I am a big fan of movement - for me I enjoy dance, long walks in nature and asana (the movement aspect of yoga which is just one aspect of what yoga is). As a yoga teacher and naturopathic nutritional therapist, I am so grateful to have the tools to really take care of myself. Here I share a video with you (and do give it a go, even if you stay sitting on the floor and just imagine doing some of the movements). I filmed it about a year ago when I was about 2 and half years on peritoneal dialysis so with abdominal catheter etc. So be inspired and hopeful that the body and mind is so strong - we just need to harness that! It is within us all to awaken our inner physician.
I was 3.5 years in total on PD and got the precious call for a kidney in October so I am now in beautiful recovery mode and continuing to deeply listen to my body. trust your body more and count your blessings. All the good nutrition, dancing, sharing good times with loved ones and doing what I love for work all lead to me being in a very healthy state to receive the new kidney. I strongly believe this contributed significantly to such a swift and effortless recovery. Enjoying getting to know yourself truly and honestly. You are stronger than you know.
My bones are so brittle I have difficulty exercising. I also have very poor balance. I can walk around my home but cannot walk further than 40 ft without assistance. I cannot get onto the floor without great difficulty. I do some chair exercises and use a pedalciser. I would love to do yoga or tai chi but cannot stand for longer than 2 minutes or sit on floor. Any tips or ideas?
BTW I've been on dialysis 18 years never a transplant, 7 episodes of sepsis and many compression fractures in spine plus scoliosis due to bone loss. Blessings
You poor thing, it sounds like you've had a tough ride. I send you love from London! Chair yoga can be a really nurturing way to start to get more into your body and into a place of trust in yourself. I suggest you continue with your chair exercises and bring in a greater focus upon your breath. Yoga is not just the physical movements, the breath is the pillar of the practise and can help so much with physiological and psychological presentations. To alleviate and discover some inner peace. So when you are next in a chair, gently bring awareness to your posture without judging it or forcing to change it, just notice how things really feel in your body and how the mind is responding to that. And if it is comfortable for you to do so, breathe in and out of the nose so the lips are gently sealed and just notice how this feels. Build up to 5 minutes of pure breath focus (the mind will wander and that is normal so don't worry) - and see if you are able to weave 5 minutes in daily or a few times a week for a while. Let me know how you get on with that and I am very happy to then suggest other things.
I'm not strong enough to walk and dance and I love dancing, all my muscles and joints are hurt I feel very heavy & pain to move around especially after dailysis, any advise?
Very happy to give you some ideas. Find movement that makes sense to you and fits with the unique person you are. Often we can become over-focussed on what we cannot do, we lose connection with what we can do! There is a huge psychological component to health. In total I have been on dialysis for 10.5 years throughout my life, firstly from ages 14-21 on HD, first kidney transplant of nearly twenty years and then 3.5 years on PD with the second kidney coming along in October last year. I also had the very hopeful setting of growing up in the warmth of Southern Africa (Zambia) as my parents made the decision to move there from Ireland in order to help me thrive after the glomerular nephritis diagnosis at age 4. I share these personal anecdotes with you so you allow yourself to gently reflect back on your own childhood and the messages around health you got. Patterns are set for many reasons from early in our lives and so it is very important we allow ourselves to enquire within. This is a profoundly significant aspect of yoga. People often have the misconception that it is bendy movement. Yoga is ultimately a journey within - self realisation - so we can then digest and integrate our life experiences. So let yourself reflect on your beliefs around your health. Be very gentle with this inner reflection and let things surface. Draw upon your breath and start to build a really meaningful relationship with your breath. It is the one constant in our lives. Our respiration has a profound impact on our emotional state.
What movement did you love as a child? Could you visualise that younger you and sit in a chair and let your body gently sway or perhaps roll your shoulders a little - and deeply feel how your body responds. Emotions surfacing are normal, if tears come, it's ok. Move your head gently side to side and connect with how that movement feels in your neck. It is a daily commitment to find the tools that suit the chapters of our lives. So don't worry at all at attempting movements that are simply not possible for you at the moment. Plant seeds and begin with gently moving your body and connecting more with your breath.
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