Yoga and Water

Today is only day three of my yoga self challenge, but I can honestly say it has already been helping me open up the physical and mental binds that have been blocking my potential and limiting my life. I have actually been experiencing forms of detoxification as I am moving my body in ways that I have not done in months. Between the twisting, the bending, the sweating, and the breathing, my internal organs are being massaged bringing more oxygen to the body, circulating blood to undernourished areas, and ultimately improving lymphatic flow. Its really a magical feeling!

Practicing yoga has many benefits for everyone:

• Powerful therapeutic tool for correcting physical and psychological problems
• Plays a powerful role in detoxification and elimination
• Retards aging and keeps you opened sexually
• Gives you strength and flexibility for other physical activities
• Can enhance your looks, posture, skin and muscle tone, and vitality
• Can give your life a sense of grace and overall well-being

Amazing. I love yoga. In fact I forgot how much I love yoga. I am so excited for what is to come!

I have been trying to drink lots of water this time of year, because water is, Amazing! It is truly natures ultimate healer!

Without the use of drugs, many people have reported healing themselves by simply drinking pure water. Dr. F. Batmanghelidj (try to say that name 10 times fast) says in his book, Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! The many benefits of water extend to every system of the body.

Mental and Emotional Wellness. Hydration helps relieve depression by replenishing the neurotransmitter serotonin. The brain, comprised of 85% water, requires more water to imprint new information. So the next time you forget something, drink a glass or two of water! As water helps with memory, focus and concentration as well as reduces symptoms of ADD & ADHD. The production of melatonin, the body’s sleep regulator, requires hydration; water consumption helps promote regular, healthy, restful sleep. In addition, water increases our energy levels by generating electromagnetic charge in our cells.

Anti-Aging. Water helps flush the waste from our body systm. It helps detoxify the liver and the kidneys, cleanse the bloodstream, facilitate good digestive function, promote lymphatic wellness, and regulate the body’s pH balance. These processes combined help resist early aging and keep the body looking and feeling young!

Healthy Skin. The skin needs moisture to perspire a way in which the body releases toxins through the skin. If the skin is experiencing dehydration, it holds onto what water it has left, halting the essential process of perspiration. This dries and withers the skin, leading to wrinkles and other signs of early aging.

As if anti-aging and great skin were not enough we also have more reasons to drink the magical liquid called water:

Pain Relief. Dehydration can cause exacerbate back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and other joint pain. Hydration lubricates the cartilage that cushions joints and the tendons and ligaments that hold them together, making for greater mobility, flexibility and comfort. This should com in handy as I am twisting my body into ways I have not done in months!

Protection from dis-ease. Even a 1% decrease in the hydration of the brain can damage blood vessels and cause plaque and bleeding, which is responsible for Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. By normalizing the blood, water can help treat and prevent leukemia, lymphoma and other forms of cancer.

Cardiovascular Wellness. Water is needed to regulate body temperature and blood circulation, so the next time you are cold, make sure you are drinking enough of that delicious H2O! Water in the bloodstream helps carry nutrients and oxygen to our cells. Hydration keeps blood vessels clean and clear, helping to lower cholesterol. High blood pressure is lowered when the body is properly hydrated.  This in turn reduces the risk of heart dis-ease and stroke.

 Weight Loss. Water is necessary for the proper functioning of our metabolism, which is the process by which the body breaks down proteins and carbohydrates into energy.  If our body utilize the proteins and carbohydrates fast enough into energy, they get stored as fat. Even people who may be overweight and retaining liquid may benefit from drinking more water, as our body, like a camels has the ability to store water when dehydrated as a survival mechanism for use at a later date. Water is also important for healthy digestion, as it circulates enzymes through food and helps nutrients absorb into the blood stream. When the body is properly hydrated it reduces appetite because we are more nourished with food and water circulating through the body. The National Institute of Health advises parents of overweight children to replace sodas and other sweet drinks in their child’s diet with water.

Water and salt prevent and helps to cure asthma. Asthma, which also affects 14 million children and kills several thousand of them every year, is a complication of dehydration in the body. It is caused by the drought management programs of the body. In asthma free passage of air is obstructed so that water does not leave the body in the form of vapor – the winter steam. Increased water intake will prevent asthma attacks. Asthmatics need also to take more salt to break the mucus plugs in the lungs that obstruct the free flow of air in and out of the air sacs.
Not recognizing asthma as the indicator of dehydration in the body of a growing child not only will sentence many thousands of children to die every year, but will permit irreversible genetic damage to establish in the remaining 14 million asthmatic children.

How much water should I be drinking? Since water is the principal chemical component of the body, comprising of about 70% of our body’s weight. It is important that we are all individually unique and require different amounts. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body’s weight in ounces of water everyday. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would drink 75 ounces of water a day.

Note: Tea, juice and milk and other drinks are NOT substitutes for water!!

Here is what Andreas Moritz says about water: Body Drought

Here is David Wolfe seeking out spring water: Avocado’s Spring Water World

Yesterday I was able to practice yoga for 20 minutes and walk for 50 minutes. The journey is just getting started but I am already experiencing a heightened awareness of my body.

I will check in every few days to let you know how my personal challenge is going.

Much Love,

Michelle

Process transforms any journey into a series of small steps, taken one by one, to reach any goal. Process transcends time, teaches patience, rests on a solid foundation of careful preparation, and embodies trust in our unfolding potential. ~Dan Millman

Please visit my personal site at www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com