The Military called them 90 day wonders because during World War II and later wars new recruits were turned from City Slickers to Killing Machines in 90 days of training. They were in better shape in 90 days, but were at a huge disadvantage when going up against hardened seasoned enemy soldiers. The truth is that many of them didn't make it or were wounded.
In January most gyms are full with people who make "Resolutions" or who need to work off those extra pounds from the Holidays. Those armed with realistic goals and a strong support system will succeed. Those who believe Rome was built in a day will be gone by March.
We had a gal in Spin class on Monday who was lost in a sea of 50 others. The instructor was overwhelmed by newbies with questions. There's no way he can handle a group that size.
If a member doesn't ask for help they don't get it. This poor gal had no idea how to set up the bike. Normally I just keep my nose out of other peoples business. It's just rude to "correct" people in the gym. I could see she was "lost" and asked if she would like some help after explaining that I was an instructor (not at this gym, but I am certified elsewhere).
The Spin instructor ran a killer class..an newbie with health issues would have expired.
This illustrates what goes on all over the country this time of year. If I wasn't there she could have gotten hurt and would never come back to something that could help her.
Moral of the story: don't be afraid to ask for help no mater your fitness level.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Can a 60 year old in good shape get better?
In March I'll be 61. Am already balding and gray, but have kept in decent shape. Still having some trouble deciding between endurance fitness, strength fitness, and golf fitness. I want it all!
To be endurance fit we need less bodyfat. My most competitive body weight for cycling and running is around 160 lbs. I would be right there with the elite senior runners and cyclists. At my current weight of 185 I'm no where in that league right now. Carrying an extra 25 pounds up the hills around here is a challenge that a 160 pounder doesn't have! My love of food makes it difficult to get really competitive in endurance sports.
Getting strong means adding muscle and weight...not a good option for endurance sports! Having been a weakling most of my life I'm proud of the fact that FINALLY I can do serious push-ups! I can at least 15 in a minute...plus several difficult variations such as on two medicine balls or feet on a swiss ball with hands on medicine balls! Those are difficult. I can dead lift at least 250 pounds and squat the same. I can front lift 140 pounds...respectable for a guy with long thin arms!
As for golf, I don't have the patience, intelligence, or the nerves to be a really good player which I define as a 3 or better handicap. I've been a 6, but am mostly a weak 9. I say weak because I can shoot 80 one day and 90 the next. I never know which golfer is going to show. Patience is required for quality practice and nerves allows for making shots under pressure.
I think I could be an elite senior athlete if I lost 25 pounds and focused on my strengths...cycling. But oh how I like to eat......
To be endurance fit we need less bodyfat. My most competitive body weight for cycling and running is around 160 lbs. I would be right there with the elite senior runners and cyclists. At my current weight of 185 I'm no where in that league right now. Carrying an extra 25 pounds up the hills around here is a challenge that a 160 pounder doesn't have! My love of food makes it difficult to get really competitive in endurance sports.
Getting strong means adding muscle and weight...not a good option for endurance sports! Having been a weakling most of my life I'm proud of the fact that FINALLY I can do serious push-ups! I can at least 15 in a minute...plus several difficult variations such as on two medicine balls or feet on a swiss ball with hands on medicine balls! Those are difficult. I can dead lift at least 250 pounds and squat the same. I can front lift 140 pounds...respectable for a guy with long thin arms!
As for golf, I don't have the patience, intelligence, or the nerves to be a really good player which I define as a 3 or better handicap. I've been a 6, but am mostly a weak 9. I say weak because I can shoot 80 one day and 90 the next. I never know which golfer is going to show. Patience is required for quality practice and nerves allows for making shots under pressure.
I think I could be an elite senior athlete if I lost 25 pounds and focused on my strengths...cycling. But oh how I like to eat......
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Karl dies of Pancreatic Cancer
This is the same thing that took my father in 2001. Pancreatic cancer is supposed to be rare as cancers go but it's been in the news this year. Steven Jobs of Apple has it and needed a transplant. He was lucky since there are various types. Most people have the inoperable type like Patrick Swasey.
