I never used to be much 'into' yoga.
I played impact sports, team sports, and loved cardio. Three hours on cardio machines used to fly by! Place a textbook or a novel on that stand on the Stairmaster and I was good to go! Volleyball need a sub? Basketball need another female player? Softball team need an extra player for a tournament? Carpool to a nearby ski hill and spend a day boarding a mountain? SIGN ME UP! I was in it! I was moving and always busy and always finding new and exciting ways to keep fit and keep that adrenaline going. (Ah adrenaline - the body's best natural anesthetic).
I remember trying a yoga class in University. It was my second last semester and I needed a GPA booster without having to do a ton of research or reading. The occasional paper was all the class required and I figured - why not do a vitalizing yoga session in the morning so that I can be energized for the rest of my courses?
Well - unfortunately for me - I kept puking! Turns out, I have this really weird thing with my spine and the way it connects... Every time I sit or stand perfectly straight, the top of my spine and base of my skull do something funny to my Vagus nerve, which immediately causes nausea and vomiting.
I had to take a Withdrawal With Cause.
From yoga class.
Seriously - how embarrassing is that?
Anyways - it took me until the diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis to really try yoga again. I was forced to quit all of my impact sports, and since yoga has gained SO much popularity over the last few years, I have been able to learn modifications for every pose that I have come across to really do what is correct and appropriate for my body.
Now I love it!
I am not physically capable of busting out a 90-minute session by any means, and if I can manage to go to a public class at the local gym, I usually have to sit in Child's Pose for about half of it - but I love it. I love the atmosphere and the energy and the focus on breath... I love the spa music and the general practice of meditating and releasing all of that building stress that poisons the body.
One of the toughest things about being chronically ill is getting motivated to move. There is so much need for the body to rest that it often seems best to sleep and lie comfortably in bed.
The fact that I am unable to work, unable to play common sports, and unable to keep any kind of real schedule due to the nature of my unpredictable health status, that motivation dwindles. Having my pup helps. In major ways. Taking care of him FORCES me to move, to get out of bed, to get fresh air daily... But sometimes I have such low energy that even putting pants on causes shortness of breath and the need for me to sit on the bed again for a few minutes before continuing my day.
One of my most painful illnesses that I suffer from is Chronic Migraines. I tell you - I will take my stomach pain over a migraine ANY DAY! I can still function with stomach pain. I can still function while using a walker when my hip/back pain is severely intense. I can still function with a bad HAE swell in my legs and arms. I, however, cannot function when I have a migraine.
I have been pretty low on energy lately. And by 'pretty low' I mean that it took me two hours in the bathtub to wash my hair...
To add to that - I now have a migraine. Part of it, I'm sure, is from reading and watching all of the information and discussions on the recent election in Alberta... Another factor was being three hours late with my bedtime medication.
It's not disabling yet - I can still look at my phone and have my bedside lamp on. ..
But I wanted to try and get ahead of it. I managed to mix together a massage oil with a muscle mend essential oil blend, my favorite spearmint & eucalyptus lotion, and coconut oil. It feels great on the skin, feels amazing on sore muscles, and it smells delightful. I added some to my back and then to each side of my temple - the Frankenstein screws that are burrowing into my brain.
I was determined to do a small yoga session before bed. I had read through some of the Yoga Journal magazine that I love reading, then got down on my yoga mat in my bedroom and went through some very light stretching. As long as I was standing or facing up while lying down, the stretches actually seemed to help dull the pain. I started doing more intense stretches and bigger movements - and it continued to improve. This really surprised me!
If you have ever had migraines - the idea of getting on the floor and stretching may not be the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, if you're like me, it may seem daunting and almost the exact opposite of what you should do when getting a migraine.
Who knew yoga could help an intense episode?
I am really liking this whole 'yoga' thing.
Too bad retreats are often so expensive and often so far out of town that my body couldn't handle the travel.
Yoga for migraines.
Another benefit to add to the list!!