Cubicle Health Venturer

Facing Up

2009-05-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

I think sometimes we lie to ourselves. Sometimes it is about different things. For different people it might be different things. For me it is my food. I walk around saying, I don't know why I don't see the results that I want. I do see results by the way, but not the complete results that I want. Well, it is a lie - I know exactly why. I know each bad choice as I make it, and I choose to convince myself at the time that it doesn't matter or I will do the right thing "next time". The bottom line is that it DOES NOT MATTER if I sit there and plan the healthiest breakfasts and dinners, if my lunch is absolute crap, and if there are bad snacks that are filler in between. Your thinking throughout the day is what creates the person you are. Are you in a rut? You might look like it then! Is that how you want to feel? Is that what you want the world to see of you? The question is, if I am walking around sucking it in all of the time, am I truly allowing myself to live, act and be the person I truly am? I think I am that person that skips over the bad parts.

I will tell you what I mean by that. Have you ever done a workout, maybe a video, or a class and purposely skipped the part that is way too hard? For example, the situps! Or the pushups, or the lunges. I name those because those were some of the ones that I hated, so I would skip those parts, figuring well I had done a 45 minute workout, no big deal if I skipped the 5 minutes that I hated the most. That was a long time ago when I did that. But the point is clear. It is okay to skip the pushups, but you should always at least try to do a couple if you can. If you hate that part, chances are it is the part you need the most.

I woke up this morning at 4:30a.m. All the common sense stuff that I have known all along and not followed and ignored was clear. The bloating, the lack of total and complete results. The hard workout. The gall bladder. I think I began to confuse myself. I could handle working out. The food took too much time to sort out and think about. I thought to myself, if I work out enough, then I won't have to worry about what I eat. Not true. Obviously not true. I can run 8-11 miles at a time, and still feel bloated? Yeah, that means I can't eat whatever I want. In a way it is truly like mourning a lost loved piece of your life. I mean it is comforting, and it tastes good and it is a luxury. But that is how I should treat it, as a luxury, not an every day part of my life. The truth is, I have a collection of health books, cook books all analyzing the body and digestive system and how to be at your best health. When I woke up this morning I spent some time reflecting on what I want for myself. I dug out 4-5 of my reference books and began reading over some of the pertinent sections. It was clear that some of the parts that I skipped over the course of time (the parts that were not my favorite) were common ground in all of these books. The dairy and breads need to be cut way down, big time. Obviously the snacks and processed foods should be eliminated from a regular schedule. When I reviewed the sample menu plans from some of the things I have been doing it was outstanding - I have been counter productive to the results I want.

The key is to be able to tweak it to each person's needs. For example, a lot of these books are not assuming that I am training for a half marathon. So being able to take the knowledge that I have about my workout schedule as well as the key points I have learned about health in general, training for events, and working out in general and apply it to my personal life, is essential for success. And to never stop tweaking, never stop striving, even if something doesn't work. This week I am going to try to take more responsibility for my choices. With a friend coming into town, I will allow myself to have a few drinks, maybe a snack here or there, but when I am alone, there is no excuse or room for error.

On the flip side, the dextor ann arbor half marathon is in one week. In one week from tomorrow, I will be completing the 13 mile run that I have been preparing for for 3 1/2 months. In some ways I think I have trained better for this one than I have on any of the previous ones, at the same time, I dropped the ball a couple of times this month with a couple of the runs. Also, if my eating had been in check this month I think I would have had a better chance for better results and finish time. But it is not helpful to dwell on the regrets, the important thing is to look forward with anticipation. I h ave one big run left this weekend, 11 miles. That will be my last long run before the race next week. I will probably do it this afternoon. Then next week will be a relaxed schedule leading up to the big day. I think at most I have a 2 mile run and a 5 mile run. Probably do a bit of yoga or something in between. I am excited. It is crucial to eat well. Critical!! I can do it.

Everyday Success

2009-03-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Finding the answers to small problems = dedication and progress. I have currently made it one month and 2 days without coffee of any kind. Yes, I do believe I deserve a medal. And now, I think of it and it sounds wonderful, but I know I don't need it. The answers to small problems is when I would wake up and couldn't think of anything besides the cup of coffee. Then I forced myself to choose from other options. What are my options, and which one is it going to be today? So now I have made a routine of making a pot of hot water and bringing my thermos of green tea to work with me and happily sip it throughout the day - it is a treat for me now, and no longer a sacrifice. No time to pack breakfast is no longer an issue. In my drawer at work I keep a jar of peanut butter, a supply of rice cakes and a bag of dried mixed fruit. When I leave in the morning I grab a yogurt and when I get to work I have my yogurt, a small handful of dried fruit and a rice cake with about a teaspoon of peanut butter spread on it and I am completely satisfied. Then I move on to my green tea. My whole day wasn't perfect - they bought us pizza for lunch so of course I ate it! But the morning was in my control and I made wise decisions and felt great.

My training is coming along terrific so far. This weekend will complete my fourth week of my running schedule complete. I am very happy with myself up to this point. The only downfall is that it has been almost entirely on a treadmill, which is not ideal at all, but definitely doable. I went to stony creek on sunday and wow could I tell I hadn't been running outside - severe shin splints for the first two miles and then in the last mile or so my pelvic and upper thigh muscles were all out of whack. So I was supposed to do 8 that day but I only did 7 miles...but I was okay with it since my body was telling me I had worked as hard as I needed to that day. That is the only day so far where I have fallen short of what I was supposed to do. Tomorrow I have to do 8 miles and it will unfortunately be on the treadmill after bree goes to bed so I will just have to get through it.

Really the key now is to try to cut back more on the high fat foods. With the gallstone issue, this is something I should be much better about so I will just slowly build more routines similar to my morning options and I will get it together soon I believe.

the latest a-ha

2009-03-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

So I had been mulling it over in my head just weeks ago. The bloating feeling. Some weeks it is worse than others. And maybe that is just normal, many women complain of it. But it got me to thinking...hormones. How would one even know if their hormones are out of whack? And surely it has a big impact on how your body does its job.

I picked up a book by C.W. Randolph, M.D. which talks about just that - over dominating estrogen levels which cause belly fat in women over age 30 (and men over age 40). A lot of the symptoms just don't apply to me but I am reading on because a lot of it falls right in line with the other stuff I have read about my body type and health in general, concentrate on certain fruits and vegetables, calcium, fiber, healthy oils, etc.

And then the fact that I quit coffee made sense and I was proud of that move when I read on. The book states, "Studies have shown that drinking two cups of coffee a day can increase estrogen levels." In a study involving hundreds of men and women, women who had more than one cup of coffee a day had significantly higher estrogen levels! This definitely applies to all caffeinated beverages, so the pop drinkers are also at risk, thankfully I am really not.

I have also set aside a food journal for myself. Seeing that I tend to do the whole, "oh just one of these, or a little of that" constantly I need to be making myself write it down and then maybe I won't be so quick to make excuses for all of those little treats. It is time consuming but I suppose like anything once you have a routine it is not such a big deal.

Onward to slimmer and better things!

New Energy

2009-03-13T03:02:00.000-07:00

Well I have passed the two week mark of no coffee. I have chosen alternatives like tea and water in the interim. It is better definitely but not perfect. I am at a point now where I know I can do without it, but it is still a painful journey. I am glad that I am doing it though. I think it is important to find my energy a different way, it is so amazing to me just how dependent I was on coffee. Scary really. This will be good for me to go through a training season without it. Then on race day I can have a half cup and it will be perfect!

Everyone else around me at work has crumbled in what they gave up, mostly pop, beer and choclate. Fascinating. I always thought I had a poor ability to discipline with restraining myself but they all caved very quickly, maybe I am stronger than I thought! Well, time to get ready for work. One more day til the weekend, yippee!!

The Roles People Play

2009-02-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

So it is true what they say - surround yourself with people of your own mindset. Surround yourself with people you consider smarter and more inspirational. Don't be threatened by it - be inspired by it. I have found that when you are around people that put you in awe for one reason or another, you realize that they are just regular people who have a different take or perspective in life than most...and they become successful because of it. One of my best buds from Colorado won top chef this week. He WON top chef. To even get on that show is amazing. He won. I know how he thinks and it isn't surprising that he has accomplished so much in his life. From winning me at chess every time, to his degree in physics engineering to top chef. His perspective is focused and simple. He was a good friend, you can go on a bike ride with him or out for a beer and he has no ego in the way. So far and few between are the people like hosea.

