Why you should invest in your body NOW

I was raised with the idea that our body is like a car. It needs fuel to function and carry us far. Now, if you knew you have one car, for the rest of your life, wouldn't you give it the best fuel you can find? A car you love, trust, and more importantly NEED for the rest of your life...

(Warren Buffett said it best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1np5_t24okE)

I think it's time to reflect on what we fuel our body with. Is it really the best fuel we can find? When we talk about quality, do we bring goodness to our body with substantial nourishing ingredients?

Ok, so we are on the same page but you might wonder where to start…?!
Cut foods with no benefits such as: white flour, simple carbs, extra sugary things.

Rather than counting calories, try to give food a hierarchy based on other aspects. Rank foods higher when they are high in fiber or contain whole wheat grains for example. Something that is high in quality protein might have more calories but can be so much more beneficial for your body than something that has less calories and is more processed.

Other examples:
Lettuce is ranked high.
Bagels are ranked low.
Quinoa is ranked high.
Regular pasta is ranked low.

Why is pasta ranked low? It really doesn't offer our body much! It's mainly carbs, but simple carbs, without much nutritional value.
Replace simple things with more nourishing thing. Maybe it's not the fastest and cheapest option, but, it's probably the best investment you can make for your body, and will probably cost you less in the long run. Think about all the medical bills you might have to pay when you are older if you don't eat healthy now!

I want to emphasize that balance is always important to keep in mind. I don't expect anyone to stop eating pasta for the rest of their life! I just want to bring better awareness to the things we put in our body. Be realistic – if you eat regular pasta once a week, try every other week or try switching it to whole wheat pasta, etc. Most importantly, consume less processed stuff and more fresh, high-quality foods.

P.S.- I don't mean to pick on pasta so much! It's just an easy target...

Routine when there's no routine

I don't know about you, but I follow way too many "influencers" and wellness bloggers. It's amazing to see how many there actually are out there. They all look great, have the time to drink a beautiful smoothie in the morning, after a workout, after packing a healthy lunch, and without being late to work or stress about traffic. WOW. It is pretty inspiring.   

What do they all have in common and swear by?
Routines.

They all suggest that you have a routine. A morning routine. A night routine. A workout routine. A practice routine. A skincare routine. A meal plan routine.

And I just want to insert the confused emoji here and scream: What about the times you don't have the time for a routine?! Are you supposed to just fall apart and fail in life? 

I'm talking about people who try to do it all: teach, run to a gig, do some admin work, practice, and teach again. We don't really have a strict schedule and it's far from a 9-5 kind of day. Every day looks different and too packed to insert all these lovely routines.

While the routine plan sounds good, it's not always practical for musicians, so we don't even try. 

I'm here to brainstorm a few suggestions to find a mini routine, for routine-challenged people:

1. A routine can last a minute: It can be a "centering routine" like taking deep breaths to meditate or make a to do list for the day.

2. In order to save time, combine routines: find a productive routine that can also help your mental state of mind. For example, a skincare routine (taking off makeup, washing face...) can be a relaxing routine. You are "washing the day off" physically and mentally.  

3. Sometimes you just have to be consistent: Even if you don't have the time for a full-length routine, just do as much as your time allows. For example, you want to run every other day, but one day you don't have the time to meet your distance goal. Instead of not running at all (and sitting on the couch and watching Netflix for 20 minutes) go around the block, even if it's less than a mile. You will get some endorphins, move a little, and not break the routine. 

4. Prioritize routines: Which routine will make you feel at your best? It might be a work-out routine or a stretching routine, but for others a better sleep routine might be more necessary. Figure out what are the routines that are important for YOU, and do those before anything else 

5. Find a way to make routines cost effective: Thanks to social media, some routines look fancy and glamorous, but real routines are not about money. Some people choose to spend money and feel like they have to find the quickest way to achieve their goals by going to an expensive gym, eating out all the time, or splurging on a fancy powder that is supposed to fix everything in life. They put money where they lack motivation. But trust me, you can do simple cheap routines without spending anything. 

