This year I’ve been dogged by various health problems, some old, some new.
My Capillaritis came back for no apparent reasons. The funny thing is, the marks are so even on both sides of my legs. But I don’t feel that worried anymore, because I know they well go away. And I just started taking zinc supplement because I read somewhere that if one does not consume a lot of meat and seafood, they lack zinc and as a result they may experience dry skin, eczema, acne etc. My skin in general is very dry, with the exception of my face. Even Eubos shower oil and baby oil don’t seem to have any effect on my fish scale skin. So let’s hope the zinc supplement helps.
The old pain on my lower back and right leg has not recovered fully, even though I can squat and do my yoga poses without any pain now. W recommended me to this chiropractor that uses the activator method, instead of the hi-tech computers and equipment that I was used to. This is relatively primitive. But somehow I was impressed by his diagnosis. Apparently it was my spine that caused my stomach to bloat, right leg to hurt, and occasional headache – to name a few. It’s amazing. And it’s not caused by yoga (aha!) but wrong sitting posture over the years – thanks to the computer. The treatment is really painless (almost) but after the first treatment, I couldn’t sleep at night because my body had reacted to the treatment and the pain was aggravated. Thankfully by the 3rd day the pain was gone and the 2nd treatment was painless. Just hope his treatment is as good as his diagnosis.
I’m tired of all these pains and discomforts, but I think we’ll have to accept the fact that we all age and we just have to bear with the unpleasant changes in our bodies. The only downside to this treatment – I’m forbidden to do any kind of stretching in order for his adjustments to stay – until I’m fully recovered. So I have stopped doing yoga completely and waiting eagerly to see the improvements and recovery, hopefully.
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yoga. Show all posts
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Sleeping Beauty Cake
It’s my niece’s 5th birthday and she has requested for a Sleeping Beauty Cake. I honestly had no clue how Sleeping Beauty looks like! Googled some pictures and decided that her gown (with long sleeves!) are just too outdated.
So I decided to just stick to the colors and modified the dress a little. And chose a tried-and-tested-and-loved Chocolate Peppermint Butter Cake as the base.
I actually liked the dress because it really accentuated her curves hehe… and I wanted to try my hand on making drapes with fondant.
By the way this was the first time I used ready-made fondant. It was easy to work with. Taste wise – no different, if not better than those that I made from scratch. Of course it’s a lot more expensive, but I only needed half a packet to cover a doll cake. And the amount of time saved… definitely worth it!
This is only my second attempt in making doll cake and sad to say, I don’t think I have improved – the folds on the skirt seemed better/smoother in my first attempt. But design wise I prefer the second attempt.
Sadly, both the cakes turned out to be so dry… the recipes work perfectly well in normal moulds or cupcakes but not in this inverted pyramid mould – I had to bake the cake longer to ensure it’s completely cooked. It is disappointing because the cake looked beautiful but the cake was not something I would eat, personally. I’m quite sure the guests felt the same but was just too polite to tell me.
Shall try another recipe for the base till I get it right. I believe in perfection – my cakes must look AND taste good :)
On another note, thank goodness the red dots have faded from my legs without me making any adjustments to my lifestyle or diet! Please don’t come back again.
So I decided to just stick to the colors and modified the dress a little. And chose a tried-and-tested-and-loved Chocolate Peppermint Butter Cake as the base.
I actually liked the dress because it really accentuated her curves hehe… and I wanted to try my hand on making drapes with fondant.
By the way this was the first time I used ready-made fondant. It was easy to work with. Taste wise – no different, if not better than those that I made from scratch. Of course it’s a lot more expensive, but I only needed half a packet to cover a doll cake. And the amount of time saved… definitely worth it!
This is only my second attempt in making doll cake and sad to say, I don’t think I have improved – the folds on the skirt seemed better/smoother in my first attempt. But design wise I prefer the second attempt.
Sadly, both the cakes turned out to be so dry… the recipes work perfectly well in normal moulds or cupcakes but not in this inverted pyramid mould – I had to bake the cake longer to ensure it’s completely cooked. It is disappointing because the cake looked beautiful but the cake was not something I would eat, personally. I’m quite sure the guests felt the same but was just too polite to tell me.
Shall try another recipe for the base till I get it right. I believe in perfection – my cakes must look AND taste good :)
On another note, thank goodness the red dots have faded from my legs without me making any adjustments to my lifestyle or diet! Please don’t come back again.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Yoga and injury
It’s still a mystery, at least to me, if yoga really causes serious and long term injuries.
Somehow it’s happening to this group of friends, one after another.
We used to hike and speedwalk on steep walking paths every week, for years, when we were younger. We felt very fit then.
They I started yoga, and stopped joining them for the morning walks. I was perfectly fine until I went to the US and walked on an even steeper path in San Francisco Pier 39. Since then my hips and legs were never the same again. They were either in discomfort or pain most of the time, and the condition only improved after suffering for more than one year, after I sought treatment from various doctors and specialists.
