Yoga -- a smart move for child diabetics?

The prevalence of childhood diabetes is alarming. As our youth's waistline continues to expand, so does the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes. 

According to the CDC in 2009 there were roughly 208,000 Americans under age 20 estimated to have diabetes.

It’s time to stop stress eating and start stretching, according to one expert.

“It’s important to think about lifestyle changes and exercise, like yoga, to help prevent diabetes” says Dr. Deena Adimoolam, Assistant Professor in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Adimoolam

 "Most studies (though limited) have looked at the health benefits of yoga in adults, and have shown...

Goodnight little yogi! Manage Zzz's from your phone with smart sleeptime buddy

Meet REMI. No, thank your lucky stars for REMI–especially if your child’s shut-eye routines are anything but routine.

This friendly-faced, Bluetooth-enabled sleep aid is the ingenious brainchild of a married couple from Paris, aiming to invent everyday objects their family needed. The pair successfully crowdfunded the device through a recent Indiegogo campaign.

Using its mobile app, you can customize REMI’s colors so babies learn to...

Treat your tootsies! Restore yogi toes with self-massage tool

Courtesy Gaiam

Staying grounded in a yoga class takes a toll on your mind and body – especially, your feet.

Gaiam's ergonomic, portable foot massager offers two, soothing, rub textures and cradles your arches as you roll.

For extra ache-relief, place in hot water or freezer.

(Restore Dual Foot Roller $19.98 at gaiam.com)

 

Zen with a pen?

For budding doodlers or illustration wizzes, Zen drawing is a relaxed, pleasing art form for drawers at all levels.

The instructional book teaches learners to be still and to trust their drawing reflex. Create and meditate! Comes with 2 sketch pencils.

Zen Drawing Pack, Guidebook and Journal Set, by Michelle Dujardin

($19.99 at Buddhagroove.com)

 

Happy Halloween! Pre-trick-or-treat warm-up for little yogis



Courtesy Google Images

This sequence comes to us courtesy of Hilary Shumate, kids yoga instructor at Bare Feet Power Yoga in Chicago, Illinois.

Calling all black cats! Start off with a few rounds of Cat/Cow with big breaths and sighs. Don’t forget loud MOOS and MEOWS.

Next, sit in a circle in a straddle fold with toes connected. Imagine that,...

Cozy, cool yogi tanks - take two!

Express your playful side in class with Everfitte's racerback, old school, vintage looking tank in a Tri-blend fabric of
cotton/polyester/rayon.

 

Available in sizes XS - L. $26.00/each.

 

Everfitte YOGA I’m Down Dog Funny Yoga Tank in Charcoal/White

Everfitte OM GIRL Navy/Seafoam Eco Tank



A holiday treat you won't want to miss -- First-ever ivivva online warehouse sale!

After you've bagged enough candy, stock up on yoga apparel! Happy Halloween from ivivva! The athletic wear brand inspired by active girls, is holding its first ever online warehouse sale tonight! Sign up for their notification email, and you'll be alerted as soon as it starts.

Happy (Healthy!) Halloween! Themed yoga class calms holiday jitters

Kids at Peaceful Planet Yoga of Sag Harbor, New York got their spook on in costume for a special 45-minute Halloween-themed class led by studio owner, Kristin King Davey, who dressed up as, “SuperYogi” for the event.

 

"We had a lot of witches and a ninja,” says Davey of the eight through ten year old crowd.

 

Kids shook off any fears they had about the dark, scary and creepy holiday with a round of...

Flipping for yoga! Teen gymnast switches to non-competitive practice

Stretched to her limit, last year, fifteen-year old Kira Fox, a competitive gymnast since age eight from Englewood, New Jersey, decided to switch to a less competitive and commitment-intensive activity.

“The summer before high school, I decided I didn’t want to do it anymore. I wanted to try something else,” says the tenth grader.

Fox had been to a couple of yoga classes with her mom and decided to give it a go with a private teacher after school.

“I didn’t know the poses so well and wanted someone could personalize it,” she says.

Working twice weekly with Vinyasa yoga teacher and founder of non-profit, Yogis Heart, Trella Dolgin, Fox noticed benefits immediately.

“I thought I’d get more flexible, but didn’t expect that I’d...

Curl up (and upside down!) with new youth yoga book

When the world is spinning way too fast, what’s a girl to do?

She quiets her mind, unwinds her body, slows down her breath and practices yoga! In tree pose, she stretches to the sky and star pose lets her shine.

Afterwards, she’s rested, peaceful, and the world is just her speed again. Anything is possible with a dose of imagination.

Kids will love the uplifting meditations in, “I Am Yoga,” a new book by Susan Verde with beautifully colored illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds. A child-friendly guide to 16 poses in Common English and Sanskrit is included.

(Ages 4 – 8. Harry N. Abrams, $14.95 at Amazon.com)

Kids fall bottoms pair well - from school - to yoga cool!

 

Courtesy K-Deer

No need for an outfit change-up. These high style leggings work from the schoolyard to yoga class. 

Vibrant fall colors and patterns include “Harvest,” “Charleston,” and “Kayley Stripe.”



Available in kids’ sizes XS – XL.

Courtesy K-Deer

($48/pair at K-Deer.com)

Your mirror image. Body love workshop tightens mother/daughter bond

Julie Finkel. Courtesy Om Free Yoga

Is insecurity inherited?

