Health and Wellbeing for Seniors
Leaning teaches us how to balance our weight across our feet. Those who shift their weight to their heels leave the front of their foot without much to do, and the foot weakens.
Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart and put a soft bend in your knees. Lean forward at the ankle as if you were about to ski down a slope. Do not lean from the waist or hips – keep the lean in your ankles. This exercise wakes up the muscles in your toes and the soles of your feet.
If your feet feel tired after these exercises, that’s good – it means that the muscles are being worked. If your feet are sore, that’s not good – back off a little next time around.
Health and Wellbeing for Seniors / Uncategorized
You may have read Hillary Clinton’s comment in her book ‘What Happened?” where she describes a yoga practice – Alternate Nostril breathing. She says that it helped to get her through the challenges of the aftermath of the election. That’s is a whole lot of stress! In yogic language it is known as Nadi Shodhana, here are just a few of the benefits:
Reduction of anxiety and stress
Lowered heart rate to relieve tension
Revitalize a tired mind and body
Preparation for deeper meditation
Alternate Nostril Breathing – a beginners guide.
-Find a comfortable seat.
-Creating a long spine, take the shoulders back and down. Rest your left palm on your left knee, bring your right index to your right nostril, press down to close the right nostril.
-Take 3 deep breaths just through the right nostril. If if feels comfortable add a count, inhale for the count of 4, exhale for 8.
-Now change sides by resting your right hand down, bring your left index to your left nostril, press down to close the left nostril.
-Take 3 deep breaths just through the left nostril. If if feels comfortable add a count, inhale for the count of 4, exhale for 8.
The above is one round.
Repeat this pattern twice more to make three rounds in total and ease back into normal breathing.