Yoga Medicine

Latest Episodes:

Expert Insights: Addiction Recovery & Yoga with Lara Ederer Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Today we discuss a topic that affects many people in our communities whether we know it or not. Host Rachel speaks with Lara Ederer, a yoga teacher, Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, and Chemical Dependency Professional with both personal and professional experience with addiction.

In this episode, Lara talks with Rachel about how she defines addiction, what withdrawal and recovery can look and feel like, how yoga contributed to her own sobriety, and the many ways it can support the recovery of others.

Listen to this episode to explore how yoga can ignite a student's awareness of and appreciation for their body, perhaps for the first time, as well as the importance of a supportive group environment, the potential for symbolism and storytelling to plant powerful philosophical seeds, and other advice on how to incorporate yoga and meditation practices into addiction recovery.

Show Notes:

Lara's background in yoga and addiction recovery [3:10]
Difficulty defining the scope of this growing problem [4:56]
Recent changes in addiction perception [7:30]
Defining addiction [8:51]
Potential withdrawal symptoms [11:26]
The role of yoga in Lara's recovery [15:11]
Social support is key in the recovery process [20:24]
Yoga can interrupt – even replace – the urge to use addictive substances [23:09]
Tips for teaching yoga to those in addiction recovery [29:41]
Advice on teaching meditation during recovery [36:02]
Incorporating yoga philosophy into recovery [39:12]
Sprinkling seeds of philosophy: the power of symbolism and story [41:53]
Boundaries matter when teaching in recovery settings [44.40]
Suggestions to address financial barriers to yoga for people in recovery [45:25]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Introduction to Yoga for Addiction Recovery Online Course
Connect with Lara Ederer:

Instagram | Lara Ederer Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-46.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Community Conversations: Conscious Parenting with Dana Diament Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

One of the foundational principles of yoga practice is to bring mindfulness to everything we do. Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine teacher, studio owner, and mother Dana Diament about bringing that awareness into the crucial relationship between parent and child through the practice of conscious parenting.

In this episode, Dana shares her experience of learning to parent with more self-awareness, how it's never too late to try a new approach, the importance of "repair" when interactions don't go as planned, and the many overlaps between the yoga journey and the parenting journey.

You don't have to be a parent to benefit from this episode, which, at its core, is about learning how to build kinder, more patient relationships with others, as well as with ourselves.

Show Notes:

Dana's introduction to mindfulness through journalling [4:04]
Children as a mirror of unconscious scripts [6:35]
A key difference between parenting and other close relationships [10:40]
Defining conscious parenting [12:45]
Dealing with external expectation and pressure as a parent [16:22]
An example of conscious parenting [17:20]
It's never too late for "repair" when interactions don't go to plan [20:48]
Tools for kids to recognize and resolve agitation [25:01]
Application to other relationships [29:40]
"SMILE": techniques to connect with children [33:20]
Our primary relationship, with ourself [37:05]
Relevant themes from yoga philosophy [38:21]
Separating the parent's identity and expectations from the child's [46:55]
Dana's takeaways [51:15]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
YMO Monthly Dose – Tips from Yoga Philosophy
Conscious parenting books and resources:
Connect with Dana Diament:

Facebook | Instagram | Lennox Yoga | YM Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-45.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Expert Insights: Eat Breathe Thrive - Yoga and Eating Disorders with Chelsea Roff Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

Messages around "clean" eating and ideal body shape or size are ubiquitous, even in the yoga world, with potentially devastating impact for those who experience disordered eating.

Today host Rachel speaks with Chelsea Roff, who found her way to yoga early in her recovery from a serious eating disorder. Chelsea went on to become a scientific researcher and yoga teacher, eventually bringing her skills and experience together to become the Founder and Director of Eat Breathe Thrive: a non-profit organization aiming to prevent and help people recover from eating disorders.

Today Chelsea shares her definition of eating disorders and describes the wide range of people who can experience them. We discuss the process of redefining your relationship with food, debunk the myth that there is a single way that a healthy body should look, and unpack how yoga practice can help us learn how to truly feel what we feel.