I am becoming better friends with perfect girl at work. We laugh hysterically at times and just get along well. I've let go of the fact that she will probably take my title of the girl in the office that runs. I can run along side her (or perhaps way behind her) and that is okay too. Speaking of which, I am a little stuffed up still but I am done with it mentally. I have really cut back the past few weeks, considering sleep and rest is most important and trying not to feel guilty about it. But now I am ready to rock. I am so out of shape right now it is daunting. But not enough to rattle me. I started my light weights on thursday night after a very long day at work. Last night I was on the treadmill for 3 miles and then did a video work out for about 40 minutes. I slept really good. I am taking some brown algae to help with my metabolism, just another natural remedy my friend has so kindly sent my way! I also talked with her about my fear of continuing my cleanse. I am so afraid of getting sick again. She said that is nonsense. This time maybe start the first four days with half dosage and move up when I feel comfortable. Focus on eating right, getting enough fiber and water and quit being a baby. Fine! Okay! So I might continue that this week.

I am down to just a little bit over 3 months before the race in ann arbor. Its go time for sure. I still have plenty of time to get where I need to be but I really need to cut the nonsense with the sweets at work. Sitting next to perfect girl at work should help with that. Oh...so here I am - I am on day 4 without coffee. Days 2 and 3 at work were rough. I haven't cut out caffeine altogether so I can still have tea and choclate or whatever but let me tell you, it doesn't ease the pain all that much! And I am not a soda drinker so I don't go that route - that would be so much worse than coffee. I am excited to be coffee free for a while. I am ready to boost my natural energy for a while. I do love coffee, but I think I loved it too much. A good break will do me good and force me to switch up my habits for a while. Today I took bree to the play area at the mall since it was freezing and on an average day I would have been tempted to get an expensive beverage at fivebucks...er, I mean starbucks... but since I stopped drinking coffee, and nothing else sounded appealing, I just stuck with my water. Over time, those decisions will help me.

Well, bree is successfully in napping position and out cold. I must get on that treadmill and make use of this time. To all a good day and healthy choices.

Words From Peter

2009-02-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

Had to add this so that I can refer to it later, from Dr. D'adamo's newsletter:

Ever get the feeling that the so-called light at the end of the tunnel is in fact an oncoming train? I certainly do. Fall always seems to be such a demanding time for me; lectures and public appearances seem to multiply; patient contact at The D’Adamo Clinic always picks up after the summer doldrums, and there are the ever-present demands of family and parenthood. Add to that the pleasures and pressures of an oncoming holiday season, closed windows and forced hot air heating, sniffles and uncovered coughing mouths and you’ve got yourself a perfect storm for colds, flu and exhaustion. Add to that the stresses and strains of a failing economy, job layoffs and evaporating retirement accounts and you now know why I suggested that NAP make fatigue and stress the main theme of this month's newsletter. Studies show that end-of-year holiday time ranks very high on the stress scale—exceeded only by the death of a spouse. Many people feel depressed at this time of year, perhaps due to loneliness, lack of sunlight, or as a reaction to the inherent superficiality of many of the public displays and celebrations. However, at their core, these holidays contain very helpful messages. Thanksgiving celebrates the bounty of the Earth and reassures us of the immense regenerative capacity of Nature. Christmas and Hanukkah are festivals of joy and rededication to a new purity of intent. New Year's is a time of new beginnings. The other day I was reading an article on Spam (the pork version; not the email one) and how Hormel, the manufacturer, cannot keep up with consumer demand for it as a ‘hardship food’. Although a bit disturbed by the notion that a food such as this should be considered a ‘value’ when other healthier foods are available and are even better bargains, I did happen to notice that in a separate table of ‘things which were up or down due to the economy,’ nutritional supplement sales were actually way up. My father has often said that ‘Stress is best handled by a healthy body.’ and I guess that a lot of folks feel the same way. However, which supplements? Here are a few that I’ve used over the years to help patients restore from the ill effects of stress, fatigue depression: Acetyl-l-carnitine (NAP ‘Pro-Mitokon A) When I see patients in the Clinic who are chronically fatigued I often recommend the amino acid l-carnitine, especially in the acetylated form (acetyl-l-carnitine). Carnitine serves many important roles in the body, but it’s best know for helping to increase the activity of the mitochondria in our cells. Mitochondria are sort of like the battery of the cell. Under normal circumstances fatty acids are sent to the mitochondria where they are converted to energy. Without acetyl-l-carnitine these fatty acids cannot easily enter into mitochondria. The acetyl group is what makes the whole shebang work. It promotes the generation of energy from amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates, and explains why the acetyl form is so important to the success of this supplement. In essence, if the cell was a wristwatch, taking acetylated-l-carnitine is the equivalent of taking it to the jeweler and having him pop off the back and slip in a new battery. We also use it in the Clinic for muscle fatigue, and to help improve memory and concentration. Patients usually notice a rapid increase in mental energy, followed by a gradual improvement in physical energy as well. l-theanine (NAP ‘Tranquility Base’) Theanine is an amino acid commonly found in green tea (Camellia sinensis) that has been shown to reduce mental and physical stress and produce feelings of relaxation. Interestingly, when combined with caffeine it helps to improve cognition and mood. Theanine also has beneficial effects on the immune system as well. Blood sample analysis found that the production of anti-bacterial proteins was up to five times higher in the tea-drinkers. One of the actions of theanine is to increase the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) an important neurotransmitter, so I usually maximize the effect by also supplementing with a bit of GABA as well. Blood Type and Stress (NAP ‘Cortiguard’ and ‘Catechol’) There are significant differences between the blood types regarding how they handle stress. Type O individuals tend to over-accumulate adrenaline at the expense of adequate levels of dopamine. Types A, AB and B folks tend to have trouble adjusting their levels of cortisol properly in response to stress (Type As are the worst at this!) We’ve long used two specific NAP supplements as ‘blood type specific stress busters’ in the D’Adamo Clinic: NAP’s Catechol for type Os and Cortiguard for the As, Bs and ABs. Catechol has a nice blend of amino acids and herbs which helps to flush excess adrenaline out of the body, which in combination with the high protein, low wheat type O diet, can do wonders for their moods. Cortiguard helps those other types to better control their metabolism (and prevent excess weight gain during stress) by using herbs and nutritional co-factors to help blunt the effects of excess cortisol when taken in concert with the diet for your blood type. These are just a few suggestions that can help you navigate through these challenging times. Be optimistic. Keep up on the news, but don’t overdo it. Stay connected with friends and family. Express yourself. These societal upheavals are scary, but they are just the birth pangs of a new future; a world of new possibilities, new technologies. Recommit yourself to the principles of personalized dieting and optimized nutrition. Be ready for it. Enjoy, and see you next issue! - Peter Peter D’Adamo

Funny Guy

2009-02-24T20:15:00.000-08:00

I read this guy's column and it was so funny. He and his wife did a marathon and it helped to lighten my day....http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/feb/19/slow_steady_wins_th_place72245/

that was the link if you are so inclined.

Today I realized I have been binge eating for 3 days. Not sure where I fell off track but once I had spiraled down so far it was really hard to regroup and get back on track. Just had a talk with my friend who knows way too much about health and it sort of smacked me back into reality. Sometimes in life we have bad habits - duh. Well anyway, especially in times of great stress we fall back on those and this I have done. When it seems too overwhelming, admittedly I can be seen hiding for an extra 10 minutes on the couch with a bagel and cream cheese before I decide what to do. By the way, she emphasized just how nasty bagels and cream cheese really are and now I have a complex that I am going to decompose and die! Well, I knew they were that bad already but I guess I had chosen to forget for a while.

So I need to make a list of my comfort foods that I know are bad and then I need to make a list of the foods I believe I should be eating that make me feel good. Then with that clarity and clear idea list in front of me I go forward as well as having some emergency code red methods to fall back on when I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed which do not include a private rendevous with reese peanut butter cups. That will be my homework at the moment and I am now debating something that I have been thinking about for such a great deal of time now. Do I need to give up coffee for a bit? Man. That is tough. I love coffee. but maybe I need a break. The thing is, it isn't good to drink that caffeine when you are doing a cleanse , which I will be starting back up on in the next few days. Also, coffee tends to make me do bad things. Not every day. But let's face it - bagel and cream cheese goes GREAT with coffee. Lots go well with coffee - breads of every kind, chocolate, everything bad. So maybe I should take a break from coffee and get my self straightened out. But won't my job be at stake? Won't my sanity be at risk?? I am not stopping caffeine though. I am not really a pop or soda fan, so that won't be an issue, but if there is a tea with caffeine, I am allowing tea. Ugh. Not sure. It won't be forever. It will be good for me. I should do it. I'll keep posted on this project.

