Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Hi Eileen

Any updates on your condition? Did you work out a solution?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Heidi

I’m back after a pretty long absence! Ha. The ‘no pain no gain’ discussion continues: Yes ‘go to your edge’ really means do what you can, focus on alignment and breath and the depth will happen naturally. Depth is not necessary as an outcome, pose outcome is necessary. That means going to the point where everything stays on track alignment-wise, without feeling PAIN, being aware that discomfort is fine. But pain and struggle do not even enter into it.

Muscles do experience micro-tearing when you stretch and work them. That’s partly why, in the recovery process, you need some time.

Your last question about pain within reasonable limits is definitely a subjective question. I code pain as danger. I code challenge as worthy of attention and focus. The only times I have felt pain in practice have been at times when I have returned to practice after a break, or when I have injured myself. So if you are feeling pain then perhaps some specialised pose specific help is in order. Let me know!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sharon

did you ever get an answer to your juice-fast question? Wendy was helping out there for a mo! Are you goals to still lose weight with juice-fasting? How’s the shape change with hot yoga? A lot may have changed in 3 months

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Anette

Have you managed to get back to yoga yet? You posted at the time of a bereavement and I just didn’t get around to any posts back in September and October.

Can you tell me where you’re at?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Lynn

Start searching around the forum. There are some answers in there already. Eg, what to do with the issue in Fixed Firm.

You’re doing really well after only 5 classes. I just recommend you do some homework regarding the ideas and questions I have already flagged simply because your injury is one not to be taken lightly.

Fantastic progress

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Lynn

An amazing story. Thank you for sharing it with us. I think that we need to explore what happens in each of the other backbends to know whether it is fear, physical limitation or a combination of both.

There could be a bit of toing and froing as questions are asked and answers come back and schedules are fit into and experiences are had.

The main backbends are as follows:
>> Half Moon Backbend
>> Standing Bow
>> Cobra, Locust, Full Locust, Floor Bow
>> Fixed Firm
>> Camel

Back flexibility (and other factors) affects poses such as
>> Awkward, eagle oh and many others including sit up and paschimottanasana poses.

So in the meantime can we start with the backbends? I want a sense of how you manage your poses and where your challenges are. Please break them down one by one and be as specific as you can.

I have no sense of your abilities or even your technique. I also have no idea if the limitation is ONLY in the lower spine. For instance, what happens in your neck and mid back in each of those poses? At what point do you feel fear in that pose? At what stage are you at in each pose (ie progress compared to ‘ideal’ pose)? At what point do you have to come out of the pose if that ever happens?

Possibly it’s best to deal with one pose at a time if there happens to be too much information. We’ll see!

Nice to hear that you always listen to your body. So yes, stop when you need to.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Kofilino

Welcome! And yes, you did come to the right place. Go and see my free video called Flatten Your Tummy And Strengthen Your Back. You will probably think I made it just for you! :cheese:

Actually, without even the slightest exaggeration, I hear from women who say that this is the way they finally got rid of their extra shape on their bellies.

Keep me posted with your progress.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Kate

You’re addicted. 😆 Good for you!

2 things: Many of the questions you ask are already answered in this section on the forum. You chose well by putting your question in the “Practicing at Home or Travelling?” section. So please hunt around.

A propos of your concerns of mold, I do believe that you could greatly benefit from a personal infra-red heater that would heat you and not the whole space. You could have one aimed at you, or even one on each side of you!

Whatever you do, ventilation is key to clearing the air after you practice.

Besides the forum you could find a lot more information assembled together in one spot (or in several spots! 😉 ) …

Here’s where you may be interested in some help (beyond the forum): Take a look at the top of this page. You’ll see 3 ads. Yes these are products you can buy. I am just making you aware of them. All 3 will have something that will appeals to you. You can also find them in the top “Products” menu right up the top of every Hot Yoga Doctor website page.

The Home Practice Kit has many elements that will help you: A pdf manual with information about heating the room, insulation, even hydration and clothing, how to place your mat and mirrors. There is a transcript of the audio class too and photos of the finished poses and lists of benefits. The kit has a 90 min audio class on CD and mp3 (and a few other shorter classes if you get the audiovisual pack).

Now that the Hot Yoga MasterClass manual is in Paperback the cost of owning it has come right down to less than the price of 2 public classes.

The issue with home practice is that you really need to be even more diligent about having a precise practice. This is a ‘real’ book and completely different to the kit mentioned in the above paragraph.

The Hot Yoga MasterClass manual has all the steps you need to make sure you know how to do the poses with best physiological principles taken into account, how to avoid the mistakes that cause risk, injury and damage. And there are descriptions and pictures of the mistakes that are made (common and uncommon).

More importantly there are descriptions and pictures to show you how to fix your mistakes.

I will leave it to you to check out the bonuses and the different packages. Of course come to the forum, as many answers are already here. Just no photos!

Can you wear a lot of clothing? Well, yes you can. But consider seeing if you can work with infrared heating. There are special exercising suits for those who want to sweat. I have never used them. Maybe someone in a similar position can chime in!

