Good Ol' GB 20

Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing, Riverfront Trail

Put air in my bicycle tire when I heard a hissing noise followed by a completely deflated tire. Having no confidence about changing the rear tire, I loaded my bike and headed to the shop.


Had a great ride and listened to a nice podcast, The Sporty Ones, Part 1: The Swimmers. It’s from a now defunct Australian series called The Body Sphere.

Several Australian swimmers were interviewed on the podcast including Shane Gould who participated in the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Someone taught their swimmers a thumb up technique because they saw Gould doing it but she said:

I’m a very physical person. I live in my body. I pick up information from the water, on my skin – the pull, the pressure etc...I think the sports scientists have taken over. It’s all measured in charts and graphs and angles...

I like Gould's take on interacting with the water and getting a feel for how to swim...

After bicycling, I made myself presentable and went for an acupuncture treatment. I’ve been producing lots of mucous. Clear but mucous nonetheless. And when I went for my bike ride, I sneezed like a crazy person. When I see mucous I feel like a superhero that loses a super power and is utterly shocked that a villain has made them bleed.

Sometimes I regret what I tell the acupuncturist. Chinese medicine, Bryan tells me, treats colds and allergies the same. Bryan then proceeds to stick a fair amount of needles in my face. Three in the right arm. Several in the arms, legs, ears and two in the base of my skull – good ol’ GB (Gall Bladder) 20.

Not sure what it is about the needles hitting pressure points and meridians, but I breathe very deeply once they’re in – a deepness that I’ve yet to achieve when I practice yoga.

Just Row

It's been a week since I went to BodyGo Row and I was biting my nails about whether or not to attend. Hours passed, crickets chirped and I still hadn't signed up. I tried to figure out what intimidates me. Do I fear that I'll be worked out to death??? Maybe I should stop watching the videos about the CrossFit games which seem a bit otherworldly.

I paused for the cause and talked to one of my friends at work while I contemplated going to BodyGo Row or doing something else. My friend wants to get back into yoga but feels like she needs to lose weight before even attempting it. I went into cheerleader mode.

And as I listened to myself cheerleading, I decided right then and there to sign up for BodyGo Row. I can't ask someone else to be courageous and then not follow my own advice.

Speaking of yoga, I slept beautifully last night. So soundly. Here are conclusions that I must draw.

Acupuncture = beautiful sleep
Yoga = beautiful sleep

I arrive at the CrossFit box and Laurie's like You came back.

Me: I'm a glutton for punishment.

We warm up, do a few squats then Laurie writes the workout on the board.

Row for 1:30

Eight Russian Step-Ups

Eight Pull-Ups with Rings

Repeat...

Row for 1:30

Eight Russian Step-Ups

Eight Pull-Ups with Rings

Repeat, repeat...


After we finish that series, we do an eight minute set of:

Row for 1:00

10 Wall Ball Sit-Ups, 10 lbs (I went for the eight ball but Laurie had other ideas...)

Row for 1:00

10 Wall Ball Sit-Ups

Row for 1:00

10 Wall Ball Sit-Ups

Row for 1:00

10 Wall Ball Sit-Ups

The Wall Ball Sit-Ups got to me on minute seven and I didn't get in my last minute of rowing but I fought the good fight. I was better at unstrapping myself (from rower) and heading to the next task. Overall, I felt less clumsy.


Rowing Tally for Sept. 28th: 2245 meters




Note: We didn't stand up for our wall ball sit-ups.

Possible Earth and Fire Issue

It's been seven months since I've gone to the acupuncturist to boost my immune system for something wicked that I picked up in February; I hope to never experience that situation again. On the plus side, whatever Bryan did in February worked really well...

Bryan wants to know what's going on. I tell him that there is weirdness along the right side of my body that includes a shoulder, elbow and knee tweak in addition to a right toe that throbbed for 1.5 days.

Bryan wants to know where on the shoulder, elbow, knee and which toe.

He thinks it might be an earth and fire issue.

Bryan: But thank goodness you don't have an Earth, Wind and Fire issue.

Me: (Laughing at his corny joke)

Bryan starts tapping the needles in on my left arm then goes off to consult his book. He wants to shift focus, takes one of the needles out and puts it on another point. He also lets me know that I require needles in sensitive areas i.e. it's gonna sting a bit. Why do I always require needles in sensitive zones?

