Running thru life.... Making someone else wish come true

Today I am actually stealing a blog post from one of my favorite blogs:  Literally Organized

A couple weeks ago while doing some spring cleaning I stumbled on 1 prom dress, 2 bridesmaids dresses, and 1 formal dress. They have been hanging in our guest room closet.  This year I am cleansing myself and our house.  I could have donated them to Salvation Army along with our other bags of things.  But these items are special.  I have so many good memories in them!!!!  I wanted to know they were going to a good home and to someone who needed them.  

I am fortunate to have two neighbors that are high school teachers.  I emailed both of them to see if they knew of any "Prom Dress" drives going on.  Stephanie being the awesome organized person that she is took matters in to her own hands.  Please visit her blog to learn more:

Organized Living

So last week I dropped off my dresses, a nice pair of shoes, and a couple of shopping bags. 
Hopefully, they will make a couple girls seems like the princess they are!!!

Running thru life... Managing your dog on a leash

I am fortuate to have a mom who works with a woman who trains dogs. 

I have been emailing back and forth the last month or so regarding some issues we have been having with Clemson Puppy.

The big issues were as follows:

1) Too much energy- this has been remedied by the treadmill at least 30 minutes a day at a speed of 3.5 or greater and also playing chuckit.  This is his new favorite game.  It was worth the $9 I think I paid!!!

2) Barking-  This is still a work in progress but has improved with the running and games.

3) Pulling when he is walking.

After emailing back and forth she made some recommendation. 

1) Invest in a different type of collar for walking. 

She recommended eith a Chain-Slip Collar

or a Martingale Collar. 

We opted for the Martingale because we had friend who has some sucess with it and their dog is very similar to ours.  I have been using it for a week now and I feel that it is helping.  I have also started to make him sit when approaching another dog on a walk or when people are running.  Basically to train him not to run after them (aka pull me).  It is working and so far has been worth the $7 I spent on it. 
He still pulls occassionally when he sees his best friend a golden doodie or our neightbors lab- but a puppy is a puppy!!!
I basically put it on him anytime we are going for a walk.
We leave his Clemson collar on all the time. 

Here is a link that goes over the basic dog collars- it was a good referrence for me when I first started looking. 

Thank you trainer. 

Running thru life... a family event

My brother is an awesome runner, to be honest... he is good at every single sport he plays.

Enough to make you sick... but I love him anyways. 

He has been a running buddy from far away while I was training for my half marathon.

My brother and his girlfriend just finished a half marathon they ran together. 

Can I get a WAHOO!!!!

So now I have decided that my brother and I must run together. 

I would like to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon in Febuary,

the New York Womans Half Marathon in April,

and possibly the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in April

(if i do not get screwed by the lottery system again!!!- URRRR)

While I run ALOT slower than he does- he promises he will run with me and keep me motivated.  

Something I definitely needed the last three miles of my race.  

So with my brother in Alabama and me in Northern Va we are one the hunt for a 1/2 marathon.

However there are some condition I laid down before the search:

-It must be cold weather.  Both my brother and I do not do well in the heat, especially me.  Ask my husband about the time I passed out after walking back from the pool when it was 100+ degrees.

-It must not be hilly.  My brother ran a marathon that basically was up this mountain. 
I have no desire to do that. 

So wish us good luck in searching.   

Running thru life... Vegetarian is cool

In New York City, our hotel that we were staying at was by this cute very tiny restaurant called Maoz.

It is a vegetarian restaurant which might turn some people off.  

After walking by it in the morning, afternoon, and evening and seeing it packed at all times, we decided to go vegetarian. 

So we stepped into Maoz.  

You are served a pita pocket filled with hot Falafel and hummus- they you go down the bar and place all your topping on it.
It looks something like this.

Our finish product looked a little like this.

It was delicious!!!!!

I am happy to have found out that we do have one in DC.

Click on the link to see where it is- I definietly will keep this in mind when in DC.

