Skinny is Deceptive

Always look on the bright side of life! Whistle...

Last year, I was having a conversation with a friend who said they were struggling with a not so healthy approach to dieting and running. To lose weight, my friend had almost completely stopped eating, drank a lot of coffee and was running quite a bit. Then she said something that absolutely surprised me.

She wanted to be thin, like me.

Many things raced through my head, but what came out was along the lines of...

NOOOOOOO!! You don't understand!

Let's back up a little. My weight has gone up and down over the years. I have always had a healthy appetite. My ideal date back in the day was a hearty dinner (think bread/appetizer/pasta and fries..always fries!) followed up by a movie with popcorn/soda/candy. I'm still not sure if I actually like movies, or just the eating food part. I also LOVED junk food binges ever since I was a kid and had enough allowance money to hit the Kwik-E-Mart, spending every dime on candy and chips. Even my first word was chocolate. You get the picture.

To say junk food binges never followed me into adulthood, would be a straight up lie. (My husband, much to his abhorrence, can attest to just how much sugar I can put away in one sitting.) I endearingly call him variations of Nazi Food Police as he tries to limit the junk food shoveled into my mouth at what he thinks is an alarming rate. If only he knew....

Anyhoo, that occasional, albeit highly enjoyable style of eating, started to go out the window 2 years ago along with any excess weight. Having an annoying, progressive chronic autoimmune illness, which the latest label my Dr has informed me has switched from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) to Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) means that more problems arise on a yearly basis.

The most troubling of these problems has been the inability to eat ANYTHING without wreaking major havoc on my body. Years ago I felt a lot better after finding out I was highly sensitive to wheat and dairy and eliminating those from my diet. Now, after a few years of chronic, extremely painful Interstitial Cystitis flare ups, I've learned that food can be the culprit of the pain and also the cure. (Mostly junk food being the culprit.) Flare ups occur every 1-2 months lasting 1 week to several months at a time. Some days the pain is so excruciating, I'm frequently reduced to tears and can hardly function. It sucks. If you've ever experienced it, you know. If not, you are one lucky duck!

The Paleo diet is the only way I've found to control the amount of cystitis discomfort. If you're not familiar with the Paleo diet, it consists mostly of eating good fats (coconut/olive oil), lean meats, fish, vegetables, nuts and seeds. No sugar, no carbs, no alcohol, no nothing. It's a decent, healthy diet, in my opinion, however weight drops quickly, especially since I love to run! Now, during a cystitis flare up, the pain is so severe I can hardly eat, exercise or go about a normal day. But flare up or not, weight is hard to keep on. I had a flare up over the holidays, could barely eat, but was shocked to see a picture of me from my grandmother's Christmas day dinner.

It's uncomfortable for me to display this picture because the gaunt and frail looking person does not represent who I am. Just to be clear, if you are naturally thin like this, there is nothing wrong with that! You most likely have an ectomorph body type (lean, fast metabolism, small bones/muscles). However, my body type has always been a mesomorph (athletic, muscular, lean, medium build) and I love and accept what God has given me! This thin frame is unhealthy for my natural body type and is downright deceptive.

Do I want to be this skinny? Heck No!! But it's what I look like right now. I've come to realize, outside of my closest friends and family, most might judge my appearance and label me as super healthy, exercise crazed or even anorexic. When in reality, my digestive issues prevents any meaningful weight to be put on or maintained right now.

The point is, don't judge a book by its cover. We all come in different shapes and sizes. Weight is not limited by what we put in our mouths either. There are many factors which influence size that may be out of our control such as hypo/hyperthyroidism, slow/fast metabolism, hormones, genetics, Cushing's syndrome, Diabetes, stress, etc.

