Yoga Medicine

We've gone in depth in previous episodes on the topic of myofascial release or MFR, so today hosts Tiffany and Rachel take a step back to focus on the basics. In this episode, we give tips for implementing MFR in your practice, what to pay attention to, why we love it, how we use it, and how our practices have changed over the years.  Listen in to learn what we love about myofascial release, commo...

Today host Tiffany talks with Amanda B. Cunningham, director of Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation, about human trafficking and the work of the Seva Foundation. This episode is a more personal, conversational chat about the nonprofit and what is important to us as yoga teachers. In this episode, we discuss the many ways that the organization has evolved over the years and the ins and outs of human traf...

Anxiety tends to go under-recognized and under-treated, and yet is one of the most common mental health challenges faced today. It is also a key reason many students are drawn to yoga practice. Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Caroline Wybar about how those factors inspired the capstone project of her 1000-Hour Teacher Training qualification: a pilot study on indi...

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja are back for another research roundup, this time on hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan. This molecule is not only used in face creams but also helps to create tissue properties related to the slide and glide between tissue layers. In this episode, we talk about where it is found in the body, how it is produced, and how it is affected by bodily movement.   Listen in to lear...

What can we learn from being an adult beginner that informs more familiar activities, like our yoga practice? Today host Rachel explores that question with Auckland-based Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, Functional Range Conditioning® Mobility Specialist, and Yoga Medicine Online guest teacher Kylie Rook. Kylie shares her love of being a beginner off of the yoga mat, her tips for getting more...

Today Dana Diament - Yoga Medicine Online teacher, and lead teacher for the Yoga Medicine Online 200hr Teacher Training - returns to speak with host Rachel about "Spiritual Imposter Syndrome".  Whether we are yoga students or teachers, doubt in the validity of our own spiritual experience can hold us back from fully feeling or expressing it. But the humility that comes hand in hand with this self-...

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel hone in on a topic of interest for both yoga students and teachers: strategies to address persistent pain. While persistent pain is dismayingly common, the journey to recovery is a personal one, requiring an individual understanding of our physical state, along with our feelings and beliefs.  In this episode, we discuss the effect of language on pain-related fear and...

In this episode, we are talking about a hidden aspect of health: bone density. Decreased bone mineral density, osteoporosis, is surprisingly common – impacting on average one in five women over 50 and a smaller proportion of men. The diagnosis can bring with it a fear of frailty, but today host Rachel talks with Michaela Smith, a Yoga Medicine® Therapeutic Specialist, and NASM-certified personal t...

Today hosts Rachel and Tiffany tackle the taboo topic of yoga during menstruation. We examine traditional barriers to practicing during menstruation and more modern takes on which poses and practices might be more or less supportive.  In this episode we also reframe menstruation as a "fresh start", a window into our internal state, share a wide range of techniques to ease menstrual discomfort, and...

There are always plenty of questions about dissections and how to prepare for them. Today, hosts Katja and Tiffany talk about the different types of dissections, why the experience is so valuable, what we can learn from it, and why you might want to do one — or not. Listen in for the pair's valuable tips for preparing yourself to take a course in human dissection. Show Notes: The kinesthetic exper...

The benefits of strength training for muscle and bone strength as well as metabolic, cognitive and mental health are now very well established. But there's so much, often conflicting, information out there; it can be challenging to know where to focus your time and effort to reap those benefits. Today's guest Jenni Tarma —- yoga teacher, RRCA Endurance Coach and CrossFit Level 1 trainer—is back on...

"Love and light" is a popular sentiment in the yoga world, but today's guest would have us give equal weight to supposedly negative emotions like grief and anger.  Today host Rachel ventures into the dark side with yoga teacher and studio owner Steph Wall. Steph explains how the Hindu goddess Kali has encouraged her to explore the power of the dark feminine by embracing messiness, complexity, and...

