Mix It Up!

Mix It Up: Take Circus Classes

 

When you were a kid, did you ever threaten to run away and join the circus?  It's a staple of childhood threats and wishes -- the dream of freedom that comes with dressing up in a fantastic costume and performing amazing feats.

Now that you're an adult it may seem a little less feasible to run off with the big top.  But there's no reason to give up on that dream!  There are many troupes around the world who offer classes in everything from trick horseback riding to trapezery.  (I'm not sure that's a word, but whatever…)

In Seattle there are several such as the Anunnaki Project which teaches dance trapeze, fabric, aerial sling, and hoop.  It's as easy as figuring out what you want to do -- become a clown, perhaps? -- and googling [Your City] Clown Classes.  Not only can you have a lot of fun, but you can get a great workout, meet some fantastic new people, and maybe even pick up a side job doing parties or performing with your teachers!  Give yourself the gift of realizing a bit of that childhood dream -- mix it up and take circus classes today!

(Photo taken at the Brazilian Academy of Circus in Sao Paulo by jacsonquerubin from flickr.com's Creative Commons photostream.)

Oaxaca Diaries: Sick

Rae is crazy sick.  Normal blog posts will resume post-Montezuma's Revenge.

Podcast Suggestion: Yogamazing

 

Yoga is something I suggest to almost everyone; even if you have limited mobility there is a level of yoga for you, and the health benefits are legion.  But not everyone has a class nearby, or the time/money to attend one if they do.  

Enter Chaz Rough, creator of Yogamazing.  I found his video podcast on iTunes, and became an instant fan.  All of his yoga routines are 20-30 minutes long, and vary in difficulty from "perfect for a novice" to "I'm not sure I can do that yet."  

Chaz himself is funny, sweet, and a great yoga instructor.  He encourages you throughout each podcast, and pushes you to improve yourself.  Every one has a theme, such as "Yoga for Rock Climbers" or "Yoga for Abs," so you can tailor your routine to what you're feeling that day as well!

If you're looking to change up your exercise routine a little and try some yoga, mix it up and look for Yogamazing on iTunes or on the web.  You won't regret it!

(As always, I have no affiliation with any person or product I write about!)

Mix It Up: Dye Your Hair With Henna

  

I've talked before about the need to remove chemicals from your health and beauty regimen, and mostly I practice what I preach.  But one arena that I've been unable to change my ways is my hair -- I dye my hair religiously, and although I've switched from totally-terrible-for-you black to not-quite-as-terrible-for-you red; it's still a lot of poisons going onto my head.

My mom inspired me, though, with her gorgeous hennaed locks, and so yesterday I decided to mix it up and give henna a try myself.

Short version: I love it!  It's difficult to tell from the picture, but it's turning a lovely deep auburn red, and there were no nasty chemicals involved at all.  The only downside was having to let it set for about four hours instead of 30 minutes, but truthfully I got a lot of writing done while I was waiting.  And it cost the same as the hair dye I used to use…except the extra can be frozen and used again, so I get twice as much for the same price.

For me, choosing to mix up my hair dye was a powerful act of self-love.  Deciding to go more natural was a way of saying "I am meaningful to myself.  I choose to use only safe, natural products on myself because I matter."  Rather than a quick fix to hold myself to commercial beauty standards, I got to spend some loving time taking care of myself.  

So the next time you want to dye your hair, mix it up and try going natural with henna!  

(I got my henna from Henna For Hair where they also sell indigo and other natural hair products.  As usual, I'm not affiliated with anyone!)

Mix It Up: Change the Way You Exercise

 

I'm going to start off by saying that if you don't exercise at least a little already; go and do so!  At least 30 minutes a day is recommended for maintaining your weight and improving your health.  

So assuming you already do exercise, why mix it up?  There's a fabulous article at The Bone Architect blog about this very thing.  Briefly, your muscles and bones get accustomed to what you're doing, so it's best to switch things up to keep challenging your muscles to stretch and grow.  An easier way to think of it is that you have hundreds of muscles and bones in your body.  If you just do a single type of exercise (only walking on the elliptical machine or only using the rower, for example), then you aren't actually working out your whole body.  So certain parts will get stronger and more toned, but others will stay weak.

