If your life is feeling a little like you’re forcing shit up hill right now (and I think some of us have so far this year), you might like to reflect on this: Sukshma.
Photo by Aquabumps
In Sanskrit it means “subtle”. Actually, it means more than that…it’s to touch life “innocently, faintly and effortlessly”. It softens. It allows compassion.
Like when a child touches your arm when they come out at night to tell you they can’t sleep.
I was taught this term when I first learned to meditate. Sometimes, when you meditate, you can go at it aggressively, forcing yourself (with internal berating) back to your mantra or third eye or candle flame or whatever when your mind wanders. And you get grumpy with yourself for “not doing it right” and not being able to stay focused. But this is highly unuseful in meditation. It kinda ruins the vibe.
My teacher taught me to try instead to return to focus with sukshma. Sukshma is a gentle steering, like we’re merely turning our head gently from the action over there to the left of us, back to centre. Gently and kindly.With no expectation of outcome. It’s feather light.
Lately I’ve been applying sukshma beyond meditation. And this, of course, is the point of meditation – to take the consciousness you foster in meditation out into the world. Who wants to stay in the cave on the bloody mountain, I ask you?! (Indeed, I asked the Dalai Lama the same and he agreed as much.)
I tend to internally berate and bludgeon myself with all kinds of silent but violent verbal abuse. It’s pretty non-stop. You’re either a carrot or a stick person. I’m a stick person. It’s got me places with my career. But at a cost. Part of that cost is a friction.
I’m always banging my little square self into round holes. The friction hurts.
Some might not call this cooking. Some, of course, might.
Regardless, I do like to challenge myself to prepare food with the least number of steps and ingredients as possible, and using everyday things around the supermarket aisle. Life is smoother with less. And with ingenuity.
I thought these might inspire you to come up with your own. In the spirit of simplicity, I’ve reduced the instructions to a haiku poem (remember these are the haiku rules: three lines of up to 17 syllables and use of a season word). Feel free to supply yours below…
Some of you have asked me about how I’ve made my (many, many) transitions in life. How I’ve changed careers, towns, life approaches.
I’ve been asked, variously: how do you know when it’s time to move on? How do you pick that delicate juncture between opportunity lost and opportunity ready to be gained? How do you know what’s right? How do you… know?
Often it looks like I just jump, often from a grand height. I guess I do. But in the past few years it’s been to the beat of some pretty cool imagery I was given a few years back. I thought I’d share it.
You see, I used to see a “spiritual coach” (called, appropriately, Sky) years ago. I was editing Cosmopolitan at the time and I charged Sky with “grounding me” and keeping me real in a world that I really didn’t want to get lost in. We had a weekly appointment on a Thursday.
When it came time, four years in, to leave the job I had a really tough time making the decision. Not that anyone knew.
I was really unwell (I had adrenal collapse and hashimotos, but didn’t realise) and struggling, but it was a friggen great job. Should I dump everything – quit my job and enter the unknown? Surely it has to be better than the quagmire I was dragging my limbs around in. Or do I persevere? After all, most people just have to. They have kids and mortgages and dropping out of a job just isn’t an option they can consider. I envied their lack of choice. Was I being indulgent?
It was the unknown bit that daunted me. The lack of guarantees.
And the fear that I was being unnecessary. That the starving children in Africa didn’t fret they were living an existential lie.
I remember thrashing it out with Sky: What if it’s just me and not the circumstances…and I quit my job and things only get worse? Because what if I had this wrong? What if life really was about getting a secure footing on the conveyorbelt and neatly passing from school to job to partner to holidays in Port Macquarie? What if this is as meaningful as it gets?
What if I’d overcomplicated things and when I do pursue the unknown, it’s no better? Wherever I go, there I am. A cloud of over-thinking and deliberation in my wake.
It’s not quite winter but it’s already getting chilly. Time to get set up on your bike. We asked Joyce from Cycle Style to give us some tips:
The mornings and nights are getting darker, windier and colder – but that’s not a reason to hibernate with your bike. If Dottie can ride through the frigid Chicago winters, so can we! (This bike blogger is my winter cycling hero, check out her beautiful Flickr stream)
In my view, cycling through winter is the best fun – the air is exhilarating, pedalling warms you up in a jiffy, there are fewer cyclists on the road and let’s face it, winter fashions are more chic. All that incidental exercise also helps keep off the winter weight when you indulge in another helping of molten chocolate pudding.
