Balasana (Child's Pose) - © Yoga Mama Yoga pose of the day: Balasana , otherwise known as Child's pose.

Feeling the winter blues…. With Christmas only four weeks away and the short dark days fully upon us. Many of us can suffer from SAD seasonal affective disorder. We can feel tired and lethargic and our moods can be on the low side. The lack of day light can have a significant effect on our hormones. There can be an increase in the "sleepy" hormone melatonin and a decrease in the "happy" hormone serotonin;  our body clock feels "out of sorts". Spending as much time out doors will really help to balance this situation, as will exercise, as the increase in endorphins will lift the spirits. A brisk walk in your local park at lunchtime, when the light is at its best, will have a really positive effect. So avoid the mad shopping crowds and get walking!

By Fleur Borrelli BSc Nuit med,BA Hons Nutritionist at The Putney Clinic of Physical Therapy Berries contain plant chemicals known as polyphenols. These are found in vegetables and fruit as well as in coffee and cocoa. Recently one category of polyphenols (anthocyanins) found in strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries have attracted attention for enhancing cognitive function in the elderly. Whist it is still early days for any conclusive evidence, there is no harm in eating a handful per day,fresh or frozen.

So the twitter jungle drums say Russell Brand is going to do a yoga teacher training in Los Angeles . I know he has practised yoga for quite sometime, so maybe now he feels he would like to share his knowledge with others.  He is a recovering addict and so probably has a great understanding of the spiritual side of yoga....he also has an amazing sense of humour which I think is a great gift to a yoga teacher- as  many teachers take themselves very seriously.... So Mr Brand if you are planning on doing some dogging ( down dogging obviously:-))  and you need a few students to practise on -look no further....I think you would have a queue out the door -so go for it Russell.

This is an interesting article on anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries that was originally posted on Science Daily . ACL knee injuries much more likely in female athletes Female athletes are far more likely than males to suffer serious ACL knee injuries. But many of these injuries could be prevented by doing pre-season conditioning and using proper landing techniques after jumping, said Loyola University Medical Center orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Pietro Tonino. Doctors aren't certain why female athletes are more prone to ACL injuries. One reason may be related to how they jump, Tonino said. Due to the shape of the female pelvis, females tend to land from a jump with their knees locked. This puts added pressure on the knee. Females also tend to be more knock-kneed, with knees close together and the ankles far apart. With the basketball season under-way, Tonino and other orthopaedic surgeons are seeing a significant number of knee injuries in female athletes, ranging from middl

Ashtanga yoga- Degy practising with me in a Mysore class in my studio in Putney.

Toddler yoga class every Friday at 10am with Hajni . Suitable for toddlers from 1-3 years old. Cost £8.00 . For more information or bookings, please email info@putneyclinic.co.uk .