Injuries & Surgeries: The emotional component of injury...things no one ever tells you will happen (PART 2)

"People Who Need Help Sometimes Look A Lot Like People Who Don't Need Help."

~Glennon Melton

This blog post really could be addressed to anyone recovering from an injury, who has experienced death in their life, or divorce.  The emotional landscape has similar themes amongst these three pivotal rights of passage (& yes, they are that).  Let me get some things immediatley out of the way that are uncomfortable and disconcerting.  No one told me these things would happen.  They just did, and they were unexpected.  I don't want you to feel the same shock I did, so if you ever experience any of the above mentioned transitions, you can expect one or more of the following to happen to you:

1)  Your heart will break more than any body part ever will
2) People who you thought would help you in your most vulnerable state don't
3) People who you never thought would help you in your most vulnerable state do
4) Your social circle will dissipate
5) You will feel alone
6) You will be scared
7) You will question your capabilities
8) You will transform into a new person (whether you like it or not)
9) You will not look at situations, people and circumstance with the same set of eyes again
10) If you're in the medical profession, you will become better at your job


Remember these things. 

I've always been drawn to male dominated sports.  I was skateboarding with the boys as a kid.  Racing them on bikes.  Tried to join the high school surf club in 1992, and was not allowed to (yes, even in the 90's).  The teacher who was the head of the club looked at me and said, "Oh, I'm sure you have better things to do than surf.  Why don't you join the cheerleading squad?"  So, that's what I did.  I would still bike down to the beach on my lunch break, and watch the surfers with envy. 

Surfing on the Oregon Coast

Here is something that I've discovered for myself, amongst disbelief, heartache, and confusion.  The vast majority of men are what I term "emotionally crippled."  From surfing, to "CrossFit," climbing to martial arts, they haven't done their inner work.  Rarely, do you find one that's "sat with his demons" in therapy, or sought after his own vulnerability.  This is something female athletes need to realize.  If you become one of the "wolf pack," realize that when you become injured, you (most likely) will be surrounded by a group of emotionally stunted "friends," who won't know how to support you through pain.  Often, I've tended to fall into the "sister" role of my "bands of merry men."  Driving "NyQuil" over to their house, at the first sign of the "man flu," checking in on them, when you don't see them in the line up, on the mats, at the gym, or at the climbing crag, etc.  But, as a female amongst a predominately male crowd, the chances of reciprocity are slim.  This is because your vulnerability mirrors their lack of coming to terms with their own.  Your injury reflects the fact to them that, they too, aren't invincible.  This, is something that shakes them to their core.  Its something they squirm with, emotionally, and don't know how to handle.  The lack of support for you will be painful.

The men, that I've noticed that tend to be the exception to this, are men who have been either raised by women, have only sisters, or are in the medical profession.  They've lived amongst and/or tend to be a bit more in touch with vulnerability, and less scared of it.

When my collarbone broke I was already working with a sports psychologist, weekly.  I was focused on training for "Masters Worlds," in the sport of Jiu-Jitsu, and sought out Melinda Halpern from "GRIT Performance."  Melinda's expertise is performance enhancement, and working through any mental/emotional stumbling blocks that can prevent you from performing your best.

I was grateful to already have an established client/therapist relationship with her, when my injury occurred.  Overnight, our focus together changed from performing at my peak, to daily tasks.  In the blink of an eye I went from feeling confident, at the top of my game, ready to bring that game to a competition setting to "What just happened to me?"  Melinda continues to be my weekly foundation of "You can do this."  She also offers a lens and perspective on the insecurities athletic injuries mirror in those around them.  Its been eye-opening.

I had one girlfriend say to me, "Almine, your collarbone is overwhelming to me.  I'm sorry.  I'm going to need some space from you when you're like this."  I was stunned.  Truly.  I couldn't get out of bed by myself.  All I did was ask her to help me out of bed.  She walked out my front door instead.  All I could think was, "Well, thank God, this wasn't worse than a collarbone break.  She would've been running for the hills."

