Adventures in Wellness

Having only lived in NYC for a few months now, I am already discovering that my pursuit of wellness will be a challenging one.  For starters, NYC is chaos, for better or worse.  It's loud, crowded, intrinsically stressful and unavoidably polluted.  Yes, the streets are decently clean, by my standards, but blow your nose into a tissue at the end of the day and tell me your thoughts on the state of our air.  The chaos of NYC, which many condemn, is also what makes it so alluring.  Clubs are open until 4 or 5am, but certainly the party doesn't have to end there when you can continue the revelry at a 24 hour diner, or in someone's apartment (although there may be some noise complaints/fines in the morning).  There are so many temptations, and yet I feel I have so little time in a day. For these reasons, although this is by no means an exhaustive list, NYC presents many challenges to pursuing optimal health. 

However, although NYC provides many obstacles, it is also abundant with information, products, people, and opportunities that can guide and support me on my quest for wellness.  I can't seem to go 5 blocks without passing a fitness center or yoga studio, or 10 blocks without passing a health-conscious grocery store, while fast food restaurants seem to be few and far between.  Granted gym memberships cost on average $150 per month, but fortunately you can't get anywhere in NYC without walking!  Even to the fast food restaurant, if you so desire.  There are cooking courses, wellness lectures, and farmers markets nearly everyday.  Everything a person needs to get on the right track to wellness is available here, so there's no excuse, even on a budget.  A statement to which I, a graduate student with a part-time job, can certainly attest.  

Here's the catch, with everything being so accessible, it is easy to get sucked into the vortex of wanting everything, now, all at the same time.  We want unforgettable, unending nights of revelry, but we also want to wake up the next morning feeling fresh and renewed.  We want giant servings of pasta, pizza, burgers and french fries, but without the indigestion, heartburn, and lethargy.  We want to do a million things a day and we simultaneously want peace of mind.  Let's get real- we can't have it all, at least not at the same time, because so much of what we want is mutually exclusive.  It requires making a decision and a commitment.  On any given Saturday we can make the decision to party all night, but we have to accept that we may not be feeling they way we'd like to on Sunday.   No decision is intrinsically right or wrong.  More accurately, it may or may not be compatible with our goals for ourselves.  With health as our goal, it is up to us to make appropriate choices to get us there.  

So welcome! Join me and please feel free to add your own opinions, suggestions, and experiences, as we embark on this adventure together!