20 Minutes of Ass Kicking Yoga with Sara Ivanhoe via YouTube

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I got into doing yoga about 10-11 years ago as a result of my mom's failed attempt at getting into yoga. She went out and bought books, a yoga mat, videos, etc. and then never used them... or maybe did a couple times and decided it wasn't for her. So I appropriated (nice word for stole) all of her yoga stuff because I wanted to try it and I ended up liking it. 

I have asthma so yoga appeals to me because it's low impact and doesn't make me have asthma attacks (turns out that was more to do with the smoking than strenuous physical exercise). It also helps me calm and center myself to feel one with my universe... which I need because, just in case you couldn't tell, I'm a pretty fucking high strung person most of the time. Well the tape she bought was a Sara Ivanhoe Crunch workout for Fat Burning Yoga. I did that tape every day like it was my job. 

A couple years later I found my mom had upgraded to a couple new DVD's also by Sara Ivanhoe. It was the Yoga for Dummies Beginner's and Intermediate workouts... SO I then did those like it was my job. Since then I have tried other DVD's but I never liked the instructors quite as much as I do Sara Ivanhoe. She's got a way about her I guess that makes you feel like you can freaking do the damn thing but in a calm, relaxed way. 

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was looking for the Sun Salutation on YouTube because I've been trying to get back into doing more yoga again. I have 2 ruptured discs in my neck so I was afraid to get back into it more because I didn't want to fuck myself up. I've been doing it sporadically again for the past couple years. Sara Ivanhoe is my fave and by some sheer dumb luck I found that Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies in its entirety on YouTube. I'd forgotten just how great it was. 

Well, Thursday night I was looking for new yoga workout videos on YouTube with Sara Ivanhoe and found this gem:

Sara Ivanhoe's 20 min Yoga Makeover - Weight Loss

This video is fucking fantastic! Lemmetellyasomething! If you only have 20 minutes of your life any given day to workout, then do this MoFo because it will kick your ass. Just be careful and make sure to stretch a little beforehand (Yes, I understand that yoga is stretching but you want to do some like pre-stretching too). 

Also, watch your knees because you will be using them A LOT when you do the moves in this video. Mine hurt the next day so I rubbed some Arnicare Gel on them and the pain went away. If you don't know what that is then check out Miss Slik Recommends: Boiron Arnicare Arnica Gel for the Accident Prone Like Me for a review on what an amazing product it is.

Also for those interested in the other video I mentioned Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies with Sara Ivanhoe, here is the video for that:

Finally, here is Sara Ivanhoe's website packed with loads of good stuff http://www.yoganation.com/ including her Yoganation Blog which I've also added to my Fave Blogs to Read section.

Miss Slik Recommends: Boiron Arnicare Arnica Gel for the Accident Prone Like Me

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Several months ago my mom turned me on to this stuff called Arnicare Arnica Gel by Boiron for my neck. I have 2 ruptured discs in my neck and was having frequent pain. The pharmacist at Broad Street Pharmacy in Falls Church, VA (awesome place I also recommend) is always recommending stuff to her for her various ailments. This was one of the products he suggested to help with her joint pain from her arthritis and my mom now swears by it. 

Here is some info about Arnicare Arnica Gel from http://www.arnicare.com/

Arnica montana is the Latin name for a perennial that grows 1 to 2 feet tall with bright, yellow daisy-like flowers that appear in July and August. It is found on the moist, grassy upland meadows in the hills and mountains of northern and central Europe and Siberia. It is also found sparsely in the northwestern United States. More common names for Arnica are Mountain daisy, Leopard’s bane and Mountain tobacco. Arnica is toxic when ingested at full strength, but it can be used as an ointment, gel or cream on unbroken skin or taken internally when it is diluted homeopathically.

St. Hildegard, a nun known for her keen observation of nature and physiology, among other things, wrote about the healing properties of the Arnica montana plant in the 12^th century. Since at least the 16^th century, mountain people in the Alpine area have used it to relieve muscle aches and bruises.

Today, Arnica has grown to be one of the most popular homeopathic medicines throughout the world. It is trusted by professional athletes to soothe sore muscles, by prominent cosmetic surgeons to relieve post-procedure pain, and by savvy moms to treat playground bumps and bruises.

Arnica can also be used to relieve stiffness from flying or long-distance driving. And anyone who bruises easily will appreciate Arnica’s ability to reduce bruise discoloration.

Well, I tried it and it definitely helped a bit with my neck pain. I've also discovered it helps with my achy knee pains the day after I do a crucial workout. Best of all though, it a miracle worker for bruises. I bruise like a freaking peach and always find new bruises in the oddest places every day that I got from bumping into the air I guess. The arnica gel fades them out within a couple days and they just magically disappear. 

Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. The website is http://www.arnicare.com/ and there is a section for Arnicare Special Offers where you can get a $1.00 off coupon.