6 Fitness Exercises People Can Easily Do On Their Way to Work

Bike ride for fitness

The journey to work starts the moment you step out of bed. I’m not going to tell you to do a 5-10 min “wake up” workout. I know that is a not a sustainable practice for most people who work full time. It is a far better idea to begin with small activities that will produce incremental gains.

Once you have incorporated these six fitness exercises into your daily work schedule, then you can concentrate on making substantial and long-lasting improvement!

1) Active Teeth Brushing

It may sound strange, but the time you spend brushing your teeth in the morning and evening could be used simultaneously to help you warm up and cool down during the day.

If you spend two minutes brushing your teeth, that means you are standing over the sink for a whole two minutes when you could start activating and mobilize your body. Side/kick back is a great way to activate your glutes and increase circulation in your lower body. Add a few squats and lunges and you will feel a massive difference. It is surprising how such brief exercise can get you energized for the day.

2) Skip One Bus Stop

When I arrived in London I was shocked to find how many bus stops you have here! It prevents you from walking. Getting off one stop early and walking the rest of the distance is going to be very beneficial. Movement promotes healthy living.

Often the next bus stop may only be a few hundred metres away. Trust me, it is worth walking those extra steps. After a couple of weeks these steps accumulate and without realizing you’ve covered miles and miles more than you would have if you had got the bus right to your door.

Skipping one bus stop is the way to go!

3) Take the Stairs

Another great way to train your legs without making your working day any longer is to use stairs. Instead of using escalators or elevators I try to quickly climb stairs, it is often a faster way to get around tube and train stations. Climbing stairs works your core muscles, thighs and glutes.

It is a great exercise to tone your bum and you can do it daily with no gym membership needed!

4) Ride Your Bike to Work

Save money and get fit at the same time. Commuting around big cities can be a nightmare and sometimes you can get stuck and packed into a bus or train. Start riding a bike to work or at least try and ride halfway.

There is no excuse anymore either! I have noticed that more and more, public bikes are available on practically every other street corner in London. It means you do not have to even buy a bike or worry about storage. The health benefits are limitless!

5) Stand

Standing on the way to work on the bus or train is going to make you more secure in your body and strengthen your muscles. If standing for 20-30 minutes is tiring, you need to take a closer look at your physical health. When you stand in public transport you can’t do any elaborate squats or do kick backs but you can activate your glutes and your thighs.

Connect with your body, contract and release your muscles, feel that extra blood circulation.

6) Get a Foldable Commuting Scooter

If owning a bike creates storage issues getting a foldable commuting scooter can be a great solution. It makes you move and it’s a great way to get more active on the way to work. If you don’t have time to get off one stop earlier and walk, a scooter can get you where you need to go much faster. It is easy to carry on the train or a bus and when you get to work you can store it under your desk.

Get Started Today!

Hopefully with a bit of hard work you can kickstart your journey towards being fit and active. Making these small changes can have a big impact and may be the foundation from which you can launch yourself into a healthier and more active lifestyle.

How Meditation Helped Me Through Addiction Recovery

Overcoming addiction is singlehandedly the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

Through addiction and recovery, I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I learned that my mind was highly susceptible to outside influence, and that’s something I desperately needed to change.

My painful road to addiction

In the prime of my life, I was in a terrible car wreck. My friends and I were driving home from the beach on a beautiful sunny day in June. The world was at our feet. Or so we thought.

My friend John was driving along the long stretch of road that ran alongside the ocean. It was a beautiful drive, and he liked to drive fast.

I knew it was dangerous, but I didn’t want to seem uncool. So I sat there in silence.

As we were careening down that road, a white sedan attempted a u-turn into our lane. Either she didn’t see us or didn’t realize how fast we were going. The next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed. I was recovering from many injuries, including a spinal fracture. Pain medications become a way of life.

I lost two friends that day, including John. And that’s a pain that no meds could cure.

I returned home from the hospital with a long list of care instructions and a prescription for OxyContin. The painkillers worked as advertised. They worked on the physical pain and even seemed to dull my emotional pain.

At first, I took my prescription as recommended. But it wasn’t long before I needed higher doses to relieve the same pain. I was amazed at how quickly my tolerance grew.

Prescription painkiller addiction

I don’t remember the exact moment when I realized I was addicted. I started to catch on when my doctor was reluctant to refill my prescription. But part of me believed he was overreacting. Part of me needed to believe that.

After my own doctor stopped prescribing pills, I found others who would. In addiction circles, we call this “doctor shopping.”

I guess I realized I had a problem when I was on my second or third doctor. Because I started having trouble getting refills, I had to go longer periods without “a fix.” Then I felt physical withdrawal symptoms, and I couldn’t ignore the problem any longer. I was an addict.

Addiction and brain chemistry

It’s a very humbling moment to realize you’ve become an addict. How did this happen?

From the outside, it’s easy to wonder why I wouldn’t get help at this point. The answer? I had a disease. The disease of addiction changes your brain chemistry so you lose your own free will.

The progression from prescription pills to heroin was much easier than I would have ever expected. And then came another level of shame. People think addicts don’t care about these things, but that’s not true. We care; we just can’t help it.

When I finally hit rock bottom, I was ready and willing to do whatever it took to get sober. I was motivated, but I didn’t fully understand what was in store for me.

Depression, anxiety, and recovery

I started at a typical rehab center where they helped me through the physical detoxification process. This is the part that includes some very ugly withdrawal symptoms.

But that wasn’t the worst of it by far.

They released me from the rehab shortly after my physical symptoms subsided. And then I met PAWS.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) is the stage of recovery that comes next. Because drugs alter your brain chemistry, it can take months or even years for your brain to relearn how to work without them. During this time, your brain struggles to supply the right amount of natural dopamine to keep you functioning normally. This is why depression and anxiety are such major parts of recovery.

I was struggling hard. I was even thinking about relapsing.

And then I met the person who would change everything.

How meditation helped me overcome addiction

On a particularly difficult day, I stopped for coffee on the way to work and ran into an old friend from rehab. He looked amazing!

Unlike me, he seemed confident and secure in his sobriety. I jokingly asked him his secret, as if there’s a magic pill or something. In reality, I was convinced that he was just a stronger person than I was.

When he told me what he was doing, I was skeptical.

Barry credited meditation for pulling him out of the depths of despair. That sounds dramatic, I know, but those depths are real. I was talking to Barry from my own despair pit on that very day.

When I got home, I began feverishly researching meditation. And then it all made sense.

What I learned that day was enough to drive me to start meditating straight away.

The meditation-recovery connection

As it turns out, meditation and drug abuse have something in common: Dopamine.

Dopamine is closely associated with pleasure-seeking activities, including addiction, but it also has other roles. It plays a part in memory, mood, learning, and sleep. If your body doesn’t have enough dopamine, you may become depressed. In the case of addiction, dopamine is partially responsible for the intense cravings that drive you to use drugs.

Interestingly enough, meditation also increases dopamine in the brain. In fact, Kjaer and colleagues (2002) found that meditation increased endogenous dopamine by 65 percent.

Through my practice, I’ve learned that meditation not only provides a natural dopamine boost, but it also helps strengthen the mind. When I finally gained some control over my negative thought patterns, I found it much easier to resist any cravings.

I’m not sure where I was headed on that day that I met Barry in the coffee shop, but my future wasn’t looking good. Today, I have a completely different outlook, and I feel like I have a new lease on life. It was still a difficult journey, but meditation helped me overcome the biggest struggle of my life.

Source:

Kjaer, T. W.; Bertelsen, C.; Piccini, P.; Brooks, D.; Alving, J.; Lou, H. C. Cognitive Brain Research 2002, 13 (2), 255–259.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11958969/

 

Five Poses For Desk Jockies

This is for all the desk jockeys out there. You know who you are. Your days are spent in front of a computer – you’ve likely got tight hips, a sore low back, rounded shoulders, neck pain, wrist pain, overall poor posture, and soreness – and you know that your posture is taking a hit. You can feel the effects that your non-physical job is having on your physical body, and you know that you need to take action in order to feel better.

You have likely heard the saying that sitting is the new smoking. When those words first rang through my ears, I had to pause and really thing about them. Could it be true? No. I mean, maybe? Hmm. While being sedentary isn’t quite as harmful as inhaling carcinogenic chemicals, sitting can wreak havoc on your body.

According to Dr. Alice Chen in this Huffington Post video, the average American is sitting for 7.7 hours per day! As we sit there are many physical and physiological effects on the body.

Side effects of sitting include:

  • Sore and tight muscles due to reduced circulation;
  • Low back pain due to compression of the spine;
  • Compression of your ribs, lungs, and digestive organs;
  • Over-stretching of the rhomboids and upper back muscles;
  • Neck strain;
  • Brain fog, also due to lack of circulation and getting oxygen to the brain.

Now that we know some of the nasty side effects that can happen from too much sitting, let’s talk about some yoga poses that you can do to help lessen the side effects.

Hold on a second, my timer just went off, which is my reminder to get up and move. So, how about if you close your eyes and take 5 deep breaths? This will give you a moment to connect to your breath, and will also give me time to stand and stretch.

