Monday, March 29, 2004
I did my full training regimine last week and while it felt good, it hammered home exactly how hard this walk is going to be. At about the five and a half mile mark, your body just goes on auto-pilot and your brain can focus on how sore your hips are and how your sock is bunching up under your foot and whatnot. Though I'm guessing it will all be easier once I have people to walk with and talk to on the walk. And, like they said at the Getting Started session, once I'm focused on the walk, I won't be thinking about what I need to get at the grocery store or whether or not someone called me back or anything like that. For two days, I will be in the moment, focused on the walk, focused on my goal of walking thirty-nine-point-three miles to raise money for breast cancer research.
Yes, it will be tough, but I think I am up for the challenge. This Friday, I think I'll take a different, longer route home from work. Seven miles was okay for a start, but I need to start logging more miles at a time if I'm going to make it through this.
Yes, it will be tough, but I think I am up for the challenge. This Friday, I think I'll take a different, longer route home from work. Seven miles was okay for a start, but I need to start logging more miles at a time if I'm going to make it through this.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Bowling for Boobs!!!
That’s right! You guys wanted it, so here it is. A night of bowling, food, and fun, all in the name of raising money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
Join me at Lincoln Square Lanes (4874 N. Lincoln, above the True Value) on Friday night, April 16th at 8pm. Your $20 cover charge will include three games of bowling, shoe rental, and pizza (sorry, no discounts if you own your shoes already -- you're really going to begrudge breast cancer patients two dollars?). All of the proceeds will go to the Avon Walk.
Not much of a bowler? No problem. We’ll be having a Scotch Doubles competition. You and your partner will each bowl one ball per frame, but in a manner of my choosing – with the opposite hand, between your partner’s legs, etc. The team with the lowest score wins! Though if you are caught aiming for the gutter, you will be drawn and quartered. Don’t have a partner? No worries. I’ll match you up with someone.
Scotch Doubles sound too cheesy for you? No problem! We’ll also have a “real” competition going on for those of you who own your own ball, shoes, and wrist guard. No handicaps; just best average after three games takes home a prize.
And throughout the night, there will be more fun ways to show off your skills and win fun prizes!
Sound too good to be true? Well, there is one catch. Lincoln Square Lanes is small – we’ve reserved all twelve lanes for this event, but that means we can only accommodate about sixty bowlers/teams. So you have to let me know that you are coming BEFOREHAND. Send me an e-mail, tell me your name and which competition you would like to participate in. If you want to do Scotch Doubles and you have a partner in mind, include his/her name as well. I will confirm that I got your e-mail and that your space on the lanes has been reserved. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND YOU CANNOT COME TO THE EVENT, SEND ME AN E-MAIL AND LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOUR SPACE TO SOMEONE ELSE. If I don’t have your RSVP by April 13th, I can’t guarantee that you will get to bowl.
Obnoxious technical stuff aside, this is going to be a great evening. Let me know that you’re coming! Bring your friends! Let’s pack Lincoln Square Lanes full of people who all want to Bowl for Boobs!
(And a very big thank you to Ben Kogan without whom, this probably would not have happened.)
That’s right! You guys wanted it, so here it is. A night of bowling, food, and fun, all in the name of raising money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
Join me at Lincoln Square Lanes (4874 N. Lincoln, above the True Value) on Friday night, April 16th at 8pm. Your $20 cover charge will include three games of bowling, shoe rental, and pizza (sorry, no discounts if you own your shoes already -- you're really going to begrudge breast cancer patients two dollars?). All of the proceeds will go to the Avon Walk.
Not much of a bowler? No problem. We’ll be having a Scotch Doubles competition. You and your partner will each bowl one ball per frame, but in a manner of my choosing – with the opposite hand, between your partner’s legs, etc. The team with the lowest score wins! Though if you are caught aiming for the gutter, you will be drawn and quartered. Don’t have a partner? No worries. I’ll match you up with someone.
Scotch Doubles sound too cheesy for you? No problem! We’ll also have a “real” competition going on for those of you who own your own ball, shoes, and wrist guard. No handicaps; just best average after three games takes home a prize.
And throughout the night, there will be more fun ways to show off your skills and win fun prizes!
Sound too good to be true? Well, there is one catch. Lincoln Square Lanes is small – we’ve reserved all twelve lanes for this event, but that means we can only accommodate about sixty bowlers/teams. So you have to let me know that you are coming BEFOREHAND. Send me an e-mail, tell me your name and which competition you would like to participate in. If you want to do Scotch Doubles and you have a partner in mind, include his/her name as well. I will confirm that I got your e-mail and that your space on the lanes has been reserved. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND YOU CANNOT COME TO THE EVENT, SEND ME AN E-MAIL AND LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOUR SPACE TO SOMEONE ELSE. If I don’t have your RSVP by April 13th, I can’t guarantee that you will get to bowl.
