Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, it’s highly likely you’ve heard the teacher recommend this pose for improving your sleep. Elevating your feet above your heart improves circulation in the torso and head so your heart rate can slow down, your muscles can relax, and your digestive system can function with more ease.

1. Lay down on your back so that your legs are parallel to a wall or the edge of your bed.
2. Using your hands to help, scoot and rotate your body until you are perpendicular to the bed or the wall and your legs can stretch vertically up the wall or hook over the top of your bed. Allow your arms to rest anywhere that feels comfortable.
3. You may need to inch your butt closer toward the wall or bed once your legs are elevated so that they are as straight as possible, but only go as far as feels comfortable for you.
4. If you feel any pressure in your low back, you can place a pillow or folded blanket underneath your tailbone/low back for added support.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This classic seed-like shape is a gentle and effective yoga pose for mellowing out a busy mind so you can catch some Z’s. While you’re welcome to do child’s pose without any props, placing pillows or a bolster underneath the torso is extra supportive and can feel incredibly soothing when sleep isn’t coming easily.

1. Kneel on the floor or your bed. Bring your big toes to touch and open your knees out as wide as feels comfortable.
2. Lower your torso down between your thighs until your head touches the floor or can rest on a prop, such as a pillow. Extend your arms overhead or stack one palm on top of the other to create a pillow for your forehead to rest on.
3. Alternatively, place a yoga bolster or pillow in between your legs so that one end is wedged between your thighs. Keeping knees wide, lower your torso down onto the prop so that your belly, chest, and head are supported by the cushion. You can wrap your arms around the top of the prop or underneath it.

Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

This gentle twist is a treat for your body, mind, and spirit. There are many ways to approach the shape of your legs depending on the mobility of your hips, so find a position that’s comfortable but still encourages a lengthening sensation down the spine and legs. Gently rotating throughout the torso helps loosen tight muscles that could be preventing your nervous system from entering a relaxed state where deep sleep is possible.

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor or on your bed with legs extended out long. Pull your left knee into your chest and gently draw it toward the right side of your body until your knee touches the floor or bed. If that’s difficult, you can also prop a pillow under the knee to raise the height of the floor.
2. Keep your right hand on your bent knee as an anchor and extend your left arm out to the side. If it is hovering in the air, place a pillow underneath it so you can fully relax into the twist. Gently turn your neck so you’re looking out over your left palm.
3. When you’re ready for the other side, unwind from the twist and return to a flat back. This time, keep the left leg long and pull your right knee up and over your body. Your left hand will remain on the bent knee as your right arm extends out to the side.

Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

In yogic philosophy, forward folds are believed to be calming for the mind and spirit. Physiologically, placing your head below your heart uses gravity to deliver blood to your brain, which takes some pressure off the heart and improves circulation. (If you have high or erratic blood pressure, exercise caution with this one.) This yoga pose will gently stretch the back of your legs and low back to help relieve sleep-disturbing tightness that can build up in those areas.

1. Sit on the floor or your bed with legs stretched out long, keeping as much of a bend in your knees as you need to feel comfortable.
2. Hinge forward from your hips and allow your arms to drape alongside your legs. (There’s no need to grab your feet and pull yourself deeper, just allow gravity to do the work with this stretch.)
3. If you have a tight low back, sit up on a pillow or bolster to give your pelvis more room to hinge forward. You can also place soft props across the top of your legs to rest your torso, arms, and forehead on.

Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)

While this restorative yoga pose might not look like anything fancy, it’s a great way to ground jittery energy and reconnect to the power of deep, intentional breaths. If you’re a belly sleeper then you’re probably used to a similar position, but try doing this position on the floor instead of the bed so that your spine stays in better alignment.

1. Lie flat on your belly. Stack one hand on top of the other while the elbows flare out to the sides. Rest your forehead on your stacked hands like a pillow.
2. If your low back gets sore at any point, bend your knees so your toes point up toward the ceiling and gently sway your shins through the air from side to side.

Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana)

Also known as “sleeping swan” in the yin tradition, this classic posture is great for opening up tight hips, releasing stagnant emotions, and loosening the body to prepare it for restful sleep. This involves a little bit more active stretching than some of the other postures, so only choose it if you feel like you can comfortably relax into it and maintain a steady, slow breathing pattern. If it requires excessive effort or causes agitation, it’s likely not the best pose to help you feel drowsy.

1. Start on your hands and knees on either the bed or the floor. Gently slide your left knee up toward your left wrist until your shin is positioned under your chest at a diagonal. Your ankle will likely be near your right hip joint. Extend your left leg behind you, keeping the top of your foot facing the floor.
2. Keeping your pelvis squared, sink your weight down into your hips without rolling off onto your left glute.
3. Slowly lower your torso over your bent left leg so that you come down to your forearms. If you’re quite flexible, you might even lower your chest and forehead down to the floor and fully extend your arms forward on the floor or bed. For a more supported version of the pose, place a yoga bolster or a pillow underneath your torso to rest on and wedge a folded blanket underneath the hip of your bent leg to support your pelvis.
4. To switch to the other side, press into your hands to lift your torso and slowly make your way back to hands and knees. Repeat on the other side by sliding your right knee toward your right wrist and extending your left leg long behind you.

Supported Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

While an active bridge pose is known as a glute and hamstring buster, the supported version is a beautiful restorative posture that alleviates tight hips and gently lulls the body into a more tranquil state. This is another great pose to do directly in bed so that once you feel snoozy you can simply move the props out from underneath you and go straight to sleep.

1. Lie on your back on the floor or in bed. Bend your knees so your feet are flat. Pick up your hips so you can slide a pillow or a yoga bolster underneath. It should be supporting your entire pelvis and low back.
2. Allow your arms to rest on the ground with fingers pointing toward your feet.
3. Gently tuck your chin toward your chest so you maintain a long neck and anchor down gently through your shoulders and back of the head.
4. Your knees can stay bent or you can extend legs out long if that feels comfortable in your low back.

Build a Relaxing Routine

Feel free to create a mini sequence using several of the poses listed above, or pick just one that helps lull you to sleep. A calming bedtime routine might even involve a few restorative poses before a short yoga nidra meditation to really ensure your body and mind are ready for rest. Relaxation is a practice, so it’s time to get started!

The post Can’t Sleep? Try One of These Restorative Yoga Poses at Bedtime appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

They found that isometric exercises—which involve contracting muscles and holding them under tension—were most effective at reducing resting blood pressure. The researchers theorized that isometric exercises work best because static muscle contractions temporarily reduce blood flow to muscles, which surges back once the contraction is released. This relaxes blood vessels and helps regulate circulation.

Of the three types of isometric exercises reviewed in the study, wall squats proved more effective than isometric leg extension and hand-grip exercises, lowering systolic blood pressure (the top number) by an average of 10 points and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by 5 points. For best results, the study’s lead author, Jamie J. Edwards, Ph.D, of Canterbury Christ Church University in England, recommends doing four 2-minute rounds of wall squats three times a week. In addition to blood pressure benefits, this efficient 16-minute practice will strengthen your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and claves.

How to Do It

1. Stand with your back pressed against a wall and your feet hip-width apart.

2. Walk your feet about 2 feet away from the wall.

3. Bend your knees and slide your back down the wall until your legs form a 90-degree angle, as if you were sitting in a chair.

4. Keep your spine flush to the wall and your knees stacked directly over your ankles, not pressing forward over your toes or splaying out to the sides. Hold the squat 2 minutes, gently engaging your core and taking slow, deep breaths.

5. Rest 2 minutes and repeat three more times, for a total of four rounds.

For more tips, check out our guide to lowering your blood pressure naturally, by Shivam Joshi, M.D.

The post 1 Simple Move You Can Do at Home to Manage High Blood Pressure appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Forks Over Knives spoke with two yoga nidra experts about the wealth of benefits this meditation-oriented practice can offer people who experience poor sleep. If you’re ready to stop tossing and turning, learn how to use yoga nidra for sleep and give this subtly powerful practice a try the next time you want to catch some quality Z’s.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What Is Yoga Nidra?
• What Does a Yoga Nidra Practice Involve?
• How Does Yoga Nidra Help with Sleep?
• Are There Any Risks of Practicing Yoga Nidra?
• Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditations

What Is Yoga Nidra?

Translated from Sanskrit, yoga nidra means “yogic sleep” or “divine sleep.” Unlike its movement-based counterparts, this yogic practice typically involves a single relaxing posture (such as lying on your back) so that you can focus on tapping into your breath and progressively relaxing your body.

“Yoga nidra is a meditative process that, through connecting with the deepest levels of rest, allows us to connect with our most natural state,” explains Jamie Marich, PhD, a clinical trauma specialist and founder of the Institute for Creative Mindfulness. “Yoga nidra is fundamentally about sinking into a place of non-doing and just being. We release the effort of poses to embrace a sense of total ease.”

