Author: Laura (Page 54 of 55)

Learn Tai chi for lifelong fitness.

12/08/2014 / Laura

(First of a 2-part series on the benefits of Tai chi for anyone 50 and better who wants a lifelong physical activity with important health advantages.)

Winter’s chill makes it easy to want to just curl up in a quilt with a cup of something warm and sit by a fire…throw in a cat for lap warmth and a dog to snuggle by your feet and you have a scene that’s hard to resist. Problem is, the more you sit, the stiffer you get, the stiffer you get, the more you sit. And while weather may lull you into sitting more the next few months, why not spend some of that time committing yourself to trying something new—an activity that will get you moving, your blood flowing and work your muscles and bones in a safe and gentle manner?

An activity new you can do now, or begin in 2015, and continue for the rest of your life.

For many of us over 50, it’s not practical or even desirable to consider high impact activities. Our joints just aren’t what they used to be. We don’t want to jump up and down on steps, run around a track, row an imaginary boat or climb stairs for an hour. But we want to feel good, and we want to extend our longevity.

Suggestion: Tai chi.

Tai chi has been called both meditation in motion and medication in motion. It’s an ancient Chinese martial art that’s also a holistic approach to mental and physical health and well being. There are many styles and forms of Tai chi, all focused on enabling the “qi” or life force to flow smoothly throughout the body. More than 300 million people worldwide practice—or as practitioners say—“play”—Tai chi.

Tai chi’s benefits range from greater flexibility and balance to improved bone density, a stronger immune system and lower blood pressure. (More specifics on benefits later.)

Most importantly, Tai Chi is something you can start at any age and keep doing for life.

Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Tai chi instructor Tim Murphy, who introduced me to Tai chi a few years ago. (I had never done anything like Tai chi before, and was well past 50.) Tim is a certified Tai chi Instructor For Energy, a certified Tai chi Instructor for Arthritis, and a certified Tai chi Instructor for the American Association of Aerobics Instructors. He has taught Tai chi for more than 20 years. He also is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer PADI (25 years experience), a Level 2 Ski instructor PSIA (10 years) and is certified to teach kickboxing for NAPMA and Yoga for AAAI.

Tim’s first experience with Tai chi was using it as a warm-up for a Karate class. He appreciated the softness of Tai chi in contrast to the more rigid style of the class he was participating in. Years later, he and his brother became more interested in Tai chi for the same reason many boomers do…to find a physical activity they could do for life.

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue to do a lot of the contact sports I had always done, like boxing and football,” said Tim. “My brother and I both wanted something we could do for the rest of our lives, regardless of age or health issues.” His interest in Tai chi has not faded over the past 20+ years he has been teaching.

“Tai Chi is like an onion, with many layers. The first movement you learn is the first layer. As you get deeper and deeper into the form, the onion principle just keeps going…you are still peeling layers off the onion years later.”

Tai chi is truly for everyone, and it’s especially beneficial to baby boomers and those with even more years to their credit.

“The skeleton responds to stresses. If you are sedentary, your bones are not being stressed and your muscles are not being used. But the human body is a wonderful thing. When you start to work in any kind of exercise, you body responds to the effort and increases its level of stasis, or fitness. So your level of fitness is directly related to your level of activity. If your activity level is low, your level of stasis is low because you are not moving.

“Become active again, and your body responds…as though it’s asking, “Why are you walking now? You haven’t walked in years!” This begins to raise your level of fitness. As we get older, it’s even more important. Consider degenerative diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis. We need activities that support and boost our level of stasis, without having a high level of impact that would be harmful to our joints. If you run a mile, and it hurts, you don’t run anymore. But do something that does not hurt, but is a weight-bearing exercise…and your skeleton responds positively. This is critical as we age.

“Our bodies don’t wither away because we get older. Our bodies wither away because we stop using them. Tai Chi is a weight-bearing activity that stimulates your skeleton but does not impact your joints like harder exercise.”

And what about the person who’s recovering from an accident, stroke, or injury? Or a bed-bound or wheelchair-bound individual? Can Tai chi even be possible?

Yes, says Tim emphatically. He should know, as he’s had students of all ages who face these challenges.

“One of my students was a 92-year-old woman who had fallen and broken her femur, and was now using a walker. When she returned to our class, I had everyone sit in chair, and we did the entire form seated. We were still able to do the arm movements, the body turns, and get the good benefits of the postures.

“I think many times we tend to be self-limiting, and think we can’t do something. People will tell you can’t do that because you’re getting older. If you accept that, it becomes your limitation. But you must challenge that. How many times do we see people walk again after an injury—and they had been told that wasn’t even possible?”

Tai chi is graceful, fascinating, relaxing and a lot of fun!

