I just went on a two and a half hour walk around Wolseley! I checked out a lot of different parks. I did Yoga and danced in the Laura Secord School yard for about half an hour. Nite Time Yoga I'm going to add that along with Rock & Roga!
I walked all the way from Vimy Ridge to Omand's Creek and in between. I gotta say nothing beats walking, listening to music, focusing on your breathing and just enjoying the scenery! That's what I call mindfulness. Acknowledging all that comes and goes. By the time I was almost home I noticed that the big toe mounds of my feet were on fire! I had been power walking the entire time. I took my sandals off to check for flames and discovered my feet were entirely covered in mud except for the toe mounds they were red! Then I came home and had to wash my feet! Then I had a Nanaimo Bar, chatted with my friend LG and we talked about earthquakes. Glad to hear everyone's ok! Just tried to Tweet apparently twitter is over capacity.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Listen to your body
You know all those aches and pains you deal with? Well those are your body`s way of telling you that something isn`t right. If we all really listened, our bodies would tell us what it needs. Take it from me, I know all about chronic pain. I`ve suffered with chronic neck and shoulder pain for over 10 years. I had tried acupunture to physical therapy including everything else in between. Sure, these therapies helped temporarily but never more than a day. If I had known then what I know now I might not have had it so bad. My body kept trying to tell me I needed to make a change but I didn`t even know it was trying to communicate with me.
I had the absolute worst posture sitting at work, my rear would be on the edge of the chair or one leg draped over the other throwing my entire body out of alignment. Well, sitting out of alignment for 8 or more hours a day is of course going to wreak havoc on the body.
It was 10 years ago this year that I first tried Yoga. I enjoyed the class, continued going every week for the 10 weeks I signed up for, never really practiced at home nor did I even realize the benefits I was receiving. Like I said, if I knew then what I know now I would not have suffered for so long.
All I can say is Yoga has changed my life. But it`s not something you can just do now and again. You really need to be committed as it`s a lifestyle change. I encourage you to start off with once a week for two months. You can do this by attending a class somewhere or in the privacy of your own home, by online videos or even DVDs. If you`ve tried once, twice or even thrice before I encourage you to try again.
I tried on three different occasions. The first was good, the second time was terrible and the third time was brutal. The first time I tried was a 10 week session and it was only good because the teacher was nice but I didn`t get that what I was doing was so good for my body so therefore I didn`t stick with it after the sessions were over.
The second time was a year or two later, this was only one class I attended which was at a gym. I realized that the instructor was not an actual Yoga Teacher but an aerobics instructor who had probably taken some yoga herself and thought she was qualified to teach a class. My friend and I just looked at each other knowing that this wasn`t Yoga whatsoever. We couldn`t even walk out because we didn`t want to insult the woman that we would see daily at the gym.
My third attempt was with an actual Yoga Teacher in fact he was the owner of the Yoga studio I went to however, it was a style of Yoga that to me seemed very bootcampish and I was turned off.
Well, I am so thankful to my friend Alison as she is what got me back to another studio and I`m so glad she did. One day at work she said she had been thinking about trying yoga and I said to her, `If you go, I will go with you.` The two of us never actually made it to a class together because of our work schedules but we got a group of co-workers interested and I ended up going with them. We had purchased an unlimited week pass, I was only able to go 5 times but absolutely loved it.
They say in Yoga, `When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.` That`s exactly what happened to me. My Dad had been telling me since the two car accidents that caused my chronic pain that I should try Yoga. Which is why I tried it the first time, really just to shut him up. He kept bugging me about it, which is why I tried again and again. But it wasn`t until I realized that I had been living with this pain for almost 10 years and knew that if I didn`t do something about it I would live with it for the rest of my life. So when Alison said she wanted to try it, I took that as a sign that I should give it another shot. I did, I fell in love with it and now I`ve been teaching for almost 3 years! I finally found my calling in life. I knew I always wanted to be a Teacher, it just took me some time to figure out what kind.
I had the absolute worst posture sitting at work, my rear would be on the edge of the chair or one leg draped over the other throwing my entire body out of alignment. Well, sitting out of alignment for 8 or more hours a day is of course going to wreak havoc on the body.
It was 10 years ago this year that I first tried Yoga. I enjoyed the class, continued going every week for the 10 weeks I signed up for, never really practiced at home nor did I even realize the benefits I was receiving. Like I said, if I knew then what I know now I would not have suffered for so long.
