Half Moon Pose, or ardha-chandrasana, is a powerful posture for toning up, slimming down, and boosting your mood and energy levels.

While standing tall in Half Moon the legs really wake up as every muscle engages to hold the body firm and balanced while supporting the expanding arc of the upper body. This graceful and intensely focused posture strengthens the core and tones the waist, belly, hips, and some of the shoulders and back.

Lifting up and over stretches the entire length of the side body and helps to expand the rib cage, which means greater breathing capacity. Fuller oxygenation is key to feeling stronger, sexier, calmer, and more in control.

Breathing fully and deeply on a regular basis has also been known to promote weight loss. Studies published in 2005 from Columbia University showed that pranayama breathing exercises were very effective in alleviating depression, anxiety, and stress. These emotions not only tend to trigger overeating, but create a biochemical response in the body (high cortisol levels), which promotes fat storage.

Stretching the spine from coccyx to neck, Half Moon opens up space around the internal organs and spinal column, having a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and spleen, all important players in proper detoxification and metabolism.

Opening up the body and allowing everything it’s made of, from muscles and bones to nerves and ligaments, means everything flows better. Blood circulates unimpeded so that it can move toxins out efficiently and bring nourishment to where it’s needed.  Nerve impulses travel freely so that you feel centered and energized.

Hormones and other biochemical functions work properly so you look and feel your best from the inside, out.

So as you reach, pull, stretch & breathe during Half Moon consider all the many benefits happening all at once during this one pose. It’s AMAZING what just one pose can do for your body both short-term and long-term!

Stay tuned for more ‘Posture Profiles’ each month. We will feature different poses plus, showcase their benefits & what they do for you!

Free up Space. Use your body’s energy more efficiently. Create more Flow.
However you refer to it, prana, qi, or life force energy, it drives your life. Everything from our thoughts, feelings and actions, to our organs and bodily systems require steady, clear flowing energy.

If you’re feeling low or inconsistent energy, take an inventory and see where you can release the energy zappers in your life. Material clutter, eating impure foods, irregular exercise habits and trying to maintain a schedule that’s bursting at the seams can all drain or stop up your flow.

The healing power of movement classes is found especially in that they unite breath, body and mind to balance and free up stagnant, blocked energy. What you practice in the studio then spills over into the rest of your life so that you learn to make subtle shifts in posture, breathing and awareness, allowing your body to be in balance.

What we do or don’t eat can have some of the most profound impacts on the level of strength and clarity we experience. Food sensitivities and a diet of processed foods common are notorious energy drains and symptoms can manifest mentally, emotionally and/or physically. A great way to hit the “restart” button and begin noticing how certain foods impact you on all levels is to treat yourself to a cleanse. When you strip down what you ingest to the simplest, purest, most energy-rich foods (fresh juices, smoothies, live soups and elixirs) you can’t help but notice new energy and vitality beginning to emerge.

For more even energy inspiration check out the article “Top 5 Energy Boosters to Rock Your World” on our blog.

ENERGIZE your life with our SHINE vip package-a week in our world including: one week unlimited movement, choice of spa service plus, food/juice support.

For more information, CLICK HERE

True beauty is an inside job. Go within. Illuminate from the inside out.
We’ve all heard the saying that “beauty is only skin deep”, but in reality the radiance that makes a person appear beautiful come from cellular and energetic levels.

It’s not about how symmetrical your facial features are or how skinny your jeans size is. True beauty is a reflection of how harmoniously the various systems of the body and mind work together. True beauty is also about what you extend out into the the world. It’s about taking care of yourself on the inside and radiating that beauty outwardly.

Maintaining proper pH, breathing fully and deeply, regularly working up a sweat, avoiding toxins and nutrient-deficient foods, and doing a periodic detox are all great ways to beautify yourself from the inside out.

Radiating your inner beauty is also about sharing what’s uniquely beautiful about you with the world. Finding your own special spark and purpose in life is another important step on a path to a happy, healthy, authentic life.

Desire to be truly beautiful? Get on the right path with our SHINE VIP package-a week in our world including: one week unlimited movement, choice of spa service plus, food/juice support.

For more information, CLICK HERE

For ‘N’= Nourishment in our Why S.H.I.N.E.? series CLICK HERE

Let it flow. Let it go. Let the feel good vibe pour from your heart and spirit.
Ever notice how there are certain people that you always feel good around? Their energy is warm, open and accepting. Everything about them exudes happiness and when you part, you find yourself eager to bask in their presence again soon.

