Cherishing Yourself

Do you find it easiest to focus on the needs of others? You are likely in tune with your children, your friends, your spouse. You tend to be a likeable person. You're quite adaptable. When you start to become irritable or snappy, you feel out of character and uncomfortable.

Women are geared to excel and flourish in relationship. But when we overlook our own needs and desires, we may find resentment and stinginess creeping in. Our levels of joy diminish. Our giving comes out of an increasingly shallow pool. And if left long enough, our body or soul will finally scream at us or we will find ourselves screaming at the ones we love. But with regular time to care for ourselves and recharge (wellness strategies), we won't get so desperate.

Do you know what feeds you? Do you know what you love? Do you know what drains you? Two simple ways you can get more in touch with yourself are:

• Morning pages/stream-of-consciousness writing - Start with a blank sheet of looseleaf or a notebook of similar size and write whatever comes into your mind for three pages. Don't stop to think, process, or censor. Simply put down on paper whatever enters your mind. You do not have to "be" a writer. You just write. First thing in the morning is ideal, or whenever you really feel off-centred, need to make a decision, or whatever. There is something about committing our thoughts to paper that make them more concrete.


• Collage - With back-to-school-sales everywhere, now is the time to pick up one of those coil-bound Hilroy scrap books. Take your magazine stash or ask a library for some old ones, pick a topic or theme, and rip out images that you are drawn to. Put them into an envelope or ziploc bag and when you have time and enough images, glue them into your scrapbook. You may choose a theme of interior decorating (things you love) and find your style emerge. You may just pull random images and find a theme emerge. If you are grieving something or have unprocessed emotions, collage can be a powerful tool as well.

If these ideas sound good on paper, but you have no idea how to actually incorporate them into your life, here a few more tips:

• For collage, pick one evening for "me-time" and start.
• For morning pages, go out and find a nice journal or simply buy some 20-cent looseleaf at Superstore, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier and just do it. (Hint: finding a pen you love using really helps!)
• But the important thing is to decide to do something that's good for you and then do it!

Another way to cherish yourself is to find things that help you feel beautiful. One way I recommend (of course), is to book a consultation with Rodney at our studio. You'll have a chance to get to know one another, talk about what an Eve Session might look like for you, and look at some albums of women much like you, who have chosen to do something special. It takes a little time and a little courage, but it's so worth it! Call 221-8413 or see our website for online contact.

One other thing: our fall promotion (Sep. 1 to Thanksgiving) is here.

1. Every outdoor session booked will also include in-studio time free of charge. Outdoor sessions are $300 plus GST. It's a beautiful time of year, so don't miss it!


2. Every person who orders a regular-sized album (starting at $495) will receive a free itsy-bitsy album (value $159) for free. You will love how easily they tuck into a pocket or purse.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will "Join In" or find us on Facebook (see sidebar), so we can stay in touch!

The Strength of a Woman

A woman is a unique combination of soft and strong.

If you love feeling strong and alive through yoga, bicycling, dance, working out, or any other way of moving your body, consider capturing that feeling in a work of art.

Call Rodney at 221-8413 to book your consultation.

http://www.evestudios.ca/

Summer

What are you doing this summer? Will you be away on holidays? Are you vacating at the cottage on the week-ends? Or are you looking for things to do in the city? We haven't planned out our summer yet, but I imagine it will be a bit of a mix.

I took a creative journalling class soon after my first baby was born. One writing exercise that was suggested to me was finishing the phrase "A great summer would mean..." Think a little outside the box--write everything that comes to mind without censoring. Once you've got your list of ideas, you can leave it as that, simply ideas, or you can go through the list and pick the things that are most important and focus on those. That way, you're less likely to get to the end of August and wonder where the time went.

"Do one thing every day that scares you" ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

How's that for a goal this summer? Okay, maybe it doesn't need to terrify you, but have you thought of summer as a time to try new things, be a little more adventurous, or just do something especially for you. Last summer, I flew to Ottawa with my sister. Being away from our kids for five days was actually quite a scary idea! But it was so invigorating and fun to get away, explore someplace new, and just be sisters.

What would you like to try? What summer festival have you never attended? What beautiful Manitoba destination have you never visited? Maybe you could make a point of visiting every ice cream or gelati spot in Winnipeg...or farmer's market...Or maybe you'd like to try outdoor yoga (see http://www.thelifestylepass.com/ for places to try it for free) or perhaps something like tai chi. I'm thinking of heading to Fort Whyte Alive tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of a friend by taking a photo-nature walk. Might even bring a sketch book.

