The Hemp Connection [Search results for swimming] 

I enjoy a lot of physical activities. One that I particularly enjoy, likely because I have spent so much of my life in a hot climate, is swimming. Since junior high, one of my very favorite things to do, is get into the pool and swim a mile.

It has always bothered me that fitness experts give this form of exercise such a thumbs down. It's not weight bearing. It doesn't burn fat. Yadayadayada.

Tell me, does this look like the body of an out-of-shape woman to you?!?!?

Of course Dara Torres is genetically blessed, and of course, she lifts weights. But you can't argue that she spends a whole lot of time in the pool. It's not working against HER from what I see!

I wish fitness experts would stop talking about swimming as if it's a useless exercise.

The other night when I was swimming, there were a couple of people in the pool who were clearly getting back into fitness after significant time away. They would never have survived a half hour on the treadmill, or an afternoon hike, or a round of tennis. But they were in the pool and they were working hard. That is what was important.

Here are some reasons I love water fitness and why I encourage you to try it for yourself.

1. Swimming is gentle on your joints. If arthritis keeps you from a lot of activities, swimming might be an answer. You can move your body without pounding the parts of you that hurt.

2. Swimming is a great body image equalizer. Once you're in the pool, no one can really see what you look like. I think that's what keeps a lot of people out of the gym, fear that those in great shape are looking at them and judging them, rather than appreciating the tremendous effort it took to get there.

3. Swimming uses upper and lower body parts. I know I should probably lift more weights. But weights, to me, are incredibly boring. I am getting ready to take tennis lessons, but that's going to use one side of my body more than the other. I could equalize that with.you guessed it…weights…but I'd rather balance it with swimming, which works my upper body in an equalized way that is enjoyable to me.

4. Swimming is meditative. I cannot tell you how many times, after being stuck on a project or writing assignment, I've gone to the pool, started moving, and the perfect idea just popped into my head. It seems to foster brain blood flow in a way that enhances cognitive function.

5. Swimming is relaxing. I ALWAYS sleep well when I swim. In fact, I often have to force myself to stay awake past 8:30 on days that I swim, so that I don't wake up at 4 am ready to go! You all know that poor sleep encourages insulin resistance. If you're sleeping well because you're swimming, the benefit you get may not directly be from how many calories you burn in the pool, but from the improved insulin function that encourages weight loss long after you've been in the water.

6. Swimming doesn't remind you of your body size with every move you make. I agonize for Biggest Loser contestants sweating away on the treadmill. Every step they take, every breath they take, they're reminded of how out of shape they are and how far they have to go. Swimming is the great body size evaporator. You can exert yourself within reason without feeling like you have to punish yourself. The water is one environment where you can, at least temporarily, not have a constant reminder of your size. You're weightless, you can glide, you can float, you can propel yourself. It's a completely size acceptant and encouraging environment.

7. What I've never seen studied, and I've looked for it a lot, is an analysis of what happens to body fat in swimming. It may not drop, but I have a hunch it migrates, toward the skin, where it is needed to help insulate against the water temperature. But if you think about that, it may help you to look a little younger, to have a small layer of fat just underneath the skin to support its structure. I actually kind of like that my body is a little more rounded and not so gaunt and"ripped" when I swim. I think I look more feminine. It's the internal fat, the fat around the middle, that causes problems you don't want. If you're noticing that your waist inches are decreasing, your body fat may be a little higher as a swimmer, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's BAD fat. (I kind of think the reason a lot of my athlete/fitness expert/weight lifting friends don't enjoy swimming is because their body fat is so low they don't have flotation on their side and they have to work too hard to enjoy it. So they justify why you shouldn't pursue it to fit their own physiological bias!)

So there you have it. I've hopefully removed some of the excuses and barriers that keep you out of the pool. If it gets you moving, if it helps you to sleep, if it improves your insulin function…why are you listening to the people who contradict your truth? What matters is what works for YOU. Not what some lean, cut person who has sunk to the bottom of the deep end is trying to tell you.: )

I'm still working on learning to swim the butterfly stroke. Even though I've been swimming most of my life, something new about swimming occurred to me this past week. As calorically intense as swimming can be, I always leave the pool feeling invigorated. And at night…I fall right asleep and sleep through the night without issue.

