Category: Health & Well Being

The Diabetic Addiction

I’ve had Type-1 Diabetes for about 38 years at this point (yes, you read that right). And for the most part, everything I need to do is routine and pretty much happens on auto pilot. Need to test blood sugar? No problem. Calibrate the ol’ CGM? Done deal. I can even change up my insulin pump’s infusion set in the middle of the night while still half asleep, if I had to. I generally try to keep that from happening by checking my insulin remainder BEFORE I go to bed for the night and calibrating my CGM right before I go to sleep.

These are reasonable steps, and ones that I KNOW I need to take and SHOULD be taking. But despite having Diabetes for almost four decades, I’m only human. This means that sometimes I still forget things. And as anyone who has had Diabetes for any number of years will tell you, it doesn’t take long to become physically and emotionally exhausted from all the testing, needle pokes and medical appointments that one needs in order to maintain proper health and blood sugar levels. Which unfortunately means that I also occasionally IGNORE things.

Just before the Christmas holiday, I did what I usually do before any holiday or long weekend; I went through all my supplies prescriptions and ensured I would have enough to make it beyond everyone’s amended schedules. Now, I’m not much of a holiday guy and since I’ve spent the majority of my adult life working through most holidays including Christmas, I’m usually miffed at my routine being messed up because certain locations are closed on Christmas. That’s my “bah, humbug” attitude coming out. But I digress…

As I called into my pharmacy with my refill request, they pointed out that I wasn’t due to renew my Guardian sensors (CGM) for at least another week. Now, being the responsible T1D that I am, I explained that I had one sensor installed on my arm and only one extra in the box. Should I suffer a failure, I’d run out pretty damn quickly with no recourse during the holidays. The pharmacy employee on the phone was quick to point out that in the event of an emergency, I could always go to the hospital. Right. Because I want to sit in a waiting room over the holidays for six hours to get one sensor, which the hospital likely doesn’t carry in stock and I’d need a pharmacy, regardless.

The big problem is that everything is on computer, nowadays. Wow, I just made myself sound SUPER old, but it’s true. So the technician I was speaking to was basically telling me she couldn’t renew my sensors because I was calling a week early. Everything else was fine, but it was too early for the sensors. But this system is meant to be used as a guideline to when prescriptions were filled, not as a limiting tool against patients. And since sensors are not a drug or narcotic, there really shouldn’t be a problem. But I picked my battles and calculated that since I was on Day 1 of my current sensor and had one more in the box, I technically had two weeks’ worth of sensor and told the technician I would simply call back in after the Christmas holiday.

Because life rarely cares about one’s plans and because it’s me, this is what ended up happening after Christmas. I reached the end of the first sensor’s lifespan and installed the second one. Within 24 hours, the second sensor (last one of the box) failed and my pump instructed me to replace it. Once that happens, there’s no getting the freshly installed sensor to work. You basically have no choice but to waste it and move on to the next one. It was late evening, too late to make it to the pharmacy. I would have to wait until the next morning.

In the meantime, I installed a spare Freestyle Libre sensor that I still had. But it wasn’t quite the same. The CGM sensor interacts with my pump and makes minor basal corrections throughout the night. This means that if my blood sugars begin to rise, so will my insulin levels and vice versa. It keeps a reasonably tight control, and I’d be lying if I said that I’ve woken up with bad readings on any given morning in quite a long time. The Freestyle Libre however, allows me to continuously test my blood sugar through my phone but does NOT interact with my pump and makes no adjustment to blood sugar.

The result is that I awoke with blood sugar levels in the high teens, which hasn’t happened in quite a long time. I’m not afraid to admit that I felt like shit. I had to skip breakfast because I didn’t want to introduce more carbohydrates into my system before I brought my levels down a bit. So I spent the morning without food, but made my way to the pharmacy to get my sensors. I had a bit of a discussion with the actual pharmacist about the issue, to which he invited me to speak with him directly the next time I was in a similar situation.

It got me to thinking… I’m addicted to my Diabetic equipment. I lived for decades with CGM and an insulin pump but now, one day without a sensor and my house of cards comes crashing down. It’s surprising how spoiled we become when faced with the use of technology. Compared to the imminent death that Diabetics faced prior to the 1920’s, “spoiled” is a pretty appropriate term, all things considered. It’s made me realize that there’s no turning back for me. I’ve settled into a certain standard of care with the technology I use for my Diabetes treatment, and I don’t think I’d ever be able to return to pen injections and testing my blood only once a day. Here’s to hoping I’ll never have to… ☯

Let’s Chew The Fat, Shall We?

