1. I’m headed to acupuncture this morning with all of your positive, encouraging comments in the back of my mind. (Thank you for those!) I’m ready to nip this month-long of bout of insomnia in the bud, as well as some other issues. Will report back.
2. Have you all tried guided meditations? Two that I really enjoy are by Belleruth Naparstek and these free ones from the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. You definitely need to find a voice that works for you!
3. I’ve found that I’m really good at researching and buying supplements, but never actually taking them. It’s ridiculous, actually. Right now, I’m taking a multi-vitamin, a co-enzyme B complex, probiotics, and vitamin D. What supplements do you take on a daily basis? I love chatting about supplements.
4. Need to be honest – I haven’t tried Ballet Beautiful yet. Going to do it this weekend. In the meantime, do you all have any recommendations for good yoga videos to do at home? I found a teacher I really love in my area, but unfortunately her class in smack dab in the middle of the day and it’s just not working with my schedule. Ultimate sad face. I saw this DVD and this DVD by Rodney Yee and they look intriguing…would love your input. (Also, YouTube videos would be great too.)
Wow, lots of questions for you all today. Thanks in advance and have a great weekend!
photo credit: leuk interieur advies
Maggie
July 12, 2013 at 8:43 amI can’t say enough about Vitamin D and sublingual B 12. They have changed my life. Really. I was really deficient and it’s like a cloud has lifted. Thinking about adding Omega Red which is supposed to be great too.
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:06 pmI’m seeing a naturopathic physician next week and am really interested to test my levels for possible deficiencies or out-of-whack hormones! Love hearing about lifechangers!
sarah
July 12, 2013 at 8:51 amyogatoday.com and yogavibes.com are both fantastic. I had only done yoga today dot com videos before taking my first class and was complemented by the teachers on how much I already knew. sage rountree is on yoga vibes & she is fab.
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:06 pmCan’t wait to check out, thanks!
clare
July 12, 2013 at 9:07 amI love pretty much every Rodney Yee DVD I’ve ever done, but this is my favorite: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Yoga-Collection-Rodney-Yee/dp/B0044CM7YC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_mov_1
The Slow Burn is relaxing but surprisingly challenging at the same time! I also LOVE the Power Yoga Total Body.
I also love this Tara Stiles yoga DVD with Brooklyn Decker, because the segments are shorter than a lot of yoga workout DVDs! http://www.amazon.com/Elle-Make-Better-Workout-Yoga/dp/B002ZVTSI2/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1373645210&sr=1-2&keywords=tara+stiles+brooklyn+decker
Sarah
July 12, 2013 at 9:25 amI often have trouble sleeping and tend to be anxious. A friend recommended a supplement called L-Theanine, which, according to the bottle I got at Whole Foods, “promotes mental relaxation without sleepiness.” I’ve found that if I’m feeling anxious, I take one and it helps me calm down (especially if I chase it with a double chamomile tea!). It doesn’t have any contraindications either, and it works within minutes. It especially helps when I wake up with my mind racing, and often I can get back to sleep after taking one.
Abi
July 12, 2013 at 9:49 amI am taking multi-vits, B12, and Biotin. My nails break so easily. After 2 weeks on Biotin, they were peeling less. Then I forgot to take them, and now I’m back to peelies all over the place. A friend swears by pre-natal vitamins even though she is not pregnant and not planning to get pregnant.
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:09 pmBack when I was a pharmaceutial rep and called on OB-GYNS, one (very wise) gynecologist told me that if I would regularly take a prenatal vitamin, I wouldn’t be plagued with abnormal paps (which I was at the time). She was totally right!
Blythe
July 12, 2013 at 9:56 amI own the am/pm DVD and like it. The workouts are short and fairly elementary but a good start. Rodney is not annoying and the setting/music is peaceful.
Sarah
July 12, 2013 at 10:27 amI think I’ll preface what I know will be a lengthy response with a big “You ask? I answer!”
1. Guided meditations: I highly recommend anything by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He’s a medical doctor at the University of Massachusetts. In a nutshell, he believes that meditation and traditional medicine work together. I read his book “Wherever you Go, There You Are” for a book club and I’d highly recommend that one. More than two years later I still flip through it. He sells guided meditation tapes and they are quite good, too. Some are available on YouTube – that might be good if you want to “try before you buy.”
Kabat-Zinn’s books: http://www.amazon.com/Jon-Kabat-Zinn/e/B000AQ12GA
A Guided Meditation by Zinn on YouTube: http://youtu.be/D5Fa50oj45s
2. For yoga at home, you might try YogaGlo. Pay a monthly fee and you can get access to well-made yoga videos. It’s good because there are many teachers and styles to choose from.
3. I like yoga DVDs that are straightforward, clear and not overly New Age-y. Rodney Yee is good for that and popular. I say you can’t go wrong with his videos. Others I really like:
– Patricia Walden. Search for her videos on http://www.gaiamtv.com – she has a video w/ Yee, too.
– Beryl Bender Birch. Her Power Yoga video is 10 years old but still solid. She’s considered one of THE pioneers of power yoga but her teaching style is approachable, and not at all “Hey, look at me be all Cirque de Soleil with my foot behind my head.” Her videos are here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006I4XS)
Her yoga books are excellent, too, if you’re into books about yoga poses and how to practice them.
