Journey XIV Week 17
Got Junk?
Mr. Blue Jay and the neighborhood albino squirrel. One of my favorite ways to relax, breathe and get rid of emotional junk is to sit at my kitchen table and look out the windows that overlooks my deck and backyard. I have a bird feeder that attracts a variety of birds and put pecans out to attract the squirrels. Last Friday, I enjoyed a magical nature moment when the blue jay sang loudly and the unique albino squirrel added more junk to his trunk by finishing off the handful of pecans I left for him.
“Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times its essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.” — Douglas Pagels
Action: Be aware of the junk you're taking on and storing. You have the power to eliminate all junk in your life. When you feel junk accumulating take long deep breaths, warm Epson salt baths, a restorative yoga class, yogic hip openers, quiet time in nature, or laughter with friends.
During last Friday's 6:00 a.m. yoga class on the dock, Amy focused on hip openers. Thankfully the temperature, setting and company was quintessential because we focused on hip openers—OUCH! The view somewhat distracted me from the pain I was experiencing due to the “junk in my trunk”. Amy informed us that we store stress, anxiety and emotions in our hips and yoga hip openers are one way to unload the junk that resides in our trunk.
The phrase “junk in the trunk” is comical, although when I think about the role our hips play in our daily lives, it makes perfect sense. With the exception of sleeping, our hips take on mounds of physical junk every second of everyday. Whether sitting, standing, walking, running, cycling, swimming, lunging, squatting, skipping, squeezing, lifting...you name it, they're always working. The good news is that if we open our hips, it will relieve the stress transfered to the knees and low back. We actually have greater range of motion in our knees and low back and are less prone to injury when our hips are open and flexible.
If physical stress isn't enough to make our poor hips cry, factor in the emotional junk such as anxiety, worry and fear. It's no wonder our hips, knees and low back pop, crack, are tight and cause us pain. Moreover, the most interesting part of this formula is when our body is under stress, we release cortisol (the fight or flight hormone), which is produced by the adrenal gland. Dr. Hing Hau Tsang says that “Small amounts of cortisol are a ‘good’ thing but the prolonged secretion of cortisol can have detrimental effects on the proper functioning of the body's cardiovascular, immune, neurological and metabolic systems. Too much cortisol for too long will lead us to develop a number of adverse health conditions. Elevated cortisol levels have been associated with increased appetite, weight gain, diabetes and depression. Elevated cortisol levels can have adverse effects on the immune system, memory, and sugar metabolism. Chronic stress has been found to be a major contributing factor in obesity. Cortisol is a potent signal to increase appetite and store fat. The increased cortisol in our body tells our brain that we're hungry, at the same time telling our fat cells to store as much fat as they can and hold on to it as tightly as possible. Chronic stress can lead to cravings for high fat, high carbohydrate foods such as cookies, candy and chips. This stress-driven appetite can lead to dangerous weight gain, primarily around the waist. This has caused 20% of American adults to become obese with a stress related condition known as metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by an excessive amount of abdominal fat, which increases the risk of high blood pressure, hear disease and diabetes.”
One year ago I experienced my own battle with cortisol and despite being joyful, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and feeling like I lived a stress free life, I had chronic body, low back and hamstring pain. I also had low energy, irregular menstrual cycles and had some extra junk in my trunk and belly. It was then that I decided to see Dr. Ulery for the first time. After a series of muscular tests he suggested that despite my joyful and optimistic spirit and “low stress life”, my body was experiencing chronic stress because I was in a constant state of fight or flight. As a result, I was secreting too much adrenalin—which was why my body hurt—had low energy, wasn't having regular menstrual cycles, and had seen the extra junk. In addition to a few dietary changes, he suggested that I get more sleep, turn the blackberry and computer off at least one hour before going to bed, enjoy at least two Epsom salt baths per week, take an AWESOME adrenal support supplement, and go to more restorative yoga classes.
Amazingly, within two weeks of following orders I could tell a difference and within one month I could feel significant improvements. My body felt much better, I had a menstrual cycle and now have regular menstrual cycles. The most amazing part of the process is I can physically see and feel when I am in my fight or flight stage—my junk accumulates and my symptoms creep back. The best news is I have control over the junk I let accumulate in my trunk, as well as my rising cortisol levels too.
We live in an era where busy equals success, taking a nap equals laziness, and saying no equals guilt. The results most often are overstimulated minds, chronically fatigued bodies, and apathetic spirits. Many to-dos and events are essential for us to accomplish and attend. Some stress and anxiety is justified, however the majority is not. Inevitably we're going to accumulate mental, physical and spiritual junk, and I encourage you to be aware of the junk you're taking on and storing because you have the ultimate power to eliminate the junk that stores in your trunk, belly and in your life. And when you feel junk accumulating I encourage you to take long deep breaths, enjoy warm Espom salt baths, a restorative yoga class, and yogic hip openers. If worse comes to worst we'll get the critters in the video to your house and see if they can't get you to get rid of your junk.
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