All things Pilates, health and fitness, and healthy lifestyle can be found here. Have a look for interesting information, recipes and tips.
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Pilates for Stress
By Marcelle Sutton
Stress is a global buzzword, everyone is stressed these days. From students to the elderly, it seems that no one is immune. Yet, “being stressed” is a relatively new “phenomenon”, there is not even a word for it in Sanskrit! So, what does it actually mean and why is it a modern plague? Let’s have a look at what is happening physiologically and at what we can do about it.
What is it?
Stress is a physiological response to a stressor - this can be large or small, good or bad. Stress, is therefore only a response, the body’s preparing itself for some sort of reaction to an occurrence or challenge of some sort. Modern times have blurred the lines between work and home, technology in the form of phones and laptops have made us available 24/7 and given us unlimited access to stimulation in the form of music, movies, podcasts, and social media highs and lows. Noise, interactions (real and virtual) and too much stimulation can be detrimental because they keep us constantly mentally active. We can keep our minds going for far longer than is healthy for us. In other words, we are constantly in contact with stressors and this causes stress.
What can be done?
There are plenty of things we can do to help ourselves manage stress. Not least, is limiting overstimulation and constant bombardment of our nervous system. Keeping ourselves properly fed with healthy food and water so that we do not create stress for our digestive system. Making time to keep our family and friendship bonds intact. Making sure we have healthy boundaries.
Mindfulness at it’s most basic, for example - what am I feeling? why am I feeling this? could the situation I am in be perceived differently? must I have this podcast/movie/social media moment? when did I last eat? when did I last move?
Being able to ask yourself and then answer a question about your state of mind and body is a very valuable tool to have because it gives you a moment to assess your state before it gets too bad and you overload your system with stressors.
Could you respond differently to stress? How would that even work?
Eustress versus Distress…
Not all stress is bad for us - hence Eustress. Joy is a good example of this! Yet, joy can be sparked (as all Marie Kondo fans well know) by completing the smallest of actions, to the satisfaction of achieving something great. We need to be pushed beyond our boundaries in order to grow and develop. This is as true in life as it is in bodywork. If we are not challenged to complete an assignment by a due date, repeat a difficult exercise, learn something hard etc etc etc, we would not develop our potential. So, recognising this can be a helpful start. Knowing that stress can be both good and bad could provide immediate benefit to those who feel “stressed out” .
Distress is unfortunately a part of life (death, loss, abuse, accidents, money problems etc) but time usually heals most wounds if we are healthy and have access to support. However, if we have too much distress or our stressors build up too quickly and for too long, then we start to develop mental health and physical health problems. We need energy to react to stressors (even pleasant ones) and this is where it gets interesting…
Our perception plays a large part in how our body will respond to stress, because our brain is releasing hormones telling our body what it must do. So, too much of anything can cause “stress” as we know it - why?
The chain reaction…
We have an area of the brain called the Amygdala which processes emotions. If a stress is perceived then the Sympathetic Nervous System will be activated. To explain it simply, this Fight or Flight Response provides us with adrenaline to release energy to cope with the physical demands of the situation. Once the stress is over, the body balances itself with the activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System and we reach homeostasis or equilibrium. If this process is not allowed to complete then we become physiologically unbalanced and stay in a Sympathetic Nervous System (or alerted) state. We get stuck in a state where we release adrenaline then later cortisol, then more adrenaline and more cortisol. We become physically inflamed due to the constant release of cortisol which has terrible consquences on the body, including increasing the size of our Amygdala - in other words we become emotionally overcharged, over reacting or experiencing everything as a negative stress which triggers the same Sympathetic responses and keeps us trapped in the chain reaction.
However, we can understand what triggers these two systems, and then we have tools to help ourselves. This in no way takes the place of any medical or psychological treatment, but it does hopefully help us manage our stress before it reaches the need for professional medical intervention such as in a post traumatic stress disorder or nervous breakdown - where the nervous system becomes completely disregulated.
