Saturday, November 2, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
October Recap
It's November! October was a glorious month, with warm weather and sunny skies -- great for getting outside as much as possible! November has rolled in with warm temperatures, but rainy and windy. Very November-y weather! Got outside a little bit today in to enjoy the warm temps, and got a little wet, too.
I always like to start each month by looking back at the previous month for a recap.
So in October, as part of the greening up the life effort, I
1) Decreased the dust in the bedroom and set up a plan to continue to manage the dust.
2) Started on a daily meditation practice.
3) Added trail running and bootcamp workouts into my outdoor workout program.
4) Trialled some new clean eating recipes.
5) Got rid of the air fresheners in the house.
6) Focused on indoor air quality by opening windows daily, getting a plant, and pricing out HEPA filters (haven't purchased one yet, though)
7) Started on a schedule for home organization
8) Switched to natural deodorant
9) Switched to oxygen bleach based laundry spot removers
10) Switched to oxygen bleach based bathroom cleaners.
It's been a good month! November looks to be even better!
TODAY'S THANKFUL: I'm thankful for the warm temperatures that rolled in today!
I always like to start each month by looking back at the previous month for a recap.
So in October, as part of the greening up the life effort, I
1) Decreased the dust in the bedroom and set up a plan to continue to manage the dust.
2) Started on a daily meditation practice.
3) Added trail running and bootcamp workouts into my outdoor workout program.
4) Trialled some new clean eating recipes.
5) Got rid of the air fresheners in the house.
6) Focused on indoor air quality by opening windows daily, getting a plant, and pricing out HEPA filters (haven't purchased one yet, though)
7) Started on a schedule for home organization
8) Switched to natural deodorant
9) Switched to oxygen bleach based laundry spot removers
10) Switched to oxygen bleach based bathroom cleaners.
It's been a good month! November looks to be even better!
TODAY'S THANKFUL: I'm thankful for the warm temperatures that rolled in today!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Bathroom Cleaners
Other than the air-fresheners in the house (which have at this point been eliminated) the biggest irritant I have found is the bathroom cleaners. The folks I share the living space with are quite fond of a sparkling clean bathroom. I mean, I am, too, but I'm even more fond of breathing! With the types of bathroom cleaners that were being used on a daily basis in the shower, I was once again, plagued with headaches, difficulty breathing, and I was just overwhelmed by the smell.
Turns out, once again, I was feeling so poorly because I was breathing in toxic chemical found in the shower cleaner.
The specific shower cleaner we were using in the house was a chlorine based cleaner. Chlorine is bad news!
Chlorine is actually found in a variety of products, not just bathroom cleaners. It is used to treat our water supply, in pools, in the production of paper, in the production of fibers to make clothing, in laundry detergents, scrubs, and, of course, in bathroom cleaners. Chlorine is very cheap to manufacture, which is why is is found in so many products. However, just because it is found in so many products, does not mean it is safe.
Chlorine is a harsh irritant of the eyes, skin, and lungs. If inhaled, it chlorine fumes cause coughing, shortness of breath, phlegm build up, and even pulmonary edema. If it comes into contact with the eyes or skin in undiluted form, it can cause severe burns or even irreversible damage. Exposure to chlorine can worsen asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.
Chlorine is also bad for the environment. It is a major contributor to atmospheric ozone loss.
Chlorine can become even more dangerous if combined with other chemicals. If chlorine and ammonia are used together, for instance, chlorine gas will result. Chlorine gas is odorless, but lethal.
If chlorine is so dangerous, then why is it used so much? A big part of this is marketing. We have come to associate the smell of bleach with the idea of "clean." We have come to associate the idea of harsh chemicals with protection against dangerous germs and mold. However, the exact opposite is actually true. We have become a culture of over-cleaners, oftentimes killing helpful bacteria along with the bad germs, and ironically, putting our health at risk in doing so.
So, if not bleach based cleaners, what can be used to get that shower sparkly clean?