Let’s be honest with each other: it’s the New Year and people are looking at resolutions. Statistically speaking, the largest resolution is usually losing weight. I’d be lying if I said that I wouldn’t LOVE to shed a bit of thickness from my abdomen, although fat loss doesn’t usually work this way. True weight loss will eliminate fat from all areas of the body. Despite what you may have read at your supermarket’s checkout stand, there’s no way to focus JUST on the tummy. Sorry, folks.

I’ve long said that in order to actually lose weight, you can’t depend on gimmick diets or fad workouts. The only true way to burn fat and lose weight to experience a calorie deficit. For those who have no idea what this means, a calorie deficit is when you provide your body with fewer calories than it needs in order to support your daily calorie needs. In that situation, your body starts to burn away fat stores as energy to replace the calories it is no longer receiving.

Conversely, if you consume more calories than what you need for your daily needs, the body will store the excess. Sometimes it gets stored as glycogen, but it usually gets stored as fat. This is where we gain weight. Despite the fact that I’ve been stating this for longer than I’ve been blogging, I finally decided to look into it a bit and found a reasonable article on HealthLine.com. It explains exactly what a calorie deficit is, and how to achieve it.

In addition to the article, most sources I’ve researched indicate that eliminating as little as 500 calories a day is effective in helping to lose weight. In addition to a healthy fitness regimen, it can go a long way towards helping you to burn away at those fat stores that seem to piss you off, every time you slip on a dri-fit shirt. 500 calories is actually much easier than it sounds. Taking small steps, including eliminating processed foods, plan your meals and have them be homemade and exercising three to five times a week will do it.

Another important aspect, especially for Diabetics, is to focus on the reduction of carbohydrates as opposed to fats. Although I’m not a fan of such fad diets, the Paleo Diet is a perfect example of this. Such a diet consists of lean meats, fish, nuts as well as healthy oils and fats. They avoid and/or eliminate processed foods, sugars and grains, which eliminates the majority of carbs. The only problem is the Paleo Diet can cause a dangerous levels of fat and protein, resulting in heart and kidney issues. What else would you expect from a diet based on then human diet from 10,000 years ago?

Cut your carbs and overall calories by about 500 calories a day, exercise regularly and consume plenty of water and fiber to help things along, and you should see some of those love handles start to melt away. Like all good things in life, it will take some time so don’t get discouraged if it takes weeks and even months before results start to show. After all, every person is different. It may only take a week for some, or months for others. The trick is to be patient. This is also helpful for Type-1 Diabetes since increased fat can lead to complications and weight loss will help with blood sugar control.

My wife and I have decided that this year’s resolution will be on the improvement of ourselves. No checklists like I had last year, no fancy declarations of quitting this or quitting that. We’re going to exercise regularly, reduce our caloric intake and as much as it kills me to admit it, my wine intake will be GREATLY reduced as alcoholic beverages can have a negative impact on one’s calorie intake. By the end of it all, I hope to be able to squeeze back into those favoured outfits I have stuffed at the back of my drawers… But time will tell. ☯

Time Is Good Only For Passing Time

As a blogger, I make it a point of following and reading other bloggers’ posts. Especially those who fall under the same category as mine, as I have always felt that my personal learning and education never stops. Therefore, it makes sense that I would continue to read whatever words others may put out, in an effort to better myself. I recently read one such post, written by a blogger that I’ve been following for almost two years. I’m generally not one to write a post on the coat tails of someone else’s, but this is such a broad topic that I feel I can safely write my opinion about it without stepping on this person’s toes. And here we are.

If you know me personally or have read most of what I’ve written, one of my biggest pet-peeves is when someone tells me, “It could be worse!” This is basically the verbal equivalent to kicking me in the gonads, and I have a genuine hate for this expression. I’ve heard it all my life, especially within the context of Diabetes. People see how hard I work towards physical fitness, my martial arts prowess and the fact I never let anything hold me back, and they presume that Diabetes is no big deal.

But the reality is that I work damned hard to live with the balance that I do, and Diabetes is nothing to slouch at. Could it be worse? Yes, it could. I could have terminal cancer. I could have been born without eyes. I could have leprosy or any score of illnesses or diseases that are far worse than Diabetes. It doesn’t mean that my journey isn’t difficult and that I should feel “lucky” that things aren’t worse than they are. With this in mind, the second saying that grates on my last nerve almost as bad as the first one, is “Time Heals All Wounds.”

No. No, it does not.

The reality is that the passage of time won’t heal your wounds, either physical or psychological. The only thing that can do that is your direct intervention, often coupled with the intervention of others. On the physical side, breaking a bone or open wounds will require time but will also require proper setting or bandaging to prevent it from healing improperly. On the psychological side, keeping everything bottled up and refusing to talk to anyone about it will cause mental anguish and difficulties too many to list.

