Five Points Yoga

Barrett's Blog

Archive for November, 2008

Thanksgiving Feast

Posted November 30th, 2008 | 5 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

 

We had a feast of lots of food and family and love over the past several days.   It’s been wonderful, and now, on Sunday, I’m curled up on the couch relaxing.

 

For Thanksgiving, I have this recipe that I always brag about, and people ask me for it.   Now that I have a blog, I thought this would be the best place to put it up.   This recipe came about because in general, I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 12.   So, I really wanted a wonderful main course meal on Thanksgiving after years of just eating the side dishes and not feeling very satisfied.   Hence, I present you with the:

 

HARVEST VEGETABLE TORTE

Based off of a Vegetarian Times 2001 recipe

 

Layers of mashed sweet potato, mushrooms and leeks, spinach and cheese all wrapped up in a scrumptious puff pastry.

 

2 large sweet potatoes (1 ½ pounds)

2 TBS butter

2 large eggs

2 TBS olive oil

¾ cup chopped leeks

12oz mushrooms

3 cloves garlic

2 TBS chopped fresh thyme, or ½ tsp. dried

15-oz container lowfat ricotta

2-4 oz feta cheese

2 10-oz. pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

¼ cup fresh dill

3 egg whites

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 package (17 ¼ oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed

Egg wash: 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tsp. water

Fresh herb sprigs for garnish (or extra puff pastry cut into shapes)

 

  1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes and boil until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain and then mash with butter, eggs, salt and pepper until smooth.  Set aside.
  2. Saute leeks until soft, and then add mushrooms and garlic.  Add thyme, salt and pepper at the end, and set aside.
  3. Mix ricotta cheese, feta cheese, spinach, dill, egg whites, red pepper flakes until well mixed. 
  4. Preheat oven to 375F.  Unfold one pastry sheet and place on lightly floured surface.   Roll out to a 14-inch square, then cut into a 14-inch circle.  Transfer to ungreased 81/2 or 9-inch springform pan and press gently to fit into bottom and side (there should be some overhang for folding over top of pie). 
  5. Spoon sweet potato mixture into pastry and pat into even layer.  Then top with mushroom and leeks, and then spinach mixture.   Fold pastry overhang on top.
  6. Roll out only slightly the second puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface, then cut into a 9 inch circle.  Place over top and press edges together to seal.  Brush top with egg wash, and then make a few simple slash on top of pastry with sharp knife.
  7. I like to add cut out hearts on top with the leftover edges of the first puff pastry.  
  8. Bake 35-40 minutes.  When well browned, loosely cover top with foil.   Reduce heat to 350F. Carefully remove side of pan and brush sides with egg wash. (If you don’t think the sides feel done, keep baking until they do). Bake until sides are golden, about 35-40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before cutting into wedges. 

 

Per serving: 445 cal. 14g protein; 24g fat (6g. saturated); 46g carbs; 5g fiber

 

 Here we are about to dig into the torte:

 

 

And here’s what it looks on the yummy inside:

 

 

My boyfriend is already trying to convince me that we should make this more than once a year.  I am holding fast that this is my Thanksgiving recipe, for once each year.  But it really is good…  

 

As for what this has to do with yoga – all I can say is that we’ll be doing a lot of yoga and exercise to counteract the effects of the past few days 🙂

Posted under Food

8 Basic Postures

Posted November 26th, 2008 | 1 Comment » | Bookmark and Share

 

I’ve been thinking about the most important yoga postures recently.  I love lists, so that’s part of it.   What would my list be?    Also, I recently read on yogajounal.com, Dharma Mittra’s list of the 8 most important postures.

 

He writes:

“Most important, there are eight basic poses I recommend that will give you everything you need for good physical health: Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend), Ardha Matsyandrasana (Half Lord of the Fish Pose), Maha Mudra (One Leg Back Stretch), and Siddhasana (Adept’s Pose). Practicing these postures daily will help bring self-control and radiant health and will destroy the suffering and ravages of old age.”

I always love this kind of language in yoga – “destroy” the toxins in the body, wipe out the “ravages” of old age, etc.   It’s dramatic, and I don’t usually write or think in such dramatic terms.   But I also think the effects of yoga can be dramatic, so I appreciate the force and the passion in the language.  Also, Dharma Mittra is an amazing, compassionate yogi, so I take what he says seriously! 

Interestingly, those 8 postures are not my 8!  In fact, I don’t really even practice some of the postures (Maha Mudra, classic Matsyasana).   It’s making me wonder what an experiment of practicing these eight for a week or two might feel like.  Would I notice the “self-control and radiant health?”   Seems worth a try!