First off, it should be noted that the simple act of drying the tile and shower curtain will curb the growth of mildew. Rather than spraying she shower down daily, simply wiping with a towel or squeegee is sufficient.
Many of the same items used for spot removers in laundry can be used for bathroom cleaners (instructions for home-made cleaners to be found in a future post). There are also many commercially based safer alternatives for cleaning the shower:
Method cleaner is made from non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients.
Seventh Generation is another plant-based, non-toxic cleaner.
CitraSolv is a citrus based cleaner
KaBoom is an oxygen bleach (peroxide and baking soda)
Turns out, once again, I was feeling so poorly because I was breathing in toxic chemical found in the shower cleaner.
The specific shower cleaner we were using in the house was a chlorine based cleaner. Chlorine is bad news!
Chlorine is actually found in a variety of products, not just bathroom cleaners. It is used to treat our water supply, in pools, in the production of paper, in the production of fibers to make clothing, in laundry detergents, scrubs, and, of course, in bathroom cleaners. Chlorine is very cheap to manufacture, which is why is is found in so many products. However, just because it is found in so many products, does not mean it is safe.
Chlorine is a harsh irritant of the eyes, skin, and lungs. If inhaled, it chlorine fumes cause coughing, shortness of breath, phlegm build up, and even pulmonary edema. If it comes into contact with the eyes or skin in undiluted form, it can cause severe burns or even irreversible damage. Exposure to chlorine can worsen asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.
Chlorine is also bad for the environment. It is a major contributor to atmospheric ozone loss.
Chlorine can become even more dangerous if combined with other chemicals. If chlorine and ammonia are used together, for instance, chlorine gas will result. Chlorine gas is odorless, but lethal.
If chlorine is so dangerous, then why is it used so much? A big part of this is marketing. We have come to associate the smell of bleach with the idea of "clean." We have come to associate the idea of harsh chemicals with protection against dangerous germs and mold. However, the exact opposite is actually true. We have become a culture of over-cleaners, oftentimes killing helpful bacteria along with the bad germs, and ironically, putting our health at risk in doing so.
So, if not bleach based cleaners, what can be used to get that shower sparkly clean?
First off, it should be noted that the simple act of drying the tile and shower curtain will curb the growth of mildew. Rather than spraying she shower down daily, simply wiping with a towel or squeegee is sufficient.
Many of the same items used for spot removers in laundry can be used for bathroom cleaners (instructions for home-made cleaners to be found in a future post). There are also many commercially based safer alternatives for cleaning the shower:
Method cleaner is made from non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients.
Seventh Generation is another plant-based, non-toxic cleaner.
CitraSolv is a citrus based cleaner
KaBoom is an oxygen bleach (peroxide and baking soda)
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Kale and Apples with Mustard
Tonight, I decided to actually use some of the recipes I've been collecting on Pinterest, instead of just making great big pretty boards to look at! I picked up a big bunch of good looking kale at the market this week and wanted to make something with it.
I like kale. I like spinach better, but there isn't a vegetable bidding war for my taste buds, now, is there? There's room for both. Spinach is sweet; it satisfies my gigantic sweet tooth like other sweet veggies-- carrots, sweet potatoes, squash. Kale has a more bitter flavor, which is nice, too, but doesn't have the same appeal to my sweet sensitivities.
This recipe doesn't run from the bitterness. It celebrates it, as a matter of fact. And paired with the crisp, tart flavor of granny smith apples, it makes a nice combo.
KALE WITH APPLES AND MUSTARD
1) Coarsely chop 1and a half pounds of kale , removing ribs.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add kale and cook until bright green, about 1-2 minutes tossing occasionally.
3) Add 2/3 cup water, cover, and cook for 3 more minutes.
4) Stir in 2 sliced granny smith apples. Cover and cook until kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
5) In small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons brown mustard,
2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1 pinch salt.
6) Add the mustard mixture to the kale, turn heat up to high, and boil for 3-4 minutes uncovered.
