Exercising and Losing Weight

For the past two and a half weeks weeks I have been exercising and dieting to lose some weight. Since I moved to Virginia from Maryland in 2006 I had somehow managed to put on about 18 pounds. Yikes! I think most of it was added in the last year when I started suffering from depression. This has happened to me so many times in my life. It is exasperating that I keep going through this cycle of putting on weight and then having to bust my ass to take it off. Comparatively to other incidences, eighteen pounds is not really not that bad, though.

Two and a half weeks ago I started my new yoga class, started riding my bike to get lunch at work, started going to the gym to do cardio and swim twice or three times a week, and hike on the weekends.

Things are going well as of this morning, as I have lost five pounds. Yay! That means I have thirteen to go before I get back to where I started a year or two ago.

If I am really motivated to go further, I might be able lose six or seven more punds to get back to the kind of shape I was in when I lived in Philadelpia. That would be really awesome - as technically that was medically my "ideal" weight, as well as when I felt and looked my best.

More About My Thyroid

So a couple of weeks ago I had a sonogram done on my thyroid gland. They found a nodule on the right side. Last monday I had a thyroid scan done (they injected radioactive iodine into my blood and then took pictures with this HUGE robotic rotating machine in the radiology unit at the hospital). They found that the nodule is "cold" - meaning that it was not a growth which is producing T4 & T3 hormones. Next I have an appointment at the hospital next week to have a biopsy done on the nodule. I also made an appointment with an Endocrinologist - a specialist for problems with the thyroid gland.

From the reading I have done, I have a 85% chance that the nodule is benign. I should find out the results of my biopsy in about a week and a half!

Lost & Found

I read an advice column in the paper the other day and it mentioned that most people who do not go through a "lost" period in their early twenties usually end up having a "quarter century premature mid-life crisis". I found this very interesting because I definitely have observed this phenomenon in some people I have known.

It also makes me feel a lot better about the "lost" phase I went through in my early twenties. I often fear that that period of my life was a huge setback. While most of the other kids my age were getting their undergrad degrees at 22 and moving on to grad school, I was an art school drop out working in a chicken wings restaurant in west Philadelphia, clinging to my sanity in the middle of an identity crisis which was triggered by incessant past life meditations (and other activities that broke my ego down to the core) I really dove into at the age of 20. It really took a lot for me to pick up the pieces, get my shit together, get disciplined, focused and start passing classes at school. Thankfully, once I got on that path I started getting all A's and B's, and truly found something I loved doing - Multimedia Art. I went through another few years of realizing that I was attracting abusive relationships that were not fulfilling my deepest desires and honoring my newfound self love. It was another challenge in itself muster the courage to either be alone or treated with respect in a relationship that lined up with my boundaries.

Consequently, because of all of this muck I chose (was forced?) to wade through, I did not get my undergrad degree until I was 30 and did not get married until I was 33. I have to admit that there is a part of me that is ashamed of this - that is, when I start to compare myself to others. Deep down inside though, I have no doubts that that period of my life allowed me to truly discover who I am at the deepest core and to work out a lot of issues I had been acting out since I was around 14 years old. I never truly started to shed off my crusty self-hatred and really began to love who I truly am until I hit 23. Since then I have been on a journey of learning to let another person in on my discovery, and how to manage the maintenance of the state of being I discovered. It is not easy, but it means everything in the world to me. It is the purpose of my life, and I have no doubt that it directly relates with the higher purpose of existence.

The passage of time and my relationship to it is now my greatest quest, and self-knowledge is one of my greatest weapons I have on this journey.

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Soy and My Thyroid Gland

So last week I went to the doctor because my thyroid gland was swollen and I felt like I had a lump in my throat. The doctor said I probably have some sort of thyroid disorder and will more than likely be put on synthetic thyroid medication that I would have to take the rest of my life. Forget that! I went into panic mode and started reading like crazy. I am not giving up that easily.

I did a bunch of research and found that it is probably all the soy in my diet that is causing my thyroid gland to have problems. I really have been eating way too much soy ever since I became a vegetarian. For the past eight years I have excessively drank soy milk, eaten soy cheese, tofu, tempeh, soy butter, soy ice cream, imitation meats made from soy, soy chips... if it is made of soy you can safely bet I have been eating it. A lot.

From what I have been reading, soy is considered a "goitrogen" a food which inhibits the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland emits hormones which control our metabolism, amongst other things.

So basically, because of all of the soy I eat, and because I use sea salt instead of iodized table salt, I have an iodine deficiency and my thyroid gland has been screaming for help. It has not been able to do its job and I have been developing a condition known as hypothyroidism - which causes, fatique, depression, heavy menstrual periods, weight gain - even tooth problems(!) because the thyroid is also in charge some sort of calcium processes in our bodies.

