True and Useful™

What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient Indian body of knowledge that dates back more than 5000 years.  The word 'Yoga' comes from the Sanskrit word 'yuj' which means 'to unite or integrate.'  Yoga is about the union of a person's own consciousness and the universal consciousness.

Ancient Yogis had a belief that harmony with self and the environment requires integration of the body, the mind, and the spirit.  For these three to be integrated, emotion, action, and intelligence must be in balance.  The Yogis formulated a way to achieve and maintain this balance through exercise, breathing, and meditation - the three main Yoga structures.

In Yoga, the body is treated with care and respect as the primary instrument in man's work and growth.  Yoga Exercises improve circulation, stimulate the abdominal organs, and put pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can contribute to better health.

Breathing techniques were developed based on the concept that breath is the source of life.  In Yoga, students gain breath control as they slowly increase their breathing.  By focusing on their breathing, they prepare their minds for the next step - meditation.

In Meditation, students bring the activities of the mind into focus resulting in a 'quiet' mind.  By designing physical poses and breathing techniques that develop awareness of the body, Yoga helps develop focus and can provide relief from everyday stress.

Source: ABC-of-Yoga 

Neck Release

Here is a simple exercise to help release tension from the neck area. These movements coordinated with breathing can be done virtually anywhere – at your desk, sitting up in bed, even while watching TV. Allow your head movements and breathing to flow smoothly and gently, and remember to keep your eyes looking straight ahead throughout the entire exercise.

Caution: As with any exercise be careful not to push beyond your limits.  If you have chronic neck pain or injury, consult your physician before attempting the following movements.

First sequence:

1. Sit or stand with your head facing forward and your eyes looking straight ahead.
2. Take a slow deep breath in and breathe out.
3. Take another breath in, and as you breathe out, slowly turn your head to the left while keeping your eyes looking straight ahead.
4. As you breathe in, slowly turn your head back to center, facing forward again.
5. As you breathe out, slowly turn your head to the right while keeping your eyes looking straight ahead.
6. As you breathe in, slowly turn your head back to center, facing forward again.
7. Slowly breathe out with your head facing forward.
8. Repeat steps 3 – 7 at least two more times, and if you’re comfortable, repeat for a total of five times.

Second sequence:

1. Picking up at the end of the first sequence above, take another breath in, and as you breathe out, gently tilt your head forward, bringing your chin down toward your chest, while keeping your eyes looking straight ahead.
2. As you breathe in, slowly bring your head back to center, facing forward again.
3. As you breathe out, gently tilt your head back just a few inches while keeping your eyes looking straight ahead.
4. As you breathe in, slowly bring your head back to center, facing forward again.
5. Slowly breathe out with your head facing forward.
6. Repeat steps 1 – 5 two more times.

~ A.G.R

Managing Stress 101

I suspect most people would agree that life is stressful. What specific situations cause us more or less stress, to what extent we feel it and how we cope with it vary greatly.

Stress management is a broad term relating to raising our awareness of how stress specifically affects each of us and to providing a variety of approaches and techniques for keeping those effects from damaging or overwhelming us.

Wherever you are on the continuum of awareness, causes and effects, and methods for coping, here are a few basic ideas you may find helpful in approaching the broad area of stress management:

1. Slow down once in a while.  As long as we keep moving at the break-neck speed that modern life seems to expect, we have little opportunity to gauge how we’re feeling and what condition we’re in, physically, mentally and emotionally. No matter how challenging, try to carve out some spaces of time for yourself, to be quiet, to think, to tune in, to take a reading on yourself.
   
2. Don’t forget to breathe. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how much of the day you spend breathing a very shallow and constricted breath, depriving your body and mind of the life-giving oxygen needed to function at the optimum level.  Whenever you become aware of your shallow breathing, take a few slow deep breaths in and out and notice if it makes a difference in how you feel and think.
   
3. Exercise regularly. So much has been written about the benefits of exercise, yet how many of us still find it difficult to incorporate exercise into a weekly routine.  Aerobics classes, walking and running, yoga, swimming, biking – choose one or more and set your intention to get yourself moving for at least a half hour 3 times a week.
   
