You’re hanging upside down a few feet off the ground, in a stretch you never thought you’d be able to do, swaddled in a fabric swing, and you’re thinking…”how in the world did I get here?”
 
Aerial yoga is a relatively new exercise regimen inspired by aerial gymnastics, pilates, calisthenics, and yoga movements. While that might sound scary, it’s really accessible and quite similar to the yoga you do on a mat. Aerial yoga can make a big difference in your flexibility, strength, and mental health, but with a unique—some might say topsy-turvy—perspective.
How Does Aerial Yoga Work?

In aerial yoga, your body weight is supported by what most practitioners call a ‘hammock’. This swath of soft fabric, suspended from the ceiling, supports your body in the poses and allows your body to work against gravity, helping you get deeper into stretches.

It also means you can do many supported inversions, which results in health benefits unique to aerial yoga. Being upside down, supported by the hammock, is a little bit like being in traction—it can help lengthen your ligaments, relax your muscles, and decompress your spine.

Benefits of Aerial Yoga

All day long, your vertebrae sit stacked, being pulled down into each other by gravity. This is why flipping yourself upside down and allowing your spine to be free of that pressure can help you feel lengthened and relaxed, at least in the short term.

The positions you can achieve in aerial yoga also temporarily improve circulation, just like regular inversions in yoga asana on a mat can. This can bring you focus and improved energy following a class, and usually brings a huge smile to your face because of the big mood boost it can give you.

Like any form of exercise, aerial yoga will boost your brain’s production of endorphins and dopamine, but some physiologists posit that being suspended above the floor, upside down, in a silk hammock during an aerial yoga class may have the added benefit of helping your brain release even more serotonin, which may make you feel serene and euphoric.

Like Other Yoga Styles, Aerial Yoga is Not a Cure-All Solution

It’s important to note that some sources may say that aerial yoga will combat aging by permanently and continually improving overall circulation. While these benefits may materialize for a few hours after class, your overall circulation will not be improved over and above any other what any other kind of exercise would offer you.

However, the short-term benefits are incentive enough! And if the health pluses weren’t enough…it’s also simply a really fun way to work out.

Because you’re essentially floating above the floor, you get more full-body engagement, and especially core work, as your body keeps itself steady and works against gravity to transition between poses—this makes aerial yoga a great body weight cross-training exercise that improves flexibility, strength, and stamina.

In addition to improving your balance in daily life and asana practice, the support and suspension that you receive in aerial yoga can also uniquely aid in digestive issues, stretching and relaxing your abdomen and providing relief for any symptoms of irritable bowels.

​
Maren Hunsberger
Maren is a scientist by training and a science communicator by trade (check out https://marenhunsberger.com for her professional work). But on the side, she is a yoga practitioner and instructor, with a great passion for helping people feel as good in their bodies and minds as possible. Maren has been practicing yoga for 12 years, and after it changed her life she wanted to bring the joy of yoga to others! She has been teaching yoga and leading guided meditation for 4 years. She is a certified yoga instructor with YogaFit Alliance, and is happy to chat with you about anything, yoga-related or not! 

By Deborah Mitchell G+
2016-01-11 19:31Aerial yoga is an alternative form of this ancient practice that literally lifts you off the ground onto an entirely different plane. For those who are curious about aerial yoga or who have tried it, you may be pleased to hear that it can have a positive effect on your heart health.
While traditional forms of yoga involve poses that typically include keeping at least one foot or another part of the body in contact with the floor or ground, aerial yoga takes those poses up into the air with the use of circus hammocks. These hammocks, which are made of soft, high-density nylon material, are secured by carabineers, straps, and support chains in the ceiling and can support more than one ton.
During an aerial yoga class (once you learn the basics), you can expect to do various yoga poses or modified versions of them while using the hammock for support. The poses may include simple stretches while sitting or reclining in the hammock or hanging upside down while you grab your feet, ankles, or thighs for balance. 
Aerial yoga study of heart health
Numerous studies have been conducted on the health benefits of traditional forms of yoga, but aerial yoga has not been evaluated in a scientific study. Thus a team at Western State Colorado University, led by Lance C. Dalleck, PhD, set out to analyze the health effects of both a single aerial yoga session and a six-week program.
The study, commissioned by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) involved 16 healthy, physically active females (18-45 years). Before they started participating in aerial yoga, the team gathered information about body weight, body-fat percentage, heart rate, oxygen uptake, blood pressure, fasting lipids and glucose, and waist circumference from each volunteer. 
Here’s what the researchers found after evaluating a single 50-minute session and six weeks (three 50-minute sessions per week):

• A single session burns an average of 320 calories and provides cardiovascular effects associated with low- to moderate-intensity exercise
• After six weeks, the participants showed significant improvements in body weight, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein, percentage of body fat, and maximal oxygen uptake, and modest improvements in triglycerides
• The authors indicated that the combination of these improvements suggested the volunteers had reduced their risk for heart attack or other cardiovascular events by about 10 percent

Other things to know about aerial yoga
If you are intrigued by aerial yoga, be sure to get instructions from a certified instructor. Don’t be afraid to ask for the credentials of any teacher you are considering and to talk to others who have had sessions with the individual. 
Although aerial yoga involves suspending yourself off the ground, the distance is typically quite small (about 3 feet), which helps minimize the possibility of injury. You also should never practice aerial yoga alone.
Because your body’s relationship with gravity is different in aerial yoga than in the traditional forms, your muscles may work harder, especially your core muscles. Some people also find they can experience greater flexibility because they can achieve better stretching with aerial yoga.
Aerial yoga is not for everyone. Anyone who is pregnant, who has undergone recent eye surgery, or who has an eye disease, vertigo, bone conditions, high or low blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, any condition that blocks the nasal passages, or prosthetic hips or knees should likely find another form of exercise.

Aerial yoga is an alternative form of this ancient practice that literally lifts you off the ground onto an entirely different plane. For those who are curious about aerial yoga or who have tried it, you may be pleased to hear that it can have a positive effect on your heart health.

Is there surfing in the suburbs?

