Make It a Mindful Day

Peace of mind, joy and contentment are all difficult to come by in today's harried world. We are often inundated with appointments, responsibilities and an abundance of mental chatter. Many people do not know what it feels like to just be. Busy people often long for the freedom that accompanies inner peace, but they just don't know how to slow down, relax and listen to the small still voice inside. If you are one of those people who have heard how yoga can help you relax but still have not tried it, I invite you to explore.

 Yoga really will help ease your mind and soothe your body so that the connection to inner peace can be re-established. In practicing yoga, you will truly feel like that tree planted by the rivers of water firmly rooted and not moved by every negative wind that blows.  Today, take the time to reflect, to just be, take the time to slowly enjoy your breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Make time for a small break in the middle of your day just to reflect.  The importance of how powerful these mindful moments can be are often underestimated.  Studies show that over 80% of all doctors visits are stress related.  Stress can cause serious help problems if left unchecked, and often we remain unaware of stress effects until it is too late.  The good news is that we are often in control of how we react to the very stressful moments that arise in our daily lives.  For your own wellness, take the time for you and make it a mindful day.

Walking Into Holistic Wellness

Today I was thinking about what it means to be fit and well. Mosby’s Medical Dictionary defines physical fitness as the ability to carry out daily tasks with alertness and vigor, without undue fatigue and with enough energy reserves to meet emergencies or to enjoy leisure pursuits. The same dictionary defines wellness as a dynamic state of health in which an individual progresses toward a higher level of functioning, achieving an optimum balance between internal and external environments. I like both of those definitions because being fit and well truly means integrating all of who we are and having enough vital energy to function physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The title of this short article is walking into holistic wellness and I choose this title because I wanted to point out the benefits of something as simple as a daily walking ritual. According to a recent study conducted by the Ochsner foundation in New Orleans, African Americans are at particularly high risk of disease from lack of physical activity.


The major findings:

• On average, African-American men in the study were three years younger than the white men, yet African-American men's fitness capacity was 7% lower than that of white men. The difference is considered significant.

• On average, African-American women in the study were four years younger than the white women. Yet African-American women's fitness capacity was 3% lower than that of white women. This difference is not considered significant.

• African-American men were more likely to be obese than white men: 44% vs. 33%.

• African-American women were more likely to be obese than white women: 37% vs. 27%.

• African-American women were also more likely than white women to be severely obese: 19% vs. 11%.

The study notes that the best predictor for premature death is poor physical fitness. Developing a walking routine takes about 20- 30 minutes of your day and is a great way to start developing overall physical fitness. We must banish the myth that in order to be physical fit you must join the gym or work out with the latest equipment. Walking into holistic wellness is free but the rewards are worth much.

Let me take the time to point out a few of the benefits according to recent research. According to Active.com walking will tone your body, put you on an emotional high and melt away pounds. All you need is the correct technique, walk faster and longer and you will definitely see and feel results. Researchers at the University Of Massachusetts found that people who walked everyday had 25% fewer colds. According to Johns Hopkins University, walking will reduce high blood pressure; the reason for this is that exercise produces weight loss and increased sensitivity to insulin (a hormone involved in the control of blood sugar) which in turn decrease blood pressure. Unfortunately, hypertension in African Americans is quite common, it is something we have come to accept and I say that it does not have to be so. African Americans have a higher rate of death from stroke and kidney disease. My mother died from kidney failure at the young age of 57, but she also suffered from hypertension as well, she never drank alcohol, she never smoked, but she also never exercised and  ate the wrong types of food. Studies are now revealing that hypertension treatment can begin with a lifestyle change and for many that will be the only treatment that will ever be needed. Take the time today to walk into holistic wellness. It will definitely impact your body,mind, emotions and spirit.

Fateria Johnson M.A. CMBFS

Fateria is a NESTA certified Lifestyle And Weight Management Specialist and Holistic Wellness Educator. She welcomes any questions you may have on getting well holistically. She can be reached at naturalhealth@its4yourwellness.com

www.its4yourwellness.com

The Importance Of Holistic Exercise

It is 5 am and I would rather just get a little more sleep, but I have come to enjoy the feeling that I get from my morning exercise . Sometimes I do a bit of yoga and then lift some weights, but the important thing that I am doing is taking the time out for personal development which not only affects my body but my mind as well. There is something quite empowering about making the choice to exercise, not because I have to or because I was told to but because I know it is adding wellness to my life. In our society, we tend to think that if you are not a member of a health club or gym then you can not really get a good exercise program going, but this is absolutely untrue. Some of the best workouts I have had was when I just put some music on and let my self go with the flow of the music, this was what I would term a holistic workout.

