Escape the Chaos» Health and Spirit – Escape the Chaos

Tiger Woods Photo for Sale

kathy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:21:59 +0000

So, a couple months ago at my son’s football auction, I was captivated by a photograph of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan on the golf course. I said to myself, that’s really cool. A picture of two of the most famous athletes on the planet. So, I put a bid on it and won. It was inspiring at the time, until…

Headline: “Tiger Woods fathered secret love child”

Headline: “Tiger Woods Impregnated Porn Star Girlfriend Twice While Wife Was Expecting”

Headline: “Susie Ogren: Tiger Woods Took Ecstasy, Hoped To ‘Get Me Into Bed’”

Well, that did it. The picture that was proudly posted on my living room wall now sits in the corner of my dining room floor facing the wall in an infinite time out. Just like Tiger.

“But we don’t wanna eat healthy.”

kathy — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:02:20 +0000

Seems like I am always in search of ways to become healthier…spiritually, mentally and physically. My latest quest is to eat healthier. I’ve always tried to make good choices when it comes to food, but after watching the movie King Corn, which I highly recommend, it made we want to particularly focus on eating more organic produce, grass fed beef, and especially cut out anything made with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and the other yucky stuff you find in a lot of products in the middle aisles of the grocery store. So, I visited the Whole Foods Market near our home. It’s like a Trader Joe’s on steroids and has a very healthy selection of products in every category. I must say…it was truly a joy to shop there. The food just looked fresher and healthier. Sure, the prices were a little higher than our regular grocery store, but in most cases the quality was significantly better and I don’t mind paying a slightly higher price to get a higher quality food.

The only problem is….my family isn’t on board with this whole “getting healthier” kick.

“Mom, this yogurt is gross. I like Trix® yogurt way better.”

“Yeah, and this cereal isn’t as good as Chocolate Chex®.”

Even my husband turned his nose up at the center cut nitrate-free bacon I got him without even trying it!!! Well, I’m not giving up. I’m still going to buy the freshest, healthiest food money can buy and MAKE them eat it. Even if it kills them!

Mother’s Day Forecast… Sunny & Bright

kathy — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:45:23 +0000

I love Mother’s Day! It’s a day when my family spoils me rotten, I don’t do any housework, and I just do what I want to do when I want to do it. I feel so, so…FREE! And this year was no exception.

The day started with my husband and children serving me a lovely breakfast in bed and showering me with flowers, kisses, and beautiful cards. Not a bad way to start the day. Then I came downstairs and was greeted by the face lick of my puppy and the melodic purrs of our two cats. I was definitely “feelin’ the love.”

In years past, I have joined my mother-in-law and sister-in-laws for their annual Mother’s Day pilgrimage for a weekend on Cape Cod. We have a great time shopping, eating out, and doing “woman things,” but this year, since I stayed home, I needed to come up with a different plan. It was a gorgeous day, so I decided I would go for a long bike ride.

My latest passion has been to take our new Canon SLR camera along on my rides. I really enjoy just pulling over and taking pictures of things that catch my eye as I “explore” the countryside. For me, it makes riding much more enjoyable and is more of a “spiritual adventure” rather than a workout. I feel like I’m taking the time to “stop and smell the roses,” something we busy mothers often forget to do.

Anyway, above is a shot a fellow biker took of me and my new friend in the beautiful town of Carlisle, MA. I think the smile on my face says it all.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

“Oh, my aching hips.”

ryan — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:07:30 +0000

Anybody else out there in the 40 set feel like they’ve got 80 year old hips? I don’t know what’s happening, but my hips are so stiff, if I don’t stretch for about 20 minutes in the morning I’m miserable. I don’t think this is anything too unfamiliar for my age group. Granted if I lost a few pounds and worked out a little more this anomaly would probably subside, but it’s much more fun to just complain about it.

Wanna join along? Just repeat after me, “Oh, my aching hips.”

Isn’t Yoga Supposed to be Relaxing?

ryan — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:06:45 +0000

I was invited by a friend to try bikram yoga one weekend. For those of you who aren’t familiar, bikram yoga is a series of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises performed in a room that is kept at 105 degrees. It’s also often referred to as “hot yoga.”

I had taken some yoga classes in the past and had always enjoyed them. I found it very relaxing, a good stretch, and always felt like it was a good way to start my day. So I was looking forward to taking the class. I must have been because I got up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning to go to it.

Anyway, when we got to the studio aptly named, Bikram Yoga in Nashua, NH, there was definitely an assortment of people there. The young , the old , the fit, the not so fit. There were a few other newbies there so I didn’t feel like I stuck out too bad. That was until we got started. The woman in front of me fell into the “fit” crowd and could bend her body in ways I didn’t think possible. I, on the other hand, had the only goals of not falling over or passing out.

The instructor stands at the front of the class and calls out the poses rather than demonstrating them. You need to pay attention and definitely need to watch someone to make sure you are doing it at least close to what is expected. I must say, after a while I was getting the hang of it and definitely appreciated the stretching aspect of it and surprisingly wasn’t bothered by the heat at all. After 90 minutes I felt renewed, revitalized and was basically pretty happy with myself.

Until the next day. OMG. I was sore from my toenails to the roots of my hair. Every part of me ached for two whole days!!! I don’t ever remember being sore from yoga ever before. I mean c’mon, it’s yoga, it’s supposed to be relaxing.

I haven’t been back yet, but I think someday I will. Despite the pain, I realize the benefits of the exercise and I’m sure the pain will decrease the more I practice it. I think everyone should try it at least once. It’s a great experience.

Namasté.