Truth time: Our brains don’t know the difference between being chased by a tiger and being pinged by a triggering email. Both activate the amygdala the part of our brain that kicks on when we are in distress and perceive a danger (real or imagined).
This brings on the fight-flight-freeze response. Hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline flood your system, creating intense and immediate reactions: Your heart rate increases, your palms sweat, and you may feel the urge to run or hide until the danger goes away.
This biological response can save your life when you’re in real and urgent peril. But when the reaction is repeatedly triggered by non-life-threatening events, the constant onslaught of hormones can take a toll on your immune system, mess with your gut health, and leave you more susceptible to long-term mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Grounding Practices for the Second Trimester of Pregnancy
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The glutes are the largest muscles in our body. Underusing these important tissues can ultimately lead to knee and back pain. And when we sit for long periods of time, they can basically “forget” to fire and support the pelvis a condition known as gluteus medius tendinopathy, gluteal amnesia, or dead butt syndrome (DBS). That’s right: Dead butt syndrome is real! And although it mostly affects the sedentary, active people may also experience DBS if they sit for hours at a time.
Our glutes are responsible for acceleration and balance when we move. They’re also key for supporting our back, our sacrum, our core, the healthy functioning of our lower joints, and even for stimulating the pelvic floor. Lack of effective glute engagement may tilt the pelvis and cause strain on the low back or knees even in some of our favorite yoga poses.
Confession: When crop tops made a comeback a few years ago, I was relieved that high-waisted pants were also still “in.” After all, the mid-to-late 1990s style of Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears baring their entire torso proved daunting for me as I never felt comfortable showing my stomach. Even after buying an ab roller and trying every diet under the sun, my tummy still wasn’t flat. The reality is that I am just not built that way, and what little preteen me did not yet know was that it would not matter what my stomach looked like when it came to harnessing power in my asana practice.
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