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Laurie Larson is a freelance writer based out of North Carolina. She writes on home, health, and lifestyle topics to help others live a happier and healthier life.  Image by Pixabay
If you’ve been practicing yoga for some time, you know the long list of benefits: it helps you feel better, it’s a great way to start your mornings energized, and your muscles are stronger and more toned. That’s not where it ends, though. There are many benefits of yoga that are not so readily apparent. For example, regularly practicing yoga can help improve your respiration, keep your metabolism balanced, protect you from injuries, and even improve your sleep. Yoga can improve my sleep? It sure can. Now, we aren’t talking about doing a full Ashtanga practice before bed, but doing light yoga practices such as pranayama and meditation could be just what you need to take your ZZZs to the next level. If you don’t already, you should consider adding these relaxing yoga practices to your regular nighttime routine. Not convinced? You might be after reading these four benefits of performing yoga before bed: 1. It relieves stress Stress is one of the leading causes people can’t sleep at night. How are you expected to peacefully fall into sweet dreams when you can’t stop replaying the day’s events or panicking over encroaching deadlines? If it’s not bad enough that it makes the falling asleep process challenging, it also ruins our deep REM sleep, leaving us to wake up without feeling restored. Cue the calming powers of yoga and meditation. Yoga teaches us to focus on our breath and live in the present moment, focusing on the here-and-now to shove worries away. By keeping this mentality right before bedtime, you’ll let your mind clear out and prepare for great sleep before you even make it in the bed. By performing pranayama exercises before bedtime, you’ll be able to gain control over your breath effectively clear your mind. 2. It reduces your pain Pain is another leading disruptor of a good night’s sleep. If you can’t get comfortable at night due to your neck, back, or other muscle pain, there’s no way you’ll be able to rest peacefully. The good news is, yoga happens to be a great option for relieving your pain. In fact, some people report a preference for yoga as a treatment for their pain over traditional medications. Incorporating some gentle yoga stretches before bedtime will help stretch out your muscles, ease your pain, and prepare your body for a comfortable night of sleep. You don’t need to perform a whole flow. Start with upside-down relaxation. Sit facing a wall, lie back with your legs extended up the wall, rest your arms palms facing up by your sides, and focus on your breathe for up to two minutes. Other stretches you should incorporate before bed include winding down twist, child’s pose, and hugging your knees to your chest in rock-a-bye roll. 3. It gives you a better attitude about your rest Do you excitedly crawl into bed each night, or do you push it away and often de-prioritize it for other tasks? Unfortunately, many people belong to the latter group. When you practice yoga, it helps you learn to appreciate moments of rest. Instead of neglecting your sleep, practicing nighttime meditation will help you embrace the importance of quiet, restorative moments for restoring your body. 4. It improves your sleep quality The biggest benefit to performing yoga before bedtime is the improvement in your sleep quality. Taking the time to relax in a meditative state while you stretch out your body, release tension, breathe deeply, and clear you mind sets you up perfectly for a night of deep, quality sleep. If you’re ready to see what performing yoga before bedtime can do for you, start by adding it into your nighttime routine tonight! Written by Alyson Calla. Exclusive for theyogashala.org  The word ‘detox’ is often used as a synonym for weight loss diets, but what the health and wellness industry often get wrong about detoxification is that it is not the same as restrictive eating or going on juice fasts. What ‘detoxification’ really means? The basic definition of detoxification is to free the body of toxins, not of calories. Toxins, or free radicals, are harmful chemicals from the environment that enter the body through several ways, one of which is through the food we eat. Live Science explains that the presence of free radicals may result in the destruction and mutation of cells which is what happens with the growth of tumors. Researchers also believe that they are linked with a host of chronic illnesses including macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases, and certain types of cancer. Where does veganism come in? The main sources of toxins in the standard diet are: - Deep fried foods that are high in trans and saturated fats - Dairy products - Produce grown with pesticides - Processed and canned foods - Meat Healthline points out that processed meat and artificial trans fats cause inflammation. While inflammation is essential for healing, the prolonged state has been thought of by the medical community as the root of all disease. To reverse the damage caused by free radicals, eat plant-based foods that are high in anti-oxidants. Some examples are: - Leafy greens such as kale and spinach - Different types of berries - Fruits such as watermelon, apricots, and oranges - Lentils, beans, and grains - Other vegetables including artichokes and bell peppers As long as it is organic, a vegan diet abundant in antioxidant rich foods and other essential nutrients will help cleanse your body of unwanted substances. Signs of toxicity Frequent headaches, noise sensitivity, cognitive impairment, inflammation, and reduced immune function are some of the symptoms of toxin concentration in your body. If you’re someone who’s prone to breakouts, one of the known causes of acne is inflammation caused by a poor diet. For instance, Natalie Portman revealed that finally going vegan and cutting out eggs and dairy eliminated her problems with adult acne. Dairy in particularly is an inflammatory as it contains