Yoga Medicine

One of the foundational principles of yoga practice is to bring mindfulness to everything we do. Today host Rachel speaks with Yoga Medicine teacher, studio owner, and mother Dana Diament about bringing that awareness into the crucial relationship between parent and child through the practice of conscious parenting. In this episode, Dana shares her experience of learning to parent with more self-a...

Messages around "clean" eating and ideal body shape or size are ubiquitous, even in the yoga world, with potentially devastating impact for those who experience disordered eating. Today host Rachel speaks with Chelsea Roff, who found her way to yoga early in her recovery from a serious eating disorder. Chelsea went on to become a scientific researcher and yoga teacher, eventually bringing her skil...

There is so much research and information out there about mindfulness, so today hosts Tiffany and Katja tackle this big and important topic from a different angle. In this episode, the pair takes a critical lens and unpacks the pitfalls of mindfulness research. Tiffany and Katja discuss how mindfulness is defined in the research, why self-selection of study participants may be of importance, and w...

Self-care is much deeper than the "massages and bubble baths" trope. Today host Rachel learns from guest Yely Staley that setting clear and healthy boundaries is a foundational part of true self-care, especially for those of us who care for others. Yely figured out the need for regular commitment to self-care the hard way — by experiencing repeated bouts of burnout while working in the corporate w...

We have mentioned Yin yoga in previous episodes of this podcast within the context of flexibility and fascial health. Today host Rachel talks with yoga teacher and educator Shannon Stephens about the more hidden or secret benefits of Yin yoga that can transform our lives. In this episode, Shannon shares how the Yin practice creates the quiet space and time lacking in modern life — inviting us to g...

The image of a handstand or forearm stand on the beach is such a stereotype in modern postural yoga that it's almost easy to forget that these poses have a real power and potency to them. Today host Rachel talks with Amelia Schrader about what she has learned from her long-standing inversion practice. Amelia is a yoga teacher and educator with a Bachelor of Health Science and a background in Natur...

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja are focusing in on myofascial release (MFR) applications and the current MFR research. In this episode, we talk about what the research suggests at this time regarding the duration and frequency of MFR, the speed and intensity of its application, and ways of combining MFR with yoga and other stretches for both athletes and non-athletes alike. As always, keep in mind t...

Optimal health sometimes requires the support of both western science and other interventions — like diet and lifestyle changes and mindfulness practices including yoga. Today's guest is perfectly placed to talk about both sides of the equation. Dr. Mariya Farooqi is a clinical pharmacist, functional medicine specialist, and registered yoga teacher. Along with her initial work as a nutritionist, t...

Compassion and service are at the heart of yoga philosophy. Many of us see overwhelming inequities in the world today and want to help, but don't know where or how to start. Today's guest on the podcast would have us simply "start, by starting". Host Rachel talks with the Yoga Medicine Seva Foundation Director, and a Sisters of the Planet Ambassador with Oxfam America, Amanda Bonfiglio Cunningham....

Our shoulders are something of an underdog, but just because the joints and muscles of the shoulders are less familiar than those of the hips or spine doesn't mean they are less important. These under-appreciated joints have massive impact on our yoga practices and beyond. Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel talk about the importance of the shoulders and share favorite practices for both mobility and s...

Today hosts Tiffany and Katja continue the discussion on fascia and more specifically how our fascia is connected to the autonomic nervous system. This relationship reminds us that movement has a profound effect on our minds and emotions and that the inverse is also true. In this discussion, Tiffany and Katja explain different pathways how the fascial system is related to the autonomic nervous sys...

Many of us feel the weight of others' expectations to look, speak, or feel a certain way. But perhaps if we were able to be more fully ourselves, as yoga teachers we could then create spaces that welcome our students to do the same. Today's episode is a warm and heartfelt conversation between Tiffany and long-time friend, Kathryn Budig. Kathryn is a shining example of following her own compass in...

