Whole30 challenge

After our Walt Disney World trip I was longing for control.  Gosh, we ate so so much.  I missed how I felt when I was eating clean.  At first I thought I wanted to go paleo for the time being and I did start out that way.  However, as an avid fan of Miss Mustard Seed, I decided to join her an 1000 other people and take the Whole30 challenge.  Why not?  It's more fun to do it in a group.  A gang.  A gaggle.  Somebody needs to come up with a word for a krewe of people who join together on a blog for a greater good.  Something more interesting than "bloggers" or "followers".  You know?

Now, back to the subject.

I did some reading.  Found there are rules to doing the Whole30 challenge.  I am all about rules.  Definitely a rule-follower girl.  So that was exciting to me.  I felt like I'd found my people.

No sugar - check.  Just about already rid that from my diet.
No bread - check  My 2015 NY Resolution
No Barbie Themed Poptarts or Star Wars Eggo Waffles - check
No sweeteners - not even honey.  YIKES
No tastes, smidgens, half-a-slices.  You are only cheating yourself.

So the challenge began.  I started a trial run on the 10th.  January 10th.  I say "trial run" because my birthday was on the 14th and I knew….. I just KNEW……. and yep.  I ate a cupcake.  But Ironman made a special stop by the bakery to buy one carrot cake cupcake and dang it people, I wasn't going to be rude.  I ate the thing and it was DELICIOUS.

All that to say, I really started the Whole30 challenge on January 15th.

Before I get to the nuts and bolts of what I've been doing - both good and disastrous - I gotta tell you something.  My face is broken out like a teenager.  I've NEVER had a bad complexion.  EVER.  As it NEVER.  Not in Jr High, not in high school.  NEVER.  So this is brand new to me and quite upsetting.  In fact, yesterday I didn't leave the house.  I was hoping I'd wake up and it would be GONE or at least better but nope…… it's still there.  Red and bumpy and kinda like a rash and kinda like acne.  Somewhere in between.  I did some internets searches and even checked in on my Whole30 group on FB and there are plenty of women experiencing the same thing.  They say your body is detoxing?  Is that true?  All I can say is I haven't tried any new soap, lotion or cosmetics.  I haven't eaten anything new or weird or odd.  Just real whole foods.  So if you don't count Wednesday and the Birthday Cupcake - I've eaten clean food since January 3rd - pretty much.  I have to ease myself into stuff.

I'll let you know about  my complexion.  It's horrible.

Now……. on to the eating.   And cooking.

I have not made ghee as I don't have the right kind of butter.  However, I do plan on making some.  I'll let you know.

I did make the homemade mayo recipe.  WOW!  I couldn't believe how simple and how delicious.  Honestly………. you gotta try it.  I made mine in the food processor.  I read online that some people did not have a good outcome using their blender.  Ingredients seems to get too warm.  So use the processor or maybe a mixer.  You gotta try it.

 Ironman sat and watched as I whipped up the mayo.  I didn't know if it would turn out but I was feeling adventurous.  Except for the breakouts I have a ton of energy.  A TON.  Which is a good thing. Anyway the mayo DID turn out.  I watched it thicken before my very eyes.  I may or may not have done a happy dance.

On to the next "recipe"  Perfectly boiled eggs.  Now I've boiled eggs before.  I usually follow the Martha Stewart method which is very similar to the method I followed this morning.  The challenge with boiling eggs, as you well know, is peeling the boiled eggs.  It's pretty much hit or miss.

Want to see how mine turned out?
I decided to use these four eggs as my guinea pigs.  Because they fit perfectly in this little pot.

 The recipe said to poke a tiny hole with a pin.  I used a safety pin because that's what I had close by.  Much easier than I expected to poke a tiny hole.  So far so good.

 Fill pot with cool water.  Straight from the tap.

 Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda.  Something about the sodium carbonate………

 Bring the eggs to a boil.

 Then slide them off and let them steep for 10 minutes.  Told ya it was similar to Martha's method.

