As part of a “saving money, being productive, bettering one’s self” effort, The All-Star and I have opted to see how long we can go without cable.  Meaning, no TV at the LB apartment.  We were always complaining that we don’t have enough time, yet seemed to find hours free for boob tube guilty pleasures.  So I fully support the idea.  It’s a box of evil I tell you!  One that that will no longer tempt me, however, now the TV just sits there, its blank black screen mocking me, reminding me I must use my wits to fill my spare time and that my life is more important than those depicted on Bravo.  It’s not fair!  Especially since there’s a “Godzilla” outside.  (Yes, there are calling the winter storm that is hitting Southern California “Godzilla.”  Jeez.  Good thing I don’t have “The News” to get me caught up in that one.)  And my toe is still broken (actually I think it’s only a bad sprain, but regardless.)  I can’t jump around doing whatever hooky aerobic dance-off I find to fulfill my Challenge obligations.  I’m just sitting here, in silence, in a cold apartment, with a monsoon outside, alone.  Exciting isn’t it?  I’m afraid to say it but thank goodness for the internet…  Am I still on? Phew.

So, what to do? I should take this opportunity to teach something important and profound.  Hmm..  How about just interesting…

First I’d like to say that I’m still totally bummed out about the Challenge being put on hold.  I know that I said I would start lifting weights, which I did, on Monday.  But yesterday and today I’m so worn out and tired from gimping around on this injured toe that I really don’t feel it smart to exert unnecessary energy that I could be saving to heal my body just so I don’t feel like a failure.  So I’m opting to take it easy.  It’s what I would tell my patients.

Speaking of patients, and this toe, I want to talk a little bit about Chinese Medicine.  After discussing some herbal treatment options with the smartest herb guy I know, I started to think about the channels that run to the toe and how this injury may be causing more than just toe pain.  As you may, or may not know, the “science” of acupuncture is all about this “energy” called Qi which runs throughout our bodies on “channels” called Meridians.  There are twelve major Meridians, (plus two Extra-ordinary Meridians), which are connected to twelve major organ systems, and these organs systems are what govern our body’s functions.  Confused?  It took me 4 years of a Master’s Degree to come up with that line, so I don’t expect it to seem crystal clear.  What you should understand is that the acupuncture points which we stimulate with the needles are along these meridians and are used to treat the associated organs.

So let’s think about the big toe for a minute, the one that I have injured.  There are two major meridians that run to the big toe.  One is that of the Spleen and the other the Liver.  Spleen’s element is Earth.  It transforms and transports the food we eat, contains the blood within the vessels, controls muscles and the four limbs and houses thought.  Typical symptoms of Spleen pathology are fatigue, nausea, lack of appetite, sluggish bowels or loose stools, foggy headed-ness and muscle weakness (many of these symptoms I have been experiencing since my injury.) The Liver’s element is Wood.   It stores the blood, controls the sinews, ensures the smooth flow of Qi, houses the (Ethereal) soul and controls dreams.  Students of Chinese Medicine most often associate the Liver with emotional frustration and irritability which I will admit I have also been experiencing lately, along with some dreams that would scare the socks of your grandmother.

Now, on the hands and feet are points that we refer to as Shu-Transporting Points.  It is at these points that the Qi of the organs flows closest to the surface and is most easily manipulated.  There are some practitioners that rely solely on these points to treat their patients and find them to be extremely effective for almost any ailment.  The very intelligent Dr. Richard Tan has developed an entire method (called The Balance Method) using only these points.

It is my hypothesis that, because I now have significant bruising on the Shu-Transporting Points of both the Spleen and the Liver Meridians, and that the energy there is so easily manipulated, that the energy of the associated organs is stagnating, leading to the symptoms that I described above, especially the nausea, foggy headed-ness, fatigue and bad dreams.  It sounds complex but it’s really quite simple.  If you can treat pathology by influencing the flow the Qi at these points, couldn’t an interruption in that flow cause pathology?   Therefore, it is my recommendation as a Licensed Acupuncturist and Practitioner of Chinese Medicine that I use this rainy week opportunity to take a load off, administer herbs both internally and topically to move qi and blood in order to return balance to my compromised system.

If any of this sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend Between Heaven and Earth by Harriet Beinfield.  It’s a great beginner guide to Chinese Medicine and an good read.

