Tokyo Dad

Growing your own food

My wife and I used to grow our own vegetables, herbs and fruits, but since our son was born we haven't been doing much. Recently, we've decided to start growing again and are thinking of hiring a plot of land for the purpose (our garden is tiny and ground rental is pretty cheap in our city).

Growing your own food is brilliant. Not only does it save money, it tastes great, you know exactly how it's been produced and there's an enormous sense of satisfaction when you've done it. Hopefully, if we do get a plot of land it'll be relatively close to our house so that we'll be able to go and pick things that will be on our table pretty quickly. Smaller stuff like herbs we plan to continue growing at home and we also plan to plant a couple of fruit trees, probably satsuma and persimmon as these are the two we seem to eat the most of. Plants are OK to have on a hired piece of land, but it would be nice to have the trees at home - if only for the fact that I love trees.

I plan to record our progress, or lack thereof, and recommend growing food to anybody. Even if you haven't got any land or you're not particularly green-fingered, herbs like mint and basil are really easy to grow and can be grown in small pots.

Running man

It's amazing to see our son running about. He runs with a massive smile on his face and has a really natural style of running. Hopefully we'll be able to go running together one day as I'm now pretty into running myself.

Baby Fever

Our son has had a fever for the last couple of days, which has left him a bit lethargic and not as lively as he usually is. It's horrible to watch, to be honest, and I feel so sorry for him.

My wife took him to the doctor, but it didn't really help – he just said that he had a fever, but it wasn't flu. Well, I could have told you he had a fever! Apparently, the flu jabs aren't ready yet, which I find extraordinary. The whole affair isn't helped by the fact that I spend most of my days surrounded by people coughing and sneezing, whether on the train or in the office. Some people seem to think that going to work when they're sick shows how dedicated they are to their jobs. It doesn't, it just shows that you have no common sense and don't give a toss who you pass your germs on to. Stay at home.

As for my son, he seems better today – his temperature has come down and he's been trying to go outside and run around, which is a great sign. Hopefully he'll be back to his boisterous self very soon.

Ningen Dock - It's Getting Better

I had my second annual full health check-up recently (called ningen dock here in Japan) and received the results the other day. Thankfully, it was good news. (You can read about my experience at the ningen dock last year here.)

Having tried and failed to give up smoking a number of times, I finally gave up completely - not even the odd 'cheeky' one - back in May and gave up drinking completely at the same time. I also embarked on a regime of exercise which includes running three or four times a week, cycling once or twice a week and practising Muay Thai once a week. Even though I feel much better in mysef - fitter and more energetic - and my beer belly has all but gone, it's impossible to know if such lifestyle changes really affect your health unless you have proof from a doctor, and now I've got it.

Not only has my cholestorol level dropped considerably, my liver and kidneys are much healthier, my muscle tone has improved markedly, my blood is in better condition, my heart is much healthier, my bone mass has increased and my lung capacity has also greatly increased. This is in less than six months! Not surprisingly, this is a very nice surprise and it has doubled my desire to remain healthy and remain cigarette and alcohol free.

Tax on Cigarettes in Japan

The new government here is Japan is finally thinking about increasing the tax on cigarettes by between 1 yen and 10 yen per cigarette. I think this is a brilliant idea, although I'm hoping that the extra tax would be used to fund welfare programmes or health care, not more roads...

Cigarettes are seriously cheap in Japan - nearly four times cheaper than my native UK and about three times cheaper than in France or the US (as was reported in the paper the other day). I find this extraordinary and considering the amount of people who get cancer every year as a result of smoking, I am still stunned at the attitudes to smoking here. Until very recently, you could literally smoke anywhere in Japan and no-smoking areas in restaurants or coffee shops were not separated - in fact, they were often situated in such a way that you had to walk through the smoking area to get to them. This has improved drastically, I must say, in the last five years or so, and many streets in central Tokyo are now smoke-free, which is great, especially for parents.

While they're at it, why not increase tax on other stuff, like alcohol and luxury items, and remove it from necessities such as children's clothes and basic, essential food items?

Milestones in Health and Running

I've been keeping a little tally of my running milestones for a few reasons, the main ones being that it's easy to see if I'm actually getting better/fitter and another being that they provide a great deal of satisfaction and motivation when I reach one.

When I started running back in May/June, I found it hard to run for much over a kilometre without stopping or feeling like my heart was about to punch its way through my ribcage. Getting over that hurdle was the first, and perhaps most satisfying. Within a couple of months, I could quite comfortably run 3km, albeit at a snail's pace.

