June News / Sunshine

"Not only is it the summer solstice, there is a full moon. May love surround you like the sunshine on a sunny day." William Shakespeare

Summer Solstice is the time when the northern hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight, giving us the longest day and shortest night.

Let the energy of the Summer Solstice help you to balance, release, recharge. "Feel the soil's energy at this time of the Summer Solstice. Feel the energy of growth and nourishment that vibrates in the earth. Sense the expansion, the throb of life as it flows through roots and stems." Arin Murphy-Hiscock.

"This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year's threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future: the place of caught breath, the door of a vanished house left ajar." Margaret Atwood.

The summer solstice gives us the long, light evenings; more sunshine; more time to reflect; to think and feel - it is a time when the senses are heightened. I do love the scents on a summer evening, when the plants give off their perfume; when the air is quiet and a stillness descends; the light is soft; the air is warm from the afterglow of the daylight sun and all feels calm. It's so important to take advantage of this time of year: reflect; release; restore, renew.

Science tells us of the mental and physical benefits that sunlight and Vitamin D have on us. The wonderful, late Michael Mosely did an episode as part of his Radio 4 series, "Just One Thing", called, "Get Some Sun", "Michael reveals the power of the sun's rays to lower blood pressure and improve your mood, bones, muscles and immune system....how going out in the middle of the day is the best way to boost your Vitamin D, and how to do it safely depending on your skin type."

Listen to Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley: Get Some Sun

How sunshine can make you happier

Michael Mosley explains the mental and physical benefits of vitamin D.

The power of the sun

One study found that people had higher levels of serotonin in their blood on bright days.

Sitting outside, soaking up the sun and feeling the warmth on your skin can do a wealth of good for your physical and mental health. Critically, without direct sunlight, your body can’t make vitamin D, a crucial chemical which is important for your bones, your muscles and your immune system. And now is the time to get out and top up your vitamin D levels. Because in the UK the sun’s rays are only strong enough for you to make vitamin D from April to September. So you need to boost your levels in the summer months. Like hibernating creatures, we store the vitamin D we’ve accrued over summer in our fat reserves to keep us going over the winter! Many of us have low levels of vitamin D over winter and this has been linked to a range of diseases, including dementia, autoimmune diseases and diabetes. So to keep healthy we really need to get out there and boost our levels over the summer. But vitamin D isn’t the only benefit of sunshine...

Improve your mood

We all know sunshine feels great – that’s because exposure to sunshine boosts your mood by increasing your brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin, which also helps you feel calm and focused.

One study found that people had higher levels of serotonin in their blood on bright days compared to overcast or cloudy ones. They also found that the rate of serotonin production in the brain was directly related to the duration of bright sunlight, regardless of the season or outside temperature. On top of this, there is some research to suggest that direct sunlight can trigger your skin cells to produce endorphins, which also make you feel good!

Lower your blood pressure

Sunlight has also been found to directly lower blood pressure. Scientists from Edinburgh University did an experiment showing that if you expose your arm to just 20 minutes of sunlight, that is enough to boost production of nitric oxide in your skin - which in turn causes your blood vessels to expand, bringing your blood pressure down.

Get stronger

Vitamin D is vital for bone health, no matter your age, and it could even make you stronger. A recent study found taking vitamin D improved athletes’ muscle strength, possibly by stimulating muscle cell growth. There is also evidence that it can help protect you from respiratory tract infections and boost your immune system. So there are plenty of reasons to make sure you get enough.

Sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D

It’s true that you can get some vitamin D from food, but it’s very difficult to get enough from diet alone. The best food sources are fatty fish; salmon, mackerel and sardines. If you’re vegetarian, there is a little in egg yolk and mushrooms, but eating enough to get all the vitamin D you need would be tough. Luckily, it is far easier to get a daily dose from the great outdoors. Once the sunlight hits your skin, your body is able to absorb it and convert it into this powerful nutrient.

How much is enough?

