Stomach Flu Natural Remedies

Oh, the stomach flu! What a nasty bug. And one I got to know quite well in the last few days. Yes, that's right, after my emotional and material purging over the last couple of weeks, I've had the opportunity to physically purge the toxins out of my body. I feel much better today, albeit still a little weak from the torment of vomiting my guts out on Wednesday night and wrestling with fever yesterday.

Having spoke to a few friends and colleagues, I hear I'm not the only one recovering from this aliment, so I thought I'd share some ayurvedic remedies should you also be affected by Viral Gastroenteritis (a.k.a the stomach flu).

First, how do you know the difference between the stomach flu and food poisoning?
Although the stomach flu and food poisoning have similar symptoms (vomiting, headaches, fever, loose stools, etc.) and are both an inflammation of the stomach and intestines, their cause differs. Food poisoning is a bacterial infection resulting from eating something disagreeable, whereas the stomach flu or viral gastroenteritis is a viral infection contracting by contact with an infected person. Both conditions usually last one to three days, but it may take two weeks or longer for the digestive system to regain its full strength. However, if you are affected by either food poisoning or the stomach flu, your immunity and digestive system was probably weakened to begin with. This is why in the same family, one or two people may get sick and the others not, even if everyone was exposed to the same food or virus.

So, how do you get over it? 

• Rest is top priority. Stay warm and cozy in bed and just sleep and/or breathe deeply.
• Avoid dehydration by taking small sips of room temperature water once vomiting has ceased. (Small sips are important, as big gulps with may further aggravate the system.)
• Re-hydrating with electrolytes is important. I used the new Vega Sport Electrolyte blend in water and it helped a lot. But, you can also make your own: 1 c water  + 1 tsp agave nectar (or maple syrup) + 2 tbps lemon juice + a pinch of salt
• Rice water is also soothing. To make it, simply boil brown rice (organic is best) with double or triple the usual amount of water. When the rice is ready, strain it and drink the water.
• Clear broths or other clear, non-acidic beverages are beneficial.
• Fennel and coriander tea is good too. Just put about 1/2 tsp of freshly ground fennel and coriander seeds (equal parts) in a cup of hot water and let steep for five minutes before drinking.
• When you are ready to start eating again, I highly recommend plain rice with maybe a little yogurt or ghee + a Kitchari diet for a few days. ("Kitchari" means "mixture" or "stew" and is a staple food in India). Below is a recipe for Kitchari.
• Go see a doctor or health care professional, if you have blood in your stool or if your symptoms get worse after a couple of days. 
• There are many wonderful ayurvedic herbs that can also help rebalance the digestive system, but these can only be recommended on an individual basis, as not all herbs are appropriate for all people. I should be up and running in a few days, so if ever you want to set up an ayurvedic appointment you are welcome to contact me: yfgow@yasminyoga.com

KITCHARI RECIPE: The best comfort food to get the digestive system back on track...
1 c split mung beans (soak for 1 hr before using)
2 c brown rice
4 1/2 c water
3/4 tsp sea salt & black pepper
1 tbsp freshly ground cumin
1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds
1 tbsp freshly ground fennel seeds
1 tbsp turmeric
Small pinch of Hing or asafoetida (It helps prevent gas and can be found at an Indian store.)
About 1/2 - 1 c easily digestible veggies (zucchini, sweet potato, carrot, turnip and/or squash)

Put everything into a pot & bring to a boil. Then cover & let simmer for on Low for ~45mins. Enjoy with 1-2tsp of ghee (clarified butter) or coconut butter or oilve oil. For a little pro-biotic boost, adding a table spoon or two of plain yogurt is good with this dish.  (Tip: avoiding adding the veggies, if your digestive system is very weak.)


Don't know how to make ghee? It's really simple.

GHEE RECIPE
Melt 1 pound of unsalted butter (organic butter is best for therapeutic applications and if you can find grass fed cow butter all the better) on stove and let simmer for 15-20 mins on low heat. Stir continuously. Scrape foam off the top and discard. After about 15-20 mins, it with stop boiling and become clear. At this point, turn off heat. Let cool for 5-10 mins. Then strain (with cheese cloth) into clean, dry container. Cover and store in cool, dry place like pantry.

* Please feel free to also post your own suggestions for stomach flu or food poisoning cures!

Day 103 - The nice things and the small hurts

I've had a really nice day.

I woke up at 7:00am next to the love of my life, which I always appreciate, did my prayers, grabbed a delicious piece of papaya and went off to teach my enthusiastic 83 year-old student, Max. Then I had a treatment with Mira, a lovely Body Talk therapist, who has been an amazing source of insight for me over the last year or so. She is so wonderful. When she pats my arm and says "It'll will be alright," she is so sincere that I immediately feel better.