Go Big

2009-02-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Go big or Go home...that is what we used to say all of the time back in the days when I worked at E.M.S. Back then we compared backpacking stories. Today, it is a different world but the concept remains. The goal is simple - healthy, stronger, feel good. I have manifested the goal into my thought process, and I've got it. The last two days I have successfully dodged all dessert items at the office and it wasn't even hard, I didn't want them. I want my goal. As of right now, I am down 4 pounds from last month. That could actually be meaningless because realistically that is about how much your weight can go up and down in any given month. Nonetheless, I am going to take it and run with it. Any success at all, can be fuel to use for further motivation.

Today I ran 4 miles no problem. Now I am not so worried about missing this first week and a half of the month because I think it will be fairly easy to jump into my training schedule (knock on wood). I am putting a lot of focus on whole grains, fruit and veggies. I can have a light yogurt here and there and meat when necessary. I am not terribly strict about it but if I do have something else I am very careful about how much I have. I'll adjust as needed with exercise each day and whatnot. I already feel a little bit better and I am just so focused right now I don't want to lose sight of it. I keep thinking, how much easier my next race would be if I lost 10 pounds...and I really want to do it.

Through Thick and Thin

2009-02-08T09:21:00.001-08:00

February is starting to crawl by and I am still trying to get rid of the remains of this strep-turned-cold annoyance. After the trading if illnesses the daughter and I have been trading, it doesn't take a genius to decide I need to allow just a bit of time before I go back to this cleanse. No sense in tearing myself down when I am already down!

Back to business and this is serious. I am already within the 4 month window of training time for the half marathon in June and training is not underway. This is somewhat driving me crazy. Not liking it at all. Here is the kicker. The all too fabulous girl at work...the one that had 3 kids and looks like christie brinkley anyway...can't hate her because she is super funny and quite fabulous. Well now, she is entering my territory. She is joining the work running club. When I mentioned I was in it - she replied, "oh great, we can do it together!" Sure. Sure we can. Except you are two feet taller than me and will obviously leave me in your dust.

The thing about is...that is my thing. I am the girl in the office that runs. Now she is going to swoop in and take my title. Totally kidding of course. But I would be lying if I said it doesn't bump up my need to keep my edge on training. She isn't planning on doing the race until october. But if I do one in june AND train for october I will be totally ahead of the game. YES. So childish I know, but keeps it exciting.

What a not-so-long but very strange trip it has been...

2009-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

What an interesting process this liver cleanse has been. I started the cleanse back on the 19th and didn't notice anything the first few days but then really was fatigued beyond belief for a good four days. Following this were signs of sickness, headaches and sore throat. Unfortunately that led to my news yesterday of strep throat. Ugh. Major setback. Let's not forget the skin breakout I have seen on my face too, good grief, not really that bad but I am not used to having that happen in general.

So, now that I had to start my antibiotic this morning for the strep throat, I called the company for the cleanse to see if I should discontinue it. They said it would not be harmful to continue the cleanse, but that the cleanse would be more beneficial if I stopped now and continued after the antibiotic is done. Such a drag. I don't have time for weakness! In all seriousness I feel bad in terms of having a sore throat and being a little tired but I had every intention of exercising tonight since I wasn't up for it the last four days. A friend told me this should wait a little longer, so I decided maybe that is true. Sometimes I feel better, or think I feel better than what my body is actually ready for. So tonight I will rest. I want to be productive but instead, I am doing the bath, read a book and tea evening. Tomorrow, it is into work for more mandatory overtime. That is not part of my wellness program! But job stability and overtime pay is certainly not on my list of complaints.

So what have I learned from this experience...well, not to take my health for granted. When I went into the cleanse, I felt fantastic. I was feeling perfectly unstoppable. But the detox cleanse is pulling toxins out, and inevitably will be breaking you down. So instead of taking it for granted, I should have braced myself better by eating perfectly and taking my multi vitamin every day, and for sure getting better sleep. In addition, I learned from my friend who gave me the cleanse that there are two very important things with this type of cleanse....the first, of course is a lot of water, lots. I knew that part, but the second, she reminded me of is that it is really important to get sufficient amounts of fiber in your diet during those days. The toxins are actually absorbed by the fiber and get pulled out of your system more efficiently that way. I had not been doing that the first week and I am certain this was one of my downfalls.

So when I am done with the life sucking antibiotics that I must take, I will give myself a day or two inbetween and then I put my game face on go in for the finish of the detox cleanse. I am ready, bring it on!! You evil toxins can't bring me down! Well, apparently they already did, but it won't happen again hopefully. Well, that is all for now, gotta get better.

One Girl's Treasure...

2009-01-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

One girl's treasure is another's trash, or vice versa, or whatever. I received a gift in the mail from my dear friend the other day, and I was ecstatic. Not everyone would appreciate it but I sure do. She sent me a 30 day cleanse kit. You take the three different bottles and 30 drops of each in a glass of water which you drink throughout the day. This cleanse ultimately puts your body in a cleaning mode and eliminates toxins and other waste from your organs so that everything is a bit more functional and clean, if you will. I feel so fortunate and lucky that I have a friend that works at whole foods and can link me in to such a treat. These are the things that are important to me, so I treasure it. I haven't felt incredibly different just yet. I have been on the cleanse treatment for about 7 days and the small things that I have noticed are my skin having more blemishes and also this weekend feeling extra tire, a lot more tired, than usual. They do say that you will feel worse before you feel better. So I am sure these are symptoms that the cleanse is doing its job.

After my 30 day cleanse is done, I plan to execute my next gallbladder cleanse. I dread it, honestly. But I know it is a good thing and a necessary thing, and in all reality it isn't that bad, but I have to let go of my routine of productivity and freedom for that night and following morning and that is very hard for me to do. What? Go a night with going to bed early and not utilizing every second with my to do list? Maddening!! But taking care of myself has to be first or none of the rest will ever work, so sacrifice I must. The other uneasy thing is that I have to start my training schedule for my next half marathon in about a week and a half. It will be sketchy to drop that for two days for the cleanse and then try to jump back, but it won't be as damaging since it will be at the very beginning of training, where it is pretty light stuff anyway. I feel guilty that I have done so little running over the past few months but I have a couple things in my favor - the first is that I am lucky enough to be able to pick it up really easily even after all of that time off. I don't know why that is, but that is one of the things I have going for me. The other day I ran a mile just because I had that little bit of time to spare so I jumped on the treadmill and did it, and didn't even think about it. I am not fast, that is for sure. But people tell me all the time they can't even do a mile without stopping and it really doesn't register with me, because I am so conditioned to do long distances.

Well, time is up, until next time.

Quote Time

2009-01-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

"The only one that can stop you from getting there is you. Whether it be in business, fitness or life in general. It is never too late to be what you might have been."

-Unknown

Posture Thursday

2009-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

Going back to the name of this blog defines what I felt today. Cubicle. Felt glued to the chair and seemed to mold my existence right into the desk top and keyboard. By nature, everything about this type of job is not physically healthy! I know this, but so do millions of other americans that have to make a living. I am glad we are busy at work again - job stability is a happy place. But yet for hours on end we find ourselves not moving anything other than a slight twist of our wrists here and there and the constant bouncing of our fingertips as we scan page after page...our eyes glued to the illuminating screens. Its no wonder around 4p.m. we all gaze up dazed and confused, our entire sensory essence frozen and stiff.

Man, imagine this scene day after day and year after year in addition to natural aging physical constraints. Yeah. Exercise and eating is so super important. I remember the days of feeling unstoppable. I remember in my early 20's feeling just about as good as you can possibly feel. Waking up on a Saturday, going out to breakfast with friends filled with greasy omellettes, hashbrowns, or whatever filled our desire, topped with numerous cups of coffee. Within the hour we could go on a 4 hour hike on nothing more than a nalgene of water and a luna bar. Potentially, we could come back and go tubing in the creek, a bike ride to the park and stop at home for some dinner. After than, a night at the bars. Get about 6 hours of sleep and do it again. So much energy and no aching. I didn't have a car for several years - I remember waking up, riding my bike 2 miles to work, working a full day, then riding my bike 5 miles to the community college campus for my class and then by 9pm. throwing my head lamp on my head and riding home. I did it all the time, and it was no problem at all.

