Testing my dairy free diet

[cnc]

This afternoon sees the first real test of whether my dairy free diet has had the desired effect.
Have got my 2K timed test today, if the diet has worked I shouldn't be sick afterwards, am a bit nervous about this as you can imagine, because if it fails miserably it means I've given up dairy for no real reason, and also that I might have to give up rowing.

Just thought I should share this with you all, in case it doesn't go to plan and I become really rather miserable!!

[matt]

good luck. can't see how failing to be sick after slogging your guts out will prove or disprove lactose problem????

surely it's more a matter of how you feel day to day?

[cnc]

My biggest problem with dairy is that it dramatically increases the amount of mucus on my chest, which I can generally live with on a day to day basis, (altohugh am preferring not to) however when I do a very intense exercise session it becomes an issue, (am not quite sure of the science behind it but I think it links in with my asthma), it results in me being sick and developing a chesty cough, (this isn't a great reaction to have to exercise!!).
Fairly soon after coming off the dairy I did a race which had previously made me sick and didnt, so this is an investigation into the long term benefits as such...
Hope that makes sense??

[matt]

yeah it does but don't give up if you don't see the results you hope for. if you've dodgy lungs from asthma and years of lactose probs it'll be a slow process to get them really back to how they could be.

smokers take 10 years before theirs have repaired. rowing is not exactly a gentle sport. i used to row on the exercise ones in the gym. not the same i know but would do 1/2 hour flat out some times. i seem to remember that worked out about 10km though i might be wrong as it was some time back before my various probs started.

[cnc]

Yeah I know, I'll probably just be a bit disappointed, but fingers crossed.....
Its the exercise machines today (although we use a different technique to most people you will see in the gym), its like time trialling, although we dont actually seem to have enough interest for a boat so is a bit ironic!!

[cnc]

Well it looks like I'm here to stay :>

[matt]

well done. when i used to use them in marlow, bucks, we had a list on the wall of who could do each distance the quickest. several of the marlow rowing team used to use the gym (aswell as ulrika johnson) and i was able to match their times even though i smoked socially at the time! good times don't really smoke now but have trouble walking any distance....:(

[cnc]

I was rather happy- ended up with a cough, but thats cleared up again now, so much better than previously!!
Took about 40 seconds off my previous time, (part of that might have been to do with the knee injury i was suffering), but I was fastest in my crew this term, so was rather happy!
Think I'm here to stay- sorry!!!! :)

[matt]

good to have you and anyone else. trouble with getting faster is they'll expect you to a. get even faster b. not get any slower!!!B)

[cnc]

Thanks for that Matt!!What a way to cheer me up, trying to train two sports this term may be interesting but I'm sure I'll manage.
Of course I'll get faster there's no doubt about that :P (Wishful thinking, I feel)!!

[linny]

Will we be seeing you in the 2012 Olympics - it 'll be great for you if it's in London!:thumbsup:

[cnc]

I wish!!!That would be quite special, but I can't see it happening! If I was in them I'm not sure I'd want them to be at home- don't get to go travelling and visit some other hopefully nice country, althought the home support would be quite impressive if it was here!- Not sure it's really relevant seeing as I'm not that good really.... :(

[matt]

i think it'd be better held elsewhere. other countries seem to do things better than us.....the dome!!!

plus, these things run hugely overbudget and are a waste of money. from the pure simple games it started as it's become too much of a cash monster and pagentry etc. the money could be used much better elsewhere, hospitals etc etc.

don't put yourself down. give it a go and try to get that good. you've a sense of humour which is more than you could say for redgrave. i met him at 2am once.

get training!!

[Copper]

Hmm I am not sure that I would have a sense of humour at 2am.

Claire - great news that the dairy free diet works for you. Happy rowing :)

[cnc]

Don't worry Matt I've got a training meeting to go to this evening, and then an hour on a rowing machine on Friday night and weights and circuits at 8.30 on Saturday morning!!
That's why I have a sense of humour, plus theres only so many mornings in a term you can get up and see it pouring down with rain and know you're going to sit in a boat in shorts in it!-So its either laugh or cry!!

