yoga can help you stop work stress

the key to transforming your relationship to stress is to stop letting it overwhelm you. More and more people are discovering that mind-body practices such as yoga, qi gong, and meditation can be hugely helpful in shifting the way they react to stress.

So how do you shift your perceptions so you no longer feel like one big rubber band about to snap? That's where yoga and other mind-body approaches come in. Yoga teaches you to tune in to what your body is telling you and to act accordingly.

With practice, this awareness will spread into other areas of your life, including your work. As you learn to separate the urge to act from the reaction, you begin to find that something like a canceled meeting or having a last-minute project handed to you may not rattle you as much as it once did.

You can detect stressors—what Buddhists call the spark before the flame—earlier, then pause long enough to think, "Well, maybe I don't need to respond."
source: Yoga Journal

My tips:
Amidst your workday, if you feel overwhelmed, take a mini-yoga break. Get away from your desk. Breathe deep. Step outside, into the sunshine. Find something positive in your sightline to focus on. Move your spine - you can do this subtly if you're afraid colleages might find you crazy. Bend to the left and right. Fold forward, arch back. Twist your spine, gently, left and right. Do a few shoulder rolls forward and back. Return to work refreshed.

Keep attuned to your mind. If you feel stress creeping in, breathe deep. Remind yourself to live in the moment - stressing about the upcoming deadline or tasks is unproductive. Break down what needs to be done, and begin chipping away. Complaining or commiserating with coworkers is tempting, but that can lead you down a path of negativity. Stay positive. When life seems way too busy for yoga, that's when you need it the most. If you take an hour away for yoga, you will come back to your worklife recharged, centered, and you will work more effectively and productively. You might even have a new perspective. Great ideas and creativity can surface in your yoga practice, when your mind is relaxed.

yoga + weight loss

It's not high intensity, but a gentle yoga routine blasts fat as effectively as weight lifting does, says research represented at the American College of Sports Medicine's 2004 conference.

In one of the few studies that have compared these radically different exercise regimens, University of Pittsburgh researchers put 59 obese, inactive women, ages 25 to 55, on a low-fat diet. Everyone walked for 40 minutes 5 days a week; a third of the volunteers did additional strength-training exercises; and another third added a yoga routine 3 days a week.

After 4 months, the yoga devotees dropped an average of 27 pounds - the most!; the strength trainers whittled away 23; and the walking-only group lost 20. Study author Kara Gallagher, PhD, an exercise physiologist, warns that the differences aren't big enough to conclude that yoga is better than dumbbells. But it appears to be a soothing option with a surprising power to fend off excess pounds, equal or exceeding strength training with weights.

source: from Prevention.com

The yoga classes I teach have plenty of sun-salutations, which engages, flexes, and extends all of your major muscle groups. Additionally, you are consistently lifting your own body weight, building strength, burning calories. Many new students say, "I didn't think I'd sweat in yoga, but I sure did!" Yet, a yoga workout is much more gentle than doing reps in a harshly lit gym, pumping iron. I speak from experience - I've definitely put in gym time. But I must say, I never walked away from a session of lifting weights feeling as de-stressed, centered, and rejuvenated as I do with yoga. And that's all the difference in the world.

yoga class etiquette

are you honoring the etiquette of yoga classes? really, it makes for a more harmonious class for all involved if a few simple guidelines are observed:

1. remove your shoes

Many yoga studios have a place for your shoes by the front door. Since people will be walking around the studio barefoot, it is most hygienic if everyone takes off their outdoor shoes first thing.

2. turn off your cell phone

Make a habit of doing this as soon as you get to the yoga studio. You will be quite embarrassed if your phone rings during class.

3. arrive on time

Arrive at least 10 minutes before the class is scheduled to start. If you do arrive late, and students are in the beginning breathing/meditation exercise with eyes closed, wait until that segment is concluded, and then enter the studio.

4. respect the teacher

When you enter a yoga class, you sign on to respect the teacher for the next hour and a half. You may discover halfway through the class that you don't care for this teacher, style, or hour of the day. But you still should continue with the class, follow the teacher's instructions through the end of the class, and chalk it up to experience.

5. keep variations appropriate: respect the class.

Keep in mind the level of the class you are attending. If it is an advanced class and some of the poses are too hard, it is fine to take a more basic variation of the poses being taught. Usually the teacher will offer this option. If you are attending a basic class, stick to the basic versions of the poses so you don't confuse new students. The teacher will offer you the option to take a more advanced variation when appropriate.

6. go to the bathroom during resting poses

It is fine to leave class for a few minutes to go to the bathroom: There is no need to ask the teacher's permission. The best time to go is when there is a period of rest. You will not earn your teacher's respect if you routinely dodge out during difficult poses or skip part of savasana.

7. don't skip savasana!

