The home of Buddhism, Martial Arts, Diabetes and health…
Author: Shawn
I am a practitioner of the martial arts and student of the Buddhist faith. I have been a Type 1 Diabetic since I was 4 years old and have been fighting the uphill battle it includes ever since. I enjoy fitness and health and looking for new ways to improve both, as well as examining the many questions of life. Although I have no formal medical training, I have amassed a wealth of knowledge regarding health, Diabetes, martial arts as well as Buddhism and philosophy. My goal is to share this information with the world, and perhaps provide some sarcastic humour along the way. Welcome!
If you’re anything like me, the day or two after an extreme workout will have you feeling like hell. For the most part, this sensation is temporary (see my post from four days ago entitled, Grin Through The Pain) but it can often feel as though you need an extra little something to help your tired and sore muscles along; especially if you work out frequently.
Under normal circumstances, one could easily include certain medical professionals in their training routine such as massage therapists, acupuncturists and chiropractors, bearing in mind that the three provide different functions. But with the current state of the world, it’s difficult to find a productive way of getting the same relief for your muscle tissues. Heating pads and over-the-counter pain killers can only take you so far.
This is where foam rollers come into play. Foam rollers are reasonably popular with athletes nowadays, and they first came into play in the late 1980’s when physical therapist Sean Gallagher began using it as a self massage tool. But like everything else, there’s some good, bad and ugly associated to using one.
Example of a textured foam roller
The proper use of a foam roller will help to ease knots and tightness, increase blood flow through the muscle tissue and help loosen scar tissue. All of these things will significantly help with recovery time after an intense or gruelling workout. You can use a roller before and after a workout, to help with stretching and the prevention of injury.
Another good use for a foam roller is if you spend your day working in a sitting position or if you got a kink somewhere from improper sleeping positions. According to an article posted on Healthline.com, foam rolling has a number of benefits including but not limited to easing muscle pain, increasing your range of motion, temporary reduction of the appearance of cellulite, relieves back pain, helps to manage fibromyalgia and is a handy tool for relaxation.
It is advised that one needs to be careful when rolling and that one should avoid rolling over joints and to avoid foam rolling if you have a muscle tear or a break. There different types of foam rollers, including smooth rollers that are suggested if it’s your first time rolling and textured rollers that work deeper into the muscle tissue. Here’s the Healthline article: https://www.healthline.com/health/foam-roller-benefits
Like anything else, consult your doctor or medical professional before starting any new fitness routine. But foam rolling can be a reasonable addition to your at-home workout routine. It won’t completely replace a registered massage therapist, but it can provide some relief during trying times. ☯
Having all this free time as a result of self-isolating, I’ve found myself surfing the web and doing things that I generally wouldn’t do. And no, before any of you perverts get the wrong idea, I don’t mean anything lewd or weird. One of the things I’m referring to, is looking up old friends. Since I don’t have Facebook or any other form of mainstream media, this is a bit of challenge and required the people in question to actually have searchable aspects available through Google and such. I found one such friend a short time ago…
Since I’m not a big fan of being sued, I’ll keep the identity of this person to myself, especially since we haven’t spoken in over ten years. But I found a Twitter feed that I was quite certain was a friend I used to work with in Ottawa about twelve years ago. I was optimistic and looking at possibly reconnecting with him, until I read a recent post on Twitter he sent which read, “Thanks China, for fucking our planet!” I was taken aback and quietly hit the back button and got the hell out of there!
Ignorance and lack of education on specific topics can often lead to such assessments as this Twitter feed. And there seems to be a movement taking place, where people of any Asian descent are starting to be discriminated, judged and blamed for the current pandemic. Like the virus itself, it’s already spread enough that you can Google “China” and “blame” in the same search string and find TONS of links related to this very thing.
According to an online article posted by The Guardian, “[…] Chinese Americans, and other Asians, are increasingly living in fear as the Coronavirus spreads across the country amid racial prejudice that the outbreak is somehow the fault of China.” It doesn’t help that the American President is promoting this racism by referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus”, a term that he’s repeated and confirmed on more than one occasion since all of this started.