 After 10 minutes, I dropped them in an ice bath.  While the eggs are cooling, I gotta tell you about our ice maker.

 It died.  And ironman just pulled out the tray because it was in the way.  We do miss ice.

 Sonic Ice to the rescue.  Someone at work told me that the ice is $2.59 a bag.  Yes, yes it is.  And we buy it.  For now, at least.  Not sure we can go back to regular ice.  Can you be addicted to ice?

 Back to the eggs.  Uh……. yep.  That's how they looked after I attempted to peel them.  HOLY COW.  What happened?  Ugh.

 The good news is that when I sliced them they were done.  Not over done.  No odd grey color.

I'm going to use them in my tuna salad.  With my homemade mayo. So you are the only one who will know how ugly the peeling was.  Don't be spreading this all over the internet, m'kay?

And cross your fingers that my face will clear up.  I'm off to drink water.  Surely that will help.


Patti

January Organization

Everybody is gone.  The Engineer is back in Dallas.  Baylor girl went back to Baylor and my youngest daughter is back in school.  Even Ironman is back at work.  So I'm home alone today.

DO YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED THAT MAKES ME??

I wouldn't want to be alone all the time…….. but wow oh wow how I enjoy it when it happens.

I woke up bright and early.  I already knew what I was going to do but, as always, I had to make a list. My daily list.  Yes, I do it every single day.  I don't know how people manage without a list.  When I write it down I can let it go.  The paper will remember for me.  Clears my thinking, you know?

I haven't been upstairs in my house for any length of time since Thanksgiving.  That's right.  I just haven't had time.  And there were always people up there and I didn't want to bother them while they were watching a movie or playing the piano and sleeping or reading……. go on and on and on.  But today that was all going to change and I couldn't wait. Some people like to go out for drinks and a movie……I like to SORT and PURGE and CLEAN and pack and organize and WOOP.  IT's a good day for me.

I walked into my 10th grade daughter's room and I was overwhelmed.  Yes, ME.  The one who specializes in organizing.  Wow.  Thats a lot of stuff.  Shoot, I should have taken a photo.  Let me just tell you - the bed - unmade.  The suitcase from our Disneyworld vacation still on the floor with clothes piled on top.  And speaking of clothes - good heavens.  EVERYWHERE there was clothes.  I rolled up my sleeves and made a quick survey of supplies needed.  Armed with my sorting tools:  a box for goodwill, several black garbage bags and a couple of laundry baskets…. I jumped in.  It took me over an hour but her room is sorted. and tidy.  Love a tidy room.  What will she say at 4pm when she gets home this afternoon?  ha  I don't know.

I moved on to the other three bedrooms which were clean except for the linens.  I peeled the sheets off and threw them into the laundry basket.

We have a den upstairs that we sometimes call the game room.  Sometimes call the movie room.  I have my sewing and monogram machines in there.  It's a big nice room that gets a lot of action.  My middle daughter had gone in there while she was home and "cleaned' out the closet.  I almost DIED when I saw what she did.  Ugh.  I was FURIOUS but I did not want to blow up when it was her last night at home.  WOW.  Ironman said "you look like you're 500 degrees hot"  Yep.  I sure was.  I was PISSED.  So that was the first order of business in that room - putting the closet back in order.  I moved the DVDs and the video games into the other closet.  This particular closet is for ME.  Stay out.  I feel better now.

I miss the kids when they're gone.  But having one day alone at home is good for my mental health.

I'm running some errands this afternoon and tonight I have the television to myself.

Oh I love my clean, tidy house.  It's a good day.

New Year Resolution!

I have an announcement to make:


Ahem.


Ladies and Gentleman, I have fulfilled my 2014 New Year Resolution.

I have not had ONE SIP of a soda in 12 months.  That's right.  I kicked the addiction.  And I am happy.

Liquid death.  That's what I've heard soda called.  Of course, down here in Louisiana we call all sodas "coke".