The amount of sun you need to produce the optimum amount of vitamin D will be personal to you and depend on your skin type, where you live and how sensitive you are. The most important thing is not to burn.

Darker skins have more of a pigment called melanin which acts like a natural sunscreen, absorbing radiation and protecting skin from damage. This protection ultimately prevents vitamin D from being produced as easily.

Bare some skin

You may think that getting the sun on your face is enough but to really make the most of it, you should be exposing your lower arms and legs as well. It’s worth getting outside even if it’s overcast, as you can still get some UV through light cloud.

It may sound counterintuitive to go out in the middle of the day, when the sun is strongest, but a lunchtime walk might be the best way to get your daily dose. “You actually get more bang for your buck in the middle of the day – that’s when you make the most vitamin D for least skin cancer risk”, says Prof Ann Webb from the University of Manchester. This does only apply to the UK rather than abroad where the sun is stronger.

If you’re going out for longer and may risk burning, take care to protect your skin. Make sure to cover up before getting burnt or put on some sunscreen – the NHS recommends it should be at least SPF30.

Little and often

Little and often is the best approach to topping up on sunshine. You may be tempted to soak up all your sunshine in one day, but most vitamin D is made in that early part of being outside. And minimising long exposure times is also the best way to avoid burning.

Take care though if you have sensitive skin or if you’re taking any medication that might make you more sensitive. If you’re using any skincare products that contain retinol or other strong exfoliants, you should be slapping on sunscreen before you venture outside – these products can affect your sun sensitivity.

For some people, it may be a struggle to spend enough time outside or bare enough skin. During the winter months, many choose to take a vitamin D supplement. It doesn’t take much; 10 micrograms or 400 international units a day are an effective way to enjoy the wide-ranging benefits of this wonderful vitamin." Radio 4 Just One Thing - Get Some Sun - programme information.

His series was always practical, informative and useful - so quick ideas to incorporate into the day to improve our minds and bodies. I suggest you stand on one leg, with your eyes closed; breathe deeply; hug a tree; stand by the waterfall in Chiswick Business Park and, of course, practise Pilates! This is the link to the episode about Pilates https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001rh1k

Timetable Changes From 1st July:

Tuesdays 5.45 - 6.35pm - Essential Level

Wednesdays 5.45 - 6.35pm - Mixed Ability

Wednesday 6.45 - 7.35pm - Essential Level

Don't forget to use your Loyalty Points - check them in 'My Account' - to get money off passes.

Referral Scheme:

Save £15 off a pass as a reward for introducing family and friends to the studio. They also get £10 off an Introductory Package. Ask Ris for more details.

Enjoy the longer evenings! Get some sun! Practise Pilates! - all wise suggestions to make you MOVE BETTER! FEEL BETTER! LIVE BETTER!

Take care,

Ris

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May News / Breathing

"Nothing is so beautiful as Spring -

When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;"

"Spring" by Gerard Manley Hopkins

April showers bring May flowers! What a joy to be alive! To breathe deeply and get the waft of wisteria blossoms on the breeze!

The call of spring is perfectly expressed at the end of this blog (it's designed to get you to read all of it!!)

But first -

Let's talk about breathing!

Breathing is a perfect system to protect our spine.

Breathing deeply and correctly, not only helps our bodies, but also our mind and emotional state - the vagus nerve connects the brain, through the lungs, the heart and the digestive system and helps balance the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

The parasympathetic nervous system is the rest & digest system.

• Deep breathing promotes the parasympathetic nervous system and changes the stress hormone;

• it helps regulate the pressure in the abdomen, (which can help prevent hernias, back pain & pelvic floor issues);

• it relaxes the 'accessory breathing muscles' in the neck and front of the chest, (which cause neck tightness and pain) and

• it helps to get the spine in the chest moving, increasing mobility in the spine and reducing the overworking in the lower back and neck (which cause back pain).

• Win! Win! Win!

Shallow breathing uses the sympathetic nervous system is the fight of flight system,

• when we need to react quickly to something;

• it increases anxiety and upper back & neck pains

• it can lead to headaches and bad posture.

