Fixing Busted Bones with Food

I have a pretty decent sized list of bones I've broken. My dear, sweet husband would call me a clutz but I'd prefer to call it what it is. Amazing Adventure Seeker-itis! Or something like that. I've always liked to do a hundred and fifty kajillion things in one weekend to ensure that if tomorrow were the last day...I'd be good.

So that means I'm in my body with full-force often. And when one is not couch bound they tend to have more battles with gravity, right? My most recent break was in practicing yoga. (Don't laugh). Headstands specifically. With fingers intertwined. It was National Stress Awareness Day and I was going inverted to work on getting that stress out. To jump to the end, I fell. Fingers snapped- I yelled OUCH and proceeded to practice yoga because that is What.I.Do. A week later I went to the doc and learned through x ray, the finger was indeed broken.

Don't Be Popeye
So here is the crucial part to healing. You must have grace with your brokenness. That means thinking positively about healing process. It also means acting in a positive manner. You've heard that Food is Medicine, right? Well it surely can be but it's important to do the homework here. In my first two weeks I ate a bowl of spinach with my eggs for breakfast and a bowl of spinach with lunch salad because spinach is so good for us! Well not everything that is typically healthy is good for our situation. My hand therapist reminded me that spinach contains a substance called oxalates which can bind up calcium and make it unavailable to our body. And calcium is a nutrient necessary for the cellular regrowth of a broken bone! Spinach and I temporarily broke up.

Easy on the Nightshades
Another category of foods to be mindful of while repairing bone are the nightshade vegetables including tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, and peppers. These veggies are known to cause bone inflammation so be wary of how much you eat and with what. It's important to balance them out with foods high in calcium.

Watch the Magical Fruit
Next on the health list are legumes such as kidney, white and pinto beans and peas. These guys are high in phytates which can potentially interfere with calcium absorption as well. The best way to reduce the phytates is to soak the bean and peas (I usually do overnight) prior to cooking. This is also a great thing to do with oats before making oatmeal. Overnight oats are hugely popular!

Buzz Kill
Maybe not so easy for some people working through bone trauma is the next modification...limiting alcohol. Alcohol does two things to bones-it can decrease mass in bones and delay fracture reparation. Research indicates no more than one drink per day for us ladies and two for the men.

The Sugar Thief
And finally, dessert. Sugar acts badly on so many levels but when we are broken, it can also rob us of phosphorous which is important in the facilitation of calcium. Best to just stay clear of that evil sweetness.

So what should we be eating to speed up healing? Here's a quick list of some sure fire good eats:

*sea veggies, yogurt, kefir, salmon = all high calcium foods
*kale and broccoli = vitamin k rich foods that help with bone formation
*organic lean protein =essential for rebuilding lost tissue
*vitamins c & d (my preference are EmergenC's and liquid D

Our bones are living, complex tissues that we constantly put demands on and sometimes need to fix. If you get in that situation like I tend to do, focus on what you can do with nutrition to speed up the healing process so you can regain your super hero status quick.

I am a personal trainer, educator and endurance athlete, not a doctor. Consult with your doctor prior to starting any fitness or diet program. 

Dry What!? My New Obsession With Needles

I have been on a warpath to get rid of pain in upper left back for the past two and half months. No big deal really- it only hurt to breathe, run, lift, sleep and move. You get my point. Certain I broke a rib, the x-ray showed differently. I had massages. I had an adjustment from my chiropractor and manipulations from a D.O. I took way too much ibuprofen. I took natural anti-inflammatories that cost a fortune. Heat, ice, arnica, I did it all. And then I met the needle man.

On my way in to see a new physical therapist, I really didn't expect much. I knew they would say that I had movement issues. I knew being in a boot for weeks threw me out of whack. I thought they would give me some fascia release exercises and send me on my way. 

Now for the good part- my PT evaluated all of the above and then recommended that we try dry needling. A method used for the management of musculoskeletal pain. Sure, can't hurt (ha ha) so we started. The thin filament needle goes in unnoticeably and stimulates a healing process of of soft tissues (fascia, muscle trigger points, tendons and ligaments) which will lead to pain relief and a healthier physiology overall.

Three or so needles in I was like "I can barely feel it" and then some trigger point spots revealed a whole new freaky leaping source of wow. When I had enough of the achy, crampy feeling, we stopped. The pain was instantly better where the needles had gone and a sneeze shortly thereafter proved it. I didn't wince or tear up like I had for months. I went on with my day and could feel pain in the spots that hadn't been touched. I couldn't wait to go back for more and finish it off. The following week I went in for round 2 and now I'm a junkie. Hooked. A believer! 

