A Balanced Tripod

About a month ago I took a tumble while inline skating. Normally when this happens I stretch and get back out there and any damage works itself out. Well, this time it has not and as much as I tried stretching and working out, the pain just got worse. Last week I couldn’t stand it any longer. I tried getting an appointment with a message therapist (Dave, a fellow I go to who talks very little and really gives your muscles a work over), but because he is so good, was booked up. In desperation I decided to make an appointment with a chiropractor that has an office in the Shell building.

I have a high tolerance for pain. It amazes me actually, but this pain was in my hip and sitting for long periods of time was really painful and since I am at a computer all day at work… well OUCH!. I’m not a big fan of chiropractors, probably because I didn’t know much about them and I always felt that manipulating your back that much cannot be good for you. Dr. Gary is a great advocate of chiropractic practices, but he is also interested in preventative health care. “It is like a tri-pod,” he said. “Mental Health, physical health and spiritual health all must be balanced or equal otherwise the tri-pod is uneven.” I liked his philosophy. So last night I went for x-rays and was back in his office today to review them. We sat down as equals, he pointing out the different aspects of my spine and also pointing out where the damage was. “Except for these hot spots, you have the spine of a 20 year old.” What he meant by that is that obviously I was taking good care of my body.

Now, we all know that exercise is good for us. We try to do as much as we can and as I wrote the other day, sometimes we do a lot of exercise in a day and don’t even recognize it as such. We are bombarded constantly about keeping fit and that we should join this program or do that program. Other than the purpose of fitting into a size eight, we really don’t see feedback on how well our body’s boding as we get older.

Here in Canada we are fortunate in that we do not have to pay to go get an x-ray, or an ultra sound or a breast examination. I do not pay my doctor anything when I go to her for my yearly check up and so I make sure that I go every year. Shelly tells me if my heart sounds good or if my cells are abnormal from my pap test. She’ll even send me for a bone density exam every 4 years to make sure that I am getting enough calcium in my bones. Tests for inner organ function are done and hormones checked. Believe it or not, many of my friends do not go for their yearly even if they do not have to pay for the appointment or testing.

I think it is important for women to be in tune with their bodies. I have always been careful to pay attention to the signs my body gave me. I remember as a teenager wanting to be like all the others and trying hard to look cool smoking. Thing is I got terribly nauseous every time I did and at one point I said to myself, “Sandra, what part of this do you not get?” Eventually I clued in and realized that my body was warning me that this was not good. Alcohol and drugs were the same way with me. While all my friends were getting drunk, I was the designated driver. Caffeine is a no, no to my body. A shot of caffeine and I’m literally bouncing off the walls. When I have a cup they all know it at work and stay away!

I try to eat healthy. I eat very little or no junk food for the most part and I think the last time I hit a McDonalds is when Nicholas was a child. I don’t drink pop, not because I thought it unhealthy but because I could not handle the carbonation and so couldn’t drink it. I was such a weird kid, when everybody was asking for Pepsi (or Coke), I was asking for an orange juice.

I have always been active in some form or another. Don’t get me wrong, as I got older I would get into these slumps of passivity and become a total couch sloth. But at one point my body would remind me that it needed a little exercise and it was usually subtle, like one day I was in a size 8 the next day a size 12! Then I would go crazy and try and get on track again with Weight Watchers and Jazzersize (or whatever was popular at the time).

As for my mental state, I am always in learning mode. I read a lot, am very curious and thirst for knowledge. I am not a crossword nut, can’t stand puzzles, don’t play cards, but I sure put myself through great emotional craziness sometimes and I figure that keeps my mind just as challenged as if it were trying to solve the grandest New York Times crossword puzzle of all times! So I figure my mind gets a 24/7 workout to be sure.

Spiritually I am pretty solid, have been right from childhood. However one chooses to enlighten their faith has to be good for the soul. I am an advocate of Love and compassion as you all know and those two are the foundation of spirituality no matter what your religion is.

We must keep a healthy and positive balance in our lives. We must overcome or go beyond the negativity that wants to evade our every day life for these are the things that cause our immune system to weaken and in turn invites disease.

Sometimes we think we can take on all the worlds problems, and even when we think we can take on a few we are still forgetting that we have a responsibility to ourselves first, for unless we take care of ourselves we cannot be the examples we are meant to be to our family, friends and children. I use to think it was silly when I read in a magazine that you should take time for a bubble bath, or reading in the sun under your big oak tree, or take a walk on your own with your favourite music playing. Or play and have fun like Stephanie, who runs through the sprinkler with her boys, or spend time in a loving and joyful environment like Roxanne who has a Sunday picnic with her family. But I have learned that these are the things that keep us healthy.

Listen to your body when it cries out for rest or fun or relaxation. DO NOT IGNORE IT! Feed your body well with good fresh foods, interesting books or creative activities and surround yourself in loving friends, family and above all faith and you will live a long and happy life.

That’s my goal!

Now I have to quit because my bottom is so very sore from sitting for so long… I am signing up for Yoga beginning of July…

P.S. Nick says thanks to all who wished him a Happy Birthday (he has become my official editor).