Learning to Walk Again

I always figured if I put on my tennis shoes I should go for a run. It was the best use of my time: more calories burned and more cardio capacity gained. Life, as it were, has since reminded me that there is great value in "just" walking.

Lesson 1: I've dealt with some chronic health issues over the past ten years. The flare-up episodes were hard for me, and I rarely had the energy to run or go to the gym. But, Bailey always wanted (and needed) to get out at some point during the day. So, even if I didn't feel like it, we'd go for a walk. Fresh air, blood circulation, and some Vitamin D are good for the body, mind, and soul.

Lesson 2: So, apparently it's true that your body goes to heck when you turn 30. Okay, I don't completely believe that, but I did find it ironic that I tore my ACL (for the second time) within a month of my 30th birthday. It's like the soccer gods were telling me "I ain't as good as I once was" (lyric courtesy of Toby Keith). While I waited the two months for surgery, I was only allowed to walk. Running would have likely caused further damage to the meniscus or other ligaments. So Bailey and I settled into a slower pace for our evening outings.

Lesson 3: After I had the surgery, I had to wear a "peg leg" brace to keep the weight off my knee for three weeks. When I finally got the okay to start walking, my gait was definitely not normal. Because my leg had been held straight that long, I had to consciously remember to bend my knee when putting one foot in front of the other. It was a humble reminder of how we often take everyday activities for granted.

Lesson 4: I'm now 3 months post-op and walking feels normal again. The knee is doing well and I'm allowed to ride the exercise bike and do lots of physical therapy exercises, but still no running. So, Bailey and I continue to walk.

I've discovered that walking is refreshing and restorative in different ways than running. Many of you know that there is good research that proves this and/or you've experienced it yourself. I've only recently learned that it is worth taking "just" a walk. Of course, the open-mouthed, tongue-wagging enthusiasm of my walking partner helps too.

Yoga: pigeon anyone?

I'm not going to lie; I've always been skeptical of yoga. It's just really not my kind of recreational activity. I run, I play soccer, or if I go to the gym, I typically do spin class or some other cardio. Maybe it's the sterotypical image of a Chinese monk sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, with his hands on his knees humming to himself that left me uninterested. Or maybe it's just because I don't sit still very well.

At any rate, in an effort to address some chronic and very frustrating health issues, I decided to give it a try. Because I've never been good at a series of body movements (we learned early on I should stick with soccer rather than dance), it took me awhile to learn the basic routine.

Now, if someone would have told me that yoga is just great stretching and strength and balance training, I'd probably have been doing sun salutations a lot sooner.

I didn't realize how often I tense my shoulders and neck muscles, nor did I consider the importance of stretching out my upper body on a regular basis. Just being aware of this tendency and tension has helped me address it and, consequently, helped me to relax. It's important to remember to keep the shoulders down and away from the ears, and to sit up tall so your spine is lengthened. We all have a tendency to slouch and to pull our shoulders up and tense our neck muscles, especially when we're stressed. I find myself doing it when I sit at the computer all day.

In yoga class, I still can't believe that I can work up a sweat moving that slow. It never occurred to me that it's not about how fast you're going; it's about the strength, balance, and flexibility required to keep all your muscles engaged and move from one pose to another in succession.

On a side note, I read an article recently that claimed real Christians shouldn't practice yoga because it was so obviously part of a religion that was based on self-reliance principles in polarized contrast to Christianity. Really? I don't think God is that shallow. Like any activity, there is a range of involvement, and you can get out of it what you want. My mom goes to Tai Chi class (my dad calls it "Kung Fu," just to be funny) for the stretching and relaxation benefits; as she says, "I'm just talking to a different (the) God." I think God is okay with that. I think yoga can actually be a great complement to the Christian walk. It helps me slow down, appreciate life, and live in the moment.

Oh, and pigeon is one of my favorite poses. It's such a great stretch.

Namaste.

I *heart* boobies

Yep, I just wrote "boobies" on my blog post. Have you seen the articles on this? Kids are getting suspended from school for wearing bracelets that read "I *heart* boobies." Just google "i love boobies breast cancer awareness," and you'll see plenty of articles.

The bracelet campaign was started by the Keep a Breast Foundation in Carlsbad, CA, a non-profit group that seeks to raise breast cancer awareness among young people.

Now, I'm usually quite the prude on these kind of issues. And certainly some of these kids are wearing the bracelets just to be smart alec punks. But, many of them have also likely had a mom, aunt, or someone else close to them diagnosed with breast cancer. I'm just saying there's probably a balance between respecting women's bodies and not taking ourselves too seriously. And, I'm guessing this campaign has done a great job of raising awareness amongst young adults, as well as the greater community.