Listen in to learn what constitutes disordered eating and how yoga can help with both prevention and recovery.

Show Notes:

Chelsea's professional background in scientific research [4:20]
Chelsea's own recovery from an eating disorder [7:43]
The start of Chelsea's relationship with yoga [9:58]
Pivoting from researcher to yoga teacher [12:08]
Defining disordered eating on a spectrum [16:13]
Eating disorder recovery and yoga [20:51]
The learned skill of interoception [25:44]
Appreciating the body for more than its appearance [28:24]
Regulating our internal state [30:48]
Lessons from yoga philosophy [37:17]
An unorthodox start for the non-profit Eat Breathe Thrive [41:27]
The power of sharing our stories [49:38]
Advice for yoga teachers working within our scope on eating disorders [51:11]
Yoga as a double-edged sword in eating disorder recovery [55:40]
A final takeaway from Chelsea: celebrate impermanence [1:02:06]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Chelsea Roff and Eat Breathe Thrive: Facebook | Instagram | Eat Breathe Thrive

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-44.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Research Roundup: Pitfalls of Mindfulness Research Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

There is so much research and information out there about mindfulness, so today hosts Tiffany and Katja tackle this big and important topic from a different angle. In this episode, the pair takes a critical lens and unpacks the pitfalls of mindfulness research. Tiffany and Katja discuss how mindfulness is defined in the research, why self-selection of study participants may be of importance, and what the field of Contemplative Neuroscience is all about. They also touch on contraindications and adverse events of mindful meditation, as well as considerations surrounding mindfulness practices and mental health.

Listen in to learn more about both the important takeaways and the challenges of recent mindfulness research.

Show Notes:

The background of mindfulness research [3:06]
The challenge of defining mindfulness [6:26]
MBSR as intervention for many research studies [13:05]
Unpacking social desirability and self-selection in mindfulness research [18:42]
Are we asking the right questions? Validity in mindfulness research [21:56]
On Contemplative Neuroscience and fMRI [23:55]
Contraindications of mindfulness practices [27:55]
Adverse events of mindful meditation [33:23]
Idea of capacity building & titration [37:55]
Mindfulness research takeaways [42:24]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yin & Meditation Yoga Teacher Training
Mindfulness Research Doc
Connect with Katja Bartsch: Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-43.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Boundaries as Self-Care with Yely Staley Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Self-care is much deeper than the "massages and bubble baths" trope. Today host Rachel learns from guest Yely Staley that setting clear and healthy boundaries is a foundational part of true self-care, especially for those of us who care for others.

Yely figured out the need for regular commitment to self-care the hard way — by experiencing repeated bouts of burnout while working in the corporate world as an attorney, and even after pivoting to become a yoga teacher and studio owner. In this episode, Yely shares how her experience taught her to appreciate simple, daily self-care practices, and how setting boundaries over the past two years has transformed her life.

Listen in to hear Yely share her tips for overcoming guilt around saying no, the value of teaching people how to treat you, and why she is so touched by Hispanic Heritage Month.

Show Notes:

Yely's background [3:40]
A surprising pathway from attorney to yoga studio owner [7:13]
Redefining self-care [13:48]
Self-care tools for burnout prevention [15:51]
Managing guilt around taking time for self-care [18:30]
Why we sometimes struggle to set healthy boundaries [21:08]
Setting and communicating personal boundaries proactively [24:31]
Two kinds of boundaries to set [28:24]
Benefits of setting healthy boundaries [34:06]
Communicating boundaries decisively requires non-attachment to outcome [36:10]
Daily self-reflection or spiritual practice is key [43:57]
Self-care as an avenue to authenticity rather than toxic positivity [46:08]
Reflecting on Hispanic Heritage Month [52:37]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Yely Staley: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | YogaYely | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-42.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Community Conversations: The Hidden Benefits of Yin Yoga with Shannon Stephens Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

We have mentioned Yin yoga in previous episodes of this podcast within the context of flexibility and fascial health. Today host Rachel talks with yoga teacher and educator Shannon Stephens about the more hidden or secret benefits of Yin yoga that can transform our lives.

