Yoga for a Healthy Back

Over the weekend I went to a workshop focused on yoga therapy for back pain. The class was amazing and I learned a lot. It turns out a majority of Americans experience back pain at some time in their life and a large percentage have chronic back pain. If you haven't found relief for your back pain, seek out a yoga therapist who specializes in the area. It can work to bring blood flow to the area to promote healing, stretch tight muscles, strengthen weak ones and help hold your chiropractic adjustments longer.

If you have a healthy back, keep it that way with regular yoga. The take home message of this weekend's class was to move your whole spine (don't forget about the neck) in every direction, every day. Do twists, cat/cow, and child's pose just to name a few...

Holiday Eating

This time of year it can start to feel like we are being bomarded with food - cookies and sweet bread brought in by co-workers, weekend holiday parties with rich foods, delicious home made gifts. Also the stress of the season may trigger over eating for some individuals. Here are some ideas to help you avoid over eating this time of year:

Eat Mindfully -

1. At parties choose only the foods that are special this time of year, avoiding chips, soda or other non-seasonal items

2. Pause after you take a bite to savor and enjoy the flavors

3. Eat slowly - put your fork down between bites and chew slowly

4. Keep healthy snacks on hand. If sliced apples, hummus and carrots and other easy to prep items are easily on hand your more likely to opt for those when your schedule gets crazy

Take Time to De-stress -

1. Don't say yes to every thing

2. Always fit in something relaxing for yourself - take a yoga class or get your nails done

3. Even taking a quick bath or spend 20 minutes reading with a cup of tea may be all you need to re-charge

Staying Sane During the Holiday Season

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."
- Buddha

We can get so stressed this time of year. Practicing enjoying the present moment rather than continuously making to-do lists in our head and hurrying along can help us to be calm and happy this time of year. Yoga is a great way to practice being "present." Find a yoga class to take this week or at least take a few minutes to simply focus on your breathing. It will be a nice break from all the shopping, baking and running around.

A Thanksgiving Reflection

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

Socialize, give your life purpose, and practice a healthy lifestyle

What do these 3 items have in common? They are the secrets to living longer. Are you looking for some inspiration to make some healthy changes in your life. The people from Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda, California know the secrets to a successful and happy long life. Watch this video... http://bit.ly/4o5dE
It may give you the inspiration you need to make some healthy changes for the upcoming year.

Harnessing the Power of the Mind

The yoga work shop I attended this weekend focused on how the thoughts in our mind create our reality. Often times we can rid our selves of back pain, move away from living in fear and feeling stagnant in our lives just by re-framing our thoughts. With practice we can change our thoughts to "I feel healthy and strong," instead of "I can't shake this pain in my back." "I feel safe and secure in the world," rather than "I feel scared and hopeless." "I feel grateful for the success and upcoming prospects in life," rather than "I am stuck in my job." As you practice this positive affirmations thinking positively will begin to feel natural to you.

Here are some ideas to get the process started:
-Keep a gratitude journal - write down daily a few things you are grateful for
-Write a list of goals - write them in present tense, visual yourself accomplishing them, feel the emotions associated with accomplishing this goal
-Create a manta that speaks true for yourself: "I am a happy person" "I speak with confidence" "I am peaceful". Say it daily and write it down and have it posted where you will see it frequently

One last thought to leave you with:
"Pain can only feed on pain. Pain cannot feed on joy. It finds it quire indigestible."
-Eckhart Tolle

Yoga Pose of the Week

Boat Pose

Getting into the pose
Sitting tall with your legs extended long in front of you, bending the knees and holding on to the backs of the thighs. Slowly floating one foot off of the floor; keeping the back long. Once steady, raise the second foot off of the floor. Finding balance, Option to release the hold rom the back of the legs and hover the arms out at shoulder height. Advanced option is pictured above - extend the legs, straightening into full boat.

Benefits of the pose
-Creates core stability
-Alignes the spine
-Strengthens hip flexors, quardiceps, abdominals and erector spinae muscles

Common misalignments in this pose
-Lifting the shoulders
-Losing neutral alignment in the spine

Practice this pose frequently to create a strong core!

Read This!

This is a very interesting article about benefit versus risk of multivitamins. Turns out there really isn't much benefit. I've been telling most people to take one daily! Read this and decide for youself...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39616169/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Lose yourself in the music

This hours long playlist will make your yoga pratice seem like it flys by!

1. My Only Swerving by El Ten Eleven 5:14
2. Such Great Heights by The Section Quartet 3:24
3. All I Want is You by Tristan Prettyman 2:24
4. If I Ever Feel Better by Pheonix 4:26
5. Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine 4:26
6. Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeah
7. Float On by Modest Mouse 3:28
8. My Number by Tegan & Sara 4:09
9. 1901 by Pheonix 3:13
10. Freedon Hangs Like Heaven by Iron & Wine 4:00
11. Across the Universe by Fiona Apple 5:07
12 Your Hand in Mine by Esplosions in the Sky 4:08
13. The Road to Austin by The Section Quartet 1:56
14. Peace & Quiet!