This trend is spreading, with incidents of negative reactions to Asians who happen to be wearing face masks or cough in public, racial harassment and even cases of assault against Chinese and Asian people in general. Here’s the article if you want to check it out: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/24/coronavirus-us-asian-americans-racism
The big problem is that people have been focusing their anger against the people instead of the problem. And believe me, there’s plenty of blame to go around. Between the time it took for accurate and complete information to be shared with the World Health Organization, people who are STILL hanging out in groups in public and refuse to self-isolate or the ones who continued to travel, either through ignorance or from a sense of needing to get home, society’s inability to take this pandemic seriously and choosing to blame others instead, there are plenty of contributing factors behind the continued spread of the virus.
Racism has always been a problem. And despite how far we’ve come as a society, racism isn’t dead yet. There’s still a lot of work to do. And we can’t let the current issue cause us to slide backwards. I saw an image of an Asian woman holding a placard that read, “My ethnicity is not a virus.” This is an important message, because people need to stop believing that the Asian people are at fault. One does not lead to the other. As stated in the article I linked above, “We have to acknowledge everyone’s humanity at this time because the virus doesn’t know race or colour.” ☯
Yes, you read the title correctly; I stole my wife’s bike! Although a borrowing a marital property can hardly be referred to as theft, and she knew I was boring it. It was 14 degrees Celsius in Regina, Saskatchewan yesterday afternoon (although it may have reached higher but that was what I saw when I checked). As such, I decided that it would be a good idea to spend some time outside for the day’s workout.
Last year I logged a reasonable number of kilometres over the warmer months on a bicycle, and I discovered a love for it. I even cycled to work, on a number of occasions, which happens to be about ten kilometres away. The best aspect of cycling is that it’s a low impact exercise, so the past three and a half decades of wear and tear on my knees from full-contact martial arts doesn’t impede my ability to peddle.
There are a number of measurable benefits to cycling, including but not limited to;
increased heart health;
increased flexibility and blood flow;
muscle gain and joint mobility; and
weight loss stress reduction.
As long as you push and bike hard for at least 30 to 60 minutes, several days a week, you’ll get a good burn and see some noticeable results.
I stepped out of the house shortly after 3:30 p.m. and pulled my bicycle out of the garage. It had been sitting there all winter, so I knew I’d have to lubricate the chain and gears, as well as inflate the tires. The first two items went off without a hitch. I hit a hiccup on the third…
Using a small hand pump, I inflated the rear tire. When I moved to the front tire, I worked up a sweat trying to inflate it, to no avail. It was soft to the touch and had no firmness whatsoever (I just heard it, get your mind out of the gutter!) I started my car and plugged in a small emergency compressor that my father-in-law gave us for Christmas. I used it to inflate the front tire. Success!
That success was short-lived, as I could hear an audible hiss that resulted from the front tire deflating. I had a leak. This is not surprising, considering the bike was in the garage through the cold of winter, and rubber tends to crack under such conditions. I was pissed. Given the temperate weather, dry roads and the need for a workout, I was hell-bent on getting behind a handlebar.
I brought out my wife’s bicycle and repeated my prep cycle: lubricate the chain and gears and inflate the tires. No issues, and within minutes I was on the road. I pushed and peddled, all while singing along to Kenny Loggins’ “Nobody’s Fool” (It’s an awesome song, theme to Caddyshack II. Seriously, YouTube it!)
Once I started peddling, I felt it was hard to stop! I ended my run at just under 10 kilometres, feeling great! I think my wife may have lost her bike for the summer (at least until I can repair my front tire). Despite the current state of the world, there’s still plenty of opportunity to get some exercise and fresh air, so long as we stick to social distancing protocol. ☯
“Just As Ripples Spread Out When A Single Pebble Is Dropped In The Water, The Actions Of Individuals Can Have Far Reaching Effects.”
