My Latest Love Affair: My Bike

I've lived in the city for five years now (...and didn't realize until now that it had been that long. Wow.), and had a bike for chunks of time throughout. I never really rode my bike, though. Part of it was being terrified of urban riding. After all, buses are big, and could easily flatten my bike with me on it. The other big factor was that I really enjoy walking in the city. Over the last year and a half, though, life has been nudging me toward my bike without my knowing.

The fun part is that I'm not nearly as scared as I used to be. Not just about biking, but about life. I've learned that I'm one tough [gluten-free] cookie, much to my surprise, and a little risk can actually be fun. (My big brother figured this out at a much, much younger age.) The not fun part is that I got a pretty nasty stress fracture in my foot a little while ago and was forbidden from walking to work. "What? It's only two miles each way! Aren't you supposed to get 10,000 - 12,000 steps a day? Come on. I can walk it." My uncle/doctor disagreed, and, I have to say, the man knows a thing or two about stress fractures. So I listened.

I didn't have my bike downtown at the time, but my brother-in-law came to the rescue and lent me his old, beat up mountain bike. It's Barney purple, the seat slides down, the handlebars are ridiculously low, and the tires are about three times thicker than all the swanky road bikes that cruise past me. It's perfect. One slick blue bike helmet and one heavy duty bike lock later, and I was all set.

My commute to work is a breeze, especially now that I've worked out the best route. My apartment no longer feels so isolated because I can be halfway across town in fifteen minutes, tops. I've got my blood pumping and limbs moving by the time I get work. (This is huge, especially in my new caffeine free state.) I can feel my leg muscles toning up. I'm more likely to say yes to plans now, because getting around is such a breeze -- no trying to time mass transit, no paying for a cab, no taking forever walking over there. And, I have to admit, I feel just a little bit cool with my messenger bag on and my U-lock tucked in the back of my jeans.

But wait -- it gets better. I need to have clear goals to accomplish anything, and this turn of events has helped me settle on my next fitness goal. Last fall I ran my first race, a 5k. Here's the proof:
When I finished the race, I was shocked at how good I felt and how much fun I had. I was looking forward to training for it again this year when I found out about the stress fracture. Instead, I had to come up with Plan B.

A triathlon. Nothing crazy. I'm going to look for a little puny triathlon, and all I need to do is finish. I'm taking this stress fracture as an opportunity to work on the biking and the swimming, and when my foot is good and healed, then I'll add the running back in. The biggest challenge for me is going to be the swimming -- I can get form point A to point B, but I can't do it gracefully or quickly -- but what a great excuse to finally learn to swim well. Plus, I figure it'll snap any bathing suit anxiety right out of me. After all, it feels a little silly to worry about how I look in my workout gear when I've got a race to train for.

So there you have it. Fractured foot + newfound love of biking + inability to swim well = perfect storm for training for a triathlon. Pointers, encouragement, and company for my workouts would all be greatly appreciated.

Gluten-Free Goodness: Game Night

In the three years since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease the gluten-free (GF) products on the market have increased in both number and, more importantly, quality. Here are some of my favorites, most of which can be found at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, your local health food store, or, of course, the internet. So, without further ado, I give you proof that even with Celiac Disease, you can enjoy a tasty night of pizza and beer. Hurrah!

My cousin, Logan, first told me about Redbridge about a year ago. I'd been dying to try it, and finally found it at Total Wine in Delaware. (I live in Pennsylvania where the alcohol-buying situation is frustrating at best.) A few months later, something magical happened. I was watching the Red Sox beat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, and there, at the beer stall under section 202, I saw bottles of Redbridge in the bottom of the cooler. It was the first time I was able to drink a beer in a ballpark, something I never thought I'd be able to do. I'm a Sox girl through and through, but the Phillies definitely went up a few dozen points in my book that day. I've had a few other GF beers, but Redbridge is hands down my favorite. If you want the full list of GF beers I've tried, just let me know.


