Aromatherapy and yoga

Aromatherapy and yoga are just awesome.

So how does aromatherapy correspond to yoga? Aroma evokes memory and emotion and the two are interwoven in our cell tissue. Essential oils influence the whole being. Yoga influences the whole being. It's really cool that Wai Lana has now come up with a new line, "Wailana Yogaroma" Each time you practice yoga, your body responds to the memory of the pose, hopefully in a positive and healing way. The memory of each pose is embedded or stored in the cell tissue. Each time you revisit your yoga mat and practice, your body remembers being in the pose and what it feels like to be in the pose. When a yoga pose is held for a longer period of time, it gives the body the opportunity to open, relax and release.

When practicing yoga, there are several options for incorporating the use of essential oils. Here are a few suggestions: Diffusers, scented lotions using pure essential oils, essential oil sprays, incense (make sure it’s of good quality), and candles made with pure essential oils, not synthetic.

Below is a grouping of yoga poses and suggested essential oils to use while practicing yoga. Each essential oil has its own therapeutic qualities and supports different parts of the body.

* Bridge/Backbends/Heart Openers: Rose absolute is a calming oil that when diffused will produce a stabilizing atmosphere during times of stress, anxiety or grief.
* Downward Facing Dog/ Inversions/Invigorating: Peppermint is an energizing oil that invigorates and can help boost your frame of mind, while giving you a burst of energy.
* Standing Forward Bend/ Forward Bends /Calming: Lavender is a calming oil used for balancing, soothing, relaxing and healing.
* Warrior 1/ Standing poses /Grounding: Sandalwood is an earthy, woody scented oil. In some traditions it is known for its ability to help one focus and stabilize.
* Half Spinal Twist/ Twists /Massage organs: Clary Sage can bring about a sense of relaxed euphoria and ease tension in both mind and body.

Check out the following companies for essential oils, diffusers, candles and more: Aura Cacia, Oshadhi, Wyndmere and Big Dipper Wax Works.

Aromatherapy used during a yoga class can inspire, awaken, calm and connect you to deeper to mind/ body awareness. Try using essential oils while practicing yoga and feel the difference aromatherapy can make in your connection to mind and body.

Yoga Earth and Health-Friendly Yoga Products

Wai Lana, world-renowned yoga teacher and host of the long-running PBS television series Wai Lana Yoga Toning workout, excels at making the ancient art of yoga easy and effective for anyone who practices along with her. Her faithful exercise products continue to impress with their quality, durability, and fashionable designs. To the serene and warm-hearted Wai Lana, the teaching of yoga is not a business but an important service to the global community.

“At the heart of yoga lies a deep respect for all living beings, including Mother Earth,” says Wai Lana. “I wanted to offer products that people could really feel good about—something that reflects the harmonious spirit of yoga. It’s only natural to want your yoga products to reflect this same caring attitude.”
So it is no surprise that the latest addition to her array of user-friendly products is her line of eco-friendly yoga products called Wai Lana Green.

In keeping with the theme “Fitness in Harmony with the Earth,” Wai Lana’s Green line is made from all-natural, ecologically sustainable sources, giving people products that are good for them and for the planet too. Her Green line includes yoga mats, bamboo towels, and organic cotton straps and totes as well as cork and bamboo blocks. Wai Lana Yoga has also added new kid-friendly eco products to the Little Yogis line, including a kid-sized, phthalate-free yoga mat, a Stretch N Play Eco Yoga Ball Kit, and a Little Yogis Eco Tote Kit.

Kick Laziness

So, here's a nice little article I enjoyed. I think it's a good one. So just another reason to do Wai Lana Yoga!

LOSE THE LAZY, AMERICA!
by Chani

That's it! We're done. Its time to make some serious changes, and nice doesn't seem to be working. I'm FIRED UP! And you should be too.

Lets get mad together. Did you know that American emergency crews are beginning to equip their ambulances with hydraulic stretchers that can handle up to 700 pounds? Seven Hundred Pounds..... How does that make you feel? We are out of control. There are thousands of web sites, books, magazines, and TV programs full of information on how to live a healthy lifestyle. You can watch them, you can stare at them, you can eat the pages...but none of it will help you if you don't take ACTION!

