I participated in my third 5K race on Sunday, and what a fabulous experience it was! Imagine this: a cool Florida dawn with the track running alongside a misty field full of grazing cows, continuing down a tree-lined lane and back. A bit of heaven, to my way of thinking!
Last year I walked my first race, but now I alternate between running and walking. Not long stretches of running, mind you. On this day, I was praying a rosary while I was racing, walking during the first half of each Hail Mary and running during the second half. With such divine assistance, I shaved two minutes off my previous time. Progress!
To top it off, I made a new friend during the race! Her name was Jacqui, and what an encouragement she was! She told me that she used to have osteoporosis, but that her bones were fine now. She said that training and participating in these races were just the thing! Jacqui also told me about a program by Jeff Galloway that trains runners like me to participate in 5K, 10K, and even marathon races. I went on-line, found his website right away, and signed up for his monthly newsletter. In time, I might even join his training group in Daytona Beach.
In the meantime, the next item on my exercise agenda is to buy a good pair of running shoes. With a lighter step, my speed should increase. Want to join me for the next race? I just signed up for the 5K Run at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on March 1st. You can go to Alta Vista Sports to register on-line. Hope to see you there!
Tags: health, osteoporosis, sports, The Weekly Workout
Breakfast: Fruity Protein Shake, Greens Shake, Raspberry Tea with Beyond C powder, water, supplements
Snack: Apple
Snack: Cherry tomatoes
Lunch: Mushroom and Barley Soup, Garlic & Basil Millet Cracker (from DeLand Natural Market), raspberry tea with Beyond C powder
Snack: Sunflower seeds
Snack: Banana
Supper: Steamed Kale Greens with Turkey Sausage Medallions, sweet potato with Earth Balance buttery spread, water, Lemon Zinger tea with Beyond C powder
Bedtime: Bone Cocktail, supplements
Tags: The Daily Diet
On cold days, here’s an alkalizing soup to warm your bones–and build your bones, too!
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
6 cups of beef broth (Optional: Add 1 tblsp. of Instant All Natural Vegetable Broth – available at DeLand Bakery and Natural Market)
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 6-oz can of tomato sauce
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or parsley flakes
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1. In a skillet, saute’ onion and celery in olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently, and add a little water while cooking, if necessary. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. In a Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil. Add barley, carrots, tomato sauce, spices, and the cooked onions, celery, and mushrooms. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and the soup to thicken. Reheat, if desired, before serving
Serve with toasted Ezekiel bread and Earth Balance Buttery Spread for flavorful meal!
Tags: Ezekiel bread recipes, Recipes
Yes, it IS possible to reverse osteoporosis! The body wants to have strong bones. All we have to do is help the body do what it was created to do. Here are 10 ways to do just that!
1) Find a substitute for drinking sodas. Carbonated drinks acidify your blood. The body must then neutralize the acid so that your blood can function as it should, and one way it does that is by pulling calcium from your bones! It took me a year to give up soda completely, but I don’t miss it anymore. I now enjoy the benefits of drinking bottled water, ice water with lemon, and a variety of herbal teas. Once a week, I also enjoy a glass of Perrier!
2) Find a substitute for drinking coffee. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee deposit huge amounts of acid your blood, causing the body to rob your bones of calcium in order to neutralize the acid. In addition, caffeine puts a strain on the adrenal glands by causing a cortisol response–stress response– in the body. Instead of coffee, I enjoy a variety of herbal teas, often with tart cherry juice, lemon juice, or Beyond C powder for added flavor.
3) Reduce emotional stress from work overload. Remember: It is not how much work you accomplish during the day that makes you valuable. It is the LOVE with which you do whatever you do during the day. There is nothing wrong with doing less things, but doing them well. Doing something well is worthy.
4) Collect recipes that eliminate dairy products. Now, before you scream at me that this is impossible, let me say that a year ago I thought so, too. In fact, I used to cry at night because I missed yogurt and cheese so much. It may seem hard to believe, but I don’t even miss them now! It can be the same for you, if you substitute a positive Ph foods for these negative, acidifying products. (No, milk does NOT do a body good!) Check out my recipes for starters!
5) Increase stress to the spine and hip bones! Increasing stress to the bones tells to bones to build bone density. You can walk 30 minutes a day, rebound for 5-20 minutes, work out with weights, stretch and bend–it’s all good for reversing osteoporosis.
6) Let your plate celebrate the wearing of the green! Green vegetables, such as kale, collards, and broccoli, are high in calcium and help alkalinize the blood for better bone building.
7) Sleep 8 hours every night–or as close to it as you can. Why? Lack of sleep leads to that cortisol response in the body that we spoke of earlier. The body simply does not build and repair well when it is in tensed for “fight or flight”.
Take supplements as needed for healing and maintenance of body systems. Dr. Rogers has changed what my list of supplements as my recovery has progressed. Eight months ago, he had prescribed 3 grains of thyroid hormone (NOT Synthroid) per day, along with MedCaps T3* (from Xymogen), which “features targeted nutrients and herbs that support healthy hormone synthesis.” Last month, Dr. Rogers reduced the prescription to 1 grain of thyroid hormone per day, as my thyroid is healing. Other supplements have been added to the original list. I’ll update the list later this week.