All I can say is Yoga has changed my life. But it`s not something you can just do now and again. You really need to be committed as it`s a lifestyle change. I encourage you to start off with once a week for two months. You can do this by attending a class somewhere or in the privacy of your own home, by online videos or even DVDs. If you`ve tried once, twice or even thrice before I encourage you to try again.
I tried on three different occasions. The first was good, the second time was terrible and the third time was brutal. The first time I tried was a 10 week session and it was only good because the teacher was nice but I didn`t get that what I was doing was so good for my body so therefore I didn`t stick with it after the sessions were over.
The second time was a year or two later, this was only one class I attended which was at a gym. I realized that the instructor was not an actual Yoga Teacher but an aerobics instructor who had probably taken some yoga herself and thought she was qualified to teach a class. My friend and I just looked at each other knowing that this wasn`t Yoga whatsoever. We couldn`t even walk out because we didn`t want to insult the woman that we would see daily at the gym.
My third attempt was with an actual Yoga Teacher in fact he was the owner of the Yoga studio I went to however, it was a style of Yoga that to me seemed very bootcampish and I was turned off.
Well, I am so thankful to my friend Alison as she is what got me back to another studio and I`m so glad she did. One day at work she said she had been thinking about trying yoga and I said to her, `If you go, I will go with you.` The two of us never actually made it to a class together because of our work schedules but we got a group of co-workers interested and I ended up going with them. We had purchased an unlimited week pass, I was only able to go 5 times but absolutely loved it.
They say in Yoga, `When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.` That`s exactly what happened to me. My Dad had been telling me since the two car accidents that caused my chronic pain that I should try Yoga. Which is why I tried it the first time, really just to shut him up. He kept bugging me about it, which is why I tried again and again. But it wasn`t until I realized that I had been living with this pain for almost 10 years and knew that if I didn`t do something about it I would live with it for the rest of my life. So when Alison said she wanted to try it, I took that as a sign that I should give it another shot. I did, I fell in love with it and now I`ve been teaching for almost 3 years! I finally found my calling in life. I knew I always wanted to be a Teacher, it just took me some time to figure out what kind.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Smooth Day
It`s something about summer I guess, but lately I have been craving fruit! So much so that I went to the store looking for something for dinner that didn`t involve a lot of cooking as it`s been really hot, that I went home with nothing but fruit and a sandwich for my meal. Then several days later on a larger shopping trip, I picked up a number of items for a Smoothie recipe I came across. I had been planning to make said smoothie for breakfast for the last several days but not wanting to run my blender too early and disturb the woman who lives beneath me (that also works from home) I kept putting it off.
Well, today I had a massage appointment, the first in a long time. I went to this business in my neighbourhood and was looking forward to the walk over in the sunshine. On the way back from a wonderful massage, I planned to make that smoothie for lunch. I received a new blender and electric frying pan for Xmas from my family one or two years ago. On the way home I recalled the first time I used the frying pan and dropped the lid which shattered into a million pieces. I had this horrible thought of using my blender today for the first time and dropping it, then having to watch that shatter too. Yet, still very excited to make this smoothie.
I got home, rounded up my recipe and fruit, realizing that I didn`t have any actual instructions just a list of ingredients. I wasn`t sure what to do but put everything in the blender to blend it up. So I did just that. When it seemed to look like a smoothie, I grabbed my favourite tall mug and got ready to fill it up. Well, I was determined not to drop my blender, hugging it closely and in an attempt to untwist the top from the base, I tried to get some leverage by holding the handle with one hand, that was a mistake because the top part untwisted and my smoothie started to run all over the counter.
There was a lot of fruit in there and I couldn`t watch it all go to waste. I finally got to taste my smoothie by slurping it off the counter, not all of it, but most of it. I then wanted to wipe down the base of the blender and cord which were covered in smoothie but in an attempt to move it out of the leftover smoothie on the counter I pressed my Ice Crusher button. That would have been an even bigger mess, however thankfully I had the lid still firmly sealed. I still ended up with some of my smoothie on my shirt though.
Anyway, I thought I would share my story and the recipe as I drink my smoothie out of my mug.
