Author: guru

Private yoga classes may be for you!

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Some individuals may find that private yoga lessons are more appealing. Unlike basic classes, private lessons are a one on one experience with an instructor. Private lessons can bring about improvements to one’s mental and physical health and help one achieve personal yoga goals. Beginning yoga students can feel overwhelmed in typical class settings, particularly during the first few classes. It can seem difficult to keep up and personal flexibility might require a little work before it becomes easier to get into different poses. A private yoga instructor shows each move personally and can help improve form immediately, which makes it easier to get started.

Private yoga lessons also offer students the ability to focus on personal interests, concerns or goals. Instead of following along with the yoga instructor in a class setting, a private lesson allows an individual to set specific goals and plans, such as personal goals for flexibility, strength or meditation. An instructor teaching in a private setting takes the information about the yoga practitioner’s goals and creates a personalized routine based on the information.

Injuries and health concerns can make a normal yoga class impractical for some participants. A yoga instructor teaching several students at one time cannot focus on individual needs or ensure that the poses will not further injure or strain a particular person. Furthermore, health concerns like pregnancy, diabetes or heart disease may require special alterations to one’s yoga practice.

Private lessons also are beneficial for advanced practitioners. Private instruction can allow one to take their yoga practice to the next level. Advanced classes, in a group setting, might not offer the level of challenge and planning that is required for more advanced practitioners.

And lastly, if it’s not possible to get to a class, a private lesson can accommodate even the most hectic of schedules.

Baby, You Were Born To Run

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Have you ever been interested in running but don’t know where to start? Have you felt too intimated, the wrong the body type, or not the right age? I’m telling you, you were born to run. Your  ancestors ran and so can you. 

The benefits include: losing weight, stress relief, improved fitness and cardiovascular health, promotion of a healthier lifestyle including better eating habits, improved self-esteem and goal setting.

All you need to head out your door is a pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothes.

Find the perfect time of day: morning, lunch, after work or evening. The perfect time is when it’s perfect for you; re: you have time. Also, experiment with different times of day to find what you like and what works for you energetically.

You can run alone, with a buddy or in a group. What a great, healthy way to get a visit in. This also makes you accountable.

You can run for time or distance.

I’ll let you in on a couple of secrets: you don’t have to run the whole time and, you don’t run at full speed.

Running coach Jeff Galloway and Running Room founder/owner John Stanton, promote the 10 and one approach. That is run 10 minutes and walk one minute. The first week start by walking one minute and running one minute for 20 minutes total. Increase that running by one minute each week until you reach the 10 and one. You could also use landmarks to split up your run/ walk such as run one block, walk one block or use light poles, whatever you choose.

Start with maybe two or three runs a week. It is especially important for the older runner (over 50) to have recovery days between running.

Don’t judge your run by the first 10 minutes. As your body is warming up and adjusting to the increased demand for oxygen and blood, you may feel like you’re dying or at the very least, you’re too out of shape. Give it time.

Make sure you have clearance from your family doctor before you begin a running or any other exercise program.

I have been running for 10 years and regularly enter races of distances between 5 and 50 km.

10 years since Multiple Myeloma changed our family

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The end of March brings the close of Myeloma Awareness Month. You may not be familiar with Multiple Myeloma but our family is all too familiar. Nearly 10 years ago, I lost my mother-in-law, Sylvia Anderson, to this cancer. My husband lost his mother and our children lost their grandmother.

Shortly after in the summer of 2010 I, along with my three running buddies, travelled to Calgary to take part in Multiple Miles for Myeloma. If memory serves, we raised over $1,400 for a cancer that affects B cells, the immune cells responsible for the production of antibodies. Normal B cells develop in bone marrow. Myeloma therefore affects bones. Multiple myeloma arises when the cancer cells travel through the body and form tumours in several different bones. Affected bones may become brittle as the malignant cells proliferate and alter the chemical equilibrium in the marrow.

Multiple Miles for Myeloma is an initiative to raise funds for local myeloma research and increase awareness of this cancer.  Together with other events and along with direct donations, more than $1,000,000 has been raised for local myeloma research at the University of Alberta and the Cross Cancer Institute. In the last year, six new clinical trials have launched.  These include treatments for patients with smouldering Myeloma and those with multiple relapses, providing treatments that were not available just a few short years ago.  The trials also include treatments with novel drug combinations which would not otherwise be available to patients who have relapsed.  The money from events has also allowed local researchers to focus on new treatments such as antibody and cellular based therapies, some of which may begin clinical trials in the next few years. Volunteers in Alberta have been extremely proactive in raising funds for myeloma research with over $1.25M raised over the past five years.

To ensure 100 per cent of donations go towards Myeloma research,  corporate sponsors offset operating funds and many energetic volunteers provide the needed manpower.
According to the National Cancer Institute in 2009 there were an estimated 20,580 new cases of multiple myeloma and 10,580 myeloma-related deaths.

