by Maribeth | Jul 29, 2017 | Recipes
Nearly everyone experiences back pain at one time or another. In the recent past, bed rest was the standard approach to healing back pain. However, with recent scientific discoveries, doctors are now recommending that people engage in gentle activity. An integrative approach (mind/body) to healing back pain is also now more common. It is no wonder why yoga has proven to be a great way to treat your back challenges. Here are just some of the benefits:
Asana (postures) improves circulation and delivers oxygen and other nutrients to disks in the back.
Prana (breath) helps to combat an overactive stress-response, leading to relaxation of muscles in the back.
Awareness (paying attention) leads you to be attentive to your posture and alignment.
If you would like to learn more about using an integrative approach to dealing with your back pain challenges, join Maribeth MacKenzie, Certified Yoga Therapist (IAYT), for Wall to Ball class at Inlet Yoga.
by Maribeth | Jun 13, 2017 | Recipes
Have you always thought about starting a practice and didn’t know where to start?
I remember my first class. I was training for my first Biathlon. I knew I needed to stretch. So I started my search looking for a class close to home. I found one at a local community college. I remember clearly how I felt at the end of class…EUPHORIC! While walking back to my car I stopped in my tracks and looked down. I felt like I had been walking on a tread mill that was moving and I was standing still! Yup right there yoga grabbed my attention. I knew that there was something there that I needed in my life. I knew I wanted more. I knew I needed to find a studio. And I did. Summit Yoga Studio in Summit, NJ.
To make a long story short, I started practicing there, I found my first teacher there, Alex Shipman, I met Beryl Bender Birch there, I started teaching there, AND I fell in love with Ashtanga vinyasa there. Believe it or not is was as simple as that. Once you find your hOMe studio all you have to do it show up and do the work…one grateful breath at a time…it’s that simple. Here are a few things to help you simply find your hOMe on the mat.
You’ll Need a Mat
We have mats that you can borrow. However, you might want to consider bringing your own. Less expensive mats can be found at TJ Maxx or Target. Once you decide you are all in and want to commit to the practice of yoga, you might want to consider purchasing one that is made by Manduka. I’ve had my original Pro for nearly 17 years. It has seen a LOT of work! Although they are more expensive, they are worth it! It will be MUCH more comfortable and last a LOT longer.
Choose Your Class
It is important to select the class that is right for you when you try yoga for the first time. If you have not been too active in a while we recommended that you start with a beginners, or gentle class. You can also look for a class that is open to all levels of practitioners. In an all level class, the instructor will offer modifications for beginners and more challenging variations of poses for experienced practitioners. And it is a good idea to arrive 10-15 minutes for class begins in order to get yourself settled.
What to Wear
You will want your clothing to be comfortable and loose enough that you can move easily, but not so loose it gets in the way. A tank top or tee shirt with leggings is a good choice for women and a t-shirt and shorts with an elastic waist for men. It is customary for people to practice yoga in bare feet.
Getting Settled In the Yoga Room
All you need to bring into the room is your mat, water, and a towel if you think you will be sweating. You should not bring your phone or any other belongings into the yoga room (so that you can disconnect and focus inward) and you will need to leave your shoes outside of the room. Once you roll out your mat, you can ask your teacher if you will need any props to guide your practice (blocks, strap, blanket, bolster) and sit down and relax quietly or get to know the yogis around you. Keep in mind as you move around the room that it is considered proper etiquette not to step on anyone else’s mat and to keep your voice volume low as some yogis may come in early to relax in the peace and quiet.
What’s Next?
In order for yoga to be truly effective, you must make it a routine. Try practicing at least twice a week and see how you feel. Most likely, you will find improvement in strength and flexibility. You will might also find that you are more calm and relaxed and that you are sleeping better. Communicate with your teachers if you have concerns or questions and learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
To learn more about the fundamentals of yoga, including the most common postures, how to breathe in a pose, the use of props, and class and studio etiquette, join your friends at Inlet Yoga for:
Intro to Yoga Workshop
Saturday, June 17 from 2:00 pm – 4:00 p.m.
by Maribeth | Jun 4, 2017 | Recipes
Engaging in outdoor sensory experiences is an important part of Ayurveda because it is believed to help heal the body and mind. Spending time and being mindful in nature can balance your dosha and promote well-being. Here are some examples of outdoor sensory experiences that can help you balance your dosha, or mind-body type:
Balance Vata
If you find that your mind is racing and you can’t settle it, you may be feeling ungrounded. When this happens, embrace earth’s stability. Go for a walk on the earth, grass, or sand (preferably barefoot) while being mindful of your feet. Allow them to absorb the nourishment and stability that the earth offers you. Lay on the ground, and as the rays of the warm sun blanket you, remember that it is the source of life on earth.
