Flying High

The water store in Pacific Beach, San Diego is a frequent hangout spot of mine considering I need to refill my gallon sized water bottle almost every day. Not only is my waterman an H2O aficionado and my personal weatherman, he is as enthusiastic about his job as they come. He truly wants to spread clean water to one and all.

I asked him about the ionized alkaline water this evening ($3.50 a gallon rather than the usual 45 cents,) and he warned me that the quick cleansing effects might cause me to breakout! There are three levels of ionized water available: 1,2,3 and 4, 4 being the most alkaline. Waterman was hesitant to let me try level 3 my first time around because he didn’t want my complexion to suffer, or my sleep schedule to be disrupted from high levels of new-found energy. He even told us clients of his have worked up to level 4 only to have to step down again to level 3. This water is serious stuff. We agreed on level 3 with the promise that I wouldn’t drink it too fast. So J and I are here sipping away, wedding planning, law-school studying and having a grand old time. Sure, it may be the placebo effect, but who doesn’t love a placebo effect?! Either way gets results!

Alkaline Ionized water.

The claims:

“Alkaline water has a higher pH level than does tap water. Some proponents say that alkaline water can neutralize acid in your bloodstream, boost your energy level and metabolism, and help your body absorb nutrients more effectively. Others say that alkaline water can help you resist disease and slow the aging process. However, researchers haven't verified these claims. (Mayoclinic.com)

For most people, plain water is best.”

-Nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. of the Mayo Clinic.

Andrew Weil discusses on his website that the body maintains its pH and is not affected by outside substances.

“The health claims for water ionizers and for alkaline water are bogus. Save your money.”

-Andrew Weil, M.D.

Don’t know who Dr. Andrew Weil is? Definitely look him up! An amazing natural practitioner with so much knowledge and a wonderful author sharing his wisdom and paving the way for us each to find true health.

Her Butt probably needs to go just a liiiiittle to the left, right over the shoulders .

Pincha Mayurasanana (feathered peacock pose, forearm stand) is my favorite pose to practice/play with lately (the traditional pose is legs straight up.) By practice/play I mean exactly that; there is no destination, no perfection: it’s all about the ride. And if your shoulders are in anything but mint condition, and that’s a lot of us, than this pose is not for you, and guess what? You can live a happy, fulfilling, and complete life without this or any pose.

Pincha Mayurasana and many other inverted and flying pose take lightness and energy that I have been aiming to achieve through:

-Lots of (ionized alkaline) water

-Eating dinner early and not snacking late (a very hard habit for me to abandon)

-More meals in liquid form

I am very creaky in the morning so I practice harder poses before lunch when my body has been alive for a little longer. An empty stomach is important, and for most not-so-stiffies first thing in the a.m. works best.

I am fairly brittle and dry because I am primarily a VATA type rather than PITTA or KAPHA. Want to know your dosha? Look up AYURVEDA!!! Click for a DOSHA QUIZ! You’ll love it!!! It describes everything by its QUALITIES. We find homeostasis by treating our imbalances by treating the quality of the issue. Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga. (This link, Kripalu, is my mother-ship yoga school. I will be there for two weeks in May.)