Science is confusing!!!

I was a vendor at a wonderful event this weekend, called Shannon's Slumber Party.  They expected about 700 women, though I don't know how many finally showed up.  The ladies shopped, got their hair and nails done, and got demonstrations in self defense, Pole Fitness, Zumba fitness, and had a private concert.  They were there to party!

In the midst of it all, a very sweet woman came by and read the sign for Patriot's Dream Farm.  Many people ask me about the name of our farm, and others about the origin of the products we make.  She asked a bit about that, then about what my credentials were in regards to nutrition and wellness.

This wonderful lady asked me about my research backround, and whether I had any research experience with post cancer post menopausal fitness.  I get similar questions all of the time.  The hardest part of science is the reality that no one really knows for sure, especially in medical research.

Ira Flatow recently blogged about having two scientists on Talk of the Nantion Science Friday who disagreed about the findings in 2 ancient bones, and the repurcussions those findings had on evolutionary study.  They disagreed so vehemently, in fact, that the host had to referee a shouting match.  In the last week, the host found himself in similar ground moderating a discusison about where the oil has gone from the gulf oil spill/ leak.  At the end of the day, there is so much we just don't know.

Back to the question from my new friend.  She had been unable to find anything definitive about why her body had responded as it had, and how to get her precancer strength and endurance back.  The truth is, we just don't know.  We expect science and medicine to have the answers, but really it only has clues that we use ourselves to solve our own puzzle.

The response of each person to a given illness is different, as is their response to treatment.  And tey were different from those arond them to begin with.  Add in to that hormones, when treatment or illness fall in the hormone cycle of your body and you have quite a conundrum.  Science looks for groupings of responses in order to draw lines and parallels.  It is up to each of us to work with our physicians and trainers to see how those findigs apply to us as individuals.

That said, it is certainly not impossible.  By working with a log book, and using research as a guide, we make one change at a time, and see what the response was to that given change.  We continue to draw ideas and groups of ideas from science and work to balance that for each individual.  Like you hear all over this blog, patience, perseverance, hard work and being present really do pay off.  We treat each person s an individual, and remember that wat works today may change with fluctuations in hormones or a change in another element of the health condition of the individual.  And by working through it, with the client leadig the charge and at the center of the work, we create a set of options to choose from.  Then the individual has all of those tools in their toolbag to continue to change things.  Refresher meetings are about refreshing those tools and developing new ones.

So science doesn't have all the answers, or even most of them- yet.  But we are scientists too.  And the work of following the clues responsibly is well worth it.  Got a question?  Email me.  Think the answer might benefit someone else too?  Post it as a comment.  Have a great day.  And don't give up.

Watch Kenny Chesney’s New Video For “The Boys of Fall”

I spent today at the first two scrimmages the precede the football season for Wyatt and the Cadet level team he plays with as the Tucson Steelers.

Last year, Wyatt was a newbie. He watched what else was going on, but I was never really sure how much he liked it. The reason was, I didn't want Wyatt Clay to feel like he had to like football just because his Daddy LOVES football. I want him to find his own way. Wyatt didn't seem to feel it yet. For those of you who don't know what I mean, think back to that one special thing, or two, that in your life mean so much.

I was a ballerina, a pilot, and those adrenaline rushes have also manifested in other things over time, like aerobics, running, even the occasional bull riding in my college days. I love dance, I love airplanes. I watch the ballet, I can feel it. I dance when no one is watching to express myself. I watch the planes overhead, and every airshow I can talk Charlie into. He sees the planes like he works on every day. I can still feel the rush of a takeoff, the buffeting of an eminent stall, the last little rush of flight when you coast, hovering just before landing. I still love to watch rodeo, but I don't feel the bull riding any more. So while I want the kids to try everything they want to in life (okay, within reason, I am a Mama), I want them to feel the devotion of those special things they feel in their hearts.

I don't know how long football will mean something to Wyatt. This week, Charlie left an article out for me to read. I read about Kenny CHesney's transformation on the road this last year. How he needed to recharge, and had reached back to the love of his life before music- football. He talked about the rush of it, the way it taught him to work for what he wanted. That it taught him about life, teamwork and family. When he needed to recharge, he worked on a project which not only glorifies youth and school football, it highlights the meaning of the lessons learned and how those lessons stay with you for life. Thosse lessons struck a chord for me.

I passed the article back to Charlie, but he hadn't read it yet. I thought he should, then it followed through the family. Right after, the boys came across the extended video on TV. One coach quoted in the video spoke about the feeling, the rush. And he mentioned that after the weekly games are over, few things equal that rush.

For today, Wyatt was on his feet, or sitting on the sidelines, but engaged in the game. He rejoiced in the success of others, and was excited to come home and show me things. He is practicing on a dummy behind me, as he just missed the sack he went for in the second scrimmage. I guess anything that turns a kid on to working hard for a goal, and gets a child who is as careful as Wyatt is about who he talks to to reach out and compliment kids he doesn't really know- can't be a bad thing to really feel. For now, I will have to swallow hard and watch my baby get hit on the field. And smile as he talks to his chickens and best friend the dog about what he loves when he is away from the farm.

I hope my new little veteran player, and his buddies he is growing up with on the field, always have something to feel like that. And for those of you who might not know country music, here is a link to the video. Hope it helps remind you to keep reaching out for what you love. Even if you have forgotten for a while.


Watch Kenny Chesney’s New Video For “The Boys of Fall”

Back to School 2010

Bailey and Wyatt returned to school for the coming year yesterday! Both excited for another year...

Wyatt is already preparing for his first scrimmage this weekend in football, and is hoping to sign up for the math club afterschool.

Bailey is dreading drama, but enjoying physics and looking forward to basketbal, 4H, and robotics...

Looks to be a pretty busy year!

This is Charlie and Wyatt squeezing in a bit of catch before class.  Good thing Wyatt is a lineman!