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Tips for Colds and Flus

9/30/2019

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Battle the Bugs!
With the changing seasons, come changes in our bodies including our knack for catching colds and flus. Common tools like vitamin C, garlic, drinking plenty of fluids, and handwashing, are all important. Here are some other tips to ward off germs and promote immune function:


Reduce Stress 
Stress wreaks havoc on us in so many ways. When faced with immediate danger, our immune system kicks into higher gear to protect us from infection. However, when we are in constant fight-or-flight mode, (ie. we’re late for work, argued with our spouse, stuck in traffic) our immune system becomes taxed and weakens, leaving us vulnerable to disease and illness. 

Sleep  
We know how important sleep is to maintain proper functioning of body, mind and spirit. Lack of sleep creates stress on our bodies and minds, and is associated with stress related disfunction such as weaker immunity. A good night’s sleep gives the body and mind the rest it needs to regenerate and maintain optimal health and well-being.

Soup  
If you do find yourself coming down with a cold or battling a flu, there’s nothing quite like homemade chicken noodle soup -  it’s a miracle worker around our house! 

Scientists aren’t clear why it’s so effective, but we know it provides the fluids and nutrients needed to help fight off viruses, the warm broth helps clear nasal congestion and its thought be a mild anti-inflammatory than can help ease symptoms. Personally, I believe it’s because homemade soup is made with love – something you won’t get out of a can!

My own recipe: While we do eat meat, my base is organic veggie stock, adding chicken or turkey, onion, carrots, turnip, celery, sometimes squash or sweet potato, garlic salt, thyme and parsley. Bon Apetit!


Take a break
When we feel a bug “coming on”, sometimes the best solution is to nip it in the bud. I have been able to ward something off simply by taking the day off to take care of myself. I may feel guilty for one day but it beats staying in bed for a week! 


Yoga 
One of the reasons a yoga asana practice (postures) is so good for us is that it moves our bodies. Since the lymphatic system doesn't have its own circulation, it relies on our muscles and circulatory system to move it through the body. Gentle, low impact movements such as walking and yoga are perfect to keep our lymph flowing and strong!


Essential Oils*
EO’s have been used for centuries for their therapeutic benefits. Some common oils such as citrus (ie. bergamot, lemon, orange), clove, eucalyptus, lavender, ravensara, rosemary & tea tree oils, have a combination of properties such as being antiseptic, antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory & immune strengthening - creating a perfect defense! 

*Keep in mind that EO’s are very concentrated and should be used with caution. Please consult with an aromatherapist if you are pregnant or have any health conditions such as high/low blood pressure and epilepsy, or sensitive skin.

Clean Air Recipe: This will help to purify the air plus your house will smell amazing! If you don’t have all the oils listed, I included some alternatives that you may already have in your cupboard! Keep pot of simmering water on stove (can be kept for up to a week), replenishing water and oils when needed.
Add 5+ drops each:
• Clove bud EO (approx. 10 clove buds)
• Citrus EO (full lemon or orange sliced)
• Cinnamon Bark EO (3 pieces of cinnamon stick)
• Eucalyptus EO
• Rosemary EO 

Not only will your home smell great, but the added humidity in the air will fend off viruses which apparently thrive and linger in drier environments.


Pamper yourself
Snuggle up with a cup of mint tea (the aroma itself can help with headaches and stuffy noses!) or soak in the tub with epsom salt and Lavender oil which can help to detox and fight the viruses.

Any questions regarding Essential oils? Don’t hesitate to ask!
 






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Beat the Blues this Christmas

12/12/2018

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For many years, I stopped ‘celebrating’ Christmas,

partly to combat the commercialism of it, but also because frankly, it made me wanna shout Bah-humbug! If you find yourself battling the blues, here are a few tips that can help get you through the holidays.

Do something for yourself  Buy yourself a gift, treat yourself to a spa service or massage, or enjoy a nurturing yoga class.


Do something for others  Doing things for others, whether big or small, simply makes us feel good. It opens our hearts and puts a shine in our eyes! It could be as simple as giving someone a hug, holding a door open or paying for the coffee of the person standing in line behind you! Or make it bigger and donate your time with an elder at a seniors residence, a child at the children’s hospital or a lonely pet at an animal shelter.

Essential Oils  EO’s can help to lift your spirits. Mixed together, they work great in a diffuser or spray bottle. For lethargy, try stimulating oils like peppermint, cinnamon, or citrus oils like sweet orange, which are said to “gladden the heart”. Calming oils such as lavender, jasmine, neroli, and sandalwood help to calm and ground you when you’re feeling anxious.
(*Please consult an aromatherapist if you are pregnant or have health conditions)

Don’t have oils at home? Look around your kitchen for ideas: Peel a mandarin orange – they’re sweet and smell great, which can help to lift the mood. Or try my “clean air recipe” from November’s blog – adding a teabag to your pot such as peppermint or chai.

Get Active  It may be tempting to lock yourself indoors and curl up with a book or stack of movies you’ve been meaning to catch up on. But you also need to move your body! Remember many of us spend our time sitting at desks or in cars. You’ll not only increase your energy and endorphins which are one of our “happy hormones”, but movement will keep your entire system, including the immune and digestive systems, functioning properly. Go for a walk or other outdoor activity. The fresh air will clear your lungs and your head!

