Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Huberman Lab

A podcast that will widen your eyes, tickle your brain, and scratch that "how does it work" itch for everything neurological you could ever want to know. Data data data not just opinion. #sciencenerd #humanbiology Plus he is a HUGE fan of meditation and Yoga Nidra. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Study the Cakra Symbol System with Gary Kraftsow


According to the Ancients, each of us has within us extraordinary and mostly untapped potential which, when actualized, will transform our lives at every level. There is perhaps no more important context for this transformation than the area of our personal relationships.

Deep Inner Practices evolved in the tradition of Tantric Yoga through which we can:break identification and attachment, realize our true nature, actualize our innate potentials, improve our relationships at every level, and ultimately, become free

Each three-hour session will include a presentation and discussion about each of the cakra-s followed by an integrated practice that will include āsana, prānāyāma, mantra japa, and meditation.

Session 1: Mūlādhāra & Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra-s
Session 2: Maṇipūra & Anāhata Cakra-s
Session 3: Viśuddhi & Ājñā Cakra-s

Recordings available to participants until the end of May 2024.

Yoga for Pelvic Floor and Incontinence Workshop with Leslie Howard

This specific class has ended but see Leslie's website for more information and upcoming workshops! http://lesliehowardyoga.com/


Saturday, December 9, 1pm EST

Presentation via Zoom $25

Recording link will be sent to all registrants.

We are excited for our second Pelvic Floor Yoga Workshop with Leslie Howard coming up in ten days. This workshop is designed to help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and combat incontinence and leakage.

Your pelvic floor is the beginning of any core work and its function affects the entire body. Leslie Howard will empower you with the tools you need to address incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain, and more. Proper work of strengthening, stabilizing, stretching and softening the pelvic floor helps to create the correct foundation of each movement in the body. A strong pelvic floor helps keep the pelvic and abdominal organs healthy as we age. But “strong” also means flexible. Think of your torso as “a tote bag” for your organs. The pelvic floor is the bottom of the tote bag.

Leslie will guide you through various yoga poses and exercises that can be done seated, standing or lying down, that target the pelvic floor muscles and improve their strength. Whether you are experiencing incontinence and leakage or simply want to prevent them, this workshop is perfect for you. Join us for a rejuvenating and informative session that will leave you feeling empowered and confident. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take control of your pelvic health.

Friday, October 6, 2023

Senior Fitness, Yoga, Tai Chi, Walking, and MORE - DOWNLOADABLE LIST

Updated 8/17/24

Inspired by the list created by someone that comes to classes, I created a large (but far from exhaustive) list of Free (or low cost) fitness based activities around the county including many in the north and north inland. 

To view this data, click the lower right "square in a square" button to view full size. You can click on data to copy, you can sort it by the headings, and you can download it to a file for your own viewing and printing. 


I'll try to update regularly or at least as feedback comes in.

Useful Links

https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/resources/blog/7-best-exercises-for-seniors-and-a-few-to-avoid/

City Libraries: https://sandiego.librarymarket.com/

County Libraries: https://www.sdcl.org/

Santee Activities: https://www.cityofsanteeca.gov/government/community-services/parks-recreation/santee-seniors-55

Walking Groups: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/ais/health_promotion/Walking-Groups-in-San-Diego-County.pdf

George L Stevens 4th District Senior Resource Center:  https://fdsrc.org/whats-up-at-fdsrc/

Chula Vista Norman Park Resource Center: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/25240/638001285158730000

Feeling Fit Schedule: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ais/health_promotions.html/About_AIS_Health_Promotion.html

Park De La Cruz Age Well Services:  https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/agewellservicesscroll-fall.pdf

San Carlos Rec Center: https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/sancarlos.pdf

City of San Diego Parks and Rec AgeWell Services: https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/activities/agewellservices

Registration for City Park and Rec:
https://apm.activecommunities.com/sdparkandrec/Activity_Search/102523

Friday, September 15, 2023

Polyvagal Institute - Theraputic Yoga Tools with Marlysa Sullivan and Amy Wheeler - Webinar

Below is a link to an introductory webinar let by Amy Wheeler, PhD and Marlysa Sullivan's, DPT: Therapeutic Yoga Tools: A Polyvagal Informed Certificate for Body-Mind Practitioners  https://polyvagalinstitute.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10b30dc15c74935cf1fec7bf0&id=aa4c0504a5&e=5ad796c885

Synopsis: In the fields of pain care and mental health there is a need to identify ways to address the complexity of physical, psycho-emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. In addition, healthcare providers often experience burnout because of the workload and demands of the job which can be extreme. It can be difficult to keep your passion for your work to help others and you may find decreased presence with your client or yourself. Yoga therapy provides a holistic and embodied approach to practitioner self-care and client care. Polyvagal Theory provides a neural foundation for these practices which aligns well with the yoga therapeutic framework of the gunas. This relationship between Polyvagal Theory and yoga philosophy can create a shared language for yoga and healthcare/research professionals to understand the unique role of yoga in whole-person health and wellbeing. This course will cover the basic foundations for assessment and application of practices using the gunas and Polyvagal Theory as well as other yoga principles. 

