July 23, 2025 • 48 mins
When doctors told Judi Bar she would need spinal fusion surgery or likely end up in a wheelchair, she made a bold request: "Give me one year to help myself." That decision not only saved her from surgery but launched her on a transformative journey to become a pioneering yoga therapist who has helped countless people with chronic pain.
In this deeply personal conversation, Judi shares how she developed "heart-centered yoga" after discovering traditional yoga classes weren't accessible for someone with her condition. Her approach breaks down yoga postures into accessible components that work for everybody—whether you're dealing with joint pain, mobility issues, or have never tried yoga before.
"Yoga should never hurt," Judi emphasizes, challenging the common misconception that yoga is only for the young and flexible. As she explains, the powerful combination of mindful movement, breathing techniques, and meditation can help calm the nervous system, reducing stress hormones that often exacerbate chronic pain conditions.
Whether you're struggling with chronic pain, sleep difficulties, stress management, or simply want to improve your overall well-being, this episode offers practical guidance on how to find the right yoga class for your needs and simple techniques you can try immediately at home. Discover how this accessible practice might become your path to better health, increased body awareness, and a more mindful approach to life.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Leigh Klekar (00:01):
Welcome to the Speaking of Women's Health
podcast.
I'm your guest Leigh ,Klekar,the producer of the podcast, and
I'm happy to be back in theSunflower House with a very
special guest, Judi Bar.
And on today's new episode weare going to be talking about
the benefits of yoga and how itcan help with chronic pain.
(00:23):
But first let me tell you alittle bit about Judi and her
professional background.
She is recently retired fromCleveland Clinic as lead yoga
therapist and yoga programmanager and she helped to get
their yoga program started andgrowing.
Judi is a yoga therapistcertified through the
(00:46):
International Association ofYoga Therapists.
She has over 40 years of yogapractice, including 10 years of
practicing in her own studiobefore joining Cleveland Clinic.
She came to yoga after her ownchronic back pain led her to
adapt yoga for her self-recoveryand care and we'll talk a
little bit more about thatthroughout the interview and she
(01:09):
brought her approach toCleveland Clinic and co-wrote a
curriculum for a chronic diseasereversal program called
Lifestyle 180.
Judi calls her approachheart-centered yoga, an
inclusive practice that isaccessible to everyone,
including those who are notcomfortable or capable of a
(01:29):
traditional yoga class.
Judi is recognized nationally.
She has been a featured speakerat the International
Association of Yoga Therapists,integrative Medicine and at
Women's Health Conferences, andshe has shared on speaking of
women's health on our websitemany videos and articles that
you can find.
(01:49):
And Judi has been featured inYoga Journal, the international
journal of yoga therapy, andyoga therapy today and I'm not
done yet.
She's on the advisory board foryoga therapy today and
yogatherapherapy Health, and shehas released two yoga DVDs, one
called Come as you Are Yoga andthe second one called Come as
(02:12):
you Are Yoga in Nature.
Welcome, Judi.
Judi Bar (02:17):
Hi, it's so exciting to be here.
Leigh Klekar (02:18):
Thank you, thank you, so I thought it'd be nice
to start the interview with youtelling us a little bit about
how you got into yoga and yourstory of spinal stenosis
diagnosis.
Judi Bar (02:32):
Yes, Well, I was in my mid 40s at the time.
Gee, I think that was only acouple years ago.
Yeah, definitely, wink, wink,wink.
Right, I was in my 40s andreally active.
I had a full-time career.
I was also.
Partly of what I was doing alsois I've been a dancer ballet
(02:54):
dancer and a performer and achoreographer.
So I was really, really activeand I went to bed one night.
I was fine.
The next morning I woke up and Icould barely walk and it began
an over a five year process ofchronic pain.
And so the idea of what I wentthrough and being able to relate
(03:14):
to what happens when, when wehave chronic pain now, chronic
pain is something that lasts atleast it's longer than three
months.
You know it's not acute whereyou sprain an ankle.
Acute can lead to chronic pain.
Now, chronic pain is somethingthat lasts at least it's longer
than three months.
You know it's not acute, whereyou sprain an ankle, acute can
lead to chronic pain.
But mine turned out.
At first we thought it wasacute but then it lasted.
(03:34):
So that started the process,that the deteriorating process
of geez, I can't move very well,and it was really hard to
believe because there I wasactive.
I was, you know, I was still.
I was teaching dance, I waschoreographing, I was really
active and just to be felt likethat.
(03:55):
And the stenosis ended up as itwas progressing.
It would squeeze some of thenerves and what would happen is
I would be walking and all of asudden I'd fall.
You know, here I'm walking andtry to be, you know I'm being
grateful, right, and there I go.
So you know, there was, I waswalking with a cane and it was
(04:17):
just such, a, such a dichotomyof what it was like and getting
diagnosed and the depression andchanging our lifestyle and in
order, geez, can I go groceryshopping?
Does my back hurt so bad todaythat I can't go out?
And so I really lived it and Ikept thinking what is, you know,
(04:39):
this just can't, this justcan't be real, right, can't,
this just can't be real right.
And so I went the three, fouror five years trying to find
ways to help and, um, the, thelast straw, or what I say, the
last, or the turning point forme was when the neurosurgeon and
the um radiologists werebasically standing over the, the
(05:02):
gurney as.
I was being examined and theysaid she has to have surgery, we
have to do, you know, we haveto do the fusion, we have to do
this.
And then the, the radiologistwas no.
But if you do that, and it'sright, you know, I can hear you
right, the patients right here,you know, they're going back and
forth and back and forth.
And I appreciated what theradiologist was saying because,
(05:25):
of course, course, with thehistory and, you know, with all
the experience the physicianshave and all the data, this is
what we see.
But and certainly the sideeffects or the disadvantages of
doing a particular surgery.
But the radiologist said therest of her back is going to go,
you fuse, you see up and down,it's going to, she's going to
(05:46):
have problems and then there'llbe more and more and more and
it'll just continue to get worse.
And I'm listening to this andthen I, I finally said, all
right, stop, stop.
I said you know what, give me ayear and I'm going to see what
I can do to help myself.
So in those five years, I, I,you know, I think sometimes as
(06:10):
patients we don't realize howmuch we can take into our own
hands.
And so the experience for mewas just, it was so valuable
because it really helped tocolor how I worked and what I
ended up wanting, wanting to doand literally changed my career
sport.
And so I said, give me a year,I'm going to work on this and
(06:30):
see if I can make any changes.
And the neurosurgeon was nothappy with me.
He said he was almost sneering.
He said, oh, you're going to bebegging me to come back for
surgery.
And I'm thinking, well, if I am, I'm not so sure I'm going here
.
You know, know, and I'm sure itwas a bad day.
I mean, I'm not, you know,trying not to take it out of
context, but, um, it was.
(06:51):
That was also quite a few yearsago, where there wasn't as much
known about the whole body andwhat, what you can do and how
much we can help ourselves withintegrative and complementary
type practices, right?
So, not long after that, my momand she always she was so cute
(07:15):
because she would say I'm theone that told you she said, judy
, why don't you try yoga?
And I, you know, I had the same.
I had the idea that everybodythinks yoga has to be right.
You know, a pretzel, right?
Leigh Klekar (07:30):
And people right, could only do it.
Judi Bar (07:32):
Young people that could you know where.
And at that point I was still,you know, I still feel young and
young at heart.
At that point, being in my 40sI, you know, are young.
Two weeks before my yeah, twoweeks before my back went out, I
was performing, you know,dancing, so you know, it was, um
, I was still, you know, quitevital.
(07:52):
And she said, I think youshould try yoga.
And I said, okay, I will.
And, um, but I couldn't findany yoga that I could do.
I, I tried one of the big, thebig guys that, um, here's yoga
for back hair.
And I put I, it was a DVD atthe time, you know, and I, and
(08:14):
I'm like I can't do this becauseof what's going on with my back
, right, and I tried somethingelse.
And I tried something else andI thought, no wonder people
think yoga isn't accessible.
And so I sat back and there wassomething inside me and this is
what's important for ourpatients too is it just didn't
feel right that my path?
(08:36):
They told me if I didn't getthat surgery in a year I'd be in
a wheelchair, that my back wasgoing to deteriorate that bad.
I was already walking with acane and I said this just
doesn't seem like it's what'ssupposed to happen to me, right.
So I began the process of selfteaching myself yoga, but making
it very accessible and easy,breaking it down therapeutically
(09:01):
, working on this and that, thisand that and I didn't have
anybody tell me this is going toreally help.
This is going to you're going toget better.
I just in my heart of hearts, Ijust thought there's got to be
something more I can do.
I've got to take myself offthat gurney and empower myself
and do everything I can that'snot harmful and not against what
the doctor said.
I didn't stop any of themedicines, I didn't do any of
(09:23):
the.
I didn't do anything radicalthat way, but I took more of it
into my own hands and it took mea while.
It's probably well over a year.
But, um, wow, the rest.
The rest is history.
I'm, I did it, you know.
I was able to get back to andand.
But how I did it was I lookedat my stress levels, I watched
(09:46):
and started eating moreanti-inflammatory foods, I
meditated, I walked, I looked atmy social life.
I made other changes because Ialso realized how much stress I
was in a really stressful job.
I was actually in videoproduction and I did corporate,
corporate communications typework, but also video production,
and it was really stressful.
(10:07):
So I I not only did the yoga,and here's the key yoga helps us
to become so mindful and awareof how we feel and what we're
doing by just naturally, webegin to look at the rest of our
, the rest of our life, and gooh that's really not fitting or
that doesn't feel right, and sothat mindful approach calms the
(10:34):
nervous system.
So any chronic pain that we'retalking about, if we look at the
mindful approach and thecalming aspect of getting out of
the sympathetic response intothe parasympathetic, we're
already practically halfwaythere.
So I did a deep dive into yoga,the depths of it, and my mom
(10:57):
was always so cute, she'd say.
And who told you to do yoga?
Yeah, she's taking all thecredit Right.
