A Yoga Practice at the Kitchen Counter to Improve Balance

YOGA PRACTICE FOR BALANCE IN YOUR KITCHENEVIDENCE:According to a Harvard Health Publishing article, certain medications affect your balance (anti-depressants, heart medications, blood pressure lowering medications, diabetes medications…to name a few). More medications mean more side effects, increasing the risk of falling. This is especially worse in elders, whose bodies metabolize drugs differently with age.  Adults over 65 have been reported to take at least three prescription medications in a month!PRACTICAL TIPS - Talk to your internal medicine or family practice doctor about your medications both prescription and non-prescription to make sure everything is up to date.This information inspired this practice with my students - in a chair and at your kitchen counter… Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, practice in your sturdy shoes or bare feet (be safe!), and have water available to stay hydrated.BREATH WORK - Sit in mountain pose (feet flat on the floor and parallel to each other, knees over ankles, hips under shoulders, back straight, shoulders relaxed, top of head touching the ceiling, and your head suspended over the center of your pelvis with your eyes straight ahead). Breathe in and out through your nose for a few moments. Notice …without judgment…your physical, mental, emotional, and energetic sensations.  (pause)  Notice the gentle rise and fall of your abdomen and your chest as you breathe in and out, respectively.  (pause)  Place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest. Imagine a tear drop shaped balloon surrounding your abdomen and chest, tied between your collar bones. As you inhale, fill your balloon from its widest part in your abdomen up to your chest. As you exhale, deflate your balloon from chest to abdomen, drawing your navel in towards your spine.  (pause).Let go of your balloon and place your hands on your lap. Set your intention for practice today by filling in the blank at the end of this sentence…”I am…” Inhale your intention and exhale to let it go.WARM UPNeck Stretches - Rotate your head in one direction 3-5 times then change directions 3-5 times.Place your fingertips on your shoulders and using the elbows as paintbrushes, make circles backwards 5-10 times, then forward 5- 10 times.Lengthen your arms by your sides and turn your palms forward. Touch your shoulders with your fingers as you inhale and exhale to lengthen your arms, 10 times.Bring both arms to shoulder height straight ahead with palms facing each other.Open your arms to the sides on the inhale stretching your chest and exhale palms together, stretching your between your shoulder blades, 5-10 times.Lift both arms to the ceiling with the arms parallel and palms facing each other on the inhale, and exhale hands to lap, 5-10 times.Interlace your fingers and reaching for the ceiling, pressing your palms upwards.  Inhale to sit tall.  Exhale. Inhale and stretch from hip to hand to the right into side bend, looking up at the ceiling away from your side bend. Exhale to straighten. Inhale to the left, looking away from your side bend to the right at the ceiling.  If interlaced hands are uncomfortable, then place your fingertips on your shoulders and lift elbows to ceiling. Perform 5-10 per side.With your hands on the lap and feet wider than hip width apart, rotate your torso in one direction, keeping your head and neck in line with the spine 5-10 times, then change directions 5-10 times. Exhale and squeeze the navel to spine when leaning forward and inhale when leaning back.With your hands on your lap and feet back to mountain pose, round your back like a cat on the exhale, looking toward your navel. then look up at...