Many people hate to exercise because they are under the misconception that harder is always better, and that exercise has to be painful in order to be effective. Baby-boomer women grew up listening to Jane Fonda say, “Go for the burn.”
Jane Fonda has learned. So has Madonna. So have the very top trainers, who work with elite athletes.
For years, I have spent at least 10 minutes of every hour stretching each of my clients, and in recent years, I have earned two yoga certifications and begun practicing at least one hour of yoga six to seven days a week.
I believe that working out should be like food—delicious and fun, both should enhance the overall quality of our lives. If we don’t move our bodies and eat in a way that agrees with our individual physiological and emotional constitutions, then we need to be doing something else.
As any acupuncturist will tell you, life IS movement. The minute we stop moving, we start aging. In my own practice, I see a huge difference in clients who have been exercising their entire lives and those who haven’t. The big turning point seems to be in the 30’s. Women and men who stop exercising in their 30s—probably because they feel they must continue to work out to the point of pain to get results—age quickly and dramatically.
Researchers at the University of Madison, Wisconsin just completed a study where participants, average age of 29, felt less pain after cycling for 30 minutes then they did before. In another study, residents of an old-age home, average age 82, experienced a 50-percent decline in aches and pains after using just wrist and ankle weights for eight weeks.
Taoists, who practice advanced forms of self-healing, talk about the superiority of “the soft way” vs. “the hard way.” Studies show that people who live to be 100 or more exercise every day—but they also learn the feminine qualities of yielding, of being flexible rather than rigid, both physiologically as well as psychologically.
Whether your favorite exercise is rollerblading or weight lifting, yoga or running, incorporate these principles:
Keep your spine flexible. When your back tightens up, you restrict nerve energy and the flow of important nutrients to every major organ in your body. Yogis measure a person’s age by the flexibility of their spines.
Exercise in such a way that you feel more energized at the end of your workouts than you do at the beginning. Dr. Philip Maffetone, a leading proponent of heart-rate monitors who trains marathon runners, says that if you’ve worked out correctly, you should feel like you could do the whole thing again.
Listen to your body. Pain is one of the simplest biofeedback methods available. The superior athlete learns to attune to inner signals. Listen deeply when you work out, and take that wisdom into the rest of your life.
Vision Circles: April 28-30
Did you know that your eyes have muscles?
If you can improve the quality of muscles in the rest of your body, why not around your eyes?
The weekend of April 28-30, I am teaching a class in natural vision improvement. It’s a continuation of the very powerful Brain Gym work. Learn how to improve your vision—both literally and metaphorically.
What we will learn:
32 exercises that can be done anytime, anywhere.
Eight new balances that will help you comprehend how you see the world.
Can eye exercises really make a difference? Take a lesson from Meier Schneider, who was born blind in Russia and who today has an unrestricted drivers license. He had numerous operations before discovering physical exercises to improve his eyesight during his teen years. Now he runs a school for self-healing in San Fransisco, and teaches his clients how to overcome not only blindness, but numerous other supposedly “incurable” diseases.
Call 404-350-8581 if you would like to join the class.
Do You Eat Like a Goddess?
One of the latest diets on the market is called The Goddess Diet, and it makes a lot of sense. One of the main recommendations is to eat small amounts frequently.
Benefits of frequent eating:
You keep your blood sugar stabilized. Orthomolecular psychiatrists, who treat mental illness through nutrition, explain that the brain doesn’t have any way of storing energy. When your blood sugar drops, so does your mood—and your ability for self-control goes out the window.
Your body can digest small amounts of food more easily. Improving your digestion is the key to increasing your energy.
Increase your metabolic rate. Studies show you burn more when you eat often.
Eliminate feelings of deprivation. Stop the syndrome of starving and bingeing. Figure out your ideal caloric intake for the day, and divide that number by 4, 5, or even 6 meals a day.
Tap Into The Power of Your Heart to Overcome Depression
This March, I received word from the Institute of HeartMath that we will be working together to conduct a study to test the effectiveness of their techniques with depression.
There are many things I do for a living, and others that I do because I have been extremely blessed. This is one of the latter.
Women who do the HeartMath techniques five days a week for one month raise the levels of their DHEA, the master hormone of the body, by 100 percent. Many alternative doctors know that DHEA can alleviate depression. DHEA gives the body what it needs not only to make our sex hormones but also to respond to stress.
This study is a continuation of the work I began with my book, Healing Depression: A Holistic Guide, and the Holistic Depression Network, where I am honorary chairman. If you would like to join the study, or want to schedule a private HeartMath session, call me at 404-350-8581.