Obnoxious technical stuff aside, this is going to be a great evening. Let me know that you’re coming! Bring your friends! Let’s pack Lincoln Square Lanes full of people who all want to Bowl for Boobs!
(And a very big thank you to Ben Kogan without whom, this probably would not have happened.)
Things are coming along nicely with the planning of my next three fundraising events. I'm a little nervous about having three events in the next two and a half months, but I think they will appeal to different enough crowds that things should be fine. And they are going to be a lot of fun, too, so that will help a lot.
And I've set a training regimine for myself from now until the Walk. Twice a week, I will walk from work to class. It is only about a three and a half mile walk, but it is something to get me in the habit of walking. And it fits in with my busy schedule. And once a week, I will take the train to work and then walk home. That one will be about a ten mile ordeal, so a little more helpful on the training front. And once again, it fits nicely into my schedule because I will do it on a night when I don't have to be anywhere right after work. I can take my time, stop and stretch as appropriate. And over the weekend, I visited my favorite online vegan store and placed an order for vegan energy bars. I just got one each of a couple different kinds so I can see what I like before ordering a bunch for the Walk. So I'm thinking Fridays after work. Traffic wll be horrible anyway, so the walk will do me some good. Throw an energy bar in my bag with a bottle of water and off I go!
I'm so excited for the walk. I'm so excited for the bowling night and the Micetro and the swing event. There is still a lot of fun to be had, all in the name of a good cause, over the next two and a half months. Keep an eye out for more details!
And I've set a training regimine for myself from now until the Walk. Twice a week, I will walk from work to class. It is only about a three and a half mile walk, but it is something to get me in the habit of walking. And it fits in with my busy schedule. And once a week, I will take the train to work and then walk home. That one will be about a ten mile ordeal, so a little more helpful on the training front. And once again, it fits nicely into my schedule because I will do it on a night when I don't have to be anywhere right after work. I can take my time, stop and stretch as appropriate. And over the weekend, I visited my favorite online vegan store and placed an order for vegan energy bars. I just got one each of a couple different kinds so I can see what I like before ordering a bunch for the Walk. So I'm thinking Fridays after work. Traffic wll be horrible anyway, so the walk will do me some good. Throw an energy bar in my bag with a bottle of water and off I go!
I'm so excited for the walk. I'm so excited for the bowling night and the Micetro and the swing event. There is still a lot of fun to be had, all in the name of a good cause, over the next two and a half months. Keep an eye out for more details!
Friday, March 12, 2004
I found this article on Yahoo! today and thought I would share it, particularly for the last couple of paragraphs on cancers.
What Makes Soy So Good For You?
Think about it: Its protein is complete, like the best animal sources -- but it has almost no saturated fat. Soybeans have numerous minerals, including iron and, if the processing method is right, calcium.
Soy foods are also rich in isoflavones - unique plant compounds that fit particular human hormone receptors like keys in a lock, and may open the door to special health benefits. The combination of soy protein and isoflavones reliably lowers high blood cholesterol. Isoflavones also improve overall cardiovascular health, provide some protection against cancers of the prostate and uterus, help build bone and may ease menopausal hot flashes.
A fine bean, to be sure. But it's no panacea - no one food is. What really improves health is a balanced dietary pattern that relies mostly on whole foods, including fruits, vegetables and grains. Enjoy a tempeh burger instead of a beef patty, and you double your benefit - first by eating soy, and second by taking some red meat off your plate. Soy foods have amazing culinary versatility: From faux fajitas to authentic Asian feasts, they cook up as a tasty alternative to red meat.
Protecting Your Heart
The FDA has approved this health claim for soy on food packaging: "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." Left unsaid is research that's shown the combination of soy protein and isoflavones to be more effective at lowering blood cholesterol than soy protein alone. Isoflavones have other cardiovascular benefits: They act as antioxidants, inhibit blood clotting and improve the elasticity of blood vessels, which benefits blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
A Weapon Against Cancer
Soy's isoflavones are believed to play a role in inhibiting cancer. In the lab, isoflavones introduced to a cell culture medium where tumor cells were attempting to grow have blocked the cancer cells' progress. If a tiny tumor does form, one isoflavone in particular - genistein - helps prevent it from developing a blood supply and subsequently getting bigger.
The most direct cancer protection you receive from soy foods, however, relates to the way isoflavones interfere with hormone-related cancers, particularly of the prostate and uterus. For example, isoflavones inhibit testosterone from turning into a form that promotes prostate cell growth, and thus, cancer.
