No more excuses...at least not for today

Exercise, diet, nutrition, moderation, "the scale is at least three pounds off today", lose weight, "I shouldn't have had that second vodka/tonic", the list goes on and on...and these are all things that have been running wild in my head lately as I face putting on my bikini to hit the beach.

Everybody knows that Mexico in the summertime is not the most desirable place. With the heat index reaching over 100'F every day the only thing you want to do is put on your bathing suit and find a cool body of water--or even a high-powered fan for that matter. So, even thinking about going for a run or working out in this heat makes me want to vomit. But the reality is I need to--exercise that is, not vomit.

I was working out five days a week up until July when it got really hot. Then I started to find excuses and was finding myself only working out once or twice a week for the next two months. They say you loose muscle within two weeks of not using it--and they're right. It's not fair, but it's reality.

So, I just got back from a months stay in Idaho and instantly felt the pressure to start exercising five days a week again. With a gym on every corner and people running or biking on the streets you feel the need to get in shape and stay healthy--it's like a competition. So I ran to Target, bought the hardest looking workout video and the latest Women's Health and Shape magazines and then stashed them into my suitcase and said I'd start back up when I returned to San Pancho.

Well, I got back three weeks ago and have just now pulled out that workout tape and those magazines. But you know what, a little vacation was just what I needed.

I've realized that making excuses like blaming it on the miserable Mexico heat or not having a gym isn't going to help my cause to stay fit and eat healthy. It's something I have to do on my own and taking a break both physically and mentally for a while is OK. Yes, I might not look like Heidi Klum in my bikini but at least I'm staying motivated and thinking about my next workout and how much fun it's going to be to sweat it out and feel great afterwards.

If you're looking for some websites to help keep you motivated check out Athleta Chi and Women's Health. They are my saving grace while living here in San Pancho.

A song about San Pancho

Our sweet little village is getting a lot of attention thanks to this great music video that was recently created. Listen for yourself and fall in love with San Pancho like we have!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYaNP_0gwQU&feature=youtube_gdata

Blue Skies and Rain

What an amazing morning in San Pancho. The sun is shining, rain is falling lightly, and a cool breeze is coming through the window as I type this. I dread the summer heat, but if it were like this every morning I'd never leave.

Here's to a cool summer morning--and hoping you are all sharing it with someone special like I am.

San Pancho Goes Green

I love getting articles like this about our sweet little village. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing recycling program and other hotels/businesses who are going green as well.

Here's a great article showcasing a hotel in San Pancho and how they have gone green.

Just when you say that will never happen to me...

For some reason, unknown to me, the San Pancho beach has been covered with Portuguese man-of-war for the last week. These creatures of the ocean are beautiful and very small and apparently travel in groups of 1,000 or more. Their tiny blue bodies are the only part that stands out on the beach, the rest of their body and tentacles are clear and almost impossible to see in the sand.

So yesterday, after a much needed swim in a friends pool, Karen and I decided to take a walk on the beach. And as soon as we got closer to the waters edge we had to start dodging the dead man-of-war stranded on the beach. I asked Karen if we were okay walking through them and she said we had nothing to worry about. This statement from Karen kind of surprised me because I knew she had been stung by this tiny creature in Hawaii and had a pretty bad scare with the pain traveling up her leg.

So we walked on. Made it to the rocks on the south end of the beach and headed back constantly watching our step to avoid the dead man-of-war. Halfway back I suddenly felt this stinging sensation on my left foot so I looked down but saw nothing. Then the stinging started traveling across my foot up to my ankle and that's when I realized I had one of the clear tentacles wrapped around my foot. My first reaction was to kick it off, which was a mistake because it was a long tentacle and the flicking motion whipped it up in the air and it swiped my right inner thigh and then my right ankle. Luckily Karen knew what to do after her experience in Hawaii, and she said "Grab a sea shell and scrap the tentacles out. Just don't rub." I was in luck because I had just picked up two sea shells so I handed one to Karen and I sat down and we started scrapping. But the burning sensation was getting worse, and it wasn't until a few minutes later I realized the tentacle was still wrapped around my foot--it was so clear I couldn't see it for the longest time. So I continued to scrap it off and as soon as it was gone the burning wasn't as bad. Karen then asked "Do you have to pee?" Of course I didn't, I was in pain!