You might think so if you stumbled across a SUP yoga class this summer at a local lake. You'd see participants balanced on boards, doing yoga poses and using paddles to propel themselves through the water.
 
SUP yoga classes in the suburbs
 Several locations in the suburbs offer SUP yoga classes. Cold or stormy weather can lead to cancellations, so it is advised to check the company websites if weather might cause a cancellation.

Wildroots Yoga
Where: Classes are at Three Oaks Recreation Area, 5517 Northwest Hwy. in Crystal Lake

Cost: $35 per class, preregistration required, multiclass packages available

When: 10 a.m. to noon Mondays; noon to 2 p.m. Tuesdays; 5-7 p.m. Thursdays

For more details: Visit www.wildrootsyoga.com
 
SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard), as it is known, has seen an increase in interest in recent years. Participation in the U.S. increased nearly threefold from 2010 to 2014, according to a study by the Outdoor Foundation.

"We do various yoga poses, stretches and flows," explains teacher Jessi Rae of Island Lake. "It is challenging, but also tons of fun. There is something really special about taking your yoga practice outside, on the water while surrounded by beautiful scenery."

Rae teaches SUP yoga classes at Three Oaks Recreation Area, 5517 Northwest Hwy. in Crystal Lake, and at Lindy's Landing on Bangs Lake in Wauconda. She first gave SUP yoga a try three years ago.
"I was in love right away and hooked ever since," she said.

"People always ask me how many times they'll fall in and my answer is always that they probably won't fall in at all."

Rae, Andrews and Thoma agree that being out in nature, on the water, makes SUP yoga special.

PRACTICELearning to Fly with Aerial YogaHarness your inner Cirque du Soleil aspirations and turn your practice upside down with aerial yoga.

By Andrea Rice
An aerial yoga class practicing Supta Baddha Konasana at OM Factory in Union Square, New York.Suspend all disbelief for a moment, an envision a weightless Savasana: Enveloped inside a silk fabric cocoon, fully supported, safe, and held. Your meditation transports you deep into the rainforest, all tucked in for the night by large palm fronds high inside an alcove of a kapok tree. No, you have not transformed into a monkey… but for a brief moment in time perhaps you understand what it’s like to sleep like one. To fly through the air with the greatest of ease is not limited to our primate ancestors alone, however—with aerial yoga, we can defy gravity and deepen our regular practice, one swinging hammock at a time.
But aerial yoga is not a sleepy, nor lazy practice, mind you. The amount of core strength, courage, and not to mention, coordination cultivated in a beginner’s level class may pose a challenge to even the most advanced students. For example: In the first two minutes of class, I could not figure out how to wrap my wrists correctly around the hanging fabric. It was embarrassing, and so I laughed. But throughout the class so did a few others. In fact, a light-hearted approach to aerial yoga might be the only requirement to succeed in this practice. You’ll swing and flail about clumsily, you’ll place the fabric on the wrong parts of your body, and you’ll giggle as you tilt backward with no idea where you’re headed next. But that’s what makes aerial yoga equally fun and challenging.
Our regular yoga practice is often so confined to solitude; the small island of our yoga mats where there is a tendency to take asana too seriously. Aerial yoga takes everything we land-yogis know about mind-body awareness and throws it out the window. And yes, going upside down with little to no control of your body in space is terrifying… but the small adrenaline rush that comes with it makes it all worth while.

Kevin Bigger, an aerial yoga and vinyasa instructor at OM Factory, coordinates workshops and teacher trainings in New York, South Korea and Vietnam. He says that yoga is meant to be experiential, rather than intellectual, and that the aerial practice works to help facilitate that. “It doesn’t matter how many times I tell someone that the hammock can hold over a thousand pounds of weight,” he explains, “I need to prove to them that it will not drop them.” So naturally, Bigger doesn’t ask students to flip upside down at the start of class, but will slowly integrate challenges that may induce fear as the class goes on. “By the time students do the full pose it just feels like the natural culmination of everything that we have already done that day,” he says.
Not surprisingly, many new students to aerial yoga encounter plenty of fear when they begin entrusting their safety in a piece of fabric suspended from two small hooks affixed to the ceiling. But as Bigger explains, fear can be an incredible teacher. He says that good teachers will show students all the ways the fabric can interact with the body, so that students learn to trust the hammock. “As their trust grows, so will their ability to practice with grace and ease,” he says.
An unanticipated challenge of aerial yoga is the discomfort that the fabric can present in certain postures—despite its soft, silky texture. When pressure is put on muscles of the body that aren’t engaged (ouch, hip flexors!), the fabric can feel tight and pinching on the skin. This is simply an adjustment phase however, and there are many modifications a student can take to make themselves more comfortable. (Beginner tip: use a blanket for cushion when you’re performing a suspended Downward Dog overtop of the fabric.)
The paradox of aerial yoga is that it can make classical postures either more easily facilitated, or a lot more challenging. For instance, a student who typically struggles with balance could use the hammock for extra support. Alternatively, a suspended Supta Baddha Konasana proves far more difficult upside down in the hammock versus laying on a mat. “This allows students to be fully inverted without needing to support their body weight with their heads, necks, or shoulders,” Bigger explains. “When the upper body relaxes fully, the hammock provides beautiful traction to the lumbar spine.” The good news for any student is that they can receive all the benefits of an inversion practice, despite any previously held beliefs or limitations in their minds and bodies.
An aerial practice requires students to engage more fully with a pose—and use their core in ways they may not have previously imagined were possible. In some poses, when gravity is removed from the equation, different muscles are used—sometimes with more intensity—than they would otherwise. “We often teach Locust Pose balanced on a thin bar of fabric in the crease of the hip, with no part of the body on the ground,” Bigger says. “The only way to achieve balance is to use the legs and the torso equally.”  He explains that it is far more difficult to achieve the backbend while floating on a piece of fabric, so students have to relearn how to properly engage their muscles in order to stay afloat. Bigger attests that this, in turn, improves the students’ posture in when they take it back to the mat.
Believe it or not, staying grounded is also integral to practicing aerial. Bigger explains that in a Level 1 class, students are gradually introduced to the relationship of their bodyweight to the hammock by keeping some part of the body on the ground at the beginning. “This teaches students to find the requisite stability they need to feel safe as they slowly bring more and more of their practice into the sky,” he says. Then, when the student is ready to put their entire body into the hammock, they can better understand how to ground down by pressing into the fabric the same way they did on the mat earlier in class. Bigger insists that aerial teachers must be properly trained to spot students safely and effectively so they feel supported whenever fear and anxiety arises. “Most yogis don’t learn to do a handstand on the first try,” he says. “It’s totally fine if someone decides they want to skip something that freaks them out—there’s always going to be another day to try again.”
Many students may come to aerial yoga because they’ve struggled on the mat and have even sustained injury to their shoulders, wrists, or spine. The weightlessness of an aerial practice provides extra support, liberating a student from any modifications they may have had to practice on the ground. “Many of my students with chronic back pain, for instance, find relief from my aerial classes that they simply cannot find in a vinyasa class,” Bigger says.
Aerial yoga gives students a profound sense of empowerment, especially to students like me who’ve been practicing for a long time and craving a new challenge. Aerial is equally humbling and rewarding, and will shift your perspective by literally turning you upside-down. “The childlike sense of joy that erupts when adults challenge their perspectives and learn to do the impossible can have a profound impact on their mental fortitude,” Bigger says.
Photo by Karen Fuchs, courtesy of OM Factory
--
Andrea Rice is a Senior Writer for Wanderlust Media. She is also a freelance writer, editor, and yoga teacher. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Yoga Journal, SONIMA, mindbodygreen, AstroStyle, and other online publications. You can find her regular classes at shambhala yoga & dance center in Brooklyn, and connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, and on her website. 

