by Jasmine | Mar 9, 2018 | Yoga Therapy
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’ve invited three strong and vibrant women to share their thoughts on one of our go-to mindfulness quotes this year from @Beautyesque: “Everything is a catalyst for growth and evolution if you choose to go deep and see the lessons, triggers and blessings at the same loving frequency.” Do you have a go-to quote that inspires you and keeps you warm at night? Send it our way and get featured!
It’s almost springtime which means all of the stuff that’s been underground and trapped near the root is finally coming to bloom. The growth of the flower that has been slowly brewing beneath the surface is poking its head out and ready to say hello to the world. For the rest of us, growth is a bit more complicated and doesn’t always look as pretty as a bud or dewy leaf. Sometimes growth is ugly and scary and actually feels a lot like suffering … ugh!
But this year, my intention is to see the growth possible in every situations including the wonderful and brutal lessons that I learn the hard way like getting so burned out that I get Shingles, oversleep and miss one of my teaching gigs. Or like when I did some great networking – really clicking with fellow-yogi gals – at an event but then they never responded to my follow-up emails. Am I not cool or something? But there is growth there! And it’s not about me “taking a hint” that I might not be cool – I’ll make up my own mind about that. It’s about me saying, “why does it bother me that they didn’t respond, what am I attaching to that and how can let go of that old pattern of thinking that their non-response is a verdict on my life.” And why the hell am I not focusing on the four other people who did respond back? These are the things I can make choices about.
I am choosing to see the underlying triggers and patterns (overdoing it, assigning value to how others react to me) waiting to be broken and loving them just as I love the hugs from my client after a break-through session. It’s my choice and I hope you join me and choose it too. See why these ladies agree.
1. Melitta Johnson (Yoga Instructor, Mental Health Wellness Advocate and Mother): “Everything is a catalyst for growth and evolution.” That’s deep and it’s true if you are open to the experiences that life offers. Today, I live life without regret, using every experience as an opportunity for growth. However, there was a time in my life where I felt like I didn’t have much control over the things that occurred, which made me feel vulnerable about what was to come in the future and the blessings that would manifest as a result of the lessons. I was closed off to new experiences due to fear. People died. Dreams chattered. Life withered away.
But then the season changed. The storm passed, it seemed. I began to see the light. Purpose came from the people that died and the dreams that shattered. Life didn’t wither away. Life marched on better than ever, but not because things were on the up and up, but because I chose to take life’s experience with me and pack them in my toolbox to create the blessings of love, kindness and happiness for myself and for others. I’m heading into the unknown future with all of these lessons and a full toolbox that will just keep getting bigger. That’s Evolution.
When I made the conscious decision to recommit my life to yoga, I didn’t fully understand what that commitment meant. In the past, I’d start practicing and then I’d stop practicing for various reasons. This time around around, I began my practice and kept going, full steam ahead. I practice daily, but my daily practice isn’t always 1-2 hours long. It varies. At times I practice for 2 hours and other times I practice for 10 minutes. The key is daily mindful movement … daily growth.
About a year ago, I started to capture my yoga back and share via social media. Every time I look back at a photo, it’s so amazing to see the subtle ways I’ve grown without even being aware. I recently looked back at a photo from January 2017 while I was in Ardha Navasana (half-boat pose) and I remember thinking about how much I struggled to lift my legs and smile as my abs were shaking profusely. I remember trying desperately to straighten my knees, but it didn’t happen that day and how it felt like a defeat.
Fast forward a year to January 2018, I sat gently on the 
moist grass, slowly raised my feet into the air (with bent knees first) and then straightened my knees – I did it! Navasana! This “win” didn’t occur overnight but bit-by-bit with steady moments of growth. It is my daily dedicated yoga practice – sometimes easy, sometimes hard – that made the difference. While there is still much room for improvement, I will celebrate progress and evolution as it occurs and find the treasures in the shaking abs, bent knees and everything in between.
Melitta Johnson is a RYS-200 Yoga Instructor, Wellness Advocate and Founder of the Elgin Foundation for Mental Health Wellness. She lives in Carson, California with her three children and husband. Follow her on Instragram @beewellwithmel or learn more about her in her ROOT Hero Story.
2. Kat McGee (Yoga Instructor, Life Coach): “Everything is a catalyst for growth and evolution.” When I read this what comes to mind immediately is the Bodhisattva Prayer – the prayer of the awakening being which says: “May everything that’s happening now serve the awakening of my heart and mind”. I appreciate the simplicity of this thought and it also directs me towards the reality that sometimes we need some support to embrace an idea like this.
Logically we can know things to be true and yet, in the heat of the human fire, it may not feel readily accessible. We may even read something like this and if we are feeling really raw think, “Yeah, well fuck you positive, pearly thought about seeing this life crushing situation from the frequency of love.” (Insert laughter because yes, that is how it can feel). This is why the Bodhisattva Prayer comes to mind; it’s a request for support when our highest awareness isn’t so readily available.
