Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Coming out of Hibernation

Have you ever wondered why the beginning of the year is, for us northern hemisphere dwellers, still in the middle of winter?  It doesn't always feel very 'new-year-ish' to me.  Making resolutions and sticking to them is kinda hard when it's still dark and cold outside.

Mountain Man and I returned to Malmö 4 days ago and after 2 weeks in the Emerald Isle, I realised how much warmer it is there!  Daffodils are shooting up, cherry is already in blossom and there is a definite feeling of Spring in the air.

As we hiked up Scarr in the Wicklow Mountains on new year's day, it struck me how much I missed the hills and the outdoors.  The incredible view, the easy chat that was carried away by the wind, the feeling of being away from distraction - it's unbeatable.  Living in a city is wonderful, but being without our car means we're a little bit stuck in urbania.  One of my resolutions for this year, which should help me get out of the city, is to do 30 minutes of exercise every day.  On Sunday we cycled out to Lomma, a pretty coastal village about 10km away, ticking the box for daily exercise, as well as getting into the countryside.

As I cycled past fields in fallow and a nature reserve by the sea, it struck me that Mother Nature is still hibernating.  While we may have cleared away all signs of Christmas by now, ready to kick off another new year, the natural world is preparing for Spring.  There is still plenty of time to bounce forward into the new year and for me, this is a time for reflection and contemplation...on the year that has been and how I want 2013 to be.  Picking some bare twigs, withered berries and grasses may have looked a bit crazy to passers by, but they are a reminder to me that there is no rush.  I'm still in hibernation.

Of course, that doesn't mean I want to continue eating Christmas cake and mince pies for the next month.  Along with my daily exercise resolution, I am also determined to get more greens into my belly.  Yesterday I made the easiest soup on the planet (more anon) and have begun to take 'Synergy Natural Super Greens' a green powder mix of spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass.  It's definitely an acquired taste and capsules are always an option if you can't hack the particularly dark, earthy flavour, but this stuff actually tastes ok.  I'm not sure how they've managed it, but I had a teaspoon in water earlier and didn't gag.  The whole point of all the green foods is to get the PH of my body back into balance.  Sugar, dairy, stress, life...all contribute to acidity in the body but green foods (among others) push us back towards alkalinity, which the body prefers and discourages disease of all kinds. If I take two teaspoons a day the tub will last me about 20 days.  I expect to have more energy, lose a few pounds, sleep better and eliminate some niggling joint pain I've been having.

I'll keep you posted.  Happy New Year.



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