While it’s common for new yoga nidra practitioners to fall asleep during the practice, entering a true state of yoga nidra requires you to remain conscious.

“In ordinary deep sleep, also known as dreamless sleep, we enter an unconscious state,” says Sadhana Pezet, a yoga therapist and co-founder of Shatarasa Yoga Darshana. “Yoga nidra trains a particular capacity to remain conscious [during deep relaxation]. This does not mean that the mind is active during your practice; in a genuine yoga nidra state, all activity and movement of the mind recedes. This is what makes yoga nidra such a deeply healing practice and a wonderful training for entering a meditative state.”

The ultimate goal of a yoga nidra practice is to fully relax your brain so your nervous system can rest, your mind can let go of stress, and your physical body can release tension.

What Does a Yoga Nidra Practice Involve?

While every yoga nidra session looks a little different, there are fundamental characteristics of this soothing practice that remain constant so the body and mind can grow accustomed to entering a state of deep relaxation.

“Yoga nidra is traditionally done lying down to allow for optimal comfort and release of the effort of doing,” says Marich. “However, since nidra is, above all, a state of being, it can be done sitting up or in another comfortable position.”

Once you’ve found a comfy posture to rest in, the instructor will gently lead you through a guided meditation that will help the mind slow down.

“A general relaxation of the body and mind is induced, along with full breath awareness, centered on deep belly breaths,” explains Pezet. “This is followed by guiding the practitioner’s consciousness throughout their body, usually pausing in the centers of subtle energy, also known as chakras.”

A yoga nidra practice can last anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes and is safe to do on a daily basis. While it’s possible to enter a yoga nidra state on your own, both Marich and Pezet recommend starting with a skilled teacher.

“The depth of experience that can surface during a session requires skillful guidance at first,” says Pezet. “The verbal guidance is minimal, as few softly spoken words as possible. No flowery or imaginary interjections that keep the mind engaged. The facilitator seeks to be as unobtrusive and as invisible as possible to enable the practitioner to enter a very deep state of stillness and yet also feel safe.”

If you can’t find a yoga nidra instructor near you, there’s a wealth of free recordings on YouTube that can introduce you to this practice (and we’ve included some further down in this article).

“Although practitioners can learn to bring themselves into this state, I find that listening to a facilitator really helps me to fully release and let go of any remaining effort by letting someone else guide me,” says Marich.

Yoga Nidra Benefits

A growing body of research shows that yoga nidra can be an effective tool for reducing stress and anxiety, balancing hormones, and managing pain, but the most common issue it’s sought to improve is insomnia. The deeply relaxed state of yoga nidra taps into the parasympathetic nervous system—the branch of your autonomic nervous system that helps you rest, digest, and heal—so that sleep, and relaxation in general, becomes easier to enter the more you practice.

“Yoga nidra can bring us into specific brain wave states, namely delta wave connection, that are associated with the deepest levels of rest and stress relief,” explains Marich, adding that yoga nidra is not so much about falling asleep but rather, coming to that ‘sweet spot’ just before sleep when stresses are released.

Apart from relaxing the nervous system and ushering in healing brain wave states, the spiritual component of yoga nidra can also be beneficial for improving sleep. Pezet explains that in yogic philosophy, humans are viewed as having several different “bodies” or layers of self: The physical body is associated with the waking state of consciousness, the energetic body (which encompasses thoughts and emotions) is connected to the dream state of sleep, and the causal body (which is related to your subconscious and true spirit) is paired with the dreamless state of deep sleep. Yoga nidra is said to access this third “body,” allowing all the stressors, traumas, and fears that can become embedded in our mind to be gently examined and released.

“The practice is refreshing to the psyche and rejuvenating to the body as all your systems are rested and restored for optimal functioning,” Pezet says. “Because the buildup of stress in the body is released, yoga nidra gives us the ability to meet life’s challenges with a more skillful presence.”

Are There Any Risks of Practicing Yoga Nidra?

Yoga nidra is a safe and gentle practice that has very few contraindications. However, if you have a mental illness or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, experts strongly recommend practicing under the guidance of a skilled instructor, as you may need guidance to navigate emotions that arise during the practice. Pezet adds that people who experience seizures should only engage in yoga nidra with the help of a guide because certain exercises, such as progressively tensing and releasing muscles, can be problematic. Lastly, people who are 16 weeks or more into pregnancy would want to find a different position than lying flat on their back to do the practice.

Yoga Nidra for Sleep: 3 Guided Meditations to Try

Curious to give yoga nidra a try? Play one of these meditations as you’re winding down for the evening and notice whether you drift off to dreamland a little bit easier.

25-Minute Trauma-Informed Yoga Nidra Practice

This recording from Marich takes you through a bite-size version of a general yoga nidra practice so you can experience deep peace no matter what challenges might be present in your life.

30-Minute Yoga Nidra Journey Through the Chakras

This soothing practice is guided by Kamini Desai, who has over 30 years of experience teaching yoga and lecturing on ancient wisdoms and whom Marich cites as one of her most influential teachers. In this recording, you’ll take a progressive journey through your body to relax deeper and deeper until you feel fully at peace.

45-Minute Yoga Nidra for Expression and Creativity

Marich leads this meditation, which she says is ideal for anyone who feels stuck in their creative expression or sense of identity, but it can be nourishing regardless of wherever you are in life.

The post Yoga for Sleep: Yoga Nidra 101 appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

We’ve rounded up the best desk yoga poses to help loosen up your muscles and fight off the stiffness that inevitably comes from sitting all day. These stretches use just a single office chair and are broken down into three sections to cover the main areas of the body that tend to feel sore for people with office jobs: the shoulders/neck, the hips, and the legs/low back. So whether you have a problem area that leaves you with chronic pain or you want a full-body stretch sesh, give a few of these desk yoga poses a go!

Tip: These stretches are best performed in an armless chair so you can achieve a full range of movement. 

Shoulders and Neck

Do you ever catch yourself hunching over your phone or laptop with your chin and neck pushed forward? This hunched posture is also known as “tech neck” and can lead to serious issues in the cervical spine. When our spine moves out of alignment for prolonged periods of time it can pull on our muscles, ligaments, and tendons, creating that familiar “tight shoulder” feeling that so many of us experience after a long day at the computer. Use the desk yoga poses below to open the upper body and prevent pain in your neck from causing injuries down the road. 

Seated Cat/Cow Sequence

This seated stretch is great for helping you get the hunch out of your shoulders and for preventing knots from forming around your shoulder blades. 

1. Place your feet on the floor and sit with your spine straight and tall. Rest your hands on your knees.
2. Begin your Seated Cat by rounding your upper back, tucking your chin into your chest, and straightening your arms. You should feel like the space between your shoulder blades is very broad and that your tailbone is tucking underneath you. 
3. Move into your Seated Cow by pressing your chest forward, squeezing your shoulder blades behind your back, and lifting your face up toward the ceiling. Your arms might bend here, and it should feel like your tailbone is jutting slightly out behind you.
4. Try a few rounds of connecting these two movements to your breath by exhaling into Cat and inhaling into Cow. 

Seated Spinal Twist

Try this stretch at your desk whenever your neck gets tight and you haven’t changed position in more than half an hour.

1. Sit on the edge of your chair with your feet on the floor and your spine straight and tall. Rest your hands on your knees.
2. Gently rotate your torso to the left and place your right hand on your left thigh. Your left hand can reach behind you to grab onto the back of the chair, or you can tuck it behind your back. Look over your left shoulder and continue to engage your core so your spine stays tall as you twist.
3. Repeat on the other side by placing your left hand on your right thigh and looking over your right shoulder.
4. Hold each twist for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat at least twice on both sides. Notice if you can move a little deeper into the twist every time you exhale by allowing your muscles to relax and soften. 

Seated Chest Opener

This posture is ideal for people who chronically slouch forward and round the vertebrae in the upper back.

1. Sit on the edge of your chair, with your feet on the floor and your spine straight and tall. 
2. Clasp your hands behind your back and interlace your fingers together so that your hands can rest on the small of your back.
3. Press your chest forward, straighten your arms, and lift your hands off your back by pressing them away from you. Tilt your face up toward the ceiling. 
4. Notice whether you can take big, full breaths as you hold this stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.

Seated Eagle 

This dynamic desk stretch is great for opening the upper back, neck, and outside of the hips.

1. Place your feet on the floor and sit with your spine straight and tall. 
2. Cross your right leg over your left so that your thighs are touching. Your right foot can dangle off to the side or you can wrap your toes around the back of your left calf.
3. Reach both arms out in front of you and cross your right arm underneath your left so your elbows are stacked on top of each other. Bend at your elbows with fingers moving up toward the ceiling. Stay here or wrap your right palm around your left palm so that your hands touch.
4. Move your elbows away from your chest and up toward the ceiling to increase the stretch across the back of your shoulder blades. Keep your core engaged so your spine doesn’t round. 
5. Repeat on the other side by crossing your left thigh over your right and your left arm underneath your right arm.
6. Hold each side for 10 to 30 seconds and imagine breathing into the space between your shoulder blades.

