1. MOVEMENT
Learn the fundamentals of an Intune Yoga Practice
Remember it's all about tuning into your body, honouring where your body is at and moving at a pace that supports you.
At this stage in our lives, gentle exercise is the key.
I also encourage you to practise outside in nature when you can, and walk each day.
What I love is moving outdoors barefoot, at the beach, in the park, feeling the sand or grass beneath my feet. This is such a simple yet incredibly grounding and anxiety releasing activity to do.
I place the importance on gentle movement. There is no need at this stage to over exert our bodies (which creates unnecessary cortisol and stress) or to put extra pressure on our joints. Gentle and regular is best!
The way I share the practice of yoga is to give you time to connect to your breath, your body and your soul.
Its not about moving fast, its about connection with yourself.
Be kind. Be patient. And start exactly where you are.
Enjoy the journey!
Sending love and support
Lisa xx
YOU ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD
As Dr Mithu Storinu explains in her book “Stress-Proof: the scientific solution to protect your brain and body”, yoga has a number of things going for it. Poses that place the hands above the head stimulate blood pressure sensors in the neck and chest, and signal the brain to alternate between sympathetic and parasympathetic. Combined with the practice of stillness, this exerts a top-down regulation of the autonomic nervous system and stress response. The slow style of traditional hatha yoga has been shown to have beneficial effects on heart rate variability and parasympathetic tone.
We know the practice of yoga is so beneficial for us.
You are ready.
Begin exactly where you are.
Step forward now on your moving through menopause journey to the next module: movement + mantra 1 & 2(6) or access via the Facebook Group: Intune Yoga Daily.
If you'd like more information, or have any specific questions, please reach out to me via email: support@intune.yogaI am here as your coach and guide, walking with you on your journey.The love and light in me sees and honours the love and light in you.
NamasteLisa xx
3. BREATHWORK
Box breathing and gentle movement can assist with reducing anxiety.
Breathwork is a wonderful tool to help us come out of our racing mind and to return to the present moment.
Note: part way through this session that was recorded live Bella barking. I have thought whether to include this or not. And decided to include this. The reason being is that whilst we like to take time to be focused and to be without distraction, life happens, and there are distractions. The art is learning to be calm amognst the storm. The practice with this live is to be aware that there is a distraction (a dog barking briefly) and allow yourself to stay focused on your breath, even with the distraction.
Once you have learnt this box breathing technique, keep practicing it during the day - in the car, at the supermarket, at your desk, before you go to sleep.
Make it a practice to assist you to connect to your parasympathetic nervous system, that helps to tell your body that you are safe, and this will assist you to reduce feelings of anxiety.
Sending love and support
Lisa xx
4. NUTRITION
simple nourishing food choices
What we put in our bodies has a huge impact on how we feel.
At different stages of our lives our bodies require different things. The art is knowing what this looks like.
Tuning into your body
I always talk about tuning into our body and listening to what our body and soul needs - this is the essence of Intune Yoga.
What I discovered whilst moving through menopause was that I found it harder to really hear what my body was needing as my hormones were all over the place, I couldn't tell if I was hungry at all. Then I've had moments where I just can't stop eating as my body is not telling me when I'm full or satiated.
This, I have discovered is partly the responsibility of hormones fluctuating wildly!
So I then looked into what our bodies really need at this point. Which is when I discovered the need for protein and regular snacks.
What to include and what to cut out?
There is a lot of information out there about nutrition at this stage of life, including what to include and what to cut out.
I personally don't prescribe to a black and white philosophy on this as each person is so different. What I do encourage is that you listen to what feels right for you.
If you have enjoyed a plant based diet, this is something you may like to continue.
My recommendation would be to make sure your B12 is at a good level of this vitamin/mineral is essential for our wellbeing at this stage of our life.
Vitamins and Minerals
Also to consider is whether you are getting enough vitamins across the spectrum. Even if you eat a well rounded diet with fruit and vegetables, it is highly likely you may not be receiving all the vitamins and minerals you need as our soil is over farmed and is becoming depleted of these essential nutrients. For this reason, I strongly recommend a great multi vitamin. Email me if you'd like a recommendation, lisa@intune.yoga.
Protein in the morning is essential!
I love to start the day with a smoothie with hemp seed powder, or pea protein. My absolute favorite smoothie is with banana, spinach (out of my garden), goji berries, coconut yoghurt, physllium husk, chia seeds, LSA, manuka honey and a big dose of cacao. This keeps my energy high and stable all morning, and I find a handle of nuts is all I need to get me through untill lunchtime. It is a powerhouse of energy and protein and goodness! Exactly what us gorgeous menopausal wahine need!
High dose of greens
Pack them in wherever you can!
Freshly juiced celery in the morning is useful for assisting with bloating.
I have read this via the Medical Medium and also anecdotally heard this from many people who have used this technique with success.
Hydration
I also like to keep my water intake high - having a great drink bottle is life changing for the amount of water you consume in a day. (I did my research - for hours!! - and decided on the Lululemon straw sipper bottle).
More protein
Lean protein - fish, salmon is my go to! If you eat chicken and eggs, go organic when you can.
Consider how much red meat you are consuming. Can some of this be converted to fish, especially salmon - high in omegas and chicken.
