Archive for the ‘Emotional health’ Category

The history and benefits of yoga

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

Today, many people are taking up yoga techniques for physical exercise, and most don’t know the history of yoga.downward-dog They believe there is nothing wrong with implementing this form of exercise into their daily regiment to promote a more healthy body while not understanding the true purpose of yoga.

The practice of yoga is much more than just a physical workout. Yoga is an ancient path to spiritual growth and self realization. The practice and goal of yoga dates back between 1000-5000 BC and yoga arrived in the United States in the 1800’s.

Yoga has many great health benefits including physical as well as emotional.  Yoga is anti-aging because it helps to detoxify your body, lubricates joints, ligaments and tendons, and massages the organs and tones muscles.  In addition, yoga balances your emotions by becoming more aware of yourself through the synchronization of breath and posture.

 One may ask how does this exactly happen?  When you are attuned to your own breath you can only pay attention and concentrate on yourself.  It is through this concentration on self that you begin to become AWARE of situations that may be disturbing you.  Situations such as chronic nagging low back pain, you may become aware that your body doesn’t move in the way that it should, you begin to notice how calm you are after a yoga class and realize that it’s been awhile since you felt truly relaxed.  You may learn that a negative situation that you thought was resolved still haunts you and is affecting you currently.  It is through this awareness that you begin to see what parts of your life need to be healed and need attention and what parts are working for you and making you feel good and alive. Once you can identify with what is working in your life and what is not and are ready to take responsibility for yourself and work on healing you will notice that your life will begin to change in many positive ways.   Remember these words “you must feel it to heal it”.

Taking a yoga class for the first time can be very overwhelming and at times frustrating.  You don’t know what sun salutations are, you don’t know what Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose) is and at times you may feel embarrassed because you can’t do what your neighbor is doing next to you and because you don’t know what the proper alignment of the pose should be you can risk injury to yourself. I encourage all of you who are interested in starting a yoga practice to find a teacher who focuses on form, who is engaged in his/her class and makes hands on adjustment. 

If you live in San Jose/Los Gatos areas and are interested in taking a yoga class and are a bit hesitate to do so then I encourage you to take our Intro to Vinyasa flow.  Our Intro to Vinyasa Flow is designed for the beginner and is taught at a slower pace.  You will be taken through each asana slowly, to help you learn the proper alignment of each pose and the synchronization of breath.  You will build strength and flexibility that will prepare you for higher level flow classes.  In this class we also discuss the philosophy of Yoga that will help you with every day life challenges.  Our Intro to Vinyasa Flow class runs every Sunday morning 10:15am-11:15 am at ABS Fitness, 15690 Los Gatso Blvd. Los Gatos, CA

As once stated by Iyengar, “When the restlessness of the mind, intellect and self is stilled through the practice of yoga, the yogi by the grace of the spirit within himself finds fulfillment. 

Namaste

 

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Tips for managing PMS

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

PMS -Premenstrual Syndrome- a word that through the years has received negative connotation and many times isstomach_cramps1 thought to be in women’s heads.  The truth of the matter is, is that PMS is a real thing with real experiences.  There are many reasons why women could be suffering from PMS…a poor diet, lack of exercise, mineral and/or vitamin deficiencies, day to day stressors as well as emotional stress.  Would you believe me if I told you that pain in any form in the body could be there for a reason, as if it’s trying to tell us something about ourselves…what we need to change, take charge of or heal?  This blog entry is not about the emotional connection to PMS.  However, if you would like to read more about emotional healing please read our blog entry Healing Emotional Pain.  Instead within this blog entry we will be discussing some basic nutritional tips that will help you to start taking control of your PMS and begin reversing the symptoms.

