The scoliosis 30 day exercise and stretching challenge

[jrnyc]

hi Amy
i beg to differ...i eat very little, due to poor appetite from meds...but i am drawn like an addiction to sugar...so when i eat, though it's not much, it is often the wrong thing!! i am trying to maintain my weight above 95 pounds, went down to 87 last year on oxycontin... (5'3 &half, down from 5'5 due to curves, arthritis, etc)

i have to change my bad food habits...my body is rebelling
i do know sugar begets craving more sugar, and fats beget craving more fats, if that was what you meant...?

best of luck on your journey...
jess

[titaniumed]

Mamamax,

Kava relaxes you. It also lowers blood pressure. If you have $20-$30 burning a hole in your pocket, give it a try.....let us know what you think.

As far as muscle pain is concerned, I really don’t know. Possibly.I just don’t remember. The situation I was in was not so much muscle pain, it was nerve and bone pain which was pretty intense at times....It was way beyond the effects of kava, exercise, Chiro, massage. The only route I had was surgery.

I never took opoids pre surgery. I tried many things, the “drug free” thing you know. I figured I would wait till I couldn’t take it anymore and then finally have my surgeries done. I think one of the best things I have ever done for my body was ocean therapy. Exercise and de-weighting allows discs to retract, and relieve sore joints. I also found that the results only happened in the ocean. Swimming pools are not the same as the ocean, must be the salts......

I like exercising in the ocean, and hot baths! Both are beneficial for scolis.

Amy
I wouldn’t let you reply to yourself 6x! lol
There are many who read, like myself and don’t post. Sometimes we are just too tired or undecided on a topic matter. I will construct posts, save, and not post to the forum.

My exercise routine will start soon, we are expecting 5 feet of snow here over the next few days, you will see it soon in Aspen.
Ed

[jrnyc]

hi Ed
happy you will be "exercising" again soon....assume you will be skiing for your December birthday...

could you please do those of us in northeast a favor, and keep that snow out where you are.... please...? thanks!

jess

[foofer]

Thankful for...

I'm thankful for humor, which seems to start pre-verbally...Very thankful for this Grand boy

T Lifter: Glad you posted. Funny about the 5 dollars. Hmmm....Guess you were supposed to run that day. It's a sign. I am wondering if you lift weights any differently to accomodate scoliosis? Do you try to work one side more than the other? I want to start again- it just sometimes felt so strange.

Jess: I can only speak for myself. I've experimented with different eating plans quite a bit throughout my life, seeking to feel better and to drop some weight, although I am not terribly overweight. Just a little. My goal now is to feel as well as I can- to prepare for the rest of my life which may or may not include surgery. If I do have the operation, I want to be in the best condition I can achieve. I don't have debilitating pain, so have not gone the pain pill route. On days that I've been tempted to try, I've been deterred by the responsiblity of altering extremely expensive clothing-I'm a seamstress slash tailor (that's what I call myself . There is no appropriate noun for what I do- they all sound "off" to me) and wanting to keep every ounce of awareness. After reading some of the articles on eating less/caloric deprivation, I was struck by how many people I know who operate that way and have so much more energy than I do. They are not in pain, not on any meds, so there can be no comparison with what you are facing. I think that having a diminished appetite from meds presents an entirely different challenge. I would like to tell you that I honestly worry about you when you post about your weight and nutrition challenges- makes me want to come to your house and cook you dinner. Invite you to eat. And then let you have some sugar. I wish you felt better- it's heartbreaking to read of your pain. Please take good care of yourself.

Ed: Send all the snow here when you are done with it. I've been hearing about it all day- very exciting. And even though it's been a bit lonely on this thread, the posting every day and taking pics has been instrumental in keeping me on track. So on I go for several more days. It's always great to hear from you though. Twin.

[jrnyc]

thanks for the kind words, Amy

hope you find the best nutritious path for you to follow...

jess

[foofer]

Thankful for...

Winter Sports....I love being able to "play" in winter. Our season is sometimes 7 months long, so it's imperative to like being outside in winter.

This morning, as I was getting ready for work, I spotted a pr of ski pants and thought it was time to get rid of them- they had not fit in several years, then decided to try them on, and Ha-Hah! Perfect.

I'll get a ski pass next week despite being the worst skiier on earth.

Despite that little early morning high, I did not feel well for most of the day, and that's when I rack my brains to try to figure out why? I had a smoothie first thing, made from coconut water, banana, a new type of "power bar", and a few types of seeds- flax, chia, and hemp, all supposed to be so great for you, and all the flavor of the day trendwise. It was incredibly sweet, too sweet. I can hardly believe I'm saying this. All of it from "natural sugar" or no added sugar, but then when I add up all the grams of sugar in various ingredients - a lot. I've read before that the body cannot tell the difference between table white sugar or honey or fruit sugar- it's all metabolized the same. If anyone knows more about this, please post...At any rate, my thoughts are that I might be oversensitive to any sweets and none of it will help my energy levels in the long run. Christian talked earlier in this thread about eating protein/vegetable combos to break the sugar craving cycle. Breakfast is the hardest meal...Eggs and veggies first thing? Every day? Forever...?

