August 2, 2009

The date of the SheROX Philadelphia Sprint Triathlon.

I'm doing it. It's happening. And I might have some other pretty amazing women doing it with me. Stay tuned.

Alexis

As I mentioned in my last post, it's been a rough patch. Things in my own life have evened out and have taken a turn for the better, but my cousin and very dear friend has been sick for three years, and things have recently gotten worse. So that's where all my emotional energy has gone, to sending love and positive thoughts to Alexis, her parents, and her brothers, as well as everyone else who knows and loves her dearly. I wouldn't usually post about someone's health other than my own, but Lexi is so important to me, I can't help but think that if even more people send love and healing thoughts to her and her family, they'll be able to feel it.

I do plan to start posting again more regularly. I have lots of great new information I'm eager to share, but sometimes life intervenes, and, well, blogging isn't exactly a top priority.

Tough Week

Rationally, I know how good my life is. I know how kiss-the-earth lucky I am. That doesn't mean that some weeks it feels like the universe is just unloading on me. On Sunday night I took quite a spill on my bike. I'll spare you pictures of my bruises (about seven covering knees-to-ankles on both legs), but my camera did happen to fall out of my bag and take a picture of the bike:

I'll take this chance to make the requisite wear your helmet plug. Fortunately I didn't get too badly hurt, but my legs were banged up enough to make yoga nearly impossible for the past week.

On Tuesday I got some pretty bummer news that I didn't see coming. Is it for the best? Yeah, it is. Doesn't mean it's fun though.

Then, on Thursday, as I'm stressed and scrambling to meet a deadline for an enormous project, I get sick at work and have to go home early. I spend the next forty-eight hours in bed (ok, ok, with a great book and stack of Woody Allen movies, but still), and miss a conference in D.C. that I had been looking forward to, despite any moaning and groaning on my part. To make my deadline on time, I had to go to the office on Sunday to do some more data mining.

All things considered, things could be much worse, I know. Everything I got dealt is temporary: bruises fade, emotions bounce back, the flu passes. But it still sucks. My inclination is to put on a happy face, say everything's fine, fake it 'til you make it. I think in many instances, that works. Then I remember an assignment I got from Eva, my wonderful acupuncturist.

She said I have to -- brace yourselves -- start feeling my feelings.

She's right, of course. The only thing is, feelings can be so stinking inconvenient. And if you feel your feelings, doesn't that mean you're more likely to show you're feelings? And if you do show your feelings, that just makes you plum vulnerable. Scary stuff.

I'm working on it, though. It's a fun project when you feel overjoyed or peaceful or goofy. A little (lot) less so when you feel so angry you wish you still had a punching bag, or so sad you just want to lie in puddle on your kitchen floor. I'm trying to compromise. I'm trying to, well, speed feel. It takes about three minutes, and goes like this... Acknowledge I feel angry. Throw things (that won't break) and listen to loud, angry music. Cut myself off after a minute before it spirals. Do something productive.

It's a start. Besides, the productive stuff is where I want to be spending my energy. I don't want all the other crap "to win"; I want it to propel me to be better. I'd rather think about paintings I've wanted to make but been too scared to try because what if *gasp* it sucks. I'd rather take out my guitar that I have touched in five years because I've never been any good, and finally learn how to play my favorite songs. I'd rather catch up on letters and phone calls with old friends. I'd rather find new recipes to cook and foster friendships with people to cook for.

So yeah, it's been a really tough week. I'm still under the weather, and I still have some major, stressful deadlines looming at work. But I also helped the women's group I volunteer with to have a successful first event. I went out to dinner and had a wonderful time with a dozen hilarious Europeans. I had a glass of wine with friends I haven't seen in weeks, and then paid a visit to another friend I've only recently gotten to really know. I caught up with one of my favorite girlfriends from college, and then got into an engaging debate about politics with other friends of ours we happened to bump into as we left the bar. I got a fierce new haircut (if I may say so myself) and some killer new boots. I scoured my apartment, watched movies that remind me of one of my favorite people in the world, and have worked my fingertips almost raw on my guitar. Things will ebb and flow, and I have some amazing people by my side as the tides change. If I have to feel my feelings, after all, they'd better be the good ones. Right?

Acupuncture and Breast Cancer

The New York Times ran an article yesterday promoting the benefits of acupuncture as a means of relief for breast cancer patients. I'm always a little amused when these methods of healing with centuries and millennia of history are billed as "unconventional," but at least it's getting press. The full text is below; I'd be interested to know your thoughts.
____________________________________________________________

Treatments for breast cancer can lead to unpleasant side effects for most women, including hot flashes, sweating and lack of energy. Now, new research suggests relief can come from an unconventional therapy — acupuncture.

Research from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, presented this week at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology’s annual meeting in Boston, studied acupuncture use among 47 women who were receiving anti-estrogen treatments, including tamoxifen or anastrozole (Arimidex). The drugs are known to lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence, but they can trigger menopause-like symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats. Half the women were given the antidepressant Effexor, which has been shown to reduce hot flashes in breast cancer patients. The other half received acupuncture therapy once or twice a week during the 12-week study.

The acupuncture worked just as well as the antidepressant Effexor to curb hot flashes. Women who received acupuncture also reported fewer side effects and more energy, and some reported an increased sex drive, compared to women who used Effexor, the study showed.

Dr. Eleanor M. Walker, director of breast radiation oncology at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, said that while she expected to see some benefits from acupuncture, the results were surprising.

“I was surprised by the duration of the effect,” Dr. Walker said. “I didn’t realize it would last so long or result in an increase in sex drive and energy. That was a surprise.”

Last year, a report in The Journal of Clinical Oncology suggested a benefit of acupuncture compared to a “sham” acupuncture treatment, but the results didn’t reach statistical significance.

Because the most recent study lasted only three months, it’s not clear how long the benefit of acupuncture lasts. The study authors said that more research is needed to find out if regular “booster” sessions after the initial treatment period will continue to relieve a woman’s symptoms.

Wiped Out

It's true, I've been a lousy poster as of late. My post-a-day goal when I started has dwindled to a post-a-week during September. It's not that I haven't been thinking about holistic health, or come up with things I've wanted to share. It's just that I've been absurdly exhausted lately. In bed at 8:30 on a Friday night kind of exhausted. In fact, in the last two weeks, I think I've been asleep before 10pm a record-breaking (for me) four times. I've canceled plans, postponed visits, delayed obligations. I'm not quite sure why I've been so beat, but I do know I had to just give into it and let it win. Maybe my body's been fending off these colds that have been going around, or maybe I've just had trouble adjusting to the change of seasons. Maybe it's work stress, or maybe it's frustration over a lot of little things. In the end, I suppose it's ok that I don't know why I'm so tired, just that I honor the exhaustion and give myself a free pass every once in a while.

That said, I'm an optimist, and there's something about today that makes me think I'm starting to turn the corner. I made myself a delicious raw vegan smoothie packed with all sorts of healthy things, like my magic enzyme powder and flax seeds and mango. I have acupuncture after work, and then my favorite yoga class a little while after that. I've recommitted to a booze-free lifestyle (for the time being), and am letting myself say no to things that seem more draining than restorative.

And now, back to work while my head is still clear. My to-do list is a bit daunting at the moment...

Yoga. Finally.

