5.18
Some time ago I posted about 'grounding' or 'earthing' as a way to combat inflammation in our bodies, and bring us back into connection with the natural electrical ground we get from contact with the Earth. Check out the link for those details.
I have been bringing grounding into my life a bit more lately, because some months ago I bought my first pair of 'barefoot' running shoes. You may also hear these called 'zero drop' shoes. The point is that there is no height difference between the heel and the rest of the sole of the shoe (think flip flops or plain sandals.)
The benefits of barefoot or zero-drop shoes appear to be numerous, and are new enough to shoe technology that there is more to be written on the topic. For now, zero drop shoes are recognized as bringing your feet, ankles and legs (along with all the related joints) into a more natural form of walking and running.
The 'barefoot' trail running shoes I bought have been great. I never had knee or joint issues, and rarely had calf cramps, and such, so there really wasn't anything for me to measure or overcome. But long story short, the Merrell Trail Glove 4 running shoes have served me very well through dozens of miles of running, a half marathon, and two Spartan races.
Are barefoot shoes for everyone? Some would say "absolutely!"... and so is walking barefoot. Other specialists contend that significant walking barefoot causes poor foot and joint health. I tend to disagree, and figure it all works together (fix your diet, build up your activity level, start going barefoot for walking and running, and you'll probably be good to go.)
So think about some healthier footwear next time you are shoe shopping, and consider flats, or sandals or some zero-drop shoes. You may walk right into a new and better part of your wellness lifestyle.
By the Way
Some great brands of barefoot shoes and zero-drop shoes are Merrell (mostly running and trail), VivoBarefoot (great selection, but a bit pricey), and Xero Shoes (originators of great minimalist shoes).
And remember that our bodies get all kinds of benefits from simply going barefoot in our daily life.
5.17
Michael Pollan has a great quote that I've shared before in Power Pantry:
"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."
In the US (and other cultures which are unfortunately following our standard American diet) we are over fed, and under-nourished. Following Pollan's guidance is a tremendous start to correcting that.
Check out this review of Pollan's 7 Rules for Eating, posted on WebMD:
7 Rules for Eating
Note that food refers to 'REAL food' - not the lab-designed food-like substances sold from the shelves of convenience stores and groceries nationwide. Coke products are NOT food... potato chips are not food... even breakfast cereals, frankly, fall far short of being food.
One perspective I appreciate from Pollan is that if your grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it. Wow would that eliminate a lot from our pantries.
How is your pantry looking? Have you done a comprehensive review lately? Feeling a bit run down and achy? Start with what you're putting into your body... follow Pollan's 7 Rules faithfully. Seek out REAL food. Then whatever you find in your pantry which has any flavoring (natural or artificial), coloring, preservatives of any kind, or any kind of sweeteners which are overly processed (dates=good; sorbitol, aspartame and even erythritol=bad) throw out.
The result? You'll have the opportunity to drop weight, sleep better, enjoy your calories, and even knit better as a family. The biggest benefit of all is that our bodies will thank us when we purge the faux foods and commit to buying and eating real food. Happy shopping!
By the Way
Become an expert at reading labels. Look for a minimal number of ingredients (think Lara Bars, not Nutrigrain bars...). Get the family involved and cooking together, then sit and savor today's culinary creations. Truly learn to appreciate and savor the smells and tastes and textures of what you eat, and you'll be on your way to wellness.
5.16
If you've been reading Power Pantry for any amount of time, you know that all foods are not created equally. More than that, there are a lot foods which may be nutritious and satisfying for some people, and downright harmful to others.
I have a very sensitive gut, and have learned over the years that some foods are just fine for me, yet others (think nightshade veggies, corn and legumes) are flirting with nutritional and physical disaster. This keeps me watching for healthful sources of carbs, fats and protein, and yields (hopefully beneficial) content for Power Pantry.
One healthful protein I appreciate is the sunflower seed. I've mentioned sunflower seeds numerous times in Power Pantry, but know these nutritional powerhouses deserve a closer look. While so many proteins come with dietary or digestive challenges (dairy, beans, tree nuts, various fish, eggs, etc.) sunflower seeds offer numerous nutritional benefits with none of the common allergy issues.
These power-packed seeds have been cultivated and enjoyed for thousands of years, and one thing consistently credited to sunflower seeds is that they are well tolerated by so many people. Along with that, sunflower seeds pack tremendous health benefits. Check out this article from the website for "The World's Healthiest Foods" (www.whfoods.com)
Sunflower Seeds - a health-promoting snack
Note the variety of benefits: a great source of Vitamin E (the body's only fat-soluble anti-oxidant, for anti-inflammatory help and cancer prevention ); phytosterols to lower cholesterol, magnesium to strengthen our nervous system, and selenium, a powerful detoxifier and cancer preventer.
So if you're looking for something super healthful, snackable and satisfying, reach for sunflower seeds. You just may find a new favorite.
By the Way
If you like nut butters as much as I do, you'll appreciate this further perspective from Dr. Axe on sunflower seed butter: Sunflower Seed Butter - the Peanut Butter Alternative
5.15
I unintentionally took a couple of months off from Power Pantry this summer. I even had a friend check in with me to be sure all is well... Everything is great! It was the combination of vacations, some Spartan training, and being let down by some of my technology that helped me sidestep my blog since June. But not to worry, all those distractions are simply that: distractions. In every day and every endeavor I strive to live out a great journey.
So this summer, I'm still dialed into my 50th birthday celebration and fulfilling some crazy goals that answer my question why... the question I asked quite emphatically in my 5.14 post. Yesterday I completed my 5th Spartan Race, with my son competing as well. It was tremendous (as they all have been) and completes the 2nd of 3 Spartan Races I'm running in 2018.
