Wishing you a Joyous, Peace-Filled & Healthy New Year 2020! ☮️ Looking forward to another year filled with loving kindness opportunities to gratefully serve you and our mountain community. Here's a wonderful little study for us all to rejoice and benefit from. ❤️, Val & Roni.  Can kindness slow aging?
The new study out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is small and preliminary, but given the known benefits of kindness, there's no harm in jumping ahead to put its conclusions to use. There are, after all, no nasty side effects to hugs, politeness, and good will. And the results are pretty startling. The researchers gathered around 150 middle-aged volunteers and then separated them into three groups. One group went through a six-week mindfulness meditation training involving weekly hour-long classes and 20 minutes of daily at home practice, another received similar training in loving-kindness meditation, another form of meditation that encourages you to open your heart to others, and a third served as a control group. At the beginning and end of the experiment all the volunteers had the lengths of their telomeres measures. Telomeres are like little caps on the end of your chromosomes that protect your DNA from daily wear and tear. As we grow older they get shorter and shorter, making them a good proxy for aging. The slower your telomeres wear down the longer you're likely to live. While all three groups had shorter telomeres at the end of the 12-week study period than they did at the beginning, the loving kindness meditation group's had lost the least. The control group had lost the most with the mindfulness meditators in the middle. Practicing loving kindness meditation for just six weeks seems to have slowed aging a little. Yes, there are caveats, but.... There are plenty of reasons to take these results with a grain of salt. It's a small. short-term study focused on willing meditators. Things might look different if more skeptical folks were measured over longer periods. But as I also mentioned, there are also plenty of reasons to suspect kindness might be linked with better health and therefore longer life. First among them perhaps is just how serious the effects of nastiness and isolation can be. A heap of research shows that loneliness will kill you just as surely as a ten-day smoking habit (I'm not exaggerating). And a mean boss has been shown to be the biggest predictor of whether a man will die of heart disease. Lack of warm, human connection can kill. That suggests that the flip side is also likely true. Kindness and fellow feeling don't just make life more pleasant for everyone, they also physically protect your body from the ravages of stress and time. So while the exact science of how loving kindness and DNA interact is still in the works, if you want to slow down your aging, it's a good bet to simple try to be a little kinder and surround yourself with those who are kind to you.
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 Top reasons to make wellness stretching one of your New Year resolutions. Come December and out are those personal diaries which may be lying somewhere covered in dust. These diaries are out for a reason at this time of the year. For, it’s the time to exercise your grey cells and chalk out a plan for the New Year. A plan for your family, for yourself, for a healthy body and a stress-free mind. The last two may seem easy to implement by including wellness practice in your resolution list. We bring you six beneficial reasons why... 1. For improved flexibility: How many times have we, knowingly or unknowingly, massaged our hurting back? Many a time, we try to reach for a jar only to realize that we have ended up getting a muscle pull. Are we aging? The answer is we're always aging. In this world of quick fixes, fast food and speeding cars, we seem to have forgotten our traditional practices and ignored the fact that a stich in time saves nine. A few gentle body stretches in the morning can work wonders for your body. It wouldn’t be late before you come to know that your body has become more flexible and reaching for the jar is just another child’s play! 2. For a fitter body: Most of us would have ‘going to the gym’ or ‘cycling’ or ‘reducing my waistline’ on your resolution list. Yoga can help take care of all your weight-related concerns. A few minutes of a series of different yoga poses which work on the core muscles of your body is a complete body workout and a few quick rounds every class would not only leave you fresh and energetic but also help you lose an inch or two. 3. For sharp minds and sharp decisions: A hasty decision may sometimes lead to undesired results. Some decisions require you to sit, think and re-strategize yourself. Yoga practices help you become a wiser and calmer person. You become capable of taking the right call at the right time without additional time for re-strategizing.“Yoga helped me discover skills and capabilities I never knew I had. You almost become a channel for the most surprising things that flow through you,” 4. For spending time with loved ones: Hand-held video games, social media and birthday parties, all succeed in keeping your children busy, while your spouse may be occupied in checking out the latest designer labels in the newly opened mall. Times are only getting busier, yet Yoga style fitness can become an excuse for the whole family to take time out. Decide on a fixed time when all of you can practice yoga together. A family which does yoga together stays together! It can be a fun idea to nurture good values in your kids as well as a brilliant way for everyone to keep fit – the elderly, spouse or kids. Who doesn't like to see a healthy family after all? 5. For detoxifying yourself: Stretching works best when practiced over a period of time. It is only with consistent practice that its benefits become evident. Detoxification of the entire body is one such benefit. Regular yoga practice helps release stress and toxins deeply stored in the system. As such, you can look forward to a younger-looking healthy body, a peaceful mind and a refreshing personality. Discover the new you with yoga. 6. For overall health: Blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety, improper sleep, stress, osteoporosis– yoga style stretching has answers to all these. The saying goes: Prevention is better than cure. Yoga style stretching can be your prevention step. Many researches have been conducted on how yoga helps cope with numerous health issues. courtesy of art of living.org