We are capable of so much more than we give credit for. To this day, I still find myself challenging myself a bit, just to see. I think that is why I have a hang up with these half marathons. I just want to test myself...can I still do it... and can I do it a few minutes faster this time... and what if I throw in a little bit different training this time...but it is all while living a very full and busy life - which is ok because we need that forced break in which we can exert that energy and push ourselves in a different way...otherwise I would still be at that desk hunched over, probably with neck spasms and back aches. I learned very quickly and intensely the value of ones spine and back at the ripe age of 18 years old. Falling through a roof and crushing my lumbar vertebrae was a rude awakening. I wore a brace for just under 3 months and that is a long time for an 18 year old who wants to do everything including prom and a backpacking trip (both of which I ended up doing, I am proud to say) but losing use on any level of your core body is rough. And I don't want to. This month, part of my goal was to step up the strength training just a bit. Granted I have only light hand weights but it is really how you use them that matters. I have been doing them 2-3 times per week for about 2 1/2 weeks and I can definitely tell a difference. It is true what they say, it dramatically effects your posture - I absolutely just feel better. I am really hoping to get the running in gear by the beginning of february but I am struggling with the idea of the time constraints it puts on you...but I want to do it.

Anyways, I really like the way it feels to improve strength training a little bit and it is a fact that it helps to protect you against injury as you get older - especially someone like me who is sitting at work for so many hours and could probably be an easy target for pulling a muscle while doing household chores if I didn't stay active on some level.

Well, tomorrow is friday, better get a good night's sleep to take on the day and hopefully end it with a pleasant run on the treadmill after bree goes to sleep.

Back for 2009

2009-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

Happiness is. I have taken some time to sit back over the holidays and think..probably think way too much, but all the same it is important to take time and evaluate. This forum is only for one aspect of those thoughts or I might very well be sitting here for weeks trying to display all of those thoughts. No matter, really. But what I really was able to zero in on was, what is happiness today and what is happiness tomorrow.

Happiness today...is reading stories to my 3 year old daughter and she wants to read them over and over again. It is us giggling hysterically giving eachother raspberries on each other's cheeks for 20 minutes straight. It is that unfiltered block of time where we are nothing but happy with each other. That is my happiness today. Happiness tomorrow for me will be all the things that I do today that will make her say things tomorrow. I thought about what I would want her to be able to say. I hope she will be able to say things like - "my mom was the one I wanted there when anything good or bad happened" "my mom is easy to talk to about anything in the world" " my mom taught me to think critically and question things first" "my mom showed me that I can do anything I put my mind to" " my mom taught me not to give up or to place blame, but to reach within and to succeed" "my mom is healthy and strong and we do everything together"....

Whatever it is she will be able to take from these years to come, it will all derive from our health. Our health gives us the energy, the attitude, the confidence and the drive to begin our days, our chores, our play. It might not matter if I can't take her to the grand canyon or do extravagent things...it does matter that I can go sledding with her, keep up running down the trail, have the energy to chase her down as she coasts down a hill on her bike - or just work a full day, make healthy meal choices, play games and lay in bed and read books and give raspberry kisses at the end of the night.

She is the reason sad is not an option and she is the entire reason that I have any grasp of what it means to truly understand what it is like to love someone so much you would give anything for them. I am grateful for that and I believe it makes me whole. My give back, my return of thanks, needs to be to take as good of care of myself no matter what, so that I can be there for her.

Originally I had set out to do yoga and pilates several times a week during my winter "layoff" from running. However, as good as an idea as that was, once a runner always a runner. It is my treadmill and my turbo jam workout tapes that I cannot break away from. I suppose, if it makes me feel good, I should just go with it. So, the turbo jam tapes are excellent, chalene johnson is my hero. She just knows how to do a workout and you always feel like you have done something. There is nothing more irritating to me than to spend 40 minutes on an activity and not be able to feel as though I put enough into it. I never feel that way with her workouts. So there it is, I set up a schedule on my calendar to mix those work outs up through out each week. Some use light hand weights and others are just aerobic and flexibility. Flexibility is key, especially as a runner because runners are infamous for having tighter hamstrings and muscles with less flexibility, so if I can manage to sneak in even one yoga per week it would be honorable.

The running has been just far and few between since the big race in october but the mileage will need to start increasing in february if I want training to start on the right foot. Let's hope in the mean time that muscle toning will take place.

Ottis Redding Rules

2008-12-13T06:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry, that heading really has no relevance to health - there is no way I could manipulate that connection, I just happened to be listening to him and I just happen to need to emphasize how great he is!

I have talked, and probably will talk, a great deal about ayurveda but never really explained what it was. Without taking big measures to do so, I will just outline in basic terms. Ayurveda is a term that really when broken down means the science of life: Ayu = life, veda = knowledge.
It is basically a health system that comes from India, you can kind of tell just by the sound of the word.
Ayurveda focuses on the three doshas which are basically the three categories and most people have a primary dosha and a secondary dosha that is almost as prominent. The doshas are based on your physical build of matter but also include an energy level. As I have said reluctantly in the past, my primary dosha is Kapha - which to no surprise, on the physical level is stomach and lungs...astonishing isn't it...with all my sinus congestion in the winter and my digestive issues in general. My second dosha is vata which is the colon on the physical level. In ayurveda, the doshas are often looked at as what is "not in balance" so when you are having particular things not going so well, it is because one or more of the doshas is not in balance. Therefore you would eat, or otherwise, in order to reach that balance.

With my dosha, it recommends warm drinks and foods. One of the things it suggests is having a warm or hot cup of water every day, a few a day if possible, with lemon. That is simple enough, and it is pretty soothing really. So today instead of just starting the day with a cold glass of water and a coffee, I went with a hot cup of water with lemon. And I liked it. This isn't to say coffee isn't in my near future as well, but this is one of the little things I will try to implement in my daily life. I am thinking a hot cup of water with lemon in the morning and then at work in the afternoon, a cup of green tea, will be part of my new routine.

The funny thing is that my body type with all the different books I am focusing on right now whether by blood type, dosha or just dr. oz's methods - they all tell my type specifically to stay away from sugary, fat, oily foods specifically and moreso than the average joe. Okay already!! Got it!! Thanks for nothin'! The thing is, when I truly give something a try, and actually do stick with it, I will usually end of liking it. So maybe I will like this new non ice cream way of life. Can't quite see it that way yet. But I could.

The other thing is I need to get this under way if I want to get back on track in the next month or two to train again for the next half marathon. I have been tossing around a couple of different popular ones that are in the spring but I think I am really leaning towards the dexter-ann arbor one. We'll see, but I am predicting that is going to be the chosen race.

This is Ottis Redding fan, signing off. Wishing balance to all. Namaste.

The Sun Rises...The Sun Sets...

2008-12-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

Dr. Chopra is one of my favorite authors on the topic of health. As I have explained in earlier posts, he writes quite a bit on the topic of Ayurveda. I have evaluated myself in the charts of Ayurveda, and to no surprise I am the kapha dosha which is the suckiest of all three doshas. In one of his chapters he discusses going through the cycles of each and every day. This is one of the things I think people just aren't conscious of. Everyone wants to think about tomorrow or next month, but rarely are our thoughts truly in the here and now. As he said, every day the sun rises and the sun sets, and inbetween that that are hundreds of things that happen. There are many cycles that occur within each of our amazing bodies. There are reasons why people tend to weigh more in the morning, or why the temperature in our hands is higher in early afternoon.

There are many cycles that occur, and of course it then makes sense that we can live more in tune with nature and with our bodies by paying attention to these daily patterns. The concept in the chapter is much too large to spawn a conversation about in my simplistic little blog...but I must say, I never cease to be amazed while learning more about how we all tick. And just think, I barely know anything! My stuffy-ness is lingering and it is a bit annoying. Yet I have nothing else at all wrong with me, just the congestion. If it weren't for my beloved netty pot, I would most certainly have a sinus infection by now. The thing is my best friend. So, I have been using it probably about 2 times per day. Let me tell ya, the other day I felt only slightly congested but figured it was just good due diligence to go ahead and run the netty pot through. Well, when I blew my nose afterward...amazing. I will not be gross and describe what I saw, but let's just say - WOW. I will leave it at that.

