{"id":349,"date":"2012-03-14T01:51:34","date_gmt":"2012-03-14T05:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/?page_id=349"},"modified":"2016-12-11T06:38:46","modified_gmt":"2016-12-11T11:38:46","slug":"ch9-maintaining-health-body","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/chapters\/ch9-maintaining-health-body\/","title":{"rendered":"Ch9: Maintaining Health \/ Body"},"content":{"rendered":"

www.HoneyIShrunkTheGrief.com<\/span>
\n \u00a9 2012 Eric Vaiksnoras<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI like to move it, move it\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0~song lyrics by Real 2 Real
\n.<\/span>
\n.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/em><\/span>NUTRITION\/DIET:<\/strong>
\n<\/em>This subject is such a complex one.\u00a0For every nutritional claim that is made, there are usually numerous others that contradict it.\u00a0That is why talking about nutrition makes me feel too much like I\u2019m walking on thin ice.\u00a0In spite of this, I do have a couple general observations that I\u2019d like to make.<\/p>\n

First, I think that old saying \u201cwe are what we eat\u201d has a great message behind it.\u00a0If I want to contribute to my healing and general wellness, it makes perfect sense to me that the less processed and more natural foods I eat<\/em>, the better I\u2019m going to feel.\u00a0If lower-quality foods make up a significant percentage of my diet, I can\u2019t expect to feel good and function in any kind of optimal state.<\/p>\n

I also want to make a comment on the benefits of moderation<\/em>.\u00a0I think this is an invaluable life concept that applies perfectly to so many areas of personal wellness, nutrition included.\u00a0The specific moderation thoughts I\u2019m having at the moment, in relation to my diet, have to do with the portion sizes of the foods I eat.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always had a higher muscle\/lower body fat composition, and have always been very physically active.\u00a0This combination has allowed me to eat anything, and often times in large quantities, without having to worry about my weight.\u00a0I feel pretty lucky to be able to do this, but at the same time, have begun to question this behavior.\u00a0Is it healthy to consume such large quantities of food?\u00a0And why do I do this?<\/p>\n

The answer to the first question dealing with appropriate \u201cfood input\u201d is a tough one, because the answer is based on numerous factors; two big ones being \u201cthe type of food\u201d I eat, and my level of \u201coutput\u201d (how physically active I\u2019ve been\/how many calories I\u2019ve burned).\u00a0Sure, there are times when my body needs the extra calories.\u00a0For example, I love to run, and recently have been enjoying long trail runs with a group of friends on a hilly 11-mile course.\u00a0I\u2019m sure during times like these, my body burns an enormous amount of calories and needs larger portion sizes to replenish.\u00a0But in general, I think I eat too much.\u00a0And just because it hasn\u2019t yet had an effect on my physical appearance, I think it still has negative short and long term health consequences, which is why I\u2019m currently working on making some changes to this area of my health\u2014and I feel good about my efforts.<\/p>\n

The answer to the other question (why do I eat such large quantities of food?) is an interesting one for me to think about.\u00a0I think I can trace this back to my early childhood, when family and friends would find great delight in watching me eat\u2014because I could really pack it away!\u00a0They praised me for my actions, with things as subtle as a glowing smile, or other forms of feedback that went something like \u201cgreat job cleaning your plate!\u201d, or \u201cWow!\u00a0You must have enjoyed that!\u201d, or \u201cyou have such a wonderful appetite!\u201d.\u00a0This encouraged and reinforced my actions because I wanted to please the loved ones who were caring for me.\u00a0I imagine these were my first experiences of being rewarded for eating large quantities of food, and being conditioned to see it as a good thing.<\/p>\n

With that said, I\u2019m an adult now, with more life experiences and perspective, and I have to take much more ownership for my actions.\u00a0It also needs to be said that in no way do I condemn anyone who has made any kind of comment about my big appetite.\u00a0The comments were coming from a loving, nurturing place and were more than appropriate; I was naturally a big eater, and it made people take notice!<\/p>\n

