Attaining a Healthy Body and Mind Through the Practice of Yoga

The “Five Principles of Yoga” describes the holistic perspective of yoga. Each Principle emphasizes the idea that yoga is a practiced lifestyle, meant to achieve physical and mental health, as well as spiritual growth, and not just an exercise routine.

Our bodies are made to move and need exercise to maintain good health. We have become an unfit and unhealthy population due to inactivity, stress, and our polluted environment. Without movement, discomfort and disease set in.

Yoga asanas, or postures, are designed to systematically work all parts of the body … stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, improving flexibility of the spine and joints, and regulating the metabolism and improving circulation.

Yoga poses, practiced properly, relax you, give you strength and vitality and rejuvenate all the systems in your body, including your internal organs, glands and hormones. The flow from one pose to another is combined with proper breathing, which regulates physical and phsiological functions of the body.

Most people breathe in a shallow manner, using only a portion of their lungs. Learning to control your breath  through breathing techniques helps you to use your lungs to their fullest capacity. Proper breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical, maximizing oxygen intake by using all the parts of the lungs. Yoga teaches you to regulate and become aware of the length and duration of your inhalations and exhalations and to breathe from your diaphragm. Proper breathing increases your lung capacity, which sends more oxygen throughout your body, increasing energy and mental clarity.

We live in a stress-filled world. Our lifestyle — social life, diet, work, and even entertainment — makes it difficult for us to relax. Even while attempting to rest, our minds and bodies continue to consume energy through tension. Bad moods, depression, anger, irritation and physical pain use up a lot of energy. Attempting to repress negative emotions can become a way of life. This can be devastating for both the mind and the body. Releasing tension in muscles and resting the whole body revitalizes your nervous system, allowing you to feel relaxed, refreshed and at peace. When you’re relaxed, it’s easy to let go of worries and fears. Tension uses up energy and a relaxed body conserves energy.

Principle 4: Proper Diet

The food we eat not only sustains our bodies, but it greatly affects our minds as well. An improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness.  A proper diet should be well balanced and based on natural foods. Simple meals aid digestion and improve the assimilation of food’s nutrients.  Foods from nature that are free from chemicals and pesticides provide superior nutritional value.

A proper diet also means eating in moderation and eating only to satisfy hunger. Many of us have a tendency to use food to treat sadness or depression and usually reach for unhealthy “comfort” foods filled with sugar, fat and additives. These foods tend to make us feel sluggish, dulling our senses and fogging our minds. And they cause us to crave even more unhealthy foods. This type of eating often leads to diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes. We should eat for sustenance so that we have strong immune systems, light and supple bodies and calm minds.

The way we think greatly affects our lives, because ultimately, we are what we think we are.  Positive and creative thoughts will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind.

Meditation is the act of concentrating your mind on an object, or turning inwards to your own thoughts or on a mantra. Practicing meditation helps you to become attentive and more observant of the present. It not only relaxes your body, but also sharpens your thinking. With practice, everyone has the ability to meditate  - to shut out thoughts and quiet the mind.

Fitness Myth: The Less You Eat – The More You Lose

You’d think this would be true, wouldn’t you? A lot of us think that if we cut out a meal or two, we’ll lose weight. But when the body senses the lack of food, it goes into a self-preservation mode. Thinking it’s being starved, it slows digestion and holds on to fat.

To effectively lose weight and boost your metablism, it’s best to eat small meals throughout the day than to skip meals and go hungry. This way your body will burn fat rather than store it. And add some exercise into the mix and your body becomes an efficient, fat-burning machine. In fact, it will even burn fat when you aren’t exercising. How great is that!

Not Just for Kids!

When was the last time you jumped rope? Elementary school? Junior High? Well, maybe it’s time to try it again … because skipping rope isn’t just for kids.  It’s an extremely efficient calorie consuming, fat burning aerobic exercise.  Jumping rope is one of the reasons why boxers are considered the fittest of all athletes. It increases cardio health, physical endurance, coordination and agility while toning your body. Jumping rope can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour. And you can take a jump rope with you and fit in a workout almost anytime or anywhere.

Roping Essentials

It takes very little to get started, other than a good rope and a decent pair of aerobic shoes or cross trainers that have reinforced toes and a lot of cushioning for the balls of the feet.

