Archives: The Fix Your Belly Blues Program

side saddle meditation copy

Side Saddle Meditation

In this exciting, time in my life – my belly doesn’t know the difference between excitement and anxiety. You can understand how that might pose a problem for someone like me who has ulcerative colitis. It’s our 4th week open at Soul Flyte – a boutique AntiGravity® yoga/fitness studio in Nyack, NY that I’ve opened – things are going really well… much better then we had anticipated and I’m beyond grateful every single day. That doesn’t mean that my belly understands that though. My emotions have always gone straight to my belly leaving me feeling anxious not about my business, but about my belly! I’ve had trouble sleeping and have to work really hard on quieting my thoughts – somewhat business related but also belly related.

What I’ve come to realize during this time is how important it is to show up at my meditation corner. Even if I sit for 5 minutes and maybe my mind was racing the whole time, at least I sat… At least I gave it a try. Routine has always been my best friend and sticking to one is very important during this time for me. I know you can most likely relate in one way or another. Whenever you feel like you don’t want to meditate, that’s the most important time to get back to your cushion, or corner.

Don’t make any excuses, just do it.

Love Over Fear

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.

New Studio in Sparkill!

Click the Picture to see my full schedule

Hi there!

Since moving from NYC to Sparkill, NY, which is in Rockland County, I’ve been working to create my yoga community. Fortunately there are local yoga studios and happenings around town, that’s why we were drawn to living here in the first place! Since Sparkill is tiny, we are lucky to have many surrounding towns such as: Tappan, Piermont, Orangeburg and  Nyack which are all in NY – but we also have nearby towns in NJ too! Northvale, Norwood, Alpine, Closter, Montvale, Westwood.

The great news is that I now have a space below my apartment that I am able to hold yoga, meditation classes and privates. As well as working at The Aimee Raupp Wellness and Fertility Center in Nyack, NY I now have this brand new space that’s just waiting to be broken in by new students!

I can’t wait to share it with you all!

I specialize in teaching kids yoga, restorative yoga, gentle yoga, yoga for your belly blues, vinyasa yoga all levels and meditation.

All classes are $20 except for the FREE meditation class. Signup is required for all classes! Contact me

My class schedule is as follows:

Monday:

8:15am-9:30am Vinyasa Yoga All Levels

9:30am-10am FREE Meditation class

Tuesday:

8:30am-9:45am Vinyasa Yoga All Levels

Thursday

9am-10:15am Vinyasa Yoga All Levels

I am also offering private and semi-private yoga sessions. If you are interested please contact me HERE for more info and pricing.

See you on the mat!

 

I’ve been dealing with ulcerative colitis since I was 12 years old and I’ve got some great tips to share with you. The tips below come from my book called The Fix Your Belly Blues Program. It’s a 21-day program created to help you find the right diet that works for you, learn how to cleanse properly and connect the mind/body. Here are my top 10 tips to get you moving and motivated to kick your health into shape. Remember, you are in control of your health – let your body do the healing.

1)     Find practitioners who you feel a connection with – whether it’s acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic, kinesiology, massage etc. It’s so important to be able to talk with them, vent, and relax all at the same time – what an incredible release that is.

2)     Find a wonderful, supportive therapist

3)     Take probiotics everyday (especially while traveling). Megafoods is a great brand – although pricey, it’s the best.

4)     Eat fermented foods ie: raw sauerkraut, (the brand Real Pickles sauerkraut is delicious). Lactose free yogurt by the brand Green Valley Organics is awesome. It’s yogurt w/ probiotics, organic and lactose free!! Amazing! The same brand also makes kefir, which is also a fermented product that I recommend. Raw kombucha is GREAT for us IBDers – It’s a probiotic drink. I like GT’s brand original flavor since it’s low in sugar.

5)     Stay away from white sugar, brown sugar, any sugar substitutes (equal, splenda etc.) instead use honey, agave, maple syrup. Watch your sugar intake in general, it causes inflammation

6)      Steer clear of caffeine – it also causes inflammation

7)     Eat as many whole foods as you can. Soup with tons of soft veggies, well-blended smoothies, fresh green juices, etc.

8)     Create a meditation practice and maintain a regular workout at the gym.

9)     Take a good brand of cod liver oil. I like Green Pastures Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil. Since it’s fermented, it’s easier to digest and doesn’t come up on me throughout the day.

10)   I recommend a gluten free diet. Be careful with soy sauce and salad dressing as they contain gluten and you may not have realized that. Stay away from too much soy – it’s in everything. Eat clean, nutrient packed foods and you’re half way there – then add in the mind/body aspect and you’re on your way!

Bonus tip: Educate yourself. I’d say that’s the most important tip I can give you. Read, surf the web, talk to people who have the same disease and ask tons of questions.

Even though doctors are very smart, they do not know everything. I hate to say this but most GI doctors know the bare minimum about diet. In fact they will tell you to eat whatever you want with IBD and that diet has nothing to do with it. I don’t believe that for one second because food is half the battle.

There will be times when you’ll be completely stumped about what to eat because everything you put into your mouth makes you feel terrible. Well, it’s time to take action. Start with soft cooked root veggies and work your way up from there. Don’t forget about the yoga/meditation aspect of the work. It’s not a one size fits all type of thing here – you have to find what foods work for you. What yoga poses feel good for you, which meditation practices work for you. You get the idea? I can’t do the work for you but I can explain what needs to be done to get you on the right track. Ultimately your in control. Stand in your confident shoes and get moving. Don’t feel helpless, you are what you eat. Start taking responsibility for your actions. This is your life, so start living it.

