Holistic Instincts

Any given week, my family goes through over 2 dozen eggs.  We eat a lot of scrambled eggs in the mornings - with the yolks - AND cooked in some sort of fat, whether it be fresh lard, saved bacon or duck fat (my personal favorite) or even tallow.  On days that smoothies are in order (because, Vegas = HOT), I will add 8 raw eggs to the blender before I add other goodies.  We really do go through a lot of eggs. And as mentioned above, we do not shy away from fat.  Specifically, pure animal fat in all of its glory.  I buy all different types and even scoop it off finished dishes to store in a labeled jar for later use.  I choose poultry with skin still on and fatty cuts of beef because we adore it.  Pastured pork belly and grass-fed beef cheeks are my kind of heaven. People that know us, also know of our love of bacon.  And one year, friends even gifted my husband with a jar of bacon fat for Christmas.  I think they meant it as a joke but my...

One of my of favorite yoga poses is Balasana, or Child's Pose.  In Sanskrit, bala means child and asana refers to the yoga pose (though literally translated can mean 'to be' or 'to stay'). This pose is considered a restorative, or resting, pose.  A true restorative pose needs little physical energy to move into (and out of) the pose.  And this pose is amazing because it can offer a way to release unconscious tension.  After a few minutes of deep breathing in this pose, tension in the neck and shoulders may begin to melt away.  Balasana is an anytime/anywhere pose - available to anyone needing a few minutes of self-care. Balasana is considered to be especially helpful in restoring the body's energy, stretching and releasing the lower back, relaxing the neck and shoulders, and this pose can also stimulate digestion. To enter this pose, begin in a kneeling position and allow the hips to sink down into the heels.  Tops of the feet should be relaxed an...