Health And Wellness Blogs

"Dance is your pulse,  your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythm of your life. It's the expression in time and movement, in happiness, in joy, sadness and envy." Jacques d'Amboise-American dancer and choreographer.   For me, dance is the expression of emotion in movement.  It is a very powerful communication activity.  Join us in the fall and find your unique way of expressing yourself. 

The good life is not always just out of reach.  It is not waiting in the distant future after a dreamy career of success.  it's not set to kick in after you acquire some massive amount of money.  The GOOD LIFE is right in front of you, sometimes only an arm's length away.   And it starts NOW.

A Korean study found that older women walking through forests versus urban areas enjoyed healthier blood pressure, artery elasticity, and lung capacity.  This study points to a beautifully simple prescription: spend time in the forest!  

Feeling anxious? There are natural remedies that can help us feel less anxious, which in turn can lesson our irrational thinking.  Next time your monkey mind gets out of the cage, try these methods to tame it.

• A mug of green tea can decrease our heart rate and stress levels.
• Lavender can reduce feelings of anxiety and is sometimes referred to as an emotional anti-inflammatory.
• Lemon balm has been used for centuries as a calming herb and may improve mood and sleep quality.  You can even grow it in your garden!
• Work up a good sweat!  Either by movement or by sitting in a steam room, sauna or hot bath.  Working up a good sweat can alter neural circuits in the brain that control cognitive function and mood, helping to decrease anxiety and negative emotions. 

Feeling tense this time of year?  Muscle tension is not only a symptom of stress but a major energy suck.  The fix?  Yoga poses that lengthen overactive, tight muscles in the back, sides and chest.  The next time you feel stressed, assuming you aren't driving, in the grocery isle or in the middle of a meeting, lie down.  While flat on your back bring your knees to your chest one knee at a time.  When your knee is at your chest, gently take the opposite hand and pull it to towards that side.  Hold for three breaths and repeat with the other knee.  This pose will alleviate the tension in your back and in doing so release a bit of stress. This is also a good pose to do before bed to help ease your mind before slipping under the covers. 

Rather than go to a gym and lift things that don't need to be lifted, give us one hour a week to move in a way that is meaningful and purposeful!  Nia is a whole body workout based on 52 moves that your body is meant to do.  New classes start in Devon January 12 and Beaumont January 17.  Registration information is on the Nia page of this web site.  Start the year off by inviting movement and joy into your life.  Move with us for one hour and enjoy the benefits all week!

It's FASCIA!  Muscles get blamed for pain but in fact it is the mesh that surrounds the muscles that are sending the pain signal.  Fascia is the interconnected fibrous collagen tissue that surrounds every part of our body and it has nerves that register the imbalance or the pain.  Healthy fascia slides, glides and is moist.  Unhealthy fascia is stringy, stuck and stiff.  Chronic dehydration is just one factor that makes fascia unhappy.  Lack of movement is another.  What can you do to prevent the drying out of your fascia? Hydrate often with water infused with fibrous vegetables like cucumber.  Move all your joints every day.  Nia, Qi-gong, walking, belly dancing and playing with kids are all great forms of movement that help your fascia stay lubricated.  Motion is lotion!  See you on the dance floor!

The season of fall is often used as a metaphor to understand the Ayurvedic dosha called "Vata."  They both share cool, dry and windy characteristics.  Vata is referred to as the air or wind dosha because it is cold, light, dry, rough and mobile, much like air.  Our bodies assimilate these external influences which can make us feel out of sorts.  Like a life blowing in the wind, not sure what direction we want to land.

To balance out the seasonal influences, Ayurveda recommends bringing in opposite qualities.  We need more warm, heavy, moist, smooth and stable qualities in our lives at this time of year.  Long walks in nature is one way to ground as are Yoga and Nia.  We will be starting a class soon!  Join us and bring a little balance to your life while having fun and getting some exercise.  

One way to master your mind is to quiet your thoughts through the use of a regular meditation practice. Meditation quiets your mind, helps control your thoughts, and revitalizes your body.  Starting with just three to ten minutes a day can be incredibly powerful for gaining control over your thoughts.  Slowly work up to a maximum of 20 minutes a day for optimal health.  

Ghee is possibly the most important ingredient to keep stocked in your pantry.  Ghee is made from butter that has been heated and purified.  The process separates the difficult to digest milk solids which are then removed.  What remains is pure, golden ghee!  It has the comforting taste of butter without the heaviness of dairy.  Ghee can be used like most other oils for baking, roasting and frying, but it is much more than a simple cooking oil.  Ghee is highly revered in Ayurveda for its medicinal properties.  It acts as a herbal carrier, transporting the benefits of herbs efficiently through the body.  It is cleansing, anti-inflammatory and acts as a nutritive tonic helping you build strength.  It stimulates the digestive tract, promotes immunity and vitality and nourishes the nervous system and the brain.  It's high smoke point makes it an excellent cooking oil.  Want some??  Send me a message from the contact page and I will let you know the BEST place to buy it.