Healing Through Movement – Seeking Pleasure from Movement

Over the past few months, I’ve been helping a friend of mine in her Chiropractic office while her assistant was out on maternity leave. Her patients came in and enjoyed some quiet time while they spent about 13 minutes on the TENS unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). During my time there, I started quizzing her patients to learn more about them, what they did for a living, and how much movement or exercise they did weekly. I found that they all shared some interesting similarities.

• Most of her patients were relatively healthy.
• Most all of them had pain points either in the neck, middle and/or lower backs.
• About two-thirds were very sedentary in their jobs or lives.
• Most of them wanted to learn more about how to move their bodies comfortably.
• When I showed them different ways to move, all of them were intrigued with the idea of a movement program.

What I learned over the years is that people move in very static ways. What this means is that they typically move in routine ways like bending over to pick something up or get in and out of their vehicle, reaching to retrieve something out of a cupboard or shelf, stretching when getting clothes on or off or making a bed.  Up, then down or out, then in.

But those movements don’t even come close to allowing the body to explore what it can and can’t do. The movements are done out of necessity, not pleasure. People today don’t take into account how their body was designed to move or how to explore where pain points might begin or end or how to describe the pain to others.   They don’t even play around with flexibility, stability or strength when they have the opportunity, so when mishaps occur, healing time is lengthened tremendously. People tend to assume that their bodies are going to be just fine with the few movements they engage in daily. But that is a recipe for disaster the older we get!

Today’s technology has given us every reason to plop down in a comfortable chair and stay there for hours on end. Remotes of various shapes and sizes control our TV viewing, stereos, fans, window treatments, fireplaces and even our cars! Digital devices (computers, smart phones, gaming systems and tablets) provide us with entertainment, monitoring of babies, exterior surveillance cameras, home security systems and the ability to start our cars…..all from the comfort of our favorite chair! With all these gadgets, why should anyone ever want to move? What is the cost of this lack of movement? Obesity, pain and prescription drugs for the rest of our lives.

Look at only a few of the startling statistics….

• Approximately 50% of US adults and 65% of adolescents do not currently get the recommended amount of daily physical activity they need. (American Heart Association)
• Today, two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of our children struggle with obesity and weight. If this trend continues, it is predicted that 51% of the population will be obese by 2030. (NIDDK: Weight-control Information Network.)
• If you look back twenty years, obesity rates amongst the states was less than 15%, but last year, the Trust for American Health stated that 41 states had obesity rates over 25 percent.
• Americans are consuming 31% more calories today than they did 40 years ago. And if we just took better care of our health and ate a healthier diet, we could save at least $71 billion per year in medical costs, lost productivity and lost lives. (Center for Science in the Public Interest)

Did you know that if you DON’T get up and move regularly during your day, your longevity takes a major hit, even if you exercise for 30 minutes each day!  The fact is, the more often you get up from behind the desk (if you have a desk job) and up from the sofa (if you sit for hours), the longer you will live!

So how can you appreciate moving your body more frequently?  It all begins with the following:

1. Learn to love your body the way it was created—perfectly in balance and with all its imperfections.
2. Be curious about your body. Take time to learn what it can and can’t do. This is where healing truly begins.
3. Take time and be willing to learn how your body was perfectly designed to move freely and comfortably—with fluidity and ease.
4. Be willing to create a fun, life-long practice of movement and never stop exploring your personal potential for movement.
5. Grab your friends and support each other as you move.
6. Adopt the 30/5 rule – for every 30 minutes you sit, get up, move around and stretch for 5.
7. Contact me for a free Health History consultation if you’d like to learn how to start your incredible journey towards a healthier lifestyle.  That one conversation will change your life!

Allow me to share how a fushion-fitness practice is very different from what you’ve ever experienced before.  Don’t just move–instead–experience movement! I’d love to share more with you!  Contact me for more information.