Today's guest Mark Hunter took a long road to teaching yoga, including almost 3 decades of working in (and instructing) massage and remedial therapy. He has been passionate about fascia since long before it was mainstream. He shares this passion with his students, many of whom are over 60 years old, in group classes, one-on-ones, and senior's balance sessions. Whether you've thought about it or no...

How do we as yoga instructors help athletes train to stay healthy, durable, resilient, and at peak performance? Tiffany chats on these big questions with two coaches and Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialists - Jenni Tarma and Alison Heilig. Jenni is a Yoga Medicine Online instructor, endurance athlete, and CrossFit trainer who works with weight lifters and athletes at all skill levels. Alison is a...

Today we explore the concept of intention—one of the core principles of what we do at Yoga Medicine. Most of us have a general understanding of what it is and why it is important, especially given the mindfulness we bring to yoga practice, but haven't considered in detail how we form intentions or their potential to change outcomes. To help us unpack the theory and practice of intention in more de...

Nowadays the phrase "trauma informed yoga" is familiar to most of us. But if you've heard the term and assume it doesn't represent the students you teach or practice alongside, you may be surprised to hear in this episode that up to 90% of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lives. Today's guest, Dr. Ann Bortz, is a licensed clinical psychologist with almost 30 years in the field. Ho...

When it comes to stretching, many things have gone in and out of style. There are still plenty of myths and misconceptions out there and there is still a lot we don't know. To complicate matters even further, stretching is one of the more confusing areas of research because the terminology, application, and even results in stretching studies vary greatly. In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Katja t...

Anxiety is a normal response to life stress — until it isn't. Today, host Rachel talks with Aisha Fakhro, a Bahrain-based UK-licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher who specializes in working with anxiety, trauma, grief, stress management, and personal growth. In this episode, we learn more about anxiety and how yoga can help. Aisha jokes that she could have a PhD in personal experience with anx...

If you have been listening to this podcast, the chances are very high that you've heard a mention or two of today's guest, Dr. Robert Schleip, the fascia research legend. His background in biology and psychology makes him the perfect person to speak with about his vast knowledge as it relates to yoga. In this episode, Dr. Schleip talks about the value of traditional yoga practices in the modern wo...

We have an instinctive understanding of the importance of the spine, especially the weight-bearing structures of the low back. But given that the majority of us will have some experience of low back pain during our lives, perhaps we need a little help figuring out how to best support it during yoga practice and in daily activities. In this episode, hosts Tiffany and Rachel explore the low back wit...

These days we all understand the importance of a strong and supple core, but sometimes forget that the pelvic floor is an integral part of that support system. Today, we explore pelvic health with guest Melissa Oleson – a doctor of physical therapy and an Integrative Nutritional Health Coach as well as a registered yoga teacher. She is the founder of MSunn Yoga & Wellness, a mobile and virtual con...

Last week we opened a conversation about yoga and injury. Tiffany and Rachel talked about the three main phases of healing, common mistakes made during the healing process, and what role therapeutic yoga can play. This week we continue the conversation, with Tiffany and Rachel now focusing on how teachers and students can reduce the potential for yoga injuries. In this episode, Tiffany and Rachel...

Injuries are, to some extent, inevitable in life. So when injuries do occur, when should we rest and when is the right time to reintroduce challenge? Today we explore this important question in the first of two episodes on the topic of yoga and injury. In today's episode, Tiffany and Rachel provide context for the conversation by offering some interesting statistics on yoga and injury, then unpack...

Today's guest Laura Philipp is a world-class professional athlete who has won 16 Ironman 70.3 races, 3 Ironman races and boasts the fastest Ironman debut time of all time for any woman. Laura was even invited to and participated in the legendary Hawaii Ironman, placing fourth at her first participation. She also has a very special way of training: she bases her training around her menstrual cycle...

In today's episode, we bring together four yoga teachers with personal or family roots in different parts of India to talk about their experiences with yoga, while growing up and now. They offer their unique perspectives on practicing and teaching yoga in the modern context. Previous podcast guest Rashmi Bismark facilitates the conversation. Rashmi is a U.S.-trained physician, board-certified in b...