Caley Alyssa is one of those people who just radiates health, love and positivity. From her intuitive approach to eating to her favorite wellness tonic, the yogi has all the tools to live a good life—and she's sharing them with us below! Read up on the major benefit she reaps from yoga and her eight simple rules for feeling your best, then get the recipe for her tasty turmeric latte (it's an awesome anti-inflammatory!).
On listening to your body
I am a huge proponent of eating intuitively. Your body is smart—it knows what it needs. One specific diet can't possibly be appropriate for the rest of our days, nor should it be. Our bodies are constantly changing.
I eat mostly plants. I don't eat anything I couldn't kill myself. I drink a TON of water. And, when I am craving something, I give my body the healthiest possible version of that thing 99% of the time. 1% of the time, I splurge and give myself the unhealthiest version. ;)
The relationship between yoga & food
This magical thing happens when you start practicing yoga. Sometimes it happens slowly, and sometimes it's an instant reaction. You become more aware. Aware of how you react and respond to certain people or situations, aware of your emotional body's needs, aware of your physical body's needs, aware of how your body feels when eating certain things... aware of so much more. The more we practice yoga (and not just yoga asana), the more awareness we build, and the more awareness we build, the more aligned we are with our body's truest needs.
Secret ingredients for a well-balanced life
I've got a method to my madness, and it has served me well. Here's my eight-pronged approach to living a well-balanced life:
1. Meditate. Learn how to manage and reduce stress. Become more aware. Be happy from the inside out.
2. Hydrate. Drink a TON of water.
3. Sleep. Get at least 6 hours of sleep a night. The older I get, the less sleep I need/want.
4. Sweat. It's good for you. DO IT.
5. Mix it up. Of course I do yoga, but I also swim, rock climb, hike, do HIIT workouts, run, lift weights... I'll pretty much try anything you throw at me.
6. Love. Nurture your relationships, romantic and non. Relationships are important. Love is important!
7. Learn. Never stop. You don't use it, you lose it. Be curious—it's healthy.
8. Create. Creativity is why we are here! We have these amazing physical bodies so we can create! Create art, technology, fashion... create other human beings! Creativity is a major source of power and fulfillment in this life.
If you practice cultivating these eight things, you are probably a very happy and successful human!
Turmeric Lavender Latte
1 Serving
Prep: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashew milk
1 cup water
2 tsp golden milk powder (I use Gaia because it’s blended with black pepper which makes the turmeric more available for your body to use.)
1/2-1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 dashes cinnamon
1/2 tbs ghee (I love to use 4th and Heart’s Madagascar Vanilla Bean)
1/2 tbs coconut oil
Spoonful of your favorite honey (Philosophie Mama’s Berry Bee Honey is to die for!)
1 dash of edible lavender
Optional:
1 spoonful of collagen powder (I use Vital Proteins)
Four Sigmatic elixir packet
1 dash of stevia
Directions:
1. Froth cashew milk, or heat in pot
2. Heat water just before boiling
3. Blend all ingredients together
4. Strain out the liquid through a mesh strainer to remove the bits of ginger
5. Enjoy!
Catch up with Caley on Instagram for more food, yoga & general life inspo!
