A recent article in Alive magazine got me thinking. What is self care? The medical definition refers to a patient’s ability to follow through with doctors’ orders. How will they be able to take the steps necessary to build health.
In modern marketing, self care has been used to peddle spa treatments, luxury shoes and exotic travel. Are these items, for example, necessary to health? They may be very pleasant and desirable but they don’t have any direct benefit to your organism.
This is where it is important to understand that self indulgence (what’s a little dark chocolate between friends?) is lovely but it is not self care. By defining self care as those luxuries, we leave out huge swaths of individuals who can’t afford them or who don’t have access to them (maybe they’re tied down with family responsibilities or travel is unsafe).
And I’m in the business of supporting self care. Yoga therapy is not something that is done to you, like massage. Yoga therapy is the active process of evaluating where we’re at now and deciding what simple techniques can be employed (ie self care) to bring more balance. Almost anyone, anywhere can practice yoga therapy. As a yoga therapist, I spend considerable effort to communicate the tools clearly and freely. In this, I hope to include as many as are interested in the self care rituals.
When you are evaluating your lifestyle and thinking about improving your mood, physical health or mental abilities, please consider your responsibility in making that happen. Ultimately, no one practitioner can “fix” you. It’s up to you to take responsibility for your own self care. It’s not a “luxury” to hit your yoga mat or take time to therapeutically relax. It’s not something that goes on the “to do” list only to be outmuscled by shopping or travel (something more fun). Yoga is self care … health care.
Please try some of the free video resources on this site. It takes as little as 10 minutes a day, and can be absolutely free, to practice true self care.
If your kid is one of those struggling with stress and anxiety, you know how frustrated a parent can feel. It’s actually very frightening, at least it was for me. Even though my son’s feelings were just “in his head”, the symptomology and fall out were very physical and real.
You may notice the following in your child if they are developing anxiety:
changes in sleep habits, particularly not being able to fall or stay asleep
discussions about illness or physical problems, like heart palpitations, breathlessness, joint stiffness or mysterious pains that often shift throughout the body
reluctance to participate in family activities or try anything new
angry outbursts and often long painful silences
difficulty coping with their workload and daily tasks
Sometimes symptoms progress to panic or anxiety attacks. These are scary! There is real pain, often around the chest, breathing difficulties, accelerated heart rate, eyes rolling back in the head and basically true, raw panic in every sense. In the emergency room, on any given day or night, you’ll find people waiting that are convinced they are having a heart attack. But they’re luckily not. But it’s that bad.
Now you are having anxiety yourself, worrying about your kid, let me offer some support. There is a way out and it can begin right now in the simplest and cheapest way possible – with breathing.
Before examining these tools, let’s suggest that you do contact your family doctor or health care professional soon to make sure that the patient is physically well. A lack of iron or protein in the diet, or too much sugar or caffeine (all things that commonly occur when kids are away at school) can wreak havoc with the nervous system. Basic things like making sure they have the right eye glass prescription and feel safe in their living situation are good bases to cover.
The following protocol is safe regardless and will support any steps your doctor suggests, including medication. Your doctor may encourage you to try this protocol first for 4 – 6 weeks, with your child’s full enthusiastic participation, to see if you can avoid medication.
To understand why this protocol works, you may want to watch this video explaining a bit about the nervous system (the first one on the page). We run ourselves, and our kids run themselves, ragged and then we’re surprised that we have a reaction.
Here’s the protocol:
Structure – Routine is key. The nervous system is like a cranky toddler. It is much calmer when it knows what to expect. See if the patient can arrange their schedule so they go to bed and wake at similar times, eat meals regularly and in a calm atmosphere. For the duration of the protocol, reduce the going out, travel and activities that deviate from the routine.
Diet – The nervous system needs healthy food too. Think vegetables, fruits, whole grains, adequate protein and good fats. Because the brain is a real energy gobbler, it needs fat. Some studies have shown good results with Omega 3 rich fish oils. Reduce or eliminate caffeine (it revs up the nervous system when it is already overcharged) and alcohol (it depresses the nervous system but then when the initial effect wears off, it kicks back and over jazzes us again).
Movement: Exercise burns off nervous energy and opens the possibility of finding balance again. Avoid competitive exercise but opt for hiking in nature, zumba, or another activity that is fun and no pressure. If this can be done in nature or outside, even better.
Breathing: Changing the way you breathe speaks directly to the nervous system in a language it can understand. You can’t think your way out of anxiety. The thoughts are where the glitch is. But you can slow down the breath and match the inhale to the exhale and that will insert new information to the system. This article explains a well researched breathing technique that can short circuit a panic attack and relieve short term stress. https://www.anxietybc.com/adults/calm-breathing The dosage here is 3 times per day for about five minutes.