Yoga has been on my list of my three health things for over a month now. Tonight, I finally went. I had decided yesterday that tonight would be my night off. I would decline all invitations that came my way -- even if, gasp! they were work related -- treat myself to yoga class, and have a quiet evening in to do as I wish. No networking, no catching up on to-do lists, no doing things I should do. Just enjoy an evening nourishing myself.

All afternoon I looked forward to this. Then, at ten of five, I got hit with a whopper at work. Being me, I started spinning and planning and panicking, all in the name of solving it and making it perfect right now. Guess how effective that was. I came home, opened a (gluten free) beer, and called my wise mama for some insight/comfort. I know, I know. With all my liver chi stagnation, a beer was probably the last thing I needed. But sometimes, you just say forget it. Beer or no beer, though I was going to go splurge on a yoga class.

I bought an unlimited month. Not the best move for my credit card (it seems I can't quite focus on all three of my health things at the same time, can I), but a great move for my body and heart. It was a 101 class, back to basics, especially as I hadn't gone since May. Some poses felt so wonderful and familiar, some poses left me surprised that I could do them, and others left me able only to focus on the burning in my muscles. All of it left me feeling more peaceful and in tune with my body than I have been in a long, long time. Going to the gym in the morning is great, and I feel satisfied when I crank out time on the erg or lift weights, but it just doesn't compare to my yoga high.

My back and shoulders are already sore, but my posture is also naturally better than it was just this afternoon. I'm breathing easier. Much (not all) of my tension and panic from 5pm has dissipated. I don't know how the situation is going to be resolved, but I know I'll make something work, and I know I have family and friends around to support me along the way.

The added bonus to a yoga practice is that it makes it really easy for me to honor my body's wants and needs. Comfort food becomes something that nourishes me rather than some processed fatty, salty food. Tonight I had half of a perfectly ripe avocado, a serving of delicious quinoa pasta with organic sauce from Trader Joe's, and two tablespoons of flax seeds sprinkled on top. A far cry from the M&Ms and Tostitos I wanted to pick up on my way home from work.

(The opening photo, of Eagle Pose, was taken from here, and was my favorite pose of the night.)

Celiac Disease and Enzyme Deficiencies

One of my favorite people in the entire world, my friend Mo, is in med school right now. I would say she's pretty old school Western medicine, but she always listens with an open mind when I talk about my latest health and medical findings, regardless of whether it's from an Eastern or Western background; so long as the science is there, she's all for it. She's infinitely better at science than I am (I think I scraped out a B- in 9th grade bio; she's, um, in med school), and sometimes my attempt at scientific explanations fall a little (or a lot) short, which leaves me frustrated. Every once in a while, though, something I've read or experienced will come up a few days later in one of her classes, which causes us both to geek out a little bit. I'm also happy to report that Celiac Disease gets a semi-regular mention, so with any luck, future doctors will be even better equipped to help patients navigate that lifestyle.

Mo and I grabbed dinner towards the end of my elimination diet, and we talked a bit about what I'd uncovered about how my body processes food. Yesterday, I got a pretty awesome e-mail from her. Here's an excerpt:

As for the celiac tidbit, I learned that the disease affects primarily Caucasians, esp. Celtics and Swedes! So yeah, you know... you! AND that virtually all Celiac patients have a disaccharide deficiency, which is an enzyme that breaks down disaccharides into monosaccharides, and therefore often have an intolerance to lactose and sucrose. Which makes your elimination diet results you were telling me make TOTAL sense! It was sugar and milk right?? (I don't think I made that up... haha)

So there you go -- it turns out I might not be quite the medical mystery I thought I was. Man do I love when all the little pieces start to fit together.

Food Journal

I hate them. I've tried keeping them numerous times over the years, and every time, I make it one, maybe two days before I say forget it. Part of my problem, I think, is that I was trying to be too detailed in what I logged. Neurotic measurements, precise calorie counts, time records to the minute. For some people, that may be the right path to take; for me, it was too much.

It's time for me to take another stab at it though. This time, I'm just going to jot down the time and rough amount of what I ate. Portions aren't my big problem. An overwhelming love for sugar is. To that end, the point of this food journal will just be to bring a mindfulness and accountability back to what I'm eating. It's already helped me make better choices this morning -- I had 3/4c. organic plain yogurt with a tablespoon or so of sunflower seeds and a handful of raisins mixed in, instead of having puffed corn cereal with rice milk. Or, more to the point, instead of also having puffed corn cereal with rice milk.

Part of why I decided to start this today is that it's a baseball day -- hurrah! I'm going to the last businessperson's special of the season for the Phillies (which means I'm going to be tempted by gluten free beer and crab fries), and then the Sox are on ESPN (which means I'll be grabbing a stool at my favorite bar to watch the game). I don't expect to be a saint, but maybe a food journal will help me scale back the indulgences a little bit. Stay tuned.

Muscle Head

Yesterday I did something I don't think I'd ever done before.

I went to the gym before work.

Sure, there've been days that I've done some crunches and lunges in the morning, taken a walk. But I can't recall ever being at the gym at 7:30am, setting myself up at the free weights, and pumping out sets. The experience surprised me -- not only did I get up in time to go work out, but I was able to push myself enough so that I feel just the right level of sore this morning. It wasn't my longest workout, or my hardest workout, but it was a good workout.

Cardio isn't my thing. I like running around the city (can't wait to lace up my sneakers when my foot is healed), and I love riding my bike along the river or trails, but slogging away on the machines at the gym bores me. I'll do it when I go, but it's not what I look forward to. Lifting weights, however, is something I actually find fun. Free weights almost exclusively. As someone who likes structure and the ability to monitor progress, I've decided I need to get more deliberate in my lifting in order to stay motivated.

Which is why I want to start keeping workout logs. For now, I suppose I'll just mock something up in Excel, but if you have template you like, or any pointers on a good way to do this, I'd love to hear about it. I also found this workout from Women's Health. It looks like it hits all the major muscle groups, and is certainly an efficient way to get hrough your a.m. routine. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Thanks, Lovies.

Over the past few days, I've gotten so many wonderful comments on this little thing. Some were from friends (thanks DD, thanks Maggie), and one or two came from strangers or anonymous folks. These comments -- coupled with live-time encouragement from my spectacular friends and family -- have given me a much-needed boost. I feel like I've lost my holistic health mojo a little bit as of late, and all this positivity has, I hope, given me the push I needed.

My icky-tasting, nowhere-near-cheap enzyme-loaded powder came in the mail today, and I can't believe how excited I got about it. I hadn't reordered in time, so I haven't had it these last two weeks. This time I ordered a month and a half's supply. That's one point for health. And, lucky for me (in this case, at least), I tend to be all or nothing, which means the health crusade is back on.

Part of the fire in the beginning was the challenge to figure out the unknown. At my cousin's wedding this weekend, my mom and my friend/brother's girlfriend were talking about the creative process, and how projects can seem so exciting in the beginning -- just up until the point when you can see how it's going to end up. I think, in a way, that's how I felt about my health. This summer tipped me over the edge to finally solve my health problems. Crazy part is, now that I know what I need to do (no caffeine, strict sleep regimen, exercise, acupuncture, tons and tons of raw fruits and veggies, minimal booze, meditation, skip the sugar, get lots of sunlight, take my thyroid medication, keep the probiotics coming, and, by all means, stay on the enzyme-fueling powder), I feel, well, lazy about it.