Not least of which is the fact that all wounds, physical or otherwise, will leave scars that either remind us of the injury or can be a problem within themselves. It reminds me of the “broken plate” analogy, which sums up one of the main issues within modern society. And to be honest, I can’t find where the actual origin of this analogy comes from, so if you know, please feel free to write it in the comments, but it goes something like this:

“Grab A Plate And Throw It On The Ground.”
– Okay, Done.
“Did It Break?”
– Yes.
“Now Say Sorry To It.”
– Sorry.
“Did It Go Back To The Way It Was Before?”
– No.
“Now Do You Understand?”

The purpose behind this analogy is that even if you feel remorse or regret at your previous actions, apologizing and trying to make it right may not necessarily be enough. In fact, even if you fix the plate, the cracks and scars will remain regardless of how much you apologize. People rarely understand how their words and actions can harm others. And even if they try to make amends, it’s very rarely enough. This is why your direct intervention is necessary in order to heal yourself.

Time may give you the opportunity to mend the wounds and pull the broken pieces back together. Time may allow the metaphorical glue to set, but time will never erase the memory of what’s been said or done. That’s why it’s critically important to take steps to better your own situation to aid in your healing. This may mean eliminating the negative people in your life. Making better life choices or quitting bad habits. Changing your job. The point is, if you sit there and wait for things to mend with time, that mending may never come. ☯

Right Practice, Right Time, Wrong Environment…

Zen Buddhism lends most of its purpose towards finding enlightenment through mediation. That, with a fun mixture of traditional Buddhism mixed with a minty hint of Taoism, but that’s an entirely different post for another day. My point is, for several decades, meditation has been a focal point of my existence. Have I ever met someone who has “attained enlightenment?” No, I have not. In fact, with the exception of my studies of the Gautama Buddha, I’m not necessarily aware of anyone who has ACTUALLY achieved enlightenment through the practice of meditation.

Admittedly, that first paragraph is a bit on the cynical side, as I do genuinely believe that the path to enlightenment resides within myself. One of the only ways to try and find it is through meditation. But for the most part, I’ve used meditation for everything from blocking out pain and fatigue, focusing my mind, improving accuracy during shooting or fighting and lowering my blood pressure and/or heart rate in the hopes of calming myself. Given that I have pleasant soup bowl of ADD, OCD and PTSD buried in my psyche, meditation has been helpful in a number of different ways.

I’ve always been a big proponent of encouraging people to meditate wherever they find a spot to sit and whenever they find a minute. Any meditation is better than no meditation, right? Maybe not… Distraction is one of the biggest obstacles to effective meditation. That’s why it’s always better to try and observe the practice in a quiet atmosphere with nothing but a touch of soft, instrumental music playing. Although one should be able to clear one’s mind and find some way to take a few moments to deepen one’s breathing and meditate, there’s one obstacle that is and inherent distraction and makes meditation difficult at best: having kids.

Pretty much what meditation is like with Nathan in the house!

Children can be a wondrous addition to a household and will undoubtedly add some action and excitement to one’s life. I can definitely admit that Nathan is like a spinning Tasmanian devil from a Looney Toons cartoon on the best of days, and he’s gotten quite good at riling up his one year old brother, Alex. This can make for an extremely difficult environment to meditate in, regardless of how your home is laid out. I often tell Nathan that it’s quiet time, but this only works on a six-year old for so long, and that tactic absolutely does not work on an infant. So, what do you do?

Since the demolishment of my basement, the ability for sound to travel through the floor has more than doubled, meaning someone upstairs will hear everything happening downstairs and vice versa. So despite the lovely floor mats and workout area I’ve installed in my bare basement, I can pretty much hear every peep and bump that goes on above my head. I often try to meditate for at least fifteen minutes after every workout in order to centre myself, lower my heart rate and calm myself. But I’m usually unsuccessful.

So, what can you do? There are a number of options that are available. The first and most obvious, would be to wait until the children are sleeping/out of the house. This was much easier before Nathan’s school shut down due to COVID-19, but having him out of the house for the day while Alex naps would allow for a period of time to meditate. Realistically, sometimes your schedule simply needs to work around your children as opposed to in spite of them.

Another simple alternative is to simply leave the house. Meditating outside is a little difficult during the winter months, but there are other options. Space heaters in the garage will allow you to meditate there, albeit for a short time. There’s also nothing wrong with simply sitting in your vehicle and taking a short period to meditate there. You could even drive to another location and park, so long as you don’t mind people wondering what the hell you’re doing or the occasional officer of the law tapping on your window to inquire if you’re okay.

