Is the nagging pain in your neck and back distracting you and draining your energy?
Press PAUSE on your busy life with this free 10 minute "Yoga at My Desk" video to instantly feel better!
B L O G
Think working out will prevent sitting disease? Think again!
Aug 27, 2019
You work out, you get enough sleep, and drink half your body weight in water everyday and if you are like most people you will think this is enough to stay healthy....but here's the crazy thing: it isn't. Many people mistakenly believe that just because they exercise regularly that sitting all day won't effect them. But unfortunately this just isn't true. Even people that work out on a regular basis are still at risk for sitting disease.
Sitting disease...what's that?
Sitting disease is a collection of risk factors used to describe the negative health impacts of a sedentary (or in-active) lifestyle. These risk factors include: obesity around the mid section, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high blood cholesterol. These factors make it far more likely that someone will get injured, get sick more often, get diabetes, develop chronic disease and even die younger.
Given that people sit anywhere from 7.8 to 11 hours a day sitting disease is becoming an epidemic in many...
No bones about it: Yoga is amazing!
Aug 12, 2019
By now I'm sure that you have realized that Yoga has a long list of benefits such as relieving back pain and neck tension, lowering your stress level and boosting your productivity to name just a few! But did you know that it helps you build strong and healthy bones too?
Pretty awesome right?
In the poses we are placing our joints in a variety of positions which helps to circulate their fluid and stimulates renewal of cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
Simultaneously, the bones are isometrically subjected to forces many times those of gravity, which causes them to grow stronger.
Yoga uses such a variety of positions that it stimulates the muscles and joints from all sides! Which is also fantastic for building strength AND maintaining flexibility.
This signals the mechanosensor cells within our bones...
Under pressure: How slouching is taking a toll on us and what we can do about it right away!
Aug 05, 2019
It's hard to avoid. We may not even realize we are doing it. It's far more common that you might think.
What am I talking about?
SLOUCHING!
We have only to look at this very telling photo to get a clear picture of what is happening to our spines when we slouch.
On the right we have Mr Blue, a shining example of strong posture. Notice how well aligned he is: ears over shoulders, shoulders stack over hips. This is the natural alignment of our spine; the one that allows easy movement, support for the spine, free flow of oxygen and energy.
On the left we have Mr Green: in the classically rounded over computer position. Notice how far forwards his shoulders are, not to mention his head! In a slouched C curve like this the amount of...
4 Ways that Yoga Helps You Avoid Getting Sick!
Jul 03, 2019
At certain times of the year it seems like everyone around us is sniffling and sneezing right? With colds and flus going around like crazy it is so important that we do everything we can to stay healthy and keep our immune systems strong!
Remember the saying: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Well it's true! The more that we can do on a regular basis to keep our vitality high the better, which means we will get sick less often and recover more quickly when we do.
Since it effects our body on many levels simultaneously, Yoga is an extremely powerful tool for boosting our immunity and keeping us feeling great. The key of course is to practice it on a regular basis to get maximum benefits and keep everything running optimally.
Curious how taking Yoga Breaks can help you avoid the sniffles, aches and fevers of cold and flu season?
Check out 4 ways Yoga helps you helps you avoid getting sick:
- Yoga helps to bring stress levels down to reduce inflammation and reduce...
Try this easy move you can do at your desk to ease neck and shoulder pain
May 21, 2019
Do you upper back or neck pain when working at your desk? So many of us do!
Part of the reason for this is because when we are working on the computer we tend to slouch: letting our shoulders and head roll forward. This takes us out of the natural S curve of the spine into a rounded C curve. When this happens our muscles have to work harder to hold us upright and our head gets heavier and heavier.
In fact, for every inch your head moves forward of your shoulders it’s weight increases by approximately 10 pounds!
This extra weight means the upper back and neck muscles have to work extra hard leading to extra tension and discomfort. This extra work can drain our energy and zap our productivity. This makes it extra important to take Yoga Breaks throughout our day to reset our posture and ease the impact of sitting. Click here to learn more about the effects of sitting on our bodies, minds, and spirit.
Watch this quick video to learn a move you can do right away to...
Why should you do stretching exercises at your desk? To prevent sitting disease!
Apr 17, 2019
Did you know that the average American spends about 55% of their waking hours every day sitting???