I'm a pretty regular exerciser, but the nature of swimming, having to hold your breath, forces me to use my lungs differently than I do with any other exercise. I have to breathe more deeply into my lungs, and hold that air longer, than I do when I run or use exercise machines or rollerblade. My endurance with swimming is a little rusty, so, I have to stop and catch my breath which I don't have to do with any other exercise.

I think, because swimming is using my lungs in a more intensive way, it's better oxygenating my body. And that in turn leaves me feeling more energetic, since oxygen is necessary for healthy metabolism. And I sleep better at night when melatonin is triggered to come out and balance all that oxidation with restorative activity.

How well do you breathe? It is common, when stressed, to breathe more rapidly with shallower breaths. When you don't fully use your lungs, it's hard for adequate oxygen to get to your brain…and when your brain is stressed, it intensifies the feeling of anxiety, shortening breathing even more…thus starting a vicious cycle.

And…since the brain's main fuel is glucose, when you're not breathing adequately, you run the risk of having more sugar cravings.

When you're anxious, it is common to want to have an explanation for it. And the tendency is to blame it on something external, like your infertility, your weight, your appearance, your marriage, etc. It may be, at least some of the time, that your anxiety is directly related to how you're breathing.

Try this exercise the next time you're feeling anxious and see how you feel. Or…rather than waiting till you're anxious, try it several days in a row at a time of day you know you feel stressed (and hungry for carbs), such as when you get home from work just before dinner, and see if you start to notice a change in your mood and your appetite.

Lay down on your bed and place a book or pillow on your stomach. Make yourself breathe so that the object begins to move up and down. If you're breathing shallowly, with the top of your lungs, it will be hard to do this. So if the book doesn't move, focus on breathing into your belly button. Breathe like this for 20 breaths. Next time…30.

This is the kind of breathing you would learn to do in yoga class. It's exactly the kind of breathing I do in the middle of a counseling session or meeting when I feel stressed. I simply place a hand on my stomach to check if my breath is getting into the bottom of my lungs.

Of course, exercise is the ultimate way to do this kind of breathing. But it won't work for you in rush hour traffic, during your midterm, or when you're giving that sales presentation. Keep this technique handy in those situations, and exercise when you DO have time.

I'll be interested to hear from all of you about what you notice when you try this!

You’ve heard it a thousand times, from every doctor, dietician, and well-meaning person you’ve ever encountered – you’ve got to lose weight, get out there and get some exercise, and change what you’re doing with your body when you’ve got PCOS. It’s important advice, to be sure, yet tedious to hear – and sometimes when we’re in the midst of trying to change our lifestyle and behaviors, we forget why we’re doing it.

All we hear is this pointed and difficult direction to improve things, and we fail to spend time linking it intellectually and emotionally to positive outcome, which helps drive motivation. It’s particularly frustrating with PCOS, because change occurs painfully slowly, and when you don’t see change, you lose motivation. Others can go on a diet and lose five pounds immediately, whereas that’s rarely the case for someone with PCOS.

Sometimes the changes are only visible when you get your lab results every few months, and the doctor congratulates you on lowering your cholesterol 20 points (personally, I don’t find that terribly exciting, although I know that it’s good) – in which case you might get it intellectually, but still be saying “yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s great, but where’s the weight loss?!” What we want is weight loss, pregnancy, a reduction in hirsutism, or some other visible proof that what we’re doing is working.

When you really understand the importance of exercise for both your body and your brain though it’s a little easier to stick with a program of self-improvement. In a 2011 study entitled Lifestyle Changes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, researchers examined numerous studies, papers, and research projects and validated the benefits of lifestyle change. Women with PCOS who made positive dietary, exercise, and lifestyle changes (i.e., stress reduction, increased movement, lower glycemic diets) experienced reductions in weight, testosterone levels, waist circumference, and other meaningful markers of the syndrome.

To support not only weight loss and improvement in body composition, but also, from my perspective as a psychologist, the stress reduction and mental re-wiring that goes on as a result of exercise are spectacular. I particularly like the following forms of exercise:

Walking – the cross-lateral motion of walking oxygenates and re-synchs your brain, and leads to a literal feeling of “clearing out” – plus walking is an excellent low-impact exercise that leads to improved glucose control. Does it get any better than that?!

Yoga – numerous studies continue to validate the importance of yoga for stress reduction and pain management. A study entitled Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice indicated that yoga practice, regardless of skill level, resulted in marked reductions in both stress level and, even more exciting to those with PCOS, inflammation! Many fertility improvement programs involve yoga and other forms of stress reduction. And, while you’re improving your physical balance, you might just be improving your mental balance as well.