The picture really doesn't do it justice, but it was quite flavorful. If I was going to make it again (and I probably will!) I'd add the apples in later, to keep them a little more crisp. They were a bit too mushy for me, but still tasted good!
I like kale. I like spinach better, but there isn't a vegetable bidding war for my taste buds, now, is there? There's room for both. Spinach is sweet; it satisfies my gigantic sweet tooth like other sweet veggies-- carrots, sweet potatoes, squash. Kale has a more bitter flavor, which is nice, too, but doesn't have the same appeal to my sweet sensitivities.
This recipe doesn't run from the bitterness. It celebrates it, as a matter of fact. And paired with the crisp, tart flavor of granny smith apples, it makes a nice combo.
KALE WITH APPLES AND MUSTARD
1) Coarsely chop 1and a half pounds of kale , removing ribs.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add kale and cook until bright green, about 1-2 minutes tossing occasionally.
3) Add 2/3 cup water, cover, and cook for 3 more minutes.
4) Stir in 2 sliced granny smith apples. Cover and cook until kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
5) In small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons brown mustard,
6) Add the mustard mixture to the kale, turn heat up to high, and boil for 3-4 minutes uncovered.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Training for Life
When I was finishing up the hike in September, I figured "Hey! I'm in great shape! My endurance is great. I'll just use that endurance and enroll in a marathon for October or something! It'll be cake. Afterall, when you are used to putting in 20 mile days back to back, one unweighted 26 mile day on flat ground will be nothing!" Plus, I figured, I was so used to exercising for 10 to 12 miles per day, that I'd be able to just transition into shorter sessions with much higher intensity with no problem whatsoever. I figured by the end of the year, I'd be like an Olympic athlete.
Aside from the glaring facts that 1) very few people have even a remote chance of reaching the elite status of Olympic athlete and 2) at age 43, my window for competing in the Olympics has pretty much closed, I had also forgotten two very important concepts of fitness training: specificity and recovery.
Specificity refers to the concept that the way you train will reflect the physiologic changes that take place in your body and the functional improvements that result from those changes. So, if you train for speed, your training activities will be performed at a high velocity so as to produce an increase in type II muscle fibers which are most active in high speed activities. If you train for endurance, your training will be more of the long slow distance variety, targeting type I and type IIA fibers to produce improvements in the aerobic capacity of the muscles at lower speed. In other words, train like a sprinter and become a good sprinter. Train like a hiker and become hiker trash.
So, yes, I was used to putting in 20 mile days back to back and one unweighted 26 mile day on flat ground would have been nothing...if I were walking. Running 26 miles on the other hand? Would take some training. In running shoes. While running. No marathon for me in October.
And the high intensity, shorter duration workouts I jumped into? Left me really, really, really sore. It was like I had never worked out in my life! Because essentially, as far as my muscles were concerned, I hadn't worked the elements of power and high force production in 6 months. I may as well have been sitting on the sofa eating Doritos. (Ok, not really. But essentially I was asking my muscles to perform in a way I hadn't asked them to perform in 6 months and wondering why they were protesting.)
And speaking of protests, my feet were protesting. For the last -- oh-- month of the hike, my toes were completely numb and my feet would swell up at night. I had gone up one full shoe size because of the chronic swelling in my feet, even with my nightly use of compression stockings, ice, and self massage. After I got home, I decided I'd take it easy until the numbness in my feet went away and then I'd be ready to hit it hard!
It reminds me of treating patients after sports injuries or even surgeries, who would see that the swelling was down and assume they were ready to go back to full contact play. "Oh, no," I'd tell them. "That was just the first step. We got rid of the acute swelling, and now we have to rehab the underlying injuries and the muscle imbalances that contributed to the injuries. That's step two. After that, we can work on conditioning to get you back in shape for your sport. That's step three. And then you can work with your coach and athletic trainer to go from practicing with the team (step four) to fully playing (step five). Don't try to skip the steps! You just get re-injured." Oh, wasn't I self righteous!
