Blog
From origin to insertion
Monday, January 11, 2010
Winter detox: day 2
Many of you may ask, why detox? It seems restrictive and you wonder what you could possibly get out of it. I can't speak to everyone's reasons for doing a program like this - it might be to sort out digestive issues, clear up a skin condition, take a break from unhealthy foods, cleanse your system after long term medication use... there are myriad reasons. I am doing it to devote some time and energy to myself.
I often find it hard to make time for me - to eat how I want to eat, to do the activities I want to do. This isn't necessarily because I don't have time - but often I'm more concerned about what other people need. Maybe you've experienced the same thing - for instance cooking meals for more than just yourself can be a negotiation between what you want to eat, and what other people do. Or sometimes your time is not your own - there's always something to do and somewhere to be, and often none of that is for you. Don't get me wrong - I love caring for other people, making them feel better, brightening their day. But sometimes, I find that I am always doing for others and I neglect doing the things I need to do to feel nourished and alive.
For me being on a detox program allows this. It's 2 weeks all about me. It's all about what I'm eating, and how I treat my body (today was great, I did yoga and got a vitamin IV - tomorrow I'm getting acupuncture), what I'm thinking and how I want to feel. I don't do this for myself on a daily basis, even though I know how important it is. And yes, on an on-going basis perhaps my routine would be selfish, and maybe financially unfeasible, as living and working with others necessitates some sort of compromise. To be able to find that balanced place in the middle where you can care for yourself in order to be more productive, to care for others, can be a difficult place to find, if you're always on the giving side.
These two weeks give me a different perspective (we did inversions in yoga today and I love the idea of looking at things differently) on how I'm living. It allows me a physical and mental holiday from a lot of stressors I didn't realize were there. This is why I detox.
So, whether or not you decide to participate in one - remember that taking care of you is important, and doing things solely for yourself is vital to health and coping with stress.
I'll leave you with another of my favorite quotes - from the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio:
I often find it hard to make time for me - to eat how I want to eat, to do the activities I want to do. This isn't necessarily because I don't have time - but often I'm more concerned about what other people need. Maybe you've experienced the same thing - for instance cooking meals for more than just yourself can be a negotiation between what you want to eat, and what other people do. Or sometimes your time is not your own - there's always something to do and somewhere to be, and often none of that is for you. Don't get me wrong - I love caring for other people, making them feel better, brightening their day. But sometimes, I find that I am always doing for others and I neglect doing the things I need to do to feel nourished and alive.
For me being on a detox program allows this. It's 2 weeks all about me. It's all about what I'm eating, and how I treat my body (today was great, I did yoga and got a vitamin IV - tomorrow I'm getting acupuncture), what I'm thinking and how I want to feel. I don't do this for myself on a daily basis, even though I know how important it is. And yes, on an on-going basis perhaps my routine would be selfish, and maybe financially unfeasible, as living and working with others necessitates some sort of compromise. To be able to find that balanced place in the middle where you can care for yourself in order to be more productive, to care for others, can be a difficult place to find, if you're always on the giving side.
These two weeks give me a different perspective (we did inversions in yoga today and I love the idea of looking at things differently) on how I'm living. It allows me a physical and mental holiday from a lot of stressors I didn't realize were there. This is why I detox.
So, whether or not you decide to participate in one - remember that taking care of you is important, and doing things solely for yourself is vital to health and coping with stress.
I'll leave you with another of my favorite quotes - from the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio:
"Perhaps the most indispensable thing we can do as human beings, every day of our lives, is to remind ourselves and others of our complexity, fragility, finiteness, and uniqueness. And this is of course the difficult job, is it not: to move the spirit from its nowhere pedestal to a somewhere place, while preserving its dignity and importance; to recognize its humble origin and vulnerability and still call upon its guidance."
Labels: acupuncture, chinese medicine, detox, stress management, yoga
Archives
June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
Post a Comment