wellbeing

Episode 194: Yoga for Seniors with Carol Krucoff

Although they are largely ignored when mainstream media covers yoga, seniors age 65 and older are the fastest growing segment in the United States. Today's guest, Carol Krucoff, has been teaching seniors (and training yoga teachers) for nearly two decades at Duke...

Episode 171: Is Yoga Enough?

This week, Jason and I are tackling another common question that modern yoga students ask: Is yoga enough to keep you healthy? Or do you need to add other forms of exercise to your routine? The answer, of course, depends on the goal. But we chat about our own thoughts...

Episode 166: The Power of Essential Oils with Elena Brower

The scent of lavender wafting from every local yoga studio’s doors may be a relatively recent phenomenon, but essential oils have been used to bolster health and well being for thousands of years, says this week’s guest Elena Brower, who is a New York yoga teacher and...

Episode 158: Closing the Wellness Gap with Nicole Cardoza

Today’s guest is Nicole Cardoza, founder of Yoga Foster. I couldn't be more excited about Nicole's mission to bring more movement into classrooms across the country. Her approach is innovative, too -- Nicole's background in tech inspired her to create a platform that...

Episode 155: Creating a Pranic Budget with Sarah Kucera

If you’ve followed this podcast for a while, you know that I think self care is vitally important if you want to live a happy, healthy life. (I even created an online course about self care!) You might also know that I dabble in Ayurveda and I’m fascinated about what...

Episode 137: How Speed Gets Trapped in the Body with Tias Little

Yoga and meditation teacher Tias Little returns to the podcast this week. (Tias joined me on episode 102 to talk about perfectionism). On today's episode, we talk about how our culture of speed affects us holistically and why it’s important--but also challenging--to...

Episode 131: Yoga as a Form of Radical Self Care

Historically, during times of political and cultural strife, people become more interested in self care. That means that right now, self-care is an incredibly important and popular topic (to the tune of 9 million hashtags on Instagram!). Self care means different...

Episode 130: Timothy McCall’s East/West Journey Through Cancer

One out of three people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. While a regular yoga practice might not prevent cancer, it can certainly help ease the fear, anxiety, and emotional anguish that can come with it. Today's guest, Dr. Timothy McCall, is a medical...

Episode 129: Ayurveda and Adaptogenic Herbs with Niika Quistgard

This week's episode focuses on adaptogenic herbs and nootropics, which are herbs and supplements that are thought to help us adapt to stress, improve cognitive function, and memory. They're everywhere these days -- in our smoothies, on the shelves of Whole Foods, in...

Episode 123: All About the Ketogenic Diet with Dr. Will Cole

I'm so excited to share this interview with Dr. Will Cole! Dr. Cole is a functional medicine doc whose new book, Ketotarian, offers a mostly plant-based approach to the ketogenic diet that's much healthier than the traditional bacon and bunless burgers regimen. I've...

Episode 117: Jason’s Favorite (Non-Asana) Yoga Books

When I have Jason on the show, we talk a lot about postures and technique, so I thought it would be interesting to talk yoga philosophy on the podcast this week. I asked Jason to share his favorite yoga books (that are not focused on the physical practice). These are...

Episode 116: A Natural Approach to Autoimmune Disease with Claire Missingham

Claire Missingham is back on the podcast this week, and we're talking about how she's been using yoga and other natural healing modalities to manage a recent diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. She tells us: *How the grief of losing a yoga teacher in her community to...

Summer Series 2018: Summer Self Care Using Ayurveda with Niika Quistgard

If you're a vinyasa yoga practitioner you're probably familiar with the term "building heat." That might not sound so appealing to you right now, though--especially if you live somewhere that summer is hot and sticky enough without any additional heat, thank you very...

Bonus Episode: Depression will talk. You don’t have to listen. (And other lessons I’ve learned about depression.)

I put together this episode after the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. The loss of both of these talented, successfully, beloved people in one week was tragic. A few days after it happened, I read two great stories that talked about how important it is to...

Episode 106: Yoga, Birth, and Business with Rachel Yellin

Yoga offers us so much more than a healthy body and mind--it also helps us to get to know ourselves on a deep, intimate level. That deep knowing can help us make better decisions about every aspect of our lives, which is especially true during the childbirth process,...

Episode 105: Epidemiologist Ai Kubo on How Mindfulness and Nutrition Benefit Cancer Patients

Ai Kubo received a PhD in cancer epidemiology from Columbia University, and has nearly 40 scientific publications in peer-reviewed medical journals. Years ago, Kubo was told flat out, by one of the most renowned mindfulness researchers, not to try to create (and fund)...

Episode 92: Yoga for Healthy Aging with Baxter Bell

Did you know that the fastest growing demographic of yogis are ages 55 and older? Neither did I! I learned all sorts of fascinating facts, statistics, and new research from this week’s guest, Baxter Bell, a medical doctor and the co-author of the new book Yoga for Healthy Living.

