Glimpse into blog tweaks

I love to write and to share my ideas and experiences on my blog. I am constantly thinking of new ways to make it more interesting and give my readers a blog which they enjoy. Due to my health, it is quite hard for to me remain consistent, but I try my best, and you are all so understanding and patient with this! I wanted to share with you some new ideas and updates I have for the blog, so here they are.                                                              

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - week 50 - lunges

Lunges are a simple exercise which can be done in various ways to suit your fitness level. As I have mentioned before, when you are often resting, the hip flexors in particular can become tight. Regular lunges can keep this flexible and minimise other issues caused by tight hip flexors, such as a bad back.

Begin by kneeling, both knees pressed onto the floor, the tops of your feet flat to the ground. Bring your right leg through, so that your foot is in front of you and your knee is bent. Slide your legs apart from each other until your thighs make a straight line which is at a diagonal to the floor (you know what?! Lunges are very hard to describe in writing!). You may need something like a chair next to you so that you can balance yourself. Gently stretch by pushing more deeply into the lunge. Hold for as long as you can; gradually work up to at least a minute each side.

Once you can do that level without wobbling, upgrade your level. You can try extending your arms straight above your head as you lunge, slowly going into a slight backbend. You can also lunge so that your back leg is no longer resting on the ground. Ensure you do not rotate your knee too far around, otherwise you will hurt your knee and hip.

This is a great exercise to throw into your routine. Try to do it when you first get up out of bed, after you have been sitting for some time, or when you feel tight; just as often as you find comfortable really!

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - week 49 - Santa squats!

This week's Wellness Wednesday will focus on the squat, and in keeping with this month's festive theme, it will be called the Santa Squat!

The squat is an awesome exercise which involves the upper and lower body, in particular the butt, thighs, lower back and core. It burns calories, and strengthens and tones your muscles.

It is a tough exercise, so take it easy to begin with. I began with two seated squats, and very slowly worked up to being able to do about 5-10 squats. I can not go very low, but I am working on it. Remember that every time you add a little more movement to your day, the stronger you get, so do not worry about not being able to get low. (I have written more about this concept here.)

To commence, place you feet firmly on the floor, about shoulder width apart.
Your feet should not point straight ahead, but slightly outward.
Looking straight ahead, bend at your knees.

Start off by lowering yourself into a chair, like happy Santa, sitting down for his cookies after his

156, 987th chimney descent! When you are stronger, lower down as if you were about to sit in a chair. Do not let your knees go forward past your toes, and keep your heels on the floor.
Turn your ab muscles on (pull them in), and keep your back in a neutral position.

Lower yourself down and back, slowly. Tighten your body so that your movement is controlled. Extend your arms in front of you for balance. You may find it helpful to place your hands on a bar or chair in front of you. Go as low as you can; but not further than when your thighs are nearly parallel with the floor. Remember, start off with the smallest of drops if that is what you can do.

Come slowly back up to a standing position, and say "Ho! Ho! Ho!"

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - week 46 - child pose

I have not been able to do as much yoga as I'd like for a while because I have been too fatigued and dizzy, but there is one move that is relaxing and beneficial that I can do when other moves are out of reach. It is the child pose, and it stretches the ankles, knees, thighs, hips and lower back, and relaxes the spine, neck and shoulders. It is calming, increases blood circulation to the head, and massages the internal organs.

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - Happy place - week 20

This Wellnes Wednesday, I want us all to choose what our happy place is. Where is it that makes you feel positive, relaxed and smile, despite how your body may feel?

Now, plan to go to that happy place this week.

Take a few minutes out of your day, or a few hours, or a few days of the week, and enjoy some "me" time in your happy place. It does not need to be alone, if there is someone else that you can't imagine being happy without in your happy place. It doesn't need to be far away. It can be in your favourite sunny spot in the garden, with a cup of tea.

Changing your scenery is invaluable. It makes you appreciate life. Since I have focused on having a happy place, it gives me somewhere  to think about in my mind when I am not there, somewhere to be motivated by to get back to, and somewhere to feel renewed by when I visit. For me, it is the beach, and I can feel it healing me the second I arrive.

Glimpse into part two: things to do when your body doesn't want to play ball -Wellness Wednesday week 16

Last Wellness Wednesday, I blogged 5 ideas for things to do when you are chronically unwell, to keep yourself entertained and happy. You can read them here. This week, I bring you five more ideas!