I took a stab at making my own list of 8 most important postures.  I really came up more with groups of postures, rather than specific poses.  Is that cheating?   I don’t know J

8 Most Important (Groups of) Postures    

1.     Sun salutes – some kind of flowing sequence, for any age

2.     Standing postures – I’d choose Warriors and Triangle

3.     Balances – I’d choose Eagle, and any arm balance (Titibhasana is my current favorite – google it!)

4.     Inversions – I’d choose Legs up the Wall (Viparita Dandasana), Handstand, and Shoulderstand

5.     Backbends – I’d choose something belly down, like Bow; and Wheel

6.     Twists – I’d choose Easy Noose pose, and Half Lord of the Fishes, but lying down twists are good too

7.     Forward Bends – Baddha konasana is my favorite

8.     Savasana – my most important, I’m on a mission to have everyone practice Savasana!

I didn’t put it in here but I also try to consciously think of opening the hips and shoulders regularly (you know this if you practice with me!).   So I’d add pigeon and cow to my list if I could expand it.  I’m also thinking some kind of core strengthening is important regularly, although I don’t have a regular posture I do.   In general, a well-rounded yoga practice probably gives you a lot of core strength (especially entering into inversions and arm balances). 

 

It’s been fun to construct this list, because it’s making me think of the Odyssey, which is coming up in January.  I’m writing the home practice sequences now, and maybe I’ll have a home practice sequence that has a little bit of each of the above.   I think that could be interesting!

 

Speaking of the Odyssey, if you don’t know about it, read about the home practice course here.  I started the Odyssey a year ago, and it’s been wonderful!  Over 100 students have participated.  FYI, there’s an early bird discount for signing up by Dec. 15 ($30 until Dec. 15, $40 after). 

 

Let’s hear your favorite postures – ones that would make your top 10 (or 8, as the case may be).  

Posted under Yoga

Self Massage

Posted November 21st, 2008 | 4 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

 

As a complement to my yoga practice, I often do a bit of self massage.  Sometimes I teach this in class with tennis balls, but in my own practice, I use a bunch of other tools. I’m working on a workshop to teach these techniques because they’ve been so helpful for me.

 

Update on my hamstring tenderness:  I use a lot of self massage to relax my hamstring and help it feel better.   Also, it’s been going very well to just say a little something in class about how I’m protecting my hamstring.  I’ve been using other people to demonstrate a lot, instead of demonstrating myself.   Sometimes I will show something, but I definitely feel I’ve laid off of doing too much. 

 

I’m also being a little more diligent in my own practice to strengthen the hamstring, and not overdo the stretching.  I’ve been focusing on inversions and backbends now that it’s getting cold, so I can avoid overdoing the hamstring in both of those kinds of postures. 

 

Mostly, I’m self massaging and using Yamuna Body Rolling to stimulate healing.   Body rolling uses heavy duty plastic balls (about 8-10 inches in diameter) to help you roll from the origin to the insertion of a muscle.   This is the proper way to lengthen and release a muscle – not rolling back and forth on it.   So, I’ll start at the buttock of the hamstring, and slowly roll down to the back of my knee.   It’s pretty cool to feel the congestion in a muscle – the knots, the tender spots, etc.  My leg routine has been to do my hamstring, then my quadriceps (the opposing muscle), and then the side of the leg down the IT band (wowser!  That’s intense!).   You can use a foam roller for this leg work, but I like the balls because they’re more versatile for other parts of the body.

 

Even if you don’t know much about massage, if you have an injured area, just giving it some release by palpating it can be very helpful.  And if it’s an area you can’t reach, like your low back, using a tennis ball or foam roller can really help relax clenched muscles around your back.

 

I find this work to be a new frontier for me to eventually teach people, because it’s so much a part of my self-care routine.   Do any of you give yourself a massage regularly?  Or use tennis balls (which I pass out in class frequently) for self-care?   It’s interesting for me to know how intuitive and easy it is to practice this on your own. 

Posted under Health and Wellness, Personal Experiences

How You Walk Affects How you Feel

Posted November 19th, 2008 | 4 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

In high school, I remember seeing myself in a video and saw that I tended to stick my chin way out.   My neck was not aligned with the rest of my spine – I was very cerebral so I interpret my poor alignment to be a symptom that I was always leading with my brain and nothing else.   Also, in middle school, I remember someone pointing out to me that my dad and I walked the same way – with toes pointed way out.   They laughed and said we had a “duck” walk.