I was saddened to hear of my friend's extreme attempts to become thin. Societal pressures can push people to drastic measures in order to achieve the ideal weight. But the beauty of diversity is that there is no 1 ideal weight. Why not strive to become the healthiest versions of ourselves? Even still, one person's healthy will look different from another's. My version of healthy means to feel strong, have some solid muscle weight (since muscle weighs more than fat), plus a few extra love handles to fuel the longer runs. But others may want to achieve a certain level of activity or endurance. Do what makes your body feel good!

Each of our journey's are unique. Let's cast aside our assumptions on physical appearance and get to know the people behind the number. Listen, share your stories, and be each other's champion. Have a happy and healthy year, my friends!



As promised, I will end each post with a delicious, healthy recipe. Enjoy!

AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Ingredients:
-1 ripe avocado
-1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
-1/4 cup honey
-1/4 cup almond, coconut, hemp (or any kind) milk
-1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
-Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor. Scraping down sides until thoroughly mixed.
-Chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

*Delicious dip for berries, bananas (any fruit really) or use as cake frosting. Double or triple recipe for more mousse-y goodness (in case you have to share).

Detoxing. Ugh. Yes, please?

Ah the dreaded cleanse. Has a negative ring to it, right? If you're like me, you probably don't like detoxes. Who is a fan of lethargy, hunger, headaches, mood swings and did I mention hunger? Once, out of the suggestion of a Chiropractor, I went on a 3 day cleanse drinking only a specific vitamin/nutrient concoction of 'everything the body needs to function'. I made it the full 3 days, but as the hubby can tell you, not without pouting, crying and a lot of complaining. Felt amazing afterwards though.

After researching a little more, cleansing on a regular basis started to make sense. The idea of a detox is to hit the reset button. Our bodies naturally know how to detoxify itself. But after years of eating a normal American diet of unhealthy processed, greasy, lab-manufactured 'foods', our systems get overtaxed and need a break. Throw in constant exposure to environmental toxins, pesticides, heavy metals, unclean air, water etc. and the body can go from a little wear and tear to a larger breakdown.

Every so often, give your body a well-deserved break by providing the nutrients it needs and limiting the excess. A detox is also an excellent way to really see what the body is sensitive to. Over-consumption of any and all foods leaves us feeling crappy but we aren't sure which foods are the culprit. Eliminating most foods except the basics and reintroducing them one by one slowly over time will help you understand what foods your body says NO to.

Here are some detox basics:

             NO

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Sugar
• Dairy
• Wheat and Gluten
• Processed items

Because I suffer from an autoimmune disease and have multiple food sensitivities, I take a stricter approach. All of the above plus, no:

Corn
Soy 
Canola Oil and Eggs (causes inflammation and allergies)
Pork (high in fat, hard to digest)
Farmed Fish
MSG
Anything with Natural or Artificial Flavors or Sweeteners (lab manufactured chemicals)
Citric Acid (irritating to stomach and intestinal lining) 
Fish Oil Supplements (processing causes concentrated mercury)


After a good cry, you ask What Can I Eat? That depends on how strict a cleanse you want.

For a strict approach: Eat RAW, ORGANIC FRUITS & VEGETABLES only. The Raw state contains the highest level of nutrients for the body. Get creative. Pick a new vegetable from the market you've never tried and google raw recipes. Make colorful salads with both fruit and vegetables. Make multiple smoothies a day blending different fruit combinations. Try gazpacho or spinach soup. Checkout the recipes in Anthony Willam's Medical Medium book.  My favorite is cauliflower and apples blended into small pea sized chunks. It's a great summer/portable snack!

I completed this cleanse for 28 days. If that doesn't sound like fun, try it for 3 days. Or take a less strict approach for 1-2 weeks and add lean meats, good fats and protein such as chicken breast, turkey, avocados, raw coconut butter, nuts, seeds, quinoa, cooked vegetables or brown rice.

Not going to lie, the first three days are no bueno. Detoxing off sugar and grains (what I imagine) feels like drug withdrawal....because it is. Research shows sugar has the same effect on our brains as opiods. In fact, sugar has been found to be MORE addictive than cocaine! It produces a wonderfully sweet high that we need more and more of to feel the same effect.

