Sometimes we have to carry illness with grace. By grace I mean deep acceptance and compassion for what our bodies are going through. While we may not be able to recover full health, grace gives us the courage to continue on when the path is rocky. Most of you know that three months ago, I had a kidney transplant. I was incredibly lucky. I found an altruistic living donor, an angel who gave me years of life and health. My transplant team couldn’t have nicer or more available. My nephrologist of twenty years assured me that he would help me get through whatever was in store for me. I have good health insurance and most of my medical costs were covered. And still, this has been a hard journey for me. I have moments of feeling fear and uncertainty. I still feel deeply vulnerable. I know that for the rest of my life I will need to be on immunosuppressant medication. As wonderful as my healthcare team is, I’m tired of medical appointments and blood work. I wish I no longer had to track all the numbers that determine my health. In these moments, I lean into grace. I count my blessings. I think of all the people who have touched my life. I have deep compassion for the 80,000 people in this country who are still waiting for a kidney. I have deep compassion for everyone who struggles with pain and chronic illness. Illness is a hard journey. It’s one that is not so much discussed. The miracle of medicine (and it truly is miraculous) comes with the cost of discomfort and a type of loneliness. I can count of one hand the number of people I know who have either been a kidney donor or recipient. In the midst of pain and discomfort, grace reminds me I am not alone. Grace reminds me that my life is worth getting the care I need. Grace reminds me that in getting care I’ll be able to help others in need. Grace reminds me that illness is a part of the human condition. The great thing about grace is that it’s always available. I encourage you to take a moment right now to tap into something that expresses life’s beauty. Maybe it’s an object, a place, a song or a piece of art. Think about an angel in your life. Someone who showed up when you were in need. If you feel lost or unmoored, feel the ground beneath your feet. Say these words to yourself, “I am loved. I am cared for. I am important. I am present in this moment. There is a spaciousness in life that holds me.” These are the ways that we find grace. If you need encouragement, do reach out to me. It you’ve had moments of grace in your life, I’d love for you to share them with me. May you find grace in your most challenging moments. From my heart to yours...
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Have you heard the term “glimmers?” In books I’ve been reading about trauma, it is the opposite of triggers – those instances when we feel anxious and afraid. Our brains are wired to look for and remember those moments as a way to keep us safe. We learn pretty early in life not to touch a hot stove and to look both ways when crossing the street. We also remember the highlights of our lives – things like weddings and graduations, travel to faraway places and professional successes. But what about the smaller moments when the world seems to align and we feel safe and well-regulated? Deb Dana, a licensed social worker, called these moments glimmers. Though she specializes in complex trauma, the idea of glimmers can be used in the treatment of chronic pain. What if we brought increased attention to the times when we’re feeling physically good? Moments during the day when pain subsides. And what if we wrote down how we were feeling in those moments? To help you do this, I’ve created a file called “Tracking Glimmers.” You can download it by scrolling down on my forms page located here. Try using it for a week. Does anything shift for you? Feel free to send me an email and let me know what your experience is like. May you have more glimmers as you go through your day! One of the real gifts of going through a kidney transplant, aside from the obvious, was being told that healing would take time.
