IS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM READY FOR WINTER?

I am writing a presentation for our workshop on Saturday.

BALANCE YOURSELF FOR LIFE – 3 HOUR WORKSHOP  WINTER WORKSHOP – I LOVE BALANCE & MANDALA MINDFULNESS.

The topics that I will speak about at the workshop are:

• Yoga and the immune system.
• yoga poses for the immune system.
• healthy smoothie for the immune system.
• healthy foods for the immune system.
• 12 tips to fall in love with your winter walks.

Some of the yoga poses that we will include in the yoga practice will be

• Balasana – childs pose
• Shoulder bridge – Setubandha Sarvangasana
• Intense forward bend – Paschimottanasana
• Fish – matsyasana
• Cobra – bhujangasana
• Bow – Danurasana
• Downward facing dog – Adho mukha svanasana
• Camel – ustrasana
• Legs up the wall – viparita karani
• Shoulder stand – Savangasana

Yoga can help stimulate the 4 main physiological systems that are linked to the immune system.

• The circulatory
• The digestive
• The nervous
• The endocrine

Yoga lowers our stress hormones and calms the nervous system. Through relaxation, the nervous system can tell the immune system to settle down and stop attacking the foreign bodies, which are naturally cleared out by sneezing. If the immune system is weak, external bacteria can go into the lungs and cause many different viruses. Yoga, breathing techniques will help improve the efficiency of our lungs and will help to strengthen the whole lung. This in turn helps prevent infection.

Due to our hectic everyday lives we are prone to runny noses, coughs, head colds, stomach aches and many other illnesses. Boosting our immune systems can reduce stress and strengthen our body’s functions and systems.

There are so many foods that can help boost our immune system and I will be talking about these. I will also be making a delicious smoothie which will highlight some of these foods.

ginger, citrus fruits, lemon,lime,orange,kiwi fruit, berries, celery, parsley, tumeric.

Other things that are very important to help our immune systems are:

• Getting enough sleep
• stress has been shown to weaken the body, so relax and laugh more.
• Get plenty of exercise.
• drink plenty of water.

Remember statistics show that it takes 4-6 weeks to form a habit.

Form a healthy habit for life and have a healthy winter

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HUGGING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

HAVE YOU HAD A HUG TODAY?

Did you know that on average people spend one hour a month hugging?  That doesn’t sound like much but the average hug is 10 seconds, so that is a lot of hugs.

• Hugging is a positive and powerful way of healing. (as well as laughing)
• Hugging strengthens the immune system.
• Hugging relaxes muscles and releases tension from the body.
• Hugging releases oxytocin into our bodies.  Oxytocin lowers cortisol which is responsible for high blood pressure, stress and heart disease.
• Hugging boost self esteem.

Hug someone today and look after your health and someone else’s. Hugging benefits the giver and the receiver.

There is no way to happiness, Happiness is the way. (Budda)

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO LAUGH.

Do you know that laughing is so good for your health

Laughing decreases stress

Laughing releases natural feel good chemicals (Endorphins)

Laughing helps the immune system.

So having said that, If you haven’t been to the COMEDY FESTIVAL IN MELBOURNE get along this weekend before it finishes.

Melbourners have a love affair with comedy. This is the 30th year and the festival is on for almost a month this year with 538 show to choose from.With something for everyone, the hardest thing is trying to decide who to go to. Tonight we are going to see Tom Gleeson. Looking forward to having a good laugh and looking after my health at the same time.

I LOVE BALANCE – BALANCE YOURSELF FOR LIFE.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND HAVE A MASSAGE.

Massage not only feels good but is so beneficial for the mind and the body.

• Reduces muscle tension
• Improves circulation
• Stimulates the lymphatic system
• Reduces stress hormones
• Improves skin tone
• Provides faster healing of soft tissue injuries
• Heightens mental alertness
• Reduces anxiety and depression

These are just some of the benefits.

Massage is great for feeling good and relaxing.

Used in conjunction with yoga, pilates and meditation helps us to balance our mind and our bodies. Helping us to find strength and flexibility to tight muscles and balance between our tendons, joints and ligaments.

 

Remember the ultimate goal is to

FEEL FANTASTIC AND HAPPY.

also

WE ONLY HAVE ONE BODY – MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

I LOVE BALANCE – BALANCE YOURSELF FOR LIFE

ENJOY YOUR EXERCISE

One of my top 5 priorities to keep fit and healthy for life, I believe, is to exercise a minimum of 30-40 minutes, 3 times a week.

The key is to make this enjoyable. Exercise to bring a smile to your face.

We are spoilt for choice.

Don’t waste your time doing something that you don’t enjoy.

I have been in the fitness industry for 22 years and have seen a lot of fads in exercise come and go. Others that I have seen introduced that are here to stay. I am very pro exercise but there are some types of exercise that do not suit everybody.

I have been to many, many workshops  and conventions over the years and I pick and choose what I want to teach. Usually if I don’t enjoy participating as a client or I have doubts about that particular exercise then I won’t teach it because my heart is not in it.

Fitballs are a very good example for me.   I was teaching a few curcuit classes at rebound gym in Narre Warren in 1996/1997 or thereabouts and I went to a full day workshop on fitballs in the fitness industry.

The background of the fitball was very limited in the fitness industry at that point, they were generally used for rehab. I loved the concept and brought 2 immediately. I would arrive at my circuit classes to teach armed with my 2 large fitballs, with lots of ideas to bring to my classes. There were many jokes and we would have a laugh at “WENDY AND HER BIG BALLS”. Since then I have always worked with fitballs and have a huge variety of exercises that I use them for, in my own training and my clients.

Just remember:

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.

Also

One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure its worth watching.

I LOVE BALANCE – BALANCE YOURSELF FOR LIFE

LIFE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

A great place to find out what is going on in your community is the Library. I went for a walk and stopped by the library yesterday and found all these fantastic things that are going on. The great thing is that a lot of the activities you can walk to.

Some of these are:

BUG: Bicycle Users Group. Apparently these groups are worldwide and they lobby to make cycling safer and easier. They have meetings and organised rides together.

PORT MELBOURNE ICEBERGS. You can join at any time. The meeting times are 8.00am sharp on Saturdays all year round and they even have a coffee afterwards.

WALKING GROUPS IN PORT MELBOURNE. There are two groups and there is even a report: How walk able is Port Melbourne. Top 3 ways that make walking easier in Port Melbourne: Better footpaths, 2. Safer roads and 3. Better lighting.

CAR SHARE There is a move for car share in Port Melbourne because it reduces parking demand and the number of cars on our streets,  Helps to reduce pollution, Improves health and well-being through increased walking and bike riding. Apparently there are 2,500 car share users in the city and growing. If you drive around 2500 km a year you could save more than $2,800 annually by making the switch to car share.

All this information and more just by visiting the foyer of the library.

SMILES ARE CONTAGIOUS, HOPEFULLY YOU WILL CATCH ONE TODAY.

I LOVE BALANCE. TIPS FOR FORMING A HABIT TO STAY HEALTHY AND FIT FOR LIFE.

TIP NO. 1:

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF.

Often we think that everyone else is more important than ourselves.

Make an appointment with yourself and get into a habit of not breaking your time out. Your appointment can be anything that makes you happy.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF TODAY…..

I LOVE BALANCE Balancing your body,mind and spirit for life.

“Give yourself permission to shine”

Smile and feel good.

Children laugh and smile abour 400 times a day while adults only average about 15 times a day.

Next time you feel stressed abiut something, Close your eyes, breathe and smile.