Asana Of The Month: Corpse Pose

Corpse pose is a simple relation pose performed before and after a yoga practice. But you can use Corpse pose to relax any time you feel anxious or stressed. In vigorous yoga classes, like vinyasa and hot yoga, Corpse pose allows the body to cool down while calming the mind. Combine Corpse pose with Complete Yoga Breathing. You can also use Corpse pose to meditate and for yoga nidra.

English Name: Corpse

Sanskrit Name: Savasana

Difficulty Level: 1

Start Position: Reclining on back

Instructions:

Step 1. Close your eyes

Step 2. Space your feet about a foot apart and let them fall apart.

Step 3. Place arms 12 to 15 inches from your side with your palms facing up.

Step 4. Relax and let go of your breath.

Physical Benefits:

  • Reduce blood pressure
  • reduce fatigue
  • Relaxes the body
  • Rejuvenates the body

Mental Benefits

  • Reduces anxiety, stress and mild depression
  • Calms and centers the mind
  • Reduces insomnia

Contraindications:

  • Lower back injury
  • Spinal injury
  • Pregnancy

Asana Of The Month: Embryo In Womb

Embryo In Womb takes seated Lotus pose to the next level. If you have difficult sitting in Lotus pose, you should pass on Embryo In Womb. It combines the flexibility of Lotus with a Full Forward Bend. This is not a pose for a beginner or someone with limited flexibility. Embryo In Womb takes Lotus pose with a difficulty of 3 to a difficulty of 7. To obtain the full mental and physical benefits of Embryo In Womb, listen to your body, and do not exceed your physical limits.

English Name: Embryo In Womb

Sanskrit Name: Garbha Pindasana

Difficulty Level: 7

Start Position: Seated Lotus

Instructions:

Step 1.

While sitting in Lotus pose, thread your arms under your calves.

Step 2.

Lift your legs off the floor while balancing on your buttocks.

Step 3.

Lift your legs into your chest and place your hands over your ears.

Step 4.

Remain in the pose as long as it feels comfortable and then release returning to Lotus pose.

Physical Benefits:

  • Opens up the hips
  • Improves knee flexibility
  • Lubricates knee joint
  • Relieve or prevent arthritis
  • Tones abdominal muscles
  • Improves digestion
  • Tones back and shoulder muscles

Mental Benefits

  • Focuses the mind
  • Reduces stress
  • Reduces anxiety
  • Reduces mild depression

Contraindications:

  • Low back, hip, knee, or ankle injury

Food Allergies, Intolerance, & Sensitivities Video

Some high fat and protein fad diets justify avoiding or eliminating plant foods due to allergies, intolerances, and sensitives experienced by about 1% of the population.

This video looks at causes and symptoms of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivity, and how some fad diets use them to justify omitting nutrient packed high carb low calorie foods for high calorie foods.

For most people needing to lose weight, the easiest way to cut calories and eat more foods is by replacing high calorie foods with low calorie foods.

30 Low Potassium Foods Video

Many people eat a high sodium low potassium diet. People eating high potassium diets can consume more sodium. Too much potassium can be as dangerous as too little potassium.

People with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) have trouble removing excess sodium and potassium. It is important, if instructed by their doctor, to eat a low potassium diet. Potassium is in all foods; animal and plant.

This video looks at 30 foods providing less potassium than most other foods.

PUFA Facts & Myths Video

PUFA is the acronym for polyunsaturated fatty acids. Most consumer PUFAs are RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) vegetable oils like canola, soy, and corn oils. Fad diets condemning PUFAs usually fail to mention they are essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

This video looks at some of the facts and myths surrounding PUFAs including:

• What is PUFA?
• PUFA and omega fatty acids.
• PUFA health risks.
• PUFA and low grade inflammation.
• Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios.

Asana Of The Month: Elephant’s Trunk

Elephant’s Trunk is a moderately difficult balance pose that helps improve focus, relieve anxiety, and strengthen wrist, arm, leg, and shoulder muscles.

English Name: Elephant’s Trunk

Sanskrit Name: Eka Hasta Bhujasana

Difficulty Level: 6

Pose Type: Balance

Start Position: Easy Sitting

Instructions:

Step 1.

