Suffer from increased health risk?
Scroll down & discover how Hot Yoga can help.

 

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sol hot yoga studio ~ Oct. 21, 2023 (4)

First and foremost, our practice is designed for those physically, financially, and emotionally impacted by physical & mental health stressors.  We have shared in the struggles.  The impacts are statistically proven to have degraded our mental health, marriages, and the entire landscape of work+life balance.  We have also benefited from the unique power of Hot Yoga to alleviate the causes of suffering.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you. Nothing compares to the face-to-face camaraderie we share in the studio.  You are all great, loving, and healthy souls yearning to breathe free.  We welcome each opportunity to help ease the suffering and Strengthening our community.

Your self-giving service and compassion a true testament of your character, and in keeping with the highest ideals of our humble yoga studio.  Please know that there are days when your short notes & reviews continue to make a positive difference.  We can't wait to thank you in person!

Your health is our purpose!

If you've read our reviews dating back to when we opened in 2019 (CLICK HERE), you'll begin to understand our unique approach to a therapeutic yoga practice ~ since ever since.  We approach our practice as a form of moving meditation.  Our practice is based on one of the original yoga texts, The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Tracing our lineage back thousands of years, these techniques are even more relevant today.

Just as important as the postures and breathing exercises is the intention that inspires our practice.  Our practice is built on the four cornerstones of the definition of Love in the Yoga tradition:

  • Maitrī.  Loving-Kindness for all. ("Metta" in the Pali language & Buddhist tradition.)
    • This is a māntra; a tool to guide the mind toward action.
    • May you be Happy.  May you be Healthy.  May you be free from suffering.
  • Karunā.  Empathy in the struggle.
    • This is an active verb; similar to a doctor prescribing exactly what brings permanent healing.  We realize that as long as we are human, we will struggle with the causes of suffering.
    • Our approach extends from how you're greeted when you enter the studio, through the cold-hand-towel at the end of class.
  • Mudita.  Joy in your successes.
    • One of the best parts of teaching a yoga class is to recognize your progress.  Other places will tell you to "struggle" and "push harder".
    • We love to see you for who you are, when you are present.  Don't overlook the power of celebrating successes in others; no matter how mundane or simple the act may seem on the surface.
  • Upeksha.  Equanimity.
    • Everything in moderation - even moderation.  Sometimes, in order to enjoy the stillness, we need to experience the intensity of focus.
    • The unique environment of Hot Yoga is intentionally austere.  The trials of sweat & benefits of elevated core temperature are realized in our final posture.

When you experience these qualities, inspired by true intention, you begin to sense that you are holding the ultimate key to your health & well-being.  When you practice returning to this reality alongside others, there is an unspoken unity of effort that lifts us all to a higher level.  Even if it begins with just one hour in your day, it's one powerful hour that draws you closer to what's really happening inside.  While we're on our mats, we might be exercising some demons that plague us.  That's ok.  That may be part of the path of healing.  After all the sweat settles into the mat, beyond the work-out; then, we can realize the true benefits of the work-in.

Since there are SO MANY health benefits unique to Hot Yoga, we've outlined the A, B, C's along with several links to peer-reviewed medical studies & articles.

AWARENESS.

  • The majority of your health+fitness are about what type of food you consume. Begin to appreciate the impact of stuff you consume. Not just your eating & drinking routine, but you'll also notice how much sleep effects your practice.  You might even begin to realize the positive & negative energy that others bring into your life.
  • Our #1 health tip is to avoid food that clogs your body. Meat and fish can take as long as 2 days to fully digest. You don't have to be vegetarian.  Just avoid a lot of fried & processed food.
  • Hot Yoga cleanses & detoxes the body from the inside-out.  Your body is not a dumpster.  When the organs are able to function properly, everything changes.
  • Stay hydrated.  Don't overlook the value of sweat.  Skin is an organ designed to filter & release toxins.  The sweat is good (and it can help to shower before class).
  • Awareness leads to Understanding, and Understanding enables Shaping your experience.

BRAIN.

  • Your head-gut relationship is the key, and studied at depth.
  • Meditation shifts from high-alert to states of calm, deep focus, and sleep; improving muscle control, sensory perception, emotions, memory, speech, seeing, hearing, and decision making.
  • Noise-blaring decibels pounding your ear drums are not helping your health.
  • Not sleeping?  There's a direct correlation.
  • Hot Yoga stimulates neuroplasticity, reducing age-related brain degeneration and improving cognitive functions.

CONSISTENCY.

