Holidaying Healthily

Time.  It's been an issue with me lately. Not only am I lost in it, but seems I don't have enough of it.

Am on holiday in Hawaii and prior to leaving New Zealand organised me annual service and booked important appointments including going to my physio, podiatrist, doctor, eye specialist, dental hygienist and dentist.  

Actually coffee'd with my physio (it wasn't a real appointment, we just happen to enjoy the same caffeine supplier and catch up there frequently over a flat white) who asked if I was consistently doing an exercise he gave me 18 months ago to fix my reoccurring achilles problem.  "Err, sorta," I responded.  Thence began a lecture lasting some minutes on how was I to expect the keep injuries at bay if I didn't listen to my physio.  I was chastised.

Two days earlier I popped into a local podiatrist to attend to an ingrown nail that was the result of Rotorua Marathon last year (I lost a big toe nail and it's STILL growing back - in-growing back).  She looked at the other two blackened toenails, a result of this year's Rotorua Marathon, shook her head and said, "You really must take better care of your feet."

But I do - they just end up like that cause I'm busy taking care of my body which means my feet get wrecked.  So what do I do? ..... let my body go to pot but have wonderful looking toenails?  

A day or so later came out of the doctors feeling chastised about "you shouldn't worry about enjoying yourself.  Stop worrying and enjoy.". ??  (go figure that one).  I paid my bill and questioned, did I just pay for a medical appointment or a psycho analyst appointment?

I came out of the eye specialists the next the day having been sternly reprimanded for compromising my eye sight by my not taking enough time each day to focus on the well being of my eyes.  With this reprimand I was given a sheet of A4 with instructions of 'Daily Routine for Your Eyes'. 

Two hours later I came out of the dental hygienist feeling scolded for not taking enough time each day with my personal dental care.  But who does! I brush at least twice a day, often 3.  Who flosses EVERY time they clean your teeth?  Who has time to?   I left her rooms with my tail between my legs, again, as that's a regular annual lecture I get.  But hey, my teeth are good - they're damn near all artificial!

I then had a dentist appointment upstairs after the hygienist.  And believe it or not, he didn't growl at me about anything - he was complimentary.  Even my visit to him was complimentary.  After nearly 30 years of going to him, it's seems more of a social visit anyway.  Think he just finds me entertainment.

It's funny being an well matured adult and still feeling like a child from the growling, scolding and reprimands.  

So I flies out of NZ, get here in Hawaii and figure, OK, I've all this free time so I'll make a determined effort, take all the advice on board and ... begin to look after myself.

I'll start by joining the local gym.  Even booked myself with a personal trainer.  Had my first one-on-one session with him. He very professionally took me through an hour's session addressing long term issues I have had with my rota cuff and infamous bad knee.

I've felt quite proud of myself these past many years to still have kept up exercising with broken down body bits.  Still managed an Ironman, or two, and the odd marathon here and there with bung knees, rotars and even a malfunctioning heart.  Didn't wash impressively with the trainer, he didn't say it in so many words, but it was clearly his 'opinion' that I could have done far more to have helped the body - if I had taken the time.

OK, so I don't pre-exercise stretch - I do have tight adductors - I do have tight abductors - I do have tight piriformis - I do have tight hamstrings - I do have tight things I've never heard of.  Just a damn pity my outer skin wasn't tight as everything else!

Decided then and there I am not going to go to my dietologist, psychologist, sleepologist, dermatologist, oncologist, urologist, proctologist, sociologist, ideologist or gynecologist for the rest of my days - bloody expensive tellings off!

I did not let the personal trainers opinion deter me though, for after his scolding I set myself a goal to take time each day to heed everyone's advice. I would take action. 

So I did, as per the advice of all the personal experts above.

Mornings:
5.30 a.m.
Wake bright and early, make self a refreshing Kombucha morning cuppa.  It's going to flush my kidneys, liver and something else of all those dirty toxins I've consumed the previous few days.  I sit comfortably and take some minutes to be mindful of the goodness the refreshing and cleansing drink is giving my body.