Hips

Sitting in an upright position for hours at a time causes your hip flexors to shorten and stiffen up, which can pull lots of other surrounding muscles out of alignment. If your pelvis and glutes feel particularly sore at the end of the day, try to incorporate these stretches several times throughout your shift to leave work feeling more loose and relaxed. 

Seated Figure-4 Fold

Use this seated desk yoga pose to target your glutes, hamstrings, and outer hips after a long day of sitting at your desk.

1. Place your feet on the floor and sit with your spine straight and tall. 
2. Cross your right leg over your left so that your ankle is pressing into the top of your thigh. Keep the foot on your crossed leg flexed to protect your knee joint.
3. Reach down to grab the seat of your chair with both hands and hinge slightly forward from your hips while maintaining a flat back. Keep your neck in line with your spine.
4. Repeat on the opposite side by crossing your left ankle over your right thigh and leaning forward. Hold each side for 30 to 60 seconds and feel free to repeat several times.

Seated Side Angle

This supported yoga pose is excellent for stretching out your inner hips and offering a relaxing side bend to bring movement into your ribcage as well.

1. Start sitting in your chair and open your legs wide so that your left knee is hooked over the side of your chair with your left foot flat on the floor. Keep this leg bent at a 90 degree angle. 
2. Extend your right leg straight out to the side, keeping your foot planted on the floor.
3. Keep your spine long and lean your torso toward your left leg. Bend your left arm so you can rest your elbow on your thigh.
4. Extend your right arm overhead and reach your fingers toward the left. Gently hug your shoulder blades together so you can rotate your chest up toward the ceiling.
5. Repeat on the other side by bending your right knee over the side of the chair and straightening your left leg. Rest the right elbow on your thigh and reach the left arm overhead. 
6. Breathe into this stretch for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat as many times as feels good.

Seated Hip Flexor Stretch

Sitting all day causes our hip flexors—the muscles attaching our core and pelvis to our thighs—to contract and get tight. This desk stretch opens the front line of the hips to counteract the rigidity of being sedentary all day.

1. Sit toward the front of your chair, place both feet on the floor, and lean back. 
2. Keep your right leg extended and hug your left leg into your chest by wrapping your hands around your knee or shin.
3. Keep your back as straight as possible. You can extend your right leg even longer or press your toes down into the ground for a deeper stretch across the front hip flexor.
4. Repeat on the other side by stretching out your left leg and pulling your right knee into your chest. Hold each side for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat several times a day.

Legs and Back

Suffer from back pain? You’re not alone. Experts at Georgetown University estimate nearly 16 million Americans struggle with chronic back pain that makes doing daily tasks—including going to work—incredibly difficult. Even if you just experience mild stiffness in your low back at the end of a long day, take a few minutes to incorporate these easy desk yoga poses into your routine. 

Seated Side Stretch

This simple posture targets the mobility of the spine and opens up the low back. The side body receives a nice stretch, too!

1. Place your feet on the floor and sit with your spine straight and tall. 
2. Reach down with your left hand to grab the seat of your chair. Sweep your right hand overhead and lean to the left, breathing into your right rib cage.
3. Gently press your chest toward the ceiling so your upper body doesn’t collapse forward.
4. Repeat on the other side by grabbing the chair with your right hand and sweeping the left arm overhead and to the side. 
5. Try a few rounds of flowing fluidly from side-to-side at the pace of your inhales and exhales.

Seated Toe Touch

Use this desk stretch to work out any kinks in your spine and to stretch your hamstrings, glutes, and low back.

1. Sit toward the front of your chair and extend both legs out straight with toes flexed back toward your face. If this doesn’t feel good, you can keep your knees bent with feet flat on the floor.
2. Hinge forward at your hips and allow your torso to fold over your legs as you reach your hands toward your feet. Reach as far as you can and then let your hands rest on your legs or the floor.
3. Allow your neck to release so your head rounds forward. Hold this stretch for 30 t0 60 seconds.

Standing Quad Stretch

Sitting for long periods of time causes your quad muscles to contract, so this desk stretch helps alleviate tension that builds up in the front of your legs.

1. Stand behind your chair with feet hip-distance apart and place your hands on the top of the backrest.
2. Bend your left knee so your heel moves up toward your glute. Reach down with your left hand to grab hold of your foot while keeping your right hand pressed into the chair. 
3. Continue to stand tall and engage your core so that your torso doesn’t round forward. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. 
4. Repeat on the other side by bending your right knee back and reaching down to hold your foot with your right hand.

Supported Downward Dog

This desk yoga pose is great for elongating the spine, opening up the low back, and bringing blood flow into the back of the legs.

1. Stand behind your chair and place your hands on the top of the backrest. If that feels unstable, you can stand at the front of your chair and grip the sides of the seat with both hands. 
2. Begin to take small steps backwards so your torso can drop down between the chair and your legs. Walk as far backward as feels comfortable—your torso may be parallel to the floor or sloping down at a diagonal. Keep your spine long and straight. 
3. Allow your head and neck to release between your arms. Hold this stretch for 15 to 45 seconds and repeat a few times depending on how tight your back feels.

Standing Calf Raise

Repeat this exercise several times in a row to engage the muscles in your calves, hamstrings, and ankles after they’ve been lying dormant at your desk job.

1. Stand behind your chair with feet hip-distance apart and place your hands on the top of the backrest. 
2. Rise up onto your toes so your heels lift off the floor. Lower back down.
3. Try 10 to 30 reps and repeat three or four times throughout the day.

Standing Kick Back

This desk stretch engages your glutes and hamstrings while gently releasing the hip flexors and strengthening the low back.

1. Stand behind your chair with feet hip-distance apart and place your hands on the top of the backrest or clasped around the sides.
2. Shift your weight onto your left leg and kick your right leg behind you, keeping your foot flexed. Move your leg back and lean forward slightly, then place your foot back down on the ground underneath your hips as you straighten back up to standing. 
3. Repeat on the other side by standing on your right leg and kicking the left leg behind you.
4. Try 10 kick-backs on each leg and repeat this exercise two or three times a day.

This article was originally published on January 18, 2022, and has been updated.

The post Sore From a Long Day at Work? Try These 13 Desk Yoga Poses to Fight Stiffness appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

A 2017 study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology assigned 412 participants to either a high-fiber diet or low-fiber diet over the course of several months, and found that people eating high-fiber diets were 41% more likely to experience bloating than those on the low-fiber diets.

The biochemistry behind your increased need to pass gas is pretty simple: As you digest, bacteria in your gut ferments food that isn’t fully digestible (i.e., fiber) and produces gas as a byproduct. The more fiber you eat, the more flatulence you might experience. The good news? Over time your digestive system will adjust to the diversity of your new diet and become more adept at processing high-fiber foods, reducing the frequency of post-meal gassiness. 

How Much Farting is Normal?

While you may notice an uptick in flatulence when you go vegan, the average person already farts between 10-20 times a day. Sound like a lot of passed gas? You probably don’t notice the frequency of your own flatulence because the vast majority of gas doesn’t smell. Only compounds that contain sulfur, such as hydrogen sulfide, give your farts any sort of noticeable stink. Lots of veggies, legumes, and nuts contain small amounts of sulfur, but it likely won’t change the odor of your gas very much because a healthy diet promotes a balanced gut microbiome. The main thing to remember is that flatulence is normal and is an essential part of a healthy digestive system—so keep the gas coming!

How Can I Naturally Relieve Gas?

Until your gut microbiome has adjusted to your new plant-based lifestyle, you can manage this uncomfortable—and sometimes loud—side effect of eating healthier with a few simple yoga poses. All of these postures move your body into shapes that help gas travel through the digestive system and decrease that tight, pressurized feeling in your belly. The next time you experience bloating after a meal try one of these yoga poses to relieve gas before you reach for the bottle of Tums. 

Yoga Poses to Relieve Gas and Bloating

Ardha Apanasana (Knee to Chest)

Quite literally translated into English as “wind-relieving pose,” this posture is great for helping trapped gas move through your intestines.

1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended out on the floor.
2. Pull one knee into your chest, holding your leg around the shin or kneecap. The back of your head should stay planted on the floor.
3. Keep the other leg extended out long. Hold this position for up to 5 minutes before switching sides.
4. Alternatively, you can pull both knees into your chest so you are curled into a ball.

Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)

While you might feel a little silly in this shape, Happy Baby is an excellent pose for releasing gas and relieving a bloated stomach.

1. Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Pull both knees up toward your chest and press feet toward the ceiling. Your knees will be bent.
3. Grab onto your shins, ankles, or feet (depending on your flexibility). Gently pull knees closer toward the ground as your feet stay flexed up toward the ceiling and legs move gently apart. 
4. Keep head and neck pressed into the ground. If it feels good, you can rock from side to side. Hold this pose for 1 to 5 minutes.

Supta Matsyendrasana (Spinal Twist)

In this pose, think of your body like a washcloth that’s being wrung out to dry. Deep twists support the digestive system by compressing the organs to help move gas through the body.

1. Lay flat on your back with legs extended out long on the floor.
2. Pull your right knee into your chest by wrapping your hands around your shin or kneecap. Keep the left leg extended long.
3. Draw your right knee across your body to the left. Your knee may touch the floor or it may hover; it just depends on what feels good in your body.
4. Extend your right arm out to the side and turn your head to look over your right hand. Your left hand can stay on the bent knee or you can extend that arm out to the left side.
5. Hold this pose for 1 to 5 minutes. Roll gently onto your back and repeat on the other side.

Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge)

A great hip-opening stretch that’s ideal for anyone who works at a computer all day, low lunges also help you pass gas by stretching out the pelvic muscles.

1. Start in a kneeling position on your knees. Step your right foot forward while keeping the left knee on the ground.
2. Place your hands on top of your right thigh or place them on the ground on either side of your front foot. 
3. To increase the intensity of the stretch in your hips, gently scooch the back left knee further behind you, widening the stance of your lunge.
4. Hold this shape for 1 to 3 minutes. Bring the right knee back underneath your hips and step forward with the left leg to repeat on the other side.

Uttanasana (Forward Fold)

Forward folds use the power of gravity to create length in your spine and settle your stomach.

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
2. Hinge forward from your waist so that your torso is draped over your thighs. Allow your head and neck to dangle. 
3. Your legs can be straight, or you can bend your knees if you have a tight low back. Your hands can rest on the floor beside your feet, rest on top of your shins, or wrap behind your calves. 
4. Hold this shape for 1 to 3 minutes before slowly rolling back up to standing.

Malasana (Garland Pose)

A great way to make this flatulence-fighting shape more accessible is to tuck a yoga block or footstool underneath your hips so you can relax into the squat instead of muscling your way through it.

1. Start standing with your feet wider than your hips and toes turned out on a diagonal angle.
2. Squat down as far as you can so that your knees are deeply bent and your pelvis is resting between your legs.
3. Bring your palms together in a prayer position in front of your heart and press your elbows into your knees to help keep your legs open wide.

Balasana (Child’s Pose)

A calming posture for both your gut and your mind, this classic yoga pose relieves tension in the pelvic area and low back.

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Bring your big toes together to touch and send your knees out a little wider than your hips.
2. Sink your hips back toward your heels, and crawl your arms out long. Your belly will rest between your thighs. Your forehead can rest on the ground or on a pillow.
3. Hold this position for 2 to 5 minutes at a time. If you feel discomfort in your low back, try raising your hips so they are stacked over your knees while you keep your arms, head, and chest pressed down toward the floor.

Feel free to combine all these postures into a full gas-relieving sequence or simply try one pose at a time when the need arises.

This article was originally published on May 13, 2022, and has been updated. 

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post The 7 Best Yoga Poses to Relieve Gas and Bloating appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

While qigong’s origins are deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medicine—which also encompasses acupuncture and herbal remedies for ailments—its popularity has grown far outside the medical field. Today, qigong is practiced by people of all backgrounds around the world and is particularly popular among elderly populations due to its reputation for improving balance, mobility, and mood.

This guide to qigong for beginner’s gives you a thorough look at what it’s like to practice qigong, an overview of its philosophical and spiritual underpinnings, and a science-backed examination of how it can boost your health.

Table of Contents:

• What Are the Origins of Qigong?
  • What Are the Main Components of a Qigong Practice?
• Qigong vs.Tai Chi: What Is the Difference?
• Is Qigong Safe to Practice?
• What Are the Health Benefits of Qigong?
• What Is It Like to Practice Qigong?
• How Do I Start a Qigong Practice?

What Are the Origins of Qigong?

The primary intent of a qigong practice is quite literally expressed in the two Chinese characters that make up the word: “Qi” translates to “lifeforce energy,” while “gong” means “to skillfully cultivate.” Together, qigong is the practice of cultivating and honing your lifeforce energy. If you’re a yoga practitioner, qi is similar to the concept of prana, which is seen as the spiritual energetic current that flows through all things. Both traditions use specific breathing and movement techniques to encourage a strong “flow” of energy to support a healthy body, mind, and heart.

Qigong originated in China around 2146 B.C. and was heavily influenced by Daoist philosophy, particularly the concept that harmony with nature is of the utmost importance. The first physical manifestation of qigong began as a series of exercises that imitated the movements of animals. These exercises connected people to their environment, honored the natural world, and helped ease an aching body after a long day of work.

“Nature influences and informs a lot of the qigong practices,” explains Martha Blane, a Zhineng qigong teacher at Qigong For Life, who’s studied the practice for 20 years. “In one exercise you may be moving like a bird, so your focus will be completely enveloped in embodying this image of the bird’s wings and feeling that lightness in your body.”

Qigong later incorporated an understanding of the body’s energy meridians used in acupuncture to help stimulate certain organs or release stagnant energy that was believed to cause sickness. As qigong evolved over the centuries, it underwent hundreds of different iterations that have led to the many different styles practiced today. While nuances abound in qigong, most practices fall into one of three categories: medical qigong (which focuses on improving your overall health and removing disease, typically only done by a medical professional), martial qigong (which focuses on developing strength and agility, such as tai chi), and spiritual qigong (which focuses on cultivating inner awareness).

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that a person is most healthy when their qi, or lifeforce energy, is abundant and flowing. Qi can be impaired by unhealthy foods, emotional distress, a bad home or work environment, or overworking/underworking the body. The combination of intentional breathing, movement, and meditation in qigong is meant to restore homeostasis to your qi.

“As you practice more and more you end up living in a qigong state, which is the state of feeling connected, centered, and grounded,” says Blane. “It’s like you’re floating down the middle of a river, not being drawn to one side or the other. Your emotions stay more balanced and harmonized.”

What Are the Main Components of a Qigong Practice?

Blane explains that there are four main elements that function as the building blocks of most qigong practices. Together, they allow the body and mind to drop into the present moment and cultivate a more compassionate, connected, and conscious relationship with the self.

1. Intention

To reap the full benefits of qigong, it’s important to clear the mind of distractions before you start moving and breathing. It’s normal for the mind to stray throughout your practice, but continually and gently bringing your focus back to the sensations in your body and quality of your energy will turn each session into a moving meditation.

2. Breath

Deep, diaphragmatic breaths are a crucial component of all qigong exercises. Many exercises encourage a pattern of slow inhales through the nose and elongated exhales through the mouth. This breath pattern helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the mind and relaxes the body. Actively engaging your breath is believed to help circulate qi through the energetic meridians of your body and help open up blockages or stagnation that are preventing balance.

3. Dantian (energy centers)

In qigong philosophy, the body holds three primary energy centers called dantian. They are believed to hold concentrated amounts of qi, which can be honed and strengthened by bringing sustained attention, movement, and breath to each energy center.

• The lower dantian is located below the belly button and is said to hold jing, a type of qi that is believed to be a person’s genetic essence, the energy source from which our bodies grow and develop from the time of conception.
• The middle dantian is located in the center of the chest and is considered the home of qi, which nourishes and supports the organs through all the things we consume, such as food and media.
• The upper dantian is related to the third eye and corresponds to a universal spiritual energy called shen, which is said to help us think clearly, make wise decisions, and act justly.Many qigong practices focus on cultivating strength in all three energy centers, starting from the bottom and moving upward, to create a healthy flow of energy from the bottom up.

Many qigong practices focus on cultivating strength in all three energy centers, starting from the bottom and moving upward, to create a healthy flow of energy from the bottom up.

4. Movement

Qigong can be both a singular exercise and a connected pattern of movements. If you only have five minutes in the morning, you can repeat a single technique several times and still feel the benefits. If you take a full class, you’ll learn many different movements that are often purposely interlinked to encourage a specific physical or energetic benefit.

While this might sound complicated, all these foundational concepts are intended to move you toward one goal: a state of greater calm and clarity. “The main two concepts I teach are ‘relax’ and ‘expand your mind,’” says Blane. “We work on relaxing the body, heart, and mind to let go of all the chatter. We don’t aim for an empty mind but instead a state of being where you can just watch your thoughts without becoming them. As you relax, then you can expand your awareness outward and see things clearly. That’s the qigong state—being simultaneously relaxed and expansive.”

Qigong vs.Tai Chi: What Is the Difference?

