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Trauma Sensitive Yoga and Equine Assisted Yoga: The Basics

Trauma In The Body:

Trauma actually limits a person’s lifespan and disrupts their neurodevelopment. Lack of emotional regulation, adverse health behavior, and “living on the edge” has a negative impact on a person’s biology which leads to chronic illnesses and chronic pain such as muscle spasms, back pain, migraines, and/or fibromyalgia (Van Der Kolk, 268).

In PTSD patients, stress levels do not return to baseline after a threat (real or potential) has passed (Van Der Kolk, 46). Effectively, the traumatized brain no longers feels safe and remains on high alert. This takes a person out of living-in-the-moment. The effects of trauma are not necessarily different from and overlap with the effects of physical lesions like strokes (Van Der Kolk, 43). PTSD survivors can lose executive functioning, the ability to self-regulate (often overreacting to minor inconveniences), and they can lose the Reflex of Purpose (Van Der Kolk, 45, 78) (often disrupting basic signals like hunger or fatigue).  

Interoception: Befriending the Body

Interoception refers to when one’s physical reality and neurophysiological reality are in sync. In yoga terms, this means: Body Awareness. One can only be fully in charge of one’s life if they can acknowledge the reality of their own body in all it’s visceral dimensions. (Van Der Kolk, 27). Body awareness puts us in touch with our inner world, the landscape of our organism (Van Der Kolk, 210).

In trauma, when fighting for survival, one often loses connection to their own body and that sense of detachment may remain long after the trauma is over. The goal of treatment of trauma is to help people live in the moment and not according to the demands of the past. To have an experience in the moment, we call attention to what’s happening right here, right now. (Trauma Sensitive Yoga, www.traumasensitiveyoga.com)

Reorganizing the Brain: Breath and Self-Awareness

No one can “treat” a war, rape, or abuse. It has been done. But what can be dealt with are the imprints of the trauma on the body, mind, and soul in effort to restore executive functioning (Van Der Kolk, 205).

We have the capacity to regulate our own physiology including the so-called involuntary functions of the body and brain through such basic activities as breathing, moving, and touching* (Van Der Kolk, 38).

Research supported by the National Institutes of Health has shown that 10 weeks of yoga practice markedly reduced the PTSD symptoms of patients who have failed to respond to any medication or to any other treatment. (Van Der Volk, 209.)

A yoga practice that is focused on breath is designed to completely relax the practitioner until a parasympathetic state is achieved. In the parasympathetic state, the practitioner is calm, relaxed, and able to resist the fight or flight response to stressful triggers. The rider learns to respond to stimuli in a discerning, thoughtful manner, rather than react on impulse.

We Provide A Safe Environment For Healing 

Feeling safe is the single most important aspect of mental health (Van Der Kolk, 81). When trauma survivors have shut down or find difficulty in connecting with humans, horses can provide less complicated companionship while providing the necessary sense of safety to heal. (Van Der Kolk, 82).

Bearing in mind that safety is the top priority, we must make great efforts to avoid interfering with the natural healing that the animal human bond facilitates. IOW not constantly telling the rider what to do. By encouraging the rider to be an active participant in his or her healing, we invite them to participate in the yoga and offer them the choice to engage in the lesson or specific aspects of the lesson. Empower the survivor by letting go of your expectations of their healing. Allow flexibility for the rider to explore both emotional and physical sensations during the yoga sequence. Give space to permit interoception/body awareness. In Trauma Sensitive Yoga and equine therapy, we want to provide an environment for the rider to regain control over their body and learn to trust themselves and the world around them.  This can not be forced.

You Are The Agent of Your Own Healing: Agency and Empowerment

Trauma by its very nature drives us to the edge of compulsion, cutting us off from language based on common experience or in an imagined past. (Van Der Kolk, 43.) We feel helpless and unable to express ourselves as the trauma has convinced us that we are not in control of our bodies or our destiny. In any modality, a trauma survivor must feel EMPOWERED. As facilitators of healing, we can’t take away their choices lest we recreate the trauma by interfering with the survivor’s personal agency. (A main tenant of Trauma Sensitive Yoga.)

