Good morning , meditation done.

Quote for the Day:

“Success is a journey not a destination.”

Ben Sweetland

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I feel that in the digital world we live in today full of reality TV and instant gratification through social media too much emphasis is placed on unrealistic short-lived success.

There is an old saying “here today gone tomorrow” well in the Snapchat world so favoured by the youth today it is ‘here today gone in 3 seconds’.

Nothing is built to last.

Apple build products that upgrade every year, we are on iPhone 7  at the moment and they will be announcing the iPhone 8 in a few weeks. Plus you constantly get reminders through the year to download the latest version of their software. Nothing is built to last and if your model is more than a few years old when you turn up at the genius bar to get it fixed you will be politely and over enthusiastically told with a smile that we can no longer repair that model and it is more than likely that it will be cheaper to buy a new model than repair your original one.

This means nothing is sustainable.

It is the same in health every advert you see is about quick fixes, ‘Lean in 15’ the ‘21 day diet’ or ‘How to get fit in 10 minutes a day’ etc.

It is all marketing jargon, it is not real, it’s what people want to hear, because they are too lazy to put the work in to have sustained success they want the easy option, the quick fix.

That’s why people spend a fortune pricking their faces with needles putting Botox in to their system under the false pretence that they are making themselves look younger and more attractive. I do not know what mirror they are looking in, but the reality is they look grotesque, with a stretched, motion free, expressionless face?

Even my beloved yoga, this ancient art which can traced back to over 5,000 years ago, and some researchers think that yoga may be up to 10,000 years old has fallen into the instant gratification, quick fix trap with the invention of ‘Hot Yoga’ brought to fame by a nappy wearing, giving out thousands of teacher training certificates at a time in Las Vegas surrounded by show girls serial sex offender Bikram Choudhury.

It is madness, the reason why the beginning sequences are called ‘Sun Salutations’ is because they literally mean saluting the sun at sunset and sunrise, when yoga is meant to be practiced. They do not practice yoga in the middle of the day in India because it is too hot, so why would you turn up the heating so much in a studio?

The healthy human body maintains its internal temperature around 37°C. Variations, usually of less than 1°C, occur with the time of the day, level of physical activity or emotional state. A change of body temperature of more than 1°C occurs only during illness or when environmental conditions are more than the body’s ability to cope with extreme heat.

The body’s internal “thermostat” maintains a constant inner body temperature by pumping more blood to the skin and by increasing sweat production.  In this way, the body increases the rate of heat loss to balance the heat burden. In a very hot environment, the rate of “heat gain” is more than the rate of “heat loss” and the body temperature begins to rise. A rise in the body temperature results in heat illnesses.

No radiant heat gain or loss occurs when the temperature of surrounding objects is the same as the skin temperature (about 35°C), but it does when you go over this and definitely does at 40°C. When the environmental temperature rises above 30°C, it may interfere with the performance of mental tasks.

The risk of heat-related illness varies from person to person. A person’s general health influences how well the person adapts to heat (and cold).

Those with extra weight often have trouble in hot situations as the body has difficulty maintaining a good heat balance. Age (particularly for people about 45 years and older), poor general health, and a low level of fitness will make people more susceptible to feeling the extremes of heat.

Medical conditions can also increase how susceptible the body is. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, respiratory disease and uncontrolled diabetes may need to take special precautions. In addition, people with skin diseases and rashes may be more susceptible to heat. Other factors include circulatory system capacity; sweat production and the ability to regulate electrolyte balance.

When you’re hot, your heart pumps large volumes of blood to the vessels in your skin where, through a process called convection, sweat is produced.

It is actually not the sweat, but the sweat’s evaporation that helps cool you off, Sweat does not evaporate efficiently at 40°C. As the humidity climbs and your heart keeps working to cool you off, you are sweating out minerals like potassium and sodium, along with H2O, hence the feeling of depletion, dehydration and lethargy. It is not enough to drink water after a Bikram class, you need to replace the electrolytes i.e., potassium and sodium

Excessive sweating caused by the hot and humid conditions of a Bikram Yoga room can result in dehydration. There is also a risk of hyperthermia: overheating of the human body. Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, fainting, and potentially heat stroke. A strong focus on hydration before and after class combined with listening to one’s body and resting during class when necessary, reduces these risks.

In conclusion I believe that Hot Yoga done below 35° is not a health risk as long as you hydrate enough before and after class and replace the lost electrolytes.

The only real benefits over traditional yoga are that the body warms up quicker, is more supple and joints more lubricated because of the extra heat. I found the downside is the increased sweating is uncomfortable and you have to spend a lot of time wiping the sweat out of your eyes and slipping on the puddles that form on your mat.

There are no quick fixes in yoga or anything else in life for that matter. Being fit and healthy is a way of life.

“Success is a journey not a destination.”

I have exercised every day of my life and have eaten healthy food since I was a child. I walked or cycled to school and that has not changed in my adult life, I still try and walk or cycle everywhere as much as possible, when time and distance allows.

My body is pretty much the same now as it was when I was nineteen, as is my face. I just have more aches and pains, have greyer hair and have more laughter lines as I should as I approach my Fifty Second Birthday.

I have practiced yoga and meditation everyday for the last 10 years, which has really helped me in all aspects of my life and not just my health.

The more I exercise and practice the stronger my breathing becomes and the more control of it I have.

The yoga poses and breathing teach me that if I control my breath I can control my mind. The pain and discomfort I feel in the awkward yoga poses, will go away if I breathe and stay calm. This mirrors situations in life which can seem impossible with no way out, but if you stay calm, focused and breathe then your head clears, the situation does not seem as bad as you first thought and you can see a way forward.

This is the basis of my Elysium Way Training System.

The Elysium Way enhances and enriches lives allowing you to reach your full potential physically, mentally and spiritually.

And one of the main components of the Elysium Way is practicing yoga.

If you would like to improve your breathing and clear your mind by introducing yoga into your life or to strengthen your daily practice to help you focus, smile more and achieve your goals and live the life of your dreams?

Why not take your first step and come on my yoga retreat in Morocco from Saturday March 18th to 25th and join me at the Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort the new five-star luxury destination in El Jadida Morocco

Click Here to find out more

The location is amazing.

It is a truly unique coastal destination resort, less than an hour drive south of Casablanca and set in a region abounding in contrasts that has preserved all its authenticity.

Rooms and suites overlook the lagoon, the golf course, the swimming pool and the patio, plunging down to the sea from the terraces and offering a 180-degree view over the Atlantic Ocean.

The view will take your breath away.

So if you would like to learn more about yoga and lose your fear of failure, come and join me for some fun in the sun at a beautiful, exotic location in Morocco, then Click Here

This really is the trip and chance of a lifetime.

Have a super Sunday peeps and remember

“Success is a journey not a destination.”

May all your dreams come true.

Breathe, Believe and Achieve

Be Happy, Healthy and Wise

Keep on Winning, Smiling and Living the Dream

Namaste

Steve Agyei

Keep on Winning Smiling and Living the Dream

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