My job as a health care provider is to offer relief, a listening ear, and support for people in pain.   You will find that people you know and trust are comfortable with you as a pillar of strength in their life, but not when you're weak.  Its a rude awakening.  This will act as a "friend filter."  It will clarify, in a harsh, clear, abrupt manner, whose there for you, and who really isn't, when the chips are down.  Its a painful realization, but it distills those people down, who are necessary for our life growth, and those who aren't.

For those of you who haven't been to Bend, Oregon, its an outdoor enthusiasts dream.  It's been called "Little Boulder."  It has some similarities to Boulder, Colorado, but on a smaller scale (& offers more affordable cost of living).  People move here for the year 'round outdoor life.  Mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting, trail-running, rock climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, etc.  Its all here in abundance.  What that also means is that activity is entrenched with friendship, and vice versa.  You see your friends, because of the sports you share.  When you're no longer able to do those sports, they virtually disappear from you life.  Its lonely and awkward.  They don't know if they should invite you to climb, run, etc., because they don't want to make you feel weird.  But, then you feel left out.  Almost like you did in 4th grade, when you didn't get invited to the birthday party.  Its a no win situation.  You social circle dissipates.  Its gets small.  And your happiness starts to shrink with it.

Climbing at "Smith Rock," Terrebonne, Oregon

This, too, is something I've been grateful to have Melinda to help me navigate, emotionally.  I didn't anticipate to what extent this affected me.  Most of the sports I do take at least you and another person to accomplish.  Climbing is the way, Jiu-Jitsu is this way, etc.  Now, my life consists of my head under the water in the pool, swimming, on a spin bike, or in a Pilates class.  None of these offer the social interaction that I'm used to, and that I value so much in the sports I do.  It is lonely, when you go from socially dependent sports to a "solo sport."  The "rules" change in your life about how to navigate friendship, when everyone else is playing outside.

The last thing I'll share some thoughts on is the pros/cons of social media.  I look at social media like water, like money.  Its neutral.  It can help or harm.  Empower or destroy.  Its in the intent of the user.  Its a beautiful marketing tool for the self-employed (like myself).  Its fast, free, efficient, and can reach large groups of people with the "click" of a button.  The "shadow" side of social media, to me, however, is that it has made humans "emotionally crippled," or "lazy."  We believe, sitting there, staring at someone's posts means that you truly know them.  This is inaccurate.  We all post what we want others to see.  Again, this is good for marketing.  There's nothing wrong with marketing.  Its how we eat and keep our lights on.  But, please make note:  staring at someone's posts doesn't mean you REALLY know them, know what level of pain they're experiencing, and is a lazy way of making yourself feel better that you've "checked in on them."  Know of someone, whose in your "inner circle" of your life whose in pain (for whatever reason)?  Pick up the phone.  Drop by their home.  Ask them what you can do for them (in whatever capacity you're able to help), bring them a meal.  Texting is barely adequate, and a small step up from nothing, but it IS better than nothing.  Don't let yourself fall into the trap of "emotional numbness."

Even saying, "I feel inadequate, and helpless, seeing you in so much pain" is powerful.  Its a friend offering their vulnerability back to you.  You don't have to know what to say or do.  I think someone holding your hand, saying that they don't know what to do for you is more powerful than the emotional "cop out" of saying/doing nothing at all.

All, in all, I would say this has been in the top 3 worst adult years for me.  Its been a powerful in-depth look at areas of my life that were "stuck," or "stagnant."  One day at a time, as I dig my way out of physical pain, isolation from friends and activities, back to re-discovering who I am, I build strength.  The phoenix rising from the ashes is a powerful symbol of what the emotional journey of death, injury, surgery or divorce is like.  You are not the same, with every inch you claw your way out.  You also gain exponential internal strength with every claw mark you make.

The phrase "BE MORE HUMAN" reminds us all that we are vulnerable...no matter how hard we pretend we're not, and that there's no cyber substitute for holding someone's hand, and bringing them a meal.

 

Specialist Or Generalist? To Compete Or Not To Compete?

John's Thoughts:

Couch to competition?