What to do…
Movement is one of the best stress relievers we have because it allows the body to complete the stress response cycle and return to equilibrium. However, as a tool, we need to be careful with movement because an over zealous Amygdala must be taught how to react. Mind/Body exercises excel at creating a balanced neural response to movement because of the use of breathing. A good stress management programme will always use movement as the first “go to” tool because it will help the body release the built up tension and adrenaline. Because Pilates uses a controlled breathing pattern, both the mind and the body are forced to slow down and this in turn calms the reactions and triggers the Parasympathetic Nervous System to initiate a return to equilibrium. I say forced because even if our thoughts are racing when we start a Pilates class, by controlling the breathing pattern and working on the spine, we are channeling our nervous system responses and intervening in our stressful chain reaction patterns. By creating a state of calm, we recharge mentally, reset our nervous system to a state of equilibrium and build both physical and mental resilience.
A quiet, focused Pilates session, however long, is almost guaranteed to help in calming a stress response. Once it becomes a regular practice, we have a reliable tool, whether in the form of a favourite exercise, a breathing pattern, a class or a teacher, to help us overcome an uncontrolled stressed reaction.
With time, we find harmony in ourselves and in our interactions with society again. We can hopefully do all the other things we are told to do to minimise stress - have some tech free time, turn off social media, spend time in nature etc etc etc. Once we start to breathe for our Parasypathetic nervous system and learn to manage our stress, then we can start to make these decisions that we are told will make our lives better!
But, it takes doing something differently to react differently - so try having a Mind/Body moment and see how you feel. It can be as easy as inhale and exhale….
If you don’t have much time, try this short exercise to help you relax your spine, ribcage and mind… (51 seconds)
Repeat each side two or three times, making sure to work gently and slowly. Keep the shoulder blades sliding down your back, abdominals engaged and the breath flowing (in through the nose and out through the mouth, one breath per movement). Be aware of even weight on both sitting bones. Try to feel the rib cage expand as you inhale. Enjoy a little moment of introspection! Bliss!
Pilates for Ballet Dancers
By Marcelle Sutton
Pilates is a somatic (mind-body) exercise system which can be of great benefit to dancers. With a focus on small internal muscles, breath control, slow isolated movements and alignment, Pilates creates a physique which is perfectly suited to the aesthetics required by ballet.
How is this possible? By focusing on correct alignment and understanding how force is transferred through the body, Pilates aims for precision of movement, which requires more thought and less force. Bulky muscles are reduced as the internal muscles are taught to do their work more effectively and efficiently. In other words, more thought creates more control which requires less muscle bulk.
How can working more gently and with less force help with stamina? Breath control is about understanding and using the breathing apparatus effectively. Pilates improves breath capacity and working with precision and reduced force enables the muscles to work more efficiently, thereby not tiring as quickly.
How does Pilates help with stress? By utlising the internal muscles and the myofascial system in the body, together with effective breath control and correct alignment, the nervous system is both strengthened and toned so that energy is not wasted. The mind is calmed, the body is relaxed and stress becomes less and is more manageable. This helps with various nervous symptoms such as neurosis, depression, anxiety, weight management and sleep as well as an overall sense of wellbeing and personal empowerment. The nervous system becomes more resilient which is why Pilates is called the intelligent exercise method.
What about injury? Most injuries are caused by muscle imbalances, tension and incorrect alignment. Pilates prevents injuries once correct alignment and ways of working are learned. Often we wait for an injury to occur before changing how we work - why? It would be far more intelligent to prevent injury, especially repetitive strain injuries of the foot, ankle, knee and hip. If an injury has occured, Pilates can help to strengthen the affected area and teach new movement patterns to prevent further damage.
Is it a quick fix? Absolutely not! Pilates takes time, regular classes and a change in how you think. The fascial system and smaller muscles require new neural pathways to be laid down and the body quite literally has to grow into it’s new shape and functionality. That is not to say that the results cannot be felt quickly, but it takes work to create change that runs deep. Once the brain and the body are given the option to do things differently, the changes will hold. Courage and intelligence are the most important attributes required in Pilates training.
Try it!
Try this short sequence to understand why slow and with breathing REALLY works! We apply the Pilates principles to something that seems simple and it changes everything about how you move… (7 minute video - all you need is a chair and a towel). This sequence was made with healthy bodies in mind - so not for pain or injury!
HEALTHY FAT
This is a fascinating study about the IMPORTANCE of HEALTHY fat in our bodies! It doesn’t mean it’s time to hit the ice cream tubs, but it does mean it’s time to up your fitness with Pilates! Many of my clients have reported a change in their skin and fat while doing Pilates - the texture actually changes! No studies have been done to back this up so it’s purely anecdotal evidence at this point, but this article from the University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science entitled: "Well-functioning fat may be the key to fewer old-age ailments" (available online at ScienceDaily, 17 February 2022. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220217141344.htm> ) suggests that fat does change and in true Pilates mentality - if it can get worse, it means it can get better! It’s an interesting read.
