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Dec 10 - 16 Yoga: Motivation and
Time Management
Dear Yogis,
As you've been practicing yoga you may be noticing that how you feel in
the postures changes over time. How does this work? It works by coming
into a pose that at first may seem uncomfortable, or at the very least,
unusual, and then breathing deeply. With the deep breath we are
teaching the body to relax. This teaching is cumulative and so you will
relax more and more each time you do it. For this reason it is
important to practice yoga regularly. A minimum of once a week will
keep you connected to your body and at least twice a week if you want
to begin to notice changes. The more you practice the better you will
feel. We have all heard the excuses not to practice about not having
time, etc. but in reality what we are talking about is motivation. If
you make the time for yoga you will find you have more time in the rest
of your life. Because yoga incorporates an active form of relaxation
that is more restful than passive forms you spend less time idle; the
yogi is more productive and requires less sleep to be healthy. You will
find that your active time at work and at play is more enjoyable and
more fruitful than before and you will wonder how you did without your
yoga practice.
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
P.S. Please have a look at our new and improved spa services web page
at:
http://www.yogaspace.cn/shanghai-massage-facial.html
For first-timers we're offering facials for 120 RMB and ear-candling
for 50 RMB. We've been getting a lot of postive feedback about these
services lately so recommend you try them out while this special offer
lasts.
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Dec 3 - 9 Healthy Recipe: Kitcheree
Dear Yogis,
This week's healthy tip is a recipe from the ancient Indian science of
life: Ayurveda. Ayurveda teaches us how to balance the body through,
amongst other things, our choices in food. Central to an ayurvedic diet
is a simple dish of rice and mung dal called kitcheree. This food is
high in vegetable protein and helps keep us healthy, clean, and strong.
Simply add 1/2 cup of mung beans to 16 cups of filtered water. Boil the
mung beans first for about 10minutes, then add: 1 cup thoroughly washed
basmati rice, 1 finely chopped onion, 5 to 7 cloves of sliced or
chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon peeled and chopped ginger root, 1/2 teaspoon
turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon crushed red
chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon cumin or the indian spice garam masala
(optional). Boil covered over low flame (covered) 30 to 40 minutes
until very soft and soupy. Then add 1 or 2 cups of any chopped
vegetables, preferably green, such as asparagus, broccoli, swiss chard,
celery, zucchini. You can also add carrots and/or garnish with cilantro
or similar green.
All of these ingredients can be readily found in Shanghai. Typically
kitcheree is made with a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) which
our Yoga Space research team has yet to find in Shanghai. If you know
of a place in town where it can be found please reply to this email and
let us know.
On another note, we would like to remind all our members that if you
refer a friend to YogaSpace and they sign up for a pass you will be
rewarded, with free passes for yourself, or free massage and facials.
For the exact details please ask at reception or check our web site
under Yoga Class Rates:
(http://www.yogaspace.cn/shanghai-yoga-class-rates.html)
Yours in balanced health,
Yoga Space
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Nov 26-Dec 2 Nauli: Abdominal Churning
Dear Yogis,
As we continue our investigation into the Yoga Shat Karmas or cleansing
techniques we will discuss the practice of nauli. This is the process
of stomach churning where the abdominal muscles are used to massage the
internal organs. This is typically done early in the morning on an
empty stomach and empty bowels. It is easiest to practice nauli
standing with your hands resting above your knees. Begin by exhaling
all the air out of your lungs and then, keeping your lungs empty, suck
your abdominal muscles up under your ribs creating a hollow, concave
space in your abdomen. First begin to gently pump the stomach in and
out. Do this a few times and then release and gently take a deep
breath. From here you can repeat this practice or as you grow more
comfortable and confident you can begin to slowly move the abdominal
muscles from side to side. This latter practice takes considerable
muscular control and is best learned from a teacher. As it is crucial
to have the stomach empty for this practice one way to learn would be
to attend Chris's 7:15am Hatha Yoga class on Fridays and ask him
afterwards to show you. The benefits of nauli include stimulating
digestion, detoxifying the body, toning the abdominal muscles as well
as massaging and maintaining the health of the internal organs.
