PKD awareness week

Just want to bring to light that this week is PKD awareness week, that's Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). For those that don't know PKD is the most common genetic disease in the USA. It affects 1 in 500 people, more than Muscular Dystrophy, Sickle Cell Anemia, Downs syndrome, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis COMBINED, and I am one of those people.

I don't talk about PKD much on my blog because it doesn't define who I am, there is no cure or treatment (yet) for PKD so why worry? I take steps to be as healthy as I can and that is all that I can do. My grandfather had PKD ( he died of complications from PKD), my Mother has PKD (and currently near kidney failure), one aunt and one uncle have PKD as well as two of my cousins. PKD has affected our family in a BIG way!

When a person has PKD their Kidneys have cysts on/in them that fill with  fluid and enlarge the kidney. The difference can be quite significant as shown on the picture below, normal kidney on the right, PKD kidney on the left!

Take 5 minutes out of your day this week to learn about this incredibly overlooked disease, and possibly make a donation to find a cure for the disease or help improve treatments.

Personally I have decided that when I run a marathon (and I will someday) I will sign up with PKD and run for charity. Kinda too late for the 1/2 marathon I'll be running in 2 weeks but the next distance race, I'll be signing up to run for PKD. If you have a run/walk race coming up why not sign up yourself and race for a cure for PKD!

I also wanted to add that if you aren't an organ donor please consider becoming one! Like I mentioned there is NO cure for PKD, in end stage renal failure your only option is dialysis while you wait for a transplant. My mother is currently on the transplant list in England. Please please ensure your family knows your wishes regarding being an organ donor! And carry an organ donor card (UK) or check the box on your drivers license (USA).

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Thursday rambles

Good Morning! Just a quickie post to let you all know what I've been up to lately. Yesterday was a fun day and something new for me. I taught two classes yesterday, 9.30am kickboxing then went back later for 5pm Bosu. I cannot believe I used to teach 6 classes a day back in England (I taught 25 a week regularly). I didn't feel tired yesterday but the travel and the showering, clothing changes, bags etc, just a lot to take in for one day when you're not used to it. I'm sure I will get used to it all again :) Though I don't plan on teaching anywhere near as many classes, certainly not 25 a week, unless they are all super easy ones like maybe when I start teaching yoga/pilates (one of my plans for 2010). Not that yoga or pilates are easy, but it's more teaching than doing. Less physical output for the instructor and more hands on. Hoping to get some personal training going too so that should help also!

Loving having the webcam, so quick and easy for taking pics! I love Nike workout clothing, can't beat it really. Dri-fit rocks! I used Nike Dri-fit back when I was teaching in England when it was pretty new and I still love it. Just wicks the sweat away leaving you feeling dry but still looking like you worked out :)

We have a new recipe book in the house! This is one we'd both heard lots about, I'd seen lots of veg blogs recommending it and when Bob was up in San Fransisco he bought us a copy. Veganomincon - the ultimate vegan cookbook. We're not vegans, we're vegetarians but still always good to get new ideas!

As you can see Bob already went through the book and marked all the things he wants to try first. Looking like lots of new recipes in our future! I am especially looking forward to trying the banana-nut waffles on Sunday morning for brunch! Must make a shopping list!!!

I follow a few veg blogs, both vegan and vegetarian and one of the things that surprises people is that even instructing 25 classes a week back in England, yes I was vegetarian. Seriously we don't NEED to eat meat, it's a choice. I have a TON of energy. I workout daily, walk the dogs 3x a day and this week I am teaching 4 classes. And yes you CAN be vegan and be an athlete, more on that soon though :)

Another book I am reading right now is "the work from home handbook - flex your time, improve your life". I am on chapter 6 and honestly so far not much in it for me. Hoping that chapter 6 on freelancing holds more information. I guess if you work in an office or something right now this could be more useful?

Next on my to-do list is:

Read "Self-employed tax solutions : quick, simple, money-saving, audit-proof tax and recordkeeping basics for the independent professional."

Do the "Billy Blanks: Tae Bo fat blasting cardio" - it's research really. I watch/do these workouts and if I pick up ONE thing from them that I can use or adapt for my classes then it's helpful. Plus sometimes I just need to switch off and workout myself.

Make something!!! I have 5 cards half done on my scraptable and lots of paper scraps. Either make something with them or just throw them away, seriously!

Go to the library switch out books/DVDs 

Go grocery shopping armed with list for veganomicon recipes. Hopefully make 1 or 2 new things each week. Tuesday we made veggie tacos. Just some Trader Joes taco shells with black beans, chorizo (veggie), lettuce, tomato, mushroom, daiya cheese and ranch. Almost vegan (except for the ranch though I could have used veganaise or vegan sour cream). Still delish though I could have eaten them without the chorizo and still enjoyed them.

I've never been one for mexican food, but I actually enjoyed these. Maybe it was the hard taco shells that helped rather than the regular wrap style ones? I dunno but these were pretty tasty.

Back tomorrow with another fitness tip for Fitness Friday! Oh and I started a Facebook FanPage for all my fitness stuff, daily challenges, info, tips etc, check it out.

Di

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My fitness/health continued

So I posted on Friday with some info on what I've done to lose weight/fat and I said that I'd be back to chat about wobbly bits and the six pack so here is the low down on that :)

Many of the comments/emails referred to "toning up" wobby thighs/butts and bingo wings. Here's the thing: there is no such thing as "toning". You can do one of two things: either lose fat or gain muscle, or both! So decide which you want to do and work towards it.

The truth is you CANNOT spot reduce, so you can do all the ab crunches and squats you want but the fat will go from where the hell it wants to (usually murphys law dictates that it'll go from the place you want it lose it from last). That's not to say crunches and squats etc are useless though, cos any exercise is good as you're burning calories and fat. The real trick to weight loss is to lose fat and retain lean body mass, so keeping up with the exercises is good for that, especially lifting weights! You want to be lean not skinny fat! Muscle is good! It means we can do more, eat more and makes us healthier!

So the six pack. Yep I am working on it! When I was instructing before I had the 4 upper rectus abdominal muscles defined and I am on the way to getting that again. The way to attain that is through hard work and dedication, exercise and basically losing body fat % which means eating clean. Eating clean is eating very little processed foods, making sure you get your daily water intake and then doing core exercises. I know I have the muscle for the 6 pack, I can feel it under the layer of fat, so I need to reduce the body fat so I can SEE it! I do exerices to work the Rectus abdominus & obliques but by far the best exercises IMO are the planks. If you haven't heard of them do a google search for abdominal planks, they are really good for core conditioning. Oh and nope I don't use an "ab-doer" or the rolling cage things, useless IMO nothing you can't acheive without the equipment so save yourself the money! The exercise part I have down, no problem, the water is fine, it's the eating clean I have trouble with. But I'm getting there! I'll keep you all updated with my 6-pack progress :)

I also wanted to say, if I could give you ONE peice of advice, that would be throw out the scales! Take measurements instead! If you can't stop weighing yourself then just weigh in monthly. Trust me it's so much more gratifying to SEE shrinking butts/thighs than to lose 1lb on the scale! I'll update at some point with my inch loss so you can see the real result of losing weight/fat.

Have a great Sunday!

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No more itching!

I dunno if I've ever mentioned it before on my blog but I suffer from eczema. I don't get it a LOT like some people do, but if I get stressed, if my body temperature is too warm or my biggest trigger the season changes, I get it. Usually in the same few places: abdomen/behind my left ear/hairline/lower back and oddly my right ankle? Sometimes it comes in other places but those are guaranteed during my flares. Oh and exercise can sometimes make it worse cos of the sweating/body heat which is a pain when you want to lose weight or love exercise like I do! Anyway it's Summer and getting air to it always seem to help me, so for the last week I've been swimming then laying in the sun for 10 mins (each side), going for a shower, then applying the aftersun or lotion. Well a week has passed and I am completely clear! No eczema!

I've never been that bothered by it personally, it is afterall something you ljust earn to live with, but I've had a patch on my lower back and my belly that just seemed to be there for AGES, and now it's gone! I'm not sure what part of the swim/sun/lotion part is working, maybe a combo of the three, but I am over the moon!

Drat I realize now that I probably just jinxed myself! lol! If I wake up covered tomorrow I only have myself to blame!

In other news we have a hectic weekend ahead. Well lots of outings for us. Potluck BBQ on Saturday & Sunday lunches, and I still need to get in my scraproom and get tidying up! Plus I have assignments to finish for Digital Artist Magazine and scrapbooking.com! Ooooh plus I need to finish a digital kit for Scrapwow/RAKScraps... Eeeek busy weekend!

Hope everyone has an awesome 4th July weekend!!!

Di

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