When I went to the ear, nose and throat doctor last year, he did an x ray of my sinuses and said there was no reason he could see that I was getting these chronic sinus infections - except that my nasal passages were fairly narrow. All he could suggest was the netty pot, which I had been dying to investigate anyway. I have been a happy girl ever since.

Today I packed a fairly healthy lunch. I made some quinoa last night so i had that with some steamed vegetables of green beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflour and carrots. Then for breakfast I had a rice cake and coffee, then for my afternoon snack I had some celery sticks with peanut butter. I have enough of these leftovers that I can pack the same thing for tomorrow. For dinner I just had some mrs grass chicken noodle soup, because honestly it just sounded like exactly what I wanted, and it actually isn't very high in fat but probably heavily processed and preserved, but whatcha gonna do, right?

So the articles I have to write tonight are the first ones that put me in a bit of a moral dilemma. I have to write "positive" articles and reviews on various HGH supplements. Ugh. I am not a fan. Basically, HGH stands for Human Growth hormone. This is a naturally occurring thing in your body already, but it gradually decreases after the age of 30. So the whole reason people want to take this, and they can get it injected, or get supplements that are slow release tablets or whatever, but the reason they take it is basically to fight the effects of aging which do happen as the HGH starts to decrease its stimulation.

Who am I to say this is wrong, I mean, people take it to keep all those youthful benefits - leaner muscle, less fat, better skin, sleep better, etc., etc. But I feel apprehensive about writing a positive review about these supplements. I think there is a lot of healing power and natural methods for all of those things through herbs and aroma therapy and various foods. I just innately do not feel compelled to say we should take an injection or a pill for a HGH. I am not the type of person that likes to do that sort of thing. I am sure some are better than others, but I don't like the fact that my articles tell me what stance to take on a subject instead of just give an objective, balanced look at it. I guess that just wouldn't sell the product, now would it? Well, anyway, I am going to do it and try to remain factual. This is why you shouldn't trust what you read on the internet sometimes - you really don't know who is writing the stuff....could be contractors like myself who are paid to be nameless and write what they are told!

Signing off for now. Stay warm and sleep well.

Sarah's Got Her Groove Back...

2008-12-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day. It just was. I really had no reason to think so but I just felt good. I am still kicking my sinus congestion, therefore I am holding off on my second gallbladder cleanse. I can do that later in the month when I am stronger. But today I felt my energy coming back and I was so excited about it. Unbelievably, I have not needed to take any cold medicine this week at all. I think that is a first in quite a while. Sure there was a day or two where if I had a clariten D handy I would have popped it, but it wasn't convenient so I just went on and it was fine. Basically, I just listened to my body and I am getting better. I drank a lot of hot tea, a lot of water, some soup and some regular foods too. In fact, if I was able to make myself go to bed at a normal hour, I think I would have recovered much more quickly if given normal hours of sleep. I am actually feeling up to probably about 20-30 minutes of exercise tonight but I will try not to over do it. I am feeling restless from not doing any in the last week or so.

So back to the B6 unanswered questions from the last post. If you will remember, I was perplexed at the fact that an adult my age needs 1.3-1.6 mg per day and when looking at my multivitamin it said 25mg. I thought for sure one of my sources had misprinted something. But no, upon calling Whole foods market vitamin dept. I was assured those numbers were correct. He then told me, "is there a percentage next to that number of mg?" Sho' nuff, there sure was. When looking at the column with percentage of daily value for B6, it said 1250! So on some vitamins and minerals it doesn't hurt to exceed the daily amount by obviously a great amount. He also said that he only takes his vitamin a few times a week, not on a strict every day basis. This was a relief to me, as I am fairly regular about taking all of my vitamins but there are usually a day or couple days in a given week that I don't. It is more cost effective, too, to spread them out just a little bit more!

I've started reading that book, The Seven Pillars of Health, and it is basically set up like a 50 days of health tips sort of thing. The first one asked that you spend the entire day thinking about your drink selection. What a great first lesson, it gave me a little boost, because this is the one thing that I absolutely rule at. I pretty much drink water all day, and that is his point, to make sure you are drinking enough water. I have my coffee in the morning but then I pretty much drink water all day. I feel bad that I never have interesting drinks to offer people at my house. At home I buy low fat milk for bree and soy milk for me and then usually one juice like an apple juice to mix with water for her in the morning. That is really all I need. So it is this small aspect that I have very good habits in! At least that is something!

Tonight at dinner I didn't really have anything planned so I just sort of winged an easy whatever meal. I asked bree if she wanted peanut butter and jelly or tuna fish sandwich for dinner. As I was getting the supplies out she insisted that she had told me turkey. Whatever, that wasn't even one of the options! But luckily I did have some in the fridge so I went with it. So we each had a turkey sandwich ( i put a slice of cheese on mine and I am not supposed to, so i guess i lose 5 points for that) then I looked for stuff to put on the side. I just put some low fat cottage cheese on one section of our plates, sprinkled a little cinnamon on it and a couple of raspberries on top. Then put a couple raw veggies on the other section, of broccoli, carrots and cauliflour. It turned out perfect. And bree ate everything. I sat so satisfied - what a good kid, ate all her veggies and everything on her plate. Then I smiled about myself - what a good mom, served up a low fat dinner and set a good example. More times than not, if I am eating something, she is interested in it too. I am just very lucky that I like most healthy food. I just can't let her see those cookie binges of mine! Or hopefully I will eliminate that habit altogether! Today at work I didn't even feel interested in the treats sent in by our customers. I didn't have any. It was great. I had a Healthy Choice Low sodium vegetable soup and it was much better than I thought it would be.

So yes, I feel I have my groove back, my energy is good, my attitude is positive and although things are beyond crazy at work, I enjoyed it a lot today. You want to add 20 additional things to each loan we have to scrutinize?? Bring it, I am ready! I did awsome today. One girl had the day off and another left early and I was the only one funding one section of our department's loans and I just cranked, it was so great. I was like an efficient, number crunching machine - there was no loan I couldn't trouble shoot. Well enough of my nerdy life. Tomorrow is my favorite - Saturday morning with bree! To all good health, and remember, drink your water, lots of it, every day.

Seriously....

2008-12-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

Now really, why do I do it? That cubicle...it is haunted or something! I am fine, level headed and together - but put me in that cubicle around 2:30 - 3p.m. and I am thinking chocolate is the only way to survive. It is no surprise at all to me that I am sick right now. But that is okay.

I am currently reading a few books that I haven't sifted through before.. one is the liver cleansing diet by Dr. Sandra Cabot and the other is the seven pillars of health by Don Colbert, MD. Both seem pretty good but have a ways to go.

Let's talk just for a moment about Vitamin B6, shall we? This vitamin has many tasks to perform in your body. Colbert says that studies show a whopping 28 percent of women ages 19 years and older do not have an adequate intake of this vitamin. Some of the things in your body that are affected by B6 are enzymes involved in protein metabolism, red blood cell metabolism, the nervous and immune systems, increases oxygen carried to your tissues, and helps keep your blood sugar levels in normal range.

So where do you find B6? It can be found in fortified cereals, fish, poultry, red meat and some produce. The recommended intake for adults 19-50 yrs of age is 1.3 mg per day. I just checked my women's multivitamin and it says it has 25mg of b6...what the?? Something is off with these amounts so either there is a mispring in this book or something is weird.

Just Another Maladjusted Genius

2008-12-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

I haven't had time to write this week, I am really just trying to keep up at this point. I have been busy after work writing articles which I sign off my rights to and am drastically underpaid for. I am congested and this concerns me as my second gallbladder and liver flush was to be under way this friday. At this point I think i will still go for it unless things get much worse. I used my netty pot to flush my sinuses out and I sure am clogged up.

The good news is that a bath and bed are in my near future. Right now, at the depth of the season where we are in enclosed and heated rooms almost constantly, it is more imperative than ever that we eat well, hydrate well and get enough sleep. Unfortunately, it is the sleep part that never quite falls into place for me, no matter how well intentioned I might feel that I am. This aspect of my life may actually take more planning and preparation than my nutritional supplements and meals! But it is day by day and piece by piece that I am approaching these values, otherwise it is just too overwhelming and way too easy to give up and throw in the towel.

Weekend away from the Cubicle

2008-11-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

It was a long week this week, even though technically it was a "short" week at work with Thursday off. It cannot be stressed enough how intense it has been at work. Title companies are filing bankruptcy and closing their doors left and right, throwing our whole process of funding loans into a whirlwind. This week a very big company, LandAmerica, did just that and right before the holiday. To say it was a mess is an understatement. The amount of detail we now have to look for in each loan is unbelievable and it intensifies with each passing day. If we do end up getting busy in the next week or so due to the rate drop, I don't know how we will manage to keep up. So now I sit thankful to be away from that cubicle!