1 cup green grapes
1 orange
1/2 Bartlett pear
1 banana
1 cup kale
1/2 cup water or OJ (I used OJ)
2 cups ice cubes
I didn`t even measure anything properly and can`t tell you exactly how much you would get out of it since part of it ended up on the counter but I would guess around 3 tall glasses. I read that you can substitute spinach if you can`t find kale or don`t like it. Note that the kale is the least smooth part (or maybe I just didn`t blend it enough) so if you don`t like pulp in OJ, you might not like kale in your smoothie. I`m not sure if I`ve ever had kale before but wanted to buy some for another recipe I heard about so figured I would try it in the smoothie too. I do have to say it`s a nice cool drink on a hot day!
About a week ago I was watching a little bit of Ellen and Gwyneth Paltrow who was promoting her Vegetarian cookbook, made Kale chips which sounded yummy. When Ellen asked what temperature and how long you cook them for Gwyneth couldn`t remember but said it`s in the book. I had planned to see if I could find a recipe online at a later time. The next day I opened my email and sitting in my inbox was a recipe for Kale Chips from one of my daily newsletters! I haven`t tried that one yet cause they are in the oven now!
http://www.canadianliving.com/blogs/food/2011/04/26/crunchy-kale-chips-recipe-ie-how-to-eat-a-bucket-of-kale-per-day/
Well, today I had a massage appointment, the first in a long time. I went to this business in my neighbourhood and was looking forward to the walk over in the sunshine. On the way back from a wonderful massage, I planned to make that smoothie for lunch. I received a new blender and electric frying pan for Xmas from my family one or two years ago. On the way home I recalled the first time I used the frying pan and dropped the lid which shattered into a million pieces. I had this horrible thought of using my blender today for the first time and dropping it, then having to watch that shatter too. Yet, still very excited to make this smoothie.
I got home, rounded up my recipe and fruit, realizing that I didn`t have any actual instructions just a list of ingredients. I wasn`t sure what to do but put everything in the blender to blend it up. So I did just that. When it seemed to look like a smoothie, I grabbed my favourite tall mug and got ready to fill it up. Well, I was determined not to drop my blender, hugging it closely and in an attempt to untwist the top from the base, I tried to get some leverage by holding the handle with one hand, that was a mistake because the top part untwisted and my smoothie started to run all over the counter.
There was a lot of fruit in there and I couldn`t watch it all go to waste. I finally got to taste my smoothie by slurping it off the counter, not all of it, but most of it. I then wanted to wipe down the base of the blender and cord which were covered in smoothie but in an attempt to move it out of the leftover smoothie on the counter I pressed my Ice Crusher button. That would have been an even bigger mess, however thankfully I had the lid still firmly sealed. I still ended up with some of my smoothie on my shirt though.
Anyway, I thought I would share my story and the recipe as I drink my smoothie out of my mug.
1 cup green grapes
1 orange
1/2 Bartlett pear
1 banana
1 cup kale
1/2 cup water or OJ (I used OJ)
2 cups ice cubes
I didn`t even measure anything properly and can`t tell you exactly how much you would get out of it since part of it ended up on the counter but I would guess around 3 tall glasses. I read that you can substitute spinach if you can`t find kale or don`t like it. Note that the kale is the least smooth part (or maybe I just didn`t blend it enough) so if you don`t like pulp in OJ, you might not like kale in your smoothie. I`m not sure if I`ve ever had kale before but wanted to buy some for another recipe I heard about so figured I would try it in the smoothie too. I do have to say it`s a nice cool drink on a hot day!
About a week ago I was watching a little bit of Ellen and Gwyneth Paltrow who was promoting her Vegetarian cookbook, made Kale chips which sounded yummy. When Ellen asked what temperature and how long you cook them for Gwyneth couldn`t remember but said it`s in the book. I had planned to see if I could find a recipe online at a later time. The next day I opened my email and sitting in my inbox was a recipe for Kale Chips from one of my daily newsletters! I haven`t tried that one yet cause they are in the oven now!
http://www.canadianliving.com/blogs/food/2011/04/26/crunchy-kale-chips-recipe-ie-how-to-eat-a-bucket-of-kale-per-day/
Thursday, April 22, 2010
It's not easy going green... except that it is!
For the last several years, I've become more concerned about our impact on the environment so I thought I'd share some tips today seeing as it's Earth Day.