Everything begins and ends at home. We all work, whether its out of our homes or in them. A busy life is not an excuse. The habits you create in your home affect every aspect of your life. Your kids will follow your lead, you can't just say it, you have to show it. If your kids are headed to obesity...its your fault. Yes, I just said that. If you and your spouse have become fat over the years, its because of the habits you live... Its your fault. Don't blame it on genetics, the government, the restaurants, bad knees, or whatever excuse you have. Face it, look at yourself in mirror. Literally, Face it! Are you angry I'm calling you out? Good. Maybe I'll shake enough trees, to get some movement out of them. In fact, take a look at a tree. The trees that move and stretch their branches to the sun, thrive and bloom. The trees that get stuck in the shade wilt and die out. People are the same way. When you reach for a goal, and push yourself you will feel energy, and hope. If you hide in the complacency of the shade, you too will wilt, get fat, lazy, and look at the healthy trees and make jealous comments. Because deep down, you wish you had the energy of the sun.

I hope you are fired up! Lets get mad together and make a difference in the lives around us. If you are in bad shape and very uncomfortable with what you have become. Make the change today! Say it out loud.."I'm done!" And begin by taking a walk, and eating a little less today. Start small if you have to, but do it! If you are in great shape, be a motivator, inspire those around you. Believe me, some will shoot you down, call you the stick in the mud. So what, the next person just might follow your lead. Start a neighborhood walking group. Get together with your relatives on the weekends and have a "cooking day" where you prepare meals for the week. And please, if you are a parent, a teacher, a nurse, a doctor, a policeman, etc. you are a leader because of the position you hold. People are watching you. Get fit! Inspire, motivate, take a look in the mirror and make the physical changes you need to make. Find the resources you need to make it happen, and use them.

Our country is dying, no more nice..its not working. Get mad, get fired up, and get out there!

GET FIT, STAY FIT!

from

Need yoga mats? Wailana has good ones too. :)

Eating less sugar

I just got one more good reason to get myself a box of Wailana Yogi bars. Research has shown that high glycemic foods damage the arteries. I've been reading a lot of health books, and so this news is making me squeamish about eating too much sugar.

Anyway, I was just sent Wai Lana's Hello Fitness series today. I'm excited to try it out!

Anyone interested in healthy and nutritious foods has probably heard that whole grains are far better for you than the processed variety like white bread and sugar-laden cereals. There are several reasons for this, including the fact whole foods tend to be richer in fiber and they also have low glycemic indexes. That means they keep blood sugar and insulin levels steady without wide fluctuations. But a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology concludes there's another important reason to avoid high glycemic foods like white bread and corn flakes. For the first time, scientists have documented how eating these foods can directly damage artery walls and cause cardiac problems.

"It's very hard to predict heart disease," Dr. Michael Shechter of Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine and the Heart Institute of Sheba Medical Center, said in a statement to the media. "But doctors know that high glycemic foods rapidly increase blood sugar. Those who binge on these foods have a greater chance of sudden death from heart attack. Our research connects the dots, showing the link between diet and what's happening in real time in the arteries."

For his study, Dr Shechter and colleagues worked with 56 healthy volunteers who were divided into four groups. One group ate cornflake cereal mixed with milk, a second consumed a pure sugar mixture, the third group ate bran flakes and the last group took water (as a placebo control). Over the course of four weeks, Dr. Shechter applied brachial reactive testing to the research subjects in each group. This test, a clinical and research technique pioneered by Dr. Shechter's laboratory, uses a blood pressure type cuff on the arm that is able to visualize what happens inside arteries before, during and after eating various foods.

Before any of the study participants ate, the function of their arteries was essentially the same. After eating, however, all except the placebo group had reduced arterial functioning -- especially the research subjects who ate cornflakes and sugar. In fact, the testing documented that during the consumption of these foods high in sugar, there was a temporary and sudden dysfunction in the endothelium, the thin layer of cells that line the inside of arteries and reduce turbulence as blood flows throughout the entire circulatory system.

This is a critical finding because, when repeated over time, a sudden expansion of artery walls can cause a host of negative effects on health including damage to endothelial cells. That can reduce elasticity in arteries, resulting in heart disease or even sudden death. In fact, according to Dr. Shechter, endothelium dysfunction can be traced back to almost every disorder and disease in the body.

"We knew high glycemic foods were bad for the heart. Now we have a mechanism that shows how," Dr. Shechter explained in the press statement. "Foods like cornflakes, white bread, French fries, and sweetened soda all put undue stress on our arteries. We've explained for the first time how high glycemic carbs can affect the progression of heart disease."

Dr. Shechter agrees with natural health advocates who have long advised staying away from highly processed, high glycemic foods and eating a diet rich in low glycemic whole foods such as oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts. In addition to helping protect your heart, this style of eating has other advantages. According to the Harvard School of Public Health web site, these healthy foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.

So take note my friends, and eat well! Let's have a healthy cookout at my place one of these days.

