The Yogini from Manila

December 16, 2022
by Yogajane
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Yoga is for the mind, body, spirit…and finances

The term ‘yoga’ often brings to mind the practice of asanas or yoga poses but it is so much more. It includes the art of breathing properly, mindfulness and meditation, good works, self-love, and more. The connection of mind-body-spirit and bringing all these into harmony are what yogis strive for.

If there is one thing that most of us realize after two years into this pandemic, it is that wellness is not only about staying healthy but also about looking after our financial well-being. One cannot be balanced or experience harmony in life when one’s financial situation is not in order.

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December 11, 2022
by Yogajane
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Planking my way to losing belly fat

The pandemic has made me less active. Being home most of the time these past years, I could not burn everything I ate and the results were obvious.

My middle became softer and rounder and my waist and hips gained an inch or so. I could no longer fit into several pants that I used to wear with ease. Weight-wise, I was not too bad. I gained only 5 pounds, at most, although as of this writing, I have lost half of it already. Still, the belly fat remained despite the weight loss. I also could not do forward bends that well anymore with this obstruction. It also did not help that, with age, my metabolic rate probably declined, making me burn food slower than before.

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September 13, 2022
by Yogajane
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Make time for ‘Me Time’, says AXA’s new campaign for the sandwich generation

The sandwich generation is defined as those caught in the middle of caring for children, on one hand, and the elderly on the other hand. These are couples who already have their own growing families to care for and may have 1 or both parents (or an elderly relative) who are living with them or dependent on them. Often, this exerts a lot of stress on the middle-aged adults as they have to do a balancing act in caring and many times, it is accompanied by a heavier financial burden. Not only do they have less time for themselves but in some cases, they are pushed to take on extra jobs in order to meet the financial demands of their situation. They also find it hard to say NO and when they do, they experience guilt.

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July 11, 2022
by Yogajane
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My Dual Zone Myofascial Release therapy balls are real pain busters!

These last two nights, I was awakened by back spasms — sudden, throbbing pain that sent waves of pain throughout my back. I do not really know what could have brought it on but I had been decluttering and moving stuff around. I may have done something to cause some strain on my back.

If there was no pandemic, I would have scheduled a trip to a spa for a good body massage focusing on ironing out the kinks in my back. But since the start of the pandemic, none of us dared go, knowing that we would be in a small, enclosed, and airconditioned room with a masseuse working on us up close.

Thankfully, I HAVE BALLS! These are my therapy balls, something I got during a 2017 training I attended on Dual Zone Myofascial Release (DZMR) conducted by Nelson Chong of the Functional Training Institute (Singapore) to address body dysfunction.

 

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March 2, 2022
by Yogajane
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There’s a lot to be happy, healthy, and positive about with Growrich VCO Capsules

There has been a running joke since the start of the pandemic about NOT wishing that people are positive (because being positive came to be connected with being COVID-positive). But seriously, recent events have given us every reason to be positive about being happy and healthy and it has to do with virgin coconut oil (VCO).

In early 2021, I wrote about clinical trials starting for VCO that would test if its properties would be adequate support for those suffering from COVID-19. By early 2022, the verdict was out. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced that virgin coconut oil can be considered an adjunct therapy for mild to moderate COVID-19. DOST will work with the country’s foremost industry association of coconut processors to get VCO approved for indications for mild COVID-19 cases by the Food and Drug Administration.

Most VCO products are in liquid form but one stands out because it comes in a capsule — very easy to bring around during your travels and convenient to just pop into your mouth any time — Growrich VCO Capsules.

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September 22, 2021
by Yogajane
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Book Review: Embrace Your Wobbles

Wobbles are a part of our life — from the time we are born to the time we leave this world. What immediately comes to mind when I hear the word ‘wobbles’ is a baby first learning to walk. The first time a baby learns to stand up, you can clearly see how her legs wobble as she hangs on for dear life to the rails of her crib. But look at her face. She grins from ear to ear, triumphant at her achievement, unmindful of her instability.

As that baby learns to walk, her wobbles are still obvious. She takes a few steps, wobbles, falls, and immediately tries to stand up and walk again. Does she show frustration? Does she stop trying? Absolutely not. She tries over and over again until a few weeks later, she takes her first few steady steps that eventually turn to walking all over the house and even to running.

