Movement is more important than exercise. -Revelation!

Did you know Movement is essential to keeping your body healthy?

Pumping of body fluids aids in removal of waste and delivery of nutrients to all tissues, including organs and glands.

Movement such as walking for example results in rhythmic stimulation to various systems:

• Joints only stay healthy through movement that creates synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid of the joints, no supplement can replace what movement can do for your joint health.
• The Lymph system helps rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials when stimulated/ pumped through movement, and it also carries immune cells to defend you against infections.
• Circulation increased through movement helps supply every part of your body with oxygen and nutrient rich blood, which is crucial in cell and organ health. You wouldn’t refuse to feed your pet, so don’t refuse to feed your cells.
• Cerebral spinal fluid bathes and nourishes your nervous system. This fluid relies on movement and deep breathing to be pumped. Who doesn’t want a well functioning nervous system?
• Digestion depends on movement, walking has a supportive effect on the peristalsis of the intestine which is crucial for regular elimination of waste, no need for a detox if everything is working like clockwork.
• Overall movement affects: metabolism, assimilation and elimination

With lack of movement the body becomes stagnant and toxic.
Although you would hope going to the gym after work would keep you healthy, research has shown that taking an exercise class once a day does not suffice in keeping your systems pumping and your body healthy.
My suggestion: try to include movement and position change into you day to day life, i.e. standing or pacing whilst being on the phone, taking a detour when picking up prints from the printer.

My printer for example is located upstairs in another room, so when I have prints to collect I get to move around. With Ankylosing Spondylitis it is even more crucial to keep moving around because the spinal fusions affect the body’s ability to pump the spinal fluid and lymphatic system due to movement restriction or pain.

Can you think of a way to increase movement in your job? Get creative.

Image courtesy of franky242 FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Try this next time you are out walking.
Next time you do some steady walking take note on how your breath cycle will synchronise with a certain number of steps; staying in that rhythm is very soothing for both mind and body. It is called walking meditation.
Runners will know what this is like, no need to run though…

In fact you would not even need to do classic exercises if you kept moving frequently through out each day.

If you still prefer to complete your daily movement quota during a scheduled instructed session, you could get your body pumping in my next Tai Chi Body Flow class that I hold weekly at the Heart Centre in Headingly, Leeds.
Everything in the session is about relaxing, breathing and moving the body slowly to tranquil music. Don’t worry, you don’t need any experience at all.

If you want to read about the benefits of pumping the body in more detail you can check out this article by Paul Chek.

I encourage all my nutrition and lifestyle coaching clients in Leeds to incorporate plenty of gentle movement into their day to day life. As part of their coaching they also have the option to follow a custom set of Zone Exercises that directly address their personal health challenges. I will tell you more about Zone Exercises soon…