We must respect the trauma survivor’s journey and allow the healing to unfold in its own time. In other words, we can not be attached to their healing or set forth any kind of agenda.

A Trauma Survivor Can Not Be Reminded Enough That They Have Choices

A Trauma Survivor Can Not Be Reminded Enough That They Have Choices

A Trauma Survivor Can Not Be Reminded Enough That They Have Choices

Key Components Of A Trauma Sensitive Practice

Language:

Concrete - Straightforward - Avoid metaphors and keep the instructions simple.

Visceral - invite exploration of internal body sensations. Don’t be too complex because it gets people too in their heads when we want to encourage body awareness.

Repetition - repeating cues to allow deep internal work, cueing 5-10 movements in a lesson.

Two basic styles of language:

Invitational Language - This highlights the empowerment aspect. They choose what they do with their bodies. E.g. You may… If you choose ... If you’d like …

Interoceptive / Inquiry Language - Focuses on the body sensation. E.g. You may feel… What are you feeling? ... Focus on...

We avoid praise and judgment remembering that the client is not there to have expectations set on them.

We avoid referring to the anatomy, instead say: Top of your body or lower part of your body ...

Demonstration: We practice with the client for the “shared authentic experience.” Additionally, this takes away from self-consciousness if we are not solely focused on the rider.  

“Forms” To Consider In A Sequence

Neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist circles, ankle circles, bilateral stimulation. Consider pausing at any point to ask the rider to notice if they are feeling balanced on the back of the horse.

Hands Together - at the heart and/or raised above head while shoulders press down

Eagle Arms - arms crossed at the elbows, hands to touch, lifting elbows upwards

Simple Twist - reach one arm behind, resting on the saddle or horse or lifted, sitting up tall

Simple Back Bend - sitting up tall, chin reaches upwards, hands reach behind as the shoulder blades reach towards each other

Quiet cool down. Invite the rider to thank the horse and feel its movement.

Responding to Triggers: 

Movement may cause triggers and that is ok. Part of this practice is learning how to safely respond to triggers. Some gentle ways to respond to a client who is upset, crying, or shutting down:

Are you ok?

What do you need?

Would you like me to rephrase how I cued the form?

Do you feel like you can continue the practice?

Do you have someone you can talk to today? Is your therapist available?

Recommended Reading and Sources:

Wills, Denise Kersten, “Healing Life's Traumas with Yoga, New studies show that people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder can find real relief with yoga.” www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/healing-lifes-traumas;  last accessed February 9, 2019.

Emerson, David and Elizabeth Hopper, PhD. (2011). Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga, Reclaiming Your Body. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Emerson, David. (2015). Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy, Bringing The Body Into Treatment. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

Trauma Sensitive Yoga, www.traumasensitiveyoga.com

Van Der Kolk, Bessel, (2014) The Body Keeps The Score - Brain, Mind, And Body In The Healing Of Trauma. New York, NY, Penguin Random House, LLC.

[yogiangelyoga]

Equine Yoga Therapy for PTSD and Healing from Trauma

I began volunteering with Shadow Hills Riding Club in September 2016 and quickly became involved in organizational development of the three programs offered at the facility. I was immediately impressed with the physical and emotional benefits I observed in the riders. From special needs children, to adults in recovery, and combat veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I saw and felt deeply the connection between horses and humans on a level that I’d not previously experienced.