With the obesity rate soaring and increasing trends in our society towards a sedentary lifestyle,  I think we can agree as a society we need a major overhaul in our physical culture. We are disconnected from our bodies and need to wake up! I hear excuse after excuse on a daily basis from incredibly capable adults about why they can’t find time to exercise, let alone compete in a sport or any physical endeavor beyond silly exercise videos, light family activity, or otherwise “safe” activities. Our society has created some kind of excuse bubble that keeps people from getting off of the sidelines to “just do it” as Nike saying goes. Time after time, I hear “I wish I was in the kind of shape I was in high school” or since I (fill in the blank with an excuse), it won’t work for me. At the same time, incredible new world records are being broken and more athletes than ever are competing and training in “extreme sports” like the StrongFirst Tactical Strength Challenge, Crossfit, Strongman, and Highland Games at all ages. So the art and love of competition is still alive and well in our society. Unfortunately, lack of planning, general conditioning and poor fitness levels leave a huge gap that will take time to overcome for the average deconditioned American. Lack of planning and patience can easily lead to burnout and major injuries before an athlete ever reaches anywhere near their potential in performance or true appreciation for the art of competition in our modern sedentary society. The big question is how do we bridge the gap between the couch and competition?

From Couch To Competition

My personal journey has been a long one full of twists, turns, and utter failures. My quest began after I decided I was tired of being a scrawny, awkward basketball player in high school. Within a few years, I became a seemingly “bodybuilder type” of guy after gaining nearly 50 pounds of solid muscle, but I was burned out, broken down with injuries and generally lacking passion in my training once I had reached my early twenties.  I was training to basically look good and ward off major health problems, but this was just enough to keep me in perpetual motion of maintaining a decent level of athleticism and looking fit, but not truly satisfied with training or life. Fast forward 10 years now, I have found my training and ultimately, my life purpose. That is: to empower others to reach their physical goals through safe, effective movement and strength fundamentals, which ultimately transfers into all areas of their lives. In 2004, I stumbled onto a unique “fringe sport” that has changed my life forever. The Scottish Highland Games were my new purpose and little did I know, I would find my way to the top as a world record holder and professional highland games athlete in the sport. These accomplishments did not come easy. I spent several years as a lackluster, bottom level competitor before a serious level of commitment and competitive focus took hold within me. I finally “caught the bug”, but I still had to fight hard to stay competitive and injury free as a very specialized athlete.

I am not particularly gifted as an athlete or coach out of the gate. I simply found my passions and I never stop learning, doing and setting new goals.. Having a true, deep physical skill has made a major impact on my personal and professional life. I would never have trained to a peak skill level or known my athletic potential without finding this this sport. I now have a purpose to my

training that is greater and I can measure and feel the benefits in the gym and my everyday life.  During a competition I feel like the world stands still and I have total focus for a brief moment when I “step in and throw”.  Every ounce of energy possible goes completely into my throw. At the end of a long day of competition, I always feel a wave of emotions and perspective on life as I walk away from the field knowing I gave it everything I possibly could on that day. I leave the field with a clarity and appreciation for life that just seems to wash over me.

Clarity Comes From Competition

It's all too easy to get side tracked in our fast paced society or get overloaded trying to train at a high level in any sport. A quote from strength coach and wise masters athlete Dan John resonates strongly with me and gives me a reminder of my purpose anytime I lose focus “the goal is keeping the goal, the goal”. I have seen so many young professionals in the fitness industry and other athletes get sidetracked or even paralyzed  trying to do too many things at once or lose focus on the purpose of their training or life goals.   Knowing I can keep learning and bettering myself in my sport keeps me feeling alive, yet grounded in my goals and purpose. The pursuit of perfection in a technical, physical skill has continued to carry over to how I coach and approach life. It makes me better at life. It’s empowering to know that I can always get better with some extra focus, effort, or by learning from other coaching and athletes. This pursuit of perfection has been an incredible gift, but it has also been full of challenges and obstacles.

