Testify!

"Testify," shouted the preacher on a Sunday morning.  "Testify!  Can I get a witness?"

Old time religion is replete with urgings for the faithful to testify and tell what the Lord has done for them. Well, He's done plenty for me.  Let's sit down together sometime and I'll tell you all about it.

But here it is, Sunday, and I feel the urge to testify what a change in eating has done for me.

As I mentioned previously, I've never really been a big meat-eater.  But I've recently become convinced of the harmful possibilities of a lifestyle of regular consumption of animal proteins.  And so now I've cut out dairy, as well.  Additionally, I've scaled way back on refined grains (especially toast and breakfast cereal).  Anyone who knows me, knows that this is nothing short of a modern day miracle in itself.

Some of the most notable changes in my body have to do with issues surrounding my monthly feminine cycle.  Talking about this stuff in mixed company is still embarrassing to me, like I'm some middle school girl experiencing it for the first time.  But hey, this is real life and we're all family here, right?  If this is not an issue for you, it is for someone you know and love.  So it's worth addressing.

My monthly cycles have always been predictable with the same host of relatively mild PMS symptoms.  I have felt pretty blessed in this area, as I hear frightening tales of otherwise mild-mannered, lovely women turning into fierce, fire-breathing dragons during a certain time of the month.  So when I say that I wasn't expecting any variations in my cycle when I altered my eating habits, I hope you'll feel my sense of surprise as to what changed for me.

For many years, since pregnancy with each of my boys, I have experienced fairly intense varicose veins in my left leg.  I look okay in shorts if you only look at my right leg.  But that left leg... weird.  I have this big, raised, rope-like vein that snakes down my shin.  And on the first full day of my cycle, it takes on a life of its own, becoming more swollen and pronounced.  My lower leg and my foot become a mottled purple. And the whole things feels hot and really, really hurts.  The only thing that relieves it is to get off my feet or elevate that leg.  Sometimes while working in the kitchen for a prolonged time, I raise my foot up and put it on the counter, like a ballerina with her leg up on the barre.

...kind of like this, only not as graceful, and I'm washing a sink full of dishes instead of bending back in a beautiful pose.





Another blush-worthy symptom that happens each month is breast tenderness.  It's been predictable barometer for me to know when the monthly storm is approaching.  And while I'm still red in the face, I might as well throw in there the part about cramps.  Though they've never been very intense, they have been quite uncomfortable at times.

At this point in my testimony, it would be nice if there was a big choir singing "Hallelujah" in the background, because none of these symptoms have appeared for the last several months (since I've changed what I'm eating).

That's certainly something to sing about.

There have been other changes that have occurred as well.  Remember me saying I'd cut back on breads and cereals?  Here's the neat thing:  it has not been hard.  It has not involved will power at all.  I know it sounds too good to be true, but I'm telling the gospel truth when I proclaim that my cravings for things have greatly diminished.  They are not completely gone (yet?), but are definitely on the decline.  I have been mostly fueling my body with fresh, raw vegetables and fruits and am getting the nutrients and fiber I require.  I have no need to crave because I am satisfied.

But here is a troublesome thing.  I have a lot of energy.  "That's good," you may say.  The problem is that I've been waking up earlier than I'd like and I just lay in bed until I figure out that I'm really not tired any more and should just get up and get the day going.  The good part of this is that I'm getting a lot of exercise in, a lot of house cleaning accomplished, and am finding more time for reading and writing.  If you ask my husband and kids, they may even say I'm more cheerful.  Maybe.

Perhaps all this is only coincidence, or the planets all lining up just right for me.  But I don't think so.  I think it has everything to do with how I've been feeding my body.  Like Hippocrates said,

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Preach it, brother!  Amen!

Of Cows and Cookies

I'm reading a book that's rocking my world.  It's impacting how I think about what I eat more than any book I've ever read.  Perhaps you've heard of it.  It's called The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, MD.

It's really messing with me.