15 DIY essential oil holiday gift recipes by Mama Natural

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a great stash of essential oils and are always looking for ways to use them. With the holidays coming up, I decided to make a bunch of DIY essential oil recipes to share with family and friends. Let me just tell you how much money this is going to save me! Woot! Plus, I love the idea of giving loved ones healthy, non-toxic products that they can use as toiletries or in their home.

Looking to get started with essential oils?
Click here to see why I recommend the Young Living brand of oils.

Here are my top 15 DIY essential oil recipes
 

Lavender Linen Spray recipe by Mama Natural
Lavender Linen Spray
This is a classic spray that makes your laundry smell uh-mazing and helps to support well-being. Once your clothes come out of dryer or cloth’s line, spray your sheets liberally. Because Lavender essential oil is gentle, this is safe to use on your children’s sheets before bedtime. You could also use this as a soothing body spray or perfume (replace the distilled water with a light carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil.)

What you’ll need:
2 ounce dark glass spray bottle (where to buy)
1 teaspoon of witch hazel (where to buy)
15-20 drops of Lavender
Almost 2 ounces of distilled water
Directions:
Add your Lavender to your glass bottle. Then add your witch hazel. Fill the remaining bottle with distilled water. Put on spray cap and shake bottle well. Spray on freshly laundered clothes or on your pillows and linens before bed.

 
Thieve's Spray recipe by Mama Natural
Thieves Spray
This delicious oil blend smells like Christmas. I’ve done a separate post on this oil, but let’s just say that Thieves is excellent for boosting our vitality. I adore this Thieves spray to share with family and friends. It’s an instant favorite and I like to keep one handy in my home and diaper bag for travel.

You can use to:
Clean toddler toys
Transform public restroom seats
Whip down cutting boards
Wash fruits and vegetables
Freshen gym bags
Clean airplane armrests and serving trays
Spray in the room to remove heavy odors
The uses of this spray are really endless. And it’s super easy to make.

What you’ll need
2 oz. dark glass spray bottle (where to buy)
1 teaspoon organic witch hazel (where to buy)
10-15 drops of Young Living Thieves oil (where to buy)
Almost 2 oz. of distilled water
Directions
In your clean spray bottle, add 10-15 drops of your Thieves oil. Next add 1 tsp. of witch hazel. Then pour distilled water into bottle until full. Put on your spray top and use as you see fit. That’s it! This is one of my favorite DIY essential oil recipes!


Lustrous Hair Serum recipe by Mama Natural
Lustrous Hair Serum
Who doesn’t want thick, shiny and beautiful hair? Sometimes due to stress, postpartum or age, our hair can start to thin, break or lose its luster. I love using this DIY essential oil recipe to give support to the hair shaft. It’s also smells wonderful!

What You’ll Need:
2 ounce dark glass dropper bottle (where to buy)
Almost 2 ounces of Castor Oil (where to buy)
10 drops of Rosemary essential oil
5 drops of Lavender essential oil
5 drops of Ylang Ylang essential oil
Directions:
Pour almost 2 ounces of your Castor Oil into your dropper bottle. Add your essential oils. Put on dropper lid and shake bottle. Apply to your scalp each morning and massage into scalp. Wait 20 minutes and then wash hair. You can also apply before bed. If you want to apply more frequently without an oil feel, you can make the serum using almost 2 ounces of distilled water and 1 teaspoon of witch hazel instead of the castor oil.

 
All Purpose Salve recipe by Mama Natural
All Purpose Salve
This is a great all purpose salve to use on our skin. Lemon and Melaleuca are wonderful for their cleansing properties. Lavender is a soothing oil that is known for its skin benefits. I love having this salve on hand. It can even be used as a hand lotion in the winter.

What You’ll Need:
1 ounce glass lotion pot (where to buy)
5 drops Lemon essential oil
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil
Almost 2 ounces of raw coconut oil (where to buy)
Directions:
Scoop 2 ounces of raw coconut oil into a small glass bowl. Add your essential oils. Mix well with a metal fork or spoon. Scoop final concoction into your glass lotion pot and put lid on. Store in a cool, dark place. Apply directly to skin as needed. This is one of the great DIY essential oil recipes to share with other mamas!

