To cleanse or not to cleanse

I came across this article on CBC while having lunch and it really reflected my point of view on cleansing, colonics and other methods of ridding your body of toxins. I have a many friends in Vancouver who have attempted cleanses and a few who even will go through elaborate programs once or twice a year to "clean" their bodies. Personally, I just don't buy it.

The human body was created to self regulate and while we are probably today exposed to more toxins than our ancestors were, we still have livers and kidneys to filter out the damaging substances we ingest over time. I'm not naive to the point of believing that our bodies are able to get rid of everything bad they come across, as studies conducted recently have reveled that our bodies tend to store some toxic chemicals such phthalates, mercury and bisphenol A (remember your old Nalgene bottle?). However, I don't think a cleanse will help the body get rid of those chemicals.

Friends who tried cleanses told me that they felt great afterwards, that their skin was glowing and that they lost a bit of weight. Well, since most cleanses involve changing your diet to cut out alcohol, red meat, coffee, processed foods and white sugar, I'm not surprised by the results. If you go back to eating and drinking all that stuff after the cleanse, was there really a point? I did a little personal experiment and cut alcohol completely from my diet for a month (ending May 22). Honestly, I don't see a difference, maybe a small increase in the amount of water I drink (instead of wine) which is obviously healthy. And then there are all these cleanse products you can purchase at health food stores (expensive products), necessary, according to the vendors, because of the vitamins and minerals you will need during the cleanse as you cut out so many different types of food. That's kind of a given no? I read about the Master Cleanse, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper drinks as your sole intake for days. No kidding you'd lose weight on that one. On the other hand, that same recipe (replace the maple syrup with honey) as a warm drink is wonderful to help you sleep when you're sick (home-made Neo Citran). But would you do a Neo Citran diet and call that healthy? I didn't think so.

As for the colonics, there are medical arguments against them in healthy people, so my position there is a resounding "no way". To quote a nicely referenced article in Wikipedia: "The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners, in addition to being based on a flawed understanding of the body, have never been scientifically validated."

It goes back to the basics. Eating healthy, nutritious and fresh food that you prepare yourself (as much as possible), sleeping well, exercising every day (even if it's just to walk to work) and going easy on the alcohol and the coffee. To that I would also add eating local, because local food is also better for the environment and, in many cases, fresher and more nutritious.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Rainy Sunday

Perfect! I love rainy Sundays!! Before you give me the evil eye, let me explain. I needed a little help getting motivated to do stuff around the apartment, catch up on laundry, write a few things on my blog and clock in several hours of studying for my PMP exam. If it was beautiful and sunny outside, there's no way I wouldn't take advantage of the nice weather and stay indoors. Since I spent a bit of time outdoors yesterday at the cabin (walking in the woods in the rain - great opportunity to use my froggy gumboots), my motivation to handle all the boring items I'd like to deal with before the week starts is very high.

I changed the template for the blog, after receiving a comment about the pastel polkadots. I had to agree, not because the pastel polkadots didn't represent my fiery impression of Montreal but mainly because that template was a bit bland. At least this one has colours, bright greens and orange. Much more fitting.

I also added a few new links to interesting sites about sustainability and an RSS feed from a blog on recycling not your typical green-bin items, but mostly on how to reuse old items instead of discarding them. I'm getting back into reading and following more closely sustainability and environment-related events in and out of town. I never really stopped trying to live a sustainable lifestlyle by making conscious decisions about what I buy and where I buy it; however, I'll start sharing my discoveries again, as I did when I was living in Vancouver.

Oh, and happy mother's day to all mums out there (and to mine who stayed at the cabin for the weekend with dad).

Vancouver is so pretty in the spring

Very difficult not to like this city when the flowers are in bloom everywhere, the weather is mild (ish) and you get a few days of bright sun. While the past few days have been all about lunches, dinners and drinks with friends, the next few days will be all about putting the finishing touches on the condo before it goes up for sale. I was really happy with the outcome of the upgrades done so far (hardwood floors on the stairs and top floor, new counter in the kitchen) and once the tiles are done in a few weeks, the place will look stunning.

