Ilchi Lee

Three exercises to improve your balance
Scott McCredie, a health and science writer, notes: “each year one in three Americans 65 and older falls.” The consequences can be fatal.

Our sense of balance can begin to decline as early as our 20s, and unless we work to maintain our equilibrium it will continue to decline and become more rapid and prevalent by our early 40s.

“Balance is a motor skill,” said Dr. Marilyn Moffat, physical therapy professor at New York University. “To enhance it, you have to train your balance in the same way you would have to train your muscles for strength and your heart for aerobic capacity.”

Here are three exercises to improve your balance.

1.Sit-to-stand exercise. Sit straight up in a firm chair (your back should not touch the chair) with your arms crossed. Stand up straight then sit down again. Do this as quickly as you can without using your arms. Repeat this exercise three times. Build up to 10 repetitions.

2.Heel-to-toe tandem walking. On a firm, uncarpeted floor, tighten your stomach muscles, tuck in your chin and place one foot in front of the other. Walk at least 10 feet by placing the heel of the front foot so that it almost touches the toe of the back foot. Repeat this exercise once or twice a day.

3.Sidestepping. Face a wall. With one leg, step sideways. Bring the other foot to it. Do this 10 times in each direction. After mastering this move, sidestep once to the right. Cross the left leg behind and sidestep to the right again. Cross the left leg in front this time. Repeat 10 times and then do it in the opposite direction.

Find your Ki
The word Ki (also spelled chi or qi) translates to energy, life force, spirit and breath. It is energy that connects all things—a mediator between mind and body—and is without limits. For those who believe in it, it is an inner energy that we all have. For those who don’t believe, it is a myth.

However, through Ki exercises, Ki breathing and Ki meditating, Ki can be developed. The following breathing and posture exercises can help you get started.

Breathe in through your nose. Inhale deeply. Then release the air with an “hhhhaaaaaaa” sound. Practice this breathing for a few minutes each day.

Lie flat on the floor, with you arms at your side and feet about shoulder width apart. Relax. Allow gravity to help you feel heavy. Slowly stand up. Stand in the same position you were laying in—this is your ideal posture. Let it happen naturally. Do not force it. This exercise will help you get comfortable with knowing your best posture and your body will correct itself automatically. Remain in this standing position for a moment. Repeat the exercise several times.
Ki practitioners link their mind and body through various training methods by using mental focus, relaxation and posture. You, too, can use these methods to become more aware of the internal processes within your body. The more skilled you become, the more you will experience a life without limits.

Why water consumption is good
Water’s melting point is zero degrees Celsius. Its boiling point is 100 C. However, when it comes to you and water, the relevant number is 64—the total ounces of water you should consume each day.

Water is the base for all fluids in your body and is necessary for transporting and absorbing nutrients throughout the body as well as eliminating waste. If you don’t ingest enough water, or if you excrete more than you take in, you can become dehydrated.

According to Daniel G. Amen, M.D. and author, even slight dehydration is enough to raise stress hormones, which over time can lead to brain damage.

“The brain is composed of approximately 8% protein, 10% fat and 72-75% of fluid,” said Khun Vanessa Race, Harvard graduate. “Neurons are like plants, if you don’t give them water, they will shrink in size.”

Thirst is not a good gauge of your body’s need for water. Instead, check your urine, if it is clear to pale yellow and odorless, you’re properly hydrated. If not, grab a glass of water. With a tip of the wrist, you’ll drink your way to a healthier brain and body.

Do the Little Einsteins really make kids smarter?
Are you one of the millions of parents or grandparents watching four young kids take off in their favorite rocket ship, on a mission, set to classical music, alongside your child or grandchild each morning?

The Disney program, Little Einsteins, hit the television screen in October 2005 as a way to introduce art and music in a colorful, fun, and interactive way. The show’s characters visit real locations like the Sydney Opera House and see real artwork like Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” But are our children really learning from all this?

With a name like Little Einsteins, one would think the program should be full of educational value, but Disney has put forth statements as to not overstate the show’s value in terms of education.

“It sparks preschoolers’ imaginations and sends them on the journey of discovering more information…to me the core attribute of Little Einsteins is curiosity and exploration of new things,” said Gary Marsh, president, entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide.

Pediatricians recommend that children older than two years should limit their television viewing to “high quality educational media,” but there are no standards stating what this is. Few content providers do actual scientific research on the educational benefits of their programs; they focus instead on the entertainment value.

This leaves it up to parents and grandparents to decide for themselves what programs have educational value, and it’s not easy. Especially when the “Little Einstein” in your life emphatically insists that they all do.

The role the brain plays in our equilibrium
When people think of aging, they generally think of two things: losing their mind and loosing their vitality. Perhaps they should be more concerned about losing their balance.

Research shows that non-injury induced loss of balance begins naturally around the age of 40. By the time people reach the age of 65, loss of balance becomes such a serious health issue that it accounts for 50 percent of accidental deaths.

Physical therapists, Marilyn Moffat and Carole B. Lewis state that balance is “the ability of our body to maintain equilibrium when you stand, walk or perform any other daily activity.”

Human equilibrium requires proper input from three sensory receptors—the inner ear, vision and somatosensory (the sensory system that detects experiences relating to touch or pressure). Once these receptors send the proper signals to the cerebellum, the brain must execute the correct movement of our body so that we maintain our center of gravity. If just one of the components in this complicated system does not work properly, the result will be lost balance.

The good news for people with poor balance is that, like the brain, it can be improved. Dr. Moffat recommends simple exercises, such as standing on one foot while talking on the phone. It may seem silly, but it could be what keeps you from bumping into that doorjamb the next time you leave the room.