You asked if an audio class is sufficient. It is if it’s a good class. I use the same set of classes when I practice at home. Yes, some of them are mine! I can’t listen to a poor quality class more than once.

Hope that all helps

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Danielle

I for one would love to keep a track of your progress.

Is your challenge 30 straight days or 6 days per week (recommended)?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Thank you drnadira, your sentiments are greatly appreciated. I am happy I have been able to help!

Have fun in your discoveries.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Maria

Welcome! So, carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with numbness in the fingers and sometimes hand in certain places. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome then perhaps there is a connection. But I am sure it has nothing to do with your elbow.

Can you please tell me more about this sore elbow? When does it happen? Is it as a result of any particular movement or action? Say, for example, does it happen when you lock your arms out? There is quite a lot of that happening especially at the beginning of class.

If you look up tingling on this forum you’ll find lots of ideas about electrolyte lack. Is your issue bilateral?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Nina

Thanks for ‘dropping by’! 😉

The first thing I would really value you doing is to go and check out the video Great Posture From The Ground Up.

Can you come back and tell me if anything from there resonates for you? If not, that’s good to know too. It will be a great place to start.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello Daniel Tamayo

Thank you for your contribution to the forum. Your weight loss is absolutely astounding. You must feel fantastic as a result of your regained health! 🙂

Regarding your other comments:

I would like to point out that it would be unwise of anyone to be giving advice that is not couched in terms that puts the onus on the reader to do their own research and make their own decisions.

I am OK with the fact that it is your belief that absurd statements exist on this forum. It is based on your model of the world. You are entitled to your opinion. I would have a 24/7 much-more-than-full-time job if I made every answer a scientific treatise backed up with evidence that was actually cited! Hahaha. I would need to employ people.

The ionic structure comment I will have to agree is something that I find hard to believe. I had heard this from reliable sources and found it online! Ah, the legitimacy of information really does have to be checked and rechecked eh? 😉 Just because it’s online (or you’ve heard it) doesn’t make it true … or true in all cases. Take for example the commonly held belief that sweating detoxes the body… Do you believe that? I don’t. But the majority of people you will talk to (and especially hot yogis) believe that they are sweating out toxins (unless there’s been a shift in sweat-consciousness lately ;)).

However, back to salt: The comment re structure of NaCl does not alter the message (in the words surrounding that comment) which is something I will stand behind… [strong]”That table salt that people use in processed food and on tables in hundreds of millions of households across the world is ‘poison’. It is sea salt with ALL the goodness taken out of it”.[/strong]

B). Adding salt to your drinking water. YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL. This can be exceptionally dangerous to your body, immune system, and your electrolyte balance…which directly affects the first three. Did you notice that no one gave an exact amount? IF YOU ADD TOO MICH SALT TO THAT WATER, it brings the specific gravity of the water to a point where your body will not absorb it. The water then goes straight through your system. google the term “salt water flush”….

Daniel, I have done my research on hypernatremia. There is an almost negligible problem with taking too much salt. However hyponatremia (insufficient sodium) is a potentially LETHAL – and fairly commonly so – situation. That is not the case for hypernatremia. Check ‘hypernatremia’ on this forum for that verification. I will not qualify that comment right here because the parameters are not clear. So, sorry, not citations! 😆 That comment re risk of too much salt, could be contentious for some to believe especially if it is not clear what type of salt is used in the studies that are referenced. Again, I extend an ‘invitation’ to do your research. Read on however for more …

The point you make about adding too much salt to water is honestly NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Why? Because, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you are referring to highly saturated or supersaturated solutions of salt. Some people take a very small amount of that solution as therapy, or a daily dose of electrolytes.

Nobody would be able to stomach large amount of high concentrations or supersaturated salt in say, their drinking water and water they sip on during class.
[strong]
Salt water flushes really could not, in any sense of the word, be confused with the recommendation that one COULD think about putting a pinch of salt in their drinking water or sprinkling a little sea salt on their food.[/strong]

You will notice that I mention in my posts to add a few grains or a pinch of salt! 😉

May I ask you if, in your post, you are suggesting that one is OK if they use NaCl as table salt? I would be interested to know.

C) Your body is changing…you have stated you see toning of the muscles, you have increased flexibility…and you are eating healthier. Why do you need to get to a specific numbered weight?

Agreed! There is way too much reliance on the numbers on the scales. I always encourage people to monitor how they feel. Sometimes working through all the issues helps too. Then they make up their own minds. I also don’t advocate counting calories. But guess what? There are people for whom that works. It is my experience that a yoga practice can change their whole relationship to food (consciously and unconsciously) and so the calories SHOULD eventually not figure into the equation. But as I say, some people … What was it like for you and your relationship with food?

Finally I would like to make a request of you: And that is that you contribute to this forum with politesse. Please respect the time that everyone gives freely to come here and comment. You seem annoyed and a tad aggressive, perhaps one could say, ‘on the attack’ (that’s how it landed for this reader). Keep it nice, get curious, ask questions, feel free to clarify things. Behave respectfully. If you don’t agree with somebody then let them know. Please be courteous! See you soon!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