The cure for the Hectic Holiday

I need some good-for-me-stuff that is free and won't prevent me from buttoning my jeans.  You too?  I have just what the doctor ordered:  The at-home pampering package.   Each of these ideas will take less than 1 minute to create and you already have everything you need in your pantry or linen closet.

Pampering idea #1 The Feet

Find some lotion.  Slather it on, especially on your heels and the cuticles of your toenails.  Really slather it on!  Put on cotton socks.  Let the lotion soften your feet and moisturize your nail beds.  Keep on overnight.  Don't have any lotion?  Use olive oil or almond oil.  Don't have either of those?  Use lip balm - though you probably want to think carefully before you use it on your lips after you've rubbed it on your feet...I'm just sayin'...

Pampering idea #2 The Back, Neck, and Shoulders

Fill a sock with rice, dried beans, oatmeal, buckwheat, or sand.  The sock should be about 3/4 full so there is enough room for the rice to move freely.  Add a few drops of lavendar essential oil, vanilla, grated orange or lemon peel, or peppermint extract.  Tie the end of the sock shut.  Put in your microwave for 30-60 seconds until warmed through.  Now mold your fragrant heating pad into the small of your back, over your shoulders, around your neck, or across your forehead.  Feel the relaxation that comes from applying heat directly to where your muscles/constricted blood vessels need it.  Heat again as necessary.  Don't have a sock to use?  What about the sleeve of an old shirt?  In a pinch you can use a plastic bag but be sure to put a cloth barrier between your skin and the plastic once it's been heated.

Pampering idea #3 The Face

Take 2 washcloths and get them wet.  Place one in the freezer and the second in the microwave for 20 seconds.  You can heat the washcloth for an additional 20 seconds if it's not warm enough but be careful not to make it hot.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  Sit down.  Place the warm cloth over your face and breathe.  When the timer goes off get the other washcloth out of the freezer.  Set the timer for 10 minutes.  Sit down.  Place the cool cloth over your face and breathe.  Alternating warm and cold temperatures on the skin stimulates the immune system, rejuvenates the skin, increases blood flow, and encourages neural healing.  Always end with a cool cloth to close the pores and "rest" the skin.  This also is great for clogged sinuses.

Pampering idea #4 The Eyes

You've probably heard of using steeped, cooled tea bags over your eyes to rest them, chilled cucumber slices to reduce puffiness, and all manner of creams and unguents to reduce the appearance of fine lines...BUT... I have something even simpler.  Blinking.  Long, slow breaths coordinated with long, slow blinks.  Do it with me:  inhale for 5 seconds while opening your eyes as wide as you can.  Now exhale for 5 seconds while closing your eyes gently.  Inhale and open wide.  Exhale and close.  Are you starting to feel the moisture return to your eyes?  If not, repeat again.  And again.  Until your eyes feel moist when you close them.  A total eye rejuvenation in 15-20 seconds.  It doesn't get much cheaper than blinking.

Are you listening to music?  Drinking water?  Breathing?  Are you (occasionally) shaving your legs, wearing pretty underwear, and putting on lipstick?   If not, why not?  What could possibly be more important than your sanity and before you answer that: what can you possibly hope to get done if you are frantic, frazzled, and itching like crazy from dry skin and cracked heels?

I'm teetering on the sugar edge but not yet over, remembering to enjoy the Christmas lights we have lit both inside and out, wearing a lot of no-waist yoga pants, and cranking up the uplifting Christmas music.  I'm not stress free, but I'm not stressed out.

How about you?

Too much time on bleachers means I need to get out the castor oil!

This is not my idea of comfortable seating

Softball season is finally over.  20 games.  Each game lasted about 2 hours.  20 practices.  Each practice lasted 2.5-3 hours.  I spent nearly 100 hours this spring sitting on bleachers.  This would not have been such a problem had I been faithfully practicing yoga and therefore stretching my hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders appropriately.  Unfortunately the words "faithful" and "yoga" cannot be used in the same sentence right now.  "Sporadic" and "rushed" are more accurate descriptions which is why I'm paying for it now with a sore lower back, hamstring pain, and shoulder pain.  The hours spent sitting hunched forward, hands on knees and neck craned upward have really taken their toll and now I'm having to play catch-up to stretch my muscles.

Castor oil can be found in most pharmacies and all natural food stores

So that brings me to castor oil... (I really do have strange segues, don't I?)  I love castor oil packs to relieve sore muscles.  Castor oil combined with heat will increase circulation, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation.  I learned this technique from the naturopathic doctor I consulted to help me heal after brain surgery.  This is what you do: soak a piece of flannel (I used a scrap from an old pair of pajamas) in castor oil and place it on your skin where you need pain relief.  Cover the flannel with a towel and then put a heat source over the towel (I use a heated up sock filled with rice, but you can use a heating pad, hot water bottle, whatever).  Keep this compress in place for 20 minutes.  The great thing is that you can place the castor oil soaked flannel wherever you need it, it works quickly and lasts a long time, it's dirt cheap to make, it's completely "green", you can't possibly overdose on it, and it's safe for children and pets.  You can even re-use the flannel again and again if you put it in the refrigerator between uses!  (In addition to lemon peels and cream of tartar in odd places around the house my family has also gotten used to strange objects wrapped in wax paper in our refrigerator...you may want to warn your family should you choose to do this).

After you remove the pack your skin may be a little red from increased circulation and heat and it will definitely smell like castor oil so you may want to gently wash the area with cool water.  Use this treatment as many times as needed and I guarantee you will feel relief.  I've read a couple of places that pregnant women should consult a doctor before doing this so you may want to check with your physician if you're not sure if you qualify as a pregnant woman (ha ha ha I crack myself up, I really do!)  Remember: I'm not a doctor (though I did play one once at the gym, but that's a whole 'nother story...)

I'm experimenting with rubbing a little eucalyptus essential oil mixed with almond oil on sore muscles and will let you know how that works once I have the amounts figured out.

What is a dairy allergy anyway? (Let's talk about leukotrienes!)

