11 posts tagged “health”
I've been reading Michael Pollan's Ominvore's Dilemma and aside from a general desire to eat more healthfully, I have become very motivated to try and eat mostly organic and as local as possible. I really want to cut out as much processed foods as possible and search out meat that is truly pasture fed, not just the "free range" marketing ploy of industrial organic farms.
For me the meat is the bigger deal. I want to try and cut out most meat unless it's organic, grain-fed and pasture-raised if at all possible. We're looking into meat lots from Caledonia Farm in Barre, MA but we missed the last deadline so we're on a waiting list.
The farm lots for many of the farms in the area are long since out for the summer so we decided we'd try out Boston Organics, which delivers a weekly box of organic fruits and veggies. They try to get their food locally when possible but may get some fruits from California, Florida or tropical fruits from organic farms in South Amica. I mean let's face it...hard to grow bananas in New England. We're getting the $29 box 1/2 fruit and 1/2 vegetables.
This week's box will include:
1.5 lbs Bananas
1 Grapefruit
0.5 lbs Kiwis
2 Nectarines
3 Paula Red Apples*
2 Valencia Oranges
2 Yellow Peaches
1 Avocados
1 Cucumbers*
1 Green Bell Peppers (PA)
1 bunch Red Kale*
1 head Romaine/Leaf Lettuce*
0.75 lbs Summer Squash (yellow/green)*
2 ears of Supersweet Corn*
One of the best things about Boston Organics is that you can choose if you really don't want something in your box. So out of this box I won't be getting the peppers (just can't eat them without consequences) and the kale (blech!). They'll substitute with other fruits and veggies instead (hopefully more corn!). The asterisks mean the produce is local.
Sooo not only will we be getting our fruits and veggies, but we'll be cutting out pesticides and chemical fertilizers from the mix. I do wish that overall the box was more local (peaches are being harvested in MA, for example, and what about local blueberries?), but it's a step in the right direction. We've found organic foods and grass fed meats to be more flavorful as well. I'll let you know how it goes!
I know a little bit more. The surgery will probably happen on Monday. He hasn't had a heart attack but was having all sorts of pains in his arms from blockages--5 of them. The doctors say his heart is very strong but they need to get rid of the blockages or he probably will have a heart attack. He is angry because they are keeping him in the hospital and not letting him do anything. "I could be at home watching TV or working on the computer and doing the same activity," he grumps. But I'm glad they are keeping him there because he wouldn't just "do nothing" at home. He turned 64 just two weeks ago.
I marvel at my mom (who will probably read this at some point). She knows I'm a wreck, and so is my brother and sister, and she is appearing to be the pillar of strength at the moment, about how the doctors do this all the time now and it will be fine and don't worry about coming home, he'll be fine. I know her though, and she's not really the pillar of strength, but I'm glad she seems like it right now because I sure as hell know I'm not.
Thank you all so much for your well wishes and thoughts. It means a lot to me right now.
although the effects sure look like one, huh? Redzilla and Gamany were right in their assumptions. What you see in the picture below is the after-effect of my acupuncture session last night. I've been having neck and upper back pain, so Sheryl at Union Square Acupuncture oiled me up and took a Chinese soup spoon to my back and neck. The effects look painful but looks are deceiving. The scraping and rubbing is very uncomfortable but I afterward I only feel a slight tenderness and bruising feeling, but more importantly, my neck and back pain has been completely reduced. The effects are pretty immediate, both internally and externally.
There is a good article here that explains gwa sha (sometimes written gua sha):
‘Sha’ is a condition in which the waste products of cellular metabolism (the burning of glucose in the cells for energy) become trapped in the muscle fibers, often as the result of major trauma such as whiplash but sometimes from accumulated smaller traumas from daily wear and tear and exercise. The Chinese medical diagnosis is ‘stagnation of blood and chi in the meridians,’ meaning that there is obstruction of the energy and fluids in the affected area. The result is stiffness, soreness and pain. Usually, treatment for this condition consists of medications including painkillers, muscle relaxers and possibly anti-depressants, plus massages, chiropractic, physical therapy and so on. [snip]
‘Gwa Sha’ is perhaps the most dramatic treatment I have ever used for the relief of neck and shoulder stiffness and pain. It is remarkably simple yet effective. The skin is coated with a liniment, and then briskly rubbed with a hard object such as a coin or ceramic soupspoon, resulting in a red rash. It is understood that the pressure and stroking motion dislodge the encapsulated waste products and draw them to the skin surface where they may be eliminated from the body altogether. ‘Sha’ is a Chinese word for sand, describing the rough texture of the rash as it appears in some cases.
