Cat/Cow Pose. Such a funny name and the first time I did it, frankly

I felt silly! In Kundalini Yoga, this is a safe way to stretch your

spine and open your heart and throat chakras.

I was way past teacher’s training, and had actually been teaching

daily classes for a couple of years when I was pregnant and in a

couple’s pregnancy workshop with my mentor and teacher, Gurmukh, at

Golden Bridge Yoga. She had us get into cat/cow pose and face each

other as partners (spouse to spouse - lover to lover) and do the pose

saying “meow” when we were in cat and “moo” when we were in cow. Boy

did we ever laugh at that…the whole class. And she stopped us and said,

“This is your 1st lesson as a parent, learn how to make simple things

fun and that is how you will connect with your children.” Talk about a

different take on the “practice” of yoga.

So, this is a great pose to do when you are pregnant, it is a safe

and effective way to stretch your spine and practice breathing with

movement. Also, concentrate on your heart and throat chakras opening,

and feel the love and communication flowing…and above all, laugh a

little…lighten up!

Come on all 4’s with your palms flat on the ground, pressing your

full thumb into the floor. Feel centered and adjust yourself as needed.

Take a big breath in and out. Then inhale as you slowly stretch your

head and neck up toward the ceiling while simultaneously pressing thru

your heart into your palms and allowing your tailbone to lift up toward

the ceiling. On the exhale curve your spine into a full round, chin

toward chest, pelvic tilted toward the head…just like a cat. Repeat,

slowly working your way up to15x’s. If you get dizzy or light headed,

stop and breath deeply. Always check with your medical provider before

beginning any exercise program.

Alisa Donner, MSW, LCSW, Yoga Teacher, Co-founder of PAM, and a mom 

The market can be your greatest friend (and enemy) when you are on

the road to healthy eating. It helps to have a plan and know what to

look for. Here is your YES list of things to buy…

YES - Food Shopping Checklist

Dairy – Look for organic, no hormone products. When possible, choose white cheese over yellow.

Cottage Cheese          Ricotta Cheese               Milk

Goat Cheese               Whole milk cheese          Muenster Cheese

Yogurt                     Kefir                    Feta Cheese

Lean Proteins (Meat, Fish, Poultry & Eggs) - (Hormone free, antibiotic free, range fed)

Tuna                    Halibut                    Tilapia

Salmon                    Shark                    Lean beef

White Meat Chicken          White Meat Pork          White Meat Turkey

Eggs

Fats & Oils – Use sparingly. These fats are safe to use while cooking. All are not.

Butter                     Extra virgin olive oil          Almond Oil

Avocado Oil               Canola Oil               Grapeseed Oil

Fruits - Best if Fresh & organic, preferably from local farms. Choose variety.

Apple               Dates               Mangos               Pineapples

Apricots          Figs               Melons               Persimmons

Avocados          Grapefruit          Nectarines          Pomegranates

Bananas          Grapes               Oranges          Plums

Blackberries          Guavas               Tangerines          Prunes

Blueberries          Kiwi               Papayas          Raisins

Boysenberries          Lemons               Peaches          Strawberries

Cherries          Limes               Pears                Watermelon

Vegetables – Best if Fresh & organic, preferably from local farms. Choose variety.

Bell Peppers          Eggplant          Onions               Broccoli

Fennel               Parsley               Brussels Sprouts     Garlic

Peppers          Cabbage          Green Beans          Radishes

Carrots               Hearts of palm          Snow peas          Cauliflower

Jicama               Spinach          Celery               Kale

Squash               Collard Greens          Lettuce               Sweet Potatoes

Cucumber          Mushrooms          Tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds – Good source of protein and fat. Do watch quantity.

Pecans               Cashews          Pine nuts           Almonds

Macadamia nuts     Walnuts          Sunflower seeds     Pumpkin seeds

Peanut butters          Other Nut & Seed butters

Grains & Legumes – Buy in natural state.

Organic dried beans     Barley               Lentils

Buckwheat          Brown rice          Couscous

Whole grains          Polenta               Whole grain breakfast cereals

Wild Rice          Whole Grain Pasta     Quinoa

Snack Foods

Whole grain pretzels          Rye crispbread

Whole grain rice cakes          Rye Wafters (wasa)

Baked corn tortilla chips          Wheat melba toast

When your goal is health, you want to choose foods that are low in

sodium. Excess sodium intake is linked to: hypertension/high blood

pressure and heart disease, fluid retention and kidney stones. The

current recommendation is to consume less than 2,400 mg of sodium per

day. That equals about 1 teaspon of table salt. Many health and fitness

experts recommend a daily intake of 1,000 mg. Needless to say, that is

substantially lower than most American’s eat. You will probably be

amazed at your salt intake if you started measuring it. During

pregnancy and shortly thereafter, you are more likely to have fluid

retention. So if you want to be healthy and look lean, keep your salt

intake way down!

-Buy “lower-sodium” foods in your diet, whenever possible.

- Check sodium-content on food labels: choose lower sodium brands.

- Don’t add salt when cooking.

- Go easy when adding salt at the table.

- Reduce intake of salty snacks.

- Reduce intake of fast food.

- Stay away from processed meats and cheeses

- Buy lower-sodium breakfast cereals

-Check canned foods for sodium content. If using foods canned in water, rinse thoroughly before eating.

- In general, look for FRESH and NATURAL foods

I had the most humbling, unforgettable, inspiring run this morning. I was out on a 10 mile run, feeling a bit bummed that my running partner couldn't join me. Seemed like a long run by myself. At about 5 miles, I started up my "big" hill which was definitely my challenge for the day. I was trying to get my mental groove on when I noticed a Dad pushing a stroller coming up behind me. No way was I going to let someone pushing a stroller pass me. Then I realized he was pushing a double. My challenge was on. I needed to kick it up even more. Within moments, this Dad flew by me pushing his BOB Iron Man strollerlike it was nothing. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that not only was he pushing a double BOB stroller, but that he was also missing a leg. This Dad was so strong and on a mission. I tried and tried but could not catch up with him. I was suddenly determined to meet this man. I knew that the guys from BOB would love him! I set my sights on him but still couldn't catch up. He looked back a couple of times and must have thought I was stalking him. I didn't dare yell out that I can't catch him as I'm guessing that "can't" is not in his vocabulary. By this time, I am chasing after this man more than a mile off my route. I started thinking this was a figment of my imagination as he kept disappearing out of my view. I yelled out to him a couple of times. He responded saying, "You're still behind me?" and "Don't Stop". I finally caught up with him after about a two mile chase. I don't even get any credit for that as it was only because he turned around. I introduced myself and told him about Stroller Strides and BOB. It ends up his name is JPand he is a triathlete. Check him out at Challengedracing.com. He's a dad of two and was out training for a race that he has coming up. There are so many days that we come up with excuses. Mom's and Dad's, there are no excuses. Check out JP and the Challenged Athletes Foundation. I hope our paths cross again! JP - Send your wife over to Stroller Stridesand I'll gladly gift her some free classes! Thanks for kicking my butt today!