The focus of Intellectual Wellness is creative mental stimulation as well as learning new and exciting things. It is having a curiosity and desire to learn while valuing your life experiences. Discovering and exploring your world, learning more about YOU, expanding your mind and potential, solving a problem, as well as simply sharing and receiving knowledge with others is key to Intellectual Health and Wellness. There are many ways to accomplish this and they may be different for everyone: Reading, learning/practicing new skills, being creative, taking the time to appreciate a work of art, and much more. If you’re learning something new, you’re focusing on Intellectual Wellness! Even as you read this you’re building and supporting it.

Many people think of the word "Intellectual" as consisting of something boring or mundane. However, when talking about Intellectual Wellness, this is far from the truth and is quite different for everyone. You can exercise your mind by creating your own work of art, taking a class, learning a new skill, or simply including positive media into your life like reading, radio, news, or even tv.

Visit a museum or a play and expand your mind about your culture and the arts. Reading doesnt have to boring either - read a novel, magazines, or even the newspaper. Maintaining healthy Intellectual Wellness helps you feel stimulated and engaged in your life and the world around you.

Walking a path of Intellectual Wellness guides you to discover an instincual interest in being informed of current affairs, finding solutions to problems, while creating and supporting new ideas. As your intellectual curiosity grows, you'll find yourself excited to expand and challenge your mind with creative pusuits. You'll learn to see challenges in your life as opportunities for positive growth instead of problems, obstacles, and negativity while engaging in clear, independant, and critical thinking.

• Take a class or workshop in something outside your normal routine
• Learn something new - a foreign language perhaps
• Seek out intellectually inspiring people
• Subscribe to an interesting magazine or newsletter
• READ A BOOK! — any book! (Buy it, Borrow it, Check it out from the library 
• Visit a museum, attend an play, see an independent film 
• Take on a hobby in your spare time - Chess, Sudoku, eating/writing with the opposite hand 
• Learn proper nutrition including supplementation and exercise regularly — many nutrients are essential proper brain function
  

You'll never want to buy a pre-packaged oatmeal again after trying this DELICIOUS, HEARTY, and WHOLESOME way to start off your day!  This single serving recipe alone has over 7.5g of protein and close to 5g of fiber to fill you up and keep your hunger satisfied for a good long while!

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cup Boiling Water
• 1/4 Cup Steel Cut Oats
• 1/16 tsp Cinnamon
• Agave Nectar; to taste
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts and/or Almonds
• 1/3 banana, sliced
• Milk or Almond Milk to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour the oats and cinnamon into boiling water.  Continue to stir until thickening begins.
   
2. Lower the heat until it begins to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (*You may choose to stop here, cover pot, and let set overnight to speed up cooking time in the morning). It's important not to overcook the oats to maintain their yummy nutty flavour.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, dig in, and enjoy!

This light, fresh, and delicious dish is the perfect way to give grilling season a jump start.  The balance of flavors is simple yet different with creamy avocado, melt in your mouth Ahi, and a tiny crunch of green onion.  Weather you're having a BBQ or cooking dinner for a date night - this is a WINNER!








Ingredients:

• 4 half-pound Ahi Tuna Steaks (about 3/4" thick)
• 3/4 Cup Garlic, Ginger, Soy Marinade (whisk together 1/2 Cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce, 1/4 Cup Olive Oil, 8 cloves chopped Garlic, 1 tbsp. minced Fresh Ginger, 2 tsp. Black Pepper)
  

   for Wasabi Guacamole:

• 2 Avocados, Pitted, peeled, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Wasabi
  
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• 2-3 Green Onions, Chopped (1 separated for garnish)
  
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:  First, prepare Guacamole by mashing all ingredients together in a bowl except separated green onion for garnish. 

Now onto the Tuna Steaks.  Thoroughly coat steaks with marinade on all sides.  Preheat grill or BBQ to medium heat.  Brush the grill very clean and oil well!  Grill Tuna for 2 minutes on each side, turning only once.  The tuna should be RARE.  Plate the fish, spoon puree equally over top of each steak. Add a dollop of Guacamole on top of each steak.  Garnish with Green Onion and Serve!!!

Social wellness is easily defined as following the idea that it is better to contribute to the common good in our relationships and community than to think solely of ourselves – to see the needs and happiness of others as a priority as well.  In doing this we create harmony with others and our environment instead of living in conflict with them. 