There are a lot more choices in jump ropes than there were when we were kids. Today’s jump ropes offer choices of materials, grip styles and lengths. Avoid weighted handles, which can become too cumbersome and choose a light-weight, adjustable rope with foam grips that don’t slip in sweaty palms. Because you will get sweaty!

To determine the proper length for you, stand with one foot on the center of the rope and bring both handles together in front of your chest. The handles should reach about chest high.

Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Before getting started, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Grip the handles lightly.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your elbows close to your body.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Use your wrists to turn the rope, (not your whole arm) and try to keep a smooth arc in the rope.
• Think about your posture … keep your core muscles tight, back straight and head up.
• Keep your jump low to minimize the impact on your knees and ankles.

Make it fun

Once you get the basic jump down, add some variety to keep it fun. Add some kicky music to keep you energized. Get creative with your style … jump backwards, vary your foot work, lift your knees higher or scissor your legs. Rather than totally stopping when you’re tired, twirl the rope from side to side and keep your feet moving by walking in place or stepping side to side. Once you catch your breath, jump back in.

After time, you’ll notice you can jump for longer periods without tiring. And you’ll have more energy for other sports and activities … and just for life in general. And let’s not forget improved muscle tone and a leaner you as your body efficiently burns all those calories and fat!

An Ounce of Prevention

The breakdown of cartilage that causes the pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis is usually considered an unavoidable part of aging. Other factors that contribute to joint pain can be weight, injuries and genetic disposition. But recent osteoarthritis studies suggest that, due to our increased participation in high-impact activities, we may be developing the condition much earlier in life – sometimes as young as 25!  So what can you do to help prevent osteoarthritis?

Stay Strong with Healthy Bones

Did you know that all of us, men and women alike, begin losing bone mass around the age of 30? Bones are composed of living tissue that constantly breaks down and reforms. Up until age 30, your body produces more bone tissue than is destroyed, but once you hit the big 3-O, it’s all down hill. The good news is that whatever your age, the right exercise and diet can help prevent bone loss and keep you healthy and strong.

Exercise Equals Strong Bones

Just as exercising your muscles makes them stronger, exercising your bones makes them stronger and denser.  Health professionals suggest movement for 30 minutes every day of weight-bearing exercise So, include daily activities that will keep you moving like walking, biking, hiking, climbing stairs, dancing, even cleaning the house. Lifting weights is especially important. “Anything that puts stress on the bones strengthens them,” says Lanou.

Bone Nutrition

Strong bones require lots of calcium.  The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. Try to include foods that are calcium rich in your diet. Milk and milk products are high in calcium but as we age, we lose the ability to absorb calcium from these foods. Many of us become lactose intolerant as we age.

But, no worries, there are plenty of other calcium-rich foods to choose from. A diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish will provide plenty of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a great source and a lot of fruit juices now come fortified with calcium.

In supplement form, it’s best to take two 500 mg dosages at different times during the day with vitamin D and magnesium to help absorption.

Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Our bodies can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D.  There is also research that suggests that vitamin D may play a key role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” D is naturally produced in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Because of the fear of skin cancer and the aging affects of sun exposure, we tend to avoid direct sun or slather on sunscreen when do spend time outside.  But sunscreen blocks the skin’s natural production of the vitamin and the end result is that many of us are D deficient.

It doesn’t take frying on the beach to produce sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. Consider getting outside for 10 to 15 minutes daily without sunscreen.  Foods that provide calcium and vitamin D include almonds, beans, fortified cereal and oily fish, like tuna and salmon.  Vitamin D can also be taken in supplement form, although scientists and nutritionists recommendations vary anywhere from 200 IUs to 1500 IUs a day.

Vitamin D requires fat to stay in the body, so be sure to include healthful fats in your diet, like extra-virgin olive oil, unrefined sesame oil and organic coconut oil, as well as omega-3 fats from fish and flaxseed. A recent study showed that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also result in stronger bones.

Our bones give us the freedom to do the things we want to do. They help us stand up straight, to run, to jump and to play. Make sure you take care of your bones so they can take care of you.

An Energy Boosting Breakfast

Get your day off to an invigorating start with an energy-boosting breakfast that’s high in Vitamins A, C, E & B group; calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and essential fatty acids. This dish is also great for your immune and digestive systems. Top off your breakfast bowl with any seasonal fruit you prefer, like antioxidant-rich raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Ingredients:

1 portion sugar-free muesli base (a mixture of oat, wheat, barley, rice and rye)
2 tbsps chopped nuts mixed with seeds (e.g. walnuts, filberts, almonds, sunflower seeds)
2 dates chopped
2 dried apricots, chopped
1 tbsp dried coconut
5 tbsps seasonal fresh fruit or berries
Soy, almond, rice or oat milk to taste

Instructions:
1. Mix the muesli base with the nuts, seeds, dried fruit and coconut
2. Sprinkle the fresh fruit or berries on top
3. Serve with your chosen milk to taste and a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit or orange juice.