By the way, if you're thinking that the scary thing you need to do this summer is to show yourself how beautiful you are, you're in luck! For the months of July and August, we are doing all sessions at 75% off (a savings of $150 for studio and $225 for location). It's a little crazy maybe, but you'd be crazier not to do it at that price!

And just so you know, if you or someone you know wants to do a family portrait or is expecting a new addition to the family, the discount applies for all types of sessions.

Have a great summer!

The Real way to Prevent Bone Loss

Just read an excellent article on how to prevent osteoporosis with more effectiveness than calcium supplementation (from my favorite women's health author, Christiane Northrup). Read it here...

On Valentine's Day

Flowers. You don't need a romantic suitor to get these. Although that is definitely wonderful. I was feeling a need for something cheery and healing, and a symbol of forgiving myself. So, for $4 at Superstore, I picked up a little bit of beauty and inspiration. This photo I did with my little point & shoot is perhaps a bit on the moody side, but that was the kind of light I had available yesterday (and perhaps reflective of my emotional state!)

As women, some of us likely regularly buy flowers for ourselves, and some of us wait for flowers. For those who wait, some have a chivalrous man in the picture or perhaps a supportive friend that knows the power of flowers. And some of us likely keep waiting, perhaps mostly oblivious to the idea, but perhaps with growing disappointment or resentment.

I think the idea of romance in our lives as women is a lot like what I've just talked about in relation to flowers: some of us are waiting for it (single or in a relationship) and some of us are choosing it (ironically, single or in a relationship). One year, I asked for two books from Rod (or did I just subtly mention them?!). Whatever the case, I obtained two lovely books called "Romancing the Ordinary" by Sarah Ban Breathnach and "Living Romantically Every Day" by Barbara Taylor Bradford. The first one is more about finding the romance in daily life and the second is more for fostering romance in a long-term relationship. Although I go months and months without much attention to them, I find myself returning to them every once in awhile.

I didn't start this post with the intent of digging out these books, but it now seems that their contents need to be heard. I've been wanting to talk about relationships more this year with Eve. And I also love to talk about finding ways to live life with more intention, colour, and interest. I am curious to see where all of this leads!

For now, I just want to say, with Valentine's Day approaching, that our studio can fit in with wherever you're at. It's not too late to do a session as a Valentine's gift for your lover (that word always sits funny with me). Valentine's Day can also be a good time to be good to yourself...to see yourself in a new light and appreciate who you are and the body you're in. Valentine's Day is also the perfect time to celebrate your love. We're working on a great promo "For Two". We wanted you to be able to bring your guy and have a fun little "date" together, celebrating your closeness through simple, skin-to-skin images with the casual-ness of jeans. We'll be posting samples of our ideas shortly.

In the meantime, here's a little quote from B.T. Bradford's book:

"Seize the day--and the hours and the minutes. Spending time together is essential to living romantically every day. Don't wait for perfect moments. You have the power to create them yourself. I believe that all it takes is a spirit of giving from the heart--and some creative thinking--to find time for romance to thrive." (p. 28)

Not just for others

I have to apologize. Leading up to Christmas (and Valentine's), all you've heard from our business is "do this for your man". And while gorgeous pictures of you is a great gift idea, I think it's time we bring the focus back to you. You are beautiful. You have value. Whether you're in a relationship or not. Whether you're happily or unhappily single. You are beautiful and you can celebrate all you are.

There are lots of ways to do this. One way is to honour your thoughts and feelings. Give them a voice. Start by expressing them on paper. Learn how to share them in a way that respects others and respects yourself. Another way is to take care of your body. Begin by listening to its subtle and not-so-subtle cues. Often, you can find ways to rest and recharge during a busy day if you look for them. Notice what gives you energy and joy and what drains you. Then begin to act on those observations.

Even as I begin to share these ideas, I know from my own life that making changes to benefit me sounds good on paper--but actually making the changes involves a whole combination of conviction, commitment, and support. It's a process. So be gentle with yourself. Receive from others. Notice beauty. Give with gratitude. And you...will...sparkle.

One more option for H1N1

With all the fear of H1N1 as well as fears concerning vaccinations, I thought I would let our readers know of one more option out there. For some, it may seem too "out there", but it is a very valid option nonetheless.