Just this past holiday between the week of Christmas and New Years, my partner and I separated and I made a major move, with literally all of my belongings, by myself on Christmas day while sleeping at a friends guest space, still working with my own clients and traveling over the holidays.
Even though I made the right decision, all of the human fears, emotions and intense levels of stress were there. And even though I felt equipped and empowered to do what I needed to do, I was still fully broken-hearted and having to honestly hold those feelings.
During that and many other challenging times, the view point of Truth was there but the frequency of unconditional love wasn’t always available, nor realistic as it often isn’t when we are mourning loss. But the gentle request of the Boddhisattva prayer: “May everything that’s happening now serve the awakening of my heart and mind”, the supportive frequency of that request that says, even though I can’t see it in this instance, I genuinely want to see and love and fully awaken; that allowed me to remain in the frequency of peace, until I was on the other side of the challenge enough to return to the frequency of love.
Kat McGee is reputed as one of the most progressive yoga teachers and coaches on the West Coast. Formally trained while living in India under the guidance of Swami Vishveketu and currently serving as a Lululemon Ambassador, she has over 1000 hours of training and is an ERYT-500 Instructor. Kat’s approach to yogic arts is physically stimulating and ultimately heart centered. Catch her at Soulspace in Malibu or follow her on Instagram @katmcgeeyoga.
3. Ariana Proehl (Practicing Yogi): Everything is a catalyst for growth and evolution. This makes me think about one of Oprah’s gems about remembering that things aren’t happening to you, but rather for you. Whether it’s a glory moment or a struggle moment.
Now I can’t honestly say that I always approach things with the same loving frequency. I can be judgmental, and I’m the worst judge against myself. I compare myself to others a lot, where they are in life vs. where I am. That turns into a lot of “shoulds”. I “should” be doing this by now. I “should” be making this much by now. And it’s easy to spiral into shaming myself for being who I am and where I am in this moment. Often it’s those really low moments where I can either just give all the way in to the ‘Little Hater’ voice in my head, or I can choose to trust and keep going.
I guess that’s what the low moments can be good for and that’s what I strive to focus on when I could just give up and wallow in the shallow (hmmm, wallow and shallow are surprisingly close in spelling). Those low moments have forced me to dig deep when maybe I didn’t want to, or didn’t think there was anything else to give or to gain or places to grow. And then I get to realize that I’m stronger than I was giving myself credit for, or way less concerned about those comparisons than my ego would have me think. And the shame gets a little less powerful, bit by bit, and it becomes easier to see that the universe isn’t conspiring against me, it’s conspiring for me.
Ariana Proehl is a media professional, producer and conversation starter. Check her out at www.arianaproehl.com. 
by Jasmine | Feb 23, 2018 | Yoga Therapy
Welcome a brand new guest blogger to the ROOT tribe, yoga instructor and meditation coach Kate Green! Read on to learn about how yoga has helped her discover a whole new meaning of work.
Work, work, work, work, work … On a daily basis, we all work hard. We hustle at our jobs and sometimes at our side-hustles, we take care of loved ones, and we sweat it out at the gym or on the mat. In my past, I regularly checked all of these boxes but I consistently ignored what I consider the most important work we can perform – that which is crucial to our health and happiness – internal work.
Internal work is the displacement of our regular patterns of thoughts and emotions. Now, you may be thinking, “Patterns – what patterns? Every thought I have is unique, special, and new.” Yes, you as an individual are unique and special but, if you’re like most of us, your thoughts tend to follow a repeatable pattern.This is because over time, through experiences, our minds are conditioned to react to events around us in certain ways, often against our own best interests. We consume so much information that we have to create mental shortcuts to survive. The trouble comes when those shortcuts start to limit our possibilities and keep us from growing.
This is why internal work is so crucial. The work we put into dissolving those patterns creates space within us, so that we may live more wholly in the present, experiencing the world with a more child-like and curious mind, free from judgement. And once you remove judgement then we’re really free to go after what we really want. No woman, no cry? More like no judgement, no cry because as we shed judgement of ourselves we shed our fear, hesitation and attachment to those pesky outcomes.
On the flipside, when we ignore our internal work, we overcompensate in other places. For me, it was at my job. Didn’t matter which job I had, I would measure my self-worth by how much stress I could absorb and keep going. Pushing myself further, taking less time for myself, grinning and bearing it. And guess what? I wasn’t even making good money! What the what?
My motivation was an internal displacement – searching for approval from external forces.I was always in early and staying late, taking on more than could possibly be finished within a workday. There was one year where I only took one vacation day and I was actually proud of myself for “working so hard.” I wore it like a badge of honor and thought that it said something positive about me to my boss. If I could prove to everyone that I was the hardest worker on the team, I’d be rewarded with bonuses, promotions, praise, etc. Right?