Over the years, these two memories stayed with me.   I was in theater in high school, and started practicing yoga quite seriously in college, and both of these disciplines helped me evolve in my posture.  I think I still have “bad” habits, including sticking my chin out and turning my toes out.  But not to the degree that I used to.   Best of all, I think just knowing this about myself has helped me learn a bit more about how to walk and carry myself.

I’ve been reflecting on this since I read this article in the NYTimes last week.   It’s about people curing chronic aches and pains from improper walking.   More and more yoga teachers, bodyworkers, chiropractors, and Alexander technique teachers can help you with this.

Anyone else resonate with this?   Have you learned something about the way you carry yourself from practicing yoga?  Have you changed your gait, or your stance, and found an improvement in the way you feel?  I’m curious!

Posted under Health and Wellness, Yoga Articles

Fall Yoga

Posted November 18th, 2008 | 3 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

I took this picture a few weeks ago, in Ithaca, NY.  These rocks were just irresistable 🙂   I was taking a hike, and stopped to do a quick photoshoot.  I want to go outside and practice now!

Posted under Health and Wellness, Yoga

Postpartum: Healing the Abdominals

Posted November 17th, 2008 | 1 Comment » | Bookmark and Share

My prenatal yoga teacher mentor, Colette Crawford, sends out a monthly newsletter.  In this month’s newsletter, she includes a small article about healing from a diastasis (separation of abdominal muscles in pregnancy).   Those of you who have taken  my postnatal class will find much of the information familiar, but it’s still very helpful to read and hear again.     

Here’s her article:

Preventing and Healing from a Diastasis
A diastasis is the separation of the first layer of abdominal muscles called the recti. These muscles overstretch from the growing uterus, and due to the softening hormones of pregnancy can pull away from the dark line below the naval called the linea negra.

A diastasis can also develop during the pushing stage of labor, especially from excessive breath holding during pushing.

To prevent a diastasis during pregnancy:

  • Avoid sitting straight up from a lying down position; instead roll to the side and sit up with the aid of your arms and hands pushing down.
  • Avoid bearing down and holding the breath when lifting something heavy or during elimination. When lifting stand close to the object, bend your knees, tilt the pelvis forward and lift with the strength of the legs.
  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink 8-10 glasses of water daily to promote elimination and avoid constipation.

Healing Poses After the Birth
These poses strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, free energy in the pelvis, and improve digestion and elimination.

Agni sara
Lie down, knees bent and feet hip width a part; place your hands on your lower belly. On exhale, contract anal and urethral sphincter (as if you are tying to stop urinating), lower abdominal and upper abdominal muscles, then release upper, lower and pelvic floor as you inhale.
Start with 10 rounds and over a period of a several weeks increase to 20+ rounds. Always do this on an empty stomach. Women should avoid this pose during menstruation.

Side-lying leg lifts
Lie on your right side with your head resting on your arm; bend the left knee bringing the left foot behind your right leg. Inhale lifting the right leg, foot flexed, no more than 12 inches from floor. Exhale extending the right leg away from you and down to the floor. Do this 10 to 20 times. Now bend your right knee and bring it towards the belly and straighten left leg, foot is flexed. Inhale raising the left leg up no more than 2 feet. Exhale, extend the leg out and down to the floor. Do this 10 to 20 times. Change sides.

Stirring the pot
Sit with your legs stretched out and hip-width apart. Interlace your fingers together as if you were holding a big stick. With your arms straight, exhale and bend forward, reach between your feet. Inhale over to the right and draw back as if you were stirring a large pot of soup. Move from the waist. Exhale and bend forward down the middle again. On the inhale swivel to the left and lean back as far as possible. This is one round. Do 5 to 10 rounds.

Posted under Postnatal Information

Homebirth in the News

Posted November 13th, 2008 | 2 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

I am a big fan of women and families having choices, options and alternatives throughout pregnancy, birth, and childraising.  That’s why it’s always bugged me that if the medical establishment  had its way, homebirth would be illegal everywhere in the US. It’s already illegal in several states for a midwife to attend a woman in labor at home – see mana.org (Midwives Alliance of North America) for more details.  FYI, for those of you in Massachusetts, it is alegal – meaning it is unregulated and there is no law for or against homebirth midwives practicing (although Mass Midwives want to change this and create a bipartisan regulatory board).

It’s heartening to read this front page news in the NYTimes about more women choosing home birth.   I think enough information is out there about women not being listened to in some hospital settings, and of the huge number of unnecessary interventions happening these days (I’ve written on this before here).

