Hello Everyone!
I hope you are ready for a lovely full body yoga flow. We are combining strength, mobility and stretching in this yoga sequence. I’ve been teaching yoga for more than a decade now, and it still gives me such a wonderful sense of happiness and calm.
During today’s flow, try to remain focused on the present moment. If you find your mind wandering to other things try to direct yourself back to the breath or the physical sensations you are feeling in the body. Practicing our focus during yoga, also extends to the ability to focus off the mat.
Yoga is best done with bare feet. It helps you ground yourself, but also decreases how much you slide on the mat. I often wear socks, because my toes get very cold. I have a condition called Raynaud’s that can decrease blood flow to the extremities, so I often wear socks during yoga to avoid those symptoms.
I filmed this flow as a Live video for member’s of MelissaBenderFitness.com. It was a trial run for incorporating more live workouts. It went well, so it’s definitely something I will be repeating in the future. It’s also Day 5 in the Fit At Home workout series. Today’s workout is a 20-Minute Full Body HIIT with Jesse.
Food Intolerances and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet:
Lately, I have been struggling with a lot of swelling and bloating. I believe that I am suffering with some food intolerances. My plan to address this is to cut out dairy products and keep a small journal recording how I am feeling physically. I think that keeping a log that shows a direct link between inflammation, pain and bloating will help me break that pattern. When you’re not really sure what’s causing the issue it’s easier to play loosey-goosey with eating things that don’t make you feel well. The swelling that I am dealing with isn’t just abdominal, but also extends to my hands, legs and feet.
Dairy allergies can cause edema, and so can too much salt in the diet (too little salt is also a problem, it’s about balance). I know that I can’t drink milk, and that whey proteins cause swelling in my body, so I believe that continuing to have other forms of dairy is my issue. I also have a preference for savory foods, so sodium may also be a contributing factor that I need to pay attention to.
When I dealt with this in the past, shortly after having my son and dealing with gallbladder issues, I started incorporating techniques from the Anti-Inflammatory Diet and noticed all of the swelling and weight fluctuations basically disappeared.
Moderation:
This week, I am working with my yoga students on moderation and right use of energy. We are focused on becoming aware of the ways in which we use our energy, and if we are directing too much or too little energy to specific areas of our lives. I invite you to do some self reflection on how you are using your energy.
I hope that you enjoy today’s flow and find it useful. I felt amazing when I completed this sequence.
Have fun today,
Melissa
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The Yoga Flow:
