Yoga with Gaileee, E-RYT

Hot Flashes, Menopause and Yoga

2011-06-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

Are you having hot flashes? Heart palpitations? Maybe yoga can help. I know I'm going to start doing this sequence as recommended by De-Stress Yoga with Mimi, and from "The Women's Book of Yoga & Health" by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden, to help me with my issues. Here are the sequences.

Bound Angle Pose (Seated Butterfly). May be upon a block or folded blanket. This pose increases circulation to your abdomen and pelvis, toning and improving function in your reproductive organs. Stay in the pose about a minute.
Wide-Angle Seated Pose I (Seated Letter "V" Legs). Legs wide apart, flex feet, may be upon a block or folded blanket. This pose helps increase circulation to your pelvis, stimulate and improve circulation to your ovaries, and lift and tone your uterus. Stay in the pose about a minute.
Head on Knee Pose. Seated, bring right leg to the inside of the left leg, hinge forward, optional place chair at the end of the right leg, hinge forward, placing forearms on the seat of a chair. Stay in the pose 1-2 minutes, switch sides. This pose helps revitalize your adrenal glands, which can help mitigate hot flashes.
Wide-Angle Standing Forward Bend. Standing, bring feet wide, hinge forward, with a blanket folded place your head upon the blanket as you hang upside down. Stay in the pose one minute. Great inversion! This pose helps calm your mind and relieve the stress that can cause hot flashes.
Downward Facing Dog. With a folded blanket or block to rest your head upon. Try this pose to relieve anxiety, tone and relax your nervous system, and to relieve hot flashes.
Headstand. Only do this one, if it is already a part of your practice and you can so the headstand safely. This pose helps stimulate blood flow to your brain. Many women find standing on their heads helps relieve hot flashes. Do this one caution, especially if you already have neck or back problems.
Shoulderstand. Only do this one if it is already a part of your practice.Caution, if you suffer neck or back problems, skip this one. This pose is calming and soothing for your nervous system and excellent for relieving hot flashes.
Half-Plough pose. Again, with caution, and no, if you have neck/back issues. This pose helops calm anxiety and nervousness and relieve hot flashes.
Bridge Pose with a bolster/folded blanket under the back and hips, and a bolster/folded blanket underneath the feet. This pose is great if you're trying to cool down your hot flashes and re-balance your thyroid and parathyroid glands.
Reclined Butterfly (Reclined Bound Angle Pose). Bolsters underneath the low back, running up the spine and past the head. Optionally binding the legs with a yoga strap. This pose is comforting, cooling, and supporting when you have hot flashes.
Legs Up the Wall Pose. If you experience a jittery feeling with your hot flashes, this pose may be all you need to feel more balanced and in control. Remain in this position, breathing normally for 3 to 5 minutes.
Corpse Pose. Final Relaxation. Close your eyes and let everything relax. Visualize heat rising up and out of you with every breath you take. An eyebag draped over your eyes will help quiet external distractions. Remain in this pose for 10 minutes, breathing normally.


1. Bound Angle pose (Butter fly) - Rachel my second oldest.

2. Wide Angle Seated Pose I - Grace my youngest.

3. Seated Forward Bend with a chair.

4. Wide-Angle Standing Forward Bend.
With a block or pillow/blanket to actively rest your head

5. Downward Facing Dog.

7. Shoulderstand in its
traditional format. Can be done
with a chair

8. Half Plough Pose. Can be done
with chairs/bolsters.

9. Bridge Pose. With Bolsters
underneath the hips/legs and feet

10. Reclined Butterfly Pose

11. Legs Up the Wall Pose

12. Corpse Pose.

Yoga for MS, Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at Wesley UMC/Nederland Texas

2011-05-22T12:21:00.002-05:00

Adaptive Chair Yoga for MS at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3515 Helena Avenue, Nederland, Texas 77627. Sponsored by the National MS Society, free for attendees and their support people. 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

OM in the Heart of Texas - Texas Yoga Conference 2010

2010-02-15T16:31:00.000-06:00

Texas Yoga Conference
Unity Church, 2929 Unity Drive, Houston, TX
February 19-21, 2010

I'm excited about attending

Freedom Yoga with Carrie Garrett
Cultivating Extreme with Robert Boustany
Functional Yoga for Athletes with Julie Downey
Tracie Brace's Five Effective Qualities of a Yoga Teacher
Hips, Knees, Ankles & Toes Lotus Workshop with Ricky Tran
Yoga for Seniors with Gudran Danburg
Also, Rainbow Kids & Family Yoga with Gopala Yaffe Amir
and then either American Power Yoga or Anusara Yoga....can't decide

Yoga Kit for Kids -- Cards, Music and Booklet

2010-02-02T19:06:00.001-06:00

Yoga Kit for Kids. A set of cards, Music for Yoga in two tracks of 20 minutes. A handbook telling about the poses, the benefit of yoga for kids. This Kit is setup for one to take to a school environment.

I tell you, Grace and I had fun with this. Can't believe she is only 3 years and 10 months old. Take a look!

Here is grace doing Shark Pose (like in the yoga card demo).

And another in Frog Pose...

Then another in Lion.....

And here are a few other poses that Grace enjoyed!!

Butterfly, Candle, Cat, Fish, Cat with raised leg, Flower, but looks like Turtle and Down Dog!

Discover how to: lose weight, eliminate your stress, increase your flexibility, build your strength through Yoga with Gaileee

2010-02-01T10:05:00.000-06:00

Discover how to: lose weight, eliminate your stress, increase your flexibility, build your strength using Yoga

Help you lose weight: Many forms of yoga raise the heart rate into the aerobic range. But you don’t need to exert yourself to lose weight with yoga. Some studies show even gentle yoga and breathing techniques rev up your tired metabolism so you can lose weight.

A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle linked yoga and weight loss. This study of over 15,000 men and women showed people who did yoga lost weight while the control group gained weight.

Another study presented last year at the America Heart Association found yoga helped overweight high school students lose weight while the control group gained weight.

And the famed Dr. Dean Ornish encourages his patients to practice yoga to help ensure weight loss. When you do yoga and make it part of your lifestyle, you’ll soon discover it’s power for weight loss.

Yoga helps you to lose the weight in varied ways. It helps you build muscle mass. When you increase your muscle mass, you boost your resting metabolism -- and that makes your body burn more calories. You strengthen your body from tip to toe with a regular practice. The thyroid gland normalizes your weight without you having to be in the gym 4-6 days a week. There are a number of factors involved in the normalizing of the weight. Some of the poses in a practice stimulate sluggish glands to increase their hormonal secretions. The thyroid gland, especially, has a big effect on our weight because it affects body metabolism.

Yoga goes even deeper by changing the relationship of mind to body, and eventually to food and eating which can have tremendous impact on weight loss.
Eliminate your stress: Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, you help on lowering your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is the chemical that is linked to increased belly fat. Big bellies are linked to insulin resistance-a precursor to Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes - and heart disease. By combating stress, yoga helps to normalize cortisol levels and keep belly fat to a minimum.

Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia. Your lung capacity will improve, and so will the quality and depth of the breath. People who practice on a regular basis, will notice that they will have less upper respiratory infections, this is thought to be because of the quality of your breath one practices in a yoga practice.
Improve your flexibility: Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga class. Gradually they begin to use the correct muscles. Over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in and helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems. Many people think that they need to be flexible or need to be able to touch their toes to do yoga. Not so! You come to yoga with however your body is at the moment, and with working through your practice, work towards a more flexible body!
Build your strength: Yoga postures use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. When I restarting taking yoga about 8 years ago, I could only do one pushup. After being in a regular practice for three months, I could at the end of those three months do 19 pushups! I was truely amazed at this feat, and was hooked on yoga from that point on.

While the different poses in a practice can strengthen the body, they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension. Lots of people have upper body tension, due to being at a desk or car or at the computer for a lot of the day. Coming to a session, helps to build the upper body strength, and to relieve tension being held in the body, so you get benefit of increasing strength and easing body tension.

Remember, you don't have to be flexible, or in shape to do yoga. If you can breathe you can do some form of yoga. The more out of shape that you are, the more you'll see immediate results in a regular practice.

Please join me in a gentle beginning yoga class. What happens in a class is for the first time, you'll register and sign in, I'll discuss with you any body issues that you may have (back, carpel tunnel syndrome, balance, surgeries, high blood pressure, etc.), Class is typically 60 minutes in length. Each class will begin with warm-up and stretching. The warm-up is then followed by focused breathing, then a series of poses that gently work the entire body. After the exercises there is a period of physical and mental relaxation and reflection.

Participants do not need any prior experience (I love beginners!!) to attend. All skill levels are welcomed. You may borrow a yoga mat, but I encourage you to purchase a yoga mat of your own. Blankets, blocks, straps are provided for you to use during your practice.

Where? At Wesley United Methodist Church in Nederland, Texas on Monday & Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. and childcare is provided (with 24 hour notice please). More questions? Please email YogaWithGaileee@gmail.com or call at 409.727.3177.