The breast cancer story is more complex. Although there's some evidence that soy foods rich in isoflavones may help protect against endometrial, breast and other hormone-related cancers, there is conflicting data. While many experts believe that soy foods are health-protective for all women, several raise concerns about isoflavone supplements.
A Special Benefit During Menopause
By fitting into estrogen receptors, soy's isoflavones may play a special role in helping women undergoing menopause do so comfortably and healthfully. Some, but not all, studies find that eating soy may reduce hot flashes. Soy foods rich in isoflavones also help prevent the bone loss that often accelerates after menopause, which can progress to osteoporosis. Like estrogen itself, soy builds bone. By lowering cholesterol and protecting the heart, soy foods help reduce the risk of heart disease, which can become greater as natural heart-protective estrogen levels fall.
What Makes Soy So Good For You?
Think about it: Its protein is complete, like the best animal sources -- but it has almost no saturated fat. Soybeans have numerous minerals, including iron and, if the processing method is right, calcium.
Soy foods are also rich in isoflavones - unique plant compounds that fit particular human hormone receptors like keys in a lock, and may open the door to special health benefits. The combination of soy protein and isoflavones reliably lowers high blood cholesterol. Isoflavones also improve overall cardiovascular health, provide some protection against cancers of the prostate and uterus, help build bone and may ease menopausal hot flashes.
A fine bean, to be sure. But it's no panacea - no one food is. What really improves health is a balanced dietary pattern that relies mostly on whole foods, including fruits, vegetables and grains. Enjoy a tempeh burger instead of a beef patty, and you double your benefit - first by eating soy, and second by taking some red meat off your plate. Soy foods have amazing culinary versatility: From faux fajitas to authentic Asian feasts, they cook up as a tasty alternative to red meat.
Protecting Your Heart
The FDA has approved this health claim for soy on food packaging: "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." Left unsaid is research that's shown the combination of soy protein and isoflavones to be more effective at lowering blood cholesterol than soy protein alone. Isoflavones have other cardiovascular benefits: They act as antioxidants, inhibit blood clotting and improve the elasticity of blood vessels, which benefits blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
A Weapon Against Cancer
Soy's isoflavones are believed to play a role in inhibiting cancer. In the lab, isoflavones introduced to a cell culture medium where tumor cells were attempting to grow have blocked the cancer cells' progress. If a tiny tumor does form, one isoflavone in particular - genistein - helps prevent it from developing a blood supply and subsequently getting bigger.
The most direct cancer protection you receive from soy foods, however, relates to the way isoflavones interfere with hormone-related cancers, particularly of the prostate and uterus. For example, isoflavones inhibit testosterone from turning into a form that promotes prostate cell growth, and thus, cancer.
The breast cancer story is more complex. Although there's some evidence that soy foods rich in isoflavones may help protect against endometrial, breast and other hormone-related cancers, there is conflicting data. While many experts believe that soy foods are health-protective for all women, several raise concerns about isoflavone supplements.
A Special Benefit During Menopause
By fitting into estrogen receptors, soy's isoflavones may play a special role in helping women undergoing menopause do so comfortably and healthfully. Some, but not all, studies find that eating soy may reduce hot flashes. Soy foods rich in isoflavones also help prevent the bone loss that often accelerates after menopause, which can progress to osteoporosis. Like estrogen itself, soy builds bone. By lowering cholesterol and protecting the heart, soy foods help reduce the risk of heart disease, which can become greater as natural heart-protective estrogen levels fall.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
I'm back in the States now and ready to start really training! Thank goodness it is getting nicer outside (knock on wood).
Yesterday, I decided to walk to school instead of taking the train. Yeah, it's only a three mile walk, but every couple of miles helps, you know? I'm hoping to do a six mile walk or so this weekend.
And I still have gears spinning in my head for more fundraisers. Just because I have passed the minimum required doesn't mean I'm going to be stopping anytime soon. So keep checking this blog for updates. If you don't get the million e-mails I send out...
Yesterday, I decided to walk to school instead of taking the train. Yeah, it's only a three mile walk, but every couple of miles helps, you know? I'm hoping to do a six mile walk or so this weekend.
And I still have gears spinning in my head for more fundraisers. Just because I have passed the minimum required doesn't mean I'm going to be stopping anytime soon. So keep checking this blog for updates. If you don't get the million e-mails I send out...
Monday, March 01, 2004
Training along the Seinne today. Yes, I realize that I am luckier than most with this training regimine, but in my own defense, I have to say that one's shins get just as tired walking along the Seinne as they do anywhere else in the world. And I have to give props to the Avon Walk crew for warning us about bonking. It's true -- the way to get up and keep walking the next day is to take care of yourself as you walk!
