Have you ever found yourself searching for a place where you felt like you were represented and included? For Chief Juiceista and Head Yogini, Nielah, that was her story. Nielah moved to Nashville by way of Atlanta, and when she arrived, she struggled to find a yoga studio where she felt represented and included. Though disappointed, Nielah did not allow this to halt her health and wellness journey. Instead, it empowered her to take control of it, and while in front of the steering wheel, she soon arrived at the door of Egyptian Yoga. Egyptian Yoga was new to Nielah, but as she learned and practiced, she fell in love with it for many reasons,  one being that through this ancient practice, she saw herself.  It soon inspired her to create a space where all body sizes, fitness levels, and skin colors were included. Talk about representation! Her passion began to spill over, and after many years and some birthing pangs, this vision began to manifest. InnerG Juice and Yoga was born.

InnerG Juice and Yoga is a one-stop-shop for your juicing needs and yoga flow. The studio offers handcrafted,  cold-pressed juices as well as diverse yoga experiences. After engaging in a session of Egyptian Yoga, you can hydrate on InnerGOAT, one of Nielah's first and favorite juices.  But maybe Trap Yoga is more your thing? No problem. It's understood at InneG that "There's levels to this shift." So, The diversity that Nielah once longed for is reflected in the diverse offerings of yoga classes and juice types for all different levels of yogis and taste pallets. They've even created a system called level G, a simple way to decide which juice or yoga flow is right for you.

InnerG is all about juice and Yoga. However, their mission goes beyond the kitchens of the juicers and floors of the yoga mats. They're on a mission to build better habits that make better people who develop better communities. Historically, systemic racism has contributed to inequitable access to grocery stores, health care, and wellness spaces among many African American communities. So, the core of their mission is about making wellness spaces more accessible to all communities.  InnerG aims to help bridge this gap in many ways, one by going outside of the studio's walls. They have plans to launch  Vitality Zones, wellness pit-stops serviced by cold-pressed juice vending machines, and pop up yoga sessions servicing the Nashville community!

The community is the "why" behind InnerG Juice and Yoga, so it is just so perfect that the studio will be among some other excellent black-owned businesses in North Nashville. Literally in their backyard, you can find  Slim and Husky’s, The Southern V, Willie B’s, and Minerva. So, the next time you're on your way to pick up a V-thang Slim pizza, make a mental note of the studio. Space is still under construction, but the vision is coming together. And as things continue to unfold and come together, we hope to give you an exclusive sneak peek of its opening. The opening date is being planned for the Spring! However, you can order your juice from home or schedule a virtual yoga sesh in the meantime. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and activate your Inner G!


Learn how to activate your "InnerG" from the newest yoga and juice studio coming to North Nashville!

Activate your InnerG

Nielah Burnett

During these unprecedented times, we have been overwhelmed with news and information that can most definitely take a toll on our mental health. We hear advice such as, take a break from social media, go outside in nature, and meditate. Additionally, there is greater advocacy for therapists, breathing apps, and meditation for good reasons. Meditation is beneficial in protecting your mental health; it also serves other benefits. Check out five benefits of meditating. 

__1. Reduces Stress__
Meditating relaxes the mind and body and improves focus. Meditation doesn't magically eliminate our demands, but it does create space in our minds to handle stressors more peacefully. As mentioned, there are many forms of meditation, and many clinical trials have shown that all forms of meditation are beneficial. Take Open Monitoring Meditation, for example. This form of meditation aims to promote awareness of one's thoughts. A study conducted by the University of Michigan found a reduction of grey matter in the brain areas related to stress and anxiety, indicating less sensory activity in those areas (1).

__2. Lengthens Attention Span__
If you are a college student, attend meetings daily, or interact with many people regularly, you know how valuable your attention span is. Depending on your current stressors or if you have had your morning coffee, your attention span could be impacted. However, meditation can help lengthen it. In a study published by Nature Research, 30 participants attended a meditation retreat for three months in Colorado (2). While they were on the retreat, they underwent training that challenged their attention span. They had the task of making a visual distinction between lines on a computer. Lines would flash on the screen, most of the same size, but when a shorter line was shown, the test was that they had to respond. This task lasted for 30 minutes. By the end of the retreat, meditation was shown to improve participants' responses during the line tests. Additionally, those who continued meditating maintained their improved attention span. 

__3.Reduces Pain__
We've heard the phrase mind over matter; well, there's evidence that this statement is valid when it comes the pain perception. In some studies, meditation has been shown to improve the perception of pain. For instance, in a small study conducted by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre, mindful meditation was able to help reduce pain in study participants (3). The 75 participants in the study were separated into four groups - mindfulness meditation, placebo meditation ("sham" meditation), placebo analgesic cream (petroleum jelly), or control. Pain was induced among all participants by heating a probe to the participant's skin to 49 degrees, which most people find painful. With the assistance of pain ratings and brain imaging, researchers were able to assess the participants' pain levels. The results showed that the mindfulness meditation group reported that pain intensity was reduced by 27 percent and was less than the placebo group (3).

