Try a Tri

My girlfriends and I recently registered a relay team for the August 7, Denver Tri for the Cure. The event is an all women’s swim, bike and run triathlon held at Cherry Creek State Park to help raise money for the Denver affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

If you are local, I encourage you to come and race with us! Put a team together, do the full or maybe even volunteer. If you've never done a triathlon, here's your chance. If you've done lots of them, here's another chance!

As motivation and inspiration to sign up for the event, I am using today's blog to provide you all with some expert training advise...just not from me. Because I don't have any.

Last time I did a triathlon, I was in grad school and agreed to do the running on a relay team with my buddies Scott (swim) and Bernie (bike). Bernie's bike seat broke off about half way through the 40K ride, so he pedaled standing up for at least an hour. Quads burning and the sharp metal tube staring up at his man parts. That was 1999 and I am still giggling.

So considering that was 11 years ago and it was my only tri experience, I thought it would be best to solicit  the advice of someone who actually knows what they're talking about. Enter-- my sorority sister, Maid of Honor and fellow Steeler fan, KT (that's Kara Teklinski to you).

Her competitive accomplishments include:

3 marathons
21 triathlons (including 4 Ironman and 11 half-Ironman)
6 Ultramarathons (ranging from 32-50 miles)

...and if her current injury doesn't hold her back, she is planning to attempt her first 100 miler this year!

Should I also mention she is has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering  from Northwestern? Total underachiever...

Now that your sold, here are Kara's top 5 triathlon training tips. I shall call them.......

TIPS TO TRI  (TRI TIPS sounded too meaty)

1. Dont panic at the start of the swim... to help with this if you are able to practice mass swim starts in an open water setting.  Or get a bunch of friends to pile in together at one end of the pool lane and on your mark... get set... GO!  And rush through to the other end... let your self settle in, breath, and begin your streamlined stroke.

2. Don't go too hard on the bike... you still need to save your legs for the run.  Prepare during training by doing short runs after your bike runs.  This will allow your legs to adapt to the "brick" feeling of transitioning from bike to run.  After a few weeks of practicing this, the sensation will go away.

3. If you are new to running, make sure you are wearing the appropriate running shoes for your feet and run gait.  If you are unsure, go to your local running store (not a sporting goods store but a specialty running store) and have a gait analysis completed.  They are usually free!

4. In training, take at least one rest day per week, your body and your mind (not to mention your family) will thank you.

5. HAVE FUN!!!!!  Don't get caught up or intimidated by the other athletes.  Unless you are trying to win your age group enjoy your day.  You put in your hours and weeks of training for this so enjoy it!

Thank you KT! I couldn't have said it better myself...

Tri for the Cure- Denver
 Love, Lil

Lego of My Ego

Damn you, side crow.

I slipped out of the pose last week during a morning yoga class, elbowing my right tissue expander on my descent resulting in a strained/pulled/torn muscle. I haven't worked out since.

First of all, I should have never been in side crow. Easy to realize that now. But for anyone who has had to work their way back from surgery, you can understand my excitement, my disbelief, my relief as I was holding the pose for the first time post-B.C.!

I held freedom for 30 seconds.

...and then I lost my grip. I left class in excruciating pain having done damage to my ribs and my ego.

My poor bruised ego. Had I checked it at the door, it would have released my expectations of what I think my body can or should do. But, I was so eager to prove to myself that I can do all the things I used to do before surgery that not only did I bring my ego into class with me, I brought one with a complex.

My favorite yoga instructor has said repeatedly to "let go of your ego and to honor your body today."

Lesson learned, unfortunately, the hard way. Moving forward, I will try let go of any preconceived notions based on yesterday or last week or last year. Every day is different and should be treated so. Whether its yoga, running or anything else for that matter.

Now, when my ego starts to cloud my judgment, I'll breath in and out like a good yogi...
...and then imagine how funny I must have looked falling out of side crow.