After the Body Talk session, I walked over to this amazing park in NDG on Sherbrooke and Girourd to practice. It was perfect weather for practicing-- sunny, cool and breezy. I found a spot in the shade near the playground and began my practice which today focused on letting go of the small hurts I've experience in my life. Each sun salutation was dedicated to releasing any conscious or subconscious pain incurred because of the actions of a particular person or myself. So at the start of the surya namaskar I recalled an uncomfortable memory in my recent or long ago past, and then I consciously used my breath and movements to visualize cleansing the residual tension.

At times, I noticed the sharpness or the speed of my transitions varied depending on what I was thinking about and how fresh the emotional wound was, but ultimately, it felt good to acknowledge these negative experiences and then symbolically release them.

I made my way to a little cafe for a post practice veggie wrap and a wfii connection. I didn't get much work done because I ran into a good friend. We chatted for a bit then I had to rush off to ayurvedic massage appointment with one of my teachers. The massage was amazing. Just what I needed. While I was at the Ayurvedic Centre, I had a chance to chat with my teachers, Anita and Manu, who have been so wonderfully supportive of my 108 project and this big 32 hour Guinness thing. They shared some advice about what food I should eat and how I should prepare, and they told me that they were proud of me, which is special to me, because I respect them a lot.

This evening, I had dinner at a friend's house, despite my mandate to stay in this week. I'm tired now, but I think it was good for me to shift focus for a few hours and good for Craig to have some time on his own.

Ok, I apologize if this posting is so colloquial. I'm ready for bed.

Bonne nuit.

Day 66 - Keeping things simple

My friend Miranda has challenged me to write just one paragraph tonight... so here goes...

I think I'm a pretty slow person, kind of kaphic, in a way. I take my time doing a lot of things, because I like details. I don't think I'm actually a perfectionist of sorts, but I really immerse myself in a task and it's then hard for me to pull myself out and stop what I'm doing. Take this blog example, sure, sometimes I feel belaboured by it, but other times I get sucked in and can't stop writing. But tonight I'm tired and it's already 11:15 pm, which is why Miranda suggested I keep things super short and simple tonight. Her and I practiced this evening together outside in the park. It was a nice and simple surya namaskar A flow. Once again, we focused on different areas of the body and threw in few of Paul's virtual sun salutations, which I've really been enjoying lately. Probably because those virtual ones are much less strenuous on my left shoulder, which is still a little sensitive, but getting better.

Ok that's all folks, one paragraph. Now it's bedtime...

Day 55 - A long savasana... just the antidote needed

Savasana is that lying down relaxation pose we often finish a yoga session with. It has a heap of benefits, but I admit I don't always do it after every practice. I know I should and today, this was reconfirmed.

I was feeling incredibly tired and sore today. I've also had a dull headache, which makes forward bending a little intense. I deduced that my Vata (air & space elements) is high, meaning my mind scattered from trying to do too much again and I'm in need of grounding. So, I carefully and slowly made my way through the 108, focusing on my breath and trying to cultivate stability in my legs. I managed to complete the practice and then collapsed into a 20 minute savasana, which is the best thing I did all day.

Sometimes I forget how amazing savasana can be. My mind went into neutral and I felt my whole body tingling. It felt like I was asleep, but I was fully aware. I love this feeling. It 's as if I can feel my energy pulsating through my system and repairing the blockages and tensions along the way. At certain points, I felt parts of me letting go into the ground. My right foot rolled open and my whole right leg up to the hip joint released, and my shoulders did as well, but in stages. A nice experience.

I feel better now. My head is 'cooler' and I feel calmer. However, I am even more aware of how beneficial a warm dinner and good night's sleep will be.


Question: Is there an osteo, chiro, physio, or energy/body worker out there who's willing to volunteer to look at my right clavicle and neck sometime this week?

(It's been bugging me for a few days and I think I may need an adjustment.)

Day 51 - Practicing the art of saying "no"

I'm a little frazzled this evening. I am trying to juggle laundry, blogging, email responding and studying for an exam I have tomorrow at the ayurvedic school. I'm not very good at pulling all-nighters, so I'm not sure how I'm going to get things finished. It's nearly midnight and my eye lids already feel heavy and my brain feels like molasses in January. BUT, I made some good progress today. I turned down two interesting opportunities: a modeling gig that sounded fun and a new client who wanted private yoga.

Saying no is entirely out of character for me. I like challenges and I like new projects, which is why I often find myself trading lunch to sub a class for someone or simultaneously planning six events. However, this weekend, I made a conscious decision to avoid taking on anything new before my 108 mission is complete. I think it might finally be starting to sink in that perhaps I can't do everything I want to do at once. This might seem like a no-brainer, but I'm used to having lots on the go at once and I kind of like that. The problem is that now, every conceivable space in my schedule is so full, I almost never have time to hang out with my friends, my family or with Craig and I'm starting to miss that. Plus, I fear I'm starting to become more forgetful and less dependable, because I can barely return emails or phone calls.

