Shira Turkl-Rubin

Partner Yoga Class

Need a new date night idea? How about coming to partner yoga? You’ll sample some delicious chocolates then you can float off to a romantic dinner. If you want to come to partner yoga with a friend – it’s a fantastic way to get in some great quality time together. What’s better then laughing, loving, massaging, breathing, supporting and having fun together?! It’s open to all levels – so even if you’ve never practiced before – now’s your chance to dive in. Join us! Our next one is March 22^nd 4:30pm-6:00pm $25 per person. I’ll be your teacher, and Chad (my husband) will be my demo partner. Class will be held at Union Arts Center in Sparkill, NY. You won’t want to miss this. Read about our last class HERE. Sign up by contacting me HERE.

IBD Meetup Group

Last week was my monthly IBD Meetup group. 5 of us came together to tell our stories, stretch, laugh, breathe, meditate and most importantly share knowledge together. I feel blessed that this group of people can come together each month and feel comfortable enough to talk about their bowels… that’s something that takes most people quite some time to open up about but not IBD folks! We’re ready, willing and able to talk about it any time of the day – in fact, we want you to ask us about our bowels, especially if it’s been a good day! We’re proud when it’s good – however when it’s a bad, flare up kind of day that’s not the time to be asking. A note to IBD significant others – make sure to be really excited for us when it’s a good bathroom day because they might not be so often and we need you to be happy for us! My next Meetup group is on March 26^th will I see you there? Class is limited to 6 students so please make sure to RSVP HERE if you’d like to join us.

Be well!

Hu Kitchen Contest

Do you know about the dirty dozen list of fruits and vegetables? It’s a list that shows which foods should be bought organic due to the harmful pesticides that seep into the food. If you don’t know about this list then I highly suggest you do some research because these foods are the most effected by pesticides and should be bought organic every single time. Hu Kitchen – one of my favorite restaurants in NYC – is doing a fantastic challenge. If you memorize the list of dirty dozen fruits and veggies and recite it back to them they will give you 15% off your entire purchase for 1 entire month! That’s genius! If you already know the list then you should just go to Hu, recite it and get your 15%. If not, then learn it and enjoy your discount. What a great way to get people in the know about what should be organic.

Apples – celery – cucumber – spinach – strawberries – cherry tomatoes – grapes – hot pepper – nectarines – peaches, white potatoes – sweet bell pepper

Antigravity Yoga Teacher Training NYC!

I just returned home after a 4-day antigravity yoga teacher training. It was absolutely incredible. WOW! Antigravity yoga is all about taking flight in a silk hammock. This morning when I woke up, I felt as though I were swaying in cocoon, which is shivasana in yogic terms, but then I had to remind myself that I was just in bed! I can’t help but think it’s some kind of sign that I’d rather be flying! Not only does my body feel incredible – and that’s pretty amazing considering the fact that I was in class from 9-5 for the last 4 days. My abs feel great, my neck and even my back are NOT hurting! I haven’t felt this good in a while… Now the next steps are to buy a hammock for my house and then start teaching of course. I’m so excited to share this incredible practice with you all. Flying high really is for everyone – you don’t have to be fit or athletic to fly. You just have to be able to trust, let go, be free and have fun!! Antigravity yoga is all about having fun – so if you’re into being serious all the time then you definitely won’t like it! I am beyond excited to be a part of this incredible team that I know will change lives forever. Thanks to my teachers Shelly Bomb and Christopher Harrison for teaching me the way – I am forever grateful.

Meditation in Sedona Red Rocks

Chad and I traveled to Sedona, AZ and Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago – it was such a great time that I have to share with you. What are the chances that there would be a yoga festival going on at the same time we were visiting Sedona? Chad thinks I planned it, but I promise that I had NO clue! We landed in Phoenix, I turned on my phone, checked Facebook and saw a post from one of my favorite teachers – Yogi Charu. He wrote: can’t wait for my trip to Sedona. So I wrote him a message wondering what he was doing there. Turns out he was teaching at the Sedona Yoga Festival which was happening the same weekend we arrived AND the classes we liked were taking place IN our hotel! Holy moly! You can imagine that I was completely in heaven. Chad was an awesome sport and took part in the festival with me for one day. We were completely blissed out by the end of our trip. The hiking, good food, yoga, clean air, great convo and a whole lot of relaxation made for an incredible trip.

Then we made it to Vegas, which was a total shock to our systems! Lights, noise, pollution, money, money, money! Even with all the noise in Vegas I managed to sneak away to take an anti-gravity restorative yoga class (not on the strip). I left feeling blissed out again and ready to take on the rest of my time in Vegas. I even found a delicious, healthy and organic lunch spot (also off the strip) that I was able to nourish myself in.

Fresh Mama Cafe in Nevada – 15 minutes from the Vegas strip

The only way to travel is to research where the locals go. Yelp is a huge help when we’re traveling – we use it to find restaurants and fun things to do that might be off the beaten path. Next time you travel, make it a point to seek out some non-conventional activities and restaurants. Remember, just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean you have to eat crappy food and feel like crap too- travel the healthy way! Here’s another post about planning for your travel. Our next trip is Mexico! Crossing my fingers to find healthy options there.

Restorative Yoga with Shira

This Thursday 2/27 from 10:45am-12pm I’m teaching a restorative yoga class at Nyack Yoga at 42 Main street in Nyack. Petrina Plecko typically teaches a therapeutic class at that time, but she’s away and asked me to sub. This class will be filled with delicious, relaxing, supportive, nourishing poses to help soothe and heal your body, mind and soul. If you’re having any symptoms of disease, this class will give you helpful tools to relax on a daily basis. I can’t think of a better way to spend your Thursday morning. Make your way over to Nyack Yoga at 42 main street in Nyack, NY. Let’s breathe together!

