This Saturday, Boston Sports Club of Davis Square is holding a special fitness event from 1-4 which is FREE and OPEN TO NON-MEMBERS.

Though there is no charge for the "Fitness Fest," donations will be accepted to help BSC yoga instructor extraordinaire fund his project, Dharma Wind, a hand-built catamaran which will, upon completion, be the site of open-air yoga and other mind/body classes, as well as traveling, open sea yoga retreats.

From Ben's website:

"In addition to the artistry of form and the soulful heritage of the voyaging canoes, the Dharma Wind is being built as a double canoe for many practical reasons.  Being a catamaran, she is very wide, and incredibly stable.  Keeping the deck clear of unnecessary structure, we will have a large open space for training in mind-body arts.  It will be an open air studio with the freedom of movement.  With uncluttered space, and horizon on all sides, the mind will quickly lend itself to the expansion and reflection of meditation.  We will also be able to rig temporary shelter over this space, for conducting classes in dry comfort while rain ripples the surface of the water."

Sounds pretty idyllic to me.

The fundraiser event will include three fitness classes that cover a wide range of exercise approaches, starting with a spin class, following up with something called "triple threat" (I know I'm intimidated,) and finally closing with a yoga class taught by Ben himself. Come by to get a feel for the yoga offerings of Dharma Wind.  As you do your sun salutations in the temperature-controlled, second-story gym overlooking the Rockwell-esque bustle of Davis Square, you can envision how you might feel cycling through the same poses on the deck of a beautiful wooden boat out on the open ocean. 

If the word "menstruation" makes you cringe, please take this opportunity to navigate away from this blog entry.  You're not going to like what comes next.

But if you're a woman between the ages of twelve and fifty, you most likely deal monthly with She of 1,000 Euphemisms, or, bluntly, the human reproductive cycle.  Menses.  Your period.

And if you're one of these women raised in North America, you are probably familiar with the range of "feminine hygiene" products available in drugstores and supermarkets.  Most of you probably consider yourselves either tampon or pad girls, and purchase boxes of your preferred method monthly or bi-monthly, maybe raising an eyebrow over warnings of Toxic Shock Syndrome or articles about the bleaches and chemicals used in the cotton in these disposables, maybe worrying momentarily about all the waste created by going through a dozen boxes of these products every month, but generally resigned to one of these approaches.  After all, what other options are there?

Well, there's the menstrual cup, for one.  Please take a moment to view the image above.  This magical little cup is a reusable, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and relatively worry-free alternative to tampons.  Yes, you stick that thing inside of you.  Yes, you reuse it.  No, it's not gross, or at least not any grosser than shoving a piece of cotton up there and letting it rot, or reusing your underwear after washing them, for that matter. 

Here's the rundown.  You wash it and replace it twice a day in the shower or in the bathroom while you get ready for bed.  The rest of the time, you don't need to worry about leakage, or make any mad dashes to the bathroom with your purse.  When the cup is properly placed, you can't even feel it.  Many women have experienced a significant reduction in cramps after switching to cups from tampons, and since cups simply collect falling fluid rather than absorbing it, you can leave it in for 12 hours at a time without worrying about Toxic Shock Syndrome. 

I've personally used a cup for five years, and I remember when I first started I was actually angry that I had used tampons since I was fourteen.  For me, there was no comparison.  I used to dread those few days a month during which I felt like I was keeping a dirty little secret, always sneaking off to the bathroom with an unmarked package and silently praying for divine leak protection in formal wear.  After a few cycles using a cup, my attitude toward my period changed completely.  I often said I forgot I even had a period because the maintenance was so carefree compared to life pre-cup.

As if the sheer convenience weren't enough, cups are also environmentally and economically sound.  The same cup will last you ten years if you take care of it properly, saving whole dump trucks full of waste generated by disposable tampons and pads.  Plus, a cup will run you about thirty bucks.  If you buy even one four-dollar box of tampons per month, a cup will more than pay for itself in less than a year. 

It's truly the wave of the future.  So, are you ready to go with the flow?

In the United States and Canada, the two most readily available brands of menstrual cups are The Keeper and The Diva Cup.

The Keeper is the original American manufacturer of the modern menstrual cup.  The Keeper is a brown, latex rubber model which comes in two sizes:  Size B for women who have never given birth vaginally, and Size A for women who have.  (The inside of your vagina changes considerably not only after childbirth, but also as you grow older.  Many women in their late twenties or thirties require the larger sized cup, even if they've never given birth).  As the first modern mainstream provider of menstrual cups, and being the only modern brand that offers a product in natural latex instead of silicone, Keepers have acquired a somewhat crunchier, more holistic image than many of their competitors, including the Diva Cup.

