The Pain of Tai Chi

Over the weekend, the pain from the incision where they took out lymph nodes under my arm finally subsided.   I am happy to report that I can once again move my arms up over my head without pain,and that ongoing low throbbing pain is gone.

But, I had to hit the Motrin again on Sunday.

It started rather innocently.   On Saturday I went to my Tai Chi class and was grateful that my instructor focused the Qi Gong part of the class on developing lower body strength.

Now, Tai Chi is deceptive.   You're doing what seem to be easy movements, slowly and repeatedly.    You feel fine.  You're not uncomfortable or tired at all while you're doing them.

But then, you wake up the next morning and can't move the area you worked because your muscles are in too much pain.

Sunday morning when I woke up, I realized that moving my legs was a problem because the muscles running down the front of my thighs were spent.   Walking up and down stairs, actually just walking in general, was shear agony, and several doses of Motrin and a hot bath did little to relieve the pain.

I still hurt on Monday, and I'm still feeling the residual effects even today.

Quote for the Day

 "If a "food" is flooded with so many preservatives that it can withstand a full year in both sub-zero and 100 degree-plus temps without decomposing, what kind of havoc might it be wreaking in my body?"

This was written about a package of Hillshire Farms Deli Meat left in the trunk of a car for over a year. 

Here's the story:

Three years ago, the time came to sell my trusty red Mercury Cougar. She'd lasted me a full decade, ever since my parents bought her for me as a college graduation gift. At the Honda dealership, we were given a large garbage bag to empty out our trunk before trading her in. Back there, I found a Best of Britney Spears Beta tape, some old sports bras, a beat-up Locker Room Diaries manuscript and... a package of Hillshire Farms Deli Select sliced honey ham.

The expiration date on the ham was February of 2008. It was currently October of 2008. Now, fat-free packaged deli meat is generally so pumped full of preservatives that the expiration date tends to run about five months ahead, which means I had likely purchased said pork in October of 2007, a full year earlier, when it must have fallen out of my grocery bag without my noticing. It languished there during a Chicago summer, when the temps often climb to Bikram Yoga levels.

And yet, this ham was not moldy. It did not smell at all. It was perfectly preserved. My husband turned to me and said, "I hope you never, ever eat this crap again."

I have to agree.

Just Breath

Today I did my first led Ashtanga practice since the surgery.  Earlier in the week I went to my shala and did a self-led practice.  My regular teacher, Val, helped me to adapt the vinyasas  and asanas for my limited range of motion.  

I'm still having problems with the incision area where they took out lymph nodes, and, according to my surgeon, will continue to have issues for a while.   I can't follow extend my arm up over my head yet, and the swelling in the area makes it uncomfortable for me lie on my right side.

My stamina is also still not back.   I'm tiring pretty easily, and finding that I've had to pull back on all my physical activities.

The Friday morning led practice at my Shala is the advanced primary series.  Even though I had to adapt and modify the asanas and vinyasa pretty extensively, and even though I had to sit and breath while my fellows yogis did all the vinyasas during the seated portion of the practice, it still felt good to just breath and stretch in unison with my fellow practitioners.

I had the same experience in my Tai Chi class.   Last night I went back to my first Tai Chi class since the surgery.   During the early Qi Gong portion of the class it just felt good to stand and breath with my fellow students.  

When we went into our Yang long form, however, I found I had to stop during the second part to take a break.   My incision started to bother me from all the arm movements, and I just got plain old tired.   I was able to rejoin towards the end of the second part (the entire form takes between 15 to 20 minutes to complete) and finished.   I decided to forgo any practicing of my sword or saber forms for a few weeks, since my sword/saber arm is, of course, my right arm (where the incision is).  

But, as in yoga, it was still just good to move and breath.

Losing Tony the Tiger

I don't have a lot of time to blog today but wanted to give the heads up to this interesting post by Marion Nestle on her blog about Congressional Hearings on nutrition standards for marketing food to children. 

In commenting on the various governmental nonsensical maneuvering, Marion makes a good point:

"This, as I keep pointing out, is about protecting corporate health at the expense of children’s health."

As I always point out, be aware of marketing, and do not be a slave to it (and don't let your kids either).

I do not allow my children to eat any processed breakfast cereal unless it's a special occasion, e.g., we're on vacation. Never mind the character-driven varieties that are loaded with sugar, I won't even buy the "healthier" versions.    They may have less sugar and overly processed ingredients then Frosted Flakes or Captain Crunch, but they still have enough to be a nutritionally unsound way for children to start the day.

