Competitive Yoga? Not a Stretch.

Have you introduced your daughter to yoga?

Yes, with stretches. In her early stages, to relieve gas I would put her in postures where I would bring her knees to her chest.

Did it work?

Yes, I also stretched her legs by crossing one over the other. And now she definitely mimics me and the postures that I do. She's definitely going to be a yogi.

You're in a nephrology practice. The kidneys seem to figure prominently in yoga. But a lot of the claims about yoga, particularly where the kidneys are concerned, frankly sound like hooey.

Really? How so?

Like yoga cleaning out toxins. Is there any science to that?

I wouldn't go so far as to say the yoga cleans out the toxins. But as you practice the yoga, the heat itself and the sweating does clean out the toxins that you have consumed in your body. . . . Also, when you do yoga, you don't want to eat your heavy products. And that is a way of cleansing your system, of cleansing your kidneys. You're not consuming heavy, fatty, poorly nutritious foods.

You ever feel like eating a cheeseburger?

Never.

What do you eat before a competition?

I have coconut water. It's very high in potassium without giving you all the sugar like a lot of the sports drinks. And it's natural. And I have two oranges.

During your competition, were you the only African American?

There was one other.

So few. Is this an issue?

I don't think it's that it's uninviting. But I have my reasons for why. . . . I think it's hair. If you notice many of the black women who practice either have natural hair or very short hair or dreadlocks. They rarely have hair that's relaxed or permed. Because it's a maintenance thing. You sweat, you get wet. And I have to say, it wasn't until I cut all my hair off that I have been truly free.