August 2022 Blog Squats well with others

AUGUST 2022 BLOG

Does this describe you? Squats well with others!  

I am grateful for the energy surges I receive when I push my body, just to the limit. Sometimes my body gives me a ticket when I’ve gone over the edge. That’s when I’m so glad to have a few self-care tricks up my sleeve. 

Now you can too.  

Warm it Up!

OK, maybe it’s a sign of graceful aging…I keep a heating pad next to my desk and use it often. 

My chiropractor recommended using heat for 20 minutes, a few times a day. 

I use one like this. The pad itself is a little longer so I can sit on it in the middle and get both my lower back and hamstrings. 

It’s great to have the 2 hour shut-off in case I forget to turn it off. 

Three heat settings offer options and the cover is washable. 

I’ll use it in the morning before I do my work out and I’ve warmed up my spine before I even start my warm up. 

Hot or Cold? 

Sometimes, with a stiff joint or overused area, I’ll alternate between heat and cold. 

This is a recipe for a homemade ice pack. The consistency is very similar to a slushie (definitely for external use only!) When it thaws, just put it back in the freezer for 8 hours. We have several in the freezer so that one’s always ready. They are so handy, especially after surgery, if that should come your way. We’ve been using these packs for years. Some recipes call for 2 or 3 cups of water to 1 cup rubbing alcohol. Use less water, the pack will be softer. Seal it in a freezer bag or a resealable screwtop freezer bag. 

Getting Pinned

Acupuncture (including moxibustion and cupping) is another of my go-tos for acute and/or chronic pain. I have osteopenia in my low back. I’ve read that the weakening of the bones can be hereditary. I’m not sure, but I’m guessing when my Mom broke her hip at 80 years of age, osteoporosis may have played a role. 

Getting needled is one of my favorite types of self-care. I am blessed to have a caring and skilled acupuncture practitioner in Vermont as well as in Montana.  

I love going in to their clinic, describing the location where I’m feeling blocked (often more than one!) and turn it over to their potent and powerful skills. At the end of the session, I feel relaxed, full of ease, and can feel the chi flowing in the meridiens. The sciatica I was experiencing last year is GONE! Happy dance. 

Summertime offers so many options for moving our bodies. What are your favorites? 

Do you know what to do if you go a little overboard? 

I love a challenge. As parents, Wells and I got A+ in Boundary Creations for our kids. I do the same with my physical activity. I push the edges and try to stay just on the inside of the envelope. 

Sometimes I go overboard when  hike is longer or higher than I thought. Or when I do a 2- or 3-a-day. A workout in the morning, vigorous walk in the afternoon and, now that it’s summer and the water is warm, a quick swim at night. 

Preemptively, I’ll sit with my heating pad or ice. Or schedule a slot to get “pinned back together”. That’s how a friend described when my sister, who was an acupuncturist, would treat her. 

Life has its ups and downs. We call them squats. 

I like to consider myself a part of a group whose motto is “Squats well with others.” 

Increase your circulation, and build muscles that you use all through your day (and night!)

Join me and let’s share the magic. 

Reply to this email and let me know you’d like to have more movement and energy in your life, and more wisdom on what to do so you can keep it up for decades to come. 

Age with grace, and Kathy!