Thanks! Ok, I’m back. Experts recommend that we take a break from sitting and get up and move. In this TODAY article, Keith Diaz – a lead author at Columbia University Medical Center – suggests movement every 30 minutes, even if it is just for 60 seconds. You can set a timer or your phone to remind you to get up and move. You might take a lap around your office, fill up your water glass, or just stand and fold over your legs, which will also help your spine to decompress.

Here are 5 yoga poses that will help counter the effects of sitting. It won’t take you long to get through all of these, so no more excuses, get moving. NOW!

  1. Cow/Cat

These two poses help to bring movement into the spine, open up the chest, and unite movement and breath.

  • Come to a tabletop position, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your toes can be tucked (as shown) or untucked.
  • As you inhale, soften your belly towards the earth. Widen your collar bones as you pull your heart through your shoulders and look up. Let your sitting bones widen apart and point up towards the space behind you.
  • As you exhale, push the earth away from you. With the movement initiating from your tailbone, round through your spine as you look towards your thighs. Squeeze your belly button towards your spine as you empty the air from your lungs. Spread your shoulder blades apart. Keep your neck muscles relaxed. Create a lot of space between your chest and the earth.
  • Continue for 5 cycles of breath.

*For an added stretch through the forearms, turn your hands so your fingers are pointing towards your knees, with the heels of your hands flat on the earth. You might need to bring your hands closer to your knees. If you don’t feel a stretch, start to slowly move your hips towards your heels until you find the desired stretch.

  1. Downward Facing Dog

This pose helps to lengthen the spine, strengthen the wrists and arms, decompress
the low back, and stretch the legs.

  • Start in a tabletop position with your hands placed outer shoulder-width apart. Walk your hands one hand’s length forward. Align your middle fingers to point straight ahead while spreading the fingers wide.
  • Connect the base of each finger to the ground and then press down through the fingertips and heel of the hand. Be sure to keep the outside edges of your index fingers pressing into the earth and not peeling away from it.
  • Tuck your toes, lift your knees and draw your sitting bones towards the space behind you. Bring length into your spine until you are in the shape of an upside-down letter “V”. Look at your feet to be sure they are placed hip-width apart (about two fists-width between the inner edges of your feet).
  • Spin your inner elbows slightly up towards the sky until you feel your upper arm bones externally rotate and your collar bones widen. Feel the arm bones plug into your body as the shoulders draw away from your ears.
  • Keep length in the spine and feel the torso lengthen as the hips pull back. Soften the space behind the knees and reach the heels towards the ground.
  • Look forward and check to see that your hands are still connected to the earth. Keep your ears in line with your biceps and the muscles of your neck relaxed. Feel your side body muscles of your upper and mid back engage, which will help stabilize you and bring length to the spine. Strengthening these muscles helps alleviate strain on the wrists and you’ll create a sustainable Downward Dog.
  • Hold for 5 breaths.
  1. Standing Backbend

This pose helps to open the chest and strengthen the upper back body.

  • With your feet hip-distance apart, take the heels of your hands onto the backs of the hips (like you were placing your hands into pant pockets) with your fingertips pointing towards the ground.
  • Lengthen your tailbone towards the earth as your belly draws up and in.
  • Draw your inner elbows together and bring your shoulder blades closer together. This will help lift the back of the heart towards the front of the chest.
  • Draw your chin towards your throat and then lift your heart up towards the sky. Let your eyes look towards the space behind you.
  • Root through your heels and keep your hips stacked on top of your knees (so they don’t press too far forward).
  • Use your inhale breath to find expansion through your collar bones and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades closer together and open through your chest.
  • Hold for 5 breaths.
  • Use your inhale breath to slowly rise back up.
  1. Supported Bridge

This pose helps relax the hip flexors (which are often tight from sitting) as well as open
up the chest.

  • Lie down on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart, and your arms by your sides.
  • Press your heels into the ground and lift your hips up towards the sky.
  • Keep the space that you have created underneath your hips, place a block (or two) underneath your sacrum (base of your spine), and then lower your hips down to the block.
  • Hold for 5 breaths.
  • Press down through your heels, lift your hips, remove the blocks, and gently lower your hips to the ground.
  1. Twist

Twists are great for overall spine health and also act as a way to naturally detoxify the
body.

  • Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Reach your arms out wide.
  • Press down through your heels to lift your hips and slide them a few inches to your left, then set your hips down.
  • Let your knees gently fall to the right, bringing them towards the ground.
  • If there is space between your knees, you can place a block in between the knees or underneath the right knee.
  • Turn your head to the left as long as there is no discomfort in your neck.
  • If the twist feels too intense, press your feet away from you, which will take the knees away from the chest.
  • If you want to make the twist more intense, draw your knees closer towards your chest.
  • Hold for 5-8 breaths, longer if you like.
  • Bring your gaze back to centre, and then bring your knees and hips back to centre.
  • Repeat on the left side.

Sometimes, it is the smallest changes that can lead us to different, healthier habits. Begin to notice how your body feels when you return back to the office. As your brain and body start to communicate more effectively, you might find that your posture at work starts to improve. You might notice that your body is a bit less stiff than it used to be. Help reduce office fatigue by choosing to get up and move throughout the day, and add these simple stretches into your daily routine. Desk jockey, you’ve got this!

A moment with Gil Hedley

Gil Hedley has been leading instructional and inspirational human dissections for over twenty years and is a thought leader in integrative human anatomy. A self-described “somanaut” who helps others to “explore the inner space of the body, and discover there the rich terrain of themselves,” Gil has also completed a “What’s the Fuzz,” tour through North America to share his most recent insights. (Don’t worry if you missed it; he has promised an online version!). Gil is an inspirational teacher: deeply knowledgable, relentlessly curious, and immensely reverent.

How did a divinity scholar wind up as a human dissection expert?

Ha! “What a long strange trip it’s been!” Short version: When I was doing my doctoral studies in theological ethics, I was starting to experience my body through practicing Tai Chi. That led me to acupressure massage, which I followed up with massage and Rolfing structural integration training. Once I was practicing, I had the urge to deepen my anatomy knowledge through dissection explorations in service of my clients, and before you know it I was teaching anatomy to groups of Rolfers, massage therapists, etc. Twenty-four years later and I’m still at it!

What inspires you to do what you do?

I am committed to becoming conscious and awake, to know “who I am,” and that for me has involved a deep exploration of the question, “What is my body?” Teaching dissection courses has been a means for me to study that question with ever increasing depth. I am also on a mission to democratize knowledge of the body, and expose the profound gift of it. That drives my sharing information and insight as broadly as possible, from the lab  – but far beyond it.

What has been your most surprising insight through your work?

There are no “parts” to our bodies. It is possible to perceive the different textures without mistaking them to be the stuff of separate entities. Everything really is continuous. And the application of the insight can be extended beyond the conventional limits of “a body” to relationship at large. We can deny or miss the connections, and, here we are nonetheless, in relationship!

What have you hoped to share with people through your “What the Fuzz” tour”?

I hope to share an opportunity to look into the human form and be blown away both by its grandeur, and also by its intelligence. The human form does the teaching on this course, the body itself has a lot to say if we plop down at its feet, observe, listen, and feel. It’s a pretty bottomless cornucopia of insight into the nature of human form, movement, and the particulars of our internal relationships. Ultimately I’m just inviting people to look into this profound mirror with deep appreciation.

Can a layperson understand your work, or should you have some anatomy background to attend?

Sure, a layperson can go. They will have a different experience than someone with some professional or personal interest in anatomy. Everyone has a body so can benefit, but the takeaway will be different depending on one’s intention for attending. The courses generally fill with folks who have devoted themselves professionally or personally to an ever growing understanding of the body. That having been said, mastery of anatomical terms is far less important than a willingness to explore with patient presence.

You’re also a writer. Can you leave us with a quote to contemplate?

“Notice the beauty

along the way~

fill with wonder:

all that is you.”

I highly recommend spending some time with Gil in person if and when you can. I have completed two six-day human dissections with Gil; while I learned a tremendous amount about the layers and anatomy of the human form, my most precious take away from the experience was a profound and giddy delight in my own embodiment. Gil is an excellent guide in the exploration of “what is means to be human,” and – if you are curious about your human body – his 6-day workshop is a life-shifting experience.

In the meantime, play with him online via his website and extensive (and generously shared) youtube videos!

Why you should go sugarfree

You may have heard, sugar sucks for you.

Sugar has been linked to obesity and bad cholesterol, which has been linked to an increased chance of cancer. And while researchers are usually cautious about drawing a direct link between your sweet tooth and a cancer link, they have gone so far as to indicate that sugar is cancer’s friend and that sugar consumption is related to cardiovascular fatality.

While there is science to indicate eating sugar may not be great for you longterm, I highly advocate quitting sugar for awhile because of how it will shift the way that you feel. I did a sugar fast a couple of years ago and it was revelatory. For one month, I avoided food that contained any added sugar. Obviously I stayed off of alcohol, sweet drinks, and desserts, but I also avoided processed salad dressings, sugary condiments, and packaged food (for the love of god, they put sugar in bread and tomato sauce!).  I even took fruit off the menu.

