Is it me, or is it hot in here?

HOT!

Week 29

Having been raised and currently living in southern California, I know heat. Every summer it gets into the hundred degree range. We swim, play, do yard work, we just go about our daily lives. There’s nothing I can do about the heat except seek out air conditioning. However, this last week I went in search of the warmth.

As some of my previous blog posts have mentioned, I like to try different types of exercise. This week was an extreme I thought I would not be able to accomplish. I tried a Bikram Yoga class. The “hot yoga”. I searched the web for a local studio to better understand what I was getting myself into. For starters, I would be getting myself into a room that is heated to a constant 100 degrees. That’s like a typical August day. I am to dress in loose clothing, like shorts and a tank top, according to the website, a bathing suit is best. I am definitely not wearing a bathing suit to exercise in, unless water is involved.

I decided on a 9:15am class. Being a newbie, it said to arrive 15 minutes early for an orientation.   I am not to eat at least 3 or 4 hours before class. Oh, really I’m used to having my tea and breakfast first thing in the morning. My friend, Dee who has tried Bikram in the past told me to have a little something, but not a lot to eat before class. Heeding her advice, I had only a half of a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and only half a cup of tea, at 7:15 am.  I guess you can get sick to your stomach if you have eaten too much, also you can feel sick if you haven’t eaten at all. I decide on a pair of running shorts, sports bra and light weight tank top. I grab my yoga mat, beach towel and a water bottle, that’s what is said on the website to bring. Tuck my away apprehension and go to class.

I arrive the designated 15 minutes early. The reception area is a little warm and the air smells musty.   Carol greets me from behind her desk. Since it is my first time, Carol asks me to fill out a registration form after which she offers me the introduction price of $20 for a week of unlimited classes. Normally one class is $15, so this would be quite a savings should I want to return. I haven’t even tried the class yet, not sure if I will be eager to return. But I figure I’ll pay the $20, maybe this will be my new favorite exercise. My orientation consists of Carol telling me not to place my yoga mat directly in front of anyone else, be still if I feel sick or need a break, don’t forget to breathe and she will tell me when we can have our first drink of water.

Bikram yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury in the early 1970’s. It is a 90 minute class that consists of 26 yoga postures (that are repeated twice), and 2 breathing exercises. The idea of the room being heated to 100 degrees is that the muscles will become more flexible and when you sweat, impurities are flushed out of the body through the skin, toxins are released through our sweat.

Bikram call the studios where the work is performed “Torture Chambers”. I’m about to enter one!

Opening the sliding glass doors, I step into the studio. Yes, the first thing I feel is the heat. The second observation is the smell. There is a musty, mild locker room odor. The room is carpeted to prevent people from slipping, the carpet I’m sure traps some of the odor. I find a spot by the back wall. I put down my yoga mat and lay my beach towel on top, water bottle by the wall. There are 15 of us in class, most of them have frozen water bottles, obviously they know something I don’t. I’m ready. The heat at this point feels pleasant.

Breathe

Carol comes in and takes her place at the front of the class. First lesson, the breathing technique. She shows me how the breathing comes from the back of the throat. It sounds like a lizard hissing. At the same time of doing the throat breathing we are moving our elbows up and down (like bird wings) with hands together under the chin. When we are done breathing, we move on to the postures. Carol talks us through each position. I look to my right at my new Bikram friend, Liz, to make sure I’m doing everything correctly. I have done yoga before so I was familiar with most of the postures. I didn’t find any of them too difficult. About ten minutes into class, I can feel the sweat beginning to drip down my back. Okay, I’m working it! There is a clock on the wall, but I’m willing myself not to look. Thirty minutes in, truth be told, I like the feeling of the sweat now dripping off my nose, legs, arms onto my mat. It made me feel like my body was getting rid of all the bad stuff. I am now so slippery that the most difficult part of the class is trying to do the positions that required me to grab a part of my body as I couldn’t get a solid grip, my hands would keep sliding off.

In traditional yoga, the class ends with savasana (dead body pose) for 5-10 minutes. You just lay on your mat and let your body recover. It’s a lovely way to end an exercise class. So when Carol told us to get into savasana, I thought terrific we’re almost done. Wrong, not almost done. It was just a teaser. We still had 30 minutes left of class! As we continue, I feel more lethargic. Each move seems to require more concentration. I never felt nauseous or like I needed to stop, just like I had to move slower. By now my clothes are completely drenched with sweat. My beach towel is damp. If there is a next time, I would also bring a small towel to wipe my face with.