It's not just the dairy that can make you sick

As I've mentioned before I am allergic to dairy.  Being allergic to dairy is not the same as being lactose intolerant but unlike other food allergies, it can be very similar to "seasonal" allergies.  Lactose intolerance occurs when a person's digestive tract does not secrete enough of the enzyme lactase which is necessary to digest the protein lactose.   Symptoms that you are lactose intolerant include stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, and/or gas after eating foods containing lactose (milk sugar).

That's not what happens to me.  When I first consume dairy nothing much happens.  This is probably why I went until about the age of 33 with no idea I was allergic to dairy.  My entire childhood was spent with my throat feeling itchy, my tongue feeling "funny", hives mysteriously appearing and disappearing on my face and upper body, and oh yeah, my stomach cramping and lots of diarrhea too.  I drank milk with at least 2 meals a day, frequently ate ice cream, and loved cheese.  Because dairy was such a big part of my diet it never occurred to me that what I was feeling wasn't normal.  I also had strep throat and tonsillitis at least 4 times a year and tonsil stones all year long. And constant sinus congestion.   Inflammation was my middle name.  Oh, and even my acne had acne.  More inflammation.

As the years went by I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and seasonal allergies.  Sinusitis and rhinitis.  Things got worse.  My seasonal allergies went all year long, my face was always broken out, my lower abdomen bulged even in high school and college when I thought I looked best when I weighed under 100 pounds.  Believe it or not, the bad skin, bad bowels, and bad sinuses weren't the worst part: it was the endless itching.   Hives would appear in waves from my scalp to my stomach.  That is what it feels like to have a dairy allergy.  Does this sound like you?

So let's talk about leukotrienes (I swear I don't make these names up!)   Leukotrienes are fatty molecules that are part of the immune system and are usually accompanied by histamine and contribute to inflammation.  The production or overproduction of leukotrienes is directly influenced by arichidonic acid, a molecule found exclusively in animal products.  In other words, it wasn't just the dairy products contributing to my overall poor health, it was probably the dairy products, the meat products, and the egg products!  When I decided to become vegan every single "allergy" symptom disappeared and my face cleared up.  Hmmmm...

Over the years I have become a very lax vegan.  I got tired of preparing 2 dinners: one for me and one for Steve and our daughter.  I got tired of being "high maintenance" at restaurants.  I got tired of never being able to just "stop for a burger" -- it seemed like everything took so much planning.  I still don't eat dairy products (mostly because of the hives that I still get, even inside my mouth and throat!) but I've noticed a gradual but persistent return of "seasonal" allergies as more and more animal products have crept into my diet.  I have a feeling I know the culprits: it's those darn leukotrienes!

Now I have absolutely nothing against becoming a dedicated vegan again, but in case you do I have some other suggestions: Omega-3 fatty acids are the most effective at keeping those pesky leukotriene levels in check.  You know the sources of Omega-3s: salmon, walnuts, olive oil, supplements, etc. but did you know about the connection between sugar and leukotriene levels?  Ah yes, the evil warlord sugar rears its ugly head again.  Apparently sugar is so effective at causing inflammation in the body that it puts the immune system into overdrive and kicks those leukotriene and histamine levels waaaaaaay up.  Thus even if you eliminate all animal products and take truckloads of Omega-3 supplements if you also knock back a  few completely vegan Cokes, you're undoing all the good you've done.  Imagine what my former ice cream consumption did to me?  No wonder I spent a week every 3 months suffering from tonisillitis!

It just doesn't seem fair, does it?

Flexibility is about more than touching your toes!

Being flexible is an important part of overall health

When I workout I like to just hit the gym, burn as many calories as possible, lift as much weight as possible to keep my metabolism revved, and get out.  The last thing on my mind is slowing down, stretching, doing some yoga postures, and gaining flexibility.  Is that how you feel too?  I used to do yoga all the time as my primary form of exercise but when I gained 20 pounds after moving to Massachusetts and spending 9 months sitting on the couch, I realized it was going to take a lot more than yoga to get my body back.  I turned to cardio and weight training because I could see results fast when sweat was dripping off my body.   Besides the yoga classes at my gym are held at inconvenient times and mostly frequented by the Silver Sneakers group (read: old people).  I kind of forgot about flexibility.

A recent muscle injury followed by a toe injury (really?  A toe injury??) forced me to look for alternative ways to workout.   First I turned to Pilates because after all Joseph Pilates promises that in 30 sessions you'll have a brand new body and who am I to argue with having a new body?  Then, just for something different, I put in a yoga DVD.  Wow have I lost flexibility! 

After doing yoga for a few days I remembered why I used to practice: it feels good to be flexible.  In fact there are so many reasons to gain flexibility that I can't believe I ever stopped working on it.   Increasing flexibility greatly decreases the risk of injury (perhaps the toe injury could have been avoided??).  Increasing flexibility increases blood flow to muscles and connective tissues.  It gives the appearance of a longer, leaner body.  Flexibility improves posture and reduces stress on joints.  People who are flexible heal from injuries more quickly, don't have as much muscle soreness after working out, and have more endurance during aerobic and strength training exercises.

Did I mention the appearance of a longer, leaner body?  If there were no other benefits this, for me, would be enough.  I am not tall and the tendency toward stocky-ness (okay, squat-ness) is built into my DNA.  With my natural hairy-ness if I had poor posture and didn't wax for a month I'd be a dead ringer for a chimpanzee  - but not if I practice flexibility training!

This is not the look I want for summer

So I'm back to incorporating yoga into my fitness training.  I don't really want to have to fit in one more thing.  I don't really want to have to add more time to working out.  I don't really want to do yoga while in sweaty spandex, nor do I want to have to change clothes between workouts. 

But I really don't want to look like a chimpanzee.  Even a hairless one.

Happy Tax Day! You pay income tax but are you taxing your immune system too?

