That was such a great week of Mysore practice with David Keil. I love my shala, but boy it is so nice to have all this attention in a room with 10 people in it. All the adjustments made full sense to me and I know what to work on now. I feel more confident in Kapotasana (though far from actually understanding it fully). Moreover, I had a "preview" of supta vajrasana - seems like a doable pose. I am still sore all over my body, though in a nice way, and feel like a massage would be a good treat for me.
On a completely different note. The last couple of weeks I noticed that I have a tremendous difficulty of concentrating. Always suspected that I might have a subclinical level of ADD, but this time it became so pronounced, I actually started considering seeing a doctor and beggging for meds. When I mentioned this to my boss after a day of futile struggle, she remembered reading a book, called "The edge effect", which was talking about tyrosine, serotonine and other neurotransmitters and how they affect the personality. I did not read this book, but there was a light bulb lighting up in my head. I remembered that in one of his lectures, our ayurveda teacher Brendan Freely said that he abandoned raw vegeterian eating because it made him "too flighty" and attributed this to increase in vata imbalance. I have not been eating any dairy the whole last month, so there was no uptake of any kind of animal protein in my diet at all. So probably I am low on tyrosine, and, as a result - low on dopamine and catecholamines. Which is reflected in difficulty to concentrate practically on anything (including writing this blog). I should know these things, being a neuroscientist and all. Anyway, this is a theory, which need proving. So for now, I will take some tyrosine supplements and see if my ability to work using my head improves at all, and meanwhile research raw foods rich in tyrosine and phenylalanine. Let me tell you, this raw vegan diet, with all its healthful benefits, is a lot of work. But I still like it. :)
On a completely different note. The last couple of weeks I noticed that I have a tremendous difficulty of concentrating. Always suspected that I might have a subclinical level of ADD, but this time it became so pronounced, I actually started considering seeing a doctor and beggging for meds. When I mentioned this to my boss after a day of futile struggle, she remembered reading a book, called "The edge effect", which was talking about tyrosine, serotonine and other neurotransmitters and how they affect the personality. I did not read this book, but there was a light bulb lighting up in my head. I remembered that in one of his lectures, our ayurveda teacher Brendan Freely said that he abandoned raw vegeterian eating because it made him "too flighty" and attributed this to increase in vata imbalance. I have not been eating any dairy the whole last month, so there was no uptake of any kind of animal protein in my diet at all. So probably I am low on tyrosine, and, as a result - low on dopamine and catecholamines. Which is reflected in difficulty to concentrate practically on anything (including writing this blog). I should know these things, being a neuroscientist and all. Anyway, this is a theory, which need proving. So for now, I will take some tyrosine supplements and see if my ability to work using my head improves at all, and meanwhile research raw foods rich in tyrosine and phenylalanine. Let me tell you, this raw vegan diet, with all its healthful benefits, is a lot of work. But I still like it. :)
10 comments:
Oh gee - I was just going to tell you it's Pizza Time! Say a wild mushroom jobbie with truffle oil or something...
I wrote "no dairy" and completely forgot that insane half of a pizza I ate in Chicago. Seems it is not only concentration, but memory is gone, too. :(
That pizza nearly killed me, Linda. I think I am cured of all pizza cravings for the next decade or two. But I hope you enjoy your pizza time!
I seem to be able to eat pretty much anything I want, which I enjoy greatly! No food allergies. No sensitivities. I once got really sick after eating two, huge meatballs (mom's cooking) after like 3 years of no meat whatsoever though. I know how it is! Took me a full 24 hours to recover.
I can eat everything, too. That pizza, however, contained at least 12000 calories, I could swear! I felt like I ate a boulder and it resided in me for a whole day.
I hate that feeling!!
hi Alfia
i did not know the particulars that you where on a raw vegan diet at present. that was my eating style four years in Florida and maybe 2 in San Francisco. then i started adding dairy in the form of kefir. if your insufficiency is pointing to the lack of dairy, could you include kefir, or yogurt?
since moving to China, i find it impractical and possibly dangerous to eat raw food vegan. so i eat eggs if they are offered to me, and consume a little yogurt daily since i cannot find kefir. i'm still primarily vegan.
in Chicago did you have the deep dish pizza? then that's allowed. it's like going to Philly and having a cheesesteak. you have to try it there.
hugs
Arturo
Alfia,
don't you love it when that neuroscientist thing comes in handy! :)
BTW, I will be reading and posting again, now that I am all settled in my post-doc position.
Hope all is well with you!
Elaina
Hi, Arturo:
I agree, it might be dangerous to eat uncooked food in China.
I did have that pizza in Chicago! I wonder if there is such thing as "death by pizza"? It certanly felt like it. A classical case of too much of a good thing. :)
Note to self - re-oder kefir grain...
Hugs,
Alfia
Elaina!!!
Hello, darling! I missed you so much. Vary happy you are back blogging. Heading to visit you right now.
Mwah!
Raw vegan works for me in the spring and summer but honestly when it is cold out...I need HOT cooked food. Mung bean soup with veggies to be exact :)
I have to say though that staying off the pasta, bread, pizza, anything wheaty or gluteny, has made me a much healthier, much more flexible yoga practicioner!
Post a Comment