Helen Spencer

About Helen

Helen has been a practicing yogi for over 10 years, and in 2010 took this passion further by completing her Yoga Level 1 Teacher Training.

Now, after completing her qualification and 20 years in the corporate world, Helen has made the big step out of the office onto the yoga mat.

Helen can’t wait for the opportunities that lie ahead, many of which, will give back to the corporate world. There is so much opportunity for the ‘balanced workplace’ and more and more companies are looking for ways to offer this to their staff.

Yoga can play a strong role in helping to promote wellness, disease prevention and physical activity among employees. It can reduce stress, improve and promote wellbeing in the workplace.

Helen has held various sales and account management roles within the corporate arena providing her with strong relationship and communication skills which translate in her interactions with her yoga students.
Helen’s yoga experience includes:-

- Principal & teacher of ‘yoga with helen’ facilitating group & private classes in various locations of Brisbane, Qld.

- Contracted to the Brisbane City Council for yoga classes in their Wellness Centre/s.

- Currently undertaking study in Yoga Level 2 Teacher Training with My Health Yoga Association.

Helen’s philosophy in teaching yoga is one of a purist; every class incorporates breathing techniques, asana and meditation.

Helen teaches many first time yogis and can adapt classes to suit various levels of practice.

Yoga is more than physical postures; it is a way of life. ?Healthy living has always been important to Helen, however, exercise, fitness and healthy eating is nothing if you don’t have happiness and fulfillment in your heart.

 

Qualifications:

Helen has been a practicing yogi for over 10 years, and in 2010 took this passion further by completing her Yoga Level 1 Teacher Training.? Currently undertaking study in Yoga Level 2 Teacher Training with My Health Yoga Association.

 

Short bursts of exercise is best

Short bursts of exercise tell your body that storing energy as fat is inefficient, since you never exercise long enough to utilise the fat during each session. Carbohydrates, which are stored in muscle rather than fat, burn energy at high rates. Exercising for short periods will use these carbs and burn much more fat after exercising while you replenish the carbs. Short interval exercise maximises fat ‘after burn’.
Researchers at Laval University in Quebec divided participants into two groups: long-duration and repeated short-duration exercisers. They had the long-duration group cycle 45 minutes without interruption. The short-term interval group cycled in numerous short bursts of 15 – 90 seconds, while resting in between. The long duration group burned twice as many calories, so you would assume they would burn more fat.
However, when the researchers recorded their body composition measurements, the interval group showed that they lost the most fat. In fact, the interval group lost 9 times more fat than the endurance group for every calorie burned. Doesn’t this defy the laws of physics? No, it just illustrates that exercise continues to affect your metabolism after you stop. The short bursts stimulated a greater after burn.
In addition, short duration bursts produce many other desirable results for your metabolic health:

•    Improves maximal cardiac outputs

?•    Promotes the development of quicker cardiac adjustments to changes in demand

•    Helps you lose body fat with as little as 10 minutes per day

•    Achieves ‘higher peak stroke volumes during overload.’ (Your peak stroke volume is the maximum amount of blood your heart can pump per beat when maximally challenged)

?•    Improves cholesterol levels

•    Provides an anti-ageing benefit by raising testosterone levels, which fights against memory loss, accumulation of fat, low libido, sexual dysfunction, and loss of strength and bone

•    Helps you lose weight by burning much more fat after you stop exercising

… and you’ll be able to get these benefits with much less of your time – no need to spend hours at the gym!
So the recent ‘cardio craze’ was a mistake because it produces an unnatural challenge and failed to take into account your body’s adaptive responses like shrinking internal organs, shrinking and weakening muscles, decreased cardiac reserve capacity and an increased dependency on body fat for energy.

Ananda (Jasmeen) Rashell – Sivananda Yoga Meditaition

Ananda now teaches beginners and intermediate Traditional Hatha/Raja Yoga which she refers to as the ‘Thinking Persons Yoga’. You can do this in one of her classes or in Personal session one on one.

Trained in Sivananda Hatha Yoga, more than 15 years ago in India and more recently certified at Sivananda teachers training and advanced teachers.

Ananda is also a trained sports masseuse and has worked side by side with allopathic medical professionals over the years by combining the modalities of orthodox medicine with alternative. Offering the choice to the individual has shown a speed in recovery and wellbeing.

Ananda has used such support herself over the years to deal with operations for both major and minor injuries and to face many of life’s little and larger challenges both mentally and physically and allowed herself via Yoga an understanding of the spiritual essence deep within.

You can not gain wisdom from a book, it has to be experienced and Yoga has enabled Ananda to grow in wisdom and strength. Ananda shares through her teaching, and own practice, how this can be achieved through yoga and her chosen style Raja Hatha.

Ananda was totally inspired by the founders of ‘Divine Life Society’ Master Sivananda ‘Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realise’ – were his teachings.
and Swami Vishnudevananda’s Peace Mission via Yoga by having Vedanta Centres all over the world which promote peace.

