Texoma Living Well Magazine May/June 2018 | Page 30

The Importance of Stretching By Julie Alvira, MD, MBA W hat happens when a trainer has a client that is 35 years of age with the flexibility of a person who is 70 years old? One of the top fitness trends this year is stretching. All of us have known about stretching since we were kids in PE class, but it wasn’t until recently that stretching has become trendy. Stretching has been associated with yoga, but nowadays establishments solely focusing on stretching are pop- ping up everywhere. Luckily, we can take advantage of summer season and stretch outside in the company of Mother Nature. Smell the flowers or the salty scent of the ocean, feel the breeze caressing your cheeks––inhale, exhale, and you are ON! Think of stretching as part of the workout for your brain rou- tine where mind and body connect to increase vitality and longevity. How stretching can help you? Besides relieving tension and