Rest: For a minimum of 20 minutes every day, the patient will need to rest. Not sleep or nap or watch youtube, but rest therapeutically. A guided relaxation can be used (one of my favourites – https://youtu.be/9x3tl81NW3w) or a restorative yoga pose. There are thousands and millions of options to explore to find a practice that suits the individual and will keep them enjoying their cozy time. Even if the to-do list is crushing, this “time out” will get the patient back to work with far more clarity of thought and energy.
This is a lifestyle change and not a natural one for students. It doesn’t have to be rigid forever. But this experience will build life skills that will serve your student well for a lifetime. Results are often felt almost immediately, and anxiety can be more controlled within a few weeks.
As many of you know, I enjoy escaping and embodying a “hippie” sort of lifestyle for several months a year. My refuge is a 17′ travel trailer that we have outfitted with all the comforts necessary. When you spend that much time on the road, you need to make a commitment to healthy lifestyle which means you’re not really “on vacation”. That means eating healthy, bringing my yoga mat along and maintaining a meditation practice.
In this video, I try (with my little iPhone) to give you a sense of the space inside the trailer and I demonstrate preparation of a lovely Thai style shrimp stir fry. It’s always fun to peak into someone else’s kitchen, I think, and this one is unusual… about 50 square feet or less. Let me know if you try the recipe and send me your tiny kitchen tips.
Our modern lives are permeated with advanced chemicals. Compounds that would be unrecognizable just 100 years ago abound in everything from foods to fabrics to manufacturing processes. Although each of these compounds has been tested for safety, I sometimes wonder about the cumulative exposure.
In laboratory settings, research scientists expend due diligence to create a test environment where most things stay the same so they can study variability of the factors under study. The real world isn’t like that. The mercury in my dental fillings is probably safe on its own but what if my toxic exposure is increased by my personal care products, living next to a factory and drinking from the heavily industrialized great lakes?
It makes sense to reduce your chemical exposure wherever possible. Cleaning vinegar is a relatively recent discovery in our household but has quickly become popular as it eliminates so many other cleaning and household products…. all of which have complicated chemical backgrounds.
By contrast, vinegar is really just watered acetic acid which is produced by the fermentation of ethanol or sugars by acetic acid bacteria. It has been around for millennia. Cleaning vinegar is a stronger solution than that we use for cooking, usually 10% or more. It costs about $4 for 2.5 litres at your local grocery or hardware store making it a very economical choice.
And what can you do with cleaning vinegar? There are probably so many more uses but here are a couple occurring in our house regularly:
Clean the bathroom. Use full strength on a micro-fibre cloth to clear soap scum, disinfect and polish. Rinse with clear water. To sanitize, leave on the surface for 10 – 30 minutes before rinsing.
Clean your floors. Use ¼ cup vinegar to 1 gallon hot water and dissolve grease, stains and sticky gunk. I don’t rinse but if you have a shiny finish, your floor might need one.
Polish mirrors and glass. Prepare a spray bottle with ½ cleaning vinegar and ½ water. Use like Windex.
Dissolve hard water calcification in the washing machine or coffee maker. The vinegar is acidic and can be corrosive if used too frequently. I just add about ¼ – ½ cup full strength to the machine (in the fresh water container of the coffee maker or the drum of the washer) and run the machine through a normal cycle. Run two or more clear water cycles afterward to rinse thoroughly.
Add as a laundry rinse to brighten. Dullness in clothing can be due to soap residue. Adding ¼ vinegar through the fabric softener dispenser can dissolve that scum and brighten fabrics. Test any precious pieces first in a discreet area because vinegar can fade.
Kill weeds! Use full strength in a spray bottle directly on weeds. It will kill all plant life so take care when using in the lawn. Use a very directed spray, right into the base of the plant. It’s not as long lasting as herbicides and deep rooted plants like dandelions can recover, but it’s much safer for pets and kids.
Unfortunately, it is has not proven effective on Coronovirus so other disinfectants (like 70% rubbing alcohol) can be sparingly used on high touch surfaces.
Walking the spiritual path can seem daunting. Will I have to change a lot? Are you allowed to still have fun? This sign reminds us that the longest journey begins with one step.
I’ve just returned from two weeks on Manitoulin Island, the largest fresh water island in the world and home of the only unceded First Nations land in North America. Humans have sensed the sacredness of this ground for thousands of years. And I would like to share with you a moving experience … walking the White Birch Path. As we follow the stones, close your eyes and let the simple words speak to your deepest places. Finding more peace, or happiness, is not complicated. But it does take your attention and commitment.
An invitation to pause and reflect on your intentions for this life.
In the tiny village of Kagawong, on the North Channel of the frigid Lake Huron waters, there is a beautifully carved path through tall pines and stands of elegant birch. Small stations have been created with views of the sparkling water and scented with the rich earthiness of verdant growing things. Each station invites you to pause your otherwise frenetic pace to soak up the beauty of that spot and be inspired by the “stepping stones”.