My friend Karl found out in September 2009 a few days before our big golf tournament. I had formed a team of an A+ player, myself a B, and Karl who was the C player. The A player is a stud who hits the ball out of sight but can't putt. Karl couldn't hit it out of his shadow some days, but had shot 79 a few days before. Karl was a great putter. He was an A putter and an F for hitting the ball.
The event was a Scramble where each player hits the same shot. The team takes the "best" drive and then plays the hole with on ball to completion. The team must take a minimum of 5 drives per player. That made things interesting.
Karl was in pain most of the time. The medications helped. Two days before the event he had a stent placed in the tract between his liver and pancreas. It had been blocked by the cancer and was causing his liver to shutdown. The process is intended to allow him to live so he can be subjected to chemotherapy to kill the cancer. The type of pancreatic cancer he was fighting was the most severe with the lowest survival rates. In fact, he was told he had no more than 6 months to live at best.
He found out about the cancer on Friday. That Sunday I asked him to play with us. He said no, but called a few hours later to say ok. On Monday he called me to talk about the cancer diagnosis and that he was withdrawing from the team because he didn't know if he could play the following weekend. On Tuesday our A player suggested we play with him anyway since this might be Karl's last chance to play. I called Karl that night with the offer which he accepted. On Thursday Karl would have the stent put in. His Doctor told him no golf for 2 weeks. Karl explained the tournament and the Doctor said, "go for it!" So we had a team.
On Saturday, we were 5 under, which is a disappointing score. None of us contributed much. Karl was normally a good putter was just a little off, which was expected. He struggled to hit the ball, but managed to get in 5 drives by the 15th hole. I had to get two drives in on the last 3 holes which I did on 16 and 17.
Sunday was a magical day. Karl was first to putt in our rotation followed by me then the A player. Karl's putter was on fire. The first hole he drained a 15' downhill left to right break. The next hole was a tap in birdie as our A player hit one 6" from the hole. Par 5 number three found us putting for an eagle from 50'. Karl bombed it in. He managed to make several long putts, but had trouble hitting the ball. On number 7 his tee shot went backwards a few inches! That embarrassment didn't stop him from making the eagle putt. Our A player eagled 14 on his own ball as both Karl and I missed a 3 foot putt.
The drama was on the par 3 15th where Karl needed one more drive and he was struggling to swing the club. He pulled his shot towards the water and it barely stayed dry, but that was good enough. We salvaged par. On 16 our A player made a 40' putt from just off the green. After this I needed to hit one more good drive which I waited to do on 17. Again Karl made the putt for birdie. On 18 our A player hit a great approach to 3' which Karl made. For this round our A player putted a total of 4 times. Karl made the rest.
Midway through the round Karl's son Dan rode with us for a few holes. Karl continue to play well, but the cold forced Dan to the clubhouse part way through the round.
On Sunday we were 15 under for a total of 20 under which was one shot behind the first place team. We had low round for the day, and Karl had a great time.
Karl never complained about the cold, or the bad drives, or the cancer. He told me he had a great time and thanked us for asking him to play. The thanks goes to Karl.
My friend Karl found out in September 2009 a few days before our big golf tournament. I had formed a team of an A+ player, myself a B, and Karl who was the C player. The A player is a stud who hits the ball out of sight but can't putt. Karl couldn't hit it out of his shadow some days, but had shot 79 a few days before. Karl was a great putter. He was an A putter and an F for hitting the ball.
The event was a Scramble where each player hits the same shot. The team takes the "best" drive and then plays the hole with on ball to completion. The team must take a minimum of 5 drives per player. That made things interesting.
Karl was in pain most of the time. The medications helped. Two days before the event he had a stent placed in the tract between his liver and pancreas. It had been blocked by the cancer and was causing his liver to shutdown. The process is intended to allow him to live so he can be subjected to chemotherapy to kill the cancer. The type of pancreatic cancer he was fighting was the most severe with the lowest survival rates. In fact, he was told he had no more than 6 months to live at best.
