How You Can Use Yoga & Stretching to Improve Your Health

Aloha,

Spring is here and the weather is warming up! People are getting outside and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. Personally, the warmer weather motivates me to exercise more and shake off my winter’s hibernation. But as I exercise more, I experience more aches, pains, and tight muscles. I constantly need to stretch in order to keep my body mobile, flexible, and injury-free. I find yoga and stretching help significantly with my aches and pains from a bulging lumbar and neuropathy in my feet and legs.

Yoga can help in more ways than you can imagine ranging from relieving stress to protecting your spine. Best of all it gives an overall sense of tranquility. I put together a list of fifteen benefits of yoga after reading two great articles from Yoga Journal (link) and Sports Rec (link) websites:

• Encourages Flexibility

• Increases Range of Motion

• Accelerates Pain Relief

• Induces Relaxation

• Improves Posture

• Builds Muscle

• Protects Spine

• Improves Circulation

• Boosts Immunity

• Elevates Heart Rate

• Lowers Blood Pressure

• Improves Balance

• Releases Tension

• Enhances Sleep Quality

• Improves Optimism

All of these benefits make me want to grab my yoga mat and have a quick session! Yoga is such a great way to start your day and taking the time to release the tension will improve your health immensely. Not only is yoga the best way to stretch and keep my body functioning, it also promotes inner peace during difficult times. Practicing yoga can heal you in so many ways!

From each yoga practice, you develop a sense of patience with yourself and body as you see slight improvements. You will notice how well you sleep after going through a stretching session as your body is relieved, realigned, centered, and relaxed. Most times I don’t go through an entire yoga session, but I use the stretches I’ve learned, and it has become part of my routine before bed to relax my body.

Try doing a quick stretch routine before bed and see how well it improves your sleep quality. I’ve included one of my favorite YouTube yoga instructors I can put on anytime (any level, quick sessions, long sessions, etc.). I would love to hear what you do to help relax and improve your body through yoga in the comments below!

Namaste,

Melissa

Don't Let the Winter Blues Get You Down

Aloha,

Wish you were on a nice, warm beach soaking up the sun during these winter days? If you live in a place that is overcast, gloomy, rainy, and snowy during this time of year how can you beat these ‘winter blues’? Even though ‘winter blues’ isn’t a clinical depression diagnoses, seasonal depression tends to be an issue for many people.

Recently, I visited friends who struggle during winter and thought it may help to discuss some of my favorite ways to feel better.

• Get Up and Move - Set an exercise routine such as running, lifting weights, yoga, swimming. The endorphins produced will improve your happiness and sense of well-being.

• Vitamin D & Supplements – Vitamin D can help when we aren’t soaking up the sun. Keep following your program of other vitamins and supplements.

• Netflix & YouTube Videos – A good comedy list of movies and TV shows can keep you laughing. Use those cute animal YouTube videos to help brighten your day.

• Hot Chocolate, Tea, or Coffee – A perk to the chilly weather is the unlimited amount of warm drinks with flavors of pumpkin, gingerbread, peppermint, etc.

• Mini Vacation - Book a short vacation to treat yourself with a spa, hot tub, and room service.

• Hit the Slopes - If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing is a great exercise while enjoying the view.

• Throw a Party - Plan a get-together to socialize with friends and family.

• Read a Book - Nothing like grabbing a hot chocolate and blanket to cozy up on the couch with a good book on a stormy night.

• Keep Your Routine - Don’t let yourself sleep longer than you should. Keep your routine of when you go to bed and when you get up.

• Write Often - Journal writing is a great way to focus where to improve. Your future self and children will love to read it as well!

• Create Art - This is a great time to dive back into some artistic hobbies and share with others such as painting, ceramics, pastels, crocheting, and knitting. Personally, I love to crochet and give them as gifts.

• Bake – Nothing is better than having a fresh warm treat to fill the air. Drop off your baked goods as a surprise for friends and family.

Try something you have never done before and maybe you will find a new hobby or passion! I hope that this list will help you avoid or improve your ‘winter blues’ and enjoy this season. If you do not see improvement, do not hesitate to see a therapist. These healthcare professionals may be the solution you are looking for to feel better.

Keep smiling,

Melissa

New Year, New Beginnings

Aloha,

A new year has started, giving us a fresh start. When reflecting on 2018, what lifestyle choices do you want to improve? For many working out more, eating healthier, and getting back on their program are common goals. What I love so much about the beginning of the year is the renewed energy we have. Of course, we can restart at any time in the year, but the beginning of the new year has an extra motivating feeling in life.

I find in my life there is always room for improvement. When we become stagnant in growth, it begins to weigh heavily on the self-confidence and energy we exude. This year I want to focus on three areas of my health including mind, body, and spirit. Within these areas, I want to be mindful of my everyday choices in what I eat, my exercise routine, filling my spirit with yoga, meditation, church, and scriptures.

When I follow my program and resolutions, I notice my attitude and mindset change. I can feel an improvement in my body and my energy level goes up significantly along with my happiness. Unfortunately, it is hard to stay with our program and resolutions even though it is the best thing for our health. This year I am going to make a better effort to follow my program and improve how my body feels.

Make sure to check out the other blog posts (Glutathione, Vitamin D, CoQ10, GABA, Fasting, and Water) to learn about the program I follow. If you are interested or have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below!

Keep smiling,

Melissa

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