Archive for April, 2009

All Shook Up

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

I once read that many animals will shake or shiver after a stressful experience. This is their body’s way of releasing the stress so that it doesn’t accumulate in their body and cause harm. Of course, I immediately thought of the many shaking, vibrating, and quivering movements (shimmies) that we do in belly dancing.

Any belly dancer will tell you that it feels great to shimmy. I know of no other dance form that has as complex and refined a vocabulary of so many different types of shaking movements (horizontal hip shimmy, up & down hip shimmy, knee/body vibration, stomach flutter, shoulder shimmy and bounce shimmy, to name a few). There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a wonderful way to release stress and tension, especially when you dance to music that inspires you to move energetically.

Modern life is so fast paced and complicated. Working, taking care of family members, following the news, and dealing with the duties and obligations of everyday life takes its’ toll.

Because modern life is so relentlessly hectic, and our attention is focused on the tasks we have to do, most of us don’t even notice the stress building up until it reaches some critical point and our minds and bodies break down in some way. Belly dancing helps us become more aware of our body, so that we’re more apt to pay attention to our stress before it gets too high.

Ideally, we should just shake and shimmy every time we get stressed out. However, that just isn’t possible in today’s society (you’re co-workers will think you’re out of your mind if you immediately try to ‘shake it off’ every time your boss yells at you!). So we belly dancers make up for it when we have the opportunity to dance – a socially acceptable way to shake and shimmy to our heart’s content.

There are many physical, mental, and emotional benefits to shaking your body. An excellent article to read is “Shake Away Your Stress & Tension” on Lea Houston’s web site, SelfCareCelebration.com. Belly dance techniques are a proven and safe way to get the benefits of shaking, but Lea’s information will show you that most any shaking will do.

After a hard day’s work, or even just when I can grab a private moment or two, I’ll do a few shimmies. Try it. You can get all shook up and feel great!

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Super Foods for Super Dancers

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

In a previous blog “Good Health is a Dancers’ Best Move”, I wrote about the obvious link between good health and good dancing. There are many things a dancer can do to have good health, and eating right is one of the obvious ones.

Dancers need to experiment with diet and then implement the one that works best for them. In general, the best diet is a well-balanced one of minimally processed, organic food. There are a number of ‘super’ foods that seem to be especially beneficial, and many of them are fresh ‘live’ foods. Live foods are nutritionally complete with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, anti-oxidants, and vital elements. Many of these important food components can be destroyed by cooking or over processing. When fresh foods are in a raw, or minimally processed state, they’re at their most optimal for your health.

There’s an increasing amount of information available about super foods, especially on the Internet. A little research can help you decide how to incorporate some of these foods into your diet and life style. Here’re a few of my favorite super foods:

BLUEBERRIES
I have to admit it – I put blueberries at the top of my list because my brother has an organic blueberry farm! But that’s not why I try to eat fresh, organic blueberries as often as possible. They’re absolutely delicious and have one of the highest antioxidant contents of any food on the planet, in addition to high levels of vitamins C & E and other important nutrients.

CHOCOLATE
Chocolate, in its’ minimally processed form, is so good for you and makes you feel so good too (it’s a natural anti-depressant!). The Aztecs didn’t call it ‘the food of the Gods’ for nothing. You can make your own sugar-free treats by purchasing unsweetened (preferably organic) chocolate, melting it over very low heat, and then adding Stevia (an all natural sweetener) and any other ingredients you want (like raw nuts or dried fruit). Once it’s cooled, you’ll have a nutritional supplement that boosts your serotonin and endorphin levels, acts like a mild stimulant, and tastes like gourmet candy.

CLORELLA
Most of us don’t eat enough greens. Chlorella is a nutrient packed green algae that’s a great source of plant protein, amino acids, fiber and chlorophyll. It detoxifies and nourishes the body as well as balances your Ph level. In tablet form, it’s a simple and convenient way to add this potent food group to your diet.

These are just a few foods that you can easily include in your lifestyle to attain and maintain good health. Do your homework and discover other super foods that will enhance your wellbeing. You can supercharge your dancing by eating super foods. How delicious is that?

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