Plus, doing the same exercise routine all the time gets REALLY boring for me.  I can't stand to do the same thing over and over, so by varying my activity I make it more likely that I'll actually do it!

So how can you mix up the way you exercise?

★Try a different type, such as yoga, Pilates, or dance

★Try "variable intensity" or "interval training"

★Include different exercise modes such as cardio and strength

★Try "pre-exhaust training" 

★And when in doubt, walk!  

So the next time you go to work out, mix it up and change your routine!

Book Suggestion: The Green Beauty Guide

 

It's easy to say that you want to mix up your exercise regimen or your diet.  After all, no one would cavil with the concept that more exercise and less fatty foods and chemicals is better for you.  But have you considered the myriad chemicals you smear onto your skin every day?  I'm not talking about working in sanitation, but rather lotions, deodorants, and makeup.

I bought Julie Gabriel's The Green Beauty Guide for my mom on a whim -- it seemed like the sort of thing she and I would both be interested in -- and I borrowed it from her when she was done.  Both she and I had the same reaction: about halfway through the book, we went to our bathrooms and threw out three quarters of our beauty products.  I axed my shampoo, my lipstick, my lotion…so many things I didn't realize actually contained harmful or untested chemicals.  

This sounds scary, but I cannot possible recommend Ms. Gabriel's book (and website) enough.  She has a fantastic way of writing that shares your frustration at realizing your favorite products aren't good for you.  And she has simple guidelines for making a gentle transition as well -- some things are worse than others, and if you just can't give up your favorite for a while; that's okay.  (I still use chemical bleach for the blond in my hair, although I'm finally switching to henna for the red.)  Man or woman, this book is definitely a must-read, especially if you have sensitive or aging skin that you need to take better care of.

A healthier you is not just what goes in you, it's what goes on you too, so mix it up, and check out The Green Beauty Guide today!

(As usual, I have no affiliation with Julie Gabriel or her publisher!)

Nature Watch: Hybrid Fruits

 

It's no secret that I love to mix it up in my life.  I find that it's always more fun when those around me are equally as adventurous -- it makes it easier to get up and go do something new if I have friends willing to do the same.  Sometimes, however, it can be very hard to convince others to mix it up, and I have to depend on myself.  When I am in that position, I like to surround myself with reminders about the joys of mixing it up.

One great and delicious reminder that I use is hybrid fruits.  Hybrids are crosses between two different species or subspecies of plants (or animals, for that matter).  They are often created on purpose to produce improvement in seeds, size, or flavor -- modern wheat, for example, is a hybrid of three wild grasses.  However, wheat (vital though it is) doesn't have quite the thrill factor that many of the hybrid fruits possess.  

Hybrid fruits are often deliciously exotic.  Some of my favorites include:

★Tangelo (tangerine + either pomelo or grapefruit), a deliciously sweet-tart citrus fruit

★Plumcot (plum + apricot), a smooth-skinned fruit that tastes like a perfect mashup of its forebears

★Limequat (lime + kumquat), tasting strongly of lime but able to be eaten whole

★Loganberry (blackberry + raspberry).  Berries!  Yum!

★Grāpple (apple + grape infusion), not a true hybrid, but rather apples treated with a grape liquid infusion.  Kind of weird, actually, but fun on a whim.

So the next time you are feeling like the only one mixing it up, grab a hybrid fruit and enjoy not only the health benefits, but also the knowledge that Nature herself mixes it up!

Mix It Up: Establish a Bedtime Routine

 

When most people are children they will do anything to avoid having to go to bed.  Strangely, as they get older, that attitude does not always change.  Although research now shows that sleep is crucial to regenerating the body and brain for optimal functioning, people still deprive themselves of regular rest.  This can lead to difficulty processing language, loss of creativity, lower impulse control and judgement, and even hallucinations and decreased lifespan ("The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Brain and Behavior" by Sarah Ledoux, 2001).