Wrong. In fact, it left me feeling disparaged, under-appreciated, and exhausted. I’d probably still be slaving away if it wasn’t for the internal transformation I’ve experienced. I’d like to take credit for my awakening, chalk it up to hours spent in silence in an ashram, but really it boils down to being just awake enough to take a few subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints.
Namaste
I found my yoga practice at a place called Syncstudio in Brooklyn, as I think of it, an oasis of space in a crowded, manic city. I don’t mean physical space, obviously, but rather space to drop inside yourself. It was here that my ongoing transformation begun. Run by two devoted young women, Karla Misjan and Ashley Lively, the classes at Syncstudio all weave in threads of mindfulness that really sunk in for me.
The realization that I had during one of Karla’s Savasanas was very simple, really: Sutra 2.42 – By contentment, supreme joy is gained.
I’m not sure if she said it exactly like that, but the message was clear. Meet yourself where you are, in your own truth, and learn to be okay with that. The physical work that we do on the mat is a tool to help create space in our bodies that can be called upon by our minds when the challenges become internal. Practicing stillness and ease when faced with struggle. Once you allow the mind to stop whirling for a moment and peak a glimpse of the space within you, the doubt and anxiety fades and you’re left with peace.
It was here that I found my contentment – contentment that I would and could be the provider of my own happiness and light.I remember thinking, “If I was by myself for the rest of my life, I’d be okay with that.” 
Above all I learned the most important lessons that change everything:
- Happiness wasn’t going to land in my lap one day (big let down)
- I had to be okay with myself first and foremost
- I had to take care of my own happiness
Whoopsie!
One of the more painfully obvious lessons arrived not long after moving to Los Angeles in the form a Tibia/Fibula Open Reduction and Internal Fixation. In true recurring pattern fashion, I was out to prove (to who??) I was the strongest party-gal around. Can I dance on a stool after a day of drinks? I can sure try. Lessons from my yoga practice weren’t sinking in? The universe toppled that stool right over and I immediately learned what it was like to be still… for 3 months straight.
It took two surgeries to mend my bones. And the time spent off my feet meant a lot of muscle loss. My recovery not only included physical therapy but also reignited passion for yoga (it was wonderful rehabilitation for my left side). As soon as I was able to stand, I was back in the studio. I started to find teachers I loved, focused acutely on my placement and posture, and let the internal lessons absorb. I learned to accept my current status and meet myself where I was; quite weak and lopsided. I opened up to my teachers about my injury and was met with support and encouragement, as well as wise reminders to take baby steps. It was then that I learned that yoga was a seriously valuable recovery tool.
Work Hard Play Hard
I had found it – the ultimate job for me. A job that required 12 hours days regularly, and actually had the motto “Work Hard Play Hard” worked into their branding. When I switched teams and starting working for a new boss, no matter how hard I worked, they always wanted more time. My efforts seemed fruitless and this is where the magical, yet hard to read sign is. After breaking my leg and recognizing that I was out of alignment with my internal truth, I stopped pouring my life into this job. I set boundaries and didn’t let things get to me so personally. Needless to say, my role there quickly ended.
You thought I was going to say it got better, didn’t you. As if a sign from the gods, my internal practice was starting to pay off in the physical realm, and my life didn’t align with the manic “Work Hard Play Hard” lifestyle any longer. But all is not lost, I now have a job that I love that I can devote my intellect and energy to in an authentic way. And I still certainly play hard.
In many ways I am working on being more present and whole in my daily life. I take the time to enjoy making my coffee or brushing my teeth, appreciating the ease and stillness of these moments. Living in Los Angeles, I get a lot of practice with delivering compassion to other drivers. In my new role as an analyst, my work is all about detail. When engaging with a project, I (try to) practice single-tasking, focusing my whole attention to one thing at a time, ensuring that I set myself up for success in the future. I know that when I come back to review or revisit my work, I can be assured that it was done thoughtfully, and not rushed.
There are still certainly times when I feel the pressure of a deadline or the stress of nothing turning out the way I planned. As we learn in yoga though, true mastery does not mean changing the world around you, but rather changing the way you respond. My natural tendency is to make people happy – pulling me in generally more directions than I need to be. When I find my stress levels rising, I now take a break instead of letting things consume me. I notice when I’m getting more irritable and know that I can choose to go down a different path outside of my old habits. This allows me to show up fully for my next task or meeting, without the cloud of distraction hovering over me.
Carrying On With My Work
I feel lucky to have been able to shift my perspective in life and feel like I found my yoga practice at a time when I could have gone down a dark road forever. I believe that my yoga practice saved my life, or at least it saved my happiness. It created the tiniest bit of space within me and allowed me to absorb so many important lessons. I now recognize my patterns more easily and I notice my thoughts and fears as they pass through me like clouds passing through the sky.