The results:

  • No cravings
  • No energy spikes and plunges
  • Slept better
  • Was less hungry
  • Stuff that was naturally sweet tasted better (I had a carrot and it was like rediscovering creme brûlée)
  • I lost weight effortlessly

After my month, I liked the way that I felt so much that I stayed sugar-conscious, if not completely sugar free. But doing a real reset occasionally is very helpful in kickstarting good habits and raising our levels of sugar-consciousness.

Now is the perfect opportunity to reset your palate and your metabolism. New year, new habits, new body.

Want some support and camaraderie? Well, I gotta group of fabulous individuals all doing one month sugar free.  Give it a try for just a week and see how you feel.

Join the party!

For fun: who eats the most sugar globally.

 

 

Clean up your skin products for the New Year

Health-conscious readers, check it out!

Skin products – makeup, body care, sunscreen – can be a sneaky source of toxins and chemicals. And here we are, applying them directly on our skin! In a nutshell, the US only bans 30 toxic chemicals from skin products; Beautycounter bans 1500. One of my long time friends Ashley Wilson recently got involved with BeautyCounter. Since she’s a nurse, a smarty pants, and super conscious about her household products, I wanted to share her discoveries with you.

Just in time for your New Years Resolution.

Rachel: So, tell my readers a little about you?

Ashley: I am a Vancouverite, a Registered Nurse (RN) at Canuck Place Hospice and a mom of two awesome, energetic children, 4.5 year old girl and a 1 year old boy. I have traveled extensively and have recently been focused on my kiddos.

Rachel: What got you interested in the quality of household products? 

Ashley: Many years ago now,  I read an article about Respiratory Therapists (RTs) in the hospital getting pulmonary diseases and it was traced to the nebulized medications they were giving. When you administer medications as a mist, you are frequently standing around the person and many times holding the mask on the person. I did this with countless of my paediatric patients. The study was of RTs, but RNs also give these medications. I became concerned about the chemicals I was being exposed to and inhaling. That which helps sick lungs could damage healthy ones. It was then that I noticed that as I was liberally spraying Windex in my bathroom that I could taste the chemicals.

Rachel: Ew.

Ashley: Yeah! I started thinking about how much I must be inhaling in this small room. This got me thinking about all the chemicals I use in my home and how much I am inhaling, absorbing or inadvertently eating. I started putting my toothbrush away while I sprayed the mirror. I wondered about when I  scrubbed my tub with chemicals, how much is rinsed away and how much is added to my next bath. I did a little research and easily found alternatives for cleaning. I switched to vinegar and baking soda and have never looked back. However, when it came to beauty care products and detergents, I found that more difficult.

Rachel: Why?

Ashley: There is a list of the dirty dozen that you have to make sure are not in your products. I  found it hard to remember what I should avoid and even harder to find the list of  ingredients on many of the products. On top of that, my daughter wants to play with makeup and I can’t bring myself to put anything on her. 

Rachel: How did you get involved in Beauty Counter?

Ashley: I was introduced to Beautycounter from my friend Jen Steidl. She lives in Seattle and also a nurse and we have known each other a long time and had many adventures. Her two friends – a Chiropractor a Naturopath – got her involved. Jen told me about the founder and CEO Gregg Renfrew. Gregg (a woman) went through a similar process as myself of wanted to rid her home of chemicals. Her awareness was sparked after watching the documentary,  The Inconvenient Truth. This led her to being appalled by what was happening in the beauty industry.  

Rachel: Why, what’s going on in the beauty industry?

Ashley: In the United States, only 30 toxic chemicals have been banned. The last time legislation was changed was in 1938 when a woman went blind from an eyelash thickening treatment!  Canada is better: 600 toxic chemicals have been banned. The United Kingdom bans 1400. But Beautycounter bans 1500, and these 1500 chemicals comprises Beautycounter’s Never List. This list continues to grow.

Rachel: Whoa. That’s insane!  Are these chemicals really that bad?

Ashley: They are hormone disruptors, and some are connected to infertility and cause cancer. Even with chemicals banned, regulating the companies is minimal. The governments don’t have the manpower. In addition, there are many loopholes companies can get around the regulations, such as listing fragrance. This is a big warning sign on any label. Fragrance can encompassed anything and not be monitored (it is seen as their secret recipe). Complaints can be made and not have to be reported to the government agency.

Rachel: Yikes. So you joined their team?

Ashley: I want to be with a company that is making a change and that is being a disruptor. I also want a side hustle that I believe in. 🙂 

Rachel: Why do you like Beautycounter?

Beautycounter considers people, planet and profits equally. They are not just leading the way by making safer beauty care; they want to change the laws. They are going to DC and Ottawa and working on getting legislations changed. They want transparency and are being leaders. They are making a difference. They recently joined with Tuft University to support independent research.

Rachel: Okay, that sounds good. 

Ashley: I love the mission. The number one goal of Beautycounter is to educate. Also, it’s easy. I can order from my home. And if I don’t like it, I can return what I bought and I have 60 days to do so.

Rachel: What are your fave products?

Ashley: I love the products!! I love the cleansing balm, I love the body scrub and I love the dew skin foundation. What really got me interested was the sunscreen. It is great and fantastic for my kids.  Beautycounter is always coming out with new eye shadow palettes and lip gloss colours. Christy Coleman is a celebrity makeup artist that is on the team to bring in expert knowledge and gives awesome tips. There is a skincare regime for everyone. And make up… All the make up you would ever need.

Rachel: Okay, give us the skinny. What should people do to find out more?

Ashley: Check them out online. There is a ton of information on their website. You can be a client, hold a social, become a member, or partner with me.  I would love to be your consultant. You pay $25 USD per year to be a member, and you get free shipping after $100 USD and 15% product credit and special offers. A social is where you invite a few friends to your home or coffee shop and I can tell them about Beautycounter and our mission. As the host, you are eligible for free gifts and 50% of products depending on how much your group buys. Contact me anytime!

Rachel: Awesome. 

 

Embrace the dark: a solstice invitation

Witch, midnight, winter solstice

You may not know this about me, but I used to be a witch.

When I lived in New York City, I was part of a coven. Every Monday night, a group of eight of us would meet in the upstairs room of a Soho studio space. There, we would chant, sing, and laugh our way back to wholeness as we connected back to the deeper rhythms of nature.

As witches, we honoured the natural cycles of the seasons and the world. We watched the phases of the moon, felt the call of the seasons, and oriented our own yearnings and struggles within the larger framework of universal movement.

Inspired by my witchy roots, I wanted to share with you that we are entering a very potent and transformational time of the year.

The Winter Solstice, fast approaching on December 21, is the longest night of the year. This is a magical time: full of darkness, inward movement, and mystery.  This dark time is the perfect for opportunity to bank our own fires, move into quiet contemplation and to let go of old habits, patterns, and behaviours that have been holding us back.

After December 22, we will start moving back into the light. That will be the time to look towards creation and building. However, before we start to build, we must first clear our spiritual space. Like a keen-eyed grandmother, the winter solstice looks us in lovingly in the face and asks us:

What will you now let go of now, to create space for your transformation?

It’s time for you to cull, to divide, to clear. The dark says go inside to your deepest self, ask the hard questions, listen closely to your quiet, wise whispers. The dark asks you to sit in uncertainty, to be brave without the usual landmarks, to step into the deep forest and wait with the night animals to see what happens next.

What will you now let go of now, to create space for your transformation?

Perhaps the answer is pragmatic for you, and it may be time to clean out the closet, the desk to make way for new projects and self-expression. Or perhaps the release is more subtle; it may be time for you to change a negative pattern of behaviour like self-doubt, shame or guilt. Or perhaps something larger is moving, and it’s time to leave your job or relationship.

Answering the call of the dark requires great courage. Standing in the dark requires faith and courage that the light will come. In the next few days, take some quiet time in the dark to invite the earth’s rhythm to move you. Call upon her to help you do what you need to do.

And unfetter yourself for the next wild adventure.

Is Yoga really good for your back?

I hear this question a lot as a physiotherapist. The people who ask me this question range from the skeptical gym rat to the seasoned yoga enthusiasts.

Generally speaking, my answer is yes!

In a 2016 review, yoga was found to be effective in reducing pain and disability, can be performed safely and may improve psychological symptoms. There is an increasing number of spinal problems now that we are tied to our phones and computers. In a 2006 review, the total costs for low back pain in the United States exceeded 100 billion dollars!

As someone whose job it is to improve body mechanics, I believe that yoga can be a positive practice – provided that practitioners know their body’s strengths and weaknesses.

Here are the top three reasons why yoga can be great for your back.

  1. Yoga improves your flexibility and mobility

Moving your whole body in all directions is essential in keeping your joints, muscles and nerves healthy. Learning where you are hypo-mobile (not very mobile) in your body can help you focus your yoga practice on improving your stiff spots. For example, a common stiff area is the thoracic spine, or mid-back. If you are stiff in your mid back, contracting your core more actively in a downward dog can help stiffen your low back and improve your mid back extension.