Many times PMS is brought on by inflammation, particularly caused by an increase in prostaglandins and other inflammatory chemicals.  Below is a list of factors that contribute to PMS:

  • High consumption of dairy products
  • Excessive consumption of caffeine products
  • Excessive consumption of foods that raise blood sugar quickly
  • High levels of Estrogen that can come from extra body weight, the livers inability to breakdown estrogens or a deficiency in the B vitamins especially B6 and B12.
  • Low levels of progesterone
  • Poor diet that leads to increase prostaglandin production. This is seen with a diet high in processed foods and trans-fatty acids
  • Low levels of vitamins C and E and selenium and magnesium
  • Lack of exercise

Tips for managing PMS

 A great place to start for reversing the symptoms of PMS is to begin by decreasing inflammation.  Below are some basic tips to get you started:

  • Eliminate C.R.A.P. from your diet: Caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol and processed food.
  • Decrease your consumption of red meat and egg yolks as these are high in arachidonic acid (AA) which can contribute to cellular inflammation.
  • Decrease consumption of dairy products: ice cream, cottage cheese, yogurt and milk
  • Start an exercise program: walk at least 20-30 minutes daily
  • Start a multi-vitamin-mineral supplement
  • Make sure you are getting enough essential fatty acids: these are found in raw nuts and seeds, cold water fish such as salmon or sardines and green leafy vegetables
  • Stress reduction: yoga, meditation, going for walks by yourself so there is time for reflection, journaling, taking a hot bath or anything that allows you to take time for yourself.
  • Positive thinking: check in with yourself daily and pay attention to the thoughts you are having. Are they positive or negative and if they are negative why are they negative, what are these thoughts trying to tell you? Do you hate your job that is keeping you from living your true passion, are you in a relationship that does not feed you etc

We hope these basic tips get you started to reversing your PMS symptoms.  If you would like more information about hormones we recommend you attend our hormone lecture entitled: How your Hormones affect your Weight, Energy and Mood. We also recommend reading Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Dr. Christine Northrup.

 

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

Resources:  Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Dr. Christine Northrup

Picture by:  www.prevention.com/naturesmedicinechest/image.

 

 

 

 

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Break and Breathe: Simple Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress FAST

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

Many of us are constantly on the go, stress0multi-tasking our way through our day and finding ourselves feeling stressed out. If you are like so many others, your mind may be racing, your heart rate and breathing may quicken and you may have trouble concentrating and getting your work done. This probably starts making you feel badly about yourself and negative thoughts start swirling in your mind which just causes you to be more stressed. As we’ve mentioned in other blogs, stress doesn’t just affect you mind, it also negatively affects the way your body functions. It causes hormone imbalances, disrupts sleep, digestion, your immune system and has a strong correlation with medical conditions such as heart disease and depression. 

 

The next time you are feeling stressed, I want you to remember the two B’s: “Break and Breathe” and do the following.

 

1. Take a Break:

You are given breaks at work for a reason, so take them. So often we get caught up in the mindset of “I don’t have time” and work through our breaks and lunch which only leaves us burnt out, more stressed and less productive. Instead, take a time out, do some of the breathing exercises below, and you’ll probably be more productive when you get back. It’s best to leave your workspace, but if you can’t you can easily do these at your desk.

2. Breathe:

One of the easiest ways to change how your body is physically reacting to stress is through your breath. By focusing on your breathing, you are forcing your heart rate to slow down which will calm your body and mind. Here are a few breathing exercises to choose from.

     1. Close your eyes and inhale as slowly as you can and silently count “1″. Then exhale slowly and silently count “2″. On your next inhale, silently count “3″ and so on. The goal is to reach the number “20″. By this point you should notice that your breathing will be fuller and deeper, and you will be more relaxed.

     2. Close your eyes and inhale as slowly as you can. Try to prolong your inhale to the silent count of 4 seconds. When you finish inhaling, gently hold you breath for 2 seconds and slowly exhale to the silent count of 8 seconds. Repeat for a minute or longer. If you can’t control your breathing for that long, its ok to shorten the duration of inhale and exhale, just make sure your exhale is twice as long as your inhale.

   3. Close your eyes. As you slowly inhale through your nose, visualize pure white cleansing air entering and filling your entire body. As you exhale, picture the gray negative, stressed air exiting your body through your nose. Continue this process as you inhale and exhaling, replacing your stressed out body with clean, fresh air and energy.

