Fun with YOGA

 

Yoga Yoga and I have a love/hate relationship.  I don't get excited to do yoga, but once it's over I feel great.  Do you feel the same way about yoga?  Do you feel like you have to be uber flexible to do it?  Are you intimidated to be in groups while doing practicing yoga?  I had ALL the same questions.   What I do know is that yoga can be an excellent, low impact way to exercise.  It will strengthen and stretch muscles you didn't realize you had.  ;) I absolutely love doing yoga at home.  All you need is a mat and way to access YouTube.  And it's free.  It's also fun to do with your kids.

Yoga by Adriene If you've never heard of Yoga by Adriene you are MISSING OUT!  She has some AMAZING 30 day challenges and she is always adding to her collection.   She is so relaxing to listen to and she is great for all skill levels.  You can access her HERE.   I have done many of her challenges and always feel a huge improvement by the end of each one.  If you are a dog lover, you're gonna love Benji.   Prenatal Yoga Gail Tully from Spinning Babies and Sarah Longacre from Blooma Yoga have done a very fun video for Prenatal Yoga.  You can purchase a digital copy HERE or you can purchase a CD of it at my office for $10 plus tax.  These two women have been a HUGE asset to prenatal care and BOTH are from the Twin Cities area.  How lucky are we?

Making sure our babies get an EXCELLENT neck curve.

 

Tummy Time Tummy time is crucial for infant spinal curvature development.  When a baby is on their tummy it forces them to lift their head which promotes their cervical (neck) curvature.  Then when they are strong enough, they are able to push up their upper half of their body and develop their lumbar (lower back) curvature.   The curves in your spine are SOOOO important.  They are the shock absorption for your spine.   Tummy time is also crucial for many brain functions.  I could go on and on about how important it is.  I will just list a few of my favorite reasons why:  1. Curvature development 2.  Horizontal eye tracking 3.  Muscle development for crawling   4.  Hind brain development

baby bare This book written by Stephanie Johnson is one of the BEST books for new parents.  It would be an excellent gift to any expecting mom.  The book goes into great detail the developmental stages of infants and how to do SIMPLE things to encourage better curvature and brain development.  It is easy to read and so knowledgeable.  To order or check out her website you can click HERE Cervical curves Our cervical curve is so important.  When we jut our heads forward (forward head carriage) we slowly lose our cervical curve.  It also requires our neck and upper back muscles to continuously carry our heavy head.  It would be like carrying a bowling ball with our outstretched arms instead of up close to our body.  It is SOOOO much work and a major cause of tension headaches.

Reducing chemicals, clutter, and overwhelm in your home.

 

Reduce Chemicals in your Home This topic is so big and so overwhelming.  When it comes to reducing chemicals in your home I suggest starting with one thing and then adding to it.  It can be anything from what you put on your body, in your hair, or what you use to clean your countertops or wash your clothes.   One small way you can help is by taking your shoes off at the door.  That way you don't track in what you walked through all day.   What are some ways you have changed what you use in your home?  I would LOVE to hear!

Cleaning your home Decluttering is a great way to make your life easier when it comes to cleaning.  Everything we own needs to be cleaned, organized, and taken care of.  If we have less things there is less to clean.  Essential Oils Essential oils can be a great way to clean your house!  Above are some examples for you!  Dr. Felicia does sell DoTerra oils at her office.  Ask her if you have any questions!

Eggs, eggs and MORE eggs!

 

EGGS Did you know that eggs are GOOD for you?  For so many years eggs got a bad wrap because we assumed that eating eggs would increase the cholesterol in your body.  It is simply not true.  Egg whites actually have an enzyme called lysozyme.  It serves as an antimicrobial agent in foods.  Which means it breaks down and destroys bacteria.  Isn't that AMAZING!  Not only are the egg whites good for you but egg yolks are rich in folate and vitamin B12. Egg yolks contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine, which help protect the eyes from age-related macular degeneration. The yolk is also high in tryptophan and tyrosine, and amino acids that help prevent heart disease. Soooo feel free to eat eggs.  They are an excellent source of protein and many other nutrients.    How do you like your eggs done?

Deviled Eggs If you would like an easy recipe to deviled eggs click HERE.  My kids LOVE deviled eggs and they are a quick way to eat up all the hard boiled eggs in our house.   Hard Boiled Eggs  Even though hard boiled eggs SEEMS like an easy recipe it is hard to get them to come out perfectly and easy to peel.  Try THIS RECIPE and let me know how they turned out!

Apple Cider Vinegar

 

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR Apple cider vinegar has MANY health benefits.  Some of them are:  Aiding in Weight Loss Skin Care and yeast infection treatment Acid reflux treatment Silky hair ACV used to be what MD's gave their patients for many ailments.  I am making it part of my routine now, but for YEARS I would put ACV in my water when someone in my house had a stomach virus and sip on it all day long.  I rarely, maybe never, got the virus.

ACV Book This is a great book if you are looking for more information about Apple Cider Vinegar.  I put the link HERE to purchase on amazon.   Stomach pH Did you know that our stomach acid pH is supposed to be between 1.5-2.5.  That is AMAZING because that is a VERY strong acid.  We NEED it that way to help break down foods and kill bacteria and viruses.  A great way to help aid our stomach is to consume ACV.  I add mine to tea with honey.  It tastes better than you think!  Make sure it a homemade or organic ACV.

What can you use for massaging your infant?

 

Infant Massage Massaging an infant is good for the baby and the one giving the massage.  Babies NEED touch.  They THRIVE with touch.  Studies have shown that when a baby is neglected of touch it causes failure to thrive.   There are so many ways you can massage a baby.  I would highly recommend light touch to start and work to medium light if the baby seems to be enjoying it.  You can start at their feet and work your way up their legs.  Then massage the belly in a clockwise circle.  This will help with bowel elimination and gas issues.   The best time to massage a baby is during the non-fussy times of the day.  For most that can be right after a bath which is a perfect time to get oils on the baby's skin too.   Have fun interacting with your sweet babies.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me!

Coconut Oil Coconut oil can be an excellent source for oil during your infant massage.  (There are rare times when someone can be allergic to coconut oil so test in a small area before you try all over the body) Essential oils You can add some essential oils to your coconut oil to make the massage even more relaxing or to help stimulate things such as a bowel movement.  If you are not sure which are safe or not please contact Dr. Felicia and she can help!  She sells DoTerra essential oils at the office.