h4(#calm). 37. Calm down with Qigong.
Picture the flow of a river stopped by fallen cedars after a winter storm. Traditional Chinese medicine sees your qi (say “chee”), or vital life force, as that river, and sickness—fitful sleep, nasty moods, distracting headaches—as the result of the logjam. Your fix won’t require a backhoe, just the remarkably relaxing sweeping, bending, balancing, and stretching movements of a Soaring Crane qigong routine at Ballard’s Embrace the Moon (embracethemoon.com). Take just one in the series of 12 classes and you might find your mind is more quiet and your neck muscles less tense; master the Crane’s five routines and find that your dreams now take place on the banks of a peacefully flowing stream.
38. A little Sade and soft lighting never hurt matters either.
Women looking to reproduce should get to know folic acid (a B vitamin), which helps prevent birth defects, says Minh-Hai Tran, a nutritionist at NutritionWorks (nutritionworkseattle.com). It’s found in leafy veggies, beets, and citrus fruits. Men, meanwhile, should load up on vitamin E (in wheat germ and avocado), thought to increase fertility.
39. Feel Good Running.
You’ve heard tell of the legendary runner’s high, but did you know it’s been proven? In 2008, German scientists showed that exercise causes a rush of endorphins to the brain, explaining that stimulating bliss that comes after an intense workout. To get in on the buzz, join more than 400 joggers at the Seattle Running Company (seattlerunningcompany.com), which offers fun runs as well as race-training opportunities for the fast and furious.
40. Seattle’s active singles
look to Events and Adventures (localsingles.org) to meet other eligibles scurrying up rocks, bumping along bike trails, camping…. Wait, camping? Well, that’s one way to get to know each other quickly.
• We Tried It
41. The Bikram Challenge
We tried the first week of it, anyway. Every March and October hyper yogis stretch and strain their way through the Bikram Challenge, a month-long daily regimen of 90-minute hot yoga (and we mean hot—try 105 degrees), sponsored by Bikram Yoga at the Sweatbox (sweatboxyoga.com). Intense? Indeed. Here’s what I learned in my first week of daily yoga.
Watch where you plop that mat. Diehards sit closest to the front mirror so they can monitor their muscles unobstructed (watching yourself is helpful to the exercise); newbies head to the back where they are the focus of fewer eyes. No matter what, don’t make our mistake and sit directly underneath a heater. Oy.
Embrace lycra. Cotton tees and baggy shorts become a soggy burden when the oceans of sweat you shed make you wetter than a December day in Seattle. As for the I-feel-naked, That-dude-should-NOT-be-wearing-a-Speedo thoughts, just turn your concentration inward. This practice is about you.
Skip coffee, chug water—lots of it. Even without the caffeine you’ll get the shakes once the balance poses begin, and in no time your body dries out like a pruned veggie. Continue quaffing after class, or you’ll emit a Mountain Dew–colored stream when you go wee. While we’re on the topic of hydration: Never, repeat, never attend a session hungover. Shudder.
Be kind to yourself. One day you may breeze through the routine, the next you’ll barely be breathing. The challenge isn’t so much physical as it is mental—calming that naggy “I can’t do this, I can’t do this” inner voice is your first step to attaining long-term balance and peace of mind. —Christopher Werner
Published: January 2010
Hey gang, thank you so much for including me on your esteemed list! I am tickled. I’m taking my meatless 1x/week theme to the ext level in 2010— in the form of a cookbook! “Licking Your Chops,” a collection of 52 menus to help meat eaters take a break from eat 1x/week, will be published (Da Capo Press) right around Labor Day. Stay tuned! All best.
the Runner’s High is real! if you’re thinking about getting into running but are a little intimidated, Team in Training is a great way to start – the Seattle group has really helpful coaches, beautiful running routes, and tons of fun people to run with. And you raise money for a great cause (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). http://www.teamintraining.org/wa/
I’m nearing the end of Day 3 of the water cleanse, inspired by Karen Quinn’s story. So far, so good. Today is the first day with only water. I do find myself instinctively wandering into the kitchen to grab snacks, only to snap out of it as I’m reaching for the chips. Tomorrow at the exact mid-point I’m getting a deep-tissue massage, which has motivated me through the first three days. It will also help release some more toxins, I’m sure. Thanks so much for publishing this! I have never fasted before, and am so glad I gave it a try.
Jay—
Way to give the cleanse a try—I find “water only” to be two very intimidating words. The massage is a good idea though, good to think of ways to reward yourself when embarking on such a serious challenge. Congrats to you.
Those aren’t the only places to play volleyball in Seattle, check out sbvclub.com for more information.