When my son was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity last year, I searched and searched for options for him. I finally discovered something called "Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique" (NAET). It involves three steps: muscle response testing (MRT) for allergies, stimulating accupressure points while the allergen is held (a glass vial with the the energy field of the substance or the actual substance), and an avoidance period of about 24 hours until the brain has reprogrammed the entire body to accept the substance.

The technique, however, is not eliminated to allergy elimination. It can be used to test a person's immunity to a virus/bacteria, introduce the body to it (still in a vial), strengthen the body's response through accupressure, and thus give the body the immunity it needs to fight it when it comes in contact with the actual virus or bacteria in the environment. And there are no needles, no worrisome preservatives, and no live/radiated viruses actually put into the body.

Some people will still have a mild reaction (tiredness, aches etc.). They should come back in a day and check to see how the body is doing. Sometimes a second treatment is needed. But usually that is all. Babies, children, adults, all can have it done.

Two of my kids have been treated. I was too weak today (exceptional loss of sleep lately), but will be having it done next week hopefully. Normally, people are treated for basic allergens before moving on to something like this, but my practitioner is making exceptions given the situation. Some people (especially older ones) will find they have a strong immune response to the virus and will not need to do anything.

There are a number of people practicing NAET in Winnipeg, and most of the larger provinces (unfortunately not in my home province of Saskatchewan). You can go to www.naet.com to find a practitioner (not a complete listing). Village Chiropractic Centre on River Ave. is where I go. Dr. Maria di Bernardo is very skilled and personable. The cost there is $80 for the initial intake and first treatment (book is included) and $50 afterward. If you have extra health insurance, a portion of that may be covered.

I have been posting a lot on H1N1. I hope it has been helpful rather than tiresome. At Eve Studios, we want to be involved in the whole life of a woman. And so, I try to address things that come up in our lives. It will, however, be my last post on the subject!

Dr. Oz's H1N1 Tips

Thanks to one of our "Just As I Am" participants for passing this along. A more qualified person is now sharing some suggestions.

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Sonya's H1N1 tips

I know the government is really trying to help control the spread of the H1N1 virus and each of the basic things they say are really important; but don't you get a little tired of being told to cough into your elbow and wash your hands with soap?! There are so many other things you can do to help your body's immune system handle what comes its way. We are not completely at the mercy of germs like we would be conditioned to believe.

Here is my own list...(just keep in mind I am not a medical practioner of any kind)

• Eat more whole foods...reach for fruits and vegetables instead of packaged food
• Take time to prepare and enjoy your food. Consider ordering from somewhere like Food for Thought if time is a challenge (for the month of October, all web orders get you entered in a draw for $100 of frozen food)
• Use simple things like straight lemon juice for a sore throat, a teaspoon of honey for a cough, a hot lemon and honey drink with a sprinkle of cayenne for stuffiness and sore throat, garlic (you can even tuck a clove in your sock and benefit)
• Find some nourishing comfort foods like soup. Here are two you might like to try: garlic soup (it was actually creamy and delicious), and chicken noodle (from the old country)
• Go to a health food store like Aviva (my favorite...one on Adelaide near Notre Dame and one on Meadowood and online store as well) I picked up oil of oregano recently, which has a very spicy/burning sensation under the tongue, but very effective to nip colds in the bud. You can also rub it on your feet (better for kids). Of course, Vitamin C and zinc are great to have on hand.
• Take a couple minutes and wipe the high-use objects in your home with a damp micro-fibre cloth (lightswitches, doorknobs, phones etc.)
• Get lots of hugs. Our bodies and souls thrive on human touch. Hugs are probably the least contagious form of touch and the nicest! (Rodney is a good one for hugs...find people that are embracing or initiate it yourself!)
• Laugh! Pick a word for the week as your secret laugh word...whenever you hear it, it's your cue to laugh! My daughter and I had a great time with this. Pick up a laughter CD from Spa Drole or find a laughter yoga class (there's one that meets at Source Yoga on Osborne Mondays from 12:15-12:45. See here for details) Laughter boosts our body's natural ability to fend off illness.
• Find ways to relax deeply. Yoga (I love Moksha Yoga), or a spa experience (Tiber River and Rituals offer a mini-spa experience). I've heard good things from the Inn at the Forks' spa as well as the Fort Garry Hotel's spa)
• Go for a walk to wind down and connect with yourself.
• Find a way to move your body that feels good. Dance, run, stretch, whatever.
• Journal. Get a book...any kind of book...or take a little time and find one that you find beautiful and inspiring. But just do it. Try stream-of-consciousness writing: three pages of whatever comes to mind. Make a gratitude journal. Start a page with "What do I need?" Doing this writing gets us in touch with what we're thinking and helps us see both positive things we can focus on as well as actions we need to take in our lives. Very key for maintaining health.
• Talk to yourself! Tell yourself you will provide your body with what it needs in order for it to stay strong and healthy. Sing a phrase of health over yourself. Your body is not just a bunch of cells that are isolated from your emotions and your spirit. Words are powerful.
• Say no.
• Listen to your body.
• Take a sick day before you're all-out sick.

