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Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
How Healthy is Your Brain and Nervous System?
by Dr. Timothy Grund, DC, DACNB
First off, every aspect of your physical, emotional and cognitive health is in one way or another affected by the function and integrity of your brain and nervous system. It is the nervous system that ultimately controls everything from your heart rate and rhythm to the function of your gut, to your posture and ability to move and balance. The integrity of the brain and nervous system also directly affects the function of the immune system as well as your ability to learn, remember and perceive events in such a way to to afford you a positive life experience.
Your nervous system is constantly receiving and transmitting information. In general, we function as big antennae or receptors, constantly feeding information received from our body and its internal and external environment back to the brain or vice versa. Because we are receptor driven, the brain is constantly interpreting the information received from the body sending its own instructions back down to the body in what it perceives to be the appropriate response. These responses by the brain are dictated by the integrity or quality of the information received from the body. When your body is healthy and your nervous system is functioning properly and is free of interference, your brain has a much higher probability of functioning properly.
However when there is poor communication between the body and brain
as a result of nerve interference, it is impossible to experience optimal physical, emotional and cognitive health. The list of symptoms of a poorly functioning nervous system is endless and once again ranges from headaches to ear infections to poor gut function, to balance disorders and depression. Damage to the nervous system is a result of physical, emotional or chemical trauma. The first insults to the nervous system can happen very early in life, even in utero or during birth.
Unfortunately, many of us give our nervous system very little thought or attention unless we manifest an end stage pathology like a balance disorder, Parkinson's disease or stroke. In reality there are many things that you can do to increase the function of your nervous system and the nervous system of those you love.
That's probably enough from me for now, perhaps we can talk next time about ways to improve the function of your brain and nervous system. Until then, as you take inventory of your physical, emotional and cognitive health perhaps you will now begin to better equate and connect the current quality of your health and life more closely with the health of your brain and nervous system! Be well!
Tim Grund is a Chiropractic Neurologist with an office in Santa Rosa. He helps people achieve optimal health by improving the communication between their brain and their body. He works with a diverse clientele, including athletes and weekend warriors to kids with asthma, ear infections and cerebral palsy. Many thanks to Dr. Grund for sharing his knowledge with us!
Want to read some of my previous articles? You can do it here. Enjoy.
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Did You Know?
The Self-Massage/Restorative Yoga Gathering at Yoga on Center has a date! You'll find rest and pampering on April 27 from 3-5:30. See below for the goods.
Start purging your Yoga clothes. Coming soon is a Yoga Clothing Swap in at Alive Yoga in Sebastopol. Starting setting aside your extra yoga mats, mat bags, tops and bottoms.
Devi Yoga Center in Sebastopol has lots of offerings from prenatal to aerial yoga to vinyasa and pilates. Owner and TriYoga teacher, Kashi, is hosting the founder of TriYoga for a weekend of workshops in April.
Ruth Bracken is starting an 8 week Intro to Yoga class at Alive Yoga Studio (Hi, Ruth!). Also find talented instructors, Liz Levy, Richard Koman, Cindy Sims and Beth Lambert at Alive.
Want to know more about Restorative Yoga? See below for 2 opportunities.
Want to get away, but not too far? In April, you can study, eat and hang out with the always popular, Tony Briggs, in Woodacre at a wonderful retreat house. It's beautiful, believe me, I've been there. If you commit the entire weekend, there is a drop-in option. Get info here.
I have been soliciting articles from friends whose message and experience I find informative, interesting and timely. I'd like to share it with you. So, maybe once a month or so, there will be a "guest columnist". Hope you enjoy it. I like your feedback, so let me know, OK?
Find me at Solage in Calistoga every first Friday of the month from 11-1 with lots of other smart yogis as we enjoy a class with the accomplished, Anne O'Brien. After (or before) class you can hang out and enjoy the pool and amenities. By the way, she's got lots of great workshops coming up.
