Halleluyah Moments

KEEP CALM AND BREATHE

Posted on by pennyjoliver

 

What happens to our body when we are stressed? It defends itself, of course!

Amazingly, God has created us with an entire defense system that turns on as soon as we become stressed. Dr. Herbert Benson, a cardiovascular specialist at Harvard Medical School coined it “The Relaxation Response.”  Esther Sternberg, physician and author of several books on stress and healing, explains how it works.

 

Immediately, our heart rate speeds up and diverts blood away from our guts and to our muscles so we can run away. The pupils of our eyes constrict, so we can keenly focus on our attacker. The bronchii of our lungs increase blood oxygenation and convert energy stored in the liver into fuel for strength and stamina.  She also states that if we are stressed for too long, our body starts to release stress hormones and nerve chemicals that we do not want floating around in our body. That is why it’s important to our health to chill out as soon as possible. Perhaps God designed our breathing system with that in mind: that we might trust in Him for help.

Next time you feel stress coming on, drop and give yourself 10 long and deep breaths. Chill and meditate on this verse of Scripture and just breathe… let God take care of it all!

More ” Halleluyah Moments ” please!

LAUGH FOR HEALTH

Posted on by pennyjoliver

When it comes to releasing stress, more giggles and LOL-ing are just what the doctor ordered! Laughter is a great form of stress release and that’s no joke!

According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, data is mounting about the positive things that laughter can do. They say a good laugh has great short-term effects. Laughing doesn’t just lighten our loads, it actually induces physical changes in our bodies. Laughing stimulates many of our organs by enhancing our intake of oxygen-rich air. It stimulates our heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released in our brains, the “feel good” ones. Laughter also activates and relieves our stress response, which increases our heart rate and blood pressure – it gives us a good, relaxed feeling. We all know that laughter soothes tension but it also stimulates circulation and aids in muscle relaxation, which helps reduce some of the physical forms of stress that we hold. With less stress from laughing, some studies have shown that humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.

Chuckle often and consistently. It turns out that laughter is not just a quick pick me up. It also proves to be good for you over the long term. Laughter improves your immune system. Positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more serious illnesses. Negative thoughts do the opposite, as they manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. Laughter also relieves pain and makes it easier to cope with difficult situations. It’s a people connector and mood enhancer; it lessens depression, anxiety, and makes you overall happier as the Mayo Clinic states.

According to Psychology Today, pleasure can be so stimulating to your brain that it is primed to respond to pleasure in a way that reinforces pleasure. Your brain actually offers rewards to steer you on a pathway to happiness, and you can offer your brain rewards that will encourage it to become even more finely tuned and to grow well into your old age. Go ahead and laugh and laugh a lot, because happy people are more creative, solve problems faster, and tend to be more mentally alert. Now that is something to smile about!

Perhaps that is precisely why God tells us in the Bible to think on good things, as in Philippians 4:8. In Proverbs 15:13, the Bible says that a joyful heart makes a cheerful face and, my favorite, that a cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:21). He created us after all, and we are His children – why wouldn’t He tell us what’s best for us to live a long happy life?

Go ahead. Turn up the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh. Better, give up a belly laugh, a howl, a chortle or cackle or titter or a tee-hee and a guffaw. Laughter is good medicine. Laugh for your health because it’s no joke!

HALLELUYAH!

GABA BRAIN BUZZ

Posted on by pennyjoliver

2befddda7ed2eaca65af5cab8459c853happy brain

Feeling good after a yoga workout? Well, turns out you should feel pretty amazing! You see, there is actual scientific evidence that yoga has a direct effect on your brain. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and McLean Hospital discovered that even after one session of yoga, levels of a much needed chemical that is important for well being was raised in the brain by 27%. That chemical is called GABA, short for “gamma-aminobutyric acid”. It is a key neurotransmitter for stress release, and is often referred to as “nature’s Valium” because it is essential for feeling happy and relaxed.

All kinds of exercise can increase your “feel good” neurotransmitters – serotonin, endorphins, and GABA. But yoga in particular stands out as a proven GABA booster, according to Be Brain Fit, a consumer resource for information about maintaining and improving cognitive and mental health based on scientific research. Yoga is quickly becoming a popular remedy for stress reduction, and now we are understanding at least in one way how yoga does help in making us feel good.

Next time your feeling overstimulated, overwhelmed and your finding it hard to relax and stay asleep -do something about it! First, ask the Maker of your amazing brain for help- then grab your mat and do yoga! It’s never too late to get the GABA BRAIN BUZZ  and feel great!

HALLELUYAH!

YOGA AND MY MOTHER!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

0d4003e90ca330278c4ab0ccdfae06ddTHEIR HEARTS FOREVERYES!!!

Today, I must take a moment and thank God for my Mother!

