Yodelling? Really? Yes, really, no yoke...ok, I'll stop now. I was stumbling my way through a seated yoga instruction, compliments of *https://allysonneilson.com/ and instead of being completely present in that moment, sorry Allyson, I was ruminating on what I would write for my newest Blog. For some inexplicable reason, I have an inclination to use alliteration in my writing, as you may have noticed, and while I was in the midst of a "Seated Half Pigeon" pose, sorry hips, three words came into my head, Yoga, Yogurt and ...hmmmm, I know, Yodelling. I wanted something that started with a Y that also embodied something healthy and funnily enough, Yodelling ticks the boxes.
Yodelling or Jodelling, is of German origin, is a longtime rural Alpine tradition and a rather unusual and interesting form of singing. Here you can learn the history of yodelling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yodeling. There is so much more to it than "uttering the syllable jo" (pronounced yo), except when I say it, it just sounds ridiculous, yo! (See what I mean)
There is a healthy component to Yodelling that I thought would be something unique and unusual for you to consider if you are looking for a new and healthy practice to learn. We know that singing and music in any form has incredible benefits for our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing and there is growing research and evidence to back that up. Yodelling is a particular form of singing that is a workout for your lungs and your diaphragm. It packs a pastorale punch as you traverse low pitched chest sounds and work your way right up to a falsetto (head voice). Yodeling can be a perfect way to increase your vocal range and control, strengthen your facial and mouth muscles, perfect your vowel sounds and your timing. It can be a partnered endeavour as one of you sings high and the other low or it could be a solo adventure, in case you are just starting out and it sounds more like frightened yaks than yodelling Frauleins and Herrs.
It can be an excellent way to let off some steam, escape into the meadows and pretend you're Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music or connect and enjoy the camaraderie of a yodelling community. If you have a penchant to learn something new that conjures alpine landscapes blooming with edelweiss and balmy, brilliant fresh air while sporting your best lederhosen, perhaps Yodelling would be the perfect fit for yo. There, I said it.
Now that we've delved into Yodelling let's dive into some Yogurt. Yogurt is a food that you either love it or you don't. It is one of those foods that is an acquired taste, at least it was for me, and it's also somewhat of a controversial topic in the world of health food. Is yogurt really that good for you? Is only Greek Yogurt the kind you should be eating? Yogurt is a dairy product so if you are Vegan it's out, if you are lactose intolerant it's out, except for the few lactase free varieties. Having said that, even though it is a dairy product, it is fermented which can lessen the negative lactose effects up to as much as 20-30% so, in some case, lactose sensitive people can enjoy yogurt without suffering unpleasant side effects. Yogurt goes back a long way, and while the origins are unknown we do know it is as far back as 5000 BC. Here is a link to get all the goods on the history of yogurt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt. I'm positive you don't want me bumbling through 5000 years of the lowdown on yogurt .
As for the health benefits of yogurt, here's the skinny...whether you eat cow, goat, yak, bison or ewe yogurt the beneficial properties are well researched and the evidenced based outcomes are incredibly positive. Yogurt is high in protein, calcium and vitamins and because yogurt is made by mixing fermented milk with live culture and sometimes probiotics it can also be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Science is showing us that much of our holistic health is directly affected by the health of our gut, so it is something to consider should you be looking at trying Yogurt if you haven’t before. Yogurt helps in bone and teeth health, digestion, immunity, weight loss and some research indicates brain health as well. Vegans would argue that no amount of milk from any animal should be consumed by humans and I’m not here to argue that point so I will hang out in neutral territory here. The good thing is there are plant-based alternative yogurts that would fit into a program for vegans, non-dairy or lactose intolerant folk or anyone with allergies or sensitivities. Thank goodness we have great options these days.
The down side of some yogurts is that they are made with added sugars, artificial sweeteners and fruit jams that frankly, just don’t need to be there. The best alternative to buying those pre-sweetened and flavoured varieties is to eat a good plain yogurt, Greek or otherwise, and add your own flavours. Berries, maple syrup, stevia, chia seeds, oats, healthy granola, flax-seed, dates, figs, honey, cut up fresh fruit. These are perfect additions that you can control and are in charge of the amounts used. They taste great and they enhance the yogurt experience, which, to be honest, was a process for me to get on board with. Now I eat yogurt quite regularly. I use it in dressings and dips and in cooking, Greek yogurt holds up the best in higher temps. I make a 2 ingredient dough, with Greek yogurt and flour...easy, healthy, versatile and you are welcome!