And, you know what?  My kids are fine with it.   They get bagels, toast, eggs or oatmeal and they're content. 

Breast Cancer Fighting Foods

I have been pretty much going out of my way to avoid anything regarding Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I'm more aware of Breast Cancer than I really care to be THANKYOUVERYMUCH, and don't need to be bombarded by a barrage of pink ribbons.

But I have been somewhat obsessing about why I get breast cancer.  

I've gone over the risk factors time and time again.  There's really never been any breast cancer in my family.  I don't smoke.  I'm relatively lean and I eat a mostly plant based diet.  And, while I like a glass of wine or two a few times a week, I'm not exactly guzzling down Martinis or Scotch on a daily basis (in fact, I pretty much don't drink hard alcohol and never drink beer).

So when I saw this article on foods to eat to avoid breast cancer, I thought I'd take a look despite my "avoid Breast Cancer Awareness Month" articles at all cost.   Here's what they listed as the "8 Foods that Can Avoid Breast Cancer Risk," and how I stack up:

1.  Plums and Peaches:   Now I'm not the biggest fan of plums and peaches, but I eat a fair share of each when they're in season:

2.  Walnuts:  I love nuts, and was actually eating a salad with walnuts in it as I read this article:

3.  Broccoli:  I eat a ton of broccoli.  It's one of my top favorite veggies.  In fact, dinner tonight for me is a baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli.

4.Salmon:  Another food I eat a ton of, generally at least once a week.

5.Olive oil:  I'm Italian.  Need I say more?

6.  Parsley:  I grow parsley in my garden every year, and it grows so abundantly actually go out of my way to add it to just about everything I cook.  Whatever remaining parsley which doesn't go into my food immediately, gets dried and added to food until the weather warms up and the parsley grows fresh again.

7.Coffee:  My morning cup of coffee is one of the highlights of my day.

8.  Beans:  See number 5 above about being Italian.

So, once again, the reason why I got cancer eludes me.   

BTW, I guess the ultimate breast cancer avoidance meal would be salmon sauteed in olive oil with broccoli and beans and sprinkled with chopped parsley followed by a plum and walnut tart for dessert with coffee. 

On a positive note, I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time since I was diagnosed.  

I lost three pounds in the last few weeks without watching what I ate, and despite my not exercising at my regular levels.

It's the stress diet.

Not a diet I'd recommend to anyone, however.

Recovery

Yesterday, I decided to make dinner for my family for the first time since my surgery.  I prepared the food, cooked the food, and served the food.  As I was cleaning up the kitchen my husband walked in and said "there's some left-over chicken, could you make me a sandwich for lunch tomorrow?"

I told him what he could do with the chicken.

I've been recovering fairly quickly.  I pretty much slept the first two days, as the anesthesia worked it's way through of my system, but by Friday I was up and about, and took a long walk down by Long Island Sound, where it's flat. 

On Saturday I took another Sound walk with my mother and kids, and did a brief treadmill walk at a 0 incline.   By Sunday I was able to do my regular 3.5 mile "hilly" walk around my neighborhood, but it took a lot longer than usual.    I also was able to do the first section of my Tai Chi long form. 

The incision where they took out lymph nodes, however, is right under my right armpit and it starts to bother me whenever I move that arm about too much.

Yesterday I used the treadmill at a 5 incline, and my arm was feeling well enough that I was able to practice my entire Tai Chi long form which takes about 15-20 minutes.   I'm not quite confident yet to wield my Tai Chi sword or Saber yet, but I'll get there.

Today I again took a Sound walk, this time with a girl-friend, and we added in a fairly steep hill so that we could get a fantastic view of Long Island Sound from the top.

I'm hoping to try an abbreviated, self-guided yoga practice tomorrow which will mark my one week surgery anniversary.   That incision under my armpit, however, is still bothering me a bit, so I'm not so sure how much I can do at this point.   Just to get back to the Shala, and breath with all my fellow yogis, however, is all I really need right now (although a little stretching would feel great as well).

Food-wise, I've never really been off track, but I haven't been completely on-track either.  With my mother staying with me and cooking, I still managed to remain on fairly healthy diet, albeit a bit more meat-based than I usually eat.   After she left, I began to work through much of the food my friends brought over, just grateful that I didn't have to cook.  

