How to Start Doing Yoga at Home

Too tired to make it to class?  Want to do Yoga without anyone else looking at you?  In the silence and scent of your own home?  It's much easier than it sounds, and builds the invaluable skill of creating peace anywhere.  <3

1. Take at Least One Class First

If you're brand new to Yoga, your form needs to checked by a professional before you try and do the basic poses on your own.  Tucking in your backbone or lifting your collar bone can make a huge difference in some poses.  I can still hear my yoga teacher's voice correcting me from a class I took years ago!  As you master those poses at home, you can take another class to double check newer, more difficult poses you've been trying out.

2. Figure Out What Poses You'll Do At Home

You can do poses you learned in a class, print out a routine for free from the internet, subscribe to a Youtube channel, or invest in a book, app or dvd.  My favorite book is Slim Calm Sexy Yoga because of how clear the images are the plethora of short routines available.  There are quite a few apps out there, and they are great b/c they have built-in timers and you can see the lit up screen in the dark.  That's also a downside though because the bright screen can be jarring.  I personally place a book right beneath my nightlight/wax melter and use a timer that makes a sound when it's time to change poses.  It's easy to memorize a routine so I often just glance over if I happen to forget what's next.

3. Find a Space for Your Mat

Or buy a mat first if you don't have one yet!  Your space can be anywhere- at the foot of your bed, in the back yard, or any seldom-used room if that exists where you live.  You may have to find a spot that you have to clear out and refurnish afterwards.  If you can't find one, you may have to make a deal with your family to create one.  Especially if you're never home alone.  More on this in the next step.

4. Reward Others for Giving You the Space You Need

Let's be real, no matter how nicely you ask you may end up bothered especially if you have kids.  It'll have to be something along the lines of "If you you don't talk to Mommy until 6:30pm, she'll have more energy to play," or letting your partner know how much happier you'll be as a person if you had that time for yourself.  But if none of this works, you'll have to wake up before everyone else.  That's not so bad though b/c the world is so much quieter and still in the wee hours of the morning.

Also, make a plan to be around others with your improved demeanor and crediting your yoga.  They'll appreciate it and want to reinforce the good habits you're building.

5. Set Up Your Ambiance

Sound: I like an internet radio with soothing sounds or something with more rhythm during more intense sessions.  I usually play it from my phone or tablet.  You can also invest in a small indoor fountain or us an app with customizable ambient sounds.  My favorite is Sleep Pillow.

Lighting: Turn out the harsh overhead lighting and invest in a nice nightlight.  It makes a HUGE difference in relaxing your muscles and how far you can go into a pose when the lighting is soothing.

Aromatics: This can be incense, candles or and air freshener.  My favorite are the types you plug in that heat up scented wax blocks.  My favorite is a night light wax melter in one like this one.

6. Schedule It Down to Timing Your Poses!

Whether it be early in the morning before other people wake up, or my favorite- right before bed, choose something you know you can stick to.  For example don't plan to do it in the mornings if you're a chronic snooze-button abuser.  Even 10 minutes a day can make life more peaceful and enjoyable than it is now.

Invest in an HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Timer.  No, not because your doing that type of training, but because it's perfect for yoga.  I use the app Cayanax HIIT Timer.  My warm-up is 1min, then I set 15 second and 1 min intervals for 20 rounds.  I give myself 15 seconds to get into a new pose and then hold it for a minute.  And the timer makes a sound every time so I don't have to look up or count, I can just relax.  Since I don't have a teacher, this is vital to enforcing the discipline to hold my poses long enough and for even amounts of time.  I get to focus on my breathing, relaxing and my form in the pose.  

7. Get Dressed for the Occasion- Or Not!

This is the beauty of doing yoga at home.  Along with zero commute or other people to deal with, I get to wear whatever I want. And that's usually pajamas.  :D

8. Learn to Do Yoga Anywhere

It will happen naturally.  Oftentimes at work I'll do a couple poses for my back in between clients.  It can be while you're cooking, watching tv, listening to a audiobook, praying, meditating, on the phone, before you leave the restroom- the possibilities are endless!  You'll find yourself feeling like a real yogi before you know it!

If this helped, please let me know in the comments below which step/s helped the most.  And if you've ever done yoga in an unconventional place?  Thanks and happy yoga-ing!

-Alex

Tips for Living with Allergies

I'll never forget the day a few years ago when my doctor called me on my cellphone post blood-work.  "You have the most allergies out of anyone I've ever come across."  And he's had thousands of patients.  Cats especially- their technology couldn't even read my reaction because it was off the scale.

