Day 112-Start today

When I began my alignment & walking practices, I had no idea just how much the quality of my health, and subsequently life, would improve. 

Not that the quality of either was outwardly amiss, but once I began to feel better, I realized that I hadn't always felt so good. Follow?

Also, the day I started this blog and walking practice, there was absolutely no forethought. None. I went for a walk, during that walk I decided to walk 365 days in a row to see if I could do it, came home and decided to blog publicly about it to keep myself on track. 

Way simple. Cost-free.

My alignment practice came along with my studies at the Restorative Exercise Institute. Of course I would try the exercises as I was learning them, and then WAH-BAM! they were so incredible and made my entire body feel oh-so-good and they took away my pain...well, who WOULDN'T turn that into a daily practice?

So, 3-4 months later, after daily practices that improve my well-being like you wouldn't believe, I feel incredible. 

No pills, no frills, no chills---but THRILLS!

Yes! I feel better than I can ever remember, and it's getting hard to remember how I felt 4 months ago. But sometimes, like this morning, I remind myself how far I've come, how much I've improved, how great my health is and how pain-free I am now, all because I started doing what I'm doing 4 months ago, and have continued to do it. 

There's a quote that I read the other day that's been rolling around in my brain, making me think deep thoughts about all sorts of things:

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

Yeah. That's the one. It's good, and I can tell you, it doesn't sound as cool as "4 months from now, you will wish you started today", but I am so happy I started these practices when I did, because I'm truly reaping the benefits every minute of every day as a result. 

What have you got to lose? What have you got to gain? 

Here's one that I found this morning while visiting those cute, silly Raw Brahs:

Start today,
Dani
 

Day 27-But they make my butt stick out all cute-like!

I've always been a flat, wide-toed-shoe wearing gal. I actually do not have wide feet, but I enjoy a big toe box, or no toe box, for my tootsies to move around in. There was a brief period in my life when I had to wear heels for work, but it was short, thank the stars!

This was not the job:

But I bet she's not allowed to wear Birkenstocks while working. 

Anyway, I've worn comfy, neutral-heel shoes almost my entire life. I always liked to be comfortable, but I also always knew that heels weren't good for the human body. 

Which blows my mind why we think these are healthy:

Now hold on. Before you climb up a pole, scissor your legs, toss your hair and get mad at me, my Dansko-wearing friends, please listen: I have Dansko clogs. I wear them when I cannot get away with these:

These look like they have a heel, but actually don't once you thermo-mold them to your paws. It's cool.

Or these:

I try to get away with them as often as I can, but the culture we live in doesn't let me wear them with this:

Okay, those of you who know me know that I would totally never wear this, but you get my point. 


But here's the rub, and thanks to my fabulous teacher for putting it so well: Those clogs are not healthy. They are comfortable, but not healthy. 


Follow? 


Let me illustrate further: 

There's comfort here, but... eh? Not so healthy.

A clog is still a heel that is still pushing you out of alignment. I know not everybody's going to wear my freaky monkey-toe shoes and pad around in flip-flops in 40-degree weather. I know. 

What I want for you to think about is how much are you wearing those heels? 
Want to see what happens to your body when you wear them? 

Image: copyright Restorative Exercise, Inc.
Image sourced from Every Woman’s Guide to Foot Pain Relief

Look at the pelvis, lower back and ribs when she tries to correct for the heels. 


Frickin' ow!


Current events in foot hatred:

Ohhhh. Owwww......!!! STOP!!

I'd tell you you look hot, Baby, but you just look ridiculous...

I am currently enjoying reading "Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief" by Katy Bowman, as part of my Restorative Exercise schooling, and when I first picked it up I thought "Huh, she's preaching to the choir with me! I always wear comfy shoes!" 


Sometimes, I'm not as smart as I think. 


Actually most of the time. 


Could I teach you more about this, because it matters? The book is terrific. You would do well to check it out. I think every woman who feels like she should wear heels should read it. If you're a man who wears heels, no judgment here, Buddy, but you should know that you're throwing your alignment out of whack every single day. Go back to the car metaphor. What happens when your tires are out of alignment? They wear down funny, blow out and then the rest of the car compensates until it breaks down. 


Why are you any different?


I care about your well-being, and I want you to be a well being. 


Talk soon, Kitten, 
Dani

Day 25---In honor of the 25-percent...of bones of your body that reside below the ankle.

Remember yesterday? When I went on about how I want you to start thinking about your feet, and their lost dexterity, and the rampant neglect we're all guilty of, and how they matter so very much to your entire well-being? 

I wasn't drunk. I really meant it. 

Change the health of your feet (and I'm NOT talking pedicures, here) and you can change the health of your hips. Your pelvis. Your spine. Your bones. 

I'm SOOOO Happy You Took Care of the FEET!

That's all pretty important stuff. 

How would your car fare if you drove around on four flat tires all day, every day? Well, I guess you'd use more gas, since the tires wouldn't really be rolling over the road surface. Then, the wheels would wear down and begin to wear unevenly, which would start to throw them out of alignment. Then, the axle bearings, being thrown out of alignment, would wear out and need to be....oh, blah blah blah! Put in the terms of your body, it means bunions, hip replacements, knee replacements---wait! This is starting to make sense.

Why am I shaking an annoyingly pedantic fist at you? 

Because I care. I've been lucky enough to spend almost my entire life, since the age of 14, in "sensible" shoes. However, that still didn't eliminate foot and structure problems, because I didn't know enough. I know more, now, and I want to share it with you so you feel better, too. 

Okay, I've climbed down now. Today's walk happened after a lazy morning of hitting some fairly lame garage sales...

Apparently, people in Poulsbo think my toe shoes are funny...

when I got to take my little family to my new favorite walking park. Sadly, it was seriously boggy due to the monsoon rains that have hit here this last week. 
We had fun, though, and got our daily does of fresh air. 

 And salmon berries...

My toe shoes came away with mud between them, which I secretly find super cool. Walking in them really helps with the connection between me and the ground, so I slip a lot less than if I was in hikers or tennies. 

More next week on loving your feet, and learning the first few steps in changing the health of those tootsies foh-evuh!!


I'll see you tomorrow with some drivel or a silly poem. I'm heading to Sequim to take advantage of a class on pelvic floor health taught by none other than Katy Bowman, the head of the Restorative Exercise Institute and the reason I'm so psyched about your feet. 


Ciao, Bellas, 
Dani