Balance is the foundation for all human movement and functioning – a “6th sense” as necessary for our survival as sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.
We take our balance for granted until we lose it in a fall, or see it diminish over time – or discover we lack sufficient balance and coordination for activities such as the “Activities of Daily Living” (ADLs), dancing or sports.
Improve your balance and improve your life, especially as you age. In 2010, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 2.3 million nonfatal fall injuries by US adults over 50 were treated in emergency departments.
In addition, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports more than 40 million people in the US already have osteoporosis or are at high risk for bone loss and/or low bone mass.
Mindful Balance classes and lessons offer a unique fusion of easy Mindfulness practices and Alexander Technique (AT) evidence-based mind/body methods for improving body mechanics, posture and breathing.
The AT is used by Integrative Medicine providers such as the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. The AT promotes better balance and falls prevention skills for balance issues caused by: brain injury, aging, Parkinson’s Disease, inner ear problems, poor vision and other concerns.
In addition, Mindful Balance practices incorporate the “healthy gravity” movement and posture principles presented by former NASA Life Sciences Director Dr Joan Vernikos in her landmark book “Sitting Kills Moving Heals“.
Since Paleo times, our bodies were designed for balanced, coordinated movement. Chronic stress, bad posture and activities such as sitting for hours keeps muscles tensed, causing poor body mechanics and misaligned muscles which lead to bad balance, pain, joint immobility and bone loss.
Mindful Balance practices help restore our original Paleo posture and muscular-skeletal body mechanics and balance in movement. Improving muscular-skeletal body mechanics and posture promotes better coordination and joint health, and can reduce bone loss.
Mindful Balance practices offers easy mind/body methods to re-acquaint us with our bodies and “re-learn” better body mechanics and posture in movements such as: walking; going up and down stairs; standing; and getting in/out of chairs.
When our muscular-skeletal system is well-organized, we have a balanced “infrastructure” that supports ease, flexibility and greater mobility in all movement.
For those with bone loss issues, improving muscular-skeletal body mechanics helps to provide the weight-bearing, gravity-loading that our bones and joints need to stay healthy, and to stop or reduce bone loss.
Mindful Balance practices classes require no special skills, are available to all ages and abilities, and promote:
- Improved balance, coordination & falls prevention skills
- Improved muscular-skeletal body mechanics and joint & bone function for preventing or stopping bone loss
- Reduced muscle strain, tension and fatigue
- Increased energy, stamina and awareness
- Improved performance and ease of movement
- Improved “Activities of Daily Living” such as walking and getting in/out of chairs
- Sitting and using a computer
- Standing, and/or using standing workstations
“I developed balance problems after traumatic brain injuries. Rebecca’s Mindful Balance practices helped me improve my balance and mobility to the point that I’ve resumed daily walks and can also use stairs again. Getting myself moving and increased awareness
has also lifted depression, and prevented a couple of falls.”
Walter C. Chicago, IL