P!nk – I Don’t Believe You (Acoustic Live On Oprah 2010) HD

Like a rainbow.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPn0KFlbqX8

All the lovers // That have gone before // They don’t compare to you
Don’t be running // Just give me a little bit more

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zixQYDeRtzI

download the mp3:

peace love lunges – cardio music spring 2010

(to download, right-click and choose save. Apple users, control-click and choose download.)

– Featuring -
Chicane / Lady Gaga / Madonna / Auto Tune the News / Sade / Pink / Natasha Bedingfield / Beyonce / Imogen Heap / Groove Armada

Thanks in advance for your comments and feedback!

peace & love,

-Sam

My grandma, “Ama” turned 80 years old today. Having a new octogenarian in the family, I’ve studied her carefully, trying to figure out some of her secrets to life. I’m fascinated by people such as Jack LaLanne who continue to thrive well into their winter years.

Ama started walking a few miles each day in her 50s, and she’d say exercise has been her lifeblood. In a note I received today, she glowed: “I need to stay busy and I LOVE yard work.” (BTW, the “O” in “love” was a HEART).  She still walks, almost every day.  Four years ago, on her 76th, she hiked Angels Landing.

She drinks only beer, coffee, milk and water, and she doesn’t eat cheese. She takes niacin and a multivitamin but she’s not a supplement fan. And definitely not big on modern medicine.

I’ve learned so much in life from her that it’s difficult to describe. But the most striking things came into focus in the last year, when my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Mom went in for surgery on St. Patrick’s Day 2009, and died 7 months later. During those seven interim months of my mom’s battle with cancer, our family underwent something of a metamorphosis—becoming closer than ever before—with Ama at the helm. Days blurred into weeks, the months punctuated by long drives through Utah’s backcountry and the Mojave desert.

Throughout this ordeal, in her own quiet way, Ama gave us all a strength and sense of peace and determination.

Some of my happiest moments from those 7 seven months were with Ama and Bronson. We picked apples at an organic farm in Springville. We day tripped to the polygamist community of Colorado City. We snuck our very tiny dog Max into the Zion National Park theatre.

These rare moments provided us with a ray of light during an otherwise hellish time.

Ama helps me understand the truth of my mom’s legacy: to enjoy the journey.

Happy birthday, Ama—I’d do anything for another 80 years.

HEY SAM: My doctor recently told me that I’m at risk for high blood pressure and placed me on blood pressure medication. What’s the best way to augment my workout routine in this situation?

A: People who participated in a regular yoga program experienced a natural drop in blood pressure, according to new research from the Washington University School of Medicine. The study, published in HIV Medicine, followed 60 HIV-positive adults over the course of a supervised, 20 week yoga program. Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced more in the yoga group than in the control group, despite no greater reduction in body weight, fat, or overall quality of life.The best part? T4 levels were not adversely affected.

Practicing yoga is an intelligent idea for other reasons, too. Participants in other double blind studies on yoga have documented substantial improvements in flexibility, balance, and muscular endurance. (Flexibility and strength are two key areas for HIV’ers, especially as we advance into our golden years). Yoga has also been shown to improve anxiety, depression—even irritable bowel syndrome! Best of all, yoga is relatively inexpensive and accessible, with many community classes free of charge or “pay what you can” from $5 to 20. There are yoga classes for nearly every specific interest and demographic, ranging from “11th step yoga” (for those in 12-step programs) to “hot nude yoga” for the more adventurous.

When you’re ready to find your inner yogi, ask friends if they know of a good yoga studio in your neighborhood. Most gyms and studios offer beginner-level classes, but a good instructor can adjust even intermediate classes for the novice, offering helpful suggestions without making you feel awkward. If you’re just starting, try “restorative” or “passive” yoga, a class in which foam blocks and other objects are used to relax the body into the yoga asanas (poses) without undue strain or stress. You may be confused or frustrated, but instead of getting irked, “offer up” your yoga practice to someone or something in your life that needs your support, patience, or understanding. This will align your focus and help you stay in the moment.

