Good morning!
It is a beautiful start to the weekend here…I hope it is where you are too!
I figured I needed some spinach greens in my life again this morning…
I drank the green monster outdoors to wake up my body…
In this dazzling GM = 1 cup hemp milk, 2 small bunches of spinach, 1 tbsp maple butter, 1/2 frozen banana, 7 strawberries, 1 tbsp chia seeds. (awesome combo!!!!!)
Much better. What would I do without Green Monsters in my life!?
Liquid sanity.
and some flowers for you to enjoy…
Cheer me up buttercup…
Yoga As Therapy?
In last night’s How To Beat PMS post, I forgot to mention that I have been using yoga stretches to help my back pain. In particular, I love the Cobra and Camel poses for my lower back. They feel so soothing!
One of my favourite yoga websites, Yoga Journal, has a fantastic therapeutic guide for all kinds of ailments such as:
- Anxiety
- Back Pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Mild Depression
- Stress
It is pretty exciting to think that certain kinds of yoga poses could help with all of that!
What’s your take on yoga used as a therapeutic tool? Have you ever tried it or targeted specific ailments with certain poses? What are your favourite poses?
We’re off to the Farmer’s Market….see you later with the recap! Have a fabulous day.
Yoga definitely helps me too! I also find reading does – like reading something mind numbing like a trashy magazine. :)
I could stay in childs pose, forever :P
I think Hot Yoga and Vinyasa flow are the most wonderful things when I’m are having a really bad day or just first thing in the morning. Trouble is getting out to do them when I would rather stay tucked away in my bed haha
I’ve actually never been able to get into yoga :( I really want to! What kind do you think I should try first? I find it so hard to concentrate usually.
I’m gonna check out those links for ailments – that’s amazing!
I have been missin yoga in my life for the last month and a half. I am anxious to get back into the grove. I am so much more relaxed and I have noticed that I did get some cramps since I’ve not been going to yoga.
Yoga is totally therapy. I have used it for various running injuries, and mentally, it is such an anxiety soother. There have been definite times where I have let out a whole lotta tears in the middle of yoga practice!
Yoga’s definitely therapy!! My favorite poses are the triangle ones. They’re simple and realllly stretch out your legs, hips, and sides.
I’ve done very little yoga in my life – but the stuff I have done has helped me after a long run (all the stretching etc) and when I was ill, it helped me mentally to unwind :) so yes, I think it is pretty theraputic!
I couldn’t live without GMs either :D
Yoga is amazing. Once you wrap your head around the idea that you aren’t huffing and puffing like you do when you run, bike, etc, you realize that your body is getting a great workout and you are getting stronger and more flexible. Plus, paying attention to your breath and incorporating breathing exercises makes you tune into your body. And a nice corpse pose at the end of any workout (after stretching and cooling down, of course) does wonders for your sanity. My favorite thin about yoga, especially Kripalu yoga, is that it embraces where you are right now and doesn’t compare you to any other ideal.
I love yoga journal’s site. Check out kripalu.org, too. They have amazing resources as well as great yoga retreats.
liquid sanity is right! i think yoga is different for everyone, but the common denominator is that it teaches you to stop and just BREATHE…and that means something for everyone. i would say for me it’s helped me to gain flexibility and appreciate my body more for what it can do :)
It is SUCH a gorgeous day here in DC — low humidity, sunny, not too terribly hot — I’m ready to get outside and go go go!
Yoga is something I actually haven’t tried yet but it’s on my to-do after hearing so many people rave about it. Can’t hurt to try once. ;)
Yoga is such a personal practice. Everyone gets something out of it. For some, including me, it is most definitely therapy. All different kinds of therapy – put whatever word you want in front of therapy and yoga does it for me!
I practice Kripalu style yoga – the yoga of compassion. You meet yourself where you are in a non-judging way. It has changed my life, not to mention my body! It has allowed me to let go of 100+ lbs effortlessly, without “dieting”
So yes – yoga is most definitely therapy!
Here is a link with more information about Kripalu yoga:
http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/a/kripalu.htm
I actually have not done alot of yoga but I just signed up at a local Yoga Studio to complete a Pure Basics class which I am really excited about!
I have to ask…where do you get maple butter? I found pure maple spread at the grocery store, would that be the same thing? It just sounds so delicious!
I buy it from a wholesaler but I think you can get it at Wholefooods…that is where I first saw it :)
great post! i have been trying to stretch more as i increase my running (i’m just a newbie), and yoga is my favorite way to do so. i bookmarked the links :D
p.s. now i want a GM!!! curses, internet, for activating my cravings! ;)
I loooooooove Child’s Pose. I could fall asleep in it… it’s so relaxing, and makes my back feel good :D I also love how you put maple butter in your GM. :D
Wei-Wei
I think yoga can really be therapeutic. it always makes me feel a lot better, both physically and mentally. It’s so unbelievably relaxing!
Good luck with the market today! The weather seems to be in your favour. :)
Yoga is great. I think my favourite pose is the Hare. It stretches out my back but it relaxes me a the same time.
What a lovely and soothing post, Angela. You know I haven’t done much yoga but I can definitely see how it could be therapy. Have a great weekend.
yoga is the best for everything!