However, one potential drawback to yoga is that overzealous stretching can lead to injury. If you are already very mobile in an area, pushing further into your range of motion may not be functional or healthy. You can avoid this problem by differentiating where you are “hypermobile” versus where you are “lax”. Hypermobility is movement with control; laxity is movement without control. An example of laxity is a hyperextending knee (hyperextension may show up in standing poses, like triangle or pyramid). For those who are not aware of their own laxity, they might be tempted to push the joint past an optimal range of movement.

One easy way to know you are making already lax joints more lax is listen to your body. When you are pushing past your body’s limits, you may get a range of abnormal sensations like pain, pins and needles, or a sense of apprehension. These warning signs come when a joint is being pushed to the brink of damage or dislocation. Yoga is supposed to feel good. Trust your body’s sensations!

  1. Yoga makes your core stronger

Yoga is a great way to explore different movement combinations. For example, learning to maintain control of your pelvis while moving deep into a lunge is can create flexibility and fortify your core at the same time. Interestingly, strengthening your core can actually help reduce muscular tightness in another area. For example, working on stretching your hip flexors (the muscles that cross the front of the hip) can feel like an endless task. However, strengthening your abdominal wall with a neutral pelvis can actually help relax your hip flexors, thereby leading a stronger and more efficient body.

Breathing can also help you to strengthen your core. The diaphragm, your primary breathing muscle, is actually an intrinsic core muscle. Yoga’s focus on continuing to breath while you do movement can help you to strengthen your core complex. When you contract the pelvic floor while maintaining a flow of breath, the stabilizing muscles of your low back automatically fire. This combination of engagement can lead to gains in all aspects of your body.

  1. Yoga helps control muscle tension

It’s very common to hear that we hold tension in our body. It’s important to differentiate the words “tight” and “tense.” Being tight is a physical state of muscle shortening. However, being tense is actually a behaviour. Often stretching a tense muscle leads to no real gains and sometimes can lead to further tightening. Getting into the proper mindset of being present, breathing full breaths, and clearing your mind of distractions are all helpful in solving tension issues. One of my greatest lessons from yoga is being told that Savasana is the hardest pose in yoga! Simplifying all your thoughts to just yoga while you’re on a mat is hard. Yet letting go of distracting thoughts is essential when trying to relief muscle tension. All the more reason to consider the state of your mind and your focus the next time you are working through a stretch.

Yoga can undoubtedly be great tool to improve the health of your back. But like any other form of exercise, it’s important to know your body well enough so that you can work effectively and avoid injuries. A balance of challenging your flexibility and strength limits with listening to your body’s signals can lead to amazing results.

Yoga and Ayurveda: Synergy for Harmony

Yoga was introduced to the West in late 19th century and has been since eagerly adopted by a very receptive audience. Despite the huge popularity of yoga, its medicinal counterpart Ayurveda, was left behind. Yoga and Ayurveda are complementary practices that share a close relationship, so much that they are often described as two sides of the same coin.

Both these sciences with their origin in the ancient Vedic texts address the human body. If Yoga deals with the holistic wellness aspect of the Vedic teachings, Ayurveda is the healing aspect. Combined, they emphasize a comprehensive approach to the overall well being of the body, mind and spirit.

Common Ground

Both Yoga and Ayurveda share the common basic principles: the focus on the well being of an individual in both body and mind with the aim of helping one reconnect with their true self. While yoga trains the body and mind for the supreme enlightenment and liberation, Ayurveda deals with the various aspects that a body can be internally revitalized. Both these disciplines emphasize the close relationship and modify the interactions that humans have with their environment, in order to achieve harmony in the truest sense.

Benefits of Ayurveda

In the modern age, yoga is perceived as consisting of asanas (postures) and dhyana (meditation) – a mere exercise regimen to keep the body fit and nimble. People get drawn to yoga as a way to improve fitness even though the essence of yoga is to clear and settle the mind in order to develop a deeper mind-body connection and heighten awareness. A calm mind not affected by stress, results in a healthy body and a greater bond with one’s pure inner self.

In a similar manner, Ayurveda brings with it the knowledge of keeping the physical body healthy through external nourishment and augmentation.

A Customized Approach

Ayurveda sees each individual as unique and one’s journey toward perfect well being as a unique path. Hence, there is no common approach and that which is appropriate for an individual is unique to that person alone. This concept is remarkable in that Ayurveda prescribes unique, tailored programs for each individual based upon his/her constitution, physical condition and the nature of any instability, avoiding the “one size-fits all” concept that is common in other systems of healing.

Ayurveda is based on analysis and diagnosis of the needs and appropriate requirements of the individual – that may not be for others – in fulfilling the needs to develop complete harmony. This could be based on a person’s unique genetic heritage or constitution. An individual’s constitution defines a person at the most fundamental level. Ayurveda does not comply with the one common treatment for all concept, but subscribes to the philosophy that “everything is right for someone, while nothing is right for everyone.”

Along with the diet, medication, supplements, aromas, etc, Ayurveda also sheds light on the specific yoga asanas that are best suited for an individual based on his/her constitution. With an in-depth knowledge of Ayurveda, a yoga practitioner can fine-tune his/her practice to maintain their internal balance of energy.

With the awareness of one’s constitutional balance, an individual can practice suitable asanas to correct their imbalances and improve their overall health and well-being.

Advanced Benefits of Ayurveda

Ayurveda has been proved an effective treatment for multiple health conditions such as respiratory problems, rheumatism, blood pressure, diabetics, paralysis etc. This science of healing makes use of natural ingredients and non invasive therapy thus being highly curative and totally harmless at the same time.

One of the most effective procedures in Ayurveda that can be undertaken by everyone is the “Panchakarma” – the five step therapy. It is a management protocol for different diseases and health conditions that detoxifies the body, strengthens the immune system and restores the internal balance and well-being of the body.

The Panch Karma is considered to be the most radical and effective way to cleanse the body and eliminate disease. It removes the unhealthy elements from the body’s gross channels (GIT, respiratory tract) as well as at the most intricate levels (tissues, cell membranes etc.) It flushes the accumulated toxins, from the body through the conventional modes of elimination- via the sweat glands, intestines and urinary tract.

Practicing Ayurveda – the simple and modern way

  • Ayurveda emphasizes the value of sound sleep, as rest and recuperation is the foundation for dynamic activity. So go to sleep early, and avoid any distractions that might interrupt your blissful sleep. An average sleep of around 8 hours is necessary for a quality and deep rest.
  • Rising with the sun will give you ample time to devote to your morning ablutions, prepare a good, nourishing breakfast and plan the rest of the day. Most of all, it lets you time to enjoy the early morning calm.
  • Being with people whose company makes us feel happy and loved is akin to medicine: they help heal and restore. The simplest exercise that you can adopt is a walk outdoors with your partner, a friend or coworker – what Ayurveda considers a tridoshic (triple benefits) exercise: it combines light physical activity, personal interaction and an experience of the outdoors, thus calming the mind and nourishing the senses.
  • Drink lots of water. Water flushes out the accumulated toxins, while aiding the process of digestion. Water is an excellent healer and should be sipped throughout the day. Other recommended brews are warm milk and herbal tea.
  • Opt for fresh foods. Processed, frozen or packaged foods are hard to digest, are aged, denatured by processing, and can include harmful chemical preservatives as ingredients. They retain less of their natural nutrition, resulting in the creation of ama, or toxins that hinders our thought process and actions. Make an effort to have a fresh and warm lunch in a quiet atmosphere and focus on your food when you eat.
  • Take an occasional break wherever you are – Sit down and close your eyes and breathe deep. Disconnect from the external world and tune in to your own self. Rhythmic breathing increases the flow of oxygen and other vital nutrients to all organs. Even when done for a minute, you will feel rejuvenated with an instant sense of well-being.

Final Words

Ayurveda as a science and practice can bring benefits to all of us. Whether adopting the simple practices or going in for a full fledged therapy program, we get to purify our bodies and restore our inner balance. Combined with a regular regimen of yoga practice, we can achieve the ultimate harmony of body and nature.

What to Buy For your Yogi Friend This Holiday Season

Have a yogi friend that you want to do something special for?

I love Half Moon Yoga Products; I’ve been using their stuff for years. Great quality, competitive pricing (even better with the Rachel Yoga discount), and I love the company. Here’s a hit list for inspiration!

Mat

If your friend is getting serious about their practice and doesn’t yet have a mat, then this considerate gift will be one that keeps on giving for years. In general, mats can vary in durability and thickness. I like The Mighty Mat  ($80) is durable, PVC free, and sticky.  It comes with a lifetime guarantee, so this mat may be the only one that your friend needs. If you prefer a mat that isn’t so heavy, you can check out the Studio Mat ($35) which is a great budget option for lighter usage.

Meditation cushion

I bought my Half Moon meditation cushion ($75-$90) more than a decade ago and it has been a fast friend ever since. Super comfortable and durable, this cushion makes sitting on the floor and creating some sacred space so much easier. I use it to sit for evening meditation. Seeing it is also nice little visual reminder to get my butt down and take some quiet time. If your friend is exploring the quieter side of the practice, then this could be a great support.

