Happy Work-it-out-Wednesday!I was so intrigued by my fellow Morselite’s Blog Post, on her site, EMBRACE ACTIVISM, I asked if I could use it for THE MORSELIST. Karen graciously said, “YES!” How many of you know someone with an over active or under active Thyroid? It is something many of us take for granted. January is THYROID AWARENESS MONTH and I know a number of very close loved ones affected, so this is in their honor. While this photo to the right has NOTHING to do with THYROIDS, I took it while in Tahiti and just LOVE what the Artisan Chef created. Please read and share and have a MORSELICIOUS day! Be sure to check out our EVENTS Page for any upcoming events near you. January Thyroid Awareness Month |
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January is Thyroid Awareness Month. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland, is located in the neck and produces hormones that control metabolism. Your metabolism reflects how your body extracts and uses the energy from the foods you eat. When you have an overactive thyroid gland you’re considered hyperthyroid; when your thyroid gland is underactive you’re considered hypothyroid. When the thyroid isn’t working properly there can be problems that affect all aspects of health. Some of the most common signs of a thyroid condition are:
Concerned you may be at risk for thyroid disorders? Read here. If you suspect you may have a thyroid condition, the first lab test typically done will be a blood sample to test TSH. TSH stands for thyroid stimulating hormone and basically measures your pituitary gland’s attempt to regulate adequate amounts of thyroid hormones. Unfortunately there are situations where the TSH reading may not accurately portrait the functionality of the thyroid. A complete thyroid panel measures TSH, T3, T4, free T3, free T4 and supplies much more information to formulate an appropriate treatment plan. As mentioned above, thyroid conditions can affect all aspects of health. This article may be helpful in terms of what to keep in mind as a (sometimes elusive) proper treatment plan is being developed. Once your condition is properly treated, be sure not to undermine the effectiveness of your hormone replacement with drug or food interactions. The following guide will help you avoid potentially serious complications and reap the most from your thyroid replacement medication. To commemorate Thyroid Awareness Month artist Allyson Averell created a (self) body painting. She notes the inclusion of the word Believe: “I chose the word believe for a few reasons. Believe in advocacy. Believe in a cure. Believe in helping others. Believe in asking questions. Believe in living healthy. Believe in living happy. Believe in turning something bad into something beautiful. And most importantly, believe you WILL get better.” There’s no better way to end this… Believe in Health, Wellness & CURES!! |
Embrace Activism-Karen Whittier
Today, this Morselist spoke with Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT),
Chief Activist for Embrace Activism
and creator of purpose-driven yoga products, Karen Whittier.
Q. How did you start Embrace Activism?
“I was out on a long training walk for the 2009 Seattle 3 Day when the phrase Embrace Activism came into my consciousness. I liked the feeling of empowerment it gave me and that it was a call to action. At that point, I’d already done many breast cancer events to raise awareness and funds. Early detection is vitally important, but I wanted to do something that could help prevent breast cancer from starting in the first place.
One of the best ways to reduce the risk for all kinds of disease is by including exercise into your lifestyle. Through my own experience with yoga as a teacher and student, I knew it would be an ideal way for people to take more control of their own health and wellness. I might have walked only a few blocks further when the idea of creating yoga products in awareness color lines materialized. Embrace Activism would provide yoga products in awareness color lines as a way for yoga students to improve not only their health but contribute towards better health for others.”
Q. Was this something you were trained in doing or is this a newer passion?
“I was originally educated and trained in engineering. But it’s funny how past experiences combine to form just the exact skills set needed for where you are right now. Right now I’m a registered yoga teacher and business owner of Embrace Activism. The style of yoga I teach has aspects of Iyengar, Ashtanga and Viniyoga which corresponds perfectly to different periods of my life.
The engineering curriculum gave me an understanding of how loads are transmitted throughout a structure and using the appropriate materials to support a structure’s purpose. This could also describe key factors in the Iyengar school of yoga. Alignment is paramount in this style of yoga; taking advantage of the inherent strength of bones (the right material choice for this structure, the body) rather than overloading soft tissue (ligaments, tendons, muscles) which can lead to injuries, or worse catastrophic failure…a blown ACL for example.
Q. I must admit, when I think of activities for kids,
yoga is NOT the first one that comes to mind.
How did you get begin working with children?
“I have a love of learning and wanted to share that with others. I went back to school for early childhood education and co-founded/taught at a preschool located on a farm. Interestingly, I learned the most about myself and others from my experience with young children. The preschool years are filled with kidlets learning about themselves; yoga is often described as a journey of self-discovery. Preschoolers are learning about the give-and-take of living in a social community; yoga fosters acceptance and understanding.
There are developmental milestones all children go through, but each child’s progression through various stages is unique. Accepting the uniqueness of each of us comes into play with Viniyoga. A Viniyoga practice will, through adaptation of the tools of yoga, will be individualized and tailored for a specific student’s needs.
I’ve combined aspects of Iyengar, Ashtanga and Viniyoga to formed my own style of teaching yoga. I describe it as Equilibria yoga.”Q. Please expand on Equilibria:
Karen is an inspiration and you can learn more about
her and her work by visiting www.EmbraceActivism.com
I took this wonderful quote from Karen’s site: ENJOY!!
“Do more than belong: Participate. Do more than care: Help. Do more than believe: Practice. Do more than be fair: Be Kind. Do more than forgive: Forget. Do more than dream: Work.”
-William Arthur Ward
