When the Backache is Actually a Food Intolerance

I had a rough night: 2:30 AM and I'm suddenly in a lot of pain. The burning sensation radiated from the solar plexus, and up and down my back. Too high to have been a postponed reaction to Seated Cable Rows, and too low to be attributed to muscle spasms from the DB Shoulder routine I did yesterday. I was really tired and wanted desperately to go back to sleep but the pain didn't subside no matter what position I put myself in: propped up against pillows seemed to help. Was this heartburn? Should I take the pink stuff? My mind raced to what I'd read about what analgesics I could take with hypertension medication: yes to acetaminophen, no to ibuprofen and other NSAIDs as they could precipitate sudden acute kidney failure. Yikes! 

I got up and drank water. The pain was better but persistent. I thought about what I'd last snacked on and remembered some aged Scottish cheddar and a few "ancient grains" flatbread crackers. None of the ingredients flew out as red flags (no sunflower seeds, no hazlenuts or filberts or Brazil nuts) and I'm reasonably sure (because it's never been an issue in the past) that I can ingest amaranth, spelt and quinoa (unlike my husband who is the only person I know nauseatingly allergic to quinoa). 

ear bud hook

What I didn't remember is a vaguely unpleasant reaction to flax seed. It's always being promoted as healthy and nutritious, but my last encounter with it some years ago (sprinkled over cereal) left me with a mild stomach ache. By 3:30 AM I was desperate for sleep, so I drank a big mug of water and emptied whatever was left in my stomach. I felt better immediately. It was definitely the flax seed. Ugh.

I sat on the sofa with my dogs for an hour. They fell asleep and I dozed off sitting upright until my arms went numb and I retreated to the bedroom to actually sleep. While interrupted sleep is always distressing, the absence of pain is a joyous occasion. I felt pretty good when the alarm sounded. 

ear bud tether

It's been rainy and cold and the dogs and I went to the park anyway. Then I got myself together and headed to the gym. Not quite perfect timing: plenty of space in the parking lot but two out of four elliptical machines are occupied, so I get on #3. Thank goodness the other folks aren't chatty people because my AirPods just don't filter ambient noise enough.

My husband got me an assortment of AirPod tethers. They came with bonus ear hooks that might work with the lower quality R6 earbuds. I bring them with me but don't test them out. I guess I'm saving them for use on the Step Machine, which is where I lost an earbud last time. Instead, I do cardio, skip pull-ups (did them yesterday), do triceps at the bench with the 20 lbs BB (the 30 was in use) with 2 sets of magnetic disc weights stuck to each side, then row the Seated Cable machine for a few sets. I stop when I hit a weight where I can feel my lower back start to complain. Time to do core et al in the Aerobics Room.

I review the data the FitBit has been collecting and wonder if it's accurate. Either my heart rate is slowing overall, or the mechanism is losing sensitivity. It's telling me my resting range has dropped down to 44 and the peak today was 148. Still, way better than the crazy numbers the elliptical likes to throw at me, like 194 today. My hypertension readings, although still somewhat all over the place, is showing a decidedly downward trend. I guess my New Year's resolution is to exercise more? Meanwhile, the bruising on my wrist is getting worse. I don't think that's supposed to happen. 

2 February 2024 10:59-12:46
Groundhog Friday

Precor elliptical #3
Program 2
Time: 30+5 (5840)
Distance: 2.92
Cal: 328
Avg Hr: NA 163, 194-84
Fitbit: 55-156


Skull crushers / Rip skulls
(30 BB in use — 20 + 2(5) for 1 set
30 lbs x 12/12 x 2
35 x 12/12 hard!

Seated Cable Rows
40 lbs? x 12
50 x 12
60 x 12
70 x 12
77.5 x 12 (lower back)

20 Hip Bridges
Piriformis/Hip/Pencil Stretch
DeadBugs 20 x 5 alt/ss = 100
20 Hip Bridges & 10 one-leg
Quick Child’s Pose
Cat stretch 12
Child’s Pose / Cobra Pose
Fire Hydrants 20 x 2
Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
Push-Ups 25
Air Squats 25
Upper stretch w twists
Walking lunges 40 steps total
Neck stretch / Eye yoga
Wall Squat 90s (!!!)