Well-functioning fat may be the key to fewer old-age ailments.
February 17, 2022
University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science
Fat tissue plays an important role in human health. However, our fat tissue loses function as we age, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer and other ailments. High levels of lifelong exercise seem to counteract this deterioration. This, according to research at the University of Copenhagen, where biologists studied the link between aging, exercise and fat tissue function in Danish men.
How well does your fat function? It isn't a question that one gets asked very often. Nonetheless, research in recent years suggests that the function of our fat tissue, or adipose tissue, is central to why our bodies decay with age, and strongly linked to human diseases like diabetes 2, cancer as obesity often develop and fat cells undergo functional changes as we get older. Thus, overall health is not just influenced by the amount of fat we bear, but about how well our fat tissue functions.
A new University of Copenhagen study demonstrates that even though our fatty tissue loses important function with age, a high volume of exercise can have a significant impact for the better.
"Overall health is closely linked with how well our fat tissue functions. In the past, we regarded fat as an energy depot. In fact, fat is an organ that interacts with other organs and can optimize metabolic function. Among other things, fat tissue releases substances that affect muscle and brain metabolism when we feel hungry and much more. So, it's important that fat tissue works the way it should," explains Assistant Professor Anders Gudiksen of the University of Copenhagen's Department of Biology.
Fat cell function worsens with age
Gudiksen and a group of colleagues looked at the role of age and physical training in maintaining fat tissue function. Specifically, they studied mitochondria, the tiny power plants within fat cells. Mitochondria convert calories from food to supply cells with energy. To maintain the life processes within cells, they need to function optimally.
The researchers compared mitochondrial performance across a range of young and older untrained, moderately trained and highly exercise trained Danish men. The results demonstrate that the ability of mitochondria to respire -- i.e., produce energy -- decreases with age, regardless of how much a person exercises. However, Anders Gudiksen explains:
"Although mitochondrial function decreases with age, we can see that a high level of lifelong exercise exerts a powerful compensatory effect. In the group of well-trained older men, fat cells are able to respire more than twice as much as in untrained older men."
More training means less waste in cells
Just as a car engine produces waste when converting chemical to usable energy, so do mitochondria. Mitochondrial waste comes in the form of oxygen free radicals, known as ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). ROS that isn't eliminated damages cells and the current theory is that elevated ROS can lead to a wide range of diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's. Therefore, the regulation of ROS is important.
"The group of older people who train most form less ROS and maintain functionality to eliminate it. Indeed, their mitochondria are better at managing waste produced in fat cells, which results in less damage. Therefore, exercise has a large effect on maintaining the health of fat tissue, and thereby probably keeping certain diseases at bay as well," says Gudiksen.
The researchers can also see that the older participants who exercised most throughout life have more mitochondria, allowing for more respiration and, among other things, an ability to release more of the fat-related hormones important for the body's energy balance.
'Our results show that you can actually train your fat tissue to a very high degree -- but that you needn't cycle 200km a week to achieve a positive effect. What you shouldn´t do, is do nothing at all," concludes Anders Gudiksen, who hopes that the research world will focus more on what people can do to maintain the health of their fatty tissue.
The next step for the UCPH researchers will be to investigate where exactly cellular damage occurs when people don't exercise and what impact this has on the body as a whole over time. Concurrently, the researchers are exploring ways to pharmacologically manipulate the mechanism in the mitochondria that converts calories into heat instead of depositing calories as fat, in turn lowering the production of the harmful oxygen radicals.
ABOUT THE STUDY
Study subjects were 20-32-year-old untrained men and 62-73-year-old men, who throughout their lives were either untrained, moderately trained or highly trained. All men were healthy, unmedicated and had a BMI below 30.
