I always knew someday my consecutive exercise streak would end. I did not know how it was going to be, or the circumstances that would be involved. The one thing I knew for sure it that it would be because of something I would have no control over. It was not just going to be an “excuse” to say I could not do it that day. That day happened last Sunday. I will expand on this more in the next several weeks, but will briefly summarize by saying my life changed that morning. I developed a clot going to my right kidney, and I was losing my kidney. I also had a clot in my right leg, and found out later that it was brought on by my heart, and had what is a called PFO: Patent Foramen Ovale. 3 angiograms later, with 3 subsequent procedures, 5 days in the hospital, I was able to come home. My exercise streak however, stopped. Day # 4196. This is how far I went. This has been driving me for the last 12 years. Lead by example. Don’t just tell people, my patients, that they need to stay active. Show them! As the saying goes: Records were meant to be broken!
Sometimes, you do just need to go with the flow! Life is always changing. My world changed over night. But, I am here. For the next 6 months I will be on multiple blood thinners, and will be taking it easy. I can’t do any aerobic activity for the next month, and then will be very slow progressing. But, I still can!
Things will changes. Things are going to be different. But I will be able to run again later. It will then be time to start a new consecutive streak. I look back now and wonder how I went this long. Things come up, life throws curveballs. Most of the time it is just an excuse. An excuse your mind can take control of. You just need to take charge. Many different events, races, causes have been accomplished over this time period. Many of them with my Watertown Area Run Club (WARC) members. Working together to raise money for charity, FARA, and going somewhere different for a race just to have fun!
Last Fall, Jill, Amanda, Paula, Sarah, Tom, and I went to Denver to do the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. These 3 came up with a shirt they had printed: South Dakota Girls…and Dan! We had so much fun with this, and had so many comments on this!
That same WARC spirit carried on this last week as well. Here they had a large group together on Wednesday, and ran for me, which would have been day # 4200! Holding a sign, and peanut M and M’s (my favorite candy!)…it still brings tears to my eyes when I look at what they did for me! But this is what WARC is about. We go the extra mile for one of our own. This is why this group of people/friends are so important. It is not about running. It is about being there for each other, and we just happen to run at the same time! I can’t thank WARC enough for this! I was at a pretty low point that day, and just had the 3rd procedure done, and this just lifted me right up! Thank you!
I guess it is gonna come down to how tough am I? I have gone through adversities before. One thing for sure, I am not gonna let this be a excuse to not restart another consecutive streak. It did definitely put life in perspective. We are all human, and don’t know what tomorrow is gonna bring. Live today! I have been watching (too much) TV lately being down this week. A movie came up that is one of my favorites. Shawshank Redemption. It has a great line in it that opened my eyes once again: “Get busy living, or get busy dying!” Choose…
Sarah and I have done a lot of talking. The consecutive streak was not the goal. The exercise was not the goal. Being together is the goal. I am going to listen to her and recover from all of this because I want to be able to do more things/events with her later. My daughter is getting married in August…the first wedding for one of my kids. I do not want to miss that for anything. I will be back. I will start a new streak. In the process, maybe this will not only help motivate others, but also help motive me! Keep moving everybody!
Do you find yourself stopping at the coffee shop or gas station and picking up a sugary donut or pastry in the morning? Do you skip breakfast altogether? Here are some tips for making breakfast a healthy habit, whether you wake up on time, hit snooze a few times, have picky eaters, or running behind.
Make burritos, egg sandwiches, quiche that can be frozen and warmed up
Want fresh? Toast an English muffin and top with cheese, egg, ham, & spinach
Peanut butter toast with banana
Instant oatmeal with fruit
Yogurt with fruit and granola
String cheese and trail mix
Top pancakes or waffles with peanut butter and fruit instead of syrup Choose whole grains when possible to give you some extra fiber and adding fruit to breakfast is a great way to start your day!
Genetically modified organisms have attracted a large amount of media attention in past years due to the controversy that they can cause serious health risks. However, foods that have been genetically modified are regulated by multiple government bodies such as the Food and Drug Agency (FDA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.1-3Yet, the public continues to be largely unaware of what a genetically modified plant is and what advantages and disadvantages the technology offers.
The demand for food due to the rapid growing population and changes in eating habits continues to cause an increase in the demand for more food.4Unfortunately, in the developing world there are about 840 million people malnourished, surviving on less than 2,000 calories per day and about 1.3 billion people survive on less than $1 per day and do not have secure access to food.1Therefore, making sure there is sufficient food to feed the estimated 9.7 billion people by 2050 and nearly 11 billion by 2100 is turning out to be one of the largest challenges of the era.4Genetically modified crops provide the ability to increase food and feed production by producing plants with higher yields in a shorter time period.4,5Most of the crops planted in South Dakota are genetically modified, including 96% of soybeans and 97% of corn.3Many South Dakota soybean farmers choose to plant genetically modified crops because it helps them use less resources such as water, fuel, and fertilizer while still growing an abundance of food to feed the growing population.3Overall, the nutrition content between genetically modified crops and non-genetically modified crops are the same, the difference is in the genetic makeup of the seed. The biotechnology adds naturally existing genes into a plant to obtain a characteristic such as the capability of preventing insects.3This technology allows farmers to save energy and resources assuring us that genetically modified crops are not harmful to human health or the environment.
