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