Blocks

If your friend is starting yoga home practice and has a mat, the getting them a set of their own blocks ($15-$34) is an awesome idea. After a mat, blocks are the prop that everyone should have. Blocks help to support the student’s body in a variety of positions to make the poses both more challenging as well as more accessible. I prefer the thicker 4″ blocks to the 3″ blocks. Chip foam blocks are useful as a small meditation seat, under the head cushion, or knee support.

Blanket

One of my friends gave me a Half Moon blanket ($46-$118) for a birthday several years ago. Much to my surprise, I use it all the time. Obviously it can be used as a cover if I feel chill during meditation or Savasana, but I also use it to prop up my head, support my knees like a mini bolster, and use to lift my seat if I don’t have my meditation cushion. These blankets are super soft and cozy, it’s like being snuggled in a cloud. I have the natural cotton yoga blanket, and it’s wonderful, though you can get silk weaves if you’re looking for something very special. A blanket is a surprisingly versatile tool for the yogis who has the basics.

The Yummies

Eye Pillow

Eye pillows ($22-$44) are wonderful. By cutting out the light in the room, eye pillows help you to rest and restore more deeply. You don’t have to wait for Savasana to use them; pull them out anytime you need a supine rejuvenation. The weight of the pillow on the eyes feels very relaxing, and the delicately scented bags add a little aromatherapy to the experience.

Essential Oils

There’s something very sensual and nourishing about using essential oils. Not only is there a relaxing process of self care in applying oils, but the scents are crafted to help balance your nervous system. Half Moon has a great little kit of essential oils ($45) that address each doshas (personality type). When you feel anxious or ungrounded, you might apply the Vata oil (which will be calming). The Kapha oil is invigorating and reduces lethargy. The Pitta oil is cooling and pacifying. (Being an anxious gal, I basically want to take a bath in my Vata essential oil.) If your friend loves scents, this yoga aromatherapy choice will be a special gift.

Don’t see what you want? They’ve got more suggestions here. 

Best of all, you get a discount. Get 20% off your purchases when you use the promo code RACHEL2017.
Already a teacher? Get an additional 10% off (wow!) your 25% discount with this code: RACHEL2017TEACHER. 

Happy shopping!

 

Does fasting prolong your life?

is fasting good for you?

Traditional religious practices in Christianity, Buddhism, Islam have all included fasting (Karras et al., 2016). In yoga, fasting is a pillar of the philosophical principle of sauca, or purity. While abstaining from worldly delights (sex, food, alcohol) is certainly a test of mental fortitude, research has shown that caloric reduction through intermittent and periodic fasting can promote longevity and cellular health.

Fasting and Disease Prevention

Researchers have known for years that caloric reduction in mice promotes longevity. In fact, in experimental models, fasting has improved disease outcomes for a wide range of age-related challenges, including “diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke” (Harvie et al., 2016). Dr. Valter Longo, the Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, has done substantial (and remarkable) research into the correlation between caloric control and disease prevention and longevity and has shown a correlation between fasting mimicking diets and cancer prevention and treatment.

Why Does Fasting Work?

Basically, humans evolved to cope with food scarcity. When we fast, the stress on our cells activates a cellular response that improves “mitochondrial health, DNA repair and autophagy…[and] promotes stem cell-based regeneration as well as long-lasting metabolic effects” (Harvie et al., 2016). Autophagy is where our body “eats” itself (starting with stuff that is damaged, diseased and non-essential). When we fast, the body starts to get rid of bad stuff, then when we eat again, our body uses stem cells to rebuild our body afresh.

My 50-year old brother-in-law (a very curious cat about longevity practices) has been exploring fasting techniques in his own life for several years, and is not back to his “fighting weight” from college. My sister, who joined on with him, is now fitting into clothes that have been in the back of her closet for years. However, while fasting can help you lose weight, the less visible benefits (promoting the immune system, cellular regeneration, reduction of inflammation) are far more profound.

Types of Common Fast-Mimicking Diets

  • 5:2 Diet: participants restrict calories by 60% for two days of the week, then eat regularly for five.
  • Time Restricted Feeding: participants restrict food intake to a 6-hour window of time each day in order to prolong the natural fasting period of the body.
  • Intermittent Fasting: fasting for 16 hours to 2 days
  • Periodic Fasting: fasting for 2-21 days

I have played with Time Restricted Feeding and Intermittent Fasting. I find that Time Restricted Feeding (restricting food intake to a 6-hour window) is fairly accessible once you get used to pushing breakfast til past 3 pm. And culturally, it’s a bit easier to not eat breakfast or lunch than to forgo all dinner invitations.

As my anatomy teacher Gil Hedley says, “we are the species that plays with itself.” Just as yoga and meditation practices can deeply impacts your nervous system, your dietary choices will impact some of your deepest cellular processes. If you are interested in exploring these diets, arm yourself with some research. Not only is it fascinating, it will motivate you to last through the initial hunger pangs. Fasting strategies are not appropriate for everyone: pregnant women and children should eat regularly.

Happy and healthy exploring.

Resources

Ted Talk with Dr. Valter Longo (20 minutes)

Ted Talk with Mark Mattson, the current Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging and professor of Neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University (17 minutes).

Video Interview with Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, describing his work in research with fasting (1 hour)

 

Web MD (the cautionary tale)

Great blog from the folks at Nerd Fitness.

References

D, A. P. R., D, S. K. M. D. P., & D, C. P. M. D. P. (2017). Unraveling the metabolic health benefits of fasting related to religious beliefs: A narrative review. Nutrition, 35, 14–20. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2016.10.005

Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.

Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46–58. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005

PhD, R. E. P., PhD, G. A. L., PhD, D. D. S., PhD, A. Z. L., Marinac, C., PhD, L. C. G., et al. (2015). Intermittent Fasting and

Human Metabolic Health. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(8), 1203–1212. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.02.018

Schübel, R., Graf, M. E., Nattenmüller, J., Nabers, D., Sookthai, D., Gruner, L. F., et al. (2016). The effects of intermittent calorie restriction on metabolic health: Rationale and study design of the HELENA Trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 51(C), 28–33. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2016.09.004

Seimon, R. V., Roekenes, J. A., Zibellini, J., Zhu, B., Gibson, A. A., Hills, A. P., et al. (2015). Do intermittent diets provide physiological benefits over continuous diets for weight loss? A systematic review of clinical trials. Molecular and

Cellular Endocrinology, 418(Part 2), 153–172. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2015.09.014

How to stay healthy while travelling

I love travelling. But I don’t always like its impact on my body.

While travelling can create novel opportunities for exercise (ie: sightseeing a new city, doing a vacation sport like skiing), the fact is that travel will often disrupt our cherished wellness regimes. When we are away from our habitual classes and teachers, it can be easy to fall off of our health wagon. (And I don’t know about you, but I’ve been guilty of treating vacation as an opportunity to “take time off, ” and then found out that I felt worse rather than better!)

However, with a little ingenuity and planning, we can not only feel great on our vacations, but feel better, more healthy, and better rested. 

Here are some of my personal tips.

Cultivate irrepressibility.

Are you embarrassed to do a little warrior two on the plane? Sheepish about whipping out a sun salutation near

your gate at the airport? Yes, thats normal! Most of us are a little self-conscious when we buck the norms in a public place. But as someone who has done the full Ashtanga primary series at Heathrow Airport, let me tell you that my body’s sigh of

relief was well-worth my pangs of mortification. While you may not need to do your HIIT routine in public, embrace a little social awkwardness and run yourself through some stretches and lunges. Your body will thank you. Even better, some airports are now developing DIY yoga and stretch stations. Do a little research before you travel and find out if you can work a practice into your layover.

Celebrate Small Daily Acts.

When we go on vacation, we may not need to do our usual workout routine. But doing a little will go a remarkably long way towards keeping your baseline strong. Even if you don’t have time for a class, do twenty sit-ups, twenty lunges, and hold plank for a minute. Do little end of the day yoga stretch. Even five-ten minutes will help you feel better.

Go local.

Travelling brings fun opportunities to participate in the local scene, and walking can be a great way to take in a new town. See if there is a local bike or walking tour so that you can learn about local history as you go. Maybe there’s a local 5K to run. And if your travel involves physical activity (scuba, skiing, snowshoeing), so much the better!

Bring your balls.

I take my Roll Model® Massage Therapy Balls everywhere. Rolling around on them for ten minutes makes me feel like I had a spa treatment. You can get great little sequences online with Jill Miller to target grumpy body areas. (I LOVE her, she’s a pro.) But you can even just bring a tennis ball. That’s right. A tennis ball. Just seeing it in your luggage will remind you to give yourself a little TLC.

Drink water.

Okay, I love coffee. Love it, love it love it. But when I travel, I guzzle water. Water helps you to stay hydrated, flushes out your system, and will help you arrive at your destination feeling cleaner and clearer from the inside out. Take your own travel bottle so that you don’t have to buy water (unless you’re in a non-potable water zone). Let’s try to keep disposable plastic out of the picture.

