Did you know that yoga actually makes your brain more flexible as well as your body?

I think we all know by now thanks to fMRI's etc. that we can continue to mold and change our brains as we age and there's not much better news than that!

There has just been so much research on the plasticity "changeability" of the brain in recent years and there is absolutely no denying it. It is just so thrilling that we can continue to expand pathways in our brain, and adapt and learn as we age. And many folks are living sooo much longer these days (interestingly, I just read that there are "48,000" centenarians living in the United States alone right now surprisingly).

And although none of us knows how long we are going to live I do know one thing for sure... as long as I live I really hope and pray I can take care of myself and "think" up until the end whenever that may be.

Yoga is brilliant in so many ways:

Did you know that stem cells that form new neurons in the brain come from the bone? (the marrow of our bones)

When we practice yoga we are "literally" creating the stem cells that form new neurons in our brains. We are stimulating the brain to grow so we can have more available pathways.

Its truly fascinating, and too amazing for words.

And combine that with all the other brain benefits of meditation? Its just so incredibly huge. (Almost too much to wrap my brain around haha)

So remember, even if/when we're elderly our brains can keep rewiring themselves protecting against cognitive decline both structurally AND functionally, and thats wonderful news!

See you on the mat friends! Namaste.

Are you in pain? Have a loved one in pain? Exciting research coming out of the neuroscience lab.

So sad to hear that Vicodin is the the most prescribed drug in the US right now but I totally believe it, and I'm sure pain killers are right up there in Canada as well. Being in pain really impacts your life on every level and I just love all the research coming out of the neuroscience labs. I am not the most 'mystical' yoga teacher out there. I am a lover of science and of course yoga, as well as psychological research so I really love these studies and every single day there are more and more and more of them. Our brains really are like plastic and with practice a.k.a. yoga "practice"/meditation etc. (why its called a practice) we really can rewire our brains and suffer less on every level.

Mindfulness meditation truly makes us not only more resilient, but less reactive and compassionate to ourselves, as well as others, so we can be more tolerant of the experience.

Be your own scientist and see for yourself. Meditation is like a muscle that you strengthen each and every time you practice. Come and practice with me anytime. I keep my classes very affordable and there is a mat with your name on it. Just bring yourself.

Yoga provides us with tools for our whole life. Free ones. All you need to do learn and then practice them. Namaste.

Are you happy? I mean really happy?

I love that we can change our brain. There have been countless undisputed studies with the development of functional MRI scans on the brains of meditators vs those who do not meditate, showing without a doubt that we can change our brain in a big way. Its contemplative neuroscience. There have literally been hundreds of studies now. The video above is interesting (however it sort of screws up at the end).

More and more reasons to meditate and practice yoga. We can literally strengthen and grow our brains in different areas.

And well... just be happy!!

We can't control what the world throws at us but there is undeniable proof that yoga is the full deal. It is so much easier sailing through life with the tools to deal with those stressors. And lets face it, we all have them. And we all know what stress does.

Well, quite frankly, it kills :(

Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex-brain waves in the stress-prone frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, where the brain processes fear.

The bottom line is that moving our body in fitness modalities is wonderful but we need more. Yoga's got it all.

(and it is a wonderful compliment to any other activity out there no matter what turns you on).

If you have been thinking of trying yoga for the first time now is the time. Why wait?

My class or someone else's. Give it a whirl! It's yoga-land here in Vancouver so there are countless choices, levels and styles.

Why wait to feel better than you ever imagined?