EXERCISING THE LIPS IS RECOMMENDED

A daily yap session with your inner-circle

is important for your well-being.

Such talks are actually essential

for your emotional growth and mental health

Everybody

needs someone

to talk to

According to Jean Baker Miller MD, who co-wrote The Healing Connection, concluded that not having at least one close friend can contribute to psychological dysfunction.

"Those who didn't have at least one confidante showed the same decline in physical functioning and vitality as heavy smokers and the most severely overweight"

Eating and sleeping disorders, anxiety and certain kinds of depression - all can result from chronic disconnection brought about by feelings of isolation, loneliness and un-productiveness.

You can also add unhealthy aging to that list. One of the findings from the Nurses Health Study - an ongoing investigation of more than 100,000 nurses since 1976 - revealed that among the oldest woman. Those who didn't have at least one confidante showed the same decline in physical functioning and vitality as heavy smokers and the most severely overweight. Conversely, the more friends a man or woman had, the better shape he or she was in.

"Although the research suggests it's the quality of the relationship that counts," says lead researcher Yvonne L. Michael. She explains that close friendships "provides a buffer for stressful living that is likely to play out through your immune and endocrine systems, allowing you to age healthier." In Michael's opinion, having strong connections is just as important for health as exercise ...hitting the gym is very important, and as you can see there's much more to being fit and healthy than riding the stationary bike, working with weights or doing a Pilates class

...OK Group Hug

RIGHT..!

Here's a new feature The YIN/YANG THANG

...and even if you're NOT into the martial arts, I think you will agree, knowing the underlaying principle is handy, empowering stuff

...read on

The The Yin/Yang Thang

Enlightening facts, oddities and Aha moments that I have learned from various Martial Art masters during my many travels learning and teaching around the world.

#1 DON'T TRY TOO HARD -

...No it's not one of those unsolvable riddles (Koans), this simply means, when you are learning something new, most people tend to use more muscle energy, than what is required to get the job done.

For example: When you concentrate really hard for say a punch or a press, your shoulders tend to rise up and your chin juts out ...and what also tends to happen is your butt juts out as your body naturally adjusts for better equilibrium. This is not ideal for speed, endurance and combination of more movements.

My Recommendations: (1) Be aware of keeping your shoulders down and relaxed at all times by briefly squeezing your Lats. (by the way, a raised shoulder can be used in a combat situation but this isn't what we are addressing here).

(2) Keep the back of your neck 'raising' (elongating).

(3) Keep your butt 'curled under' by holding (a very small amount of) tension in your tanden (the 'center' of your body - located, approx three finger widths down from your belly-button and four inches in ...ideally, this is where the signal from your brain go's to, when you want to move your body in any way ...this is one of the skills you are learning by training in the martial arts, this will allow you to move fast with the least amount of effort.

The secret is to be able to 'feel' your structural alignment as you move (flow), so you can be springy yet, relaxed (aware) under any kind of pressure.

The TOOLBOX Tip

#7 Put pain and discomfort in perspective

When deciding to increase your fitness levels, you are going to endure some level of physical and mental anguish, especially if you are just starting out in the fitness lifestyle. When you perform any exercise that requires you to operate outside your comfort zone, your body is going to sound the discomfort alarm as your neurons shout for reinforcements to help out with the extra loads on your already poorly functioning bodily systems. In reality you're just gonna have to grin and bear it.

Taking a sauna or having a jacuzzi will help with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

It usually takes about a month to break through to where - what is painful and uncomfortable at this time, turns into feelings of positive productivity and pleasure.

A quick word of caution concerning pain:

There are two kinds of pain that if you feel, means you should stop what you are doing immediately, they are: a sharp stabbing or a ripping pain. Any other kind of pain usually means your body is just recommending you go lay back on the couch and resume your usual mode of excitement, that's not an option right? ...so just turn down that sub-conscious voice and turn up your resolve to achieve your (hopefully, written out) short term goal.

'till next time, thank you for your visit

Respect yourself & dis-cover

^P.

Mmmmmn...

I don't believe in

any of this CRAP..!

By the way...

HAVE YOU MET MY GIRLFRIEND?

She's one determined lady

she lays on the floor

with a pair of pliers to get these on

...I'm sure she's a lovely person

^P.