Tehama County Resources for Seniors Filed under: Seniors — spinmaster @ 5:09 pm The Tehama County Elder Services Coordinating Council has developed a Resource Guide for services to seniors living in Tehama County. This is a comprehensive 92 page resource guide. The Tehama County Commission on Aging is now distributing the Resource Guide on the Internet. Mike Garofalo is Chairperson of the Tehama County Commission on Aging. Comments (0) October 15, 2008 Senior Fitness Tip 4: Personal Transformation Principles Filed under: Senior Fitness Tips — spinmaster @ 3:05 pm We sometimes feel the need for dramatic changes in our lifestyle for a a variety of good reasons including a dissatisfaction with the results of previous actions and habits. We want to change our character, behaviors, habits, thinking, or values so as to effect a “Transformation.” I recently reread a book by Baron Baptiste, a influential and popular yoga master, titled “40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul’ (Fireside, Simon and Schuster, 2004). Yogi Baptiste gives an explanation of a plan for personal transformation, and includes his views on the guiding principles (Laws) for such significant changes: “The Twelve Laws of Transformation 1. Seek the Truth 2. Be Willing to Come Apart 3. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone 4. Commit to Growth 5. Shift Your Vision 6. Drop What You Know 7. Relax with What Is 8. Remove the Rocks 9. Don’t Rush the Process 10. Be True to Yourself 11. Be Still and Know 12. Understand that the Whole is the Goal” - Baron Baptist, 40 Days to Personal Revolution, 2004, pp. 5-45. Over the years, I have also collected many quotations regarding the power of the will in human action. Willpower is a key component of successful personal transformation. The will is very much like a muscle: with exercise it gets stronger, it needs time for rest and recuperation, it needs to be feed properly with behavioral and mental nutrients, it needs some stretching and flexibility work, and needs to be cross-trained to develop full and responsive power. I think some of the guiding techniques for personal change include: 1. A realistic and truthful assessment of our physical, mental, emotional, and social self-potential and possibilities. (Baptiste: 11, 10, 1, 5) 2. A clearly articulated vision and goals for the future. (Baptiste: 12,5) 3. A detailed action plan, objectives and timetable needed to accomplish the goals. (Baptiste: 12, 5, 1) 4. A wholehearted commitment to and belief in the action plan. (Baptitste: 4, 2) 5. Direct efforts on a daily basis to fulfill the action plan. (Baptiste: 4, 11, 10) 6. Having patience, steadfastness, determination, courage, and flexibility. (Baptiste: 7, 9) 7. Acknowledging and breaking through one’s inner resistance to change, abandoning or tearing away from one’s past actions. (Baptiste: 2, 3, 6, 8) 8. The regular review, evaluation, and realistic assessment of progress on a weekly and monthly basis. (Baptiste: 1, 3, 8) We also need to take advantage of techniques to manage the unconscious and well as conscious forces that comprise our inner life. Try exploring techniques such as visualization, repeated affirmations, guided meditations, rituals, art, hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, music, etc. Posted by Mike Garofalo, Senior Fitness Coordinator Senior Fitness Program at TFFC Comments (0) October 12, 2008 New Class Schedule for Autumn of 2008 Filed under: Fitness, Classes — spinmaster @ 4:01 pm A variety of new classes have been added to the weekly class schedule for the Autumn months of 2008. The new schedule is now online for you to read, download or print. Comments (0) October 10, 2008 Health Information for Seniors Filed under: Seniors — spinmaster @ 5:24 pm One good source for information about health issues is the Health Information and References from our local St. Elizabeth’s Community Hospital. This resource includes information on diseases and condtions, surgeries and procedures, drug references, herbs and vitamins, nutrition, recipes, prevention guidelines, health news; and, a wellness library with 1,700 articles. There are useful prevention guidelines for men over 65 and women over 65 years of age. Here are some suggestions from an article in their Wellness Library titled “For Seniors: Avoid Injury When You Exercise:” “Exercise is any physical activity that uses energy to move muscles, the AGS says. A well-rounded fitness program includes aerobic, stretching, and strength exercises. Aerobic exercise keeps your heart and lungs healthy. You should do 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week. Moderate exercise pushes your heart rate to 55 to 70 percent of its maximum. You can determine your maximum heart rate by first subtracting your age from 220. Then, multiply this result by 0.55 and 0.7 to find out your heart rate at a moderate level of exercise. Stretching exercises keep your joints flexible. You should do stretching exercises just about every day. Strength-training exercises use weight machines or free weights to boost muscle strength. Do strength-training exercises two to three times a week, taking a day off between workouts. Stronger muscles and flexible joints improve your balance and help you avoid falls.” Posted by Mike Garofalo, Senior Fitness Coordinator, Tehama Family Fitness Center Comments (0) September 27, 2008 Zumba and Dance News Filed under: Dance — spinmaster @ 4:19 am Good News! All regularly scheduled Zumba classes will continue to be held! We are proud to welcome Maressa as a new member of our TFFC fitness team. Maressa has over 15 years of professional dance experience including Latin, Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Ballroom. She is both Zumba Gold and Zumba certified and looks forward to teaching a variety of adult dance aerobic classes including Zumba, Zumba Gold, Hip Hop Sweat and more. Please check the new Fall 2008 Fitness Class Schedule for further class details. Welcome Maressa! We all wish Ginger Olds, our former Zumba instructor, much success in her new business in Redding. Comments (1) September 26, 2008 Senior Fitness Tip #3: Program for Health Aging Filed under: Senior Fitness Tips — spinmaster @ 6:42 am I enjoy and benefit from reading the books by two medical doctors: Andrew Weil, M.D. and Deepak Chopra, M.D.. Both doctors offer much sage advice. A Twelve-Point Program for Healthy Aging By Andrew Weil, M.D. “1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. 