Dish-Houston

So as you well know DISH Publisher Lori Freese took the Bikram 60 day challenge and what a challenge it was. First, let it be known...no she didn't finish. However, the health that was gained and things she learned abotu her body along the way were invaluable and she does continue to practice just not daily.

Now that that challenge is off the plate the office has taken up a new challenge....RUNNING. Some of us have always been runners but currently out of shape is the place we are starting!

The Famous Houston trainer and national marathon runner and DISH Contributor Cari Shoemate is teaching a running class at FIT Athletic 2 days a week and we have accepted the challenge. It's for all runners of all stages and it includes 2 Saturday weight lifting classes as well. You don't have to be a member and it's never too late to join!
Cari says you will absolutely be able to run a 5k after you've finished the class so here we go!!

See you at the Rodeo run! That's our challenge day!

Sigh up and run with us!

So many people asked what was going on in my head when was offered and took the Bikram Yoga 60 Day Challenge. I was honest with them when I said NOTHING! I had not worked out in over a year between running the two magazines, the Media Company and taking care of my 17 paraplegic pup my brain was on overload. With the hiring of a sales person and losing the pup around 3 months ago (most sever heartbreak I've ever dealth with to date) I decided it was time to take care of me again. Enter Bikram. Thanks to a friend and Marketing guru Gabe CanalesI heard Bikram Choudhury was going to be in town giving a lecture at Rice University. I went, met Bikram himself, listened intently and was intrigued. To round out the story I met with the owner of the local Bikram studios, Mike Winters. Mike and I really bonded over the history of being runners but more over it was his peace, strength and knowledge that inspired me to take the 60 day challenge. I agreed to write a weekly story about my journey. My journey is already so much more than I ever anticipated it to be. Of course, the first day was awful and amazing all at the same time. I had to get used to the atmosphere of the room...105 Degrees and 40% humidity...before I could really participate much in the class. What's great is the teachers (all of whom take a good year in school and practice before being able to teach) are encouraging even if you have to rest, and thank GOD you can rest any time you need to. That first day while I was lying there on my back begging to gain oxygen while everyone else was balancing on one toe the first thought finally ran though my head about this whole deal, "What in the heck have I gotten myself into?" During the second half hour while i was lying there on my back begging to just get through the next half hour a second thought came in to my meek little brain..what was left of it at that point..."I just might die in here, I wonder if they know how to turn on my phone and to call my Mommy." During the 3rd half hour...thank God we are all on the floor for the floor series so I am not as noticeable the last thought pops into my skull, "Oh wait, they don't have to turn my phone on because I actually put Mom down as my next of kin."

The best news here is that I did not in fact die physically however I did very much so in character. Yes Bikram is a physical challenge. My body is working very hard everyday to get through the classes and to perform the postures to the best of my ability. But it's the mental and emotional challenge that is the most inspiring and that keeps me coming back to my challenge every day. The mental strength it takes to go into that hot room for 90 minutes everyday and challenge your body is beautiful. I am proud of myself everyday. My self awareness is growing, my self confidence is increasing, and I'm gaining more and more physical strength everyday.

When I sat with Mike after my first week we bonded again over my experience and how my first week was so similar to his so many years ago. I wish there were words to describe how much this Bikram Hot Yoga thing is changing every aspect of my life but honestly there just aren't any. It's an experience you MUST have on your own and I challenge you, no matter what shape you are in, to give yourself this gift. It will absolutely change your life!

CLICK HERE to start your challenge!

Next update will be in 7 days!

See you then!

By DISH Contributer: Chelle Northcutt

“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”

That was my very intense reaction when my friend and business partner Rachael told me about the story she saw on the local ABC affiliate the other day.  The story was all about the toxics in baby products.  Yes, that includes the lavender scented baby wash we all love to use on the soft little heads of our newborn babies.

I haven’t been paying very close attention to toxic products in our household for very long.  Having children and a husband with a horrible genetic illness has changed my outlook, so I’ve recently started doing some research and the information is astounding. 

Turns out, ALL of that stuff we spend out hard earned money on so we can give our babies the very best, may actually be the very worst.