In this episode, Shannon shares how the Yin practice creates the quiet space and time lacking in modern life — inviting us to get to know ourselves, recalibrating our senses to more subtle settings, and forcing us to sit and stay with whatever comes up, including boredom.

Listen in as Shannon explores the many ways Yin can teach us how to respond rather than react — both in yoga and in our daily lives.

Show Notes:

Shannon's early experience with Yin replenishing depletion [3:30]
An observer's seat for changing sensation [5:50]
Sharpening our inner awareness [8:30]
Teaching interoception with open-ended questions [12:26]
The "Goldilocks zone" of sitting in conversation with discomfort [16:09]
Highlighting the individual nature of a Yin practice [19:12]
The magic ingredient of time and the power to stay [22:42]
Holding space for surrender [26:25]
A gateway to and container for meditation [28:42]
Tactile experience of impermanence [30:12]
Feeling the subtle body: TCM meridian lines and elements [32:11]
Opening to self-care and self-compassion [36:52]
Yin as a connecting force [39:29]
Finding sacredness in the mundane and the privilege of boredom [43:19]
Learning to respond rather than react [47:42]
Final thoughts and favorite YMO practices from Shannon [51:42]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yin & Meditation Yoga Teacher Training
The Hidden Benefits of Yin Yoga
Yoga Medicine Online: Yin Yoga to Cultivate Compassion
Yoga Medicine Online: Yin Yoga to Nourish the Water Element
Connect with Shannon Stephens:

Facebook | Instagram | This Land Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-41.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Lessons Learned Inverted with Amelia Schrader Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

The image of a handstand or forearm stand on the beach is such a stereotype in modern postural yoga that it's almost easy to forget that these poses have a real power and potency to them.

Today host Rachel talks with Amelia Schrader about what she has learned from her long-standing inversion practice. Amelia is a yoga teacher and educator with a Bachelor of Health Science and a background in Naturopathy. After getting a taste of inversions in gymnastics as a child, she was humbled by relearning these poses as an adult.

In this episode, Amelia shares the many reasons why she harbors such a strong love for inversions. She talks about her favorite techniques for strengthening hands and forearms, tips for preventing yoga wrist injuries, as well as what inversions have taught her about lateral thoracic breathing and the 360-degree nature of the core.

Listen in to hear the physical and mental lessons Amelia has learned from her patient practice in inversions, as well as the inner confidence and strength that she gained along the way.

Show Notes:

Finding centre in a period of life transition [3:55]
COVID-19 as a nudge from the universe [7:09]
The challenge of going slowly, not addressing uncertainty with busyness [11:25]
A practice of patience: learning handstands and forearm stands as an adult [13:48]
Preventing yoga wrist injuries [19:28]
Techniques to awaken weight-bearing hands and forearms [24:01]
Lateral thoracic breathing: accessing the breath while the core is engaged [27:19]
Yoga poses to access lateral thoracic breathing [32:13]
Building core strength and overcoming back and sacroiliac pain [34:56]
Gaining confidence from inversions leads to courage in real life [41:56]
"Enjoy the journey": takeaway messages from Amelia [47:24]
Amelia's upcoming inversion classes on Yoga Medicine Online [50:23]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Yoga Medicine Podcast Episode 26: Support the Low Back with Tiffany Cruikshank & Jenni Tarma
Yoga Medicine Podcast Episode 19: Fascia & Pain
Connect with Amelia Schrader: Facebook | Instagram | Axis Yoga | YM Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-40.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

MFR Applications & Research Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja are focusing in on myofascial release (MFR) applications and the current MFR research. In this episode, we talk about what the research suggests at this time regarding the duration and frequency of MFR, the speed and intensity of its application, and ways of combining MFR with yoga and other stretches for both athletes and non-athletes alike. As always, keep in mind that, with the application of MFR, there are plenty of individual variables to consider from person to person, so this episode is more of a general overview than a personalized plan.

Listen in to learn about tips for athletes, recommended tools for MFR, and some of the intricacies of current MFR research.

