Do you sit down all day? Our hips can get very tight stuck in the same position for hours on end. To stop yourself feeling as stiff as the chair your sitting on take a few moments to stretch out and release those lovely muscles around the hips. Here are 3 Simple stretches you can do at your desk. 

Hey Loves, 
Hope you are having fab week. Do you get tension in your next and shoulders?  Some of us spend long amounts of time sitting down at a desk. Throughout the day a combination of stress and bad posture and create aches, pains and stiffness in our shoulders and neck. Shoulders rising up by our ears, hunching forward does not result in feeling or looking good! So what can we do? It might not be practical to start doing full blown Yoga practice at work but you can certainly sneak in a few simple stretches to help keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Check out these 5 simple stretches...

Wall Stretch (okay this one you have to stand up for)

• Bring left hand on the wall and then turn the body away so you as facing front.
• Keep hips, shoulders and feet facing front. 
• Bring your hand up to a high diagonal, then shoulder height and then a low diagonal.
• Feel the how the stretch feels different as you move the arm . 
• If you need more stretch get a little closer to the wall. 

The other day someone in class asked about what kind of diet supports a physical Yoga practice and I replied by saying that the Yogic diet is Sattvic. A diet of whole foods, veggies and unprocessed foods keeps the body light and limber. However we are not living on a mountain top with our guru, practicing Yoga every morning and mediating for 5 hours a day. We are living in bustling cities. We have jobs, responsibilities and busy lives.

This whole conversation got me thinking about the 3 Gunas which I remember reading about many years ago from the first Yoga book I ever had. "The New Book of Yoga" - from the Sivanada Yoga Centre. 

So what are the Gunas? Basically the Gunas are three different types of energy. All three of these energies are present within us and our enviroment. The book above has a beautiful explanation of how this applies to apples. 

Sattvic - Purity

• Foods. Pure whole foods, fresh fruits and veggies. What we call today #cleaneating. Eating slowly and mindfully.
• How the media sells Sattvic. Wellbeing, health, gyms, Yoga and all things pure. Wholefoods Market. (which I love btw!) 
• Time of day. Early morning.

Rajasic - Passion

• Food. Tea, coffee, chocolate, spicy foods and munching down your food super fast! (I know I do that!) 
• How the media sells Rajasic. Sexy alcoholic drinks, cars, hot ladies and men. Models that probably never eat sweets eating ice-cream. 
•  In excess we may experience. Stress, anxiety, hyperactivity.
• Time of day. Daytime.

Tamasic - Inertia

• Food. Alcohol, meat, overripe and over eating.
• How the media sells Tamasic. Come and eat this big juicy steak and all you can eat buffet. Glamourizing fried and processed food products. 
• In excess we may experience. Fatigue, lethargy, depression or lack of energy. 
• Time of day. Night.

I really loved learning about the Gunas and using them to identify different aspects of myself such as environment, food and lifestyle choices I make . For example I know I have a lot of rajasic qualities, I'm very passionate about things, I love tea,coffee and salty food. I'm pretty hyperactive and have crazy energy sometimes almost burning myself out. So I know I need to nuture other sides of myself. Eating healthy foods and slowing down can help me be more grounded and relaxed. 
​
Remembering that all three qualities are present in all things and anyone in excess could bring us way off balance. I don't think Tamasic is bad and Sattvic is good and Rajasic is something in between they just are what they are.  To me they are useful and a simple way to look at things to help make healthy and positive choices in our lives. 

In terms of food choices, I think it is pretty much common sense. Wholefoods and vegetables give us energy.  Spicy, salty food might make us more 'spicy' and passionate, arousing the senses (especially the taste buds!).   Heavy foods, alcohol and eating too much can make us sluggish and lazy.  But as our dad says....