In life, it is important to know the impact you have on nature, your community, and the individuals you interact with. We all have a responsibility to take an active roll in improving our world by encouraging healthy environments and communicating better with those around us! In doing so, we actively create and preserve the incredible beauty and balance of life and nature.  In fact, most people who maintain a positive social support system do much better under stress while socially isolated people are more susceptible to illness and even often have a higher instance of death.  However, there are practices and tools, such as regular meditation, which can help those isolated individuals find peace while building a healthy social network. 

Social wellness is about accepting, having positive interactions, and enjoying being with others. It is having comfort and ease in communicating our feelings and needs to others, creating and growing close friendships and intimacy, having empathy and truly listening, caring for others, putting them first, and allowing others to do the same for you. It is recognizing the need to get out, have fun, and scheduling time for those activities with the people you care for.  Too often the burdens and stresses of life hinder us from making social plans and those we care about a priority: that outing with friends or date night with your wife/husband.

Many find this concept difficult however there is an array of simple and effective ways to create lasting, loving, meaningful relationships in your life as well as social wellness in our world.  We all have free-will and the power to make choices to enhance our life, relationships, friendships, our community, the environment and, ultimately, the world. Think about it, when is the last time you:

• Donated and/or Participated in a community growing event or cause?
• Gave a compliment?  Out of the blue, even to a stranger?  With no intention of gain?
• Gave someone a gift when it wasn’t a holiday, their birthday, anniversary, etc.?
• Actually returned the shopping cart to the stall?
• Smiled?
• Genuinely said “Thank you”
• Taught someone how to do something?
• Gave someone a hug?
• Told someone you love and appreciate them?
• Gave in to someone’s wants or needs other than your own?
• Thought about how you could benefit someone or your community and done it?
  

CHALLENGE: Do all of the above and one you think of yourself at least once within a weeks time!

Did you know:

• Physical contact has an amazing impact on improving health (Hug, Kiss, Touch, etc)
• Laughter really is good medicine
• Health diminishes when human companionship is lacking
• Strong social networks can create positive mood and even enhance self-esteem

We have the opportunity to live our lives consciously and make those choices that will ultimately change the world against all the odds and difficulties.  However, for the most part, our goal is not to “save the world,” but to live in it, lovingly and humble - striving to make the world better.  We can make our friendships, families, neighborhoods, and world more dignified. We must dedicate ourselves each and every day to being kind, thoughtful, courageous human beings!  See you there…

Occupational Wellness is all about finding a profession that you believe in, a profession that WILL enrich your life through work. It is where you can contribute your god given gifts, honed skills and unique talents while becoming excited about the importance of not simply your own personal gratification, but your contribution to your family, friends, community, and world. Your profession of choice, job satisfaction, career ambitions, and personal performance are all very important factors on your path toward Occupational Wellness.

By choosing a career which is harmonious with your values, interests, and beliefs you can become empowered thru your personal role in that industry and even society as a whole.  This empowerment then resonates creating an overflow of incredibly positive effects into other aspects of life and wellness.  I mean, wouldn’t you be happier all around if you truly believed in and loved?

For some, finding their dream job is simple, while others are still trying to figure out what they should do with their lives.  Figuring out what your passion is, what kind of personality you are, and what your gifts, skills, and talents are is key to discovering your dream profession.  Try utilizing the steps below to help in finding your perfect profession:

1)  Ignoring your practicality, think about what
     you LIKE to do.

If income was not an issue, what type of activity would you do for free simply because you  love doing it so much? What are your hobbies or things you love to do in your spare time?

2)  Who you are and what environment do
     you excel in?

Many people can get by in environments and situations that are not ideally suited to them, but shouldn’t your perfect profession be one that fits your personality? For example, if your passion from step one is photography, your dream job could be a photojournalist or an artist depending on the environment and amount of interaction with others you excel in. Photojournalism may not be the best fit for an introverted person who wants to work at home, while being an artist may not be the dream job of an extrovert who thrives on going, going, going and talking to lots of people.

3)  Be Honest, what are your gifts, skills, and
     talents? 

Everyone has a gift for something.  It could be anything from baking cupcakes, art, selling products, building, designing, teaching, or even riding a bike. Think back, what subjects were you good at in school?  Have you ever received an award something you did well? What do you do better than everyone you know? Don’t limit yourself; everyone has a special gift, skill, and talent or two.

4)  Put it all together! 

After answering the above questions you should at least have some options to think about turning into your dream job.

Remember, just because you’ve found your dream job doesn’t mean it will make you extremely wealthy overnight.  If you need to, and sometimes should, start small and dream big.  There is nothing wrong with keeping your current job while you build, plan, and transition into the job and life of your dreams.  The knowledge of knowing what your dream job is can serve in keeping you on the same path as your perfect profession and success, no matter what your “day job” is.  We believe you have the ability to do what you love, find happiness, and fulfillment in your dream job while creating Financial Wellness as well.   