a lot of excess hormones which can trigger a reaction and in turn, pimples. A few other symptoms are fatigue as well as chronic muscle and joint pain, which are also linked to inflammation. Argentine international soccer player Sergio Aguero suffered from muscle injuries which he attributed to a diet rich in meat, sugar, and pasta. After cutting out these inflammatory foods, the Argentine striker experienced significantly less injuries and improved his game. Similarly, if your back is constantly in pain or your joints are swollen, it might be time for a diet change. The bottom line A lot of the food we eat - even some plants when covered in pesticides - contain toxins. While the body’s immune system is capable of eliminating toxins naturally, too much of it can cause the immune response to slow down and become overpowered. This means that people who consume food that have high amounts of these harmful chemicals are more prone to disease. In order to cleanse your body of harmful substances, a well-rounded vegan diet is the closest diet for detoxification. This is synonymous with what The Yoga Shala referred to as mindful eating in a previous article. You can still enjoy your foods, as long as you practice awareness of what you feed your body.  The concept of Ayurvedic (“ayus” = life, veda = knowledge) meaning “whole body” was developed over 3,000 years ago in India. Ayurveda medicine is the belief that wellness begins with a balance of the mind, body, and spirit to promote good health. Believers say every human is made of space, air, fire, water, and earth. Combining these elements together will form three separate energies called Vata dosha (space and air), Pitta dosha (fire and water), and Kapha dosha (water and earth). Each energy participates in a separate function on the body.
For those who may not be as educated on the origins and beliefs of Ayurveda, there are some basic ways to incorporate this way of living into your current daily routine. We’ve compiled a list of essentials you can use moving forward to practice for yourself! Sweating When you sweat, your sweat glands release impurities out of the body. Sweating also aids your body in losing water weight while increasing your circulation. Running at a steady pace is the perfect way to get your blood pumping and sweat flowing. The largest detoxification organ is...your skin! Sleep Research shows a direct correlation between lack of sleep and weight gain. Adults sleeping four hours a night versus sleeping 10 hours a night found their hunger and appetite increased. More sleep means staying at a consistent weight and having a clear mind, which in turn improves performance throughout the day. Try taking a warm bath before bed to relax the body and mind while also preparing the body for a good night's rest. Add Epsom salts or essential oils to soothe your muscles. Stay Hydrated It’s important to drink fluids throughout the day to hydrate the body. Cold water actually negatively impacts your digestion, so try to stick with warm water for meals. Ginger Tea is known as the “wonder herb” in Ayurveda as it helps with your daily digestion while the ginger root promotes joint health. Try to have at least 1 cup a day. Mindful Eating Slower your chewing while eating meals. Taking your time will send a signal to your stomach so it knows when it’s full which will help you avoid overeating. Stay away from emotional eating or eating when you’re bored. This can lead to guilt and a decrease in your good digestion flow. Occupy your mind with something else like reading, exercising, or talking to friends. Try to enjoy your food in silence or in an area that’s comfortable and at least semi-quiet. It's winter time and a lovely time to share a hot tea recipe! Jeeta takes us through making a delicious chai tea recipe and this one is mood altering! Hope you enjoy! ~Makes 2 cups~ Ingredients: 2 cups of water Fresh ginger grated (quarter inch piece) One stalk of lemongrass cut into smaller pieces 6-8 tulsi leaves 3-4 shreds of saffron Cinnamon and cardamom to taste 1/4 cup of milk (nut milk also) Tea leaves (I use 50-50 mix of organic Ceylon and Assam to which I add dried tulsi leaves and ginger powder) Sweetener of your choice (optional) Instructions: Bring all the ingredients except milk and tea leaves to a boil. When it starts to boil add your milk, let it boil again and turn it off. Then add 1.5 teaspoon of tea leaves for each mug, so 3 teaspoons of tea total and cover your chai, allowing it to brew for 2-3 minutes so the color sets in. Strain and enjoy! In Ayurvedic tradition, this tea is made without adding any milk (dairy) or tea leaves (caffeine). This herbal tea, can be strained and enjoyed with a few drops of lemon. Honey can be added when it has cooled down a bit. Since chai tea is very popular, we are using this herbal base to then make chai tea with benefits. By Jennifer MillerJennifer Miller is a Central Florida yoga teacher who completed her Yoga Nidra Professional Training at Amrit Yoga Institute in 2018, and has been an Ashtanga practitioner since January of 2018.  Sri K. Pattabhi Jois once said, "Yoga is for everyone, except lazy people." From experience, I believe this to be true. Ashtanga requires a certain level of commitment to self-transformation. You must learn to practice with discipline and consistency to see and feel the results. The Mysore style of yoga is a self-facilitated practice modified for each individual practitioner with individual attention from your teacher. Coming to your mat and doing the same sequence of asanas (postures) brings you into self-awareness of your body and the deep internal workings of the mind. The mind places so many limiting beliefs on our capabilities as human beings that we believe it and abide by the mind as if the mind is totally in control. Through the practice of Ashtanga, you come to learn all about your strengths and weaknesses. By practicing with commitment, consistency, and discipline, you will develop the tools to move through the false identification of the self, and you will embody the infinite potential of the human experience.
