 Nadene Regulates Hypoactive Thyroid & Finds a Workout She Can Stick With “I work in the health industry as a primary care physician. Calling it an ‘industry’ is accurate. Crossfit is an industry. Kaiser Permanente is an industry. Shakeology is an industry. You and your mat and your sweat and your breath and your English bull dog determination- that isn't an industry. It's you. It's just pure you, as you are.
"I didn’t realize that when I started Bikram yoga. I started mainly because a studio opened up next to my house. No, I wasn't like 'hey, I know, eureka, I should go spend 90 minutes in a 105-degree room holding my body in various uncomfortable and difficult ways, that'll be the ticket.' Convenience isn't a sexy reason to start anything, but boy is it the easiest reason! "After 5 months of regular practice, I was surprised to notice signs that my thyroid function was increasing. I was able to stop taking the medication which I had been on for 5 years to regulate a hypoactive thyroid. Now I just take Bikram yoga instead! "When I showed up for my first class, I wasn't an "exerciser." I wasn't sufficiently drawn to move to improve my body's physical appearance. Running? No, only to avoid getting attacked or large crowds of people. Gym culture, um, I'm too awkward, in all ways, to "gym" successfully. I fell over while dead lifting in CrossFit. P90x, YouTube streaming, get fit apps, and T25 all happened. I just didn't fit into the world of exercise and movement. Or so I thought… "Besides going off the thyroid meds, the most surprising benefit from my Bikram yoga practice has been finally overcoming this resistance to, and disconnect from, the regular movement of my body. Inactivity was the greatest challenge and health obstacle of my young adult life. Bing, bang, boom, 10 years along the journey- sweet success! I have found physical exercise I can do regularly and continue to challenge or care for myself with wherever I am that day. I would also add that convenience is what got me in the door, but the camaraderie and community at BYSJ is what has kept me coming back." Be sure to mark your calendars for Nadene's workshop here at BYSJ on Saturday, August 13! She will be sharing her naturopathic perspective on proper nutrition and hydration to get the most out of your Bikram yoga practice. Thanks, Nadene, and congratulations on your many successes!
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 Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee pose is the 10th posture in the Bikram series. Bikram likes to call this a combination of Balancing Stick pose and Rabbit pose. It may not be the easiest pose on it's own- but right after Triangle it can seem downright challenging. Of course since this is Bikram Yoga, it's supposed to be challenging!
A few things to remember as you do this one... First: if your forehead and knee are not touching, your posture has not begun yet. Touching forehead to knee is essential to achieve the proper compression on the internal organs and on the thyroid gland. The good news is, you can bend your knee as much as you need to in order to get the forehead on the knee! Often as you bend forward toward your knee, the hips can twist out of line, so make sure that you apply weight to the front leg to get your both hips level. Benefits of this posture include slimming of the abdomen, waistline, hips buttocks and upper thighs. Also by compressing pituitary gland, thyroid and para-thyroid glands this posture helps to balance your endocrine and immune systems. One of the best ways to learn more about the postures is to read Bikram's "Beginning Yoga Class" book. Attend class 3 to 5 times weekly to put your learning into action and make your body smile!  Can you believe how much your thighs burn in this posture? Or how hard it is to keep the straight leg from slipping? And then, the teacher seems to keep holding this posture forever! What's a yogi to do? Ah, the sweet sensation of stretching and strength with sweat running down your body...
Triangle pose firms thighs and waist, opens hips, and helps alleviate rheumatism, lumbago in the lower spine and frozen shoulder. Practicing this posture regularly helps correct chemical imbalances, relieves constipation, normalizes low blood pressure and improves cardiovascular function. By exercising the circulatory, digestive, immune, reproductive, respiratory and muscular systems, triangle pose targets and benefit every part of your body! (Maybe that's why it feels like we hold it forever!) Here are a few tips to remember:
Once your total foundation is in place, the next step is to move your both arms, making sure that the elbow is directly in front of the knee and the fingers are stretching down to touch between the big and second toe. Then turn your head and look up while stretching your arms in opposite directions. Simple, right? Ok, you got us: it's a tough one! Remember that, really, all you have to do is try the right way. Do the best you can, breathe normally and hold absolutely still without moving. That's it. Enjoy..!! One of the best ways to learn more about the postures is to read Bikram's "Beginning Yoga Class" book. Attend class 3 to 5 times weekly to put your learning into action and make your body smile! |
AuthorHHY Founder, Yoga Business Coach, yoga-doer and life-lover, Kay Afif! 
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