One of the common things I've noticed is that even though most people consider themselves avid recyclers there are still a number of recyclable items that are still being tossed into the trash. These common household items include the following:
Plastic bottles such as: shampoo/conditioner/body wash/cleansers/creams
Cardboard: boxes from bar soap/hand-face-body cream/cleansers/hair dye/wax kits/pizza/food packaging/paper towel-toilet paper rolls/tissue/egg cartons
Paper: Newspapers/flyers/brochures/
For more information please check out your local city website and in Winnipeg review tips here: http://www.winnipeg.ca/
I urge everyone to carry reusable bags for ALL your shopping. There are so many birds and marine life that are dying because of all the plastic bags in the world. There is a community right here in Manitoba who has successfully banned them and I hope that soon they will be banned entirely everywhere so you might as well get used to it now.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/
http://www.ec.gc.ca/education/default.asp?lang=En&n=600C1403-1
http://www.ec.gc.ca/education/default.asp?lang=En&n=600C1403-1
You can learn more about events coming up regarding our environment here:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/sce-cew/default.asp?lang=En&n=56886AF1-1
http://www.ec.gc.ca/sce-cew/default.asp?lang=En&n=56886AF1-1
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Take a deep breath!
If you let it, Yoga can be an incredible lifestyle change. Anyone who knows me, is well aware of the neck & shoulder pain I've been living with for almost 11 years. Yoga has helped immensely to relieve the discomfort I had become so used to. I truly believed that the pain was something I would be forced to live with for the rest of my life. However, through practicing Yoga I have learned to become more aware of my body, especially my posture and am now able to have some relief.
Yoga is all about the breath. I have found that by simply breathing correctly, I have been able to release the tension that I hold in my neck & shoulders. This area is where most of us hold tension, so adding to the fact that I've been injured only made it worse for me.
Take a moment now to give this a try. Sit up tall with your head right on top of your spine (don't let it hang forward or backward), have both sitting bones firmly planted on your chair so that you feel balanced on both sides, relax your shoulders, close your eyes, take a full inhale as you slowly count to four, feel your collarbones rise slightly, then exhale completely slowly counting to four. Notice how quickly the breathing helps you to feel more relaxed. The deep breathing is releasing the tension by relaxing you.
At the same time you are taking in more oxygen to your brain, muscles and cells throughout your body. By breathing incorrectly, we are unable to nourish the body with fresh oxygen. Leaving us feeling tired, stiff and sore.
Combining the breathing techniques with the Yoga postures helps to stretch our muscles, strengthen our bodies while improving flexibility, balance and focus. The combination unites our body, mind and soul. While focusing on the postures, you help to quiet your mind of the many thoughts that run wild and become aware of your breath and self.
Now take another deep breath! Or as many as you like. You can thank me later. ;)
Yoga is all about the breath. I have found that by simply breathing correctly, I have been able to release the tension that I hold in my neck & shoulders. This area is where most of us hold tension, so adding to the fact that I've been injured only made it worse for me.
Take a moment now to give this a try. Sit up tall with your head right on top of your spine (don't let it hang forward or backward), have both sitting bones firmly planted on your chair so that you feel balanced on both sides, relax your shoulders, close your eyes, take a full inhale as you slowly count to four, feel your collarbones rise slightly, then exhale completely slowly counting to four. Notice how quickly the breathing helps you to feel more relaxed. The deep breathing is releasing the tension by relaxing you.
At the same time you are taking in more oxygen to your brain, muscles and cells throughout your body. By breathing incorrectly, we are unable to nourish the body with fresh oxygen. Leaving us feeling tired, stiff and sore.
Combining the breathing techniques with the Yoga postures helps to stretch our muscles, strengthen our bodies while improving flexibility, balance and focus. The combination unites our body, mind and soul. While focusing on the postures, you help to quiet your mind of the many thoughts that run wild and become aware of your breath and self.
Now take another deep breath! Or as many as you like. You can thank me later. ;)
Friday, February 19, 2010
Yoga Day!
The last Saturday of February is Canada's Yoga Day where most Yoga studios offer free classes. If you have never been to a class this would be the ideal time to come out and give it a try! At LL Yoga we understand that Saturdays can be quite busy for you so if you'd like to try out a class but can't make it on Saturday February 27th then contact the studio to arrange your free class on another day. You can do this via the LL Yoga fan page on Facebook, by calling 979-2256 or by email info@llyoga.ca.
For those of you who are interested but a little intimidated by the thought of Yoga, trust me you don't need to be! LL Yoga offers private classes that you can create with your own friends or family members. As long as you have space in your home or backyard, you can have a private class with people you know!
