Happy Year of the Dragon

Last year was my first Chinese New Year post. In fact, I was a little ashamed to realize that I had such a limited knowledge of the Asian Tradition.

Interestingly, since the Time Square Ball Dropping New Year's celebration, my 2011 Chinese New Year post has received a spike in "reads".  I tried to decide if I would write a 2012 Chinese New Year post and almost didn't. There were two reasons I thought my Chinese New Year thoughts were a one-time musing. The first reason is/was that I didn't post about it on January 23rd (or even the 24th). The second reason is that I wasn't sure I could find something new to explore for how the Chinese New Year fits into my life.

I'm glad that I decided to revisit the topic, because, of course, there is more to explore.

Please don't judge me for my lack of knowledge about this holiday. There are many holidays that I was not raised with that I do not know details about. My lack of knowledge is not an indicator of my lack of respect. (At least I don't intend it to be.)

Anyway, I did not realize until I started toying with the idea of writing about the Year of the Dragon, that the New Year celebration actually lasted until the first full moon (2/6/12).  So, with that new knowledge, I'm still late to the "party" but I wanted to write about it anyway.

Last year I learned that I was born in the year of the Tiger. Knowing this is no different than knowing the year in which I was born. (You will have to check Tiger years if you want to guess my age.)  For me, naming the years based on an animal can be similar to thinking of it as a memory tool. --You know, like knowing that the last year of the Dragon was 2001.

The years also have qualifiers (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). 2012 is a year of the Water Dragon. 2001 was a Metal Dragon. The last Water Dragon year was 1952.

I struggled with History classes in both high school and college.  To this day I regret taking a World History course in college when it was not required.  (The university made it a requirement for Freshmen entering college the year after I did). Why do I regret this choice? Because it brought down my GPA. Calculus did a number on my GPA as well.  But that was necessary for me to learn some major concepts (like, I shouldn't choose a major that required calculus).

Coming back to my point about the naming of years and history. If I had thought to think of timelines in a different way than what was presented, I may have remembered more of what makes history important.

Anyway, the Year of the Dragon is thought to bring: Well, I'm not quite sure. But I understand that people born in the Year of the Dragon are typically brave and innovative highly driven and successful.

The celebration of the Chinese New Year includes decorating with things that symbolize wealth happiness and good fortune.  It's also a time of gift giving and thinking only good thoughts.

The home should be cleaned before the start of the New Year so that there is a fresh start and there is no need to focus on "work" in the first days of the New Year.  The tone of the New Year celebration week sets the tone for the year.  So, you want to be zen with your world during this time. You know, peaceful, harmonious home, and having/promoting harmony in your relationships.

While I was only familiar with the first day of the Chinese New Year, the 15-day celebration is marked with a different emphasis each day.  For Example:
Day 1: Is to Honor You Elders (specifically in your own family).
Day 3: Typically is not for socializing with relatives or friends (I'm not sure if this is a day of meditation or what...more research is definitely needed.)
Day 15: Is the final day of the Chinese New Year and often includes a Lantern Festival.

I began writing this post back on Feb. 5th. But stepped away and didn't finish. I've decided this day is a good day to share my very little knowledge of the Traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Enjoy.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090516/Happy-Chinese-New-Year-2012-Millions-welcome-Year-Of-The-Dragon.html#ixzz1l6GnU15w

Thursday Tidbits

I'm not gonna lie, I'm over Law & Order. I'm especially over SVU.  But I totally love the sound of "Bum Bum" between scenes.  I think everyone knows when we are about to hear that sound effect.  Most of us (or maybe it's just me) make the sound effect with the TV. 

But, before you think this is a hater post, I have to say that I saw comedian John Mulaney on Conan two weeks ago and he really made me laugh when he talked about Law & Order SVU. I thought he was so funny that I have to share the video clip with you here. Spoiler Alert: As the Soda Fountain photo implies (found and posted on Pinterest), Ice-T gets more than an honorable mention.

Personal Training

My back issues started in earnest when I first started working out with a personal trainer (about 5 years ago). It was my first experience with a personal trainer ever. And I was out of shape (of course) but had never really exercised before. (I don't think P.E. in Jr. High really qualifies.) I was exercise adverse. I don't mean that I was/am against physical activity. I just was against the kind that involved a gym, equipment, looking stupid and sweating. I had several times in my life where I went to Jazzercise or Aerobics class (back in the day when we all wanted to look like Olivia Newton-John as she "Got Physical").  But I digress.

I had amazing health insurance at the time and it paid for a medical program that included a weekly nutritionist, 3X / week personal training and periodic check-ins with the doctor.  It was a one time program and I had to pay a portion, but I wouldn't have been able to afford it without the amazing health insurance plan. Anywho, the program expected dramatic results (which it achieved). And the personal trainer I was assigned to was a young man. I believe he felt pressure to be able to write down quick physical fitness improvements in my chart.  (The program was heavily monitored by a team of professionals that were evaluating the program as a whole as well as the results of individuals).

Lots of lessons AFTER I was hurt.

This seems obvious, I know.  But...there's this weird thing at work here. I'm paying this trainer to help me get into shape. I believe that what he is asking me to do will actually help me get into shape. I believe that he knows better than I and would not instruct me to do an exercise that I wasn't ready for. Whenever I wanted to say, "No, I don't like this", I wasn't sure if I just didn't like it OR if there was a reason I shouldn't do it.
Turns out, one of the reasons I got hurt was because my trainer DID have me doing exercises I was not ready for.  A big reason he didn't see that was because with each exercise he would show me, I would mimic fairly well. Because I was able to lift the weight or hold the pose I believed that I was actually seeing the results of my new workout routine. The trainer was happy because he could write down in the little chart that I was progressing.  I was happy because I thought I was progressing.

