7 Instant Health-Boosters:

Written by Wellness Club on February 24, 2011 – 10:36 am -

7 Instant Health-Boosters:

 

Dr. Myatt’s 60-Second Rejuvenation Routine

 

Who says better health has to be expensive, complicated or time-consuming?

 

Imagine better circulation and nerve flow, a relaxed back, neck and shoulders, plus better thinking and attitude, in only 60 seconds!

By stringing together 7 simple “mini exercises,” Dr. Myatt’s 60-Second Rejuvenation Routine can make a profound positive impact on your health.

All together, this series of moves takes about 60 seconds. No exercise equipment or gym membership is required. No special clothing. Doesn’t matter the weather.

Sixty seconds. Free. Easy. Let’s get going…

Dr. Myatt’s 60-Second Health Rejuvenation Routine

We will be combining the following 7 techniques: posture, deep breathing, stretching, visualization, affirmation, smiling, laughing

Here is the sequence:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly flexed. Take a deep breath. Exhale.

1.) Stretch (rag doll roll-up). Keeping your knees flexed, slowly bend and touch the floor (or at least aim for the floor). Feel the stretch in your legs (back of) and lower back. This should feel good. Let yourself hang like a “rag doll.”

Then slowly roll your way up to a standing position, feeling the stretch as it moves up your spine.

At the top of the stretch, assume a tall-standing, straight posture. (see #2 below).

Why it Works:

This stretch engages the hamstrings (back of legs), paraspinal muscles (muscles on either side of the spine), shoulders and neck. It limbers the entire back and helps counter the effects of prolonged sitting. This stretch also helps prevent and correct low back pain, which can be due to a tightening of muscles from sitting in a fixed position for long periods.

This exercise isn’t about keeping the knees straight and touching the floor; it is about feeling a good stretch in the back of the legs, lower back and spine all the way up. Pay attention to these areas as you perform the stretch.

Although it is possible to injure a body part by “too much stretching,” I have never seen this happen when a person pays attention to the stretch and does it to the point of “this feels like a good stretch.” By paying attention to how your body, especially your lower back and spine, feel when you perform the exercise, you are far less likely to “hurt” yourself. This is not, after all, an inherently “dangerous” stretch.

Do the stretch slowly and listen to your body. If it says “stop,” stop. Don’t push it. This is not a competitive sport. You don’t win points for touching the floor with locked-straight knees. If you push too hard, this won’t feel wonderful (like it should) and it is possible to hurt yourself. Go slow and enjoy the stretch.

Do It Right:

Consult a physician before doing this move IF you have any history of low back injury or disc herniation. Although this type of stretching usually helps low back pain, even the type of pain caused by disc herniation, it is best to work with an orthopedic physician and get “clearance” for this move if you have a history of back injury. That and “go slow and enjoy the stretch” are really the only two caveats.

Be SURE to stop the exercise OR bend you knees more if your feel pain. A good stretch should feel good, not bad. Try flexing your knees more if you feel pain in your back or legs. Stop if discomfort persists.

If you are too fat, inflexible or for whatever reason can’t comfortably perform this exercise standing, try one of these variations:

I.) Standing stretch while hanging on to furniture (or exercise bar):

II.) Same stretch, sitting in a chair:

2.) Posture: at the top of the “rag doll roll-up,” rotate shoulders to a full / tall upright standing position, tuck hips under and assume good posture.

Why It Works

Good upright posture allows the internal organs to assume a normal position. This in turn allows them to function normally.

Sitting tends to encourage slouching. Slouching compresses the diaphragm and internal organs and leads to shallow breathing.

Using the muscles of good posture exercises them, encouraging better muscle tone and more good posture.

Good posture gives an instant “body lift,” making you taller, flatter (pulls the belly in), decreases appearance of double-chin. In addition to the health benefits of good posture, you get an immediate “good looks” benefits. What’s not to love?

Do It Right

You may want to assume this posture in front of a mirror a few times in order to get the “feel” of standing up straight. Look at the following picture and make sure you are aligning yourself correctly.

3.) Breathe: Take 3 deep breaths as follows.

Breathe in as deeply as you can through your nose, hold for a count of 3 or 5 or whatever is comfortable, then exhale as completely as you can through your mouth. Repeat two more times.

Do It Right

Place one hand on your stomach at waist level. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Your stomach should expand with your breath. Feeling this expansion with your hand ensures that you are breathing deeply. When you exhale, you should feel your stomach get smaller like letting the air out of a balloon. After you are familiar with how it feels to deep breath, you will not have to put your hand on your stomach for the breathing part of the exercise.

Pic 1: the exhale. Pic 2: belly should expand on inhalation.

