Boody x Sessions - Feel Good Flow (prenatal friendly) Guest Andrea Bogart
By: Daisy Hemmen
Boody is excited to bring certified yoga instructor and mindful living blogger Andrea Bogart to our community for a mindful, feel-good yoga flow. This flow is for everyone - including soon-to-be mamas. Read on to get to know Andrea a bit better, and then grab your mat and enjoy this video as it guides you through giving your body some love!
How has your educational and career background led you to where you are today?
I have a BS in Mass Media with an emphasis in Journalism and a minor in Dance from MSU. I continued with acting classes, writing classes and made the big shift into yoga and wellness while acting in Los Angeles. I’m a professional dancer turned actress and yoga instructor writing about mindful living. I love that all of which I’ve studied between dance, acting, writing, yoga, and wellness has a place when it comes to passionately teaching yoga and writing with the hopes to propel others into a healthy, happier, more mindful place!
How does sustainable living fit into your lifestyle?
As a family we do our best to be a non-toxic household, use plant-based cleaners, support organic local farmers, bike our daughter to school and around town when we can, recycle, buy products made out of recycled and fair trade materials, be conscious about where and how our food is sourced, use solar… we can always do better but we are proud of our efforts.
What daily wellness practices are your absolute non-negotiables?
Sleep (I strive for 8 hours), meditation and movement (I love using my apple watch to track), water intake and fueling myself with organic foods, and getting outside daily in nature.
What would you say to people who are curious about yoga but feel intimidated and think they aren’t “good” at it?
A part of yoga is stretching and strengthening the body in a safe way to maintain your optimal health and mobility as we age. It’s important to find the style and pace of class that supports you and your body best and an instructor who can provide alignment principles with individual attention and feedback so you grow and feel good. Dropping into that mind, body, spirit connection provides such tremendous benefits for our overall health. I embrace that yoga is a wholehearted experience that can serve our highest good and goes far beyond the wonderful physical benefits. We have a lot to gain from a consistent practice. :)
What does mindful living mean to you? What are three things people can do today to start living more mindfully?
My interpretation of mindful living is moving through each day with the awareness that cultivates more compassionate meaning to our lives in all that we do. It’s a perfectly imperfect life with a wholehearted desire to be more present, joyful, vulnerable and loving with ourselves, each other and the world that encompasses our being. It takes practice and effort to nurture our own self-care, the compassion we share with all beings and how we consciously care for our planet - a worthy lifelong practice in my book.
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In order to combat these common pests, conventional cotton is routinely sprayed with a veritable salad-dressing of pesticides, many of which can remain in the soil and water supply for years afterward. Cotton harvesting requires defoliation – In order to quickly and efficiently harvest cotton, many commercial growers use chemical defoliants to strip the leaves from the cotton plant prior to harvesting the bolls. Like pesticides, these chemicals remain in the environment and on the cotton itself. Is organic cotton better? All of those cotton factoids point pretty compellingly to buying and wearing organic cotton fabric. But first, it’s important to understand what sets this organic alternative apart. Why exactly is “organic” cotton anyway? You might associate the word organic with your healthy fruits and veggies, but it’s not always clear what this term means when it comes to cotton. 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Crop pests, weeds, and diseases will be controlled primarily through management practices, including physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices are not sufficient, a biological, botanical, or synthetic substance approved for use on the National List may be used. Operations must use organic seeds and other planting stock when available. The use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge is prohibited. What is organic cotton? In short, it’s cotton that is farmed according to these practices and certified organic by the USDA. Why should you choose organic cotton? With fewer pesticides, fewer synthetic chemicals, and more thoughtful cultivation practices, organic cotton can certainly offer a more environmentally friendly choice when compared to regular cotton. Is organic cotton sustainable? Here are a few other reasons why organic cotton can be a better alternative for you and the earth: It’s better for our water resources – According to an analysis by the Textile Exchange, producing an organic cotton T-shirt requires 1,982 fewer gallons of water compared to a regular cotton T-shirt. Because organic cotton uses less chemicals, its production also releases fewer toxins into our aquatic ecosystems. It’s good for the soil (and our carbon footprint) – According to the Soil Association, the more natural cultivation practices and fewer pesticides used by organic cotton farmers can support healthier soil. That soil, in turn, can absorb more carbon from our atmosphere and help keep the planet healthy. It encourages biodiversity – Multiple studies have shown that organic farming practices can encourage more diversity among the animal species of our planet. Sustainability is sometimes in the eye of the beholder. But when it comes to plant-derived textiles, the ones which help us create a healthier world are always a better alternative. Explore the benefits of bamboo with Boody Whether you choose to purchase conventional or organic cotton clothing, the fact that you are shopping mindfully for yourself is a win for the environment. At Boody, we believe in bringing you quality, comfy, sustainable clothing basics that keep you feeling good about yourself and your personal impact on Mother Earth. From our sleepwear to our loungewear, women’s bamboo shirts to our underwear, sustainable and ethical are our touchstones. Our clothing is made of bamboo viscose, requiring less water than cotton while putting precious oxygen back into the environment. That just feels good, doesn’t it? Explore the bamboo benefits today, with Boody. Sources: Britannica. Cotton. https://www.britannica.com/topic/cotton-fibre-and-plant Cotton. The Story of Cotton - Where Cotton Grows. https://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/where.cfm World Wildlife Federation. Cotton. https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/cotton Textile Exchange. Quick Guide to Organic Cotton. https://textileexchange.org/quick-guide-to-organic-cotton Soil Association. What is organic cotton? https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/fashion-textiles/organic-cotton/ USDA. Conservation and Biological Diversity in Organic Production. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/02/29/conservation-and-biological-diversity-organic-production About the Author: Heather Bien is a copywriter and writer based in Washington, DC. She works with retail, ecommerce, and creative brands on their website copy and digital presence, and her freelance writing has appeared on MyDomaine, Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, and more. When she's not with laptop and coffee in hand, you'll find her planning her next weekend getaway, working on her budding green thumb, or scouting for her next great vintage find.