Start or Re-Start your Yoga Practice --- It Does a Body GOOD!

2010-01-15T09:53:00.000-06:00

Count on Yoga. Looking for a reason to start practicing (or restart your practice)?

1. Flex Time.

Improved flexibility is one of the most obvious benefits of yoga. During your first class, you probably won't be able to touch your toes, never mind do a back bend. But if you stick with it, you'll notice a gradual loosening, and eventually, seemingly impossible poses will become possible. You'll probably notice that aches and pains start to disappear. That's no coincidence. Tight hips can strain the knee joint due to improper alignment of the thigh and shinbones. Tight hamstrings can lead to a flattening of the lumbar spine, which can cause back pain. And inflexibility in muscles and connective tissues, such as fascia and ligaments, can cause poor posture.

2. Bone Zone.

It's well documented that weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. Many postures in yoga require that you lift your own weight. And some, like Downward- and Upward-Facing Dog, help strengthen the arm bones, which are particularly vulnerable to osteoporosis fractures. In an unpublished study conducted at California State University, Los Angeles, yoga practice increased bone density in the vertrebrae. Yoga's ability to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol may help keep calcium in the bones.

3. Worry Thwarts.

Yoga lowers cortisol levels. If that doesn't sound like much, consider these facts. Normally, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to an acute crisis, which temporarily boosts immune function. If your cortisol levels stay high even after the crisis, they can compromise the immune system. Temporary boosts of cortisol help with long-term memory, but chronically high levels undermine memory and may lead to permanent changes in the brain. Plus, excessive cortisol has been linked with major depression, osteoporosis (it extracts calcium and other minerals from bones and interferes with the laying down of new bone), high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. In rats, high cortisol levels lead to what researchers call "food-seeking behavior" (the kind that drives you to eat when you're upset, angry, or stressed). The body takes those extra calories and distributes them as fat in the abdomen, contributing to weight gain and the risk of diabetes and heart attack.

4. Breathing Room.

Yogis tend to take fewer breaths of greater volume, which is both calming and more efficient. A 1998 study published in The Lancet taught a yogic technique known as "complete breathing" to people with lung problems due to congestive heart failure. After one month, their average respiratory rate decreased from 13.4 breaths per minute to 7.6. Meanwhile, their exercise capacity increased significantly, as did the oxygen saturation of their blood. In addition, yoga has been shown to improve various measures of lung function, including the maximum volume of the breath and the efficiency of the exhalation.

5. Pain Drain.

Yoga can ease your pain. According to several studies, yoga postures (asana), meditiation, or a combination of the two, reduced pain in people with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other chronic conditions. When you relieve your pain, your mood improves, you're more inclined to be active, and you don't need as much medication.

6. Connective Tissue.

As you read all the ways yoga improves your health, you probably notice a lot of overlap. That's because they are intensely interwoven. Change your posture and you change the way you breathe. Change your breathing and you change you nervous system. This is one of the great lessons of yoga: Everything is connected - your hipbone to your anklebone, you to your community, your community to the world. Such interconnection is vital to yoga. This holistic system simultaneously taps into many mechanisms that have self-perpetuating and even multiplicative effects. Synergy may be the most important way of all that yoga heals.

7. Joint Account.

Each time you practice yoga, you take your joints through their full range of motion. This can help prevent degenerative arthritis or mitigate disability by "squeezing and soaking" areas of cartilage that normally aren't used. Joint cartilage is like sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when its fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up. Without proper sustenance, neglected cartilage can eventually wear out like worn-out brake pads, exposing the underlying bone.

8. Flow Chart.

Yoga gets your blood flowing. More specifically, the relaxation exercises you learn in yoga can help your circulation, especially in your hands and feet. Yoga also gets more oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result. Twisting poses are thought to wring out venous blood from internal organs and allow oxygenated blood to flow in once the twist is released. Inverted poses, such as Down Ward Facing Dog, Standing Straddle Splits, Headstand, Handstand and Shoulderstand, encourages venous blood from the legs and pelvis to flow back to the heart, where it can be pumped to the lungs to be freshly oxygenated. Yoga also boosts levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues. And it thins the blood by making platelets less sticky and by cutting the level of clot-promoting proteins in the blood. This can lead to a decrease in heart attacks and strokes since blood clots are often the cause of these killers.

9. Heart Start.

When you regularly get your heart rate into the aerobic range, you can lower your risk of heart attack and relieve depression. While not all yoga is aerobic, if you do it vigorously or take flow or Ashtanga classes, it can boost your heart rate into the aerobic range. But even yoga exercises that don't get your heart rate up that high can improve cardiovascular conditioning. Studies have found that yoga practice lowers the resting heart rate, increases endurance, and can improve your maximum uptake of oxygen during exercise - all reflections of improving aerobic conditioning.

10. Strength Test.

Strong muscles do more than look good. They also protect us from such conditions as arthritis and back pain, and help prevent falls. And when you build strength through yoga, you balance it with flexibility. If you just lifted weights, you might build strength at the expense of flexibility.

11. Spinal Rap.

Spinal disks - the shock absorbers between the vertebrae that can herniate and compress nerves - crave movement. That's the only way they get their nutrients. If you've got a well-balanced asana practice with plently of backbends, forward bends, and twists, you'll help keep your disks supple.

12. Standing Orders.

Your head is like a bowling ball - big, round, and heavy. When it's balanced directly over an erect spine, it take much less work for your neck and back muscles to support it. Move it several inches forward, however, and you start to strain those muscles. Hold up that forward-leaning bowling ball for 8 or 12 hours a day and it's no wonder you're tired. And fatigue might not be your only problem. Poor posture can cause back, neck, and other muscle and joint problems. As you slump, your body may compensate by flattening the normal inward curves in your neck and lower back. This can cause pain and degenerative arthritis of the spine.

13. Sugar Show.

Yoga lowers blood sugar and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and boosts HDL ("good") cholesterol. In people wit diabetes, yoga has been found to lower blood sugar in several ways: by lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels, encouraging weight loss, and improving sensitivity to the effects of insulin. Get your blood sugar levels down, and you decrease your risk of diabetic complications such as heart attack, kidney failure and blindness.

14. Space Place.

Regularly practicing yoga increases proprioception (the ability to feel what your body is doing and where it is in space) and improves balance. People with bad posture or dysfunctional movement patterns usually have poor proprioception, which has been linked to knee problems and back pain. Better balance could mean fewer falls. For the elderly, this translates into more independence and delayed admission to a nursing home or never entering one at all.

15. Loose Limbs.

Do you ever notice yourself holding the telephone or a steering wheel with a death grip or scrunching your face when staring at a computer screen? These unconscious habits can lead to chronic tension, muscle fatigue, and soreness in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and face, which can increase stress and worsen your mood. As you practice yoga, you begin to notice where you hold tension: It might be in your tongue, your eyes, or the muscles of your face and neck. If you simple tune in and pay more attention to these areas, you may be able to relieve some tension.

To see all 38 ways yoga can improve your health and well-being click on over to the Yoga Journal Website. http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1634

Gentle Beginning Yoga at Wesley United Methodist Church in Nederland, Texas, 3515 Helena Avenue on Monday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Come early if it is your first time! See you in 2010!

Dr. Oz's Seven Minute Yoga Workout

2010-01-10T09:48:00.000-06:00

So what exactly is Dr Oz's 7 minute Yoga plan? Here is the youtube demonstration and then, I've listed the yoga pose breakdown of what he is doing!
Enjoy your seven minutes! Gaileee

Dr. Oz's Seven-Minute Workout

Celebrity Trainer, Joel Harper (Come help me Mr. Harper!) and Dr Oz on their Seven Minute Yoga Plan.

Deep Inhale and Exhale Breath
Mountain
Forward Fold
Plank, one left leg lift, then 10 push ups
Updog (Cobra)
Down Dog
Three Legged Dog - Left Leg
Swing Left Leg into Warrior I
Transition into Warrior II
Windmill arms to floor, into Pyramid Pose
Move from Pyramid Pose into Triangle Pose
Square the body into Airplane Pose, arms out to the sides of the body
Back to Plank, one right leg lift, then 10 push ups
Updog (Cobra)
Down Dog
Three Legged Dog - Right Leg
Swing Right Leg into Warrior I
Transition into Warrior II
Windmill arms to floor into Pyramid Pose
Move body into Triangle
Square the hips into Airplane Pose
Back to Plank, left leg lift, then 10 push ups
Updog (Cobra)
Down Dog
Three Legged Dog - Left Leg
Warrior I
Warrior III
Standing Splits
Transition into Half Balanced Moon
Forward Fold
Then back to Plank, Right Leg lift, with a set of 10 push ups
Updog (Cobra)
Down Dog
Three Legged Dog with Right Leg
Swing leg into Warrior I
Shift into Warrior III
Standing Splits
Transition into Half Balanced Moon
Forward Fold
Back to Plank, Left Leg lift into 10 push ups
Updog (Cobra)
Down Dog
From Down Dog, bring legs to floor easy seated, then immediately transition to
Boat Pose, alternatively, do 20 jack knives (a Pilates move)
Boat again,
Cross arms, lower extended legs to hover the floor, along with upper back /chest hovering for 10 breaths.

