Nowconnected Expert of the Month: Nicoline Topholt

Meet Nicoline Topholt, Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Holistic Health Practitioner from Denmark.

1. Nicoline, what is your background?

I’m a registered nurse, biosignature coach, personal trainer, Kundalini yoga teacher, Reiki healer and holistic health and beauty practitioner. I have 4 years of experience as a Holistic Health & Lifestyle Mentor and I have helped more than 1000 women transform their body, mind and soul. You can find me on my website Soul-fitness.

2. What drove you to do what you are doing today?

The reason why I do what I do today is, I believe a personal total life crisis in the summer of 2011. Everything was falling apart. In the process of losing everything, I was finding myself. What did I really want to do with my life? My passion for health and spirituality was being ignited and I was at a point of no return.

Do you want live a life in security and comfort? Or do you want to live a life of passion and integrity? My job as a nurse was no longer serving me and there was a longing for more. This calling was answered by tearing everything down. This way nothing else was left but the wisdom of my heart. It told me to serve the world by being me and by being me I could teach everyone to be who they really are too.

3. When was the last moment you can recall when you really felt connected to your own wellbeing?

The last moment I can recall was this morning when I chose to get up earlier than I normally do and go for a walk. When I’m out in nature, especially in the early hours of the day, I feel connected to nature, and in return I feel like nature is helping me to feel connected within myself.

4. What makes you feel good?

Many things make me feel good, but I think the most profound thing is when I follow my heart. Every choice from my heart feels good, no matter what it is.

5. Being really honest with yourself, what is your favourite food and why?

Maybe this is silly but I think my favourite food is butter. Organic butter! I grew up believing that all fats are bad for you, so I never really ate that much of any kind of fat. I think that this has led to a deficiency, but the body is clever; it knows what to eat in order to feel in balance again. Now I eat a lot of healthy omega acids, but also butter. Sometimes I go butter crazy and eat half a package on my own (of course with something else, not only butter). I feel calm, like my nervous system gets healthily greased.

6. Which kind of movement works best for you?

I was bitten by the yoga bug some years ago. I have always been very fond of exercising, and was brought up “in the fitness industry” with both parents working in the local gym. This made it a natural path to follow. Exercising is an important part of my life. As I matured personally, I quite naturally also sought development in my way of exercising. I needed more.

With yoga I get a whole extra dimension. The time I spend on the yoga mat allows me to tune in and restore my divine spark, the centre of the love that is within us all, always and every day. After many, many years of thinking negatively about my body, I had almost buried myself. When practising yoga, I find my true essence, the beautiful and true version of myself.

7. What is it that you would like to see more of in the world and how do you think we can get there?

I would like to see less stress and more authenticity. Way too many of us go through life just living on autopilot, without even having the time to do what we really love to do; what makes us feel connected. Yoga is a great way to learn to relax. Whatever you do with your body rubs off on the mind and vice versa. Therefore, slow physical movements let you slow down your pace, creating calmness and concentration, moving through the body and into the psyche. This decreases stress hugely at all levels. Yoga is about returning to your natural equilibrium. When your mind and soul is centered and your body is in harmony, it‘s playfully easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a happy life.

8. That’s wonderful! How do you keep yourself connected to your wellbeing?

I keep myself connected by my regular meditation practice. Meditation gives me the strength to control my mind. When you are in control it is you who decides what kind of thoughts you want to have. I love this way of thinking of it: You have to learn how to chose your thoughts every day, like choosing your clothes.

9. What would you like to tell your younger self

I would tell my younger self to embrace her perfectness with these words: I believe you are perfect just the way you are. Nothing needs to be changed, the only thing you need to do is to accept yourself, even those sides of you, you don’t like.

10. What is the greatest advice you have ever received?

The greatest advice I have ever received is to let go of the past. To truly let go of the past, you have to go into the dark recesses of the subconscious mind at a cellular level. This means rolling up your sleeves and feeling all the pain that is associated with these memories. The beauty of Kundalini Yoga is that it can work at the cellular level.

