Sometimes Mindful Moments can be Controversial....
With the weather being ugly, I’ve been doing indoor powerwalks. Over the past two months I’ve noticed my body has had a lot more aches and pains. The weather does have a huge impact on the bones that have been cut and scarred for life. I know my family loves to tease me about it being too hot in the house and I tell them to wear shorts when they come, but reality is when I’m cold I seize up and every part of me hurts to the point that I can hardly manage. Therefore my bed and my recliner have heated blankets so that I can ensure I am warm enough. However the humidity in the west coast gets into our bones whether we like it or not. And that is another thing that impacts my day to day mobility and life. My body loves the dry heat and knowing that I never will leave my kids and grandsons for a dryer climate I have had to think outside the box and get into a box. So here comes the controversial side to my mindful moment. For six weeks my body was sorer and sorer. The pains were becoming unbearable and I started to take Advil as I needed to keep the headache away. I started to think “What was I was doing differently?” Yes I haven’t been able to go on as many hikes but I have been doing the same amount of steps inside even though I have to coax myself to do them. Then I realized that because I wasn’t walking outdoors for my 4pm walk I wasn’t going to the tanning salon. I had a routine of going three to four days per week for ten minute session. The dry heat helped sooth the bones. Of course I am well aware of the risks of skin cancer but I’ve done a lot of research and know what to do to ensure I minimize the risk and keep vigilant watch over my body to ensure if I see anything forming I get it checked right away. With the realization that missing the tanning appointments I made an effort to go and see if it truly did make a difference. After one week of three session, I could already get out of the bed easier. The pain in my hips were starting to ease and my shoulders were not as tight. I then researched if tanning helps with pain and found a couple of studies that patients with fibromyalgia used tanning to help ease muscle tension which in turn helped with the pain. There were similar studies for patients with arthritis and back pain. UV is known to trigger mood-improving endorphins in the skin which contributes to relaxation and therefore helps pain. I live for the moment and I take pride that I can get through any pain, but when the pain is excruciating some days it is tough to live for the moment. Therefore I have to make the conscious decision that tanning beds are good for my circumstance. Good to give some relieve to the pain I must live with and good for bringing a little sunshine in my life when all we get for six months is rain. Live for your moment and find what works. Yes sometimes it might be controversial but if it isn’t hurting anyone else then do what works for you. Be well everyone!
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