Why It Works

People tend to breathe shallowly when under stress. Sitting for prolonged periods also contributes to shallow breathing. Shallow breathing leads to decreased oxygenation.

Deep breathing helps increase oxygenation, giving the body a near-instant “oxygen boost.” If this makes you feel light-headed, you are probably oxygen-deprived. Enjoy the natural buzz. It is a good sign that you are getting more oxygen.

4.) Visualization - Think an uplifting thought —- even something simple like “I’m taking one minute to do a good thing for my health and it feels good.”

Why It Works

“We create what we think.” Think a bummer thought and you send a blast of “bummer” nerve energy and hormones throughout your body. Send a blast of worry or fear and you do the same. But this “thought shot” works both ways.

Think an uplifting thought —- even something as simple as “I’m taking one minute to do a good thing for my health and it feels good,” and you create a blast of goodness —- neurotransmitters and nerve flow — that give you a “shot” of upliftment and refreshment.

In other words, regardless of whether you think a positive thought or a negative thought, you give yourself a little chemical and nervous “shot.” Make this work to your favor by taking time to think a good thought.

Do It Right

Thoughts translate directly into physical function. In order to understand this better, please get a copy of my presentation “The Body/Mind Connection” DVD and watch it. I guarantee you will have “ah ha!” moments or your money back. And when you understand how the Body/Mind connection really works (the scientific understanding), your visualizations will become even more powerful.

5.) Affirmation – Speak or whisper a positive thought — like “Good for Me!” — out loud. (That would be your “insider code” for “That felt good and I’m glad I did it because it was good for me”). Or use any similar, positive phrase that feels right to you.

Why It Works

What we say — the actual act of speaking aloud — “feeds back” into our subconscious mind is a manner similar to visualization.

Do It Right

Some studies have shown that affirmations don’t work when we say things we don’t believe. The subconscious mind apparently rejects such affirmations as untrue. So aim small — and true.

“Good for Me” is a statement of fact. “That felt good and was good for me” might be another. “I absolutely LOVE this job” (that I’m taking a break from) if you DON’T love the job will not be as helpful as a simple uplifting thought, spoken with conviction. Don’t lie to yourself. It doesn’t work.

As I mentioned with visualization, I recommend that you get a copy of my presentation “The Body/Mind Connection” DVD and watch it. I guarantee you will have “ah ha”! moments or your money back. And when you understand how the Body/Mind connection really works (the scientific understanding), your visualizations and affirmations will become even more powerful.

6.) Smile – “just do it.”

Why It Works

Smiling has been found to have positive health benefits including improved mood, even when participants gave a “fake smile.” Scientists believe this may be due to nervous system connections we develop from earliest childhood. Most people appear to have an “automatic” connection between a smile and a good feeling behind it.

Do It Right

Good news. There is no way to do this wrong. “Just do it” — smile — and you’ll reap the benefits.

7.) Laugh. Out loud. This doesn’t have to be a belly laugh (although it can be!), a chuckle will do. Like the relationship between visualization and affirmation, laughing is the companion to smiling.

Why It Works

Unknown. However, laughing appears to be a deep human emotion-response, crossing language barriers. This may mean that the act of laughing is something associated with good feeling, right down to the level of our DNA.

Some studies have shown that laughing decreases blood pressure, increases immune globulin (improves immunity), decreases anxiety, increases circulation and oxygenation and gives the diaphragm and breathing apparatus a work-out.

Although results are inconclusive about the many benefits, no negative effects have ever been identified in association with laughter. In other words, it will either help you or it won’t, but it doesn’t hurt!

Do It Right

Good news again… There is no way to do this wrong. “Just do it” — laugh — and you’ll reap the benefits.

If you’re having trouble getting started, imagine a humorous situation, recall a funny joke, or think about how ridiculous it is to be laughing by yourself over nothing. Or just fake a laugh, like an actor laughing for a part.

8.) BONUS point if you have a mirror and you smile at yourself OR you smile at another person upon completion of the exercise, give yourself a bonus point. Remember, “Keep smiling. It makes people wonder what you’ve been up to!”

Summary

There you have it. Seven simple, free, nearly instant things you can do to improve your mental and physical health. When you string them together, you have a “mini rejuvenation” program in just around 60 seconds.

Try the exercise at least 3 times per day to start. (Wow, a whole 3 minutes a day to help yourself feel better. Can you afford the time?)

Don’t rush. Take your time and enjoy the wonderful feelings of a good back stretch, a tall posture, a deep breath, a good thought and affirmation, topped with a smile and a laugh.

All free. All easy.

All in just 60 seconds.

 Print This Post
Posted in Family Health | Comments Off