From Bacon To Vegan, To Save The Animals, With Some Dry Needling Along The Way!

FitOldDog’s son, Nigel, took him to Kona, to watch him in his 8th Hawaii Ironman. On Nigel’s advice, this led to ART treatment, and finally, dry needling.

As you age, it becomes increasingly important to open your mind to change, and to follow your dreams. My goals include qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman and finding ways to save the animals.

Here is the trajectory of my recent life events, and the people involved: (1) asked to consult on reducing animal testing, by Warren, (2) couldn’t do this work, while eating animals, and went vegetarian, (3) watched Cowspiracy as part of my background ‘reading,’ (4) went vegan, with encouragement from many people,  (5) noticed an improvement in prostate function, (6) kept training, but had trouble with tight hip, (7) while struggling to find vegan food in Hawaii, where I was at the invitation of my great athlete son, Nigel (his 8th Kona Ironman), I visited the Active Release Therapy (AFT) tent, where Sherry found the issue, and recommended dry needling, (8) started losing weight, feeling much better about my goal to save the animals, and finally (9) went for dry needling and made ‘save the animals videos,’ as above.

Sherry, great Australian Chiropractor, applying Active Release Therapy, to FitOldDog, in Kona, Hawaii.

Athlete With Stent (FitOldDog), has been struggling with a tight hip muscle for ages. Nothing seemed to work, including stretching, rolling, lying on a tennis ball, carefully regulating training, sports massage, and so-forth. This is a soft tissue problem, left over from my visit to a great Osteopath, of which he forewarned me. Whatever I did, after about 500 yards, my left hip (seemed like a glut or pyriformis), would tense, this rapidly spread to my iliacus, and onto my right calf, and, walking!!! I hate that. By chance, during a visit to Kona, to watch my youngest son, Nigel, in the Ironman (no, I haven’t qualified yet!), I visited a tent offering free Active Release Therapy (ART). An excellent Australian therapist, Sherry, pinpointed the problem, horribly tight, locked up, gluteus minimus – “You need dry needling,” she said.

I endured dry needling the other day, and I think my tight hip is improving, but long runs will be the test. I’ll tell you about it, later!

Some fall peas in FitOldDog’s vegetable garden, which helps with his vegan diet.

What has this got to do with my goal to save the animals? Everything, because everything is linked. My nutrition has dramatic effects on my overall health, and weight, plus our vegetable garden provides distraction and calmness, from time to time, which we all need.

One thing you don’t want as runner is to be too heavy, if you can avoid it. I’m only 5’6″ but my weight never has gone below 148 lbs, in 18 years I’ve been doing Ironman training, and it generally oscillated between 152 and 160 lbs.

My recent vegan diet reduced my weight dramatically, taking my weight to a stable 140-142 lbs, which should be perfect for running. No, my swim hasn’t suffered from this weight loss.

Will a vegan diet and dry needling (plus lots of training with a good coach) get me to Kona and Boston (again)?

We shall see, but boy, I’m enjoying the journey.