My sincere question is – if ACOG (the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and the AMA (American Medical Association) really want satisfied customers and good outcomes for healthy and happy babies *and* moms, why don’t they try to support homebirth with the best kind of backup support and communication between midwives and doctors? Instead, doctors are strongly discouraged from developing relationships with homebirth midwives.  Why don’t they try to establish a more nurturing atmosphere in the hospital so that more families are satisfied with their hospital birth experiences?  Instead, more often than not, women are pressured into following hospital protocol, and aren’t encouraged to question their care on anything – from the easy (do I have to wear a hospital gown – why can’t I give birth in my own clothes?) to the more complicated (why do you induce labor? when do you induce labor?  what are the many methods of induction?  what if I don’t choose to be induced?).    

Finally, it’s all well and good that ACOG says they support births in either a hospital or “accredited birth center on hospital grounds.”  But how many birth centers are left these days?   We had three in Massachusetts.  The Wellesley Birth Center closed abruptly a few years ago.  The North Shore Birth Center is about to close as we write (click here to get in on the consumer actions being taken to try and save the birth center).   Only the Cambridge Birth Center remains – which fills up months and months in advance.  The fact is, the climate exists where birth centers can’t operate freely – the owners/practitioners are scared out of business.  It’s only because of the homebirth midwives, who really are tenacious, amazing women who will not be silenced, intimidated or scared, that we still have a national conversation about a family’s rights in the birthing world. 

To all my wonderful prenatal and postnatal students, present, past and future: every birth is sacred.   On some level, I don’t care how or where someone gives birth (that’s only one part of the whole experience of pregnancy and parenthood). I only care that every mom and family feels respected, cared for, and informed.  I am supporting homebirth midwives, birth centers, and all other practitioners who are working for this same right to choose how you will bring your baby into the world. 

 

Posted under Local Interest, Postnatal Information, Prenatal Information, Yoga

Yikes – An Injury!

Posted November 12th, 2008 | 1 Comment » | Bookmark and Share

 

Writing yesterday about the science of stretching made me realize I have more to write about on a personal level.  For the past 4-5 months, I’ve been “aware” of my left hamstring, right at the origin where the hamstring connects to the sit bone (so, think at the bottom of the buttocks/top of the thigh).  

 

I am extremely flexible – partially, just naturally – and definitely because of a sustained yoga practice for the last 16 years.  I’ve never had a yoga injury, really never had any kind of an injury.  

 

Except that I got hit by a car 8 years ago.   I was walking in the crosswalk and the damn car hit me!   Thankfully, he’d started to slow down, so I wasn’t seriously injured (though, I’m still angry at bad drivers when I’m walking – my “pedestrian rage” is a post for another time though). 

 

At the time of the accident, I didn’t go for treatment – there was nothing really wrong.  But over the weeks, I realized my back was sore and it wasn’t going away.   After a visit to my regular doctor (useless), lots of chiropractic (marginally helpful), and lots of massage and yoga (tremendously helpful), I was back to normal.   Except I could feel a bump on the right sacro-iliac joint – scar tissue that had formed.    The bump is still there to this day. 

 

For years, I had no problem.   But then I started running, and I kind of overdid it. I did too much too fast (very common when people discover something new and challenging).  For the first time in 4 years, I felt my back again.   I was surprised – I didn’t think I had anything still in there.   I stopped running and it went away.   I started running again 6 months later – it came back.   This time I’d also just ended a long-term romance and that really seemed to compound the situation.   It took longer to sort out my back, and more treatment from bodyworkers.   I stopped doing backbends during this period of time, which in retrospect, was a mistake. 

 

Over the 4 years since these recurrences, I’ve felt my back off and on.  A flare-up always happened if I got overzealous in physical exercise, or if I had an emotional stress in my life.  It’s very interesting.  I’ve learned that my back is awesome and strong, and it also tells me what I need to know.  And I’ve been lucky that on the painscale, all of this has been pretty minor.  I haven’t ever been laid-up in bed, unable to teach or in a lot of pain. 

 

The hamstring is a new manifestation of this old injury.  It’s been telling me I’ve been overdoing certain parts of my yoga practice (leg stretches like triangle and straddle – things that typically feel really good) and underdoing other parts (leg strengthening, back bending).  Also, a big thing is that I’ve been demonstrating postures too haphazardly in class – just popping into a triangle as I’m talking about a certain aspect of the posture, for example. 

 

I’m consciously learning that I have to use other people to demonstrate.  I teach 15 sessions a week – it’s very demanding on my body, and I have to recognize that if this hamstring is going to stop nagging me, I’ve got to let it be when I teach.  I’m also realizing that it might help to “admit” this to students in class.  It’s hard, because it doesn’t really “hurt.”  I’m not really “injured.”  I want to demonstrate postures, because it makes it easier to teach.   I don’t want to talk about myself, because class is for the students, not for the teacher.  But I think I need to treat this as if I am injured, and be honest in order to model how to work with your limits in yoga practice.  Otherwise, it feels clear that it’s only going to get worse, not better.