Treatment for multiple myeloma includes drugs that modulate the immune system, chemotherapy drugs, radiation therapy, stem cell transplants and, in some patients, surgery. The prognosis for myeloma is only fair. Median survival is about three years, but some patients have a life expectancy of 10 years. The prognosis of multiple myeloma is variable, depending on the approximate stage and response to therapy. Though there is no cure for the disease, today’s treatments are more effective and less toxic (have fewer side effects) than did many in the past. Multiple myeloma is a focus of active ongoing research.

This blood cancer is diagnosed to over 200 Albertans each year. With the availability of new treatments, quality of life and overall survival has been vastly improved as patients are now living with the disease on average for 8-10 years. My mother-in-law lived two years with the diagnosis.

Results from two early-phase clinical trials suggest that a form of immunotherapy that uses genetically engineered immune cells may be highly effective in patients with advanced multiple myeloma.

Both trials used CAR T cells that were engineered to target a protein on myeloma cells called B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Although most patients in the trials had good responses to the treatment, including many who experienced complete remissions, the length of time that most patients have been followed after receiving the treatment is still limited, researchers from both trials cautioned.

Although it’s still too early to determine whether these BCMA-targeted CAR T cells will eventually become standard treatments for multiple myeloma, some researchers were encouraged by the early results.

Also a form of immunotherapy known as checkpoint inhibition is rapidly becoming an established part of everyday cancer care. The Food and Drug Administration has approved checkpoint inhibitors, which are biologic drugs known as humanized monoclonal antibodies, for more types of cancer, including melanoma, lung cancer, lymphoma, and bladder cancer.

So in the last 10 years since my mother-in-law lost her life to this cancer, people just like myself and my running buddies, have worked to raise money for research into Myeloma and have helped advance treatments. Maybe one day Myeloma will be a distant memory and families won’t be forever altered, missing their loved one.

Exercise can help alleviate the symptoms and progression of arthritis

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There are more than 100 different conditions which are classified under the term arthritis. The term arthritis means inflammation of a joint.

Arthritis affects one in six Canadians. Anyone at any age may be diagnosed and there is no cure. Drugs, surgery and lifestyle behaviours (healthy eating, joint protection and regular exercise) can influence the symptoms.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis. OA affects one in ten Canadians. Arthritis may affect any part of the body but is frequently found in the hands and wrists, hips and knees, feet and ankles, shoulders and elbows and the spine. The hip and knee are the most common because of their weight bearing capacity.

Risk factors for developing OA are age, gender and hereditary factors, excess weight, previous injury and joint damage from other conditions.

Symptoms of arthritis include swelling, tenderness, pain, loss of function, weakening around of the musculature surrounding the joint, decreased range of motion and stiffness.

Exercise is an important part of the treatment for knee OA. It can help with the progression and it can have improvements to energy levels and muscular strength. Health benefits of exercise are increased or improved energy, sleeping patterns, weight control, self-esteem and bone density. Decreased depression and fatigue. Regular bowel function. Exercise benefits for arthritis are improved joint range of motion, muscle strength and endurance, posture, balance and coordination and ability to perform activities of daily living. Also, decreased pain and joint and soft tissue stiffness. It helps to maintain a healthy body weight which puts less strain on the joints. The ability to control body weight is important for knee OA, as excess body weight can exacerbate the symptoms of the disease.

Three components of an exercise program should include aerobic training, strengthening and flexibility.

OA sufferers may shy away from exercise because of pain but you can return to physical activity by avoiding high impact and replacing them with low impact activities such as walking, low impact aerobics, or cycling. Aqua classes are a nice option too. Taking a warm shower or wrapping the joint in moist heat before stretching exercises may also help.

Participants need to differentiate the difference between muscular soreness after exercise which is an achiness throughout the muscle and occurs generally 12 to 48 hours after activity. Joint pain is within the joint and if it lasts longer than one hour after activity it is an indicator of over exertion. Inflammation and stiffness are acute signs that exercise has been too difficult. The next session the intensity or volume of the activity should be reduced.

Contact me if you’re interested in starting an exercise program for your OA.

 

Chicago Marathon – an opportunity of a lifetime

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The race

On Sun., Oct. 7 of this year, I ran the epic Bank of America Chicago Marathon. If you’re wondering, I finished 14,078th out of a record 44,571 runners who finished the 41st annual marathon this year. Okay maybe I didn’t actually win the race, but I feel like a winner having joined runners who trained and travelled from all 50 states and 100 different countries. We weaved through the streets of downtown Chicago and over 20 historic neighbourhoods including the West Loop, Up Town, Old Town, Logan Square, Lake View, Little Village, South Loop, Pilsen and Lincoln Square. Participants and spectators got to experience the history, culture, renowned architecture and vibrant spirit that make Chicago great.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of six Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM). For runners across the globe, competing in a WMM race is a significant accomplishment. The other five majors are Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, and New York. The organization delivers several unique benefits to runners; unparalleled experiences – operational excellence at each race ensures a premium race-day journey for runners; Championship Series – professional athletes competing in AbbottWMM qualifying events compete for a prize purse every year; and, advancement of marathoning – AbbottWMM organizers aggressively champion anti-doping protocols and other efforts to move the sport forward.
Six Star Finisher Medal

 

In 2017, the Chicago Marathon brought out more that 1.7 million spectators and generated $282 million in economic impact. Since 2002, the race has raised more than $167 million for local, national and global charitable causes. You could see many runners on the course wearing the shirt of some charity that they had committed to training, running and raising money for. There were also categories for wheelchairs, handcycles and athletes with disabilities.

