Welcome to Natural Nancy's “occasional” newsletter. In this issue I will discuss: skin care products and how to check the safety of what you're currently using; Yoga; a delicious vegetarian lentil soup recipe; and a tea for cleansing your liver.

I believe that I am in control of my health. No one else is responsible for keeping me healthy but myself. I feel that this is how we should all view our health. It isn’t a matter of waiting to see the doctor, but of possibly never having to see the doctor. I'm not saying that you shouldn't see a doctor when necessary, but I am saying is that there are so many simple things you can do to take charge of your health which will mean less frequent visits to your health care provider.

SKIN CARE
All of us use some type of product on our skin – shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, lipstick. Did you know that a very large number of products on the market contain harmful ingredients that are suspected of causing cancer and/or reproductive problems, plus a host of other health concerns? This can be the case even if the product says “all natural” and “organic” on their labels because of poor labeling laws.

Many people do not realize that what you put on your skin can and will be absorbed into the body. Someone I know once said that if he wouldn't put it in his mouth and eat it, he wouldn't put it on his skin - very wise advice.

I urge you to take a few minutes and visit www.ewg.org then click on Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database to take a look at the products that you currently use. Here you can type in the company name and you will get a listing of their products and detailed information on the safety of the ingredients. It tells you at a glance how safe (0) or how toxic (9) the product is that you are currently using.

Several months ago I checked out the company whose products I was using and was disappointed to see the rating. It wasn't terrible, but it was in the mid-range and I thought it would have been in the lower range. A fellow Yoga teacher told me about some products that she uses. I immediately checked that company out and saw their ratings to be between 0 and 2. I was so thrilled that I started using the facial products. I made that change 5 months ago and I can say that I am extremely pleased with the results. I just started using some of their other products as well (pro-biotics and antioxidants). To get more information about these products for yourself, go to www.naturalnancy.miessence.com and see what they have available. If you peruse the site you can learn more about their products. Plus, the ingredients are Certified Organic, which makes them even sweeter to use!

YOGA
I love Yoga. I love teaching Yoga. I also love teaching Therapeutic Yoga. I recently attended a workshop with a brilliant Therapeutic Yoga teacher from Canada and learned some interesting things that I now incorporate into my classes. Briefly, in order to benefit from your practice you must remember a few things:

•

Breathe smoothly while entering, holding and exiting a pose. If you notice your breath straining or that you're holding your breath, you are signaling your sympathetic nervous system to turn on, which in turn causes tension in the muscles and has the opposite effect on what you're intending the pose to accomplish. What to do? Either exit the pose slowly, or back off a bit until you feel you are breathing

•

Never, ever move where you feel pain. Everyone's perception of pain is different. Because we all experience it differently, here again is where you must notice your breath as well as feel what is happening in your body. You will never become pain-free if you continue to work in the area of pain. Again, back off or out of the pose. This can be very humbling, especially to those who have been practicing for a long time. However, you must remember that Yoga is not like other forms of exercise with a “feel the burn” or “no pain, no gain” mentality. Yoga is about moving with the breath, connecting the breath with the mind and body. It moves to a very subtle level. You should feel relaxed and stress-free, yet feel an energizing effect from the practice. This is what Yoga is about.

Look for the release of my Beginners Home Practice Yoga CD in the very near future!

VEGETARIAN LENTIL SOUP
Here is an easy, delicious and nourishing soup that the whole family will enjoy. I got my original recipe from www.wholefoods.com/recipes and then embellished it with other ingredients that I thought my family would enjoy – and they do! Please use organic ingredients whenever possible.

•3 cups uncooked green or black lentils, rinsed
•3 quarts filtered water
•2 strips kombu (seaweed) (I've used other types)
•Bay leaf
•Thyme – fresh or dried
•Fresh parsley if available
•Coconut oil, or your favorite oil
•1 large onion, chopped
•Garlic, chopped (as much as you like)
•3 large carrots
•2 stalks celery
•2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
(this is optional, but I always use it)
•Bragg's liquid aminos (a few good squirts)
•Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•Few sprinkles of paprika

Put rinsed lentils and water into a large pot and bring to a boil. You can skim off any foam that comes to the surface, reduce heat, add seaweed, bay leaf, thyme, parsley. Simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until softened. Add carrots and celery, continue cooking until carrots are slightly soft. Transfer contents of skillet to pot with lentils and continue cooking during the last 20 minutes or so. Stir in vinegar, Braggs, salt, pepper, lemon juice and paprika. Continue to cook until veggies are soft. Turn off heat and allow flavors to blend for ½ hour before adjusting seasonings.

Feel free to add more carrots and other goodies. Because the lentils stay whole, this soup is almost like a stew, so you can add more water at the end if you like more liquid.

LIVER CLEANSE TEA
Here's a tasty tea that is beneficial to the liver. Our liver processes everything that passes through the body, so helping it shed some of the build up makes us healthier overall. As always, check with your health care provider to see if there are any contraindications for any of the ingredients. Again, use organic and fair trade herbs whenever possible.

1 part of the following:
•Peppermint leaf
•Burdock root
•Licorice Root
•Nettles

½ part of the following:
•Rooibos
•Rosehips
•Rosemary
•Hawthorn berries (if available)

2 parts Spearmint leaf

Combine all ingredients in a resealable container.

To make the tea combine 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture for every 1 cup of filtered or distilled water in a glass or stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover pot and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain tea into a cup and enjoy! Store any extra tea in the refrigerator. You can drink 1 – 3 cups per day.

Be sure to put the used herbs in your compost pile or worm bin!

Thank you for subscribing to the Natural Nancy newsletter. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at nancy@naturalnancy.com.

Namaste,
Nancy