Thankful!

We made it to Thanksgiving!  Here are five reasons to be grateful for our bodies:

1.     They get us where we are going.  We may not love how our thighs looks, but they do the job!  Those strong legs we have are the difference between independent living and a warehoused old age.

2.     They adapt.  We can make our bodies stronger!  We can overcome injuries!  We can learn new skills!

3.     They have built-in detox.  Our livers filter out all kinds of bad stuff.  The very blood in our veins can deploy antibodies to kill diseases.

4.     They give us access to the world.  The sensory data we get from our eyes, ears, and all those other organs can create delight and bliss.  We can feel the rain on our skin, taste chocolate, and hug our kids.

5.     They can change the world.  We can work with our bodies to help each other out, build houses, create communities, promote growth and health.

As always, I am thankful for all the blessings that surround me.  And that includes everyone reading!

A not-serious list

It’s time for the annual list of ways to avoid eating too much at Thanksgiving dinner.  I’ll try not to repeat myself too much.

• Start an argument.  If you have to defend your position, you’re talking, and if you’re talking, you’re not stuffing your face.  Bonus points:  if you lose the argument, you can walk off in a huff, thereby burning calories.

• Sit next to a toddler.  Toddlers need help cutting things up and sitting still.  They are also incredibly messy eaters, which may help curb your own appetite.

• Sit next to the oldest person there.  Hearing about the latest health scares/operations/bodily process dysfunctions should deter you from the giblet gravy, at least.

• Wear a white shirt.  You don’t want to be that person covered in cranberry stains.

• Ask Aunt Mabel to make that thing.  You know, the one no one likes.  That way, everyone wins after taking just enough to be polite.

• Tell your mom you’re a vegetarian.  She will suddenly realize that there is bacon in everything and you’ll be left with the rolls and butter.  Then tell her you’ve gone gluten and dairy free.  Note:  if you do this in advance, you run the risk of having to eat Tofurkey, which will probably keep you from eating for the rest of your life.

• If all else fails, go for moderation.  Holidays are important and a little stuffing or pumpkin pie is not going to end the world.

In which I might recommend not working out...

Over the last week or so, I think everyone in California has been fixated on fire and smoke.  We are heartbroken for those who have lost everything.  We are frightened of the new, chunky air quality.  We hope things get better.  We work on it.  We do what we can, sending money and buying masks.

When our environment is stressed, so are our bodies.  For those of us who, like me, cope better with stress when we can do lots of cardio, the stress can build up.  This is the time for indoor workouts, people, or even no workouts if we have compromised breathing, feel particularly congested, or suffer extra fatigue.

Even yoga, with its focus on breath, can be stressful in these times.

As always, we need to use our good judgment and do what makes us feel better.

Be safe, dear ones.