5.50 a.m.
Bathroom ablutions.  The Kombucha works.  All those flippin' toxins ...

6.00 a.m.
Remember the eye specialists advice.  Find a hot pack, or hot flannel, lie back on the bed and place over eyes for 30 to 60 seconds.  Remove pack and begin to gently massage each eyelid for 30 seconds.  That's four eyelids, two minutes just for the massaging. 

6.10 a.m.  Fetch yoga mat, spread on floor, put on waterfall and whale calling music and spend a relaxed but painfully concentrated 20 minutes allowing the body to enjoy the stretching and tree poses and downward dogs.  Don't finish yoga off yet, as more to do later.

6.30 a.m. Fetch gym roller and roll the quads, hamstrings, abductors, adductors, piriformis as a pre-run loosening of those leg muscles that support the bung knee.  Do this for 15 minutes.

6.45 a.m.  Finish the yoga/roller stretches off with 10 salutes to the suns, then repose oneself back onto the yoga mat and spend 15 to 20 minutes in a state of mindful meditation.  In peace and quiet.  Focusing of all the things I am grateful for today, in the now, then channeling my thoughts into deep meditation.

7.25 a.m.  After waking self up from the mindfulness sleep (the dribble running out of the corner of the mouth always wakes me); take 5 minutes to down half a litre of purified waters, ideally mixed with spirulina to help the digestive system eradicate all the other toxins the Kombucha didn't do.  Note to self: stop ingesting toxins.

7.30 a.m.  Now it's time to put some clothes on.  Your running gear, for the run you have already prepared for. 

7.35 a.m.  Dive for the lavatory bowl, for the spirulina has successfully hit the toxins.

7.45 a.m.  Walk out skinny from the bathroom.  Lather self with Factor 70 sunscreen lotion.  Head to gangrenous toe.

7.50 a.m.  Head off for the morning 30 minute jog.

8.50 a.m.  Return from run - it takes longer than the 30 minutes scheduled due to aching legs from all the stretching and yoga, the lack of energy from all the toilet movements earlier and it is hot, very hot, running in 30 degrees takes it's toll, walking was more appropriate at times.  Sitting and resting under palm trees was mandatory.

Remember the PT instructors advice, take 30 minutes post run to slowly and gently stretch everything you have just used on the run.  Back stretches, abductors, adductors, butt, hamstrings, neck, shoulders, back ...

9.20 a.m.  Totally dehydrated now - take 10 minutes to cautiously consume 5 full glasses of purified waters.

9.30 a.m.  Now to shower, the long, blissful shower.  Don't forget the loffa, the exfoliation mitt, the facial cleansers, conditioners, shampoos, razor, moisturising soaps.  Wash hair, ensure I use a conditioning treatment that means leaving it in the hair for 10 minutes before rinsing out.  This is good as it gives me time to use the pumice stone to ensure I scrub off all the dried skin on the soles of my feet. 

9.50 a.m.  Dry off body, not forgetting to carefully dry between each little toe, all crooks and nannies and the hair.  Rub body down with the essential oils recommended by someone, and creams for the face, neck, hands and then the special foot creams for the dry skin under your soles and heels.

10.00 a.m.  I have constant sinus.  Utilise the sinus cleansing sprays.  Sort out the health tablets every tells me I should be taking - and cost me over $US100 at Longs Drugs - the tablets that are going to keep me eternally healthy, strong, fit and young. And maybe even tighten my outer skin. Great big green ones, enormous white ones, tiny yellow ones.  Quite a gobful.

10.00 a.m.  Dress. Now, due to taking care of self, and ensuring I maintain self confidence, must not resort to standard attire for the day - attire of pair of shorts, a tank top, jandals, and Farmers Trading Company underwear.  No, for self respect it must be all quality - snazzy skirt, bright and confident and feminine top, designer sandals.