Studio Update

Rodney just sent me this image of our lobby after he put up this gorgeous 30 x 48" print to update our look. He is loving the classic feel it gives our lobby. What do you think?

In other news, we will be away for a portion of this month visiting family and doing our "Saskatchewan Family Portrait Tour"...allowing rural families near my home town the opportunity to do family portrait sessions in the beauty of where they live. If you are interested in a similar kind of session for your family, feel free to give Rodney a call. August to October will be fabulous times to photograph family outdoors. Rodney also just completed an incredibly beautiful session at Patricia Beach at sunset for one of our Eve clients. I hope he'll be able to post an image or two soon.

We have just started advertising with Winnipeg Women, a local magazine that we love. We have a couple of extra copies in the studio if you want to stop by and pick one up.

Hope you are having an excellent summer: soaking up the sun, getting active, getting into nature, being rejuvenated...even if it's just in your backyard. When we get back, we're planning lots of BBQ's with friends! (which reminds me...there's this great little shop on Academy Rd. called the Garden Room...you've gotta go there!)

Enjoy life! I've got some packing to do!

Events Today

Zealous Medi Spa Grand Opening tonight (27th)

Wine & Cheese

Exclusive Barefoot Wines

5pm - 9pm

Enjoy Complementary Wellness Exhibits

and Pampering Treatments.

Receive a Gift Swag Bag Value over $150

Limited Space

204 415 3159

390K Provencher Blvd

(Des Meurons & Provencher by the subway)

Jessica LoRusso is the owner of Zealous Medi Spa and has been an avid fan and promoter of Eve Studios.

Women's "Get Your Groove On"

A time and place to dance out your bliss,

just for the fun of it!

7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

(call Kim's cell 797-7933 for late entry)

St. Matthew's Anglican Church

corner of St. Matthew's and Maryland

(side entrance on McGee St.)

basement Assembly Hall

(follow the sound of music)

What to bring:

a suggested donation of $3-$5 for custodial costs

water bottle

comfortable clothing

indoor non-marking shoes or barefoot

Babes-in-arms-or-bellies are welcome.

Expect an opening and closing meditation--

Part of this is about feeding our souls

and meeting the Sacred--whatever you believe that to be.

"Get Your Groove On" is a favorite of Sonya's

This morning has started with a bang. I headed over to our studio at 8:30 to get a headshot done. I was reminded why people love having my husband take their photos. It was fun! And in an hour or so, I should get to see them! When I got back, I decided to discard all of the science experiments in my fridge. I would make an amazing researcher...if I just knew what I was growing! After snack-time, it was downstairs to the basement for my Core-Secrets ball workout. I love my videos. They're the only ones I've ever actually enjoyed and been able to stick with. I still haven't done three/week, but I've gone up from just one to two in the average week. I'm looking forward to being stronger and even a bit sculpted. My shoulders and back are the weakest and they get a good work-out.

On the business front, I continue to learn. The good news is, we still have "Dreamscape" available for order, and you can still get it for $300. The bad news is (obviously), that we haven't sold one yet. This is disappointing at first glance, but I thought about it and realized, "Who wants to buy a piece of art that they haven't seen in real life, hanging on a wall in front of them, so that they can connect with it, visualize how it would look in their home or business, and fall in love with it?" Exactly. No one.

To fix that problem, we have one coming into the studio this week. If you come in for a session, you will have the opportunity to see it. If you really want, you can call to make an appointment just to see it! (How can you tell I love it?!) And when we have our celebration of Rod's accomplishments/wrap-up of November promotions beginning of December (date to be confirmed), it will be on display and available for order in time for Christmas.

That's it for now! Have a great Monday!

Taking Action

Sonya is happy to report she has just completed her first core-strengthening work-out after a very very long hiatus.