The ending comment was to "Get to work!" along with Joel Harpers website of www.fitpackdvd.com

Enjoy!
Gaileee

Yoga Classes by Gaileee

2010-01-05T09:52:00.000-06:00

Yoga Classes from Gaileee - 2010 - Find Upward Bliss with Downward Dog
New Yoga Class Schedule Starting January 2010

Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3515 Helena Avenue, Nederland, Texas. Gentle Beginning Yoga. Excellent for easing back pain, losing weight, building strength and balance. $5 for Members (Methodists), $8 for non-members.
Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. at Port Arthur YMCA. Hatha Flow Yoga Class. Beginners Welcomed! Free for members, $10 drop in fee. Mention Gail Pickens-Barger to attend the class.
Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3515 Helena Avenue, Nederland, Texas. Gentle Beginning Yoga. Excellent for easing back pain, losing weight, building strength and balance. $5 for Members (Methodists), $8 for non-members.

Dr. Oz's comments about realistic resolutions and Yoga!

2009-12-29T09:57:00.000-06:00

Dr. Oz has some realistic resolution comments, I'd like to share, but particularly, the comments about yoga.....

2. Do seven minutes of yoga a day. “I tell most folks that if you haven’t tried it, at least do one class of yoga to understand what it’s about,” Dr. Oz said. “The most important thing about yoga isn’t about how loose you are. It’s not about showing off how you can get into pretzel-like poses. It’s about focusing on the breath while you get into those poses and the relaxed state of mind that goes into it.” Dr. Oz said he commits to just seven minutes of yoga each morning that includes a variation on the sun salutation, a flowing series of 12 poses. He adds 20 push-ups between each stage and ends with jackknife sit-ups. “It centers me and allows me to loosen my limbs up so I don’t have nagging small injuries,” he said. “Most people aren’t brazen enough to admit they can’t carve out seven minutes in their schedule.”

Here is the link to the rest of the article.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/realistic-resolutions-from-dr-oz/

See you on Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3515 Helena Avenue, Nederland, Texas for Gentle Beginning Yoga!

Yoga in America-Study by Yoga Journal

2009-12-01T09:50:00.000-06:00

Yoga in America - study by Yoga Journal
The number of people practicing yoga in the US has reached nearly 16 million and is expected to continue to grow steadily.

The latest "Yoga in America" study, just released by Yoga Journal, shows that Americans spend $5.7 billon a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations and media (DVDs, videos, books and magazines). This figure represents an increase of 87 percent - almost doubled compared to the previous study in 2004.

Yoga Journal also reported that the2008 study indicates taht 15.8 million people, or 6.9 percent of the US population, practice yoga. Of current non-practioners, nearly 8%, or 18.3 million Americans, say they are very or extremely interested in yoga. And 4.1 % of non-practioners, or about 9.4 million people, say they will definitely try yoga within the next year.

The study also collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors:

* 72.2% are women, 27.8% are men.
* 40.6 % are 18 to 34 years old; 41% are 35 to 54; and 18.4% are over 55.
* 28.4% have practiced yoga for one year or less; 21.4% have practiced for one to two years; 25.6% have practiced two to five years; and 24.6% have practiced more than five years.
* 71.4% are college educated; 27% have postgraduate degrees.
* 44% of yogis have household incomes of $75,000 or more; 24% have more than $100,000.

The 2008 study indicated that almost have (49.4%) of current practitioners started practicing yoga to improve their overall health. In the 2003 study, that number was 5.6%. And they are continuing to practice for the same reason. According to the 2008 study, 52% are motivated to practice yoga to improve their overall health. In 2003, that number was 5.2%.

"Yoga is no longer simply a singular pursuit but a lifestyle choice and an established part of our health and cultural landscape," says Bill Harper, publisher of Yoga Journal. "People come to yoga and stick with it because they want to live healthier lives."

One significant trend to emerge from the study is the use of yoga as medical therapy. According to the study, 6.1% of nearly 14 million Americans, say that a doctor or therapist has recommended yoga to them. In addition, nearly half (45%) of all adults agree that yoga would be beneficial if they were undergoing treatment for a medical condition.

And what about those Baby Boomers?

In just a couple of years, according to recent statisitcs, the number of Baby Boomers-aged adults participating in yoga classes increased by three million. Attend a yoga class and you'll find that it's not exclusively populated by younger women. Older women-and many older men-are also attending yoga classes.

According to the National Institutes of Health, yoga:

* Improves mood and sense of well-being
* Counteracts stress
* Reduces heart rate and blood pressure
* Increases lung capacity
* Improves muscle relaxation and body composition
* Helps with conditions such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia
* Improves overall physical fitness, strength, and flexility
* Positively affect levels of certain brain or blood chemicals

"Yoga as medicine represents the next great yoga wave," says Kaitlin Quistgaard, editor in chief of Yoga Journal. "In the next few years, we will be seeing a lot more yoga in health care settings and more yoga recommended by the medical community as new research shows that yoga is a valuable therapeutic tool for many health conditions."

The Yoga Diet from Body and Soul Magazine - A Martha Stewart Company

2009-11-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

As we get into the "over-eating" season, ponder this article from the latest Body & Soul Magazine from the Martha Stewart Company (who herself is an avid yoga practioner).

The Yoga Diet.

Taking up yoga could help reshape your eating habits, which may help you lose weight. In a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study (see my side bar for the entire article on the research), of 303 adults who were physically active, researchers found a link between doing yoga and eating mindfully: yoga practicing participants reported focusing only on their food while eating, for instance, or ceasing to eat once they felt satisfied. No such link was found among those who did other forms of exercise.

"Since yoga heightens your awareness of your body in general, it makes sense that it would hlep you to pay more attention to your eating patterns and appetite", says J. Adam Rindtleisch, M.D., of the University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Clinic. Many other mind-body methods--including meditation and tai chi--can also deepen your body awareness and motivate you to eat more consciously he adds. Those practices can also reduce stress, which could help you savor your food rather than frantically speed through each meal.

For a head start on becoming a calmer, more mindful eater, take a moment before your meal to breathe deeply and offer gratitude for your food. As you eat, tune into the sensations you experience with every bite. "When you're aware of how each morsel of food affects you." says Rindfleisch, "you're more likely to feel full not only physically, but also mentally." - E. B.

10 Best Yoga Poses for Women An Article on Yoga from the Women's Health Magazine

2009-10-01T10:14:00.000-05:00

And now a interesting article from the Women's Health Magazine.

Start yoga, stop snacking

It's no news that yogis are typically hotties. (okay, well they aren't talking about me....) But science is showing there's more behind the enviable yoga butt than chair pose.

A study in August's issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that people who practice yoga regularly also eat more mindfully. That essentially means they eat when they're hungry (as opposed to sad, stressed, or bored), focus on their food while eating (instead of the TV or Web browser), and stop when they're full. The study showed that these habits are also associated with a lower BMI (Body Mass Index).

Similarly researchers in Australia published results of a study that showed a home yoga practice reduced the severity of binge eating disorder.

Try this sequence

10 Best Yoga Poses for Women - Practice these 10 poses in this order at least 3 times a week for optimal overall health.

Child's Pose
Stretches hips, quads, back

Downward Facing Dog
Stretches spine, hamstrings, glutes, calves; strengthens deltoids, triceps

Warrior II
Stretches hips, inner thighs, chest; strengthens quadriceps, abdomen, shoulders

Plank Pose (Modified Plank shown- full plank, knees lifted)
Strengthens arms, back, shoulders, core, quadriceps

Fierce Pose (otherwise known as "Chair Pose")
Stretches spine; strengthens quadriceps, ankles, back

Tree Pose
Stretches hips, inner thighs; strengthens legs, spine, core

Garland Pose (Sumo Squat - Mongolian Style!) - Not shown
Stretches low back, groin, hips, ankles

Boat Pose
Strengthens core, psoas, quadriceps

Bridge Pose
Stretches front of body; strengthens hamstrings, glutes

Half Lord of the Fishes
Stretches hips, shoulders, back, neck; strengthens spine

Neti Pot vs the Flu. What shall I do?

2009-10-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine posted this, and I thought it was worth sharing!

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS, DRM, DNB (Intensivist and
Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has
worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital, Saifee
Hospital, Tata Memorial etc.

Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department
and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad
(W). The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot
of sense and is important for all of you to know.

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and
mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost
impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all
precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much a problem as
proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any
symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation,
aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some
very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official
communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock
N95 or Tamiflu):

Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
"Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or sleep).
*Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*
*Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
Drink as much warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Here is what Dr. Oz recently said...