Many spiritual masters believe that the purpose of life is simply the pursuit of happiness. This excitingly revolutionary view requires a broader perspective on happiness than Western culture usually allows.

A person’s level of happiness can be seen as a reflection of their mind-body-spirit balance. When you’re in sync with who you are, accepting the flow of life, and consciously navigating the journey, happiness is the natural result.

A healthy, joyful, vibrant life happens when we take good care of ourselves, are proactive about our health, and share our best selves with the world. It’s tempting to look to other people or things to make us happy, yet if we begin with the things we can control, especially how we feed and move our bodies and the thoughts we think, the obstacles to our own happiness begin to fall away.

Being a happy person doesn’t necessarily mean you are always over the moon with joy at the circumstances of your life or those of the world at large. Rather, for people whom “happy” is their baseline mood, gracefully “going with the flow” allows new opportunities to be seen amid the tumult of life’s storms. Pausing to appreciate the blessings as they come is also key.

Take a look at your own definition of happiness. If you find yourself looking outward to other people or things like material possessions and prestigious titles to define your joy, take a step back and consider letting your definition change and grow into something bigger, better and infinitely more exciting.

Living in the present and responding to what is actually in front of you opens up a whole new world of joy. Other ways to cultivate true happiness include embracing playfulness and looking situations and experiences with a “beginners mind”. This means approaching life more like an experiment than a formula, thereby releasing attachment to rigid expectations that often disappoint.

Happiness is a tremendous energy that wants and needs to be shared. As you increase the level of happiness you experience, keep it flowing! Give that feel good vibe to all beings you encounter, for happiness is an extraordinary gift, a gift does not diminish by being shared.

Get HAPPY with our SHINE vip package-a week in our world including: one week unlimited movement, choice of spa service plus, food/juice support.

For more information, CLICK HERE

For ‘I’= Inner Beauty in our Why S.H.I.N.E.? series CLICK HERE

Feed your cells. Nourish your soul. Add in real food that hydrates and rebuilds.
Everyday we make choices about what we eat and drink. These choices impact every area of our lives because quite simply our food is our fuel. The secret to eating deliciously while using the healing power of nature to look and feeling amazing is in choosing fresh, whole plant foods rich in live enzymes and nutrients.

The innate wisdom of your body’s digestive system knows exactly what to do with fresh food. The closer a food or drink is to the original state of its ingredients, the more readily your body assimilates all that every bite or sip has to offer.

Juicy, fresh and colorful, whole foods and ultra nutrient-dense superfoods are just that – SUPER! These until-recently obscure foods pack A LOT of nutrition into a small serving. Top superfoods include leafy greens, blue-green algae (such as E3Live, spirulina and chlorella), maca root, coconut, and cacao.

Eating nutrient-dense foods naturally leads to eating fewer calories because less food satisfies when your cells are getting what they truly need. Fresh foods also have a high water content leading to better hydration.

Eating more live foods and treating yourself to periodic juice feasts gives your cells what they really need to stay happy and healthy while providing a better way to weight management, anti-aging and holistic treatment of many common diseases.

Flood your body with nutrients with our SHINE vip package-a week in our world including: one week unlimited movement, choice of spa service plus, food/juice support.

For more information, CLICK HERE

For ‘E’= Energy in our Why S.H.I.N.E.? series CLICK HERE

Take time for you. Take care of you. You are the star of your show!

When we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, trying to meet the ever-increasing demands of daily life, the first sacrifice many of us make is to our own self-care.

Yet healthy self-care habits like regular exercise, preparing fresh, whole foods, and taking the time to do whatever nourishes our spirits are essential to a lifestyle that maintains or reclaims health and vitality. Don’t sacrifice yourself for convenience! Instead, commit to caring for yourself as lovingly and attentively as possible and prepare to FEEL GOOD and look great!

Responsibility for our health and well being ultimately rests in our own hands. This is empowering because it means you are your own greatest resource. If you’ve let self-care slide or ignored it altogether, not to fear, it’s never too late to change course and build a stronger foundation of caring for your whole being.

Mind-body practices like yoga, Qi gong and Nia do more than just keep your body fabulously fit and in optimal health. Practice time can be your own sacred space to play and explore who you are on all levels. Treating your skin and internal elimination organs to holistic therapies and spa services is another way to care for the body that is continually renewing and healing itself.

We all need time for rest and for excitement, for focused concentration or dreamy contemplation. We also need time for work, for family, and for ME! Self-care is a key ingredient in your ability to balance the demands of life while thriving. Give yourself permission take a time-out on a daily basis to do what FEELS GOOD, whether it’s a movement class, starting your day with meditation, preparing a fresh, green juice, enjoying an aromatherapy facial or taking a brisk walk.

