Category — Healthy Living

So glad you all liked yesterday’s post. Here’s what I’m thinking: I’ve added it to my sidebar (I got super creative and called it Dear Teen Tracey) and I’d love for you to add your own letter, long or short, to yourself in the comments.

And!

If you write a letter to your younger self on your blog, let me know and I’ll add it to my original post. I’d love to get a bunch of links there because

A. that would be fun to read and

B. any teen who happens to read it will get the biggest warning ever.

So, write your Dear Tween story about whatever—the importance of flossing or the fact that the hottest guy in high school grows up to be a mechanic with a mustache—then send me the link.

Also, teen me wrote back that she loved my post. She totally misunderstood the point of Facebook, though. And I quote: “That seems like an obnoxious waste of time.” Hm.

Oh, news of the ordinary and completely underwhelming sort! I’ve concocted a mayo-free tuna salad that rocks. (See, told you that you’d be disappointed. It’s your own fault for getting your hopes up.)

I may have mentioned that I have a deep hatred for mayo. That touching the stuff makes my stomach flip flop (and I’m not talking about a Johnny-Depp-just-knocked-on-my-door flip-flop either). Except, I’d eat it with tuna. Don’t ask me why. The Man does that all the time and if there’s one thing he’s learned during the course of our marriage it’s to never question my crazy aversions to random foods.

But when I say I like tuna with mayo I mean that I’ve never eaten it any other way. Here’s an even better (and healthier) mix:

Tuna + olive oil + lemon juice + whole grain mustard + salt and pepper = Holy Yum

Exhibit A

Note that The Man took this photo because my feet were burning and he’s very proud of it and he’d like it if you would take a silent moment to sit in awe. Thanks.

I had nothing to mix in with this besides cheese, but in the future (read: when I stock up on groceries) I’ll mix in diced celery and carrots.

I promise this is good. I promise this is not fishy-tasting.

Go. Eat.

What’s your favorite way to eat tuna?

photo by ratterrell

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone. In honor of the coming year, I’m taking the day off to visit with my parents, who drove all the way down from Massachusetts. (The cursed state of New Jersey was even kind enough to let them pass straight through in under three hours. Never been done before.)

I was going to post about my 2011 goals and resolutions, but halfway through devising a list I realized:

A. Stopping my burning feet doesn’t really count as a resolution.

B. Surviving until the end of the world in 2012 doesn’t count either.

C. You probably don’t care.

Honestly, I don’t really care either. I’m not one of those people with motivational words tacked above my bed or an inspirational corkboard hanging over my desk. I don’t make a list of yearly goals and reassess each December 2010. That’s for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that my goals change throughout the year. (Never would I have added, “Find cure for burning feet” to my 2010 goals list but, well, you know how that went.)

I do, however, make a mental list. For all of the buzz around writing down our yearly goals, I think keeping them in our minds works just as well. Because I don’t need a list to remind me that I’d like to be rid of chronic pain. And not writing down the fact that I wanted to pen a novel didn’t seem to hinder my progress. (Take that New Year’s resolution experts!)

How about you: Do you write down your goals and resolutions each year? What are some of your goals for 2011?

photo by powerplanttop

First off, thank you all for letting me vent yesterday. I’ve been pretty down the past couple of weeks, so it’s good to let it out. And I’m taking your funny movies to heart. I expect to laugh until my stomach hurts in the near future.

So I was catching up on my health news yesterday and I read a study that made me roll my eyes. Apparently—and this is according to an actual study that actual researchers spent actual time on—frying takes away the health benefits of fish.

I’ll summarize:

Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, while healthy when grilled or baked or sautéed, cease being a good dinner option once you bread ’em and deep fry ’em. Go figure. Next thing I’m going to read in my newspaper’s health sections is:

1. Deep fried chicken is less healthy than a grilled piece.
2. Fried asparagus is less healthy than roasted.
3. And fried green beans, while amazing with soy sauce, don’t cut it as a veggie.

I’m starting to wonder whether fried foods just aren’t healthy. But I won’t believe it until I read a study. You know, just to be sure.

OK, anyone surprised by this? Anyone?

photo by shironekoeuro

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages! Step right up to see the most amazing, most crazy, most death-defying show on earth.

Prepare to be amazed! Enlightened!

