Cheers! Chin-chin! Salud! Kampai! Yoga!
Raise a glass to yoga–the fountain of wellness! This chapter is a toast to your healthiest self ever. These invigorating routines are designed to breathe fresh air into your darkest issues and make you feel energetic, happy, and whole. They will wring out digestive issues, give you a kick in the pants when you’re sluggish, and even help you walk comfortably in those designer heels you crave.
The authors of a review study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine identified 12 studies that compared the effect of yoga to that of some other type of exercise on a variety of health issues. Yoga was found to be at least as effective at creating beneficial health changes as the other types of exercise. Not to mention that it makes you feel good everywhere else, too!
I selected some common ailments and on the pages that follow, you’ll find the yoga moves that I’m betting will restore balance and make those sick days disappear. Remember, chronic issues may take time to heal, so be patient. You may need to practice the routine several times a week to work on a recurring problem.
Anjali Mudra Regular Behind the Back
Standing Forward Fold with a Twist
Downward Facing Dog with Block
Standing Forward Fold with Block
Seated Forward Fold with Block
Child’s Pose with Fists at Low Belly
Reclined Twist with Legs Together
Standing Forward Fold with Crossed Legs
Mountain Pose on Balls of Feet
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes tingling, numbness, and pain in the hands and wrists. It’s often the result of spending too much time at a computer keyboard (hello, those of you who are obsessed with Facebook!). The bad news is that because so many of us use computers now, in addition to using our hands for everything else, it’s a tricky injury to avoid. The good news is that yoga can come to the rescue! A 1988 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that people who practiced 11 yoga postures twice weekly for 2 months had better grip strength and greater lessening of pain than a control group that did no yoga. But don’t pop into a celebratory Handstand quite yet!
The idea of subjecting your wrists to poses like Plank and Downward Facing Dog can make handcuffs sound alluring, so try these variations and postures to help you get back on track. You’ll be cartwheeling pain-free in no time.
TIP
If your wrists bother you, try using an ace bandage to support and keep your wrists stable, or practice with a wedge block to alleviate the pressure. You can always drop onto your forearms or knees in poses such as Plank and Downward Facing Dog.
1
Anjali Mudra Regular Behind the Back
2
Finger Stretches
3
Pada Angustasana
Start with Standing Forward Fold, then make these adjustments.
• Your feet should be hip-width apart.
• Lift your shoulders away from your ears.
• Hook your big toes and bend your elbows wide.
• Lengthen through your torso.
4
Dolphin
5
Cow Face Arms
Start with Cow Face, then make this adjustment.
• Sit on top of your feet.
6
Eagle Arms
Start with Eagle, then make these adjustments.
• Sit on top of your feet.
• Press your palms away from your face.
• Keep your spine long.
• Lift your elbows in line with your shoulders.
7
Reverse-Palm Stretch
Start with Cow and Cat, then make these adjustments.
• Spin your fingers out and back until they face your knees.
• Stack your hips over your knees.
• Pull your heart forward.
8
Bridge
I’ve worked with students ranging from the young and athletic to the older and mellow, and the most common complaint is back pain. It can stem from overuse or under use, improper posture, or lack of core strength. A 2009 study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine looked at 30 adults with moderate-to-severe chronic lower-back pain. Participants were randomly assigned to a 12-week series of once-weekly hatha yoga classes or put on a waiting list for the class while receiving standard medical care. The yoga group reported a drop in pain scores from an average of 6.7 to 4.4 (where 10 was the worst) after the 12 weeks, while the waiting list group only dropped from 7.5 to 7.1. The yoga group also reported greater reductions in medication use.
These postures will help build strength and flexibility and lessen back pain or even help keep your back pain free. Keep a slight bend in your knees when you work on folding postures, and be careful not to overstretch! Inviting flexibility is always a good idea, but make sure you draw a line between sensation (when you begin to feel tightness in the muscle) and pain (what you feel when you’re forcing the stretch too far). If you have a tendency to slump in your chair, prop yourself up on a cushion when you’re seated and practice grounding your hips and using your core muscles to sit up straight.
TIP
Add a natural pain reliever such as Arnica—an anti-inflammatory cream or gel made from flowers. Apply before and after your practice, followed by an epsom salt bath.
1
Simple Spinal Twist
2
Comfortable Seat Forward Fold
Start with Comfortable Seat, then make these adjustments.
• Relax your forehead and neck.
• Walk your arms out straight ahead.
3
Downward Facing Dog
4
Twisted Downward Facing Dog
Start with Downward Facing Dog, then make these adjustments.
• Keep your thighs pressing back.
• Open your ribcage.
• Keep your front arm straight.
• Grab the outside of your leg or ankle with the opposite-side hand.
5
Triangle
6
Child’s Pose
7
Revolved Head to Knee
8
Reclined Big Toe
9
Corpse (Savasana)
MacKenzie is a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor based out of Seattle, Washington. The way yoga makes her feel can be summed up in just one word: blissful! She started practicing yoga in college and was immediately drawn to the physical challenge. The competitive side of her personality took over and pushed her to practice more and keep improving.
