Yep, Grandbaby number three will be here in November. Yippie!
This brings to mind how important it is to get and then remain healthy. I'm still shopping for a bicycle to ride this summer while my oldest grandchild spends a couple weeks with us. At only 5 feet, I'm challenged by the lovely tall "adult" sized bikes and am not real excited about getting a strawberry shortcake sized bike. All kidding aside, have you folks out in cyber land priced a bike lately? Holy Cow!
Only two more weeks, and I get my thumb cast off. That will be wonderful. I had no idea how dependent I was on my dominant hand nor how important the thumb is to my activities of daily living. How incredibly difficult it is to manage ordinary actions minus the use of the thumb. Also, my "other" hand and arm are tired.
Next week, labs then I'll begin the gradual changeover from everyday ordinary American diet to healthier more vegetarian oriented whole and green diet. I am seriously hoping the change will be easy and that my family will cooperate. I have in the interim been preparing a whole and green dish once a week or so as a side to the usual foods eaten here. Hopefully, the gradual removal of such things as pizza, chips, etc. can be accomplished with a minimum of withdrawal symptoms.
Let me know how you, the cyber public have experienced personal and family dietary changes.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Bi-Polar Weather Behavior
We had a doozy of a first day of spring--it came in mildish, overcast, some drizzle and light rain, temperatures dropped a bit, rain became sleet, then transitioned into snow. HUGE WET FLUFFY SNOW FLAKES! Then some cycling back and forth between sleet and snow, ending finally with rain. Gee it was incredibly beautiful, again. Between 6 and 13.5 inches of snow in northwest Arkansas. I have actually forgotten how many snows we've had during the winter seasons this time. Heh heh.
At any rate, day before snow it was in 60s and warm and lovely. Kids at work played outside and folks wore tee shirts, and flip flops. Then the cold and fluffy. Today, nice and warm again, close to upper 50s, most of snow on sunny side of buildings gone, still hanging around in northern sides and under trees. Tomorrow in 70s and all will be gone for winter 09-10.
These frequent weather flip flopping (not related to shower shoes) events got me wondering to my hubby tonight over salad supper at McAllister's Restaurant --not such a good meal this time-- that similar to people experiencing bi-polar problems, the weather has certainly been experiencing some ups and downs. I wonder if we can give it a pill? All kidding aside, have you been thinking along the same lines as I have? That the weather is acting weird these days?
I have purchased "Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution," (Steven R. Gundry, MD, FACS, FACC. He is a somewhat controversial fellow who suggested that rather than tax sodas, the government tax fat people. BUT he is an incredibly brilliant cardiac surgeon without whom many people would have died. So I decided to read his book which I purchased from Amazon and really, it is worthwhile reading if you are curious about why things happen health-wise to you.
I have always liked to research whatever my physician told me just so I WOULD KNOW what he was talking about and could help watch my health myself. Hence the heal yourself thing I am attempting now. As a matter of fact, I am planning on becom9ing a guinea pig and begin his diet soon. First however, I am going to use up the foods in my pantry, refrigerator and freezer. I just cannot see wasting money that we have to work hard for and not use up the foods. I am also going to meet with my physician and have the recommended lab tests performed in order to determine if indeed, this diet is successful for my health. And then, begin I will. My anticipated date will be mid to late April to begin. I will keep you, health nut readers fully informed.
Please, as always, share your comments so that we all will learn about our health and wellness by benefiting from the experiences of others.
My Gut Reaction? We will see. As my parents generation always said, "the proof is in the pudding."
At any rate, day before snow it was in 60s and warm and lovely. Kids at work played outside and folks wore tee shirts, and flip flops. Then the cold and fluffy. Today, nice and warm again, close to upper 50s, most of snow on sunny side of buildings gone, still hanging around in northern sides and under trees. Tomorrow in 70s and all will be gone for winter 09-10.
These frequent weather flip flopping (not related to shower shoes) events got me wondering to my hubby tonight over salad supper at McAllister's Restaurant --not such a good meal this time-- that similar to people experiencing bi-polar problems, the weather has certainly been experiencing some ups and downs. I wonder if we can give it a pill? All kidding aside, have you been thinking along the same lines as I have? That the weather is acting weird these days?