Finally, Carol says were on our last breathing exercises. It is a rapid breath in and out of our mouths. Almost like breath you learn in Lamaze class for pregnancy, but faster. Carol then tells us to lie on our backs for a two minute savasana. Only two minutes! Well, if that’s all I get, I’ll take it. As I lay there in my final minutes, I feel exhaustion, exhilaration, sweaty and purged. I think I also feel some hunger pains. I hear people around me rustling and packing up, so I do the same. I exit the “Torture Chamber”.

Now the reception area feels cool. I don’t seem to notice any odor other than what I seem to have created on my own person. Carol congratulates me on a practice well done. I told Carol that I didn’t mind the heat while moving because I’m concentrating on the moves, but it’s in the stillness I found the heat to be oppressive. It’s like doing yoga in a sauna.

Driving home I did start to get a small headache, maybe due to the fact I didn’t have my full dose of caffeine that morning or maybe it was my body going on strike. Also I started to feel cold, due to the massive amounts of sweat drying on my body. First stop when I got home was directly into the laundry room where I stripped down and threw my clothes along with the towel into the washer. This is definitely not the kind of exercise where you can go to the grocery store after.

Feeling refreshed after showering and eating, I contemplate if I would do Bikram yoga again. I think I would. The idea of my body releasing so many toxins and sweating so profusely kind of agrees with me. Let me know if you would like to tag along any time in the future. I still have a few more day to use my $20!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Stick a Needle in Your…

Needle in forehead, burn on cheek!

 

Week 28

I started my day having various spots on my face and body burned.  I ended my day having needles stuck in my body. And I paid good money for all of it!

First was my visit to the dermatologist. I’ve had this spot on my upper left cheek for some time that I knew needed to be examined.   As I thought, it was a pre-cancerous spot, so the doctor burned it off. Well, since she was looking, she kept on looking. A little “cherry” (discoloration) spot here, a spot there, nothing like the smell of burning flesh to fill the room. She sent me away with some sample tubes, a recommendation for a $2500 facial treatment and a lecture about sunscreen.

A quick lunch with my mother, including two Advil for the pain starting in my cheek, and now I’m off to get stuck with needles.

I was more nervous than I realized about going to the acupuncturist. Even though I have wanted to try acupuncture, the idea of needles being pushed into my skin made me uneasy. I’ve seen the pictures of a person lying on their stomach with lots of sharp needles sticking into their back.  Looks painful.

From the advice of my friend Stephanie, I am visiting Emily at Claremont Acupuncture Health Center. Emily is very sweet. She tells me she never went to a doctor as a kid because her grandmother practiced acupuncture. Emily works with western medicine and has been practicing acupuncture about six years.

Usually people have acupuncture to cure an ailment, get pain relief or achieve some other desired result. I explained to Emily I had no specific reason to be there expect for wanting the experience. She said that was fine, but asked me a litany of questions, such as “how is my digestion, am I regular, do I have headaches…” I answered that all was good with me. “Let me see your tongue”, Emily says. I stick out my tongue, move it around. All is good there. Next, Emily feels my pulses. “Have you eaten lunch?” she asks me. I tell her I just had lunch with my mother. “Are you worried?” is her next question. Well, I just had lunch with my mother who just had surgery, who still isn’t feeling well and can barely eat, so yes I am worried. Emily explains that my liver is overpowering my spleen due to the fact that I am worrying. She can tell this by my pulse? The pulse in my left arm lets her know what my liver is up to. The liver is in charge of moods. She had asked if I had eaten, because my liver is “telling” her that food is not a priority for me. The pulse in my right arm “tells” her that my spleen is being compromised due to the fact my liver is being to bossy (that’s my term). This information lets Emily how to proceed with my treatment.

Emily explains that our energy flows through us in meridians and mine is not flowing properly.  She needs to open my “four gates”. This will consist of placing needles in both my hands- between the thumb and index finger, both feet- between big toe and first toe. Needles will also be placed at the knee, one in the stomach, one in the forehead for relaxation and the most important one placed in the top of the head.

We are in a small room containing a massage table, lamp, a smaller table with her instruments placed on it,  a stool and bamboo decorations. Emily asks me to lay down on the table face up. I remain in my clothes (I wasn’t sure how that worked). She begins by pushing the top of my skull, rubbing it with medium pressure. First needle is in. I didn’t even feel it. As I mentioned this is the most important needle and must be placed first. This is the spot called Baihui; translation, ‘everything join here’. Basically, in Chinese medicine, it is where the energy comes together. The Yang to the Ying. Talk to Emily, she will explain it. Next is the left hand, followed by the right foot, back to the right hand, then left foot. And yes, there is a certain order to the procedure. My knees are next, left then right. The needle goes in my forehead, then the last one is placed in my stomach just above the belly-button.

