My 2020 Story

Gym or Pub?

This morning I went to the gym – I go 4 times a week and throw weights around. It’s a safe envirmoment. This morning there were 2 of us training and 2 coaches. Loads of space. Kit wiped down, Hand cleaning protocols.

It’s been proven that HIIT increases the immune response of the body – providing you get enough rest and nutrition (I do). Not to mention the mental health benefits.

Yesterday three was some whispers that gyms might re-close. Pubs would remain open.

In pubs I could go sit next to someone I don’t know. 2m apart – 1m if that’s not possible. No masks (let’s not talk masks!!). I could fill my body with toxic fluids and lower my immune response.

Logic? There is none.

Gaslightling at its best. What an unpleasant environment we have created.

A beach in Northumberland

I’ve been to this beach many times – sun, wind – summer, winter. Even in the height of the summer holidays you can expect to find emptiness. Miles and miles of golden sands, wildlife, nudists – and a few brave families with windsheilds and sandy sandwiches.

It’s so un-crowded that there’s no need for public toilets and places to buy ice creams. At one end there’s a village, at the other a National Park with some of the said facilities. In the middle the nudists happily strip to their birthday suits and do what they do.

Yesterday – a different story. Generally publicised as the likley hottest day of the year, everyone headed to that beach. We went for our 10 mile walk – to the end and back. At a couple of points feeling sad that there were so many people there.

I guess it’s good for the tourist trade. The beauty of Northumberland beaches lies in their abandoned emptiness, wildlife, white beaches – and chilliness is the price. Ah well..

Bite sized Yoga for beginners

Since this madness started back in March I’ve been in front of the camera every weekday morning at 8am. It dawned on me recently that what I do could be trasnferred into a logical course.

I’m looking to provide daily ‘bite sized’ yoga (8am classes – as we’ve been doing since the end of March – but with a weekly and monthly theme) as we move forward – with the option of having the class sent to you if you can’t attend at 8am.

I’d really like to add more value and so with the recording I’ll be sending some notes so you can reflect on the practice (optional of course!): and add a weekly Yoga Nidra or longer practice with relaxation.

Next week I’m beginning to put the details to the plan and would appreicate feedback – so if you’d like to be part of the test group can you let me know please?

All feedback welcome

The second wave

There’s a rumour going around that the UK is about to be hit be a ‘second wave’ of CV19. Hmm – interesting.

I’m not doubting ‘the virus’ is still out there – I’m not doubting we don’t know all the implications of ‘the virus’ entering our body. I am wondering, however, how the powers that be can possibly expect anything other than scepicism about this latest message.

We live in an age of information overload. So much to take in – so hard to separate truth from fiction. We will never know, I feel, what is really driving this wave of fear we are being driven down.

How best to protect yourelf and your family? Keep it real

Start with yourself – unless you are strong inside – mentally and physically (both at a whole body and cellular lever) you have no chance of a long and health life.

Simple, obvious, old fashioned cross-infection protocols within your space. That means – using soap (not new fangled gels) to wash beofre eating and when you enter the house; discarding clothes when ou come in from work or exercise; removing shoes at the door; maintaining house cleanliness through regular cleaning. Hang on – Good Housekeeping 1950’s should cover that one.

Stress – take steps to avoid it; are those pressures real or ones you’ve placed on yourself?

Mindset – are you being gaslighted; too much information, misinformation, truths, bending of truths – do you feel like you’re loosing the plot?

Me? – I’m choosing to ride my own wave and I’m starting with my personal inner strength.

Coming off the meds (part 6)

Its’ been a long, slow journey – but so far I’d come down from 175mcg to 50mcg of the Levothyroxine I’d been taking for 21 years.

I went to seen the kinaesiologist – in which she had tested to see if my body was getting any benfit from the drugs – the test was a negative. In fact testing to that point had suggested the isue was my cortisol and parathyroid. Interestingly many years ago I had been seeing an iradology and herblist person who had come to the same conclusion. It had been stress causing the issue from the outset.

So after the visit to her I decided to drop the meds completely. For 3 days – no change. Then I began to feel some tingling in my hands and the start of some swelling – which did go away over the course of the day. Then on day6 I notices my hands slightly swelling in the afternoon – so I decided to take half of a 25mcg.

My weight had been creeping up slightly too – only about 1kg over the last 8 weeks or so – and to be fair I’ve probably sunk into moving less and eating a little more than I might otherwise. So not really too worried there.

Decided to start again on the 25mcg per day and for the last week and a half no further issues.

I spoke with my GP today who seemed horrified that I’d shrunk the dose (to 50 mcg I told him) and said it was likley I’d have efects arising – but it has been several weeks at 50 or under and the half life is 7 days – so not entireoy convinced there.

