wellness

Sukahasana / Easy Sitting

Benefits:

Opens the hips.

Great calming pose.

Perfect for meditating.

Foundation & General Alignment:

Sitting bones are weighted into the floor.

Outer edge of feet can be under knees or under hips.

Pelvis is in a neutral position.

Chin is parallel to the floor.

All sides or torso equally extended.

Shoulders are back and away from ears.

Head is resting halfway between knees and hips so elbows are under the shoulders.

While perusing the fruit and vegetable department of my local grocery store several years ago, I came upon an interesting looking fruit. I had never had it in my life at that point and was looking for something new to add to my diet that was healthy.

I had read about the kiwifruit and knew that it “packed a punch” of vitamin C. There was one sliced open, and I was intrigued by its beauty as well. What an interesting looking fruit it truly is. Of course, it went into my grocery cart along with the rest of my items. I had to try it.

Driving through Dateland, Arizona, we had to stop at the travel center and get a date shake. With soaring summer temperatures and a long day’s drive, it was a much needed break from the road. The creamy, sweet shake got me thinking about the origin of dates and why an area would be so inclined to pride itself on a single crop. After investigating, I began to understand what makes this fruit so sought after and how its nutritional benefits have been enjoyed for thousands of year.

Virabhadrasana lll

Benefits:

Strengthening, especially in the abs, back, and leg muscles.

Challenging but improves balance and coordination.

Foundation & General Alignment:

Weight evenly distributed over the standing foot.

Muscles are engaged in standing leg.

Muscles are engaged and lifted in standing leg. Foot is flexed and kneecap is pointing down towards the floor.

Both legs are fully extended.

Lower belly is toned and lifted.

This essential oil has a very interesting back story. There are a few different versions of course, but that happens when a story is carried on for almost 10 centuries.

Wheat germ is the reproductive part of a grain of wheat -- thus the term germ, meaning to germinate, which left to grow becomes wheat grass. It contains the most fat of the grain and is also the most nutrient rich. It has valuable health benefits, including preventing several major diseases, as well as aiding many other physical and mental functions.

Lunge

Benefits:

Strength in core.

Stretches outer hip on front leg and quad on back leg.

Foundation & General Alignment:

10 fingertips and 2 feet on ground.

The feet are active. Front foot is in tadasana. Back foot, toes are curled under, push out through back heel.

Fingertips are on the floor in line with the front foot. If you can keep you upper back from rounding you can put your hands flat on the ground.

Keep back leg straight.

Most C-sections end up leaving you with tough-to-lose belly flab. Here are some yoga poses to combat that…

American beautyberry is also known as French mulberry, sour-bush, bunch-berry, and purple beautyberry. The berries grow all throughout the Southeastern USA. Funny enough, it’s actually the leaves and stems that have the most power in warding of bugs in this DIY spray.