Start with that first step.. change just one little thing.
Infuse your intention with passion and compassion.
Be willing to clean house.
Pay attention. The spirit reveals in the quiet moments.
Ahhhh! Light begins to dawn. You see some progress.
Self compassion fosters openness and compassion for others.
Take time to reflect on your work and bask in the light of healing.
Let the wisdom of the elders and the beautiful interconnectedness of the natural world lead you on your own healing path. Late summer is a time of abundance. She offers ample opportunity for you to participate in life.
Bite into a juicy peach still warm from the sun. Immerse in the silky waters of a fresh water lake. Witness the raw power of a lightening storm. Walk into your life now.
Time to get ready! Step into the shower and look at the variety of products awaiting your ritual. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant soap, shaving lotion and many other products have become a supposed necessity to modern hygiene. But are they? Was it all those ads during the soap operas that convinced us that our natural body processes were horribly smelly and disgusting requiring immediate intervention with chemicals?
Let’s step back and re-evaluate. Why does shampoo have to lather? Why do we need to deodorize our belly skin? Why do we need a separate cleansing agent for our scalp? Isn’t it skin too?
Just as in cleaning our homes, cleaning our bodies has become a toxic soup of artificial, and probably unnecessary, chemicals that could be seriously harming our bodies and our environment. The David Suzuki Foundation identifies the worst offenders (https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals-avoid/). It might be interesting to go on a treasure hunt in your bathroom to see what you discover.
This issue came into my awareness during a conversation with a friend years ago regarding menopause. The poor thing was in the thick of hot flashes and other indignities when her doctor offered relief in the form of a skin cream. It worked! And she was having a tough time. So I got to thinking… if a skin cream could affect her hormones enough to fix those serious issues, what am I putting on my skin that is affecting my hormones indiscriminately? Hormone disruption with environmental toxins is a serious concern for me as it has been linked such diverse problems as breast cancer and obesity (*1).
Shampoo Alternatives
Mix one part baking soda and one part apple cider vinegar. Shake well and apply about 1 or 2 teaspoons to hair once wet. Work into scalp. Rinse well.
2. Use a shampoo bar
instead of a bottle. It’s great for travelling as there are no liquids to pack in your carry on. It can also be used on the body. There are several options online. Check the ingredients to be sure you understand each one and it is a natural substance. The ingredient list should be under ten items.
3. A special nod to dandruff shampoo users. The harsher chemicals in traditional shampoos strips oils excessively from the skin (scalp) causing dry patches and opportunities for irritation. Switching to softer cleansers creates healthier skin less likely to break out. As a prescription for break out times, try rubbing in coconut oil to scalp and leaving it for about 10 or 15 minutes. Wash as usual. The coconut oil is nourishing, anti-fungal and cooling.
Conditioner Alternatives
Unless you have very long, fine hair that tangles a lot, chances are you can skip purchased conditioner. Conditioner was never intended to work at the root but nearer to the ends of hair. Try applying a little argan or coconut oil to the ends (be extremely sparing) and then rinsing out excess under warm water in shower. The myriad of products we apply to smooth, straighten, plump or control hair is dizzying. I bet your family and friends would still love you if you let your hair go a little more natural.
Deodorizing Soap Alternatives
You’re honestly not that smelly everywhere. There are a couple key areas where things can get a little funky. You know where they are. All other exposed skin is fine for water only unless you have ground in dirt or axle grease to clean. Consider using the hair cleanser on the smellier bits (they usually have some association with hair follicles as well so that makes sense, doesn’t it?).
For the dirtier places, like after changing your oil or planting the garden, try a castile based soap (like Bronner’s). It is oil based and the oil helps dissolve the grease on your body that might be holding the dirt.
Moisturizer Alternatives
Raid the kitchen for olive oil. Slather on oil before shower then let the warm water rinse the excess. Pat dry gently with a towel after and your skin should be silky smooth.
Make your own body butter.
In a glass 2 cup measure, add ¼ cup coconut oil, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup cocoa or shea butter and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. Melt slowly in the microwave, stirring frequently until well blended. Pour into a clean storage container. The liquid will harden to the texture of butter fresh from the fridge. To apply, warm a little in your hand until liquid again.
Your pocketbook will thank you and the fish will thank you. And you will still be beautiful as a more natural you.
This is one of my favourite poses from the old days. Hips, back, shoulders and wrists all pulled into severe stretches right to the end of range of motion. I like this pose. It’s not hard for me and it makes me feel like I’m super good at yoga. But I don’t do it anymore.
It’s a common myth that stretching builds flexibility. This article will attempt to explain the difference between healthful movement in a joint and pushing movement to a potentially harmful point.
