I teach a slow, mindful yoga which helps to change your brain in ways that develop a greater capacit
03/03/2025
A recent study found that six 40-second sprints at max effort increased plasma BDNF by nearly 3 times MORE than 90 minutes of light exercise.
BDNF is your brain’s fertilizer—it drives neuroplasticity, sharpens memory, and protects against cognitive decline. It plays a critical role in mental health, mood regulation, and even metabolism.
Higher BDNF levels are linked to lower rates of depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The study also reveals that fasting for 20 hours does not impact exercise-induced BDNF levels, meaning you can maximize brain benefits whether you train fasted or fed.
So if you only have 6 minutes in your day, make them count—just a few bursts of high-intensity movement can rewire your brain, boost resilience, and protect long-term cognitive health.
DOI: 10.1113/JP287154
05/10/2022
Good morning beautiful souls☀️☀️☀️
We are the masters of our mind! I know it’s not possible to feel happy all the time, but we have the capacity to change the way we experience the day!
I’m getting firsthand experience in how to shift my negative emotions 😡 after I acknowledge and feel them first.
Setting up your day first thing in the morning after a good nights sleep is a great start😊
A single gentle yoga class can boost levels of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, by 27%! But that's just the beginning...
04/14/2022
ANNOUNCEMENT: NEW CLASS
Yoga for the Brain Health
1st class starts tommorrow 4/15/22
In all my classes I often reference how much Yoga positively influences our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual life.
However, I have yet to devote a class to Brain Health. As some of you know, I've been working on a Certification in Brain Health with Dr. Amen, to compliment what I've already been taught about the Neuroscience of Yoga.
With its emphasis on breathing practices and meditation—both of which help calm and center the mind— it’s hardly surprising that yoga also brings mental benefits, such as reduced anxiety and depression. What may be more surprising is that it actually makes your brain work better.
5-minute daily energy routine: Super brain yoga and a shortened version of Donna Eden's routine plus the Prana Mudra.Please visit www.janinefafard.com (previ...
01/24/2022
In my Sun Salutations each morning I praise God for being able to get out of bed and start my day! My cranky body begins to feel better as I move and praise.
01/20/2022
Yoga for Balance - Friday 1/21/22 1:30 - 2:30 at Stretch Physical Therapy and Total Wellness in West Chester.
Most of this class is standing poses, to build strength in your ankles, legs and glutes, which is essential for maintaining and keeping your balance.
Yoga Increases Proprioceptive skills, which is knowing where your body is in space! With increased proprioception, you can prevent the risk of tripping or falling. Many of the movements I teach in class sharpens this awareness. The body is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with a lower risk of injury.
01/05/2022
Stay tuned! I'll soon be teaching more on the The Neuroscience of Yoga and how it supports sleep!
01/05/2022
According to my Yoga teacher Kristine Weber and to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, sunrise and sunset are very important times to be outside because the biophotons in the atmosphere help to regulate our hormones and circadian rhythms and this, in turn, improves sleep.
It is said that these 2 times of the day are the best for meditation practices! "Dawn and dusk are the liminal spaces that offer the best opportunity to experience deeper, internal wisdom, hence they have been traditionally considered the best times to meditate."
12/30/2021
Join me tomorrow for a special 90 minute New Years Eve Yoga session🥰and meditation
Location: Stretch Physical Therapy and Total Wellness
4851 Wunnenberg way, West Chester
Time: 9:30 - 11:00
12/20/2021
I am planning an impromptu Christmas Eve Yoga class on Friday 12/24, stay tuned for more details
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LumaLife Wellness is the name of my business which was developed after graduating from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in 2015. I knew from my early teens that natural health and healing would become a prominent part of my life’s work, but I got there a bit unconventionally!
Physical exercise and I have always had sort of a battle. I hated gym class and competitive sports! My body dreaded ...almost hated anything that was exhaustive or demanding. I tried meditation in the late 60’s - but had trouble quieting down my mind and gave up. I hit the gym in the late 70’s and did okay until a trainer got in my face with a “no pain, no gain” attitude and tried pushing me past my limits - I quit that! Then came the 80’s and I tried pilates and yoga - I was finally at home because it made my body feel so good! Pilates, Yoga, daily brisk walks and running after 6 kids kept me fit. Then came the 90’s and my 14 year battle with chronic illness began! Long story short...by age 53 I got back to yoga only to see that now I was that older lady at the back of the class with crummy knees, sore joints and foolishly struggling to keep up with younger students. So, I bought CD’s and did yoga in the comfort of my home. Still....I kept searching for a more doable way to practice yoga with my advancing arthritis and degenerative disc disease. I couldn’t find a class that fit my new needs - so I became a Yoga Instructor for my generation of baby boomers! I’ve gained more knowledge of the neuroscience behind the slow yoga movement, by completing several extra teacher training programs to understand and integrate these teachings into the classes I offer.
I will forever be grateful for my life experiences, my teachers, my family and friends that have stood beside me and believed in me . I’m grateful for the education that bloomed late in life when I was obviously the most READY, and the incredible pleasure of helping others through the offerings of Yoga and my Transformational Coaching Business LumaLife!
