Saturday 9 March 2013

Yoga - a roots foundation clinic

Today I attended a 3 hour Yoga-Roots clinic that focused on bringing body mindfulness and awareness to the feet, ankles and knees so that we can build our own home practice.  We think we know how our body moves and why but so often we do it on automatic without any consideration for the consequences both intended and unintended.

It was amazing to experience how even just a small shift in these areas can cause tension, shallow breathing and even pain in areas far removed.  It was inspiring to see and feel how even just small shifts in the way my feet were contacting the ground brought tension/relief to my low back depending on where those points of contact were.

Have you ever paid attention to how if feels to have you foot contact the floor...I challenge you to try it. Stand barefooted on a flat surface.  Take a few deep breaths and then bring your awareness to you feet.  Where do you feel the contact with the floor - are all 4 main weight bearing points of the foot (heal inside and out, and upper pad below the big toe and baby toe) making contact or something else - more inside or outside, more front or back...are both feet the same or is there a difference...just notice these things, do not judge.

Now play with it...bend slightly at the knees, shift your weight around ever so slightly but purposefully so that you feel the different parts of your feet, make sure you maintain a natural curve to your back - don't lean/hunch over or force yourself to look at the sky while doing this...pay attention to the other parts of you body too...does anything hurt or get relief in any of these shifts? How does that contact represent your "normal situation", is there anything you can take away from this?  Also notice the quality of your breath...do you find yourself maintaining a relaxed breath or are you holding your breath at any point? Holding breath is a sign of tension so there may be no specific pain but your body may still be telling you its story...are you listening?

Think about it, the foot has just over 25% of all the bones in the entire body, the foot is our foundation. Our feet propel ourselves through life, they support our weight and sometimes even the weight of others as well.  We often overlook our feet, but even acupuncture and reflexology recognize the multi-system inter-connectivity that seems to be housed in our feet.  I think this is why a foot rub feels so damn good - it eases tension across the body.

So from this day I have several take aways...
1) I need to pay more attention to my feet, my connection to the ground and the types of shoes I force on my tender tootsies.
2) Using a series of various sized balls to massage the bottom of my feet is an easy thing to incorporate in my evening routine.
3) When my back hurts - look to my roots first as it may just be that my misalignment is there not in my spine.
4)3 hours of yoga is way more intensive than I thought it would be. While deep stretches comes from the slow and gentle movement - 3 hours is intense!!! Especially when my yoga practice has been less than consistent...may need to take a Mortin before heading to bed tonight :)

Nameste

Thursday 7 March 2013

Suck it up princess!

So yesterday I went to see my "other" doctor - this one is a Md. who specializes in nutritional medicine.  When I advised him that I hadn't been paying any attention to avoiding the foods I'm allergic to he looked at me and said "Well your just gonna have to suck it up princess!".

One - I have never been called princess (by anyone other than my sister and that is family so that doesn't count)!
Two -  there's a lot of things I'm allergic to so it's a lot to avoid
Three...he's right!!!                         DAMN it!

So I have to go for a bunch of blood work first thing tomorrow since he tests for things most doctors don't even look at like vitamin status and enzyme loads...but regardless I have to do what I know needs to be done - no allergy foods and it has to be... cold turkey (at least I can still eat that - LOL).

No wheat (gluten), no dairy (casien), no eggs, no peanuts, no beef, no pork, no navy or white beans, no...no...no...NO!  Sorry my inner toddler is coming out and wants a big juicy steak, baked potato with all the trimmings and chocolate...but alas none for adult Amber...no not for me :( There is the possibility that if I strictly avoid for a long enough period of time that some of these things can be introduced again as very occasional things - but who knows...or maybe I am just deluding myself to make this an easier pill to swallow!

So far today I have been very good - raspberries and blueberries and soy milk with a chia seed mixture called "Holy Crap". If you have ever watch "Dragon's Den they had been on the program but got no $$ to grow there business - doesn't seem to have hurt them any since you can buy it even in GP.  Check them out at www.holycrap.ca and because I am on the road and I neglected to pick up a spoon anywhere last night so I pretty much drank it out of my sandwich container this morning. I felt like a kid slurping cheerios!  Lunch was cashews/walnuts/sunflower seed/ dried fruit mix that I picked up at planet organic last night along with a baby cucumber, 2 large carrots, some pea pods, some cherry tomatos and half a red pepper...my jaw hurts from all the bloody chewing.  Now I am faced with what to have for dinner - at least Japanese is still an option - rice, veggies and chicken...but it is so not steak...funny thing is I haven't had steak in months and now I WANT IT!!!

Well I am off to the mall for a little retail therapy and to see if I can find a new pair of sandals before spring actually arrives.

Namaste


Sunday 3 March 2013

Sunday's fire side chat

Here I am sitting beside the fire place, but is it not plugged in (electic fireplace) so there is no fire, but I felt like having a chat with you anyway...so just so you know I have this same cold that EVERYONE seems to have the one that is just hanging on forever..dry cough that just won't quite, runny nose, horse voice but really don't feel sick...so since the cold medication from the pharmacy has been doing very little for my uncomfortable symptoms for the past few days I decided to try and kick it old school.

So lots of water, vicks vapo-rub, sinus rinses, hot showers and a shot of brandy before bed...yes I said Brandy...and while it burned wicked going down and made my stomach feel like it was on fire I did sleep better last night.  

While I probably should have taken it easy today I decided to begin spring cleaning in the kitchen, ripped apart a couple of drawers, threw out/recycled lots of useless stuff, washed the drawers down and then reorganized the remaining contents - a place for everything and everything in its place...but not in an OCD way. LOL.  But since I seem to "flutter" between projects I also organized the closet at the front door, pulled out some coats for donation an threw out some old shoes.  I really don't know why I clean in this way...it makes sense in the moment but then in reflection seems very counter-productive.  I mean yes I can focus on a project from beginning to end but for whatever reason cleaning seems to bring out the hummingbird in me.

Back to work tomorrow - weekends are never long enough...I could totally be down with a 5 day weekend - 2 day work schedule  - at the same pay of course...we have a lottery pool at work..maybe our turn will be next :) - I could retire at 37... paint, travel, take pictures, take classes and do home renovations to my hearts content...sounds like a plan to me...but till then I guess I better go finish my laundry so I have clean undies for the week.  LOL.

Namaste,

Amber