For quite some time I've been convinced that our bodies weren't meant to consume much in the way of flesh-foods; that is, meat.  One look at our intestines (long and twisty) compared to the intestines of a carnivorous animal such as the lion, easily reveals a huge difference.  The lion has a short and straight intestine.  There is no time for the meat to putrify in his system, whereas the meat in our system can get stuck in pockets and bends, where disease can breed.  Here is an excellent and thought-provoking article comparing the physical differences of carnivores and herbivores.

But what I hadn't become convinced of, until now, is the concept of animal protein being harmful to our bodies.  I hate to say it, but that includes cheese - which we all know is high in cholesterol - but also things like low- or no-fat yogurt (one of my personal daily favorites), eggs and butter and skim milk and cottage cheese and ice cream and, as a girlfriend of mine exclaimed, "Oh no!  Not sour cream and half-and-half!"  Yes, those too, friend.

And it's this darned book, The China Study, that's getting to me.  There are many other nutrition books out there that have claimed the same thing for a long time.  But the actual China study, which I'll tell you about in a moment, offers some pretty convincing science.

The prevailing nutritional wisdom of my growing up years was that you couldn't grow big and strong if you didn't eat your meat, or at least drink your glass of milk with every meal - and dessert.  In my child-mind I thought that glass of milk would somehow cancel out the ill-health effects of the cookies.  (Yipes, this news is getting worse all the time...)  We've all seen the advertisements featuring some strapping athlete sporting a white mustache, telling us to drink our milk because it does a body good.  And now that we're getting older, we're told to drink our milk because it will help ward off osteoporosis.

And we've listened.  Wouldn't it make sense that those nations who consume the most milk would have the lowest levels of this bone-thinning disease?  Yet the facts don't support that hypothesis, according to this article about osteoporosis in older adults, and this one about milk consumed by babies and children, and this article outlining many connections between milk consumption and osteoporosis.  Any good ol' Google search will reveal article after article of evidence.

So, the China study.  The author, Dr. Campbell, grew up on a dairy farm and was a farm boy through and through, even on into his days as a researcher at Cornell University.  He was convinced that people needed more protein in their diets.  To him and many others, protein meant animal protein. Anyway, during the early 1970s, the premier of China, Chou EnLai, was dying of cancer.  During his dying days, he initiated a nationwide survey to collect information about the disease which was killing him, and which was not well understood.  It was to be a survey of gigantic portions, finding the death rates for 12 different types of cancer in more than 2400 Chinese counties and 880 million (96%) of their citizens.  The results showed an undeniable link that cancer was geographically localized.

Then in the early 1980s, Dr. Campbell and some of his esteemed colleagues, were able to go to China and do follow ups with a cross-section of these citizens to find out more about their lifestyles, what they ate, what was in their urine and blood, how they lived, and how they died.

The long and short of it is, counties with higher rates of animal protein consumption (specifically, casein) had the highest rates of all cancers across the board.  And further tests using mice and rats (poor guys, always at the bottom of the scientific food chain, but I am thankful for them) showed that the scientists could literally turn cancer on and off by what they fed the critters.  Increasing their animal protein consumption turned the cancer on, lowering it turned it off.  When they tried increasing the amount of plant-based protein, cancer rates did not go up, but remained very low.

That's the quick-and-dirty primer of the study, but the book is full of much more detail, naturally, than I've got room for here.  It was quite the comprehensive scientific undertaking.

There are so many things running around in my head right now, but I'm getting tired of thinking and this blog entry is getting a bit lengthy.  Suffice it to say, I'm working through the implications of this whole paradigm shift.

Not the least of which is...

Now what am I going to drink with my cookies?

The Race is On!

February.  What is it?  It's not the dead of winter and it's not really spring.  There's still snow up at our local ski area (Eaglecrest Ski Area), but I'm feeling less and less motivated to ski in the rain.  Well anyway, the pavement is clearing and I'm getting the itch to hit the road running.

For me, running is a great time to think or pray or plan - or not.  Or to just listen to my feet hitting the ground.  I like feeling myself work hard, knowing it's doing me a world of good - body and soul.  After a difficult run, I've gotten the benefits and no one can take them away from me.  They're mine.  If you're one of those people who doesn't need a goal to get you out there, I say:  enjoy.  But if you could use a little inspiration and accountability, read on...