6. Plan ahead:  You can set your heart on an amazing routine but never find the time to execute it. Start with a short routine and force yourself to find time. Try scheduling it in your calendar, on your phone, or even with an alarm. Still can't find the time for it? Try waking up 5 minutes earlier for it. Can't get out of bed? Hide the alarm clock somewhere that forces you to stand up out of bed. 

7. It's not "all or nothing", but what's enough for you, today. You have to be forgiving to yourself and remember that musicians are not normal people. This is what excites us to follow this path as a career of course! Choose one or two easy routines and see if you can consistently maintain them. The next step is to add another new routine one at a time, or maybe even just expand on an old one. 

How to survive winter, part IV: Jealousy

February in three words: Auditions. Snow. Results. Oh, and jealousy.

Whether you are auditioning for a music school, a summer program, or a professional opportunity (or all three!), many of these auditions take place in February, and the tension is ON. Even if you are not taking any auditions, February is a hard month to survive. It might feel like everyone is doing better than us (unless you ARE one of those lucky few, wink wink).

This is hard enough to go through thanks to social media. In addition to seeing who got in to where, we also see who got engaged and who’s eating the best food while tanning at a beautiful beach. It’s just a question of when the wave of jealousy will hit us.

Here are some tips that might help you to kick the jealousy away:

1. Focus on yourself. What’s exciting about your future? Instead of looking back, or lingering on the “what ifs”, think about how you can move forward in a positive way. Use this opportunity to create a better version of yourself: read more, visit cultural venues, eat healthy, work out more…and find new ways to empower yourself.

2. It’s OK to feel jealousy. Normalize it, acknowledge it and give it its space. Instead of pushing it away and getting upset about being jealous, embrace it.

3. Vent to a friend. Yep, it’s allowed and almost encouraged to have a huge venting session. Find a friend you trust (who might have also been rejected from a similar situation), open a bottle of wine, and let the venting session begin.

4. Distract yourself. Don’t let the jealously take over and try to occupy your mind with other things. One example is to have a list of friends and family who you should call more often. Start talking to others and shift the focus AWAY from yourself.

5. Meditate. Either actually try meditating, OR “meditate” on the situation in a broader sense. Use this feeling of jealousy as a learning experience. Learn more about yourself and your future goals.

6. Disappear from social media. While it won’t make other’s successes (or what you may think is a success) go away, they won’t be in your FACE.

7. Bring more good to the world. Do something nice to someone else. Buy someone coffee. Give a compliment. Jealousy is a pretty negative emotion so occupy your mind with something positive instead that will benefit others.

How to survive winter, part II: Exercise

We need to exercise more. We know that. We hear it all the time and we do our best to fit more exercise into our routine, BUT winter makes things harder. Why? Suddenly, there are more things to fight than just lack of motivation. We can't just run outside or take a casual walk around the park. Even if it's not ridiculously cold out, it's definitely not enjoyable in this weather and we would rather sit on the couch and watch Netflix. So now what? 

When I moved to Boston I was overwhelmed by winter. I never experienced such a thing. I was used to being able to run outside even in the winter, and when I got here I couldn't do it anymore (though I definitely tried...). I was also in grad school at the time and couldn't afford a gym membership. I came up with creative solutions that I still use now even though I have a gym membership.

Here are a few you you can try at home. BUT, make sure you still wear your sneakers to support your feet even though you are not going out, otherwise it could lead to injuries. For extra motivation I recommend wearing a full gym-look so you don't give up in the middle.

1. Invest in a jump rope. It's a one-time expense and it's not even that pricey. Mine is already 9 years old. In my old apartment building I jumped in my laundry room, living room, bedroom, anywhere that I could make a little bit of noise... It's fun and it's a great cardio workout. Also, it's easy to travel with!

2. YouTube work videos. They're free, and there are some great ones out there. My favorites include Yoga with Adriene, all sorts of cardio combinations, and even Zumba.

3. Resistance bands. Another one-time investment that is worth it. They allow you to work on strength and flexibility, and you can find them even in Target or Flying Tiger for really cheap.

4. Live in a building? Run up and down the stairs! This idea came to me after I saw my neighbors running up and down the stairs during a snow storm.

5. Canned foods. Who needs to invest in weights when you can use cans? Think of all the different sizes and what sorts of exercises you could do with them to tone your arms. 