It was a few months after my Dad died that my Mother began yoga practice at the ripe old age of 77! Never really one for exercise and never really into eating good or fitness, she took her mat and boldly entered a class of senior citizen yogis. I give her credit for just getting there. Lying on the floor and breathing weird with strangers has to be pretty intimidating in old age. Yet she never complained. She was happy, content, and thrilled at the prospect of meeting new people and making new friends. Unfortunately, 6 months later she became ill and suddenly died. However, a few of those new friends came to her wake. I remember her teacher especially. She was a tiny, able lady, bursting with gratitude from even knowing my Mom and reeking of the fresh smell of garlic. She was 86 years old. It was precisely at that moment, with out my consent, my mind took a snap shot. Little did I know I would visit that picture over and over again until I too would begin a yoga practice for myself.

Today, I am fifty six years young and a certified yoga instructor. I see why my Mom really enjoyed yoga. Because yoga is fun! Yoga is not just a form of exercise, it’s an experience! Where else can one roll around on a mat with your eyes closed and call it a workout? How about looking at the world from up side down in a headstand? What form of exercise encourages making funny faces while breathing or twisting yourself like a pretzel? Only yoga my dear friend!

It is hard to explain yoga to people. It is like going back to a place you used to know but somehow forgot. It’s a innocent place, like when you were a child in the outdoors, dancing in the gentle wind as the sunshine warmed your shoulders. Free of boundaries, free of control. and just flowing in the ever present, spontaneous surrender of your body, to movement. That is the yoga experience in words only. You must experience it for yourself.

Lately, I have come to realize that for me, yoga is also a portal back to my childhood. It is a place I loved with all my heart and I called home once. It is a place I could never forget but sometimes it is painful and yet wonderful to remember, and always worth the visit. My Mom is alive and well there. It is my childhood and I am my mother’s daughter again. That is the feeling I get when I work my body in yoga. That same feeling of security and purity, comfort and warmth, family and home.

We all begin yoga for different reasons. For me it was my Mother. I believe that in God’s immense wisdom He is able to use many different things in our lives to keep us going in the direction that He wants us to follow. Sometimes, I even think He makes us a portal back in time in order that we can move forward in life.

Today, six years ago, I woke up and I no longer owned the title of daughter. Although it was devastating, I thank God for the wonderful Mother that He gave me to experience for 50 years here on this earth. I feel intensely thankful and joyous for her. Today I celebrate her life and all the wonderful things that she did and all that she taught me. I celebrate knowing her and for her love, for being 77 and not giving up on life but trying something new. That was my Mom. That was my childhood and I visit it sometimes when I do yoga, with joy!

Happy Mother’s Day 2016

HALLELUYAH!

 

 

 

YOGA MAKES ME LAUGH!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

3f1054058df6b49e08a77deefef4d015LAUGHING YES!!!!

 

I can’t help it. Yoga makes me laugh!

Sometimes I laugh while trying to smoothly, but awkwardly, move my body into pretzel-like positions. During yoga, I also try to move my body into positions that animals naturally ease into. You know the poses; cat, cow, eagle, crow, cobra, butterfly and downward dog to name a few. There are also every day ordinary things that yoga wants my body to resemble like trees, chairs, triangles, children and even corpses! Unfortunately, most human bodies are physically challenged when it comes to contorting like that – and mine is no exception!

Did you know that in yoga there is even a lion’s breathing technique? I wonder how ancient yogis know how a lion breathes? You can’t help but laugh seeing a human performing it or try it for yourself. You cannot help but laugh. Funny thing is, more and more people are getting into yoga everyday. But, do I really need to be so animal-like and twisted at my age?

Let’s face it, fifty seven is kind of old for an upward and downward dog daily workout. Ask me if fifty seven was old when I was young, and I would have called it ancient. Yet, after years of dance, ballet, gymnastics, skiing, karate, and even winning gold medals and national championships, my daily workouts presently consist of rolling around the floor with my eyes closed while being up side down most of the time. It’s a change!

The goals of my workouts have dramatically changed as well. At fifty seven, standing on my head and splitting my body in half is what I aim for daily. Pushing up easily into a wheel pose or bridge would be nice too! I also wish I could look halfway human during breathing exercises. I’ve sadly given up striving for a sixteen year old body that rocks all the cool yoga wear too. Yes, it’s always good to have workout goals in mind. Unfortunately, unless I get a newer version of my body all of my workout goals are pretty much unattainable. But, I do have hope and I will always try. I am a very happy fifty-seven year old. I am healthy and have little strands of silver glitter in my hair. I also get up every day and look forward to doing yoga. I guess because yoga makes me laugh!

I can only hope that yoga makes you laugh too!

STRETCH YOURSELF!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

72e0d1160f729c5ea9b3cbb3df1bc7a6A BAT STRETCHING TODAY

Stretch yourself, do yoga!