Swimming – swimming in a pool, lake, river, or ocean can be soothing and meditative. We are made primarily of water, and it is a return to water, and to the center of our selves. The silence and internal nature of the echoes and ripples brings us back into alignment with our natural rhythmic movement patterns.

Dancing – improves coordination, synthesizes mind/body, and is a form of creative expression. Much emotion is stored in the body, and can be expressed through the body. Plus, dancing is fun, at least when you “dance as if nobody’s looking!”

Weight training – feeling a strong body is empowering, and increases confidence. Sure, it’s hard work, but it has profound mental benefit when you conquer that final set, and your lifting is finished. There’s a sense of accomplishment and pride that boosts your self-esteem for hours. You’ll move better in your body too, and perhaps respect it a little more, for its ability to become so strong. (By the way, this is one really positive aspect of PCOS – that androgen imbalance will allow you to develop muscles more quickly!)

The mind and body are inseparable. If you work on improving the mental (motivation, drive, commitment), you will improve the physical. If you work on the physical, you’ll achieve the psychological rewards of calming, anxiety reduction, and depression reduction. Additionally, you’ll have fun and also be doing the right thing to keep your self-improvement program going. That leads to increased confidence, self-esteem, and overall improvement in your sense of well-being.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at Gretchen@drhousemd.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

References:

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Christian L, Preston H, Houts CR, Malarkey WB, Emery CF, Glaser R. Stress, inflammation, and yoga practice. Published in final edited form as: Psychosom Med. 2010 February; 72(2): 113. Published online 2010 January 11. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181cb9377.

Moran LJ, Hutchison SK, Norman RJ, Teede HJ. Lifestyle changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007506. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007506.pub2.Australia, 3168.

I wrote this article two years ago for a newsletter I was publishing. As we face a very important issue in the Gulf of Mexico, the issue of farmed fish needs to be revisited. I hope this creates awareness and opens up dialogue. For my nutrition colleagues reading this blog, we can be such an important part of the solution…provided we disseminate the real facts.

Despite our current love affair with salmon, our relationship with this cold-water fish has not always been productive. As recently as 30 years ago, it was reported that as much as 80% of a year’s supply was commercially fished out of the water. Despite an awareness of a need for better fishing practices and attention to sustainability, recent salmon fisheries were shut down along the Pacific Coast due to drastic drops in supplies.

As salmon gains favor as the fish with the highest known concentration of the coveted omega-3 fatty acids,
threats on its numbers, and its ability to sustain itself, are only likely to increase. One answer to maintaining salmon populations has been to farm them. However, fish farming has not been an industry that has been met with open arms. Current popular wisdom—and professional recommendations—tend to lean toward “wild Alaskan salmon” as the ultimate in seafood choices. However, it is just not that simple.

It is not at all a Free Willy scenario.

It is important to understand what “wild” really means. These “wild” salmon we envision with a lifetime of free ocean swimming are not all that likely to start life as a salmon egg hatching free of human contact and growing into an adult that has lived a life free of farms, pesticides, or any human mishandling.

Salmon are a migratory fish. In an ideal scenario, they would have free access to both oceans, where they
would spend most of their time, and rivers, where they swim to reproduce. Unfortunately, as many rivers the salmon used for spawning were dammed to be used for generating hydroelectric power, the salmon lost their breeding ground. In order to keep the prized fish from completely losing reproductive ground, salmon hatcheries were developed. It is here that salmon eggs are collected and hatched, and where a very high percentage of “wild” salmon begin their lives.

Actually, the process is a little more involved. Adult salmon are killed. Their eggs and sperm are collected
and combined, and the fish resulting from this process are raised in the hatchery (in a tank or a concrete
pond) for about 2 years. They are then released into the oceans, and can legally be called “wild.” As Mark
Powell, Vice President for Fish Conservation at the Ocean Conservancy and creator of the blog, “Blogfish”
describes it, “a ‘wild’ salmon may live half its life in a pond and the next half swimming in the open ocean, compared to a ‘farmed’ salmon that lives half its life in a pond and the next half in an open-ocean net pen. When in captivity, the ‘wild’and ‘farmed’ salmon are in nearly identical conditions… Also certain is that if you eat so-called"wild" salmon you have probably paid wild fish prices for fish that were spawned in a bucket and did some hard time in a concrete pond. ”

Based on this description, the terms “wild” and “farmed” merely describe what part of a fish’s life was spent
in captivity. The percentage of “wild” salmon that are actually hatchery-derived varies from region to region,
but as reported by blogfish, is 25% of Alaskan and British Columbia salmon, and at least 75% of salmon from Washington, Oregon, and California. Even the prestigious, expensive Copper River salmon is not exempt; as much as 24% of Copper River salmon in the market originated in hatcheries. Powell writes, “For a scientist, there are three main types of salmon, wild, farmed, and hatchery. But fishermen and the seafood industry call salmon wild if they're caught in the ocean, no matter how long they actually lived free.”

