Skating Uphill - March 2024

“Nature is pleased with simplicity.”
– The Uphill Skater –

Nature may be calling you loud and clear, so be sure your ear buds are tuned-in properly, or you may miss the message. Perhaps nature is calling you to eat more natural foods. If this is the case, and I promise it is, you probably know there are many products out there, claiming to be edible, that are NOT natural foods, and they are terrible for you. I am not going to go on about this, simply because you already know…hello! However, spring is here which makes it much easier to say hello to foods grown and resourced as close to home as possible, maybe even in your own garden.

On a happy note, our beloved Lowcountry has many restaurants that feature farm to table, but even better still, ocean to table. Fresh seafood is a natural foodie’s delight! No names mentioned, but I have eaten at a restaurant right on the water in Hilton Head when the waiter yelled down to a ship just coming into the dock to find out the catch of the day. That is a true story, and I love to share it. You can’t get any better than that! Everyone knows friends don’t let friends buy imported shrimp.The Lowcountry is also bustling with local farmers’ markets and roadside stands. Even some of the grocery stores feature farm fresh and healthy items. Have you noticed signage in some produce departments tell you where the vegetables were grown. Eat your colors, especially red (think apples, beets, peppers) and dark leafy greens. Watch red or fatty meats, and unfortunately, you have to tamp the fried foods, which goes against Southern grain. (I love fried stuff.) 

Another natural thing you can do for yourself is to simply rest. I don’t mean sit in front of the TV and nod off. That’s not rest. True rest is a break for the mind, as well as for the body. Find a spot where you cannot see any job that needs to be done. Sit or lie down where there is no paperwork, piles of dishes, or anything distracting in sight. Perhaps light a candle and turn on some music. Consider some white sounds like waves or trees rustling? Rub some good-smelling lotion all over your lovely self, wrap up in a warm robe or blanket, and close your eyes. Just rest. Now, this may sound counter-intuitive, but set an alarm. Something gentle like a sweet, soft chime on your phone. This will prevent you from worrying about how much longer you have to be still. Now you can really just be at peace for a while. 

My final tip for answering the call of nature involves not just relaxing with no motion, but actually just the opposite. Survey after survey and study after study recommends the many benefits of…you guessed it… yoga! I have been doing yoga for many years, and there are a plethora of groups and classes all around. My favorite way to do yoga is upstairs on a soft rug in my bedroom watching a DVD. I am a bit stiff and old, and in the privacy of my own home, as they say, I can just be mindful and stretch and bend to soft music in complete ease and sometimes even in my pajamas! 

So as nature calls you outdoors for a gentle walk, and as it calls you to eat right, to rest and stretch, be sure to answer. Your nature call is worth answering.  Love, Judith

Visit www.skatinguphill.com blog for new recipes, daily thoughts and décor ideas. Also find reprints of Pink articles and shared comments. Blogging is fun and easy.

Judith Lawrenson is a former Hilton Head Island resident who has a huge heart and is loved by all who meet her. She has served and volunteered with numerous charitable organizations while living in the Lowcontry making an impact wherever she went. She and her husband recently moved to the wild hills of West Virginia to be closer to grandchildren. Judith is an avid sailor, a retired reading resource specialist, and a children's TV host whose local show originated from the Boys and Girls' Club. Judith is also a long-time seeker of healthy, happy living and a lifestyle dedicated to service to others, balanced with love of God and love of self. Check out her blog www.skatinguphill.com for fun info, recipes and nutrition ideas, current updates on nearly everything in the world, and lots of comments and opinions.

Though I do tons of research, and have done so for many years, I am not a doctor and I share only my opinions. I enjoy research and subscribe to several magazines and publications and read up on all new trends. I hope you do, too!