I've been feeling imbalanced for a while, which I presume is the result of being inactive with yoga and qigong for a prolonged period.
Furthermore, I'm prone to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, so I think it was a combination of different things.
To mitigate this, I've been consistently taking a daily supply of Vit D, iron, B12, Vit C, magnesium, and zinc for the last month, and I've seen much improvement. With supplements, I think it's good to break and give the body a chance to kick in and function naturally. However, I had left it for too long and suffered severe symptoms of lethargy, brain fog, muscle aches, low energy, pale skin, irregular appetite, and felt inundated with simple tasks. Thankfully, I've nipped this in the bud, and I'm feeling restored and vibrant, highly motivated, and with increased mental clarity.
I think it's a big step in the right direction because I'm of the age where my health is naturally declining, and I can't afford to be lax with my efforts. However, I still want to be able to indulge in treats like these with moderation, of course, without worry and stress.
Sometimes, things are more mind over matter, or the presence of sunshine, or perhaps the fact that I've increased my daily coffee intake to two cups, but my concentration levels, memory, and vitality are better.
In other words, #SurvivingWinterBlues
Regardless, I'm happy that I'm feeling more positive and zestful to bash these negative emotions and physical discomforts that caused a strain on me in recent times.
Being mindful and self-aware has helped me, and it's all a sign that it's time for me to activate the Qi (energy) that's stagnant and to harmonise the energies in my body.
Today, I unpacked my fitness clothing and decided to air them for a few hours, as I'm eager to start doing some springtime qigong and yoga in nature.
One of the biggest challenges of living on this boat is the lack of space, and I find it counterproductive forcing myself to do mindful moving meditation in extreme weather conditions because I'm tense in the cold, with shallow breathing. I attempted it on a few occasions, but what I found was that carrying tension into those exercises made my breathing shallow and reduced the flow of oxygen to my lungs. Sequentially, it limited my cardio function of pumping sufficient blood to my heart, so it's fortunate that I enjoy cycling, as it sufficed in that aspect.
Sometimes, people are ignorant to believe that doing exercises is a sign of vanity and a reluctance to accept the natural changes in our bodies. However, I have proficient knowledge and understanding of the connection of body, mind, and spirit, and recently, I've been doing deeper work on the different meridians in the body and the connection of the elements of the earth with some of our vital organs, as well as identifying the imbalances that cause negative feelings and emotions and the right antidotes to achieve the opposite positive emotions.
So far, so good!
The Minimalist community.This post is a contribution to this weekly 'daily' theme of #MindfulMonday here in
All the images and gif are my original content.
Location: Foxton Locks, March 3, 2025.
Milly, the important thing is to be alert and keep moving. There are times in our lives when we can feel overwhelmed for many reasons, but exercise, cycling, or being aware of what we may be lacking in our diet and addressing it, are actions that will surely help to get back into the swing of things. So I'm really glad you've come back with these reflections. Go for it! Your health doesn't have to decline... Put that idea out of your mind. 😉🤗
Yes, you are so right, and I'm happy that I'm on top of all that now.
Hehe! Nothing drastic, just the basics like sight and hearing, and more of the case of "if you don't use it, you lose it" kind of thing. That's why exercise and being active in general is essential.
I think ageing has more to do with mindset, and what I've observed is that people who focus on the number (age) and not well-being (doing things to help themselves exercise and diet) do deteriorate and become less functional, physically and mentally.
Hey 💛🤗 glad to hear you're feeling better with the supplements. I agree with you about giving the body a chance to work on its own, but sometimes a little help-me-along is necessary, especially in winter. So it's good you found that (and the strength to get moving again with your practice! Fantastic how much a few minutes on the mat can shift perspective).
I think for some people, movement unfortunately does tie into vanity but what that betrays really is a sick relationship with one's own body. Which clearly is not the case here 🌻 here's to many more warm outdoor practices in your near future (and yummy treats!).
Thank you 💛😊
That's the undeniable power of yoga, Qigong and mindfulness in general.
You're spot on there! It saddens me when I encounter people like those, but then I find that people with such a perspective display more or a 'misery loves company' attitude than actually wanting to shift their mindset and do something to improve their health.
That lemon drizzle muffin was divine. It's from the cafe at the top lock here at Foxton Locks 😋
Oh boy, I need to sort myself out, you have got a finger on your pulse and doing various things. Lethargy is a big problem for the two od us at the moment and I know I'm prone to some deficiencies, last year I was anaemic at one point and had a lack of white blood cells at another. I've had blood tests done and then these issues seem to vanish or just not get mentioned any more!