I feel like I grew from the experience, and now can do things a little differently with my son.\u00a0Instead of praising him for cleaning his plate, I make an extra effort to praise him for stopping when he\u2019s full, regardless of how much food is on the table or on his plate; and I praise him for the quality of foods that he eats\u2014encouraging a diet of natural\/unprocessed foods.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SLEEP:<\/strong>
\n<\/em>Rest is a key component in anything.\u00a0I found that this fact, paired with my body\u2019s reaction to grieving, made for a challenging environment.\u00a0Grieving often left me feeling like I was in a racing state\u2014I imagine due to being in a hypersensitive condition of wanting to solve and fix things.\u00a0While in many instances, the extra adrenaline was helpful in getting through a myriad of life obstacles, it wasn\u2019t too conducive to sleep.\u00a0Other life circumstances, such as being a single dad and full time student, compounded the situation.\u00a0So what is a sleep deprived griever to do?\u00a0For me, I saw it as something that was just a part of grieving. And while I often fell short of getting the amount of sleep that I felt was best for me, I didn\u2019t want to beat myself up over it because I felt that stressing about my lack of sleep would likely only lead to even less sleep.\u00a0So I tried to care for other parts of my health, and then sleep when I was able.<\/p>\n

One thing that has been a great help to me during the daytime, has been taking a daily 10 to 15 minute powernap.\u00a0Fortunately, I\u2019m comfortable sleeping wherever \u2014 and can sit down and lean against a wall, bring my legs to my chest, curl up in a ball \u2014 and be out cold in a heartbeat.\u00a0Other times I\u2019ll sleep in a parked car, on my sofa at home, or better yet, in my bed.\u00a0Wherever I\u2019m at, these short naps during the day have helped me to recharge and recover some of the sleep that I wasn\u2019t getting at night.\u00a0And even when I have gotten a full nights rest, if I listen to the natural rhythm of my body, I find it greatly appreciates a short 10-15 minute nap in the middle of the day, typically following my lunch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

BREATHING\/IMAGERY:<\/strong><\/em>
\nBreathing is such a simple and involuntary act, that I find myself all too often\u00a0forgetting\u00a0just how important it is to my health. I\u2019ve experienced its ability to magically regulate stress levels.\u00a0For this and other reasons, I believe the way I breathe makes a big impact on my overall health. Because of this awareness, I am especially attracted to activities that help me to get the most out of my breathing\u2014activities like yoga, tai chi, running, meditation, etc.<\/p>\n

About 4 years ago I was certified as a smoking cessation facilitator for both the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society. I have helped people who wanted to quit smoking to actually quit smoking.\u00a0This is no easy task. The individual trying to quit battles a very strong form of addiction\u2014one that is especially difficult to overcome because quitting involves both the behavioral part of the addiction (habits that become part of one\u2019s daily routine\u2026like smoking in the car on the way to work) and the chemical part of addiction (the bodies strong desire for the highly addictive chemicals in cigarettes, particularly nicotine).<\/p>\n

Similar to someone who is grieving, a person who is in the process of quitting smoking is under an incredible amount of stress. One of the most effective tools I\u2019ve learned\u00a0(during my facilitator training)\u00a0to combat stress\u00a0is to take deep, controlled, yet fluid-like breaths.\u00a0The kind that has you breathing deep in through your nose when inhaling, allowing your belly to expand (picture your belly button moving out, away from you), and then slowly breathing out through your mouth as your belly button returns to your core.<\/p>\n

After seeing the connection between quitting smoking, grieving, breathing, and stress management \u2014 I have tried making it a priority to periodically monitor my breathing throughout the day. This has not yet become a habit for me, but writing about it now is a good reminder to me to make it one! So, \u201cas we speak\u201d, I\u2019m writing myself a breathing note to place by my computer. Something that I\u2019ll see often throughout the day, to help remind me to check on my breathing. I know this will be a worthwhile effort because I\u2019ve experienced in the past just how powerful a quick assessment of my breathing can be. It can instantly make me aware that I\u2019m taking short, shallow, tense breaths \u2014 and this\u00a0awareness\u00a0gives me the much needed\u00a0opportunity\u00a0to correct my breathing. Ohhhh, I just took 3 BIG breaths as I\u2019m writing about it. It feels SO good\u2026surely something that promotes healing and good health.<\/p>\n

