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!
No complicated narrative or explanations about anything in depth, today. Just a straight-up good old fashioned Merry Christmas. That’s right, I’ll be one of THOSE… I know the common practice in modern times is to wish folks “Happy Holidays,” but today is Christmas so I’m saying Merry Christmas. With that in mind, I’ll also wish everybody Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah and all the best in the New Year to come.
Have safe and comfortable holidays. I wish nothing but comfort and happiness to all my readers and their families. With any luck, the previous year’s woes will evaporate as the New Year unfolds and there will be better things waiting, just around the corner. Take care of each other and keep reading. ☯️
Sometimes I find it hard to believe that it’s been almost two years since the pandemic started and changed the face of the world forever. in some ways, many ways, the pandemic has allowed people’s true colours to rear their ugly heads. People allowing their sense of entitlement and their perceived rights to interfere with doing “what’s right,” and as a result, this whole thing has lingered for far longer than it should have.
I’m not here to advocate for vaccination. Not am I saying a person shouldn’t. But what i am saying is that it’s 2021 9soon to be 2022) and the population should be far more enlightened by this point than what they are. Society has divided itself in ways that haven’t been seen in recent memory, at least here in Canada. So on the eve of one of the most widely recognized holidays on the Gregoria’s calendar, allow me the indulgence of moment’s reflection and advice.
Be kinder to each and have some understanding. Everyone is scared. Everyone is worried. And everyone is mostly trying to do what they feel is best for themselves and their families. I’ve yet to encounter a person who is intentionally taking a stance on one side or the other for the intentional purpose of sowing dissension. Oh, I’m sure they’re out there. I’m simply saying that it’s wrong to assume that the neighbour who chooses NOT to be vaccinated is intentionally trying to bring harm to others, or the retail store employee requiring you to put on a mask is trying to ruin your day.
Everyone is trying to do their best, even if sometimes misguided or misinformed. And for those still braving the wilds of the outside world, the challenges are greater still. So, on the eve of the second Christmas where the world is at a standstill and many of us are far from our families and loved ones, take this opportunity to reflect and appreciate the most important aspect about this whole debacle: YOU are still here. Life is still taking place and there’s still so much to do, so show some empathy. Show some sympathy. Follow the rules and avoid causing suffering in yourself and others. only with those concepts in mind can the world begin to move forward. Food for thought…☯️
I was never much of a fan of M.A.S.H. growing up, considering it to be somewhat boring and depressing. I know it was an incredibly popular show back then, with the finale sparking tears and joy as the series came to an end. But one thing that stood out was when major Frank Burns uttered the line, “It’s nice to be nice.” The irony is that I think I’d love to sit through the series now, viewing it through adult eyes as opposed to a bored kid with ADHD. But I digress…
The quote in the title is one that’s followed me all my life. My mother used to say it all the time, whether she gleaned it from the aforementioned series or otherwise. And I can easily say that my mother is undoubtedly the nicest person one could meet, so she often encourages others to do the same. But is it possible to be TOO nice? For most, the argument would be that you can always be nicer and in some cases, that may be true. The issue is when being nice leaves you vulnerable to people who would take advantage of it.
Maybe it’s the winter weather, the time of year or just the fact that I’m unnecessarily reflecting on things that have happened in recent years, but being nice has often bitten me in the ass. For the most part, I always treat people as nicely as I can, until I’m given a reason to do otherwise. Some good examples include individuals asking for a favour than becoming aggressive about it in terms of when/how you’ll complete that favour. I’ve unfortunately had a couple of those in recent months.
The biggest example are the work-related difficulties that struck me in early 2018. COVID-19 wasn’t a thing yet and I was at the top of my respective game. I was working regular hours, making a decent salary and doing work that I loved. Little did I know that being nice in the way I did would bring it all crashing down. How was that possible? Well, buckle up because I’m gonna bitch about it…
I’ve always prided myself on the fact that I wasn’t there to make people’s lives more difficult. As a result, i allowed myself a level of understanding, empathy and friendliness that was never echoed by my counterparts. Although this sounds like an ideal scenario, it led to a number of problematic factors. As a result, it left me vulnerable in some very specific ways and someone chose to take advantage of that vulnerability. To this day, I honestly don’t know what this person was trying to achieve or what they hoped to accomplish.
