Hi !! Recently I spent a delightful morning picking strawberries. Because of the weather and lots of people having picked a few days before my visit,

 
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Hi !!

Recently I spent a delightful morning picking strawberries. Because of the weather and lots of people having picked a few days before my visit, finding ripe, but not too ripe, berries was more challenging. At one point, I decide to face the opposite way as I knelt alongside my row. Immediately, many additional berries were visible!

Such a small change harvesting big results! It reminded me that changing our perspective on movement, asking "can I do this differently?" when we run into discomfort or limitation, can open up additional possibilities.

Have fun expanding your perspective this summer!

Marg

Move Younger: Interrupt your Sitting!

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No matter how well we sit in terms of alignment and skeletal support, the amount of time we sit is also important. More and more research links longer periods of sitting with several health concerns including increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and metabolic syndrome (involving increased blood pressure and higher blood sugar levels among other effects).

Dr. Joan Vernikos, a former NASA scientist researching the effects of no gravity on astronauts who spent long periods of time in space, is a huge believer in the importance of just standing up now and then. In fact, she argues that standing up is better than walking because it is the change in posture that activates the health benefit. Here’s a link with both a video interview and article that explains her research and recommendations: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/23/vernikos-sitting-kills.aspx

Unfortunately moderate, or even vigorous, exercise doesn’t seem to significant offset the risk. We need to move more—stand up frequently -- 35 times a day suggests Vernikos. And not all at once. It is interrupting our sitting that provides the benefit.

Dr. Vernikos also reminds us that many gravity-challenging activities are also fun: jumping, skipping, cycling, skiing. So play some games this summer and challenge gravity in your day-to-day activities!

Sitting Awareness Through Movement (ATM)® Mini-Lesson

Since we all sit at least some of the time, use a few minutes to improve your flexibility and coordination:

1. Sitting on a firm and stable chair, feet flat on the floor and your back away from the chair back: sense your sitting bones. Shift your weight from one sitting bone to the other, noticing how this affects the rest of you -- shoulders, ribs, head.
2. Tilt your head right, bringing your right ear toward your right shoulder, and at the same time raise your right hip a little, shifting your weight toward your left sitting bone. Your spine takes the shape of a “C”.
3. Put your right hand over the top of your head toward your left ear and then move your right elbow downward toward the lifting right hip. Keep facing forward, moving slowly and gently.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the other side.
5. Stand up -- and take a little walk, noticing your movement.

More challenging variation: Using a stable chair, sit with your right sitting bone off the chair, using your right leg for additional support and balance. Complete steps 2 and 3, even allowing the right sitting bone to go lower than chair level while raising your elbow toward the ceiling. Feel yourself bending side to side. Try it with the left sitting bone unsupported by the chair seat.

REMEMBER TO BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS!

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Summer Class Update

No class at the Corvallis Senior Center on Tuesday, July 2. Consider attending class that day at noon at the Yoga Center of Corvallis, 111 NW Second St (at Monroe) $10 drop-in

CURRENT CLASSES:
Move Younger: Tune up your Torso
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am June 11-Aug 6 (no class July 2)
Cost: $38 resident $48 Non-resident (pro-rated to start now) $8 drop-in
Chintimini Senior Center 2601 NW Tyler Ave. Corvallis Phone: 541-766-6959

We'll focus on movements of the spine, ribs, shoulders, and hips. Bring a blanket or mat please.

Awareness Through Movement®
Tuesdays 12:00 noon - 12:45 pm June 18-Aug Aug 27
$88 for series (pro-rated to start now); $10 drop-in
Yoga Center of Corvallis 111 NW Second Street (at Monroe) Phone: 541-757-3704

Ingenious combinations of movements within a comfortable range increase ease, flexibility and confident action for people of any age and fitness level. I am happy to respond to your interests!

COMING IN AUGUST:
Hoping to improve your posture and alignment? Ready for an alternative to attempting to "make" yourself stand up “straighter”? Join us!

Move Younger: Stand Tall and Posture Perfect
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am Aug 13, 20 & 27
Cost: $23 Resident $33 Non-resident $6 drop-in

For More Information...

Contact Marg at mbartosek@att.net or 541-286-4678.

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