I understand that very well. I was anaemic for several years from my late teens till I was in my 30s. I got on top of it, but it was the same thing with low white blood cells. I hope that you'll have your B12 levels tested as well as your iron levels.
I still have a few symptoms, but now that my body is recuperating, I'm surprised at how long I've gone depleted while still managing a certain level of physical and strenuous manual handling (of operating locks especially).
This kind of anaemia can be a silent killer as it restricts our cardio functions.
I wish you both better health:)
It has been a worry at times, as I’m a kidney transplant patient. Had surgery in 2008 and have come a long way since. Thing is advice is very poor when it comes to the NHS nowadays. I prefer to learn more from other people who’ve been able to tackle such problems well.
!PIZZA
Yes, I agree with the poor advice. I got most of my care when I lived in Jamaica.
The NHS was extremely useful when I arrived many years ago, and they suspected that my problems were not only anaemia for Iron and B12, but I had a severe deficiency in Vit D.
That's a crucial vitamin, especially in countries where there's little sunshine and apparently, people of colour and Asians are more prone to such deficiency because we do not absorb much Vit D naturally.
I'm pleased that you are doing well since your Kidney transplant, and I hope your health improves overall.
Thanks for the pizza 😋
Cheers. 🍻
I take daily calcium and Vitamin D tablets to help me with those and the reason being, I have to almost avoid the sun. Some of the medication I take for my renal needs renders me susceptible to skin cancers. Which is a bit of a tricky one. So factor 50 and I’m free to go out into the great outdoors!
Oh, dear! So those 2 vitamins are essential indeed. That was one of the key things they noted when they discovered my vitamin D deficiency, which increases the risk of cancers.
I hope you find the right kind of calcium supplements, and I say vitamin D3 (calciferol) is the best one to take.
Taking supplements and doing yoga and exercise sounds great. It cad surely do a lot for the body especially with the mind. I know this but I really am lazy to do exercise. Aigoooo. But glad that what you're doing now did a lot of good thing for you, not just for the body but thr whole you. And of course indulging some treat every once in a while is not bad. As long as we know our limit right ＼(^o^)／
Yes, the positive effects of the supplements are noticeable, and getting into an exercise routine will help even more.
Hehe! Some people find exercises demanding and intimidating, but I think it's important to find something that you like and stick to it. It might be skipping for even 10 minutes, running up and down a few steps, or anything just to get the heart pumping.
Overall, I think it's better to do things in moderation than to deprive myself of things that I love.
May you continue to have good health regardless of the absence of exercises:)))
I saw a chinese video where doing some particular simple exercise help with high blood pressure. and am curious, are there really different exercise for different function in the body.
Yes, that could have been Qigong that you saw them doing in the body. I practice those exercises, and I'm currently doing a teacher training course on it. Therefore, I know exactly what the causes of my symptoms were, and it was frustrating not being able to do the physical things needed to improve. However, it kept my mentality strong with optimism.
Some day I'll share more of what I'm doing with my Qigong:)
ohh so it did work, i see it as a mere exercise and was wondering if it works. with your experience i think I'll go back and practice it
There are so many sources on the internet. I would recommend White Tiger Qigong and also Wudang Qigong videos.
I practice the 5 Element Qigong, and Meridan Qigong.
ok will look into that, how many hours do you usually go when doing these exercise
It depends on the time you have. Ideally, about 45 minutes to an hour, by doing repetitions on each side. However, if I'm limited on time, I can do them in a bout 10 minutes.
ok i got you, thanks for the heads up
Exercise is necessary for the health of the mind and body.
I can't imagine what it must be like to live on a boat, I have always kept as far away from rivers and the sea as possible.
I hope yoga helps you, I have always heard of the benefits of this discipline.
Thank you! Yes, my yoga and qigong are super beneficial.
Oh, I'm a nature lover and spending time by the river is one of my favourite pastimes, so I enjoy boat life immensely.
Thanks for stopping by:)
Wow that was gradually getting bad but am happy you were mindful enough to detect and attack the problem, am so happy your back to your feet.
Thank you!
I still need to take care so I don't deplete my energy without building back enough strength, but I'm on the right track:)
That's another important aspect, it's very important to replace energy so as not to get exhausted
💯
$PIZZA slices delivered:
(1/10) @nicklewis tipped @millycf1976