Yogi Wasn't Well: How To Reintegrate After An Illness

I woke up  finally feeling better after a long stint of aches and pains for weeks. I decided to try to stand on my head and balance and play around. Just wanted to be creative for the morning. I've been spending a lot of time researching about holistic and natural ways to cure some symptoms that I've been experiencing. I had been having some difficulties health wise. 

Without getting too graphic, I'll just say that I was having painful pelvic cramps and stomach aches for weeks. It was so bad that I couldn't sit straight, I had to lie down all the time, and I couldn't sleep through the night. I had lower back pain, migraines, fatigue. I thought it could be fibroids, cysts, Endometriosis, Celiac Disease, or even an ulcer. 

I couldn't work out for a while or do yoga. I was hurting so much that I ended up going to the doctor several times, I had to get a sonogram, exams, and was prescribed Tramadol. I took it for a couple of days but decided to quit because I just wanted to get to the root of the problem. I didn't want to put anymore substances in my body because I didn't know what the reactions could be. 

I then began to research and starting trying to eliminate certain foods. I took out anything spicy, stopped drinking alcohol, and reduced the gluten intake. From what I read, certain foods can worsen the symptoms during menstrual cycles. I was suffering pretty much all day every day for weeks. It had started around June as tiny pains like a low-grade fever and eventually got stronger and stronger.

So I started doing more research after reading and watching videos about the side effects of "the pill" because many of them I had experienced. I remembered that when the brand of my pill changed, I started having these issues. So I called my pharmacy to inquire about it, and they said that as long as a drug is 80% similar to the prescription, they were allowed to give you some other generic version. I was worried about that other 20%! What was I taking? 

I decided to go off "the pill" for the first time in 8 years. I was really nervous doing this because I was scared that it would disrupt my hormones and give me worse pains. But I wanted to go completely natural. I needed to figure out how my body would do "on its own". Within days, the cramps subsided. I was pretty surprised but I couldn't be sure that this was the real cause. I don't know for sure if getting off the pill cured these symptoms or if it was the diet. I think it was a combination of both. So now my plan is to wait and observe my body for the next few months to see if I regulate.

When I started feeling better, I knew I was on to something. I learned that I had to be more in tune with my body. I couldn't just ignore the signs like I did for so long. I had to be more vigilant and take my symptoms seriously. It took some discipline but I was also feeling desperate and fed up to be honest. I realized that without good health, I could not continue my practice. Now I'm on a path to eating more veggies and anti-inflammatory foods. I hope to post about what I eat more often and I hope this helps anyone who has had similar issues.

My best advice is don't ignore your what your body is telling you, talk to people, read labels and side effects, and try adjusting your diet. When I finally got back into the yoga studio after about 3 to 4 weeks, my first class was a Yin Yoga session. It was the best choice for reintegrating into the practice because Yin is mainly a deep stretching yoga, nothing too intense or harsh on the muscles. As more and more studios start diversifying their class offerings, I think it's key to our health to do gentle exercises. It takes care of the organs, joints, fascial muscle tissues, and blood flow. The perfect beginning to a road of recovery! Working your way back up takes patience most importantly.