This is one of my absolute favorite ways to wake up my diaphragm and get into a liberated, expansive, easeful breathing pattern. We breathe around 20,000 times each day, so we may as well maximize that automatic effort and make it as natural and full as possible, right? We get better at what we practice, and giving yourself this 5 minute reset could just work wonders for you. Too much time sitting at your desk? Driving in traffic? Emotional stress? Pregnant and baby's getting all up in your lung's business? Try the video below and practice with me! Post a comment or email me to share how it feels for you after making this part of your daily routine. You deserve it, and your lungs and posture will thank you. ;) Love, Cheri PS: My online program for pelvic health (and by now you've … [Read more...]
3D Breathing Inquiry with Self-Feedback
I shared this to my newsletter subscribers recently, and didn't want you to miss it! Take an elastic band or a yoga strap and bring it around the back of your ribs, and follow along with me to bring focus and breath movement into new parts of your torso. If you've been taught belly breathing is where it's at, you may be missing essential real estate in your lungs, diaphragm and breathing capacity. After you practice with me, make this part of your daily routine. You can even place your hands on your side or back ribs for feedback if you don't have a strap or band. I prefer the band because it's a variable resistance tool - it moves with me as I breathe - versus a yoga strap which feels more static, but can get the job done. Enjoy, and tell me what you think or how your breathing … [Read more...]
3 Tips You Need To Stop Peeing All. The. Time.
In my work with women's pelvic floor health, many people first inquire with me because of their peeing habits. Stress incontinence is that annoying, sneaky moment we leak a little when we sneeze, cough, laugh or run. An increased momentary demand on our body, called intra-abdominal pressure, sends contents out the bottom (we leak pee) instead of regulating that pressure through the top exit point (the exhale of a cough or sneeze out our mouths). Oops. Urge incontinence happens differently, although these two types of symptoms can co-exist, and often do. For example, when we have awareness of little stress leaks, we might alwayssssss stop and use the restroom before leaving a restaurant, before leaving the house, around every turn at the park before we drive home. We end up creating a … [Read more...]
3 Quick Tips To Keep You Regular
Nature has cycles. Our body has cycles. Each day cycles through waking and sleeping, and even through our waking hours we have cycles of productivity and required rest, called ultradian rhythms, which last about every 80-120 minutes for productive focus before we need to 'check out' from work and switch gears - play, rest, get outside. This is about honoring biological rhythm and energy instead of managing our to do list in spite of our energy and body's needs. We work, then we rest. Or, we don't, and we bring on a host of habits that work against our health and happiness. Culturally, we could be better about allowing the fallow, dark season of fall and winter to help us rest and turn inward. The pace of our day, and our life directly impacts our health. We're heading into … [Read more...]
PSA: Avoid this Common Lower Back Cue
Hello core training fans! Lower back lovers! Posture practicers! So many people want a 'strong core' and 'good posture' and a 'flat belly'. So they turn to core training, often assuming if they just work those ab muscles enough that it'll do the trick. Sometimes, that works. Many variables are in play when it comes to getting after these goals. The best results come from embodiment -intelligent, functional training with our body, mind and breath - and your overall lifestyle, which includes stress management, nutrition, digestion and more. We won't get to cover all of these aspects in today's post, because I want to focus in on the relationship between the pelvic floor, the lower back, and what NOT to do when you're on your mat if you want your body to last for you with … [Read more...]
How to Kegel The Right Way (and Decide Whether You Even Should)
Kegels often seem like 'the' go-to exercise for the pelvic floor, yet many women aren't sure they're doing them correctly, how many they need to do, and whether they're doing any good. After all, I've heard from a number of women that they've done their duty in the kegel department for a while (sometimes even years) and still have trouble leaking when they sneeze, cough, or run - a sign of continence issues. Or they still have trouble with other pelvic pains or disassociation from their pelvic area. So - What is a kegel? A kegel is a pelvic floor contraction. It's an engagement of the muscles that support and contain our pelvic organs, running between the sit bones and from inside the pubic bone back to the sacrum and coccyx, or tailbone. Sit up well in your chair and see if you can … [Read more...]