 Luxurious Exfoliation Body Scrub recipe by Mama Natural
Luxurious Exfoliation Body Scrub
Did you know that our skin is our largest organ? We want to be sure we’re scrubbing off dead skin cells daily to assist in overall health. Skin brushing is a great way to do this as well as doing a weekly exfoliating skin scrub.

This luxurious exfoliating scrub will help give our skin a healthy glow!

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
1/2 cup raw olive oil (where to buy)
1 cup sea salt (where to buy)
5 drops each of Lavender, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang
Directions
Measure your salt and pour into a large glass bowl. Add your olive oil and mix well with a metal spoon. Add your essential oils and continue to stir your mixture. Slowly scoop into your glass pot. Close tightly with white lid and label. Store in a cool, dark place. Scoop out a silver dollar size of scrub and apply to body. Repeat weekly. This is one of the most pampering DIY essential oil recipes :)

Luxurious Exfoliation Facial Scrub recipe by Mama Natural
Luxurious Exfoliation Facial Scrub
This is the same recipe above but we use sugar instead of salt because it’s gentler for facial skin. I have 3 different essential oil combinations depending on your skin type. This would make a lovely holiday gift!

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
1/2 cup raw olive oil (where to buy)
1 cup raw, organic sugar (where to buy)
For normal skin: 5 drops each of Lavender, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang
For oily skin: 5 drops each of Carrot Seed Oil, Frankincense, and Tea Tree essential oils
For dry and mature skin: 5 drops each of Pachouli, Frankincense and Geranium essential oils
For a super special treat: 5 drops each of Rose, Jasmine and Sacred Frankincense essential oils
Directions
Measure your sugar and pour into a large glass bowl. Add your olive oil and mix well with a metal spoon. Add your essential oils and continue to stir your mixture. Slowly scoop into your glass pot. Close tightly with white lid and label. Store in a cool, dark place. Scoop out silver dollar size of scrub and use weekly.


Muscle Love Bath Salts essential oil recipe by Mama Natural
Muscle Love Bath Salts
These salts are excellent for athletes, people who want to support their bodies after a grueling workout or yard work :)

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
10 drops of Panaway and/or Aroma Siez
5 drops of Copiaba
1 cup of Epsom Salts (where to buy)
Directions
Put your Epsom salts into a big glass bowl. Add your essential oils and mix well with a metal spoon. Carefully pour into your 8 ounce glass pot and cover tightly with lid. Scoop out 1/4 to 1/2 cup and put into a warm bath when needed. This is probably the most appreciated of my DIY essential oil recipes!

 
Coffee Cellulite Scrub recipe by Mama Natural
Coffee Cellulite Scrub
This is the most unusual of my DIY essential oil recipes. Coffee is a known stimulant and can actually assist the body in breaking up fat deposits close the skin’s surface. Grapefruit and Cypress oils are also excellent supporters of the lymph system. When combined, this can be a terrific scrub!

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
10 drops of Grapefruit essential oil
5 drops of Cypress essential oil
1 cup organic ground coffee
1/2 cup of olive oil (where to buy)
Directions
Measure your coffee and pour into a large glass bowl. Add your olive oil and mix well with a metal spoon. Add your essential oils and continue to stir your mixture. Slowly scoop into your glass pot. Close tightly with white lid and label. Store in a cool, dark place. Scoop out silver dollar size of scrub and apply to body.

 
Balancing Perfume Blend recipe by Mama Natural
Balancing Perfume Blend
Papa Natural actually came up with this perfume recipe! He has a great nose and I love this oil blend. I’ve given this away to team members as well. The mix of oils helps us feel vibrant and well. All of these oils are also safe for younger children, breastfeeding and pregnant mamas.

What You’ll Need
1 dark glass roll-on bottle (where to buy)
~ 1 TB fractionated coconut oil (where to buy)
3 drops of Grapefruit essential oil
2 drops of Frankincense essential oil
1 drop of Copiaba essential oil
1 drop of Bergamot essential oil
Directions
Put your essential oil drops into your roll-on bottle. Fill the remainder of your roll-on bottle with a light carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil. Put on your roll-on top and lid. Store in a cool, dark place. Apply to pulse points as needed.

 
Invigorating Cologne essential oil recipe by Mama Natural
Invigorating Cologne
Who says essential oils are just for the ladies? Make your man a masculine roll on that will also help to boost his well-being. Balsam Fir is *the* actual Christmas tree and Cedarwood has a musky scent that’s perfect for the men in your life.

What You’ll Need
1 dark glass roll-on bottle (where to buy)
~ 1 TB fractionated coconut oil (where to buy)
3 drops of Balsam Fir essential oil
3 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
Directions
Put your essential oil drops into your roll-on bottle. Fill the remainder of your roll-on bottle with a light carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil. Put on your roll-on top and lid. Store in a cool, dark place. Apply to pulse points as needed.

 
Minty Fresh Shaving Cream essential oil recipe by Mama Natural
Minty Fresh Shaving Cream
Did you know that most conventional shaving creams are filled with harsh chemicals and fragrances? I love this homemade concoction that will leave your skin soft, thanks to the shea and coconut oils as well as and invigorated due to the Peppermint oil. You can add any essential oil you’d like to change up the scent.

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
1/3 cup of Shea Butter (where to buy)
1/3 cup of Coconut Oil (where to buy)
3 TB raw olive oil (where to buy)
1 tsp. Castile soap
7-8 drops of Peppermint
Directions
Put your shea butter and coconut oil in a double burner. Put on low heat and let the fats melt. Take off of heat and pour your oils into a glass bowl. Add your olive oil. Let slightly cool and add your Castile soap and essential oil. Put in refrigerator for about an hour or until the solution starts to solidify. Then remove from fridge and whip your solution with an immersion blender until it forms a whipped cream texture. Scoop into your glass pot. Close with lid and store in a dark, cool place. Scoop out silver dollar scoop of cream and spread before shaving.

 
Soothing Shaving Gel essential oil recipe by your friend Mama Natural
Soothing Shaving Gel
Papa Natural actually prefers a gel than a cream so I made this one for him. The aloe vera serves as your “gel” and leaves your skin soft and conditioned. Lemongrass and Grapefruit smell absolutely divine together and they help to support circulation and the lymph system to boot!