I'm allergic to most plants, animals and metals.  Nothing very severe except cats.

Yeah, I'm basically an Alien.

So here are some of my best tips!  Enjoy!

1. Clean

Not just clutter, but dirt.  Vaccuum.  Dust.  Spray bleach on any signs of mold.  You know how it goes.   You want to take off as much unnecessary strain on your over-reactive immune system as possible.  And if people are demanding your time away from cleaning as much as you need to, tell them it's doctor's orders and for health reasons and they'll leave to your business.

2. Get Your Lymph System Moving

This means cardio.  Get into the habit of taking the stairs.  Relax and drop parking in the closest spot as possible and walk a little.  I highly recommending doing High Intensity Interval Training, even just 10 minutes every couple days.  It will make a huge difference to clear out all built up, internal inflammation.

3. Eat Clean & Drink More Water

This is a biggie, and way too underrated.  No matter how much medicine, shots, avoidance, whatever you do, eating clean will help SO much!  When I'm eating cleanly, not only do my allergies subside, but if I do need to take medication it works so much better.  

And guess who I'm sitting next to as I write this?  Yes, my pet cat.  Who should technically be able to kill me right now.  And no, I can't pet her for very long or  rub my face on her cute fluffiness.  But! I can coincide with her without reacting because I've built a tolerance to her and followed these tips.  To the point where I don't even need to take medication around her.  They help tremendously and have kept my body reaction-free and mostly medication-free.  

(***Note I still ALWAYS keep medication on me for emergencies.  Increasing exposure does NOT count for people who are still highly reactive and should only be done under a doctor's supervision.  It's been a journey of living more healthy, monitoring my reactions and allowing myself more exposure little by little).

Either way, these tips will definitely lighten your symptoms and make your medications more effective.  I hate feeling restricted and love the increased freedom of enjoying the nature and animals of God's Creation.  And hope you will too  <3

Much Love, Alex.  

The ONLY Skincare Routine You'll EVER Need!

It's not a brand name or magical serum- follow this basic structure to find the perfect skincare routine for YOU.  Only 3 steps!  It's similar to the Proactive System, except cheaper and customizable to YOUR skin!

1. Cleanse
Use a gentle cleanser in the morning and and exfoliate at night.  (If your skin is super-sensitive, only rinse it in the mornings).  Exfoliating cleansers contain microbeads that slough off a layer of dead skin cells on your face.  (Avoid apricot shards, they tear the skin and you'll pay for it w/ breakouts later). Or just use a washcloth/ facial brush with your gentle cleanser!

Sometimes, exfoliating oily skin too often can cause it to kick into high gear and produce even more oils to replace the loss of moisture.  Moisturizing properly can prevent that.  Or you may only want to exfoliate every other day or less.  Older individuals with drier skin may need to exfoliate twice a day to stimulate cell turnover.  Either way, make sure you cleanse your skin every morning and evening!

2. Astringent/ Toner (at night only)
Now that you've removed that layer of dead skin cells, this wonderful liquid can go into your pores and clean them!  (The active ingredient is salicylic acid).  Bye-bye blackheads! The terms astringent & toner are interchangeable, but astringents tend to be stronger.  They usually look like colored liquids in a bottle and you find them in the skincare section of the store (even grocery stores).  You pour a little on a cotton round or tissue and put it all over your face.

If you're not used to it, it can sting!  Stronger formulas are better for oily skin, and gentle toners are best for drier skin.  A super-gentle toner for very sensitive skin is witch hazel.  You may even want to do this every other day or less (after you exfoliate); it depends on you.

By the way, the best pore-clearing product I've found is Epionce's Lytic Cream. This line is usually only sold in doctor's offices- it's better than something you'd find in a beauty-based establishment.

3. Moisturize
Use a moisturizer containing sunscreen in the morning, and an anti-aging cream at night.  Use a special eye-cream around the eyes.  But this step is extremely versatile.  The moisturizer you use is ultimately up to you, as long as you moisturize!  By the way, it can take a while for really rich moisturizers to absorb (Up to 25 minutes), but don't skimp on it- just be patient.

*Optional: Acne Medicine
Use a cream and rub into your problem areas only.  Find one with benzoyl peroxide for the most effectiveness, or one with salicylic acid if your skin is more sensitive.

And that's it!  It's super-easy and it feels so luxurious to go to bed at night with clean pores absorbing my night cream :)  I hope you can use this foundational skincare routine to find what's perfect for you, and have your skin be the best it can be. :)

God gave us beautiful temples, it's our job to care for them and make them glow!