In my efforts to bring more attention to the programs offered at Shadow Hills Riding Club through sponsorship, grants, and private funding, I researched the proven benefits of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies and brought my learning to the arena when I participated in group therapy lessons as a sidewalker (a person who walks along the side of the horse to assist the mounted rider during a lesson). Coupled with my training as a yoga instructor, I realized that through breath and other calming techniques, I could see both the rider and the horse relax to become more connected. Subtle body cues like a touch to spine between the shoulder blades or opening the diaphragm by prompting the rider to lift his or her arms to the helmet encouraged deeper breathing and anatomically appropriate posture. For many with low confidence or spinal injuries, the posture has become low tone and contributes to overall asymmetrical physique. Lifting the chest and head are deeply profound gestures for riders with traumatic backgrounds. It is a gesture that demonstrates a willingness to be seen which can be incredibly empowering, especially for riders who’ve wanted to disappear amidst their suffering.

There are distinct similarities between the practice of yoga and equine therapy. Each requires body awareness, mindfulness, and relaxation. Combining the two can bring great benefit to the rider.

A yoga practice that is focused on breath is designed to completely relax the practitioner until a parasympathetic state is achieved. In the parasympathetic state, the practitioner is calm, relaxed, and able to resist the fight or flight response to stressful triggers. The rider learns to respond to stimuli in a discerning, thoughtful manner, rather than react on impulse.  Allowing the practitioner to be active in his or her healing is imperative to a re-organization of the brain post-trauma.

The ability to access the parasympathetic state is uniquely beneficial for the rider recovering from PTSD for several reasons. First, this focuses on restoring the nervous system which has been depleted by one or several traumatic events. Second, this kind of yoga may be practiced by beginners, advanced yogis, persons with limited mobility, or persons with limited exercise experience. Third, the breathing practices and postures can be performed out of the arena as well. Riders will learn key postures and techniques and can perform one or many on their own time during times of stress, trigger moments, or when the desire for a simple physical meditation calls.  

Yoga can significantly impact the lives of first responders and those suffering from PTSD. In a study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, a prominent PTSD expert found that a group of female patients who completed eight hatha yoga (yoga which focuses on linking breath with postures) classes showed significantly more improvement in symptoms—including the frequency of intrusive thoughts and the severity of jangled nerves—than a similar group that had eight sessions of group therapy. The study also reported that yoga can improve heart-rate variability, a key indicator of a person's ability to calm herself. (Healing Life's Traumas with Yoga, New studies show that people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder can find real relief with yoga. Denise Kersten Wills, October 23, 2007. https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/healing-lifes-traumas; last accessed January 17, 2018.)

The human/animal bond is often a first step in reintegration to social norms for soldiers adjusting to life back in the U.S. For first responders or others with PTSD, who may have isolated themselves from the outside world, animals may provide the entry way into these people’s hearts. Horses are non-judgmental, loving, loyal sentient beings that develop long lasting bonds with humans. They enjoy receiving and giving affection and respond best to a rider that is kind and gentle. The relationship with the horse begins with subconscious and subtle communications like body positioning, gait, tension, and eye contact. In these ways, the horse acts like a mirror to the rider. The horse reads the rider and responds, many times to an emotion that the rider hasn’t yet recognized in her or himself.

Yoga is also a mirror to the soul. Through awareness of the body and a deep focus on body sensation, practitioners describe a feeling of “waking up” for the first time since a traumatic event caused them to want to escape themselves. The military has begun to investigate yoga's therapeutic potential. In a preliminary study at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., nine active-duty soldiers with PTSD were able to sleep better and felt less depressed after 12 weeks of Yoga Nidra (also known as yogic sleep, a practice that elicits deep relaxation). "They felt more comfortable with situations that they couldn't control, and as a result, they felt more control over their lives," says Richard Miller, who is serving as a consultant to the Walter Reed researchers. Miller is a Sebastopol, California-based clinical psychologist, yoga teacher, and cofounder of the International Association of Yoga Therapy. (Wills, https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/healing-lifes-traumas .)

Combining Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy with Yoga brings the rider incredible benefits. The rider is able to establish a bond with an animal while exploring his or her body and retraining the nervous system to be responsive rather than reactive. 

Please reach out if you are interested in learning more about Equine Yoga Therapy. 

