 With the kids back to school and the temperature slowly dropping, Septemberalways brings a sense of newness into the air inspiring us to grow with different experiences. If this sounds like you, we hope you will find lots of opportunity to do so at one of our many workshops and events. Happy September, mamas! May the cool air bring you lots of change and lovely adventures!
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 Guest Post by Rebecca Brunette, creator of Rather Luvly Looking for an energizing and healthy breakfast that even your kids will enjoy? The Smoothie bowl might be the perfect thing! Smoothies can be a healthy way to ensure you {and your littles} are getting all the nutrients you need and can help prepare your body for a busy day ahead! We teamed up with Yoga Mama and fellow blogger, Rebecca Brunette from Rather Luvly to show you how to build a perfect smoothie that is both nourishing {and beautiful} that your kids will enjoy making. Need ideas on where to start? No problem, we have 3 smoothie recipes that provide the perfect base for any variety of toppings. Read and enjoy!  Ok, time to make yourself a smoothie bowl! Here is a step-by-step for building your bowl, followed by 3 delicious smoothie recipes you can use as the base. 1. Prepare the BowlSelect a tropical fruit as a vessel for your smoothie; we used a small watermelon. Slice the fruit in half (sharing the other half with a friend, or saving for later) and scoop out the interior. You can add the scooped-out fruit to water for a refreshing infusion! 2. Prepare the ToppingsThere are so many options for smoothie toppings! We enjoyed sliced fruit, hemp hearts, coconut shavings, granola, dried goji berries, and raw coco nibs. Simply slice fruit, such as strawberries or bananas, and arrange all toppings into prep bowls. 3. Add the SmoothiePour the smoothie directly from the blender into the fruit bowl (scroll down for an amazing “Pre-Workout Energy” recipe). Extra smoothie can be refrigerated for later, unless you plan to top-up your bowl for seconds that is. 4. DecorateTime to get creative! For a truly Insta-worthy smoothie bowl, carefully spoon your toppings over the mixture in a pleasing pattern. I created a spiral design, but rows also look great. Using small cookie cutters, stamp out delicate shapes from slices of dragon fruit and arrange over the toppings. Add edible flowers for extra fancy presentation. 3 FREE Smoothie Recipes For You To Enjoy    Interested in learning more about nutrition? Sign up for our Prenatal Nutrition Workshop or our Holistic Guide to Pregnancy with Dr. Shannon Vander Doelen this Fall. Swimming and cycling, day camps and sleepovers, watermelon and all the ice cream; summer break is what our children live for! And though they may have us believe “back to school” is the last thing they want to hear about, kids tend to get restless as the summer season draws to a close. After all the free time and gallivanting, children can benefit from a few guided activities to help them rebalance. Here are five simple activities for you to do with your children that will foster calm in their minds (and invite peace into your home!).  1. Yoga with IntentionEvery morning is a fresh start. It’s important for children to know that they can begin their day by making good choices (regardless of the tantrums and sibling rivalries of yesterday). 20 minutes of yoga in the AM is a great way for kids to wake up their minds and bodies. If your family is strapped for time during the week, keep this as a special weekend activity. Roll out your mats and guide your child through the following poses: 1. Cat/Cow – Wakes up the spine 2. Downward Dog – Brings fresh blood to the head 3. Tree Pose – Encourages balance 4. Archer – Brings courage and focus 5. Camel – Opens the heart 6. Easy Pose – Closes practice Seal your mini-practice with palms together in front of your heart, asking your child to set an intention for their day. This simple step encourages children to feel grounded, whatever the day may bring.  2. Cloud AssociationsClouds can inspire creativity and a sense of peace because of their weightlessness and ever changing form. Choosing a day when there are many clouds in the sky, take your child on a walk to the park or lie in the quiet of your own backyard. Gaze up towards the clouds and take turns describing what you see. Notice the different shapes and patterns that form, and watch as they roll and change in the wind. Let your child lead, and listen with interest. Follow along as they talk about what they see and how they feel.  3. Mandala ColouringIn Hindu and Buddhist symbolism, a mandala is a geometric figure representing the universe. Their circular designs are often intricate, inviting you to spend time in contemplation as you look at them. Today you’ll find dozens of beautiful designs neatly bound into colouring books to be enjoyed by both young and old! Download a free set of four Mandalas for your littles to enjoy. Ask you child to choose one they like and spend time colouring together. Encourage them to explain their choice of mandala as well as the colours they use. There is no right or wrong way to do this, and the act of colouring is far more important than the resulting picture. When your child feels as though their mandala is complete, suggest that they hang it close to their bed to remind them of the cosmos of which they are a part.  4. People are GoodTurn on the news and you’re guaranteed to hear stories of hate and fear around the globe. Not only can this be confusing for kids, but it can also defeat their innate sense of hope. In light of all the negative media, take the opportunity to talk to your child about the goodness that all people have inside them. Think about how many different people live on this earth, and how our differences make us interesting and unique. Remind your child that - though we practice different rituals, speak different languages and eat different foods - we all have goodness inside and want to feel loved. Ask your child to suggest some ways to be kind to others and to respect all people regardless of how they look, talk, and live.  5. Bedtime RoutineBedtime is a special time for your child; it concludes the “story” of his or her day—and everyone wants a happy ending! Give yourselves about one hour before bed to practice a bedtime ritual, which you repeat every night. This will give your child a sense of security as well as something to look forward to. There is nothing sweeter than drifting peacefully off to dream land. Here is an example:
Bath – 20 min (bathe, play, brush teeth) Stories – 20 min (pajamas, a story or two) Snuggle – 15 min (talk about all the good things that happened today) Prayer/Meditation – 5 min (sung or spoken softly) With all the excitement of summer it’s easy for kids to get over-excited, not to mention over-tired. The good news is a little one-on-one time is all it takes to help them channel their (crazy) energy into thoughtful activities. Spend a few moments every day talking with your child, and listening to their thoughts and feelings, and you’ll have calmer kids in no time!  Yoga Mamas is pleased to welcome Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist, Nav Grewal to our team!
Nav Grewal MSc. PT, BSc. is a Registered Physiotherapist with a passion for Women’s Health and Pelvic Rehabilitation. After graduating from McMaster, Nav was immediately drawn to Women’s Health and decided to specialize in the area. Nav has worked extensively with pre and postnatal patients with pelvic floor dysfunction alongside urologists and obstetrician/gynecologists. She continues to expand her knowledge by taking advanced courses in pelvic health and integrating new research into her practice. Nav takes great care in treating each client’s concerns with compassion and respect. She combines manual therapy techniques, exercise prescription, and patient education with her client’s individual goals to improve their quality of life and return them to health. When she is not treating patients, Nav enjoys leading a healthy lifestyle by keeping active with running, yoga, meditation, and dance. |
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A Note About yoga Mamas' Cancellation Policies
Please note that we do not offer refunds. Each event/course/training/wellness appt has it's own specific cancellation policy which is listed on each registration page. Please take the time to read these in full prior to registering. Each event/appointment that we run is in partnership with a practitioner who is focusing their independent career in pre and postnatal health. This is their beautiful livelihood. This is why we have these policies in place. Thank you very much for your understanding. Jamie Kalynuik, Founder of Yoga Mamas
hello@yogamamas.co | 416-406-0116 | 1402 Queen St E Suite D. Toronto M4L 1C9