What this translates into, is that a label denoting “wild Alaskan salmon” is telling you that you have a 75% chance of having a fish that did not spend any of its life in any artificial confinement, as a hatchling, or as an adult. You are not guaranteed that this fish spent 100% of its life in the wild before being caught. The best bet
for wild salmon, according to blogfish, is the Copper River king variety, which is almost 100% wild.

Why would hatchery-bred fish be labeled as wild? Salmon populations have been declining for decades.

Much of the research about why, implicates damming of rivers that they need to have access to in order to
spawn. Hatcheries were originally developed as a means to maintain salmon populations, but it’s been difficult to produce evidence that this practice is actually effective. Rather than address the real issue, “wild” was redefined to include hatchery-bred fish, in order to create the impression that salmon populations are healthy, rather than declining. Unfortunately, words can only do so much. This past season, reality hit hard when Pacific fisheries had to close the salmon catch because populations were too low.

What is it about hatchery salmon that endangers the truly wild Salmon? Numerous issues, according to Salmon Nation, an organization dedicated to protecting salmon integrity. Initially, hatchery salmon were fed a mixture of fish offal, horse meat, tripe, and condemned pork and beef that ultimately spread disease throughout the populations of fish these hatchery fingerlings interacted with once they were released.

In 1960, feed was changed to pellets made from fishmeal. This new pellet drastically increased the numbers of fingerlings that survived to a size where they could be released into local rivers. However, in the numbers they were being released, they were competing for available food with truly wild salmon.

There has been a tendency on the part of hatcheries to assume that salmon are interchangeable from river to
river. Aquascientists have learned, however, that each strain of salmon, over hundreds of thousands of years, has developed immune systems specifically capable of defending against parasites and diseases found in the waters in which it is native. Fish whose parents were native to one river simply do not have the natural defenses to successfully survive the elements of a neighboring river. Indiscriminate release of salmon into a variety of environments results in a decreased immune resistance which is perpetuated into wild salmon as interbreeding occurs. The result is overall decreased survival rates, and ultimately dimished salmon populations.

The point of this article is not to determine which is better, wild or farmed salmon. Those debates exist in
abundance in other printed and electronic media. The purpose is to challenge whether or not nutrition specialists are helping or exacerbating the problem of declining salmon populations by not looking closer at facts before making recommendations and understanding labeling laws. It is true, salmon is the densest source of omega-3 fatty acids compared to other fish. And it is true, a truly wild salmon is nutritionally superior to any kind of salmon that spent any of its life in captivity.

Could it also be true, however, that promoting the perception that a wild salmon is something that it may
not be, only puts more pressure on a declining population of fish that is already struggling to survive?

One thing we CAN do, is to encourage consumption of a wide variety of fish. Salmon is not the only fish that contains omega-3’s.

We can also educate about the issue of hatcheries. If the demand for a product declines, it puts pressure on the industry that depends on sales of that product to adapt its practices in order to sustain itself.

The current situation has resulted from multiple detrimental policies affecting salmon and the habitat they depend on. It supports the argument that waiting for policy makers to figure out how to fix the problem may not be a viable solution. Reducing demand for a product that encourages ineffective policies to continue, in other words, voting with our collective purchases, may be the best sustainability strategy of all.

REFERENCES

http://www.salmonnation.com/essays/hatcheries.html
http://www.nativefishsociety.org/conservation/biblio/wild_vs_hatchery/index.html

http://www.blogfishx.blogspot.com/

I've been researching agave nectar over the past few weeks. I'm learning is that even though it is not a miracle food, and cannot be eaten in endless quantities without consequences, it's a viable option for a sweetener.

In order to get to that conclusion, I had to swim through quite a few websites, tweets, and Facebook posts. Many of them sounded formidable. However, what I discovered in the proccess, was that a few posts and tweets that were getting the most circulation, could be traced back to a few sources.

