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On and Off Your Mat Yoga Podcast
Optimal Heath and Wellness, with Melina Meza
For our 42nd episode, I sat down with Melina Meza, Melina is a pioneer in the field of yoga, nutrition, and Ayurvedic Health, sharing her knowledge with yogis around the world for more than 20 years. She is the author of Seasonal Health and Wellness and the Art of Sequencing as well as the creator of Yoga for the Seasons – Fall Vinyasa DVD. Her teachings can also be found on Yoga Anytime, YogaUonline, and Gaiamtv. Whether it’s with individual clients, workshops or retreats, Melina teaches a holistic practice that features lifestyle, diet, and yoga practices tailored to the rhythms of the four seasons.
5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE
1- Ayurveda is a practical, experiment based, preventative health science teaching people to tune in with the flow of nature to address their needs in order to balance yourself with the elements.
2- For optimal health, keep track of digestion of what you take in (food and experience), good energy levels, ability to focus, good sleep, creativity.
3- In fall, turn towards things that are warm, hydrating, nurturing, drawing your attention more inward and helping you slow down.
4- For better sleep, avoid food late in the evening, self-care (oil massage, bath), writing down what you have on your mind, rest before bed, no screens 1 hour before bed.
5- For optimal digestion, eat when you're hungry, stop when you're satisfied (before being full), avoid cold liquids around meal time, distraction while eating.
QUESTIONS SHE ANSWERED DURING THIS EPISODE :
- Can you tell us about yourself and your journey through yoga, nutrition and Ayurveda?
- What is Ayurveda?
- In your opinion, what does optimal health and wellness looks like nowadays?
- Something I like about your book is that it’s simple. You don’t talk about the constitutions. Why not? Do you think we need to understand them to choose the best practice for us or is following the rhythm of nature enough?
- We are in fall now, what are the qualities of this season that we should keep in mind?
- Do you have tips for good sleep hygiene?
- Digestion is at the core of Ayurveda. Any general tips for better digestion?
- How should our movement practice look like in fall?
- If we look at meditation, what kind of practice would serve us best in fall?
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Thank you so much for listening and being part of our 42nd episode! We have other great guests lined up for you so make sure to subscribe to the podcast where ever you listen to not miss an episode or get on my mailing list!
As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, you automatically enter a giveaway. Athleta was generously supporting this podcast in their effort to ignite a community of strong women who lift each other up, and is giving out a 75$ shop card! The winner of this episode's giveaway is iTunes user .demilo.. Congrats! Email me at erika.belanger@gmail.com or DM me on instagram @erika.belanger and I’ll send you your shop card!
On and Off Your Mat is also now part of Patreon. Patreon is a web platform where you can donate to financially support this podcast or you can become a monthly member. Donators get shoutouts on the episode and as monthly members you receive exclusive content : mini-shows, guided meditation, guided flows and so much more. Visit my patreon page at here to become a member and get access to all the exclusive content from the last few months! You can make a one time donation or become a member at 5$ Tier to listen to what you have missed so far. In December, you got a pranayama practice to go with episode #41! Your support means the world to me. I really want to continue to offer this podcast, but financially it’s challenging, so even with something as small as 5$/month makes a really big difference and helps me continue to share, educate and inspire thousands of students around the world every episode. Thank you in advance.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Melina Meza is a pioneer in the field of yoga, nutrition, and Ayurvedic Health, sharing her knowledge with yogis around the world for more than 20 years. She is the creator of Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga, a holistic practice that features lifestyle, diet, and yoga practices tailored to the rhythms of the four seasons to help people stay healthy as they age. Her passion for Nature, the five elements, beauty, and humor forge the foundation of her unique approach to well-being. In addition to working with individual clients, Melina facilitates year-round yoga and Ayurveda workshops, leading retreats in extraordinary sanctuaries around the world. She is the author of Seasonal Health and Wellness and the Art of Sequencing books as well as the creator of the Yoga for the Seasons – Fall Vinyasa DVD. Her unique teachings can also be found on Yoga Anytime, YogaUonline, and Gaiamtv.
Another way that Melina blends her passion for Nature and creativity is through being a professional photographer. Her images are featured in the books Seasonal Health and Wellness and Yoga for Healthy Aging, and regularly included in Esalen and Breitenbush Hot Springs catalogs.
Find out more about her :
Her books :
Seasonal Health and Wellness - Change Your Life One Week At A Time
** Edited and mastered by Alexandre Saba
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