Youthing Update

I know you are all just sitting there on the edge of your seats wondering...is Saretta still doing that yoga program that promises rejuvenation? Or did that glich involving a backache dissuade her? And if she is doing it, has she noticed any results?

Well, you'll be happy to know that yes, I am still doing the yoga thing. Which surprises ME more than anyone else, because I've always sort of pooh-poohed yoga. Too sedentary, too reflective for me. I'm the type that likes to run, or swim or lift weights...the kind of activity where you go, go, go until you can't go any more.

But, something has clicked with this yoga program. I get up half an hour earlier than I have to each morning to do it. After the backache passed, I cut the number of repetitions of each exercise way back and have slowly worked up to doing 10 reps of each (21 of each is the goal).

Have I noticed a change? Well, I am definitely more aware of my posture. These exercises require you to stretch your neck quite a bit and I find that I am now more aware of the position in which I hold my head. I tend to stand and sit up straighter now.

The real change that I have noticed, however, is in my sense of smell. About 15 years ago I started getting lots of bad sinus infections and I gradually lost most of my sense of smell. I wasn't very happy about that because I have always loved the sense of smell. I find that certain smells can even trigger emotions or memories of past events. I lost all that with the sinus infections. But, now it's coming back!

Which is good and bad, like all things... I can smell wonderful things that take me by surprise because I'm not used to noticing scents anymore. Plants, my friends' perfumes, the wonderful scent of my childrens' skin. But, I also smell terrible odors! On my way to work on Friday I went through a series of "odor areas." First there was the train which was extremely musty, from the station to my office I walked through about a block of dog poop smell which then, as I continued walking, became a distinct sewage stink.

Is this related to the yoga program? I think so. Nothing else has changed in my lifestyle. So, I may not have fewer wrinkles or a firmer jawline, but, hey!, I'm standing up a bit straighter and have rejoined the olfactory world. I'll keep you posted on any further developments...