Hi, Friends.

I get it, grab-and-go options are a huge timesaver, but oftentimes store-bought bars aren’t the best option for you or your family. You can’t control what ingredients are used and they often come in all sorts of wasteful packaging products that add up in our landfills - and you are paying extra for those wasteful components.

Here is a great option that you can make at home and easily store and share with your family. You are in charge of what products you purchase for your ingredient list, and can adjust the recipe to suit your family's needs.

Below is a basic recipe to follow and adjust how you see fit. These are easy to make and delicious. It’s a tasty sweet and chewy snack with less sugar and sodium than most store-bought alternatives. Bonus: you can sneak in nutritious components like hemp hearts and flaxseed. I often make them on a Sunday to enjoy during the week.

Much love, Denise

Homemade & Healthier Snack Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates, pitted

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 2 tablespoon hemp hearts

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed

• 1/4 cup peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup raw, shelled, peanuts or roasted, salted

• 1/4 cup raisins

Instructions

Date Paste

• Bring 3/4 cup to a boil in a medium saucepan.

• Add dates and remove from heat. Allow dates to soak until plump and soft, about 20 minutes.

• Cool then transfer to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Bar

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients.

• Press firmly onto bottom of baking dish.

• Bake for 15 minutes.

• Cool and cut into squares

• Enjoy!

When you read the title of this blog, what came up?  Fear?  Avoidance? Did you take a second to think about what it meant, or did you keep reading in hopes that I’m going to tell you how to do it?  I wish, more than anything most days, that I could snap my fingers and create a loving and healing environment within each of the clients I have the privilege of working with.  And I wish I could do the same for anyone reading this blog.  Truth is, I can’t.  Someone once said, “a healer is someone who holds space for you to heal yourself; a healer cannot heal you”.  So that’s what I’m here to do, I’m going to hold space, and guide you through creating a more healing and loving environment within yourself. 

When we go through a trauma, whether that trauma is emotional, physical, spiritual, or a combination of the three, the single most important thing we can do for ourselves is to acknowledge it.  When I say acknowledge, I don’t mean saying “oh, this terrible thing happened, and it sucked but I’m strong and I’ll get over it”.  We must be willing to go deeper than the superficial, to sit with the feelings it brings up.  We must feel what it does to our body.  If we suppress our feelings of disappointment, anger, confusion about why it happened, embarrassment, fear, etc. it will return later with much more intensity.

When our body processes trauma, of any kind, it becomes stored in our fascial system.  And it is when we don’t acknowledge the trauma that it gets stuck there.  Our memory, our conscious and our emotions are all stored within the fascial system.  Think of your fascial system as a webby matrix that surrounds every fiber in your body.  Without the fascial system, our skeleton would not be able to be held up by just our muscles and ligaments as the fascia is the connective tissue binding it all together.  Our fascial system should move freely.  When there is a restriction, it mimics the inability of plastic wrap to slide after its been folded over itself. 

The restriction is the trauma that hasn’t been released.  In order to foster an environment that supports healing, the trauma needs to be released.  It is through the release that we can return to the wisdom held in the female body.  Freedom for the feminine wisdom to flow easily throughout our body is what provides the ultimate healing environment.

I’m going to walk you through an exercise that helps to return you to freedom.  This can be done multiple times a day if you want.  My hope is that this becomes part of your self-care routine, whatever that looks like to you.  To start, sit (or lay) in a quiet space, preferably away from any bright light (unless it is sunlight) with eyes closed.  Place your hands over your womb: the space just below the naval to the pubic bone.  Imagine warmth traveling from your hands into your body; feel your hands and lower abdomen start to feel warm to the touch.  Your breathing should be slow and purposeful; each breath should fill up the lower abdomen.  As you rest your hands here, notice if anything comes up.  If your thoughts drift off, it’s okay, just bring your awareness back to the placement of your hands. Sometimes it’s even helpful to picture light shining from underneath your hands.  Allow yourself to cry if needed, allow yourself to laugh, to scream, to smile; just notice what comes up.  You don’t have to have all the answers about what’s popping in your head, just notice it.  Towards the end of the session (with maybe a minute or so left), think of one word to support your journey and repeat the word a few times as you again feel the warmth build between your hands and your lower abdomen.  Here are some of my favorite words in case you aren’t sure where to start: beautiful, safe, empowered, powerful, seen, appreciated, love, strong, enough.  This exercise can last as long as you need, but a good starting place is 5 minutes. 

