Learning shouldn’t stop when you graduate from high school, college, or university. One of my favourite expressions is, “You learn something new every day.” With our aging population, so many studies are now reporting that learning new things can help stave off the debilitating effects of dementia and Alzheimer disease. How? “By strengthening the connections between parts of your brain…challenging activities strengthen entire networks in the brain.” (1) What’s good for your body is good for your brain: use it or lose it applies to your muscles, and, it seems, also applies to your grey matter. I tried a new activity last month: drawing. My daughter loves to host “drawing parties” with the family. We meet at the dining room table, and she brings out all her fancy drawing paraphernalia - markers, pens, pencil crayons, crayons, varied “how to draw” books, etc. And a colouring book for me. You see, my husband, son, and daughter are all fantastic artists. Me, not so much. I usually get overwhelmed by the process, so she knows that I’d prefer to colour while they create their works of art.
And what about physical activity? How does learning a new fitness routine affect your brain? Well, it helps. A lot. It "improves cognition and helps people perform better on things like planning, scheduling, multitasking and working memory.” (1) Another study reported that improvements in cognitive function, memory and motor skill coordination happen after just 30 minutes of exercise. "One 30-minute session of physical activity can improve the brain’s plasticity, or its ability to change physically, functionally, and chemically. Positive changes in the brain were sustained 15 minutes after exercising.” (2) Which brings me to Essentrics. Have you ever tried it? When people ask me what I do, my response often causes a funny look on their faces. As I begin my elevator pitch of Essentrics, they typically interrupt me with, “Oh, I already do yoga.” One of two things is happening in their brains: 1. they’re misunderstanding what Essentrics is, and jumping to the conclusion that it’s a type of yoga; or 2. they do understand that it’s different but they have no interest in trying something new. Either way, their brains could use a little Essentrics. Don’t get me wrong: I’m always happy to hear that people are active and have a fitness routine. And I know, not everything appeals to everyone. You’ll never see me at a CrossFit gym, but several of my good friends practically live at theirs. That’s cool. BUT, all I ask of non-Essentrics folks is to try it at least once. It is a great workout for body and mind. The slow, purposeful movements require you to stay fully present during the workout. In addition to improving brain functioning, Essentrics also helps with body awareness. I’m asking newcomers to Essentrics to at least try it, which is why Essentrics with Amanda is hosting an Open House Week next month. September 10th-17th - 6 classes in 3 locations are free to anyone who’d like to try Essentics. And there are 5 different workouts offered during the Open House - you can read a description of each here: Group Classes. If you think you’d like to try something new with Essentrics, just drop me a line (EssentricswithAmanda@gmail.com) to reserve your spot. Try it, you just might like it. And your brain will thank you for it. Essentrics instructors from across North America learn a new Trademark sequence from creator Miranda Esmonde-White. We're always learning :-) References
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This month, I want to highlight the importance of proper breathing. Take a moment, please, to roll your eyes and shake your head at this last statement - I get it. You breathe every minute of every day; if you’re not breathing, you’re dead. Let’s put aside the skepticism and examine the difference between chest breathing and belly breathing. These are the everyday terms for breathing: health professionals, though, refer to thoracic breathing (chest) and diaphragmatic breathing (belly).