9) Enjoy 20 minutes per day of direct exposure to natural sunlight. Not just your face and hands–we’re talking 50% skin exposure. It’s hard to do in winter, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Direct sunlight helps the body to assimilate Vitamin D, which helps the body to build strong bones.
10) Most important: Take your own healthy food with you wherever you go! This country’s groceries stores and restaurants are simply loaded with enticing, enemy foods that are loaded with acid-producing agents that will destroy your bones, if you give in. Protect yourself by keeping friendly foods with you at work, at play, to parties, and even to restaurants! What to pack? Raw almonds, sunflower seeds, an apple, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, bottled water, and a package of herbal tea. It all fits in a standard, insulated lunch box. This emergency stash of positive pH treats has saved me repeatedly from giving in to the temptation to drink coffee or eat fried foods or sugary treats that would acidify my blood and cause bone decay.
The body wants to have strong bones. Working WITH your body, you CAN reverse osteoporosis, while improving your overall health and happiness!
Tags: Foundations
I like the phrase “New Year’s Recognitions” rather than “New Year’s Resolutions.” Why? Because in order for a resolution to last, it has to be a recognition of something inside that we really want, not a resolution to fight against something we don’t want. What are those things you want deep inside yourself? I’ll list mine, so you can see if any strike a chord in your heart.
1. I recognize that I want the relationships in my life to be positive and fruitful, so…
I will love extravagantly, while respecting the boundaries of others.
2. I recognize that I want to build acquaintances into friendships, so…
I will make myself available by joining in activities that give others access to knowing me, and I will extend opportunities for other activities to those with kindred spirits.
3. I recognize that I want to have strong bones and a healthy body, so…
I will continue to build on the foundation of nutrition, rest, exercise, play, relationships, and prayer that have brought the marked health improvements gained thus far.
4. I recognize that I want to be happy in my job, so…
I will nurture positive relationships with my colleagues, avoid negative people who drag me down, and use every opportunity to be creative and effective in my work.
5. I recognize that I want to be totally free of past regrets, so…
I will remember that no human being can heal me of wounds from my childhood. Only I can do that, with the help of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I will trace the thoughts that make the wounds fester, and then the feelings that result from those thoughts. I will trace what I want to do because of the way feel, what I actually DO do, and what the results of my actions are…and I will observe and deal with whatever patterns I find. I will distract myself from painful thoughts by using my mind for more productive ventures–such as sharing helpful information through this website–and I will convert painful feelings to joy and vitality through vigorous exercise and uplifting reading and positive relationships. Eventually, the desperate thoughts will be replaced by ones of hope and love and strength. And I will be FREE!
6. I recognize that I want to write and publish a novel, so…
I will finish revising the manuscript I drafted and submit it on-line by the end of the summer.
7. I recognize that one day I will leave this earth, and I want to live forever, so…
I will use whatever time I have left to the glory of God, that I might spend eternity with our Creator, who is Love personified, trusting that heaven is everything that He promised through His Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Happy New Year! Happy New Life!
Kathy
Tags: Faith Reflections
On a holiday week, some days work out better than others for exercising!
Christmas Eve 12/24/07:
None
Christmas Day 12/25/07:
None
Wednesday, 12/26/07:
1/2 hour stretching with Margaret Richard’s Video, Muscle and Grace: Stretching
1+ hours at the YMCA: 20 minutes on treadmill, 60+ minutes on Nautilus machines
1 hour at the YMCA: Belly dancing class
Thursday, 12/27/07:
40 minutes walking/jogging (2 miles)
1 hour at the YMCA: Belly dancing class
Friday, 12/28/07:
38 minutes walking/jogging (2 miles)
1/2 hour stretching with Margaret Richard’s Video, Muscle and Grace: Stretching
Saturday, 12/29/07:
45 minutes body boarding at the beach
Sunday, 12/30/07:
1 hour workout with Margaret Richard’s DVD, Beauty to the Bone
NEW YEAR’S EVE, 12/31/07:
5 minutes rebounding
40 minutes walking/jogging (2 miles)
Tags: The Weekly Workout
A beautiful monarch butterfly emerged from its chrysalis in my flower garden yesterday, and today I saw another monarch laying eggs on the underside of the leaves of a milkweed plant. How wonderful that life is constantly renewing itself!
Breakfast: Kamut Pancakes, made with vanilla extract and pecan pieces, with applesauce topping, water, supplements, strawberry tea with Beyond C powder
Lunch: Fruity Protein Shake, apple slices and celery chunks with almond butter
Supper: 1/4 tuna sub (with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, black olives, and salt & pepper) from Subway, water, blueberry muffin from DeLand Natural Bakery
Bedtime: Water, Bone Cocktail, supplements
Tags: The Daily Diet
