Tag Archives: yoga

Frost Loves Beautiful and Functional Yoga Mats From Yoga Design Lab

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I absolutely love Yoga Design Lab yoga mats. They’re stylish, beautiful and sustainable. They’re available for adults and children. They are great mats which are also eco-friendly. I also found them to be light and easy to travel with.

Whether you’re an experienced yogis or new to yoga practice, giving the gift of eco-friendly yoga gear is a great way to support health and wellness, express our appreciation, and deepen our bonds by contributing to a more sustainable future together.

Yoga Design Lab creates vibrant, high-performance yoga mats and accessories by using sustainable materials like recycled microfiber, renewable cork, natural rubber, and water-based inks, making them safe yet stylish options for adults and children alike.

The Combo Mat, voted by Vogue as one of the “18 Best Yoga Mats in 2022,” is an excellent choice for eco-conscious mothers, while the Combo Kids Mat encourages children to explore yoga in an engaging way with playful colors and designs.

Yoga promotes a wide array of physical and mental benefits — including increased strength and mobility, less stress and anxiety, and a greater sense of calm and peace — and can be practiced almost anywhere, with many different styles and flows to try, making it accessible to all ages and preferences.

“Practicing yoga with our mothers is a beautiful way to connect and strengthen our relationships with one another,” said Yoga Design Lab’s Bianca Fesenbeckh. “It’s a meaningful and deeply nurturing experience to share, and we believe using yoga products created with materials sourced from mother nature only elevates that.”

Yoga Design Lab offers a diverse selection of more than 20 unique designs, ensuring that you can easily find the perfect product that suits your mother’s or wife’s individual style. By gifting them with YDL’s eco-friendly yoga gear, you’re not only showing them how much you care, but also giving them the gift of “me time” to find peace and tranquility amidst the chaos of daily life.

 

About Yoga Design Lab

Yoga Design Lab creates yoga mats and accessories that balance sustainability with style and performance – without having to sacrifice one for another.  Founded in 2015 and based in Illinois, Yoga Design Lab is committed to using recycled, recyclable and renewable materials in all yoga products. The vision is to create a better world for the next generation by providing products that preserve the planet while helping people Live. Beautiful.® each and every day. For more information, go to yogadesignlab.com or follow at @yogadesignlab.

Frost’s Mindfulness Series Week 4: Using your body as your anchor by Alex Bannard

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Last time we explored how we can use the breath as our anchor. In the same way that we are always with our breath, which is why it is such a powerful anchor, we are also always in your body. Our body is a power anchor into the present moment because, like the breath, it is both a guide & a tool.

We manifest stress with tightness & tension in our body. Being more mindful will help you recognise these physical manifestations & even if you can’t solve the mental anguish if you can ease the physical signs that can help stress to subside.

There are 3 typical areas of our body that generally hold a lot of tension & we are often oblivious to them: the shoulders, the jaw & our brow – I refer to them as the triangle of stress.

When we are triggered our body naturally flex’s in preparation to fight or fly & our body goes into survival mode. This protected us in cavemen days when there were actual life or death dangers.Nowadays, modern days stress: being late for work; being bombarded by emails; arguing with a loved one pose an emotional threat that is as real to our body & mind as a physical threat.

The shoulders are one of the most common areas of tension. It is believed that there is a motor nerve attached to the muscles in our shoulders & the back of the neck that is linked to breathing. Once we get stressed & start to shallow breathe, our shoulders tense up.  Just being able to recognise this tension in our body gives us an opportunity to ease this & thereby create some space in our mind. Gently rotating the shoulders forwards or backwards or shrugging them up towards to your ears as you breathe in & as you breathe out shrugging them dramatically away from the ears can shift this tension. And it is surprising how just easing the physical signs of stress can relieve the mental anguish.

Another part of our body that we tend to hold tension in our jaw. When we are stressed we often clench our jaw. When we notice we are doing this we can simply release our jaw. You can also open your mouth & just in front of your ears is an indentation. Press it & hold for 6 seconds & repeat 3 times. Finally you make a scissor shape with your index & middle finger, placing your jawline in the hook of the fingers & sweep firmly from the chin to the hairline 6 times.

Finally that spot between our eyes: the furrowed brow. Pent up emotions & stress can fester between your eyebrows and become visible lines over time. You can ease this tension away by placing your first 3 fingers in the space between your eye brows around the third eye & rotate the fingers first in a circle in one direction 6 times & then the other.  Noticing tightness & tension in our body is a sign or a guide, relieving that tightness & tension becomes the tool to relieving the mental anguish.