Which, of course, makes me want to shake myself by the shoulders and yell, "What are you doing?!" For years I've just wanted someone to tell me what the heck I should do to feel healthy. Now I know. So why have I only been doing it about 70%? How do I get myself up to that 95%-100% range so I can wake up feeling spectacular and energized, with glowing skin and radiant energy? After all, who wouldn't want that?

So here's the game plan. First, give myself credit for what I am doing. (Um, hello zero caffeine, to name the biggie.) Second, get excited about the powders and pills and other tools I have to jump start my system; all I have to do is take them. Third, and the part I'm most excited about, go to the gorgeous gym at my alma mater/current place of employment. I joined last week, and can't wait to go lift weights again in an environment I know and am comfortable in. Plus, I can see the gym every time I walk out of my office -- no pretending it's not convenient. I think (hope) that with this redevotion, the pieces might start to fall back into place.

Another thing I'm working hard on is to be kinder to myself. I forget where I heard it, but you should never speak to yourself in a way you wouldn't speak to your best friend or your daughter. I would never berate my best friend for only succeeding 70%. But I would encourage her to keep pushing herself so she can feel her best. We'll give it a shot, right?

Don't Go It Alone

Before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, there were some days that were, to put it mildly, really tough. At times the pain was so severe I could barely move. Putting on shoes and socks was unbearable, and even just walking down the hall to use the restroom would take me as long as twenty minutes. I had no choice but learn how to ask for help.

Fortunately, I have a very loving and patient family, and, when I went back to school, had very loving and patient roommates. On the worst days, they would help out by running an errand for me, or just bringing me a snack on the couch.

After the diagnosis, I was once again able to maneuver around easily. I didn't need people to do the little things for me in the same way. My inclination was to say to myself, Great, I learned how to ask for help; now I hope I don't have to do it again. Wrong. What I've learned since then is to go ahead and ask for help when I need it -- with the big things and the little things. When I'm reluctant, I remind myself that I would always want to help my friends and family if they gave me the choice; I trust I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Today's been a little rough, and the Diet Cokes we keep in the fridge in my office for guests have been taunting me again. I haven't had one since my first day of work here, but oh how I want one today. Instead of reaching into the fridge, though, I reached out to my friend Maggie, the biggest anti-Diet Coke advocate I know.

Here's what I sent to her:
"There's a whole bunch of them [Diet Cokes] in my fridge at work, and I want one -- BIG TIME. Please tell me not to have one."

And here's what she responded within the hour:
" Do NOT have one.... it is a slippery slope my dear!"

So I resisted. I stepped away from the caffeine and chemicals and got a water. Next time you're tempted to make a decision you know deep down you don't want to make, call on your support network. Even for something as seemingly small as resisting the Diet Coke.

Lasagna Update

Yes, I felt it warranted an update.

This week is the fourth and final Wednesday Concert in the Park here in Philly. It has fast become one of my absolute favorite parts of this summer. Each week for the past month, I've gotten together with friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends. We claim a plot of park and settle in with wine, cheese, and any number of other delicious treats. One thing I really appreciate about this particular group is the density of foodies, though, I have to say, my friend Art takes the foodie cake. He runs a powerhouse website chronicling the food and booze news in Philadelphia, after all. (Seriously, don't miss out. Check out foobooz.com, and check it often.) Needless to say, I'm on a quest to impress Mr. Foobooz with my culinary skills. To that end, I've made a big dish of the raw vegan lasagna to bring to the park tomorrow.


I'll let you know the verdict. Fingers crossed that I get a rave review.

Raw Vegan "Lasagna"...Is Delicious

I feel like I can't keep up with all the posts I want to write, but eventually they'll all make their way up here, if not in the ideal order. I have yet to post about my meals in NYC this past weekend, but I'm going to skip ahead to tonight's dinner, a loose reproduction of my Saturday night entree.

But first, a quick nod to juice. As you know, I love the stuff. As you probably also know by know, I am a huge fan of cocktails. I have yet to make fresh juice to mix into a cocktail, but I have started passing my juice off as a cocktail in and of itself. Here, yesterday's carrot juice cocktail -- on the rocks -- in all its glory.


In case you didn't figure it out by the title of the post, I made raw vegan lasagna for dinner tonight. When I ate it at Pure Food and Wine over the weekend, I couldn't believe how dang tasty the stuff was. With the aide of the (un)cookbook Raw Food/Real World [see bookshelf at right], courtesy of my beloved Snacks, I was eager to give it a shot. I didn't recreate the recipe faithfully (I almost never do), but I think it came out quite well. It even passed the man test. A health-conscious, veggie-loving man, but still.

For the pesto, I took about 2.5 cups of basil, maybe a 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, one clove of garlic, a tablespoon or two of lemon juice, a drizzle of amazing olive oil, some salt, and some pepper, and put it in the cuisinart attachment of my blender. (Oh, I also hate measuring; I play to taste, not numbers. Sorry if that isn't super helpful.)


Before:
After:


The "ricotta" (I know, I know. It's not ricotta. It's not cheese. Call it something else. But for ease of explanation, we'll call it "ricotta," eh?) was about a cup and a third of soaked raw pine nuts, about a tablespoon or so of nutritional yeast, a little more lemon juice, a pinch of kosher salt, and water added slowly until it became the consistency of ricotta. This was also whipped up in the cuisinart attachment.

For the tomato sauce...I cheated. I bought a jar of Trader Joe's organic tomato sauce. It's been cooked. So sue me.

To assemble it all, I peeled the zucchini and cut into thin (1/8") strips. I topped with the "ricotta," pesto, and sliced cherry tomatoes from my sister's garden. These tomatoes made the dish. Try to tell me these don't look beyond delicious:


I just kept layering the zucchini, ricotta, pesto, and tomatoes until I liked the look of it. Best part? No waiting for it to cook. Assemble and devour. Hurrah for instant gratification.

We paired it with one of my favorite wines, a 2005 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon. My friend Brooke gave me a bottle of this once, and I always think of her and her family, which only makes the wine that much more wonderful.

It's the Little Things

I love Yogi Tea. Last time I went to the store, I bought so many boxes (only five!) that the cashier couldn't help but make a comment. Part of why I love the tea is definitely the result of some great packaging on their end. I love the yogic exercises on the box, but more than that, I love the simple one-liners on the tea bag label. I used to have one taped to my computer at work. I have one on my fridge that says "May you have faith in your worth and act with wisdom." The tea I'm drinking right now says "Let your manners speak for you."

The quotes are always simple, but they're consistently a nice reminder of how I want to live my life. Yes, my tea company knows how I want to live my life. And part of what keeps me coming back for more is to find out which quote I'll get next. Well done, Yogi Tea marketing department. Well done.

Go Green for Your Liver

In part of my ongoing saga of trying to make up with my liver and its chi, one action keeps bubbling to surface: go green. With my diet, that is. Last week Eva told me to add lots and lots of leafy greens to my diet; it's helpful for getting the liver chi moving. And, let me tell you, if there's one thing I'd like to do, it's get my liver chi flowing freely. I've been limiting my alcohol and trying to move more (two big pluses for moving that chi), and I've been letting this "stimulate the liver chi" thought roll around in my head as I've been chugging along, eating and reading all manner of things.

Lately I've become increasingly interested in a raw diet. In addition to eating at the raw food mecca, Pure Food and Wine, I've been reading and re-reading my books on raw "cooking." Doesn't hurt that these are all my most sumptuously photographed and written books. Yes, there was a whole team at work to make these books sexy, but there's something about raw food that's just, well, hot. When you eat raw, you're in tune with nature and with your body. Just think of all the exciting ways that impacts your life.