D-Listed

It came as no surprise to me that my Vitamin D level was very low when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. By the time I had a 25(OH)D blood test to measure it, I must have read a hundred of articles and medical citings relating cancer and Vitamin D deficiency. So when mine came back at a very low 23 ng/ml, it wasn't a bombshell.

Vitamin D levels should be between 60 and 80 ng/ml year-round, in both children and adults. Its main function is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus in our bodies and aid in the absorption of calcium. I read somewhere that it is estimated that only 10% of the population maintains the proper level and that its usually people that spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun.

Nature provides us only 2 Vitamin D sources- the sun and a very few foods including salmon, tuna and fish liver oils. Since most of us lather on sunscreen these days and most likely aren't doing shots of cod liver oil (now having horrible childhood flashbacks), Harvard School of Public Health advises the best way to get enough Vitamin D is by taking a supplement. But because the Vitamin D level in most multi-vitamins (400 IU) is too low to meet the recommended 600 IU for the 70 yr old and under crowd, you may want to consider adding a separate supplement.

Just last week, UCSD School of Medicine released a study that says mega doses of vitamin D may be necessary to reduce one's risk of cancer suggesting that it will become common for almost every adult to take 4,000 IU/day.

Seems like a big jump, but whether its 600 or 4000 IU/day, all I know is that I was taking 0.

Resources
Business Week Article- UCSD study
UCSD Vitamin D Study
Mayo Clinic- Vitamin D
National Institute of Health- Factsheet

For the love of IKAT

I love me some ikat. I had my antique Louis XV chairs recovered last summer in a navy ikat after our dog decided they were expensive enough to destroy (he is amazingly talented at sniffing out anything of value and chewing it just shy of complete ruin).

Anyway, I liked the idea of taking something so elegant and classic in its form like the Louis chairs and adding a bit of funk. Ikat, with its blurred edges and ethnic vibe, seemed like the perfect compliment for such a sophisticated seat so I went for it.

Ikat (pronounced ee-kat) has apparently been making a run in home decor and fashion for the past few years. And these days, I feel like I am seeing it everywhere. Even my beloved lululemon has a ikat pattern out for spring!

So if you dig ikat like I do, there are lots of ways to get your fix. You can go bold and use it on larger pieces of furniture...

or go soft and play it safe with some pillows. Heck, you can just drape yourself in a lululemon power y tank and have a seat.

End result for my Louis chairs? My living room now has a fresh and funky focal point and Captain Peanut Butter, a new bed. Like it was his grand plan all along. Stupid human.

Love, Lil

Paraben Free Products

Hopefully, I have you a little paranoid about parabens after yesterday's post and maybe even a little motivated to do your own investigation. For my situation, I knew I had to do something right away.

Though it would be impossible to avoid them completely, my immediate goal was to cut down my exposure to parabens as much as I could without literally replacing everything in my house . So I decided to first replace any products I use in abundance that are absorbed into my skin like lotions and suncreens. Based on my independent research and clinical trial of 1, here are a few products I now use daily and recommend:

Face Sunscreen & Moisturizer

Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+. This would be the one thing in my beauty repertiore I couldn't live without. OK, and maybe my Tweezermans. But seriously, I want to buy a case of this stuff so I know I'll never go without. Nourishing, light and non-greasy and the SPF actually works.

Body Lotion

Coconut Oil. Nothing fancy here. It has one ingredient and works better than any lotion I've ever used. Why haven't I discovered this before? Plus, it's 100% natural and odorless. Who knew?

Body Suncreen

For now, Badger, Blue Lizard, and California Baby brands. The Environmental Working Group will be launching its 5th annual Sunscreen Guide for 2011 very soon and when it does, I will be sure to blog about its reviews and findings then.

Foundation

Jane Iredale Mineral Foundations (including loose, pressed and liquid). I am a huge fan of the Jane Iredale brand and its products, in general and have been for years. Not only does Jane Iredale use safe ingredients, but it has also been a big supporter of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics for years.