Oh yeah, and here’s this week’s How to Win Friends and Influence People flashcard principle…

“Be a Good Listener”

Yesterday started off like any other day. I went for my run. Took a shorter route because I was still feeling tired. Cramped again but not for long. Was extra cautious not to sprain my ankle (I was wary, it being Day 13 and all). Stretched when I returned. Felt good.

On to watch the Jets play the Chargers for the second round of the AFC playoffs. Great game. They really showed up and played their hearts out and next week we’re off to Indiana to hopefully see the same showing against the Colts. Felt great.

Came back to our apartment, had a friend over for dinner. Drank some wine, ate some pasta, played some darts, pretended I knew karate. Wait, what?  Yeah, I really have no business doing any sort of karate and well, I broke my toe. At least I think it’s broken. It hurts and I can’t bend it, so even if it’s not medically broken, it certainly doesn’t work like a toe should work so I’m deeming it broken. How was I feeling at the end of Day 13? Physically, pretty crappy.  Emotionally, super psyched that the Jets won the game.  Mentally, really stupid for thinking I knew karate.  Darn show off.

Anyway, now I face the problem of what to do with the rest of this challenge? I can’t do yoga, I certainly can’t run. I can probably ride my bike but it’s suppose to rain all week. (Rain in So. Cal? What’s up with that?) It looks like it’s time to start building some upper body strength. I have a bunch of free weights here so I’ll see what I can get going with them.  I can still do “girl” push-ups and crunches will be fine.  Maybe by Day 30 I’ll be able to do a pull-up.  New goal! One pull up. (lol). I think it’ll be a nice change though I’m terribly distraught that I won’t be running, at least this week.  Anyone know how long it takes for a big toe to heal??

Did you think I skipped day 10?  Nooo.  I skipped the run, and the blog, but I did do about an hour of pretty intense yoga last night.  Looooong stretching.  Negative: I got a headache during shavasana.  I think its because I did a headstand.  Bad yogi, that should not have happened.  Besides the one time I did yoga with The Kahuna on Day 4, my sessions during this challenge have been all self-led.  Though I have confidence in my yoga knowledge, I still think it would be better to follow an instructor.  Any DVD suggestions?  Anyway, I slept well.  I’ve been sleeping well every night actually.  Yesterday morning I woke up feeling like I had just slept a week.  A good feeling, let me tell you.

Other positives:

• My friends and family think I’m super cool
• I feel great
• I’m accomplishing things I didn’t think I could
• I always have something to do when there’s nothing to do (nothing to do, by the way, is a figment of our imagination, or lack there of)

Speaking of accomplishments, I added another .20 my run!  Total for today, 3.31.  Woohoo!  It wasn’t easy.  And I didn’t do it first thing in the morning which I think made it harder.  I woke up, did a few things, had some breakfast, did a few more things, and then took my run.  Once again, I got a right side cramp and was so much more out of breath than on my other runs.  I’m convinced the cramp is because I was still digesting solid food.  Not sure about the lung capacity.  Maybe the afternoon air quality is different, I don’t know.  But I did it, despite all the setbacks, and I feel good now that I’m resting.

I was going to take this down-time to complain about something that keeps happening to me this week.  I had this whole rant planned and I was gonna ask why and make accusations and all this other unnecessary diatribe.  But I’m not gonna do it and I’ll tell you why.  A patient of The Healing Sanctuary, who is always sharing with me the most fascinating information, made me some flashcards of the principles made in How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  I’m taking on one each week in hopes that I will be one day be the most popular person in the world.  Not really, but I’m definitely hoping to improve my social skills.  This week’s flashcard…Never condemn, criticize or complain.  So…no rant.  We’ll all better off.  I’ll leave you with that as today’s meditation.  I’m off to make sense of the boxes we STILL haven’t unpacked.  We are terrible movers.  Happy Friday!

…Miles that is.  A new personal best for me as of late and taking it to the next challenge level.  I was apprehensive at first but I mapped out MyRoute and hit the pavement running.  Today was a little different from other days.  It was raining this morning and I had an early commute so the a.m. run just wasn’t happening.  Fortunately, by the time I returned from work it was sunny and I was ready to keep up my successful pace.  After about a mile my side started to cramp, a first for this challenge.  I breathed it out for a few blocks and it felt fine for the rest of the distance.  My next obstacle was the wind.  As I rounded the final mile, it was really blowing and head-on, which was hard on my lungs, but stuck it out and finished my route!  Feeling tired but accomplished, I did my stretches and am now taking advantage of some alone time while The All-Star gets artsy. I think I’ll read.  Haven’t done that in a while.

