So another day of activities in my life. I didnt get up to go to the class in the morning, but in the evening I walked from 8 to almost 10 o clock with a friend. The evening walk was extended as I had no other form of activity during the day. I hope to keep this up and stay ahead of the game in my commitment. This weekend would be interesting to see how much physical activity I get. I am about to go to sleep. I need to work on that next.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Social interactions help as well?
As I was reflecting on my new found spurt of growth, persistence, and commitment to stay active and focused, I am reminded of the various factors that may be influencing it.
Today, for example, I finished work and went to the gym for a run before my sessions. I usually plan to do that, but never end up doing it. I ran on the treadmill (dont hate because I did) for a while and came home. Clearly, the cognitive part of reading SPARK and understanding the interconnections of how all this works has definitely motivated me.
I need to find something other than running and spinning. The book speaks of finding more challenging tasks that involves learning finer skills will stretch and challenge more parts of your brain.
This past weekend, I was at Virginia Tech, surrounded by what I describe as a web of love, compassion, and care. I met the dearest and closest of my mentors, and influencers who changed my life for the better. I think that also has to do with the new found route of recovery this week.
Hopefully, with enough physical activity and commitment to change, we can all become like the zebra that does not have to think twice after being attacked by a lion.
Today, for example, I finished work and went to the gym for a run before my sessions. I usually plan to do that, but never end up doing it. I ran on the treadmill (dont hate because I did) for a while and came home. Clearly, the cognitive part of reading SPARK and understanding the interconnections of how all this works has definitely motivated me.
I need to find something other than running and spinning. The book speaks of finding more challenging tasks that involves learning finer skills will stretch and challenge more parts of your brain.
This past weekend, I was at Virginia Tech, surrounded by what I describe as a web of love, compassion, and care. I met the dearest and closest of my mentors, and influencers who changed my life for the better. I think that also has to do with the new found route of recovery this week.
Hopefully, with enough physical activity and commitment to change, we can all become like the zebra that does not have to think twice after being attacked by a lion.
Step 1 in Recovery
Last night's spin class took me on a good high. I was consistent and persistent through out the class. I hated it when the instructor played really bad music for a spin class. I love blue grass. But blue grass is the last genre of music I want to hear when I am in a spin class!!!
Besides the frustrations, I came home relaxed and fulfilled. Spark, the book and Lee, our professor reminds me that our bodies are meant to be pushed. The class was excellent, but it felt like I could have been pushed for more. I started noticing the effects on my body and mental state after the workout. I was clear headed, was ready to do tasks one by one as I had them laid out, ate a healthy dinner and went to work. I slept well at night.
Waking up after about 7 and a half hours of sleep felt good. Daniel had asked if there is a link between the gaba pills and sleep. May be there is, I am back on the pills again and this time, I am motivated to stay on.
Besides the frustrations, I came home relaxed and fulfilled. Spark, the book and Lee, our professor reminds me that our bodies are meant to be pushed. The class was excellent, but it felt like I could have been pushed for more. I started noticing the effects on my body and mental state after the workout. I was clear headed, was ready to do tasks one by one as I had them laid out, ate a healthy dinner and went to work. I slept well at night.
Waking up after about 7 and a half hours of sleep felt good. Daniel had asked if there is a link between the gaba pills and sleep. May be there is, I am back on the pills again and this time, I am motivated to stay on.
Recovery week ?
So, couple of changes has to happen this week. And some changes have already begun. I appreciate everybody's comments. I need to write, firstly shorter blogs. Apparently, longer blogs dont count for three. Lee really wants 3 blogs per week. So, I will have to double up for the weeks I missed.
Since Monday (yesterday), I have been on the physical activity trail for sure. I went for spin class yesterday. I have been reading the book Spark over the weekend and it has been more than motivating and exciting. The role of physical activity in learning and feeling better is well documented in that book.
I have never noticed how my body felt or how much more focused I am after a run or a work out session. I clearly do now. Yesterday was the first experience of that.