Qigong is the precursor to tai chi and can be seen as the great-grandmother of all other practices that work with cultivating qi, or lifeforce energy. Tai chi is included under the larger umbrella of qigong because it mixes traditional energy control techniques with martial arts. More recently, tai chi has evolved to be less about defensive skills and more of a fluid movement practice that develops flexibility, balance, stamina, and control in the pursuit of better health. Qigong is often more static than tai chi in the sense that the exercises don’t necessarily flow into a sequence of repetitive movements. But the largest difference lies in the original purpose: While tai chi is traditionally structured as a protective martial art, qigong does not emphasize combat.

Is Qigong Safe to Practice?

Qigong is a very gentle exercise that is safe to practice and has very few contraindications. However, people who have trouble balancing or are at risk of falling may want to practice a seated version of the exercises, since a moderate level of coordination and muscle engagement are required to move through the postures. As always, you should consult your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

“There is only one type of person who should not do qigong,” says Blane. “And that’s a person who isn’t open to the experience. If they’re going to walk into class with a critical mind, they shouldn’t be there. It won’t do any harm of course, but they likely won’t see the benefits.”

What Are the Health Benefits of Qigong?

Since its inception more than two millennia ago, practitioners have credited qigong with aiding many different physical and mental ailments, but only recently has modern science looked at the claims. While there is still more research to be done, a significant number of peer-reviewed studies show positive health outcomes among people who regularly practice it. Let’s take a look at some of the most common health conditions it’s been shown to improve.

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

Several research reviews, including a 2021 meta-analysis of the psychological impact of qigong on adolescents, have found correlations between a regular qigong practice and improved mental health, although researchers emphasize the need for larger and more methodologically rigorous studies. A review of 15 studies from 2013 concluded that depression and overall quality of life were the two strongest areas of improvement, and a 2011 randomized controlled trial found qigong to be comparable with cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing symptoms of clinical depression. Additionally, a 2020 study found patients with a history of drug abuse reported a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms after engaging in a qigong practice, and it was found to be as effective as their standard treatment for depression.

Sleep

In a 2016 randomized controlled trial, qigong improved sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and mental health among a group of cognitively impaired older adults who struggled with insomnia. The experimental group participated in two months of regular qigong classes, and researchers found that the positive impacts on sleep persisted even four months after participants stopped practicing qigong. A 2018 study found that Baduanjin qigong (one of the most common branches of qigong) relieved musculoskeletal pain in adults with chronic illness, which in turn lessened their insomnia symptoms.

Parkinson’s Disease

A 2020 meta-analysis found that a consistent qigong practice significantly improved the motor symptoms, walking ability, and balance of people with Parkinson’s when compared with a control group of Parkinson’s patients who did not partake in qigong. A study from 2022 found that qigong helped increase the range of motion in patients’ lower limbs and may be indicated as a non-pharmacological intervention for Parkinson’s.

Pain Relief

A 2018 study found qigong to be effective for relieving chronic neck pain, although not necessarily more effective than traditional exercise therapies. The researchers noted that the low cost and relative ease of practicing qigong at home make it a good option for those managing chronic pain. A 2020 analysis reported that qigong offered significant improvements in pain, stiffness, and physical function for patients dealing with knee osteoarthritis, although the study authors noted that further research is needed to fully assess the impact.

Balance and Coordination

A 2020 study monitored a 12-week qigong class for a group of nearly 100 older adults and saw significant improvement in their balance and gait at the conclusion of the course, especially among participants in their 60s and 70s.

Cardiovascular Health

A 2020 analysis of several randomized control trials of patients managing chronic heart failure found that tai chi and qigong practices provided superior improvements in recovery and rehabilitation compared with patients who only practiced general exercise. Researchers concluded that qigong is a promising supplemental therapy to improve heart health.

Hypertension

A 2021 review looked at data from more than 350 patients and discovered that their blood pressure reduced significantly after a qigong practice compared with a control group that did not engage in qigong. Another 2021 study showed that compared with no exercise, qigong had significant positive effects on both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the researchers posited that it would have an even greater effect if the practice was kept up for longer periods of time.

Immune System

Qigong helps reduce psychological and physical stress, which in turn reduces strain on the immune system. A 2020 meta-analysis found that practicing qigong had beneficial physiological effects on the immune system by reducing inflammation and stimulating immune cell responses.

What Is It Like to Practice Qigong?

The concept of strengthening your lifeforce energy can easily sound abstract, so I took two virtual classes with Blane to feel it in my own body. While I’d never tried qigong before, I’m a yoga teacher and was able to pick up on the similarities (and differences) between the two practices. Here’s what it was like to practice qigong as a total beginner.

Class 1: Breath As Medicine

Blane’s first class emphasized qigong breathing techniques, much like pranayama exercises you might explore in a yoga class. Before focusing on our breath we warmed up the body and started moving our qi by lightly tapping up and down our limbs, twisting our torsos side-to-side, and moving our arms in a circular motion that felt like choreography from a kung fu movie. After this gentle awakening of the physical body, we sat down to focus on different breathing techniques. One involved alternate-nostril breathing to promote calm, while another included short and sharp bursts of inhales and exhales to increase our alertness. In between each breathwork round I was instructed to massage my head with sweeping motions that started at my eyebrows and moved up and over my scalp. (This looked like when a cat or a rabbit cleans its head with its paws.)

Breathing deeply from my diaphragm for nearly 40 minutes was incredibly calming, and my prior knowledge of yogic pranayama practices helped me stay focused. My mind and body felt clear and mellow after class, and my brain, which can often be full of racing thoughts, was much calmer for a few hours after the practice.

Class 2: Finding Balance

The second class was much more movement-based and focused on the theme of balance. Blane guided us through a seated opening meditation that left my entire body feeling pliable and wiggly. It was mid-February, and Blane spoke to us about the changing of the seasons from winter to spring. She talked about how the continual cycles of nature teach us to cultivate the balance and flexibility to flow from one chapter of life to the next.

After grounding into our bodies with a meditation, we stood up to open the energy meridians in our bodies by tapping on different acupressure points. This left me feeling energized and alert, and I could feel a tingling sensation beneath my skin that is similar to how I feel after a few sun salutations in a yoga class. We then moved onto more circular, flowing exercises that closely linked breath to movement. One exercise, called Crane Neck, helped relieve tension in the neck and shoulders that can often build up from working a desk job. Two other exercises engaged our sense of balance by challenging us to stand on one leg as we circled the floating ankle or by transferring our weight onto our tiptoes while our arms moved in choreographed patterns.

Class ended with a standing meditation that involved holding static upright postures for a minute or so each. We then bowed to each other, and the practice was over. I felt ready to jump into a full day of work as soon as it was done. The tightness that can often creep into my body after a night of restless sleep was much alleviated, and any brain fog I woke up with was nonexistent. While I didn’t feel as physically stretched out as I do after a yoga class, I knew the goal was to enliven my energy more so than to move my muscles, and Blane’s class delivered exactly that.

How Do I Start a Qigong Practice?

Curious to give qigong a try but not ready to invest in a class? Follow along with bite-sized routines through YouTube videos. We’ve curated a few of our favorite videos that demonstrate qigong for beginners to get you on the right track:

1. How to Feel Great In 10 Minutes – Beginner Qigong Routine

2. 7 Minute Qigong Routine – Easy Beginner Practice to Invigorate the Qi

3. 3 Best Qi Gong Exercises for Beginners

If you decide this is a practice you enjoy, the next step is finding a teacher you can consistently practice with and learn from, so start by Googling qigong classes near you. Daoist temples or organizations often host free or cheap classes, and there are plenty of teachers who provide virtual offerings so you can learn in the comfort of your own home. Be sure to always check a teacher’s credentials to see where they studied, who has influenced their practice, and what style of qigong they specialize in. The only thing left to do now is maintain a steady practice and observe how qigong impacts your life!

The post Qigong For Beginners: How an Ancient Chinese Practice Can Improve Your Health appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Whether you’re brand new to yoga or an experienced student, it can be daunting to navigate the wide variety of class styles and figure out which one is right for you. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to try different styles from the comfort of your own home: YouTube! To make your journey toward mindful movement easier, we’ve broken down the most common types of yoga and their unique benefits, along with the best free YouTube channels for each style.

Feel free to skip to the section you’re most interested in: 

• Gentle Yoga & Yoga for Beginners
• Kids Yoga
• Prenatal Yoga 
• Restorative Yoga
• Vinyasa Flow
• Yoga Nidra
• Body Positive & Accessible Yoga
• Chair Yoga & Yoga for Seniors
• Guided Meditation, Chanting, & Pranayama 
• Yin Yoga

Gentle Yoga and Yoga For Beginners

In Sanskrit, the word “yoga” means “to yoke” or “to bring into union.” This concept of unity refers to yoga’s goal of connecting the mind, body, and spirit so that all parts of your being work together in harmony. Gentle yoga uses slow, easy movements to stretch and strengthen while encouraging students to get accustomed to working with their breath. While it’s a great place for new students to start, it can also be used to counterbalance a more advanced practice. The YouTube channels below are perfect for beginners who want to learn about the foundational postures of yoga, basic meditation techniques, pranayama (breathing exercises), and how to get in tune with your body. Each teacher offers classes of varying lengths so you can decide how much or how little you want to do. 