I swear that after this is all over I don't want to see another bowl of chicken-broth-based soup for a long, long, long, time.   Over the last few weeks, I've eaten gallons Jewish chicken soup, Italian chicken soup, Matzo bowl soup and even Wonton soup. 

By last night, however, I felt that it was time to take control of my food again, and when friends call asking what I need, I tell them the greatest thing they can give me right now is their friendship.

On another note, I still haven't gotten my pathology report back, so it's still up in the air as to whether I'll need further surgery or chemotherapy on top of the radiation. 

It's all rather disconcerting to have this hanging over my head, but I'm trying to remain positive.   When friends ask about chemo I tell them that if I do have to go through it I'm getting a wig with the hair I always wanted but could never achieve.   It's going to be the straightest, shiniest hair ever.

Junk Food is Not Cheaper than Real Food

I always love reading the New York Times' Mark Bittman.   He really appreciates good food, but at the same time knows how to blow bunk out of the water.    This column on why junk food is not cheaper than "real food" shows how it is cheaper to cook then run to McDonalds.    First he notes that it costs a family of four $28 to eat at McDonalds and then says:

In general, despite extensive government subsidies, hyperprocessed food remains more expensive than food cooked at home. You can serve a roasted chicken with vegetables along with a simple salad and milk for about $14, and feed four or even six people. If that’s too much money, substitute a meal of rice and canned beans with bacon, green peppers and onions; it’s easily enough for four people and costs about $9. (Omitting the bacon, using dried beans, which are also lower in sodium, or substituting carrots for the peppers reduces the price further, of course.)

He also has the same opinion of the "junk food is cheaper by the calorie" argument as I do--in a world were obesity runs rampant, people NEED to be eating fewer calories, so the "cheaper by the calorie" is nothing but pure bullsh!t:

Another argument runs that junk food is cheaper when measured by the calorie, and that this makes fast food essential for the poor because they need cheap calories. But given that half of the people in this country (and a higher percentage of poor people) consume too many calories rather than too few, measuring food’s value by the calorie makes as much sense as measuring a drink’s value by its alcohol content. (Why not drink 95 percent neutral grain spirit, the cheapest way to get drunk?)

Bittman also goes on to note that the poor can eat well, without resorting to organic, free-range, grass-fed, etc. The point is to get real food and cook it, not pick up ultra-processed foods on the fly.

If Only the Republicans were Like the Tories

David Cameron, the prime minister of Great Britain, backs a Danish style "fat tax."   In case you didn't know, the Tories are the party of Margaret Thatcher, the equivalent of our Republican party but far more pragmatic.  

As Cameron sees it, this is an fat is economic problem for his country.   Unlike the US, Great Britain guarantees health care for all, having the largest single payer system in the world, and he knows that costs are going to soar if obesity soars. 

According to the  Daily Mail:

The tax – being considered at a time of rampant food price inflation – could put 25p on the price of a pack of butter and 8p on a packet of crisps.

Although no details have been worked out, the levy would target products such as milk, cheese, pizza, meat, oil and processed food.

Mr Cameron said drastic action was needed because by 2050 more than half of the population is predicted to be obese – so fat their health is in danger.

But many of his backbenchers will criticise the move as an example of the ‘nanny state’ his party is supposed to oppose.

If you didn't already know the Danes already has a fat tax, which Mark Bittman writes about here.

Home

I'm home.  A bit tired and sore, but home (which is always good).   The surgery went well, but I won't know until next week if more surgery is needed (hopefully not), and what additional treatments I'll need (hopefully few). 

Surgery Today

I'm having a lumpectomy today.   Needless to say, I doubt I'll be doing any posting today or tomorrow.  

I'll get back into the swing soon.

Marketing Makes Us Obese

An interesting cover story from Kogod Magazine, the magazine of American University's Kogod School of Business.

The article focuses in on how marketing, particularly marketing to children and minorities, fuels the obesity crisis.

The Comfort of Food

This is breast cancer awareness month, which really, really sucks when you've just been diagnosed with breast cancer.   Those damn pink ribbons are everywhere, so I can't even run into the grocery store to pick up a roll of paper towels without being reminded that I have cancer.  

I guess that after this is all over I may take some comfort in this annual breast cancerthon, but right now it just plain old sucks.

I have taken comfort in two areas, however.   First, I've surrounded myself with flowers (many courtesy of my friends who know I love flowers.)

Two, food.    Now, I don't mean I'm gobbling down 7 layer chocolate cakes, but food can be really comfortingl, and you can be food comforted without breaking the calorie bank.

Last Thursday after seeing my surgeon for the first time I took my kids out for lunch.   The kids had the day off for the Jewish holiday, so they tagged along while I discussed the how, when and where's of my surgery.

So, I'm sitting in this diner on the Post Road in Westport about to order my usual salad when my eyes focused in on the Mazto ball soup listed half a column up.  

I had this enormous empty feeling inside of me, and the IDEA of Mazto ball soup just seemed so warming and filling.   I got the soup and slowly drank in the broth while keeping up my happy front for my children. 

I think I'll remember every spoonful of that one bowl of soup for the rest of my life.

The other "comfort food" I keep turning to is oatmeal.   After an endless September of hot, muggy weather, we are finally getting Autumnal coolness here in Connecticut.   

At night I go to bed thinking I'll just have fruit in the morning, but every morning I wake up knowing I need the warmth and comfort of a bowl of oatmeal.

BTW, my friends and family threw me this incredible party on Saturday.  It was actually a "surprise" 50th birthday party, but it turned  into so much more.  

I did tell everyone, however, that they are never, ever to attempt to pin a pink ribbon on me.   

The Upside to Cancer--FREE LIPO!!!

My surgery for my breast cancer is scheduled for next Wednesday.   The good news is that my tumor is very small-less then one centimeter.   The bad news is that because of the kind of breast cancer I have--invasive Lobular--they have to remove a fairly large amount to make sure they get clean margins.

A plastic surgeon will be working with my breast surgeon to help reconstruct the breast.   The first phase will involve "re-segmenting" the breast to prevent a collapse which will leave the overall breast smaller.  They plastic surgeon compared it to the fanning out the segments of an orange. I'll have to "stuff" one side of my bra for a while so that I don't appear lop-sided.

The second part will happen about a year later.   It's a technique called "fat grafting."   They are going to liposuction one area of my body and then graph the fat into the re-segmented breast to even it out with the other one.

So the bad news is I have breast cancer.   The good news is that it looks like I'll finally be able to get rid of my persistent muffin top.

Did I mention that numerous girlfriends have offered their fat if I need any extra?

Mental Health Break

A video combining two healthy habits:  yoga and wine:

Cheese = The Grim Reaper?

A group known as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has posted this billboard in Wisconsin.   They're claiming that eating cheese can make you sick and fat.

Now, this group isn't saying that eating an excess amount of cheese is bad, they seem to be claiming that eating ANY cheese is bad, and that feeding it to your children is tantamount to child abuse. 

I did a bit of digging around and found at that PCRM  is an organization that promotes, among other things, veganism that has in the past made dubious claims regarding eating hot dogs.

As anyone who reads my blog with any frequency knows, I like to come down hard on big food making health claims based on shady research that they've bought. 

So, when I see an over the top fear tactic like this one by a group promoting veganism I'm going to come down just as hard.

I've written before that eating an excess of animal products, including cheese, will hamper your ability to take weight off and keep it off.   Unlike the gals who wrote Skinny Bitch, however, I'm not going to preach that if you want to be thin you should be 100% vegan.

I myself, realized a few years ago that dairy products don't really "agree" with me anymore.   Whenever I indulge I get bloated and excessively "bubbly." 

Believe me, you wouldn't want to be in the same room with me afterwards. 

Sometimes They Just Don't Get It

From the WTF? files.  

My local school district a few years ago took steps to improve the food choices offered to students.    After conducting some research, a new food provider was brought in to provide healthier food choices to students in the cafeterias, soda was banned from vending machines along with candy and sugary, salty snacks, and when pizza, pasta or bread was served, it was always made with whole grains.

I really, really, really loved and appreciated that these steps were taken.   Granted, it's still not perfect, but at least if my daughter was eating pizza or chicken nuggets, I knew it was a better class of crap from the usual, dismal cafeteria offerings given to students across the country.  

So, you can imagine my shock and dismay when I get a permission slip detailing a "field trip" for my 16 year old autistic son to go to, of all places, MCDONALD'S!!!

First, let me back-track.   My son is somewhat overweight--something which typical occurs with people on the spectrum.    The weight issue is due to his inability to self-regulate his food consumption.   If he likes something, he will literally eat until he throws up.   So, you have to limit his portions, and try to gauge whether or not he is actually hungry. 

Now, because diabetes runs in my family, and my son is overweight, he has a pre-diabetic condition.   Our pediatrician,therefore, has advised us to closely monitor his overall food consumption (difficult since he sneaks food), and make sure that he eats a proper diet (at least as much as you can get an autistic teen-ager to do so).

All this information has been conveyed to the school.

Let me also explain that my son loves to buy lunch at school.    We have a debit card system and he just loves to go up, order his own lunch (which always includes fresh fruit thank God).

The first week of school I noticed that he was spending $12-14 a day on lunch.     This got me concerned and I contacted the school and asked what he was getting.

I was told that he was ordering (and eating) 2 hamburgers, a side of bacon and 2 fruit cups a day.

I hit the roof and told the school that the aides with him were not monitoring his eating appropriately.    They, of course, scrambled for an excuse, but indicated they would limit him to $8 a day, and make sure he made better food choices.

Now, the schools' program for my son is beyond lame (and I'm actually trying to get him placed in a private program), and they frequently go on field trips "out into the community."  This is really nothing more than glorified babysitting done because they really don't know what else to do with the lower functioning sped kids.   In the past they've gone bowling, to the zoo, etc.  

So, you can imagine how I hit the roof when I found out that the next "field trip" was to McDonald's.  

I mean--HELLO!!!--THE DISTRICT HAS A HEALTHY EATING POLICY AND YOU'RE TAKING A BUNCH OF COGNITIVELY DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE TO MCDONALDS?????

And, one of those kids you're taking has a pre-diabetic condition that you know about, and who, you've been told, needs to be on a low-salt, low fat diet?????

It's bad enough that because they can't actually teach these kids they have to go on these lame trips to begin with, but then to take them to a fast food restaurant???

My son still can't get dressed on his own, tie a shoe-lace, take a shower or shave, but the school thinks it's important for him to know how to order in a fast food place?

I really, really, really need to get my son out of that environment ASAP.

Breast Cancer

Sometimes even our best efforts to lead healthy lives get way-laid by, well, life.   This morning I found out that I have invasive lobular breast cancer.  

I've been in a flurry of trying to get tests and doctor's appointments scheduled.

Why Even Resolute Dieters Fail

An interesting article from the New York Times.

It's Better to Let People Die so We can Make More Money

Big food fights proposals by the UN to lower the rates of obesity and other non-communicable diseases.  According to this Bloomberg piece, food companies are attempting to stop the United Nations from issuing a statement that says anything about how food marketing promotes obesity and related chronic diseases.  Marion Nestle expands on the issue on her blog.   

Nestle notes that the last time the UN looked into this issue, it caved in to the food industry.   She's hoping for a better outcome this time, although I have less faith than she does.

 

Bat-Sh!t Crazies Week

I should officially name this Bat-Shit Crazies Week.   Following my posts yesterday on nuttier then nuts politician Michelle Bachman comes this move by PETA--an organization that seems to be entirely composed of bat-shit crazy animal lovers. 

What did PETA do?   Well in attempting to convince more people to become vegetarians or vegans they registered a porn site and hired porn stars to promote their message.

I guess nothing quite says "end exploitation of animals" like exploiting women.

Now as anyone who reads my blog regularly knows, I'm all for eating a primarily plant-based diet, and even promote short periods of vegetarianism or veganism in the name of health and weight loss.

But, I've never advocated for entirely eliminating animal products from one's diet for a number of reasons.   For one thing, I believe that we were meant to be omnivores and completely eliminating animal products from our diet is just as unhealthy as eating too much.  

For another thing, I lack the animal compassion gene--I really couldn't care less if a chicken lost it's life to sit on my plate as long as it was raised organically.   In fact, I have, in the past, participated in the slaughtering of animals prior to eating them. 

Finally, I always thought that vegans and vegetarians were tremendous pain-in-the asses with a "look at me, I'm more virtuous then you" attitude.  I put them on par with religious fundamentalists of all religions (they're all just as bad IMHO). 

So, the message of "don't eat meat to be kind to animals" is pretty much completely lost on me, and I'm completely in the dark as to why PETA would think that somehow tying that same message to porn is going to change it.

Maybe I should go out and buy some fur to protest PETA's exploitation of women?   I just bought a new Bogner Ski Jacket two weeks ago, and the sales lady told me I can separately purchase this adorable raccoon fur lining for the hood.