There’s love, satisfaction and joy present when we contribute in a positive way to someone’s life. Whether it’s helping a stranger with directions, being a powerful listener for a friend, a caregiver for family, or setting safety for our crew on the water. Then why, you may ask, does helping or being of service sometimes (or often) feel frustrating and tiresome? Why do feelings of resentfulness creep in? Perhaps you even ask yourself why you bother helping that person/people anyway?! The love is clearly gone. If you feel this way then… Ask Yourself These Two Questions: Why? It’s the simplest
The 2 Questions I Ask Before I Help Someone
February 5, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
How the Sun Rules Your Health
January 17, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
What if I told you that the secret to optimal health, stress and weight management is your relationship with the sun? You may think that I’ve gone off the deep end and joined some weird crazy cult that stares into the sun for energy or something. Well, it’s not crazy or airy fairy, it’s called chronobiology. The science of chronobiology, the field of biology that studies natural physiological rhythms, is telling us that our circadian rhythm (24 hour body clock) governs our health and wellness. In 2017 the Nobel prize in medicine was awarded to three scientists for their discoveries showing
Yoga for Paddling: How to Sit to Reduce Back Pain
December 19, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Yoga for Paddling
Did you know that one of the main functions of the spine is that of shock absorber? That’s why the spine has curves, to act like a spring to absorb impact. The disks in between the bony vertebrae also play a major roll in this function. Disks are made of squishy cartilage able to absorb impact by compressing slightly. In a healthy spine the cartilage doesn’t stay compressed, but retakes shape. When the disks get too compressed by the vertebrae it can lead to bulging disks. A bulging disk is when the disk gets so compressed that it bulges out
Anna’s Gift Guide for the Health Conscious Paddler
November 20, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Kayaking Tips, SUP Tips, Yoga for Paddling
Ready to be the coolest gift giver this season? Give meaningful and fun gifts that contribute to your favorite paddler’s health, wellbeing and passion for paddling. Read on for my top picks for paddlers who do (or would like to) take on their wellness with as much stoke as they take on the water! Under $25 Asheville Tea Company Pumpkin Pie Chai Delicious, hand packed tea by Asheville outdoor enthusiast Jessie Dean. Perfect for pre and post paddling, especially during the cool winter/spring months. Full of digestive spices that are also sweet and comforting. My favorite recipe for preparation: 1TBS
6 Secrets to Beat Holiday Bloat
November 19, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Yoga for Paddling
Do you experience bloat, discomfort and lethargy from overindulging during the Holiday Season? If so, you’re not alone! I think we’ve all been there 🙂 The good news is that I’ve got some tips that will help you enjoy the good cheer and delicious foods of the season without the heaviness. As an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor I’ve spent a lot of time studying and practicing effective strategies for boosting digestion, one of the key bodily functions responsible for our energy level, mood and nutrition. During this time of year it’s easy to let our digestive systems get bogged down
Top 3 Reasons to try SUP Yoga
May 8, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, SUP Tips
I’ve been around paddlers and yogis for over 20 years and I’ve heard ‘hardcore’ paddlers make fun of SUP yoga and yogis treat it as a novelty fad. I always say: ‘Don’t dis it until you’ve tried it!’ BTW, why is it so easy for humans to dis stuff we haven’t tried? The health, body and wellness benefits of SUP yoga are many and below I share my top 3 reasons to try SUP yoga: More Core, Fewer Imbalances SUP Yoga is an effective way to bring greater awareness to imbalances in the body and learn how to effectively
3 Easy Spring Cleanses that Work
April 10, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Yoga for Paddling
The truth about cleanses is that they don’t have to be long, arduous or expensive to work. And, yes, they do work. Some don’t even require that you go without food! Benefits of cleansing include clearer skin, more energy, reduced bloating/digestive distress, weight loss and enhanced sense of taste. I’ve had folks (including my Mom) tell me that they’re skeptical of cleanses because the body has the ability to cleanse itself. The body does do a good job of cleansing itself IF/WHEN we eat a simple diet, eat only when we’re hungry and only to 75% full, and lead a
Love and Discipline: The Art of Self Care
March 1, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
Everyone loves talking about love in February. Love is great and all, but my favorite part of Valentine’s Day is the ‘pink food’ I have an excuse to indulge in. Pink frosted cookies, pink cake and pink champagne are some of my faves. After all, love is associated with sweet taste, a taste, according to Ayurveda, that grounds us and offers comfort. That’s part of the reason sweets are so popular. In our busy, over-stimulated lives where our nervous systems are often stretched to the max, sweets offer us a taste of love and a sense of contentment. It’s way
Immune Boosting Winter Routine
January 17, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Health and Wellness
Cold and flu season is upon us, but that doesn’t mean we have to surrender to getting sick. According to Ayurveda, when our digestive fire is strong our immune system is strong. With a little daily effort we can avoid having our lives disrupted by seasonal illness. How do I know it works? I haven’t had the flu or a cold in over 5 years. We each have a unique constitution so it’s possible that my immune system is on the tougher side giving me a natural immune boost. Having said that, through my Ayurveda Wellness Counseling practice I’ve witnessed
Warm up with Turmeric
December 11, 2017 | Written by: | Filed Under: Health and Wellness
As we enter winter the days are getting shorter and the weather can feel cold and damp. A great way to balance the dark, cold and wet qualities of winter is to feed our bodies nourishing, warming foods and spices that heat up our digestive fire. Turmeric is one such heat-generating spice, and it’s a powerful anti-oxidant that gives curry it’s beautiful yellow color. It promotes digestion, optimal cell functioning, and supports the immune system. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Low-level inflammation is a significant part of chronic stress, as well as many