 Being kind to yourself in everyday life is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Life will become lighter and your relationships will most likely improve. You will feel happier overall. And your self-esteem and your sense of deserving good things in life will go up. It’s one of my absolute favorite topics. But it also one thing that is often neglected or something some may feel guilty about doing. To make a positive change with that simply start a new habit today. One of kindness and love towards yourself. You can find our favorites among such habits in this article. • Invest in yourself. Spend 15-30 minutes in the morning or evening with reading, listening to or watching material that uplifts you, that helps you to understand yourself and the world or that helps you to live a better life. Then, if possible, take one small action on what you have learned. • Unstress tonight. Take a long bath and read something to escape. Or work out. Or talk to someone about something that is on your mind and let it all out. Set aside 30 minutes or more and be kind to your body and mind by letting the tensions and stress out. • Take just 2 minutes in the morning or evening to appreciate yourself. Create a kinder and more balanced self-image by making it a quick and daily habit to appreciate yourself. Here’s what you do: Sit down with a journal on your smart phone, computer or in paper form. Ask yourself: What are 3 things I can appreciate about myself? It could be that you are a good listener or are doing well with your hobby right now. Or that you have a love for animals, people or music. It doesn’t have to be big things either. Maybe just that you flossed or brushed your teeth this morning. The important thing is to appreciate yourself both for the little things and the things you may take for granted and not just for reaching a big milestone once in while. • Mediocre day? Take one small step forward towards something positive. If your day feels mediocre or just sort of depressing then take one small step towards something positive to breathe new hope and optimism into your day and week. • Book or research a trip you want to take. • Setup a dinner or a cup of coffee with a good friend. • Look into how you can grow in your career to get new and exciting stuff to do. • Try a new hobby. • Be kinder towards others. The way you think about and treat others is often the way you think about and treat yourself. So choose to be kinder towards others to, over time, become kinder and more understanding towards yourself too. For example: • Let someone into your lane while driving. • Encourage a friend or a family member when they are uncertain or unmotivated. • Just be there and listen as you let someone vent. • If you stumble, be your own best friend. Don’t beat yourself up, that will erode your self-esteem. Be a kind and supportive friend to yourself instead. Ask yourself: How would my friend/parent support me and help me in this situation? And then do things and talk to yourself like he or she would. And remember to ask yourself what you can learn from your stumble and if there is an opportunity in this situation. Then take that new knowledge you gain and move forward once again. • Take a laugh-break. Take 5-10 minutes in the middle of your day or if that is not possible then use your morning or evening. Use your smart phone, portable media player, computer or TV and watch a funny clip or a half an episode of a sitcom, read a funny book or comic or listen to a podcast you know makes you laugh. I have been using this one for over a decade, even before I got seriously interested in personal development. I find it to be one of the most effective things I can do to recharge my energy and optimism and to release inner tensions. • Remember, the future is in your hands. And it is never too late to start. Don’t get stuck in thought loops that just go round and round about what you could have done or what went wrong. Think about what you really want in the rest of your life instead. • Better health? • A great relationship? • New challenges in your career? Now, what are a few small steps you can take towards that goal? Take one of those steps today. Then another tomorrow. • Simply remind yourself of why is smart to be kind to yourself. By knowing the reasons why it is smart to be kinder to yourself it, in my experience, becomes easier and easier to be kind to yourself and to take the time for it every day. By reminding yourself of benefits such as better real life results, more perseverance, higher self-esteem, more inner happiness and stillness, more positive relationships with yourself and other people it becomes easier to stay kind to yourself through life’s natural ups and downs. courtesy of   The Benefits of Yoga
