I Need All the Help I Can Get

I let Lucky out this morning and was greeted by this:

How can your day not be good when it starts out that way?

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." Marcus Aurelius

I put the few stragglers into the dishwasher, started the coffee, took out the recycling and fed the guinea pig and the three-legged dog. I grabbed the Denver Post and Longmont Times Call from the driveway and filled a huge cup with ice water. I went to the cabinet and grabbed these:

Taking these is just a part of my morning routine, much like dumping a cup of half and half into my coffee and dropping a few kids at the pool. I don’t think about it much. But, today I was wondering: Does everyone take similar supplements? Are these doing anything for me?

I take them because I am supposed to take them, but it’s not like I see any difference in my day to day energy if I don’t. I just take them because I figure they fill in the blanks when my diet isn’t up to snuff and they provide me with preventative stuff over the long term. I am almost 45 years old for God’s sake. I need all the help I can get.

Right now I take:

1. Women’s One by Rainbow Light ($17.99 for 90): This is chock full of good stuff including probiotics, B complex, and lots of nourishing things:

2. Food Based Calcium by Rainbow Light ($12.99 for 90): 1,000 mg calcium, 1,000 IU vitamin D, 500 mg magnesium (2 caplets). After two stress fractures, I found that while my bone density was good, it was deteriorating with age. I have to be careful to get enough calcium (and vitamin D which helps with absorption). I find I don’t get enough in my normal diet (although I do drink a lot of chocolate milk), so I have need to supplement. It’s also important to do weight bearing exercise to build stronger bones.

I hear that food-based calcium is better for you because it is not manufactured, it is the real deal, the same as if you were eating yogurt or eating collard greens. I buy all my Rainbow Light products through Walgreens.com because I found they are much cheaper there than at Whole Foods and other places.

3. Move Free ($24.99 for 160): This contains glucosamine, chondroitn, Uniflex (an antioxidant) and joint fluid to keep joints lubed and strong. I got this bottle at Costco.

4. Fish Oil ($9.99 for 150 soft gels): I take the Nature Made brand because it is burp-less. Other brands make me burp up fish taste all day and it makes me sick. I hear you can also freeze them and that helps. I take one 1,000 mg pill. Supposedly this will help me not get coronary heart disease. Fingers crossed.

Keep in mind, taking supplements is just part of the equation. If you eat junk food and watch the Real Housewives all day, supplements will not save you. You will just be out of shape, overweight and have really high levels of vitamin B2.

What, if any, supplements to you take and why?

I’m off to do some hill work and then yoga…hoping the gas is minimal.

SUAR

PS: Don’t forget to check out my STORE page. Sale ends Monday.

Week 4: Injury Update

I don’t like it, but I’ve gotten used to not running. I know running and races are in my future, so I try to see the big picture. Kind of like when you’ve given up chocolate for Lent. If you know you'll have it again, it makes it a lot more bearable.

Most of all, I’d like to get rid of the crutches and just be able to walk again. I miss going to the grocery store alone while hungry and buying crap we don’t need. Ken has been a huge help taking my lists full of requests for hominy, hummus, ricotta and scouting the store for these items. But, like a good shopper, he sticks to the list and does not deviate. No impulse buys. No Ho-Hos and Cheez Whiz.

While I’ve held it together pretty well considering the circumstances, I have had moments of falling apart. Last night I got in an argument with Emma, my 9 year old.  She was upstairs so I surreptitiously (big, fancy, SAT word) crutched it to the pantry and took her 10 lb. Halloween treat bag. I had barely gotten to the couch and made my way through a fun sized box of Dots when she came in the room. Oh shit. I tried to hide the overflowing bag, but didn’t have time.

Emma: MOM! What are you DOING? That is my bag. My candy. You have to ask me!!

Me: C’mon. Really? You need to share. You’ve got ten stinking pounds of candy. CAN’T YOU SHARE?

Emma:  MOM! That is mine. I went out and got it for myself. I had to wear a box to get that candy!

Then it occurred tome she was right. She did wear a box around the neighborhood and this is her candy. She earned every gram of sugar. The least I can do is ask permission. I know she will say, “No” which is why I didn't ask in the first place, but still. You have to give respect to get respect. Another reason I need to go to the grocery store for Twinkies.

I am making progress with this damn injury, be it it slowly. Here’s how the week shook out:

Monday: Blood work including a metabolic workup to see if I have some sort of deficiency or absorption problem that could be leading to the stress fractures. Low mood day overall. Not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. The weather was absolutely, stunningly gorgeous. Shitty, cold and rainy would have fit my attitude and would have made it easier not to run. My mom brought a yummy Greek dinner – Pastitsio (Greek version of lasagna) – and that helped matters.

Tuesday: Dexa Scan (bone density test). Again, to see if my bones are weakening. Another possible cause of the fractures. Mood was somewhat lighter. One week until I see the sport’s doc again and can (fingers crossed) ditch the crutches. Chipotle for dinner. A burrito the size of Texas always cures what ails ya’.

Wednesday: First workout in 27 days. Went swimming. Did about 35 lengths. Very little pain, just some achiness in the beginning. No post-workout pain. YES! Felt wonderful to be moving again and to get my heart rate up. Started taking a holistic food-based calcium supplement that is easily absorbed. I also got some a women’s multivitamin made by the same company. Cheap prices and free shipping at Walgreens.com.

Our Food-Based Calcium™ product is a holistic, whole body calcium system, formulated with magnesium to support bone and muscle health.  Important nutritional cofactors such a vitamin D ensure optimal assimilation to create a difference you can feel - in just one tablet a day.

 

 

 

Thursday: One hour of water running. I could feel some pain in my piriformis area.  This is the type of pain I had throughout my whole training cycle. I thought it was just an inflamed muscle. Now, I wonder if it is related to the hip injury and might have been a warning sign. Didn’t love water running, but I will do it if it keeps me in shape. Again, mood was better since I was moving and feeling like I kinda sorta got running back.

Friday: Not so great day. You might have read about it HERE. No workout, but I did get in a couple of glasses of wine and a frozen pizza. I read through the injury chapter of Brain Training for Runners.  The author believes runners can outsmart injuries by dong two things:

1. Running more naturally – the author switched to a pair of minimalist running shoes to correct gait and stride flaws. 
2. Never running in pain – he had zero tolerance for pain while running. If it occurred, he stopped. Didn’t start again until he could run pain free.

Saturday: Back to the pool. Swam 1600 yards (64 lengths) doing this workout:

Warm up (free): 200
Swim, Kick, Pull, Swim: 4 x 100
Pyramid (free): 4 x 50 (60 secs), 3 x 100 (2 mins), 2 x 150 (3 mins), 1 x 200 (4 mins).

There was more to do with this workout, but I was sick of swimming and ready to call it a day. Plus, there was some chick in my lane who kept hitting me each time we passed. I think she was actually hitting ON me, but I’m not sure. I get my swim workouts HERE if you’re interested. This is #38.

Sunday (today): Another beautiful weather day. I take the high road and bless all the runners on the roads and trails. I even include Jared from Subway and Edison Pena (Chilean Miner) who are running in NYC today. Secretly I have made voodoo dolls of them all and sit in the bathroom with stick pins. If Jared finishes the marathon with a knife in his back, you’ll know why.

I see the doc on Tuesday, we will review my next steps and my test results. Crutches, be gone!!!

One day at a time,

SUAR