Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Today, as I was running around the neighborhood, someone said that they admire my determination to keep exercising. Although, I have not kept the same pace than I did when I went to the gym, I have been active. I guess it's noticeably so as I don't see many others getting out and running or even walking. Yes, social distancing is important, and it's easy to practice when outside. Remember, you need to get adequate vitamin D to maintain health. Aside from supplementation the best way to get vitamin D is by getting some sunshine.

I have not been weighing myself as I don't own a scale. The only place I weigh myself is at the gym. As you know, the gyms are closed, so I have no idea what my actual weight is. But I know my weight has not changed. How? Well, one way to judge is by the way my clothes fit. Everything is fitting exactly like it did before the pandemic started. Another way I know it's the same: my diet is the same as a few months ago.

I decided to sign up for the Fairfield Half Marathon on June 7. I did this race last year and thought it was a lot of fun. It was tough with some of the hills but I enjoyed starting and ending by the beach.

I know what I need to work on for the next time around. I need to practice my incline running. I need to figure out how to adjust the speed so I'm not so winded by the end. But those things will improve as I get to practicing again.

It seems like everyone is protein obsessed these day. People seem to think that if they focus on protein alone, they will lose weight, gain more muscle, feel better, etc. In the process, people have forgotten about the vital nutrients we also need, that many of us are not getting enough of.

For example, a lot of people are lacking fiber. Did you know that fiber can help protect you from colon cancer and many other diseases? Check out this video from Dr. Greger to learn more about it. Calcium is another thing that a lot of people get wrong. They think that the calcium in dairy milk will give them all the calcium they need. Did they ever stop to think about where the cows got the calcium in the first place, from the plants?

I started my plant based journey for health reasons. Of course, since then, I became vegan too, as my compassion for animals and concern for the environment grew. But today, I had my yearly physical and had a reminder about why I am plant based... a clean bill of health.

I never liked going to the doctors. I had such phobias when I was a kid, and it was part of the reason why I avoided going as an adult. It wasn't until 2012 when I had my first physical that I really started getting over my anxiety (although, admittedly, it's still there!). When I found out I was pre-hypertensive and that my cholesterol was elevated, it was a huge wakeup call.

Yesterday, my physical therapist did a reassessment and said I probably only need one more appointment in a few weeks. The exercises he gave me seemed to do the trick as my knee is so much better. The swelling is gone, no more pain going up or down the stairs and I can actually run again.