The things that were important were the things that were not visible to the eye. That is, I was doing the exercises by using the WRONG muscles. He said "Lift this", so I lifted it, period. What I learned in physical therapy was that all along I had been using my back muscles for every exercise. EVERY exercise. This whole exercise thing was new to me, so I had no idea how to identify that the correct muscles were working for each task.

This is exactly what I had to do. I had gone to the doctor with my hurt back and he sent me to the physical therapist. So I had to add physical therapy 2X / week on top of personal training 3X/week. I shared with the trainer that I was in PT and what I was instructed to change in my work out. But I had to really stay strong and confident because as I got physically stronger, he kept encouraging asking me to return to an exercise I had been doing before I was hurt.

Exercise is not supposed to cause actual pain. Discomfort maybe but not actual pain.

Oh My Aching Back

I am so appreciative of the comments on my last post. I planned on posting an update yesterday but was so sleepy that I went to bed super early instead. My back is better. Not great but better. I will tell you what I'm contemplating.

I had physical therapy for this very same back issue about 5 years ago. I learned a lot about why I was hurt and how to begin to heal. The main reason I was hurt? A weak CORE. --By the way, I grew to hate hearing about my core. Even now, I have to stop myself from giving a stink eye to anyone that says something about working to strengthen my core.

So, if I strengthen my core muscles (abdomen and back) I am less likely to have my back fall out of alignment. (Which is pretty much what I think I experienced this week.)  Sometimes it's the chicken versus the egg question. How do I exercise my abdomen and/or back when I am in pain? Don't I need to heal first?

Well, I've done a lot of reading this week, and all of the literature I found says NOT to stay in bed if you have back pain. Everything recommends movement.  For me, I could feel the vertebrae in my lower back just kind of lock up. I felt that if I could get them to loosen up and be flexible (again), that I would be on my way to not hurting.

When I was in PT, I had regular PT and then was sent to a Pilates physical therapist. She was a certified physical therapist that used Pilates techniques and equipment for PT. I got such a huge benefit from working with her. Each time we started with me on the table and I had to warm up my spine by sitting up and then rolling down to the table vertebra by vertebra. This was not easy for me as my lower back usually collapsed without releasing incrementally (vertebra by vertebra).  This was an indicator that my lower back vertebrae were tightly locked and wanted to act as one instead of moving separately as connected joints.  But with each day that I worked my back in these very slow deliberate motions, my back got looser and the pain eased.

We also discovered that one of my legs is shorter than the other. (Right leg). In fact, what we found in my non-Pilates PT is that my actual leg bones are the same length. Instead, my right hip torques into my pelvis (which has the effect of a shorter leg). Good news is that the leg can actually be pulled out of the pelvis and with some exercises I can help keep it out.

Sometime after graduating from PT, I re-injured myself. This injury was a little different and the PT was not as effective the second time around. Someone recommended a Chiropractor. I had previously been skeptical of Chiropractic care, but this time I was tired of hurting and tried it. Amazingly, working with him gave me tremendous relief. This practitioner was very gentle and believed in exercises for me to practice at home to help. The goal of the exercises? Strengthen my (wait for it) CORE.

Massage also helped.

So, now here I am again, and I live in a different town where I have to re-build my care team. I was sure I wanted to find a Chiropractor pronto. But truly, I'm not so sure this time. My reading shows that some practitioners still believe in thrusting to move vertebrae into place. And I'm just not sure I want to trust that.

We already know I need PT. I was supposed to get PT for my knee last April. My guess is that the knee problem and the back problem are inter-related. I found a physical therapist I want to use. The big question now is will insurance cover it. The second big question is how to schedule the appointments.

I fully expect that my future holds exercises that involve strengthening the (say it with me) core. Below are some of the things I remember from my prior PT and core work. I remember using foam rollers to help with back pain.  I'm almost looking forward to this.

Tomorrow I will tell you more about my personal training experience.

My Back Hurts

So, my back hurts. I've had lower back flare-ups for a while.  My body is telling me it wants me to take notice. So now I've got physical pain to go along with my guilt for not being a good steward with my body.

My mind keeps thinking that I’ve just been on a short hiatus from exercise and overall taking care of my body. Somehow I've convinced my mind that we are still physically fit...or at least getting that way. But, I hate to admit it, I've been lying to my mind.

You know, not that long ago I became a runner. Actually, I was trying to become a runner. I was working on the couch to 5K workout plan. But, I injured my knee and was told to stop (by a Doctor). The doctor gave a referral for physical therapy that is needed before resuming running.

I convinced my mind that this is why we aren’t at the gym or walking or anything. My mind has accepted the story that the knee injury was not long ago. It was APRIL! It was nine months ago. My knee is better. I haven't yet been to the physical therapist. Now, before you judge, there are two reasons for that.  One, my doctor wanted me to use a PT associated with his larger medical network. The PT department was supposed to call me to schedule. I never received a call.  (Really). And, two, timing. It is so difficult to schedule all these medical appointments during the workday. 

2X / year I have dental appointments. It looks like I really need to go to an endontist because one of my root canals has lingering nerve issues. (Weird, right?) I got the referral to the endodontist at my last dental appointment. I haven’t made the endodontist appointment yet, either. Of course, I have annual primary care appointments, Gyn. and mammals. That’s a doctor appointment every two months. PT will be/would be weekly. I struggle with the times.

So now, my back hurts.