Yoga for Life

By

Nancy Dale, Ph.D.

November 22, 2023

Breaking through a Sedentary Life Style to Improve Health

Literature published by Korean J. Family Medicine in 2020 indicates that a
sedentary lifestyle, which means sitting for an over extended time has potential health risks.  Based on one study, the American adult population spends 7.7 hours in a sedentary position doing office work, watching television, or playing video devices that does not engage the mind/body in physical activity that contributes to wellness.  If you sit in front of a computer for around 10 hours a day, your cardiovascular risk goes up, as toxins accumulate in the physical body.  Relieving stress by moving around for 8 minutes, standing, or walking 1,000 feet are “baby steps” to releasing toxins.  The body requires challenging physical movement for healthy digestion and the flow of oxygenated blood to renew thinking. expel accumulated toxins and replenish the mind/body. 

 

Information from the World Health Organization published in 2020, indicates that sedentary behavior includes playing video games, reading a book versus riding a bicycle. The body also needs a healthy diet to engage the mind/body.  Light physical activity can change adverse effects of sedentary behavior. 

 

What about the term: “Chair Yoga?”   Choose a Yoga practice based on physical mobility to release toxins accumulated in the body.  Consider the purpose of why you choose Yoga as a “practice.”  What health goals have you researched? Experience different Yoga classes, “in person” to evaluate the degree of mental, physical challenge to grow in health consciousness. Experience a Yoga class and assess the physical/mental/emotional goals of the Yoga class as the challenge to grow and rekindle thinking.  If the Yoga class challenges you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, it may be the place to grow and learn a renewed way of life.  Do the Yoga postures provide you the opportunity to actualize your greatest potential? 

 

Practicing Yoga postures with a purposeful intent is a step forward in improving mental health.  What is purposeful intent?  This is a way of thinking that stimulates unrelenting focus to achieve a healthy body from whatever physical/mental health stage you begin.  You determine your goals based on your present status of mind/body.  The body must move to get rid of toxins accumulated in the blood and determine a mental fortitude to accomplish your mission.  

 

Studies indicate that Yoga improves concentration/focus helping to prevent obesity and heart disease through movement.    More than half of the Americans spend at least 5 hours or more sitting each day, contributing to obesity and other infirmaries such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and anxiety.   A regular Yoga practice is an intentional pathway to improve flexibility and strength and a choice for health/wellness.

 

A regular Yoga practice releases tension and improves concentration.  Participating in Yoga breaks through a feeling of isolation.  Yoga is a journey of self-discovery.  Yoga transforms the body and mind by learning and actualizing postures, stimulating oxygenated blood flow and awakening creative thinking focused on physical activity. The body thrives when alive with focused movement to accomplish a goal!  Yoga is a health practice to inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the nose not “panting” like a dog breathing just through the mouth.

 
Yoga is “proactive.”  John Hopkins University studies indicate that Yoga sharpens memory, as well as alleviates pain (Nicol Natale, 2022).   Yoga is a journey to become fit through physical movement and alignment of the spine and body. 

 

Yoga is based on the Indian philosophy of “mindfulness” and physical movement.  “Mindfulness” is an awareness of how the body moves with a purpose of breaking restrictive unhealthy postures which limit the flow of oxygenated blood through deep breathing.

 

Today’s Yoga practioners, Marge Strong, Arline Tosi, Dorothy Evens, Mary Flanagan are lengthening their core by crossing the legs, raising the arms into a circle, and straightening the back.  This seemingly “simple” pose is more than just

sitting.  Moving into this posture is the first challenge!   You initiate the movement by folding the legs into a sitting position and lowering to the ground.  The inner thighs are widened and feet touching as you descend.  The next stage of “alignment” is lengthening the spine upwards and raising the arms into a circle above the head.  Close the eyes as you concentrate on form. Repeat these steps each time you descend into this posture.

 

Yoga is a healthy art form for people of all ages and conditions. Slow, intentional movement when executing Yoga postures is a key to health and fitness.

 

Join the Shield Yoga classes at 4549 Casablanca Way, Sebring, meeting Tuesdays and Fridays 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.  Join the classes and feel the difference in harmony, peace of mind and improved health.  Join with longtime Certified Yoga Instructor, Nancy Dale, Ph.D. who will guide you through the poses, answer questions and help you to achieve a newly evolved physical alignment of the body.  The CLASSES ARE FREE!!