image: espn sports
I've been wanting to write this post for awhile but was waiting until horse racing season began. As the coveted Kentucky Derby nears in early May, I thought having a post about the not so often talked about relationship between jockeys and eating disorders was needed.
I recently read a British study which looked at the differences in jockeys' weights and their psychological mental attitude and attitudes towards eating behaviors. This research found similar results along along with a 2002 New Zealand study
Essentially, as jockeys "waste," the term used when they try to get to the absolute minimum in order to ride, they have many similar characteristics to those with eating disorders both physically and mentally. This "wasting" may involve "a combination of starvation, deliberate dehydration, excessive sauna use, and self-induced vomiting, known colloquially as flipping. The majority of jockeys battle with their weight at some point in their career." Many develop osteopenia and dehydration as well as lack micronutrients which their bodies need. Psychologically, the jockeys have mood swings, depression, and develop negative attitudes toward food.
In two other articles which quoted the same study, the attitude that this has happened and continues to be reinforced doesn't seem to really matter. In the British article which talked to jockeys at the Cheltham Festival, the jockeys said they didn't see anyone who had an eating disorder. They only claimed they were strict with their weight and that these type of slimming down behaviors were all "part and parcel" for the sport they loved. In an Irish paper, the chief executive of the Professional Jockey Association said he didn't believe there was any kind of eating disorder in horseracing and that this data was at least five years old. The British article can be read here, and the Irish one here.
I think this in and of itself presents a PROBLEM. The fact is that the weight guideline for jockeys is archaic. They have not changed much since the18th century when men were shorter and smaller. According to the film, Jockey, a 2004 HBO documentary, there were some weight guidelines being changed at various tracks. Still though, I don't really think this issue is taken very seriously despite the fact that several jockeys have died, needed organ transplants, developed alcoholism, and other health problems.
Besides the physical toll on jockeys' bodies, there is also a lot of politics as well. Jockeys do not get paid much per race unless they are the winning rider. It's a difficult way to live, and it does explain why some of these riders resort to these methods for weight loss. Winning, in this sport, seems to mean sacrifice, even at the cost of one's health. I hope more guidelines will be changed. Some have said that having larger riders could be more harmful to the horses. Quite honestly, I think the horses can learn to adjust more than we give them credit for.
Another interesting article about horse racing and jockeys is this one. It sheds light into the dark part of the sport.
France is also in the news with the recent signing of the fashion industry's "Charter on voluntary engagment over the body image and against anorexia" The idea is to promote healthy body image among models. This charter has guidelines but does not give a minimum BMI.
I think overall this is just a good thing in terms of working models for their own safety. However, it is questionable still that even with some of these new guidelines by a variety of countries whether models are still too skinny. I remember reading awhile back in an article that quoted Nina Garcia, fashion editor of Elle magazine, that the models this year were skinnier than the year before. As with anything, change takes time.
I just read this from the UK's Times Online about France's new anorexia law directed at fashion and media. This new law is targeted mostly at pro-ana websites. These websites consider anorexia as a lifestyle rather than a disease. Thinspiration and tips are often found on these sites.
There's been a lot of controversy over them in the last several years. There are many people who have wanted them shut down for years. However, as one gets shut down, another just pops up. Recently, social networking groups like myspace and facebook have been given criticism for allowing these groups. And youtube has had its own share of criticism with a number of "thinspiration" videos.
This new government-backed law in France is the first of its kind. It essentially holds the websites and/or blogs accountable if they "provoke a person to seek excessive thinness by encouraging prolonged restriction of nourishment to the point of risking of death or damage to health. " In this circumstance, the fine can be up to 30,000 euros or about $47,000 and a 2-year prison sentence. If the person person dies, imprisonment can be up to 3 years and a fine up to 45,000 pounds or about $71,000.
This is stiff sentencing and doesn't sound like one to be fooled around with. However, I think the hardest question to answer is how do you prove whomever is the webmaster or webmistress behind these websites? Then there is the accountability factor. Any person who is visiting these type of websites or social networking groups has a choice. Aren't we all responsible for our health, body, and actions?
I e-mailed a friend yesterday asking if she would be around for me to call in the next day or so. I was telling her how the last few weeks has been hell, though I did not go into the reasons at the time. She sent me this cute pic which I think describes me well right now.
