Prenatal Yoga...

My beautiful sister pregnant with her 2nd daughter demonstrating side-lying relaxation

Prenatal yoga is a practice that aims at helping women experience a healthy pregnancy as well as preparing them for labor, delivery and early motherhood. As a general rule for healthy women, any physical activity she is accustomed to practicing on a regular basis is okay to practice through conception and beyond as long as she feels good doing it. However many pregnant women will tell you that many of the yoga postures they practiced before becoming pregnant are no longer comfortable or even possible during this time.  A full term pregnancy lasts 38-42 weeks. Many changes happen during this time- for our purposes it’s important to know that the hormones progesterone and relaxin are being produced and these two specifically relax smooth muscles to prevent expulsive contractions before term, but also relax the joints, connective tissue and ligaments, and make the body lose muscle mass. As the baby grows the abdominal muscles weaken and stretch, and the mothers center of gravity shifts. To compensate the spine begins to bend, predominately in the lumbar area, exacerbating a hyper-lordosis (sway-back/exaggerated curve). Another common change in posture is neck extension and shoulder rounding, which also exacerbate the natural curves in the spine. These changes give many women pain in the low back, mid back, and shoulder area- not to mention the tightness they may be feeling in the hips. Be sure to check with your doctor before you begin any practice. Yoga seems like a great "cure" for these ailments, but it is important to find a teacher or class that specializes in prenatal yoga or you may leave class feeling worse! If you aren't able to find such a class, here are my recommendations when practicing in a "normal" class! 

1. STANCE: Keep feet “baby-width” apart for any poses that normally have feet together or hip-distance. This widens your base and makes you more stable, also allows for you to fold forward without the belly getting in the way!

2. TWISTS: Deep twists will be impossible as pregnancy continues and could compress the uterus… Open twists will help keep the spine flexible and leave room for baby! If you can’t do the open twist because baby has grown too big… skip the twist!

3. CORE: Avoid any kind of belly-up core: crunches, sit-ups, bicycles are big no-no’s. They make abdominal separation (diastasis recti) worse…instead focus on transverse abdominals (belly IN) and pelvic floor strength & flexibility (kegels).

4. BACKBENDS: Small backbends can be quite beneficial but very deep backbends are not recommended since they put more strain on and weaken the abdominal muscles. There is a slight chance of pulling on the uterus and causing an abruption (when the placenta detaches from the uterus)…

5. VINYASA: This is a controversial subject. Many agree that (plank) is safe for Momma and helps increase core strength, but chaturanga is discouraged for a couple of reasons; if a woman loses her balance or her arms simply fail to hold the weight of her body as she lowers, she will fall on her belly; another concern is that it may strain the abdominal muscles, causing low back pain and may cause or aggravate diastasis recti. Urdhva Muka Svanasana is also to be avoided for these same reasons.

6. HIP OPENERS: Very asymmetrical shapes like Eka Pada Rajakapotasana should be avoided or modified (on the back or at the wall, or standing ankle to knee at the wall) because it is difficult to find optimal alignment and can easily destabilize the pelvis and overstretch abdominal muscles. If you do them, it is a good idea to strengthen the abductors first! If a woman has PSD, torn hamstrings or S.I. Joint pain she should avoid upavista konasana and use a block between the feet for baddha konasana

7. INVERSIONS: This is controversial. Advanced inversions are not recommend because of the risk of falling. A supported sirsasana or handstand prep can help relieve the pelvic floor from excessive weight as well as reduce edema in the lower extremities. Some women have a hard time in inversions as simple as downward dog, or a forward fold because of nausea or heart burn and in this case we can modify (at the wall or seated respectively).

8. LYING ON THE BACK: As long as a woman is comfortable this is ok! The fear of whats known as vena cava syndrome is the reason most literature suggests lying on the left side. A woman will feel discomfort long before this is a real threat to her or her baby, but if a studio has bolsters using one to prop her up can be a comfortable solution.

9. LYING ON THE BELLY: This is generally not recommended after 12 weeks of gestation, but could be uncomfortable as early as 8 weeks.

10. PROPS: Use blocks under your hands as much as possible to bring the ground to you and avoid over stretching and use them to stabilize! Squeeze them between your thighs in chair pose to activate and strengthen the lower body. Bolsters are great for restorative poses and a blanket under your seat in any forward folds is going to keep your low back feeling spacious!