Love over fear bumper sticker

Through the seven years that I’ve been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I’ve learned some pretty valuable information. One thing that I’ve learned is: in order to feel my very best I’ve got to break the pattern.  When you’re struggling with any particular disease, it’s because your body has gotten into a certain pattern that’s not working – yep, you heard me – it’s time to change it up. Sometimes I’ll start taking a certain supplement that I feel is helping me for a while, but then all of a sudden it’s not working anymore and I’m standing there scratching my head wondering what I’m doing wrong. You have to take a stand back and look at everything that you’re doing to see if something can be changed.

If you’re in a flare up that’s your body’s way of telling you that something’s got to change.  If you’ve been practicing a certain set of breathing exercises, stop and try something different. If you’re drinking raw green juice everyday, stop and try something else. Some of the efforts that you’re doing, even though they are healthy for some, might just be toxic for you. Every body is different so make sure to listen loud and clear to hear what yours has to say – eventually, you’ll break the pattern.

Trust fall Valentines partner yoga

Valentines partner yoga supine twist

This past weekend I hosted a Valentines partner yoga workshop at Union Arts Center in Sparkill, NY. It was awesome! My husband Chad was my demo partner and we had so much fun together! It was such a wonderful way for couples and friends to connect in a loving, trusting, non-judgmental way! The class was open to all levels, so even if you hadn’t practiced yoga before I made it accessible to everyone. It was such a great time that we are planning to host monthly partner yoga classes at Union Arts Center. Why not right?? The simple act of touching each other in a supportive, helpful manner is absolutely priceless. Who wouldn’t want more touch in their life from loved ones? It’s all about healing, connecting, jiving and having fun together! Want to get some one on one time with that special someone? Or connect with your bestie? Come to partner yoga! I will let you know when the next class is. Here’s a rave review from one of the students in the Valentines partner yoga class, Kenyatta Jones-Arietta. This post here has a fantastic clip that will surely get your heartstrings moving.

Cheers to connection.

Start with your feet on the ground and stable

Stretch over the ball to release pressure and tension in the whole body

It’s important to move your body especially when you’re having a colitis or crohns flare up. Here’s a photo of an exercise that’s fantastic to get you moving. Use one of those large bouncy balls either at home or at the gym to stretch your entire body. Make sure you have something to hold onto behind you so that you don’t fall! The more you roll back, the more of an inversion you will get, the better it is for your belly and the more you will move your body. I mention another exercise in a previous post here that is also helpful when combating a flare up. The more tools in your toolbox, the better. It’s all about trial and error – see what works and stick to it. Enjoy!

Beautiful snow filled NYC trees

Last week was a stressful week for me and in my case that means my stomach gets off balance, which could potentially throw me into a colitis flare up. Yep, it sucks and it’s totally happening right now… Yuck!

Here’s what I’m NOT doing –

– Sitting around feeling sorry for myself

– Racking my brain trying to figure out exactly what threw me off

– Getting depressed

– Eating crap because I feel like crap

Here are the top 5 most important things that I AM doing for myself during this time:

1) Exercise. Get to the gym! if that’s not possible because you’re snowbound then do 100 jumping jacks right now to sweat and get your blood flowing. The worst thing you can do is sit or lie down all day.

– If you can get to the gym use that large ball in the stretching area to roll and stretch out your body – it also gives you an inversion, which is gentle, feels great and again gets the blood flowing. OR use the body foam roller and roll your whole body out. I’ll post pictures of both of these exercises in a future post – stay tuned.

2) Go to the steam room and sweat it out. I like steam especially in the winter  time since it’s so dry out. The steam brings moisture and helps open the pores – this is also another way to help you sweat.

3) Try a soft food cleanse. What does that mean? Any food that’s safe for a baby to eat is good for you to eat, ie: steamed or boiled golden beets, potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, yam, carrot, etc. Eat this for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for one whole day. This will help your system take a break and allows the body to heal.

*** While in a flare up watch everything that you put into your mouth. You should be eating cooked foods that are warming and easy to digest. Foods that are slow cooked are usually a great option, ie: soups and stews in a crock-pot that don’t have many spices – keep it plain and simple for now.

4) Take it easy and relax. If you can get yourself to a restorative yoga class try it. If you’re in NYC here’s a restorative yoga class that I absolutely LOVE! Her name is Laura Wooton and it’s Tuesday’s at 8:15pm at Pure Yoga West. Get there.

5) Practice breathing exercises such as alternate nostril breathing, shown in this clip below:

Click the photo to watch the video

BONUS) DE-STRESS! I’m not yelling here… I’m just trying to explain the urgency of this disease and if you don’t de-stress, let go, breathe, practice yoga, meditate, eat properly then there will be many negative consequences. Take care of yourself. When you feel it coming, (we all know the signs) then boost up your de-stressing techniques. Try this voice recording that I created below:

Click the photo to listen to voice recording

I know you know how to take care of yourself – but when you’re in a flare, or period of stress, the body feels it in a bad way. You MUST balance it out. Try acupuncture, meditation, qi gong – anything to take you out of your stressed state. The whole idea here is to break the pattern – if you can do that, then you’re golden.

Listen to your body – it absolutely, 100% knows what you need – just open your ears and listen carefully.

Just because I’m feeling crappy this week doesn’t mean I get to complain about it. Instead I’m taking action and being proactive – that’s what you should be doing too!

Rock on!