On another note we've had a whole lot of towels go missing over the
last couple of months so we will be checking in and out the large and
small towels as we do with the locker keys and appreciate your
understanding in this. If you've accidentally brought any home in your
yoga bag we would love it if you could drop them off.
Best wishes,
YogaSpace
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Nov 19-25 Outer Ear Cleaning and
Ear Candling
Dear Yogis,
Last week we discussed the importance of neti in keeping the nasal
passages and sinus clean. This practice also helps clear the inner ear,
part of the body that helps us balance. The outer ear also needs to be
clean. Certainly we can use a cotton swap (such as Q-tips) but it is
important not to aggressively poke into the ear canal. One much gentler
and more effective method of cleaning the outer ear is the practice of
ear
candling. Our beautician, Chen, gives ear candling treatments as well
as a
whole array of theraputic services. Living in a large city like
Shanghai we
think you will be surprised at how much gunk collects in the ear
passages.
Ask our reception to book you a treatment with Chen and we are sure you
will be pleased you did.
Keep practicing,
Yoga Space
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Nov 12-18 Neti: Sinus Cleansing
Dear Yogis,
This week's healthy lifestyle tip takes us into the realm of the Yoga
Shat
Karmas. These are cleansing techniques that make up an important part
of every yogi's lifestyle. One of the most accessible and practical of
these
techniques, though one that still can be a little intimidating to the
new
practitioner, is that of neti. Neti, quite simply, is the practice of
washing
the nasal passages and sinus with saline water. It is best to use a
proper
neti pot, designed for this purpose but a small teapot can be used at
first.
Simply fill the pot with warm (body temperature) clean water and add
some sea salt. It is important not to use salt with additives such as
iodized table salt, but
instead use the type of pure sea salts that can be purchased at health
food stores or better
grocery stores. The right concentration is about 1 teaspoon per 500mL.
Simply pour the salt
water through one nostril, facing a sink or basin, and allow the
solution to come out the other
nostril. Despite what you might think this practice is painless and
will relieve a variety of
respiratory problems such as asthma and allergies. It is crucial when
living in a large city like
Shanghai and when properly practicing yoga. If you are interested in
taking up this practice it
is best to speak with one of our teachers for first-hand advice on how
to proceed.
Best wishes,
YogaSpace
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Nov 5-11 Ginger Tea to Beat the Cold
and Flu Season
Dear Yogis,
As the days grow shorter and cooler it is important that we stoke the
internal fires. Regular yoga practice will keep you healthy. As well
certain changes in lifestyle can help. Ginger, that tasty root common
to both Chinese cooking and traditional medicine, can be a real
life-saver during winter. Used in cooking or brewed into a tea ginger
can help stimulate your digestion and your circulation keeping your
warmer as well as healthy. Current research shows that ginger can
reduce inflammation of the joints and help prevent bowel and prostate
cancer. We recommend chopping about a tablespoon into some boiled water
and letting it steep for five minutes and adding a little honey to
sweeten. Enjoy!
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
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Oct 29-Nov 4 - The Yoga Tongue Scraper
Dear Yogis,
A few weeks ago we discussed new research showing the importance of
flossing not only for the health of your mouth but also for your heart
as well. This week we'd like to discuss a practice much older than
flossing: that of tongue scraping. For thousands of years yogis and
practitioners of Ayurveda, the ancient science of life, have gently
scraped the tongue in the morning. This practice effectively removes
bacteria and odour from the mouth. The tongue is a major point of
detoxification in the body; this is why you might notice a particularly
"furry" tongue after a night of heavy drinking. Regular tongue scraping
can be done with a small spoon or a device specially made. More and
more plastic tongue scrapers can be found in drug stores but the best
are small metal devices bought from speciality stores. Ideally these
are made of copper (but stainless steel is fine) as copper has
antibacterial properties. Try it out with a spoon first: turn the spoon
upside-down and gently scrape the spoon edge from as far back on the
top of the tongue as you are comfortable with towards the front. When
you reach the front of the tongue rinse the spoon and repeat. Go gently
and repeat every day ideally upon rising followed by drinking a large
glass of water. Your breath will smell better and slowly your whole
body will cleanse itself.