Episode 84: Navigating Clean Beauty & Skincare with Rachel Pachivas and Abby Jean

I love the idea of starting of the New Year with healthy, nourishing routines. Over the past few years, I’ve done that with my skincare routine and I find it to be a great form of self care. When you think of self care, you don’t think of smearing petroleum, endocrine...

Episode 82: Restorative Yoga as Radical Self Care With Judith Hanson Lasater and Lizzie Lasater

Judith Hanson Lasater and her daughter, Lizzie Lasater, have been on the podcast separately before. On episodes 64 & 65 I focused on their backgrounds and on the mother-daughter connection. This time, I wanted back up and simply ask the question, "Why restorative...

Episode 81: Holiday Series! Nourish Your Vital Essence With Niika Quistgard

Niika Quistgard, Ayurvedic practitioner extraordinaire -- is back! (She joined me on episode 17 for a great vata-calming episode. If you haven't heard it, go back and listen to it. It's a great foundation and complement to this one!) On this episode Niika explains the...

Episode 71: Increase Your Happiness, Curiosity, & Connection With Self-Compassion

High self-esteem used to be regarded as a vital component to happiness. But it's fallen out of favor in the past decade. Research -- much of it led by Dr. Kristin Neff -- has shown that self-compassion is a more effective way to increase optimism, happiness,...

Episode 49: A True Story of Overcoming Depression, Panic, & Shame

Hello, all -- On this little bonus episode, I offer my own story of the panic attacks and depression that plagued me in my twenties and the subsequent shame I felt about being a yogi and making the choice to take anti-depressants. If you're suffering, I created this...

Episode 44: Tiffany Cruikshank — Self Care Ideas for Spring’s Transition

Although most of us welcome the transition from winter to spring with open arms, it can actually be taxing on the body. This week Tiffany Cruikshank comes on to talk about ideas for making the transition a smooth one. Tiffany is a renowned yoga teacher and the founder...

Episode 41: Deborah Burkman — You Are Enough

In this age of insta-celebrity and everyone chasing their 15 minutes of fame, it's refreshing to talk to a long-term, successful yoga teacher. Deborah Burkman is one such person. She's been teaching for 17 years, in many settings, and loves her job. She's not famous...

Episode 38: Balancing Nonharming & Truth-Telling With Nikki Estrada

Hi everyone! I've been doing asana practice for many years. As my body continues to change, my physical practice continues to change as well. But one thing that doesn't change: My passion and interest for incorporating the principles of yoga (and Buddhism) into my...

Episode 31: Bo Forbes – Self-Care for Empaths (A Neuropsych Extravaganza)

Hello everyone! This week my guest is the effervescent, beautiful human Bo Forbes. Bo spent years as a practicing psychologist and is now a yoga teacher with a keen interest in neuropsychology. Every time I talk to Bo, I'm pretty much stunned by her depth of...

Episode 28: Andrea Ferretti – Reframing the Way You Think About Stress

On this episode, I reflect on one of the most important reads of the year for me -- Kelly McGonigal's book, The Upside of Stress. A psychologist and yoga teacher, Kelly's book is filled with compelling research about how the way we think about stress may be more...

Episode 17: Niika Quistgard – Self Care Time! Ayurvedic Ideas for Staying Calm & Grounded

This week my guest is Ayurvedic practitioner Niika Quistgard. Niika (@AyurMama) is an internationally-recognized consultant, trainer and practitioner in Ayurveda and is the founder of AyurMama.com. Niika was the founder and director of Rasa Ayurveda Traditional...

Episode 15: Rebecca Katz – Nourish Yourself With Cancer-Fighting Foods

Hi everyone! On this episode I interview one of my nutritional heroes, Rebecca Katz (@RebeccaKatzYum). I grew up in a foodie family (I mean, I am Italian-American after all...) and I've been cooking and learning about food for as long as I can remember. When I was...

Episode 9: Jason Crandell – Pain, Injury & Knowing What You Don’t Know

Hi everyone! If you have a body and you do yoga, chances are you will sustain some sort of injury at some point. It can be disheartening, confusing, and overwhelming. It can also be a great opportunity for you to learn more about your anatomy, your personal...

Episode 7: Taylor Harkness – Being True to You

Hello and Happy Summer! Have you met or taken class online with Taylor Harkness yet? You should! Taylor (@tjhark on Instagram) is warm and heartful with an infectious charm. He's young (my first millennial on the podcast) but he is truly a wise, old soul. Taylor...

Episode 6: Kathryn Budig – Body Positivity, Hard Work, & Aiming True

Hello Yogaland! On this episode I talk to Kathryn Budig. Kathryn (@kathrynbudig) is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher and she’s just come out with her second book, Aim True: Love Your Body Eat Without Fear Nourish Your Spirit and Discover True Balance. I've...

Episode 5: Andrea Ferretti on Self-Acceptance in Yoga

Edited to add: I've been at a loss for words since the tragic shooting in Orlando over the weekend. I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims, their families, and friends. I created this podcast long before these events. I don't pretend to have the...