Before we know it, the local running calendar will start filling up.  We are only about two months out until regular races are happening.  I'm trying to decide if I want to put any of them on my to-do list, but while I'm waffling, perhaps you have already decided you want to train for something specific.

Goal setting can take us from an idea to a reality.

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement."

-Brian Tracy

Just the other day I was chatting with my friend Lauren.  She told me she's never been a runner before, but she found a great 5K training program online that she wanted to try.  Serendipitously, I had come across that very same program the day before.  For those who have always wanted to try running in a race but have felt intimidated, this is a very doable plan for success.  Even the name is friendly:  Couch to 5K Running Plan.  This strategy for beginners involves getting out there three days per week, alternating jogging and walking, and building up as the eight weeks go on.  Lauren just finished her first week is happy and excited for the next one.  That sounds like success to me.

Perhaps you're interested in training for something a little bit longer.  The 10K distance is very popular, and just about every town has a few offerings during the spring, summer and fall.  There are many different training programs out there.  I found this plan that seems like a good one.  There are so many different plans out there, just be sure you give yourself one you can realistically follow, and one that plans for rest days.

Okay, you say you're feeling a bit saucy?  You wanna run farther?  For longer distances, I'm a big fan of Jeff Galloway's running programs.  I used his training program for the marathons I've run, and have been completely injury free while training his way.  His half marathon training schedule (which assumes you've been running consistently for a few weeks) is built around a 17 to 19 week training period.  He also has a full marathon training program for runners and walkers to finish a marathon  (32 weeks) and others if you have a time goal for your marathon (29 weeks).  Word of caution:  first time marathoners should not try for a time goal.  Just relax, enjoy the thrill of the first experience, and finish with a smile on your face.

There are many different training programs out there for running marathons, but most of them were too hard core for this gal.  I was drawn to Galloway's program because of the idea of running injury free and not having running take over my life and the life of my family.  His plans are very sane and really helped me accomplish my goal (one of those "bucket list" things).

Training for and accomplishing something really hard is a great feeling.  It strengthens you for other challenges in your life, as well.  It bolsters your confidence in your ability to tackle difficulties of all kinds.  It's empowering.

Preparing for a race is a worthy goal.  But so is just getting out there and enjoying the jog and the meditation of left-right-left-right-left-right while a song goes through your head.  Whatever it is that gets you out there, it's good enough.  Enjoy.

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

-Ernest Hemingway

I'll see you out there!

Endo-what?

Endo-what?

Endorphins.  Many have heard this term and know that the resultant feeling coming from them is desirable, but what are they?

Well, Wikipedia says:

"Endorphins ("endogenous morphine") are endogenous opioid peptides that function as neurotransmitters.^[1] They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during exercise,^[2] excitement, pain, consumption of spicy food, love and orgasm,^[3][4] and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being."

I've never thought of that euphoric feeling as originating from "endogenous opioid peptides functioning as neurotransmitters," (have you?) but what I do know is that it feels just plain great.  Evidently there are a few different paths to lead you to such a state of being, but I'm concerned here only with the exercise route.  This experience is not unique to runners only, as in a "runner's high," but to those who exercise at a high enough intensity. 

Truly, there are many benefits of exercise, and mood enhancement is but one.  In case you are needing some other good reasons to "Just Do It" (as Nike suggests), here are some others:*

• to make you less susceptible to disease
• to strengthen your heart muscles
• to improve your complexion
• to reduce tension and enable you to handle stress more effectively (Moms, listen up!)
• to help you lose weight and keep it off
• to help prevent constipation
• to improve your sleep
• to clear your mind and make you more alert by stepping up the flow of blood to the brain (Maybe it's not a nap that you need, after all.)
• to relieve depression (Without the adverse side effects of some medications!)
• to increase self-esteem and confidence
• to ease your heart's work load by causing your muscles to use oxygen more efficiently
• to relieve menopausal symptoms 
• to relieve tension headaches
• to aid the digestive process
• to retard premature aging (Mirror, mirror, on the wall...)
• to increase flexibility
• to ease menstrual cramps (Worth the price of admission, right here!)
• to reduce varicose veins
• to relieve arthritis 
• to decrease cholesterol
• to relieve hypertension
• to help control diabetes by improving insulin use (Moderate exercise causes the muscles to pull in glucose at a faster than normal rate and this in turn lowers the body's blood sugar levels.)
• to balance your metabolism
• to improve your posture and general appearance
• to eliminate chronic fatigue
• to give you strength
• to give you balance
• to improve circulation
• to make you a more cheerful person
• to cause your bone marrow to increase its production of red cells and increase the volume of blood
• to help you regulate your appetite

