BEETROOT CACAO OAT MILK W BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER FOAM

I love preparing this milk with its beautiful natural colors and subtle earthiness and sweetness. It’s warm, soothing & fun. Best of all, it chases away the lingering chill of winter and celebrates the arrival of spring.

BENEFITS:

Butterfly Pea Flower is a natural remedy used to balance the nervous system.PP

Beetroot is purported to improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increase exercise performance.

Cacao is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and rich in magnesium and iron.

INGREDIENTS

1 C oat milk or preferred milk option

1 Tsp beetroot powder

1 1/2 Tsp cacao powder

Raw honey to taste

1/4 Tsp Butterfly Pea Flower powder

Add first 4 ingredients into a saucepan and heat using a whisk to blend

Froth 1/8 C of oat milk with the Butterfly Pea Flower powder

Pour beetroot cacao milk into a cup followed by the frothed milk

Enjoy

GREEN APPLE, PINEAPPLE & BURDOCK ROOT JUICE

One of my favorite fresh-pressed juice combos!

The power of plants —

Burdock Root’s history in Western herbalism and traditional Chinese medicine is best known for its cleansing properties for your skin and as a blood purifier. As with most plant foods, it’s a source of antioxidants. It adds a subtle woody flavor that smooths out the tart taste of the pineapple and green apple.

Green apple adds Vit A for vision and Vit C to support your skin and immune system.

Pineapple has bromelain which can help with muscle recovery through its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, and as a bonus, it aids digestion.

INGREDIENTS

Pineapple

4 Green Apples

6 Burdock Roots

Juice individually and mix according to taste

STRAWBERRY CASHEW DATE SMOOTHIE

I was thinking about this one on my run this morning and made a beeline home for it!

INGREDIENTS

1 Frozen organic banana

8 Frozen organic strawberries

2 tbsp Cashew butter

4 Dates

1.5 cups Oat milk

4 tbsp Amino acid protein powder

Blend & enjoy

HOW TO JOIN A RUN GROUP

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Why the hesitation? Is there trepidation to just show up and be part of it and run? Do you think they are faster than you? That they have been racing PRs since they could tie their shoes? Do you imagine they are more socially connected than you? Is that what is so intimidating?

I felt timidity joining new run groups in NYC for the first time upon returning to running after a long hiatus. Would it feel a little bit like picking teams for dodgeball in middle school gym class all over again? Would I show up and stand alone awkwardly while others conversed and moved seamlessly into their pace groups? Would we share mutual interests beyond running? Was I out of my league and would struggle to keep up?

Thankfully, my desire to be part of something and be with others who enjoyed the run was greater than my fear. By stepping out of my small safe little world of one I became part of a community that encourages each other, cheers for all, stays by each other’s side and occasionally runs ahead in the purest and most beautiful form of competition. You can always go out on a solo run, but knowing you are connected to an incredible and diverse web of people imbues the run with joy and makes your stride a little lighter and quicker.

So, how do you join a run group?

You show up

And since there are so many options, here are a few questions to ask —

What are you looking for in a run group? Mentor? Coach? Community? What will help you show up to be your best?

What👁ThinkAboutOnMyRun

#IndividualWithinTheTribe

ELECTROLYTE & COLLAGEN CASHEW BEET SMOOTHIE

This is hands down the most delicious way to replenish your electrolytes and feed your body the essential amino acids needed for recovery after a hot & humid run!

INGREDIENTS

1 Frozen organic banana

6 Frozen organic strawberries

1 tbsp Cocoa powder

1 tbsp Cashew butter

1 cup Oat milk

2 tbsp Beet juice

2 tbsp Goodonya Collagen

1 tbsp Goodonya Hydrate

THE PIVOT

Pivoting and working with circumstances you are faced with — As the number of races that I need to scratch are mounting, the idea of an exciting spring racing season is vanishing.

So what is plan B? How do I make the most of an otherwise disappointing period?

Pivoting can feel like a failure or at the very least a submission. Or… it can be empowering in the knowing that there are options that we must explore or a return to something nurturing and necessary that was left behind. It’s the obstacles that cause us to pause and the pause that becomes an opportunity for growth and improvement, if we allow time for reflection and inquiry. It’s no doubt a difficult time, one that calls for honesty, patience and openness. But when we let go of what was supposed to happen and focus on what is currently unfolding, we have the power to manifest what is to become with more intention and wisdom. Here lies the belief that we emerge stronger and wiser with an appreciation of what was lost and what will be found — It’s the journey.

