WakoWa Salon: Everyday Wellness

It’s hot hot in the Bay Area.

I was up early (for me) to volunteer at an energizer station for Bike to Work Day.  We handed out goodie bags, fruit, coffee cake, and WATER!

It’s a reminder for me to STAY HYDRATED.  This is a frequent mantra of mine, in person and on this blog.  But I think it merits repeating, a lot.

• Are your lips dry?
• Do you have a headache?
• Are you feeling spaced-out?

Could be that the heat or dry air is affecting you more than you think.

If it helps to use some visual reminders from the Five Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine, imagine this.  In the Five Elements, the relationship between the Water Element (associated with Winter, flexibility, energy, kidney, bladder, etc.) and Wood Element (associated with the Spring seaon, growth, creativity, planning, gallbladder and live, etc.) is not surprisingly, that water helps wood grow.

So if you’re feeling wilted, give yourself some water.

In addition to the tulips, the longer days tell me it’s really Springtime.  And while this makes me wnt to increase my activity, I find that I need to boost my energy levels.  What better time to talk again about energy-boosting.

• Is your ability to fuel your energy–for example, with nutritious food and water, restful sleep,  healthful exercise, or a favorite hobby–affected? 
• Or is your energy being depleted in some way, for example with unhealthy foods and alcohol, allergies, stress or pain? 
• Or a combination of factors?

We all know that exercise helps, but according to a short article titled You Name It, and Exercise Helps It in the New York Times, “People with chronic health problems can improve their health and quality of life by learning how to exercise safely.”

“The data show that regular moderate exercise increases your ability to battle the effects of disease,” Dr. Moffat said in an interview. “It has a positive effect on both physical and mental well-being. The goal is to do as much physical activity as your body lets you do, and rest when you need to rest.”

The reality of life is that we’re busy and that squeezing in exercise can be a challenge at times.  I like to walk, and because I live in a city, there are many places I can walk easily.  Therefore, I like to integrate errands with walking briskly.  I finish an errand, get some exercise, and keep my car off the road.  Productivity and goodness for my health as well as the environment.  Win-win-win.

With that thought, I’ll pack up to walk to the post office now.

As some of you know, I live in San Francisco, and there’s been lots of talk and angst about the Olympic torch running here.  I have mixed feelings about China and its human rights violations, Tibet, Darfur… within the context of the excitement of the Olympics.

Well, I just jumped on the excitement bandwagon by running down four blocks to see the Olympic torch go by!

Fortunately I was at the beginning of the new “decoy” route, so was standing right by it.  There were some protesters shouting their cause and holding up signs, but mostly bystanders who were excited and supportive.

A couple of photos here; the torch bearers are wearing red/white running suits.  I think the woman with her eyes closed is blind; she has her left hand on the arm of the man to her left. 

UPDATE: Based on info on all the torchbearers, I believe this torchbearer is Jessica Lorenz of Berkeley, who is “a blind person and 2008 Paralympian who has worked continually to improve her game and spread the Paralympic message of inclusion to disabled and non-disabled people alike”.

You can see in the second photo one torch bearer waving, and her partner (all the torch bearers are running in pairs) holding the touch with flame.  You can see the police on foot, motorcycle.

The Fire Element in Traditional Chinese Medicine is related to passion and joy and enthusiasm.  (The color of fire is red, so the red running suits are appropriate, too.)  Certainly my experience of this Olympic event has been on the positive side of the Fire Element.

But there are thousands of people–supporters, protesters, curious–who have been waiting along the official route who have been and will be mightily disappointed.  Some will no doubt be experiencing the Fire when it is out of balance: feelings of aggression and impatience.

Do you suffer from chronic constipation?  Or have some times when you’re not so regular?  In addition to eating a balanced diet with fiber (cut down on sweets), getting exercise and drinking plenty of water, try these acu-points.

You can try any one, or go through all of them.  Especially if you have chronic constipation, spending 5 minutes every day holding these points can be helpful. Sit in a comfortable position, and pay attention to your breath — deep and slow — while you hold the points.

Hoku, Large Intestine 4

  This is considered the number one point for dealing with constipation.  You can experiment with the length of time and the strength of the holding.  Try rubbing in a circular motion, palpating it, even thumping it with a knuckle.  The length of time you need to hold it to feel its effectiveness will vary by person.  Try both hands, and be sure to take breaks so that the hand that’s holding doesn’t get tired.  Get detailed instructions here. NOTE: Do not use this point on pregnant women.