Thankfully, most American’s are unaware of what starvation is due to living in a developed country. However, individuals from undeveloped parts of the world do not have the same luxuries us American’s are provided. Sadly, we are quick to judge and under educated on many of these controversial topics. Until we know what starvation feels like, many of us will not understand the purpose of genetically modified organisms and the benefits they provide to feeding our growing population.
References
1. Key S, Ma JK, Drake PM. Genetically modified plants and human health. J R Soc Med. 2008;101(6):290-298.
2. McKeon TA. Genetically modified crops for industrial products and processes and their effects on human health. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2003;14(5-8):229-241.
3. Hungry for Truth. GMOs. 2019.https://hungryfortruthsd.com/topics/gmo/.
4. Kamle M, Kumar P, Patra JK, Bajpai VK. Current perspectives on genetically modified crops and detection methods. 3 Biotech. 2017;7(3):219.
5. Guardian. Plants modified to boost photosynthesis produce greater yields, study shows. 2016.
How do most people spend their birthday? Well, running with your friends, of course! Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and also my wife Sarah’s birthday! I want to wish her a very special birthday. We started off once again on Sunday morning running with our run club members, and then went to Tim and Jill Makepeace’s house to celebrate with breakfast! A great morning.
She got flowers sent to her at work on Friday. A great way to start the weekend!
A few weeks before this we got to have our vacation in Jamaica. A great place to relax, celebrate, and get away from the snow. It was in the mid 80’s everyday! We got to walk the beach every day as well. No matter what, vacation, work, whatever, we remain active! We always have, and hopefully we always will.
One afternoon when we came back to our room, they had this done on our bed! Perfect surprise! It was a great get away to spend some time together!
We are working on year 29 together. I wish you a very Happy Birthday, and love you very much!
I hope to have many more years to celebrate birthdays, and other special occasions with you. Just like our wedding day theme: “Two hearts that beat as one!”. Nothing has changed, except it means even more today than it did then! Spend time with the people you care about. Stay active, and keep moving everybody!
March is known as National Nutrition Month, which was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In March of 1973, National Nutrition Week was created to deliver nutrition education messages to the public while supporting the profession of dietetics. The public’s growing interest in nutrition expanded the week-long celebration into a month-long observance in 1980. The campaign each year is to focus on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits throughout the month of March.
National Registered Dietitian Day is also celebrated the second Wednesday of March, which this year is celebrated today Wednesday, March 13th. Dietitians are the providers of food and nutrition services committing themselves to helping people enjoy healthy lives.
Registered Dietitians:
Are the food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living.
Have degrees in nutrition, dietetics, public health or a related field from well-respected, accredited colleges and universities, completed an internship and passed an examination.
Use their expertise to help individuals make personalized, positive lifestyle changes.
Work throughout the community in hospitals, schools, public health clinics, nursing homes, fitness centers, food management, food industry, universities, research and private practice.
Are advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world.
Dietitians are there to assist in overall health and wellness, not just weight loss. We want to make sure you have the energy you need to fuel your body and be the best version of yourself. Be sure to utilize your local dietitian for any health or nutrition questions you have!
Out in the snow and cold with the Watertown Area Run Club
I had mentioned in an earlier post about motivating mantras…sayings that can help keep us focused, and concentrate on what we are doing, and our goals. I was just watching the movie “Unbroken” the other day. A prisoner of war, American, Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic runner, was a prisoner of war in Japan. What helped get him through was a saying his brother had taught him while he was training for the Olympics: “If I can take it, I can make it!” I find myself saying that a lot now lately too. With the weather, the injury with my foot, being busy at work. I find myself wondering how I can keep taking this! I have to keep trying to focus on the future, while at the same time taking advantage of the now, and appreciate what I can do….which has me doing a lot of bike riding.
Park and Rec keeps helping to plow sections of trail, but they are getting deep!
This was Sarah’s view running on Saturday
It gets frustrating having to deal with the snow, and the cold, wind, etc. Will Spring ever get here! We have to keep reminding ourselves of positive things, and keep repeating them to ourselves over and over!
Focus on this, and repeat!
We can make those motivating mantras as long, or as short as we want. Make them individual to ourselves, and make it have some meaning.
Short and sweet…Just Be…
Running in a group with our run club helps keep each of us going, and motivated!
Keep focusing on what is ahead of us. That goes for everything in life. Life goes by fast as it is, and when things start getting tough, we wish time would go by faster so we can get through it easier, but life is not easy. Just like trying to work on our health, and keep active. Nothing about it is easy. “If I can take it, I can make it!” FOCUS! CONCENTRATE! And, above all, be positive, not only to yourself, but to others. Others around you, family, friends, they may be struggling more than you. Be a positive influence. Be someone that somebody else can look up to, and gain knowledge, motivation, and just plain happiness! Then in this whole process, you are helping yourself as well, and working on your health/fitness as well. So then we can all say:
We can keep repeating this to ourselves all of the time!
What is your mantra? What would motivate you? What is it that will trigger that desire in you to push you beyond what you think you could do? I am going to continue this topic next week as well. It should be important to all of us, as well as motivating. Keep moving everybody!