__4.Improve Sleep__
Many people have insomnia or find it hard to shut their brains off to fall asleep. This common problem can be addressed with meditation. Many studies have shown how mindfulness meditation can help improve sleep and insomnia.  One study compared the sleep patterns of two groups – a group participating in meditation classes and a group participating in sleep education classes. These classes lasted for two hours, once a week for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks, it was concluded that the mindfulness meditation class was more beneficial in promoting sleep than sleep education classes (4). Mindfulness mediation evokes a relaxation response, which is useful in improving sleep. The relaxation response is the direct opposite of the stress response. 

__5.Boosts Learning__
Meditation is not just for relaxation and calming effects. It can also improve cognition and boost learning. Scientists state that there are "limitless ways" that meditation improves learning (5). Here are two ways. Meditation improves your focus by activating the Alpha brainwaves. Alpha brainwaves are activated when you are calm and relaxed and may also enhance your creativity. Meditation can also activate both the left and right sides of the brain. We often use one side of the brain, the left (mathematical and scientific) or the right side (creative). However, meditation helps these sides to work in balance (5).

Local Tip: Interested in mediation, try yoga! Also, check out our article on YogaShala - a local Nashville yoga studio offering yoga and meditation classes - virtual or in person.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326129862_Open_monitoring_meditation_reduces_the_involvement_of_brain_regions_related_to_memory_function 
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100714121737.htm 
https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2015/11/Mindfulness-Meditation-Trumps-Placebo-in-Pain-Reduction 
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-helps-fight-insomnia-improves-sleep-201502187726 
https://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-will-increase-your-capacity-for-learning/ 

What are the top five benefits of Meditation

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation

Do you ever walk barefoot? Growing up in the South, bare feet outside the house was perceived as "country," but today, it is surprisingly a trend! Though trending, growing research shows that walking barefoot is more than just a hipster thing to do. This practice, also referred to as grounding, can be part of your wellness regimen.  All of the evidence seems to point back to the electrons on the earth's surface. Research suggests that as our body comes into contact with the negative electrons of the earth, we can reap health benefits from improved immunity, better sleep, and decreased inflammation.  This practice is called earthing. 

Grounding is a form of earthing. Earthing refers to contact with the earth's surface electrons by walking barefoot outside or sitting or working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems, that transfer the energy from the ground into the body (1).  So, as you can see, earthing isn't just walking barefoot. It can be done in various ways that connect you to the earth's surface. However, walking barefoot has become the more popularized form of earthing, and with good reason. In this pandemic era, people are looking for ways to improve immunity and stay healthy. Grounding is a free, practical, and generally, safe way to potentially improve your health. There is evidence that grounding can have a significant impact on one's immune response. Take inflammation, for example. 
Inflammation is a natural immune response that occurs in the body. It is commonly associated with chronic disease; however, our inflammation triggers our bodies to fight infection, toxins, and injuries. It's our body's protective mechanism. Yet, our inflammatory response has adverse effects when it is prolonged due to smoking, alcohol, certain foods, and chronic stress. This chronic inflammation can cause our body to remain in a constant state of alert, over time, causing damage to healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Thankfully, many things can help reduce inflammation, like foods high in omega-three fatty acids and antioxidants and even GROUNDING!

That's right, walking barefoot can potentially help reduce inflammation. Here's what the science has to say. Research shows that when our skin comes into contact with the earth's surface, its electrons spread over the skin and into the body. There are numerous pathways in which these electrons can enter the body; one way is via acupuncture points. Acupuncture points are places where nerves, muscles, and connective tissue can be stimulated -  our feet are covered with them! It is hypothesized that these electrons enter the bodies and neutralize free radicals that contribute to inflammation. As a result, inflammation is reduced (2).
Here's another example! One study observed antibody concentrations in people who received a vaccination. What they found was the participants who practiced grounding had an increase in the antibody concentration, gamma globulin. This finding suggests that grounding could potentially accelerate the immune response (3). 

There is a bunch of evidence that shows how walking barefoot could offer some health benefits.  However, I do want to urge you to take precautions; grounding may not be for everyone. If you are allergic to grass, I wouldn't recommend walking barefoot outdoors. Also, if you have diabetes and experience neuropathy in your feet, grounding may not be safe. If you're wondering whether walking barefoot is the right move for you, it's always best to consult your primary doctor before hitting the grass.

Are you interested in activating the health benefits of grounding? 
You can start by walking barefoot or in your backyard, or explore the many green spaces Nashville has to offer!


Do you ever walk barefoot? Growing up in the South, bare feet outside the house was perceived as "country,"

Meditate

Activate your InnerG

Benefits of Meditation

Bare yourself for This: The Benefits of Walking Barefoot