Anyway, things are starting to work themselves out. Several people have volunteered to help me with the less obvious tasks of my campaign like following up with studios, posting stuff on Facebook, and communicating with the charities I'm supporting. This is starting to make time management easier, so I can focus on my practice. (On a side note, I often think about how nice it would be able to live as a monk in a Himalayan ashram, just meditating, practicing, and doing simple work.)

Today is Monday, so I do my 108 as an open practice at my studio. Kathy, a really nice woman, who helped us organize the Yoga Stretch event for CNIB, joined me for the first 54 along with her every energetic five-year-old daughter. The little girl could hardly sit still and thought climbing all over her mother in updog, downdog and plank was absolutely hilarious. It was pretty funny, but maybe not to Kathy.

(Unfortunately, the photos we took of them turned, so instead, here is a photo of me in chaturanga after Kathy and her daughter left.)

Day 46 - Sob story, but still treking

Although yesterday's silly yoga tea party practice cheered me up quite a bit, sometimes there's nothing quite like a good cry. I just finished sobbing on the phone to Craig about how overwhelmed and tired I feel. Somehow I feel lighter and much calmer now.

Oddly, just yesterday in my Ayurveda class, we were talking about how the suppression of our natural urges like crying can can a negative effect on our health. We discussed how holding back tears can lead to eye-problems and light-headedness. A medical study I read also suggests that people who regularly suppress the urge to cry are more prone to cancer, but interestingly, so are people who cry too often. I guess we need a balance even when it comes to crying. Nevertheless, I couldn't remember the last time I cried, so I guess I was due.


I think I'll keep this blog entry short. I am feeling the need to go to bed early and rejuvenate.


* FYI, I'm going to be on Radio Centre-Ville, 102.3 FM tomorrow morning at 8 am EST, talking about the Great Canadian Yoga Stretch. (Here's a photo of the pre-recorded radio show with the CNIB rep for Quebec and journalist Marine Daval.)

In case you're interested, here's a link to the article about crying: www.nlpanchorpoint.com/BolstadCrying1481.pdf

Day 38 - Hot Yoga

It was steamy today, humid with a high of 30 degrees +. Weather like this tends to do two things for me: it makes me feel irritable and lethargic. Plus, it makes yoga sticky.

Aryurveda, ancient medical science of India, which I am currently studying, explains that my reactions to the heat is a result of too much fire and too much earth in the body. Provoked by the high temperature, too much fire causes our system to burn. When this happens, we are prone to emotions of frustration, anger, irritability and even aggression. Physical symptoms include skin rashes, indigestion, heartburn, and acidity. Although we all have the fire element in us, some of us, like myself, are more prone to having it go out of hand on hot days like today (and in hot yoga classes).

I've noticed that when I experience this imbalance, I need to relocate to a cool environment, avoid direct sun (especially between 12-2pm), eat watery things with electrolytes like papaya and melon and avoid spicy food. I also find this simple 'Cooling Breath' exercise very helpful:

The Cooling Breath

• Slowly, INHALE through the teeth
• Slowly, EXHALE through the nose
• Repeat until you feel yourself 'cooling' down

(I also find this breathing technique useful in traffic.)

Also, to avoid feeling lethargic and 'water logged,' which is an result of too much water and earth (read mud), I'm best to drink room temperature water infused with coriander seeds or aloe vera gel with a little lemon. I have less experience with the coriander infusion that with the aloe, so I will let you know my preference in a few weeks.

Anyway, despite the oppressive heat, I completed my practice a couple of hours ago on my porch. It's way more comfortable to practice in the morning before ten, but today I had to teach early, then I had school. Perhaps I should try my teacher's suggestion to wake up at 4:30am, but I would have to really limit my evening teaching for that schedule. So, I may need a compromise.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: The Half-Moon Salute

Go through regular surya namaskar A, but from downward dog, transition into ardha chandrasana, the half moon on the right side. (Posture featured in today's photo.)

• From downward dog, step the right foot forward and transfer your weight into the right leg.
• Place your right finger tips on the floor (or on a block) in front of your toes, the distance should be the length of your torso.
• Place the left hand on your left hip and raise the back leg.
• Open up the hip, turn the left toes to the side, and push out through sole of the foot.
  
• (A trick is to turn the right toes slightly toward the left in order to improve balance and reduce the required hip opening.)
• Once you are balanced, you can extend the left arm and look up at the finger tips.
• Stay for five to ten breaths.
• To come down, bend you right knee slightly and step to the top of your mat and continue up to mountain to complete the sun salutation.
  