– Dalai Lama
One of the most important aspects of our existence is karma. Lots of folks refer to karma, usually in an angry context. “Karma will bite you in the ass” or “Karma will get you” are popular ones. People rarely concern themselves with their own karma or how to influence their own lives through their own actions. And I think it says something about modern society when we’re more concerned about someone else’s negative actions rather than our own.
Karma is the totality of everything you do in life, and the resulting energy that ultimately decides the outcome of your life and potentially future lives (if you subscribe to such beliefs). In layman’s terms, what goes around, comes around. So if you do bad, you get bad. If you do good, you may get good. Clear enough?
Another way to look at it is causality. Cause and effect. This is a phenomenon that describes that an action or event will result in the production of a new action or event, usually believed to have been at least partly caused by the original action or event. This means that every action has a result. So if you do something wrong or bad within the scope of your own existence, you’ll likely cause a negative result.
I find that a lot of people tend to do things on a whim, good or bad. And they’ll move on with their lives and forget about the things they’ve done, regardless of the result it may have had on someone else. This is a big part of the issues I’ve been dealing with in recent years. One person’s negative actions have caused immeasurable damage and chaos within my own life. But despite the fact they may have moved on and forgotten about the problems they’ve caused, eventually karma will catch up with them and everyone at some point needs to pay the piper.
As described in a movie I once watched about Bruce Lee’s life, you drop a pebble in a pond, you get ripples… Soon, the ripples cross the whole pond. I believe that the message was that your influence can be far reaching. However, it can also mean that any action on your behalf, good or bad, will affect other people. So make sure you make them positive. You never whose life you may damage. Or improve. ☯
If you happen to be a clumsy ox like me, you’re prone to injury at the best of times. My son seems to have inherited this trait (although he comes by it honestly from both his parents) and we often have “ouchies” that require the occasional bandaid, cold compress or disinfecting agent. I don’t remember the last time I went an entire week without walking into a wall, stubbing a toe or tripping over something that was sitting in plain sight. I suppose it’s weird that when the sparring gloves come on, I’m poetry in motion. But everyday activities make me look like a drunk rodeo clown.
One of the worst problems with injuries is you can often be faced with one that’s bad enough to require some attention but NOT bad enough to require a hospital visit. Or even if it requires a hospital visit, your injury and your mental state may be worsened by the impending wait you’ll face at the hospital. Because I can promise you that unless your skull is wide open and bleeding or you’re having a heart attack, your expected wait time at the ER in Canada can be hours.
For example, Nathan fell down the stairs about two years ago. He had a bruised eyes, a swollen lump at the front of his skull and a bleeding cut. Since he was only three years old and we were dealing with a fall down some stairs, we bundled him up into the car and rushed to the emergency room. We waited for almost four hours before we finally threw in the towel and came home and treated the injuries ourselves. And THAT involved a toddler falling down the stairs. Don’t panic, his energy levels were off the charts and we got him examined at a later time.
This is just one example of why it’s important to keep a properly stocked first aid kit in your home. Although you don’t want to absolutely spend a fortune on your kit (it’s all made of the same stuff at the end of the day), you may not want to skimp on the supplies either. You can usually find decent supplies at most retail outlets, especially if you live in a larger town. If you’re lucky and you have one of the bigger dollar stores, you can even find some decent first aid supplies there.
You can take the lazy route and buy a pre-packed kit. These are usually pretty basic and contain the general items needed to deal with an immediate injury until a medical professional or first responder reaches you. You can, however, put together your own kit. This allows you the option of customizing your kit with preferred items and/or items that may not be included in pre-packed kits. You just need to remember to replace and replenish items that may have been used or expired.
In my line of work, I usually recommended three basic items that HAD to be in a first aid kit: protective gloves, bandages/gauze and a one-way CPR mask. With those three items, you should be able to lend basic first aid to someone with minor to moderate injuries until first responders can reach you. Anything else in your kit is simply icing on the cake. A good pair of angled scissors are a good idea, in case you have to cut away clothing to access a wound or injury.