No one expected that I would feel fine right away. They told me that I would have medical appointments and blood work each week for a month and physical therapy twice a week. After that initial month, PT would end and appointments would be every other week, then monthly. Because I was given this information, I was able to have reasonable expectations while I was going through the healing process. I could plan on taking time off from my practice to heal. When I felt like crap, I could tell myself that in a week or two, I would feel better. Having time was a real luxury. It’s one that I encourage you to lean into if you are struggling with illness, pain or distress. But how to do this in a 24/7 fast-paced world with all kinds of obligations? Here are my recommendations: -Make realistic expectations about the amount of time it will take to recover Begin by letting go of the need to recover immediately. Talk to your healthcare providers for some guidance. If no one knows the timeframe, begin by giving yourself a few weeks if you’ve suffered a minor injury and a few months for something more severe. -Get curious about what’s actually going on in your body It’s helpful to take stock. Write down a list of what symptoms are bothering you. If you’re more of a visual creative type, make a drawing of the areas where you feel pain. -Spend time each day engaged in something that leads towards your health Many injuries and bugs heal on their own. Initially, rest may be what your body needs most. Give yourself time for that. If you’re still not feeling better, there is a good chance that you’ll need to do something – contact a nurse or doctor, reach out to a complementary practitioner, do some gentle stretches, make some changes to your diet. In addition to these practical steps, it’s important to be in the right mindset. Set aside 5 minutes every day to imagine yourself feeling better. Before my transplant surgery, every time I was exercising on my bicycle trainer, I would imagine doing this post transplant. (I felt so great when that actually happened!) The brain and nervous system want you to befriend them. They function better when you give them care and support. -Add comfort to your life. Do something that brings you joy. Listen to a favorite song. Light a candle. Take a warm bath. It’s important to have moments where you feel good even in the midst of illness. -Prioritize your obligations. While your recovering, there will be many things that will go by the wayside. It’s important to choose what you absolutely need to do and what you can put aside for when you’re feeling better. When you consciously do this, you’ll feel more in control and less overwhelmed. -Track your progress Your body is always giving you information. Pay attention to what it is telling you. The easiest way to do this is to write down what you are experiencing. In my practice, I offer a booklet that I call “Roadmap to Health,” which contains monthly and weekly calendars. It’s helpful to have something that tells you your progress in a glance. Here’s a link to my booklet. Your favorite journal will also work. Feel free to share with me a time that you recovered from an illness or injury. And if you are still struggling, know that you can reach out. With you on the journey… Bonnie Life sometimes throws us curveballs. If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve encountered illness, pain or emotional discomfort -- often all three at once.
This recently happened to me when it became apparent that my best chance for a long and healthy life was a kidney transplant. On my own, I honestly couldn’t imagine it. It seemed like my doctors were suggesting the equivalent of space travel to Mars. It took me many months to get to the place of acceptance. I didn't know how to get there when all I wanted was for the problem to go away. Here's what I learned from this experience. The road to acceptance has these components: reaching out to other people, getting accurate medical information and trusting in something greater than ourselves. I think each component is important. Trust without medical knowledge limits us, as does knowledge without a support system, and support without trust. Here are my tried-and-true thoughts about each component. Reaching out to other people: Whatever you are going through, someone else is going through as well. Perhaps not in the exact same way, but close enough. To find a kidney donor, I had to go public. This was a challenge, but the benefit was the gift of years of prolonged life and health. You may not want to share the details of your health so publicly, but do reach out to the people you love and trust. You don’t know where you’ll find the resources that you need. People absolutely want to be helpful if they can be. I’m not a huge social media person, however, FB has a moderated group of 20 thousand people who have had or will have a kidney transplant. They answered my questions, shared their experiences, celebrated kidney transplant anniversaries. They made me feel less alone. There are non-profits whose mission it is to help people struggling with an illness. Reach out to an organization for information and support if you have chronic pain, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. I eventually found a donor through, Renewal, an organization that helps facilitate kidney donation. Getting accurate medical information: Check reputable websites like the following to learn about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/back-pain https://draxe.com/ Get more than one opinion, particularly if you have a serious condition. If everyone tells you the same thing, you’ll feel more confident about your treatment. Get