It is Saturday morning, and truthfully, it is my saturday mornings without my daughter that are the most difficult ones. I am pretty much the person that schedules out every free minute of my free time, that is just what I do quite often. But I do enjoy leaving some open time to myself when I can so it is hard when I don't have my saturdays without her all set with plans. There is something about her playing while she watches her saturday morning cartoons while I make breakfast. It is just fun. Then we plan the day's events like going to the park or the library. When that is missing on my saturday morning, such as today, it stirs sort of a restless lost feeling. My first inclination is my craving for a mint mocha frappuccino, probably no coincidence that I wanted to rush out and get one. Instead I had to instantly refocus myself on what I need to get done with my time. So that is exactly what I did, made a list of what things I need to get done most importantly, as well as some of the more frivolous things I would like to get done if possible. What does this have to do with health, you might wonder. Well, the line of thinking directly impacts how choices are made regarding health. With that feeling of dread when she isn't here upon waking up - the day could be approached two different ways, one could be to run, get the starbucks frappuccino and drown my sorrows while watching Lifetime movies all day in my pajamas, or the other is to focus on what i can do positively with my time - doing the things I normally can't do when she is here like exercise, cleaning, research, etc.

Today's focus is on the herb Milk Thistle. I first came upon Milk Thistle in a gallbladder article I was reading when first learning I had gallstones. I didn't think anything of it then because everything in the article was so brand new to me. Since then, Milk Thistle has become a common element in almost every piece of material I have read. Most people haven't really heard of it and don't know what it is, much like myself back then. Dr. D'Adamo (Eat Right 4 Your Type author) recommends it for my blood type (Type A) in his book. He explains that it is, "an effective antioxident with the additional special property of reaching very high concentrations in the liver and bile ducts. Type A's can suffer from disorders of the liver and gallbladder. If your family has any history of liver, pancreas, or gallbladder problems, consider adding a milk thistle supplement to your protocol."

Dr. Sandra Cabot (the liver doctor)also speaks highly of this herb. She calls it a traditional liver tonic that has been around for centuries, that many research papers have been written on its liver healing properties. Basically, it has liver-protective and liver-regenerative anti inflammatory and antioxident properties. She states that it has been found to "reduce toxic fatty degeneration of the liver."

I have started taking milk thistle pills on a daily basis as one of my proactive moves to conquer my digestive road blocks.

Well, the sun is out, the day is young, and it is time to make some progress in the world. Wishing all good health and motivation. Peace out.

Turkey Day Joy

2008-11-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

Well here it is Thanksgiving Day, the weather is pleasant and the whole day is ahead. I have just learned of the news that me and my blog have been exposed - word on the street has reached and now people in my family know about this! Well, I would say that if this blog about my health doesn't bore you to tears or put you to sleep - then power to ya and read on! As I stated in my first blog, this is to maintain my mental focus towards reaching optimal health. I call it the cubicle health venturer because having worked in offices for all of my working career, I have seen bad habits and people actually wondering why they have all the ailments that they do. Well, I have read a "few" books, read a "few" online articles, ezines and columns and it actually takes no genius to see that our bodies are not fool proof. I am not an angel, nor would I ever claim to be. But the bottom line is that we feel fine a lot of the time, doesn't mean we can trash our bodies. After several years of "abuse" and organs are going to start giving way. Our bodies are amazing machines, constantly growing and changing and the whole time we have complete control over the decisions we make each and every day. One of my favorite quotes I have posted over my desk is by Peter Maher, a 2 time olympic marathoner: "Running is a big question mark that's there each and everyday. It asks you, 'are you going to be a wimp, or are you going to be strong today?'"

I think the same question could be applied to anything we face in any given day. Are you going to be responsible with your finances, good to your friends and family, are you going to treat your body with respect, be a part of your community, commit to your work with 100 percent, and so on and so forth. I don't think anyone ever wants to answer, "no" to the question, rather they probably just ignore the question sub consciously.

So with no further ado, it is Thanksgiving, a day to sit back and reflect on all that is good in life. It would be best if we took a good 15 minutes every single day and do the same. Life is really good. We all face challenges, hurdles, consequences and pain. No one person faces the same ones. I love the phrase that there are no problems, only opportunities. It is this line of thinking that reaps results. Being that this blog is of health purpose, I am so very grateful for my health. I might have small little discomforts but nothing close to things that other people suffer. I am grateful that I have no idea what a migrain headache feels like, that although I crushed my lumbar vertebrae 15 years ago, it has not prevented me from doing anything at all that I have wanted to do, that my daughter and I both can run, play and laugh without any physical problems. Health is a beautiful thing we take for granted; every day I am grateful that I walk, smell, see, touch the world. War heros are missing limbs. I have been through a number of car accidents with no permanent injury, I have had near fatal incidents when climbing and went through what was not anything but ADVANCED white water rafting in Idaho, and through it all, i come out with barely a scratch. I don't know if it is because there is some sort of angel shadowing me, or if my challenges in life lie elsewhere, but no matter what I appreciate my physical capabilites. That is one of the reasons I run. I feel that I am appreciating my abilities by using them and not taking them for granted.

I am grateful for all that I have including my awsome family, friends and acquaintences. There are people out there that are homeless, lonely or just amidst feuds or separations that can't be repaired. I am so glad that my daughter has lots of people to love her. Even though she is an only child, she will never know loneliness or neglect. I am grateful that although I have been through a sticky divorce, there are much much worse and I know I am lucky. I am grateful I have a car to drive! And I am thankful for my condo, and living in a safe neighborhood. I am grateful I still have my job in a time when so many people don't. There are so many things to be thankful for.

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff - but today is a day to recognize these things. Onward with health related discussions. So I told a co-worker on tuesday that I had made a deal with myself. I would allow myself to have the sugary sweet things that I am not supposed to have, only when they are completely free. I figured I wasn't really making a deal with the devil, because I wouldn't have junk in my house and if there happens to be an occasion where there is a free cookie or something, then I can indulge and carry on. Well, no sooner had the words left my mouth, there was an email that we were celebrating the monthly birthdays in my department where two large lucious cakes resided on the table. One vanilla with vanilla frosting, the other completely chocolate. I shouldn't have had any, but per my new agreement I could! So indulge, I did. The following day, a girl brought in 2 huge trays of cookies, one chocolate chip, the other sugar cookies with loads of frosting. All homemade. Perhaps this type of deal is not feasible when working in an office setting. If this type of thing continues I may have to revise the agreement with myself! But in the meantime, not a dime of my money is going to sugar and fat infused items, just the broccoli and non fat milk for this girl. My co-worker who I confided my agreement to said, "well if that is the deal, you are really going to go to town on the dessert table at thanksgiving and christmas!!" She might have a point, hmmmmm!

Well Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all wise proportion choosing at the dinner table!

Flat on My Face

2008-11-24T17:56:00.000-08:00

Today was just plain bad. It started out good, packed myself nutritious lunch and snacks for work. Everything was going according to plan! But then, alas, some evil doer brought in a bag of bite size candy bars and left them on the table for all to indulge. I swear over the course of the afternoon I think I had like 5 of them. I feel so very sick. I know I can't digest these things! And I freakin' can't help myself! I know in some mortifying way it is my way of coping. I am such a mixed breed. I have so many healthy habits and ways of coping and yet I have this binge thing going too. It will be a struggle but it will not be impossible. I just keep getting up and starting anew. The thing is, how do you turn down free food? It just seems wrong. Well, I have taken a long break from running and a somewhat break from exercise in general it seems, but I have decided I am ready to get going on it again, I don't like how I feel when I don't do it everyday, just wish I had more time. My horoscope said 2009 is going to be a great year... I can't wait.

New Favorite Quote for Today

2008-11-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

I came across this quote and fell in love with it, just had to share it.

The Results Are In...

2008-11-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

So, here I am post - flush. It worked, and it was good, but I didn't see as many as I had hoped. Josh mentioned that if you don't see as many, that usually means that it is pretty bad, and in the next one you will see it even more. He did three flushes, spaced about 2-3 weeks apart between each one. So in theory, in two weeks I have to do another, and in theory, I will see even greater results.