Repeat for the left side.

Day 34 - The beautifully revolting process of self-discovery

As you know or as you've most likely heard, yoga helps you "discover yourself." Yeah well, sometimes it really ain't pretty. Sometimes it sucks and it's enough to make you ask, "why am I doing this anyway?" And sometimes, the old saying "ignorance is bliss" feels perfectly valid.

Take today for example. With all this yoga and all these ayurvedic treatments, things are starting to come to the surface. After venting to Marianne, the manager of my studio, about how unfair it is for me to work so much and pick up everyone's slak, I have come to the realization that I don't properly communicate, so I take on too much and micro-manage to the point where I end up doing almost everything myself. Then, I feel grumpy and frustrated. My tone can be sharp and aggressive, and then I feel guilty. I wonder if I'm hard to work with and if people dislike working for me. Am I an aggressive person? And does this make me a bad yogi?

I suppose it's better that I see this, but it can also be destabilizing. It makes question why I spend so much time doing yoga.

Marianne and I finished our conversation on a good note. She thinks that because I'm a "creative artist" type, my vision is grand and can be difficult for others to grasp. She says that I need to surround myself with more people who understand this, so I can communicate with more ease. Hearing her say this, eased my guilt a little. Anyway, I think I need to percolate a little more.

Ironically, this morning I randomly opened Pema Chodron's book, Comfortable with Uncertainty, as came across this quote:

"Being a buddah isn't easy. It's accompanied by fear, resentment, and doubt. But learning to leap into open space with our fear, resentment, and doubt is how we fully become human beings...Taking refuge in the buddha means that we are willing to spend our life reconnecting with the quality of being continually awake. Every time we feel like taking refuge in escape, we take off more armour, undoing all the stuff that covers over our wisdom and our greatness and our awake quality. So when we say, 'I take refuge in the Buddha,' that means I take refuge in the courage and the potential of fearlessness, of removing all the armour that covers the awakeness of mine. I am awake; I will spend the rest of my life taking this armour."

I guess this says it all. The reward of disarming the self is a dream, but so I persevere not know to what end I shall journey.

108 more surya namaskars x 74 more days... + about 80 years left for me to discover.

(PS I will be in the country for the next few days and I'm not sure it I will have access to the internet...)

Day 33 - Ayurvedic treatments for a "windy mind"

For the past two days, I've had treatments at the Ayurveda Centre from my teachers, Anita and Manu. It was recommended that I do three consecutive days of ayurvedic massage, warm oil therapy, and steaming in order to 'calm my Vata' and 'unblock my Pita.' In other words, my teachers suggested that because of what I'm undergoing with this project compounded with my duties of running a yoga studio and teaching 18 classes a week, my mind is like a kite in a windstorm, all over the place, and I have some inner frustration that's stuck in my chest, which prevents me from resting and communicating effectively.

I totally agree with their observations. My brain is constantly overworking just in trying to remember what I need to do in order to fulfill all my daily obligations, and to be honest, sometimes I feel really frustrated about having to carry so much responsibility at my studio, despite having a full staff.

So, in an attempt to be proactive, I've had two days of these intense treatments. I've received ayurvendic massage, Shirodhara, which is a heavenly treatment whereby warm oil is poured over the forehead and scalp, and body steaming, which forces me to sweat out 'toxins.' This, along with my two hour yoga practices has been knocking me out. I am supposed to be resting more these days, but we have this big event at my studio next week and there are lots of deadlines to meet. Nevertheless, despite my excessively oil head, I do feel more energized and more focused, and I actually sweated today in my practice, which I rarely do. (Anita says this is because the channels that allow me to release 'fire', in this case sweat, are finally clearing, which I suppose is very good.) Tomorrow is my last day at the Centre and then Craig and I and couple of friends are off to the country for the long weekend to visit good friends who just bought land west of Ottawa. I can't wait. I am so looking forward to spending time with friends and walking in the forest. I love that.

I started my practice early this morning so that I complete most, if not whole practice, before my ayurveda sessions. I was quite proud of myself for finishing my 108 by 9 am. Craig took today's photos.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 33 - The Padahastasana Salute

Along the same logic as yesterday's Surya Namaskar, today we begin the basic A sun salutation with five breaths in padahastasana, the hand foot pose, where essentially, the hand slides under your foot. (You can bend your knees for this one.)


Benefits of Padahastasana:

• Stretches the back of the legs & hamstrings
• Increases the flexibility of the spine
  
• Relieves tension from wrists and forearms
• Calms the mind
  
• Improves liver and kidney function
• Stimulates digestion

Day 30 - Sleep is powerful medicine (Chakra #6)

I went to bed at 10:30 last night and it was glorious. I slept so well and woke up so happy. I got right into organizing my week and made a lovely plan for myself and my staff. I'm not normally a 'planning' kind of person, but I don't really have a choice now that my schedule is so full. Plus, it feels good to get things down on paper.

