Bikini Body Fitness

Too Much Too Fast

Once you’ve achieved the perfect body—regular Yoga will let you achieve a level of peace and harmony that exudes grace and class

It’s generally agreed that it took the dinosaur about 165,000,000 years to become extinct. In the past 40 years my college degree (mass communications) is archaic, my principle medium for writing just barely exists, and parts of the print production process have literally been dumped into large pits and covered with dirt, much as the dinosaurs sank slowly in the LaBrea tar pits.

A big part of what I spent my life doing, producing magazines, is nearly extinct. Of course, old timers like me and Bob Anderson roll with the punches and adapt to the new mediums of communication, but it makes me wonder how such rapid and overwhelming change has affected our brain function.

Extinction used to take a long time because it took even more time to adapt to the new changes. Entire new species had to develop, with different skill sets. In the last 40 years the brain has had to make adaptations so quickly there has been little study how brain activity has changed. Yet the fact remains (and some guy really did this) if you put a jet engine into an Oldsmobile you’re going to live to tell about it.

Autism and ADD were not common 40 years ago. The entire field of antidepressants consisted of a couple uppers and downers. Obesity wasn’t the major treatable cause of death and disease in the
U.S.

You can argue that there are more people, diagnoses were not as complete, and it could be the mercury in vaccinations or the killer fats and additives we’ve put in the food. Or, it could just be too much, too fast.

ADD, autism and depression are all brought on by a dysfunction in the brain. Science has tied the stress hormone cortisol to obesity. Asian and Indian cultures have always placed a huge value on mental peace and clarity in balancing the body. Other less developed cultures live rather simply, much as they have for hundreds, and thousands of years.

Maybe it’s time we all, young and old, spend some time taking the brain out of this strobe-light stimulus and let it just relax, wander, rest. Practice bringing life-giving oxygen into your body, and stretching so that every inch of your body gets revitalized. This is called Yoga, and I recommend it for everyone, especially meditative Yoga.

You know that feeling after a good massage, when it doesn’t really matter that you forgot to pick up the dry cleaning or you missed the homeowners’ meeting? That’s how a good Yoga session makes you feel. Relaxed, able to take things in stride, see the bigger picture and celebrate your life and everything that’s in it: the people, the flowers, the colors, the scents, and to be able to enjoy them all from this wonderful vessel that is your body.

That’s what Yoga has been doing for millions of years. Put it back in your life and give your brain a chance to relax, recharge, renew, and maybe it will be better able to handle life’s turbo changes.

About the Author: Laura Dayton is the world’s most prolific author on women and weight training. Her newest book WOW: Women Only Workout, is a necessary reference for all women who will use weights to stay in shape. You can purchase it at www.LauraDayton.com

Disclaimer: The information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, or for medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or a qualified health care provider before starting a new diet, treatments or exercise programs - or consult with your physician about questions regarding a medical condition. If you are pregnant, always seek the advice of your physician before starting a new diet, treatments or exercise program.