• Yoga with Adriene: The queen of YouTube yoga, Adriene Mishler creates videos that are approachable, enjoyable, and entertaining for both newbies and experienced yogis alike. With over 10 million followers, she has a massive library of videos that are perfect for folks who are just beginning to explore this style of movement. Check out her curated playlists and keep an eye out for her cute dog, Benji, who frequently makes cameo appearances!
• Yoga with Kassandra: Kassandra Reinhardt’s “Beginner Yoga Classes” playlist features more than 250 videos—enough to keep you busy for quite a while! Her warm and inviting attitude makes every class feel like she’s teaching directly to you. Be sure to also check out her extensive collection of morning stretch videos to start your day on a positive note with some gentle movement. 
• YogaTX: Based in Austin, Texas, YogaTX features a range of incredible teachers who all provide unique YouTube sessions. Most videos are 30 minutes or less, making it the perfect introduction to yoga for new students. With an extensive library of beginner-specific videos, 30-day challenges, and classes for physical injuries, this is a must-follow YouTube yoga channel. 
• Allie the Journey Junkie: Passionate about teaching the full breadth of yogic practices, Allie Van Fossen posts unique and engaging classes in addition to a wealth of educational material (such as lectures on the chakra system ). If you’re interested in moving your body while connecting to the spiritual and philosophical roots of yoga, then you’ll definitely want to check out Allie’s channel for thoughtful videos that are perfect for beginners. 
• Yoga with Bird: Francine Cipollone, also known as Bird, is loved by the online world for her gentle and accessible teaching style. Her calming voice and easy-to-follow cues make her videos ideal for anyone who is nervous about not understanding the postures. She’s created hundreds of videos that are 20 minutes or less so you can ease your way into a full hour-long class.

Kids Yoga

Yoga is a great way to teach mindfulness, bodily awareness, coordination, and kindness to kids of all ages. These YouTube yogis make the practice accessible to young minds and keep them engaged with creative storytelling. Try one of these videos next time your child needs to burn off some excess energy!

• Cosmic Kids Yoga: This channel is a treasure trove of creative, engaging, and age-appropriate yoga classes for kids. The colorful graphics, fun stories, friendly teachers, and thoughtful themes make this a handy tool for parents who want to introduce the benefits of yoga to their little ones. 
• Bari Koral: Known for her inventive and catchy songs that center around themes of mindfulness, Bari Koral is a staple in the kids yoga world. Her videos are short, fun, and full of eye-catching animations that get kids excited to move their bodies.
• KidsYogaStories: Giselle Shardlow takes a unique and playful approach to teaching kids by reading yoga-themed story books that encourage mindful movement. This story-based approach helps keep younger kids engaged who might not have the attention span for a full class. Give her videos a try if your child is age 7 or younger!

Prenatal Yoga

Staying healthy during pregnancy is incredibly important, and these digital instructors ensure that all pregnant people are able to access the healing benefits of yoga. Learn how to work around your baby bump, find safe and relaxing stretches, and connect to your growing child through guided meditations. 

• Pregnancy and Postpartum TV: This excellent channel not only hosts a huge collection of prenatal yoga classes, but it also provides informative videos on all sorts of pregnancy-related topics for expectant parents. Learn how to safely practice yoga through each trimester, discover techniques for using yoga postures during labor, and feel prepared for after the baby arrives. 
• Sarah Beth Yoga: One of the most popular YouTube yoga teachers on the interwebs, Sarah Beth has a hefty collection of 5- to 30-minute videos for both prenatal and postnatal yoga. Her straightforward cueing, creative sequences, and extensive anatomical knowledge make her classes enjoyable no matter how far along in the pregnancy you are. 
• Brett Larkin: Guided by the goal of making yoga accessible and transformative for everyone, Brett Larkin offers many upbeat and easy-to-follow prenatal classes. Her sunny disposition, personal anecdotes, and concise cues will leave you feeling refreshed and centered even when pregnancy hormones are running wild. 

Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga is perfect when you’re feeling stressed, overworked, or unable to sleep. This type of practice involves staying close to the floor for postures where you’re either seated or lying down. Each pose is held for five to twenty minutes at a time, and props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks, and pillows are used to support your body so you feel completely comfortable and relaxed. As your muscles soften, your attention will be gently guided to your breath, thoughts, and bodily sensations to cultivate deep relaxation and a stronger connection to your body. 

• Caren Baginski: Your go-to expert on all things restorative, Caren Baginski creates beautiful classes that are sequenced around themes of mindfulness, spirituality, and the changing seasons. Apart from her expertly crafted restorative sequences, she also shares guided meditations and morning stretch routines to help you get ready for the day.
• Ekhart Yoga: Sink into deep relaxation with the curated playlist of restorative classes from Ekhart Yoga. Learn how to correctly use props to support your body and relieve and prevent physical injuries. You can even listen to one of their guided meditations while you’re at it!
• Jessica Richburg: With her welcoming energy, Jessica Richburg is the perfect teacher to guide you into a state of deep rest. Check out her collection of restorative classes that will move you toward greater peace in your body, mind, and heart.

Vinyasa Flow

Burn off excess energy and break a sweat with these fiery flows. Vinyasa yoga uses repetition, mindful breathing, and strength-building postures to challenge both your body and your mind. Many students refer to it as a type of moving meditation because once you get in the flow, it’s easy to lose track of time. Its most challenging incarnation, power vinyasa, is better suited to yoga practitioners who have a little more experience and knowledge of proper anatomical alignment, but give it a try no matter your experience level and notice how you get stronger the more you practice. 

• Yoga with Tim: Known for his powerful flows and warm presence, Tim Senesi’s channel is perfect for yogis looking to get sweaty on their mat. He also curates 30-day-challenge playlists, total body workouts, and plenty of shorter videos for people who want to move their muscles but are pressed for time.
• Shona Vertue: Shona Vertue is here to help you get both sweaty and serene. Her yoga videos are easy to follow, and her warm sense of humor shines through as she teaches. Want even more of a workout? Shona also uploads weightlifting and mobility exercises that are perfect for beginners.
• Five Parks Yoga: Filmed in beautiful outdoor locations, the vinyasa videos with Erin Sampson of Five Parks Yoga leave you inspired and a little sore (in a good way). Browse her collection of power flows and learn how to do complicated postures such as headstands and crow pose.
• Bright and Salted Yoga: Arianna Elizabeth posts new videos every Monday and Wednesday that are equal parts grounding and challenging. She focuses on creating content that resonates with BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) students and also offers weekly guided meditations that can help calm the nervous system. 

Yoga Nidra

Yoga nidra roughly translates to “yogic sleep.” Gentle movements and guided visualizations transport you into a state of consciousness that’s in between waking and full sleep where you can rejuvenate and recover. Research has shown that yoga nidra can help alleviate stress, depression, insomnia, and PTSD symptoms. Before hitting play on a yoga nidra video, be sure to set up your space in a comfy manner so you can fully relax into the experience. 

• Ally Boothroyd: As a Yoga Nidra teacher and trainer, Ally Boothroyd is an expert at helping you find that blissful state of yogic sleep. Her channel features a huge library of nidra practices in addition to sound baths, meditations, and info on healthy sleep cycles.
• Nids Nidra: Nids Nidra’s soothing British accent guides you into deep relaxation in her curated collection of nidra videos. She also shares lots of wellness tips and tricks that include energy healing, breathwork, fascia release, and more, all with the goal of making self-care a fun and easy part of life.

Body Positive & Accessible Yoga

Yoga is for everyone, but we often only see thin, able-bodied, and hyper-flexible people practicing it. These amazing teachers create videos that are accessible for people of all abilities, ages, identities, and experience levels. Even if you are fully able-bodied and flexible, give these videos a try because we can all benefit from learning new techniques from teachers who make this beautiful practice available to a broader community.

• Jessamyn Stanley: Founder of the inclusive online yoga studio called The Underbelly, Jessamyn Stanley’s real and unfiltered teaching style makes her incredibly appealing and relatable. Her class themes tie in current events, social justice, and mental health alongside the traditional teachings of yoga for a modern and thought-provoking practice. She offers plenty of variations for people of all abilities and skill levels, so you’re bound to find something that supports your unique yoga journey. 
• Body Positive Yoga: Amber Karnes describes her teaching style as “low-pressure, judgment-free yoga for big bodies, creaky joints, and beginners.” Her compassionate heart shines through in every video as she utilizes props and offers lots of modifications, making yoga enjoyable for everyone who wants to practice mindful movement. 
• Edyn Love: Rooted in the belief that health is a lifestyle and not a size, Edyn Love shares a wide collection of yoga videos that are nourishing and energizing for people with bodies of all different sizes. Each class ranges in length and style so there’s a little something for everyone on her channel. 