Yoga is the best form of exercise for anyone and can be done by any body regardless of your age, shape or size. The benefits of a Yoga practice are truly amazing. Almost everyone I know has been sick with a bad cold or flu this season and yet I haven't been sick once since I've been practicing Yoga on a regular basis.
It's true that by practicing Yoga you can improve your immune system, nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system and circulatory system. All which aid in increasing your overall health.
Here are some articles on these topics if you would like to learn more. Please note the word "asana" is the Sanskrit word for Yoga postures or poses. Sanskrit is the ancient language from India where Yoga originated.
Yoga and the Immune System:
http://www.yogasite.com/migdow1.htm
Yoga and the Central Nervous System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/nerves.asp
Yoga and the Digestive System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/cycle.asp
Yoga and the Respiratory System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/respiration.asp
Yoga and the Circulatory System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/circulation.asp
Most physical pain that individuals endure (and probably like me learned to live with it) can also be reduced with a regular Yoga practice. The majority of us hold tension (whether we know it or not) in our neck and shoulders, which can also cause tension headaches and migraines or we can hold tension in our hips and butt which affect our back. By practicing Yoga we can help to release the tension in these areas to help reduce the pain.
For those of you who are interested but a little intimidated by the thought of Yoga, trust me you don't need to be! LL Yoga offers private classes that you can create with your own friends or family members. As long as you have space in your home or backyard, you can have a private class with people you know!
Yoga is the best form of exercise for anyone and can be done by any body regardless of your age, shape or size. The benefits of a Yoga practice are truly amazing. Almost everyone I know has been sick with a bad cold or flu this season and yet I haven't been sick once since I've been practicing Yoga on a regular basis.
It's true that by practicing Yoga you can improve your immune system, nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system and circulatory system. All which aid in increasing your overall health.
Here are some articles on these topics if you would like to learn more. Please note the word "asana" is the Sanskrit word for Yoga postures or poses. Sanskrit is the ancient language from India where Yoga originated.
Yoga and the Immune System:
http://www.yogasite.com/migdow1.htm
Yoga and the Central Nervous System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/nerves.asp
Yoga and the Digestive System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/cycle.asp
Yoga and the Respiratory System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/respiration.asp
Yoga and the Circulatory System:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/circulation.asp
Most physical pain that individuals endure (and probably like me learned to live with it) can also be reduced with a regular Yoga practice. The majority of us hold tension (whether we know it or not) in our neck and shoulders, which can also cause tension headaches and migraines or we can hold tension in our hips and butt which affect our back. By practicing Yoga we can help to release the tension in these areas to help reduce the pain.
Friday, February 5, 2010
What is Yoga?
Some of you may be wondering what exactly is Yoga. Yoga can be translated to the word "union". Yoga unites our body, mind and soul. Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The Yoga postures (also known as asanas) were performed in order to prepare the body for seated meditation which is typically done on the floor in a cross-legged position. The postures helped stretch and relax the muscles of the body in preparation for sitting for an extended period of time during a meditation practice. However, in North America Yoga has become more of a physical exercise.
There are many different styles of Yoga, although the majority are based on Hatha Yoga. A Hatha Yoga class usually consists of a warm up, breath exercises (pranayama), a series of Yoga postures from standing, seated, supine (on your back) and prone (on your stomach) which allow you to increase your strength, flexibility, focus and balance. A class will finish with a relaxation period (savasana)including meditation techniques to help calm the mind.
The benefits that Yoga provides for you are plentiful. Yoga can help with stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, blood pressure, and digestion to name a few. It is also a great way to become or stay physically active as it is much easier on your body then a traditional exercise regimen.
There are hundreds of Yoga postures from easier ones to the more challenging. What I love most about Yoga is that there is always something new to learn and ways to challenge yourself even further.
There are many different styles of Yoga, although the majority are based on Hatha Yoga. A Hatha Yoga class usually consists of a warm up, breath exercises (pranayama), a series of Yoga postures from standing, seated, supine (on your back) and prone (on your stomach) which allow you to increase your strength, flexibility, focus and balance. A class will finish with a relaxation period (savasana)including meditation techniques to help calm the mind.
The benefits that Yoga provides for you are plentiful. Yoga can help with stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, blood pressure, and digestion to name a few. It is also a great way to become or stay physically active as it is much easier on your body then a traditional exercise regimen.
There are hundreds of Yoga postures from easier ones to the more challenging. What I love most about Yoga is that there is always something new to learn and ways to challenge yourself even further.
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