I’ve said before how much I enjoy playing Tai chi. Just the names of a few of the postures—part the wild horse’s mane, white crane spreads its wings, grasp the peacock’s tail—are enticing enough to compel me to want to do each move with as much fluidity and purpose as I can. As Tim has said before, it’s hard to describe how you feel after doing Tai chi for an hour: exhilarated; yet peaceful; tired yet filled with a new energy. It’s helped me in many ways. I love it.

Tai chi is for every age.
Standing, or seated, you can do some form or movement.
You can play Tai chi alone or with a group, and just about anywhere—on the beach, in your hotel room, at the garden, in your office, on a mountain trail.
You don’t need any special equipment or clothing. Be comfortable.
You can keep progressing and improving your skills.
There are many movements and many forms.
Feeling the “qi” is a very powerful experience!
Tai chi has multiple benefits for better health.

Coming up in my next post, I’ll share some scientifically proven (and somewhat amazing) health benefits of this ancient art, talk about “Qi”…what is it, what does it feel like, and how you can connect with it, plus share Tim’s advice for how to get started. Hope you’ll check back in!

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Give Your Time This Season.

12/04/2014 / Laura

The season of giving is upon us, and with it, many opportunities to be overwhelmed, depressed, and caught in countless traffic jams. As we get older it’s a little easier to understand Ebenezer Scrooge’s mood with all the frenzy that is happening around us. Or if we’re alone or far from family, it can feel very lonely.

A surefire way to turn this around: help someone. Give your time, your talent, and your wisdom to make a difference in someone else’s life.

It really isn’t that hard to do and it could be the greatest gift you ever give—or receive.

But what can I do, you say? You’re retired, it’s been years since you’ve been in the workplace, and you really don’t think you have any skills anyone can use.

Say that to Tom Frazier, director of Blues City Thrift in Memphis, Tennessee, and he’ll tell you otherwise. Just a few years ago, Tom’s days were filled with hard drives, software upgrades, and his customers who were often in frantic need of his company’s computer maintenance genius. (I was one of them.)

Then after moving on from that business and taking a few months off, Tom found himself without a next step—and he didn’t like it.

“My mantra for years has been that retirement is not necessarily a good thing, but change is,” says Tom. “ I’ve always felt change is as good as a vacation. I realized that I had forgotten that—so I made some changes.” This included volunteering to pick up and drive Veterans needing to visit the local Veterans Hospital. He also volunteered with an urban farmers market in Binghampton, a Memphis neighborhood.

But then along came an opportunity that Tom didn’t expect, but which gave him an opportunity to use his managerial skills and his desire to be of service to others—creating a nice, neat, quality thrift store where the proceeds go to help other Memphis charities.

In other words, a business that makes money to give to charities…hence the store’s tagline, “Thrifty Goods for a Greater Good.”

Tom started working with Blues City Thrift before it even had a location…as a part-time employee driving a large truck to pick up donated items and deliver them to donated warehouse space. “That was a humbling experience for me,” he says. Fast-forward to today’s Blues City Thrift…almost 13,000 clean and well-arranged square feet holding a range of items for sale. The store employs a few individuals who have had trouble finding work elsewhere, and also has several volunteers.

“I really enjoy coming into contact with many people I might never have met, people who are definitely struggling or just want to make their dollars stretch more. Maybe they need a $10 suit for an interview. Or they’d like their house to look nicer but they can’t afford a big department store. Blues City Thrift is nice, neat, well-lit and organized…and you can still get a pair of $2.99 jeans.”

Tom isn’t new to helping others. His past includes serving as a missionary on a voyage bringing books to schools in over 40 underdeveloped countries in Africa and Asia. He still finds being of service uplifting and energizing.

“At Blues City Thrift, we are sometimes offered items that we can’t accept, because our standards are too high. In those cases, we give dozens of bags of items to ministries all over town who serve the homeless. We recycle everything. The work is challenging and never boring…I enjoy it so much I hate to take a day off!”

For a person who is still employed full-time, donating several hours a week to a charity or organization may not be possible. But like Tom says, if someone is feeling left out, just sitting at home all day, watching television, surfing the web, trying to figure out what to do with empty hours…there are so many agencies and charities that need a person’s time and talent.

Everyone has a skill. That’s what we boomers are known for!

Maybe you know bookkeeping. How to arrange a shelf. You might excel at greeting people with a smile. Stacking a box or two. Pouring cups of coffee. Doing inventory. Helping someone get to the doctor. Several hours a week, a few hours on Saturday, whatever your schedule allows. As Tom says, it’s so important and humanizing to lend a hand to people who are having a hard time at the moment…and anybody can do it.

Don’t think you are too old, or too out of touch, or too set in your ways. I think nothing energizes us like getting out of ourselves and getting into helping another.

And research tells us helping others is good for us.

Studies have linked helping others to a decreased mortality risk, especially when there is a social connection involved. It begins a “cycle” of giving that continues in you. Generosity is a key factor in a happy marriage. Simply put, helping others feels good…and it’s good for your health.