Like yoga, the osteopathic approach to wellness focuses on your body’s natural tendency toward health and self-healing. “The purpose of yoga is to create strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body,” explains Natalie Nevins, DO, a board-certified osteopathic family physician and certified Yoga instructor in Hollywood, California. While there are more than 100 different types, or schools, of yoga, most sessions are typically include breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming postures (sometimes called asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups. “As an osteopathic physician, I focus a lot of my efforts on preventive medicine and practices, and in the body’s ability to heal itself,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga is a great tool for staying healthy because it is based on similar principles.” Physical Benefits “The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.” Other physical benefits of yoga include: • Increased flexibility • Increased muscle strength and tone • Improved respiration, energy and vitality • Maintaining a balanced metabolism • Weight reduction • Cardio and circulatory health • Improved athletic performance • Protection from injury Mental Benefits Aside from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which is known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.” Yoga’s incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person’s mental well-being. “Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention; and sharpens concentration,” says Dr. Nevins. Body- and self-awareness are particularly beneficial, she adds, “because they can help with early detection of physical problems and allow for early preventive action.” Beginners Welcome Because there are so many different kinds of yoga practices, it is possible for anyone to start. “Whether you’re a couch potato or a professional athlete, size and fitness levels do not matter because there are modifications for every yoga pose and beginner classes in every style,” says Dr. Nevins. “The idea is to explore your limits, not strive for some pretzel-like perfection. It is a great way to get in tune with your body and your inner self.”  With the explosion of yoga in the West, there’s been an influx of yoga styles, each expressing their own blend of breathing, poses, meditation, chanting, relaxation, and philosophy. Restorative yoga, a practice that leads the yogi toward a more healing and recuperative experience, ushers in a host of wonderful benefits that are often overshadowed by the popularity and visibility of more dynamic yoga styles. A restorative practice frequently relies on the use of props and the prolonged holding of a few simple poses to achieve a deep level of relaxation. “Restorative yoga” can also be an umbrella term that encompasses several sub-styles of other relaxation and healing-based yoga practices. But what exactly makes this style of yoga unique? Here are some of the benefits a restorative yoga practice has to offer. Slows Down the Pace of Life Restorative yoga is an excellent opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life and let your speedometer return to 0 mph. It offers a welcome respite among all the turbulence of life and helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward stroke of meditation and deepened awareness. Moving slowly through the poses allows you to explore your mind and body at a steady and natural tempo. Soothing to the Nervous System The slower pace and deep breathing that you get in a restorative yoga class triggers the parasympathetic nervous system from the very first pose. This activation helps to mitigate the effects of the regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology and well-being. The overall calming effect on the nervous system sets a deeply relaxing tone for the class that comforts your mind and body down to the cellular level. Encourages Mindfulness Restorative yoga could just as easily be called “mindful yoga” due to the expanded awareness of self and body that comes through the practice. Slower movements cultivate space for a deeper experience of the poses and the breath. Awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment, can all take on a much more profound significance in the depth of the restorative practice. Simply put, you’re able to notice and feel more of the world through your yoga experience. Fosters Transcendence On the whole, many forms of Hatha yoga are considered a precursor to extended periods of meditation. Through the practice, muscles, joints, and subtle energy centers are enlivened to help facilitate a deeper and more comfortable experience of meditation. However, the practice of restorative yoga in and of itself often leads to a transcendent experience of deep oneness with the universal level of consciousness. Each pose and each breath serves to lead you further up the ladder of expanded awareness. As the practice expands, the vehicle of yoga carries you from the waking state of consciousness into the silent space between your thoughts—the space from where you’re able to glimpse the soul and awaken the divinity within. Cultivates Heightened Body Awareness The comfortable pace of restorative yoga opens the doorway to a deeper understanding of your own body, letting you actually feel what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience. Sadly, many people aren’t intimate with their own bodies. Through a restorative yoga practice, however, such intimacy can be explored and embraced. Deeper levels of bodily strengths can be integrated and owned and a more profound sense of self-love and acceptance can emerge. Deepens Self-Awareness and Introspection The subdued quality of a restorative yoga class often helps you draw attention inward and away from external events and situations of the world. With your awareness directed within, the practice becomes a sanctuary for the mind and spirit from which you can take