What You’ll Need:
8 ounce dark glass pump bottle (where to buy)
3/4 cup aloe vera gel (where to buy)
1/4 cup raw olive oil (where to buy)
7 drops of Lemongrass essential oil
7 drops of Grapefruit essential oil
Directions
Put a small funnel in your glass bottle. Pour 3/4 cup of aloe vera gel into your bottle. Add 1/4 cup of raw olive oil. Then add your essential oils. Close your container with the pump lid and shake well. Store in a cool, dark place. When needed, pump onto skin and shave.

 
Sensual After Shave essential oil recipe by your friend Mama Natural
Sensual After Shave
This another one of my favorites out of these DIY essential oil recipes because Orange + Sandalwood = Heaven! Both of these soothing oils are perfect in this aftershave, not only because of the fabulous smell but because they are hydrating to the skin.

What You’ll Need
8 ounce dark glass pump bottle (where to buy)
Scant 1/2 cup aloe vera gel (where to buy)
Scant 1/2 cup witch hazel (where to buy)
2 TBS jojoba oil (where to buy)
1 tsp. Vitamin E oil (where to buy)
10 drops Orange essential oil
10 drops Sandalwood essential oil
Directions
Put a small funnel in your glass bottle. Pour 1/2 cup of aloe vera gel into your bottle. Add 1/2 cup of witch hazel. Ad your jojoba and vitamin E oils. Then add your essential oils. Close your container with the pump lid and shake well. Store in a cool, dark place. When needed, pump onto skin after a shave.

 
Mama's Boob & Belly Rub essential oil recipe by Mama Natural
Mama’s Boob & Belly Rub
This rub is wonderful for all things skin. As our bellies and boobs expand in pregnancy and breastfeeding, this balm will help to condition and nurture the skin. Cocoa, shea, coconut and vitamin E are also used in many stretch mark formulations on the market. These are both safe oils to use during pregnancy and postpartum.

What You’ll Need
8 ounce glass pot (where to buy)
White lids (where to buy) – optional for a different look
1/2 cup cocoa butter (where to buy)
1/4 cup shea butter (where to buy)
1/4 cup coconut oil (where to buy)
1 TB of Vitamin E (where to buy)
3-5 drops of Geranium essential oil
3- 5 drops of Lavender essential oil
Directions
Put your cocoa and shea butter and coconut oil in a double burner. Put on low heat and let the fats melt. Take off of heat and pour your oils into a glass bowl. Let slightly cool and add your vitamin E and essential oils. Put in refrigerator for about an hour or until the solution starts to solidify. Then remove from fridge and whip your solution with an immersion blender until it forms a whipped cream texture. Scoop into your glass pot. Close with lid and store in a dark, cool place. Apply to belly and breasts daily.

Sleepy Spray recipe by Mama Natural
Sleepy Spray
I love this spray for promoting relaxation. It’s a soothing, calming concoction that combines essential oils with a unique form of magnesium. Many of us are deficient in this important mineral due to our depleted soils. Magnesium also is soothing so it’s a double whammy of peaceful goodness!
The key to this recipe is this magnesium oil, which will serve as your “carrier oil.” This transdermal source of magnesium is easier for our body to absorb than oral supplements.

What you’ll need:
2 ounce dark glass spray bottle (where to buy)
Almost 2 ounces of Ancient Minerals magnesium oil (where to buy)
20 drops Peace & Calming (You can also use Lavender, Cedarwood, Tangerine, or Roman/German Chamomile)
Directions:
Fill your spray bottle with Ancient Minerals magnesium oil. Add your essential oils. Put on spray cap and shake bottle well. Apply to feet and rub in 20 minutes before bed. Also, cup hands and inhale oil residue for added benefit.

Do you want to cleanse, support metabolism, nourish your skin and learn some incredible essential oil DIY recipes?  If so, then you will want to start learning all of the benefits and uses of lemon essential oil.
Lemon is best known for it’s ability to cleanse toxins from any part of the body and is widely used to stimulate lymph drainage, to rejuvenate energy, purify skin and act as a bug repellant.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology last year, lemon oil may actually be the most powerful anti-microbial agent of all the essential oils.

Another study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine found that breathing in the scent of lemon essential oils improved neurological activity that promotes the breakdown of body fat.

Lemon oil is one of the most “essential” oils to have on hand and can be used as teeth whitener, laundry freshener, cellulite cream, face wash and household cleaner.

From what we can tell, Ayurvedic medicine has been using both lemons and lemon essential oil to treat a wide spectrum of health conditions for at least 1,000 years.  The health benefits of lemon essential oil have been well established scientifically.

Lemon Oil Benefits

According to Alva’s Ayurveda Medical College assistant professor Dr. J.V. Hebbar, the benefits of lemon include:

Cleansing and purification
Oral health and remedy for halitosis (bad breath)
Digestion
Thirst quencher
Remedy for abdominal colic pain
Cough relief
Calms stomach and relieves nausea
Prevents malabsorption
Improves digestion
Nourishes the skin
Promotes Weight loss
Lemon and lemon essential oil are also used to decrease cholesterol deposition in the blood vessels and prevent heart disease!

