Feed Your Senses. They connect you to the world and to a richer, fuller life. Here’s how to keep them in shape.
At their most elemental, our sense protect us from danger—if you don’t smell smoke, how do you know there’s a fire? But senses are about far more than survival. When we luxuriate in them, they connect us to a place that’s deeper, more creative, more alive. “They are the vehicle by which we experience all the pleasures that five life meaning, from a breathtaking sunset to a heartbreaking symphony.” There are survey conducted for five women whose livelihoods depend on their sense to fill in on what their heightened awareness means to them and how it adds to their lives. Exercise, sleep and stay healthy—and don’t take the gifts of the senses for granted. Instead, every once in a while, stop, look, and listen. It only takes a moment to appreciate the tones and textures of everyday life.
TOUCH
Did you know?
♥ Touch is the most important sense, the one experienced over your entire body.
♥ Sensitivity depends on the type and concentration of nerves. The ones in your fingertips can clearly sense the wing of a butterfly but can’t detect whether the weather is bitterly cold or unbearably hot.
♥ Touch is as important to good health as food and wter: After just five days of three 15-minute massages a day, premature infants packed on 53 percent more weight daily than a control group, according to one recent study. “Babies fail to thrive if they’re not handled.”
To Enrich your Sense of Touch
♥ Shut your eyes during familiar tasks to prevent vision from dominating. In the bathtub, locate the taps, soap, and your feet with just your hands; find your car key and open the door with no visual aid.
♥ Get enough B vitamins to keep your nerves healthy. Consume yours in whole grains, eggs, and leafy greens.
♥ Stimulate the nerve endings in your skin by giving yourself a hand massage. For an energizing treat, add a little almond oil, close your eyes and rub each finger for a full minute.