Feels interesting

Glad I just had a pedicure

Surprisingly it doesn’t hurt. The needles are like very thin wire. They are put into the skin about a ¼” deep. But the depth depends on skin, length of needle and amount of fat on the body. The sensation varies depending on the location on the body. The one in my left hand feels numbing. Emily tells me needles placed in this hand can be used like anesthesia. Literally, people can just use acupuncture in the hand during a surgery instead of conventional anesthesia! The needles in my knees are vibrating. Emily says, that’s what they do. Who knew!

My gates should be opening! Emily moves the lamp, not a heat lamp, but a UV lamp over my stomach. The heat feels good. She sets a timer for twenty-eight minutes and leaves the room. I feel relaxed. I feel comfortable. I fall asleep. I know I feel asleep, because I woke myself up snoring. I didn’t even know I snored!

Emily returned when the timer went off. She asked me how I felt. I feel good. She removes the needles. They are so thin, there isn’t even a dot where they were placed.

I like the idea of being open to different types of medicine. Emily has several patients that are battling cancer. One guy has non-treatable pancreatic cancer and has been seeing her for four years. He’s still here to tell the tale. I’m thinking maybe this can help my mother with her arthritis pain. It’s worth a try.

I pay Emily $50. I leave feeling relaxed and refreshed. Hopefully my gates are open, liver and spleen now living in harmony.

 

 

 

I know I came in here for something

He’s There for Her

Week 16

My dad’s wife, Addie,  has Alzheimer’s. My dad, Murry, has been her only caretaker for the past five years.  On Thursday of this week,  I went with dad to his first Alzheimer’s support group. The meeting is held at a local “memory care facility”.   It was a small group consisting of  12 people; 3 wives, 4 husbands, 3 adult children there supporting their parents (me included), a woman earning her Masters in social work and Angelika the group leader.

I’ve been trying to get my dad to go to this group for some time now, but people do things when they’re ready.

Addie, 90 years-old,  is currently at the stage of Alzheimer’s where she can rarely put together a clear sentence or even string words together.  She can no longer read or write and has trouble walking.   Addie has moments of anger, usually directed at women, which I think are happening more frequently.  She can still feed herself, but needs help with hygiene and dressing.

My dad has not done anything without Addie by his side for the last five years.  They were both very social and active before Addie’s dementia and stroke.   My dad at 83 is still very active, however all his activities are done with Addie.  When he plays golf, Addie rides in the golf cart.  When he plays poker, she sits in the chair next to him, and the same goes for when the bridge group gets together.  I guess it’s good for Addie to get some fresh air and be in social situations, but I also think my dad needs to be able to socialize and enjoy  some time without Addie

.As I mentioned dad and Addie do everything together, however Addie was not allowed in the meeting.  The support group is just for the caretakers and families. You never know what the patient understands.  I took Addie downstairs to the dining area of the care facility where I left her in the good hands of the nurses and I returned to the meeting.

The group began with everyone going around the table introducing themselves and sharing their experiences with the disease, or talking about a problem/ situation they may be currently experiencing.   Each of these individuals has had the huge responsibility of being a primary caretaker, some for many years.  Everyone in the group except my dad has placed their loved one in a care facility. After listening to each person speak I realized that there is a basic common thread.   Each expressed the same feelings of guilt and relief with the fact of placing their spouse and they miss the person their loved one “used to be”.

Angelika, who runs the group was so very helpful. We learned many facts of how to deal with Alzheimer’s.

*The anger most people feel after being placed is due to a lack of feeling secure. “I want to go home”, “How could you do this to me”, “Why am I in jail?” Allow for an adjustment period.  This is a dramatic change of life for everyone.

*When Alzheimer’s patients wander, it is because they’re bored.

*You should always re-introduce yourself when visiting at the care facility.

*Most patients will talk about “going home” even when they are in their own home.  It’s a feeling of being safe, comforted as they were when they were young.

Angelika also spoke about living in the moment.  The patients moment.  We must go with their “reality” not what we know is the true reality.  We should also wrap situations in the positive, even if it is a negative situation.  Address the patients feelings.  Like when the loved one expresses anger about being “in jail”, I’m sorry you feel that way, but right now the doctors and I feel this is the best place.  We should not ignore their feelings.  People with Alzheimer’s do have moments of clarity, we just don’t know when those are and sometimes the moments can be so fleeting.