After a quick lunch meeting with Marianne, my studio manager, I brought my mat down to the water. It was heavenly. I did my whole 180 outside looking the lake and then taught two classes outside. The warm sun, the soft breeze, the birds chirping... I was seriously tripping. Everything just flowed beautifully.

(Here's a picture taken this evening of my class in tree pose practicing in our 'studio by the lake.')

My goal this week is to be in bed before 11pm everyday. I'm sure it will make a huge difference in my energy and state of mind.

I am generally an optimistic person, but I am much more enthusiastic and focused when I sleep before midnight. In ayurveda, sleeping between midnight and 2 am is considered very important, because this is when your liver rejuvenates itself, and your liver is your main filtration system. If it's working well, we feel refreshed and positive and if it is sick, we feel sluggish and frustrated.

Speaking of sleep, today's theme is Ajna, the sixth chakra or the brow chakra, which governs the pineal and pituitary glands and is responsible for sleep. Also known as the third-eye chakra, this energy centre is associated with the color indigo and is also connected to our inner awareness and intuition. Its mantra is 'KSHAM.'

As my teacher points out, it's only effective to repeat KSHAM when sitting still and focusing on one point. So, I started my practice in meditation. Sitting comfortably, I relaxed my body, and took in my surroundings through my senses-- I listened to as many sounds as I could hear, I enjoyed the feeling of the sun and breeze on my skin, I smelled the scent of the nearby lilacs, tasted the fresh air and watched the light sparkle in the water. Then, once I was comfortable, I closed my eyes, focused my attention on my 'third-eye' at the centre of my forehead, and began to repeat KSHAM silently.

After about five minutes, I felt a shift. I felt light, calm and energized. I then began my practice with the intent to allow my intuition guide me. By this I mean, whatever I felt I needed to do I did, be it hold a pose or even invent a new sequence to release tension in a particular area, so for today's Surya Namaskar, I invite you to try this practice:

Surya Namaskar Recipe: The Inventor's Salute

With your eyes closed, allow yourself to be guided into a sequence you invent along the way based on what you need and what feedback you are receiving from your body. Be really attentive as to what feels good and go with that. (It's best that you practice alone for this one. Music is often very helpful.)


More info on the Third-Eye Chakra
(from Jamie Lee)

Ajna Area of consciousness for the celestial body
Relates to: Clear sightedness, the bringing together of opposites (ida and pingala unite at the point), inspiration, insight, telepathy, access to the Higher Self (Guru), the pineal, pituitary, brain, ears, eyes, realization of full potential
Gland: Pineal, Piuitary
Sense: Thought
Element: Electric or Telepathic energy
Personality: ‘I am who I am’
Balanced Energy: Charismatic, open to guidance, not afraid of death, not attached to material things, can experience telepathy, past lives or astral travel, self- fulfilled, can be celibate, may have experienced Cosmic Consciousness
Excessive Energy: Proud, religiously dogmatic, tyrannical, demonic
Deficient Energy: Non-assertive, undisciplined, weak-willed, extreme sensitivity to the feelings (energy) of others, afraid of success, schizophrenic

Day 24: Ommmm....

I would like to discuss Om.

Unlike what most people assume, "Om" or "Aum" is not a word, at least not to me. It's a vibrational sound that has come to mean peace, balance, harmony, etc., because chanting Om has that effect on the nervous system. It's a really beautiful practice, to sit and repeat Om. It clears my head (+ helps to relieve headaches) and I always feel amazing afterward.

Anita, my ayurvedic teacher asked me to teach sun salutations to my classmates at the ayurvedic school this morning. I was honored and as it is my 24th day of 108, we did 24 lovely sun salutations (the rest of my 108, I did on my own after school). The group is a mix of yoga teachers and yoga beginners, which can be a challenge to lead, but I think they enjoyed the practice and Anita asked me to teach again soon.

We have been talking a lot about the chakras (energy centres in the body) and the different mantras that help heal the body. Om/Aum is the mantra corresponding to the highest chakra, the crown chakra, located at the top of the head. This energy centre, known in Sanskrit as Sahasara, relates to the integration of spirit and universal wisdom with personality. It is also responsible for the nervous system and our sense of feeling connected.

