1. Lifelong Yogi
Strong swears by regular yoga sessions for the many health and wellness benefits. “I do a little bit of yoga everyday,” she says. “If I don't do yoga, I feel discombobulated. During the filming of the Dallas pilot, Patrick Duffy had a low back injury and, toward the end, I gave him a five-move sequence called ‘The Healthy Back’ series. He's been doing it everyday since we shot the pilot and he went from not being able to touch below his knees to being able to touch the floor. His posture has improved, too, and he's just so grateful. The truth is, if you just do it, yoga will heal you.”
2. Quinoa Lover
Unique Nicole/Getty Images
Strong enjoys a healthy diet with plenty of quality grains and vegetables. “I'll make myself a really nice meal like a spinach salad with quinoa or homemade green lentil soup with bread,” she says. “I'm becoming such an addict of quinoa. It's got the best amino acids and it's an anti-cancer food. When I don't have time to take care of myself, I take better care of myself because I know how important it is. Otherwise, you set yourself up to get sick and feel bad, all those things you don't have time for anymore. I have so many healthy snacks! I drink grapefruit juice with flax oil in it every morning. I did a shot of wheatgrass today and I drank some coconut water. I still like my dark chocolate though. I haven't given that up!”
3. Yoga For Fertility
Strong is not only an actress but an advocate for those struggling with fertility through Strong Yoga® 4Fertility. “When your body ‘fails you’, many disconnect out of anger, shame and fear,” she says. “Yoga helps women reconnect to their own bodies and teaches them to listen to their intuition, which they may have lost a connection to along the way. On a physical level, The Fertility Ball is an empowering tool for women because they can actively connect to their own reproductive organs. We store a lot of feelings in our fascia and other connective tissue and when we are able to release some of these areas that are blocked, it can release vaults of feeling, allowing us to feel more intimate with ourselves, and others. It’s so gratifying to watch couples come into a workshop one way and leave transformed.”
4. Compassion and Forgiveness
Shutterstock
Strong credits yoga for helping her through many tough times. “I can only say that it has helped me during some of the hardest and most painful experiences in my life to have more compassion for myself, to forgive myself, and not to be too harsh of a judge,” she says. “As a famous yogi once said, ‘Life is painful, suffering is optional.’ Life is too short to not move forward in a positive way.”
5. Self-Care
Strong focuses on self-care when life gets crazy. “It's like AA, one day at a time!” she says. “There's a lot of little choices that lead to big life changes. Take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Make the choice to have whole grains instead of a doughnut. Go to bed early instead of being on Facebook. Those teensy things that start to add up, but it's literally just one choice at a time.”
Vanessa Hudgens/Instagram
@evalongoria / Instagram
John Phillips/Getty Images
Christophe Archambault/Getty Images
Ariana Grande/Instagram
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
Addison Rae/Instagram
thenessnyc/Instagram
Cindy Crawford/Instagram
Rebel Wilson/Instagram