What 👁 Think About On My Run

CHAMOMILE

Farmers markets are abundant with fresh herbs in spring & summer! I keep Chamomile as a bouquet in the kitchen and later dry it for tea and a simple syrup for fun summertime cocktails

Used for its medicinal qualities as far back as ancient Greek and Roman times, Chamomile continues to be prized for its health benefits — sleep, stress reduction, digestion, soothe sore throat & cough, manage blood sugar levels

Chamomile Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup honey or sugar

2 tbsp dried chamomile flowers

1-2 lemon peels

Boil all for 10-20 minutes

Strain

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks

Chamomile Bee’s Knee Cocktail

Ice

2 ounces gin

¾ ounce lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

¾ ounce chamomile honey syrup

Combine gin, lemon juice, and chamomile honey syrup in a cocktail shaker over ice.

Shake vigorously and then strain into a chilled coupe

Chamomile Berry Spritzer

Ice

Chamomile syrup

Fresh blackberries or strawberries

Sparkling water

Muddle fresh blackberries or strawberries in a glass

Add ice

Pour 1 tbsp or to taste of chamomile syrup

Sparkling water to fill a glass

Stir & garnish with lemon peel and fresh chamomile

SPRING CLEANSE

Dr Rosy Daniel, Weleda's Integrative Health Consultant, explains how a gentle springtime detox can improve wellbeing.

The body has five major cleansing systems: the kidneys, the liver, the bowels, the skin and the lungs. Our spirits reside in the most exquisite piece of engineering! Our bodies work tirelessly to process, absorb and eliminate what is coming in through our skin, lungs and digestive system to maintain a state of balance, whilst fuelling, regenerating and healing themselves. Blood levels of fat, sugar, acidity, salts and minerals are kept at optimum levels to protect our brains and the other delicate tissues through which our blood flows.

Physical toxicity occurs when we absorb toxic chemicals through our skin, lungs or digestive system. We also become toxic through excess and imbalance if eating or drinking too much of one kind or food or drink, or by consuming too much altogether.

When toxicity builds up in the body this can be experienced as excess weight, achy muscles, low energy, fatigue, brain fog and spotty or itchy skin. Psychologically we feel weighed down and demotivated. When toxicity becomes extreme, our organs can no longer achieve homoeostasis and they start to fail, producing conditions like type 2 diabetes when the pancreas can no longer metabolise away excess sugar, or liver failure when the liver becomes poisoned and fibrous as it can no longer detox the toxic chemicals in the blood stream, or constipation and inflammatory bowel disorders when the gut is not flowing properly and the gut wall is reacting, or inflammatory conditions of the lungs and skin as well. This is more pronounced in people who have allergies or food intolerances.

So, when we are thinking about a spring cleanse, it is really about developing a far kinder, gentler and more conscious relationship with our beautiful bodies. Here are 10 steps to spring cleanse that you can take right now:

Step 1

Ensure that you are adequately hydrated with 2.5l of water every day (still water is better than sparkling in this respect, as ideally drinking water should have a neutral pH of about 7). This will help wash toxins from your entire system and keep your detox organs functioning optimally.

Step 2 

Avoid taking in chemical toxins through skincare products, food additives, preservatives or colourings, household and garden products. Our lungs, skin and digestive systems are highly absorbent and any chemicals around you will find their way into your bloodstream, tissues and cells. This means eating organic as much as possible, growing your own food, and wearing a mask if working around chemicals.

Step 3 

Avoid excess with food and drink. Think about your portion sizes and seek emotional support if you know that you are comfort eating or drinking to excess. For the first time ever young people in their 30s are being diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver due to ‘pre-lash’ drinking of shots. Pay attention to acidity levels; you can do this by measuring your salivary pH in the morning before any food, drink or toothbrushing. You are aiming for 7 to 7.5. For most of us this means cutting back on acidic drinks like wine, beer, lager, cider, fruit juices, tonic water and fizzy drinks, all of which have an acidic pH, and acid fruits like lemons, grapefruit, sour berries and tomatoes. This is not for ever! Just until we have regained our balance.

Step 4 

Try a gentle fast eating purely fruit, vegetables, salads and grains, juices and smoothies. Have a rest from heavier foods such as meat, fats, sugar, dairy food, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and alcohol. It is not advisable to fast heavily during the winter, or if you have a demanding job or parenting role, or if your health is challenged. For weight management, try an intermittent fasting approach, eating all your food within an eight-hour period. This means that your body has 16 hours for homoeostasis. It has been proven as an effective method to reduce weight, even if eating the same amount as you might previously have done over 12 hours. A good time interval is eating between 11 am and 7 pm, starting your mornings with cleansing herb teas.