To that end, I've started reading Sarma Melngailis's blog. This post about getting more greens all but whopped me over the head. I already planned to go to the produce stand to get the last few ingredients I need to make her raw lasagna and sangria, and now I'm inspired to add a whole mess of greens to my cart. I think I'm on the right track, because when I woke up this morning, I craved (I kid you not) a big glass of cucumber-celery juice, so I think I'm on the right track, and I think my body's ready to make this commitment.


Maybe this is the recharge I've been looking for. I love her approach -- be kind to yourself, no rules about what not to eat or regimen about what to eat, just eat more of the good stuff. Much more. That, that I can do.

Is Decaf Better?

One of the cool things about this new venture (the holistic health counseling career track) is that friends and family now come to me with all sorts of health/diet related questions. Sometimes I know the answer. Often I don't. Which makes sense -- I haven't gone to school yet, have I? I love the questions, though, because they prompt me to research things I wouldn't otherwise think of. There's one question I was hesitant to look into, however. Snacks asked if decaf coffee is indeed worse for you than caffeinated coffee, due to the chemicals used in the process to extract the caffeine.

After some preliminary research (and if you have articles on the subject, I'd love to read them), my answer is the ever-so-helpful: It depends.

As a general rule, the thought of ingesting chemicals in the guise of food freaks me out. It's what caused me to give up artificial sweeteners and fake food like those weird frozen "yogurts" that are on every corner in New York. That said, if you have a fierce coffee habit, and caffeine has a strong negative impact on how you feel, I think decaf can be a good transitional aide. For me, I think caffeine is worse for my body right now than some chemicals that may or may not remain in the decaf coffee. Here's what the all-knowing Wikipedia had to say about the subject:

Decaffeinated coffee is also regarded as a potential health risk to pregnant women due to the high incidence of chemical solvents used to extract the caffeine. The impact of these chemicals is debated, however, as the solvents in question evaporate at 80–90 °C, and coffee beans are decaffeinated before roasting, which occurs at approximately 200 °C. As such, these chemicals, namely trichloroethane and methylene chloride, are present in trace amounts at most, and may not pose a significant threat to embryos and fetuses.

I'm not pregnant, but I often wonder about all those things pregnant women aren't supposed to eat because of how it will affect the fetus. Doesn't it make sense that those are things that maybe people just shouldn't eat in general? Think about it.

But I digress. I don't think caffeine is unhealthy for most people. Unless you have heart, sleep, anxiety, or blood sugar disorders, it's probably fine for you. Best not to have it, but not likely the first thing most people should address in their diets. If, however, you do suffer when you take caffeine, be aware that there is no national standard of what should be labeled as "decaf" when it comes to brewed coffee. The New York Times did an interesting piece showing that many decaf coffees from the major coffee stops -- Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, etc. -- do in fact contain caffeine, sometimes as much as a can of Coke.

How is this information going to influence my coffee decisions? I'll probably revert back to the very very occasional decaf coffee, and keep away from the caffeine. It should be easier when the temperature drops, as I'll be craving more tea and less iced coffee. (Though I will always miss the caffeine-saturated Pumpkin Spice brew from Bucks County Coffee.) File this one away under the ever-popular heading of "In Moderation."

Blessed

Throughout the weekend, one thought keeps looping through my mind:

I am so blessed.

Last week was a tough one for me. Panic attacks resurfaced, things at work got shuffled a bit, and a very dear family friend passed away. Not surprisingly, I felt wiped out and depleted. What made it even more frustrating was all the great stuff from last week that I could acknowledge intellectually as being wonderful, and there were even moments when my heart skipped a bit, but nothing positive was able to sift down and really take up residence.

My "emergency" acupuncture on Thursday helped reset things, and I haven't felt any panic since, which is a huge relief. Eva was also helpful in pointing out that I need to be easier on myself and let go of my perfectionist attitude, at least a little. On Friday night, I was supposed to go to New York to visit my dearest friend, "Snacks," but felt too overwhelmed to make the short trip. She, being the wonderful soul she is, understood and said I should come up whenever felt right. I was on the train at 7:30 on Saturday morning, feeling fortified after a relaxing night in. But everything kept irritating me more than it should have/would have on any other day.

Bit by bit, though, I was able to let go. And that's when the refrain started to bubble up. For the rest of the weekend, all I could think was how blessed I am. I was able to spend Saturday with a friend I consider a sister and my wonderful, wise, beautiful mother. We ate delicious food, sampled a few sangrias (whoops), and caught up and laughed for hours. We met another great friend, Maggie, for a glass of wine, and after it all, Snacks and I went to surprise another old friend in Brooklyn.

Connecting with these incredible people from all different stages of my life was restorative in a way I wasn't expecting. There was a particular ease that comes from being with people who know who you are at your core. And the agave-nectar-sweetened icing on the gluten free cake? Presents. That's right. I got presents.

Mom treated us to all the amazing food (details in a future post) and some new shoes (yay!). Snacks surprised me with this amazing book I'd been drooling over, by the founders of the restaurant where we had dinner, Pure Food and Wine. I'm not really one to rush out to the latest hot spot, but after reading about it on Kris Carr's blog in July, I've been dying to get over there. I was thrilled with the experience. Maggie handed over her umbrella so I wouldn't get caught in the rain en route to Brooklyn, and when I arrived there, Alison, a friend for over two decades, surprised me with belated birthday presents, including a gorgeous journal.

And that was just one day! On Sunday I got to have brunch with Snacks and my friend Cas, another post-worthy meal. I took it easy again last night, which I needed to do, but I'm finally starting to feel restored and ready for the new week.

The Tao

In my family, each person has a copy of the Tao Teh Ching. The book is sacred to me for its content, but also for how much I feel connected to my family through it. In 1999, my wise dad gave each of his three children a beautiful copy for Christmas. He inscribed it simply with "Into the next millennium." Like most of my books, it's not something I simply sit down and read; I pull it out and dip in and out at will. I always come back to it, though. Sometimes, if I want a path for my meditation, I'll slide the book off the shelf and read a favorite passage.

Tonight I'm spending some time with passage #76:

When a man is living, he is soft and supple.
When he is dead, he becomes hard and rigid.
When a plant is living, it is soft and tender.
When it is dead, it becomes withered and dry.

Hence, the hard and rigid belongs to the company of the dead:
The soft and supple belongs to the company of the living.

Therefore, a mighty army tends to fall by its own weight,
Just as dry wood is ready for the axe.

The mighty and great will be laid low;
The humble and weak will be exalted.

Sleep Hygiene

I've touched on sleep hygiene in the past, but thought I'd post the handout I got from the Penn Sleep Center. It is more detailed than things I've written about, and for anyone suffering with insomnia, I want to offer as many resources as possible. So, without further ado, the wonderful tips from the Penn Center for Sleep Disorders. My input is in italics; the rest is right from the experts.

Sleep Hygiene

A. Maintain a regular sleep/wake schedule
1. Keep the same rise time and bedtime every day. Fun? Not so much. Worth it? Absolutely. This was one of the most helpful tips for me.

B. Maintain a healthy diet
1. Include foods high in carbohydrates. I would add that they should be complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and produce. Refined carbs, like white bread and white rice, are going to convert to sugar much more quickly, which can destabilize your blood sugar and make it more difficult to sleep.
2. Foods that contain carbohydrates are: breads, pasta, rice, cereal, fruits, vegetables, & milk.
3. Going to bed hungry or eating a large meal before bedtime can worsen sleep.
4. If hungry at bedtime, eat a light snack or drink a glass of milk.

