health and wellness | LAUGHTER

8/20/2009

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Hello Pil-ogies!

Welcome to another fun filled week of Pil-oga-robics.  Can you believe that it is already our second training week in August?!  Time just flies on by when you are having this much balanced butt-kicking fun.  Our seriously silly theme this week is LAUGHTER.  Turns out there is alot of positive health benifits from just getting some good giggle time in your day.  So laugh it up...

pil-oga-robic | MIND  "What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul."  Yiddish Proverb
-Emotional responses appear to be confined to specific areas of the brain, while laughter seems to be produced via a circuit that runs through many regions of the brain. Thanks to How Stuff Works.
-Humor can help us to view life in a more light-hearted manner, thus reducing our stress. 'Stress Without Distress' by Hans Seyle. 
-Positive emotions can create neurochemical changes that will buffer the immunosuppressive effects of stress.
-Laughter is contagious - share it with others and watch everyone's perspective change. 
-With a lighthearted attitude, events that would normally be annoying become amusing; big hassles become humorously absurd; major stressors become really great stories waiting to be told.

pil-oga-robic | BODY   "Laughter is inner jogging."  Norman Cousins
- Michael Miller, M.D. of the University of Maryland did a study on the correlation between laughter and the heart: "We don't know yet why laughing protects the heart, but we know that mental stress is associated with impairment of the endothelium, the protective barrier lining our blood vessels. This can cause a series of inflammatory reactions that lead to fat and cholesterol build-up in the coronary arteries and ultimately to a heart attack...people with heart disease responded less humorously to everyday life situations. They generally laughed less, even in positive situations, and they displayed more anger and hostility."  
- Laughter has been found to strengthen the immune system, reduce food cravings and increase your threshold for pain. 
-And...It's a great ab workout!!!!

pil-oga-robic | WELLNESS   "At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities."  Jean Houston
The Secret Diary of a Cat:
DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from shredding on the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant and cough it up on the carpeting.
DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair... must try this on their bed (again).
DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts.
Here are a few videos to make you chuckle:-)
laughing baby | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0K7l6IGM0w&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Jim Gaffigan's hot pocket stand up | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9c9lAfXQHs
Walk it out | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU3N5c2Kxnw


Have a hilarious weekend!

Hannah + Ishbel
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recovery week | RESTORATIVE YOGA: Viparita Karani

6/28/2009

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pil-oga-robic | RESTORATIVE YOGA

Restorative yoga is a passive form of yoga often referred to as "active relaxation".  It is by far my favorite form of yoga and can be incredibly healing to your mind and to your heart.  For more information on Restorative Yoga, check out Judith Lasater's book Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times.

Legs-Up-The-Wall pose: Viparita Karani

1) Sit next to a wall (with legs bent and feet planted on the ground) so that one side of your body is about 2 inches away from the wall. 
2) Simultaneously lay down on your back as you swing your legs up the wall. 
3) If your hamstrings are really flexible then your booty will be touching the wall, but if you're not particularly flexible then you will be a bit farther away. 
4) Relax your neck, hips, eyes and belly.  Keep a little firmness in your legs.
5) Focus on the even movement of your breath in and out. 
6) Rest for 5-15 minutes. 

Most yogis' agree that Viparita Karani is good for almost everything that ails you, and its more advanced counterpart, headstand, is said to reverse the effects of aging. 

Relieves: Anxiety, Arthritis, Digestive problems, Headache, High and low blood pressure, Insomnia, Migraine, Mild depression, Respiratory ailments, Urinary disorders, Varicose veins, Menstrual cramps, Premenstrual syndrome, Menopause

Picture and some info from Yoga Journal

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Pil-oga-robic | RESTORATION BATH

6/14/2009

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pil-oga-robic | RESTORATION BATH

This weeks post will hopefully benefit all of your soar and achy muscles and leave you full of energy.  After soaking in way too many ice baths after long workouts, I am happy to share a warm bath alternative!!!  So, relax, unwind, and reward yourself; you worked hard this week!

Pil-oga-robic Restoration Bath
To a warm bath add:

2 cups of Epsom salt | read benefits below
2 drops eucalyptus oil | purifies, oxigenates, energizes, and heals blisters and other skin irritations
3 drops juniper oil | stimulates lymphatic system, great for a deep cleansing
3 drops rosemary oil | detoxifies, energise and uplifts spirits

Soak for at least 20 minutes.

Why we love Epsom Salt:

Most of us are deficient in magnesium, and by simply soaking in a relaxing bath with magnesium-rich Epsom salt we can boost our levels of this important element. It is important to get your magnesium because it is the second-most abundant element in human cells and the fourth-most important positively charged ion in the body. It helps the body regulate over 325 enzymes and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.  It is a hard mineral to digest, but lucky for us it is easily absorbed through the skin.  Here are are few more reasons why Pil-oga-robic bodies love soaking in Epsom Salt:
  • Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.
  • Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
  • Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
  • Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
  • Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
  • Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
  • Improved oxygen use.
  • Improved absorption of nutrients.
  • Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
  • Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.
  • (information provided by reseachers and physicians and can be found listed on the website of the Epsom Salt Industry Council)
ALL OF THIS FROM A BATH! HOORAY!
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