Their life-changing full live course (via ZOOM) begins on October 6 (teachers can earn CEs) and continues for a total of seven sessions. Read more and register at this link:

https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/items/therapeutic-yoga-tools%3A-a-polyvagal-informed-certificate-for-body-mind-practitioners


Monday, July 24, 2023

Parks after Dark - Family Yoga this Summer 7/6 to 8/27

The City of San Diego has an amazing family program happening at multiple park rec centers around the city this summer. The following rec centers (Linda Vista, Skyline, Memorial, City Heights) are running programs from July 6 until August 26, every Thursday, Friday, Saturday night from 5PM to 8PM. There are kids and family actives like bounce houses, mechanical bulls, face painting, DJ's, hula hoop contests, crafts, FREE FOOD (wrist bands required), and food box giveaways (through Feeding San Diego). The following parks will have ME there teaching yoga-oriented play on Friday nights from 5:30-6:30PM (first come first serve, bring a mat or a towel). 

Check this link for the details and dates: https://byomyoga.blogspot.com/p/kids-yoga.html

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Podcast Interview by The Artful Leader

From Rachelle Archer:

“Have you ever wondered what stress you might you be holding in your body? 

In this week’s episode, my dear friend & yoga teacher Jackie Kurtz Gadd and I talk about the power in a regular yoga practice for healing the trauma and stress that is stored in the body. We both open up and share vulnerably about how yoga literally saved us during some of our darkest times and how our practice has evolved over the years. 

Jackie’s mission is to make yoga accessible for all so that everyone can find their own way into wellness,  feel less alone, and find healing in a comfortable and welcoming space.If you’re in SD, check out one of her classes at the YMCA or other community centers. They’re AMAZING! 

Have you tried yoga? How has it supported your well-being?”

Listen here or wherever you stream podcasts: Listen here or wherever you stream podcasts:


Saturday, April 22, 2023

Wellness Events at the Water Conservation Garden

Here’s some of the Spring workshops, tours, retreats at the Cuymaca College Water Conservation Garden.

Sunday, April 23, 2023
9:30 AM
Nature Therapy – The Presence of Trees. 
Your guide is an exceptional human and dear friend of mine who has just recovered from a foot and knee injury, yet insisted on putting this tour on her calendar even when there was no mobility and walking was not an option. She has carried a positive healing attitude and just the other day was doing a shuffle dance move in my cottage. Nature therapy is based on the Japanese “Forest Bathing” to immerse one’s senses in nature. Your guide carries a PhD in performance psychology and teaches at City College. These opportunities are rare moments of connecting breath to nature…Interbeing.

Saturday, May 13, 2023
9:30-11am
Mind & Body Master Class – How Brain Health Is Affecting Our Emotions & Behaviors
https://thegarden.org/product/mbmc-how-brain-health-affecting-emotions-behaviors/

Saturday, May 20, 2023
8:30am-2pm Spring Escape Into Yoga, Art & Nature
https://thegarden.org/product/spring-escape-2023/

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Fat Burn, Muscle Burn, and Detoxing

I have few fitness pet peeves and I need to tell you about them. I'm currently studying for my Personal Training certification as part of my prep for entering a Physical Therapist Assistant program and also to enrich my knowledge base about health and wellness.

Myth 1: Lactic Acid buildup causes sore muscles. This is scientifically inaccurate and also silly to say. People latch on to the idea I think because they think "acid" and "ouch" but the explanation is more complicated and related to blood pH, ATP production from energy sources, and the body's ability to recover from exercise.

The story starts with the fact that lactic acid is the FUEL for the muscles but read for yourself.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-lactic-acid-buil/?fbclid=IwAR0wzcpyr6ISSPE8A9uoAY7b9CicfiDEUPywPN7FvwC-ElhKYi4RtXLQxs8#:~:text=When%20the%20body%20has%20plenty,thus%20energy%20production%E2%80%94to%20continue

https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/science_fact_or_science_fiction_lactic_acid_buildup_causes_muscle_fatigue_and_soreness?fbclid=IwAR3sI5QHyCB6ZpAx-68pErOkvvku_rwO2K8bEeJAxrzXBbFofhtF5CG7hVk#:~:text=Lactic%20Acid%20as%20a%20Fuel,of%20skeletal%20muscles%20to%20contract

Myth 2: Getting to the "anaerobic phase" during strenuous exercise is the only "fat burning zone." It's an inaccurate, mostly marketing way people refer to how you can burn fat calories to pitch pushing yourself too hard, or buying some hokey exercise plan, or just trying to sound cool when you are doing cardio kick boxing. You burn fat all the time when you are existing in your life, even when you are sitting on the couch. The percentage of fat burned depends on the type of exercise. Anaerobic work (like HIIT) kicks you into a mode where you burn a lot more calories in general and fat has high energy per gram (energy = calories = 9 per gram). You will burn fat as a fuel in a slightly higher percentage but you will also torch through carbs as well. It's just fat is a slightly higher percentage of calories burned at high intensity than at low intensity. But it's not the only way to burn fat, just letting you know, so that you don't end up in a puddle trying to run 10 miles thinking it's the only way to do this. Plus you CANNOT spot reduce. In fact, mixing up aerobic (not as high intensity) as well as anaerobic is the best way to train your body.

