The Hot Yoga class was a vinyasa style class held in a room with heaters.  Vinyasa style classes involve yoga poses that flow from one to another in conjunction with the breath.  The heaters are thought to enhance flexibility and detoxification.

I usually don’t break much of a sweat with my usual yoga classes.  By the end, of this class I was drenched!  The instructor was amazing and really kept me challenged throughout the class.  After finishing class and properly rehydrating, I felt like a million bucks.  All in all, I loved it.  What’s not to love about yoga?  It improves your mood, reduces stress, and positively affects levels of certain brain/blood chemicals.  Not to mention, yoga improves overall fitness, strength, and flexibility.

Do you practice yoga?  Have you ever taken a Hot Yoga class?

Kasey

 Photos taken by me during our honeymoon

A balanced life is something I strive for.  Scheduling a weekday dinner with a friend, enjoying a glass of wine without the noisy TV in the background, or looking at my wedding/honeymoon pictures countless times because they make me smile are all things that I have done recently to try to really appreciate life to the fullest.  I’m a work in progress and constantly have to practice “living in the moment”! 

What was the last simple pleasure you enjoyed?

Are you “living in the moment”? 

Kasey

1. Sleep-  Sleep is extremely important to me; If I don’t get at least 7 and a half hours of sleep, I definitely feel it the next day.  Do you think it is a coincidence that following periods of stress and sleep deprivation (such as a big project at work or final exams at school), you come down with a cold?  Sleep is vital to a strong immune system.  Without adequate sleep (which varies from 7-9 hours each night depending on the person), the immune system weakens and the body becomes more vulnerable to infection and disease.

2. Exercise-   Exercise can boost the immune system.  Researchers at University of South Carolina in Columbia found that people who participate in moderate amounts of physical activity experience 20-30% fewer colds than people whose daily activities were low in intensity.  What is moderate activity?  Moderate-intensity physical activity increases breathing or heart rate, however you should be able to carry on a normal conversation. Examples of moderate activity include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, dancing, gardening, yard work, and housework, such as vacuuming.

3. Stress Management-  The hormone cortisol is produced during times of stress which can suppress the immune system and increase susceptibility to infections.  If you have been reading Fit For Wellness for a while, you know I am constantly working on improving my stress management.  While I am certainly getting better, I constantly have to reframe or redefine my “stressful situations”.  For example, I am planning a HUGE party (couple’s wedding shower with 150 people on the guest list) for my best friend.  Initially, I was freaking out over all that I had to get done before the party so I stepped back from the planning for a couple days. After the brief breather, I started making a “to do” list with deadlines; suddenly, everything seemed much more manageable with a plan.

4. Nutrition-  Last but certainly not least is proper nutrition.  A healthy diet definitely plays a role in maintaining a strong immune system.  Having enough protein, calories, hydration, and a variety of vitamins and mineral is key.  Adequate protein is essential in the diet to build, maintain, and repair body tissues.  Protein is found in meats, dairy foods, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, and soy. Vitamins and minerals are needed to trigger numerous chemical reactions in your body and help keep your body working properly.  Here are some major nutritional players in strengthening the immune system…

• Omega-3 fats (found in salmon, mackerel, and herring) reduce inflammation, increase airflow, and protect lungs from colds and respiratory infections.
• Probiotics, or the “live active cultures” found in yogurt, are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs.
• Selenium (plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams) helps white blood cells produce cytokines which are proteins that help clear infections and viruses out of the body.
• Zinc (found in oysters, crab, lobster, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, and whole grains) is important in several immune system tasks including healing wounds.  Zinc also appears to have some antiviral effects.
•  Folate (found in green leafy veggies, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas) helps your body produce new cells and repair DNA.
•  Green tea and black tea are loaded with disease-fighting polyphenols and flavonoids. These antioxidants seek out and destroy cell-damaging free radicals.
•  The antioxidant beta-carotene (found in carrots, red peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, peaches, mangoes) also protects against damaging free radicals.
• Low vitamin D levels have been linked with increased risk of cold and flu.  Vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna, mackerel, fortified dairy, and egg yolks.
• Vitamin E (found in nuts,seeds, and vegetable oils) also help boost the immune system.

 Bottom line:  A healthy lifestyle with adequate sleep and exercise with a balanced diet is vital for boosting your immune system.