*(A big shout-out to Stormie Omartian's book Greater Health God's Way, from which I pilfered many of the reasons, above.)

If you're having a hard time getting motivated, perhaps something on this list will speak to your needs.  If not:

Because, possibly...

You won't regret it.

Love Is...

Giddy feelings, hearts, flowers, chocolate (unsweetened dark, of course), Hallmark cards, candy...  Some would even say love is... bacon.

Aaaah, Valentine's Day.  It was 18 years ago today that my husband asked me to marry him and I've been living in love ever since.  Romantic love is a thrill.

I got to thinking about love.  What does it mean?  What does it look like?

                           Yes, love is a husband who cherishes his wife. 

                                And yes, love is a wife who honors her husband.

Love is also a friend of mine who, with her husband, has given her life to the cause of traveling the world to encourage others in their marriage relationship.

Love is putting the needs of others ahead of your own.

It can be the poets, musicians, actors... artists of all kinds devoting themselves to their craft, that they might enrich the lives of those around them.

Love is the daycare worker who pours love out to children who aren't her own, as though they were.

It is saying, "Sure I can help," when you secretly had other plans for your day.

Love is a smile, a hug, an encouraging word.

It is families adopting needy children into an already strained budget, but they are compelled by love anyway.

Love is a mother up most of the night to soothe her sick children.

Love is a father giving up the day he had planned, in order to play catch in the yard with his children.

Love is a grandmother who spends moment upon moment, day upon day, year upon year, quilting beautiful designs, thinking about her family with every stitch.

Love is a grandfather who prays every day for each of his grandchildren, near and far.

The policemen, firefighters, or soldiers who willingly put themselves in harm's way to protect others, that is love.

Love is a friend of mine who is caring for her father with advanced Alzheimer's disease.  He doesn't always recognize her.  He has forgotten how wounding harsh words can be, and has tried to physically harm her.   Yet she stands over his hospital bed, stroking his head, quieting him with gentle mercy.  Love, for sure.

It is the missionary who has left comfortable life to go live among perishing AIDS patients, just to help their dying days have dignity.

Love is time invested in others.

It is forgiving someone who hasn't asked for it, nor do they deserve it.

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.

To love and be loved are basic and vital needs we all share.

A Nice Day for a Walk

Southeast Alaska, where I live, is a rainforest.  Winters here can be quite dark - some would say dreary, even - and the shoulder seasons of autumn and spring are often wet and gray.  Substance abuse in the state of Alaska is among the highest in the nation, and many are affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Vitamin D levels are low for most everyone here.  (Thank the Lord for Alaska Airlines, who now offers a remedy for that problem in the form of flights to sunny, warm places like Hawaii and Mexico!)  Anyway, the climate here presents a real challenge.  So when the sun does show itself, it's important to head outdoors, if at all possible.

But today, I almost missed the forest for the keys.

I am tremendously enjoying setting up this blog, doing research, writing, etc.  Today I sat down with my laptop and began scoping out information about health and wellness.  The clouds parted and the sun was finally high enough to stream in my kitchen window (hasn't done that since November),  and yet I kept typing.  And then it hit me:  I gotta get outside.  Like, now.