Crooked Pond, Large Intestine 11

This point doesn’t require much pressure.  Rub this point in a circular motion, and you may feel relief during an uncomfortable bowel movement.  Get detailed instructions here.

Hara

This is a couple fingers width below your bellybutton, where you “belly” is.  This is considered your “center”, the place from which you find balance.  So imagine the unbalance when you’re constipated or otherwise uncomfortable in your digestive system.  Just putting some attention to the hara can bring comfort.  Gently rest the palm of your hand on your belly, and breathe slowly and deeply.  Try gentle clockwise circles around your hara, too, to support movement in your bowels.  Get detailed instructions here.

Well, I’ve been sick with one of those things that’s been going around.  Low fever, cough–mostly at night, nasal congestion, and very tired and spacey.

As you might guess, when I get sick, I pull out all my acupressure tricks.  But what is most helpful is just poking around.  After all, there are 365 “official” acupressure/acupuncture points on the body, but many hundreds more unofficial ones all over.  I figure, when I’m lying in bed, suffering from a cough and stuffed up head, I have nothing to lose.

So, for example, in the last few days, I’ve been pressing points all over my face around my eyes and nose where I’ve been feeling lots of pressure and discomfort.  Everyday, there are different points that respond to the pressure; where I get that distinct balance of pain-pleasure that allows me to take an extra deep breath.

• along the bridge of the nose
• points along the inner eye socket, starting at the inner eye (careful not to poke my eye, of course): these points can be extremely tender, so be gentle
• right along the eyebrow ridge

I just made two cross-country flights to visit my friend, and unfortunately came down with cough and fever during my visit.  I suspect I had already caught whatever it was before I stepped on the plane.

Anyway, I’ve written before about how important it is to stay hydrated during airplane flights.

But this time, in addition to drinking lots of water, I did an experiment in steaming myself, because my throat and upper respiratory/chest area was hurting. 

I did this before I got on the plane.  I boiled a pot of water and put it on the kitchen table, then carefully leaned over it with a towel over my head–to create a little steam room–and inhaled the soothing steam.

Be careful that the water is not too hot!  And of course, always supervise if kids are doing this or if you kids around.  

And then on the plane, I asked for a cup of hot water–which they were happy to give me–and I cupped my hand around it to create a tiny sauna between the cup and my face, and breathed in the steam.  Of course the water was not as hot as direct-from the kettle, and it cooled pretty quickly, but in the context of the desert-dry airplane air, it felt great.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Springtime is associated with the Wood element and the gall bladder and liver meridians.  It’s a season of cleansing and renewal, as new movement and growth start.
 
I think of “cleansing” my body by making an effort to cut back on sweet and heavier comfort foods, like my beloved almond croissants, and increase greens and fruits.  Check out Staying Healthy with the Seasons, a book I’ve written about before, for more information on cleansing.
 
Also, cleansing my physical space with a de-cluttering, is a part of spring cleaning. 
 
As you move into this new season, consider these questions:

• What new movement do I want to create in my life? 
• What energizes me?
• How can I clear out the blocks to growth?

Because of my yoga practice, my awareness of feet has increased in the last few years, and my history of flat feet and weak ankles drives my interest in learning about foot health and its importance in long-term health.

I found some info about yoga poses and other exercises for the feet.

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From Yoga for the Feet:

Feet can also be the root cause of leg, pelvis and back problems. A fallen arch, or flat foot, can cause knee, hip, back and shoulder misalignment and pain. Adult bad posture and back pain can be traced back to lack of muscle tone or misalignment in the feet.

• One in six people in the US have foot problems.
• Nine out of ten women are wearing shoes that are too small for their feet.
• Women are nine times more likely to develop a foot problem because of improper fitting shoes than men.
• Eighty percent of all foot problems occur in women.
• Two-thirds of foot problems can be attributed to shoes.
• At one time or another, 85% of Americans have foot problems serious enough to require professional attention.

Yoga poses for the feet

• Virasana (hero post): very therapeutic for flat feet
  • Another article in Yoga Journal focuses on the benefits of the pose; the author does this post 45 minutes every day!
• Vajrasana (thunderbolt or zen pose): similar to Virasana, helps to recreate or maintain healthy arches, increase flexibility in the ankle as well as reconstruct the alignment of the tarsal bones.
• Baddha Konanana (bound angle pose)
• Squat with Toe Stretch, knees on floor
• Squat, knees up, heels on floor
• Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog

Other foot exercises are also explained near the end of the Yoga for the Feet article, which you can read here: http://www.sunandmoonstudio.com/Articles/feet.html