The benefits of ‘Gwa Sha’ treatment are first that it produces immediate results most of the time. The appearance of the rash itself confirms the correct diagnosis of the ‘Sha’ condition in the muscle tissue, and usually provides significant immediate pain relief. Patients will generally report a 50-90% reduction of pain and stiffness immediately upon conclusion of the treatment, although occasionally the discomfort may increase somewhat on the day following treatment, and then reduce significantly the following day.
The wikipedia article gives a bit more history.
It does look awful though, huh? I skipped the gym today because I didn't want anyone asking me if I've been beaten, instead opting for a lunchtime walk. The redness should go away in a few days. I'll take the redness if the pain is gone. It's sort of amazing what that little soup spoon can do!
I loved the guesses!
PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON YOUR FELLOW EXERCISERS!!!!
Just brush your damn teeth when you get up...slosh around some mouthwash or something. And if you don't, for god's sake, DON'T GET ON THE MACHINE NEXT TO ME.
/rant off
I've admired this funky clock above my acupuncturist's mantle since I've been there. Snapped a quick picture before I left today. I realize it's a bit fuzzy but well, I felt pretty relaxed when I finally took this picture.
Day 005 Project 365
~ my arms and shoulders don't bother me as much from too much computer use.
~ I sleep at night without waking up because of allergies or postnasal drip.
~ my lungs are stronger when it's cold out (I have cold-induced asthma...extreme temperature shifts send my lungs into shock and I cough until I see stars).
~ I'm no longer taking the Allegra, Flonese, Sudafed cocktail that my doctor prescribed.
Pretty damn awesome, IMHO.
I decided to copy the ever cool Reesie and try my hand at Project 365. I love taking photos and while I have no aspiration to ever be a professional photog I'd love to get better at taking pretty and interesting pictures. Plus I love the idea of documenting bits of my world in pictures. Every day for 365 days will be tough but I want to try! Here are some lovely clementines and a shiny red apple sitting on my desk, waiting to be consumed.
Sent from my mobile device...
I've been using PodFitness, which is actually pretty cool. You choose from over 80 professional trainers (many of them are celebrity fitness trainers...people who have trained Britney, Paris, Hilary Swank, Heidi Klum, etc), then you select your own music for the music playlist (needs to be unprotected MP3 files...so get thee to a converter if you buy all your tunes from iTunes) and they mix a track for your iPod that has your trainer's program set to your own music. You can choose from a ton of different activities, from the treadmill, bike, elliptical, weights, running, etc--either at home or the gym. I have found that I really like it and I can get a very good workout--better than if I just went and did my standard cardio or weight routine. (In looking at the website, I see you can get Danny Bonaduce as a trainer--WTH? Might have to check that out for the laugh factor at least!)
But one thing that always cracks me up is the idea of RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion. You'll be listening to your trainer and they will say "work at a lvl 3, which should feel somewhat challenging (for a beginner)." Now, they have explained a little about RPE at the beginning of the workout, but I mean really...for me, just getting ON the machine is a lvl 5. I've really had to exert myself to get there in the first place!
I know, I know, there is actually a comparison scale that defines it more specifically:
The RPE scale is used to measure the intensity of your exercise. The RPE scale runs from 0-10. The numbers below relate to phrases used to rate how easy or difficult you find an activity. For example, 0 (nothing at all) would be how you feel when sitting in a chair; 10 (very, very heavy) is how you feel at the end of an exercise stress test or after a very difficult activity.
0 Nothing at all 0.5 Just noticeable 1 Very light 2 Light 3 Moderate 4 Somewhat heavy 5 Heavy 6 7 Very heavy 8 9 10 Very, very heavy In most cases, you should exercise at a level that feels 3 (moderate) to 4 (somewhat heavy). When using this ratingscale, remember to include feelings of shortness of breath, as well as how tired you feel in your legs and overall.
I just wonder how many people can really accurately figure out where they are working on that scale? I know that my energy and mood drastically effect how much work I might do. I could be capable of more but don't push myself. We humans are extremely good at tricking ourselves. My mind might be saying, "oh wow, I'm working hard! Definitely a 4 today!" when in reality my body is working at a realistic 2 on the scale.
