Energizing Exercise: Connecting Heaven and Earth

Have you been feeling sluggish and tired? When you wake up in the morning, do your joints and muscles feel sore? Are you someone who gets up and immediately starts moving through your morning routine? If any of these describe you, consider starting your day with a simple Energy Medicine exercise. 

“Connecting Heaven and Earth” is an exercise that opens the meridians, brings oxygen to the cells, and activates mood-boosting endorphins as well as the immune system. Try this stretch for the waist, hips, and torso at the start of your morning or whenever you need to feel refreshed throughout the day. 

  1. Stand up, and put your hands on your thighs, fingers spread. 

  2. Inhale through your nose while bringing your arms out and together in a prayer position. Exhale through your mouth. 

  3. Inhale again, stretching one arm up and one arm down, pushing with flat palms. Hold, exhale through your mouth, and place your hands back in prayer position. Switch arms and repeat. 

  4. Let your arms fall at your sides, fold your body forward at the waist, and bend your knees slightly. Take two full breaths before slowly rising back to a standing position. 

References

Eden, D. (2012). The Little Book of Energy Medicine: The Essential Guide to Balancing Your Body’s Energies. New York: Penguin Group.  

Home Remedies for Menstrual Discomfort

If you’ve ever experienced painful cramping before and during your menstrual period, you are not alone. Many women deal with monthly discomfort that can range from annoying to daily-life-interfering. For some, the cause of this pain could be endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or other underlying concerns, so be sure to reach out to your doctor if you experience very heavy bleeding, severe pain, or cramps that get worse over time. 

There are many home remedies and alternative medicine routes you can try to help reduce symptoms of menstrual discomfort. Give them a shot and see what works best for your body:

  • Acupuncture

  • Herbal medicines (like pycnogenol, fennel, or ginger)

  • Heat (hot soaks and heat packs have been shown to be just as effective as OTC pain medicine) 

  • Gentle exercise: yoga, stretching, going for a walk

  • Massage

  • Rub a mixture of carrier oil and essential oils like cinnamon, lavender, and clove over your abdomen

  • Drink herbal teas and increase water consumption to stay hydrated

  • Do things that relieve stress, like reading a book, having a conversation with a loved one, and getting good sleep

In addition to using remedies for pain, pay closer attention to activities, food and beverages the week before and during your cycle. Avoid any very cold or raw foods and beverages, bundle up in the cold, choose dark chocolate over other sweets, decrease caffeine and alcohol consumption, and avoid strenuous exercise or over-work. Consult with a holistic practitioner if your menses are a major disruption in your life.

References

Galan, N. (2019). Home remedies for menstrual cramp relief. Retrieved from

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324484.php.

Sparks, D. (2018). Home Remedies: Managing menstrual cramps. Retrieved from

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-managing-menstrual-cramps/.

Wong, C. (2019). 4 Herbs to Relieve Menstrual Cramps. Retrieved from

https://www.verywellhealth.com/herbs-for-menstrual-cramps-89901.

Asking for Help

In an effort to avoid being a burden or annoyance to co-workers, friends, and loved ones, do you ever stop yourself from asking for help? Maybe you need clarification on someone’s expectations, have hit a roadblock with a project, or are struggling in an area of your personal life. Even though you know deep down you can’t go this alone, does it feel uncomfortable to reach out for assistance? 

Heidi Grant’s Ted Talk explores her research about asking for help, as well as concrete steps to get better at doing it. Remember that like most things in life, changing habits takes time, patience, and practice. Bring an awareness to your current patterns of asking for help and consider practicing new ways to get your needs met. 

Steps to asking for help effectively:

1. Acknowledge that you need help, and ask for it out loud. 

2. Don’t fall into the trap of the “illusion of transparency.” (Other people can’t read our minds!)

3. When you ask for help, be clear on the kind of help you want, and why you want it. 

4. Avoid adding in disclaimers, apologies, and bribes. 

5. Keep clear boundaries between strangers who provide you with services (for a cost) from friends who do things to help you (for free). 

6. Find a way to ask for help in person or via a phone call. 

7. When someone agrees to help you, follow up with them afterward and let them know their help positively impacted you. 

8. Remember that asking for help reveals your humanness--we all need each other.