Keys to a long and healthy life

Most people who know me know I am very intrigued by lifestyle of the inhabitants of Okinawa, Japan. this island has bragging rights of being the home to the most residents over age 100. The kicker - They are still healthy and independent. While it may not be easy for us here in the states to follow the their simple, low stress lifestyle heavy on physical activity. We can try to each a little bit more like them. Here is a list from Men's Health that can help get us started - http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/10-foods-longer-life?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2010_11_03-_-HTML-_-dek.
One thing the list is missing...Tumeric! This super spice is a key flavor in Okinawa, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Try is this week - rub it on fish, sprinkle some of popcorn, or put a splash in green tea. Better yet, get Googling for more ideas.

What's for Dinner?

Minestrone soup with pasta, vegetables and beans



I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com and made it over the weekend. It was perfect and comfarting for the rainy weekend weather we had. Bonus - it's healthy too!

Ingredients
3 cups vegetable broth. Tip - use low sodium broth to beath the bloat!
1 can diced tomatoes. Tip - look for a low sodium variety
1 can white beans (drained)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper. Tip - skip the salt and add extra pepper for flavor while still cutting the sodium
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta. Tip - use Bariila Plus Elbows. They look super cute, plus they have 4 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein per serving!
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Optional basil sprigs for garnish

Directions
In a slow cooker, combine broth, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teasppon each of salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours of on Hight for 3 to 4 hours. Tip - while the slow cooker is a great option on weekdays (if you get up early enough to organize it before work), I chose to cook it in a large pot on the stove. It turned out perfect and took less time.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add the pasta, zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese over the top.

We have been blessed with beautiful weather so far this week and I hope everyone has gotten outside to enjoy it. However, next time you are getting cabin fever during a rain storm, I encourage you to make this soup. It is a delicious and easy way to get a healthy dose of vegetables and fiber!

10 minute yoga practice

This series of poses will take you about 10 minutes to flow through. It is perfect to tack on to the end of a run to balance out your workout, a nice way to start your morning, or a quick way to destress.

1. Mountain Pose - hold for three breaths
     Standing feet hip distance apart, creating equal length in the front and back of the body, relaxed shoulders
2. Lateral fextion - hold for a few beaths on each side
     Place one hand on the hip, reaching opposite arm up focusing on stretching through the side body
3. Swan dive into Forward Fold - 3 breaths
     Hands to the floor or shins, option the straighten the legs or leave a bend in the knees
4. Come down onto all fours for spinal balance - 1 breath each side x 3
     Extending one arm forward and pressing opposite leg backward. The arm, torso, and leg form one straight line
5. Childs pose
     Sinking hips back towards the heals, reaching arms out in front
6. Downward facing dog
     Press firmly through the hands, lifting hips up towrads the sky, looking like an inverted V
7. Flow through 2 sun salutations - 1 breath per movement
- Mountain with lifted arms
-Forward fold
- Lunge
- Downward facing dog
- Plank
- Crocodile
- Upward facing dog
- Downward facing dog
- Lunge
- Foward fold
- Mountain with lifted arms
- Chair
8. Warrior 1 - 5 breaths
     Step 1 foot back in a short stance. Allign front and back heels. Turning the back foot to a 45 degree angle and allign the hips t0 the front of the mate, bend deeply in the front knee. Sweeping the arms up toward the sky.
9. open into Warrior 2 - 5 breaths
     Keeping the heels in allignment and the front knee bent, turn hips and shoulders to point toward the long edge of the mat.
10. Reverse Warrior - 5 breaths
     From warrior 2, turning the front palm up and lifting into lateral flextion. Resting the back hand on the back leg lightly
11. Flow through the 3 Warrior poses on the opposite side
12. Dancer - hold for 5-10 breaths on each side
     Balancing on one foot, bend the other leg behind and grasping the inside of the anke with the hand on the same side. Extending opposite arm to the sky. Pushing the ankle away from the buttock and hinging forward over the standing hip, raising the foot and arm as high as possible
13. Pidgeon - hold for 10 breaths on each side
Drop into downward dog, sweep the right knee forward the under the body, bent knee pointing out from the hip at 45 degree angle. Navel facing straight down toward the floor. Back leg slides straight back from the left hip. Repeat on left side. Can be done lying on back and cradling leg in if this creates to much pressure for the knee.
14. Twist - hold for 5-8 breaths on each side
     Sitting tall on floor with legs extending in front of you, bring the right knee in and placing the foot on the floor, Using the right hand behind to legthen the spine. Rotate toward the right knee and use the left forearm to hold aroung the right shin. Repeat on other side.
15. Final relaxation
     Lying on the back. Allowing the arms to relax with our palms up, letting the feet naturally splay open. Relaxing deeply, releasing stress and tension.