2 years back, this same group of friends (3 of them) requested for me to teach them yoga. Of course I was more than happy to take up the offer. We did it once a week, and it stopped after less than one year as I was too occupied to continue teaching, and one of them, W, wanted to take a rest as she didn’t feel very good on her spine. Nothing very advanced or strenuous was taught given the short time.
Another one of them, T, continued with her journey in yoga with an Indian teacher. Few months back I was told that she pulled a muscle on her buttocks and had to stop too. She started to go for various treatments to cure the pain.
W’s back and leg were like mine, constantly in discomfort. She also went for various treatments and the latest being a chiropractor. His diagnosis was, her pelvis was not even and that had caused all the pain. He advised her to walk on flatland until she has fully recovered.
As for T, her pain never really got away and she decided to go for a MRI scan – and she actually has a minor slipped disc!
When W relayed these stories to me, she did mention a few times that our injuries could have been caused by yoga. I was kind of disturbed. And perhaps I sounded defensive too. Because I have never heard that yoga causes slipped disc! Maybe I should have controlled myself, but I thought I was implied as a bad teacher who caused injuries to my students.
My suspicion is, years of walking on steep slopes certainly strained our backs and legs without us knowing, but the effects are all flaring up only at an older age.
How can yoga cause these injuries? W told me the only time she used her pelvis was during yoga. You mean we can easily dislocate our pelvis just by sitting in half lotus pose? Or raising our legs in downward dog? But not to worry, our friendship is not strained.
I must admit that I am kind of discouraged to teach anymore. It is so easy to put the blame on yoga for any injuries – but there is no evidence to prove or disprove it. We can only guess. And of course many traditional doctors that they consulted are against the practice of yoga, for some strange reasons.
I can only conclude that yoga does have different effects on different people. But to say that yoga causes spinal and pelvic injuries, I just find it hard to accept. Can someone enlighten me?
Somehow it’s happening to this group of friends, one after another.
We used to hike and speedwalk on steep walking paths every week, for years, when we were younger. We felt very fit then.
They I started yoga, and stopped joining them for the morning walks. I was perfectly fine until I went to the US and walked on an even steeper path in San Francisco Pier 39. Since then my hips and legs were never the same again. They were either in discomfort or pain most of the time, and the condition only improved after suffering for more than one year, after I sought treatment from various doctors and specialists.
2 years back, this same group of friends (3 of them) requested for me to teach them yoga. Of course I was more than happy to take up the offer. We did it once a week, and it stopped after less than one year as I was too occupied to continue teaching, and one of them, W, wanted to take a rest as she didn’t feel very good on her spine. Nothing very advanced or strenuous was taught given the short time.
Another one of them, T, continued with her journey in yoga with an Indian teacher. Few months back I was told that she pulled a muscle on her buttocks and had to stop too. She started to go for various treatments to cure the pain.
W’s back and leg were like mine, constantly in discomfort. She also went for various treatments and the latest being a chiropractor. His diagnosis was, her pelvis was not even and that had caused all the pain. He advised her to walk on flatland until she has fully recovered.
As for T, her pain never really got away and she decided to go for a MRI scan – and she actually has a minor slipped disc!
When W relayed these stories to me, she did mention a few times that our injuries could have been caused by yoga. I was kind of disturbed. And perhaps I sounded defensive too. Because I have never heard that yoga causes slipped disc! Maybe I should have controlled myself, but I thought I was implied as a bad teacher who caused injuries to my students.
My suspicion is, years of walking on steep slopes certainly strained our backs and legs without us knowing, but the effects are all flaring up only at an older age.
How can yoga cause these injuries? W told me the only time she used her pelvis was during yoga. You mean we can easily dislocate our pelvis just by sitting in half lotus pose? Or raising our legs in downward dog? But not to worry, our friendship is not strained.
I must admit that I am kind of discouraged to teach anymore. It is so easy to put the blame on yoga for any injuries – but there is no evidence to prove or disprove it. We can only guess. And of course many traditional doctors that they consulted are against the practice of yoga, for some strange reasons.
I can only conclude that yoga does have different effects on different people. But to say that yoga causes spinal and pelvic injuries, I just find it hard to accept. Can someone enlighten me?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Should I quit?
After my ligament was fixed, I was happily attending 2-4 yoga classes a week. I felt I was back to my form. I was glad that I could now go back to my routine.
Then 3 weeks back, I noticed some bleeding under my skin on both my legs… and they never subsided. I got worried and went to see a GP. She even took my blood to check on my platelet count, but concluded that my blood was normal. So she referred me to a dermatologist.