Are you getting enough zzzz’s each night?  What is your favorite type of exercise?

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!  I’ll be working at the hospital all weekend but I definitely plan on watching the  Saints game Sunday night.  GO BLACK and GOLD!!!

Kasey

Type A Personality = A relatively distinct set of character traits, commonly observed in aggressive, hard-driving, ‘workaholics’; a temperament characterized by excessive drive, competitiveness, a sense of time urgency, impatience, unrealistic ambition, and need for control. [Source: McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc]

I have a Type A personality… my biggest vice is STRESS.  When I’m really stressed my jaw starts clenching and my upper back starts aching.  According to Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, my personality is associated with a higher than usual incidence of coronary heart disease.  Stress management is something I am constantly working to improve.  My yoga helps some but I still have some major work to do on managing my stress better.

The other night after an extremely long and busy day, it was 9pm and I had still had “blogging” on my “to do list”.  I felt like I had not spent any quality time with Cory since we both got home from work; sure, we were in the same room since 5 pm but I was too busy (responding to emails, making wedding planning phone calls, squeezing in a yoga session, throwing together a quick healthy dinner, etc.) to enjoy his company.  After mentioning how stressed out I was, Cory suggested we just lay on the couch and watch a couple of our favorite TV shows before bed.  After a little lot of hesitation, I threw my overachieving “to do list” out the window and instead literally laughed out loud while watching Modern Family with Cory. I felt a million times better after winding down with comedy + my soon to be husband.  While is great to be ambitious and strive for better things, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance.  If I run myself into the ground trying to be “perfect”, everything in my life will suffer (health, relationships, long-term goals, etc.).  We all need some down time.  I’m working on slowing down, living in the moment, and taking time to smell those damn roses.

Do you have any stress management tips?  How do you manage your stress?

Kasey

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Stress Facts-

Did you know the hormone cortisol produced during times of stress can suppress your immune system and increase susceptibility to infections such as a cold or the flu?!  Over time, chronic stress can lead to many medical problems such as increased risk for depression, heart disease, and stroke, and difficulty managing diabetes.  Also, your body is less resistant against autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

One way to lessen stress is though practicing yoga. 

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I desperately needed some yoga in my life last night.  Lately, I have doing the Namaste Yoga on Fit TV.

Likes:

- I love the faster pace yoga flow.  I guess I’m a little impatient when other yoga shows or videos drag on to explain every single pose.

- I enjoy the background music and voice direction.  I find the instructor’s voice helpful for two reasons:  1) She reminds me to maintain my breathing, 2) She provides just enough direction so I’m not trying to strain my neck to look at the TV every couple minutes

Dislikes:

- Commercial breaks…

Although this Snuggie commercial was pretty entertaining… especially when the whole family is camping in their snuggies while raising the roof!  But seriously, it’s distracting and breaks my focus.  Luckily, I DVR the episodes so I can fast forward through the commercials… I just try to keep up my breathing while handling the remote control.

- The constantly changing background/scenery can also get a little distracting at times.  Thanks to the voice direction, I’m not always looking at the screen so I barely notice.

- It’s only 30 minutes long with two commercial breaks so more like 20 minutes long.  I wish it was at least a full 30 minutes.

 Overall, I am loving Namaste Yoga! 

 Do you practice yoga?  What is your favorite yoga class, show, video, or webcast?

Kasey

I am guilty of getting a bit too stressed during the holiday season.  I try to maintain my healthy habits (balanced meals, exercise, adequate sleep) to manage the added stress of the season.  Also, making priority lists help me tremendously.  Whenever I’m overwhelmed with everything “I have to do”, things seems much more manageable after writing it down.  And, I love the feeling of crossing something off my “To Do” list!

Remember, stress is in the eye of the beholder… do you view “stressful” situations as a threat or as an opportunity?  For example, Christmas shopping can become extremely stressful… finding time to shop, budgeting for presents, masses of people in the stores.  Instead of focusing on the negative side of Christmas shopping, I try to view it as an opportunity to find a creative gift that the gift recipient will love.  It’s the joy and excitement of my loved ones when they open their presents that make my hard work (scouring the internet for ideas, waiting in lines) worthwhile.  Redefine your “stressful” situation!

What are you doing to manage stress during the holiday season? 

Kasey 

“Happiness depends more on inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”– Benjamin Franklin