1. Do a chore. I know, I know, I said that these ideas would entertain you and make you happy! Finding a chore that you can handle without making yourself more unwell however, can be so effective in the healing process. It is physiotherapy, and it helps you feel like you contribute something to the world, no matter how small. It also helps you work towards the elusive and tantalising dream of a Spoonie...that thing they call independence! (Don't know what a Spoonie is? Read the post where I wrote about it here).
Something I enjoy doing when I have some energy is baking, or cooking a simple meal. Hidden in the joy of filling the house with delicious smells, and your belly with healthy treats, are exercises which strengthen your arms, walking and movement as you get the almond meal from the fridge, and squats to empower your legs as you reach for bowls in the cupboards. Find something that you can enjoy which won't set you back for days. Walk with your helper/friend/family member around the shops as they do the groceries. Wipe the kitchen bench. Fold the washing. Load the dishwasher. It might seem like a little thing compared to what you used to do, but from little acorns...

Glimpse into things to do when your body doesn't want to play ball -Wellness Wednesday week 15

A common question I see popping up in forums and groups for people with chronic health issues is "how do I stop myself from going crazy with boredom/frustration/loneliness/anger/sadness?" It can be a problematic issue, and it is a catch 22 situation. You feel so unwell because your body is sick, so you inevitably miss out on more and more in terms of socialisation, work, chores, physical exercise and activities; normal life! So then in resting your body and trying to heal, you find yourself feeling lonely and frustrated, which then makes you feel worse. It is a vicious circle. The best thing for your body while it heals is to find things to do that can keep your soul happy, your mind active and your body moving within its limits. These are some of the things that I have found to be effective. I will post 5 today, and another 5 on another Wellness Wednesday. 

1. Find a hobby: Take this opportunity to turn a bad situation into a good one; do something that you haven't had chance to do before. For me, I have dived into paper craft, scrapbooking, memory keeping and photography in a big way, and I am loving it! Find something that is within your body's current physical capability (for example, scrapbooking is great because you can sit in a comfy chair or even lie down with a tray table across your lap and relax, but still be doing something with your hands and mind). I love to listen to audiobooks because I am an avid reader, but find physically reading too taxing most of the time (Audible is an awesome site for affordable, online audiobooks). Try painting, or decorate a mug or a pillow, do some cross stitch, play chess with a friend, play a gentle instrument, learn the rules and strategies of a sport on tv such as cricket or the formula 1, try your hand at writing, sewing, or gentle gardening. 

Creating a crafty mess while scrapbooking....

Glimpse into body image with chronic conditions (i.e. wanting to look and feel great!) Wellness Wednesday week 15

Something that I do not see written about much in relation to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and other chronic illnesses, is body image and getting fit. Obviously, it is not the highest priority when you are struggling to gain a good quality of life, so it doesn't feature so much in articles or forums. However, I feel that it is an important factor to consider. When you lose control over your body and it is not functioning well, it adds to the frustration and sadness when you realise that you can not even work towards making it do and look like you want.

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday - week 10 2014

My tip this week for Wellness Wednesday is to keep a book tracking all your medical visits, results, symptoms, and plans.

As I wrote yesterday here, it is so important that you be your own advocate when looking for the best options and answers for your health. Professionals in the health care setting are (mostly) amazing, but they are only human. When you see multiple doctors, it is easy for things to be overlooked. If you keep track of everything that is going on, you can make sure that the required tests are ordered, the results are reviewed, relevant people know about your symptoms and so on.

Ask for copies of results and summaries, and keep an up to date record of each medical visit or new development. It doesn't need to be anything fancy; just a few sentences or dot points detailing what occurred. I know that when you are sick doing something like this is easier said than done, and I have let mine slide a few times, but trust me, you will be thankful that you took the time to keep track.

Glimpse into Wellness Wednesday; week 8 2014 - belly breaths

This week has been one of information overload for me after a visit to a cardiologist brought a new diagnosis. I am working on staying calm, processing the information, and looking at it with a positive view, and as a step towards better health with new treatment.
Therefore, I feel this week's Wellness Wednesday should focus on deep diaphragmatic/belly breaths. This type of breathing can reduce stress and pain, and improve crucial body processes such as your immunity and blood pressure. Once you have read this, take your focus away from the bright computer screen, away from the chores that need doing, and take your mind away from all that worries you.

Close your eyes, take a deep, slow breath through your nose, and focus on the rise of your abdomen/belly rather than your chest. Exhale slowly and feel the benefits of the increased amount of oxygen in your body. Be thankful for being alive, for being here to enjoy the good times, and for the good people in your life. Don't let the big problems overwhelm you.

Every time you feel like the worry is setting in, take 5 to 10 deep breaths.