Yoga kids

Susan Kramer's website is so cute!!
Kids are definitely good with yoga though. I've been having the kids do Wai Lana Little Yogi DVDs for ages now and they still love it.

* Presented are 15 poses that stretch and strengthen while promoting balance, coordination, the ability to concentrate and an increase in vitality through energetic practice.

* The axial movements (moves with the body in place) include forward bending, backward bending, twisting and sitting erect, all of which should be done gently without straining.

* Practiced in order, each one leads smoothly into the next.

* All poses and meditations can be done on carpet. Alternately, practice outdoors on a grassy spot on a blanket or mat. It is best to exercise before, rather than right after eating.

* Breathe in to begin the pose, and breathe out to finish the pose. In between, breathe evenly.

* Children should remain quiet during practice to maintain personal concentration.

Note:
Yoga practices are non-competitive.
Each person begins at their current level of fitness and ability,
and progresses at their own rate.
This makes these gentle yoga poses and exercises,
with adaptations as needed,
appropriate for those challenged.

I guess it's just like how I still love doing Wai Lana hello fitness after over 3 years of doing it.

Practicing yoga outdoors

The environment in which we do our yoga is very important. The science of yoga teaches that what we see, hear, smell, and feel all have an effect on the body, mind, and soul. It is counterproductive to practice yoga asanas in an environment where the air is dead, stuffy, smelly, or low in oxygen or where there's distracting noise or chatter.

That’s why Wai Lana yoga mats loves to practice outside, especially by the ocean. It is an atmosphere that is noncompetitive and spiritually inspiring.

Wai Lana even practices outdoors when it’s cold. “I like to practice outside in the fresh air. I just layer my clothes. I wear tights under my sweatpants when it's really cold, and a turtleneck under a sweater with a light jacket I can take off once I get warmed up. And that doesn't usually take very long! Out in the fresh air, the asanas and breathing techniques quickly oxygenate and warm my entire body,” says Wai Lana.

There's another element at work outside, too—negative ions. These negatively charged particles in the air are found in great numbers in forests and around oceans, rivers, or streams. Negative ions make you feel alert and invigorated and reduce anxiety and depression. According to researchers, this is because they increase our capacity to absorb and utilize oxygen so that it reaches our cells and tissues more quickly. That's a remarkably similar effect to that of yoga asanas, so why not combine the two for a double dose of feel-good energy!

Getting your Isoflavones in foods

So.. need some recipes with Isofalvones? Wai Lana Yoga has a big bunch of really delicious ones.

Isoflavones in foods
Isoflavones are a group of molecules that are similar in chemical structure. Isoflavones are produced only by plants in the Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae) family, frequently called the legume or bean family. Foods that contain high amounts of isoflavones include soy, peanuts, chick peas, alfalfa, fava beans, and kudzu. When consumed by humans, isoflavones may behave like estrogen in the body.
Estrogen is a hormone that is present in males and females, but women produce much more of it. In women, estrogen is responsible for many of the physical changes that occur when girls begin puberty. It also has many effects related to the monthly menstrual cycle in women as well as in pregnancy. In men, one type of estrogen is important in the development of sperm. Estrogen is present in all people to help maintain normal brain function, to help bones grow, and to contribute to the development of new nerve cells in the brain. The amount of estrogen in the body determines how well this hormone is able to perform its bodily functions.
Australians first began to investigate that isoflavones may have properties similar to estrogen when they noticed high levels of infertility among sheep who ate large amounts of clover.
Consuming isoflavones as food or as a supplement may behave as if the amount of estrogen in the body is increased. This is because isoflavones may behave in a way that is very similar to estrogen in the body. Some cancers and other health problems, such as bone loss, may be prevented by consuming a diet that is rich in isoflavone-containing foods.
However, some experts believe that isoflavones may actually behave as an anti-estrogen. This means that the isoflavones may impair the ability of estrogen to perform its roles in the body. In this case, consuming larger amounts of isoflavones may actually increase the chance of developing some diseases. Isoflavones are sometimes eaten for breast cancer prevention and as a cancer treatment.
Ultimately, it is unclear if isoflavones have estrogenic or anti-estrogenic properties in the body. Though some experts have concluded that isoflavones may reduce a person's likelihood of developing some health problems, this idea is based on the prevalence of these diseases in cultures where these chemicals are a regular part of the foods in the diet. However, there is not agreement among how much isoflavones may help or harm a patient, because not enough well designed studies in humans have been conducted.
The potential health risks and benefits of consuming isoflavones is currently under investigation. The isoflavones daidzein, genistein, and glycitein have been the subject of the most research, and are included on the table below.
Daidzein is more abundant than glycitein, but less abundant than genistein. Daidzein has demonstrated estrogenic properties, but may also be useful in preventing cancer, some forms of heart disease, and osteoporosis. Daidzein has weaker estrogenic properties than glycitein and genistein.
Glycitein constitutes up to about five to 10 percent of the total isoflavones in most foods. Glycitein has been shown to have estrogenic properties, and may also have antioxidant properties as well. Some researchers believe that glycitein may be useful in treating cancer, some heart diseases, and osteoporosis. Though glycitein is not usually the most abundant isoflavone, it has been demonstrated to have estrogenic properties up to three times greater than genistein and up to twelve times greater than daidzein. Scientists are not sure exactly how glycitein interacts with the body to produce its demonstrated effects.
Genistein is the most abundant isoflavone in legumes. Similar to daidzein and glycitein, it has been shown to have estrogenic and antioxidant properties. Genistein may also behave as an anti-estrogenic, and decrease the effects of estrogen naturally produced by the body. Genistein may have properties that may make it useful for treating cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Genistein has estrogenic properties that are one third as powerful as glycitein, but four times more powerful than daidzein. Scientists have proposed a number of ways that genistein may behave in the body, but the details are not known at this time.
AMOUNTS OF ISOFLAVONES IN FOODS
The following table is a summary of information on the amounts of isoflavones in foods. This database was created through a joint effort between the University of Iowa and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The column on the left is a description of the food. Meatless foods are those that are vegetarian but manufactured to imitate the feel and taste of actual meat products. For instance, "Bacon, meatless" contains no pork, and is imitation bacon made entirely from vegetarian sources.
The other columns of the table list the milligrams of isoflavones that may be found in 100 grams of food. The three most abundant types of isoflavones, Daidzen, Genistein, and Glycitein, are included. The "total isoflavones" includes a count of all of the isoflavones, often ones other than the three most abundant, in the food.
After evaluating many samples of food, the researchers averaged the values for each of the four isoflavone categories for each food. The scientific word for this process for finding the average is called "mean."
Governmental agencies have not agreed on the amount of soy a person should consume every day. However, patients should always talk to their doctor before beginning a new diet.
ISOFLAVONES IN FOODS
SYNONYMS
Daidzein, fabaceae, flavones, flavonoids, genistein, glycitein, kudzu, legumes, leguminosae, phytoestrogens, selective estrogen receptor modulators, SERMs, soy, soy isoflavones, soybeans, tempeh, tofu.