To continue down this path and explore new spaces and lessons, I recently enrolled in and completed a 200hr yoga teacher training program with Yogaworks in Santa Monica. While I generally shy away from expressing myself honestly and openly, I want to share my work with others and, through creating space, pay forward the blessings that opened my eyes. And in a very full-circle moment, I led 30 of my new coworkers in a guided meditation during company-wide education day. Work used to be my trigger, where I would hide from myself and now I’m sharing my passion and helping others start on their own internal work. All of this is the start of me folding these experiences into my true self, as someone who respects the role of internal work in creating happiness through mindfulness and contentment.
by Jasmine | Feb 9, 2018 | Yoga Therapy
Welcome a brand new guest blogger to the ROOT tribe, Interior Designer Mia Yamada! Learn how Mia tackled a turbulent year by focusing on her favorite form of self-care — creating her home sanctuary.
Whether big or small, our homes are our refuge and safe spaces from the craziness of our busy lives. In the outside world beyond our homes, I often deal with lots of unpredictability – traffic, stressful work situations, fast walkers (or the dreaded slow walker), long lines at Trader Joes (I’ll endure anything for their Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry), intense (but inspiring) spin class instructors. And for so many of us, our homes – condo, apartment, sublet, illegal sublet (sssh!), or house – are our sanctuaries, the one place where we know what to expect and can have some peace and control.
As an interior designer, a lot of my work has been about co-creating these peaceful and safe spaces with my clients. My core skillset involves listening to my clients, understanding what “peace” means to them, and translating that into spatial design, paint colors, accents and furnishings. Nothing makes me happier than welcoming a client into their new or redesigned home and seeing their faces light up and bodies relax – this is their new sanctuary.
This past year, however, I realized that I was in need of revamping my own sanctuary after experiencing a trifecta of changes all in a three month period. Right after moving in with my boyfriend, we went through a bad break-up. And since home is where I feel the most grounded, I started to feel very untethered and almost afloat. To make matters worse, the break-up had a cascading effect that led to some positive – but still disruptive – changes including moving to a new city where I knew very few people and beginning a new job in a relatively new area of design (from interior design firm to architecture firm). Everything familiar was now gone and although I had new business cards and a home address, I still couldn’t figure out who I was anymore.
At home in Austin, TX with our resident Interior Designer, Mia Yamada.
One way that I began to heal was by treating myself like a client and making my new apartment my sanctuary – a place that I could look forward to at the end of a long day. It’s a safe space for me full of my favorite colors (blues & greens), things that make me happy (art, scented candles & greenery), and pictures and memories that remind me of who I am and that I’m not alone. This process helped me to feel grounded and settled while so many things were happening/changing around me. I finally felt anchored in my new city, like I’d carved out my own little niche, which gave me the confidence to move through the change and set myself up for the next chapter.
For those of you going through a big life change, or simply hoping for a more mindful space, invest in making your space your sanctuary, a reflection of you and somewhere you love to be. Just as in yoga, it’s important to first set an intention for the environment you want to create. In design we have a more visual representation of this which we call a “moodboard.” These are created for every client I work with and are used to tell the story of the vibe that we’re trying to create. We fill them up with shapes, textures, inspiration images, and even words to set the intention and keep us headed in the right direction. Think pinterest in real-life.
To help you out, I’ve done some of the leg work for you to start your own pinterest/mood board. Here are the five steps I took during my recent life transformation and the sites that gave me inspiration, and continue to populate my mood boards.
1. Declutter & Organize
Often times our inner world reflects our outer world and if our space is disorganized and cluttered, our lives can feel that way too. In order to restore balance, take the time to organize your space and free yourself from clutter. A tidy space allows you to not only feel more relaxed in your home, but also lowers anxiety. It’s important to get rid of the old and make space for the new, especially when we are trying to move forward
Get creative with containers and shelving to remove the fuss from finding your favorite pair of shoes, earrings or other accessories.
in our lives and move into a new season or chapter. Commit a few hours, a day, a weekend or whatever your schedule allows to organize your space. Throw-out, sell or donate your old items, and make sure the things you are keeping have a specific place in your home. There are some great sites out there that even let you make a little extra money from this tidying up endeavor. Check out Letgo or Poshmark.
Also, to maintain a clean space, get in the habit of practicing the 2 minute tidy up – take 2 minutes before bed to pick up any excess clothing, put dishes in the dishwasher, organize papers, etc. – that way when you wake up in the morning your space will be fresh and clean to greet you.
My mood board is filled with mostly items from The Home Edit – a snappy site that mixes the practical with the pretty. I follow them on Instagram to keep my eyes tuned to order.
