2008 FAME World Championships
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Friday, June 13, 2008
I got up at 4 a.m. and left my home in Birmingham, Alabama at 5 a.m. for my 6 a.m. flight to Atlanta and on to Toronto, where I arrived at noon.
One nice surprise was that I was upgraded to First Class on both of these flights and again on my Toronto to Atlanta leg on Sunday. Nice
After checking in at the Novotel Toronto hotel, one of two host hotels for the FAME Worlds, I headed for the John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to check in and attend the Athletes Meeting at 4 p.m.
After the meeting, I anxiously waited for my “partner” to arrive from California. Ruby Carter-Pikes—a 62 year-old Master Bodybuilder and Master Figure Pro—and I had agreed at the FAME North American Championships in Miami last November to enter a new category at the 2008 Worlds called FAME Fittest Duo. The competition has two options. One is a choreographed routine set to music to show creativity, muscularity, and style; the other is called “Toned Twosome,” mostly for models. We chose the routine option.
We each had the CD with our music, but had never met to work on a routine. We spoke by phone a few times to discuss what each would bring to the party. Our contest was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Ruby was scheduled to arrive at 3 p.m. After a flight delay, she showed up at 6:30. Did we panic? Nope. We are pros.
She changed into her posing suit and we went to a large room where other athletes were preparing for their Figure, Fitness, and Muscle Model contests. We played the CD a couple of times and discussed what we wanted to do. After 15 minutes of rehearsal, we hit the stage for our rendition of Paul McCartney’s “When I’m 64.” We did the routine flawlessly and the audience loved it, laughing at the right places and applauding a few times during the routine. We had a great time. Many of the athletes who watched us put the routine together “on the fly” came up and said, “Wow that was incredible.”
There were three other young couples in the Class and as 60+ Masters, we finished in Fourth Place. We had achieved our goal of bringing the Masters Class to this new Competition.
I returned to the hotel at around 10 p.m., showered off the Dream Tan (as best as I could), and had my final meal of lean beef and rice. I cut my water when I went to bed.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
I woke up at 7:30 a.m. after a restful night and had my first portion of dried oatmeal. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was hungry. I sipped a little water and then practised my posing and posing routine for my contest later that day.
I became harder and leaner as the morning progressed. It’s fun to watch your contest preparation come to a successful conclusion. I was upbeat as I prepared my bag for the show. This is my 25th major contest and I have learned to relax and take my time as I get ready.
I left the hotel at 1 p.m. after a pancake breakfast to add my final carbohydrate load. I arrived at 1:30, an hour before the 2008 FAME Masters World Championship was to begin.
When I arrived at the venue, I found that the show was running about an hour behind schedule. Instead of going on at 3:30, the Grand Master Pro Class didn’t hit the stage until nearly 5 p.m. There were four of us entered in the contest, including the first place winner in the FAME Grand Master Worlds in 2005, an athlete I have been looking to go against again. He placed Third and told me after the show, “I’m finished competing.” I was sorry to hear that. Guy was a good competitor. In what the judges called an extremely close contest, I was edged out for the Championship by a good middleweight and placed Second.
I accomplished one of the two goals I had set for this show: I wanted to come in better than I did when I won the 2007 FAME North American Grand Master Pro Championship in Miami last November and I did. And I wanted to win my Pro class, which I almost did. Nevertheless, to win the Silver Medal at a World Championship is pretty cool.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
After church, I checked out of my hotel and went to the venue to watch the Advance Amateur classes compete. These are athletes who have placed in the top three in regional shows and had the opportunity here to win a FAME Pro Card.
I left Toronto at 6 p.m. and arrived home at 11 p.m. that evening.
Now I begin training for my 26th show, the 2008 NPA Nationals and Masters Universe in Ft. Lee, Virginia on June 28, where I will try to win my fourth Pro Card.
Scott “Old Navy” Hults
Awakening Time is a Miracle, Too
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Things are moving so quickly these days that sometimes it takes a lot of work to keep up with the shifts and changes in both physical reality and the meta-physical advancements. It is not actually meant to be a lot of work. You might forget that it is not your job to micro-manage the Universe, it is your job to find peace in your mind every day and remember who you are. Everything else has been taken care of because you are just that loved.
