From anti-stress meditation to the Ayurvedic diet, five international experts on wellbeing reveal their secrets to sublimate the entire body.
By Judith Ritchie, wellness expert
ELENA BROWER: THE POWER OF ATTENTION
For Elena Brower, Founder of Virayoga in New York and author of “The Art of Attention,” the purpose of yoga is to give importance to every gesture, every moment, to live in a perpetual state of awareness and gratitude. One of her lessons, the gratitude of the present moment: “Take a moment to honor the presence of the things around you. Nature, people. Honor those you love and those who challenge you and require more effort. Thank them because they make you evolve in life. Be grateful, rather than being disappointed or angry, even in difficult times, it is a big step towards world peace. “To help people feel stronger, she teaches them to work their core. The central core or power house of the body. “To find your center, take the time to put your hands on your belly. Pay attention to your spine. Close your eyes. Feel every fiber of your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. This energy controls your nervous system. Inhale and exhale towards the sky …“. Why “The art of attention”? “Our attention is our currency. That’s all we have to offer at any time. Mastering the art of our attention is to be present with a generous and grateful attitude at all times.” Website
DR PRADEEP: OBSERVE AND RELEASE STRESS
Dr. Pradeep Narayanan is a consultant at the wellbeing retreats at Parrot Cay by COMO in the Turks & Caicos. What is his approach? Aim for absolute wellbeing to achieve better overall health. Sitting in the lotus position, he explains in a soft and soothing voice that the body is only an extension of the mind, that the flow of thoughts and anxieties will therefore manifest themselves in the body. For him, wellness management starts with stress management. But to manage stress, we must first identify the stress by observing … with yoga and meditation. What is his secret? Start and end the day with a good relaxation. For him, it takes effort to live a life without effort. The day we achieve to free our mind is the moment that our life will feel like a long vacation. Website
DR SHYLESH: EATING ACCORDING TO ONE’S DOSHA
Dr. Shylesh is the Ayurvedic Doctor at the spa of the the Four Seasons Landa Giraavaru at the Baa Atoll in the Maldives. His mission? Explain the philosophy of Ayurveda and the elements present in our body in the form of entities called DOSHAS (VATA, PITTA and KAPHA) that determine our food (sweet, salty, spicy). Ayurveda is based on the theory of the five elements. All things, living or not, are made up of these five elements. We cannot see them, but we can understand the importance of their role in our body. The three Doshas are determined by genes and the spiritual state of our Mother at the moment of our conception. What is the purpose of this process? To circulate the Kundalini (vital energy) along the cerebrospinal axis to act directly on the Chakras, the “meeting points between consciousness and substance”, and to align them one by one. Website
MARCO BORGES: DO WHAT YOUR BODY DEMANDS
Personal trainer to Beyoncé and founder of the very exclusive gym Sobe Sporting Club in South Beach, this wellbeing guru aims to reduce the rate of cardiovascular disease in the world. For him, health is the ultimate luxury. “If people would give up junk food in favor of healthy food, we could save the colossal amount of money used in the fight against cardiovascular disease,” he says. He recommends eating a plant based diet as much as possible, “I do not suggest that everyone should become vegetarian or vegan. I’m just saying that the best food comes from plants. 80% of diseases are linked to our diet.” Another of his secrets: stretching. “Watch the babies when they are playing. They hold on to their feet and stretch endlessly. As we age, we lose the amplitude of our movements and thus increase the risk of injury. Flexibility reduces this risk while allowing you to move more gracefully”. And finally, sweat! “Go for a run in the morning or a short walk after lunch. Exercise decreases the pressure, stimulates blood circulation, detoxifies the body …” Website
BRYNN JINNET: THINK SPINE
Brynn Jinnett is a former ballerina who danced for the New York City Ballet and ”Les Grands Ballet Canadiens”, she also danced in the movie Black Swan before creating The Refine Method, a circuit training inspired by ballet techniques and recognized as the most “intelligent” program in New York. For this star coach of the New Yorkers, a perfect body is a healthy body that gives self-confidence, strong enough to fight against muscle loss and the risk of age-related weaknesses. Her motto? Provide ever evolving health education, stimulating the metabolism in a whole new way and destabilize the mind to think differently. Her best advice? “Think of your spine. Forget crunches; focus the work on the core and the spine. Exercises like planks, rotations with a resistance band or kettlebell lifts (dumbbells) are the best exercises to strengthen the core. ” Website
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Main photo by Bianca Des Jardins for CFIT Activewear at Strøm Nuns’ Island