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Cheryl Thomas, RYT
www.cherylthomas.com yoga@cherylthomas.com 415-308-3377 |
Headaches and Migraines
(Part Two)
Is Coke the cure for a headache? Oh, we wish it were so easy. Last week I offered some information about headaches and migraines and some of the things that can contribute to their nasty onset. Unfortunately, there is no easy "cure" for headaches. Headaches are complex, they have a variety of causes. Some treatments work for some people some of the time. The trick is to find out what is causing them and how best to find some relief.
There is no test to figure out whether you have a headache or migraine or what caused it. You can diagnose yourself via keeping a careful diary of your activity or intake (including water) for 24+ hours before the headache. What makes it better, what makes it worse. You're looking for cause and effect. Or, as many do, you can go to your doctor. In your 15 minutes, which is all I think you get, you must offer enough information for the doctor to have a clue. Not "It hurt real bad so I took some aspirin and it didn't work", but what pain reliever did you take, how much, when, and how often. If you're vague and have only 30 seconds left of your allotted time, you'll find the doctor reaching for the prescription pad. That's it, you've got your drugs, but nothing is solved. Maybe that's what you want. Or, you can impress the hell out of your doctor and come ready prepared with the results from a thorough (according to Dr. Bernstein, "very" thorough) questionnaire you got from Promyhealth.org..
Maybe you've decided to go the over-the-counter route. Pain relievers, there are many You've walked down the CVS aisle and seen them all. I understand that Excedrin and Excedrin Migraine are the same thing, except with a different price tag. Why is Excedrin the preferred pain reliever? It's the caffeine. Yep, caffeine. It makes your pain reliever 40% more effective in treating headaches, just don't plan on sleeping. According to WebMD, caffeine also helps the body absorb headache drugs more quickly, bringing faster relief. Sounds like good news to me. Or, if you're a coffee drinker, just add a cup of Peet's coffee to the mix. FYI, many pain relievers actually cause headaches.(1) Dr. Bernstein recommended not taking any pain medication for more than 10 days.
So, what about Coke, as in Coca Cola? Interestingly, Dr. Bernstein suggested, not really joking, that a can of Coke can be an early intervention. I have no idea if he learned this from med school or one of his patients, but he says it's what he does. First, you take the can and put it behind your neck. The cold can and the pressure on the neck can help constrict the blood vessels, reduce inflammation and the pressure relieve neck tension. Then, drink it. The ingested caffeine, studies have shown, relieves pain, and the soda (bubbles) moves the caffeine into the system faster. So, that's what he said, anyway. I'll leave it to you to check it out.
I don't want to suggest that there aren't other methods to tame a headache. There's acupuncture, acupressure, herbs and massage as well as ayurvedic and homeopathic intervention. As always, I enjoy your comments and feedback. I learn from them and I just like hearing from you. Take good care and have a pain free week!
(2) Stay off the drugs: too many can cause you a headache
http://www.angelwellbeingclinic.co.uk/forum_post.php?id=61
Want to read some of my previous articles? You can do it here. Enjoy.
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Did You Know?
Tassajara in July anyone? I'll be assisting Britt Fohrman at her retreat, Listening to the Voice of your Body, A Gentle Yoga and Zen Retreat July 10-14. See below for info.
Next Sunday, June 30, I'm excited about the opportunity to teach for Shy Sayer at YogaOne in Petaluma. Class starts at 9:30 - 11:00. It's a beautiful studio and there Acre Coffee and Bovine Bakery nearby for an after class snack. I can barely leave Petaluma without some rosemary-lemon bread from Della Fattoria!
International singer, Jai Uttal, is coming to Sebatopol, bringing his kirtan passion on July 18 at the Dhyana Center. I've got my tickets. Get yours at Milk & Honey in Sebastopol.
Lucky Petaluma..... Anne O'Brien starts two classes as YogaOne on Kentucky Street. Find her on Saturdays at 9 and Wednesdays at 6 starting in July.
Are you a Trance Dancer? Halli Bourne, Certified Yoga Trance Dance Teacher, will be at YogaOne Petaluma on September 20. Sign up here.
Have PD or know someone who does? Parkinson's Disease can be greatly helped with yoga. Sebastopol's own Stephanie Lawrence is offering a class for those with PD at Yoga Center of Marin on Wednesdays from 12:30 - 2:00.
You heard it here. YogaOne in Petaluma is expanding to Santa Rosa in August. Heh, Santa Rosa! Located on Mendocino Avenue near College, Yoga One will offer a variety of classes all day long. I'll be on the schedule, yes me! I'll be offering two classes on Tuesday and Thursday around the noon hour). What a line-up! Ann Austin and Beth Robert will be on the schedule also. We're excited about offering yoga in Santa Rosa. More to come, of course.