But don't worry, after detoxing, cravings start to diminish and staying under 10-15 grams of total processed sugar per day will keep the cravings at bay. Not to mention, heal the body of inflammation and ward off diseases. Helpful tip: eat a piece of fruit when sugar cravings hit.

Some side effects that can occur are headaches, lethargy, intense sugar cravings and hunger, dull taste of fruits/vegetables, anxiety/depression, muscle aches, nausea, insomnia plus others based on how your body reacts to the change.

DON'T GIVE UP! It's unpleasant at first because your body, brain and taste-buds have to retrain itself to how it feels to really be nourished by whole foods again. Stick to it and you will feel amazing soon, trust me!

Some of the many benefits of detoxing include:

• Weight loss
• Mental clarity
• Improved energy 
• Healing inflammation (aches/pains/headaches gone)
• Improved skin 
• Better digestion, healing of stomach/intestinal issues, healthy bowel movements
• Improved mood

Now that you are ready to detox, have a plan before starting. Decide how long (3 days to 28 days) and how strict a detox you want then prepare. Decide each meal, make a shopping list and hit the grocery store. If eating a lot of salads for lunch or dinner, prepare 5 days worth in one sitting to save time. Cut up all fruit and veggies and store in containers for easy snacking.

After the cleanse is over, introduce foods back into your diet, one by one and make a note of how you feel after eating. For example, if after eating a piece of bread, you feel lethargic and foggy headed, maybe you are sensitive to gluten. Or after eating some cheese your stomach hurts, have gas or mucus in the back of your throat, you might have a sensitivity to dairy.

Trust your body, give it the right nutrients, experiment with all types of whole foods and you will be well on your way to a healthier life. Happy eating!

*I have merely scratched the surface of this topic, so please ask any questions for deeper understanding of detoxing, food sensitivities, healthy meal ideas, etc.

What, no magic pill?

A few months ago, I read a book by Anthony William called Medical Medium which explores the use of food as a tool to help the body heal itself. It has changed the way I look at food, mainly the healing power of nutrient dense whole foods vs. the destructive power of processed, chemically laden non-nutritious ‘food’. For anyone suffering from an illness or malady, it couldn’t hurt to try, right?

Now, I’ve read many books, spent countless hours researching Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and have seen dozens of doctors in the 10 years since the onset of this illness and NONE have even come close to explaining EXACTLY the onset, progression and detail of CFS like described in Anthony’s book. The Chapter on Epstein Bar Virus could have been written about me.

Anyone struggling with what Anthony calls a ‘mystery illness’ would benefit from reading this book. If you’ve been given a label such as adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia, CFS, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disorder, lupus, celiac disease, lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, depression, Candida, leaky gut syndrome, IBS, PTSD, shingles, you name it, could all be associated with one of the 60 strains of Epstein Bar Virus.

My doctor found elevated EBV levels when I was first sick after a terrible flu. The theory is that EBV is hiding in 95% of adults and waits until the immune system is run down to attack. i.e. bad cold/flu virus, car accident, emotional trauma like a death, pregnancy, anything to exhaust the body. Then it drills holes and hides in the organs like the liver, spleen or thyroid, multiplying, releasing toxic viral byproducts and neurotoxins at irregular intervals, confusing the immune system causing a continual inflammatory response (Lupus), exhausting the body further. Damages to the thyroid can cause Hashimoto’s, Graves, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer etc. Many of the general symptoms EBV cause are moderate to extreme fatigue, mental fogginess, weight gain, impaired memory, muscle pain/weakness, neuropathy, ataxia, tinnitus, vertigo and many more depending on what strain of the virus you have.

*It is important to note that EBV can be active or dormant at any given time so if an EBV test does not come back positive, it might mean the virus is dormant at this time but no less harmful. Do not be discouraged!