Today is the perfect day to talk about what "taxes" our immune systems.  I have been talking all week long about using natural products for beauty care because I am really committed to reducing my exposure to toxins.  I am so passionate about this subject because I learned several years ago that a little bit can really add up to big problems.  Here are the personal care products I use or am exposed to every single day : toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash,  detergent, fabric softener, hair spray, gel, foundation, mascara, eye liner, eye shadow, lipstick, deodorant, nail polish, dishwashing liquid, and lotion.

If all of those products contain just one ingredient that is a known skin irritant, say a sulfate, then I would have 18 irritants being applied to my skin every single day.  Every time our skin, which is our largest organ of elimination and protection, is irritated it prompts an immune system response where antibodies are produced to capture and remove the antigen (irritant).  Sometimes we can see our immune system responding because we have a rash, an itching, or a burning sensation on our skin.  Unfortunately a lot of times we don't see that the immune system is being called into action so we assume we are not "sensitive" to the product.  What we don't see can be inflammation, an exhausted white blood cell count, and an overactive immune system which can lead to chronic diseases.  Arthritis, dermatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma are all diseases of chronic inflammation: in other words those diseases exist because of the body's response to some chronic irritant.

What are the symptoms that your immune system is being "taxed" too much?  If you feel fatigued, if you seem to catch every virus that goes around, if you constantly suffer from hay-fever-like symptoms, or if you have cancer.  Of course there are many things that could be contributing to a weakened immune system and we cannot control them all, but that is why I reduce my exposure to the things I can control.  It's easy for me to use a natural mascara instead of one full of toxins.  I don't even notice that I use a soap free from parabens and sulfates.  It's just as easy to rub a drop of almond oil on my skin after a shower as it is to rub on a dollop of petroleum-based lotion.

I may not notice the difference, but you can be sure that my immune system does and why pay any more taxes than you have to?

Reader request: Finding a Natural Mascara

For years I wouldn't even consider leaving the house without mascara.  I love how open and bright my eyes look and because my lashes are very light, I love how dark and full they look with a nice thick coat of mascara.  Unfortunately mascara can be one of the most toxic cosmetics because it contains all of the bad guys: parabens, petroleum, dyes, and aluminum.  That's a lot of toxins to dump directly into my bloodstream every single day.

I want my mascara to both color my lashes and add fullness so I use Aveda Mosscara (so named because it is plant based).  It works, it's natural, it's fairly cheap, and it's readily available at http://www.aveda.com/ for $16.  It doesn't contain allergens, carcinogens, or parabens and is completely petroleum free.

I tried just using castor oil on my lashes.  I washed my mascara brush and dipped it right into the castor oil that I had poured out into a small cup.  It darkens the lashes and adds a lot of shine, but there really isn't any added fullness.  I have also tried aloe vera gel (pure, cold pressed only, and be sure to blot off the excess with a tissue) which again adds some separation and shine but absolutely no darkness or thickening.

When I was researching this subject I found a recipe that uses black oxide mineral powder combined with aloe vera to get the darkness.  I haven't ever tried this so I can't comment on how well it works.

I haven't actually tried to make my own using beeswax or caranuba wax.  The process is daunting because you have to melt the wax but you can't put hot wax on your lashes of course, so you have to thin it with water or castor oil and then add some darkening agent and you have to either preserve it or make it fresh every morning and I just don't see myself whipping up a batch of mascara each morning without 1. burning my eyes with hot wax because I couldn't wait for it to cool, or 2. deciding that it isn't worth it and digging some toxic Maybelline crap out of the trash in desperation.

In other words, get the Aveda and call it a day.

Green Tip Tuesday: Getting the Petroleum out of your beauty products

I do love to rant about reducing my dependence upon petroleum products, don't I?  I have good reason though, petroleum, which contains petrolatum, was never intended to be used on the human body and it certainly wasn't supposed to be eaten (lip balms, food dyes) or rubbed onto our feet and hands (ever used Vaseline to cure your really dry skin?  I used to rub it on my feet and then put on socks.)! 

Pure petroleum jelly is pure petrolatum, a known carcinogen

And just like those dangerous parabens, it's chemical markers are showing up in breast cancer tumors.  (As a side note I once saw an excerpt from the Tyra Banks show where she extolled the virtues of Vaseline to keep her breasts firm, she rubbed a known carcinogen right into the lymph nodes in her breasts!)

Chapstick not only contains petrolatum but a healthy dose of saccharin as well.

Luckily there is a safe, readily available alternative: beeswax.  Beeswax which is a natural product of, well, bees, isn't a by-product of crude oil manufacturing.  It doesn't need to be heavily processed to be used, it contains only natural ingredients and there isn't any harm to the bees to harvest the wax so long as the products come from a competent beekeeper like the Burt's Bees company.

Burt's Bees lip balms contain only beeswax and natural oils

I really like the Burt's Bees products and though they are not the only all natural beeswax products available, they are probably the most readily available and cost efficient.  Want to go even more natural?  Rub a drop or two of almond oil directly onto your lips or dry skin.  The naturally occurring vitamin E will heal the skin while the oil protects against drying.  You can even make your own lip balms or lotions by buying beeswax pellets (available at most craft stores, like Michaels) and melting 2tsp. beeswax in a double broiler with 7tsp.  oil like almond oil, safflower oil, or castor oil.  When the mixture is combined remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp. honey and 4-5 drops of peppermint oil for scent and flavoring.  The mixture will begin to harden quickly so put it into a small glass jar, one made for spices would be perfect, and use at your leisure. 

Soft skin, reduced dependence upon petroleum, and not a single carcinogen to be found.

Does makeup expire?

A few minutes spent at a natural foods store cosmetic counter and I'm like a kid in a candy store.  I want one of  everything, please.  I love to buy new cosmetics.  I like to have several lipsticks to choose from, depending upon my mood, outfit, and tan-ness (is that a word?)  Once I find a product that works I like to stick with it.  I can guarantee that I will be that old woman with the lipstick bleeding into her mouth wrinkles - the very dated hot pink lipstick that clashes with skin tone, outfit, and age by a few decades.  I just hope that though my look may be past its prime my make up isn't.

