Breath in through the nose. Cooling sensation in the nostrils.
Breath out through the nose. Warming sensation in the nostrils.
Close your eyes....after your done reading this of course.
Fill up your diaphragm(belly) with a slow and deep breath in. Breath out. Next, start the breath in the diaphragm and expand up to the chest with your inhale. Slow breath out form the chest and down into the belly. Inhale as another long and slow breath starts in the belly, moves up through the chest, and expands into the collarbones. Long and slow breath out. Repeat several times.
Open your eyes. Smile!
By taking these deep, slow and mindful breaths, and stimulating your vagus nerve (parasympathetic nervous system), you just lowered your heart rate, decreased blood pressure, stimulated the gut, lowered stress levels, detoxified the body, and elevated your mood.
Do it again tomorrow...and the day after that, and after that, and after that. Work your way up to sitting still with a focus on your breath for 15 minutes every day. Witness the transformation!
Now go make some Ratatouille;
1 onion (diced)
2 carrots (chopped)
1 eggplant (chopped
1 zucchini (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
2 leeks (chopped)
3 tomatoes (chopped)
1 small lemon (juiced)
3 cloves of garlic (finely diced)
1 Tbsp fresh basil
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
3 Tbsp fresh parsley
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1/2 cup of vegetable stock
1 cup of cooked beans (garbanzo or kidney)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of rice or quinoa (cooked)
Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a pot. Heat oil and add chopped onion and bay leaf. After onion becomes translucent and aromatic, add carrots, leeks, red pepper, eggplant, garlic and thyme. Once eggplant starts to brown and soften, add zucchini, tomatoes, basil, parsley, lemon juice, beans, and vegetable stock. After cooking for 5-10 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice or quinoa and garnish with parsley.