"Nasal cleansing using a well-designed Neti pot can help you:

Clear your nasal passages
Remove excess mucus
Reduce dust and pollen by cleansing nasal passages
Relieve nasal dryness

Further, Dr. Oz said in an interview with Healthy Living Magazine:

“When you use it [a Neti pot] properly, it reduces dust and other contaminants in the nose, and it’s a very effective way to clean the sinuses. Modern studies are showing that it’s as effective as drugs for preventing sinus infections. Regular use of a neti pot is also hugely beneficial for people with nasal allergies and headaches. It just takes all the gelatinous goo out of there.

What a lot of people don’t know is that the sinuses are linked closely to lung health. The sinuses are a major source of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide opens things up: the blood vessels, the airways. When we intubate a patient through the nose, we always worry about how that will affect their breathing -- because it can reduce the lungs’ content of nitric oxide. So, it follows that keeping the sinuses healthy also keeps the lungs full of fresh, clean air.”

Gaileee

Yoga Mat Bag, Repurpose shirt into Yoga Capri's!

2009-08-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Over at Sew Mama Sew, is a giveaway, and several tutorials on how to make a yoga mat bag, crocheted, and of course sewing, plus making your own wet bags and turning shirt sleeves into yoga capri's!

Hop on over to Sew Mama Sew, Post a comment, maybe you'll win the book too! http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=2501 http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=2501

Gaileee

Prenatal Yoga Testimonies

2009-07-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

Prenatal Yoga Testimonies

What some of my Prenatal clients have said about the Yoga that I teach....

From Amy, a prenatal student.
"I did thoroughly enjoy your prenatal yoga classes--the physical activity was wonderful. Also, I truly enjoyed the community of pregnant women in tune with our bodies and so positive and hopeful about the tiny bodies, minds and spirits of the babies in our tummies. Attending your classes made the L&D (Labor and Delivery) of my second baby even easier and smoother than that of our first baby."

From Cryss, a prenatal student.
"I love your yoga class. Being pregnant I am worried about popping my back like I used to and the weekly yoga classes help relieve the stress in my mid and lower back. I feel more relaxed after doing yoga, it is so wonderful I almost fall asleep at the end of the class. The meditation portion helps me learn to focus my mind on things that are not the present. It has helped me learn to cope with stress and breathe instead of getting so frustrated! Anyways, love it and would recommend it to anyone!"

From Lynn, a prenatal client.
"I used the various yoga postures that Gail taught us in class, to help manage the contractions. I had to be induced, and was able to walk around, sit on the birth ball, and use my Yoga breath, to ease the severity of my contractions. I didn't need to use any narcotics or pain relief. My pelvis was so opened up, that she came out after 4 pushes! After the birth of my baby, the nurses were so surprised how quickly I recovered. I was ready to go home that day! This was my smallest baby of 8 pounds and 4 ounces."

Conditions Improved By Yoga, Self Reported – from “Yoga As Medicine” Book by Timothy McCall, M.D.

2009-06-01T09:43:00.000-05:00

As I am getting deeper and deeper into one of the books that we are to read for the YogaFit Therapy course, I am amazed at all the benefits of a regular yoga practice can do for folks. And I’m a yoga teacher. (The more you teach yoga, it seems the more you want to know….and need to know!)

Please read on for more information about “Yoga as Medicine” by Timothy McCall, M.D. at http://www.drmccall.com/ ~Gail Pickens-Barger, E-RYT.

Yoga appears to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of health conditions. In Timothy McCall, M.D. Book, “Yoga As Medicine”, he goes on to say: We’ll be reviewing the scientific evidence later but, for now, let’s see what people who’ve tried therapeutic yoga have to say. In 1983 – 84, the London-based Yoga Biomedical Trust, run by Robin Monro, PhD, surveyed twenty-seven hundred (2,700) people, most between the ages of thirty-one and sixty, who used yoga therapeutically. To be included, participants had to have practiced yoga for at least two hours a week for a year or longer.

Though the number of people with some of the conditions in question was small, the results (see the table below, and in Dr. McCall’s book, Table 1.1) were impressive:

98 percent of back-pain sufferers found yoga helpful
90 percent of cancer patients
82 percent of people with insomnia
and 100 percent of alcoholics

The lowest success rate in the survey was for women with “menstrual problems,” two out of three of whom found that yoga helped.

Table 1.1 Conditions Improved by Yoga, Self-Reported

Medical Condition    Number of         Percentage Helped
                  People Reporting       By Yoga

Alcoholism               24                   100%
Anxiety                 838                    94%
Arthritis &
Rheumatic Disorders     589                    90%
Asthma or Bronchitis    226                    88%
Back Disorders        1,142                    98%
Cancer                   29                    90%
Diabetes                 10                    80%
Duodenal Ulcers          40                    90%
Heart Disease            50                    94%
Hemorrhoids             391                    88%
High Blood Pressure     150                    84%
Insomnia                542                    82%
Menopausal Disorders    247                    83%
Menstrual Problems      317                    68%
Migraine                464                    80%
Neurological &
Neuromuscular Diseases  112                    96%
Obesity                 240                    74%
Premenstrual Syndrome   848                    77%
Smoking                 219                    74%

Source: The Yoga Biomedical Trust, London

Imagine how much you’d be hearing about a new drug that could accomplish even a fraction of this. Nevertheless, (it is Dr. Timothy McCall’s) it’s my experience that few in the medical community or the general public have any conception of what yoga has to offer. Part of the problem, I’m convinced, is that many people who could benefit from yoga shy away due to misconceptions about what it is and isn’t, or who can do it and who shouldn’t.

Those subjects to be addressed in a different post.

Prenatal Yoga Use of Birth Balls in Pregnancy and Labor

2009-05-01T09:41:00.000-05:00

Prenatal Yoga use of Birth Balls in Pregnancy and during Labor.

Here are some excellent resources for you to have on hand and to practice while pregnant, and to use in easing your labor pains.

Birth Balls. Use of Physical Therapy Balls in Maternity Care by Paulina G. (Polly) Perez, R.N.

Great Expectations Pregnancy Program with FitBall by Lisa Westlake (1/2 price on VHS tapes right now), Mother of two, Physiotherapist and Australian Fitness Leader

Carolyne Anthony's Childbearing series - Using the ball during pregnancy DVD

Exercising during pregnancy with the "Gymnic-Plus" ball. (in Italian and English)

I used these resource to help supplement my prenatal yoga practice, and the prenatal yoga classes that I taught, during my fourth pregnancy in my late forties. Also used the yoga poses on the ball and otherwise during labor to help me through my induced contractions. It works!

Any Questions? Please post a comment!

What My Booth Looked Like At the Health Fair

2009-04-02T17:00:00.001-05:00

So here is what my booth looked like at the Health Fair. I stood out in front of the booth, in the yoga mat area and talked to folks about yoga, gave out information, had people enter the yoga giveaways, get a snack (very popular), and demonstrated poses. It worked out very well.

I used some of my materials from my scrapbook days (sizzlets alphabets), and corner rounders for the photos. Had my students write up testimonials and showed a vinyasa of easing upper and lower back pain from RestoraFlow Yoga creator, Sara Varona. Passed out information from YogaFit too!

Additionally, I took my YogaFit Kids cards, and displayed a Sun Salutation, as I thought that people might ask about kids yoga that way (yeah, they did).

I did giveaways for yoga mats, private lessons, free classes and a 3 month family membership to the local YMCA (thanks Port Arthur YMCA!!).

SinuCleanse "Neti-Pot" on sale this week!

2009-03-22T12:06:00.001-05:00

This week at Walgreen's until Saturday night March 28th, 2009. The SinuCleanse Nasal Wash Kit is $5 off. If you were thinking of acquiring a "Neti-Pot" system, go and get this. Nice, because you can put it into the dishwasher to clean, if you want. I like this specific system, well, because it was the first and only one I've purchased.

It was advertised last year or so in Yoga Journal, and other Yoga magazines.

I like it that they include the little salt to go with it!

p.s. use lukewarm water, try n0t to shock your nose with cold or super warm water!

gaileee

Round Yoga Mat Review

2009-03-21T22:06:00.001-05:00

So I received my Lululemon 360 round yoga mat this weekend.

I reviewed and did Jennifer Wolfe's Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga Short Forms DVD, using the round yoga mat. I did the 15 minute option. I found that when we did the down dog, then bringing the thumbs together, then bring the foot to the outside of the hands, of course there is more room on the yoga mat to do this. That was nice.

Now, I'm 5 foot 10 inches, so rather long legs and torso. This mat for me is not long enough. My little tootsies are off the mat, when we go into extended childs pose, and I have a wobbly knee, so I need a bit more thickness. I typically use a towel, under the one knee, but for me, that is a bit hard to manage on the round mat. I don't know why.

So last night I took it to my Christian Yoga class. We typically set up in the "Great Room" (basketball court type of room, concrete), and I'm in the middle. Wow, now that worked out well for me to teach to the whole room. I was able to seamlessly move about on my mat, and eventually "work" the entire room in this circle format.