If you are ready to stop moving through the motions of life and truly start living, Ashtanga is the practice for you.  One of our members, Jeeta, is a Trained Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, who is always bringing in treats she cooks from home for the teachers to enjoy. Her cooking can be described as aromatic and frankly, just made with love. Here is one of her ayurvedic inspired recipes we asked her to share after she brought it in this month for us to try.
Excellent to pacify vata and kapha. To make it pitta friendly, exclude red pepper. Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes (boiled) 1/2 large cauliflower (chopped) 1/2 bunch (1/2 lb) broccoli (chopped) 1 large green pepper (chopped) 1 onion large (finely chopped) 1 cup of peas 1 cup of mock meat (sloppy joe texture) 2 lbs fresh tomatoes (chopped) 4 cloves of garlic (mashed) Ingredients for Spice Mix: Roast spices in an iron skillet on very low flame for 2 minutes, stir constantly. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 dry red pepper or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, clove and turmeric powder I use whole spices for this and grind after roasting. This mix can be made ahead of time and used in any dish. Instructions: In a large (thick bottomed) pot, heat a tablespoon of ghee. Saute the onions in the ghee until they are transparent. Add the minced garlic and stir. Now add the cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes. Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Add tomatoes and spice mix and continue to cook until the mixture is thick. Add precooked mock meat, peas, peppers and salt to taste until everything is cooked together. Garnish with lemon and cilantro. Serve on fresh bread or enjoy by itself. To make this dish vegan simply replace ghee for coconut oil.  One of our members, Jeeta, is a Trained Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, who is always bringing in treats she cooks from home for the teachers to enjoy. Her cooking can be described as aromatic and frankly, just made with love. Here is one of her ayurvedic inspired recipes we asked her to share after she brought it in this month for us to try.
She says, "This dish can be enjoyed as breakfast or as a meal. You acn use almond or oat milk if you are vegan. It's one of the best remedies to pacify both pitta and vata. It is very good for pitta because the tastes are sweet and cooling. " Hope you enjoy! Ingredients: 1 cup rice 5 cups milk 2 tbsp almond flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup pistachios 7-10 strips of saffron 2 dates finely chopped (optional) 2 dried figs finely chopped (optional) A pinch of ginger powder A pinch of cardamom powder Instructions Cook the rice in 2 cups of water. In a heavy bottomed pan bring the milk to a boil. Add to it the cooked rice, almond flour, sugar, and saffron. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow the milk to boil down to about 3 cups. Stir from time to time. This is the time to use an immersion blender to get to your preferred texture/thickness. Add everything else and enjoy warm or serve cold. Can be refrigerated for two days.      During Melanie Radliff's takeover of @theyogashala 's instagram on a Monday she said this about her meal:
"I'll be meal prepping something for the rest of the week, and it is mexican inspired which is probably my favorite type of food. We are using all these veggies and black beans, and I have some previously meal prepped rice. We are doing rice and beans with a bunch of fresh veggies on top. Lots of black beans, and bunch of brown rice mixed with some onions and garlic that I sauteed and will now also season. I will chop up the veggies and mix them up in a bowl separately. I'm really excited about this new dressing from Trader Joes, its vegan too!" Makes 4 generous portions Rice and Beans
BY Isis GentlesAfter exploring various types of yoga for a year, Isis began practicing Ashtanga at The Yoga Shala in 2014. She completed Krista Shirley’s Ashtanga Yoga Apprenticeship in 2018, and plans to continue teaching at The Yoga Shala.  Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was created by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. There are two ways in which this method of yoga can be taught. The first is in a traditional led class where the instructor is walking throughout the room, calling out the poses and the breath count. The second is the method in which Sri K. Pattabhi Jois taught his classes called Mysore style. The name comes from the town in which he settled once he started teaching yoga - Mysore, India.
