3/20/2015 0 Comments what will you be doing at 100This is Jack Lewis, he was my grandfather and was blessed to live a long life,
Jack's mantra was to keep the body moving and the mind busy, Jack would walk and exercise daily, rain hail or shine. Unfortunately he was hit by car fracturing his pelvis, he was unable to recover back to full health after this event and he passed away at 99 just a few months before his 100th birthday. My grandfather was a pioneer in days of Physical Culture a popular exercise regime that began in the 19th century, The physical culture movement could be seen as the predecessor of the exercise classes that we love to participate in today, “Physical culture is a health and strength training movement that originated during the 19th century. The physical culture movement of the 19th century owed its origins to several cultural trends. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, there arose a perception that members of the middle classes were suffering from various “diseases of affluence” that were partially attributed to their increasingly sedentary lifestyles. In consequence, numerous exercise systems were developed, typically drawing from a range of traditional folk games, dances and sports, military training and medical calisthenics. Many of these systems drew inspiration from the classical Greek and Roman models of athletic training and were organized according to more-or-less scientific methods.” – Wikipedia Today many of us live a fast paced life, we eat processed foods ,often eaten on the go, Our working life and family commitments sometimes make it difficult to commit to exercise. The industrial revolution has now become the technological era, all these wonderful gadgets that we use today make us even more sedentary. It mentions above about Diseases of Affluence in the 19th century and I believe it is still happening today, though the diseases may different, our modern society is predisposing people to live a life of DIS-ease, many of us are not aging gracefully, we are not as strong and flexible as we should be, we are becoming frail before our time Jack inspired me to be disciplined, to treat my body as sacred, moving it, loving it and connecting with it, I suppose that is why I am so attracted to Yoga and surfing, both these disciplines tick all the right boxes for me, It is my dream to still be practicing Yoga and surfing well into my twilight years, how will I do this? Keep doing what I am doing now, eat well, keep my body moving, connect with my breath, keep my mind busy, enjoy fresh air, walk daily and enjoy the beauty of nature, find time to embrace stillness, surf and practice yoga everyday. WHAT WILL YOU DO KEEP YOUNG AND AGE GRACEFULLY? Here are two wonderful ladies that may inspire you Eileen Kramer 100 years old and still dancing http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/eileen-kramer---100-years-old-and-still-dancing/6291392 Tao Porchon Lynch 100 years old and still teaching Yoga http://www.taoporchon-lynch.com/ Miles of Smiles Naomi
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3/18/2015 0 Comments after the chaos comes beautyCyclone Olwyn may have unleashed her fury upon us in Exmouth, but the flowers still bloom. The leaves may have gone and tree branches snapped, but our spirits are not broken. It was so wonderful to see the community uniting and helping and supporting each other. Sometimes a turbulent event can bring out the best in people.
"Count the garden by the flowers and not the leaves that fall. Count your life by the smiles and not the tears that roll." This lovely blossom burst into bloom this morning, out of chaos we can find beauty we just have to open our eyes and look beyond turmoil. Have an awareness of natures resilience to bounce back with vitality and strength. "Vitality and Strength are gifts of nature for those who live according to its laws" Leonardo Di Vinci Miles of Smiles Naomi 3/6/2015 0 Comments IMPRESSIONS IN THE SAND “OUR FEET ARE OUR BODIES CONNECTION TO THE EARTH” Andrew Weil You must be thinking that I am obsessed with feet, yes here is another post about our feet!!! How many of us walk on the beach and take the time to look at our footprints. What do the impressions that we leave in the sand say about your alignment? Can your footprint be a barometer of your emotions? Next time you walk along the beach explore your footprints, before you begin your walk take a moment to do a body scan make a mental note of areas that feel tight, check in with how you are feeling, tired, happy, light, balanced or stressed
Walking mindfully has numerous benefits
“FOOTPRINTS UPON A SHORELINE, A SANDY PATH TO SELF DISCOVERY” Naomi Mallin Miles of Smiles Naomi 3/4/2015 0 Comments Love water A couple of weeks ago I had to have some blood tests done for a pre-employment health risk assessment. I decided to head up to the hospital straight after our Tuesday morning class. As you all know, here in Exmouth its best to get the hospital bright and early to beat the rush, in my haste to get there I forgot to have a drink of water and rehydrate myself after practice.
I am not one to make a fuss and I am pretty cool when it comes to needles but that morning it did sting a little more than usual and the nurse suggested that I was possibly dehydrated. She was right on the money with that guess, up at 5.00am to prepare for class, one and half hours teaching and doing yoga, walking to the hospital, sitting and waiting, blood test around 9.00am and no water had passed my lips. Just how important is drinking water for our health and well-being? Since your muscles and your brain are about 75% water, and your blood is about 82% water, keeping your body hydrated helps keep important body functions working properly. If we are not adequately hydrated it makes it hard for your body's systems to work efficiently. A few years back I attended a Reflexology Seminar (Reflexology and the musculoskeletal system) hosted by Anne Young a Perth based (Physiotherapist/Reflexologist). She explained that muscular and joint pain can be improved just by increasing our fluid intake. Water acts as a lubricant for muscles and joints; it helps cushion joints and keeps muscles working properly. The European Hydration institute says that “Appropriate hydration of the body is an absolute requirement for health and is essential for life itself. Water sustains the body’s many vital chemical reactions and maintains correct body functions”. Water is crucial for the health of our Cells Brain Heart Circulatory system Lymphatic system Digestive tract Regulating our temperature Kidneys Skin Muscles, joints and bones Read more http://www.europeanhydrationinstitute.org/hydration.html Also check out this great video from Melissa west where she talks about the importance of hydrating before and after yoga practice http://www.melissawest.com/staying-hydrated-during-yoga/ So for a healthier, hydrated and happier you sip, sip, sip away and let that water pass those lips. Your body will love you for it. Miles of Smiles Naomi |