It’s also important to remember that mental/emotional stress isn’t the only way to stress out your body. Eating the wrong kinds of foods, going to bed late, not drinking enough water, having unbalanced hormones, can induce stress on your body and cause a multitude of symptoms including low back and neck pain, PMS, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent illness, migraines, and many others. We provide nutrition and lifestyle coaching in Los Gatos and San Francisco as well as over the phone. Give us a call to learn how to get your body back in balance.

If you try these stress techniques, let us know your experience, we’d love to hear from you.

 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

References:

photo thank you to: http://www.stressrelatedillness.com/stress-management.html

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Making Change and Succeeding!

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

For this week’s blog, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite stories. It warms my heart every time I read it.

2-starfish1


The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.”

I love this story because it reminds me that every small act I do can have a profound effect on my life, or someone else’s. We all have the power within ourselves to make a difference and create change. Whether we realize it or not, its the little things that really make all of the difference in the world. It’s the same for nutrition and lifestyle coaching. Healthy eating, getting in shape or  losing weight doesn’t come from a magical pill or the latest fad diet, it’s comes from making small changes, one at a time, while realizing that each little step, like each little starfish going back into the ocean, is making you healthier and healthier and like the boy, celebrating those little victories with a smile as you move along your journey.

If you live in the Los Gatos or San Francisco area and are ready to begin nutrition, lifestyle or corrective exercise coaching, contact us to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation. Remember, we also provide nutrition & lifestyle coaching over the phone to our out of town community.

Season’s Greeting

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References:

http://www.starrbrite.com/starfish.html

Photo: thank you to

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The impact of negative thoughts

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

What type of thoughts do you have on a daily basis?  Are they positive thoughts or are they negative thoughts?  Did you know that when you have negative thoughts that this is stress on the body?  This stress that the body feels will cause the body to react in the same way that it reacts to other forms of stress: nutritional stress, impaired sleep, physical or just the pressure you feel on a day to day basis.  When stress takes place within your body it just does not cause you to become tense, anxious or just cause a headache but it also affects you on a cellular level. sick-water

Look at the top right photo.  This is a picture of a water droplet that was taken after someone sent negative thoughts to it.  This same affect is what happens to your body on a cellular level.  Now look at the bottom right photo, this is a photo of a water droplet that had thoughts of love and gratitude prayed over it.  Again, when you fill your body and mind with happy positive thoughts your body down to its cells will react the same way.

So, I ask you, what do your thoughts consist of on a daily basis?  Are they happy thoughts or sad thoughts?  Positive or negative?  Either way these thoughts are trying to tell you something and should not be ignored.  Positive thoughts remind you of what is good in your life and what is working.  Negative thoughts are there to tell you what is not good in your life and what needs to change.  Maybe these thoughts are telling you that you need to bring something into your life or get rid of something that is not fulfilling its purpose. love-gratitude-pic

Many times people walk around knowing that something needs to change but usually there is the feeling of fear attached and making change can be a scary thing.  Keep in mind though that you always have a choice.  You can choose to be happy or choose to be sad and even though it can be scary along the way, it’s it scarier to remain in an unhappy place and live each day like this.  Below is a list of a few items that will get you on track to having happier thoughts.

  • Get a notebook/journal and write down negative thoughts
  • Under each negative thought written, nullify it by turning it into a positive thought.
  • Eventually, you won’t need the notebook; you’ll start to do it mentally.
  • Focus your thoughts/energy on things THAT FEEL GOOD
  • REMEMBER, you are attracting whatever it is you are thinking about, so use your thoughts to your advantage.

We hope this helps you get started to living a happier and healthier life.  Feel free to write us your comments/experiences on our blog.  We would love to hear from you.