Dermatologist concluded that I have Capillaritis - Capillaritis is characterized by leakage of red blood cells from small, superficial blood vessels that results in pinpoint-like hemorrhages (petechiae). Capillaritis is frequently found in patients with long periods of extended standing related to their occupations. A skin hypersensitivity reaction, salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly associated origins of capillaritis, though the precise cause is unclear. Capillaritis is usually a life-long condition, flaring intermittently. (File pic - NOT my legs)
The most common location for capillaritis is the leg, though it may manifest on the trunk and upper extremities. 
This is my fat leg. With DOTS. Multiple DOTS.
The dermatologist asked if I have done anything new, did I walk or stand too long, did I take different supplements. I told her I have not been doing or eating anything new. Just my usual routine of morning walk and yoga. She thought it was hard to believe. She even asked me if there were new poses that I have attempted. Nope.
I have been active in yoga again for 2 months now. But these symptoms only started to show in the last 3 weeks. And I have not been straining my legs – I believe – unless you tell me doing a bound lotus is bursting my capillaries! What a scary thought. But I didn’t feel any discomfort when I went into the pose. What else? I have been doing more arm balances and headstands – doesn’t that relieve the stress on my legs? The usual warrior poses and sun salutations should not be contributing to this. And pilates?? No – we focused on core strength! So what is the problem??
The saddest thing is that – there’s NO CURE. No medication, no lotion. I just have to wait for them to fade, if ever… they are like bruises, according to her. But sometimes there will be permanent “stains” left by the iron in the blood.
I’m so sad. I don’t have beautiful legs to begin with, and now there might be permanent marks on both my fair and smooth legs… how cruel is that…
I’ve decided to take 1 week break from yoga and see if there’s any improvement. Sigh… should I even think of quitting? Just when I thought my body is ready.
And the emptiness I feel at work is slowly eating into me. I have yet to hear any positive response from any party. And I have been gobbling chunks of chocolates – no joke. It has to be a combination of PMS and the frustration at work. How can I breakaway from being an emotional eater?? Yoga was supposed to help me. But now, even yoga is not exactly on my side. SIGH. Why is everything so gloomy this year?? :(
Then 3 weeks back, I noticed some bleeding under my skin on both my legs… and they never subsided. I got worried and went to see a GP. She even took my blood to check on my platelet count, but concluded that my blood was normal. So she referred me to a dermatologist.
Dermatologist concluded that I have Capillaritis - Capillaritis is characterized by leakage of red blood cells from small, superficial blood vessels that results in pinpoint-like hemorrhages (petechiae). Capillaritis is frequently found in patients with long periods of extended standing related to their occupations. A skin hypersensitivity reaction, salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly associated origins of capillaritis, though the precise cause is unclear. Capillaritis is usually a life-long condition, flaring intermittently. (File pic - NOT my legs)
The most common location for capillaritis is the leg, though it may manifest on the trunk and upper extremities. 
This is my fat leg. With DOTS. Multiple DOTS.The dermatologist asked if I have done anything new, did I walk or stand too long, did I take different supplements. I told her I have not been doing or eating anything new. Just my usual routine of morning walk and yoga. She thought it was hard to believe. She even asked me if there were new poses that I have attempted. Nope.
I have been active in yoga again for 2 months now. But these symptoms only started to show in the last 3 weeks. And I have not been straining my legs – I believe – unless you tell me doing a bound lotus is bursting my capillaries! What a scary thought. But I didn’t feel any discomfort when I went into the pose. What else? I have been doing more arm balances and headstands – doesn’t that relieve the stress on my legs? The usual warrior poses and sun salutations should not be contributing to this. And pilates?? No – we focused on core strength! So what is the problem??
The saddest thing is that – there’s NO CURE. No medication, no lotion. I just have to wait for them to fade, if ever… they are like bruises, according to her. But sometimes there will be permanent “stains” left by the iron in the blood.
I’m so sad. I don’t have beautiful legs to begin with, and now there might be permanent marks on both my fair and smooth legs… how cruel is that…
I’ve decided to take 1 week break from yoga and see if there’s any improvement. Sigh… should I even think of quitting? Just when I thought my body is ready.
And the emptiness I feel at work is slowly eating into me. I have yet to hear any positive response from any party. And I have been gobbling chunks of chocolates – no joke. It has to be a combination of PMS and the frustration at work. How can I breakaway from being an emotional eater?? Yoga was supposed to help me. But now, even yoga is not exactly on my side. SIGH. Why is everything so gloomy this year?? :(
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Need some peace of mind
It has been a very turbulent month of March 2010 for me.
I just felt disturbed, out of control, lost and depressed – in both my career and my personal life.