Yummy Yummy

Running thru life.... Calcium in our diets...

Another Women's Health Topic

Calcium in your diet. 

As women we need to think about our bones everyday. 

Making sure you get enough calcium is essential to healthy bones, healthy growth, and decreasing our risk of osteoporsis or osteopenia. 

Below I have included a table of the current recommendation for women. 

 

The amount of calcium you need each day is very dependent on your life situation.  

Currently I need 1000mg a day while

my pregnant patients need 1200 and my breastfeeding patients need 1500. 

I need on average 5 servings of calcium a day since each serving ranges from 200-300 mg.  

My chobani yogurt is 200mg.

I do not get that much!!! I am not a dairy person at all.

So I have added a calcium multivitamin into my everyday routine.

Make sure if you are adding a calcium supplement into your routine that it also has vitamin D.

Research is showing that vitamin D plays a big role in calcium absorption and is a team player when it comes to bone health.  

Happy bones!!!

Running thru life.. Offensive Food

A couple months ago I posted a blog on a quick, non offensive dinner to make when you are having company over.  This blog has actually brought up another topic that I thought would blog about-

Offensive Food.

I have had people ask me what is offensive food.  Offensive food is food that I do not recommend serving when you have first time guest over or a large dinner party because this food might not be well perceived by your guests.    So I have complied a list with the help of some friends, and my hubby.  

-Fishy fish 

-Ostyers or Clams

-Pork-  (I know this might suprise you but there are alot of women who do not eat pork)

-Brussel Sprots (Which we love)

-Things with too much garlic 

-Anything with a heavy cream sauce.  

It is hard today with people being vegan, vegetarian, etc.  That is why whenever I am having people over I do always ask about their food allergies.  I have a father in law and sister in law who have a gluten allergy so I have to be aware of that when they come over. 

Can you think of any offensive foods?

-

Running thru life... Self Breast Exams

The midwife in me is posting today. 

This week I was down at Quantico doing my monthly well woman exams. 
I go down there once a month to help them out.

I walked into room to this beautiful crying 55 year old woman.
I instantly asked her what was wrong. 
She answered, " I am just not myself anymore."
After probing what that meant she explained to me a couple weeks before her daughters wedding she went for her annual exam and they found a lump.  She went and had a mammogram and then biopsies and then was diagnosed with bilateral Breast Cancer.  She had a double mastectomy and is having problems adjusting to the change.   She starting crying and I followed. 

I totally get what she was saying, I as a women may not love the set of boobs I was given but they are mine! 
They make me... me!

I reminded her that she is here and she is beating the cancer and everything else in life in chump change. 
She started to laugh and told herself she was going to say to herself every day.

We continued talk and she told me she has three daughters my age and wants to make sure they are doing breast exam correctly.  I spent some time with discussing breast exams. 

So today I am going to instruct you on how to do a proper breast exam!
Because Self Breast Exams have been found the best form of early detection and early treatment. 
1 in every 7 to 8 women will have breast cancer in there life.
The amazing thing is WE ARE BEATING IT!!!!! 
Woman are amazing and I am reminded of that every day.

So please take a couple minutes once a month to check out your boobs as follows:
(This is a handout that we give at the clinic that I was able to find a copy of)

 Couple things to note:
You should be doing breast exams once a month.  I normally recommend after your menses if possible just because you breast go thru changes (fibrocystic changes during your menses so that is not the best time to do it as your breast are different and might have changes and not to mention your breast are most sensitive when you are on your cycle. ) If you are not receiving your period every month be it birth control, or menopause I recommend just doing it the first of every month). 

If you feel anything that does not feel right check the other breast if it is located in the same place on your other breast it is most likely normal breast tissue.  Also if you ever feel something out of the ordinary call you OB/GYN to schedule an appointment for follow up.  Early detection is the best way to fight breast cancer!!!

Remember as Women we need to take care of ourselves and that included monthly breast exams!