Self Care
I haven’t blogged in quite sometime, like over a year! Rita
over at http://completelyrita.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/you-are-the-authority-of-your-own-body/
has motivated me to get back in the saddle of blogging as one form of
self-expression. If you haven’t checked
out one of Rita’s fitness classes, go for it! She is a great teacher.
Lately, one focus in my acupuncture practice has been to help
patients care for their bodies by the little choices they make. I get an hour
to care for a patient, but the real work happens in the day-to-day routines of
our lives. For instance, I love asking the question: what is the first thing you do when you wake
up? Some people know the answer and others don’t. Why? I think it’s because we
are so busy running from one thing to the next, and this habit starts the
moment we wake up. How do we create new routines, new habits, and new momentum
for health? It’s in the little things.
Over the past year and a half, I have started a casual study
of ayurvedic medicine. I want to learn
more about the body’s daily rhythms and how we can enhance or inhibit the body’s
ability to be vital, vibrant, and relaxed. I learned a little bit about this in
acupuncture school, but it was very basic. Ayurveda really dives in deep.
A very simple self-care routine is to drink a glass of room
temperature water upon waking in the morning. We are dehydrated when we wake
from sleeping all night, and we need to replenish ourselves! Different herbs such as ginger or lemon can be
added depending on your constitution (come in for an appointment, wink wink). It may appear insignificant at first whether
it’s water, coffee, or juice that you drink upon waking but it’s not. Try it
for a week, and see how you feel. I guarantee a
difference. For tips on drinking the
right amount of water throughout the day check out this blog http://foodsleepandsex.com/how-to-drink-water/
I encourage you to start noticing the little moments during
the day when there is a break from one activity to the next. How do you feel:
light, heavy, groggy, awake? What’s going on in your body, mind, and heart? How
do you feel after eating breakfast/lunch/dinner? Are you
tired? Do you feel energized? Pay attention and write it down if you have to. Observe yourself, it's really fun and surprising.
How can we support the body’s detoxification, building, and rejuvenation?
The answer starts by listening. Then, we give the body an opportunity to
express and balance itself through acupuncture, herbs, diet, and self care. The biggest part is self-care, how we nurture
and listen to our bodies on a daily basis is how we find more freedom and ease
in our lives. I realize this post has a lot of questions, but that’s where I’m
at. I’m asking a lot of questions, and the joy is hearing the answers when they
come!
Have a great week, and give waking up to water a try.
Comment on the blog, and let me know what you experience.
You're always my favorite inspiration - especially for taking better care of myself!
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