I remember the day I first typed that in a message to a friend of mine. I’d just gotten up early and gone for a run and I was sitting at my desk at work and realized I STILL had the runner’s high, over 2 hours later. Yes, I’m a runner. The morning of this writing, I got up at 6am to run 3 miles before work. Soon, I hope to run my longest distance yet: 13.1 miles. That’s a half marathon.

So how can you get started running? Should you get started running?
Logically, the easiest way to get started running is to… well… run. For most people though, it just isn’t that simple. Running is hard on your body. There’s no doubt about that. Your legs take a pounding, particularly your knees and feet. If you’re overweight, your body takes even more of a pounding. One of the most popular programs out there for the beginning runner is called the ‘Couch to 5K‘ program. This program starts you out with a very short amount of running, no more than 60 seconds at a time (alternating with walking) for the first week and progresses over a nine week period.

You’ll gradually progress to longer running intervals and shorter walking intervals. You run no more than 3 days per week, to ensure that your body has adequate rest between runs. Even with this gentle of a program, you may still need to repeat a week here and there. Don’t feel like you’re failing if you can’t progress on the same pace as the program. Take it at your own pace.

Running is, after all, a workout, so don’t be surprised if you end up with some muscle soreness. However some soreness is good and some is bad. Good soreness will strike you when you’ve been sitting for a while. It might hit your ankles, calves, thighs, or even your butt. Once you get up and start moving though, it should definitely lessen and it should go away completely in two days. Bad soreness is when your shins hurt with every step, your knees hurt every time you bend them, you can’t climb stairs, or your hips feel like they are on fire. Over the nearly two years I’ve been running, I’ve dealt with all of these types of soreness.  While I’m not a doctor, and you shouldn’t take my advice in lieu of one, here are some tips to deal with some of the bad types of soreness.

Knee pain: If your knees are swelling and are painful, ice them after a run. Bags of frozen peas or corn work well for beginning runners. You don’t want to freeze them, just cool them down and reduce the inflammation. Sitting for 10 minutes with the frozen veggies on your knees after a run is enough. Though once you remove the bags of veggies, don’t get up right away. Let your knees warm back up just a bit so you don’t end up doing more damage. Take a couple of extra days off from running, try to strengthen your quad muscles (the big muscles on the front of your thighs) and see what happens in a few days.

Shin Splints:  This is very possibly the most common injury for new runners. Shin splints feel a lot like tugging or twinging along the front of your lower legs. Ice is the remedy of choice for this one too. In addition, make sure you stretch well after your run and do some calf raises on your off days to strengthen the calf muscles. Shin splints for a day or two are not much cause for concern. Shin splints for a week are. If your shins are hurting every day, even the days you don’t run, go to a doctor right away.

Hip Pain:  The IT band runs along the outside of your legs from your knees all the way up to your hip. This is another common injury point for runners. A foam roller is a great tool to help loosen the IT band, massage it, and get the blood flow going to that area. You can strengthen the muscles that control balance to help alleviate injuries to this area. The easiest exercise for this is to stand on one leg for one minute. Then switch legs. Do this twice a day and you’ll notice the difference in a week.
Next time, we’ll talk about the proper equipment you need for running (yes, there is some), and tips and tricks for progressing past the Couch to 5K program.

Oddly, though, this knowledge just made me want to like beets even more. So the other day, I was cleaning out my fridge and pulled out some beets that I got in my CSA box. I didn’t know what to do with them, but I was making a risotto, so I chopped them up finely and sauteed them in butter for about 20 minutes until they were nicely carmelized. They were great in the risotto. Kind of chewy, earthy, but not dirt! Hrm. Maybe I’m on to something here.

So the next week, I chopped up some beets and turnips and tried the same method again. I threw them in a skillet with about 3 tablespoons of butter. I cooked them for about 30 minutes, sprinkled some salt and pepper on them, and ate every bite!

Apparently it is possible to learn to like beets. Ever since then, I’ve been cutting the pieces a bit bigger and using a less and less butter. I’m down to about 1.5 tablespoons of butter for 2 medium beets and 2 medium turnips. I’ve added paprika to the mix as well and that is a very tasty edition. Last night I even diced up a couple of potatoes and added those in as well.

So if you’ve always wanted to like beets but haven’t, try this method. I can’t guarantee they won’t still taste like dirt, but from one former beet hater to another, this is the recipe that finally converted me.

The meal in this picture isn’t from a chain, but I would guess that there are solid 1500 calories on that plate, if not a few more.  If I haven’t worked out, that’s about my goal calorie limit for the day. Throw in an alcoholic mixed drink (like the one I consumed with that meal) and you’re approaching 2000 calories. Wow.

Since I like to educate myself about what I eat, I knew my meal would be high in calories without the menu telling me so. However not everyone has access to the resources I do, or the inclination to use them.