I got this handy little infographic to the right from De Vere Hotels UK.

They offer some actionable and common sense ways that you can use to minimize the effects of your travel on your body. If you have some favorite tips and tricks, share ’em below. Happy trails!

How to beat insomnia

sleeping woman after meditation

Did you know that an estimated 10% of Americans suffer from chronic insomnia, which can greatly impact the quality life?  Benefits of a good night’s rest include having a better mood, better health, eating less compulsively, and (yay!) an improved sex life. While medical practitioners may prefer to prescribe pills to address the problem (after all, pills usually work), patients often prefer behavioural options that keep the pharmaceuticals and side effects out of the picture.

Good news: meditation can help.

Research confirms that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) can support sleepless souls to reduce their anxiety, decrease rumination, and improve their rest. And even better news: there are a ton of great apps on the market that can guide you to do a mindfulness practice before bed.

Here are a few apps you may want to check out to get you started:

  • 10% happier (I love this app. Use this link to get one month free of their premium version.) Practical, down to earth, accessible, no mumbo jumbo stuff. Lots of really great teachers to choose from, even with the free version.
  • Insight Timer. I’ve been using this since it came out to set up customized meditation and yin practice. You can design your own timings using a variety of pleasing bell tones. And now it has lots of guided meditations to choose from. And it’s FREE!
  • Calm.  I’ll be honest. The narrator’s voice drove me nuts to begin with, but people have told me how much they love it. Lots of free resources, including a 7 and 21 day guide.

One of the biggest mistakes that we make is thinking that we “don’t have time.” I get it, I’ve been there. But think about your day. What is five minutes? Your mind may resist you sitting (have to answer that email!), but I promise you that your brain and nervous system will thank you heartily.

I have a bunch of 5-minute meditations on my site as companion materials to Yogi’s Guide to Dating, but you can absolutely practice them on their own. Try one now. Go ahead. It’s just five minutes. And you’re worth it.

References

Chiesa, A., Calati, R., & Serretti, A. (2011). Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(3), 449–464. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.11.003

Garland, S. N., Campbell, T., Samuels, C., & Carlson, L. E. (2013). Dispositional mindfulness, insomnia, sleep quality and dysfunctional sleep beliefs in post-treatment cancer patients. Personality and Individual Differences, 55(3), 306–311. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.03.003

Gross, C. R., Kreitzer, M. J., Reilly-Spong, M., Wall, M., Winbush, N. Y., Patterson, R., et al. (2011). Mindfulness-Base Stress Reduction Versus Pharmacotherapy for Chronic Primary Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Jsch, 7(2), 76–87. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2010.12.003

Larouche, M., Côté, G., Bélisle, D., & Lorrain, D. (2014). Kind attention and non-judgment in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy applied to the treatment of insomnia: State of knowledge. Pathologie Biologie, 62(5), 284–291. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.patbio.2014.07.002

Larouche, M., Lorrain, D., Côté, G., & Bélisle, D. (2015). Evaluation of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to treat chronic insomnia. Revue Europeenne De Psychologie Appliquee, 65(3), 115–123. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.erap.2015.03.002

Ong, J. C., Shapiro, S. L., & Manber, R. (2009). Mindfulness Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. A Naturalistic 12-Month Follow-up. Jsch, 5(1), 30–36. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2008.10.004

Ong, J. C., Ulmer, C. S., & Manber, R. (2012). Improving sleep with mindfulness and acceptance: A metacognitive model of insomnia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50(11), 651–660. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2012.08.001

Zhang, J.-X., Liu, X.-H., Xie, X.-H., Zhao, D., Shan, M.-S., Zhang, X.-L., et al. (2015). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Chronic Insomnia in Adults Older than 75 Years_ A Randomized, Controlled, Single-Blind Clinical Trial. Jsch, 11(3), 180–185. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2015.02.005

Five poses to practice on Thanksgiving

It’s US Thanksgiving, time for turkey and thankfulness! But you don’t have to be slurping stuffing (or even be celebrating the holiday, oh my Canadian brethren) to take this as an opportunity for a moment of appreciation. Here are five poses to celebrate the day and connect more deeply to a sense of gratitude and well-being.

1. Cat / Cow

Start on all fours and slowly start to arch and round your spine. Go beyond the usual cat/ cow and move your spine in all directions. Use these simple movements to reconnect to your appreciation for your body. Enjoy the feeling of stretching your shoulders, spine and low back. Take some deep appreciative breaths and relish your body.

2. Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation)

Has it been a couch potato kind of day? Never fear. Do three rounds of sun salutations to get your circulation going and mobilize your joints. Sun salutations are a great way to increase your energy and connect to your breath. Sun Salutations were practiced facing east in the early morning. As you move, enjoy this opportunity to appreciate how the sun has lit our world and given energy to everything in it. From the brussel sprouts to the turkey, everything owes its existence on earth to that star.

3. High lunge with a backbend

Ahhh, time to stretch! Not only will high lunge stretch out your hip flexors (just in case you’ve been spending the day watching football), taking the arms up helps stimulate lymphatic drainage and create a welcome opening through your chest. Daily posture often encourages us to collapse the chest and close the front body, which can restrict breathing and diminish a sense of emotional openness. As you take your arms above your head, stretch your heart forward and up as you root strongly through your feet. Bring your upper arms back behind your ears and fully stretch through all your fingers. I call this pose the “full body yawn.” Enjoy it.

4. Seated Twist

If you’re going to be eating like a champion, then twisting is a must. When we twist, we give the internal organs a squeeze and massage, which can aid in digestion and elimination. As you twist, take some deep breaths to allow the diaphragm to move downwards into the abdominal cavity and move your viscera. Breathe deeply, and know that you’re giving your body some serious love.

5. Gratitude Meditation

Developing a practice of gratitude has been shown through research to enhance a personal sense of well-being. Come into a comfortable cross legged seat or sit on the edge of a chair. Place your hands on your thighs and let your shoulders relax. Relax your face and your jaw. Take a few, slow deep breaths to settle into your body. When you’re ready, bring to mind one simple thing for which you are very grateful. It could be a person, a pet, a place…or anything that you feel really brings value to you. Let yourself contemplate this source of gratitude for at least ten slow breaths, feeling any changes in your body. Take your time. Feel free to repeat the gratitude exercise with something else that comes to mind. When you’re ready, take a few breaths and transition back into your body. As you open your eyes, bring your gratitude practice with you off the mat and into the rest of your day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bonus:

A Thanksgiving present for you. I often say that my mind that has a lot of “hamsters.” (These hamsters are relentless thoughts that race through my brain like crazed furry creatures, including on holidays.)  If you need a moment of levity today, check this out. Watch for at least 20 seconds.

Steps for a recovering perfectionist

Are you a recovering perfectionist?

Here are some clues that you may be in this camp (with me, I might add):

  • you need (NEED) to make all the fonts match in your writing
  • you have to clean your desk before you work
  • projects are never really finished
  • there’s always one last email to send
  • you are working on one more advanced degrees because you like those cute letters that go after your name
  • yes, you need details! Who wouldn’t need more details?
  • life is never quiiiiiiiite right, and…
  • no, it’s never really good enough.

Perfectionism, or the relentless quest to turn life into a series of never-ending checkboxes, is driven by our desire to control the universe. Understandable! And clearly impossible. Ask a perfectionist, “Say, there fella, are you trying to control the universe?” and they will scoff and you and say, “Don’t be ridiculous, I’m just trying to do this right/ correctly / appropriately.” However, the truth is that underneath our cute scoffing, part of us does actually believe that if we just get it right, that the skies will open, heaven will pour down upon us,  and we will finally have that wonderful feeling of satisfaction happiness for which we have worked so hard.

But the problem with our strategy is that the world (and certainly other people) are beyond our control. Just look at your three-year old having a tantrum and you will be reminded that other people are remarkably resistant to behaving according to our wishes. But if we did manage to check all our checkboxes (the kids are behaving! my boss recognizes me! my partner talks about his feelings!), life itself will slip the noose. Without telling us, life changes the list.  Our checkboxes are suddenly obsolete! We start to feel narrow and squinty-eyed. We get frustrated, or scared, and we spend a lot of time scurrying to finish off the new list. Until life does it’s thing once more and all of our tasks are all changed. Again.

So here’s the thing: checking the boxes might make you temporarily happy (and it will certainly keep you busy), but it won’t actually give you what you want. Because no matter how many boxes we check, we will not get the “the heavens have opened and I am free and joyful” feeling.

So, my fellow perfectionists, I suggest we change the game. Rather than figuring out what “better” boxes we should be checking, or increasing our productivity so that we can check them off so much faster, let’s change our assumptions. Let’s unearth and air out our old belief that perfectionism can lead to happiness in the first place.

Here are five tips to get you going.

