Having a Happy New Year

It's New Years Eve and we make resolutions about everything in our life with which we are dissatisfied. To name the most common, we resolve to get our finances in order, our homes and jobs running more smoothly, and our relationships bettered.

But honestly if we don't improve our health, we can't devote the energy to fix any of the other issues. What to do? Well, we all know the right answer is to eat less and choose foods wisely, take vitamins and supplements, and exercise.

I am going to focus on exercise today because as we grow older it becomes not only a challenge but also a chore. When I was young, I had to run up and down three flights of stairs in my home to attend to my babies. It didn't phase me. I could dance for hours and not be tired, and I could lose 10 pounds without breaking a sweat. Oh for those days, but I'm almost 62 and none of that is true any more. Just trying to find the time and energy to go to the gym is a monumental problem.

Now I know intellectually that as soon as I commit to regular exercise, my energy level is ramped up, pain subsides, and I feel much, much better. The benefits of exercise, especially for the aging, (and who among us does that not apply to?) are extraordinary.

The ailments that accompany aging (including high blood pressure, arthritis, rheumatism and incontinence) can impact the intensity of physical activity but are the very reasons for staying fit, limber and active, so I have resolved to exercise five days a week for at least 45 minutes.

There are several forms of exercise that can be modified in intensity. Walking, jogging, swimming and yoga are all excellent for maintaining bone, joint and muscle strength and flexibility, reducing blood pressure and stress levels, and combating pain. I swim in the summer, work out at Curves through the winter, but this year, I am going to add yoga.

Recent research has shown that yoga reduces blood pressure, lowers pulse rate, improves artery elasticity, increases the heart's stroke volume and regulates heart rhythm. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the US, causing 1.5 million heart attacks each year. Yoga benefits the heart and overall health. It would certainly seem that yoga is a good idea for all of us especially for those just beginning an exercise regimen.

Originated in India and now considered a science, yoga has been practiced for over 5,000 years. What differentiates yoga from other exercise routines is its basic principal: that there’s a direct connection between the body, mind and spirit. The theory is that good health is dependent on the positive interrelationship of these three forces, and that balance between them must be achieved.

Yoga’s unique method for maintaining this balance is to combine physical movement with proper breathing and meditation techniques. The exercises are intended to increase flexibility, improve posture and put pressure on the glandular systems to increase efficiency. Deep breathing oxygenates the blood and induces a feeling of well-being. Meditation reduces stress and heart-harmful emotions like anxiety, hostility and hopelessness. Visit www.abc-of-yoga.com for information and products.

See your physician for a thorough examination. Discuss your level of physical fitness and appropriate exercise routines, including duration and frequency. Ask whether yoga will work for your exercise of choice or as an addition to another program. Modern medicine has certainly recognized its physiological, psychological and biochemical benefits.