A Few Words on Bladder Infections

Last month I was blessed with a UTI -  bladder infection.

It didn’t exactly feel like a blessing at the time, but if I learned anything in the last five years, it is that in every unpleasant situation there’s a generous helping of brilliance and insight to be served if one is willing to accept it. A proverbial silver lining, if you wish.

And so, as I lay awake at 3 AM, running to the bathroom every 15 minutes, I start to realize that I have approached this situation from a very holistic perspective. It occurs to me that I can not only share my findings on this particular subject with you, but also use a similar method as a platform to explore and address any chronic (or not so chronic, but nonetheless annoying) ailments that are plaguing you and stopping you from enjoying your life fully. Hey, even bladder-infection induced insomnia can be productive!

So now, every month, we’ll choose a topic together – whatever is current and urgent for you – and use blog posts and Facebook to delve deeper into the discussion. Have you liked Satori on Facebook yet? If not, now is the time!

Before we start, though, I want to remind you that I am not a doctor. Everything that I talk about comes from my own experience.
NO, I didn’t study pharmacology or anatomy in university; YES, I’ve worked in the health food industry for the last decade, I research everything to a fault and am passionate about healing. Consider this to be an invitation, not a prescription.

I look at the healing of any illness or unpleasant situation from 3 different angles. This is the very same approach I use in my private practice.

Here is the holistic approach –  Satori way:

1. iLIVE: How can a change nutrition, diet, lifestyle and supplementation support healing?
2. iMOVE: What are structural imbalances – breathing restrictions, unhealthy or inefficient movement habits and holding patterns – that are contributing factors here?
3. iAM: Is there an underlying chronic stress condition or emotional imbalance worth addressing?

So, in the case of my urinary tract infection here is what I did:

iLIVE:I chose to go on a mono rice diet for the first 3 days to give my digestive system some rest and also let my body use most of its energy for healing, instead of digestion. From there I stuck to an anti-inflammatory diet. If what I just said sounds like a complete gibberish, here’s some good news: Spring Detox course is coming March 25th: we’ll talk about ayurvedic cleanse options as well as herbal formulas available on the market today.  Did you miss the Anti-Inflammatory Diet class last November? Look for a virtual Anti-Inflammatory Diet course coming this summer. And, of course, if you need a solution right NOW, please book your one-on-one consultation – let’s figure it out!
I didn’t want to overcomplicate things with supplements. (A good thing to remember is that they are just that – supplements. They are to supplement an already healthy diet, not to replace it!) The only three I used were unsweetened cranberry juice, critical care probiotics and d-mannose.  Plus an ayurvedic tea made from equal proportions of cumin, coriander and fennel – all cooling, soothing herbs. And lots and lots of water.
I do believe that conventional medicine has a rightful time and place –not as a stand alone solution, but as a part of a complete program. So I chose to go on antibiotics, and discovered something worth mentioning. For the first round of antibiotics I opted for a milder, 3-day solution. My thought behind it was to be as gentle on my body as possible. Not only did this first round of antibiotics not work, they made me feel tired and nauseated. YUCK! I asked Dr. Lyddell’s advice for the second round. Here is what he suggested: “ You have to treat those infections aggressively, as now there are a lot of drug resistant bacteria because of wide – spread use of antibiotics.” So a broad spectrum, potent antibiotic was in order for the second round, and I felt better for it in a matter of hours. Surprisingly, too – I experienced no fatigue or nausea – and that’s because these new generation drugs are hard on bacteria, not on your stomach. Win-win, I like it!
I also made sure that I was getting at least 8 hours of sleep and still napped in the afternoon. Rest is essential!

iMOVE: From the movement perspective, I have designed a therapeutic yoga practice to enhance the blood flow to the lower abdomen to reduce pain and cramping, and improve circulation. I practiced a lot of deep breathing. I also had an enlightening conversation with Janet Wood (a physiotherapist and miracle worker) on the merits of pelvic floor tonus and my bathroom habits.  The pelvic floor is a foundational support of your internal organs and the corner stone of your core stability. If the topic of core strength and balance is of interest to you, sign up for the Essential Core workshop coming up on March 10^th – we’ll be discussing this in much detail.

