Author: Jenna

The last two weeks I have been slacking. I have barely done any running and strength training has been hit or miss. I need to get back on the horse, so to speak. Since I didn’t run this morning I read about it instead. It’s the same thing right? I plan to get back it at tomorrow. If you would rather read about running here is what I’ve been checking out lately:

I can totally relate to this, since I always start in this mindset: When starting a new training plan: “I’m never going to miss a single training run, no matter what.”

I keep reading this article because I am all signed up for my first marathon (January 2016) and am already freaking out about how, when and what to eat.

And because I am now gluten-free for life (thank you celiac disease) I am always looking for fuel. This slide show has 9 items for me to eat and not have to worry about gluten.

Tomorrow is weigh in day and I am a little worried about it. Last week I lost despite limited activity and eating what felt like a ton of extra calories. I did the same thing this week and have a feeling my luck has run out. I need to get back into my workout routine. It helps in so many ways besides just weight loss.

What have you been reading lately? What do you do to get back on track?

Well, April is now over and so is the Wego Health Activist month of prompts. I started late, missed a week and skipped a few prompts that didn’t really appeal to me but I am glad I took a shot and did the month. I think I got a few good blogs and a few new people to follow on twitter.

• My favorite blog I wrote was Get Excited. It is always nice to reflect on the little things that make you happy. It helps bring you back when you get upset about your health issues, which I have done a lot lately.
• I think the Wordle blog was most fun. I did mine quickly so I didn’t include a lot of words but I liked the result.
• I think the blog that got the most reactions was my cheesy Health Tagline. It was pretty popular on twitter and got a few comments as well.

I am not done writing about my health (and fitness) but it probably won’t be as often or as focused. I really liked having the prompts. It got me thinking about new ways to write about my celiac disease and gave me options. As I said, there were a few prompts I didn’t think applied to me so I just skipped those days.

Hopefully next April I can get in at the start. I had received the email but it got lost with everything else I was dealing with at the time. I think the prompts and month-long focus really helps those of us with health problems to focus and write about it and help spread the word. There are so many diseases and issues out there that aren’t well-known or well understood by those who aren’t affected. Wego really helps to get the word out.

I was diagnosed last month with celiac disease. When I really start to think back I realize celiac disease has been an issue since at least high school. I thought I was lactose intolerant. I would get sick and stop eating cereal with milk and feel better. I felt sick after eating things like pizza and pasta with cheese. I thought it was dairy. Around 10 years or so ago my mom was diagnosed with IBS. At the time my mom and I had the same doctor. We thought I had IBS.

Then I got pneumonia and had a massive allergic reaction to one of the medicines I was given. It affected my joints and since I had always had some problems with my wrist and joints I went to Mayo to check for things such as RA, lupus and other related joint diseases. Everything was negative. I don’t know for sure but I can only assume this auto-immune response was related to celiac disease.

Back then I had never even heard of celiac disease. I would have never thought I had it. I didn’t even know what gluten was. I knew wheat, rye and barley but I didn’t know about the gluten protein. I was active and tried to eat healthy but I didn’t know about macro nutrients. I would have never known to ask about celiac disease.

Even a few years ago when a friend was diagnosed I didn’t connect any of the dots in my history. I learned a lot about celiac disease and being gluten-free at the time but never applied it to me. Even though I could only drink one beer without getting too sick. Even though I didn’t eat bread with my lunch because it made me too tired for an afternoon at work. Even though I didn’t put my hamburgers or hot dogs on bread because I felt better when I didn’t. Yet I never thought that I had celiac disease. I still thought it was IBS.

I wish 10+ years ago celiac disease had been more prominent. I may have been able to be diagnosed sooner. I wish when I went to the doctor about five years ago that she hadn’t been so terrible. I had told her I thought I had IBS but my symptoms were really acting up. She didn’t understand how I could feel constipated yet have diarrhea. She either had no clue or didn’t believe me. She felt my stomach and dismissed my complaints. At this point I changed insurance at work to get away from the crappy doctors at the insurance clinic. For the next five or so years I only went to my ob-gyn because I was so upset with how I was treated under my old doctors. I had symptoms still but at times they wouldn’t be as bad. Then in October I had two instances that pushed me over the edge and made me sick for several months. I needed to find out what was wrong and how to fix it.

If it was IBS I thought I’d do an elimination diet to figure out my triggers. Well, it turned out to be something else, celiac disease. I have been eating gluten-free since March 15th and I feel so much better. And yes, I get upset about the limitations especially when eating out. It will take time for me to totally accept that aspect. At home it is no problem. I love fruits, veggies, meat and dairy but I wish I could just go out and eat anywhere. I hate the fact that I have to plan ahead and restaurants give me 4 or 5 choices in their 20 page menus. In time I am sure I will get over this. I am glad to have the fog lifted and not have a headache every day. I just wish I had found all this out sooner. I had some miserable days.