When our bodies were new, the connective tissue (ie fascia, tendons, ligaments, pericardium, etc.) was almost liquid in its fluidity. It slid and glided around all the bones, muscles and organs of the body like Bambi on ice. As we experienced the physical world, took lumps and bumps and formed movement patterns, the connective tissue began to stiffen, even harden, in order to facilitate more efficient dynamics. For example, our cervical spine didn’t form its shape until we were old enough as babies to hold our heads up alone. Our lumbar curve formed as we started crawling and walking. Those spinal curves create an architectural support for our whole skeleton and serve us well. But some of the connective tissue adaptations are not helpful.
One of my teachers (Leslie Kaminoff) tells a story from his youth. He had a girlfriend for several months. They loved to stroll around Soho in NYC, his arm around her. They broke up. He got a taller girlfriend. They like liked to stroll around Soho. His shoulder began to really ache! Why did he not have pain with the first girlfriend? His connective tissue surmised that the angle at which he was holding his shoulder joint with the shorter girl was where he needed to be. The tissue began to stiffen up to reduce the load on the muscles. The taller girl challenged that assumption, so the joint began to give him pain. “Really, buddy? Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Our experience is such that the first position is the safest one because we know it better.”
Most of your chronic aches and pains have a similar history. Nothing was inherently “wrong” with Leslie’s shoulder joint but his body was nervous about changing patterns.
Leslie was smart enough and was learning about connective tissue in his yoga practice, so he respected the tissue’s calls for tenderness. If he had pushed into the stretch pictured above to stretch out the tension in his shoulders, he could have damaged the connective tissue. This is a common cause of frozen shoulder or more increased pain.
While it is a common practice to use equipment (like straps or weights) or outside assistance (such as a physiotherapist) to push further into a stretch, the odds of creating injury, and more pain down the road, increase dramatically. This is because it’s not tight muscles that are causing your stiffness, but nervous connective tissue. How often have you had an adjustment at the chiropractor or a good deep yoga stretch, but then feel even tighter the next day?
What could Leslie do to adjust to the new girlfriend? Movement! Movement in new planes of motion and through novel patterning. But not pulling or pushing the joint. And lots of movement. The absolute best way to alleviate stiffness is to move more every day, in ordinary ways. Walk instead of drive. Choose to take the stairs. Bake bread or clean your house. All these normal duties are representative of the types of duties our bodies evolved to do.
It’s instinct to stop moving when we experience pain but searching for a range of motion that doesn’t make you gasp is really important. If you don’t keep the connective tissue sliding and gliding, it will stiffen more. The movement generates lubrication and educates the brain that this is safe to do.
This video is a great beginning place. The Joint Freeing Series greets each moving bit of your body in a particular order and in a gentle way. Try practicing morning and evening for a week. Let me know how your sore parts are feeling after that time.
We’re not strictly vegan at my house, although the preference is for vegan mayo for the taste actually. But it can get pricey, and availability during the lockdown has been limited. Going to the larger grocery stores means longer lineups and greater traffic flow. Our local markets don’t always stock this item.
So… this recipe evolved from necessity. It uses soft tofu and a high powered blender.
Ingredients. 1 block soft tofu (use non-GMO and organic if you can find it. There are some tetra-brick tofus on the market that would be shelf stable to order online)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon agave
Process in a high powered blender for about 60 seconds until smooth.
Variation: Spicy Mayo
add 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp smoked, ground chipotle pepper to mixture.
Keep in covered container in fridge for up to two weeks. May separate slightly as there are no commercial emulsifiers in this. Just stir prior to use.
It’s a Sunday tradition around our house to go out for breakfast. During lockdown, it’ s one of those treats that I am really starting to miss. A couple weeks ago, I worked on a recipe for a tofu based sausage and this week I figured out bacon! For my vegetarian and vegan friends, finding that salty, spicy, oily and slightly sweet flavour punch is a big win!
Here we use extra firm tofu sliced into thin, uniform pieces. The thinner, the crispier the final product. Thicker slices turn out more like peameal (Canadian) style bacon. Use these yummy bites alongside pancakes or french toast, in a BLT or as a topping for salad. Pure, complete protein and much healthier than the real thing!
You can find smoked spices at Bulk Barn here in Canada or shop online. Smoked salt and paprika also make a good addition to potato salad, barbecue sauce, chilis and mayo.
It’s spring here in beautiful Niagara, and the dandelions are everywhere. What is often vilified as a weed is actually nature’s seasonal gift. The flowers could be used to make wine, the roots roasted and ground for a hot beverage, but today I’m harvesting the leaves for salads, smoothies and cooking greens.
And let’s not stop there. Wild onions are often found in damp areas around rivers or creeks. They make a wonderful addition to omelettes, pastas, soups and as a fresh garnish for noodle dishes, etc.