Nov 20, 10 days to go. I'm going to hit it hard.

[jrnyc]

hi Amy
re: breakfast...
how about...
egg white omelets with any veggies or even cheese you wanted in it...or turkey sausage in it...

natural oatmeal...the "steel cut" kind..with fruit in it if you choose...

cream of wheat...

egg and salami sandwich...or egg white and salami sandwich...

as a sugar addict, i do know that sugar begets sugar craving.... begets more sugar, etc...it is also true of most carbohydrates (you've heard of "carbohydrate addicts"?) and the latest studies say it is true for fat as well, especially fatty junk foods...

doctor told me a long time ago, when i crave sugar, eat protein instead..good advice, easier said than done (got into bad habits partly from loving sugar, and partly from working 2 jobs, back to back...)

best of luck with your journey...
jess

[foofer]

Thankful for...

Thankful for close friends....

...This is me on drugs...To clarify- my friend had cancer and has had several surguries. She had another operation on Friday and was told to walk a.m.a.p. We went for a blizzard walk, she's on painkillers, she took my picture, said it looked great- I never looked. I can't wait to show this to her. Thank God for amazing friends and laughing and staying alive.

Jess: Thanks! I had eggs and chicken sausage for breakfast...all veggies later. I'm glad you wrote this and reminded me. It's so true- when I eat protein I feel so much better. I hope you are following your good advice too, my friend...I have the sugar thing, for sure, and will probably struggle with it all my life, but it IS a habit, and habits can be broken. My wish is that I can have an occasional indulgence, but I just don't know if I roll that way. Sugar begets sugar.

I made veggie burgers from a recipe book called Whitewater Cooks from a restaurant in British Columbia called Fresh Tracks. A lot of ingredients in each recipe but very very good- and healthy. I also have enough for a few more meals frozen since the recipe made 12 burgers. My husband ate 4. I ate 1 (okay, 1 1/2), so worth the effort. I'm on the Shop and Chop Diet.

[jrnyc]

hey Amy
glad you are eating right...
i have been trying lately, too...

just a request...could you please keep that snow out there in Colorado...we are not ready...or looking forward to...that weather here in northeast yet!!
thanks...

jess

[foofer]

I will try, Jess....

Right now it's blowing so hard, I swear I just saw Dorothy and Toto fly by. So it's going to be a little hard to keep it contained...

[foofer]

Realized that my Advil intake has dropped substantially. I still have pain but don't seem to be enveloped.

[jeneemohler]

Amy-I love following your posts. I feel like I'm privy to your inner thoughts. (Is this a good thing or a bad thing???) I may not always have time to write, but I usually try to read them. Keep up the good work! And I think I saw Dorothy and Toto swing by us here in Oregon on their way to Colorado! I love the snow!!!!!!!!!! And yes, even if I have to drive 60 miles round trip to work every day.... Scoli girls are not wussies!!!!!!!!!!!

[jrnyc]

WHAT? snow? hah!
NYC women are tough as nails...warm nails...
and where ever we travel, where ever we roam, we are SUPER women, curved or straight...
we dont need any frozen water to prove it!

jess

[Christian0710]

Hey Amy,
I'm glad to hear that your advil intake has decreased! Wuhuuh! That must be all the fresh air and exercise huh?

I feel that my pain has decreased in my neck, and my core muscles and erector spinae muscles (back muscles) have developed and gotten stronger.
I still need a lot of work to keep the neck pain away, but it's going in the right direction.

How do the people participating feel at this stage?
I feel that I'm benefiting a lot from this month, and I think I will do one more in January 2011. So if any of you want to join, you are welcome! December will be for celebration and

[foofer]

Wow, Christian... Hello.

Yes, my pain levels have been tolerable with at most, 1-2 Advil a day and most days none. I do believe that my inflammation levels have gone down, at least enough to take the edge off. Then on top of that, most days, say 5 out of 7, my energy levels are much better. The days that they are not, I think I might just be, well- tired. I'm tired because I'm tired, not because of 6 Advil or two candy bars plus wine, or not moving enough and being inside. I hope to be with you in January. I'll try to put a lid on it a little more.

Jenee'. You were my "Rescue of the Day". Thank you! I think it's fine that I am a little tell-all and you are appreciating it. I do have inner INNER thoughts, and those can stay safe inside. And yes, scoli girls Rock Hard!!

Jess, As long as we have ATTITUDE, who cares where we come from and what the weather is, yes? I'm actually a New Yorker, born in NYC, lived in Queens, then Long Guyland (homage to Ed), and Colorado when I turned 18....Some day when you are all healed up, you come out here and play in the snow with us?! We'll eat too much plus dessert and go sledding.

My thankfulness of the day goes to my foot doctor from 2 and 3 years ago, Dr. Mann from Vail. He sure fixed me up. I tried to post x-rays but failed - may try again later. Lots of latent x-ray techs here, I've noticed...probably can see more than a lot of radiologists. Anyway, I used to bring 3 prs of shoes to work and change all day. I thought of him when walking today. Couldn't do it a few years ago...Yay for walking!!