The purpose of this specific exercise is to initiate a relationship with yourself from your center and to break up any restrictions caused by trauma being stored in the body.  It may feel awkward at first, but I promise it gets easier. And once you have this relationship, then you’re able to allow this freedom to spread throughout the rest of your body.  The more freedom that’s present, the more movement there will be through the fascial system and the more healing can take place.  It’s a beautiful thing to get to know yourself from your deepest center.  And what comes from a woman who knows herself, and her body, is magic. 

I am a firm believer in our innate body wisdom, especially as a female.  And I know from the experience of treating my clients that the more they know themselves, and the more they facilitate this relationship, the more peace they carry within themselves.  Our world is full of distractions and reasons to ignore our truest self, but I’m hopeful we will all return to knowing ourselves. 

Ashley

Ashley Zimmerman, PT, DPT, NCPT is a pelvic health physical therapist, certified Pilates instructor, full spectrum doula and a Birthfit Professional.  Her approach to treating women is to address the person as a whole.  She believes that you must look past the current physical presentation in order to find the true root cause of the dysfunction.  She believes in facilitating the relationship with your innate body wisdom in order to completely heal. 

Ashley is one of our amazing Malas for Tatas Preferred Providers!

Learn more:
(720) 593-0489
https://yourstrengthwithin.com/

When I hear the words 'intuitive reading' I have to admit that sometimes I cringe.

Sometimes I still imagine a woman with frizzy hair at a psychic fair telling me a bunch of random things that I do not want to know about that I will never be able to forget once I hear them.

That is not how I roll as an intuitive, and none of my colleagues work that way either, but those practitioners are definitely out there. And if you are like me, you be familiar with one in your mind from a mash-up of movie stereotypes peppered with negative experiences.

So I made this video to give you a feel for the kind of intuitive that I am and the kind of work I think centers us, lights the path and helps us inhabit our lives more fully.

For me, every session is a ritual in which your journey, your agency, and your wisdom are held as sacred. 

The process is not just about delivering information but allowing that information to land and exploring what happens when it does. It is about connecting you more deeply to your own knowing. It is a dance rather than a solo performance (which is more up my imaginary psychic lady's alley). 

I have been midwived through illness and the darkest of nights by compassionate seers. It is my wish for you that however dark the night, there are people there, holding their candles, seeing you through.

Rayann

PS. I now offer one pay-what-you-can session each month for someone in financial need. If that sounds like you, get in touch here.

Happy New Year, Friend.

It's that time of year, the time you're supposed to step up, lean up, build up, make new goals, and work tirelessly to obtain them. The problem is that all or nothing approach is an excellent way to feel over it all and burned out by February 1st.

I invite you to forget all that January jargon and instead gracefully and gently make your way into 2020.

Aww. Now, doesn't that feel good?

The breath you took and the tension that just dropped out of your shoulders looks good on you! Now smile and repeat after me -- I am enough.

That's right; you are enough, just exactly as you are today at this very moment. Feeling behind from all the holidays and time lost at work? Still enough. Did you add a few extra pounds because of holiday goodies? Yep, still exactly enough as you are, tight pants and all. Feeling guilty for not spending enough time with family or drained from too much time with them? Let it go -- the guilt, the pain, the need to be more than you are at this very moment, and start by simply remembering you are enough. Give yourself permission to love yourself exactly how you are at this moment. Then and only then can you work towards having the mental space, energy, and confidence to reach your next goal. There is nothing wrong with setting goals or working towards manifesting a beautiful new year ahead, but pace yourself and appreciate this moment.

Let it go -- the guilt, the pain, the need to be more than you are at this very moment, and start by simply remembering you are enough. Give yourself permission to love yourself exactly how you are at this moment. Then and only then can you work towards having the mental space, energy, and confidence to reach your next goal.