C. Avoid or minimize the use of caffeine. My friend Maggie would say this is cruel and unusual punishment, and might not even be humanly possible. It is difficult, especially if you've got a serious coffee habit. But if you have trouble sleeping, caffeine's only going to make it worse. Try to taper off, and eventually -- I promise -- you'll be sleeping better and need it less. (Don't worry, Maggie. If you sleep fine, I'm not going to suggest you give up the good stuff.)
1. It is a stimulant that interferes with sleep.
2. The effects can last as long as 8-14 hours.
3. One cup of coffee contains 100mg of caffeine and takes 3 hours to leave the body.
4. Most sodas and teas, some headache and cold medicines, and most diet pills (evil buggers!) will worsen sleep.
5. It is recommended not to drink coffee, tea or soda after Lunch. If you continue to have difficulty falling asleep, avoid drinking caffeinated beverages after Breakfast. I'll say it again -- if you're a particularly atrocious sleeper like I am, you're probably better off without any caffeine at all. I found it was the ritual I missed in the morning, almost as much as the caffeine. Now I make tea to sip while I get ready for the day. It's a different ritual, but a ritual nonetheless.

D. Avoid alcohol. I hate this one. I hate how important it is, and what a difference it makes in my life if I'm drinking or not. This might be the most frustrating for me. As with caffeine, I try to supplement the ritual. My bartenders know if I'm not sipping a Bluecoat gimlet, I'm going to be drinking club soda with lime by the gallon.
1. You may feel it helps you get to sleep, but for most people it causes awakenings as well as poor sleep later in the night. It's true. Drat.
2. Alcohol can make snoring and sleep apnea worse.

E. Smoking cigarettes will interfere with sleep. Just in case you needed another reason to quit...
1. If you currently smoke, begin to cut back on nighttime smoking.
2. Stopping smoking is a helpful step to improving your sleep. The best way to quit smoking is to be involved in a group meeting along with the patch or gum.

F. Over-the-counter sleeping medications:
1. None of the medications currently available OTC help you get into deep sleep. I took Tylenol PM almost every night for ten years. It's horrifying to think of all the REM sleep I missed. It also feels absolutely amazing to not depend on it any longer; I know longer feel anxious if I spend the night somewhere and forgot to bring Tylenol PM or Benadryl. Knowing I don't need it makes it that much easier to fall asleep.
2. These medications only help you fall asleep faster.
3. OTC sleeping pills may make your sleep worse later in the night like alcohol.

G. Maintain a regular exercise schedule. Just in case you needed another reason to start exercising...
1. Walking is an excellent form of exercise. The best time is early in the morning (7am-9am). I personally think that you walk is much more important then when you walk. If after work is more likely to become a habit for you, embrace it. Just get fresh air and some blood moving.
2. Light stretching can be done on rainy days.
3. Guard against strenuous exercise before bedtime. It is too stimulating and may prevent you from falling asleep.

Night Time Tips

A. Do not nap during the day (unless your sleep doctor has told you that you may).
1. Not napping will allow you to sleep much better at night.
2. Exercise instead of napping. This is one of those tips that makes me want to say, "You've never suffered from really serious insomnia, have you? You try exercising after getting two hours of sleep all week." That said...if you can reach down and pull this off, I bet it would help. I don't let myself nap, but I have yet to be barely able to stay awake and then decide to go running. If you can do that -- huge kudos to you.
3. Stay active during the day when you feel sleepy.

B. Eat meals at the same time each day, every day. OK, I just saw this for the first time. Haven't tried it, but I imagine it helps in getting your body on schedule. File that one away.
1. 3 to 4 small meals per day are better than 1 to 2 big meals.

C. Plan evening activities that promote relaxation.
1. Read or listen to music.
2. Avoid using watching TV in bed to fall asleep. The late night news in not very relaxing. I would take this a bit further -- avoid all screens 90 minutes before bedtime. Dim lights will help you transition more easily.
3. Meditate before bed. (That isn't on the Sleep Clinic list. I think it should be.)

D. If you tend to worry about things while lying in bed:
1. Make a list of things to deal with tomorrow. I keep paper and a pen next to bed so I can jot down things that pop into my head, rather than worry about remembering them.
2. Make a list of things to do before bedtime. Part of my night time routine includes doing a quick pick-up of my apartment. Otherwise I lie in bed thinking about the dishes in the sink. This pretty much tops the list of Things Not Worth Losing Sleep Over.

E. Keep regular bedtimes and rise times.

F. Do not spend too much time in bed "chasing sleep." In other words, if you're not sleeping, get out of bed and do something else. It may seem counterproductive, but it helps train your body that bed is for sleeping, not thinking. With time, this can prove to be one of the most useful tips.

G. Do not attempt to "make up for lost sleep" on weekends or holidays. It may not work and it means you are not up to par for the second half of the week.

H. Develop a sleep ritual: do the same things each evening before retiring for the night to give your body the cues that it is time to settle down.

I. Relax in bed.
1. Take several deep breaths (in through your nose and out through your mouth) while lying in bed and relax tense muscles, starting with your toes and working up to your head.

J. If you can't fall asleep:
1. Get up and move to another room.
2. Stay up until you are sleepy and then return to bed.
3. If you still cannot fall asleep, get up again.
4. Repeat this cycle until you fall asleep.

K. Do not use your bed as a place to read, watch television, argue, or catch up on office work. This was really tough for me to give up. My bed is by far the most comfortable place in my apartment, and sometimes all I want is to lie in bed and read the paper or dive into a book. Right now, I'm on the search for a comfy chair instead.

L. Set your alarm to get up at the same time each morning, regardless of how much sleep you got during the night, in order to maintain a consistent sleep/wake schedule. In case you weren't counting, this is the third time they've mentioned this. It's important. If you do only three things, tips J, K, and L would be my strongest recommendations.

M. Keep the bedroom dark and at a temperature that is most comfortable for you so that you are not waking up too cool or too hot.

N. Block out noises that can disturb your sleep.
1. Sponge earplugs or "white noise" made by fans, air conditions, or a white noise machine.

O. Go to bed only when you are sleepy.

P. Do not watch the alarm clock and worry about the time or lost sleep. Try to think about something that is relaxing and/or enjoyable.


There you have it. It's a lot, but try to take encouragement from that rather than feeling overwhelmed. There are so many different tools you can try. If these don't work, of if you want additional help, I would suggest a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist specializing in sleep who can walk you through specific exercises designed to tackle your biggest barriers to a good night's sleep. It's a commitment, but you can get there. Honest.

Stress and Panic Attacks

Stress and I don't get along. Some people say they thrive on stress, that it gets them motored up to push through things they wouldn't otherwise people able to do. I am not one of those people. The good thing is that I know what havoc stress wreaks on my well-being, and I work to minimize the stressors in my life. When I get stressed, my immune system starts to stutter and I get sick, my stomach gets upset, I can't sleep. Years ago I also suffered from panic attacks, which, at one point, were so bad that I considered taking time off from school.

Fortunately, I am the daughter of a very wise man. When I talked to my dad about my panic attacks, he gave me a some specific actions to take. They were just the tools I needed to get through the worst of it so I could finish up the year.