Step 5

Take an hour of aerobic exercise every single day, ideally outdoors in the fresh air, to get the blood pumping around your body, bringing oxygen to your tissues and removing waste products. Getting hot and vasodilated allows us to sweat and eliminate toxins through our skin. Breathing more deeply and rapidly allows us to excrete toxins through our lungs. It is wise to use a deodorant rather than an antiperspirant in order to sweat naturally.

Step 6 

Deepen the cleansing of your tissues with yoga postures which are designed to stretch and tone every single organ and tissue of the body. Qigong is also designed to smooth and balance the flow of energy or chi throughout all energy channels. In Oriental medicine all illness is seen as stagnation of chi. Establishing a daily practice will detox your energy system too.

Step 7

Give special support to your detox organs. Support your bowel with plenty of fibre from muesli, fruit such as prunes and figs and fibrous vegetables, or taking some gentle laxative such as senna or psyllium husks, or a natural digestive remedy to get things moving. Support your liver by taking a break from alcohol, coffee and black tea and fatty foods. Support your kidneys with good hydration and low salt intake. Support your skin with skin brushing with a loofah and pumice stone in the bath, an exfoliating skin rub, or dry skin brushing. Support your lungs with yogic breathing exercises, especially the bellows breath and the crow.

Step 8 

Take cleansing herbs and tisanes to cleanse the body. Peppermint tea will stimulate the bowel whilst milk thistle will give detox support to your liver. Weleda’s Birch Juice, which is made from the fresh silver birch leaf tips from the new spring growth, will help shake off winter lethargy and literally put a spring in your step.

Step 9

Support your physical detox with meditation and retreat into quiet nurturing time for yourself, being sure to set aside this time for yourself. Create some helpful goals for your year ahead and shed any negative thoughts or anxieties with the help of emotional freedom technique.

Step 10 

Aim to establish what you have put in place as a way of life rather than a short-term blitz. Every single aspect of life will be better if we can maintain this loving conscious relationship with ourselves.

ORITHYIA COACHING

“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives — choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”

Aristotle

I have always believed the premise of this quote and have tried to embody it through times of ease and struggle.

When life seems to be in flow, the words are a comforting assurance of my choices, allowing me to be within a space of peace and validation knowing the decisions I made and the will to stay with them has unfolded from those earlier intentions.

In turn, its powerful message becomes my guide when uncertainty and confusion enter. The belief centers me and becomes a rallying cry to dig deeper for the insights and confidence needed to move forward.

I’m happy to announce Orithyia Coaching — a natural and exciting addition to Orithyia and Orithyia Omada. Orithyia was founded to inspire women to reach toward excellence in their pursuits — body, mind and spirit. We continue to understand the powerful impact of movement in all phases of our lives. When we move our bodies with intelligence, we benefit from the joy, confidence and longevity that are some of the key attributes to an active lifestyle centering on well-being.

Many mentors and coaches opened their arms and shared their wisdom with me throughout my running years, and I look forward to passing on their inspiration and teachings along with my experiences. I focus on a holistic approach to running which highlights the importance of nutrition, mindset, strength and mobility to tap into the ease, joy and natural intelligence of our bodies.

We begin together where you are, and craft a plan uniquely fitted for you based on your current fitness level, goals and schedule.

NEW PLACES

Waking up in the dark awaiting the first glow of sunrise to head out and explore. The crisp air and the call of the gulls are familiar. But much is uncharted. Beauty and wonder are in the nuances of places — the smell of the salty air, the breeze that rustles the apple tree leaves and sea grasses, the subtle colors of early morning light. Each moment is different when we allow ourselves to be in the moment. The beauty of the run is in those moments as one moves swiftly, taking in the surrounding just as it is — free of inputted meaning. It is the tranquility of simplicity and life at its best.

PLACE

Where do you feel so at ease and connected to yourself, and so far away from the strife and worry that seep into daily existence? Where is that place for you?

Perhaps it’s curling up as you sink into a fluffy sofa to read a book, cooking with the abundant findings from a trip to the farmers market, or a long walk or run along a wooded trail with leaves and pine needles that pad your footsteps.

Maine is my place and has been for many years. The moment I step off the plane, I feel a sense of peace and easiness that brings me joy. I can recalibrate, slow down and just enjoy. It’s so very important to find that place, wherever it may be.