If you saw calorie counts on your favorite restaurant’s menu, would it influence how you ordered? Would it, perhaps, prevent you from dining there entirely if there were no menu options under 1000 calories?

The New York Times compiled a list of the 11 best foods that you’re (probably) not eating.

They are:

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Cinnamon
• Pomegranate Juice
• Dried Plums
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sardines
• Tumeric
• Frozen Blueberries
• Canned Pumpkin

I now occasionally eat beets, cabbage, and Swiss chard. I take cinnamon daily, eat fresh plums when they are in season, and nearly overdose on blueberries when they are in season. However I don’t get much pumpkin and I never touch sardines. Tumeric is one of those spices that I own but rarely use.

How did you do on the list?

Well, this weekend I will pick up my third CSA box of the summer. You may remember that I was a little hesitant about signing up for a CSA because I wasn’t sure I could find enough fruits and vegetables that I wanted to eat. Well, that fear was definitely unfounded. During the winter, I sometimes forget how many wonderful varieties of fruits and vegetables we have available in my area.

Last week I got the following:

1. 1.5 pounds of sugar snap peas
2. 1 head of lettuce
3. Pea vines
4. 1 bunch of baby carrots
5. 2 pints of strawberries
6. 3 summer squash
7. 1 bunch radishes
8. 1 pound of broccoli
9. 1 bunch of onions

I made salad with the peas, lettuce, carrots, pea vines, and radishes. I sauteed the onions for my frittata-a-go-go’s, and I grilled the squash for dinner. Tomorrow I’ll saute the broccoli with some garlic and red pepper flakes. I ate the strawberries within two days. That’s it. One box of vegetables and fruit completely gone in 4 days.

I chose my box for next week already and in addition to the salad fixings, I’ll also be getting snow peas, turnips, and cauliflower. Stay tuned for the triumphant return of my Learning to Like Vegetables series!

Eating local is all the rage these days. It is good for the environment, good for local farmers, often healthier (due to the lack of preservatives and pesticides), and tastes better. I’ve been cooking local for several years now and sharing my passion with anyone who will listen. However there are a few challenges to this lifestyle.

First of all, depending on where you live, there are certain foods that you just can’t have. There are no local avocados in the Pacific Northwest. Oranges and lemons are few and far between and I haven’t had a banana in over a year. Because cooking and eating local requires some sacrifices, I admit, I do not eat exclusively local. I eat about 85% local. I still drink coffee (with soy milk), still use sugar, and will buy lemons and oranges for recipes (but not just to eat).

Since I cook local (and fresh), I have to plan my recipes around what is currently available at the farmers markets. This can often be challenging as foods often appear and disappear quickly and without warning. We’ve had a very cool spring here in the Pacific Northwest and many products are delayed by weeks or even a month. Now that we’ve had our first heat wave of the year, it’s possible that some of the fruits and vegetables I saw just two days ago at the market will be gone by next weekend.
One of the tools I use regularly is a fantastic website that lists all of the fruits, vegetables, legumes, and spices that I could possibly want as well as the time of year they are available. Seasonal Cornucopia is run by a local chef who took painstaking notes over the course of her career on every local food she used. You can search by ingredient name, by month, or by type of food.

Unfortunately, this wonderful resource only works for food products that can be found in the Pacific Northwest. However I’m pretty sure we’ll see a lot more sites like this over the next couple of years as eating local really catches on. If you want more information on eating local, you can visit the following websites.

• Eat Wild
  
• Local Harvest
• Cook Local
• 100 Mile Diet

With a CSA, you (typically) prepay for a weekly delivery, either to your home or to the farmers market. By prepaying, you are taking on some of the risk that the farmer incurs to bring you fresh, local, organic produce each week. Some CSAs allow you to choose the foods that go into your weekly box and others just deliver a random assortment based on what is fresh that week. Some CSAs also encourage you to visit their farm and even go help out.

My husband and I recently signed up for our very first CSA. We’ve been shopping at the farmers markets for three years now, but never ate enough vegetables to feel like a CSA was in our best interest. Now that we’re eating vegetables regularly, we decided to give it a try. The photo you see here is our first weekly delivery. In a few weeks, I’ll let you know how we like the CSA and how the costs compare to both the supermarket and buying our fruits and vegetables individually from the farmers market.

For a list of CSAs in your area, see Local Harvest.

First we’ll talk about exercise. I’m lucky enough to use running as my main form of cardio. I can run almost anywhere. I brought my running shoes, appropriate clothing, and my MP3 player. I got an easy 4 miles in this morning. I chose to use the hotel gym today, but most concierge desks (mine included) will usually have running maps available. Just ask.

