Cricket in a Biscuit

In the Venn diagram of my life, the overlap between crafting and fitness just expanded. Links between handcrafting and improved mental health have been studied and documented , but what about physical health? I typically associate the many hours spent hunched over my knitting and crochet with poor posture, back pain, and increased risk of carpal tunnel. However, I recently saw something which has put me on a mission to change that. Worlds collide: I already use yoga to ease craft-related aches. Now, spinning has become a tool to correct my posture. Perusing Instagram instead of folding laundry, I came across an intriguing image. It was two skeletons viewed from the side, one with an exaggerated spinal curve. The caption explained one skeleton demonstrated an anterior pelvic tilt, while the other showed a  neutral spine and pelvis.   The reason for killing time on Instagram in the first place was due to searing lower back pain. It's been plaguing me for...

We are generally a pretty hardy bunch, so the last few weeks have been overwhelming and a little bewildering. At least one person has been stay-at-home sick almost every day since the middle of January. A dental crisis and some overtime hours tacked on for good measure was more than I felt equipped to handle. But, as I explained to Laney when she was wondering why Daddy was out shoveling even though he was in misery, being a grownup means doing what needs to be done, even when you don't feel like it. It seems like the worst is behind us now, knock on wood, and I'm looking forward to everyone being back to normal. There is, however, an upside to an entire family requiring rest and unable to leave the house: plenty of time for quiet hobbies. We may have been under a self-imposed quarantine, but I got so much accomplished! Before, the illness, I finished the two cowls on which I'd been working. The Bear Hug is wrapped up and waiting for Ainsleigh's birthday, ...

There are well known benefits of yoga: increased strength and flexibility, relaxation and meditation. It's a great, low-impact fitness option accessible to anyone, regardless of ability. At its most basic, yoga is moving and stretching while being mindful of breaths and the sensations experienced by the body. What may be less widely known, yoga can be used with very specific purpose. Whatever remedy one is seeking, a quick google search will bring up various poses to help. Try it. Make up a condition just to see which poses could help alleviate it. This is going to veer into "too much information" territory, but I've never been one to shy from over sharing, so here goes. Irregularity has been a lifelong struggle for me. If my eating gets the tiniest bit off track, if I'm stressed, if I'm the slightest bit dehydrated, if it's almost that time of the month, if I used too much weight the last workout, there are repercussions. Quite by accident, I d...