He found out about the cancer on Friday. That Sunday I asked him to play with us. He said no, but called a few hours later to say ok. On Monday he called me to talk about the cancer diagnosis and that he was withdrawing from the team because he didn't know if he could play the following weekend. On Tuesday our A player suggested we play with him anyway since this might be Karl's last chance to play. I called Karl that night with the offer which he accepted. On Thursday Karl would have the stent put in. His Doctor told him no golf for 2 weeks. Karl explained the tournament and the Doctor said, "go for it!" So we had a team.
On Saturday, we were 5 under, which is a disappointing score. None of us contributed much. Karl was normally a good putter was just a little off, which was expected. He struggled to hit the ball, but managed to get in 5 drives by the 15th hole. I had to get two drives in on the last 3 holes which I did on 16 and 17.
Sunday was a magical day. Karl was first to putt in our rotation followed by me then the A player. Karl's putter was on fire. The first hole he drained a 15' downhill left to right break. The next hole was a tap in birdie as our A player hit one 6" from the hole. Par 5 number three found us putting for an eagle from 50'. Karl bombed it in. He managed to make several long putts, but had trouble hitting the ball. On number 7 his tee shot went backwards a few inches! That embarrassment didn't stop him from making the eagle putt. Our A player eagled 14 on his own ball as both Karl and I missed a 3 foot putt.
The drama was on the par 3 15th where Karl needed one more drive and he was struggling to swing the club. He pulled his shot towards the water and it barely stayed dry, but that was good enough. We salvaged par. On 16 our A player made a 40' putt from just off the green. After this I needed to hit one more good drive which I waited to do on 17. Again Karl made the putt for birdie. On 18 our A player hit a great approach to 3' which Karl made. For this round our A player putted a total of 4 times. Karl made the rest.
Midway through the round Karl's son Dan rode with us for a few holes. Karl continue to play well, but the cold forced Dan to the clubhouse part way through the round.
On Sunday we were 15 under for a total of 20 under which was one shot behind the first place team. We had low round for the day, and Karl had a great time.
Karl never complained about the cold, or the bad drives, or the cancer. He told me he had a great time and thanked us for asking him to play. The thanks goes to Karl.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Goals for 2010
Time to think about fitness goals for 2010.
1. Break 40 minutes in Turkey Trot.
2. Compete in my first Duathalon.
3. Apply proper wrist break to golf swing....(Practice for a month in March)
4. Do a Trek with son.
1. Break 40 minutes in Turkey Trot.
2. Compete in my first Duathalon.
3. Apply proper wrist break to golf swing....(Practice for a month in March)
4. Do a Trek with son.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Dam Loop at 80%
The Dam Ride or Loop is a 40 mile road bike ride that includes about 1800 feet of gain and loss. The first 7 miles from Lakeway, Texas along 620 is mostly downhill. The most thrilling section is before the Mansfield Dam, which holds Lake Travis. The Lake is formed from the Little Colorado River. Top speed prior to the dam is about 38 MPH. Past the dam for 2 1/4 miles is a 404 ft. climb past Steiner Ranch. The next 16 miles is downhill about 500 ft. to 544 ft. oversea level. The final 14 miles is uphill 527 ft.
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dam Loop at 80%
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Dam Loop at 80%
Monday, December 28, 2009
Diary of a Common Cold
They say I'll last only 7-10 days. We'll see about that. This old dude is about to be beat down by one nasty creature. 60 somethings only get on average 1 cold a year. Maybe this will be his last or maybe he'll make it. Stay tuned.
12/19/2009: The host did a recovery 6 mile run followed by a "Sports" massage. Later that day Grandson number 2 who is 14 months sneezed in host's face. The cute little guy is a Day Care junkie and chronic carrier of God only knows how many bugs, viruses, and plagues. His father claims the child plus his brother are the cause of most of the world's medical crises. Until now the host has smugly denied this as HE had not been affected. He is in superior condition as described by the Cooper Institute. His stress test is stamped "superior" and he has a t-shirt that says so! While Father was chronically sick, Grandfather who held the same child, cleaned the same noses was somehow insulated from disease. At least until tomorrow.