Remember, the benefits of yoga only become evident only if you do it regularly. Make an effort to practice the asanas you have learned. Above all, listen to your body and don’t force yourself into any pose that causes pain. Drink water, take breaks, and breathe. Namaste.

Here’s why:

Drinking red wine may preserve memory and protect the central nervous system. It also prevents clots and blood vessel inflammation—both of which are linked to heart disease and decline of cognitive function.

Overall, red wine drinkers have overall lower body mass indices (BMI’s).  And moderate wine drinkers tend to have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink hard liquor. (Higher BMI is associated with greater risk for disease).

Pinot noir contains antioxidants and resveratrol, and far more nonflavonoids than white wine.  In one study, fish who were fed resveratrol were more active swimmers—even in old age!

Finally, drinking red wine may have anti-cancer benefits… especially ovarian cancer. Australian researchers found that drinking one glass of red wine a day reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 50 percent.

Obviously moderation is key — one glass per day. OK, maybe two.   Peace, Love, Lunges… -Sam

I was recently diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. I still have feeling in my fingers, but I’ve lost most of the feeling in my toes. Do you have any advice on ways I can manage this condition through exercise or supplementation?

Peripheral neuropathy causes pain (sometimes described as tingling or burning) and numbness in the hands and feet. While HIV is one cause of the condition, it’s certainly not the only one. Diabetes and cancer treatments (such as radiation or chemotherapy) are also common causes. Sometimes the condition improves with treatment of the underlying cause, sometimes it doesn’t.

Resistance training is a great way to improve overall muscle strength, especially for people with peripheral neuropathy, and there’s research to prove it.  In a 2006 study, subjects who walked for 1 hour, 4x/week, slowed down the worsening of their peripheral neuropathy.

Researchers at the University of Louisville showed that lower-body weight training (30 minutes 3x/week) improved muscle strength and quality of life in patients doing such routine tasks as walking to the car.

You should avoid high impact exercises (e.g., running on a treadmill or jumping up and down) because they more often result in foot injuries. Seated resistance exercises are an excellent choice, as are swimming, rowing, and pretty much any upper body exercise. If you don’t have access to weight machines, you can try these simple movements anywhere:

Hands — Touch the pad of your thumb with the pad of the index finger, moving the index finger down to the base of your thumb. Repeat this movement twice with the index, middle, ring, and little fingers in succession.

Legs & Feet — Straighten one knee and point your foot. Flex your ankle five times. Next, circle your ankle clockwise, and counterclockwise, five times each.

Balance— From a standing position, rise up slowly on your tiptoes, and then go back on to your heels. The knees should be kept straight, but not locked.

Bottom line: Exercise may not actually reverse the condition, but it can most certainly help.  —S. Page

Fiery Sweet Potatoes from the New York Times
Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jinxiboo
Chili sin Carne al Mole from “Vegan with a Vengeance”
Turkey Meatloaf by Mike Hitt
Organic Almond Milk by my mom, Marcy Francis
Vegan Pot Pie by EarthVegan
Herbed Spaghetti Squash by Emeril Legasse
Cilantro Unfried Scallops with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dip by Biggest Loser chef Devin Alexander
Watermelon Feta Gorgonzola Salad by Andrew Leman
Kale Salad with Pine Nuts, Currants and Parmesan by Dan Darber

Photo: Darwin Bell

My interview with adult film legend Aiden Shaw is the cover story of the January/February 2010 issue of HIV Plus magazine. In the piece, Aiden talks about his newest book and second autobiography, Sordid Truths. Here’s a link to the story (after the jump)… http://su.pr/2LYZ7m

The best part was standing in line at the grocery store with a few of the polygamist wives—their hair all doused in Aqua Net, donning the customary pastel dresses.

You don’t have to be a native to experience the polygamist lifestyle up close. Identity Tours is a Utah-based company started by two brothers, Heber and Richard, who were exiled from the FLDS in 2003 by now jailed church leader (and convicted rapist) Warren Jeffs. On the 4-hour bus tour, titled “The Polygamy Experience: A Guided Tour of Colorado City,” Richard Holm answers questions about the history and traditions of the legendary polygamist community. A company representative told me the price also “includes lunch at a cafe owned by the polygamists.”

