Monday, January 07, 2008

Staying Healthy This New Year

Jim and I watched Sicko this weekend. I'm not a huge Michael Moore fan (I think he routinely goes for the teary eyed shot) but I think he's right on the money with this movie. The healthcare system in America is a broken one, how can you put a monetary value on life and limb? Why don't we have access to universal health care like our European counterparts do? Why is health care in America a big money making business? No matter what you think of Michael Moore, its definitely worth a watch.

Watching the movie reminded me about the importance of prevention. Exercise, rest, healthy foods all play a big part in keeping healthcare costs at bay. To that end I whipped up some granola, experimented with some lunch bag snack recipes (more on that tomorrow - I have to wait for feedback from the kids), made 6 loaves of Barbara's bread and vowed to clear the kitchen counter enough to get back to sprouting this week.

This weekend we have another Winter Sun Farm pickup which will add some variety to what's in my freezer. Access to local veggies grown without pesticides is so important to health and the local economy.

So far I have kept my promise to myself to do yoga every weekday morning after I drop Jim off at the train. It's hard to unroll the mat at 6:10am, it's hard to meditate until 6:15 and it's hard to begin the most basic sun salutation after that. The whole time I'm doing yoga, I'm fantasizing about relaxation pose. Am I almost there? Can I skip a few poses to get me there quicker? When I finally settle into relaxation, it's bliss. I feel the tension in my muscles just melt away. In the end, I'm always glad that I pushed myself to do it.

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