6. Tennis balls. It's a great fixer for back pain and knots. Just lie on them and lean gently where the knot is. You can also use them for stretching your foot. 

Most important thing? Stay active in whatever way you find most convenient and enjoyable for you. 

How to survive winter, Part I: Social life

Winter is here and it's here to stay. We get it. It's cold, windy and dark. We can finally practice all day (sigh), but should we? Should we be stuck with ourselves in one room for most hours of the day just because it's too cold and depressing out?

I think we should not. 

While winter can be productive in some ways, the burn out and depression is on the rise. Here are a few things I like to do during these crazy cold months:

1. Museums. There are so many great museums that we never find the time to go. We are musicians and we should go and support other arts institutions. Also, it's so relaxing and beautiful there, and a great place for inspiration (painters struggle as much as musicians... if not more!).

2. Concerts. I live in Boston and every student gets free tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Did I go to concerts as a student? No. Do I regret it? Yes. Do I go now? Yes! (and I pay money for it...) So I think you should go to see concerts, especially if they are free/cheap. And if you already go, go more. 

3. Tea service. A bit pricey but it's a great hang for anyone who doesn't want to drink alcohol (or had too many the night before)(singers friendly!!). If you don't know what tea service is, google it now... (YOU'RE WELCOME!!)

4. Opera night. Who has time to watch an opera?! No one. But during the winter, you don't have anywhere else to go. Rent an opera you don't already know and dig in. If you really want to go "all out" you can create drin`ks and food that go along with the theme of the opera (yea, I know it's a bit much). 

5. Bowling/pool/board games. There are so many cool activities that we forgot exist. Set the inner child free and play some games.

6. Cooking/baking club. Find a recipe that you find challenging and conquer it. Extra points for recipes that use the oven and make the house smell amazing. Fondue also counts!

New Year Resolution... just chew more!

I love snow days. Suddenly I have the time to do all the things I never find time to do:  meditate, organize paperwork, go through emails, and delete pictures on my phone... but yesterday's project was an exciting one: I learned a lot about chewing.

We take chewing for granted. Sometimes we treat it as another chore. "Come on, let's get it over with, I'm hungry!"...
Do you even remember anyone teaching you how to chew correctly?! Besides grown-ups telling you "chew well"... no one really explains how to chew, what it should feel like, and why it's actually better for us to focus on the proper way.

Apparently, the magic number is 32. On average, we need to chew every BITE 32 times before actually swallowing. Did you know that? Have you ever tried that? 

More highlights of chewing more carefully:
-Improves digestion
-Gets more nutritions into our body
-Reduces gas
-Helps with acid reflux 
-Makes our body become more aware of when we are actually full

How ARE we supposed to chew? 
Chew each bite until the food loses its texture completely. Avoid over-crowding your fork/spoon, chew with your mouth closed (about 32 time for each bite), and until the food really feels mushy if it was solid to begin with (sorry if that grosses you out at first). 

32 sounds like a lot of times. It is. But it's important to chew well and I'm pretty convinced you will feel the difference... I definitely did!

Extra reading about chewing HERE

Chinese medicine secrets to a balanced gut

There are TOO many diets and nutrition trends when it comes to improving your health through what you eat. 
Chinese medicine has been talking about this for thousands of years, and while their approach is not the most "trendy", and definitely not new, it does talk a lot about a balanced body (and mind!) and the importance of individual needs. In many places this method called "yin-yang" to show the balance of nature and your body in this system.

During the winter season you might think your body craves carbs and sugars. The truth is that your body craves sources of energy and wants to stay warm. You should replace empty carbs and sugary treats with natural warming foods such as squash and lamb dishes, and use spices such as cinnamon, fresh ginger, and chili powder.

According to Chinese medicine, there are four food groups (not counting the neutral group):

cold
cool

warm
hot

Foods are grouped not by their actual temperature, but by what effects they have on a person's body after consumption. The main goal of this method is to keep our body neutral, therefore we should consume foods that will balance our system.

• Inflammations, constipation, and sweat (like night sweats... not the "after workout " sweat) are associated with a "hot" body condition, and in order to balance it you might want to consume "cooling" foods. 