Energy Levels

Oh, don't you just hate it when you have written such a long blog entry and it turns out you're not logged in and by the time you log in again, your whole post is gone?

Anyhow, I was talking about energy levels. It's been amazing to me how practicing Wailana Yoga has helped improve my energy levels so much. Being a parent is no joke, and I'm sure all other parents would tell non-parents, can you say- "Tiring?" But rewarding nonetheless.

When I watch Wai Lana singing and dancing at the end of her shows, it just makes me hopeful that I can be half as beautiful and youthful as she is when my kids are adults! I mean, Wai lana has said that she's got kids, and the way she moves, and how slim and beautiful she still is, is just a wonderful testimony for how yoga helps the body so much. I mean, doesn't that make sense?

On a side note, my kids have absolutely been losing themselves laughing at this silly baby goat playing on a horse. I'm sorry I still don't know how to embed movies onto my blog posts. Anyone have any idea?

Anyhow, hugs for everyone

Hip and fit

I'm feeling like a hip mom right now, I just ordered one of Wai Lana Yoga's Urban Yoga Bags. I'm sure it will look better on me than my all-harassed-trying to hold onto 10 different little bags in one go look.

And so.. keep fit and cut the fat with these good tips from Yahoo's Health news:

Use yogurt instead of cream or mayo

Drink lots of water

Skip the cheese

Eat salsa instead of dressing

Skip your office snacks

Cook your own popcorn

Get a steamer

Eat more fruits during the day and during breakfast

skip the sugar

Drinking coffee? Skip the creamer

Try out Wai Lana's favorite juices book. She has some fantastic juices there that are like instant-fill-me-ups. She also has one "fat burner" juice. Drink it, do your yoga, and watch your pounds melt away. ;)

Prevent and cure lower back pain with yoga

Nearly 8 out of 10 people get lower back pains regularly. I was rather surprised by that statistic, and the ironic thing is it is completely curable and preventable through yoga practice.

Just as it's explained on healthy yoga practice that yoga is so beneficial for getting rid of lower back pain.

More often the pain that is experienced in a person’s back occurs on account of problems with maintaining correct posture. So it may become necessary to consider suitable means to realign the body. This is a good time to consider using yoga exercise for back lower pain as this is one of the best and most natural means of bringing mind, body and soul back into perfect synchronization. Your doctor and health care practitioner can help you decide what you can do for your lower back pain, it is recommended you to what they have to say. You may make your problem worse by doing something wrong. If they say that yoga for lower back pain is something that would help you, you may want to seriously consider it as an option. The great thing about yoga is that it can be very easy on the body, and there are many different things in yoga that you can perform. You don’t have to do all of the moves that most classes have. You only need to do the ones that work well with your back. If your doctor is recommending yoga for lower back pain, they probably have guidelines and recommendations that you should follow.



Yoga is about strength and flexibility and for the most part, this is going to be recommended for those that have muscle problems rather than some type of spinal injury. It may not be helpful for bulging and crushed discs, but yoga for lower back pain can help when your muscles are tight, weak or tense and won’t relax. Some backs go out of place thanks to weak muscles, so doing yoga to help with back problems can be a preventative measure. Purchasing a book that has information about yoga for lower back pain might be something you wish to do.



At Home or In A Class-Which Suits You Best?

When doing yoga for lower back pain, you have two main choices.

1. You can do it from home with the right instruction

2. You may want to take a lesson with a experienced yoga teacher, like Wai Lana.



If you are going to do it from home, you want to go out and find the right DVD or book. You should also make sure you get the right mat to use on your floor, and any other accessories that will help you through your workout. If you are taking a class, call ahead to see what you would need, and stress that you need beginners classe. To start you will generally need a yoga mat and you may even wish to purchase a book that has information about yoga for lower back pain.



Get the Right Clothing

Get the right clothing for your yoga for lower back pain sessions, and make sure you remember that your limits may be pushed. You might feel a little pain as you work your way through the exercises, but stop if it becomes to painful. You don’t want to cause more damage in your back than you already have. What is going to happen is that you are going to build up the muscles that hold your spine in place, and that can do wonders for any back. Yoga for lower back pain doesn’t work for everyone, if this is the case for you, talk to your doctor about other exercise alternatives.



The Mountain Pose and More

It is possible that yoga exercise for back pain will help fix problems related to pain in the back that emanate from the hips that could have been overworked or stretched beyond their limits. The right kind of yoga for lower back pain will ensure that the muscles of the hips are stretched, worked as well as brought back to their proper balance – all of which has the effect of decreasing pain in a person’s back. You can also perform the standing yoga postures that aid in providing better balance and help to achieve better flexibility as well as strengthen the hips.