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Photos from whatthebleep.com

Research on this topic performed by Dr. Emoto

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The Benefits of Laughter

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

When was the last time that you laughed? people_laughingI don’t mean just a slight chuckle that lasts a second or two but a deep, long-lasting laugh where your eyes may be teary and you’re holding your belly because it’s starting to hurt from laughing so much?  For many of us, it’s hard to remember.  Laughing feels good, but did you know it’s also a powerful way to improve your health and well-being?

 Laughter has a two-step action on the body. It stimulates and relaxes. When you are laughing, your body is stimulated and exercised. Afterwards, your body relaxes and calms itself. This is why laughter creates physical and mental relaxation.  Medical research has found that laughter lowers muscle tension, relaxes your sympathetic nervous system (this system when stimulated produces a stress response), improves circulation and promotes a deep respiratory pattern (see our blog on breathing to learn why this is so important). It also provides an outlet for releasing built up nervous energy, which is critical to keeping you body healthy. It has been found that one minute of full belly laughter is the equivalent of 45 minutes of deep relaxation and has been referred to as a form of internal massage.

In the late 1970’s Norman Cousins used laughter to help cure himself of a painful condition called ankylosing spondylitis by watching Candid Camera episodes and Marx Brother movies. In his book, Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins “made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect that would give me at least two-hours of pain-free sleep.” After further study, he found that laughter and a positive attitude can cause a release of endorphins, our body’s natural pain-killers, into the body.

Laughter is also a powerful tool to improve mental and emotional health. Humor induces happiness and changes the way we look at the world. As we’ve said before, it’s not necessarily the stress in your life that breaks down your body and makes you sick, but it’s how you perceive and react to that stressful situation that can negatively affect your body. Do you think negative thoughts and beat yourself up? Does smoking or eating something sweet make you feel better? Here’s an experiment: The next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, try laughing for one minute straight. If your like me, you’ll probably feel ridiculous because you’re “fake” laughing, which will crack you up and probably make you laugh more. Give it a try, and let us know what happens. 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

 

References:

http://www.happiness.co.uk/Content/InspirationRoom/Articles/DisplayArticle.asp?ArticleID=6

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Healing emotional pain

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

dvbrokenheartEveryone at some point in their lives will experience pain. Pain is there to let us know that something physically, mentally or emotionally is wrong and this pain should never be ignored.  Pain many times manifests itself physically but what many do not realize is that physically there is nothing wrong, no bones are out of place or muscles have been pulled and nothing anatomically can be found, no cancer, no ulcers etc… but yet the pain resides.  You go from doctor to doctor, they cannot find anything wrong with you, and then you begin to ask yourself “Am I going crazy”?  You know what you feel is real but yet nothing can be found.  The answer is no, you are not going crazy. The pain that you feel is real. However, there is a good chance that the pain that you are feeling is emotional stress.

Emotional pain can be a difficult symptom to track.  Some days you may feel fine and other days the pain in your back, neck or stomach may be repaying you a visit. Emotional pain can come from many different types of stresses such as:  low self-esteem, not doing what you love, staying in a relationship that is not serving you or just being in a situation that you know in your gut is just not right.  Other things you may notice is that something in your life is missing or you are just not being true to yourself.  Regardless of what your situation is you need to listen to this pain and find ways and professionals who can help you. Massage therapists, acupuncturists, spiritual healers and life coaches are examples of individuals who have the tools to help heal emotional pain in a safe and nurturing environment.

When healing emotionally you are forced to look at yourself as well as revisit your past, this can be scary and many times uncomfortable.  You are forced to see the good and bad within yourself or possibly someone else that may have brought you harm and even though this is not a pleasant place to explore, the growth and the positive outcome that comes from emotional healing and self-exploration is a gift like no other.  When you heal yourself emotionally you physically begin to feel lighter because you finally have released an idea, belief or past memory that no longer has served you and you begin to attract what you want in life because your vision is clearer and there is nothing standing in your way.

If I have just described you within this blog, then sit down and make a list of what you want in life and see how that compares to your current situation.  If you are not living your life the way that you imagine and are suffering from “pain”, now is the time to begin to take action on yourself for yourself! Remember pain should never be ignored!

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