All cosmetics have expiration dates.

Sadly, not all cosmetics print their expiration dates on the packaging because they aren't required by law to do so.  Ironically it may be even more important to check your makeup for signs of deteriorating because anything you rub on your skin bypasses the liver and goes right into the ol' bloodstream without benefit of a filter.  Any bacteria, fungus, or viruses growing in your make up get rubbed right into your skin.  Here are a few commonly used items and when they should get replaced:

I love lipstick, and I do mean LOVE lipstick.  It hurts my heart to have to throw out a good lipstick, especially if I can't find the color again or if the new batch of color just somehow doesn't look as good as the old. I still haven't quite recovered from Burt's Bees changing their line of lip shimmers and not carrying my favorite shades.   Lipstick begins to chemically break down within 1-2 years.  I have usually lost my lipstick before this 2 year date approached, but you may be more organized than me, especially if you have a few colors that tend to stay in the drawer.  If you've had 'em longer than 2 years, toss them.

Now for mascara - poor mascara.  With a shelf life of only about 4 months before it has received so much air exposure that it is drying out/clumping/growing all sorts of bacteria/flaking off your lashes it is definitely the purchase we should make most often.  Until I learned about cosmetics expiring I could not have told you the last time I bought a new mascara.  Now that I know I try to remember to buy mascara more often but the one I'm using right now?  I couldn't tell you how old it is...in other words I should replace it.

Foundation/pressed powders can be tricky.  I use mineral makeup as a combined foundation and powder.  I use it up about every 8-10 months so I haven't been too worried about it expiring, I get more concerned about the makeup brushes I use.  Brushes need to be washed every 2-3 months but if you use a makeup sponge it should be washed daily and thrown out after a week.  When I used cosmetic sponges and liquid foundation I used a new sponge every day because my skin has a tendency to break out and I didn't want any extra bacteria causing me problems.  I also threw out my foundation when it was time to change colors with the seasons because I like to be tan, despite all health warnings to the contrary.

The more natural the cosmetic (which probably means the more expensive the cosmetic) the more quickly it will expire because it won't have as many preservatives.  This week I'll be blogging about some natural recipes that can replace some beauty care products so that being natural doesn't get so expensive.  But for now go find that make up bag and if you still see your frosty blue eyeshadow in it -- toss it out.

What goes in must come out

Yep, this post really is about pooping.  Yesterday I was running on the treadmill.  It was my first day back to running after a 4 day break because I had injured my calf muscle.  I don't know how I could possibly have forgotten in only 4 days that running always makes me have to go to the bathroom.  Always.  But I did.  Luckily I was running on my home treadmill and not at the gym, otherwise that hunched-over-abdominal-clenching-crab-walk I had to do would have been really embarrassing.  The fact is that moving your body makes your body move: you heart rate increases, more blood is circulated, lymph fluid is circulated, peristalsis, catastalsis, and colon motility (intestinal contractions) increase, and metabolism is kicked into high gear.

It's the colon motility that got me.

As with any muscle we want to keep our intestinal muscles in excellent shape.  The contractions known as peristalsis and catastalsis are what make digestion and waste removal possible.  If these contractions become sluggish and irregular we've got partially digested food just sitting around rotting inside of us.  We can tone those muscles and ensure proper elimination of our waste in a number of ways:

1.  Drink plenty of water.  Each intestinal contraction is designed to use waves of mucus and fluid to push food particles along the 23 feet of intestinal tract.  Staying properly hydrated ensures that the mucus isn't too thick and thus peristalsis sluggish.  I heard a rule of 1 ounce of water for every 10 pounds you weigh.  That seems a little low to me but it's an excellent place to start.  I like to fill up 2 water bottles each day (stainless steel, of course!) and leave one in the refrigerator or on the counter at home and one in the car.  I remember to drink water a lot better if I have it already filled and ready to go.

2.  Eat plenty of fiber.  Fiber rich foods act as a binder, just like adding bread crumbs to your meatloaf.  Fiber binds all those food particles sloshing around your intestines together.  It's rough cellular texture gives a little intestinal scrub as it moves through ensuring that it gets all the particles along with the gooey stuff like cholesterol, excess mucus, and the slimy chemical residue left by many processed foods.  I like to add psyllium husk to my morning smoothies to ensure that I am getting enough fiber each day.  I can't taste it in the smoothie at all and it doesn't seem to affect the texture.

3.  Move your body. Walk.  Run.  Jump on a trampoline, kick a ball, dance, swim - it makes no difference what you do, just that you do something.  Just like lymph fluid which has no pump and depends upon our bodies movement to flow, exercise stimulates peristalsis and gets that which we no longer need moving out of our bodies.  Doing housework or walking to the printer is not enough movement unless you are doing laps to the printer and have a really big house...

4.  Laugh!  Laughter tones the abdominal muscles.  The whole reason I try to pepper this blog with nonsense posts about torturing my brothers in the car  or showering at the gym is to (hopefully) make you laugh, giving you an abdominal workout.  (Okay maybe abdominal workout is a stretch, but smiling is an excellent way to tone your facial muscles and reduce wrinkles and you at least smiled while reading showering at the gym, right?)

5.  Breathe.  Breathe slowly, deeply, and evenly.  Deliberately slow, deep breaths tone our diaphragm and abdomen.  Consciously pulling more oxygen into our bodies is an excellent way to reduce stress and tension, both of which can halt natural digestive function.  Take a deep breath in through your nose right now.  Hold for a moment.  Now slowly as you count to 5 release that breath.  Did your shoulders come down?  Did your eyes relax?

Now that wasn't so bad, talking about poop, was it?  Aren't you glad this post didn't have an accompanying picture...?

Exercise your brain!

Your brain needs exercise to stay young and fit.