My point, and believe me when I say I’m not trying to be morose this close to Christmas, is that the world is not a place where vulnerability is rewarded or left alone. It’s nice to be nice but not at the cost of one’s life and/or livelihood. And the harsh reality is that for every person who’s nice, there are several who will seek to take advantage of them for doing so. Sad but true.
Be nice? Absolutely. Believe in the value and worth of that kindness you’re imparting by being nice? Certainly. But protect yourself. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable. Make sure that while you’re being nice, that you ensure that you don’t allow the option for someone to take advantage of your kindness. Food for thought…☯️
These days, it seems that the difference between being humble and being confident has been muddied to an extreme point. Many if not most seem to believe that being too confident means you can’t be humble and/or vice-versa. I’m not entirely sure that’s true. But in a world of attendance trophies and no-person-left-behind scenarios, it makes sense that people can forget the importance of being humble; albeit while allowing themselves to know their own self-worth.
Depending on what religious text you’re reading, humility (or the act of being humble) is defined as recognizing your place in relation to a grander design or deity. That is to say, acknowledging and knowing that you are bit one spec on a very big marble. Humbling, indeed. Most traditional dictionary definitions are no better, associating being humble with a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. I rather like to think that humility is the ability to see beyond oneself and recognize that it isn’t all about me. There’s a great, big world out there and although my wants, needs and expectations are important, it would ignorant of me to assume that the world will grind to a halt to accommodate them.
I also recognize that I sometimes need to show respect and deference to those who are in a position of authority, even when they may not be correct; a task that is most difficult and sometimes impossible for most, especially if they’re hidden behind the protective veil of a keyboard. But to be clear, being humble doesn’t mean one needs to grovel before others or lower their eyes in someone else’s presence. The big problem is that the average person never seems to realize that one can be humble but still be confident.
Confidence can be easily described as knowing the worth of one’s own accomplishments and skills. Not to be mistaken with bragging, confidence becomes a negative thing when it dominates a personality, meaning that one will put too much stock in those accomplishments and ultimately face a potential downfall because of it. But confidence on its face is something everyone should have and everyone should acknowledge.
Where humility and confidence meet is in being able to acknowledge one’s accomplishments and trust one’s knowledge and skills WHILE being humble enough to exercise those aspects under the radar. You really can’t have one without the other. To have no confidence but still be humble means that you’ll prostrate yourself to others ad nauseam, which is never a good look for anyone.
To have confidence, or too much thereof, without humility means it may potentially be your downfall. You’ll be one of those jerks who walks around with their chest puffed out, bragging about you or prowess in one thing or another… In my experience and in martial arts circles, it’s usually the ones who brag how well they can fight that are the most easily defeated. This concept applies to life in general. Be confident in yourself and what you can do but be humble enough not to brag about it or assume you’re better than others. After all, no matter how strong, fast or smart you are, there’s always a bigger fish. Food for thought…☯️
Recently, I wrote about how I discovered that my medical insurance only covered about $1,000 of Diabetes medical equipment. This means that in a calendar year, my insurance will only cover three to four months worth of reservoirs, infusion sets and CGM. Basically, anything tangible that isn’t medication. Towards the end of November, I made the decision to save a few bucks by burning through my stocked supplies by using my extra Freestyle Libre sensors, even if they don’t communicate with my insulin pump and won’t make micro adjustments. this means that I spend much less time “in range.”
Despite the handiness of the Freestyle Libre, I’ve come to realize over the past month that I’m dependent on CGM and the SmartGuard system. Having a programmed insulin pump that regulates my insulin and blood sugar levels for the majority of my day and keeps me within a healthy range is something that I’ve gotten far too used to and that I’ve also taken for granted. I finally knuckled under last week and paid out of pocket for a box of CGM sensors so that I could start back on SmartGuard and have the pump take over management of my blood sugars.