I will write more about that in the next blog about what happened today.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
So, lack of sleep consistently = really bad hangover
So, last week - I fell off the wagon, slid off and slipped, and all the analogies you can think of to basically say, I didnt exercise as regularly as I hoped to nor take the pills regularly. The reason - this big distracting, over worked conference in CLT for the family therapy association. From wednesday of last week till Sunday, I averaged 4 hours of sleep a night and some of those nights, let's say I had more than one drink. Somehow, I feel like I stretched my biological capabilities this past week. On Sunday, I slept early and have been sleeping early. Because of sleep catching, I have not been able to exercise regularly at all. I do have to say, when I was in CLT, i felt better, healthier, and better than ever. Bruce is right. It did increase my sense of accomplishment, mastery in the things I was able to. I hope to get back to it soon. This next week, I shall be back on track.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Some what persistent
So, since the last time I sat down to write, I have been more physically active than in the previous weeks before this class began. I have received my GABA pills and have drawn three Mandalas. I have spend time reflecting on my drawings. I have been more conscious about my sleep. I am more or less good about what I eat - except, I had bread today with a burger. I went to gym in the morning today, walked in the evening, and have been walking on and off during the weekend. I have been less pushy about my self in trying to stay focused. I have been more intentional about sleep. I know we have not read the chapters on sleep yet for class. But sleep debt is a big marker for negative health outcomes.
So from today, I started taking 2 pills in the morning and 2 GABA pills in the evening. My goal is to be consistent with that and be motivated to do the best I can to stay on task. I have plans to go to the Gym tomorrow morning as well. Getting to bed early and rising early has been a problem for me. So, my goal is to hit the bed early today.
We do so much to our body that we do not know. The human body and mind is far beyond the reach of our understanding. Even the little we know is hidden truths. Because how what we know is connected to things we do not know still remains mysterious to scientists, let alone therapists. For example, we all know social relationships do something for us and it improves health. Research has not been able to point out the mechanisms through which things become better for us.
Hopefully, soon - some what persistent changes to persistent :-)
So from today, I started taking 2 pills in the morning and 2 GABA pills in the evening. My goal is to be consistent with that and be motivated to do the best I can to stay on task. I have plans to go to the Gym tomorrow morning as well. Getting to bed early and rising early has been a problem for me. So, my goal is to hit the bed early today.
We do so much to our body that we do not know. The human body and mind is far beyond the reach of our understanding. Even the little we know is hidden truths. Because how what we know is connected to things we do not know still remains mysterious to scientists, let alone therapists. For example, we all know social relationships do something for us and it improves health. Research has not been able to point out the mechanisms through which things become better for us.
Hopefully, soon - some what persistent changes to persistent :-)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
2 times this week and here is to more
So, obviously I have no pictures. I will start having pictures up soon - only if Bruce Ross is okay with post b-ball sweat pictures being online. Yes, I have been playing b ball with Bruce. I have been wanting to play and Bruce has reciprocated and we have played a good hour for two days now this week. It is refreshing and calming to say the least. I also went for a long bike ride last Friday. So, that is 3 times since last Friday and the movement keeps coming.
I wish I had a picture of how my GABA and other things are firing now in my head and how much longer do i have to do this till they develop a new pattern and plasticity :-)
While physical activity has improved, what still remains in the corner is the ability to get through lists of things I have to do. Now, that could be because I make too vague of a list or too much on a list. I get through most of them - some of them I rarely do. For example, writing a letter to a family that writes me every week. Some weeks I am on it, and other weeks I am not. It is quiet annoying because I know I have to write and they write regularly (although their letters are more generic and they write to many people and adds a small part that is unique to each recipient). Any ways, I have two letters with me and I have not written them back.
Of course, the other list items are things for school - what graduate students ought to do. Things like reading for class, reading outside class, and of course trying to embark on a dissertation. The relationship there is interesting - some weeks I am on and other weeks I am not. I guess it's a cycle. I hope the more I am able to get active, the more consistent I can become in sitting down to persist on a particular activity.
The other thing I did this week, which is more a personal process that active (more reflective)is the practice of mandala drawing. Mandalas are an ancient budhist practice and Carl Jung was one of the first individuals to use mandalas as a way of personal growth tool. To find out more about it here is a link - http://www.carl-jung.net/mandala.html I learned this as part of my expressive arts therapy class and I use it with my clients (though off late, I have not been integrating such work into therapy). The class I took had all the students do this and other techniques for several weeks. It is a great way to center yourself and understand the various themes in your life. My goal is to work with mandalas as often as I can as it helps me keep centered and more focused. It tunes out the noises and keeps mind at ease when I am able to do it. I am hoping this will have some value to my GABA challenge as well.
