h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*whimper*

Gotta go to diabetes diet clinic in the morning and get a refresher course. I need to learn how to count carbs, hopefully that will help with everything else.

Also, got some Resveratrol (well, grape seed extract, mixed with some bilberry and green tea, actually, but it's all antioxidants -- I'll let you know how I feel next week).

I had to go in last Thursday and get "the girls" checked out; got a call back for a biopsy on the 31st. I figure they can't be expecting a bad result, if they put the follow-up so far off.

I'm going to get going on this once I've moved house in 10 days' time. Right now is not a good time to be investigating and instigating a new eating regime - I'm too unsettled and wobbly

Good luck on the move, Frenchbean! Moving is stressful enough without putting yourself through hoops, on top of everything else.

We'll still be here. I'm sure.

I agree, Fb. You have enough stress right now without trying to include a new eating plan. Your move is exciting. I'm so glad you've found a house and are settling in. New job, new country, new house. Bravo!

Fb, when F was first diagnosed with diabetes, we followed the ADA diet and he got worse. They were telling him to eat too many carbs. He started doing much better when I threw the diet sheet in the trash and put him on a South Beach-type eating plan. Lots of lean protein and low-carb vegetables, a little fruit, but not tropical fruits, very few sugars and starches. He didn't need to lose weight, so he got plenty to eat so he was never hungry. Course he had cravings for all the starches and desserts he was used to eating and cheated when I was at work.

If I was going to do any diet other than JUDDDD, it would be South Beach. I am really thinking of combining the two.

Ahem, that diabetes rant was for SC.

Today is a day and I'm not dreading it at all. Yep, I think I'm back in the groove.

Well, I went to the class. They gave me a paper with my most recent diabetes marker tests on it. Cholesterol, 134 (my LDL - the bad stuff, is actually BELOW normal range!); kidneys, perfect, blood pressure, normal; only thing out of whack are my blood sugars, and I'm not eating bad stuff or too much, so it's something else.

Probably stress from my living situation. No diet for that.

Wow. Your results are very encouraging. It could be stress diabetes. My uncle had that. Did they recommend any stress reduction techniques or just focus on diet?

Are you and your roomie at odds, then? Feeling trapped in any sort of situation,whether it is living arrangements, a job, a personal relationship or whatever, can make a big difference in your health. I hope you can find a way to relieve the stress somehow.

We haven't gotten that far in the class; turns out that I have to go back for 3 more Wednesdays.

Stress? Ummmm, yeah. Two words -- Republican, Democrat. Not saying anything more than that. I hope to be moving out soon, and going back down south.

Good luck on arranging the move. I remember that you weren't really thrilled about going up there in the first place. And I completely understand about teh Republican/Democrat thing. I made sure Syn wasn't a Republican before I agreed to go out with him. It is so nice not to have constant friction over politics or religion. Makes life easier.

Hyp, I've been meaning to tell you that your tip about having chicken broth on down days has been very helpful to me this time around. I found an organic free-range broth that is very satisfying and is only 10 calories for 8 ounces.

I drink both coffee and tea black, so the liquid is very thin. I really feel that the broth has some substance to it.

SC, I am sorry to hear that the roomie thing hasn't worked out. Do you have any idea when you might be pulling up stakes again?

Witty, what brand of broth is it? Look on the can and see if it has yeast in it, please. I've been having to make my own. It would be nice to be able to use canned.

It is from Pacific, which I buy at Costco, of course but lots of places carry it. Nutrition information is on the website, looks like no yeast!

http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/broths

I'm not sure if I get the low sodium version or the regular. I'll have to check the label when I get home. Oh, and it comes in a carton with a plastic closure. I just pop it in the fridge.

If it is in there, it would be in the "organic flavor". When food manufacturers buy seasoning ingredients that are premixed, they don't have to list the individual ingredients in the mix. And if it is in there, it might be in such a small amount that I could get away with it. I'll try to find some of it.

Sorry to hear you're so stressed, SC
Stress does things to us.
Hope all goes well on the 31st and you get the accommodation situation resolved.

My daughter has to go and get one of her girls checked too - but keeps putting it off. She usually stays a couple of nights a week here, to save driving and petrol, but hasn't this week. It's probably because she's fed up with me asking if she's made the appointment.

I've finally got the weight shifting again.
My new secret weapon is baked potato. I can have a smallish spud with some cottage cheese and a huge pile of salad and it satisfies my hunger for several hours.
My other secret weapon is going to the gym. Sometimes I feel too lazy to go and tell myself I'll have a walk instead - and then don't get round to doing it.
Bought a set of skipping ropes and have used them once - for about three minutes. Thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest. Those boxers who skip so effortlessly are Fit
I won't be using the ropes again until I can find a decent sports bra; my girls were not happy.

Teuchter, I really hope you can convince your daughter to make that appointment! At her age, it should be taken seriously to have it looked at.

Hyp, Pacific is an organic foods company, and probably wouldn't use yeast, as they're health food oriented -- and it's a no-no tothat crowd. Which is probably where you should look for it in your supermarket. Trying to remember if I saw it in Walmart; I think so.

Sports bras, don't talk to me about sports bras... Best one I ever had I'm not fit enough to wriggle into anymore.

The roomie thing will be resolved after my court case no matter the outcome. I think it can work to have a roomie at my age (58), but not when people are so different.

I have a cold today; caught it on the bus Wednesday. So odd, I *knew* the second I caught it.

She still hasn't made that appointment, SC. She saw her GP who agreed she should be referred to a specialist and it's the referral appointment she hasn't yet made.
I think she's worried they'll tell her to stop playing rugby.
I'm rather frustrated with her at the moment.

Turns out that I'm going to need to move that biopsy appointment. I got a house sitting gig (don't think I'm getting paid, but I'll be *back home in LA for the Hols* for a month! Yippee!)

I'll still have to come back up North once during the month, to go to an Opthomology appt, which results are going to be needed for the court case.

I'll be so happy when this is all over. Don't think I care which way it turns out, either, just OVER.

Just reporting in that I've had some nice progress over the last 2 weeks. I've lost a little more than half of what I gained, so I am happy.

I needed to stock up on the grape seed extract and I noticed that the TruNature brand stocked by Costco now includes Resveratrol in addition to the grape seed and grape skin extracts. Looks like the word is getting out on this supplement. Of course, the price went up slightly, but only about $.50.

That's great news, Witty. I have been into the petits fours and fudge. *hanging head in shame* And I ate fried chicken. The flour in the batter and in the cakes have me so bloated I can barely waddle. I'm avoiding the scale until the bloat goes away.

The thing is, that the sweets made me very queasy. I just can't handle them anymore. I think I've finally learned my lesson. Today I'm having lots of clear liquids and am avoiding anything with sugar or flour like the plague.

Sounds like we are in the confessional.

It's amazing how we take it for granted when we feel good. We have to feel bad in order to appreciate the goodness.