Another reason we can use our body to anchor us in the moment is that for many, being physically active, they become more mindfully aware of the present moment. Practising yoga is a great way to practice mindful movement & become more in tune with your body.

Practicing a body scan meditation is another way to ground our self in the present moment, as we scan through the body we become mindful of the sensations in our body, any tightness, becoming aware what we may need to do to alleviate this tension & in doing so alleviate any mental distress we may be experiencing.

To try a body scan meditation for yourself, simply email Alex to the email address below quoting Frost body scan. Next time we will be exploring the many benefits from practicing mindfulness & meditation. So by becoming more aware of the signs of tension in our body & we can help alleviate the affects of stress by mitigating the physical manifestations.

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for the last 8 years, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a sense of peace & calm within & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices.

If you would like more information on how to practice mindfulness, meditation & yoga message her at alex@myananda.co.uk.

For free resources check out her Facebook group: Mindfulness & Yoga for Self-Care, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MindfulnessYoga4Relationships

Alternatively please check out her website: www.myananda.co.uk

The Books That Changed me by Alex Bannard

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I began my journey into mindfulness around 8 year’s ago amidst a battle with mental illness. 10 minutes of mindfulness by Goldie Hawn was my first insight into mindfulness & a wonderful reflection on parenting & engaging with our children.

It changed the way I parent & has shaped that experience for us all for the better. Flicking through it again to write this piece I am staggered by the simple wisdom in its pages & the great ideas that help us to encourage our kids to let their light shine…it makes me want to delve right back into it again! 

Some of the best, most honest, funny & engaging books written about mental health & mindfulness have been written, in my humble opinion, by Ruby Wax. Her brilliance, wit & searing honesty make each of her books a page turning delight. 

Finding a favourite is tough but possibly because I am fascinated by the geeky neuroscience behind mindfulness & spirituality, How to be Human pips the others to the post. In this book, Ruby chats through a variety of topics close to the heart of any full bloodied human with a neuroscientist, Ashish Ranpura & Buddhist monk, Gelong Thubten with her trademark frankness & humour. It was so good I went to see them perform on stage too, which was unforgettable. 

When we were living in Bangkok, a dear friend & spiritual guru introduced me to Gabby Bernstein’s The Universe has your Back. So began a mini obsession: I love Gabby’s work. This book introduced me to the idea that our thoughts & energy create our reality amidst the comfort of knowing the universe has our back. 

It taps into the idea of manifesting & law of attraction; the joy & flow that abound once we begin to dance in union with the energy of the universe. And it works. I ‘manifested’ a wonderful first home & fantastic school for myself & my kids when we returned to the UK soon after reading this book, within 2 weeks of making the decision. Having lived overseas for 12 years I have never seen anyone orchestrate a move so quickly & I put it all down to the universe having our back!

The Quantum & the Lotus by Matthieu Ricard & Trinh Xuan Thuan is an exploration of the overlap between quantum physics & spirituality, which feeds right into 2 of my passions. It’s not an easy read, but it’s remarkable & fascinating.

Finally, I recently finished my first ever book on Audible: Gabby Bernstein’s latest offering, I am the Guru.  The 6 lessons described are beautiful in their simplicity & ease of application. I had never ‘done’ Audible before. I love an actual book: the cover, turning over the page corners, the smell of it. But this book isn’t out in print yet & it was the only way to access it. What a revelation! I binge-listened to it one weekend, revisiting each chapter several times afterwards. And now I’m a convert, it’s revolutionised my reading experience for the better. 

Alex coaches yoga & mindfulness in person & online to individuals, groups, in schools & in businesses. She can be contacted at alex@myananda.co.uk or via her website www.myananda.co.uk 

 

Wellness afternoon at London City Island with Personal Trainer Scott Ashley

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With fitness craze after craze, it’s hard to know what class is right for you nowadays. Do you prefer a spinning class? Yoga? or are you brave enough for some Insanity?? Well this week, Frost tried out Scott Ashley’s revolutionary fitness class HOLIXIR right on the exclusive, still to be finished London City Island by Ballymore.

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I must admit i’m an absolute fiend for trying out new classes and anything to do with working out but straight away this was going to be a workout like no other as we were not working in a simple gym studio in a soul-less gym but the setting was on the site of the new London City Island development. We were driven to the site which is currently being dubbed, ‘mini manhattan’ and after passing through the dust and the builders, were greeted by the gorgeous Scott Ashley in a stunning showroom.