Now my daily life involves the new challenge of running and building my new gym from the ground up, while still competing as a top ranked lightweight highland games athlete. I often work 7 days a week and many long hours. While it does help to be able to walk into the gym anytime to train, the weights don’t lift themselves and I usually don’t have a consistent training partner or coaches around me to keep me accountable.  My life must be very structured and disciplined to make sure I have time for training, proper nutrition, and a healthy balance to life. This has become a welcomed challenge and defines who I am in many ways now. It gives me structure and discipline that I may not have if I did not have a training purpose. I have to stay focused with my time and efforts in all areas of life to stay competitive, especially going into my late 30’s. Why do I still train and compete you might ask?. It’s basically a “strong body, strong mind” approach that I believe we should all follow. I even structure the year's competitions and events around my life whenever possible, which to many may sound extreme. To me, it has become just a way of life. I have learned to enjoy the challenge and find ways to keep going strong despite many obstacles of time, money, and many other life demands.

Competition is a raw, vulnerable way to challenge yourself and put it on the line. When you sign up for a competition it gets real. You have a deadline and sense of urgency to complete the task. It’s time to rise up and take action like the Nike slogan “Just do it”. This can present a new kind of challenge and uneasy feeling for most adults, since our culture is so far away from truly supporting adult athletic endeavors or even general physical activity after the teenage years. Many of us live though our kids and lose touch with our own physical abilities, which is just not how it should be. This doesn’t have to be the case, but you do need to consider a few essentials before training for competition…

Competing In "The Highland Games"

Am I willing to put in the time to train, learn, and develop the necessary skills?

Do I have a qualified coach and can I use my resources to prepare well?

Am I able to plan ahead and possibly let training revolving around life, at least for a few weeks leading up to the competition?

Do I have any serious injuries or health conditions that would make it unsafe for me to commit to this competition?

Have I considered the other obstacles that I might come across?

If you truly dig deep and can’t commit, then don’t compete! You really can’t lose if you can answer “yes” to these questions, because you will get better and learn a great deal about yourself. Say “yes” and find every reason to compete, turn the tables on your own mindset. I truly believe that we all have an athlete and warrior inside of us that wants to come out. Everyone should want to get better every day.  So show up, do work, and  learn hard.

Have a plan, stay the course, and step into the “arena”.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”  Theodore Roosevelt

Almine's Thoughts:

John's words ring powerful for me.  Last year, I tried my hand at competing in Jiu-Jitsu.  It was a year I explored my "inner competitor," what she could do, at the belt level she was at.  I decided to stretch my boundaries, and explore a different facet of myself.  I did this, all the while, continuing to climb, and do "CrossFit."

I'm a personal trainer, and "CrossFit" coach.  What that means is that I'm comfortable in writing training programs, and workout programming to meet goals.  I know when to increase a particular activity to meet a certain goal, and when to decrease others.

I have the capacity to see the end goal, and program according to it, giving myself a time table to increase/decrease various activities.  You could think of it like an "on" season and "off" season.

Typically, in the spring and summer, I decrease my olympic lifting, focus on climbing, and increase more MetCon and/or body-weight placement exercises (to enhance my climbing).  In the winter, when climbing rock at "Smith" is not a consistent option, I increase my strength training, and decrease my cardio/MetCon.   This gives my body a seasonal way to "rest" from specific movements and exercises, and to increase others.   This type of training schedule takes a lot of attention paid to it, watching the ebbs and flows of specific gains, one wants to see, to meet specific goals.

A perfect example of the mental game that climbers move through, when on "The Sharp End" (Sender Films, 2009)

I believe in the ebb/flow of training specific movements, and the ebb/flow of competition.  For my personality type, I need specific "rests" in my training, so that I can absorb the benefits of my hard work, re-focus on goals, and dream bigger dreams.

I don't believe many people can maintain the type of ongoing training schedule I uphold (and have for years).  They would "burn out."  I think a lot of it is genetics.   My paternal grandmother, and father are the same way.  In his late 60's my Dad's greatest joy is still being able to pull a "double" (one activity in the morning, one in the evening).  This is how he operates 6 days a week.  He's never been otherwise.

Climbing is a high adrenaline sport.  There is no doubt about it.  Particularly when you're on lead (a.k.a. "The Sharp End").   I know it would string my nervous system out to climb the way I like to, and compete in a separate sport, year after year.  I let myself ebb/flow, according to how I feel, from year to year.  Maybe I choose to focus my energy (adrenaline) towards hitting climbing goals one year (like this year).  Maybe the year prior I compete in Jiu-Jitsu.  I don't peak in both sports, and hit them equally as hard in the same year, however.