Chair Yoga & Yoga for Seniors

Regular exercise is critical for staying healthy later in life, and these YouTube yoga teachers are experts at creating flows that are suited for older bodies. Learn how to modify traditional postures for various health issues, use props in a supportive manner, and enjoy the feeling of your body no matter your age.

• Yoga JP: This incredibly popular channel features a large collection of chair yoga classes that are fun, engaging, and accessible for older adults or folks in wheelchairs. They also offer curated playlists of videos taught in Spanish, Russian, Swedish, and several other languages.
• Yoga Etc: On a mission to prove that age is just a number, Tina teaches easy-to-follow yoga sequences for people of all ages, but gears her classes towards those 60 and up. Her classes are usually 30 minutes or less, and many incorporate the use of chairs or specific postures that help alleviate common health problems, such as low back pain. 
• The Yoga Room: Specializing in gentle and accessible classes, The Yoga Room has an extensive library of chair yoga routines, yoga for achy knees, and all sorts of other classes that are beneficial for senior students. 
• Patricia Becker: Patricia Becker’s fun-loving energy and extensive knowledge of yoga shines through in all her classes. Her videos are geared towards older adults with plenty of chair routines, beginner videos, and easy-to-follow language, but everyone can benefit from her upbeat and engaging teaching style. 

Guided Meditation, Chanting, and Pranayama 

Many yoga practitioners use meditation, chanting, breathing (pranayama), and other spiritual practices to deepen their experience of yoga. These digital educators will take you on deep dives into beautiful practices to help you cultivate a stronger connection to your mind, body, and heart. 

• Heart Alchemy Yoga: Featuring extensive meditation and sound healing playlists, Heart Alchemy Yoga is a great channel to support your spiritual practice. Founder Michelle Goldstein is passionate about the power of maintaining a daily meditation practice and shares her extensive knowledge with all her followers.
• Meditative Mind: Your one-stop-shop for high vibration music, mantra chanting, and guided meditations! Use this huge collection of videos as background tunes for your home yoga practice or learn Vedic chants that can help rewire your brain for more tranquility, joy, and peace.
• Bharti Yoga: Bharti Goel’s approachable and charming personality makes all her yoga videos enjoyable, but her playlist of pranayama practices (breathing exercises) really stands out. Learn how specific breath control techniques can enhance your yoga practice and calm your mind.

Yin Yoga

More calming than a vinyasa flow but not quite as still as restorative yoga, yin is often that perfect Goldilocks sweet-spot for beginner yogis. Yin originated in the Taoist tradition and holds each posture for 1 to 5 minutes to help stretch the fascia and ligaments surrounding your muscles. This style of movement deeply alleviates tension and body aches, and it’s often paired with breath practices to settle your nervous system. 

• Yoga with Kassandra: Yep, Kassandra gets a second mention in our guide to the best yoga YouTube channels! Her yin playlist has more than 100 full-length videos ready for you to explore. Learn how to invite deep rest and move away from anxious thoughts with her gentle, supportive, and compassionate classes. 
• Breathe and Flow: Husband-and-wife duo Bre and Flo specialize in power vinyasa and strength training, but their wonderful selection of yin classes makes them a must for any student who needs some extra relaxation in their life. Their calm and loving demeanors come across in every video, and they often incorporate interesting education about anatomy and functional movement. 
• Janice Allerman Yoga: There’s no better way to get a deep-tissue stretch sesh than with Janice Allerman! Her yin classes range in length, and many of them feature tranquil, calming music to help you relax even further. You’ll immediately connect with her welcoming personality, beautiful video backdrops, and thoughtful sequencing. 

No matter what style of yoga you’re drawn to, the most important thing to notice is whether your body, mind, and heart feel good while you’re practicing. We hope this guide of the best YouTube yoga channels is helpful in your journey toward a healthy, balanced, and happy life. 

The post A Complete Guide to the Best Yoga YouTube Channels for Every Style and Experience Level appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

But thanks to the stories of dozens of high-profile, elite athletes turning to plant-based diets for a performance advantage in recent years—including Olympic medalists, world record holders, and even the occasional mainstream superstar—the myth that plant-based diets don’t work for sports has finally been uprooted.

But why do whole plant foods work so well for everything from endurance sports to powerlifting? Mainly, it’s because their nutrient density and anti-inflammatory properties—the same properties that make them so protective and even disease-reversing in the long term—make them ideally suited for fueling and repairing your body after workouts.

Indeed, “faster recovery” is what just about every elite athlete who chooses this diet cites as the primary benefit to his or her performance.

And that’s been exactly my experience. When I began eating a plant-based diet eight years ago, I did so for ethical reasons, all but assuming that it would pose a serious a challenge to my marathon training. But when I qualified for the Boston Marathon just six months after making the transition, I knew I was onto something.

Since then, I’ve run many longer races, including several 50-milers and a 100-mile ultramarathon, and I haven’t looked back (and crucially, I’ve stayed almost entirely injury-free).

These days, there’s little doubt that a plant-based diet and fitness can go hand-in-hand. So if you’re already eating a plant-based diet, how do you add fitness to your healthy lifestyle?

Here are five of the most important tips I can offer:

1. Start small.

As with any endeavor (just like when you started eating plant-based, I bet!), it’s tempting to dive in and really go for it. But when it comes to fitness, I’d advise against taking on too much, too soon.

A mountain of habit-change research shows that most people are more likely to make changes last when they minimize the strain on their willpower. Think of willpower like a muscle: It can grow and strengthen over time, but only if you “train” it.

So instead of committing to a full-on fitness program right from the get-go—say, a weekly program of three gym workouts and three 30- to 45-minute cardio sessions—what if you started by committing to a five-minute jog (or jog-walk) each day? If you find yourself procrastinating on even that, make it two minutes.

Only after you’ve put together a string of these tiny “wins” should you let yourself increase the duration. And even though you won’t notice many physical benefits when your exercise volume is so small, with each little run you’ll be changing your brain, adding a fiber to what will eventually become a cable, a habit that’s automatic—even once the duration and intensity of your workouts is much greater.

Best of all, you’ll be doing so without excessive pain or effort, which will keep you in the game while you’re learning it.

2. You might need more calories (but not just protein)!

The belief that athletes need more protein has persisted for decades, passed down from coach to athlete as common knowledge not to be questioned.

Thankfully, the recent successes of plant-based athletes have given us lots of ammunition with which to question it.

While the protein myth isn’t going to disappear overnight, many plant-based doctors, coaches, and dietitians now suggest that although it’s true that athletes need more calories to support their activity levels than sedentary individuals do, increasing those calories with whole foods automatically increases your protein intake (and total carbohydrate and fat intake, too).

For most people, this happens without having to think about it: Listen to your body’s hunger signals, and you’ll likely find yourself eating slightly more of the same whole plant foods to support your new athletic pursuits.

If, however, you find yourself struggling to keep weight on, then focus on calorically dense whole plant foods: sweet potatoes, beans, avocados, nuts, and seeds are favorites of plant-based athletes who want to pack in the calories without sacrificing long-term health by eating processed powders or sports nutrition products.

3. Fuel your workouts.

If you’re just getting started with fitness, you won’t need to take in any extra calories for most of your workouts. But once the intensity increases, and especially if the duration of your workouts extends past an hour or so, you’ll find you perform better and get more from your workout if you eat something to replace the fuel your body burns through as you exercise.

So for those more intense workouts, aim to eat a few pieces of fruit (and possibly more, if your energy runs low near the end of your workouts) in the hour before you start. For very long workouts, like a distance run in marathon training, you should eat a larger, starchier meal (oatmeal or whole-grain pancakes, for example) several hours earlier.

During a workout, whole medjool dates (with the pits removed and replaced with a Brazil nut) are one of my favorite sources of quick, whole-food calories. Experiment to find out what works well for you and what your body tolerates while it’s in motion.

As your workouts get longer and more intense, you’ll also want to make sure you’re giving your body the energy it needs to recover. A whole-grain pasta dish with lentils or veggies, Quinoa Primavera, or a hearty salad with beans are examples of great post-workout choices.

4. Hydrate with water.

It’s important to drink fluids to replace the water you lose through sweat. So how much should you drink?

If you’re tuned into your body’s signals and your workouts aren’t too long, you might be fine just drinking to thirst. Otherwise, plan on 4 to 6 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.