A few days ago at the gym I was getting ready to do a 60 minute intense boot camp class.  Two women were excitedly talking about a new book they had just read and they casually asked the instructor if she had read the book yet.  The instructor's reply was a condescending "I don't just sit around and read.  I like to keep myself  too physically active for that."  Stunned, one of the women began to backpedal and claim that she only read a few pages at a time while the other just looked embarrassed.  Since I can only think of witty responses 15 minutes after they are needed, I said nothing but thought to myself that it was a shame that the boot camp instructor doesn't keep her brain in the same good shape she's keeping her body.

Our brains need exercise.  Everytime we learn something new, read a book, try something different, solve a problem, memorize a list, or meditate we are exercising our brains.  New neural pathways are created, extra blood is circulated through our blood vessels yielding more oxygen for our brain cells.  Dead cells are swept away and room is made for even more learning. 

It is essential that we continually challenge ourselves and it can be as simple as the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper, or as complex as microsurgery, our brains don't really care as long as they are constantly used.  People who are in the habit of thinking are faster at problem solving, have quicker reflexes, suffer less from depression, and have less likelihood of developing senility as they age.  Of course diet and exercise play a huge part in how healthy our brains are and how much blood and lymph can circulate, but denying our bodies the downtime they need so we can focus on exercising our brains is just as aging to our bodies as a sedentary lifestyle.  Watching TV, youtube, and movies sadly does not count as brain exercise, but surfing the web sure does.

I've always been a fan of the walking meditation but I also like to listen to podcasts and audio books as I walk.  I am exposed to so many new and different ideas that way and it helps to broaden my horizons a bit.  In the evenings I like to play a game of spider solitaire on the computer while I'm waiting for dinner to cook.  Sodoku, crossword puzzles, mah jong, and solitaire are all readily available free games that come with Microsoft Windows or are available on the web.

I'd like to think my brain is in excellent shape: lean, young, full of oxygen-rich blood just circulating around as my super-smart thoughts are being zapped from neuron to neuron.  Lacking that, I'd at least like to avoid becoming a stale old curmudgeon.

My boot camp instructor has amazing abs, but I bet her brain is flabby.

Green Tip Tuesday: Is your cookware adding toxins to your food?

The year was 1998.  Steve and I had just moved into our dream home.  A huge box is waiting on the kitchen island for me as I enter the  house for the first time as a homeowner.  Steve has given me a huge surprise: a gorgeous set of Teflon-coated Calphalon cookware.  I was in heaven.

Fast forward to 2006.  The pans are no longer gleaming a gorgeous black anymore.  Despite my vigilant use of plastic utensils on the pans scratches have appeared, some deeper than others.  Basically the pans look as though they have been used daily for 8 years - as they should.  Do you have any Teflon coated pans?  Teflon is a cook's dream in my opinion because food simply doesn't stick to it.  Teflon is also a huge health hazard because it breaks down from usage and heat - the 2 things to which any pot is guaranteed to be exposed.

I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to heat my coated pans above medium heat.  Perhaps there were instructions that came with the pans,but I didn't read them.  I only read the Care Instructions that were printed clearly on tags attached to each pan.  There certainly weren't any warnings attached to the pans.  I frequently turned the burner on high and boiled water in my pans or sauteed onions -- you know, I cooked with them.

The problem is this: once the Teflon coating has scratches on it breakdown occurs.  Every time the pan is used a compound called perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) is released.  PFOA is toxic to human beings, cannot be metabolized by our bodies, and therefore becomes just another toxin we have stored in our fat that is a poison to us.  Now it's true that it takes very high temperatures for PFOA to be released in pans that are unscratched, but after the surface Teflon is compromised it doesn't take very much heat at all.

If PFOA were only present in coated pans then I suppose we could all safely argue that our exposure is minimal, quantifiable, and completely avoidable - unless of course you ever eat out at a restaurant in which case you never know what type pan in which your food is prepared, but PFOA is also present in ScotchGuard products, carpet, furniture, some paints, food wrap (!), some dry cleaning products, and the StainMaster line of carpet protectors.  In other words you may be exposed to PFOA in almost every surface of your home, not to mention direct ingestion from your cookware.  Not so quantifiable and avoidable anymore, is it?

The answer: stainless steel cookware.  Not coated stainless steel, just plain old stainless steel.  Add a little olive oil to the pan so food won't stick.  Cook at lower temperatures, you'll destroy less enzymes and vitamins that way anyway, and treat yourself to some stainless steel cooking utensils, cookie sheets, and mixing bowls while you're at it.  Sound expensive?  It doesn't have to be because unlike Teflon coated cookware which breaks down uncoated stainless steel cookware can last for decades so you can buy it used, give it a wash, and off you go.  Found some great used stainless steel but it has stains?  (I know, it's supposed to be stainless!)  My old friend vinegar and a scratch-free scrubber should do the trick.

Now go cook up a safe and healthy meal!

Diary of a Sugar Free Life, Volume 2

Ahhh, the Easter hangover: too much sugar.  I didn't actually partake of anything from the bunny, nope, my sugar intake was far more insidious than that.  It all started with a breakfast that included cinnamon rolls, a lunch that included bundt cake, and a dinner that included rootbeer.

And I was doing so well.  Remember my resolve back in December?

The problem with sugar addiction is that it is so acceptable to be addicted to sugar.  You don't have to sneak a cinnamon roll, heck, have two!  So it's all up to the addict to police themselves and hold fast to their resolve. 

I did not hold fast to my resolve.

I have been working out so hard.  Religiously I have been building muscle, continuing aerobic activity, and gaining flexibility.  While I won't be so dramatic as to say that I've undone all my hard work, I certainly feel as though I've let myself down by allowing sugar to creep back into my diet.

The good news: I'm not eating sugar right now.  Tomorrow is another day.  Every minute, every hour, every day and week and month and year that I don't eat sugar is a major victory.  There are so many reasons not to eat sugar and really only one reason to eat it: it tastes good.  Taste is a cheap reason though, I mean I love the taste of avocado but I wouldn't say I'm an avocado addict.  It's the ability of sugar to alter the body's chemistry and become a regular craving that makes it so dangerous.  Eating avocado doesn't make me crave avocado, and I've never had a carrot hangover.

