Age Less / Live More

Premature Sarah Digregorio----------------- Once a month I have to tell a pregnant yoga student that she cannot practice in our studio, cannot hang upside down in the Yoga Trapeze, or practice long-hold, passive stretches in our Gravity Yoga classes. Why? We teach strong, athletic classes with inversions and deep stretches. It’s not safe. I’ve been accused of trying to tell women what to do with their bodies (and worse!), but the truth is, I just want to keep students safe, including the unborn ones. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a journalist whose premature birth served as the impetus for the research and writing of an entire book on the history of premature birth that includes oven-incubated babies and circus sideshow preemies. Listen & Learn: How incubators for preemies were first introduced in 1880 How stress, age, pollution, and other unknown factors are potential contributors Why 50% of the time, the cause of premature birth is unknown How to think about this problem holistically Links & Resources: Sarah’s website EARLY Book   ABOUT OUR GUESTSarah is a freelance journalist who has written for various publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Village Voice, Food & Wine, BuzzFeed, Parade, and Saveur. Her work has been included in the Best American Food Writing yearly anthologies three times. Her new book is called, EARLY: A History of Premature Birth and What is Tells us About Being Human.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: What is your dosha Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The New Science of Self Actualization with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman ---------------------------When I feel frustrated with my place in the world, it’s often because I feel I’m not living up to my full potential. I have more to offer, more to give - and yet I’m not making it happen. Maslow defined this desire to become our best self as the need to self-actualize. But how do we do this?  Achievement triggers the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Our brain lights up with happy chemicals as we become our best selves, and the opposite is true when we play small.  On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a psychologist whose work focuses on creativity, talent, self-achievement, and actualization.    Listen & Learn How people with obvious challenges and even disadvantages can often out-perform their gifted colleagues  Why standardized tests often fail to predict actual potential How to look past intelligence and talent and focus on you vs. you Why you have to transcend yourself to self actualize   Links & Resources Scott’s Website   ABOUT OUR GUEST Scott Barry Kaufman is a humanistic psychologist, author, podcaster, and popular science writer.   His work focuses on intelligence, creativity, and human potential.  He’s the author of a number of books, including his most-recent: Transcend: The New Science of Self Actualization.    Nutritional Tip of the Week: Recipes During Quarantine Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTune

You’re stuck at home, your economic future is uncertain, and it’s difficult to plan more than one day at a time. To make things even more challenging, the people and activities that bring you the most joy might be unavailable. What do you do? How do you manage your emotional health during times of such unrest?  On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a psychologist whose entire career has been focused on the management and treatment of anxiety.  Listen & Learn:  How to differentiate between danger and discomfort The power of acceptance  Navigating fear, loss, and change  Understanding the emotions around your fears Links & Resources:  Dr. Carbonell’s site  ABOUT OUR GUEST Doctor Carbonell is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders as a therapist, author, and teacher. He founded the Anxiety Treatment Center in Chicago in 1990, one of the first psychological practices in the United States devoted exclusively to the treatment of clients who sought help with anxiety disorders, and continues to offer treatment today. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Supplements for COVID-19 Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

I once had a yoga student with a prosthetic leg. I didn’t realize until I attempted to push her heel to the floor in Downward Dog. I assumed that she wanted to simply blend into class and that’s why she hadn’t told me (or anyone at reception) before joining class. I was right. She just wanted to practice, and she did great. I’ve since had students with birth defects, different length legs, missing limbs, traumatic brain injuries, and scoliosis among other things. Historically, yoga studios are not known for their diversity - but that’s changing fast. Bigger bodied, older, and more diverse students are gaining interest in yoga each year. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a teacher who focuses specifically on addressing the needs of a more diverse (in every way) yoga community.  Listen & Learn:  Why practice (not posing) is the key How to navigate the challenges of a mixed level, mixed ability class Yoga teacher vs. therapist - what’s the difference?  The future of yoga for all body types  Links & Resources Accessible Yoga Book Accessible Yoga Training  ABOUT OUR GUESTJivana Heyman is the founder and director of Accessible Yoga. He’s the co-owner of the Santa Barbara Yoga Center. His passion is making Yoga accessible to everyone. He has led over 40 Yoga teacher training programs and created the Accessible Yoga Training program in 2007. Jivana taught Accessible Yoga at the United Nations in Geneva for their International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2015.   Nutritional Tip of the Week: Garlic for Coronavirus Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