Anyone who has been to a race in whatever capacity, knows that there are pockets of spectators on the sidelines cheering for loved ones and strangers alike. While imagine that for a whole 26.2 miles/42.2 kilometres and in some areas densely packing whole sidewalks. Those signs, encouragement, music, and more, really do help buoy a runner through the tough times.

The course was marked in miles and kilometres. Countless volunteers handed out water and Gatorade and eventually bananas, energy chews and gels. At mile 21.2 there was the Biofreeze Relief Zone, an area where runners could move just off the course and receive external pain relief. Eyes were burning running through that area with the amount of Biofreeze in the air.

The full marathon took place on Sunday and there was also a five kilometre run on the Saturday. A two day race expo took place at McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America. It consists of four interconnected buildings and one indoor arena. Yeah, we got lost trying to get out of the building. Some of the booths included Altra running shoes, lululemon, Maui Jim Sunglasses and Nike. My husband insists there were hundreds in line at the Nike check out many wanting to pick up Chicago Marathon clothing and the new FlyKnit 4% shoes. The Nike store downtown also had line ups outside the door going down the street. Race medals could be etched for free with your finish time. Attendees of the expo also got the chance to find out how long they could hang with Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:39 marathon speed for 200 meters on a 20-foot-long treadmill with some hilarious results (ie face plants). The treadmill is making stops at each of the World Marathon Majors races.

There were shuttle buses to the expo but finding the pick up stop proved difficult. We couldn’t get a satellite signal on our phones due to tall buildings. We walked in circles a bit before finding the bus.

Okay so I didn’t win the race, but who did? In the men’s division, Mo Farah from the UK. He used to run 5,000 and 10,000 m track but retired last year to pursue road racing. This was his third marathon and first U.S. marathon. A new personal record (PR) for him at 2:05:11. The first woman to cross the finish line was Brigid Kosgel from Kenya who finished at 2:18:35.

The days leading up to, and the morning of the race, was rainy. Not ideal and not a scenario I had pictured. I was worried about being wet, cold and slipping. But it didn’t seem to matter and a better option than the weather the following day which was 25C with high humidity.

The race began in Grant Park, located within the city’s central business district. It boosts 319 acres. The start/finish area was about a one mile walk from our hotel. The security was huge. My husband could only go so far with me before I was in a lineup being checked with security wands before being ushered to my corral where we had to stand for some time before our start. The whole day, you could see the security staff, police, Homeland Security and even military personnel.

For the elite runners a blue line is painted on the road marking the shortest route on the course. I tried my best to run here as well but in the end I weaved on the course so much I ran an extra mile +. I read this tip on a Facebook group prior to race day. Another helpful tip was to run on the carpeted areas of bridges to avoid the slippery metal crossings. The course is famous for being flat and fast, a great place to get a PR. It proved to be true until the last 400 m where there was a hill. I believe I muttered, “you’ve got to be kidding me,” at that point.

It’s the first finish line I’ve crossed and felt emotional. Partly because of relief to finally be able to stop running (I had a sore knee and feet by that point), but I also knew I was experiencing a moment that had built up for so long and this was it. As soon as it came it would pass too. They take care of you as you cross the finish line. First there are water bottles, second I had a man read the name on my bib and say, “Congratulations Michelle”, while he placed that race medal over my head. Reportedly Paula Radcliffe was handing out medals at the finish line too. I didn’t see her but Radcliffe is a British long-distance runner who won Chicago in 2002. Next came the bananas, followed by a bag of goodies from Mariano’s that included nuts, protein bars and coupons, then came the special edition Goose Neck beer.

When I got back to the hotel and assessed my condition before getting into a bath, I had four major blisters on my feet and a lot of chafing. Luckily my race package came with some great blister bandaids.

All around the streets post race, you could see people wearing their race shirts and medals. My husband joked that he could pick a runner out by the limping. The restaurants were packed with famished racers. We decided to order in our Chicago deep dish pizza, it took two hours they were so busy. The next day is also known as Medal Monday. So whether you were touring Chicago, headed back home or already back at work, many were proudly wearing their medal.

I’ve mentioned my husband in this blog but a huge shout out to him for being my biggest supporter and #1 fan. He lets me indulge in these travel runs and we truly enjoy each other’s company while experiencing new cities and making lifetime memories. I wouldn’t have achieved all that I have without him.

