Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Well aside from the fact that pumpkins are fun to carve and make scary faces out of, pumpkins signal the start of the holiday season! Fall sweaters, warm soups, new boots, pumpkin spice – these things just go together. But perhaps more importantly, pumpkin is a health foodies dream. Filled with fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins, the flesh of the pumpkin is a delicious sweet treat that has transformed many of our favorite food groups. Be sure to try our Pumpkin Spiced Waffles and leave us a comment below. Are you pumped for pumpkin season like we are? Any pumpkin recipe requests?

Sun Salutations are about worshipping the sun and activating the solar energy in the body. Consisting of 12 yoga poses (Hatha Yoga) requiring the practitioner to move from one pose to another in a rhythmic fashion in order to reap the benefits. Although this series can be practiced at any time of the day, the benefits of Sun Salutations increase when practiced in the morning in front of the sun.

A study titled 'Treating Major Depression With Yoga: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial' published in PLOS ONE Journal earlier this year. It was completed by a group of scientists from the University of California, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University. The main purpose of the study was to examine how an 8-week hatha yoga intervention impacted people with mild to major depression. To achieve this purpose, the researchers recruited 38 adults who were diagnosed with depression. According to the results, the group who practiced yoga during the study period exhibited a considerable decline in depression scores than the group who did not. The decline was statistically and clinically significant, so the study concluded that the yoga intervention can serve as a tool for reducing depression severity.

So, I bet you have some person in your life who has a blessed, abundant life but still runs around like a worry-wort victim, right? You also have inspiring examples of people in the worst situations who maintain grace and love and gratitude despite their circumstances. What’s the difference between the two types of people? The second type of person – let’s use Nelson Mandela as an example – gets that our stress and suffering levels correspond to our attitudes around our external circumstances, rather than the circumstances themselves. They take responsibility for their peace of mind, knowing that it can never be controlled by other people or external situations. Stress and suffering come from the stories we create from our circumstances. We dwell on the past with regret and shame. We project into the future with anxiety and worry. We are disconnected from the present moment, which, in reality, most likely holds much to be grateful and joyful about.

Transitions are part of life and the change of seasons is a perfect time to focus on transitions and transform your life. When we tap into the essence of the season and align ourselves with nature, we can create lasting change. Now that you’re in week two of the YogaDownload.com Pre-Holiday Challenge, we hope you’re feeling stronger and determined to stay the course.

I'm intrigued by people who've been able to reduce their yearly waste to just a bag or two of trash. Even though our circumstances have had us without a garden for a couple of years, I've composted for more than two decades. But the idea of being so completely aware of every single thing I touch in a day and determining how much to reduce, reuse, recycle is astounding to me. The three Rs of environmentalism have become a mantra of sorts for me. I figure if I can keep it on repeat in my brain the actions will become second nature. Where to start? Let's take them in reverse order...

Detox tea. It sounds so scary! Like the tea is going to taste terrible and leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. And do a number on your digestive system. But this one won't. It's a gentle detoxifier - great for counteracting a late night out, food splurges, detox cleanses, or upset tummies. Or even just drink it because it's tasty and good for you.

Do you love the holidays? The extra time to spend with family and friends? The opportunity to relax and spend a little extra time on the couch in your pajamas? Or, the time when you travel the world and explore? If you know you won’t be following your usual routine, we’ve got the perfect no-guilt solution. Welcome to our Pre-Holiday 21-Day Feel Good Challenge. Just before the holidays is the perfect time to implement changes, to align with nature and adjust to different schedules. Beginning a new program requires discipline, commitment and willpower, all key elements to a strong personal practice. Cultivate the principle of Tapas and jump in with us.

Whether it’s from concern for the environment, their health, or both, shoppers are choosing organic foods and foods made without using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The upsurge in popularity of these two categories has helped organic foods become one of the quickest-growing sectors of food production in the United States. For anyone who has an interest in what goes into the food they eat, walking up and down the aisles of the grocery store today reveals a rising number of options. Not only do foods carry the familiar nutritional facts labels mandated by the FDA, but they also bear the symbols of organizations that certify organic food products as well as non-GMO food products. Even if these foods are distinctively labeled, there still may be some misconception about what those labels mean.

The mechanics of the knee is imposing! Its hinge structure and the performance it delivers will forever be difficult replicating. The knee joint is a typical synovial joint with the accompanying fluid for improved lubrication and protection of the adjoining parts. Here are 4 poses to also help strengthen your knees.