I finally decided to take some action on the needs of my body, and scheduled exercise time into my daily planner for Thursday, Saturday, and Monday mornings. I am so excited and proud of myself. It was a little challenging doing a ball work-out with little people around, but we made it through. I feel energized and strong, and am looking forward to building on that.

What do you need to put into action? What's holding you back? I picked up two books on a little library date I went on the other night. The first I read in an hour or so. It's called "Passion" by Barbara De Angelis. One thing that really stuck out to me was this:

Passion is born of commitment. When you are committed to something, whether it's a dream, a cause, or a relationship, you feel passionate about it. And the deeper your commitment, the stronger your passion...It's very difficult to feel passionate about something when you aren't committed to it. In fact, it's nearly impossible...your lack of commitment doesn't allow your passion to flow toward [these projects]. You simply can't get motivated to care about them and take action on the outside, because you've never committed to them on the inside. Try this simple experiment: Choose one area of your life in which you'd like to feel more passion, perhaps your relationship, your job, or your emotional or spiritual growth. Then,for even one day, deepen your commitment to it. If it's your partnership or marriage, express more commitment through your words and your behavior. Focus on the best qualities of your mate, and remind yourself of how much you do love about him or her....You will be amazed how the act of committing more intently to one thing you care about for just one day can transform your experience of life and of yourself. People who seemed unexciting suddenly become interesting, fun, and attractive. Tasks that seemed mundane and boring became stimulating, and fill you with contentment. Personal challenges that seemed unattainable become opportunities for significant and lasting breakthroughs. Most of all, you will discover that your own passion has been just waiting for a chance to burst forth and express itself. pp. 15-17

I think in the modern world, we've often gotten it backwards. We expect passion to lead commitment rather than the other way around. But I think De Angelis has got it right. I'm going to commit to six week of core strengthening and see where that leads. Let me know if you embark on your own journey of renewed commitment to a dormant dream or goal. Let's see what happens!

Ladies Who Launch

Rod and I had the pleasure of attending the fall kick-off for "Ladies Who Launch" in Winnipeg. It was a fun evening of networking with other women business owners and guests. Ladies Who Launch is an international organization that provides resources, opportunity and community for women who have a dream they want to see take-off.

While we were there, I got to talk to lots of fascinating women and it was neat to also hear the positive feedback on the work of my husband. As often happens, a few women commented on the images, saying they'd like to do that, but they'd have to lose (fill in the blank) first. I found myself trying to convince them otherwise and then realized later that we all have to come to that point of decision/action ourselves. We can't or won't be pushed into things that we either don't want or don't think we can have. I am a prime example. My chiropractor and my back have been telling me that I need to strengthen my core muscles. But I keep putting it off for a better time. (My life is too full right now. When could I possibly fit in one more thing?) One of these days, the pain of staying where I am is going to outweigh the pain of action and change...unless I make the choice now and decide to pursue what I know I need to do.

I think that's probably what Ladies Who Launch is all about. We all have these dormant dreams deep within us (one of mine is to sing our national anthem at a major sporting event). Will we choose to let them be born? Or will we continue to push them down farther under all of our day-to-day activities and the pressures to keep up with other people's expectations? It's so easy to let the urgent things take precedence over the important, isn't it?

So, the next time someone uses the shape their body is in as an excuse for not coming in for a session, I'm not going to try to change their mind for them. Maybe I'll just ask them a question: "Is an Eve session something you really want? Because if you really want it, go for it. Do whatever you feel you need to do to get ready for it. And if there's anything we can do to help you, we will."

More and more we're getting to know other businesses that are helping women take care of and accept their bodies...sometimes through exercise, sometimes through emotional healing, sometimes through support or even exploring the role of hormones. And sometimes, all it takes is one decision for the rest to fall into place. One of our clients came in for a consultation weeks ahead of her session. She wanted to learn more and get psyched about her session. And then she wanted to take four weeks and do a Sustainable Fitness boot camp. She came back glowing with the excitement of her progress towards her goals of being more fit. At her session, she had the chance to re-discover and celebrate her beauty. And that in turn provided even more incentive for her second boot camp.

Take stock of where you're at and how you feel about it. Decide the next step...is it learning more of your options, taking a look at your schedule, talking to those close to you and getting their ideas and support? Or (like me), do you know exactly what you need to do, but you just need to dive in and do it? What are we waiting for? Let's launch!

