Yoga for Flat Feet

Hi, lovelies!  It's snowing today!  I keep looking out my window in disbelief.  I was beginning to give up on the possibility of snow this year, so it's very exciting to even just have some flurries.
Speaking of exciting, I saw an article yesterday about yoga stretches for unhappy arches.  I have very flat feet (my arches aren't so much arches as they are suction cups, LOL) and my knees turn in, and I'm starting to recognize now how important it is to maintain foot health because foot problems tend to only get worse as time goes on.
Now, I'm not by any means a "yogi" when it comes to flexibility and all that admirable stuff.  I love dancing (yay, music!) and have done Pilates, and I've tried to do yoga, but I'm just not very bendy.  That said, I think yoga has a lot of benefits for foot health.
According to the Art of Yoga site, prasarita padottanasana can help to strength the tibialis posterior, which, when weak, can cause the foot to turn in the wrong direction (both inwards and outwards). I found this pose to be very helpful for me, and I could really feel it in my feet (in a good way).  Get into a wide-legged squat and bend the knees slightly, sort of like a football player at the scrimmage line (or at least that's what the article said, LOL--I'm not a sports person).  Turn your feet to lift the arches. This will cause your knees to turn straight if they tend to turn inwards.

According to Yoga Journal, other poses that can help strengthen feet include Tree Pose, Downward Dog, Chair Pose, and Bound Angle Pose. Be really careful when trying any of these positions and do your best to maintain proper form so that you don't injure yourself.  Some of them may look "easy," but they really involve a lot of focus with regard to stance and breathing so that you aren't rolling or pulling too much. Over time, flexibility will increase and you'll be able to do more. Hopefully your feet will get better, too.  Remember that it's all a process!

<3 Frances

Arts as Therapy, Trees of Green

We recently got a project at school in which we have to pick topic that we find to be incredibly interesting and meaningful and do research on it as a sort of "PhD."  AT first, I wasn't entirely sure what to do, but then one day while I was reading an article in Well Being Journal, I looked up and saw my copy of Jane Eyre and realized that the overlap between holistic healing and the arts is something that I'm really interested in.  Books and dance helped me cope with losing my grandmother, who I was very, very close to, and I've seen the ways other forms of art have helped other people, and I think that this is something I want to incorporate into my career (scary word, LOL) because it genuinely intrigues me.  Anyway, I was sharing this because I may update this blog with info about the research I'm doing if I stumble upon anything particularly noteworthy or anything that may help people. Struggles are real and hard times are often upon us, but finding ways to ease pain holistically and healthily can make a big difference, and I think that, for some, art isn't so much a means of expression as it is a way to survive.  You can find more info at moth-birdproject.weebly.com.
With all that said, here's a song that my grandmother used to love that never fails to make everything feel better--even when the world seems like a difficult place in general.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Happy Thursday, friends.

<3 Frances 

Last Day of November Playlist

With holidays and sicknesses and the general events of life, it's been a while since the last post, and I can't believe it's already the last day of November!  At least that means it's officially acceptable for me to listen to Christmas music and put the tree up.  

The Rockettes are my favorite part of the Macy's Parade. 

Even though I'm very grateful to be so fortunate as to have a school to go to and a home to go home to, going back to the "daily grind" after the extended break is proving to be challenging.  And I think I'm coming down with something, too, because getting up and out was particularly difficult.  But all that aside, Mondays are always made better by music.

Vance Joy: "Riptide"

Sia: "Elastic Heart"

New Politics: "Harlem"

Arctic Monkeys: "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"

And, because it's now the holiday season...

Darlene Love: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

<3 Frances 

Halloweeen and Getting My Wisdom Teeth Out

I had my birthday, Halloween, and wisdom teeth surgery all within three days of each other, and I currently look a lot like a chipmunk.  Apparently, swelling is worst around a few days after the surgery operation, and for some reason one side of my face has decided to be particularly swollen despite the fact that I had teeth out on both sides.  Safe to say, it's not very fun, but it went well with my last-minute dormouse costume, LOL.  Halloween was spent inside with Charlie Brown and my mum and brother and pureed pumpkin.  A LOT of pureed pumpkin.