My next milestone, therefore, came in August (I think) when I found that I could run 5km without having to stop to rest - or receive CPR...

My first barefoot milestone was also in August, when I completed my first full barefoot run. I then gave barefoot trail running a bash and started running in the morning.

Somebody must have thought I was getting a bit too cocky, though, because the next milestone was not a particularly pleasant one: an Achilles injury. Thankfully, that seems to have healed and my next milestone was a major one for me - my first 10km run! I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I am now capable of running 10km (not barefoot, yet...).

So what's the point of this post? Well, I passed another milestone today as I ran 3km in under 15 minutes, which (I think) is a first for me. Now I know that 3km in 15 minutes is not exactly a scorching pace, but not so long ago it would have probably taken me twice that, if I was even able to go that far. I wasn't even planning it; I just noticed the time after I had finished the run. All in all, I'm pretty pleased. Incidentally, I ran in my Vibram FiveFingers KSOs this morning.

The milestone I'm most proud of at the moment, though, is less to do with running and more to do with health in general: I've been off alcohol and cigarettes for six months - pretty good for somebody who used to drink and smoke quite heavily on a daily basis.

Muay Thai Training

Tonight will see me back in the gym enjoying a sport I've recently taken up in earnest: Muay Thai.

For those who don't know, Muay Thai is otherwise known as Thai kickboxing and is a tremendous amount of fun! Don't get me wrong, it's tough, but I highly recommend it - not only does it improve stamina and balance, it is also a fantastic workout - especially for the core - and excellent for self-defence.

I'm lucky enough to be training under Masaaki Kato, the former Martial Arts Japan Kickboxing Federation Junior Lightweight champion, WMTA South Pacific Super Lightweight champion and WPMF World Welterweight champion, who is a brilliant (and patient) teacher, but even if you can't secure the services of a former world champion, I still recommend Muay Thai as an excellent addition to any fitness regime.

Japanese Low Alcohol and No-Alcohol Beers

As somebody who no longer drinks alcohol, but likes the taste of beer, I'm glad that a couple of low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers have been released in Japan. Actually, neither of them are technically 'beer', but they taste OK. My favourite is ポイントワン (point one) from Asahi which, as the name suggests, contains 0.1% alcohol. It is somewhat unappetisingly labelled as a 'beer taste carbonated beverage', but I suppose that's what it is and it tastes fine.

The other is Kirin Free, which is being advertised by pro tennis player Kimiko Date. This drink contains absolutely no alcohol and is also very palatable.

I'd recommend both if you want to avoid drinking alcohol, but enjoy beer.

Che Guevara, Life and Being a Father

I've just read Ernesto 'Che' Guevara's book, The Motorcycle Diaries, and a line from it really got me thinking: "Some give the impression they go on living only because it's a habit they cannot shake."

It got me thinking about life in general and my life in particular. As sporadically chronicled here, I am attempting to improve my health by running, cycling and, more recently, doing Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing). I have also stopped drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, started drinking a lot more water and am trying to make general improvements to my overall diet. Next, I want to make some changes in my work situation so that I can spend more time with my family. I don't want to simply stumble through life anymore trapped in circumstances that I am not happy in (my job). To that end, I continue to study (law, linguistics and Japanese) and I am taking certain other steps to hopefully effect some substantial changes by the end of this year/the beginning of next year.

Basically, I want my family to be happy and content, and a big part of this is making myself happy and content. I'm not unhappy – far from it – my family is wonderful, I have a nice house and a reasonably well-paid job. I shouldn't complain? Possibly, but you only get one crack at this life (as far as I know) so why spend most of it in a job or circumstances that you don't like? My brother-in-law is suffering from depression brought on by overwork and my father-in-law is recovering from cancer, a strong contributing factor being the stress of his job (I should, however, point out that my father-in-law loves his job).

How many of us go about our daily routine without really thinking about it? Are we living out of habit? Have we become more domesticated than the animals we keep as pets? There is much more to life than getting up, going to work, going home and going to bed. I have always thought so, but I have found myself falling into this 'safe' little routine. One of the many, many wonderful things that I have learnt since becoming a father is that there is wonder in everything and that one should never just blindly accept things. Another major thing I have learnt is that things change quickly. The trick is being able to change with them.

Exercise: Keeping it Up

Throughout my life I have been the kind of person who exercises sporadically but never really keeps it up. To be honest, I think most people are similar. Basically, it's easier not to exercise. It is much easier to sit in front of the TV (or in a bar) with a beer and a few snacks than it is to go running.