1. Eat more protein. At the time I didn't understand the importance of protein when it comes to stress and panic attacks. As I started to read up on hypoglycemia this summer, though, every source talked about how critical regular protein is to maintaining stable blood sugar. And what is one of the symptoms some hypoglycemics experience? You guessed it -- panic attacks.

2. Stop with the caffeine. I had a ten-Diet-Cokes-a-day habit. The mere thought of that horrifies me. Of course anyone who drinks that much caffeine (not to mention chemicals and aspartame) is going to feel jittery, to say the least!

3. Practice deep breathing exercises. When I first started doing breathing exercises, I only had one basic technique: Inhale through my nose to the count of five, exhale through my mouth to the count of seven. It worked, but I've since learned other techniques that work even better for me. The first is ujjayi breath, which is explained quite well here. The other might be the simplest breathing technique I know of, but it's also my favorite: focus fully on each each breath, simply observing it, but with the exhale as the "start" of the breath, and the inhale as the "end." That simple reversal in observation takes just enough focus for me to allow my mind to quiet. This is also my favorite breath for when I meditate.

This past week I have been feeling an incredibly amount of stress, and have been unable to pinpoint its root, which only frustrates me more. Doesn't much help the situation. To make matters worse, in the last three days, I've staved off four panic attacks. I'm glad I was able to prevent them, but it's been a little unsettling that they've resurfaced after so many years. So I'm going back to basics. Protein. Stay off the caffeine. Practice deep breathing. Now I have even more tools in my arsenal, though, which is encouraging. Here are the new additions:

1. In addition to deep breathing to get me through a tough moment, regular meditation to help keep me on an even keel. (If you're thinking, hey, wait, you've been doing this meditation thing for a few weeks now, and you're getting panic attacks for the first time in years. Why would I want to do that? It's because I've been slacking on the meditation. Doh.)

2. Beyond just eating more protein, work to limit my sugar intake as much as possible, thus keeping my blood sugar as stable as I can manage. (Yes, I've been slipping up and having more sugar and alcohol lately, too.)

3. Acupuncture also really helps me to feel centered and grounded. I think it's a combination of the treatment itself, and having twenty minutes to lie in quiet on the table and just decompress. After nearly having a panic attack this morning as I was getting in the shower, I booked an appointment for this afternoon as soon as I got to work.

4. Spend time outside, get some sunlight, experience some nature. I think there's a lot to be said for honoring our circadian rhythms; it makes sense that we'll feel better when we're in sync with our natural clocks.

5. Work up a sweat. Exercise gets the endorphins pumping through your system (the source of a runner's high), which brings extra feel-good chemicals to your body. Who wouldn't prefer that to feeling stressed out. It can also help you work through some pent up aggression and get out of a toxic thought loop. Find something you love -- riding your bike, doing yoga, going for a run or a swim -- and let it act as a resource rather than something on your to-do list.

6. Talk it out. If something's weighing on your mind, find people who care about you and vent a little bit. Ask if they have some insight into the situation. There's no point in going on the journey alone.

If you have other resources you call on when you're stressed out, I'd love to hear them. I'm feeling encouraged just having taken the time to think through all the resources I have at my disposal.

Pause

Over the weekend, I decided to practice something I find quite difficult. Saying no, particularly to making plans. I've been busy lately, to say the least. My beloved DD has been known to call me Type A+ Squared. I can't say I'd have much of an argument to refute that; I live by my calendar.

And sometimes it's just plum overwhelming.

Which is why I'm now trying to make the concerted effort to let my calendar be an aide, not the rule book. I have a tendency to fill up any white space in my calendar, sometimes with things I don't even want to do. Then, when something I would love to do comes along, I often have to say no because I'm either already booked or just plain old worn out.

This weekend I tried to embrace the white space. I didn't schedule a workout. I resisted the urge to offer my cousins a free night of baby-sitting (sorry La -- next time!). When my sister said she was going to be at a bar I've been dying to check out, I said no thanks. Instead I came home early on Friday, had a blissfully lazy Saturday morning -- complete with decaf soy ice coffee (I know, I know, what's the point right? I never thought I'd say it, but I'm a convert) and the New York Times -- a great afternoon complete with reading in the park and shopping with friends, and a Saturday night spent assembling my new bookshelf, organizing my books, and cleaning the apartment. It wasn't wild, it wasn't particularly social, and I didn't work on a single one of my three health things. On Sunday, I walked all over the city getting delicious, healthy food, and then met up with friends for a drink. Which turned into an outrageous and hilarious bbq until much too late on a work night. It was great.

I love knowing what to expect and what I need to do, but sometimes it feels really good to loosen the reigns a bit and just do whatever feels right in the moment.

How does a Type A+ Squared girl handle an insight like this, though? By scheduling "time off". It's a start, right?

My Three (Health) Things - Update

In an earlier post I outlined my three primary goals for improving my health. Progress has been in and fits and starts, but here's the latest.

1. Begin a meditation practice.
It's begun. But it's not quite a regular practice yet. Sometimes I miss a day (or three). That said, whenever I do practice, I'm so glad I did. I'm already experiencing lots of great benefits, but I think my favorite has been the incredible way it's sparked my memory. There have been a handful of times that I've just been jolted with a flash of memory from my early childhood. When I was shucking corn the other day, I could almost hear my grandfather talking about fresh corn in Ohio; when I was taking a walk outside, I had a snapshot memory of old family friends I haven't thought about since I was about nine. My focus at work has been (a little) better, too.

2. Resume my yoga practice.
Drat. Excuses continue. Haven't done this yet, but I have been stretching more throughout the day. Baby steps?

3. Get a better grip on my finances.
Finally starting to tackle this one. Last night I returned clothes and shoes I'd bought but never worn and decided I'd rather have the money. This morning I finally set up online banking for my big scary credit card. Most of my other bills are electronic, but I hadn't gotten to this one. I'm amazed at how relieved I feel having done this. Tonight I've scheduled down time into my calendar (no joke), and I plan to confront Quickbooks.

Am I as far along as I'd like to be? No. Am I making progress? Yes. I feel I've lapsed a little bit in the past week and a half, but I'm trying to accept that as part of the natural ebb and flow of things. What never ceases to amaze me, though, is how often I'll be doing something for my health and well-being, it'll be working, I'll feel better, and then...I stop. For example, I eat mostly raw organic food --> my energy skyrockets and my brain feels clear --> I stop eating as well --> my energy plummets and I feel foggy --> I don't have the energy to think about eating as well. It makes me frustrated at my own behavior sometimes, and I really want to understand why I do this. Is it because somewhere in the back of my mind I feel I need a break from the work of being healthy? Do I somehow think I'm "cured"? Now the trick is figuring out how to stay in the good cycles rather than slipping back out to the less healthy path. If you have some magic tricks, I'd love to hear them.

Gluten Free Goodness: Party Time

When I found out I had Celiac Disease, one of the things that bummed me out the most was feeling like I'd miss out on celebrating with friends. No birthday cake, no pumpkin pie, no wedding cake when the time was right. Sure, there are naturally gluten free (GF) options -- lots of ice creams are GF, and you could always go the healthy fruit salad route. But there's something about your best friend bringing you a carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting for your birthday that's just tough to beat. Lucky for Celiac folk, we can still partake in these sugary little rituals. Here are my favorites.

Namaste makes amazing cake mixes (I find mine at Whole Foods). The Spice Cake is my favorite, but the others are pretty great too. I often add shredded carrots to the Spice Cake mix to make carrot cake instead.

