us into trouble. Yoga is pretty clear about how we should communicate. In the ideal our speech should bring tranquility, and should be truthful, pleasant and beneficial.

We should avoid bitter, harsh and critical words. These only lead to hurt and pain. We should also refrain from giving other people the permission to say hurtful words.

When we speak our words should be meaningful, beautiful and necessary.  If we cannot say something nice; we should not speak. This is verbal austerity. This is not easy. This is why we practice yoga. Yoga teaches us to carefully examine the words we use and the way we communicate. This can only be achieved with awareness and practice. Let’s practice.

We should not speak what is true if it is not pleasant. We should always seek to do no harm.  Yes we should speak the truth, but never with the intention to harm. We also should not speak what is pleasant if it is not true.  This is speaking falsely.  If you cannot say something that is beneficial, pleasant and truthful with an intention to bring tranquility, than take the vow of silence. This is verbal austerity.

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

A Recipe for Happiness Bake Me Tart

Who doesn’t smile at the site of a fresh baked pie? What about a pie that can bring happiness into your life? Serve it up, you say. Welcome to the late spring veggie pie known as rhubarb pie. Yes that’s right, rhubarb is a vegetable best know as a sweet and sour jam, pie and sauce.

When I think of rhubarb I flash back to my farm house in Maine where in the back yard every year in late spring the rhubarb would appear. I would pick it fresh and make rhubarb sauce and rhubarb pie. My rhubarb was red and tart. Some rhubarb is green and also tart. The red rhubarb is called strawberry rhubarb and hence the name strawberry rhubarb pie. However, most people added strawberries to the pie, but the truth is the red stuff is called strawberry rhubarb.

Rhubarb has been used medicinally by the Chinese for thousands of years. It has been used as a strong laxative and as an astringent. The word rhubarb originates from Latin. The ancient Romans imported rhubarb roots from faraway and unknown barbarian lands. The lands were beyond the Vogue River, which was also known as the Rha River. Imported from barbarians across the Rha river the plant became Rha barbarum and eventually rhabarbarum, or the  Latin word for rhubarb. The modern English word rhubarb derives from rhabarbarum.

Rhubarb is now classified as a superfood for its ratio of health benefits to calories – only 7 calories per 100 grams. Wow! And for those who want to lose weight rhubarb actually speeds up the metabolism. High levels of calcium mean it is a fat-free alternative to dairy products which lowers cholesterol. Now if that doesn’t make you happy; here is a song by John Cleeves to entertain and make you happy:

The Rhubarb Tart Song
1. I want another slice of rhubarb tart. I want another lovely slice. I'm not disparaging the blueberry pie But rhubarb tart is oh so very nice. A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A whatbarb tart? A rhubarb tart! I want another slice of rhubarb tart!	2. The principles of modern philosophy Were postulated by Descartes. Discarding everything he wasn't certain of He said 'I think therefore I am a rhubarb tart.' A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A Rene who? Rene Descartes! Poor nut he thought he was a rhubarb tart!
3. Read all the existentialist philosophers, Like Schopenhauer and Jean-Paul Sartre. Even Martin Heidegger agrees on one thing: Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart. A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A Jean-Paul who? A Jean-Paul Sartre! Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart.	4. A rhubarb tart has fascinated all the poets. Especially the immortal bard. He caused Richard the Third to call on Bosworth Field: 'My kingdom for a slice of rhubarb tart!' A rhubarb what? A rhubarb bard! Immortal what? Immortal tart! As rhymes go that is really pretty bard!

Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com