The Diva Cup, which is also available in two sizes and is made of a soft, clear, medical-grade silicone.  Diva Cup is a Canadian company, and Divas have traditionally been marketed less to the "organic, granola, one-with-your-body" and more to the "practical, in-control, on-the-go" side of the modern girl demographic than the Keeper.  The fact that it's made of silicone is especially exciting to those who are interested in cups but are allergic to latex.  (Keeper has since released its own silicone cup, The Moon Cup, but reports of shady branding practices have led many cup enthusiasts [they do exist] to call for a boycott of this product.  For more information about the Moon Cup US boycott, click this link.)

Both of these brands are available at Whole Foods and Cambridge Naturals, but there are a dozen other international brands out there, all of which are designed slightly differently and may "fit" different people better.  If you want to know all your options, check out this comprehensive comparison.  (Note, not all of these international brands hold US FDA approval, so this is something to consider if FDA approval is a concern for you.)

If you're interested in the history of the menstrual cup, check out this page on the Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health website.

And for the YouTube-attention-spanned (down here, guys!  down here!), here's a video sponsored by Diva Cup that gives a pretty snappy rundown.
 

Most of us are aware of all the problems caused by the overabundance of salt in the American diet, but the profusion of SUGAR is also the cause of a plethora of health problems. 

The average American consumes over 100 lbs of sugar and sweeteners every year.  Not only does too much sugar eventually lead to diabetes and heart disease, but in the short run it causes weight gain, mood swings, and low energy. 

Michelle Pfennighaus, a certified nutrition and wellness coach registered with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, is teaching a FREE WORKSHOP at VIM Fitness in Central Square at 7PM on January 25th, 2010.  Drop by and lay the smackdown on your sugar addiction.

Sugar Smackdown
January 25, 2010
7:00 pm
VIM Fitness, 350 Mass Ave, Central Square
Cost: Free
Open to the public - all are welcome

REGISTER HERE for FREE

It's that time of year when New Englanders break out their snowboots and faux-fur-rimmed parkas to greet Old Man Winter's hoary endowments.  Like many of you readers, my roommates and I spent much of the weekend trudging around in a sparkly white wonderland attempting to mold and manipulate the sparkly whiteness to our whims using shovels, scrapers, and occasionally, arms and legs.  

We do it because we have to, and we generally don't think too much about it, but change the setting, the clothes, and the intention, and you've got an intensive kettlebell workout.  Yet most of us don't take the time or the mental energy to properly prepare our bodies for the strain.  Not only that, but we rush to get through the task as quickly as possible, most likely mentally occupied with something else. 

Would you go to the gym in your flipflops and jeans and begin carelessly tossing around barbells?  Then why tackle snow shoveling with such cavalier lassitude?  Just because it's a task you don't want to be doing doesn't mean it won't screw up your back.  You may find yourself sore the day after shoveling snow.  Your shoulders and chest may feel weak and/or tight from the lifting and pushing.  Or you may notice a painful burning sensation in your lower back or hip area. 

According to our own Richard Green, a sharp pain in the lower back while shoveling means you've crossed a threshold, and your body's defenses are kicking in to let you know to stop.  But if you're in the middle of shoveling and have no help, you're probably not going to be able to stop completely.  If you feel yourself beginning to push your limits, try to do only the bare minimum of work that is necessary. 

If after shoveling you notice tenderness to the touch in your lower back, you have probably strained a muscle or some other soft tissues (including tendons, ligaments, and fascia). 

Richard should know.  He strained his own back just this weekend shoveling snow, proving even the most accomplished bodyworkers are not immune to bodily strain.  Richard uses a combination of ice and ibuprofen to help mollify inflamed muscles.  He would like to remind others who use ice not to place the freezing surface of the icepack directly on the skin, but make sure to use a barrier such as a towel or cloth.

But of course, a flurry of prevention is worth a blizzard of cure.  MTW's own Kris Quinones shares some tips to prevent injury while hoisting your slushpile to the curb. 

Kris's Shoveling Tips::

*Buy a decent shovel:  Invest the $30 for a quality one.  Those cheap, plastic shovels wreak havoc on your body and don't work well at all.  Some are shaped for lifting snow (flat), others are curved for "plowing" or pushing snow aside.  Find the right one. 

*Bend your knees:  Please folks, don't lift with your backs.  Snow isn't always light and fluffy so don't think you can just "fling" that snow without keeping your back straight.

*Take breaks:  I've got a long driveway.  Waaaay long.  So I tackle it in sections, taking breaks every 20 minutes or so.  I also find it helpful to go out and shovel after only a few inches have accumulated - even when it continues to snow.  Going out twice to lift less snow is better than going out once and straining my muscles.

*Wear the right gear:  Dress in layers and wear boots with proper traction.  I'm amazed at how many people I see out there in their regular shoes.  Good traction = good body mechanics = less risk of injury.

*Know your limits:  Shoveling can be quite a cardio workout.  Don't underestimate the amount of energy it takes and ask for help if you need it.   -KQ