January 1, 2012

This time last year, my family - me, Joe, Sarah, Joseph, and our foreign exchange student son Ondra - were arriving in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, to kick off the new year.  We settled into our home away from home, went out to dine on the deck at Barba Roja, and then stopped at the Super Joseth to stock up on groceries.  Oh what a nice start to 2011!  We had a wonderful 10 days, soaking in the sun, resting, relaxing, exploring.  It ended too soon and, in hindsight, it was the calm before the storm:  we arrived home to a snowstorm, spending the final evening of our trip sleeping on our suitcases at the Charlotte, North Carolina, airport.  And then the big storm came - multiple myeloma.

Today, a year later, Ondra is at home in the Czech Republic, we are home in NH, and there is no snow on the ground or in the forecast.  Maybe this is a sign that 2012 will be a calmer, easier year.

As I walked around my neighborhood today, I was thinking about my resolutions.  I am a big fan of resolutions, though it often takes me a few weeks of the new year and a long walk at the beach before I have my resolutions written in my Book of Resolutions journal.  The same holds true this year.  I do, though, already have a few resolutions formulated for this year:  drinking 2-3 quarts of fluid a day, walking at least 3 miles every day, and eating an anti-inflammatory diet.  I committed to these resolutions a few weeks ago, right after the Multiple Myeloma Symposium at Dana-Farber.  So far, I've done well with the drinking and walking, but I've been struggling with the diet.  I suppose less-than-optimal eating is part of the holiday season, but the season is over and the time to start is now - or at least as soon as I get to the grocery store!

The anti-inflammatory diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet.  It includes a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fish.  Thankfully, it also includes occasional red wine and dark chocolate!  Some believe that inflammation in the body is the root cause of many diseases, including cancer, and that we should therefore work toward minimizing internal inflammation.  It makes sense to me.  The anti-inflammatory food pyramid provides a good guideline for healthy eating.  If only it provided recipes!  While I do love to cook, I still prefer to have a recipe.  I guess 2012 will be a year of experimentation in the kitchen.  (Family and friends, you have been warned!)

My best wishes to everyone for a happy, healthy new year!