The Mountain pose in particular is a yoga exercise for back pain that trains each and every muscle and brings the body back to its proper alignment. A person’s hips play a major role in how well or poorly they can move and they also help in keeping the body posture correctly balance. The hips are located centrally and are connected to a person’s lower spine. It has been found that as many as eighty percent of people that suffer from pain in their backs do so because of hip problems.

One of the yoga exercises that helps to realign the hips and help mobility is the triangle pose. Stretching the flanks with a yoga exercise for lower back pain known as extended side angle pose is another way of achieving the right body balance and in addition this yoga exercise for back pain helps to elongate the spine while also countering problems such as poor postures. It can really help you achieve a pain-free existence once more and is a very useful exercise and. Back pain also occurs due to slipped discs. The ache in your back is experienced by people in all parts of the world, it is one of the most common of health conditions. Proper and timely treatment should be given, as the aches can become extremely painful and can lead to disabilities in the patient.

So if you're trying to get rid of your backaches, just start doing Wai Lana Yoga easy work outs!

Swine flu preparations

With the WHO saying we should prepare for an "explosion" of swine flu cases and deaths over the next two years, I think it is a perfect time to get people aware of the fact that they need to get healthy.

I am an avid health advocate and know everyone can get healthy, after all, I too was once very out of it health wise. Practicing Wai Lana yoga has made such a huge difference in my life, you wouldn't believe it.

So get healthy, do your yoga, eat your veggies, get yourself Wai Lana easy series to start off.. and prevent swine flu!

Home alone

I've been home alone all week. It's good to have some alone time every now and then. Gives me a good opportunity to think and just introspect.

Wai Lana has been putting up some nice quotes on her Wailana Yoga Twitter account and Wai Lana Facebook. Here are some of them:

"Patience is power. With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk." ~Chinese Proverb

"The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." ~Albert Schweitzer

"A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses." ~Chinese Proverb

Aren't they noteworthy?

Obesity today

Having been obese before, I know how difficult it is to be under so much pressure to lose weight.
It's a depressing thing to have to face.

Here's some news on obesity and how it's been affecting our health care:

Obesity is the elephant in the room of health care reform, a public health catastrophe that kills more than 100,000 Americans a year, cost the nation $147 billion last year and threatens to shorten U.S. life expectancy for the first time since the Civil War.

"Rising obesity rates are increasing health care expenditures per person in a way that is going to be very difficult to finance," said Jay Bhattacharya, a doctor and health economist at Stanford University's Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research.

"Unless there is some vast improvement in the efficiency of the health care system - and I mean vast - we're going to be spending a lot more just because a lot more people will have diabetes" and other obesity-related diseases, he said.

Obesity is all but impossible to treat. Prevention is the only cure. Yet while health care legislation in Congress would increase spending on prevention of chronic disease, it does little to tackle the underlying obesity epidemic directly. Most of the bills are silent on what many health experts contend would be one of the most effective weapons: a tax on soda.

So how did I get out of it? It was such a difficult hole to crawl out of, honestly. It was very difficult emotionally, mentally, and physically. But now that I'm over it, I wonder why I let myself go like that in the first place. I did several things to get well again. One, I started doing Wai Lana Yoga Invigorating workout and Wai Lana Yoga Easy workout. Those two alone brought me so far. I learned to listen to my body, know when it was full and when to stop eating. And, more importantly, I learned that it wasn't bad to control my desires to eat more. I wish the best of luck to all other people who are going through what I did! You can succeed!

I (Heart) Coffee

I was reading through the usual websites I go through in the morning today and MSN was saying something about coffee alternatives. I was having my favorite cup of coffee, all the while of course, but there's always that nagging thing in my head that I should just stop taking so much coffee already.

Coffee has been such a huge part of my life though. I've got several great memories in coffee shops. Starbucks, Wailana coffee grounds, Coffee from Heaven, and so many other places. Ironically, I like Wailana coffee just about as much as I love Wailana yoga! :)

Happy drinking.

Attention: Vegetarians

Healthy alternatives

The vegetarian diet can be difficult to adapt to, but there are so many good benefits it has on your body and the environment is well worth your attempts. In this article, we hope to fill you in on on topics regarding vegetarianism that you may not be familiar with in order to increase your knowledge of how a vegetarian diet is helpful.