In some ways, a lot of ways, I’m disappointed in myself. I’ve only been on an insulin pump for about six years and on CGM for about two years. Prior to that, I managed my blood sugars and kept myself alive through my own, direct, hands-on efforts. So it catches me a bit by surprise and disappoints me that I’ve become so dependent on a piece of technology to keep the groove going. But I’ve noticed something important during the four to five weeks I’ve been without CGM; I have been feeling like absolute, unfiltered shit. And it’s lead me to ask an important question: Is this what Diabetics always feel like?
I should probably explain. I was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes when I was only 4-years old. During the first five to six years, I suffered through all the typical complications that one would assume; hyper and hypoglycemic episodes, mood swing, Diabetic Keto-acidosis and even living through a few comas, one that lasted almost a week. Luckily for me, I suffered no brain damage from any of these (at least that I know of) and by the time I reached the age of 10, I took control of my own health and Diabetes and joined karate. This was the turning point that would ultimately save my life and bring my health to the forefront of my daily routine.
The bottom line is that since the age of 10 when I took control of my own destiny, I’ve struggled and fought my way through a number of obstacles in the past three decades. But the reality is that I’ve had it pretty smooth. I had the benefit of staying in good health, clean nervous system, clean cardiac system and I still have all of my toes and appendages. I’m afraid I can’t say the same of all the Diabetics I know. But how I’ve been feeling recently since coming off of CGM, I’ve come to understand how fragile the balance I’ve built has actually been
Compulsive sweats, varied teeter-tottering from low to high blood sugars and the opposite, lack of sleep, restless legs and random pains, twitches and mood swings… It all sounds a little too much like my teen years. And we all know how much of a bastard I was back then! Well, most of you likely don’t know, since you weren’t there. But I’m sure that any readers who remember me from my childhood could attest to the fact that I wasn’t QUITE as pleasant as I am now. Yes, I’m tooting my horn. Just let me have it…
My point is that I’ve been through the Diabetic trenches and came out better than most. Some of it was determination, some was competent doctors and some of it was sheer force of will, refusing to let my life be forfeit without some attempt at control. And of course, some of it was basically dumb luck. Back then, if you’d asked me if I felt worse than the average person, I would have said no. Because I didn’t know better. As the years have melted away, treatments and how I live my life have continued to grow and improve.
Because of these improvements, my quality of life has continued to improve and once I came to be on the insulin pump, my life changed for the better. Once I included CGM, it became even better still as I enjoyed the benefits of the best A1C readings I’ve had in over 20 years. But all of that came crashing back down and I lost it all as I came off of SmartGuard and CGM. As some of you may have read in previous posts, I often make a point of being pretty harsh against the use of modern technology, despite the fact that some of it is keeping me alive. But I will humbly admit and agree… CGM and SmartGuard makes a measurable difference in the life of a Type-1 Diabetic.
I’ve been back on the Guardian 3 Sensor and SmartGuard for almost a week now, and have been enjoying stable blood sugars, better sleep and improved health. I essentially no longer feel like shit. And that’s saying quite a bit. I’m a firm advocate that all things happen for a reason. As much as it pisses me off that a newly-joined health plan doesn’t cover the very equipment that’s keeping me alive, I think that it’s taught me a very important lesson about my Diabetes care and how I approach it. Ignoring technology and its advancements is no longer an option. ☯️
I get to climb into a frigid vehicle in an hour or so and make my way to Saskatoon for eye injections. Again.As much as I’d like to bitch about those injections and be bitter about them, they keep me from going blind, so I can’t complain TOO much. No, the focus this morning will be in being prepared for the road during winter conditions.
People will travel, no matter what the situation. Hell, look at how many people are still foolishly jamming themselves into a contained metal tube with recycled air to fly around to different places. Given the pandemic, this is likely the dumbest thing one could do at the moment. But, hey… Have lack of intelligence, will travel… But I digress.
Now that I’m off my soapbox and can focus appropriately, let’s discuss how one can ensure they’re prepared during winter travel. In a car. My eye injections are considered mandatory travel since without them, my vision would start to reduce. I’ve had to travel through excessively snowy conditions, snow storms, you name it. My training has been helpful, but not everyone has that training. As a law enforcement officer for many years, I’ve seen the unfortunate results of collisions during the winter months.