We surrender a lot and sacrifice everything once we have children. This is simply the reality of adult life. But if meditation is an important practice in your existence, than you should work towards finding ways on order to achieve it, no matter what your home circumstances. Especially if you use it as a tool for balancing your mind and body. Suddenly and indefinitely going without it can alter your mood, temperament and even your body chemistry. ☯

Stand Up Straight When You Read This Blog…

If you grew up in an environment similar to mine, you did so with both parents and grandparents constantly harping on you to “sit up straight,” or “stand up straight.” It was a pain in my ass all through my formative years. But it turns out that even if their reasons for drilling it into me may not have been health-related, there are a number of reasons why proper posture is SUPER important to one’s health and overall well-being.

Having a correct posture can help improve blood flow and by the same token, keep certain blood vessels and nerve groupings healthy. Having BAD posture will eventually tax certain muscle groups and tendons and can lead to unwanted neck, back and limb pain. It’s something we rarely thin about as we go about our day. But if you work in a seated position or even during walking, standing or sitting on the couch binge-watching Game of Thrones, correct posture will help to prevent a number of issues that you may not even be aware that you’re causing.

Incorrect posture usually comes in the form of slouching. When we slouch, a number of things will usually happen over the long term, if one does nothing to correct it. Your shoulders will slump and will become rounded, you’ll tax and stress the muscle groupings that hold it all up, leading to shoulder, neck and back pain. It can also lead to body fatigue and headaches, and a tendency to lean in a given direction, depending on how you slouch and why.

For the most part, aches, pains and headaches can be relieved by a quick visit to your chiropractor for an adjustment. This usually results in a whole bunch of cracking joints, and many people feel less than comfortable with someone twisting their neck and spine. Although the chances of injury from chiropractic treatment is almost non-existent, it’s still an eery feeling. And this is only a temporary measure if one leaves the chiropractor’s office and goes right back to slouching.

Further effects that most usually don’t consider, is that a slouched or incorrect posture will also lead to a prominent pot belly, since your abdominal tissues are all being squeezed together like some sort of unwanted cheeseburger. I’m kidding. Cheeseburgers are always wanted. But seriously, bad posture will also cause respiratory issues, as slouching will put pressure on the lungs and prevent a full intake of breath. It may also lead to difficulty sleeping and a condition referred to as TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint pain. Nice, eh? All of that, because you didn’t want to listen to your parents when they told you to stand up straight!

Unfortunately, slouching is an existing habit that we all suffer from. The basic reality is that the modern workforce requires the use of a computer for the majority of the things we do. Sitting at a workstation for hours on end greatly contributes to slouching, and very few people follow the recommended habit of getting up, stretching and walking around at least once an hour. Another problem is that the entire world walks around with their nose buried in their smart phones. This causes a lot of unnecessary craning downward of the head, which is some of the worst type of posture one can have. So… The question is, how do we correct this?

According to an article posted by HealthLine.com, some easy ways to correct one’s posture include focusing on standing tall, sitting correctly, moving around once in a while and doing an exercises called the “wall slide,” which is described in the article, child’s pose, shoulder blade squeeze, the plank and the bridge. The article itself has greater detail of course, and it stands to reason that there are further exercises that can help, as well.

Frequent and regular physical fitness will be the greatest help. Performing exercises that help strengthen the stabilizing muscles are important. Further, you need to ensure that you move frequently and avoid staying in one held position for long hours (unless you’re sleeping). More often than not, putting an alarm on your smartphone to remind you to correct your posture or move around every hour can be helpful.

Most sources will mention that one simply needs to make a conscious effort to stand up straighter. If that were the case, our parents wouldn’t have had to bark it at us so much when we were young. But a correct posture will ultimately help correct many of the aches and pains that we all assume are simply a part of adult life. Exercise well, take preventative steps and don’t be afraid to solicit the services of professional massage therapists and chiropractors. ☯

And Touched The Sound, Of Silence…

Ah, Simon & Garfunkel… Part of the endless soundtrack of my youth, the Sound of Silence is a haunting classic with rich lyrics that stir the imagination and move the spirit. And most recently in 2015, a band called Disturbed covered the song and did a fantastic job. Both versions stir a little something in my soul and the song is fantastic. If you haven’t heard either version, I highly recommend you fall down the youTube rabbit hole and watch both. Then, you can judge for yourself. But enough about my musical preferences; let’s get on with the point of today’s post.