And, have you ever been to a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event? "I *heart* boobies" is nothing! Moms and grandmas are walking around wearing shirts that say "save the tatas" and "team tough titties." Some of my other team name favorites include: "breast friends," "saving second base," "the rack pack," "walkers for knockers," "breastsavers," and "a cure or bust!"

Many of these women or their loved ones have been through hell and back fighting breast cancer. They have learned what's worth making a fuss over and what isn't. And they recognize the need for some creativity in order to get the awareness message out.

If you haven't participated in a Susan G. Komen event, I strongly recommend it. They are truly inspirational gatherings, and most of us could use a 5K run (or walk), so why not do it in support of a great cause? And, one of the highlights is always checking out the great team slogans!

In the meantime, I think that school administrators probably have some bigger issues to tackle than the boobies bracelet booby.

I Like The Rain in Suburbia...

...because when Bailey and I go for a walk, no one else is out. We have the outdoors to ourselves. Apparently suburbanites think they will melt in the rain. I figure it's nothing a ball cap and rain jacket can't handle. And Bailey always wants to walk - rain or shine. Sure she's get wet and then smells like wet dog, but she loves it. And the rain makes her crazy......why is it that rain makes dogs crazy? We'll get back from walking and she has to do at least 5 minutes of crazy hot laps around the house by herself. It's pretty hilarious.

Anyhow, as walks in suburbia go...I like the rain.

NFL Overtime Rules

(Click the title above to read sports analyst Peter King's opinion.)

Anyone who watched the NFC Championship last Sunday had to be a little unnerved that the Saints beat the Vikings in an overtime where the Vikings never touched the ball. Here's my assessment: an overtime shouldn't be decided by sudden death, if the first possession of OT is decided by a coin toss.

Probably the easiest solution is to ensure that each team touches the ball at least once in overtime.

Or maybe I just wanted Favre to have another shot...

"Belle of the Ball"

I had the opportunity to listen in on a roundtable discussion last week between agricultural leaders and USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. Merrigan was in Davis to award a grant for conducting research on invasive species. (http://nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2010news/01212_invasive_species.html)

Overall, it was a good exchange of information. My favorite part may have been the Deputy Secretary's explanation of how food, and how it is grown, has become such a popular issue: she said, "I used to go to parties, people would ask me what I did for a living, I'd say 'agricultural policy,' and there I'd be left alone with my gin and tonic. Now, I go to parties, people ask what I do for a living, I say 'agricultural policy,' and I'm the belle of the ball."

Awesome.

Forbes Article: America's Agricultural Angst

(click title above to view article)

I thought this article was a pretty good review of the state of U.S. agriculture. I strongly agree with his points on organic agriculture, particularly that we can't feed the world with organics. Now don't get me wrong - I support both organic and conventional production, and everything in between. In fact, I bought a tub of organic salad from Costco yesterday because it was the spring mix I wanted and it was a good price. As with most comparisons, I believe the organic versus conventional methods debate has pros and cons on each side. Farmers have found markets for food produced in a variety of ways. We cannot feed the world with organic farming and urban gardens, which is the supposed utopia some are promoting in the policy arena.

Less than 2% of the country's population is directly involved in farming, but as the author points out, 1 in 6 jobs is related to agriculture - such as processing, transportation, marketing, etc.

96% of U.S. farms are still family-owned, even if they don't look like the subsistence farms of a century ago. Over time, as people moved off farms, and cities and suburbs grew, agricultural researchers and farmers became more efficient and technical - growing more with less.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) continue to be controversial, though they have so much potential to feed a hungry, growing world. Now, I have a personal limit as to how far I think genetic engineering should proceed. I start getting uneasy with the cloning of animals and anything related to humans. That being said, there are many opportunities with plant modifications alone. It is hard to argue against the value of Golden Rice (Vitamin A fortified) and other nutrient-enriched feedstuffs that can provide major missing elements for the diets of malnourished people in developing countries. We shouldn't just turn these products loose, but with a benefit-risk evaluation, environmental considerations, and proper management, this crop can literally save peoples' lives.

Finally, a word on environmental regulations. This article highlights the situation in California's Central Valley where regulations exacerbated a running three-year drought. I'll post a more-detailed explanation of the situation later, but the summary is federal water pumps were turned off because that action might impact the Delta smelt, an endangered species. The species is still doing poorly, other factors need to be considered for real results, and farmers in the Central Valley received virtually no irrigation water.

If we want to continue to produce food in this country, there must be a balance between environmental regulations and the ability to stay in business.