Sometimes you are processing and sometimes you are in the zone. You see, when you are getting more and more in alignment with who you really are, your nervous system and cells have to re-pattern themselves. That takes energy and time. Be grateful for the shift and don’t take action until you feel complete, which will occur as a sense of peace.
I was recently blessed to have gone to a lovely spa where I did a speaking engagement with the guests. Wonderful connections were made. The expansive nature of the conversations both with the organizers and the guests, and the beautiful location could not help but expand joy, bring new awarenesses, and move energy. When that happens sometimes we feel amazing, open, and like all things are possible.
Then again, often it takes a few minutes, hours, or days for our cells and neuropathways to process/adapt to the further awakening. That can occur as down time, fatigue, lowered motivation. Don’t judge yourself for being there. Embrace it because you are awakening. We live in such a fast-paced world that often we get frustrated with lower energy or integration periods. But it is all in the grand design and integration time is just as important, miraculous, and meaningful as manifesting miracles. In fact, integrating massive cellular change is a miracle.
Jennifer Hough
Beware Green-Washing!
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What never fails to amaze me is the number of companies that tout their products are “natural” when they still contain one, two, ten, or more harmful chemical ingredients! The phenomenon of “green-washing,” where a company claims a product is natural or earth-friendly when it is not, is becoming more common as green becomes more trendy. And green-washing exists everywhere—even at your local health food stores, ironically enough!
Big companies are realizing that they are going to lose big money if they don’t provide what the consumer is asking for: green, earth-friendly options. However, it is our responsibility as consumers to do research and support the companies that truly are going green, if that is what we want. Unfortunately there is not much reliable information out there to help consumers know what is really green and what is green-washed. And don’t count on a company whose main goal is profit to tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
One resource that I provide for my customers is an unbiased list of chemical ingredients that are out there in cosmetics, skin care, body care, and food. These chemicals are not earth-friendly or people-friendly. Whether people choose to buy from my business in not my end goal; I want to give consumers the power to make informed choices based on how concerned they are about using eco-friendly products.
My suggestion is that if you want eco-friendly choices, be aware and do some research before buying. Read labels, ask questions, and make suggestions if a green option doesn’t exist!
Jane Large
Money: We’re So Weird About It!
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So what about money, honey? Well, to tell you the truth, I really don’t get too excited about it—because I truly believe that my abundance and prosperity are only partially related to money. Money was simply a human invention made to facilitate exchange, not a tool to measure your success, worth, or potential happiness.
I notice that when I feel love for others, appreciate my life, and count my blessings, I seem to have more money. That’s because I am reminding myself of the abundance that exists in my life. Many would say “Yes, but you have money.” Interesting… Read on!
I used to live on a sailboat that the bank owned, I was $15,000 in debt, did not have a relationship, nor a full time job, nor a job that I particularly enjoyed. I had two choices: to wallow, or to collect evidence for what was working in my life. I chose plan B.
I started to notice my loving friends at the marina, being surrounded by nature, that I have a place to sleep, at least two people who love me, a job, a mortgage payment. Abundance has nothing to do with how much money you have. And as long as you think it does, more will not come.
Success also has nothing to do with how much money you have. You see, if you separate success and abundance from money, that is an excellent first step.
Did you know that abundance is not conditional on how much money you have? It is a choice. Today, see how many ways you can collect evidence for your incredible abundance (while you’re at it, collect evidence for your success, worth, and potential too—why not?). If you have trouble with this, The Prosperity CD from www.thevitalyou.com is awesome for a wake-up call.
Jennifer Hough
Pets as Herbal Teachers—Part 3
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Petie, Sam’s older brother, is another rescued pup from my vet. (For more about Sam, see Part 2 of this series.)
Now 9 years old, Petie is still quite the character. A mix of blue heeler and corgi, he looks like a blue heeler with little short legs. As a pup, his right front shoulder was crushed under a car’s wheel. Our vet refused to put him to sleep and reconstructed his shoulder. When we adopted him, she said that if his shoulder didn’t heal properly, she would have to amputate.