Balanced diet

Be aware of what you are eating and your needs. Iron is an important mineral that is often found in meat, and so in order to meet their body’s needs, vegetarians can eat dried beans, green leafy vegetables and dried fruits. Female vegetarians in particular need to regulate their levels of iron because much of the body’s iron supply is depleted during menstruation. A lack of iron can be a risk for an iron deficiency or anemia. However, do not worry too much. If you’re unsure on how much iron you should be getting in order to be in good health, you should speak to a dietitian who can help you to identify exactly how much you need. Wai Lana Natural Supplementsis a great source of nutritional information and of of natural supplements of all sorts.

Simple truths about vegetarianism
- While most vegetarians do their best to avoid eating any meat or animal products whatsoever, it is important to note that even simply reducing the quantity of meat and dairy products that you eat can be a significant towards keeping better health. Scientific studies show vegetarians have lower risk for developing heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. Isn't that amazing? Even just be making simple dietary changes can be for one’s health, and decreasing meat consumption can offer similar effects albeit to a lesser degree.

Misconceptions
- Some people believe that just by not eating meat, they can maintain proper health. However, it is important to realize that there is plenty of fat that can enter your diet through processed or fried foods. Also, nuts are very high in both protein and fat, so one is encouraged to watch their intakes in order to ensure that they take in only a small amount of fat.

The king of vitamins
- Of all of the vitamins that are deemed important to the body by health experts, only one vitamin can not be found in a vegetarian diet – vitamin B12. Luckily, individuals who are worried about their bodies getting all of the nutrition that they need can take supplements in order to fulfill their daily requirement of B12. Other vitamins can be found in fruits, vegetables, and grains in abundance. Wai Lana Easy Yoga's natural supplements are a great source for natural supplements and other all-natural foods.

Add variety in your diet
- Having vegetarian friends who cook well can be one of the most important things you can have that will help you to stick to your diet. Wailana has some delightful cook books and a huge range of vegetarian recipes and meat-substitution techniques that you will find useful. She also offers tips like be sure to stock your house with all types of vegetarian food and snacks that you and your family love. You may even want to get a ‘car kit’ together full of vegetarian snacks so that you can ensure you’ll have something to eat if you end up stuck somewhere where you cannot find any vegetarian food.

Healthy snacks

I think it's great that Wai Lana has all these healthy snacks available not just for adults- but for kids too. I just got my Yogi Bars from Wai Lana today. I very much enjoyed all of them, especially the apricot one. I also ordered some of Wai Lana Yoga's granola and Little Yogi bars. I'll see how the kids will rate it. I'm sure they'll enjoy it though. They nicked some of my Yogi Bars!

Have a great day everyone. :) I'll post more info on weight loss soon.

Losing weight

I've been trying to lose a few more pounds. I've just got about 8 more pounds to go before I am like, 4 sizes down from what I was a couple years ago, and I am definitely not looking back. I've never felt so great. I really appreciate one of the weekly messages of Wai Lana sometime back on being the chariot driver. It made me realize I should be able to manage what I'm eating, and I have!

It's fantastic. Weight training has definitely helped as well. The other day MSN Health had a good article on how weight training makes it so that you burn 40% more fat than other people who may exercise the same amount of time, because, well, muscles, literally, are hot, and burn fat.

So having a proper diet and exercising is still the king of weight loss. I've been trying out a lot of the juices from Wai Lana Yoga's favorite juices, and the "Fat Burner", which I was rather intimidated by before- has worked wonders for my waist. And it actually tastes good. I'm kinda addicted to it now.

I am happy Wai Lana is on social networking websites now! It's great stuff.

Develop Healthy Habits Early

I've been volunteering at a nearby elementary school for the past two months, and more than ever, I realized the importance of developing healthy habits early in life. This responsibility lays largely on parents and teachers, who help a child develop the path and life they will eventually live- on their own. Seeing that many of the children were far above their healthy weight and were- at their tender ages- not very healthy, I raised my concern with the other teachers and parents. I introduced Wai Lana's Little Yogis series to them. Some parents faced my ideas with a little apprehension, while others welcomed the concern. I proposed that the children try it out even just for two weeks, and from there they could assess whether it was working on not.

The funny thing is that many of the parents were surprised that the kids absolutely loved the fun songs and doing the yoga poses with Wai Lana. After two weeks, the parents all voted that the 30 minute "yoga fun and way with Wailana" would continue, and even got Wailana's daydream CD for kids for the preschool children.

I hope and trust that this is a great way to start these children on a healthy lifestyle. As they become accustomed to feeling great and having good fun doing yoga, they will always look forward to it throughout their lives, or at least know how wonderful yoga can make them feel. Kids need to relax too! My next project now is to introduce less sugary snacks, and I know Wailana yoga yogi bars and snacks for kids will be perfect for this.