Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 31, 2014

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 31, 2014 8 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 31, 2014 8 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
THE JOY OF YOGA 
THE STORY OF THE 
ELEPHANT 
You may have noticed the gorgeous statue of the elephant 
“Ganesh” in your local yoga studio. He is very cute and has a 
great big belly and one broken tusk. Ganesh is very popular in 
the Hindu tradition. He is in every Hindu household. He would 
be given an offering before any contract signed or agreement 
entered. You see, he is known as the remover of obstacles. It is 
his pleasure to remove the things that may be standing in your 
way. You just have to ask for guidance. So most yoga studios 
have Ganesh in their room to remind us of the things that are 

holding us back and how we can overcome them. Like the ego, for example, Ganesh rides 
on top of a rat, that symbolizes the ego. But Ganesh is full of love. He has big ears to hear 
all of our requests. He loves sweets and is holding a “Laddu” in his hand, which is a sweet 
ball. It symbolizes prosperity and material comforts. Since Ganesh enjoys sweets, he will 
bestow them on you! 

The legend has it that he broke off his tusk to write the Mahabharata, one of the two major 
Sanskrit epics of India. There is so much symbology in all the tales, it’s hard to keep up. 
But no matter what your faith, God has many faces, just like yours and mine and Ganesh. 
Ganesh symbolizes our pursuit of Moksha – liberation. So that we may all one day be with 
our creator. 

So, next time you are in the studio, go over and rub his belly for good luck, prosperity and 
Moksha. See you in class. 

Namasté, René 


Dr. Tina is a traditional 
naturopath and nutri-
tionist at Vibrant Living 
Wellness Center 


SALAD DOES A BODY GOOD 

Studies have been carried out to investigate the link between the amount 
of salad and raw vegetables eaten by both men and women and the 
nutrients present in the blood stream afterwards. It was found that those 
who eat these foods on a regular basis have a higher level of vitamin C, E, 
folic acid and beta carotene in their bloodstream. Before this there had 
been concerns about the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from salad, 
but the levels present in those tested proved that regular salad eaters 
were benefiting from the nutrients and were obviously able to utilize 
them in the body. 
Vitamin C is a useful antioxidant for humans and helps your body to 
perform certain function such as protection of cells, maintaining healthy 
cells and aiding the absorption of iron into the body. It is found in a lot 
of salad and vegetable items such sprouts, peppers, broccoli, kiwi fruit 
and oranges. 
Vitamin E has a number of functions and one of these is to act as an 
antioxidant within the body. Vitamin E can be found in the wide range 
of foods and the richest source of this is in plant oils such as soya or olive 
oil. However, it is also very rich in nuts and seeds which are particularly 
good in salads! 
Beta-carotene is actually changed into vitamin A when it enters the 
body and thus performs all the 
same functions such as maintaining 
the health of your skin, helping to 
protect you from infections and also 
assisting sight in dim light. It is found 
mainly in yellow and green colored 
vegetables. It is responsible for giving 
these vegetables their color! Spinach, 
peppers and mango are high in this 
nutrient. 
Salads do not have to be boring. Try 
some of these on your salad: 


Spinach Bell peppers Dried cranberries 
Kale Hot peppers (for a little kick) Seeds (sesame, pumpkin, 


sunflower) 
Radishes Artichokes Raw nuts 
Carrots Hearts of palm Spouts (there are many kinds) 
Onions (try different Strawberries Quinoa, cooked 

varieties) 
Celery Raspberries Corn, raw or slightly steamed 
Cauliflower Blueberries Peas 
Broccoli Apples Herbs, fresh 
Beets Pears Many types of lettuces and 

greens 
Red cabbage Mandarin oranges Dried cherries 
Cucumbers Raisins Tomatoes (try organic or 

heirloom)