And I said, mom, you didAbsolutely and for the longest
time I kept.
She got me one of these littlefrom I think it was Shopping
Network and it was a you know,it was a mat and a little this
and a little that to help me getstarted.
And she would come to my yogaclasses when I taught the
(11:20):
therapeutic yoga, and so Ilooked at it as a gift from the
universe, saying you know what,if you can figure out how to do
this, you can turn this around.
And so I changed my career.
I knew that I wanted to helpother people because I felt so
helpless and you know so well,helpless you know, either.
(11:41):
How do I, how do how do I dothis?
And so that whole process and Istudied and ultimately became a
yoga therapist and then I knewI needed to get into the bigger
picture.
I had a very thriving businessit was called Heartlight
actually and when theopportunity came to the clinic
came to me then because theyknew I kind of had a local came
(12:03):
to the clinic.
Came to me then because theyknew I kind of had a local, you
know, a reputation of being ableto help with chronic pain and
all yeah.
I thought, yep, this is where Ihave to go.
I can reach more people.
Yes, so here I am.
Yeah, and almost 25 years later, Wow, wow I feel good Wow.
Leigh Klekar (12:22):
That's great.
Yeah, that's amazing.
What a story.
I mean it just it's pretty cool.
Yeah, it is.
Yeah, I mean you know, becausea lot of people you know some,
you know especially someone likeyou who was a dancer, so
exercising and moving your bodywas your life, and then to one
day wake up and then that allchanged.
You know, know, and then it'slike it took my legs away from
(12:44):
me.
Judi Bar (12:44):
Yeah, yeah, wow.
Well, yoga and dance now too.
So so just to say that, yeah,you just never know.
Leigh Klekar (12:54):
Yeah, I was a dancer, not like you.
I'd never a great choreographer, but I went on to college and
did a minor in dance, so Iunderstand.
Yes, and my friend owns a yogastudio, got me into it.
I have scoliosis and so I'vegot uneven hips.
Yes, and wow, when I don't doyoga for you know, sometimes it
gets tricky I can see in my body, you know, I could feel that
(13:17):
pain.
You can.
Just you know it's, it reallyis.
Judi Bar (13:21):
You know what, and you're really smart to keep
maintaining it, because whathappens is our body, whatever
the twist is in your spine, andour body wants to go back to
homeostasis, so it'll keeppulling.
So you really no matter whathave to, you just keep it up and
(13:43):
you see it.
I mean, and that's the keyabout mindfulness too, is that
you realize, oh boy, I, oh, Ihaven't done this for a while.
And you listen to your body andthen respond because our body
you know pain is just pain.
Many times it's just a messagefrom our body to say, hey, pay
attention to this.
Leigh Klekar (14:00):
Right, right, absolutely, I mean.
And you mentioned also just thebenefits.
Yes, of course it helpsobviously with your chronic pain
and it can help others withpain, but it gives you a sense
mentally.
It makes you almost at least me, I can't speak for everybody,
but just a more positive person.
I see things in a better light.
I see people in a better light.
I want to be better.
(14:22):
I don't know what that is, Idon't know if it's the breathing
or the instructor, but itreally does make a difference
for me and the type of person Iam and who I want to be.
Judi Bar (14:32):
So it can affect our well-being.
And I think years ago, whereyoga had gotten such a bad rap
that it's culty and it's this,and that it's really more about
positive thinking and noticinghow we feel and that mindful
approach of first, I'm going tojust be conscious of my breath,
(14:52):
and if we're conscious of ourbreath in yoga class, we begin
to often that realize, whoa, I'mholding my breath.
I'm really upset here.
I'm going to take another deepbreath and we're going to try to
maintain because the breath iseverything.
The physical aspect of it iscertainly a byproduct because
and I'll get into that a littlebit more about this the style
(15:13):
that we, we teach in all.
But you're absolutely right, Ibelieve everything in my life, I
think, changed and improvedwhen I began this practice,
because we talk about gratitudeand patience and kindness and
non harm being present, right,and those are wonderful things
(15:34):
because in essence, it helps ourwell being and to our mind,
everything's real.
And if we're ruminating aboutstuff and we were talking about
this and we're mad about thatand we're going around like that
, guess what it sends, whatmessages it sends to our body
stress, stress hormones, andthat the inflammatory rate
starts or I shouldn't say starts, but can get um pushed up a
(15:57):
little bit so you described thatvery well and I'm very glad to
hear that you're doing it.
Leigh Klekar (16:01):
Thank, you, yes, so I want to talk about since
we've already touched on many ofthese the benefits of yoga, if
you wouldn't mind sharing thatwith our audience.
You know we talked about pain,so maybe other types of pain in
addition to just a generalchronic pain, what other
conditions can be improved bydoing yoga?
Judi Bar (16:22):
Okay, so to start out by doing yoga, okay, so to start
out again is just, you knowwhat is yoga?
Yeah, and it's the combinationof the mind, the body and the
breath, right, so many timespeople don't even realize that,
they just think of it as thephysical posture.
And so the physical postureabsolutely helps.
And in the accessible type ofyoga, the heart-centered yoga
(16:46):
that I do, it breaks down themuscle groups and works on.
You know, there's a lot ofpeople that can't get on the
ground.
Well, how do we do a cobra or asphinx that we can get a
similar benefit without havingto get on the ground?
And maybe one day we worktowards it.
So when we say mind, body andbreath, we're working the
physical aspect, we're addingthat wonderful breath.
(17:07):
That, ultimately, is what calmsus, and yoga can, in the
calming action, it can alsorestore, so we relax and slow
down.
But it also I call it theultimate green machine because
it also then can energize us,right, right, but then it it
also works on our mind.
Simple things.
(17:27):
I'm doing a balancing pose,right, and I'm starting to say
we can.
Oh geez, I used to be able todo this all the time.
Now, look at me, I can't dothis.
Yes, and we, we notice ourthoughts and realize I'm not
supporting myself.
I'm not, I'm strong, I can dothis, I'm strong, I can do this.
So any type of so I'm going tosay this.
(17:52):
My friends and I and my teammembers would say this too you
can breathe, you can do yoga,and so when we look in the
magazines and we see somebodystanding there with their foot
behind and lifting, most peoplethink there is no way I can do
yoga.
So we do the mind, we do thebreath, but we also can adapt to
(18:14):
the poses in a way that isaccessible for anyone.
So when I first started teachingat the clinic in 2007, there
really wasn't a lot of solid NIHdata that said yoga for back
pain, yoga for this, yoga forthat.
There was plenty that wouldcome from India, which is one of
(18:35):
the origins of yoga, but thatwasn't enough research for the
United States and for ourphysicians, which is
understandable.
In these 20 years or so thatI've started, there's all kinds
of wonderful data.
So carpal tunnel, high bloodpressure, obesity, fibromyalgia,
(18:55):
lupus, breast cancer.
I mean there's there's time andtime again.
As a matter of fact, ourdepartment was involved in three
, four different studies while Iwas there and it's still going
on with epilepsy and the mindstudy.
We did a virtual chronic chronicpain chronic lower back pain
(19:16):
study which we published and wegot very good results.
So people with chronic painthat were employees of the
clinic that's how we said it wasvirtual.
We got some really good resultsand I can send a link to that
if anybody wants to read aboutthat.
Leigh Klekar (19:35):
Yes, we could put that in our show notes for our
listeners, because I knowchronic lower back pain is a
topic that at least we get a lotof questions about at Speaking
of Women's Health.
Judi Bar (19:45):
Absolutely, I'll get that and I'll address some of
that as we're talking, as we'retalking.
So honestly, there really isn'tanything that in one way or
another, whether it's just thecalming action or structurally,
we're able to balance the musclegroups that yoga can't help If
(20:07):
we just overridingly look atyoga can.
Yoga helps to lower our stressresponse as we practice it.
And, honestly, in 2007, when Iwas hired, there wasn't a lot of
data yet, right, and they saidand I worked with Dr Michael
Roizen and Dr Cosgrove was theCEO at the time and not directly
(20:31):
with Dr Cosgrove, but he wasalso part and parcel to it they
said you know what?
There's enough data to showthat yoga can help the stress
response.
We're bringing you on to helpus, you know.
And so when we talk aboutchronic pain, whether it's
headaches or fibromyalgia orside effects of cancer or
(20:51):
whatever it is the very firstthing we're going to look at is
we're able to calm that response.
And when we're in thatparasympathetic response, we're
not secreting the hormones thatwill exacerbate inflammation and
so the inflammatory rate in ourbody.
Not only it's stress, it's whatwe eat, you know.
It's a lack of motion, it's all.
(21:12):
And what's so beautiful aboutyoga is we can meet you where
you are, and too often a yogaclass will be all right you're
coming in and this is how you'regoing to do the poses, versus
we're going to wrap the yogaaround you.
We're not going to force you tohurt yourself or force yourself
to do things, and with thatit's adaptable.
(21:32):
I've taught amputees, I teach inwheelchairs, I've I've taught
it how I worked with patients inhospice laying down in bed, um,
and it, it all, it all can bedone.
The key and I know we'll get tothis and I want I do want to
talk about chronic, chronic backpain a little bit more too um,
specifically, um is that youknow, as long as you find an
(21:59):
instructor that knows how to dothis, and so the difference
between a yoga instructor and ayoga therapist is a lot more
training and a lot moreexperience.
So a yoga instructor has abasis of 200 hours, which is the
minimum A yoga alliance setsthe certification for that.
A yoga therapist needs easilytwo to three thousand hours of
(22:22):
training, okay, and a lot ofthat is around not only training
, but experience withindifferent disease processes.
How can yoga help?
How can yoga hurt?
Because, no matter what ifyou're trying to do something
that's not good for you, whetherit's with holding your breath,
which is not good for mostpeople, or an average person to
(22:46):
doing things that could forceand hurt a joint?
So a yoga therapist has a lotmore training and understands
how to work yoga and support,not harm you any further and
also help you with the diseaseprocess.
But there's plenty of reallywonderfully seasoned yoga
(23:06):
teachers out there that are notyoga therapists but have had so
much hands-on experience thatthey're absolutely excellent.