Impact of chest breathing/Benefit of belly breathing So, what’s the problem? It has to do with engagement - or lack thereof - of your diaphragm in the breathing process. Try this exercise: Put your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your abdomen. Take a big breath by slowly inhaling through your nose or mouth (whichever feels more natural). Fill your lungs up and observe which hand rises more. (2) If it’s the right hand, that means you’re a chest breather; left hand indicates belly breathing. Belly breathing means you’re utilizing your diaphragm in the process. It’s an important distinction to note, because the diaphragm is intended to be the primary mover when it comes to proper breathing technique: “The thoracic diaphragm accomplishes about 75% of the inspiratory effort, the external intercostals 25%. Expiration is largely diaphragm and external intercostal relaxation/stretch, and lung elasticity, with some help from the internal intercostals.” (3) When you’re not using your diaphragm correctly to breathe (aka belly breathing), the impact is that chest breathing switches your body into a vicious circle of fight-or-flight that stresses every system in your body: “stress causes us to breathe inefficiently, and inefficient breathing causes stress.” (1) What happens to your body in the long term if you’re a chest breather most of the time? One result is chronic tension - you’re in a constant state of stress, and this can lead to migraines, neck and shoulder pain, backaches, frozen shoulder, whiplash, shoulder tendinitis, and hearing and balance problems. (1,8) Reduced lung function is common in chronic conditions such as asthma, COPD, and heart failure - all conditions that improve with a switch to deep, diaphragmatic breathing: “breathing exercises improve lung function by ‘stretching’ airway tissue and inducing the release of a ‘protective chemical’ known to maintain airway integrity…[deep breathing] preserves the body’s immune function and keeps blood pressure and heart rate in check.” (4)
Once you learn how to breath with your diaphragm, you can incorporate relaxation exercises into the deep breathing. In addition to modalities such as tai chi and yoga, Essentrics also incorporates deep breathing and relaxation techniques with phenomenal results. Recently, Essentrics creator Miranda Esmonde-White led instructors-in-training through such an exercise: “With each breath of relaxation, the muscles let go and allowed the joints to increase their mobility - far more than if they had forced themselves with a contracted muscle…Some of the instructors with tight shoulders noticed their posture open and their shoulders become more slender and far more mobile…As a society, we’re programmed to think that if we work fast and hard, we will see the results quicker - and unfortunately, we don’t take time to relax and breathe.” (7) How to Change the Way You BreatheSocietal norms tells us we should suck in our guts, not push them out; how do you reconcile that behaviour with expanding your belly during diaphragmatic breathing? Add to that the poor posture of our sedentary lifestyle - it isn’t doing you any favours when it comes to proper breathing: “A good portion of people go about their day with tight traps, shrugged shoulders, rounded backs, and caved-in chests, constantly sucking in their stomachs as they try to breathe.” (2) If you’re not sure how to start, references 1,2, 4, 5, & 8 (see below) offer guidance and directions on mastering diaphragmatic breathing. Different techniques will appeal to different people, so I’ll leave it to you to try them out and decide which method works best for you. I’ve been contemplating deep breathing (and how to do it properly) for over a month now, and I’m still trying to get the hang of it. So, don’t despair - we’ll work on it together. To be honest, I don’t remember to do it every day. But when I do, I always feel better, happier, more relaxed, less stressed, and full of energy. Isn’t that what everyone wants? “Small efforts go a long way when practiced regularly.” (4) References
Are you the ham in an intergenerational sandwich? Stress amongst the sandwich generation is mounting, and mental health experts are ringing the alarm bells. “When you’re caring for a loved one, it’s easy to forget about your own needs, putting you at serious risk of burnout.”(1) You’re trying to be all things to all people, and your physical and emotional well-being can get pushed to the back of the line. But, let’s face it: you’re no good to anyone if you’re constantly getting sick, taking too long to recover, stressed and anxious, not getting enough sleep. And if you’re physically unfit, it’s a safety issue for both you and your elderly parent: if you’re not strong enough to help your limited-mobility mother get in and out of the car safely/climb up and down the stairs/etc, you’re both at risk for injury. Not only will regular exercise keep your body well, it is also a great way to relieve stress: “Force yourself to get moving. Exercise is the best stress reliever. Not only will you feel better right away, the surge of endorphins that exercise triggers lifts your mood, clears your head and helps you sleep better at night.”(2)
Exercise is one form of self-care to help you manage sandwich generation stress. Other techniques include:
References: 1 & 2: http://www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving-resource-center/info-12-2011/caregiver-burnout.html 3. http://blog.ca.care.com/2014/07/28/8-ways-manage-sandwich-generation-stress/ 4. http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/prioritizing-your-fitness-isnt-selfish-its-necessary Image source: pixabay.com |
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March 2024
AuthorAmanda Sterczyk is an international author, Certified Personal Trainer (ACSM), an Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) Fitness Professional, and a Certified Essentrics® Instructor. |