Aren't we lucky! At Alive Yoga in Sebastopol is revered instructor, Tony Briggs. Alive Yoga is Liz Levy's studio a bit south of town in the center by Starbucks. He's there on Mondays from 9:30 - 11:00. See you there!
Pinch me. Not only do we have Mr. Briggs in town, but the much loved, Anne O'Brien, is starting 2 classes at Westside Yoga Studio in Sebastool. Find her there on Wednesdays 9:15 and 11:00.
Ann Austin is back and rockin' her challenging and inspiring classes at Move2Change at the Barlow (behind to Guayaki). Find out about all the classes and offering at M2C here.
Our one-and-only, Iris Lambert, with her brand of Irie Yoga, and her talented daughter, Glory, are leading a retreat to the Xinalani Resort (Mexico) in December. Looks amazing. More info here.
Get boatloads of yoga information and lots of free downloads from yoga online. Really, tons. It's a great resource for teachers and students. There's one NOW, Free,
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 Gentle Yoga & Zen Retreat - July 10-14 I have always wanted to go the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. It was founded by Shunryu Suzuki, the Japanese Buddhist priest who founded the San Francisco Zen Center, it is a place for western students to study Zen in a monastic setting. The monastery is open to guests from April to September. The setting is magical with hiking, hot springs and pool and vegetarian meals.
Imagine my excitement when the fellow restorative yoga instructor, Britt Fohrman, asked me to assist her at her Listening to the Voice of Your Body: A Gentle Yoga and Zen Retreat (thanks, Britt!). I'm getting relaxed just thinking about it. There are still a couple of spots open if you want to join us.
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 Lean In To Yourself Do you know Karen Gifford? If you're a regular at Thrive Yoga, you've seen her. Maybe you know her husband, Raj. Maybe you saw them both at our table at last year's Ceres fundraiser. She's co -founder of Broad Ventures Leadership with the "goal of supporting women to become exceptional forces of political, economic and spiritual transformation".Karen has written a smart article in the Huffington Post that I know you will appreciate, entitled Lean In To Yourself. Following the success of Cheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In, Karen brilliantly makes a compelling case for meditation and getting ahead. Read and share it. |
Geoguessr
Extra time I know you don't have. Yet you could "repurpose" some of the time spent watching America's Next Muppet or Face Off or Games of Thrones with another time eater. This time it's interactive, somewhat educational and something you can do with others, your kids for instance. It's Geoguessr, a game where you are put someplace in the world via Google Maps and you have to try to figure out where you are. You get points for getting close. It's helps to navigate to a road sign, if you can read the language.
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Susi Hately is a Yoga Therapist out of Canada that I've been following for some years. Her company Functional Synergy offers trainings with an emphasis on physiology and anatomy. In this video she discusses Lotus Pose or Padmasana. |
Volunteering Helps Older Adults
They really didn't have to tell us this, but it's nice to hear it again. Doing good for others is healthy for you, them, everyone. It's a win-win for all. Science Daily just reported on a study with the headline, "Volunteering Reduces Risk of Hypertension in Older Adults".
With hypertension or high blood pressure being the leading cause of death in the US, this study shows that older adults who volunteer for at least 200 hours per year decrease their risk of hypertension by 40 percent. Oh, sorry Big Pharma. Read the entire article here. |
Daily Dharma - Tricycle Magazine
June 21, 2013
When There's Still Time
Stop fighting with your family members, spouse, or friends. Start appreciating. Enjoy each other. Stop looking at the other's faults. Start to appreciate each other's qualities. Life is short. Even if you live one hundred years, how long will you live with all your faculties intact? The period we have to appreciate each other is quite limited.
- Gehlek Rimpoche, "An Interview with Gehlek Rimpoche"
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Be Happy on Friday's
Instead of shots of tequila and fried artichoke hearts, spend your Friday happy hour moving and grooving at an
most-levels vinyasa flow class.
On Friday's from 4:30 - 6:00, we'll end each week with an energetic vinyasa flow class. Through building heat from the inside, we'll strip out the stress hormones from the day. A long rest at the end of class will reset our nervous system and prepare us for our weekend.
You'll be done at 6:00!! That'll leave plenty of time for dinner with friends, a movie or a relaxing evening with your pooch. Or, maybe a Chia filled Kombucha or that 100% agave margarita!
NOTE: This class meets once a month at 5:30 - 7:00 due to teacher training. Check my calendar or Westside's.
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Get Your Girlfriends Together
It's fun to get friends together. Treat your friends to Yoga and Tea rather than Food and Booze. Inviting friends to come together for a Gentle or Restorative Yoga class is a perfect way to enjoy each other's company and do something good for yourselves. Many yoga parties end with tea or champagne and some munchies. Your friends will thank you!
Please call on me if I can help you book a private yoga class or answer any questions. I can be reached at cheryl@cherylthomas.com.
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Schedule of Upcoming Classes
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Week of June 23, 2013
Thursday
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