mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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My Very Own Medicare Paraclete
January 6, 2016
— 3 Comments
Haley in the greenhouse
I am excited to have lived long enough to make it into Medicare. I have expert guidance and very good luck in my choice of providers. Iora Primary Care recently opened very near my home. I will go to my first appointment next week, but yesterday I met my new Paraclete. Her name is Haley and I like her a lot. She will be my helper/guide/uplifter at the medical practice. We visited the Tucson Botanical Garden yesterday while getting to know each other. I am an enthusiastic new patient of this brand new model for Medicare Advantage clients who are insured by Humana.
Haley has experience in different kinds of yoga and fitness. She is assigned to me as a coach. The problems with using the word coach are various. For one thing everyone and their dog is a coach now. It is impossible to know what the term is supposed to mean in each case. Also coaching implies some kind of external pressure rather than helper by one’s side. We tried out the word paraclete on some people we met at the gardens. It does sound exactly like parakeet, and nobody knows what it means, so it is high comedy. We met the botanist in charge of the butterfly greenhouse, whose first language is Italian. He was able to guess the meaning, but I think it will be an uphill struggle to get this word into common use. Religious people use it to connote Holy Spirit. I like the idea that Haley is my personal Paraclete, provided and paid for by Medicare. Whatever we call her she is the bomb. This was worth the wait.
Haley in the greenhouse
Haley at the Gardens
Haley at the Gardens
Nuts for November
November 6, 2015
— 2 Comments
I had a fire in the wood stove last night, officially welcoming the winter to our house. This week we welcomed the nutcracker and some mixed nuts to the kitchen. I am not sure why I feel so much satisfaction in nut cracking, but I do. It slows down the process and makes me appreciate the taste of my nutty prize when I manage to crack the shell and extract it. This time of year we start to eat nuts more often because they are featured in seasonal fall dishes as part of a healthy harvest. Arizona grows wonderful pecans and pistachios, two of my favorite crops. Both are healthy and add rich flavor to all kinds of dishes.
We are big fans of cheese and pear combinations, so this month I will make us a pear pecan roquefort cheesecake. That has to be a winner with those ingredients. Brussels sprouts have arrived on the stalk as a favorite vegetable, so we will try the pistachio cranberry sprouts as a savory treat as well. Nuts always make appearances in cookies and sweets, but this year I want to try the extravagant pumpkin pecan cobbler. This will be right up our alley for dessert, and a new way to use both November favorites, pumpkin and pecans.
This weekend we have a neighborhood potluck party. I plan to take some soup, but this pineapple cream cheese spread covered with pecans is so cute I think I will make one of those for the party too. It is simple, but looks really festive.
Trader Joe’s brings out small cans of exotic nut oils this time of year which I enjoy using to add rich flavor to all kinds of dishes. Using walnut or pistachio oils for roasting vegetables delivers fabulous punch. Gravy based in nut oil is lovely and mysteriously rich. I still like butter, but like to variations that nut oils can bring to the fall table. Evidence keeps piling in about the benefits of including nuts in the diet. While I do believe the research I am nuts for nuts because they taste so great. Do you have a favorite nut, gentle reader?
fall harvest
Slave Archetype vs Abundance
September 28, 2015
— 1 Comment
Most of us are obvious slaves to something or someone. The joke is that we slave on without knowledge of our bondage because we obscure reality to ourselves. We make-believe the job, the society, the government, the neighborhood, or even our birth family are to blame for all of our trials and tribulations. We need a scapegoat for any misery directly attributed to our behavior, so we manifest some slavery that keeps us from being free. These masters of our fate are clearly visible and obvious to all everyone else, just as we can clearly see what imprisons other people. The trick is to catch our own slave at work undermining our confidence and freedom, diminishing our possibilities and talents. Once the bondage has been identified it can be put to much more fruitful use. We define both abundance and scarcity for our own lives. Each of us has a particular definition that includes hints to finding the enslaver we harbor within. There are certain qualities or practices we consider to be essential to our persona’s happiness. Those are the things to which we are enslaved.