I took the round mat to my class today, and this is set up to where there is a raised area, where the instructor teaches from, and uses a microphone. I decided to try to get the folks to let me be in the center, which is not the typically the way that this crowd is used to. I wanted the top ends of the mat to face the circle (like petals on the flower), but one wanted to be in the same direction as, I as she has to see what I'm doing, and apparently cannot hear me, even with the microphone. So, that is something for me to absorb and use in change the manner in which I teach.

Next time I'll use the round mat, on the raised platform, and see how it works. I'd love a BIGGER round mat, and thicker, but I can't pay that high price to get to that level (unless y'all want me to review a BIGGER Thicker mat!)

Round Mat, I think is good for teachers!!

Yoga Poses to Ease Upper & Lower Back Pain

2009-03-20T22:08:00.000-05:00

Benefits of Yoga

2009-03-19T22:07:00.000-05:00

Yoga Testimonials for Gaileee, E-RYT

2009-03-18T22:10:00.000-05:00

Health Benefits of Meditation.....and Breathing....

2009-02-01T10:16:00.000-06:00

Though meditation is usually recognized as a largely spiritual practice, it also has many health benefits. The yoga and meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in reversal of mental illnesses, in accelerated learning programs, in perceptions and communications beyond the physical, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems. Some benefits of meditation are:

	It reduces oxygen consumption.
	It decreases respiratory rate.
	It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
	Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients.
	Leads to a deeper level of relaxation.
	Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the B.P. to normal.
	Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
	Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
	Builds self-confidence.
	It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
	Helps in chronic diseases like allergies , arthritis etc.
	Reduces Pre - menstrual Syndrome.
	Helps in post-operative healing.
	Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of 'natural-killer cells', which kill bacteria and cancer cells.
	Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress.

Are there advantages in yoga for pregnant women?

2009-01-10T16:42:00.001-06:00

Are There Advantages In Yoga For Pregnant Women

Fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, tenderness, swelling, cravings, constipation, cramps, headaches. Pregnancy can really get you down. However, many women are turning to yoga for the duration of their pregnancies to alleviate many of the unfortunate symptoms, for keeping excess weight off during those trying months and to provide their babies with the healthiest possible start.

Pregnant women practice yoga for physical benefits. For instance, yoga practice can teach techniques that will be helpful during labor, such as breathing and relieving tension around the cervix and birth canal. Additionally, prenatal physicians recommend combining a light cardiovascular exercise (like walking) with a relaxing, muscle-toning exercise (like yoga) to maintain your physique, in spite of the intense cravings and normal weight gain associated with pregnancy.

Other pregnant women practice yoga for mental benefits. For one, it can be a great support to meet other women going through the same thing you are. Also, there is much emphasis on focusing on the moment and deriving happiness from each and every day, which can be vital when your hormones are out of whack. Yoga has been known to stimulate beta-endorphins, which also brings comfort and a sense of relief.

Yoga for pregnancy improves circulation, leg strength and increases energy. Sitting and standing positions are the most recommended, with pressure put on the shoulders and back, rather than the abdomen.

Yoga videos can be previewed at YouTube.com — or you can read user reviews on Amazon.com as well. There are many options featuring yoga for pregnant women, so it’s all a matter of your personal preference regarding setting, instructor, technique and comfort. Some focus more on emotional benefits, whereas others are designed to help strengthen muscles. You may also want to look into communal yoga classes at Yoga.com. Either way, this is a special time to bond with your baby — don’t pass this up!

It may surprise you to learn that Yoga dates back to 3300-1700 B.C.E. and has long been a practice of Buddhists, Hindus and other Eastern religions. But what should not be surprising the tremendous benefits that this form of exercise and meditation can bring to your life. Working professionals, students, home-makers and the retired alike are finding how wonderful they feel after participating. The sense of calm that prevails as well as the satisfaction of muscles well worked all make Yoga the perfect blend of philosophy, religion and exercise. Even if you do not practice the spiritual aspects of this ancient practice, you can still benefit.

Original article can be found at: http://broadcastarchives.net/health-blog/?p=146

Gestational Diabetes - Prenatal Yoga - Walking

2009-01-10T16:38:00.000-06:00

Did I mention that I tested positive for Gestational Diabetes at 28 weeks?

Hoo Boy! I had earlier in my pregnancy went to the diabetes nutritionist, so I had an idea about the small meals all days long, count the carbs, etc.

But, now it was serious! No way did I want the doc to have an excuse to do a C-Section.

My fingers sure did get sore for those last weeks in pregnancy. I tested when I got up.

I tested after breakfast.

I tested after snack.

I tested after lunch.

I tested after snack.

I tested after dinner/supper.

and yes,

I tested after my last snack.

I did really well actually, in writing everything (yes, everything) down that I ate, the carb count etc. Whenever my blood sugars got above 160, I had to go and walk for 20 minutes, retest, and if they didn't go down, call the doctor. My blood sugars always went down.

Well, let me tell you, that 20 minutes of being either outside walking around in my backyard/neighboorhood or on the treadmill really did the trick.

I taught yoga4 times a week by then, too, and I'd go in on my days that I didn't teach, and get on the recumbent bike, and then go the mats, and do more yoga stretching. I really felt strong and in control of what was going on.

Doctor said, he wished his younger patients, would get serious and take care of their health like I did at the "Advance Maternal Age" of 46!

Course he said that I had 1/3 chance of getting diabetes later in life, since I had it while pregnant, so I needed to be retested within 6 weeks, and then on a regular basis after that.

So, little Grace turned out to be the smallest baby, that I had ever had. Only 8 lbs 4 ozs. After I got to 10 cm, she was the quickest to come out.....4 pushes! The birth ball, the breathing, the redirection of sense through Yoga and Bradley Childbirth techniques really works.....even though I had to be induced....no pain meds....quick recovery too....

gaileee

p.s. Be sure to ask your doc/midwife for a referral to a diabetes nutritionist. Often a hospital around you will have one, and even if you have to pay for this yourself, it is information worth having!

Prenatal Yoga Site and UPdate to Beth Shaw's Book!

2009-01-10T16:37:00.000-06:00

Howdy!
Here is a site to look at for some prenatal poses.
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/fitness/prenatal-yoga-workout/

The pose cards you can also purchase on amazon dot com. I have a copy of those,
and they are great!

New Year Greetings!!!

p.s.
Beth Shaw has her new book out!
Here is the scoop!

Famed YogaFit® Principles Outlined in Updated Book

Eight years after the release of the first edition of Beth Shaw's YogaFit, the woman responsible for the trademark combination of cardiorespiratory exercise and yoga poses brings more detailed instruction and content to the unique book. The new edition of Beth Shaw's YogaFit (Human Kinetics, 2009) expands on YogaFit's methods, providing a total-body workout that emphasizes strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness.

Champaign, IL (PRWEB) January 1, 2009 -- Eight years after the release of the first edition of Beth Shaw's YogaFit, the woman responsible for the trademark combination of cardiorespiratory exercise and yoga poses brings more detailed instruction and content to the unique book. The new edition of Beth Shaw's YogaFit (Human Kinetics, 2009) expands on YogaFit's methods, providing a total-body workout that emphasizes strength, flexibility, and aerobic fitness.

Beth Shaw founded YogaFit in 1994, creating a program that addressed the difficulties yoga faced in the health club setting--bright lights, cold rooms, and clients of various sizes and fitness and flexibility levels. Since its inception, YogaFit has trained more than 75,000 fitness professionals and yoga instructors at facilities in the United States and Europe, and it has been integral to yoga's adoption in health club and spa programs throughout the world.

Shaw highlights YogaFit's immediate popularity among Americans who might be intimidated by conventional yoga. "While traditional yoga has much to offer, it isn't necessary to speak Sanskrit, chant, or even become vegetarian to enjoy the multidimensional benefits of this ancient practice," she explains. "Nor do you have to be flexible or familiar with any aspect of yoga. YogaFit will enrich your exercise program and your ability to enjoy life."

Beth Shaw's YogaFit, Second Edition, has been updated to include more in-depth instruction, illustrated poses, and focused workouts. Shaw also provides new information on warming up and cooling down, building core strength and stability, eating healthfully, and integrating YogaFit principles into daily life.

YogaFit promotes living a balanced life and is active in giving back to the community through outreach programs from their corporate headquarters and partner studios. To gain a certificate of completion, participants in the YogaFit Teacher Training must donate eight classes to a group of people who normally would not have the opportunity to take yoga.
For more information on Beth Shaw's YogaFit or other fitness books, visit http://www.humankinetics.com/ or call 1-800-747-4457. (Actually go to her website at http://YogaFit.com/ and order....thats an order!! (LOL))

About the author:Beth Shaw, president and founder of YogaFit Training Systems Worldwide, Inc., is recognized throughout the United States and Europe as one of the leading experts in fitness today. She also stars in her own exercise video, Beth Shaw's YogaFit Workout.
Her accomplishments don't stop there. She is also an award-winning producer of YogaFit TV and a recipient of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award. She has been published in numerous consumer and fitness publications, including Shape, Athletic Business, Fitness, Yoga Journal, CBI, Fitness Product News, Recreation Resources, IDEA Today, and LA Parent.