I immediately put him on an herbal program, using three main products with the goal of overall good health:
• Reduce inflammation in the joints with a product containing alfalfa, horsetail, and bromelain among other herbs
• Reduce pain with white willow bark, lettuce leaves, valerian, and capsicum
• Build strong bones with alfalfa (contains calcium and other minerals in a natural form), horsetail (contains silica), oatstraw, plantain, marshmallow (not the candy kind), wheat grass, and hops
Little Petie did get well and although he still walks with a limp, he appears to be in little to no pain, particularly when he is running at full tilt after a teasing squirrel. I do have to occasionally watch that he doesn’t overdo it, but he recovered nicely.
Working with my own pets has given me confidence to share what I know with others. Thanks, Petie!
Wendy
Finding Peace
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I’ve been meeting with many people who are beating themselves up lately for spending too much time in the “why” of everything instead of getting on with life.
Here is an interesting thought: What if you don’t need to know why? What if you can simply create what you do want, write another movie ending, and if you need to know why, the Universe will send it to you in the process? At least that way you are having a good time while trusting that if you need to know, the answer to your previous struggles will be sent. If you don’t, it won’t.
Sometimes finding peace about a struggle does not require endlessly searching for why it is happening. Sometimes it just requires moving on and trusting that if it would be for your highest good to know, the answer will come. The “why’s” will come to you if you need them.
We in North America are addicted to knowing why. Remember, the answer to the question “why” does not get you a great life. It gets you a really good explanation for how come you are stuck. But that’s all.
Jennifer Hough
Natural Alternatives to Hysterectomy
Filed Under Homeopathy | 1 Comment
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed each year, making it the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure among reproductive-aged women.
In many cases, hysterectomies are elective surgery for which alternatives may be available. Women owe it to themselves to become informed about the alternatives available in order to make well-informed decisions about their own bodies.
Uterine fibroids are one of the most common reasons for performing hysterectomies. Fibroids are benign muscular growths or thickenings of the uterine muscle wall. Forty percent of women will develop fibroids by the age of 40. Some patients are told that a small number of uterine fibroids can become malignant. The actual rate of malignancy is actually less than one in one thousand. In some cases, fibroids become enlarged and may cause severe hemorrhage. In some circumstances a hysterectomy may be well indicated, including women that have invasive cancer, uncontrollable hemorrhage leading to anemia and possible shock or intense pain with chronic pelvic inflammation and severe endometriosis. There are always exceptions, of course; however, these numbers will not come close to the 600,000 hysterectomies being performed each year. Despite repeated warnings against unnecessary hysterectomies and despite medical advances that now enable some patients to avoid the surgical removal of their uteruses, the operation is still being performed at a rate that alarms some women’s groups and perplexes many of us.
I’d like to illustrate what is possible with the story of Mrs. K:
A 49-year-old pre-menopausal woman came to consult with me recently, complaining of heavy menstrual flow and painful periods. She had been scheduled for a total hysterectomy and removal of her ovaries because of a large uterine fibroid. Mrs. K decided to postpone her surgery hoping to consult with me and discuss alternatives.
During our first meeting, we discussed her diet, exercise program and useful stress management techniques. I also put her on a program of homeopathic and herbal remedies. First, I suggested that she reduce meat and dairy products in her diet and avoid coffee and alcohol. She was also advised to supplement with essential fatty acids, acidophilus and bioflavonoids which act as weak natural estrogens and have the ability to block stronger estrogens. I also suggested that she take Aurum Muriaticum Natronatum, a homeopathic medication that is often very helpful in these conditions. The herbal remedy Agnus Castus was prescribed to help with the natural production of her own progesterone, which would in turn counterbalance, her own estrogens and decrease menstrual bleeding. Other homeopathic medications prescribed were Belladonna, Magnesium Phosphate, and Pulsatilla to be used for menstrual cramping as needed.
Mrs. K. returned in three months and told me that she had cancelled her surgery. She had more energy, her menstrual cramps where almost gone, and she had two normal cycles since her last visit. She had started regularly playing tennis, something she used to do when she was younger. She felt confident that she would not require hysterectomy.
Without a doubt, not every case will be so easily resolved, a lot can be said about patient’s compliance and Mrs. K. was very good at that. However, her story reveals that a patient who becomes proactive in her health management is much more likely to avoid surgery.
I feel that in the process of trying to help women with their complaints some healthcare providers are not very sensitive in truly understanding that reproductive organs mean a great deal more to women than just reproduction. I have been told numerous times by women that their essence of being a woman is being shattered by the mere suggestion of hysterectomy. It is not uncommon to hear stories of women being told that given their age they will not require their reproductive organs anymore. In my view, a hysterectomy performed for the removal of a benign uterine fibroid or an ovarian cyst is archaic.