If you do buy a pre-packed kit, make sure you know what’s inside it before you purchase. For example, you can buy a small 3″ x 3″ plastic first aid case that will contain bandages, band-aids and tape for a little over $5. That’s about as basic as it gets. Or you can splurge on kits that have several hundred items and cost well over $100. It all depends on what you want to have available.
Personally, I have a solid kit that I purchased at my local retail outlet for about $20 and it contains a little over 100 items. I keep it in our cold room with our non-perishable food and supplies. I also took the liberty of purchasing added gauze and bandages, since the kit was in short supply. A small bottle of disinfecting agent is also a good idea, since most kits won’t contain any. I keep a smaller first aid kit, both in my personal car and the family SUV.
This webpage also provides a composite list for an emergency supplies list, which may not necessarily be first aid related, as well as an emergency car kit in case you become stranded or involved in a collision. It stands to reason that if you have the ability to be trained in basic first aid, you should also do so.
A good first aid kit can be extremely helpful in most environments. Since people with Diabetes have difficulties healing open wounds and are prone to infection, being able to treat injuries quickly and efficiently can mean the difference between a well-healed wound or getting your foot amputated. I’m being mildly dramatic (yes, mildly) but you get my point. ☯
One of my biggest fears when faced with the current state of the world is the after-effects that will continue to linger within our society. For the longest time, we’ve been a society that tends to ignore the world around us. Unless we happen to be online, where most people suddenly become activists, politicians and armchair warriors who always seem to know better. But I digress…
There are many cultures around the world who have ALWAYS practiced social distancing, so the recent pandemic hasn’t create anything new. However, for the folks who haven’t done it before, social distancing may have effects that will take years to recover from. If you’re an outgoing person who enjoys being among the masses, suddenly being locked away in your home can have detrimental physical and emotional effects.
I’m sure you’ve all seen some of the memes and jokes online about social distancing; like the group of dads having beer in the street in a large circle, standing six feet apart. Social distancing has been blatantly difficult for some people to accept and maintain, despite its necessity in helping stem the current spread of COVID-19.
In fact, according to an online article posted by USA Today, large-scale social distancing is required in order to prevent the virus from running rampant and overwhelming the healthcare systems in respective countries, leading to large numbers of fatalities in the coming year. The article goes on to explain that we are nowhere near to ending social distancing and that we NEED to maintain it, in order to stem the propagation and bring an end to the pandemic. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/03/26/coronavirus-pandemic-growing-too-fast-stop-social-distancing-column/5083173002/)
Despite this requirement, the need for everyone to come together has never been greater. Isolation, whether with family or alone, can involve a number of problems that we may not recognize before they become serious. Depression, hopelessness and the use of drugs and alcohol can become very real aspects to cope with the current state of self-isolation. It’s important to remember that there are a lot of ways, especially in today’s modern world of technology, to stay in touch and communicate with people, thereby maintaining social contact and preventing the dissolving of society.
This is one of the rare occasions where social media can be an asset. Although still a nasty source of false news, misinformation and a destructive means of sharing private information, social media’s ability to help people stay in contact despite long distances can’t be denied. I know that a number of my family members make use of Facebook and other means of online communication in order to stay in touch with friends and loved ones.
A handy tool that many people seem to forget about these days, is the telephone. What with texting and social media, most folks seem to forget that the plastic brick in their hands is actually intended as a means of verbal communication that was invented over 140 years ago!!! Despite the fact tat we live on opposite ends of the country, my mother and I speak by phone every few days, even if only to stay in touch (cue the mama’s boy jokes, here).
