Health Tips

A Little Help From Our Friends

Our bodies tell the stories of our life. Layers and layers of tension build up from all of our life experiences, physical injuries, emotional traumas, and simply from the way the modern world asks us to use our bodies. When any part of the body is misaligned or restricted due to injury, posture, or emotional distress, the nervous system is agitated and communication within the entire body is disrupted. Though health and vitality is our inherent nature and the body will always seek well-being the best it can, many times the compensation is not optimal and will cause stress on your entire system. Sure an alignment based yoga such as Anusara® can help us to create healthy habits in our body. A regular yoga practice will shed much of the surface tension our body holds while creating more awareness. However, if there is a biomechanical misalignment, even the way you […]

A Nourishing Meal

This meal is great on it’s own or makes an excellent base for your favorite protein. It’s actually delicious anytime of the day! Disclaimer: I am not one who follows a recipe and I am not a chef or a writer of recipes. When I cook I do a lot of improvising and “eye-balling”, I did my best here to communicate what I do! Put 1 1/2 cups of Quinoa in the rice cooker with a box of vegetable broth and assorted seaweed. Turn on to cook. Wash and chop your favorite cooking greens such as kale or chard. Add 1 tablespoon of chick pea miso to 1 cup of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of tamari, 1 teaspoon of Ume Plum Vinegar (you can use Rice Wine Vinegar instead). Stir well to dissolve the miso. When the quinoa is finished stir in the greens and the miso mixture. The greens […]

A New Take on New Year’s Resolutions

How many times have you made new year’s resolutions only to abandon them a few weeks into January? You are not alone, 25% of resolutions last two weeks and after six months less than half the people have kept their promises. This year why not try a different approach? Reflect on the past year and make a list of all the major events in your life. Your successes, your challenges, the lessons learned from difficult situations, the things that are working in your life, the things that aren’t… Then highlight the things you want more of. For example, if you are proud of yourself for going to yoga once a week this year, start a second list and write that along with how you have benefited from your practice. This is something you want more of. Perhaps you will make it twice a week this year! If you got a […]

Feeling Tired? Try This Supine Yoga Sequence

Supine poses or yoga postures done lying on your back are a great way to release stress and increase flexibility in your hips and hamstrings. Opening the pelvic region of the body promotes the release of the downward flowing energy. When this energy is stuck it can contribute to anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and even fertility challenges for women. Use this short sequence to restore and ground yourself anytime of the day. Supta Padangustasana – (Reclining Big Toe Pose) photo – 3 variations 1. leg up, 2.leg to the side, 3. leg across the body as a twist. The main action is to press your thigh bone toward the back of your leg and maintain the natural curve in your lower back. It does not matter how close your leg is to your chest! Use your hands on the back of your thigh or use a belt around your foot. Hold […]

What’s In Your Bathroom?

Many of us have already made the switch to organic foods to avoid pesticides and other harmful toxins. But do you realize your skin is the largest organ in your body? The skin absorbs everything around you and literally “eats” the products you use on it? Do you know what’s in your bathroom? Most soaps, cleansers, cosmetics and even toothpaste is made with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which is disguised under 150 different names. SLS is a de-greaser used to clean car engines, garage floors, and other greasy surfaces. How has this known carcinogen found it’s way into our self care products? Well because it makes them bubble up and it is extremely cheap. So what is wrong with SLS? For starters, it is very drying to the skin, a known irritant, but more importantly it cannot be metabolized by your liver and studies have shown that trace amounts stay in your liver, lungs, […]