As we settle back into the ‘norm’ and the post summer routine, we’ve concluded that rest, rejuvenation, and recovery should be the priority for this month’s focus. Everything from mood to physical well being are positively affected by taking time to mindfully connect with ourselves, as well as identify and address our needs to slow down and recover. In addition to optimizing results from exercise stress, practicing mindful routines or habits helps reduce stress, which in turn reduces pain, anxiety, cravings, and physical harm associated with chronic stress.

Fuel: Magnesium

This essential and underrated mineral plays a very important part in our body’s nervous system. It blocks the activity of more stimulating neurotransmitters and binds to calming receptors, resulting in a more peaceful and restful state. If you are feeling anxious or stressed, try increasing your intake of these magnesium rich foods to help calm you down. 

Foods that are high in magnesium are: avocados, almonds, dark chocolate, spinach, bananas, legumes, salmon, peanut butter.

Fact: Upwards of 50% of the US population is magnesium deficient!

Focus: Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation have many benefits, one being the ability to slow down the aging process. According to the EOC Institute, the increase in oxygen while meditating aids in rejuvenation of your skin and balances your body and mind while transforming your body’s cells and tissues. As many medical conditions are negatively affected by stress or originate due to chronic stress, it is important to note the positive effect mindfulness and meditation can have on stress management. Developing a consistent mindfulness and meditation practice can help improve complexion, stabilize mood, ease chronic pain, improve health, and bolster immunity.

“Heightened immunity helps the organ systems fight bacteria and viruses while preventing infiltration from those that haven’t yet attacked. Within an altered state of consciousness, or the alpha state, the body may also be better able to repair itself due to a decreased level of stress hormones. Total relaxation allows the cells to more easily reproduce for new growth and repair damage that leads to disease.”

Function: Active recovery

This type of workout involves low intensity, and often unstructured exercise that is considered beneficial after putting the body under stress. This can reduce soreness, speed up muscle building process, and help with burnout. As important as it is to work out on a regular basis, it’s equally important to complement that stress by focusing on recovery in an active way. Common active recovery can include swimming, walking the dogs, yoga, stretching, and cycling.

If you are looking for options to bolster recovery, FiT offers Meditation, Infrared Sauna, Sports Massage, Assisted Stretch Therapy, Private Yoga Instruction, and Vitamoves! Feel free to speak to your trainer or contact [email protected] for more information.

Meditation

“Mediation is about seeing clearly the body that we have, the mind that we have, the domestic situation that we have, the job that we have, and the people who are in our lives. It’s about seeing how we react to all these things. It’s seeing our emotions and thoughts just as they are right now, in this very moment, in this very room, on this very seat. It’s about not trying to make them go away, not trying to become better than we are, but just seeing clearly with precision and gentleness. Throughout our meditation practice, we will work with cultivating gentleness, innate precision, and the ability to let go of small mindedness, learning how to open to our thoughts and emotions, to all the people we meet in our world, how to open our minds and hearts.” – Pema Chodron