In this Bonus episode, Dr K. explains the Chakra system and how one can recognize imbalances and how to heal each area of the chakra system. Simply put, it’s an area of the body that is dense with energy. Chakras are part of an ancient system that dates back to 1,500 – 500 B.C., written about in the Vedic texts of India, and passed down through oral tradition prior to that.

There are 7 main chakras, from the top of the head to the root of the spine, nestled right through our center. “Chakra” is the Sanskrit word for “wheel,” and refers to vortexes of energy that reside in and correspond to areas that have vital organs, such as the heart, brain, and reproductive organs. These vortexes are not static the way bones are, but continuously rotate as energy moves through us in upward and downward currents. The higher Chakras are associated with spiritual development and enlightenment where the lower chakras are associated with physical earth elements.

It is said that when your chakras are healthy and vital, they are “open,” and one can progress to a higher spiritual development but when energy stagnates, one or more chakras can become blocked, or closed, leading to various physical, and emotional symptoms. visit designandwellness.com for private yoga and meditation sessions to heal or balance your Chakras!

At the heart of Yoga is the balance of energies that flow through the body. When the body is in balance, a state of health is achieved. Knowing a little about Ayurveda and the chakra system can help you gain a deeper understanding of your body and even more so how to lower your stress and move out of dis-ease into ease as a multi-role woman.

In this episode Dr. K explains Ayurveda and Dosha's. Ayurveda means "science of life" and is a five thousand year old-ancient system of medicine in the world originating in India and has increased in popularity in the U.S over recent years. It is known as a sister practice to yoga which incorporates holistic lifestyle modifications, breath work, nutrition, yoga & meditation taking into account the mind, body and spirit working together. The aim is to address the person as a whole and eliminate the root cause of a persons illness, rather treating symptoms. In fact, Ayurveda, the wisdom of life, is in alignment with specific body types called Doshas. Ayurveda seeks to balance the body to instigate a state of health and well-being. Doshas are the three energies that we are made (vata, pitta and kapha). The doshas are biological energies found throughout the human body and mind. When these three doshas are in balance, the person is in a state of health. Disease occurs when the doashas shift out of balance.

Everyone has all three doshas in their constitution however one dosha will tend to be predominate and require balancing. Understanding the doshas qualities and evaluating your own doshic makeup can help you create an even more personalized restorative yoga practice..Doshas govern all physical and mental processes and provide every living being with an individual blueprint for health and fulfillment.The doshas derive from the Five Elements and their related properties. Vata is composed of Space and Air, Pitta of Fire and Water, and Kapha of Earth and Water.5 Elements: • Ether (Space) • Water • Wind (Air) • Fire • Earth

To learn more and apply Ayurveda practices safely we encourage you to schedule an private health and wellness coaching session so that we can best cater your personal needs, energy type and body type. visit https://www.designandwellness.com/

The burden of 'strength' is carried by many women as multi role women or as women with superwoman mentalities. Countless women are burdened now more than ever from the stress of being a multi-role woman and it is affecting our mental, physical emotional and spiritual health and that of our younger generation of young girls and teenage girls.

In this episode, Dr. K talks about the importance of knowing one's own mind, tapping into ones intuition through mindfulness and tuning into ones unique frequency to shift away and offset that of a superwoman mentality and to subsequently protect and prevent one from illness and disease secondary to a "strong woman" or that of the "superwoman" mentality.

Today's women and young girls have this need to be perfectionist more now than ever and it has become an epidemic. Perfectionism involves striving for flawlessness and requiring perfection of oneself and others. There is a disconnect between one's true nature and that of societal expectations assumed by having a "superwoman" mentality. We now know that this mentality subjects us to a host of chronic stress and subsequently chronic disease and illness. The DNA at the cell and biological levels are being affected by chronic stress handed down from generation to generation. Uncovering the roots of the need for perfectionism is discussed with recommendations for women with "superwomen" mentalities to go within and peel back the layers of emotional trauma, abuse, trust issues, societal expectations etc...and find a deep sense of restoration, reset, rejuvenation and healing through practices of restorative yoga.

Countless studies have proven the physical and emotional benefits of this type of yoga. Like other forms of yoga, it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is known to balance the body and lower one’s heart rate and blood pressure. It also helps stimulate the immune system and keep the endocrine system operating healthily.