If you’re going to travel during winter months, it’s important to pack your vehicle will some vital items. For example, bottles of water and emergency candles are good items to keep stuffed away in your cargo area. A first aid kit, extra cloths and a booster pack for the car can also be life-saving. Most people carry a cell phone these days, but on the off chance you aren’t one of them, carrying emergency flares and a flashlight can be especially helpful.
The important hung is to make sure you don‘t allow yourself to be fooled by the thought of travelling in a warm vehicle. It takes very little time for a stalled vehicle to turn into a refrigerator. So be sure to dress to the weather outside, not how warm you think you’ll be inside. Lastly, be sure to carry a small shovel in the vent you soft land in some deep snow. And if you’ve never done basic vehicle maintenance, like change a tire, you should try it so you’ll be familiar with the process and be able to do it safely.
As I always say, life doesn’t care about one’s plan. Inclement weather and bad roads can make for hazardous travel conditions. If you MUST travel, it’s important to take all precautions to ensure one’s safety. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some caffeine into my system and hit the road. Wish me luck! ☯️
People love to have their own personal sense of style. And that’s all right, provided you aren’t wearing to doing something that racist or criminal, of course. But there are aspects of one’s clothing that need to be taken into consideration if you practice the martial arts. I’ll be the first one to say that fighting should always be the last recourse. But once the fight is inevitable, it’s incumbent on you to ensure that you walk away safe and whole once the encounter is over.
The type of clothing you wear can have a direct impact on the outcome of a fight, especially if the clothing you’re wearing is confining, restrictive or has accessories that may hinder or get in the way of a safe encounter. So let’s start from the bottom and work our way up, shall we? As a karateka, kicking holds particular importance as kicks are an integral part of my art. So let’s start with footwear.
In the dojo, most practitioners will be bare-footed. I say “most,” because there will the odd exception of some students wearing athletic footwear or so-called “Kung fu shoes.” But for the most part, we spend our time on the mats bare-footed. For the sake of form and muscle memory, this is fine. So picture doing a front kick… In Uechi Ryu, we practices the front kick by pointing the big toe towards our target. Some other style will strike using the ball of the foot, some will use the heel. It all depends on what style and technique you use.
Now, picture being on the street during the winter months, wearing thick winter boots with little to no flexibility. Executing a front kick in the way you’ve trained to do so may not be possible. You’ll notice I said “the way you’ve trained” and not “the right way,” because the correct way to kick is subjective to one’s style and technique. But trying to execute your kick with restrictive footwear will result in either improper technique, inability to deliver the kick or perhaps even some level of injury, your opponent taking advantage of the situation notwithstanding.
Your pants or shirt/sweater can have the same issue. Hell, if you’re wearing a coat of a sweater, you’ll hinder yourself, as well. Most martial arts practitioners will be used to wearing a loose-fitting gi or fitness apparel that will allow freedom of movement for your techniques ands blocks. But wearing regular street clothes can present unique challenge, especially if they’re restrictive and/or form-fitting. If your jeans are so tight that you can barely lift and bend your leg, you’ll easily find yourself compromised as it relates to using your kicks.
Coats and tops present the same problem. Uechi Ryu uses some rather circular blocks and having a thick, winter coat would hinder the proper execution of a lot of these coats. All of this is bearing in mind that one should be able to find an alternative, of course. Proper martial arts shouldn’t be restricted to a limited set of techniques. And by no means am I suggesting that one shouldn’t wear specific types of clothing. My goal is simply to get one’s mind turned towards the potential obstacle and take it into consideration. After all, the average person, even a martial artist, won’t spend their days fighting.