The researchers suggest that the study estimates are conservative as the participants are unlikely to represent the population as a whole, where a higher proportion of people are probably in poorer physical shape and suffer from health problems than the participants recruited. None of the study's older participants took prescription medication, whereas a large proportion of the population in this age group otherwise does.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Anders Gudiksen, Albina Qoqaj, Stine Ringholm, Jørgen Wojtaszewski, Peter Plomgaard, Henriette Pilegaard. Ameliorating Effects of Lifelong Physical Activity on Healthy Aging and Mitochondrial Function in Human White Adipose Tissue. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2021; DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab356
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Brain Health
Have you ever wondered how healthy your brain is? At https://.brainhealthassessment.com/assessment you can find out. This is an interesting though very logical concept as our brain is an organ and we want it to function optimally! At Amen clinic’s website: www.amenclinics.com you can read articles about keeping your brain healthy. You can read the full article here: https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/12-prescriptions-for-creating-a-brain-healthy-life-part-1
I particularly liked these points from the article because it seems like an advert for my Pilates or Pilates Barre classes:
9. PHYSICAL EXERCISE
Physical activity is literally the fountain of youth because it boosts blood flow to the brain, plus it increases chemicals that are important for learning and memory and stimulating the growth of new brain cells. Research, including a 2014 study, show that physical activity improves mood, anxiety, and even cognitive health. In one study in the Archives of Neurology, exercise was shown to lower the risks of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. Exercising for 30-45 minutes 3 or 4 times a week is all you need. One of the simplest exercises is to walk fast like you’re late to be somewhere.
10. MENTAL EXERCISE
When it comes to brain health, mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. If you stimulate new brain cells with new learning, they connect to other cells and become part of the fabric of your brain.
Learning new dance steps is a great mental exercise because it involves learning, coordination, music, AND physical exercise. All those things are great for your brain. Crossword puzzles, learning a musical instrument, or exploring a new language can also help. The key is consistently finding new mental exercises to try.
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It would seem overall that the key to a healthy brain is a healthy body! If you would love to walk or swim or run or play sports but your body is in pain or seems incapable, then Pilates can help you to get you back on track so that you can take up a physical activity that appeals to you! Whatever state your body is in, Pilates can work for you, challenge and heal you, so that you can live your healthiest, happiest life possible.
Try this short video class
Made for my students (so some terminology will be foreign if you haven’t done a class with me). Please remember to check with your doctor before trying any kind of new exercise if you have any sort of health issue! (30minute video) A video may be great BUT nothing beats being taught so find a teacher, especially if you have pain or injury - a video cannot keep you safe!
If you need motivation to start exercising during the sniffles season, read on. This article was origionally for Covid19 but it’s still applicable now…
Exercise boosts immunity and makes vaccines more effective – new study
Author: Sebastien Chastin (Professor Health Behaviour Dynamics, Glasgow Caledonian University)
The availability of vaccines has brought hope for the end of the pandemic. Yet COVID deaths and cases are still surging around the world. As we try to immunise the world, the most likely scenario for the next few years is that COVID-19 will be like other infectious diseases, such as flu, that we will need to continuously manage and protect ourselves against.
One of the best ways to do that is by being physically active.
We already know that physical activity is one of most effective ways to prevent
chronic diseases, along with diet and quitting smoking. A study from 2008 found
that physical inactivity is responsible for more than five million premature deaths every year.
Now, a new systematic review of evidence by me and my colleagues shows that regular physical activity strengthens the human immune system, reduces the risk of falling ill and dying from infectious disease by more than a third and significantly increases the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns. This has important implications for pandemic responses.
Clear explanations about the pandemic from a network of research experts
In our study, we systematically gathered and reviewed all available evidence relating to the effect of physical activity on the risk of falling ill and dying from infectious diseases such as pneumonia – a frequent cause of death from COVID-19 – on the functioning of the immune system and on the outcome of vaccination. The study was conducted too early in the pandemic to include research into COVID-19 itself, but the findings are highly relevant to the current pandemic response.
We found consistent and compelling evidence across six studies involving more than a half million participants that meeting the recommended guidelines for physical activity – 30 minutes of activity, five days a week – reduces the risk of falling ill and dying of infectious diseases by 37%.
This adds to the results of another new study conducted in the United States specifically on COVID- 19. The effect is at least as strong if not more so than the effect reported for other risk factors of COVID-19 such as age or having a pre-existing condition such as diabetes.
We also found reliable evidence that regular physical activity strengthens the human immune system. Across 35 independent randomised controlled trials – the gold standard for scientific evidence – regular physical activity resulted in elevated levels of the antibody immunoglobulin IgA. This antibody coats the mucosal membrane of our lungs and other parts of our body where viruses and bacteria can enter.
Regular physical activity also increases the number of CD4+ T cells, which are responsible for alerting the immune system of an attack and regulate its response.