They could be considered thatalso because of their experience
.
So, of all the diseaseprocesses you've talked about,
really anybody can benefit, nomatter what your challenge is.
(23:28):
The key is going to be to findthe right instructor to mold it
around you, right.
Leigh Klekar (23:32):
You know, I know I hear a lot of people say
friends, family, you know it'sjust, it's not for me.
I just don't have the patienceto start that breathing.
But I think once you find, likeyou said, the right instructor
or the right therapist, theright studio or even the right
like online platform, you knowthere's wonderful options now
Right, and that's great.
(23:53):
I think you, just after like acouple of weeks or a couple
sessions, you know, give it morethan just one chance, is what I
would say as a person whostarted it, and it was
challenging at first, like youmentioned.
The balance, I mean and I was adancer and I get, I get in my
head I should be able to standon one foot.
I did.
But you know what Our bodieschange, we get older hormones,
(24:14):
all of that, and you might nothave the best balance, but who
cares?
Put your toe down, right, oryou know, put your leg down and
just focus maybe then on thebreathing and get out of that
negative head space.
And so I just might.
I just wanted to mention, likehow you would you recommend
somebody who is having some sortof pain to look for more of a
(24:35):
therapist to get started ifthey've never done yoga before
or work with their physician,maybe.
Judi Bar (24:41):
Well, you know, we always sorry to interrupt you.
We always want to check withour physician, is it okay?
What can I do, what can't I do?
You know, knee replacement, hipreplacement, abdominal surgery,
back surgery, whatever it is.
Obviously we always check whatcan I do, what can, what can I
not do?
And there's, you know,sometimes it's pretty general
(25:03):
Just don't lift, don't do this,don't do that.
So there's a website which youknow I belong to, international
Association of Yoga Therapists,and there's a registration.
There's a list there oftherapists, yoga therapists that
could most likely be in there.
(25:25):
I mean, it's worldwide, sothere would be a list there.
Recommendations from people forsure.
And you're right, we have togive it a little bit of time
because well and a savvy teacher, if they're starting a
beginning class, they're notgoing to ask people to sit for
(25:46):
10 minutes quietly and don'tmove and then get them moving,
because that's not possible.
Our mind, we're used tomultitasking easily two or three
things at once, and so somebodyasks you to stop First off,
it's not going to work becauseyou can still stay in here and
you're going to go all over theplace.
I don't like this.
(26:06):
This is uncomfortable.
I don't care.
It's working gradually into.
You're moving, you're breathing, you're quiet for a couple of
seconds while you're in balance.
You're moving, you're breathing, you're quiet for a couple
seconds while you're in balance,you're moving, you're breathing
, you're quiet and you worktowards that because we're
multitasked.
I mean the day more technologycame and there were two or three
things on a screen at once wasthe day that all of us started
(26:30):
even multitasking more and beingable to do more.
So you're right, it's hard.
You don't want to give up.
You want the teacher, theinstructor, to be safe and
knowledgeable and accessible.
If you go into a class and someof the things that you might ask
is this is important actually,do they do hands on adjustments?
(26:59):
We don't teach it, we don't saythat that's a good thing to do,
because if you're in a pose,let's say you're balancing or
trying to balance, maybe there'sa chair in front of you and
trying to balance and somebodycomes up to you and says and
there's no mirror, you can't see, and they go first off.
It can scare you, but we don'tknow what's going on inside that
body, and so I prefer that youknow some of the things they ask
(27:28):
what's the experience of theteacher?
You know I have this particularinjury or challenge.
You know how do you think theywould handle it?
No hands on.
And you know there's severalstyles.
There's plenty of styles outthere.
Some of them are a lot moretraditional.
Where there's where there mightbe more of a chant you know
(27:49):
using sound and that might beuncomfortable.
So there's plenty of teachersthat don't do that.
Now, to explain what that is,think about when we're in church
or when we're in a choir andwe're singing.
There's actually a vibrationthat goes on within our body
with our vocal cords and thatcan be actually really quite
(28:12):
healing.
And so the basis of that inyoga is really about the
vibration that happens.
There's plenty of classes thatthey don't do that.
So, for all of our listeners,don't worry about it.
If something like that feelsuncomfortable, there's plenty of
instructors that don't do thatto keep it even more
user-friendly.
So, and then you know findingout what their training is and
(28:37):
ask if you can try a class tosee if you feel comfortable, and
finding that line between mymind won't quiet uncomfortable
versus this is not a class forme.
You know this is not where Iwant to go, and so it can be.
It could take a little bit oftime, but between and we'll put
(29:00):
those resources down.
I think Yoga Alliance and IOYTthere's registration lists of
instructors that are out thereRight, so that's worth a try.
Leigh Klekar (29:11):
Yeah, that's wonderful.
So we started touching on thebenefits and I know you've
mentioned how yoga can helpreduce anxiety and stress and we
know a lot of women and men andand teens, you know the the
stress and anxiety in oureveryday lives now can be a
really problem for some sleep.
(29:32):
You know, I think that, youknow, yeah, and I know again,
you know our a lot of ouraudiences like midlife women
either in the perimenopausestage, menopause- or
postmenopause.
Yes, and sleep is a, you know, ahuge issue for many women and
again and men.
Judi Bar (29:49):
Well, you know, part of that is our mind right.
First off, you know we usuallytell our doctor and they make
sure there's nothing, you knowany, anything else physically
disturbing that would cause asleep problem, and it could.
Sometimes it's a combination ofthe medicine you know there
might be a medicine that's onthat, that's a side effect of.
But what yoga will help us dois notice our breath quiet down.
(30:15):
You know we have our bed ritualor bedtime ritual.
If there's something bothers,maybe write it down quiet music
staying.
You know all the the sleep, uh,hygiene type things stay off
our ipad and you know as much aspossible.
But, um, what I find is is, ifmy mind, mind is going, I come
to a breath, and this is thething that's so cool is there's
(30:35):
so many different ways tobreathe that could suit us, suit
our style and what we need tohelp to quiet us down.
Because what we're trying to dois not only calm that heart
rate, but this, and so we beginto look at how we can quiet the
mind to be able to get, I mean,sleep.
(30:56):
Oh my gosh, it's so important.
And how much we cut off, youknow, first off, we're so busy
that we cut our amount of sleepdown anyway, we go to bed later.
We still have to get up early,right?
So, yes, there's beautifulposes, there's poses that will
affect, that can wake us up.
So what happens?
When we yawn, we go.
Well, you, you know what, whenwe're opening our chest like
(31:18):
that, that stimulates thesympathetic response, when we
bend forward, which there's just, there's a couple trunks in our
cervical and a couple trunks inour lower back, that will
affect the um, parasympatheticresponse, the sleep response.
So there's beautiful practicesthat can happen in the evening
that you make it a little bit ofa ritual.
(31:39):
You know, you bend forward andyou do some stretches and things
, so that can also help us.
So, sleep, you're so right andthere's so many challenges with
it.
But I'll tell you, withpractice you can really affect
your sleep.
Leigh Klekar (31:53):
Oh yeah, after a good yoga session, I mean I
can't stay awake past like 9,930.
My kids are like what's?
I'm like mom did yoga today.
So the breathing for me I don'tknow it, but it really does
help.
I mean I can say that againpersonally.
And what about weight loss?
And just the physical part,right.
Judi Bar (32:13):
Yeah, that's a good part.
So, yes, we were talking alittle bit about the
cardiovascular effect.
So the biggest, the biggesteffect that yoga can have for
weight loss, the first and themost the foremost, I believe, is
your own body awareness, whichhelps you understand your hunger
(32:33):
, your satiate.
You know when you're satiated,when you're thirsty, when you're
stressed, eating.
So there's almost that ideathat overlaps into understanding
the reasons why or why am Ieating Twinkies at 10 o'clock at
night.
That awareness, yoga helps ourcirculation.
(32:58):
It, you know.
It, affects our heart rate.
We can work and strengthenbones.
You know osteopenia,osteoporosis, Although with both
osteopenia, osteoporosis andweight, there's always a
suggestion.
There's always a suggestionthat you need more than just
yoga.
Yoga will support it.
I, there's always a suggestionthat you need more than just
(33:19):
yoga.
Yoga will support it.
There's certainly people outthere that do the power yoga,
where you're in a hot room andit's fast-paced move, move, move
.
So, yes, of course there'scardiovascular.
That's not for everybody andwhen we move fast our muscles
they don't even get intoposition and you tell them to
move again and they're like, ah,and so we actually can hurt
(33:40):
ourselves, right?
So I believe that the mindfulapproach and really listening to
our body and understanding whenwe go to eat and why we want to
take better care of ourselves.
So I think with the actualphysical activity of yoga, it
helps because it keeps us supple, it helps us with our balance,
(34:01):
it helps us to feel better, butwe don't necessarily burn a lot
of calories like we would if wedid a brisk 45-minute walk, okay
, or we did.
You know, we did resistancetraining.
So I think it's a good adjunctand a support.
Leigh Klekar (34:17):
Okay, an adjunct and a support Okay.
And if you're doing some of theposes, you know that where
you're, you know you're, youknow pushing up and you're using
your arms almost like.
Would you consider that alittle bit of strength training?
Oh, absolutely.
Judi Bar (34:30):
Okay, yes, oh, absolutely.
And there's plenty of ways.
I always we use gravity rightas resistance.
So even even when I do atherapeutic class, which a lot
of times they'll sit on thechair and, by the way, you
wouldn't believe all thewonderful things and the
benefits we can get even fromsitting on a chair because we
can get deeper into muscles andstrengthen so absolutely.
(34:52):
There's strength, there'sstrength training, so training,
I guess, but there's strengthadvantages Absolutely If, if we
can hold, let's say, a warriorpose.
You know the warrior goes out,you're, you're in a lunge and
you're looking out.
If we can hold that about 90seconds.
There's data about osteopeniaand osteoporosis that we're,
(35:13):
we're, we're wrapped.
