GOOD VIBRATIONS!

Look to movement especially to give you the feeling of youth and vitality. There is nothing quite like the sensation of striding out, with your bones, muscles and sinews all singing the same song. It's a joy.

Now let me say, right here, that I'm not really pushing for tough exercises and gym work. There is something uncomfortably fanatic in this. It seems to shout out that we are living very unnatural lives. Nothing in Nature resembles sweating breathless sessions in the gym. The only time that would happen in Nature is when we were chased by a bear or lion. That would be accompanied by a great deal of stress. Not very healthy.

I recommend dance. There is magic and beauty in dance that brings out the best in us. It is a celebration of the self. Few people dance and don't begin to feel good about themselves. If you've never felt this, try it: remember the old admonition to "dance as if no-one was watching". If you are really shy, make sure nobody is watching! Dancing creates a whole new feeling; music, of course, is capable of uplifting and transforming us.

But there is news on the horizon, which I want to share. You may not have heard of the burgeoning craze for "whole body vibration" machines. This is amazing new technology which vibrates the body 20- 60 times a second (20- 60 Hertz). By causing a slight displacement of balance, the muscles are forced to contract at the same high frequency. This means you can exercise big-time, without going anywhere and without even working up a sweat! Actually you could do the equivalent of several miles walking in just a few minutes.

This is not a jogger or treadmill system. It's really different.

What's more, it has its own science and that too is growing fast. Studies at various universities around the world have shown that whole body vibration (wbv) brings surprising health benefits. It reverses osteoporosis, lowers cholesterol, builds muscle strength, raises growth hormone, which is good news, and lowers cortisol, which is even better news (cortisol is the killer "stress hormone"). All these are important anti-aging parameters which we need to keep under control.

Other benefits include enhanced blood flow, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, more collagen, lymphatic drainage, improved coordination and an increased metabolic rate (the latter is useful if you want to lose weight). It improves facial tone and so is great for the complexion, as we age.

It is surprising what does respond. I have seen studies showing improvements in fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Plus there are anecdotal stories of recovery from limb paralysis, Parkinson's tremor and terminal liver cancer.

Safety

Machines are very safe and easy to use. What's more there are very few contra-indications, most of which are pretty obvious: pacemakers, artificial hip and knee joints, metal pins, slipped disc, large tumors and epilepsy. If in doubt, consult your doctor for advice but make sure he/she is up to speed on these new devices.

The main caution for those cleared to use wbv, is not to overdo it at first. The exertions of just 10 minutes on the machine would cause marked fatigue. It needs to be built up, gently.

On the plus side, the endorphin rush and thrill after just a few minutes wbv makes you feel really calm and really invigorated.

My recommendation: the Hypergravity Fit n' Flex machine

I've been investigating this technology for some time now and have concluded that the best machines in the market are made right here in Los Angeles (Chatsworth, actually) by a firm called Hypergravity. You need the right technology - it's called vertical plate mechanical sinusoidal vibration, of amplitude 3- 5 mm. You can immediately rule out the two main competitors:

• The Sonic is from Korea, badly made, oversold (a lot of lies told, I'm afraid) and is not the right technology. They boast it's the same principle as sound and insist the science resaerch is valid for them. It isn't. But with $4000 commission at stake, the salesman will get very insistent.
• The Powerplate is from China, made with plastic, overpriced and does not have the right vibrations. Modanna reputedly has one: she's been rooked. The Powerplate motors are badly synched and it goes round and round as much as up and down, which is useless. They call it "pivotal" vibration and, again, try to imply the science and university research is valid for their machine, which I know is not true; ALL the research is with vertical plate oscillations.

Both these machines cost more than the Hypergravity - why pay more and get less?

The Hypergravity is US made, to battleship standards, yet it looks great in stainless steel or burnished copper. It's all metal, hand-made, very robust, hums like a Rolls-Royce and is certain to last for decades, probably a lifetime. No parts are made in Asia! Even the motors are built on site. Josh Hayon, the mastermind behind the design, has been making beautiful machines for the last 5 years and was only 6 months behind the European leaders (the original research was by Russian Vladimir Nasarov). That's how new it all is.

To the right is the flagship model, the Olympic Professional Automatic. Above right is the doctor's office model.

I've spent time with Josh, I am satisfied with his real passion, flair for design and good business ethics. He's a warm and likeable human being, who lost everything in the 1994 Northridge earthquake but had the guts to start all over again in his 60s! I'd like to recommend his machines to you. They start from $3850 for the personal model (top of the page), to $8250 for the doctor's office model (leasing is available).

Please surrender your name and e-mail address in the box below, so I can keep track of your interest, and I'll flick you over to his website for a closer look (you understand this will help to support my sites).

Yes, please! Let me have more details of the Hypergravity machine