My point is that we need to ensure that we don’t begin to accept social distancing as the norm and begin to shy away from in-person contact with each other. It may be necessary in the here and now, but when the smoke clears and the pandemic is over, we will need to rebuild social bridges and allow ourselves the benefit of each other’s company. The worst thing that could come out of all this, is to survive it all just to become xenophobic against society for fear of what else may happen. After all, there will be a lot of work to do once every steps back out into the sunlight; and we’ll need each other more than we probably understand. ☯
With all the difficulties in the world and how much suffering everyone seems to enjoy spreading, sometimes it’s nice to share a story of something nice done by others. I always try to push karma in the right direction, and it makes me happy when I see that others are able (and willing) to do the same.
We have a family SUV that we use for daily errands and such, but I have a personal car that I use for going to work and any medical appointments and such that I may have to attend. Given the current state of affairs in Canada, and the fact that saving money is always an important concern for any family, my wife and kids travelled with me to Saskatoon for my last eye injections.
This means that my car has sat idle in our garage since sometime in January. Despite the fact that it’s not really an OLD car, it tends to die out if I forget to unhook the car battery between Saskatoon appointments. This is exactly what happened in this instance. I had the car parked in the driveway at some point in January, and our neighbour (who goes way out of his way to be helpful and we love him) asked me to move the car so he could snowblower our tandem driveway.
I pulled the car into the garage, which is unusual for me. I normally back it in so that I can unhook the car battery. But I didn’t. So the car sat there, with the latent background electronic systems using up battery power, for about two months. So yesterday, I decided to check the car and get it some fuel. I turned the key. Nothing. Brutal. So I used an energy pack to boost the car and headed down to a local gas bar to fuel up.
The beauty is that gas prices are actually REALLY good right now. It cost me less than 40 dollars (Canadian) to fill the tank from less than 1/8th. I had two twenty-dollar bills on me, so I gave it to the pump attendant and told him to use the change to buy himself a coffee. Seems like a trivial thing, but I’ve been where he is, so I figured it would be appreciated.
I was walking on air from the low gas price, until I paid for my fuel and tried to start the car. Not a sound. Fuck. It’s only a five minute drive from my house to the gas bar, so I had to assume that I hadn’t driven long enough to allow the car battery to build up a charge to allow me to stop and start it again.
I ask my pump attendant if he had a power pack to boost my car. He, and one of his coworkers, came out and hooked everything up in order to jumpstart my car. It didn’t seem to be working. A random stranger came over and offered to help push my car so that I could pop the clutch to start the car. Luckily, the car turned over and started. I was unconditionally grateful and thanked all three men for their help and assistance before driving away.
Rest assured, I drove around the neighbourhood for a while and charged up the car before backing it into the garage and unhooking my battery. But it got me to thinking about how some people will still go out of their way to help a total stranger. I mean, those gas bar employees didn’t HAVE to boost my car. And that random customer didn’t have to come offer to push my car to start it.
Sometimes we forget that a random act of kindness can mean the world to someone. It may seem like nothing to us, but it can make all the difference to the person you’re doing it for. Those guys probably carried on with their day and totally forgot about boosting my car, and hour after I pulled away. But the fact they helped me without any gain showed me that there’s still good in the world.
We get so busy with our daily grind that we sometimes forget that there’s an entire world around us. Don’t be afraid to do something nice for someone, even if it’s someone random. Not only is it good karma, but you’ll better for it. ☯
Many people believe that certain lifestyles help to eliminate the negative aspects of life and help to prevent negative emotions, such as anger, frustration and hatred. The big problem is that these aspects are an inherent part of every living person and can’t be eliminated or ignored. Although certain belief sets and practices can help to reduce stress and control negative emotions like anger, it’s important to remember that like everything else, there must be a balance.
I’ve often been accused of being cold or emotionless. On some occasions, I’ve been complimented on my ability to keep my cool and stay calm when faced with difficulty. While this is true to some degree, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of emotion raging beneath the surface. I’ve simply developed the skill to redirect or control said emotions.
You don’t always see what’s beneath the surface
Nothing would be better if we could all walk around being little rays of freaking sunshine all the time, but that just ain’t life! And it wouldn’t be normal, anyway. Life is all about balance, and your emotions are no exception. Sometimes, you gotta just let the negative out.