Here are my top 5 tips for how to cycle your way stylishly through winter:
Wear layers. The key to stylish winter cycling is to layer up in fabrics that breathe. My favourite base layers are garments made of merino wool and bamboo – they are thin, wick sweat, don’t smell and feel great against the skin. Check out the range from New Zealand’s Icebreaker.
Accessorise with panache. Scarves and gloves will be your best friend in the cold, as they keep you warm during the initial chill and can be easily taken off on the bike at the lights as you warm up. We stock lovely scarves and gloves by one of Australia’s last remaining knitting factories, Otto & Spike and crochet
Heard of the alkalising diet? It’s not really a diet… it’s a way of eating. It entails leaning towards foods that help to alkalise your body. I like to lean. As opposed to doing a violent about-face with my eating. Essentially, diseases – like cancer and AI – can’t exist in a fully alkalised system. The closer you can get to this utopic state, the better you’ll be. Simple.
Alkaline Sisters’ kale salad, recipe below
I’ve done this before, when I was 21. I had Grave’s disease at the time. After three months of eating acid-free (nothing from a can, no deadly night shades – mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes – etc), I was healed. Seriously. I avoided radioactive iodine treatment, put on weight again and got on with my life.
This post has been updated:
Where does this sit with my eating today? And where does it fit with Paleo eating? As per my post last week, my take on Paleo eating is this: I eat a stack of vegetables – mostly greens – dairy in moderation, and eggs and meat in moderation as well. This still fits with an alkaline mentality, but is not strictly an alkaline diet. But I don’t stick to any diet, I choose my own way. The main thing I take from the alkaline diet is lots of vegetables, especially green ones, no sugar, no processed foods, no trans fats. Which is also Paleo in it’s thinking.
I thought I’d get The Alkaline Sisters to share a bit of a 101 and some recipes. Jo grilled Julie recently:
Why should we be alkalising our bodies?
Alkalizing or ‘balancing the pH of your body’ will provide your body with a level of nutrition that it can use to maintain optimal health.
it is vital for our survival to maintain a blood pH of 7.365
There are other varying pH levels within our body that also need to be maintained, but have greater fluctuation, like our urine. They reflect quite directly the food we consume. A poor diet is very taxing on your body as it has to constantly maintain homeostasis, which it undergoes at all times, struggling to obtain alkalizing nutrients from organs and bones thus depleting their necessary stores.
What does too much acid do to our bodies?
A prolonged acidic diet will eventually make small incremental changes to our blood, making it more acidic. Even the smallest variation in our blood = big problems. An overly acidic body provides a perfect breeding ground for bacteria & disease.
bacteria & disease, especially cancer cells, cannot thrive in an alkaline body
Immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis – which is an acid build up in the joints, an imbalance of the pH of the blood – can be relieved if not resolved.
How to eat alkaline – in a nutshell?
Enjoy lots of alkaline foods and minimize acidic ones.
80% alkaline, 20% acidic foods each day is ideal
unless you already suffer from disease, then one needs to super alkalize until you resolve the issue. Our bodies were designed to heal themselves, but can only do so when they are provided with wholesome nutrients that will nuture this process.
Is it more than just food?
Those of us who eat incredibly healthy may still lead very stressful lives, which constantly leaves our bodies in a fight or flight mode of stress. This hormonal response was designed for us to deal with sudden short occasions of stress as in our ancestors when they encountered dangerour situtations ie a bear or a tiger to tackle or run from. This fear also causes our bodies to secrete acidic fluids that then need to be balanced. Getting a handle on your stress will make a huge difference to your health.
Activities like yoga, meditation, long walks, pampering baths, quiet reading and healthy relationships is the other half of the battle in maintaining a healthy body for a life of longevity, free of disease
What are your top five tips for alkalising?