Today, I’d like to talk about silence. A beautiful thing, silence. Not many of us get to enjoy it. In fact, modern life almost makes it impossible. Depending on where you live, even if you happen to be childless and live alone, you’ll still hear the residual background noise of the world around you. And sometimes, the static can get to be a bit much. This is one of the purposes behind meditation. Quieting your mind can often be achieved through intense and mindful meditation. But what about being quiet yourself? There are plenty of stereotypes about Buddhism; in fact, I’ve written posts on that very thing. But one of the stereotypes that happen to be true is that some of us choose to take a vow of silence.

Vows of silence are used in many different religions and even by some non-religious affiliates of those religions. The reasons behind it vary, ranging from simply a disciplinary requirement of the particular religious sect, forms of protest and all the way up to helping self-enlightenment and the belief that it potentially brings one closer to God. But for the purposes of today’s post, I’ll focus on what’s familiar, which is the Buddhist aspect.

In Buddhism, taking a vow of silence can certainly represent will-power and self-discipline. But it also serves as a means of being at one with your thoughts, developing a better ability to listen to others (something most people should develop) and making certain that one observes Right Speech, which is part of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. A vow of silence helps to ensure that you have the ability to think about what you’ll say before it comes barreling out of your mouth. This prevents you from bringing harm o yourself or others by saying something foul or negative.

Definitely, one of the main reasons one should take a vow of silence is not only to stop talking, but to quiet one’s mind. I’ve spoken about how Zen involves achieving peace and enlightenment through meditation, and this is pretty difficult with a disquieted mind. During a vow of silence, one does not simply stop talking; one needs to be aware and be mindful of one’s thoughts, eliminating the negative and focusing on the positive.

That last aspect can be a challenge, and certainly one of my own, personal obstacles during meditation. Being mindful and in control of one’s thoughts is a difficult thing, requiring years of practice and self-discipline. After all, even though focusing on nothing is still focusing on something, trying to keep the mind clear becomes difficult because the human brain simply isn’t designed NOT to have thoughts coursing through it. A vow of silence can help with that.

Contrary to some sources and popular opinion, a vow of silence doesn’t have to be a life-long thing. Some monks will take a vow of silence for a specified period of time or for specific reasons and then resume speaking. Some will simply stop using verbal communication, although most are of the belief that even written communication is a form of speaking and will avoid writing as well.

Last but not least, silence can lend some physiological benefits to the body. According to an article I found on PsychCentral.com, even just short periods of silence can help lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, decrease stress, promote good hormone regulation and even prevent plaque formation in the arteries. The article goes on to suggest a variety of ways to achieve that silence, including a walk in the woods, meditating, deep breathing (which you’ll do while meditating anyway) and my favourite, which is staying in bed an extra five minutes before getting up for the day. That last one is pointless with two young boys in the house. But I digress…

Some people aren’t big fans of being in silence. Some can even say they have a phobia of silence. Be that as it may, there’s no denying that any period of glorious noiselessness can have a variety of physical and emotional benefits and isn’t simply restricted to the religious side of things. Interested in trying it out? It doesn’t have to be a vow or last for a significant period of time. Choosing one hour every day to simply enjoy some silence can allow for all those benefits as well. Of course, I know a number of people who could definitely benefit from taking a vow and keeping their mouths shut for years. But that would mostly be for the benefit of the rest of the world. ☯

Life Isn’t All Black And White, There Are Shades Of Grey…

One of the benefits of this soul-crushing pandemic is that people have been taking advantage to make changes within their household and in some cases, within themselves. Home improvements, distance education and fitness regiments that were previously untapped have become the norm. In fact, my neighbour has spent the past month bracing his basement, drywalling, replacing the electrical systems in his home and making upgrades. It’s been impressive to watch.

Some people have gained weight and damaged their health through the increased consumption of alcohol and junk food as well as a “nesting” instinct that includes lounging and working from home; all of which can have a detrimental effect on a person’s health. In my case, I’ve taken advantage of the current pandemic to do something that’s completely out of the ordinary, for me. It’ll likely sound silly and frivolous and I’ve done this twice. But to me, it’s something of significance. I’ve grown out my hair.

My first attempt at hair growth, February 2020

As you can see from the photo above, I have a significant growth of hair on my head. Considering the fact that this was a bit over a month’s growth and I’m usually bald and clean-shaven as a newborn, this is a fair bit of hair. You can almost see a light tinge of grey in the facial whiskers, a result of stress and troubles that plague my life in recent years. Considering I’m only in my early 40’s and my mother reached her 70’s before a touch of grey started to appear (notice I say a “touch” of grey), it’s a testament to the hardships I’ve had to deal with in recent years.