I have purchased "Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution," (Steven R. Gundry, MD, FACS, FACC. He is a somewhat controversial fellow who suggested that rather than tax sodas, the government tax fat people. BUT he is an incredibly brilliant cardiac surgeon without whom many people would have died. So I decided to read his book which I purchased from Amazon and really, it is worthwhile reading if you are curious about why things happen health-wise to you.
I have always liked to research whatever my physician told me just so I WOULD KNOW what he was talking about and could help watch my health myself. Hence the heal yourself thing I am attempting now. As a matter of fact, I am planning on becom9ing a guinea pig and begin his diet soon. First however, I am going to use up the foods in my pantry, refrigerator and freezer. I just cannot see wasting money that we have to work hard for and not use up the foods. I am also going to meet with my physician and have the recommended lab tests performed in order to determine if indeed, this diet is successful for my health. And then, begin I will. My anticipated date will be mid to late April to begin. I will keep you, health nut readers fully informed.
Please, as always, share your comments so that we all will learn about our health and wellness by benefiting from the experiences of others.
My Gut Reaction? We will see. As my parents generation always said, "the proof is in the pudding."
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Allergies Anyone?
Okay, yes it is true, I have allergies. I have ALWAYS had allergies as far back as the age of 5, when my parents were transferred back to the US of A from Germany, I have had a miserable time with allergies. When we arrived in the US, in central Alabama, I learned about misery. Don't get me wrong, I had had some rough times with illnesses when we lived in Germany. But day in and day out constant misery, I had not experienced.
For example, I remember clearly, when running wild in Germany as a child, the sense of exhilaration of running around playing all day long, climbing trees, seeing the incredibly beautiful country we lived in and loving every minute of my existence there. There were amazing golden yellow blooms on some shrubs that I dearly loved to see each summer that I called butter cups, I loved the cattle that I called coos, I loved the onion dome churches, the quaint villages, the sheep, the mountains, the kinder theater and children's opera on Saturday, the marvelous bugs like the metallic green flies in our quarters stairwell windows and the frightful looking stag horn type beetles - oh so scary! I spoke German like my native born nanny and wept when we left her to return to the states because I loved her so dearly. My love for Germany is as strong as ever.
Alabama was a pretty enough place to live. It was hot and green with nice hills, no mountains. I started 1st grade in a private school because I didn't speak English well enough to go to public school and then I repeated 1st grade to attend public school after a year of learning American ways and English. So funny. But I had a Shetland pony, I was so happy.
But my misery was all the time. I could not go outside in summer when the red clover was in bloom as my eyes would actually swell up so bad they shut, then were glued together with secretions. My ears and nose and eyes itched constantly. I had awful congestion. Then there were the hives. I had huge angry red whelts or swellings all over my body, no little hives but ginormous things. Asthma. I was on adult strength allergy medicines all the time and lived in a sort of half aware sleepy state. To tell the truth, the dream state really interfered with my ability to do so much and to set memories. Most of those days remain a fog.
Then the allergy desensitization programs began. Oh dear, you would not want to endure what I did in the tests and treatments. I endured allergy shots sometimes up to 4 a week until I was 28 years old. When I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I experienced a complete anaphylactic shock reaction in the doctor's office to one of my weekly allergy shots, I died--literally my heart and lungs stopped. Finally, at 28, the current allergist said it was pointless to continue as I just could not ever be brought up to maintenance strength shots, that he thought the episode of anaphylactic shock had made it impossible to proceed to success.
So for nearly 50 years, I have lived on antihistamines and decongestants, and for 22 years I took allergy shots. I still have allergies and some other things that go along with them. Now, with my promise to myself to find alternative ways to heal myself, I am in the process of researching how to reduce my allergy problems without resorting to powerful mind numbing medications that only numb me while reducing my symptoms but not curing me. This means I'll be heading to the health food store tomorrow to begin learning about natural methods of reducing the misery. I will tell you all about my allergy explorations as this trip unfolds for this past week the pollen counts have been in the medium to high range and rising higher daily here in Northwest Arkansas and my sinuses, eyes, and nose are letting me know to get ready for misery with itchy red-eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing, ear itching, etc.