2. Incorporate Greenery
Now that you’ve decluttered and organized, it’s time to decorate and make sure to add plants as part of your scheme. Not only are plants beautiful and bring life to a home, they help you breath easier by increasing oxygen levels and purifying the air, boost your mood and promote healing, and lower anxiety and your risk for illness – what’s not to love! Take a trip to your local plant nursery where you can get all sorts of advice about which plants are best for your home.
Mix and match varietals for a combination of form and height.
I personally love succulents because of the muted tones, pillowy shapes and they’re hard to kill. Seriously, these things might look a little droopy, but they come back to life the moment you give them a little love, sun, and water again. You can also get into a new habit of getting fresh cut flowers every few weeks to bring in green and fragrance. Have fun with it, experiment and get your green thumb on!
My mood board has big bursts of green in different shapes, sizes and varietal from Blue Flamingo and Burkatron.
Cacti are so classic and another low maintenance plant. Mix the southwest vibe with a super glammed out gold vase for a little fun. Complements of #BumbleHiveLA.
3. Remember the Entryway
Entryways can sometimes be missed opportunities but you have the power to change that! Don’t let this be a forgotten space where you just set down your keys or hang up jacket. Your entryway can be beyond basic and really set the tone of your home and be an area that makes you feel invited into the space. Get a new doormat, add an entry table for a bouquet of your favorite flowers, or hang a painting or picture you love. Try adding an ottoman with a pop of color that gives you an immediate place to sit and decompress after a long day. It doesn’t have to be big, just bring something to this area that makes you immediately feel welcomed and sparks joy so you’ll be greeted with happiness when you walk in.
I’ve found mood board entryway-inspiration from a few sites like Tiny House Giant Life and Sugar and Charm. They really nail this “after the front door” space.
4. Joyful Decor
For some joyful notes, create a wall of shelves to display your favorite books, candles and plants. Another one from the the savvy #BumbleHiveLA team.
Decorate your space with colors, furniture and decorative items that make you happy and promote positive feelings. Do you have family or travel photos that remind you of a time of strength and possibility? If so, get them blown up to be large enough to hang, invest in nice frames, and give them a prominent space on your walls.
During a previous move, I made a photo montage of all of the cities that meant “home” to me – Oakland, Brooklyn and Los Angeles. I put them in a sleek frame and set them somewhere I’d see everyday to remind that those places were always with me.
If you love throw blankets and pillows, pick out a variety in colors and textures make you want to get wrapped up in them. And remember, everything doesn’t have to match or be the same style to look good – the important thing is that the pieces spark positive feelings, and are things you love to look at and make you smile. Mix it up, experiment, and explore what makes you excited – there is no right answer except where your inner compass leads you.
Take a minute to check out these mood board finds that gush joy, warmth and “the journey” to me from Apartment Therapy and Decordemon.
5. Sleep Well
As mentioned in a previous ROOT post (Sleep right, not tight), good sleep is an essential part of functioning well and being our best, which means investing in your sleeping space is probably the best use of your money.
The Eva Diffuser by Pilgrim. Invest in a high-quality and beautifully designed diffuser to open up your senses and balance out your space.
The goal here is to find ways to promote relaxation and serenity. Splurge on a new set of sheets, a new comforter, great set of pillows, and maybe even a new mattress. All of these items really can make a world of difference between falling asleep and waking up in a restful environment. Especially after my break-up it was also critical for me to reclaim my sleeping space as my own. Another tip is to use calming cool colors in the the bedroom – whites, blues and greys are nice and create a relaxing atmosphere. Dimmable lighting can add to a feeling of serenity, as well as calming art with scenery or ocean views.
I recently invested in an oil diffuser and some essential oils to help relax me at night and bring calm to my other senses like smell and sound. There are a lot of diffusers to choose from, but my favorite one is by Pilgrim Collection as its hip modern look and clean lines compliment my room decor and bring serenity to my space.
I love the subtle sleep tones of these pins. They are relax-tastic in the best way.
Want to read more about reclaiming your space and finding your home-oasis? Check-out my go-to reading list for my personal and professional designs:
About Mia Yamada
Mia Yamada is an Interior Designer based in Austin, TX. As a former dancer and fitness instructor, she strives to incorporate wellness and balance into her design work. Follow her design adventures and inspiration via instagram @mia.yamada.
by Jasmine | Jan 25, 2018 | Yoga, Yoga Lifestyle, Yoga Therapy
BIG “Thank you” to Dr. Lars Gunnar @vitalformchiro for not only being ROOT’s first guest blogger of 2018, but for also sharing his personal story that led him to becoming a Gonstead chriopractor and professional perspective on spinal health, its vital role in preventing disease, and spinal health tips you can integrate into your life today. Enjoy!