I've had many ultra-runner friends of mine say "You would be an excellent ultra-runner.  You have the determination, and tenacity for such a distance."  I agree with them.  I do.  I'm what you term a "Mult-Sport Athlete," however.  I'm not a "Mono Sport Athlete."  They each have their pros and cons, but I'm much better suited to "Adventure Racing," where multiple sports are required on the same course.  I'm a diverse, dynamic, eclectic athlete, and I also credit that with being a huge reason (in addition to nutrition, etc.) I have next to no injuries.  I make, not just my muscles cross-train, but my brain also.  My brain has to focus in a completely different way in climbing, than it has to while trail-running.  Jiu-Jitsu requires a totally different mental pathway in my mind, versus lifting weights.
I think cross-training your brain, along with totally different movements, is one of several keys to longevity.  They say doing cross-word puzzles, and card games keep older people's thinking faculties sharp.  Couple various ways of challenging your mind, with body movement, and you have a recipe for youth.  That is why I'm an advocate of doing multiple sports, with completely (seemingly) unrelated body movements.  

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) @ "Clark's Univ. Of Martial Arts," Bend, OR.

Climbing a steep overhanging route is a completely different series of movements than passing the guard in Jiu-Jitsu, is completely different than a deadlift.  Or, is it?  The reality is, even though I increase one type of body movement, and decrease another, seasonally, they all enhance one another.  They all involve getting the hips through, a strong core, and focus.  They all benefit one another.

The main thing for me is body awareness.  This entails listening very closely to when my body is asking for me to shift gears.  They body does talk to you.  You just have to know how to listen.  I knew 2016 was my year to downshift from competition, and increase my climbing.  I will listen, season by season to see if this changes.  When it does, I will be ready to shift my training programming again.  Fluidity is key.  Flexibility is key, if being a mult-sport athlete interests you.  Developing body awareness is key.

"NW Fit Games,"

Be willing to dream big, smash goals, and then move on to the next.  Opportunity has a funny way of presenting itself when you least expect it.  The question is:  "Will You Be Ready To Shift Gears?"

Handstands In My Home Town, Newport, OR., "Agate Beach"

ABOUT JOHN ODDEN:

John is a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Clinical Exercise, and owner/head coach of his gym Empowered Strength in Bend, OR. John has a diverse background in the fitness/wellness industry, having worked with clinical cardiac rehab patients, high school athletes, and employee wellness programs in Longview, WA for 11 years before "retiring" to Bend to start his gym and online coaching programs. John is the current world record holder in the 42lb. weight over bar as a lightweight athlete in the Scottish Highland Games and finished #3 in the world at the Lightweight World Championships in 2015. John's newest pursuit is the StrongFirst Tactical Strength Challenge and competitive Olympic Weightlifting in his off season from the Highland Games.

Contact John or learn more about him here..

empowereredstrength.com
541-639-5000

john@empoweredstrength.com

Learn more about the StrongFirst Tactical Strength Challenge here..
http://www.strongfirst.com/tactical-strength-challenge/

ABOUT ALMINE BARTON:

BIO.:     http://www.rechargesport.com/almine-barton/
Instagram:  @alminebarton
Twitter:  @AlmineBarton1
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/alminewellness
To Book An Appt. For Acupuncture:  (541) 306-6541

FASTING: Is It Beneficial For The Athlete?

"To Lengthen Thy Life, Lessen Thy Meals."  ~Benjamin Franklin


Often, around the spring and fall, athletes ask me this question:  "Almine, would it be beneficial for me to do a fast?"  Its like, at the crux of those two seasons, people instinctively know that a 'lil "R 'n R," or "deep cleaning" for the body is necessary.

The answer to this question is "Yes."  Fasting is beneficial for not just everyone, but in particular, the athlete.  Why is this?  There are a few simple explanations, but the easiest one I can articulate is that the athlete accumulates a lot of free-radicals in the body, on a constant basis, and that a "deep cleaning" is necessary from time to time, of these inflammation causing intra-toxins.