On a side note, I just bought a Wailana Yoga Mat Bag. It's beautiful! It's one of her green products.

Yoga and me

I've been doing yoga for quite a while now. Some of my favorite tapes are Wai Lana's toning series. Why? Because they're simple, easy, and yet challenging still.

I've toned up a bit since I've started practicing yoga with her. I also love Wailana Yoga Mats. There are so many designs now and I love the green yoga mats she's come up with.

Currently I've been learning some other exercises as well, such as rowing, bowling, and walking. I hope to slowly increase my strength and start jogging. I'd say two more weeks or so and I'll be out going jogging. Health is such a nice thing to have. :)

Toning your body

So today is the first time I let my mother try out Wai Lana Yoga's Toning workout with me. She's been practicing a bit of yoga with me now that she's been around. I was pleasantly surprised at how much she loved it. She said, "My I haven't been challenged like this in so long." It's hard to think of her as the gymnast that she was as a young girl now! The funny (or sad) thing is that her back, at her age, is still more flexible than mine.

After these few days of her trying out yoga, she's asked me to get her a Wai Lana Yoga Mat. How could I refuse such a healthy request, right?

In the meantime, I have all these beautiful summer flowers just like these ones growing so wonderfully in my garden:

Yoga for kids

Kids and yoga is a great mix. Actually, anyone and yoga is a surely compatible mix.

Wai Lana yoga's little yogis is so beneficial in so many ways.

Wai Lana's yoga DVD program has something for all age yoga kids, starting with her "Little Yogis" yoga DVD. Parents will love this safe, fun and challenging yoga DVD. Her yoga DVD, "Little Yogis" is full of healthful activities that are good for all the yoga kids in your life. Yoga kids will get such a kick out of doing yoga with Wai Lana. She is and inspiration to yoga kids everywhere. Wai Lana makes yoga into a fun game where yoga kids are entertained and delighted. The yoga DVD "Little Yogis" will teach your yoga kids how to improve their balance and coordination. They won't even know that this playful and exciting yoga DVD is just what the doctor ordered.

A wonderful yoga DVD to watch would be Wai Lana's "Daydream". This yoga DVD is based on an ancient yoga technique known as Yoga Nidra. Her yoga DVD is good for naptime.

Do also try some yoga to stay healthy!

Release that tension headache

I used to suffer from head-splitting headaches. Since I started practicing Wai Lana Yoga regularly, my headaches have disappeared. Apparently one big cause of headaches is tension. Tension from the neck and shoulders caused by poor posture and bad sitting posture can cause this tension.

When you do yoga, the muscle groups in the shoulders and neck are relieved and relaxed. And that helps you get rid of the headache! It's even better when you do Wai Lana Yoga sound meditation because it's just so good for relieving stress! It's scientifically proven to help calm your mind and nervous system too.

On a side note, here's a helpful article on what you should know about viruses.