You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘choices’ tag.
February is Heart Health Month
I posted earlier this week about the function of the diaphragm and how it moves with our healthy, calm breathing. You’ve been noticing your breathing since…and hopefully feeling more relaxed, present, and calm in your body this week from our first post. If not, look up part one here!
So on to part two, regarding how breathing and heart health are related. First, I want to talk about the nervous system. When we breathe easily, smoothly with our diaphragm, it helps us stay more balanced in our nervous system, and can help us enter a deeply restful place called parasympathetic function of the autonomic nervous system. Whew. The parasympathetic mode is a place where our minds are still, our outer body (skeletal muscles, etc) are relaxed, and our organs are deeply nourished. This is a place of being, not doing. It is a state of listening, receiving, and resting. Sounds good, eh?
Our autonomic nervous system also has the sympathetic mode – when we talked earlier this week about the stress response or fight-flight mode, that’s what I’m talking about here. This is a state where several physiological changes take place to prepare us to fly away or fight back – our pulse, breathing, and blood pressure all increase or speed up, our skeletal muscles and periphery is on high alert, and our minds are sharp, crisp, ready to work. Again, this mode is necessary for certain times in our life. But living here constantly, chronically, has a host of connections to our overall physical and mental/emotional wellbeing. We need the balance of both of these states, and the majority of multitasking Americans could benefit from several minutes of restorative yoga each day – to help them push the “reset” button on the brains and nervous systems and enter the parasympathetic state. That’s where we can truly rest, and our organs then receive all the circulation and nourishment that had been shunted away from out gut out to the periphery due to stress.
If you have questions about the nervous systems modes, please comment below!
Part THREE, yes! Coming soon…a breathing imagery activity to help you feel relaxed and well – and get you in the mood for Valentines Day with a heart nourishing practice.
See you soon!
Cheri
“By far the greatest cause of stress in the workplace is not time, lack of control or other people. It’s you. What’s inside your head.” Paul Wilson in Calm at Work
Take a few moments as you begin your work day, pause and find your sitting bones under you and allow your spine to feel drawn up by a string to the crown of your head. Allow the head to float and move as if a subtle breeze was moving it like a helium balloon. Breathe fully and exhale to the last bit.
Observe your thoughts.
This quote brings me back to the simplest part of The Franklin Method – or maybe the most challenging at times – to check in with ourselves fully and notice where we’re at now. I was noticing last week that I was often responding to friends and students when they asked “how are you?” by automatically stating “busy”. I decided I would change my response to something positive, because all in all – life is pretty darn sweet right now. Sure I have deadlines and tasks to cross off my list…but I will choose to unitask, focus, and enjoy each item on my list. “I’m good. Thanks for asking.”
Decide right now that you have all the tools and skills and time you need to live well.
Enjoy your day,
Cheri
I found this really interesting, and very necessary information for a wide swath of the general public. Too many kids (and adults?) are labeled as ADD or ADHD and need to learn how to manage their symptoms by choice. Through lifestyle. With nutrition. Dr. Pam Popper speaks so candidly, read below for more.
Visit her website as well, the wellness forum dot com for details or to sign up for her newsletter…
Dear Dr. Pam: My naturopath has recommended DHA supplements and fish oil for my child, who has ADD. She says this is needed because the brain needs fat for function and my child cannot get enough of these fats from foods.
“First, there is no evidence that children (or adults) cannot get enough of any nutrient, including fat, from a well-structured plant-based diet. So there is no need to supplement the diet with more fat; in fact, most children eat too much fat and need to reduce fat consumption.
There are some studies showing that children improve while taking these supplements, but just as many that have shown no effect. My objections to using them are several. First, I do not like to make recommendations based on scant evidence. If the preponderance of the evidence does not support a protocol, I’m not likely to recommend it. There just is not clear evidence that supplementation with fish oil or any other supplement for that matter, improves behavior and focus. Second, supplements, like drugs, only address symptoms not underlying causes. Taking DHA pills will not address parenting issues, discipline, and a child’s propensity to make bad choices, which must be addressed in order to insure a productive and happy future for children.
Last but not least, there are side effects from taking supplements that must be considered. While they are (usually) less toxic than drugs, anything, including a dietary supplement that has the potential to have a positive effect will by its very nature have a side effect. In the case of Omega-3 supplements, a large meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal showed little positive effects from taking these pills, and an increased risk of cancer could not be ruled out.
The plan of action I outlined previously addresses the underlying issue and is a better and safer option.
An important last comment regarding the ADD/ADHD issue…
I am vociferously opposed to the labeling of children (or anyone for that matter) with titles like ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, etc. When children are given these labels, they begin to be defined by them. They see themselves as defective individuals who are helpless to change their circumstances and therefore must be medicated. Home, school, and other environments then accommodate their “disability” with special classes, dispensing of medication, and other adjustments. This is, in my opinion, not the best way to prepare children for life. The world can be a very unaccommodating place for people who are disadvantaged and while I am a huge proponent for making sure that people are not discriminated against due to disabilities, I am also a huge proponent for making sure people are no unnecessarily led to believe that they have disabilities.
I am sure my comments will make some people quite angry, but I abandoned most attempts to be politically correct in favor of being truthful and helpful a long time ago.”
Thanks to my pal Libby for sharing this link about how Yoga can be used as a more effective therapeutic treatment for chronic low back pain than conventional medicine. The participants in the study had “nonspecific” back pain – meaning medicine couldn’t find a cause or frankly, do much to treat it either. After several months of Yoga practice they were interviewed again and reported less pain and well as a more enjoyable, functional daily life.
Embodying function improves function. Imagine if they did a little Franklin Method along with their Yoga practice – oh boy!
I will forever be a believer in the power of our own choices. the power we have to practice skillfully and compassionately with ourselves in order to change the outcome of our health and embodiment. Namaste.
Cheri