Here at Narayan, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to help our friends, family, clients, and partners achieve their goals and live their dreams of wellness, including the occupational and financial aspects. 

To learn about an amazing business opportunity that may help you reach yours while creating wellness in the world, CLICK HERE!

With fresh avocado, crunchy cucumber and jicama, healthy quinoa, currants, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, mango lime vinaigrette, and much more - this fresh, filling, meal of a salad is sure to tickle your taste buds with an array of textures and unique flavor combos while filling your belly with happy contentment. 

Try it tonight - You're sure to loooooove it!



Salad ingredients:
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup peeled, chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped jicama
1 cup chopped avocado
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 tbsp. pepita seeds
4 tbsp. currants (may sub raisins)
2 tbsp. lime juice
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cups mixed salad greens
4 cups cooked quinoa, cooled (may sub couscous)
8 cups water
1 cup black beans
1 cup pre-cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined or chicken, diced (leave out for a vegetarian/vegan option)

Mango lime vinaigrette:
1 cup chopped fresh mango
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Agave Nectar syrup
¼ cup lime juice
1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 ½ tsp. sea salt
1 ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. ground cumin

Garnish:
Fresh mango, thinly sliced
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
1.     Prepare quinoa: bring water to boil (2 cups of water per 1 cup quinoa). Add quinoa, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. If any water remains, turn heat off and allow to sit to absorb remaining liquid.  Cool to room temperature or remove premade quinoa from fridge.

2.     Prepare salad dressing: place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and puree. Place in fridge to chill.

3.     In a large bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, jicama, cilantro, avocado, red onion, and shrimp. Toss with lime juice, sea salt and pepper.

4.     Add quinoa, dressing, and all remaining “salad” ingredients into the bowl.  Toss thoroughly.

5.     Distribute salad evenly onto serving plates/bowls then garnish with 2-4 slices fresh mango and lightly sprinkled with cayenne pepper.

*Adapted from Native Food's Ensalada Azteca*

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Our favorite time of year! It’s a time to look at what we’ve accomplished and reflect on the changes we want, or need, to make in the upcoming year. A time to refine our goals and make new ones - to push ourselves to be who/what we dream of being.

Each year, thousands, if not millions, of people make New Year’s resolutions including all of us here at Narayan Wellness.  And we are never surprised when losing weight, getting fit, and making healthy changes are at the top of those people’s list every single year.  We are happy to see more and more people striving toward wellness in their lives and thank those of you who choose to join the Narayan family while on that path.

Do resolutions actually help us change?

YES! Research shows that setting well defined goals increases our odds of success.  However, only about 20% of people succeed with their new year’s resolution. It has even been said that approximately 3% of adults have clearly written, well defined goals, but this small group of people accomplishes more than the other 97% combined! How and why does this happen?

Simple! Achieving goals doesn’t always happen overnight. It takes commitment, proper goal setting and a community of people to support and guide you along the way. Hopefully you noticed in the paragraph above that a goal being “well-defined” is extremely important.  This is why we structure all of our wellness programs to be goal oriented – to help and encourage people, like you, on their path toward success and total wellness. 

Here are 5 simple rules to help you set attainable goals for the New Year.

Be Specific: A smart goal is specific. Specify what you want by asking yourself the "five W's": who, what, where, when, and why then phrase your answers in a single sentence. For example, if you decide to get fit, your goal could be to have an appointment with a personal trainer every Wednesday and attend a fitness class after work each and every day.

Make it Measurable: Goals that are measurable are easier to achieve because you can record and see your progress. The measure is where you will be once you have achieved the goal. For example, if you are “getting fit” by the above example, you can measure this goal by defining "fit" as losing a few inches off your waist, a certain BMI, or some other type of measurement.

It has to be Attainable: Attainable goals are those that you have the skills, abilities and other resources to reach. If you're not sure whether you can attain your goal, try asking a professional who can guide you. Based on their answers, you may want to start with a smaller goal on the path toward achieving the end result you want. For example, if you want to “get fit” using the above example, but you realize you don’t have enough time after work to follow through with your plan, you could modify your goal to take a morning class before work.

Be Realistic: You have to be willing and able to work toward your goal. Even if it’s attainable, it might not be realistic if you aren't inspired to put in the effort. For example, if you hate working out in groups, the goal to attend a fitness class everyday might not be realistic. Modify your goal until it is realistic. For instance, perhaps you hate working out in groups but love to run. Instead, you could run a half-hour a day.

