Sunday, March 17, 2013

So many ways of being old

I have felt unhealthy since I got back from New Orleans. Again, all the plans I was making, especially teaching an MBSR class on my own, I'm sure that now I don't have the energy for them. I cough a lot and it hurts my head. I am tired, whether or not I can sleep. Of course my diet went south and I haven't been exercising enough. The change in health could be simply because of this.

When I skyped with Cull in Singapore the other day, she was hacking her little head off too - allergies. Last night I took a Claritin before going to bed and I seem to feel better this morning, but who knows. There is a lot of construction around my house and there has been a lot of dust, which I am allergic to. (However, I cough while in other places too.) Then again my real coughing started on the day, or close to it, that they started construction next door...

My latest development in the decade+ of aging that has taken place in my body in the last year is my teeth. I've always had very healthy teeth. (A couple of years ago my dentist told me not to come back in six months for a cleaning, to wait a year.) Now, since the last, say, three months, I can see my gums receding and my teeth discoloring. The taste in my mouth is totally different, and I think why I am thirsty all the time, to get the taste out of my mouth, which never happens though it does get diluted. Short version: in the last three months, my teeth have gotten old. Healing with Whole Foods advises brushing with baking powder, which I did this morning. My mouth felt better.

My fingernails and toenails were also chipping and falling off in a new way for a while. That has kind of stopped I think. At least I have groovy hair.

I was saying the other day to someone: is that what aging is, more and more body maintenance until your entire day is full of it? For a while all you have to do is take a shower and eat occasionally, then it's medicine on the toes and yoga and teeth problems and hair on your face and allergies and asthma and medicines and teas and herbs and supplements and exercises for this and that...it takes all frickin' day.

We watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which I think you probably have to be into sushi (or at least eating fish) to enjoy.

I enjoyed leading the practice day yesterday. It wasn't perfect, but it was what I was able to offer. There is something about teaching which I really enjoy but I also find very challenging. It's not exactly the same as, but is perhaps derivative of, wanting to be liked. Yesterday I was not at all nervous which is unusual. I enjoyed being outwardly focused.

Someone gave me the book, The China Study, which essentially I think says to be vegan. I realized that while I don't think there's any more nutritional info that would be useful or news to me, I certainly need to be reminded about the importance of diet. Keeping very strictly low glycemic index - vegetables - whole grains - low fat might be beyond my capacity for discipline. And yet, these things are likely a big part of the reason I am still alive and relatively healthy.

Helpful chat with Danamaya about allergies/asthma. Tomorrow I'm going to buy a mattress cover and wipe my windows off with bleach. They are moldy (just on the inside). And see what effect that has. Also started vacuuming and dusting today but haven't gotten to my room yet.

Sorry if this post wasn't quite as riveting as you had hoped. Tired.

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