clear on your options. Often treatment is about trade-offs. Medications and surgery have potential side-effects. Find out the risks and benefits of various treatments. See if acupuncture, life style changes and other forms of complementary care might be able to treat the problem or reduce side-effects of treatment. Trust in something greater than yourself. Whatever your personal religious or spiritual beliefs are, we are part of a living, breathing ecosystem. There is a life force that sustains us. The ancient Chinese called this force qi. We are alive because our bodies are designed to take in air and food and water. We live in an interconnected web of life. Sickness is a part of this web, but so is healing and health. Before we learn to speak and walk and conceptualize things, we are living creatures who breathe without effort, eat and poop. We catch a virus and generally we recover. Outdoors the sun rises and sets, the seasons change, plants grow and produce food. And all of this happens by design. I find it helpful to lean into this design during times of pain and uncertainty. To feel the support of a life force greater than ourselves. To give ourselves over to that force without attachment to outcome. There is a kind of surrender that allows us to accept whatever may happen. In this state, all is well. (Note: Getting to acceptance takes time for most of us. Stay the course.) If you belong to a religious organization, talk to the clergy there. If you don’t belong but feel like you need spiritual support, most clergy will talk to you. If you are hospitalized, there are chaplains on staff. If you love nature, go sit or take a walk in the woods. I spent many hours at Mount Tom and Arcadia “talking” to the trees, “telling” them I would be back after my surgery. Do whatever makes you feel whole, go to wherever you feel safe. If you are sitting, feel how the chair holds and supports you. If you are standing, feel the ground beneath your feet. The road to acceptance is bumpy and non-linear. Some days are easier than others. If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed because of a health condition, please do reach out to me. I’m happy to have a conversation to offer support and ideas for what steps you might want to take. To each of you, I send out this wish, “May you find peace, may you find healing, may you find ease, may you find alignment.” All my best, Bonnie Sometimes our lives need a little reset. I realized the importance of this when I took a day trip to Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. I left my house a bit frazzled. I was in a hurry and had just enough gas in the car to make it most of the way to Lenox.
Fortunately, after a pit stop in Lee, I arrived. Once I got there, my whole frame of mind shifted. I parked the car, put my phone in a locker and had a full day to do whatever I wanted to with no responsibilities. I took a dance yoga class, went on a mindfulness kayak ride and had a delicious lunch and dinner. The weather was beautiful and for that day life was easy and effortless. I truly felt cared for. When we’re busy and stressed out, it may seem counterintuitive to slow down. With so much to do, we tend to hurry and check off one more thing on our to-do list. But slowing down really helps us focus on what is most important. It helps us gain clarity. It resets our nervous system. We can then face our lives with more wisdom and grace. It’s summer and the world feels a little slower. I encourage you to take time off –several days or a week if you can. But even a day or an hour in a different setting can offer the benefits of rest and relaxation. That’s one of the reasons that acupuncture and craniosacral therapy can be so helpful. They give the body and mind time to relax, reset and rejuvenate. If you’re feeling like you could use some TLC, take a moment to schedule a free consultation or an acupuncture or craniosacral therapy appointment. It could be the first step to a life of more ease. With you on the journey… Bonnie I recently watched the movie "Air," the story behind Air Jordans and was drawn to the line "A shoe is always just a shoe until someone steps in it."
Our bodies are like that. For the most part, we share the same organs, muscles, tendons and body parts. These tend to work in similar ways. Our hearts beat, our lungs fill with air, our stomach and intestines digest food. We all have this in common. But the container that we live in is just that, a container. A group of living organs. I've been exploring for most of my life what it means to step into this container. What does it mean to become embodied? As I’ve explored this, I’ve found that listening to what my body is saying is an incredibly powerful thing. Stretching my spine every morning has gotten rid feelings of neuropathy in my legs. Strengthening the muscles in my legs has meant no more knee pain. Lifting weights at home has kept my bones strong. Eating foods that have a high nutritional content and taste good, has meant a healthier GI tract. Working with patients, I find that the same thing is true. As they gain an awareness of how to stand and move properly, their pain is reduced and their lives are filled with more ease. When they eat healthier, things like brain fog and acid reflux go away. This isn’t about rocket science, rather it’s small, steady changes that over time allow us to be more embodied, more conscious of our experience in our physical being. I continue to help people have this experience of living healthier by offering Japanese Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy and Wellness Counseling. If you are interested in improving your health, here are 2 ways to get started.