.<\/span>
\nUsing various forms of imagery has also been a great tool in helping me to reduce stress and get the most out of my breathing.\u00a0Closing my eyes and simply envisioning my stomach expanding outward (as described above) usually puts me instantly at ease.\u00a0Another imagery exercise I like to use is to close my eyes and picture a single tree that is full of leaves.\u00a0I\u2019ll imagine that each leaf represents a specific challenge or pain that I\u2019m faced with.\u00a0I\u2019ll take a big, deep breath in, while simply acknowledging the presence of these challenges. Then, when my body is ready to exhale, I\u2019ll begin to slowly release the air. During this exhale, I focus on a transition from acknowledging my challenge, to actually smiling at it. The simple act of smiling at them furthers the process of acceptance and peace.\u00a0And during the exhale, with the image of my leafy tree present, I\u2019ll envision my challenges as leaves that separate from the tree and begin to slowly fall to the ground.\u00a0They float one by one, and mesmerize me with the beautiful and mysterious path they take to the fertile ground.\u00a0This image is very calming to me.<\/p>\n

Another of my favorite imagery techniques is to picture the dark areas within my body.\u00a0The areas that hurt so much that they are filled with a solid mass of black, heavy, darkness. I begin to connect my image to my breathing.\u00a0On my inhale I picture hope, in the form of a brilliant and bright heavenly light.\u00a0I allow it to penetrate my chest, my soul, my mind, my limbs.\u00a0I picture it traveling throughout my body at warp speed, like data traveling over some kind of digital super highway.\u00a0This bright light is powerful and unstoppable, and with the ease of the strongest, surest warrior, it effortlessly begins to overcome my darkness.\u00a0I picture it breaking up the darkness like a jackhammer\u2014with pieces of debris flying everywhere. I picture it burning through the darkness as if it were a raging and unstoppable fire of hope and good.\u00a0I keep inhaling and exhaling, slowly, fully, deliberately, until all the dark areas of my being have been destroyed\u2014my entire body glowing and illuminated.\u00a0I feel holy.\u00a0I feel the presence of God.<\/p>\n

I continue to explore and be fascinated with the incredible healing power of Breathing and Imagery.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TOUCH:<\/strong><\/em>
\nI believe physical contact\/touch is highly undervalued.\u00a0Sometimes words are not enough.\u00a0Sometimes there are no words.\u00a0Within the simple act of touch lies a tremendous power to fuel souls and ease pain.<\/p>\n

Touch connects and comforts.\u00a0Touch is a bridge providing instant access and relief to heartache.\u00a0Even when I\u2019m feeling completely balanced, I know physical contact is crucial to my health.\u00a0Humans, from birth, need frequent touch to thrive.\u00a0So I know it\u2019s not any stretch to say, that during challenging times, it\u2019s exceptionally crucial to have touch in my life.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have to look far to find proof of the magic of touch; it surrounds me.\u00a0For the past four years David and I have volunteered to visit hospice residents at a local nursing home (see Ch4 for more on this). Most of the residents we have spent time with are bedbound, and when David and I sit next to them, I feel the power of even the simplest of physical connections.\u00a0I make a conscious effort to make contact with them whenever possible\u2014placing my hand on their ankle, forearm, shoulder, head, or holding their hand, giving a hug\u2014all simple acts that have much to offer.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t say that touch is always a completely natural thing for me to do. I sometimes am hesitant to touch because I am a guy. Stupid reason, I know, but true.\u00a0I find it annoying when I blame others for my actions, but I think it\u2019s fair to say that society plays a part in this\u2014I haven\u2019t been taught, on a consistent basis, that \u201ctouch\u201d is an ok thing for a guy to do. So I continue to challenge my actions with my societal perceptions of what it means to be a man.\u00a0Like with so many other things\u2014when I\u2019m at my finest, my actions come from the heart; when I\u2019m at my weakest, my actions are rooted in what I think others want me to do.\u00a0The former of the two is where I\u2019d like to be; I\u2019ve seen touch do too much good to live any other way.<\/p>\n