Career wise – project is over, what do I do next? Do I stay in my comfort zone and continue to do something I’ve been doing for 10 freaking years, or do I move on to a new role which is honestly not very challenging but equally comfortable? I chose the latter. But all that took a turn when I was told that the department which I had intended to join will be dissolved in 3 years. Which means what I’m going to do now will not add value to my next next role. Which means whatever I do in this role will become futile. No promotion in sight for the next 5 years perhaps. This is disheartening. So I told my boss I want a job that has a clear career path. There are vacancies available, but I do not have the relevant experience – obviously. And because of that my next role is still uncertain until I go for few rounds of internal interviews. Until someone thinks I’m suitable. Or I’ll just move back to the role with no clear future. And this will drag on for a while. I hate the agony I have to go through until something concrete comes about. Talk about red tapes…
On the home front, things have not been rosy, to say the least. Accumulation of misunderstandings and miscommunications over the years has made me think real hard about what I really want. Or rather if married life is for me in the long term. How can two very different people live with the extreme differences for the next 50 years? It freaks me out to visualise our future together. Love alone is not enough to hold two persons together. Life is complicated. Both parties have to work very hard to make things work. And with the distraction and uncertainties looming in both our careers, the emotions are stirred further. Constant fights with no solutions. The emotional roller coaster is draining me…
This morning I came across an article titled “Science of Relationships” and the article ended with a phrase: “Happiness is nothing but cessation of mental agitation created by unfulfilled desires. Less desire equal less agitation. Be happy to do what you ought to do to the best of your ability, with love”. How appropriate. How timely. We often lose track of the simplest philosophies. Because life is stressful and most of the time we can’t even clear our minds to think and rationalise.
I went for yoga 4 times last week and I have never enjoyed my practice more. It’s in times like that that we realise yoga does help to calm our minds and distract us from all the unhappiness, dissatisfaction, unfulfilled expectations in the illusion (maya) we’re living in. If only we can remind ourselves more often the true meaning of our existence in this world.
I shall try my very best to remember this everyday and take life in stride. I can’t wait to get out of this painful phase. OM…
I just felt disturbed, out of control, lost and depressed – in both my career and my personal life.
Career wise – project is over, what do I do next? Do I stay in my comfort zone and continue to do something I’ve been doing for 10 freaking years, or do I move on to a new role which is honestly not very challenging but equally comfortable? I chose the latter. But all that took a turn when I was told that the department which I had intended to join will be dissolved in 3 years. Which means what I’m going to do now will not add value to my next next role. Which means whatever I do in this role will become futile. No promotion in sight for the next 5 years perhaps. This is disheartening. So I told my boss I want a job that has a clear career path. There are vacancies available, but I do not have the relevant experience – obviously. And because of that my next role is still uncertain until I go for few rounds of internal interviews. Until someone thinks I’m suitable. Or I’ll just move back to the role with no clear future. And this will drag on for a while. I hate the agony I have to go through until something concrete comes about. Talk about red tapes…
On the home front, things have not been rosy, to say the least. Accumulation of misunderstandings and miscommunications over the years has made me think real hard about what I really want. Or rather if married life is for me in the long term. How can two very different people live with the extreme differences for the next 50 years? It freaks me out to visualise our future together. Love alone is not enough to hold two persons together. Life is complicated. Both parties have to work very hard to make things work. And with the distraction and uncertainties looming in both our careers, the emotions are stirred further. Constant fights with no solutions. The emotional roller coaster is draining me…
This morning I came across an article titled “Science of Relationships” and the article ended with a phrase: “Happiness is nothing but cessation of mental agitation created by unfulfilled desires. Less desire equal less agitation. Be happy to do what you ought to do to the best of your ability, with love”. How appropriate. How timely. We often lose track of the simplest philosophies. Because life is stressful and most of the time we can’t even clear our minds to think and rationalise.
I went for yoga 4 times last week and I have never enjoyed my practice more. It’s in times like that that we realise yoga does help to calm our minds and distract us from all the unhappiness, dissatisfaction, unfulfilled expectations in the illusion (maya) we’re living in. If only we can remind ourselves more often the true meaning of our existence in this world.
I shall try my very best to remember this everyday and take life in stride. I can’t wait to get out of this painful phase. OM…
Friday, March 12, 2010
I’m convinced I’m a MAN…
I AM A MAN.
Both physically and psychologically.
My pigeon and monkey poses still suck, my hips is like ½ foot above the mat – after 4 years of yoga practice! Sigh. But somehow I have not much problems performing poses that require lots of arm strength – which explains my (almost) Madonna arms. Flexibility seems like a much bigger challenge for me than strength… It demoralises me to see all the ladies who are older than me going into a full monkey pose so effortlessly… what should I do to open my hips?? I know yoga advocates No Competition, but I’m competing with my own body, my own flexibility, so that I can become better… does that count? ;p
And someone with psychic ability read my numerology and concluded that I have a very strong character, like a sword, and I am actually a control freak 5-star general! This is definitely not what I thought I was. I definitely have lots of weak moments… I look strong (again, like a man!) on the outside but deep inside I need comfort and reassurance all the time. And I don’t think I’m a control freak – I always give in to make peace. But I guess the numbers don’t lie?
The only thing that differentiates me from a man is – PMS. Like now. Why oh why…
Both physically and psychologically.