Here’s to your good health and happiness! This is a follow-up to last week's blog. Here’s why something as simple as walking outdoors for 20 minutes each morning can radically improve your health.
If you’ve tried to start walking or exercising and haven’t been able to continue with a steady practice there are some tricks to keep you motivated. Take a look at my blog, "Creating One New Habit." . If you aren’t able to walk because it causes pain, consider scheduling a free ½ hour consultation with me. We can talk about ways that treatments can help reduce inflammation, lower pain levels and get you more relaxed and on track to achieve your treatment goals. Know that I’m here to support and guide you on your journey to health! Sending healing energy… Bonnie A patient of mine inspired me to send you write this blog. She agreed to allow me to share some of her story.
We’ve been working together for just under 6 months focusing on stress management and better sleep. In addition to treatments, this patient decided to make 2 simple lifestyle changes. She began walking outdoors for 20 minutes each morning and gave up caffeine. She reported feeling better overall and experiencing less stress. She particularly noticed this on her drive to work in the morning. Wondering why this is? In this email I’ll talk about the role caffeine plays in the body. Next week I’ll send an email describing the benefits of walking. Caffeine is a stimulant. Some people can drink it without any ill effects and studies show that it has health benefits. However, for other people caffeine Interferes with sleep and can cause high blood pressure. For people who have sleep issues, anxiety, heart problems adrenal fatigue, or diabetes; coffee can be problematic. It triggers the release of adrenaline and may impact hormones and disrupt neurotransmitters. Also, coffee is often used as a substitute for a good night’s sleep and can be addictive. The best way to know if coffee is having an adverse effect on you is to take a three week break from drinking it. You may want to take five days to do this to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Each day drink 25% less caffeinated coffee than you did before. Then spend three weeks drinking only decaf and herbal teas. During this time, track your sleep, level of anxiety and energy. If your feeling sluggish, stressed out or generally unhappy, I offer treatments that help you relax in addition to recommending simple lifestyle hacks that will have you feeling better, more confident and empowered. Feel free to schedule a free half hour consultation or check out my website for information on insomnia and suggestions on how to get a better night’s sleep. Here’s to your good health and happiness!! Bonnie Exercise is good for you because it lowers blood pressure, increases your “good” cholesterol (HDL) and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. It can prevent stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety and arthritis. In addition to all these benefits, exercise can also become your friend. Something that you can turn to when you’re upset, uncertain, not sure what to do next. It’s also one of the most powerful ways of caring for your body, mind and spirit. And the more your body knows that it’s being cared for, the better it performs, the better you feel, the more trust you build with yourself. For a lot of folks, putting an exercise program in place is a difficult experience. That’s why I’m writing this for YOU. I'll take you through all the steps before you actually start to go to the gym, work out at home or take a yoga class. Start by adding to your calendar exercise check in on May 1st. This gives you enough time to get prepared, gear up and begin an exercise program. Before that date, perhaps even now, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions. 1)Introvert or Extrovert? Do you crave quiet time by yourself or do become energized in the presence of others? Quiet, introverted types like myself benefit from alone time while they hike, swim, walk or find a good online yoga or Pilates class. Extroverts will get added joy from the comradery that exists in yoga classes, water aerobics, or by joining a rowing club, soccer team or playing pickle ball. Ambiverts may want to go to the gym where there is a certain amount of companionship or find a walking buddy. 2) How much time do you have? The recommended daily allowance is 150 minutes of moderate exercise a day. That translates to roughly 20 minutes a day, 30 minutes 5x a week, 50 minutes 3x a week. Take a look at your schedule and see if you can fit this in. Remember, something is always better than nothing. Even setting aside 5 minutes a day of movement can be beneficial. When you decide when you’ll be exercising, set aside blocks of time on your calendar. 