Monthly Archives: February 2012

java-less

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gone are the days of vanilla lattes, vanilla americanos, vietnamese coffee, peppermint mochas, and gingerbread lattes. my mornings are from here on out: java-less.

photo courtesy of fabzilicious.org

it’s not only the act of holding the warm cup of deliciousness as i read my morning emails or feeling the coffee travel down my throat warming up my belly that gets me going in the morning. it’s the smell. OMG i absolutely love the smell of coffee. it is comforting, soothing, and sense-stimulating all at the same time. it’s aromatically amazing.

i was on the phone with my brilliant n.d. candidate friend last week who strongly advised me to get off the coffee-kick, especially since i’m currently on my 3rd hyperthyroid episode since 2004. my jaw literally dropped and my heart sank at the thought of giving up my morning joe. such a bummer. i totally knew it; it made perfect sense, but i was hoping that i’d never hear the words uttered out loud. for lent this year i gave up: 1. red meat 2. soda 3. candy 4. fast food… and now 5. COFFEE… damnit. well, so far so good! only 30-and some odd days to go!

coffee, synonymous with caffeine, contains anywhere from 25mg – 300mg of caffeine in a 16oz cup of joe, depending on the type of brew. (according to mayoclinic.com). yikes! some days i’m jittering uncontrollably and can’t think straight. some of the side effects of the caffeine in coffee include: insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and other side effects. consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause headache, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats. (according to webmd.com). no wonder coffee is a big no-no for me right now. i’m already riding caffeine-like high from the hyperactivity of my thyroid.

photo courtesy of cheezburger.com

i’m on day #3 of my java-less life and life is surprisingly good. i feel GREAT, and i’m not craving coffee… yet. i’m sure i will in the near future, and i’m preparing myself to resist all temptation! i switched to tea with almond milk and chai, which still does have a considerable amount of caffeine, but doesn’t effect me the same way that coffee did. i found some other coffee alternatives online, and they aren’t even comparable to my morning coffee, but i’m ok with that. i can’t have it all, and right now, my health is more important than a cup of coffee. the big news is that my heart palpitations have subsided and i sleep soundly at a reasonable time at night. i’m also taking herbal supplements, a multi-vitamin, and my thyroid meds – so that adds to my overall improved state.

peace out, java. thank you for keeping me company during my all-nighters at studio and for walking me to work every morning from the 16th & mission BART station to SoMa. thank you for keeping up my urgency as i ran the floor at lulu PA and for singing along with me on my long drives from the peninsula to the redwoods of marin county. you have been a good friend to me, but are a detriment to my health. you keep me awake til the crack of dawn, make me jittery, and make it difficult to concentrate. so, i’ve decided that it’s best that we part and go our separate ways.

it’s been nice knowin’ ya…

hello. my name is kristin, and i am committed to being java-free.

please share your coffee alternatives with me! :)

watching the sunset over the south/east bay

xplore yoga hike: mission peak

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nothing beats the outdoors an being surrounded by life: soaking up the sun, breathing the fresh air, basking in the beauty of mother nature.

redwood grove pathes (photo courtesy of losaltoschamber.org)

as a child, i remember spending a couple weeks every summer at redwood grove day camp. i learned to appreciate the animal kingdom & nature: i fed goats & lambs and also brushed their wool; held snakes in my hands, feeling them slither between my fingertips; watched owls and hawks take flight and land gracefully on their handler’s forearm. i wandered around redwood grove‘s wooden paths with summer-time friends picking blackberries; explored the creeks, jumping from rock to rock; and picked wildflowers in the tall grasses.

so naturally, i love to hike, especially with my little sister. but, since our schedules are so out of sync, i got jeff into hiking! we’re a yoga-flowing/hike-pumping/lulu-loving couple! lol. hiking is a great group activity. get a couple of friends, family, friends-of-friends together and it’s a great time out! :) the more the merrier. i strongly advise NOT hiking alone – it’s better to be safe than sorry. here’s another good tip: hiking can also be a fun date! :)

we live in an amazing area with tons of hiking trails sprinkled all over the bay: different terrains, breathtaking views, different species of birds & other wildlife – you name it. one of my favorite sites to reference hiking trails is: bayareahiker.com. the website provides a synopsis on literally every trail in the bay area. the writer covers: distance, terrain, difficulty, best time to year to hike the trail, trail traffic, and how to get there.

if you’re in the san francisco/greater bay area, on march 3, 2012, love yoga & hiking, enjoy the great outdoors, and are always looking to meet new people, join & me and xplore yoga (newark, ca) on the xplore: yoga hike at mission peak regional reserve in fremont. check out bayareahiker.com’s breakdown of the steep trek: mission peak hike. the hike will be lead by a mission peak veteran & xplore yoga student, satish, and yoga in the grass with xplore instructor, candace.

at the top of mission peak in 2009

satish is my mission peak hero. i didn’t know him at the time, but i remember crossing paths with him back in 2009 when i hiked mission peak with 2 other people to train for half dome. the 3 of us were on the main dirt trail that winds through the hills, when we saw satish walking straight up the inclines on the tiny (road less traveled) dirt paths and making good progress. satish was always a step ahead of us, showing no visible signs of overexertion or shortness of breath. he just kept ascending up the mountain, hands behind his back at a slow and steady speed. we eventually followed his lead on that tiny trail… huffing & puffing behind him.

3 years later, i actually know who he is! it will be interesting to see how i manage this hike. it’s been a very long time since i’ve done a hike like this… but it will be well worth the sweat and hard work to see the beautiful view from the top!

join us if you can! :)

watching the sunset over the south/east bay

the mastery of yoga…

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“The Mastery of Yoga must not be measured simply by the ability to master the techniques of yoga like asana and pranayama, but by how it influences our day-to-day living, how it enhances our relationship and how it promotes clarity and peace of mind.”

~ T K V Desikachar

via The Mastery of Yoga…. [thanks, savasana addict!]