So let me clarity:  NO COKES FOR A YEAR.  and that includes "diet" coke.

And I did it.


After the initial few days of withdrawal I noticed I don't have as much gassy problems.  I fact, I don't have any gassy problems.  And substituting water for the soda has made my skin clearer.


Now on to 2015.

This year my New Year's Resolution is to not eat any BREAD.  For one solid year.

I will not eat:

sandwich bread
french bread
dinner rolls
tortillas
crackers of any kind
croutons (ha)
pie crust

I'm sticking to the paleo plan.

Fresh Fruits
Fresh vegetables
healthy fat
meat, fish, poultry
berries
nuts and seeds

So far so good!

I"d also like to get myself on an exercise schedule  But let's not go TOO crazy!

25 Things About Me

Because I've neglected this blog for so long, I figured it was proper to reintroduce myself to blog land.  So here goes.  But but prepared - because not everything is in a pretty box tied with a bow!

1.  I've been married almost 30 years. I'll call him Ironman.  We have 3 children.  I've thought about using their proper names in this blog but I still kinda like the anonymity.  I may change my mind but for now I'll give them a nickname.  The Engineer is a, well, an engineer!  He was recently accepted on full scholarship to Johns Hopkins Business School in Baltimore, MD.  We are happy, humbled, excited, proud and looking forward to see where God takes him.  Our middle daughter - whom I'll call "Baylor" is a sophomore at, you guessed it, Baylor University in Waco.  And our youngest daughter, "Broadway" is 16.  And she wants to be an actress.  They are all three very different.  In every way.  But that keeps life interesting.

2.  I don't like chocolate.  And that includes white chocolate which is not really chocolate at all.  White chocolate tastes like candle wax.  And yes, I've tasted candle wax.

3.  I'm allergic to fragrance.  I run and hide from any lotion, soap, cleaner, detergent, cosmetics or gel that contains any kind of fragrance.  As a young girl I remember my mother having to special order fragrance free detergent.  yes, they had it in the 60s and 70s.  Now you can find it at CVS.
Here's a story for you:  Just last week a few days before Christmas I BOUGHT some hand soap at Marshalls.  I put it by the kitchen sink.  Yes, I did that.  The reason was that Ironman is always washing his hands at the kitchen sink and he uses my dishwashing soap that is FRAGRANCE FREE and so I was really trying to save that for me and get him something else…….. what was I thinking?  Anyway I did not touch the bottle.  I did not use the soap.  But here's what happened.  Late Christmas Evening I was cleaning up here and there and really not paying much attention to what I was doing.  I was tired.  And we were going to Walt Disney World in 2 days.  (Walk DisneyWorld)  There were a few pots and pans in the sink so I just gave them a quick scrub and left them in the sink.  The next morning the inside of my palm was itchy and red.  And just a little swollen as if an insect had bitten me.  I noticed it but it wasn't too bad.  Saturday was travel day and by now my fingers were slightly swollen.  I was trying to ignore it.  We arrive in Orlando late Saturday night.  Sunday morning my hand is very swollen and now you can plainly see a rash all over the palm and 3 of my fingers.  Great.  Just great.  But I'm in WDW and we're on vacation so I just wanted to enjoy our trip.  (more about our Disneyworld trips later)  Monday morning my hand was causing problems so I went to the clinic at the resort.  The ladies there - I'm pretty sure they are not medical professionals - gave me an ice pack and some benadryl.  The ice did make it feel better and I hoped it would help but by Tuesday morning it was serious.  Yep, I waited that long.   That afternoon Ironman and I went to Urgent Care in Orlando.  WDW has free transportation to and from the clinic.  I'm not kidding when I tell you that I saw the triage nurse even before I had finished filling out the first page of information.  I unwrapped my hand explaining to her what I thought had happened and about the fragrance allergy.  One look and she got the doctor who came in and asked the usual questions.  The nurse called Ironman in from the waiting room not because his presence was needed but because he had the papers that were yet to be filled out.  He didn't know that, though, and said later he thought they were calling him because I needed to go to the hospital.  So the doctor lanced the dead skin (yuck, sorry)  Put some burn cream on my entire hand, wrapped it up.  I got 2 injections, 3 prescriptions and strict instructions to return if there's any change for the worse.  So……. wanna see?

