Getting older sucks. Getting older while acquiring a collection of weird and annoying health issues sucks even more.
It seems that the health issues I was forced to address last year do not want to quietly walk away and disappear into the night like I had hoped. Instead, they linger inside, hiding inconspicuously inside tiny crevices, just waiting for my immune response to falter in the slightest so they can forward their advances on my poor, unsuspecting energy reserves. This, along with the inconsistently wet and cold weather, makes training more challenging that I had imagined, and in turn ignites depression and immense frustration.My adrenal glands still hate me and try as I might, the relationship continues to take huge efforts to repair. What others experience as short-lived winter colds hit me like arctic blizzards, leaving a trail of damage in the form of exhaustion that lasts for weeks.
About 18 months ago, I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue, a stress-caused disorder that weakens immune response, disrupts any regularity with menstrual cycles and causes severe exhaustion and depression. After months of following a strict health regime, I felt miraculously cured, although I didn't seem to have the stamina I once enjoyed so much. My biggest mistake during my bout of health was assuming I could treat my body carelessly and bounce back from illnesses with ease. Therefore, I began staying out late, dumping wine and fancy cocktails into my body throughout the summer and pushing my body to run and exercise more than I could handle. Now I am paying the price.
After a recent infection and sinus cold, I noticed that my body was feeling as awful as it had when I walked out of the Dr.'s office last winter. Since Adrenal Fatigue isn't treatable with western medicine without side affects, I decided to dive headfirst into acupuncture and Chinese herbs to get me back on track. I called my friend, Derek Doss and set up an appointment in his new office. After a thorough assessment, Derek determined that in addition to my weak-ass adrenals, I also have Yang and Qi deficiencies. As I stretched out and got needled up, I realized that I have to take it easy and start training all over again if I am going to both heal my body and gain the strength and stamina it will take to ride my bike 100 miles in one day.
I am committed to getting treatments on a weekly basis, which also includes giving myself daily moxibustion treatments, wearing ear seeds and taking Chinese herbs to kick my body back into gear. I am also practicing yoga and re-starting my training by building up to long distances over time instead of jump-starting with the epic rides I had begun last month. With any luck, I'll be back in action shortly and ready to conquer the rolling hills and mountains of Sonoma County.
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