I've sampled a number of GF pizzas these past few years, and was always disappointed. Until, that is, I discovered the goodness that is Glutino Spinach and Feta. It's a pizza that actually tastes like -- that's right -- pizza! They have a few other flavors, as well, but I haven't tried them yet. I'm too in love with this one. (I find it in the freezer section at Whole Foods.) Glutino has done an amazing job of creating GF products that don't compromise on taste or texture. They also make awesome pretzels.
I can't buy them and keep them at home anymore because I would eat the whole bag. And that's not good news for anyone.

There are lots of other great GF products out there, and I'll try to post new favorites regularly, but this should at least help get you through a low-key night of a watching a game. Next time, GF free products for birthdays and other celebrations.

"Good news -- you're missing an enzyme!"

Yesterday I had my first appointment with the Women to Women clinic in almost three years. Of all the pieces in my recent Health Crusade, my appointment with Marcelle might be one of the most critical components. (Though I don't know if it would have been quite so productive if I weren't already taking care of a lot of other pieces: following my new sleep regimen, doing an elimination diet, getting regular acupuncture, making sure I get a nice dose of sunlight (and sweat) every day, and being mindful of trying to keep only positive influences in my life. It's a system. It's always a system.)

So what great insight did Marcelle have to offer?

1. "Love your job. As it is, right now. Look at everything else it lets you do."
I like my job. I do. The people are wonderful, the environment is stimulating, and I feel valued. The work I do, though, isn't exactly exciting. But Marcelle pointed out that this is a good thing given everything else going on in my life. I'm fortunate--my life is very full, but sometimes this means I don't give as much focus to things I should. Like, oh, say, my health over the past year. This job has given me the space and mental energy to refocus and really work to solve my health issues. It's working. And now, rather than lament the fact that I spend most of my day managing calendars and assembling contracts, I'm grateful for everything this position gives me.

2. "No, that's not normal. That's because of the enzyme you're missing. You do remember that you're missing an enzyme, right?"
Nope! I'd completely forgotten! I'm going to go ahead and assume that I did actually listen when she first told me I was missing an enzyme three years ago. That is the kind of thing that tends to get lost in the shuffle when you're hearing that you'll never get to eat pasta, bagels, pizza, cake, or beer ever again. (Of course, the other great news is that with more of us Celiacs around, the gluten-free market is taking off. I'll link to all my favorite gluten-free goodies soon.) So, when I mentioned to Marcelle that I've been eating like a saint and my tummy's still a little off most days, and is that just a function of changing my diet to 75% raw fruits and veggies, I was relieved to hear her say this wasn't normal. I was even more relieved when she had the solution for me in the very next sentence: you're missing an enzyme, but we can work around that. She's sending me the necessary supplements, and, with any luck, I'll be able to report back shortly that they're working. After all, I felt great when I took them three years ago. (Honestly. How did I completely forget that I'm missing an enzyme? Who forgets something like that?)

3. "You're on the right track."
It was just nice to hear it from an expert. I don't know the last time I've worked as hard at something as I've worked at getting healthy lately. Yes, I'm feeling better than I ever have, but it's still really nice to get a little proverbial pat on the back from someone I admire.

4. Homework!
Ah yes. No hiding my (not-so-)inner nerd now. Knowing that I like to read everything about health and nutrition that I can get my hands on, Marcelle made a few recommendations. I tried to split my practicality with my desire for instant gratification, so I bought one book at the bookstore, and then ordered the DVD Marcelle recommended and a cookbook I'd been meaning to buy from Amazon.

The latest addition to the bookshelf is Digestive Wellness by Liz Lipski Ph.D., CCN. I really appreciate the quote at the start of the introduction: "If the patient has been to more than four physicians, nutrition is probably the medical answer," Abraham Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D. I know that's not always true, but for me, it's certainly been the case. This might be one of the major things I love about nutrition -- you can heal yourself with your kitchen. How cool is that? Kris Carr likes to call Whole Foods her pharmacy. I still visit my CVS, but I have to say, for the most part, I agree.

I'm waiting for a DVD called You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay. My sister raves about Louise Hay, but I've always been a little skeptical. Some of her ideas seem a little out there, even for me, and I love alternative healing. I think -- if taken with a grain of salt -- there's probably a lot of really great stuff in this series. Apparently I'm supposed to "work with the DVD" every day. We'll see how I do.