Happily will I share my experiences with you my dear Health Nut readers in the high hopes that I can help you avoid some allergic symptoms and misery and perhaps you in turn will make comment on my research with kernels of wisdom you have found in your own lives. Or at the very least give you something to laugh about and feel somewhat luckier than me.
My Gut Reaction? Is it cheating to take Claritin?
For example, I remember clearly, when running wild in Germany as a child, the sense of exhilaration of running around playing all day long, climbing trees, seeing the incredibly beautiful country we lived in and loving every minute of my existence there. There were amazing golden yellow blooms on some shrubs that I dearly loved to see each summer that I called butter cups, I loved the cattle that I called coos, I loved the onion dome churches, the quaint villages, the sheep, the mountains, the kinder theater and children's opera on Saturday, the marvelous bugs like the metallic green flies in our quarters stairwell windows and the frightful looking stag horn type beetles - oh so scary! I spoke German like my native born nanny and wept when we left her to return to the states because I loved her so dearly. My love for Germany is as strong as ever.
Alabama was a pretty enough place to live. It was hot and green with nice hills, no mountains. I started 1st grade in a private school because I didn't speak English well enough to go to public school and then I repeated 1st grade to attend public school after a year of learning American ways and English. So funny. But I had a Shetland pony, I was so happy.
But my misery was all the time. I could not go outside in summer when the red clover was in bloom as my eyes would actually swell up so bad they shut, then were glued together with secretions. My ears and nose and eyes itched constantly. I had awful congestion. Then there were the hives. I had huge angry red whelts or swellings all over my body, no little hives but ginormous things. Asthma. I was on adult strength allergy medicines all the time and lived in a sort of half aware sleepy state. To tell the truth, the dream state really interfered with my ability to do so much and to set memories. Most of those days remain a fog.
Then the allergy desensitization programs began. Oh dear, you would not want to endure what I did in the tests and treatments. I endured allergy shots sometimes up to 4 a week until I was 28 years old. When I was in 3rd or 4th grade, I experienced a complete anaphylactic shock reaction in the doctor's office to one of my weekly allergy shots, I died--literally my heart and lungs stopped. Finally, at 28, the current allergist said it was pointless to continue as I just could not ever be brought up to maintenance strength shots, that he thought the episode of anaphylactic shock had made it impossible to proceed to success.
So for nearly 50 years, I have lived on antihistamines and decongestants, and for 22 years I took allergy shots. I still have allergies and some other things that go along with them. Now, with my promise to myself to find alternative ways to heal myself, I am in the process of researching how to reduce my allergy problems without resorting to powerful mind numbing medications that only numb me while reducing my symptoms but not curing me. This means I'll be heading to the health food store tomorrow to begin learning about natural methods of reducing the misery. I will tell you all about my allergy explorations as this trip unfolds for this past week the pollen counts have been in the medium to high range and rising higher daily here in Northwest Arkansas and my sinuses, eyes, and nose are letting me know to get ready for misery with itchy red-eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing, ear itching, etc.
Happily will I share my experiences with you my dear Health Nut readers in the high hopes that I can help you avoid some allergic symptoms and misery and perhaps you in turn will make comment on my research with kernels of wisdom you have found in your own lives. Or at the very least give you something to laugh about and feel somewhat luckier than me.
My Gut Reaction? Is it cheating to take Claritin?
RawCreations: More Carrot than Cheesecake
Hey Health Nuts - that's you blog readers - check this out!
RawCreations: More Carrot than Cheesecake
RawCreations: More Carrot than Cheesecake
Girls Night Out
Well, tonight Momma and I went out to the Mexican restaurant down the road from her house. My hubby and sons were all doing their own things so.....
Enchilada supper, salsa, chips, fried ice-cream and there ya go--my newly minted plan to eat healthier to get well went down the toilet.
My Gut Reaction? Guess I will try again tomorrow. Do YOU have trouble sticking to a new plan or regimen? Why do we have problems sticking to diets and resolutions? Lets have some discussion about this..