2. Use dietary supplements wisely to support the body’s defenses and natural healing power. 3. Use preventive medicine intelligently: know your risks of age-related disease, get appropriate diagnostic and screening tests and immunizations, and treat problems (like elevated blood pressure and cholesterol) in their early stages. 4. Get regular physical activity throughout life. 5. Get adequate rest and sleep. 6. Learn and practice methods of stress protection. 7. Exercise your mind as well as your body. 8. Maintain social and intellectual connections as you go through life. 9. Be flexible in mind and body: learn to adapt to losses and let go of behaviors no longer appropriate for your age. 10. Think about and try to discover for yourself the benefits of aging. 11. Do not deny the reality of aging or put energy into trying to stop it. Use the experience of aging as a stimulus for spiritual awakening and growth. 12. Keep an ongoing record of the lessons you learn, the wisdom you gain, and the values you hold. At critical points in your life, read this over, add to it, revise it, and share it with people you care about.” - Andrew Weil, M.D., Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, 2005, p. 239. Posted by Mike Garofalo, Senior Fitness Coordinator Senior Fitness Program at TFFC Comments (0) September 23, 2008 Senior Fitness Tip 2: Dealing with the Inner Grinch Filed under: Senior Fitness Tips — spinmaster @ 7:15 am We all have a inner voice, sometimes quiet and sometime loud, that questions our skills and performances of new tasks. That inner critic must be listened to and heeded, but must not so discourage us that we discontinue our efforts to learn and improve. Wendy Palmer, an outstanding Aikido Master, gives us the following “Yes, … And, …” technique and good advice: “The technique I have developed to work directly with my Grinch (inner critic) is first to acknowledge its reaction and then ask a question. For example, if my Grinch says, “That was lousy.” I reply, “Yes, that’s true, it was lousy. And, if there were more smoothness in my body, what would it feel like?” This is what I call the “Yes, … And, …” technique.” By acknowledging the negative voice, we blend with it. We soften the negative blow by going with it and not resisting. Then we shift our attention by using the conjunction “and.” Using “and” affirms that we can simultaneously hold our vision of how we want to perform without excluding our negative assessment. Asking the question leads our attention toward exploring the sensation of what we want to develop instead of fighting against our Grinch. … I do not delve into the content of what the Grinch has to say, but instead I choose to put my attention on the rush of energy in my body. From using the basic practice techniques, we know something about working with energy. When we feel the rush of energy or notice that we are tensing or speeding up, we can stop, focus on our breath, balance our energy field, feel gravity, and evoke our quality. When we stabilize and soften in this way, the energy can begin to self-organize in a way that allows us to deal with the situation more skillfully. … Pause and feel any sensations that arise. A new perspective on the situation may come with the sensations.” - Wendy Palmer, The Intuitive Body: Aikido as a Clairsentient Practice, 1994, p. 48 Posted by Mike Garofalo, Senior Fitness Coordinator Senior Fitness Program at TFFC Comments (0) September 16, 2008 Senior Fitness Tip 1: Develop a Positive Mindset Filed under: Senior Fitness Tips — spinmaster @ 7:17 am “What are the qualities that make one’s mindset positive? They include being able to: Decide, plan, and execute a course of action in a patient, persistent, and disciplined manner. Recognize the changes and be flexible in adapting to them. Observe and perceive things with a sense of humor instead of outrage, indignation, and anger. Let go of useless and counterproductive thoughts, desires, and ambitions instead of being preoccupied with them. Relax and meditate or rest. Resist temptation and coercion.” - Michael Fekete, Strength Training for Seniors, Hunter House, 2006, p. 36 Posted by Mike Garofalo, Senior Fitness Coordinator Senior Fitness Program at TTTC Comments (0) September 15, 2008 Senior Fitness Coordinator Filed under: Seniors — spinmaster @ 3:47 am The Tehama Family Fitness Center is pleased to announce that Michael Garofalo will work part-time as the Senior Fitness Coordinator. Mike has taught Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, and Qigong at the Tehama Family Fitness Center for four years. He is a Yoga Fit Level Four certified (200 hour) yoga instructor. He began the study and practice of Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong in 1986. He has earned AFAA certificates in spin cycling, pilates, and as a personal fitness trainer. Mike Garofalo, M.S., retired as a Library Administrator for the County of Los Angeles Public Library System, and now works part-time as the Technology and Media Services Supervisor and Grants Coordinator for the Corning Union Elementary School District. His websites have served up over 6 million webpages. His Cloud Hands: Taijiquan and Qigong website now draws over 800,000 visitors each year. Mike is the webmaster for the Tehama Family Fitness Center website. A brief biography of Mike is online. Mike and his wife, Karen, live in Red Bluff. They enjoy gardening, reading, family activities, media, Internet publishing, and travel in the northwest. Mike will start a new TFFC Blog Post Series called: Senior Tips and a webpage for seniors. Mike welcomes your comments, suggestions, ideas, and participation. Send him email at seniorfitness@tehamafamilyfitness.com Give him at call at: 530-200-3546. Or, talk to him in person. He is fairly easy to recognize: 6′6″ tall, 275 pounds, 62 years of age, bald, with a white beard, and an easy smile. Hard to miss the big guy!