Expressions of Health Blog
YOGA ON THE BEACH – FREE!!
WHEN: Saturday, July 23 @ 7:00 a.m.
WHERE: Oscoda Beach Park
WHAT: A 45-minute beach yoga class geared to beginners but open to all ages and fitness levels. And all are welcome to stick around and join us afterward for some fun water and beach exercises!
WHO: Open to the entire community
WHAT TO BRING: Friends, family, a towel, a smile, and lots of enthusiasm!
****Donations will be accepted for the Loaves and Fishes community lunch program and the Oscoda Kids Backpack program****
A Wonderful Testimonial
Dear Martha and Jeff,
I am writing to thank you both for doing such a wonderful job of teaching yoga to a beginner like myself. I remember my initial difficulty with cat/cow pose – I appreciate your patience. Each class I received a warm welcome. The atmosphere put me at ease. After each class I went away feeling so much better than when I arrived. You not only teach, you inspire! Thanks again, Linda C. (02/28/2011)
“Faith Fitness” classes in Oscoda!
Martha and Jeff Gottlieb, owners of Expressions of Health, are introducing a new Faith Fitness class that is available to the entire community. Faith Fitness is a fun exercise class inspired by, and set to, contemporary Christian music. The class includes simple moves to elevate heart rates, strengthen and tone muscles, and enhance balance and flexibility. The length of the class is about 60 minutes and is appropriate for all ages, from first-timers to seasoned exercisers.
No Excuses!
This comes from our friend Porsche Fischer, founder of Lifesource Yoga in northern Ohio. We thank her and hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
The most common excuses for avoiding yoga are “I’m not flexible”, “I’m too old”, or “I’m out-of-shape”, to which the obvious reply is “Well, that’s exactly WHY you need to come to yoga!”.
The ability to practice yoga is not determined by the size and shape of your body, any more than it is determined by your race, gender, or income. Just as it’s not how much money you have that matters, in the end it’s what you do with that money that counts, it’s not what your body looks like that matters, in the end – it’s what you do with your body that counts.
The journey of yoga starts with a single step and can last a lifetime. The first step is to start taking better care of yourself. Every time you come to yoga you get stronger, calmer, and a little bit more flexible. The true power of yoga is in the realization that these physical accomplishments on your mat do translate to an increase in emotional self-confidence off of your mat. The respect and acceptance you develop for your body during yoga will eventually lead to an increase in the amount of respect and acceptance you have for yourself and others off of your yoga mat. Stop judging yourself and you will stop judging others. Stop judging others and you will become calmer, more relaxed, and happier. You really DO deserve to be happy. No more excuses, take the first step.
A Fresh New Garden
Spring has sprung! Consider planting a special kind of garden…
Plant three rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
Plant four rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
Plant four rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be obedient
Lettuce really love one another
No garden is complete without turnips:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
We must have thyme:
Thyme for God
Thyme for study
Thyme for prayer
Water with patience and fertilize with love. There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.
Stress Less, Weigh Less!
Reduced stress may actually aid in weight loss. How? In response to stress, levels of the hormone cortisol rise; for people who continue to worry, those levels can stay high. Elevated cortisol levels not only stimulate eating, they ensure that additional calories are efficiently converted to fat. Worse, under the influence of cortisol, that fat tends to get deposited in the abdomen, a particularly unhealthy place. Large bellies are linked to insulin resistance—a precursor to Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes—and heart disease. By combating stress, you can help normalize cortisol levels.
A few simple ways to combat stress at work is to change your working position frequently, initiate deep breathing, take a quick walk around the building, drink water, and stretch…to name just a few.
Oh, and there’s always yoga, reflexology, and reiki available at Expressions of Health!!