I last wrote about my struggles with hallux limitus—arthritis of the big toe—in 2017, and an update is substantially overdue, especially since some of you have kindly taken in interest in the status of my toe. First, the necessary disclaimer: I am not a doctor, and I am not authorized to give medical advice. What […]
Thoughts on COVID-19: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pandemic
In the last two weeks, people in the United States have grown panicked over the COVID-19 outbreak. People have taken to exhibiting continual fear (ironically weakening their immune systems through chronic stress), avoiding public transport, donning gloves and masks in public, emptying supermarket shelves and stockpiling goods, and becoming belligerent to those whom they feel […]
Aging Does Not Mean Deterioration
A curious thing happened once I entered my thirties. Suddenly, everyone around me began signaling to me that I was past my prime. If I expressed that I was tired after a late night out, my parents would tell me, “you’re not as young as used to be.” Never mind the fact that at all […]
Hallux Limitus: Healing Arthritis On My Own
I was recently diagnosed by a podiatrist and orthopedist with hallux limitus, or osteoarthritis of the big toe. It means that my toe no longer has the range of motion to fully dorsiflex. The pain so far has been minor, especially compared to the mental experience. I like to be very physically active, and now […]
Ancestral Health Symposium 2017, Part II
This is part two of my recap of this year’s Ancestral Health Symposium in Seattle. See part one here. Darryl Edwards, Primal Play and Animal Moves Sessions Darryl Edwards offered movement sessions each day of the conference, sessions that included partner tug-of-war, one-legged tag, crawling, and play fighting. Edwards was absolutely engaging, coming across humorous and […]
Functional Movement and the Ability to Self-Rescue
In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, I have felt numb. I want to say that my thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the families–which they most definitely do–but it feels too feeble to say that in the face of another superlative mass shooting, which I am sure will not be the last […]
Ancestral Health Symposium 2017, Part I
This year I attended my first Ancestral Health Symposium, which focuses on the evolutionary mismatch between humans and our modern lifestyles. The Ancestral Health Symposium provided a wealth of interesting speakers and novel topics that you will not find covered in most mainstream health media. And I got such a kick out of meeting the […]
Humans Are Domesticated Animals, Part I
Over the past few years I encountered a few ideas that have intrigued me and made me look at modern life differently, namely that humans are comparable to domesticated animals living in captivity. In Move Your DNA, Katy Bowman compared the movement functionality of modern-day humans to the bodily dysfunction of captive orcas. While her […]
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North American Women’s Parkour Gathering 2017
Parkour has been on my list of movement practices to try for a while. I wanted to be a gymnast as a kid, and with my ignited interest in natural and functional movement, parkour makes perfect sense (I know parkour =/= gymnastics. Don’t hate me, traceurs!). This year I dove in by attending the North […]
Eggplant-Tomato Caprese Stacks
I opt to buy most of my produce from farmer’s markets or CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture, a type of buyers’ cooperative for farm products), which results in a more seasonal diet than I used to have when I bought all my produce at the supermarket. Though I don’t forbid myself from buying out-of items season […]