Sacramento Blues - In Real Time

I recently went to a conference for work in Sacramento, CA. The conference was for the California Water and Environment Association (CWEA), an organization of wastewater treatment professionals. My goal was to balance the consequences of deviating from my diet with the benefits of socializing and doing business on the road. The socializing and business - accomplished. Striking a balance - failed.

The first morning, I had milk, orange juice, and a banana - very nearly the only gluten- and egg-free choices at the continental breakfast at my hotel. So far so good, but not nearly enough calories to get me through a morning of listening to speakers. Lunch - pasta, meatballs, and salad - was provided by the conference. I skipped the pasta, but the meatballs surely had gluten (and probably eggs). For the rest of the day I walked around in a daze, trying to pay attention at talks and be polite and attentive to those I stopped to chat with. I'm sure I faked feeling well pretty good, but I paid for it later that night with nearly five hours of stomach pains and an inability to sleep. The next day was not much better. Breakfast at the hotel, lunch at an awards luncheon, and then a beer with my boss before the flight home took my body into a tailspin. My neck started to ache on the flight home, and I became anxious - barely able to sit still. I wanted to sleep but couldn't. In the middle of the night, I woke up feverish. The night remained difficult.

The question of how I can integrate traveling, business, and socialization with my dietary needs remains...

A Few Observations About Food

A few observations about food:

(1) Most socialization happens over food or drinks;
(2) Business is often conducted over food or drinks; and
(3) Maintaining a multifaceted diet while traveling is difficult.

While I am becoming more adept at dealing with each of these individually, business, socializing, and traveling are much more difficult to balance with my diet when combined.

Overstretching - In Real Time

My hips were tight. I started to stretch them a few weeks ago. They became tighter. It didn't make sense. I spent a few hour reading up on stretching. It turns out that muscles instinctively contract to (among other reasons) protect injuries to tendons and ligaments.

Too much stretching (duration and/or depth) caused injuries to my ligaments and/or tendons, which caused tighter muscles.

New Beginning - In Real Time

This week was a good one. My back pain was less. I did not loath waking up. I had energy at and after work. Hopefully, this is the new beginning...

My Alternative Road

The four aspects to my alternative road:

(1) Exercise
(2) Diet
(3) Fasting
(4) Acupuncture

More to come on these...

Stretching and Toxins - In Real Time

I have added two new stretches to my yoga routine, targeting muscles on the back of my legs. Since beginning to stretch my pelvis, I have been more ill than usual. I am beginning to wonder if my additional stretching is releasing toxins into my body and causing nausea and sleeplessness.

Yosemite and Hookworms - In Real Time

Just got back from a trip to Yosemite. The drive there - nearly unbearable. My back - in agony. My stomach - fragile. The weather - cold and rainy. The scenery - inspiring.

Day one, I woke up nauseated. Ingrid and I hiked around the valley floor. We saw few people but incredible views - waterfalls, rivers, massive granite cliffs, meadows, birds, and deer. By mile eight, my back was nearly in spasm. We rested, stretched, then went to dinner at the Yosemite Lodge. The Yosemite Lodge has a fairly extensive gluten-free menu (a condensed version of their normal menu). The food - overrated. My Caesar salad was extraordinarily average and my ribeye was tough and poorly seasoned. I went back to the tent nauseated. More stretching, in bed by 8.

Day two, I woke up nauseated. We hiked up the mist and John Muir trail. Our goal - Nevada Falls. We made it to Clark's Point, some 2 miles from Nevada on account of my back. In the valley we went to the Ahwahnee Dining room for lunch. This was supposed to be an amazing restaurant. I had fried calamari and a club sandwich. Both had too much bread and were poorly seasoned. The club sandwich was like eating lard. The price - exorbitant. I went back to the tent nauseated.

On our way home today, my back remained in agony. I remained nauseated. However, an interesting segment on NPR (This American Life) caught my ear. The piece was about parasites. After discussing the effects that some parasites have on insects and fish, the piece switched to an interesting segment on the potentially beneficial relationship between hookworms and autoimmune diseases (Celiac Disease, Allergies, Asthma, Crone's Disease, etc.) in humans.

I could not do justice to the NPR piece, so please click here to hear the fascinating piece.

Death, Travelling, and Illness - In Real Time

My grandfather died on March 13. My wife and I flew east for the funeral a few days later. This was my first flight since my back pains began. I took a pillow to cushion my tailbone. It didn't help. By hour two pain radiated upward. By hour three the pain had spread into either side of my butt and down my legs. It felt like molten iron was being poured into my nerves in small batches. I gritted my teeth and suffered.

In Pennsylvania there was no rest. The family was exhausted from the months-long decline of my grandfather and mourning. My wife and I jumped in to help and grieve. We ran errands and traveled to see family. Cooking all meals - impossible. Finding a restaurant that could accommodate my diet - impossible. There was little choice. I ate gluten and eggs and the other things that I know make me ill. It did not seem to matter.

The days preceding the funeral felt endless. Emotionally, it felt like slowly marching toward a cliff from which there was no return. I lingered in memory for those few days. I did not want to say goodbye. I marched on.

My wife and I flew back to San Diego on a Tuesday. I eased back onto my diet and returned to regular yoga. But the Friday after we returned, sickness came. Irritation, poor sleep, nausea, anxiety, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain marred my days and nights, still mar my days and nights. This morning (it is around 3 AM) is the first time I have had the energy and focus to write. There's not much more to say...