About Health and Nutrition

Soup Stock Simmering

I have been meaning to write this post for quite awhile but haven't seen to be able to find the time.  Phil is picking up milk with some of the children, so I figured I would squeeze in a blog post while dinner is cooking.

Phil and I try to go in for physical exams every year now that we are in our 40's and we always ask for an extensive blood panel so we can really asses our health.  Phil has struggled with cholesterol for the past couple of years.  We both have a little extra weight that we are carrying (Phil15-20 pounds, me 25-30).  And I have had issues with vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  We both have sedentary jobs.  Phil is in front of a computer or in a meeting or in the car between schools, I spend a lot of time sitting during our school day and my hobbies are sitting ones.  The last thing that we want to do is spend an extra 1-2 hours apart from one another to try and fit in exercise (in the dark, in the bad weather).  We eat fairly healthy but with a lot of cheats.  I drink chai, Phil has sugar in his coffee, we get occasional meals out, and sometimes I only manage to get pasta or something carb filled on the table with a salad BUT we aren't processed food people or high amounts of sugar people and we don't drink pop, or eat desserts, eat fast food, drink alcohol a lot, over eat, etc..  I didn't think we were doing that bad but I was surprised by our test results.  Phil's cholesterol continues to be a problem and he shows high levels of inflammation in his liver and has "fatty deposits" around his liver.  I am low in Vitamin B (low end of normal) and VERY low in Vitamin D (11, where as low normal is 30).  AND, the shocker for me....my blood sugar was in the "pre-diabetic" range.  I don't even like sugar (except for my chai).  

I took these results very seriously.  Why?  Because I want to have the best quality of life that I (and Phil) can have.  I want to take care of us to the best of my abilities so we can be healthy and fit.   I think ahead to our future (knowing that we really are guaranteed nothing) and want to enjoy our retirement and grandchildren, being active and lessoning our chances of pain/inflammation and things like heart disease and cancer.  I want to really live our retirement years - traveling, hiking, spending our golden years together.  Whereas our health issues may not greatly affect us now in this moment, come another 10-20 years, we could really see the repercussions of not taking care of ourselves.  We can't do or eat the way that we once did...not even "cheats".  We can't be sedentary like we once were.  We can't have sugar.  We can't have processed foods or unhealthy fats.  Our bodies are aging and can't handle the "abuse" they once did.

So, what does this look like for us.  Well, we don't exactly know for sure but for starters:  

*Phil (and Sawyer for allergies) have an appointment at the naturopaths and I have a one month evaluation at the doctors.  

*The doctor suggest that we cut our carbohydrate (whole grain variety) count to less than 45 per meal.  It is surprising how this adds up.  One small helping of pasta, 2 slices of bread, one cup of cooked rice, one potato, a small serving of beans, 1/4 C of raisins or dried fruit, a couple of tablespoons of sugar or honey...45 carbs is not much.  In truth, we have actually cut this down to 20 or less a meal, with occasional (a few times a week) something higher like a sandwich or a piece of pizza..  When the children have rice, we have cauliflower rice, when they have potatoes we have 1/2 a potato or a sweet potato, when they have pasta we have spaghetti squash.  

*We have cut all sugar.  I am now in the process of figuring out how to sweeten something baked.  We do applesauce and bananas but I am also experimenting with coconut sugar and stevia mixes.  (Coconut sugar is low glycemic but still 4 carbohydrates for only a teaspoon).  Diabetics often use alcohol sugars but they can be hard on the digestive system.  I am trying mixes of Erythritol, Coconut Sugar, and Stevia in various ratios.  

*I am trying to exercise on the glider machine (that we bought at a garage sale for 10 dollars) 5-7 times a week for 30 minutes (and truthfully, I HATE every minute of it but I watch Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman reruns which is as close to trashy romance as I can get LOL and that at least distracts me).  Phil has signed up for a 1/2 marathon and a biathlon in the Spring to motivate him to run and bike.  

*Phil has a shake every morning (coconut milk, yogurt, a raw egg yolk, frozen spinach, a banana, frozen berries, sometimes part of an avocado).  I have leftovers from dinner (never have been a fan of breakfast food.)

*I am spending a good 2 hours or more a day in the kitchen (and yes, it is a bit stressful to try and find additional time in an already busy day).  I am cooking a big dinner of meats and veggie side dishes with enough left overs for my b-fest and Phil's lunch.  Plus, experimenting with new recipes.

*I have a prescription for Vitamin D and once that runs out, I will be taking over the counter vitamin D drops.  I also am taking a Vitamin B supplement.  

*We are both taking 2 T or so of apple cider vinegar in water in the morning an hour before we eat (and swishing our mouths with a mix of baking powder to counteract the acid on our teeth).

*Phil is trying to be in bed no later than midnight (he has a tendency to stay up till the morning hours on occasion to get some quiet time)

*****I figure there will be more changes once the naturopath does allergy testing and I am bracing myself for the worst (grain and dairy free).  I am hoping that we will get good news the next time we have a weigh in and bloodwork done.