After my run, I grabbed a piece of cheese.  This was not a good idea.  The fat made my stomach uneasy.  As much as I think I know about food, and I still make bad choices.  It happens, I’m weak and human.  Next time I’ll opt for some fruit, a healthier decision.  Self forgiven.

Total miles run since day one…12.63.  Not bad.  I’m excited to see what the end number will be.

Today’s inspiration was shared with me by my lovely Aunt Retta who has a heart of gold and the strength of steel…

“The woman came out of man’s rib, not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior, but from his side to be equal.  Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved.”

Thanks Aunt Retta, I love you!

Last night’s recharge meditation was just what I needed.  Today I feel great and this morning I woke up ready to start a new day and a new Challenge week.  Today’s fitness activity was a 2 1/2 mile run to the beach and back.  My new neighborhood is so cool.  I love jogging past all the little beach houses and the closer I get to the coast, the more beach bungalo-ey they get.  I finally feel like I’m living “California.”  It only took 2 years.

I’m continuing to feel really good on my runs.  No aches or cramps.  Feet feel good and breathing is steady.  I’m certainly getting the hang of it.  After my run today I did some good stretching, which I have been forgetting to do.  The pre-run stretch I remember, but when I return I’m all about getting out of my sweaty clothes and tracking MyRoute, that I forget to make sure my body is where it needs to be.  Note to self…REMEMBER TO STRETCH!  So I did today, and had some lunch and got myself ready for work.  On the car ride in, I felt soooo good.  It was a combination of adrenaline and euphoria.  I was calm, awake, and happy to be alive.  How’s that for a new drug?!

So enough about me.  I’d like to give a High Five shout out to The All-Star who’s starting his first day at The Art Institute today.  This is just another reason why we call him The All-Star.  He knows what he wants and how to go out and get it, and of course, can succeed in whatever he sets his mind to.

Way to go baby!  Totally proud of you, (and you’re super cute)!  And I’m a little jealous, I wanna take art classes.  Maybe I’ll find a pottery class.  I still have my tools from moons ago.  Ahh, the power of inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration… Here’s yesterday’s Zen calender meditation.  I think it was more appropriate for yesterday but we can continue to think about it today.  Aloha!

“Sit silently for ten years, then for ten more years, and then for another ten years.”

To balance the hardcore workout that took place yesterday, The Kahuna wisely advised me to challenge myself in a different way today.  While it is important for me to be successful in this fitness endeavor and continue to be active each day, it is also important to allow my body to recover and for my mind to prepare for the tasks ahead.

So, for today’s fitness, a sun salutation for each of the 6 days I worked hard this week, and a 7th final pose of Legs-up-the-wall for 15 minutes.  The challenge was both to find the pose, and to find a quiet place of stillness in my body and my mind.   This did not happen instantly, nor did it remain constant throughout the stretch, but I allowed myself to simply be and I committed to the meditation.

For an athlete, this is an excellent pose to do, especially within 24 to 48 hours of an intense workout.  Besides the deep stretch it provides for the legs, back, front torso and neck, it also improves blood flow to and from the heart and refreshes and rejuvenates the entire body.  For the mind, it improves clarity while also creating a calming affect.  For the spirit, it brings emotional balance.

For me, a perfect way to end a great Week One.

Inspiration for the moment…

Allow yourself to be.

What a day.  I am exhausted.  We were on the slopes snowboarding for at least 6 hours today plus another 2 miles or so of walking, all with about ten pounds of gear on and a snowboard in tow.  If that doesn’t make up for a day without a run then forget screw this challenge.  Just kidding, the challenge will continue.  I actually like it.  In fact, I do believe it gave me the strength to take on my first blue diamond today!  Can’t beat that!  And even better than taking on that scary mountain… I finally got a board all of my own. No more rentals for me! Thanks All-Star.

I’d like to write more.  I could tell you about how beautiful the weather was, and the snow conditions, and the bruises I’ll have for the next week, but I’m too tired to think and my fingers will start typing all sorts of nonsense and no one really needs to read nonsense at this hour, am I right?  So instead, here are some pictures of our fun in the sun at Snow Summit.  Enjoy.

Daily inspirational mention…

No Fear!

