I’m turning 50 this year and feeling pretty fabulous! My relationship with my body wasn't always as positive as it is today, though. In my 20s and early 30s, I struggled with chronic, debilitating low back pain and terrible migraine headaches - afraid of my own body; the pain it caused me and afraid that I would never find a way out of pain. On the road to healing, I encountered a lot of brilliant teachers, and learned 5 very powerful lessons that transformed my relationship with my body and liberated me from pain. These lessons, rooted in the synergy of movement and mindfulness, have become my guiding principles for continuing wellness. And I want to share them with you in the hopes that they will help you live better in your body too. LESSON1: EVERY MOMENT IS MOVEMENT To explain this concept, I give you the brilliant biomechanist and movement teacher, Katy Bowman. This is a video promo for her book, Move Your DNA. Every moment is movement. We can overdose on certain movements, like sitting, and under dose on others, like running, lifting, climbing or squatting. For many people, pain and dysfunction set in simply because we do not move enough or we're not getting enough variety of movement in our lives. My pain was definitely due to a sitting overdose. When I really *got* that the movement choices l was making were the cause of my pain, it lead to me to make radical changes. I began phasing myself out of my desk job and started a transition into teaching movement full time. As a direct result of moving more and sitting less, I resolved my pain problem. This is because... LESSON 2: HUMAN BEINGS ARE DESIGNED TO MOVE We’re living in an age of unprecedented sedentarism. As a species, we’ve never moved less. And that’s a problem - because human beings are designed to move. One of the basic principles of biology is that: structure dictates function And if you look at the structure of the human body – the bulk of it is dedicated to movement. This structure of our bodies evolved in harmony with the environment we lived in for millenia - which is nothing like the environment we are living in today. Bodies evolved to move through ‘the wild’ to get the things we needed for our survival – to gather food, build shelter, find a mate, chop wood, carry water, climb trees, and run to chase down a water buffalo for dinner - or run away from a water buffalo for safety. We moved all day, every day; not just for 30 minutes on a treadmill 3 times a week. We’ve created a world we no longer need to move through to survive in. As a result, many of us move very little. We no longer have to chop wood or carry water, we can just turn up the thermostat and turn on the faucet. That’s left us with a problematic mismatch between the way our bodies have evolved to function optimally and the ways we’re using them. We’ve outsourced movement everywhere in our lives – right down to the chairs we’re sitting on. Chairs are a form of technology meant to make our lives easier – but they’re not really saving us from anything - except having to use our postural muscles to hold ourselves up. And that's what most conveniences really do - save us from having to move. But the fact of the matter is that we need more movement in our lives. Not less. This is why exercise was created. To re-introduce the movement we’ve outsourced to technology but that our biology needs to function optimally. We literally have to go to an exercise class to learn how to push, pull, and lift things; to learn to use our postural muscles or engage out glutes because modern technology has rendered us unable to perform the most basic human movements. We’ve known for a long time that we are designed to move and that exercise is good for our health. Recent science has done a lot to further our understanding of WHY and HOW this is so. It turns out that skeletal muscles do more than move us, they are actually endocrine organs that secrete healing biochemicals into your bloodstream when you use them. This leads me to... LESSON 3: MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE Stanford Health Psychologist, Kelly McGonigle explains Here's a quick recap: Myokines can:
And that’s just a short list. The research on myokines is inspiring and astounding. This understanding helps you to... LESSON 4: EMBODY YOUR BODY WITH AWARENESS Central to my journey to wellness – and to yours – is being aware of how you use (or don’t use) your body and the effect that has on your biochemistry, mood, and overall health and well-being. Repeat after me: ‘I embody my body with awareness.’ Then make a practice of really paying attention to the way you move and the way you feel. Make that connection and make course corrections as you go. LESSON 5: YOU ARE HOW YOU MOVE I’m a living testament to the transformative power of movement and mindfulness. By embracing these principles, I overcame chronic pain and cultivated a healthier, more harmonious relationship with myself. Along the way, I learned that movement is more than a physical endeavor, it can be a profound act of healing and self-care. As we navigate our modern world marked by sedentarism and disconnection, let’s reclaim our birthright to movement. Through movement, we can find healing and liberation—the freedom to embrace our fullest potential and embody the best versions of ourselves.