With 15 years of experience in fitness training and 11 years of yoga practice, Shaw has received teacher certifications from Yoga White Lotus Foundation, Integrative Yoga Therapy Association, Institute of Psycho-Structural Balancing, and Reebok University. She has also completed course work in the UCLA Fitness Instructors Certification Program. She also holds a bachelor of science degree in health marketing from Long Island University.

Shaw founded YogaFit in 1994 and opened her own signature studio in Hermosa Beach, California, in 1998. Her studio currently serves more than 2,000 students a month. Offering an ACE-, AFAA-, and IHRSA-approved teacher training and certification program, YogaFit has trained more than 50,000 fitness instructors from the United States and Europe.
When not teaching and lecturing internationally, Shaw enjoys reading and taking long bike rides along the beach. She resides in Redondo Beach, California.

CONTENTS
Part I Preparing to Be YogaFit
Chapter 1 YogaFit Essentials
Chapter 2 YogaFit Breathing
Chapter 3 The YogaFit Lifestyle
Chapter 4 Warming Up and Cooling Down
Part II Purposeful Poses
Chapter 5 Core Stability and Strength
Chapter 6 Standing and Balancing Poses
Chapter 7 Forward and Backward Bends
Chapter 8 Twists
Chapter 9 Deep Relaxing Stretches and Inversions
Part III Putting It All Together
Chapter 10 Workouts for Fitness and Sports
Chapter 11 Diet

Successfull Stress Management Techniques by Beth Shaw, Founder of YogaFit

2008-10-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

Beth Shaw is the founder and President of YogaFit International Training Systems, Inc. YogaFit is where I received my Yoga teacher training.

Successful Stress Management Techniques
by Beth Shaw

Stress Management means basically, learning how to manage stress, by witnessing it, and releasing it. Stress management, is simply, a daily process of letting go ( letting go of tension stored in the body / mind. Without this letting go process, we become candidates for ulcers, heart attacks, migraines and premature aging. All known to be caused by stress. Stress Management techniques, allow us to discover and experience, how, we hold emotions, thoughts and experiences in out bodies. Exercises will offer us the opportunity, to tune into different moods, feelings, attitudes, and states of consciousness beside the low-grade stress levels, most people in our society, operate under. In our busy information society, we are constantly bombarded by external stimuli. A good stress management program, can help tune out the exterior world, and allow the participant to drop inside their bodies, and find a place of stillness. Some techniques that aid in this process, are deep breathing, extended stretching, and body scanning – all done in a quiet, warm room, with soft music playing, or simply, the relaxing sound of one’s own, deep breathing. We learn to increase the probability of desired moods, and feelings through our heightened self – awareness, while simultaneously decreasing negative states of anxiety. Excess of stress can also result in an extended period “flight or fight syndrome” which over time can drain the adrenal glands. Participants in a stress management program gain a powerful awareness of how to positively influence health, reactions, feelings and response. A good mind/body class can give clients the tools they can use for the rest of their lives.

Yoga is the 6,000 year old secret to health and vitality. Yoga can be considered technology for getting back in touch with our true essence and ourselves. It is a way of remembering the health and wholeness that is our natural state of being. Yoga, when broken down to its most simple form is breathing and feeling. Through this breathing and feeling we learn to control our reactions to events and people. It is not the events and people in our lives that give us stress but the way we react to them. What makes yoga unique in terms of stress reduction is in its multifaceted approach. By working at the physical and psychological levels concurrently, yoga reduces stress at each level and this reduction in stress is supported by the work done at other levels. Yoga postures combined with deep breathing facilitate deep relaxation that combats stress.

Physically - Yoga massages the skeletal system which supports bone mass and growth while taking the stress away from the supporting muscles and tendons. Yoga mechanically removes tension from the muscles through stretching. The steady even yoga breathing reduces stress levels in the body. Stress response, is accompanied by rapid, shallow breathing., Yoga encouraged deep diaphragmatic breathing activating a relaxation response. Yoga also massages the internal organs reducing high blood pressure, stress in the cardiovascular system at the level of the heart, arteries and blood. The nerves are massaged and stretched through yoga, conducting messages; throughout the body.

Emotionally the body believes what the mind believes. Affirmations about peace, calm, and tranquility, along with positive imagery are conveyed to the nervous system. Yoga brings greater relationship with others, life, and us. As we begin to explore these relationships more, we see which interactions genuinely support us in moving towards calmness. As we become more relaxed through yoga and stress management classes, we release addictive behaviors, which are often used to relieve stress. Yoga brings awareness to the emotional blocks that limit our experience of life. Our perception of life has been conditioned by our experiences and sometimes we close ourselves off from feelings and emotions. Through yoga we learn to bring awareness to all parts of ourselves with the understanding that through integration, we come to a natural place of balance. Many of our stressful habit patterns are conditioned. Yoga teaches a whole set of patterns which are helpful in reducing stress.
Posted by Yoga with Gaileee, E-RYT at 7:07 PM
Labels: Beth Shaw, Reduce Stress, Stress Management Techniques, Stress Reduction, Yoga for Stress Reduction

Improving Mind, Body & Spirit - FYI 2008 Beaumont Enterprise Article by Cheryl Rose

2008-10-04T10:53:00.000-05:00

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Improving mind, body & spirit by Cheryl Rose

All over the Golden Triangle, people are concentrating on their breath - in through the nose, out through the mouth, attempting to shut out the many distractions of the day. "Remember, this is your time," Pilates instructor Josie Yearwood tells her class at the Wilton P. Hebert Health and Wellness Center, as participants sit on mats, eyes closed, concentrating on breathing while soft music plays in the background. "This is where you are right now."

The members of the class represent an exploding interest in the low-impact exercise benefits of Pilates and yoga. Both forms of exercise are in hot demand at fitness centers today.

Peyton Jones, group fitness supervisor at the Wilton P. Hebert Health and Wellness Center, said the Center began offering Pilates and yoga classes about six years ago. They now offer nine yoga classes, 10 Pilates classes and three hybrid classes weekly with seven instructors. Open for four years now, Beaumont Power Yoga offers more than 20 classes a week of yoga and Pilates with five different instructors.

Both yoga and Pilates emphasize breath control and mental concentration. Both increase flexibility, decrease stress, improve balance, and tone the muscles. For some people, the benefits can include lowered blood pressure, increased range of motion, balance, muscular strength and even weight loss.

Ana Christensen, a Lamar University associate professor of biology and practioner of both yoga and Pilates over the years, said that she believes both disciplines have personal benefits.

"Both are good for flexibility and increasing muscle strength without having to do weights. Both are easier on my joints and I can still get a good workout, " she said. "I used to do a lot of step aerobics, but I had to give it up because iw was hard on my knee and hip joints. I don't have as much of a problem since I have been doing the Pilates. I feel much better after a class."

Though attracting a lot of recent interest, yoga has been practiced for thousands of years in India. The practice of yoga has spiritual and religious roots. A purpose of studying yoga was to prepare and strengthen the body for long stretches of meditation, sitting completely still, undistracted by the needs of the body. Even in modern yoga classes, there is often a holistic approach to the exercise, attempting to create balance in mind-body-spirit development.

American interest first developed in the 1960s. In the last decade, interest in mind-body exercise has led to a fusing or mainstreaming of yoga routines and postures in the exercise community. "Yoga" is a general term covering a variety of different styles that emphasize specific goals. For example, there is Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini and Bikram yoga. The most common practice of yoga in fitness centers is Hatha yoga. The two basic components of Hatha yoga are proper breathing and postures, exercises that stretch the body.

Port Neches resident Gail Pickens-Barger is an E-RYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher), a certification that requires 1,000 hours of teacher training. (Correction, after you have received your 200 Teacher Training, you have to teach 1,000 hours of classes to be classified as an "Experienced" teacher.)

"It (yoga) can help you lose weight, help you reduce your stress, increase your flexibility - which is important to a lot of people - and it kind of sneaks in and helps you build your strength as well," she said.

Pickens-Barger teaches yoga classes at both the Port Arthur YMCA and Wesley United Methodist Church in Nederland. She said that her students often have health issues, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia that have caused them to look to yoga as an alternative health strategy.

"Some people are coming because their doctors have recommended it or because they've read about it in the media, " she said. "There are a lot of people who come to yoga for back pain or limited range of motion. Yoga has moved over to the range of the therapeutic, rather than strengthening the core like Pilates."

Pilates is much more modern invention, and purely secular in purpose. "Pilates" is an abbreviated form of the "Pilates Method," taking its name from its creator, Joseph Pilates. Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He was a sickly child, and worked hard to overcome his early frailty. He pursued many sports, including diving, gymnastics and skiing. He developed a system of exercises emphasizing focused breathing, core abdominal strength and stretching.