Finally, in the randomised controlled trials we studied, vaccines appear more effective if they are administered after a programme of physical activity. A person who is active is 50% more likely to have a higher antibody count after the vaccine than somebody who is not active.
This can be a cost-effective and easy way of boosting vaccination campaigns. Considering the difficulties in supply chains, this could be a wise move to make every dose count.
How physical activity wards off disease
There are three mechanisms that make physical activity an effective medicine against infectious diseases.
First, it protects against risk factors of severe and fatal infection. Physically active people are less likely to develop obesity, diabetes, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Epidemiological studies have shown that COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases are more severe for people who have these conditions.
Physical activity also reduces stress and chronic inflammation, in turn reducing the likelihood of adverse and fatal infections. Most COVID-19 and pneumonia fatalities have been as a result of uncontrolled inflammatory response.
Finally, our immune system is stronger if we are physically active.
We need to get moving
Physical activity is undeniably an important way to make populations less vulnerable to infectious diseases and future epidemics and pandemics. It should be used more urgently and effectively in fighting the current COVID-19 outbreak, but also as a long term investment to prevent the devastating social and economic impacts this pandemic has had on society.
Governments encouraged people to stay active early in the pandemic to cope with lockdown measures. There was a surge of interest in exercise immediately following lockdown in most communities. Unfortunately, this has not translated into positive change in activity levels.
Instead, an apparent decrease in physical activity levels has been seen globally in the past year. This is a dangerous trend that could make the population more vulnerable to infectious and chronic diseases in the short term. Left unchecked, it will also leave a damaging long-term legacy and increase the burden of disease and its associated social and economic cost.
Underestimating the impact of physical inactivity could also exacerbate the unsustainable and unacceptable health inequalities highlighted by the pandemic. Generally, physical activity levels are lower in societies with greater economic inequalities and this affects women most.
It is now more important than ever for governments and health professionals to galvanise all sectors of society to promote physical activity.
Every move counts in fighting this pandemic and managing infectious disease in the future.
References:
“The Conversation”
https://theconversation.com/exercise-boosts-immunity-and-makes-vaccines-more-effective-new-study-159248
Beating the burn – how to prevent lactic acid buildup
By Marcelle Sutton
Moving one's body should be a pleasurable experience. Dancing, walking, running, Pilates etc. all make the muscles work harder than an everyday activity will. The muscles are asked to contract and stretch numerous times and this builds our strength. In Pilates practice, the focus is NOT on going for the 'burn' as in some other activities. However, it is still possible for some after practice stiffness to be experienced. The activity of the muscles uses our glucose and oxygen stores and when these are depleted, the muscles start to burn. When we start to pant, it means that we have an oxygen debt that needs to be 'repaid' so that the lactic acid buildup can be removed. If we are using more resources than we can immediately replenish, then we can experience the burn associated with lactic acid buildup. The intense muscular focus that Pilates requires, reinforced by correct alignment and mind-body communication, means that I can usually forwarn my clients as to what they will likely feel where after class. I also always ask for feedback, so that we can better understand what each individual body is experiencing and how we can better work towards 'correct'.
There are things that we can do, in order to prevent the lactic acid buildup and/or to remove it, that have been shown to work in some people. They are simple things that are easily incorporated into our routine.
1) Orange juice
The juice from the beautiful fruit, drunk half an hour prior to your workout seems to help – it is not known if it is the Vitamin C content or something else that is the key to its success but it is a nice healthy drink and worth a try.
2) Drink water
This is perhaps the biggest contributor to removing the lactic acid buildup in the muscles as it will help to flush out your system. Drink before, during and after your workout for best results.
3) Breathing effectively
We are always breathing but it can help to breathe well. Our muscles require oxygen to work and breathing effectively as is taught in Pilates, and with the focus on breathing with the movements, can help us to breathe more effectively and ensure an adequate supply of oxygen to the body.
4) Rest
This may seem obvious, but resting between exercises in a class or between workouts allows the body the chance to recover.
5) Move
Conversely, movement also helps many in the alleviation of stiffness – however, make sure that it is gentle movment. Walking and stretching both fall into this category, but be sure it is not a power walk or an over zealous stretch!
6) Magnesium
Added to a bath as Epsom salts, or taken internally (in the form of food or supplements), magnesium is great for tired achy muscles.