12/20/2009: Host woke with a "slight" headache. Temples on both sides were tender to touch. Perhaps these will become the "Temples" of virus Doom. Undeterred, host proceeded to the gym to perform at a high if not somewhat reduced intensity. A workout of about 1400 calories, put a tiny crack in his immunity. A tiny crack is all a virus needs to enter and overwhelm the immune system. Host notices sore throat in the early evening, and thinks, "Oh, this is not a good thing." He starts sucking on Chloraseptic Throat Lozenges.
12/21/2009: Host wakes to headache, sore throat, aches, and lots of sinus congestion. The mucus Army is doing it's job, to wash that nasty viruses like us from the mucus membranes in the nose, mouth and throat. There is no "cure" for viral infections. The only defense is the body's immune system, the white blood cell army. The battle is on, virus attacks, white blood cells rush to the area, and mucus is produced to wash away the virus. The Host is engaged in a full fledged war.
12/22/2009: A virus exists for one reason, to multiply. This isn't some casual sexual affair, or monagamous relationship. No, this is full-time in your face (no pun intended)full frontal nudity all the time, all out multiplication. It's most active at night because body temperature and heart rate drops. The body of the host resists by raising the body temperature to fight the fight. A low grade fever is the result and is natural. Efforts to reduce the temperature above 102 are well founded, but taking aspirin to reduce a low grade fever is thought to be counter productive and even dangerous.
On this day the host is missing the endorphines from working out and despite being a little tired decides to take a 1 hour walk that turns into 1 1/2 hours. Although he feels better afterwards, the net result is that the virus will make him pay that night.
5:00 am: What day is this? We're busy at work and this dumb shit is rinsing us with saline rinse! Oh, yuck. He's washing away all that rotting nasty green mucus along with thousands of our virus friends. It's going to take more than 30 rinses to get rid of us, so rinse on you sorry son of a bitch! We got more pain coming, revenge for the destruction of our brothers! He's also using a 50/50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide to rinse his mouth to fix the mouth sores. This shouldn't be done for more than 3-4 times a day for 3 days. Hopefully, he'll OD on peroxide!
Viruses are superior to Bacteria because bacteria can be killed by anti-biotics. Viruses are destroyed by acid, heat, and white blood cells. Mucus washes us away to be spit out or decompose in stomach acid. Many Doctors prescribe anti-biotics in the mistaken belief that they will help a cold. They don't. In fact, over-prescribing of anti-biotics is resulting in a strain of super anti-biotic resistance bacteria. Create a cocktail of those little devils with a few of my virus friends and you got the hospital or perhaps in our dreams the city morgue in sight.
5:30 am: Host is back to sleep. We never sleep.....
12/23/2009: Host must alter his normal sleep position to elevate his head. Otherwise he feels like he is suffocating. Naturally, this affects his neck, shoulders, and back which contributes nicely to the overall misery. The pictures of the mucus concentrations in his sinus cavities demonstrated the sheer quantity of mucus being produced. We sure know how to make this poor bastard miserable. Between sore throat, swelled tender glands, mouth sores, plugged sinus cavities, and sore muscles it's not wonder he screamed, "JUST STICK A KNIFE IN MY HEAD!" at 1 am. Poor bastard, LOL! Did that make him feel better, no, we think not.
Fever helps destroy us, but the host thinks he's getting worse. Fact is that his immune system is working all out, 24/7. Host feels exhausted, but all of his energy needs to be directed to getting rid of us before we kill him. Ideally, he ignores the signs, takes all kinds of meds to cover up the syptoms which are in truth is his immune system at work. We hope he eats poorly, goes out in the cold, gets little rest, and stops that aweful saline cleanse. Go get drunk or something! Once we get past his nose and throat we head for the vitals...his heart, kidneys, etc. Once we attach to his heart we can do serious damage and make him a more receptive host.