Consider
Consider reducing gluten and dairy as both of these ingredients can cause an inflammatory reaction in the body. As we have been on this planet for more years, our tolerance for certain food groups can drop. So what served us previously (or what we were able to tolerate) may not be so tolerable now and inflammation is not something a menopausal body desires.
Other foods I suggest to include in your diet to support you:
avocados, leafy green veges , nuts - so great for snacks, and cacao.
favourite recipes with cacao
This nutrition section really needs a special love note to cacao - it has been my medicine that I have traveled with throughout my menopausal journey. It has nourished me, nutured me, and held me when I was in some very low points of menopausal depression. It lifted my mood and it provided my body with the nutrients I so deeply needed. Cacao is abundant with nutrients: magnesium, iron, calcium and antioxidants.Cacao is now a daily ritual for me. I include it in my smoothies to start my day, and I wrap myself in a cup full of cacao love at the end of the day as well.One can never have too much cacao. And it makes the most divine cacao gluten free brownies as well.(I will share more of the recipes in the Facebook support group, so we can all share our love of cacao.)By no means is this an exhaustive list of foods or nutrition, (and note, I am not a nutritionist), I am simply sharing my research, and what has worked for me and many other ladies I have worked with.... more to come... There will be more to come as I learn more, experience more and hear of your findings from what works for you.I am also aware of not overloading you with information. Rather to give you the shortcuts, to support you in your choices in the menopause transition.I know when I first looked into the topic of nutrition during menopause I was completely overwhelmed, and what I desired was a cheat sheet, or better yet, someone I trusted that could give me a quick summary of what worked for them and some heart felt guidance.If you'd like more information on this, or have any specific questions, please reach out to me via the TypeForm below.I am here as your coach and guide, walking with you on your journey.The love and light in me sees and honours the love and light in you.
NamasteLisa xx
Nutrition Inspiration
Who loves dessert?
This one is perfect for us menopausal mavens
- it is delicious and nutritious
Cacao Banana Divine Dessert
banana (great for keeping nasty cramps away)
cacao (high in magnesium, great for lifting m)
spinach (green leafy vege for reducing liver load)
psyllium husk (for fibre)
goji berries (for sustained energy)
I use one tablespoon of cacao and one tablespoon of psyllium husk. However use more or less to your tastebuds! If you haven't used psyllium husk before, start with less and build up, as it does have an amazing clearing effect on the bowels, so go gentle if your body is not used to it!
A handful of spinach is great and a tablespoon of goji berries (not essential) just if you have on hand.
Add water, or a nut milk. I judge it based on how thick I want it. Less water for a more dessert mixture, or more if you want to enjoy this as a smoothie.
Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blitz and enjoy.
Sprinkle with chia seeds if you have them on hand.
Enjoy xx
5. MEDITATION
reduce anxiety, connect to inner peace
Meditation is a great way to allow yourself to slow down and calm the sympathetic nervous system.
Anxiety can rear its head during the menopause, and mediation can work wonders to help us with this.
Mediation is also a wonderful tool to assist us to calm before we go to sleep.
So I have included two meditations here.
One for day time. One for before bed.
Whilst we often hear, "get into a comfortable position before a mediation", that works in an ideal world. However if you are experiencing anxiety and you're about to go into a work meeting, simply pop your headphones on and listen to this meditation beforehand. It will help relax you and bring you back to your centre. So embrace the meditation for when it serves you, for when you need it.
Whilst closing your eyes is beneficial, its not essential as it may not always be practical. Just listening to the meditation will be helpful wherever you are. And of course if you are listening in your car - keep your eyes open. Yes menopausal road rage is a thing! Keep your eyes and heart open.
[Intune Meditation - Reducing anxiety - inducing a sense of calm
Intune Meditation - Before bed wind down
<<< coming soon >>]
6. MINDSET
affirmations to support your mindset
The power of affirmations (mantra) to shift our mindset.
I am a big fan of using mantra in the traditional sense (Sanskrit chant) as well as mantra in the more modern sense, as an affirmation we repeat to help shift our beliefs and mindset.
I have found this tool particularly powerful on its own and even more so when combined with movement.
You will experience more of the movement + mantra program as you progress through the movement + mantra modules.
In this module, I share with you some of my favourite mantra (affirmation) that you can repeat to remind you of how wonderful you are at this stage of your life and at every stage of your life.
What I find most beneficial is to repeat the mantra 3 times out loud.
You can also repeat these silently in your mind, or you may like to write these mantra in a journal.
Find what technique best serves you.
Sending you so much love and support
And remember, the love and light in me, sees and honours the love and light in you.
Namaste
Lisa xx
Mantra to Support Us Through Menopause
"I love my body exactly as it is"
"My body carries me through every moment of my life"
"My body supports me to live a life I love"
"I am grateful to become older, with age comes wisdom"
"I accept the changes in my body"
"I allow myself rest when my body tells me I need it"
"I am [your age] and I 100% love and appreciate myself"
" I am in the process of positive change."
“I am creating new and healthy beliefs and perceptions about aging.”
"I trust the process of life."
“Growing older is always going to happen, I am grateful that I can choose to create how I age.”
"My happy thoughts help create my healthy body."
“I am making choices with my diet, exercise, sleep, self-care and my beliefs that create a positive aging experience.”
"Wellness is the natural state of my body. I am in perfect health."
“I am grateful for my healthy skin and how beautiful my face looks the older I get.”
"I honor who I am."