We all know there are "good stresses" and "bad stresses."  What is a "good stress" for the body?  Building muscle.  You must break muscle down to create stronger muscle (what a great metaphor for life, right?).  This process, however, does cause inflammation.  This inflammation has to go somewhere, and unless its "evacuated" promptly through one of the body's waste removal mechanisms (feces, saliva, urine or sweat) it will accumulate in the muscles and "hang out" there.  This is not what an athlete wants, or needs.  This is called DOMS ("Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness").  DOMS, if exponentially accumulated (workout after workout), without proper "housecleaning" through the body's waste mechanisms, can overwhelm the system.  This can cause nausea, headaches, hormone imbalances, premature greying of hair, dry skin & nails, constipation and/or diarrhea, gastritis, ulcers, poor training performance/recovery, to name a few.

As inflammation compounds, through multiple workouts, without the athlete assisting it to be removed from the body, free-radicals build-up.  Free-radicals are burdensome on the liver (a paramount organ in muscle building, metabolism and blood sugar stability).  Therefore, the athlete must place as much emphasis on free-radical elimination as s/he does to training.

Me, cranking out 100 back-squats for time at "CrossFit"

Hence, my emphasis of certain "power" foods and herbs (see previous blog posts) that aid in recovery, nourish the body, and increase evacuation of free-radicals rapidly.  In addition, I constantly tout the benefits of stretching in the heat (i.e. "Bikram Yoga").  You all must be thinking "Geez, Almine, enough already about the 'Bikram Yoga'."  The reality is, however, saunas & "Bikram Yoga" studios are invaluable in removing waste, rapidly from muscle tissue and fascia.  Stretching in heat (above body temperature) only increases free-radical elimination.  It relaxes muscle fibers enough for them to release inflammation/free-radicals, so that they can be excreted via the pores through sweat.

"Bikram Yoga" can aid elimination of toxins, built up by the body

through training.  This will accentuate your fast.

Want to play hard?  You must "deep clean" your body of the built-up waste that is accumulated from doing so.  Injury is soon to ensue if you don't.  Make stretching in heat a regular part of your training regime.  This should be a non-negotiable for every athlete.

Where does fasting fit into sports nutrition and training regimes for athletes?  When is it appropriate to do a fast?  What type of fast should I do?  Is there a better time of the year to do a fast vs. any random time one feels inclined to do so?  All good questions.  I will lay out a few "bullet points" for fasting that can be understood in a "101" manner:

-Fasting is best done at the crux of the season (spring/fall are the best times of the year) to ensure maximum immunity for the season ahead.  Have spring allergies?  Fasting at the beginning of spring should be a "must" for you.  In other words, if you're going to do a fast, consider doing it at/around the spring/fall equinoxes.

-Fasting is done best in either 1, 3 or 7 day blocks of time.

-Fasting during summer or winter is not recommended.  

-Do NOT exercise during fasting.  What I mean by exercise, in this case, is "cardio.," lifting weights, swimming, anything that requires your muscles to break down & cause inflammation.  "Active recovery" exercise during fasting is okay:  yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong.   As Bikram Choudry says "Yoga is the only exercise that gives the body energy vs. taking away from it.  Its the gas station, where the body fills itself up."

-The 3 best fasts:  air, lemon-water, vegetable broth.  Air fasts (no food or water) is the most powerful & deep-cleansing.  Lemon-water only is 2nd runner up & vegetable broth is 3rd runner up.  If you're choosing to do "Bikram Yoga" during your fast, you will increase the deep-cleansing attributes of the fast, but you will also lose valuable electrolytes.  Then, a lemon-water or vegetable broth fast is recommended to replace those electrolytes lost through sweat.  I would not recommend an air fast if you're choosing to sweat in saunas or at "Bikram Yoga" during your fast.

-The first 24 hrs. in a fast can be mentally challenging.  Your tummy will rumble for a couple of hours, but then it WILL settle down, & the mind will begin to become calm.  My favorite fasting period of time is 3 days.  By day 2, I feel like I can take on the world.  