I present to you—never before seen on this blog—the girl on fire:

That’s right, this is the look of erythromelalgia. (Or, as I lovingly call it, EM.) You’ll notice that one foot is normal and the other is in a full-fledged flare.

Oooh, the burning!

Ahhh, the pain!

Grab your peanuts and your cotton candy as she lights the stage ablaze. Get mesmerized by the fireworks!

And that, dear friends, is what I’ve been up to today.

Come back tomorrow for another AMAZING! and TERRIFYING! circus spectacular.

So, um, how was your Monday?

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

The Man and I had a great Christmas. I tried to abstain from sugar, but to be honest it seemed wrong on Christmas. So I had a cookie and a few bites of pie. Folks, if you know me at all you know I took it easy. I won’t mention what The Man ate.

We brought an amazing sweet potato casserole to dinner, which I got from here. I loved it for two main reasons: 1. There was no sugar in it. And 2. It tasted like it was loaded with sugar.

The next day, there was talk of a monster blizzard in D.C. so The Man ventured out into the wild to stock up on essentials—which was pretty much everything. The Man hit up the local Giant, which is the closest grocery store to our house.

There are several reasons I hate Giant. Here are two:

The store cannot tell the difference between lemons and oranges.

They also do not know that feta cheese is not blue cheese.

This one’s sell-by date is April 2011.

Good thing we didn’t buy milk. I fear we’d be drinking Giant’s version of cottage cheese.

So, now that the holidays are (mostly) over, dish: What is the best present you got?

photo by flying house studios

Dear Brain,

I appreciate all you do. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to talk or write or read, so I know you’re critical to my well-being. But this Christmas I need you to pretend sweets taste like mayo.

Resolutely,
Sugar-free Tracey

photo by axel buhrmann

Dear Santa,

Please bring me a new wardrobe, an armchair and ottoman, and something with an “on” button for The Man. We’ve been extra good this year, so I have high expectations.

Also, I’d like my health back.

Merrily,
Tracey

photo by sookrong

Dear Readers,

You’ve been with me through knee pain and chocoholism and now you’re sticking it out as I spontaneously combust on a daily basis. Your loyalty makes me tear up.

I appreciate each and every comment you leave. I did not expect this when I first started blogging, but you have become my dear friends. I’m wishing each and every one of you a very merry Christmas.

Humbly,
Tracey

I was sick of Panera.

I’m not sick of it right now, mind you. But there was a time in my life when I actually said, “If I eat Panera one more time I’m going to puke.”

And then I ate it one more time.

I did not puke.

I did, however, go months without stopping there. It was the kind of place where my mouth would water a little each time I drove by—and not in a good way.

After months, I finally returned. Friends, Panera is better after a break. It’s a fact. My lunch, brought to you by Panera (and The Man):

It’s fast. It’s easy. Plus, I love the Greek salad there (sans onions, obviously) and the baguette. Each time the girl behind the counter asks if I’d rather have a bag of chips or an apple I roll my eyes. What sane person would prefer chips over a warm, soft chunk of baguette? And an apple? I’m not even addressing that insanity.

I’ve tried to recreate the salad at home. It generally turns out fine, except for one detail: Lettuce which you do not chop is infinitely better than lettuce you must wash and dry and chop at home. Seriously, that’s my least favorite veggie to whip into eating shape.

I thought you should know The Man is taking his new age seriously. This is what happened while I was on the phone with my mom last night:

That’s right, he’s conked out at 6 p.m. Must have been that crazy party last night.*

In other news, we’re officially an OLD married couple.

Do you like Panera? What’s your favorite item? And if not, where do you go for a fast, reasonably healthy meal? (If you say Jason’s Deli I’ll cry. In traffic that place is four light years from my house. I do think it’s better than Panera.)

* I’ll admit he’s still sick.

photo by svenstorm

Thank you all for your kind congrats about the book and my new blog. I’m excited to finally share that with you. I’ve felt like I’ve been keeping a big secret.

Of course, it doesn’t mean I have a book deal or anything. But as I said in my first post yesterday, you can’t get published if you don’t write the book. (No, really, I tried. I just mentioned that I was going to write a book one day with hopes that all of the words I used saying that would count toward my final novel word count. It did not work.)

And also, thanks for telling The Man that life goes on after 30. He read each and every one of your comments.