Routines can be both good and bad. They can keep us efficient and safe but also can inhibit us from growth. During high school, I had a very basic routine that revolved around one main focus: football. Football dictated my sense of the world and my obligations fluctuated between two priorities: 1) prepping and training for games and 2) pursuing the ladies (okay, so maybe there were two points of focus to my routine). It was a much simpler time when there wasn’t much to balance and I was ready for that “smooth sail” right into college sports.
All of that came to a screeching holt during a game senior year. A single bad hit not only ended my football career but also left me with blinding back pain. My whole world, my routine, was flipped turned-upside down. This pain prohibited me from practicing, playing or even sitting for longer than 5 minutes at a time. Can you imagine not being able to even sit? For those of you who’ve experienced this kind of physical trauma you know the toll it takes on both your body and your mind.
Overnight I felt like I was robbed of everything: my comfort, my dreams, and my mobility. My focus shifted from football and ladies to finding a solution to my pain and a way back to my life. My new routine consisted of a more complex round-robin style buffet of neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists all of whom were only able to provide short-term relief.
I tried just about every specialist under the sun until a family friend suggested a chiropractor who specialized in the “Gonstead protocol,” which consists of a series of X-rays, exams and neurological testing before any adjustments are made. The key difference was that his process focused the alignment on the 1-2 problem vertebrae instead of trying to tackle my entire spine. He was able to tell me exactly what was wrong, where and how I could correct.
The results were nothing short of a miracle. Now that I knew what to properly focus on, my routine changed again in an instant. I could move my whole body, sit for any duration, and finally sleep. This wasn’t a temporary fix but rather a shift in overall alignment and spinal health. I learned that the key to my wellness was my spine. I was so inspired by this transformation that I to became a Gonstead trained chiropractor to help others on their path to healing.
Throughout my day, I am incredibly fortunate to serve a diverse population that need care: acute injuries, chronic pain, infectious diseases, chronic diseases – all coming to my office for help. Through patient education and the experience of specific scientifically measured adjustments, my patients encounter first-hand how a functioning spine is a cornerstone of a healthy life.
Tips from a chiropractor
The feelings of frustration and panic that I felt right after my injury are something that everyone can relate to at some level, especially today. We all seem to be caught in a loop of organized chaos and a routine of short-term fixes. Even without any physical injuries per se, our ongoing quest to find the ever elusive “work life balance” takes a physical toll on our bodies. If I just look at Facebook and Instagram alone, it seems like everyone is working over 10 hour days, nurturing friends and family, working on side projects and still finding time to snap a flawless looking selfie. The more we focus on doing, the less we stop to align our body’s and mind’s best interest.
The truth is that many of us are just trying to survive within a demanding society and our biological functions (like breathing and digestion) as well as our needs (like sleep) have been drastically impaired. Stress, exercise, nutrition and sleep all play a role on our body and our nervous system because of how they are so closely tied to our spine.
In 1921, Dr. Henry Winsor (a medical doctor in Haverford, Pennsylvania) became fascinated with chiropractors and osteopaths and their ability to treat people suffering from conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and lung disease without drugs or surgery. Winsor was inspired to investigate these practices and discovered that there was a near 100% correlation with the internal organs having some form of disease and the same area of the spine being mal-positioned. He also found that changing spinal curves in various degrees of flexion or extension changed the blood flow and nerve flow to the brain and organs.
What does this all mean? The way we move our spine influences everything and lack of movement impacts our organ health which could leave us vulnerable to diseases. Our spine gets nutrition from movement, which pushes nutrients in and pulls waste products out (like the inhales and exhales in breathing). Lack of spinal mobility or a toxic environment such as chronic inflammation or nutrient deficiencies will affect this process. So, what we put in our body is just as important as how we move our body.
When I work with my patients who suffer from similar and worse types of pain, diseases and discomfort, my approach is truly comprehensive. I encourage the following mindful movements and routines that focus on flexibility and also stimulate the nervous system in a positive way.
Reduce Stress: All of us are quite familiar with physical exhaustion- not having anything left in the tank to push through a workout or run another mile, but we are still so behind in prioritizing our mental and emotional exhaustion. These pain points look and feel quite a bit different than an achy back and some of us ignore it entirely.
Most of us have at least heard of the cognitive benefits of managing our stress which range from improved short and long term memory, boosted mental endurance and strengthened creativity. But more and more studies are showing that reducing stress can also have enormous impacts on our bodies. By decreasing stress, we can reduce the way we digest and absorb nutrients – vital to our spine, reduce systemic inflammation (whole body compromise/ contributor for chronic pain), strengthens our immune system and quite literally helps you live longer. What I recommend to my patients and myself:
- Quieting and slowing your mind for a short time before you start your day or when you have a spare moment
- Take periodic quiet minutes, yoga, self-talk and anything else that fills up your bucket (my personal favorites which keep me grounded so I can give my best to the next patient)
Take a breath and slow yourself down before you start your day to be the champion of your day.