One of those sources was a very official looking website. At first glance, it appears that this organization is accredited and connected to several credible organizations, including the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association, the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Food and Drug Administration. Their logos all appear on the home page.

However, when I decided to fact check, both ADA's responded to my inquiry by denying any official type of affiliation. I'm pasting excerpts from the USDA's response below.

The website apparently has patents on its name, the lead researcher's name, among others, so I will oblige them and not mention them here. Suffice it to say you'll find it pretty easily if you're researching agave nectar and/or glycemic index.

It's easy to find yourself swimming in all kinds of information from"experts" and organizations. But because it takes a little bit of time to fact check, many people don't bother.

What I ask all of you to do in your own Internet activity, is to resist the impulse to tweet or hit the send button unless you are confident that what you're reading can be supported with facts. All four of the organizations I contacted were more than expedient with their responses and willing to help me understand what was true and what was not. I encourage you to use them in your own fact checking ventures.

********************************************************************************

Here is what the FDA said:

For your information, the linked articles that are…attributed to USDA, while apparently legitimate, may not have been properly cited as to the original source, and in one case, gives the appearance of being a USDA publication in error. The articles …were originally published on the USDA/ARS’ Web site in 2005 and 2007.

The first article listed under the USDA logo, is not actually a “publication” …posted on the USDA site (nor is this a USDA publication, as it may appear), but rather a comment made during the formation of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and submitted to USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. You can view the original comment in the comment database here (which is accessible to the public): http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/comments/ViewTopics.asp?TopicID=5&SubTopicID=22&submit1=Submit

I am currently swimming in Expo West samples, which makes me happy because it gives me fodder for blog posts and Examiner articles. This show is the place where anyone wanting to do business with Whole Foods, Mother's Markets, Central Market…any natural kind of market, parks themselves and their goods for 3 days in Anaheim, California, in an exhibition hall the size of six football fields. All of the products are natural. Not so many are healthy. You'll see all kinds of body building types (you know, the kind who are so overdeveloped they have to walk around looking as if they are carrying invisible suitcases), yoga types, Bob Marley types, chain smokers, heavy drinkers, and a gazillion flavors of kale chips, kefir, gluten free pizza, and nutrition bars.

I have come to hate nutrition bars for the most part, because there are so many, because I like real food, and because most of them should have a"really a glorified candy bar" disclaimer on the label.

But, it is great people watching, great for identifying trends, and we do have some really great inCYST supporters in our yard that we have met at Expo West.

My all time favorite laugh this year came from a product I didn't even pick up, it fell out of my trick-or-treat…er…sample bag, as I was organizing myself on returning home.

Called Blu2Go, it is a blueberry supplement with the tagline,"The Fusion of Blueberries and Science". As you can see on the front label, there are three medical claims with asterisks:

(1) Focus and Energy Melt. Ummmmm…can someone please tell me what an energy melt is? If you had asked me, I'd say that is when I return home after working out on a midsummer Phoenix day and collapse from the heat.

(2) Sustained energy boost. My understanding is that the benefit achieved from eating blueberries comes from consuming them regularly over an extended period of time. It's not like you put them on your oatmeal and take off on your run like you've got a Jetsons jet pack on your back.

(3) Supports focus and mental clarity. Well yeah, each one of those tablets is almost the equivalent of an ounce of espresso!

I went to the website and found a lot of really long and official sounding words…but what do you know? Nothing at all about why caffeine was added to the supplement and why you need to have caffeine with your blueberries. And even though the website goes into great scientific detail, even providing references about DNA, aging, etc…there is nothing, absolutely nothing, about the focus, mental clarity, yadayadayada hyped on the label.

I don't argue, there are healthy things, lots of healthy things, about eating blueberries. So why not let them do their job instead of adulterating them so that you can distract your customer from the fact that the buzz your product induces has nothing to do with the ingredient you are hyping?

Because you won't buy the product for its long term effects, you'll be on to the next, newest goodie in the Expo West bag by then. Add the addictive substance, hope the customer connects it with the other ingredient, and make as much money as you can while riding the wave.

Next hype, please?

Here

With National Hammock Day coming up on July 22nd, how could I not talk about my love of the hammock? I happen to have a double hammock installed in my back yard right now. It’s adjacent to a fountain that the squirrels and birds like to play in, and shaded by a gigantic avocado tree. It’s strong, sturdy, and supports me well. It’s nothing glamorous, but it’s a thing of beauty.