4. Bodywork and massage can be very beneficial in the relief of muscular tension, minor pain and other stress symptoms.  There are so many approaches to try: various massage techniques, acupressure, cranio-sacral, Feldenkrais, shiatsu, etc. Ask friends or associates for recommendations and try different approaches to see if one seems more effective for you.
   
5. If you haven’t already, try meditation. Many different approaches are available, and meditation is becoming so mainstream that you can find classes at day spas, yoga centers and even through your local recreation departments and adult education centers.  

Caution: This information is not a substitution for qualified medical advice.  If you are experiencing persistent pain, mental distress or other symptoms that are causing you concern, consult a medical doctor as part of an overall stress management approach.

~ A.G.R

The Slow Movement: Simplify your life by Megan Tough

Why do so many of us work too hard, live too fast and feel as though there are never enough hours in the day? Making a change to a slower, quieter, less busy life is a choice, but one which is within reach of all of us.

Giving up a life of speed is a bit like quitting smoking - until you are ready to commit, your chances of success are low.

How do you go about slowing down and simplifying life? Here are three strategies:

1. Recognise that less is more

Often, we think we need more help to save time (housekeepers, cooks, gardeners etc), when we actually need fewer problems. If you’ve never had an urge to clean out your stuff, you are missing out on one of the easiest and most effective ways to simplify your life.

Removing clutter works on a physical and mental level. Uncluttered surroundings do equal an uncluttered mind. Try tossing out those photos you’ve not looked at for 20 years, keeping only one or two. Try shaving half an hour off the start and end time of your day. You may be surprised to find you can get through the same amount of work without noticing.

2. Learn to say the Magic Word: No

Get comfortable saying no to things. This is a great way to feel in control of your life, so determine what your priorities are and say no to everything else.

Practice is the key. Here are a few things I’d say no to right off the bat: 

• unrealistic client expectations;
• functions (family and work) you don’t want to go to;
• meetings; and
• volunteering on committees.

You get the picture. This doesn’t make you selfish, it means you are consciously choosing how to spend your time, not having others make that decision for you.

3. Streamline your possessions

DVD players, coffee grinders, multiple telephones, computers, digital cameras and so on are must have items these days. The trouble is, the more we have the more we want.

And the more we have, the harder we have to work to pay for our new toys. New gadgets also take up time – installing, troubleshooting, learning how to use them. None of us need things that take up more time!

Go through your house and look at everything you have that you haven’t used for 12 months or more. If it’s not sentimental and doesn’t add real value to your life, then simplify your life and get rid of it! You’re not using it anyway.

Follow these three tips and you’re on your way to a more simple life. You may find you’ve freed up some headspace and time for further thought - time away from the busyness and the business to get reacquainted with who you are and what’s important to you.

Megan Tough

Morning Stretch

Here is a basic stretching exercise that can be done first thing in the morning while sitting up in bed or just after you stand up.

1. Sit or stand with your arms at your sides.
2. Take a slow deep breath in and breathe out to help you wake up.
3. Take another breath in and raise your arms out to each side and then up, so that your arms are pointing straight up towards the ceiling.
4. Breathe out with your arms continuing to point straight up.
5. While you are taking another slow deep breath in, interlock your fingers over your head, then rotate your interlocked hands so that your palms are facing up towards the ceiling.
6. Breathe out in this position.
7. Take another breath in as you look up at the back of your interlocked hands, then slowly breathe out as you stretch up and push your palms toward the ceiling.
8. Take another breath in, then slowly breathe out as you unlock your fingers and let your arms float gently down to your sides.
9. If you’re comfortable, you can repeat steps 3 – 8 two or three more times.

Caution: As with any exercise be careful not to push beyond your limits.  If you have chronic neck or shoulder pain or injury, consult your physician before attempting the above movements.