Mysore style Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is, in my opinion, the best way to learn yoga because it allows you to learn at your own pace, with your teacher guiding you every step of the way, especially in the beginning. When you come to class, there will be other students doing their practice at their own pace. The instructor will walk around the room, assisting students to go deeper in the postures, correcting posture alignment or giving verbal cues as needed. During your very first class your teacher will show and guide you through learning how to properly breathe with sound. This method of inhaling and exhaling through the nose with the mouth closed serves to heat the body so that toxins can be released through sweat. Following learning how to breathe, the instructor will discuss bandhas or energy locks. There are three such energy locks that are utilized to maintain the prawn or life force within the body. They are mula, uddiyana and jalandhara bandhas. Mula bandha is found at the base of the pelvic floor between the genitals and the anus. Upon inhaling, this area is gently squeezed upward, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles over time. Uddiyana bandha is found just below and behind the navel. If the practitioner has learned to properly breathe with sound, uddiyana bandha will engage upon exhaling. The lower abdomen will naturally be pulled inwards. Jalandhara bandha is located at the throat. In order to engage jalandhara bandha, the practitioner will bring the chin to the chest. This bandha is really only used in two asanas in the primary series but can be used in various pranayama techniques. The last bit of information your instructor will give you prior to beginning the primary series are the drishti’s or gaze points. During asana practice it can be easy to lose focus or start to look around at other yogis practicing. In order to stay focused on your body and what you are doing, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois taught these gaze points. There are eight of them: Urdhva (upwards), brumadhyai (third eye), nasagrai (nose), nabhi cakra (navel), padayoragrai (feet), angustha madhyai (thumb), hastagrai (hand) and parsva (side). After going over these important aspects of the Ashtanga method, the instructor will begin to walk you through Sun Salutation A and B and the first few postures of the Standing sequence. While you are memorizing the order of the postures the instructor will be there to guide you if you get stuck. As you get stronger and more flexible and are able to do these beginning postures, the instructor will give you new postures to work on. You may begin with practicing three days a week but the goal would be to practice six days a week, taking a day for rest. by Sheila Olson Finding ways to balance a fitness routine with overall self-care can be tricky, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle or are dealing with stress or depression. It’s essential to your overall health, however, to achieve that balance and maintain it in a healthy way. Since self-care can mean any number of things—from finding ways to relax to learning how to eat more balanced meals—it doesn’t have to be difficult to fit it into your life. Think of the things that make you happy and incorporate them into your daily routine alongside a workout program.
