Keeping the body in motion is vital to staying well while aging. Yet, how can we stay in motion to any effective degree while the “normal” aches and pains of aging may be limiting us? If you’re like many adults in our country, you’ll do the most logical thing possible… i.e., look for the single best pill or combination of medications that will suppress any aches or pains the body is experiencing.

I’m optimistic that the tide is turning on that choice. Perhaps it’s turning slowly, but based on my personal observations and conversations in local circles, it seems to be turning, nonetheless. The fact that local and organic food choices, integrative medicine, mindfulness, and natural health and wellness are now mainstream topics of conversation proves that we are seeking a healthy alternative to aging and pain management.

The human body is built to move. That is evident in the way it is structured. Joints and skeletal muscles are designed for smooth and easy motion, yet we are becoming more and more sedentary in our lifestyle and working environment. Sitting for prolonged periods in front of a computer screen, behind the wheel of our vehicles or in front of a television is raising alarm flags for our health. Sitting is the new smoking.

This month’s issue of Natural Awakenings supports the idea that bodies are built for motion, not for stillness. Our feature story discusses how to keep joints healthy in a natural way, and our Fit Body department helps us celebrate Yoga Month by reminding us that even gentle yoga helps foster physical flexibility, irrespective of our age or current mobility. Find out how and why the benefits of movement through yoga are available to everyone of any age or physical type.

Kudos and congratulations are extended to the ever-evolving and always supportive yoga community in our region. As yoga studios come and go with the trends, there remains a steadfast core of teachers committed to helping us “move and relate to our body, and how to gracefully adjust to change and the challenges of life.”

Flexibility is beneficial on many fronts—physical, mental, energetic, spiritual, social and political—and being flexible is a key ingredient to a happy existence. Keeping the body in motion and being flexible on all fronts are essential keys to feeling good, living simply and laughing more.

Happy autumn!