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Instant Health and Fitness is about using what we do as a pathway to wholeness and inner peace. It's about understanding that the inner health of our body is just as important as the outer health. When I was a boy at the Shaolin Temple my master taught me that when I practiced kung fu I did kung fu meditation, when I ran I did running meditation and fighting meditation and eating meditation... This act of meditation helps us to stay calm, free and anchored to the only place of power which is the now.

My name is Shifu Yan Lei, I’m from China and I came to the UK in 2000 to help my brother open an authentic Shaolin school in London. I found that the Shaolin class not only increased my student’s health and fitness levels but also their confidence and sense of happiness. This is why I started to make Qigong and Kung Fu DVDs and books. My mission is to share with as many people as possible authentic Shaolin. Though sometimes I prefer not to call what I do Shaolin or martial arts because people can have preconceptions about what this means. Qigong and Kung Fu is just exercise Chinese style! Nothing special, nothing strange.

Of course, Shaolin is also about art and beauty and demonstration but this is not what I do. I don’t do gymnastics (though I did some when I was a boy), I don’t do weapons, and I can’t stand on my head or do somersaults. I’m a 34th generation Shaolin master who specializes in using what I learnt for fitness, fighting and longevity. Through my facebook, blog, newsletters, books and DVDs, I hope to share my twenty-five years experience with you so you can bring to your life the wholeness, health and inner satisfaction that you seek.

Stay Healthy Fish Tacos as featured in Natural Muscle Magazine

Hi Everyone!!!

I hope you are trying some of my Stay Healthy recipes and enjoying the fabulous tastes of eating for a healthy lifestyle. They are so easy, taste fabulous, and just what you need to get healthy. Nutrition plays such an important role in staying healthy......so no more excuses...I am giving you the tools!!! Try some Stay Healthy Fish Tacos tonight on page 48 of the April Issue of Natural Muscle Magazine!!!

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/april10digital/2010032501/

Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/

Allergy Sufferer? Why You Need An Air Purifier

By Owen Jones

There are various forms of air purifier systems, so it can
be difficult to know what someone means when they are talking
about air purifying. For instance, all air conditioning
units and most central heating systems have some form of air
purification built in. In deed, the air purification filters
in most split air conditioning units are very advanced. A
similar add-on unit can be purchased for most central
heating and central conditioning systems.

However, you may not require heating or cooling units, but
you may want a dedicated air purifier. Air purification
units can greatly increase your quality of life,
particularly if you suffer from an allergy or live with a
smoker or pets.

Air purifiers or air cleaners, as they are also identified,
clean the air of pollutants and foreign bodies. However,
some air purifiers are more advanced than others, so it is a
good idea to identify what you want to remove from your air
before you buy one.

This is because not all machines will take all kinds of
filters and not all filters will eliminate all pollutants.
Some will, but not all. So if you want to clean pollen out
of the air because you suffer from hay fever, check with the
dealer that the unit that you like, can do the job.

Air purifiers will greatly help allergy sufferers and some
people do not realize that they have an allergy. Some people
are allergic to pet hairs, or dog and or cat skin particles
or smoke or traffic pollutants like tyre rubber to speak
nothing of the exhaust fumes that none of us like. So, if
you live near a road or a factory, or keep a cat or a dog,
you live with a smoker or you suffer from hay fever, an air
purifier would most likely be beneficial to you.

How you do this is clearly up to you. If you have a central
air conditioning unit already, it is probably better for you
to install an air purification system near your blower. This
method is relatively cheap ($300 - $1,000), but it will
purify the air in the whole house.

If you live in a bedsit, a trailer or a caravan and it gets
hot where you live, a split air con system is probably
better for you, but if you just want to purify the air
immediately around you, then a portable air purifier will
suffice.