Since I arrived on Wednesday, I was asked several times if I missed Vancouver. Well, I do miss the beautiful sights and I really miss my friends, but other than that, I can't say I do. I find the city quiet, too polite and proper. I'm not saying I want to live in chaos, but a little passion and excess does inject your life with bright colours, intriguing smells and beautiful sounds. If the cities were colours, I'd pick grey for Vancouver and bright red for Montreal. Water and fire. Being a Leo, my sign is that of fire, maybe there's a reason why my subconscious was always attracted by the passionate fire of my home town.

The other question I was asked is whether or not I regretted the time spent in Vancouver. The answer is a big "no". I really enjoyed my time here and made the most of it by taking up several new sports, spending weekends in nature, traveling up and down the West Coast (all the way down to San Francisco), visiting restaurants around the city, traveling East to the wonderful Okanagan region, and many, many other experiences that will stay with me forever as incredible souvenirs. But, there does come a time when you are simply ready for something different. I was ready to return to my roots.

I promise to not spend the next 72 hours indoors, fixing and adjusting things. If it's nice one afternoon, I will visit the Van Dusen garden, it will be quiet and hopefully the rhododendrons will have started blooming. Maybe I'll even bring my book and read a bit in the garden. So lovely. On Tuesday, Annie and I will enjoy cured meat, cheese, and wine pairings at Salt, hopefully with Sarah.

That's why there are three Rs...

Interesting article on CBC about challenges faced by recyclers around the country. Help them go through this difficult period by exercising the other two Rs: reuse and reduce. I know I will.

Spring means new beginnings

I love spring. The days are longer, some brave flowers are colouring the brown lawns with hints of green, people are out walking, and I feel that I have more energy. Now, I do miss spring in Vancouver, at this time of the year, lots of trees and shrubs are already blooming, especially around the area where I used to live.

This week, I'm heading to Vancouver, ready to turn the page on that chapter of my life. Not that I won't go back to keep in touch with friends, but I really feel like I'm ready to embed myself in Montreal again. I am selling the condo, my trip back West is mainly to finish preparing the place to be sold and have a frank discussion with my realtor about pricing. It's a big step, because I love that condo, but I am sure that I can find a place I'll love just as much in Montreal. I can't wait to go for long walks around various neighbourhoods to check out places. I find that's the best way to discover whether or not you'd like to live somewhere. You listen to the noise, check out the businesses in the area (especially important if you have no car), get a feel for the type of people living on the street.

At this point, because of the economy, I don't know how quickly I will be able to sell, but a few hours after changing my status in Facebook to let people know that I'm selling, I already have a few questions. It could happen really fast. Now, I just need to get the tiles finished in the bathroom and kitchen, install the handles on the kitchen cabinets, clean the windows, plant some flowers outside to give a bit of spring cheer to the balcony and hope that someone falls in love with the place, just like I did six years ago.

Turning point

Wow, welcome back. This is addressed to me. I don't know where I've been for the past three weeks. Not blogging, that's for sure!

Well, I have my fingers crossed (and all my toes) that today marked a turning point in my series of failed attempts at getting back into a moderately fit lifestyle. Since I moved to Montreal, it's been incredibly hard to do any exercise on a regular basis. First, there was all the traveling. I know, that's not necessarily an excuse, but the gym at the hotel where I was staying was lamentable. Then, there was the cold. My poor body was trying to adjust to the freezing weather and NOT motivated to step out unless I needed to work or feed myself. At one point, I actually made it to Allez Up, a climbing gym along the canal, to check out the facility and ask about their prices. I wasn't fond of the area where the gym was located, but there was a bus that could take me there. Unfortunately, I hurt my wrist and you kind of need two hands to climb. Finally, last week, I visited the YMCA downtown and signed up on the spot for a year. I like the facility, it's enormous, has a large gym, a pool, lots of classes... Two days later, my gym bag waiting for me by the door, I catch a nasty cold. Why, or why (she pleads with open hands, looking at the sky).

