By Jenny Loke – Ageless Grace® Educator
When Sharmilah suggested that I write an article for Big Is Gorgeous members about fitness, I was a little overwhelmed because there was so much I could tell! Finally, I settled on looking at what I truly want in a good fitness or exercise program myself. There are two things I look for; one for my joints to get revitalised and pain-free, and two, something that makes me alert, makes my heart joyful, and that puts me on top of the world!
Joints are very “Unforgiving.”
Joints can be very painful and refuse to cooperate, which can make walking, running, jumping, and dancing a major problem. Try sitting cross legged for 1 hour. Now stand and feel your knee, ankle, and foot. Or try typing for an hour and notice how your shoulder, fingers and wrists get creaky and stiff. Have you got friends who have major knee or feet injuries after a high impact dance or workout?
The Heart of Fitness – Our Nerves
Stress, major anxiety, poor diet, drug overdose, smoking, alcohol and lack of sleep affect the entire nervous system. Think about it, all the major mental and health issues, like depression, chronic stress, poor digestive issues, lymphatic systems, ADD and ADHD, MS, eating disorders, and mental declines like Dementia and Parkinson’s, etc. are due to a lack of concern for our nervous system and the brain functions. So a good fitness program should address the whole person, not just the body. It should take care of you overall and should be more than just muscle shaping, slimming and toning. It must offer healing wellness for our nerves.
Ageless Grace® 21 Fun Functional Fitness
Ageless Grace® is a brain and body fitness and wellness approach based on the science of neuroplasticity (Neural pathways that are composed of numbers of neurons (nerve cells) that communicate with one another through special junctions called synapses.) It is a fundamental characteristic of the human brain that makes learning and memory possible. It’s the plasticity; the ability of the neurons to change their connections and form, that makes certain neural circuits more efficient.
This is useful in total fitness because it helps the body to prevent, restore and develop efficiently to meet the changes and demands of our environment effectively. For example, a person may be using their left hand to reach for things most of the time. When neural pathways have been opened, their right hand becomes more proactive. Or when a person encounters a drastic life change, with the neurons working properly, they will be able to recover and bounce back quicker with a positive mind and attitude. Similarly, when a person takes up learning a dance or sport, they will have better body functions and coordination when their neurons are fired up and connected.
Seven years of research went into this program by the founder Denise Medved, along with a top US hospital, on anti-aging solutions through movement. Currently, it is in Australia, Canada, US, South Africa, Europe, England, New Zealand and in Singapore. You can see how over 700 educators is making a positive impact on people’s lives at www.agelessgrace.com.
It is for all ages who are interested in a fitness approach that works the whole body and the mind, instead of one at a time. Ageless Grace® is user friendly especially for baby boomers, seniors, and people who cannot do conventional standing fitness and dancing due to physical conditions that make them feel breathless, exhausted and their joints swelling with pain.
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