Tag: yoga

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We are not less productive, we are just less frantic

I had the loveliest facetime catch up with my amazing friend Diane today. She is not just a deeply knowledgeable and heartfelt yoga teacher, but also a wise and connected human and friend. We were talking about social isolation, as many of us do today, and I jokingly posed the question to Diane: “Why am I so much less efficient now when I have so much more time, than I was before social isolation?” She laughed and answered, “Maybe you’re not less efficient, just less frantic.” And there it is. I let out a sigh of relief and realized how incredibly right she is. I am not getting any less done that I used to be. I’m still going to the hospital and taking care of sick patients. I’m still preparing for the publication of my next book. I’m still cooking, and caring for the dog, and cleaning the house, and sending out emails. But all this is done in a setting that is so much less frantic.

I’m no longer running myself ragged on my days away from the hospital – trying to see friends, go to the store, and get to a yoga class. Now I get to practice the same yoga class at home. Now, instead of rushing from event to event, or packing for trips, I am taking my time planning meals for myself and my partner, and taking the dog on long walks.

So today, instead of mourning the loss of “all the things” that kept me frantically busy, I will celebrate the freedom of a less frenetic way of being. Instead of rushing through my chores or my workouts, I will languish in the spaciousness. Instead of being frustrated that the dog interrupts my yoga session, I will giggle that she wants to be support this emotionally exhausted frontline worker and restart the posture sequence.

We’re doing all the same things – we are just less frantic.  Thanks, Diane. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with me, and with all of us. Let’s all find a little more perspective and space within our less-frantic socially-isolated lives.

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Keep your pulmonary system healthy with this technique of diaphragmatic breathing

Did you know that we have pulmonary vagal irritant receptors? Irritant receptors lie between airway epithelial cells and are stimulated by noxious gases, cold, and inhaled dusts. Once activated, they send action potentials via the vagus nerve leading to bronchoconstriction (which can lead to cough) and increased respiratory rate. When stretched, these receptors also increase production of pulmonary surfactant, which allows our alveoli in the lungs to be more flexible and compliant. Our treatment, when these irritant receptors are activated is supplemental oxygen and airway clearance. You can do this yourself! Just take a long, deep, deliberate breath – right now! That brings in more oxygen into your lungs (supplemental oxygen), and helps to clear your airway with the prolonged exhalation.

Keep your pulmonary system healthy, avoid cough, and your vagus nerve toned during these times in the pandemic with this technique of slow, diaphragmatic breathing. Keeping the pulmonary vagal irritant receptors inactivated and at rest!

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How meditation helps me cope with COVID-19

Now, more than ever, I have called upon my meditation practice to help me through each day. Every morning, whether I’m headed to the hospital or self-isolating at home, I find my way to my meditation pillow for 30 minutes. This is a very stressful time for a physician. There is no question that I love my job, and I thrive in stressful environments. However, these times are unprecedented. No doctor has trained for this. But my mindfulness practice has guided me through the stressful hospital days and has helped me navigate the challenges with dignity, grace, and compassion.

I remember when I first started meditating; I was living in NYC, 9/11 had just occurred and I felt stressed about everything. I could hardly sit still for even 5 minutes. But regardless of how hard it was (and it was hard!), I would practice every day. Even for just 5 minutes. Eventually, I started to notice the benefits — I was no longer ruled by my concerns about the future or dwelling in the past — I felt more present in my daily life, and consequently, more free.

My meditation practice really took flight during med school. I was filled with so many feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. How could I ever have the knowledge and healing instinct that seemed to come so easily to my mentors? But when I committed to the practice, I found it inside me — that sense of knowing… the confidence and self-love that it took to believe I could be all the things I set out to be. It motivated me to study harder and work longer hours. It took years of practice, and some days are harder than others. But it’s in those moments, I know I must go back to my practice. In moments of doubt and fear, I sit– to stay grounded and centered. In times of discomfort I call upon meditation for comfort and guidance — and it has never failed me. In these times of the

COVID-19 pandemic, I practice meditation daily. And without it, I would be a very different person. Who knows, I may have let the stress get to me. But because of the support of meditation, I know myself better, and I can summon the courage needed to take on these difficulties ahead, and step up to the plate the way my patients need me. You can too.

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I am giving it all I’ve got.

This decade has been a doozy for me. Has it been for you, too? Over this past decade, I left the practice of law, broke off an engagement to pursue my dream of medicine, attended and graduated medical school and two residencies, wrote and published a book, moved into and out of a three states, completed my yoga therapy and 500-hour teacher trainings, led many yoga retreats, made friends, lost friends, fell in love, had my heart broken… and in some ways, I ended up right where I began. That’s right, 10 years ago, I was living in San Diego, and 10 years later, I have found my way back here. Teaching at the same studio (Prana), enjoying time with some of same people (that’s you, Nico), driving home to see my parents with the same dog (Rusty)… yet I, the Ingrid that was a decade ago, is so different. My heart is different. My soul is less rigid. My heart feels flexible and accepting. My soul feels open and ready. Instead of judging, I seek to listen. Instead of fear, I choose hope.

Halfway through my medical training, I almost lost hope. Seeing so much “unfairness” and suffering life (and death)… watching how human stories unraveled in the most heartbreaking ways… it almost broke me. But somehow, with the support of amazing friends and mentors, I went from thinking: “We’re all going to die, what’s the point?” to “Wait. Yes. We are all going to die… THAT’S the point!” I went from thinking that everything was hopeless and meaningless to realizing that our time is so short, so fast. And that was incredibly freeing. It made me embrace all the clichés, all the inspirational quotes. Because life IS short. So, I had better do what I can with the time I’ve got.

