When it’s chilly outside and you turn on the motor to your car, it takes a while for the heat to turn on and for the windows to defrost, right?  Our bodies are the same way.  We can’t instantly go from sitting down to running at full speed without risking injury.  We know it can be tempting to just jump on the Kinesis wall, it’s so fun, but it can be dangerous.

Vera trainers devise warm ups to prepare your body for each month’s routine, help remind you of the moves, raise your core temperature and increase blood-oxygen flow to your muscles.  Your muscles and tendons are more flexible after mild movement, increasing the range of motion of your joints to help avoid muscle tears and pulls. An added benefit of the warm up is to mentally center and prepare you for a healthy and safe workout.  It is easy to run from one appointment to another going right into auto-pilot.  We’ve worked hard to create a sanctuary for our clients where they can retreat from their daily obligations and focus on themselves and their body. The warm up gives your mind time to arrive.  The more connected we are to our bodies, the more beneficial our workouts can be.

Cool downs are just as important.  After contracting your muscles during a strong workout your muscles need to slowly move towards rest. The cool down slows your pulse and returns blood to your heart to rid the muscles of lactic acid (a chemical result of muscular fatigue). If you stop suddenly, the blood will pool in your legs instead of returning to your heart. Dizziness, nausea and a worn out feeling are common symptoms of an improper cool down.  A good cool-down can protect joints, calm the body and mind and, rejuvenate!

The retreat began with the ritual of walking the labyrinth. This gave students the opportunity to arrive, set an intention and and begin the weekend with focused meditation.  Each day included yoga practice, lecture and asana breakdown interspersed with home made vegetarian meals, based on clean eating.*

Here’s what a few of our students had to say…

“The yoga retreat at Wellspring was an enriching experience. It was the perfect kickoff for the teacher training because it gave our group a chance to really get to know each other before spending the next 6 months together. It was refreshing to be in such a beautiful place without cell phones and internet because we had a chance to really be present with our surroundings. Every moment of the retreat was nurturing and refreshing – the food, the classes, the yoga and meditation… the food. I feel so lucky to be a part of such an awesome group of people! … and did I mention the food was really good?”

- Mary Blalock

“It was encouraging to be surrounded by a group of women who were so supportive, humble and eager to learn.  All of us came from different backgrounds, having different experiences with yoga, movement and teaching. This gave me exposure to other viewpoints, stories and theories I had never encountered before. I think the instructors knocked it out of the ballpark.  The flow and balance of lecture, movement and personal time kept us motivated and energized the entire time. It was hard to believe we’d only been there for three days.  The instructors brought a presence of warmth and curiosity to the retreat.  Everyone, even the instructors, took the role of both student and teacher, helping and learning from each other. The food was amazing and Wellspring Spa was super cozy. The natural environment was beautiful, not only did we have clear skies, but being surrounded by nature just added that extra touch to the weekend.  I enjoyed practicing yoga in the yurt. The circular format was energizing yet calming; it added to the bonding experience.”

- Kate Parker

* Clean eating is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It means freeing your diet of refined (man-made) sugar, bad fats, hormone-laden meats, preservatives, white bread, and other ingredients that are man-made or unnecessary.

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. This means women just like you — mothers, sisters, friends — are dying at the rate of one per minute. In fact, in the time it takes to read this, another woman will die from heart disease.

February is American Heart Month, and we are inviting you to join us in promoting Heart Health Awareness by sporting your favorite RED shirt, pants, shoes, socks or headband all month long when you come in for a session!

February 3^rd was the official National Go Red day, a promotion started in 2004 by the American Heart Association to build awareness around women and heart disease. For Vera, one day isn’t enough to bring awareness to heart health. Let’s put our hearts together as members of the Vera Community, please WEAR RED as a way to honor a loved one who has suffered from heart disease or stroke, set a healthy example to our children and families and promote heart heath education. Together, lets celebrate our efforts in preventing heart disease through regular exercise, cleaning eating, stress management, and self-care!

While I’ve got your attention, please read the astonishing statistics I found on how this heart disease affects women. The signs and symptoms for women can be much different than they are for men. This three-minute film by Elizabeth Banks educates women about the reality of heart disease and encourages them to put their health first. View it – and share with others.

Every year heart disease kills more women than any other disease. More than all forms of cancer combined. And – this statistic often surprises people – heart disease kills MORE women than men. It claims more than 422,000 women’s lives each year. While one in 30 women’s death is from breast cancer, one in THREE is from cardiovascular disease. In all, cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives than the next four leading causes of death combined.

The Heart Truth:  What ALL Women Need to Know

You are at risk if you:

Have one or more major risk factors:

• Cigarette smoking
• Poor diet
• Lack of regular physical activity or can’t complete a treadmill exercise test
• Overweight (Body Mass Index [BMI] 25-29.9) or Obesity (BMI higher than 30)
• Family history of heart or vascular disease
• Over the age of 55
• Blood pressure higher than 120/80
• Abnormal cholesterol levels
• Heart or other vascular diseases
• Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
• Metabolic syndrome (see risk factors below)
• Pregnancy complications including the development of high blood pressure or diabetes, delivering a pre-term infant

An Ideal Heart Healthy Lifestyle for Women looks like this:

• Blood pressure less than 120/80 mm Hg and not on medicine for blood pressure
• Total cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL and
• Not on medicine for cholesterol
• Fasting blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL and not on medicine for blood sugar
• Body mass index less than 25 kg/m2
• Never smoked or quit over one year ago
• Performs 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week
• Eats a diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and high-fiber foods. Eats fish, especially oily fish twice a week or more. (Pregnant women avoid fish with high mercury levels)
• Limits saturated fat, cholesterol, alcohol, sodium, sugar, and avoid trans-fatty acids
• Pro-active stress management practices such as yoga, meditation or mindful walking

Numbers we ALL need to know:

Optimal Levels:

Blood pressure | Less than 120/80 mm Hg

Total cholesterol | Less than 200 mg/dL

LDL — “Bad” cholesterol | Less than 100 mg/dL**

HDL — “Good” cholesterol | Greater than 50 mg/dL

Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL

Glucose (HbA1c) | Less than 7%

Body mass index (BMI) | 18.5–24.9 kg/m2

Waist circumference | Less than 35 inches

Okay guys in the house, I really didn’t mean to box you out! Please check out the American Heart Association website to find out specific risks factors for men, or set up a cardio consult with our Clinical Exercise Specialist, Mary for a personal consultation.