I read an interesting article that said if you start craving sugar try fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, or peppermint (even the smell of peppermint or vanilla may satisfy a sugar craving) instead of eating the sugar.  I can definitely attest to the fruit and the cinnamon but I've never tried the scent therapy.  The reality is that nothing is going to be the magic solution.  I didn't even realize I'd fallen off the wagon until I'd already chomped down a piece of bundt cake, my ability to compartmentalize and deny is so great, but I certainly noticed how headache-y and irritable I was all afternoon.  And how tired.  And how disappointed I felt with myself.  And rather than looking forward to my weight training class tomorrow morning, I find myself dreading it because I know I'll probably have a headache.  I'll feel lethargic.  I'll feel weak and out of shape. 

Could any cinnamon roll be worth all of that?  Nope.

Never underestimate the weight of water

Weighing yourself after workouts may give false numbers

Lately I've been noticing a woman at they gym running for the scale after workout class.  One day she triumphantly crowed "I lost 2 pounds since this morning!" as her friend high-fived her and they wandered off into the locker room still chattering about her victory.  I felt really bad for that woman knowing that when she got on the scale the next morning that 2 pounds may indeed be back.  It's pretty unlikely that she burned 2 pounds of fat during a single 50 minute aerobic class, but she easily lost that much in water.  It's how the Biggest Loser candidates "throw" a weigh-in, they load up on water right before they get weighed.

Water weight, or the body retaining water due to a medical condition, medications,  or diet, can really add pounds to the scale and a bloated or swollen appearance to the body.  Now you all know how pro-drinking-lots-of-water-every-day I am so the answer clearly is not to drink less water, but to look carefully at what foods may be causing water retention.

I had no idea that foods could cause water retention until a friend of mine mentioned several years ago that she couldn't fit her wedding rings on the day after eating pizza.  I had to know more about that but didn't want to question her (that much nosy-ness was too much, even for me) so I Googled 'foods that make you retain water' and was presented with list after list of foods that cause water retention all with one thing in common: sodium.

I have a tendency toward very low blood pressure so I wasn't paying very close attention to the sodium in my diet but when I started reading labels I was appalled!  All the "healthy" substitutes I was eating like veggie burgers, boca burgers, tofu this and dairy-free that were loaded with sodium to make them taste good.  In fact many things that say "low fat" "low sugar" or are canned and processed are going to be high in sodium.  All that salt was weighing me down and I didn't even know it.  I had to dump most of the convenience foods from my diet and really scan labels to find veggie burgers that weren't high in sodium.  I noticed that my never-have-actually-found-a-stomach-muscle abdomen looked flatter within just a few days.

My advice: let the water flow.  Drink it, but don't retain it.

4-6 Small Meals or No Meals, Whatever Works for You

When you're not eating is as important as when you are...

No discussion about health, fitness, or metabolism is complete in my opinion until we talk about fasting.  The tradition of fasting on holy days, to prepare for ceremonies, to gain spiritual knowledge, or to begin a rite of passage is centuries old.  The ancient wisdom still holds true today - if you want to cure what ails you: be it weight issues, allergies, disease, or stress - try fasting as a miracle cure.

I began doing one day fasts about 9 years ago.  Just a simple juice fast where for one day about every other week or so I would plug in the ol' juicer and drink only freshly juiced fruits and vegetables for the day.  I got away from the habit for awhile and kind of forgot how good I felt after a fast.  The reasons are simple: digestion takes a tremedous amount of energy to accomplish.  The amount of processed food typically consumed means that it takes even more energy because we barely need chew processed foods so natural enzymes present in our saliva don't have much chance to work.  Energy used digesting food is not being directed toward cellular waste removal, healing, and general maintenance.  Remove the need for digestion for a day or two and your body can get a lot of work done that it has been "meaning to do" when it had time.

Frequently when I am feeling overwhelmed, sluggish, or suffering from a cold I remind myself that it must be time to fast.   It's probably not a good idea to chomp down a cheeseburger for dinner and decide to fast the next day because that's a shock to your system and there can be side effects like headaches, irritability, and dizziness if you begin or end a fast abruptly.  The best way I have found is to plan the day on which I will fast.  The day before I begin the fast I have a smoothie for breakfast as usual, a salad of raw veggies for lunch and something simple like soup (a simple soup like vegetable or tomato, not a heavy soup like clam chowder or broccoli cheese) or another salad for dinner.  The next day I begin the fast with fresh juice.  All throughout the day whenever I feel hungry I drink more juice or water.  My favorite juice is apple celery juice because it just feels clean which sounds weird I know, but try it and you'll see what I mean.

You could continue this way for a whole day or even 2 or 3 days but definitely no more than 3 days the first time.  When you are ready to break the fast you eat the same or similar menu as you did the day before you began the fast: simple foods, mostly raw, with no dairy, very little fat, and definitely no animal products, including eggs.  You may wish to continue the pre-fast diet for 2 or 3 days but it's not absolutely necessary.

Some studies show that fasting for just one to two days a month increases life expectancy, lowers disease risk, is an excellent weight management tool, and can help overcome weight loss plateaus.  I am going to fast this Friday.  It's a Holy Day in my religion, the official end of Lent (though I won't actually watch HGTV until Sunday, I promise), near the beginning of a new month and a new season.

What could be a better time to let my body rest and rejuvenate?  How about you?  Anyone ready to try a fast?

Green Tip Tuesday: Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Stainless Steel water bottles don't need to look boring!

By now I think I've probably heard all of the debates about plastic water bottles and the possible water contamination that takes place as the plastic begins to break down due to time, sun exposure, heat/cold exposure, or rough handling.  I know that the water inside the bottle may not necessarily have been regulated and could be worse, much much worse, than the water from my tap.   I know I can't leave the water bottles in my car because I'll speed up the plastic breakdown due to the heat buildup inside my car, so I have to be really organized and remember to bring a reusable water bottle with me.  It's hard to turn on the news without hearing some new danger posed by bottled water - so why is it still so popular?

