My Story
Yoga is the one thing I kept coming back to in my search for my "thing" in life. Believe me, I've tried a lot of things but never really stuck with any of them. Ironically, yoga wasn't my passion when I first started practicing twenty years ago. I didn't like it because I believed that I wasn't good at it. I believed, like many people, that you had to be super flexible and athletic to do yoga. It wasn't until I went to a yoga retreat at White Lotus Yoga (www.whitelotus.org/) in Santa Barbara, CA that I discovered yoga is so much more than postures and flexibility: it is a way of life.
About five years ago, I experienced severe pain due to sciatica. I could no longer sit at my desk and do my job that I'd been at for over 20 years without suffering. Like many people, I spent nearly 70% of my day sitting but I had no idea what this was doing to my body. I had recently turned 52 years old and noticed this sedentary life was taking a toll on me: back pain (and of course the sciatica), headaches, weight gain, and lack of energy. Combine this with the fact that I was going through perimenopause/menopause and I felt like I wanted to give up (because I also had night sweats, hot flashes, depression, and irritability). Doctors didn't offer much in the way of help...except prescriptions and steroid injections that had multiple side-effects.
In 2019, I decided that I'd had enough!
I decided to study yoga, holistic nutrition, and meditation and found that these practices REALLY helped me. My pain had gone. My perimenopause symptoms began to subside. And my body and mind felt much better. I began to build strength, flexibility, balance, and most importantly equanimity (the ability to stay calm and centered, especially in a difficult situation).
Now my mission is to share what I've learned and what keeps me energetic and healthy with other people who want to do the same.
About five years ago, I experienced severe pain due to sciatica. I could no longer sit at my desk and do my job that I'd been at for over 20 years without suffering. Like many people, I spent nearly 70% of my day sitting but I had no idea what this was doing to my body. I had recently turned 52 years old and noticed this sedentary life was taking a toll on me: back pain (and of course the sciatica), headaches, weight gain, and lack of energy. Combine this with the fact that I was going through perimenopause/menopause and I felt like I wanted to give up (because I also had night sweats, hot flashes, depression, and irritability). Doctors didn't offer much in the way of help...except prescriptions and steroid injections that had multiple side-effects.
In 2019, I decided that I'd had enough!
I decided to study yoga, holistic nutrition, and meditation and found that these practices REALLY helped me. My pain had gone. My perimenopause symptoms began to subside. And my body and mind felt much better. I began to build strength, flexibility, balance, and most importantly equanimity (the ability to stay calm and centered, especially in a difficult situation).
Now my mission is to share what I've learned and what keeps me energetic and healthy with other people who want to do the same.
My Credentials
Certified Yoga Instructor - American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) - September 2019
Certified Holistic Nutritionist - American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) - September 2019
Certified Meditation Teacher - Priority Academy - October 2019
Certified Professional Life Coach - Transformation Academy - October 2019
Certified Yoga for Healthy Aging Instructor - Baxter Bell Yoga - January 2020
Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) 200 Hours - Castro Valley Yoga - August 2021
Certified Yoga Nidra Teacher - My Vinyasa Practice - January 2022
Certified Holistic Nutritionist - American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA) - September 2019
Certified Meditation Teacher - Priority Academy - October 2019
Certified Professional Life Coach - Transformation Academy - October 2019
Certified Yoga for Healthy Aging Instructor - Baxter Bell Yoga - January 2020
Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) 200 Hours - Castro Valley Yoga - August 2021
Certified Yoga Nidra Teacher - My Vinyasa Practice - January 2022
What's next for you?
You're checking out my website for a reason. Here's what you can do next...
- If you're local, take a yoga class with me.
- If you're not, learn more about my wellness programs.
- If you've got questions, email me: danaleipoldyoga@gmail.com.
- Have a nice day and be kind to yourself. :-)