It is possible to be super fit yet not very healthy. Physical exercise and meditation will take you a long way towards feeling good, but you can’t ignore diet. As the weather grows hotter it is a great time to be inspired to add some living foods to your diet.What you eat does make a difference! Many of you are new recipients of our newsletter. As an adjunct to your yoga practice we recommend the inclusion of raw foods in your diet. A raw food diet will create major improvements in your health. By raw food we mean vegetarian food which hasn’t been heated over 116 degrees. Raw food still retains its prana, or life force. It also contains enzymes to help speed up our digestive processes and leave us feeling lighter and more vital. People whose diets consist of primarily raw foods, report that their weight normalizes and they feel extremely energized. Their skin glows and their eyes sparkle. In other words, they radiate the health that is our natural birthrite!A raw food diet increases alkalinity in the body keeping us hydrated and supple. That is why a raw food diet is so compatible with a yoga/fitness regimen. You can read more about a raw food diet on Ana’s raw food page at www.raviana.com. If you do decide to transform your diet, it should be done slowly over time. Also, no one diet or lifestyle is the “answer.” You will probably find that elements of many approaches work best for you.Studies have shown that berries are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. The dark pigments especially, seem to offer protection against cardiovascular disease There was a recent study on aging rats which were the equivalent of 70 in human years. The rats were fed different foods high in beneficial antioxidants, including berries. Only the rats fed the berries could perform as well as much younger rats. They actually became “perky” and even acted younger mentally, showing increased problem solving capabilities.Berries provide powerful antioxidants which help prevent cancer, slow down the aging process and keep us healthy. Berries also contain luteine which is important for healthy vision and cataract prevention. Berries can also help prevent urinary tract infections. BERRY BLISS LONGEVITY SHAKEEveryone loves smoothies. There are so many combinations and they are one of the simplest ways to add raw food to your diet, beyond simply eating a piece of fruit. This is a basic formula using seasonal (or frozen) berries. We have included some greens but don’t worry – you won’t taste the greens. Be creative and go with the seasons. My favorite season is late July / August, when wild blueberries ripenIngredients: 2 bananas (you may use frozen bananas for a cooler, thicker, shake) or, 1 banana and 1 other fruit( pear, peach, papaya or apple)A couple handfuls of fresh (or frozen) organic berries such as wild blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries. A handful of organic greens (try baby spinach romaine, or kale).1 or 2 small dates. Blend the banana and your other fruit choice. You may need to add a touch of liquid (either coconut or spring water, or a couple ice cubes). Add the berries and greens. This can make a complete light meal with a handful of raw nuts/seeds.SAT SUBAGH KRIYA – MEDITATION FOR GRACEFUL TEMPERAMENTA graceful temperament is a personality built on the bedrock of inner peace. Peace is not a political stance but a state of mind. The saints and sages of the ages have told us that if we want to transform the world we should start by declaring peace within ourselves. Sit comfortably with your spine straight. Women, position the left, men the right, hand at throat level. The palm faces your body, the thumb is on top. The top edge of your other hand is flush with the bottom edge of the hand on top. Use the thumb of the bottom hand to press the mounds (at the base of the fingers) of the top hand progressively, starting with the mound of the index finger: index, middle, ring, little finger, again and again, for up to 11 min. at first, and then up to 31 min. over time. Your eyes, throughout this practice, are looking straight ahead, watching the thumb move. You can use any mantra or affirmation, out loud or mentally, to accompany this meditation, We prefer Sa-Ta-Na-Ma (Existence, Life, Death, Rebirth). To end this meditation, inhale, close your eyes, and stretch your arms in front of you, then shake your hands and relax.This meditation was taught by Yogi Bhajan on November 4th, 1975. It will help you make quick, clear judgments in any situation. Most people are of two minds (or more!), and for the life of them, can’t make a decision. Our happiness lies in our ability to stay on course in the shifting winds of emotions and thoughts.. To see things as they are. To be calm, clear, and direct. To live with no subterfuge. These are the qualities of a meditative mind. We were never taught in this culture, despite all our advantages, to train our own minds, to see through those murky waters to the light and air of sun-filled sky. In fact, the more clever and intelligent we are, the greater the risk of our own minds intriguing against our best interests. There is no escaping the fact that to find happiness in this life we must train ourselves to develop a meditative mind. The meditative mind sees pain/pleasure, gain/loss, love/hate, and even life/death as part of the same continuum. It is an ecstatic witness to this eternal play. The meditative mind is non-reactive and spontaneously creative. It is a safe refuge from the storms of life, even when they are raging.

Have a great summer!All Best to You,Ravi Singh & Ana Brettwww.raviana.com / 212.982.5518

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