It might have been the physical challenges that attracted her but it was the mental benefits that have kept MacKenzie going. Yoga has helped her accept both the things she loves and doesn’t love about her body, and her mood has become more consistent. She says it’s as if every time she takes the time to practice, a refresh button is pressed for her body and mind.
MacKenzie started her yoga practice in Los Angeles under the eyes of Kathryn Budig, Vinnie Marino, and Annie Carpenter. After relocating to the Pacific Northwest she received her 200 hour Power Vinyasa Teacher Training Certification from Tiffany Cruikshank. Her classes are full of lively music and creative sequencing that offer a thoughtful mix of strength, balance, and flexibility. mackenziemilleryoga.com
We’ve all been there. A last-minute decision to go out and grab “a drink or two” with friends translates into several bottles of wine. A bad blind date looks a little more interesting from the bottom of a martini glass—or three. Wedding receptions, tailgate parties, birthday bashes where you tried to prove you could still roll like a college kid. The point is, nobody plans a hangover, but when you drink too much, the next morning brings throbbing, pounding, can’t-see-straight, I’d-rather-not-see-the-light-of-day remorse. The sad truth is that there is no getting around it. Your options are:
1. Grab a bag of frozen peas, place over face. Burrow under covers. Breathe through straw. Spend day watching bad TV.
2. Try the old greasy-food-and-coffee cure. (Honestly, do we still believe in that?)
3. Yes, you guessed it: Get ready to detox! Sweat the alcohol out and purify yourself. The first 20 minutes will be rough, but hang in there. You’ll be a brand-new person by the end of the session.
Here are simple poses to help you beat those hangover blues.
TIP
Coconut water is not only delicious, it’s full of potassium and does wonders to hydrate you after a long night. Try drinking one or two bottles before you go to sleep, and wake up to a smoothie with a coconut water base. Bye-bye, headache!
1
Gentle Seated Twist
2
Standing Forward Fold with a Twist
Start with Standing Forward Fold, then make these adjustments.
• Hips should be level.
• Roll your top shoulder back so it stacks over the bottom shoulder.
• Extend your top arm up.
3
Sun Salutation A
4
Sun Salutation B
5
Revolved Chair
6
Side Angle Revolved Crescent
7
Seated Forward Fold
8
Head to Knee
I’ve seen some incredibly sweet people go postal when a migraine hits them. It’s hard to maintain any sense of well-being when your entire head is throbbing and it hurts to blink. Unfortunately, the best remedy for a migraine is a dark room, a cold compress, and sleep. But yoga can also do wonders to thwart an oncoming migraine, and without a doubt it can help prevent future attacks. A study performed in India assigned 72 patients with migraines to yoga therapy for 3 months. The group demonstrated a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency.
Save yourself the need to write an apology note for being the world’s greatest cranky pants: Practice these poses to soothe your head, and you’ll be seeing straight again.
TIP
Purchase a silk eye pillow filled with lavender and apply it over your forehead and eyes. This flower is famous for its soothing properties, and silk stays cool when your head is pounding.
1
Extended Puppy
Start with Puppy Dog, then make these adjustments.
• Keep your hips over your knees.
• Melt your chest and throat toward the ground.
• Keep your arms straight.
• Press down into all 10 toes.
2
Downward Facing Dog with Block
Start with Downward Facing Dog, then make this adjustment.
• Rest your forehead on a block according to the height you need.
3
Standing Forward Fold
4
Head to Knee
5
Seated Forward Fold with Block
Start with Seated Forward Fold, then make this adjustment.
• Instead of resting your head on your legs, rest it on a block between your legs.
6
Corpse (Savasana)
You could call me a bit of a jet lag pro. I am on the road so much I rarely know what time zone I’m in, so I do whatever I can to keep my body happy and healthy. A solid yoga practice is a must when subjecting your body to intense travel. And even if you’re on a short flight, it’s a good idea to rejuvenate your system with a quick yoga routine once you land on solid ground.
I’ve chosen these poses bcause they stretch out the muscles that cramp up from sitting for too long and relieve the upper back from poor posture.
TIPS
• Drink lots of water. The air in planes is extremely dry, which can lead to dehydration. It also might help to add an electrolyte tablet to your water.
• Bring a neti pot to clear your nasal passages, which can get congested after flying. (A neti pot is a small contraption, similar to a teapot, that you fill with salt water. You pour the water into one nostril and drain it out the other one to clear your nasal passages.)
• You can also pack melatonin to take before bedtime.
• Lastly, do not nap when you land, no matter how enticing those fluffy hotel pillows look! Get out in the sun, move your body, and do these yoga postures to help restore your natural sleep cycle.
