I love sauna

I've been going to the gym for the last month. I'm up to three days a week now, and it feels good. So good that I have tentative plans to keep going.

I actually started going to the gym a year and a half ago, when I hired a personal trainer to hold me accountable to a routine; I floss because my dentist holds me it, so I thought the same could be true for going to the gym.

It sort of worked. My trainer introduced me to a lot of new exercises and helped me feel more comfortable in the Y, which is best described as a zoo, but I didn't stick to the program.

It's different this time though. I now have the fancy gym membership that gives me a few perks. Most importantly, it gives me access to a sauna.

The promise of some quiet time in the sauna (I often have it to myself) has proven to be enough to lure me to the gym. It is my carrot. It's cool that I can do push-ups and all, but what I'm really into is the sauna.

Of course, when my commitment to the gym is flagging, a few inspirational words don't hurt either. Alice Bradley just wrote about what exercise has done for her, and it made me want to go to the gym every day too. Well, no. But her words did help me commit to three days a week. If you like it, you can also read her older, funnier posts about getting a trainer and getting stronger.

And now: Dentists

When I went to my new Victoria dentist a couple of weeks ago, I reflected on how familiar I am with dentistry, on account of my cavity-prone teeth and three years with braces (I know, I know, orthodontists are different than dentists, but you get my drift). The whole visit to the dentist is a very familiar procedure for me. I don't get stressed out about dentist appointments, but maybe that's a bad thing. If I were scared of dentists, I bet I would floss more often. But instead, I liked my Vancouver dentist - a beautiful Italian woman who isn't much older than me but mothers me all the same - and I like my new dentist - a youngish Swedish man with a serious design aesthetic and a "we're in this together" manner. Thanks for the recommendation, Jen!

Because of my history with cavities, I do get a little nervous about x-ray results, but it's more of a financial concern. Even with my coverage from university, cavities are expensive. The good news is, I don't have any cavities, and my fillings are in fine shape. Dr. John (that's what people call him) even marveled at my beautiful "smile." My mouth was stretched open and he was fussing around with various tools when he said it, but whatever. He's a dentist and he likes my teeth.

There is another reason why this cavity-free diagnosis is worth celebrating: I've been using fluoride-free Aloe Vera toothpaste for the last few years, and I was never quite sure if it was doing anything for my teeth.

I love this toothpaste, even though it's a little pricey. I love the consistency and the taste, and I love that I'm not scared that my toothpaste is hurting my stomach. If you've ever had digestion problems/stomach pain, you get sort of crazy looking for explanations, and toothpaste came up on my radar at some point or another. Now I can rest easy knowing that I am preventing various potential problems by using a natural alternative. High five!

Hona cultivates food and community

Michael and I recently attended Cultivate, a dinner party tradition established by Hona Watanabe. We know Hona through Sarah Hunt, who told us about the dinner last year, and we've been scheming about how to get invited ever since. When I received an invitation through Facebook, I knew I'd never question its usefulness again.

Hona is passionate about bringing people together to enjoy her recipe experiments with local, seasonal ingredients. People are happy to oblige.

This is what she served:

• Chickpea and buckwheat patties with miso gravy;
• Red cabbage, Japanese greens, white sprouts, burdokroot and green beans with sweet onion sesame dressing;
• Roasted BC potatoes and carrots with mint garlic butter sauce; and
• Macha sponge cake with blackberries, figs and whipped cream.

We were impressed with the food (see above), the hosts (Hona and her helpful buddies), the company (40 guests), the atmosphere (a beautiful Chinatown loft), the vision (100 mile diet, anyone?), the price ($5 plus tip), everything! I hope that Hona has the stamina to keep it up; I don't know many people who could pull off a dinner party for 40 people with such grace.

Smoothies break my fast

I’ve always been a strong proponent of the importance of breakfast: if food is fuel for our bodies, I’m pretty sure we should have some before we start the day. My gut tells me this is true. Science too.

Over the years I’ve eaten a range of breakfast foods: Life cereal, Lucky Charms (it’s hard for me to admit that), toast with bananas and peanut butter, whole wheat sesame bagels with a slice of cheese, Nature’s Path cereal with soy milk, et cetera. Sometimes I would indulge in wheat-free toaster waffles and maple syrup and, of course, naughty brunch goodness on weekends.

The “diet” that I’m currently following suggests that I drink a smoothie for breakfast, and I want to share how pleased I am with this meal choice. My smoothies are made up of almond milk, berries of some sort, half a frozen banana, 4 tbsp ground flax seed, and 4 tbsp hemp hearts (seeds); I’ve also added fresh mint on luxurious occasions. I just find the smoothie a satisfying start to the day, and I’m not usually hungry before noon (except today, when I was ravenous at 11). Also it’s healthy.

Shannon sent me a couple of recipe ideas today, which I will definitely try out. One blends banana, almond/soy/oat milk, blueberries and 1 tbsp tahini. The other combines banana, milk of your choice, and 1 tbsp molasses. I'm finding there are many options for the discerning palate.

I just wish my blender wasn’t so loud first thing in the morning.

My greens make me gag

I had tentative plans to see a naturopath for eons (just ask Erin Coulter), and I finally went this year because it was covered by my UVic health plan. I learned a bunch of stuff, but in the end I didn't like my doctor. On my third visit I told her I was interested in balancing my pH (I had done some research on my own) and she basically said not to bother - that interest in pH is a fad that comes and goes. She didn't want to follow my lead, and since I felt that my acidic body was the root of all of my problems, I wasn't too happy with her reaction. I didn't go back.

Time passed and my problems didn't get any better. So, last month I made an appointment for a live blood analysis. The doctor is so popular I waited until last week to see him. We looked at a drop of my blood under a microscope and he told me what's wrong with me: I'm really acidic. He prescribed a ton-o-supplements and told me to eat an alkaline diet for two months until I see him again. That means I'll be eating a lot of fruit and vegetables - and most of them raw at his suggestion. But it turns out the diet isn't the hard part; rather, the supplements are causing me serious anxiety. I've never been a fan of taking pills, but I'd take a million if it meant I never had to drink gross liquid concoctions again. I'm such a baby I actually plug my nose as I'm drinking my greens supplement or liver cleanse, and Michael can attest to the awful face I make when I'm done.

I'd like to say that this diet has changed my life, but I'm only on day three and still experiencing headaches from (refined) sugar and coffee withdrawal - once I wrap my mind around drinking my coffee black I'll be enjoying my daily cup once again. I don't feel so hot right now, but trust that I'll keep you updated on my adventures in alternative therapies. You can share too.