The bright full moon and eclipse last night moved me to examine my own areas of shadow slavery. I have taken a fun break from home and routine lately, which gives new perspective on my personal habits and rituals. Returning home I directly experienced my own abundance and good fortune. I have comfort, joy, good fortune, friends and ease in my home. Although I had a procedure to remove a small skin cancer on my shoulder last week, my doctor’s office is right down the street and I have all the support I need from friends and neighbors. The wound is healing quickly with very little pain. I see this wound on my skin as a reminder of my abundant good fortune. I do need to care for it as well as trust in providence and doctor’s instructions to heal me. The way I treat this wound is a metaphor for the way I take care of my health for the future. It represents the value and the necessity of self care, and also shows how much we all depend on help from others to live complete lives.
Have you ever taken a look at your inner slave in action? Who or what is the master, gentle reader?
The Buddha
Fluidity and the Future
August 26, 2015
— 2 Comments
fountain of youth
When the worldwide economy takes center stage anything can happen. Some people are caught in a crunch without sufficient funds to cover their losses. Some investments are easily converted into cash. These are considered to be fluid investments. Anything that you own for which there is no instant market is not fluid. You must find a buyer in order to unload those items. Often the seller takes a serious loss when forced to raise funds to cover losses. Think of the recent real estate tragedies in the united States as an example. The underwater homes and mortgages were stuck in a stagnant market that favored buyers over sellers. The American dream of the 30 year mortgage in real estate as a fabulous investment has been revealed to be less than foolproof. Not all homes will retain value, and in some markets real estate is very difficult to move.
Fluidity is a factor in investing and planning for retirement, but it is also a major element in future flexibility in life. The body you create as well as inherit will serve you for better or for worse as time passes. You will be able to enjoy activities and stay involved in social and intellectual interests as long as your physical health allows. The precious resources of healthy mind and healthy body can’t be overprotected. The body is the permanent home we will occupy until we die. Keeping it in good working order is the most valuable gift we can give our future selves. Retaining good range of motion will pay excellent dividends in terms of comfort and ease. How can we contribute to our liquid physical assets?
- Immerse yourself in water- use the support of hydrostatic pressure to bring ease to your movement and enhancement to your natural flexibility
- Try new forms of artistic expression- the latest trend is all about adult coloring books as a meditative practice. Crafty or edible, use any new excuse to expand your artistic horizons.
- Plan free time to include more activities in nature. Picnics, hikes, and trips to the dog park all bring the healing power of nature into our daily experience.
- If you have any space (even a balcony) try growing some of the foods or herbs you eat. The satisfaction of gardening is a shortcut to both better nutrition and therapy.
- Start a regular stretching and strength routine. The methods you use are less important than making the practice a daily habit. Keeping range of motion all over the body, especially the spine, is an investment well worth your time.
fountain of youth
Fitbit Addicted
August 1, 2015
— 7 Comments
Fitbit monitor
My iPod touch has suddenly lost its mind and ability to function. This might not be a big deal but when it crashed it took with it my ability to sync my Fitbit. This turns out to be a much bigger freak out than I could have imagined. I have reset and attempted to sync it with my other devices but it refuses to operate. I am unable to count my steps/miles/calories since early this morning. I had no idea how addicted I have become to knowing how far I have gone at what time during the day. I dance or walk 5 miles in the morning and then put in between 3-4 more miles during the course of the day. I love watching my little graphs and numbers move as I do. I might be completely obsessed with these graphs, truth be told. This temporary interruption of technical feedback shows me I need to back off the addictive qualities and enjoy the fun aspects of the Fitbit a little bit more. Long ago in a land far away I had exercise anorexia. I hardly suffer from that problem now, but this is reminder to keep my attention on what is important..healthy fun.