This adds up to almost 8 hours everyday sitting, and this finding is on the low end, with other studies that many people are sedentary (ie: not moving) for 12 or more hours everyday. WOWZERS!!
So what does this all this sitting mean for your health?
Remember how we talked about how Sitting is the New Smoking ie: how all that time parked in a chair is not only wreaking havoc on your derriere, but also your health? Well unfortunately, it’s true and it even has its own name: SITTING DISEASE! “The growing body of research on sitting disease has found a strong correlation between long periods of sitting and elevated risk of illness or injury.” YIKES!!!…..like what you might be asking yourself????
It turns out that sitting for so long everyday puts someone at a higher risk for:
- weight gain (especially around the midsection where it...
FREE 5 day βDesk Yogaβ Challenge starts April 22nd!
Apr 16, 2019
Did you know that taking short Yoga Breaks throughout your workday is a great way to:
- ease the chronic tension in your neck and shoulders
- strengthen your core muscles for better posture
- balance the effects of chronic sitting
Within just a few deep breaths Yoga Breaks help to boost your productivity by:
- lowering your stress levels
- keeping your brain alert and sharp
- boosting your creativity and focus
AWESOME RIGHT?
I’m so excited to help you get into the habit of taking Yoga Breaks throughout the day with this FREE 5 Day “Desk Yoga” Challenge!!!
Sign up by HERE:
http://bit.ly/takeayogabreak to get your challenge worksheet!
Each day at 7am HST/10amPST/1pmEST in my Yoga at My Desk Tribe I will be going live to show you 1 stretch and 1 strengthening move for a different area of your body, plus a breathing exercise to help you focus and quiet your mind!
Then once you have done the...
Remember how much fun recess was as a kid? It turns out adults need them too!
Mar 29, 2019
Do you remember how much joy you felt when you heard the recess bell sound? Hooray, time to go outside to play!
And within an instant everyone would grab their snacks and head outside to skip, play ball, talk, whatever. Wasn’t it fun?
Spoiler alert:
It turns out that recess really wasn’t all fun and games, it actually serves a purpose!
According to research from Georgia State University, the brain can only focus for 45-50 minutes at a time. In order for it to regain focus, it needs novelty and downtime to process information at high speeds again.
Interesting right?
While you thought you were just out there having fun you were actually:
- increasing oxygen and blood flow to your brain
- improving your balance and motor function
- building healthy muscles and joints
- lowering stress levels
- enhancing your hormonal balance and overall well-being
When you returned back to class after this “brain break” (aka: recess ;)) research...
A powerful question to ask yourself anytime, anywhere
Mar 11, 2019
Want a simple yet extremely powerful way to ground yourself and return your focus to the present moment?
Ask yourself this question:
And then pay attention:
Where do you feel your breath? What is the quality of it?
Often when we are feeling stressed out or paying attention to things around us our breath is short and shallow and mostly in the chest and shoulder area.
Not only does this increase tension in this area because these muscles are not meant to be our main breathing muscles, it also triggers more stress in our bodies because it is the fight or flight breathing pattern.
As soon as you shift your focus to your breath and begin to pay attention to it you will notice a shift within yourself. As you tune into the flow of your breath, the feeling of it and the quality of it you will feel yourself becoming more relaxed, grounded, and present.
Tuning into the subtle rhythm of the breath is the easiest way we have to bring our attention into our body and into the now.
...
FREE Workshop: Deep Breaths for Less Stress on Saturday April 13th
Mar 07, 2019
Deep, slow breathing is one of the most powerful tools we have for lowering our stress levels! In fact, the American Institute of Stress, considers it to the most effective way to bring our stress down. However, it is one that we often forget about and take for granted since it happens without us having to think about it.
Join me for this interactive and informative free workshop that will teach you powerful and effective breathing techniques to leave you feeling energized, calm and less stressed.
Learn about:
- how we breathe
- how it effects your nervous system
- several breathing techniques that you can do anytime, anywhere to lower your stress levels
- how to use the breath to quiet and focus your mind
DATE: Saturday April 13th
TIME: 10-11am
LOCATION: HMSA Neighborhood Center (beside Target in Kahului)
COST: FREE!
Thank you for sharing this event and inviting your friends!