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Scott Ashley the Celebrity Personal Trainer has worked with everyone from Duncan James to Valentino and coming from such an athletic, hardworking background it’s no surprise that he has such a host of loyal clients. As well as working with celebs, Scott explained he had lots of experience working with people with eating disorders to Type A personalities creating a bespoke approach to each individual. As well as having his own pool of clientele, Scott is also resident trainer at Café Royal on Regent Street.

Living in fast-paced and constantly evolving times, what I was most intrigued to know about was the question of how to keep motivated and stay on form when you’re on the road. Scott explains that staying diligent as to what your consuming is the most important thing. With a lot of his clients on tour all the time he explained that the hardest thing is to stay away from the allure of a fast-food restaurant or rest station goodies. If you can’t find any healthy options then it is worth carrying healthy snacks with you. In terms of diet, I wanted to know what Scott absolutely stayed away from, refined sugar and wheat were at the top of the list. With wheat increasing bloating and triggering huge spikes in insulin it’s no wonder someone who’s looking to improve tone and fitness would curb the wheat intake. Before we took Holixir for a spin, we were also interested to know what it was all about, described as a holistic body weight workout Scott went on to explain that this is a multi disciplined workout which will stretch you and go on to improve posture, strength, flexibility and give you a better metabolism. With that, we were lead to an open roofed terrace on a lovely sunny day to try it out.

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So the class begins with a Yoga flow sequence designed to stretch out and warm up your muscles followed by core strength group exercises, Tabata training, Pilates and double stretching. Let’s not be deceived by the name which suggests it to be a gentle, holistic class, this class will really get you working up a sweat and setting your core on fire within 5 minutes. Some of the moves I found were similar to Insanity especially during the Tabata section, which is basically a High Intensity interval workout, but it didn’t make you shudder with dread at the thought of there being four more rounds of the same to go! The Pilates roll down exercises and double stretching to finish will save your sanity and this is a great way to end a workout if you’re working with a partner. The whole class was very social and also allowed you to motivate each other and everyone was left with a great sense of achievement after!

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If you’re interested in giving the class a go, details on Scott Ashley and HOLIXIR can be found here;

http://www.scottashley.com/holixir/

London City Island by Ballymore, will be a new neighbourhood in London located a stone’s throw from Canary Wharf, the development will have 1700 homes as well as a host of restaurants, bars and private members club. More details can be found here;

http://www.londoncityisland.com

Cat or Dog Yoga: Get In Touch With Your inner Furry Friend | Great Gifts

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It is bizarre present time. These dog and cat yoga books are perfect for your wacky dog or cat obsessed friend.

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Filled with pups and paws in Yoga poses, is anything cuter than dogs doing yoga? Not much apart from cats doing yoga.

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We think these books are a great present for the friend who has it all, the friend who has a great sense of humour or just your friend who loves their furry friend.  From Prezzybox.com.

B.K.S Iyengar Yoga The Path To Holistic Health Book Review

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It is a book review special on Frost today and next up; time to get your yoga on.

B.K.S Iyengar is one of the greatest yoga teachers in the world and Iyengar Yoga is one of the most practiced yoga systems globally. Very impressive indeed.

B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health

This book gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The book is suitable for every age and ability and contains specially developed yoga sequences to alleviate over 80 ailments, ranging from IBS, asthma, arthritis and diabetes. I really liked that section. It takes each ailment and then there is step-by-step pictures of each sequence, along with a reference at the bottom to know which page to go to for a more in-depth guide to the move. There is also a 20-week course for beginners that is very handy. Each section is well-illustrated with lots of pictures.

There is also a celebration of B.K.S Iyengar life in his own words. Perfect whether a fan or a beginner wanting to know more. I find a lot of the quotes inspirational, as is B.K.S Iyengar’s life. This is a great in-depth book, full of inspiration and knowledge. Great for yoga lovers and beginners alike.

B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health

Anti-Gravity Yoga & Ballet Barre Conditioning at London Dance Academy + Always Infinity Competiton

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Recently I got up at 7:30am to exercise on a Saturday. Was I having a mad moment? No, I went to an Always Infinity event to do some Anti-gravity yoga and Ballet Barre Conditioning. I also had a pep talk from a life coach who also went through the benefits of Always Infinity. These include: These are the most exciting Always innovation in over 20 years and are set to revolutionise the pad. They use new-to-UK Infinicel:  while regular pads mostly contain fibres, they are made from liquid foam to absorb liquid. Impressively, they can absorb 10x their weight. They also mould to your body. I love them as they stop a period getting in the way of living your life. They are very light and comfortable. I barely feel like I am wearing them and I am very impressed with the new technology. They are like no other sanitary protection I have ever used. Full marks from me.