Fitness Myth: The Longer You Exercise, the More Weight You Lose

You may be surprised to learn that extended periods of aerobic exercise can actually prevent you from losing weight. It’s true that the more you work out, the more you stimulate your body to burn fat. That’s good, of course, but it also increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that increases in the body when it’s under stress and, among other things, causes your body to store fat (especially around the middle).

To optimize your weight loss, limit your exercise sessions to around 45 minutes, making sure to work within your target heart rate zone. You can always work out more, if you like, but for best results, divide your workout sessions so that you only exercise for 45 minutes at a time.

Your Target Heart Rate

Everyone has a goal in mind when starting an exercise program, whether it’s to lose weight, burn fat, increase cardiovascular health and endurance, release stress, lower blood pressure or just plain feel good. But in order to reach those goals – in order for your workout to be effective – the most important factor to be aware of is your heart rate.

Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. But there are three types of heart rate that you need to look at when beginning an exercise program:

1. Resting heart rate (RHR): the beats per minute when you aren’t exerting yourself (which varies per person) but averages out to about 70 BPM (beats per minute) for men & 75 BPM for women
2. Maximum heart rate (MHR): the rate at which the heart beats at 100% exertion
3. Target heart rate (THR): the desired range of heart rate during exercise that enables your heart & lungs to receive the most benefit from a workout.

Pacing yourself during exercise provides the greatest results for your efforts. To burn fat and improve cardiovascular endurance, you have to maintain a sustained workout in the “zone” – that means working at your THR level for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Working below your THR won’t give you those fat burning and cardiovascular benefits and working above your THR will make it difficult to sustain your workout.

Heart Rate Chart

The following chart (from the American Heart Association) indicates the estimated THR for different ages. Find the age category closest to yours and then read across to find your target heart rate.

You can also calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 to determine your maximum heart rate and then multiply that number by 70 percent.  For example, if you’re 50, your maximum heart rate would be 170 multiplied by 70 percent for a THR of 119 (220 – 50 = 170; 170 x .70 =119).

Heart Rate Zone

There are three ways to check your heart rate during a workout to make sure you’re working in your zone.

• Find your pulse (either on the side of the neck or on the wrist) and count the number of beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. You’ll need a clock or watch with a second hand for this.
• Take the talk test … if you can carry on a normal conversation, you aren’t working hard enough; if you can’t talk at all, you’re working too hard.
• Invest in a heart rate watch, a convenient gadget that straps onto your wrist (some require a chest belt, while others don’t). Press a button or the watch face to get a heart reading.  You can get really fancy ones that come with all kinds of things, like calories-burned calculators, pedometers, timers, stopwatches, and more.

If you’re just beginning your program, start out easy (maybe 50-60 percent of your MHR, to test the waters). If that feels good, move up to 70%. Once you’re comfortable with your program, you can push that number higher and may find that you can go as high as 85 percent of your MHR. But keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to work that hard to stay in shape. And, as always, check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

Practice Yoga for a Pain-Free Run

Runners will tell you there’s nothing that compares to the satisfaction you get from running … the sound of your feet hitting the pavement and the regular rhythm of your breathing can send you into a zone that leaves you feeling relaxed, clear-headed and just plain good.

While running provides a great workout for the heart and lungs, the act of running moves the body through a very limited range of motion. Most runners have developed subtle, but potentially harmful, imbalances in the way their feet hit the ground and the way they maintain alignment throughout their stride, which leaves them susceptible to injury.

Adding a yoga practice into your routine can enhance your running experience. Yoga balances the body, improves breathing methods and brings an awareness to your body that can make running more meditative and help prevent injury.