Top 10 Lemon Essential Oil Uses

As you’d probably expect, there is a laundry list of lemon oil uses in addition to all of these medicinal effects. Here are some of my favorites:

Laundry – In case you leave your laundry sitting in the washer too long, just add a few drop of lemon EO and your clothes won’t get that nasty smell.
Teeth Whitener – Mix lemon essential oil, baking soda and coconut oil and rub on your teeth for 2 minutes and then dense as a natural teeth whitener.
Clean Hands – Got greasy hands from working on your car or bike and regular soap isn’t doing the trick? No worries, just add a couple drops of lemon EO with your soap and get your clean hands back!
Natural Disinfectant – Want to steer away from alcohol and bleach to disinfect your countertops and clean your moldy shower? Add 40 drops lemon oil and 20 drops tea tree oil to a 16-oz spray bottle fill with pure water (and a little bit of white vinegar) for a traditional cleaning favorite.
Face-wash – Lemon essential oil uses for skin can can improve your complexion and leave your skin soft and supple.  Lemon oil benefits skin by deeply nourishing.  You can make lemon oil with baking soda and honey for a natural acne free face wash.
Wood and Silver Polish – A lemon oil-soaked cloth will also help spruce up your tarnished silver and jewelry!  Lemon oil for wood cleaning is also great.
Goo-Be-Gone – Un-stick the sticky goo your kids leave behind with stickers and gum with lemon oil.
Promotes Fat-Loss – Putting 2 drops of lemon oil in your water 3x daily can support metabolism and weight loss.
Improves Mood – Diffusing lemon essential oil in the air can lift mood and fight depression.
Immune Support – Lemon oil can support lymphatic drainage and help your overcome a cold fast, mix it with coconut oil and rub it on your neck.
Lemon Oil Research 

At the time I wrote this article, there were 519 scientific studies referring to lemon essential oils. The secret to lemon’s success appears to be d-limonene, a powerful cancer fighting antioxidant.

Some reports even speculate that lemon oil contains up to 70% d-limonene! It’s no wonder that science is quickly catching up to 1,000 years of therapeutic use and is finally confirming many of the various Ayurvedic medical applications of lemon essential oil.

Another important thing to note, lemon essential oil comes from the cold-pressing the lemon peel and not the inner fruit.  The peel is the most nutrient dense portion of the lemon in terms of fat soluble phytonutrients.

A study was published this past March that evaluated how lemon aromatherapy affects pregnant women during bouts of nausea and vomiting.

Astoundingly, of the 100 women that participated in the study, reports of symptoms dramatically decreased just after 2 days compared to the placebo group. After 4 days the essential oil group experienced an average of 33% decrease in nausea and vomiting!

Regarding lemon oil supplementation, researchers from the Central Food Technological Research Institute in India took a look at how geraniol (a powerful phytonutrient found in lemon) can help reverse diabetic neuropathy.

It was discovered that sciatic nerve damage were markedly reduced by lemon oil (geraniol) supplementation. Interesting, cellular function was also restored during the 8-week study, which suggests that regular lemon essential oil usage can help regulate our energy stores and play a role in preventing disease, cardiac dysfunction and premature aging.

If this weren’t enough, the researchers also observed that depleted dopamine levels were improved which helps people overcome addictions and improves mood to fight depression.

And let’s not forget about cleaning and food protection. In a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it was discovered that by adding lemon essential oils to food it protected the food against human pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella.  Which is another reason why lemon essential oil is an ideally household cleaner.

Finally, lemon oil for skin health is also research and popular today.  Lemon essential oil benefits for skin can include reducing acne, nourishing damaged skin and hydrating skin.  Use lemon oil on the skin with baking soda or with raw honey as a natural homemade face facewash cleanser.

If you want to learn more about the incredible health benefits of essential oils, check out this free Dr. Axe’s Guide to Essential Oils.

How do YOU use lemon essential oil? 

By Valerie Katzenstein - vkatzenstein@shawmedia.com By Lindsay Weber - editorial@nwherald.com
Kyle Grillot - kgrillot@shawmedia.com Aerial Yoga instructor Jessi Rae holds a pose during an aerial yoga class at 2 The Core Bodywork Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015 in Crystal Lake. (Kyle Grillot)

When yoga finally arrived in the cultural mainstream after thousands of years, it quickly became more than a niche exercise for New Agers to be embraced by everyone from hyperactive toddlers to stressed-out CEOs. But while the practices weren’t new, the form has continued to evolve to meet the needs of the wide array of practitioners – more than 20 million in the U.S., according to a 2012 Yoga in America study. 

Pamela Goss, owner of Bliss Yoga in McHenry (http://blissyogamchenry.com), said the yoga movement has grown since she opened her studio five years ago.

“I’m seeing a lot more of it; more people are open to the idea of it, of trying alternative ways to help their health, … to strengthen their practice, to challenge themselves, to try something different,” she said.

New types of yoga are born all the time, and studios in McHenry County are incorporating other workouts into their practices for those who want to stretch their abilities, while still offering introductory courses for the curious. Hatha is a traditional yoga practice that uses the mind and breath for basic yoga poses that will leave you feeling calm and stretched. Many area teachers are using it as a foundation and adding other components, such as weight-lifting, pilates or acrobatics. 

“There’s so many different branches,” said Goss, pointing to her yoga kayaking class, which combines a yoga practice followed by kayaking, which incorporates meditation and breathing. “The two go hand in hand.”

Tracy Soos-Walker of Nurture Yoga and Massage in Richmond said she sees a move toward yoga students looking for more physical benefits than yoga’s spiritual components.

“The shift is moving more into physical health benefits, but they come for many different reasons – stress reduction, inflammation, concentration issues,” she said. “If somebody needs that physical effort to be exerted so they can focus on their inner selves, it may be their path toward enlightenment.”

One way to bring more physicality in is hot yoga, which is among the more popular classes at Nurture Yoga, Soos-Walker said. The class heats the room above 80 degrees to get you sweating. It cleans out pores and gets rid of toxins while you stretch and sweat your stress away. You’ll most likely leave a nice puddle behind when you go. 

Shannon Tampa, owner of Melt in Algonquin (meltpilates.com), said she opened the studio three years ago when she realized people were driving to Schaumburg for hot yoga classes.

“Attendance has grown,” Tampa said. “And what’s surprising to a lot of people is it’s not just growing for women, but it’s growing tremendously with men of all ages and also athletes. They’re becoming more aware of how much yoga is needed in sports.” 

Tampa said men make up 25 percent to 50 percent of classes at Melt, and athletes see the benefit of the deeper stretching allowed by the heat.