My plan for tomorrow's breakfast is a fruit and yogurt smoothie made in my Vita-Mix.
Lunch will be eating out again with Momma and son down at UofA at the Subway, I'm thinking of the kid's meal cause I like the lunch tot bags.
Supper will be homemade chili pie. I've cooked the dried beans today in the slow cooker and tomorrow will complete this meal. I'll post the recipe then cause I've not decided at this moment yet how I want to proceed (I'm not a strong recipe person, I like to cook on the fly).
Tea made in Mr. Coffee lasts all day and snacks probably will be fruit or boiled oatmeal cookies. Are you familiar with those? If you aren't, then you are missing a wonderful candy like cookie.
Enchilada supper, salsa, chips, fried ice-cream and there ya go--my newly minted plan to eat healthier to get well went down the toilet.
My Gut Reaction? Guess I will try again tomorrow. Do YOU have trouble sticking to a new plan or regimen? Why do we have problems sticking to diets and resolutions? Lets have some discussion about this..
My plan for tomorrow's breakfast is a fruit and yogurt smoothie made in my Vita-Mix.
Lunch will be eating out again with Momma and son down at UofA at the Subway, I'm thinking of the kid's meal cause I like the lunch tot bags.
Supper will be homemade chili pie. I've cooked the dried beans today in the slow cooker and tomorrow will complete this meal. I'll post the recipe then cause I've not decided at this moment yet how I want to proceed (I'm not a strong recipe person, I like to cook on the fly).
Tea made in Mr. Coffee lasts all day and snacks probably will be fruit or boiled oatmeal cookies. Are you familiar with those? If you aren't, then you are missing a wonderful candy like cookie.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I wonder how long and healthy it will be.
Okay, I admit it. I'm a backslider. My life gets chaotic and crazy and the first thing I do is eat out with my family. Not only is it financially expensive (and the money spent may even be enough to purchase health food store groceries including farm raised beef, free range poultry and eggs, and organic produce) but it wreaks havoc on my health and that of my family - at least I think it does.
I have been interested in health food since my youth and marriage in the 1970s. I met an older (ten years of so) woman at the church we attended, Judy Couvillion, who made her own fruit roll ups for her children. Since I made my own sprouts for a while in those days and had played with making my own yogurt from purchased cultures, sour dough breads, Hermann cake (wonderful!), etc. she became someone I liked and admired.
There was a nice tiny health food store in the town I lived in with my new husband on MacArthur Drive. Those were nice days. Eventually as all things do, those nice days ended. We grew older, moved away. Today, I find myself at midlife, haven't seen or spoken to Judy in hummm, at least twenty years. Wonder where she and her lovely family are. I miss them and their friendship. De Colores Judy.
At any rate, those were lovely warm and slower paced days for a while and I was in a much better place health wise. Today, my health leaves a lot to be desired. I am in a process of metamorphosis. At least in the planning stages. I have finally realized that I simply cannot continue doing as I have always done because as Doug Kaufman says, "If you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got!"
I am tired of that old story, so now it is time to finally do something different and change my story. But first I must explain what I've always done.
I have always done what the medical doctors have said to do. I have always followed their treatment plans and taken their prescriptions. And, through the years, I have found my health to have always gotten worse! Oh, for a while the initial problems appeared to improve, but I began having newer and more complicated problems which were never connected to the prescription medications! Today, I am connecting those dots.
I found that my health issues, at least according to the lists of side effects that I've down-loaded from RXList.com, and read from the literature provided with prescriptions and recently re-read, have lengthy lists of side effects that I have suffered from for years. I don't know if I could prove that the medicines are the cause of my misery, I don't care if anyone believes me or not, I believe that they are the direct causes or at least set into motion events leading to the health impairments.
