Cha, cha, CHIA Seeds! ~~ A definite MUST for everyone

I just had a thought to add a section on this blog about nutrition and diet. A fellow Yogini, Emily, asked me yesterday if there would be diet information or discussion on my 60/60 blog. It made me think that would be a great addition. I do mention a few things here a there in the Challenge blog but it is nice to dedicate posts to important diet information that has helped me and changed the way I live.

I am a big person on testimonials for trying something new, especially if it has to do with diet and health. Most of my health and diet information comes from my mother-in-law, Fran.  Before meeting my husband 15 years ago, I was on your typical status quo American diet. My mother-in-law has s been my food guru and I aspire to eat better because of her. She did the “raw food” diet before I even knew what that was and before it became more mainstream. She also blogs about all different things and she is a great resource for anything organic, diet, spiritual. Her blog is www.favorito.com

One thing Fran told me about was Chia Seeds. These little guys are on the list of Super Foods and a definite must for everyone. Especially if you have any kind of digestive issue, which would probably include 90% of women out there like me. I love chia so much that it is my Twitter name: chialover.  You can find these nutrient packed seeds at any health food store usually by the flax seeds.  At the Whole Foods in Richmond they even sell Chia in the bins for less expensive than name brands.  I am not sure why Chia has not taken off as fast as flax seeds have. They have more and better quality Omega 3 fatty acids than flax seeds. They hold 12 times their weight in water so they are perfect for athletes or for us Bikram Yoga practitioners.  Chia is also super high in fiber content and has calcium and protein as well. It definitely is a Super Food for sure!

I know what you are thinking, it sounds familiar like in “Chia Pet”. Well it is the same seed that was used on the infamous infomercial product that most people have either bought as a gag gift or heard of it. Well instead of using it as a gag gift you can give your body a gift and consume it. I usually put it in my Naked Juice in the mornings and evenings. You can take it up to 3 times a day but I usually take it twice a day. All it takes is a tablespoon of the seeds. You can mix it into pretty much anything because there is no taste to it. I also love to put it in my oatmeal or yogurt. You can also bake with it and give it to your kids – can you imagine how much good it can do for little ones?

One thing to be aware of… I mentioned it above that it can hold 12 times it weight it water. This being said if you put it in juice, water or a liquid and walk away, when you return a few minutes later it will turn into a tapioca consistency. DO NOT be alarmed. It is supposed to happen. That is why I quickly drink my chia when I put it in juice. I usually use a chopstick to stir it up and also scrape off the little seeds that stick to the side of the cup. You don’t want to waste any of the goodness.

Also since it does hold that much water you can imagine it will fill you up! This is a good thing for those of you who like to late night munch on things you shouldn’t be munching on. Have some chia and you won’t be able to munch on anything because you will be too full. I challenge you to try out some chia and see if it is changing your energy level and helping your digestion. It has sure worked for me and I continue to incorporate it into my diet daily.

Namaste Peeps!