iAM: Last, but not least, I made sure I fit morning and evening meditation into my day. While I do have a regular practice of meditation, sometimes it slips, as I get really busy – hey, I am human, too. But when I am not feeling up to scratch, meditation becomes essential.
From a spiritual perspective meditation connects us to the deeper part of ourselves untouched by illness, pain, stress and discomfort. It is not just about controlling stress or triggering a relaxation response, even though these are valid reasons to practice meditation. Meditation reminds us of our true, unbound nature; it takes us to a place were all these old tapes that have been playing in our heads for years and years do not exist anymore; it shows us that Perfect Health is indeed a part of who we are. From that standpoint, meditation needs to be an essential piece of any healing program.  You are in luck: Learn to Meditate class is scheduled for January 25^th; and if you are ready to delve deeper and finally resolve your chronic stress issues then the Mastering the Art of Stress – Free living program might be for you.
I also investigated emotional holding patterns that might contribute to urinary tract infections and was surprised to learn that control issues were right there at the forefront.

There you have it, the Satori approach to urinary tract infections. To re-iterate what I’ve said earlier, I believe that the holistic way of healing is the only way. To find true healing, not just the band-aid solutions, we need to attend to ourselves in all our holiness – that’s right, the word holy, holistic and healing all have the same root.

To those of you who are thinking, “ where am I going to find time to do all of that?” I have this to say: It is not despite, but because I find the time to take really good care of myself I am able to work 14 – hour days, be productive and take care of my students the way I do. It is the reason I am able to heal myself, educate myself, build a successful business, take care of the household and raise two children all on my own. If I can do it, so can you. Don’t doubt yourself. Not now, not ever!

We have a two contenders for discussion in February – elimination problems (a.k.a. constipation) and sinus infections. I am leaning toward constipation, because both urinary tract infections and constipation depend heavily on the inner workings of your pelvic floor and your bathroom habits – something we are going to discuss in Essential Core workshop this March.  They also both belong to the realm of VATA imbalances, but that’s a whole ball game. Please let me know which topic interests you and resonates with you, so I can continue to serve you to the best of my ability.

 

 

Be Good…For Goodness Sake!

 

When I ask my students how are they feeling, more often then not I hear “ good…fine.”

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Sitting Pretty

Are you spending a few hours a day at your desk? The way you sit has a lot to do with how you shoulders feel by the end of the day. Achy, tired, heavy shoulders, tension headaches and stiff neck have something to tell you about sitting posture.

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Yoga Therapy Intensive in Vancouver

A month ago I have attended a four day Yoga Therapy Intensive in Vancouver with Susi Hatley Aldous. It has been, like a lot of these trainings, a life – or more correctly – life perception altering experience. As the course ended, I really wanted to share what I’ve experienced with my teacher as well as my students. Funny thing, though – I couldn’t find time or words to express myself clearly. In fact, I couldn’t find any words at all that matched what I felt. A few days ago I woke up at 4 in the morning – that happens often when I am exploring an idea and I knew exactly what to say.

The experience in Vancouver has been enriching, profound and at the same time very grounding. I guess that makes sense – a lot of us had finally settled into Being in our bodies.

Something that was said during the workshop ” What is it that you are doing that is causing you pain or discomfort” had been the light that suddenly went on. First it completely changed my own practice and how I taught. As my body and my mind started to unraveled, this new learning had spilled into absolutely every aspect and every little corner of my life – what I eat, how I work – and importantly – how much I work, my relationships; no stone left unturned.

It had touched everything – bringing a lot of things, some unexpected and some unpleasant, to light. We talked about “the red flags” – body sensations that let us know – “hey, you are going to ache tomorrow! hey, you are going too far with this stretch!”  and how we have the potential, ability and the knowledge to stop before that point – at the “yellow flag”. And so now I keep watching “the yellow flags becoming the red flags”  and feel like I am finally getting to know some parts of me that are more connected, settled, steady and grounded  with and to who I am.

The workshop also brought me back to the though of how wonderfully miraculous our bodies are and how, if treated with kindness and respect, they have an absolute ability to heal. Here is the video of the inner life of the cell  more often then not I teary-eyed watching it. Life is so grand!