Gratitude: breathe it in, give it out.

We all know how important practicing gratitude is for our well-being. Take a look around Facebook and you can see that gratitude can be, well.. a challenge. Most of us spend our days in the analytical mind: thinking, planning, taking inventory of yesterday's events, and worrying about tomorrow's to-do list. Worrying is the exact opposite of gratitude. We cannot be grateful while worrying. Trust me, it doesn’t work. I’ve tried! Since worrying is an action and gratitude is an action, we have to choose. What action will we take? The moments of gratitude live in the every day experiences, the fleeting moments that pass by in an instant. If we aren’t careful, we miss out on these moments of joy that our experiences let us borrow, if only for a second. Since gratitude is part of my daily meditation, I’ve found practical ways to get out of my head and start putting gratitude into action. BREATHE This is where gratitude begins. If you are reading this post, you are breathing. That breath is a gift that many no longer have. Stop and become aware of your breath. Breath is energy and this energy sustains your life. Start every morning off by being present with your breath. If you only get that far, half the battle is won. GIVE & RECEIVE WITH GRACE You have so much to give. Whether it’s a compliment, a smile, a phone call to a friend or a message of appreciation.. keep giving. Let your gifts be acknowledged and appreciated. Recognize that you are worthy to receive. Allow others to support you, accept compliments and accept help. Do so with grace. Yes, you are superwoman (man), but allowing others to help you will keep the exchange of positivity flowing through your life. CELEBRATE Life is not merely a to-do list that needs checking off. Life is a celebration. Your first cup of warm, delicious coffee in the morning.. savor it for the ritual that it is. A joyful life is made from these moments: cook a meal with your lover or with your friends, gather around the table and tell stories about your day. Laugh..big, belly-full, boisterous laughs. And by all means, bless your meals and give thanks for the abundance of food that nurtures your body. Do this often. Not just on holidays! BEGIN AND END WITH LOVE Break open that big, beautiful heart of yours. I know you have been hurt, judged and criticized. And most likely, you have suffered greatly through the pain of loss, disappointment and grief. It’s time to come home. The Yoga Sutras teach us Pratipaksha Bhavana. “When presented with negative thoughts or feelings, cultivate an opposite, elevated attitude.” When we infuse thoughts of love & gratitude into our awareness, we reduce depression, lessen anxiety and improve our over-all mood. Make the effort to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Today is a new day. Be humbled by the challenges you’ve had to face and recognize that they have grown you. Don’t let the world harden you. Keep your heart wide open to love. What are some ways that you practice gratitude? Please share in your comments below.. I would LOVE to hear! Thanks for reading! "Practice gratitude relentlessly. As you practice gratitude you will attract more thoughts and feelings of gratitude. In a short time your entire being will be saturated with it, and you will experience a happiness that is beyond what you can imagine. This is what is ahead for you when you choose gratitude as your way of life. And if you can really live in this highest state of gratitude, you will never have to ask for anything. Everything you want will be given to you before you even ask, because gratitude is the magnetic substance that opens every single door in the Universe. " -- Rhonda Byrne in The Secret Scrolls About Tammy: With a genuine personality and a playful yet grounded attitude, Tammy Fodrey speaks to the spirit inside each of her students. Tammy uses practical application of yoga postures with strong, engaging messages to encourage her students to break free from self-imposed limitations and create every opportunity to grow and thrive in life and on the mat. As an experienced yoga practitioner and teacher, Tammy’s classes are a mixture of rythmic vinyasa flow and alignment based education of traditional yoga postures. Her classes are characterized as challenging yet gentle, as she inspires her students to stimulate self-awareness, vitality, and connection. Tammy is a dedicated mother, yogi, runner and wellness ambassador whose ultimate goal is to find to grace and ease in a busy, fast-paced world. She offers group classes, facilitates workshops, and teaches private sessions in her community. http://www.tammyfodrey.com/

Healthy Protein Powder Recipes for Fall

Now that it’s officially Fall, what are some of the first things that come to your mind? Cooler temps, cozy fires, the leaves changing colors, apple picking…?

For us, we automatically think of all the tasty flavors of fall and the warm, comforting dishes that usually arrive with the cooler mornings, breezy days, and chilly nights. There are certain flavors that people love to eat this time of year, but those flavors are usually found in unhealthy, sugar and calorie packed recipes.

Since we are always looking for and trying new recipes, we thought it would be fun to compile a list of some delicious healthy fall recipes that highlight everyone’s favorite fall flavors. Bonus: all of the notable mentions on our list are protein powder recipes!