My 'why' is multi-faceted and maybe a bit obscure, but it centers on some themes:
- because I've been blessed with the desire, health and strength to do it
- because I learned so much more from a wellness lifestyle of tenacity, than I ever did from a lifestyle of ease
- because the payoff of a wellness lifestyle isn't the next PR or medal; the payoff is the journey that got you prepared to run the race
- because the journey gets us to the finish line, so why not have an awesome journey
You have a next step in your journey. There are 4 more months in 2018 to accomplish that goal, or launch into that resolution you boldly set forth in January. Four months is a long time, but remember, the goal isn't the payoff. The journey is the payoff.
What will you do in September? Commit to taking a 1 mile evening walk 5 days a week? Maybe clean up that bike you loved so much 10 years ago, and get back out for some miles again? Or put a training plan together for a run? There's still plenty of time to make 2018 a milestone year. You've got this.
By the Way
The next book I'm reading is 'Spartan Up!' by Joe DeSena (the founder of the Spartan Race). It's a bit gritty, but chronicles his own journey from growing up poor in Queens, NY, to various successes and misadventures in business, and finally rooting himself in stretching others way beyond what they think they can do. DeSena thrives on changing the rules, bending what is 'normal' and asking of others nothing more than what he asks of himself - to commit to a better and more challenging journey.
5.14
I'm reading an incredible book right now: "Running On Empty," by ultra-marathoner Marshall Ulrich, chronicling Ulrich's landmark run across the USA. I would highly recommend this book for guidance, encouragement and most of all to help you answer your own question of "why".
Why care about our wellness? Why stock a great, life-giving pantry? Why exercise, for real, 5 days a week? Why?
Ulrich is an incredible endurance athlete, and holds the Masters and Grand Masters record for running across the entire USA (San Francisco to NY City). But why?
The book describe Ulrich's fairly normal upbringing in Colorado, and how as an adult he sought stress relief and focus through running. With the loss of his first wife to cancer, and a penchant for successfully running grueling distances, tolerating pain well beyond what most can endure, Ulrich delves deeply into the motivations of an endurance athlete.
A turning point in his personal journey, and his second wife's acceptance of his sometimes bizarre athletic endeavors, comes when Ulrich realizes, simply, "It's just who I am." This revelation gives him the focus he needs to dig deep, with his wife Heather by his side, and complete the 3,063 mile journey across America.
What's your 'Why'? Who are you, down deep? I accepted years ago that I'm a bit eccentric (and hopefully not too neurotic) with my wellness pursuits. But that's who I am. And I have co-conspirators in the likes of endurance athletes and obstacle course racers, and runners of all kinds. That settles my mind about who I really am, what makes me come alive, and why a wellness lifestyle is vital to me.
Today, take some time to think deeply about who you are, where you fit, and what makes you come alive. You'll be glad you did, and the world around you will likely thank you for being yourself.
By the Way
Ulrich's cross-country journey was the subject of the 2010 movie, Running America. Read the book, or watch the movie... either way, I'm certain your journey will be inspired.
5.13
Our pantry always needs great snacks, and eating clean doesn't have to be weird or boring. So I have kept dark chocolate as a great superfood feature in our pantry since I started my wellness lifestyle. Chocolate has been renowned as beneficial ever since it was commercially produced in the late 1800's.
And for good reason. Chocolate is a genuine superfood and offers numerous benefits that go well with a healthy lifestyle. See this great article from Dr. Josh Axe, highlighting seven benefits of dark chocolate:
7 Awesome Benefits of Dark Chocolate
This ancient treat can help with everything from fighting cancer to improving heart health and cholesterol, to giving us better cognitive function. Note these benefits are focused on dark chocolate (which has 70% cacao solids, compared to milk or Dutch chocolate, which have lower amounts.)
The mild amount of caffeine offers a pick-me-up, and the taste just keeps us coming back for more. So find an all-natural dark chocolate to add to your pantry, and enjoy this healthful addition to your snacks and desserts.
By the Way
I found a great chocolate brand at Target: Guittard's makes an all-natural dark chocolate for baking (chips and wafers, etc.) It is made with sunflower lecithin instead of soy. I avoid legumes, and the majority of dark chocolate chips or bars have soy lecithin as an emulsifier. I also look for cane sugar instead of corn syrup, and no artificial flavors or vanillan.
5.12
The next installment of my 2018 celebration of turning 50 is a legitimate memorial event to celebrate Memorial Day. Some time ago I was introduced to The Murph Challenge (likely through CrossFit videos on YouTube...). Memorial Day Monday, I'll be grindin' it out, doing this classic workout, in honor of Lt. Michael P Murphy.
Lt Murphy fought for our country as a Navy SEAL, and lost his life in 2005 near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Learn more about his heroic investment in his team here. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
The Murph Challenge workout is something Lt. Murphy was know for among his comrades. This self-styled PT was something Murph embraced, and invited others into. The workout?
1 mile run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
1 mile run
All with a military body-armor vest on (about 20 pounds)
Years ago, this workout caught on as a great, simple cardio, upper-body and leg workout, and was promoted in military circles before catching on with CrossFit. The Murph Challenge is now repeated world-wide in honor of Lt. Murphy.
A month or so ago I registered for the Murph Challenge, and I've been preparing mentally and physically since. How about you? What's on your wellness calendar? Are you reviewing your pantry or your physical activity for 2018? Have you added anything beneficial recently? There is no time like the present.
By the Way
I'll be doing the Murph Challenge without the body armor vest. I will do the run with my 25 pound sandbag, but the arm and leg portions will just be body-weight. And the point is to do the workout for time. Without the weight vest, I should be able to finish in about 45-50 minutes. We'll see... And maybe this will become a yearly tradition for me - our military deserves our honor and acknowledgement.