“I kind of backed into this opportunity,” says Tom. “I had never even been in a thrift store, and now I love what I am doing. My wife, Sandra, is working here as well, so we’re together every day. In fact, we’re more in love than ever.” Tom, who is turning 64 this month, also recently produced a CD of songs he’s been writing since the 1970s. “Funny what you can still do!”

So give it a thought. Tis’ the season to give. Maybe there’s a part of you that would make a tremendous gift for someone else. Maybe in 2015 you decide you’re going to spend a few hours outside your comfort zone making a difference. Just imagine what you could receive!

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a second moment before starting to improve the world.”

Anne Frank

Letting go, giving thanks

11/27/2014 / Laura

So many leaves are falling…bringing up images of childhood for me…remembering orange, red and yellow leaves from several sugar maple trees that lined one of the homes I lived in when I was very young.

They were beautiful. They crackled beneath my bicycle tires. I’d press them between pieces of paper and use crayons to come up with masterpieces (at least in my mind).

Years pass and leaves have become more of a chore, raking, bagging and hauling to the curb. Yet I never pick up a rake that I don’t think about how much fun it was to run and jump into a gigantic pile of them. (Always remembering, as Lucy Van Pelt would tell Charlie Brown, “never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker.”)

And leaves also remind me it’s time to let go of the past.

Pack away the summer clothes and get out the well-worn sweatshirts and long socks. Wrestle the comforter back into the duvet. But more than that, it’s a natural reminder that things fall away, plants stop blooming, and people pass away. Life reinvents itself in preparation for the next season.

One of the most beautiful passages about this ever appeared in Bambi, written by Felix Salten in 1923. (Not the Disney cartoon version. This book is a beautifully written, deeply moving look at nature, humanity and life itself.) If you never read it, you might pick up a copy. If you did, perhaps you’ll recall this amazing passage from Bambi that takes a gentle look at death, rebirth and so many of the questions many of us still have even though we’re not children anymore.

The leaves were falling from the great oak at the meadow’s edge. They were falling from all the trees. One branch of the oak reached high above the others and stretched far out over the meadow. Two leaves clung to its very tip. “It isn’t the way it used to be,” said one leaf to the other.

“No,” the other leaf answered. “So many of us have fallen off tonight we’re almost the only ones left on the branch.”

“You never know who’s going to go next,” said the first leaf. “Even when it was warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who’s going to go next.”

“The sun hardly shines now,” sighed the second leaf, “and when it does, it gives no warmth. We must have warmth again.”

“Can it be true,” said the first leaf, “can it really be true, that others come to take our places when we’re gone and the after them still others, and more and more?”

“It really is true,” whispered the second leaf. “We can’t even begin to imagine it, it’s beyond our powers.”

“It makes me very sad,” added the first leaf. They were silent for a while. Then the first leaf said quietly to itself, why must we fall?

The second leaf asked, “What happens to us when we have fallen?”

“We sink down…. What is under us? I don’t know,” answered the first leaf. “Some say one thing, some another, but nobody knows.” The second leaf asked, “Do we feel anything, do we know anything about ourselves when we’re down there?”

The first leaf answered, “Who knows? Not one of all those down there has ever come back to tell us about it.”

They were silent again. Then the first leaf said tenderly to the other, “Don’t worry so much about it. You’re trembling.” “That’s nothing,” the second leaf answered, “I tremble at the least thing now. I don’t feel so sure of my hold as I used to.”

“Let’s not talk any more about such things,” said the first leaf. The other replied, “No, we’ll let it be. But what else shall we talk about?” It was silent, but went on after a while. “Which of us will go first?” “There’s still plenty of time to worry about that,” the other leaf said reassuringly. “Let’s remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful, when the sun came out and shone so warmly we thought we’d burst with life. Do you remember? And the morning dew and the mild and splendid nights….”

“Now the nights are dreadful,” the second leaf complained, “and there is no end to them.” “We shouldn’t complain,” said the first leaf gently. “We’ve outlived many, many others.”

“Have I changed much?” asked the second leaf shyly.

“Not in the least,” the first leaf said. “You think so only because I’ve gotten to be so yellow and ugly. But it’s different in your case.”

“You’re fooling me,” said the second leaf.

“No, really,” the first leaf answered eagerly, “believe me, you’re as lovely as the day you were born. Here and there may be a little yellow spot. But it’s hardly noticeable and makes you only more beautiful, believe me.”

“Thanks,” whispered the second leaf, quite touched. “I don’t believe you, not altogether but I thank you because you are so kind. You’ve always been so kind to me. I’m just beginning to understand how kind you are.”

“Hush,” said the other leaf, and kept silent itself, for it was too troubled to talk anymore.