I encourage those who aren’t sure what is wrong with them to keep digging, keep asking and find a doctor who will listen. There may be something wrong; it might not be what you think it is. Doctors should explore everything. Don’t give up. It may take 10+ years but once you know what’s wrong and how to fix it you will feel better.

My (current) favorite health-related product is my Fitbit Surge. I got it a couple of months ago and am still going strong with it. I had been searching for a gps watch with wrist heart rate monitor for my runs but was having a hard time deciding. I had a tomtom on my wish list for months but couldn’t pull the trigger. I didn’t intend to buy a Fitbit.

But then a few months ago my bathroom scale had decided it had enough. I didn’t want to go with out so I hopped online and started scrolling through the selection on Amazon and came across the Fitbit Aria. I wanted a decent scale and one that would give body fat (I know it’s not accurate but can give me a trend). I was leaning towards the Aria but figured what good is it without a Fitbit tracker.

I didn’t realize Fitbit had the Surge. I stumbled upon it and once I saw it and read through the website I knew I had to have it, which meant I had to have the Aria as well. I ordered both and was impatient for them to arrive. I have been using them ever since.

I had been using my S Health to get my step count but then I had to carry my phone everywhere, having the watch is so much more convenient and it has way more options. I use it to track my sleep and my food in conjunction with myfitnesspal.

So far I have only used the free run and love it. It takes only a few seconds to connect to the gps and I can see my current pace time and miles at a quick glance. I was using an app on my phone before and it was always such a pain to see how I was doing. I plan to try out the lap feature soon; I just want to see how that option works and if it would be good for my speed work. I don’t do it on a track but rather stretches of road that are approximately a quarter-mile. Hopefully the lap feature will be adequate.

I also like the other exercise tracking options. So far I have used the yoga and weight training ones. It helps me track how long each session was and a heart rate/calorie estimate. I feel it’s a little more accurate than my guessing. 😉

I feel the watch helps keep me more active throughout the day. I know I want to reach 10,000 steps a day so I find excuses to get up and walk a bit more. It is easier at work; on the weekends I work on my blog and photography business and don’t move as much as I should. I just get into the zone and enjoy the work but with the watch I check my steps after a bit. I walk for a few minutes and get back at it.

As much as I love this watch I do have a few small complaints, not enough to get me to stop wearing it. First Fitbit says the battery should last 5-7 days (5 if you use the gps). Mine lasted 2.5 days the first time, no gps usage. I turned off the backlight and still 2,5 days. I use the gps, 2.5 days. I have not tried turning off the heart rate monitor but I am not sure that would make that much of a difference. I would love it if the battery did last 5 days. It uses a special usb charger so I can’t just grab my phone/kindle charger and do it at work. I have to remember to charge it overnight or at home when I am not moving a lot.

My only other issue is the size. I ordered a small band because my wrist is pretty small. I have it fastened in the middle of the band, not too tight and not too loose. The band is fine but my problem is the actually watch part. It is huge. It fits slightly awkward on my wrist because it is almost as wide as my wrist. If it was a bit smaller I think it would fit on my wrist better. As it is, it slightly goes off my wrist and gets to be uncomfortable since I wear it almost 24/7 (never in the shower). In fact I took it off when I went to bed last night because it was bothering me. It isn’t so bad that I am going to stop wearing it or not recommend it but I just feel it could be a bit smaller to fit on those of us with small wrists. Maybe Fitbit could do a male and female rather than large and small?

Well, that tittle makes me feel like I should be part of S.H.E.I.L.D. I wouldn’t mind joining S.H.E.I.L.D. but I am not sure what I would bring to the team. But a las I am just using the letters to represent my health activism.

H – Hemp. This is what I’m using as my current protein powder. I am always trying to get more protein and I love throwing this into a smoothie.

E – Eating! I love to eat and due to my celiac disease I need to be careful what I eat. No gluten for me!

A – Agua. I drink water all day. I live in the desert and run outside all year round so I definitely need more than some may. I truly believe in the power of drinking water. If you don’t like plain water, add some cucumber, citrus or berries!

L – Logging. I log my food, sleep, daily activity and exercise with myfitnesspal and fitbit. It helps to keep me on track and in line (so I can eat all the foods!).

T – Training, both strength training and training for races. You can’t just go out and run 13.1 miles. You need training to help get you there.

