I reached out on my social media platforms and asked all of you what you’d like to hear, and the response was great! So many of you had questions for me, so in today’s episode, I’m going to answer them. I want to help as many people as I can, so I’m honored to be able to answer what I can with the best of my knowledge.
How do you best move through stress, fatigue, or exhaustion?
The best way to move through it, is to move. I try to cultivate a day of “blob” in my week, but it is difficult since I’m so used to moving throughout the week. The lymph system actually depends on movement, so I do recommend some form of movement in your day. Schedule something like a date with a friend, taking your dog on a walk, or something small like that.
Does text-neck affect jaw-clenching at night?
There is fascial tissue that connects both the jaw and the neck, so yes, they both can affect one another. Try breathing and / or relaxation techniques prior to going to bed.
When I open my shoulders, I can’t stay in a neutral pelvis position. How can I help this?
The area between the shoulder blades does have a tendency to become blocked. I recommend bringing your hands straight out in front of you, interlacing the fingers into a fist, now push this farther away so the shoulder blades begin to pull apart. Now punch your chest back, almost like a cat position. Do this a few times to feel a release of that tight feeling.
How do you deal with people who are not aware of their own emotional issues and blame other people?
You can only change your response to people. Ask them questions that acknowledge what they are talking about; “What happened?” let them feel heard.
How do I lead and create an atmosphere in a class?
Let’s apply this to any leadership position. I’m a big believer in being yourself. People want to be led, therefore you need to come prepared. Be clear and have a perspective for the class / time ahead that you are leading.
How do you queue the body into alignment without confusion?
Talk clearly and don’t worry about getting flourishy. Never make assumptions with your class, always teach as though everyone has no knowledge of what you are teaching.
What does your vegan holiday food look like? Any traditions?
For Hanukkah we make latkes with egg and sour cream replacements. For Christmas we don’t really have a tradition, we just eat whatever we want! For winter time, I love making vegan soups. The corn chowder is my favorite.
- You’ll need: frozen organic corn, two stalks of chopped celery, chopped red bell pepper. Saute the celery and red pepper, then add the corn, salt, and a bay leaf. Cover with vegetable broth. Blend about 80% of the corn with a cup of vegan milk, then add back in.
What’s the best sleeping position? How do I position my neck when I’m sleeping?
You don’t want a mattress that’s too soft, or too hard because you’ll have little support or just not enough. Try to get a pillow that is thin enough to hook under your skull, but so your chin can still drop down. If you are a side-sleeper, keep your neck in the same plane.