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
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Oct 22-27 - Meditation and Health
Dear Yogis,
The aim of yoga is meditation. Creating enough space in the body so
that we can sit comfortably and observe the breath. Meditation has main
benefits and has been the basis of most forms of spirituality for
thousands of years. More and more health researchers are discovering
more tangible benefits from meditation. Meditation it has been shown
leads to a dramatically reduced level of stress even if only performed
for ten minutes per day. You don't need a mantra from your guru to
practice meditation. Just sit down comfortably in the morning or
evening ideally for ten minutes, close your eyes and feel your breath.
If practiced every day you will begin to notice that it becomes easier
and more comfortable over time. You will start to feel better and think
more clearly and you will find your yoga practice improving by leaps
and bounds.
Best wishes,
YogaSpace
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Oct 15-21 - A Healthy Diet
Dear Yogis,
This week's newsletter is not only for people who want to lose weight,
it's also for people who want to gain weight, or stay the same weight
and just feel better. Often if you ask a yoga teacher, "Will yoga help
me lose weight?" you will notice that we rarely answer "yes." More
often we will say that yoga will help you balance your weight, improve
your overall health and make you feel great. The same is true for
eating well. If you are overweight you don't necessarily need to eat
less just better. Reduce processed foods, reduce white flour, reduce
refined sugars. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Ironically the
same is
true for people who want to gain weight. When we eat well our bodies
will let us know if we should eat more or less. A natural sense of
fullness will stop us from eating too much rather than artificially
restricting ourselves and going to bed hungry. The next time you feel a
craving for a chocolate bar try substituting a piece of fruit and see
if the craving remains. Once in a while you may want the chocolate bar
as well and that's okay, more often than not you will be satisfied with
the fruit and gradually realize that a healthy diet is also a very
satisfying one.
Best wishes,
YogaSpace
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Oct 8-14, 2007 - Don't Do Yoga When You
Are Sick
Dear Yogis,
A lot of what we are learning in yoga is about how to listen to our
bodies. This allows our natural instincts to determine what we should
eat, when we should sleep, and how hard we should work. When we listen
closely and give our bodies the rest and nourishment they need we have
lots of energy and rarely get sick. When we push the body, it speaks
back a little louder, getting sick is one way that the body tells us it
needs to rest.
It is hard for most people to slow down. Our minds tend to be
over-stimulated and refuse to rest when we need to. When you get sick
it is important to take the rest the body needs. Sleep, or rest, and
take it easy. It is very important not to do yoga, or any other form of
exercise when you are sick. When you are getting better, yes. But in
the beginning do not. You will also avoid spreading the illness to
friends, co-workers, and other students.
Yours in health and balance,
Yoga Space
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Oct 1-7, 2007 - Flossing and Health
Dear Yogis,
Recent studies are beginning to show that flossing can improve much
than just your teeth and your breath. Daily flossing has been shown to
reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth and the amount of this
bacteria that enters the bloodstream. Once there, the bacteria can
cause inflammation around the heart which can lead to a significantly
increased risk of heart disease. Studies are showing that this effect
can substantially reduce ones life expectancy. So this is just one more
reason to take care of your mouth and gums, it helps your heart as
well!
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
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2007.9.24-30 - Yoga and Cardio
Dear Yogis,
Last week we described how yoga and light cardio exercise is good for
losing excess weight. More intensive forms of cardio activity like
running, cycling, Ashtanga or Power Yoga are also good. These get your
heart going at a higher pace and help burn more calories in a shorter
amount of time. Getting your heart rate up a few times a week for 20
minutes is very good for the heart which requires exercise to stay
strong (like any other muscle) as well, breaking a sweat is very
cleansing. Need a little more sweat in your life? Sign up for one of
our Hot Yoga classes and we'll make it easy!