You know the muscles aregetting wrapped.
It's an active pose.
It's like it's not, but it'sreally active.
We're using the muscle and ifwe hold it 90 seconds, we're not
only wrapping the muscle aroundbut we're getting into the hips
and and and using that more.
So I would say it's, it'sperfect.
We were going to be thewellness integrative is looking
(35:36):
at doing a um.
I think we're talking.
They were talking about ashared medical appointment,
about strength, the strength ofyoga to help, to help our bones.
So in that respect we reallycan.
I think it still would be niceto use free weight and and and
as an adjunct to what we do, butwith a well-rounded and a
(35:58):
consistent practice, youabsolutely can do strengthening
thighs, even seated.
You sit up, you use your coreand that's one thing I want to
remind all of our viewers is towatch your posture right.
Leigh Klekar (36:12):
It's so easy to let that happen.
Judi Bar (36:14):
It is yes to let that happen.
It is yes.
And lack of motion?
Our beautiful body.
If we keep going like that,over time our bones say well, I
guess we're going to have tostabilize her up this way,
because she hasn't moved anydifferent for a long time.
It actually can get Become likea permanent posture almost
(36:40):
right.
Yes, I didn't want to saydamage, but what happens is it
can become more permanentbecause the bones move it, you
know, instead of just all muscle.
Leigh Klekar (36:49):
Yes, interesting, I mean.
And you, I don't know, maybeit's the old dancer in me, but I
do.
You know, I notice a lot ofpeople.
You know.
You're walking, just you know,in the grocery store.
Judi Bar (37:05):
A lot of people.
You know you're walking, justyou know, in the grocery store a
lot of people have that.
Leigh Klekar (37:08):
Yeah.
Judi Bar (37:08):
Yeah, so well, yeah, it's like depression, you know,
and it's gravity and it's thisand it's this and you know,
watch this.
Yeah, look at, look at how muchand look what the rotator cuff
Right, I mean, look at how farthat had to go.
Cuff Right, I mean, look at howfar that had to go Right, holy
cow, it is so easy, right?
Leigh Klekar (37:21):
So easy.
I just I remember, um, even mydance teacher saying you know, a
good way to kind of do it isput your shoulders up, push them
down and feel those backmuscles right, kind of just you
know working and no.
But it takes some work to getused to that If you, especially
if you're always kind of been ahuncher to really get you know
to change that posture and tochange the way that you sit and
(37:41):
stand.
But it really can do wonders.
Judi Bar (37:45):
Oh, it does and it strengthens us.
So if we're sitting on the backof our chair, we're not using
any muscle.
Yeah, so if we sit up, we haveto use our core, right?
I?
Leigh Klekar (37:55):
mean I have to use our core Right.
I have to use my whole back andmy stomach to just sit up
straight Right All the way up,so just everyday hits like that
Right, and I do want to have you, if you have a few minutes, to
show us a few at home.
But before we do I want toagain, for a lot of the people
(38:20):
who are new to yoga or maybeonly tried it, like at their
local Y or one time, a DVD or athome.
But what are a few of thedifferent types and ones that
maybe you would recommend foreither beginners or those who've
only done it a few times, hereand there?
Judi Bar (38:37):
generally, as I find is and I'm so sorry for some of
the studio owners that might seethis, that may take exception
to it, but I generally find yogastudio you know out in the
strip center and it tends to bea little bit, maybe a little bit
less accessible for someone newor average coming in, unless
(39:01):
you're young, in pretty darngood shape, you can step in.
So, let's say, the demographicsthat we're talking about might
be maybe mid-30s up and maybenot quite as in shape as we'd
like.
And I'm not even talking if, ifit's weight, but just maybe not
(39:22):
having a chance to move much.
But if it is weight or if thereis other challenges generally
like you'll hear it a vinyasaflow or you know, or power yoga,
those those I think tend to besomething that you might work
towards there.
They're not accessible foreverybody, so it would be
(39:44):
watching for the instructor thatthat teaches it.
But, and again, also that style.
So and most people don'tdifferentiate this, but a good
roundabout style is called hatha, or it's actually said hatha
h-a-t-h-a.
Okay, it's the basic yoga.
It, uh, it combines themeditation, the breath and the
(40:07):
movement.
Um, and that's the, theumbrella, okay, and so beginning
right, um, I call minetherapeutic or have called it
therapeutic or wellness, um, theway the style that I I
developed after I realized howinaccessible an average yoga
(40:30):
class was, um, was I took the,took the poses and broke them
down.
So so you know, cobra is layingon the ground and pushing up.
It's actually done in physicaltherapy too.
But what if we did?
Let's say we wanted to make itaccessible.
So here's my chair.
What if, by pulling back andleaning forward, I'm able to
(40:54):
open up the chest and stretcheverything down to the waist,
and then I do some otherstretches to work the bottom
part of it?
So it's breaking down the posesto make it accessible, get the
benefit of it and theneventually being able to put it
together.
So look for the simplest andbasic descriptions of the yoga
(41:19):
and then ask those questions.
You know, do I necessarily haveto get on the ground right off
the bat?
I mean, there's people in their30s that have a hard time
lifting their arms or evengetting on the ground because of
lack of motion, right?
So it isn't just an older,active, older adult kind of a
situation that we're dealingwith here.
You know, of older adults kindof the situation that we're
(41:42):
dealing with here.
You know so, and if you do that, that class won't, you know,
won't necessarily be for themright the um.
So like the, the, the rockyriver rec center and the city's
rec centers and places like thatsometimes can have really
wonderful classes yeah, my mom,who's has you?
Leigh Klekar (42:00):
has arthritis, osteoarthritis, joint pain in
her knees and her toes, which isagain, very, very common even
in women in their 30s, 40s, 50s.
She tried the studios and itwas too much for her and she
felt almost embarrassed becauseall these young girls were in
their cute little outfits and mymom's like I just need some
pain relief and some goodstretching and I just want,
(42:23):
right, it's part of her otherthings she was doing in her
exercise program.
But she found a great class ather local Y so she tried, she
just she kept trying differentplaces and she found what worked
for her and I've noticed yeah,sorry, go ahead.
No, you go ahead.
Oh, I was just going to say Ihave a app on my TV that I've
(42:43):
installed, that I like, and ithas a dot one for like, easy two
dots for a little, yes, andthat's helpful too.
So just look for maybe that onedot or beginner level or entry
level.
Judi Bar (42:54):
That's a very good suggestion.
The cool part about doing anin-person class is that the
teacher can watch and gauges towhat's going on.
But it isn't always practicaland it can help you.
Sometimes we're not quite asbody aware and I'll say stand up
straight.
They don't really understandwhy.
Stand up straight is enough,and so I can see it and ask them
(43:15):
.
Straight is enough, you know,and so I'll I can see it and ask
them.
But you know, the fact is is ifwe could just get, if we just
get moving and just get thatpractice, that mindful practice,
anything will help as long asit doesn't hurt you, right?
And you know people ask well,how often do I do it?
(43:39):
And what's a good?
You know what?
What the best thing is iswhat's convenient for you.
Maybe you love to start the dayand it may be like to end the
day maybe breaking it up.
You know, having a little chunkthat we we have as our own,
where it could be 15 minutesthat we put on pretty music and
nice and we do a little bit onour own, you know, then take a
nice bath with that, wouldn'tthat be a wonderful thing?
That sounds great.
Yeah wouldn't that be awonderful reasoning?
(44:00):
That sounds great, yeah, itdoes.
But to really look at it aswhat?
Such a wonderful self care thatI'm taking care of myself and
doing that, and that in ofitself, you know, the meditation
part of yoga, or justmeditation period, is really
just a single minded focus inbeing able to be aware that my
mind's going okay, I'm going tobring it back here and focus on
my breath.
Or listen to's going okay, I'mgoing to bring it back here and
focus on my breath.
Or listen to this music.
(44:21):
My mind's okay, I'm bringing itback.
And so yoga can be a mindfulmeditation.
In other words, it's a movingmeditation which can also, you
know, which can really calm us.
So for for our, for ourlisteners or our viewers, do
what fits your lifestyle.
(44:41):
Don't force.
Yoga should never hurt.
It should never hurt Withchronic pain.
Especially, we want to discernthe difference between I haven't
moved this muscle for a whileversus shooting knife edge
numbing pain.
Leigh Klekar (44:59):
Yeah.
Judi Bar (44:59):
And we should never, ever feel pain in the joints.
So if you have a knee pain orif you have a deep hip pain, you
stop and a beautiful yoga classwill allow you, allows you and
gives you that freedom to listento your body and stop and
adjust it and adapt it, becausethis is not a race and nothing
(45:20):
is ever worth hurting yourself.
It's just never, it's not worthit yeah to try to do something
that doesn't fit right, you knowright, that's wonderful advice.
Leigh Klekar (45:30):
Yeah, that's great .
Before we wrap up our interview, um, is there anything else
you'd like to share, any othertips or any other insight you
may have?
Judi Bar (45:41):
Well, I think you said it really well when you said
you know, try it.
When you find someplace, try itand give it a couple times,
give it more than once or twice.
As humans, we kind of prejudgethat this is going to work, and
then it's not.
And give it, and I'll tell youthat it's, it's, it changed my
life.
(46:01):
It's, and the thing is, I'msoon to be 74.
Wow, you do not look it.
Leigh Klekar (46:08):
You look amazing.
Judi Bar (46:10):
Of course those girls don't mind hearing that, but my
back problem happened when I was45 and and here I am and you
know I teach about 12 classes aweek now, myself even being
retired and I'm proof that thatit can work and it feels good
and I think for me it changed mylife because it changes how I,
(46:30):
how I've approached things and Iappreciate some of the simplest
pleasures.
So make a pact with yourself tocount your blessings and take a
moment and just really tasteyour tea or coffee or your
blueberries and appreciate themoment that you lay in the bed
and feel the coolness of thesheets, or just take a couple
(46:51):
moments, and those simplepleasures and that simple
awareness adds up during thecourse of the day and it can
really change your life, nomatter how rough things can be.