Our sun salutation for today is a basic Surya Namaskar A with Om-ing.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 24 - The Om Salute

1- Start in Mountain.
2- INHALE, raise arms.
3- EXHALE, fold forward.
4- INHALE, come up half way, long spine.
5- EXHALE, step back into plank and lower, from knees or toes, into chaturanga.
6- INHALE, cobra or updog.
7- EXHALE, downward dog.
8- Holding downward dog, repeat Om/Aum three to five times.
*Start with a deep inhale, and then exhale the AUM slowly. The sound Om/Aum is three parts in one: A - U - M. Each part should be held for equal amounts of time.
9- INHALE, step, walk or jump forwards to the top of your mat. Lengthen the spine.
10- EXHALE, fold.
11- Press down through your legs, INHALE, and rise up to standing, extending the arms above your head.
12- EXHALE, hands come down in front of your heart.

* You can also Om all the way through the sun salutation (ie every time you exhale).

This is Anita, my teacher. She is so passionate about what she does and she is truly inspiring. She has two ayurvedic clinics, one in the West Island and one in NDG.
This is her website: http://www.ayurvedamtl.com

Day 20: Updates on follow challengers

It's Friday, Day 20, and I'm rolling along nicely. Just 27 sun sals left for tonight, which I will do as soon as my dinner has digested. I've already started implementing some of the stuff Anita, my ayurveda teacher and mentor, suggested I do this week. My staff is on board for better organizing the studio and I'm planning out my practices and classes with more precision. No more mid-afternoon yoga, making to do lists, and more delegating. I'm off to a good start, so hopefully I will soon be able to establish a regular routine for eating and sleeping too.

Enough about me. I want to acknowledge and give some updates on some of my students and friends who have joined my 108 mission (and Canadian Institute for the Blind's Yoga Stretch Challenge) in their fabulously unique way.

Bossa and I have been doing yoga together twice a week for about four years and she is featured in today's video. She has started doing more yoga on her own in order to meet her goal of 108 sun salutations a week, but I think she might have to up it to 216, because we've been doing a lot of sun sals together lately. Bossa is also the inspiration for today's Belly Soothing Salute.

Craig, my charming boyfriend, has added roller blading to his daily goal of 108 push ups and today, he proclaimed that he would like to do sit ups as well. (He's all pumped up, because he got a great deal on new inline skates a couple of days ago.) Craig also joins me for the occasional yoga practice, as seen in last Sunday's video, and is now officially the photo editor and sometimes photographer of this project.

Mary Ann, my student of six years and teaching trainee, is also on Day 20 of her goal to complete 36 sun salutations a day. She's amazing: a committed yogini and soon to be a certified Eric Pearl Reconnective Healing therapist. Mary Ann is in the Laurentiens this weekend with my mom, who is leading a yoga retreat weekend for women over 35. (Did I tell you my mom is a yoga teacher too?)

Sarah is a creative writer and another longtime student of mine. She was inspired to join the CNIB campaign because her grandfather was visually impaired and very active in the CNIB. Her goal is to do two yoga classes a week and to build up her stamina to be able to hold the crow pose for one minute. I think Sarah also wants to work on her bridge pose, because she asked me to take this photo of her for her Stretch page and give her some coaching on it. (I suggested she practice this pose with a block in between her thighs and use a belt to keep them parallel, which will help her open her hip flexors and prevent lower back compression.)
View Sarah's CNIB fund-raising page.

Yves, an enthusiastic yoga student of about a year and a half, continues to achieve his weekly goal of 108 surya namaskar, although he is doing a lot of them on his own these days now that his dragon boat training has started.

A few other friends, students and Om West staff members-- Amber, Susan, Marianne and Cathy-- have joined my CNIB Yoga Stretch team, "Yasmin Yoga 108 x 108," but have yet to announce their goals. By the way, we are still recruiting team members. If you are interested, you can visit the Yasmin Yoga 108 x 108 team page and join or sponsor the cause!

Did I miss anyone?

Lynn, are you still doing 36 minutes of daily exercise?

Nathalie?

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 20 - The Belly Soothing Salute

This sun salutation is dedicated to Bossa, whose sore belly inspired us to invent a special surya namaskar to support and improve the digestive system. This salutation features three great poses for digestion: the squat, the wind releasing pose and child's pose. I recommend practicing this salute slowly and hold those three poses for at least five breaths each.

(FYI, after doing about of the Belly Soothing Salutes, Bossa said she felt much better.)

*And thanks to Kayla, my manager's 13-year-old daughter for being the photographer on today's shoot. :)

Day 18 - Hello Sunshine!

Sometimes you go to bed upset and frustrated and then something magical happens over night while you're sleeping (even if you do dream about aliens surrounding planet earth in bubble wrap and suffocating its inhabitants), and you wake feeling really good.

Today, I am re-energized and happy and clear on what I want. I want this 108 x 108 to really make a difference in some way. I want to inspire people to do yoga in their own fabulously unique and personal way, because I really believe that everyone has a personal yoga style that is expressive of their individual creativity and needs. I want to raise a lot money and awareness for important non-profit organizations. (In May, as mentioned, I am supporting the Great Canadian Yoga Stretch Challenge to benefit the Canadian Institute for the Blind. And in June & July, I would like to raise money for the David Suzuki Foundation and the Stephen Lewis Foundation, two organizations close to my heart.)