My pigeon and monkey poses still suck, my hips is like ½ foot above the mat – after 4 years of yoga practice! Sigh. But somehow I have not much problems performing poses that require lots of arm strength – which explains my (almost) Madonna arms. Flexibility seems like a much bigger challenge for me than strength… It demoralises me to see all the ladies who are older than me going into a full monkey pose so effortlessly… what should I do to open my hips?? I know yoga advocates No Competition, but I’m competing with my own body, my own flexibility, so that I can become better… does that count? ;p
And someone with psychic ability read my numerology and concluded that I have a very strong character, like a sword, and I am actually a control freak 5-star general! This is definitely not what I thought I was. I definitely have lots of weak moments… I look strong (again, like a man!) on the outside but deep inside I need comfort and reassurance all the time. And I don’t think I’m a control freak – I always give in to make peace. But I guess the numbers don’t lie?
The only thing that differentiates me from a man is – PMS. Like now. Why oh why…
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Yoga is BACK!
What a happy day. Glad that I made the decision to “invest” in my health and fitness. Yes I’m back to (practising) yoga :) Just so happened that my favourite teacher’s studio was having an open house with very good offer for membership – RM100 per month for 10 months! (Just hope that they won’t close down before that. Once bitten twice shy...)
Also decided to take part in their quest to create a record with the most people doing headstand in a room. And with that I got a 1-month free membership, and on top of that, I won a red yoga mat from the lucky draw! Gosh I don’t even remember winning any lucky draw in my life. Maybe I did, that must be yonks ago or I won something really small and not memorable ;p
So, my plans are all laid out. Just waiting for the right moment to activate the membership. Yeah it’s CNY, going to be busy blabla… we all know it all boils down to my own laziness ;p pole dance? That will have to take a backseat for now. Suddenly I’m feeling really really poor -_-
Let's hope the new year bring me prosperity. Never seems to have enough $$... ;p
Also decided to take part in their quest to create a record with the most people doing headstand in a room. And with that I got a 1-month free membership, and on top of that, I won a red yoga mat from the lucky draw! Gosh I don’t even remember winning any lucky draw in my life. Maybe I did, that must be yonks ago or I won something really small and not memorable ;p
So, my plans are all laid out. Just waiting for the right moment to activate the membership. Yeah it’s CNY, going to be busy blabla… we all know it all boils down to my own laziness ;p pole dance? That will have to take a backseat for now. Suddenly I’m feeling really really poor -_-
Let's hope the new year bring me prosperity. Never seems to have enough $$... ;p
Saturday, January 16, 2010
First yoga post of 2010
Yay, finally made it to a yoga class this year, after stopping for about 40 days ;p
And it was one of my favourite teacher's class - Azmi's Flow2. So glad that he brought back Flow 2, and the best part is the timing - Saturday morning! And the class is not crowded like the ex-yoga studio with 30-40 sweaty people haha... there was a nice crowd of 7, it was as great as ever.
There was a bit of pain, but I felt great being forced to go into poses that I usually feel too tired (lazy) to attempt at home. I really should do this more often. Thinking of getting the weekend only unlimited membership. Going for yoga once or twice a week is better than no yoga at all! Yup this is still my 2010 resolution, apart from taking up pole dancing too haha...
I just love Azmi's class because he's so good with his sequence, adjustments, and calming voice. I just can't stand teachers - especially ladies (sorry!) - with screechy voice and non-stop talking for the entire 60 minutes. I prefer to "feel" the poses and the pain and connect them to my breath and soul, without being too distracted by the instructor. Yes I promise to be back! :)
On another note, went for the torturous deep tissue massage again as my bunion has been very painful and swollen for weeks now. Biggest regret in my life. It was EXCRUCIATING. I am so going to quit going!! Please get better... He told me I sit long hours and thus there's a lot of congestion in my spine (causing the knots), and the effects are often reflected in the legs/feet. And I need to stay away from cold drinks, sour and spicy stuff. Sigh... age is really catching up I guess... I can no longer enjoy all the food I like! So people - enjoy it while you can, but eat in moderation. You wouldn't want to go through what I have to go through... ;p
And it was one of my favourite teacher's class - Azmi's Flow2. So glad that he brought back Flow 2, and the best part is the timing - Saturday morning! And the class is not crowded like the ex-yoga studio with 30-40 sweaty people haha... there was a nice crowd of 7, it was as great as ever.
There was a bit of pain, but I felt great being forced to go into poses that I usually feel too tired (lazy) to attempt at home. I really should do this more often. Thinking of getting the weekend only unlimited membership. Going for yoga once or twice a week is better than no yoga at all! Yup this is still my 2010 resolution, apart from taking up pole dancing too haha...