I highly recommend reading Medical Medium if you or a family/friend are struggling with any of the illness’s listed above, or Type 2 diabetes, PMS, menopause, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism. It explains, each mystery illness and suggestions on certain foods/supplements that can help restore the body enough to heal. Even if you aren’t suffering from anything (bless you super human!) incorporating some or all of the outlined foods, can only serve to prevent sickness and keep you running on Full.

I, like most of you, take everything with a grain of salt. I’m hopeful that fueling my body with the nutrients it needs will gradually restore it to optimal health, but is it an end all, be all cure? Who knows. Only time will tell. 

One thing I do know ~ there is no magic pill to cure these EBV caused illnesses. But Faith, patience, priority changes and humor will be my armor to fight until CFS is kicked to the curb for good.

As promised, I will be ending each blog with a healing, delicious recipe for you to enjoy!

                                                 Roasted Garlic & Beet Soup*

Ingredients:

• 3 medium beets (red or golden - both delcious!)
• 2 TBS olive oil, plus more for drizzlng
• 6 unpeeled garlic gloves (or more - love garlic!)
• 1 large leek
• 1 TSP fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• course salt and pepper
• 1/2 TBS lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat over to 400 degrees. Drizzle beets with olive oil and roast in parchment lined foil until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, drizzle garlic cloves (including shell) with oil and  roast in a separate foil packet, about 30 minutes. 

Beets and garlic roasting on same pan

2. Unwrap beets, let cool, peel and quarter. Squeeze garlic from skin. Set aside.

3. Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add leak and cook, stirring, until       tender, 6-8 minutes. 

Chopped leeks

Add beets, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and 3 cups water. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and add more salt/pepper to taste.

*recipe from Gluten Dairy Sugar Free Big Book of Recipes, by Michelle Deberge

Changes and New Directions

It has been over a year since I posted a new blog. Most of the reason was due to declining health and the challenges that goes along with that. For those new to the blog, refer to the first 3 posts for more info on my journey living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS. A more in depth blog on current research and treatments will follow shortly.

CFS is a very delicate balancing act. Running yourself down, eating foods sensitive to your body and coming into contact with various environmental toxins can wreak havoc on an already overtaxed system, causing a 'relapse' of CFS symptoms. As a result of being careless, I experienced a relapse last year bringing with it some new disturbing symptoms. After extensive testing, I went from having a UTI, to hydronephrosis of the kidneys to kidney stones and ovarian cysts, peripheral neuropathy and eventually chronic cystitis where the Urologist washed his hands of me and said I was the 3rd patient he's seen that week with these symptoms and basically just deal with it and here's some pills. I was in constant SEVERE kidney and bladder pain made worse by almost every food except bland lean meats and vegetables. I lost 12 pounds in two months becoming frail and underweight. My legs, feet, arms and hands tingled and burned so bad from the neuropathy, it was difficult to sleep. I'd go into bouts of uncontrollable shaking from the anxiety of it all. My husband thought he might lose me. It was a nightmare.

Fortunately after a few months, I recovered mostly and tried to move on with my life. But after 9 years of successfully managing this illness, it felt like I had entered a new stage of downward health. The Candida overgrowth that I had experienced and overcome when I first discovered Acupuncture, was back with a vengeance. More foods are becoming intolerable to my digestive system and must be eliminated. The neuropathy is a constant nuisance with some days better than others.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. The time for change is now. I have a renewed drive and ferocity to overcome illness 'labels' and finally heal. This blog was originally started to chronicle my running and pet sitting experiences. I will continue to do so with more of a focus on my journey of returning to health through super foods and supplements. Providing recipes and my experiences cooking/preparing/trying new meals, food, herbs and spices with pics of course! Looking at current research on the healing components of supplementation and certain foods in aiding body healing as well as which ones I'm using and any significant effects they have on me. I hope to chronicle not just the successes, but the failures, and boy have there been a few foibles in just the 4 short weeks into this journey!