Yet when it came to me, I completely disregarded my own recovery! That six week long inability to feel my toes? Was a chronic overuse injury. (Metatarsalgia and mild plantar fasciitis. With maybe a touch of achilles tendonitis. Whatevs. It's all the same fascia) I waited until the swelling was in check, and then tried to jump from step one right to step five without proper strengthening and conditioning. Oh, wasn't I a bone head!
Even in the absence of an injury, recovery is a vital part of any training program. No athlete completes an Ironman and does a speed workout the next day. No runner completes a marathon and plans hill repeaters the following week. No Olympian steps off the podium ready to hit it hard tomorrow. And for good reason. These athletes know that they need to recuperate, both physically and mentally from all the hard work of their training and from the high intensity of their event. Workouts become more generalized, less intense, and at a much lower volume in an effort to give themselves a rest and prevent burnout.
Luckily, even though I can act like a complete bonehead sometimes, I am pretty good at listening to my body. And even though my head was saying "The intensity was so low!" my body was saying "The volume was so high!" My body needed rest.
So this October, I've done some trail running, some walking, some road running. I've toyed around with some bootcamp style workouts and calisthenics. But I've also rested. I stretched. I allowed my really really really sore muscles to take the day off instead of pushing through it. I let go of the illusion of being like an Olympic athlete by the end of the year. (But not my plans to watch every single event of the upcoming winter Olympics as is feasibly possible!)
In November, my goals are to be more consistent and lay down a nice, solid fitness foundation. Life off the trail takes a lot of athletic prowess, after all!
Aside from the glaring facts that 1) very few people have even a remote chance of reaching the elite status of Olympic athlete and 2) at age 43, my window for competing in the Olympics has pretty much closed, I had also forgotten two very important concepts of fitness training: specificity and recovery.
Specificity refers to the concept that the way you train will reflect the physiologic changes that take place in your body and the functional improvements that result from those changes. So, if you train for speed, your training activities will be performed at a high velocity so as to produce an increase in type II muscle fibers which are most active in high speed activities. If you train for endurance, your training will be more of the long slow distance variety, targeting type I and type IIA fibers to produce improvements in the aerobic capacity of the muscles at lower speed. In other words, train like a sprinter and become a good sprinter. Train like a hiker and become hiker trash.
So, yes, I was used to putting in 20 mile days back to back and one unweighted 26 mile day on flat ground would have been nothing...if I were walking. Running 26 miles on the other hand? Would take some training. In running shoes. While running. No marathon for me in October.
And the high intensity, shorter duration workouts I jumped into? Left me really, really, really sore. It was like I had never worked out in my life! Because essentially, as far as my muscles were concerned, I hadn't worked the elements of power and high force production in 6 months. I may as well have been sitting on the sofa eating Doritos. (Ok, not really. But essentially I was asking my muscles to perform in a way I hadn't asked them to perform in 6 months and wondering why they were protesting.)
And speaking of protests, my feet were protesting. For the last -- oh-- month of the hike, my toes were completely numb and my feet would swell up at night. I had gone up one full shoe size because of the chronic swelling in my feet, even with my nightly use of compression stockings, ice, and self massage. After I got home, I decided I'd take it easy until the numbness in my feet went away and then I'd be ready to hit it hard!
It reminds me of treating patients after sports injuries or even surgeries, who would see that the swelling was down and assume they were ready to go back to full contact play. "Oh, no," I'd tell them. "That was just the first step. We got rid of the acute swelling, and now we have to rehab the underlying injuries and the muscle imbalances that contributed to the injuries. That's step two. After that, we can work on conditioning to get you back in shape for your sport. That's step three. And then you can work with your coach and athletic trainer to go from practicing with the team (step four) to fully playing (step five). Don't try to skip the steps! You just get re-injured." Oh, wasn't I self righteous!