There was complete live TV coverage and live streaming. I also pre ordered a special edition and package Chicago Tribune. It included the day’s prior paper with articles about the race and special stories from some of the runners and the next day’s paper with race coverage and every runner who finished within six-and-a-half hours had their name in print.

Chicago

Of course the backdrop to the marathon is the City of Chicago itself. By the time we were arriving via cab to our hotel downtown, it was dark. So, all the numerous towers and skyscrapers were lit up creating a magnificent skyline to be greeted with. Chicago’s skyline is among the world’s tallest and densest.

We stayed at Hotel Chicago Downtown. Located within the Marina City complex, it boasts a bowling alley, House of Blues Chicago and a ping pong bar.

Chicago is located on Lake Michigan, the third most populous city in the US with a population of 2,716,450. Metropolitan area has nearly 10 million people.

Landmarks include Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Campus, the Willis (Sears) Tower, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Lincoln Park Zoo.

We took in two tours when not involved with the expo and run. The first was Untouchable: Chicago’s Original Gangster Tour. A hilarious and informative bus tour where guides are actors and take on the persona of 1920s gangsters. Our gangster guides presented an accurate account of the activities that were going on in Chicago during the 1920s and ’30s  (Prohibition Era).  We heard the exploits of Capone, Moran, Dillinger and the rest of the boys.  Some sites included: the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, the Biograph Theatre, and Holy Name Cathedral.

We had also booked a river cruise architecture tour. Highly trained and passionate volunteers provide a detailed narrative of Chicago’s various architectural styles and the stories of the people who designed and built the city.
The relaxing 90-minute tour features indoor and outdoor seating. The weather was perfect to sit on deck.

Any traveller who has been to the O’Hare Airport won’t be surprised to hear it is the world’s sixth-busiest airport, serving 79.8 million passengers in 2017. The entire O’Hare International Airport complex resides on over 7,200 acres. The plan is set to add over three million more square feet to the airport’s terminals, a new customs processing center in the Global Terminal, twenty five per cent more ramp space at gates to accommodate larger aircraft, reconstruction of gates and concourses (new concourses will be a minimum of 120 feet (37 m) wide), and increase the gate count from 185 to 235. In 2011, O’Hare became the first major airport to build an apiary on its property; every summer, it hosts as many as 75 hives and a million bees. The bees are maintained by 30 to 40 ex-offenders with little to no work experience and few marketable skills from the North Lawndale community. They are taught beekeeping but also benefit from the bees’ labour, turning it into bottled fresh honey, soaps, lip balms, candles and moisturizers marketed under the beelove product line; products are sold at stores and used by restaurants throughout both Chicago airports. O’Hare has used livestock, primarily goats, since 2013 to control vegetation in harder-to-reach areas or on steeper banks. In the summer of 2018, a mix of 30 goats, sheep, and a donkey named Jackson controlled buckthorn, garlic mustard, ragweed and various other invasive species. The livestock assist not only with vegetation removal and control, but also reduce hiding and nesting places for birds that may interfere with safe aircraft operations, and all without food expense or environmental damage.

There was a very major verdict that was handed down on the Friday that we were in Chicago. The anticipated possible outcome put many on edge and there were many officers on standby downtown near the courthouse. Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Van Dyke, was also found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. Video of the shooting when it finally was released, led to protests, a Justice Department civil rights investigation, criticism of the mayor and, eventually, the ousting of the police superintendent. Groups of demonstrators took to the streets for several hours after the verdict, chanting, “The people united will never be defeated,” and “Sixteen shots and a cover up.”

City Hall and many downtown businesses closed early in anticipation of protests. Police said there had been no arrests but had the verdict been a different outcome, most likely the protests would have been much more heated. Even leading one to wonder what would have happened to the marathon taking place.

The city had been preparing for possible demonstrations in a case that already sparked protests. The shooting was captured on a grainy police dashcam video. Van Dyke said he fired in self-defense after McDonald lunged at him with a knife. But the dashcam video — which a judge ordered the city to release 13 months after the shooting — showed McDonald walking away from police, rather than charging at them.

Gentle yoga can take Mom through pregnancy, labour, delivery and beyond

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I recently saw a DVD for sale at a store entitled “Prenatal Workout”. Not only is this not the time to “get into shape” or try to emulate some celebrity mother, but more than ever it is a time to honour your body. It’s a changing body and a time to honour the life growing inside of you.

Because an expectant mom is tired in the first trimester, a restorative or more slow/gentle yoga practice is most appropriate. Prone positions, that is poses on the belly, are now not recommended. It is important to keep the abdominal area quite passive and relaxed during this trimester. Also, avoid backbends and twists so as not to exacerbate the separation of the abdominal muscles. Otherwise it could be harder to recover these muscles postnatally.

In the second trimester a woman may have a return in energy and could resume a hatha yoga practice with an emphasis on low back stretches and hip and shoulder openers. Avoid deep forward folds (putting pressure on the xiphoid process, at the top of the abdomen, and causing discomfort).