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As a seasoned yoga teacher, I’m often asked about 'the right way' to breathe. The truth is, there isn’t one definitive answer. The right way to breathe varies depending on your activity – running, reading quietly, or experiencing moments of pleasure or stress. Though if we consider breathing from a purely mechanical viewpoint, I suppose the correct way to breathe is this: The mechanical act of breathing is absolutely essential for life and is the least interesting way to think about breathing. Your breath has the potential to do so much more than just keep you alive by moving air in and out of your person. By changing your breathing patterns – how long you inhale/exhale or how long you pause between breaths or how you vocalize, you can actually change your mental/emotional states and your physical health. Your breath can serve as a gateway to improved physiological and psychological well-being, influencing every system in your body, including digestion, nervous system function, energy levels, and more. When stressed, your breath becomes shallow, but by changing your breathing patterns, you can nudge your nervous system towards relaxation mode and positively affect bodily functions that aren't normally under your conscious control. The nervous system operates in two main modes: the somatic nervous system, which governs voluntary movements, like moving your arm or taking a walk, and the autonomic nervous system, responsible for involuntary functions like digesting your lunch and controlling your heart rate and blood pressure. Unlike voluntary actions controlled by the somatic system, the autonomic system functions automatically, responding to stress or relaxation. Understanding this distinction is crucial, as it highlights the unique role of breathing, which interfaces with both systems, and offers us a pathway to influence our stress response. Regular pranayama practice can shift the body out of stress mode, leading to improved overall health. Each pranayama technique offers specific benefits, allowing for targeted improvements in mental and physical well-being. Having a toolbox of breathing techniques at your disposal means you can choose ‘the right way to breathe’ for your situation. Whether you want to soothe your nerves before public speaking, sleep better, improve focus, or whatever the moment calls for. 3 Beginner-Friendly Breathing Practices To Try 1. Breath Awareness: As the foundation of all breathing techniques, breath awareness is the perfect starting point for your exploration. How To: Close your eyes and focus inward on the gentle rhythm of your breath. As you breathe in, notice that you’re breathing in. As you breathe out, notice that you’re breathing out. Guided Practice 2. Cardiac Coherence: This breathing technique harmonizes your breathing rhythm with your heartbeat, using a form of biofeedback to tap into inner tranquility. How To: Place your hands over your heart and feel its steady rhythm. Then sync up your breath with the rhythmic beating of your heart. Guided Practice: 3. Bhramari Breathing Bhramari, or Bumblebee breath, harnesses the power of humming to vibrate and stimulate your vagus nerve (the primary nerve associated with your relaxation response) and increase your body’s production of Nitric Oxide (NO), a powerful vasodilator, mood booster, memory enhancer and germ fighter. How To: Find a comfortable seat. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply and make a humming sound as you exhale, like the sound of a buzzing bee. Guided Practice: Health benefits of relaxing pranayama
· Stress relief: by simply paying attention to your breath, it tends to shift into a slower, deeper pattern that induces a state of calm · Presence: focusing on your breath shifts your focus away from incessant mental chatter. Worries and rumination fade into the background; fear and anxiety loosen their grip as you focus on what is actually happening in the present moment. Breathing. · Mindful mastery: with practice, you cultivate the skill of noticing when your mind wanders and learn to gently guide it back to your breath. This skill acts like a shield against negative thought patterns. · Neural harmony: by directing attention away from fear and worries, breath awareness diminishes activity in the amygdala (the part of the brain associated with fear), fostering a sense of peace and calm · Better sleep: your tissues repair and your body performs its general maintenance functions while you sleep. A good night’s sleep is also good for your cognition, memory and mood. A daily breathing practice offer numerous health benefits, from stress reduction to improved mood, cognition, and sleep quality. By incorporating just a few minutes of mindful breathing into your routine, you can breathe your way to better health. In recent years, the practice of stretching has had a real PR problem and received a lot of negative press. Mostly because evidence is piling up that suggests stretching isn't as helpful for athletic performance and recovery as we used to think. That’s a whole