| Fitness vs Wellness
Wellness is somewhat like youth; you are most aware of it when you no longer have it. And not unlike youth, we often try to regain wellness through physical fitness, professional assistance, and/or medication. Wellness is a personal responsibility and each person needs to participate in their own healing.
When the fitness industry is put under a microscope, it's clear that its programs are geared to those individuals whose primary desire is to change only their physical appearance. "Wellness" on the other hand should be summed up as a business that is designed to target individuals who are in need of lifestyle modification. The "wellness" industry is typically associated with a medical component. The medical component is an important element for maximal success in the healing arena.
What separates wellness from fitness? The goal of a wellness center is to include clients of all fitness levels * the out of shape, the injured, the over-looked, the unwell, and the overweight. For these individuals, the decision to get moving is a necessity rather than luxury. The advantage of the wellness atmosphere, are programs designed to benefit the whole person thereby improving that person*s quality of life.
Diabetes, Obesity, and Heart-related illnesses are becoming a national epidemic Illness and premature death are directly related to a sedentary lifestyle. Isn't it time to look for a way to Be Well and Stay Well?
The Magnificent Body offers Wellness Programs that guarantee results!!
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The typical human foot is an anatomical marvel of evolution with 26 bones, 33 joints and hundreds of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Like the rest of the body, to keep our feet healthy, they need to be stimulated and exercised.
That’s why we recommend barefoot exercise for fun and function. Stimulating the muscles in your feet and lower legs will not only make you stronger and healthier, it will also improve your balance and agility.
5 Key Reasons to Train Barefoot:
1. Enhanced awareness of the body’s position improves balance and agility – when exercising barefoot, thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information to the brain, improving balance, agility, body mechanics, and posture.
2. Healthier feet - conventional shoes not only encase the foot, they often press the toes together and limit range of motion. Barefoot work-outs allow the toes to gently spread enhancing their range of motion and encouraging your feet to move in a more natural way.
3. Stronger foot muscles – exercising barefoot stimulates and strengthens muscles in the feet and lower legs, improving general foot health and reducing the risk of injury.
4. Reduced back pain – barefoot exercise enables a more natural hip and spine alignment, helping improve posture.
5. It just feels good - we always stress how important it is to listen to your body – working out barefoot just feels good!
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Yoga Proven Effective in Complementary Cancer Care
By Jack Bleeker
The 21st Century has brought with it tremendous strides in cancer survival and the efficacy of therapies. Among the more important aspects of this progress is the implementation of integrative oncology as an effective model for cancer treatment. Integrative oncology emphasizes not only the use of traditional cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and surgery, but also complementary, non-curative therapies designed to ease the process of cancer treatment for the patient. These therapies can range from acupuncture to meditation, but have proven more often than not to be effective in assisting patients through the discomforts commonly associated with traditional cancer treatment. One therapy being incorporated into cancer care in recent years is Yoga.
The primary goals of integrative oncology are to achieve effective cancer treatment while maintaining patient comfort and relief of stress. Just as Yoga has been used for hundreds of years as an effective stress release mechanism for many people, so too is it now being utilized by cancer patients.
While further research is ongoing, preliminary studies examining the effects of Yoga among cancer patients and survivors support the efficacy of Yoga within cancer treatment regimens, including the combating of symptoms caused by chemotherapy drugs. Yoga has shown to dramatically reduce sleeplessness, cancer-related distress, nausea, and excessive fatigue.
Some aggressive cancers are difficult to treat with curative therapies. Many patients of malignancies such as peritoneal mesothelioma, choose to incorporate alternative therapies such as Yoga, not to supplant traditional therapies, but to improve quality of life and reduce anxiety associated with terminal disease. Therapies which can reduce stress levels and alleviate symptoms associated with aggressive chemotherapy cocktails and radiation treatments can be extremely beneficial not only to patients but also to family members and loved ones of patients.
This is not to say however, that Yoga and other alternative therapies are appropriate for all patients. Patients suffering with mesothelioma, should speak with their oncologist and other doctors to ensure that they are in good enough health to pursue any therapy which could induce mild stress on the body. However, support for Yoga and other well-being-based therapies is growing among the oncology establishment and many cancer centers are introducing sessions designed for patients and family members. If the ultimate goals of complementary cancer care are to introduce therapies which improve comfort levels and reduce stress experienced by patients and loved ones, Yoga will be at the forefront of integrative oncology now and in the future.
Reference
Bower, Julienne E., Woolery, Alison, Sternlieb, Beth, and Garet, Deborah.
“Yoga for Cancer Patients and Survivors.” Cancer Control 12 (2005): 165-71
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