(There's more to this, that involves understanding slow and fast twitch muscles, how mitochondria get energy - ATP - from fat and carbohydrates, but hopefully there is enough info here to help you understand that the body gets energy from both molecules).

https://www.builtlean.com/fat-burning-zone-myth/

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/fat-burning-heart-rate

Hobson, Katherine. “The 'Fat-Burning Zone': A Fitness Myth Debunked.” U.S. News, 3 Mar. 2009, health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2009/03/03/the-fat-burning-zone-a-fitness-myth-debunked. Kelliher, Steven. “Aerobic Versus Anaerobic Fat Burning.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 11 Jan. 2014, www.livestrong.com/article/431402-aerobic-vs-anaerobic-fat-burning/. Tremblay, MSc Sylvie. “Fat Burning Vs. Carbohydrate Burning.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 18 July 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/32587-fat-burning-vs.-carbohydrate-burning/.

Myth 3: Yoga spinal twists and hot yoga detoxy the body. No no a thousand times no. First, spinal twists are actually abdominal and spinal muscle twists. They can be active (often done seated) or more passive (often supine). Any time your body is working against gravity the pose should be active to support body weight. Supine with support (blocks blankets bolsters) can be taken more passively to stretch muscles versus create tonality. But the internal organs are really not affected that much - they are too deep to be actually "squeezed" in any detoxing sense. Kidneys (and liver) filter blood - that's what they do to eliminate waste as part of their actual function (and return nutrients back to the blood).  You can create a intestinal compression that might assist digestion, but toxin removal, other than a catchall and misleading term, is not part of the twist benefits.  Twists can enhance mobility and done properly assist with back health. 

https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/yoga-twists-the-ins-and-outs

https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/ask-expert-twists-really-wring-toxins/

As for hot yoga, saying that you sweat out toxins is inaccurate and perpetuates delegitimization of yoga as a viable form of health and wellness by making instructors sound scientifically ignorant. Hearing people in my profession, who are supposed to study anatomy and physiology, blindly parrot what some uninformed other teacher imparted to them is frustrating. 

What really happens in hot yoga? You sweat, and you can stimulate a large increase is BPM due to your body not being able to cool down as efficiently, so your body temperature controlling centers send more sweat to the skin in a effort to "for the love of all that is holy cool this organic system down." As long as you stay hydrated (and by the way you are supposed to completely replenish the sweat "weight" you lost for optimal health), you can improve your cardiovascular and circulatory systems and feel good for having worked out. You've also consumed calories (and when you exhale the CO2 that's the byproduct of metabolism aka calorie burn). But there is no detoxification (unless you consider water and salt "toxins"). 

https://uamshealth.com/medical-myths/can-you-sweat-toxins-out-of-your-body/?fbclid=IwAR3OCzFYyjzhHCCUizLURHv9vijiWAZJJW4ivUe9ESULF2C0rzWbuBcJzgE

All this is said with the purpose of helping you think anatomically and physiologically correctly about how your body works, so that you prevent injury, move with attention to intention, and feel good in your skin! 


Monday, January 2, 2023

Welcome to 2023 Yoga!

Because we are starting off our New Year's schedule on a Tuesday and we rearranged some classes, I wanted to post a summary update:

• La Mesa Library Chair Yoga starts Wednesday 1/4/23 at 11:00 AM.

• Bonita Library Chair Yoga starts Monday 1/9/23 at 11:00 AM.

• Serra Mesa Library Chair Yoga starts Tuesday 1/3/23 at 11:30 AM.

• Park De La Cruz Rec Center Fun Fitness (eight-class session for active older adults) starts Friday 1/27/23 at 12:30 PM (register at https://bit.ly/3GepZOa).

• PDLC Demonstration of Fun Fitness on Friday 1/13/23 from 11:30-2:30 PM (Call 619-229-7362 to register).

• YMCA (Copley-Price) classes restart on 1/3/23 with the same schedule: Active Yoga at 8:30 and Gentle Yoga at 9:30 on Tuesdays, Vinyasa Yoga at 9:30 on Sundays.

• Water Conservation Garden Chair Yoga restarts on Thursday 1/5/23 at 9:15 AM in the Gazebo (Education Center on wet/cold days - ask at the kiosk). 

• San Carlos Library Kids Yoga restarts on Wednesday 1/6/23 at 2:30 PM.

Happy New Year and I hope to see you "on the mat!"