How can I keep my joints healthy? When it comes to healthy joints, there are a few key things you can do to help promote mobility and reduce the risk of arthritis. One of the most important things you can do is exercise regularly. Many doctors will have different ideas, medications, supplements they recommend, and there is a wide variety of treatment plans they offer.   The one consistent thing that doctors all agree on to ensure that your joints stay healthy is to prescribe regular exercise.  Staying mobile and flexible is to participate in a variety of movements that target different parts of your body.  Yoga is key for this.  But not just any type of yoga, a lot of yoga, especially if it is taught by young teachers who have little experience of an older population, is taught in a way that might be too painful or dangerous for older people who suffer from arthritis.  Unfortunately, this is why many people who could greatly benefit from yoga tend to avoid ...

  Sometimes health care professionals tell people to avoid doing yoga, or at least doing forward bends or forward flexions of the spine. But there are ways how to safely bend forward in yoga to avoid injury to the spine and not risk further degeneration of an already fragile spine.  Indeed in some cases, yoga is the best and only safe way to overcome fragility and build strength and regain lost mobility and more functionality of the spine.   This can be achieved with care, awareness and consistent practice.    Function of the Spine  The spine is a series of interconnected bones that run from the base of your skull to the tips of your toes. It is desgined to move your body in all directions, forward bends, backward motion, twists and turns.  The spine supports your head, neck, and back. When you lengthen your spine, it gives you more flexibility and range of motion in your joints.  Let's first ask, What is the natural health of a spine? ...

Many people are having issues with their feet from standing, and it seems to be becoming a growing problem in today's world. Orthopedic doctors, Podiatrists, physical therapists and chiropractors will all give different opinions on techniques or practices that can be very helpful. And another source of information if you have foot problems, is to explore an ancient tradition of health - Yoga - for solutions and approaches. Yoga is a centuries-old practice that has been proven to improve foot health and alleviate symptoms of standing. If you're looking to increase your foot health, yoga should definitely be on your list of options. When we practice yoga, we take a holistic approach to the body and its systems. One of these systems are the feet and ankles, which take a lot of the strain when standing for a long time. When someone comes to me and tells me they are having feet issues, and perhaps they stand all day, I also ask  if they have had an injury, surgery, or a heredit...

  Whatever stage of yoga you are at:   never tried yoga before, or used to practice but stopped, or even a seasoned yoga practioner, we all need a good yoga teacher. I'm really aware that not everyone who tries a class with me will enjoy my style, or my methods.  Not everyone wants a class that has an emphasis on biomechanical health, on calming the nervous system and rejuvenating the joints.    Not everyone will like my voice, my British accent.  And just like in life, some people are your people and others are not.  Thank goodness for that!  Otherwise life would be so boring.  H ere are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a teacher.   10 Tips To Find The Right Yoga Teacher For You When looking for a yoga teacher, it is important to consider your level of experience and skill. If you are just starting out, it may be helpful to seek out a yoga teacher who is beginner-friendly however, a really good teacher,...

  The problem with hip stiffness, is that when we focus only on one particular joint, we are in danger of falling into a reductionist mindset.  To only look at that issue as if it was the start and the end of the problem. This is how our  medical system tends to view things.  However, that said, here are  5 ways you can fix stiff hips naturally   If you have a stiff hip, and it's painful, you could treat it with a joint pain cream or ointment. If you have a stiff hip, and it feels better after walking, you should walk more.  If you have a stiff hip and it feels worse after driving or sitting, you could try putting your legs up the wall after you drive or sit for long periods of time.  Some people find supplements that help relax muscles, such as magnesium or ashwagandha helpful when it comes to hip stiffness.  If you have a stiff hip, and it feels locked, you could treat it with a yoga hip flexor exercise (keep on reading for the pelvic...

   I have been spending a lot of time recently listening to recordings of a Vietnamese Zen Master - one of the great teachers of mindfulness -  The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh.  He passed away on Janurary 22nd 2022. It's not just recently that I have known Thay (the word teacher that is often give to  Thich Nhat Hanh).  I have been following him for many, many years.  Sometimes quite intensely.  During the three years my husband and I lived in Edinburgh from 2001, we were part of an interbeing sangha (community) and would meet weekly and also periodically for retreats to do meditations based on his teachings.  I write this post as a dedication to Thay's life and how his legacy for interbeing lives on (a cloud never dies)  in me and influences how I teach yoga. What is so beautiful to me about Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings and how I can apply them to my yoga practice is firstly the incredible sense of presence that he invites us to, he does t...

Lower back pain is a common health problem that can affect people of all ages. The pain can be very severe and make it difficult to carry on with everyday activities. Low back pain can also lead to other health problems, such as depression and fatigue. Yoga has been shown to be an effective treatment for lower back pain, and most people believe it is because it helps improve flexibility and strength in the lower back muscles. However, most yoga approaches will keep the issue to your low back.  A teacher will say, here are some poses that will work that specific joint or area.  This is true of other physical therapies.   What I have found with my approach to yoga for joint renewal is that a holistic approach to ALL the joints in the body (not just the problem area) helps give more awareness and calm to the overall nervous system for health and healing and this  is the best route for long term health and mobility.  The tricky part of just focusing in on ...