I added distance to my run this morning!   I still ran to the beach and back but took a few extra turns.  It was such a warm sunny morning and my cold was kind enough not to put a damper on my Challenge progress.  I was a little worried last night.  I’m not sure how to handle the rules if I can’t get out of bed.  Fortunately, I’m thinking I’ve got a handle on this pesky cold and should continue without a missed beat.  It is my assumption that my body is just clearing out some of the toxins accumulated during my visit to NY and travel and all that.  I’m owing the release of said toxins to the exercise I’ve been doing.  Makes sense right? That could be the reason why I actually feel my best while doing the exercise.  So another successful day and now I’m free to do as I please for the rest of this beautiful Saturday.

We’re actually going to start getting ready and find a bar that’s playing the Jet game.  Playoffs!  After that it’s off to Big Bear for a party in a cabin and snowboarding tomorrow.  Very exciting.  So no run tomorrow, unless I feel like taking on that cool mountain air.  But I think taking on the mountain will be exercise enough!

For my pre-run fuel I continued with the protein shake I’ve been drinking.  The shake I drink is Juice Plus Complete.  I like this  product.  It’s a non-dairy, gluten free, whole food based powder full of phytonutrients and no artificial sweeteners.  I mix it with rice milk.  The protein is primarily soy rice based and the vitamins are all from fruits and vegetables.  It also contains probiotics and land and sea minerals like kelp, spirulina, and wheat grass.  The unfortunate thing about Juice Plus is it’s not sold in stores, however it can be purchased online.  They send you a fourth month supply but bill you monthly.  I trust this company.  The have a lot of research to back their claims and the customer service reps are friendly and helpful.  I also use this drink as a substitute for breakfast when I’m in a rush. The All-Star drinks it too, although he’d prefer it tasted like candy, rather than health food.  It also comes in vanilla flavor but I prefer the chocolate.

Words of inspiration for today…

The best thing you can do is simply show up with a positive attitude, maintaining a high level of integrity, and lead by example.

Until tomorrow.

Major challenge accomplishment for me today.  The alarm went off at 6:23.  I hit the snooze once but by 6:45 I was in sneakers and on the move.  I went the same route as on Day 1.  It was not my intention but I even shaved a few minutes off my time.  The temperature was cooler and there was less traffic which helped.  The beach was beautiful and the air fresh.  It reminded me that I do love the morning. 

Last night, after some delicious lentil soup and a glass of red wine, we watched the movie Seven Pounds. It was a decent story with a predictable plot but Will Smith is a pretty good actor and I remained entertained throughout.  There was one line that stayed with me till the morning and I meditated on it during my run.  One of the characters, played by Rosario Dawson, says she wishes she had more time to learn who she is and what she likes.  Often I find myself lost on my journey and I now believe it is because my idea of what I seek is unclear.  It is not the unfamiliarity of the path that causes me to lose my way, but an unfamiliarity with myself that leads to confusion.  How do I know that I want to be on this path?  Will I be happy where I end up?  Am I strong enough to make it?  One of the greatest parts of the path to wellness is the self-discovery that occurs along the way.  My goal is practice being more aware of it. 

This morning I discovered that I really like jogging in the morning, while in the past it was something I said I could never do.  The truth is my body is fully capable, my mind just didn’t want to do it.   

Zen Calender Meditation for January 7, 2010

“We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.”  – Tao Te Ching

Another successful challenge day.  If you read my earlier post, I skipped the morning run for need of sleep, but intended to do some yoga as my day’s challenge activity.  After work, and a food shop to fill our empty fridge, The All-Star and I walked a mile around our new neighborhood,  which was a pleasant addition to the list of exercises.  Plus, walking with my significant other is always enjoyable.  I recommend it to all couples.  It gives us an opportunity to connect without our regular home distractions.  On this particular walk we contemplated for way too long the inability of our neighbors to leave ample parking room for others and spied through the windows of an unoccupied h0me, imagining that we were the future inhabitants.  Pure goodness.

Following a few other necessary tasks, taking down the Christmas decorations, and a phone call to my sister,  I got the lentil soup simmering and started my yoga.  Another 45 minutes of fitness and a check mark next to today.  Some may argue that yoga is not a workout.  While I understand and appreciate the importance and significance of yoga as a form of meditation, I still feel it okay to use it as an exercise in this challenge, especially when feeling as run-down as I did last night.  It’s an opportunity for me to recharge and stretch, and since I don’t plan on taking days off from this challenge, it’s nice to have an activity that doesn’t add to my fatigue.  On the other hand, I do mostly power yoga, so it isn’t all that easy anyway.  Tomorrow, however, I intend to wake up early and go for another run.  Slacking is not the name of this challenge.

So until tomorrow…

And to those participating in your own challenge, keep up the good work!