5 Keys to Happiness
- Be in the Moment
- Be Loving Not Right
- Be a Spectator of Your Own Thoughts
- Be Grateful For at Least One Thing Everyday
- Be of Service to Others
By Ray Chambers
Is Sitting More Unhealthy Than Smoking?
Did you know that 2 hour of sitting is as unhealthy as smoking 2 cigarettes? One hour of sitting decreases your life expectancy by 21.8 minutes. Men with 23 hours of sedentary activity per week are 64% more likely to die of heart disease. It only takes 90 minutes for the blood flow in the backs of your knees to slow by 50%. Sources-New York Times, CNN and Daily Mail.
Pose of the Month
Trikonasana – Triangle Pose
People are more focused on their body images today than ever. So many beginning yoga students are drawn to yoga because they’ve heard it does wonders for a person’s physique. Even though most serious practitioners eventually abandon their goals of changing flab to fab in favor of a more holistic approach to health, there’s nothing wrong with targeting a specific muscle area you know is weak or tight. One of the hardest-and most-requested-parts of the body to transform are the side waist or “love handles.”
Although there may not be a quick fix for yogis who are concerned with toning their side waist muscles, or “love handles,” there are clear advantages to working this part of the body. The side waist muscles (also called the flank muscles), along with the front abdominal, lower back, and buttock muscles, are crucial in supporting and stabilizing the lower back and pelvis.
This can be achieved through the practice of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). If done correctly in Iyengar style, the line of the torso from the side waist to the armpit should be flat, not rounded up toward the ceiling. It is the contraction of the flank muscles that keeps it flat, working to tone and strengthen. The side waist muscles (also called the flank muscles), along with the front abdominal, lower back, and buttock muscles, are crucial in supporting and stabilizing the lower back and pelvis.
Sometimes people try to strengthen the flank muscles by weight lifting. Standing and holding dumbbells, they side-bend to the left, use the right flank muscles to lift the torso back up, and then repeat the action to the other side. I’m not very enthused about this exercise because it creates compression in the lower back. With so many people past the age of 40 showing at least the beginning stages of arthritis in the lower back, further compressing it really isn’t a good idea.
You can strengthen the side waist by the practicing of Triangle Pose. But, you might ask, isn’t Trikonasana a side stretch? When properly done, no. In fact, the line of the torso from the side waist to armpit should be flat, not rounded up toward the ceiling, and it is the contraction of the flank muscles that keeps it flat.
Power Greens
When stocking up on spring greens at your local farmers’ market, keep an eye out for tiny 
shoots labeled “microgreens.” The seedlings of vegetables and herbs like arugula, cabbage, cilantro, spinach and radishes are popular with chefs and nutritionists alike thanks to their unique flavor, vibrant colors, and powerful health perks. For instance, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that microgreens often contain five times higher concentrations of vitamins such as C and E, and cancer protective carotenoids than their mature counterparts. They’re great on salads or in smoothies or pesto. This from the author of The Superfood Swap, Dawn Jackson, a Chicago nutritionist.
Yoga for All
Whatever your age or current physical state, a yoga practice can exponentially improve your overall health. Moving your body, focusing your mind and opening your soul on the yoga mat transforms your life off the mat. Yoga’s many benefits include stress management, breathing efficiency, awareness, bone strength, and improved posture just to name a few.
Yoga is not only for the young and flexible—you can modify poses to suit every body type and level of ability. In fact, Yoga Journal’s “Yoga in America” study found that 2.9 million American yogis are 55 or older.
Beyond age, yoga is infinitely malleable and can be adapted to benefit everyone from students with temporary injuries to paraplegics in wheelchairs and people who are permanently bedridden. There are no boundaries to the benefits and benefactors of yoga.
Meditation brings wisdom. Lack of meditation brings ignorance.
Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back and choose the path that leads to wisdom.
Buddha