It’s your time to SHINE with our self-care package. You can have it ALL with a week in our world. Take time for YOU with our SHINE VIP pass including: one week unlimited movement, choice of spa service  plus, food/juice support.

For more information, CLICK HERE

For ‘H’ = Happiness in our Why S.H.I.N.E.? series CLICK HERE

1) Diversify your fitness routine

The Asian philosophical concept of yin and yang can teach us a lot about balance. Yin and yang can best be described as “complementary opposites that interact within a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system.” YOU are such a dynamic system!

Balancing your fitness activities between yin and yang is a great way to keep your energy levels consistent. If you engage in nothing but yang exercise (running, hot yoga, and high-impact sports) your routine can become more depleting than energizing. On the other hand, all yin exercise (think gentle movement like qi gong and yin yoga), isn’t stimulating enough to be your only physical outlet.

Challenge yourself to diversify your fitness routine and consciously seek a balance of intensity-rich yang workouts with fluid and relaxing yin activities and feel how your energy and overall fitness levels soar.

2) Eat clean and green

Low-quality or “junk” foods introduce things like artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and other lab-created ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats. Our bodies aren’t designed to process these ingredients so they hijack precious energy as our system tries to extract nutrients where none are to be found. Ditch the phony “frankenfoods” in favor of fresh plant-based foods and prepare yourself for a whole new level of energy!

Greens reign supreme when it comes to high-energy fuel. Kale, cabbage, collards, spinach, fresh herbs and other leafy greens are rich in alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which relax tension of body and mind and balance pH. Add energizing green juices, smoothies, salads and other green-centric meals to your diet and within a few days you are bound to notice a deeper sense of calm and balance taking root in your life.

Heat degrades or even destroys many vitamins, minerals and nutrients so eating fresh, live (“raw”) foods means you are filling up on the good stuff your body needs to achieve and maintain optimum health. Another reason living foods are super energizers is they still have their enzymes intact so your body doesn’t have to expend energy manufacturing digestive enzymes to break down heavier, cooked foods.

Juices, smoothies and salads are just the beginning when it comes to living foods. Crackers, breads, granola and other treats can be made in the low heat of a dehydrator and raw soups, pastas, falafel, sushi, sandwiches and other favorites can be made using live ingredients. Living foods are easier to prepare than you might think. Check out what’s “Fresh in our Fridge” or take one of our food prep classes and learn how to make your own clean, green, energy-boosting meals.

3) Tune up your engine with colon hydrotherapy

The colon is the powerhouse of the digestive system and when things are running smoothly it efficiently absorbs water and nutrients from the food you eat and strong muscle contractions, called peristalsis, move down the entire five to six feet of the colon pushing the waste and fiber left behind (stool) out. When conditions are not right, often due to poor eating, lack of exercise, stress, dehydration etc. this system breaks down and the colon can accumulate gasses, toxins, and even (years!) of impacted fecal matter.

A sluggish bowel can harbor harmful bacteria and parasites. A poorly, even less-than-ideally functioning bowel can be the cause behind an extensive list of ailments and diseases including: bad breath, acne and other skin rashes and irritations, joint pain, headaches, sinus infections, constipation, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, bloating, mood swings, cloudy thinking and more. When the elimination system isn’t working properly the entire body is thrown out of balance and undue stress is placed on the heart, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, skin, lungs and lymph. These organs become overworked and serious illness can result.

Colon hydrotherapy is an internal “bath” where a gentle and steady flow of temperature controlled, filtered water goes in and out of the colon. This process safely and naturally allows for waste to be softened and loosened resulting in evacuation through natural peristalsis, rather than drugs. The process is repeated several times during a typical 45 minute session. After a treatment you can expect to feel lighter, more relaxed and a have deeper sense of well being. You also may lose several pounds of waste after a colon hydrotherapy session. A series of treatments can help reset your elimination system and get your digestive engine back up and running as nature intended.

4) Perfect your posture

Slumped posture leads to shallow breathing and puts unnecessary stress on the body from being in positions it wasn’t designed to assume. This leads to headaches and other energy-zapping aches and pains. Aligned posture allows blood and energy (qi) to flow freely while collapsed and careless posture leads to stagnation. Try this visualization used by dancers to become aware of and train your posture in everyday life:

Imagine you have antlers on your head. Notice your head coming into alignment with the center of your spine as the chin lifts and you face forward proudly.