When someone completely new to yoga looks at Instagram photos, they might get confused. Is yoga all about handstands and backbends? There should be something more to it. When they do a brief research, they get even more confused. There are too many types of yoga, and all of them are quite different from one another. According to the Eastern approach to understanding human nature, each one of us has a unique personality and temperament. It’s no wonder why yoga has taken so many forms. It constantly evolves, and that’s a good thing. Since there are so many types of yoga, everyone can find a method that suits them. We’ll list few important types of yoga, so you’ll distinguish them and decide: which one suits you best?

“Stack your spine”, “Square your hips”, “Rotate your shoulder blades”, “Engage your core” - Do these sounds familiar but hard to comprehend? You are definitely not alone. Go deeper into this article to demystify and decode alignment cues used during your practice.

One of the greatest lessons of yoga is discovering the profound connection between your physical and emotional bodies. The physical benefits like looser hamstrings and stronger shoulders appear more quickly, but the benefits to your subtle body and emotional health are more profound. Shift your focus inside to attain the full benefits of yoga.

We have a confession. Sometimes we get into a monotonous rut with our yoga practice. Sometimes, with our daily habits. Heck, sometimes we eat the same breakfast every day for, well, forever. That’s all well and good to establish healthy habits, but sometimes repeating the same routines day after day can become rote, automatic, and even a little boring. Do you gravitate to the same classes day after day? Avoid postures you don’t like?

This salad definitely packs its own nutrient-rich punch. First, let's talk bacteria. Don't worry. It's the good kind! Over the past couple of years, I have been reading up on benefits of gut health. Though I've long known that probiotics are beneficial to the gut, I figured that yogurt and expensive probiotic pills were the only way to go. Soon, I became hip to additional foods that can improve gut health.

In the post-lineage void of the current yoga scene, conversations around safety and improving the quality of yoga teacher-training often turn to biomechanics for solutions. However, replacing one arbitrary imposition on our bodies with another does not address the real issues. Fostering safer spaces for practice, or creating any sort of positive change in our bodies, will likely require new understanding based on a broader range of possibilities and ideas.

The Virgo new moon on September 20, 2017, brings with it the opportunity for us to resolve the thing that most holds us back: our core wounds. Each of us has buried within the shadow of our psyche a core wound that holds us back, keeps us playing small, and prevents us from realizing our full potential.

This week, we’re thrilled to introduce a new series of classes + program from YogaDownload superstar teacher, Kristin Gibowicz, that marry ancient wisdom with your daily life. Everyday Yamas will guide you through the five Yamas in an accessible way.

Let’s get real about fear. Fear has been on my mind and in my heart. All the ways in which we experience fear, are taught to deal with (or avoid) fear, false expectations around fearlessness, and so much more. I’ve been holding hands with fear a lot lately. Sometimes it’s a firm, solid hand hold, and sometimes it feels like fear is trying to break my fingers and crush my hand. It’s so interesting being a human. I’ve tried so many different things to get rid of fear- avoiding it, seeking it out, making choices based on it or in spite of it, saying a lot of positive affirmations, focusing on love and light, pretending it doesn’t exist- you name it, I’ve tried it.

Good for boosting brain health, combating effects of aging, low on the glycemic index and high in fiber, blueberries are a superfood with a far-reaching benefits. This time of year, fresh blueberries make a great snack, but we love them year-round in our smoothies, and in today’s decadent but guilt-free, gluten-free, dairy-free pie.

"Your strength is in your calmness, in the clarity for your mind. Strength comes from putting the negative aside without reacting. Win in calmness, in consciousness, in balance."

Alignment is a buzz word these days in the yoga world. Since more and more people are practicing yoga, and more people are speaking out about how yoga has injured them in the past, instructors and practitioners alike are concerned about safety. And that’s a good thing. But for all the talk about alignment as it refers to the body, what about the alignment of our thoughts, decisions, and actions?

Using nut butter is a great way to make sure you're getting your fill of healthy fats every day. This recipe not only uses peanut butter, or your choice of nut butter but it also incorporates coconut oil and almonds among other great sources of good fats! And oh my god, are they delicious!

September is National Yoga Month, and if you’ve been curious about how this ancient practice can benefit your modern life, it’s the perfect time to put away excuses. There are a lot of reasons people think they can’t do yoga - and every single one is ridiculous. So we’re debunking the most popular excuses, and offering a special beginner’s bundle that proves yoga is really for every body.

As I’m approaching 30, I often find myself pondering on living authentically. What does being authentic mean? How do I know if the life I’m leading is authentic? Am I happy with the person I’ve become? Finally, is authenticity overrated? And if you’re anything like me, your train of thought may be similar.