Staring in Easy Sitting pose, hook your left shoulder under your left knee and extend your right leg straight out.

Step 2.

Place both hands on the floor near your thighs.

Step 3.

Press into your hands and lift your body off the floor as pictured. Keep your extended leg parallel to the floor and gaze forward.

Step 4.

Hold the pose for a few breaths. Then lower your body to the floor. Return to Easy Sitting and repeat on the other side.

Physical Benefits:

  • Maintains spinal straightness
  • Strengthens wrists, arms, and shoulders
  • Increases stamina
  • Strengthens legs and buttocks
  • May relieve backache

Mental Benefits

  • Reduces stress
  • Improves thinking
  • Increases focus
  • Relieves mild anxiety & depression

Contraindications:

  • Carpel tunnel syndrome
  • Wrist injury
  • Leg, arm, or shoulder injury

Honey, Maple Syrup, And Sugar

This video compares the nutrition values of honey (filtered and raw) and maple syrup to refined white sugar. Many diets claim honey and maple syrup are “natural” alternatives to refined sugars and provide essential vitamins and minerals absent from refined sugar. In this video:

• Refined Sugar vs honey & maple syrup.
• Raw vs. refined honey.
• Raw honey health risks.
• Nutrition Facts
• Vitamin & minerals

Eight Angle (Astavakrasana)

Frog pose takes Reclining Hero pose and turns it on its stomach rather than back. If you can do Reclining Hero you can do Frog. Frog adds extending your check like Cobra pose and grasping your feet with your hands. While Cobra and Reclining Hero have a difficulty level of 4, Frog increases the difficulty level to 6 giving your arms, back, and legs a good stretch.

Like all hatha yoga asanas, always listen to you body to prevent injuries.

English Name: Eight Angle

Sanskrit Name: Astavakrasana

Difficulty Level: 7

Start Position: Easy Sitting

Instructions:

Step 1.

Hook your right shoulder under your right knee and extend your left leg forward on the floor.

Step 2.

Place both hands on the floor on either side of your left thigh.

Step 3.

Pressing into your hands, lift your buttocks off the floor while hooking your left ankle over your right ankle.

Step 4.

Bend your elbows, move your chest forward, extend your legs to the right, and gaze forward.

Step 5.

Hold the pose as long as it feels comfortable. Release. Return to Easy Sitting, and repeat on the other side

Physical Benefits:

  • Stretches leg, arm, and shoulder muscles
  • Opens up the chest
  • Improves lung capacity
  • Improves digestions
  • Increase leg and arm strength

Mental Benefits

  • Reduces stress
  • Improves thinking
  • Increases focus

Contraindications:

  • Arm, wrist, shoulder, or leg injury
  • Neck injury
  • Carpel tunnel syndrome

Crow (bakasana)

Crow, also known as Crane, pose is a popular balance pose. While it appears to be a simple pose it is challenging for most yoga practitioners. Crow pose requires concentration and focus more than strength. It is a matter of balance like balancing a spoon or fork on the tip of your finger. If you have wrist, arm, or shoulder pain or injury you should not do Crow pose. Like all hatha yoga asanas, always listen to you body to prevent injuries.

English Name: Crow (also known as Crane)

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana

Difficulty Level: 5

Start Position: Garland I

Instructions:

Step 1.

Walk you hands in from of your feet and rise up on tiptoes.

Step 2.

Press your knees into your upper arms and lean forward to balance on your hands.

Step 3.

Straighten your arms.

Step 4.

Hold the pose for 4 or 5 breaths or as long as it feels comfortable.

Physical Benefits:

  • Improves balance
  • Opens up hips and back
  • Strengthens abdominal muscles
  • Strengthens arms and wrists
  • Improves digestion
  • Stretches the wrists

Mental Benefits

  • Improves concentration
  • Increases focus

Contraindications:

  • Wrist or shoulder injury
  • Carpel tunnel syndrome
  • Pregnancy

Sonoran Desert Spring

Sonoran Desert Spring is a 9 minute video set to music of a variety of plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert including hummingbirds and Saguaro cactus. In these stressful times, everyone needs a break to unwind and reflect.

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