Leigh Klekar (47:01):
That's wonderful, perfectly said, thank you, thank
you.
Thank you, judy, for joining uson this new Speaking of Women's
Health podcast.
You are welcome.
And, to our listeners, thanksfor tuning in for another new
episode, and we are grateful foryour support as well and hope
you will continue to join us andto catch all the latest from
(47:23):
the Speaking of Women's Healthpodcast.
Subscribe for free, whereveryou listen to your podcasts.
Thanks again for listening andwe'll see you all next time in
the Sunflower House.
Be strong, be healthy and be incharge.
Welcome to the Speaking of Women's Health
podcast.
I'm your guest Leigh ,Klekar,the producer of the podcast, and
I'm happy to be back in theSunflower House with a very
special guest, Judi Bar.
And on today's new episode weare going to be talking about
the benefits of yoga and how itcan help with chronic pain.
(00:23):
But first let me tell you alittle bit about Judi and her
professional background.
She is recently retired fromCleveland Clinic as lead yoga
therapist and yoga programmanager and she helped to get
their yoga program started andgrowing.
Judi is a yoga therapistcertified through the
(00:46):
International Association ofYoga Therapists.
She has over 40 years of yogapractice, including 10 years of
practicing in her own studiobefore joining Cleveland Clinic.
She came to yoga after her ownchronic back pain led her to
adapt yoga for her self-recoveryand care and we'll talk a
little bit more about thatthroughout the interview and she
(01:09):
brought her approach toCleveland Clinic and co-wrote a
curriculum for a chronic diseasereversal program called
Lifestyle 180.
Judi calls her approachheart-centered yoga, an
inclusive practice that isaccessible to everyone,
including those who are notcomfortable or capable of a
(01:29):
traditional yoga class.
Judi is recognized nationally.
She has been a featured speakerat the International
Association of Yoga Therapists,integrative Medicine and at
Women's Health Conferences, andshe has shared on speaking of
women's health on our websitemany videos and articles that
you can find.
(01:49):
And Judi has been featured inYoga Journal, the international
journal of yoga therapy, andyoga therapy today and I'm not
done yet.
She's on the advisory board foryoga therapy today and
yogatherapherapy Health, and shehas released two yoga DVDs, one
called Come as you Are Yoga andthe second one called Come as
(02:12):
you Are Yoga in Nature.
Welcome, Judi.
Judi Bar (02:17):
Hi, it's so exciting to be here.
Leigh Klekar (02:18):
Thank you, thank you, so I thought it'd be nice
to start the interview with youtelling us a little bit about
how you got into yoga and yourstory of spinal stenosis
diagnosis.
Judi Bar (02:32):
Yes, Well, I was in my mid 40s at the time.
Gee, I think that was only acouple years ago.
Yeah, definitely, wink, wink,wink.
Right, I was in my 40s andreally active.
I had a full-time career.
I was also.
Partly of what I was doing alsois I've been a dancer ballet
(02:54):
dancer and a performer and achoreographer.
So I was really, really activeand I went to bed one night.
I was fine.
The next morning I woke up and Icould barely walk and it began
an over a five year process ofchronic pain.
And so the idea of what I wentthrough and being able to relate
(03:14):
to what happens when, when wehave chronic pain now, chronic
pain is something that lasts atleast it's longer than three
months.
You know it's not acute whereyou sprain an ankle.
Acute can lead to chronic pain.
Now, chronic pain is somethingthat lasts at least it's longer
than three months.
You know it's not acute, whereyou sprain an ankle, acute can
lead to chronic pain.
But mine turned out.
At first we thought it wasacute but then it lasted.
(03:34):
So that started the process,that the deteriorating process
of geez, I can't move very well,and it was really hard to
believe because there I wasactive.
I was, you know, I was still.
I was teaching dance, I waschoreographing, I was really
active and just to be felt likethat.
(03:55):
And the stenosis ended up as itwas progressing.
It would squeeze some of thenerves and what would happen is
I would be walking and all of asudden I'd fall.
You know, here I'm walking andtry to be, you know I'm being
grateful, right, and there I go.
So you know, there was, I waswalking with a cane and it was
(04:17):
just such, a, such a dichotomyof what it was like and getting
diagnosed and the depression andchanging our lifestyle and in
order, geez, can I go groceryshopping?
Does my back hurt so bad todaythat I can't go out?
And so I really lived it and Ikept thinking what is, you know,
(04:39):
this just can't, this justcan't be real, right, can't,
this just can't be real right.
And so I went the three, fouror five years trying to find
ways to help and, um, the, thelast straw, or what I say, the
last, or the turning point forme was when the neurosurgeon and
the um radiologists werebasically standing over the, the
(05:02):
gurney as.
I was being examined and theysaid she has to have surgery, we
have to do, you know, we haveto do the fusion, we have to do
this.
And then the, the radiologistwas no.
But if you do that, and it'sright, you know, I can hear you
right, the patients right here,you know, they're going back and
forth and back and forth.
And I appreciated what theradiologist was saying because,
(05:25):
of course, course, with thehistory and, you know, with all
the experience the physicianshave and all the data, this is
what we see.
But and certainly the sideeffects or the disadvantages of
doing a particular surgery.
But the radiologist said therest of her back is going to go,
you fuse, you see up and down,it's going to, she's going to
(05:46):
have problems and then there'llbe more and more and more and
it'll just continue to get worse.
And I'm listening to this andthen I, I finally said, all
right, stop, stop.
I said you know what, give me ayear and I'm going to see what
I can do to help myself.
So in those five years, I, I,you know, I think sometimes as
(06:10):
patients we don't realize howmuch we can take into our own
hands.
And so the experience for mewas just, it was so valuable
because it really helped tocolor how I worked and what I
ended up wanting, wanting to doand literally changed my career
sport.
And so I said, give me a year,I'm going to work on this and
(06:30):
see if I can make any changes.
And the neurosurgeon was nothappy with me.
He said he was almost sneering.
He said, oh, you're going to bebegging me to come back for
surgery.
And I'm thinking, well, if I am, I'm not so sure I'm going here
.
You know, know, and I'm sure itwas a bad day.
I mean, I'm not, you know,trying not to take it out of
context, but, um, it was.
(06:51):
That was also quite a few yearsago, where there wasn't as much
known about the whole body andwhat, what you can do and how
much we can help ourselves withintegrative and complementary
type practices, right?
So, not long after that, my momand she always she was so cute
(07:15):
because she would say I'm theone that told you she said, judy
, why don't you try yoga?
And I, you know, I had the same.
I had the idea that everybodythinks yoga has to be right.
You know, a pretzel, right?
Leigh Klekar (07:30):
And people right, could only do it.
Judi Bar (07:32):
Young people that could you know where.
And at that point I was still,you know, I still feel young and
young at heart.
At that point, being in my 40sI, you know, are young.
Two weeks before my yeah, twoweeks before my back went out, I
was performing, you know,dancing, so you know, it was, um
, I was still, you know, quitevital.
(07:52):
And she said, I think youshould try yoga.
And I said, okay, I will.
And, um, but I couldn't findany yoga that I could do.
I, I tried one of the big, thebig guys that, um, here's yoga
for back hair.
And I put I, it was a DVD atthe time, you know, and I, and
(08:14):
I'm like I can't do this becauseof what's going on with my back
, right, and I tried somethingelse.
And I tried something else andI thought, no wonder people
think yoga isn't accessible.
And so I sat back and there wassomething inside me and this is
what's important for ourpatients too is it just didn't
feel right that my path?
(08:36):
They told me if I didn't getthat surgery in a year I'd be in
a wheelchair, that my back wasgoing to deteriorate that bad.
I was already walking with acane and I said this just
doesn't seem like it's what'ssupposed to happen to me, right.
So I began the process of selfteaching myself yoga, but making
it very accessible and easy,breaking it down therapeutically
(09:01):
, working on this and that, thisand that and I didn't have
anybody tell me this is going toreally help.
This is going to you're going toget better.
I just in my heart of hearts, Ijust thought there's got to be
something more I can do.
I've got to take myself offthat gurney and empower myself
and do everything I can that'snot harmful and not against what
the doctor said.
I didn't stop any of themedicines, I didn't do any of
(09:23):
the.
I didn't do anything radicalthat way, but I took more of it
into my own hands and it took mea while.
It's probably well over a year.
But, um, wow, the rest.
The rest is history.
I'm, I did it, you know.
I was able to get back to andand.
But how I did it was I lookedat my stress levels, I watched
(09:46):
and started eating moreanti-inflammatory foods, I
meditated, I walked, I looked atmy social life.
I made other changes because Ialso realized how much stress I
was in a really stressful job.
I was actually in videoproduction and I did corporate,
corporate communications typework, but also video production,
and it was really stressful.
(10:07):
So I I not only did the yoga,and here's the key yoga helps us
to become so mindful and awareof how we feel and what we're
doing by just naturally, webegin to look at the rest of our
, the rest of our life, and gooh that's really not fitting or
that doesn't feel right, and sothat mindful approach calms the
(10:34):
nervous system.
So any chronic pain that we'retalking about, if we look at the
mindful approach and thecalming aspect of getting out of
the sympathetic response intothe parasympathetic, we're
already practically halfwaythere.
So I did a deep dive into yoga,the depths of it, and my mom
(10:57):
was always so cute, she'd say.
And who told you to do yoga?
Yeah, she's taking all thecredit Right.
And I said, mom, you didAbsolutely and for the longest
time I kept.
She got me one of these littlefrom I think it was Shopping
Network and it was a you know,it was a mat and a little this
and a little that to help me getstarted.
And she would come to my yogaclasses when I taught the
(11:20):
therapeutic yoga, and so Ilooked at it as a gift from the
universe, saying you know what,if you can figure out how to do
this, you can turn this around.
And so I changed my career.
I knew that I wanted to helpother people because I felt so
helpless and you know so well,helpless you know, either.
(11:41):
How do I, how do how do I dothis?
