Bear Breathe for Balance and Restoration

“Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”-Andrew Weil, M.D.

Even just five minutes of Ujjayi Breath, a day can be tremendously beneficial. You can easily practice it anytime, anywhere. Focusing on the depth of your breath gets you out of your head and into the moment -nowhere to go, nothing to do, just breathe in and out. Living in the moment, and bringing intention to you and attention to you. This is the purest celebration of life and living. Why not start 2015 off with a focus on health and longevity for you and your kiddos too! Try some breath work fun today,
Bear Breath is a great little ditty to start with. Give it a try today and see the results as you float through the post-holiday stresses easy breezy style.-Enjoy

Bear Breath for Balance and Restoration

Sit up tall, relax your shoulders back and down as if they are melting down your back.
Close your eyes and relax the muscles in your face, soften your lips
Through your nose, slowly breathe in deeply and fully feeling the breathe come all the way down into the belly, allowing your belly to swell like a balloon to a count of five seconds (in other words take 5 seconds to bring the breath into your body)
Now Hold the breath In=Full for a count of three seconds
Breathe out to a count of five seconds
Now Hold Empty= Out for a count of three seconds
Repeat five to seven times then see how you feel

I hope you find this practice useful and enjoyable. Have a wonderful 2015!

Carol Takakura,
CHHC, E-RTY, AADP certified

About Carol
Carol Takakura is a Certified Health and Nutrition Consultant, and Yoga Instructor. She is known as The Kitchen Coach, providing in-home classes to clean up and re-stock pantries to create do-able, quick and healthy options for everyday use and special occasions. Carol also provides wellness lectures, cooking demos and hands on cooking classes.

For more yoga, nutrition and healthy lifestyle tips and recipes, visit mysagegourmet.com