1
Sun Salutation A
2
Standing Big Toe Extension
3
Dolphin
4
Headstand
5
Camel
6
Wild Thing
7
Legs Up the Wall
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach—but I say that applies to anyone! A delicious meal is always a pleasure, but decadent, spicy, or exotic foods can send your tummy into a tizzy. Aside from drinking lots of water and detoxing, yoga is your best bet to calm your system and make amends with a troubled stomach. Twists are fabulous digestion stimulators. They gently massage your internal organs and wring them out just like sponges. Let’s do the twist!
TIP
Drinking plenty of water is key to good health (and necessary after a workout), but drink before or after meals, not during. Drinking water during meals slows digestion. And go ice-free, as super-cold temps gap digestion, too!
1
Child’s Pose with Fists at Low Belly
Start with Child’s Pose, then make these adjustments.
• Curl your upper body over your fists and allow them to dig deep.
• Make a fist and cover it with your other hand, then place them into your lower belly.
2
Mountain with Side Stretch
3
Half Moon
4
Warrior III Hands at Heart
5
Revolved Half Moon
6
Revolved Triangle
Repeat starting with step 3 on the opposite side.
7
Reclined Twist
Start with Simple Spinal Twist, then make these adjustments.
• Hug just one leg, rather than both.
• Let both shoulders melt into the ground.
8
Reclined Twist with Legs Together
Start with Simple Spinal Twist, then make this adjustment.
• Let both shoulders melt into the ground.
I think we all suffer from a lack of energy, whether it’s due to stress, lack of sleep, or simply feeling exhausted by a growing to-do list. While yoga can be a restorative act, it can also fire up your system and release massive amounts of energy from within—much healthier (and less expensive) than an extra-large cappuccino with a double shot of espresso!
Kundalini yoga is all about awakening the energy in your spine through movement, repetition, and breath. I talked to Los Angeles teacher Kia Miller, who combines kundalini and vinyasa yoga, about her favorite moves for energy, and she shared this sequence with me. If the holds feel too long, tailor them to your needs and build up to the full holds. The key is to do enough to get your energy flowing and break through whatever has been holding you back. You’ll be bounding out of bed in no time!
Breath of Fire is a style of breathwork that creates energy from within—and tones your abs, too. Start seated, breathing deeply in and out through your nose. At the top of your inhalation, exhale sharply, releasing all of the air by engaging your diaphragm. As soon as the air is out, inhale sharply and immediately exhale using your diaphragm as a pump. Your breathing should be so fast that the inhalation will happen almost without any thought; the primary focus of this exercise is on making the little punching sensation in your core to help release the breath.
1
Stretch
Lie on your back and lift your legs and chest about 12 inches off the ground. Reach your fingers toward your toes and practice Breath of Fire for 2 minutes.
2
Spine Roll
Pull your knees into your chest and roll back and forth on your spine for 1 minute.
3
Knees to Nose
Hug your knees into your chest and reach your arms along your body or behind your neck for support. Practice Breath of Fire for 2 minutes.
4
Ego Eradicator
Sit in Comfortable Seat, with your arms up to 60 degrees, and make a fist, thumbs stretched up. Practice Breath of Fire for 3 minutes.
Originally from an island off the Alaskan coast, Leo now spends his time between Los Angeles and New York. When he first started practicing yoga, he never intended to find his “first lifelong love.” But he stumbled into something that he fell deeply in love with and has never looked back. Yoga helped Leo uncover layers of tension he had been carrying for years and provided a practice to lift these layers one by one.
Leo views yoga as a path of self-authorship, and evolution. The mat, the hardness of the floor beneath it, and the poses are constants to which the only variable is yourself. Because of this “mirror,” he says he has a greater sense of who he is and a greater capacity to choose who and what he becomes.
Leo is an entrepreneur and activist who aims to bring the insights of leading writers and philosophers into popular culture. Leo most recently launched I.D./Evolution By Intelligent Design, a clothing line that aims to facilitate a movement in truth-transmitting imagery. www.id-clothing.com
Since I was not graced with long legs or height, I have been forever obsessed with heels. Tall heels. The more treacherous, the better! Ever since I stepped foot into my first pair of platforms, my legs look great, but my feet sometimes feel sore, and my ego is often up in the air. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous you look coming out of a chic restaurant in a little black dress and new platforms if you wipe out on the way to the valet. (Trust me, I know!) But don’t let this plant fear in your stiletto-loving heart. Follow these simple steps to strengthen and elongate your calves, ankles, and toes. You’ll feel confident and balanced at any height.
TIP
After a long night out in heels, sit down and trace the shapes of the alphabet with your feet (using your big toe to “draw”). This relieves both calves and shins. You can also use a foam roller to work out lactic acid and practice Downward Dog to lengthen and release your muscles.
1
Standing Forward Fold with Crossed Legs
Follow Standing Forward Fold, but cross your legs
2
Mountain on Balls of Feet
Follow Mountain, but stand on your toes.
3
Chair on Balls of Feet
Follow Chair, but stand on your toes
4
Reclined Big Toe, Part III