Taking the time to engage in 20 minutes of yoga is also very good for your mind as well as your body and will also lift your spirit as well. To me, exercise should not only revitalize your body, but stimulate your mind and spirit as well. Holistic exercise in the morning gets your mind and body in balance with each other and serves to prepare you for your day. Once you start this practice you will immediately begin to reap the benefits that holistic exercise will offer. Holistic exercise is light that will guide your day and once you light it, it will not go dim.

The more you practice holistic exercise, the brighter your light, the more energy you will have. Good health will only come when there is communication between each part of our body and mind, in essence when our cells communicate with each other. Holistic exercise promotes harmony of the body and mind. Another important aspect of holistic exercise is that it helps to reduce stress. With regular practice, you will strengthen the nervous system and build up immune response. Are you in need of just a bit more creativity? Holistic exercise will fan those dormant flames of creativity within you and create a spark of excitement and inspiration. Today, take the time for yourself, take just a moment to engage in holistic exercise, dance to some music for 20 minutes, take a walk with some relaxing music on your ipod, meditate, do yoga or tai chi; the point here is to explore holistic exercise in all it's many forms. You can start today, even if you have never done it before. You can start your day with that spark of energy and creativity that you deserve!

Walking Into Wellness Holistically

Today is a new day, I am thinking about all that life has to offer. A thought came to me as I was meditating this morning about how powerful a simple brisk walk can be in reducing high blood pressure. The beautiful thing about walking is, it does not cost you anything, just a willingness to be well, and there are so many benefits to this simple routine. lets start with some facts,

More than 35% of African Americans have high blood pressure, which accounts for more than 20% of the African American deaths in the US. (people are stressed, sedentary, eating the wrong food)

Compared with whites, hypertension develops earlier in life, and average blood pressures are much higher in African Americans.(this is probably due to the junk food diet fed to most African American children, and lack of proper exercise )

African Americans with high blood pressure have a much higher chance of developing heart disease, than in the general population. But there is hope! First, lets get an understanding of what hypertension truly is, and the underlying causes.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure is a serious conditions that affects one in three American people. Blood pressure is the force of blood as it pumps through your arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. The top number represents your systolic blood pressure, this relates to the pressure in the arteries, as the heart contracts and pumps blood. The bottom number represents your diastolic blood pressure, and this relates to the blood pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes after contraction. Many people are starting to understand the relationship between high blood pressure and stress, nutrition and exercise. I believe that these three elements have a major role to play in the severity of this disease.

Now that we have a basic understanding of what high blood pressure is, lets talk about ways to help with this issue. Studies show that with 30 minutes of brisk walking three times a week you will lower your blood pressure and help with your overall wellness. As a stress management coach, I constantly look for new ways to help other as well as myself relieve the negative effects of stress. I have found that yoga is very beneficial in doing this. According to DR.Sujit, M.D. DM DMB, Endocrinologist, Diabetologist, observed effects of yoga on hypertension include the following:

Reduces blood pressure to the tune of 10-15mm/hg

Yoga can help with weight loss, which in turn can reduce blood pressure

Regular yoga performers are less likely to suffer from hypertension than their age and sex matched counterparts.
Certain postures in yoga do offer controlled pressure on the kidneys and adrenals, thereby regulating blood supply to these vital organs which mainly regulate b.p. through secretions of rennin, angiotensin etc.

I also recommend the practice of Tai Chi for hypertension, let me share with you why; I like to think of Tai Chi as the prescription of meditation and focus. There is a relaxation response triggered by Tai Chi, which will result in decreased heart rate, blood pressure, decreased metabolism and slower brain waves. I personally practice Tai Chi, and it helps me along with proper nutrition manage my hyperthyroid without the use of toxic drug therapy.

So as we can see, it is possible to walk your way into wellness, if you are consistent and desire to make a true lifestyle change. As a holistic wellness coach, I have come to realize that balance in life is truly the key. with these elements togther, exercise, stress management and proper nutrition, you are well on your way to helping your body to maintain and heal itself!

Lets take a walk today into wellness.

Fateria Johnson M.A. CSMC CMBFS
http://www.its4yourwellness.com/