For 2020 I'd like to suggest to you a fresh way to approach the New Year. I propose a two-month bridge built to soften the blow and gently guide us into our best selves for the coming year. I'm not sure why any of us thought it would be a good idea to go from vacation and celebration mode with friends and family to strict diets, unrealistic resolutions, and significant changes to our routine. After all, the start of the new year does not take away the cold weather, lack of light, or need to feel comforted and cozy. Unless, of course, you live somewhere warm and sunny.

So for this January and February, enjoy your "Uary" Bridge. Think of yourself as a seed still nice and snuggly under the soil. You're doing the work -- taking in nutrients, getting watered, and even feeling the richness of the sun, but you have until March before you have to rise out of the soil and share yourself with the world. You still have some time to nurture yourself and others and take it one gentle step at a time. I promise that if you remember that you are enough, and set tangible and straightforward steps to reach your goals, you will have your best year yet. Real change comes from being consistent with small actionable steps.

Much love, 

Denise

3 Gentle Ways to Enjoy your Uary Bridge:

1. Instead of jumping into a significant new workout routine that can feel jolting, try some at-home yoga videos on for size. I'm a huge fan of Yoga with Adriene. She just released a new 30-day yoga challenge, and you can jump on board today. If you prefer running or going to the gym, start by adding one extra day a week from what you're already doing.

2. Introduce one new healthy habit or business goal a week instead of implementing a major overhaul.

3. Nurture yourself -- give yourself lots of water, sunshine, and time to grow.

Chances are good you're probably already taking plenty of positive and beneficial steps to keep balance and joy in your life, so keep up what you're doing and slowly add next steps that eventually become second nature. 

Bonus: Have some fun! January doesn't have to be the month of resolve and willpower. Watch a funny movie with a loved one, take a long winter walk, go sledding, dance in your living room, and enjoy the last few months of winter before a busy spring..

Ashley and I met after being introduced by our mutual friend, Vanessa. Vanessa, who is a dear friend and plays a big role in Malas for Tatas, raved about Ashley's physical therapy skills after seeing her for an injury. My ears immediately perked up.

Ashley and I had the opportunity to get to know each other recently and wow, what a find. She is incredibly knowledgeable in the field of physical therapy and specializes in treating the pelvic floor. But that's not all, her approach is well thought through, taking into consideration all aspects of the soft tissue and its possible changes from either injury or related procedures. Another reason she stood out to me is because she is also a Pilates instructor. With her and I share that in common, I knew her understanding of movement gave her a well-rounded approach when treating clients.

As we spoke about her background, including years of study and experience, a very personal story emerged. She told me about a woman named Barbara, who was like a second mother to her. Barbara too was a physical therapist and took Ashley under her wing when she was in college. She spoke of the closeness of their relationship, how much she learned from her, and the great times they had together tailgating.

Ashley with her inspiration Barbara

She also shared with me that Barbara, her dear friend, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, after some time, Barbara lost the fight, and Ashley was forever changed. She knew then that someday, she would give back in some way, in honor of Barbara. So here she is, my friends, part of a group of excellent preferred providers, ready to give back to our community. What an honor it is.

Ashley is excited to help and thinks that her area of expertise can really benefit our community. The procedures related to breast cancer; lumpectomy, lymphectomy, mastectomy, hysterectomies, have lasting effects that if left untreated, can lead to chronic pain and possibly immobility. Physical therapy is often left out of the rehabilitation process by the medical community, leaving it up to the patient to take it into their own hands. Ashley is a wonderful resource, practicing in both Denver and Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Shannon

We are honored to have Ashley’s support as one of our Preferred Providers for Malas for Tatas. Please enjoy the video below featuring Shannon and Ashley.
Learn more about Ashley at https://yourstrengthwithin.com/

Tammy P. and I met in the massage therapy world practicing at Total Body Wellness. She immediately made a positive impact on our community. Not only was her bodywork remarkable, but she offered another layer of self-care for our clientele that I admired very much wellness coaching.

Tammy's journey to wellness was very personal. While in massage school, she experienced a car accident that not only lead her down the path of therapeutic massage but demanded that she make more significant changes in order to heal. She decided to explore nutrition and made great strides in healing her own body.

It was with that dedication to wellness that she became clear on how she could best serve her community. She underwent nutrition training and now offers wellness coaching to all for improved living. Wellness coaching with Tammy starts with an in-depth conversation, taking a look at your routines and choices, and offering alternatives that are practical and attainable. Then, once you become comfortable with the small changes, you can ramp it up. It's all up to you how much you want to change, and when you are ready for more.