What are you always told to do if you get stung by a man-of-war or jelly fish? Pee on it! It sounds pretty disgusting, but the burning sensation is so bad that you are willing to try anything. So we walk as quickly as we could back to Karen's house for a homemade remedy. There is nothing like getting closer to your mother-in-law than having her pee into a jar and pour it all over your feet. I must admit, it did make me gag, but as soon as the urine hit my feet the burning stopped and the little white bumps started to disappear. Urinating on it really works! She then poured some vinegar on it and we later put baking soda on it and within an hour the burning was gone and you wouldn't even know I had been stung if you looked at my feet today.

So, if you ever get stung by a Portuguese man-of-war take my advice and urinate on it. Thanks Karen!

What people will do to help out a community--it's amazing!

San Pancho's community continues to amaze me with how they pull together to help raise awareness about crucial issues in our lives. I was fortunate enough to speak with such a woman who brought 10 of her dental hygiene students from British Columbia to San Pancho to offer free clinics and oral hygiene education to children and residents of San Pancho. Below is the article that was published in last week's issue of La Voz de San Pancho. Enjoy!

Raising Awareness of Dental Hygiene Care in San Pancho

May is upon us and the number of visiting tourists is starting to dwindle here in San Pancho. Despite this usual seasonal downturn in population, Roberto's Bungalows has been booked solid for the past few weeks. However, these guests most certainly do not fit the standard profile of vacationing visitors. La Voz caught up with Ada Barker who explained the reason why she and ten of her dental students are here for 30 days.

Turned onto our town by resident Glades Huizar, Ada has spearheaded an annual trip to San Pancho with very generous philanthropic intentions. Ada's group are all part of a dental hygiene program at Camosun College out of British Columbia. Their three year commitment to the program comes to a close after returning home from San Pancho when the 10 students will graduate from the program. After their time here, they will take their licensed board exam and become eligible to apply to the University of British Columbia to complete the fourth and final year of their Bachelor of Dental Science (Dental Hygiene) degree. The welcomed services they provide to San Pancho fulfill partial requirements for their graduation.

Visiting all of the schools here in town and performing oral health education, the group also does screenings for any anomalies that happen in the mouth for children. "Once we do that, we give information to the children along with their screening form of what they need to do in the future to have healthy teeth," says Ada. "If there is decay we mark it on a diagram and show it to their parents so their parents can take it to their dentist for future cleanings." Services are also offered at the San Pancho Hospital on the weekends. And all patients are examined for free. Periodontal problems like gingivitis are identified during the cleaning as well as investigations of blood pressure levels and screening for diabetes.

"We are more preventative based, and here to educate children about their teeth and removal of contributing factors of infection" says Ada. The industry as a whole is finding a direct link to oral health and body health. "We really want to increase awareness in that regard. If people have infections in their mouth it affects their body. It's about assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation and that is what we do with every client."

"The students have done an outstanding job of gathering donations from Dentist offices in Victoria to prepare for this trip. Offices have donated toothbrushes, dental floss, and fluoride among other things to provide after each cleaning" says Ada. "I'm very proud of the work they did to prepare for this trip and the way they have conducted themselves here in San Pancho. It's a pleasure for me to work with such a great team."

Ada got the idea to implement this program here in San Pancho back in 2004 when she was vacationing here. "I talked to the director at the San Pancho Hospital and had to get a memorandum of understanding that stated that the hospital and our institution will work together to provide education and awareness to local residents about dental hygiene care. Our first group of seven students was able to come in 2007." The clinic has grown ever since and even experiences return clients. "One of the most positive things we've seen is that people's oral health is improving and that is great," smiles Ada.

There exhaustive efforts and charitable visit does not consist of strictly work. "We have had a chance to explore the area. We went snorkeling around the Marietta Islands, we visited the La Penita market, and Sayulita too," says Ada. "We are so thankful to the people here for accepting what we do and receiving us so well. We are here with the best intentions and want to learn about the Mexican culture and about ourselves. I hope the people of the town continue to welcome us for many more years to come."

To read more about their experiences in San Pancho you can visit their blog.

Preparing for Summer

The high season appears to be over in San Pancho. The tourists have slowly dwindled in the past month and you'll be lucky to find one or two groups walking the streets, eating at one of the restaurants, or hanging out at the beach.

So, it's time for us to hunker down for the summer--which really means me preparing myself for the heat and humidity and making sure the A/C works--and take advantage of the summer months to prepare for next season.

We have a lot of "projects" going on right now. Between Panchito's Bar, SanPanchoLife.com and Living Arquitectura, we are busy trying to figure out how to make a living in paradise. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but now that the slow season is here reality has sunk in and I'm a bit freaked out about cash flow. So we are going to take advantage of the next few months to reflect on this past year, how business has been for the bar, what we need to do to improve it, and how to make our other two jobs successful. Wish us luck!