10.10 a.m.  Breakfast.  Low or no gluten or carbs.  Light dairy.  No sugars.  Boringly munch through grains and seeds.  Then swallow that gobful of tablets.

10.30 a.m.  Clean teeth.  Mindfully so.  Top front, top back, front, inside, bottom front, bottom back, front, inside.  Then use that little pointy brush the hygenist gave me, to really scrub in and around those back ones the normal brush cannot get to.  Rinse thoroughly.  Then begin flossing.  Between each tooth.  Taking care to not pull out those nasty fillings I got from not looking after the teeth enough.  Rinse thoroughly.

11.00 a.m. Now go out and enjoy all that free time the day has. 

That is, until sometime in the afternoon when you are due for your next gym appointment.

Meanwhile it is always good to fill one's day with positive experiences.  Museums, art galleries, walks along fields, walks along beaches.  Avoid the busyness of peoples, of crowds, of carbon monoxide city traffic.  Find places of meaning, of positive energy - waterfalls are good.  If cannot find waterfalls make it water fountains.  Find one's zen.

Lunch on celery and kale, linseed, sunflower and chia seeds.  Num, num...   And whatever I do, must not forget to drink 4 litres of purified water throughout this time.

Finding clean bathrooms is not easy, but if well planned prior to leaving house, should be achievable.

Then remember, it's time for the gym.

3 p.m. (for any later would mean there would not be enough evening time to do 'my own thing') 

The gym session the personal trainer set me will take me two hours.  There's the 15 minute cardio warm up.  Then the 20 minutes of stretching for what is about to come.  Stretching, pulling, tugging, lunging, rolling - the shoulders, triceps, biceps, deltoids, upper spin, lower spin, neck, head, abductors, adductors, illiotibial bands, butt, quads, calves, that damn piriformis; not forgetting the upper abs, the lower abs. Then there is the exercises for all the above. Use the bands, the balls, the rollers, the weights, the machines, the poles, the kettlebells ... how I'll look as the incredible hulk will be amazing.

And, must not forget the hip raise exercises the physio scolded me for not doing. 

After session, sauna, shower, exfoliate again, dry, rub lotions all over face and body, dress.

6.00 p.m.  Home, via the health shops and organic supermarkets.  To pick up the greens, oranges, reds in the vege field, the pulses and grains, the organic minute size piece of red meat that must be consumed only once or twice a week.  Otherwise it's the organic, skinless, boneless, small chicken breast.  Or slice of fresh fish - if only it can be guaranteed to be fresh.

Home, before prepping dinner.  Take time to make a soothing camomile or peppermint tea.  Replete from those beverages and pre dinner prep take 20 minutes to spend in mindful mediation. 

6.45 p.m.  Begin dinner prep.

7.00 p.m.  Dinner - pity it is so late, as one is always advised that dinner it better for you if consumed at 5 p.m. 

7.30 p.m. Clear up from dinner - clear up kitchen - do some general housework prep for next day, laundry, preplanning attire and things like that.  To prove you are an organised person with an organised mind.

8.00 p.m. Take a good hour to find something rewarding, uplifting or deep and meaningful to read - goodness for the mind.  Some soulfulness in words.  After all, if the body is cleansed, so should the mind be.  I watch re-runs of Big Bang Theory.

9.30 p.m.  Prep for bed. 

Cleanse face, exfoliate face, use toner, aging skin tightener, moisturises for the aging.  Brush teeth, remember the full routine, front, back, front back, upper, lower, skinny pointy brush, floss. 

10.00 p.m.  Don't forget the eye specialist again - drops into the eyes. Rest and blink.

10.05 p.m.  Don't forget your evening mediation.  Just 15 minutes.  Sit up on bed as lying down to meditate will mean certain sleep.

10.20 p.m.  And remember - we all need at least 8 hours sleep a day.  I'm already behind. 

Ah well, I'll cut some of the free middle of the day time out tomorrow, visit one less museum and begin my evening prep by starting the gym session at 2 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. 

It's such fun looking after ones self when on holiday.  It's good to chill out.