For those who may not be in the know (or who simply haven’t reached that stage in life), grey hair is caused when the pigment cells in your hair follicles that make melanin start to die. For the most part, this occurs later in life as advanced age begins to set in. Without these pigment cells, a person’s hair begins to lose it’s original colour and begins to appear grey and/or white. I started out my life with red hair, not unlike my infant son Alexandre’s hair. By the time I had reached the age of about six or seven years old, my hair darkened to it’s current dark brown, which is a combination of the red hair of my father and the black hair of my mother.

Although my first attempt at letting my inner hippy out to play only lasted a couple of weeks (I would shave EVERYTHING days after the photo was taken), my second attempt has gone on for almost two months. The difference this time, is that I trimmed my scalp while my facial hair continued to grow. The result is that even though more time has elapsed than the growth in February, my head doesn’t have as much hair but my beard is much fuller.

Current beard growth, with a LOT of grey (let’s ignore how tired I look)

You may be asking, “Why are you writing a blog post about your hair turning grey? What does this have to do with Diabetes, Fitness or Buddhism?” Well, first of all, stop being sarcastic with me… My grey hair entitles me to respect! No, but seriously, I’m using this post as a visible indication of how much of a physical effect that stress can have on a person’s body. Some of us like to think that we’re invincible and can handle anything. But even the strongest stone will eventually succumb to the trickle of water.

According to an article posted by HealthLine.com, increased stress can lead to an increase in the stress hormone “cortisol,” which can lead to a bunch of negative and nasty side-effects over the long term. This can affect the nervous system and, big surprise! Your hair follicles are connected to your nervous system! This can cause those pigment cells to die off prematurely, turning your hair to a more, shall we say “distinguished” colour, way earlier than expected…

A slight close-up, so y’all know it’s grey and not a trick of the light

So there you have it! Increased stress can certainly cause one’s hair to turn grey, prematurely. And I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t been suffering from an increased level of stress over the past two and half years. I think we all have, for different reasons. But this is a visible reminder of why it’s all the more important to take steps to try and keep your life as stress-reduced as possible. You’ll notice that I say “reduced” and not “free,” because there really is no such thing as a stress-free life. Bruce Lee said so. ☯

yin-yang-9

Help Me To Keep This Going!

My content may be free and I absolutely love providing it, but my time is not! I’m trying to make a go of it as a full time writer but obviously, everyone needs to get paid for the time they put in. Your donation to this blog can mean the difference between seeing daily content or wondering “whatever happened to The Blogging Buddhist.” Help me keep this permanent. Any small donation helps and will not go unappreciated.

CA$5.00

Sleep Vs. Meditation

Meditation is a large part of Zen Buddhism and I’ve been practicing meditation in some form or another for about twenty years or more. During this time, I’ve seen meditation do some amazing things; overcome pain, focus one’s concentration, fight insomnia and even control one’s cardiac rhythm. Some of it has a lot to do with the style and type of meditation one practices as, yes, there are a number of different ways to meditate. This has often led me to ask the question: Can meditation replace sleep?

The easy answer would be no, it can’t. But that’s a subjective opinion. I’ve found some sources that would indicate otherwise. And I’ll embarrassingly admit that there have been times when I’ve found myself falling asleep DURING meditation, and there are a number of logical, explainable reasons behind that. According to an article posted by HealthLine.com, proper meditation is a relaxation technique that helps to increase melatonin and serotonin, decrease blood pressure and reduce one’s heart rate. These are all early steps that one’s body goes through prior to falling asleep. So one could easily suggest that meditation can logically lead to sleep.

It stands to reason that when meditation is used as a relaxation technique, it will calm a person and help promote sleep. But that still doesn’t answer the question of whether it can REPLACE sleep. From a personal standpoint, I’ve found that often meditating for even fifteen minutes has had something of a rejuvenating effect and has created an increased state of alertness. But this could easily be attributed to the calming effects of the meditation as opposed to a lack of need for sleep.

I found an interesting article on Muse that suggests that although meditation can never completely replace sleep, there are a number of deep similarities between the two. However, the differences include the mind’s state of alertness where, while meditating, we’re always focused on SOMETHING, even when that something is nothing. Meanwhile, during sleep the conscious mind is taking a break, despite the fact that the body is performing a bunch of important tasks, including synaptic repair and memory organization. It’s also been said that there are tens of thousands of thoughts coursing through our minds while we sleep. Sleep is one of those things that continues to be researched, regardless of how many studies are put out.

There are some studies that show that ten minutes of deep meditation can replace about 44 minutes of sleep (ecoinstitute.org). These studies are usually inconclusive but if accurate, one could feasibly meditate for just short under two hours in order to reap the benefits of a full night’s sleep. Sign me the hell up! You know all of those times when you’ve uttered “there aren’t enough hours in the day?” Just think of what you could do if you suddenly gained six hours a day that you no longer needed to sleep through!