Another significant grieving experience I\u2019ve had with touch has more to do with receiving than giving.\u00a0I am very grateful for a family friend who, shortly after Julie died, suggested that I start going to a massage therapist. I had never had a professional massage prior to this advice.\u00a0I\u2019m not sure exactly why, maybe because it seemed too personal?\u00a0Or too expensive? I don\u2019t know, but I\u2019m so glad I decided to give it a try.\u00a0And being that I was an un-employed student at the time, I was fortunate to discover that the rec center on the KSU campus offered discounted massages to students.\u00a0I went and had my first massage and instantly felt the benefits.\u00a0I remember leaving feeling like a new person, feeling all the tension gone in my body.\u00a0The sensation was freeing and transforming.\u00a0I have always been in tune with my body, and it wasn\u2019t hard to recognize that massage offered something wonderful that was missing in my life.\u00a0I left there a huge believer in the practice, and to this day have continued to get regular massages.\u00a0I believe massage therapy is a form of health maintenance that is largely overlooked, and I predict that it will become much more accepted and sought after as a powerful way to maintain health\u2014especially invaluable\u00a0<\/em>during times of grief and struggle.<\/p>\n

Touch comes in many forms.\u00a0Touch connects us.\u00a0Touch heals.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nFeet!<\/strong> <\/span>
\nDaddy(31) & David(1)
\nMarch 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nWrestling!<\/strong><\/span>
\nJuly 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nLove You!<\/strong> <\/span>
\nDaddy(30) & David(9months)
\nJuly 2004<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MUSIC:
\n<\/em><\/strong>\u201cIt\u2019s impossible to be in a bad mood while playing the banjo.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\n ~Steve Martin<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“Perhaps it is music that will save the world.”
\n<\/strong><\/em>~Pablo Casals<\/em>\u00a0(1876\u00a0\u2013 1973)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in music, the way that some people believe in fairy tales.\u201d
\n<\/strong><\/em>~August Rush movie quote<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

My mind can easily see music in any one of the three categories I have broken Health into (Mind, Body, & Soul).<\/em> For the sake of organization, I put it here, in the Body<\/em> chapter, following my discussion of Touch.<\/em>\u00a0It seemed to fit as nicely here as anywhere, especially being that music originates as a form of touch (when sound waves travel through the air they eventually enter my ear\u2014and literally touch me\u2014starting the powerful chain reaction of events that takes place).<\/p>\n

The power of music blows my mind.\u00a0I see it as a life force that is capable of anything. It fascinates me to think about the numerous forms it can be delivered in.\u00a0Right now, as I stop to listen to the music in my current world, I hear birds outside my window conversing\u2014musically.\u00a0I can hear my computer processor fan running, adding a soft and soothing hum to the mix.\u00a0I can hear the sound of my fingers racing across the keyboard, trying to keep up with my thoughts; they sound like they\u2019re tap-dancing.\u00a0I can hear my own breath; slow, relaxed\u2014contributing to my reflective state.\u00a0Music is everywhere.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always been drawn to music, but since becoming a widower, have found myself connecting with sound on an even deeper level.\u00a0I am very grateful for this because there have been many times, particularly when I\u2019ve been in great distress, when music has spoken to me and come to my rescue.\u00a0Is music the hand of God?\u00a0I often wonder.\u00a0Does God allow Julie to communicate with me once in a while through music?\u00a0It sure seems like it.\u00a0I\u2019m as skeptical as the next guy when perplexing things occur; I like to analyze a situation, look at it from different angles, and reflect on the most likely earthly explanations. But some things, no matter how much thought I invest, are simply unexplainable.\u00a0Some things are so unexplainable, that I find only one explanation to be satisfying\u2014what I\u2019m experiencing is Love Finding a Way.<\/p>\n

