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Newsletter 8

Good afternoon,

Carrying on from last week’s newsletter regarding the importance of correct ergonomics and posture, I would like to build on your understanding regarding the importance of movement to your wellbeing at this time and in general.

In this newsletter

  • The benefits of movement
  • Links to some fabulous collegues and friends who have some great online offering at this time

Life is energy in motion.
If we want life, we must move

Our ancestors walked an average of 10,000 steps (about five miles) per day, with frequent bouts of more intense physical activity. Today we have become professional sitters.

Fewer than 2% of jobs require manual labor. Endless hours are spent working at computers, watching TV, playing video games and commuting.

The typical adult is now sedentary for 60% of their waking hours, and sits for an average of six hours which is often much more, in the case of those who have desk jobs.

In reality we have become couch potatoes

As humans we are genetically designed to be physically active. The dramatic increase in sitting has had a profound, negative effect on almost every aspect of human health, from the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems to the immune system.

Examples of how sitting and lack of movement harms us:

  • It decreases the activity of enzymes that help us to burn fat, and protect us from cardiovascular disease.
  • It wrecks our metabolic function.
  • It reduces the action of insulin.
  • It weakens the bones.
  • Shortens our lifespans.
  • It is associated with a range of health problems, from obesity to diabetes and cancer.
  • As we age, experience pain and mental-emotional upsets, we tend to avoid moving, not realizing that correct movement will help release pain and rejuvenate our energy and health.
  • A sedentary lifestyle always leads to diminished energy, obesity and sickness.

Regular consistent movement will reduce the above and give you the following benefits:

  • Movement activates the spiral structure of our bones, muscles and ligaments for growth and strength.
  • It integrates our brain hemispheres, relieves anxiety and stress, and stimulates our blood and lymph circulation.
  • It produces endorphins of joy that boost our immune system and leads to relaxation, human connection and joy.
  • Movement stimulates the production of endorphins, which bring a sense of joy, well-being and a feeling of uplift.
  • Movement automatically stimulates our breathing, which brings oxygen to every cell –the brain and eyes need more oxygen to function than any other organ in the body. Breathing carries away toxic gases.
  • When walking and swinging both our arms freely – one arm swinging in unison with its opposite leg – this natural cross-crawl movement integrates our brain hemispheres so we access a higher state of intelligence and creativity
  • Movement is the primary way to keep lymph moving. Lymph removes blood proteins and toxic materials from around each of our millions of cells.
  • Movement activates blood circulation so nutrients are carried to every cell and metabolic acid wastes and gases are carried away for elimination
  • Movement disperses adrenaline and cortisol – activated by our flight-flight stress response. If not dispersed through movement, adrenaline and cortisol are deposited in muscles and joints and these acid deposits cause stiffening of muscles, tendons and joints or even arthritis
  • Movement keeps the joints open and the tendons and muscles relaxed and toned, so we maintain our flexibility and our muscle mass, free ourselves from pain, encourage the full flow of energy and blood circulation and maintain our youthful vitality into old age.
  • Movement stimulates the flow of Chi life energy throughout our body-mind system so we feel on top of the world.

So you can easily see that movement provides a myriad of benefits

We use the word disease to imply that something has gone awry in our bodies; however more often than not, our bodies are simply responding normally to the input they’re given. Movement provides information for the body. Your body is never “out of shape” it is always in a shape created by how you have moved up to this very moment.

It is constantly responding and shifting to a continuous stream of input provided by your external and internal movements even if that input consists only of sitting still, for hours on end.

Think movement over exercise

  • Movement – Non-exercise physical activity refers to all forms of physical activity other than distinct periods of exercise.
  • Activities like gardening, housework, standing, changing positions even when still, walking, shaking, sex, playing, mobilizations and stretching, commuting by bicycle etc.
  • Even a relatively low to moderate level of movement will lower your post-meal blood sugar, insulin levels, and triglycerides.

Integrate movement into your daily life!

  • Consider what you can do to easily and simply increase your movement during your normal daily life.
  • Use the stairs whenever possible.
  • Take a walk while on the phone.
  • Frequent positional changes
  • As a general goal, aim for 10,000 steps a day. You can measure your steps with an activity tracker like the Garmin, Jawbone or leaf.
  • Walk or bicycle to your destination ie to shop rather than taking the car
  • If you live too far away to walk or ride exclusively, consider driving or taking public transport part of the way, and walking or cycling for the remainder.
  • Get a dog or offer to walk a neighbor’s dog.

Following are a few helpful recommendations of colleagues and friends who are offering online support at this time. Please check out their fantastic offerings

Natassia Akil is a holistic lifestyle coach whose passion is cooking delicious food that is not only nutrient dense but also taste delicious, she loves to share easy and nutritious recipes with the community to inspire people to cook homemade meals. 

http://www.happyandglow.com/

Holli Clepper

Holli Clepper has a B.S. in physical education from Texas A & M, and has been a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and educator in the fitness industry for over 25 years. She is the owner of In Health and Happiness, a fitness education studio in San Diego, CA and author of several online courses and books such as Posture Health and Happiness, Prenatal and Postpartum Health and Happiness Through Exercise and Nutrition. She has taught and trained at a variety of gyms from the YMCA, to Total Woman to the C.H.E.K Performance Studio. She has held Directorial positions in leading health and fitness companies such as the American Council on Exercise and The C.H.E.K Institute, whom she is still an education consultant for. Holli has taught educational courses for Exercise Etc., The YMCA, IDEA World, and at the University of California San Diego Extension Program.

Posture Health and Happiness

This course is for anyone who moves their body, whether for sport, work or simply for fun. We all have postural imbalances we need to work on to help us build a strong foundation for all the activities we do in everyday life. Posture Health and Happiness will help you identify which postural imbalances you may be facing and how to correct them. I have chosen the stretches and exercises I have used most frequently in my 25 plus years of training all types of clients, that proved time and time again to help them improve their posture and achieve their goals. Thank you for choosing In Health and Happiness.

Link to Course

https://in-health-and-happiness.teachable.com/

Link to my website:

www.inhealthandhappiness.com

Samantha George

Samantha is a health, fitness and nutrition coach specializing in helping women who are always tired, stressed and fed up with the way they look. Using a blend of individualized movement, mind set and nutrition and lifestyle coaching she helps women to boost their energy levels, de-stress and love their bodies.

Work-in classes:

A work-in is a meditative practice that incorporates aspects of yoga, tai chi, Qi gong, breath work and other movement modalities as a way of calming the nervous system.

This helps to relax both body and mind, letting go of stress and tension and easing us into a restful and restorative sleep.

Weds 8pm on zoom

Flow classes:

Inspired by a combination of fitness yoga, animal flow, capoeira and dance, Flow classes allow us to move our bodies through all ranges of motion, enhancing fitness, mobility and strength in a playful, joyful practice. 

Saturday 10am on zoom

Personalised movement training:

One to one personal training designed for your body and your goals

mailto:[email protected]

Sy Wiggall, I am the strength and conditioning coach for the Oxford University rugby team. I have been running weekday training sessions for the past 5 weeks on Zoom, IG and FB.

Zoom Link:  https://bit.ly/Sy-Wiggall-Training

Monday -Wednesday & Friday HIIT style class’s working at an intensity that is comfortable for you. It is full body, working variations of Burpees, Mountain climbers, and jumping jacks.

Tuesday and Thursday are strength intervals, working Upper body & Core, Lower body & Back it is less intense, but still gets a nice pump and sweat on.

Donations are welcome to PayPal: [email protected]

Wishing you all a good week.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.

Get outside, get some fresh and reap the benefits.

Emma