    1. Dance. Yes, dance. You may think you can’t, but you can. But don’t dance in order to look good. In fact, I want you to dance in your room with the door closed where no one else can see you. No looking in the mirror either. It doesn’t matter how you look, it matters how you feel. And yeah, you have to play the music that you love, even if it’s Aerosmith’s, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing. Dance until you’re out of breath and your checkboxing happy brain is too giddy to care about the messy kitchen.
    2. “Done is better than perfect.” This is your new mantra. Try it.
    3. Practice messy. You have the choice: you can clean up the “thing” (whatever the thing is…your kitchen, your manuscript, your email box) or you can spend time doing something that puts you in the present moment, into your body, and gets you out of your busy head. You can clean it up after, I promise it’ll still be there.
    4. Contemplate death. Everyone you know is going to be dead in 120 years. Okay, I know that’s a bummer to drop as #4 on a list, but it’s true. Remembering that we are all here for just a little while will start to shake up your priorities and make those niggly details seem less important.
    5. Be wild. Go outside and hug a tree. Nature is perfect, as it is. Observe its spirals, its moss, its chaotic, fractal beauty. It’s not neat, tidy or in a box. It’s wild. And so are the people in your life. And so are you.

Give it a week. Try it out. See how you feel.

And then, yes. Use your capacity to be a perfectionist on tasks that can benefit from a steely eyed, detail oriented mind. Like correcting grammatical errors and correctly calculating tips. But keep your perfectionism out of your happy.

7 Signs you Should Start Practicing Yoga

Yoga is a low-impact form of exercise that still  gives you an excellent workout. It helps you to relieve tension, build strength and relax your mind. Wondering whether to take up a yoga class? Here are seven signs you should get on the mat:

You’re Feeling Stressed All the Time

We all feel stressed from time to time. Demanding jobs, busy social lives and constant connectivity can all take their toll. If you regularly feel your stress levels rising, yoga could help to calm you down. During a yoga class, you will focus carefully on your movements and your breathing, leaving you with less time to ponder your worries. And wherever you find yourself, the breathing techniques you learn in yoga will serve you well next time you feel stressed. Deep, concentrated breathing can help you to feel much calmer in stressful situations.

You Have Back Pain

Many of us experience recurring back pain. While back pain is sometimes caused by an injury or strain, often it can be attributed to a sedentary lifestyle; we spend far too much time sitting at our desks and driving our cars. Yoga can help with this type of back pain. In fact, it’s something that many physiotherapists would recommend. Yoga movements help to release tension you may be carrying throughout your back. They also help to develop muscles in and around your back to provide greater support and promote a better posture.

You Struggle to Focus

How would you rate your concentration? If you can’t watch TV without glancing at your smartphone and struggle to read anything longer than a couple of pages, your focus could use a boost. In yoga, you focus on different parts of the body, encouraging them to move independently, and work to regulate your breathing. The more time you spend concentrating, the better you get at it.

You Regularly Injure Your Body

Pulled muscles? Achy joints? Troublesome tendons? If you feel you injure your body regularly, there are some reasons why yoga could do you some good. Increased flexibility puts less strain on your body as you move. Yoga also improves your balance and stability meaning clumsy accidents are less likely too.

You Struggle to Get to Sleep

Insomnia is a common problem. If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep despite a regular bedtime routine, yoga could teach you some useful techniques. By focusing on your body, your mind won’t be able to ruminate over the day’s events or worry about tomorrow. And by practising yogic breathing, your body and mind will relax, making a drift into sleep much easier.

You Get Uncomfortable Standing or Sitting

If, when standing or sitting in the same spot for an hour or so, you begin to experience pain or discomfort, it could be that your posture is to blame. Poor posture puts unnecessary strain on certain parts of the body. Yoga helps to improve your posture and encourages you to spread weight evenly throughout the body.

You Want to Improve Your Performance in Other Sports

Yoga provides you with the basics that can improve your performance in another sport, be it football, gymnastics or skiing. Through yoga, you build strength, particularly in your core. You also develop your focus, your balance and your flexibility. Whatever other sports you like to practice, yoga could help you reach new levels.

Yoga is a great full body workout. It boosts your physical and mental wellbeing. It can also help conquer a variety of common niggles and ailments. If you suffer from any of the above, give yoga a try. You could be amazed at how much benefit you will feel.

Three Tips for Effective Learning

Learning is one of the most important activities in life. We don’t just learn when we cram before the exams, but each day we should aim to gather new knowledge that will deepen our understanding of the world around us. Many students feel that they spend days and days just mindlessly fulfilling their to-do lists, without being enriched by those activities – even if they include studying. I find this quite understandable for today’s modern times, where our to-do lists often include more tasks than one can healthily handle – we exhaust our body and mind to the point where they cannot function beyond the mechanical. Have you recognized yourself in this description? You are not alone.

Below, I written a list of the three most important factors for effective learning. Still, I’d like to mention that this is a long journey. Healthy living is not like a shot of caffeine, it won’t make you more alert in matter of minutes. It will take weeks before you can feel a difference, probably longer before the improvement in your performance becomes noticeable. But it is honestly worth it – and much, much longer lasting than that cup of Red Bull. So, without further ado: the top three tips for effective learning!

Exercise

It can be running in the fresh air, it can be lifting in the gym, or a yoga class – whatever physical activity you enjoy the most. Exercise affects your body in more ways than you can imagine. It is far more reaching than just your body weight and strength. Physical activity is a very important factor in studying: it was shown to increase the number of neurons in the brain and make the connections between neurons much more complex. In an experiment by Justin S. Rhodes from the University of Illinois, the results strongly suggested the importance physical activity has in learning. The research found out that mice who had regular exercise performed significantly better on cognitive tasks such as completing the maze. Interestingly, it did not matter how enriched mice’s environment was. Mice who did not have any extra toys in their cages but had a running wheel allowing them regular exercise out performed mice living in an enriched environment. These findings perfectly illustrate how in today’s world, where we our lives are full of tasks and toys – the so-called enriched environment – our brains seem to function less and less due to increasing inactivity. It is good to keep this research in mind: no matter how many hours you spend studying/working a day, if you are constantly inactive, your brain will not intake the information up to its full potential. A little bit of physical activity on a daily basis could help you with memory retention and concentration, and allow you to obtain more information with less time invested.

Finally, exercise is a mood booster, meaning that it can help you approach your work as happier and more energetic self. This can be a life-saver when you really, really need to do that all-nighter.

Eat well

Eating heathy is another well-known tip, but unfortunately people rarely follow through with it. Many manage to pay attention for a week or two, but then life happens and they opt for ordering pizza instead of cooking a soup rich in vegetables. Of course, I won’t argue against the fact that ordering pizza is easier. But food is crucial for human being to function, never forget that. The primary reason for consuming it is to provide us with nutrients and energy, which highly processed junk food does very poorly. Studies have shown again and again that the latter, especially foods high in trans and saturated fats, negatively affects students’ performance and attendance. And while an egg for breakfast can certainly help a little bit with your exam, keeping a healthy nutrition only on special days really won’t revert all the negative impacts of your regular sugar-fuelled diet. It would actually work much better if after an exam you treat yourself to a cake, breaking your otherwise super healthy streak.  

Healthy eating does have to mean extreme eating: only raw foods, exclusively vegan or very low on carbs – nor my favourite: colour coded eating. Healthy can simply mean that you eat mostly vegetables and lean meat and fish, fruits and complex carbs, while leaving out added simple sugars and heavy red meat. With these, you can make many dishes that are simple to carry: salads, pasta with a healthy sauce, and meat with veggies and grains on the side fit easily into a Tupperware.  If you are very sure of your Tupperware, you can even carry some wholesome soup to uni. To help you save time, you can cook more food in one go and have it for a couple of days, halving the weekly time spent in the kitchen. This can be a life saver if your university life is as hectic as mine. Here are some healthy student-friendly recipes!

Some superfood for studying:
  • Blueberries – good for memory, learning capacity and motor skills
  • Eggs – good for memory and brain functioning
  • Pumpkin seeds – good for memory, thinking skills and mood
  • Sage – good for memory and concentration
  • Oily fish – important for proper brain functioning
  • Whole grains – good for concentration

Dedicate a couple of hours, but fully concentrated

If you take care of your diet and exercise regularly, your concentration should improve noticeably. With better concentration, we can learn more in a shorter period of time. However, even before the healthy habits kick in, try to reorganise your studying so that you do a bit each day, rather than cramming a week before the exam. Studies have shown that we retain information better if we divide studying over some time. For example, if you schedule a class with your online tutor, it would be best to do the lecture with them one day and then revise the next, instead of revising immediately afterwards. If you really have to spend the whole day studying, it is much better to do different subjects during that day rather than focusing on only one for hours on end. Still, you should honestly stay away from cramming because being all alone for a week without a break can make students tired and moody, which in turn impairs their academic performance, and if done too often can have serious consequences on their mental health. It might seem like a waste of time, but going out with friends for an hour can have an amazing impact on study session, and if you manage to incorporate that in your daily life, it can help your overall academic performance. We are social beings and we need interaction with friends and family to be healthy and do our best.

Hopefully, this list did not disappoint you, even though it gives advice you’ve probably been given many times over. The reason why these tips keep reoccurring is because they are truly useful and in your best interest. In order to strive, we have to take care of our physical and mental health. Don’t forget that.