In the third trimester a gentle practice is optimal with a concentration on hip stretches and more seated postures over standing. Exercises to help prepare for labour and delivery should be brought in as well as breathing and meditation to prepare for the great physical, mental and emotional states during labour and delivery.

The centre of gravity is shifted forward during pregnancy often leading to postural changes which may manifest as: pain in the low back and pelvic region; altered sense of balance; carpal tunnel syndrome; swelling; varicose veins; headaches; muscle cramping; light-headedness; upper back stiffness and weakness; fallen arches; abdominal muscle weakness; and, pelvic floor weakening. Yoga can be a valuable tool for pre and postnatal women.

A lot of emphasis can be put on strengthening the pelvic floor as pelvic organ prolapse where the uterus, bladder and/or rectum begin to descend, fall and potentially protrude externally, is present in about 70 per cent of women by the age of 70.

Adult colouring books have many benefits

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According to Wikipedia: “An early adopter or lighthouse customer, is an early customer of a given company, product, or technology. Late majority adopt an innovation after the average participant. These individuals approach an innovation with a high degree of skepticism and after the majority of society has adopted the innovation. Late majority are typically skeptical about an innovation.

When it came to adult colouring books, I fell into the latter category. I had even been to a couple of “colouring parties”. Borrowing other people’s materials, believing it to be silly but still wanting the time spent with friends.

Having recently become a Certified Lifestyle Meditation Teacher, I thought adding a colouring book to my mindfulness/meditation practice would be a wonderful addition. Colouring in this way is often used in children’s yoga classes (a tool I have in fact used in teaching kids yoga).

Many occupational therapists prescribe colouring books and patients come back and tell them how beneficial they find them to be. A friend who recently had surgery and was laid up in bed, was able to pass the time with colouring books. When you need to shift focus or practice stress reduction, break these books out. They have so many uses and purposes that many are not aware of, beyond the obvious outcomes of beauty and enjoyment. Let’s look at their uses a little closer.

The “prescription” of adult colouring, stems all the way back to the late psychologist Carl Jung. He used it thinking it would help his patients access their subconscious and new self-knowledge. We now know that many psychologists suggest this to patients as an alternative to medication, as a means of relaxation, and as a calming tool. It can help the individual focus on the act of colouring intricate pictures for hours on end, vs. focusing on intrusive and troubling thoughts.

Adult colouring books can help with a number of emotional and mental health issues. For many, boredom, lack of structure, and stress are the greatest triggers they have. This applies to individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety disorders, stress disorders, depressive disorders, eating and binge eating disorders, anger management issues, and substance abuse issues. The time and focus that adult colouring takes, helps the individual remove the focus from the negative issues and habits, and focus them in a safe and productive way.

These activities can help tremendously with individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and stress issues, as they calm down our amygdala. The part of the brain that controls our fight or flight response, and keeps individuals in a heightened state of worry, panic, and hyper-vigilance, when it is active. Colouring and focusing on this harmless and calming activity, can actually turn that response down, and let your brain have some much needed rest and relaxation. This can be an exceptionally productive and welcome outlet for these individuals.

Colouring also brings us back to a simpler time. An activity that can invoke the easier and happier times of childhood. A time when we did not have as many responsibilities, and could just do something because we wanted too, for the pure joy of it. To be able to tap into this time and these emotions is very cathartic and enjoyable. It can take you out of your present stresses and worries for even a few hours at a time, which can have an exceptionally recuperative effect.

Believe it or not, colouring has intellectual benefits as well. It utilizes areas of the brain that enhance focus and concentration. It also helps with problem solving and organizational skills. Our frontal lobes are responsible for these higher level activities and functions of the brain, and colouring detailed pictures activates all those properties.
Colouring utilizes both hemispheres of the brain, right and left. When we are thinking about balance, colour choices, applying coloured pencil to paper, we are working on problem solving and fine motor skills.

This is another method of practicing mindfulness, which has therapeutic and health benefits. This can help us replace negative thoughts with positive and pleasant ones. Doing therapeutic artwork can help reduce feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness associated with lengthy medical treatments. The focus we place on the project at hand, and on an object can replace negative and unhelpful thoughts from entering our minds. The step of acting and doing vs. observing is a powerful deterrent to focusing on physical or emotional pain.
Adult colouring books clearly help serve many purposes that are beneficial. They can be focused, therapeutic, relaxing, calming, problem solving, and organizational. Head down to your local bookstore, discount department store or dollar store and find a colouring book that appeals to you and some nice coloured pencils. And don’t forget that you’ll now have beautiful artwork which you can hang on your fridge!

Kids and adults need play

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I recently became a certified kids yoga teacher. One of the first questions that was put to each of us as we went around the circle was, “How do you play?” I couldn’t think of anything I do as play. Everything is work even though I enjoy work. I thought back to childhood and even then I seemed to make work for myself, perhaps a symptom of being an only child.

When I got home I immediately ordered from my library book list The Kidult Handbook from Blanket Forts to Capture the Flag, a Grownup’s Guide to Playing Like a Kid.