Today Tiffany shares her passion for one of the body's lesser-known and appreciated organ systems, the lymphatic system. We've known about the system for over 400 years and yet our understanding of its function and contribution to health has a long way to go. However, given what we do know about this vital system, there is potential for yoga practice to provide significant support for its healthy...

Today host Katja speaks with returning guest Diane Malaspina Ph. D. about the concept of Drishti and the potency of our focus. Diane is a yoga teacher with a B.S. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Education, and a Ph. D. in educational and developmental psychology. In this episode, we take a broader perspective on gaze and consider our visual system as a gateway to our nervous system and our env...

Today's episode is a lively conversation between host Rachel, Dana Diament, and Valerie Knopik Ph. D. – teacher trainers on the brand-new online version of the Yoga Medicine 200hr Teacher Training. We unpack the meaning and intention behind several controversial verbal cues, debate their accuracy, offer scenarios where they might be more or less relevant to students, and provide some alternatives....

Happy New Year! Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel start 2023 on the right foot by discussing the far-reaching impact our daily habits have on every aspect of our health. We talk about the pros and cons of New Year's resolutions, and how realistic goals, framed positively, could be the most helpful. Listen in for inspiration as you set your expectations for 2023. Show Notes: Pros and cons of New Year'...

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel delve into a sometimes controversial topic in the medical and yoga worlds: the hip labrum. In this episode, you will learn what the hip labrum is and how it acts as a crucial source of stability and durability for the hip joint. We discuss common injuries that we see in that part of the body, and how they are diagnosed and treated by healthcare professionals. Listen...

As the year comes to a close, hosts Tiffany, Rachel, and Katja take a look back at some of their top takeaways from the first year of the Yoga Medicine Podcast. After 52 episodes—sharing information at the intersection of science and research, individual experience, and traditional practices that have stood the test of time—the three hosts share their favorite topics, guests, and episodes, as well...

Nitric Oxide (NO) has been on people's minds for a few years now in the yoga and wellness worlds. It is such a potent gas in the body and it has so many different effects, so today hosts Tiffany and Katja are here to help you to understand more of the recent research. In this episode, Tiffany and Katja talk about the effect that increased nitric oxide production has on blood flow and blood pressur...

Today host Rachel talks to Breast Cancer Surgeon Doreen Wiggins MD about yoga and breast cancer. In this episode, Dr. Wiggins helps us to better understand our breast cancer risk and shares some simple actions that we can take to reduce that risk. She also explains what steps we can take to improve the potential outcome of cancer treatment if we are diagnosed with cancer and shares how we can modi...

Today's guest Alice Blunden is a prime example of the cautionary phrase: you can't always judge a book by its cover. Alice is a therapeutic specialist and primary school teacher who was born with an undiagnosed case of hip dysplasia. She says she sees her lifestyle as a consequence of simply needing to do the things she required to live a fulfilling life. That includes modifying her yoga practice...

Our biology certainly influences our health and behavior, but the environment can also have a significant impact on our health and well-being. Thanks to the fascinating field of epigenetics, we now understand that factors like our nutrition, movement habits, stress levels, and feelings of emotional connection can affect the way our genes are expressed. So today host Rachel dips her toes into the w...

Today hosts Katja and Tiffany discuss the empowerment that comes with an understanding of female hormones and their fluctuation through the menstrual cycle. Yoga encourages this deeper personal investigation and can also provide support and relief to the body as it moves through the phases of the menstrual cycle and life. In this episode, Katja and Tiffany talk about the various factors that affec...

Concussions are very different for different people, which makes them easily missed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed. Today, host Rachel talks with Dr. Daya Grant about concussions and how yoga practices can support the recovery process. Dr. Grant is a certified mental performance consultant, neuroscientist, and yoga teacher. In this episode, she outlines what injuries can cause concussions, how th...

Today we discuss a topic that affects many people in our communities whether we know it or not. Host Rachel speaks with Lara Ederer, a yoga teacher, Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, and Chemical Dependency Professional with both personal and professional experience with addiction. In this episode, Lara talks with Rachel about how she defines addiction, what withdrawal and recovery can look an...