Pins and needles

For the first time since I started practicing yoga, I got the dreaded pins and needles feeling... in my HEAD.

It's a good thing I practice yoga with my doctor friend. She had experienced it once and knew it was dehydration. So when it happened to me, I knew exactly what to do: take in a little bit of salt, and then drink water.

After that it was pretty much better already.. although admittedly I had a little difficulty doing the floor series because I was bloated with water.

But that wasn't the end of the numbing feeling.

After classes, I practice some of the advanced poses. I'd have my usual routine: splits on both side, and then the pigeon pose, then the pigeon pose with your back leg touching your head, then the back bend (and trying to go as far as holding your ankles while doing so) and lastly, the rabbit pose and the "Japanese ham sandwich" to counter the backbend.

Thing is, while I was doing my backbend, my right arm got the pins and needles, numbing feel again. It was a good thing my left arm was able to carry my weight so I didn't fall down risking my head snapping out of my spine. Goddamn that was scary. My head was almost touching my calves, so it would be really ugly if I feel flat on the floor.

It wasn't the first time that happened to me, although the first in yoga. The first time was during wall climbing when my right arm went numb and I had to support myself with my left arm..That was less scary since I was in a harness. But this one's different. If I feel I would either break my nose or snap my head off my spine. Either way, it was gonna be extremely painful.

I don't really get scared stretching myself to the limit during yoga class so long as I do the postures properly. And I have been. Except for one thing: I come to class without having eaten anything at all the entire day, just water. So you can imagine, there was nothing in my body that was retaining water. My fault really.

Good news though, since I've lost quite a lot of weight, yoga became easier for me. Then again, my eating habits have been extremely unhealthy thereby negating the fact that I'm doing exercises. Bad. Really bad.

It's still hard for me to eat these days.. but I try. I really do. I've become flexible and strong enough to do yoga better, but if I don't eat, I may have more problems from yoga then the benefits I get. I don't get hungry after yoga class,which makes it possible for me to go through the entire day not eating at all. Granted, I do love my body now better than before and I don't think I'm fat anymore. But the manner is still wrong. You have to eat something 3 hours before class. And you have to keep yourself hydrated, not not gulping 4 glasses of water in one go, but gradually. Otherwise you'll just piss it all out.

I have started substituting my usual drinks with water. Actually I've been doing that for a long time, which is really good. Better than before when there were a couple of days I'd spend without taking in water at all (substituting water with something else... worse of all is substituting water with coffee.. DO NOT ever do that!).

Yoga is good for me in that sense. It made it easier for me to stay away from junk food. When I want to snack, I take my raw almonds and cranberries (or raisins). And contrary to what everyone thinks about crackers, it doesn't do any good to your body except make you feel full when in fact you're not getting any nutrients from it. Nuts and fruits are still better for snacking. Actually fruits are better. An apple, an orange, and best for yoga, a banana, is far better than crackers.

I have to thank Ryan for that. The guy is a health buff and he'd really teach me the best way to lose weight and to maintain the body I have at present. Yes he did notice my weight loss (which he feared was too fast hence he figured I'm not eating well.). I look good, no, better, than I did before. But I really have to do something about my eating habits.

It is NOT normal for a human being to not feel hunger. And unfortunately I'm at that phase in my life wherein food isn't something my body seems to need. I literally can go through an entire day without food, which is bad. I am doing something about it , though.

If not for the health reasons, I'd really do it for fear that I get those pins and needles in class again. Man that was horrible. And of all body parts, it had to be in the head. It's like brain freeze all over your face and your head... Literally, my strength in my left arm and my core strength saved me. I noticed it's my right arm that's always getting that sensation. So I have to have that checked out.

Moral of the lesson: when doing yoga, or any sort of exercise, NEVER starve yourself. Drink A LOT of water and stay hydrated, especially when you live in a tropical country like the PHilippines. Jesus, seriously, the fabulous body doesn't count for anything if you get paralyzed. If you're not a health buff then at least remember that. When doing yoga you bend your body in ways that normal humans seemingly aren't supposed to be capable of.

But do things right. ALL THE TIME. Whether it's your eating habits or your yoga poses, just make sure you do things right. And you'll get the maximum benefits of all your hard work.




Namaste.