WOW this week

The most I've done in the last three days is walk to town for a beer with friends Wednesday and make dinner today. The time in between is something I'd like to forget. Quickly.

Starting on Wednesday at around 3 p.m. I had a splitting headache. I took a three-hour nap and woke up with all joints aching. We had plans for drinks, so I went but felt like the conversation was floating around me in a cloud, something I could quite get through or get hold of. I came home and slept, even slept through Joe getting ready the next morning.

Joe had plans for a guys' brunch that turned into an all-day affair. For his sake, I think it was good that he was out of the apartment. I was in a terrible mood, eating digestive cookies & tortilla chips all day; taking less than four steps at a time to control nausea; regretting the slice of salmon I tried to eat for lunch; researching e-coli & getting really afraid of what I found.

I took a nap today & have gradually been feeling better. I even ate a full-sized dinner (mostly because Joe got a chocolate bar filled with hazelnuts for dessert). I'm realizing that this "sickness," like the others I've had this year, are most likely connected to my diet.

I've been flexible this year–eating desserts, all kinds of meats and more dairy. I love it when I eat it, but honestly... I never feel that great afterwards. Having all the time to myself (and about six movies), being unable to read or leave the apartment for fear of being sick, I did a lot of thinking about this whole diet thing.

I've loved the food adventures I've had this year, but I've realized that cheese, foie gras, beef tartar, salmon & butter in a span of three days is not how my body likes to eat. I'm not a steak-and-potatoes kind of body. I'm trying to strike a balance.

When Joe & I talk about our return to the States & how we want to set up our life, the thing we focus on most is food: where will it come from, how will we budget for it, how will we handle meat? I've long wanted to have a whole food-focused diet–and I don't mean the expensive grocery store.

I've been creating a links catalog on the computer–homemade noodles & breads; inventive recipes with beans; homemade meat substitutes; a reminder to order this great more-with-less cookbook that my equally great writer friend introduced me to; researching what to grow in Indiana (which I posted about on the other, future blog). In following this whole-food focus, I feel like I'll get healthier again, feel more fit & have higher energy.

Reading another friend's blog as she works through a diet, I was reminded of all the food science & food history reading I've done. We in developed societies today have begun to rely on food science & rules (from the Atkins Diet to, I admit it, Michael Pollen's food rules). Pollen, however, addresses this problem. When we rely too much on rules, we forget what's really going into our bodies–we follow guidelines instead of nature & what our body is asking for. That's why I'm so proud of Ashley's latest post, in which she looks at the rules she's broken & doesn't beat herself up about it.

So let's use Pollen's summary rule & leave it at that:

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

What more do we need? I know, at this point you're also thinking, "What else can you possibly post about in terms of food & diet & all this crap?" While typing this post, I was worrying that I've become repetitive, that I'm losing your interest. But here's the thing: I'm realizing that this is the area of public policy I want to dedicate myself to, because it touches each of us, directly, everyday–from the farms we drive past to what we put in the grocery cart to what comes out of the tap when we turn it on.

So somehow, being sick got me SUPER excited about graduate school! You know what else is exciting? Free shipping on TOMS! Get some fun summer shoes, buy a pair with a friend–spend more than $85 & get free shipping in the continental U.S.

Enjoy your weekend. I'm going to sleep.

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the deal with French deodorant

You know the stereotype. The French simply don't wear deodorant. I'm saying that, simply, this is not true. In a blog I stumbled upon called "Ask a Frenchman!" the man made this good point:

...[Most] stereotypes about France that one can find in the US (and exported later to the rest of the English speaking world) come from right after WWII when GIs were stationed in France. And as previously mentioned, it was a time right after France had been occupied by Nazi Germany for four years, when everything was rationed and everybody was deprived of many things...

There have been moments in class where I was like, "LORD! Is that me?" only to turn around and see a middle-aged man standing behind me, wanting to ask a question. So, there are a few trouble cases in every class, but I can say that I had the same experience in college in the States. We just smell. It happens.


What seems to bother us even more than smell–that is to say the thing that drive me insane even when I smell like cucumbers–is the cloud of damp that starts to spread down your sleeve when you're, say writing on the board or holding up something to show your students. Teaching scares the crap out of me. And me makes me sweat like a sumo wrestler*. 

Since arriving in France, I've been walking around with armpits that smell like cucumbers. I'm not complaining. I mean, I don't usually seek out the scented deodorants–on the contrary, I look for the most basic thing I can find. But when Suave has a multi-pack of extra-strength on sale in "Garden Fresh" scent, it's hard to say no.

I've finally run out and purchased my first thingy of French deodorant... which is applied with this awkward rolling ball that leaves your pits smelling like fingernail polish remover. Okay, I bought it because it was cheap, but I'm getting worried about what's seeping into my body.

I've also gotten really worry about this whole sweating thing. I've stopped using antiperspirants, since I'm worried about the aluminum in them. While it's not necessarily enough aluminum to lead to the effects of aluminum exposure, it's still unknown. Research is stacking up to show a connection between antiperspirants and breast cancer as well–due to both aluminum & the toxins that your body isn't able to remove.

Look at it this way:

[Antiperspirants] blocks the naturally produced sweat and prevents those toxins from being released. After weeks of application of antiperspirant, there is a lot of toxin built up under the armpit. and as soon as you forget to apply deodorant- all those nasty toxins that had been building up for however long you applied AP deodorant- are suddenly free to be released... and it comes out smelling so awful...

Tru dat. So if anyone has a great suggestion for the elimination of pit stains while maintaining a healthy, toxin-eliminating underarm, I think that could be a great money-maker, because what I will say is this: The French are wearing their deodorant, but they're wearing their pit stains proud.

And I have to say, good on ya France, for being healthy & realizing that there isn't a thing we can do about the (mostly odor-free) wet blankets we become over a day's work.

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