Veggies, veggies and more veggies! Veggies are whole foods minus the extreme sugars that feed disease, and are packed with the nutrients from the soil- that are meant to be transferred to our bodies via our crops. Choose organic to be sure that you get the maximum nutrients possible, as organics pack 25% more nutrients
I dunno, perhaps Thelma & Louise are to blame. But every woman I knows loves the idea of donning a head scarf and taking off with a girlfriend. For an unbridled adventure. Rooftop down.
I’ve been hankering for a while, and lo! I was contacted by the town of Daylesford in Victoria and invited to come tour the region and… eat. The region is renowned for its ethical, locavore, organic and “slow food” eating. Meredith cheese, Istra Smallgoods, mushrooms, rabbit, hare, berries, venison, pork, duck, beets…I could go on.
Too many boxes here to ignore. So it was a yes from me. And how lovely that it all came just as I found myself in Melbourne (see my smooth flow rant from yesterday!).
Morning mistiness at Hanging Rock
I’m going to share a bunch of photos here and tips for doing the same trip. The photos are too good not to include a lot. My mate Marija took them. She’s good at such things. And the headscarves were her idea. And the cabbage idiocy…more in a moment.
Some basics for a Slow Foodie Road Trip to Daylesford:
How far is it? Just a little over an hour from Melbourne
What route to take? We went up the Calder and flung off to Hanging Rock for a walk first, then trundled in to Trentham (about 15 minutes), then on into Daylesford (another 20 minutes).
What time of year is best? Right now is beyond good. Autumn is Daylesford is elbow-your-mate-in-the-ribs-over-and-over-in-astonishment beautiful, plus it’s foraging time. Plus, the Harvest Festival is on April 27-May 6. Spring is also bountiful.
What to bring? Head scarves. A very funny friend who likes to eat as much as you do. A fun car. We took a Jeep. Walking shoes. And togs…for the spas. And wooly socks for the chilly nights (it gets coooooold up here at night, but is deadly crisp and sunny during the day). Oh, and heaps of face moisturiser. It also gets dry.
Also bring...green shorts!
Other tips? Factor in some bushwalking while you’re there (more on this below). In part to burn off the food. But also because the area offers some of the most scenic meanderings through dense Picnic at Hanging Rock-ish bush and mineral spa-ish Autumnal forest.
It’s an e-cookbook of super simple sugar-free recipes.
It features a number of incredible contributions from some famous chefs and food folk I know you love, plus some e-tricks that will make the experience quite a bit of fun to read.
It will land on virtual “shelves” in a few weeks; you won’t miss it. But if you’d like advance notification, and to receive an introductory offer, sign up here (I promise we won’t be emailing you about anything else if you do!).
There is one other thing I’d like to share for now….about the making of the book…the way it’s just flowed into place. It went a little like this…
For the past year I’ve been experimenting with sugar-free dishes and ideas…really just because it’s been fun to do so…
Around the time I realised I was ready to write another ebook, I also realised I had enough great recipes to share with everyone. Also around this time I met two great women: Faustina and Marija Ivkovic. I’d e-met Faustina (Fuzzy) on Twitter ages back…she and Marija were visiting Byron and looked me up…they cooked gluten-free dumplings for me…and we chatted about how we loved working on projects with good energy…and I mentioned my nascent cookbook idea…and they said, “We want to help you”…and…I resisted at first because I’m not used to such generous offers…but…
Hands down the biggest comfort to anyone with AI is to know the crazy-weird stuff they’re experiencing… isn’t so crazy-weird. Or at least, other people on the planet are going through the same crazy-weirdness.
image via ‘Sweet pics dude’
The whys and how comes of AI remain, largely and bloody frustratingly, a mystery. But ask anyone with the condition and they will no doubt have a gut or emotional sense of what it’s all about. I have AI because I have lessons I need to learn. I have to slow down and enjoy life more. I yearn this and so my AI is here to ensure I get it. One day.
Someone sent me the below “letter from my disease”. As always, if you don’t have an AI or chronic illness, bear in mind that an AI is merely an extreme version of the dis-ease I think so many of us are feeling. When you have an AI, the reminders of the dis-ease are just louder.
If you’re new to this blog, you might like to catch up on some auto immune and hashimotos reading here.
