“What do I need to do to stay healthy besides my PostureMenu?” is one of the most common questions I get asked. Our clients already understand the value of their Postural alignment menu. However they are often confused about what else to focus on in order to maintain their health over the long term.
I often get comments like; “I really enjoy my menu. I feel lighter on my feet, balanced and centered when I finish, but the exercises are so gentle, shouldn’t I be doing more of a workout?”
The answer of course depends on quite a few things. Here are some basic guidelines. Any of you who would like a recommendation more specific to your circumstances please, send us your questions. We’ll answer them here or contact you directly.
1. Your menu is first and foremost. The key to musculo-skeletal health is maintaining fluid movement and alignment of all the joints of the body. A specifically designed routine to re-balance and straighten your body will enable you to avoid the aches and pains of aging, prevent ‘wear and tear’ of disks and joints and enjoy all your recreational activities with minimal risk of injury.
2. Light to moderate cardiovascular activity. When it comes to cardio there are as may opinions as there are different ways to get your heart rate up. Depending on what you are training for different times and intensities are suggested. Walking or a light jog (or a mix of the two) are the best way to engage your body and Cardiovascular system. As a general rule 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week. However, your intensity and time should vary based the level of fitness you need to maintain for your lifestyle. Function Run is a goofy looking activity but is a great warm up for any activity.
3. Your training should match your lifestyle. If your goal is to be able to walk to the mailbox and back for the rest of your life all you need to do is walk to the mailbox and back. I know that sounds a little flippant but it is that simple. Your training should match that level of intensity you expect of the rest of your day. On the other hand if you want to hike the Grand Canyon you’ve got a little more work to do. Just remember your training (in intensity and activity) should match what you are tying to accomplish but doesn’t have to dramatically exceed it. Use common sense and listen to your body and you will not go wrong.
4. Strength training – The same holds true for strength training. It should match the intensity of your lifestyle. If you want to do heavy lifting then by all means train that way. For most people a moderate strength building circuit is more than enough to maintain adequate muscle tone. Remember that strength is a product of function. If you are not functional, you are not strong…No matter how much weight you can push or pull. (please note: there is a HUGE difference between functional training and restoring function. Your PostureMenu will restore function, “functional training” will not.
5. Nutrition – This isn’t where I excel, however generally speaking a diet that is low in animal products (but not void of them) and high in fresh fruits and vegetables would benefit us all. In the future we’ll have a guest or two who can give us some more specific advice.
If you follow these few simple guidelines you will live a healthy, active and pain free life. I’ll be elaborating on each of these in future posts. you can subscribe to get updates as they are posted. Keep the questions coming.