Play is good for your spirit, body and mind. It’s good for your relationships, work and social life. Children naturally play but soon it’s “don’t play with your food”, “don’t play in your good clothes”, “don’t play in the rain”.

Play clears the mind, it’s good for your health, it allows you to connect to others, it allows you to lighten up, it brings balance to your life, you discover things about yourself, it can often take you outside, it encourages curiousity and discovery, it exercises your creative thinking and problem solving skills and best of all, play is enjoyable!

There are four parts to a kids yoga class; breathe, games, poses and relaxation.

Breathing exercises (disguised in a playful way) calm and nourish the central nervous system, increases energy and focus, improves blood circulation, reduces symptoms of stress and relieves pain.

Games are at the heart of a kid’s yoga class. It may not look like a traditional yoga class where adults are confined to their sticky mats but rather engaging the children in creative play and thinking to stimulate the secretion of dopamine and DHEA. These positive chemical messengers build brain cells and improve mood. Games also build cooperative skills working with a partner or in a group. Also, games simply get kids moving their bodies. Many children (and adults) are movement malnourished.

The yoga poses look much like adult poses with some fun new twists and names. The poses help develop flexibility, strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness, play and confidence. Physical health is also promoted and a positive attitude towards exercise and their bodies. Children’s creative imagination and self expression are also encouraged through the poses.

Relaxation promotes inner listening and reflection. It slows the brain waves, allowing the nervous system to recharge and the brain to process and integrate information.

Don’t be surprised to hear all kinds of music and songs in a children’s class and many fun props are often used. A theme may even be carried throughout the whole class. Crafts and colouring can be used, which are great mindfulness activities.

Don’t just let the kids have all the fun, get out there and find your play!

Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young

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(Posting this here after reading it in a couple of classes last week. I remember this on the radio a number of times back in 1997 and have wanted to look it up for some time. Affectionately known as the Sunscreen Speech)

Chicago Tribune June 1, 1997

Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who’d rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will never be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there’s no reason we can’t entertain ourselves by composing a Guide to Life for Graduates.

I encourage anyone over 26 to try this and thank you for indulging my attempt. Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

We all need to sit in stillness

Posted on by guru

I recently became a Certified Meditation Teacher through Lifestyle Meditation of Edmonton, Alberta. It was a wonderfully informative weekend and felt like a vacation for me stepping out of the teacher position and into the student’s seat. I went with the intention to bring my students more of an experience but also by the time I left, felt my life and my family’s life can use the transformative power of stillness.

Meditation can be used alongside yoga or as a stand alone practice. And you don’t have to believe for it to work.

For thousands of years, the practices of meditation have been part of the lives for many, however the philosophy behind it has changed as humanity has evolved. Somewhere around the year of 400 CE Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras where he describes meditation as being “the progressive quietening of the mind until it reaches its point in pure stillness”.

The Buddha taught 40 different kinds of meditation but some of the more common include: guided; mindfulness (Vipassana); mantra; visual; moving and; pranayama (breath work). Guided meditation is where an individual is verbally guided into a state of consciousness either by a person’s live voice or by a recording of a voice. Mindfulness refers to a state of being fully present in the present moment, accepting each moment as it arises. Thich Nhat Hanh brought mindfulness to the attention of Westerners. Most mantras are sounds which can be grouped together to create more specific sound resonance or vibration. Tools such as candles and pictures, as well as the nature that surrounds us, can all be useful focal points for visual meditation. Chi Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga, Labyrinth, walking, running, etc can all potentially be used as moving meditation. Several researchers have reported that pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress-related disorders.

Stress is a normal response to a perceived threat. It evolved in order to protect us from predators and other dangers. During the flight or fight some of the body’s responses are: increased heart rate, perspiring, neck and shoulder muscles tighten, dry mouth and hyperventilation.

During flight or fight, cortisol is released into the body. Nowadays this is over-activated for many and cortisol levels don’t have much chance to return to normal levels. Effects of excess cortisol to the body include: depression, hypertension, chronic fatigue, sleep deprivation, migraines, acid reflux, hostility, hunger, arthritis and belly fat.

In our modern day world we may no longer be afraid of becoming some animal’s next meal but the stakes may be public speaking for example. The brain doesn’t distinguish between life and death situations and those that just make us uncomfortable (as noted in a Seinfeld episode people are more afraid of public speaking than dying, so they would rather be in the casket than reading the eulogy).

We continue to carry the tension that is created and over time can have life-threatening effects. Stress isn’t good but it’s a sign. What need is being threatened? The five emotional needs of all humans are safety, belonging, love, to be seen and to be heard.

Over time, unrelenting chronic stress can lead to emotional, physical, or sexual dysfunction, increase your chances of getting sick, and may manifest as chronic illness such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s disease, migraine headaches, and even skin disorders like psoriasis.