I know some people who prefer slim-fitting clothes, which can be fine. Not for me, since it tends to make me look like someone poured too much batter into the muffin cup. But it’s important to be cognizant of what may restrict or hinder you, should you need to protect yourself or someone else. I’m a boot cut jeans kind of guy and I usually manage to find those jeans that have one or two percent spandex in them, making the denim flexible enough to kick properly. I also make sure they fit properly as opposed to looking like a second skin. this ain’t yoga class! Food for thought… ☯️
Last June, my wife decided to gift me a small succulent plant for our anniversary. I could have sworn I wrote a post about this but now I can’t find it. Either I didn’t, which is possible considering the number of posts I’ve written, or I did and my WordPress is glitching. In any event, my wife gave me this lovely little succulent to place in my office, which is likely the best gift that one could provide for a Buddhist. In essence, she gave me a touch of life to brighten up my work environment.
This is important, because most people associate the workplace with a full day of negativity. It’s great in concept to suggest to people to “do what you love,” but not everyone has that option. Granted, I’m absolutely enamoured with my job and love going into work, but there’s always room for more positivity in life, right? The bottom line is that I spent my first couple of months putting a personal touch on my office space. This can be important as work becomes so much smoother once your work space has a “homey” feeling to it. This shouldn’t be confused preventing the association of work within the actual home.
“Herb” during his first day in my office…
I decided to post the succulent on my personal FaceBook page, which is something I typically don’t do, and received some great name suggestions. I landed on naming the plant, “Herb.” I’ve never had much of a green thumb and I was a bit concerned with taking care of a living thing within my workspace. But a succulent is likely the best type of plant to give someone in this context, as it requires minimal watering and only needs passive sunlight. While I don’t subscribe to the concept of talking to one’s plants, I make a habit of playing some meditative music in the office, which I think likely benefits Herb. I couldn’t necessarily find definitive articles showing the benefits of music to plants, but I’ve heard a lot about it in previous years.
Herb is the first thing I see when I walk into my office. He gets a touch of water, every Monday morning and he gets a couple hours of passive sunlight with the rising sun, every morning. It’s been a nice addition and a positive presence within my office. Certainly not my most comprehensive or informative post I’ve ever written but sometimes it’s nice to share something simple. And this happens to be one of those things.
“Herb’s” selfie, almost nine months later…
It’s subtle, because succulents don’t grow quite as rampantly as many other plants would but you can definitely tell from the two photos I’ve shared that Herb has started to grow outwards beyond the rim of his pot. The slight added weight of his “branches” has caused a bit of a flattened look for his lower stalks, but his centre is still proudly sprouting upwards and these photos certainly help me to see that growth is definitely happening.
Plants are certainly a positive way to brighten one’s environment, whether at home or at the office. The important thing to remember is that a plant is a living thing, no different from a household pet. It requires attention, watering and care. Many people get plants and then let them sit there and all but forget about them. You still need to give them some attention and care, otherwise you’re better off simply NOT getting a plant. For me, given the growth Herb has shown in recent months, I can’t wait to see what progress he’ll show in the year to follow. ☯️
I was thinking recently, about how it always seems that I get sick during the winter. And I suppose that makes sense, right? Colder weather, differences in atmospheric pressure and going from hot to cold constantly when one goes inside to outside or vice versa, all tend to wreak havoc on a person’s immune system. And I don’t need to tell you that a Type-1 Diabetic’s immune system isn’t all fun and games to start with, right? If it weren’t for issues with my good ol’ immune system, I wouldn’t be T1D to start with.
Last weekend, I started to feel that familiar yet unwanted tickle at the back of my throat. You know the one; a mild itch that makes you think you’re going to cough but it never quite comes out? Combined with my sinuses thinking that it would be a good idea to coat all the interior surfaces of my throat, it was a clear indication of what I already suspected; I was getting sick!
I should start by pointing out that contrary to most jokes and memes one can find online, I don’t do “man flu!” That is to say, I don’t crumple into a disgusting pile of self-pity as soon as my nose gets stuffed up or I have a few body aches. Considering the life I’ve had, if that was all it took to incapacitate me, I‘d be dead by now. I know that there’s a running joke that guys turn into big babies when they’re sick. And perhaps that’s true for some. But I wasn’t forged that way.
Last Saturday was a break day for me, having done a free-weight workout the day before and feeling some of the stiffness in my arms and shoulders. With the exceptions of some mild stretching to keep from seizing up, a Costco run with the entire family was all the workout I needed for the day. But on Sunday, maybe against good judgement, I still ran my 12k at the gym while wearing my sauna suit. I came out of that workout flushed, sweaty and exhausted but I assumed it was no different than my average runs. I was wrong.