Where: Tours depart daily from St. George, Utah. Getting there: Delta and United Express offer flights to St. George airport via Salt Lake City international.  More info: http://identitytours.com/

The most ‘fabulous’ rad ride through gay L.A.

Even after living in Los Angeles for 12 years, it’s easy to forget about the rich gay & lesbian history that preexisted Stonewall. Los Angelenos (and visitors) can now re-live that history in vivid detail aboard Jim Anzide’s fabulous new Out and About Tours. The encyclopedic Anzide and his talented team will guide you on a rousing, double decker pilgrimage through the city’s lesbian nooks and gay crannies. The highlight for me was our stop at The Other Side, a historic Silverlake gay piano bar, for three impromptu performances with a live accompanist! As you head down the back streets, Out and About staffers perform dramatic re-enactments of salacious quotes and readings from LGBT history, creating a lively “living history” a la Ken Burns. A total gas.

Where: Bus embarks in West Hollywood  More info: www.outandabout-tours.com and on Twitter.

She’s the sweetest new lady in town…

L.A.’s newest and most decadent delivery truck doesn’t take passengers per se, but The Sweets Truck is destined to become a destination for all Angelenos. Owned by my comrade Molly Taylor, you can choose from fancy Rice Krispie treats from Milk & Krunchies, truffles from Madame Chocolate, cookie sandwiches from Cookie Casa and a selection of fudge, candy bars, cupcakes, etc.

I really like Molly’s commitment to sustainable business practices and her plans to give back to the community, and she’s already been reviewed in Daily Candy and Sunset magazine. If you see the Sweets Truck rolling through the streets of the city, stop by and say hello!

Where: all over Los Angeles When: Daily, follow them on Twitter for schedule and daily stops. More info: http://thesweetstruck.com

Throughout my Mom’s battle with cancer, I downed more comfort food and bottles of wine than I care to admit. Take my 35th birthday for example: dad grilled steaks and mom arranged for the most amazing cupcakes. Bronson and I went out later for margaritas. And boy, did I ever feel the full brunt of it: the acid reflux dragon reared its angry ANGRY head. I told mom about it the next day. “You’ve got to eat right, son.” she warned me matter-of-factly.

It would be one of her last admonishments.

It wasn’t the first time the reflux beast had gripped me. Five years ago, (on my 30th) we gathered at El Coyote Mexican Cafe with the same gruesome result. Back then, I didn’t know tacos and tequila were GERD’s best friend, but in the wake of Mom’s warning this year, I knew something had to change.Three weeks pass, and I’m at LA Times Magazine‘s annual health & wellness conference, sitting in on a session Rory Freedman, author of the bestselling vegan manifesto, Skinny Bitch. Without pretense, Rory challenges us to go vegetarian for 30 days, adding: “the biggest and most surprising change I experienced from becoming a vegetarian was that I became a more compassionate, empathetic and loving human being.” (OK, it helps that she’s also wicked hot).

Rory rang in my head as fellow conferees heaped beef and chicken fajitas onto their plates (I saw big, steaming mounds of torn flesh). Can it be true? I wondered. I couldn’t shake Rory’s words: baby male chicks stuffed into grinders while still alive, the beaks of female chickens sliced off “with a hot knife?” Half disgusted and half resentfully, I loaded my plate with salad. But I knew what was happening: I’d taken her challenge.

Thirty six hours later, Mom died.

I probably didn’t pick the best moment in my life to become a vegetarian, but the seed had started to sprout. Within days of switching, I felt emotionally and physically lighter. I went grocery shopping with mom-in-law, Conny, loading up our cart with organic food, guided by Rachel Richardson, a South Beach trainer. In this clip, she explains how to eat organically on a budget:

Bronson, inspired by actor Jerry O’Connell, suggested we also eliminate dairy and additives: aspartame, milk, diet soda, even Crystal Light. And much like Jerry, within a couple weeks, the weight started “dripping” off.

At my peak this year, I weighed 238 pounds. Nine weeks later, I’m 213 pounds—a net 25 pound loss. That’s two waist sizes, and 10 percent of my total body weight. I even experienced flu-like symptoms, (a common reaction for new vegetarians, it turns out) as my body began to detoxify from decades of eating meat. The symptoms were gone within 1-2 weeks, and my weight loss seems to have stabilized.