I used to keep quiet about CFS since there has always been a stigma around it.

'But you look perfectly fine!'

As I open up to more and more people, they share their struggles with similar autoimmune illnesses such as Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Adrenal Fatigue, IBS, Lyme Disease, Shingles, Thyroid Disorder, etc. In fact, millions of people around the world suffer from these 'mystery illnesses' but so far there is no cure, only management.

My hope is that through my own trial and error, this blog will not only motivate others to develop a better relationship with healing foods, but take back their well-being and vitality. Consider joining me along the way, ask questions and share your experiences as we work towards a common goal: optimal health.

Winter Running and Pet Sitting Changes

Welcome back winter runners! How are we doing? Quite chilly out there, eh? I have to admit, the last few days I've been enjoying the warmth of running inside on the treadmill and catching up on old DVDs like Charlie's Angels Full Throttle. I didn't realize what a spectacularly silly movie that was until watching it 10 years later. Ah well, tastes change.

I did manage to get an 8 mile run in earlier this week and it felt really good! Here I am complying with my shirt mantra Run, Rest Repeat.

CFS is back in remission for the moment which is great because life is about to change professionally for me. I've been toying with an idea the last few years but have not quite been in a position to execute it. As some of you know, I've run a Pet Sitting company for 10 years. It is the best job in the world and I am blessed to work with some of the kindest pet owners out there. Pet sitting can also be very time consuming as there never really is an 'off' day or even half day and the hours are long. 

Last year I shortened my hours to have part of the evening off to spend with my husband (since he basically has a 9-5 job) and be able to do normal activities like dinner with friends without stressing over finding a back-up to cover any late visits. However, the new client calls continued to come in and if you know me, you understand that I feel really bad for letting anyone down, including strangers and found it hard to say 'no' to new dog clients that needed later evening or very early morning visits. You might wonder, 'why doesn't she hire someone to take over these visits?' Trust me, I have looked, but there is more to pet sitting than loving animals. More on that later.

I thought long and hard about looking elsewhere for a steady job but truly feel there isn't anything out there as rewarding as pet sitting is for me. Plus the freedom it affords cannot be matched. Therefore, I've decided to change my business to Heather's Cat Sitting, Inc. and accommodate mostly cats starting this year. I love my dog clients and of course will continue to care for their fabulous canine companions, but most new clients will be cat owners. The shorter hours will provide me with the downtime needed to avoid burnout and spend quality time with my family. 

The business was also growing with the help of a few new back-up pet sitters, however the main one I hired just a few months ago has decided to move out of the area and can no longer cover my vacation days. I am actively searching for a new part time back-up pet sitter who lives in the area, has pet sitting/working with animals experience and has the availability to work on an as-needed basis (morning, midday and early evenings) with the intent of turning pet sitting into a career. If you are interested or know someone that might be, please email resumes and background details to heatherscatsitting@gmail.com

I'm looking forward to the new possibilities this year will bring and pray you all can say the same!

Keep on running, even when the wind is against you and the dreary days seem to last forever. Hope is just up ahead. Run and grasp it.

Setbacks and life

My blogging goal was to post every week and apparently I'm the worst blogger ever since I can barely manage once every 3 months! To be fair, the holiday seasons of November and December are the busiest pet sitting times of the year so I had my hands full (literally) with walking dogs and petting kitties. Here's some highlights:

In my last post, I spoke of minor setbacks. During the end of last year up until the present, I hit the wall of setbacks (sorry, running pun!). My fab running partner, Bria, was graciously accompanying me on the longer marathon training runs. We made it to 15 but I felt horrible after that run. I choked it up to too much training too fast. Previous weeks were 10, 12, 13, 13, then 15 miles. Something felt wrong physically though. Long story short, I was having a CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) flair up. My previous posts explain how I live with CFS which sucks but flair ups are worse. Every muscle in my body aches, like I have the flu, and I have sparing energy to make it through the day. Running takes most of that energy, leaving little else for work/normal daily life. So I took a break over the holiday season and made the decision to downgrade to the Clearwater half-marathon instead of the marathon. 