• Balance. Yoga asanas (poses) correct imbalances resulting from high impact training by stretching and strengthening muscles, aligning joints, and improving bone density. A stronger, more flexible body is less susceptible to injury.
• Breath. Intrinsic to yoga is the combination of movement with breath. While running requires breathing out of simple necessity, yoga involves a much more focused awareness of breath and how it affects the body. The deep breathing that is a part of a yoga practice increases lung capacity, which enhances both energy and stamina for a runner as it relaxes the body.
• Mindfulness. The connection between mind, body and breath that is acheived through yoga practice helps runners find a more meditative state while running and a heightened awareness of their bodies. By tuning into the body, a runner is more heedful of alignment and balance which helps prevent injury.

If you’ve never tried yoga and would like to add it to your running routine, sign up for some beginner’s classes at your local yoga studio to learn proper alignment and breathing techniques.  Some studios even offer classes that are designed specifically for runners.  There are also oodles of yoga for runners’ books and dvds to choose from in bookstores and libraries.

Ease a tummy-ache … relieve arthritis pain … cure cancer?

If I had an upset stomach when I was young, my mom would give me ginger ale. As a child, I thought the reason that it made me feel better was because of the bubbles. I always assumed that 7-Up and Coke would work just as well. Well, I was sort of right … the carbonation in soda pop helps dilute acid in the stomach and that can provide some relief. But it’s the “ginger” in ginger ale that actually relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract and heals the tummy.

According to Suzanna Zick, N.D., MPH, research investigator in family medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, ginger helps settle the stomach in three ways: First, its main component, gingerol, a strong free-radical that acts as an antioxidant, decreases oxidative products made in the digestive tract that cause nausea to occur. Second, ginger causes the blood vessels to dilate which causes a warming effect. And third, ginger blocks serotonin receptors in the stomach that cause nausea. “What it actually does is blocks those receptors so serotonin can’t go into them and cause more nausea,” Zick says. Currently, Zick is studying ginger to see if it can be used to prevent the nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Surprisingly, researchers are discovering that ginger is an effective remedy for more than upset tummies. Ginger is being used to treat everything from migraines to cancer. Read on for some of the most recent findings:

Gastrointestinal Aid

Studies have shown that ginger prevents the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. One study showed that ginger is far superior to Dramamine, a commonly used over-the-counter and prescription drug used for motion sickness. Ginger has been shown to reduce all the symptoms associated with motion sickness in addition to nausea, including dizziness, vomiting and cold sweats.

Studies also show that ginger is useful in reducing morning sickness, the nausea and vomiting often suffered during pregnancy, even in its most severe form. And ginger is safe for the fetus, unlike anti-vomiting drugs.

Ginger has also been shown to ease the painful cramping and nausea caused by food poisoning and relieve the discomfort of heartburn.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

People suffering with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have experienced a reduction in pain levels and improvement in mobility when consuming ginger regularly. Researchers have found that the anti-oxidant gingerol compound is also a very potent anti-inflammatory. An issue of Osteoarthritis Cartilage Journal published a 12-month study in which patients with painful arthritis in the knee who were given ginger not only experienced a considerable reduction in pain, but the swelling in their knees was reduced significantly, as well.

Researchers at Odense University in Denmark believe that ginger blocks the action of prostaglandins, substances that cause pain and inflammation in blood vessels. This characteristic may also be the reason that ginger tea with brown sugar has been used as a treatment for menstrual cramps in Chinese medicine.

A recent article in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported a case study in which ginger (600 mg doses with plain water, four times a day, for four days, beginning with first signs of migraine) was effectively substituted for conventional anti-migraine drugs (aspirin, dihydroergotamine). The capsules prevented the onset of the migraine attack if taken at the first onset of symptoms. The patient also introduced fresh ginger into her daily diet and had a marked decline in the number of attacks over a year.  Bergner, Paul. “Nervous – Remedy Differentials in Migraine.” medherb.com • 2001.

Cancer Fighter

Ginger is proving to be a powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.

The results of a study conducted at the University of Minnesota showed promise in using ginger (specifically, gingerol) to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells.

Immune Booster

The warming affects of ginger are believed to stimulate the body’s natural defenses, warding off diseases like cold and flu. But if you do catch a cold or the flu, try ginger juice mixed with honey to relieve a sore throat or suppress a cough.

When it comes to the ginger ale you find on supermarket shelves, it’s hard to know how much of the healing herb is actually in the bottle. And you really don’t need all that added sugar and corn syrup, anyway.  To fully benefit from ginger’s healing properties, it’s best to go with fresh. Try brewing up some ginger tea by steeping some fresh ginger slices in a cup of hot water. For arthritis relief, add some fresh ginger to your favorite recipes.