Saturday, February 23, 2013

Exercises to Combat Overuse of Muscles

OK, so I was out of commission for 3-4 weeks this past month due to an over zealous ego of mine and a body that wasn't willing to cooperate as far as I thought it should. I was in my wonderful Power Yoga class feeling ever-so limber and strong, and I decided to fly a bit higher in crow pose than I ever had before. Well my lower back and shoulders knocked my ego into submission. So after an MRI, a couple of therapeutic rounds of an anti-inflammatory, physical therapy, and daily use of a posture shirt I'm on the road to recovery.

It amazes me that every time I experience trauma (of any kind actually) I find such gifts in the aftermath. For example, the posture shirt I've been wearing is very comfortable, I wish they sold them in cute styles that I could wear by themselves and not under my regular clothing. (If any of you happen to know of some brand that does have snazzy styles, I'd love to hear from you.) And my shoulders are feeling much stronger and more relaxed. But what I think I like most of all is this Foam Roller I got from my physical therapist. My muscles feel like they have lengthened as a result, and in turn have been far more agreeable to me!

So in my effort to take my exercise to new levels, I've overdone it yet again. But this has also been a reminder to listen more closely to my body and be respectful of it and its limitations. Namaste.




Sunday, February 3, 2013

Turmeric Milk

I came across a recipe for turmeric milk that I just had to try. Seems that turmeric is a kind of miracle herb that works on treating the immune system by decreasing inflammation. The benefits, the blog post states, go well beyond just treating inflammation. Slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's Disease? Really? Well I  was completely in love with the taste, though I couldn't get Jeff to try it. I said it tastes like a mild curry sauce that we get at our local Thai food restaurant. He prefers to keep that flavor with the Thai dishes we love, not to drink. OK, I get it. But, I think I'll be having this drink quite often. Click on 'turmeric milk' to take you to the blog called Frugally Sustainable. Let me know if you try it. Tell me what you think!