Hi everyone!!
I have several matters that I would [I]very much[/I] appreciate some help on.
Today I received my 3rd acupunture treatment on hamstrings & popliteal area, from a student attending school in that discipline. When I asked her for thoughts on my overall condition, she made mention of my kidneys. This was without any specific knowledge to my situation, only a mention of high perspiration and high water intake.
My current asana routine (new thread : where does an asana routine end, and a yoga practice begin?) takes place in a heated room - not bikram - approximately 37 celsius & high humidity. I have practiced 4-5x/week for 5 months. This studio is the first and (for now) only place where I have received in-person instruction - other than that, I am being exposed to new ideas via this forum.
I am currently exchanging my time & energy (4hrs/week) for these instructional sessions. The question I posed to them, suggested online - “Is there any way to make yoga more affordable?” - is so lovely, and one I hope to use soon in the future!!
Of great interest to me is the urea present in my sweat, particularly during asana sessions in the heated room. I have always had an [B]extremely[/B] high rate of perspiration during any intense activity, ie running, cycling, resistance training. I don’t suffer from this - in fact, quite the opposite - I have learned to be vigilant about maintaining proper hydration during physical activity, and especially all times in between.
My pre-class routine would be something like this. Drink slightly more water than normal, stopping 1 hour before class. In that hour I would urinate 2-3 times. Any liquids during that time may bring the need to urinate during class. Class lasts 60 - 90 minutes. During class, I sweat profusely - somewhere in the vicinity of 1.5-2 litres. Once my towel is saturated, when my nose is close to mat - say, during cobra pose - I can detect the unmistakeable odor of urea. Other sweat-inducing activites bring this about, but on a smaller scale - where the odor is barely present with nose directly on the fabric, and when I ask others, they do not notice.
A little online research has led me to reduce the amount purines in my diet. Replacing spinach with kale & chard, reducing the amount of red meat, entirely eliminating organ meat. To what degree this has helped, I am unsure - maybe my towels are saturated with this scent and the odor persists despite my best laundering efforts?
A typical days diet would be like so
Breakfast - 4 tbsp oats, 1 tbsp quinoa, few raisins and assorted small nuts/seeds with boiled goats milk or hemp milk poured over.
- 2 over-easy eggs
Throughout the day i’ll consume four “meals” from my food sack
-
Large tub of raw produce - 2 oranges, 1 grapefruit 1 fistful each kale & swiss chard, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 tomato, 1 large carrot + occasional seasonal treat - now is 2 kumquats
-
1 cup quinoa (few vegetables/greens added)
-
1 cup (sometimes less, but always present, or mixed in with quinoa) protein source. Occasionally tuna or salmon but mainly beef/bison
-
1 cup steamed vegetables - carrots, broccoli & cauliflower
-
1 cup mixed nuts, including a couple each - macadamia, peca, walnut, hazelnut, brazil, almonds. Also ~20g dark chocolate, couple pieces candied ginger,
In this container I keep my supplements :
1 multivitamin
1 glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM tablet
8 fish oil capsules -
Before bed, I’ll have a couple more eggs + 1 spoonful unflavoured yogurt
I’ve been eating like this for several years now, following a few basic rules - the idea
-food is fuel
-eat every 2-3 hours
-lean protein with every meal (not so strict on this any more)
-fruit & veg with every meal
-choosing organic and local food where possible (almost entirely)
-complex carbohydrates to support vigorous activity
-occasionally not following these rules;-)
-avoiding processed foods
-drink plenty of (filtered)water, 3-5 litres a day, with juice of 4 lemons spread evenly throughout.
You might have guessed it, but I love food - and take great care (as well as great joy) in the selecting, preparing, cooking, sharing and consuming of it.
Due to a change of living arrangements, i’ll soon not be attending this yoga studio - a prospect that is causing a little anxiousness alongside some excitement - new styles, studios & teachers. I won’t be sweating in such a great volume, but still have some concern.
SO if you’ve made it this far, thank you. I’ll pose my questions below:)
What steps can I take to reduce the uric acid in my bloodstream?
How can I promote healthy kidney function?
Any ideas for removing the scent from my laundry?
Of course, any comments and questions are extremely welcome.
Thank you!!!
Dave