Imagine a string leading from your heart center to the heavens. Notice your shoulders drop back and down as your chest lifts.

Next imagine there is a precious jewel nestled in your navel, held in place only by the firm, vertical orientation of your hips and pelvis. Notice how your sacrum drops and your pelvis tilts forward slightly into a strong, neutral position.

And finally, imagine you have thick, heavy alligator’s tail that reaches all the way to the floor. Notice your tailbone relaxing and grounding downward.

Use this visualization to check in with your posture throughout the day. Additionally, a regular yoga practice is an ideal way to correct and retrain compromised stance.

5) Breathe deeply

Do you know where your breath is? Is it shallow reaching only into your upper chest or does it expand up and down, front and back, refreshing and oxygenating your entire body? If you’re feeling tense, tired and overwhelmed it’s likely that your breath isn’t reaching much further than the first ¼ to ⅓ of your lung capacity.

Shallow, incomplete and held breathing become chronic problems and limit the amount of oxygen you take in. The brain needs about 20% of the oxygen we intake and in a 24 hour period an average adult male uses approximately 8 pounds of oxygen. Inadequate oxygenation can result in irritability, poor digestion, depression, muscle aches and pains and other disorders.

When we breathe fully, deeply and slowly not only do we fill our bodies with fresh oxygen and release carbon dioxide, but the expansive, rhythmic motion of breathing acts like a gentle internal massage. Being conscious of your breath is also useful in managing stress by keeping you more relaxed and present. Taking deep “belly breaths” expands the abdomen and stimulates the vagus nerve. Activation of the vagus nerve typically leads to a reduction in heart rate, blood pressure, or both.

Want to give a few of these energy boosters a whirl? Our NEW Shine VIP pass gets your a super discounted package price on a week in our world. Choose your week and experience- one week of yoga/movement classes, one SPA service (choose between a Feel Good Facial, a Suddenly Slender wrap, or a Colon Hydrotherapy Appointment) and one 3 day juice cleanse and one Good To Go Fresh Food Bag. Over a $384 retail value for ONLY $250. Get your pass by calling 503-452-1132 or Purchase Online Here

Perfect for the hot summer day or a delicious way to get your greens in.

The green smoothie is easy & fun.

Thai Infusion – Serves 1-2

In blender, combine:
8oz orange juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup tropical fruit, fresh or frozen (mango, pineapple, etc…)
Handful of spinach
1/4 bunch cilantro
1/8 bunch spearmint
1/8 bunch basil
Any other herbs or greens you like
(optional) dash of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes
Blend until smooth. Add up to 6oz of fresh water to reach desired consistency.

Check out our front cooler at The Feel Good World for a fresh variety of green smoothies and juices daily.

In this month’s Hottie Tottie Talk, Christy answers your questions of “How much water should I drink during Bikram yoga?” with a unique challenge.  Watch this video to get the inside slurp!

Share more of your questions with Christy by posting to our Facebook!

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?”

Well,  here at the Yummy Tummy Marketplace we know that it sure can feel good and be delicious anytime of the day–especially if it is Christy’s Granola. 

In honor of all of you that have crunched on this snack whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as a perfect mid-day snack, here is Christy’s BEHIND THE SCENES  recipe that will fill you with get up and go energy!

Christy’s GRANOLA

STEP ONE:  Gather ingredients

2-3 apple
2 Tble lemon juice
1 Tble vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt
1 cup sunflower seeds (soaked and sprouted)
2 cup pumpkin seeds (soaked and sprouted)
2 cups almonds (soaked and sprouted)
3 cups pecans (soaked and sprouted)
1-cup cranberries/or goji berries
Anything else that sounds yummy like honey, agave, raisins, fruit, coconut…..OH MY!

STEP TWO:  Grind up the sticky part

In a food processor, put in apples, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and 1/2 cup sunflower seeds. Grind until completely smooth. Put mixture in a large bowl.

STEP 3:  Grind up the nuts

Add the remaining nuts and seeds to food processor and coarsely chop. Mix nuts to apple mixture.

STEP 4:  Dehydrate

Spread on Teflex-lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 6 to 8 hours.

* We love the Excalibur brand dehydrator for all kinds of Feel Good Food recipes.  Ask us how to get your very own!

STEP 5:  Flip!

Flip the granola over onto mesh screens and dehydrate another 8-12 hours or until desired texture.

STEP 6:  Crumble and enjoy.

A Yummy Tummy favorite is adding GRANOLA to our homemade mango yogurt.