Despite the title of this post, you don't actually want to mix it up TO sleep better!  Rather, creating a predictable routine is the key to a better night of sleep (or day, should you work a late shift).  Recent research has shown that playing about 45 minutes of a sedative music before bedtime results in significantly better sleep quality in older adults (age 60-85), and may do so in younger adults as well.  (Sedative music has less to do with the actual style of music, and more with the tempo.  Slower rock music is better than uptempo classical.)

Other useful tools you can incorporate into your bedtime routine are:

★Going to bed at the same time each night

★Not reading in bed (this was a hard one for me to accept, but the excitement and interest generated by reading keep your brain active rather than relaxing it)

★Avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine

★Drinking a calming herbal tea such as chamomile or valerian a couple of hours before sleep

★Exercise regularly

Mix it up by not mixing it up, and establish a bedtime routine that will see you waking in the morning well-rested and (hopefully) hallucination free!

Mix It Up Musing: How Are You Being Breathed?

 

In June of 2009 I was fortunate enough to attend Vinn Martí's Soul Motion workshop at Esalen in Big Sur, California.  Soul Motion is a way of consciously exploring dance with relation to community, energy, and the world around and inside of us.  One of the things that Vinn was constantly asking during the workshop was "How are you being breathed?"

Fast forward to last week, and I was experiencing some severe back pain.  I have a tendency to hunch in weird positions as I paint or write, and only when I get up after several hours do I realize I've strained a muscle.  My lower back was hurting so much that I couldn't sit in any position for more than thirty minutes or so.  Then one day I was answering email on my laptop and accidentally clicked on my archives which contained an email from Vinn sent after the conclusion of the Soul Motion workshop.  I thought to myself "How are you being breathed?" and realized I was tensing so strongly against the pain that I was making it much worse.  The moment I relaxed into my back instead of steeling myself against it the pain lessened.  I continued to remind myself to breathe and relax throughout the day, and by the end of the week my back was up to snuff again.

Mixing it up is not just about challenging the big questions in our lives, or about making huge changes.  It's also about recognizing the small, day to day ways in which our thinking gets stuck.  I was deeply stuck in the thought of "My back hurts.  When will it get better?  What if I really hurt myself?"  When I took a moment to think something different the pain began to subside.  I was hurting myself more than the initial strain ever could have with my stuck and fearful internal monologue.  By breathing consciously and noticing what I was doing to myself, I made it possibly for my body to heal.

So today, mix it up, and ask yourself: "How am I being breathed?"  There is no judgement involved, only a chance to notice what you are doing, and an opportunity to change it!

Mix It Up: Liquid Vitamins

 

Since the Egyptians discovered that they could cure night blindness (caused by Vitamin A deficiency) by feeding the patient liver, proper intake of vitamins has been recognized to be part of a healthy diet.  Unfortunately, many modern diets are extremely processed or refined, and so most people need to amplify their meals with some kind of multivitamin supplement. 

For literally years I tried to be good and take my vitamins every day, and I managed perhaps one a week at most.  It was incredibly frustrating because until recently I worked every day with a lot of children, and my immune system was starting to show signs of strain.  In 2009 I had the flu for a week or more three times within a six month period!  Yet I still continued to stubbornly try to take supplements in a way that was clearly not working for me.

About three months ago, my mom mentioned that my grandmother was taking liquid vitamins, and asked if I wanted to try them.  To make a long story short, I now pour a small packet in my orange juice every day.  I haven't missed more than a day yet, and I feel fantastic!

I am definitely not a doctor, and I urge you to consult yours to figure out what vitamins and supplements your body needs.  Many companies will claim that liquid vitamins are WAY better for you than pills, but the truth is that research shows that what really makes the difference is quality.  A high quality vitamin of either type is better than a low quality one.  What I am advocating, however, is mixing it up!  Albert Einstein popularly defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  So if you aren't having any luck with your daily multivitamins, mix it up and try liquid!  It may be just what the doctor ordered.

(The photo above is of the brand of vitamins I use; however I am not affiliated with them in any way; nor am I qualified to prescribe or recommend particular dietary supplements!  Please talk to your primary care physician about your needs.)