Even though yoga is primarily practiced by women – about 80 percent, according to Yoga in America – area studios like Melt are challenging that mindset and getting the whole family involved. Tight Guy Yoga at The Yoga Lounge is a beginner’s class specifically for men designed to introduce them to yoga, reduce stress and release muscular holding patterns that are typical in men’s bodies. Radiant Heart Yoga in West Dundee (http://radiantheartyoga.blogspot.com/) offers Itsy Bitsy classes for children from babies to age 5 that supports and encourages their development, as well as prenatal classes and a mother-daughter class for women and children ages 5 to 11. 

Jessi Rae (www.wildrootsyoga.com) is an instructor at 2 The Core Bodywork in Crystal Lake (www.2thecorebodywork.com) and The Yoga Loft in Barrington (www.barringtonyogaloft.com). She has been teaching regular classes for six years, but after a few years, she saw a photo of aerial yoga online and decided it would be a good way to stretch her abilities.

“I just instantly fell in love with it,” she said. “I thought, ‘This looks amazing, I have to check it out.’ I spent months doing research, and there was no place around here.”

Aerial yoga uses a soft trapeze to lift the body off the ground to perform suspended poses. The silks allow class members to achieve deep flexibility and get into more difficult poses that wouldn’t be accessible without them. This relieves compression due to the pull of gravity while on the ground; the spine is elongated and the shoulders straightened, which helps people with poor posture or who sit at a desk all day.

She started out teaching herself and eventually trained at the Boulder Circus Center in Boulder, Colorado. Since she started teaching classes, the practice has become more well-known, and most of her classes are sold out.

“It’s a really fun way to work out,” she said. “It’s really intense – we do pull-ups, inverts, acrobatics are involved – so it’s really interesting. It tricks you. You’re not really thinking about working out.”

Although it may look intimidating, she said, most people are fine once they try it and even surprise themselves. 

“There’s a real sense of accomplishment,” she said.

Rae continues to look for ways to expand her practice and challenge herself and others. She started SUP Yoga at Three Oaks Recreation Area last summer. Those in the class climb on a paddle board, paddle out, drop anchor and do an entire class on the water. The class was so popular, she plans to bring it back this summer.

A new Power Yoga class at Nurture Yoga and Massage is a response to people looking for more physicality in their practice, Soos-Walker said. Stronger and faster-paced, Power Yoga is designed to focus on the breath and its relationship to the pose. The class focuses on alignment and fluidity from one pose to the next. This type of yoga makes for longer, leaner muscles.

“The underlying teachings of a power class are linking breath with movement,” she said. “People see that as more of an intermediate style of a practice, and I think that really helps get them out of their head space and pay attention to what we’re doing on the mat, and we’re learning how to breathe through the process.”  

Yoga therapy, such as the Yobility class offered at Crossfit Prevail in McHenry (www.crossfitprevail.com), combines yoga and physical therapy to improve joint and muscle health as well as mobility, range of motion, stability and flexibility. Yobility is compatible with other exercises, such as weightlifting or Crossfit, as it aids workout performance and recovery. Yoga Therapy at The Yoga Lounge in Woodstock (http://woodstockyogalounge.com) is a class designed for seniors or those with limited mobility. The class uses chairs and props to make the poses safe and accessible.

For weightlifting fans, Om Zone Training at Yoga Loft is designed to build cardiovascular, muscular and mental endurance. It uses body weight training to burn fat, build muscle and strengthen the mind at the same time through focus training. 

“I think the cool thing is that yoga is in so many different practices, and it’s so versatile,” Rae said. “So you can do it on a board, you can do it on a silk. It’s been around for a long time, but it’s easy to – not get stuck – but you want to look at it in a different way, try a new twist and make it interesting to keep you engaged. 

“I think we’re always looking for something to excite us a little bit and to try something new.”

Traditional Thai Massage Improves Bone Formation in Postmenopausal Women
By Massage Therapy Foundation Contributor

Contributed by April V Neufeld, BS, LMP, Jolie Haun, PhD, LMT, Derek Austin, MS, CMT, CSCS

When you were young, your parents may have told you drinking milk would give you healthy bones. As adults, we learn that activities such as exercise are also necessary in helping our body maintain bone density and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. This month, we will discuss a recent study showing how promoting healthy bones can be as easy as receiving Thai massage while lying relaxed on a floor mat. 


A study performed at the Endocrine and Metabolism Unit of Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, and subsequently published in BMC: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2013), examined the effects of traditional Thai massage on bone formation in postmenopausal women. The researchers speculated that the pressure exerted by the massage therapist on the patient may, "induce strain in the skeleton and affect bone, similar to other means of applying mechanical load." 

Forty-eight postmenopausal women participated; subjects diagnosed with any disorders affecting bone metabolism such as diabetes, cancer or rheumatoid arthritis, among others, were excluded. A randomized crossover design was used, meaning each participant was in the control and the treatment group. In describing the design, the authors wrote, "Subjects in the treatment group underwent a two-hour session of Thai traditional massage twice a week for four weeks, while no intervention was given to subjects in the control group. After a two-week washout period, subjects were switched to the other arm of intervention for four weeks." Additionally, the subjects were asked to avoid exercise for 24 hours and to fast for a minimum of 10 hours prior to the morning blood test. In order to track changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover, each subject had measurements taken of their body and bone composition, as well as the bone mineral density of their first four lumbar vertebrae, neck of the femur and hip as a whole. 

The methods of the study described the traditional Thai massage in moderate detail. A single massage practitioner performed Thai massage for two-hour sessions that involved direct pressure by the heel of outstretched hands on the subject's body for about a one to two second duration. The researchers outlined the subject's position (lying on back, lying on side, lying on chest) and various positions of the practitioner with photos. However, inadequate detail was given describing the amount of pressure being applied by the massage therapist. And, while the researchers indicated that the massage therapists applied pressure using the heel of the hand, the photos clearly indicated that fingers and broad hand positions were also used.