Prioritize Movement: Spinal extension aka back bending isn’t just for stretching but actually increases blood flow and nerve activity to the brain by at least 30%. Don’t forget to stand up during the day not just because it’s good for your spine and joints but to increase your energy, ensure you’re getting proper oxygen and nutrients to your brain. What I recommend to my patients and myself:
- Yoga asanas (poses) also have a muscular component and a visceral (organ) component and are great for feeding nutrients to the spine.
- Spinal rotation, lateral bending and flexing all stimulate different organs to speed up or slow down with the ultimate goal of bringing balance to the body.
Get up and move, not just for aesthetics but for your entire well-being.
Minimize Toxins: I know that most of us aren’t actively seeking toxins – unless you’re a bad guy from a super hero movie – but simply being more conscious of what we buy can have tremendous impacts on our spinal health. What I recommend to my patients and myself:
- Read food labels to make sure you are limiting refined sugars, artificial ingredients, preservatives and fake sugar substitutes reduces inflammatory processes. Some sugar substitutes have been shown to contribute to dementia, alzheimers and other neurodegenerative disorders.
- Drink clean- purified or filtered water. Tap water is known to have trace metals that are detrimental to the health of our nervous system. Copper, mercury, manganese among other toxins are in tap water and these do not belong in our bodies at high levels.
- Alkaline water has gotten quite a bit of traction over the recent years and the scientific data on it is still mixed. Does it affect your cellular PH in a positive manor? Maybe, but at the very least you are not consuming tap water or dead water (no positive benefit).
- Sleep with your phone away from your bed- radiation emits from your phone and has been shown to be absorbed into neural tissue (YOUR BRAIN!) and cause damage to DNA.
- Having a healthy environment in your body will help preserve health along with stimulating healing where it is needed.
“The preservation of health is easier than the cure for disease” – B.J. Palmer.
Get the Right kind of Sleep: Sleep has now been ranked second next to only food intake for importance in weight reduction and restoration of health. You need a nightly reset to allow hormones to stabilize, digestion and absorption to occur and recharge your learning/attention pathways in your brain. What I recommend to my patients and myself:
- “Sleeping is a dangerous sport,” which simply means that position matters. There aren’t many activities we do for 6-9 hours at a time and sleep position can help or hurt us in our recovery process. Side and back sleeping are optimal positions while keeping the head in a neutral position.
- If you want to avoid being hunched over later in life than don’t sleep curled up into ball, or using too many pillows which can all harm the spine.
You are what how you sleep.
The spine is the bridge between the brain and the body and the body to the brain. Having a properly functioning spine is the key to a metabolically balanced nerve system, long lasting health and an injury free life. Having your spine checked by a qualified practitioner that knows spinal mechanics, the art of a spinal correction and focuses on overall well-being is paramount.
For specific spinal corrections a Gonstead trained chiropractor will be your ideal practitioner. To find one near you there are multiple directories www.gonstead.com, www.gonsteadseminars.com. Choosing a practitioner can be difficult depending on your location as there are about 500 practicing Gonstead chiropractors in the world.
Dr. Lars Gunnar DC, BS, is a family chiropractor and the founder of Vital Form Chiropractic in Pasadena California. A graduate of San Diego State University and Southern California University of Health Sciences. Along with practicing the Gonstead system he has advance training in sport and extremity injuries, pregnancy care, pediatric development and scoliosis. Several individuals were instrumental in learning these skills including: Dr. Brad Ping, Dr. David Fowler, Dr. Jeremiah Thompson, The Gonstead Seminar staff, Dr. Ian Rossborough, Gonstead Methodology Institute and The Gonstead Clinical Studies Society. Dr. Gunnar’s goal is to inspire people to take control over their own health and to strive to be the highest expression of themselves.
To keep up with Dr. Gunnar follow @Vitalformchiro on IG and to learn more about his practice visit: vitaformchiropractic.com (coming soon!)
Ready to book your appointment with Dr. Gunnar?
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Vital Form Chiropractic
Institute of Functional Biomechanics
by Jasmine | Jan 11, 2018 | Yoga Lifestyle
Happy New Year, ROOT Tribe! It’s 12 days in and I don’t know about you, but I’m already processing all of the feels around my 2018 goals and vision. I’ll admit that in most years, I don’t have much to show for reaching this two-week mark of the new year. My yearly routine usually goes a little like this:
- Late December over a protein smoothie I start realizing that it’s the end of the year and I’ll need to start planning how I want the next one to pan out. I set my intention and start jotting down notes in one of my many journals to map out where I want to be one year from then. These items range from things I can control – connect with my fiancé more, get trims, be better about my personal meditation practice – to things that I might need the universe to help with a little – build a mega Yoga Therapy empire while remaining calm, focused and fully enlightened.