Bye bye, In-N-Out. Hello, Vegin’ Out

I’ve had a couple slip ups (ate a turkey croissant at Mom’s wake), and really craved In-N-Out once. Bronson still uses Splenda, I’m working off the caffeine. But my number one challenge has been learning how to cook new vegetarian entrees, I’ve spent the better part of 30 years making meat-based meals, and didn’t want to eat salads all the time. I needed to investigate new tastes and flavors, so I approached the guys at Vegin’ Out, a vegan food delivery service in Los Angeles, who indulged my experiment with two weeks of food. I was blown away by their succulent fare, and began looking forward to Mondays when they’d deliver a big box full of tasty meals. My fave was the “Newer England Chowder” a creamy soup seasoned with oyster mushrooms, tempeh bacon and seaweed. It’s as close to the real thing as it gets; I defy you to tell the difference. Bronson raved about the “Pepper Steak Mushroom Stroganoff” made with seitan, button mushrooms, and soy cream cheese. As a personal trainer accustomed to eating cows, chickens, and guzzling whey protein shakes a gaga—I thought it would take awhile to adjust to the new palette of proteins and textures. But we’ve adapted no problem. Rubbery tofu has never been my thing, but we’ve found new protein friends in seitan, lentils and beans. On Thanksgiving, Vegin’ Out even offers a special menu of seasonally inspired treats: seitan roast w/gravy, roasted shallot mashed, and quinoa stuffing. And it would be a sin if I didn’t tell you about the cookies, which are unbelievable.

Food delivery services in L.A. abound, and I’ve tried the Zone Fresh diet and Susan’s Healthy Gourmet, but neither is vegan, and both are more costly (Susan’s charges $34/day, ZoneFresh charges $27/day). VeginOut’s meal delivery is $110/week for 9-10 meals.

There will be more about my adventures in urban vegetarianism in forthcoming blog entries: recipes, tips, etc. But I’ll always be grateful that Rory and Mom conspired with the cosmos to get this 35-year-old Krispy Kreme loving guy to end his dietary adolescence and start eating his veggies.

BTW, the GERD is history.

In my five years as a personal trainer, I’ve listened to many clients talk about their insomnia, struggling with my own at times.  My husband and I have tried to integrate most of the items on this list and, oh boy—when done in concert, they make a BIG difference.

1. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Yes, even on weekends. This is the single most important thing you can do for insomnia. Try not to wake your mate if your sleep hours differ.
2. Remove the clock from the bedroom, or cover it up at night.  Cover any other lights (such as LED lights on VCR’s). If you wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, do not look at the clock. This is key.
3. Don’t drink alcohol before bedtime. You may fall asleep faster, but drinking alcohol will also jolt you awake in the middle of the night.
4. Don’t eat before bedtime.
5. Do more cardio. Yoko Ono says, “Walk until your body feels like dancing. Then dance. You will find that you no more have difficulty in sleeping at night.”
6. Make the room as dark as possible and use thick window coverings; they have the added benefit of keeping noise out.
7. Keep the bedroom cool. The optimal temperature for sleep is 65-72 degrees.
8. Use a noise machine or soothing CD. We use Simonette Vaja’s guided meditation for sleep all the time. You won’t be able to make it through the CD without falling out.
9. Wind down before bedtime. A pre-bedtime ritual like reading or taking a shower or bath will relax you.
10. Use essential oil of lavender on pillows.
11. Replace old pillows, but don’t change the linens too often. Slightly slept in sheets are more comfortable to the body.
12. If you haven’t fallen asleep after 20 minutes leave the bedroom and go do something that’s relaxing and boring. When you feel sufficiently relaxed to enter the bedroom again, try again. Do not lay in bed tense or upset.
13. Avoid napping during the day.
14. Do not drink caffeine after lunch. Or better yet, eliminate caffeine altogether.
15. Find 10-20 minutes per day to worry. Don’t allow worries to come into your bedroom.

Got tips? Please leave them as comments.