[yogiangelyoga]

Yoga is Great for Employee Health and Wellness

Contact me at YogiAngel.com to see how we can bring Yoga to your offices. :)

[yogiangelyoga]

Veggie Ramen Party

I love noodle soups! I have been exploring different kinds. I love Veggie Pho and Miso. I especially love Ramen Hood’s OG Bowl. Lather it in spicy chili oil and you’re golden! I have been trying to recreate their magic broth and read that it’s sunflower based. I have had made a few delicious, but not precisely perfect attempts to make it’s equal but only recently did I nail it. Soup’s on point! Maaaayyybeeee even a little better ;) 

First, get yourself some ramen at Grand Central Market and try this deliciousness. This will get you nice and motivated to make it at home!

Second, make a vegetarian stock. I do this weekly. I freeze all my veggie ends, scraps, papers, from herb stems to the insides of bell peppers. My best stocks have corn cobs and sweet potato shavings. When my freezer bag gets full, I boil the veg with bay leaf, salt and pepper, olive oil, turmeric, and a pinch of a fresh herb (cilantro, basil, rosemary, or whatever is on hand). I cover the veg with water and let it simmer for about an hour. Drain the broth and toss the soggies. There’s your stock. 

Third, buy a gang of healthy vegetables at your favorite Asian Market. Los Angeles has so many. My favorites are snap peas, bok choy, carrots, lotus root, lemon grass, mung bean sprouts, scallions, basil, and a few kinds of mushrooms, plus tofu. You also need Sunflower Butter (no sugar), Tomato Paste (no sugar), and Nutritional Yeast.  

Fourth, get ready to make your broth. It’s gonna be so smooth. You’ll love me. Heat a soup pot and add coconut oil or olive oil. Add chopped mushrooms, sliced lotus root, salt and pepper, turmeric, a dash of mustard powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Saute until aromatic. Make a hot spot and add two heaping tablespoons of sunflower butter and tomato paste. Cook out. Then combine the sautéed mushrooms. Cut and add 1-2 inches of lemon grass (to taste, your preference). Add half a fist full of basil. If your fists are the size of the Rock’s, add less. Add two tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast. Combine. Add approximately 4 cups of your vegetable stock. If you’ve made it ahead of time, it will take a minute to come up to a bubble. Once bubbling, let simmer for 8-10 minutes, continuing to stir and adjust seasoning. Add water to dilute if necessary. Now taste this magic. 

Fifth, peel and slice two carrots on the bias. I have cooked these separately with ginger and sesame oil or just tossed in the bubbling stock. It’s up to your and your energy level for the day. Either way, get the carrots to al dente. Jam them on in the soup. Trim ends off the bok choy and again you can cook these separately or chuck them in the stock. Traditionally, these would be cooked separately and then assembled in the bowl so it looks pretty. Your tofu can prepared how you like it. It can be served in the soup fried with the skin on or just cubed and warmed in the stock. 

Sixth, NOODLES! There are literally hundreds of different kinds of noodles and frankly, this soup is so rich and so creamy and so veg dense, you might omit them altogether. But if you want to be a traditionalist, go for the yellow ramen noodles. You can buy them precooked. They just need a quick dip in boiling water before they are added to the bottom of your ramen bowl. You don’t want to let them sit in your soup pot. They’ll get sog city. For a gluten free option, try Buckwheat Soba. So good!

Seventh, assemble this hotness in a rainbow of finery. It goes like this: noodles, broth, lotus roots, carrots, bok choy, mushrooms, snap peas, freshly chopped scallions, basil, and a handful of mung bean sprouts. 

Eighth, have on hand to add to your noodle party some sesame oil, chili oil, and lime. 

Ninth, get down with this sunflower, tomato, lemon grass tasty tasty. 

Tenth, repeat and feel good about it! This is a low carb, healthy fat, nutrient dense soup that gets you full fast. I promise. 

[yogiangelyoga]

Anti-Inflammatory and Detoxifying Animal-Friendly Yum Yums

A friend told me she’s in a food rut so I put together a few simple animal-friendly recipes for her and I thought I’d share!  