Remember also, that over time, your body will get used to being used and this will reduce the amount of stiffness you feel. A little bit of soreness is usually indicative of having pushed yourself beyond your limits. This is good for the development of fitness and muscular strength, improvements in energy and calorie expenditure. However, if the soreness becomes debilitating, it
could mean that you have pushed yourself too far or that you are dehydrated. My experience has shown that even an underlying condition like anaemia can also create soreness after exercise, as can a food intolerance. Everyone has their own level of discomfort that they can tolerate. If it becomes too much for you, then you need to take steps to either find a solution or to tone down your regime. A visit to your doctor before starting a new exercise method is also advised, so as to rule out any underlying health issues. With the many health benefits accorded to exercise, it is worthwhile finding a solution to aches and pains. To quote a wonderful eldery ballet teacher: “the aches and pains I experience when I dance, are better than the aches and pains that I experience if I don't”.
References:
1) Cronkleton, E. 21 November, 2018. 6 Ways to Get Rid of Lactic Acid in the Muscles
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-lactic-acid#rest
2) Barrell, A. 2 October 2019. Medical News Today. How to get rid of a lactic acid buildup https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326521
The physical and mental health benefits of Pilates
by Marcelle Sutton
The Pilates method is now a well known exercise modality taught all over the world. It has become famous for creating sleek, toned bodies, flat abdominals and for helping to rehabilitate physical ailments, and back pain in particular. Feeling good after a workout is not a new phenomenon, as runners for example, experience a “high” from their daily trot. What is not so well known, however, are the surprising mental health benefits which Pilates practitioners experience. A study by Iulian- Dor, et al. in 2013, went as far as to state that the Pilates principles could in fact be considered a psychological resource. Pilates practice has in fact been linked to improvements in anxiety, depression and quality of life.
My time in the studio, has over the years, confirmed that people feel good, refreshed mentally, less stressed, more positive and calm after a class. Why or how this is accomplished, I suspect, has something to do with the Pilates method's focus on breathing and mindfulness, in combination with work on the spinal cord through the establishment of correct alignment. Breath work is known to trigger a parasympathetic nervous system response in the body. This is why we are told to breathe slowly in order to calm down. Each movement in Pilates has a corresponding breathing pattern, which means that a Pilates session is effectively an entire hour or so dedicated completely to breath control. This, coupled with the intense concentration on the sensations within the body for the duration of the Pilates class might sound like hard work, which it is, but this type of focus is also somewhat akin to meditation, in that the mind has to be fully engaged in the activity. The complete absorption of the mind on the quality of the movements, coupled with the breathing, makes a Pilates session fly by and makes one feel mentally refreshed. So, next time you're contemplating taking up an activity for your body, know that with Pilates or another somatic exercise modality, you are not only looking after your body, but also your mind.
Reinventing Life
By Deepak Chopra MD (official) is an interesting article about understanding our bodies through conscious awareness. He doesn’t mention Pilates specifically BUT, as anyone who has done Pilates will tell you, bringing consciousness to each movement is what makes Pilates so special and gives it such gravitas. In my opinion, Pilates is the perfect combination of science and mystery - we bring the scientific knowledge to each movement and then as we perform it, this knowledge informs us whilst we consciously experience without judgement, the sensation that specific movement evokes. This is how we heal trauma, build strength and overcome physical ailments/shortcomings.
How to Live the Mystery of Life
Deepak Chopra, M.D., Brian J. Fertig, M.D. and Jack A. Tuszynski, Ph.D., D.Sc.
In a rational world, when a mystery presents itself, the mind goes to work to solve the mystery. This approach works very well when it comes to explaining the sudden extinction of the dinosaur or what is making a patient sick, but it works much less well when it comes to the mystery of the human body. All of us are in intimate contact with that mystery, and so we are presented with a choice.
The first choice is to follow the usual rational procedures to understand how the body works. A massive amount of information has been collected in this way. Measurements, data, and research studies pour in every day. But there is another choice that is not well known to most people, which is to live the mystery. There is a stark difference between these two paths, as we will show.
As far as medical science is concerned, the human body is an intricate machine, an assemblage of working parts built from organic chemicals. Every process in the body, of which there are thousands, can be studied minutely, and with the advent of the new field of quantum biology, investigations can reach beyond the atom into the domain of subatomic particles and quantum field interactions.
