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Natural Awakenings Naples and Fort Myers

Vibrant Living

Aug 30, 2022 03:58PM ● By Sharon Bruckman

Who doesn’t want to look and feel their best no matter their age? I believe that far too often we unconsciously succumb to false beliefs about aging that limit our potential. I remember years ago seeing a photo of a woman who looked to be in her 80s or 90s holding a challenging yoga pose. “I want to be able to do that when I’m that age,” I thought, ripping the page out of the magazine to place on my vision board. 


At 60, I fully committed to a regular yoga practice, and it has helped me build essential physical skills to thrive as I age, including strength, flexibility, balance and agility. The best part is leaving class feeling reconnected to my wise, inner guide. I hope you will be inspired to give yoga a try after reading “Aging Gracefully: How a Yoga Practice Keeps Us Young,” on page 28. Before her death at 101, the world’s oldest yoga teacher, Tao Porchon-Lynch, said, “I love seeing students realize what is possible.” September is Celebrate National Yoga Month, and there are classes for all levels in our area.


Tony Robbin' newest book, Life Force, is a longevity game-changer, and I was thrilled to see it on my functional doctor’s desk, confirming that he relies on the latest breakthroughs in health technologies when recommending solutions that maximize my energy, prevent disease and extend my health span. I shared Robbins' book with writer Marlaina Donato as she set out to research and write this month’s feature story, “Growing Younger: Longevity Strategies That Help Reverse the Aging Process,” on page 24. 


A healthy, long life is becoming increasingly attainable as the science advances, and today’s researchers say there has never been a better time in history to maximize our potential for metabolic renewal. By better understanding biological age—the state of our health at the cellular level—researchers are fine-tuning dietary, sleep, relaxation and exercise recommendations that turn back the clock.


I recently took an eight-week online writing course Memoir as Medicine with bestselling author and mind-body physician Lissa Rankin. As a longtime journaler, the course inspired me to take my free-flowing ramblings to a new level and gave me a deeper understanding of the importance and power of writing our messy stories to heal ourselves. On page 30, you’ll get to read a stimulating conversation we had with Rankin about her latest book, Sacred Medicine: A Doctor’s Quest to Unravel the Mysteries of Healing.


We hope you enjoy this Inspired Living edition filled with the latest information and resources for health and healing to help transform the quality and quantity of your life. Don’t forget the simple anti-aging power of breathing and smiling, while embracing the miracle of the present moment. 


Warm Smiles,

Sharon Bruckman