And so that whole process and Istudied and ultimately became a
yoga therapist and then I knewI needed to get into the bigger
picture.
I had a very thriving businessit was called Heartlight
actually and when theopportunity came to the clinic
came to me then because theyknew I kind of had a local came
(12:03):
to the clinic.
Came to me then because theyknew I kind of had a local, you
know, a reputation of being ableto help with chronic pain and
all yeah.
I thought, yep, this is where Ihave to go.
I can reach more people.
Yes, so here I am.
Yeah, and almost 25 years later, Wow, wow I feel good Wow.
Leigh Klekar (12:22):
That's great.
Yeah, that's amazing.
What a story.
I mean it just it's pretty cool.
Yeah, it is.
Yeah, I mean you know, becausea lot of people you know some,
you know especially someone likeyou who was a dancer, so
exercising and moving your bodywas your life, and then to one
day wake up and then that allchanged.
You know, know, and then it'slike it took my legs away from
(12:44):
me.
Judi Bar (12:44):
Yeah, yeah, wow.
Well, yoga and dance now too.
So so just to say that, yeah,you just never know.
Leigh Klekar (12:54):
Yeah, I was a dancer, not like you.
I'd never a great choreographer, but I went on to college and
did a minor in dance, so Iunderstand.
Yes, and my friend owns a yogastudio, got me into it.
I have scoliosis and so I'vegot uneven hips.
Yes, and wow, when I don't doyoga for you know, sometimes it
gets tricky I can see in my body, you know, I could feel that
(13:17):
pain.
You can.
Just you know it's, it reallyis.
Judi Bar (13:21):
You know what, and you're really smart to keep
maintaining it, because whathappens is our body, whatever
the twist is in your spine, andour body wants to go back to
homeostasis, so it'll keeppulling.
So you really no matter whathave to, you just keep it up and
(13:43):
you see it.
I mean, and that's the keyabout mindfulness too, is that
you realize, oh boy, I, oh, Ihaven't done this for a while.
And you listen to your body andthen respond because our body
you know pain is just pain.
Many times it's just a messagefrom our body to say, hey, pay
attention to this.
Leigh Klekar (14:00):
Right, right, absolutely, I mean.
And you mentioned also just thebenefits.
Yes, of course it helpsobviously with your chronic pain
and it can help others withpain, but it gives you a sense
mentally.
It makes you almost at least me, I can't speak for everybody,
but just a more positive person.
I see things in a better light.
I see people in a better light.
I want to be better.
(14:22):
I don't know what that is, Idon't know if it's the breathing
or the instructor, but itreally does make a difference
for me and the type of person Iam and who I want to be.
Judi Bar (14:32):
So it can affect our well-being.
And I think years ago, whereyoga had gotten such a bad rap
that it's culty and it's this,and that it's really more about
positive thinking and noticinghow we feel and that mindful
approach of first, I'm going tojust be conscious of my breath,
(14:52):
and if we're conscious of ourbreath in yoga class, we begin
to often that realize, whoa, I'mholding my breath.
I'm really upset here.
I'm going to take another deepbreath and we're going to try to
maintain because the breath iseverything.
The physical aspect of it iscertainly a byproduct because
and I'll get into that a littlebit more about this the style
(15:13):
that we, we teach in all.
But you're absolutely right, Ibelieve everything in my life, I
think, changed and improvedwhen I began this practice,
because we talk about gratitudeand patience and kindness and
non harm being present, right,and those are wonderful things
(15:34):
because in essence, it helps ourwell being and to our mind,
everything's real.
And if we're ruminating aboutstuff and we were talking about
this and we're mad about thatand we're going around like that
, guess what it sends, whatmessages it sends to our body
stress, stress hormones, andthat the inflammatory rate
starts or I shouldn't say starts, but can get um pushed up a
(15:57):
little bit so you described thatvery well and I'm very glad to
hear that you're doing it.
Leigh Klekar (16:01):
Thank, you, yes, so I want to talk about since
we've already touched on many ofthese the benefits of yoga, if
you wouldn't mind sharing thatwith our audience.
You know we talked about pain,so maybe other types of pain in
addition to just a generalchronic pain, what other
conditions can be improved bydoing yoga?
Judi Bar (16:22):
Okay, so to start out by doing yoga, okay, so to start
out again is just, you knowwhat is yoga?
Yeah, and it's the combinationof the mind, the body and the
breath, right, so many timespeople don't even realize that,
they just think of it as thephysical posture.
And so the physical postureabsolutely helps.
And in the accessible type ofyoga, the heart-centered yoga
(16:46):
that I do, it breaks down themuscle groups and works on.
You know, there's a lot ofpeople that can't get on the
ground.
Well, how do we do a cobra or asphinx that we can get a
similar benefit without havingto get on the ground?
And maybe one day we worktowards it.
So when we say mind, body andbreath, we're working the
physical aspect, we're addingthat wonderful breath.
(17:07):
That, ultimately, is what calmsus, and yoga can, in the
calming action, it can alsorestore, so we relax and slow
down.
But it also I call it theultimate green machine because
it also then can energize us,right, right, but then it it
also works on our mind.
Simple things.
(17:27):
I'm doing a balancing pose,right, and I'm starting to say
we can.
Oh geez, I used to be able todo this all the time.
Now, look at me, I can't dothis.
Yes, and we, we notice ourthoughts and realize I'm not
supporting myself.
I'm not, I'm strong, I can dothis, I'm strong, I can do this.
So any type of so I'm going tosay this.
(17:52):
My friends and I and my teammembers would say this too you
can breathe, you can do yoga,and so when we look in the
magazines and we see somebodystanding there with their foot
behind and lifting, most peoplethink there is no way I can do
yoga.
So we do the mind, we do thebreath, but we also can adapt to
(18:14):
the poses in a way that isaccessible for anyone.
So when I first started teachingat the clinic in 2007, there
really wasn't a lot of solid NIHdata that said yoga for back
pain, yoga for this, yoga forthat.
There was plenty that wouldcome from India, which is one of
(18:35):
the origins of yoga, but thatwasn't enough research for the
United States and for ourphysicians, which is
understandable.
In these 20 years or so thatI've started, there's all kinds
of wonderful data.
So carpal tunnel, high bloodpressure, obesity, fibromyalgia,
(18:55):
lupus, breast cancer.
I mean there's there's time andtime again.
As a matter of fact, ourdepartment was involved in three
, four different studies while Iwas there and it's still going
on with epilepsy and the mindstudy.
We did a virtual chronic chronicpain chronic lower back pain
(19:16):
study which we published and wegot very good results.
So people with chronic painthat were employees of the
clinic that's how we said it wasvirtual.
We got some really good resultsand I can send a link to that
if anybody wants to read aboutthat.
Leigh Klekar (19:35):
Yes, we could put that in our show notes for our
listeners, because I knowchronic lower back pain is a
topic that at least we get a lotof questions about at Speaking
of Women's Health.
Judi Bar (19:45):
Absolutely, I'll get that and I'll address some of
that as we're talking, as we'retalking.
So honestly, there really isn'tanything that in one way or
another, whether it's just thecalming action or structurally,
we're able to balance the musclegroups that yoga can't help If
(20:07):
we just overridingly look atyoga can.
Yoga helps to lower our stressresponse as we practice it.
And, honestly, in 2007, when Iwas hired, there wasn't a lot of
data yet, right, and they saidand I worked with Dr Michael
Roizen and Dr Cosgrove was theCEO at the time and not directly
(20:31):
with Dr Cosgrove, but he wasalso part and parcel to it they
said you know what?
There's enough data to showthat yoga can help the stress
response.
We're bringing you on to helpus, you know.
And so when we talk aboutchronic pain, whether it's
headaches or fibromyalgia orside effects of cancer or
(20:51):
whatever it is the very firstthing we're going to look at is
we're able to calm that response.
And when we're in thatparasympathetic response, we're
not secreting the hormones thatwill exacerbate inflammation and
so the inflammatory rate in ourbody.
Not only it's stress, it's whatwe eat, you know.
It's a lack of motion, it's all.
(21:12):
And what's so beautiful aboutyoga is we can meet you where
you are, and too often a yogaclass will be all right you're
coming in and this is how you'regoing to do the poses, versus
we're going to wrap the yogaaround you.
We're not going to force you tohurt yourself or force yourself
to do things, and with thatit's adaptable.
(21:32):
I've taught amputees, I teach inwheelchairs, I've I've taught
it how I worked with patients inhospice laying down in bed, um,
and it, it all, it all can bedone.
The key and I know we'll get tothis and I want I do want to
talk about chronic, chronic backpain a little bit more too um,
specifically, um is that youknow, as long as you find an
(21:59):
instructor that knows how to dothis, and so the difference
between a yoga instructor and ayoga therapist is a lot more
training and a lot moreexperience.
So a yoga instructor has abasis of 200 hours, which is the
minimum A yoga alliance setsthe certification for that.
A yoga therapist needs easilytwo to three thousand hours of
(22:22):
training, okay, and a lot ofthat is around not only training
, but experience withindifferent disease processes.
How can yoga help?
How can yoga hurt?
Because, no matter what ifyou're trying to do something
that's not good for you, whetherit's with holding your breath,
which is not good for mostpeople, or an average person to
(22:46):
doing things that could forceand hurt a joint?
So a yoga therapist has a lotmore training and understands
how to work yoga and support,not harm you any further and
also help you with the diseaseprocess.
But there's plenty of reallywonderfully seasoned yoga
(23:06):
teachers out there that are notyoga therapists but have had so
much hands-on experience thatthey're absolutely excellent.
They could be considered thatalso because of their experience
.
So, of all the diseaseprocesses you've talked about,
really anybody can benefit, nomatter what your challenge is.
(23:28):
The key is going to be to findthe right instructor to mold it
around you, right.
Leigh Klekar (23:32):
You know, I know I hear a lot of people say
friends, family, you know it'sjust, it's not for me.
I just don't have the patienceto start that breathing.
But I think once you find, likeyou said, the right instructor
or the right therapist, theright studio or even the right
like online platform, you knowthere's wonderful options now
Right, and that's great.