One aspect of her coaching that I love is her food prep course. Tammy has some serious skills in the food prep department. She can teach you cool things like how to make tinctures at home to help you boost your immune system, or she can keep it straight forward and teach you how to meal prep to make cooking at home a cinch.

What I find really refreshing is her style of communication. Tammy is fun, she has great energy, while at the same time she will hold you accountable and be direct if you're you're getting off course from your goals. She is an excellent example in that she makes good choices for herself, most of the time. She isn't perfect, so she doesn't expect perfection from her clients. She is gentle and kind with herself when she goes astray and gives herself some leeway for fun in life. She does the same for her clients. To me, it shows that she is balanced and human, which is what I like in a coach. I think we could all use a little Tammy on our shoulder guiding us toward better choices and giving us a little nudge back on track when we've become a bit too friendly with the dessert menu

Shannon

We are honored to have Tammy’s support as one of our Preferred Providers for Malas for Tatas. Please enjoy the video below featuring Shannon and Tammy.

Tammy Pietrasiewicz-Comprehensive Wellness Coach Denver, Co. www.tammyplmt.com

Vanessa and her Grandma enjoying time together a few weekends ago. We are so lucky to have Vanessa on our team and serving as one of our preferred providers.

In 2007 my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. At the time, I was about five years into my career as a massage therapist. I knew that Lymphatic Drainage Massage could help her with her edema (swelling) in her arms and wanted to learn how to help. It took a few more years before I enrolled at CSHA to take the three-part certification course on Lymphatic Drainage Massage. In 2010 I completed the course and started performing lymphatic drainage massage on a variety of clients with different needs. With my grandmother as my inspiration, I've committed to helping as many women as I can with my knowledge of Lymphatic Drainage Massage. I have seen first hand how it can benefit my patients' post-recovery and beyond.

Let's talk about the Lymphatic System, Lymphatic Drainage Massage, how it works, who it can help, and how it can help post-cancer surgery.

The Lymphatic System is the fluid system in our bodies. It maintains our fluid balance through an extensive network of vessels that pass through almost all of our tissue to allow for movement of fluid called lymph. The Lymphatic System is responsible for filtering and removing the toxins out of our blood; it circulates our hormones throughout our bodies. The Lymphatic System also plays an essential role in our immune system. You know the feeling when you start to get sick, and you can feel pressure, and congestion in either side of your neck? Some may say that their “glands” are swollen; however this is your lymph nodes. This feeling is your lymphatic system working hard to fight off infection. You also have large lymph node gatherings in your armpits and groin area. There are about 600 lymph nodes in the body that surround your internal organs and aid in the filtration of the lymphatic fluid process. These nodes can swell in response to infection, injury or other organisms and immune system cells.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage (LDM) is a gentle, rhythmic touch that focus directly on the lymphatic system. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have its pump or pulse that continually circulates the fluid. In fact, the only way to get your lymphatic fluid to move is through exercise, walking, movement, or manually through LDM. If you sit around so will your lymphatic fluid. The lymphatic system is located about 2/3 of a centimeter under the skin, so it is very superficial, hence the gentle pressure. While receiving an LDM, clients experience a state of deep relaxation do to the light and rhythmic pressure. LDM is preformed in a very specific pattern following the exact flow of the lymphatic fluid to move out unwanted, stagnant, and excess fluid. This technique is hugely beneficial in an array of conditions.

Here are just a few conditions LMD can benefit:
allergies
sinus congestion
ear infections
increase metabolism
lower blood pressure
insomnia
stress
fatigue
digestive problems
under-eye puffiness

Additionally, post-surgery (of any kind) LDM can remove swelling and help to push out anesthesia that can hang out in your system, making you feel fatigued for months!