Thank you so much, Nicoline!

Merken

Nowconnected Expert of the Month: Kailey Joy

Meet Kailey Joy,

Health Coach and Yoga Teacher from Chicago.

1. Tell us a bit about your background, Kailey!

I am originally from Chicago, IL, although I’ve traveled and lived all over the world.

I received my formal education at Indiana University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Real Estate. However, my passions lie in all things health + wellness!

I am a Certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as well as a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. You can find me at kaileyjoy as well as The Earth Diet.

2. What drove or inspired you to do what you are doing today?

Witnessing first hand the power of nutrition and my body’s innate ability to heal itself once I gave it the proper fuel!

It was during my first trip to India and Bali when I first discovered the true healing powers of a diet rich in whole foods. At the time, I was on sabbatical from my corporate job seeking refuge and clarity from a life that was riddled with stress, anxiety, fatigue, and all the symptoms that go along with it.

During my time away, I embraced a raw vegan diet as a way to cleanse myself from years of abuse (i.e. drinking, processed foods, stress-eating, sedentary lifestyle, etc.). Within one month of eating a diet free of processed foods and dairy, coupled with a more active lifestyle, I not only felt lighter, more energetic, less stressed, and all around happier – but my body completely healed itself of asthma and allergies of which I had suffered from since childhood!

3. That sounds fantastic! Being really honest with yourself, what is your favorite food, and why?

Ice cream! Who doesn’t love the creamy, sweet goodness of a well-crafted scoop of ice cream on a warm summer day (but also in the winter too 🙂 )! This is why I’ve partnered up with my friend Alex, of rawguru, to launch (later this month!) a 100% organic, raw, vegan ice cream company – www.kelapacreamery.com.

We’re using whole young coconuts and only the finest natural ingredients (dates, vanilla bean, irish moss, and superfoods like maca, cacao, and more!) to make delicious soft serve I can feel free to indulge in without having to worry about the harmful side affects of all the dairy, food additives, preservatives, GMOs, refined sugars, etc. that typically come along with it.

Nothing like being able to have your cake and eat it too!

4. Yummy…and in general, what makes you feel good?

Clean eating and an active lifestyle. The more I eat a diet rich in whole foods, the better my body feels and responds. When your body is free from limitations (like fatigue, bloating, arthritis, etc.) that is typically caused by a poor diet, the more energy is available to flow to your mind and senses!

It truly opens up a new world that allows you to feel creative, inspired, and focus on what really matters.

5. How do you keep yourself connected to your wellbeing?

By unplugging. In a world filled with stimulating technology 24/7, it’s so important to take time away from it all.

I have found meditation, as well as simply being present in the moment and walking outside in nature, to be one of the most critical parts to my overall wellbeing.

6. Which form of movement or exercise works best for you?

I truly believe in a combination of things. Variety is the spice of life and I think it’s important to move your body in all sorts of ways. I enjoy yoga, but also running as well as weights. In terms of what I feel most motivated to do? Lately… hula hooping!

7. Haha same here, hula hooping rocks! What is it that you would like to see more of in the world and how do you think we can get there?

An awareness of the power and importance of nutrition. In our world today, there is so much disease and suffering – and so much of it is caused by a poor diet. We are also incredibly over medicated. The problem with the ‘quick-fix’ style of medications is they not only have negative side effects (sometimes even worse than the original condition) but they do not address the root cause! Our bodies have the tremendous ability to heal themselves, if only we give it the proper nutrition with which to work.

One of the best ways to get there is by encouraging people to continue to VOTE with their dollars. Stores like Whole Foods here in the states have seen tremendous success because health conscious individuals are favoring fresh, local, organic, non-GMO foods that are in season over highly processed or conventionally raised produce/ poultry that is mass produced and harmful to our bodies. I also believe in the growing field of health coaching and the continued education we can provide to bring about this awareness.

