Honor Your Body

As a yoga teacher, I tell my students over and over....honor your body, listen to your body. As a yoga teacher, most days I think I practice what I preach....I eat healthy,exercise, spend lots of time outdoors, meditate, breathe.....but you know like every one else, life happens.

Your plate over flows, the car breaks down, the stress sneaks in, and before you know it, you crash and burn if you're not careful. My body demanded I listen today.
Actually it began last night, with almost unbearable fatigue....and I think maybe I have picked up a bug. But, I have rested, gotten lots of fresh air and had wonderful grilled crab claws, amber jack, oysters and scallops and shrimp tonight. I am about to have a cup of sage tea with honey and lemon....and I have thought a lot today about honoring your body.

I realized that I put a great deal of effort toward my health and well-being. Many are not so lucky....we live on a farm, that means fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs. I have studied health and nutrition as a hobby for years. We drink herb and green tea,
we exercise, we do so many things right....yet Rick and I both deal with some chronic health issues. As the years have gone by, it has become apparent that staying healthy
requires a lot of effort! and even with the best laid plans, you still deal with genetics, past bad habits, and the luck of the draw and as hard as it is to face,
aging.

I have read many studies about stress, several nurses take my community yoga class, and over and over the phrase stress kills comes up. I think that we have let ourselves develop into a nation of worriers, that we have let fear and stress take over our lives, and our physical health as well as our mental health is paying the price. I know that at times stress overtakes our lives, but even at its worst,
we have to take care of ourselves.....we have to honor our bodies.
So, how do we honor.....drinking lots of water, fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and grains......fresh air.....deep breaths....sleep....moving our bodies. Do a news fast,
listen to beautiful music, look up at the sky, find one thing to be grateful for,
hug someone.

Tonight, with all the love in my heart and compassion in my soul.......honor your bodies.