I started running a while ago and was really getting into it, but then the annual nightmare of hay fever hit me and I stopped - it was simply too uncomfortable to run while sneezing incessantly and dealing with itchy eyes. And for a few weeks after the worst of it was over, I found myself slipping back into going for a beer (or five) rather than going for a run. I noticed that I was getting out of breath easier and my trousers were getting a little tighter...

So I got back into it. I had to snap myself out of my lethargy and force myself to go, and I am very thankful I did. I'm feeling much better now - my body is beginning to change shape (in a good way!), I'm sleeping better, I have more energy throughout the day and I'm feeling better. Not drinking alcohol is helping with my stamina, as is drinking lots of water, so I really hope that I can keep it up this time

15 Reasons Why Water is Good

Everybody knows that water is good for you. Our bodies are about 60% water and if we don't get enough of it we, well…die. Humans can survive up to three weeks without food, which I can't imagine being very pleasant, but only up to three days without water. Not convinced yet? Most places will give you ten reasons why water is good. Hah! I'll give you fifteen:

1. Get healthy skin. Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. It helps to maintain elasticity and suppleness – so those wrinkles won't be quite so pronounced – and helps prevent the skin from drying out or cracking. After only a couple of weeks of increased water intake, my skin is noticeably better

2. Flush toxins. Anything that helps get rid of the crap in your body is a good thing – and water does a great job of getting rid of crap. Water lessens the burden on your kidneys and liver (beer doesn't…)

3. Lose weight. People often confuse thirst with hunger. If you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first and wait a few minutes – you may notice your hunger pangs subsiding. Also, as water is flushing you out, it helps shift fat.

4. Reduce your risk of a heart attack. All the more reason to add more water to your diet

5. Increase your energy. Being properly hydrated means that your body can work more effectively, which results in less energy being needed for essential tasks. It's only been a couple of weeks since I upped my water intake, but there has been a marked increase in my energy and stamina levels. I no longer get drowsy during the day and I can comfortably run for thirty minutes or more without feeling tired or wanting to walk.

6. Lubricate your joints and muscles. Drinking water before and after exercise – also during if you are exercising for a long time – helps to reduce muscle cramping and gets lubrication to your joints.

7. Improve digestion. Water even lubricates the places you would probably rather not think about – your guts. Getting enough water can prevent constipation by adding fluid to the colon and bulk to your bum waste, making bowel movements softer and easier to pass. Fancy a sandwich now? Being a vegetarian, I've never been one to take a newspaper into the toilet and pray for the best, but it all helps.

8. It's cheap. Tap water is practically free and buying bottled water is generally cheaper than buying soft drinks and alcohol, unless you go for those ridiculously overpriced 'designer' waters. If you do buy these very expensive brands of water, give yourself a slap. A hard slap. Then buy a cheaper version. It's still water, and it's still good for you.

9. Regulate your body temperature. When you get hot, you sweat. In order to sweat, you need some fluid in your body.

10. Stay healthy. Water can help reduce you chances of developing all sorts of horrible things, from kidney stones to bladder and urinary tract infections.

11. Recover quicker. Doctors don't just tell you to 'drink lots of fluids' for the sake of it, it's advice that works. Water can help control a fever, replace lost fluids, and stop making you feel like you have bathed in mucus.

12. You can surf in it! And surfing is a good thing. A very good thing

13. You can swim in it. If surfing isn't your thing, swimming is a wonderful form of exercise.

14. Drinking water helps to save the planet. Probably.

15. You can throw it at people. Using a water pistol or a water balloon need not lose its appeal just because you are no longer five years old. (Having kids is a great excuse to muck around with water - at least I'm hoping so…).

Adventures in Teetotalism

I have abstained from drinking before, but I'm increasingly feeling like I want to make the abstinence permanent. I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family, getting fit, working on my studies and putting more effort into my personal business endeavours.

I have tended to spend rather a lot of time in bars, therefore these four things have become somewhat neglected, which is not really acceptable.It has only been five days since I had a drink, but I am already noticing a difference in my body: my skin is looking lighter, I feel much brighter in the morning and I have more energy. If I can notice this after five days, I hope that I will notice a lot more in the coming months, particularly as I exercise more and watch my diet.

