yoga nonagenarian ...there are no limits... Tao Porchon-Lynch

I look with envy at the beautiful supple healthy 20/30 something yogis...who bend their bodies into seemingly impossible positions....
Its this that I aspire to be....
And lets face it ...its never going to happen...I am never going to look like that again ( not that I ever did!! )
But it definitely gives me the motivation to push forward with my yoga practice...
because at the end of the day...I will be the best version of me...
so imagine my surprise and delight when I came across this
well prepare to be amazed as I was, whilst flicking through some yoga articles I came across this amazing lady...      
This amazing lady was born in 1918 and still teaches Yoga
And unlike the majority of all-natural, vegan yogis, Tao Porchon-Lynch wears big earrings, has brightly-painted nails, is always in high heels (well, except for when she’s doing yoga) and she loves wine.  She is definitely outside the box..bless her  

Tao Porchon-Lynch has always led an exotic life  - she was born in India, moved to London in 1940, danced for soldiers in Europe and then moved to Hollywood, during her fascinating life she’s spent time with Mahatma Gandhi, Noël Coward, Marilyn Monroe and the Dalai Lama.

It was whilst growing up in India that she discovered yoga: at the age of eight, she spotted boys on the beach contorting their bodies into strange poses. “I went to my aunt and said, ‘Can they let me be part of it?’ And she said: ‘That isn’t a game, it is yoga and it’s not for girls. It’s not ladylike.’ So I started doing it,” Porchon-Lynch told the New York Times.

This lady is a true inspiration to us all aspiring for that  healthy and long life...and she says that the ancient practice of yoga not only keeps her body young, but it improves her mind and soul as well....and adds that she eats small vegetarian meals and does not over eat or eat just for the sake of it..but that she enjoys a piece of chocolate

She admits that time has taken an inevitable toll on her health; just a few years ago, she had to have a total hip replacement, and in 2011 she broke her wrist... 

When I read this it certainly inspired me... especially as I am the other side of 50..and I often find myself wandering if I have left it too late to start a life and may be a career in this wonderful ancient practice.

'Tao's philosophy is: "There is nothing we cannot do if we harness the power within us."'

And if its good enough for Tao Porchon-Lynch.....

Blood pressure...high...u must b high!!!

Symptoms of very high blood pressure

If your blood pressure is extremely high, there may be certain symptoms to look out for including:

• Severe headache
• Fatigue or confusion
• Vision problems
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood in the urine
• Pounding in your chest, neck or ears.... 
•   ( as reported on Boots website )

Tick box...

Severe headache.....at certain times of the month I do have very bad headaches...

Fatigue...of course ..sometimes.. ( but then again I get up between 5 and 6 am...go to the gym..shop etc

so yes...about 3pm I could do with a nap..but never do..and am still going at 10pm most evenings )

Vision problems.... I guess you could say yes....I've worn contact lenses for 30 years!!😁

Chest pain... NO...

Difficulty breathing... NO

Irregular heartbeat... NO  ( i dont think )

Blood in the urine... NO

Pounding in chest, neck, ears...occasionally have palpitations   

So when I was told I couldnt go into the gym because my blood pressure was high...you could of knocked me over with a feather...literally...

'U need to see the Dr first'

I thought she was having a laugh... ( and yes I know its no laughing matter....I completely sympathise with anyone who suffers from it...family members have...so I am familiar with it )

But I was shell shocked...I class myself as being very healthy and never really seen myself as having health problems ( thank The Lord )

So over the last couple of days I have approached anyone who was able  and asked them to take my B/P

i.e. drs. pharmacy.

'I just need a letter to show to the gym so as they can see I have not got a problem with my B/P'

I told them

Each one one showed high blood pressure!!!!  How can that be?

And yes the more I asked them to take it again...the more it went up!!!!

So now I have to be monitored for 24 hrs to get an average!!!!

God only knows what that is gonna flag up!!

 To control/prevent high B/P 

• Keep your weight at a healthy level: you can achieve this by a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
• Eat a healthy diet: this includes eating only the amount of food your body needs and choosing foods high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar and salt.
• Limit how much salt you eat: just avoiding adding salt to your meal plate or when cooking, and limiting how much processed foods you consume, can make a huge difference.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Don’t smoke tobacco: and minimise your exposure to secondhand smoke(passive smoking).
• Get regular exercise: try to get at least 30 minutes of activity each day. Exercise relieves stress and helps you control your weight.
• Don’t let stress build up: the chemicals your body makes in response to stress make your heart beat harder and faster and your blood vessels tighten. All this makes blood pressure higher.

Moral of the story   

Just because... I eat a healthy diet..dont smoke...not overweight...exercise regularly...do yoga...does not mean that I am healthy....and that I am NOT going to get high B/P

( but be assured I will continue to do my best to be healhy 😉😜 and that will even include a glass of the red stuff occasionally )

. GO FIGURE