Cooking with protein powder is incredibly easy, tasty, and is one of the best ways to give your body all of the protein it needs to stay strong, lean, and healthy! Read on to discover new, healthier ways to enjoy fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, vanilla, chocolate, nuts and gingerbread!

nanopro Vegan Cookie Dough

2 scoops nanopro vegan

2 t coconut flour

1 t sea salt

2 t cinnamon

2 t cacao chips

1/8 C water

Mix all ingredients together in a mug and enjoy! PRO TIP: enjoy next to a crackling fire with a good book.

nanopro Chocolate Banana Nut Smoothie

(Original recipe and photo courtesy of Raw Vitality)

2 scoops nanopro chocolate

½ - 1 whole banana (depending on how banana-y you want it)

2 t cinnamon

Small handful of pistachios

Small handful of cacao nibs

1 vanilla bean

1 c water (less for a creamier texture)

Throw all ingredients into a blender, blitz & serve!

nanopro Vegan Pumpkin Parfait

Mix nanopro vegan with a little water, coconut butter, cinnamon and nutmeg until thick and creamy. Next, layer organic pumpkin purée with your nanopro vegan mixture and top with pecans or walnuts and a dash of nutmeg! So easy. So delicious.

nanopro Oatmeal with Fresh Berries

(Original recipe and photo courtesy of Raw Vitality)

Combine traditional rolled oats with 1 scoop nanopro immune, cacao nibs, chia seeds and top with fresh berries. PRO TIP: Gently warm berry mixtures in a small saucepan until berries burst and are warm to taste!

nanopro Gluten-Free Gingerbread “Proatmeal” Bake

(Photo credit: nutritionistinthekitchen.com)

1 ½ cups gluten free rolled oats

2 scoops nanopro vanilla

¼ c ground flaxseed

¼ c coconut palm sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons sulfured molasses

1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk

¼ c raisins

¼ c chopped dates

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, except for the coconut palm sugar.
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg and add in the wet ingredients as well as the coconut palm sugar.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Fold in the raisins and dates.
5. Line a 8x8 or 9x5 inch pan with parchment paper.
6. Pour batter into pan. Bake for about 25-3 minutes or until a toothpick pulls clean from the center of the pan.
7. Cut, serve & enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Nutritionist in the Kitchen.

Pumpkin Spice Nanopro Pancakes

(Photo and recipe by dashingdish.com)

1 scoop nanopro vanilla

½ c pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 t cinnamon

½ tsp baking powder

2 egg whites

½ c oats

½ c + 2 T water

3-5 pkts Stevia

Combine and mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Spoon about ¼ c of batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and edges looked cooked. Serve warm with a smile!

Recipe adapted from Dashing Dish.

If you HAD to pick just ONE, which recipe sounds the yummiest to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! We love getting recipe suggestions from you as well, so be sure to share your favorite nano recipes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using #nanolove.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @nanoloveforlife for more recipes and health and fitness tips and motivation!

Emulsification and the Benefits of Liquid Supplements

The options for supplements today are vast thanks to advances in technology and greater scientific understanding of the human body, how it works and what it needs in order to flourish. Not that long ago, vitamins and supplements were predominately available in pill or capsule form, but now, the focus is turning to liquid supplements.

Liquid supplements offer several advantages over those in pill or capsule form, predominately being increased absorption due to greater bioavailability. Bioavailability is the degree or rate at which a substance (a vitamin supplement in this instance) is absorbed into the body.

When you take a supplement in pill or capsule form, your body must first break it down in the stomach before being able to absorb the nutrients into the blood stream. In comparison, because liquid vitamins and supplements have a head start in the digestive process, they are more easily digested and assimilated into the blood stream at a faster rate, allowing your body to absorb a much higher percentage of the beneficial nutrients – and when it comes to nutrition, absorption is everything.

Emulsification and Absorption of Supplements

When taking healthy fats or fat-based supplements like omega 3 fish oil, whether or not it has undergone an emulsification process will make all the difference when it comes to absorption. When supplements have gone through the emulsification process or been emulsified, your body is able to absorb a much higher percent or amount of the beneficial nutrients because they have already been broken down into a smaller, more readily available size.

What is emulsification?

Emulsification is the breakdown of large fat globules into smaller, more uniformly distributed globules. In the human body, emulsification is mainly accomplished by bile acids in the small intestine and is the first step in the breakdown, digestion and absorption of fats. It’s important because pancreatic lipase, the enzyme secreted from the pancreas responsible for breaking down fat, works more effectively on these smaller particles, which results in increased absorption of nutrients into the body.

Benefits of Liquid Supplements

• Enhanced absorption
• Decreased “waste” - less nutrients are lost during the digestion process
• Cost savings – you can consume far less liquid supplements because absorption is greater
• Easy to take – no hard to swallow pills; mix into any drink or smoothie
• Convenience

Some may argue that supplements in pill or capsule form are much more convenient to liquid or powder mediums that need to be mixed with water or some other type of liquid like almond or soy milk or fresh pressed fruit and vegetable juices. However, easy-to-carry packets and blender bottles make shaking up a delicious, healthy drink on the go simple and fun.

Visit us at www.biopharmasci.com for more information about our all-natural superfood supplements and how they can provide your body with everything it needs to stay strong, healthy and happy!