I was considering continuing to drink red wine as it is supposed to be good for you but, from what I can gather, it seems that red grape juice is just as good for you in that department (and will remove the temptation to get wasted!).I think it will be nice to be the kind of person who can say 'I don't drink or smoke.' I'll get cheaper life insurance, too…

Start the Day with a Smile

As per most days, this morning I travelled on three crowded trains to complete my one hour twenty minute commute to work in central Tokyo . I stood next to men on consecutive trains who glared at people who brushed up against them, complained when people bumped into them and looked generally miserable. The trains are very crowded, so getting bumped into is pretty much a given. Sometimes it pisses you off, but what can you do? Well, you can basically do one of two things:

1)  Let it piss you off.

2)  Ignore it.

I used to let it piss me off, but what's the point? If it really becomes intolerable then the only thing left to do is get a new job which doesn't require commuting by train. Today I just took it in my stride, tried to keep smiling and enjoyed reading about England beating France in the Six Nations.

Smiling definitely makes you feel better. I woke up this morning with my nose bunged up because of hay fever and feeling drowsy because I hadn't slept very well (again due to hay fever). As I opened my eyes, however, I was greeted by the smiling face of my eight-month-old son, who then reached over and touched my face. Naturally, this made me smile and made me feel instantly better. I decided right then to maintain that smile throughout the day.

And so it was that one hour later I was on a train standing next to a scowling man who tutted every time anybody did anything that he found remotely annoying: accidentally brush his arm when putting a bag on the luggage rack – glare; check your mobile phone – tut and glare; stand anywhere near him – glare. It seemed that he was actively seeking things to complain about and going out of his way to start an argument. When we changed trains, he barged his way past people, glaring as he went. On the next train, another man was doing similar things and muttering under his breath about how 'rude' people are. The fact that he was taking up loads of space with his newspaper opened out didn't seem to register…

Both of these people will probably be irritated all day – they perhaps are every day.

Today I ignored the little petty annoyances and smiled. I have a lot to smile about. I've got a wonderful family, a nice house, a new car and my health. I may not love my job, but at least I've got one. The train didn't crash. It didn't blow up. There wasn't an earthquake. Or a flood.

I've decided that every day should start with a smile and that one should smile throughout the day. Try it – you'll feel better.

And when I get in bed tonight, I hope to fall asleep with a smile on my face (and not just because tomorrow is a holiday).

Running Diary

My running diary for this week:

Sunday: 4.5k
Wednesday: 3.5k
Friday: 3k
Saturday: 4k

Total: 15k

OK, that doesn't make me Superman, but I'm getting there.

On top of the running, I also walk and cycle around 3k every day as part of my commute to work (which includes about 15 flights of stairs each way) and go walking with my son whenever I can - carrying a 9kg baby is great exercise and a great way to spend time together!

Running Diary

As I have said, I am getting back into running now and I have started to record when I go and how far I go. As I've just got started again I am doing things slowly, but to give an example, this is my running diary for the last two weeks:

Sun- 3.5k (plus 30 min walk with my son)
Tue- 2.5k
Wed- 1.5k (plus 1k walk)

Sun- 4.5k (plus 20 min walk with my son)
Wed- 3k
Sat- 5k

As you can see, it's pretty sporadic due to working, studying and wanting to spend time with my family. The good thing about keeping a diary, however, is that it really does motivate you to go out more.

5 Tips to Get You Up and Running

I have previously written about my ongoing battle to be fit, but I finally seem to be getting really into it. I have loved cycling ever since I was a nipper, so getting on my bike has never been a problem for me. Not so with running. I have gone through multiple attempts at running programmes, only to find myself hating it and giving up every time. Now, for the first time in my life, I am actually enjoying running and look forward to going.

Why the change? Well, these five things have greatly helped me to not only tolerate running, but actually enjoy it. If you’re thinking of starting running, have tried, failed and berated yourself for it, or are slightly curious about running, hopefully these five tips will help you not only get up and running, but help you continue.

1) Don’t do too much (start slowly).

The best thing to put you off running is to do too much, too fast. If you haven’t done much – or any – running before, trying to sprint 5km on your first time out is just going to leave you feeling sick, or in a hospital bed clutching your chest. Start off by walking, interspersing it with a little light jogging if you feel up to it. Do this for a while until you start to feel fitter, then concentrate more on running. By ‘running’ I don’t mean sprinting: find a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation (oft repeated advice because it is such good advice). Start off by doing around 10-15 minute walk/runs and then build up gradually to 20-30 minute runs or more.

2) Warm up and cool down.

Launching straight into a run without warming up will make you feel like crap – you will gasp for breath and your muscles will want to cramp up. Start off by walking for a couple of minutes (maybe more if you are new to running or the weather is cold) and then slowly build up to the pace you are comfortable with. This will help your body prepare itself for exercise as your body temperature and heart rate will rise. You should feel warm before you start running. Similarly, when you are about to finish, slow down to walking pace and then stretch for a couple of minutes. You will feel much better and your body will thank you for this simple preparation.

3) Wear comfortable clothes.

You might think this is obvious, but you can see many people doing other forms exercise in clothes that are totally unsuitable. Wear something light and comfortable that allows maximum movement. In cold weather, you may want to wear a few layers of light clothing which you can take off and put back on if necessary. Remember that running puts a lot of stress on your joints, so you will need well-cushioned, supportive running shoes. These need not be expensive, but make sure they fit properly and are comfortable. Ask shop staff at a decent sports store for advice.

4) Listen to something.

I take an iPod Shuffle with me when I go running now and I have found it to be a Godsend. Previously, I found the monotonous sound of my feet hitting the ground and the sound of my panting very annoying, hence I quit running on many occasions. Now, I can listen to music and enjoy what I am doing. While I don’t want to endorse any product, you should keep whatever device you choose (be it a radio, MP3 player or whatever) light – the last thing you want is some bulky thing strapped to you or, worse, clattering about in your pocket. If you don’t fancy listening to music, use the time to think about stuff. Actively thinking while running makes the time fly by and helps you to become more constructive. (It is, of course, possible to combine the two – this is what I do. The music helps me to focus more on my thoughts.)

WARNING: Use music devices with caution as they may render you unaware of dangers around you. Do not use any music device if you are near roads and traffic.

5) Monitor your progress.

Write down the days you go running and how long/far you ran. Note how much of the time you spend walking and running. Look at yourself in the mirror and weigh yourself. Try those clothes on that wouldn’t fit because your midriff has expanded. You will notice the changes. You will start to feel better, more alert and more energetic. You will start to look better. Congratulate yourself. Don’t berate yourself if you miss a session and don’t be too rigid in your programme – we all lead busy lives in one way or another. Be flexible and enjoy it. You will begin to enjoy it. Keep it up and think about introducing other sports into your life – find things that you can share with your family, partner or friends.

Chrysanthemum Tea

On a recent trip to Hong Kong I was introduced to a tea which I have never tried before - chrysanthemum tea. It has a light, refreshing taste, which was quite a surprise as I expected it to taste a bit like perfume due to it being a flower. I grew very fond of it over the few days I was there and when I got back to Japan I went out in search of it. Unsurprisingly, it is not available in supermarkets, but I did find it in a specialist tea shop near my house and bought some.

Apparently it is very good for your liver and contains no caffeine. Like a number of other Chinese teas, it is also good to drink with oily food, as it helps your body process the oil more effectively and thus you won't turn into a porker quite so easily (apparently). All the more reason to drink it, quite aside from the fact that it tastes very nice.

Getting Fit: Part Twenty

For possibly the twentieth year in a row (that might be a slight exaggeration, but not much) I have resolved to 'get fit'. I use the poncey little quotation marks because I never really define what 'fit' actually is and how I should attain it, hence the fact that I try to reach this nebulous target every year.

Well this year I have an aim: the Extremo Adventure Race. There are a number of different races, which include orienteering, trekking, mountain biking and rafting, covering a distance of around 80km. This may seem like an enormous challenge, but I love cycling, trekking and being outdoors and I am trying to learn to like running. Learning orienteering has been one of my aims for many years, so now is my chance. I'm going to try to train whenever possible and together with two friends (both of whom have already started training) we hope to at least finish the race.

To help with my training and general fitness aims, I shall be once again consulting Sir Ranulph Fiennes' excellent Fit For Life: Fit for Life: Reach Your Personal Best - And Stay There

ラジオ体操 - Radio Exercises

This is something that even after nearly a decade in the country I find a little bizarre: Every morning (even afternoon or evening), up and down the country, people of all ages and persuasions perform exercises along to music. It is known as ラジオ体操 (rajio taiso) and although I think it's a wonderful thing to encourage people to exercise, when I arrive at the the office every morning and see a bunch of plump office workers half-heartedly going through the motions before waddling off for a cigarette, I can't help but think that they're missing the point. I still can't bring myself to do it. Maybe in the comfort of my own home would be OK, but in front of my desk? Hmm...

Fancy a go? Here's your chance...

Eat Slower, Be Slimmer

Well, OK, it might not be quite that simple, but new research suggests that how fast you eat something could be the key to beating obesity.

This does not mean, however, that eating fourteen hamburgers, ten donuts and a couple of cakes for lunch very, very slowly is going to help you stay slim.

Read all about it on the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7681458.stm