World’s oldest yoga instructor, 98, shares the mantras she swears by – after teaching for more than 75 YEARS
Tao Porchon-Lynch, 98, has been teaching yoga for more than 75 years
The spirited yogi first started yoga at just eight-years-old while living in India
Ms Porchon-Lynch has spoken about the mantras she swears by
She said one of the most important things to know is that ‘anything is possible’
Mrs Porchon-Lynch is also a ballroom dancer and used to be a model and actress
Tao Porchon-Lynch, 98, has been getting up at 5am to teach yoga for more than 75 years.
Now, the world’s oldest yoga instructor, who was raised in India and lives in New York, has shared her advice and the mantras she swears by in life.
As part of the ‘Power of She’ movement for Athleta, Mrs Porchon-Lynch appeared in a video alongside Dr. Terri Kennedy, a ‘Master Life Coach’ she teaches with.
‘Anything is possible, nothing is impossible,’ Mrs Porchon-Lynch said.
‘When you wake up every morning say “this is going to be the best day of my life” and it will be.’
When Mrs Porchon-Lynch was just eight-years-old she was told yoga wasn’t ‘lady-like’ when she expressed interest in it.
But the determined yogi joined a bunch of young boys doing it and eventually convinced a yoga master to allow her to join his class.
‘I’ve been teaching now for 75 years,’ she said.
Know that the joy of living is right inside of you.
Dr. Kennedy said everything about Mrs Porchon-Lynch inspires her.
‘We met at a masterclass workshop… she shows us what almost a century of conscious mindful living looks like,’ Dr. Kennedy said.
‘Tao and I travel the world inspiring people through yoga and we often get comments that we are more powerful together.
It’s an incredible collaboration.’
Mrs Porchon-Lynch concluded the video by sharing a piece of advice.
‘Know that the joy of living is right inside of you,’ she said.
‘Live it, believe in it.’
Yoga isn’t the only craft Mrs Porchon-Lynch has mastered however, with the spirited yogi also talented at ballroom dancing.
She was also a fashion model in her youth and acted in movies including 1951’s Show Boat and 1954 film The Last Time I saw Paris, starring Elizabeth Taylor.
Mindfulness: how not to be driven to distraction in this modern world
Monash University Posted by Monash University
11 AUG 2015
Drs Craig Hassed and Richard Chambers of Monash University are lead educators on the free online course, “Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance.” Here, they discuss what mindfulness is and how it can help us use our attention in a more discerning way.
Eating at your desk – an example of unmindful behaviour.
Have you ever found yourself at the end of a car trip from point A to point B and don’t remember the journey? Have you ever eaten a meal without really tasting it? Do you ever get out of the shower and not remember if you used the shampoo? Have you ever been in conversation with someone and realised that you haven’t heard a word of what they said? Well, you know what it is to be unmindful.
Being unmindful comes at a cost
Being unmindful – distracted, inattentive, disengaged, unaware – comes at a cost. For example, it costs us time and energy, causes mistakes, impairs memory, reduces enjoyment, impairs communication, slows learning, and is associated with stress and poor mental health.
In the modern world, the main reasons for being unmindful are, first, complex multitasking such as texting while driving. It’s dangerous. Next, there is what happens to us when we are hassled, hurried and going too fast. We feel stressed, and lose focus and efficiency.
Then there is the situation where we slip into what is called “default mode” – where the mind has disconnected from what is happening and has gone into its own little imaginary world, which is often full of worry and rumination. We are living an imaginary future or reliving the past. In such a state, we are operating on automatic pilot.
The increasing interest in mindfulness
Given the speed of modern life – and the prevalence of poor mental health, multitasking and distraction these days – it is not surprising to see that an increasing number of individuals, as well as schools, universities, organisations, sporting teams and professional groups, are getting interested in mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a simple skill – learning to use your attention in a more discerning way. For example, it helps us to focus; to stay on task; to communicate more effectively and empathically; to not get caught in cycles of rumination and worry; and to enjoy life more, including life’s simple pleasures.
There is growing scientific evidence about the benefits of mindfulness, which has helped to attract increasing interest in it.
Mindfulness is not just a form of meditation. It’s a way of living. It’s life’s most important life-skill, because if we can’t get the attention bit right, then it makes it hard to get anything else right.
If you would like to discover more about what mindfulness is and to cultivate more of it in your life, join “Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance.” The course offers both background information and practical strategies for bringing mindfulness into your personal, study and/or professional life.