Here’s a few healthy eating ideas for the week. :)

Try these easy yum roasted butternut squash and broccolini jammers. Broccolini (sub regular broccoli if that’s what’s available) has a slightly shorter cooking time than the squash so try to time it so they finish simultaneously. Everyone will be super impressed. Especially if you’re eating alone! (Winks.) Try sprinkling Turmeric and Paprika on your squash for added anti-inflammatory benefits and flavor! 

Make this super easy and flushing Kale and White Bean Soup. Use Veggie Stock of course! Add toasted Turmeric, too! 

Try this Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Seeds.  My suggestion is OMIT the corn (too much sugar) and substitute a more nutrient dense green for the red leaf lettuce. Instead of corn, you could add another seed like Sunflower or toasted chickpeas. Martha rules. 

This Red Lentil Soup is one of my go-tos. In the Winter months, I have it about once a week. (I lied. I have it pretty much every day.)  Don’t forget to add your toasted Turmeric! 

Get on some of this Carrot Ginger Soup. It's already pretty sweet so my suggestion is to OMIT the coconut milk and substitute unsweetened almond milk (if you want a creamy soup). It's fine without the cream, too. Add Turmeric! 

Love Your Veggies, #yogafam! Don’t forget the Turmeric ;)  

[yogiangelyoga]

For December, Capital D:  Detachment.

Detachment is the deathless dimension. Whittled down, detachment is to be free of suffering and stress. It is to release and to be released from space and time. The word detachment has infinite implications and can have unique meaning for each individual now or ever living. Therefore, the meaning of detachment, and its place in our lives, is ripe for discussion. But while its meaning and its attainment may be complicated, its roots are quite simple: We are already perfect and there is nothing left to do. How good does that feel? 

Attachment, the opposite of detachment, is rooted in fear and insecurity. It’s a forgetting that our true selves are already perfect as we are and that no outside source can add to our existing perfection. It is a wanting, a desire, a craving, an addiction, an obsession, an anxiety, a desperation, a disbelief in our impermanence and our simultaneous limitlessness. Attachment limits us from the freedom of space and time. Attachment tethers us to the ground when we are truly meant to float. 

Viveka and viraaga are the two Paali words which have been translated as "detachment." The two, however, are not synonymous. The primary meaning of viveka is separation, aloofness, seclusion. Often physical withdrawal is implied. The later commentarial tradition, however, identifies three forms of viveka: kaaya-viveka (physical withdrawal), citta-viveka (mental withdrawal), and upadhi-viveka (withdrawal from the roots of suffering). Withdrawal was not a new concept. Before Buddha’s time, withdrawal could come in the form of total renunciation of any and all creatures comforts including homes, elaborate clothing, and sexual pleasure. Ascetic monks would take vows of poverty and live free of possessions. They believed this barrenness, this lack of property,  would bring them a closer to connection to god or sprit. Only through self-deprivation, near starvation, physical and mental cleansing, would they receive the highest direction. However, Buddha rejected this extreme and taught moderation to his followers. Detachment evolved from a visceral embodiment of sacrifice to a more spiritual quest - in this way, Buddha gave less credence to the relationship between physical possessions and our spirit selves. He allowed the practitioner to be a being of light that need not wade through torture to achieve peace. In fact, torture and pain is the antithesis of detachment which is to lead a life free of suffering. 

Question: How does one achieve detachment and what does detachment mean in the modern world? (The word “achieve” is so very loaded, it is hard to even use it here. One practices meditation and discernment and hopes to raise his or her vibration and discover one’s consciousness. There is no road map and there is no sign post saying, Here you’ve made it!) Suggested answer: We must look within, away from the outside, and understand our own motivations for detachment. We must seek only inner peace and purity of heart so that we may love others wholly and completely with total compassion. Our motivations must be pure and unattached to result, to things, to possessions, to faulty notions of self. Detachment in the modern world is only difficult if we let it become so. Detachment means to be un-attached. You are not attached. You are de-tached. You were never meant to be attached in the first place. 

