Filed under Gorgeous Gourd Art, Gorgeous Gourds
On the one hand, I’m trying to limit the amount of food I eat. I don’t eat anything after dinner until lunch the following day – unless I’m up in the middle of the night and have no willpower. (I tend to think I’m starving to death then. :0) )
My husband and I have been eating individual frozen meals from REAL FOOD or STU’S CLEAN COOKIN’, both in Greenwood, for dinner. I noticed that our choices from Stu’s are too high in sugar for us, so now we’re splitting ONE individual meal and I’m fixing a veggie side. We also have a roll with that.
Lunches are 1/2 slice of ham, sugar-free jello, a hard-boiled egg, two green olives, and sometimes I have a slice of cheese or a cheese stick.
Snack in the afternoon has been raw veggies and a spoonful of ranch dressing with less than 1 gram of sugar.
Since a doppler ultrasound showed 50-70% occlusion in my right carotid artery (not enough to have a procedure) I have found a list of food and drink that is supposed to dissolve the plaque, and hopefully prevent me from getting more.
List for cleaning arteries – SALMON, FLAX SEEDS, BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, GRAPEFRUIT, SQUEEZE OF LEMON/LIME, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, AVOCADOS, BEANS, PEAS, CHICKPEAS, LENTILS, TOMATOES – EXP COOKED OR SAUCE, GARLIC, CINNAMON, ONIONS, GINGER, TURMERIC, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, WALNUTS, BEETS, SPINACH, DARK CHOCOLATE. GREEN TEA.
I’m now eating grapefruit in place of the raw veggies some days. I’m drinking a glass of green tea daily. When I eat raw veggies, I’m including broccoli and cauliflower, and I’m fixing spinach as a side for dinner, using walnuts and flax seed in my salads, etc.
My dilemma is that including so much ‘good stuff’ in my daily diet is resulting in my eating more. And GUESS WHAT HAPPENS THEN – my scales scoff at me, laughing and sneering at the poundage creeping up. ARRRRGH!
So now I’m vacillating between throwing my hands up in the air and eating a cheeseburger and fries, eating the good stuff and skipping yet another meal, or……
I will work it out, but right now I’m feeling that getting old sucks.
Filed under Challenges, Changes, DIET!, taking care of yourself
I sent an email to a long-time friend on the 30th of November, his birthday, wishing him a happy celebration. Yesterday I saw his email address pop up on my incoming mail. It was one of his daughters, telling me he had died of complications from cancer. He was creative, funny with a wicked sense of humor. He loved his family. I will miss him.
This is the time of year when Amber, our 95-pound yellow lab, starts bringing deer parts into the yard. Over the years I have built up my ability to take care of this myself, rather than bothering my husband with it. Today it was just deer skin. This is the first time for this. I can only think that someone killed a deer, field dressed it, and left the parts he didn’t want close enough for Amber to find. GREAT. :0(
While I was out, though, I saw a rose in bloom! It looked especially lovely with most of our plants gone now. I cut it to bring inside, then found one red rose bud on another plant, plus two twice-blooming iris. It really lifted my spirits to be able to bring them inside.
We are about ready to run some errands. On the way out, we will put up this mailbox decoration. We will have a very quiet Christmas, so this will be a fun way to wish any passers-by a wonderful celebration.
Yesterday I finished the cards and ornament I was working on in my art room. I’ll take pics and share them with you in another post.
Have a fun Saturday!
Filed under Art From Found Things, metal art
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Isn’t this a GREAT photo? I just love it!
Today we have Lunch Bunch for the first time in two weeks. We missed last week due to the restaurant being closed the day after Thanksgiving. It will be good to catch up with everyone again.
It’s amazing to realize that we have been meeting our friends every possible Friday for about 20 years now. These people aren’t just friends – they’re family. We have helped each other through the hardest things there are, and celebrated joy. We have laughed, hugged, and shared our lives. Friends are truly one of the greatest riches we have.