One word of caution though, many of the cheaper portable air
purifying units are worse than useless because they are
burning your electricity without giving you any benefit.
These cheap models do not have the power to purify large
volumes of air and they do not have filters that are capable
of blocking the allergens that trouble us.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many
subjects, but is currently involved with
(http://homeairconditioningsystems.org/split-air-conditioning-systems.html)
split air conditioning systems. If you are interested in
(http://homeairconditioningsystems.org) Home Air
Conditioning Systems, please click through to our site.

Stay Healthy Feature Recipe in the March Issue of Natural Muscle Magazine!!!

Hi Everyone!!!!

Did you get a chance to try the Stay Healthy Roasted Brussel Sprouts??? Check out page 48 of the March issue of Natural Muscle Magazine and cook up a side tonight!!!!

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/nmmarch10digiopt/2010021701/

Stay Healthy!!!
Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT
http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/

HI READERS!!!


Enjoy the February issue of Natural Muscle Magazine and my monthly feature on page 48!!!!



http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/nmfeb10webop/2010011901/



Stay Healthy!!!!



Darla:)

Stay Healthy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Hi Readers!!!!

Brussel Sprouts have never tasted soooooo good!!!! My Mom used to fix brussel sprouts for me when I was small and I have fond memories of these small cabbage looking cruciferous vegetables. I have modified the recipe by roasting them which provides a remarkable crunchy outer texture and delicious soft center. The key benefits of brussel sprouts include anti-cancer properties due to their high phytochemical content. They are also high in fiber, are a good source of folate, vitamin C, and iron. Let's get to the kitchen and cook up this power packed side of sprouts tonight!!!!

STAY HEALTHY ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

1 lb Brussel Sprouts

3 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Johnnys Garlic Spread & Seasoning (or spices that you like...pepper, oregano, thyme, basil..just to name a few)

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Prepare a cookie sheet by covering with aluminum foil (easy clean up)

Wash, drain and cut the stem ends off all the Brussel Sprouts

Place Olive Oil in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tblsp seasoning (or spice of your liking), mix together like a salad dressing

Roll each brussel sprout in oil mixture and place on the cookie sheet

Do not waste the sprout leaves that have separated, coat those and place on the sheet for a crunchy treat

Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until the outer shell is nicely browned

Remove and Enjoy!!!!!!

Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://stayhealthyfitness.com/

Stay Healthy Turkey Tostada...So Simple and So Good!!!

Stay Healthy Turkey Tostada

Hi Readers!!!!

I demonstrated the Stay Healthy Tostada with a live video in an earlier blog. I hope you were able to watch and see how simple and fun this meal is to make. I guarantee that this will become one of your new favorites and the fabulous thing about this tasty treat is that you can truly make it your own by adding the healthy toppings you enjoy. So let's go and get busy in the kitchen....

Stay Healthy Turkey Tostada

1/2 lb ground lean turkey tostada
1 can fat free refried beans or whole pinto beans

1 jar of your favorite salsa

Crushed red pepper

1 jar jalapenos (your heat preference)

Taco seasoning

1 small bag shredded cabbage

1 avocado, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

Fat Free Sour Cream

Flat Out Wrap (whole grain)

Heat skillet and spray with Pam or nonstick spray, add some of the diced onions and cook until translucent. Add turkey meat to the onion and crushed red pepper to your taste preference. Mix the meat, onion, and pepper with a fork. Add the taco seasoning mix to spice preference, and 1/4 cup salsa. Continue to cook the turkey meat with the added ingredients until done. In a separate pan, heat beans on low adding a small amount of taco seasoning or salsa to taste.

Heat griddle and place 2 Flat Out Wraps cooking until brown and crispy (careful not to overcook as they will break on you).

Toppings:

Shredded Cabbage

Diced Tomatoes

Diced Sweet Onion or Red Onion (your preference)

Diced Avocados

Fat Free Sour Cream

Putting it Together:

Spread a layer of beans onto the crispy Flat Out Wrap, add a bit of turkey meat, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, onion, avocado, jalapenos and sour cream. You are ready to enjoy a healthy meal that is so good for you and tastes sooooo good as well.

Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT

http://www.stayhealthyfitness.com/