Cultivated by the Aztecs 8,000 years ago and still a native crop in Peru, the ancient history of amaranth can be traced to Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. Today, it’s grown in Africa, India, China, Russia, throughout South America, and emerging once again in North America.
Somewhat of an unknown quantity to many, amaranth is tall – often six feet – with broad green leaves, bright red or gold flowers, and around 60 different species. The flowers are made up of miniscule, grain-like buds, one reason why this plant often falls into the “grain” category. But amaranth isn’t technically a grain like oats, wheat, or rice. It’s sometimes referred to as a “pseudo-cereal” because its nutritional profile is very similar.
One of the most important aspects of this tiny grain is that it’s gluten-free. When ground, the flour is generally a pale ivory shade, although the red “buds” can be ground as well for a red-tinged and very healthful grain.
Being extremely dense, amaranth is too heavy to be used by itself. It’s best used with other grains for a lighter texture, and with a proven combination of ingredients like guar gum to impersonate gluten.
Cooking amaranth is comparable to cooking pasta or rice: boil plenty of water (six cups of water per one cup of amaranth), measure the grain into it, cook and stir for 15 to 20 minutes, drain, rinse, and eat.
Amaranth can be used as an exceptional thickener for sauces, soups, stews, and even jellies. Eaten as a snack, amaranth can have a light, nutty, or peppery-crunchy texture and flavor. Best of all, amaranth is even more nutritious than its true-grain counterparts.
Health Benefits of Amaranth
One reason amaranth is emerging into the forefront among grains is because of its remarkable nutrition. It’s higher in minerals, such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, and carotenoids, than most vegetables. It has truly remarkable protein content: cup for cup, 28.1 grams of protein compared to the 26.3 grams in oats and 13.1 grams in rice.
Amaranth is a great source of lysine, an important amino acid with protein content comparable to that of milk, more easily digested; neither can be said of other grains. To support this positive aspect of amaranth, it also contains primary proteins called albumin and globulins, which, in comparison with the prolamins in wheat, are more soluble and digestible.
One cup of raw amaranth contains 15 milligrams of iron, while white rice contains only 1.5 milligrams. One cup of raw amaranth also contains 18 milligrams of fiber; in comparison, white rice contains 2.4 grams.
At 105% of the daily value per serving, the manganese in amaranth is off the charts, yet it contains fewer carbohydrates. Amaranth contains more than three times the amount of calcium and it’s also high in magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Amaranth contains 6 to 10% oil, predominantly unsaturated, or around 77% unsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid, required for optimum nutrition. Not least in this list, amaranth is the only grain with documented vitamin C content.
Amaranth Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 4.9 ounces (139 grams), raw
Amt. Per
Serving
% Daily
Value*
Calories
716
Calories from Fat
113
Total Fat
14 g
21%
Saturated Fat
3 g
14%
Trans Fat
0 g
0%
Cholesterol
0 g
0%
Sodium
8 mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates
127 g
42%
Dietary Fiber
13 g
52%
Sugar
3 g
Protein
26 g
Vitamin A0%
Vitamin C
15%
Calcium31%
Iron
82%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie
Studies Done on Amaranth
A study on amaranth reported that its seeds contain not only important nutritional properties, but also phytochemical compounds like rutin and nicotiflorin, and peptides with the ability to help lower hypertension and incidences of cancer.
Researchers suggested further investigation on the function of health-beneficial peptides in amaranth, particularly lunasin, which was previously identified in soybeans and thought to have cancer-preventing benefits, as well as lowering incidences of chronic diseases, such as inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.1
As cardiovascular disease (CVD) is linked to high blood cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, scientists reported that reducing saturated fat while increasing unsaturated fatty acids can prevent CVD. Amaranth was studied in relation to these findings and found it to be potentially beneficial for CVD patients.
Test results also concluded that amaranth oil could be a functional food product for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases.2
Bring 1 1/2 cups cold water and amaranth to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until water is almost absorbed (it will have the appearance of mush).
While amaranth cooks, combine cucumber and the next 11 ingredients in a large bowl.
Place amaranth in a sieve, and rinse under cold running water until room temperature; drain well, pressing with the back of a spoon. Add to cucumber mixture; toss to blend. Add cheese; toss gently. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
Note: It’s important that the amaranth is placed in a fine mesh sieve. The grain is so tiny that it will slip through a traditional strainer. If one is not available, place the cooked amaranth on a large baking sheet, and spread it in a thin layer so it will cool without clumping together.