8. What would you like to tell your younger self?

Put that can of soda down! But also – trust your intuition and know that when you marry your passions with naturally given gifts and do it in a way that benefits others…the path will be nothing but abundant (in happiness, joy, satisfaction, fulfillment, etc). Trust and take the leap!

9. Wow that is wonderful. What would you say is the greatest advice you have ever received?

“Our past does not dictate our future. No matter what your story, or where you came from – you have the ability to design a future you are 100% passionate about.”

10. How do you see the future of health and well-being?

I see a future of vibrant societies living a more natural and intuitive lifestyle – with an emphasis being placed on community vs. the self. What I hope to see is support for local farmers, and fast-food chains being a thing of the past. I see empowered cultures that understand our health (physical, mental, emotional) is the foundation for a good quality of life (not money!).

11. Any last advice you want to share with our wellconnected.nu readers?

The most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with yourself. I believe true health and wellbeing is rooted in self-love. So prioritize your relationship with yourself! Indulge in time spent uncovering the foods, movements, environments, work and relationships that nourish you most completely…because it is only those who nourish themselves first that are able to give most completely to the world.

Thank you so much, Kailey!

Merken

Connecting Through Acroyoga: 5 Reasons to Try It (+ Videos)

What happens if you combine yoga, acrobatics and Thai massage? Acroyoga is born!

It is a very new sport, with the term used for the first time in 1999 by Acroyoga Montreal in Canada. In its beginning stage it was used in performance arts and dance. Later in 2003, Jenny Sauer-Klein and Jason Nemer from Acroyoga practice incorporated healing arts.

Acroyoga is a type of partner yoga combining concepts of acrobatics with yogic principles. The practice consists of three persons, one taking the role of a so-called flyer, the other functions as a base and a third person is the spotter. The base assists the flyer in various poses and the spotter supervises the movements and can help if the base and the flyer are unstable.

The base can assist the flyer in stretches and can knead him or her – these practices are used during Thai massage. Primarily, the base’s legs, core and arms get strengthened and depending on the flyer’s position their back is released, muscles are stretched and strengthened.

5 reasons to do Acroyoga

1. Every Body can do it! Yes, you too!

Have you ever seen people doing acroyoga and thought it is only for acrobats? Did you think that only flexible, strong and daring people can do it? Nope! Most of acroyoga’s magic lies in the bone stacking technique. This means that basically every body type can be lifted since much of the stability lies in the structure.

2. It’s especially rewarding for beginners!

It can be done by every level of experience. You learn while doing it, so there is no reason to think you are not good enough to do it. Seeing impressive-looking lifts may seem intimidating, but only by trying, making mistakes, practicing more and more you will eventually be able to do these poses!

3. It’s a fun way to get fit!

Doing yoga and acrobatics simultaneously helps to strengthen the body by using the benefits of both sports. The yogic practice of synchronizing the breath with the movement helps to oxygenate the body and increases focus, which in turn helps with balancing to successfully do the poses. The Acroyoga practice helps to build stronger arms, legs and core and it lengthens and stretches the spine.

4. Getting out of your comfort zone!

It is not just a workout that will make you more flexible, balanced and strong. Doing new challenging activities helps to boost self-confidence.

Going to an acroyoga class or meet-up does not mean you have to bring a partner. As long as there are more than two people, acroyoga can be done! It is wonderful to see couples, friends and people that just have met trying new, challenging things together. Between people bonds are made or strengthened and a great environment to overcome boundaries together is set.

5. It improves understanding between one another and builds community

You have to feel the other person to form a stable structure and to lift him or her up. Understanding the other person’s body teaches you about him or her. Both flyer and base are dependent on one another to make the movements work. Otherwise the flyer will fall on the base, which nobody wants!

Communication and trust form the basis to successfully doing acroyoga. Many people may agree that those are also the basis for a healthy relationship. To zoom out this understanding, good relationships between groups of people helps to form healthy communities!

Have a look at these beautiful acroyoga videos:

Ready to start flying?

Here is an Introduction and a youtube learning series to get started!