Foam Roll Like a Pro

A Little Tougher

So this week has been a little tougher than last.  Last week everything fell into place and it was a breeze.  This week is a little more challenging.  Working in some dusty environments and doing some cleaning have left me a little stuffy and battling the asthma a bit more.  Also, there was a carnival setting up at the trail Roxy and I have been running on.  While that doesn't sound like a big deal, it means carnival rides, cars as well as carnival people and dogs walking and driving by us while running.  It's just too much distraction.  Even I wasn't enjoying myself.

Okay so since I have no great running strides to report, I want to tell you what I've learned.  First of all, eating gluten free is hard.  There is gluten in everything.  And, when you go out, you have almost no chance of finding things you can eat.  I was never trying to be completely gluten free.  However, reducing it is still hard.

Dairy is also in everything.  However, it is much easier to avoid.  Soy milk is available at lots of coffee shops.  Many restaurants have alternatives as well.  I even recently found a coffee "creamer" in hazelnut made of soy milk that I love.

Roxy is loving getting back out together and as if she wasn't attached to me before, she now won't leave my side.  She sits on half of my desk while I work.  She sleeps under my feet while I read and she constantly wants some attention.  I love it :)

So, I'm still eating healthy, foam rolling and working on my patience for this internal injury.  I think waiting for your lungs to heal is more difficult than waiting for something like a sprained ankle to heal.  You have no visual or physical indicators to go by, it's all about intuition.

So right now I'm trying to find that place between peace and pushing.  It's not an easy place to find.  You want to make progress, but still work hard.  Be a fighter, but learn the lessons presented.  Buddha meets a boot camp instructor....that's the battle that is going on in my mind.

However, I know I'm blessed to be back out there, enjoying the amazing fall New England scenery and on the road to recovery.

Coming Back

So this week I have decided to get out and enjoy the fall weather.  Regardless of what I can or cannot do, I want to see the leaves change color, get Roxy a good workout (it makes her SO much quieter and calmer the remainder of the day, and start my day off outside.

So, every day I grab a cup of coffee, use my inhaler and sit for a few minutes.  I get everything into my system, wake up a little bit (and check some emails) and then we head out the door.  If the first part takes too long, Roxy lets me know by getting between me and the computer.

We've been heading to our town's recreation center.  It has a dirt/paved trail that is 1.2 and circular.  It's not very hilly, which I don't like.  However, there are always lots of other people and dogs there which is great for Roxy's training.

We've been working some runs back into our walks and as long as I focus on counting my breathing, I feel good.  I haven't had an acute attack (knock on wood) and I've been feeling great afterwards.  I've missed getting out with her and breaking a great sweat!

Afterwards, she just sits in the car next to me and I swear she's smiling. We often stop to run some errands.  Most of the places we go to know she's in the car and they offer me a treat for her. She gets spoiled by just about everyone in town.

We've been stopping to pick up some coffee or a latte on the way home.  It's not something I want to be a habit, but right now I'm hooked on the pumpkin spice soy latte and I'm rewarding myself for heading out in the morning.

Roxy will actually nap for part of the day if we go out in the morning.  Otherwise, she just runs circles around my office.

So, next week I'm looking to add more distance back to our runs and decrease the walking.  I will say, I wore my running watch today and I was terrified at what it was going to tell me and how slow I was going.  However, I'm picking back up not much slower than I left off.  So I'm hopeful!

There isn't much better than heading out into the crisp New England air on a fall morning!  My whole day is better because of it!

Did I Work Out Today?

Neat infographic...sometimes all we need is a little something to make us move :)

Kona Kase Review

If you're looking for an easy way to find new healthy snacks to your life, Kona Kase is a great idea.  The boxes are delivered to your door ever month for $15.  I was worried when the box showed up. It seemed tiny.  However, when I opened it up, there were seven items, most of them full size!  I was shocked. 

I love that I was able to try out some of the products I've recently read about in magazines without having to hunt them down at stores.  (The Rise bar was one of my favorites).  

Since you're not paying full price for these items, if you don't like something, just toss it and have no guilt.  If you love something, you can hunt it down in greater quantity.

Each month a professional in the field helps to design the box.  There is an insert with descriptions of the items included as well.

I love Kona Kase as a great gift for the runner or healthy eater in your family.  For $15 a month they get lots of new, different and healthy goodies delivered to their door.  

If you miss a month, you can even buy previously sent cases.  

If you want to sign up or just give it a try for a month, check out their website here: http://konalife.konakase.com/buy-kases-here/

Eating for Asthma

So up until now I've been a fairly healthy eater.  I try to eat as many fruits and veggies as possible with protein and complex carbs.  Just like everyone else I have treats now and again and I love to celebrate with great food.

However, it recently came to my attention that what I eat directly impacts my asthma and how I feel the next day.  My doctor suggested I use a peak flow meter to determine how my levels vary from day to day.

Pair this with doing lots of research and my dad helping me from his experience and what I found wasn't pretty or fun.  The hard truth is that bad food=less air.  And it doesn't even have to be cookies.  Anything with lots of carbs (cereal, crackers) doesn't help out breathing.  Gluten also plays a role.  I'm not striving to be gluten free, but I'm trying to be aware and gluten is in everything.

Dairy is a big no no too.  It's a good thing I had mostly switched to almond or coconut milk a while ago.