That, ladies and gentleman, is what a 2nd degree chemical burn looks like.   Not pretty.  And I will never, ever allow it to happen again.  If I hadn't been out of town I would have gone to the doctor much sooner.  So I'm still wrapping it up every night.  There's no swelling and no itching.  And the soap is swimming with the fishes.  ( I also bleached everything in the kitchen)  I'm sure what happened was someone washed their hands at the sink using that soap and the suds were on the few pots I scrubbed.  That's all it took.  Nothing injured my right hand because I used a little scrub brush.  So that hand didn't touch the suds.  The brush is in the landfill now.

4.  I've been to Walt Disney World in Orlando 25 times.  Please do not do the finance part of that.

5.  I've met Donny Osmond 2 times.  The first time I could not even move.  Second time was easier.  He needs the saving power of our Heavenly Father. ( I have a couple of photos……. shoot.  They're not on this computer.  A couple of years ago my computer died and I lost everything.  Still I have the "real" print out photos so I'll scan them tomorrow.  Good Old D-Man.  The mormon thing is upsetting.

6.  I've watched every single episode of "19 Kids and Counting"  

7.  I know how to sew well, knit enough to get by and crochet.  I'm learning to do upholstery.

8.  I can be quite aloof.  

9.  I am not close with my family.

10.  I can figure out recipes in my head after tasting something new.  I have a SIL that enjoys the same thing and that's always been fun for us.

11.  I once shoplifted a pack of rock-n-roll cookies from a store on a dare.

12.  In my 8th grade biology lab I sat in the back with a group of disruptive students.  We giggled, talked and passed notes.  The teacher was an old man who was b.o.r.i.n.g.  (funny, he probably wasn't that old) I made a B in the class on my report card but in the comments was the numeral 9.  9 - parent must contact teacher.  Well, that wasn't going to make it home.  No way.  So I folded the paper, put it in my jeans pocket and washed the jeans.  Washed them and dried them.  Then I rewashed them and redried them.  I casually told my mother "whoops, I washed my report card!"  She just glanced at the grades and didn't really say anything.  A few days later the biology teacher asked me if my mother had seem my report card.  I just said "yes sir" which was the truth.  The other girls in the giggly group got in trouble at home and the teacher separated all of us and that was the end of that.  To this day I've never told my mother.

13.  Ironman and I bicker about stupid stuff.

14.  I make a list every day.  Every.single.day.  And I check off items as I go.  

15.  I write everything down the old fashioned way.  On my list.  On a piece of paper.  I just recently learned to add things to my calendar phone.  It wasn't that I didn't know how, it was just that it took too long and having it on the phone wasn't in clear sight.  But I do it now.

16.  I used to teach full time.  I quit my teaching job 2 years ago because I was miserable.  That is a story in itself.  It's all behind me now and I substitute at a school near my house.  I'm not kidding when I tell you they called me 2-3 times a week.  The school is Prekindergarten through 8th grade and I've worked in every grade except for 5th.  I've even substituted for the secretary and the librarian!  Definitely makes me want to go back to work full time next year.  Besides, the money would be good.

17.  I think the sound of my typing is making Ironman irritable.

18.  My spices are on the shelf in ABC order.  

19.  My pantry is arranged by category.

20.  I don't like to be interrupted.  My worse pet peeve.  HATE IT.

21.  Because I don't like to be interrupted, many times I don't even start because I KNOW I'll be interrupted.  

22.  I like it the way I like it.

23.  I'm just a little OCD about my dental care.  Just a little.  Nothing to qualify me for an appearance on Dr. Phil.  I floss twice a day.  Every day.  Always.