Yet when it came to me, I completely disregarded my own recovery! That six week long inability to feel my toes? Was a chronic overuse injury. (Metatarsalgia and mild plantar fasciitis. With maybe a touch of achilles tendonitis. Whatevs. It's all the same fascia) I waited until the swelling was in check, and then tried to jump from step one right to step five without proper strengthening and conditioning. Oh, wasn't I a bone head!
Even in the absence of an injury, recovery is a vital part of any training program. No athlete completes an Ironman and does a speed workout the next day. No runner completes a marathon and plans hill repeaters the following week. No Olympian steps off the podium ready to hit it hard tomorrow. And for good reason. These athletes know that they need to recuperate, both physically and mentally from all the hard work of their training and from the high intensity of their event. Workouts become more generalized, less intense, and at a much lower volume in an effort to give themselves a rest and prevent burnout.
Luckily, even though I can act like a complete bonehead sometimes, I am pretty good at listening to my body. And even though my head was saying "The intensity was so low!" my body was saying "The volume was so high!" My body needed rest.
So this October, I've done some trail running, some walking, some road running. I've toyed around with some bootcamp style workouts and calisthenics. But I've also rested. I stretched. I allowed my really really really sore muscles to take the day off instead of pushing through it. I let go of the illusion of being like an Olympic athlete by the end of the year. (But not my plans to watch every single event of the upcoming winter Olympics as is feasibly possible!)
In November, my goals are to be more consistent and lay down a nice, solid fitness foundation. Life off the trail takes a lot of athletic prowess, after all!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Breathe
I am a doer.
I am always doing something, from the moment I get up until the moment I go to bed. I know people who can sit on the couch and watch a movie. Or a reality TV show. Or the World Series. I cannot. If I am watching the Red Sox, I am simultaneously checking emails, writing a blog post, or taking an online course. If I am watching a movie, I am also organizing my purse, updating my schedule for next week, or folding laundry. If I am watching reality TV... I don't watch reality TV. But I do watch American Horror Story one time per week. While doing research for projects I'm involved in or adjusting my workout plan.
It's strange -- I'm presently not working full time, and yet I am one of the busiest people I know. Even when I am exercising, I am listening to podcasts or mentally updating my to-do lists.
I fool myself into thinking that I am really productive.
In reality, I probably resemble a chicken running around with no head.
So, I've been trying to take some time each day to stop the multi-tasking, stop the mental chatter, stop the doing. And take a deep breath. And just notice the world around me.
While jogging this weekend, I turned off the iPod and stopped running. I took a deep breath and looked around. And I noticed how gorgeous the clouds looked! I had been out for about 45 minutes and hadn't bothered to look up! If I hadn't taken the time to breathe, I would have missed this:
It was the most important thing I did this week.
I am always doing something, from the moment I get up until the moment I go to bed. I know people who can sit on the couch and watch a movie. Or a reality TV show. Or the World Series. I cannot. If I am watching the Red Sox, I am simultaneously checking emails, writing a blog post, or taking an online course. If I am watching a movie, I am also organizing my purse, updating my schedule for next week, or folding laundry. If I am watching reality TV... I don't watch reality TV. But I do watch American Horror Story one time per week. While doing research for projects I'm involved in or adjusting my workout plan.
It's strange -- I'm presently not working full time, and yet I am one of the busiest people I know. Even when I am exercising, I am listening to podcasts or mentally updating my to-do lists.
I fool myself into thinking that I am really productive.
In reality, I probably resemble a chicken running around with no head.
So, I've been trying to take some time each day to stop the multi-tasking, stop the mental chatter, stop the doing. And take a deep breath. And just notice the world around me.
While jogging this weekend, I turned off the iPod and stopped running. I took a deep breath and looked around. And I noticed how gorgeous the clouds looked! I had been out for about 45 minutes and hadn't bothered to look up! If I hadn't taken the time to breathe, I would have missed this:
It was the most important thing I did this week.
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