By the evening, I was stuffy, raspy and sounded like something out of a bad horror movie. My wife wasn’t feeling great either, so we opted for an early bedtime to get some rest. Turns out that my Diabetic system had some different ideas. By the time midnight had rolled around, my blood sugar was SO LOW that my sensor couldn’t even register a reading other than “LO.” Since I felt like proverbial shit, I staggered to the kitchen where I carbo-loaded like it was going out of style.
Once I sprawled back in bed, playing the fun game of “too hot, too cold,” I finally drifted off to a fitful and shallow sleep. I awoke at about 4 am to found that my blood sugars had sling-shot in the opposite direction and I was sitting at 18.0 mmol/L! Considering I didn’t think I had eaten THAT much, was this MY bad, or was it the illness playing rollercoaster tycoon with my blood sugar levels. I’ll never know… I adjusted my insulin levels to compensate and fell asleep for another hour before waking up for work.
It shouldn’t be all that surprising, and if I’m being honest, I don’t like the way my posts often sound like I’m whining and complaining about all the issues associated with Type-1 Diabetes. But the unfortunate truth is that something as simple as getting the common cold can completely throw off the delicate balance that a properly controlled Diabetic may have been working on for months. It can be frustrating, more so on the Diabetic front than catching the cold itself.
There are a couple of important aspects to bear in mind as it relates to getting sick with Diabetes. The first one is hydration. You think you’re prone to dehydration now? Catch a cold and see how long it takes T1D to dry you out like an autumn leaf! That’s why it’s important to maintain a steady flow of liquids while you recover from whatever you may have caught. You want to avoid drinks that will do more harm than good, like alcohol or coffee. Yes, I know… That last one actually had to be forced out, but coffee is a diuretic and will contribute to dehydration.
The next is steady monitoring of your blood sugar levels. And I can’t stress this one enough. What’s worse for me right now is that I currently can’t afford CGM and am using Freestyle Libre. For those who may not be in the know, the difference is that CGM will check my glucose levels and communicate with my pump to make micro adjustments that help to keep my blood sugars in range. The Libre requires me to physically check my levels with a phone app (I try to get at it once an hour) and physically determine what insulin levels I may require in order to correct.
A slight inconvenience and if you’re T1D and using neither of these options, I think we can agree that poking your finger for a traditional blood glucose check every hour can be tedious. But it’s better than the alternative of potentially dropping to a dangerously low level or slipping into DKA for being too high. Last but not least, if you’re illness causes you to lack an appetite, be prepared to force the calories in, in some way, shape or form. Whether you have broth and dry crackers or something small, your nutrition needs to be maintained for faster recovery and continued health. Stay healthy! ☯️
First of all, for any of my fellow Saskatchewan residents reading this post, it’s a hoodie, not a “bunnyhug!” Now that THAT nonsense is out of the way, let’s get on with it. I recently purchase a garment called a sauna hoodie. The concept is that the garment traps body heat and increases core temp, causing greater perspiration and helping to burn fat. The claim is that it will also increase circulation and help with muscle growth. And let’s not forget that it purports to keep you warmer when working out in colder weather by virtue of the heat it traps.
I’d like to say that I haven’t been shopping lately but I’ve been shopping lately. If you haven’t guessed from my recent post about my smoothie blender… Maybe it’s because Black Friday just came and went or the holiday season is coming up and I’m finding all these specials… Who knows? The bottom line is that I’ve been allowing myself the indulgence of trying out some new items that I never would have, before. This is actually a good thing. I’ve always been something of a minimalist, which isn’t inherently bad on its own but it certainly prevents experiencing some of the more interesting things in life. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that experiences are far more valuable than things. But I digress…
I usually purchase my fitness garments (dry-fit, sweats, etc) from a local sports apparel store as it’s the easiest place to find what I’m actually looking for. When you spend your summers sweating bullets in the hot sun on a bike and the winters running and doing elliptical, your garments eventually tap out. You can bleach wash your shit all you want, it’ll still smell like an abandoned jock. Now that I’ve sufficiently grossed you all out and guaranteed you’ll skip breakfast, I’ll get to the point. I usually only purchase clearance items. It’s an easy way to ensure I’m getting quality garments that will last a while without paying full price.