Remember to listen to your body!! These are my recommendations, but I AM NOT A DOCTOR!  No one knows your body better than you do, and this is a time to really listen to your intuition. If something feels wrong, don't do it. If something causes you PAIN- STOP! If you feel like doing a handstand or a deep backbend it isn't impossible but I encourage you to err on the side of safety and remember that your practice won't always be like this. The practice of yoga is a wonderful companion to your pregnancy. Allow this to be a space to cultivate patience, compassion, strength and self-love- you got this Mama!!!

and the winner is.... Vairagya

Last night was the Academy Awards- a night full of glamour, gratitude and, let's face it- disappointments. For every winner, there are at least a handful of ridiculously talented people who do not win. Last night was no exception! If you didn't catch the show live and haven't seen the inter-webs yet today, I'll catch you up- The final prize of the night, Best Picture was awarded to La La Land... the whole cast and crew got up on stage, gave enormous amounts of thanks;  tears were shed and smiles were shared... and then... the dreaded 'guy with the headset' appeared on stage. Uh oh. Something was wrong. Turns out the winner wasn't La La Land after all but the oscar belonged to Moonlight. Everyone was very gracious and handed their golden men over to the real winners, and we got to see a whole new set of speeches, an explanation from 'Clyde' and a slew of apologies from Jimmy Kimmel. Whoa. Talk about a hit to the gut. This year seems to be full of these sucker punches- Steve Harvey had a similar faux paux with the Miss America pageant, and the red and blue are still arguing over the legitimacy of our nations greatest race back in November.  Disappointments and losses are a part of life. In fact for every win you have, you probably have at least double the amount of losses. The cast and crew of La La Land seemed to handle the situation with class, and grace. I would wager that this doesn't send them into the throws of despair, but rather inspires them to pursue their craft with more passion and dedication than ever before. To get to where they are, they have had to lose, big time. Or they will. It's inevitable. So HOW does one lose, over and over and NOT fall apart?

This is where the yoga comes in! Vairagya or Non-attachment to sensory objects, is a practice of directing your attention inward. Focusing inward, on your highest truth and inner light doesn't mean you give up your desires or wants of material things, let's be real, we aren't all monks living in caves- this is the real world. The key is to notice what happens when you LOSE those things or don't get what you want. If you become angry, frustrated or fall into a pit of despair, you may be attached to the external, and that my friend will cause you suffering. Vairagya is when we are ok, win or lose. We do not attach our worth or happiness to the things we acquire or status' we achieve.  The idea is simple, but the practice can be a challenging one. As with the cast and crew of La La Land, if they were to attach themselves to being "Academy Award Winners" this could easily break them. But I'm willing to bet that isn't what drives them every day. The ego loves winning but that isn't what keeps you going when it gets hard. Your inner light, divinity, highest truth, God- whatever you like to call it- is much bigger than a statue.  The world needs your talents, gifts and passion so share it and let go of the outcome. That's when you'll really win.

Self Care = Self Love

SNOW DAY! Good excuse to stay inside, rest and recharge!

Hello Friends! It's a Friday, and we are having a welcome snow day here in Denver! The weather here has been glorious- sunny and 75- very warm for February, and while I love the sunshine, my body has been needing a day OFF.  I love what I do, but in order for me to give to others I have to take care of me. I've learned the hard way about burn out and I consider self care now a part of my full time job. I try to take one day off a week from teaching and "doing" to just BE. Today is that DAY! I treat this day like a mini-retreat for myself. I sleep for as long as I need to. I try not to set an alarm and I turn my phone to "do not disturb". When I wake up I take my time. Sometimes I drink hot water and lemon (i'm trying!!) I drink a cup of coffee, and a Shakeology. Today I got to soak in an epsom salt bath, used my neti-pot and scraped my tongue. I spent a good amount of time face timing with my sister and 13 month old niece, because she makes me HAPPY. Journaled. Had an early lunch of eggs and toast. I meditated. I inverted (handstand preps and practice). I played a little harmonium (slowly learning). I did a T25 workout with beach body on demand (hello, lower body). The rest of the day I plan to snuggle with my kitty and hubby, binge Nashville, watch some oscar nom's and dine on pizza and our home brewed chocolate coffee stout. I will probably be in bed before 11. I am well aware that this is a luxury, and I consider myself blessed to be able to afford a whole day that revolves around taking care of ME! We don't all have a whole day- but I believe we can do small things EVERYDAY to keep our cups full and our bodies healthy and strong!

