Healing Yoga with Karen

Its been way too long since I've mentioned that all my Zoom yoga classes (both mat and chair) are going strong in this next phase of covid-life. Hoping for more 'in person' classes soon but meantime - come join us on zoom!

Having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep? Yoga could help.

Yoga for Sleep — Healing Yoga with Karen Insomnia is a real physical and mental health problem and not to be underestimated. “Coronasomnia,” as some experts now call it, has created a huge new population of chronic insomniacs. The pandemic has heightened stress and upset routines. Days lack rhythm and social interaction. The future is ...

Summer 2017 Home Practice Suggestions

Summer is here and you may not be getting to yoga classes as regularly. This is a good time to try out a home practice. This may help get you started: you can shorten or lengthen it to fit the time available. You can select ‘sections’ of the practice to make each yoga practice what you want it to be, each time. You can also just lie on your mat and breathe. http://healingyogawithkaren.com/blog/

One of the most common discomforts that present at our yoga classes is a stiff and sore neck.

Why do our necks get sore? Think of the hard work they do ALL DAY LONG – holding up our heavy heads. Stress, poor posture, accidents, and long-stored physiological tension can all contribute to a mild stiff neck or even a full-blown muscle spasm. http://healingyogawithkaren.com/blog/

21 Reasons to do Yoga After 70.

An article by Kelly DiNardo was published in the April-May issue of AARP magazine.
Here they are – and I agree 100%! Of course not everything applies to everyone, and some claims are more of a ‘stretch’ than others, but these are all backed up with research and clearly there are lots of benefits, and who doesn’t want to age slower, healthier and happier?

1. Improves flexibility
2. Increases Balance
3. Fends off weight gain
4. Brain gain – improves focus and memory
5. Decreased anxiety and stress
6. Reduces depression
7. Heart gain – reduces blood pressure, lowers cholesterol
8. Improves sleep, reduces insomnia
9. Eases back pain
10. Boosts body confidence
11. Relieves headaches
12. Lessens inflammation (lowers cytokine)
13. Helps breathing
14. Slows aging (so they say – and its worth a try, right?)
15. Encourages more exercise and physical activity
16. Increases aerobic activity
17. Eases cancer recovery
18. Fights incontinence (kegels!)
19. Improves the day – promotes general well being
20. Reduces neck pain
21. Controls diabetes

My friend and fellow yoga therapist wrote this excellent article on pain. Check it out and see what you can do to feel better.
http://www.yogaspiritus.com/blog/pain-explained?utm_source=YogaSpiritus+Newsletter&utm_campaign=842f556e12-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_05_09&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_658ae197cd-842f556e12-356620369

Pain Explained

Managing osteoporosis with yoga - here are 12 poses to help build bone strength.: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/21/12-minutes-of-yoga-for-stronger-bones/?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0

12 Minutes of Yoga for Bone Health Dr. Loren M. Fishman of Columbia University has been gathering evidence for years, hoping to determine whether yoga might be effective therapy for osteoporosis.

Yoga for the Eyes

Watching, reading, scanning, searching, gazing . . . our eyes are working hard, all our waking hours. The muscles around them get tired and strained. Yoga can help.

Here are some exercises to strengthen eye muscles and relieve eye strain. They can be done anywhere, any time and only take a few moments. http://healingyogawithkaren.com/blog/

Even Zoomer magazine is on the yoga bandwagon! Some good reasons to select and start a yoga practice after 50: http://www.everythingzoomer.com/yoga-after-50-yin-restorative/

Yoga After 50: The Benefits Of Yin And Restorative Practices - Everything Zoomer - Boomers with Zip Doctors encourage us to lead a less sedentary life and keep active, but signing up for a new activity—like yoga—can add undue stress. Here, som

It's getting dark earlier. It's getting cold. The world seems to be in disarray. We are getting older. Many reasons people may be experiencing some depression - chronic and debilitating, or situational and intermittent. Either way, yoga can, and does, help:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/defeating-depression-with-yoga/article22724189/

Defeating depression with yoga Yogis have long believed the practice helps ease symptoms of depression – science is slowly proving they’re right

Viparita Karani - Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose, viparita means “inverted,” and karani means “in action.” This pose inverts the typical actions that happen in our bodies when we sit and stand. This pose gives blood circulation a gentle boost toward the upper body and head, which creates a pleasant rebalancing after you have been standing or sitting for a long time.
It teaches us experientially that positive results can come from doing less, not more. When you relax with your legs up the wall, you are practicing the polar opposite of activity, which is receptivity.

"New guidelines appearing in the latest edition of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry from the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments recommend exercise as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate depression in adults, as well as the herbal remedy, St. John’s wort." (National Post Aug. 25/16) Not a surprise but good to get an 'official' nod. http://news.nationalpost.com/health/try-exercise-before-drugs-psychiatrists-say?__lsa=0d9a-e1bc

For mild depression, try jogging, yoga, or any form of aerobic exercise before drugs, psychiatrists say The guidelines still state that for most people with major depressive disorder, drugs and/or psychotherapy should be considered before alternative treatments