One of my most memorable examples of this occurred on the day I said my final good-bye to Julie at the funeral home. After a surreal day of having loved ones come to support the family, and come to say good-bye to an open casket \u201cJulie\u201d, the time had come when everybody had gone home, and I was left in the room alone to say my own final good-bye.\u00a0My father-in-law went to pull his car around, and said he\u2019d wait for me outside the main entrance.\u00a0I looked at the shell of my wife and felt a whirlwind of emotions.\u00a0This was not the wife that I knew. In many ways it felt like I was saying good-bye to a stranger.\u00a0The situation was so unfair.\u00a0I said my good-bye\u2019s, touched my wife\u2019s hand for the last time, and made my way to the front entrance of the building where my father-in-law was waiting. I got in his car, and he put it into gear and started to slowly drive off.\u00a0There was a heavy stillness in the air. As we started to pull away, he broke the silence by turning on the radio.\u00a0Shania Twain\u2019s song, From This Moment, <\/em>\u201chappened\u201d to be playing.\u00a0It instantly captured my attention.\u00a0This song was very significant to Julie and me.\u00a0When we were dating and first heard the song, we both agreed that it would make a perfect wedding song.\u00a0The day I proposed to Julie, I secretly arranged for the DJ at the ice-skating rink we were at to play our song, and when it played, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me.\u00a0And we slow danced to the song, alone on the dance floor, at our wedding reception.\u00a0There could not have been a more significant song that could have played on the radio at that moment.<\/p>\n

Music is so mystifying to me, yet at the same time, so surprisingly simple. Music moves, fills, captures, provides\u2014anything and everything.
\n.<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nWedding Dance<\/strong><\/span>
\nEric(26) & Julie(24)
\nJune 2000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PETS:
\n<\/em><\/strong>David and I take frequent bike or car rides to our local pet store.\u00a0We love to visit with all the animals.\u00a0We also love going to the zoo and have spent many memorable days at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo, the Akron Zoo, and the Erie Zoo. And of course, we have our dear cat Zodi, who has brought our family endless amounts of love.\u00a0Animals provide a physical connection and companionship that I\u2019ve found to be very healing.
\n.<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nDavid & Zodi<\/strong> <\/span>
\n2008<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\n2011<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

BOXING:<\/strong>
\n<\/em>As far back as I can remember, I\u2019ve been attracted to boxing. When I was around four years old, my dad bought me this inflatable four-foot plastic wobbly egg-shaped bag to strike.\u00a0I had so much fun playing with that thing! Years later dad got my brother and me a speed bag and hung it in our basement.\u00a0I loved the challenge of trying to get into a fast paced rhythm!\u00a0The leather bag makes the coolest rousing sound as it strikes the wooden board and returns at warp speed, anxiously waiting to be sent back to where it came from!\u00a0It\u2019s a rhythmic rush!<\/p>\n

I bought a heavy bag and steel stand during my high school years.\u00a0This took boxing to a new level for me.\u00a0I bought wrist wraps and gloves.\u00a0I enjoyed watching fights on TV and studied the moves of some of the great professional fighters of the past and present.\u00a0I would sometimes shadow box during the fights, doing my best to mimic the gladiators I saw on the screen.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found boxing to be an incredible full body workout.\u00a0I\u2019ve also found it to be a perfect activity for working through all the messy stuff that comes with grief. Like a boxer alone in the ring, ready to take on a prize fighter, I too enter my own ring, and continue to learn to dance and move against my opponent, Grief.\u00a0A tough opponent that sometimes gets the best of me, but in the end, I assure you, I will be the last man standing.\u00a0And I\u2019m pretty sure I won\u2019t win by knockout.\u00a0I\u2019ll win by respecting my opponent, and allowing him to make me better.\u00a0I\u2019ll win by learning when to move and slip his devastating punches, and I\u2019ll gain his respect by landing a few of my own.\u00a0I\u2019ll study him, admire him, and work with him\u2014not against him.\u00a0I\u2019ll leave the ring with my arm lovingly wrapped around grief.\u00a0I\u2019ll leave the ring fearless\u2014because there\u2019s nothing to fear, only to understand.\u00a0I\u2019ll leave the ring exhausted, complete as ever, and with a big smile on my face.
\n.<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nBoxing with Daddy<\/strong><\/span>
\nEric(32) & David(2)
\nOctober 2006<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUGS:
\n<\/em><\/strong>I\u2019m all too familiar with seeing alcohol & other drugs used with the intention to take pain away.\u00a0Unfortunately, I\u2019ve seen how it usually brings even more mess into an already tough situation.\u00a0For these reasons, I have been very cautious about drinking to ease the pain of grieving. Growing up with an alcoholic family member has taught me to do a quick internal check before I drink\u2014to ask myself whether or not I\u2019m drinking to escape grieving feelings, or any other type of emotional difficultly.\u00a0Grieving is hard enough to get through sober, and the last thing I want to do is become dependent on alcohol or other drugs as a way to cope with my challenges.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RUNNING:
\n<\/em><\/strong>While I enjoy just about any type of activity that puts my body in motion, my absolute favorite is running.\u00a0Running renews me.\u00a0It brings clarity, enthusiasm, and excitement to my life.<\/p>\n

