Not only is Pilates good for the body but it is also beneficial for the mind and soul. By putting the focus on breathing and concentrating on muscle groups you are able to reduce stress. Many people with chronic illness have high levels of stress and get very little exercise. Pilates can help you with both.
Pilates exercise not only unites body and mind but it gives you discipline. This in turn will protect your health and well being. Stress brings many chemical changes to your body. It increases the blood flow to the larger muscles and slows digestion as it prepares the body for the fight or flight syndrome. Blood vessels restrict and sugar goes up. Many hormones are switched into off position. This is good if there is a danger, your adrenalin rushes to fight it off or get away as fast as you can. Today most stress does not come from a life threatening danger, but the activities of modern society. These activities may put you in fight or flight mode, but there is nowhere to run from the stress of everyday life.
Stress is responsible for many diseases. Estimates of seventy-five to ninety percent of all visits are stress related. Being well is not the opposite of illness. It is more than just the lack of sickness; it is an overall well-being that affects both the mental and the physical aspects of life. Many adverse habits develop because of stress and lack of wellness.
Doing Pilates can actually help break the cycle of worry and anxiety. Much like any mental exercise that allows the individual more control of thought patterns, Pilates offers a way to change your focus and relieve the stress.
The exercise from Pilates releases the body from the flight or fight mode by mimicking the activity of both. Exercise is a proven method of stress control, when combined with the activity of mental control and focus on breathing, the quick return of stress is unlikely and the cycle is broken for that period.
Studies link a reduction of disease with exercise. A study at the University of Calgary and the University of Ottowa showed a decrease in blood sugar when type two diabetics exercised. The decrease translated into a reduction of heart attack and diabetic kidney and eye disease. Other studies show a reduction of 40 percent in mortality rate for diabetics. Lack of activity is one of the biggest risk factors in heart disease. Overweight is another. Pilates reduces both risks and is a heart healthy activity. Stress is also linked to tumor growth in cancer victims. While there is no study that shows psychological stress creates cancer, there are many that shows it impairs the immune system and creates an environment conducive to cancer.
It may seem simple. Take a Pilates course, work out three times a week, live longer and be happier. The activity is good for the body, the training is good for the soul and the results on appearance are fantastic for the spirit. Set aside time to exercise and regain hours in healthy stress-free living. You'll find that the days stresses melt away and you feel better than you ever felt before, after just a few months of training.
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