I have been on an amazing journey of self discovery over the past four years that has led me to become a gluten free, vegan with approx 80% raw food diet. To most people that probably sounds crazy and believe me if anyone said I would be here only a few years ago I would have thought they were insane too! Along this path I have taken I have found with every small step and change I make in my living habits the better I feel in mind, body and spirit, I'm no angel and I have my faults but I'm doing this for myself to have a happier healthier life while I'm here.
I have decided to write this blog not to preach or judge but to document my excitement in my discoveries and share with anybody who is willing to make small or larger steps towards feeling good!
It all started when my rock n roll lifestyle caught up with me and I was a miserable, bloated, rapidly aging unhappy girl about to turn 40 and suffering from bouts of anxiety and depression. A suicide attempt that almost succeeded shocked me into making some decisions to change my life, after all life is supposed to begin at 40 not end at 40!
I had just quit my corporate day job, Yay!!! (told you life begins at 40) and I had bought my own business a bar and live music venue! Rockin! Things were fun and exciting along with a high level of stress that comes from starting your own business and not to mention the long hours of partying, music, booze and ciggies and a poor irregular diet. All of this was fuel for Bi Polar and despite being on heavy doses of anti - depressants. I had always suffered from bouts of anxiety and depression since my teens but this time round I was heading for a full blown blow up - tick tick tick KABOOM!!! The problem was people and friends all thought I had the best life but little did they know I was a self destructing timebomb. I was completely out of control and living dangerously.
I desperately had to sort my life out and decided to take a good look at my health. I accidently discovered the most amazing thing that changed my life - "swimming"! I joined the gym and immediately pulled my calf muscle, I was so pissed off eager to start my new life of fitness and a fab body I was already injured and discouraged. The gym instructor was so lovely and suggested I should try swimming instead while I waited for my injury to recover. I vaguely remember swimming lessons maybe in Primary School?, but didn't have a clue how to swim and it was the middle of winter and the pool was outdoors - oh excuses, excuses there were so many reasons not to try it but I just had to adopt a new positive attitude and without a change nothing would change!
Wow!!!! How lucky was I that the gym I joined had a beautiful heated outdoor pool! In the middle of winter the water was so warm with steam coming off and the sun shining. My first few goes were so funny I would run out of breath and stop halfway but before I knew it I had taught myself how to swim and I made some crazy dolphin like squeaky noises of excitement when I could swim from one end of the pool to another. At first I didn't put my face in the water and had my head lifted my head to breath every stroke but gradually I took a breath every second stroke, this felt a bit one sided so eventually I managed to breath deeply enough for every third stroke. Every session I added an extra two laps and in a few short weeks I was swimming 20 laps non stop and literally saved my life! My reward at the end of each swim wasn't a cigarette, glass of wine or a chocolate bar it was a nice hot steamy spa overlooking the gorgeous Fitzroy pool on cold Melbourne winter mornings. The benefits of swimming are endless but I have a few friends who have struggled with depression and alochol/drug issues who discovered swimming too and you just can't go wrong here's some of the reasons why:
- No excuses, cold or hot weather - in winter the water is warm and inviting, in summer the water is cool and refreshing
- The daily dose of sunlight provides valuable Vitamin D fighting off the blues
- You cannot help but breathe deeply and evenly when swimming which has an effect similar to mediatation, this has a great effect on your on calming your mind and fights anxiety and depression.
- You can't injure yourself and you can be of any age and level of fitness
- Resolves back and neck soreness or tensions from stress
- Keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body
- Builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
- Helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
- Tones muscles and builds strength
- Provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during swimming.
Swimming is a great way to start my day, take time for myself first before the rest of the world starts demanding and put my thoughts into a positive, calm, happy frame of mind ready to tackle anything.
Swimming makes me want to smoke less, eat less and drink less I have never regretted going for a swim sometimes it's difficult to get there, life gets in the way but everytime I go back to the pool I love it!!!!!!
Dori's philosophy on life.....just keep swimming........just keep swimming........
I will get to my obsession with food soon I promise
Keep on rockin and I'll be back here soon
Jo Jo :) x
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