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Simple Ways to Recover From Illness

9/22/2014

Super Simple First Steps to Recovering from Illness, Using Yoga and Ayurveda

Over the past three months, I have been traveling around the world on a path of personal rediscovery. I have avoided becoming ill during these few months by what now feels like pure luck. I realize now that it was pure luck because I hadn't been taking care of myself as well as I should have. For example, I have been staying up late pretty regularly and eating poorly (although it’s challenging to find the foods I am accustomed to). I have been pushing my body to its edge up mountains and through cities. So it's no surprise that my luck has finally caught up with me as I lie here ill and writing this to you.

Since this is my current situation, I'd like to spend this post talking about illness recovery. I've written to you before about recipes and herbs that I've used to stave off a sickness or recover from it. You can find that information here for the turmeric tea and here for the ginger tea, but let’s talk about other options for now.

When we think about recovering from an illness, we might say, "Oh, I need to stop doing my normal routine, and then I might take some medication, and then boom, I'll go right back to what I was doing before." But the thing that is very important to recognize is that we become ill because something we are doing is not working very well or is not healthy for us overall. Whether it is our perceived stress in life, whether we are working too many hours, eating poorly, or staying up until the middle of the night regularly, becoming ill is a flashing light that says, "HEY, SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT HERE!" And if we don't make a change, we create a place for Dis-Ease to develop and stick.

Since becoming sick here in Budapest with what feels like the flu or a nasty cold, I have found that it seems almost impossible for me to simply go down the street to purchase my usual ‘get well’ supplies, such as:

Echinacea oil
Emergen-C
Turmeric
Ginger
Anything for a headache
Soup, let alone broth.

With this realization, I initially felt pretty defeated. But then, with a bit of self-reflection, I remembered that I have other tools in my 'tool box' that I can use... that we all do.

Our Thoughts Manifest Our Well Being:
Be Aware of How We Use Our Words and Our Thoughts

I caught myself saying more than once, "I'm getting sick... crap, I have a cold... crap, I'm sick, poor me."

However, one thing that is pretty important to consider when attempting to heal ourselves is how we learn to speak of the disease as the disease. As long as we call it my disease, or my cancer, or my thyroid problem, or my cold, then we identify with it. I've caught myself doing this recently. In my experience and observations, if we identify with the disease or illness, it simply won't go anywhere. In fact, we manifest more sickness by identifying with the disease. Does that make sense? It's like, by identifying with the disease, we trick ourselves into letting down our defensive walls and instead allow the disease to march on in.

So if you really want to become free of the illness, then start to look at it as the illness and speak of it that way… and then notice that if you want to call it my, what part of it do you want to hang on to? That might sound crazy because many people say, “Of course not! I don't want to hang on to a disease!” But sometimes, for example, we get sick because we won’t let ourselves slow down and rest... and maybe our subconscious enjoys the disease because it forces us to rest. Do you see what I mean? Or maybe, in my case, I enjoyed this illness for a moment because it forced me to stop, slow down, rest, be still, hunt down soup and spices that I’ve been missing and simply breathe… which in turn brought me back to you and yoga. So if we find that we are really identifying with the disease, then there’s usually something that we need. Either way, once we observe and reflect upon this, it’s okay to think of the illness as simply something that’s happening and that will pass if we let it pass.

All things shall pass... as they say

Don't Let the Ego Push You Around:
Checking in With Your Physical Body

I’m going to assume that you are reading my blog because you either have a yoga practice or are interested in beginning one. But for now, let’s say there are two types of people in this world. Those that practice yoga and breathwork and those that do not. When you’re the person that practices pranayama or yoga daily, no matter what level, and then you find you can't breathe through your nostrils because they are clogged up, or that you can't hold a downward dog due to a headache, well, it’s a little frustrating, don't you agree? Especially since yogis KNOW from experience that yoga postures can help heal us… It's tempting to push ourselves, but it is so important that we do not. We must set our egos aside for a moment and remember that yoga postures can still be done very gently, and the result is just as beneficial because it still helps us start moving the negative energy and toxins out of our body while allowing the positive, healing energy to flow more freely through our body.