In 1912, Pilates was working in England as a self-defense instructor for Scotland Yard detectives when the First World War began. As a German citizen in England in wartime, Pilates was sent to an internment camp. During his time in the camp, Pilates refined his exercise methods and routines, training his fellow internees.

Pilates immigrated to the United States in 1923. he met his wife, Clara, on the voyage to America. Together they opened a fitness studio right beside the New York City Ballet. Over the years, his exercise regime became popular with dancers and other celebrities. Some of Pilates' students became teachers in turn, and propagated the exercise method with studios around the country. Joseph Pilates died at age 97 in 1967. An estimated 12 million people worldwide practice Pilates today.

For many years, only professional athletes and dancers had access to Pilates instruction. Yearwood credits fitness celebrity Mari Winsor and her series of DVDs with helping ignite broader public interest in the established method.

"People are attracted by the idea of having a long, lean, strong, flexible body without bulk. Ideally, you are already in good shape an you just need more core strength or flexibility," Yearwood said. "If someone's only goal was to lose weight, I wouldn't put them in a Pilates class. If they were trying to gain strength and flexibility, I would definitely have them do it."

There are several different schools of thought on how Pilates should be taught, Yearwood said. There isn't one, standardized way to teach or learn Pilates. Yearwood's classes feature soft music, soft voices and instructor participation in the exercises. She often ends her classes with a guided meditation. However, not all teachers would use this style. "If you were in a gym in New York, there would be no music, they might talk to you like a drill instructor."

Jones, also a certified Pilates instructor, said for best results, consistency is important. Participants should strive to do Pilates at least four times a week.

"The results do not come quickly, unlike some TV infomercials would have you believe", she said. "Joseph Pilates said you will feel better after 10 sessions and look better after 20. I really saw great results after six months of consistent work. It was the only method that worked to get my body back in pre-baby shape."

Yoga and Pilates work really well together," said Yearwood, who is certified to teach both disciplines. "Yoga strengthens all the major muscle groups like arms, legs, back. Pilates is strictly core work, so when you put them together, they balance each other very well." Jones agreed.

"Yoga is going to stretch your mind and body in new, interesting ways. Keeping the body flexible is extremely important as we age and it prevents injury at any age," she said. "Pilates is great for core work and cross training. I love weights and cardio, too, and I personally believe we all need a balance. I will never give up my Pilates sessions though. Pilates is a lifelong exercise regime and it keeps my body fit. My body feels the difference when a week goes by with Pilates."

Christensen, who tries to do yoga or Pilates three to four times a week, said the exercises help her to focus.

"Both are good stress relievers and a time to focus on me, not everything else I have to do," she said. "It is good 'me' time, nothing else matters except what you are doing right then."

Anyone seeking to begin yoga or Pilates should look for a qualified instructor.

"If the instructor has 200 hours of training, that seems to be the new standard for qualification as a yoga instructor," Pickens-Barger said.

Jones said there is no registered trademark for the Pilates name.

"Anyone can hand a shingle stating he or she is teaching Pilates," she said. "There is no governing body."

She advised investigating an instructor's credentials. Preferably, an instructor should have completed a 400 to 800 hour teacher training program. Jones said that DVDs can be useful for workouts at home, but cautions that an experienced teacher particularly for a beginner, is important.

"Home videos and personal workouts are terrific if you have spent considerable time in a class with a qualified instructor," she said. "I started learning what I thought was Pilates at home with a video. When I started going to actual classes with an instructor it was a totally different experience. It is too easy to power through and use the wrong muscles when you are at home. The video cannot correct your form or tell you how to breathe during the workout,"

Finding and affording a class in either yoga or Pilates should not be a daunting task. Many area gyms and fitness centers provide a variety of class times included in their membership. There are also personal trainers who specialize in the disciplines, or who can fuse yoga and Pilates moves into an overall exercise regimen. At least one fitness center, Beaumont Power Yoga , works on a package system, allowing you to purchase by the class or by the month, with special prices and offers for beginners. There are also instructors offering free or donation classes in area churches and other settings.

Pickens-Barger offers such a class at her church.

"I always wanted to teach at a church," she said. "Half the money that is donated toes to building playground equipment at the church and the other half goes to my professional fess and insurance. Sometimes I'll ask them to bring food donations instead to support various missions."

In both disciplines, area instructors are teaching to various levels of experience. Pickens-Barger said that she can manage by offering several modifications for all the stretches and poses to accommodate varying levels of abilities in a class.

"We try to keep it between the 'easy' and the 'ouch'", she said. "It's about what fits best for your body at that moment in time and it can change."

Are you ready to try some mind-body exercise? Sit up straight and take a deeper breath than you normally do. Hold it for a second or two, and then let your breathe out with a sigh. Now do it again, with your eyes closed. Take a deeper breath than before. Hold it for a moment or tow and just...let....it....go.

Regular Yoga Practice May Help Prevent Middle-Age Spread

2008-09-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Take a look at this link about the weight loss/yoga connection.

http://livingleanofiowa.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/08/could-yoga-hold-the-key-to-weight-loss.html

Regular Yoga Practice May Help Prevent Middle-Age Spread

Study suggests overweight people may benefit most from yoga's fat-fighting potential

SEATTLE — July 18, 2005 — A new study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that regular yoga practice may help prevent middle-age spread in normal-weight people and may promote weight loss in those who are overweight.

The study — the first of its kind to measure the effects of yoga on weight — appears in the July/August issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.

Funded by the National Cancer Institute, the study involved 15,500 healthy, middle-aged men and women who were asked to complete a written survey recalling their physical activity (including yoga) and weight history between the ages 45 and 55. The study measured the impact of yoga with weight change, independent of other factors such as diet or other types of physical activity.

The researchers found that between the ages of 45 and 55, most people gained about a pound a year, which is a common pattern as people age and do not adjust their caloric intake to their declining energy needs. "However, men and women who were of normal weight at age 45 and regularly practiced yoga gained about 3 fewer pounds during that 10-year period than those who didn't practice yoga," said Alan R. Kristal, Dr.P.H., the study's lead author. For the study, regular yoga practice was defined as practicing at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years.

But the researchers noted the greatest effect of regular yoga practice was among people who were overweight. "Men and women who were overweight and practiced yoga lost about 5 pounds, while those who did not practice yoga gained about 14 pounds in that 10-year period," said Kristal, a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine.

What accounts for yoga's apparent fat-fighting potential? Kristal, himself a longtime yoga student, suspects it has more to do with increased body awareness than the physical activity itself.

"During a very vigorous yoga practice you can burn enough calories to lose weight, but most people don't practice that kind of yoga," he said. "From my experience, I think it has to do with the way that yoga makes you more aware of your body. So when you've eaten enough food, you're sensitive to the feeling of being full, and this makes it much easier to stop eating before you've eaten too much."

Study co-author Denise Benitez, owner of Seattle Yoga Arts, agrees. "Most people practice yoga in a way that's not aerobic enough to burn a lot of calories, so it has to be some other reason."

One reason, she speculates, could be that yoga cultivates a form of gentle inner strength. "When we practice yoga, although it may look easy, there is some mild discomfort. You bring your body to a physical edge that's just a little bit challenging. And people who regularly practice yoga develop the inner resources to stay with a little bit of discomfort. They develop a softness inside and an ability to stay mindful. So that when you go home after yoga class and open up the fridge and see a chocolate cake, you have the resources to stay with the discomfort of not eating that chocolate cake."

Whatever the reason behind the apparent impact of yoga on weight maintenance and loss, Kristal stresses that these findings need to be replicated.

"I think it's time now to do a carefully controlled, randomized clinical trial to see if adding yoga to a standard weight-loss program can help people lose more weight or keep it off longer. The other message, particularly to people who might be overweight, is that yoga is a noncompetitive activity. It's something that everybody can do. It brings so many benefits, and if one of the clinical benefits is that it can help you control your weight, then that's a great thing."

The participants in the yoga study were part of a larger ongoing Hutchinson Center study involving more than 75,000 residents of western Washington called the Vitamins and Lifestyle, or VITAL, study. This $4.2 million project, which began in 2000, aims to determine whether vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements reduce the risk of cancer.

Yoga Tips That May Encourage Weight Maintenance or Loss

Study co-author and yoga teacher Denise Benitez, owner of Seattle Yoga Arts, offers the following suggestions for enhancing one's yoga practice. These tips may be particularly helpful for those who wish to maintain or lose weight:

Practice in a room without mirrors, and pay more attention to your internal experience than to your outer performance.
Learn to feel sensations more and more subtly, so that you become deeply involved in and curious about small movements, sometimes called micro-movements.
In your poses, find an edge for yourself where you are challenged but not overwhelmed. At this edge, practice maintaining a clear, open and accepting mental state.
Give yourself permission to rest when you feel overworked.
Pay close attention to what you are saying to yourself as you practice, and make an intentional effort to appreciate your own efforts and innate goodness.
Go to class faithfully, arrive early, and talk to a few people in your class before class begins.
Buy your own yoga mat and bring it to class.
Realize that the development of qualities like patience, discipline, wisdom, right effort, kindness, gratitude and many others will arise from your yoga practice. These qualities create a steady and soft mind.
Find a teacher who offers a balance of gentleness and firmness and whose teaching inspires you to practice from your highest self.
Recognize that simply attending class is a major statement of courage, self-care, and positive momentum. Realize that you are inspiring others as you become more true to your deepest desires.