I also had a chat with Freya Lingerie about sports bras. They have some really beautiful bras.  I also spoke to a nutritionist who said I had a great diet, Yeah! Her only comment was that I might need more calcium.

The Anti-gravity yoga looked like the picture below, except the fabric was a lovely electric blue colour. The London Dance Academy is an excellent venue. Our instructor was amazing and said we would be doing back flips. I did not think I would be able to do this, but I did! I hung upside down and even stretched my legs out, I did a backflip and I even did the ‘chandelier’ which Pink did at the Grammy’s while singing. All respect to that woman. The chandelier is when you hang from your middle and grab your feet behind you, making a chandelier shape. I really loved Anti-Gravity yoga and would like to do it again. It really made me push myself past what I thought I was capable of and my back felt like it had been stretched out.

Anti Gravity

The Ballet Barre Conditioning was just as much fun. Our instructor was fun and super fit. I could really feel the burn and even the warm up felt hardcore.

Ballet Barre Conditioning combines ballet barre conditioning, pilates, weight training , yoga and isometric. It promotes a leaner, stretched-out look for women. It doesn’t shorten your muscles or make us look like men. Some parts of it reminded me of the Tracey Anderson Method. I definitely want to do it again. It completely works out the body and challenges you. I’m a fan.

I will definitely be doing more Anti-Gravity Yoga and Ballet Barre Conditioning.

We are running a competition to win some pads and Sweaty Betty Yoga Top and Gap Capri Yoga Pants. To win the kit in the photo below like Frost on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube Channel or newsletter. Comment below to say which one you did.

win, competition, yoga gear, always infinity, fitness, healthGood Luck!

Top Tips For Joint Health

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1) Keep Moving

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), engaging in exercises or activities that improve your joint range of motion can help you reduce your joint stiffness, maintain or improve proper joint movement and flexibility and ward off the effects of osteoarthritis. Exercises that target your spinal segmental range of motion, such as Tai Chi, yoga and pilates, are particularly beneficial, as they help improve your posture and reduce unnecessary wear and tear on your joints. These exercises keep joints strong and muscles limber whilst erasing stress. Research shows that high impact exercises such as kickboxing and aerobics can be more damaging on joints. In contrast, low-impact activities like biking and walking that offer the same calorie-burning benefits without the painful pounding. Water based exercises, such as swimming and aqua aerobics, are also great as they allow you to exercise freely, while taking the weight load off your joints.

2) Maintain a healthy body weight

We all know that being overweight is bad for your health, however it is extremely bad for your joints, as they will be under the added strain of carry excess weight. Every extra pound you gain puts four times the stress on your knees. The flip side is that even a small amount of weight loss will give your knees relief. Research has shown that losing as little as 11 pounds may improve your joint health and cut your risk of osteoarthritis of the knee by 50 percent.

3) Stretch

Stretching before and after exercise is crucially important, and including a few gentle stretching exercises, as part of your day-to-day routine will make you to feel re-energized, and will help keep your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong and prevents muscle and joint stiffness. There are two types of joint stretching that are beneficial: firstly, static stretching, which holds the stretch of a joint usually for about 30 seconds; and secondly dynamic stretching, which involves moving your joints in their full range of motion repetitively in different directions. Perform dynamic stretching before your exercise to stimulate your nervous system and warm up your body, and perform static stretching after your workout to alleviate muscle fatigue.

4) Eat a good diet

Eat beneficial foods. Studies show the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can help not only reduce symptoms associated with joint pain but also change the levels of inflammation that may be causing some of the pain. Fish oil slows the production of inflammation-signaling cells. The best sources are fish such as salmon and tuna, or try taking an omega supplement such as VeEPA (£13.99 from www.nutricentre.com). Research also shows that vitamin D may help protect your joints, too, via an anti-inflammatory effect. Make sure you get 400 to 800 International Units (IUs) of vitamin D daily; one cup of milk contains 100 IUs, and three ounces of salmon has 300-650.

5) Use a warming joint spray to provide relief

When joint pain flares up, painkillers and anti-inflammatories can provide relief but they can also have contraindications with other medication and long-term use can cause other health issues. Phytodol® Joint Care spray is an effective, all-natural, topical treatment designed to help care for joints and muscles and maintain their health. Containing a unique combination of glucosamine, MSM, arnica, ginger, zedoary and cinnamon oils – all know for their beneficial effects on joints and muscles – it is rapidly absorbed, providing fast, effective relief. (Phytodol® Joint Care spray, £14.80 for 200ml. Available in selected Holland & Barrett stores)