The last long run before the holidays with Bria. 8 miles over the Clearwater bridge. 

And my new compression tights. Very comfy.

Then January came. Over the holidays since I wasn't running, I made the excellent decision to eat horribly (only fitting right?). I have several food allergies that I stupidly chose to ignore which in turn caused health complications that lasted the first 3 weeks of January. Fun! So I spent almost all of January laying on the couch recovering. 

Yesterday was my first run outside in over a month. 4 miles completed with some difficulty. It's crazy how much endurance my body lost but I'm choosing to be positive and take the challenge of working my way up to double digit running again. See, I'm smiling after the run!

As with anything, setbacks are temporary. I've learned to embrace them. After all, I did have the opportunity to catch up on all the Netflix shows/movies on my list. 

But now I'm ready to get out there again and improve my fitness! Next up, The Claw 10 mile trail run at Alafia River State Park in May! The very same race, my loving hubby proposed to me after in 2013. It's our favorite race and they also have a 5 mile run so put your running shoes on, get some miles under your belt and join us out there this year! 

Fall training at its best

Ahh October. My favorite month of the year. Cooler weather, guilt-free candy eating, pumpkin spiced everything and the start-up of another race season. What's not to love?

But first, let's recap all the goings on since the August post.

1. During the year, I started developing some issues with blisters, seemingly from my running shoes. With the help and patience of the wonderful owners and staff at the new St. Pete Running Company store, I was able to test out several new shoes to find the right fit. Ultimately, I went with these:

The Saucony Kinvara 5

Very roomy toe box to minimize blisters, super light weight and comfy. I went up a size and 1/2 instead of just one for extra room which seems to be working for the most part. As the marathon approaches, I'll rethink a higher mileage shoe but for now, these work well for training.

2. Half-Marathon and Marathon training officially started last month! Woohoo! This becomes a whole new ball-park of running. No longer are the days of 'I think I'll run 4 miles today because I have the time and the weather is perfect.' These distances take a well-thought-out plan, discipline and sacrifice (eeek!). When everyone else is out on a Friday/Saturday night, I'm the one running in the dark, eyeing you, secretly wanting your glass of wine...  Each weekend from now until mid-January will be a pre-determined long run to build mileage. That could be anywhere from 8 to 22. It sounds scary and even though this is my third marathon training plan, it is scary!!

3. Unfortunately life has a way of derailing plans. Bria (my running partner in crime) and I had  successfully built up to 10 miles......when I get hit with the flu. I don't get sick often, maybe once a year, but when it happens, I'm down for the count. Week 1: dying in bed, only getting up every couple hours to work (that's right, no sick days for pet sitters). Week 2: hacking up a lung and snot....everywhere. Luckily, I have a husband who's not grossed out by anything! Week 3: weak as a kitten but otherwise getting back to normal. Soooo 3 weeks of no running then jump back into 12 miles. Hard, but thank the Lord for His strength because I did it! It's all uphill from here...literally.

4. And of course balancing work with play is a must!
                              M and I did a couples painting which now hangs in our living room.

I loved the experience at Painting With a Twist so much (fun fact, the owners are a pet sitting client) I went back to paint the Eiffel Tower.

I completed the task of putting the wedding and honeymoon pictures into albums. Such a great feeling to check that off the list. I'm ready to celebrate our 1 year anniversary in December! Where did the year go??

I also went to Busch Garden's Howl O Scream twice this year! 

 And just this past Sunday, Me, hubby and Bria ran the Florida Road Races Halloween Halfathon.

It was the perfect race weather, plus everyone dresses up in costume so of course I was a cat and Bria Wonder Woman! The event was fun, well-organized and we now have a sparkly new medal.

That's it for October. Have a super fun Halloween and get those miles in!
Until next time, Happy Running!