Yoga For Heart Health

It’s February! Or Love month as some refer to it or Heart Health month.  I remember when I was young always doing activities in school that related to heart health and how important it was to stay active. Not only is it important to stay active but it’s also important to eat well and to keep our stress levels lowered.  We live in a society where we can get access to ready made fresh meals and there is definitely no shortage of fitness programs if you are looking for physical activity classes. But what are you doing in your life to decrease your stress and increase your well being?

Yoga to the rescue!

Now I know what some of you may be thinking. Spandex. Lululemon. Heated yoga rooms. Fit people. I am here to tell you that there is yoga for everyone and when somebody tells me that they don’t like yoga my response to them is always “You haven’t found the right class and/or right teacher for you”

You see yoga is kind of like the perfect kind of jeans. Sometimes you need to try on a million pairs before you find a pair that you actually feel comfortable in all of the time. But once you find those perfect jeans you never want to take them off!

Here are some ways you can start to increase your well being and decrease your stress starting right now-

1. Set the timer on your phone every hour to remind you to stop whatever you are doing and to breathe. Yes. BREATHE. I know, I know. You are breathing right now as you are reading this but are you REALLY breathing. Like deep breathing? Is your rib cage expanding with each breath and do you feel your entire body filling up? 9/10 when I watch somebody breath there is a lot of shoulders lifting and upper chest movement. We are shallow breathers. Running from one activity to the next, always stressed and always checking off our to-do lists. Set your timer and every hour take 2 minutes to breathe deep into your body. Try it! Notice the difference?
2. Meditate!  No, you don’t need to sit on the floor for an hour in complete silence. If you are like me your kids are running around and there are toys everywhere but that’s okay! Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Follow your breath as it enters in through your nose, travels down into your belly and feel your belly expanding. Now follow your breath as it fills up through your ribs and then your chest. As you exhale follow your breath out of your body through your nose. Let the air in your chest leave first. Then your ribs and finally your belly.

Feeling good with that? Try this! As you inhale count to 4, 5 or 6. Encourage your exhale to be                     the same length. Keep your mind and awareness on your breath as it enters and leaves your body. If you notice your mind begins to wander (that’s okay if it does!!) just gently bring it back to your breath.

3. Move, slowly, with intention. Here are some of our favourite yoga postures to soften into that will slow down your mind and heart while taking time to nurture YOU. Try each of these yoga postures, holding them each for a few moments. Give yourself time to soften into each of them, finding ease and love.

4. Savasana! Yes, find a cozy spot on the ground, feel your body connected to Mother Earth and feel your body start to ease and relax. No, savasana is not nap time, but it’s a time to surrender, to slow down, to restore, rejuvenate and recover. Jump over to our Spotify page and relax to our Savasana playlist just for you!

Which ones will you try first? If the are new to you pick one to start with and slowly introduce it into your day. Little by little small changes add up to big ones over time.