Another needle is in the top of my middle finger -- felt that one

Bryan tells me his reasoning behind the placement of needles but I'm mostly fascinated by and he is completely giddy that he has balanced the meridian points against themselves and balanced them seasonally...


Went to yoga and I have to say that I'm really digging the Happy Baby Pose and thinking that Forward Bend Pose would work for Hazira since it's good for insomnia etc.

Sometimes my yoga teacher is really in the mood to impart his wisdom and he talked about how some people just do high impact exercise and, if you chose that route, sooner or later, you'll probably end up in the hospital. On the other side, he said some people might do yoga all the time which would make them really low-key, a state that he's not opposed to but...

It was a nice class with 10 people in attendance and five on each side of the room. The only uncool part happened when this woman, who hadn't been there in a while, walked on my mat with her bare feet...

I kind of wanted to go swimming tonight but I've been on the move just about all day. I decided to listen to my yoga teacher's usual end of class advice: take a moment to enjoy the benefits of the practice.

So, that's what I'm doing right now -- taking a moment.

The Ahhh Days

I wondered out loud to Hazira if business was slow for our acupuncturist since he's having a special this month.

She thought it was just a routine business decision but did elaborate and say that people generally feel better around this time since the birds are singing, the sun is shining and they feel, overall, less "jadna," a Bosnian word that implies physiological poorness.

Good point, Hazira. I just realized that I'm also feeling less in need of bodywork.

And speaking of the sun, OMG, it's not raining in St. Louis and the tornadic weather has quieted down. Really, I saw raindrops on my windshield a few days ago and I was thinking not again.



***

Hazira and I watched a weird French flick Happily Ever After. I'm about to move to Hazira's side of the fence where she prefers Hollywood flicks. A lot of foreign films drop you unceremoniously so I should not have been surprised with the way that Happily Ever After ended.

After the movie, I got on the computer for a spell and someone popped up on instant chat. It was Hazira's niece (Bela) and it was cool to chat with her because I don't see her as often as I used to. Bela sent me a link for a very cool video showcasing two Zagreb cellists.



***

I got my mom a card that says wow is mom upside down. Happy Mother's Day to all of the WOW moms -- the rest of you know who you are...

And, as my friend Lori said when she gifted me with Shea butter, bath salts etc., make every day a SPAhhh day.

Sore Third Eye

Went to see the acupuncturist to address, mainly, my low immune system (lingering cough), low energy and lack of focus.

Mr. Acupuncturist wanted to know if there was congestion and where I was at in the cootie stage. He also wanted more details about my lack of focus.

Mr. Acu: Is it a fogginess?

Me: No; it's lack of concentration.

Mr. Acu: Are you doing something that you don't want to do?

Mr. Acu doesn't mince words, does he? He went on to check my pulse then the needle games began.

Be careful of what you tell Mr. Acupuncturist because you just might end up with a needle in the top of your head.

I heard Mr. Acu ask another client if she was going to read or rest. I had actually thought about bringing a magazine and I did bring my MP3 player but once the needles were inserted, all thoughts of reading or listening to music rapidly faded. I was, as usual, in the fade out zone.

As the last head needle was taken out, I wondered when I had started crying. I hadn't; my third eye had started to leak.

Cool fact from Mr. Acu: All points on the body can be accessed via that little marvelous microorganism, the ear.

***

After acupuncture, I went over to Hazira's to hang out and we watched My Best Friend, a French flick; you'll have to ask Hazira how she liked the film because I fell asleep in the middle. I did like the parts that I saw though.

Last night, I slept the sleep of the just. It was the most solid sleep that I've had in about two weeks. In fact, I found it hard to roll out of bed at 10 but I knew that if I didn't, I would be late for rock climbing.

Ran a few errands after climbing, ate lunch, felt depleted and found myself horizontal by half time of the Florida/Kentucky game. I napped for about four hours and I still don't know who won the game.

Since I've been hanging onto my bed of late, I think Hazira missed me OR I must have really looked bad because she gave me a back rub. I've known this rascal for over 10 years and didn't know she had such skills which are either newly acquired or one she's been hiding.

Acupuncture Stagger

I have this on-again off-again patch of bumps that like to live on the back of my hands.

