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Category Archives: Health


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13 Things Your Yoga Teacher Will Not Tell You

1. I don’t have all the answers—about yoga or anything else—and I get irritated when I witness other yoga teachers putting themselves out there as gurus, therapists, or doctors.

2. Clean your mat. When you sweat on it and then roll it up and then sweat on it again, it becomes a petri dish.

3. I love teaching yoga, but teaching is torture if I haven’t been able to do my own practice in awhile.

4. Yoga is not a magic bullet or a pill you can take to solve your bad attitude if you’re not prepared to put in the work yourself.

5. Wear deodorant. Look up the Sanskrit word “saucha.” It means “cleanliness.” No one wants to smell you; it’s off-putting.

6. I may be smiling at you when you walk in late and loudly slam your mat on the floor next to your meditating classmates but that doesn’t mean I approve. We all have busy lives but if you arrive late please try to be respectful of me and your fellow students. Start thinking yoga BEFORE you come in.

7. I am not doing this for the money. I could barely make a living teaching you this class, as I receive little financial reward for the effort I am putting into this. So please respect that.

8. I have poses I dread and avoid practicing and teaching.

9. I hate yoga sometimes.

10. When people have matchy-matchy yoga outfits and every single prop, designer yoga mat and accessory on the market, I question what their practice is really about. People, seriously, all you need is a heartbeat, willingness and a little space.

11. It’s one thing to modify a posture if you’re having trouble with it. But don’t just ignore the teacher and freestyle your way through class. That’s rude.

12. I am not a doctor. I ask you about your injuries because they affect your practice. But I am not a qualified cardiologist, neurologist, psychiatrist or podiatrist. So don’t expect me to be able to solve your heart murmur, figure out the source of your mysterious neck pain, or provide counseling between down dog and savasana. You need a doctor.

13. Yoga is HARD. It’s meant to be. Didn’t you get the memo?!


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What are you Grocery Shopping for?

Several larger supermarket chains have introduced nutritional rating systems. In particular, Whole Foods recently introduced a rating system called “Eating by the Numbers.” Check out http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere to get valuable resources on determining earthier choices, including whole, nutrient-dense foods; plant based meals and healthy fats.

How do you make your food choices?

Where do you shop for your groceries?


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The Old and New Food Pyramid

By Disabled World – 2007-10-20

The Food Guide Pyramid is a graphical representation allowing people to better understand how to eat healthy. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups of the food pyramid. Click here to read more.


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The NEW Food Pyramid

The Food Pyramid is a graphical representation allowing people to better understand how to eat healthy. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups of the food pyramid – recently there has been a switch to a healthier diet focusing on fruits and vegetables.

What is in your diet?

What have you done to analyze your dietary habits?

What role does food play in your life?

What habits/ rituals/ systems do you have in place around your eating habits? grocery shopping?


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Ego Fast

Earlier this month, there was a great post about the ego and having versus wanting (Check Yourself Before you Reck Yourself – The Ego) as a follow up to that post, here’s an idea – go on an Ego Fast. Here is how an Ego Fast works:

According to Webster’s Dictionary, an ego is: the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world. So, we are suggesting you go without one’s self, especially as contrasted with another self or the world for a period of time. What does this mean? Here are a few ways to participate in an Ego Fast . . .

1. Pick a period of time – what is your goal? Three hours? One day? One Week? One Month? (Try to pick something that is going to actually make you put some effort into going “without”)

2. During this period, begin to examine your life for times when you have thoughts, take actions, make statements, have conversation etc. that involve: pride, pridefulness, self-regard.

3. As you begin your Ego Fast, as times come up in your life when you are “In your Ego,” try shedding those thoughts, actions, statements and/ or conversations and replace them with: humility, modesty, positive thoughts or silence.

* To date there is nothing official that exists as an Ego Fast, rather this is just an idea that we came up with. There are no really right or wrong ways to do your Ego Fast, rather it is a chance for you to create some self reflection. So try it out and let us know what you think.

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