Today I took my first-ever Pilates class at the Sports Club LA near my office. I have been recommending Pilates to patients for years because I know that it helps to tone and strengthen the key muscle groups that are vital to our spinal health. I have never had the opportunity to take a class in which I knew the instructor would be able to provide individual attention, and so I had never actually taken a class myself. Individual attention is very important when leaning any new skill, but especially Pilates. This is because you can very easily appear to be doing Pilates exercises correctly, when, in fact, you are not! When any patient is interested in Pilates as a form of core stabilization exercise, I always encourage them, but I recommend they pay for a few one-one-one session prior to joining a class. This way, they can get the most out of the classes and prevent potential injuries from improper exercise.
I must admit that my class today was a mixed experience. On one hand, I really felt the individual muscles being worked and I could feel my core muscles engaging in ways that they are not normally asked to do. On the other, I did not sweat at all and my instructor seemed to be in a bit of a rush with all the exercises. Because I am a beginner, I had to go slower than the rest of the class in terms of repetitions just to make sure I had the proper form. My instructor's speedy changes from one exercise to another were a little frustrating at times.
All in all, I think it was a very valuable experience. However, if I were to incorporate Pilates into my regular exercise routine, I would have to make extra time for "sweaty exercise" so that I could feel my metabolism working.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Detox/Purification Day 12 of 21
Yay for meat! I apologize to the vegetarians and vegans out there, but I am happiest when I have a little meat in my diet. Adding it back in felt really good. I also thought the timing was perfect. I was just at the point in my detox where I was beginning to feel the energy wane I associate with a lack of protein; the very next day I was able to add meat back into my diet.
Of course, I am still doing my smoothies twice per day and taking the 5 capsules of SP Green Food twice per day. The addition of meat has made me feel much more full and satisfied after my meals. Portion control is important, and I find I need to be careful that I do not eat all of the meat first. If I do, I am too full to eat my vegetables.
All in all, things are going very well. I have maintained my weight since last week, which makes me happy. I do not like to lose a lot of weight quickly. I am also not following any of the weight-loss advice that the program provides. I am confident that if I wanted to lose another 6 pounds, I could have done it easily. My focus has been more on detoxifying my body and giving my liver and adrenal glands a little vacation.
Physical symptoms have also leveled out. I do find that I am sleepy at night, which is new. I would like to clarify that one can feel tired or even exhausted without feeling sleepy. Sleepy is great! Sleepy means I can actually sleep and get the rest my body needs. I have not felt tired since day 5 of the program. Literally not once!
Over half-way there, and feeling good.
Of course, I am still doing my smoothies twice per day and taking the 5 capsules of SP Green Food twice per day. The addition of meat has made me feel much more full and satisfied after my meals. Portion control is important, and I find I need to be careful that I do not eat all of the meat first. If I do, I am too full to eat my vegetables.
All in all, things are going very well. I have maintained my weight since last week, which makes me happy. I do not like to lose a lot of weight quickly. I am also not following any of the weight-loss advice that the program provides. I am confident that if I wanted to lose another 6 pounds, I could have done it easily. My focus has been more on detoxifying my body and giving my liver and adrenal glands a little vacation.
Physical symptoms have also leveled out. I do find that I am sleepy at night, which is new. I would like to clarify that one can feel tired or even exhausted without feeling sleepy. Sleepy is great! Sleepy means I can actually sleep and get the rest my body needs. I have not felt tired since day 5 of the program. Literally not once!
Over half-way there, and feeling good.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Detox/Purification Day 10 of 21
I fell off the wagon this past weekend. I did well on Saturday, while I was working, but all that unstructured free time on Sunday was my undoing. I did not have any SP smoothies yesterday, and I ate some very off-plan foods, like chocolate cake, black tea and peanut butter.
Nevertheless, I am back on track today. I know we all have weaknesses, and I am trying to be forgiving of myself for my own.
The good news is that I am into a new phase of the detox. I am no longer taking 7 SP Cleanse capsules 3 times per day. Instead, I have graduated to 5 SP Green Food capsules only 2 times per day. My SP smoothies have remained the same.
Last week, at our meeting, Dr. Dakoji encouraged us to try an additional cleansing method this week. Some of the things she suggested were a castor oil compress, a colonic or enema, steam sauna or skin brushing. After doing some research about all of these, I determined that the skin brushing is realistically the only one that will work for my schedule. I have a soft brush with somewhat stiff bristles that I have been using when my skin is dry, after my shower. At fist, I noticed a lot of dry skin being removed. Now I see less of that and more of the glowing skin being revealed.
