As many of you already know, Thomas and I welcomed a new baby into this world in November. It is truly amazing what pregnancy and childbirth do to a woman’s body! I am a firm believer in the old saying “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it”. That proved to be extremely true for me as I slowly took time off Jiu Jitsu through pregnancy and postpartum. My core turned to mush.

Massage is a tool not a luxury! Yoga healed me! Jiu Jitsu saved my life!

Cue the eye roll from anyone who has not struggled with; Chronic Pain, Tension, Anxiety, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), PTSD, or more to the point of this post, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), but I’m dead serious. Touch and movement can be some of the best tools you can use to manage some disorders of the mind!

It’s that time of year again! Setting resolutions. Deciding who we are going to be this year. Working to change parts of ourselves that don’t suit us any longer. Maybe by now you have already failed and started over. Maybe you have given up. Or, if you’re like me, you either didn’t even make a New Years resolution or you just didn’t rush into it and you’re taking time to ease into the new year.

In short – Move to Improve

Studies have shown that physical activity reduces cognitive decline. It is fair to say that moving helps us to age gracefully and can improve our memory. Movement doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise that elevates heart rate and increases blood flow (enough to break a sweat) is a key lifestyle habit that no human should take for granted.