24.  I've been dumped by friends.  And I mean DUMPED.  Sucks.

and now to 25.  I didn't think I'd come up with 25 things.  

Hello Blog

It was a dark and stormy night.......

or maybe I should begin with something like "Once Upon a Time a Girl had a Blog"

I don't know how to begin so I'll just start.

I abandoned this blog.  I didn't forget about it, I just neglected it.  I'd think about it occasionally and then I'd get sidetracked and never find the time.

I apologize.  I should have kept it up.

I'm back with a new resolve.  I'm going to keep his blog up and running.  I have a lot of self talking to do and this typing away in the early morning helps me sort things out in my dusty brain.

I'm sure there will be plenty of bloggers thinking back on their 2014.  And so will I.  So here goes.

#1 - I kept my new years resolution!!  Can you believe it?  I DID IT.  My New Year's resolution of 2014 was to give up SODA.  All of it,  Diet or "real".  It didn't matter.  I was going to give it ALL UP.  And on January 14th, 2014 I drank a coke zero and that was the very last time I had anything with carbonation.  (technically I haven't made it a year but I'm sure I will - I have completely overcome the addiction)  Was it easy?  Not at first.  I craved the stuff.  Liquid Poison.  That's what I call it now.  That 4pm slump - I "needed" the drug.  That was difficult.  The day I didn't feel exactly 100%?  I needed the stuff.  The few times I did go through a drive thru - it was tempting.  But I never cheated.  I decided I was worth it.  Give up the crap.  Freedom!

Benefits?  Do I feel any different?  The first thing is I feel free.  I don't have to HAVE it.  It doesn't control me.  The other thing:  my skin.  Now you may think this has nothing to do with anything but my skin is clear and even toned.  I'd gotten used to the dark circles under my eyes and the red blotchiness around my nose and forehead.  And just the dull appearance.  ALL of that is g.o.n.e.  GONE.  It may be because I substituted the coke with water.  I drink water now.  Not excessive amounts.  I don't make sure I had 8 glasses a day.  I just drink it when I...... well, when I'm thirsty.

#2 - I've actually learned that I can say my opinion and not care what people think.  Amazing.  I used to be a people pleaser and it was exhausting.  Now I speak up.  Yep, took me this long.  At first it felt awkward like I was being demanding.  But now I just don't care.

And now for the weekly (okay probably not weekly) the occasional feature:  Things I'm Wondering About

1.  I'm wonder why people still cook with processed food.  Are you really too lazy to chop some vegetables?  I have a niece whom earned a reputation for being a decent cook.  I was happy to hear that.  But now she has a blog and .... everything is "can of this" or "bag of that" .  Nothing fresh.  I expected her to be more........ oh well.  She cooks like a junior high boy.

2.  I wonder why some people are rude at church.

3.  I wonder why women will talk to me at any store, standing in line anywhere,  waiting in a room at the mammography facility.......... anywhere, anytime.  I was with my daughter at the DMV getting her driver's license and the woman in front of us - OUT OF THE BLUE - just turned and started talking to me.  And not just a little comment or a quick question - a full out long conversation about her daughter's school.  Yesterday I was shopping at DSW.  I walked back to the clearance section.  There I met a woman who was also shopping.  I say I met her.  Because we dug through the clearance shoes together for 20-25 minutes.  ( I found some cute naturalizer sandals for $3.99) We just talked and talked and had a big old time.  You'd think we knew each other.  Nope.  Just met.  I don't know her name.  I don't know anything about her except her shoe size.  People talk to me.  I don't know why.  I didn't even notice it until my family made it an inside joke.  "Let's count how long it takes for Mom to get in a conversation with someone"  Listen, I don't usually start it.