And last but not least is the cookbook I was supposed to buy when I first started the FareWell elimination diet. Whoops. I was too preoccupied with my new juicer (carrot-beet-celery juice and carrot-apple-fennel juice. YUM!) to even think about cooking. Of course, now that the order's been placed, I want Marjorie Hurt Jones, R.N.'s The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook to arrive, oh, today.


There were lots of other things that came up in the conversation, but those were my big take-aways. Now, back to work. At the job I'm grateful for because of everything it lets me do.

The Back Story

Right now I'm right smack in the middle of a 24-hour health-love fest. Last night was my first meeting for the FareWell diet, an elimination diet I'm trying with my favorite health-questing pal, Jen. At 10am I had a phone appointment with the amazing nurse practitioner who changed my life three years ago by diagnosing me with celiac disease. And after work today I get to pay a visit to Eva, acupuncturist extraordinaire, for my weekly tune-up. I want to give each of these three pieces the attention it deserves, but to be able to tell the full story, I think you need some background.

The back story, short version: Four years ago my health took a major dip. I went from feeling sort of blah all the time to feeling downright sick all the time. Panic attacks, no energy, inability to sleep. But the kicker was the pain. In the fall of 2004, right when I was studying in Rome, surrounded by delicious food and beautiful art, I started to have pain in my back. Then it spread to my left leg, then my left arm, and, before long, my whole body was in agony. I found a chiropractor, and he helped, but the results never lasted more than a day. When my parents came to visit in December, I was in so much agony that my souvenir from Ravenna was a cane to help me hobble around the city. In Assisi, we got a special handicap parking pass so we could park in the central square because going up the stairs from the main parking lot was too painful. By the time we got to the airport, my dad had to steal a wheelchair because I couldn't walk to the gate. The next seven months were filled with appointments to various specialists, all with the same outcome: we don't know what's wrong, and it might just be in your head.

No. Way.

There was something wrong, and I didn't have the faintest clue what it could be. We knew what it wasn't. We knew it wasn't rheumatoid arthritis, and it wasn't a slipped disc in my spine, and it wasn't a tumor pressing on the nerves. Knowing what it wasn't was a start, but I still needed answers. Finally, in July of 2005, I got them.

My boss that summer, seeing how much pain I was in, suggested I make a trip to the Women to Women clinic in Maine. I took a little wellness road trip to Yarmouth with D., one of my closest friends since 7th grade (we were a head taller than everyone else on the first day of school, so we found each other pretty quickly), and had the appointment that changed everything. After reviewing my diet and talking to me for half an hour, my nurse practitioner suggested I might have a gluten intolerance. If I stopped eating gluten -- a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats -- I might feel better. Within three days I was pain free.

When my latest health crisis rolled around, I knew I'd have to bring in the experts from Women to Women again. Check back later to find out what they had to say three years later. Hint: It's all good news. Really good news.

Making the Jump

I'd been thinking about it for a while, last week I decided for sure it's what I wanted to do, and today I pulled out my debit card and made it official. This afternoon I enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and will graduate in July of 2009 as a certified holistic health counselor. After all my back and forth, I know I made the right decision -- I don't know the last time I was so sure and so excited about something.

This doesn't mean I'm giving up my day job (yay non-profits). Not yet. I just started a new job at my alma mater, and it feels great to be back on campus, working with kind, whip-smart people. The benefits ain't bad either. But enrolling at IIN feels like the first big step to creating the life I know I want. One filled with delicious, nutritious food. One that has balance and wellness at its core. One that lets me help other people figure out the big confusing mess that "getting well" can be.

Because it's not enough to not be sick, to have blood work come back normal if you go through life and still feel blah. Everyone deserves to experience vitality. After almost a lifetime of feeling not quite right/healthy/energetic, I'm finally getting close to that goal. That's what pushed me to make the jump, to enroll at IIN, and commit to making my life about what matters.

Here we go!