(23:53):
I think you, just after like acouple of weeks or a couple
sessions, you know, give it morethan just one chance, is what I
would say as a person whostarted it, and it was
challenging at first, like youmentioned.
The balance, I mean and I was adancer and I get, I get in my
head I should be able to standon one foot.
I did.
But you know what Our bodieschange, we get older hormones,
(24:14):
all of that, and you might nothave the best balance, but who
cares?
Put your toe down, right, oryou know, put your leg down and
just focus maybe then on thebreathing and get out of that
negative head space.
And so I just might.
I just wanted to mention, likehow you would you recommend
somebody who is having some sortof pain to look for more of a
(24:35):
therapist to get started ifthey've never done yoga before
or work with their physician,maybe.
Judi Bar (24:41):
Well, you know, we always sorry to interrupt you.
We always want to check withour physician, is it okay?
What can I do, what can't I do?
You know, knee replacement, hipreplacement, abdominal surgery,
back surgery, whatever it is.
Obviously we always check whatcan I do, what can, what can I
not do?
And there's, you know,sometimes it's pretty general
(25:03):
Just don't lift, don't do this,don't do that.
So there's a website which youknow I belong to, international
Association of Yoga Therapists,and there's a registration.
There's a list there oftherapists, yoga therapists that
could most likely be in there.
(25:25):
I mean, it's worldwide, sothere would be a list there.
Recommendations from people forsure.
And you're right, we have togive it a little bit of time
because well and a savvy teacher, if they're starting a
beginning class, they're notgoing to ask people to sit for
(25:46):
10 minutes quietly and don'tmove and then get them moving,
because that's not possible.
Our mind, we're used tomultitasking easily two or three
things at once, and so somebodyasks you to stop First off,
it's not going to work becauseyou can still stay in here and
you're going to go all over theplace.
I don't like this.
(26:06):
This is uncomfortable.
I don't care.
It's working gradually into.
You're moving, you're breathing, you're quiet for a couple of
seconds while you're in balance.
You're moving, you're breathing, you're quiet for a couple
seconds while you're in balance,you're moving, you're breathing
, you're quiet and you worktowards that because we're
multitasked.
I mean the day more technologycame and there were two or three
things on a screen at once wasthe day that all of us started
(26:30):
even multitasking more and beingable to do more.
So you're right, it's hard.
You don't want to give up.
You want the teacher, theinstructor, to be safe and
knowledgeable and accessible.
If you go into a class and someof the things that you might ask
is this is important actually,do they do hands on adjustments?
(26:59):
We don't teach it, we don't saythat that's a good thing to do,
because if you're in a pose,let's say you're balancing or
trying to balance, maybe there'sa chair in front of you and
trying to balance and somebodycomes up to you and says and
there's no mirror, you can't see, and they go first off.
It can scare you, but we don'tknow what's going on inside that
body, and so I prefer that youknow some of the things they ask
(27:28):
what's the experience of theteacher?
You know I have this particularinjury or challenge.
You know how do you think theywould handle it?
No hands on.
And you know there's severalstyles.
There's plenty of styles outthere.
Some of them are a lot moretraditional.
Where there's where there mightbe more of a chant you know
(27:49):
using sound and that might beuncomfortable.
So there's plenty of teachersthat don't do that.
Now, to explain what that is,think about when we're in church
or when we're in a choir andwe're singing.
There's actually a vibrationthat goes on within our body
with our vocal cords and thatcan be actually really quite
(28:12):
healing.
And so the basis of that inyoga is really about the
vibration that happens.
There's plenty of classes thatthey don't do that.
So, for all of our listeners,don't worry about it.
If something like that feelsuncomfortable, there's plenty of
instructors that don't do thatto keep it even more
user-friendly.
So, and then you know findingout what their training is and
(28:37):
ask if you can try a class tosee if you feel comfortable, and
finding that line between mymind won't quiet uncomfortable
versus this is not a class forme.
You know this is not where Iwant to go, and so it can be.
It could take a little bit oftime, but between and we'll put
(29:00):
those resources down.
I think Yoga Alliance and IOYTthere's registration lists of
instructors that are out thereRight, so that's worth a try.
Leigh Klekar (29:11):
Yeah, that's wonderful.
So we started touching on thebenefits and I know you've
mentioned how yoga can helpreduce anxiety and stress and we
know a lot of women and men andand teens, you know the the
stress and anxiety in oureveryday lives now can be a
really problem for some sleep.
(29:32):
You know, I think that, youknow, yeah, and I know again,
you know our a lot of ouraudiences like midlife women
either in the perimenopausestage, menopause- or
postmenopause.
Yes, and sleep is a, you know, ahuge issue for many women and
again and men.
Judi Bar (29:49):
Well, you know, part of that is our mind right.
First off, you know we usuallytell our doctor and they make
sure there's nothing, you knowany, anything else physically
disturbing that would cause asleep problem, and it could.
Sometimes it's a combination ofthe medicine you know there
might be a medicine that's onthat, that's a side effect of.
But what yoga will help us dois notice our breath quiet down.
(30:15):
You know we have our bed ritualor bedtime ritual.
If there's something bothers,maybe write it down quiet music
staying.
You know all the the sleep, uh,hygiene type things stay off
our ipad and you know as much aspossible.
But, um, what I find is is, ifmy mind, mind is going, I come
to a breath, and this is thething that's so cool is there's
(30:35):
so many different ways tobreathe that could suit us, suit
our style and what we need tohelp to quiet us down.
Because what we're trying to dois not only calm that heart
rate, but this, and so we beginto look at how we can quiet the
mind to be able to get, I mean,sleep.
(30:56):
Oh my gosh, it's so important.
And how much we cut off, youknow, first off, we're so busy
that we cut our amount of sleepdown anyway, we go to bed later.
We still have to get up early,right?
So, yes, there's beautifulposes, there's poses that will
affect, that can wake us up.
So what happens?
When we yawn, we go.
Well, you, you know what, whenwe're opening our chest like
(31:18):
that, that stimulates thesympathetic response, when we
bend forward, which there's just, there's a couple trunks in our
cervical and a couple trunks inour lower back, that will
affect the um, parasympatheticresponse, the sleep response.
So there's beautiful practicesthat can happen in the evening
that you make it a little bit ofa ritual.
(31:39):
You know, you bend forward andyou do some stretches and things
, so that can also help us.
So, sleep, you're so right andthere's so many challenges with
it.
But I'll tell you, withpractice you can really affect
your sleep.
Leigh Klekar (31:53):
Oh yeah, after a good yoga session, I mean I
can't stay awake past like 9,930.
My kids are like what's?
I'm like mom did yoga today.
So the breathing for me I don'tknow it, but it really does
help.
I mean I can say that againpersonally.
And what about weight loss?
And just the physical part,right.
Judi Bar (32:13):
Yeah, that's a good part.
So, yes, we were talking alittle bit about the
cardiovascular effect.
So the biggest, the biggesteffect that yoga can have for
weight loss, the first and themost the foremost, I believe, is
your own body awareness, whichhelps you understand your hunger
(32:33):
, your satiate.
You know when you're satiated,when you're thirsty, when you're
stressed, eating.
So there's almost that ideathat overlaps into understanding
the reasons why or why am Ieating Twinkies at 10 o'clock at
night.
That awareness, yoga helps ourcirculation.
(32:58):
It, you know.
It, affects our heart rate.
We can work and strengthenbones.
You know osteopenia,osteoporosis, Although with both
osteopenia, osteoporosis andweight, there's always a
suggestion.
There's always a suggestionthat you need more than just
yoga.
Yoga will support it.
I, there's always a suggestionthat you need more than just
(33:19):
yoga.
Yoga will support it.
There's certainly people outthere that do the power yoga,
where you're in a hot room andit's fast-paced move, move, move
.
So, yes, of course there'scardiovascular.
That's not for everybody andwhen we move fast our muscles
they don't even get intoposition and you tell them to
move again and they're like, ah,and so we actually can hurt
(33:40):
ourselves, right?
So I believe that the mindfulapproach and really listening to
our body and understanding whenwe go to eat and why we want to
take better care of ourselves.
So I think with the actualphysical activity of yoga, it
helps because it keeps us supple, it helps us with our balance,
(34:01):
it helps us to feel better, butwe don't necessarily burn a lot
of calories like we would if wedid a brisk 45-minute walk, okay
, or we did.
You know, we did resistancetraining.
So I think it's a good adjunctand a support.
Leigh Klekar (34:17):
Okay, an adjunct and a support Okay.
And if you're doing some of theposes, you know that where
you're, you know you're, youknow pushing up and you're using
your arms almost like.
Would you consider that alittle bit of strength training?
Oh, absolutely.
Judi Bar (34:30):
Okay, yes, oh, absolutely.
And there's plenty of ways.
I always we use gravity rightas resistance.
So even even when I do atherapeutic class, which a lot
of times they'll sit on thechair and, by the way, you
wouldn't believe all thewonderful things and the
benefits we can get even fromsitting on a chair because we
can get deeper into muscles andstrengthen so absolutely.
(34:52):
There's strength, there'sstrength training, so training,
I guess, but there's strengthadvantages Absolutely If, if we
can hold, let's say, a warriorpose.
You know the warrior goes out,you're, you're in a lunge and
you're looking out.
If we can hold that about 90seconds.
There's data about osteopeniaand osteoporosis that we're,
(35:13):
we're, we're wrapped.
You know the muscles aregetting wrapped.
It's an active pose.
It's like it's not, but it'sreally active.
We're using the muscle and ifwe hold it 90 seconds, we're not
only wrapping the muscle aroundbut we're getting into the hips
and and and using that more.
So I would say it's, it'sperfect.
We were going to be thewellness integrative is looking
(35:36):
at doing a um.
I think we're talking.
They were talking about ashared medical appointment,
about strength, the strength ofyoga to help, to help our bones.
So in that respect we reallycan.
I think it still would be niceto use free weight and and and
as an adjunct to what we do, butwith a well-rounded and a
(35:58):
consistent practice, youabsolutely can do strengthening
thighs, even seated.