I just love Azmi's class because he's so good with his sequence, adjustments, and calming voice. I just can't stand teachers - especially ladies (sorry!) - with screechy voice and non-stop talking for the entire 60 minutes. I prefer to "feel" the poses and the pain and connect them to my breath and soul, without being too distracted by the instructor. Yes I promise to be back! :)
On another note, went for the torturous deep tissue massage again as my bunion has been very painful and swollen for weeks now. Biggest regret in my life. It was EXCRUCIATING. I am so going to quit going!! Please get better... He told me I sit long hours and thus there's a lot of congestion in my spine (causing the knots), and the effects are often reflected in the legs/feet. And I need to stay away from cold drinks, sour and spicy stuff. Sigh... age is really catching up I guess... I can no longer enjoy all the food I like! So people - enjoy it while you can, but eat in moderation. You wouldn't want to go through what I have to go through... ;p
Friday, January 1, 2010
What a start...
What a way to start 2010...
I practically limped into the new year.
Went to the sports doctor again as my right knee has been feeling funny, though I could still perform the yoga poses painlessly, but sometimes I feel pain at the back of my knee when I walk, and occasionally the entire right leg feels weak.
He told me this time seems more serious than before (!!) and it could be due to hormonal imbalance. I should also avoid eating vegetables which are white in colour and mushrooms. Oh no... I love mushrooms!
It was the longest 1 hour in my life. I had tears in my eyes and wanted to give up half way, but I persevered. I hope it works. It hurts like helllllllll till today :(
Hubby is no better haha...
And this was Day 2:
I practically limped into the new year.Went to the sports doctor again as my right knee has been feeling funny, though I could still perform the yoga poses painlessly, but sometimes I feel pain at the back of my knee when I walk, and occasionally the entire right leg feels weak.
He told me this time seems more serious than before (!!) and it could be due to hormonal imbalance. I should also avoid eating vegetables which are white in colour and mushrooms. Oh no... I love mushrooms!
It was the longest 1 hour in my life. I had tears in my eyes and wanted to give up half way, but I persevered. I hope it works. It hurts like helllllllll till today :(
Hubby is no better haha...
And this was Day 2:
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Last update for 2009
The year just zoomed past like that... looking back, I have had a good year and I am so grateful. Apart from recovering from the leg injury (almost), I have also started practising and teaching yoga again. Also moving into this new house and having so much space to bake, ain't that wonderful? Not forgetting, I had vacation in Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore this year! Wow...
However there have been more baking activities than yoga. My yoga classes - both as a student and a teacher, are currently in hiatus. Not something I want really, but I just can't seem to find a good teacher with good classes and timing (and reasonable fees!) that I want to follow. But then any yoga is better than no yoga. This should be a top priority in my 2010 resolution ;)
And my students have been really bogged down with work and we decided to cancel all December (and probably January & February?) classes till the dust settles down. It's all within expectations - people do drop out from classes. Just take it in stride and see if the interest is rekindled.
My resolution for 2010 - I want to be a better person. In every way. I believe in continuous improvement (thanks to my profession haha...).
More baking posts coming up in 2010. Happy New Year to you and me! :)
However there have been more baking activities than yoga. My yoga classes - both as a student and a teacher, are currently in hiatus. Not something I want really, but I just can't seem to find a good teacher with good classes and timing (and reasonable fees!) that I want to follow. But then any yoga is better than no yoga. This should be a top priority in my 2010 resolution ;)
And my students have been really bogged down with work and we decided to cancel all December (and probably January & February?) classes till the dust settles down. It's all within expectations - people do drop out from classes. Just take it in stride and see if the interest is rekindled.
My resolution for 2010 - I want to be a better person. In every way. I believe in continuous improvement (thanks to my profession haha...).
More baking posts coming up in 2010. Happy New Year to you and me! :)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Alternative Therapy
Decided to try a cheaper alternative on my leg injury. Went to see a sports injury masseur and I seriously think that guy is sadistic…
He just kept rubbing real hard on the parts/veins that hurt most, and told me that he could feel blockages and that was the way to unblock them.
Trust me no words can describe the pain… perhaps it’s like labour pain? (Not that I have experienced it before haha…)
That was the longest 10 minutes in my entire life and I swear, if he had given me a stick to bite I would have crushed it into pieces. But I was a tough girl. I didn’t not scream a bit, though I tried very hard to restrain myself from giving him a kick in his face when the pain was unbearable!
The results: Big patch of bruise on the back of my knee. It’s been 5 days now and it’s still pretty unsightly.
He just kept rubbing real hard on the parts/veins that hurt most, and told me that he could feel blockages and that was the way to unblock them.
Trust me no words can describe the pain… perhaps it’s like labour pain? (Not that I have experienced it before haha…)
That was the longest 10 minutes in my entire life and I swear, if he had given me a stick to bite I would have crushed it into pieces. But I was a tough girl. I didn’t not scream a bit, though I tried very hard to restrain myself from giving him a kick in his face when the pain was unbearable!
The results: Big patch of bruise on the back of my knee. It’s been 5 days now and it’s still pretty unsightly.