That EcoInstitute link I shared goes on to explain that “[…] as far as the body is concerned, meditation and sleep are two different things. While sleep is meant to replenish your energy and help you heal, meditation is designed to cancel out the stress that made you tired in the first place.” So the concept of meditating to replace sleep is a bit of wishful thinking.

There are plenty of articles and studies out there for anyone who is looking for more information. In all my years of using meditation, I can honestly say that I’ve had to succumb to sleep at some point. So I totally agree that they’re separate aspects of rest and one can’t replace the other. But I also know that meditation, used in the right context, can provide an increased level of alertness that can be useful for getting through that slump in your workday or even just helping yourself feel better. Even ten or fifteen minutes of meditation over one’s lunch hour can be beneficial. Now if only I could get Nathan to meditate… ☯

yin-yang-6

help Me To Keep This Going!

My content may be free and I absolutely love providing it, but my time is not! I’m trying to make a go of it as a full time writer but obviously, everyone needs to get paid for the time they put in. Your donation to this blog can mean the difference between seeing daily content or wondering “whatever happened to The Blogging Buddhist.” Help me keep this permanent. Any small donation helps and will not go unappreciated.

CA$5.00

Kids Do The Darndest Things, And Adults Usually Clean It Up…

If there’s one thing that most parents of my age group can easily complain about, it’s how children now days seem to be engrossed in technology with less time for physical activity. It’s become a genuine issue, with childhood obesity hitting an all-time high in North America and kids showing no signs of slowing down, figuratively-speaking. This is where it becomes important for parents to not only encourage proper fitness but to show the right example by indulging in physical fitness themselves.

Nathan prior to his second birthday, executing a solid horse-stance

When my son Nathan was barely beyond his toddler years, my wife and I signed him up for a kids’ activity group, which included soccer balls, hoops and games in order to stimulate physical activity and learn team skills. Nathan’s inability to keep his attention on a single thing for longer than thirty seconds resulted in him running around and doing his own thing while other kids were seated in a circle, learning new things. It was embarrassing at the moment, but the reality is he still played his heart out and got some exercise.

We chose not to keep him in this group, since he had to be signed up and we would have to start paying for fees. I couldn’t justify spending money on an activities group he wouldn’t comply with, so I took his fitness into my own hands. Nathan has always been a child with excessive energy levels, but he rarely sees fit to use them appropriately for fitness. This is why it sometimes makes it difficult to get involved in something structured.

Walking his brother after school (the energy drink is mine)

Don’t get me wrong, there are days when he’s raring to go and I’m the one settled on the couch. But there are a number of important reasons WHY it is so important to get our children off the floor and doing something physical. I’ve been pretty fortunate that Nathan is often game to join me on the mats and do some exercise, even when his idea of exercising is hitting me repeatedly with a punch mitt until I stop my reps and wrestle on the floor with him.

Exercise is an important part of a child’s development. Exercise is required in order to strengthen bones, increase muscle mass and improve a child’s overall proper growth. From a non-physical standpoint, exercise is also important for a child as it promotes socialization, self-esteem and helps with concentration and schoolwork. That last sentence is an aspect that most parents tend to forget. And most reputable sources, and I’ll let y’all look into those yourself, recommend at least an hour of rigorous physical activity every day.

Although it can be hard to get kids interested in physical activity, there’s a lot you can do to encourage it:

  1. Be The Example: It stands to reason that if your kids see you sprawled on the couch with a bag of chips, binge-watching a show for four to six hours without moving, this is the standard that they’ll grow up with. They’ll assume that laziness and apathy is acceptable. After all, if it’s good enough for mom and dad, it should be good enough for them, right? Wrong. Even if it’s just to get your kids moving, you need to set the example. After all, the family that stays fit together, stays healthy together;
  2. Limit Screen Time: This is a tough one, especially for my son. And to be honest, it can often be tough on my wife and I, as well. It’s SO easy to tell Nathan “Go watch a show on your iPad,”when we’re trying to get things done or want some peace and quiet. But realistically, keeping him off a screen is important to helping him grow and develop properly;
  3. Plan Activities: Although I would like being able to tell Nathan “Go outside and play,” this doesn’t work for most kids. Some of them may be able to go outside and entertain themselves, but it doesn’t allow for much structure. Plus, let’s be honest: sitting in a sandbox rolling a small car doesn’t do much for fitness and proper health. Play some ball, run some races or go talk a walk. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise is important, even for kids;
  4. Keep Up The Encouragement: Hey, my son can’t throw a proper front kick to save his life. And his idea of blocking consists of squatting down into a ball and covering his head with his hands. The martial artist in me cries on the inside. The daddy in me is just happy that he’s training with me. But no matter what, the high-fives and pats on the back need to keep coming. It’s pretty hard to stay motivated if one isn’t encouraged. This is true of adults as well.