But boy, I wish I was this sea turtle and could just swim away and not have to worry about everything going on.
So far my sewage problem is better, though not completely fixed yet. I wasn't able to talk to the people working on it since I got home after they left. My toilet, however, backed up yesterday afternoon. Luckily, it was just water, and I have two bathrooms here. I'm hoping it's just that the system needs to recover rather than another problem.
One thing the guy said was that the main pipe that connects the sewage system together basically fell. He said it wasn't anyone's fault and that it was hard to say exactly why. That did make me feel a little better, but still, purging could not have helped it.
Yesterday, I attempted my long run, but it just wasn't happening. I don't know whether it was because the temperatures were warmer than I'd been training in, me being tired from the day before of aqua running, or that my feet were hurting. I'm trying hard not to beat myself up over it, knowing I still have some time to try again. I'm tempted to try not to plan for another long run and just carry all my gear with me and go. Sometimes the lessening of that expectation is better when you're just going out for a run.
I also talked briefly with my physiatrist's assistant who relayed the message of what my physiatrist said. Her opinion is that I'm never going to heal without sufficient rest. I said after the marathon was over, I'd take some time off to rest. We a greed on setting up a follow up appointment the week before the marathon just to see how I was doing.
The rest of yesterday was errands. I went grocery shopping and decided I need to make better attempts at changing my eating. I'll write a post devoted to that later.
First, the good news. The electrician came by this weekend to work on blown breaker. I now officially call him the "Wasabi electrician." Last year when he came by to do some other work, we got into a conversation about Asian food. He was telling me how much he loved wasabi paste and wanted to know if I knew where he could get it. When he came this weekend, I remembered about his wasabi fetish and asked him if he found it. Apparently, he found wasabi peas but not what he wanted. Oh well, he'll keep looking, and I'll remember I tried.
In the end, he wound up having to do a lot more work than he expected. I had several bad outlets and he had to place new wires. Then he discovered two things for me. One I had a nest of snakes in the back of my yard! I was less than thrilled. He showed me where they were--about three baby garter snakes all peeking out for curiosity purposes. They were kind of cute in a way, but I did not want them in my yard and having to worry about whether I would mow over them. Yes, that has unfortunately happened before.
Now, I'm not afraid of these critters, but I find they often startle me which give me a freak out moment. Last spring and summer I saw so many at the kennel where I work. Luckily, they were just mostly garter snakes but still, I am just not keen on them. Sometimes I do wonder whether they are one of my animal totems since I saw so many of them. The electrician said he would catch them for me and take them by the creek.
When I got home from work, the electrician was pulling out of my driveway. I apparently have another big problem. A sewage leak or burst. I was absolutely shocked, mortified, and panicky. I immediately called my landlord who happened to be in Florida since his best friend just died. He was going to wait until he got back on Wed. to take care of this, but I called him again wanting something to be done. My biggest fear was he wasn't going to take care of it or something since it took him so long to get this electrical problem taken care of. Luckily, he called a guy he knew who is coming out today. Whew, I am relieved, but still I was really paranoid last night.
I think my paranoia stems from not only that this is really unhealthy and gross, but just wondering if years of purging could have also done this. I mean you hear about clogged pipes at colleges and sororities due to this very thing. I've lucked out I guess that nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I've been completely purge-free for four or more months now which is great. It's not any kind of record for me, but better than it's been for a long time.
I know this could very well be a "shit happens" moment, as this happens to normal, everyday, non-Ed people. My mom and her husband had something similar happen last year. Her husband was talking about something to do with laundry detergents using formaldehyde in their formulas which was killing the sewage pipes and fields all over the country. I haven't researched this to know enough about this.
So now, I wait for the guy to show up this afternoon. I'm hoping he'll get here early afternoon versus late, so I can still take my long run today. I'm seriously hoping this is the last bad/inconvenient thing to happen to me. It sometimes makes me wonder whether karma is on my side these days?
