Value

I’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of value lately. There are several definitions of the word; the most appropriate version is ” prize: regard highly, think much of” or “measure: evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of”. I am applying these definitions to several areas of my life.  I’m examining my priorities as a measure of how much I value them in myself with respect to all areas of my life- for example work, exercise, education, creativity, community, health, philanthropy, etc.. A friend recently posted on facebook ” At the end of the day, all we have is who we are”. How do I assign value to myself? This feels existentialist and hierarchical to a certain degree when reflected upon. Furthermore, how do I assign others value with regards to me? Do I rate them on a scale of 1 to 10 with little asterisks to denote exceptions or pluses?  Does everyone have the same value across the board, or do we part and partial in the appropriate areas of context- for instance, someone who has poor grammar and language would be given a lower value than someone who can write eloquently and has a large vocabulary? Is a single given a lower value than someone who is in a couple? Or, vice versa? And how does one value health? In the grander scheme of things, most of us in America know that eating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, hormone free meats and staying away from hydrogenated fats and processed foods and sugars is the ‘healthy’ thing to do. But for a lot of us, that is where it stops. Take massage for example- it is a necessary thing to help maintain health and keep stress manageable. The benefits are many and scientifically proven. Where does massage therapy and alternative medicine find and keep value in our society? I realize that these are subjective questions, and I don’t have all the answers to them, but I will continue my search for the intrinsic value of me and the external value of my chosen profession. That is all.

Resolution City

I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions. Well, I do, but I think that you can absolutely make a resolution at any time. One of the definitions of resolution is a course of action determined or decided upon. This definition is powerful and holds strength, and something with that kind of energy surrounding it implies endless possibilities, not just the outcome you are seeking. Furthermore, I think that the New Year’s resolutions that people make simply because “its that time of year” don’t stick. Exercise and eating right being the biggest examples. However, I did make a “New Year’s” resolution this year, but I started my resolution a few weeks before the new year. Truly, my resolution has more to do with making a conscious decision about a behavior that is physically harmful to me. Instead of  allowing my immediate circumstances to override my good sense, I intend to observe the desire and be with it instead of letting it dictate my actions. I want to participate very consciously in my personal relationships and manage them accordingly. What I mean by this is to put energy into the ones that serve me in ways that are in alignment with my highest good. This is going to be a challenge, because as human beings we are pre-disposed to drama, and I am making an effort to eliminate the unnecessary dramatic energy from my life. I expect to succeed and  to fail at this, but to always keep moving in this direction; forward. So there. Resolution city.

Insomnia…

I can’t sleep. Not uncommon for me at times, but tonight is a little out of the ordinary, and I can’t seem to figure out why. I’ve eaten, I’ve gone to the bathroom, I’ve facebooked, I’ve read, I’ve written,  brainstormed 6 different events for charitable organizations, I’ve clipped my fingernails, I’ve organized my race schedule through August of 2011, set up an early Christmas present, I’ve planned out  my next two weeks, made shopping lists and menus and thought of a dozen different pieces of jewelry that I’d like to buy, and I still can’t sleep. I worked out for a good hour today, most of that with a grimace on my face. I’ve done 4 and 1/2 hours of deep tissue massage, most of that with a smile on my face. I’ve had wine with a friend and discussed my holiday travel plans but I still can’t sleep. It’s 2:47 a.m. For the past four weeks, easily, I’ve been going to bed at my regular time- between 10:30 and midnight and then waking between 12:30 and 1:15.  I go back to sleep around 3 or 4 a.m., usually, and wake up feeling groggy. On top of experiencing transient insomnia, I have been waking up sporadically from nightmares. That’s easily been the last 6 weeks, off and on. Things could be worse, but I don’t like seeing either side of 3 a.m as a general rule. Sigh.

Boot Camp-Fit Force 1 in the house.

I am guilty, more often than not, of acting before I think. On many occasions I have found myself thinking ” How did I get here?”, usually surrounding some sort of physical activity. I was perusing Facebook a few weeks ago, and saw a post from a friend who does Triathalons. He had signed up for a race called “The Tough Mudder” and posted it on his page- long story short, I saw that the course was 9 miles in length, involved some obstacles and encouraged teamwork, and got you really really muddy. What’s not to love about that? So I signed up. Then after registering, I discovered that “some obstacles” totaled 19 in number- one of them is actually called “Electro-Shock Therapy”- and that the race was designed by the British Royal Air Service AND the Navy Seals. …. GULP…. Being the kind of person that I am, I’ve decided to stay the course and train for the race. Enter Boot Camp. I’ve done a three week Boot Camp before, ironically led by a former Navy Seal, and the results were less than successful. For a full four days, I couldn’t lift my arms above my head. After two weeks, I would purposely drive really really slowly to the meeting spot so that I would miss the group heading out and I could go then turn around and go home and back to bed. I started swearing at the instructor during sessions, and I’m not in the habit of yelling at ex-military personnel. This was two years ago. Now that I will be expected to support my own body weight by my arms, and do a low crawl for at least 25 yards I find myself rising by at least 5 a.m., and working out for an hour with strangers who are in far better shape than I. I also have a personal trainer, Teri Alvarado, who is amazing and promises me that I won’t, in fact, die.

Truth be told, I’m really excited, and have been looking for something to challenge myself after running my second marathon. So, 5 a.m. weekday starts and excruciating pain when I sneeze are worth the price of registration, new shoes and a couple of scrapes and bruises when you think about what I’m going to get out of the experience (hopefully it will not include a concussion). And really, I am one Tough Mudder.

If you would like to see what I’m in for, check out this video. Then please include me in your daily prayers.

To Gluten or not to Gluten?

After recently discovering I have an allergy to milk- I.E. I cannot eat cheese, one of nature’s perfect foods- I have had to rearrange my diet accordingly. I’m not always as disciplined as I would like to be, so occasionally I would sneak it. It was never worth having because of how it made my body feel-like I’d been kicked.

After a recent conversation with a client about how he felt after eliminating  Gluten from his diet, I’m beginning to wonder how good it is for you.

According to wikipedia, “Gluten is a protein composite that appears in foods processed from wheat and related species, including barley and rye. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it to rise and to keep its shape, and often giving the final product a chewy texture.” Gluten, or more importantly, the phrase “Gluten-free” has become a household phrase. Many people have gas and bloating after meals in our society, and often wheat allergies are blamed. Usually only people with Celiac’s Disease- a painful auto-immune condition that is triggered by gluten are considered affected by gluten.  However Gluten can be responsible for gas, bloating, headaches, stomach cramps, may decrease serotonin levels, can cause systemic inflammation, suppress the immune system and lead to weight gain. Nobody wants any of that, and now I can’t help but think that Gluten Free is the way to go. So, I’m going to give it a shot.

I’ve been baking my own bread recently, and I’m going to experiment with Oat, Rice and Potato flour to see which makes the best bread, and also to see if I notice a difference in how I feel.I will also diligently stay away from pastries, cookies, pastas and any other delicious staple of my diet, if it contains gluten. At the very least I should get some yummy new bread recipes.