A few years ago, I found myself constantly throwing myself from one commitment to the next, barely present enough to remember my journey to and from each location. I assured myself that this was not uncommon, this is how most people move through life, was it not? Before long, the telltale signs of stress began to appear. I was mentally drained, I was experiencing chronic headaches and insomnia.
by Jacci Collins
A few weeks ago I was perusing Spa magazine. I really shouldn’t read this magazine because all it does is make me pine away for a week of massages, herbal wraps, yoga, and a whole host of other yummy organic treatments at a cushy spa retreat (preferably somewhere exotic). This is a fantasy of mine, and reading Spa magazine helps me visualize the trip and encourages me to save my money for a week of yogalicious, spa-filled bliss.
Many people, in our contemporary society, experience difficulty sleeping well on a consistent basis. In fact, it is estimated that fifty percent of adults, in the United States, struggle with insomnia. The types of insomnia range from difficulty falling asleep, to waking frequently during the night, and waking up too early. There are many different factors that can precipitate insomnia.
I went for a coffee run the other day and ran into my friend, Grant, a fellow yogi and coffee enthusiast. He mentioned that he was reading about the pose Handstand (Adho Muka Vrksasana) and that the listed benefits
As a yoga instructor, one of the top requests from my students is for hip openers, and for good reason! The hips are a complex joint comprised of many powerful muscles that either connect to or cross by the hip joint.
There is a growing epidemic sweeping the nation that is affecting our most valuable and precious resource - our children. With adults making poor lifestyle and family choices, a trickle down effect has reached our youth. As a result, the percentage of overweight or obese children is growing at an alarming rate. 30% of children and 15% of adolescents are now considered overweight or obese.
Previously we discussed the role of the hamstrings and the psoas muscles in regard to a painful low back. If tight, both muscle groups have the ability to pull on the lumbar (lower) spine, creating pain and even injury*.
As we discussed in part one of this series, the majority of those who suffer from lower back pain do so because of muscular imbalances that we can correct with some simple exercises.