I have found a place in Austin that will repair my iPod at a reasonable price, but since this death happened on Saturday it seems I will need to wait until Monday to communicate with the repair shop and ship the device to them. I have done this before with an ancient iPod with success. I believe a battery replacement will get me back to normal quickly. If not ,I can consider repairs and costs they will present to me after a diagnosis. All in all it will be simple for me to get my favorite device back in order. I have an iPhone and 2 iPads, so I am not really suffering without connection. I have all my internet powers EXCEPT my sync for the Fitbit. I hate to admit how seriously I love those graphs and numbers on the Fitbit. I have reset the Fitbit several times, but this is not working.
In order to embrace how helpful it is to have the graphs as well as how the graphs only represent reality, I need to chill in this situation. I can move and dance to my heart’s content even if the Fitbit is not reporting my good deeds back to me. The feedback has been helpful, especially the information I have gained on my sleep patterns. The tool is only a tool, however. Reality is the important aspect of my fitness program, not how self competitive I can become with my Fitbit. This short break might bring me to a happier medium, but when I can once again sync I know I will be very happy. Do you have a movement monitor, gentle reader? I highly recommend the systems. Just be careful you don’t get too crazy about your numbers as I have. The numbers matter less than the reality.
Summer Spa Evaluation, Good, Bad, and Surprising
July 22, 2015
— 4 Comments
mangos for chutney
This summer I designed a home spa program for myself with an emphasis on positive change. My staycation planning evolved from the original agenda in ways I had not expected. I thought I was in a very artful groove, and needed self expression as a top priority. I listed poetry writing and art as a daily therapy for wholeness because I know these practices do make me healthier. For reasons not yet fully examined my poet and artist have been dormant with no interaction. I have taken a few photos, but what I saw as my big chance to work on my creativity with words and visuals has been channeled in other directions.
I have become a food prepper in my own way. I don’t attempt to pack or create meals for a whole week in one day as the real serious preppers on Pinterest do. I have learned from them to make my own diet healthier by planning and using contrast. My style of food prep involves a constant experimentation and learning new recipes. I have been trying many salad dressings and cold soups that are new to me. I am making a conscious effort to include anti inflammatory foods such as ginger and turmeric in my diet. I am on a huge tea safari of new flavors and types of tea, a journey that will take a lifetime. This summer I have given up coffee and never miss it because I drink tea, often spiked with ginger tea to keep the anti inflammation theme. I have tried more new dishes and teas in the last two months than I did in the previous year. I am hopping enthusiastically out of my culinary rut. I feel good, and find great satisfaction in mastering new cuisines. This afternoon I am making mango chutney for the first time. I might even make an attempt at curry. Who knows where the food muse will lead?
The most successful element of summer spa is the trend toward minimalism. If you knew me in the past you knew one of the biggest maximalists that ever lived on earth. I did everything with way too much over production. I accumulated mass quantities of stuff I never used, and crammed my space with items. I made decisions earlier that have cleaned up much of my act, and I continue to go in this direction. Each time I have the opportunity to donate to the Big Brothers Big Sisters, who provide pick up service, I gather a big bag and leave it outside. Each time I find things that have not been used in years and have little chance of being used. The upgrade is fabulous. I now own…and can find easily in my clean clear space…only things I love. I am in no hurry to fill the space with more items, since I still have more than I really need.
My exercise routine has been enhanced by the free Apple music subscription I am enjoying. I dance around my house for 5 miles in the morning listening to Apple music. By tracking I see that I dance at almost the same pace as I walk outside. My air conditioned house is much more comfortable now than it is outside. The Apple library is vast, so I switch albums and playlists all the time, never listening to the same thing twice. I don’t believe I will cover everything I want to hear in three months, but for now I am having a very good time with it. The good news is that the minimalist in me does not need that giant library and will not mind at all returning to the very big library at Amazon music. I highly recommend that everyone take them up on the free offer just to see how much is available. Even minimalists like free stuff.
grilling vegetables
Fitness Feedback, The Sleep Monitor
June 10, 2015
— 2 Comments
sky
The systems now available to measure and monitor health are mind blowing. This slice of health care/technology is growing more popular each day. I started using Fitbit last fall to increase my movement. It is effective motivation to see performance increase over time, complete with graphs. I recently became most interested in the sleep measuring ability of my little wrist band.