Your final relaxation in savasana is an important part of your practice. Don't plan to leave class early. If you must, tell the teacher in advance and take a short Savasana before you go. Don't make a habit of this. It is disturbing to the other students. If it' s an open-ended savasana (students leave at will), be as quiet as possible getting up an d putting away your props/mat.

adventures in healthy eating : making your own yogurt

about a year ago i got the wild idea of making my own yogurt. i've loved yogurt since i was a kid, and recently i decided i didn't want all the preservatives and aspartame chemicals and what not in my yogurt.

after researching on the web, i bought the Salton YM9 1 Quart Yogurt maker. It's electric, you plug it in. You prep a mixture of milk and powdered milk to a high temperature and let it cool. You need a candy thermometer to make sure you hit the temperature marks. I use organic milk. Then, add 1/2cup of yogurt, with live and active cultures, to the milk mix as a starter. I've been using organic non-fat greek yogurt, which rocks. You put the yogurt/milk mix into the yogurt maker and let it "cook" for 6 - 9 hours, depending on how tart you like your yogurt. Then you refrigerate.

I haven't run the numbers, but i think it might be a money saver. I only buy a little of the best organic yogurt and use it to make a quart, and then use a 1/2 cup of that to make one more batch the next week. I am buying organic milk anyway for granolas, cooking, chai tea, etc.

Homemade yogurt may not have consistent texture throughout (compared to store bought), but i've never had a batch turn out terrible or inedible. It's always been tasty.

My version of the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurts, winter recipe:

• 2 handfuls organic frozen berry medley (from Trader Joe's) in a pyrex container, microwave till warm.
• add dollups of the homemade yogurt on top.
• if you need more sweetness, add honey* or a little sprinkle of brown sugar. or maple syrup.
  
• toss some slivered almonds on top
• sometimes i add a handful of my homemade granola (recipe to come soon)

* i'm currently using a bottle of Sourwood honey from Seven Sisters, in Coker Creek Tennessee. DC picks some up from a farm stand every year on his dirt bike trip to Tellico.

ready for a change?

just read a book this weekend: Changing Your Course: The 5-step Guide to Getting the Life You Want, by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. Recently I know many people, unemployed or underemployed, or just disillusioned with their chosen career path, and are exploring new options for a more fulfilling life. The Blanchards have successfully launched several small companies, always aligned with their passions and reflecting their priorities in life. This book is a quick read and contains practical motivation for pursuing your passion.

I'd like to share their 10 powerful promises to make to yourself every day:

1. i will do something i care about today, even if it's just for a short period of time.

2. i will be enthusiastic and full of energy.

3. i will find something i can do today to bring me closer to my goal.

4. i will follow my dream, no matter what. i will not let anyone discourage me.

5. i will accept what i cannot change.

6. i will make someone smile unexpectedly today.

7. i will make myself smile today.

8. i will give everything i do my best effort.

9. i will trust my instincts and follow my heart.

10. i will live what i love.

the book is available at booksellers anywhere, also check out the dynamic duo's website at livewhatyoulove.com

from my valentine

i have the most awesome valentine. this year, i got a car!
if you see a red vehicle with this bumper sticker, it's me.

Despite the tough economy,yoga classes are booming

CNN recently reported that despite the recession in America, people aren't dropping their yoga classes. In fact, even more people are turning yoga to relieve higher-than-ever stress levels, whether its career or money-related issues they're dealing with.

Yoga's positive effects on stress-reduction have been measured. Additionally, yogic breathing enhances a sense of calm, even outside the yoga studio. Stretching, balancing and strength building in a yoga class can elevate the heart rate, releasing those feel-good endorphins. The beauty of yoga is its dynamic effects : mentally and physically.

Read the CNN article "Recession relief: people are stretching for it"

releasing tension

Do you ever notice yourself holding the telephone or a steering wheel with a death grip, or scrunching your face, squinting your eyes when staring at a computer screen? Carrying a big handbag, briefcase, or computer bag on the same shoulder? Our unconscious habits can lead to chronic tension, muscle fatigue, and soreness in the wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and face, which can increase stress and make you feel depleted.

As you practice yoga, you begin to notice where you hold tension. It might be in your tongue, the muscles of your face and neck, or commonly, shoulders.If you simply tune in, you may be able to release some tension in those spots, leading to a more harmonious practice. In class, I often remind my students to melt the shoulderblades down the back, to relax shoulders away from the ears when arms are extended, and to soften and breathe rather than muscle through the more difficult poses. Then, as you move off the mat, remind yourself to soften and breathe into those areas in "real life."

hot hot hot yoga

i've always liked to explore different styles of yoga. when I was first getting hooked on yoga, my main teachers were a fantastic Iyengar teacher and also a great Vinyasa Flow teacher. I loved the alignment focus and detailed attention to poses that I got from my Iyengar teacher, and i totally appreciated the humor and the creativity of my Vinyasa Flow teacher.

My own teaching is a mishmosh of Vinyasa Flow, with a little Power Yoga woven in, with a bit of Iyengar posture focusing and prop use. I always strive for a full body and mind experience, with a balance of workout and relaxation.

My personal yoga practice, in the past few years, has leaned toward Ashtanga and now, hot yoga. I did a few months at a Bikram studio in town, but although I love the sweaty detox feeling of Bikram, the fixed sequence gets a little dull, and for me, I feel the sequence is too skewed toward compression. If I'm feeling warm and loose, I'd rather do more opening poses. In January I visited a Hot Yoga Studio when I was visiting relatives in Ft. Lauderdale. I did a "warm yoga" class that was a lovely blend of Vinyasa flow, lots of Sun Salutations, with a couple of "Bikram's poses" woven within. That's more appealing to me. These days, the heat is key.