12/24/2009: We think we'll let him feel "better" so he can contribute to our victory. The sore throat won't be so sore for a few hours. We're just taking a short term break waiting for nightfall. More postnasal drip, sorethroat, headache, etc. etc. etc. Oh, look at that nasty green gunk our host is coughing up. The books say that's not good. We hope not!
12/25/2009: Ah,Christmas is here. It's the perfect storm of the Common Cold world. We couldn't have planned this better. We have an opportunity to make history. Nobody skips Christmas because of a "common cold" especially with cute huggable snot and virus infested Grandchildren. Perhaps he will bring home one of our cousins and together we will nail him higher to the misery cross. He'll help us by eating all the sugary stuff he lays those weepy eyes on! Sugar you see causes inflammation, which will make him feel MORE congested. Perhaps his head will explode and gets us in the Viral history books!
Kids with runny noses are like candy to us. They rock our world. They get us. First, they have weak immune systems since they've never seen our kind before. They get us several times a year until their bodies develop their own defenses. Second, they are natural transmitters. They have no idea how to deal with snot, not a clue. They scream at the sight of Kleenex. We love whatever instinct commands them to rub their fists across a running nose and then rub that fist in their eyes? Another favorite is the "hug me Grandma because I want to rub my runny nose on your new Santa sweater." We teach them how to sneeze just at the right time. BAM! Right into Grandpa's eyes! Yes, we are good.
All that Christmas cheer makes for a night from hell for the host.
12/26/2009 Black Saturday: Just when the poor misearble bastard thought things were getting better we start the throat tickle. That's the one where he puts his head on the pillow and just can't help but cough. This is not just the routine clear your throat cough. No. This cough originates at the bottom of the souls of his feet. This cough pulls a stomach muscle. There's NO WAY he's going to sleep without help. He gets it from a raised head, Ricola, a lemon juice/mineral water concoction.
Ricola? Who's the SOB that invented that stuff. We want to infest him/her! It helps calm the tickle long enough for him to get some rest, which is the great natural healer.
12/27/2009: We hate Mexican food. :-( How can he eat that salty crap? Between the Mexican food, saline rinses, Ricola, lemon juice, mineral water, and turning up the heat at night to at least 72 degrees things are not looking up for me and my friends. Host is able to smell odors which indicates that the inflammation is contained in the lower sinus region.
12/28/2009: WE are feeling defeated. Host wakes up today and decides he's going to the gym and sit in the Sauna. Sauna!?! We hate Saunas! They raise the body temperature high enough to destroy us. Hope he falls asleep and dreams he's on a George Foreman grill. Doesn't he know he shouldn't go out in public with that Godfather voice?
Our days are numbered but the ride was fun!
12/29-30/2009: Slight sore throat in the morning and tickle in throat with slight cough. Resuming workouts, but lower intensity. Sauna and steam room after. Nose is clear. Able to smell odors. Sinuses very clear during spinning class....breathing only through nose on the inhale during 80% max. heart rate work.
12/19/2009: The host did a recovery 6 mile run followed by a "Sports" massage. Later that day Grandson number 2 who is 14 months sneezed in host's face. The cute little guy is a Day Care junkie and chronic carrier of God only knows how many bugs, viruses, and plagues. His father claims the child plus his brother are the cause of most of the world's medical crises. Until now the host has smugly denied this as HE had not been affected. He is in superior condition as described by the Cooper Institute. His stress test is stamped "superior" and he has a t-shirt that says so! While Father was chronically sick, Grandfather who held the same child, cleaned the same noses was somehow insulated from disease. At least until tomorrow.
12/20/2009: Host woke with a "slight" headache. Temples on both sides were tender to touch. Perhaps these will become the "Temples" of virus Doom. Undeterred, host proceeded to the gym to perform at a high if not somewhat reduced intensity. A workout of about 1400 calories, put a tiny crack in his immunity. A tiny crack is all a virus needs to enter and overwhelm the immune system. Host notices sore throat in the early evening, and thinks, "Oh, this is not a good thing." He starts sucking on Chloraseptic Throat Lozenges.