I have dillied and dallied all my adult life with health food stores and foods. I've never made a commitment to live a health food lifestyle and there are so many many reasons for not making that commitment, time, money, lack of appreciation of it by my husband and family and friends, lack of convenience, scarcity of health food products where I live, etc. But today, I think the last straw has broken. During my recent winter illnesses--sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia--I endured three rounds of powerful antibiotics. Today, the conditions are improved but not gone, but in addition to the original maladies for which I was prescribed these poisons, I now have several other disturbing conditions to try to heal and somehow, they are very disturbing to my peace of mind and health.
I have followed in an on-again and off-again manner the Doug Kaufman health news program, originally "YOUR HEALTH" now "KNOW THE CAUSE" for the last few years. Actually, I have probably listened to him less than ten times a year, but what he says has always been in the back of my mind. I have purchased one of his books about the fungus link, and hope to check the others out of my local library and read them as well. I decided to follow his blog and became his fan on face-book.
Another health site I've follow for years is Mercola.com where I have learned astonishing information about medical news and research. These two men, Doug Kaufman and Joseph Mercola and their educational and informational sites have galvanized me to find a local health practitioner, accepted by our health insurance of course, with whom I can work to reduce the damages to my health that I have already endured and to overcome as much as I can the years of bad medical care I have had. This because when I called my physician to let him know of a problem that developed, I was told he was not aware of that being a side effect of the medication. Goodbye. So I stewed a week, and researched said medication then emailed my physician. Said, I was surprised he did not know of the side effect. He merely e-mailed me back saying, "That is the first I've heard of that in 10 years of prescribing that medication." I did not receive an apology nor an appointment to return and try to learn what we could do to stop the side effects, I am still most annoyed, and hence the notion has come to me to attempt to take my health care into my own hands; which means finding a physician more interested in my health and one willing to work together with me on my project, my health.
Both of these health sites can be found in my blog list. Please go and read for yourselves. At the least, you will find a useful tool.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I just wonder how long it will be.
I have been interested in health food since my youth and marriage in the 1970s. I met an older (ten years of so) woman at the church we attended, Judy Couvillion, who made her own fruit roll ups for her children. Since I made my own sprouts for a while in those days and had played with making my own yogurt from purchased cultures, sour dough breads, Hermann cake (wonderful!), etc. she became someone I liked and admired.
There was a nice tiny health food store in the town I lived in with my new husband on MacArthur Drive. Those were nice days. Eventually as all things do, those nice days ended. We grew older, moved away. Today, I find myself at midlife, haven't seen or spoken to Judy in hummm, at least twenty years. Wonder where she and her lovely family are. I miss them and their friendship. De Colores Judy.
At any rate, those were lovely warm and slower paced days for a while and I was in a much better place health wise. Today, my health leaves a lot to be desired. I am in a process of metamorphosis. At least in the planning stages. I have finally realized that I simply cannot continue doing as I have always done because as Doug Kaufman says, "If you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got!"
I am tired of that old story, so now it is time to finally do something different and change my story. But first I must explain what I've always done.
I have always done what the medical doctors have said to do. I have always followed their treatment plans and taken their prescriptions. And, through the years, I have found my health to have always gotten worse! Oh, for a while the initial problems appeared to improve, but I began having newer and more complicated problems which were never connected to the prescription medications! Today, I am connecting those dots.
I found that my health issues, at least according to the lists of side effects that I've down-loaded from RXList.com, and read from the literature provided with prescriptions and recently re-read, have lengthy lists of side effects that I have suffered from for years. I don't know if I could prove that the medicines are the cause of my misery, I don't care if anyone believes me or not, I believe that they are the direct causes or at least set into motion events leading to the health impairments.
I have dillied and dallied all my adult life with health food stores and foods. I've never made a commitment to live a health food lifestyle and there are so many many reasons for not making that commitment, time, money, lack of appreciation of it by my husband and family and friends, lack of convenience, scarcity of health food products where I live, etc. But today, I think the last straw has broken. During my recent winter illnesses--sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia--I endured three rounds of powerful antibiotics. Today, the conditions are improved but not gone, but in addition to the original maladies for which I was prescribed these poisons, I now have several other disturbing conditions to try to heal and somehow, they are very disturbing to my peace of mind and health.