A close friend lost her husband tragically and suddenly, but she was back in the office just two weeks later. She shed a few tears that first month, but mostly, it was Beth as usual. She didn’t fall behind on any projects or ask for help. “Beth is so strong. I think she can handle just about anything,” they said. Except they were wrong, and so was I. Beth was mourning privately for months, and then deeply depressed for years following the accident. She’d kept it hidden. Hidden depression is not just common, it’s applauded; and I’m as guilty of this as anyone. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a clinical psychologist whose recent work focuses on this growing mental health problem hidden from plain sight. Listen & Learn How the “smile or die” positive attitude leads many of use to push down and cover up deep pain and emotions  The difference between classic, clinical depression and the hidden type  The personal and societal fallout that come from wearing an emotional mask for years or even a lifetime How the opposite of depression is engagement or connection - no happiness  Links & Resources Perfectly Hidden Depression Book Site Dr. Rutherford’s Site Smile or Die ABOUT OUR GUEST Margaret is a clinical psychologist with over 27 years experience. She’s also a writer and podcaster (SelfWork). She has a new book called, Perfectly Hidden Depression: How to Break Free from the Perfectionism that Masks Your Depression. She has written for HuffPost, The Mighty, Psych Central, The Gottman Blog, Psychologies, StigmaFighters, The Good Men Project, and This Is My Brave.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Moringa Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

Do you have a talky coworker who never gives you space to share your ideas? Do you have a neighbor who does home repairs at 2 am? Or a spouse that never follows through with their shared housework? Welcome to everyday conflict. We argue easily about the things we care most about, and the small things seem too petty to be bothered with. Instead, we let them brew and fester until finally, we explode. Healthy conflict is the sign of a healthy relationship, but how can you foster positive conflict at home and at work? What does that even look like?  Listen & Learn:  Whether to avoid conflict or race to conflict (which is better?) How to identify your values and aligned with them  Exploring shadow values and inner conflict  Strategies for communication and positive outcomes  Links & Resources: Dr Goldman-Wetzler’s Book Alignment Strategies Group About Our Guest:  Jennifer is a leading expert on conflict and organizational psychology, is founder and CEO of Alignment Strategies Group, and author of, Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself from Conflict at Work, at Home, and in Life.     Nutritional Tip of the Week: Monk Fruit Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

My piano lessons were a dark, 45-minute drive from home. Mom and I left home at 6:30 am on Tuesday mornings to get there before school. “Luke is really good at this,” Ms. McGill said after my third lesson. I was eight, and that simple comment, deliberately made within earshot, gave me confidence with music that I carry even to this day (despite my obvious lack of skill as an adult). I never said thank you to Ms. McGill. I should have.  My sophomore year in high school, Mrs. Johnston tortured every paper I gave her with red ink. It was a bloodbath, and I suffered. But at the end of the semester, she gave me an A. It was one of the more meaningful grades I ever received, and her red ink comments continue to help me write better to this day. Mrs. Johnston smoked and was 50-years older than me, I’m sure she’s passed away by now. I should have said thank you.  On this week’s podcast, we’ll discuss the simple and powerful practice of writing thank you letters: to people, to family members, to cities, to the diseased, and even to people with whom you’ll never see again.  Listen & Learn:  How to leverage positive recall biased  Why gratitude rooted in real-life experiences anchors positivity  How to write letters and then decide later if you send or don’t send them LInks & Resources: Nancy’s Site The Thank You Project About Our Guest:  Nancy Davis Kho is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, US Magazine, The Rumpus, and The Toast. Her new book is, The Thank You Project: Cultivating Happiness One Letter of Gratitude at a Time.Nutritional Tip of the Week: Should I Eat Dairy Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