I normally have quite a good sense of humour at 2 am, but it depends on whether I've just been woken up by my drunken next door neighbour or not :D

[rebecca c]

CNC well done. Not all my symptoms have improved by becoming dairy free but my nose has got better and better over quite a long peiod of time (I used to use 6 boxes of tisses a week and now use one every two or three weeks- so much more lady like) so you might find there is still some improvement to follow. My blood tests have revealed some interesting results which i'm seeing a consultant about in a couple of weeks.

[matt]

to explain i pulled him over, asked him where he'd just come from? his amusing reply "spain" so i asked waht all the way in the car? well he started it. does alot of good charity work though so i've now prob with the guy.

competative sport, having to be out in the cold wearing very little......can't think why i never really got into them. now the gym.....two hours in the gym, into the sauna and jacussi for another hour. bliss.

[cnc]

Rebecca, I know what you mean about your nose, I can actually breathe through mine now, I can't remember the last time I could do that for any length of time!
Good luck with the consultant

There is an alternative- I also used to do an indoor competitve sport which involved being inside, wearing even less and being nearly as cold!!

[rebecca c]

There is something for asthmatics called the Butekyo technique. I have looked into it a bit, it seems a bit of a con because they charge you a fortune for courses. However I have read a book on it and devised a few exercises of my own. It works on the premise that the respiratory system needs carbon dioxide as well as oxygen to function well and asthma and rhinitus are a protection becuase we are over breathing and taking in too much oxygen (a kind of hyperventilating). You are encouraged to tape your mouth up at night which is a too scarey for me but i have retaught myself to breath through my nose which helps a fair bit. There is also a CDrom on it recommended by John Briffa - Observer nutrition coloumnist. Apparently it is quite widely used in Australia and accepted by the doctors there but not here. Can get you more info CNC if it interests you, i think its one of those things you can take elements of, and if it works pursue it further.

[cnc]

Yeah, I have heard about it before, and when attempted to breathe only through my nose I began to feel rather ill- I think through lack of oxygen as I couldn't get enough through my nose.
So it might be worth while giving it a go now that I can actually breathe through my nose. Would be grateful for any information, might have a search on the internet as well, when I get a few minutes. Thanks

[rebecca c]

The book I read was freedom from asthma by Alexander Stalmatski, which was of limited use. The cd rom is available from lifesource.co.uk - thats the one John Briffa recommended still expensive though. I visited an asthma website the other day - sorry cant even remember how i found it and there were chats about the method.

[cnc]

Had a quick look on some asthma websites, might speak to someone on there about my asthma, as I've never been fully convinced that I'm on the right medication/ have got the correct diagnosis.
Well the rowing has just suffered a resurrgent set back- my knees are not very healthy- was sat in my room with two bags of peas on them earlier, so looks like I'm not weight training tomorrow morning, but will probably be heading back to the physio :(

[rebecca c]

I'm sorry about your knees claire, maybe you were so worried about you trial you were a bit tense and overdid it.

I seem to remember the book suggested execrcises that helped you to establish a rhymic breathing pattern were ok for asthma because you can breath through your nose they mentioned riding and cycling but rowing must be similar.

[cnc]

My knees became damaged at the start of last term, I've strained the ligaments on the inside of my knees. The trial was short enough not to cause me any problems, I think part of this might have been the diving on Thursday evening though. It's quite an annoying problem, but hopefully not permanent.

Yeah I try and breathe at the same point in every stroke, it seems to help, because then I'm not breathing too often.

[rebecca c]

I hope you get the knees sorted out. seems like your on the right track with the nose breathing. I found it very difficult for about 6 months having to constantly remind myself to do it but then I started to do it automatically. Can even remember to do it at the moment and my chest is really bad. Make sure you are keeping your mouth shut as much of the time as possible - like when you are studying for example.

[rebecca c]

claire - have you checked out the message board on the website asthma.org.uk? because they have some chat about buteyko there. I felt very out of touch on my medication knowledge when reading some of the discussions, I think its about time I updated my asthma knowledge.

[cnc]

Yeah I had a brief look on there previously, but at the moment I'm doing ok like this, and now really isn't the best time to try and change these things. When various things have calmed down around here, I may get to sort it out.

[rebecca c]

Sounds like a good decision, I only did elements of it and I found it useful but tiring.