At the end of the day, this is one of those things where anything is better than nothing. But there are also certain restrictions you need to observe. Children really shouldn’t be doing any heavy weightlifting until they’ve finished growing. They can lift weights, but they should avoid lifting HEAVY weights for the purpose of lifting as much as they can as it can interfere with the body’s proper development.

Keeping kids physically active and engaged is about more than just getting exercise. It helps to mold the foundation they’ll need to maintain proper health, growth and development throughout their formative years and into adulthood. And maybe, just maybe, the parents will join in for the ride. ☯

yin-yang-5

Help Me To Keep This Going!

My content may be free and I absolutely love providing it, but my time is not! I’m trying to make a go of it as a full time writer but obviously, everyone needs to get paid for the time they put in. Your donation to this blog can mean the difference between seeing daily content or wondering “whatever happened to The Blogging Buddhist.” Help me keep this permanent. Any small donation helps and will not go unappreciated.

CA$5.00

Add A Little Sunshine To Your Body…

The past couple of months have had most of us seeing two issues that have a direct impact on what I’ll be discussing today: the colder weather and quarantine regulations. The reality is that when winter hits, we all tend to stay indoors a lot more than we do during the spring and summer months. This makes sense, since most people don’t enjoy being out in the cold unless it’s to ski or something. But given that everyone has to socially distance and/or self-isolate, this winter has seen this effect worsened.

Because of all this, there are certain things that some people are starting to lack, such as fresh air and Vitamin D. There are others, but these are the ones that come to mind. I wrote a pretty lengthy post, all the way back in June of 2019 in what I can only describe as my infancy in blogging. The post was called What Did Think You Were Eating For? and it explains the purpose and benefits of the most common vitamins and minerals that the human body requires on a daily basis. Check out the old post, it’ll save you the pain of having me write this post until the New Year, describing them all.

There are some who would argue that a person gets everything they need from diet, so long as it’s balanced and adhered to. Although this CAN be true, there’s no denying that most people will lack in one area or another, whether because their specific diet lacks a little something or they live as hermits in their mom’s basement. Just about every doctor I’ve had since childhood has recommended the use of a daily multivitamin in order to supplement whatever you may be lacking.

Vitamins and minerals are important because they perform all kinds of roles within the body, including healing wounds, strengthening tissues and boosting your immune system. Vitamins are also integral to converting your food into energy stores. I could go on and on about the benefits of proper vitamin and mineral balance, but we’d be here all day. So suffice it to say, you need that shit in order to have a healthy life.

In case you feel intimidated by the vitamin aisle at your local retailer, you’re not alone. Although similar, not all multivitamins are created equal and you should talk to your doctor or health practitioner before you start taking any of them. Some multivitamins “feature” an added touch of something, such as iron or magnesium, and you could actually be getting more of something than you should while trying to prevent the opposite.

I’ve read in a few places that some vitamins and minerals will also affect blood sugar, so there’s THAT. Like Diabetes doesn’t cause enough problems… But I can’t find a source for that to save my life, so take it for grain of salt. One last point I’ll touch on is that in order for a daily vitamin to be effective, you have to be consistent and disciplined in its use, meaning you have to take it for the long-term in order for it to become effective. But before running out to spend a fortune on capsules, be sure to read the label so you know what you’re consuming and consult your doctor. In case saying it twice wasn’t enough, CONSULT. YOUR. DOCTOR.

I mentioned fresh air in the opening paragraphs because fresh air can help to clear the mind, properly oxygenate the blood and gets you away from your television, devices and smart phones for a short period of time. You also need to be outside for the production of Vitamin D. Contrary to what’s often believed, sunlight doesn’t PRODUCE Vitamin D, but it’s necessary in order for it’s production. The body produces Vitamin D when exposed to the sun’s rays.

Of course, nothing quite compares to getting outside and breathing in the fresh air and enjoying a bit of sunlight. But it’s nice to know that when the -50 degree Saskatchewan winters and quarantine requirements see you bundled up on your couch with your favourite blankie, there are alternatives. One simply needs to be well-educated in what’s being introduced into the body. ☯

yin-yang-3

Help Me To Keep This Permanent!

My content may be free and I absolutely love providing it, but my time is not! I’m trying to make a go of it as a full time writer but obviously, everyone needs to get paid for the time they put in. Your donation to this blog can mean the difference between seeing daily content or wondering “whatever happened to The Blogging Buddhist.” Help me keep this permanent. Any small donation helps and will not go unappreciated.

CA$5.00