I read online recently that Michelle Obama went in disguise to shop at Target.  And how she felt it was racist when a woman asked for her help reaching an item on the top shelf.  HELLO MICHELLE.  That's not racist.  That's how women shop, okay?  GET OVER YOURSELF.   Shoot, if I were offended every single time somebody in a store spoke to me or asked for a little favor.......... curd.  I'd be miserable!  And yes, I've been asked "do you work here"?   Did not offend me.


And so I will keep this blog going.  Sometimes it'll be pretty stuff.  Sometimes it'll just be a rant.

Merry Christmas.

10-Day detox. Day One.

After our fun vacation to NYC, I was ready to get back on the wagon with my eating plan.  It was nice to know that the plan would be waiting for me when I returned.  And since I went CRAZY eating on our trip (Well, I did skip a lot of cupcakes and junk food)  Still, I ate more than I've eaten in a while.  And I ate all the wrong things.  Especially the last few days when I was getting tired and well, I just got hungry.

All that to say………I decided to work my way through the 10 day detox again.  It's doable. It's "easy".  And you feel so much better.  Of course today I had a headache all day.  I'm sure my body is detoxing.

This is the book I read several months ago.  The quiz at the front of the book asked about things that I didn't even attribute to the food I was eating.  Things like "frequent rashes" and "sleeplessness".  The quiz also investigates whether or not you are frequently gassy and bloated, have achy joints in the morning, frequent headaches, fatigue, afternoon cravings.  Yes, yes and yes were my answers.

All those symptoms disappeared by the end of my first 10 day detox adventure.  So today I decided to do it again.  I know it'll be worth it.

Breakfast:  I had the whole food smoothie.  (Sometimes I deconstruct the smoothie and eat the ingredients individually.  But today I had the smoothie.)

Lunch:  I had 4 oz. grilled chicken breast (seasoned with garlic, lemon, salt, pepper) and a large green salad:  red tipped green lettuce, cucumber, red onion, tomato, parsley, sunflower seeds with the lemon and garlic dressing that I could DRINK in a tall glass with a straw!

Afternoon Snack:  I missed my morning snack.  Just busy today.  So this afternoon I had 12 almonds with a large glass of ice water.

Dinner:  Tonight I'm grilling salmon and onions.

I'm also pleasantly surprised how satisfied I feel when I eat this way.  I don't get that feeling that something is missing.  I don't have the cravings for a little snack while I watch a show on television.

I know the headache I had today will gradually fade and my blood sugar will level off.  Can you believe how many diabetics there are in America?  I am taking control of my health.  And it feels so good.

I thought that maybe I'd give up this blog…….

"I'll do it tomorrow".  Do you know how many times I've said that?  Or thought that?  Summers are lazy around here.  I tend to let things go.  During the day it's just so dang hot outside no one wants to go out.  Things get neglected.  This blog gets neglected.

But I've been thinking lately that maybe just maybe I should pay attention.  So much has happened and it's nice and therapeutic to be able to type it all out right here.  It doesn't matter if anyone ever reads it.
But it's fun if somebody does!

This blog can be all over the map.  Just like my life!  Sometimes I get on a cooking binge.  Other times I'm into organizing and cleaning.  Then there's the redecorating, rearranging furniture, sorting and purging.  Yep all that happens.

And there's always the wondering.  And the dreaming.  I know I'm definitely an observer.  I'd rather listen than "tell".  In fact, I get so bored when I'm listening to someone else go on and on and on about blah blah blah.  I don't care!  So I pretend.  The life of an introvert.

Lately I've been wondering about what I should do with my life.  I'm 53.  I quit my job one year ago.  Gosh I was miserable.  MISERABLE.  Will I just be miserable in another job at another place?  I haven't always been miserable as a teacher.  I've been exhausted, but not miserable.

