How to Cultivate Mental Clarity with Yoga!

Greetings wellness lovers! I hope you are having an excellent week!

Today I have a special article for you by guest blogger Valerie Johnston... all about the mental benefits of yoga! 

In college, I discovered the effectiveness of yoga when it came to managing stress... and ever since my first yoga class, it's been an essential element of my multi-weekly well-being routine. :)

Cultivate Mental Clarity with Yoga

By Valerie Johnston, Healthline

Photo credit: RelaxingMusic

Yoga is an ancientdiscipline that originated in India thousands of years ago. Since the practiceof yoga was introduced to the West in the late 19^th century, agrowing number of people became familiar with the discipline until it explodedin popularity in the 1980s. Over the last few decades, yoga has become ahousehold name and is practiced by people from all walks of life.  

A growing number of peoplepractice yogaas a part of their fitness program. Yoga can be used to increase flexibility,reduce the risk of injury, boost stamina, develop strength, and many otheraspects of fitness. 

There is also a strongpsychological component to yoga. Individuals who suffer from anxiety ordepression, for example, may find that they also have difficulty concentrating.Chronic anxiety and depression have a way of causing a mental fog that does notallow a person to think clearly. Other mental health disorders can also reducebrain function and cause cloudy thinking. Even if you don’t suffer from amental health issue such as generalized anxiety disorder or depression, you maystill struggle to maintain mental clarity. In the modern world, many of us areconstantly bombarded by information and live busy lifestyles. Yoga gives us away to slow down and clear our minds.

Adopting the Yogic Lifestyle

Developing positive mentalhealth takes a well-rounded approach. Self-acceptance, positive relationshipswith other people, personal growth, a healthy diet, and regular exercise,including yoga, are all important factors that contribute to improved mentalhealth. Without a healthy balance of these benefits in your life, it can bedifficult to maintain mental clarity.

Adopting a yogic lifestyleis easier than ever. There are a number of resources people can use to beginthe practice of yoga, no matter where you live. If you have access to a yogaclass, this is the best way to gain hands-on experience in the practice. An experiencedteacher can show you how to perform poses (asanas) that result in a healthiermind and body. Many people leave yoga classes feeling a dramatically improvedsense of well-being and mental clarity. These benefits typically extend intoone’s work life, social life, and family life.

If you don’t have access toa yoga class near you, there are plenty of helpful DVDs, books, and onlineresources that will help you get started. If improved emotional well-being andmental clarity are your goals, then look for resources that demonstrate how toperform poses that assist in achieving these objectives.

Focused Breathing and Yoga

While breathing is a naturalinstinct for humans, you may be surprised to discover that you do not breathein a way that optimizes your emotional and physical health. Deep breathing andfocused breathing are a common part of yoga practice. Developing properbreathing techniques can have a dramatic affect on your ability to concentratein any given situation. Proper breathing will also ensure that an ideal amountof oxygen reaches your internal organs and muscles, which will promote youroverall fitness.

Focusing the Mind

How often do you reach fordistractions in your everyday life? While there’s nothing wrong with listeningto an iPod, watching television, text messaging, or using other modern devices,there is a growing addiction to these distractions. Overuse of devices fordistraction can cause our mental well-being to become unbalanced, which canlead to memory problems, anxiety, lack of clarity, and other issues. Throughthe regular practice of yoga and other body-mind techniques, you will be ableto achieve higher levels of mental clarity, awareness, lucidity, and emotionalwellness. As an added advantage, you will also be able to improve your physicalfitness so that you both look and feel increasingly rejuvenated.

Valerie Johnston is a health andfitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running amarathon and writing for Healthline.comensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! What's your favorite mental benefit of yoga?

Have a lovely week!!

Xoxo,
Ashley 

Pumpkin season is in full swing!

Well, hello there!

Happy October 1st! Now that pumpkin season is in full swing... I wanted to talk about the benefits of the cheery autumn squash, as well as share some of my favorite pumpkin recipes!

What are the nutritional benefits of pumpkin?

Pumpkin is loaded in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium,  fiber, and manganese. It's also an excellent source of folate, omega 3 fatty acids, copper, tryptophan, and B vitamins. (B1, B6, B3, B5)

Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes, bones, teeth, skin, and the reproductive system. It's also an antioxidant, protecting against free radicals that can cause ailments such as heart disease and cancer.

Vitamin C is excellent for your body's immune system, helps your body manage stress, can lower high blood pressure, and is also a powerful antioxidant.

Potassium is an electrolyte that assists with maintaining the correct balance of water in your body. It regulates blood pressure and heart function.

Fiber assists with bowel function, helps maintain colon health, lowers blood cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar, and is great for weight loss.

Manganese assists your body in metabolizing key nutrients, is excellent for bone health, helps your body synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol, supports the thyroid gland, and is beneficial for the nervous system.

Folate is beneficial to the heart, can alleviate depression, is necessary for proper brain function, and assists with the production of red blood cells.

Omega 3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation, increase immune function, and alleviate anxiety and depression.

Copper is essential for hair and nail growth, hair and eye pigmentation, brain and thyroid health, immunity, and energy production.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used as a building block in protein synthesis. It is necessary to regulate sleep cycles, pain, and moods. It's also a precursor to serotonin, a hormone that contributes to feelings of well-being.

B vitamins play an important role in cell metabolism by creating energy from the foods you eat. They are also critical nutrients to a positive mood and good memory.

Given the many nutritional benefits (and deliciousness!) of pumpkin... I hope you will immediately embark on an adventure to find some pumpkin and start enjoying this seasonal delight a.s.a.p!

To get you started, I've come up with a list of some excellent pumpkin recipes by fellow bloggers:

Paleo Pumpkin Bread by Elana's Pantry
Pumpkin Bars by Elana's Pantry
Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie by Oh She Glows
Homemade Pumpkin Butter by Oh She Glows
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Three Ways by 101 Cookbooks
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte by Averie Cooks
Clean Eating Pumpkin Fries by The Gracious Pantry
Harvest Pumpkin Soup by Martha Stewart
Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage by Martha Stewart

Have a lovely fall day!

xoxo,
Ashley

Integrative Nutrition and Goddard College Partnership

Greetings wellness lovers!

Today I wanted to share something that will be of interest to my fellow Integrative Nutrition peers, or anyone who is interested in becoming a student in the future.

My beloved nutrition school... The Institute for Integrative Nutrition has partnered up with Goddard College, an institution that’s been ahead of its time for over 50 years.


Graduates of the Health Coach Training Program can now apply up to 29 credits in transfer towards a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at Goddard. And, there are three majors they can choose from.

Additionally, graduates of the Immersion Program (IIN's second-year, complimentary program) may transfer an additional 11 credits, for a total of up to 40 credits! 

About
Goddard College is an internationally recognized liberal arts college that operates on an intensive low-residency model. This new partnership gives IIN alumni the opportunity to explore an enriching higher education. For more information about pursuing a higher degree at Goddard College, visitwww.goddard.edu/IIN.

This is excellent news to anyone who is considering enrolling at Integrative Nutrition in the future and who also would like to earn a Bachelor's degree at the same time! (If I didn't already have my BS degree... I would definitely be taking advantage of this offer!)

Have a great day!!

xoxo,
Ashley