Yoga  Poses that open the chest are heart openers. Not only are you stretching and strengthening your muscular heart, but you are stretching your emotional heart, helping to “ loosen the negative plaque” that gets stuck in there. Inversions bring fresh blood flow to the upper body and head, helping to refresh the brain and bring a glow to your cheeks.

Here are some ideas. Try a few or the entire sequence. If you aren’t sure about a pose, please feel free to contact me or check out
www.yogajournal.com, which offer pictures as well as benefits and contraindications of most of the postures listed below.
  • Spinal warm-ups such as sitting or kneeling cat/cow, and a twist. ‘slappy sides’ are my favourite, especially when I’m feeling tired or irritable. They help to energize and invigorate and are great for moving the lymph through the body. Stand tall, arms loose, swinging around from right to left, letting hands slap sides of body. As you twist to one side, lift back heel to prevent torquing the ankle or knee.

  • A round of full sun salutations or 3 half ones, will loosen up tight joints and muscles plus energize the body.  

  • Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I) with goddess arms. Warrior poses help to build strength and stamina but can also build self confidence and self esteem. Adding goddess arms opens chest, stretching stiff muscles and stiff heart :0)
    To release pent up tension or emotions, start in standing position or mountain pose (tadasana). Take a moment to close your eyes and focus on an area where you often feel specific emotions, (ie. anger in the belly or constriction in the throat). Step into Warrior I, right foot forward first with arms in Goddess pose, as you firmly say one of the following sounds: Ram, Yam or Ham (*pronunciation - each rhymes with “um”). Step back, then forward with left foot, arms in Goddess, repeating sound. Do this a few times on either side. Come back to mountain pose, hands together with thumbs touching heart center. Take a moment to notice any sensations or emotions that may occur.


    The sounds mentioned above come from the science of the Chakras. They are part of the 7 main chakras or energy centers. 
          Ram - Manipura Chankra, located in the Solar Plexus; associated with power, self confidence, self esteem
          Yam - Anahata Chakra, located at the Heart’s center; associated with love, trust, compassion, forgiveness
          Ham - Vishudha Chakra, located in the Throat;  associated with truth; communication, being able to express yourself


Gratitude  Sure, we all get stuck in the “neggy nellies” but daily gratitude reminds us that there are good things too! It is said that positive thinking and emotions bring positive things into our lives.

It can be as simple as being grateful for the weather, food in our fridge, a friend or family member we cherish. Or you can look at the more challenging times. As a yoga teacher and prenatal instructor, I was disappointed that the “birth plan” for my first child, completely went out the window and I ended up with a C-section. But when I returned to teaching, I realized how important it was for me to have had that experience, so that I was better able to relate to and support the women who also went through that!

Make it a daily practice. Try it before you get out of bed in the morning or before you eat a meal. When my partner or I are feeling down or get stuck in a rut, we try to remind each other in that moment to find 5 things to be grateful for. With practice you will realize how much there is to be grateful for!


These days, instead of feeling like Scrooge himself, I revel in the time off with family, winter activities and hot cocoa, and the rosiness of my sons cheeks when we’re playing outdoors!

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Posture Perfect

11/13/2013

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Posture Perfect

Once while sitting on a plane, the person beside me asked if I was a dancer. “No why”? I asked incredulously (I have 2 left feet!) “Because you sit so tall”, they responded.

Like many of us, I had low self esteem as a teenager. One day, a friend commented that there was something different about me; he said when I walked I looked confident. Maybe I was having a good day, maybe just been asked on a date or gotten a job. Whatever it was, instead of my typical head down low, I held my head up. Those words changed me.

Some of the benefits of good posture include:
- Increases blood flow to heart and organs
- Increases oxygen to lungs improving our quality of breath and therefore our quality of life
- Increases circulation to arms and hands, helping to prevent CTS and other repetitive stress injuries
- improves digestion/elimination
- all central Chakras are open, helping to keep them clear
- opens chest and heart, head is held high, makes us look and feel more confident, even when we’re not
- can be contagious

Start your day sitting or standing. As you breath in, gently lift the shoulders, draw them back and exhale them down, do 3x – this can help to “set” your posture for the day.

When sitting and driving, tilt pelvis forward, arching lower back slightly to feel your sitting bones. Lengthen your spine, top of head reaching
upwards, and draw your shoulders back. This may feel uncomfortable at first especially if you are used to rounding forward. But be patient - in time it will become more uncomfortable not to do it!



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The Blogger

11/13/2013

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Not long ago, my husband became a blogger. (The word “blog”, still sounds silly to me, even as I write my very own blog).

We used to be avid movie-goers; that is, until we had kids. Without cable in our home, we feel lucky if we can squeeze in half a movie from Netflix uninterrupted. So to keep up with his love of film, my man created a blog about movies. Sort of. 

Since we can’t get to the theater as often as we’d like, he blogs about the trailer of a movie. In the spirit of Max Beerbohm, he views the trailer, decides if it’s worth seeing the movie, then writes about it. "....judging a movie by its trailer", as he puts it.

So, if you’re looking for witty reading material, check it out at
http://beerbohmtastic.blogspot.ca/ 
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    As a Yoga Therapist & Instructor, this page is meant to offer tips to improve health and well being, plus other ideas & ramblings!

    Comments or feedback, are more than welcome!

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