• Boo!

A 360 degree breathing pattern or 3 dimensional breathing involves movement in the whole of the ribcage - front, sides and back. Like an umbrella opening

• We need to inhale into the base of the ribcage to get the diaphragm moving and get the ribs to expand to increase the flow of oxygen into the lungs.

• As we exhale, we want the ribcage to move in to expel the air.

• Moving your ribs to exhale moves your spine.

• As we know, movement is good! Movement heals.

When we are at rest, the exhalation should be a natural recoil of the lungs, diaphragm and ribcage;

• when we place more demands on our body, breathing using controlled exhalation helps to connect the abdominals and create the correct amount of core pressure to support our needs.

• Core pressure is the amount of intra-abdominal pressure needed to keep the spine safe and healthy.

• Breathing and movement should match - like Goldilocks - not too little, not too much, just right!

Getting this 360 degree breathing pattern helps to relieve tension off the psoas (hip flexors), lower back, (Q.L., sacroiliac joint, paraspinals), pelvic floor muscles, neck, and upper back - WOW!

Deep breathing is NOT the same as belly breathing!

• We want expansion in the front, sides and back to promote overall stability and mobility in all planes.

• Belly breathing only promotes front expansion which can reduce side and back movement. I realise this is controversial!

• Deep breathing which moves into the whole abdominal area can be a great way to help relaxation,

• Breathing deeply into the back can really reduce tightness in the lower back.

• The pelvic floor and the diaphragm should work together. The pelvic floor must be able to contract and release.

In order to breathe properly, you also need to think about your posture - the head, chest and pelvis stacked over one another.

As I have said before, breathing is not easy and changing the way you breathe is not easy - it takes awareness, time and practice but it is worth taking the time to focus on it and improve it as you will feel so many benefits.

Ready for the link? I think you'll be impressed how brilliant it is!!

When we think of SPRING we also think of Spring cleaning (maybe!) Breathing deeply spring cleans our respiratory system; movement spring cleans our physical system; Pilates spring cleans our mind & body -

"As the spring freshets born of heavy rains and vast masses of melting snows on mountains in the hinterlands cause rivers to swell and rush turbulently onward to the sea, so too will your blood flow with renewed vigor as the direct result of your faithfully performing the Contrology [Pilates] exercises." Joseph Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology. I do think Joseph Pilates had a very poetic streak!

Well done for making it this far! A little treat for you for getting through the serious information!

How beautiful is this passage? How perfectly it captures our emotional change in Spring!

Enjoy!

"The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with booms, then dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in this throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said "Bother!" and "O blow!" and also "Hang spring-cleaning!" and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was call him imperiously. ... So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, "Up we go! Up we go!" till at last, pop! his snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.

"This is fine!" he said to himself. "This is better that whitewashing!" The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. Jumping off all his four legs at once, in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning, he pursed his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side. ...

It all seemed too good to be true. Hither and thither through the meadows he rambled busily, along the hedgerows, across the copses, finding everywhere birds building, flowers budding, leaves thrusting - everything happy, and progressive, and occupied. ...

He thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river. Never in his life had he seen a river before - this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver - glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated."

"The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame

So let us be inspired by nature and respire more! - Inhale and exhale! Look! Listen! Smell! Touch! Taste! The senses really come into their own now Spring is here!

Spring is also the birthday month at Pilates Now! with Dionne, Debbie, Sabina and myself all celebrating our birthdays in the merry, merry month of May! So happy Birthday to us & Happy Birthday to you if you are also a May baby!

Take care,

Ris

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April News / Breathing

Ah April! - is it the cruellest month as T.S Eliot would have us believe or as Chaucer wrote, (or at least to paraphrase!)

"When April with his sweet showers has driven away the drought of March, and bathed each root with the rain that has the power to generate the flower; when Zephyr, the wind, with his sweet breath has inspired the tender buds; and the young sun is in Aries, then the small birds make melody, pricked by nature to sleep all night with an open eye, ... then do folk long to go on pilgrimage..."?

