Apr12
YogaBabe on Red Onions
Posted By: Daphne's
Categories: benefits of red onion, California Greek Culture, cooking blog, Daphne's California Greek, EAT WELL, Jessica Mulvey, red onion health benefits, red_onion, yoga classes, yoga poses, YogaBabes, YogaBabes
What would so many of our favorite dishes be without the red onion? This versatile vegetable is used in many dishes and sauces because of it's delicious flavor and irresistible crunch, but it also contains some important health benefits. Let us get acquainted with the red onion.
First know that it can be consumed both raw and cooked, but the flavor changes
dramatically once cooked. When selecting a red onion, look for one with a dry,
papery skin that has no blemishes or wet/dark spots. Onions should be stored in
a cool, dry location that is away from potatoes. (Placing onions near potatoes
will cause them to both spoil quickly.) Also, a fun fact about the onion in
general, is that it gave the city of Chicago its name. The Chippewa Indians
found these "she-gau-ga-winshe" growing at the site of the modern day
city... yep sound it out, it sounds like Chi-ca-go!
On a more relevant note, red onions are very good for us because they have been
found to contain anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory
properties. Nutritionally, red onions are low in calories, have no cholesterol,
and contain zero fat! Red onions also provide significant amounts of
vitamin C, vitamin B6, and are a good source of dietary fiber.
Needless to say, don't fear the red onion because it makes you cry when you cut it. Rather add it to your salads, classic pita sandwiches, and flatbreads. It’s tasty, crunchy, and really good!
Jan24
POSE + PURPOSE: Parivrtta Utkatasana
Posted By: YogaBabes
Categories: Jessica Mulvey, yoga classes, yoga poses, yoga postures, YogaBabes, YogaBabes
This month's pose + purpose is Parivrtta Utkatasana, or Chair pose with Prayer twist. This twist stimulates your abdominal organs, stretches your spine, improves balance, and strengthens your core and legs. Chair pose with Prayer twist is a beautiful posture that is accessible to yogis of all levels.
1. Begin by finding chair pose, feet are together, legs are bent deeply, arms come up overhead, and your shoulders stack over your hips. (YogaBabes tip: make sure you tuck your tailbone, it will protect your lower back! I notice that most of us stick our bums out while in this pose.)
2. Bring your arms to 'prayer' position. Inhale and lengthen your spine, then exhale while twisting your shoulders to the right. Draw your left elbow to the outside of your right knee.
3. Puff up your chest to maintain good posture. Glance down at your knees to makes sure the left knee is not pulling forward and your hips are squared. Gaze over your right shoulder so that your cervical spine is part of the spinal twist. Finally, press your hands together on each exhale to twist a little deeper. Remain in the pose for 5 slow breaths or more to fully experience the benefits of the prayer twist.
4. Slowly, release back to chair pose on an exhale and repeat on the other side. After you preform Parivrtta Utkatasana on the left side, gracefully surrender to a forward fold to release any lower back tension that may have been created.
0 Comments