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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Hydration Tips



The following is from yogi Marina Chetner. She answers some common questions on hydration while practicing Bikram yoga.

How can you tell if a student is not properly hydrated in class?

When a student is having a hard time in general, this can be a sign of dehydration and/or loss of electrolytes. Signs are: tiredness, dizziness, they’re not sweating enough, and /or their muscles are cramping.

If you are properly hydrated, and have an empty stomach (not especially full of toxins that day), the class should not be a huge struggle. Many people need to take a few classes for their bodies to acclimate to the heat, but if every class continues to be hard, talk to one of your teachers.  Together you can trouble shoot and find out what's going on. Usually it's a simple solution.      
 
What would you recommend to a hot yoga student in terms of replenishment if they are only hydrating with water during a summer practice?

If you’re practicing hot yoga, like the Bikram series, you cannot properly hydrate with just water, especially in the summer.

Electrolytes are charged molecules (positive or negative) that become active in water. They conduct electricity in the body and are instrumental for transmitting signals. They regulate, among other things: muscle contraction, heart rate, balance of body fluid, and pH levels. They affect all organs and systems in the body.

The body needs the right balance of water AND electrolytes for communication signals to be sent throughout the body. For example, if you are depleted in sodium or potassium, the signal from the nervous system cannot reach the muscle cell. This results in muscle cramping.

It's not just sodium and potassium we need. Other essential electrolytes include: magnesium, chloride, phosphate, sulphate, and calcium ions and bi-carbonates.  

There are many sports drinks out there, and which one to consume is a personal decision. Personally, I am not a big fan of them for the following reasons:
  • Sports drinks often have too much sodium and sugar. In an extreme emergency, they will help. As a regular source of hydration, they are not the best. 
  • The more processed a drink is, the less efficient the electrolytes become.
  • Exposure to air and UV rays (including sunlight) diminish electrolyte activity. Heavily processed drinks in clear bottles are not the best source of electrolytes.
I recommend coconut water – it cannot be beat.  In fact, coconut juice is so similar to human blood that in WW2 they used it in blood transfusions for wounded soldiers! It is nature's miracle. Try to pick one that is not from concentrate, and if possible not pasteurized (there are brands now that use pressurizing technique to kill bacteria. This keeps active molecules more intact.)

There are other good sources of electroytes: Emergen-C, Ultima Replenisher, and mineral drops - to name a few. There are lots of options available at health food sport supplement stores. When using these, do not let them sit too long in your water or let them get too hot in the room.  

I recently read the following on active.com: “Drink by schedule, not by thirst. If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.” Is there truth to this statement? What about the old adage: drink when you’re thirsty?

It is hard to say exactly how much a person should drink; everyone is different in terms of activity level, and how much a person sweats. Generally speaking, the average person loses approx. 2 liters of water a day through breath, moderate sweating, and urination. A good rule: body weight X 0.7 = # ounces one should drink a day, on average.

If you are practicing Bikram, especially on a consistent basis, this HAS to be more. The more water you drink, and the more you sweat, the more important it is to replenish your electrolytes!

I would suggest starting off by drinking on a schedule. Most of us are dehydrated and have become acclimated to feeling this way. We’re not attuned to feelings of thirst.  In fact, many people mistake the feeling of thirst for hunger, so we eat instead of drinking water.

Until you have put your body back on track and established a pattern for being hydrated, I recommend discipline with water consumption.   

What should we include in our food diet to help along hydration?

Foods high in water: fruit and veggies, especially. Avoid caffeine (try decaf!), alcohol, and starches as they are dehydrating.

How should a student pace themselves with liquids in a 90 minute hot yoga class?

It is best to come into the room already hydrated. Do not try to hydrate in the room! It takes about 45 minutes to process water. Ideally, water in the room should be for refreshment. If you’re practicing Bikram Yoga, you should not need more water than little sips in between every 3 or 4 postures. Having a full belly of water is uncomfortable.

And again, I highly recommend electrolytes BEFORE class. It will make a huge difference in energy, stamina, and make for a better experience in the hot room.  

Published June 18, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tip of the Week: Rabbit Pose

Question sent in to us via email from student Marty: "I have the hardest time getting into rabbit pose. I feel like I have a tight spine and it doesn't round very easily in this posture."




Many yoga students have difficulty even getting part-way into Rabbit posture because they focus too much on pulling on the heels, and do not put enough attention into lifting the hips up. As Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class explains, the way to overcome this is to lift the hips up first, bending forward while gripping the heels, from the beginning of the posture. Once the body is curling forward and the hips are lifting, then it's easier to pull on the heels and work towards straightening the arms. While pulling on the heels, lift the shoulders away from the ears.

Also remember to really suck your abdominal muscles in. By doing so you'll be able to stretch further and with more ease.

Don't over do it or go too far. Over time your spine will become more flexible and you'll feel the incredible benefits of the posture!



Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Congrats to the Winners!

It was quite a nailbiter watching the Top 15 contestants of our "Yoga Everywhere" photo contest rack up votes on Facebook over the weekend! Thank goodness we decided to leave the decision in the hands of our Facebook Fans because there was no way we could have chosen a winner on our own. Every photo submitted was just too amazing! 

Winslow Passey's photo on the summit of the Grand Teton and Stef Charlesworth's photo at the Salt Flats got so many votes that we decided to not have only one winner, but TWO! Congratulations to you both Winslow and Stef. We hope you enjoy your One Month Unlimited Pass to Bikram Yoga SLC! And because we couldn't leave out the other 13 contestants in the Top 15, it's our pleasure to give you each a $10 studio credit! 

Thanks again to everyone for making this contest so fun, exciting, and inspiring!


Namaste

 Winslow Passey

Stef Charlesworth

Monday, September 3, 2012

Help Us Choose a Winner!

It has been so exciting seeing all the beautiful and inspiring photos our students have submitted for our "Yoga Everywhere" photo contest! We appreciate you all for putting yourselves out there and sharing your practice and artistry with us. We had a whopping 125 photos submitted! We had the hardest time narrowing it down to the Top 10, so we stretched it to the Top 15. Please help us choose the winner by Liking us on Facebook and clicking "Like" on your favorite photo. Click here to vote on your favorite photo!   You have until midnight tonight to vote. The winner will be announced tomorrow!