Should you get involved in longer (say, three hours or more) workouts, like those associated with marathon training, or those where you’re sweating an immense amount, you’ll want to add some electrolytes to your water to avoid hyponatremia, a dangerous condition often associated with overhydration. But for typical, shorter workouts, the natural sodium and potassium in many fruits, or a pinch of salt added to a homemade sports drink, will keep your electrolyte levels balanced.

5. Don’t neglect recovery!

Remember what so many elite athletes cite as the main benefit of a plant-based diet? That’s right, recovery!

Your anti-inflammatory and nutrient-rich diet of whole plant foods will help you recover quickly, but some of the job is still up to you. Don’t work out hard two days in a row; give your muscles (and that includes your heart!) a chance to recover. Remember, exercise works mostly by tearing down muscle fibers in order to stimulate repair and strengthening, so make sure you allow time for that to happen before hitting the gym, roads, or trails again.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with doing a light workout almost every day, but if the intensity of your workout creeps beyond the point where you can comfortably carry on a conversation, build in a day of recovery or very light activity before doing another hard one.

Finally, don’t forget sleep! It’s a huge part of the recovery process, and you’ll need extra zzzs to make up for your toughest workouts. And hey, you’ll have earned it.

The post Get Plant-Fit: 5 Tips from Plant-Based Athlete Matt Frazier appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

1. Go for a walk or run to explore the city you are in.

If you’re a runner, look online to find recommended running routes and see some sights along way. Many major cities have designated walking paths through the main area of town, which means you can easily scope out tasty vegan dinner spots as you get your blood pumping!

2. Rent a bike and go for a cruise around town.

Skip the electric scooter rentals and pedal the old-fashioned way to combine your sightseeing with some enjoyable exercise. Visitor centers, hotel concierges, and a good old-fashioned Yelp search can tell you where to rent a bike and the best routes that will let you hit all the major landmarks.

3. If your hotel has a pool, go for a quick swim.

The best time to swim at a hotel pool is early in the morning when most people are still eating breakfast and getting ready for the day. Communal pools will likely fill up in the afternoon with families who have come back to relax after a long day of vacation activities.

4. Find a local gym or yoga studio that has drop-in or daily rates.

The vast majority of fitness studios offer daily rates to entice new members. Using fitness apps such as mindbody can be a great way to quickly compare prices and search for local studios that offer your favorite physical activity. Plus, if it’s hard for you to feel motivated to work out on your own, joining a group class is a great solution.

5. Do a bodyweight workout in your hotel room.

The easiest way to sneak in a workout while traveling is by doing a bodyweight workout in your hotel room. There are plenty of exercises you can do using your own body mechanics. With just a few square feet of floor space and a little motivation, you can become your own living, breathing fitness center.

My favorite bodyweight exercises include push-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, calf raises, and jumps. I can do these anywhere, regardless of where I am. Perform multiple sets of these exercises and stretch afterwards, just as you would in the gym. (See the video below for a 5-minute workout you can do anywhere.)

6. For longer trips, hit the local supermarket.

When you arrive at your destination, stop by a supermarket to load up on some produce and snacks. You can find fruit, vegetables and hummus, nut butters and crackers, and a variety of ready-made plant-based dishes such as vegetable sushi and salads at nearly any mainstream grocery store.

7. Prepare snacks in advance.

One of the best ways to ensure you have the energy to exercise regularly, even with a busy schedule, is to consume the foods that provide you with the best overall nutrition (i.e. whole-food, plant-based meals). It is easy to get sidetracked when you’re tired and off-schedule and to crave foods filled with fats, sugar, and salt. One way to overcome the desire to eat unhealthy processed junk foods is to bring quality foods that you enjoy with you while you’re traveling. Pack your favorite fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other snack foods. If you can, bring along some of your favorite prepared dishes for your plane, train, bus, or car ride.

8. Find creative ways to move during the day.

If you can’t fit in a “workout,” try to get creative while you are going about your day. Here are some ideas you can use anywhere:

• Do calf raises while you’re waiting in line, whether you’re at a tourist attraction, waiting for the elevator, or in line at a bank.
• Opt to take the stairs or always go the long way around if you have the time.
• While shopping, do arm curls while carrying your grocery basket or the things you are planning to purchase.

The best way to achieve your desired results is to create a consistent routine that produces the outcomes you seek. From my experience, the easiest way to create a consistent routine is to begin by caring deeply about the goals you’re pursuing. Rather than seeing exercise and healthy eating as a chore or a burden, as you may have at some point in your life, see them as meaningful destinations you’re working toward. When you do, you will likely feel compelled to want to eat well and exercise regularly, and the tools outlined above should make your pursuit easier as you travel through life.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post 8 Expert Tips for Staying Fit While Traveling appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

How I Fuel Myself with Whole Plant Foods

The standard American diet is filled with calorie-dense processed foods, but when you eat whole plant foods, you will find that they are lower in calories per bite of food, and you will need to eat more volume to feel full and satisfied. I eat five bananas (about 100 calories each) as soon as I wake up, and that is before my main breakfast, which is a bowl of oats with fruit and nuts. On my way to the gym, I eat another three bananas for a quick burst of energy to optimize my fuel before a workout. After my workout, I look to starchy vegetables, legumes, and grains for the basis of my hearty, muscle-recovery meals. Some of my favorite choices are yams, beans, lentils, and brown rice. Then I add plenty of other nutrition foods such as leafy greens. (Note that leafy greens alone do not have enough calories to satisfy, so don’t build your diet on greens alone.) On days that I exercise, I burn more fuel and thus eat more calories to feed my muscles. My appetite guides my daily nutrition plan.

How We Build Muscle

When you understand how muscle is built, you will realize that animal products are not necessary, and they could actually have an adverse effect on your health. Muscle size only increases when two conditions are present:

• First, you stimulate growth by consistently engaging in resistance training that exerts stress on muscle fibers, creating micro-tears in them.
• Second, you need to eat enough calories to support muscle repair and growth, a small but vital proportion of which must consist of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Amino acids help us recover from training, and they help damaged muscle tissues repair and grow.

Having Trouble Building Muscle?

Nutrition plays a huge role in whether or not you will build muscle. If you have been spinning your wheels when it comes to muscle gain, it is almost certainly related to your ratio of calories consumed to energy expended, factoring in the type of calories (whole plant foods or processed foods).

A great way to know if you are consuming enough calories is to evaluate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your total caloric expenditure. Use a Harris-Benedict calculator to estimate the number of calories you are expending each day, based on your gender, age, height, weight, and (very importantly) activity level. This data will give you a baseline from which to work. I am not suggesting you count calories every day, but it is very helpful to get a sense of whether you burn 2,500 or 3,500 calories per day, based on your individual metrics, and to understand how many calories to consume. If you burn 3,500 calories per day but consume only 2,500, you are unlikely to build muscle and will likely lose weight.

There were times in my life when I tried to build muscle and didn’t put on a single pound, because I didn’t do what was required to succeed. Other times, I put on 20 pounds in a year and completely transformed my levels of strength and muscle mass, because I understood the actions to take and I performed them consistently, putting myself in a position to achieve my goal.

All Calories Are Not Created Equal

The following scenario describes two hypothetical individuals who experience markedly different health and fitness results, due to the type of calories they consume:

• Person A consumes 2,500 calories of whole plant foods with 70% of calories coming from carbohydrates and 15% each from proteins and fats, which is close to an ideal ratio for energy production, muscle growth, and overall health.
• Person B consumes 2,500 calories from numerous sources, including refined carbohydrates and heavily processed proteins and fats, and has a ratio of 40% of calories from carbohydrates, and 30% each from proteins and fats.

Even though they consume the same number of calories each day, Person A is poised for health and fitness success, while Person B is likely to experience low energy, as well as inferior muscle-building results and health outcomes. His insufficient carbohydrate consumption, combined with his excessive intake of protein and fat (both of which require more energy to process and digest), could negatively impact his exercise program and whether or not he has the energy to train. Further, at 30% of calories, Person B’s protein consumption is three to six times what science suggests we need, and much of that protein will just be excreted and unused. Also, his low carb, high protein, and high fat diet mirrors the typical American diet, which has left most Americans unhealthy and overweight.

The foods we choose are so important when it comes to building muscle. It’s not just about calories.

When you eat whole plant foods, you consume not only fuel (carbohydrates), but also amino acids (protein), fatty acids (fat), fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and other components in the right proportions for promoting good health. When you consume processed and refined foods, you sacrifice a huge proportion of these nutrients, and you acquire the toxic baggage that comes with these foods, including excess fat and cholesterol, refined sugars, refined flours, artificial colors, additives, preservatives, and more. The amino acids in fruits and vegetables are sufficient to build muscle, and their vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants also keep us healthy, so we can exercise regularly and turn consistency into results. It is easy to see how a whole-food, plant-based diet will result in optimal health and athletic performance, including building muscle.

The post How to Build Muscle on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.