How Ayurveda can keep you healthy over the holidays

The ancient science of Ayurveda has many practical and easy suggestions to stay healthy in every season. I was introduced to Ayurveda in 2004 and it has changed the way I eat, shower, sleep, nap, drive, you name it and it has a new meaning after learning about my dosha.

Your constitution(dosha) is very important in order for you to stay healthy and live a long and happy life. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, air/space, water/fire, water, earth. These Mahabhutas (master elements) impact everything about you from the way your dream, think, walk, talk, what you are attracted to, and what you don't like.

Knowing your dosha is essential to make positive changes that create and restore balance in the mind-body. Here are my top 3 favorite Ayurvedic techniques that have helped me over the years.

1. Abhyanga - Full body oil massage. Heat up the oil (sesame for vata, coconut for Pitta, sunflower/safflower/mustard for Kapha) , rub it all over, leave it on, then have a hot shower/bath. Clean only the parts that need it and leave the oil on. Benefits, relieves dry skin, keeps you feeling warmer and detoxifies the body.

2. Neti Pot - For years I have raved about the benefits of this practice. Neti pot is done with a small pot that has a spout. Mix some warm filtered water with ionized salt, tip your head pour the water through, after warm use Nasaya oil to keep your nose lubricated. Benefits, helps prevent colds/flu by maintaining a healthy, clean mucus membrane in your nose, gets rid of excess phlegm and mucus, helps keeps sinuses clear and open.

3. Tongue Scraping - I can't live without my stainless steel tongue scraper. It's a small metal (you got it, depends on your dosha which is best to use) u shaped scraper that you drag across your tongue from back to front 7 to 14 times to remove the buildup of ama (toxins) that settle on your tongue. It is especially noticeable first thing in the morning. When you stick your tongue out you may see a whitish, or yellowish layer, that's ama and if you use your toothbrush on your tongue you're only pushing it deeper into your tongue. Think of your tongue as a shag carpet! Main benefit, your breath is fresher, tongue is clean so you taste food better, and you get rid of ama instead of swallowing it or pushing it deeper into your tongue.

I hope you enjoyed this little intro about the way Ayurveda has helped me to be healthier and happier!!!

Shovelasana - Syallabus 5

Talk about an extreme pose, SHOVELASANA! Wow did it ever snow a lot here in the last 24 hours, which means shoveling for many of us. Every year thousands of people seriously hurt their backs from shoveling. Many of the injuries are related to loaded flexion of the spine (rounding in your lumbar back) add some rotation in there and that spells danger for your discs.

The discs in your spine act like tiny shock absorbers and are like a jelly filled doughnut (what a great word -DOUGHNUT). When you round forward it causes the jelly (meniscus) to squeeze out the back or sides, if you do this over and over and over again, you can tear, herniate or rupture these discs. The most common site of bulging or herniated discs are L5 - S1. The bulging disc is only part of the problem, it impinges on the nerves that run through your spine and can cause debilitating pain, and numbness.

Prevention is far easier than treatment folks. If your back has been impaired Anusara Yoga offers several bio mechanical alignments that can relieve the pain, the swelling and even heal the rupture. It takes constant work, every day though, you can't let it slide!

Many yoga students have been taught to roll up and down or bend into a forward bend while loading the spines flexion mostly at L5-S1, or even hang while doing that. Sure every once in a while no big deal, in fact a wide variety of movements are good for your spine BUT, if you are a serious yoga student and you do this kind of movement everyday, this can be weakening the discs in the spine and you never know what action will potentially rupture the weakened disc.

If your yoga practice is causing you more pain, and not just in your back or your're getting injured you likely have no muscular engagement that helps hold the spine in it's natural, safe alignment. Pain is the bodies way of telling you that something is misaligned somewhere.

Emergency rooms, walk-in clinics and doctors offices will be filled today with people that injured their backs shoveling (although now you know perhaps that action was the 'straw that broke the camels' back' Sorry, I had to say it!)

So practice SHOVELASANA, first check your attitude, open up to a bigger energy like the one dumping all the beautiful unique snowflakes down from the sky, enjoy this SNOWDAY, do a little bit a time, don't lift more than you can handle, small scoops, hire someone to do it for you, if you are doing it yourself than alignment is the key to reducing the chance that you may end up flat on your back, missing work and having fun for the rest of the week.

Bend your knees deep, create a curve in your lower back by taking your thigh bones, in, back, and apart, once you have a curve, lengthen your tailbone down, draw your belly in (a strong core also supports a strong back), keep your spine long and listen to your body

Also I recommend coming in having a warm tea and do a backbend practice. Your legs govern your lower back so if you are having pain in your lumber spine that make sure you are engaging your legs, lift and spread your toes, hug your shins to the midline and then take you thigh bones, in, back, and apart.

I would never myself do backbends with pulling my knees into my chest in between. If the backbends are causing you pain (discomfort is normal)then there is a good chance you are not optimally lines up and need some clear instructions on how to do that. I can help you with sore backs!

I LOVE the snow,it means snowboarding for me and I can't wait to hit the slopes with my pain-free back :) that was created through proper, specific alignment in yoga!

The Holy-Days are here

I am about to get ready to venture down to the mall to do some holiday shopping. I am not even there yet and I know the parking lots will be full of cars, the roads are icy because we had our first real snowfall yesterday, and people can be... well.... stressed lets say around this time of the year.

So, here is my yoga practice while at the mall. I will stand in Mountain pose with my feet aligned (center of the heels out to the base of my second toes) which I will do through my winter boots. I will microbend my knees and take the top of my thighs back so my femur bones sit well deep in there homes, I will lengthen my tailbone and from there I will be physically grounded and emotionally. Then comes the hard part, lengthen up through my spine to the very top of my head and beyond to the sun, stars and moon but this is the toughest, I will keep my heart open!

In the hustle and bustle I will keep my eyes open so I don't miss all the beautiful lights and decorations. We can get so myopic when we are deep in the crowds. Then I will acknowledge that these folks are just trying to do what I am doing which is get a gift for someone I love or care for to remind them that we love them this holiday season.

If I don't get you a present this year, forgive me! Know that you are loved and love doesn't need to be in box, with wrapping paper and a bow. I will challenge you to do the same the next time you are caught in a long line up of holiday shoppers since that might your toughest yoga practice to date!

om and warm holiday blessings,
m