Happy Thanksgiving!

I had never been a fan of restorative yoga; its benefits eluded me. My fitness trail and pragmatism biased me to an extent in my first restorative session the instructor had to wake me up (at least twice) during the transitions. At the same time, I must admit, I am a fan of closely related deep tissue and self myofascial massage to squeeze, stretch and compress muscles and joints. My reasoning to substantiate the benefits of restorative reached nowhere. Witnessing the momentum of restorative yoga in the US, I thought: I am missing something.

I recently attended a restorative class in a yoga studio in Western Springs. During the centering the instructor mentioned, among other associated benefits, the connection between Hyaluronic acid (HA) and restorative yoga. I knew HA: a BIG molecule; a dimer of glucoronic acid and N-acetyl glucosamine; and those were it! The next 50 minutes, I lied on my yoga mat trying to decode the missing link, oblivious to the poses and instructor’s narration.

HA is being called the “key to the fountain of youth” and is everywhere in our body: in bones; in cartilage (especially in the hyaline cartilage); in synovial fluid; in skin; in the eye.. It is a resilient molecule; it transports nutrients in the synovial fluid to avascular cartilage. The only way nutrients could migrate to the cartilage (which does not have blood vessels) is by the mediation of HA. By feeding essential nutrients to the joints and protecting it from shock, HA promotes joint integrity. HA is the most water loving molecule in the nature. It is nature’s moisturizer. In the skin, HA maintains high percentage of water to bathe elastin; this prevents wrinkle and makes skin brittle free. Here is the problem: HA is very short lived and need to be regenerated continuously. Further, as one age, this regeneration slows down as its production centers (fibroblasts) dwindle and less sensitive.

What does restorative yoga has to do with HA?

Fibroblasts are stimulated through stress: squeezing the muscles, compressing, and stretching the connective tissues (where fibroblasts reside) stimulate them to enhance HA synthesis. The body also creates more fibroblasts under such conditions. With more fibroblasts, and more production of HA, the body rehydrates our tissues and joints more.

Vitreous humor in the eye is loaded with HA. I practiced some eye exercises during my graduate days (which, I must admit, happened long ago). I was determined to remove my eye glasses I was using for my short-sight. With the guidance from school of perfect eye sight and the exercises, I met my target- removed the eye glasses. No ophthalmologist will support what I observed with my sight. Now, looking back, I realize all those exercises were related to working with the eye ball and the muscles and ligaments around the lens. May be, I was recreating HA to maintain the focal length of the lens by strengthening suspensory ligaments.

I watched a “fuzz speech” in you tube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FtSP-tkSug) recently. Even though I did not agree with the idea of comparing a cadaver to a body with life, it may be possible sedentary lifestyle could enhance the accumulation of “fuzz” between muscle layers, restricting the movement of muscles. This may aggravate the accumulation of more scar tissue- it’s a domino effect. The warmth of the human body, the hydration and constant regeneration of hyaluronic acid could all trigger a natural melting of the fuzz. I remember the (very) first time I went for a yoga class. The first thing the yogi did was deep self myofascial massage. I am sure he did not have any idea on fascia, fuzz, or sliding filament theory. In addition to increase the blood flow, I believe, he was trying to dissolve the fuzz to make muscle tissue more mobile and body more flexible. May be we get similar effect (sensitize the fibroblasts) from elevated temperatures. There is no wonder why (even) traditional fitness clubs move to heated yoga.

This is the message to all pragmatic guys out there: your quest for mobility of joints and determination to burn calories are great; add few restorative yoga poses to your repertoire for the stability of those mobile joints. You will not regret it! Science will, definitely, meet the truth one day; till then, follow what your guru told you!

Healthy regards,

Jay

Dear All,

I recently was talking to a friend on how I would spend time on the elliptical- sometimes, more than an hour- without getting bored. When I said, “I would contemplate and focus on various energy points in the body” he looked at me perplexed. Can we exercise thoughtfully?  Can we mediate, exercise, or even eat mindfully? What about contemplative prayer? Questions loom; however, the benefits of these techniques are emerging.

Several buzz words, phrases and mind/ body exercise modalities caught my attention recently: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Imagery Guided Relaxation, and Contemplative Mediation. According to an article published in time magazine (February 02, 2014), “if distraction is a pre-eminent condition of our age, then mindfulness, in the eyes of the enthusiasts, is the most logical response” In a study published in Journal of Behavioral Medicine (75, 721-28, 2013),  MBSR participants experienced reduction in blood pressure. This data is relevant as sixty million American adults suffer from borderline hypertension.

Why are we not able to focus on one thing? Why are we distracted (so easily)? We may not able to answer all these questions, but, one thing is clear- if we are able to relax more, if we are able to focus on things, if we are able to calm our body and mind, the result would, definitely, be different. We may not get “disastrously “ distracted in a movie theatre or one may not get that “annoyed” if a  teenager increases the volume of music in the car.

I recently had the opportunity to work with a group of senior high school students on contemplative meditation and prayer. I was surprised to see 20% of the students could not even close their eyes for 30 seconds? What amazed me more was the gender difference: they were all boys. In one of my yoga classes, when the participants (after an intense mind-body yoga workout) were taken to an imagery guided relaxation, they responded 100% to the cues: contemplation, rest and relaxation. There may be differences in the models here: the demography, age, time of the day and pre-contemplation activities. One thing is clear: mind-body exercises could calm and relax your mind. Any exercise when done with focus could engage and calm your mind (yoga, for example)

Work hard with focus to calm and relax your body and mind.

Healthy regards,

Jay

Now we are in 2014! Let the New Year brings great Health and Fitness to you and your family.

With all new developments in Health and Fitness, it may be a good time to define your Fitness goals, holistically: It is a balance of Body, Mind and Spirit. I borrow a quote I’ve heard, “It’s an awakened state of Nostalgia” The only problem is the waning enthusiasm while we try to reach our “home”. If I could suggest a tip to make 2014 a year of great health that would be: nourish your body, relax your mind, and feed your spirit (may be with meditation)

Yoga instructors tell participants “don’t worry about perfection. Set goals and do the best of your abilities. Try to get home- the original design of your body”, so you can enjoy your life to the fullest. Your fitness and energy is not lost- it is waiting to be discovered.  If you were out of touch with exercise for the past several months (or years), do not worry; every journey starts with a step or may be a small walk. Walk with a purpose!

·         Walking at a rate of two steps per second (without any weights) is equivalent to a moderate- intensity exercise

·         It’s (mostly) risk-free; it’s very gentle on feet. If you have heel spur and other issues walking may be a better option (than running on a treadmill or outdoor)

·         Research shows that walking at speeds up to 2.8 mils/hour (walking threshold for most healthy adults) is a good method for burning fat- primary fuel source for walking. At higher speeds body try to get energy from carbs

·         Focus on your breathe when you walk: take deep, “victorious” breathes. Use chest (sternum, ribcage) diaphragm, stomach, and even pelvic floor muscles while you breathe.

·         If you are not fan of music while you walk; try meditative walking. Push oxygen to those joints and muscles where you have some pain or stress (remember: you do not want to get off the trail tomorrow- Entertain your body)

It is -40 F at Chicago when I wrote this and so few tips may help for exercising in the cold. Wear multiple layers of clothes; select layers which may help to keep the body warm but wick the sweat away; replenish lost fluids (sweat) as you would in the summer.

Healthy regards,

Jay