Last night at 10p.m. I did the olive oil and grapefruit juice which I thought was going to be completely vomit-worthy. Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought. I just focused on the grapefruit taste and it went down fairly well, I didn't think about what was in it, just drank it. This morning I had to do another saltwater mixture at 7:10a.m. and let me tell you, it was hell. There has to be another way! So after I choked that down, bree was hungry. Can you believe I had to scramble eggs and cut up fruit for her breakfast while I was rumbling away. So then I started hittin' the toilet. The first two beared no results but after that I started seeing some stones! Just about 15-25 small green pea-sized stones with each "trip". Which is fine, it works obviously, but others have mentioned seeing hundreds and even some of the larger ones. I know there is probably more in there so a second flush in two weeks is a must. After that, they say it is good to do this at least once a year.

I don't know that I feel "so much better" afterwards like josh did. I mean, I felt hungry by noon when it was pretty much over. And I don't normally feel fully hungry like that. I definitely don't think the bloating thing is gone. But I did realize that I did something wrong. In my nonfat breakfast and lunch yesterday, I had coffee with no creamers in it. But I read in a different source today that I should not have done that. The caffeine interferes with the process and actually puts more toxins in, so that was a no-no. It may be partially responsible for why the cleanse wasn't as productive as I would have liked to see. So now I know.

In the meantime, the continued challenge of living in a low fat day to day life on a budget. Game on.

Yikes

2008-11-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Just finished the second saltwater....lord help me, that was not easy. It was much more difficult to get down the second dose. I am starting to see the light in why josh said by the third one he was gagging.

I can't quite fathom how to get that next concoction down...is going to be straight up disgusting. Not to mention right after I took the second saltwater mix I was giving bree a bath and she was making pretend chocolate birthday cakes. She was saying, "yes, and it will be so delicious...with blueberries and chocolate and strawberries. Everyone have some cake it is so yummy." I sat there thinking...is she seriously trying to torture me? As my stomach rumbled and moaned with the newly swallowed salt mixture, I winced as my 3 year old punished me with thoughts of birthday desserts and chocolate delights. Surely these two days of slight agony will be worth it. Surely, I told myself, this endeavor will lead me to the path of enlightenment. And I continued to bite my lip as she carried on giving pretend cupcakes to the bathtub duck and his friends. Sheesh!

Right Smack in the Middle of a Flush

2008-11-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

Gallbladder, liver and digestive tract flush that is... So far I have eaten a non fat breakfast and lunch. Then at 2p.m. I had to stop all eating and drinking altogether. I think I was surprised about the no drinking. I have done a couple of different fasts and cleanses in my day, none of which said I couldn't have some water. So it sort of goes against my natural tendencies. Gotta have water, man! But I am surviving. At 6p.m. it was time for my first saltwater drink. This consisted of epsom salt and water. Nasty. Nasty stuff. It has the most...horrific taste, really. I have drank saltwater for cleanses before but never epsom salt, usually i just used a sea salt or whatever. But wow, I don't know if there is really a word for it. Bad aftertaste too, but after a few minutes I didn't care. After that, I lost that urge to eat anyway. At 8p.m. I have to do my next saltwater. So far, so good. Then at 10p.m. i have to drink the nasty olive oil and grapefruit mixture and report straight to bed and not get up.

I am overcome with excitement of how this will turn out. And I am so happy with myself for not backing out and thinking..."oh next weekend, I'll do it next weekend..." It is like I seriously can't wait. I read Josh's blog again and it just cracks me up how he describes the next morning:

"..ended up having about 15 bowel movements (yeah it was bad....but oh so good)"
totally kills me. For now bree and I are going to finish our robinhood movie then get her in the bath, get me another salt water and then read some books before we retire for the evening. Classic...how many women my age hang out and do a gallbladder flush on a friday night??! That's how I roll, yo. Will update on how the process proceeds, ta ta for now.

It's Go Time B-e-y-o-t-ches!!

2008-11-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

Yes that is correct. Less than 24 hours from now I will have started the gallbladder liver cleanse process. The excitement and the fear overwhelm me. Should I alert the authorities so that someone can check on me saturday and make sure I am still functioning??! No, it is cool, I know it will be good. I was at the health section of the store today because I needed to pick up some extra olive oil and was talking to the woman and she saw my slip of paper. She asked if I was doing a gallbladder cleanse and I said yes. She said, "oh it really works!! we have people come in all the time and it really works! Don't get your gallbladder out!" So that was sort of cool, to hear the extra reinforcement, even though I don't really need it at this point. I hope Josh Spaulding was right in his blog about how you feel so much better after the first flush. But he did say you have to follow the instructions exactly and don't try to do your own thing or vary it at all.

So this is good timing, because this week I have been out of focus with the car trouble, cold weather and the endless stress and fearful environment at work. I can do this cleanse and feel better, hopefully feel like my old self again sometime in the near future. I should write a book about gallbladders. I feel like I am becoming all too familiar with the whole thing and turns out there are billions of other people out there suffering with the same consequences of genetics and hormones.

I have had serious cravings all night but darn it all if I haven't bought anything at all to munch on! Just stupid ritz crackers for bree and those aren't really that exciting. I am settling for some honey chamomile tea to give me that sweet taste I need. Amidst that I am doing my car research homework. This will be a good test ...can I handle this stress and manage my healthy diet lifestyle, then I can handle it down the line too.

oh my goodness I just tried this aromassentials lotion - "awaken" that someone gave me as a gift last year and it is actually really nice. I should do stuff like this instead of eat. should... such a funny and over used word. Okay, back to car research, break time is over. Over and out people.

U-Turn Mania From The Cube

2008-11-20T04:39:00.001-08:00

Well, these past few days have been slightly shameful. I haven't written in a couple days and that is probably due to the guilt or the sub conscious desire to ignore my behavior! Quite a bit on my plate these days and it is obvious that I deal with a portion or that weight on my shoulders with food, as I wipe the remains of chocolate from my lower lip! Goodness. Well some self-examination may be in order...but this is good. With mistakes and acknowledgement come growth. And with growth develops strength and progress. So plunge on young sarah. Run towards your future and reach towards that flat stomach (girl's gotta have dreams, right?). So it is time to take my head out of the sand. Tomorrow is the gallbladder/liver cleanse!! Today I am going to lean toward whole/unprocessed foods and then tomorrow morning has to be totally fat free. oOOOOh i am so excited!!

Plan in Action!

2008-11-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

Search and I have found. Plagued with the decision of what to do with my gallbladder, I began sifting through internet sites about cleansings for the gallbladder again. That's when it happened....Shazaam!!! I found Josh Spaulding's blog describing exactly what I have been through. When I read his post about his experience and then his gallbladder flush success I was sold. He even described the same exact miserable bloating I have been going through for the past year. I can't wait to try it, but I have to wait until friday as I don't want to be at work the following day. I anxiously await the day though. I hope it is as successful for me as it was for him.

Yesterday was fine, I had dinner with the girls and I ate salmon, green beans and salad for dinner. Great tasting and healthy too. Unfortunately there was a scoop of ice cream that followed, oops! I could have been strong but I wasn't. Now today, lunch with the old boss, he is a health nut though so it sholdn't be a problem eating good there. Today I am going grocery shopping too so hopefully all across the board it will be successful. I know it will be!

Dreary days do not bring out the motivation in me..!

2008-11-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

It is Saturday morning..as if it weren't hard enough that it is saturday morning cartoon time but Breanna isn't here. But it is pouring rain and gray out. I had planned on joining my new running group this morning, but considering I am not directly inside a training season for a half, I am not about to submit myself to the outside elements with the likes of what I am seeing out there. And trust me, I have emerged from the worst weather conditions with all runs completed, it is always possible, but in off season, I let myself off the hook.

This morning I let myself sleep in after seeing the and hearing the dreadful precipitation out there. Then I woke up and made myself breakfast. I made two scrambled eggs with some broccoli. Then I toasted two pieces of ezekiel bread and spread hummus on one piece and melted soy cheddar imitation cheese on the other, to complete a little breakfast sandwich. On the side I had a small cup of vanilla low fat yogurt with some cut strawberries and blueberries with a sprinkling of granola. Of course a cup of flavored coffee was brewed up to complete my breakfast. I had my probiotic this morning when I woke up, as well as a cup of water with two ounces of aloe vera juice. These are part of the daily things I am doing per my nutritional experiment through my reading. Actually the aloe vera juice was a suggestion from a woman at the Whole Foods Market in Troy, but I have since read about its benefits.