Last friday, I stopped eating soy foods and started taking an iodine supplement. I feel 100% better! My thyroid gland is not swollen anymore and I have a lot more energy and am not as depressed.

Yesterday I rode my bike to go get my lunch (yay!) and tonight I am starting my new yoga class. Hopefully it is just a matter of time before my tooth completely heals and no more headaches...

I still cannot get over that the doctor did not ask me about my diet or come anywhere near the conclusion that I have an iodine deficiency. In fact, when I asked the nurse if that could be the problem and she said 'no'.

Instead of soy milk I am now drinking almond milk, hazelnut milk, and hemp milk. I am also having a pineapple smoothie for breakfast every morning (pineapple has iodine) and am going to try to start eating more sea kelp (sushi!!!). I am probably not going to completely eliminate ALL soy products, but I am definitely drastically cutting back.

The interesting thing is that I have been reading in health articles to avoid soy for a long time... now I think I know why. :)

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The Binary Mix Sessions is back!

Hey Everyone!

The Binary Mix Sessions is back! This is a home coming of sorts, as WTJU (The University of Virginia radio station) is where The Binary Mix Sessions got its start back in 2002. In 2004 the show migrated to BREAKSFM and then Global Funk Radio. Now, with the wonder of modern technology, people all over the world can now also tune into our broadcast along with the FM radio listeners in the central Virginia region.

Please join us on Sunday Mornings at 1 AM Eastern Standard Time for a continuous mix of downtempo, electro and techno bass releases from artists all over the globe. We will also be featuring special guests artists periodically, so stay tuned for further announcements!

http://www.wtju.net


STREAM HERE



*Currently streaming is only available for Windows Media Users. We are currently on setting up an alternative stream for other users. Thanks for your patience! *

* We are also currently setting up a chatroom as well, so stay tuned for that announcement also! *

:D

New Website for the Music Department at U.Va.

I am still astounded that after a month of starting a new job at U.Va. I was assigned to redesign the Music Department's website. Out of almost 100 different Departments that I could be assigned - I got MUSIC. I believe it is a sign from the Universe.

After almost three months of hard work, I launched the new website on Wednesday.

The McIntire Department of Music's new website.

Binary Mix Sessions Coming Back To Life?

Yesterday I filled out an application at WTJU (the radio station at University of Virginia) to get a radio show. I used to have a radio show there from 2002 - 2003 when I worked at U.Va. before. When I moved to Washington D.C. Santino and I resurrected it on an internet radio station called BREAKS.FM and then another internet radio station in the U.K. called Global Funk Radio. This continued on until 2007 when we decided we needed a break. That brings us to now, when I have been both simultaneously missing having the show, and looking for a way to promote our label locally.

This morning I received an email from the Station Manager (he remembered me!) to go in for a training session the day before my birthday. After I complete that, I will find out if I am going to get a slot and what time it will be. If they can only give me one at 3AM I am probably going to turn it down... otherwise, The Binary Mix Sessions could be coming back to life!

What is neat is that WTJU now webcasts its broadcasts. That means I will be doing FM and internet radio at the same time. Woot!

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Mid-Summer Progress Report

At the beginning of 2008 I was in a pretty sorry state. I suffered from quite severe case of depression last winter, had put on some pounds and was feeling pretty suicidal. It was quite tragic since last summer I was pretty much at a peak in regard to being in shape.

I have made a considerable turnaround since then, all starting with going to visit an Acupuncturist. That critical step put me on the path of really getting better. That path has  been lined with mushrooms and a few visits to a counselor who also happens to be a yogi. I also have started taking a hatha yoga class every week. I joined the U.Va. Aquatic and Fitness center and went swimming (once). I am struggling to keep pushing it so I do yoga and swim more than one instance of each week. I did go swimming in our pond at the farm twice last weekend so that was a good sign. :)

Last weekend I bought an eco-friendly yoga mat (I was allergic to my old one) and a great yoga DVD by Shiva Rea. My goal is to do yoga at home twice a week in addition to my class. I have not been riding my bike very much because it has been HOT, but I plan to when the weather starts to cool down.

Other things I need to keep working on is getting back into spinning, dancing, and making music frequently. I just applied to WTJU to bring my radio show back to FM College radio. I am anxiously awaiting a call to see if my application has been accepted. I have a feeling that if it is, it is going to bring great things into my life in regard to music!

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The Music Website Design is Finished!

I finally finished the home page design for the U.Va. Music Departments website.

It was very difficult process that has been stressing me out all week. Happily, they really like the final product. I do as well! I tried to design the site with the goal in mind make it my dream school to attend to get my Master Degree. I think I was pretty close!

Now I need to work on and finish some music so I can get accepted next year when I apply to get into their Graduate Program!