Yours in balanced body and mind,
Yoga Space
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2007.9.17-23 Yoga and Weight Loss
Dear Yogis,
Many students come to yoga looking for help managing their weight. Why
does yoga have the reputation it does for helping tone the body and
drop extra pounds? One reason is that, yoga raises your heart rate for
60-90 minutes which is the optimum amount of time for burning fat. It
does so gently which is ideal. Ever look at the heart rate monitors on
a treadmill in the gym? The lower range is described as "fat burning"
whereas the higher is "cardio." We will discuss "cardio" in next week's
newsletter. Can't make it to a yoga class one day? An hour long walk or
cycle through your neighbourhood will be the next best thing.
Yours in health,
Yoga Space
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2007.9.10-16 Yoga and Sleep
Dear Yogis,
A good night's sleep is crucial to staying healthy and feeling good
throughout the day, and it isn't that hard. Try to get up at the same
time every morning and go to bed a little bit earlier than you think
you need at night. Avoid eating a large meal or consuming caffeine or
lots of sugar before bed. A cup of warm milk or herbal tea (especially
camomile) can help relax you before bed. So can a hot bath or shower.
If you are ever having trouble sleeping understand that worrying about
it will only make it worse. In fact, savasana (relaxation pose in yoga)
and certain types of meditation are actually more restful than sleep.
So if, for some reason you find you are unable to sleep at night,
simply lie down, relax, and keep your mind quiet. One good way to do
this is to count your breaths. Count each breath from one to ten and
when finished start again at one. If your mind drifts off or you forget
which number you are at, just start at one again. This will be just as
relaxing as sleep.
Taking a nice yoga class in the evening is another good way to relax
the whole body before going to bed. Next week's schedule below.
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
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2007.9.3-9.9 Drink Tea for Better Health
Dear Yogis.
Often our best efforts at being healthy are confounded by lazy habits
or unrealistic thinking. Simple changes typically make the greatest
effect on our overall health. Tea (green, black, and herbal) has been
found to help fight cancer and promote overall health. It also helps us
burn fat. Even if you still enjoy your morning coffee, making the
switch to an afternoon cup of tea can be a simple way to improve
overall health.
And hitting a few yoga classes each week doesn't hurt either does it?
Check our schedule below.
Best wishes,
Yoga Space
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2007.8.27-9.2 Tumeric: Spice of Life
Dear Yogis,
Please find next week's schedule below. This week's health tip is that
spice commonly found in Indian and Oriental cooking is rapidly gaining
notice as a powerful healer. Tumeric, a member of the ginger family,
has been found to have a positive effect on cleansing the blood, aiding
in digestion, preventing cancer and fighting heart disease. A little
sprinkled into some cooking rice gives it a nice golden colour and a
sutble flavour as well as being good for you.
See you next week!
Yoga Space
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2007.8.20-26 Drinking Pure Water for
Better Health
Dear Yogis,
We at YogaSpace would like to remind you that yoga is not just a
workout, it's a lifestyle! Little changes that you make in your diet
and your daily life will have deep effects in your yoga practice.
Simple things like eat less meat and fried foods, or even just reducing
the amount you smoke or drink, combine with a yoga practice to help you
feel better and clearer everyday. You don't have to quit enjoying life,
simply finding balance. Each week we will be including simple tips and
recipes for how you can improve your health and well-being outside of
class.
This week's tip:
Drink more water! Not only is water just plain good for you (more so
than most other beverages) but water will reduce your appetite if you
tend to overeat and will help you process your food more efficiently.
Please find our schedule for next week below. As always this can always
be found on our web site at: www.yogaspace.cn/schedule.html.
Best wishes,
YogaSpace
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Yoga Space Weekly Health and Fitness Newsletter Archives