Feasts, Farmer's Markets and Fall

My eldest suggested we have a "feast" today. I remembered there was a farmer's market at PineRidge Hollow this morning, so off we went . Picked up the sweetest corn on the cob ever, some carrots, and some "natural" farmer sausage from Matheson's farm. If the potatoes I bought earlier were local, we had a "Made in Manitoba" meal. Yummy. The highlight of today was Rod pulling me over to one of the stalls, pulling out a twenty and telling me to pick out a necklace. I wasn't sure which one I liked best, so he ended up picking out a winner: black cord, polished black stone with white swirls and two silver beads on either side. I love it! I haven't really worn jewellery since having children, so it was extra special. My youngest still wants to yank on it, but hopefully the novelty will wear off quickly and he'll ignore it.

The farmer's market runs every Saturday from 9-1 until September 20th. It's a bit of a drive, but I thought it was totally worth it. There were a few crafters, lots of jams, jellies & chutneys, great corn on the cob (don't even bother buying corn anywhere else...mine was picked this morning!), potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cukes, zucchini, onions, mini pumpkins and gourds, and decorative corn just to name a few things. We didn't have time to stop in at the restaurant, but sometime I'd like to go back with a girlfriend. They list their menu on the website...looks tantalizing!

Well, that's it for now. Fall looks like it will be busy at the studio. Our new brochures are already bringing in new clients and fantastic feedback. (I'm working on getting them out to our clients still). Rodney will start shooting for one of CancerCare's big gala fundraisers this week. He's still pretty sore after holding a camera all day, but doing surprisingly well. We are blessed. Our eldest starts grade one this week. Not looking forward to the earlier start to the mornings and yet I am looking forward to having more morning in my day. Hope you have a wonderful fall. It's one of my favorite seasons. I hear Tiber River is bringing out an amazing line for fall, which includes pomegranate-vanilla and strawberry-rhubarb crisp. Mmm!

Happy long week-end!

Introducing Moksha Yoga

A number of weeks ago I had the privilege of taking a yoga class at Moksha Yoga here in Winnipeg. It was amazing! From the top-notch facilities to the friendly staff, the first impression was a good one. My instructor was able to modify things for me (the first-timer) while keeping it challenging for the experienced yogis. She even took the time afterwards to comment on how well I did in the class.

You see, there's something about moksha yoga you have to know. It's done in a 37-39 degree room. I was able to do most of it without even having to lie down. (Others on their first time find the heat difficult to manage and nausea and dizziness can result). It was definitely challenging to do the 90-minute class, but it was so worth it! I struggle with insomnia, but after that class I could've gone to sleep at suppertime! Such a deep relaxation came over my body.

There are many benefits to moksha yoga. I've asked Moksha to be a guest on our blog every month, and so hopefully we'll learn some of them, as well as learning more about their studio. This month, they've contributed a short article on eating local, as two of their core philosophies are caring for the environment and a healthy lifestyle.


Eco-Tip - Eating Local (courtesy of Moksha Yoga)

Did you know that a typical ingredient on your plate has traveled 1,500 miles or more from farm to plate? In fact, most of the food we eat is grown in places we’ll never visit. For example, lettuce in grocery stores usually originates in China, a place that many of us will only ever dream of seeing.

Having food travel so far from farm to plate brings up some very valid health and environmental concerns. To be ripe in our stores, produce is picked well before it’s ripe so that it can survive the journey to our plate, robbing us of many beneficial nutrients that we should be getting from our food. From an environmental perspective, the amount of fuel used to bring the food from point A to point B is very destructive to our environment, which is detrimental to not only our health, but the health of the planet too.

Thank goodness we have other options available to us! We live in a place surrounded by farms, which always means farmers markets! The farmers market in St. Norbert is a great place to spend your Saturday morning, and new this year is the Osborne farmers market that takes place at the corner of River and Osborne every Thursday from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. This is the best time of year to get good, fresh, locally grown produce just chalk-a-block with nutrients!

For more information on farmers markets in the area see Farmers Markets in Manitoba. For more information on how you can introduce more local goods into your diet, check out the 100-mile diet. Last year a group of people from Winnipeg did a 100 day 100-mile challenge. Hmmm….sounds interesting…..



Thanks, Moksha Yoga for your interest in our business and a helpful tip on trying to eat well and live well. At Eve Studios, we're trying to help women feel good about their bodies. Although our skill is photography, there are many ways to do it and good nutrition is one of them.