Convenience definitely plays a part.  I am guilty of purchasing water because I didn't plan very well, forgot my bottle, or had to choose between buying water or buying soda - water is definitely the lesser of the two evils there (remember, the soda is packaged in a plastic bottle too and is subject to the same toxic leakage from the plastic - or worse due to the harsher effects of the chemicals in soda).

To counter these problems I've decided to make an investment:  I have bought 3 stainless steel water bottles.  One is for the car.  It's still cold enough here that my water is actually chilled whenever I drink from that bottle throughout the day.  The second is for my gym bag.  In a pinch I have had to refill it from the gym's water fountain, but I suppose that's (somewhat) better than buying bottled water.  The last bottle is the pinch-hitter.  It steps in whenever one of the other bottles is being washed, cannot be immediately located, or whenever my daughter wants a larger bottle than the little ones I bought for her.

It's never a good idea to let water sit in a bottle for long periods of time because bacteria can really build up inside that bottle, but at least if it has to sit for awhile, it's better that it does so in a container that won't leach toxins into the water, won't contribute to bacteria growth by allowing sunlight in, and won't increase our dependency upon petroleum products.

We need to drink water.  All day, every day.  Proper hydration can cure headaches, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, shine your hair, increase your metabolism, ensure proper digestion, aid kidney function, and help you fight off disease!  Unfortunately it can't do any of those things very well if the water itself is the source of toxins.

Be good to your body.  Be good to your planet.  Drink water from a safe, reusable, stainless steel water bottle.

Metabolism Myths

I was talking to my sister yesterday and listening to her worry that her slower metabolism  is due to aging.  I set her straight about metabolism and thought perhaps there were others out there thinking that their metabolic rate is dependant upon their age.  Not so, my friends, not so.  Your metabolic rate is determined by your muscle mass.   Build more muscle, burn more calories.  Lose muscle, your metabolism will slow down. 

Lift weights to lose weight

Recently one of my blog buddies, Karen, wrote on her blog Fitness A Journey Not a Destination about this very topic.  I learned a lot about metabolism when I was enrolled at the University of Toledo taking kinesiology classes.  My instructor emphasized that three exercise components are necessary to ensure overall health: weight training, cardio, and gaining flexibility.  Focusing on only one of those 3 may give you the appearance of good health but as you age the deficits will become more apparent.  Since metabolism is the topic of the day, I'll focus on that and cover the other topics later.

How to rev up your metabolism?  Follow these steps:

1.  Eat 4-6 small meals a day to keep your blood sugar levels constant

2.  Weight train 3 times a week, increasing the difficulty level as reps become easier

3.  Drink plenty of water, dehydration decreases metabolism

4.  Limit consumption of alcohol, OTC drug, and prescription drugs (when possible)

5.  Sleep and wake at regular hours, preferably for 7-8 hours a night.

Have you ever heard of your Real Age?   Your body doesn't know how old it is, only how well it is maintained.

I'm sure there are many other ways to increase metabolism, if you have any other tips I'd love to hear them.

...And that's why I need more toilet paper.

So late last week I had this great idea:  I will turn the remaining 3 months before my 40th birthday into a boot camp of sorts and sculpt my body so that when I turn 40 I will be ripped, cut, and amazing.  I couldn't help it, I was hyped-up by the return of Biggest Loser after the long Winter Olympics hiatus, I'd had a little too much enjoyment from my peanut butter cookie Larabar, and I had recently seen a picture of 42-year-old Halle Berry in her underwear.  Inspiring, to say the least.   Never to be one to do things by halves, I jumped into my new routine.  I made sure my breakfast smoothie was pristine: no cheating by using orange juice for extra flavor because it also adds calories.  My lunchtime veggie intake was a thing of beauty: no dip, a small handful of almonds or walnuts for protein, perhaps some fresh-squeezed lemon juice for some zip.  Snack time I had a Larabar.  Dinner was awash with whole grains, fresh veggies, and simple proteins.   I was working out with a new fervor: 30 minutes on the elliptical, an hour of weigh training, an hour-long cardio class.  Each day I had breakfast, take daughter to school, workout, home, shower, lunch, take a walk, yoga, pick up daughter,  snack, housework, cook dinner, read, bed.  Get up and do it again all over the next day.  Earlier this week I was so sore I was sure my chest pains were a heart attack.  By Wednesday I was sure I had a sinus infection (and still possibly a heart attack).   By Thursday I was so sick I was willing to consider going to Dr. Breast Exam to get antibiotics.  By Friday I was so sick I was only well enough to yell at Steve, but too sick to go to the doctor.

Perhaps working out about 5 hours a day and consuming barely a thousand calories while still not fully recovered from my cold wasn't my best plan. 

Still, congested as I was, I didn't rate breathing high enough to go to Dr. Breast Exam for a prescription so I decided to cure myself with probiotics and extra psyllium husk in my smoothie.  Look to the colon folks!  Whatever ails you, look to the colon.

I'm still congested.  I still have a headache. My nose is still raw from blowing it. 

But By God my colon is clean.

And that's why I need more toilet paper.

This Life Needs a Good Soundtrack

I didn't grow up in a home with a lot of music.  Every Christmas my mom would borrow my old Raggedy Ann & Andy record player and play Christmas music while we decorated the tree, but that was about it.  Somehow though I became a person who functions better with a little mood music to help me along.

As a teenager I traded in my Raggedy Ann & Andy reclord player for a stereo and a clock radio.  It was love at first listen: I logged many hours dancing around my room to the GoGos, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Olivia Newton-John - just to name a few.  I did my homework, cleaned my room, talked to friends, and doodled in my notebook all with the music blaring as loud as I could get away with.