a deeper look at who you are, what you want, and how you can serve the world. Restorative yoga opens us up to new levels of self-exploration and contemplation, allowing your inner being to shine forth. Creates Deliberateness of Action Through the mindfulness of the practice, you become increasingly aware of your actions or karmas, and how they influence your level of comfort or discomfort. You can see the direct cause and effect relationship between your poses, breathing, and overall level of well-being. As this experience continues to deepen, you begin to make more deliberate and attentive choices, both on and off the mat. Strengthens Acceptance and Detachment By its very nature, the restorative yoga practice is the antithesis of the “no-pain-no-gain” mentality. You receive the greatest benefits from your practice not through forcing yourself into a pose, but by releasing and surrendering to it. This mentality helps to cultivate acceptance of your body and its inherent limitations. Further, it strengthens your ability to let go of preconceived notions of your body and how you think it should look or feel, both in and out of a pose. When increased ease and comfort are the theme of your yoga practice, acceptance and detachment naturally emerge as a result. Helps You Feel Safe and Nurtured In daily life it’s easy to get pulled into the insecurity that is a byproduct of the modern world. Many people move through their days haunted by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Restorative yoga provides you with a safe harbor wherein you can reconnect with your true nature, which is immortal, invincible, pure, and nourishing. Making that connection through your poses, breathing, and deep relaxation restores the memory of who you are and helps you to reclaim the fearless nature of your soul. From this refuge, you emerge feeling secure in the inherent goodness within your heart and in the world.   ~ 3 min read
There’s an assortment of articles about helping us build healthy relationships with our partners and loved ones. But we don’t hear nearly as much about the most important relationship in our lives: the one with ourselves. As writer and photographer Susannah Conway said, “Your relationship with yourself is the foundation of everything.” Having a good relationship with yourself gives you important insights into your life. For instance, years ago, John Duffy worked as an accountant. But he wasn’t happy with his career path. “I had to look within to determine who I was and what I wanted,” said Duffy, Ph.D, now a clinical psychologist and author of the popular book The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens. “Were I not eager to get to know myself well, I would not have made the career change that allowed for so much possibility and happiness in my life,” he said. Having a good relationship with yourself improves your relationships with others. Conway compared it to the safety instructions on airplanes: Put on your oxygen mask before putting it on anyone else, even a child. “I have learned, through experiences in and out of the therapy room, that if we are not connected and emotionally available to ourselves, we cannot be connected and emotionally available for others either,” Duffy said. So what does a healthy relationship with yourself look like? “A healthy self-relationship is the ability to value yourself as a person, and embrace your strengths and weaknesses,” said Julie Hanks, LCSW, a therapist and blogger at Psych Central. She’s realized that her strengths and weaknesses are two sides of the same coin. “I am a passionate and creative person and with those strengths comes the tendency to be disorganized and emotionally overwhelmed,” she said. “It means simply considering yourself, every day,” Duffy said. That consideration includes self-care, self-respect, goodwill and self-love, he said. A healthy relationship looks like kindness, said Conway. “We have unconditional love for our family and loved ones — we need to extend that to ourselves, too,” she said. Regardless of whether you’re used to extending love and kindness your way, you can build and bolster that healthy bond. These are six ideas on cultivating a kind relationship with yourself. 1. Care for your needs. A great place to start cultivating a healthy relationship with yourself is by caring for your basic physical needs. That includes getting enough sleep and rest, eating nutrients and exercising. Stress the importance of giving yourself the space to discover and connect to “what feeds you in mind, body and spirit.” 2. Joy is important. “Prioritize the activities that bring you joy and fill your emotional reserves,” Hanks said. Conway suggested giving yourself treats every day, such as “a walk in the park, a long bath [or] a Yoga class.” 3. Focus on your inner world. According to Hanks, a healthy relationship with yourself also includes being aware of your internal processes. She suggested simply asking yourself these questions on a regular basis: “What am I feeling? What am I thinking?” Also, consider the why behind your behavior, thoughts and feelings. For instance, Hanks suggested asking: “I wonder why that’s bothering me? I wonder why I’m feeling more lonely lately?” Journaling and therapy are other vehicles for becoming more self-aware. 