Mindful Movement (Pillar #5)
The human body was extravagantly designed by nature to move. Humans have so many moving parts of this glorious creation called the human body. We can move and manipulate our arms, legs, toes, fingers, knees, knuckles, noses, elbows, wrists, ankles, shoulders, waists, hips, eyebrows, mouths, and our neck. And think about all the ways you can get from point A to point B, walking, running, jumping, crawling, rolling, strolling, etc. The ability to move is a glorious gift shared by all those in the animal kingdom. Similar to the previous 4 pillars of the elevate your vibrations series, breathing, eating, drinking, and sleeping, without movement, you could not survive.
The three major stages in human history that have led us to this current moment were hunter-gatherer followed by agricultural, and now industrial/technological. Humans have only been living in this industrial age for little more than 200 years, yet in these last 200 years, humans have made an art out of sitting. Sitting is essentially the nemesis of healthy movement. And we spend a lot of time sitting. We sit to eat meals, we sit in our cars, we sit in our offices, we sit at our computers, we sit to watch televisión, we sit in church, we sit a lot. And science has been screaming loudly for years that too much sitting can be dangerous.
Consequences of Sitting
People have been recently deeming sitting as the new smoking. One reason is that sitting too much has been linked to developing chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Both the cardiovascular system and digestive system perform much better when upright. Sitting can also weaken your leg and gluteal muscles and cause your hip flexors to shorten and your posture to worsen, leading to hip and back pain. Another risk of sitting is the slowing of your metabolism, which leads to obesity, which further leads to other types of chronic disease. Sitting has been found to slow your brain function and ability to concentrate. The longer you sit, the more seemingly easy tasks become difficult. Also depression and anxiety have been closely linked to sitting too long. Finally, sitting can cause you to have a higher mortality risk. People who sit more live shorter lives than active people. So get up every hour for a couple minutes and move around. Jump, stretch, walk, tai chi, handstands, shaking meditation, or whatever your body asks for.
Benefits of Movement
As there is a lengthy list of the dangers of non-movement, there are an equal plethora of health benefits from choosing movement. Physical activity has been shown to significantly improve memory and brain function for humans of all ages. Movement can aid in weight management while lowering blood pressure and improving heart health. A life rich in movement and physical activity will improve your sleep quality, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and bless you with an overall sense of satisfaction. Movement strengthens the muscles, improves flexibility and balance and ultimately it increases life span. Seems like a no brainer.
Knowing that inactivity can literally lead your body into withering decay while choosing an active lifestyle strengthens all parts of the system, I want to suggest two impeccable exercises that will elevate your vibrations and obtain maximum health.
Walking
Walking is the most natural form of locomotion for human beings. Since we became bipedal, we have spent millions of years walking. There are an incredible amount of health benefits from walking, which include in no particular order:
Reduces stress with the endorphins released leading to better moods.
Improves sleep due to the usage of bodily energy.
Lowers blood pressure and therefore decreases risk of heart disease.
Maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and strengthening muscles.
Increases your energy levels.
Walking can also be used as a social activity to deepen relationships with family, friends, or neighbors. Both people can keep the same pace with huffing and puffing, which allows for conversation and sharing. Walking outside amongst trees in nature offers more profound benefits, but the bottom line is that no matter where you walk, the more you walk, the better you will feel.
Stretching
Stretching is something that you find throughout the animal kingdom. Think about your dogs or cats when they wake up in the morning. Look at all the yoga poses with animal names in it. Downward dog, cat pose, pigeon pose, camel pose, dolphin pose, scorpion pose, elephant pose, etc. Clearly stretching is of primordial purpose. And for those who like lists to help conceptualize the benefits, here goes:
Promotes the circulatory system by loosening up tight muscles that have been putting pressure on blood vessels. This allows blood to flow more freely.
Increases flexibility and range of motion, which is crucial to delay that reduced mobility that comes with aging.
Calms the mind and mood.
Improves bad posture as a result of too much sitting.
Releases the same endorphins as walking, putting you in a better mood.
You don’t have to join a yoga class unless you desire, but you should have a mat and allow your body to lead you through a series of stretches that make your body feel looser and more vibrant. There are benefits to stretching at any time of the day.
Other Minor Hacks
Finally, here are some small ways to combat the sitting endemic.
Stand at your desk or sit on a yoga ball when at work
Walk over to a colleague to speak instead of sending an email.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Get outside and work in the yard. This has oodles of health benefits.
Use your bike as a mode of transportation to corner stores and places that are less than a mile away.
Dance around the kitchen or living room with your kids listening to groovy music instead of watching televisión.
Take a tai chi course.
Mindful awareness of loving your body through movement will naturally lead you into living a more active life and living a more active life will pay off by allowing you to live longer. Try to make the small decisions to be more active in everyday life to elevate your vibrations.
