These last couple months have been W I L D to say the least. It is insane what the body does to accommodate for another human being - the list of symptoms and changes to your body is literally never ending. Couple that with the mental aspects of pregnancy and it’s truly the biggest trip I’ve ever experienced.
Trying something new is always a little intimidating and yoga is no exception. Most people create too many excuses why not to try yoga “I’m not flexible.” “I can’t sit still.” “I’d have no idea what to do” etc. that they hold themselves back from one of the greatest catalysts for self growth and love. And let’s be honest - N O O N E knew what they were doing when they first started yoga. You’ve got to start somewhere and where you’re at now seems like a pretty good place if you ask me.
If you've been following me on social media or know me in real life, you're likely aware that I've been dealing with a rollercoaster ride of back pain for about 9 months now. And if you're one of the 85% that has experienced low back pain in your life, you can relate. I hope this post can offer you hope and help some of you explore new ways to heal yourself.
First of all, it's important to note that every body is amazingly unique which unfortunately means that every injury is unique and what worked (is working) for me might not offer you any relief or might even be detrimental to your healing. Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and it's always advisable to visit your physician or health care practitioner before taking any extreme measures. Also, remember that you have to be your own advocate for getting better. Your health is your responsibility!
I've come up with about 100 different names for this blog post and yet nothing seemed to sum it all up for me properly.
Throughout my life, I've gone through many stages of personality. Attaching myself to personal qualities and becoming obsessed with certain parts of "who I am." Often jumping in with both feet running, almost as though I've been trying to figure out exactly who I am or why I'm here. Blame it on being a Gemini; the chameleon, easily adaptable to different situations. Or blame it on the fact that I'm an identical twin, trying to find my individuality. Or blame it on wavering levels of self love and inquiry.
Returning to sport after an injury sucks. You never know whether you're coming back too soon. You're absolutely terrified of hurting yourself again and starting from scratch. Your confidence is half of what it used to be. And you know that not returning to sport can lead to unnecessary de-conditioning. Top that with the fact that you look and seem completely normal, especially to strangers, but you're not. And your abilities are not yet what they used to be.
I like to live a very adventurous life. Aside from yoga, my other hobbies include: snowboarding, mountain biking, scuba diving, dirt biking, skateboarding, hiking and so much more. Injuries and pain management are simply a part of this lifestyle. Its inevitable. I'm okay with it, though. One of my favourite quotes by pro-skier Sierra Quitiquit goes, "give me uncertainty, heartbreak, injuries + defeat. But please, spare me the mundane, mediocre, and certainty of a life void of adventure + freedom." Beautiful. This is why yoga is such a great complement to your favourite activities. Yoga is a healing powerhouse! Whether its physical, emotional, or spiritual healing that needs to be done; yoga is my go-to.
I feel like there's this big stigma when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle that it should be hard to achieve or something. This always makes me shake my head in despair. Because anyone who's living a relatively healthy lifestyle knows that its not hard. In fact, it should be really easy. I think sometimes people put too much pressure on themselves, building Health up to be something unattainable or out of reach. Nonsense. So, in an attempt to simplify Health, here are 3 of my greatest tips to living a healthier life:
Throughout our days, we see hundreds and hundreds of pictures online. Most of the time its pictures that while they may seem inspiring at first, sometimes they aren't. A lot pictures we see actually make us feel worse about ourselves. Some pictures cause us to compare our lives to that of something that was never real in the first place.
We all have to start somewhere. Yoga is one of those things that most people start wanting a new form of exercise and wind up with a life changing experience... at the risk of sounding too cheesy. The simple tools and techniques you learn from your practice teach you more about yourself than any book could. Yoga teaches you to be mindful, stress-free, happy, non-judgemental, and most importantly, yoga teaches you to love yourself. But don't take my word for it. If yoga's still something you've yet to experience for yourself, and I'm guessing that by you reading this blog post, it IS something you're wanting to try... just do it!!
I'm sure you understand the importance of balance in your life. But sometimes it's easy to get carried away with things and get thrown completely out of balance. This can happen in many ways, from working too much to not learning and growing as much as you should. Sometimes, in an effort to make ourselves healthier, we throw ourselves out of balance. While your intentions might be good, being out of balance is never a good thing. When you're out of balance, you could feel anxious, stressed, heavy, unhappy, or lack energy, focus or motivation... and so much more. Here are a few pointers to help keep you in better balance.
Aside from being a cool party trick, headstands and handstands actually have many great physical and mental benefits for you. But the truth is, you don't need to conquer impressive balance mastery to reap the benefits from an inversion practice. Practicing inversions can as simple as putting your legs up a wall and taking a nap. That said, there are so many benefits we can get from doing them regularly that you'll want to do them every day. Here are 7, feel free to share your ideas and input in the comment section at the bottom:
As some of you may know, I recently got my Reiki Level 1 certification. I had a taste of what reiki was like this past summer and was curious to learn more about it, so what better way than to enrol in the certification program, right? Anyways, my experience was AMAZING!! I couldn't believe how simple the techniques are, yet how powerful and effective it is.
I don't know about you, but I LOVE the feeling of my first Downward Facing Dog of the day. It feels sooo amazing. Have you ever wondered why it feels good? I'm sure you know that there are many physical and mental benefits to a yoga practice. Even still, sometimes I find it hard to get motivated for my home practice. I'm sure many other people struggle with this, too. So here you go, here's 3 reasons why you should practice one of the most common yoga poses, Downward Facing Dog, every day!
Yoga is a perfect match for skiers and snowboarders for so many reasons! It helps to prevent injuries, increases your flexibility, improves your circulation, gives you a greater range of motion, stabilizes your joints, improves concentration, relaxes the body and mind.... I could go on forever, but I'll stop there. Try a few of these poses after a day on the slopes to feel great and stay healthy and strong!
Most people understand that what you put in your mouth affects your health, but not so many people consider that you what you put on your skin, lips, and hair also affects your health. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and it absorbs approximately 60% of what you put on it. That's a lot.
Life is so crazy. So precious. Yesterday I had a pretty scary experience. A serious anxiety attack coupled with dehydration, not enough calories, or something. No one really knows for sure. I thought I was dying; no exaggeration here. I thought I was having a stroke. So scary I can't even explain.
An avocado a day keeps the cravings away. I don't usually write about stuff like dieting and weight loss for a few reasons. One. I believe it's FAR more important to be happy with who you are and to love yourself than it is to be thin. I can't stress this enough.
How I decided to start eating vegan:
Okay, I know what you're thinking... Easy for you to go vegan (I used to think that about people all the time). No, it's not easy. Not to me, at least. Satisfying and rewarding, yes. But easy, no. I was a vegetarian for four years and have been an omnivore for three years since.