Make it Tangible: A tangible goal is one that you can experience.  It is a goal you can see, hear, taste, smell or touch. Motivate yourself with tangible goals; you will directly experience the results of your efforts. For example, you can make your plan to “get fit” tangible by having a fitness assessment done once or twice a month. Seeing your positive results is a tangible reminder that sticking to your plan is paying off and worth the effort.

This Minestrone is thick, hearty, and sure to to hit the spot on those cold and rainy winter nights. It is the perfect balance of rich flavorful broth to warm the senses and an array of ingredients to nurture the body.
 
Ingredients:

• 8oz chicken breast, skin removed, diced (leave out for a vegetarian/vegan option)
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 4 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup white beans (cannellini or navy)
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, ¼” sliced
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• ½ cup green beans, 1” chopped
• 1-2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon fresh or dried sage
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 6 sprigs fresh basil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat pasta
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional - leave out for vegan option)

Directions:  In a large pot, add oil over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and sauté until ingredients begin to sweat (about 2-3 min.).  Add spinach, garlic, and tomatoes continuing to sauté until ingredients break down and liquid has mostly evaporated. Add thyme, sage, bay leaves, and oregano; stir until ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add broth, green beans, and white beans. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.  Once beans are soft enough to eat, add pasta. Cook until pasta is at desired texture. Turn off heat, add basil, salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle cheese over top and garnish with a fresh sprig of basil. ENJOY!

Today’s society is riddled with options to “quench your thirst” from carbonated to colorful, artificially flavored to performance enhanced. Yet, when it comes down to it, there is no substitute for good ol’ H2O. 

Water is absolutely essential to our survival and drinking enough is crucial for optimal health and wellness. A person can live for about a month without food, but only about a week, or less, without water. We recommending our clients drink enough water every single day and hope you do too.

Why you need water
Your body is made up of roughly 70% water. Your body needs water to:

• remove waste
• regulate body temperature 
• carry nutrients (food) and oxygen to cells making them available to the body
• protect and cushion your joints and organs
• aid in the digestion process and prevent constipation
  

If you don’t change your car’s engine oil - it’ll run, sure, but it won’t be long before it starts to gunk up and wear out.  Without giving your body enough water, long term lack of hydration can make you feel miserable and even hasten an early death.

Signs of Dehydration
Water is lost through urination, sweating, and even breathing. Often, you may not even realize you’re dehydrated. Symptoms include headaches, pain in joints and muscles, lower back pain, and constipation.

Here are a few easy ways to see if you may need to drink more water:

• Look before you flush - Urine with a strong odor and a yellow/brown color may indicate that you aren’t getting enough water. (Note: Some foods/vitamins can color/scent your urine without dehydrating you)
• Thirst - Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration, however, the body’s need for water is not always recognized by the mind: you need water long before you feel thirsty.
• Daytime fatigue - The most common cause of daytime fatigue and drowsiness is actually mild dehydration. Water leads to increased energy levels.
• Remember Me? - Do you remember the last time you urinated? If not, you could probably use some more water.

How Much Water do I Need to Drink?
For most, it is much more than 8 glasses a day! The estimate we use is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. The outcome gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink.

For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should take in at least 80 ounces of water per day! (160lbs ÷ 2 = 80oz of water per day)

On exercise days, you should add 8oz of water for every 20 minutes you are active.

At first, you may think that this is too difficult, but your body will adapt while your energy and well-being will improve.  You can consume about 20% of your water need by the foods you eat. The rest of your water should come from the beverages you drink however Plain Water is the #1 choice. Here are a few guidelines when choosing beverages other than water:

• Soda - We do not recommend drinking sodas as they have a lot of sugar in them and may cause you to take in more calories than you need. Not to mention the other additives, coloring, and flavorings.
• Coffee & Tea - Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are fine and can count toward your water intake.  However, when consuming coffee and teas with diuretic qualities, you may want to add an equal amount of water on top of your daily intake. 
• Sports Drinks - Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial at certain times, just look out for added sugar, colorings, other additives and calories that you don't need.  
• Juice - Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients but they also often contain a lot of sugar and should not be a replacement for water.
• Alcohol - If you drink alcohol, you should add at least an equal amount of water to your daily intake, but realistically, more.

When it comes to excuses It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Keeping a bottle for water with you wherever you go is the best way to ensure you have it available. We recommend a 32oz Nalgene bottle. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon, lime, or orange for a touch of flavor.