There are less invasive medical options such as myomectomy that may be helpful in severe cases. This procedure removes only the fibroid and leaves the uterus intact. Other options may include laser surgery and embolization which involves blocking the artery feeding the fibroid thus causing the fibroid to shrink. According to Dr. A. Pettle, MD, a well-renowned expert on women’s health and natural hormones, “although these procedures still present the risks of surgery, they are less dangerous than a complete hysterectomy.”
Before choosing hysterectomy you should carefully explore hysterectomy alternatives that may be available to you so that you make an informed decision about what is best for you. Many times, conditions for which your healthcare provider suggests hysterectomy are successfully treated with alternatives to hysterectomy that include less invasive surgeries, pharmacological treatments, and observation.
Dr. Alex Mostovoy
Before a Lump Develops
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The statistics today are alarming: 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. Each woman must choose between lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiation, or chemotherapy in deciding how best to respond to her situation. With no cure for breast cancer in sight, everyone agrees that early detection is crucial.
Presently, breast self-examination and regular mammograms are the prescribed tools for early detection. Self-examination is an easy, no-cost way to monitor breast health and detect changes in the early stages. Mammograms provide a look inside the breast tissue and can often detect and diagnose anatomical abnormalities—such as lumps—already existing in the breast.
But lumps and other breast abnormalities generally don’t appear overnight. Long before they are discovered via film or fingers, their cellular contributors are hard at work. Cancer cells require a supply of blood in order to flourish and survive. Being aggressive, they create their own pathways to obtain this nourishment. Self-examination and mammograms cannot detect this invisible, early-cellular process, which usually occurs in breast tissue from 5 to 10 years before even the slightest growth of a lump.
The science of breast thermography has opened the door to the earliest screening for abnormalities in breast tissue that Western medicine has ever known. Thermography uses infrared imaging to generate highly detailed digital pictures. The military began using infrared imaging in the 1950s. Valued for its ability to detect and pinpoint areas of heat and movement, this technology provided a way for the military to “see” what and where the eye or other surveillance techniques couldn’t; it is also known as “night vision.”
While the FDA has approved breast thermography since 1982, the greatest developments in this field have emerged in just the last few years with the advent of digital photography and high-resolution digital imaging. What is extraordinary about these intricate images is that they are able to display patterns of heat and vascularity within the tissue itself. Patterns of heat and vascularity can reveal the earliest indications of disease while they are still in the formative stages. Thermography can also detect the presence of heat from an infectious process or from a pre-existing anatomical abnormality (i.e. lump) in the breast. Thermography is also the best way to detect soft tissue trauma or damage. It is a non-invasive, radiation-free, safe, and painless process.
The January 2003 issue of the American Journal of Radiology presented the results of a four-year clinical trial that tested thermographic imaging efficacy in distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions on patients who were scheduled for biopsies. Researchers concluded that “infrared imaging is an economic and safe modality that provides physiological data about a lesion. The physiological view provided by infrared imaging complements the anatomical view provided by mammography… Thus, this… could be a valuable addition to the physician’s armamentarium of diagnostic tools.”
Breast thermography is not a stand-alone tool in the screening and diagnosis of breast cancer. It is adjunctive. We cannot ignore the tremendous role of thermography as an early-risk indicator or as a monitor of treatment. When a thermogram is positive, a closer look at the patient’s diet, exposure to environmental pollution, toxins, and lifestyle is in order. Clinical blood work, in addition to ultrasound and mammography, is essential. When mammography and blood work are negative or equivocal, thermographic monitoring on a quarterly to semi-annual basis should be performed in those patients with suspicious thermograms.
Changes in tumor angiogenesis can be evaluated and other procedures can be ordered to aid in the earliest possible diagnosis. Thermography is non-ionizing and safe—there is no reason to simply “wait and see” any longer. It is at this stage that a major decision must be made. We can no longer be passive but must become proactive with our health. The “wait and see” attitude due to a negative or equivocal mammogram is no longer acceptable. With a more universal and non-political approach, thermal imaging can become a valuable early-detection tool that is indispensable to a patient’s healthcare.
