Studies Show To Live Longer You Need Balance!

 “You just need some balance in your life.” 

Bet you’ve heard that before. How do I know? Because people have been telling me that for years. Everyone says it, especially coaches and teachers like me. They also say life can be “a balancing act” or “hang in the balance.” Surprises can catch us “off-balance” or if money’s involved we “balance the books.” 

Balance. I sure could have used some back when I was a single mom struggling to make a living and keep a roof over my young son’s head. Balance? I had no balance. Life was a teeter-totter. I had way too much on my plate. Balance? Forget about it!

Actually, balance is essential according to a recent study in Brazil. Researchers found that 20 percent of nearly 2,000 adults couldn’t balance on one leg for more than ten seconds. The researchers then correlated, sadly, that the inability to simply balance as described above was linked to a much higher risk of dying from any cause of death within 10 years. Other research has determined falls are the leading cause of unintentional death worldwide.

So not only do we need to balance raising families, building relationships and careers, returning emails, studying and learning, but we also need balance for our well-being and longevity. Simply put, Health is Number One. Without it, we can’t help ourselves or those we love. Doctor Lewis Lipsitz, Professor of Medicine at Harvard University, puts it this way: “There’s a downward spiral of the people who don’t go out, who don’t walk, who don’t exercise, who don’t do balance training, and they become weaker and weaker. And muscle weakness is another important risk factor for falls.”  

In short, we all need more balance in our lives. We all need to practice balancing on one leg for more than ten seconds a few times a week. So let’s do it. Together. Get off your computer, put down your phone and do yoga with me on my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/susanfoxleyyoga  Thanks for reading and see you soon! -- Susan