Allow me to explain my new years resolution: I am kicking into health gear! Not in the sense that I am going to go on some shitty diet and deprive myself of the stuff I really enjoy like cupcakes, but in the sense that I would like to improve my over all bodily health for better quality of life in my later years. The elders in my family have a history of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, some obesity. All around bad stuff, that I can prevent if I take care now.
I have an intense sweet tooth but it is easy enough to control, just like any small habits, with moderation. So I am going to eat better number 1. Oatmeal anyone? Helps lower cholesterol! I've been logging what I eat everyday so I can keep track of where I need to make improvements, like drinking more water, eating more fiber, and eating less products made with white flour. Its really hard to reduce bread products while I stay with my grandparents during school because they are just oh so Italian. But there is balance, I just have to ask to eat more vegetables and soups, they both really enjoy that too so a happy medium can occur.
Improving my sleep habits is number 2, supposedly getting to be before midnight is better for hormone development/regulation, and being able to regulate melatonin properly is important for good sleep habits, so not staring at a bright screen right before bed, etc. People who get less than 6 hours of sleep a night are prone to depression, and when school weighs really heavy on you shit piles up. So at the 1 month point, I am changing it to before 1 am, because I'm a little more of a night owl and when I try to sleep at 12 I just stay up for an hour trying to fall asleep. I don't want to be too rigid in this aspect because I like to do work in the evening, I'm too active/figity in the day to get enough done. This makes a good system for school, going between classes/running errands all day and sitting down to some serious homework after dinner. Not so good fro days like today when I work in the evening.
Number 3. Skin and Teeth health. I've been lucky enough to have some pretty good skin, but my teeth are a different story - Ive been cavity prone since I was a little kid, so as I am sick and tired of having cavities I will implement a religious care for my teeth and skin. I can be a little lazy at the end of a seriously long day and skip the floss and that is BAD! But I had a dentist appointment last week, and thanks to the amazing power of the electric tooth brush and my increasing resolve, no cavities to report! Stress has been taking a toll on my skin but I moisturize with vitamin e and use a tea tree oil cleanser on my face in the shower as well as exfoliate and all that jazz without feeling like I'm going out of my way because it rolls in easily with my morning routine.
Exercise number 4. This means my body and mind. While in school I've got the mind business covered, but during off times I really should read as much as I used to, and sketch more. When I'm creatively exhausted from a rough semester it hard to want to force myself to sketch but even anime north stuff is a good mind flexor in the creativity department. Exercising the body a different world altogether. I'm a little on the lazy side, in a way (well what would seem lazy to a physically active person, I'm actually not lazy, my mind doesn't stop running till it is exhausted. Anyhow it is difficult for me because it doesn't seamlessly fit into my routine all the time, for the first two weeks of January I was able to run on the treadmill, and I know what days I have time to do so for an hour or two, but it takes back seat when i have a lot to do (I guess I could have ran instead of writing this blog). I tried swimming, it was fun for the few times I went, but it also took back seat to homework. My problem there also is that I didn't have a locker because they all sold out, and the day lockers are outside of the change room, so it is an awkward situation. (Commuting had been putting a bummer on me in general, and having to carry all my shit around all day is lame). But I make the decision to take the stairs no matter how tired I am, and I walk really fast when I can which although only for a short time (between 5-15min) it is still something. I've also been trying to incorporate Yoga, but it doesn't fit into my routine easily, so it has been on the back burner, but never out of my mind. I was going to do Hot Yoga with my co0workers, but the commuting this has me down again (and it cold outside), you would understand if you had to put up with the shitty YRT. It's over priced and the service is not frequent enough.
In the month and almost a half that I have started I have made some small improvements. School still has me by the throat, but I'm about half way through this semester. I know have learned my lesson and will split my final year into two for the sake of my sanity which directly affects my health. I have yet to be sick, just a little migraine x stomach thing for three days this past weekend. I actually got this really cool thing from Teaopia, a tea extract to add to drinks called "herbal brainstorm" to help improve the brainage so I can (ideally) organize my thoughts better and more efficiently for better papers. I may have high expectations, and it may be placebo but if placebo works I'll take it!
In the world of this health business, I'm not the only one. Rachel, Elly and Steve S are all hoping on the band wagon, and we will be making a group support blog! Still in the process of creation, but a good idea. This is a way for us to share goals, document the achieving of those goals, give advice and encouragement, as well as share the really cool ideas out there about health! To keep up with this resolution I will try to have a 1 month check in for the year here. There will be a big 6month gathering of the reunion party where we made resolutions to see how things progressed. Very fun. This whole health kick co-insides with a performance type change I am planning that I mentioned last post, and will disclose next time.
On an ending note, a few things occurring in my life this last month: Yoko got Spayed, she was pretty pissed for like two days, but shes right back to normal now. Super fast healing, and I did not declaw her, I feel soo bad about the whole declawing. I understand the necessity for it in some homes, but she has a scratching post, I clip her nails regularly (about every 3 weeks) and she hasn't felt the need to scratch furniture much. This semester has been up high and down for me, I did really bad on the midterm in my Indigenous Resistance (I barely got through the readings) did okay on the essay outline, but I got high b's on the courses I finished. I had a great presentation in my electronic landscape on post humanism, but got a c+ on my Horror Lit essay 1. And I had a bad luck moment, and missed the questions on the back of a test that I could have aced and only got a c. I'm really pissed but there isn't anything I can do about it, so I really need a win, an no more stupid losses for the rest of the semester, getting low grades really puts a damper on me. I have an epic presentation planned for my monday critique (hopefully it will get me the marks to make up for late marks) and I have a great "outreach" website/postering fiasco to raise awareness about the shit we do that oppresses first nation people, I get to read interview with the vampire and write about the exploration of the idea of cyberization and posthumanism in the visual arts and science fiction! On top of other really cool things like a talk from Nina Arsenault this past Wednesday. Must. Remain. Optemistic! I don't know what the context for this saying but "Keep Calm, Carry on" I just want to add stay strong, and be metal (or manly really its synonymous in my books).
