It seems that in our society, yawning has become an indicator of “being bored”— or being rude for that matter—when in reality, this is likely far from the truth and is a misunderstanding.

As a retired yoga teacher and massage therapist—and simply a person who has spent countless hours dedicated to learning how to relax and take good care of myself—I feel a particular need and responsibility to write this article as an encouragement to the world at large to yawn as much and as often as possible.

Some of the common conceptions of belly dancers are of temptation, seduction, and entertainment. Little do people know that the art of belly dance contains much more history and meaning than what the typical media often portrays. Believe it or not, along with having cultural richness, belly dance can be very healthy and beneficial for both men and women of all ages. As someone who practices this art, I want to share with you 10 beautiful health benefits of belly dancing.

It is said "all diseases begin in the gut," which is why gut health is so important. You see, we all have microbes in our intestines: Trillions of them, to be exact. These microbes metabolize food and make vitamins accessible to us. In other words, they’re essential to our health and immunity. They actually add up to 4 pounds of our body weight and help us fight off “bad” microbes (like the infamous E.coli or tetanus).

Dolphin Plank Pose

Benefits:

Can help relieve stress and mild depression.

Stretches the shoulders, and hamstrings.

Strengthens shoulders and arms.

Foundation & General Alignment:

Start by laying down on stomach.

Pick upper body up and use forearms to hold it up.

Can stay on knees or lift up legs and put weight on tucked toes.

Palms are flat on ground for extra balance.

Keep shoulder back and away from ears.

Can be looking down or straight ahead.

Did you know that your oral health is extremely important to your overall health? One oral health practice that is becoming increasingly popular is oil pulling. There is tons of information out there on oil pulling and how to do it properly, but some of it is conflicting information. To clear things up, here is everything you need to know about oil pulling:

What is it?

The first time I got my own place, I imagined a kitchen stocked full of all the dried herbs and spices I could possibly desire. I wanted to have everything on hand so no dish would go without. Hitting the spice aisle, I quickly realized I had no idea where to begin. Stocking up on spices for a new kitchen can be mind-boggling when you don't know where to begin -- not to mention expensive. Other than salt – which you’re using in nearly every dish – which herbs and spices are the most convenient to have on hand

Although mostly unrecognized as a “sport” until recently, snow sports such as snowboarding and skiing provide many benefits—both physical and mental.  For some, snow sports are a great way to spend time with friends and enjoy a day out on the slopes.

Do you remember taking those little fruity Flintstones multivitamins? Well, as a child, I ate them because they were pretty darn close to being plain ol’ candy. Now, as an adult, I don’t have to buy any daily vitamins because I’m already buying foods that are great sources of necessary vitamins and minerals. Plus, the best part about adulting is that it gives you the freedom to buy actual candy, if candy is what you crave (don’t we all from time to time?).

The tongue may be (relatively speaking) the strongest muscle in the body, but what carries all our weight? Our feet support us all day long. Think about it: it’s a hefty job for a couple dozen square inches to carry around a comparatively large structure. Our feet take us far and fast and up and down. They have their own unique rhythm as they walk…as if to the beat of their own drum, sometimes. Occasionally, they also trip us up, at which point we feel embarrassed and suddenly remember that our feet have been seamlessly, selflessly stepping smoothly up until that point.

Using Uva Ursi for Magnificent Kidneys and the Release of Fear

The kidneys are often under-rated organs. They are the great detoxifiers of the body and help the body to release all that could not be used by the cells, which were then disposed of through the body's extensive lymph system. Every cell takes in nutrients from the bloodstream, which comprises around twenty percent of the area touching the cells, and then every cell releases unwanted wastes into the lymph – comprising 80% of the rest of the area around the cells.