So in my mind, RPE is sort of a joke when it comes to figuring out how hard you are working. I think that a heart rate monitor would be a better indicator but damn they are expensive. So I end up relying on the monitors on the machines I use, which I'm not sure are terribly accurate. They always tell me I'm working at 85-90% of my capacity but I don't feel like I'm exerting THAT much energy--working hard, yes, but not to any sort of exhaustion. For the most part I don't worry too much--I figure the fact that I'm in there at all is good enough for now, but it would be nice to better accurately gauge how hard my body is working from day to day.
What's on your "do before I die" list?
Submitted by Caroline.
- Publish my book of Creative Writing Exercises
- Publish a book of poetry (guess that means I need to get off my ass and start writing some again)
- Go para-sailing
- Go across that big damn pond finally and visit Europe. I've wanted to travel there ever since I was very little.
- Reach a level of optimum health
- Pay off my student loans (although if I'm dead, does this really matter?)
Or at least that's what the acupuncturist did last night!
It was an interesting session. First we talked for about 40 minutes about all my "issues" which I didn't realize were so numerous until I started spitting them out. Essentially they fell into the lines of metabolism/digestive and my asthma
The treatment was Japanese acupuncture which is apparently more gentle (the needles go in a few mm rather than 3 inches!) and also a bit more hands-on in. She placed only five needles in...one in each foot, each arm and my forehead then left me to relax for 15 minutes. My feet, especially my left one, were immediately effected. They felt very heavy and relaxed. I didn't want to move them, not to even flex a toe. The needles didn't hurt at all, going in or as they were in my body. Then the flip-over onto my stomach so she could work on my back. Again, 4-5 needles, but placed along particular points in my spine. This is where the fire came into play.
Basically there is a particular kind of chinese plant fiber that is rolled into little balls or threads and either placed on the head of the needle or directly on the back and then lit on fire. The mossy like stuff doesn't flame but instead smokes and creates heat. It was overall very soothing, with heat that radiated out from my back. The threads on fire on my back were like tiny pin-pricks but not uncomfortable. The smoke odor was vaguely like pot though, which was funny.
To finish, she gave me little Acubeads...stickers with little metal balls that attach to the ear on various pressure points. I'm supposed to rub and stimulate them a few times a day. There is 5 in one ear and 6 in the other. I leave them on for a few days and then take them off.
I go back to see her at the end of next week to determine the next steps. First she wants to see how my body reacts to the accupuncture over the first couple sessions then she may add some chinese herbs or teas to the equation. I'm not sure how the weight loss/digestive stuff will play out between now and then but I can tell you this--my nose, which was broken in my bad car accident last year, has been giving me bad post-nasal drip over the last few weeks (I always have some form of it now, but lately it has been severe). So bad that I wake up coughing and choking. Last night I didn't take any drugs and I didn't have a single drip or a coughing fit. We're talking the first fully drug free, drip free (but I only take meds when it's particularly bad) night that I have had since I had my car accident. So THAT alone makes it all worth if it that keeps up!!
I'll keep you posted!
Over the last year I have become extremely frustrated with my extraordinarily slow metabolism. I eat healthy, exercise for 45-60 min 4-5x a week (varying weights and cardio) but it doesn't seem to really put a dent into my weight loss efforts--and over the last year it has become worse. I have checked with my regular doctor and my cholesterol is excellent, my blood pressure is good, there isn't anything wrong with my liver or thyroid. So no clue what the issue may be. My doctor says that sometimes our bodies get to a certain weight and that's just where they want to be. I can't buy that--I don't think I am at the best weight for me to be healthy as I age. I don't know why I can't lose at a normal rate or why when I get to a certain point it all just stops. I just know that it really really sucks.
So Paulette suggested that I hook up with her friend who is an acupuncturist and tonight I'm going to go for my initial evaluation and treatment. I've looked into it a bit and it seems that for weight loss, a lot of the needle poking occurs in the ear, which is fine. Needles don't bother me all that much, thankfully. In combination with the poking will probably be some Chinese herbs prescribed as well. So we'll see how it all works out. It would be really nice if some hindering Qi is miraculously unblocked by all the little stainless steel needles. At the very least, maybe I'll believe that it has, right? The mind is pretty amazing that way--it's able to trick itself into believing a particular reality. And if my reality is that acupuncture helps my body with its energy flow and my efforts become more evident, hell, I'll take it.