Maybe. Negative self-talk around your kids is bound to rub off in one shape or form. 

Self-acceptance and body love are the subjects of an upcoming workshop, led by Julie Finkel, founder of Om Free yoga, of Glen Rock, New Jersey. Her services include childrens, group and private Vinyasa-style yoga classes, mini-retreats and nutritional counseling.

“Moms have to realize that how they speak about themselves in front of their daughters can leave a lasting impression,” says Julie Finkel, a practicing yogi since 1999. “We want to open up a dialogue.”

The upcoming two-hour, November workshop for teens and their moms will start off with yoga, including partner poses and postures which may evoke a bit of fear.

“We’ll talk about this feeling and how to breathe through it. I’m a bit believer in learning how to breathe in uncomfortable situations,” says Finkel.  “Our bodies are so amazing. We can control ourselves with meditation. We can choose good thoughts instead of self-deprecating ones.”

Finkel’s use of yoga to address body image was intentional since, “It’s different than a sport or dance, where you’re performing or competing. You do yoga for yourself. There’s no end result such as competition, or being on stage. It’s about discovering how amazing and strong our bodies are. It’s empowering,” says Finkel.

CleanandDelicious Youtube sensation, Dani Spies is a special guest and will discuss the psychology of eating, controlling your fat intake and lead a journaling activity.

Warrior Girl Mother Daughter Workshop

Sunday, November 1^st, 2015

3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Moonlight Ballroom (175 Rock Road, Glen Rock, N.J.)

Cost: $45

Girls ages 12 – 17 and their Mothers

 

 

Go little yogi - go! Fuel up with snack size gluten-free treats

Just grab and go!

A favorite snack staple now packs huge flavor in new 2-ounce snack packs from Gratify Foods. 

The gluten-free snack maker introduced the new line at a convenience store industry trade show this week.

Available early 2016, the single-serve bags come in Sea Salt Pretzel Twists, Everything Pretzel Thins and Buffalo Wing Pretzel Crackers.

 (SRP $1.49/each)

Make your mark! Create peaceful impressions with kids yogi stamp set



Courtesy EtchyThings

Spark creativity while learning Sun Salutations.

A great gift for young yogis. 3 ¼” round sizes mounted on upcycled wood plugs.

8 Yoga Rubber Stamps Set includes:
Mountain, Uttanasana, Uttanasana II, Chaturanga, Cobra, Downward Facing Dog, Cow, Cat.

($33.40 from EtchyThings)

 

Big gypsy style for little yogis! Trendsetting yogipreneur adds kids sizes

Courtesy Buddha Pants

Hold off on the umpteenth pair of leggings. For a stylish, comfy alternative, consider Buddha Pants, a successful line of yoga harem pants, which added kids sizes late last year.  

“Harem pants give you a sense of flow,” says founder, Rachel Raab of Fort Lauderdale.  “We target yogis and teenagers to yoga moms. Travelers and hikers love them too, ‘cause they’re lightweight and pack easily.”

In fact, they fit in to a pocket and come in fun colors and styles ranging from Pink Zag to Red Aztec and Blue Zebra.

Raab, a dedicated yogi who practices four to five times a week, used to own and operate her own...

We're all in this together! New book teaches kids generosity of spirit

Courtesy Minedition

Known for her work in chimpanzee research and wildlife conservation, naturalist Jane Goodall has penned the forthcoming, “A Prayer For World Peace,” (Minedtion, $14.99/November, 2015), to spread a personal and universal plea for justice and for those who are suffering.

Each vibrantly illustrated page shares a distinct “prayer,” inspiring youngsters to care about those who are starving, the size of our ecological footprint, living in harmony with nature and helping the poverty stricken.

A great bedtime story option with spiritual punch! For ages 7 and up.

 

 

 

Me and my girl! Get dolled up for yoga class!



Give your young yogi a pretend mate for creative play. Comes in Blonde or Brunette styles. For ages 5 and up.

(My Life as a Yoga Instructor 18” Baby Doll, $27.97 at Wallmart.com)

 

Patch it on! Accessorize in cool, earthy style

Sport a peaceful vibe on your sleeve, backpack or ripped denim with these wearable badges of yogi honor.

Cotton coverings are made in New York City and are 1.5 – 3” tall.

 

(Mokuyobi Threads Yoga Mountain or Yoga Forest Iron-On Patches, $5/each at urbanoutfitters.com)

 

Ticket to ride! Yogi's heartwarming story wins scholarship to India

Michelle Pitzer. Courtesy Yogis Heart.

This December, twenty-three year-old Michelle Pitzer, of Montclair, New Jersey, will travel to Mysore, India for a paid, month-long stay and study opportunity at the prestigious K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute based there.

Pitzer recently won the $5000 study abroad scholarship, which is sponsored by Yogis Heart, in collaboration with yogi figure, Kino MacGregor.

The New Jersey-based volunteer organization provides yearly, unlimited yoga...

Peace out and about!



Courtesy Nina Kohler

Come and go with style.

A thoughtful trinket for the young yogi hipster in your life. Comes wrapped in burlap gift bag.

(Peace Buddha Keychain – Antique Gold, $24.00 at ninakohler.com)