let me also tell you this- I often feel guilty about taking care of me. I know that seems crazy, especially as someone whose JOB is wellness. This is a practice for me too, in self love and 'enough-ness' i.e. feeling like ENOUGH.  I say to my students, "If you don't take care of you, who is going to?? Your students, children, spouses, bosses, and community won't benefit from your martyrdom, and neither will you." But for some reason when I slow down to take a day OFF my mind starts shouting everything else that I SHOULD be doing, that everyone ELSE is doing... and who do I think I am to DESERVE a whole day of love for ME?? How SELFISH of me, I should get to WORK..." and it goes that FAST. That's what the mind does. This is a practice. So I breathe, and slow it down and remember that I AM ENOUGH and that fact alone is reason to "indulge" in the beauty of life all around me. What makes me sad, is that I know I'm not alone in this. If you've ever had thoughts like these, know that you are not alone. Also know that these thoughts are not healthful or helpful. So notice them. They are just thoughts. Then let them go. Focus on your breath and create space between those swirling thoughts to choose a loving one. Practice Self Care as a way of loving yourself!

Here's a little list of things that you can do to take care of YOU so that you can take care of those you LOVE! Picking one of these a day is a good start but the more, the merrier!

• take an epsom salt bath
• do a face mask then let your face be naked or head to the spa for a facial
• get a massage
• sweat. work out, because it feels good, not as a form of punishment!!!
• meditate
• go outside! Walk, hike, or bike in the fresh air and let nature shift your perspective
• drink water
• drink more water
• eat fresh foods
• eat what you love
• music. make it or listen to it. sing along in the car. enjoy it.
• get off your phone
• silence. observe it or sit in it. 
• journal
• sleep. it's important.
• laugh. watch a comedy or hang out with your hilarious friends and enjoy each other.
• love. hug. smile. 

in love and laughter,

Dayle

Yummy Golden Milk

One of my health goals for this year was to add more turmeric to my diet- you may have heard about this "golden spice" on numerous health and lifestyle blogs. It's the yellow one that gives curry powder it's color and is recently being touted for it's numerous health benefits. Among them, two heavy hitters in my book; cancer and alzheimers prevention. You can take this as a supplement, but in ayurveda it is said that conscious eating and tasting your herbs is actually better for you (and more delicious) and that by ingesting turmeric with healthy fats (coconut oil or ghee) and black pepper your body can actually absorb the good-for-you stuff better!  This recipe is fast, easy and reminds me of a Starbucks Chai latte, but, dare I say it- better?!?!? My recipe uses some local Colorado products (honey & Celestial Seasonings tea) but feel free to use products local to YOU!

GOLDEN MILK

• 1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon local honey
• 1/4 teaspoon unrefined virgin coconut oil or ghee
• 1 Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea bag (optional) feel free to use a cinnamon stick and some cloves instead, or your favorite spicy tea. 

Heat all the ingredients together, stir and enjoy!

I found this infographic on the internet...which means it MUST be true...right? The statements in this graphic match up with all of the research I've done in real live BOOKS, but please be smart with your health and talk to your doctor or other health care professional if you have any questions or concerns! 

Easy Red Lentils

Hello my loves! It's February, and here in Denver it's been sunny and in the high 60's-low 70's! Lots of wind tho and that can make me feel a little ungrounded (especially already being up here in the mountains). I made up this recipe last night when I was craving something grounding and warming. I also happened to have all the ingredients in my pantry! A  $$$ saving tip from me- when grocery shopping weekly I try to buy at least one item on sale to build my pantry, i.e. a few cans of chopped tomatoes, beans, dry lentils, frozen veggies, vegetable stock, spices, rice, quinoa-- this way I don't spend too much each week on things that may not get used right away, and I get to be more of a Nancy Drew when concocting recipes- I love a good mystery!

The Ingredients! 1 Can chopped tomatoes, 1-2 cans water (could also use 2 cans tomatoes less water) about 1 cup of lentils (I just sprinkled them in the pan until I thought it was enough) a cupped palmful of curry powder (cumin, turmeric, coriander, chile pepper, mustard, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, red pepper, cinnamon, black pepper, saffron), not pictured- 1-2 cloves chopped garlic, extra virgin olive oil 

In a large skillet combine tomatoes, water (could also use vegetarian stock), chopped garlic, and curry powder and bring to a simmer. Toss in the lentils stir and continue to simmer covered until lentils are to desired tenderness- about 15-20 minutes for me-- may need to add extra water or stock if it is looking dry or sticking to the pan- it should be like a thick stew or soup depending on what you like! I added a little olive oil and sea salt to finish! This recipe yields 2-4 servings depending on how hungry you are!

Bubble, bubble, toil and LENTILS! This paired great with a California Pinot Noir- if you like that sort of thing ;)