But I don't think that's what I should do with this blog.  About 6 months ago I went to the doctor because I  had the FLC syndrome.  FEEL LIKE CRAP syndrome.  I visited my OB/GYN who I've gone to for 25 years.  I sat and asked him specifically about my struggle to lose weight, about the daily headaches, about my anxiety and frustration over it all.  His answer:  "It is extremely hard to lose weight.  You have to exercise 45 minutes to 1 hour every single day.  And then that may not even help."  I just stared at him.  That's your answer?  I left disappointed.  By the time I got to the car I was FURIOUS.  What kind of answer was that?  BULLCRAP.  Before I went to this particular doctor, I had already gone to a GP with the same complaints and the same questions.  His answer was, "I'm not sure I know what you want to do,"  Uh……… I want your guidance, Sir.  That's what I want to do.  Ugh.  That was the same visit where the nurse was so rude to me I announced to her that I would NEVER return so don't bother checking my insurance.  I'd do it myself.  Which I did.

I walked into my house FURIOUS and feeling like that whole GYN appointment was a waste of time. Sure I had the PAP and all that…….. but all my other questions were met with disinterest.  I turned on the television and tossed the remote control onto the couch as I headed to grab the advil.  Stupid headaches.  It was just about noon and the local mid day news was on location at a nearby shopping center.  (My middle daughter calls this particular shopping center "Grandma Shopping Mall" because of the stores located there:  JJill, Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Etc.  It's a nice outdoor mall, though.  But back to my story.)  The mall was having a breast cancer screening awareness weekend.  The mobile cancer screening van was there.  It was decorated in pink:  pink balloons, pink ribbons, give aways, door prizes, gift cards, etc.  The doctor they interviewed looked familiar.  Oh yes, I had gone to that doctor several years ago for a preemployment physical.  I had only gone that one time.  But you know what?  Let me look up her phone number……. oh, here it is.  Right that second I called and made an appointment with her for the next week.

That was the first good decision I made.

I listed my complaints.  Told her a little bit of my frustration with other doctors.  She listened, she took notes, she was pleasant and easy to talk to.  We started with my blood pressure.  WAY TOO HIGH.  I told her I'd been on Rx for that condition before but I broke out in a itchy rash, had headaches, couldn't sleep, just plain miserable.  And the doctor who prescribed it to me last year did not think it was the new medicine causing those side effects.  So I just quit on my own and the side effects disappeared.  Not good for the HBP though.  She prescribed a different medication that "won't make you so sick"

Wow.  That was easy.

Then she ordered blood work.  I went back the next day (had to fast) and nervously awaited the results.  When they came back in a few days they were not good.  My glucose was way high. (126)  My Ac1 was way high (15).  My weight was way high.  (Can't bear to type that info………  you understand.)

But you know what?  She looked at those results and we formed a plan.  A guide.  Tools to use.  I left feeling GREAT!  That's what I wanted.  That's all I needed.  A PLAN!.  Step one, step two, step three.  I can do that.

And so I did.

Since that appointment I've lost 26 pounds.  My AC1 is 5.5  My glucose is 9.  My weight is down.  And the doctor says when my BMI is in the 25-26 range she will take me off the Bp Rx.  WOOP!!

So if you are not getting the answers you want from your doctor, GO TO SOMEONE ELSE.

I told you all that to say that for the time being, that's what this blog is going to feature.  My journey to good health.  Sure, there are a lot of blogs out there doing that.  But this blog is for me.

Keep watching.  Because starting tomorrow I"m going back on the 10 day detox by Dr. Mark Hyman, a functional physical.  His eating plan is doable, not expensive, practical, common sense, and the best thing:  IT WORKS.

Here are the basic plans and I"ll feature more starting tomorrow.

1.  EAT REAL FOOD
2.  NO FAST FOOD
3. NO PACKAGED FOOD
4. NO JUNK FOOD
5.  NO SODAS
6.  NO DAIRY - okay this one thing made a huge difference in my complexion.  And I didn't really have problems with it.  But now with no dairy……. WOW
7.  Buy a scale and weigh every day.  And get ready.  Because you will lose so quick you'll be excited to get up every morning.

Tonight's supper - Detox Eve

Roasted broccoli and shrimp
Zucchini spaghetti and tomatos

Toodles People.