One of the greatest threats to a healthy and vibrant life is too much sitting. We sit for breakfast, and after the shortest possible trip to the car, we sit for a ride to work. Or maybe we sit on the subway every morning. Up a few flights of stairs or into an elevator we go, only to sit down a few moments later at our desk where we stay for the next 8 hours. Many of us who work from home don’t even get the benefit of the walk to the subway – as our office chair is calling from a room just a few feet away!
When you sit, energy sits with you. When you sit too long your energy stagnates and blood does not circulate very well. As a matter-of-fact I think sitting is the perfect prescription for aches and pains.
Your body was designed to move energy and blood easily – you need only move it to feel results. Movement supports the body to regulate itself through distributing energy-carrying blood all the way out to the tiniest of capillaries.
Walking, as an example, is the most natural exercise for human beings. When we walk, we release accumulated energy of the upper, mid and lower torso. This makes space for fresh energy to come in and rejuvenate and recalibrate the internal organs. Your cells depend on the unimpeded blood flow that brings fresh oxygen and nutrients and takes away the waste materials.
When our arms move up and down, front and back, side to side we regulate energy in the upper chest, which is home to the heart, lungs, and thymus. These organs don’t like pressure on them and need to work freely to avoid overheating and overcharging. Arm movements liberate congestion and tension from stressed muscles and the vital pericardium which is the hearts’ cooling system. The lungs in general can help cool the heart as well, but when stress and tension are present, they are not as effective in restoring balance in the chest area.
Gently twisting our joints is good! Our joints need to twist to help release toxins (like carbon dioxide) When we walk on an uneven surface such as a hiking trail, we realign our ankles, knees and hip bones and bring them into communication with the rest of the skeletal system. Our feet need to bend and twist in different angles to realign the joints.
But walking isn’t the only way to effectively send energy throughout the body! Bending, shaking, squatting, squeezing, twisting and lunging – all crucial to bring energy in and out of the body! Try Qigong, or Yoga, or Tai Chi or belly dancing – these are all good ways to get that vital energy flowing, but you have to actually choose to do it and not just think about it!
The point is, your well-being depends on oxygen-rich blood circulating and not stagnating so MOVE your body with light-heartedness and fun to improve your energy and your health!
