Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday, June 7, 2010

My fresher course is about to come to an end. I will certainly miss the wonderful fruit I have been privy to here. The pineapple juice yesterday was absolutely fantastic! And the orange juice today was equally super. Naturally sweet and no additives! The bananas, too, are naturally sweeter than most of the ones we get. Although maybe part of that is because I get them when they are one/half day short of banana bread ingredient. In other words, very ripe.

Being here has given me a timeout in which to refocus on what I want to do which is keep getting healthier at least on the inside. May not look it on the outside due to sagging, but that's ok. Focus on what's important which is continuing to getting and staying healthier.

I remember meeting a woman when David and I went to England to visit Kevin who traveled the world by herself. I was absolutely amazed. After my experience in Mumbai, I feel much more positive about maybe getting there. Amelia, too, could travel the world and be accepted anywhere just because of her personality and her interest in people.

As many of you are aware, winter and the nonavailability or expense of my favorite fruits provided a challenge. Vegetables are pretty much always available although the taste definitely changes. I have found that veggies like carrots and cucumbers definitely change taste depending on where they are grown. Spinach can change taste, too, although I only got my batch that was bitter. Apples last forever in the refrigerator as do oranges. Guess I'll just have to suck it up this winter or try alternatives. My plan is to use the cookbooks and try new things in the coming year. Maybe even eggplant and squash! Jenny has fixed those for me. Maybe I can also do it myself.

I think I forgot to tell you about my reception here. Baji, Babu, and Francis all met the minivan. I think they were surprised, although I had been giving monthly updates, and somewhat overwhelmed. Great big smiles. It's one thing to read a figure and another to see it. I also think it did them some good to see the results. That the treatment really does work if you want it to and you are motivated. I've heard about the people who stay for a month of weight loss and leave with the words that "I'm going on a cruise, and I know I'm going to eat a lot." or, if they come again, bringing their full medication containers back with them. So I think it was very positive for them, too.

I had a question about what we get to drink here. Room temperature bottled water for the most part. Hot water at meals. Ich! There is coffee and I believe tea. E-mail the colonel if you need specifics. Or bring it. The worst they can say is 'I don't think so'. And they usually say it in the nicest way.

I didn't finish yesterday's thought on Zamorin's vs other places. Baji and Babu feel that their six evening/week visits compensate for lack of tourism. (Mind, body, spirituality?) In a government hospital, a doctor will see an average of 300 patients PER DAY. Private practice is virtually the same. There are no appointments. In order to keep your patients as a private practioner, you are on call 24/7. If someone comes to the door in the middle of the night or in the middle of dinner, you have no choice but to see them right then and there or people start talking about you not being available and you lose your practice. Once gossip gets started, there goes your practice. If you don't have any patients and another doctor has plenty, the one without continues to have no patients because people figure he is not a good doctor. I will have to ask if there are any women Ayurvedic doctors.

Time for treatment. This is the last day to ask questions while I'm still here.

Take care.

Love,
Mom/Peggy/Granny/NiNi