3) What local resources are available? We live in an area where the great outdoors is always available. Think about what other resources there are either close to home or work. Ask friends and colleagues what kind of exercise they do and what places they recommend. Here are some friends who teach movement from a mind/body perspective: Donna Brooks Using somatic movement therapy and yoga therapy I can help you gently and safely circumvent trouble areas in your body and mind restoring your ability to walk briskly, exercise safely and get in control of your body. My clients regularly report long term pain relief and increased mobility with agility. One on One sessions and small group classes are available. 413.230-1260. Contact@originalbodywisdom.com. www.OriginalBodyWisdom.com Andrea at Autoimmune Strong Autoimmune Strong is run by Northampton local Andrea Wool. It's an online fitness resource for people living with autoimmune disease and chronic illness. Check out www.getautoimmunestrong.com for more information. Michele Lyman www.serenityyogastudio.net General email: info@serenityyogastudio.net General phone: 413-271-3842 Owner: Michele Lyman Michele@serenityyogastudio.net 413-563-3678 Learn more about Michele here: www.serenityyogastudio.net/michelelyman. What we do: At Serenity Yoga we believe that all beings should have access to the life-changing practice of yoga. We strive to create a peaceful and compassionate environment where you are encouraged to explore and grow your practice. We want you to do what feels good, fully embrace your personal journey and let go of expectations. You will be supported and welcomed for exactly who you are from the moment you walk in the door. We are real people doing real yoga with our real bodies. Schedule: https://serenityyogastudio.net/class-schedule Shraddhā Yoga Shraddha Yoga is a pay from your heart yoga center that offers weekly drop-in classes, private sessions, workshops, trips to India and teacher trainings in-studio in Hadley and online through zoom. Their offerings include postures & movement, embodiment practices, breathing practices, meditation, philosophical/spiritual teachings, grief support and support for the child-bearing years. https://www.shraddhayoga.org/ Corinne Andrews, Owner/Director corinne@shraddhayoga.org 215-870-4650 4) Online or in-person? Do you prefer the convenience of a class you can do at home, or do you crave being in the same you as other people? We have so many options available on the Internet today, so it’s important to choose what is right for you. 5) What’s your budget? Many exercises can be done for free. Walking is a great example. Even with that you’ll need to buy comfortable, walking sneakers. Other activities require shelling out some cash – a gym membership, buy skis or a bathing suit. Set aside some funds to use to support your exercise costs. 6) Indoors or outdoors? This is really important. We live in New England. If being outside in the cold is not your thing, you’ll need to find an indoor class, a gym or an activity you can do at home. 7) What equipment do you need? Make a list of stuff that you will need to be comfortable exercising. Sneakers, comfortable clothes, weights, skis, kayaks, a bicycle, etc… Give yourself time to get these things. 8) Same or different? Do you like to do the same exercise routine every day or are you looking to mix things up? This is important so that you either don’t get bored or have too many scattered plans. 8) When will you begin? Pick a day. The begin. See how it goes. Take a look at my blog Create One New Habit in the New Year for some inspiration. And remember, you got this! As we approach the new year, I’m reminded of something I learned 30 years ago when I was struggling with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and I began a lifelong journey towards health. There is always a path forward. It’s not an instant cure or a guarantee of life without pain. Instead, it’s way to find more ease, more joy, less discomfort. At times, this is hard to believe. Life can throw us curve balls and it may seem difficult to find light in times of darkness. What’s true is that light is always there. When I was in acupuncture school, I was taught that, in ancient times, the herbs a person needed would grow just outside their home. I believe that this teaching remains relevant. The things we need to heal are close by – in the food we eat, the exercises we do, in the quieting of the mind, in the restorative power of sleep, and in the arms of the people we love. Life gets busy, stressful, and often we forget our own miraculous ability to heal. I’m in my 60s now. My body is less forgiving than it once was. Yet when I listen to it, I’m constantly finding ways of renewed health. You can too! My work has always focused on small, sustainable changes that lead to improved health and well-being. Here are my top 8 suggestions for 2022 to live a life filled with health & happiness, all of which are low-cost and readily available. 