I find it difficult, if not impossible, to do anything truly productive in my hammock. I’ve certainly tried, but there’s glare that interferes with book-reading, or iPhone usage, no place to prop a snack or a beverage, and it’s not actually able to handle two adults safely. What it is useful for is surrendering to the breeze, getting a little Vitamin D time (aka, sunshine), listening to the sounds of nature, such as they exist within the city, watching the creatures and the patterns of light coming through the leaves, and observing some quiet time.

How often can we say that it’s difficult to do anything productive? Nowadays, we’ve got video screens and cell phones everywhere, unlimited minutes and text messages, enough printed matter to occupy us for the rest of our lives, and constant chatter from a million sources – even the pumps at the gas stations have television monitors built into them. Noise, chatter, electronic media – it’s inescapable.

You might live in an apartment or condominium that has little to no outdoor space, or have a yard that doesn’t accommodate a hammock, but I think you can create a hammock state of mind in several ways:

• Go to a park. Take a blanket and spread it out on the grass. Fling yourself on the blanket and enjoy.

• Do the same thing at the beach, or by a pool, where the same weather conditions may inhibit easy reading or internet surfing.

• Default to your couch, if it’s all there is. Ban the toys, media, and other distractions. Lounge with your eyes open or closed.

• Hit the tub. Relax with your eyes closed. Submerge your ears under the water and enjoy the isolation.

• Swim in the ocean, a lake, or the YMCA swimming pool. Don’t really swim; just float. Be weightless and unburdened.

Remember these moments, and try to create more of them. Your brain, as much as it likes novelty, enjoys rest just as much, if not more. Carry the sensations of pure relaxation with you into your day. Practice just closing your eyes and remembering. And if you’ve got a hammock, be sure to indulge on Friday.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She has completed the inCYST training. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at AskDrHouseMD@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.

One of my very favorite activities is Rollerblading. I discovered it after moving to California from Colorado years ago. I was really missing cross-country skiing, and rented some in-line skates one weekend. It was love at first roll! I loved them so much, I even commuted to work with them, quite frequently. Weekends, my boyfriend at the time and I would head over to Stanford University and pass the afternoon in a closed parking garage, skating up the ramps and speeding down the levels, over and over and over again. I have not skated much in past years, as I had been running more. But recently, I have been plagued with arthritis in one of my ankles, and have been challenged to rework my exercise plan to include activities that don't stress the joint as much. Last night I pulled out the Rollerblades, and thought of ten reasons you all may want to think about trying it. I hope you give it a try! 1. Easier on joints As much as I love running, it does pound the joints. When you are starting out a weight loss program, that can be a barrier. Skating allows you to move that same weight over equal distances without expecting your knees and ankles to absorb the shock of every single stroke. 2. Great workout without feeling so exhausting I was so used to huffing and puffing when I ran, that the first time I skated, I was a little disappointed. It didn't feel as if it was pushing me as hard athletically. Then one day I was stopped at a corner and decided to check my pulse. It was up there in the running zone! It just used my muscles in different ways, apparently. 3. Meditative Something I love about skating (as well as swimming) is the meditative rhythm I can get into. My neighborhood has wide, shady streets, and it is so relaxing to get out there and get into a back and forth rhythm. Something about that clears the head and enhances creativity. It was in my meditative mode, in fact, that I was inspired to write this blog post! 4. Playful As I mentioned, I've"bladed" parking garages. I've also circled lakes, and sneaked on to golf courses. I love gentle hills. Last night I spent a lot of time practicing balancing on one leg, then the other, then seeing what positions I could do that balancing in. The whole time I was moving forward, and before I knew it I had gone six miles. It was an enjoyable workout. 5. Great for the butt Those boots are heavy! So every time you push off and lift your foot, it is like lifting a weight. The ones at the gym that you do to work out your butt. Only you get thousands more lifts in than you ever would at the gym. 6. Works different leg muscles The inner thigh muscles are hard to work out. Most runners develop their quads but those thighs just don't get their fair share. But skating uses all the leg muscles. Regular use will shape your legs, quite nicely. 7. You can channel Apolo Anton Ohno Yes, I do that. I squat really low to make my quads work really hard. I bend over, put one arm on my back like those Olympic guys do and swing the other one back and forth. I imagine I am in Helsinki or Calgary or some other snowy place. It makes it fun to get out there. Exercise doesn't have to hurt. It can actually be fun! If you've never tried skating, I encourage you to do it, at least once, and see if you like it. One word of advice, do wear wrist and knee guards. Just to be safe. We don't want you eliminating your new favorite activity from a fall just as you were getting into your groove!