More Yoga.......Exciting hook-up in Petaluma. BodyWork (recently closed due to fire damage) is joining with Yoga by Design. There are lots of classes on their schedule with some great teachers. Even more.....The Dhyana Center' Body Temple is open Check out the schedule. I enjoyed Hediyeh's class on Monday at 8:30 a.m. The time was right and I was ready to start my day at 9:30. It was also great to see Buffy!
Get boat loads of yoga information and lots of free downloads from YogaU online. Really, tons. It's a great resource for teachers and students.
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 Restorative Yoga Training
Want to know more about Restorative Yoga? Maybe you're a yoga teacher and are curious about the physiology of the relaxation response and how to modify the positions for your students. Maybe you're a student and think what we do is just "laying around".
Restorative yoga is showing up on lots of schedules at yoga studios and students are beginning to appreciate the time to rest and rejuvenate.
As part of the teacher training program at Yoga by Design, I'll be offering two trainings open to the public. That's you!
Saturday, April 13
1:00 - 4:00
Yoga by Design, Petaluma
Physiology of the Nervous System,
Set-up and Fine-tuning of Basic Poses, Modifications
$55
Saturday, April 20
1:00 - 4:00
Yoga by Design, Petaluma
Additional Poses, Modifications, Q&A
$55
This is perfect for everyone, especially yoga instructors or caregivers who want to know the hows and whys or offering Restorative Yoga.
Questions? Email me at cheryl@cherylthomas.com
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 Happiness Tip: Take a Meditation Break
Here's a tip from favorite sites, Raising Happiness, by Dr. Christine Carter. This is the science based group out of UCBerkeley, The Greater Good Science Center, that studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society.
Dr. Carter support families with smart, useful and science-based information in all aspects of raising children. Their tagline is "Science for Joyful Kids and Happier Parents". Enjoy this article on Taking a Meditation Break. |
Daily Dharma - Tricycle Magazine
March 20, 2013
Skillful Desire
The notion of a skillful desire may sound strange, but a mature mind intuitively pursues the desires it sees as skillful and drops those it perceives as not. Basic in everyone is the desire for happiness. Every other desire is a strategy for attaining that happiness.
-- Thanissaro Bhikkhu, "Pushing the Limits"
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Be Happy on Friday's
Instead of shots of tequila and fried artichoke hearts, spend your Friday happy hour moving and grooving at an
most-levels vinyasa flow class.
On Friday's from 4:30 - 6:00, we'll end each week with an energetic vinyasa flow class. Through building heat from the inside, we'll strip out the stress hormones from the day. A long rest at the end of class will reset our nervous system and prepare us for our weekend.
You'll be done at 6:00!! That'll leave plenty of time for dinner with friends, a movie or a relaxing evening with your pooch. Or, maybe a Chia filled Kombucha or that 100% agave margarita!
NOTE- Due to scheduled teacher training, the time will change to 5:30 once a month. Please see either my schedule or Westside's site.
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Restorative Yoga 
I love the response of students to their first or second or hundredth restorative yoga experience. It's the moment when their nervous system shifts from "yikes!" to "ahhhhhh." They leave with relaxed shoulders and brightened attitude.
It's easy to forget that the body knows exactly what to do. The relaxation response is a built in function of our amazing central nervous system. We just have to let relaxation happen. I know, it seems impossible sometimes. Thus, the popularity of restorative yoga where we learn to put the body in positions and let it do it's thing.
Every Monday
7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Westside Yoga, Sebastopol
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Get Your Girlfriends Together
It's fun to get friends together. Treat your friends to Yoga and Tea rather than Food and Booze. Inviting friends to come together for a Gentle or Restorative Yoga class is a perfect way to enjoy each other's company and do something good for yourselves. Many yoga parties end with tea or champagne and some munchies. Your friends will thank you!
Please call on me if I can help you book a private yoga class or answer any questions. I can be reached at cheryl@cherylthomas.com.
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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