I decided to use Aveeno at work and at home even though I have a huge vat of hand soap. I also started using Dawn (with Oil of Olay) dishwashing detergent.

For some reason, I wasn't keen on going to the dermatologist but the itching was getting to me. Then, I thought about acupuncture.

Dermatologist. Acupuncturist. Dermatologist. Acupuncturist.

I saw that the acupuncturist had an opening on the day of my dilemma, booked an appointment online then headed there after work.

Acupuncturist: What's going on?

I told him and, in return, I got one of those looks. One of those I-might-not-be- able-to-help-you-looks.

Mr. Acu: Have you been to a dermatologist? Skin situations (paraphrased) are tricky.

Ever heard of Cold Tar shampoo? You might want to use that; it's good for eczema...I will still see what I can do...

Ten needles in left foot. Ten needles in the partner foot. Several needles in each ear. Two needles in each arm.

As Mr. Acupuncturist is inserting needles, he said that sometimes allergies are a result of diet and asked if I would consider a cleanse situation.

Me: You mean a water, cayenne pepper, maple syrup situation?

Mr. Acu: No, I mean a brown rice yadda yadda yadda situation.

I tell him about the stuff I eat then he suggests that it might be too much sugar. The thought that I eat too much sugar gets me to thinking. I don't do the hardcore stuff anymore (Cream Puffs, Gooey Butter Cake, Snickers) but I still have a sweet tooth that I satisfy with graham crackers, TLC bars etc.

Mr. Acu: Do the bumps itch?

Me: Usually at night.

Mr. Acu: Of course, that's when you're tired.

After all the needles are in, I sit back and it's not too long before my eyes are closed. I'm so drowsy when the treatment is over with that I have trouble walking in a straight line.

When I take my coat off the rack, I see the acupuncturists' credentials with a note about how much training licensed acupuncturists receive -- 1600 hours if I remember correctly. And a chiropractor? One hundred credits and they're board certified. I chuckled as I staggered out the door.

Post-treatment, I slept soundly and itch-free.

Déjà Vu

Peeling and prying were required to extract myself from bed. I think that I finally rolled out around 10 and it felt like that moment in The Matrix when Neo says "A black cat went by us and then another that looked just like it."

The same thing happened last Saturday after having acupuncture on Friday evening and, dang, I didn't even ask for the relaxation needle this time.

My friend, however, asked for a ton of needles prompting the acupuncturist to deliver the corniest of acupuncture one-liners: you're a needle junkie, hunh?

Then, inexplicably, said acupuncturist asked me if I had heard of this gospel song called Joy, Joy...Down in My Heart and something about if the devil doesn't like he can sit on a tack. When he started singing it, I thought that I was going to fall out of my chair laughing -- especially when he mimicked sitting on a tack. You had to be there...

What can I say? The new acupuncturist is special.

Responding to an inquiry from my aunt, I told her that I had just gotten an acupuncture treatment.

Me: I went to Community Acupuncture.

Aunt: I hope that doesn't mean community needles.

My family worries about me. Some of my kin have resigned themselves to the fact that I walk to the beat of a different drummer. Don't we all though?

When I tweeted earlier that I was in a trance, TJ advised me to take it easy and that's what I've been doing. Hope that you are taking it easy too.


Note to self: Put on lotion before next acupuncture session.

Human Flourishing

Had an appointment with an acupuncturist yesterday. Because it is a community setting and the treatment takes place in a recliner, I thought about taking a book or listening to my MP3 player until I read Getting The Most Out of Your Acupuncture Session.

But what about the patient with too much weighing on the mind that finds it hard to sit still? Sometimes reading a book is most restful, although I don’t necessarily endorse it. There is a practice of sitting still, its called meditation, and it can take a long time to enjoy that stillness. In my opinion, our society doesn’t place enough value on relaxation, stillness, or prevention.

I bit the bullet and reclined sans distractions and, I have to admit, it was restful.

Note: If you do decide to take the meditative and community-oriented route, you might not want to book an appointment at the same time as your curious friend who has trouble locating the off switch and who will then proceed to chat up the equally chit chatty acupuncturist -- almost negating your meditative state.

I told the acupuncturist that my primary concerns were my shoulder (consistent, subtle kink) and stress. Hmmm, which came first -- the kink or the stress?