I heard someone once say that we are all born fearless. That a baby learning to walk has no fear. She is totally trusting of life and what she could eventually learn from all her falls. As we interact more with the outside world, however, that is when we learn to fear, doubt, and lose our trust in the world and sadly, many times, in ourselves.

No one is exempt in this life from wobbles, whatever form they take.

It is timely then that a book such as Embrace Your Wobbles came along in the form of an email, asking if I was interested in checking the book out. I read the introductory material that came in the email and I replied back. Of course, I wanted to read it!

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September 22, 2021
by Yogajane
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Global Mala Manila is upon us again this Sept 25-26. It’s online and free!

This weekend is Global Mala Manila weekend (September 25-26, 2021)!

I began writing about Global Mala almost every year since its inception in 2007 and I have physically joined some of them.

The Global Mala Project was created with the mantra of uniting the global yoga community together with service and collective action. Global Mala Yoga for Peace was founded in 2007 by Shiva Rae in the U.S. but the concept was brought to Manila by Teresa Herrera in the same year and it has since been known as the Global Mala Project. These days, we simply refer to it as Global Mala Manila.

Photo credit: Global Mala Manila

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August 17, 2021
by Yogajane
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Tapping is helping me cope during this pandemic

This pandemic is really messing with minds, including mine. I already have some tools that I use to manage anxiety. I have my yin yoga practice (although I am not as regular as I would want to). I diffuse or apply essential oils on myself regularly. But sometimes, listening to the news really gets to me and I have nights staying awake in bed until 4 or later in the morning, unable to sleep.

It has been a very uncomfortable feeling and I know that sleep deprivation lowers one’s immune system. On days when I toss and turn in bed, watching the time go by, I end up feeling frustrated that sleep does not come over me. It also raises my anxiety even more thinking about how I will be less productive the next day because of lack of sleep.

For years, I have been listening to holistic-based health summits.  One of the techniques discussed in these summits that had a positive effect on mental health was tapping, or formally referred to as EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique. Two of the most popular tapping experts is the brother-sister-brother tandem of Nick, Jessica, and Alex Ortner. They are the people behind The Tapping Solution.

I did not practice tapping regularly although I would do it while attending the summits. I only decided to do it regularly just recently, more out of desperation to get a good dose of sleep. And guess what. I have slept very soundly most nights. I still have sleep-deprived nights but they are fewer and far between.

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February 2, 2021
by Yogajane
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GrowRich VCO: Wellness in a capsule!

Disclaimer: All health and medical information and content provided in this post, including any materials this post links to, are for general information purposes only. They are not intended, and should not be construed, as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider for any specific medical condition or before taking any supplements or medicine.

I have been taking virgin coconut oil or VCO (specifically coconut oil that is 100% MCT or medium chain triglycerides) for several years now. VCO was introduced to us by our naturopath doctor. It is a great source of energy, full of antioxidants, and is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral as well.  After a bath, I apply VCO all over my body instead of lotion and apply some to my hair to make it soft. Coconut oil also lessens the itching I experience on my hands when I have episodes of eczema.

Currently, VCO is undergoing clinical trials to test its support properties for those infected with COVID-19. I had been following accounts by Dr. Fabian “Toby” Dayrit of Ateneo de Manila through his webinars on coconut oil. As early as April 2020, when 69 residents of a barangay in Cebu City were infected with COVID, a Cebu doctor gave them VCO and within 2 weeks, 45 of the 69 tested negative, and the other 24 did not develop worse symptoms. This incident was followed by another one, also in Cebu. The warden of the Cebu provincial jail contacted the Cebu doctor to contain a COVID-19 outbreak. 7 jail workers tested negative within a week; another 3 tested negative in 8 days.

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December 9, 2020
by Yogajane
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Recogen – a collagen supplement for healthy joints and muscles – is now in the Philippines

Disclaimer: All health and medical information and content provided in this post, including any materials this post links to, are for general information purposes only. They are not intended, and should not be construed, as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider for any specific medical condition or before taking any supplements or medicine.

 

Joint pains are not a condition of the elderly alone. Both young and the elderly can suffer from joint pains. Mobility can often be impaired by pain, stiffness, and discomfort in the joints, especially in the knee areas.

I know what this is like. I have injured myself more than once when I overdid my yoga practice and had to hobble around the house with a cane for several weeks till my injury healed. As I get older, I also realize that even with my yoga practice, my joints are no longer as lubricated and supple as they were decades ago. Intervention is often needed when one is very active or is moving into senior years.

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