Like apple pie and ice cream, yoga and meditation go hand-in-hand to increase relaxation, improve concentration, and relieve stress (only without all the calories of a slice of pie). Yoga is a safe way to stay fit and more mentally alert, and when combined with meditation, can help manage emotions and reduce your anxiety. But if you are new to yoga or you have never tried meditating before, where do you even begin? Meditation: What…
Continue ReadingMost expectant mothers will tell you that any kind of pampering during those nine pregnant months is appreciated and welcome. Your feet may ache, lower back may hurt, and relaxing does not always come as easy during this season. Massage therapy has been around for centuries and is often used to treat various health ailments, reduce stress, and help relax tense muscles. Massage therapy is safe for many, but is it okay during pregnancy? The…
Continue ReadingIf you are one of the millions of people around the globe who are involved in some type of regular exercise, sport, or athletic team, you know the benefits of staying active. Reduced risk of heart disease, maintaining a healthy weight, improved circulation, and more energy are just a few of the positive outcomes of living an active lifestyle. But did you also know that the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) cites sports massage therapy…
Continue ReadingA dedicated “yogi” will be quick to share with you the benefits of the ancient Eastern practice known as yoga. They will explain how it helps them with staying in shape, relief from stress, and reducing tension. Since more than 20 million of us practice yoga in some form, and we spend billions of dollars each year on yoga products and classes, there must be something good about this art of folding yourself into a…
Continue ReadingWhen we think of “massage,” we often think of luxury spas or a private masseuse. Over the years, massage therapy has become more widely available and convenient, with locations in airports, shopping malls, hotels, and businesses. Massage therapists use specific movement on the body’s soft tissue areas to help relieve tension, enhance well-being, and loosen muscles. Massage dates back to the beginning of mankind but was not used as a form of therapy until around…
Continue ReadingWe’ll begin this discussion with the following disclaimer: if you have chronic back pain, discuss any exercise plans you have with your physician or chiropractor BEFORE you start a program. Yoga is an ideal way to gently exercise your entire body. It has been cited as a way to relieve pain for joints, muscles, and even back pain. Typically, yoga exercises will include stretching exercises, breathing exercises, and meditation. There are no high-intensity activities that…
Continue ReadingYou might already have an arsenal of pre-yoga prep snacks, like the ever popular pre-workout protein drinks. However, you might not be aware of how important POST workout nutrition is. After a yoga routine, there are several foods that help keep the benefits of your workout going. 1. Drink Plenty of Water This might seem like a no-brainer, but many people feel so invigorated by their yoga work-out that they forget to drink water. This…
Continue ReadingYoga goes back thousands of years and is said to have developed out of a desire for greater health and personal freedom. Yoga is both physical and mental; the word itself means “to join or yoke together”, uniting the body and the mind in harmony. As a combination of poses, breathing, and meditation, yoga is meant to enhance the peace of mind and body. You may not feel very harmonious in the midst of attempting…
Continue ReadingWe can all work on our relationships, right? Perhaps one of your resolutions this year was to be more loving, more forgiving, more giving, etc. Spending time and energy on our loved ones and the associated relationships is always a good resolution and promises rewards in return. Here are a few tips to get you started. Own your statements and your feelings. If we take responsibility for our behavior and feelings, our statements start with…
Continue ReadingAre you a great friend? Do you have a friend that you consider your “best”? One of my goals in 2015 is to be a better friend. I found a few great articles about this and decided I’d share some of the great ideas I found. I can’t promise I’ll be able to do all of these all of the time, but I’ll work on getting an A for effort. A few simple phrases are…
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