1) Eat more vegetables. The easiest way to incorporate this suggestion is to add a serving of vegetables to your diet every day. Choose something that is not part of your current diet. I recommend adding a vegetable to your midday meal. Soup, roasted vegetables, and stir-fries are all good choices. See my food blog for recipes. 2) Take a walk. This is one of the easiest forms of exercise. Remember to wear a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots. Walking offers the benefit of movement along with an opportunity to experience the healing powers of the outdoors. Here are some places in Western Massachusetts. 3) Buy a buckwheat pillow. I recommend this to my patients who experience neck pain. A buckwheat pillow conforms to the shape of your neck and offers support. No more waking up with a stiff neck! Here are recommendations for what to buy. 4) Get some extra fiber. We should be getting a least 30-50 grams of fiber a day. Fiber is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits & vegetables. Even when we eat these foods, we often don’t get a s much fiber as we need. Add a tablespoon of this prebiotic fiber to your diet. 5) Relax your muscles more. I don’t love the term stretch. Stretching is thought of a something that we tack on to our exercise routines. I think of strength training and aerobic exercises as activities that contract and strengthen muscles. Muscles that are constantly in a contracted state end up causing pain and discomfort. Muscles need time to relax. Think of stretching as having a conversation with the tight parts of your body. Breathing in to restricted areas and allowing them to relax creates a life filled with more ease. My personal favorite way to do this is with a Pilates on the Ball workout. Pilates on the Ball DVD Pilates on the Ball Book & DVD 6) Cut back or eliminate processed foods, sugar, diary, caffeine and alcohol. Processed foods are devoid of the nutrients that our body needs to function optimally. Sugar creates inflammation in the body. Diary can cause overproduction of phlegm. Studies show that caffeine offers some health benefits as it is rich in anti-oxidants, but I see many patients who are revved up from coffee and have trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Alcohol turns to sugar in the body and heavy drinking is associated with increased risk of death. While there isn’t a one-sized-fits-all recommendation for intake of these foods, most people are better off either eliminating them or making sure they’re used occasionally and consciously. I absolutely believe that we should enjoy the food we eat and not feel like we’re depriving ourselves. There are so many healthy, nutritious meals. Take a look at my Yummy, Healthy Food Blog 7) Start a meditation practice. This requires no special knowledge or equipment. You just slow down, go inside and sit with what is. Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that each of the 5 main organs has a corresponding positive and negative emotion and when these emotions are in balance this leads to better health. Listen to my 5 element 5 organ meditation and find this balance. 8) Practice gratitude. The more you count your blessings, the more blessings you will find to count. Our nervous systems are wired to look for danger, which is a survival mechanism. But trust me, most of the time immediate danger doesn’t exist. When we retrain ourselves to look for beauty, joy and appreciate the good things in our life, we have the ability to experience a paradigm shift. The world can become a safe and forgiving place. Here’s one way to begin a gratitude practice. One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that the path forward is not a solitary one. We humans are wired to need connection with each other. None of us live in isolation. If you find yourself struggling, reach out to a trusted friend or family member. You might be surprised to learn that they are going through something similar to you. Shared pain is pain halved. If you’re looking for additional support, I offer free ½ hour consultations to new patients or those who haven’t seen me in a while. Simply, schedule one here: https://www.bonniediamond.com/free-consultation.html Remember, we’re all in this grand experiment we call life together. Sending blessings for the holiday season and the new year! Bonnie |
AuthorIn practice for over 20 years, Bonnie Diamond offers individualized, heart-centered care using a pain-free, Japanese style of acupuncture. Her work is influenced by her nine year struggle with and complete recovery from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Archives
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