I run outdoors year round and enjoy all the personal challenges and rewards that come with it.\u00a0I enjoy the repetitive and soothing motions.\u00a0I enjoy jumping over obstacles in my way; when I\u2019m running around my suburban neighborhood, some of my favorite runs are those on garbage day, when I can jump the piles of trash that are sitting out on tree lawns!\u00a0I also love getting wet and running in the rain\u2014feels like some sort of baptism.\u00a0Or on snowy days, when I can use my long legs to leap on top of the mounds of snow that collect along the bottom aprons of driveways. I excitedly approach, then leap into the air, feeling like a superhero who has no clue that he\u2019s just an average guy \u2014 then my feet and legs sink into the peak of the often crunchy snow pile.\u00a0I quickly pull them out and carry on, feeling unstoppable, hungry for my next obstacle!<\/p>\n

Running is a joyous event for me.\u00a0It makes me feel at one with myself.\u00a0I enjoy hearing myself breathe when I run.\u00a0I enjoy all the physical monitoring that takes place when piloting my body.\u00a0I enjoy the ability to overcome obstacles in a moment\u2019s notice without having to think about it; I enjoy the beauty that comes with simply reacting, much like how I imagine it is for a wild animal.\u00a0The way a squirrel reacts when it jumps six feet through the air from one tree limb to another. Does it question whether it will make it?\u00a0No.\u00a0It just instinctually reacts, with its body in perfect sync with its mind.\u00a0Or the way a herd of animals runs together on an open plain\u2014hooves pounding, dirt flying, bodies in rhythmic motion, in perfect harmony with the earth\u2014musical, symphonic.\u00a0They don\u2019t think about being tired, they just go, and move, and be.\u00a0I deeply enjoy that type of exchange with myself.\u00a0Freeing.<\/p>\n

There is one curvy-hill descent in our local MetroParks that is a favorite of mine.\u00a0It\u2019s narrow, uneven, filled with tree roots, and has the perfect amount of twists and turns.\u00a0It\u2019s slightly treacherous looking, but in a fun way, and I run down that hill without a worry in the world\u2014and feel like I did when I was a kid, running down a big grassy hill, with gravity pulling, and feet planting and springing.\u00a0Makes me get excited just thinking about it.<\/p>\n

Those are some of the reasons I love to run.\u00a0I find myself when I run.\u00a0I feel so alive when I run.\u00a0It can be exhausting at times, but I find it to be such a beautiful and worthwhile kind of exhaustion.\u00a0When I was in my darkest moments of grief, running saved me, over and over again. Running and I are the best of friends.
\n.<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nCleveland Turkey Trot 5-Mile Run<\/strong> <\/span>
\ncompleted over 40 organized races these past few years; our jogging stroller tires are bald!
\nEric(36) & David(6)
\nNovember 2009<\/span><\/p>\n