If you're not in the mood to bake your own -- or if you want to surprise one of your Celiac friends with dessert and don't know where to start -- I highly recommend paying a visit to Mr. Ritt's. I'm fortunate to live in the same city as what could easily be the best GF bakery in the country, but those of you who live farther away don't have to miss out. The have a collection of products that ship well, and they're well worth it. My roommates in college surprised me with a cake from Mr. Ritt's for my first Celiac birthday, and it made all the difference. They also do amazing wedding cakes; the price for some is even lower than your standard gluten-full wedding cakes, and most of them taste at least as good, if not better. Just to hammer home the point: Mr. Ritt's is amazing.

Whole Foods also has a great GF bakehouse. You can find muffins and breads, but you can also find some killer chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies. I live about a five minute walk from Whole Foods, but I never buy the cookies. Why? They're so tasty, all ten or so would be gone by my front door.

Trader Joe's didn't miss out on the GF market, either. If you want a little treat, I'd highly recommend these GF Ginger Snaps. Warning: don't think for a second you'll only eat one or two.

If ginger snaps aren't your thing, you can always go for their tiramisu, found in the freezer section. I assume just about everyone like tiramisu, so it's my last suggestion for this post. Seriously. Gluten free tiramisu, and it's delicious.

If you have any other GF party favorites, post them in the comments section -- I'd love to hear about them. Enjoy!

Reactions

I'm coming up on the home stretch of the elimination diet, and have learned some pretty critical information about how my body handles different foods. The quick breakdown, without getting into the not-so-glamorous details of my various responses, is as follows:

I have shown no adverse reaction to corn (the one I was most nervous about), citrus, or any other fruits and veggies. Hurray!

I have mild reactions to aged dairy, unfermented soy, wine, and liquor. I seem to be fine if I have these items in moderation, which is good news -- I'd be pretty bummed if I could never again sit down with wine and cheese.

The bummer list is pretty short so far, thankfully. Regular dairy and I do not get along. This is one of those things I've sort of known for the past few years, but tried to ignore. After this experiment, though, I think I'll be staying away for the most part. Very small amounts seem to be ok, but anything else is not so pleasant. Good thing I really like rice and almond milks. I also can't really tolerate fermented soy (aka tofu), but I'm quite all right with that. It did add a little protein boost to my smoothie, but other than, I was never really a fan.

Then, of course, there are still the items to be tested. Soon I'll know how my body gets along with (or not) yeast, peanuts, eggs, seeds, and tree nuts. Fingers crossed.

Willpower

In general, I'm not a big fan of willpower. I usually prefer coming up with better systems that all but eliminate the need for straight up willpower. Right now, however, it is sheer willpower that is keeping my from reaching into the company fridge for a Diet Coke, walking across the street for frozen yogurt, and scarfing down a handful of the dark chocolate peanut M&Ms. I keep telling myself that forgoing the caffeine and sugar today will make it ten times easier to forgo them tomorrow, as well; it won't start that vicious blood sugar spiral.

Besides, I do have some deliciousness to look forward to tonight -- we're going to try (gluten-free) beer can chicken on the grill, with lots of delicious grilled veggies, grilled pineapple or peaches for dessert, and maybe a great bottle of wine. I can resist the fake, chemical-laden quick treats in favor of wholesome deliciousness tonight.

I'll try, at least.

Wake Up, Sleepyhead

My schedule has been packed lately, and as a result, I haven't been as diligent about some of my health resolutions as I should be. It was OK for a few days, but these past two days I've really started to feel it. Yesterday I hit the snooze button for an hour, and today I could barely get out of bed. This is probably the most I've missed caffeine since I gave it up a few weeks ago.

Rather than dwell on the coffee (YUM) I can't drink, I tried to think of what I would suggest to someone else who was trying to rev up in the morning -- naturally. Then I actually took my advice.

I boiled some water for my morning tea, herbal of course. I've been really loving the Tazo Refresh. The peppermint in it seems to perk me up a bit. Also, for me the ritual of making tea helps me focus, which in turn brings an alertness to my day.

While the water boiled, I paid a visit to what, on my fancy days, I like to call my home gym. It's pretty basic, but it gets the job done. This morning I was wishing I had some ten pound weights, though, so maybe that will be my next splurge. My mom and I have been working to get more strength training into our daily routine, so I tried to channel her this morning. I did barely ten minutes of core and arm work, but it was enough to get my blood pumping. Plus, when I start my day with healthy habits, I really don't want to derail my good work later on.

Then, before I got in the shower, I used one of my new favorite things -- a dry brush. It's amazing. At first I was skeptical. Brush my skin? A little strange, no? But the slightly rough texture of the bristles over your skin really does wake up all your little nerve endings, plus it exfoliates, leaving your skin extra soft. The best part? It jump starts your circulatory and lymphatic systems, which in turn gives your immune system a boost. I'll post soon with a more thorough exploration of the benefits of dry brushing, but for now, I'd encourage you to give it a shot. Wake up naturally, improve the appearance of your skin, and give your immune system a boost? All for a one time fee of approximately $7? (That's what I paid for mine at Whole Foods.) Yes please!
I'm still really craving an ice coffee, but at least I started on a good note. The trick will be to keep fueling myself with nutritious foods throughout the day rather than reaching for something sugary that will just make me crash later.

Natural Goodness

My sister is an incredible mother in any number of ways, not the least of which is sharing her love of nature with my niece. Every day, no matter the weather, they spend a little time outside. Bad mood? Go outside. Energetic? Go play outside. Feeling just a little bit off? Go outside and get some fresh air.

This summer, I've taken a cue from my big sis and made a concerted effort to get more outside into my life. Over the weekend I spent some wonderful chunks of time soaking up the gorgeous summer weather. I started with a quiet walk by myself on Saturday morning around my sister's neighborhood.

Here are the Black Eyed Susan's from her garden:


A butterfly in a neighbor's plant:



A busy bee working away:


Which reminds me -- my mom and my sister were talking about bee pollen this weekend, and how it's a superfood. I've only just started to research it, but I'm intrigued. No surprise there, really. If you've tried it, I'd love to hear about it. And if you're curious, check back soon to see what I've learned.

I'm really happy that I've gotten to the point now where my weekend doesn't feel finished without working up a pretty major sweat outside. My brother-in-law came downtown and joined me on a nice long bike ride, including my first non-paved biking. I loved it.

Here's the famous bike:


A little piece of Fairmount Park, right in the heart of Philadelphia:


I know it's not news that exercise, fresh air, a little peace and quiet, and some nature can do wonders for your soul, but this weekend just confirmed that point.

Good News, Bad News

Friday's preemptive measures in preparation for a night of sipping wine definitely helped. This morning I woke up feeling relatively well-rested, and just about everything seemed to be in good working order. Except my lip.

I was afraid of this. For about the last three years, the middle of my upper lip has been a little swollen, some days more than others. I tried to tell myself no one noticed as much as I did, but every once in a while I'd get comments like "Did you...get collagen? What happened?" or "How did something manage to sting your lip?" For the most part, though, it just felt a little strange.