I had two firsts: needles in the palm right underneath the thumb and a needle in my forehead. Very appropriate don't you think? A needle in the forehead -- hitting me right where all those nagging thoughts are wearing me down.

I'm gonna have to say it was noticeable when the needle entered the palms.

Between the acupuncture and the rain, I was in a little trance this morning. I finally left bed around 10:00 a.m...

Last night, I checked out National Geographic's Stress: Portrait of a Killer on Netflix.

In less the one minute, the narrator gets to the heart of the matter:

Stress – it is everyone’s inferno bedeviling our minds, igniting our nights, upending our equilibrium but it hasn’t always been so. Once, it’s purpose was to save us. Once, what helped us survive has now become the scourge of our lives.

According to Dr. Carol Shively of Wake Forest University:

This is not an abstract concept. It’s not something that maybe someday you should do something about; you need to attend to it today. (01:35)

Raise your hand if you know that fat brought on by stress is more dangerous.

Robert Sapolsky, a MacArthur Grant recipient and professor at Stanford University, studied a baboon troop in Africa. His research was almost nullified when the troop ate tuberculosis-tainted meat.

What Supolsky realized, though, was that there were certain troop members that succumbed:

It wasn’t random who died. In that troop, if you were aggressive and if you were not particularly socially connected, socially affiliated, you didn’t spent your time grooming and hanging out – if you were that kind of male, you died...


And what you were left with was twice as many females and the males who were remaining were, you know, just to use scientific jargon –- they were good guys; they were not aggressive jerks; they were nice to the females and socially affiliated – and it completely transformed the atmosphere of the group. (45:00 range)

I loved what Dr. Shively said about decompressing:

Whatever it is that works for an individual, they need to value stress reduction. I think the problem in our society is that we don’t value stress reduction. We, in fact, value the opposite. We admire the person who not only multitasks and does two things at once but does five things at once; we kind of admire that person…Well, that’s an incredibly stressful way to live. We have to change our values and value people who understand a balanced and serene life. (34:00)

In addition, I didn't get this gentleman's name but I think he's affiliated with The Whitehall Study in England. He posed the following question:

How can we create a society that has the conditions to allow people to flourish?

Holding On

The shoulder situation made a comeback and I've been treating it with massage therapy but a funny thing would happen on the way to massage therapy: the pain, discomfort and soreness (from exercise) would just about disappear.

The second time the pain disappeared prior to my appointment, I figured something psychological might be going on.

The day after the last massage that I had the discomfort, which had already switched sides of the shoulder, returned to my upper right arm, my shoulder blade and sometimes on the side of my neck. The shoulder blade situation felt like a tight little radius of intensity and heat with a kink right in the middle.

My friend (HC), her sister and I went to Community Acupuncture's open house today. After treatment, my friend asked me what I thought.

Me: It is what it is...

That's when I realized I was in a foul mood and stressed-out.

I have been feeling stuck and there is little wonder that my muscles are in a holding pattern.

I'm frustrated with rock climbing no matter what my belay partners tell me about my tenacity and strength.

I'm frustrated with front crawl breathing even though I've been told that everyone struggles with it.

I'm frustrated that I seem unable to lose more weight. One year plateau anyone?

I have angst about my new body and I didn't see that one coming.

I may have fitness fatigue.

And my face? Even it looks strange after weight loss.


While I was waiting on my friend and her sister to finish up their acupuncture sessions, I read through The Asian Diet book and one of the things it said about stress is that your body holds on to weight. Imagine that...

A few weeks ago, I was talking to my friend Lori and I was reluctant to vent. I told her that I sounded ungrateful and she told me that I wasn't being ungrateful; I was just expressing how I feel.

I also have a tendency to not want to own up to sadness etc. because, in the back of mind, I feel as if things might get worse if I vent. Not sure where I got that idea from and, having said that, turning the calendar page from August to September made me sad. I even took the calendar off the wall for a while.

I went rock climbing yesterday and swimming today. Clearly, if I had a serious shoulder injury, I would not have been able to climb or swim.

Just acknowledging, though, that I haven't been feeling cheery has taken some of the weight off my shoulders. I'm sure that floating helped too...


Postscript: Since I'm getting stuff off my shoulders, even though I swim laps, my treading bites and I am not wholly comfortable with the deep end.