As an adult I kind of forgot how much I liked listening to music until recently when my iPhone made it possible for me to listen to music anywhere in my house but still hear the phone if it rings because the iPhone does the coolest thing ever: it acts like an iPod until you receive a phone call at which time it stops the music and gives you the option to answer the call!  Is that cool or what?  No more racing to through the house to get the phone and then asking the as-yet-unidentified-caller to hold on while I turn down the music I had blaring because I was cleaning bathrooms upstairs but the only music source was downstairs.  No more realizing that I missed a few calls because I had my earbuds in while walking or cleaning.  No more carrying my cell phone, iPod, and pedometer ('cause there's an app for that!) just to take a walk around the neighborhood.  I'm streamlined, baby!

I'll listen to just about any kind of music but I do have a few favorites:
I like Kelly Clarkson for washing dishes.
You can't beat a Disney movie soundtrack (like the one from Aladdin) when dusting.  (Hey, no judging!  You'd find yourself singing along if I played it for you!)
Cleaning bathrooms requires music you can really belt out like something from Pink because the acoustics are so good.
I've been paying all my bills lately to Jason Mraz.
And I like to go for One Republic, Coldplay, or Rob Thomas when I fold the laundry.

I often wonder what my neighbors would think if they saw me dancing around the kitchen, washing the windows while shaking my booty, and dusting while loudly singing to You Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me.  I'm lucky because my neighbors aren't quite close enough to see into my house though I have no doubt they've heard me singing during the summer when all of our windows are open.  When I see people starring  in their own personal concert while in their car, I smile.  I like to see people singing.  It's healthy.  Singing tones the abdominal muscles, lowers blood pressure, releases stress, and generally improves our mood.

So let loose!  Belt out a few show tunes and maybe give a little shoulder shimmy while running the vaccuum.

 How about you, what artists or music genres get you moving?

A Room with a View

How well are you feeling right now?  Any lethargy?  Congestion?  Depression?  Do you have a headache?  The fact is it can be hard to feel consistently well during the winter months and it may have little to do with germs.  Depending on where you live, you may go days, or even weeks without adequate sunshine.  Even on sunny days the cold temperatures, snowy conditions, or job requirements may keep you from really getting to benefit from the sun.

That's why surrounding yourself with beauty is so important.  How beautiful is the room you are in right now?  Do you feel uplifted?  Inspired?  Peaceful?  Are you making it a priority to surround yourself with abundant natural light, colors that relax and inspire you, and objects that are useful, beautiful, and comforting?

I didn't realize how critical this was until I moved from a home I loved in Cincinnati: a home that was flooded with sunlight thanks to its southern exposure, plethora of windows, and high ceilings, to a home in Toledo that was deeply shaded by beautiful trees but had dark stained window and wall trim, low ceilings, fewer windows, and a western exposure.  I frequently felt depressed in that home.  I felt restless.  After the discovery of my brain tumor I felt like the low ceilings pressed down on me and the dark woodwork sucked out all the light.  If that house hadn't had a sunroom I wonder if I would have had the mental strength to bounce back after brain surgery.

I began a quest to improve that house.  You can imagine how thrilled Steve was with the endless list of home improvement projects, but even he had to admit that as the days and weeks went by and I painstakingly painted every inch of that dark woodwork a fresh white, removed any heavy window coverings and improved the lighting to lighten and brighten each room that the house began to feel happier.  It wasn't just my perception, though perception is very important, it was a feeling shared by friends and neighbors who visited too.  In fact when we went to sell that house every realtor who came through remarked upon how unusual it was to find such a light, bright house in such a heavily wooded neighborhood.

I love the home I am in now.  Once again I have a southern exposure, many windows, high ceilings, and now the addition of a magnificent view.  I make it a priority to surround myself with things I truly love and I continually feel uplifted when at home.  It has taken me many years and a lot of trial and error to get to this point and I know it's a continual evolution but it's worth it.  My mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing are worth it.

What inspires you?  Are there any simple changes you can make to your home, office, car, or view that will make it more uplifting for you?

It's all in my head (or at least my sinuses)

All weekend long I have been asking myself the same question:  how can I possibly produce this much mucus?  How is it possible that sinus cavities that are measured in millimeters can become this swollen and blocked?  And how am I getting any oxygen at all?  My nose is plugged, my tonsils are so swollen they are clearly blocking my airway.  I am probably breathing through my skin like a lizard.

The common cold has come to visit and my immune system has let it in.  I don't blame my immune system for failing.  I have been exposed a lot lately to so many different sick people that my living room began to resemble a doctor's office waiting room.   Every child that came to play was hacking and sneezing.  Every adult was pale, sweating, and blowing their nose.  Steve has been sick continuously since Christmas.  My daughter has spent more time at home lately than she has in school.  My immune system valiantly fought it all until this past weekend when a combination of too many germs, too little handwashing, too much sugar (ah yes, the sugar addiction haunts me still), and too little exercise all combined to create the perfect storm.  I have consumed so many liquids since Saturday evening that I feel like I'm floating.  I don't want to even look at another smoothie.  The thought of salt water makes me gag.  I've run so much saline through my nose that my eyes are floating.  Still I suffer.  Soon I will take another steamy shower with Olba's eucalyptus oil sprinkled liberally around the tub.  I walk around the house with eau du Vick's and a box of tissues.  And a water bottle.  Or cup of tea.  I have apologized profusely to my immune system for the sugar intake (I knew it was a mistake to make caramel corn and chocolate pretzel sticks for the kids last week...), taken Evening Primrose supplements to try to metabolize all that sugar, and now I wait.

See it's never my immune system failing me.  It's always me failing my immune system.  Our bodies are meant to work so perfectly that if we don't gunk them up they can fight off almost anything with little or no impact on our daily lives.  The caramel popcorn and chocolate dipped pretzels?  Well, they qualify as gunk.  The lack of exercise?  Well, that lymph fluid has to get around my body somehow and the only way it does is if I move.

So I'll just keep blowing my nose, thanking my body for producing all that mucus to trap bacteria.  And drinking fluids to keep hydrated and keep my lymph fluid from getting too sticky.  And walking around the house or even outside if the sun continues to shine to move that fluid around. 

I really am in awe of my body's amazing response to a viral threat.  I just wish it wasn't so messy and painful.