Winding Road Yoga
Winding Road Yoga is an online yoga studio with a focus on providing yoga for healers, and for those who care for others. No prior yoga experience is required, but check in with your health care provider before starting if you have any health conditions or concerns that may affect your ability to exercise or practice yoga.
Sarah Samaan
Cardiologist • Equestrian • Yoga Teacher
Cardiologist
As a cardiologist for over 27 years, Sarah Samaan worked to heal, educate, and empower thousands of individuals to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Inspired by the questions and curiosity of her patients, Sarah realized that there was a compelling need for sound, well-researched, and accessible information about diet and heart health.
She dove into the project with a laser focus, and eventually authored 3 critically acclaimed books on heart health, starting with The Smart Woman’s Guide to Heart Health which won Foreword Magazines Bronze Award in 2009 for Women’s Issues. In 2012, she published Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before and After it Starts. Recognized as an authority in the field of heart health and prevention, in 2014 she was asked to coauthor DASH Diet for Dummies with dietitians Rosanne Rust and Cindy Kleckner. A second edition of the book was published in 2020.
Sarah has been quoted in many national magazines and online resources including Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports, Shape, Fitness Magazine, and Forbes, among others.
After working through the first 2 years of the global pandemic, Sarah retired from medical practice in 2022, intent on pursuing her other life passions. These include yoga and the competitive equestrian sport of dressage, where she has earned a United States Dressage Federation Silver Medal. As a medical writer for GoodRx, she also stays tuned in to the latest in health care and heart disease prevention.
Sarah is also a Mindfulness Coach, a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, and a Master Certified Physician Development Coach. Her coaching services can be found at Mindful Physician Coaching.
Equestrian
Horses have always been integral to Sarah’s life, and it was a serious riding accident that first drew her to the practice of yoga.
In 1997, after breaking an arm and requiring surgery to repair the broken bones, she realized that she lacked the body awareness needed to truly become one with her horse. What started out as a form of exercise and rehabilitation quickly became a passion. The powerful effects of yoga on her own well-being throughout her busy days in the hospital and caring for patients in the office convinced her of the importance of sharing this practice and inspiring others to find their own yogic path.
Sarah has experienced her share of other physical injuries, including a broken fibula, a psoas muscle injury, and bone spurs in the shoulders. As a result, she has tremendous empathy for those who are dealing with their own physical constraints.
As a USDF Silver Medalist, she applies the principles of yoga and meditation to her riding and to her connection with her horses.
For Sarah, yoga has been a lifeline, helping her to realign, heal, and move forward from these challenges.
Yoga Teacher
Through Winding Road Yoga, Sarah hopes to share the joy, power, and healing spirit of yoga.
Her focus on alignment and combining breath with movement will help you to get the most out of your practice. With special expertise in Yin yoga through study with Yin master Bernie Clark, Sarah has a deep understanding of the benefits of a personalized yoga practice.
Sarah is also a certified Mindfulness Coach, offering individual coaching packages on a case-by-case basis. For questions, please reach out through the contact form.
Your own winding road will likely be very different from anyone else’s and that is the beauty of yoga. There is truly something for everyone.
Of course, as with any physical practice, it important to know your body and your limitations, and to recognize that any activity comes with its own potential risks. This is especially important if you are pregnant or are dealing with injuries.
Check in with your doctor or health professional if you have any concerns and understand that ultimately your health is your responsibility.
As a retired cardiologist, I teach yoga with an emphasis on alignment, breath, and safe practice. Do you feel ready to make the shift from burnout to renewal? Are you seeking to find the energy and optimism you've been missing? Do you yearn to make space and time for yourself?
I Can Help.