During meditation, we can experience peace and relaxation as well as decreased heart rate and blood pressure and greater clarity. Humans are having between 50,000 – 80,000 thoughts every day and we are only aware of one per cent of them. But the body responds to 100 per cent of them. All thoughts come through the five senses, judgement is placed on them (either good or bad) and the body responds.

The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of meditation have been well documented for thousands of years. Modern scientific techniques and instruments, such as MRI and EEG, have been used to see what happens in the body of people when they meditate, and how their bodies and brain change after meditating regularly.

The brain’s circuitry is comprised of living tissue which is reshaped over and over by thoughts, memories, desires and experiences. The mental training and coordination a meditation practice serves can change the inner workings and circuitry of the brain in the area that controls our focus, memory, learning patterns and perception of consciousness. This is known as neuroplasticity.

Meditation can create a greater ability for resiliency. The body spends more time in the parasympathetic system which gives us more patience, greater clarity, creativity, problem solving, and the ability to rebound more quickly after a stressful situation.

Resiliency is described as the ability to recover quickly. Impacts of stress effect the mind and body. A better description of resiliency is the capacity to prepare for, adapt to, and deal with, perceived adversity in a positive way. Billions of dollars are lost every year due to work time lost from stress and almost half of worker turnover was found to be stress related. Top ways to cultivate resiliency include self-care, embracing change, finding a sense of purpose, and developing a strong social network.

When we are practicing meditation we aim to move from the outside world, into ourselves, into our body, finding the breath, a single pointed awareness, undisturbed flow of thought and finally, samadhi or the gap.

If you’re interested in starting a meditation practice or have any questions, please reach out to me I’d be happy to help.

Varied medical services in one location, wave of future?

Posted on by guru

I recently had the opportunity to attend an open house at Park Integrative Health located in Sherwood Park.

This is a one-of-a-kind facility with family doctors, internists, massage, acupuncture, reiki, holistic nutrition and counselling under one roof.

Much like how medicine is practiced in China, where hospitals combine Eastern and Western medicine, they treat the patient individually and write up a program – not just based on writing a prescription for pills – perhaps with either Western or Eastern practices or maybe a combination of both.

Currently Park Integrative Health provides routine medical services with two female physicians (accepting new patients), internal medicine physicians (accepting new patients by referral), acupuncture, massage therapy, counselling, dietetic and nutritional counselling (with a registered dietician and Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant), reiki and guided meditation.

The founders believe that there are multiple avenues in the pursuit of health and wellness and they created an environment where professionals from complimentary disciplines could work together. Imagine a place where your physician can collaborate with your acupuncturist and counsellor to ensure that you receive the best care personally tailored to your individual needs.

Their goal is to “empower each individual to reach their highest expression of health and wellness by working with a team of collaborative professionals to address the root cause(s) of illness and/or injury

Massage includes maternal, stone therapy, shiatsu, trigger point therapy, myofascial cupping, and coming soon, craniosacral and reflexology.

Counsellors offer specialized counselling services for children, adolescents and adults.

Physicians provide comprehensive care for all ages.

As Park Integrative Health grows, they are committed to exploring and incorporating services to meet the needs of those they are serving.

Banff Yoga Festival proves inspirational

Posted on by guru

I recently experienced my first yoga festival. Held in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, Banff, AB brought together exceptional teachers of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness from Banff and beyond. There was yoga, culture, and adventure as people from all over gathered together to study all things yoga and connect to this unique culture.

The majority of the weekend was spent at the Fenlands Recreational Centre. This space underwent a multi-million dollar renovation several years ago, making it rustic and modern while boasting mountain views and LEED design. How fitting to promote health, sustainability, and well-being in a building with some of the most advanced green technologies. The Fenlands is located adjacent to a wildlife corridor. The event also took many into the mountains, to historical spaces, and to significant places in Banff that could be considered “hidden gems”.

The three day festival boasted a yoga market, hikes, stand up paddle boarding, mountain meditation, mala making, raw chocolate making, yoga talks, physical practices, taco making, yoga and wine, belly dancing, skincare, barre, ayurveda, sourdough bread making, foam rolling, Buddha bowl making, and, an after-party.

It was also a great time for friends to gather. I met three other women who I went to university with and we try to arrange get togethers every year or two as we all live in different areas.

The first day I was scheduled for four activities but in reality made it to two. The first “Into the Wild” was a hike and meditation which unfortunately me and one other friend couldn’t arrive in time for. We also all chose to visit in our room instead of making it to the opening class.

Finally we all moved on to scheduled events; some joining each other, some going solo. I enjoyed “Finding the Still Point” with Sarah Harvie. In this workshop we used a blend of craniosacral therapy and meditation techniques to help ourselves and others drop deeper into what is referred to as the “fertile void”. We tapped into our own subtle rhythms and learned to tap into other’s rhythms through partner work. We practiced giving each other subtle adjustments in savasana and how to find energetic restrictions in the body. I admit I was skeptical at first but both my partner and I were able to sense where each other were holding muscular tension without any speaking.