I am considering doing a "natural cleansing" for my gallbladder. I have done a ton of reading and there are a lot out there, but most have a lot of common elements. The idea is that you are eating certain things that have components in them that help to "soften" the stones so that they are able to exit without the sharpening and potential painful or dangerous effects. Apples and apple juice are one such component. I am still thinking this through. If I don't do it, or if I do it and it doesn't work...I might have to seriously consider getting the gallbladder out. It will only continue to be diseased and cause bigger problems. I don't want liver problems or pancreatic problems, and that is how deep it can go. I wish I could have known about it before it became stones...but there just would have been no way of knowing that.

Tough decisions. This whole gallbladder issue. But whatever decision I come to will be an informed one and I work on it constantly. Today it looks like I will be doing a short run on the ol' treadmill (poor ed and nancy downstairs won't be getting a break from me today afterall!) and some light weights. One of my biggest drives is my arms. I really want better toned arms. I really never have had anything close to that but I have never really tried with that. And I think once I start to see signs of it happening it will be a done deal - I will be hooked on seeing the results and it will make it a no brainer to keep working hard.

This week's new recipes I am going to try are a gingered squash soup ( i only have to buy 2 ingredients!) and a healthy blueberry muffins recipe. both are things I think bree would be willing to at least try. The muffins are great for her in the morning too, if we are in a hurry it is done and ready for her to eat if I need to get ready. These recipes were copied from the "cook right 4 your type" by Dr. D'Adamo. I still need to plan out the whole week's food other than that. This whole endeavor (which I have really been slowly reading and intrigued by for the last whole year) has made me realize just how much processed foods I have been eating...oh my goodness. I had no idea how bad just regular spaghetti sauce is. I will have to alter that habit down the road, I just don't have time to tackle everything at once! But I know for a fact that Dr. Oz has a simple and cheap alternative to buying jarred spaghetti sauce, it is just a matter of looking it up and doing it.

So my concerns for today are that I can somehow maintain wise choices this evening. I am going out with girls to the dollar theatre and a bite to eat. It should be a cheap evening as I will probably split a meal with laney and spend a dollar on the movie (I can always rely on laney for a cheap outing! I love it) but the flip side is the nutrition aspect. I will maintain a strictly vegetable and salad lunch and hope that it isn't too bad tonight! As for right now, I am going to do some reading, listen to some Otis Redding (oh man, he is so my hero, always a classic to break out and make me happy) and do some exercise before I shower and get ready for a night with the girls.

Think lean. Think strong. Think vibrant energy. Never think "I just need to get through this day" ...instead think... "I love every minute of this day, today is never going to happen again, I just want to make the most of it."

Deep Thoughts From the Cubicle

2008-11-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

Am I really committed to this thing?? This week feels more like a sampler than a solid committment. Not sure why, maybe I want to get rid of some of the bad food from my house first, I can't just throw it away, it feels wrong. But then again, today I found myself with a bagel in my hand for breakfast. Today is kind of a wash because I forgot my lunch at home and now I am left at the mercy of the corporate world cafeteria which is anything but healthy and nutritious. I will have to make the best choices possible and try to recover this evening.

Yesterday I was supposed to wake up early to exercise before work...that didn't happen. Ugh! That's okay, as Dr. Oz says, it is okay to make "U-turns"! He calls them u-turns, when you slip up in your eating habits, rather than getting down about it and giving up, just call it a u-turn and get right back on track. Well, this week I have had so many u-turns I am feeling quite dizzy!

Today is yucky...I am now at home and the bloating is back. Who has ever heard of such a sensitive digestive system as mine? It is hideous. I tried to eat good, but let's be honest there were some slip ups today. But I am supposed to not have wheat and EVERYTHING has wheat. It sucks. And I think it is part of the problem. I just did 50 minutes of hard core cardio with light weights and I feel this hugeness and bloatedness, it seriously is not fair. I guess that is why I have to try harder to not make the mistakes, even if they seem little at the time. The girl that did my check up at the blue cross blue shield check up said that she thought I should get my gallbladder out. She got hers out at 21 years old, and said if one of the stones slips and gets wedged in the track of my whatever, it could lead to a very painful trip to the E.R. I am just not convinced that is the way to go just yet. I think I can beat this thing. I at least have to try.

On the upside, I joined a new running group. The group at my work finished with the Detroit half marathon (no end of the season bar party?? what kind of lame-ass group was that??!) So now I am going to try the Stoney Creek running club here in the area and see what they have to offer, I am pretty sure they run together all year long. Maybe there will be some fun people and if it keeps me somewhat into running during this off season than it has done its job. This weekend I need to come up with at least a few different ideas to use as lunches and dinners that fit the guidelines, that will be my homework, to come up with a few new options each week to incorporate. This past week it was brussel sprouts and I must say, I enjoyed them!

Opening up to bigger and better things

2008-11-12T21:11:00.000-08:00

I am an awakening health nut freak. It has always been there for me, but yet I have suppressed it at times. So I have never been one of the elite, or even someone who is noticeably super healthy. I hold on to a little extra weight. I can run half marathons, but yet I can still hold on to that extra weight. My eating habits are to blame. I love healthy food. The problem is I really love sweets and easy comfort foods too. I realize I am just going to have to put in the extra effort.

The exercise comes easily to me, the cutting out junk food doesn't so much. This is where my blog comes in. I am challenging myself to make the change. I am going public. I want to show my readers I can do it, I want them to know they can do whatever they put their minds to as well. I have spent the majority of my career in long 8-9 hour days in a cubicle behind a computer. That is the way it has been even at the jobs putting myself through college and has continued ever since. I don't have a great paying job but nonetheless I am a single divorced mom of a 3 year old and I need the health benefits and the steady and dependable income. So...in light of the fact that I found out this year that I have gallstones and have done considerable reading about my possible digestive issues, I have resolved that I cannot carry on with the I-can't-do-it-attitude.

I have instead decided to adobt the what-if-I-could-do-it attitude. So what if I did follow through and test out some of these theories out there? What if I did follow through? Instead of giving up every single day and giving into the ice cream and mocha frappaccino that seems to draw me in so intensely??! I want to see what would happen. I am not talking about fad diets, I am talking about adopting some eating habits from a few specific books I have read which are geared specifically to a person's metabolic makeup. Mine is different than yours and we are all unique in our build up which is why something that works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

That being said, the three books/theories that I am most intrigued with are "you on a diet" by dr. mehmet Oz, "eat right for your type" by Dr. D'Adamo and the ayurveda concept which there are numerous books written about by many authors, including Deepak Chopra. Now these are all different but yet some of their concepts are very similar. So I am going to do my own thing and sort of pull info from all three to do my experiment. They all insist that you go with the freshest foods with avoiding preservatives and processed foods. They all preach about me eating low fat foods and avoiding most dairy and wheat products. So, I am going to do it to the best of my ability and see what comes of it.

What spawned this endeavor, you might be wondering? Well, the pants are getting a little tight and on top of that I have been divorced for just about exactly one year. This past year has been extremely difficult to say the least. Now I am really ready to focus on me and live my life to the fullest. I owe it to myself and to my daughter. I believe that through this blog I will find a little enlightenment and maybe even spread a little enlightenment to others. It will be a discovery...I may become negative at times, might feel really good at times, I might even fail at times...but in the end I hope to achieve my goals. So better put those out there right now: My goals. I would like to go down one pant size. I also hope to lose 15 pounds. However, if I had to choose between the two, then I would like to go down that pant size for sure. My goal is to do some form of yoga or pilates at least 4 out of 7 days per week. Any other exercise I want to add on top of that is just icing on the cake but I hope to do the yoga and pilates steadily to get the flexibility and strength up for running next spring. I also hope to follow the eating principles to the best of my ability so that I can see these results. Dr. Oz states that in two weeks you could lose 2 inches around the waist following his guidelines. That would be lovely. I have already done my measurements....but I won't be posting those here, I just promise to be honest about my successes or failures!

I hope these changes will help me sleep better and reduce stress. Overall I hope I will achieve a good balance with body, mind and soul. If all goes well, I should be coming close to my goals near new years when most people are setting out to start theirs for the year. I want to be well on my way by then...my next half marathon will likely be in April or May and I want to seriously be able to wear a swim suit this year without devastation. I want to feel good about me!! Also, this will be a lot of learning as I go, I am certainly not an expert in the health field, so let it be known that I am not claiming such a thing. Join me for a new journey to being the best person you always knew you were!