Sweating like only a flabby, middle-aged man can!
On a particular visit about a month ago, I found a neoprene hoodie in the clearance section. the tag boasted increasing the body’s core temperature to shed excess water weight and maintain muscle warmth. I decided to try the thing on, since it was a size large (the only one they had left) but I couldn’t even get my damn arms into the thing. I put it back and left the location without making a purchase but I couldn’t help but think about the garment and its potential benefit. I visited a different location of the same chain and found the garment, once again in the clearance section but a large as well. I took a photograph of the product tag and decided to do some research.
I couldn’t understand why the garment was always in the clearance section and the staff didn’t seem to know either, other than to assume that the chain was simply no longer carrying the item. I looked up the product online and managed to find a sizing chart that, based on my measurements, suggested that an extra large would accommodate my bulk. THAT felt great, I’ll tell ya! I ordered a hoodie online and within a couple of weeks, I received it through the mail. Last week, I had my first 13-kilometre run using the sauna hoodie and here are the things I noticed…
Usually, I’ll reach my maximum heart rate within the first quarter of my run. For some odd reason, it took me almost 40 minutes to achieve my max. The second thing is that I seemed to be breathing easier, despite the fact I was running at the same speed that I usually do. Since the garment was fitted neoprene, things were, umm,… jiggling less than they usually do when I run. I couldn’t feel myself sweating, except for a bit on my forehead and I was almost disappointed by the lack of heat. I thought maybe I had wasted my money and the garment was useless, until I noticed a dripping happening below my legs and realized that the garment was funnelling all the sweat (and a fuckin’ ton of it) down my spine and the back of my shorts.
By the time I had run for an hour, I felt great but my backside literally looked and felt as though I had sat in a puddle. I was still at work and had about an hour left, so I was kind of screwed. I put my pants back on, but since my underwear were saturated, the moment I sat down in one of my staff’s offices to discuss something, it soaked through my jeans and was visible for all the world to see. And no, there are no shower facilities available at my gym due to COVID-19, at the moment. Yay, me. My boss had a reasonable laugh at my expense, but my previous disappointment was quickly washed away by a torrent of residual sweat.
I felt like a sausage casing about to burst!
So, what’s the skinny on these garments? According to an article I found on HealthLine.com, weight loss due to one of these garments is primarily due to shedding water that should be replenished as you exercise. The article also points out that the liver and kidneys are the bodies best detoxifiers and that excess sweating only releases trace amounts of toxins. The article didn’t shed much encouraging light, despite having a header that read, “Benefits of a sauna suit.” Ultimately, as long as you aren’t overexerting yourself, a sauna hoodie shouldn’t cause anything you wouldn’t be experiencing anyway; thirst, fatigue and the need to replenish yourself.
Another article found on LiveStrong kind of echoed those thoughts, but added that the body’s extremities will benefit from the increased blood flow. It also indicates that “a sauna suit keeps the body temperature higher, prevents heat from escaping and essentially provides a shell of warmth in cold weather. I mean, i don’t work out in cold conditions for the most part, besides the occasional walk. But it’s a nice perk for those who still go running and jogging outside during the winter months.
So, what’s the verdict? Well, I’ve enjoyed a couple of runs with the garment and I like it. I like that I seem to run better, breathe easier and get a wicked sweat on. I may only be shedding water weight but it’s important to remember that the body’s sweating process does mean you’re burning calories, so I’m doing something right. like any new gimmick, as long as I stay hydrated, don’t overexert myself and keep a close eye on my blood sugars, i should be fine. And that’s the other thing; usually my runs will have my blood sugars start to drop by the 30-minute mark. But this time, my blood sugars remained normal. Something to do with the increased blood flow maybe? Who know? I’m not a doctor… ☯️
The Blogging Buddhist 