“I’m not sure if you feel things the way I do,” she said. “I feel everything.” I was twenty-one, she was twenty-three. The window looked out at a brick wall in my Lower East Side apartment. “I have emotional needs, and you’re buried in your books and your work. You can see me.” That was how it started on a Sunday afternoon. By Friday, I was helping her load CDs and tattered books into the trunk of a taxi. My first big breakup. Need to know more? Probably not. You’ve probably lived some version of this yourself, maybe more than once.  The quality of our lives are very much defined by the quality of our relationships, and that person next to you in bed is the most important relationship of all. So how are you doing with that? Do you have a plan? Are you growing or just getting by? Like most of us, it’s probably a work in progress. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet relationship expert Maya Diamond shares her experiences from her field work.    Listen and learn:  How to determine and establish values and standards - and hold yourself to them Why emotional responsiveness is crucial to a lasting partnership Why men and women often express desires differently, but ultimately seek the same thing  How to navigate online connections, text messages, and modern technologies in your love life  Links & Resources:  Maya’s website About Our Guest:  Maya is a Dating and Relationship Coach. She is also a YogaTeacher and Massage Therapist. She has a great TEDx talk you can find online, she holds a Master's in Somatic Psychology.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Maca Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

I always wanted to be a writer. Kerouac, Hemmingway, and Carver were my heros. Later it was playwrights Kushner, Ibsen, and Chekov. I’d drag home backpacks full of books from the public library, and I finagled my way into just about every theater I could find in New York City from Broadway to deep Brooklyn fringe venues. If you met me at age 20, you’d never predict I’d be teaching backbends and low glycemic diets at age 40 - but here we are. Life is full of surprises. Sometimes the rug gets pulled out from under you; and sometimes, for no obvious reason, you simply shift gears and start driving another direction. In 2002, I discovered yoga and alternative health. I was a much better writer (even back then) than I was a yoga student, but it didn’t matter. Passion is in short supply, so when you’ve got it, people want to be around you. By 2003, I was teaching and traveling; and by 2006, I founded the largest training school in South East Asia. What a change. Learning and teaching are among the most rewarding things in my life, and on this week’s podcast, I’ll share with you the “best of” list from what I’ve observed after training more than 4,000 yoga teachers in the past 13 years. Hopefully my journey has some lessons of value for you, whatever your profession.  Listen & Learn:  Why age, background, and athletic ability are NOT predictors of future teaching success How passion acts like magnet for opportunity  The importance of a life and career plan Why you social circle matters just as much as your goals   How speaking and teaching are meta skills  Links & Resources: Yoga Teachers College (my school) Yoga Business Mastery Podcast About Lucas Rockwood: Lucas Rockwood is an internationally-renowned yoga trainer, TEDx Speaker, podcaster, writer, and entrepreneur. His early yoga and meditation teachers include Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (deceased), Paul Dallaghan, Alex Medin, Gabriel Cousens MD, and SN Goenka (deceased). Lucas left the USA in 2003 when he began traveling and teaching extensively before making Barcelona, Spain, his home base. In a previous life, he worked in theater, publishing, and as a vegan chef and nutritional coach. He’s the father of three international kids and remains as passionate about yoga as when he first began practicing in 2002. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Fish Oil Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The three largest mental health facilities in the USA are Rickers, Cooks Country and LA Twin Towers Jails. The mentally ill have literally been relegated to prisons since there are so few public resources for those in need. This is devastating to the mentally ill, of course, but also to their families, neighbors and communities who are forever impacted.  Listen & Learn:  How prisons have replaced mental health facilities in the U.S.  Why the mentally ill are treated like criminals  The real cost of addiction  Why public policy needs to be more compassionate  Links & Resources:  Bedlam Book The Film Dr. Rosenberg’s Site ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Rosenberg is a psychiatrist with a specialty is addiction medicine at Upper East Health. He’s the author of Infidelity and his newest book, Bedlam: An Intimate Journey into America’s Health Crisis. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Weight Loss Pills Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes