A Hike Through the Forest

On Mondays it is my light cardio day. I have taken to getting outdoors on this day to be with nature, it is a way to connect with my spirituality. My husband and I bought our home in a woodland filled with big old tall trees nestled along the Credit River. We are able to leave our front door and in 2 minutes be surrounded by nature much like it was hundreds of years ago. We like to bring our young bull terrier pup, Declan on our hikes. He is beginning to build his stamina, he is our 3rd bull terrier to join us on our discovery hikes.

Today, I layered up do to milder weather conditions, put on my running shoes good for mud and poor terrain and off we went for our discovery adventure. Today we were off to cross over the river to the other side and onto another trail that would lead us to the remains of a Bird Sanctuary. Known as the Birdman of Mississauga, Roy Ivor cared for birds in the Credit Valley long before we became residents. http://cawthra-bush.org/THE_PLAYERS/Roy_Ivor_-_Bernice_Inman-Emery_Mississauga.htm#more_complete_history My husband and I love history and are eager to learn of the history in our new home of Erindale. 

It took us close to an hour and a half to find the bird sanctuary site. It is unmarked however there is the original fire place from the cottage still standing to some degree. You can see the footprint of the cottage. As I walked around I found a dead raccoon that had come to the tree by were the cottage had been. It was said the Roy Ivor's had some 20 raccoons who would come visit him at the sanctuary. I suppose the raccoon knew where to come for its final breath. A few steps from the cottage where there would have been grass at some point there were little white crocus patches coming up. A nice sign of new life and spring.

I love hiking because you are free to choose where you wish to hike. You can choose to go up large steep hills, old paths that haven't been well traveled for years or stick to the well traveled paths if you prefer. My husband and I are adventurers, almost always finding a new path or trail each hike. 3 hours later we were on our street again ready to have a healthy lunch and a nice glass of water. What a wonderful way to spend the first day of March Break and get my exercise in too.

1 Week Under My Feet

The feeling of holding an olympic barbell in hand is like no other. This past week I dove into my training. Regaining form, muscles, movement, energy, strength and along with many other benefits. Most of the week was spent with sore and aching muscles as I forced them to wake up from an unexpected sleep. I did however regain my momentum and my muscle soreness is settling down now as they are remembering what they are meant to do.

I developed a remedy for my muscle soreness which has worked quite well. First of all you need to warm up your muscles before exercise for 7 to 10 minutes. A dynamic warmup or treadmill walking will do a good job. You also need to stretch out the muscles you used for your various exercises for 20 seconds after your workout. Consider this part of your training. 

What I did this week to help with soreness was make sure I drank a great deal of water or green tea daily. At any point where I was sitting in the house I made sure to have a warm blanket over the sore muscle areas. I also made sure I was in bed before 10 p.m. even though my energy was much greater this week. My bedtime routine is key to my muscle soreness remedy. I took a cal/mag supplement before bed, made sure I had warm bed clothes on, when aching was at its worst I rubbed on Tiger balm and I went to bed with a heating pad on the sorest muscles for 1 hour. 

I also am enjoying my recovery time, having a nice bubble bath with eucalyptus epsom salts on Sunday afternoon does wonders for the muscles. I love my muscles and soreness is letting me know that I doing good by them right now. I am off for my bubble bath now. I hope you take some time for yourself today.

Be STRONG

Miss Jane

Jane Trains Home Gym

I have had a few people ask me what type of exercise I do, therefore I decided to share my home gym with you. When Brandon my husband and I bought our first house (this house) I stood in the basement with a grey concrete floor, white painted cinder block walls and high ceilings. I was dumbfounded, I new upon my first step that this was where our home gym would be. Brandon was calling me from probably the kitchen (his favourite room) and I couldn't move as I had just found the perfect place for our home gym. My dream was coming true, a home gym to keep healthy, fit and strong.

 This is where Jane Trains. 

 

Brandon and I love our power rack. We knew that we would get good use out of it and how to use it, it was our main purchase when setting up our home gym. We also purchased an Olympic barbell and weights to go with our power rack. This was so exciting for us. I get excited just writing about it as I remember the feeling all too well.

We had our Sole treadmill in our living room in our rental flat from a few years back when Brandon was trying to heal after a car accident. If you buy any equipment for your home gym make sure you WILL use it and that it is of good QUALITY. Go to a reputable fitness supply store. In Ontario, Canada we use The Treadmill Factory often as it is just around the corner from our house and we have had good customer service from their staff.  

When we first began training we used free weights, changing the plates to accommodate different weights for different exercises. We lived in a rental flat and did our training in our living room, this worked well for the space. Free weights are good for many exercises when strengthening training. However, once I had the olympic barbell in my possession I wanted it in my hands when I was training, it just feels so good.

My training involves a lot of heavy lifting and conditioning. It is training that gets results, empowers me and gives me strength. Most of all I love it! I am so excited to get back on track to meet my bench press goals and dead lifting goals once again. I am inching to outdo my personal bests. It is important to have long term goals when training so you always have something to work towards, a focus and maybe even a dream. I am planning in the next while to get using my pink 25 lb kettlebells in my training also. I will share my goals with you over the next few weeks, I expect that I will be blown away by my results as I get back into training.

Before setting up a home gym you need to know what YOU want from it. What is YOUR favourite type of exercise ? How much space do you have ? Luckily we knew exactly what we wanted in our home gym, we had the space for what we wanted and we were able to buy it for our new home. Now all I need to do is getting training again and "BE STRONG".

The Day I Have Been Waiting For

There were many times over the past year that I had a talk with myself, wondering when I would be able to get back training again. I knew that I would because I am a positive and determined person. The real question became WHEN ???? Thankfully I have a great deal of patience because I needed it. Today marks the end of my long patient wait, today is the WHEN day!

After some serious thought into how I would begin my journey back to fitness I came to some conclusions. 

1. I have to manage stress as I continue to heal and get well.


2. I must slowly get back into training.

3. I needed a professional to guide me through this journey.


What does this mean? Managing stress means I need to train from my awesome home gym and not be running around trying to make it to appointments. Slowly getting back into training means I needed to find someone who understood that I was still getting well as I work with my Naturopathic Doctor.  A professional meant I needed a trainer to guide me in this journey who could train me online to get me to where I want to be in the next few months. 


When I began training a few years ago I watched a video of an awesome young woman working out. I told myself and everyone around me at the time that I wanted to be like her ! I met her on several occasions and was so envious that she was able to train with the strongmen doing implement training. We connected online and have stayed in touch. Throughout my long months of illness I found her to be a great support from her posted videos of her and her clients pulling trucks and heavy lifting. Thankfully I could live through watching others do what I longed to do. She too has had her own issues with food intolerance and allergies. We seem to be the perfect match as I begin my new chapter of my life. 

Today I am having her over to look at our home gym, talk about my goals and begin to write up a program for me to follow. My husband Brandon has generously offered to make us a super healthy gluten and allergy free meal for all of us. Until then I would like to introduce to you Jennifer Mulhall, personal trainer who will be doing distance coaching with me.

Soon this will be a video of me, although I will need a little more patience for that. I will be posting today's events to mark this exciting day. Until then "Be Strong".

Miss Jane Meets The Gluten Gorilla

For years, I have been wondering what was going on inside of my body. I ate extremely well, used good quality supplements, followed a great training program and there was something that had a hold inside of me that I couldn't put my finger on.

It would show up occasionally over the years in the form of flu like systems, although I usually never had vomiting or diarrhea. I would usually describe it as fighting a bug in my system, I must have the flu! What was odd about this is I only ever used to get sick from my allergies and that was it. This type of flu bug seemed to be changing that. For the last 9 months or longer, I have been walking around feeling like I am fighting a flu bug and it continually worsened.