I am determined to make today a turning point. I walked to work, something I intend to do a lot more. I don't even plan to buy a bus pass in April. At 6:30 a.m., it was still dark(ish), a bit cold and windy, but I was bundled up and ready to hit the elliptical machine. I did a light workout, mainly cardio, stretching and abs. No need getting sick again. I was showered, dressed, and on my way to work by 8:20, in the office before the rest of my colleagues who usually trickle in after 9. Very cool.

In the morning, the downtown Y is great, busy but not packed and the crowd is older. The afternoon I signed up, I visited the gym and was a bit turned off by the packed gym area. The gentleman giving me the tour said to avoid the place between 5-8 p.m. because it was always super busy. Duly noted. I am going to try the spinning classes early morning a few times per week, maybe even get a programme started (the membership allows you to get an appointment with an instructor for the gym every six weeks, for free!).

I feel better.

What's with all the blood stories?

Squeamish readers have been warned.

I hurt my hand Wednesday night. It was a bizarre accident, I tell the story to people and they look at me funny, didn't help that I had a bandage around my wrist that made it look like I tried to off myself. Worry not my friends, I love life too much to purposefully hurt myself.

However, I'm a klutz. Here I was, preparing dinner after a long day at work, and while the eggs were almost ready in the frying pan, I reached in my cupboard to get a plate. What I didn't see was that there was another, smaller plate at the top of the pile, and when I pulled my intended dish, the other one slipped, heading straight for the counter.

At that point, boys and girls, the safe behaviour in a kitchen is to step away from the pending accident and let the plate smash on the counter. My reaction was not quite smart, as I tried reaching for the falling plate to catch it before it became mosaic material. Not a good idea. The plate broke in several pieces, and one large piece made contact with my left hand which, I am assuming, was in full swing towards the jagged ceramic.

It didn't take me long to realize that I had a cut at the junction between my hand and my wrist. I turned the cold water on and tried washing away the blood that was starting to pour out of the cut, but that made things worse. I barely had time to grab a scott towel to dab the blood before it became clear that this was going to bleed a lot.

I live alone. Two things immediately crossed my mind: one, stop the bleeding and two, if I feel faint and pass out, I'll have to deal with a lot more than a cut. So I headed for the bathroom, sat on the floor and pulled the emergency medical kit from the cabinet. Yes, I have a medical kit at home. Everyone should. Comes in handy.

I found sterile gauze pads and started applying them against the cut, lifting my hand over my head (higher than the heart). Both maneuvers intended to slow the bleeding. It kind of did, and for an hour or so, as I sat down in the living room and watched a movie, I continued applying pressure. Unfortunately, the bleeding didn't really stop, each time I changed the gauze it would start again. It only meant one thing: I needed stitches.

Now, put yourself in my shoes. It was about 9 p.m., I had no idea where to call to ask about the closest clinic (opened at this time of the night), couldn't remember the names of the hospitals in the area (it's been a while), so I called my parents. Yes, at 34, when I hurt myself, I still call mom and dad. I wanted to know where they recommend I go, so I could call a cab.

Well, at 24 (that's a typo but I'm leaving it in!), you're apparently not too old for your parents to take care of you. Dad offered to come and pick me up, then drive me to the hospital. "You pay for parking", he said. Deal! We drove to the Montreal General, found parking close to the emergency and then proceeded to embark on one of the longest nights I've had in a while.

We got to the hospital at 9:45 p.m., probably saw the triage nurse by 10:30 and then waited until 5:45 a.m. to see a doctor. Yes, I understand, my cut was not a life-threatening condition, so I was at the bottom of the priorities. Yes, I was told, the General, Montreal's trauma centre, only had one doctor on staff that night. What I don't understand is why I didn't have more options. Don't we have 24-hour clinics that can handle minor emergencies, hell, even private would have been fine with me? Didn't seem so, although now I'm curious enough to find out for next time.

Spending the night at the emergency, I found myself thinking about how lucky I was. My dad stayed with me (all night), kept me company, and for most of the night, we chatted about this and that. Some people were at the emergency alone. Also, I am so healthy compared to the people I saw in there, I should remember this and not take it for granted.

Here's a picture of the cut, four days later (the bruise is probably from the impact). The stitches come out Thursday.