Cool Pitta
If you are feeling overheated and irritable, spend time near natural bodies of water. Take a slow walk while being mindful of the sound and cooling effects of water; allow the water to calm and soothe you. If you do not live near natural bodies of water, take a walk in nature or lie in the grass in your yard or a park. Think of all that nature provides for you and feel gratitude for the plants, sky, and earth that surround and support you.
Energize Kapha
If you are feeling dull and lethargic, focus on the space and air of the breath. Take a brisk walk or run in nature. Be mindful of the infinite sky and space that is unbounded. Inhale the life force that surrounds you and consciously recognize that it is the breath that gives you life. Picture the breath coming into your lungs and heart and flowing to the rest of your body. Consider all that your breath does for you every second of the day, without your conscious attention.
Joining your friends at Inlet Yoga for Sunrise Beach Yoga is a great way to balance all dosha types. Click here to view the times and locations.
Understanding your dosha type, and using your natural environment to balance it, can help you experience well-being. Learn more about the benefits of Ayurveda and your specific mind-body type to delve even deeper into wellness.
Discover how to balance your mind-body type even further by participating in a personalized 7-day Ayurveda program at Inlet Yoga. Click here for more information.
by Maribeth | May 28, 2017 | Recipes
When is the last time you spent time outdoors? How did it feel? Did you feel energized and revitalized afterward? Surprisingly, although most Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors, most feel their best after spending time outdoors.
There are reasons why you feel good, both physically and mentally, when you spend time in nature. Here are some of those reasons:
1. Improves Physical Health
When you get outside it allows your body to receive vitamin D that the sun’s rays provide naturally. Vitamin D has been found to help protect against osteoporosis, heart disease, and certain cancers. Sun exposure has also been found to help your body produce nitric oxide, which is a compound that lowers blood pressure.
2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
According to the National Academy of Science, depression levels can be lowered when people walk in outdoor environments. Making time to observe the sights and sounds in nature can elicit relaxation, lower cortisol levels, slow pulse rates, and reduce blood pressure.
3. Makes You Feel Revitalized
Environment rubs off on people. Therefore, when you consider how the elements found in nature are teeming with life, it is no wonder that being outdoors makes you feel alive as well.
4. Boosts Creativity
Life in the 21st century comes with a bombardment of stimulation. Getting outside in nature, and getting away from noise and technology, can allow your mind to relax. When your mind is relaxed it has the space to problem solve and be creative, thoughtful, and imaginative.
5. Adds Variety to Exercise
Try finding ways to exercise outdoors. Get creative with it! It could be as simple as walking around your local farmer’s market, walking your dog, walking your kids to and from school, reading a book in a comfy outdoor area, spending time in a garden, riding your bike, or attending beach yoga classes at Inlet Yoga.
Read More
Be kind to yourself and make time to get outside and smell the roses. Take off your shoes and feel the grass between your toes. Feel the warmth of your sun on your skin. Let the soft breeze play with your hair. And just breathe.
by Maribeth | May 21, 2017 | Recipes
One indication of the connection that humans have with their environment is that Mother Nature knows what your body needs. Each season, she births nutritious foods that help you maintain optimal health.
In our globalized world, harvesting occurs year-round and the abundance can be shipped virtually anywhere, making what you put on your plate a matter of convenience and constant availability. However, it is still important to consider the benefits of eating your fruits and vegetables seasonally. Here are a few reasons why:
More Nutrients
Fruits and vegetables that are available outside of their season are typically grown in weather conditions that are not ideal and are shipped from other locations. This means that they have to be harvested too early, which diminishes their nutritional value. In order to reap the full health benefits fruits and vegetables offer, purchase locally and in-season.
More Flavor
Imagine biting into a juicy strawberry or tomato that was just picked from the garden. If you have ever had the pleasure of doing so, you will know that fresh, seasonal produce is much more flavorful than produce you purchase out of season at the grocery store. If you have not yet made this comparison, get to a farmer’s market and try it; you will not be disappointed.
More Affordability
In accordance with supply and demand, when produce is in season there is usually more supply available, making the demand decrease, along with prices. This is why you will see prices of certain produce rise in grocery stores when they are not in season. A good way to see what produce is in season is to visit your local farmer’s market.
Here are the top 10 picks for spring produce:
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Beets
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Lemons
- Spinach
- Strawberries
A great place to get seasonal produce is from your local farmer’s market.
Not only will you be supporting your local community, you will know where your food is coming from and possibly even meet the person who grew it. This will give you a greater appreciation for your food and for the complex process it went through to get to your plate.
Accept Mother Nature’s gifts with gratitude and appreciation.
As you eat, feel gratitude for the abundance Mother Nature provides us with, for the hard work that farmers put into growing the food, for the deliciousness and richness of color, for a healthy environment that enables the food to cultivate, and for the amazing process of growth.