H – Hiking. Although I don’t do it as much as I’d like to I do love to be out on the trails. You’d think with all the great trails and mountains here I would do it more often but life gets in the way. It is easier to run in my neighborhood then drive to hike.

What would your letters stand for?

What do you do when you are having a bad day? How do you change your attitude to make it a good one?

Here are my top five ways to get me on the path to happy?

1. Take a few deep breaths – sometimes taking a minute or two to just breathe can help to clear your mind and put you into the right frame of mind.
2. Take a walk – for when a few deep breaths just aren’t cutting it. A walk puts you out in nature and doing something physical. I always take at least one 15 minute walk break at work, even if I am busy. It helps me get center again and step away from whatever issue is frustrating me at the moment.
3. Yoga – who doesn’t love getting all bendy to clear your mind? I do all my meditation during yoga. I try to not think and just do. And I always try to challenge my body, push myself a bit further.
4. Intense cardio – typically I run but every now and then I need a good boxing or fight workout. Either way I am taking out my aggression and upping my endorphins. It’s a win-win.
5. Read – I love reading. It relaxes me. I will pick up a book to transport me to a different world or if I want something mindless, a magazine. After work I like to read magazines because my brain is tired and magazines are easier to process. Reading helps me forget about what else has been going on.

I could probably think of a few more things (and not all of them the healthiest!) but for me these are the best and surest ways to get me back on the right path. What do you do to changed a bad day to good?

Summer is just around the corner or in my case it is pretty much here already. Phoenix has been having some higher than usual temperatures but now that I have the ac on at home I can’t complain. I honestly don’t mind the heat most of the time. I hate being too cold or too hot but if I have the chance I would definitely take a warm summer day over a cold winter one any time.

Summer means longer days which to mean means margaritas! Who doesn’t like to sit outside on a hot summer night and sip an ice-cold margarita. Sunset is the best time of day any time of the year but it is magical during the summer. If I am not out running at sunset (which happens a few week nights) I want to be on the patio sipping that margarita. The sun goes down, the stars come out and bugs start their evening songs.

Summer also means bbq. There is nothing else like a thick, juicy steak done on the grill. Yes, you can grill any time but as above there is just something about the summer that makes food on the grill taste better. I love putting some potatoes in tinfoil with butter and seasoning to go with that steak. And of course corn on the cob. For some reason food is just better with grill marks on them.

I also love running outdoors in the summer. On weekends I get up early and run. I am almost always alone out there. I can just go and not be interrupted by others on the side-walk or worrying about cars. I also enjoy running by the carnicerias. I run by two on my long runs and they are just putting the carne asada on the grill. It smells so great but thankfully I am not hungry or I would have to grab some as I run by.

On weekdays I run at sunset. The sun and the temperature go down and I go out. I thoroughly enjoy watching the sunset and the sky change colors. The evening just brings a peacefulness I can’t fully describe.

I also enjoy running in the summer because I become drenched in sweat. There is nothing like getting in a good workout and sweating it out. It is refreshing in a weird way.

What do you look forward to come summer?

If I had to give my celiac disease a tagline I guess it would be:

Abstain from gluten, from tasty cakes and delectable brownies. Put down the savory bread and pasta too. Although divine on the tongue, gluten is wicked on your digestive system.

Yah, I know this is pretty bad but I have never thought about a tagline. I think it is a bit long and cheesy but sometimes I run-on and get a bit cheesy. It’s why people love me. 😉

Today’s prompt:

Give yourself, or your patient experience a tagline. Grab attention with your slogan. Make sure it’s catchy!

What would your tagline be?

Today’s prompt is pretty self-explanatory, “I feel best when…” and my answer is relatively simple and short.

I feel best when… I finish a race, especially a half marathon.

There is nothing like crossing that finish line and knowing you’ve completed something amazing. There is a rush of adrenaline. There are crowds cheering. You feel like you’ve truly won (even if you are 1,873 out of 3,917). But you have won. You completed something that not everyone has done. You put in the time and the training.

For me I think the feeling of accomplishment comes because there is always part of the race that feels hard. There is the physical aspect, maybe your legs are tired that day but there is also the mental aspect. If you read my blog on the 9th, Challenger, you know that I struggle with the mental aspect. I have to tell myself I can do it.

Crossing the finish line means I defeated the mental aspect of running. I may be dead tired but I feel like I can accomplish anything after a half marathon. I get a smaller version of this feeling after a tough training run.  I feel like nothing can get in my way. I can achieve my dreams. I try to carry this feeling forward in my day-to-day life. I am working towards owning my own business and I try to keep moving forward and banish the deprecating self talk. I reach into those reserves from a half marathon and tell myself I can do it.