I always try to be as positive as possible, even when faced with the many obstacles that life throws at me. And I try to avoid negative comments against others, although those close to me would agree that I usually fail at that one. There’s nothing to be done for it. The question isn’t whether you feel and or express these thoughts and feelings, but how.
There are practices that help to redirect and control the negative. Meditation is a good one. I may or may not have mentioned that on occasion. When life is pissing you off, deep breathing and clearing your mind can definitely be an asset. When the actions and/or personality of someone else with whom you have to deal with may upset you or make you angry, rigorous physical activity is excellent. A punching bag almost pays for itself, as it provides physical exertion and allows you to vent your negative feelings in a positive way.
As long as you can remember that all these things are normal, the positive and the negative. As a friend of mine told me a couple of days ago, be like a battery; a little bit negative, a little bit positive… but all power!!! (Thanks, Daryl) ☯
Nothing quite beats the feeling you get after an intensive workout. The burn, the aching muscles and the fatigue… They all have benefits, including a better night’s sleep and maintaining your overall health. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is the fact that the following day feels as though my entire muscular system feels as though it’s been dipped in battery acid and moving becomes a painful effort.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Aching muscles after a workout indicate that you’re getting stronger. As you exercise and workout, your muscle tissues become damaged and break down. As they repair themselves, they become bigger and stronger than they were before. Although this is how bodybuilding is done, it also applies to most forms of intensive exercise. In my case, doing an hour and a half of forms at full strength, coupled with shadow sparring, left me feeling floored yesterday.
If you’re new to the fitness scene and are just starting out, the pain after a serious burn can be a bit scary. Most people may be of the opinion that they’ve injured themselves and may not understand that this pain is normal. One important thing is to keep moving. Continued movement will help in recovery and keep the muscles warm. If you decide, “Uh oh, better stop until I feel better…” you may be doing more harm than good.
Don’t get me wrong; there’s a big difference between moderate aches and actual injury. Knowing the difference can mean preventing further and possibly permanent injury. If you have difficulties performing normal every day tasks, such as brushing your teeth or showering, then you’ve done too much.
According to an article posted on WebMD, there are a number of different things you can do to help with the aches and pains associated with working out.
Keep Moving: When we feel pain, our instinct is to rest what hurts. This isn’t always ideal for continued physical conditioning. The article suggests that doing something light the following day after an intense workout, like swimming or cycling, can be beneficial;
Get Some Rest: I’m not trying to be contrary here (considering the first point), but rest days ARE necessary for proper recovery. It’s suggested that the second day after a serious burn is the worst, so having a recovery day can be ideal;
Apply Heat: People often debate which is better; heat or cold. The reality is that heat helps with pain and cold helps with swelling or inflammation. If you have aches and pains after a workout, applying light heat from a warm towel or heating pad can be beneficial. The important detail is to avoid direct contact with heating devices and to use heat in short increments, such as fifteen minutes at a time;
Get A Massage: Massages have a number of great health benefits on their own, but getting one after a serious workout can help increase blood flow, relax your tissues and increase your range of motion. Be mindful of the type of massage you get and be sure to let your masseuse know that you’re getting one because of an intensive workout. He or she should be able to suggest something appropriate. As an alternative, foam rolling can also be beneficial, although this should be done carefully and moderately; and
Take An Anti-Inflammatory: I’m not a big fan of this one. Although it will help with swelling and pain reduction, it’s one of those things where you shouldn’t take medication unless it becomes a last resort. My reasoning for this is because prolonged use of anti-inflammatories can cause a number of annoying side-effects on the body. So this should be used in moderation.