Lots of green leafy veggies help your lungs; bananas, kale chia seeds, sunflower seeds....you know all the stuff you should be eating anyway and I already have in my pantry.  So, while the asthma is a pain in the you know what, it is already getting me to eat healthier, less processed foods.

When you stop and think about it, lots of the things we think of as "food" are made up.  Don't stop and think about it, your head will hurt.  Anyway, I found this and thought I would share it.  If you have advice to share about eating for asthma, please do!!  I'd love to hear from you.

My New Normal

So after a few weeks of using my new best friends, two inhalers who I'm inclined to name and decorate, I am on my way to feeling a bit better.

I have never been a good patient.  I'm not a good medicine taker.  And I hate depending on things.  So, all of those make me a lousy candidate for having asthma and even worse, issues with it.

While I was still just a few days into my new medication we had some horribly humid and sticky days. I had a hard time going to get the mail.  I promptly went back inside and hunkered down for the remainder of the day.

Lack of oxygen, or even a decrease from your normal intake, can make you tired.  So, I've learned to not feel guilty about having to nap a little.  It is my lungs healing and every nap I take, means I'm one step closer to running and feeling good.

Whenever I'm in a situation where the air isn't great, (lots of dust, pet allergens, etc), I can feel it right away and a tightness in my chest warns me to get out and do it quickly.  A while back I would have forged ahead and forced the issue.  Now, I back off.

I am wearing a mask that protects me from mold and other airborne irritants when I work.  It's uncomfortable and I look like a dork, but it's for my health.

I really want to talk to the people who make inhalers.  Why are they so ugly and why can't I chose the colors?  Why don't they attach to a key chain or have a belt clip?  I mean, these things are just ASKING to be lost.

Oh and I found out that if a pet chews on your inhaler and inhales the medicine, it can be fatal.  I didn't find that out via experience, I did some research online.

So, I have starting walking Roxy again.  We went out for the first time last week.  We did a few little mini pieces of a run.  I will say that my breathing felt easier and deeper than it ever has before.  So, while I'm frustrated I've missed some great training time, I'm optimistic.  Perhaps if I weren't so stubborn, I would have sought out a solution long ago and been in this year's Olympics.  Okay, I know that wasn't going to happen.  However, I do know that my inhalers are now part of my morning running routine, just as much as my shoes and Roxy are.

Asthma Infographic

So, because I'm really learning to accept that I have asthma and I will be living with it, I've been doing research.  It's what every OCD person does when something like this happens.  So, here is an infographic I found that I thought was interesting. 

Cory Vines Review

Everyone loves a multi tasker.  I was recently able to try out the Every Wear V Neck Tee by Cory Vines.  Cory Vines is a new athletic/lifestyle brand that looks as cute as it is functional.

The tee shirt I tried is a semi fitted v neck tee.  What makes the tee so wonderful is that it is made up of a cotton spandex blend.  The cotton make it soft and comfy and the spendex allows the tee to hold its shape.  At the end of the day, you don't look wrinkled and sloppy.

This tee goes wonderfully with a pair of jeans under a cardigan.  It also looks polished enough to wear to work with dress pants and a blazer. And, at the end of the day, change into your running pants and head out the door in this tee shirt.  It's wicking properties keep you dry and comfy while working out.

I love working in this tee.  I'm dry and cozy and the tee has all the technical properties that I love.  I've found myself wearing this tee when I know I have a really long day ahead of me and I need to be prepared for anything.

What I'm loving about Cory Vines is that their fashions are functional, durable and best of all, affordable.  

The Every Wear V Neck Tee is just $20.  I have the shirt in plum, but it comes in a variety of other colors.  Some are basic and some are fun so there is something for everyone.

If you want to get this tee, and take a look at all of their other great items, visit their site here:

http://www.coryvines.com

Where I've Been

First of all I'd like to say I'm so sorry for abandoning everyone this summer.  My posts have been sparse and short.  A few of you have checked in with me and I'm so thankful for that.  I wanted to let you know what I've been doing and metaphorically, where I'm headed.

So this summer, my company, The Joyful Organizer has had a LOT of really BIG jobs.  Many of our clients have been moving, relocating or just ready to tackle some big projects while the kids are out of school.  We put in a lot of really long days.  I don't mind working non stop when I'm making clients happy and helping making lives better.  Here is a small piece of a larger project we did.  This is an Ikea unit under a little girl's doll house.

We did sneak away for our annual camping trip to Sebago Lake.  It was amazing to sit by the lake and read and relax.  It is truly the one time of year I feel completely blissed out and ready for anything to come.  It is where I recharge my batteries for the rest of the year.

This is the view from my spot on the beach:)

Due to lack of time, I haven't had a chance to run as much as I like to during the summer.  However, I recently found out that what I thought was losing some fitness ability, was really my asthma acting up.  I thought i was being affected by the heat, dust and other environmental factors.  In reality, I should have been more in tune to my asthma and seen a doctor earlier.  I am now on the road to recovery and on a new medical routine.  Here's to some great fall runs!

I was also lucky enough to plan a wedding on Cape Cod.  The wedding went off without a hitch this past weekend.  Here are some pictures from the event and some visiting I did with a family pet.  

The wedding was an amazing reminder of how meaningful friends and family are and how important it is to celebrate love.  

On the same weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary!

This coming week, I'm going to start some mild resistance training, maybe walking with Roxy and celebrate my husband's 35th birthday!