We must use every means possible to detect cancer where there is the greatest chance for survival. Proper use of breast self-exams, physician exams, thermography, and mammography together provide the earliest detection system available to date. If treated in the earliest stages, cure rates greater than 95% are possible.
Dr. Alex Mostovoy
You Are What You Eat: Ingestion Problems (Part 2 of 3)
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In Part 2 of this series, we’ll explore the mechanical and chemical components of eating.
I think most of us know that the food we eat must be broken down into their chemical components before the body can utilize it. This process, called digestion, starts in the mouth with the production of saliva, which contains enzymes to begin the process of breaking down food. More enzymes are produced in the stomach, pancreas, and liver to finish the breakdown of food so that it can be absorbed into our bloodstream by processes in the small intestine. The waste products formed during the digestive process are found in the large intestine, where water is reabsorbed and the solid mass that remains leaves the body when you have a bowel movement.
I am oversimplifying the chemical process because my purpose here is not to give you a lesson in the biological sciences of digestion. My purpose is to enlighten you about the double function of the digestion system so you will better understand that when a problem does arise, it is not always related to the chemical (digestive) part of eating. For many, problems arise in the mechanical or ingestional part of eating.
Earlier I said that digestion begins in the mouth with the production of saliva. Too little salivary production results in a condition called dry mouth. Dry mouth is pretty uncomfortable; the most prominent symptom is a sticky or clingy sensation under the lips, tongue, and inside the cheeks. Food sticks to the insides of the mouth and under the tongue, and it becomes difficult to break down.
It is both the moisture derived from the saliva and the enzymes that it produces that results in a softened ball of indistinguishable food called a bolus. Without saliva the food particles would harden around your teeth, swallowing would become difficult or impossible, and if you were able to swallow the bolus, the lack of moisture would increase your chance of choking.
But saliva doesn’t act alone in the mechanical process of digestion. Your teeth and tongue are critical team members: the teeth break down the food into smaller pieces while the tongue helps to move the food around the mouth and propel it (now called a bolus) to the back of the throat so you can swallow it. The three work in unison; all you have to do is introduce the food and the mouth does the rest. The esophagus (food pipe) moves the bolus down with a milking action called peristalsis. When the bolus enters the stomach it is further broken down, both mechanically (by a churning process) and chemically (by the production of enzymes).
Dental cavities, missing teeth, swollen gums, sores, and poor-fitting dentures or partials can contribute to chewing problems. The tongue is a muscle, and muscle injuries to the tongue can result in difficulties in either moving the food around the mouth or propelling the food to the back of the throat. Swallowing difficulties are mostly observed in the elderly because as we age the act of peristalsis slows down, making swallowing difficult.
So now you know that digestive issues can actually occur from ingestional insults resulting from problems above the stomach. The next time you think it is your stomach that is giving you trouble—think outside the stomach. Proper oral hygiene is not just important because of the potential for digestive (or ingestion-related) complications. Poor oral hygiene can also result in a variety of systemic ailments that usually start out as an infection in the mouth and are absorbed into the bloodstream, which spreads them throughout the body.
But there is a silver lining to all of this! Most ingestion-related problems can be avoided by following some pretty basic steps:
1. Brush and floss your teeth daily, and don’t forget to clean your tongue.
2. Replace your toothbrush every three months.
3. Visit your dentist twice a year for an oral inspection, cleaning, and cancer screening.
4. Seek medical attention for all oral infections. If you are prone to canker and other oral sores, don’t ignore them.
5. Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth moist.
6. Slow down and enjoy your food. Take small bites, thoroughly chew your food, and have a drink available to help moisten the food.
7. Your mother was right when she said. “Don’t talk with food in your mouth.” You not only swallow a lot of air when you do this, but you also increase your chances of choking on your food.
Next week, I will finish up the third and final part of this series by exploring healthy bowels.
In health and wellness,
Dr. Linda Mundorff
Holistic Law Article Published in Michigan Bar Journal
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The Michigan Bar Journal published an informative article about holistic law written by Ruth L. Rickard in the June 2008 issue. Click here to read “Authentic Lawyering: Engaging Your Head and Your Heart.”
Warm thanks to Tim Batdorf of the International Alliance of Holistic Lawyers for bringing it to my attention on the member mailing list.
Rebecca
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