Such research occurs in abstract areas that do not seem to touch everyday life, but there have been some breakthroughs and surprising findings that apply to how we age and decline over time, which is a critical issue in everyday life.
Here are some examples.
Entropy: Entropy is a measure of disorder. As heat energy dissipates, for example, as an ice cube melts, a physical system displays increased entropy. All physical systems in the universe evolve to achieve maximum entropy. In contrast, a living biological system like the human body attempts to create organized complexity by lowering entropy using the constant energy boost that comes from metabolizing food. Each of us is an island of negative entropy, as it is known, because our bodies organize energy more than we dissipate it.
Heat, a by-product of metabolic energy has both positive and negative consequences. Heat is needed to maintain body temperature while its excess in the form of inflammation causes structural damage. This points to the important discovery that low-grade chronic inflammation is connected to the development of the chronic diseases associated with aging.
Information: Any physical object can be viewed not as a thing but as a store of information—human DNA is an intricate example of huge information storage. So are the cells in your body, and this information is dynamic, being exchanged and moving around all the time, much like a computer. Cells thrive on high-information nutrition supplied by whole foods, while low-information foods (white sugar, white flour , and processed foods) are “empty” calories as far as what cells need. Therefore, instead of contributing to metabolism in a fruitful way, these low-information foods tend to be shunted away into fat cells, making them a leading contributor to obesity.
Time: We all know that aging is a function of time, but to a physicist “time’s arrow” is created by entropy. Energy that dissipates is moving in one direction. An example is a glass that breaks on the floor. It cannot be unbroken, and therefore the accident moved the arrow of time. In the case of the human body, the loss of efficiency in all kinds of processes also moves the arrow of time. Loss of biological efficiency can be measured as the process of aging. What matters most is how you biologically age, not how you look in the mirror.
These few examples among many illustrate how the mystery of the human body is understood. The measurements required are no different from measuring any other physical object, even though a structure like the human brain or human DNA is so complex that its “thingness” is almost unrecognizable as it relates to a melting ice cube, decaying oak leaf, or the cooling down of the cosmos.
If you try to understand the mystery of the human body, whatever is not measurable is left out of the picture, or it has to be roped into fitting a physical explanation. For decades science refused to examine consciousness, because our thoughts, feelings, and sensations are not measurable objects. Attempts are periodically made to explain consciousness through physical means, but it has proved impossible to show how atoms and molecules learn to think. As a result, most scientists point to the brain as a kind of magical mega-computer that creates the mind, even though brain cells, being composed of atoms and molecules, show zero evidence of thinking or feeling.
This opens the way for the second choice we mentioned above. Instead of understanding the mystery of the human body, you can choose to live the mystery. The most basic way to do this is to make a conscious connection with your body. Everyone does this all the time. When you feel tired or energetic, alert or dull, detect a headache coming on or go through the complex sensations of being pregnant, you are engaging in a process known as interoception.
Interoception is the key to living the mystery. It is a genuine sixth sense, and in fact the five senses depend upon it. That is because sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell need to be consciously interpreted. If you thoughtlessly sweep your eye over a crowd at the airport, your eyes are working, but that is not enough to find a specific person in the crowd. For that, you need to search, look, and notice. These are conscious actions that connect your mind to your eyes.
Unlike the five senses, which primarily pay attention to the outside world, interoception applies awareness to the body, and beyond that to the entire bodymind. Every cell eavesdrops on your thoughts, feelings, and sensations, so it is totally artificial to separate mind and body. Besides uniting the two, interoception infuses the body with awareness. The wisdom of the body does not need your attention most of the time. Thousands of processes operate in perfect synchronization by using the unspoken intelligence that is coordinated by your central nervous system.
However, if you apply awareness in a conscious way, you enhance the body’s wisdom. Conscious relaxation, meditation, performing yoga postures, reducing stress, taking care of the right diet and exercise, and getting regular good sleep are all conscious interventions that spring from interoception. The very thing that cannot be counted and measured—your awareness—allows you to live the mystery that is not just your body but you as a human being.
Here we have touched only on the basics. The flow of intelligence that sustains life is also responsible for going beyond basic processes to deliver the experiences of higher or expanded awareness, namely love, compassion, beauty, truth, insight, creativity, bliss, and personal growth. These experiences require interoception in the form of sensitivity to what is happening “in here.” Outside stimulus like seeing someone you love or contemplating a work of art, do not create such experiences; at best they trigger them. One person’s rapture over music and art, for example, can leave another person indifferent or turned off.