Ananda brings her vitality and unique style of teaching which focuses on relaxation and meditation and series of yoga asanas/postures, and explains the 5 points of Yoga.

Ananda helps the individual discover how yoga is a unique experience that allows the individual to bring more awareness and how there are simple techniques to help one take responsibility for one’s own health of mind, body and energy, bringing more joy and calmness and so enriching today’s hectic life style.

Ananda  has worked for large international corporations such as Fuji Xerox, Konica Minolta, Reed Business Publishing and IBM/Online Software for 25 years and believes her yoga and meditation helped greatly to deal with the demands and pressures of her business life combined with running a home and family.

Ananda balances her teaching and yoga practice with working full time in Brisbane Qld Australia.

Ananda is a trained Chinese, Indian and Swedish massage techniques but focused on Sports Massage and had her own massage business in London for 10 years. She was born in the United Kingdom and is truly the East/West blend and essence of Yoga, as   she has an Indian heritage and a blood line from all the major religions of the world and their cultures.

Ananda moved to Brisbane 6 years ago after having traveled and lived in many international cities, and finds Brisbane gentle and geographically very beautiful, and enjoys being part of the international flavour that is evolving so rapidly here.

The name ‘Ananda’ means infinite happiness, now who would not want a taste of infinite happiness obtained through yoga.

Ananda truly believes like Master Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda Yoga is for every one of all ages and backgrounds and feels the joy of yoga is often misunderstood and it’s not about being a gymnast or contortionist, or only for the fit and young. Mind you, yoga does encourage the return of youthful flexibility, fitness and vitality.

When you come to Ananda’s classes, the only thing she requires you bring is a smile and enjoy yourself :)  to enjoy the practice of  YOGA as she explains its purity and simplicity to relax and so enhance ones life to be more relaxed and at  peace.

Since teaching here in Australia Ananda is a member of Yoga Australia. Ananda helped launch Brisbane City Yoga with the Founder Bryce Tunny.

Ananda has taught year 12 students, a variety of sports and business professionals with mediation and the basics of yoga on a one to one as well as groups and spoken at the Yoga Fest in Brisbane.Ananda teaches at Vitalelife Health Centre in Bulimba regularly and continues to teach one to one when required. Ananda continues to work with the Sivananda Charity Organisation when she can.

 

 

 

Sophia Mayor – Naturopath

About Sophia

Sophia is not your typical nutritionist. Sophia’s philosophy revolves around treating people as individuals rather than labelling them by their disease or condition; this drives Sophia to find the root cause of her client’s health problems rather than treating with a mere ‘band-aid’ approach.

Sophia’s passion is use her skills & knowledge to help people improve their health physically, mentally & emotionally and to teach her clients how to keep their health in balance.  Sophia has studied evidence-based Naturopathic medicine along with Nutritional & Herbal Medicine. Sophia is also a qualified Pilates instructor & Yoga practitioner who enjoys teaching & sharing her skills in both a class & individual setting.

Consultations with Sophia are tailored to individual needs however various diagnostic tools may be used to conduct a comprehensive health analysis. These include:

  • acid alkaline testing (pH levels)
  • digestive function testing – assessing levels of dysbiosis in the bowel
  • Zinc testing
  • blood pressure & blood sugar monitoring
  • body composition analysis
  • cellular health analysis
  • iridology
  • tongue & pulse diagnosis
  • postural assessment – particularly important for those with muscular/ structural imbalances or those requiring a take-home programme.
  • Relevant referrals for pathology testing (such as liver detoxification profiles, testing for hormonal imbalances, parasitology)
  • Food intolerance testing – available onsite or with referral

Drawing on her experience from her clinical practice both overseas & in Australia, Sophia works with her clients to create tailored treatment plans which are personally structured with a strong focus on educating clients on how to maintain wellness with diet & lifestyle. Sophia uses a combination of nutritional medicines, flower essence therapy, homeopathic remedies, exercise prescription, dietary planning, lifestyle advice as well as western herbs, traditional chinese herbs & ayurvedic herbal formulas depending on the client’s needs.

Sophia specialises in wellness programs & detoxification programmes (such as ReVitalise You & Core Yoga Two Week Detox) which incorporate Yoga & Pilates along with Nutritional & Naturopathic treatment plans, diet & lifestyle support and some fun thrown in for good measure!.  The 8-week & 12-week programmes are fantastic for those looking to commit to improving their health physically, mentally & emotionally from the inside out!

Aside from her clinical practice, Sophia instructs Yoga & Pilates, teaches at Endeavour College of Natural Health & feeds her love for travel by facilitating overseas Yoga Health Retreats.

Sophia is an accredited member of the Australian Natural Therapies Association & is a recognised health provider (Health Rebates available).