Since I had some extra time this morning, I also used the hotel’s free weights. The gym in my hotel is just about the ideal gym. There are weight machines, free weights, balance balls, exercise mats, a scale, fresh fruit, and water. However, this isn’t always standard. If your hotel gym leaves a lot to be desired, you can look into renting a bicycle or just going for a walk. If your hotel isn’t in a walkable area, just walk the floors. Tomorrow, weather permitting, I’ll go for a swim and do another weight training workout.

Next we’ll talk about food. I admit, I have different standards for work travel and vacation travel. When I travel for vacation, I am actively seeking out new culinary experiences. When I travel for work, I’m just trying to make sure I’m giving my body enough fuel to get through the day. Here are a few tips I’ve used successfully when on business.

Don’t skip breakfast. Most hotels have at least a coffee shop. Even if your limited to a less than healthy piece of banana bread or a scone, have a little something. If you want, buy a scone and have half, saving the other half for the next day. The point is to get at least some food in your system first thing in the morning. For lunch, aim to have some form of lean protein along with some carbohydrates. Avoid the sugary soda and stick with water or iced tea. Dinner is usually the worst meal of the day. If you’re with coworkers, the pressure to have a glass of wine or two may be high. Order a glass and not a bottle and alternate drinking water with the wine.

There have actually been a number of studies done recently that indicate that free range eggs are truly a lot healthier for you. There have been a few independent studies on the matter, but one in particular comes from the farm where I purchase my eggs. I encourage you to read the entire study, here, but to summarize, here is how one particular farm’s pastured eggs compared to your average supermarket egg.

• 4 times the amount of Vitamin E
• Double the Vitamin A
• 10 times the amount of Beta Carotene
• 3 times the amount of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• 100 mg less Cholesterol
• 1/2 gram less Saturated Fat

Wow. Pastured eggs really are better for you. In fact, I eat at least 4 eggs a week and my cholesterol has gone down over the past year!

Now, before you rush out and look for “free range” eggs in your supermarket, there’s some more information you should know. The USDA’s definition of “free range” states that the chickens must have access to the outdoors. This “access” can be as little as a door in the chicken coop that allows them to leave, even if they never use that door. The chickens don’t even need access to the outside when they are too young to produce eggs, so they end up spending their entire lives in a cage rather than foraging for food outside.

So if you love eggs, and you’re concerned about the variety of studies that indicate they aren’t so good for you, consider switching to local, organic, truly pastured eggs.

Massage

Before I started getting regular massages, I couldn’t understand why anyone would pay someone to rub their shoulders. Really… isn’t this the job of my significant other? How much better could it be to pay someone to do this for me? Well, now that I get regular massages, I can answer with a firm “it’s amazing”. My husband might give good shoulder rubs, but a good massage therapist can do so much more. Unfortunately I can’t tell you how to find a good therapist. The answer is different for everyone. After moving three years ago, I spent almost two years trying out various therapists before I found one who was perfect for me. You need to make sure, above all, that your therapist listens to you. A therapist who performs deep tissue when you really wanted a light touch isn’t going to do you any good whatsoever. Once you do find a therapist, make sure that you have a dialog with them about what is going on with your body each time you visit.

Acupuncture

Every few months, I voluntarily let someone poke me with needles. I used to be a skeptic, but then I started having serious issues bending my right knee. Despite cutting out almost all exercise for two months, I could still barely bend it. So I took a chance on acupuncture. Within two sessions, all of my knee pain was gone. Since then I’ve had acupuncture appointments for stress, sinus issues, and various aches and pains. I find that if I have my right knee treated every two or three months, I have almost no pain. As with massage therapists, the choice of an acupuncturist is also very personal. I prefer a therapist who explains what she is doing as she is doing it. The acupuncturist I see currently has a gentle touch, repeatedly asks if I am comfortable with each needle, and checks to see if I can handle more (there is a limit to the number of needles you should have in any one session). It always baffles me when I go to her with one problem and she immediately asks if I have a different (related) problem. The answer is almost always yes. For example, did you know that when your knee is sore there is usually a corresponding sore spot on your elbow? The human body works in mysterious ways.

Physical Therapy

Sometimes massage and acupuncture aren’t enough. After a few months of hip pain that wasn’t improving, I finally admitted I needed help and went to see a physical therapist. I used to believe that physical therapy was for those with what I thought of as ‘actual injuries’ - people recovering from surgery or an auto accident, or a traumatic fall. I never considered that some low level annoying hip pain could benefit from physical therapy. As it turns out, I was wrong. My hips are very slightly uneven, causing me to stride a bit awkwardly. It took two months, but my hip pain is gone. My therapist makes me work hard, and some of the work is painful. However, a good physical therapist will help you differentiate between ‘good pain’ and ‘bad pain’. After my hip improved, I started working with the physical therapist on my running stride. She’s helped me come up with a training plan that takes into account my particular weaknesses (my hips will never be perfectly level) and I check in with her every few months just to make sure I’m maintaining my strength and keeping up with my exercises.