Some things I have found: 1) Prior to this program, I had been functioning at a lower energy level than I had ever imagined. Even my best days prior to the program pale in comparison to the amount of energy I have now. 2) When you start drinking more water, you crave even more of it. I don't feel thirsty or dehydrated, rather like having more water will be beneficial for my body. 3)Physical ailments like back pain or acne seem to respond to treatment much faster now than two weeks ago. 4) I am having a small amount of concern about losing too much weight all at once. I think this is the underlying reason I let myself fall off the wagon yesterday. I know rapid changes in weight are stressful on the body and I am beginning to swim in my clothes.
Nevertheless, I am back on track today. I know we all have weaknesses, and I am trying to be forgiving of myself for my own.
The good news is that I am into a new phase of the detox. I am no longer taking 7 SP Cleanse capsules 3 times per day. Instead, I have graduated to 5 SP Green Food capsules only 2 times per day. My SP smoothies have remained the same.
Last week, at our meeting, Dr. Dakoji encouraged us to try an additional cleansing method this week. Some of the things she suggested were a castor oil compress, a colonic or enema, steam sauna or skin brushing. After doing some research about all of these, I determined that the skin brushing is realistically the only one that will work for my schedule. I have a soft brush with somewhat stiff bristles that I have been using when my skin is dry, after my shower. At fist, I noticed a lot of dry skin being removed. Now I see less of that and more of the glowing skin being revealed.
Some things I have found: 1) Prior to this program, I had been functioning at a lower energy level than I had ever imagined. Even my best days prior to the program pale in comparison to the amount of energy I have now. 2) When you start drinking more water, you crave even more of it. I don't feel thirsty or dehydrated, rather like having more water will be beneficial for my body. 3)Physical ailments like back pain or acne seem to respond to treatment much faster now than two weeks ago. 4) I am having a small amount of concern about losing too much weight all at once. I think this is the underlying reason I let myself fall off the wagon yesterday. I know rapid changes in weight are stressful on the body and I am beginning to swim in my clothes.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Detox/Purification Day 7 of 21
Week 1 is almost over!
Things have been going well, so far. My energy level has remained high, I am sleeping better and I am not hungry.
I will admit that yesterday I ate some food that was not "on-plan". I was away from my house and my office, making it difficult for me to bring food with me. Still, I did my best to eat well: for lunch I had an organic green salad with balsamic vinaigrette (approved foods) and some walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese (not approved) and a side of brown rice (approved); for dinner I had a small bowl of soup with organic spinach and white potatoes (none of that is approved due to the length of cooking time) and three meatballs (not approved). All in all, I didn't do too terribly, but I feel bloated today, due to the extra salt.
That being said, a walnut has NEVER tasted so good! After having so little fat in my diet, I could really taste the wonderful fatty meatiness of the nuts. It was a VERY enjoyable lunch:)
Today we have our first progress meeting with Dr. Dakoji. I am looking forward to hearing how everyone else in the group fared with their first week.
Incidentally, for those interested in detoxing to jump-start their weight loss: I have lost 6 pounds since starting the program. My plan to recover from holiday excesses is working well!
Things have been going well, so far. My energy level has remained high, I am sleeping better and I am not hungry.
I will admit that yesterday I ate some food that was not "on-plan". I was away from my house and my office, making it difficult for me to bring food with me. Still, I did my best to eat well: for lunch I had an organic green salad with balsamic vinaigrette (approved foods) and some walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese (not approved) and a side of brown rice (approved); for dinner I had a small bowl of soup with organic spinach and white potatoes (none of that is approved due to the length of cooking time) and three meatballs (not approved). All in all, I didn't do too terribly, but I feel bloated today, due to the extra salt.
That being said, a walnut has NEVER tasted so good! After having so little fat in my diet, I could really taste the wonderful fatty meatiness of the nuts. It was a VERY enjoyable lunch:)
Today we have our first progress meeting with Dr. Dakoji. I am looking forward to hearing how everyone else in the group fared with their first week.
Incidentally, for those interested in detoxing to jump-start their weight loss: I have lost 6 pounds since starting the program. My plan to recover from holiday excesses is working well!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Detox/Purification Day 5 of 21
Feeling MUCH better today! I have energy and my mood is much improved. The last two days were a little rough. I was tired, a little depressed and anxious, and I was craving bad foods like fast food chicken sandwiches. Today has been great! I haven't had any cravings and feel a lot more clear-headed.
Today's smoothie contains mixed frozen berries and cooked sweet potato, along with water and the supplements (SP Complete and Whole Food Fiber). I have been very good about taking the SP Cleanse capsules, and have even found that I can take them on an empty stomach. I have no burping or stomach discomfort, which can happen with other supplements I have taken in the past.
I also notice I am happily drinking much more water than I normally do. I am someone who does not get thirsty easily, so it is easy for me to under-hydrate. Today, it is about 1pm and I have already re-filled my water bottle at least 5 times. ( I estimate my bottle holds 16 oz.) I always make sure my water is room temperature or warmer (per my acupuncturist's instructions), and that also helps me drink more.