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed overworks the PNS, and it can become depleted or under-active, potentially leading to illness. Restorative yoga, and other forms of guided relaxation and meditation help stimulate the PNS and restore the body’s balance. Researchers have found that restorative yoga can relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. In cancer patients, it can also relieve pain and reduce toxicity from traditional medical treatments.

In this episode context, Restorative Yoga can help us uncover and pull back layers of emotional wounds that lend the need for perfectionism.

Do you find it difficult to be assertive and say “no” to people’s requests? Since there just aren’t enough hours in the day to appease everyone, the art of saying “no” without hurting the feelings of others is an important skill to acquire.

One of the best ways of taking care of yourself is to be assertive and say no when you really don’t want to do something. In this episode Dr. K continues the discussion about the Superwoman Syndrome or Superwoman Mentality and its consequences of mental and physical illness. She explains that saying “no” in a pleasant tone of voice will allow you to set boundaries for what you are and are not willing to do. This should not only help you build up your self-confidence, but will also alert others that taking care of yourself is important to you and you respect yourself enough to assert your right to say “no” when the situation calls for it.

In this episode, Dr. K continues the conversation about having a "Superwoman" mentality and the consequences of compromised mental well-being specifically that of the ongoing mental stigma surrounding depression, anxiety and mental illness in general. It is well documented that the superwoman mentality can greatly and negatively affects one's mental, physical and emotional well-being leading one subjected to mental illness. Many even assume the "superwomen" mentality is led by a survival tactic secondary to emotional abuse, trauma, disappointments, betrayal & neglect. Many women have shielded themselves from disappointments and emotional pain and overemphasis of independence and not trusting for support. The trust factors leaves many women to unintentionally guard themselves from receiving practically and emotionally and being vulnerable and open to help. As women we are natural nurturers, but we all have our breaking points. Even as strong women we get weak and what happens when we do? Many have even been taught protection strategies of being strong and independent handed down by many generations and we often defy the help of others who desire to support us. This aim of failing to ask for help or trying to do everything on our own essentially can lead to anxiety and depression when we take on so much and try to do life on our own. But when we do get weak we don't have to do it alone..we need to seek professional help, and not be afraid to do so..we need early intervention well before signs and symptoms of stress, burnout, and even low grade depression begin to appear. The longer we try to endure the harder it will be in the long run and even more costly.

Are you juggling between your career and home, managing doctors’ appointments for your family, looking after your kids and helping them with school work, keeping up with fitness classes, fulfilling miscellaneous social engagement and so on..including being a wife?… Are you feeling the pressure to accomplish all these tasks and yet feeling you are not doing enough?

In my very 1st episode of the “Happy & Healthy Podcast with Dr. K”, I discuss the Superwoman syndrome and its' negative impact that it is having on our mind, body and spirit. The Superwoman Syndrome occurs when we as woman neglect ourselves and strive to achieve perfection in every role we are fulfilling and we measure success or failure in terms of tangible outputs and/or societal expectations. Consequently, we will pay a great price with our mental and physical well-being if we don’t prioritize self-care practices.

In this episode, I call for women listeners to elevate their own consciousness and begin to operate from their core highest self to offset stress, anxiety, depression and physical consequences of having a superwomen mentality (I’m guilty!); starting with a simple practice of mediation. Through a simple guided meditation, I use and explain meditation as an effective tool to elevate ones' higher consciousness and to halt unnecessary pressures and anxieties we place on ourselves as women and of our desires to be perfect in our all-consuming world of expectations and social norms.

No matter the cost to be successful and in control, as women with a superwomen mentality, we are threatening our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health unknowingly as a result. But when the mind enters into meditation, our mental state and physical state experiences a new sense of peace, calm and letting go of the need to be perfect because in our highest self we already are!

After beginning a meditation practice, even if troubling thoughts or stress arise, much of their usual power is lacking and no longer do we allow it to control our mind. In meditation, the meditator is able to observe these thoughts objectively, without becoming lost in them and identifying with them. As a result, we have the ability to lesson unwelcomed mental chatter and subsequent physical reactions. Hence, furthermore we can lessen the mental and emotional consequences of having this superwoman mentality with a consistent practice of meditation.

Much love, Dr. K

Desire to learn more about meditation? Sign up for my meditation class at https://design-and-wellness-online-school.teachable.com/p/21-day-inner-peace-meditations-for-beginners