Have you heard of Kefir? Kefir is a liquid drink that has a consistency somewhere between milk and yogurt. It has double to triple the amount of probiotic found in regular yogurt and has been around for about 2000 years. Europeans have been aware of the many positive benefits Kefir has for decades now, though it hasn’t caught on as well in North America. You can actually make your own Kefir at home by adding kefir grains to milk and letting it sit for 12 to 24 hours. Kefir is touted as having all of the same health benefits as yogurt and then some. If eating yogurt isn’t your thing perhaps drinking it is more your style. Either way, Yogurt Go Gurl!
Last words about Yogurt…Ice cream. Yup, there it is. A dessert most of us love, made with a product many of us don’t and yet together they spell pretty darned yummy. Once again, the health benefits of frozen yogurt purely depends on the added ingredients. Many are low in calories but are still high in sugar. Here are the nutritional facts for frozen yogurt from Web MD.
Before I get brain freeze eating my frozen yogurt let's move onto Yoga, the practice that germinated this blog to begin with. Yoga is a practice of mind and body poses that originated in India thousands of years ago. The Indians believed in the joining or YOKE, again, no yoke, the bringing together of our mental, spiritual and physical selves, to control and still ones mind and body. They wanted to achieve a detached "witness-consciousness" where one is untouched by the mind and minor suffering.
There are at least 35 styles of yoga with hundreds of poses. The practice of yoga has become mainstream in todays search for a well-rounded healthy routine and is no longer considered a woo-woo, out there, weirdly odd thing that it once was. I mean seriously, standing on a mat on one leg with one foot on your thigh, hands in the air and pretending you're a tree while being taught how to breathe seems a little out there doesn't it? As if that could be good for you right? Right, it is good for you!!!!
The benefits of Yoga have been widely studied and have been adopted as an integral part of a well-rounded program from individuals to professional sport teams. There are far too many types of yoga to list here, but the most popular being practiced in the western world are Kundalini, Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin, Iyengar, Bikram and Power Yoga. All of these yogas are based on bringing the mind, body and spirit together to assist the holistic health of oneself. The benefits are countless and include cardio and circulatory wellness, weight control and maintenance, muscle strength and balance, energy, vitality, respiratory health, flexibility, athletic performance, restoration and brain health.
Our spirit, how centred we are, the calming of our nervous system and aligning our skeletal framing are all outcomes yoga helps provide and are proven to be imperative to our whole-istic wellness. The beauty of Yoga is that it can be done by anybody, at any age and any fitness level and anyone who may have physical challenges or mobility issues, it just doesn't matter. You can sit in your lazy boy or hang from a rope or teeter at the top of a mountain in an ashram on another persons feet, intertwined in every way. Yoga is the ultimate in inclusivity when it comes to looking after ones self, by yourself or in a group setting. It doesn't judge how much weight you carry, how toned your pecs are nor how good you look in your lulu's. It is the Yoda of the fitness world.
When we practice yoga we are able to konnect to ourselves and to others. Whether you are greeting a fellow yoga-er? with butt in air and saying Hi from between your legs while in Downward Dog Pose or you are konnecting with your inner child while in Child's Pose, Yoga could just be the thing to find the Warrior or the Hero in you! (both being Yoga poses).
So there we are, three healthy Y's for you to keep in mind while continuing on the journey you are traveling. Alright, I'm moving on. I've turned off the yodelling music and it's time to eat some yogurt and get into my easy chair...I mean my easy pose. Namasté!
Love Kiki,
xoxo
"Size matters not. Look at me; judge me by my size do you." - Yoda
This photo is my daughter in training at an Ashram in Dharamashala, India.
*I referenced allysonneilson.com in my first paragraph. You can check out Allyson on her website RECLAIM YOUR HEALTH and perhaps one of her programs would be exactly what you are looking for!
Please don't forget that you can join my KONNECT KLUB anytime. It costs nothing to join, and it gives so much back. Just fill in the form below. Thank you for konnecting with me.
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