Health and Fitness March, 2012

[Nancy]

Hoping K in C is better today!

I did some walking and shopping yesterday for my exercise.

Sat. did 3 mi. on the ex. bike, & some floor type exercise and stretching plus shopping.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

No caffeine for me today.

I drank hot water instead of tea and had lemon or lime in it (no lemons at breakfast.)

I tucked one of dh's hankies in my bra.

There was definitely less discomfort today.

Off to bed now. I'll take a stress-tab which is Vitamin b/e/c plus zinc.

Thanks for all the ideas and tips.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Dh pointed out my one nipple is swollen compared to the other. I haven't look in the mirror, only down, so didn't notice the dramatic difference. I told him I had a doctor appointment so will be seen as soon as I get home.

A friend here went to see the doctor on board due to severe sinus pain. She's much better but was just given a decongestant and analgesic. So I think I'll save my money and wait until we get home.

The soreness is still there, always much worse if I think about it but still better since I started using the handkerchief. I'm still off caffeine and taking extra B vitamins at night. I'm hoping to get more sleep over the next few hours. May skip dinner out and know we'll be skipping the show, so that should help. I was napping but the captain woke me up with an announcement that is going to make it difficult to control my stress levels (see Monday's PWYC.)

[Nancy]

K in C I used to use bag balm and tea bags for what you are describing they had some kind of white oniment / cream maybe a nursing mom on board has some to suggest and the nurse on board can round it up for you or at a port. Maybe you can get some antibiotic cream or pills.

Today ex. has been house work this morning; this afternoon will be a bit of yard work. I'm doing a moderate pace so I'll have more endurance but trying to keep at it so I can do more for a longer amount of time turtle wins the race is my thinking today. We shall see

[Harmony]

Kathryn, have you looked at the inside of your bras to make sure there isn't a seam pressing on you somewhere? If it is just fluid, I would try to sit with feet elevated as much as possible. Drinking extra fluids often will make your kidneys work harder and pump excess fluids out of our bodies. How are your underarms, any lumps / swelling there? Once I had a lump in a lymph gland under one arm and turned out to be an infection from a cut on my hand...I guess germs get in somewhere open and migrate...and aren't there lymph glands in our breasts? Anyway, I hope you do better soon.

[Harriet]

I liked Nancy's idea of a nipple cream, which I remember from soreness after nursing. Definitely remember that the cream, not the ointment, was recommended. Others recommended that the nipple be aired out, though....... sigh. Not completely sure. Very glad the handkerchief seems to be helping.

Tonight I tried out the new/old The Firm workout and the VCR tape works fine. Need to convert to DVD soon, though, to be sure to save it. Exercise VCR tapes wear out quicker than others since they are likely used more frequently. I did all the standing workout and left off the floor workout, which looks to be in need of more caution and less speed. As instructed, I did not use weights, since I'm not familiar with the moves yet (and that can be dangerous on a step). But I did remember a lot of it, which is surprising for about a 14-year absence. It was pretty aerobic and I did get winded.

I had done Basic T-Tapp Monday, so I'm at least keeping up.

Btw, dd13 was APPALLED at The Firm exercisers' scanty workout garb and the body-conscious artwork around their studio. I told her it was a decade and a half ago, but she was still shaking her head.

Found (surprisingly) excellent wild-caught pink salmon at HarrisTeeter grocery for 2/3 the price it was at the healthy grocery store ($8 as opposed to $12 per pound). We fixed it tonight and were very pleased. One pound was a nice amount for us and a smidgen for Tobias, who was in LOVE with it, so I think that's a very do-able meal we can repeat. We just baked at 350 for 20 mins with butter.

[Harmony]

I tried salmon steaks once, baked with lemon and butter and we did not like it. It looked so pretty and inviting, but had no taste. DH hated it, and he eats everything. I must have done something wrong. My favorite fish is grouper. I like it pan fried with a little lemon. I guess the pan frying is not so healthy, but in just a little olive oil, not too bad? Can hardly find it here any more, getting scarce and expensive.

Ingredient alert: I've been buying canned sodas for the guys. They had been buying a fountain drink with their sub ways sandwiches most days, getting a refill and drinking that in the afternoon. DH also takes a water cooler to work. Since the cans were cheaper they switched to their own soda from the fountain ones. Blue COLA (no name brand on it, bought in W-M) has 9 grams sugar; red Sam's Cola also bought in W-M has 41 grams sugars. Yikes! DH says he wants the 9 gram one from now on, thinking it's healthier. Puzzled at the diff. I read entire ingredients and the blue 9 gram one contains - aspar tame! This is not a diet drink, nor marked reduced sugar.

I think this is bad. If one tries to avoid artificial sweeteners, this one is sneaked in unannounced. DH was as shocked as I was. We purposely don't buy diet drinks for that reason.... and I know sodas are bad, but I'm not going to change their habits... so here we are. And also bad because both are corn syrup. ..sigh.. there is no healthy food these days.

[Nancy]

I'm back from my walk saw the 4 day old goats I counted a dozen of them it was sunny out
but 46* not all that warm today here.

Swapped recpies idea with a neighbor that's a diabetic also [type 2].

I saw a katsup bottle had some thing about no high fruitouse corn syrup in it [or was it no sugar] in any case it was replaced with the other above mentioned product making carbs in it higher than I want to consume so I'll stay w/ the low sug. one! [Please forgive my spelling!

[Harriet]

Oh, I would think it is way off-base to package a product and not give the info about how it's sweetened very clearly. USDA has not had inspectors watch that packaging carefully enough! There could be someone who really isn't supposed to have that.

I will have to watch again, somehow, the Dr Mark Hyman PBS special on sugar, etc being the reason behind 20 different health problems. He has coined the word, "diobesity" or "diabesity".

The information was coming at me so fast and I had come in on it a bit late. Several things he said were bewildering. He believes some of the difference in ability to lose weight between now and decades ago is because we are dealing with toxins our ancestors never encountered. I couldn't catch exactly what he thought the mechanism was - maybe through our hormones. But he was saying he believes sometimes his patients get to a plateau where there is no logical reason for inability to continue the weight loss they have had up until then, and it is due to toxins. He doesn't give up at that point or anything; he has some suggestions, like extra water intake, but he doesn't minimize it either - it could be affecting a lot of people.

Another point he made is eat separate meals often, not big meals, or, even with the same calories, you will gain weight - something we've heard before. But he had some scientific back-up for it that I hadn't heard before. 2 groups ate exactly the same under watchful eyes, one eating one meal a day and one eating 3 and there was a big difference in weight loss in favor of the 3 meals a day group. He was very high on protein for breakfast. His explanation of why high fructose corn syrup is much worse for us that simple white sugar was very compelling.

Anyway - great program.

Harmony, this was not steaks, just the filet-ed fish pieces, so maybe it was more tender or younger/smaller fish? Frying with olive oil should be fine - if you are ever at a health food store, though, pick up some coconut oil (grocery store brands are poor quality) and try frying in it. Makes the house smell so good. Dr Hyman was bragging on both olive and coconut oils, btw.

[Nancy]

Thanks for that info. Harriet I missed that show but wanted to see it.