~ A.G.R

The benefits of abdominal breathing

Abdominal breathing is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is a large muscle located between the chest and the abdomen. When it contracts it is forced downward causing the abdomen to expand. This causes a negative pressure within the chest forcing air into the lungs. The negative pressure also pulls blood into the chest improving the venous return to the heart. This leads to improved stamina in both disease and athletic activity. Like blood, the flow of lymph, which is rich in immune cells, is also improved. By expanding the lung's air pockets and improving the flow of blood and lymph, abdominal breathing also helps prevent infection of the lung and other tissues. But most of all it is an excellent tool to stimulate the relaxation response that results in less tension and an overall sense of well being.

Abdominal Breathing Technique

Breathing exercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you find your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are experiencing pain.

• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. When you take a deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. This insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs.
• After exhaling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a count of 7 (or as long as you are able, not exceeding 7)
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. As all the air is released with relaxation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that we deepen respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely exhaling it.
• Repeat the cycle four more times for a total of 5 deep breaths and try to breathe at a rate of one breath every 10 seconds (or 6 breaths per minute). At this rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive effect on cardiac health.

Once you feel comfortable with the above technique, you may want to incorporate words that can enhance the exercise. Examples would be to say to yourself the word, relaxation (with inhalation) and stress or anger (with exhalation). The idea being to bring in the feeling/emotion you want with inhalation and release those you don't want with exhalation.

The use of the hands on the chest and abdomen are only needed to help you train your breathing. Once you feel comfortable with your ability to breathe into the abdomen, they are no longer needed.

Abdominal breathing is just one of many breathing exercises. But it is the most important one to learn before exploring other techniques. The more it is practiced, the more natural it will become improving the body's internal rhythm.

Adapted from Integrative Medicine, D. Rakel
WB. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA. 2003.

 

Yoga

I just finished my first yoga class in two and a half months. Our Thursday night class had been suspended while our teacher visited his mother in India. I knew I was missing the regular and consistent practice, but I didn't realize how much until tonight. I left class feeling like I'd had a complete physical workout with the added bonus of having released stored up tension.

In yoga we work on every part of the body, loosening joints, stretching and toning muscles, and strengthening our core, including the abs, to support the back and spinal column. The postures and movements encourage deep breathing, and we end class with structured breathing exercises as well as a relaxation meditation.

Almost anyone of any age can participate in yoga on some level. You are encouraged to approach and extend your limits in a careful and conscious way to avoid injury and pain. This allows your body to gradually adapt to the postures and movements and provides immediate as well as long term benefits.

I encourage everyone who hasn't experienced yoga to give it a try. Nowadays there are classes in most fitness clubs as well as many independent yoga studios. I'm so glad I found yoga over twenty years ago and hope to be continuing my practice for the rest of my life.

~ A.G.R

Self Massage While Watching TV (or Just Sitting Around)

Self Massage: Gently massage each suggested area for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Applying light pressure to each area can help release tension and increase blood circulation.

• Place one hand on each knee and rub, squeeze and knead the area surrounding the kneecaps (apply only light pressure directly on the kneecaps).

• Move your hands slowly from the knees up the thighs, continuing to rub, squeeze and knead the thigh muscles.

• When you reach the tops of your legs, move your hands slowly around to the low back area and gently massage the low back muscles.  Try applying a gentle raking motion with your fingertips on the low back muscles.

• Place your right hand over your left shoulder and apply a gentle raking motion with your fingertips to the upper back area above the shoulder blade.  Continue with a gentle rubbing of the top of your left shoulder.

• Place your left hand over your right shoulder and apply a gentle raking motion with your fingertips to the upper back area above the shoulder blade.  Continue with a gentle rubbing of the top of your right shoulder.

• Place either hand around the back of your neck and gently squeeze your neck muscles.

• Place your fingertips of each hand on each side of your face in the area below your temples and just in front of your ears.  Gently rub this area with a rotating motion.  Move your fingertips down to your jaw muscles and continue gentle rubbing with a rotating motion.

Caution: This information is not a substitution for qualified medical advice.  If you are injured or are experiencing pain or other symptoms, consult a medical doctor before undertaking self massage.

~ A.G.R

Quick Office Stress Release

Here are 2 quick and easy exercises you can do in your office chair to help release tension and stress.

Caution: As with any exercise be careful not to push beyond your limits. If you have chronic pain or injury in the neck, shoulder or back, consult your physician before attempting the following movements.

