wellness: mind and body

health food trends

Holy Basil or Tulsi (Flowers) are sacred to Hindus and possess many health-giving qualities.

What's next after Chia seeds?

Healthnuts, tea lovers, and hindus may already be familiar with Tulsi, or Holy Basil. But have you heard of Tulsi seeds? 

Incorporated into the diet, basil seeds can be used to relieve indigestion, respiratory disorders such as colds and flus, ease skin disorders, relieve stress and control blood sugar in those with Type II diabetes, as supported by research by the Sutter Gould Medical Foundation.

Look out for them in fine food stores in Bali and very soon in a health food store near you.  

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Close-up of Tulsi seeds

acroyoga

Acroyoga picture courtesy of acroyoga.com

The latest thing in the yoga world is a dynamic yoga practice for two. Blending yoga and acrobatics, two people explore the relationship between moving and being moved, creating fluid poses of beauty stemming from trust, playfulness and community. 

Participants who wish to learn both dynamics of moving and being moved practice Solar mode which teaches 
all three roles of  Base (mover), Flyer (being moved), and Spotter (knowledge of both). In Lunar, participants are locked into Giver (mover) and Receiver (moved) roles to explore a deeper connection of giving kindness. 

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healthnut of the month 
kahshin leow

Kahshin Leow, 33, a Singaporean hedge fund manager, takes running very seriously. More than a fitness concern, it's become a means of transport to work, a holiday and a challenging hobby. 

On weekdays, he runs from home in Clementi to the office at Suntec City. On weekends, he does three to five hour runs in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve or Macritchie Reservoir. His routine includes a strength training component where he carries a backpack filled with water and 10kg rice sacks on his runs. He even does yoga twice weekly to keep his muscles supple. 

When asked why he does it, he answers that he just wants to know how far he can possibly take himself. So far, he doesn't seem to have found his limit. 

The stamina he has built up as a result of his lifestyle and training has allowed him to successfully complete six ultra-marathons, four 250km desert runs across the  Atacama Desert in Chile, the Gobi Desert in China, the Sahara in Egypt and The Last Desert in Antarctica, as well as the North Face Ultra Trail Marathon du Mont Blanc. There are only 40 others in the world who have managed the four-desert run. 

That's why he's our health nut of the month.

Know anyone who takes their health to the limit? Tell us about it. Write to [email protected]

Kahshin in the Namibia desert