It's Earth Month 2011, a good time to think about our connection to things much bigger than ourselves. It's easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about a problem as daunting as infertility, and to narrow your focus down to what you need to do to fix your personal problem. Nothing else can seem to matter except your own hormones.

At inCYST, one of our most important missions is to help our readers understand, that the reason many people these days are struggling with infertility, is because our unsustainable lifestyle has changed the balance on our planet. The more respect with which we treat the earth, the better the earth treats us.

I was thinking about this yesterday while running on the canal trail behind my home. I've been waiting several weeks for the baby ducks to come and they finally arrived! My run is so much more enjoyable when I can watch the little fluffballs swimming behind their mother, learning how to swim, how to dive for food, how to preen. I never cease to be amazed at how these ducks just seem to know how to do what they do.

Something that biologists are learning is that other species are having trouble reproducing as well. We've put chemicals in the water they drink, we've put pesticides in the food chain, we've encroached on their breeding grounds…and they're paying a heavy price. The only difference is, they don't have reproductive doctors and nutritionists to guide them to better fertility. Their populations decline and we lose them.

So when I was admiring the fuzzballs I thought a lot about how inCYST is about more than helping all of you. Though that's important!

It's about rallying all of you to adopt lifestyle choices that benefit EVERYONE on the planet, no matter the genus, no matter the species. I hope that this is a value that gradually blends into your pursuit of personal health.

Speaking of sustainable living as a value, we had a wonderful radio chat yesterday with Julia Bucciero of Maxim Hygiene, makers of organic, all cotton, pesticide-free, chlorine and dioxin-free feminine hygiene and personal care products. If you had not thought about the opportunity for hormone imbalance your current personal care purchases poses, it's time you should.

And consider what unnecessary amount of plastic accumulates in landfills and floats down waterways when we make certain choices! You can make a hormone-friendly, 100% biodegradable choice and with that, make a difference.

Maxim Hygiene has created a product that makes personal sense for women with PCOS, and an opportunity for each of us to live more sustainably.

If you can't find these products in your local store, be sure to contact Maxim Hygiene and let them know. They're happy to work with stores to increase their product availability. I found them on amazon.com if you prefer to purchase them online.

It can help to feel less personally picked on when you take a step back and understand how a bigger imbalance may be affecting your personal imbalance. The best way out of that corner, is to collectively start making choices that promote balance outside, as well as within, ourselves.

Something I see happen, all the time, is that PCOS consumes a woman's entire life. It's a problem, it's causing problems, and you can allow the rest of your life to absolutely come to a screeching halt because you haven't found the solution. Then you get into this funky place where you don't want to live your life until the PCOS goes away…but even though you've got plenty of things you can to to steer your situation in that direction…you sit there, without action, not getting out of the funk but not doing anything productive to change the situation.

Maybe you just need a break.

I don't have PCOS, but I own a small business and I'm launching a research institution. I can often feel obligated to spend every waking moment of every single day doing something that contributes to the success of both of those things. And if, at the end of the day, there has not been a sale or a donation or a registration for a fundraiser, I can be hard on myself.

That is why I love July. I love July because I hate July.

See, I live in Phoenix, where July is the month where you literally, if you absolutely MUST step outside into July, will feel like one of those unfortunate roasted chickens in the checkout line at the grocery store. It's that bloody hot.

No matter how much you have to do, no matter what rides on the outcome of your doing it, in Phoenix, in July, you simply cannot move nearly as quickly as you can in January.

So yesterday I woke up at 5 am because I always do in the summer, and it was already hot. I wasn't getting anywhere on my long list of things to do, so I decided to go for a swim. Got to the pool, didn't feel like swimming, but I swam a mile anyway. Came home, had a book to review, so I laid down on the bed and started to read. I spent the entire afternoon drifting in and out of consciousness, reading a few pages, falling asleep, reading a few more pages, falling asleep, etc., etc. Oh, and petting kitty whenever she got tired of the book getting more attention than her.