Three quarters of us finished the evening with “Adversity to Light” led by Edmonton’s Andrew Misle. His classes skillfully blend music, clearly discerned sequencing, and his philosophical teachings are delivered with humour and fearless authenticity.

Live music was provided by Garth Stevenson. I have used this Brooklyn-based film composer and double bassist material when teaching a yoga class. He was raised in the mountains of Western Canada, nature became his primary inspiration and the common thread between his life and music. In the past four years, Garth has released two full-length solo albums, informed by his experiences carrying his 150-year-old double bass to the woods, the beach, and the desert. His most recent and critically acclaimed release, Flying, is a 75 minute homage to a recent life-changing trip to Antarctica. Of Flying, iTunes praises, “Garth Stevenson joins the likes of Brian Eno and Sigur Rós as a practitioner of this ethereal yet accessible genre… ‘The Southern Sea’ offers the aural equivalent of effortlessly swimming underwater without ever needing to come up for air.” Flying was recently featured on WNYC’s New Sounds radio program along with Ben Frost and Yo-Yo Ma and was featured on the main page of iTunes.

Garth played his double bass to seals, penguins and icebergs while composing the score. “I spent a few weeks prior to the trip learning to adapt whale calls on my bass by playing along with Roger’s Songs Of The Humpback Whales recording the same way I used to play along with jazz albums. One evening, in the middle of a four-day open sea crossing between South Georgia and Antarctica, I gave a concert at sunset on the bow of our ship. I was improvising and creating layers with my loop pedal then started imitating whale calls on the bass. A few minutes later twelve sei whales came and swam next to our vessel!”

Saturday morning one friend and I started off with “Slay Your Dragons” courtesy of Erin Evans. It was a strong and challenging class to begin the day but we slayed it. Discussing the human afflictions to expose your self limiting beliefs this class involved a fun flow with the sweat beats of DJ Sol Rising. Sol Rising’s original soundscapes evoke feelings of inspiration and bliss through an eclectic mix of electronic music, mid-tempo house, chill-trap, ambient and hip-hop.

Born in Vancouver BC, raised in Fairfield Iowa, Sol Rising began meditating at age four with a walking mantra technique. His mother took him to visit numerous spiritual teachers, who inspired him on the spiritual path he walks today. As a teenager, he became a hip hop fanatic. His rooted interest in hip hop led him to learning the art of scratching — using turntables as musical instruments. Sol Rising soon became one of America’s top scratch DJs, winning second place at the DMC, the world’s most prestigious DJ competition.

After graduating in the top five per cent of his accounting class at University of Iowa, he realized accounting was not his path. A journey to India illuminated his true calling — to light up people’s awareness of their true nature through music. This lead him to study audio engineering and production at Pyramind Studios in San Francisco, CA. Now a successful Producer/DJ, with over six albums released, Sol Rising plays events throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia at festivals such as Wanderlust, Burning Man, Symbiosis and Lightning in a Bottle. Sol Rising has been featured in major media outlets including the Yoga Journal, Washington Post, and his music has been streamed over two million times on Spotify and one million on Soundcloud.

Next came “The Feminine Face of Yoga” with Anne Douglas. This yoga talk was described as, “The Feminine Face of Yoga embraces the corporeal experiences of emotion, gut intuition, sensuality and embodiment, while building on the masculine path of intellect, renunciation and transcendence as a path to Freedom. This integrated view may even provide answers to the global environmental and political crisis we all face.”

The presentation reviewed a Reader’s Digest version of the Foundational Philosophies of Yoga, explored the pre-historical feminine roots of Yoga, discussed some of the essential expressions of the feminine in yoga. We experienced the wisdom and potency of the feminine as celebrated in the Tantric texts that include the Vijnanabhairava, the Spandakarika, uncovered feminine variations of practices from the Yoga Sutras and discussed building a vision for the future of yoga that embraces both the masculine & feminine.

I was then scheduled for Jivamukti Flow and Mountain Meditation but decided to skip both. While we felt we should book our selections early for the whole weekend, we found that we wanted to some down time as this was a get-away also. The weather also made outdoor activities less than desirable.

I was excited to attend one of the yoga talks with Jeff Mah later that afternoon; Yoga and Activism. There are times in our lives where we will be faced with a choice: stand up and make a difference… or live with the burden of being silent. Jeff’s had first hand experiences with activism in protecting the delicate ecosystem in the Bow Valley. Afterwards, we engaged in practices to solidify our commitment for a better world. This was for everyone and anyone but as Jeff pointed out, as a yoga teacher you have a platform.

Three of us finished the evening with a mala making course. There was an after party but we decided to go back to our room and play the board game Speak Out instead.

On the final day I finally got to try Stand Up Paddle (SUP) boarding on Two Jack Lake (a glacier lake). One the the most beautiful places to paddle in the world.  From pristine lakes to tranquil turquoise rivers, paddling here is an unforgettable experience.

I found the experience in the mountains rejuvenating and inspiring. Inspiration for my life, my classes and to attend more yoga festivals in the future.