One question that was asked by an adult daughter whose father has recently been placed was, “Do you pick a facility for the patient of for the family?”.  The correct answer is for the person/patient.   All of us are different and have different interests, this is the same even after our loved ones have Alzheimer’s.   Look for a place that is run by good people and  the facility should have the right activities for the patient.  There was an agreement amongst the group that most facilities have more activities for women than men.

I sat across the room from my dad so I could see his face as the meeting progressed.  I could see he was paying attention and taking in new ideas.  When the meeting was over he did say he would be open to the Claremont Enrichment Center that Angelika  runs.  It’s basically a day care program so the caretakers can have some time themselves.  I was so glad to hear he was open to the program.

Currently 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s.  Another 500,00 will be affected this year.  I must say it kind of scares me.  Who’s to say it won’t be me one day and my children or husband are trying to figure out what to do with and for me.  We say our love one suffers from Alzheimer’s, but truly we all suffer when someone we know has the disease.

Dad and I went downstairs to retrieve Addie, I could tell dad was nervous about being away from her for so long.  Remember this was the first time in 5 years he had been separated from her, we were in the meeting for 1 1/2 hours.  We found her eating in the dining room with the residents of the facility.  Of course she was angry to see me, but happy to see dad.  Dad asked if she was ready to go, “Yes” was her response.

Dad got Addie to a chair by the front door and I sat with her as he brought the car around.  She was still angry with me, but I don’t ever take it personally.  Maybe somewhere in her mind she knows where we are and what the future holds for her.

My dad’s greatest worry is if something happened to him, what would happen to Addie.  Some separation needs to begin and as Angelika said, if you wait too long it can be detrimental to the patient.

I will continue to support and gently guide my dad to organizations and groups I feel are helpful for him and Addie.   People do things when they’re ready, so I’ll be here, ready to help when he’s ready.

Oh, I can do that…

Week 15

An exercise class that has eight stations consisting of 1.30 minutes each, easy, right?

I thought I would try Basic Training at The Claremont Club.  There are eight stations.  At each station you do one minute of strength training, broken into two 30 second segments, and 30 seconds of cardio.  It amazes me how long a minute and half can seem!

When I first walked into the cardio room, I was actually cold. But then we start with a warm up of running around the room forward, backward, and side shuffle.  I’m warm.

Next, sprints.  Twenty seconds fast, all out, then 10 seconds of rest/walking.  Oh, I can do anything for 20 seconds!  How did 20 seconds get to seem like forever.  We do eight sets of these for a total of four minutes.  An eternity… This kind of interval training is called Tabata training.  Tabata was founded in Japan by Izumi Tabata.  Basically training in high intensity training improves aerobic as well as anaerobic systems.

On to the stations

1.  Large blue ball behind your lower back up against the wall as you do deep knee bends, 30 seconds switch, other leg. Cardio, high knee run.

2. With partner, sitting in a V position, that’s with legs up in the air, squeezing a ball between your hands, 30 sec. switch sides other hand. Cardio, running around cones, forward, side shuffle, back run.

3. One arm rows with heavy weight (12lbs) 30 sec switch arms. Cardio, hurdle jumps.

4. Using the stretchy bands, triceps pulls, 30 sec triceps pulses. Cardio, one-legged bunny hops.

5. On a step platform with one riser, one leg squats with a shoulder raise, weight (10lbs) 30 sec switch legs.  Cardio, fast toe touch on step platform.

6. Push ups on the Bosu ball, 30 sec ab crunches. Cardio, up and over the Bosu in a low squat position.

7. Step lunges to the back,  while doing shoulder lifts (8 lbs) 30 sec switch to squats with shoulder press still with weight. Cardio, jump rope.

8. Bicep curls (12 lbs) 30 sec switch arms.  Cardio, high jump with squat landing.

Once the circuit is complete, we get a rest, yeah, but it’s only a two-minute rest!  Round two.  Why are the exercises so much harder the second time around?!

We end the class with ab excercises and a cool down.

I feel spent, sweaty and good.  I am always amazed that my body can still perform when needed.  I may not look good while doing it, or do the moves just right, but the point is I’m doing it!  Whatever the “IT” is.

P.S. The only side effect is sore calfs the next day.  Not to bad for an ‘old girl’

Battle of the Bulge

new class to keep the bulge under control

Week Six

Today is the anniversary of The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). It was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. The surprise attack caught the Allied forces completely off guard.  The phrase “Battle of the Bulge” was coined by contemporary press to describe the way the Allied front line bulged inward on wartime news maps and became the best known name for the battle.  Although it was a near complete surprise attack against the Allied, the Allied were victorious.  The battle involved about 610,000 American men,of whom some 89,000 were casualties,including 19,000 killed. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II.