Where this idea gives people problems is that the concept can be seen as unloving or unfriendly. Detached has a negative connotation in English and is often used to describe someone like a potential lover or a boss that is seen as cold. Don’t think about the concept that way. Think of yourself as a beautiful flower. You can grow and grow and you bloom and your petals turn beautiful colors. You come from the ground and your drink up the rain when it pours. A flower down the way grows and is beautiful and drinks up the rain when it pours. Yet your paths shall never cross. Your beauty will never know the other’s beauty. Yet you both exist simultaneously, purely, forever, unencumbered by the existence of the other. It is not that you do not care for the flower or that you believe you are better than the flower. It is that you are a perfect thing of beauty and it is a perfect thing of beauty. Are you with me? 

When we think of detachment, or being unattached, it is beautiful to think of the free-flowing nature of our existence rather than what we are missing if we de-attach. When we awaken to our true selves, we are open to goodness, to magic, to love, to true knowledge. We are unencumbered by the weightiness of anger, of obligation, or social mis-steps, of jealousy, or of craving. True knowledge of self blooms and in the ultimate paradox we then realize we are all one, all in this together, all here for each other.     

Detachment for me is especially important in December. It’s a heady time, wrought with memories, expectations, and a dizzying consumer culture that makes me quite sad. I am hoping that with practice, patience, and quiet times here writing to you, I will get through another holiday season and that my true self continues to evolve. I will make a pledge to you that I will look inward, that I will not judge myself, that I will practice self-love, and that I will tell myself at least twenty, no thirty!, times a day that I am perfect. Always have been, always will be ;) 

With that, may I suggest that we live with total compassion and be free? Yes, let’s. 

[yogiangelyoga]

Yoga For Elderly Diabetics

Approximately 1.25 million American children and adults have type 1 diabetes. Undiagnosed: Of the 29.1 million, 21.0 million were diagnosed, and 8.1 million were undiagnosed. Prevalence in Seniors: The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 25.9%, or 11.8 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed).

Did you know that yoga can reduce contributing factors and help patients cope with diabetic symptoms? Yoga provides unique benefits that can effectively restore the body to a state of natural health and proper function. That’s the goal, right?! 

Yoga postures for diabetes switch back and forth between asanas (poses) that contract specific areas of the abdomen and asanas that relax those areas. This alternation between abdominal contractions and release stimulates the pancreas, increasing blood and oxygen supply. As a result, the pancreatic cells, buffeted by nutrients and fresh blood flow, undergo a rejuvenation that improves the organ’s ability to produce insulin. Yogic breathing practices also work in a similar way to stimulate healthy pancreatic function. In diabetics, the pancreas functions at a sub-optimal level so it can use all the help it can get! 

In addition to postures that directly stimulate the pancreas and aid in insulin production, the exercise yoga provides reduces blood sugar levels and helps relieve one of the main symptoms of diabetes: hypoglycemia. Yogic exercise has also been shown to reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both of which are often accompanying symptoms for diabetes. (Many adults suffer from high LDL and high blood pressure - yoga is good for you guys, too!) 

In addition to breathing exercises and yoga postures for diabetes, the meditation segment included in most yoga classes has been shown to encourage proper functioning of the endocrine glands through relaxing the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is where our bodies tell us it’s ok and that we are safe. When the sympathetic nervous is out of balance, we tend to feel harried, flustered, nervous, or anxious. The natural response in this state is “fight or flight.” When the sympathetic nervous system is in balance, we are better equipped to face problems from routines ones to dramatic ones. 

Yoga is for everybody, everybody! For those with compromised health issues like diabetes, it offers so many benefits. Let’s give yoga a hug. It loves you. And so do I. 

If you are ever in need of some guidance, I have the cutest and gentlest sequence for elderly patients. I’d be happy to share! 