12/21/2009: Host wakes to headache, sore throat, aches, and lots of sinus congestion. The mucus Army is doing it's job, to wash that nasty viruses like us from the mucus membranes in the nose, mouth and throat. There is no "cure" for viral infections. The only defense is the body's immune system, the white blood cell army. The battle is on, virus attacks, white blood cells rush to the area, and mucus is produced to wash away the virus. The Host is engaged in a full fledged war.
12/22/2009: A virus exists for one reason, to multiply. This isn't some casual sexual affair, or monagamous relationship. No, this is full-time in your face (no pun intended)full frontal nudity all the time, all out multiplication. It's most active at night because body temperature and heart rate drops. The body of the host resists by raising the body temperature to fight the fight. A low grade fever is the result and is natural. Efforts to reduce the temperature above 102 are well founded, but taking aspirin to reduce a low grade fever is thought to be counter productive and even dangerous.
On this day the host is missing the endorphines from working out and despite being a little tired decides to take a 1 hour walk that turns into 1 1/2 hours. Although he feels better afterwards, the net result is that the virus will make him pay that night.
5:00 am: What day is this? We're busy at work and this dumb shit is rinsing us with saline rinse! Oh, yuck. He's washing away all that rotting nasty green mucus along with thousands of our virus friends. It's going to take more than 30 rinses to get rid of us, so rinse on you sorry son of a bitch! We got more pain coming, revenge for the destruction of our brothers! He's also using a 50/50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide to rinse his mouth to fix the mouth sores. This shouldn't be done for more than 3-4 times a day for 3 days. Hopefully, he'll OD on peroxide!
Viruses are superior to Bacteria because bacteria can be killed by anti-biotics. Viruses are destroyed by acid, heat, and white blood cells. Mucus washes us away to be spit out or decompose in stomach acid. Many Doctors prescribe anti-biotics in the mistaken belief that they will help a cold. They don't. In fact, over-prescribing of anti-biotics is resulting in a strain of super anti-biotic resistance bacteria. Create a cocktail of those little devils with a few of my virus friends and you got the hospital or perhaps in our dreams the city morgue in sight.
5:30 am: Host is back to sleep. We never sleep.....
12/23/2009: Host must alter his normal sleep position to elevate his head. Otherwise he feels like he is suffocating. Naturally, this affects his neck, shoulders, and back which contributes nicely to the overall misery. The pictures of the mucus concentrations in his sinus cavities demonstrated the sheer quantity of mucus being produced. We sure know how to make this poor bastard miserable. Between sore throat, swelled tender glands, mouth sores, plugged sinus cavities, and sore muscles it's not wonder he screamed, "JUST STICK A KNIFE IN MY HEAD!" at 1 am. Poor bastard, LOL! Did that make him feel better, no, we think not.
Fever helps destroy us, but the host thinks he's getting worse. Fact is that his immune system is working all out, 24/7. Host feels exhausted, but all of his energy needs to be directed to getting rid of us before we kill him. Ideally, he ignores the signs, takes all kinds of meds to cover up the syptoms which are in truth is his immune system at work. We hope he eats poorly, goes out in the cold, gets little rest, and stops that aweful saline cleanse. Go get drunk or something! Once we get past his nose and throat we head for the vitals...his heart, kidneys, etc. Once we attach to his heart we can do serious damage and make him a more receptive host.
12/24/2009: We think we'll let him feel "better" so he can contribute to our victory. The sore throat won't be so sore for a few hours. We're just taking a short term break waiting for nightfall. More postnasal drip, sorethroat, headache, etc. etc. etc. Oh, look at that nasty green gunk our host is coughing up. The books say that's not good. We hope not!