MY SLEEP LOG
As you can see I am frequently awakened during the night. My dog needs to go out and I must walk down a flight of stairs to do the task, so it does disturb my slumber. I am working this week to push back towards longer deeper sleep by using honey. Last night on the 3rd trip down with the dog I drank a shot of honey and warm milk, which seemed to work pretty well. I am also napping after lunch when possible because at that time I zonk out easily. I do not pay for the advanced membership to Fitbit that provides constant reports and comparisons to your age group in the population. However, I am taking advantage of the offer to create a one week report for free. My results will be final on Saturday, and graphed. I feel very competitive and funny about this challenge. I want to see an improvement in my sleep in one week. This may prove to be irrational as a goal, but I am still trying it. I wonder if I can will myself to be a better sleeper in the long run. Over the last three days I have managed to increase my total time, but without the naps it would not have been the case. This is one challenge for which gearing up is against my better interests. How does one become a sleep champion?
Do you use any fitness monitoring devices or apps? Have you found the feedback helpful in changing your habits? What kind of sleep secrets have you learned, gentle reader? I am on a quest for better rest.
Sleep Quality, Honey Hibernation
June 7, 2015
— 6 Comments
honey
Sleeping has always been easy for me. I fall asleep quickly when I am tired, and normally sleep through noise and disturbances that bother others. For the last few months I am challenged to get a full night of rest because my dog needs to go out several times during the night. Once I have walked down the stairs and let her out for a few minutes my patterns have been disturbed. I have been searching for a remedy that fits this situation. I don’t want a sleep aid, even melatonin, because I do need to wake up for the chore. I am doing research into various ways to enhance or deepen sleep. In the meantime my fitbit reads my sleep efficiency. It reports the number of times awakened, and the time spent sleeping. My rate normally ranges between 79% and 85%, but last night I hit 73% sleep efficiency, with 23 times awakened. I need to take action to save my sanity.
Last week I read about honey hibernation. I have tried it several times and it seems to work. Sometimes I neglect to do it before retiring, but take the honey on my first trip downstairs with the dog. I think it might help me fall back into deep sleep. I am going to start a real experiment with the honey method to find out if it is making a significant difference. I have asked for a 7 day sleep report from fitbit and will now be religious about taking my son full of honey at 6 pm daily. Last night I got 57 minutes less sleep than I need. I did nap today, which I think is a fine solution to the overall rest situation, but I want a sound restful night as well. I have used self hypnosis in the past. That might be useful for my purpose, but I will see if I need more help, after a week of honey. Have you tried this method, gentle reader? It is for weight loss and better liver function, but a side effect is better sleep. I am up for all of the above, especially if it is all that easy.
Summer Spa
May 3, 2015
— 7 Comments
hibiscus
There are beautiful facilities with amazingly talented staff members designed to deliver health and fitness retreats. Destination spas, hot spring thermal spas, or spas within hotels provide environments conducive to relaxation for time spent away from home. Time spent breaking undesirable habits or simply reducing stress for a happier healthier outlook is valuable. It is wonderful to find both time and funds to concentrate on body and mind. The test of healthy resolve occurs when we are once again in our normal day to day setting. This summer I plan to stay home in Tucson. Rather than lament these circumstances I have decided to create summer spa, the staycation that cures what ails you. The trick to good health is balance and reasonable discipline. I can’t spare the time to leave home, but I can arrange my schedule to make daily, weekly and monthly health goals part of my routine.