In search of paraben free products? Now, you might want to sit down for this part...
As consumers' awareness continues to grow, the cosmetic and chemical industries are getting creative on how to hide the stuff. For example, propylparaben alone can also be listed under the following names:
POTASSIUM SALT; BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, PROPYL ESTER; 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID, PROPYL ESTER; PROPYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE; PROPYL PARAHYDROXYBENZOATE; BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-, PROPYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT; 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID, PROPYL ESTER, SODIUM SALT; PROPYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE SODIUM SALT; PROPYLPARABEN, SODIUM SALT; POTASSIUM SALT PROPYLPARABEN; PROPYL ESTER BENZOIC ACID, 4-HYDROXY-


WTF. Since most of us don't have a chemical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon, just look for the words "paraben free" when replacing your products.  Paraben free products boast that they are "paraben free" so if you don't see those exact words,  then you can be fairly certain that the product contains them.

The good news is that there are some amazing all natural skin care and beauty brands out there widely available to health conscious, educated consumers like ourselves- even for those of us without a ChemE. Here's a short list to get you started:

Paraben Free Brands:
Jane Iredale 
DeVita
AfterGlow Cosmetics
MyChelle Dermaceuticals
Alba Botanicals
Dr. Hauschka
Burt's Bees

Think glam, not granola. These aren't vendors selling patchouli outside a WideSpread Panic show. These companies are paving the way for a much needed beauty industry make-over and now you are on the forefront of the revolution!
Looking forward to hearing about brands and products you discover along the way.
Love, Lil

Paraben Paranoia

Parabens. Knew nothing about them 6 months and now I am obsessed with them. I hope after reading this, you become obsessed with them too--specifically, how to avoid them. 

Upon my first breast cancer pathology, I found out that my cancer was hormone receptive. ER+/PR+, 93% and 97% respectively. Non-medical speak, my tumor was stuffing its face with estrogen, growing larger by the day.

Now back to parabens. Parabens are synthetic preservatives found in pretty much every cosmetic everything. They are cheap and widely available which is why cosmetic manufacturers love to use them. But guess what they do besides keeping your products from spoiling. Parabens mimic estrogen. And by that, I mean they actually bind to estrogen receptors on your cells. How is that for talent? Maybe even more alarming, in a 2004 UK study, parabens were found in 19 of 20 breast cancer tumors. Now, I am no statistician, but isn't that almost all?

The FDA says there is no reason to be concerned at the present time. They think the low concentration in products are safe to use. Really FDA? Maybe if you use only one product. But consider how many cosmetic products the average woman uses in a day. I myself use 15 before 8 am (assuming I get a shower in)...

1)Shampoo, 2)conditioner, 3)soap, 4)shaving cream, 5)toothpaste, 6)deodorant, 7)face wash, 8)toner, 9)sun screen, 10)moisturizer, 11)foundation, 12)mascara, 13)body lotion, 14)hair volumizer and 15)straightening gel.
That's 15 products, all containing parabens. I was spoon-feeding my tumor. Doing the choo-choo and the airplane all the way to its pie hole. Can you believe it?

So for now, check out what's living on your bathroom shelves and counters. Look for anything ending in -paraben (i.e. buytlparaben, ethylparaben, etc.) as a consideration for changing products. Don't be surprised that you find it and multiples of it in everything. The good news is there are some amazing alternatives out there as consumers are becoming more and more educated and thereby demanding paraben free products. 

Tomorrow, I'll bring forward a few of my favorite paraben free products and all-natural brands I've discovered. Can't wait to share!

Anyway, call me Paraben Paranoid. But until there is a viable study proving its safety, I am going to try and avoid as much of it as I can. Note to self, must follow money trail on viable study. 

More to come!

BTW- the FDA is not authorized to approve cosmetic ingredients by the The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. So, in general, cosmetic manufacturers may use any ingredients they choose, except for a few ingredients that are prohibited by regulation. That's direct from the FDA website.

Love, Lil