(Gosh... looks like elephant leg! Must be the angle ;p)But I do feel better now. If it improves I think I’ll go back again… I mean for less than half the price of what the chiropractor charges, the pain is worthy ;p
Friday, August 14, 2009
First Class
One word – satisfaction…
After the long hiatus, I still have not lost “it”. I’m truly happy :) and they seemed to enjoy the class too, though they suffered some body aches the next 2 days! Hehe… I am a sadistic teacher!
Thanks to their prana, I felt so refreshed and confident again. Hope the leg recovers fully so that I can go back to my advanced practice, can’t let my skills stagnate if I want to be a good teacher.
Namaste.
After the long hiatus, I still have not lost “it”. I’m truly happy :) and they seemed to enjoy the class too, though they suffered some body aches the next 2 days! Hehe… I am a sadistic teacher!
Thanks to their prana, I felt so refreshed and confident again. Hope the leg recovers fully so that I can go back to my advanced practice, can’t let my skills stagnate if I want to be a good teacher.
Namaste.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Teaching again!
I have been offered an opportunity to teach again! I’m actually very excited about it, although I had a 11-month hiatus. Gosh hope I have not lost the “touch”. The good thing is they are beginners so they would probably not know if I fumble. And the best part is, I didn’t need to promote myself, but they found me on Facebook hehe… The down side is, they are my colleagues. To be honest I don’t really want my employer and colleagues to know too much about my personal life. Oh well… we can’t have everything in life.
Thank goodness my leg is getting better and I feel comfortable with the basic poses. Just hope two evenings in a week is not too tiring for my old bones!
Thank goodness my leg is getting better and I feel comfortable with the basic poses. Just hope two evenings in a week is not too tiring for my old bones!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Doubtful
I am having serious doubt about continuing with my yoga practice for now.
My knee pain is back. Especially as I stand after sitting for a few hours.
I really don't want to risk it.
And I need to make an effort to go back to the chiropractor. Though I was so positive that I'll heal if I take good care of myself. Apparently not.
My knee pain is back. Especially as I stand after sitting for a few hours.
I really don't want to risk it.
And I need to make an effort to go back to the chiropractor. Though I was so positive that I'll heal if I take good care of myself. Apparently not.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The House
It’s been a week since we got the new house and I have been very busy packing, cleaning & doing some minor refurbishment. Absolutely no time to bake or do yoga – yet.
I have been waking up at 5am daily to work on the house, and it’s still not quite there yet. I’m totally pooped out!!
And family and friends can’t wait to visit – I just have to reject them. For God’s sake, I don’t even have curtains yet – my front glass door is sealed by newspapers! It’s totally unsightly and no visitors shall be here till that is DONE.
I can’t wait for it to be completely CLEAN and NEAT.
So that I can take it away from my mind and focus on my baking and yoga. Again.
I have been waking up at 5am daily to work on the house, and it’s still not quite there yet. I’m totally pooped out!!
And family and friends can’t wait to visit – I just have to reject them. For God’s sake, I don’t even have curtains yet – my front glass door is sealed by newspapers! It’s totally unsightly and no visitors shall be here till that is DONE.
I can’t wait for it to be completely CLEAN and NEAT.
So that I can take it away from my mind and focus on my baking and yoga. Again.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The best birthday present
Decided to visit the chiropractor for the last time on my birthday – if nothing improves, I give up!
I have had this nagging pain in my right knee for 9 months now, since my holiday in the US. I don’t know what happened but I seriously suspect it was caused by the extreme steepness in San Francisco. Well, old bones can’t take it anymore ;p
And because of that, I feel sharp pain whenever I bend my knee. And because of that, I can no longer sit in full lotus pose nor do my favourite king pigeon pose *sob*. And because of that, I was told to rest and take a hiatus from yoga.
I saw 4 doctors/specialists throughout these painful 9 months. Everyone had a different diagnosis and gave me different treatment/medication. I obviously spent a BOMB:
Tuina – slight hip dislocation – spent RM75 for acupuncture & tuinalogy
Tit Ta – serious lower back injury – spent RM80 for 2 treatments
GP – muscle injury – company’s account
Chiropractor – flat feet & lower back compression – spent RM900 (including corrective products for flat feet)
But nothing worked!!
So I decided to give the chiropractor a last chance – since they have the most advanced equipment and took x-rays – at least some scientific proof was in place.
I complained to this new chiropractor from South Africa that nothing has improved much even though I have been wearing the recommended gear religiously. He did some further tests.
And told me, I actually injured my ligament.
He did some deep massages and set me back by another RM90.
And voila, the pain has significantly reduced!!!!
This has to be the best birthday present. I have suffered for 9 months, spent quite a lot – and it’s actually ONLY my ligament? Gosh…
Whatever it is I just want a full recovery. Fast. At minimal cost.
