The Expense of Fighting off A Cold Naturally - Looking at the Big Picture

honey, ginger, lemon, neti pot and the book that inspired this blog

I was not dressed warm enough for an extensive morning walk in November.  Mowgli woke me up one morning and I was outside at 7am which was earlier than usual.  I should have gone back inside to get a scarf at least, but decided against it, which was an unwise decision.  

"Dirty Chunky Three-Potato Mash" (no butter) Happy Holidays 2014 - Remember, RELAX and BREATHE!

Happy Holidays

"Dirty-Chunky 3-Potatoe Mash"

We were invited to my friend's house in Harlem for a potluck-style Thanksgiving dinner. 

In about two hours I did the laundry, grocery shopping, and made the most delicious mashed potatoes I have ever eaten if I may say so.  

I was full of vitality having returned from a trip to Mexico (more about that some other time) the day before.  Here is what I did and I wonder whether others have tackled the challenge of creating a healthier mashed potatoes recipe.  My make-over is called "dirty chunky 3-potatoe mash".

In the morning I woke up knowing that I wanted to use a variety of organic potatoes including traditional white,  red and one Japanese sweet potato which I discovered about a year ago.  

Mowgli - Wearing the "Elizabethean Collar"

The "Elizabethean Collar" as Royal calls it is not fun; neither for wearer, nor pet owner; the wearer (Mowgli) gets very irritated due to restricted view, movement and bumping into furniture and walls.  However, there was no way to avoid it; we would have risked an infection; we used it at night, when Mowgli was at home alone, or when we caught him licking the wound (the hot spot) which happened occasionally.  I, again doubled up on the Dien Cham  (Facial Reflexology) sessions to keep him as relaxed as possible.   I am also interested whether there are holistic solutions in forms of oils, such as tea tree oil, or perhaps chamomile oil (does it exist)? 

Mowgli the Dien Cham Junky!

Mowgli loves the woods (at Raymondskills Waterfalls, PA)

 
Mowgli's Every-day Dien Cham Protocol
regulation/general equilibrium
relaxation/calming
third eye/cervical vertebrae/psychological balance. 

Mowgli's Recent Crisis 
When his digestion was off three weeks ago, I added the following:

• Points treating infections 
• Liver  
• and at times I worked almost the entire face, representing the entire body looking for sensitive areas.   

Kripalu: Guiding Gently, Suggesting, or Perhaps just Listening et al.

Time to finish this post about Kripalu (June 1 to 6); it will help me finish "processing" my stay. 
  
Speaking of processing ("digesting"), this time around at Kripalu (as faculty assistant) working with Lakshmi Voelker, Tracey Eccleston and fellow chair yoginis, Grace, Wendy, and Kathleen certifying new LVCYTs, my digestion was working extremely well from day two on; day one was just a bit off.  During the last day (day 5), I think I went to the bathroom three times before lunch.  I was thinking to myself that I had to go for every bowl of food I ate ;-)(some of the LVCYTT team agreed laughingly that we were overeating at every meal).  At times I indeed ate three bowls of food per meal (not full though).

So grateful to teach the 4 Essential Hand Reflexes
I designed for the TT Manual: a highlight

With Dental Savasana and Seinfeld: Who Needs Anasthesia?

The affected tooth

A few weeks ago I had an appointment with my dental hygienist.  A week prior to that part of a filling fell out during flossing.  Can't complain about timing!   

"Awwwh, time to relax", I said as I sank into the chair that reminds me of the zero gravity chair/Lafuma Chair often used in Reflexology.

Dislocated Shoulder (Part 2) - Rehabilitation (healing)

Mowgli (can you see him?) naps on the couch during R's session.

In addition to physical therapy twice a week R. also receives Reflexology from time to time to keep these healing juices flowing; in case of a full session it's usually a face/foot combo, in case of mini sessions it might be just Dien Cham; I gave him at least three sessions on a hike due to challenges in his left calf.  The left side of the body has started compensating a bit for the lack of mobility in the right side (dislocation) as per his physical therapist, and, of course, it make sense.  

Embracing the Polar Vortex - Getting Fresh Air and Sun

snowy walk

Many people I know were getting sick of the cold weather this winter very quickly.  And at this point I am ready for spring, too.

However, once I embraced the snow and cold weather (polar vortex), I really had a great time.  Layering, of course, was the key; I must have looked 10-20 pounds heavier, but my walk with Mowgli in the morning is very important, and one of my priorities was to not get sick during the winter.  I wanted to get fresh air AND sun and it was easiest to do this in the morning. 

10-Mile Walk Along the Hudson River after 2-Mile Walk Earlier that Day

Mowgli enjoying the sun; he was getting tired

The weather last Sunday was perfect for a long walk along the Hudson (from the 50s to Ground Zero; round trip: 10 miles).  I let myself be talked into it.  There were a lot of walkers, bicyclists, kids, and dogs.
  
We stopped very briefly several times to use the bathroom, chat with a friend/colleague we ran into, to give Mowgli some water, and to drop by a dog run.  At about mile 8, my left side started feeling off; foot, knee, hip, buttock. 

Dislocated Shoulder (Part 1) - Agony on Outer Limits

Outer Limits

We decided to take off for Vermont during the Winter Olympics and pictured ourselves watching Olympic coverage at night with the locals.  That did not happen.  NBC's coverage disappointed Vermonters just as much as us.  But never mind!  Primarily, we were there for two days of skiing, fresh Vermont air and change of pace.

A Pictorial: Visiting Chinatown and MoMA during Lunar Year of the Horse Celebrations

Visiting MoMA the day of the New Lunar Year celebrations..the atrium felt like an art lounge with couch-like furniture to sit on and take in the monumental video installations (

A Crescent Moon greeted me coming out of the subway station over Canal Street the next day- life is perfect so often, isn't
it?  I felt it was perfect that moment.  If I had planned to see the moon over Chinatown, I probably would not have seen it.

From Seated Mountain to Being Happier; From 2014 Corporate Yoga to 1994 St. Mark's Place

I was teaching a noon LV Chair Yoga Class at a marketing firm downtown, corporate yoga.  That morning, I had time to prepare myself really well; after walking Mowgli, I did my qi gong practice and on the subway I did some "internal chanting", and "dental flossed the chakras via the bija sounds" (more about this at some later point), and did some pranayama with visualization; I felt grounded.  

The HR contact told me that many of those signed up may not show up because it was so cold and employees chose to work out of their homes.  So despite the fact that half of those (10) who were signed up did not show up it was a great class.  I had plenty of time to set up the room and use the bathroom.

Post-class raffle drawing...

The Word "Bunion" Crossed My Mind, Then the Word Arthritis, Then I Got Busy!

Gotta love your feet all inclusively, webbed toes and bunions.....

And then the word why, followed by a reassuring no, I can't imagine.  However, it is a fact that I could have a bunion or two or arthritis.  The fact that I think I have been treating my feet rather well for a long time may not be good enough, there is genetics (possible anomalies of the feet) after all and other factors, like diet (I am trying very hard to get all the nutrients to keep healthy), keep stress at bay (I live in noisy polluted NYC but love the Big Apple anyway), etc. 

So what prompted that?  I felt a burning sensation on the base of my left big toe (hallux) a few weeks ago for the first time.  Are my shoes tight, heels high?  How am I moving about?  I was scanning my body from the feet up to the head.