Reader: When do you feel best?

Today’s prompt is slightly more difficult for me to write. My celiac disease diagnosis isn’t even a month old yet. I have only felt marginalized or stigmatized a couple of times. However, I do feel more like I am a burden when I go out to eat or I feel left out at work when food is brought in and I can’t have any.

I struggle with going out to eat because I can no longer go anywhere or order whatever I want. I hate the fact that I have to order special items and ask a million questions. I hate having to tell everyone that there is something wrong with me. That my body doesn’t work properly.  It gets very frustrating and sometimes I wish I had never received a diagnosis.

I have learned that I need to say I have celiac disease. We went to a restaurant that I had read was good for people with celiac disease. I asked if the chips were gluten-free and I made sure to order an item marked gluten-free. I did not tell them I had celiac disease and cross contamination could be an issue. I was about 3/4 through my meal when my digestive system was burning and I got a headache. I cannot blame the restaurant as I did not specify my need for gluten-free. Now if I were to go there again and specified celiac disease and need for careful preparation and I still got sick? Then I would blame the restaurant.

A time I felt marginalized or not really heard was when I requested a list of gluten-free items from a sports arena. I was given a list which only contained a few meals, the rest were all snack items. Of the three meals, two of them required leaving items off and I was not a fan of those two items. I went to order the third items, crispy wings (which leaves me questioning what is in the crispy wings because they are usually dredged in flour) and noticed the stand also had crispy chicken tenders. I asked if the wings and tenders were fried and the same oil. They were. I lost all trust in the rest of the items being actually gluten-free without cross contamination. I ended up not eating anything that night at the game and being miserable because I was hungry. The next game I ate dinner at 4 pm and had to eat again after because I was so hungry.

We have since contacted the team who forwarded our email to the company that does the food. They are going to revamp the menu in the off-season and add 6-10 entrees and 10-12 snacks that are gluten-free, which hopefully means there is something I can eat. I just hope they make sure there is no cross contamination and denote if items are fried in separate fryers. Cross contamination of even just a crumb can make someone with celiac disease extremely sick.

We also requested information from another sports venue but haven’t heard back. This other venue has a gluten-free stand but their menu board only had a few items. I just don’t get why I should be limited to 3-4 things, half snack items, because of something out of my control.

I also feel marginalized at work. Every Friday donuts are brought in. I can’t have donuts. They don’t purchase any gluten-free treats. They bring fruit but I eat so much fruit I’d like a freaking cookie or donut once a week. There is also a large work party being planned and I will need to bring my own food. They did not consider allergies when planning the menu and it is a buffet, which means even if there was something gluten-free there is a high possibility of cross contamination unless I am the first through the line (which isn’t going to happen). Also, while planning the idea of allergies and gluten-free was brought up but the answer was, “there  will be Mexican food”. Mexican food can be gluten-free but a lot of places here use flour over corn tortillas AND corn tortillas can contain gluten (why is beyond me). Plus, would they ask about cross contamination? Would they make sure the Mexican restaurant knows someone has celiac disease? I felt like they were far too dismissive of allergies and diseases. It did not seem like they cared. I was not at the planning committees but had a few coworkers who attempted to fight for me. I also looked up the Mexican restaurant and could not find them on any safe lists or reviews for gluten-free and celiac disease. I decided it was just best for me to not eat since I cannot guarantee no gluten and no cross contamination.

I didn’t ask for celiac disease and I certainly would not be on a gluten-free diet if I didn’t have to. I cannot imagine how difficult it was for people with celiac disease just a few years ago. There was almost no information and no gluten-free menus. Celiac disease affects about 1 in every 133 people. That is quite a bit and doesn’t include wheat allergies or intolerance. Not everything needs to be made with wheat/gluten. A lot of items just have gluten added for shits and giggles it seems.

I am going to struggle for a while with this because I feel so limited and I feel I cannot just go out to eat. I need to plan. I need to ask a million questions. I need to explain this is a disease not just a diet whim.

No one is going to fight for me but me. I need to accept that I have to tell people I am broken. I have to let them know my body hates itself when I have gluten. I have to be that person when it comes to eating out. It is hard and I struggle with it. I wish more people and restaurants were aware of celiac disease. I wish more people cared but they don’t.

Today’s prompt:

Tell us about a time when you felt marginalized or stigmatized by someone because of your health condition. Maybe at the time you didn’t speak up, or maybe you did – what did you say or what would you have said to take back control and let them know the were out of line?