Whether or not you are a regular practitioner, you must give the body plenty of time to REST while you are ill. When an illness has happened, now I am speaking very generally because it will vary a little bit depending on the problem, but when an infection has happened, if you allow the body to recover, it will. But if we keep doing things that will challenge our body, pushing it back to the edge of illness, the recovery process will take much longer. So the very most important thing first in healing yourself is REST.

Here's a thought: So often, I have people say to me, “Oh, but I can't rest; I have to take care of my family, go back to work, etc...” In my case, I initially thought to myself, “Oh, but I can't rest; I need to explore Budapest!!” We know it may really feel like we have to do those things; however, if we go too soon, we're just going to end up sick again or continue to be sick. This applies to injuries as well. And this happens so often to people we know, doesn't it? Let’s assume that we ignored the number one principle of getting well, REST. Let’s assume that we went on about our business, forcing our bodies to continue. Did we continue our work or yoga practice or explore the world at our highest level? Or, did we instead live our life at an inferior level? In other words, your performance at work while ill might not have been excellent because your head was pounding. Or your way of taking care of your family might not be ideal because you find your fever makes you sit more often than stand. So if you think about it, the people you work with, the world around you, and your family might appreciate it much more if you rested because rest will enable you to be fully present in the incredible being you are -- without the illness. Right? So... REST. Selfishness while being selfless ;)

We start the second step now, which is checking in with our body to determine the level of physical rest needed to heal ourselves. And you do this by becoming aware of the nature of your natural breath. With time, as you develop a familiarity and relationship with your breath, you will learn that this is truly your life force, and it is the one thing that determines how good you feel in your life. Your breath will tell you the story of what’s happening within your mind or body. If you can not breathe easily and smoothly, then your body or mind is still under a lot of stress, and if this is the case, maybe it’s not time to do any physical yoga postures yet. Perhaps you need to REST completely.

However, as you start to feel better, certain types of yoga postures are helpful depending on what kind of illness you have, what your constitution is, and your state of balance and imbalance. And those are all the things that can be determined and assisted through yoga and Ayurveda or through a teacher like myself or Zac Occhiline, for example. (If breathing consciously is not something you are familiar with, then I suggest finding a knowledgeable teacher who has good experience working with people recovering from illness. I will suggest here a teacher that I have a deep respect for, Zac Occhiline of 7 Centers Yoga Arts Academy in Sedona, AZ.)

So, for me today, I began with simply breathing… If you'd like to join me, let's get to know our breath. Pause now, stop what you are doing, and take 12 nice, slow, conscious, deep breaths. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Once you're finished, feel free to smile at yourself without any judgment. It's a simple practice that puts you in touch with your body and mind... that allows you to consciously check in with your level of physical or mental stress. Consider now whether you found it an easy breath practice. If so, perhaps you now feel ready for a gentle asana practice. Consider now whether you found it difficult to take 12 deep breaths. Did you find yourself opting to maybe start with six breaths or four breaths or whatever felt appropriate for you because of either how poorly you might feel or how scattered your mind might be? If that was the case, perhaps take it slowly, gently, and try one more time. Or, consider the possibility that maybe you don't practice asana today... maybe you just lie in savasana and enjoy a deep Yoga Nidra. Either way, I bet you feel different from when you first sat down to read this blog. Remember that what you're looking for is the ability to just breathe smoothly and with a sense of calm... Without force… Very calm, smooth, easy breaths. Effortless effort.

I practiced this simple breath check-in before writing this blog, and I realized that despite my clogged up nostrils, I can breathe pretty smoothly just sitting here, even if I have to open my mouth. So afterward, I began a simple and gentle Hatha Yoga practice. I practiced poses that I knew would help me with specific ailments I was experiencing. In my case, it is basically impossible for me to do any yoga asana at the moment other than deep breathing, while in: Child's Pose, Marjariasana (Cat/Cow), Downward Dog, and a few heart-opening poses that I find a little more challenging to describe with the written word at this time, as well as Lion Pose to ease my sore throat.