I have followed in an on-again and off-again manner the Doug Kaufman health news program, originally "YOUR HEALTH" now "KNOW THE CAUSE" for the last few years. Actually, I have probably listened to him less than ten times a year, but what he says has always been in the back of my mind. I have purchased one of his books about the fungus link, and hope to check the others out of my local library and read them as well. I decided to follow his blog and became his fan on face-book.
Another health site I've follow for years is Mercola.com where I have learned astonishing information about medical news and research. These two men, Doug Kaufman and Joseph Mercola and their educational and informational sites have galvanized me to find a local health practitioner, accepted by our health insurance of course, with whom I can work to reduce the damages to my health that I have already endured and to overcome as much as I can the years of bad medical care I have had. This because when I called my physician to let him know of a problem that developed, I was told he was not aware of that being a side effect of the medication. Goodbye. So I stewed a week, and researched said medication then emailed my physician. Said, I was surprised he did not know of the side effect. He merely e-mailed me back saying, "That is the first I've heard of that in 10 years of prescribing that medication." I did not receive an apology nor an appointment to return and try to learn what we could do to stop the side effects, I am still most annoyed, and hence the notion has come to me to attempt to take my health care into my own hands; which means finding a physician more interested in my health and one willing to work together with me on my project, my health.
Both of these health sites can be found in my blog list. Please go and read for yourselves. At the least, you will find a useful tool.
Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I just wonder how long it will be.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Heh heh, Men what do you do?
Well, today, I made a lovely oven roasted dinner for my men folk, left it on the stove top covered with foil for them to eat when they got home then I left for work. So I returned home, hubby had gone to a banquet he forgot to remind me of and son didn't notice the meal on the stove and cleaned out frozen sausage links for tomorrow's breakfast.
My Gut Reaction? What does a lady do? Laugh about it, and say, we'll eat it tomorrow. Then hubby says, Oh, not me, I've got to go out of town for a Boy Scout meeting tomorrow morning, and I'll be back late tomorrow night. Laugh again, sigh.
Here is the wonderful meal, which I'll eat and share with my sons and mother:
Oven roasted skillet chicken and rice.
6 boneless chicken thighs
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup jasmine rice (you can use brown rice)
1 can chicken broth, about 16 ounces
fresh cleaned asparagus spears-1/2 bunch was about a dozen spears
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
salt
curry powder or
other seasonings of your choice
about 1/4 cup olive oil
Rinse and dry chicken, slice onion. Preheat oven to 400. Pour oil into skillet warmed on medium on stove. Brown chicken and remove to platter. Add onion and saute till golden. Remove to platter with chicken. Add rice, brown till golden. Return chicken and onion to skillet. Pour broth over chicken. Place seasonings over chicken, place asparagus on top. Cover with foil for first 30 minutes of baking. Place in hot oven. Bake 45 minutes to an hour until thermometer readings show chicken is done, or until juices run clear, not red.
This is delicious and seasonings and vegetables can be changed to suit your taste.
My Gut Reaction? What does a lady do? Laugh about it, and say, we'll eat it tomorrow. Then hubby says, Oh, not me, I've got to go out of town for a Boy Scout meeting tomorrow morning, and I'll be back late tomorrow night. Laugh again, sigh.
Here is the wonderful meal, which I'll eat and share with my sons and mother:
Oven roasted skillet chicken and rice.
6 boneless chicken thighs
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup jasmine rice (you can use brown rice)
1 can chicken broth, about 16 ounces
fresh cleaned asparagus spears-1/2 bunch was about a dozen spears
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
salt
curry powder or
other seasonings of your choice
about 1/4 cup olive oil
Rinse and dry chicken, slice onion. Preheat oven to 400. Pour oil into skillet warmed on medium on stove. Brown chicken and remove to platter. Add onion and saute till golden. Remove to platter with chicken. Add rice, brown till golden. Return chicken and onion to skillet. Pour broth over chicken. Place seasonings over chicken, place asparagus on top. Cover with foil for first 30 minutes of baking. Place in hot oven. Bake 45 minutes to an hour until thermometer readings show chicken is done, or until juices run clear, not red.
This is delicious and seasonings and vegetables can be changed to suit your taste.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)