I have a blood test booked. Let’s see how it goes….

I need you to come now..

That phone call that every parent just loves to receive from their young adult – that one who’s decided they don’t want to live with you because they don’t like your rules (you want them to get a chower when they come in from work, not invite women back to their room in the middle of the night when their younger brother is in the room nextdoor and to return used cups to the kitchen after they’re been used – that kind of thing).

A phone call that says ‘I need you to come now, |I’ve been attacked and the police are here’. Oh great.

So I drop everything and jump in the car – send me the address I’ll be there. He’s staying with ‘a friend’ 12 miles away. He has his car and he’s telling me he has to get his stuff out of the house asap. Not knowing what I’m driving into I’m on my way.

On my way to an estate know to be one of the drugs capitals in the area. Great.

Luckily the police are still there ‘holding the peace’ when I get there. 4 officers, 2 cars. He looks OK and all his stuff is wither in his car or waiting to be loaded into mine. In it goes – and before long we’re off home.

Unload, throw him a sandwich and he’s off to work – late for his shift behing the bar at the local caravan park. See what this morning brings…

The mask issue

So let me get this right – today it’s OK to go for morning coffee. We can sit at tables, get our drinks brought to us and chat to friends over the table – no problem.

We can also go into pubs and restaurants to do the same. Table service (well, it’s easier than carrying your own so I’m good with that!

From tomorrow it’s all different – wear a mask to go most places but not all – wear a mask to buy food but not eat it, wear a mask to go to a bank (I wonder if attempted robberies will go up?) wear a mask to cause chaos. I’m getting more and more confused with thrules and the logic here.

Because tomorrow the virus will be different? Or is is organised gaslighting?

Muzzled, controlled – submissive and with no autonomy – is this what it has come to? Freedom of speech went long ago. Freedom of thought is on its way out.

Thoughts are like waves

I’ve often found this to be true – sometimes random thoughts or inspirations pop into my head – totally random: then I’m in a conversation with someone and they say exactly the same thing popped into their head.

I figure those thoughts are inspiration waves. Ideas which, like waves, you can surf – or just let go. If you go with it you might go for a while and enjoy the ride – if you don’t then another might pass your way. Or it might not. If you don;t act on the inspiration them maybe the next person will – and that person gets to enjoy the benefits (or not).

For exampe – a few years ago I went for a group dance holiday to Cuba. It had struck me before that a series of videos for the traveller to do from their sunbed might be fun – I often used to do isometric exercises whist apparently relaxing! One afternoon by the pool I was chatting to one of the other ladies – and she said exactly the same about making such a video.

I’m not saying you should ride every wave – but rather you do get to choose which wave you ride.

Inside out or outside in?

How do you address your health, wellbeing and beauty – from the outside in – or the inside out?

Personal resilience – or inner strength has to start inside. Always. If you are stronger inside you will be stronger on all aspects outside – mindset, immunity, that glowing skin. Inner strength can be improved by working on mindset directly – or, as I’m fond of pointing out, by working on using the body in a better way.

Transcending and including all aspects of healthy living and thus resulting in that healthier, stronger body and mind, yoga – for me – is a great way to invite that inner strength into the body. Lifestyle, mindset, movement, focus and meditation.

Outside in approach? – pharmacauticals to solve every ‘problem’ (I’ve heard plenty women asking ‘should I visit the doctor now I think I may be approaching menopause’ … please, don’t get me started on this one!!) .. a vaccine to solve every issue .. untested pills to boost this that or the other .. fancy skin products to restore that youthful glow .. the list goes on!!

Start inside – start with you. You have the power, you have the choice. Be the best version of you and life will be better.

6 weeks school holiday

Here we are at the start of the 6 weeks school holiday. How will that affect life until September?

As a parent of a teenager – not a lot! – for the past 4 months he’s been receiving about an hours worth of schoolwork daily. He’s found it too easy and has learned nothing. He’s been getting out of bed later and later and pulling a few all-nighters on his XBox. Bad parenting? – or just choosing my battles?

He’s been getting out to meet friends at the local park and riding his bike a little – this is good. Hoping that’ll get to be more. I’d like for his basketball traiinng to resume – and so would he. He’s a faint notion that he’s like to train more at home (as I do every day) – but doesn’t enjoy the bit where you have to make to commitment and begin to move his body. He has sveral projects from school to get on with before he goes back to school – but hasn’t even looked to see what’s involved.

No holiday booked – can’t even envisage how that might happen. He’s going to his sister’s for a week. I have no-one to look after the 3 cats this year – might just end up being a week in Whitley Bay – pretty much the same as normal then! (not that that’s a bad place to be – I love where I live!)

6 weeks of trying to get him motivated? – roll on September !!