Such a lot to unpack in that opening to the Canterbury Tales and, clearly, Chaucer didn't live through the wet, windy and stormy March that we've just had and the wet, windy and stormy April we're having so far! BUT blossom and buds and flowers and more daylight and warmer weather and bird song and randy pigeons and holiday plans we do have at last! Hoorah!

We have made it through another Winter and it is SPRING, SPRING, SPRING!!! So as we cast off our Winter clothes and expose our bodies to the sun (cautiously, "ne'er (never) cast a clout (clothing) 'til May be out" as the saying goes), we can enjoy the natural energy this time of the year brings.

Chiswick Park is looking particularly beautiful as it bursts into life.

Have a wander around the landscaped grounds before or after your session;

stop on the bridge to watch the enormous fish in the lake,

and let us hope the Canadian goose, currently sitting on her nest by the waterfall, will have some fluffy goslings hatching soon.

Breathe in the air by the trees. Breathe in the air by the waterfall. Both trees and moving water give off positive energies and have de-stressing properties. So, a walk around Chiswick Park will give you a natural boost!

This is my clever and subtle segue into the topic of breathing, of which I have been studying a lot recently! What does Joseph Pilates have to say on the subject of breathing?

" Breathing is the first act of life, and the last. Our very life depends on it. Since we cannot live without breathing is is tragically deplorable to contemplate the millions and millions who have never learned to master the art of correct breathing. One often wonders how so many millions continue to live as long as they do under this tremendous handicap to longevity. Lazy breathing converts the lungs, figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying, and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs.

Therefore, above all, learn how to breathe correctly. "SQUEEZE" EVERY ATOM OF AIR FROM YOUR LUNGS UNTIL THEY ARE ALMOST AS FREE OF AIR AS IS A VACUUM. Stand erect again and observe how your lungs will automatically completely refill themselves with fresh air. ...

" ... "roll" and "unroll", your spine exactly in imitation of a wheel rolling forward and backward. ... It is this very action of "rolling" and "unrolling" that cleanses your lungs so effectively by driving out the impure air and forcing in the pure air as you "roll" and "unroll". Indefatigably and conscientiously practice breathing until the art of correct breathing becomes habitual, automatic and subconscious, which accomplishment will result in the bloodstream receiving its full quota of oxygen and thus ward off undue fatigue." ["Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology" by Joseph H. Pilates and William John Miller]. Photo of Joseph Pilates doing the Teaser.

We focus a lot on breathing in Pilates - it is our first Basic Principle - and it's not easy! We do not learn to breathe when we are young and, unless we deliberately learn when we are older, our breathing habits can either not support our bodies and movement, or worse, hinder us, bringing stress, physical and emotional issues. Learning to breathe properly helps everything!

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May

We are open between 12pm - 3.30pm

12pm - Online Pilates Plus

1.05pm - Mixed Ability

2.10pm - One-to-One

Booking Policy

I have introduced a tick box 'Booking Policy' at the checkout, please have a quick look.

A class can be cancelled or rescheduled up to 24 hours' before by going to 'My Account'. All the sessions in the plan must be used before the expiry date. Any unused sessions cannot be carried forward.

Passes cannot be transferred or used by more than one person.

Only whole plans can be refunded before the plan is due to start.

Enjoy the rest of April - I think we can say it's been a bit cruel and lovely - bright, sunny, wet and cold! I hope your holiday plans are going well, whether you are going to Canterbury or further afield!

Don't forget to check 'My Account' for Loyalty Points to get money off your next pass. Refer your Family & Friends to get £15 off your next pass.

Book A Pass

Take care. Keep moving. 360 Ribcage breathing - expand into your back and sides, it helps to release tension from your back because your ribs naturally move your back, reducing tightness.

Ris

Email: info@pilatesnow.org

Mobile: 07768762826

Website: www.pilatesnow.org

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