Neck Release

1) Sit comfortably with your back straight and keep your eyes looking forward throughout the movements

2) Take a breath in, then as you breathe out, slowly turn your head to the left, while keeping eyes looking forward

3) Take another breath in as you slowly turn your head forward, then as you breathe out, slowly turn your head to the right, while keeping eyes looking forward

4) Take another breath in as you slowly turn your head forward, then breathe out

5) Repeat steps 2 through 4, two more times

Shoulder and Back Release

1) Sit comfortably with your back straight and slightly forward in your chair to allow approximately 6 – 8 inches between your back and the back of your chair

2) Clasp your hands behind your back with your arms straight and pointing downward towards the seat of your chair

3) Take a breath in, then breathe out as you begin to slowly bend forward from the waist, keeping your back as straight as possible

4) While bending forward, slowly raise your clasped hands behind you, keeping your arms as straight as possible

5) Continue to slowly bend forward and raise your hands and arms only as far as you are comfortable, not to the point of pain

6) When you reach your limit, stay in this position for a few seconds and breathe in and out a few times

7) When you are ready to move back to an upright position, take a breath in, then breathe out as you slowly move back up and slowly lower your hands and arms behind you

8) If you are comfortable, you can repeat the entire exercise again

~ A.G.R

Flexibility, Strength and Balance

Three key factors in maintaining our bodies as we age are flexibility, strength and balance.  When we’re younger most of us take these qualities for granted (unless we’re injured or disabled), but the passage of time can bring reminders of their capacity to enhance or diminish our quality of life and overall wellness.

Flexibility allows us to walk, run, reach up and bend down.  Strength is crucial for lifting, carrying and providing the stamina to move ourselves forward each day. Without balance we wouldn’t be able to hold ourselves upright or move around without risk of falling.

These facts seem obvious; yet many people are either engaged in exercise programs that emphasize only one of the key factors or are making little or no effort while they are younger to help maintain them.

If you are caring for elderly family members or are observant of older people, you will notice the devastating effects of loss of flexibility (slow stiff walking, inability to reach for food or tie their own shoes), strength (incapable of carrying the lightest loads, unable to get up from a chair or bed) and balance (dependent on a walker or others to move around).  While many older people suffer these limitations due to specific illnesses or temporary health challenges, others seem to attribute their loss of flexibility, strength and balance to “normal” aging.

Since the average lifespan is lengthening due to medical advances, greater access to health information and other factors, it seems more important than ever as we age to focus on keeping ourselves as flexible, strong and balanced as possible.  Participation in a regular exercise program that promotes all three factors is one way to have an influence on our aging process.  Walking, yoga, aerobics, supervised weight training, swimming, tennis, golf and other activities can all be beneficial in promoting flexibility, strength and balance.

~ A.G.R

A New Year’s Resolution: More Walking

“Of all exercises walking is the best.”
- Thomas Jefferson

In this era of exercise mania, emphasizing cardio, weights and a “no pain, no gain” lifestyle, walking has been relegated to the status of an ugly stepchild. Yet many health and fitness professionals agree that good old fashioned walking is one of the most effective ways to promote overall health and wellbeing.

Walking 3 – 4 times per week for approximately two miles or 30 minutes promotes deeper breathing and oxygen intake, increases blood circulation, improves body strength (especially in the weight-bearing leg and pelvic muscles), raises the heart rate and reduces the effects of stress. Adding hills and/or stairs to your walk greatly enhances all of these benefits.

"A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs." - Joan Welsh

My grandparents, who lived to be 90 and 100, never drove a car and walked for miles around their town every day as a matter of routine.  Even when factoring in genetics, diet and lifestyle, it’s hard to dismiss the overall effect that daily walking had on their longevity.

I always feel better after walking.  A well paced half hour stroll can lift my spirits and reduce the aches and stiffness that build up while sitting at my desk. 

The main requirements for walking are a comfortable pair of shoes, a safe place to walk, and the willingness to place one foot in front of the other.

"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world."
- Paul Dudley White

~ A.G.R