It wasn't my normal pace of work, but it really was all I had the energy for. And you know what? I sold stuff. I got Twitter followers. According to my blog statistics, people still stopped by to visit. I finished the book. And despite all the snoozing, I fell asleep at 9 pm. And I woke up refreshed, with a bunch of new ideas.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do, is just take a break. Note: I did NOT flip from being superproductive to being counterproductive. In PCOS world, that translates into not flipping into bingeing on sweets because you're taking a day off of completely focusing on your dilemma. Putting your most pressing problem on the back burner and self-nurturing can be one of the most productive things you do on your journey. Some of the most important things that need to happen, are completely out of your control. You can make things worse by trying to force them before they're ready to be yours.

See, I love July because I hate July because it gives me no choice but to remember that we all need to take a break once in awhile and even when we do…we get closer to our goal.

On that note, I am going for another swim, then I'm off to an ice cream social…and then I have an appointment with Kitty Girl. That is her in the photo, demonstrating her own method for dealing with problems. She is one of the least stressed out beings on the planet so there is definitely some method to her nappy-ness!

See you soon, refreshed and relaxed!

Yup, you heard it here.
Nope, I’m not telling you to ditch the exercise.
I’m encouraging you to be sure you’re balancing exercise with rest, and not overtraining.
If you’re trying to lose weight, your focus is likely on losing fat. That’s a nice goal, and I’m guessing you’ll feel better about what you see when you look in the mirror if that results from your exercise, but it’s not really the main reason you’re exercising for PCOS.
You need to gain muscle. The more muscle mass you have, the harder it is to be insulin resistant. The act of exercise actually breaks muscle down. It rebuilds during periods of rest. It’s the balance of exercise and rest that matters, way more, than how many hours of exercise you’re actually doing.
It can be a vicious cycle to break out of, because insulin resistance itself actually breaks down muscle. So if it’s been awhile since you’ve actively exercised, and you’re not losing weight the way you’d hoped you would when you committed to the gym, consider that your ratio of muscle to fat is not high enough. Your priority, first and foremost, is to build and maintain that muscle.
Focusing too much on losing fat and overtraining in the process… will undermine your progress.
Exercising too late in the evening, getting up too early in the morning to get to the gym (it’s not uncommon to hear women say they’re up at 3 am to fit in the workout), or simply working out so much and so hard that you’re not sleeping well… are all easy ways to sabotage your success.
Things you need to keep in mind:
You need to eat enough protein so that your body builds muscle mass while you're not active.
2. You need to sleep enough so that you don’t promote insulin resistance.
3. You need to not push yourself so hard that you’ve stopped burning fat—monitor your heart rate!
4. You need to vary the workouts so all muscle groups are involved and have a chance to build up. Also, you need to develop the confidence to trust that PROACTIVE exercising, as opposed to REACTIVE exercising, is your path to success. Too often women with PCOS weigh themselves in the morning and if the weight is not what they want to see, react by doubling, even tripling their scheduled workout time in order to “get control” of the situation.
When you’re exercising with the goal of building muscles to reduce insulin resistance, you understand that overtraining is your enemy. You create an exercise plan that perhaps you even map out on your calendar, that you commit to regardless of how you’re feeling or what the scales says. For example, I just mapped out my spring training schedule. One of my friends and I have decided we’re going to take tennis lessons. We both own businesses, and committing to this ensure that we actually get out and move. I also love to swim, and it’s one way I can stay active as the weather in Arizona gets warm. And, I’ve been wanting to bump up my elliptical workouts and try spin classes. So, for the next three months, on my calendar, every fourth day, I’ve written “tennis”, every fourth day “spin”, every fourth day “swim”… and then I schedule a day off. It’s right there in my planner so when I start scheduling meetings and accepting social invitations, I only schedule in a way that does not take away from that commitment to myself. I varied the exercise to give my different muscle groups a rest, and to give me enough variety to not get bored.
And don’t get me wrong… I do relish the day off! We all need a little bit of laziness, sleeping in, and getting caught up. I find, personally, if I don’t have the day off, I have trouble sleeping and I have trouble keeping up with the appetite. I have designed this program to fit with the way I’ve learned my body works. If I like spin, I’ll keep it, or I may prioritize swimming during the heat of the summer. We’ll see. I kind of need to mix it up over time to stay interested.
The point of this post is, the reactive and self-punitive approach many of you have toward exercise, because of your focus on reducing body fat, is your absolute biggest enemy. Focus on building muscle, even though it may mean seeing your weight increase on occasion. It’s reflecting muscle, not fat, and it’s a good sign.
Muscle, muscle, muscle!