3. I know this might raise some eyebrows, but hear me out. I swear by this next suggestion: Diamond Dallas Yoga. He’s a former WWE wrestler who makes truly fantastic yoga videos. Guys in particular like them; I recommend them to men who tell me they want to try yoga but can’t bear to walk into a yoga studio because the vibe is too flaky or silly for them. DDP Yoga is well done – safe, effective, good sequences that are athletic, not prissy. I like them. :)
I want to point out I don’t work for any of these people or companies…yoga’s just a hobby for me and I’ve collected lots of good stuff over the years and simply wanted to share. :)
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:09 pmYou always give me such thoughtful advice. Thanks, Sarah!
Elizabeth Soh
July 12, 2013 at 10:28 amYogaglo.com! There is a free trial so you can try it out. The best part is that there are many different teachers and styles so you’re sure to find a few that you like. I can’t recommend it enough. (Plus, at $18/month, it’s literally the same price as *one* drop-in class in my city.)
Ashley S
July 12, 2013 at 11:01 amI was going to say Yogaglo.com too! I love it! So many choices and varieties. Many different Yogis and it’s all super affordable. I also love Fitnessglo.com for daily workouts.
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:10 pmGuess what I’m doing today? Researching Yogaglo, YogaToday and Yogavibes. I must say, I am really enjoying the beginner series and all the search options on Yogaglo!
Chloe
July 12, 2013 at 10:57 amyou can take online yoga classes (or pilates, or zumba, etc.) from so many cool studios across the US!
laura g
July 12, 2013 at 11:03 amSo I’m a huge fan of vitamin D and omega 3s. But I just read this NYTs piece by Dr Offit and so I’m a tad more nervous about vitamins http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0 also, a study just came out saying omega vitamins are associated with prostate cancer. which, obviously not my concern, but I pushed them on my husband and now I’m like, oh, hey on second thought…derp.
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:11 pmAlways in the back of mind! Makes me wonder…
Elizabeth
July 12, 2013 at 12:14 pmAs far as supplements/insomnia go, one thing that has really helped me sleep better is Evening Primrose Oil (Barleans brand, 2 capsules about 2 hours before bed).
(I think I remember you posting about hormone balance issues awhile back too, and Evening Primrose Oil helps with those too.)
I’ve also suffered from some pretty awful bouts of insomnia, almost all of mine have been caused by some sort of hormonal imbalance. Usually resulting from being put on a crappy BCP.
I also tried acupuncture with great success. It took about 6 weeks to start feeling improvements, and I kept up weekly sessions for about 4 months.
Hopefully you start feeling better soon!
whoorl
July 12, 2013 at 1:11 pmIt’s been sitting in my cabinet for months…thanks for reminding me!
Liz
July 12, 2013 at 1:06 pmI tried a Ballet Beautiful blast on YouTube two days ago (15 min) and my lower legs are so achy and sore. I am having gym burnout so I definitely think i’m going to order it to change up my workouts. I don’t know if I was doing it right or not, because I could not make it though all 5 sets without some breaks, but something got worked because I am SORE.
Anna
July 12, 2013 at 1:25 pmI’ve done Rodney Yee’s videos for years. Literally. As in, I have VHS tapes of his stuff from like 1999 because I’m cool like that. He’s my favorite yoga instructor because the word pictures he paints are so helpful to me. I can truly close my eyes or just concentrate on my body and listen without having to gape and squint at the TV. I highly recommend them!
Tracy D
July 12, 2013 at 5:15 pmCheck out YogaGlo.com – it’s $18/mo for a subscription and you can take any of their classes online at any time and however many times you want. I really enjoy instructor Kathryn Budig.
Lindsey G
July 13, 2013 at 12:04 amAfter a year of arrythmias I finally saw a naturopath, I did ALL the tests including the Heavy Metals (rock on) and it was facinating, I learned that everything that I was deficient in hadnt changed in YEARS, but the fact remained that I couldn’t hide behind lab results that clearly showed, malnutrition. Ya, Ms. I eat organic, who works her fingers to the bone fueled on java and skips meals. I hate taking supplements, in fact crap, I forgot tonights handful. My suggestion get a organizer with days of the week and set it by the french press. :D I would start with caffeine and check for signs of perimenopause if I was having bouts of insomnia. My doc was very particular about doing the blood work for the hormones on CD 21, something to mention to your doc. Although I think my hormones are def in flux, the report showed good levels, but what you are seeing is a “snap shot” of one day and the fact remains perimenopause is not a constant thing, we are fluctuating until the last day before our childbearing years are done and menopause happens. But you are so young, I would think there is something else going on, what about your thyroid? and if you are undergoing chronic stress, then guess what your adrenals are stressed and if they are taxed they aren’t working properly with the other glands (pituitary and hypothalamus)that help regulate the hormones.best advice I got? Take care of the ADRENALS so they can better support your ovaries when they start to slow down and create less estrogen. Hope that helps, we are all in this together. (PS keep up the meditation, study shoes that even if you just “think” you are getting better your mind starts doing things to make that thought a reality! Read SuperBrain by Deepak Chopra // Any book by Dr. Amen // Women Code Alisa Viti http://www.amazon.com/dp/0062130773