I want to be a king pigeon again :)
I have had this nagging pain in my right knee for 9 months now, since my holiday in the US. I don’t know what happened but I seriously suspect it was caused by the extreme steepness in San Francisco. Well, old bones can’t take it anymore ;p
And because of that, I feel sharp pain whenever I bend my knee. And because of that, I can no longer sit in full lotus pose nor do my favourite king pigeon pose *sob*. And because of that, I was told to rest and take a hiatus from yoga.
I saw 4 doctors/specialists throughout these painful 9 months. Everyone had a different diagnosis and gave me different treatment/medication. I obviously spent a BOMB:
Tuina – slight hip dislocation – spent RM75 for acupuncture & tuinalogy
Tit Ta – serious lower back injury – spent RM80 for 2 treatments
GP – muscle injury – company’s account
Chiropractor – flat feet & lower back compression – spent RM900 (including corrective products for flat feet)
But nothing worked!!
So I decided to give the chiropractor a last chance – since they have the most advanced equipment and took x-rays – at least some scientific proof was in place.
I complained to this new chiropractor from South Africa that nothing has improved much even though I have been wearing the recommended gear religiously. He did some further tests.
And told me, I actually injured my ligament.
He did some deep massages and set me back by another RM90.
And voila, the pain has significantly reduced!!!!
This has to be the best birthday present. I have suffered for 9 months, spent quite a lot – and it’s actually ONLY my ligament? Gosh…
Whatever it is I just want a full recovery. Fast. At minimal cost.
I want to be a king pigeon again :)
Friday, June 26, 2009
To a better life (hopefully)...
Finally, the suspense is over – we are getting the house in 5 days’ time! Yippee! I miss my baking and space (for yoga and such) so much!
But the downside is, the seller didn’t keep to his promises – he was supposed to leave all the fittings behind, but apparently he’s taking the hob and hood, and 2 units of air-conditioners! I’m feeling very pissed off because it’s his words against ours – and beat that – he’s a LAWYER. He said these are fixtures. WTF. I feel so cheated!!! The agent has gone MIA, not answering our calls, and we do not want to kick a fuss now because we have been waiting for this day to come for more than half a year – and that is ENOUGH, we’re not going to let him have another chance to prolong this torturous wait! And the worst party in this entire mess was our very own lawyer – they did NOTHING to protect our interest, they did not suggest that we should have demanded an inventory list from the seller to be attached in the S&P so that there are no disputes on what is left behind and what is not. Look at the sticky situation we’re in now! I really want to swear @#$%^&*!
Another thing to look forward to is our new car – yeah after deliberating for 8 months, we’ve decided that we CANNOT live with one car. It’s too troublesome, frustrating, a major cause for arguments, and I can’t even go for my yoga classes because I don’t want him to wait for me and waste his time. Bottom line is, it’s just very inconvenient. So we went through the options we had – from Myvi 1.0 to Honda Civic Hybrid 1.3 (DROOL!), and decided to settle for the middle path – Honda City – and that is also because I managed to find a showroom with ready stock – lucky me! But then it wasn’t very smooth either, was supposed to get the car today but now it’s postponed to next week due to glitches of the bank (duh!) and JPJ’s “system upgrade” (a perfect excuse for inefficiency). Anyways… we’re getting the car the same day as the house :)
So with the car I no longer have any excuses for not doing yoga regularly, except (these little devils that keep playing in my mind):
1. I hate to be in classes with students who remember me – especially with my cacat-ed right leg, there are so many poses that I can no longer do. They must think this Isha is so lousy. Sigh. *stressed*
2. I don’t have that many favourite teachers/classes – and the classes I like happen to fall into excuse #1.
3. I really miss YZ’s schedules and teachers. Now the teachers are everywhere and because of that, we have to join a few centres to continue attending these good teachers’ classes. No money la…
4. I can practise at home. I am after all a certified yoga instructor ;p
5. I AM A LAZY BUM!
I’m glad everything is falling into place – finally – but also upset that we now have to spend a lot more money to move in due to the broken promises. But I’m still hopeful – I am going to get a Bake Workshop for myself! And furniture shopping begins! Pockets empty! The vicious cycle is here again…
I hope my life is back to normal. I hope I AM back to normal. Normalcy is boring but less chaotic and confusing. And sometimes that really makes life easier.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Decision made
RM600 for 3o vouchers, which expires in 6 months. Already regretting it because if I go for more than 2 classes a week, I should have bought the monthly unlimited package for RM168 -_-Just wait and see how diligent I am :) Really not sure if this is a good choice - what if they close down/change management again?
Anyways, it will be a good (re)start for me.
Friday, June 5, 2009
I believe I can fly...
Still can’t decide on which package or yoga center to join, after the bad experience with the now defunct YZ. But I really need to start again after such a long hiatus, since my chiropractor has given me the green light to be active again :) Again, it helps to de-stress and gives me a sense of achievement after every class. As for teaching again, well, let me upskill myself further first.
I want to be able to fly – like a crow – someday…
Kakasana - Crow Pose
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