2013 baby!

I distinctly remember saying at the beginning of last year: "2012 is going to be the best year ever. I will make sure of it." Famous last words! For various reasons, 2012 was probably the most stressful on record in my life so far. Even when it's positive, change can be painful, and there was plenty of it for me. On the upside, I am in a position at the beginning of 2013 to fully enjoy my newly established life. Hurrah for new beginnings! While I try not to get too involved in New Year's resolutions, there is something exciting about the prospect of making self improvements this time of year. Maybe it's the distraction it offers from being deep in our cold, dark Canadian winters.

A bit of background about me, health-wise: a couple of years ago I was diagnosed with early osteoarthritis in my lower spine and neck. It causes near-constant pain that ebbs and flows along with changes in the weather and my hormonal cycles. With new evidence coming out all the time about the link between chronic inflammation and heart disease, I feel the need to try every safe avenue to keep it under control. I am not currently taking any mediciation.

I started taking yoga sporadically a couple months ago and fell instantly in love. While I have not noticed any improvements in my back pain, the mental benefits are immediate and undeniable. I am making it a goal to do at least 20 minutes of yoga at home every day. More when I can fit it in. While I love the dynamic of doing yoga in a class setting, it's not exactly budget-friendly, so I have some audio CDs that allow me to do it from home. In addition to the yoga, I will be trying some tested and approved dietary methods that are supposed to help with inflammation. So with no further ado....moving on to Day 1 in the next post!