Instant Stress Eraser...

2008-07-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

The economy is in the dumps. Gas prices continue to shoot upwards. Your kids may be off from school and driving you up the wall.

It's summer. It used to be vacation time. If only you can take a vacation from stress.

Now you can. Right now while you read this post.

Sit up straight and take a deeper breathe than you normally do. Hold it for a second or two, and let the air out with a sigh. Go ahead. No one will notice.

Now, do it again. Take a deeper breathe than before. Hold it for a moment or two and just... let ... it ... go.

Most people tend to breathe very shallow in their chest. Shallow breathing promotes stress and tension. Deep breathing melts it away.

In a few minutes of deep breathing, you can actually eliminate all stress and tension, lower your blood pressure, and instantly gain a lot more positive attitude.

My name is Gail Pickens-Barger and I teach yoga in Nederland, Texas. Forget what you've heard about yoga. You do not have to twist yourself into a pretzel to do yoga. It's for everyone. Whether you are in shape or not.

And the benefits are immediate.

It's summer so this is the best time to get started eliminating your stress with yoga.

Come to my Monday night Yoga Class at 7 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church and I'll show you some simple techniques that will eliminate your stress. And with continued yoga practice, your stress will be gone for good.

Come visit my website at http://www.yogawithgaileee.com/ or pick up the phone and call me at 409-727-3177.

Discover Secrets To Looking Great This Summer

2008-06-16T16:21:00.001-05:00

This is the time of year when everywhere you look you see images of sleek, toned bodies.

It’s also a time when many feel the pressure to resort to crash diets, hoping to fit into a smaller swimsuit size in a few weeks’ time.

It’s also no surprise that weight-loss centers offer specials during the summer months and magazines tout diets that promise losses of 10, 15, and even 20 pounds in less than a month’s time.

Unfortunately, quick-fix and fad diets come with a painful price tag. Only 12% of Americans who lose weight on a crash diet maintain the weight loss for one year.

The rest - 88% - not only gain back the weight much sooner, but many gain back even more than they lost.

The biggest loss that crash diets actually produce is loss of morale. After gaining weight back, demoralized dieters, feeling like failures, abandon all hopes of ever reaching a weight that they can feel healthy and happy about.

Nutrition and medical experts have come down hard on crash diets for these very reasons. Diets can’t produce long-term results because they focus solely on short-term success.

They force you to think about - even count - every bite you eat instead of helping to change the way you think about food. Eating habits are deeply ingrained in our subconscious mind.

Without changing these habits, dieters fall into the same traps of cravings, binging, and emotional eating over and over again.

The reason that so many people resort to crash diets every summer is that there seems to be no other way. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case. Many health professionals, looking for a safe, effective, alternative to diets, have begun recommending a completely different way to lose weight. This revolutionary, anti-diet approach that’s already helped thousands of people lose weight successfully - permanently - is yoga.

What is Tiger's Secret?

2008-05-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

This year, the biggest question in the golf world is, "Can anyone catch up to Tiger Woods?" Hot on his train for years had been Vijay Singh.

Did you know these two top golfers have something in common? They practice yoga.

It helps them be more flexible, have a fluid smooth swing, and helps them build up energy to hit the ball into the next zip code.

Most golfers have their hips locked, their shoulder are tight (or injured), and have problems with their back.

And let me tell you something you already know... It's affecting your golf game.

My name is Gail Pickens-Barger, E-RYT (Experienced - Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance) and I can help you get your body in shape for golf.

Working with me can help unlock parts of your body and you can add power to your swing.

One golfer who recently started yoga came with a torn rotator cuff and his physical therapist told him, "no more golf!" Instead of giving up the game he loved, he started to practice yoga. You would never know he had a torn rotator cuff. His shoulders are more powerful and he has increased his back swing and added nearly 50 yards to his drives.

Oh, he's also lost nearly 60 pounds. He's also been able to focus better under pressure which is how Tiger and Viyay manage to win so often.

If your golf game is suffering because of your body, maybe it's time to take action.

Warning: Golf yoga is not cheap. And it may take several sessions to help restore your body. At my first session, I'm going to assess (with your input) the condition of your body.

I'll show you some warm up moves you should do before you head out for your next round of golf and boy, will your buddies be surprised at what's happened to your game.

Most golfers notice results right away, and I expect that for you as well.

Pick up the phone and call me at 409-727-3177. Visit my website for more details.

I look forward to helping you beat your best score.

Lose Weight This New Year

2008-04-14T16:40:00.000-05:00

Studies show the average American gains 10 pounds from Thanksgiving through New Years.

Ten pounds of fat. What came on in a few weeks of partying may take you months to get rid of.

It’s why your clothing gets tighter and you have to inhale to get your pants to close.

But even people who watch their weight tend to gain weight during this period.

Why?

Because your eating is on automatic pilot. You’re at a party; you wisely avoid the cheesecakes and eggnog and reach for a handful of nuts (the healthy food you think). And you just keep eating.

Your body is programmed to store food. And as you get older, your metabolism slows.

You probably remember years ago you could probably eat ANYTHING and not gain weight. Not any more.

So you need to do something to get rid of the weight. And there’s no better time to start than right now.

But the secret to success isn’t lifting weights.

It’s not working out with another personal trainer.

It isn’t spending endless hours on a boring cardio machine.

The answer to your weight problems is thousands of years old. It’s yoga.

And now there’s scientific proof that yoga works for weight loss.

Many forms of yoga raise the heart rate into the aerobic range. But you don’t need to exert yourself to lose weight with yoga. Some studies show even gentle yoga and breathing techniques rev up your tired metabolism so you can lose weight.

A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle linked yoga and weight loss. This study of over 15,000 men and women showed people who did yoga lost weight while the control group gained weight.

Another study presented last year at the America Heart Association found yoga helped overweight high school students lose weight while the control group gained weight.

And the famed Dr. Dean Ornish encourages his patients to practice yoga to help ensure weight loss. When you do yoga and make it part of your lifestyle, you’ll soon discover it’s power for weight loss.

My name is Gail Pickens-Barger and I teach individual yoga lessons and group classes right here in the Golden Triangle Area.

It doesn’t matter how much stress you have in your life, yoga will help you get rid of it in a hurry.

You’ll feel more calm right away and with practice, you’ll extend that sense of calm into every minute of your day.

No, you don’t have to be in perfect shape to do yoga.

Yes, it will help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and add to your overall sense of being fit.

I invite you to pick up the phone and call me at 409-727-3177 to learn more about yoga. We’ll chat and go over your goals and you’ll be able to book your first session with me.

Warning: My schedule fills quickly so if you are serious about making a healthy change in your life, you’ll want to schedule with me right away.

I look forward to speaking with you.
409-727-3177

PS. If I’m in session with a client, leave me a message 409-727-3177 and I’ll get right back with you.

More Proof: The Secret To Melting Stress

2008-03-01T16:44:00.000-06:00

If you lead a stressful life, this could be the most important message you ever read.

If you’re experiencing too much stress in your life from your job, family or social life,
you can get rid of it for good without taking any pills or medications.

And it won’t take months for you to notice the difference – more like a few minutes.

Imagine going to stressful business meetings and staying cool, calm, and collected.

Or if there’s too much arguing going on at home, imagine it all just vanishing.

Stay tune for about a minute and I’ll prove this secret works – and it WILL work for you too.

When you perceive stress in your life, whether it’s an audit from the tax department or dealing with road rage, your
nervous system reacts immediately to a perceived threat.

Your blood pressure goes up, your heart beats faster, and you start to breathe more rapidly.

All of this happens in a few seconds and you may stay this way for a while.

In addition, you’ve probably seen the infomercials that cortisol rates go up when you are stressed. It’s true. Cortisol may cause stressed related eating as well.

There are nearly a dozen physical effects of stress including insomnia, fatigue, and lower productivity.

But all of these are easily erased when you pick up the phone and arrange for a one on one yoga session with me.

If you think you need to be in perfect shape to do yoga, you’re dead wrong. Any one of any age and in any physical condition can do yoga.

Forget the misconceptions; yoga will work to eliminate your stress. And it will be gone in minutes.

And with regular sessions, it will stay away permanently.

If you are ready for a stress free life, call me.

You don’t need to be in any particular shape or condition to do yoga. Your session will be a fun and effective way to eliminate stress.

Yoga will also slow down the effects of aging and can increase your strength, flexibility, and muscle mass.

You’ll increase your energy, stamina, over all health, and may even lose a bunch of weight in the process.

But the bottom line is, you’ll zap away your stress.

Pick up the phone and call me at 409-727-3177