Stretchabolism

How do you stretch your heart?
I don't mean emotionally. It is not Valentine's Day anymore.
And we know how to do it anyway, don't we?
You do a little exercise.

You might even believe in the conspiratorial "fat-burning zone" which
provides two heart rates between which you burn fat.
To me that's never pass the plausibility test. But you believe what you like.

The people who think they know about stretching are usually referring
to good ole striated muscle.
Hamstrings and the like.
They can probably extend their learning is to smooth muscle of the heart.
They probably think it's a good idea to exercise your lungs as well,
but that's probably just the striated muscle in your rib cage.
And beyond that, they going to get a bit of a headache.

Although you might believe in exercising your brain. That's a good
idea isn't it?
It won't make it bigger but it might stave off dementia for a year or
two and we can all agree that making a few new connections is always a
good thing.
But doing Sudoku doesn't qualify, regardless of what Patrick Stewart
might tell you.

So you accept that stretching is more than your muscles. We are all agreed.
So how about this.
What shall we stretch next ?
It stretching is so protective, which organ will we target now.

How are we going to stretch our liver for example?
I'm sure you can think of a challenge for your liver that's not quite
the same thing?
How do you stretch its capacity in a way that is healthy?

And what about your gut. You throw everything at it 24 hours a day and
it only lets out the occasional grumble. It's constantly undergoing a
full workout.
So how would you give it a protective stretch, say to help the tuneup
its capacity to releasing hormones or avoid spasm?

We just about discovered what not to do with the pancreas. Don't feed
it sugar. When you're pancreas is feeling well it will metabolise your
glucose for you. But ask it to do it too often and the little grey
dishrag will go on holiday and leave you diabetes.

And stretch isn't just rest.

So how are you going to stretch your gut?
Don't tell me the cabbage diet people were right after all.
Don't tell me the concept of detox actually has something in it.
Please don't tell me that. For god's sake.


So give it some thought and get back to me.
Just how nice are you going to be to your bladder today?

I haven't done any research.
I just thought I'd run it up your flagpole.