Currents Stress

from Marin Magazine January 2015

On the Scene

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

IT’S TIME TO let go of the hassle that came with the holidays now that 2015 is here. We asked Erin Cookston (right) of YogaWorks to share her most effective tips for quick and easy stress relief, to help you start the New Year off evelheaded and ready for anything. yogaworks.com

HOW TO PRACTICE AN INVERSION

To practice Viparita Karani (also known as “legs up the wall”), rest your back on the floor with your legs up against a wall. You can place a pillow or a folded towel under your lower back to elevate the pelvis for support. Hold for 5 to 20 minutes.

BENEFITS This posture helps balance hormone levels, increases circulation, helps trigger the relaxation response in the nervous system and calms the mind.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Simply communicating the story of your stress will help you begin to let it go. Confide what’s going on to a close friend or partner or a beloved pet, or perhaps talk the issue through with yourself.

We are communicative beings, so the more we acknowledge what we are going through by verbalizing our feelings, the easier it becomes for us to process our stress and begin to eliminate it.

BREATHE DEEP

Roll out your yoga mat, close your eyes and relax the muscles around the shoulders. Place your hands on your stomach and take a few deep breaths into the lower belly; try to focus on the belly’s rise and fall. Take at least 5 to 10 consecutive deep, conscious breaths.

Taking time to focus on your breath will help clear your mind, shift your perspective on stressful situations and increase your energy and vitality.

SOAK IT UP

Run yourself a nice warm bath with Epsom salts and lavender essential oils, dim the lights, and take some alone time to soak in the tub.

The warmth of the water will help you feel calm and supported. The salts will promote release of muscular tension, while the essential oil will calm the mind and help the body regulate imbalances and stress.

A HEALTHY COMMUNITY While Marin County is largely an idyllic place to

live, it contains communities where the economic disparity is particularly jarring. Community Health Hubs are a community-driven attempt to address some of the fallout from that gap. The MARIN CARES Hubs — the first opened in 2013 at Marin Community Clinic’s (MCC) Novato location, the second last August in the Canal area of San Rafael — provide physical, psychological and economic support in the neighborhoods where they’re based. The Novato Hub offers food to more than 300 households per week; activities like yoga; and monthly diabetes, hypertension and obesity screenings (and referrals) — all of it free to low-income residents. “The Community Health Hub is a unique and wonderful example of a partnership between three key Marin nonprofits: LIFT-Levántate, the Marin Community Clinics and the San Francisco/Marin Food Bank,” says Richard Waxman, executive director of LIFT-Levántate. The most important aspect of the Health Hubs, he adds, is the receptive, positive environment; with services that are entirely multicultural and multilingual, the Hubs transform a clinic visit into a neighborhood event. “We want the community to see MCC as their ‘health home,’” says Linda Tavaszi, CEO of MCC. “Many are more receptive to health education and screening in a familiar environment.” marinclinic.org C.V.P.

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Documenting the Big Day

Erica Tanamachi of Fairfax has been making documentaries — primarily within the nonprofit sector — for more than 10 years. But this year, Tanamachi decided to take her passion for capturing and sharing life to a different arena with what she terms wedding documentaries. “I’m hooked,” says the filmmaker of her new venture. “The love, the life, the human connection — a wedding is truly a magnificent story to tell.” Here are Tanamachi’s top five tips for creating a meaningful wedding video. ericajanefilms.com C.V.P.

1 INTERVIEW THE COUPLE TOGETHER These sound bites are the highlights of the film. Without the interviews, you may feel you are simply making an ethnographic film about a wedding.

2 CAPTURE FAMILY STORIES In the end, a wedding video should transcend the wedding and truly showcase the love of the family surrounding the couple.

3 BE PRESENT FOR INTIMATE

MOMENTS BETWEEN THE COUPLE,

FRIENDS AND FAMILY Try to be a fly on the wall and grab moments of the couple hugging, dancing, kissing, loving and just being with each other and with family and friends.

4 CAPTURE THE CEREMONY The ceremony speaks volumes about the couple and is truly the backbone of the film.

5 KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE It is important to know and understand the client before engaging in any deep conversation of the film. This is the power of film — and in my opinion, the world cannot have enough powerful films about love.

In With the Old

The New Year presents a chance for reformation. That same journey to renewal serves as inspiration for these three Bay Area businesses. C.V.P.

1Off the Rails We all love looking at the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and we wanted to remind you that you can bring a piece of it home with you. Golden Gate Design and Furniture Co. creates tables, headboards and more from portions of the original 1930s pedestrian handrail, which was updated in 1993. goldengate furniture.com 2 See the Light Mill Valley’s Michelle Bevilacqua and Robert Alan Clink of Revelation frequent auctions across the country and antique shops around the world in search of unique finds, which are either refurbished completely (Clink crafts lighting fixtures from found objects) or simply cleaned up and curated for a more modern space. therevelationcompanies.com 3 Fire Sale What happens when you put decommissioned fire hoses from U.S. fire departments in the hands of East Bay designers and artisans? The answer is some seriously cool stuff. Oxgut Hose Company offers courageous designs — from wallets to lounge chairs — all crafted from this unique and durable medium. oxgut.com

IN BLOOM For a tropi-

cal twist on the classic bouquet, keep it local with High Camp Supply. The company, launched by Susan Hanson and Margaret Wells of Belvedere and recently touted as an Oprah favorite, provides locally sourced gardenias that are available for overnight or same-day delivery. Bonus: the blooms arrive fresh in a lovely, water-resistant gift box. highcampsupply.com C.V.P.

MADE BY MARIN Fitmark

IT WAS 2011, and Fitmark founder and Marin native Mark Samuel (pictured) had just sold his interest in a fitness-related venture when he noticed another opportunity in the field. “As a lifelong fitness enthusiast, I saw a definite void when it came to high-quality, functional bags, specifically geared toward style-conscious fitness enthusiasts,” Samuel says of his business headquartered in Marin. Soon, he had a business plan and a head of operations (who came with more than 20 years of bagmanufacturing experience), and in May of 2012, Fitmark was born. Quality and function separate Fitmark from competitors. According to Samuel, the line of bags is designed for fitness lovers, by fitness lovers, ensuring that each bag is optimized for the needs of sports enthusiasts. PHILOSOPHY “We put as much passion into crafting bags and offering a phenomenal customer experience as we do into our workouts,” says Samuel of the brand. “Our team is composed of fitness enthusiasts who truly understand what we’re doing and making because they actually live the lifestyle.” Fitmark further exemplifies this commitment to fitness by sponsoring exceptional athletes in the fields of bodybuilding, CrossFit, triathlon and more. THE SCOOP Fitmark crafts backpacks, totes, duffels, lunch packs and messenger bags for ultimate athletic function — think straps for yoga mats, shoe pockets, water bottle holders and seal-tight containers. Bags are available for $24.99 to $135.99 in a variety of colors. BEYOND MARIN Fitmark bags are sold across the U.S. in venues like Equinox, Sports Club L.A., Life Time Fitness and Western Athletic Clubs, as well as online and in more than 25 countries around the world. The company also recently implemented the Fitmark 1 for 1 Program — for every $100 netted through website sales, Fitmark will donate one bag to a handful of Boys and Girls Clubs across the country, to be gifted to a child who excels in school and sports. WHAT THEY SAY “We’re in gyms working out all the time,” says Samuel. “We’ve done CrossFit. We’ve run marathons. We understand yoga. Those fitness experiences, along with conversations within our team and among other athletes, help us gain understanding about what people need when it comes to bags.” fitmarkbags.com CALIN VAN PARIS