mewilli2's Journal
2 entries, last entry on March 31, 2008
My First Acupuncture Appointment
March 31, 2008
So I just had my first acupuncture appointment today...what an experience! I'm visiting my sister in Seattle this week (she attends Bastyr university's Naturopathic medicine degree program) and there is a place she goes that is reasonably priced and has excellent practitioners there. After the experience I'm tempted to do more when I get back to SF.
I was told that it wouldn't hurt at all. I learned that this is just a ploy to get you in, because it did hurt, not a whole lot but still enough that I would have liked a warning. ;) The practitioner working with me told me I experienced more pain in certain points of my body because of issues I am having with those parts (spleen and stomach, apparently). While it was a bit painful (really not bad at all, I was just unprepared) overall it was incredibly relaxing, and afterwards I felt much better for it.
I'm interested to find anyone else who has tried recurring acupuncture treatments and how they've affected overall health, since I'm now considering making this treatment a regular occurence in my schedule. I'm going to try searching around to see, but please give a shout if you have a personal experience you'd like to share!
Conversations (2)
Keeping up the fitness routine is hard!
March 26, 2008
My whole life, I've been relatively active, taking ballet, tap dance, jazz, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, played on a soccer team. But for some reason, all of my efforts to remain active have ebbed and flowed. I haven't been able to be consistent! I wish I had a natural affinity for regular exercise. It would make my life so much easier.
I just joined a gym right by my office, and I thought it would solve all my fitness problems. But even still, it's tough. For example. I've been going to kickboxing class a few times a week, but even making a commitment to two times a week is difficult. If someone invites me to happy hour during the week and it happens to fall on a class day...it's hard to resist friend time when excercise is not nearly as appealing. Or if I forget my workout clothes...that's even more frustrating! I'm resolved to keep a second pair of gym clothes at my cube so that I have no excuse.
Does anyone else have a hard time keeping up the fitness routine? I feel like one of the biggest suggestions is to exercise early in the morning since it helps enforce the habit, but that is impossible right now due to my commute. I know that exercise is incredibly important to overall health and wellness. Any tips appreciated!
Conversations (5)
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- on March 26, 2008 I can relate - I have a gym in my apartment building - two floors up with a pool and I still find excuses not to go every day. Recently I have been walking to work. I throw loafers in my laptop bag and slip on my sneakers and make the 2.5 mile uphill walk to work every morning. I don't drive and purposely leave my buss pass at home so I am forced to walk home. I always keep a few dollars for the bus if it's raining heavily (I live in Seattle and hate the rain) but try to purposefully carry less cash in my purse each week to force myself to walk.So far I have been loving the walk. I pump up my Zune and listen to hip hop in the morning and indie on the way home - good way to get energized and then relaxed. If I am cold on the way home I also stop and reward myself with a cup of coffee - to go! It's a nice way to make sure that I walk 5 miles every day so I don't feel as bad when I miss going to the gym. I also used to box and work out religiously (spinning, elliptical, Yoga, various classes) for about 1.5 hours a day. That all stopped 6 months ago and I am trying to get back into my routine. |
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- on March 26, 2008 I sign up for classes and, particularly if they are expensive, I find them hard to miss. Right now, I'm doing yoga classes three times a week, then doing yoga on my own at home. The class helps reinforce my work at home, helping me to keep from hurting myself. The work at home helps me stay in shape for class.I'm finding the best time is early, early in the morning. It sounds like that might not work with your commute, but if you can retrain your body/mind to get up really early...it has worked for me. I find it's a nicer way to start my day. |
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- on March 28, 2008 Thanks for the advice, guys. I actually went to the gym the evening after writing this and spent some time on the treadmill. :) I'm planning to move closer to work soon so I really want to start exercising early in the morning once that happens. Here's hoping! |
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- on March 31, 2008 Since you want "friend time" too, do you workout with a friend? That might help if you don't now. A partner can keep you more motivated.You mentioned TMJ and I'd like to know exactly what it is. Sometimes my jaw will swell up just from the taste of food - then it goes back down again. I am wondering if that is anything like TMJ. There is also pain involved and sometimes it takes awhile for the swelling to go away. Good luck on your exercising and your commitment. |
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- on March 31, 2008 Hi Leana,Yes, there are some girls from work that have the same gym membership as I, and we regularly go to kickboxing classes together. It's so much more fun that way! In terms of my TMJ...I think TMJ is an umbrella term for most jaw disorders, so the pain you're experiencing may very well fall under that definition. Do you think it might be an allergic reaction to the food you're eating? Thanks for the luck! Look forward to more conversations. :) |
storyguy - on April 1, 2008
Stick with it (no pun intended!). I've found acupuncture to be incredibly valuable for pain relief, relaxation, and just a general balancing of the body's metabolism. Bastyr is an excellent place with fine practitioners - have no direct experience in SF, but they may be able to give you a referral at Bastyr. You might also consider working Chinese herbs in at some point.mewilli2 - on April 1, 2008
Yeah, I am going to ask them what practitioners they recommend in SF. Also, it's funny you mention Chinese herbs since they actually prescribed me some directly after my appointment and my sister brewed them as a tea that I started drinking today. Doesn't taste the best, but I feel good so I guess that's a sign it's doing its job!