4. Regularly make time for yourself. For instance, Sit quietly for 10 minutes in the morning with your cup of coffee or tea. Find books that speak to your soul and steal moments to dig into them every day. 5. Meditate. “I find the most useful method to be the gift, to oneself, of a daily meditation,” Duffy said. “In those moments between the thoughts, we allow ourselves peace of mind that can carry us through even the most stressful days.” 6. Be your own best friend. Any time you hear the negative put-downs swirling around your head, think about what you’d say to your best friend or sister or daughter, and then rewrite the script with love. Again, cultivating a positive relationship with yourself is the building block for your whole world. It’s crucial to have a great relationship with ourselves because it’s the only relationship that you are guaranteed to have every day of your life! courtesy of Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Associate Editor at PsychCentral  Simple Relaxation Pose with Elevated Legs Anytime you elevate the lower body, even slightly, you reduce fluid retention in the legs and reduce strain on the heart. Use a bolster under the legs, or simply rest them on pillows, couch cushions, or an ottoman. Aim for support under the knees. Supported Child’s Pose Child’s pose gently stretches the back and spine and calms the nervous system. It earns a bonus for its gentle massage to the digestive tract. Make sure you turn your head halfway through your practice to stretch both sides of the neck. Reclining Twist with Support Another pose for restoring digestive health, start this pose on your right hip with knees to the left then switch to the opposite hip, following the movement of the intestines. Find the most comfortable position for your neck and make sure you stretch both sides. Supported Reclined Bound Angle Pose The mother lode of all restorative poses – this one opens the diaphragm, abdomen, chest and throat, reducing internal fire. Rest on a bolster, pillows or rolled up mat with the head end slightly elevated by whatever you have around the house. Legs up the Wall The most well-known of the poses, legs up the wall refreshes the lower body and spine and requires nothing more than you and a wall. You can put a small neck roll under your head, or try variations with wide legs or resting the soles of your feet on the wall. If you have stress in the backs of the legs, don’t be afraid to bend the knees or move away from the wall slightly. Don’t be afraid to use a soft eye pillow and a cooling fragrance like peppermint, eucalyptus, or chamomile on your temples or back of your neck. Make your practice more yin than yang, keeping your gaze soft and at the horizon and lengthening your exhale slightly. If you’re into color therapy, wear blue clothing and visualize a blue color while centering. Absolutely make way for that ocean wave and babbling brook playlist you’ve been saving. Courtesy of   You've probably heard by now that yoga is good for you. Maybe you've even tried it and discovered that it makes you feel better. A consistent practice offers all kinds of mental and physical health benefits. Some, like improved flexibility, are clearly evident. Others, including mental clarity and stress reduction, may be more subtle but are just as powerful. When put together, all the benefits below contribute to an increased feeling of well-being, which helps explain why so many people find yoga so addictive. 1. Improves Flexibility Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips. As we age, our flexibility usually decreases, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting, which leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can help reverse this process. 2. Builds Strength Many yoga poses require you to bear the your body weight in new ways, including balancing on one leg (as in Tree Pose) or supporting yourself with your arms (as in Downward Facing Dog). Holding these poses over the course of several breaths helps build muscular strength. 3. Increases Muscle Tone and Definition As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone. Yoga helps shape long, lean muscles in your legs, arms, back, and abdomen. 4. Improves Balance Improved balance is one of the most important benefits of yoga as you get older. Poses where you stand on one leg and, for more advanced students, inversions, are great ways to build the core strength that keeps you upright. 5. Supports Joint Health The movements necessary for yoga are low impact, allowing you to use your joints without injuring them. Yoga also helps strengthen the muscles around the joints, lessening their load. People with arthritis often see marked improvement in their pain and mobility with regular gentle yoga practice. 6. Prevents Back Pain Increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who have back pain spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or driving a car, which causes tightness throughout the body and spinal compression. Yoga counteracts these conditions. 7. Teaches Better Breathing Most of us take shallow breaths and don't give much thought to how we breathe. Yoga breathing exercises, called pranayama, focus our attention on breathing and teach us how to take deeper breaths, which benefits the entire body. Certain types of breath can also help clear the nasal passages (helpful for people with allergies) and even calm the nervous system, which has physical and mental benefits on and off the mat. 8. Fosters Mental Calmness Yoga asana practice is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to your mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as how to focus on your breath and disengage from your thoughts. These skills can prove to be very valuable in intense situations off the mat, like childbirth, a bout of insomnia, or when having an anxiety attack. 9. Reduces Stress Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are on the mat. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping to put your problems into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the present moment can also help, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started. 