Thank you for all your comments. I look forward to interacting with all of you more - especially social work students.
- Deepu
So, obviously I have no pictures. I will start having pictures up soon - only if Bruce Ross is okay with post b-ball sweat pictures being online. Yes, I have been playing b ball with Bruce. I have been wanting to play and Bruce has reciprocated and we have played a good hour for two days now this week. It is refreshing and calming to say the least. I also went for a long bike ride last Friday. So, that is 3 times since last Friday and the movement keeps coming.
I wish I had a picture of how my GABA and other things are firing now in my head and how much longer do i have to do this till they develop a new pattern and plasticity :-)
While physical activity has improved, what still remains in the corner is the ability to get through lists of things I have to do. Now, that could be because I make too vague of a list or too much on a list. I get through most of them - some of them I rarely do. For example, writing a letter to a family that writes me every week. Some weeks I am on it, and other weeks I am not. It is quiet annoying because I know I have to write and they write regularly (although their letters are more generic and they write to many people and adds a small part that is unique to each recipient). Any ways, I have two letters with me and I have not written them back.
Of course, the other list items are things for school - what graduate students ought to do. Things like reading for class, reading outside class, and of course trying to embark on a dissertation. The relationship there is interesting - some weeks I am on and other weeks I am not. I guess it's a cycle. I hope the more I am able to get active, the more consistent I can become in sitting down to persist on a particular activity.
The other thing I did this week, which is more a personal process that active (more reflective)is the practice of mandala drawing. Mandalas are an ancient budhist practice and Carl Jung was one of the first individuals to use mandalas as a way of personal growth tool. To find out more about it here is a link - http://www.carl-jung.net/mandala.html I learned this as part of my expressive arts therapy class and I use it with my clients (though off late, I have not been integrating such work into therapy). The class I took had all the students do this and other techniques for several weeks. It is a great way to center yourself and understand the various themes in your life. My goal is to work with mandalas as often as I can as it helps me keep centered and more focused. It tunes out the noises and keeps mind at ease when I am able to do it. I am hoping this will have some value to my GABA challenge as well.
Thank you for all your comments. I look forward to interacting with all of you more - especially social work students.
- Deepu
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Challenge continues ..
Challenge continues ..
So, the idea of GABA challenge emerges from an experience and of course other theories of neurotransimtters and its effects on behaviors. The first influence comes from Dr. John Bandy. Bandy is a chiropractor and holistic practitioner in Austin, Texas. With the process of muscle testing and a brief assessment through called "Braverman's Assessment", he prescribes supplements to boost certain neurotransmitter activities. If you are interested in the assessment, follow this link and you can know for your self: http://www.austinholistichealth.com/forms/braverman_assessment_document.pdf
When I first went there, I took the assessment before meeting him (that was the instruction). His assistant / intern / resident or future healer completed muscle testing on me. Muscle testing involves the practitioner asking you to resist the pressure they put on you. For example, they will tell you to stretch out your hand and meet the pressure of their hand as they try to press your hand down. While this whole thing sounds fishy and somewhat shamanic, the results are outstanding. (For more on wisdom of nature, oriental practices, and how the logical and scientific frame of western thinking biases us to think less of other practices read "occidental errors in epistemology" commentary by Gregory Bateson). Or at least the way they make sense of it.
