Boston Health & Fitness Expo

This weekend, at the Hynes Convention in Boston, the Health & Fitness Expo will take place. As you can tell, the event is free for all and I'm sure there will be tons of valuable info, free food, and fun activities.

If you are interested in joining me this weekend, perhaps Saturday afternoon, let me know. I am interested in going to see what it's all about. There better be something about yoga there!!! :)

For more details, check out their official website at: http://www1.whdh.com/healthexpo/

If you're interested in joining me, send me an e-mail!
Cheers and be well!

"Spiritual Bling" that's for sure!

The music I generally play during yoga practice is often times what I listen to most. I love ambient, funk, world music that's not only uplifting, but gets you rocking to it.

One of my fave groups currently is The Dum Dum Project - an Indian hip-hop/ambient/underground group from Brooklyn, NY. You may have heard some of their upbeat tracks during yoga. Some of my fave tracks from their latest album "Export Quality" are Hey Diwani, Hey Diwana and Nataraja.

If you're interested in chill-out music for the long ride to wherever then I would highly suggest this album - of course, that's if we have similar tastes in music.

Sometimes, I do tune out during yoga practice and not even realize the music is on, but when it is off, I certainly notice the distractions more, so I hope that although you may disagree with the music during class, that at least it filters the noises going on outside of the class. Besides, I can tell you are so focused during practice that you may not even realize the music in the background.

If you have suggestions for music, please share!

Yoga - "a tonic for the body and the mind"

There was a brief article in the LA times recently about yoga's benefits not only to the body, but to the mind as well:

The notion that yoga is a tonic for the mind, as well as the body, isn't such a stretch anymore.

Practicing yoga may boost a neurotransmitter associated with regulating depression and anxiety disorders, according to a new report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., used magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging to measure levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, levels in the brains of eight regular yoga practitioners. They found that the yoga group experienced a 27% increase in GABA levels after an hour of yoga, while 11 control subjects, who read for an hour, received no such benefits.

"The study shows that there's a neurochemical response to the practice of yoga that's similar to neurochemical responses we see when people are treated with antidepressants," says lead author Dr. Chris Streeter, an assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.

Although yoga has been associated with a reduction in depression and anxiety, the study is one of the first to provide hard evidence. "This is a behavioral intervention that you can use to augment treatment," says Streeter. "I would recommend it."

Like you needed an article to confirm that! :)

Ahh.... It's the smell of relaxation

I am a huge fan of lavender scent, especially within the home space. Lavender is considered by many to be a natural, alternative remedy for a variety of common ailments ranging from anxiety, headaches, to insomnia, which is why it's seen in so many products from perfume, to hand wash, to lotions, and even laundry detergents. Studies have shown that lavender can ease stress, induce relaxation, and even invigorate the senses.

Recently, I purchased a home plug scent diffuser from Henri Bendel collection at Bath & Body Works in lavender (of course). A bit skeptical, because these diffusers never last more than a day, but surely enough, I was wrong. The scent is absolutely amazing -- clean, fresh, and cool.

So I wanted to mimic this in our yoga classes, because breathing is difficult as is in Ardha Chandrasana (Balancing Half Moon Pose), but to be able to breathe in a lovely, relaxing scent makes it all the easier and better... so I am going to try Method's lavendar lemongrass aroma pill during class this week.

For those in attendance, let me know what you think!

Super duper yoga mat

After practicing yoga for over 6 years now, I have used several different mats mainly because none have ever lived up to my daily practice. I try to be conscious by purchasing mats that are made of eco-friendly materials, but for some reason they never seem to last.

I think I may have found my mat now, and one that may last me for a while. These mats are made of super high-quality material and according to them, will last you a lifetime (or two). They are on the pricey side (ranging from $57-$90), but if they will last me a lifetime (or two), then it's all worth it.

To find out more about these mats made by Manduka, check out their website. The only downside (at least in my opinion) is the limited offering of colors for mats. I'm a big green person if you haven't noticed already, and unfortunately, no green Manduka mats -- only black or purple. If you practice yoga often, then I suggest you invest in a high-quality mat coming from someone who has gone through 6 mats already. If you have any questions about Manduka mats, let me know! So far, it seems to stand up to my practice, but only time will tell.

Manduka website

No more slipping and sliding

Have you ever noticed how your down dogs slowly transition to plank without your own control? Perhaps you're so focused in uttitha trikonasana (that's triangle pose) and didn't realize you're slowly coming into hanumanasana (monkey pose). That's probably due to a sweaty mat and a vigorous practice.

Yogitoes, which is quite well-known (especially within the yoga community), has created this skidless towel that goes over your yoga mat, which not only picks up the sweat, but give you an added support from slipping and sliding during practice, and is easily washable by tossing it in to the washer and dryer.

These towels can be purchased directly through Yogitoes' website or on amazon.com (my resource for anything and everything.

Oh and by the way, if you practice yoga on a regular basis, I highly encourage you to get a mat of your own! You don't want to know whose toes have been on those mats at the gym. In fact, you're better off not knowing - so get one! They're everywhere now - even in grocery stores, so you have no excuse! Oh and besides, you'll soon be needing one of your own once yoga outdoors kicks in.

Big Sweet Tooth?

Okay, so maybe food isn't yoga-related, but I certainly think so! After a rigorous vinyasa flow, what better way to reward yourself than sweets! If you are like me, my sweet tooth needs to be satisfied on a daily basis. I am a huge, HUGE fan of cookies (chocolate chip being my fave), and I came across these cookies by Dancing Deer - Tangerine Butterfly Cookies - and they are delicious! They are on the pricier side at $5.99 for one bag of 12 cookies, but for the quality and freshness of it, they are totally worth it. Plus, Dancing Deer is a philanthropic company based in Boston, donating a percentage of their profits to local charities, so you can enjoy sweets for a good cause.

In addition to these Tangerine cookies, they also make a variety of other cookies, cakes, and brownies. You can either order them online (but why pay for S&H), or get them at Whole Foods. I'm a big foodie, so if you have suggestions of your own, please do share.

Oh and another note, jam thumbprint cookies by Iggy's Bread is another to-die-for. I would say they are my favorite cookies. Absolutely worth the drive to Cambridge for them, perhaps before yoga! :)

Bon Appetit!