Check out my book where you can find more step-by- step instructions to guide you along your path to health. I will show you a yoga and meditation practice that I feel works well for IBDers. Ultimately you decide which poses to keep and which to take out. The Fix Your Belly Blues Program is now available!

Cheers to you and this lifetime of health and happiness.

Tropicana Advertisement on NYC Subway

I saw this advertisement on the subway in NYC. As I sat among fellow NYers watching their expressions (or lack there of) I saw how wonderful this AD really is! It definitely had the effect of making someone smile spontaneously – that would be me! I’m a sucker for great AD’s – I pay attention and love when I see clever ones.

Good work Tropicana. Even though I’m not in love with their product, they got me on the AD. Thanks for the smile.

Cheers to spontaneity.

I just came back from a small trip to Florida – I visited my grandmother and soaked in the warmth. Gosh I love how warm and fuzzy the sun, good weather and blue skies makes me feel. It boggles my mind how much the weather effects my mood. Do you feel that way too?

I wish I didn’t let the weather dictate how I feel on a particular day but sometimes I just can’t help it. Like today, all I wanted to do was snuggle up in bed with a warm cup of tea with my kitty purring beside me. Unfortunately working for myself, the networking and marketing never stop! So I was out there making contacts, teaching and spreading the health word – someone has to do it!

If you didn’t know already – I wrote a book!!! I feel like standing on top of a mountain and screaming that really loud at the top of my lungs! The reason being because I almost can’t believe that it actually turned into a book! I am now selling The Fix Your Belly Blues Program on Amazon Kindle as well as my own website!

I’ve made a career out of teaching others how to be their healthiest selves. As many of you know, my niche market is working with people who have digestive problems. My book is a 21 day program for people who suffer from crohns, colitis and other digestive problems. Currently you can purchase is through my website by clicking here

Or you can buy it on Kindle at Amazon.com by clicking here

My goal is to provide coaching and guidance for those diagnosed with digestive disorders. I myself needed coaching/guidance when I was first diagnosed but I couldn’t find it. That’s why I created my own method and am now sharing it with you and the world. So please, help me spread the word. If you know someone who suffers from digestive problems, send them to my website – I know they will thank you (and so will I!) The Fix Your Belly Blues Program was designed to kick your disease out the door. With lots of tips, guidance, recipes, yoga and meditation you will feel fully supported as you work on healing yourself – that’s the goal. My next step is to begin offering special yoga/meditation retreats specifically for those suffering from crohns/colitis. I am writing out my intention with positive hopes that this will actually happen before the end of 2013! Your support is definitely welcome.

Cheers to a wonderful year ahead.

Shira

 

Click me to watch a video on how to practice nauli

Throughout my process of learning how to heal ulcerative colitis, I learned a wonderful yogic cleansing technique that I use when my belly doesn’t feel right. I highly recommend it as I find it massages my organs and helps pass anything that’s “stuck” in my system. It also helps with anxiety and I tend to feel pretty calm afterwards. The practice is called nauli and I’ll demonstrate it for you in the video that’s attached to this post. Let me know if you have any questions regarding this – otherwise give it a try and see how you feel. Click here to watch.

Good luck!

Shira

Click me for a tutorial on Kapala Bati Breathing!


Kapala Bati Clip from The Fix Your Belly Blues Program

What is anxiety? I just left a very intense therapy session where we spoke primarily about my anxiety and the many ways it manifests itself. Not only is fear a big part of my anxiety but so is the unknown.

Wow… Heavy topic today.

I bring it up because I think many of us, whether New Yorkers or not, suffer from anxiety. I know I scare myself in many different ways and I wonder how you do too?

Today my therapist, who practices in the Gestalt modality, had me work not on the fears that my anxiety brings, but the anxiety itself. I placed it in a chair, figured out what it looked like, the color, and how it made me feel.

I realized that this thing I call anxiety is shaped in a blob like form that sticks to my insides. It’s the color brown and often times it gets stuck inside of me.

I’ve already found a way to help it escape with breathing exercises but today I added on an extra step that I’m really excited to share.

I know all of this might sound funny to you, but growing up in a household with two parents as Gestalt therapists, this stuff is totally normal!

So, my steps to help release anxiety are to practice Kapala Bati or breath of fire. As you practice, imagine your anxiety as a set of red handkerchiefs coming out one by one just like a magician! Once finished with this exercise take some all purpose cleaner, wipe up the floor and throw the anxiety away!

Let’s go, it’s time to get rid of this once and for all!

Are you with me??

Stop letting your anxiety get the best of you. Take a stance and be strong. Of course it’s a work in progress so don’t get upset if your anxiety comes back right away. Keep practicing this at least once a day and see what happens.

Watch the video above for a tutorial on how to practice breath of fire.

Good luck!

Dear Friends,

I am SO excited to share this news with you! I just launched my newest program to help those with gastrointestinal problems. It’s called The Fix Your Belly Blues Program and the best news about it is that it’s all online. It’s a 21-day program with a focus on cleansing, diet, yoga/meditation. It includes everything you need to know to help your belly heal. I have used my own personal experience to create the program and that’s how I know it works!

If you or anyone you know has the belly blues, ie: colitis, crohns, ibs, gastritis, ulcers, heartburn, diverticulitis, etc… and are looking for a way to feel better – then this is the program for you. Click the link below to see my promo video and to learn more about the program. Also, please share the link below with anyone you think might benefit from this! Help spread the word! I appreciate your help and I look forward to seeing you all soon!

click HERE to check it out!

Cheers,

Shira