Margaret Floyd NTP, HHC, CHFS, and Chef James Barry, authors of The Naked Foods Cookbook demonstrate veggie snacks at the 2012 LA Fit Expo. Check out their videos from the event:

by guest blogger John P. Forsyth, Ph.D., co-author of Your Life on Purpose

Peace of mind is something we all seem to want, and want more of. Few of us get it, and when we do it tends to be fleeting. I think the reason has something to do with how we think of "peace of mind." It is not something we can have and hold, but it is certainly something that we can learn to cultivate and allow to grow.

How do we do that? Here are a few steps:

excerpt from Yoga for Pain Relief

Reflect on different parts of your body with gratitude and appreciation. Practice:

• Anytime to repair your relationship with your body. .
• When you are feeling discouraged by pain or illness, or critical about your body, to consciously choose friendliness toward your body. .
• After a medical appointment, to remind yourself that your body is more than its symptoms and diagnoses.

A full practice will take five to ten minutes, but you can practice the essence of this reflection anytime by simply reminding yourself of one reason you are grateful to your body.

excerpt from Transformative Yoga by Wade Imre Morissette

In the world of yoga, a healthy body and a healthy mind go hand in hand to create spiritual fulfillment. The physical practice of yoga offers great healing potential and health benefits. Yoga postures involve a lot of stretching, for example, which increases your overall flexibility and reduces muscular tension. Opening your body in this way also cultivates heat in the body, which aids in detoxification and expands your breath. The more deeply and easily, you’re able to breathe, the more you increase vitality in your body by bringing oxygen to your muscles. You’ve probably noticed how exercise—whether it’s a workout at the gym, brisk walking, or yoga—makes you feel more energetic.

It’s important to spend a good amount of time in regular physical practice, not only for the outward benefits but also to strengthen your internal confidence, which may weaken if you have a negative relationship with your body. A solid practice also helps ward off harmful influences, such as the stresses of our technological world or toxins from food or the environment, all of which can lead to an unhealthy body—and mind and spirit.

by guest blogger Doreen A. Samelson Ed.D., MSCP, author of Feeding the Starving Mind.

Your body image is how your think and feel about your body. Poor body image is common in Western cultures that emphasize perfect young bodies. To improve your body image try the 6 steps of ACCEPT. Use 3 by 5 cards to make ACCEPTance cards for each step of ACCEPT.