Of course now when we talk about the ‘battle of the bulge’ it is in reference to our weight and waistlines.  In accordance with the current reference I tried an Aqua Fit class today at The Claremont Club.  These classes used to be called water aerobics or as in our house we call them “the old lady water class”.  This phrase did not dissapoint, I was the youngest one there except for the teacher,  Michele, is younger.

Now mind you I am not a water person.  I have lived in my house with a pool for 14 years, I have maybe gone in the water a handful of times.  It’s just not my thing, so for me to try a water class is monumental.  Today was the perfect day for me to try the class.  It was a typical southern California winter day, 9:15 am sunny and warm 75 degrees, and the water is 85 degrees.  Also I’m do for a dye job so I didn’t care if my hair got a lot of chlorine in it.

I put on my suit, applied sunscreen, got a hat and my sunglasses and headed out to my new class.  As I walked up to the pool there were a few people already there waiting for the instructor to arrive.  They looked puzzled to see me.  Not sure if it was because of my age or because I was someone new. (usually the classed are filled with regulars).  Michele arrived, we all got our equipment, which consisted of a white pool noodle and two water dumbbells. (see photo).  By now there are about 12 of us ready for class.

Time to get in the water!  I venture down the four steps, not too bad, pleasant actually.  The music Michele plays is a combination of music by decade starting with the 1940’s.  We start moving.  Looking directly at me, I’m told all moving parts should be underwater as my dry arms are swinging about above the water.  Underwater is where the resistance is, the muscle work.  I’m smiling enjoying this new experience.  I realize about half way through class I am no longer smiling but concentrating on the different moves, arms, legs, abs.  You wouldn’t think trying to push water dumbbells is hard, but it is.

I consider myself to be in shape.  I walk/run two to three times a week, take cardio classes like “Dance your Booty Off” and I get to a Pilates class when I can.  But I want to tell you, this class challenged me in a whole different way.  My arms are going to be sore tomorrow.  The “old people” do this class because it’s easy on their joints, as  one of the gals told me after, “they all have their different issues”.  I’m now in that “older” bracket, I’m starting to have some issues…

So, I think I’ll be back.  I didn’t really get my hair wet, just a bit on the ends.  The downside of the class is wrinkled, dry, chlorine smelling skin.  The upside is you can pee during class and no one would know, not that I did,  but I’m just saying…

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Hip Kitty

Rumble King

Fun in Claremont

Jen, Norma, Me

Week Four

This past Friday night Dana and I tagged along with our friends Jennifer and Joe Ponce and Norma and Greg Galvan to Hip Kitty in Claremont, CA for jazz and fondue.  I have often walked by the club, I’ve even stuck my head in, but I never actually spent an evening there.  Well now I have!  Jennifer knows the sax player in the band Rumble King and they were playing Friday night, so she thought we’d make a night of it.
Of course, Hip Kitty is not to be confused with The Pretty Kitty, they do feminine waxing…

I’ve had fondue before but only at home. For us usually the oil or cheese ends up too hot creating a black smokey spot on the ceiling, or the sterno burns out and you can’t cook due to the lack of heat. At the Kitty, in the center of the table there is an electric burner with the fondue pot. It’s more like a double boiler, with water on the bottom and  the fondue pot resting on top. We started the evening with a round of Chopin martinis and a some red wine.   Off to a great start! Cheese fondue of Gruyère caramelized onion, beef broth & brandy served with bread cubes, veggies and fruit, was next up. After another round of cocktails or two, we moved on to a meat fondue. A tray of beef, sausage, shrimp and scallops along with veggies and bread were served to be dipped in the hot beef broth. None of us ate the veggies because Jennifer dropped a raw scallop on top of them and we thought they would be contaminated! But we did eat everything else.

The ambiance in the club has a very 60’s vibe.  As you enter the club the first thing you see is an old cigarette machine, the kind where you have to pull the handle and the cigarettes fall to a tray below. The walls are covered in dark brown cork squares on which are displayed many framed 60’s style city scenes, some even light up!  We were seated in one of the booths, they are done in a dark red vinyl with formica table tops.  From the ceiling hang those multi colored bubble type lamps on chains.  Very groovy, baby!

In between our fondue courses we took advantage of the dance floor. I think Jennifer and Norma were the first ones “cutting the rug”. Rumble Fish plays a mix of rock-a-billy, jazzy fun music. The club was packed and the dance floor was too. Dana and I got out on the dance floor where he spun me around. I’m always amazed we don’t fall down the way we spin and twirl!

We ate,  we drank, we danced, we had a great time! I did however need a little recovery time Saturday morning….