My Halloween inspiration (pic: telegraph.co.uk)

It's been difficult not getting to have "real"-feeling foods like a bowl of warm brown rice and broccoli (oh, how I miss that!), but my mum and I have been making the best of the blender.  My chosen birthday meal was "pudding" made of pumpkin puree, a banana, and a tablespoon of carob powder.  It actually tastes quite fun :).  I've also been having baby food.  Whoever decided to combine apple sauce and blueberries into a little container of mush is my hero.
Back to Halloween, though...when I was little, two of my all-time favorite movies were The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. My mum remembers hearing "This is Halloween," the intro theme from the former, playing in the background while she was working.  I realize now how creepy the song actually is, but I was super excited to see the DWTS dance cover of it.  The dance moves are as creepy and spidery as the lyrics! 


 

 

Happy November!

<3 Frances



Swing, Swing, Swing

Two words: swing dancing.

And as for a swing soundtrack....

<3 Frances

Dance It Out

I post about dancing a lot.  Why?  Because it can be an awesome way to free yourself up and make yourself feel good.  Iris isn't as big a fan of dancing as I am (and I'm definitely not anything to brag about, LOL), but together we're realizing that you don't necessarily have to feel super rhythmic to have fun and sweat your worries out.  This morning some pop song was on the radio, and, while getting ready for school, I bopped around to it for a few minutes.  It made me feel so happy!  And my mediocre outfit feels more-than-mediocre.

Let's stop worrying about whether or not we look cool.  Let's just dance!  I mean, what did "cool" ever get anyone that "happy" didn't?  Turn the music UP and the insecurities DOWN.

DJ Nonstop - Best KPOP Dance Remix 2014

Workout Music Mix 2013 The Remix VOL 1

<3 Frances

Music for Dancing

There are some days when the only thing that'll make you feel better is putting a fun outfit on and jumping around your room like you know what you're doing, and these are some of the best songs to listen to while doing just that.  Thinking about it now, I actually do a lot of living room dancing (where few can see me, LOL).  When it comes to clearing your head, nothing works quite like #dancecardio.  And who cares how good a dancer you are?  Dancing is therapeutic.  Tell yourself you're awesome and rock it like it's choreographed.

Phantogram: "Black Out Days"

Portugal. The Man: "Purple Yellow Red and Blue"

Skrillex: "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"

Beastie Boys: "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"

OneRepublic: "Love Runs Out"

Rihanna: "Disturbia"

Hyuna: "Change"

<3 Frances

P.S.  All GIFs from www.giphy.com. 

Music as Caffeine

Between work stress and socialization awkwardness, etc., I've found running and dancing to be really helpful ways to detox and clear my head.  I try to do something active every day (running, Pilates...) with Iris (#gymbuddies), and music is something that really helps to wake me up and get me motivated when I'm a bit tired.  Without further adieu, here are some of the songs on my "Alter Ego" playlist (the one I play when I'm not trying to get into a melancholic writer mood!):

Phantogram; "Fall in Love"

Skrillex feat. Ellie Goulding: "Summit"

Imagine Dragons: "Radioactive"

Icona Pop: "Ready for the Weekend"

Beastie Boys: "Intergalactic"

The Pretty Reckless: "Heaven Knows"

Garbage: "Only Happy When it Rains"

<3 Frances 

Pop Music Mash-Up 2014

Though I'm not necessarily a pop music person (yay indie!), I really enjoy watching the pop music mash-ups put together at the end of every year.  This is "Pop Danthology," compiled by Daniel Kim.

Happy Saturday!

<3 Frances

Dance Detox (and Scoliosis)

Saturday!  Time for test corrections and blueberry consumption and, of course, sorting through pre-holiday cards.  November is basically half-way through, which is insane, and I'm trying to round up a donation for some of our favorite charity organizations while surviving the cold (and school!).

SO. MUCH. DANCING. And flexibility.  I have no flexibility.

Last night was conducive to dancing, which, if I haven't already rambled about it, is a slightly secret pastime of mine despite chronic foot pain and a flexibility-hindering case of scoliosis.  Yay for scoliosis!
Anyway, I'm posting this wondering what your favorite ways to detox are.  Magazine binge?  Sleep? Yoga?  Hardcore plyometrics?  Lip-syncing the lyrics to pop songs that nobody knows you listen to? Detoxes are different for everyone but important for all.

<3 Frances