Brings relief to feet, legs and spine. Relaxes the nervous system and cultivates sleep. Legs Up the Wall (Sanskrit: Viparita Karani)
Stretches the hips, ankles and shoulders while opening chest and lengthening spine. Cow Face Pose (Sanskrit: Gomukhasana)
I jumped down the rabbit hole of essential oils (EOs) and aromatherapy ~18 years ago and never looked back. Smell is one of the strongest connections we have to memory. My first experience with essential oil occurred during a massage when the therapist used Lilac. I immediately thought of my
Oh, man! What's happening? I just can't figure out what's going on. I'm tired. Exhausted actually. I don't feel well. I just want my energy back! We've all been there. Sometimes more often that we'd like. Sounds like it's time for a reboot. How do we reboot the human body?
Stretches the front of the body, ankles, thighs, abdomen, chest, throat and hip flexors. Strengthens back muscles and improves posture. Bow Pose (Sanskrit: Dhanurasana)
In June, my husband and I completed this silly race called Storm the Beach – totally out of my norm, it was only 5 miles :) and included things like climbing, crawling, wading through the ocean, balancing, rope swinging, and running through soft sand. It was nuts, but so fun, and
Strengthens and stretches legs, knees and ankles. Stretches groins, spine, chest, lungs and shoulders. Stimulates abdominal organs and aids in digestion. Improves balance and increases stamina. Revolved Twist/Side Angle Pose (Sanskrit: Parivrtta Parsvakonasana) From High Lunge pose with left foot forward, place hands at heart center. Make sure the front
I’m a cyclist. As a young girl I spent many weekend hours on my 10 speed mauve colored huffy, pedaling the town alongside my older sister. Today that passion for cycling still remains and is stronger than ever. For me, riding year round is the norm and training is a
Strengthen your legs and core with April's Yoga Pose of the month: Revolved Chair (Sanskrit: Parivrtta Utkatasana)
Sitting tall on the floor, I close my eyes. I begin to hear sounds in the distance. What is it? It seems close and yet there was a distant echo. The echo drifts into quiet silence. The clock ticks and I think of the faded noise. Could it have been
Today, I'd like to introduce a new author! Welcome Amy Rockwell to the SAS Life Blog team! Amy shares her passion for the great outdoors with SAS Employees through the RFC's Outdoor Adventure programs. In addition to finding Amy on the trails and teaching and working out at the RFC, she enjoys spending time with
As the torrential downpour of rain and gusty winds hit The Triangle and much of the south last week, I was keenly aware of behavior…my dog’s behavior. With the wetness of their paws, they would enter the house and immediately sit on a towel so we could dry them. Opportunity to
Living in a society where the pressure to succeed is on as early as preschool and time moves so fast it sometimes feels hard to breathe, I’ve found meditation to be cheap therapy for my generally order-driven, perfectionist self. It’s during this time, I quiet the chatter, nurture my spirituality,
The New Year is one of my favorite times at the gym. Fresh, ambitious faces show up in their bright new workout clothes and fancy new shoes. There are gadgets – arm bands, Garmin watches, weight gloves, and the latest water bottles. Classes are full. The pool has a slight
The holiday countdown has begun. With less than 1 month until Thanksgiving and less than 2 months until Christmas, we are already beginning to plan out our holiday travel and family commitments. Often lost in the maze of planes, trains and automobiles (and feasts, gifts and holiday cheer), is physical
Pink and blue. These colors are often synonymous with gender. In fact, when I was pregnant 16 years ago, we had no idea of our baby’s sex. At the shower, we received lots of blue, green and yellow clothing, but no pink. It’s interesting how blue can represent both male
Close your eyes…inhale deeply...now exhale fully. Absorb the smells, sounds, and sensations all around you. Connect with the ground under you; sense the sky above you. Now open your eyes and enjoy the fullness of the great outdoors! Oh wait! It is likely that you are inside while you are
“Everything in our body is linked”, according to former Surgeon General David Satcher and the past 5 to 10 years have seen ballooning interest in possible links between mouth health and body health. As much as I would simply love to compartmentalize my oral health from my physical fitness, current
Summertime has arrived! Here are some fun, serious and what some might think are absurd questions about water safety. Take the quiz and test your knowledge.
It was 3:00 am one week day morning this April. The whole house had long been asleep when we were startled by the sound of a fire alarm. My husband and I jumped out of bed disoriented…. is there a fire? We didn’t smell any smoke... Our youngest daughter was
A couple weeks ago, I completed my third half ironman (a triathlon consisting of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run), and WOW; it was a hard event! I had an awesome race back in October and had high expectations for this race – even
It’s mid-afternoon. You just ate lunch. You were up early with the kids and had 4 back to back meetings today and now you need to mark off a few more items on your “To Do” list before the end of the day, but when you sit down, you’re suddenly
Unplugging for a week: Crazy or possible?! How many of you have had that day, weekend or week when you ask yourself “what else can the kids do?” Not only for their sanity but for yours too! We all want the same things for our kids: to stay as active as
I know I’m not the only who feels it’s been an endless North Carolina winter! What could be more wonderful than the emerging spring with its warmer temperatures, bright sun, Carolina blue skies and longer days to spend time enjoying every minute of it! One of my favorite activities in
As a personal trainer, one of the top comments I hear from clients is that they want to “tone up.” Some even go as far to tell me which area of their body needs said toning. What they’re really saying is that they want more muscle and for that
Another Valentine's Day has passed. I often wonder where the time goes. It seems like yesterday my daughter was buying those little cards and sharing cut out hearts with her peers. Now, she's 15 and this year she had fun in a different way and I was happy to be
It’s February, so love is in the air (or at least hearts, chocolate, and roses are lining the isles at the grocery store) in the weeks before Valentine’s Day. For the singles in the house, don’t stop here! The stats are in, and according to the http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/ , people who have
Did you know??? The largest gingerbread man in the world is a dieter’s nightmare, weighing in at a whopping 466 pounds, six ounces. The Gingerbread House, in Rochester, Minnesota, baked the giant cookie on February 21, 2006. An average of 5,800 people end up in the ER after suffering injuries
Meet Pam Cole, Senior Manager of the Recreation and Fitness Center and this week's contributor to the Inspirations blog. Pam has been at SAS Institute for over 20 years and has worked in fitness for over 25 years. An avid Tarheel fan, Pam graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a double major in
Like many strong relationships, Yoga and I did not hit it off right away. I was in college enjoying strenuous exercise. I’d run, take step, and get in some abs all in one day. I was cardio crazy. There was nothing better than heading out on the trails for a
