In this episode, I am joined by Tiffany Pridgen, nurse, neuroscientist, GI physiology researcher, equestrian athlete & Yoga teacher, for a conversation about the gut-brain axis, digestive health, chronic discomfort, nervous system regulation & how Yoga can become a tool to support the way we feel in our body.

We talk about how digestion is not only something happening in the stomach or intestines, but part of a much bigger communication system between the gut, the brain, the immune system & the nervous system, and how practices like breath, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, gentle compression, twists & self-myofascial release (MFR) can help us create more awareness, safety & agency in the body.

In this episode you'll learn:

● What the gut-brain axis actually is & why it matters for your daily life.
● How digestive discomfort can affect your nervous system, mood, energy & mental health.
● Why Yoga can be such a powerful support for gut health without trying to replace medical care.
● How simple practices like diaphragmatic breathing, gentle pressure, twists, yin & restorative Yoga can support digestion & nervous system regulation.
● Why it does not have to be a full class or a complicated routine to make a difference, and how one small tool can already change the way you relate to discomfort in your body.
● Introducing the digestion support series inside the Yoga Life Lab, inspired by Tiffany's work & this conversation.

This is Yoga that Works!

● Join the Yoga Life Lab to practice with the new series: Life Lab Membership
● Connect with Gwen on Instagram
● Connect with Tiffany on Instagram

If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe & leave a review. Thanks for tuning in!

In this episode, we dive into going back to the basics and how something as familiar as Sun Salutations can become a practice you actually use when you are on your own, whether you are on your mat, in your kitchen, or simply in between two moments of your day where you have a few minutes for yourself.

Highlights include:

• Why it can feel difficult to practice on your own, even when you already "know" the poses, and how that impacts your ability to stay consistent.
• Strategies for using Sun Salutations as a foundation, not something to perform, but something you can adapt depending on your energy, your time, and what your body needs that day.
• Exploring how to simplify your practice so it becomes something you can return to anywhere, without overthinking, and how that creates a practice that supports your real life.
• Introducing the Yoga Snacks series inside the Life Lab, including a five-minute Sun Salutation designed to help you build that foundation and feel comfortable moving on your own.

Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership

Connect with Gwen : Instagram

Subscribe for updates: here!

If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe & leave a review. Thanks for tuning in!

In this episode, we explore the pressure of keeping a perfect routine and how allowing change can actually make your practice more supportive, more sustainable, and more connected to your real life.
Instead of trying to follow something rigid and identical every day, this episode invites you to see your routine as something alive, something that adapts with your schedule, your energy, and what you need in the moment.
Through personal stories and practical insights, you will start to shift the way you approach consistency, letting go of the idea that it has to look perfect in order to work.

Highlights include:
● Why routines don't need to be identical every day to be effective, and how redefining consistency can remove a lot of pressure from your practice.
● How allowing change in your practice helps you notice more, understand your body better, and make choices that actually support you.
● The difference between forcing a routine and letting it adapt to your life, and why that shift makes it easier to stay consistent in the long term.
● How to start exploring what works for you, even when it's not clear what you need, and how that process builds confidence in your own practice.
● A simple way to rethink your routine so it becomes something flexible, realistic, and supportive instead of something you feel like you are falling short of.

If you are ready for our journey together and want a practice that actually supports your life, make sure to subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for tuning in.

● Join the Yoga Life Lab Membership

● Connect with Gwen on Instagram

● Get more information here

In this episode, we explore why intensity is not always the answer when it comes to tension, fatigue, or feeling unsettled in your body. I share how myofascial release (MFR) can support nervous system regulation, and why choosing less pressure, less force, and more awareness often creates deeper and more sustainable results. If you have full days, big responsibilities, and struggle to feel truly settled even when you stop, this episode will help you understand what your body might actually need.

Highlights include:
● Why tension is often a nervous system strategy, not just a muscle problem.
● How fascia communicates with your brain and influences regulation.
● The difference between intensity and safety in your Yoga practice.
● A simple 5-minute MFR structure you can use at home.
● How learning to soften under pressure on the mat changes how you respond to pressure in daily life.


Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership
Connect with Gwen on Instagram: Zest for Life Yoga
Subscribe for updates: Newsletter

In this episode of Yoga that Works, we take an honest look at what balance actually means when life does not unfold as planned.

This week became a lived example of the practice itself, when priorities shifted, plans changed, and doing the bare minimum was all that was available. Through reflections on the mat and in daily life, this episode explores how balance is not about equal parts effort and rest, but about listening, choosing, and responding to what is truly there.

We talk about how the regulation we practice on the mat is not meant for the poses themselves, but for the way we live, make decisions, and meet pressure later on. Because if what we are doing on the mat is not helping us in real life, then it is not a yoga practice that works.

This episode is an invitation to let go of the all or nothing mindset, to see balance as something seasonal and responsive, and to trust that sometimes creating balance means doing just enough, and letting that be enough.

Highlights include:

● Why balance is not 50/50 and does not need to look the same every day or every week
● How real life priorities can become part of the practice instead of something we fight against
● The difference between pushing automatically and choosing consciously when to push or rest
● Why doing the bare minimum can be a balanced and supportive choice
● A short guided reflection to help you tune into what you actually have available right now

SHOW LINKS:

● Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership
● Connect with Gwen on Instagram: Zest for Life Yoga
● Take the Quiz: What type of Yoga practitioner are you?

If you are ready for our journey together and never want to miss an episode, subscribe and leave a review.

Thank you for listening and for practicing balance in your own way.

In this episode, we explore the pressure of doing in your Yoga practice & how it shows up in both group classes and private sessions.

Gwen shares what she sees in students from teaching multiple classes each week & explains how the urge to keep up, get it right, or do it perfectly can pull us away from listening to what we truly need.

This episode is an invitation to listen, especially at the start of the year, & reconnect with choice, awareness, and trust.

Highlights include:

● Why keeping up is not required for your practice to work
● How the pressure of doing shows up in all styles of Yoga
● Why taking a break is still part of the practice
● Building confidence through small, conscious choices
● A simple reflection to bring into your next class

SHOW LINKS:
● Join the Yoga Life Lab: Life Lab Membership
● Connect with Gwen on Instagram: Instagram
● Subscribe for updates: Newsletter

If you are ready for our journey together & never want to miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a review or send your take-away to Gwen!

Thanks for tuning in.

In this episode, we dive into the performance that sneaks into your Yoga practice. How to recognize it & what to shift to bring more confidence.

Highlights include:

• Where can you find integrity in your strength & shift your focus from "How much can I do" to "'How well can I do it".
• Strategies for a change of perspective & why it matters.
• Exploring 3 simples practices to bring into your Yoga practice to bring back the integrity.
• Experience this in a recorded Yoga class online inside the Life Lab. A well-deserved pause in your practice & your life.

Links: Connect with Gwen: Instagram

Join the Life Lab: Life Lab

Subscribe for new strategies each week: Newsletter

In this episode, we dive into how imposter syndrome shows up in your Yoga practice & what you can do about it.

Highlights include:

• Recognizing imposter syndrome on the mat & how it disguises itself as doubt, comparison, and judgment.
• Strategies to shift your focus from "doing it right" to "noticing what you feel," so your practice becomes more meaningful.
• Practical ways to counter self-doubt in your practice with awareness, curiosity, & compassion.
• Introducing LifeLab, created to support you in building confidence & consistency in your Yoga journey.

Learn more about Life Lab (2 spots left for founding member)

Connect with me on Instagram: Gwen Vertseegh

Join our community: Telegram

Subscribe for updates: Newsletter

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE and leave a rating and review if you enjoyed this episode. Thanks!