10. Increases Self Confidence Doing yoga improves your mind-body connection, giving you a better awareness of your own body. During yoga, you learn to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment, putting you in better touch with your physical being. You also learn to accept your body as it is without judgement. Over time, this leads to feeling more comfortable in your own body, boosting your self-confidence. Courtesy of:  Click below for an informative article on Yoga Etiquette. Enjoy!   Even the fittest senior experiences some physical and mental deterioration due to the aging process. It’s unavoidable. However, no one needs to surrender to this. Every senior can fight back. Yoga for seniors is, hands down, the best defense against the ravages of age. It is an exercise that even “old” people can engage in — and certainly an activity that everyone can benefit from. As we age, we lose flexibility, strength and muscle tone. We become less steady on our feet. Additionally, pesky problems with digestion, poor circulation and circulation crop up. These symptoms are part and parcel of aging, but you don’t have to stand there and take it. Resist! Seniors, and near-seniors, can not take their health for granted. They must find physical activities that build body strength without causing injury, explore fitness products and nutritional supplements that improve their day-to-day health, and focus on staying mentally active. Age is not your best friend, but it doesn’t have to be a triumphant enemy. As individuals get up in years, they are more susceptible to degenerative disorders of the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease; joint disorders (arthritis); deterioration of lung capacity and elasticity; and, loss of bone density and muscle tone and mass. As we get older, we often have less energy, sleep issues, cognitive and sensory impairment, slower recovery from disease or injury, obesity and diabetes. Taking medication for various ailments further complicates what is going on in the aging body. Yoga for seniors – along with eating nutritionally and getting enough rest – is the best defense against all the above. Some consider yoga a “personal unfoldment,” or process of discovering oneself from the inside out. This is even more crucial for a person of “a certain age.” How yoga for seniors can help with age-related problems Visceral Fat Age can bring with it an intense dose of stress – over your health issues or those of a loved one, precarious finances, loss of or limited income, caretaking responsibilities, caring for grandchildren – and this leads to increased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. When a person’s cortisol levels are too high for too long, he or she develops, among other negative outcomes, increased abdominal fat. This is called visceral fat and it is treacherous. Post-menopausal women in particular must be cognizant of visceral fat because it’s a dilemma they are very likely to experience. Women often gain weight after menopause, particularly in the mid-section or, medically-speaking, in the intra-abdominal region. Visceral fat, stored in and around internal organs, is buried under muscles and metabolized by the liver. It becomes blood cholesterol. Diet, of course, is a large determinant in the amount of visceral fat present, as is lack of physical exercise. Genetics also play a role in how much visceral fat a person acquires. Yoga helps seniors lower stress because the body’s cortisol returns to normal levels in the process of doing yoga postures. Practicing senior yoga teaches us to relax and ultimately become healthier and calmer. Because yoga has a restorative effect on stress levels, it even plays a part in fat distribution in the body. Visceral fat is reduced when a senior regularly practices yoga. Specific yoga postures that work the core (mid-section) of the belly effectively counteract visceral fat. Melatonin Melatonin is the hormone responsible for keeping the body youthful. Melatonin enables a person to get a good night sleep. Melatonin also plays a part in the body’s ability to ward off depression. It is also beneficial to the immune system and is believed to possess anti-carcinogen properties. Melatonin is produced when a person sleeps. The higher the levels of melatonin, the better a person feels. Some seniors may find that they suffer from SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, during the winter when there is a shortage of natural daylight. SAD is often linked to low melatonin levels. Yoga can positively effect the psycho-neuro-physiological processes in the body, keeping the pineal gland, from which melatonin originates, active and doing its job. Doing yoga for seniors has a soothing effect on individuals suffering from SAD, and other issues related to low melatonin production. Breathing Learning to breathe fully and properly, as is taught in yoga class, increases the production of melatonin. Breathing correctly sends electrical impulses to the brain which enhances the physiological processes. Many seniors who practice yoga notice that this is one of the first and most noticeable benefits of applying yoga to all parts of their lives. A 70-year-old is not going to have the body of a 20-year-old. Everyone recognizes that. But a 70-year-old should not have a 80-year-old body or brain. ** Seniors can defy the aging process by learning and practicing yoga regularly. Yoga will ease joint issues, reduce chronic pain, improve flexibility and posture, enhance balance, strengthen muscles, reduce insomnia, better circulation and help regulate blood pressure. When a senior embraces yoga, he or she is getting a lot of ‘bang for the buck’ in safeguarding health and increasing longevity. article courtesy of  |
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