Giveaway: Win a 5-day Spirit Pass to BaliSpirit Festival!

What is  BaliSpirit Festival?

BaliSpirit Festival is an international yoga and music festival, celebrating community and well-being in Ubud, Bali, April 2-8, 2018. 
Now in its 11th year and moving from strength to strength, the BaliSpirit Festival has become increasingly global, attracting international leaders and a surging audience of empowered attendees from across the globe. Growing number of Yoga-Dance-Culture lovers, Music, and Wellness fanatics are joining us every year from over 50 nations for this 6-day and 7-night event on the idyllic tropical island of Bali.

The Festival Vision

  • To awaken and nourish each individual’s potential for positive change within, leading to positive change in our homes, in our communities, and around the world.
  • Through beneficial and inspirational traditions of Yoga, Dance, and Music, the Festival illustrates the Balinese Hindu concept of Tri Hita Karana: living in harmony with our spiritual, social, and natural environments.
  • To nourishing our own home in Bali, the founders pledge to provide financial, logistical, and organizational support to local charities, with a special emphasis on children’s programs, multicultural education and performance, healthcare, HIV&AIDS awareness, and environmental conservation in Bali and greater Indonesia.

Giveaway Details

  • 5-DAY SPIRIT PASS
  • $650 USD value
  • The pass valid for April 2-7, 2018 – 5 days & 6 nights
  • Enter by November 20 (winner chosen by December 1)

Includes:

  • Pre-festival opening party – April 2
  • Unlimited access to all daytime workshops – April 3-7
  • Unlimited access to all music nights – April 3-7

By donation:

  • Access to Community Day & Closing Ceremony – April 8

Does NOT Include:

  •  Special Events & Shuttle Service
However, you can still get a $75 discount on the Festival by using the promocode RachelYoga!
Check it out.

Review: Book Yoga Retreats

As many of you know, I took a yoga retreat to Bali recently. In fact, this was my first yoga retreat ever as a practitioner! Part of the reason that I took this yoga retreat was because the folks at Book Yoga Retreats gave me a shout and asked me to review their services.

Me: “Wait. You’re going to help fund me to go on a yoga retreat in exchange for an honest review?”

BYR: “Yes.”

Me: “And I can go anywhere you offer retreats?”

BYR: “Yes.”

Me: “Is there a catch?”

BYR: “No.”

Me: “Ummmm…okay?” (Small dance of incredulous joy.)

What an offer! I immediately started investigating my options. Book Yoga Retreats has literally thousands of retreats on their site. The possibilities were – quite literally – boggling. While I did check out options from all over the world, I ultimately narrowed my search down to Indonesia. Bali has been on my list for quite a few years, so why not go there?

Book Yoga Retreats is very user-friendly. Because – like many of us – I have a job, I needed to look at specific dates for going away. No problem. I input my start date and geographic region and then scrolled through the options.

I could search by several parameters:

  • region
  • categories (there are 80 to choose from, and the categories include pricing preference)
  • dates
  • yoga style

When I input “Bali” and my start date, the site returned about 200 retreats (amazing!). I could then sort the results by:

  • recommendations
  • price
  • duration
  • popularity
  • number of reviews

Being conscious of my budget, I tailored my search by price. Each listing had a photo and a quick blurb that included price, location, reviews, languages, available dates, and amenities. I could easily earmark my “favorites” with a heart and return to them quickly for further review.

By clicking on “see details,” I could see more photos, retreat highlights, recommendations, location, cancellations policies, and retreat details. The listing template is very thorough; you know exactly what you are going to get. With one-click, you can request a reservation or communicate directly with the host. I found the candid testimonials for each listing extremely helpful, especially because they weren’t all rave reviews. The testimonials provided the information I needed to feel confident about my retreat decision.

I contacted about ten different venues to ask specific questions about their retreats. In almost every case, I received a response from the hosts very quickly, directly to my email. The one time that I didn’t receive a quick reply, I received a note of apology from Book Yoga Retreats and suggestions for other, similar retreats. Communication with the hosts was very easy and secure payment was a snap. My only complaint about communication was that I did not have an easy access link to these conversations through the Book Yoga Retreats website; I had to click from the link that I received via email.

Summary of Pro’s

  • Thousands of retreats to choose from
  • Detailed listing template
  • Lots of helpful photos
  • Easily find a retreat to fit your schedule, budget and desires
  • Testimonials from fellow travellers give you a candid sense of the venue
  • Easy communication
  • Easy booking and secure payment

I loved my experience with Book Yoga Retreats. My package included yoga lessons, surf lessons, massages, snorkelling, and two daily meals – all for under $700. What a deal! However, it’s useful to understand that my priority was to find a retreat that fit my budget, time, and desired activities; my priority was not to find the best quality yoga. Strangely (for a yoga retreat) my priority was not my yoga experience. I am a teacher trainer and have practiced yoga for a long time. While I expected the classes to be safe and pleasant, I didn’t expect to find my next guru. My expectations were well-founded; although my teacher was lovely, she was newly certified and did not have much teaching experience.

If you’re going to a retreat centre that runs on-going yoga classes, it’s likely that the yoga classes are either outsourced to a local studio or taught by live-in yogis. For example, on my retreat, I took my yoga classes down the street at an independent studio. Signing up for the “retreat” was a way of having a few enticing services (yoga, massage, and surf lessons) conveniently batched into one price point. My hotel took responsibility for coordinating these services with local vendors. So yogi beware: your teacher may have gotten certified three months ago. They may teach an unusual style. Strangely (for a yoga retreat), the quality of the yoga may not really be the point.

If I had wanted to go on a yoga retreat to specifically deepen my practice, then I would have sought out a specific teacher for my continuing education and then tailored my vacation time around their specific retreat. While some yoga teachers do advertise on Book Yoga Retreats, it is not easy to search for them.

Bottom line: if you want to practice a specific yoga style or are looking to study yoga with a particular teacher, book your yoga retreat through your teacher directly. Book Yoga Retreats is not a source for educational yoga retreats, but for experiential yoga retreats. Book Yoga Retreats specializes in servicing the casual yogi, who is open to experiencing whatever yoga style is provided.

Summary of Con’s

  • You probably won’t know who your yoga teacher is
  • Teaching quality may vary
  • Yoga styles may not be accurately listed
  • No access to communication with host via website (you can only access conversations via email)
  • Sometimes it’s hard to know why yoga retreats may have widely different price points

Book Yoga Retreats is continually striving to improve. When we chatted about my feedback, they mentioned that they were working on their search parameters and hope to develop better tools to support searches for educational and teacher-driven retreats.

To summarize, their niche (and they excel at it):

Book Yoga Retreats provides casual yogis and adventurers with access to a wide range of retreat experiences in fascinating locations around the world.

If you’ve got some wanderlust, head on over to their site and take a look. Get inspired by the possibilities.

Yoga tourism and teacher trainings in Bali

The Yoga Barn has a wall that displays posters of its workshops. The teachers are predominantly white.

Travelling to Bali brought up mixed feelings. Happy to be there, certainly, but also confounded by the rampant yoga tourism. Who can blame the people here for giving us what we want? Whether it’s cheap massages (which don’t seem be frequented by the Balinese), asana classes (taught by non-locals) or raw, organic food (the Balinese tend to eat fried rice), I felt like I was sloshing down a tourist water slide. And I also felt like I was in danger of missing the point of travelling to Indonesia.

I didn’t take any yoga classes in Ubud, because I didn’t feel like paying thirteen bucks to go to Geoff’s class in Bali when I can get great yoga at home. I wanted to experience Balinese culture, not western culture set in an Indonesian setting. Maybe everyone else got the memo, but asana is not a Balinese tradition. The Balinese are Hindu, yes, but their daily life revolves around bhakti (devotional) yoga and temple ceremonies. My guide Wayan explained to me that people in Bali seek balance and clarity. Through ceremonies and offerings, they create balance, love, and community. However, there has been a huge uptick in last ten years (especially since Eat, Pray, Love) of yoga-seeking visitors. Bali offers an insane number of yoga retreats and is a hot destination for yoga teacher trainings. I suppose the only reason this bugs me is because Bali has become known as a destination for yoga asana. Which is not Balinese.

Here’s my point. If you’re going to Bali to do yoga or do your teacher training, then know that you are going to a beautiful location to participate in something that is, well, taught by foreigners. It’s like doing your TT in Costa Rica: great setting, great experience, but not indigenous to the local culture. I’m not casting stones: for the first week that I was in Bali, I participated in a yoga retreat where I went to classes taught by a nice gal who had done her teacher training with someone from Colorado. It wasn’t great yoga, but yes, it was a nice vacation.

My advice: if you’re going to make the trek all the way to Bali, don’t settle for just the yoga. Seek out the culture that lies beneath the asana and massage. Go to the temples. Talk to your Balinese drivers. See Balinese dance. Eat Nasi Goreng.

I understand that – unless we decided to make our homes in Bali – we’ll probably never get off the tourist train completely. That’s simply the nature of travel. However, wouldn’t it be more interesting to get on a train that has an Indonesian view?