controversy-filled topic we’ll save for another day. But regardless of whether stretching helps athletes win medals and break records there are loads of wonderful, health-enhancing (non-sports-related) reasons to stretch. Every cat, dog and human in the world wakes up in the morning and does it. It's not just a morning ritual, it’s also a fantastic way to boost your overall well-being. Whether you're a yoga enthusiast, a person that sits too much, or just someone looking for a gentle way to improve your health and feel better in your body, stretching has got your back (and your hamstrings, and your heart too!). Here are 6 great reasons to love stretching: 1) Flexibility As you age, maintaining mobility is crucial for independent living. When you’re in your golden years, you still wanna be able to cut your own toenails, reach up to change your light bulbs and do up your own damn bra, right? Flexibility is important. Your MOBILITY is your ABILITY to do life on your own terms and live independently. Limited ranges of motion can impair your ability to perform the most basic everyday tasks. Stretching isn’t just about touching your toes, it’s about maintaining your independence as you age. When it comes to your flexibility, it’s a ‘use it or lose it’ situation. Stretching can help keep you limber. 2) Heart Health When you think about the best exercises for heart, you probably think about cardio – like running, cycling and HIIT. But researchers are taking a closer look at how stretching and mobility play into decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, and they’re discovering that stretching helps. A lot. In the same way that our joints become stiffer and more inflexible with age, so do our blood vessels. Arterial stiffening is a part of aging that increases the workload for our hearts and increases the risk of cardiovascular issues. We’ve long known that cardiovascular exercise can help keep blood vessels supple and reduce heart rate and blood pressure, and current research has found that stretching does too! Stretching helps keep your ticker running in tip top shape. A regular stretching practice can give you rewards that go way beyond improving flexibility. 3) Pain Relief
Stretching is like popping a natural pain killer. When you stretch, your brain floods your body with a slew of feel-good biochemicals like endorphins and cannabinoids, that reduce pain sensitivity, making those twinges and tight spots feel a little less bothersome. Plus, regular stretching can boost your pain tolerance and improve your coping mechanisms for dealing with discomfort. There’s a really cool study that compares pain tolerance in seasoned yoga practitioners to people with no yoga experience. It discovered that yoga practitioners’ pain tolerance was double or more to that of non-yoga people. Why? Yoga practice seems to beef up a part of the brain called the insula that is responsible for processing bodily sensations. Adding density is in this part of the brain allows yogis to relate to and cope with pain better. Cool, cool, cool! 4) Relaxation Feeling stressed? Take a stretch break. A good stretch sesh triggers your body’s relaxation response, reducing muscle tension, boosting blissful endorphins, improving blood flow, enhancing mindfulness and lowering cortisol levels. Stretching engages your body’s natural relaxation pathways, creating an overall feeling of well-being and contentment. Like giving yourself a mini spa day, minus the hefty price tag. So, kick back, relax and unwind your muscles and mind. 5) Mind-Body Connection Stretching isn’t just about touching your toes (although that’s pretty cool). It’s about tuning in to your body and developing a deeper sense of self-awareness. By focusing on the sensations and movements of your body during stretching, you become more attuned to the present moment, and to changing status of your inner world. You can recognize the relationships between mental states and physical sensations. Your ability to be aware of and identify different kinds of bodily sensations translates into your ability to notice feelings like stress, anxiety or tension, and take steps to deal with them in the early stages and restore your body’s delicate balance. Stretching can help ground you in the present moment and become more self-aware, resilient and to find more harmony between mind and body. 6) Feels Good And that’s reason enough to stretch. You should do things that feel good and are good for you. But why does stretching feel so good? When you stretch you release muscle tension, stimulate blood flow, and send happy hormones coursing through your veins. So there you have it, folks: 6 fantastic reasons to fall head over heels for stretching. And guess what? The benefits don’t stop there. Exciting new research is popping up all the time, revealing even more ways that stretching can supercharge your health and happiness. So, roll out your yoga mat, grab your foam roller and enjoy a good stretch. |
AuthorAmanda Tripp, Yoga/body nerd and woman of a 1000 opinions Archives
February 2024
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