Many people have asked what the difference between dry needling and acupuncture is. My PT explains it as acupuncture is designed to work with meridians in the body based off of Chinese medicine whereas in dry needling a similar method is used to aid the musculoskeletal and nervous system. Singing it's praises, I couldn't be more thankful to have relief! I would love to hear how this has helped other athletes overcome both injury and plain old chronic pain. If you have tried it, please share! 

Down But Not Out- How To Maintain Your Fitness And Health When The Going Gets Tough

I am thrilled for my husband. Really, thrilled. He has been a volunteer firefighter for the past five years and just got hired on as a career firefighter. Leaving the corporate world, he gave his suits to goodwill and cleared out his closet with a happy heart. And then he went to fire academy.

Fire academy for those that don't know is like Marine Boot Camp for THREE MONTHS. That means for three months I am the parent in charge to our three children, owner of a home training studio, part time group exercise director at a large health club, chauffeur, cook, accountant, maid, blah blah blah. You know, all those things moms do (seriously, single moms, I am forever praising you) but while working and did I mention injured?

This post truly isn't an open invite to the pity party. I am here to say that things can be R O U G H but we still have to focus in on health. We must! I'm just trying to convey that the chips are down and the stress is high but it's going to be okay. If I were to just throw in the towel here, my cortisol levels would skyrocket, I'd gain a bajillion pounds and I'd never sleep a wink. So....here's the game plan.

This was a one of my kids
b-day before we went out
for dinner.
I got a quick set in
cause you know
there would be cake!

Whether it's time, injury, space... you need to throw the excuse out the window because you can do this! There is ample research these days as to just how much time is needed for a beneficial workout. The good news is that with so many Hiit classes (High Intensity Interval Training), you can get a full body workout done in as little as 20 minutes. And this is coming from someone who willingly runs and bikes for hours on end! :) Research also indicates that it's truly the intensity of the workout, not the duration. Everyone can set aside that or incorporate it into their favorite TV show, while helping with homework (don't laugh, I've done it), or even the dreaded set the alarm a smidge earlier. So the time excuse is out.

Foam rolling helps injuries heal
but also helps ward them
 off from happening!

What about injury, you ask? Chances are if your top is broken, the bottom works and vice versa. In my dumb boot, I have gained some great upper body strength. Maybe it's a core focus or flexibility gains with yoga. Whatever is not in optimal health on the body just lends to the opportunity to focus elsewhere. And lastly the space. I am blessed to have a home gym but I've also lived in houses that have nada as far as space. That's the time the coffee table gets pushed out of the way and you welcome burpees, squats, push ups, planks, high knees...the list could go on and on.

I'm so excited to one day have my honey back and be able to run and see fabulous sights but in the meantime, I am going to stay Positive, with a capital P because I mean it. I am going to eat nourishing food, hang out with uplifting people, sleep as much as I can, work when & what I'm able to and wish the same for all out Titanics out there. I may be down but surely not out.

The Four Letter Word

Time. We are all short on it and wishing we had more. As a trainer and health coach, it's the number one obstacle for healthy meal prep and for exercising that I hear. Unless that's an excuse for "I don't want to do it", there are simple tricks for the lack of time that will become habit in a few short days.


*30 minutes. Set your clock one half hour earlier to get in a work out 3-4x per week. By the end of the week, your natural rhythms will be used to it and it will sink in. Even if it's just walking, get yourself up and go. Your body and brain will thank you at the end of the day.

*Thoughtful prep. Most of our schedules are just plain nuts, right? We bring on way too much and then sacrifice our health for it. Carving out planning and prep time is key to success. Being organized and following a plan sets us up for success. So... #1 pick a time over the weekend to write out the list of meals for the week. Get on Pinterest for ideas- it may give you great inspiration! # 2 Next step is the shopping. Read the labels and choose wisely. #3 Last step is washing, chopping and storing all the veggies and produce that will help you make those good choices when your brain is soup and your blood sugar is crashing. Steer clear of the scary pantry- there is minimal nutrient value in there!

*Write it down. How many times have you heard that? It works guys, tried and true. Put the workout times and planning/shopping/prep on your calendar. Schedule it. Stick to it. You can do this. You can do this for your health.