It's been a good day!
On another topic, we start our Hip Month at the YMCA tonight. We are offering hip evaluations to all the members for only $20. Hopefully we'll educate a bunch of people on their body's mechanics.
Today's smoothie contains mixed frozen berries and cooked sweet potato, along with water and the supplements (SP Complete and Whole Food Fiber). I have been very good about taking the SP Cleanse capsules, and have even found that I can take them on an empty stomach. I have no burping or stomach discomfort, which can happen with other supplements I have taken in the past.
I also notice I am happily drinking much more water than I normally do. I am someone who does not get thirsty easily, so it is easy for me to under-hydrate. Today, it is about 1pm and I have already re-filled my water bottle at least 5 times. ( I estimate my bottle holds 16 oz.) I always make sure my water is room temperature or warmer (per my acupuncturist's instructions), and that also helps me drink more.
It's been a good day!
On another topic, we start our Hip Month at the YMCA tonight. We are offering hip evaluations to all the members for only $20. Hopefully we'll educate a bunch of people on their body's mechanics.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Detoxification/Purification Program Day 3 of 21
The first group of the detox/purification program began on Saturday, January 8, 2011. These first seven days, we are drinking smoothies made of fruits and vegetables, water and the Standard Process supplements: SP Complete and SP Whole Food Fiber. We are drinking these at least 2 times per day, but I personally have been drinking 3. In addition, we are taking 7 capsules of SP Cleanse 3 times per day.
I found that the SP Cleanse capsules can be opened and put directly into the smoothies, making it easier to avoid swallowing a lot of pills. I warn you, however, that these capsules contain some spicy ingredients. For some people, it may be easier to swallow them than to deal with the heat!
In addition to all these smoothies, we are drinking LOTS of filtered water (at least 8 cups/day) and eating as much as we want of fresh, organic fruits, veggies and either lentils or brown rice.
Here are a few things I've found out so far: 1) Smoothies taste better with veggies. My current favorite is frozen berries and cooked sweet potatoes. 2) My jaw gets tired of chewing if I don't lightly steam my cabbage. 3) brown rice tastes a lot better than I remember it tasting. 4) beets are EXCELLENT steamed. 5) The fat in salad dressing is important to help your digestive system completely extract the nutrients from vegetables, and to keep your nervous system healthy.
Symptoms: I feel a little tired/groggy in the mornings (probably missing my daily cup of tea) but otherwise pretty good. I'm cold, but it's also 37 degrees, so I think that's normal.
I'll keep you posted!
I found that the SP Cleanse capsules can be opened and put directly into the smoothies, making it easier to avoid swallowing a lot of pills. I warn you, however, that these capsules contain some spicy ingredients. For some people, it may be easier to swallow them than to deal with the heat!
In addition to all these smoothies, we are drinking LOTS of filtered water (at least 8 cups/day) and eating as much as we want of fresh, organic fruits, veggies and either lentils or brown rice.
Here are a few things I've found out so far: 1) Smoothies taste better with veggies. My current favorite is frozen berries and cooked sweet potatoes. 2) My jaw gets tired of chewing if I don't lightly steam my cabbage. 3) brown rice tastes a lot better than I remember it tasting. 4) beets are EXCELLENT steamed. 5) The fat in salad dressing is important to help your digestive system completely extract the nutrients from vegetables, and to keep your nervous system healthy.
Symptoms: I feel a little tired/groggy in the mornings (probably missing my daily cup of tea) but otherwise pretty good. I'm cold, but it's also 37 degrees, so I think that's normal.
I'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Happy New Year!
Well, as you all know it's been a while. We've had a lot of changes at the office since my last post. We have a new massage therapist named Janet and a new chiropractor, Sravanthi Dakoji, D.C.
The most exciting thing in our office right now is the new Detoxification Program Dr. Dakoji is introducing. There will be an informational meeting held here at the office on Friday, 1/7/11 at 11:30am to get things started. The program is being done with support from Standard Process. I am very excited about getting started on this detox! The month from Thanksgiving to Christmas was one of cookies and fudge and pie and stuffing and all sorts of other wonderful foods...I think we could all use a little cleansing.
Email drdakoji@chirohealthsf.com for more information, and come join us as we start a healthy new year!
The most exciting thing in our office right now is the new Detoxification Program Dr. Dakoji is introducing. There will be an informational meeting held here at the office on Friday, 1/7/11 at 11:30am to get things started. The program is being done with support from Standard Process. I am very excited about getting started on this detox! The month from Thanksgiving to Christmas was one of cookies and fudge and pie and stuffing and all sorts of other wonderful foods...I think we could all use a little cleansing.
Email drdakoji@chirohealthsf.com for more information, and come join us as we start a healthy new year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