- Late late December, somehow that smoothie has become pumpkin pie: I begin getting clearer about what it might actually take to meet some of those goals. I write out specific tasks and milestone around how this mega empire might come to fruition or, at the very least, I can find some snazzy pics that I can add to my vision board.
- New Year’s Eve, while raising my glass for a festive “Cheers!”: “Woohoo, I’ll be unstoppable next year!”
- Skip to second week of January, back to the smoothie but this time with an immune boosting essential oil added: I scrap all of the crazy moonshot goals (sorry, universe) and decide to cut my list of 15 things down to the top 3 most attainable – hair trims, more meditation and attend continuing yoga therapy education workshops and trainings.
Like most people, I have a fun pattern that starts with the good intentions of mental and written goals along with the occasional vision board to help me manifest what I want to accomplish by year’s end. Despite the usual methods of motivation and visualization, it seems like weeks blow by, or even the whole year in some cases, before we act on these hopes and dreams. Or maybe motivation isn’t the issue at all but rather fear of not knowing where to start or what to do once the wheels start turning – something I’m challenged with in my above-mentioned smoothie-pie-smoothie dance.
But this year was going to be different for me as I finally broke out of my pattern and did the unthinkable: set a big mega goal that I must follow through with by the first week of the year! Here’s how it happened …
As some of you know, I recently participated in the LA Yoga Expo. The Expo has been something I’ve always wanted to participate in, but timing and juggling my weekend school schedule made it pretty impossible. However, this year the Expo found its way to me! When I was invited to have an exhibit and teach at the event, I committed immediately. It was like the universe was calling my bluff and daring me to take it on in the height of the holidays (the Expo took place on January 6, 2018, so the timing was part of the challenge). I wasn’t going to let the universe mock me this way, so I said yes.
Take note that I had never done anything like this before. Other than needing a banner to display “ROOT Yoga Therapy” across the 6ft table that would be provided, I was clueless about where to begin. I began my research and brain-dumped my ideas with the ROOT team. I was officially in the expo flow and probably way in over my head. That’s the moment I learned:
Lesson #1: Commit before you think you’re ready. This will light the fire and create the energy to stimulate the process to reach for your hopes and dreams.
As the date of the event came closer, so did the holiday season. I had things in place and timed well, but one should always be prepared for the unexpected. It was New Year’s weekend and with holiday travels and personal life pop-ups, my web and design team were still working on a few key deliverables. My banner was unfinished (the main focal point of my booth!) and there was no way I could order it, print it, and have it shipped to me in time for a Saturday expo. Same thing went for the shirts and all the other “merch” I had in planned for. Most t-shirt printing places order shirts from third-party wholesalers so with NYE right around the corner, the work week was cut short and places were simply “closed for business”.
I felt everything was falling apart, including myself. I mean, how could I go to the expo without a banner to identify my exhibit? This got me nervous and by nervous, I mean anxious, frustrated, sad, defeated, alone, and hopeless. Oh yeah, pity party for one, stressed and having no fun. I nearly gave up and pulled out of the Expo. At that point I stuck my head up and learned:
Lesson #2: Have someone to keep you accountable. They will keep you honest, grounded and help you cut through your mental BS.
Thankfully, I have a close tribe to turn to when the going gets tough. They were willing to help in any way and despite my reluctance to ask for help, I started to delegate. We ran around the city rush ordering print jobs, used Amazon Prime more than ever in a 48-hour period and when I heard about heat transfers from an extremely helpful gentleman at the local FedEx, the possibility that shirts could be made in time was back in the mix! Yes, part of my tribe was Maurice from FedEx – bless his heart wherever he is. Thanks to my crew, including MVP Maurice, I was able to push through my to-do list and reclaim my calm after the panic and heart-palpitations from blowing my budget due to those pesky rush fees.
The day of the expo finally came and it was an absolute thrill. The response to our booth and work was overwhelmingly positive. We were able to introduce the ROOT brand and mission to such a broad audience and offer people a much-needed space to recharge at a very busy event – success! To think that I almost didn’t do it and that I almost gave up this goal due to fear and doubt. It made me think about all the other goals I’d given up on over the years and what would have happened if I stuck with them. And here we are at:
Lesson #3: Look Back. Reflecting on the experience serves in a big way. Not only do you create space to observe what you learn and where you can improve, you also open up the door to acknowledge and experience your accomplishment.
As I write this and reminisce on the challenges I faced and the amount of overwhelm I felt, I can’t help but feel proud of what I overcame to accomplish my goal. I clearly learned some hard lessons. I also was awakened to the fact that I am not alone, should not feel bad about asking for help, and that it’s important to allow yourself to let go of your plan. Sometimes that is the only answer to achieve these 2018 goals.
Stick with it, tribe! You got this.
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