• Chills, bad blood circulation, and weakness are associated with a "cold" body, and the right balance will be with warming foods. 

A few examples for each food group:

Yang foods (hot): Cayenne pepper, dried ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, chili powder, horseradish, eggs, lamb, trout, whole green or red peppers, and alcoholic drinks
Yang foods (warming): Cherries, coconut, squash, raspberries, cauliflower, mustard greens, onion, coffee, garlic, fresh ginger, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, chicken, shrimp, mussels, lobster, turkey, yogurt, and butter
Yin foods (cooling): Apples, bananas, pears, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, spinach, Swiss chard, celery, soybeans, buckwheat, and sesame oil
Yin foods (cold): Papaya, watermelon, grapefruit, tomatoes, asparagus, cucumbers, summer squash, romaine lettuce, seaweed, barley, and tofu

Neutral foods are believed to be nourishing for any body type. Examples of neutral foods are apricots, figs, pineapple, beets, cabbage, carrots, olives, pumpkin, string beans, yams, oats, almonds, peas, peanuts, rice, beef, oysters, pork, whitefish, salmon, sardines, herring, and saffron.  

I recommend this book for more information and complete food lists: Helping Ourselves: a guide to traditional Chinese food Energetic 

There are also plenty of free lists online, but some can be confusing!  Here’s one I find helpful.

When I have an inflammation I try to follow the guidelines of eating cool and cooling foods. I also take medication which helps to solve the problem, but I feel like this system helps my body heal faster and prevent future inflammations.

All you need to know about Beta Blockers

I've used beta blockers and still use them sometimes. You probably know people who have used them in the past and that might use them in the future. It's one of the most hot topics in the music world, but also a controversial one. SO what do you need to know?

Quick facts about beta blockers*:

• Beta blockers are a type of medication that is prescribed to patients with a high heart rate. They have also been recommended to people with irregular heartbeat, angina, and high blood pressure.

• Beta blockers also offer relief for glaucoma, overactive thyroid, and anxiety.

• Beta blockers are non-addictive, non-narcotic sedatives that help reduce symptoms of anxiety.

What do they actually do:

Beta-blockers block the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which prepare our muscles for exertion. This physical preparation is taken into action when our body feels in danger. It is called the "fight-or-flight" response. 

Side effects

There aren't many side effect for using beta blockers but the common ones are:
Cold feet and hands
Dry mouth, skin and eyes
Nausea or weakness
Fatigue

Are they safe to use?

According to arts medicine specialist Dr. Alice Brandfonbrener : “Beta-blocking drugs, primarily propranolol, have proved to be safe and effective for many musicians as one means of temporarily controlling the negative physiological symptoms of performance anxiety."

Why do musicians take them?

Performances and auditions can get to our heads. While we all know it's normal to get nervous and anxious before an audition, if we can control the physical symptoms, we might have a more successful performance.
Beta blockers can help with shakiness, accelerated heart rate, sweating, and other PHYSICAL sensations we might feel when we are nervous.

Do beta blockers make you calmer?

No. They block the physical sensations of nervousness so you might feel like you are calmer. However, the truth is that the body-mind connection is affected by the physical balance, and that's why we feel calmer.

Should I try it?

This is a controversial one. Many performers and teachers do not like to talk about beta blockers and will not recommend using them.
While we all agree we should try to overcome our anxiety and fear through preparation, practice, and experience, we might feel like our anxiety is controlling us. We struggle to manage it during a performance, and it doesn't matter how well prepared we are or how much we practiced, we still go on the stage and can’t control our nerves. We mess up only because we were too nervous.

From my own experience, I think it's ok to experiment with beta blockers. We are all so different, so you should really think what is best for YOU, and what is really in your way when it comes to performance nerves. If you feel like your nerves are in the way of your optimal performance, I would recommend to at least try beta blockers once. In any case, if you decide to try it, you must consult a doctor and get a prescription. Experiment first by taking it during a practice session or a mock audition before using it for the real deal. It might not be appropriate to some people, while others will swear by it.

*Based on research from Medical News Today:  www.medicalnewstoday.com