So here I am, giving it all I’ve got. Staying open to it all. Not knowing where this decade will take me. Knowing there will be twists and turns. Uncertainties and fears. But doing my best to keep my heart open to whatever may arise. Because… that’s the point

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Love heels? I do too, but this is what it does to your body..

Why do we women do this to ourselves? This week, I’ve been working out of the downtown San Diego WeWork and I’ve been watching woman after woman walk by me, wobbling in high stiletto heels. The perfect, pointy pair of 4-inch heels can make any outfit, but with this style comes with so much suffering. Studies have shown that these towering shoes can be costly in more ways than one, taking their toll on your spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet, while altering your posture and gait. Here’s how:

Daily high heel use over a number of years actually leads to changes in your anatomy. The normal S-curve shape of the back acts as a shock absorber, reducing stress on your vertebrae. Wearing high heels causes of the lumbar spine to flatten and causes you to lean forward and decreases the curve of your low back. This causes the weight of your body and your center of gravity to shift forward.  As an attempt to compensate, your trunk will flex forward, bending at the hips and spine. Additionally, your calf muscles will shorten and you will lose dorsiflexion range in your foot, leading to increased risk for falls. Consequently, the calf, hips and back become tense and, let’s be honest, no one looks good when stomping the toes and leaning the chest forward in heels that are too high.

The heel’s height determines the weight carried by the footwear. So, as the heel get higher, ongoing pressure increases on the forefoot or the ball of the foot and puts you at risk for painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis and hammer toes. Ouch.

The solution? I’m not saying you can never wear heels; living an extreme lifestyle (in either direction) is unrealistic. Instead, consider a wide variety of shoes, and especially choose those with arch support and heel enclosure. Additionally, yoga can do wonders for your foot/ankle/leg flexibility. Poses like Utkhatasana (chair pose) and any one-legged balance posture can help to strengthen and stretch your feet to counteract your occasional stiletto wearing gait. Maintain flexibility for a supple spine, open hips, and spacious heart. And stay happy, all around.

Happy strutting!

 

*Photos by radgirlcreations and Spine Health Institute.

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Patience. The virtue of “not yet.”

Patience. The last 10 years have been a long, at times, painful lesson in patience. Literally 10 years ago, I applied to medical school (for the 3rd and last time), and 7 months later, I was accepted. And now, as I come near the end of my formal medical training, so many of the endeavors that I have worked so hard towards are now coming to fruition. But again, patience rears its omniscient head and teaches me: not yet. Because nothing has quite yet manifested… I am 5 weeks from completing residency. 3 months from taking the final board certification test for my specialty medical practice. 2 months from starting my job(s). 1 year from publishing my next book. And only now starting work as a medical advisor for a tech startup. It’s been a long time coming. And I am now only on the cusp of all these visions coming into being. All these manifestations that are bursting from my heart; it’s hard to contain it all. I am ready. So ready. Thanks for the lessons, patience. I know there are reasons for your “not yet”. I don’t know what they are, but I believe in your wisdom. And I’m listening. Ready in wait and ready to burst forth. Because when you’re ready to let me go, patience, I am going to be running down that road as fast as I can.

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Your brain on yoga

Almost all human cells reproduce on a cycle. Up to 10% of your heart is replaced each year. Red blood cells are replaced every three months. Skin cells, every two weeks.

But it has traditionally been accepted that neurons, the cells that make up the brain and spinal cord, do not regenerate. Based on recent discoveries, it turns out that, under the right conditions, neurons can indeed recover. They just need a break. That’s why, in modern medicine, we will sometimes induce comas and hypothermia in patients with brain injury; so that their brains can rest. It’s pretty incredible that if you can break your neurons from normal operations and focus on healing, they have a chance at regrowth.

So that just begs the question, how can we give our neurons a break, with less extreme measures such as induced hypothermia or coma state? How can we take a deep breath, in this moment, and stop all the bustling chaos in our brains and give our neurons the break they need in our muddled daily lives?  It’s human nature to want to fix what’s broken. And we have the tools to fix it. Take a moment right now to close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out. Try it again. And one more time. We may not be able to replicate exactly what we lost. But in its place we can grow something new. And slowly, but surely, we can grow until we have everything we need.
 

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Leaning in

Leaning in.

During these last few weeks and months, dozens of opportunities have been proposed to me for future endeavors; from medicine, to yoga, to business, to real estate (yes I’m trying to buy a home, a whole new level of stress). It’s been a little overwhelming. And interesting. For the last 10 years, I have been waiting for this moment. This moment when my schedule would no longer be monopolized by impossibly long hours in the hospital, only to then go home and attempt to keep my eyes, swollen with exhaustion, open to study. All in the pursuit of being the kind of doctor that deserved to be of service to my fellow human.

For the last 10 years, I have sacrificed every free moment in my life in the pursuit of my medical education; declined social engagements, turned down romantic advances, missed important family functions, and sacrificed countless hours of sleep and self-care. And now my time has come. As I near the end of my formal medical training, the opportunities have started to reveal themselves. I sometimes ask myself if this will be my defining moment. In what direction will my life go from here? What kind of doctor/person/yogi/healer will I be? What am I capable of. The opportunities will come and go, but how will I stand steady within my values, yet allow myself to bend, but not break with the changing winds?

I am listening to it all; and opening myself up to whatever the universe has in store for me. I am trusting my instincts and following the path that reveals itself. I’m choosing to lean in. What comes next universe? Bring it