Because it was Tuesday and because both of us are somewhat sick, we didn’t go wild and crazy for his 30th. I did, however, give him his present.

Here’s the thing with boys: Buying presents for them sucks. The Man loves technology, which is fine. Except I can’t drop $1,500 on a new MacBook Pro for his birthday. (Though if you want to donate to his MacBook Fund, let me know in the comments.)

And then I got him an iPad with credit card points we had. That made me Wife of the Year.

So I was stuck. When I’m stuck, I go with clothes—a jacket to be specific. Here’s the result:

The Man thinks this jacket is cool. Though not what I had planned, he thinks it’ll be perfect if there’s ever a zombie apocalypse and he needs to camouflage. (The Man likes to think ahead.)

We celebrated at home because, like I said, The Man’s been sick for the past week and I’m getting sick. How did he want to celebrate? Take a guess.

Right, pizza. He ate an entire half sausage and mushroom, half pepperoni pizza.

I think it’s a midlife crisis.

If you had to order in one food for your birthday, what would it be?

Edited to add: If I don’t comment on your blog, I still love you. I’m currently unable to comment on Wordpress blogs. In case you miss me. Please tell me you do…

The Man and I often joke that I’m really 85 years old. I mention it to people sometimes and they laugh—because I look 28. (OK, in real life I look 21, but let’s not talk about that. I’m just thankful I’ve stopped getting carded for rated R movies finally.)

Anyhow, I thought I’d prove my age to you. And what better way than showing you my pills. Sure, the following are all supplements, but I’m taking so many I feel like my grandmother while throwing these back every day.

The reason for multiple pills for the same vitamin? I need super-high doses.

I guess that’s what happens when you’re sick.

And you know what happens when your feet burn multiple times a day?

You forget the fact that supplements taste NASTY

And you chug ’em down.

Keep in mind here I’m out of my omega-3 fish oil pills.

That’s vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B12, multivitamins, and an (extra nasty) algae supplement for mercury toxicity.

OK, I’ll reveal the rest of my day:

Those are the prescription meds—antibiotics and pain meds. So I drink a lot. And pee a lot.

Now do you believe I’m truly 85?

I thought so.

I realize a lot of research is on the fence about supplements (including this study), but I’m willing to try anything. I’d like for those researchers who say there isn’t enough evidence for vitamin supplements to tell me they wouldn’t try them if their feet burned all day. Just sayin’.

How many supplements do you take per day?

And! I’m revealing a big surprise tomorrow, so stay tuned. (I just wanted to say that today to tease you.) (But really I’m excited. And no, I’m not pregnant, despite my recent pickle post.)

photo by kirill tryaskin

You guys are hysterical.

Seriously, I made a point to avoid taking a sip of water each time a comment came in. Those stories are great.

(Anyone who didn’t read yesterday, go back and check out the comments to my post. It’s like reading Cosmo. No, it’s better.)

And also, there’s a winner. Random.org says that No. 18 gets The Great Fitness Experiment.

So Nichole, e-mail me with your address: tracey [at] notsuperhuman [dot] com.

What?

Oh, the rest of you feel cheated? I hate this part of giveaways.

OK, fine. Here’s a discount for you: From now until Jan. 15, 2011, when you buy Tipu’s Chia online (including gift baskets), you can get 15 percent off your order if you use the coupon code CHAILOVERS.

See, you’re all winners. Just not as big of a winner as Nichole. But, folks, that’s life.

photo by eddy van 3000

All right. In completely unrelated news, I thought it was about time to share my winter skin trick.

Anyone else get super dry when the temperature drops? My face starts to peel like a bad sunburn. (In case you can’t visualize that, peeling = gross.)

I used to go crazy washing my face twice a day. It was like brushing my teeth. Miss it and die. (Yes, that’s what happens if you don’t brush your teeth. You DIE. Also if you don’t floss. True stuff.) Then I decided to scrap the face wash in the morning. I just splash water on my face and moisturize.

I do, however, always use face wash at night. Sleeping with your makeup causes pimples, which I learned from an episode of The Nanny when I was young. It made a big impression on me (how’s that for educational TV?) and I’ve never missed a night.

For anyone who’s curious, I use Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution when I wash my face at night. It’s gentle and creamy, which is all that dry skin really needs.

That, my friends, is all I have to say.

Have a wonderful Thursday.

What’s your top way for hydrating your skin during winter?