In a previous study, the researchers measured that a single two-hour treatment of traditional Thai massage increased the markers for bone formation by 4.8%. This current study indicated that two treatments per week resulted in higher markers, with the biggest improvement noted in the older women with smaller body frames (14.8% ± 3.3%). This is exciting news for older women who are concerned about osteoporosis and are not actively involved in a strength training routine, as well as for massage therapists who frequently use compressive techniques during treatments. The researchers discussed several other studies related to this project. Previous research has indicated that massage will decrease bone pain, improve bone growth and promote lean mass and bone growth in the early postnatal period. Additionally, people who participate in physical activity in addition to massage during the peri-neonatal period have improved bone formation. However, there is little research on the effects of massage on bone metabolism in adults. 

As many people already know, performing mechanical load exercises (i.e. weightlifting and load bearing exercises such as walking and running) put strain on our skeletal muscles that then induces bone growth. Active and passive exercises will improve bone mass and decrease bone loss. What research has not yet shown is whether a light load must be accompanied by a high frequency in order to be as effective as a heavy weight with low frequency. It may be possible that low-impact activities such as walking or receiving massage must be repeated more often to receive the same benefits in terms of bone formation of someone lifting heavy weights less often. When speaking with our patients, we should note that this study indicates that Thai massage should be performed two times per week to have an impact on bone markers.

Though these findings are intriguing, the researchers discussed several limitations to the study. Most notably, this study does not specifically indicate that increased bone markers will result in increased bone mass and reduced fractures. Additionally, this study had a fairly small subject pool (n=48). It is also unclear if the effects of this study could be generalized to all massage therapists since only a single massage therapist was used to provide the Thai massage. The researchers also failed to mention the qualifications or education training of the massage practitioner. Future studies with this team should provide more details about the massage itself, such as qualification standards and a massage protocol for consistency and replication. One additional limitation was noted, in that the researchers indicated that while they excluded subjects taking medications for osteoporosis, they did include seven subjects who had osteoporosis at the spine, femoral neck or hip. Including women with an existing history of osteoporosis would certainly impact the results.

Despite the limitations of this research, the findings still have important implications for research and practice. First, we often think of outcomes associated with massage related to stress and pain reduction, however this study demonstrated healing effects of Thai massage that might not have otherwise been considered by most. This research extends the body of knowledge in massage research outcomes and can be used to help practitioners explain the impact of their work in promoting healthy bones. As practitioners and researchers work together to explore the impacts of Thai massage and other touch modalities on diverse outcomes, we continue to expand the knowledge of this work and its application to the larger field of health and wellness.

If you would like to read more details about this study, you can find the link to the full article at Biomed Central or visit the Massage Therapy Foundation's archive of research review articles. 

Reference:

1. Saetung S, Chailurkit LO, Ongphiphadhanakul B. Thai traditional massage increases biochemical markers of bone formation in postmenopausal women: a randomized crossover trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013 Mar 25;13:69. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-69.

TOP 5 BENEFITS OF AERIAL FITNESS


By Jill Franklin Creator of Aerial Physique 

1. INCREASE UPPER BODY AND CORE STRENGTH
   
   

Have you ever dreamed of being able to do a pull up? I did as well once upon a time! With consistent aerial classes within just a couple of months you will be able to compete with the guys in the pull up department. Your core muscle are worked a tremendous amount from lifting your legs over your head as well as in climbing. I have practiced Pilates, ballet and yoga for years all which are amazing but nothing has given me more strength in my upper body and core than aerial work.

1. INCREASE BODY AWARENESS
   
   

In aerial work you have another appendage to deal with… the fabric! In the beginning figuring out how to wrap your writs, feet and waist around the fabric seems like life size puzzle. It can be a bit confusing but just like learning anything new practice makes perfect. Your first time upside down you’ll notice it’s a lot more challenging than right side up. When we go in an inversion our brain has work harder to achieve the task at hand, everything seems backwards. We aren’t sure which way is forward which is back and it’s easy to lose track of your right and left. In time your body adapts and you’ll notice how much more body awareness you have even when you’re right side up!

1. BEST WORK-OUT WITHOUT “WORKING OUT”
   
   

Aerial work is an art form as well as an exercise program. You’ll leave feeling like you’ve had a taste of ballet, gymnastics and Pilates all in one. You definitely won’t feel like it was your typical gym workout or run on the treadmill. The good news is without feeling like you were “working out” I guarantee you will wake up 2 days later and feel muscles in your arms, core and back you never knew you had!

1. FEEL AMAZING! INSIDE & OUT
   
   

Although we need gravity to keep us grounded it can also be at blame for the signs of aging and compression in our bodies. It is proven that inversions (being upside down) help with circulation, decompressing your spine and livening up your mood. Not only will your strength and flexibility improve in your physical structure your mind and spirit will become more confident and fearless!

1. FUN!
   
   

I love watching the transformation in people during the class. They come in a bit timid and not quite sure what to expect. Within the hour I see their faces light up, laughter, fears conquered, self-esteemed boosted and a new addiction to being upside down. You may arrive feeling nervous but get ready to leave feeling free and full of excitement!  

Enhancing the Inner Light
 
There are many ways to enhance the inner light of the third eye, and to elicit higher concentrations of DMT.
 
Drinking Ayahuasca is one of them, practicing yoga is another. Inversions are particularly helpful because they increase blood flow to the pineal gland when you are upside down.
 
Professor Watts once said this about DMT,
“Load Universe Into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.”
Our brains actually yearn for DMT.
 
Inversions are great for other reasons, too. According to David Coulter, Ph.D., who taught anatomy at the University of Minnesota for 18 years, when one inverts, tissue fluids of the lower extremities drain-far more effectively than when one is asleep. Areas of congestion clear.
 
In a 1992 Yoga International article on Headstand and the circulatory system, Coulter wrote:
“If you can remain in an inverted posture for just 3 to 5 minutes, the blood will not only drain quickly to the heart, but tissue fluids will flow more efficiently into the veins and lymph channels of the lower extremities and of the abdominal and pelvic organs, facilitating a healthier exchange of nutrients and wastes between cells and capillaries.”
The most profound affect of yogic inversions is on what the gurus in India call the ‘amrit’ or nectar of Brahma. There are countless yogic practices, which aim at helping this nectar flow.
 
The nectar they are referring to is the very same chemical DMT which helps us awaken to the more expansive Universe.