  • Create your routine.  Our 2-week intro is the time to focus your effort on Hot Yoga.  Press pause on all the habits that take you off-track.
  • It may seem trivial, but start by taking care of your yoga mat. It's the physical foundation that supports your practice. We encourage you to use your mat as a tangible example of your respect for your practice. Keep it clean. Treat it like a sacred object; your own magic carpet that transports you to a higher place.
  • The routine helps us regulate & rule out the crap.  When it's obvious that [burrito] doesn't sit well during your practice, consider the benefits of cutting back.
  • Mind your intention. It's a good practice to start the moment you wake up & before you roll out of bed. And, give yourself a few moments of gratitude at the end of the day.  Want to sleep better?  Count your blessings instead of counting sheep.  Grateful with each inhale, and let go with each exhale.
Scroll down for Part 2 of this infograph!

 Heat Shock Proteins

This is one key element to Hot Yoga, as a stand-alone practice above & beyond anything else you might be doing.

  • Heat shock proteins play an important role in responding to stressors and are a key part of the cell resilience.
  • Heat shock proteins support a healthy immune system, and ensure damaged body cells die when they should, a process defective in cancer.
  • Heat shock proteins play an important part in brain health, and reducing the onset of Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases.

When protein is heated, the molecules unfold or break apart. This is how your body naturally breaks down the amino acids and digesting protein.  Multiple studies have shown that heat shock proteins (HSP) increase in response to heat exposure; more acutely when the core temp is elevated just a few degrees.  Malfunction of HSPs is related with many diseases, including cancers, neuro-degeneration, and other diseases.

There are many differences between Hot Yoga and just sitting in a dry sauna.  We've addressed several of those in our Blog; including "You're not a frozen burrito".  Here we're focused on HSP, the key difference is how your metabolism is working.  Primarily & simply put, if you're just sitting in a sauna, the metabolic rate is resting.  When you're practicing Hot Yoga, your metabolism is stimulated.  That means the exchange rate is higher.  The bad stuff is actively being filtered & eliminated more so than when you're resting.  Further, the more you practice, the body learns the restorative benefits and responds much more efficiently to the higher core temp.

Articles on HSP:

Not all gyms & studios share our disciplined practice, so we feel it's worth mentioning a few elements of our healthy & hygiene practices. For those who may be new to practicing with Sol, we've provided an outline of the general precautions we employ at our studio:

  • 100% fresh & filtered air for occupied spaces (no recirculation of air is permitted)
  • "Close contact" is a measure of three factors (quantity, duration, and density) that we closely monitor & manage:
    • Limited class size (quantity of potential contacts);
    • Limited class duration (duration of potential contact);
    • Proximity of yoga mats to maintain safe separation (density of contacts);
  • Elimination of hands-on adjustments to correct improper alignment;
  • Pre-class health screening of employees and students (do not come to the studio if your temperature > 99.5F);
  • Pre- and post-class cleaning regimens;
  • Bring your own yoga mat, or buy one at the studio;
  • Use of blocks, straps, and any other props will be limited;
  • NEVER blow your nose into the hand towels or traction towels (you are encouraged to place your box of tissues next to your yoga mat if you are prone to runny noses, coughing, or sneezing);
  • Locker rooms will be limited to one person at a time in order to allow for cleaning between uses.

If you're at home and feeling a little (or more than a little) overwhelmed, try meditation. Even the CDC recommends it!

There is a lot that you can still do to protect yourself and your health. There is also enough evidence to support the benefits of exercise, nutrition, meditation, and mindful breathing exercises.  We've posted information about all three of those in our [y]oga ("why yoga") page.

Yellow Pink and Purple Be Ready Spread Love

In case you've missed them, here are some links:

As always, HYDRATE!  HYDRATE!  HYDRATE!  The #1 cause of mid-day fatigue is dehydration. So, sign up for a noon yoga class with Sol & drink up!

Many of these are common practices that you may already include in your yoga practice, and if not, please review our comprehensive guide to yoga etiquette (HERE).  Whether you are already practicing, or not, we encourage you to begin with a positive Intention.  Not sure how to set an Intention, read more here, or simply Choose Love.

BE KIND.  BE MINDFUL.  BE SUPPORTIVE.  BE PRESENT.

Let all that you do, be done with love.

CLICK HERE FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO RE-OPENING YOGA STUDIOS

See these CDC Recommendations about the value of exercise & physical fitness.

Read the infograph below to see how Hot Yoga can reduce many of the increased risk factors identified by the CDC.

Benefits of Hot Yoga part 2