I also want to have more fun with this project (sometimes I think I take my projects too seriously.) I want to do my sun salutations on a rooftop over looking the city, on a beach, with my best friends, with my awesome 1 year-old nephew Jackson, with my grandma and I want to do yoga bare naked outside in the forest, though not with my grandma.

In a consultation with my ayurvedic teacher and mentor Anita (Manu's wife) today, it became clear that in order to feel more grounded and stable, in need more organization and structure to reduce my Vata (wind/ mental turbulence). I agree. The problem is that I'm not a gifted organizer nor a good planner, but these are too things I am in desperate need of, if I want to succeed in my goal and if I want to stay sane. My challenge is figuring out how to prioritize my time and knowing what needs to be taken care of by me personally and what needs to be delegated. I have a hard time communicating what I need other people to do, because I'm not always sure myself. There's no better opportunity to figure this stuff out.

Anita suggested I spend a couple of hours on Sunday planning out the upcoming week on paper and then meeting with my staff on Monday to discuss what tasks they can accomplish on their own and what I need to do. She also said I need to eat and sleep at the same time everyday and to avoid teaching and practicing between 12pm and 2pm. This is what they call high Pita time and Pita consists of the fire elements. I need to eat, rest a little and do paper work at this time and practice before or after when it is more suitable. Now, I've told you about this, so now I have to do it. I'll report back in a few days to let you know how I'm coping with a schedule-- eeech. In the meantime, I welcome your organizational suggestions.

My practice was pleasant today: a few sun salutations outside in a patch of dandelions, more in my ashtanga class and 54 at my parents house. Towards the end of the practice I was getting bored (as you do sometimes when you repeat the same thing over and over and over) so I started to play a game I made up a few months ago to revitalize my surya namaskars. I call it the "Choose your own Salute," and it is today's sun salutation.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 18 - The Choose-your-own-Style Salute

There's really nothing complex about this sun salutation. First, write down a list of 12 descriptive words you like-- insightful, curious, joyful, creative, smooth, delicate, delicious, etc. Then, you do any variation of your sun salutation in way that expresses that adjective. For example, if you chose "stylish" as your word, then you must do your sun salutation stylishly. If you chose "elegant," then your sun salutation must be done elegantly, and so forth. This is a good way to see how emotions affect your movements.


(I ask Craig to shout out adjectives, which he usually does from another room while doing something else. Today, he was watching Vancouver lose against Chicago and after a little pleading, he agreed to play along and called out words like "bubbly, grandiose, thorough, and strongly." I used my childish creativity to figure out how to do my surya namaskars accordingly. I know it's a bit lame, but it keeps things fresh.)

Day 17 - "Yoga cannot make you fall down. Your mind makes you fall down."

"Mind is like the wind, all over the place," says Manu, our ayurveda and classical yoga teacher this morning.

I can't help feeling like he's talking directly to me. Then it is confirmed: "Yasmin, you have to focus. Go more slowly. More slowly. For one and a half hours here, you relax."

I'm trying, but I'm jumpy, anxious and thinking about 400 things all at once. Y)es, even though I'm a yoga teacher, I have days like this...) Today, my Vata (air, wind, space element), as they say in ayurveda, is through the roof and I can't pin point why, probably PMS stuff. It doesn't really matter. Right now, I am concentrating on my tree pose.

No problem with the eyes open, but the real practice then Manu says is to do the pose eyes closed. I last about five seconds balancing on my left leg and maybe three on the right. The second time, I can hold both sides a little longer, but I'm wiggling mercilessly. One woman complains that the posture is causing her to fall over. Manu quickly responds: "Yoga cannot make you fall down. Your mind makes you fall down."

He's right. I take a breath and try again. Then, I begin a conversation with myself, which goes a bit like this:

"Ok mind, settle down. We're closing our eyes. Focus on a picture. What picture? How about an elephant? It's stable and strong. What elephant? The frame cartoon elephant from the garage sale on Saturday. Why that one? I don't know. How about Craig's elephant tattoo?... Ok mind, now focus on Craig's tattoo... What angle? From the picture on his facebook? or..."

By this time, of course, I've fallen over. Now I'm frustrated, but thank God, Manu is ready to move on. We do a few more poses and Manu is teaching us the importance of bringing our awareness to specific chakras and organs as we practice.

The more attention you place on certain areas of the body, the more they will heal, he says. "Just like when you eat. The more slowly, you eat, with more attention, no books, no tv, the better food is for you and more taste it has."

