Auston Grove Apartment Homes Blog

Yoga classes seem to be everywhere, from the local gym to boutique studios. But what is yoga exactly, and why is the practice so popular? Check out this yoga guide for answers that will help you decide if a yoga class might be right for you.

What is yoga?

Yoga is an ancient method of exercise, stress-relief and meditation that has been practiced for around 5,000 years. As ancient Eastern medical practices have continued to become more popular in the West, yoga classes have become more accessible, with a growing number of choices. Increasing flexibility, strength, lung capacity, relaxation and mental clarity, yoga offers an arsenal of health benefits. It can also lower blood pressure and help inhibit heart disease, while decreasing the risk of stroke.

Most Western presentations of yoga focus on a set of poses. You may have heard of yoga postures such as the downward facing dog or the child’s pose. Once you learn the basic poses, you can practice them whenever and wherever you want — at home, on the road, with or without a video to follow.

Different Types of Yoga

Though based on the same general poses, yoga varieties differ in their intensity and emphasis.

Hatha yoga is slow-paced and gentle, and provides a great introduction to yoga principles and poses.

Vinyasa yoga generally focuses on breath-synchronized movements. Encompassing a number of movements called sun salutations, this method is more rigorous than Hatha.

Ashtanga, usually the basis of a power yoga class, is one of the most strenuous kinds of yoga. In Ashtanga, the same series of yoga postures are performed in a specific order, one after the other. The rigorous flow between poses makes this method physically challenging.

Iyengar yoga is most focused on body alignment, the precise way your body should be held in each posture to avoid injury and get the most benefit. This method emphasizes holding poses, rather than moving quickly between them.

Bikram yoga, known as hot yoga, is performed in a room that is 95 to 100 degrees, which helps loosen tight muscles and promotes sweating, part of a cleansing process. Bikram usually uses 26 yoga postures, though not every class makes use of them all.

Kundalini yoga focuses on freeing the energy of the lower body and moving it upward, while using controlled breathing.

What to Know Before You Start

First, choose the style of yoga that is right for your level of physical fitness. If you’re a beginner, Hatha or Vinyasa are good places to start. Then begin researching a convenient and reputable yoga studio. You can search online or in health magazines. If you already see an alternative health practitioner, such as a massage therapist or acupuncturist, that person might also be able to recommend a particular yoga class. Many studios will offer a free introductory class, so be sure to ask.

Each class will begin with a warm up, so be sure to make use of it and ease into the postures. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re feeling any awkwardness or discomfort in a yoga posture. Be prepared to be a little sore after your first class, and be sure not to push too hard. Yoga is about ease of movement — nothing jerky or sudden.

What to Bring

Check with the facility where you’ll be taking your yoga classes to see what they’d like you to bring. You can buy yoga-specific clothing, but non-binding, comfortable exercise clothes will work fine. You can bring your own yoga mat, or use one at the studio, sometimes for a small rental fee.

Ready to see if yoga is right for you? Don’t be afraid to experiment, trying different facilities and types of yoga to see which one is the best fit. Then get ready to reap the benefits of this powerful tool for healthy living.

Apartments in Raleigh, NC

Stay Healthy: Cold and Flu Prevention Tips

In kindergarten we were taught that sharing is good, but no one wants to share cold and flu germs. Here are a few simple things you can do to help reduce the chances of receiving an unhealthy gift this year.

Use common sense

One of the best ways to avoid catching a cold is to steer clear of someone who has one. Many people suffering the effects of a cold are thoughtful enough or feel ill enough to limit social interaction, but some are not. If you have a coworker or friend showing all the symptoms — cough, runny nose, congestion and a scratchy throat — politely avoid them, especially during the first few days when they may be most infectious.

Hand washing

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), washing your hands is the single most important way of stopping the spread of viral and bacterial infections. Wash your hands often, especially during cold and flu season. Also wash your hands after blowing your nose. If your child has a cold, it’s a good idea to wash their toys after play.
And look out for that bathroom towel! If you or someone in your family has a cold, put up a separate towel in the bathroom for healthy members to use. Also avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes, if you can — you could be giving germs a free ride into your body. Visit WebMD for more about the value of hand washing.

Take care of yourself

During the cold and flu season, be especially vigilant about doing all the things that keep you healthy during the year: get enough sleep, exercise regularly, get fresh air, eat well, drink plenty of liquids and limit your intake of alcohol. A daily multi-vitamin is also a good idea. Smokers have a much higher likelihood of getting a cold or other respiratory infection, so consider cutting back or quitting altogether this winter season.
Most of all, relax! Stress takes a significant toll on your immune system. Check WebMD for more ways to keep yourself healthy.

Don’t go dry

Winter dryness is uncomfortable for most people, leading to dry skin and sore sinuses. Did you know that dry, irritated sinuses are more likely to get infected? Turning down the heat and using a saline spray or well-maintained humidifier will help with this problem.