Physical stretching, much like hydrating and proper breathing, can have enormous health benefits if done regularly. A regular stretching routine can help lengthen muscles, increase our flexibility and joint range of motion. Stretching loosens stiff muscles, improving our balance and posture. Blood flow increases from stretching for improved circulation, nourishing muscle tissues and flushing out any waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. An increase in our energy levels is felt and pain is eased by stretching. We may even develop a greater sense of well being. Now, who doesn’t need that?

HALLELUYAH!

 

WE GOT A SECRET MY SISTER AND I

Posted on by pennyjoliver

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I thank God for giving me yoga, a fit and able body to practice it, a mind to comprehend it, and a sister to laugh and experience it, the resources to learn about it, and the desire to share it with you!

My sister and I try to meet once a week for coffee and catching up on life. We discuss many things, especially now that she is a grandmother, but we always have something to share about yoga. It may be something we learned or something we have discovered about ourselves. We used to get together to only do yoga. Then we discovered it’s more fun sharing our discoveries with one another. It’s funny though, we don’t just do yoga. We are more “borderline obsessed” with it. Thank God for Google because we have discovered amazing things about how it can help us physically, medically, spiritually and more! I know only God is responsible for our health and fitness, but I would say that He is working in mysterious ways through yoga because we feel great!  We are in our fifties and we feel even better than when we were in our forties. Halleluyah!

Today, while talking,  my sister said precisely what I have come to believe, “Yoga is like this big secret that I have. I do it and feel so awesome after. I could be having a miserable day and there, right there after I do yoga, I feel so much better.” Well, she let the secret out! There is so much more to yoga than meets the eye. It’s not simply an exercise system. It’s also a health enhancer, an energy giver and an ailment reliever. It’s a God finder and a you improver and a journey waiting for you to explore!

Everyone knows that sisters can’t keep secrets. Yet, the secret remains true. There is more to yoga than what you can see. Won’t you give it a try?

HALLELUYAH!

 

 

 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

 

The Psalmist sums it up beautifully in Psalms, 139, 14-16, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”

Go ahead, take a moment. Notice your body. It was divinely created. We are all wearing a reflection of God’s wonderful works!

Mathew Henry’s commentary on this verse of Scripture states that,”…the wonderfulness of the human mechanism is so great that, if realized, it produces a sensation of fear. It has also been said that, if we could see one-half of what is going on inside us, we should not dare to move!

It has been said that nothing in nature compares to our bodies. Scientists have tried, but cannot duplicate the human body. What amazes me is not what we can do for our bodies but what our bodies are doing for us. At this very moment they are working around the clock for us: breathing, cleansing, pumping blood, regenerating,  flushing out toxins, and a whole lot more! The wisdom God bestowed upon our bodies to automatically keep us going is staggering. With over 600 muscles, 206 bones, and 7 miles of nerve fibers, our bodies continually work for us even as we sleep. As you are reading this, our hearts are pumping blood to our blood vessels. By the end of today, our hearts will have pumped over 19,000 miles. That is four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. Did you know that each of our ears has over 24,000 tissues so we can hear? Our eyes have 100 million receptors so we can see the world. In our brains live more than 100 billion cells. Approximately, each one of us has more brain cells in our brains than the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Fortunately for us, our lungs were designed to breath for us.

Did you notice? Our bodies are also striving to be fit. They know how. We are a totally self cleansing, self healing and self maintaining masterpiece!

HALLELUYAH!

 

 

WHY NOT YOGA?

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Why yoga, you might ask? The real question we all should be asking is: why not yoga?

There are 20 million people practicing various forms of yoga in the U.S. today. There is a growing number of case studies, polls, and the entire medical community talking about yoga’s potential to help, prevent, heal, or alleviate specific conditions. Yoga is also beneficial as a technique for relieving stress and coping with chronic conditions or disabilities. Most studies publish results that yoga is not only a form of exercise, but can act as a treatment and as a preventative form of medicine and healthcare.

Yoga is already a commonly used mind-body intervention for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and post traumatic stress. It’s used as a therapy for asthma and arthritis. It’s proving to be effective in cognitive problems and fatigue in cancer survivors. It’s proving that yoga can be an effective strategy in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cardiac function and also COPD , migraines, metabolic syndrome, restless leg syndrome and weight management.  It can be a management for hypertension, menopause, GERD, and chronic heart failure, stress management and fatigue. It can also aid in chronic pain such as back and neck pain. It improves sleep and helps with all stages of pregnancy. Seniors get stronger, flexible and balanced, as does anyone practicing this form of exercise.

As you can see the benefits of yoga are phenomenal and growing. Anyone can do yoga and reap it’s rewards. You don’t need to be fit or flexible either. If you can breathe, you can do it! What do you need to know to get started? Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Don’t let anyone fool you. It’s not much harder than that. Let go and let God show you how good you can truly feel from the inside out!