Push-up your confidence

"I have no idea what my limits are. I believe that if I set my mind to it, within the next 15 years, I would be the President of the United States." -- Will Smith, Actor

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck has spent years studying why some people achieve their potential while others, as equally talented, do not. She claims the key isn’t ability but how the ability is viewed—inherent, needing to be demonstrated, or as something that can be developed.

Dweck believes that people typically exhibit one of two types of mindset: fixed or growth. People having a fixed mindset believe their abilities and talents are predetermined—you are what you are. People with a growth mindset believe their abilities and talents are malleable and have potential to develop over time.

According to Dweck we will be able to reach new limits if we learn to embrace the occasional obstacle. It is actually the obstacle that allows us to use our problem solving and reach that next limit.

Ilchi Lee, originator of the Brain Education System Training (BEST) and author of Principles of Brain Management and the forthcoming In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide to Successful Aging, writes: “Eventually, your brain will figure out the appropriate method, and it is at that point that you have stretched your limitations so far that you stepped right over them.”

Ready to take that first step? Here’s how you can do it.

From Ilchi Lee (Excerpted from Principles of Brain Management)

Physical fitness training is a good way to gain practice in stepping past limitations. The limitations of the body are clearly defined, and it is clear when we have overcome them. Push-ups are a good example. At first, you will probably only be able to do a few push-ups. Promise yourself that you will add at least one push-up every day. Set a goal of doing a hundred push-ups without stopping. With diligence, you will achieve this very quickly, and you will set precedents for success in all areas of your life.

Corporeal identity

If you think identity is unimportant, consider this. During this year’s Super Bowl broadcast, companies paid $2.6 million dollars for 30 seconds of airtime. That’s right, for the opportunity to reach out to an audience of more than 90 million viewers and spotlight their unique brand, companies were willing to pay at a rate of nearly $90,000 per second.

No matter how you add it up, it’s a lot of money to leave a lasting impression in a small amount of time.

For those that do it well, the return on investment is exponential. For example, the Corporate Branding Index states that more than 20 percent of Coca-Cola’s value can be attributed to its brand. In the first quarter of 2006, the dollar value of this equated to $20 billion. In this context, Coca-Cola’s annual $2 billion marketing budget doesn’t seem so out-of-this world. It clearly pays to influence people’s decision-making processes—to ingrain your product or service into the subconscious.

Ilchi Lee, originator of the Brain Education System Training (BEST) and author of Principles of Brain Management and the forthcoming In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide to Successful Aging, suggests that people’s relationship with their own identities are not so different. He writes: “The more you take control of the things you are and the things you will become, the more satisfied and confident you will be within yourself.”

As corporations have known for years, establishing an identity requires a consistent investment. In your case, the investment is in yourself. People will only see you as you see yourself. So how do you see yourself? How do you want to see yourself?

From Ilchi Lee (Excerpted from Principles of Brain Management)

All sorts of organizations and corporations have slogans: “Be all you can be,” “I’m lovin’ it,” “Just do it.” The best ones are simple, concise and speak volumes about the entities they represent. They say a lot about the way companies view their customers and much about how they want the outside world to relate to them. So why not write a slogan for yourself? It will focus your brain on what you really want to be and maybe help you live up to that ideal.

A dose of daytime rest can boost long-term memory
We know that a good night sleep—at least eight hours—is important for improving our problem-solving skills, concentration and working memory.

But did you know that an afternoon power nap could have similar benefits?

According to a study, co-authored by Avi Karni of the University of Haifa in Israel, a 90-minute daytime nap may help us capture otherwise forgotten long-term memories.

In the study, participants were asked to learn a complex thumb-tapping sequence. They were then split into two groups. One group napped for an hour, the other group did not. The group that napped showed a larger improvement with their new skill by that evening. The next day the two groups were at the same level, but the nappers improved faster than those who did not nap.

“We still don’t know the exact mechanism of the memory process that occurs during sleep, but the results of this research suggest the possibility that it is possible to speed up the memory consolidation,” Karni said.

So the next time you want to make a memory, try napping on it.

Breathing out emotions
There is a popular saying: the heart that truly loves never forgets. But what about the heart that gets broken?

According to researcher Elizabeth Kensinger, of Boston College, our bad memories are even stronger than our good ones. The reason for this is that bad memories excite activity in the emotion-processing regions of the brain. The brain then connects the increased activity to the direct emotion, creating a strong memory. Memories that are not a result of a specific event, such as birthdays and anniversaries, do not form as strong a reaction.

However, according to Ilchi Lee, originator of the Brain Education System Training (BEST) and author of Principles of Brain Management and the forthcoming In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide to Successful Aging, “negative emotions literally shrink the overall mass of the brain and interfere with memory and learning.”

In addition, Lee suggests that our negative emotions from our past often distort our present. So as much as negative memories want to edge their way into your consciousness, it’s important that we work hard not to let them. The following technique, breathing out emotions, can help.

From Ilchi Lee (Excerpted from Principles of Brain Management)

If you find yourself dwelling within a particular emotion, try using breath to let go of the emotion and to deliberately replace it with another more positive emotion. Begin with belly breathing, and relax your body with each breath. Visualize the emotion as part of the tension in your body. You may see it as a dark cloud within you. As you breathe in, imagine that a bright light is piercing through that darkness, the way sunlight cuts through a dark cloud. As you exhale, toxic vapors from the clouds are expelled from your body. Smile gently with each exhalation, allowing the light to overcome the darkness.