Keep your germs to yourself

We know we should all be considerate and stay away from others when we are sick, but daily obligations often make that hard. If, despite your best efforts, you catch a cold and have to be around other people, be conscious of keeping your germs to yourself. Though we’ve been taught from childhood to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze, it’s actually better to grab a tissue (which should immediately be thrown away.)

There is no certain way to prevent a cold from following you home this season, but there are some smart habits that can help you avoid one. If you are able to follow these tips, odds are better that you can avoid a germy gift that keeps on giving.

We Have a Really Cool Fitness Center in our Apartment Complex

You might have every excuse in the world why you don’t want to go to the gym or the fitness center in our apartment complex.

Excuses about Not Using the Fitness Center

It’s to crowded, or I don’t like using weights or maybe even, I don’t like to sweat outside.  Anyone of these excuses will do if you just don’t want to exercise.  All you really need is one excuse, and it doesn’t have to be a good one.  But consider the benefits of your exercise: Healthier living, more energy, faster metabolism.

If you really don’t like the gym then it’s okay, you don’t have to leave you apartment or your living room to get a workout in.  Doing push up or even dancing can give you the cardio that you need.  Take a look at this article from www.LiveStrong.com and read about the overview of effective push-ups.

Could This Be the First Day of a Life Without Tobacco?

Are you thinking about quitting smoking but not sure you’re ready to take the plunge? Maybe the Great American Smokeout is for you. It’s an opportunity to join with literally millions of other smokers in saying “no thanks” to cigarettes for 24 hours.

A Day to “Butt Out”

The Great American Smokeout traditionally takes place on the third Thursday in November. The concept dates from the early ’70s when Lynn Smith, publisher of the Monticello Times of Minnesota, announced the first observance and called it “D Day.” The idea caught on in state after state until in 1977, it went nationwide under the sponsorship of the American Cancer Society. If past Smokeouts are any indication, as many as one-third of the nation’s 46 million smokers could be taking the day off from smoking.

Joining the Fun

Each year during the Great American Smokeout, the American Cancer Society promotes local and nationwide activities that focus in a light-hearted way on the benefits of not smoking. Here are some previous years’ activities:

A national sandwich shop company gave out free “cold turkey” sandwiches and cookies to smokers who turned in at least a half pack of cigarettes.
Newborn babies at Washington’s Columbia Hospital received T-shirts that said “I’m a Born Nonsmoker.”
“Don’t Let Smoking Be an Obstacle” was the slogan for a Houston activity in which smokers ran an obstacle course consisting of oversized cigarette packs, matches and ashtrays.
Preschoolers in Texas played “Gonesmoke, a Tale of the New West,” wearing red bandannas and Smokeout deputy badges.
Other events include public appearances by celebrities who have quit, parades, rallies, athletic events and ceremonial cigarette burials and bonfires.
Making It Work

Behind the festivities of the Great American Smokeout are the serious efforts of thousands of hard-working American Cancer Society volunteers who visit schools, malls and workplaces to publicize the events and distribute information about quitting. They also enlist nonsmokers to “adopt” smokers for the day, supporting them with advice and snacks. The support continues for those who decide not to return to smoking after the Great American Smokeout is over.

The Rules of the Game

The rules are simple: You just quit smoking for the 24 hours of the Smokeout. The wonderful thing is that you won’t be alone; you can swap advice, jokes and groans with the other “quitters,” nonsmokers and the American Cancer Society volunteers who will be cheering you on. Even if you don’t go on to quit permanently, you will have learned that you can quit for a day and that many others around you are taking the step, too. Contact the American Cancer Society for information on how you can participate, either as a “quitter” or as a volunteer.

Here is the Key to making a fortune: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job”
~Jim Rohn

You have more on the inside of you that you realize. Do you ever look at your circumstances and say to yourself I’ve got more in me than this; than what’s outside? Have you ever felt that you have so much to give but you just haven’t mustered up the greatness yet?

Stand strong, this is your season! If you will allow me, I will share some words with you that should assist you beginning right now in three simple steps.

1. Believe in you. This is not a cliché it is a revelation. If you believe in the possibilities of reaching and living higher then have the faith in God that increases self confidence.

2. Write out the expectation- You know that you see where you are going clear enough if you can write it out in a phrase or two. We, as humans hardly ever reach for things that we do not see. The clearer your vision the more conviction in accomplishing it you will have.

3. Be tenacious- Tenacity and faith live in the same pod. If you don’t have faith in a thing then you won’t be consistent in accomplishing it. There is no magic trick to success other than never giving up.

The man or woman who never quits will always eventually win.

How do you see yourself? Where do you see yourself going and are you unwilling to grow disinterested in arriving at your goal? Enjoy your life every gifted day of it.

P.S.  How much are you willing to take? Until you start believing in yourself…… It ain’t gonna happen.

You spend all that time in the car when traveling to grandmother’s house, and what do you get? A sore posterior, cranky kids and pets, and stiff joints. Make the most of your time in the car and try these road trip exercises. Yeah, you’ll look a little silly, but who cares?