Yielding to the sun's siren song, I was lured, happily, outside.  We live in such a beautiful area and on days like this there is no place I'd rather be.  Walking through the woods behind our house, I beheld the sun weaving its fingers through the Sitka spruce and western hemlock, bathing the forest in that filtered sunlight that almost makes you want to cry.  I walked on and came to a thawing stream.  I just stopped and listened to it.  I mean, REALLY listened.  No other sound entered my ears... not cars, not planes, nor any machinery.  It was absolute purity and beauty.  Walking further, I traveled a path next to a still-frozen pond, and smiled as I saw the work that the beavers have done on the surrounding trees this winter.  From there I made my way to the beach, where the ocean meets the wetlands and marveled that I live in such an amazing place.  I stuffed my pockets with rocks and seashells for a science experiment I've been wanting to do with my kids.  I picked some dead though starkly beautiful plants for a winter bouquet for my dining room table.  Sweet, tender green shoots pushed up through the snow.  The eagles sang.  I thought about my family and how much I love them.  I breathed deeply and filled my lungs and heart with fresh air, and filled my soul with blessing upon blessing.

Heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Each were exercised on that glorious walk.

And to think I almost missed all that to sit at a computer and type.

Today's children, we're told, suffer from nature deficit disorder.  You can read more about this new term in a fascinating article here.  Even though they may be physically active in organized sports, they're missing that time to just "be" outside.  Unscripted, to just make things up as they go along.  To think and interact with nature.  Or maybe they're inside, plugged in to electronic devices (like I was).  Or they're on their way to play practice or chess club or music lessons.  Obviously, all those things are wonderful and important; we just don't want to crowd out time for them to be outside.

Time spent outdoors is also known to help Alzheimer's patients, according to this article I read.  Young and old and everyone in between can benefit from time spent in nature.  It doesn't have to be wilderness or a hard core experience.  Just being out where we can observe the sky, hear the birds,  see trees and grass and flowers... these will go a long way to benefit us.

Exercising in fresh air does us doubly good:  yes, we get the physical conditioning, our lungs fill with that good air and then our heart pumps that oxygenated blood around to our whole body.  But we also have more energy, think clearer, feel happier and sleep better at night.

Tomorrow's forecast calls for a high likelihood of precipitation.  Even if the sun hides its face again for a spell, I can still gain the benefits of exercising outdoors.  I'll just need to dress for the weather.

Biggest Loser, I Love You

Okay, I'll admit it.  I'm a Biggest Loser fan.

It's drama, out-of-control emotion, backbiting, even violence in the way Jillian sometimes verbally attacks some of the contestants.

But just look at those 3 faces, the mugs of Trainer Bob, Trainer Jillian, and Trainer Dolvett.  They're awesome.  I watch every week.  I might even be addicted.

Yes, I might be.  A few months ago I discovered that Netflix carried all the past episodes from previous seasons.  There was something like a gazillion shows just waiting for me.  I didn't even have to wait until Monday night!  I got to about show number 50, and then for some reason or another, Netflix stopped carrying it.  Disappointed!!!

Here's why I started watching the show:  I wanted our kids to hear the stories of these people.  It's so easy to judge someone from outside appearances.  I wanted them to see the humanity of these brave souls, who were willing to be so bold as to bare nearly all on nationwide television, in a desperate pursuit to gain their lives back.

And that's exactly what hooked me.  These are some of the most courageous people I've ever seen.  They have whole lives of crud and baggage and stuff that has contributed to them being the size they are, and now they're sick of it.  They come to realize on the show, thanks to the rants of Jillian and her gentler cronies, that physical health and mental/emotional/spiritual health are inextricably connected.  As I hear the contestants work through their issues, I get all teary-eyed and proud of these new TV friends I've made.

I want to be more like them, and go after the things that hold me back from really living life.  I am inspired by the way they overcome their obstacles, and it makes me feel like I can and should go after the giants that taunt me.

Well, it's Monday night and the show's over.  I've got a week until my "last chance workout."  I want to make Bob and Jillian and Dolvett proud.

Welcome to Inside Out Wellness.

We have tremendous life within us.  We are enriched by many factors.  

Our health and well being are only as good as what goes in to us, be that what we eat, what we read, what we listen to, what we think about.  We are whole beings, and our health comes from multiple sources.

Of course nutrition and exercise are important.  But so are things like a spiritual practice, healthy relationships, creative expression.  Heart, soul, mind, strength.  Relational, spiritual, mental, physical.

The purpose of this blog is to explore many ways we can contribute to our overall sense of health and wellness... from the inside out.