12/25/2009: Ah,Christmas is here. It's the perfect storm of the Common Cold world. We couldn't have planned this better. We have an opportunity to make history. Nobody skips Christmas because of a "common cold" especially with cute huggable snot and virus infested Grandchildren. Perhaps he will bring home one of our cousins and together we will nail him higher to the misery cross. He'll help us by eating all the sugary stuff he lays those weepy eyes on! Sugar you see causes inflammation, which will make him feel MORE congested. Perhaps his head will explode and gets us in the Viral history books!
Kids with runny noses are like candy to us. They rock our world. They get us. First, they have weak immune systems since they've never seen our kind before. They get us several times a year until their bodies develop their own defenses. Second, they are natural transmitters. They have no idea how to deal with snot, not a clue. They scream at the sight of Kleenex. We love whatever instinct commands them to rub their fists across a running nose and then rub that fist in their eyes? Another favorite is the "hug me Grandma because I want to rub my runny nose on your new Santa sweater." We teach them how to sneeze just at the right time. BAM! Right into Grandpa's eyes! Yes, we are good.
All that Christmas cheer makes for a night from hell for the host.
12/26/2009 Black Saturday: Just when the poor misearble bastard thought things were getting better we start the throat tickle. That's the one where he puts his head on the pillow and just can't help but cough. This is not just the routine clear your throat cough. No. This cough originates at the bottom of the souls of his feet. This cough pulls a stomach muscle. There's NO WAY he's going to sleep without help. He gets it from a raised head, Ricola, a lemon juice/mineral water concoction.
Ricola? Who's the SOB that invented that stuff. We want to infest him/her! It helps calm the tickle long enough for him to get some rest, which is the great natural healer.
12/27/2009: We hate Mexican food. :-( How can he eat that salty crap? Between the Mexican food, saline rinses, Ricola, lemon juice, mineral water, and turning up the heat at night to at least 72 degrees things are not looking up for me and my friends. Host is able to smell odors which indicates that the inflammation is contained in the lower sinus region.
12/28/2009: WE are feeling defeated. Host wakes up today and decides he's going to the gym and sit in the Sauna. Sauna!?! We hate Saunas! They raise the body temperature high enough to destroy us. Hope he falls asleep and dreams he's on a George Foreman grill. Doesn't he know he shouldn't go out in public with that Godfather voice?
Our days are numbered but the ride was fun!
12/29-30/2009: Slight sore throat in the morning and tickle in throat with slight cough. Resuming workouts, but lower intensity. Sauna and steam room after. Nose is clear. Able to smell odors. Sinuses very clear during spinning class....breathing only through nose on the inhale during 80% max. heart rate work.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Arthritis
posted March 2009
Arthritis is something we all fear as we age. Once it "takes" over then the effects are multiplied. Normal daily activities are a burden. There's no easy answer to live with the pain. Drugs give relief but they have side effects, some known and some unknown.
Here's my approach to fighting against it:
1. Keep moving
2. Lift weights 2-3 times a week
3. Eat unprocessed whole foods, veggies, fruit, whole grains.
4. Eat good fats (Omega 3 and 6) from raw nuts, fish, and seeds (flax, pumpkin, sunflower)
4. Take supplements: Fish Oil, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Sam-e.
5. Reduce sugar, and high glycemic foods such as wheat pasta, and white flour.
Our bodies will wear out prematurely from LACK of exercise, which seems contrary to logic. Exercise doesn't wear out our bodies, lack of exercise does. The less we move the worse it gets over time.
Bodies adapt to movement. Movement creates stronger muscles, connective tissue, and joints. When muscles support us better we have less joint pain. Bodies adapt to lack of movement. Muscle, connective tissue, and joints deteriorate as we don't use them.
The other side of arthritis is chronic inflammation. Those who suffer from this should consider dietary changes. Gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed foods inflame the body and multiply the effects of arthritis.
Fighting Arthritis is not a simple matter. It's the complete system above that gives results. No one pill will give more than temporary relief. In fact pills mask the decline in our bodies caused by poor exercise and eating habits.
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