Fitness goals differ from person to person, and what works for your friend may not work for you. Keep this in mind moving forward to avoid becoming overwhelmed and to stay motivated. The best way to work out a new routine for your physical health is to merge it with things you already enjoy doing, such as swimming or spending time with a loved one. Here are a few tips on how to incorporate fitness and self-careinto your daily routine. Take it easy Particularly if you are starting a new routine after being inactive for a while, or if you are in recoveryfor substance abuse, it’s important not to overdo it. Start out slowly and work your way up to avoid becoming overwhelmed or sustaining an injury. You might begin with a low-impact exercise, such as walking or simple yoga, and then add in different elements such as weight training or cardio. Eat better Part of physical fitness is learning how to eat well-balanced meals that will give you energy and keep you feeling good throughout the day. It’s also about finding the best way to keep yourself satisfied between meals, such as bringing small, resealable bags filled with fresh veggies, nuts, and dried fruit to work instead of relying on vending machines for a snack. Work out a meal plan that makes sense for you and your family and stick to it as closely as possible through the week. Not only will you feel better, it can also save you money! De-stress Taking care of your mind and body can be difficult if you’re stressed to the teeth, so finding a way to relax is imperative. You can actually incorporate something that makes you feel good with an activity that gets your heart rate up. Think along the lines of gardening, swimming, running around the backyard with the kids or dog, or playing a sport. Merge a hobby with something activeto get the most benefits. Create an at-home gym If you have a busy schedule or are coping with depression or anxiety, it can be difficult or impossible to get to the gym several times a week. One of the best ways around this is to create your own home gym, complete with all the things you need for a good workout. You don’t need to break the bank to do this. You can add a yoga mat, resistance bands, a stability ball, and some free weights for a small, manageable workout space in the comfort of your own home. Get the dog involved If you have a pet, there are several ways you can focus on your fitness and self-care routine and involve himat the same time. Dogs are loyal companions who love going for a run or having playtime outside, and they’ll keep you motivated even when you’re feeling tired. Take your pup to the dog park, head to the beach for a run, or just have some playtime outside after work. Since spending time with animals can reduce stress, it’ll work wonders for your mental health as well as your physical health. Finding ways to incorporate mental and physical fitness into your busy routine isn’t always easy, but doing so can help you live a more fulfilled life and can aid in reducing depression and stress, even if you’re in recovery. Talk to your doctor before beginning any rigorous routine and start out slowly to avoid injury. Flu season has been a doozy this year and we're all crossing our fingers in hopes our we, loved ones, co-workers, or fellow yogis, don't get the bug. And while eating may be the last thing on your mind when you’re sick, it’s essential to keep up your strength. But along with reaching for the standard bowl of chicken-noodle soup, we recommend taking a page from other countries’ books and relying on soothing sick foods full of flavor and healing ingredients, like ginger, garlic, turmeric, cilantro, lemon, and leafy greens. 
 Contributed by The Tuck Sleep Foundation
Meditation has been an integral part of Eastern culture for hundreds of years. It may have been a fad when it first hit the scene in the Western world but, today, science has begun to discover the many benefits of how meditation on the mind and body. The Relaxation Response When the body relaxes there are biological responses that take place such as a decrease in oxygen consumption, an increase in exhaled nitric oxide, and reduced psychological distress. Together these create the ‘relaxation response’ that gets triggered while meditating. There is even evidence to suggest that regular exposure to the relaxation response can change the cells at a genetic level. Depression, Anxiety, and Fatigue The science behind the relaxation response supports the idea that the mind can change the body. Studies have shown that regularly helping the body to have a relaxation response can relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Meditation can also reduce the feelings and signs of daytime fatigue. More studies have found that the effect of meditation works across age groups with older adults and teenagers having similar responses to regular meditation. Reducing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue creates conditions that lend themselves to getting better sleep. Better sleep creates a healthy cycle that can continue to reduce symptoms of mental and physical illness. The Right Kind of Meditation Not all meditation techniques promote sleep. Some methods work to bring the mind into focus and stimulate the brain for complex activity. If you’re trying to get ready for bed, you don’t want your brain to be waking up. In general, the less cognitive effort needed the more likely you are to relax. Four of the most effective methods include progressive muscle relaxation, mindful breathing, counting, and guided meditation. All can be performed while lying in bed so that you can drift off to sleep as your mind an body relax. Muscle Relaxation This method involves identifying muscle tension followed by systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups. Once you’ve laid down in bed, breathe deeply. Starting at the top of your head and tense one muscle group for five seconds and then release. Inhale before tensing and exhale as you relax. Work your way through each muscle group in your body down to your toes. It may take two or three times through the exercise to release all tension at which point your muscles should feel heavy. Mindful Breathing Mindful breathing involves focusing on the inhale and exhale of your breath. As you take slow, deep breaths feel the expansion of your lungs and chest. With every exhale, empty your mind and body of stress as you release your breath. When the mind wanders, bring gently back to the rhythmic in and out of your breathing. Counting Meditation If muscle relaxation and focused breathing don’t work for you, counting meditation might be the right blend of focus and tension release. When you lay down, take a few deep breaths and start slowly counting. Focusing on each number helps you stay present but isn’t hard enough to require mental strain, which will allow you drift off to sleep. Guided Meditation The key to guided meditation is that you don’t have to think about what to do next. You follow someone else’s instructions. Guided meditation may involve mindful breathing or counting, but you simply follow the guidance of the instructor. You can use guided meditation apps and/or audio files. Whatever meditation method you use, it should help bring your mind to a quiet place of rest for a better night’s sleep. |
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