And that's okay.

Food When You're Feeling Ill:
What to Eat to Build Strength From the Inside Out

If you’ve been ill, your digestive fire, or Agni as it’s called in Sanskrit, the energy that’s available within you to transform and digest your food, is low. Otherwise, honestly, you would not get ill. The fire would be so intense as to burn out any toxins and illnesses that tried to invade your body. And so, you need to strengthen your Agni again and allow it to rejuvenate. If you think of Agni as a fire that fuels the body, you need to feed it a little bit, stoke it, and give it some air to gradually strengthen it.

First, it means that you need to eat easily digestible foods. After or while you’re ill if you’re not eating, that’s one thing, but when it’s time to start eating, it’s best to have something very easy to digest. For example, soupy basmati rice. You could start with a 1:8 or even a 1:12 ratio with water. Meaning one cup of rice to 12 cups of water. Add a little bit of mineral salt, turmeric, and a little bit of ginger. You could put a small amount of ghee in there, too, if you like and over time, additional spices cooked in ghee such as fennel, cumin, and cardamom. This will give you nourishment while recovering, and it is easy to digest.

As you feel more comfortable with digesting that, you could make the soup thicker; in other words, you would drop that ratio down to 1:6 and then 1:4, which will make the soup reasonably thick. Next, if your body is digesting that pretty easily, gradually add split mung beans to your rice to provide some additional protein. Protein is harder to digest, so take your time recovering. Check-in with your body often. Notice if you feel exhausted after eating or if you feel more energetic, for example. Avoid eating raw food while you are ill because such things as a cold salad or other raw vegetables are difficult to digest.

Since I lack the above ingredients here in Budapest, Hungary (I am hungry grrr)... I am living off Oatmeal, vegetable soup, Tulsi Tea with honey, and a tiny bit of chocolate. Yeah... Chocolate. It builds my Ojas!

Our Spiritual Fire: Assisting our recovery with positive energy

When you're recovering from illness, including heartache, it’s easy to let your whole notion of a spiritual life go out the window… trust me, I know. For example, it’s been a while since you heard from me, right? As a human, I've experienced heartache and loss in all forms recently, and I admit that I kind of tossed my spirituality out the window for a moment. But like I stated before, there was something about this illness experience that I subconsciously liked… and you know what it was? It brought me back to myself in a spiritual way. From my experiences of being ill in the past, I knew that if I made a conscious effort to become better through yoga and Ayurveda, I would be better. So as you can see, I’m digging into my yoga and Ayurveda toolbox for the first time in a long time and sharing it with you. It’s kind of nice.

Back to spirituality. Many people in this world use prayer to tap into their spirituality. Others use mantras. Some people do yoga. Nature. Fishing. :) Everyone seems to have an option available to them that they have discovered on their own or introduced to them during their upbringing. You can use these tools like prayer, mantra, moments of inward contemplation and reflection, etc... to help assist you while you work on your own self-healing.

In my opinion, everything can be a form of spiritual yoga in its own way. Asana. Mantra. Breathing. Writing. However, it’s essential that all these tools, options to you per se, have an air of positivity surrounding them while you are ill or in general. For example, if you are going to read or be exposed to anything while you are sick, avoid things of a negative nature such as violent articles or news programs. It's healthier to read a spiritual passage or anything that helps you feel good about your life. However, I have to admit that sometimes a good cry as a result of an emotional movie just feels good! If that's what you need after taking a moment of reflection, go for it. Trust your intuition.

MEDITATION
Today, I started with an easily digestible meal followed by rest. Then I began my breathwork. Once I determined that my breath was pretty smooth and that I felt strong enough to add physical asana to my healing program, I followed up with 15 minutes of gentle and easy asana practice. Next, I added a dose of purposeful spirituality, if you will, by adding 10 minutes of seated meditation with the mantra So Hum.