\"love
\nEdgewater Park 10-Mile Run<\/strong> <\/span>
\nracing to the finish line with my brother Brian (#771)
\nA<\/span>pril 2010<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nErie Marathon<\/strong> <\/span>
\nmy first full marathon (26.2 miles);
\na big running accomplishment for me
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nRunning Group<\/strong> <\/span>
\nwith friends after a\u00a0breathtaking snow covered 10K trail race <\/span>
\nCleveland MetroParks
\nFebruary\u00a02012<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nWarrior Dash<\/span> <\/strong>
\n3-mile obstacle race
\n215th place out of 10,945 <\/span>
\nCarrollton, OH
\nSeptember 2011<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STAYING ACTIVE:
\n<\/em><\/strong>I strongly believe being engaged in various forms of physically activity is something I need to do every day.\u00a0Being active, and making time for play, brings out the best in me and is absolutely essential to my well-being.\u00a0From a health maintenance perspective, I could compare it to how I feel about brushing my teeth.\u00a0Exercising and brushing my teeth are both things I need to do daily<\/em> to maintain my health.\u00a0I wouldn\u2019t want to skip brushing my teeth for days on end, so why would I want to skip moving my body for days on end?\u00a0My body was made to move, s<\/em>o I need to move it. And I don\u2019t stress out about that fact, just like I don\u2019t stress out about having to brush my teeth; it\u2019s just something I see the value in making a priority in my life.<\/p>\n

Playing\/staying active brightens my days and makes me feel alive because it stimulates my senses, awakens my soul, and connects me to the joys of the world that surround me. Grief is to death, as play is to life!
\n.<\/span>
\n\"\"
\nCross-Country Skiing<\/strong> <\/span>
\nwith my uncle and cousin
\n<\/span>Winter 2011<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nHiking<\/span> <\/strong>
\nwith my mom, Cheryll, & David
\n<\/span>Fall 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nkite + beach = happiness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Summer2011\"
\nDisc Golf<\/strong> <\/span>
\nwith David(7) at scenic Osborne Park,
\n<\/span>along Lake Erie in Willoughby, OH
\n(one of many free disc golf courses)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nWiffle-Ball<\/strong> <\/span>
\nin the snow!
\n<\/span>December 2006<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBowling<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nBiking Fun<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nYeeee-Haaaa!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nRoller Skating<\/strong>
\nDecember 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nPutt-Putt<\/span> <\/strong>
\nJune 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nSummer Swim<\/strong><\/span>
\nJuly 2005<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nRock Wall Climb<\/strong><\/span>
\nJune 2008<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nCleveland MetroParks<\/span> <\/strong>
\nstudying a tree before a trail run;
\nbeing surrounded by nature fills us both with wonder and happiness <\/span>
\nEric(30) & David(9months)
\nJuly 2004<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span>
\nStaying physically active continues to make enormous contributions to my overall health, and it has, without question, been a huge asset for me when it comes to living with grief.\u00a0Exercise and play soften grief because they get the body moving and involve activities that are so full of life!<\/p>\n

.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

..<\/span><\/p>\n

~\u00a0\u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0 ~
\nClick here to continue to the next chapter (Chapter 10)<\/a>, but before you go\u2026
\nIf you\u2019ve connected with any of the content you\u2019ve just read in Chapter 9, please consider posting a response below to share your valuable thoughts and experiences with others.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to order the newly released full-color paperback version of this book<\/u><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span>
\nNow on Facebook!
\nhttp:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HoneyIShrunkTheGrief
\n<\/a>Now on Twitter!
\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/EricVaiksnoras<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

www.HoneyIShrunkTheGrief.com \u00a9 2012 Eric Vaiksnoras \u201cI like to move it, move it\u201d \u00a0~song lyrics by Real 2 Real . . NUTRITION\/DIET: This subject is such a complex one.\u00a0For every nutritional claim that is made, there are usually numerous others that … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":219,"menu_order":9,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-349","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=349"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1635,"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/349\/revisions\/1635"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.honeyishrunkthegrief.com\/book\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}