Show Notes:

What is SMFR [1:48]
Duration and frequency of MFR [2:45]
Effects of MFR on pain are transient, yet cumulative [6:03]
MFR duration and range of motion [8:28]
MFR duration and sports performance [12:02]
Looking at study protocols matters [14:50]
MFR, tissue stiffness, and blood perfusion [16:22]
Rolling fast or rolling slowly? [20:00]
Review on the chronic effects of rolling [24:57]
Recommended intensity for MFR [26:08]
Tools for MFR [35:14]
Benefits of vibrating tools for MFR [44:33]
Combining movement and stretching with MFR [50:23]
Individual exploration matters [1:05:19]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-39.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga and Medication with Dr Mariya Farooqi Pharm.D. Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

Optimal health sometimes requires the support of both western science and other interventions — like diet and lifestyle changes and mindfulness practices including yoga.

Today's guest is perfectly placed to talk about both sides of the equation. Dr. Mariya Farooqi is a clinical pharmacist, functional medicine specialist, and registered yoga teacher. Along with her initial work as a nutritionist, these experiences have shaped her philosophy of "food and movement first, drugs second".

In this episode, Dr. Farooqi speaks with host Rachel about how common medications can interact with our yoga practice, offering her advice as a pharmacist on how we might manage common side effects by tailoring what, when and how we practice. She shares her thoughts on pain management, unpacks the vital link between gut health and overall health, and explores how even small changes to our diet, routine, movement, and mindfulness practices can have far-reaching impacts. She also talks about more personal experiences, like that of completing yoga teacher training as a Muslim woman, and the personal meaning the work of the Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation holds for her.

Show Notes:

Early perceptions of yoga from a Muslim Indian family background [2:45]
Challenges and growth opportunities: yoga teacher training as a Muslim woman [9:08]
The growth of Mariya's interest in functional medicine [15:04]
Strengths and weaknesses of western medicine for chronic illness [20:20]
Complexities in discussing medication in the context of yoga practice [25:05]
Relevant potential side-effects of common medications:
- Anti-depressants [26:20]
- Lithium [28.18]
- Diuretics (water pills) [29:27]
- Sleep medications [30:05]
- Allergy medications [31:58]
- Anti-anxiety medications [32:22]
- Antibiotics [33:05]
A pharmacist's advice for yoga teachers working with students one-on-one [34:00]
Approaches to pain management [37:44]
Medications can affect gut health [41:18]
Actions steps for people whose medication is affecting gut health [46:00]
The wide-reaching impact of regulating the central nervous system [47:55]
The Seva Foundation's work has personal meaning to Mariya [50:03]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Dr. Mariya Farooqi:

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | PharmToTable

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at www.YogaMedicine.com/podcast-38.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at www.YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Lead with Heart: Yoga as Service with Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Compassion and service are at the heart of yoga philosophy. Many of us see overwhelming inequities in the world today and want to help, but don't know where or how to start.

Today's guest on the podcast would have us simply "start, by starting". Host Rachel talks with the Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation Director, and a Sisters of the Planet Ambassador with Oxfam America, Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham. As well as being a yoga instructor, Amanda has a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and a Master's in Teaching, but it was her years of traveling the world that inspired her life's work.

In this episode, we discuss the Seva Foundation's mission to combat human trafficking by empowering women and children through all kinds of education, be it formal, vocational, or practical.

Listen in to learn how to create space to process the secondary trauma that can come with service work, and why it pays to focus on the ripple effect you can create through small acts rather than trying to change the world.

Show Notes:

The start of Amanda's passion for travel: 10 years on a boat [2:52]
How travel ignites compassion [5:31]
Yoga as Amanda's stabilizing anchor [10:35]
"Moving back to land" [13:25]
Open a yoga studio in search of expansion and connection [16:01]
Finding Yoga Medicine and the first Seva trip to India [17:50]
Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation's mission [20:32]
Making space to process secondary trauma in order to take action [24:03]
Life-changing impacts from education [32:46]
Human trafficking's mind-boggling scope [37:47]
The ripple effect of changing just one life [39:23]
"Start by starting": the work of Her Future Coalition and the Seva Foundation [43:05]
How service work changes us [47:46]
Ways to get involved with the Seva Foundation [52:30]