1. How did you get started with aromatherapy?

I was always into healing arts. I started to practice Yoga very young, then started to explore other practices for natural health and wellbeing. And discovered Aromatherapy - the art of using essential oils delivered from plants for physical and emotional health. The other factor that contributed into my passion is the fact that I am from Russia. alternative medicine and natural remedies are widely used and known there. So When i was growing up I knew which herb to take to get better, to heal. This custom just developed with time and knowledge.

2. Why is it important to incorporate aromatherapy with you travel + what are some tips?

Aromatherapy is all about your senses, emotions and mood. Simply by inhaling a particular scent you may feel relaxed, energized or focused. When you travel you put yourself into new situations, you visit unknown places and sometimes might feel out of balance. Certain scents can bring the comfort back, release the stress, fatigue, restore the Balance and wholeness.

Grab a bottle of your favorite oil with you, inhale it at the airport, on the plane, in the car, spray in the hotel room, whenever you want to bring peace into your new surroundings.

3. We noticed that in your class you spritzed some custom scents in your class, what is the blend and why is it good in a yoga class/practice?

I use a blend that I created specifically for Life Yoga studio and it’s called Life. It’s one of the scents that I make called YogiMood. The whole point of using Aromatherapy in class is to deepen your practice, your Yoga experience by breathing deeper and allow essential oils to treat your senses.

Some of the most rewarding things in life are the things you have to work the hardest for…

I’ve been practicing yoga since January of 2010 and my biggest challenge has been making it to class regularly. It’s not that I don’t plan to go - it’s always on my calendar at least three times a week, but I tend to make excuses not to go. Excuses like having too much work to finish, having a long day and being too tired, wanting to go have a drink with my friends instead, etc. 

Which leads me to the question: why am I making excuses to NOT do the one thing that has proven to make me happier, healthier and more centered - not to mention looking GREAT in my favorite jeans when I practice regularly. 

Yoga has helped me overcome a slew of both medical and emotional issues, including a severe anxiety disorder. It’s not magic, but if you dedicate time to quieting your mind, really stretching out your body and just letting go of all of those unwanted emotions you’ve accumulated throughout the day - you will feel better. 

So what’s my point here? I need to get to practice more often and maybe you do too. So here are some ideas for making this happen:

1. Schedule yoga just as you would any other event or appointment. Aim for three times per week and schedule a “back up day” at the end of the week for if you weren’t able to make one of those. Bonus points if you just go anyway. 

2. Participate in an upcoming 30-day challenge. There’s one starting in June - stop by or call LIFE to get the details. Practicing for 30 days straight creates a habit and will make it soooo much easier for you to stick to your three classes per week. 

3. Find a mentor. Do you have a favorite yoga instructor? Someone who’s style you like the best and who you feel you connect to? Ask them questions. LIFE instructors are some of the kindest and most knowledgeable in the city and I’ve found they are more than happy to spend time after class helping with postures you are having trouble with, suggesting modifications or additional postures for specific injuries or illnesses, talking about yoga on a more spiritual level or suggesting books to help guide you. 

-Megan Hargroder, LIFE Yoga Student

SMOOTHIE:
I just love smoothies so much and this is the time of year to start drinking lots of them. Like salads and soups, but even easier, you can put just about anything into the blender, press a button and voila - smoothie. Experimenting with flavor combinations is lots of fun.

Load up your freezer with your favorite (preferably organic) frozen fruits. Buy some bananas and when they get a bit brown, peel them and put them in ziploc bags in the freezer. Have on hand some delicious, all fruit juices, unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk and coconut water (if you like coconut). I like my smoothies fairly sweet, so I’ll add a bit of locally harvested honey or agave or maple syrup.  I also love chocolate, so I keep some cacao powder and cacao nibs on hand.

Smoothies are a great place to add nutrients like spirulina or maca powder or bee pollen or any other vegan, gluten-free and soy-free supplements you like.

Add some ice cubes if you like extra frothiness.  Today I’m making a mango and banana and coconut water smoothie with some raw meal replacement powder. Yesterday I had one with coconut and almond milk with carob and cacao powder and maple syrup and frozen banana. It was all that. You can also add a spoon or two of nut butter for a creamy delight.

It’s always good to have a few healthy, light things ready to go for when you get hungry and don’t have the time and/or energy to do anything elaborate.

Thus, always have the fixins’ for a satisfying, nourishing, soup, salad, smoothie, snack and cold drink in your kitchen.

SALAD:

Salad is a lot like soup in that you can put just about anything over a bed of greens and voila - salad!

Keep a mix of pre-cut, pre-washed greens like kale (chop very fine for salad), spinach, arugula, romaine, etc. in a container in the fridge. Have some sprouts on the side and also whatever else strikes your fancy (carrots, peppers, jicama, olives). Pre-cut as much of it as possible and store in a tupperware in the fridge. Add things from your pantry like wakame seaweed, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, dried cranberries or other fruit,  Add beans or some fish or organic, free-range chicken. Then top with a non-creamy, gluten-free dressing. I like a simple splash of olive oil, vinegar and lemon and some seasalt.  You can take some nori seaweed and use it to wrap the salad into little burritos.