Start Small

Source: Harvard HealthBeat

Here are 10 small steps to get you on the road to better health in 2010.

1. Take a 10-minute walk. If you don’t exercise at all, a brief walk is a great way to start. If you do, it’s a good way to add more exercise to your day.

2. Give yourself a lift. Lifting a hardcover book or a two-pound weight a few times a day can help tone your arm muscles. When that becomes a breeze, move on to heavier items or join a gym.

3. Eat one extra fruit or vegetable a day. 

4. Make breakfast count. 

5. Stop drinking your calories. 

6. Have a handful of nuts. 

7. Sample the fruits of the sea. 

8. Breathe deeply. 

9. Wash your hands often. 

10. Count your blessings.

Back to Basics

My practice has been erratic since I got more involved in the microfinance sector last quarter of 2009. January is almost over and i have had full practice only twice so far. Not really good.  In between those times, I did either standing poses or flow yoga.

Last Sunday, weirdest of weird things, I hurt my back as I move to prasarita A. It’s just a forward bend that I have been doing since I was a kid so how did I hurt myself? I don’t know. Teacher A asked if I bent my knees as I move to the pose. I was not sure. Lack of awareness. Bah! Teacher J suspected I was pushing myself too much. Probably, but not necessarily in my practice. Hmmm. Back hurts until now but at a tolerable degree.

I’m now back to doing flow yoga where I started. Since it’s less physically demanding than ashtanga, I could rest my back for a while without really foregoing practice. Back to basics. Pun intended.

*****

I shifted style to ashtanga exactly a year ago and as I did flow today, I noticed remarkable changes in my body. My arms are definitely stronger now; seated forward bends are deeper and much easier, and my triangle looks a lot better (though still imperfect). However, I find certain asanas more difficult to do now, if I could at all. Pigeon has become IMPOSSIBLE, not even the modified pose; the bow and some twists have turned particularly difficult despite the marichys. I guess there’s a trade-off between strength and flexibility. 

*****

I’d like to believe that the flip side of trade-off is focus. By focusing on what’s important to me, I put all others in the periphery (and some I even give up). And so if I constantly favor that one item in the trade-off, I am in effect focusing on it. 

This year, I just made two major decisions in life, as I focus on things that matter to me the most. Sure there are trade-offs but slowly I can see how everything fits together. Necessary trade-offs they turn out to be. As a professor once said, laser can do so much more than an ordinary light, cutting through even the toughest material, because it is focused. Yup,maybe that’s what I want–I want to do more and cut through all (possible) obstacles in achieving them.

So my mantra this year is FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS.   

Om.

New Year with Yogin-Friends

Really good, vegetarian-friendly food at Cyma. We had stuffed zucchini flowers, pikilia-mecedez combination, roka salata,  yemistes, and meatless moussaka. OPA!

Then mudpie for dessert at T.G.I.Friday’s.

My New Favorite

Environment & Community Hope Organization STORE or ECHO Store. A wonderful place to shop because it’s selling environment-friendly, healthy, Filipino-made products, mostly in partnership with bottom-of-the-pyramid communities and/or social enterprises.  

*****

Earlier today I bought this basket of healthy goodies from its Podium branch: malunggay shing-a-ling, malunggay tea, malunggay powder, malunggay pesto, and kalamay-hati (coco jam).

Why Buy Malunggay?

Buy any Malunggay product at ECHOstore and join the fight against poverty! At ECHOstore,malunggay products (capsules, powdered food supplement, soaps and body care products) in its various forms is fast becoming a favorite item being quickly taken off the shelves. Moringa is the scientific name for the humble malunggay. Interestingly enough, a study was made that the regions of the world where malunggay is plentiful are also the poorest countries with high rates of malnutrition. So part of the answer to malnutrition is actually right under our feet! Of the 13 malunggay species, moringa oleifera is the most nutritious one. Studies compare its nutritional value gram per gram: malunggay has 4 x the vitamin A of carrots, 7 x the vitamin C of oranges, 3 x the potassium of bananas just to name a few. This is especially good as a lactating agent for breastfeeding mothers. Now, the powder is being mixed in baby’s first food like cereal and lugaw. (source: ECHO store website)

*****

I have been privileged to have encounters with Ms. Jeannie E. Javelosa in different  circumstances: in Yuchengco Museum, in Yoga Manaila, and here in ECHO store (virtually though). Very nice lady, very gentle spirit. She’s one of the ladies behind the ECHO Store.

10:4:1

10 minutes

4 attempts

1 side of one pose

om