- Calculate- Using the Fitbit program I will log food, water, sleep and exercise
- Donate- Fill a large bag of unwanted items to give to charity monthly
- Juice Bar- Monday-Thursday make and drink fresh juice and avoid alcohol
- Body Work- Shiatsu, acupuncture, or lymphatic drainage at least once a week
- Fitness Shuffle-Attempt a new class or active experience twice a month
- At the gym-Daily aerobic activity derived from equipment use or swimming laps
First and foremost my plan for better health will include daily time for art. Poetry writing and creating visual art satisfy a need I have to express myself. I notice that when I am absorbed in thinking about art or music I live in an elevated state. Artfulness gives me great pleasure. I am at my best when I reserve time to appreciate the work of others and be inspired to create something myself. I include cooking in the list of my creative hobbies. It works well for me to shift my attention to new healthy ways to prepare food. The pleasure involved in mixing flavors and savoring the finished meal is essential to my well being. I can add a colorful and delightful juice bar rather than consider giving up alcohol. In the end it is only the sustainable habits that will make a difference. Too much repression or strict diet can make the mind recoil from the entire business. It is best to have a plan, build your foundation, and be a little flexible to account for real life.
What kind of summer are you going to have, gentle reader? Do you include health as a goal when making your plans?
reflection in my pool
Wellness and Self Expression
March 26, 2015
— 2 Comments
flower
aloe
green
The quest for balance and health leads down some blind alleys. I found a medical doctor last year in my neighborhood because I will soon have Medicare and have no idea how to make it work for me. The guy is billed as alternative health gerontologist, so I thought he would be right for my philosophy. We had a fairly long initial interview and then he asked me to get a mammogram or thermography. I was glad to go for a full body thermography because I was curious to know what it would reveal.
After my test was concluded the results were sent to the doctor and we discussed them on my next visit, which was for a pelvic exam. My breasts showed no signs of problems, so the doctor decided that everything must be fine. I asked him to discuss the areas where my thermography revealed inflammation because I was really concerned when I saw it. He dismissed my concern by saying “Don’t you think that is just a generalization?” I was shocked for half a second, and then I realized there was no point in talking to him about anything not initiated by him. He would call the agenda for my body and let me know. Strike one. He told me to go do my “alternative thing”, using two fingers on each side to make that obnoxious parenthesis gesture. I honestly wanted to slap him.
The pelvic exam results were inconclusive and he thought there was some problem. I was sent to a specialist for another exam. My insurance had covered the first one, but I had to pay full price for the extra one. My pelvic exam, done by a more professional person, showed no signs of problems. Strike two. Now I have received a letter from this guy informing me that I have the opportunity to pay him $500 EXTRA dollars a year and have super special access to him. He will give one hour consultations and hand out his private cell number to the exclusive group of patients which will be limited. I do have the option of being followed by a physicians assistant who will be hired to deal with those of us who do not care to see the doctor. This was a very easy decision for me. I picked the assistant.
I am not of the mindset that the doctor is always right. In fact I am intensely iatrophobic, suspecting error and negligence in every medial procedure done on the planet. I have not taken any prescription drugs for any reason, and do not plan to start. I feel good and enjoy life. I think my health is a function of my own enjoyment and self expression. One of the ways the new “health care system” disrespects the individual is by not listening. I have decided to take the entire incident as a warning. I still go to my osteopath and pay cash when I need a doctor. She does manipulative medicine only , and I trust her completely. I am a regular receiver of body work and acupuncture, which I value much more than time in a MD’s office.
I believe it is my own responsibility to care for myself and evaluate my choices constantly. I also think that repression is a source of ill health. Wellness springs from our emotional and spiritual contentment. Acceptance of the self as magical, artistic, and full of creativity opens the door to a full life. We each have instinctual wisdom about our own health. My own philosophy is that we need to open to our center to give our art a conduit to the world. Of course it is wise to seek medical attention when needed, but a daily dose of movement, social interaction with friends, and creative challenge is the prescription for well being. I hope you find your own creative muse, gentle reader. The relationship can be a valuable asset to your continued good health. The right primary care muse can make all the difference to your future.
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