The letter was originally posted on a UK thyroid support group forum and has circulated a little. It struck me as uncanny how many AI phenomena it raises that I thought were just Me Things. Like:
* it rears its grim head on days when you’re looking forward to something
* it stems from a trauma. Yep, tick. Mine was a series of traumas that conflated.
* the Hashimoto’s roundabout ALWAYS involves seeing 23847239 doctors before you get something resembling traction.
This is just a fun post…but with some helpful shares. I love this kind of thing.
1. Store things upright
I love these ideas developed by artist Jihyun Ryou, using sensible “Grandma says it’s so” food storage concepts that save things longer, better.
Veggies grow in the ground standing up, so goes Jihyun’s explanation, based on traditional oral knowledge. Thus, they’d be happier waiting to be eaten while standing up, too, yeah? The sand also helps keep the right level of humidity to keep them fresh.
2. “Plant” your shallots
I personally do something similar to the above. When I buy a bunch of shallots (green onions), I store them in soil outside – in a pot among my herbs or flowers. They keep this way for months and I simply pull out a stem at a time. My Mum taught me this one.
3. Use your apples…
This one makes sense, too. Apples muck with other fruits and veggies (“one bad apple…”) so it’s good to keep them separately. The ethylene gases make carrots bitter, for example.
BUT, with potatoes – apples keep them from sprouting. So, store together, no?
So, so, so many people around me have hormone issues and fertility challenges. It breaks my heart. The sense of loss is palpable. I recently read stats from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare that at least 1 in 4 (and it’s getting closer to 3) women in Australia will not have kids…this is for all kinds of reasons that aren’t always about health.
image via pinmarklet
But it doesn’t take away from the fact that health is fundamental to giving an aging body the best crack at conception. Some of you might recognise Nat Kringoudis’ name from the forums. She’s a fantastic acupuncturist, herbalist, natural fertility educator, writer, blogger and natural health expert who’s devoted her career to helping people get their body baby-ready. Nat owns The Pagoda Tree, a natural health and fertility clinic in Melbourne, and I’ve asked her to share the best diet shifts you can make to get things on the right track….
Diet and lifestyles are major contributors to our growing fertility problem. Of course, diet won’t solve 100% of the problem but it will undoubtedly help your body get more fertile. Before I go on, know this. If you hear the word ‘fertility’ and back up a few steps, keep reading. Fertility doesn’t immediately equate to babies. Fertility is an extension of your health, the potential to conceive. It’s not limited to conception but extends to all reproductive health including health menstrual cycles right through to your bowel movements!
1. Pump up the protein
Your hormones are made up of fats and protein, and it is for this reason that we need to ensure we are getting enough animal and plant protein to support fertility. I’m talking 50% of each meal. Sounds a lot, but do the math – a serve of fish and salad or a quiche with salad. There you go. Not hard at all.
invest in a pea or rice protein powder to boost your levels and blend yourself a morning smoothie. I’m loving sun warrior brand for it’s quality.
add chia seeds to salads, smoothies and cakes – they are a complete meal! (highest plant based source of omegas, fiber and protein)
2. Never fear fat
As I mentioned, fats go in the mix to make up our hormones. When we rob our body of these vital ingredients, it goes into a frenzy and shuts down our reproductive functions. Let’s face it, we don’t need our fertility to survive. So ensure what’s on your fork has quality therapeutic fats – think oily fish and eggs (omega 3’s & 6’s), animal and plant fats (coconut butter, salmon, milk). Not only will your loins love you, your skin will show how kind you are being to yourself and your brain will tick like you’re five again.
Look no further than eggs. They will provide the best balance of fat and protein. Contrary to what you’ve probably been told, you can’t have too many. Ever.
3. Superfoods
These are the key to optimal health – and since your gut is the pivot of your health, maximizing absorption of vitamins and minerals is where it’s at. Get onto these superfoods:
Macca – high on my superfood list, it goes great guns on balancing hormones and enhancing libido. Pop a scoop into your smoothie, or sprinkle on your salad.
Use Mesquite – another superfood available from loving earth – to stabilize insulin, it’s the highest anti-oxidant on the planet. It’s important to balance insulin for reproductive health – especially in those with poly cystic ovarian syndrome and thyroid troubles.
Come one step further – Gubinge. It’s native to Australia and is the king of superfoods. You can get your hands