Some important steps the weren’t mentioned in the article, is staying hydrated and fuelling your body through proper nutrition. Your muscle tissue will need plenty of water, fibre and protein in order to properly build and recover damaged tissues. And if you happen to have Diabetes, be sure to monitor your blood sugar levels frequently before, during and after your workouts. ☯
Throughout the years, I’ve had many friends and associates ask me how I manage to control my Diabetes and still do martial arts to the extent that I do. I’ve been studying for so long at this point that it basically feels like second nature to me, but I’ve had friends who have come to watch karate classes to see what all the hype is, only to be blown away by the physical exertion, sweat and effort that goes into traditional karate. Given my age, I would be lying if I said that my flexibility and ability to push as hard and as long as say, twenty years ago still existed.
Although I’ve had an interest in the martial arts since a very young age, it wasn’t until my Diabetes complications started to overtake my ability to fight them that I tied on a karate gi and stepped into a dojo for the first time. The rest would be a lifetime story that continues to play out to this day. The martial arts has given me so much, and I think that the average person fails to understand just how many benefits there are to proper, traditional training.
When I say “proper, traditional training,” I don’t mean a commercialized martial arts club where there are hundreds of students, you basically fend for yourself and hardly ever have any one-on-one coaching. I mean the little bare floor dojo down a side street or back alley; the one that has a dozen students at most and push themselves to the point where the floor is literally soaking up blood, sweat and tears… The kind of place where you learn, not only to defend yourself but a definite lifestyle that you keep with you until your end of days. THAT’s the kind of training I was blessed to have throughout my childhood and into adulthood.
Now, I could go into one of my “fun” little bullet lists about all the benefits that martial arts can provide for someone who really dives into it and gives it their all. But instead, I’d like to bring up a very special martial artist that I read about years ago. I found a photo of this little guy while researching something else, and it reminded me of the importance of believing you can achieve your goals, no matter what. I’m talking about an inspirational young lad named Shoham Das.
Shoham Das, aged 11
Shoham Das was a young boy from San Jose, who was born with a rare heart condition in which he is missing his right ventricle and in effect only has half a heart. The condition is so rare that it’s thought to afflict only 1 in 10,000 kids. Das has had three open heart surgeries at three days old, six months old and four years old, respectively. This means his endurance tends to be low and he often requires more rest than a counterpart of the same age without this condition.
Despite this condition, Das has been studying Tae Kwon Do and mixed martial arts since the age of 7, and during a weekend in early May of 2014, Das tested and successfully graduated his first-degree black belt at the age of 11. The testing, which required two hours of combined skill in various areas of the art he studies, required Das to have his oxygen levels monitored by his mother throughout, but he was successful and continues to train.
Now if you do the math in your head (and hopefully you don’t actually have to), this means that he graduated his first black belt in only four years, and prior to maturity. Although I’m not a fan of this practice, which seems to be the norm in many modern-day dojos, you can’t argue with the focus and will required to reach this level given the specific ailments Das has been diagnosed with.
In fact, some of Das’ doctors have indicated their belief that all the physical activity and structured study involved in the martial arts has made Das’ muscles and heart tissues stronger, allowing him a better quality of life and to be able to do more without getting tired so easily.
Although Das has a lower endurance than a counterpart without his condition, he’s been blessed to study at a dojo that focuses on the skill rather than the endurance. An aspect in which Das has in abundance. Although many dojos turned him away due to his condition, Das eventually found an instructor who took him in. He kept at it and by last year Das is said to have achieved a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and continues to train.
In the above link, Das has shown to be humble, attributing his health and continued life to his doctors and specialists. It stands to reason that he wouldn’t have gotten this far without them, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the increased strength, discipline and skill he got from training in the martial arts all those years have definitely played a key role.
If you look at this impressive young man’s life and see how much he’s accomplished DESPITE his condition, it may lead you to ask what the hell some people’s problem is. Anything is always more than nothing, and amidst anything else happening in your life, it’ll always be up to you to take yourself in hand and ensure your continued health, whether you have a medical condition or not.
I look back at my life and I have a clear understanding that in order to survive given my personal complications, I couldn’t just sit back and depend on others. I had to stand up and make things happen for myself. Just like Shoham Das. Although he may only physically have half a heart, he’s got more heart than most. ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 