I learned that I had a Gluten Gorilla inside of me. He was very strong and powerful. My ND concluded that it is her belief that I have a SEVERE gluten intolerance. I now have a reason for what what happening inside my body and it is remedied by cutting out all gluten from my lifestyle. I am back in control again, no more trying to figure out what is wrong. See below a diagram of what was really going on inside my stomach as well as the 2nd diagram of what my stomach looks like now after only 4 weeks of living a gluten free lifestyle.

The top diagram shows gluten in the stomach and this is what it looks like. Imagine how it feels. The bottom diagram shows a normal digestive system gluten free or a person who tolerates gluten.

Many people out there are trying to get stronger, healthier, leaner. If you have a digestion problem no matter how positive your attitude, clean your eating, good your supplements are you might not be getting the results you are looking for. I suggest finding a Naturopath who specializes in Food Sensitivities and begin finding out what could be holding you back. Once you have the answer, you  can take your health back. Perserverence, determination, intuitiveness and strength will free you like it did me, to conquer all your goals.

Find out what Miss Jane does to tame The Gluten Gorilla inside of her. And so begin the adventures of Miss Jane versus The Gluten Gorilla. Please join me at my new blog The Gluten Gorilla. http://theglutengorilla.blogspot.com/

My Christmas present to myself was getting my health back . My husband Brandon Steen's Christmas present to me was my very own painting of Miss Jane vs The Gluten Gorilla. http://www.brandonsteenart.com/

 

With my health in control who knows what I will conquer as I create new goals and continue my pursuit to "Be Strong" on Jane Trains in 2012.

Is that light I see?

As I sit here now with my body aching and throbbing from head to toe, severely exhausted with zero energy, a foggy unclear head, and an extremely over reactive stomach. I reflect on this last year of poor health. It might be hard to believe but I can finally see the light at the other side of this horrible health roller coaster I have been riding on for almost a year now. 

What exactly have I been feeling like that has kept me from my life in 2011. Here it is:

Bloating, gas and/or abdominal pain  

Failure to thrive

Fatigue or general weakness

Flatulence

Fluid retention

Gastrointestinal symptoms

Headaches and migraines
Heartburn

Irritability or behavior changes  

Itchy skin rash         
Joint pain  

Keratosis Pilaris     
Muscle weakness

Nausea

No obvious physical symptoms (just fatigue, overall not feeling well)

Pallor (unhealthy pale appearance)

PMS

Vertigo

Voracious appetite

Weight gain

As I read my fitness journal from March 5th, 2011. I wrote, " I have been exhausted for the past 2 months and have not been able to put my mind to anything." Which has now turned into almost 12 months. People don't understand what is wrong with a person suffering like this because they can't see your symptoms. It gets to the point where you don't even talk about it and most people around you don't even know your not feeling well. Those that are close to you can see it because the time you spend with them is usually compromised by having to lie down or sharing time with the zombie form of what used to be their loved one. My supporting husband Brandon Steen can attest to this.

In May 2011, I asked my doctor for one final blood test to see if I had a gluten allergy. One of the other blood tests my doctor had me do was a condition that fed off gluten. I stopped consuming gluten and began to feel somewhat better. However, the test was negative and the $75.00 I had to pay for the test was gone. Seeing as I supposedly wasn't allergic to gluten I continued to consume various whole grains as part of my healthy diet.

Here I am months later with the same issues, trying to experience what little of life that I can. In my first meeting with my new Naturopath, Jen Newell ND http://newellnd.ca/ we discussed gluten allergies and celiac disease. A week later which is this Thursday I will be tested for celiac disease, begin a detox and be treated with accupuncture. I believe greatly in preventative medicine because treating the symptoms will begin to heal the whole body.

It should be noted I stopped mindfully eating gluten for 6 meals and I felt significantly better. However, to accurately test for celiac I must have gluten in my system. When I began eating gluten on Saturday night, I began to ache immediately, developed mucus, joints became sore, eyes got blurry, energy drained, exhaustion set in. I spent the next day and a half in bed. I had taken 2 days off work to try to gain enough energy to make it through the rest of the week teaching. The truth is I am so irritable from the constant discomfort I can't even begin to think of tolerating children and other adults around me. If I sat at a desk job it would be better but I am certain I would fall asleep.

I have accepted that no matter what my results to my test, I will not eat gluten probably for the rest of my life. This is a whole other blog which I am sure I will write about one day. Being Gluten Free can make it very difficult to socialize with people and eat out at restaurants, however it is a small price to pay to have my life back.

Some of you may wonder why I share this on Jane Trains. The answer is simple. If you don't have your health you don't have life. Most people don't understand what it is like to try to find enough energy and willpower to make it through a day of work, just to go home in utter exhaustion. Someone might say to me I should exercise and it will give you energy. The simple truth is I don't have the energy to exercise. I barely have the energy to stand up out of bed in the morning, walking like an 80 year old woman with my plantar faciitis and force myself to go to a job that requires my constant attention.

I write this to all those who want to exercise daily in the worst possible way. You know how great it makes you feel and look but simply don't have the health to do it. Make sure you take care of your health first, once you have your health then your can have your exercise too. I will share my results with you and my journey back to health in the next coming days all with the hope that I will be sharing training tips with you again soon.

I suppose in reflection "Be Strong" had a significantly different meaning for 2011 than what I had planned for it to mean.

It's a Newell day for Jane

For months I have been focused on trying to feel just well enough so that I can get some training back into my life. Last weekend I woke up and my focus changed. My perspective was altered and I decided I needed to get my health back, period.

How do I get my health back? Simple answer, I found a new Naturopathic Doctor. My former ND moved out of province and I moved to the city of Mississauga, leaving me without my most valuable health care provider. Since moving, finding a new ND has been on my list of things to do. Last week I decided I had to finalize my decision and I did that by settling on the ND who knows food sensitivities best! 

Jen Newell ND, was chosen to be my new most valuable health care provider. http://newellnd.ca/ Thursday of this week I met with my new ND, who will be working with me to regain my health. If you have never been to an Naturopathic Doctor, it is like nothing you have ever experienced. Your first visit is at least 1 and 1/2 hours. Prior to your visit you will fill out an extremely detailed questionnaire focusing on your whole medical history. Seeing as I am so in tune with my body I was able to connect with my ND prior to our initial consult to let her know my symptoms as well as shedding some light on who I am with my blog. 

The more in touch you are with your body the better as you will give greater insight into what is really going on inside your body. It has come to be my belief that people need to learn how to read their bodies. Too many people go to their family doctor, come away with little to no answers and simply accept what the doctor says.

After countless trips to my family doctor this past spring, 5 blood tests later and no clear diagnosis of what was wrong with me, my doctor said he was "stumped". He didn't know what was wrong with me and there was no more that he could do for me and  9 months later I am still unwell.

If I chose to ignore what I was feeling or if I was simply not in touch with my own body to realize that there was something wrong, I believe this could have turned into a disease that could possibly become terminal if left diagnosed or untreated. It is my belief that most people end up going to the doctor to late when the health issue is at its worst as opposed to early on when the health issue is in the initial stages and highly treatable. When my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer he was already at stage four and it had gone into his bones, it was believed he had probably had his cancer for several years. He was not in touch with his body like I am and didn't go to see his doctor until he was really feeling unwell. Unfortunately he lost his fight with cancer in March 2011.

By being preventative with our health and in touch with our bodies you can catch a health issue before it becomes more serious and potently fatal. My health issue is now being treated and I will restore my body to its strong balanced state in a matter of time. I truly recommend that if you are unwell you should find a local Naturopathic Doctor to assist you in your journey to better health. 

Once my health is strong I will be back on the Jane Train. I look forward to sharing that journey with you as we go into the New Year.