Speaking of food, it's time for lunch. I'm starving and as much as I'd like to join my classmates for Indian, I need a wireless connection to send off some emails during the break.

I do feel a little better after the pranayama breathing exercises and the yoga, but then I loose my concentration and patience again over lunch doing exactly what I'm not supposed to do: using the computer while stuffing a veggie pate sandwich down my throat as fast as I can so I can finish designing a poster before 1pm.

I survive the rest of the afternoon painlessly. And upon returning home, I decide to bring my mat and Craig's camera to the mountain and practice my tree pose and sun salutations in nature.

It's a bit cold, but nice to be outside. I complete 36 more sun sals, take a few pictures for today's featured surya namaskar, the Tree Salute, and attempt a video with the self timer.

Surya Namaskar Recipe: Day 17 - The Tree Salute

(Cool, 17 official followers in 17 days! Thanks for the encouragement folks!)

Day 3 - First practice outside!

Woke up feeling under slept and a bit achy. I was supposed to teach a private yoga class at 8:30am in Westmount, so dragged myself out of bed at 6:30 in order to start my practice. However, upon receiving a text saying my student decided to play golf instead of yoga, I peeled off my leggings and crawled back into bed to sleep for an hour. But who was I kidding? I've never been good at sleeping in, let alone going back to sleep once I'm up. So, I lay there observing the imbalance in my right and left nasal passages and trying to remember which side of the brain is associated with which nostril -- if the left side of my nose is blocked, does it mean that my right hemisphere is more active or my left? After 30 minutes of mental list making and planning, I got up and started tackling a barrage of emails, which I've found is a great distraction when I'm not quite ready to start bending and twisting. Despite the computer side track, my first 36 were completed before I left my house.

Tuesdays I'm in school. I am studying to become an ayurvedic practitioner at le Centre Holistique d'Ayurveda with Anita Sharma. It's great. Anita is great. And I love the process of learning new healing techniques. (If you don't know about ayurveda, I've written a description of it below.) We started our classes with breathing and yoga. "Great, more breathing and yoga," I thought, considering the 72 sun sals left to do. But, Manu, Anita's husband, led a beautiful little practice that focused on different pranayams (breathing exercises) and joint mobility. Lot's of great stuff for older people and corporate desk bound people. (Message me, if you want some ideas of how to do yoga at your desk or on a chair. Manu inspired me.)

Driving home past the mountain this afternoon, I saw hundreds of lovely people gathering and hanging out in the park along Parc Ave, our Montreal beach without water. At first, I was set on practicing there with them, but I ended up going through the next 36 on my balcony while my neighbors blared new school Green Day. (Not my favourite tunes, but whatever.)

I'm still not done for today. I still have another 36, but I didn't want to rush, so I will do them before bed, promise.

As there's no video today, here's the break down of the Surya Namaskar Recipe for Day 3:

The Flying Cobra Salute
Look mom, no hands! This one is good for activating the muscles along the spine and strengthening the neck.

1- Standing in Mountain Pose at the top of the mat, INHALE, raise the arms over head (shoulders stay down)
2- Keeping the legs solid and knees unlocked, EXHALE, fold forward.
3- INHALE and lengthen the spine.
4- EXHALE, step back to plank pose like you are about to do a push up.
5- INHALE, pause.
6- EXHALE, slowly lower to the floor, and place the forehead to the floor.
7- INHALE and lift the forehead, chest and hands off the floor.
8- Hold here for two breaths. (Engage the back muscles by drawing the shoulder blades together, continue to look down and lengthen the neck on all sides.)
9- EXHALE, hands down beside your chest and tuck the toes under.
10- Pressing down through your palms, INHALE and lift up to all fours.
11- EXHALE, shift back to downward facing dog.
12- After two breaths in the down dog, INHALE, step, walk or jump your feet to the top of your mat and lengthen your spine parallel to the ground.
13- EXHALE, forward bend.
14- Press down through your feet and bend your knees a little to INHALE and rise to a standing position reaching your arms over head.
15- EXHALE, slowly lower your hands to your heart.

WHAT IS AYURVEDA?
Ayurveda is a healing science indigenous to India. It has been practiced as a medical system for more than 5000 years and is still highly effective and widely used. The word 'Ayurveda' is Sanskrit for 'science of life' or 'knowledge of life span.' The guiding principle of Ayurveda is to promote balance between the five natural elements of which all matter is composed. This elements are: earth, water, fire, air and space (ether). It is believed that the pairing of certain elements create three distinct energetic compositions or 'doshas' responsible for specific mental attributes and functions in the body. Each individual has a unique constitution that combines these doshas. Most people have one or two dominant doshas. Air and space make up the dosha Vata, fire and water create Pita, and the third dosha, Kapha, is composed of earth and water.