Then they were both silent. Hours passed. A moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the treetops. “Ah, now,” said the second leaf, “I….”

Then its voice broke off. It was torn from its place and spun down. Winter had come.

*******

I’m grateful for the seasons, and how the light changes with each. I’m grateful for the fall afternoons as a child raking leaves with my father, who is gone nine years this week. I’m grateful I now have beautiful aspens and gorgeous oaks sharing their leaves with me. I’m grateful I’m here to see it all.

This year, I’m especially grateful for all of you who are taking a few minutes to read this. Happy Thanksgiving.

To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes

Preparing for Holiday Travel.

11/20/2014 / Laura

As the holiday week approaches and with it the reality that 44 million Americans will be traveling, I am doing my best to overcome the temptation to trade in my airline ticket for a frog and hop all the way across country. This is because of what happened to me several years ago in a major metropolitan airport. With sincere apologies to my hero Anne Lamott, I call this “Traveling Lord-Have-Mercies.”

They say it’s not the destination, it’s the journey…but after three days of being stranded in an airport, I have to disagree.

In this modern age of convenience, getting somewhere shouldn’t be so hard—after all, we’re not in covered wagons anymore wondering if we’ll make it over the pass before the first snowfall. Remember comedian Alan King’s hysterical routines about just trying to navigate the airport? I also have a vague childhood memory of my father relating a story about his father being stranded on a lonely dirt road in Utah and stopping to ask for directions. The local resident listened politely, scratched his head, and said, “You can’t get there from here.” I remember that when I heard it, I didn’t really find the anecdote all that amusing, though my father would laugh heartily upon each telling.

Funny how your perspective changes. The Donner party has nothing on me.

My story took place a few years ago, during a Titanic weekend at a major international airport, courtesy of an airline that for some reason, wasn’t particularly motivated to get me anywhere. Even now when pressed for details my heart rate increases ever so slightly. It’s akin to recounting a kidnapping or abduction. My only consolation is that I eventually escaped…as Dorothy exclaimed, tears running down her cheek, little Toto fleeing the Witch’s tower…”You got away! You got away!”

Never mind the sordid details: planes leaving earlier than they were supposed to, doors shut in my face, no one at the ticket counter to help me re-book, misinformation (okay, lies), rude agents, being handed a voucher for two overnight stays at a nasty airport hotel (“Yes, you have to pay for your room”), wearing the same underwear for three days, watching new customers board airplanes I was supposed to be on, agents unable to tell me why I was repeatedly bumped from the standby list, lying in a prenatal position, crying in the bathroom, airport food…no, what really stays with me about this whole incident is what it did to me mentally. Let me put it this way: I now understand Patricia Hearst.

I’ve heard of the Stockholm Syndrome, where captives are deprived of basic necessities, with no control over their surroundings, and eventually grow to blindly follow their captors. I never used to get that. But after being ignored and pushed aside for three days with no sense of escape, I began to feel my inner defenses break down. I lost my sense of who I was, or that I mattered every bit as much as anyone else in line. A blindfold and a closet couldn’t be far away.

All I wanted to do was to get on a connecting plane to a particular city.

And have a real meal. Change my clothes. Breathe outside air. Yet, it was clear as each hour, and finally, almost three full days went by, this wasn’t happening. And hey, it wasn’t my fault the plane on which I flew into this airport was late to begin with.

As I quickly passed through anger, disappointment, exhaustion, fear, new rage, resentment and amazement, I began to sink into a vat of resignation. As thick and insidious as any pit or quicksand, it was as though I was disappearing…from the airline’s wait list for each flight, from my fellow travelers who scurried to their planes, from anything familiar.

Like that crazy bug-eating guy in “Man vs. Wild,” I was willing to do whatever it took to survive.

I checked out every lounge. I walked regularly to keep my blood flowing. I looked out the windows and wondered what people who were not prisoners were doing. Finally, I bonded with a stranded couple sharing this life-in-hell experience with me. Together, we plotted our strategy: find one nice, compassionate person, grab his or her ankles, and refuse to let go until we were on board a flight to anywhere. Somehow, it worked. We found that one human being who actually took action to make sure we got on a plane. Never mind that it was going to the wrong city. At least it was going somewhere.

Giddy with anticipation, we literally ran down the jet way, stripped of dignity, restraint, and by this time, any trace of hygiene. Once in our seats, the overhead video screen turned on and began to play a commercial. In it, the smiling president of the airlines cheerfully began, “I hope you will think of us again when you have travel plans.”

You bet I will.

Being an optimist (or more honestly, a realistic optimist) I just know all will go well this time, mainly because I won’t be on that airline. And I actually do enjoy traveling. But I’ve had to be smarter about it for sure. So if you are preparing for an airline trek, be safe, be well and if your inbound flight is canceled, remember to make sure you still have reservations going outbound—or you could be taking a frog home.