-Fasting around the full moon is an ancient tradition to remove toxicity from the body.  Why does the full moon matter?  Is it just an "Old Wive's Tale?"  No.  It isn't.  Your body is made up of 70% water.  The moon governs all water on this planet, from the tides of the ocean, to the water in your body.  You are a microcosm of the macrocosm.  Water is a powerful medium used to flush out toxins.  Work with nature's cycles, not against them, & you will find your fasts more powerful and effective.  I would recommend doing a fast the day before/day of/day after the full moon.  When you become experienced at feeling what a fast can do for your body, you will notice the increased benefits, if you do it around the full moon.

The Full Moon Is A Powerful Time For The Water In Your Body 

To Assist In Cleansing Itself

-If you're a woman, do not fast while on your menses.  Your body is already cleansing.  Its too much to do both at the same time.  Also, do not fast while you're pregnant or lactating.


Fasting was a mandatory practice for warriors from the East:  Ninjas, Samurai and Shaolin martial artists.  It enforced discipline of mind, mastery over the body, and increased health benefits.  The first couple of hours of a fast your "monkey mind," as one of my teachers calls it, will go crazy.  "I want food, I want cake, I want broccoli, I want, I want, I want..."  This will settle down.  Your mind will begin to slow, and your breathing will become more calm within several hours.

Japanese Samurai Warrior

My advice is to set aside fasting for some type of retreat atmosphere.  Go to a hot springs, a secluded cabin, etc.  This is a time for rejuvenation and resting of the tissues, so that they may replenish themselves.  I would not recommend a "daily life" regime while fasting (work, picking up kids, training the way you normally do).  This would be retrogressive to the fast. 

There is some type of purification of the body amongst every warrior caste in various cultures.  Take for instance, the sweat lodge amongst the Native Americans.  To sweat, fast and purge the body was an annual ritual 1-2x per year (depending on the tribe).  They knew this enhanced longevity, gave vigor to the body for the coming season ahead, and quieted their minds to re-align themselves with the tribe's needs and goals.

Traditional Native American Sweat Lodge

In addition, there is not one spiritual tradition that I'm aware of that doesn't advocate fasting.  The world's greatest sages, from a variety of traditions, have fasted:  Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, John The Baptist, Ammachi, Paramahansa Yogananda, Mohammed, Anandamayi Ma,  Meera Bai, Lao Tzu, Ramakrishna, Milarepa, Hazrat Babajan, Hildegarde of Bingen, St. Teresa of Avila, Rumi, Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi, Ghandi, Mother Meera, etc.   Each of these great masters have changed our world for the better, dispensed wisdom, and have been a beacon of knowledge to those of their era...and to us today.

~ Sri Anandamayi Ma ~
1896-1982

(This picture was not adulterated in any way.  It was taken of her, while she was fasting for 40 days & 40 nights.  Note the amount of "Chi" generated by her, commonly known in the West as an "aura."  This is often depicted in paintings of Christian saints or icons as well)

If you're new to fasting, and feel that you need some additional support/nutrition/electrolytes for the body, herbal teas can greatly assist.  Here are some herb suggestions for you, during your fast:




  -Amazon warriors fast on a strong concoction of yerba mate tea, 2x per year for 1 wk.

Yerba Mate Farmer, Paraguay

 
-Alfalfa leaf tea was used by medieval saints in Europe to assist with their fasting.

Ground Alfalfa Leaf Powder

 
-Tibetan monks fast on nettle tea, during meditation retreats.  In fact, Milarepa, the great Tibetan Buddhist yogi was said to have a "green hue" to his skin from drinking so many nettles.  :-)

Stinging Nettle

-Hindu sages have taken "Triphala" (see "Spring Detoxing:  The Ins & Outs" blog post), while fasting.

"Triphala"  (meaning "3 Berries")

We're at the beginning of fall now, this is a great time for a fast.  Remember to take the time to rest, soak in hot springs and/or do active recovery exercise to enhance your immunity for your coming fall/winter sports.  You do routine maintenance on your car.  Your body is more precious.  Treat it well, and allow it the time to heal itself.


FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FASTING:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting-activity/#axzz27zCwgv00

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting-exercise-workout-recovery/#axzz27zDKpLOR