You could start with 1-3 minutes of meditation if it's new for you, and trust me, any amount of time would be plenty. Use mantra if you like. Prayer. Breath awareness. Nothing... it doesn't matter. Set a timer, use a wall for sitting up against, ensure your spine is as upright as possible (sit on a pillow) and that your head is positioned directly on top of your shoulders, the crown effortlessly reaching for the sky.

Having a straight spine like this allows the energy of your body to move freely… This energy concept might feel odd if you're new to meditation, and that’s okay; just work with the breath by imagining that each inhale brings the strength of the universe into your being and that each exhale is a release of your illness… Imagine that healing energy spreading through your physical body and within the energetic bubble that surrounds your body... emanating like the rays of the sun, going within and without.

Acceptance & Letting Go:
Everything is Temporary & Our Body is a Temple That Deserves Love

When we are ill, it’s almost like a reminder that we are so much more than our body. It might feel like, “Oh, I feel terrible, and I'd like to just be done with the illness and have it out of my body.” But when the body is ill, it's an excellent opportunity to remember who we are as spirits… to honor ourselves and our body in the future... and to remember that we have this incredible power within us to heal ourselves… and if we allow that awareness to shine through us, then the physical body will follow suit. It will come right back to its very best place of balance.

I got sick. It doesn't mean I'm a horrible person or that karmically I deserved it. For me, it means that I haven't been digesting my experiences as well as they deserve. I probably haven't been as fully present during the "trip" such as the one I'm on deserves because I haven't digested or wholly dealt with the losses I've incurred over the last year. It happens. Sure, I'm sick with a cold or something, but at least I got to sit here and write to you. At least upon contemplation, I was reminded that I had this super lightweight toolbox of things to help me get better, all by myself. At least I had an excuse to rest my aching feet and back after back-packing through almost all of Europe over the past three months, non-stop. My current illness was a sign to stop running. It was a reminder to breathe, come back to my mat, and simply be happy that I am here now. Being. Breathing. Alive and open-hearted once again. And that's pretty cool.

Oh, and since feeling ill meant I had to stay inside all day, rest, and not explore this beautiful city... I have still been blessed with this really great view outside my window. Look! There's beauty in everything, isn't there?

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THE KRIYA YOGA BLOG

Do not let your fire go out...

Simple Ways to Recover From Illness

Our Thoughts Manifest Our Well Being:
Be Aware of How We Use Our Words and Our Thoughts

Don't Let the Ego Push You Around:
Checking in With Your Physical Body

Food When You're Feeling Ill:
What to Eat to Build Strength From the Inside Out

Our Spiritual Fire: Assisting our recovery with positive energy

Acceptance & Letting Go:
Everything is Temporary & Our Body is a Temple That Deserves Love

My Message

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Ashley's Holistic Bookshelf

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❤ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤

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THE KRIYA YOGA BLOG

Do not let your fire go out...

Simple Ways to Recover From Illness

Our Thoughts Manifest Our Well Being:​Be Aware of How We Use Our Words and Our Thoughts

Don't Let the Ego Push You Around:​Checking in With Your Physical Body

Food When You're Feeling Ill:What to Eat to Build Strength From the Inside Out

Our Spiritual Fire: Assisting our recovery with positive energy

Acceptance & Letting Go:Everything is Temporary & Our Body is a Temple That Deserves Love

My Message

Categories

Archives

Ashley's Holistic Bookshelf

My Students

❤​ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤​​

Subscribe To THE KRIYA YOGA Blog​

Our Thoughts Manifest Our Well Being:
Be Aware of How We Use Our Words and Our Thoughts

Don't Let the Ego Push You Around:
Checking in With Your Physical Body

Food When You're Feeling Ill:
What to Eat to Build Strength From the Inside Out

Acceptance & Letting Go:
Everything is Temporary & Our Body is a Temple That Deserves Love

❤ Ashley Cruz YOGA IS SOCIAL ❤

Subscribe To THE KRIYA YOGA Blog