A few weeks ago I went to hear Dr. Andrew Weil speak. For those of you who don’t know him, Dr. Weil is a Harvard trained doctor who brought Integrative medicine around as a new way of thinking about how we age and support our bodies. In 1994, he founded The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, becoming a leader in the transformation of health care by creating, educating, and actively supporting a community that embodies the philosophy and practice of healing-oriented medicine, addressing mind, body and spirit.
Dr. Weil was in Denver promoting his new restaurant True Food, where the food promises to be fresh, flavorful and healthy. I can’t wait to try it! There is also the True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure cookbook. He had a lot to promote and talk about. You can read about his philosophy and check out his advice – http://www.drweil.com/
I was a little bummed during the talk; he didn’t really say anything new. I was hoping to be re inspired. For me, it’s not a question of whether or not I know what to do take care of my mind , body or spirit…but whether or not I do it. I guess I was hoping he’d wave his magic motivational wand.
However, there is often a pearl to be found when we think all we have is an old clam shell. For me, the pearl was remembering to breathe. Something so simple and yet, so easy to forget. Just notice for a day how often you catch yourself holding your breath. You might be surprised.
Dr. Weil claims that the simple exercise listed below, done when you wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, will change the way you process stress and will give you peace and insight. Try it for a month and then let us know if it really works!
- With your back straight, sit down, lie down or stand
- Put your tongue behind your front teeth
- Breathe in through your nose and count to 4
- Hold your breathe and count to 7
- Blow air out of your mouth loudly to the count of 8
Do it three times, each time.
How do you MindFULLY integrate your mind, body and spirit? Let us know!
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