When I asked my GP, she didn't know what to tell me, and certainly didn't seem concerned, so she referred me to a dermatologist, who also had no idea what was going on. "But the tissue here feels different," I said. They didn't seem to notice. Then, on my last morning in Italy in June, I woke up like this (sorry about the picture quality):


I'd woken up early because I tasted blood in my mouth; my lips had swollen so large that they'd split open in some places. Ouch. My lip returned to it's regular, only-slightly-puffy state within a day, but it was still unsettling. When I landed, I booked an appointment with an allergist. He was the first doctor to acknowledge that my lip is not normal, that the tissue is different, and that it's something that needs to be solved. He suggested I take Zyrtec every day for two months, just to see if it helped, and referred me to a lip specialist. I didn't even know those existed. I passed on the Zyrec -- I would much rather try to figure this out naturally/holistically -- but I did book the appointment with the specialist.

While on the elimination diet, though, my lip just about returned to normal. Eva, acupuncturist extraordinaire, said it is likely a curious manifestation of inflammation, and at this point I'm nearly certain it is. In Chinese medicine, the area just above the middle of your upper lip is an inflammation point, so it makes sense to me that the center of my lip is what swells up. I believe the elimination diet cleansed my of the major inflammatory triggers, which allowed my lip to finally return to normal. Once I added the booze, the lip puffed right up. Just to be sure, I plan to have another stint (much shorter this time) without alcohol, and then add it again to see if we get the same result. I'm also very curious how long it will take the swelling to go back down.

To wrap it up --
Good News: The Great Lip Mystery may be nearly solved
Bad News: Yet another reason I shouldn't indulge in the sauce as often as I'd like

Reintroduction: Alcohol

I reintroduced alcohol this week. I should probably have chosen something else to reintroduce, like nuts or seeds, but I chose booze. And it was wonderful to be able to sip a gin gimlet in the park while listening to a free concert with some friends. And I loved talking to my family last night while we sipped a delicious pinot noir.

I did not love how I felt when I woke up this morning, though. Sluggish and bloated and just a little less vibrant than I had been. Does this mean I'm going to quit drinking all together? No. I'm not a saint, and I'm not really one for extremes. Which means maybe no more taking a sip of Bluecoat Gin right from the bottle...


Where to go from here? Back to my dear old friend moderation. Will I have a glass of wine tonight when we go out to dinner for my dad's birthday and toast his move back to Italy? Absolutely. But my goal -- and this will be a challenge -- will be to have one glass. OK, maybe a glass and a half. Knowing that I want to feel great when I wake up in the morning, though, is going to help me do that.

Additionally, I'm taking preemptive measures today. I know tonight will be rich with family, love, and laughter, not to mention the food and wine. As I lead up to that, I'm focusing on a raw vegan diet for the day. I was late to work because I was making lots of great juice, and I filled up every bottle I have with juice or filtered water. I also rinsed some cherry tomatoes and cut up a cucumber in case I really feel the need to chew something during the day. We'll see if this strategy works.

Special Delivery (someone needs to step away from Amazon.com)

I love snail mail. My friend Alison, whom I affectionately call (Love) Bug, and I try to send each other letters of the old fashioned variety on a somewhat regular schedule. It's tough to beat coming home to a letter or package from someone you love.

If you had been sitting in my office this week, though, you would have thought that I have an obsession with Amazon.com. You would be right. After a quick survey of this week's packages alone, I vow to take a break from buying books for a while. We'll consider it working towards health goal #3, getting a grip on my finances. I will, however, act as an enabler. Links to everything can be found in the Bookshelf toolbar at the right.

Here's what my friend Tick, the UPS guy, brought me this week:

and

and

I've just started Meditation as Medicine, and am already fascinated. Dr. Khalsa has a beautiful, lyrical way of writing about meditation and its impact. Expect more updates as I work my way through. Maybe then I'll make my way to Michael Pollan, which I've been dying to read.

Some of you probably know how skeptical (read: extremely) I was about the Louise Hay DVD. It was assigned as part of my homework from Women to Women, and boy was I reluctant. I was sure it would be all crystals and pastels and happy clappy touchy feely mantras. Was there a little bit of that? Yes. But mostly it was straightforward, well-produced, encouraging film featuring commentary by some very in-tune, loving, optimistic people. It made me want to add mantras to my daily routine, but I haven't yet struck on one that feels right to me. If you have one that works, I'd love to hear about it. And for now, I'm just glad I got over myself and was able to be open to all the great information in this DVD.

Not done yet. I saved the best for last. While I was at the zoo on Monday, my warm-up materials for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition arrived! Couple that with my tuition payments, and I'm starting to feel like a real student. I haven't delved into these materials much yet, but am looking forward to getting started in the next few days.


For the record, I'm glad I went to the zoo on Monday, even if it meant waiting another day for my materials. We had a blast, and saw lots of amazing animals...

Eating Overhaul

I don't diet. I can't. It doesn't make sense to me, and trying to lose weight is never, ever enough motivation for me. I tried one once, and it lasted two hours. Then I ate some chips. If, however, I have to overhaul my diet to improve my health, then I can become a dedicated little eater.

My first experience with a radical diet change came a few months after my 21st birthday when I found out I have Celiac Disease. I couldn't imagine a life without beer, bagels, and my dad's amazing pappardelle with wild boar. Over the years I've discovered a number of great gluten-free alternatives, and the whole experience has made me particularly receptive to the idea of changing my diet to change my health.

Shortly after the Celiac Disease diagnosis, I found out I also had candida in my system, and was put on a yeast-free diet. This does not mean "don't eat yeast." It means "don't eat anything that could feed the yeast." And what feeds yeast? Sugar. Alcohol. Vinegar (which happens to be in just about every condiment made). Fermented foods, like cheese. To starve the yeast, the diet has to be adhered to 100% over a prolonged period. It was tough to start my senior of college on such a strict diet, but it seemed to do the trick. After four months I could, in moderation, add the other foods to my diet.

I've mentioned the elimination diet that I'm currently trying, but haven't explained it here much yet. When a family friend found out how sick I'd been, she suggested I get in touch with Debra Lermitte, who runs a company called HealThy Self. (I love the name.) She's fine tuning an elimination diet called FareWell, and it's been a great tool for getting to know my body better. What I really love about the program is that there's a support group component. Debra's always available for a pep talk or to answer a question, and the group of participants doing the diet (there's about six of us in my session, including fellow "Holistic Health Junkie", Jen) meets roughly once a week to trade recipes, share progress, and encourage each other.

The basic premise of the FareWell Diet is to strip all the major triggers from your diet for two weeks to get it to a clean, recharged state. After two weeks of mostly fruits and vegetables, everyone was feeling pretty good. We all reported we'd lost weight, had more energy, had clearer skin. (Caveat: the first week was tough as many of us went through withdrawal from sugar, caffeine, etc.) Once the two weeks were over, the reintroductions started, with a new "trigger food" introduced every three days. The goal is to listen to your body and discover sensitivities you weren't previously aware of.

To help us along, Debra put together clear guidelines of what foods to eat when, as well as a list of common symptoms associated with the various introduction foods. I'm about 2 weeks into the introductions, which puts me 2/3 of the way through the program, and I'm feeling great and getting to know my body much better. Debra also puts together a great weekly newsletter with health tips and interesting factoids. She even gave Full Well a sweet mention in this week's issue. You can find information about it, or get in touch with her, at her website.

Now that I've tried this elimination diet, I'm curious about some others I've heard about. Being me, I'm sure I'll be doing research in the coming weeks, and you can expect to see what I find out here. When the diet is over, I'll also post my reactions (or not) to the different foods that were reintroduced. So far, though, I haven't discover that I react to anything I really love. Whew!