This afternoon my husband has an eye exam. This is especially important as he has Type II Diabetes. He hasn’t had an exam in several years due to stubbornness. Our primary doc finally got through to him that he NEEDS to do this. So we go today to Fort Smith.
I’m hoping it will go smoothly. My husband used up all his patience in the Marine Corps years ago. He only gets more stubborn with age. He HATES waiting in doctor’s offices. Years ago we were waiting for a different eye doc. We waited in the room for 45 minutes with no one telling us what was going on. I checked out in the hall, but couldn’t find anyone. He insisted we leave without seeing the doc. He wouldn’t go back. Hopefully, today will be a more reasonable appointment…
I hope you’re having a wonderful Friday.
Filed under Friendship, taking care of yourself, Thoughts on a ________
Filed under Gorgeous Gourd Art, Gorgeous Gourds
Yesterday I had a lot of fun in my art room.
I went up there to start a new painting that has been rattling around in my brain awhile. I ended up starting to paint Christmas cards to go with the presents I’ve made for my friends, plus a ‘gingerbread cookie’ Christmas ornament for a new friend who is now coming to Lunch Bunch regularly.
The afternoon sped by as I played, totally engrossed in figuring out what I wanted to do, and then getting started. I got the main painting done on the cards, got the front finished on the ornament. I will try to finish them today. I’ll take some pics to share with you when they are finished.
Maybe I’ll get to the painting ping-ponging around in my head, too. :0)
Filed under playing in my art room
Trying to eat right and take care of yourself becomes more and more complicated as you age. If you are married, the complication explodes because you are dealing with not only different health needs, but also different ideas of what ‘good food’ is, how seriously needed changes should be taken, etc. My husband and I are in the process of yet another adaptation since I had an ultrasound of my carotid arteries.
I’m lucky, in that the problem in my carotid arteries is not to the point where any procedures are necessary, but I am trying to adapt my eating to include food and drink that dissolves, lessens, or prevents plaque. I’m ornery enough now without having strokes! Happily, I found an article on the net that lists 16 things I can include in my diet. I have several of them already and eat them. Yesterday I started drinking one glass a day of green tea (I found sugar-free). Since beets are on the list and I can’t face eating them, I’ve ordered supplements for that. I’m making a grocery list to get other things. I’m feeling very lucky that there are things I can do about this situation that may improve my chances to continue being ornery… :0)
A downside that complicates things a bit, is that I gained a couple of pounds yesterday. I refuse to worry about that yet, though. I will try to include the new food and drink, continue to exercise at least three times a week if not more (elliptical trainer and yoga stretches), and will give the changes some time before I worry again about lardage.
Here’s to doing what you can to get and stay as healthy as you can for as long as you can.
Filed under Challenges, Changes, taking care of yourself
“If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise.” ~ Unknown
“The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.” ~ Unknown
“Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.” ~ Ann Landers
Filed under sculpture
I’m feeling very relieved this morning. The results of my carotid artery doppler ultrasound show plaque, but not to a worrisome percentage. No procedures necessary. I found an article on ‘artery cleansing foods’ and will try to include more of them in my diet. Many of the recommended foods we already eat, but I will try to drink a cup of green tea daily and purposefully include the recommendations at least several each week.
Just to give an example that shows even though you may be older than dirt, you never outgrow some childish reactions – I was downstairs in the middle of the night, reading for another hour or so, unable to sleep. When I went back up, I slept, but had my old, reliable nightmare I’ve had since I was a child when I’m feeling scared, insecure, dreading something, etc. (I’m desperately trying to get ‘somewhere.’ I’m either alone or with someone who is depending on me. I’m late, I’m lost, and I need to pee. The whole nightmare is me dashing from place to place in this state.) I never get where I’m going and wake exhausted. Since the results of the ultrasound were good, I’m hopeful that I’ll sleep well tonight, plus maybe get a nap this afternoon. :0)
We’re having gorgeous weather for the first day of December here in Arkansas. The weather people are predicting 71 degrees F. this afternoon! Woo HOOO! I’ll plan to get outside and smile.
I hope that December finds you healthy and happy.
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