 

I’ve gotten some good chiropractic to adjust my pelvis.   I continue to get massage on it, and self massage (more on this in a later post).   I’m working on changing my own practice.   Now you can help me by not letting me overdo it in class 🙂  

 

This has gotten long, so I’ll write more in a future post about what I’m doing to help this injury.  Lots of you have hamstring or other issues, and I’d like to write more about how to develop a therapeutic yoga session. 

 

Thanks everyone, for helping me with this latest “inquiry” into the power of yoga and the beauty of our body’s messages.  Even when they’re messages we’d rather not hear 🙂

 

Namaste,

 

Barrett

Posted under Health and Wellness, Personal Experiences, Yoga

Science of Stretching

Posted November 11th, 2008 | 4 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

 

This recent NYTimes article really has me thinking.   I’ve read lots of debates about stretching – when to do it, how to do it, how much is too much?  Though yoga is not stretching, flexibility is one of the things yoga is known for, and a definite physical benefit. 

 

Also, recently someone asked me to comment on their debate website.  The topic: Is yoga bad for you?  I was kind of shocked that the question was even framed that way, and so I’ve been pondering –  

 

Why is it that yoga works for so many of us, particularly on the physical level? 

 

(I’m also a big proponent of how good and necessary yoga is mentally, but for this post, I’m talking the physical benefits).  

 

The crux of the article discusses the difference between static stretching – reaching to hold your toes, for example, and staying in the stretch, unmoving for a period of time – and dynamic stretching.   Dynamic stretching is when you move and stretch.   Studies have shown that practicing static stretches before exercise or sports weakens the muscles – not a good idea when you want those muscles strong.   Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, seems to warm them up and help them work better for the workout ahead.

 

These dynamic stretches seem to be a lot like the beginning part of a vinyasa yoga class.  I think about the sun salutes – how they’re active and even lift some people’s heart rate even though we’re consciously breathing slowly.   And for those of you in my class, you know that we practice a lot of back and forth warmup movements with our breath at the beginning of the class.  

 

It’s important to note that this article doesn’t say static stretching is bad – rather, it’s good after a workout, for a cool down.   So, it makes sense that we save the longer asana holds for the end of yoga class.  

 

Again, I’m trying to relate what this article imparts about stretching with our yoga class to understand better why people find yoga so useful.   However, I’m also interested because many people ask me how to incorporate yoga into their workouts, and into their life.  And I’m also interested because yoga injuries aren’t uncommon, unfortunately.  And finally, I do live and teach in Boston, a very scientifically-oriented city, and people like to have “proof” that things work.   Including me, I guess.

 

What do you think?   Do you use yoga before or after you go for a run (or other physical exercise)?   Do you think it’s good to combine yoga and other activities, or is it better on its own?  

 

I’ll keep thinking about this as well – off to practice some dynamic stretches!

 

Namaste,

 

Barrett

Posted under Health and Wellness, Yoga, Yoga Articles

Thinking Outside the Box (of your Yoga Mat)

Posted November 6th, 2008 | 2 Comments » | Bookmark and Share

 

Sometimes I need to kickstart a sluggish practice.  Like today – I didn’t have a lot of time to practice, so I did what I know always works.  I put on some of my favorite yoga music (I have it set as a playlist), and just danced my way through some of my favorite yoga poses.  

 

I really rely on a couple key things to get me in yoga mode – and music is one of them.  Some of my favorites are:  Krishna Das, Wah!, Deva Premal, music compilations by Shiva Rea, and world music that isn’t yoga specific.

 

Now that it isn’t so hot outside (and it gets dark quickly), the other thing that can really make my practice meaningful is to light a candle before practice.   Not only is it visually stimulating, but can also smell great (if you have an essential oil candle or diffuser). Scents matter – in the summer when I don’t want to light a candle I spray a natural air freshener with essential oils – I like stimulating lemon!  Today I used soothing lavender essential oil in my diffuser. Candle lighting is a time-tested ritual for creating a meaningful moment.   Almost always I’ll light a candle for someone – often some of my students.   Today when I lit a candle, it was for a friend travelling into town and staying with me later tonight.    

 

How do you make your practice meaningful?  I encourage you to think outside of the box of your yoga mat to find a way to make some moments today that you’ll remember.

 

Namaste,

 

Barrett

 

Posted under Personal Experiences, Yoga

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