What Yoga has Taught Me

A few months ago, I was doing yoga daily in my home and feeling great.  Then things changed and I dropped it.  A couple weeks ago, I started up again.  Much to my surprise, I wasn't fleixble anymore!  Even the basic moves were hard.  I couldn't touch my toes or hold downdog or plank for nearly as long. For the first week of starting again, I detested doing it, though I kept it up because I knew it was good for me.  As of a couple days ago, I let the yoga run it, instead of me trying to meet a quota of moves to do and seconds to hold it.  I focused on how each move made me feel and listened to my body responding to yoga.  I felt the stress wash away and flexibility enter.  I was too focused on moving, that I lost sight of actual yoga.  I've found a pretty decent routine that I can handle.  I want to be more of a pro at these before moving on.  The routine may change based on how each muscle feels or the time I have (e.g. going into the office and having 5-10 minutes).

• Half moon pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
• Standing forward bend (uttanasana)
• Awkward pose (Uksatasana)
• Eagle pose (Garutasana)
• Standing Head to Knee (Dandayamana Janushirasana)
• Standing Bow Pulling pose (Dandayamana Dhanurasana)
• Balancing Stick pose (Tuladandsana)
• Tree pose (Tadasana)
• Lunge (utthita ashwa sanchalanasana)
• Warrior II (Virabhadasana II)
• Modified Side Angle (parsvakonasana)
• Triangle pose (Trikonasana)
• Low warrior (Ardha Virabhadasana)
• Warrior III (Virbhadrasana)
• Table (Svanasana)
• Cat (Marjariasana)
• Cow (Bitilasana)
• Sunbird (Chakravakasana)
• Child pose (garbhasana)
• Plank (Phalakasana)
• Downward Dog (Adha Mukha Svanasasana)
• Half downward dog
• Upward Dog
• Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
• Full Locust Pose (Pooma Salabhasana)
• Fixed Firm pose (Supta Vajrasana)
• Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
• Spine Twisting pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
• Breath of Fire (Kapalbhati Breathing)

Wow, looks like a lot more written down than it feels.  I try to be as fluid as possible with the moves and switching to a different one.  I feel refreshed once I've completed.

Juicing: Day Five - Cold Remedies

Today's weight: 208.8
Today is less about juicing, but more about using juice and other remedies to help a cold.  My wife had been sick for nearly two weeks with a cold.  Somehow I managed to avoid it...until last night.  I took NyQuil before bed, but still woke up with a sore throat and ears.  It feels like the cold is just sitting in my throat...which is the sure sign of a cold about to hit hard.  I'm lucky enough to be able to work from home again today so that I can focus on getting better.  I'm hoping to get in to the office tomorrow--we have a holiday lunch!--and I have a meeting that's much easier to have in person.

My game plan for fighting this cold:

• Vitamin-C packed juice
• DayQuil
• Multi-vitamin (with lots of zinc)
• Emergen-C Immune+ fizzy drink
• Garlic (recommended by a friend)...to be mixed with an avocado for a mini guacamole (lunch)
• lots of tea with honey and ginger root
• Dried apricots and blackberries (zinc-packed) 
• echinacea
• a couple pieces of 73% dark chocolate (really helps after all the garlic!)

                                         Vitamin-C Packed juice:

• orange
• half a lemon
• kiwi
• pineapple
• mango
• canteloupe
• blueberries
• grapes
• beet

Lunch: Mini guac

• avocado
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• lime juice
• tomato