My musings and rantings as I strive to be a happy human
Photo: Watercolor by my Aunt Judy. “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." - Maya Angelou I have often said that butterflies are my 'spirit animal.' I loved them even as a child, but as an adult, I find them even... Continue Reading →
Yoga saved me when I was in a very dark place; yoga sustained me when I was unemployed and it became half of my income; and yoga continues to challenge me and to bring me happiness. I hope to continue on this journey until my body absolutely cannot anymore.
But let's be honest, sometimes we want a creamy, sweet yet bitter, melt-in-your-mouth piece of dark chocolate. The trouble with most commercial chocolate is that while it may be dark chocolate, the chocolate has been processed. This recipe uses raw cacao.
Pilates helped my with my specific back issue, but its focus on the core can help with many back issues and, even better, it can help prevent them from happening at all!
Today, I want to focus on another joint: the knees. As an instructor, knees come second only to backs in terms of areas people have chronic or acute problems with. When it comes to the joints we want to build the muscles around the joints to make them bear the load, not the joints and we want to protect the joints from wear and tear.
Smoothies can get a bad rep, but that is usually because they can be very high in sugar with little else to balance that out. Find a balance of fat, sugar and fiber that is not a massive serving size and you will be doing ok.
We want to build strength and flexibility in our practice, but above all else, as a teacher, I want to reduce the risk of injury: both acute and chronic.
You will be left with the smoothest, dreamiest, tastiest hummus this side of the Nile. I promise!
It would be great if everyone could remember to be kind to themselves, take care of their family, protect their community and think about the wider world. We live in a global economy and world, so what is good for the whole is also good for the parts.
Life is about enjoying it, health is about choices. I believe we can find that balance where we can both enjoy our daily life and live a life free from disease and pain by choosing moderation. I don't plan on living a life of sacrifice; I'm not a monk, but I do plan on living a long life that doesn't leave me suffering from something I could have prevented by making a small sacrifice when I was younger. A fast is a good reminder of just how great we can feel!
2BAHappyHuman 