Somebody Done Told You Wrong

I literally just untangled and uncrumpled my still damp sports bra and shirt I had on this morning when I went rock climbing. I went straight from climbing to get an acupuncture treatment. This method is not 'Drea approved since freshening up and lunch were not in the mix.

I had an incredible time rock climbing.

Patti was there.



Mike was there.


Joe was there.

Plus, some newbies latched on. I think we spent more time talking than climbing but I was quite happy because I made it up Somebody Done Told You Wrong. I climbed it much better than I did last time. So, yay, for improvement and thanks to Joe for giving me pointers as I made my way up the route. Patti continues to amaze me. Her technique is great and if you saw the way Patti scrambles up the wall, you would agree with me.

My shoulder didn't feel odd while I was belaying but it did the other day when I was doing Pilates; it's a weird little injury, I tell ya.

Route Tally:

Under the Bridge, 5.6 (Warm Down)

Sponge Bob, 5.7 (Warm Up)

The Seven, 5.7

Chag, 5.9/5.8

Festival of Britain, 5.9 (I resorted to rainbow climbing and attempted this one purely to practice.)

Somebody Done Told You Wrong, 5.9

I raced to meet my friend and we headed to see Dr. Ginger. This time, I hardly felt the needles (ten of them) that the assistant assassin put into my stomach.

After treatment, I felt a lot of intensity (healing?) in the area of my shoulder. After the initial session last Saturday, I went swimming the next day and I was able to do a lap of the backstroke which I hadn't been able to do before without feeling that subtle but yucky kink in my shoulder. In addition, I was so relaxed after acupuncture that I didn't feel my usual Sunday malaise and that, my friends, was priceless.

The Point of Well Being and the Assistant Assassin

When I went on a cruise about a year and half ago, I went to a lecture by the acupuncturist on board and she handed out neat brochures. See how long I keep things?

I decided to return to an acupuncturist that, ironically, I saw before I went on the cruise.

Areas of concern:

Body Tenseness (i.e. I wrecked my body over a two day span which started with a Kate Tuesday evening special)

Rotator Cuff

Weight Loss Plateau

One of my friends went with me and she told Dr. Ginger a.k.a. Dr. Xinsheng Jiang that I was also having issues with my hands which are calm for now but I've had what I believe to be contact dermatitis.


Old Picture
The cruise ship's brochure touted acupuncture as a treatment for pain management, weight-loss, detox as well as for:

The first thing that Dr. Ginger asked me about was PMS. I told her that I was good as gold. I'm sure that being overweight wreaked havoc with my hormones but it wasn't until I saw Dr. Ginger that my symptoms disappeared. Hasta la vista suffering.

After the niceties and inquiries about my regimen, Dr. Ginger went to work. I soon had six needles in my shoulder area on my left arm in addition to two additional needles in my lower left arm.

Dr. Ginger's student i.e. the assistant assassin put the needles in my stomach and I don't know if the stomach is just more sensitive than the arm or it's Dr. G's skill but let's just say that I felt those six needles when they entered the stomach. I also got a needle in each hand and one in each leg. Then, the heating lamps were turned on. Instinctively, I start breathing yoga-like.

Dr. G also wants me to drink this tea. In addition, she gave me a three day diet to follow which I'm almost sure that I won't. For sure, though, I felt relaxed after my treatment and I'm hoping that Dr. Ginger will have worked her magic once more.

When I told a colleague that I intended to see an acupuncturist this weekend, she said that if I suddenly lost 20 pounds in one week to let her know. I told her that Ginger is an acupuncturist not Houdini even though she's magical and all.

I continue to find this commercial funny. Hee-hee???



Have you ever been to an acupuncturist or thought about going?

Wonder Acupuncturist?

This page is from a Wellness pocket calendar which has very cool information. The calendars are for marketing purposes but I like them. I got this particular one from Dr. Ginger who is, among other things, an acupuncturist. I went one time to see if I could dodge some unshakable pain.

Dr. Ginger was like an assassin with the needles. Never saw them coming and never felt pain. I did, however, want to sleep like a baby after the treatment and I haven't felt that particular pain anymore. Wonder acupuncturist or coincidence? I don't really know but I'd go again.

Whenever I think about acupuncture, my mind inevitably wanders to this silly commercial: