Posts Tagged ‘more magazine half-marathon’

When Life Hands You Lemons . . .

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Recently, life handed me some lemons. Not pretty, delicately-perfumed lemons; but ugly, stinky lemons. I’ve been training for both my first half-marathon and a progressive marathon series. Apparently training too much, as I now have an inflammation condition in my foot which will take weeks to heal. And I’m in a cast. Rats.

What do you do when life hands you lemons?

I have to say that in the past, my first instinct was to wallow in self-pity. And I’m a great wallower: pigs in mud looked up to me as a role model.

This time is different. My first thought was: How do I still run this race? My orthopedist jumped right on board and devised an aggressive treatment plan that gives me a chance at running the half-marathon (albeit a very, very small chance). So I’m resting, icing, using arnica gel and taking a short course of NSAIDs.

In addition to these “from the outside-in” recommendations, I’m adding some of my own “from the inside-out”: anti-inflammatory foods. While these are always good choices because of their nutritional properties and their ability to help fight diseases, I’m using them to target the inflammation in my foot. Here’s what you’ll see on my plate:

  • fatty fish such as wild salmon and sardines
  • lots of fresh vegetables and fruits (including lemons!)
  • nuts and seeds
  • beans
  • whole grains such as steel cut oats and brown rice
  • olive oil
  • freshly brewed tea
  • ginger and turmeric, the rock stars of anti-inflammatory spices

All things that I normally eat, but now I’m taking a more focused approach to fighting inflammation. This will help me with my injury and also help fight a whole host of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Plus eating this way tastes really good.

So I’ll take the lemons that life just handed me, combine them with olive oil & some fresh herbs and pour the whole thing over a salad of roasted salmon and vegetables mixed with brown rice. For a great roasted lemon vinaigrette recipe, check out Real Simple.

Proud to be a part of Prevention Not Prescriptions, putting your wellness into your own hands every week.

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Posted in Disease prevention, Marathon Training, prevention not prescriptions | 6 Comments »

What’s Your Need?

Friday, February 5th, 2010

This is the time of year when we all could use a little boost. It’s early February, much of the country is frozen (especially here in the Northeast) and people are starting to wish out loud for spring. New Year’s resolutions are either firmly in place or just as firmly out of place. Feels like a good time to check in on how I’m caring for myself.

In December, I laid out an entire self-care plan (check it out here).

As I was packing for my Canyon Ranch visit, a phrase echoed through my head: Ho bisogno di . Translated from Italian, it means “I need” . It was all I could think while I was packing:

  • I need this self-care.
  • I need to invest the time, money and energy it takes.
  • I need to recoup and recharge.

My Canyon Ranch time provided all of these things and more (check out the more right here. No one who knows me can believe I actually did this).

So how’s my self-care going now? Pretty good, actually. Here’s what’s working well:

  • My trainer is pushing me twice a week. I’m down almost a pant-size!
  • My husband, dog and I walk 2 or 3 times per week.
  • I’m also training for More Magazine’s Half-Marathon.
  • I’m getting the regular chiropractic care I need.
  • I’ve done additional EMDR sessions which have really helped me.
  • Regular doctor visits and blood-work confirm that I’m nearly perfect (My doctor loves to say “People would kill for your blood-work results.” I hope not.)

So what needs more work?

  • Ironically, my eating is a little off-track. As a nutritionist, it’s easy to fall into the trap of confusing the fact that I know exactly what to eat with what I’m actually eating. It’s been a little more meat, a little more cheese and desserts. So I’ve got my food diary out to keep myself honest.
  • Daily deep breathing has fallen off. I’ve set reminders in my computer’s calendar program to get me back on track.
  • This is a fun one: schedule a massage!

What’s your need? Spend a little time asking yourself this question, then listen to the answer.

Another need of mine? To be involved in a strong wellness community. That’s why I’m grateful for Prevention Not Prescriptions.

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Posted in Healthy Eating, Wellness | Leave a Comment »