[yogiangelyoga]

FATS for your MOOD

Friends, I used to get the sads a lot. Do you know the sads? Do you wish you didn’t know the sads? For me, the sads took all kinds of shapes and forms. Sometimes they were uncontrollable. Sometimes they were prompted by outside forces. But invariably they made me super tired and lonesome. It can be pretty isolating to have an involuntary emotion take you over. 

For the past few years, I’ve been working on getting a handle on those involuntary emotions. I’m not a pill person (for many reasons none of which involve judgment if you are safely taking prescription medication for a mental illness under a competent doctor’s supervision) so my mission towards healing myself was a holistic, homeopathic one. I tried gluten restriction, cutting out alcohol, increased exercise, avoiding wheat, eliminating sugar, sleep hypnosis, meditation, yoga, qigong, writing, positive affirmations, and energy vortexes. 

All provided some relief and some relief lasted longer than others. I would say that all contributed to an overall healthier me. And that I’ve continued in my efforts at confronting known triggers in a healthier way. But nothing, I mean nothing, has helped me with these involuntary sads like FAT (cognition), CHLORELLA (for B vitamins), and VEGAN ACIDOPHILUS (for probiotics and healthy gut flora). I mean, I eat a LOT of fat. Nuts and nut butters and seeds and coconut oil and olive oil and avocado oil and flax oil and Udo Omegas and more nuts and more fats. The only thing I don’t put peanut or cashew butter on is salad - I just eat a tablespoon after I finish! 

I started this experiment probably a few years ago but didn’t include the vegan acidophilus and chlorella until about two months ago. (When it’s around, I’ll also eat Spirulina and/or blue green algae.) In terms of anecdotal evidence, please let me be the benchmark. I wake up earlier. I nap less. The way I view obstacles has changed. The way I take in information has changed. How I deal with setbacks has improved. My memory has improved. I have less anxiety with confrontation. I have overall less anxiety about life. I start the day in a good mood (with the aid of coffee of course), not miserably awaiting the next challenge. I am more calm and more patient. I feel better than I ever recall feeling and I’m not kidding around or sponsored by any vitamin company. 

If you are not inclined to take my anecdotal evidence as fact (You shouldn’t! Question everything you read!), I’ve culled together a few insightful studies on the topic. 

Your Brain on Fat.

Fat and the Depression Connection.

Fat Intake and Depression.

Be sensible, friends. In no way do I or does science condone pizza binges or french fry fetes. You put healthy fats into your body and you get a healthy gut and healthy brain. You put bad fats into your body and you get fat and heart disease. Pretty simple.  

Love you. Mean it. Eat to your health. 

[yogiangelyoga]

Your Flora Is So Pretty

My hope for you #yogafam is the healthiest and cleanest microbiome in the universe! Gut health isn’t just the newest catch phrase, it’s real life important stuff. You can really and truly eat to your physical and mental health by paying attention to the flora in your bodies. What we want to do is kill the bad bacteria (stop feeding those little beasts all that sugar and cured meat!) and promote the growth of healthy bacteria by eating nutrient rich fruits and vegetables. Additionally, chuck in a few probiotics and a gang of water and you’re well on your way to golden guts!  Easy way to remember how to do this: Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly plants. 

There’s plenty of places you can start your own research on how to revitalize your tummies and insides. I like Dr. Robynne Chutkan’s talk on this super important topic. It’s a good place to start your healthy gut journey :) Plus I like how she says "quest-ee-ens.” To your gut gardens!  

“Live dirty. Eat clean.” You can check it out here.    

[yogiangelyoga]

Wellness for Lawyers!

Hello friends. You may or may not care to know that I practiced as an attorney for many a year before I made the transition to teaching yoga. In my deference to the diligence that practicing law requires, I wrote an article for the Women’s Law Association of Los Angeles, offering some yoga inspired in-office reprieve. Of course, these practices can be applied in any setting, not just an office. Happy bodies equal happy workers! Click here for the article.  

[yogiangelyoga]

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Be nice to each other. Say nice things. Enjoy beautiful places. Give thanks.