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H e a l t h & W e l l n e s s / Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Stress Control Smile. Smiling lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. Aromatherapy. Essential oils improve your mood, reduce stress and even improve your memory. Try lavender, lemongrass, cinnamon or cedarwood. Being outdoors with green plants, fresh air and the sounds of nature is a proven stress buster. Yoga. The Mayo Clinic recommends practicing yoga to reduce stress and anxiety. Get kneaded. Research from the Touch Research Institute indicates that regular massage lowers heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety levels, depression, hostility, and the stress hormone cortisol. See a therapist. Mental health professionals can help you deal with stress. Begin with breathing. The first thing you ever did for yourself was breathe. And consciously focusing on your breath remains the epitome of self-care throughout your entire life. P Humor your stress Laughing improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, releases tension, and improves your immune system. Reprinted with the permission from SeniorsForLife.com Let nature take your stress away. Get Fit In BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL Here are just some of the fitness classes available: Leland Senior Resource Center of LifeSpan Brentwood Borough Parks and Recreation 5230 Wolfe Rd., Baldwin; 412.655.1779 [email protected] 3624 Brownsville Rd., Brentwood.; 412.884.1500, ext.119 brentwoodboro.com Beat the winter blues by enjoying fitness and fun activities with other seniors! Free exercise classes include a Get up and Move class on Mondays from 10 – 11:30 a.m., and an Exercise in your Chair class, by the University of Pittsburgh, on Tuesdays from 12 – 1:30 p.m. Also included is a Restoration and Relaxation class, featuring tai chi, yoga and regular exercise, by the Community College of Allegheny County, on Wednesdays from 9:30 – 11 a.m. The center is wheelchair accessible and right off the street for convenience. Call or email for more information. Fight the holiday pounds by taking advantage of the wide variety of affordable fitness classes offered by Brentwood Borough Parks and Recreation! Visit the website, or call for more information on all of the fitness programs available. Urban Prana Yoga 4129 Brownsville Rd., Pgh.; 412.884.9642 urbanpranayoga.com Urban Prana Yoga provides people of all age groups and athletic abilities with an overall physical, mental and spiritual workout. A wide variety of classes are customized based on the needs of the students, including Gentle Yoga to Warm Vinyasa Flow Yoga. Take advantage of the New Student Special, $30 for 30 days of unlimited yoga, or a drop-in fee of just $13. Also offered is a $5 Community Class held on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., with the proceeds benefitting a charitable organization that the students choose each month. Call or visit the website for details. Three Rivers Heritage Trail Friends of the Riverfront, Inc. 33 Terminal Way, Suite 333B, Pgh.; Phone: 412.488.0212 friendsoftheriverfront.org/ Dust off your cross-country skis or snow shoes and enjoy over 24 miles of beautiful trails with breathtaking views of Pittsburgh on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, featuring the Baldwin Borough trail segment! For more information on planning your winter fitness adventure, call or visit the website. South Park Ice Skating Rink Buffalo Dr., South Park; 412.833.1499 alleghenycounty.us Free Learn-to-Skate Lessons for individuals, five years old and up, will be offered in January, 2014. Registration and other information are available on the website. Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall | Winter 2013 | icmags.com 19