I searched the tv station’s website and couldn’t find the actual story, however, I found a similar one from February 2008 from the Associated Press and it was an entire 2 page article!  Turns out, a study in the February issue of the Journal of Pediatrics shows elevated levels of phthalates in the urine of babies who’d been recently shampooed, powdered or lotioned with baby products.  In case you’re not familiar with phthalates, they are chemicals used to stabilize fragrances and make plastics flexible. 

Mind you, phthalates aren’t required to be on product labels.  In all fairness, Stephanie Kwisnek of the Food and Drug Administration says they have “no compelling evidence that phthalates pose a safety risk when used in cosmetics.  Should new data emerge, we will inform the public as well as the industry.”

Of course, that’s the same FDA that is now recalling all kinds of drugs that they now say are harmful, after approving them for public consumption.  But now is not the time for my soapbox.

With all this information in hand I was more than a little curious.  So I pulled my own baby shampoo off the shelf.  One of the first ingredients is something I had never heard of before.  It’s called Quaternium-15.  Qua-what??

Quaternium-15.  If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone.  Most of us haven’t until we start looking more closely at the ingredients in most of our products.  So I looked it up on the internet.

According to Wikepedia, Quaternium-15 is “used as a preservative in many cosmetics and industrial substances.  It acts as a formaldehyde releaser.”

Hmm.  That doesn’t exactly sound healthy or safe.  But that’s not the end of the definition.

“It can cause contact dermatitis, a symptom of an allergic reaction, especially in those with sensitive skin, on an infant’s skin, or on sensitive areas such as the genitals.”

Greeeeat.

But like the little researcher I am, I continued on.

Search: “Side effects of Quaternium-15”

Pages of information came up.  But the most interesting by far was on About.com: Allergies.  Found lots of info there!  And apparently, baby products aren’t the only products with Quaternium-15 in it.  

The article states, “Mascara also can cause dermatitis, either from formaldehyde/quaternium-15 or from the nickel present in the applicator device.” (Eyelid Rash: Causes of Eyelid Rashes and Allergies, by Daniel More, MD, About.com Guide, Updated January 20, 2010)

But that’s not all.  My search also brought up the book, “Side Effects of Drugs Annual 27” by J.K Aronson, (2004, Elsevier B.V.).  It states that over a 10-year study, there were “several cases of contact allergy to formaldehyde…”  In fact, in the same paragraph, it states the frequency of positive reactions has increased from 0.7% to 3.5% from 1991-2000.

Now, I’m not going to pretend the scientific terms make a whole lot of sense to me.  But I think it’s pretty clear that this stuff isn’t exactly the safest product to be using.  So what do we do? 

Back to that Associated Press report.

They quoted a 2005 CDC report that states, “Although several studies in people have explored possible associations with developmental and reproductive outcomes,…more research is needed.”

Well, while you do the research, CDC, I’ll go find some safer alternatives to use now.  I’m willing to bet most of them can only be found on the internet.  But I’ll take my chances.

In the meantime, thank you, local ABC affiliate, for bringing the information to us! Even if it just made me do more research. 

Now I’m off to shop on the internet…….

For many years there has been debate over whether aluminum has negative effects on the human body. There have been studies that have lead to conclusive proofthat there are links to aluminum and breast cancer and Alzheimer's. The more we studied the more we realised it's EVERYWHERE! In cookware, in water, and in our antiperspirant. For a small experiment we as DISH decided to see if it made a difference to try to cut aluminum out of our daily lives. A small experiment mind you means we aren't giving up water or buying new cookware but we did change our deodorant. If you look at the ingredients on your deodorant you will see the active ingredient...the one that makes it work...is aluminum! If you put something on your skin it will be absorbed into your bloodstream so we decided to try out alternative ...READ: aluminum free... deodorants and antiperspirants. The two alternates we used here at the DISH office were Crystal Body Deodorant and Tom's of Maine Long Lasting Stick, Lavender scented.

After a few months, some cold days some warm, workouts and lounge days we all discovered this: It stinks to stink and using alternative methods may make you feel better emotionally or mentally better but physically...WE STINK STANK STUNK! (with a small lavender overtone that went away QUICKLY!)

Conclusion: On cold days these natural alternatives are fine but here in Texas where those days are few and far between the aluminum way is the way to go unless you want to stand down wind from all of your friends which is too much effort for us.

A breakthrough in the fight against AIDS!

For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible.

This is the best news!!! Let's pray together that this comes to life sooner rather than later!