Once you enter to see Dr. Bandy, he does his own testing and he will talk to you. As he is pushing you around and stress testing your body, he will begin to talk to you about what he is feeling. He asked me about emotional stresses in my life that I only knew about. In short, he can feel your body through your muscles to tell you what parts are being affected and at the end of the day, he suggested a GABA drop for me. The Braverman assessment form basically checks for 4 things: dopamine deficiency, acetycholine deficiency, GABA deficiency, serotonin deficiency. The idea is that your scores on that should be all low. Mine was really high for GABA. GABA according to Bandy is the "smooth operator" or helps you flow well with all the different demands in your life. It smooths out rough edges. Jagged edges are basically anxiety. So, for me, it manifests in much brooding (here is where I wish I was a zebra without ulcers) - this existential angst stuff - yeah, I own it. Sometimes i feel i discovered and patened it. Trust me, least helpful when you are as thought consuming and experience meaning making as I am. So, i have trouble staying on task and completing things ( as you can witness from my random rants). Great combination for a final year doctoral student! So here I am again - trying to adjust and increase to my GABA deficiencies once again. So, if you don't read my blog for a bit - GABA has not kicked in. Knock on my head or something when
I took the supplements for a while - so what happened? My habits were stronger than the supplement - therefore the consistency with which I took it obviously reduced. So here I am back again, juggling a thousand thoughts. I had gone back to Bandy a second time - and I had to take the Braverman's assessment again. Well, predictably with the way my neurons fire and GABA flows and general consistency of personality patterns, I was doing the test even as I was entering the door step of his clinic. His diagnosis was pretty clear as I walked in doing the test - "This guy clearly needs more GABA?"
So of course, second trial has also failed. In the GABA challenge - my goal is to get back on both along with physical activity and art work to increase my sense of attention and regularity with which I do things. I will call Bandy's office and re-order the supplements too to help with this challenge.
So, the idea of GABA challenge emerges from an experience and of course other theories of neurotransimtters and its effects on behaviors. The first influence comes from Dr. John Bandy. Bandy is a chiropractor and holistic practitioner in Austin, Texas. With the process of muscle testing and a brief assessment through called "Braverman's Assessment", he prescribes supplements to boost certain neurotransmitter activities. If you are interested in the assessment, follow this link and you can know for your self: http://www.austinholistichealth.com/forms/braverman_assessment_document.pdf
When I first went there, I took the assessment before meeting him (that was the instruction). His assistant / intern / resident or future healer completed muscle testing on me. Muscle testing involves the practitioner asking you to resist the pressure they put on you. For example, they will tell you to stretch out your hand and meet the pressure of their hand as they try to press your hand down. While this whole thing sounds fishy and somewhat shamanic, the results are outstanding. (For more on wisdom of nature, oriental practices, and how the logical and scientific frame of western thinking biases us to think less of other practices read "occidental errors in epistemology" commentary by Gregory Bateson). Or at least the way they make sense of it.
Once you enter to see Dr. Bandy, he does his own testing and he will talk to you. As he is pushing you around and stress testing your body, he will begin to talk to you about what he is feeling. He asked me about emotional stresses in my life that I only knew about. In short, he can feel your body through your muscles to tell you what parts are being affected and at the end of the day, he suggested a GABA drop for me. The Braverman assessment form basically checks for 4 things: dopamine deficiency, acetycholine deficiency, GABA deficiency, serotonin deficiency. The idea is that your scores on that should be all low. Mine was really high for GABA. GABA according to Bandy is the "smooth operator" or helps you flow well with all the different demands in your life. It smooths out rough edges. Jagged edges are basically anxiety. So, for me, it manifests in much brooding (here is where I wish I was a zebra without ulcers) - this existential angst stuff - yeah, I own it. Sometimes i feel i discovered and patened it. Trust me, least helpful when you are as thought consuming and experience meaning making as I am. So, i have trouble staying on task and completing things ( as you can witness from my random rants). Great combination for a final year doctoral student! So here I am again - trying to adjust and increase to my GABA deficiencies once again. So, if you don't read my blog for a bit - GABA has not kicked in. Knock on my head or something when
I took the supplements for a while - so what happened? My habits were stronger than the supplement - therefore the consistency with which I took it obviously reduced. So here I am back again, juggling a thousand thoughts. I had gone back to Bandy a second time - and I had to take the Braverman's assessment again. Well, predictably with the way my neurons fire and GABA flows and general consistency of personality patterns, I was doing the test even as I was entering the door step of his clinic. His diagnosis was pretty clear as I walked in doing the test - "This guy clearly needs more GABA?"
So of course, second trial has also failed. In the GABA challenge - my goal is to get back on both along with physical activity and art work to increase my sense of attention and regularity with which I do things. I will call Bandy's office and re-order the supplements too to help with this challenge.
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