And boring. Let's forget about posture, and replace it with embodied awareness- using your senses and mind-body connection to create a dynamic equilibrium for your body. This is not only easier, but generally more effective, albeit somewhat challenging to our needs for control and tension (yes, tension is a psychological need for most of us). And hopefully, jettisoning some of the "I should have better posture" thoughts will help us be more gentle with ourselves, and more in touch with what is really healthy. Because there really seem to be many benefits from a relaxed, supported, balanced body, ranging from respiration and digestion, to psychological states, to how others perceive us.
But let's talk about why posture, or more specifically, the rigid postural code which we have culturally accepted, is not the most intelligent thing we could be adhering to:
1) Holding a rigid position based on a concept of what we should be doing causes tension and stiffness, and creates an inability to respond to the demands of the moment. Just try pushing your shoulders back and sitting up "straight," while feeling what happens to the muscles along your spine. Try the same thing with your neck, and feel the tension enter in. Could you move very well with this holding pattern in place? Why should we do it when sitting or standing?
2) Usually, sitting or standing up "straight" actually causes us to lean backwards a bit. This is because we tend to have our necks and upper bodies locked pretty far forward, while parts of our lower body are locked backward for counterbalance. Because much of our awareness is in our upper body, we end up feeling like we are upright when we're actually compensating for this complicated positioning. So we're stiff, and off-balance.
3) Holding an ideal posture, whether standing or sitting, can numb us to the messages from our body. If we are listening, we can respond in the moment to what our body's needs are in terms of core stability and balance. Since life is ever-changing, these needs are ever-changing.
4) The part of our mind that uses concepts, such as "I should push my shoulders back," or "I shouldn't slouch," is not the part of the mind that is best suited for mind-body connecting. If we use our pre-verbal, instinctive brain, we can actually engage our body more effectively. This is done through methods such as visualization. You may have heard of the concept of having a rope attached to the top of your head, pulling it toward the sky; this is one way of using the mind-body connection. Many athletes, of course, use visualization to become more effective - and it has been shown in at least one study that such techniques are better than "positive thinking," the domain of the verbal brain (I wish I could find the link for this study!).
5) It's impossible to hold "good posture" anyway. As soon as your attention is distracted, you will lose your posture. If you can tune into your body more directly, then it is possible to be more supported and balanced even when you are focused on another task.
But good posture isn't all bad. Sometimes it can be useful, when combined with awareness. An intelligent approach is one which knows when to apply concepts of posture, and when to let the body do its thing. We'll get more into that in the next posts...
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
The Kombucha Moonshiner
Kombucha is a magical gift from the fermentation goddess. I never envisioned myself enjoying regular doses of a carbonated, vinegar-esque beverage, but things change. Now I'm about to start brewing my own, fermenting green/oolong/black tea in a glass jar, probably throwing roots and herbs into it with glee, if not abandon.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, kombucha is a beverage from China, possibly with ancient origins, which has been revolutionizing the shelves of natural food stores for at least a decade now. As I mentioned, it's made from tea leaves and a little sugar, which are left to ferment in a manner similar to other fermented foods and beverages (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, beer, tempeh, pickled vegetables...). This gives the drink a little zing and is responsible for some of its reputed health benefits - the nutritional advantages of fermented foods are widely touted these days. Lots of people add things into the tea either during or after the fermentation, such as fruit juice or herbs. Right now I'm drinking a kombucha crafted by Madison's brand-new Kosmos Kombucha, made from pu-erh tea and fresh turmeric root, with some blood orange juice tossed in; the result is earthy and smooth. (Pu-erh tea, by the way, is already fermented in a different way even before the kombuchification process, so you can see how crazy things can get.) Newbies might want to start with something less bold, like a basic fruit juice or ginger combo.
Science has only begun to study kombucha, so we don't have much to go on as far as officially studied health benefits. It seems that glucaric acid may be a key, helping the liver eliminate waste more efficiently. My own feeling after drinking kombucha is similar to when I take other "liver cleansing" herbs like licorice: a mild uplift, a feeling of clearness and brightness, and a kind of general satisfaction and smoothiness.
Kombucha does contain significant amounts of probiotics, the little bacteria which are found in many raw fermented foods and are known for their immune and digestive health helpfulness. The acidity of kombucha may also be part of its benefit. When you combine it with anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger or turmeric, you may get the benefits from them, and a taste bonus. Kosmos Kombucha also makes a version with horsetail, a mineral-rich herb which may benefit the connective tissue. Kosmos is just getting started, but hopefully they'll become widely available in Madison before too long!
What I do know is that kombucha seems to nourish my body after a hard workout or when I'm not feeling well, and that it seems to be giving me something that my body really wants. A friend of mine once returned from kung fu training at a Shaolin Temple in China, and claimed that the monks there drank it all the time; in my mind, this gives further credence for the use of kombucha as a sports beverage.
As far as DIY production goes, you can get started pretty easily, according to many of my friends. You need a "mother," the mushroom-like glob of bacteria and fungus which ferments the drink; many people provide these for free. Here's a fun account of one person's adventure in making her own kombucha in Madison. I plan on getting started with some help from Kosmos Kombucha's founder, Madeline Hartjes, and then seeing what happens! I'll fill you in on the field testing when I try my first batch.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, kombucha is a beverage from China, possibly with ancient origins, which has been revolutionizing the shelves of natural food stores for at least a decade now. As I mentioned, it's made from tea leaves and a little sugar, which are left to ferment in a manner similar to other fermented foods and beverages (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, beer, tempeh, pickled vegetables...). This gives the drink a little zing and is responsible for some of its reputed health benefits - the nutritional advantages of fermented foods are widely touted these days. Lots of people add things into the tea either during or after the fermentation, such as fruit juice or herbs. Right now I'm drinking a kombucha crafted by Madison's brand-new Kosmos Kombucha, made from pu-erh tea and fresh turmeric root, with some blood orange juice tossed in; the result is earthy and smooth. (Pu-erh tea, by the way, is already fermented in a different way even before the kombuchification process, so you can see how crazy things can get.) Newbies might want to start with something less bold, like a basic fruit juice or ginger combo.
Science has only begun to study kombucha, so we don't have much to go on as far as officially studied health benefits. It seems that glucaric acid may be a key, helping the liver eliminate waste more efficiently. My own feeling after drinking kombucha is similar to when I take other "liver cleansing" herbs like licorice: a mild uplift, a feeling of clearness and brightness, and a kind of general satisfaction and smoothiness.
Kombucha does contain significant amounts of probiotics, the little bacteria which are found in many raw fermented foods and are known for their immune and digestive health helpfulness. The acidity of kombucha may also be part of its benefit. When you combine it with anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger or turmeric, you may get the benefits from them, and a taste bonus. Kosmos Kombucha also makes a version with horsetail, a mineral-rich herb which may benefit the connective tissue. Kosmos is just getting started, but hopefully they'll become widely available in Madison before too long!
What I do know is that kombucha seems to nourish my body after a hard workout or when I'm not feeling well, and that it seems to be giving me something that my body really wants. A friend of mine once returned from kung fu training at a Shaolin Temple in China, and claimed that the monks there drank it all the time; in my mind, this gives further credence for the use of kombucha as a sports beverage.
As far as DIY production goes, you can get started pretty easily, according to many of my friends. You need a "mother," the mushroom-like glob of bacteria and fungus which ferments the drink; many people provide these for free. Here's a fun account of one person's adventure in making her own kombucha in Madison. I plan on getting started with some help from Kosmos Kombucha's founder, Madeline Hartjes, and then seeing what happens! I'll fill you in on the field testing when I try my first batch.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