You sit up, you use your coreand that's one thing I want to
remind all of our viewers is towatch your posture right.
Leigh Klekar (36:12):
It's so easy to let that happen.
Judi Bar (36:14):
It is yes to let that happen.
It is yes.
And lack of motion?
Our beautiful body.
If we keep going like that,over time our bones say well, I
guess we're going to have tostabilize her up this way,
because she hasn't moved anydifferent for a long time.
It actually can get Become likea permanent posture almost
(36:40):
right.
Yes, I didn't want to saydamage, but what happens is it
can become more permanentbecause the bones move it, you
know, instead of just all muscle.
Leigh Klekar (36:49):
Yes, interesting, I mean.
And you, I don't know, maybeit's the old dancer in me, but I
do.
You know, I notice a lot ofpeople.
You know.
You're walking, just you know,in the grocery store.
Judi Bar (37:05):
A lot of people.
You know you're walking, justyou know, in the grocery store a
lot of people have that.
Leigh Klekar (37:08):
Yeah.
Judi Bar (37:08):
Yeah, so well, yeah, it's like depression, you know,
and it's gravity and it's thisand it's this and you know,
watch this.
Yeah, look at, look at how muchand look what the rotator cuff
Right, I mean, look at how farthat had to go.
Cuff Right, I mean, look at howfar that had to go Right, holy
cow, it is so easy, right?
Leigh Klekar (37:21):
So easy.
I just I remember, um, even mydance teacher saying you know, a
good way to kind of do it isput your shoulders up, push them
down and feel those backmuscles right, kind of just you
know working and no.
But it takes some work to getused to that If you, especially
if you're always kind of been ahuncher to really get you know
to change that posture and tochange the way that you sit and
(37:41):
stand.
But it really can do wonders.
Judi Bar (37:45):
Oh, it does and it strengthens us.
So if we're sitting on the backof our chair, we're not using
any muscle.
Yeah, so if we sit up, we haveto use our core, right?
I?
Leigh Klekar (37:55):
mean I have to use our core Right.
I have to use my whole back andmy stomach to just sit up
straight Right All the way up,so just everyday hits like that
Right, and I do want to have you, if you have a few minutes, to
show us a few at home.
But before we do I want toagain, for a lot of the people
(38:20):
who are new to yoga or maybeonly tried it, like at their
local Y or one time, a DVD or athome.
But what are a few of thedifferent types and ones that
maybe you would recommend foreither beginners or those who've
only done it a few times, hereand there?
Judi Bar (38:37):
generally, as I find is and I'm so sorry for some of
the studio owners that might seethis, that may take exception
to it, but I generally find yogastudio you know out in the
strip center and it tends to bea little bit, maybe a little bit
less accessible for someone newor average coming in, unless
(39:01):
you're young, in pretty darngood shape, you can step in.
So, let's say, the demographicsthat we're talking about might
be maybe mid-30s up and maybenot quite as in shape as we'd
like.
And I'm not even talking if, ifit's weight, but just maybe not
(39:22):
having a chance to move much.
But if it is weight or if thereis other challenges generally
like you'll hear it a vinyasaflow or you know, or power yoga,
those those I think tend to besomething that you might work
towards there.
They're not accessible foreverybody, so it would be
(39:44):
watching for the instructor thatthat teaches it.
But, and again, also that style.
So and most people don'tdifferentiate this, but a good
roundabout style is called hatha, or it's actually said hatha
h-a-t-h-a.
Okay, it's the basic yoga.
It, uh, it combines themeditation, the breath and the
(40:07):
movement.
Um, and that's the, theumbrella, okay, and so beginning
right, um, I call minetherapeutic or have called it
therapeutic or wellness, um, theway the style that I I
developed after I realized howinaccessible an average yoga
(40:30):
class was, um, was I took the,took the poses and broke them
down.
So so you know, cobra is layingon the ground and pushing up.
It's actually done in physicaltherapy too.
But what if we did?
Let's say we wanted to make itaccessible.
So here's my chair.
What if, by pulling back andleaning forward, I'm able to
(40:54):
open up the chest and stretcheverything down to the waist,
and then I do some otherstretches to work the bottom
part of it?
So it's breaking down the posesto make it accessible, get the
benefit of it and theneventually being able to put it
together.
So look for the simplest andbasic descriptions of the yoga
(41:19):
and then ask those questions.
You know, do I necessarily haveto get on the ground right off
the bat?
I mean, there's people in their30s that have a hard time
lifting their arms or evengetting on the ground because of
lack of motion, right?
So it isn't just an older,active, older adult kind of a
situation that we're dealingwith here.
You know, of older adults kindof the situation that we're
(41:42):
dealing with here.
You know so, and if you do that, that class won't, you know,
won't necessarily be for themright the um.
So like the, the, the rockyriver rec center and the city's
rec centers and places like thatsometimes can have really
wonderful classes yeah, my mom,who's has you?
Leigh Klekar (42:00):
has arthritis, osteoarthritis, joint pain in
her knees and her toes, which isagain, very, very common even
in women in their 30s, 40s, 50s.
She tried the studios and itwas too much for her and she
felt almost embarrassed becauseall these young girls were in
their cute little outfits and mymom's like I just need some
pain relief and some goodstretching and I just want,
(42:23):
right, it's part of her otherthings she was doing in her
exercise program.
But she found a great class ather local Y so she tried, she
just she kept trying differentplaces and she found what worked
for her and I've noticed yeah,sorry, go ahead.
No, you go ahead.
Oh, I was just going to say Ihave a app on my TV that I've
(42:43):
installed, that I like, and ithas a dot one for like, easy two
dots for a little, yes, andthat's helpful too.
So just look for maybe that onedot or beginner level or entry
level.
Judi Bar (42:54):
That's a very good suggestion.
The cool part about doing anin-person class is that the
teacher can watch and gauges towhat's going on.
But it isn't always practicaland it can help you.
Sometimes we're not quite asbody aware and I'll say stand up
straight.
They don't really understandwhy.
Stand up straight is enough,and so I can see it and ask them
(43:15):
.
Straight is enough, you know,and so I'll I can see it and ask
them.
But you know, the fact is is ifwe could just get, if we just
get moving and just get thatpractice, that mindful practice,
anything will help as long asit doesn't hurt you, right?
And you know people ask well,how often do I do it?
(43:39):
And what's a good?
You know what?
What the best thing is iswhat's convenient for you.
Maybe you love to start the dayand it may be like to end the
day maybe breaking it up.
You know, having a little chunkthat we we have as our own,
where it could be 15 minutesthat we put on pretty music and
nice and we do a little bit onour own, you know, then take a
nice bath with that, wouldn'tthat be a wonderful thing?
That sounds great.
Yeah wouldn't that be awonderful reasoning?
(44:00):
That sounds great, yeah, itdoes.
But to really look at it aswhat?
Such a wonderful self care thatI'm taking care of myself and
doing that, and that in ofitself, you know, the meditation
part of yoga, or justmeditation period, is really
just a single minded focus inbeing able to be aware that my
mind's going okay, I'm going tobring it back here and focus on
my breath.
Or listen to's going okay, I'mgoing to bring it back here and
focus on my breath.
Or listen to this music.
(44:21):
My mind's okay, I'm bringing itback.
And so yoga can be a mindfulmeditation.
In other words, it's a movingmeditation which can also, you
know, which can really calm us.
So for for our, for ourlisteners or our viewers, do
what fits your lifestyle.
(44:41):
Don't force.
Yoga should never hurt.
It should never hurt Withchronic pain.
Especially, we want to discernthe difference between I haven't
moved this muscle for a whileversus shooting knife edge
numbing pain.
Leigh Klekar (44:59):
Yeah.
Judi Bar (44:59):
And we should never, ever feel pain in the joints.
So if you have a knee pain orif you have a deep hip pain, you
stop and a beautiful yoga classwill allow you, allows you and
gives you that freedom to listento your body and stop and
adjust it and adapt it, becausethis is not a race and nothing
(45:20):
is ever worth hurting yourself.
It's just never, it's not worthit yeah to try to do something
that doesn't fit right, you knowright, that's wonderful advice.
Leigh Klekar (45:30):
Yeah, that's great .
Before we wrap up our interview, um, is there anything else
you'd like to share, any othertips or any other insight you
may have?
Judi Bar (45:41):
Well, I think you said it really well when you said
you know, try it.
When you find someplace, try itand give it a couple times,
give it more than once or twice.
As humans, we kind of prejudgethat this is going to work, and
then it's not.
And give it, and I'll tell youthat it's, it's, it changed my
life.
(46:01):
It's, and the thing is, I'msoon to be 74.
Wow, you do not look it.
Leigh Klekar (46:08):
You look amazing.
Judi Bar (46:10):
Of course those girls don't mind hearing that, but my
back problem happened when I was45 and and here I am and you
know I teach about 12 classes aweek now, myself even being
retired and I'm proof that thatit can work and it feels good
and I think for me it changed mylife because it changes how I,
(46:30):
how I've approached things and Iappreciate some of the simplest
pleasures.
So make a pact with yourself tocount your blessings and take a
moment and just really tasteyour tea or coffee or your
blueberries and appreciate themoment that you lay in the bed
and feel the coolness of thesheets, or just take a couple
(46:51):
moments, and those simplepleasures and that simple
awareness adds up during thecourse of the day and it can
really change your life, nomatter how rough things can be.
Leigh Klekar (47:01):
That's wonderful, perfectly said, thank you, thank
you.
Thank you, judy, for joining uson this new Speaking of Women's
Health podcast.
You are welcome.
And, to our listeners, thanksfor tuning in for another new
episode, and we are grateful foryour support as well and hope
you will continue to join us andto catch all the latest from
(47:23):
the Speaking of Women's Healthpodcast.
Subscribe for free, whereveryou listen to your podcasts.
Thanks again for listening andwe'll see you all next time in
the Sunflower House.
Be strong, be healthy and be incharge.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com