I finally broke down and bought an extension cord, so I could plug my computer into a different outlet. I called m landlord last week, and he said he had talked with the electrician. He was apparently surprised I had not heard from nor seen the electrician. He called just a few minutes ago saying he was coming by tomorrow morning. That means I'll have to crate the dogs and take Daphne with me to the kennel. Baxter and Hank will not be happy. I'm hoping this electrician gets whatever that needs done fixed. I'm just frustrated by all this and why it's taken my landlord so long to get a move on things. I mean him more than this place is worth, so I think he should do a better job.
The rest of the week has also resulted in frustration. On Wednesday, I went to get my rim for my tire. The tire place didn't have it like they said they would. I wound up going to this rickety, not so great looking used auto parts place which did not have a rim either. They ordered a new one for me which was supposed to be in today. No call from them, however.
Yesterday, it poured raining and I had to make multiple trips into town. Of all things to drive in, I really despise rain. That just stems from a bad car accident over five years ago. I still to this day will not drive on that road. Anyway, I was able to get an earlier appointment to meet with the orthopedic surgeon to go over my MRI results. After I got into the exam room, the nurse left my chart on the computer. I think this place has all electronic records now. Being curious that I was, I read over file and what the Dr.'s thoughts were, etc. from my previous appointment. Nothing too unusual in it, but I just like to know. I'm a bit weird that way. I even have most of my medical records and labs from almost ten years ago.
The good news is that my knees look normal. There aren't any tears or anything like that. The bad news is that he really can't do anything for me. His diagnosis is overuse syndrome which I'm not sure whether I agree with or not. He suggested more cross training, running on softer surfaces, and taking medications as needed including 1200 mg ibuprofen the day before the race with the precaution that I'm well hydrated. I wanted to roll my eyes on that one honestly, but I didn't. It just reminds me how little he really does know about me.
The one good thing about this appointment was that he was slightly less egotistical than the previous one and he actually did go through the MRI images with me as well. He didn't thoroughly explain everything but gave a basic concept which was at least something. He also said that he'd seen about five other patients since me with similar problems and all training for marathons. There is one at the end of this month that many people from around here are running. I guess the pain and other ailments can't be all in their heads or mine as well, right?
After my 20 minutes were up, I left with him saying that if I ever needed anything else from him to come back. I'm chuckling as I write this next sentence, but the image that keeps popping up in my head is this story he told me of his daughter-in-law, his son, and him running the Chicago Marathon where he carried a syringe of something (never told me what it was, I'm guess maybe hydrocortisone?) in his pocket and ended up injecting his daughter-in-law's knee so she could run the race. Apparently, she had a lot of knee pain. Okay, maybe I'm not really chuckling but more like that it just seems really disturbing?
Now, I'm just feeling frustrated and unsure of what to do. It's exactly a month today until the marathon, and I do not feel prepared at all. I don't know whether to continue with physical therapy or what. I'll continue my training and just hope the pain doesn't get severe enough to debilitate me or something.
After all that, yesterday ended up nicely. I went out to dinner with a friend. We caught up on the latest news with each other and just regular inside politics that goes on around here. I ate well overall, including dessert. I was FULL which is not a feeling I like. However, I rode it out and dealt with it and was okay this morning. Just another reminder for my piggy bank when I come across situations, feelings, etc. like this.
I don't have much time to write, but I am happy to report back that overall the conference went well. I made a few mistakes but no one is perfect, right? I'm just trying to overlook that and focus on the positive things. I even got "tagged" for being helpful so that was a plus. I also got a chance to see some people I'd met at previous conferences, people who I hadn't seen in awhile, and a few clients as well. There were a lot of really well behaved dogs too, so that is always a plus. The eating wasn't so great, but I know I'll get back on track with that and my running as well.Yesterday, I had the MRI on both my knees. It's funny, because I do fall asleep but as soon as the technician turned off the music, I woke up immediately. I have my appt. next week with the orto, so I'm really anxious to get those results back. I'm hoping something is shown just for the validation factor, especially with this ortho, but at the same time, I don't want some devastating, awful type result either.My breaker still isn't fixed, and it looks like it is some wiring problem. I'm hoping the electrician can look at it soon, because this is going on three weeks without my home computer. I'm feeling kind of lost, especially since I do a lot of online article reading on various subjects. I don't have the time to drive to the library everyday, so it just plain ole sucks. Also, I can't recharge my ipod either. :-(