Women who have undergone breast cancer surgery may have lymph nodes removed. When this happens, the flow of the fluid is greatly disrupted. The lymph flow gets confused and doesn’t know where to go or flow. This can cause a back up of fluid that affects the entire arm, side of the body and can even cause swelling up into the face. The Lymphatic fluid is accustom to flowing in a particular pathway, and when the lymph nodes are removed, the fluid doesn’t know the path to filter back out of the body. Not only is this extremely uncomfortable, it also can decrease movement and range of motion. LDM moves this fluid and pushes it to filter out of the body naturally. When receiving LDM regularly, your body creates a muscle type of memory in the lymphatic system, which can aid in relearning pathways to filter out the fluid on its own! When I’m working on a client, and they can feel the fluid move out, it is amazing! My clients report feeling lighter, being able to move better and can visually see a difference. LDM post breast cancer is a game-changer!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!

Vanessa

Starting your day with a warm blend of fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper can aid with digestion before your morning meal and stimulate your circulatory system. Lemon stimulates the secretion of gastric juices and cayenne pepper aids in opening the capillaries and can help regulate blood sugar.

Lemons are packed with antioxidants and electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, and calcium), and they help neutralize the body’s pH by making it more alkaline. pH imbalance has been attributed to many health issues. I have included a pH scale chart I found online, but you can find more detailed diagrams if you do a quick search. I thought this chart was a beautiful visual representation and a great starting place.

It’s a good idea to buy non-irradiated cayenne pepper since irradiation can reduce health benefits.

Keep in mind that the acidic lemon can wear away my tooth enamel. Look into using a glass or reusable metal straw.

After waking up, you can warm your water up to slightly warmer than room temperature and juice half a lemon directly in the glass. Then top off with a few sprinkles of non-irradiated cayenne pepper: mix and drink. Then follow up with a nice glass of plain water and try to wait 15 minutes or so before eating breakfast.

Make sure to watch out for adding too much cayenne pepper; take it slow.

Hope this is a simple routine you might feel like adding to your day.

Note: if you are currently going through any medical treatments or take medications, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor first before starting any new physical or diet changes.

Much love,

Denise

Or you can skip the cayenne pepper all together and go with a classic. :)

16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water (From Foodmatters.com)

1. Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies

2. Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial

3. It balances to maintain the pH levels in the body

4. Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins

5. It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile

6. It is also a great source of citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium

7. It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases

8. It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid

9. It helps cure the common cold

10. The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells

11. It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute

12. It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of heartburn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief

13. It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne

14. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems

15. Aids in the production of digestive juices

16. Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

Let’s connect on Pinterest!

Hey Friends!

I found a great recipe on Pinterest a few months back and have been making it over and over. It’s delicious and I felt was worth sharing with our community!

I have made this Ramen Soup at least 8 times since discovering it this last March. The first time I made it I stuck to the recipe, since, I’ve added organic chicken breasts cubed for a more hearty meal. I also use bone broth for it’s added health benefits. Of course, you can leave it vegetarian.

The hardest part of making this soup is simply the prep – chopping all the delicious and flavorful fresh garlic, shallots, and ginger. But If you can set aside a few minutes to just deep breathe and listen to some music you can make it a zen meditative moment in your day. Bringing it all together is simple and easy. BONUS: The blog includes a quick and easy video tutorial so you can just watch it – then get after it.

My husband LOVES this soup and asks me to make it for him all the time.

I hope you guys love it too!

Link to Recipe: The Forked Spoon

We would love to hear about your favorite healthy recipes and share them with our community. Please email us at malasfortatas@gmail.com if you want to share. Or if you’d like to join us by hosting a beading brunch or trunk show, click here.

Below are a couple of photos I took with my phone but of course The Forked Spoon has some beautiful photos of the final product plated (bowled?) :)

Health Benefits of Bone Broth, click here.

I also included two of our Fire Element Series Malas: Ember and Volcanic. I figured they would align well with “fire” from the ginger and chili flakes in this delicious soup. This might be a great recipe for “Kapha” Dosha Types “Choose foods that are light, warm, and spicy. Tea with dried ginger and lemon is a great pick-me-up for Kaphas. Avoid heavy oily and processed sugars, which are detrimental to Kaphas. Use lots of spices such as black pepper, ginger, cumin, chili and lots of bitter dark greens.” from Ayurveda & Dosha Types for Beginners. See link Below.

Curious about Ayurvedic Lifestyle, click here
5 Ways to Get Started in an Ayurvedic Lifestyle
Ayurveda & Dosha Types for Beginners

Cheers!

Denise