We are not discounting the enormous benefits of medical science in understanding the human body. These benefits do not have to be discarded or ignored. Getting the Covid vaccine is only one example. But living the mystery is the only way to achieve lifelong fulfillment and personal evolution. It is the royal road to higher consciousness, which should be held out as the next step in lifelong well-being.
DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential (Harmony Books), unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his latest book, Total Meditation (Harmony Books) will help to achieve new dimensions of stress-free living and joyful living. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” www.deepakchopra.com
Jack A. Tuszynski, Ph.D., D.Sc. Professor, Department of Physics, Adjunct Professor, Department of Oncology, Adjunct Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Member, The Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Brian J. Fertig, MD F.A.C.E. Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Associate Professor Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Chairman, Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology Hackensack Meridian Health at JFK University Medical Center, President Diabetes & Osteoporosis Center
Stretching – that thing that cats do!
By Marcelle Sutton
Cats love it but many people hate it! Why? Because it often hurts if we are stiff. Yet, I always include a stretching component in my Pilates classes, even though many Pilates exercises do stretch us well. What then is the benefit of stretching and why should we learn to approach it with a better attitude?
Stretching is necessary because we need to be flexible in order to be able to move. However, there are some different aspects to consider. Without a flexible body we are less able to move without strain or excess effort against our own rigidity. We have different types of joints which allow for the articulation of the bones. Our joints must be healthy and mobile or movement becomes problematic. Apart from bones, we have connective tissues, muscles and nerves, all of which must be healthy and work together effectively to allow us to do all the activities which make our lives full and interesting. Muscles which enable movement, have to contract to move the bones and the joints they are attached to. When we do sports or other physical training, we must 'stress' the body slightly in order to produce the desired bodily/muscular changes we are after. However, if we do not have great range of movement in our joints; do not have optimal alignment; do only strength training; repetitive movements or do no exercise at all, this can lead to imbalances and incorrect muscle usage as we try to compensate for our inflexibility. Over time, injury and postural distortions can result.
The nervous system requires good blood flow and it is important to remember that our posture (e.g. hunched shoulders or a forward head) can cause this supply to be reduced, thereby causing damage and pain. When we stretch, the nerves are directly and indirectly stretched as well. This can be done for our benefit or our detriment and a good degree of mind-body communication can go a long way to determining which it will be. However, understanding that stretching can be used remedially does not mean it can't cause damage. Too much too often for too long creates too much 'stress' for the body to adapt to and becomes deleterious. Changing the position of the head, leg or spine in a stretch can determine if the stretch becomes neural or stays in the muscle. It is therefore always best to understand what you are trying to accomplish by your stretch.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts at stretching, we find we are still incapable of changing our flexibility. This can be puzzling, frustrating and demoralising, resulting in pain and giving up. Working on the myofascial web can often bring forth the desired results, sometimes quite surprisingly. The fascia is the elastic-cartilagenous skin-like layer found under the skin. It forms a 'connective tissue stocking' (like the skin on a sausage) which helps to disperse force and weight. If the fascia becomes tight, then the underlying muscles will be unable to change their shape before the fascia issue has been sorted out. This can be done through hydration, specific movements and tactile stimulation. For example, a seated hamstring stretch might benefit from some ankle circles to first release the fascia in this back line of the body, before moving on to the stretching of the hamstrings themselves. Undulating movements, body brushing or cupping also help to stretch and stimulate the fascia and thereby the underlying muscles, nerves or joints.
So, next time you see a cat stretch, watch how it undulates, takes its time and relishes each moment of the stretch and try to enjoy your stretching in the same way too!
Haidee's Lemon and Ginger Liver Booster
The liver is the organ in the body which is much like a central station - responsible for getting everything to where it needs to be. All our blood passes through the liver to be processed in some form. For nutrients to be absorbed and toxins to be removed, everything must wait its turn. This is a big job and sometimes the liver needs a bit of help. This is a wonderful winter warmer to help you get things moving again. Your energy will be improved, and the brain fog which descends at times and seems to stop everything, will be lifted. I've tried various forms of this recipe, but Haidee's definitely works the best!
Ingredients:
5-10 lemons, juiced
1 large piece of ginger, grated
water
Method:
Grate the ginger, cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes, mix the lemon juice with the cooled strained ginger, add hot or cold water to dilute and enjoy!